Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

University of Plymouth

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 661 - 690 of 6792

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Can Eggshells Indicate Stressor Exposure In Free-Range Laying Hens?, Helen E. Gray, Emma L. Malcolm, Katherine Herborn, David Armstrong, Jessica E. Martin, Lucy Asher Nov 2024

Can Eggshells Indicate Stressor Exposure In Free-Range Laying Hens?, Helen E. Gray, Emma L. Malcolm, Katherine Herborn, David Armstrong, Jessica E. Martin, Lucy Asher

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Finding effective ways to monitor laying hen welfare is challenging as UK flock sizes can reach 16,000 birds. Eggs provide potential for welfare monitoring, as they are a daily output with previous evidence of links to stress. We explored the associations between stressors and eggs using two complementary studies. In Study 1, hens experienced social or heat stressors and eggs were scored daily for defects in shell characteristics. All eggs were scored on a three-point scale: 1 (no defect); 2 (minor defects); or 3 (unsuitable for whole egg sale in the UK). Texture defects were higher after stress treatments and …


What Influences Women's Participation In The Private Sector Workforce In Oman?, Rakesh Belwal, Shweta Belwal, Suhaila Alhashemi Nov 2024

What Influences Women's Participation In The Private Sector Workforce In Oman?, Rakesh Belwal, Shweta Belwal, Suhaila Alhashemi

Plymouth Business School

Purpose: Women’s employment has been a contentious issue in the Arab world. However, in today’s changing work conditions, workplaces, and the growth in education, women have increasingly occupied higher-level roles, and their presence in diverse industries has expanded. The study takes a holistic approach to female labor force participation (FLFP) in Oman, encompassing various theories and factors influencing women’s engagement in private sector jobs. Design/methodology/approach: The research employed an exploratory design followed by a qualitative analysis based on a constructivist grounded theory approach. The study involved 170 semi-structured face-to-face interviews with women workers in Oman’s private sector. It explored work–family …


Are Biobased Microfibers Less Harmful Than Conventional Plastic Microfibers: Evidence From Earthworms, W. Courtene-Jones, F. De Falco, F. Burgevin, R. D. Handy, R. C. Thompson Nov 2024

Are Biobased Microfibers Less Harmful Than Conventional Plastic Microfibers: Evidence From Earthworms, W. Courtene-Jones, F. De Falco, F. Burgevin, R. D. Handy, R. C. Thompson

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Biobased plastics are sometimes promoted as “environmentally friendly” compared to their conventional petrochemical-based counterparts, but their ecotoxicity is only partially understood. Biobased fibers are widely used in clothing and wet wipes and can accumulate in soils through the application of biosolid fertilizers. This study examined the lethal thresholds and sublethal toxicity of chemically characterized, additive-free, biobased (viscose and lyocell) compared to petrochemical-based (polyester) fibers on the key ecosystem engineer, Esenia fetida. Viscose and lyocell had LC20 values of 14.00 and 22.66 mg·L-1, respectively, and no observed effect concentrations (NOEC) of 0-2.8 mg·L-1 (72 h, OECD TG207 …


Network-Based Biomarkers In Background Electroencephalography In Childhood Epilepsies – A Scoping Review And Narrative Synthesis, Rohit Shankar, John Terry Nov 2024

Network-Based Biomarkers In Background Electroencephalography In Childhood Epilepsies – A Scoping Review And Narrative Synthesis, Rohit Shankar, John Terry

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundBrain network analysis is an emerging field of research that could lead to the development, testing and validation of novel biomarkers for epilepsy. This could shorten the diagnostic uncertainty period, improve treatment, decrease seizure risk and lead to better management. This scoping review summarises the current state of electroencephalogram (EEG)-based network abnormalities for childhood epilepsies. The review assesses the overall robustness, potential generalisability, strengths, and limitations of the methodological frameworks of the identified research studies.Reporting MethodsPRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews and the PICO framework was used to guide this review. Studies that evaluated candidate network-based features from EEG in children …


Knocking Out Antimicrobial Resistance Editorial: Reflections On The United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting On Antimicrobial Resistance, Lovleen Tina Joshi, Catrin E. Moore Nov 2024

Knocking Out Antimicrobial Resistance Editorial: Reflections On The United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting On Antimicrobial Resistance, Lovleen Tina Joshi, Catrin E. Moore

Peninsula Dental School

No abstract provided.


Prior Probability Biases Perceptual Choices By Modulating The Accumulation Rate, Rather Than The Baseline, Of Decision Evidence, Jessica A. Diaz, M. Andrea Pisauro, Ioannis Delis, Marios G. Philiastides Nov 2024

Prior Probability Biases Perceptual Choices By Modulating The Accumulation Rate, Rather Than The Baseline, Of Decision Evidence, Jessica A. Diaz, M. Andrea Pisauro, Ioannis Delis, Marios G. Philiastides

School of Psychology

The prior probability of an upcoming stimulus has been shown to influence the formation of perceptual decisions. Computationally, these effects have typically been attributed to changes in the starting point (i.e., baseline) of evidence accumulation in sequential sampling models. More recently, it has also been proposed that prior probability might additionally lead to changes in the rate of evidence accumulation. Here, we introduce a neurally-informed behavioural modelling approach to understand whether prior probability influences the starting point, the rate of evidence accumulation or both. To this end, we employ a well-established visual object categorisation task for which two neural components …


Numerical Modelling Of Atoll Island Flooding And Implications For The Future: The 1 July 2022 Island Flooding Event, Southwest Huvadhoo Atoll, Maldives, Gerd Masselink Nov 2024

Numerical Modelling Of Atoll Island Flooding And Implications For The Future: The 1 July 2022 Island Flooding Event, Southwest Huvadhoo Atoll, Maldives, Gerd Masselink

Faculty of Science and Engineering Datasets

Field data and numerical model data and model parameters


Radiological And Elemental Composition Of Cryoconite And Glacier Mice From Vatnajökull, Iceland, Emma Smith, Caroline Clason, Geoff Millward, Alex Taylor, Ralph Fyfe Nov 2024

Radiological And Elemental Composition Of Cryoconite And Glacier Mice From Vatnajökull, Iceland, Emma Smith, Caroline Clason, Geoff Millward, Alex Taylor, Ralph Fyfe

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Cryoconite has been demonstrated to be an efficient accumulator of some classes of contaminants on glaciers in both mountain and polar environments, however the accumulation of contaminants in cryoconite in Iceland has received very little attention to date. To understand the spatial variability of natural and anthropogenic fallout radionuclides and metals on glaciers in Iceland, we present the first study of this region including both cryoconite from three glaciers: Virkisjökull; Skaftafellsjökull; and Falljökull, together with moss balls (‘glacier mice’) from Falljökull. The cryoconite samples and glacier mice were analysed using XRF spectrometry to assess their elemental composition and gamma spectrometry …


Restorative Function Of Offshore Longline Mussel Farms With Ecological Benefits For Commercial Crustacean Species, Thomas Stamp, Simon J. Pittman, Luke A. Holmes, Adam Rees, Benjamin J. Ciotti, Harry Thatcher, Peter Davies, Alice Hall, Georgia Wells, Anna Olczak, Emma V. Sheehan Nov 2024

Restorative Function Of Offshore Longline Mussel Farms With Ecological Benefits For Commercial Crustacean Species, Thomas Stamp, Simon J. Pittman, Luke A. Holmes, Adam Rees, Benjamin J. Ciotti, Harry Thatcher, Peter Davies, Alice Hall, Georgia Wells, Anna Olczak, Emma V. Sheehan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Offshore ocean aquaculture is expanding globally to meet the growing demand for sustainable food production. At the United Kingdom's largest longline mussel farm, we assessed the potential for the farm to improve the habitat suitability for commercially important crustaceans. Modelled distribution patterns (GAM & GLM) predicted the low complexity seabed beneath the mussel farm was 34–94 % less suitable for European lobster (Homarus gammarus) and brown crab (Cancer pagurus) than nearby rocky reefs. The mussel farm operations, however, contributed large amounts of living mussels and shell material to the seabed. Acoustic telemetry revealed that H.gammarus remained within the farm for …


Vertical Arrays Of Artificial Rockpools On A Seawall Provide Refugia Across Tidal Levels For Intertidal Species In The Uk, Jessica R. Bone, Rick Stafford, Alice E. Hall, Roger J.H. Herbert Nov 2024

Vertical Arrays Of Artificial Rockpools On A Seawall Provide Refugia Across Tidal Levels For Intertidal Species In The Uk, Jessica R. Bone, Rick Stafford, Alice E. Hall, Roger J.H. Herbert

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Eco-engineering of coastal infrastructure aims to address the insufficient intertidal habitat provided by coastal development and flood defence. There are numerous ways to enhance coastal infrastructure with habitat features, but a common method involves retrofitting artificial rockpools. Often these are ‘bolt-on’ units that are fixed to existing coastal infrastructure but there is a paucity of literature on how to optimise their arrangement for biodiversity. In this study, 24 artificial rockpools were installed at three levels between High Water Neaps and Mean Tide Level on a vertical concrete seawall on the south coast of the UK. The species abundance of the …


Prone Positioning Is Associated With Increased Insulin Requirements In Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Covid-19, Harry Griffiths, Amy Cardwell, Max Richardson, Meg Barne, Bogdan Petrisor, Ammara Usman, Laura Heales, Julia Calvo Latorre, Vishakha Bansiya, Razeen Mahroof, Tamas Szakmany, Daniel Martin, Anthony Rostron, Andrew Conway Morris, Sam Lockhart Nov 2024

Prone Positioning Is Associated With Increased Insulin Requirements In Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Covid-19, Harry Griffiths, Amy Cardwell, Max Richardson, Meg Barne, Bogdan Petrisor, Ammara Usman, Laura Heales, Julia Calvo Latorre, Vishakha Bansiya, Razeen Mahroof, Tamas Szakmany, Daniel Martin, Anthony Rostron, Andrew Conway Morris, Sam Lockhart

Peninsula Medical School

Stress hyperglycaemia is common in critical illness. We have previously observed that increasing severity of respiratory failure in patients with severe COVID-19 is associated with increased insulin demand. Given previously reported direct effects of hypoxia on insulin action, we reasoned that rapid improvements in oxygenation following prone positioning may improve insulin sensitivity and increase risk of hypoglycaemia. A retrospective multi-centre service evaluation comparing blood glucose and insulin administration in patients with COVID-19 pneumonitis receiving prone mechanical ventilation, comparing the 16 h pre-prone and 16 h post-prone time periods. 155 patients were included in this analysis. Oxygenation improved significantly following prone …


Flocs As Vectors For Microplastics In The Aquatic Environment, Nan Wu, Stuart Grieve, Andrew Manning, Kate Spencer Nov 2024

Flocs As Vectors For Microplastics In The Aquatic Environment, Nan Wu, Stuart Grieve, Andrew Manning, Kate Spencer

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.


A Framework To Conceptualize Social Prescribing Services From A Prevention Perspective, Adrienne Alayli, Kerryn Husk, Vashti Berry, Freia De Bock Nov 2024

A Framework To Conceptualize Social Prescribing Services From A Prevention Perspective, Adrienne Alayli, Kerryn Husk, Vashti Berry, Freia De Bock

Peninsula Medical School

Objective: Social prescribing models are expanding worldwide to serve multiple goals, such as attending to social conditions that affect people's health, supporting patients with mental health issues or other long-term conditions, facilitating community building and reducing demands on the health care system. Implicitly, many social prescribing services seek to promote health, prevent morbidity or deterioration of disease. Given that the scientific literature currently does not systematically describe these services as preventive service models, we propose a framework to explicitly conceptualize social prescribing from a prevention perspective. Methods: Based on concepts from prevention science (e.g., classifications of prevention approaches), and a …


Quantifying And Reducing The Cost Of Tagging: Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics And Diving Experiments To Reduce Impact From Animal-Borne Tags, J. Chris Mcknight, Chris Pass, Dave Thompson, Steve Balfour, Sophie M.J.M. Brasseur, Clare Embling, Gordon Hastie, Ryan Milne, Adam Kyte, Simon E.W. Moss, Richard Pemberton, Debbie J.F. Russell Nov 2024

Quantifying And Reducing The Cost Of Tagging: Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics And Diving Experiments To Reduce Impact From Animal-Borne Tags, J. Chris Mcknight, Chris Pass, Dave Thompson, Steve Balfour, Sophie M.J.M. Brasseur, Clare Embling, Gordon Hastie, Ryan Milne, Adam Kyte, Simon E.W. Moss, Richard Pemberton, Debbie J.F. Russell

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Animal-borne instruments are essential research tools for ecologists and physiologists. An increasing number of studies have shown impacts of carrying a tag on behaviour and energetics, which can have implications for animal welfare and data validity. Such impacts are a result of the additional mass and/or drag loads, with the latter requiring empirical measurements or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to estimate. To quantify and effectively minimize tag impacts from drag, a novel combined empirical and CFD approach is required. Here, we demonstrate such an approach using captive phocid seals and the widely used Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) Instrumentation Group …


Community-Led Workshops To Engage Action For Food System Change (Foodsequal), Clare Pettinger, Louise Hunt, Hannah Gardiner, Lisa Howard, Carol Wagstaff Nov 2024

Community-Led Workshops To Engage Action For Food System Change (Foodsequal), Clare Pettinger, Louise Hunt, Hannah Gardiner, Lisa Howard, Carol Wagstaff

School of Health Professions

Background: The UK food system is distorted by inequalities of access for socially and economically disadvantaged communities. There is a need for novel approaches whereby communities can lead food system change. Research Objective: This study aimed to explore creative methods (delivered by community members) to support dietary benchmarking activities as part of a UK consortium food system transformation research project (FoodSEqual, 2021). Methods: Several ‘shopping basket’ workshops were run to ‘sense check’ national dietary datasets against local community lived experience, seeking aspirational views on dietary change. Informed by UK data synthesis (Methven et al 2022), workshops were co-designed by community …


Engaging Secondary Schools In Food Activities – Curriculum Enrichment (Foodsequal), Clare Pettinger Nov 2024

Engaging Secondary Schools In Food Activities – Curriculum Enrichment (Foodsequal), Clare Pettinger

School of Health Professions

Background: Secondary schools in disadvantaged communities are vulnerable to poor food provision. Food literacy in children builds skills and confidence to support lifelong healthy (sustainable) eating habits (Carroll et al 2021). Research Objective: The aim of this study was to co-design a food-themed curriculum enrichment week for secondary school children to explore food literacy and school food culture (FoodSEqual, 2021) Methods: A series of taster sessions (cooking; filming; games; discussions) were run to introduce ideas. This informed co-design of food-themed curriculum enrichment week activities. Food literacy focus groups were run with students; interviews with school teachers (school food culture); observations …


Fulfilling The Promise Of Breathomics: Considerations For The Discovery And Validation Of Exhaled Volatile Biomarkers, Paul Brinkman, Michael Wilde, Waqar Ahmed, Ran Wang, Marc Van Der Schee, Shahd Abuhelal, Chad Schaber, Danen Cunoosamy, Graham W Clarke, Anke H Maitland-Van Der Zee, Sven-Erik Dahlén, Salman Siddiqui, Stephen J Fowler Nov 2024

Fulfilling The Promise Of Breathomics: Considerations For The Discovery And Validation Of Exhaled Volatile Biomarkers, Paul Brinkman, Michael Wilde, Waqar Ahmed, Ran Wang, Marc Van Der Schee, Shahd Abuhelal, Chad Schaber, Danen Cunoosamy, Graham W Clarke, Anke H Maitland-Van Der Zee, Sven-Erik Dahlén, Salman Siddiqui, Stephen J Fowler

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The exhaled breath represents an ideal matrix for non-invasive biomarker discovery, and exhaled metabolomics have the potential to be clinically useful in the era of precision medicine. In this concise translational review we will specifically address volatile organic compounds in the breath, with a view towards fulfilling the promise of these as actionable biomarkers, in particular for lung diseases. We review the literature paying attention to seminal work linked to key milestones in breath research; discuss potential applications for breath biomarkers across disease areas and healthcare systems, including the perspectives of industry; and outline critical aspects of study design that …


Stronger Shores: A Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register For The North East Uk Coastline. Part One Introduction To Natural Capital Assets And Ecosystem Service Benefits, Matthew Ashley, Sian Rees, Tom Mullier, Riley Bibaud, Helen Agosti Nov 2024

Stronger Shores: A Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register For The North East Uk Coastline. Part One Introduction To Natural Capital Assets And Ecosystem Service Benefits, Matthew Ashley, Sian Rees, Tom Mullier, Riley Bibaud, Helen Agosti

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In this Stronger Shores programme study we address the aim of improving understanding of the costs and benefits of kelp, seagrass and native oyster habitats with regard to coastal erosion, flood risk, climate change, biodiversity management and wider benefits by providing a Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register for the North East England coast, with a focus on the Stronger Shores pilot sites. The Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register provides evidence of the wide range of existing benefits provided by the marine and coastal environment in North East England, as well as the additional benefits that Stronger Shores Nature …


Stronger Shores: A Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register For The Northeast Uk Coastline Part Two: Baseline Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register, Matthew Ashley, Tom Mullier, Riley Bibaud, Helen Agosti, Sian Rees Nov 2024

Stronger Shores: A Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register For The Northeast Uk Coastline Part Two: Baseline Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register, Matthew Ashley, Tom Mullier, Riley Bibaud, Helen Agosti, Sian Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In Part One of this study, we provided an introduction to the natural capital assets within the North East English marine and coastal region. We also reviewed and summarised the flow of ecosystem services (ES) and subsequent ES benefits provided by those assets. In this, Part Two study, we build on Part One to provide a Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register for the North East England Coastal and Marine area and the Stronger Shores Nature-based Solutions (NbS) sites, focussing on the habitats of seagrass, native oyster and kelp. The Natural Capital Asset Register identifies the status of habitat, species …


Using Semi-Automated Classification Algorithms In The Context Of An Ecosystem Service Assessment Applied To A Temperate Atlantic Estuary, F. Afonso, C. Ponte Lira, M. C. Austen, S. Broszeit, R. Melo, R. Nogueira Mendes, R. Salgado, A. C. Brito Nov 2024

Using Semi-Automated Classification Algorithms In The Context Of An Ecosystem Service Assessment Applied To A Temperate Atlantic Estuary, F. Afonso, C. Ponte Lira, M. C. Austen, S. Broszeit, R. Melo, R. Nogueira Mendes, R. Salgado, A. C. Brito

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The growing anthropogenic pressure near estuarine areas is evidence of the relevance of these systems to human well-being, especially because of their delivery of essential ecosystem services and benefits. Estuaries are composed of a rich large selection of habitats frequently organised in complex patterns. Mapping and further understanding of these habitats can contribute significantly to environmental management and conservation. The main goal of this study was to integrate different data sources to perform a supervised image classification, using remote-sensing products with different spatial resolutions and features. It was focused on the Sado Estuary, located on the Portuguese Atlantic coast. Considering …


Multiple Negative Impacts Of Marine Plastic Pollution On Tropical Coastal Ecosystem Services, And Human Health And Well-Being, Carya Maharja, Radisti A. Praptiwi, Sainal Sainal, Prawesti Wulandari, Matthew Ashley, Kayleigh Wyles, Joyashree Roy, I Gede Hendrawan, Susan Jobling, Melanie Austen Nov 2024

Multiple Negative Impacts Of Marine Plastic Pollution On Tropical Coastal Ecosystem Services, And Human Health And Well-Being, Carya Maharja, Radisti A. Praptiwi, Sainal Sainal, Prawesti Wulandari, Matthew Ashley, Kayleigh Wyles, Joyashree Roy, I Gede Hendrawan, Susan Jobling, Melanie Austen

School of Psychology

There is limited empirical evidence showing the impacts of marine plastic pollution on ecosystem services or on human health and well-being in Global South countries. We aimed to estimate these impacts in the tropical archipelago of Indonesia, one of the top emitters of marine plastics globally, through an iterative Delphi survey, with an expert panel (n = 42) consisting of equal numbers of Indonesian scientists, policymakers, and practitioners. After two rounds of the survey, the analysis of interquartile ranges indicated that the experts reached a consensus in their predictions. The experts agreed that, over the next 10 years, plastics would …


Trade-Offs In A Reef-Building Coral After Six Years Of Thermal Acclimation, Anna Roik, Marlene Wall, Melina Dobelmann, Samuel Nietzer, Anna Fiesinger, Miriam Reverter, David Brefeld, Peter J Schupp, Matthew Jackson, Marie Rutsch, Julia Strahl Nov 2024

Trade-Offs In A Reef-Building Coral After Six Years Of Thermal Acclimation, Anna Roik, Marlene Wall, Melina Dobelmann, Samuel Nietzer, Anna Fiesinger, Miriam Reverter, David Brefeld, Peter J Schupp, Matthew Jackson, Marie Rutsch, Julia Strahl

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

There is growing evidence that reef-building corals can acclimate to novel and challenging thermal conditions. However, potential trade-offs that accompany acclimation remain largely unexplored. We investigated physiological trade-offs in colonies of a globally abundant coral species (Pocillopora acuta) that were acclimated ex situ to an elevated temperature of 31 °C (i.e., 1 °C above their bleaching threshold) for six years. By comparing them to conspecifics maintained at a cooler temperature, we found that the energy storage of corals was prioritized over skeletal growth at the elevated temperature. This was associated with the formation of higher density skeletons, lower calcification rates …


Cascading Hazards In Volcanic Environments: Monitoring, Modelling And Impact Analysis Of Tsunamigenic Flows For Risk Reduction, Irene Manzella, Symeon Makris, Daniele Casalbore, Paul Cole, Karim Kelfoun, Aggeliki Georgiopoulou, Anna Hicks, Cees Van Westen Oct 2024

Cascading Hazards In Volcanic Environments: Monitoring, Modelling And Impact Analysis Of Tsunamigenic Flows For Risk Reduction, Irene Manzella, Symeon Makris, Daniele Casalbore, Paul Cole, Karim Kelfoun, Aggeliki Georgiopoulou, Anna Hicks, Cees Van Westen

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Volcanic environments present complex multi-hazard scenarios where primary volcanic activity can trigger cascading hazards or where multiple hazards can occur simultaneously, leading to cascading and compounding impacts on communities and ecosystems. Stromboli, one of the most active volcanoes globally, exemplifies these challenges with its frequent eruptions, pyroclastic density currents, landslides, and tsunamis. In the present study, the mechanisms behind tsunamigenic flows at Stromboli are investigated by using extensive monitoring data from previous studies and numerical modelling. Key findings from simulations and parametric analysis are presented, showing the relationships between mass flow dynamics, morphological factors, and tsunami generation. A more comprehensive …


Reputation-Surveillance Model Of Mate Guarding: Community Size And Religious Veiling, Farid Pazhoohi Oct 2024

Reputation-Surveillance Model Of Mate Guarding: Community Size And Religious Veiling, Farid Pazhoohi

School of Psychology

The mate guarding theory of conservative clothing posits that veiling reduces women's physical allure and sexual attractiveness, thereby diminishing men's attraction towards them and deterring potential rivals for a woman's partner. This theory argues that the importance of veiling is influenced by ecological factors in a way that it is of higher importance to control women's sexuality in harsher environments to secure paternal investment. A prediction of this theory is that the importance of veiling should be influenced by community size, where individuals’ reputations, specifically men's, might have different weightings, and their perceived sense of controlling a partner's activity may …


The Future Of Transcranial Ultrasound As A Precision Brain Interface, Keith Murphy, Elsa Fouragnan Oct 2024

The Future Of Transcranial Ultrasound As A Precision Brain Interface, Keith Murphy, Elsa Fouragnan

School of Psychology

Our understanding of brain circuit operations and disorders has rapidly outpaced our ability to intervene and restore them. Developing technologies that can precisely interface with any brain region and circuit may combine diagnostics with therapeutic intervention, expediting personalised brain medicine. Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a promising noninvasive solution to this challenge, offering focal precision and scalability. By exploiting the biomechanics of pressure waves on brain tissue, TUS enables multi-site targeted neuromodulation across distributed circuits in the cortex and deeper areas alike. In this Essay, we explore the emergent evidence that TUS can functionally test and modify dysfunctional regions, effectively …


Using A Natural Capital Risk Register To Support The Funding Of Seagrass Habitat Enhancement In Plymouth Sound, Guy Hooper, Matthew Ashley, Tom Mullier, Martin Attrill, Amelia Sturgeon, Zoe Sydenham, Mark Parry, Katey Valentine, Sian Rees Oct 2024

Using A Natural Capital Risk Register To Support The Funding Of Seagrass Habitat Enhancement In Plymouth Sound, Guy Hooper, Matthew Ashley, Tom Mullier, Martin Attrill, Amelia Sturgeon, Zoe Sydenham, Mark Parry, Katey Valentine, Sian Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Seagrass is an important marine habitat that provides benefits to society in the form of ecosystem services. Services include the provision of food via fisheries, the regulation of water quality and the ability to sequester and store carbon. In the UK, seagrass beds are in decline, increasing the risk of ecosystem service loss. Current efforts to protect, restore and create seagrass habitat, beyond spatial management measures, rely on grant funding and donations. Emerging carbon, biodiversity and wider ecosystem service markets offering potential revenue sources could facilitate the enhancement of seagrass habitat at scale. Participation in ecosystem service markets, requires that …


Outcome Measures In Intellectual Disability: A Review And Narrative Synthesis Of Validated Instruments, Rohit Shankar Oct 2024

Outcome Measures In Intellectual Disability: A Review And Narrative Synthesis Of Validated Instruments, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundOutcome measurement is essential to determine the effectiveness of health interventions and improve the quality of services. The interplay of social, individual, and biological factors makes this a complex process in the psychiatry of people with intellectual disability (PwID).AimReview of outcome measures which are validated in PwIDMethodsA PRISMA-guided review was conducted, using a predefined criteria and a relevant word combination on four databases: EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL and PsycINFO. Each included study was examined for relevance to intellectual disability psychiatry. The psychometric data of each tool was critically assessed. Findings were narratively synthesised.ResultsOf 1,548 articles, 35 met the inclusion criteria. Several …


Twenty Years Of Microplastic Pollution Research—What Have We Learned?, Richard C. Thompson, Winnie Courtene-Jones, Julien Boucher, Sabine Pahl, Karen Raubenheimer, Albert A. Koelmans Oct 2024

Twenty Years Of Microplastic Pollution Research—What Have We Learned?, Richard C. Thompson, Winnie Courtene-Jones, Julien Boucher, Sabine Pahl, Karen Raubenheimer, Albert A. Koelmans

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Twenty years after the first publication that used the term microplastic, we review current understanding, refine definitions, and consider future prospects. Microplastics arise from multiple sources, including tires, textiles, cosmetics, paint, and the fragmentation of larger items. They are widely distributed throughout the natural environment, with evidence of harm at multiple levels of biological organization. They are pervasive in food and drink and have been detected throughout the human body, with emerging evidence of negative effects. Environmental contamination could double by 2040, and wide-scale harm has been predicted. Public concern is increasing, and diverse measures to address microplastic pollution are …


Voicing Experiences Of Family Members Providing Care To Loved Ones With A Pituitary Condition, Carly Ellicott, Alyson Norman, Sue Jackson Oct 2024

Voicing Experiences Of Family Members Providing Care To Loved Ones With A Pituitary Condition, Carly Ellicott, Alyson Norman, Sue Jackson

School of Psychology

Introduction: This paper draws upon lived experiences of family members caring for a relative with a pituitary condition. The rationale for the study stems from the crucial role provided by informal, unpaid carers. Yet in the specific domain of pituitary care, they remain overlooked within empirical research. Therefore, the current study aimed to understand 1) the experiences of family members whose loved ones have a pituitary condition and 2) the information and support needs of family members. Materials and methods: Adopting a qualitative participatory approach, the study involved six family members, each of whom provided care for a loved one …


The Phylogenetically Isolated South African Endemic Diving Beetle Caperhantus Cicurius (Fabricius, 1787): Redescription And Range Extensions (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Colymbetinae), David T Bilton, C.R. Turner, M.C. Mlambo Oct 2024

The Phylogenetically Isolated South African Endemic Diving Beetle Caperhantus Cicurius (Fabricius, 1787): Redescription And Range Extensions (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Colymbetinae), David T Bilton, C.R. Turner, M.C. Mlambo

More Faculty of Science and Engineering Research

New distribution records and a redescription are presented for Caperhantus cicurius (Fabricius, 1787), a diving beetle endemic to the Cape region of South Africa, which is only distantly related to other Afrotropical dytiscids. We show that the species is much more widely distributed than previously recognized and present details of occupied habitats for the first time. Caperhantus cicurius occurs throughout the winter rainfall zone in South Africa, from Namaqualand to the Eastern Cape Province, particularly in temporary waters in the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes.