Quantifying biotic interactions with inshore subtidal structures: comparisons between artificial and natural reefs

Artificial reefs have been deployed purposely worldwide to influence physical and biological processes around coastlines and in inshore waters; often to augment recreational diving and fishing, support environmental mitigation and habitat restoration and, more recently, for scientific research. The aims of this project were to develop standardised methods and protocols for use in artificial reef studies and to establish whether there were differences in the productivity and biotic interactions between artificial and nearby natural rocky reefs in Loch Linnhe, west coast of Scotland. A comparative study was carried out to evaluate methods used in the assessment of subtidal epibiotic assemblage structure followed by a detailed study to compare epibiotic recruitment to artificial and natural reefs using PVC plastic recruitment panels. Predator exclusion cages were used to assess the effects of predation on epifaunal recruitment at different locations. Epifaunal biomass on concrete reef blocks and infaunal biomass in soft sediments surrounding the artificial reef complex was determined and an estimate made of relative productivity between the Loch Linnhe artificial reef modules and their receiving environment. Finally, the trophic dynamics of artificial and natural reefs were investigated through the use of stable isotope ratios. These studies showed that post-settlement processes appear to be controlling differences in epifaunal recruitment to artificial and natural reefs in Loch Linnhe. Vertically orientated PVC recruitment panels, combined with galvanised wire mesh predator exclusion cages, are recommended for use in comparative recruitment studies of subtidal artificial and natural reefs. It was also concluded that the Loch Linnhe artificial reef complex has increased the productivity to the local area and that the construction design of these artificial reefs would be a suitable option, with respect to the development of biological communities, for future artificial structures such as breakwaters

Recovered Voices: Fairy Tales and the Reading Child

In the traditional literature classroom, students are typically guided through literature discussions by their teacher, and then assessed on how well they can reiterate predetermined interpretations of what they have read. Within these literature discussions, classroom talk creates a power structure, with the teacher as owner of knowledge, and students as those lacking this knowledge. This study seeks to upset this power structure, by removing the guiding force of the teacher in literature discussions, as well as the assessments which follow. In a further effort to allow for a literature discussion which is genuinely for students, the genre of fairy tales will serve as the selected literature. The field of curriculum studies is concerned with recognizing contexts, and working to understand how these many contexts contribute to the education of children. Located within the field of literary criticism, interpretive communities have been selected as a methodology which recognizes a way of looking at students looking at literature through unique perspectives. By allowing students the opportunity to experience literature without the attached traditional activities imposed on them, it is the intent that a novel discourse will be created; one that recognizes and values the interpretation of the child

Doctoral porfolio in counselling psychology

A portfolio submitted to The University of Wolverhampton for the Practitioner Doctorate: Counselling Psychology Award: D.Couns.Psyc

Normative scores for the NIH Toolbox dynamic visual acuity test from 3 to 85 years

As part of the National Institutes of HealthToolbox initiative, a computerized test of dynamic visual acuity (cDVA) was developed and validated as an easy-to-administer, cost- and timeefficient test of vestibular and visual function. To establish normative reference values, 3,992 individuals, aged 3–85 years, without vestibular pathology underwent cDVA testing at multiple clinical research testing facilities across the United States. Test scores were stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. cDVA was worse in males (p \u3c0.001) and those subjects 50 years or older, while there was no difference in dynamic visual acuity across age groups binned from 3 to 49 years. Furthermore, we used these normative cDVA data as a criterion reference to compare both the long (validated) and short versions of the test. Both versions can distinguish between those with and without vestibular pathology (p D0.0002 long; p D0.0025 short). The intraclass correlation coefficient between longand short-cDVA tests was 0.86

Normative scores for the NIH Toolbox dynamic visual acuity test from 3 to 85 years

As part of the National Institutes of HealthToolbox initiative, a computerized test of dynamic visual acuity (cDVA) was developed and validated as an easy-to-administer, cost- and timeefficient test of vestibular and visual function. To establish normative reference values, 3,992 individuals, aged 3–85 years, without vestibular pathology underwent cDVA testing at multiple clinical research testing facilities across the United States. Test scores were stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. cDVA was worse in males (p \u3c0.001) and those subjects 50 years or older, while there was no difference in dynamic visual acuity across age groups binned from 3 to 49 years. Furthermore, we used these normative cDVA data as a criterion reference to compare both the long (validated) and short versions of the test. Both versions can distinguish between those with and without vestibular pathology (p D0.0002 long; p D0.0025 short). The intraclass correlation coefficient between longand short-cDVA tests was 0.86

Climate change threatens the most biodiverse regions of Mexico

International audienceClimate change threatens Earth's biodiversity, although its impacts are variable and depend on the capacity of species and ecosystems to cope with the magnitude and speed of change. Natural protected areas (NPAs) constitute potential refugia for species' persistence and for sustaining the provisioning of ecosystem services. Biosphere reserves are NPAs that are less altered by human actions and provide habitat to endemic, threatened or endangered species. Here, we aim to evaluate the threat imposed by climate change on the network of biosphere reserves in Mexico. Focusing on five bioclimatic variables, we computed the climatic space – measured as an n-dimensional hypervolume – of 40 NPAs. Increases in temperature are predicted for all NPAs by 2050, whereas decreases in annual rainfall are predicted for 30 NPAs. By 2050, 31 NPAs that provide habitat to 22,866 recorded species are predicted to lose 100% of their baseline climatic space, shifting to completely novel climates. On average, the other nine NPAs are predicted to lose 55.7% (SD = 26.7%) of their baseline climatic space, while 54.5% (SD = 32.5%) of the future climatic space will be novel. Seventeen NPAs may lose climate variability (homogenization), decreasing species' niches. The extent to which non-analogue conditions will remain within the tolerance of species and ecosystems is currently unknown. Finally, we propose a vulnerability index to categorise NPAs based on their loss of existing climatic space, total geographic area, species richness, and uniqueness of species composition, finding los Tuxtlas and Tiburon Ballena as the most and least vulnerable NPAs, respectively

Development and Validation of a Socioeconomic Kidney Transplant Derailers Index

Background: Socioeconomic barriers can prevent successful kidney transplant (KT) but are difficult to measure efficiently in clinical settings. We created and validated an individual-level, single score Kidney Transplant Derailers Index (KTDI) and assessed its association with waitlisting and living donor KT (LDKT) rates. Methods: The dataset included 733 patients presenting for KT evaluation in a transplant center in California. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify socioeconomic barriers to KT (derailers) to include in the index. Potential KT derailers included health insurance, employment, financial insecurity, educational attainment, perception of neighborhood safety, access to a vehicle, having a washer/dryer, and quality of social support. Validity was tested with associations between KTDI scores and the following: (1) the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and (2) time to KT waitlisting and LDKT. Results: Nine derailers were retained, omitting only social support level from the original set. The KTDI was scored by summing the number of derailers endorsed (mean: 3.0; range: 0–9). Black patients had higher estimated KTDI scores than other patient groups (versus White patients, 3.8 versus 2.1; P \u3c 0.001, effect size = 0.81). In addition, the KTDI was associated with the ADI (γ = 0.70, SE = 0.07; P \u3c 0.001). Finally, in comparison to the lower tertile, patients in the upper and middle KTDI tertiles had lower hazard of waitlisting (upper tertile hazard ratio [HR]: 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.25-0.45; middle tertile HR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.40-0.72) and receiving an LDKT (upper tertile HR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.08-0.30; middle tertile HR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20-0.62). These associations remained significant when adjusting for the ADI and other patient characteristics. Conclusions: The KTDI is a valid indicator of socioeconomic barriers to KT for individual patients that can be used to identify patients at risk for not receiving a KT

The PROMIS satisfaction with social participation measures demonstrated responsiveness in diverse clinical populations

To conduct a longitudinal evaluation of PROMIS® Social Function measures (Satisfaction with Participation in Social Roles, and Satisfaction with Participation in Discretionary Social Activities) in English-speaking people with chronic health conditions

Pro-Apoptotic Apoptosis Protease–Activating Factor 1 (Apaf-1) Has a Cytoplasmic Localization Distinct from Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL

How Bcl-2 and its pro-survival relatives prevent activation of the caspases that mediate apoptosis is unknown, but they appear to act through the caspase activator apoptosis protease–activating factor 1 (Apaf-1). According to the apoptosome model, the Bcl-2–like proteins preclude Apaf-1 activity by sequestering the protein. To explore Apaf-1 function and to test this model, we generated monoclonal antibodies to Apaf-1 and used them to determine its localization within diverse cells by subcellular fractionation and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Whereas Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL were prominent on organelle membranes, endogenous Apaf-1 was cytosolic and did not colocalize with them, even when these pro-survival proteins were overexpressed or after apoptosis was induced. Immunogold electron microscopy confirmed that Apaf-1 was dispersed in the cytoplasm and not on mitochondria or other organelles. After the death stimuli, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL precluded the release of the Apaf-1 cofactor cytochrome c from mitochondria and the formation of larger Apaf-1 complexes, which are steps that presage apoptosis. However, neither Bcl-2 nor Bcl-xL could prevent the in vitro activation of Apaf-1 induced by the addition of exogenous cytochrome c. Hence, rather than sequestering Apaf-1 as proposed by the apoptosome model, Bcl-2–like proteins probably regulate Apaf-1 indirectly by controlling upstream events critical for its activation

Donor milk intake and infant growth in a South African neonatal unit: a cohort study

Background Implications of donor milk feedings on infant growth in resource limited settings remain uncertain. This knowledge gap includes the impact of donor milk availability on infant intake of mother’s own milk. Therefore, this investigation aimed to measure intake and growth in infants receiving donor milk when born to women from resource limited backgrounds with high rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods A retrospective cohort study enrolled eligible infants admitted to a South African combined neonatal intensive and secondary high care unit, within a one year admission period during 2015, with signed consent for donor milk feedings. A certified milk bank provided donor milk. Daily nutritional intake during the first month was recorded. Details included proportional intake of donor milk, mother’s own milk and infant formula. The primary outcome of infant growth velocity from day back to birth weight to discharge was calculated when length of stay was ≥14 days. Analyses primarily used T-tests; mixed effects models compared weekly calorie intake. Results One hundred five infants with donor milk consent were born at 30.9 ± 3.6 weeks of gestation, weighing 1389 ± 708 g. Forty percent of mothers had HIV. Infant growth velocity did not differ based on percent of feedings as donor milk (≥ 50%: 11.8 ± 4.9 g/kg/d; < 50%: 13.5 ± 5.3 g/kg/d; p = 0.3). Percent of feedings from donor milk was similar based on maternal HIV status (positive: 31 ± 25%; negative: 36 ± 29%; p = 0.4), as was percent of feedings as mother’s milk (positive: 53 ± 35%; negative: 58 ± 30%; p = 0.4). Calorie intake increased markedly during the first two weeks and then plateaued (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Donor milk feedings in higher proportions did not further impair growth of infants managed in a South African combined neonatal intensive and secondary high care unit with growth rates already below reference ranges. The provision of donor milk contributed to feedings being composed of primarily human milk during the first month. Increasing early calorie intake may improve infant growth in this center