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Chemical tessellations (2009)
Journal Article
de Lacy Costello, B., Jahan, I., Adamatzky, A., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2009). Chemical tessellations. International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos, 19(2), 619-622. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218127409023238

We report a simple set of chemical reactions based on the reaction of a range of metal salts with potassium ferricyanide loaded gels that spontaneously produce complex and colorful tessellations of the plane. These reactions provide a great resource... Read More about Chemical tessellations.

Highly sensitive room temperature sensors based on the UV-LED activation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (2008)
Journal Article
de Lacy Costello, B., Ewen, R. J., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Richardson, M. (2008). Highly sensitive room temperature sensors based on the UV-LED activation of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 134(2), 945-952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2008.06.055

This study describes novel work on the use of UV-light emitting diodes (LEDs) to enhance the room temperature gas sensitivity of thick film zinc oxide sensors. Sensors based on nanoparticulates of zinc oxide activated with a UV-LED of peak wavelength... Read More about Highly sensitive room temperature sensors based on the UV-LED activation of zinc oxide nanoparticles.

The characteristics of novel low-cost sensors for volatile biomarker detection (2008)
Journal Article
de Lacy Costello, B., Ewen, R. J., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Richards, M. (2008). The characteristics of novel low-cost sensors for volatile biomarker detection. Journal of Breath Research, 2(3), 037017. https://doi.org/10.1088/1752-7155/2/3/037017

For breath analyses, volatile detectors capable of sensing extremely low concentrations in the sub-ppm range are required. Novel room temperature sensors were fabricated based on ultraviolet light activation of nanoparticulate metal oxide surfaces us... Read More about The characteristics of novel low-cost sensors for volatile biomarker detection.

A sensor system for monitoring the simple gases hydrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and ethanol in exhaled breath (2008)
Journal Article
de Lacy Costello, B., Ewen, R. J., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2008). A sensor system for monitoring the simple gases hydrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and ethanol in exhaled breath. Journal of Breath Research, 2(3), https://doi.org/10.1088/1752-7155/2/3/037011

A sensor array system was constructed incorporating electrochemical sensors for hydrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and ethanol, a ceramic sensor for total volatiles and a dye-based optical ammonia sensor. The system was calibrated using stan... Read More about A sensor system for monitoring the simple gases hydrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and ethanol in exhaled breath.

A comparative study of the analysis of human urine headspace using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (2008)
Journal Article
Smith, S., Burden, H., Persad, R., Whittington, K., de Lacy Costello, B., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Probert, C. S. (2008). A comparative study of the analysis of human urine headspace using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Breath Research, 2(3), 037022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1752-7155/2/3/037022

First-void urine samples were obtained from 24 elderly, asymptomatic men (median age 62.9 years). The headspace above pH adjusted urine samples were extracted using a carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane solid phase micro-extraction fibre and the volatile o... Read More about A comparative study of the analysis of human urine headspace using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

An analysis of volatiles in the headspace of the faeces of neonates (2008)
Journal Article
Ewen, R., de Lacy Costello, B., Ewer, A. K., Garner, C. E., Probert, C. S., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Smith, S. (2008). An analysis of volatiles in the headspace of the faeces of neonates. Journal of Breath Research, 2(3), 037023. https://doi.org/10.1088/1752-7155/2/3/037023

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis of the headspace from the faeces of neonates was undertaken to record the volatiles associated with preterm babies on a neonatal unit. The compounds ethanol, acetone, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 3-methylb... Read More about An analysis of volatiles in the headspace of the faeces of neonates.

Identification of Campylobacter infection in chickens from volatile faecal emissions (2008)
Journal Article
Garner, C. E., Smith, S., Elviss, N. C., Humphrey, T. J., White, P., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Probert, C. S. (2008). Identification of Campylobacter infection in chickens from volatile faecal emissions. Biomarkers, 13(4), 413-421. https://doi.org/10.1080/13547500801966443

Volatile organic compounds from chicken faeces were investigated as biomarkers for Campylobacter infection. Campylobacter are major poultry-borne zoonotic pathogens, colonizing the avian intestinal tract. Chicken faeces are the principal source of co... Read More about Identification of Campylobacter infection in chickens from volatile faecal emissions.

A study of methods for evaluating the integrity of plate type heat exchangers used in the dairy industry (2007)
Journal Article
Dowman, A. A., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2007). A study of methods for evaluating the integrity of plate type heat exchangers used in the dairy industry. International Journal of Dairy Technology, 53(1), 30-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0307.2000.tb02650.x

An overview of leak testing methods for heat exchangers is presented. The problems associated with the presence of residual liquid during testing were assessed as it was shown experimentally that complete drainage of plate type heat exchangers is ver... Read More about A study of methods for evaluating the integrity of plate type heat exchangers used in the dairy industry.

Volatile organic compounds from feces and their potential for diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease (2007)
Journal Article
Garner, C. E., Smith, S., De Lacy Costello, B., White, P., Spencer, R., Probert, C. S., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2007). Volatile organic compounds from feces and their potential for diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease. FASEB Journal, 21(8), 1675-1688. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.06-6927com

Little is known about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in feces and their potential health consequences. Patients and healthcare professionals have observed that feces often smell abnormal during gastrointestinal disease. The aim of this work wa... Read More about Volatile organic compounds from feces and their potential for diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease.

Voronoi diagrams generated by regressing edges of precipitation fronts (2004)
Journal Article
Hantz, P., de Lacy Costello, B., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2004). Voronoi diagrams generated by regressing edges of precipitation fronts. Journal of Chemical Physics, 120(5), 2413-2416. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1635358

The Voronoi diagram generated by regression edges of precipitation fronts was analyzed. In the reaction-diffusion system, one of the reagents penetrates into a gel by diffusion and forms a precipitate with the other reagent homogenized in the gel. It... Read More about Voronoi diagrams generated by regressing edges of precipitation fronts.

The formation of voronoi diagrams in chemical and physical systems: Experimental findings and theoretical models (2004)
Journal Article
Purwins, H. G., de Lacy Costello, B., Ratcliffe, N. M., Adamatzky, A., Zanin, A. L., & Liehr, A. W. (2004). The formation of voronoi diagrams in chemical and physical systems: Experimental findings and theoretical models. International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos, 14(7), 2187-2210. https://doi.org/10.1142/S021812740401059X

The work discusses the formation of Voronoi diagrams in spatially extended nonlinear systems taking experimental and theoretical results into account. Concerning experimental systems a number of chemical systems used previously as prototype chemical... Read More about The formation of voronoi diagrams in chemical and physical systems: Experimental findings and theoretical models.

A novel method for rapidly diagnosing the causes of diarrhoea (2004)
Journal Article
Jones, P. R. H., Probert, C. S. J., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2004). A novel method for rapidly diagnosing the causes of diarrhoea. Gut, 53(1), 58-61. https://doi.org/10.1136/gut.53.1.58

Background: The microbiological diagnosis of infectious diarrhoea may take several days using conventional techniques. In order to determine whether flatus can be used to make a rapid diagnosis, the volatile organic compounds associated with diarrhoe... Read More about A novel method for rapidly diagnosing the causes of diarrhoea.

Identification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the wood-rotting fungi Serpula lacrymans and Coniophora puteana, and from Pinus sylvestris timber (2004)
Journal Article
Ewen, R. J., Jones, P. R., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Spencer-Phillips, P. T. (2004). Identification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the wood-rotting fungi Serpula lacrymans and Coniophora puteana, and from Pinus sylvestris timber. Mycological Research, 108(7), 806-814. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095375620400022X

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by two wood-rotting basidiomycete fungi, Serpula lacrymans (dry rot fungus) and Coniophora puteana (cellar fungus), and the timber of Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), were identified. Several volatile collectio... Read More about Identification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the volatile organic compounds emitted from the wood-rotting fungi Serpula lacrymans and Coniophora puteana, and from Pinus sylvestris timber.

The synthesis of novel 3-substituted pyrrole monomers possessing chiral side groups: A study of their chemical polymerisation and the assessment of their chiral discrimination properties (2003)
Journal Article
de Lacy Costello, B., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Sivanand, P. S. (2003). The synthesis of novel 3-substituted pyrrole monomers possessing chiral side groups: A study of their chemical polymerisation and the assessment of their chiral discrimination properties. Synthetic Metals, 139(1), 43-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-6779%2802%2901247-X

Novel 3-substituted pyrrole monomers possessing chiral side groups were synthesised. These compounds were successfully polymerised with ferric salts and the polymer materials fabricated into sensors. The sensors were found to elicit differential chan... Read More about The synthesis of novel 3-substituted pyrrole monomers possessing chiral side groups: A study of their chemical polymerisation and the assessment of their chiral discrimination properties.

Experimental reaction-diffusion chemical processors for robot path planning (2003)
Journal Article
Adamatzky, A., de Lacy Costello, B., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Melhuish, C. (2003). Experimental reaction-diffusion chemical processors for robot path planning. Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, 37(3), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1023/A%3A1025414424756

In this paper we discuss the experimental implementation of a chemical reaction-diffusion processor for robot motion planning in terms of finding the shortest collision-free path for a robot moving in an arena with obstacles. These reaction-diffusion... Read More about Experimental reaction-diffusion chemical processors for robot path planning.

Thick film organic vapour sensors based on binary mixtures of metal oxides (2003)
Journal Article
Ewen, R. J., de Lacy Costello, B., Ratcliffe, N. M., & Sivanand, P. S. (2003). Thick film organic vapour sensors based on binary mixtures of metal oxides. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 92(1-2), 159-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-4005%2803%2900258-2

Previously, composite sensors incorporating differing proportions of tin dioxide and zinc oxide were reported which exhibited high sensitivity to a range of organic vapours under dry conditions (0% relative humidity, RH). Most importantly, the compos... Read More about Thick film organic vapour sensors based on binary mixtures of metal oxides.

A prototype sensor system for the early detection of microbially linked spoilage in stored wheat grain (2003)
Journal Article
de Lacy Costello, B., Ewen, R., Gunson, H., Ratcliffe, N. M., Sivanand, P., & Spencer-Phillips, P. T. (2003). A prototype sensor system for the early detection of microbially linked spoilage in stored wheat grain. Measurement Science and Technology, 14(4), 397-409. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/14/4/301

Spencer-Phillips was Co-Investigator, the lead biologist in this HGCA-funded multi-disciplinary work, and co-wrote the paper. The grant was based on his expertise in the microbiology of post-harvest spoilage.