Digital Commons Network^™

Linking Vital Rates Of Landbirds On A Tropical Island To Rainfall And Vegetation Greenness, James F. Saracco, Paul Radley, Peter Pyle, Erin Rowan, Ron Taylor, Lauren Helton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Remote tropical oceanic islands are of high conservation priority, and they are exemplified by range-restricted species with small global populations. Spatial and temporal patterns in rainfall and plant productivity may be important in driving dynamics of these species. Yet, little is known about environmental influences on population dynamics for most islands and species. Here we leveraged avian capture-recapture, rainfall, and remote-sensed habitat data (enhanced vegetation index [EVI]) to assess relationships between rainfall, vegetation greenness, and demographic rates (productivity, adult apparent survival) of three native bird species on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands: rufous fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons), bridled white-eye (Zosterops conspicillatus), and …

Individual And Population-Level Responses To Ocean Acidification, Ben P. Harvey, Niall J. Mckeown, Samuel P. Rastrick, Camilla Bertolini, Andy Foggo, Helen Graham, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Marco Milazzo, Paul W. Shaw, Daniel P. Small, Philippa J. Moore

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Ocean acidification is predicted to have detrimental effects on many marine organisms and ecological processes. Despite growing evidence for direct impacts on specific species, few studies have simultaneously considered the effects of ocean acidification on individuals (e.g. consequences for energy budgets and resource partitioning) and population level demographic processes. Here we show that ocean acidification increases energetic demands on gastropods resulting in altered energy allocation, i.e. reduced shell size but increased body mass. When scaled up to the population level, long-term exposure to ocean acidification altered population demography, with evidence of a reduction in the proportion of females in the …

Stick Or Switch: A Selection Heuristic Predicts When People Take The Perspective Of Others Or Communicate Egocentrically, Shane Rogers, Nicholas Fay

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper examines a cognitive mechanism that drives perspective-taking and egocentrism in interpersonal communication. Using a conceptual referential communication task, in which participants describe a range of abstract geometric shapes, Experiment 1 shows that perspective-taking and egocentric communication are frequent communication strategies. Experiment 2 tests a selection heuristic account of perspective-taking and egocentric communication. It uses participants' shape description ratings to predict their communication strategy. Participants' communication strategy was predicted by how informative they perceived the different shape descriptions to be. When participants' personal shape description was perceived to be more informative than their addressee's shape description, there was a …

Profiling Igg N-Glycans As Potential Biomarker Of Chronological And Biological Ages: A Community-Based Study In A Han Chinese Population, Xinwei Yu, Youix Wang, Jasminka Krištić, Jing Dong, Xi Chu, Siqi Ge, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Di Lui, Zhongya Zhao, Hongli Peng, Maja P. Baković, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Igor Rudan, Harry Campbell, Gordan Lauc, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As an important post-translation modifying process, glycosylation significantly affects the structure and function of immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules and is essential in many steps of the inflammatory cascade. Studies have demonstrated the potential of using glycosylation features of IgG as a component of predictive biomarkers for chronological age in several European populations, whereas no study has been reported in Chinese. Herein, we report various patterns of changes in IgG glycosylation associated with age by analyzing IgG glycosylation in 701 community-based Han Chinese (244 males, 457 females; 23-68 years old). Eleven IgG glycans, including FA2B, A2G1, FA2[6]G1, FA2[3]G1, FA2[6]BG1, FA2[3]BG1, A2G2, …

Incorporating Field Studies Into Species Distribution And Climate Change Modelling: A Case Study Of The Koomal Trichosurus Vulpecula Hypoleucus (Phalangeridae), Shaun Molloy, Robert Davis, Eddie Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Species distribution models (SDMs) are an effective way of predicting the potential distribution of species and their response to environmental change. Most SDMs apply presence data to a relatively generic set of predictive variables such as climate. However, this weakens the modelling process by overlooking the responses to more cryptic predictive variables. In this paper we demonstrate a means by which data gathered from an intensive animal trapping study can be used to enhance SDMs by combining field data with bioclimatic modelling techniques to determine the future potential distribution for the koomal (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus). The koomal is a geographically …

Floating Constructed Wetland For The Treatment Of Polluted River Water: A Pilot Scale Study On Seasonal Variation And Shock Load, Tanveer Saeed, Biprojit Paul, Rumana Afrin,, Abdullah Al-Muyeed, Guangzhi Sun

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper reports the performance of a pilot scale floating constructed wetland (FCW), employed for the treatment of polluted water collected from Buriganga river in Bangladesh. The FCW system included a tank for accommodating collected water and a floating mat with media, to support the growth of two macrophyte species Phragmites australis and Canna indica. Mean mass removal rates of 0.66, 0.76, 0.08, 0.51, 2.49g/m2d were achieved for ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4-N), total inorganic nitrogen (TIN), phosphorus (P), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), respectively by the FCW. Nitrogen removal was via nitrification-denitrification processes, whereas filtration-sedimentation appeared to influence …

Regular Fat And Reduced Fat Dairy Products Show Similar Associations With Markers Of Adolescent Cardiometabolic Health, Theresa A. O'Sullivan, Alexandra P. Bremmer, Trevor A. Mori, Lawrence J. Beilin, Charlotte Wilson, Katherine Hafekost, Gina L. Ambrosini, Rae Chi Huang, Wendy H. Oddy

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Reduced fat dairy products are generally recommended for adults and children over the age of two years. However, emerging evidence suggests that dairy fat may not have detrimental health effects. We aimed to investigate prospective associations between consumption of regular versus reduced fat dairy products and cardiometabolic risk factors from early to late adolescence. In the West Australian Raine Study, dairy intake was assessed using semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires in 860 adolescents at 14 and 17-year follow-ups; 582 of these also had blood biochemistry at both points. Using generalized estimating equations, we examined associations with cardiometabolic risk factors. Models incorporated …

Seagrass Sediments Reveal The Long-Term Deterioration Of An Estuarine Ecosystem, Oscar Serrano, Paul S. Lavery, Pere Masque, Karina Inostroza, James Bongiovanni, Carlos Duarte

Research Datasets

The database compiles published data (in Serrano et al. 2016, Global Change Biology, doi:10.1111/gcb.13195) on temporal trends in biogeochemical variables in the Posidonia australis sediment core from Oyster Harbour, Western Australia. The core studied encompasses the last 500 years of history. Data on dry bulk density, carbonate content, sedimentso.

Greater Strength Gains After Training With Accentuated Eccentric Than Traditional Isoinertial Loads In Already Strength-Trained Men, Simon Walker, Anthony J. Blazevich, Greg Haff, James J. Tufano, Robert Newton, Keijo Häkkinen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As training experience increases it becomes more challenging to induce further neuromuscular adaptation. Consequently, strength trainers seek alternative training methods in order to further increase strength and muscle mass. One method is to utilize accentuated eccentric loading, which applies a greater external load during the eccentric phase of the lift as compared to the concentric phase. Based upon this practice, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 10 weeks of accentuated eccentric loading vs. traditional isoinertial resistance training in strength-trained men. Young (22 ± 3 years, 177 ± 6 cm, 76 ± 10 kg, n = …

Aβ-Related Memory Decline In Apoe Ε4 Noncarriers: Implications For Alzheimer Disease, Yen Ying Lim, Simon Laws, Victor Villemagne, Robert Pietrzak, Tenielle Porter, David Ames, Christoher Fowler, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Peter Snyder, Ralph Martins, Olivier Salvado, Pierrick Bourgeat, Christopher Rowe, Colin Masters, Paul Maruff

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

As the absence of Aβ-related memory decline in APOE ϵ4 noncarriers may be due to the relative brevity of previous studies, we aimed to characterize Aβ-related cognitive decline over 72 months in APOE ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers who were cognitively normal (CN).

Methods:

CN older adults (n 423) underwent Aβ imaging and APOE genotyping. Participants completed comprehensive neuropsychological testing at baseline 18-, 36-, 54-, and 72-month assessments.

Results:

Relative to Aβ- CN ϵ4 noncarriers, both Aβ+ CN ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers showed significantly increased decline in measures of memory, language, and executive function as well as higher rates of …

A Review Of Current Neuromorphic Approaches For Vision, Auditory, And Olfactory Sensors, Anup Vanarse, Adam Osseiran, Alexander Rassau

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Conventional vision, auditory, and olfactory sensors generate large volumes of redundant data and as a result tend to consume excessive power. To address these shortcomings, neuromorphic sensors have been developed. These sensors mimic the neuro-biological architecture of sensory organs using aVLSI (analog Very Large Scale Integration) and generate asynchronous spiking output that represents sensing information in ways that are similar to neural signals. This allows for much lower power consumption due to an ability to extract useful sensory information from sparse captured data. The foundation for research in neuromorphic sensors was laid more than two decades ago, but recent developments …

1h-Nmr Urinary Metabolomic Profiling For Diagnosis Of Gastric Cancer, Angela W. Chan, Pascal Mercier, Daniel Schiller, Robert Bailey, Sarah Robbins, Dean T. Eurich, Michael B. Sawyer, David Broadhurst

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Metabolomics has shown promise in gastric cancer (GC) detection. This research sought to identify whether GC has a unique urinary metabolomic profile compared with benign gastric disease (BN) and healthy (HE) patients.

Methods:

Urine from 43 GC, 40 BN, and 40 matched HE patients was analysed using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy, generating 77 reproducible metabolites (QC-RSD < 25%). Univariate and multivariate (MVA) statistics were employed. A parsimonious biomarker profile of GC vs HE was investigated using LASSO regularised logistic regression (LASSO-LR). Model performance was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results:

GC displayed a clear discriminatory biomarker profile; the BN profile overlapped with GC and HE. LASSO-LR identified …

Autoantibody Production In Cancer—The Humoral Immune Response Toward Autologous Antigens In Cancer Patients, Pauline Zaenker, Elin Solomonovna Gray, Melanie Ruth Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A link between autoimmune responses and cancer via autoantibodies was first described in the 1950s. Since, autoantibodies have been studied for their potential use as cancer biomarkers, however the exact causes of their production remain to be elucidated. This review summarizes current theories of the causes of autoantibody production in cancer, namely:

1) defects in tolerance and inflammation,

2) changes in protein expression levels,

3) altered protein structure, and

4) cellular death mechanisms.

We also highlight the need for further research into this field to improve our understanding of autoantibodies as biomarkers for cancer development and progression.

Association Between Igf2bp2 Polymorphisms And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study And Meta-Analysis, Ping Rao, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Jie Zhang, Manshu Song, Yong Zhou, Youxin Wang, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) found that IGF2BP2 rs4402960 and rs1470579 polymorphisms were associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. Many studies have replicated this association, but yielded inconsistent results.

Materials and Methods:

A case-control study consisting of 461 T2DM patients and 434 health controls was conducted to detect the genetic susceptibility of IGF2BP2 in a northern Han Chinese population. A meta-analysis was to evaluate the association more precisely in Asians.

Results:

In the case-control study, the carriers of TT genotype at rs4402960 had a higher T2DM risk than the G carriers (TG + GG) (adjusted …

Consistent Prebiotic Effect On Gut Microbiota With Altered Fodmap Intake In Patients With Crohn's Disease: A Randomised, Controlled Cross-Over Trial Of Well-Defined Diets, Emma P. Halmos, Claus T. Christophersen, Anthony R. Bird, Susan J. Shepherd, Jane G. Muir, Peter R. Gibson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

OBJECTIVES:

Altering FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) intake has substantial effects on gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate effects of altering FODMAP intake on markers of colonic health in patients with Crohn’s disease.

METHODS:

After evaluation of their habitual diet, 9 patients with clinically quiescent Crohn’s disease were randomised to 21 days of provided low or typical (“Australian”) FODMAP diets with ≥ 21-day washout in between. Five-day fecal samples were collected at the end of each diet and analyzed for calprotectin, pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and bacterial abundance. Gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded daily.

RESULTS:

Eight participants …

Developmental Transcription Factors In Age-Related Cns Disease: A Phoenix Rising From The Ashes?, Robert White, Meghan Thomas

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Few would doubt that understanding the developmental landscape from which a mature neuron is derived is essential to understand its biology. The temporal and spatial position of a cell from the very earliest stages of development predicts the unique combinations of growth factors it will subsequently be exposed to. This combination of factors determines the transcriptional platform set within the cell by its specific combination of transcription factors, who direct the show. This, in turn, determines what cell type it will differentiate into, and what connections it will make. How this developmental platform translates to maintenance of a differentiated neuron …

Finding Chemopreventatives To Reduce Amyloid Beta In Yeast, Ian Macreadie, Costa Arvanitis, Prashant Bharadwaj

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of age-related dementia with the latest report (WorldAlzheimerReport, 2015) showing 46.8 million people are currently affected by dementia. That number is expected to double every 20 years unless there is effective therapeutic intervention.

Impact Case Studies Submitted To Ref 2014: The Hidden Impact Of Nursing Research, Daniel Kelly, Bridie Kent, Ann Mcmahon, Julie Taylor, Michael Traynor

School of Nursing and Midwifery

The UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 rated the research from 154 universities, and the impact of research was evaluated in 6975 impact case studies. Nursing was returned within unit of assessment (UoA) 3, which also included Dentistry, Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, although nursing research was also submitted within other UoAs. The study aim was to collate and categorise available REF impact case studies involving nursing researchers or on topics of relevance to nursing. Using nurs* as a search term, 469 case study entries were retrieved from the REF database and placed into three categories determined by the level …

Editor's Page, Randall W. Younker

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

Integrated Terrestrial And Marine Planning In England’S Coastal Inter-Tidal Zone: Assessing The Operational Effectiveness Of The Coastal Concordat, Jonathan Turner, Stephen Essex

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Spectral And Chromatographic Characterisation Of The Onoceroid, Ambrane: A Potential Novel Biological Marker, Paul A. Sutton, Steven J. Rowland

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) characteristics, including GC retention indices and mass spectra, of isomers of the tricyclic onoceroid C30 hydrocarbon, ambrane (1,1,4a,6-tetramethyl-5-{4-methyl-6-[2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexyl]hexyl}decahydronaphthalene) are reported. Ambrane is yet to be reported in sediments or petroleum: other biochemically-related onoceroids, such as onoceranes and serratanes, have been. Now that GC–MS data are available, a search for ambranes in geochemical samples may be both feasible and warranted.

Amazon Forest Response To Repeated Droughts, T. R. Feldpausch, O. L. Phillips, R. J.W. Brienen, E. Gloor, J. Lloyd, G. Lopez-Gonzalez, A. Monteagudo-Mendoza, Y. Malhi, A. Alarcón, Dávila E Álvarez, P. Alvarez-Loayza, A. Andrade, L. E.O.C. Aragao, L. Arroyo, C. Ga Aymard, T. R. Baker, C. Baraloto, J. Barroso, D. Bonal, W. Castro, V. Chama, J. Chave, T. F. Domingues, S. Fauset, N. Groot, Coronado E Honorio, S Laurance, Wf Laurance, S. L. Lewis, J. C. Licona, B. S. Marimon, B. H. Marimon-Junior, Bautista C Mendoza, D. A. Neill, E. A. Oliveira, E. A. Oliveira, Camacho Nc Pallqui, G. Pardo-Molina, A. Prieto, C. A. Quesada, F. Ramírez, H. Ramírez-Angulo, M. Réjou-Méchain, A. Rudas, G. Saiz, R. P. Salomão, J. E. Silva-Espejo, M. Silveira, Steege H Ter, J. Stropp, J. Terborgh, R. Thomas-Caesar, Der Heijden Gmf Van, Martinez R Vásquez, E. Vilanova, V. A. Vos

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Minimum Inhibition Concentration (Mic) Assay For Environmental Assessment Of Nanomaterials, J Vassallo, A Besinis, R Boden, Rd Handy

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Culture, Worldview, Biblical Interpretation, And Mission, Gorden R. Doss

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

‘Él Dijo Y Fue Así’: Lenguaje Humano, Creación Divina, E Imago Dei, Gerald A. Klingbeil

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Subjective Well-Being Among Malaysian Students, Mazni Mustapha

School of Psychology Theses

The aim of the study was to examine the determinants of well-being in Malaysian students at home and overseas. Prior to the main study, interviews were conducted with seven PhD students of Malaysia studying in Plymouth, to explore their needs and values, and their adaptation experiences in terms of missing and enjoyment experiences abroad. Based on the interview findings and literature reviews, a questionnaire was developed and named as the Adaptation to Life Index, which consisted of two scales - ‘missing experience’ and ‘enjoyment experience’. A longitudinal survey was carried out using Malaysian students in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, …

Modeling Animal Behavior In A Changing Environment, Shandelle M. Henson, James M. Cushing, James L. Hayward

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Visual Pigments, Ocular Filters And The Evolution Of Snake Vision, Bruno F. Simões, Filipa L. Sampaio, Ronald H. Douglas, Ullasa Kodandaramaiah, Nicholas R. Casewell, Robert A. Harrison, Nathan S. Hart, Julian C. Partridge, David M. Hunt, David J. Gower

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Much of what is known about the molecular evolution of vertebrate vision comes from studies of mammals, birds and fish. Reptiles (especially snakes) have barely been sampled in previous studies despite their exceptional diversity of retinal photoreceptor complements. Here, we analyze opsin gene sequences and ocular media transmission for up to 69 species to investigate snake visual evolution. Most snakes express three visual opsin genes (rh1, sws1, and lws). These opsin genes (especially rh1 and sws1) have undergone much evolutionary change, including modifications of amino acid residues at sites of known importance for spectral tuning, with several tuning site combinations …

Can’T Count Or Won’T Count? Embedding Quantitative Methods In Substantive Sociology Curricula: A Quasi-Experiment, Malcolm Williams, Luke Sloan, Sin Yi Cheung, Carole Sutton, Sebastian Stevens, Libby Runham

Peninsula Medical School

This paper reports on a quasi-experiment in which quantitative methods (QM) are embedded within a substantive sociology module. Through measuring student attitudes before and after the intervention alongside control group comparisons, we illustrate the impact that embedding has on the student experience. Our findings are complex and even contradictory. Whilst the experimental group were less likely to be distrustful of statistics and appreciate how QM inform social research, they were also less confident about their statistical abilities, suggesting that through ‘doing’ quantitative sociology the experimental group are exposed to the intricacies of method and their optimism about their own abilities …

People Interpret Robotic Non-Linguistic Utterances Categorically, R Read, T Belpaeme

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.