Paul O'Brien – författare

The progress of today's science and technology encounters an increasing demand for finer and more efficiently performing materials with properties superior over those of current and hence ageing devices. Whether this is concerned with electronics or drug delivery, cancer diagnostics or alternative energy sources, the search for means of miniaturizing the existing materials or devising fundamentally new components with higher capacities appears to be relentless. A saving solution to this is widely proposed as the design and fabrication of nanostructures, molecular architectures with dimensions featured below 100 nm. Replicating Nature's designs faithfully reproduced over millions of years provides perhaps the most straightforward route to success. Nature offers examples of nanodefined self-assemblies in virtually all levels of biological organization.  However explicit guidance to the fabrication of functional or specialist nanostructures is of paramount importance.Nanotechnology is often referred to as building nanoscale structures from bottom up. However, while it is visually clear what is at "up" little is given and understood what is at the "bottom". This new book gives the notion of and provides rules for building nanostructures from basics - the very bottom. The main objective of this publication is to bring together contemporary approaches for designing nanostructures that employ naturally derived self-assembling motifs as synthetic platforms. The book has been written to satisfy the demands that motivate the search for and principles that prove to help the design of novel nanostructures. The overall goal is to compile the existing understanding of rules that govern biomolecular self-assembly into a practical guide to molecular nanotechnology.  It is written in the shape of a review referenced as fully as permissible within the context of biomolecular design, which forms a general trend throughout. The volume is composed of three core chapters focusing on three prominent topics of applied nanotechnology where the role of nanodesign is predominant. The three key areas from which popular highlights can be drawn are:-employing the genetic repository, DNA, for creating various geometric nanoscale objects and patterns-the empirical pursuit of an artificial virus, a magic bullet in gene therapy-designing artificial extracellular matrices for regenerative medicineSpecific applications that arise from designed nanoscale assemblies as well as fabrication and characterization techniques are of secondary importance and whenever they appear serve as progress and innovation highlights. The book takes an unconventional approach in delivering material of this kind. It does not lead straight to applications or methods as most nanotechnology works tend to do, but instead it focuses on the initial and primary aspect of "nano" rather than on "technology". Nanodesign is unique in its own field - illustrations are essential and the cohort of brilliant bioinspired designs reported to date form a major part of the publication. In addition, key bibliographic references are covered as fully as possible. A special appendix giving a short list of leading world laboratories engaged in bioinspired nanodesign is also included.

Nanostructured materials with tailored properties are regarded as a fundamental element in the development of future science and technology. Research is still ongoing into the nanosized construction elements required to create functional solids. The recently developed technique, nanocasting, has great advantage over others in terms of the synthesis of special nanostructured materials by the careful choice of suitable elements and nanoengineering steps. This new book summarizes the recent developments in nanocasting, including the principles of nanocasting, syntheses of novel nanostructured materials, characterization methods, detailed synthetic recipes and further possible development in this area. The book focuses on the synthesis of porous solids from the viewpoint of methodology and introduces the science of nanocasting from fundamental principles to their use in synthesis of various materials. It starts by outlining the principles of nanocasting, requirements to the templates and precursors and the tools needed to probe matter at the nanoscale level. It describes how to synthesize nano structured porous solids with defined characteristics and finally discusses the functionalization and application of porous solids. Special attention is given to new developments in this field and future perspectives. A useful appendix covering the detailed synthetic recipes of various templates including porous silica, porous carbon and colloidal spheres is included which will be invaluable to researchers wanting to follow and reproduce nanocast materials. Topics covered in the book include: * inorganic chemistry * organic chemistry * solution chemistry * sol-gel and interface science * acid-base equilibria * electrochemistry * biochemistry * confined synthesis The book gives readers not only an overview of nanocasting technology, but also sufficient information and knowledge for those wanting to prepare various nanostructured materials without needing to search the available literature.

In the spring of 1980, the Irish Department of Defence sanctioned the establishment of a new unit within the Irish Defence Forces and the Irish Army Ranger Wing (ARW) came into being. In the decades that followed, its soldiers have been deployed on active service at home and abroad, generally without the knowledge of the wider public. The ARW is made up of seasoned men from across the island, who are selected through tough competition. Only the best of the best make it through and are trained in an extraordinary range of specialist skills. Being one of these elite operators takes more than simply being a skilled soldier – it means believing you are the best.Shadow Warriors tells the story behind the creation of the ARW, from its origins in specialist counter-terrorism training in the late 1960s and the preparation of small unconventional units in the 1970s to the formation of the ARW itself in 1980 and its subsequent history. The first and only authoritative account in the public domain of this specialist unit, authors Paul O’Brien and Sergeant Wayne Fitzgerald have been granted access to the closed and clandestine world of Ireland’s Special Forces, who train hard, fight harder and face unconventional types of warfare, yet prefer to stay out of the limelight.

On the hundredth anniversary of the production of Sean O'Casey's Dublin plays at the Abbey Theatre, this timely book, Sean O'Casey: Political activist and writer situates O'Casey in the literary and political context of his time. It is written in an accessible style that will appeal to both a general and an academic readership. O'Casey has been widely acknowledged as one of Ireland's foremost dramatists. Drawing on archival material as well as a close reading of his drama, O'Brien examines the influence of the Young Ireland writers, Charles Stewart Parnell, The Gaelic League, and especially the Irish labour leader James Larkin on his development as a writer and a political activist. This book places O'Casey at the centre of Ireland's cultural and political history, charting his involvement in the shaping of modern Ireland, which is interwoven with a political and dramatic critique of post-independent Ireland and the wider world.O'Casey was one of the most political writers of his generation, constantly exploring the frontiers between literature and politics. Like his friend Bernard Shaw, he wrote for a purpose. His life reflects the history of the early twentieth century, a period shaped by two great ideas: nationalism and socialism. History and politics are woven into the fabric of his life and his drama.This book is an engaging and highly original account of one of the finest dramatists of the twentieth century, with a focus on the social and political movements that inspired his writing across the entire span of his career, challenging traditional interpretations that have focused almost exclusively on the three Dublin plays and the dramatic aspect of his life. By placing the working-class at the centre of his drama O'Casey gave a voice to those who are rarely heard: the poor, the dispossessed and the tenement-dweller, whose lives he shaped into works of art.

Is it actually possible? …that we might emerge from this pandemic with a peaceful global power switch from those who have too much to those who don't have enough? With billionaires able to decide the fate of nations, private corporations more powerful and less accountable than ever, and political autocrats around the world shaking our confidence in democratic institutions, power resides in all the wrong places. And so our world is in crisis. In such moments, activists find opportunities. Not to restore the pre-crises order, but to transform it. Paul O’Brien argues that progressive activists may never have a better opportunity to rewrite economic rules, systems and outcomes in favor of those who don't have enough. His book offers practical action steps for activists who want to drive a power switch that overcomes extreme inequalities in our world.

How did Benito Mussolini come to fascism? Standard accounts of the dictator have failed to explain satisfactorily the transition from his pre-World War I 'socialism' to his post-war fascism. This controversial new book is the first to examine closely Mussolini's political trajectory during the Great War as evidenced in his journalistic writings, speeches and war diary, as well as some previously unexamined archive material. The author argues that the 1914-18 conflict provided the catalyst for Mussolini to clarify his deep-rooted nationalist tendencies. He demonstrates that Mussolini's interventionism was already anti-socialist and anti-democratic in the early autumn of 1914 and shows how in and through the experience of the conflict the future duce fine-tuned his authoritarian and totalitarian vision of Italy in a state of permanent mobilization for war. Providing a radical new interpretation of one of the most important dictators of the twentieth century, Mussolini in the First World War will appeal to anyone who wants to learn more about the roots of fascism in modern Europe.

How did Benito Mussolini come to fascism? Standard accounts of the dictator have failed to explain satisfactorily the transition from his pre-World War I 'socialism' to his post-war fascism. This controversial new book is the first to examine closely Mussolini's political trajectory during the Great War as evidenced in his journalistic writings, speeches and war diary, as well as some previously unexamined archive material. The author argues that the 1914-18 conflict provided the catalyst for Mussolini to clarify his deep-rooted nationalist tendencies. He demonstrates that Mussolini's interventionism was already anti-socialist and anti-democratic in the early autumn of 1914 and shows how in and through the experience of the conflict the future duce fine-tuned his authoritarian and totalitarian vision of Italy in a state of permanent mobilization for war. Providing a radical new interpretation of one of the most important dictators of the twentieth century, Mussolini in the First World War will appeal to anyone who wants to learn more about the roots of fascism in modern Europe.

Major technology shifts do not happen overnight and rarely are they the result of a single breakthrough discovery. Nowhere is this more true than for the broad set of enabling technologies that we have come to simply call "nanotechnology". Rather than standing on the shoulders of a few intellectual giants, nanotechnologies are created by tens of thousands of researchers and scientists working on minute and sometimes arcane aspects of their fields of expertise in areas as diverse as medicine, telecommunications, solar cells, filtration, coatings, or ever smaller transistors for electronic devices. They come from different sciences, live in different parts of the world and work for different organizations (government laboratories, industry laboratories, universities, private research facilities) and follow their own set of rules - get papers reviewed and published; achieve scientific recognition from their peers; struggle to get funding for new ideas; look to make that breakthrough discovery that leads to the ultimate resumÚ item - a nobel prize; get pushed by their funders to secure patent rights and commercialize new discoveries. This book puts a spotlight on some of the scientists who are pushing the boundaries of technology and it gives examples of their work and how they are advancing knowledge one little step at a time. The book shatters the monolithic term "nanotechnology" into the myriad of facets that it really is. It is a journey through the world of nanotechnology research and development, taking a personal look at how nanotechnologies get created today and by whom. The book covers 122 specific research projects that are happening in laboratories around the world and provides commentaries from the scientists in their own words. However, the collection of stories in this book barely scratches the surface of the vast and growing body of research that leads us into the nanotechnology age. The selection presented in the book is not meant to rank some laboratories and scientists higher than others, nor to imply that the work introduced in the book is more important or valuable than all the work that is not covered. The intention is to give the interested reader an idea of the incredibly diverse aspects that make up nanotechnology research and development - the results of which will bring about a new era of industrial and medical technologies. Nanoscience and nanotechnology research is a truly multidisciplinary and international effort. Each of the chapters is based on a particular scientific paper that has been published in a peer-reviewed journal and, while each story revolves around one or two scientists who were interviewed for this book, many, if not most, of the scientific accomplishments covered in the book are the result of collaborative efforts by several scientists and research groups, often from different organizations and from different countries. The book is different to other books in this field because it provides a novel human touch to nanotechnology research by not only covering a wide range of research topics but also the (often nameless) scientists behind this research. The book is a collection of Spotlight articles from the popular Nanowerk website and each article has been crafted with the author(s) of a scientific paper and signed off by them prior to being posted on Nanowerk. The book is intended for two broad groups of audiences - scientists and nanoscience students who want a bite-size, quick read to get a good first impression of what nanotechnologies are about and how they affect not only their own field but also neighbouring fields and other scientific disciplines further away. And a non-scientific readership that needs to (because it affects their organization and they have to acquaint themselves with nanotechnology) or wants to get a 'non-threatening' (i.e. no formulas, complex diagrams, or unexplained scientific terms) introduction, written by a non-scientist for non-scientists.

This exciting new book is a unique compilation of data from a wide range of chemical and spectroscopic instrumentation and the integration of nanostructure characterisation drawn from physical, chemical, electrochemical, spectroscopic and electron microscopic measurements. It fills a gap in the current nanomaterials literature by documenting the latest research from scientific journals and patent literature to provide a concise yet balanced and integrated treatment of an interesting topic: titanium oxide nanostructures within the emerging fashionable area of nanomaterials. Of particular interest are the following key chapters: * Modification and Coating Techniques - provides a unique summary and discussion of available techniques to coat surfaces with nanostructured materials * Chemical Properties - relates structure to surface chemistry and hence applications * Structural and Physical Properties - reviews the relationship between nanostructure and physical properties providing a basis for the rationalisation of applications The book, a valuable reference point, is aimed at professionals, postgraduates and industrial research workers in nanomaterials. Readers will gain a knowledge of the methods for synthesising nanomaterials as well as an understanding of their structure and resulting physical characteristics and a knowledge of their (existing and potential) applications.

The 1916 Rising was about much, much more than the GPO. Around the city, many volunteers and British soldiers were killed and wounded fighting in vicious urban warfare. One of the many forgotten struggles centred on North King Street and the Four Courts and, in this brilliant new book, Paul O'Brien revisits that conflict. Delving deep into the archives and the testimony of those involved, Crossfire: The Battle of the Four Courts 1916 brings to life a desperate struggle between mismatched forces, one that forced rebels to learn new ways of fighting on the cuff. This gripping military history book is in turn exciting and tragic and does more than many books to expose the often forgotten stories of the 1916 rising.

Unlike the more urban Dublin locations of the 1916 Rising, the rural battlefield at Ashbourne is not easily found. Yet it was there that forces of the Royal Irish Constabulary were defeated in a bloody conflict during Easter Week, 1916. A complicated and bloody battle, The Battle of Ashbourne, 1916 was an integral part of the Rising, and also a template for the future tactics and strategies employed by Republican forces during the Irish War of Independence. In the book, O'Brien questions the strategy employed by the police, and explores the controversy that surrounds the number of casualties they suffered and if they could have been avoided while exploring the military competence of the Irish Volunteers during The Battle of Ashbourne, 1916 and how they managed to pull off one of the greatest victories of the 1916 Rising.

The field of nanoscience continues to grow at an impressive rate, with over 10,000 new articles a year contributing to a literature of more than half a million citations. Such a vast landscape of material requires careful searching to discover the most important discoveries.The newest edition to the Specialist Periodical Reports presents a digest of the last twelve months of the literature across the field. The volume editor, Professor Paul O'Brien (University of Manchester, UK) has drawn on some of the most active researchers to present critical and comprehensive reviews of the hottest topics in the field.Chapters include "Nanomaterials for solar energy", "Magnetic hyperthermia", and "Graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites". There is also a special chapter on "Nanoscience in India".Anyone practicing in any nano-allied field, or wishing to enter the nano-world will benefit from the comprehensive resource, which will be published annually.

The field of nanoscience continues to grow at an impressive rate, with over 10,000 new articles a year contributing to a literature of more than half a million citations. Such a vast landscape of material requires careful searching to discover the most important discoveries. The introduction of the newest Specialist Periodical Report by the Royal Society of Chemistry: Nanoscience, provides a critical and comprehensive assesment of the most recent research and opinion. With contributions from across the globe, this new series ensures readers will be well-versed in the latest research and methodologies. Some chapters will also present a special focus in emerging countries contributing to the field, such as India and China.Anyone practicing in any nano-allied field, or wishing to enter the nano-world will benefit from the comprehensive resource, which will be published annually.

The field of nanoscience continues to grow at an impressive rate, with over 10,000 new articles a year contributing to more than half a million citations. Such a vast landscape of material requires careful examination to uncover the most important discoveries.Nanoscience, edited by Professor Paul O’Brien (University of Manchester) and Dr John Thomas (Bangor University), presents a critical and comprehensive assessment of the last twelve months of research and discussion. With contributions from around the globe, this series ensures readers will be well-versed in the latest research and methodologies. Chapters cover a range of topics, including ‘Mesocrystals’, ‘Quantum dot synthesis’, ‘Nano and energy storage’ and ‘Beyond graphene’. Anyone practicing in a nano-allied field, or wishing to enter the nano-world, will benefit from the publication of this comprehensive resource annually.

From legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross, this candid, colorful memoir about the inner workings of the WWE and the personal crises he weathered at the height of his career is “a must-read for wrestling fans” (Charleston Post Courier).If you’ve caught a televised wrestling match anytime in the past thirty years, you’ve probably heard Jim Ross’s throaty Oklahoma twang. The beloved longtime announcer of the WWE “has been a driving force behind a generation of wrestling fans” (Mark Cuban), and he’s not slowing down, having signed on as the announcer of the starry new wrestling venture All Elite Wrestling. In this follow-up to his bestselling memoir Slobberknocker, he dishes out about not only his long career, which includes nurturing global stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and John Cena, but also about his challenges of aging and disability, his split from collaborator Vince McMahon, and the sudden death of his beloved wife, Jan. The result is a gruff, endearing, and remarkably human-scale portrait, set against the larger than life backdrop of professional wrestling. Ross’s ascent in WWE mirrors the rise of professional wrestling itself from a DIY sideshow to a billion-dollar business. Under the Black Hat traces all the highs and lows of that wild ride, in which Jim served not only as on-air commentator, but talent manager, payroll master, and even occasional in-ring foil to threats like Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Undertaker. While his role brought him riches and exposure he had never dreamed of, he chafed against the strictures of a fickle corporate culture and what he saw as a narrow vision of what makes great wrestlers—and great story lines. When suddenly stricken with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis that makes it impossible to smile, he started down his greatest fear—being cast out of the announcing booth for good. Picking up where Slobberknocker left off and ending on the cusp of a new career in a reimagined industry, Under the Black Hat is the triumphant tale of a country boy who made it to the top, took a few knocks, and stuck around—just where his fans like him. Not only being one of the greatest wrestlers of the WWE, Ross is also “a master storyteller, and this book is the perfect forum for his forty years’ worth of tales” (Chris Jericho, former WWE champion).

The drive to realise operational efficiencies, improve customer service, develop new markets and accelerate the introduction of new products has substantially increased the complexity of field service operations. To maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of these operations, organisations have embarked on a wide range of transformation programmes that have sought to introduce automation through the use of workforce management technologies. Despite the potential business value that can be provided by such transformation programmes, too often, the automation technologies have not been fully utilised and their expected benefits have as such not been realised.Scholars of organisation change argue that the success of any transformation programme is a function of how well the technical, political, structural and social aspects of a specific project have been managed. The objective of this edited book is to provide insights into how organisations might successfully transform their field service operations with the help of workforce management technologies. Accordingly, the book is organised into four sections: Section A “The Case for Transforming Service and Field Operations” explains the rationale as to why organisations should actively consider transforming their service and field operations, while Section B presents various “Methods, Models and Enabling Technologies for Transforming Service and Field Operations”. In Section C, a number of  “Case Studies” illustrate how new technologies can be applied to field and service operations to deliver concrete business benefits. Lastly, Section D considers “Challenges, Outcomes and Future Directions”.Overall, this book provides valuable insights into how to successfully transform field service operations with automated technologies. It draws on years of experience from different industries and from different perspectives on realising change. It is aimed at managers, technologists, change agentsand scholars who are interested in field service operations in general and the use of advanced computing technologies in this area in particular.

The drive to realise operational efficiencies, improve customer service, develop new markets and accelerate the introduction of new products has substantially increased the complexity of field service operations. To maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of these operations, organisations have embarked on a wide range of transformation programmes that have sought to introduce automation through the use of workforce management technologies. Despite the potential business value that can be provided by such transformation programmes, too often, the automation technologies have not been fully utilised and their expected benefits have as such not been realised.Scholars of organisation change argue that the success of any transformation programme is a function of how well the technical, political, structural and social aspects of a specific project have been managed. The objective of this edited book is to provide insights into how organisations might successfully transform their field service operations with the help of workforce management technologies. Accordingly, the book is organised into four sections: Section A “The Case for Transforming Service and Field Operations” explains the rationale as to why organisations should actively consider transforming their service and field operations, while Section B presents various “Methods, Models and Enabling Technologies for Transforming Service and Field Operations”. In Section C, a number of  “Case Studies” illustrate how new technologies can be applied to field and service operations to deliver concrete business benefits. Lastly, Section D considers “Challenges, Outcomes and Future Directions”.Overall, this book provides valuable insights into how to successfully transform field service operations with automated technologies. It draws on years of experience from different industries and from different perspectives on realising change. It is aimed at managers, technologists, change agentsand scholars who are interested in field service operations in general and the use of advanced computing technologies in this area in particular.