Digital Commons Network^™

Childhood Interpersonal Trauma And Premorbid Social Adjustment As Predictors Of Symptom Remission In First Episode Psychosis, Wenche Ten Velden Hegelstad, Akiah O. Berg, Jone Bjornestad, Kristina Gismervik, Jan O. Johannessen, Ingrid Melle, Helen J. Stain, Inge Joa

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Childhood interpersonal trauma (CIT) and premorbid adjustment are both associated with poor outcome in psychosis. In this study we investigate the relative impact of CIT and premorbid adjustment on symptom remission in first episode psychosis (FEP) over two years. Method: A total of 232 participants with FEP were recruited through the early detection program of the The early detection and Intervention in Psychosis (TIPS)-2 study and followed up after two years. Symptom remission was according to consensus criteria. CIT was assessed with the semi-structured interview Freyd Goldberg Brief Betrayal Trauma Survey, and premorbid adjustment with the Premorbid Adjustment Scale. …

Problems, Policy And Politics – Perspectives Of Public Health Leaders On Food Insecurity And Human Rights In Australia, Stephanie L. Godrich, Liza Barbour, Rebecca Lindberg

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

To achieve zero hunger targets set within the United Nations’ Agenda 2030, high-income countries such as Australia must reconsider current efforts to improve food security. This study aimed to; explore perspectives from public health nutrition experts on the usefulness of drawing on the international human right to food, and associated mechanisms, to address food insecurity; identify potential roles of key stakeholders in Australia to implement a rights-based approach; and examine barriers and enablers to achieving the right to food in Australia.

Methods:

Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants ( > 10 years professional experience). Braun and Clarke’s (2006) …

Prevention Of Dementia Using Mobile Phone Applications (Prodemos): Protocol For An International Randomised Controlled Trial, Esmé Eggink, Melanie Hafdi, Marieke P. Hoevenaar-Blom, Manshu Song, Sandrine Andrieu, Linda E. Barnes, Cindy Birck, Rachael L. Brooks, Nicola Coley, Elizabeth Ford, Jean Georges, Abraham Van Der Groep, Willem A. Van Gool, Ron Handels, Haifeng Hou, Dong Li, Hongmei Liu, Jihui Lyu, Harm Van Marwijk, Mark Van Der Meijden, Yixuan Niu, Shanu Sadhwani, Wenzhi Wang, Youxin Wang, Anders Wimo, Xiaoyan Ye, Yueyi Yu, Qiang Zeng, Wei Wang, Carol Brayne, Eric P. Moll Van Charante, Edo Richard

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction Profiles of high risk for future dementia are well understood and are likely to concern mostly those in low-income and middle-income countries and people at greater disadvantage in high-income countries. Approximately 30%-40% of dementia cases have been estimated to be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including hypertension, smoking and sedentary lifestyle. Tailored interventions targeting these risk factors can potentially prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Mobile health (mHealth) improves accessibility of such prevention strategies in hard-to-reach populations while at the same time tailoring such approaches. In the current study, we will investigate the effectiveness and implementation of a …

Exploring The Relationship Between Microdosing, Personality And Emotional Insight: A Prospective Study, Hannah M. Dressler, Stephen J. Bright, Vince Polito

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Backround and aims: Having entered the recent public and research zeitgeist, microdosing involves consuming sub-perceptual doses of psychedelic drugs, allegedly to enhance performance, creativity, and wellbeing. The results of research to date have been mixed. Whereas most studies have reported positive impacts of microdosing, some microdosers have also reported adverse effects. In addition, research to date has revealed inconsistent patterns of change in personality traits. This prospective study explored the relationship between microdosing, personality change, and emotional awareness. Methods: Measures of personality and alexithymia were collected at two time points. 76 microdosers participated at baseline. Invitations to a follow-up survey …

Causal Inference Between Chronic Periodontitis And Chronic Kidney Disease: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Analysis In A European Population, Jie Yang, Tianyi Chen, Yahong Zhu, Mingxia Bai, Xingang Li

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Previous epidemiological studies have shown significant associations between chronic periodontitis (CP) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the causal relationship remains uncertain. Aiming to examine the causal relationship between these two diseases, we conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis with multiple MR methods. Methods: For the casual effect of CP on CKD, we selected seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) specific to CP as genetic instrumental variables from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in the GLIDE Consortium. The summary statistics of complementary kidney function measures, i.e., estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), were derived from …

Wellbeing Of Breastfeeding Women In Australia And New Zealand During The Covid‐19 Pandemic: A Cross‐Sectional Study, Vanessa S. Sakalidis, Alethea Rea, Sharon L. Perrella, Jacki Mceachran, Grace Collis, Jennifer Miraudo, Stuart A. Prosser, Lisa Y. Gibson, Desiree Silva, Donna T. Geddes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, breastfeeding women have experienced restricted access to support, placing them at increased risk of mental health concerns and limited breastfeeding assistance. This study investigated the effect of the pandemic on feeding choices and maternal well-being amongst breastfeeding mothers living in Australian and New Zealand. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey that examined feeding methods, maternal mental wellbeing, worries, challenges, and positive experiences during the pandemic. Most women were exclusively breastfeeding (82%). Partial breastfeeding was associated with perceived low milk supply and longer pregnancy duration during the pandemic. Reduced mental health and wellbeing was associated with lower …

Rgb-D Data-Based Action Recognition: A Review, Muhammad Bilal Shaikh, Douglas Chai

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Classification of human actions is an ongoing research problem in computer vision. This review is aimed to scope current literature on data fusion and action recognition techniques and to identify gaps and future research direction. Success in producing cost-effective and portable vision-based sensors has dramatically increased the number and size of datasets. The increase in the number of action recognition datasets intersects with advances in deep learning architectures and computational support, both of which offer significant research opportunities. Naturally, each action-data modality—such as RGB, depth, skeleton, and infrared (IR)—has distinct characteristics; therefore, it is important to exploit the value of …

Variations In The Physical Performance Of Olympic Boxers Over A Four-Day National Qualifying Tournament, Irineu Loturco, Michael R. Mcguigan, Tomás T. Freitas, Chris Bishop, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Felipe Romano, Mateus Alves, Valter P. Reis, Lucas A. Pereira, Emerson Franchini

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aim of this study was to examine changes in body mass (BM) and power-related measures in Olympic boxers during an official qualifying boxing tournament. Fourteen elite amateur boxers from the Brazilian National Team (eight men and six women) participated in this study. Athletes performed three fights in four days against the same opponent of the same weight-category. Before and immediately after every fight, BM, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, and power production in the bench-press and half-squat exercises were assessed in the same order and on the same time of the day. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with the Bonferroni post-hoc …

Corrosion Behavior And Characteristics Of Passive Films Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Produced Ti-6al-4v In Dynamic Hank’S Solution, Liang-Yu Chen, Hong-Yue Zhang, Chuanbo Zheng, Hong-Yu Yang, Peng Qin, Cuihua Zhao, Sheng Lu, Shun-Xing Liang, Linjiang Chai, Lai-Chang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The corrosion behavior of laser powder bed fusion produced (L-PBF-produced) titanium alloys involving flowing body fluid is still unclear. Therefore, this work investigates in vitro corrosion behavior and the characteristics of passive films formed on L-PBF-produced Ti–6Al–4V in both static and dynamic Hank’s solutions. Electrochemical measurements, immersion tests, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were conducted. In comparison to the L-PBF-produced Ti–6Al–4V in static Hank’s solution, the samples showed lower charge transfer resistance and higher passivation current density (anodic current density as well) in dynamic Hank’s solution. Meanwhile, a more apparent deposition of apatite and hydroxyapatite is found on …

Glycosylation Of Igg Associates With Hypertension And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Comorbidity In The Chinese Muslim Ethnic Minorities And The Han Chinese, Xiaoni Meng, Manshu Song, Marija Vilaj, Jerko Štambuk, Mamatyusupu Dolikun, Jie Zhang, Di Liu, Hao Wang, Xiaoyu Zhang, Jinxia Zhang, Weijie Cao, Ana Momčilović, Irena Trbojević-Akmačić, Xingang Li, Deqiang Zheng, Lijuan Wu, Xiuhua Guo, Youxin Wang, Gordan Lauc, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: Hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus comorbidity (HDC) is common, which confers a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than the presence of either condition alone. Describing the underlying glycomic changes of immunoglobulin G (IgG) that predispose individuals to HDC may help develop novel protective immune-targeted and anti-inflammatory therapies. Therefore, we investigated glycosylation changes of IgG associated with HDC. Methods: The IgG N-glycan profiles of 883 plasma samples from the three northwestern Chinese Muslim ethnic minorities and the Han Chinese were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography instrument. Results: We found that 12 and six IgG N-glycan traits showed significant associations …

Exploring The Key Challenges Facing Company Secretaries In A Two-Tier Board Context, Stefan Peij, Pieter-Jan Bezemer

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This study aims to examine the core challenges facing company secretaries in a two-tier board context. This study focuses on the key factors contributing to these challenges and how company secretaries can effectively address them.

Design/methodology/approach: An analysis of the narratives provided by 291 Dutch company secretaries in response to a series of open-ended questionnaire questions led to insights into the key challenges company secretaries face in their day-to-day work.

Findings: Company secretaries perceive a myriad of factors contributing to pressures on their time, the need to work for multiple organizational bodies and the processing of information. They believe …

Fire In Semi-Arid Shrublands And Woodlands: Spatial And Temporal Patterns In An Australian Landscape, Eddie Van Etten, Robert A. Davis, Tim S. Doherty

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Semi-arid landscapes are of interest to fire ecologists because they are generally located in the climatic transition zone between arid lands (where fires tend to be rare due to lack of fuel, but are enhanced following large rainfall episodes) and more mesic regions (where fire activity tends to be enhanced following severe rainfall deficits). Here we report on the characteristics of the contemporary fire regimes operating in a semi-arid region of inland south-western Australia with rainfall averaging around 300 mm per annum. To characterize fire regimes, we analyzed a geodatabase of fire scars (1960–2018) to derive fire preferences for each …

The Effect Of Tin-, Ticn-, Tialn-, And Tisin Coated Tools On The Surface Defects And Geometric Tolerances Of Holes In Multi-Spindle Drilling Of Al2024 Alloy, Muhammad Aamir, Adrian Davis, William Keeble, Ugur Koklu, Khaled Giasin, Ana Vafadar, Majid Tolouei Rad

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The integrity of machined holes depends on many parameters, some of which are related to the cutting tool (geometry, coating, material). Other influential parameters are related to the machining process variables (spindle speed, feed rate, workpiece material), all of which can affect the quality of the hole and drilling induced damage on its surface. This study investigates the effect of uncoated tools and four types of tool coatings (TiN-, TiCN-, TiAlN-, and TiSiN) on the hole quality and its microstructure. The study analyzed several hole geometrical metrics, namely hole size, circularity, cylindricity, and perpendicularity of an Al2024 aluminum alloy using …

Overview Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health Status, 2020, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (the Overview) aims to provide a comprehensive outline of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The initial sections of the Overview provide information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, social determinants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and measures of population health status including births, mortality and hospitalisation...

Non-Traditional Systemic Risk Contagion Within The Chinese Banking Industry, Tonmoy Choudhury, Simone Scagnelli, Jaime L.P. Yong, Zhaoyong Zhang Prof

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Systemic risk contagion is a key issue in the banking sector in maintaining financial system stability. This study is among the first few to use three different distance-to-risk measures to empirically assess the domestic interbank linkages and systemic contagion risk of the Chinese banking industry, by using bivariate dynamic conditional correlation GARCH model on data collected from eight prominent Chinese banks for the period 2006–2018. The results show a relatively high correlation among almost all the banks, suggesting an interconnectedness among the banks. We found evidence that the banking system is exposed to significant domestic contagion risks arising from systemic …

Change In Mental Health, Physical Health, And Social Relationships During Highly Restrictive Lockdown In The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence From Australia, Shane Rogers, Travis Miles Cruickshank

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

A novel coronavirus first reported in Wuhan City in China in 2019 (COVID-19) developed into a global pandemic throughout 2020. Many countries around the world implemented strict social distancing policies to curb the spread of the virus. In this study we aimed to examine potential change in mental/physical health and social relationships during a highly restrictive COVID-19 lockdown period in Australia during April 2020.

Methods

Our survey (n = 1, 599) included questions about concerns, social behaviour, perceived change in relationship quality, social media use, frequency of exercise, physical health, and mental health during COVID-19 lockdown (April, 2020). …

Construct Validity Of The Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25 In A Ghanaian Population, Eric Adua, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Kwasi Frimpong, Esther A. Adama, Shantha P. Karthigesu, Enoch Odame Anto, Emmanuel Aboagye, Yuxiang Yan, Youxin Wang, Xuerui Tan, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

The Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25 (SHS-Q-25) developed to measure Suboptimal Health Status has been used worldwide, but its construct validity has only been tested in the Chinese population. Applying Structural Equation Modelling, we investigate aspects of the construct validity of the SHS-Q-25 to determine the interactions between SHS subscales in a Ghanaian population.

Methods

The study involved healthy Ghanaian participants (n = 263; aged 20–80 years; 63% female), who responded to the SHSQ-25. In an exploratory factor and parallel analysis, the study extracted a new domain structure and compared to the established five-domain structure of SHSQ-25. A confirmatory factor …

Summary Of Sexual Health Links With Chronic Disease In Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Males, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This Summary is based on the Review of sexual health issues linked with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males (the ‘Review’) published by the Australian Indigenous HealthBulletin in 2021. It provides information about the male sexual health conditions of erectile dysfunction (ED) and low testosterone, and their links to chronic disease, specifically cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It outlines:

• the causes and symptoms of ED and low testosterone
• how common ED and low testosterone are among the Australian male population (there are limited data available about Aboriginal and …

Hypogonadism Induced By Surgical Stress And Brain Trauma Is Reversed By Human Chorionic Gonadotropin In Male Rats: A Potential Therapy For Surgical And Tbi-Induced Hypogonadism?, Rastafa I. Geddes, Amita Kapoor, Kentaro Hayashi, Ryan Rauh, Marlyse Wehber, Quinn Bongers, Alex D. Jansen, Icelle M. Anderson, Gabrielle Farquhar, Sivan Vadakkadath-Meethal, Toni E. Ziegler, Craig S. Atwood

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is an almost universal, yet underappreciated, endocrinological complication of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The goal of this study was to determine whether the developmental hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment could reverse HH induced by a TBI. Methods: Plasma samples were collected at post-surgery/post-injury (PSD/PID) days -10, 1, 11, 19 and 29 from male Sprague-Dawley rats (5- to 6-month-old) that had undergone a Sham surgery (craniectomy alone) or CCI injury (craniectomy + bilateral moderate-to-severe CCI injury) and treatment with saline or hCG (400 IU/kg; i.m.) every other day. Results: Both Sham and CCI injury significantly decreased …

Review Of The Analysis Of 234th In Small Volume (2–4 L) Seawater Samples: Improvements And Recommendations, Samantha J. Clevenger, Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson, Jessica Drysdale, Steven Pike, Viena Puigcorbé, Ken O. Buesseler

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The short-lived radionuclide 234Th is widely used to study particle scavenging and transport from the upper ocean to deeper waters. This manuscript optimizes, reviews and validates the collection, processing and analyses of total 234Th in seawater and suggests areas of further improvements. The standard 234Th protocol method consists of scavenging 234Th from seawater via a MnO2 precipitate, beta counting, and using chemical recoveries determined by adding 230Th. The revised protocol decreases sample volumes to 2 L, shortens wait times between steps, and simplifies the chemical recovery process, expanding the ability to more rapidly and safely apply the 234Th method.

A Cross Sectional Survey Of International Horse-Racing Authorities On Injury Data Collection And Reporting Practices For Professional Jockeys, Siobhán O'Connor, Peta L. Hitchens, Charlotte Bolwell, Rachel Annan, Adrian Mcgoldrick, Lauren V. Fortington

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Jockey injuries are common in professional horse-racing and can result in life-threatening or career-ending outcomes. Robust injury data are essential to understand the circumstances of injury occurrence and ultimately identify prevention opportunities. This study aimed to identify jockey injury surveillance practices of international horse-racing authorities (HRAs) and the specific data items collected and reported by each HRA. A cross-sectional survey of representatives (e.g. Chief Medical Officer) from international HRAs was conducted. An online and paper questionnaire was designed comprised of 32 questions. Questions considered the barriers and facilitators to data collection within each HRA, and where available, what data were …

Utility And Limitations Of Hepascore And Transient Elastography To Detect Advanced Hepatic Fibrosis In Hfe Hemochromatosis, Sim Y. Ong, Tiffany Khoo, Amanda J. Nicoll, Lyle Gurrin, Thomas Worland, Puraskar Pateria, Louise E. Ramm, Adam Testro, Gregory J. Anderson, Richard Skoien, Lawrie W. Powell, Grant A. Ramm, John K. Olynyk, Martin B. Delatycki

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and Fibrosis-4 Index (Fib4) have been validated against liver biopsy for detecting advanced hepatic fibrosis in HFE hemochromatosis. We determined the diagnostic utility for advanced hepatic fibrosis of Hepascore and transient elastography compared with APRI and Fib4 in 134 newly diagnosed HFE hemochromatosis subjects with serum ferritin levels > 300 µg/L using area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis and APRI- ( > 0.44) or Fib4- ( > 1.1) cut-offs for AHF, or a combination of both. Compared with APRI, Hepascore demonstrated an AUROC for advanced fibrosis of 0.69 (95% CI 0.56–0.83; sensitivity = 69%, specificity …

Geoparks – Learnings From Australia, Alan Briggs, Ross Dowling, David Newsome

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This study aims to provide an overview of the current socio-political geopark situation in Australia and set this into a global context. In addition, the authors consider this information to be useful for all stakeholders involved in geopark research and development. An analysis of constraints is set alongside stakeholder views collected from remote rural Western Australia. The authors also place Australia in a global context in regard to the future of geoparks. Design/methodology/approach: Vital contextual information regarding the tourism significance of geoparks is sourced from key literature. The authors analyse and report on the situation surrounding the current lack …

Using Realist Approaches In Nutrition And Dietetics Research, Gemma Jenkins, Isabella Maugeri, Claire Palermo, Rebecca Hardwick

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the use and future potential of realist approaches to research in nutrition and dietetics. Methods: A targeted literature review was used to search key journals (n = 7) in nutrition and dietetics to identify existing research using a realist approach. A narrative synthesis was conducted to explore findings in relation to the research aim. Results: Nine research papers (four realist evaluations, five realist reviews) describing seven nutrition interventions were found, which revealed the application of realist research in nutrition and dietetics has focused on public health interventions. Realist research provided a …

Kynurenic Acid May Underlie Sex-Specific Immune Responses To Covid-19, Yuping Cai, Daniel J. Kim, Takehiro Takahashi, David I. Broadhurst, Hong Yan, Shuangge Ma, Nicholas J. W. Rattray, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Benjamin Israelow, Jon Klein, Carolina Lucas, Tianyang Mao, Adam J. Moore, M. Catherine Muenker, Ji Eun Oh, Julio Silva, Patrick Wong, Albert I. Ko, Sajid A. Khan, Akiko Iwasaki, Caroline H. Johnson, Yale Impact Research Team

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has poorer clinical outcomes in males than in females, and immune responses underlie these sex-related differences. Because immune responses are, in part, regulated by metabolites, we examined the serum metabolomes of COVID-19 patients. In male patients, kynurenic acid (KA) and a high KA–to–kynurenine (K) ratio (KA:K) positively correlated with age and with inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and negatively correlated with T cell responses. Males that clinically deteriorated had a higher KA:K than those that stabilized. KA inhibits glutamate release, and glutamate abundance was lower in patients that clinically deteriorated and correlated with immune responses. Analysis of …

Association Between Community-Based Self-Reported Covid-19 Symptoms And Social Deprivation Explored Using Symptom Tracker Apps: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study In Northern Ireland, Jennifer M. Mckinley, David Cutting, Neil Anderson, Conor Graham, Brian Johnston, Ute Mueller, Peter M. Atkinson, Hugo Van Woerden, Declan T. Bradley, Frank Kee

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the spatial and temporal relationships between the prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms in the community-level and area-level social deprivation. Design: Spatial mapping, generalised linear models, using time as a factor and spatial-lag models were used to explore the relationship between self-reported COVID-19 symptom prevalence as recorded through two smartphone symptom tracker apps and a range of socioeconomic factors using a repeated cross-sectional study design. Setting: In the community in Northern Ireland, UK. The analysis period included the earliest stages of non-pharmaceutical interventions and societal restrictions or 'lockdown' in 2020. Participants: Users of …

Putative Factors Influencing Knowledge And Behavioural Practices Of Health Science Undergraduate Students Towards Covid-19 Infection Ahead Of Re-Opening Universities In Ghana, Emmanuel Acheampong, Evans Asamoah Adu, Enoch O. Anto, Yaa Obirikorang, Eric Adua, Sylvester Yao Lopko, Emmanuella Nsenbah Acheampong, Agartha Odame Anto, Vivian Baah, Christian Obirikorang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus is a global pandemic affecting daily activities and delaying the reopening of several institutions such as universities. As a result, precautionary and preventive measures are being implemented to curtail the spread of the virus. However, knowledge and compliance measures are essential for adequate preparedness to reopen the universities amidst the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) along with factors influencing Health Science undergraduate students toward the COVID-19 infection pandemic in Ghana. A total of 606 students provided information regarding KAP of COVID-19 infection using an online questionnaire designed …

Effect Of Goji Berry On The Formation Of Extracellular Senile Plaques Of Alzheimer's Disease, Warnakulasuriya M. A. D. B. Fernando, Ke Dong, Rosalie Durham, Regine Stockmann, Vijay Jayasena

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and a major source of morbidity and mortality. Currently, no therapy nor drug can cure or modify AD progression, but recent studies suggest that nutritional compounds in certain foods can delay or prevent the onset of AD. Diets with high antioxidants is one of the examples which is believed to influence AD pathogenesis through direct effect on amyloid beta levels. Compared to other fruits and vegetables, goji berry (GB) has high levels of polyphenolic substances with antioxidant activities which have shown some positive effects on cognitive function while its mechanism …

Kelp-Associated Microbes Facilitate Spatial Subsidy In A Detrital-Based Food Web In A Shoreline Ecosystem, Charu Lata Singh, Megan J. Huggett, Paul S. Lavery, Christin Säwström, Glenn A. Hyndes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Microbes are ubiquitous but our knowledge of their effects on consumers is limited in benthic marine systems. Shorelines often form hotspots of microbial and detritivore activity due to the large amounts of detrital macrophytes that are exported from other coastal ecosystems, such as kelp forests, and accumulate in these systems. Shoreline ecosystems therefore provide a useful model system to examine microbial-detritivore interactions. We experimentally test whether bacteria in the biofilm of kelp provide a bottom-up influence on growth and reproductive output of detritivores in shorelines where detrital kelp accumulates, by manipulating the bacterial abundances on kelp (Ecklonia radiata). The growth …

Quantifying 210po/210pb Disequilibrium In Seawater: A Comparison Of Two Precipitation Methods With Differing Results, Montserrat Roca-Martí, Viena Puigcorbé, Maxi Castrillejo, Núria Casacuberta, Jordi Garcia-Orellana, J. Kirk Cochran, Pere Masqué

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The disequilibrium between lead-210 (210Pb) and polonium-210 (210Po) is increasingly used in oceanography to quantify particulate organic carbon (POC) export from the upper ocean. This proxy is based on the deficits of 210Po typically observed in the upper water column due to the preferential removal of 210Po relative to 210Pb by sinking particles. Yet, a number of studies have reported unexpected large 210Po deficits in the deep ocean indicating scavenging of 210Po despite its radioactive mean life of ∼ 200 days. Two precipitation methods, Fe(OH)3 and Co-APDC, are typically used to concentrate Pb and Po from seawater samples, and deep …