Digital Commons Network^™

Links Between The Three-Dimensional Movements Of Whale Sharks (Rhincodon Typus) And The Bio-Physical Environment Off A Coral Reef, Ben D'Antonio, Luciana Ferreira, Mark Meekan, Paul Thompson, Lilian Lieber, Patti Virtue, Chloe Power, Charitha Pattiaratchi, Andrew Brierley, Ana Sequeira, Michele Thums

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

BackgroundMeasuring coastal-pelagic prey fields at scales relevant to the movements of marine predators is challenging due to the dynamic and ephemeral nature of these environments. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are thought to aggregate in nearshore tropical waters due to seasonally enhanced foraging opportunities. This implies that the three-dimensional movements of these animals may be associated with bio-physical properties that enhance prey availability. To date, few studies have tested this hypothesis.MethodsHere, we conducted ship-based acoustic surveys, net tows and water column profiling (salinity, temperature, chlorophyll fluorescence) to determine the volumetric density, distribution and community composition of mesozooplankton (predominantly euphausiids and copepods) …

Nest/Ing: An Emergent (Un)Methodology For Becoming Otherwise, Jayne Osgood, Claire Walsh

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

A dense, pungent, brown-green, intricately woven, itchy-silky, moss-strewn, twig- ridden ball brought us together.Since then, nest(ing)[i] has become a shared methodology - nest/ing has offered a praxis of getting to know each other, getting to know nests (better) and it has become a capacious writing methodology. Taking nest(ing) seriously has drawn into sharp focus the perils of human exceptionalism. Nesting has gifted opportunities to wallow in porous boundaries and to luxuriate in modes of liminal reading/writing/experimenting, informed by a feminist politics to imagine the world differently (Despret, 2016). It is through lively storytelling, involving passing patterns back and forth that …

Mapping Selected Emergent Marine Toxin-Producing Organisms Using Historical Samples With Two Methods (Biosensors And Real-Time Pcr): A Comparison Of Resolution, Gerado Mengs, Rowena F. Stern, Jessica L. Clarke, Matthew Faith, Linda K. Medlin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey is a valuable resource for mapping changes in plankton distribution and understanding harmful algal ecology because of its breadth and longevity. Preservation methods with formalin degrade DNA, making it difficult to use as a molecular tool for archived marine samples. DNA was extracted from CPR samples immediately after collection, seven months later and after nine years of storage from a cruise track along the Iberian Peninsula. PCR reactions performed from the nine-year timepoint were hybridized to probes in an electrochemical biosensor and compared to results obtained from RT-PCR performed at two earlier time points. …

Mental Imagery To Reduce Alcohol-Related Harm In Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder And Alcohol-Related Liver Damage: The Mirage Randomised Pilot Trial Results, Ashwin Dhanda, Jackie Andrade, Hannah Allende, Victoria Allgar, Matthew Bailey, Lynne Callaghan, Laura Cocking, Elizabeth Goodwin, Annie Hawton, Christopher Hayward, Ben Hudson, Wendy Ingram, Alison Jeffery, Angela King, Victoria Lavers, Joe Lomax, C Anne Mccune, Crispin Musicha, Richard Parker, Christopher Rollinson, Jonny Wilks, E Siobhan Creanor

Peninsula Medical School

OBJECTIVE: The healthcare burden of alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) is increasing. ARLD and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is best managed by reduction or cessation of alcohol use, but effective treatments are lacking. We tested whether people with ARLD and AUD admitted to hospital could be recruited to and retained in a trial of Functional Imagery Training (FIT), a psychological therapy that uses mental imagery to reduce alcohol craving. We conducted a multicentre randomised pilot trial of treatment as usual (TAU) versus FIT+TAU in people admitted to hospital with ARLD and AUD.

DESIGN: Participants were randomised to TAU (a single session …

Quality Assessment Of Life Cycle Inventory Data For Composites, Badr Moutik, John Summerscales, Jasper Graham-Jones, R Pemberton

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Fibre-reinforced composites are essential to efficient transport and renewable energy systems. However, these materials do incur environmental burdens both in greenhouse gases (climate change) and the broader environment (loss of biodiversity). The route to minimise those impacts is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This seminar will review LCA and consider what needs to change to achieve robust assessments.

How Do Women Feel Cold Water Swimming Affects Their Menstrual And Perimenopausal Symptoms?, Megan Pound, Heather Massey, Sasha Roseneil, Ruth Williamson, C. Mark Harper, Mike Tipton, Jill Shawe, Malika Felton, Joyce C. Harper

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Objective: This study aimed to determine how women felt cold water swimming affected their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms. Study design: An online survey that asked women who regularly swim in cold water about their experiences. The survey was advertised for 2 months on social media. Questions related to cold water swimming habits and menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms were analysed. Main outcome measures: Quantitative and qualitative data including; frequency of menstrual and menopause symptoms, the effect of cold water swimming on these symptoms. Results: 1114 women completed the survey. Women reported that cold water swimming reduced their menstrual symptoms, notably psychological …

Nutritional Requirements And Effect Of Culture Conditions On The Performance Of The African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus): A Review, Sandra Langi, Sahya Maulu, Oliver J. Hasimuna, Veronica Kaleinasho Kapula, Martin Tjipute

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Aquaculture is crucial for global food and nutrition security due to the inability of wild harvests to meet increasing demand. Africa’s contribution to aquaculture is generally low, despite its potential for economic development, food security, and reduced unemployment. The study focuses on the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) a freshwater fish species that is widely farmed for food in Africa and other parts of the world. Proper nutrition is essential for the growth and development of the fish, and understanding their nutritional requirements is critical for producing healthy and high-quality fish. This review article provides an overview of the knowledge on …

A Co2 Sensing Module Modulates Β-1,3-Glucan Exposure In Candida Albicans, Gabriela M. Avelar, Arnab Pradhan, Qinxi Ma, Emer Hickey, Ian Leaves, Corin Liddle, Alejandra V. Rodriguez Rondon, Ann Kristin Kaune, Sophie Shaw, Corinne Maufrais, Natacha Sertour, Judith M. Bain, Daniel E. Larcombe, Leandro J. De Assis, Mihai G. Netea, Carol A. Munro, Delma S. Childers, Lars P. Erwig, Gordon D. Brown, Neil A.R. Gow, Marie Elisabeth Bougnoux, Christophe D'Enfert, Alistair J.P. Brown

Peninsula Medical School

Microbial species capable of co-existing with healthy individuals, such as the commensal fungus Candida albicans, exploit multifarious strategies to evade our immune defenses. These strategies include the masking of immunoinflammatory pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) at their cell surface. We reported previously that C. albicans actively reduces the exposure of the proinflammatory PAMP, β-1,3-glucan, at its cell surface in response to host-related signals such as lactate and hypoxia. Here, we show that clinical isolates of C. albicans display phenotypic variability with respect to their lactate- and hypoxia-induced β-1,3-glucan masking. We have exploited this variability to identify responsive and non-responsive clinical isolates. …

Cross-Cultural Preferences For Women’S Waist To Hip Ratio And Men’S Shoulder To Hip Ratio: Data From Iran, Norway, Poland, And Russia, Farid Pazhoohi, Reza Afhami, Razieh Chegeni, Dmitrii Dubrov, Katarzyna Gałasińska, Ray Garza, Nasim Ghahraman Moharrampour, Dmitry Grigoryev, Marta Kowal, Ståle Pallesen, Gerit Pfuhl

School of Psychology

Objectives: Body size and shape are sexually dimorphic in humans, with men being characterized with larger upper bodies, while women typically having broader pelvises. Such sexually dimorphic traits, quantified as shoulder to hip ratio (SHR) in men and waist to hip ratio (WHR) in women, serve as cues of an individual’s genetic fitness, reproductive potential, health, and resource holding power, and, thereby, functioning as attractiveness cues to the opposite sex. Methods: In the current study, we investigated men’s and women’s preference for the opposite sex body shape (WHR in women and SHR in men) in samples from Iran, Norway, Poland, …

The Global Impact Of Offshore Wind Farms On Ecosystem Services, Stephen C.L. Watson, Paul J. Somerfield, Anaëlle J. Lemasson, Antony M. Knights, Andrew Edwards-Jones, Joana Nunes, Christine Pascoe, Caroline Louise Mcneill, Michaela Schratzberger, Murray S.A. Thompson, Elena Couce, Claire L. Szostek, Heather Baxter, Nicola J. Beaumont

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Understanding the global impact of offshore wind farms (OWF) on biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) is crucial in developing sustainable energy transition pathways. This study takes a holistic approach, coupling a semi-systematic review with a novel analytical methodology, to consider the consequences of construction & operation of OWF deployment on biodiversity and ES. 314 pieces of evidence taken from 132 peer-reviewed studies provide the basis to determine the ecological and ES impacts. The process showed that construction impacts were predominantly negative across the ecological subject groups (52%), compared with positive impacts (8%) with several species of fish (e.g. brill, cod, …

Translating The Potential Of The Urine Steroid Metabolome To Stage Nafld (Trust-Nafld): Study Protocol For A Multicentre, Prospective Validation Study, Hamish Miller, David Harman, Guruprasad Padur Aithal, Pinelopi Manousou, Jeremy F. Cobbold, Richard Parker, David Sheridan, Philip N. Newsome, Fredrik Karpe, Matthew Neville, Wiebke Arlt, Alice J. Sitch, Marta Korbonits, Michael Biehl, William Alazawi, Jeremy W. Tomlinson

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects approximately one in four individuals and its prevalence continues to rise. The advanced stages of NAFLD with significant liver fibrosis are associated with adverse morbidity and mortality outcomes. Currently, liver biopsy remains the 'gold-standard' approach to stage NAFLD severity. Although generally well tolerated, liver biopsies are associated with significant complications, are resource intensive, costly, and sample only a very small area of the liver as well as requiring day case admission to a secondary care setting. As a result, there is a significant unmet need to develop non-invasive biomarkers that can accurately stage …

Giant Offshore Pumice Deposit Records A Shallow Submarine Explosive Eruption Of Ancestral Santorini, T Druitt, S Kutterolf, T Ronge, C Hübscher, P Nomikou, J Preine, R Gertisser, J Karstens, J Keller, O Koukousioura, M Manga, A Metcalfe, M Mccanta, I Mcintosh, K Pank, A Woodhouse, S Beethe, C Berthod, S Chiyonobu, H Chen, A Clark, S Debari, R Johnston, A Peccia, Y Yamamoto, A Bernard, Perez T Fernandez, C Jones, Kb Joshi, G Kletetschka, X Li, A Morris, P Polymenakou, M Tominaga, D Papanikolaou

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Large explosive volcanic eruptions from island arcs pour pyroclastic currents into marine basins, impacting ecosystems and generating tsunamis that threaten coastal communities and infrastructures. Risk assessments require robust records of such highly hazardous events, which is challenging as most of the products lie buried under the sea. Here we report the discovery by IODP Expedition 398 of a giant rhyolitic pumice deposit emplaced 520 ± 10 ky ago at water depths of 200 to 1000 m during a high-intensity, shallow submarine eruption of ancestral Santorini Volcano. Pyroclastic currents discharged into the sea transformed into turbidity currents and slurries, forming a …

To What Extent Can Decommissioning Options For Marine Artificial Structures Move Us Toward Environmental Targets?, Antony M. Knights, Anaëlle J. Lemasson, Louise B. Firth, Nicola Beaumont, Silvana Birchenough, Jeremy Claisse, Joop W.P. Coolen, Andrea Copping, Michela De Dominicis, Steven Degraer, Michael Elliott, Paul G. Fernandes, Ashley M. Fowler, Matthew Frost, Lea Anne Henry, Natalie Hicks, Kieran Hyder, Sylvia Jagerroos, Milton Love, Chris Lynam, Peter I. Macreadie, Dianne Mclean, Joseph Marlow, Ninon Mavraki, Paul A. Montagna, David M. Paterson, Martin R. Perrow, Joanne Porter, Ann Scarborough Bull, Michaela Schratzberger, Brooke Shipley, Sean Van Elden, Jan Vanaverbeke, Andrew Want, Stephen C.L. Watson, Thomas A. Wilding, Paul J. Somerfield

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy is key to international energy transition efforts and the move toward net zero. For many nations, this requires decommissioning of hundreds of oil and gas infrastructure in the marine environment. Current international, regional and national legislation largely dictates that structures must be completely removed at end-of-life although, increasingly, alternative decommissioning options are being promoted and implemented. Yet, a paucity of real-world case studies describing the impacts of decommissioning on the environment make decision-making with respect to which option(s) might be optimal for meeting international and regional strategic environmental targets challenging. To address this …

Exploring Academic Perspectives On Immersive Scheduling In A Uk University, Rebecca Turner, Debby R.E. Cotton, Emily Danvers, David Morrison, Pauline E. Kneale

Professional Services

This study examined how academic staff responded to a cross-institutional change initiative to integrate immersive scheduling into the first-year undergraduate curriculum. Immersive scheduling, also referred to as block or compressed delivery, sought to create a supportive first-year experience, to ease students’ transition to university. Adopting an immersive approach is associated with considerable change as academic staff adapt their practice to accommodate the compressed time frame of modules and embrace learning and assessment methods associated with this delivery format. In this study, we undertook semi-structured interviews with 17 academics who were leading the development and delivery of immersive modules or supporting …

Nest/Ing Un/Methodologies, Jayne Osgood, Claire Walsh

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

A dense, pungent, brown-green, intricately woven, itchy-silky, moss-strewn, twig- ridden ball brought us together.Since then, nest(ing)[i] has become a shared methodology - nest/ing has offered a praxis of getting to know each other, getting to know nests (better) and it has become a capacious writing methodology. Taking nest(ing) seriously has drawn into sharp focus the perils of human exceptionalism. Nesting has gifted opportunities to wallow in porous boundaries and to luxuriate in modes of liminal reading/writing/experimenting, informed by a feminist politics to imagine the world differently (Despret, 2016). It is through lively storytelling, involving passing patterns back and forth that …

Deep Learning Detection Of Aneurysm Clips For Magnetic Resonance Imaging Safety, M Courtman, D Kim, H Wit, H Wang, L Sun, E Ifeachor, S Mullin, M Thurston

Peninsula Medical School

Flagging the presence of metal devices before a head MRI scan is essential to allow appropriate safety checks. There is an unmet need for an automated system which can flag aneurysm clips prior to MRI appointments. We assess the accuracy with which a machine learning model can classify the presence or absence of an aneurysm clip on CT images. A total of 280 CT head scans were collected, 140 with aneurysm clips visible and 140 without. The data were used to retrain a pre-trained image classification neural network to classify CT localizer images. Models were developed using fivefold cross-validation and …

Teaching-Learning-Doing (Post)Qualitative Inquiry: Relational, Digital, Nest-Making, Candice Kuby, Soern Finn Menning, Karin Murris, Jayne Osgood, Claire Walsh

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This Dream Team session is a space to explore relationally and collectively thee teaching-learning-doing of (post) qualitative inquiry. We focus our session on foureaspects as a common thread which will be offered to participants as a series ofeinterwoven intra-ventions. Throughout there will be invitations and provocations fore attendees to engage with during the session. In addition, we experiment with videoein relation to four aspects (and invite participants to as well) to explore the digital ine relation to teaching- learning-doing (post) qualitative inquiry.

Assessing The Coherence In Biological And Environmental Drivers Of Young Sea Bass Abundance Across Important Estuarine Nursery Areas Of The Northern European Sea Bass Stock, Joseph W. Watson, Zachary Radford, Hayley Bannister, Robin Bradley, Mary Brown, Benjamin J. Ciotti, Derek Goodwin, Jennifer A. Graham, Richard D.M. Nash, William K. Roche, Ciara Wogerbauer, Kieran Hyder

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Year class strength is an important determinant of fish population size, but the drivers are often unknown. The northern stock of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is an important target species for both commercial and recreational fisheries. Scientific assessments showed a rapid decline in spawning stock biomass from 2010-18 attributed to a combination of fishing mortality and poor year class strength. Recruitment to the adult stock is linked to the abundance and temporal dynamics of young bass in estuarine nursery areas, but little is known about the relative importance of environmental and biological drivers on the survival of these young …

Consistent Patterns Of Common Species Across Tropical Tree Communities, Declan L.M. Cooper, Simon L. Lewis, Martin J.P. Sullivan, Paulo I. Prado, Hans Ter Steege, Nicolas Barbier, Ferry Slik, Bonaventure Sonké, Corneille E.N. Ewango, Stephen Adu-Bredu, Kofi Affum-Baffoe, Daniel P.P. De Aguiar, Manuel Augusto Ahuite Reategui, Shin Ichiro Aiba, Bianca Weiss Albuquerque, Francisca Dionízia De Almeida Matos, Alfonso Alonso, Christian A. Amani, Dário Dantas Do Amaral, Iêda Leão Do Amaral, Ana Andrade, Ires Paula De Andrade Miranda, Ilondea B. Angoboy, Alejandro Araujo-Murakami, Nicolás Castaño Arboleda, Luzmila Arroyo, Peter Ashton, Gerardo A. Aymard C, Cláudia Baider, Timothy R. Baker

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Trees structure the Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystem, tropical forests. The vast number of tree species presents a formidable challenge to understanding these forests, including their response to environmental change, as very little is known about most tropical tree species. A focus on the common species may circumvent this challenge. Here we investigate abundance patterns of common tree species using inventory data on 1,003,805 trees with trunk diameters of at least 10 cm across 1,568 locations ^1–6 in closed-canopy, structurally intact old-growth tropical forests in Africa, Amazonia and Southeast Asia. We estimate that 2.2%, 2.2% and 2.3% of species comprise 50% …

Steeper Size Spectra With Decreasing Phytoplankton Biomass Indicate Strong Trophic Amplification And Future Fish Declines, Angus Atkinson, Axel G. Rossberg, Ursula Gaedke, Gary Sprules, Ryan F. Heneghan, Stratos Batziakas, Maria Grigoratou, Elaine Fileman, Katrin Schmidt, Constantin Frangoulis

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Under climate change, model ensembles suggest that declines in phytoplankton biomass amplify into greater reductions at higher trophic levels, with serious implications for fisheries and carbon storage. However, the extent and mechanisms of this trophic amplification vary greatly among models, and validation is problematic. In situ size spectra offer a novel alternative, comparing biomass of small and larger organisms to quantify the net efficiency of energy transfer through natural food webs that are already challenged with multiple climate change stressors. Our global compilation of pelagic size spectrum slopes supports trophic amplification empirically, independently from model simulations. Thus, even a modest …

Using Fisheries-Dependent Data To Investigate Landings Of European Lobster (Homarus Gammarus) Within An Offshore Wind Farm, Harry Thatcher, Thomas Stamp, Pippa J Moore, David Wilcockson, Silvana Birchenough

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The need for alternative strategies to assist in the monitoring and sustainable management of fisheries’ resources is becoming increasingly important. In recent years, greater utilization of fishers’ knowledge has been advocated as a potentially valuable source of data that could be applied to fisheries management issues. In the current study, we addressed this by investigating the landing per unit effort (LPUE) of European lobster (Homarus gammarus) from within an offshore wind farm using a fisheries-dependent commercial fishing logbook. The logbook was provided by a single fisherman who targeted lobsters within the wind farm between 2015 and 2022 using single pots …

Nuanced Impacts Of The Invasive Aquatic Plant Crassula Helmsii On Northwest European Freshwater Macroinvertebrate Assemblages, Samuel J.L. Tasker, Andrew Foggo, Kevin Scheers, Der Loop J Van, Salvatore Giordano, David T. Bilton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Invasive alien species are considered one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity, and are particularly problematic in aquatic systems. Given the foundational role of macrophytes in most freshwaters, alien aquatic plant invasions may drive strong bottom-up impacts on recipient biota. Crassula helmsii (New Zealand pygmyweed) is an Australasian macrophyte, now widespread in northwest Europe. Crassula helmsii rapidly invades small lentic waterbodies, where it is generally considered a serious threat to native biodiversity. The precise ecological impacts of this invasion remain poorly understood, however, particularly with respect to macroinvertebrates, which comprise the bulk of freshwater faunal biodiversity. We conducted a …

Global River Economic Belts Can Become More Sustainable By Considering Economic And Ecological Processes, Yichu Wang, Jinren Ni, Jinbo Wan, Jianhua Xu, Chunmiao Zheng, Alistair George Liam Borthwick

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

High-quality regional development requires coupling of socioeconomic and natural domains, but it remains unclear how to effectively integrate the regional economy with river basin ecosystems. Here we establish a developmental perspective of 65 river economic belts, formed through history along the main stems of the world’s great rivers, covering initial, developing, and developed stages. We find that river economic belts characterized by basin-based regional integration can substantially upgrade their eco-efficiency through the harmonization of enhanced regional economic growth and efficient utilization of basin resources, once key prerequisites (e.g., gross domestic product per capita, de-industrialization status, and human development index) are …

Investigation And Modelling Of A Cortical Learning Algorithm In The Neocortex, Damir Dobric

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Many algorithms today provide a good machine learning solution in the specific problem domain, like pattern recognition, clustering, classification, sequence learning, image recognition, etc. They are all suitable for solving some particular problem but are limited regarding flexibility. For example, the algorithm that plays Go cannot do image classification, anomaly detection, or learn sequences. Inspired by the functioning of the neocortex, this work investigates if it is possible to design and implement a universal algorithm that can solve more complex tasks more intelligently in the way the neocortex does. Motivated by the remarkable replication degree of the same and similar …

Climate Law In The 21st Century: An Analysis Of Climate Legislation And Its Role In Mitigating The Emerging Issue Of Climate Refugees, Chloe Giacalone.

Plymouth Law Review

As global warming worsens, the consequences of climate change are becoming more severe. With its consequences going beyond the natural environment. Climate change is now having adverse effects on vulnerable populations most affected by climate change. This article aims to look at whether climate law has the potential to reduce human displacement. Treaties such as The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement will be analysed to look at the international efforts to reduce climate change and whether they have the potential to mitigate climate change and climate refugees. As there is no definition of a …

Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase-2 (Lpcat-2) & Protein S-Acylation In Macrophage Innate Immunity, Christian Good

School of Biomedical Sciences Theses

Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT)2 is an enzyme involved in remodelling glycerophospholipids within cell membranes and the generation of platelet-activating factor. LPCAT2 also mediates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine responses in both murine and human macrophages. Investigations into the mechanism behind LPCAT2 involvement into LPS-induced cytokine responses identified that LPCAT2 translocates to membrane lipid raft domains and associates with toll-like receptor (TLR)4 following activation by LPS. The mechanism behind this is not known, however LPCAT2 appears to have a role in regulating innate immune responses via lipid raft signalling complexes and understanding the molecular details of these mechanisms could help in the development of …

The Behavioural Response Of Captive M. Nigra And C. Capucinus To A Novel Cooperative Enrichment Device At Newquay Zoo, Julia Sullivan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

In the wild, primates cooperate to overcome challenges and maximise survival. Introducing cooperative tasks to zoo-housed primates may enhance welfare and promote prosocial behaviour in a captive setting. Comparative research on primate cooperation has predominately taken place in primate research facilities, where they are able to control pairing of individuals and incorporate task specific training. Zoos offer the opportunity to explore cooperation under more naturalistic conditions, but there is limited existing literature. I investigated the cooperative behaviour of socially housed groups of Sulawesi black crested macaques (Macaca nigra) (n=7) and White throated capuchins (Cebus capucinus) (n=4) at Newquay Zoo, using …

Utilising Blood-Derived Products For Guided Tissue Regeneration In Periradicular Surgery: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gabriele Baniulyte, Lorna Burns, Kamran Ali

Peninsula Dental School

BackgroundSince 1982, guided tissue regeneration (GTR) has become increasingly popular. The recent progress in GTR research focuses on the application of blood-derived products. However, no comprehensive systematic review has been conducted to assess its effectiveness specifically in periradicular surgery. Therefore, the aim of this review was to analyse the outcomes of root-end surgery compared to periapical surgery incorporating GTR using blood-derived products.MethodsThis review involved randomised controlled trials exploring the comparison between GTR utilising blood-derived products and the conventional periapical surgery. The databases Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source were searched, with the most recent search conducted …

Social Prescribing For Autistic Adults, Charlotte Featherstone

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Background Autistic adults are affected by health and social disparities that impact life expectancy and quality of life, frequently resulting in escalating wellbeing concerns requiring costly acute care. Evidence suggests barriers to healthcare and a lack of post-diagnostic support may contribute to these inequalities. Social prescribing, a low-intensity personalised care model receiving increasing attention from policymakers and commissioners, offers opportunities to address isolation, build skills and promote health through collaborations between services and communities. However, social prescribing research and provision has overlooked wellbeing and access needs of autistic adults. This PhD project aimed to investigate factors affecting accessibility of social …

Decoding Mechanisms Of Brain Tumour Initiating Cell Adaption And Tumour Growth, Nsikan Nsek

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Despite the many therapeutic advances in oncology in the last few decades, glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most common malignant brain tumour with only 5% and 0.76% of patients surviving for 5 and 10 years beyond diagnosis, respectively. The cancer stem cell subpopulation of such tumours has been shown to be responsible for tumour initiation and to be able to recapitulate tumours upon transplantation into healthy hosts. These tumour (re)-initiation cells exhibit stem-like characteristics which positively correlate with higher brain tumour grade and worse clinical prognosis. The glioma stem cells (GSCs) in GBMs are responsible for therapeutic resistance and tumour recurrence. …