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Psychotropic Medicines’ Prevalence, Patterns And Effects On Cognitive And Physical Function In Older Adults With Intellectual Disability In Ireland: Longitudinal Cohort Study, 2009–2020, M Odalović, A Gorman, A Paul, P Mccallion, Et Al

Peninsula Medical School

Background The frequent prescribing of psychotropics and high prevalence of polypharmacy among older adults with intellectual disabilities require close monitoring. Aims To describe change in prevalence, predictors and health outcomes of psychotropic use during the four waves (2009/2010, 2013/2014, 2016/2017, 2019/2020) of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA). Method Eligible participants were adults (≥40 years) with intellectual disabilities who participated in all four waves of IDS-TILDA and who reported medication use for the entire period. Differences between groups were tested using Cochran's Q test for binary variables and the McNemar–Bowker test for variables with …

Guidelines On The Prevention Of Foot Ulcers In Persons With Diabetes (Iwgdf 2023 Update), Sicco A. Bus, Isabel C.N. Sacco, M Monteiro‐Soares, Anita Raspovic, Joanne Paton, Anne Rasmussen, Lawrence A. Lavery, Netten Jj Van

School of Health Professions

Aims This is the 2023 International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot guideline on the prevention of foot ulcers in persons with diabetes, which updates the 2019 guideline. This guideline is targeted at clinicians and other healthcare professionals. Materials and Methods We followed the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations methodology to devise clinical questions and critically important outcomes in the PICO format, to conduct a systematic review of the medical-scientific literature including, where appropriate, meta-analyses, and to write recommendations and their rationale. The recommendations are based on the quality of evidence found in the systematic review, expert opinion …

Mitochondrial Involvement In Sarcopenia, Charles Affourtit, Jane E. Carré

School of Biomedical Sciences

Sarcopenia lowers the quality-of-life for millions of people across the world, as accelerated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function contributes to both age- and disease-related frailty. Physical activity remains the only proven therapy for sarcopenia to date, but alternatives are much sought after to manage this progressive muscle disorder in individuals who are unable to exercise. Mitochondria have been widely implicated in the etiology of sarcopenia and are increasingly suggested as attractive therapeutic targets to help restore the perturbed balance between protein synthesis and breakdown that underpins skeletal muscle atrophy. Reviewing current literature, we note that mitochondrial bioenergetic changes …

Navigating The Complexity Of Applying Nutrition Evidence To Individualised Care: Summary Of An Academy Of Nutrition Sciences Position Paper, Judith Buttriss, Mary Hickson, Kevin Whelan, Christine Williams

School of Health Professions

No abstract provided.

Lessons From Lyme Bay (Uk) To Inform Policy, Management, And Monitoring Of Marine Protected Areas, Chloe Renn, Sian Rees, Adam Rees, Bede F.R. Davies, Amy Y. Cartwright, Sam Fanshawe, Martin J. Attrill, Luke A. Holmes, Emma V. Sheehan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

This decade represents a critical period to profoundly rethink human–nature interactions in order to address the interwoven climate and biodiversity crises. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) demonstrate promise for increasing ecosystem resilience and reversing habitat and population declines, but outcomes vary considerably from context to context. Partially protected areas offer a compromise between ecological recovery and the social needs of local communities, but their success is contingent on an array of factors. This in-depth review summarizes 15 years of marine conservation research and impact in Lyme Bay (southwest UK), to serve as a model for the future adoption of partially protected …

If Speed Is Of The Essence: Rapid Analysis Of Ambergris By Apci Compact Mass Spectrometry, Steven J Rowland, Michael J Wilde, Paul A Sutton, Sabena J Blackbird, George A Wolff

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The use of atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI) compact mass spectrometry (CMS) was investigated for the analysis of jetsam and museum-archived ambergris and of ambergris components in perfumes. The data were compared with those from existing methods. Authentic samples of some individual ambergris constituents (ambrein, coprostanol, epicoprostanol and coprostanone), were also examined. Rapid APCI CMS was achieved using either a solids probe or a probe with solutions held in capillary melting point tubes. Interpretation is made of the spectra of the principal natural product components, the relative ion responses were measured and the elemental composition of key ions in the …

Meta-Study Of Carbonate Sediment Delivery Rates To Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Islands, Baptiste Ainési, Gerd Masselink, Paul Kench

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Coral reef islands are amongst the most vulnerable environments to sea-level rise (SLR). Recent physical and numerical modeling studies have demonstrated that overwash processes may enable reef islands to keep up with SLR through island accretion. Sediment supply to these islands from the surrounding reef system is critical in understanding their morphodynamic adjustments, but is poorly constrained due to insufficient knowledge about sediment delivery rates. This paper provides the first estimation of sediment delivery rates to coral reef islands. Analysis of topographic and geochronological data from 28 coral reef islands indicates an average rate of sediment delivery of c. 0.1 …

Minke Whale Entanglement In Static Fishing Gear: Identifying Consistent Areas Of High Risk In Western Scotland, Jessica Rayner, Clare B. Embling, Conor Ryan, Lauren Hartny-Mills

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Entanglement in static fishing gear is the largest cause of non-natural mortality for minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in Scottish waters. To mitigate whale entanglement, one priority is to identify areas where the risk of entanglement is consistently high. Sightings data for minke whales and creel fleets were collected by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, during vessel line transect surveys conducted between 2008 and 2014. Habitat modelling was used to relate survey, environmental, and temporal variables to the co-occurrence of minke whales and creels in coastal waters of western Scotland. This revealed that minke whale occurrence was related to depth, …

A Simple Method For Rapid Cloning Of Complete Herpesvirus Genomes, Jan Knickmann, Laura Staliunaite, Olha Puhach, Eleonore Ostermann, Thomas Günther, Jenna Nichols, Michael A. Jarvis, Sebastian Voigt, Adam Grundhoff, Andrew J. Davison, Wolfram Brune

School of Biomedical Sciences

Herpesviruses are large DNA viruses and include important human and veterinary pathogens. Their genomes can be cloned as bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) and genetically engineered in Escherichia coli using BAC recombineering methods. While the recombineering methods are efficient, the initial BAC-cloning step remains laborious. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a simple, rapid, and efficient BAC-cloning method based on single-step transformation-associated recombination (STAR) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The linear viral genome is directly integrated into a vector comprising a yeast centromeric plasmid and a BAC replicon. Following transfer into E. coli, the viral genome can be modified using standard BAC …

Pharmacological Management Of Fragile X Syndrome: A Systematic Review And Narrative Summary Of The Current Evidence, Lance V. Watkins, Seungyoun Moon, Lisa Burrows, Samuel Tromans, Julian Barwell, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of Intellectual Disability. There is a broad phenotype that includes deficits in cognition and behavioral changes, alongside physical characteristics. Phenotype depends upon the level of mutation in the FMR1 (fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1) gene. The molecular understanding of the impact of the FMR1 gene mutation provides an opportunity to target treatment not only at symptoms but also on a molecular level. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to provide an up-to-date narrative summary of the current evidence for pharmacological treatment in FXS. The review was restricted to randomized, …

Predicting Lemna Growth Based On Climate Change And Eutrophication In Temperate Freshwater Drainage Ditches, Jared Feller, Mark Taylor, Paul Henry Lunt

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Somerset Levels and Moors, UK is an area of high conservation value, including nationally and internationally protected wetland sites. Duckweed (Lemna) mats in the Somerset Levels and Moors are increasingly common and are an indication of hyper-eutrophication. Duckweed mats can contribute to increased management burdens and decreases in biodiversity. Research suggests duckweed will thrive in temperate regions as the climate warms. This study investigated the impact of climate warming and eutrophication on duckweed growth in the Somerset Levels and Moors using a previously published model to simulate duckweed growth from the years of 2020–2080. Simulated local climate change projections …

Yealm Mapper Data For Qgis, Shaun Lewin, Gillian Glegg, Olivia Wilson, Thomas Murphy

Faculty of Science and Engineering Datasets

The project has been carried out as part of the DARCEE project (Data Accessibility for River Catchment Environmental Education) funded by NERC (agreement GR352). The purpose is to promote public engagement with environmental science by making data more accessible and useable. The project team have worked with a community group (Yealm Estuary to Moor) to develop a user-friendly bespoke data package for use with QGIS. Users of the data will be able to view the data in map form and carry out simple spatial analysis as well as input their own data to QGIS to create new data. Dataset Description: …

An Underwater Clash Of Spears: Public Engagement In Mediterranean Lionfish Control Efforts, Ioannis Savva, Leda L. Cai, Periklis Kleitou, Louis Hadjioannou, Carlos Jimenez, Anastasis Karonias, Erato Nicolaou, Niki Chartosia, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Demetris Kletou

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Invasive alien species pose a great challenge in conservation ecology. Rapid establishment of common lionfish (Pterois miles) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and its ongoing westward expansion raises many questions about how to sustainably combat this invasion in the long term. Drawing on experiences from the western Atlantic invasion, citizen scientists were engaged and demonstrated the efficiency of long-term coordinated removals for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. Findings reveal a sustained participation and interest throughout the coordinated removal events that encourage the organization of future events. Removal Action Teams were found effective at reducing lionfish numbers in small …

Developing Expert Scientific Consensus On The Environmental And Societal Effects Of Marine Artificial Structures Prior To Decommissioning, Antony M. Knights, Anaëlle J. Lemasson, Louise B. Firth, Todd Bond, Jeremy Claisse, Joop W.P. Coolen, Andrea Copping, Jennifer Dannheim, Michela De Dominicis, Steven Degraer, Michael Elliott, Paul G. Fernandes, Ashley M. Fowler, Matt Frost, Lea Anne Henry, Natalie Hicks, Kieran Hyder, Sylvia Jagerroos, Daniel O.B. Jones, Milton Love, Christopher P. Lynam, Peter I. Macreadie, Joseph Marlow, Ninon Mavraki, Dianne Mclean, Paul A. Montagna, David M. Paterson, Martin Perrow, Joanne Porter, Debbie J.F. Russell, Ann Scarborough Bull, Michaela Schratzberger, Brooke Shipley, Sean Van Elden, Jan Vanaverbeke, Andrew Want, Stephen C.L. Watson, Thomas A. Wilding, Paul Somerfield

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Thousands of artificial (‘human-made’) structures are present in the marine environment, many at or approaching end-of-life and requiring urgent decisions regarding their decommissioning. No consensus has been reached on which decommissioning option(s) result in optimal environmental and societal outcomes, in part, owing to a paucity of evidence from real-world decommissioning case studies. To address this significant challenge, we asked a worldwide panel of scientists to provide their expert opinion. They were asked to identify and characterise the ecosystem effects of artificial structures in the sea, their causes and consequences, and to identify which, if any, should be retained following decommissioning. …

Heterogeneity In Maternal Mrnas Within Clutches Of Eggs In Response To Thermal Stress During The Embryonic Stage, Atsuko Sato, Yukie Mihirogi, Christine Wood, Yutaka Suzuki, Manuela Truebano, John Bishop

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Background: The origin of variation is of central interest in evolutionary biology. Maternal mRNAs govern early embryogenesis in many animal species, and we investigated the possibility that heterogeneity in maternal mRNA provisioning of eggs can be modulated by environmental stimuli. Results: We employed two sibling species of the ascidian Ciona, called here types A and B, that are adapted to different temperature regimes and can be hybridized. Previous study showed that hybrids using type B eggs had higher susceptibility to thermal stress than hybrids using type A eggs. We conducted transcriptome analyses of multiple single eggs from crosses using eggs …

Virtual Reality And Spatial Cognition: Bridging The Epistemic Gap Between Laboratory And Real-World Insights, Alastair D. Smith

School of Psychology

Immersive virtual reality (VR) carries important potential, both for the creation of scientific knowledge and also for its communication. This is particularly important for studies of human spatial cognition, where psychologists now possess the power to combine the scale and fidelity of the real world with the malleability and control of the laboratory. Accordingly, the application of immersive and motile VR tasks to the study of spatial navigation appears to be the ideal means to bring the real world into the laboratory, and an accessible solution for acquiring more ecologically valid data with which to build our theories. Reports of …

A Scoping Review Of The Oral Health Status, Oral Health Behaviours And Interventions To Improve The Oral Health Of Children And Young People In Care And Care Leavers, Joelle Booth, Jo Erwin, Lorna Burns, Nick Axford, Jane Horrell, Hannah Wheat, Robert Witton, Jill Shawe, Janine Doughty, Sarah Kaddour, Skye Boswell, Urshla Devalia, Abigail Nelder, Martha Paisi

Peninsula Dental School

BACKGROUND: Children and young people (CYP) in care experience poorer physical health and overall wellbeing in comparison to their peers. Despite this, relatively little is known about what their oral health needs and behaviours are. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a global perspective on the oral health status and behaviours of CYP in care and care leavers. It also aimed to synthesise interventions that have been trialled in this population to improve oral health.

METHODS: Five databases were searched, Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), SocINDEX (EBSCOhost) and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source (EBSCOhost), alongside grey …

Repeatability Of Beach Morphology Change Under Identical Wave Forcing, Chris E. Blenkinsopp, Alan J. Hunter, Tom E. Baldock, Paul M. Bayle, Judith Bosboom, Daniel Conley, Gerd Masselink

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Laboratory investigations of beach morphology change under wave action are undertaken to gain insight into coastal processes, design coastal structures and validate the predictions of numerical models. For the results of such experiments to be reliable, it is necessary that they are repeatable. The equilibrium beach concept, that beach morphology will evolve to a quasi-static equilibrium shape for a given forcing suggests that experiments should be repeatable to some degree. However, sediment transport in turbulent breaking and broken waves is complex and highly variable and the level of repeatability at different temporal and spatial scales is challenging to measure, as …

Access To Dental Care For Children And Young People In Care And Care Leavers: A Global Scoping Review, Jo Erwin, Jane Horrell, Hannah Wheat, Nick Axford, Lorna Burns, Joelle Booth, Robert Witton, Jill Shawe, Janine Doughty, Sarah Kaddour, Skye Boswell, Urshla Devalia, Abigail Nelder, Martha Paisi

Peninsula Dental School

AIMS: This scoping review aimed to explore three research questions: 1. What is the dental care access for children and young people (CYP) in care and care leavers? 2. What factors influence CYP in care and care leavers' access to dental care? 3. What pathways have been developed to improve access to oral health care for CYP in care and care leavers?

METHODS: Five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, SocINDEX and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source) and grey literature sources were systematically searched. Articles relating to CYP in care or care leavers aged 0-25 years old, published up to …

Nature Of The Evidence Base And Approaches To Guide Nutrition Interventions For Individuals: A Position Paper From The Academy Of Nutrition Sciences, Mary Hickson, Constantina Papoutsakis, Angela M. Madden, Mary Anne Smith, Kevin Whelan

School of Health Professions

This Position Paper from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences is the third in a series which describe the nature of the scientific evidence and frameworks that underpin nutrition recommendations for health. This paper focuses on evidence which guides the application of dietary recommendations for individuals. In some situations, modified nutrient intake becomes essential to prevent deficiency, optimise development and health, or manage symptoms and disease progression. Disease and its treatment can also affect taste, appetite and ability to access and prepare foods, with associated financial impacts. Therefore, the practice of nutrition and dietetics must integrate and apply the sciences of …

A Relational Approach To Knowledge Exchange In Higher Education, Harriet Dismore, Verity Campbell-Barr, Rachel Manning, Paul Warwick

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Reference to Knowledge Exchange (KE) in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has become common place, reflecting the continued changing role of universities within society. Arguably, KE draws together notions of HEIs as purveyors of knowledge, with students helping to create a tripartite relationship with HEIs and the wider community as well as a civic responsibility to contribute to the wider public good. Realising the potential benefits of this inter-relationship required a problematising of the meanings of both knowledge and the notion of an exchange, drawing on the work of Dewey and Bernstein. Our paper offers an analysis of the different …

Invisible Labours: The Reproductive Politics Of Second Trimester Pregnancy Loss In England, Aimee Middlemiss

School of Nursing and Midwifery

REVIEWS“In this original and conceptually sophisticated project Middlemiss handles incredibly difficult interview material with extraordinary sensitivity and care. She does not shy away from difficult details but makes these often very raw stories more understandable through serious analytic work.” • Linda L. Layne, University of Cambridge“This is an excellent book … As someone working in the field of reproduction/family studies (though not specifically on pregnancy loss), this book has expanded my thinking regarding how legal, medical, kinship systems and cultures come together in defining our understandings of life/death, personhood and relatedness.” • Leah Gilman, University of Manchester“This is an excellent, …

Spatiotemporal Variations In Reef Manta Ray (Mobula Alfredi) Residency At A Remote Meso-Scale Habitat And Its Importance In Future Spatial Planning, Joanna L. Harris, Benjamin J. Williamson, Guy M.W. Stevens, Phil Hosegood, E Robinson, Clare B. Embling

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The Chagos Archipelago's vast no-take marine protected area (MPA, 640,000 km2) provides refuge for elasmobranchs facing unsustainable depletion by fisheries. Nonetheless, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses a substantial threat, and potential future changes to the use of the MPA could render elasmobranchs increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, putting geographically isolated populations, such as reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) at risk of local extinction. Therefore, the species' long-term movements and habitat use must be identified to help prioritize current enforcement activity and inform future spatial planning. Passive acoustic telemetry and modelled environmental data were used to investigate variations in 42 …

Nitrogen Availability Regulates The Effects Of A Simulated Marine Heatwave On Carbon Sequestration And Phycosphere Bacteria Of A Marine Crop, Meijia Jiang, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Lin Gao, Zengling Ma, Guang Gao

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Great hope has been pinned on seaweed cultivation as being a potent way of removing CO₂ to reduce rates of sea surface warming and acidification. Marine heatwaves and nitrogen pollution in coastal ecosystems are serious current issues that need to be better understood to inform decision making and policy. Here, we investigated the effects of a simulated heatwave and nitrogen pollution on carbon sequestration by an important seaweed crop species and its phycosphere bacteria. Gracilaria lemaneiformis was grown in ambient and high nitrogen conditions (14 and 200 μM L⁻¹). Photosynthetic rate, seaweed biomass and particulate organic carbon …

Cryptic Bacterial Pathogens Of Diatoms Peak During Senescence Of A Winter Diatom Bloom, Laura Branscombe, Ellen L. Harrison, Zhi Yi Daniel Choong, Courtney Swink, Matthew Keys, Claire Widdicombe, William H. Wilson, Michael Cunliffe, Katherine Helliwell

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Summary.Diatoms are globally abundant microalgae that form extensive blooms in aquatic ecosystems. Certain bacteria behave antagonistically towards diatoms, killing or inhibiting their growth. Despite their crucial implications to diatom bloom and population health, knowledge of diatom antagonists in the environment is fundamentally lacking. We report systematic characterisation of the diversity and seasonal dynamics of bacterial antagonists of diatoms via plaque assay sampling in the Western English Channel, where diatoms frequently bloom. Unexpectedly, peaks in detection did not occur during characteristic spring diatom blooms, but coincided with a winter bloom of Coscinodiscus, suggesting that these bacteria likely influence distinct diatom host …

Psychotropic Medicines' Prevalence, Patterns And Effects On Cognitive And Physical Function In Older Adults With Intellectual Disability In Ireland: Longitudinal Cohort Study, 2009-2020, Marina Odalović, Ashleigh Gorman, Aviejay Paul, Philip Mccallion, Éilish Burke, Malcolm Maclachlan, Mary Mccarron, Martin C. Henman, Maeve Moran, Juliette O'Connell, Michael Walsh, Rohit Shankar, Caitriona Ryan, Máire O'Dwyer

Peninsula Medical School

Background The frequent prescribing of psychotropics and high prevalence of polypharmacy among older adults with intellectual disabilities require close monitoring. Aims To describe change in prevalence, predictors and health outcomes of psychotropic use during the four waves (2009/2010, 2013/2014, 2016/2017, 2019/2020) of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA). Method Eligible participants were adults (≥40 years) with intellectual disabilities who participated in all four waves of IDS-TILDA and who reported medication use for the entire period. Differences between groups were tested using Cochran's Q test for binary variables and the McNemar-Bowker test for variables with …

Microplastic Trapping Efficiency And Hydrodynamics In Model Coral Reefs: A Physical Experimental Investigation, F Mendrik, Rc Houseago, Cr Hackney, Dr Parsons

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs, are vulnerable to microplastic pollution input from proximal riverine and shoreline sources. However, deposition, retention, and transport processes are largely unevaluated, especially in relation to hydrodynamics. For the first time, we experimentally investigate the retention of biofilmed microplastic by branching 3D printed corals (staghorn coral Acropora genus) under various unidirectional flows (U = {0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30} ms ⁻¹) and canopy densities (15 and 48 corals m ⁻²). These variables are found to drive trapping efficiency, with 79–98% of microplastics retained in coral canopies across the experimental duration at high flow velocities …

The Silent Majority: Pico- And Nanoplankton As Ecosystem Health Indicators For Marine Policy, Abigail Mcquatters-Gollop, Rowena F. Stern, Angus Atkinson, Mike Best, Eileen Bresnan, Veronique Creach, Michelle Devlin, Matthew Holland, Clare Ostle, Katrin Schmidt, Lawrence Sheppard, Glen Tarran, E. Malcolm S. Woodward, Paul Tett

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

A healthy marine ecosystem is a fully functioning system, able to supply ecosystem services whilst still maintaining resilience to human-induced environmental change. Monitoring and managing the health of resilient marine ecosystems requires indicators that can assess their biodiversity state and food web functioning. Plankton are crucial components of pelagic habitats, occupying the base of the pelagic food web. Larger plankton have long been used to monitor ecosystem productivity and biodiversity due to their identification via traditional light microscopy. In contrast, the regular monitoring of pico- and nanoplankton (<20 µm; hereafter called “tiny plankton”) only started with the development of flow cytometry techniques, which has limited their inclusion as ecosystem health indicators. Four UK plankton surveys have sampled and identified these tiny plankton for up to 14 years, providing an opportunity to test their suitability as indicators of ecosystem state. We investigated six groups of tiny plankton, including heterotrophic nanoeukaryotes, photosynthetic nanoeukaryotes, photosynthetic picoeukaryotes, and Synechococcus cyanobacteria, and two groups of heterotrophic bacteria. Flow cytometry and light microscopy data from an inshore Western English Channel station revealed that 99.98 % of plankton abundance and 71 % of plankton biomass was derived from tiny plankton cells too small to be quantified accurately under a light microscope and thus not adequately considered in assessments of pelagic habitats. Different UK marine and coastal regions showed consistency in peak abundances of these tiny plankton. We used a novel wavelet coherence method to identify time-based relationships between tiny plankton and environmental variables linked to human pressures. Relationships were found between nitrogenous nutrients and all tiny plankton groups, most commonly at sub-annual to annual time scales. Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes, heterotrophic nanoeukaryotes, and HNA-bacteria were associated with high sea surface temperatures. Given the here established relationship between tiny plankton and environmental variables, and their importance in the full plankton assemblage, we recommend that, alongside existing microplankton lifeforms, tiny plankton groups can be used as plankton lifeforms, either individually or in combination, to inform biodiversity indicators that meet policy obligations under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), (Oslo-Paris Convention) OSPAR strategies, and the UK Marine Strategy.

Iscev And Ips Guideline For The Full-Field Stimulus Test (Fst), J. K. Jolly, J. R. Grigg, A. M. Mckendrick, K. Fujinami, A. V. Cideciyan, D. A. Thompson, C. Matsumoto, R. Asaoka, C. Johnson, M. W. Dul, P. H. Artes, A. G. Robson

School of Health Professions

The full-field stimulus test (FST) is a psychophysical technique designed for the measurement of visual function in low vision. The method involves the use of a ganzfeld stimulator, as used in routine full-field electroretinography, to deliver full-field flashes of light. This guideline was developed jointly by the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) and Imaging and Perimetry Society (IPS) in order to provide technical information, promote consistency of testing and reporting, and encourage convergence of methods for FST. It is intended to aid practitioners and guide the formulation of FST protocols, with a view to future standardisation.

Reproductive And Whole-Body Toxicity Of Ag-Doped And -Undoped Zif-8 Nanoparticles And The Building Blocks: An Artemia-Based Comparative Bioassay, Joo H Salari, Seyed Ali Johari, Tayemeh M Behzadi, Richard D. Handy, Hesamoddin Abaei, Nathaniel Clark, Javad Seyedi, Megan Anne Jones

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The present research assessed, for the first time, toxicity of ZIF-8 (1 mg/L) and the building blocks (0.1 mg/L Zn2+ and 0.4 mg/L 2-methylimidazole (2-MIm)), besides that of AgNPs@ZIF-8 (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/L) and AgNO3 (0.1 mg/L) to aquatic organisms. Two consecutive generations (F0 & F1) of Artemia salina were exposed to these chemicals. All of the chemical treatments considerably caused mortality in F0, especially AgNPs@ZIF-8 and AgNO3, whereas F1 displayed notable tolerance and survived comparable to the control group, except in the case of AgNO3 treatment. Similarly, growth indices (weight, mainly in ZIF-8, Zn2+, and 2-MIm; length, in …