Use of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) and motion analysis for studying the impacts of underwater noise upon free ranging fish and implications for marine energy management

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Free-ranging individual fish were observed using a baited remote underwater video (BRUV) system during sound playback experiments. This paper reports on test trials exploring BRUV design parameters, image analysis and practical experimental designs. Three marine species were exposed to playback noise, provided as examples of behavioural responses to impulsive sound at 163–171 dB re 1 μPa (peak-to-peak SPL) and continuous sound of 142.7 dB re 1 μPa (RMS, SPL), exhibiting directional changes and accelerations. The methods described here indicate the efficacy of BRUV to examine behaviour of free-ranging species to noise playback, rather than using confinement. Given the increasing concern about the effects of water-borne noise, for example its inclusion within the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the lack of empirical evidence in setting thresholds, this paper discusses the use of BRUV, and short term behavioural changes, in supporting population level marine noise management

Sensitivity of Pagurus bernhardus (L.) to substrate-borne vibration and anthropogenic noise

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Despite the prevalence of vibration produced by anthropogenic activities impacting the seabed there are few data and little information as to whether these are detected by crustaceans and whether they interfere with their behaviour. Here the sensitivity of unconditioned Pagurus bernhardus to substrate-borne vibration was quantified by exposure to sinusoidal vibrations of 5-410Hz of varied amplitudes using the staircase method of threshold determination, with threshold representing the detection of the response and two behavioural responses used as reception indicators: movement of the second antenna and onset or cessation of locomotion. Thresholds were compared to measured vibrations close to anthropogenic operations and to the time in captivity prior to tests. Behaviour varied according to the strength of the stimulus with a significant difference in average threshold values between the two behavioural indicators, although there was an overlap between the two, with overall sensitivity ranging from 0.09-0.44ms -2 (root mean squared, RMS). Crabs of shortest duration in captivity prior to tests had significantly greater sensitivity to vibration, down to 0.02ms -2 (RMS). The sensitivity of P. bernhardus fell well within the range of vibrations measured near anthropogenic operations. The data indicate that anthropogenic substrate-borne vibrations have a clear effect on the behaviour of a common marine crustacean. The study emphasises that these vibrations are an important component of noise pollution that requires further attention to understand the long term effects on marine crustaceans

Isolation and Genomic Analysis of the Cetacean Y-chromosome

The male-specific mammalian Y-chromosome represents a powerful tool for studying malemediated gene flow and genome evolution. Here it was possible to identify 7 polymorphic microsatellites for the first time in an odontocete species, using a combination of cell culture, cytogenetics and molecular approaches. Initially, the development of an efficient and repeatable methodology for obtaining a growing lymphocyte culture that facilitated the isolation of individual chromosomes is described. Flow karyotypic characterization and isolation of individual chromosomes via flow sorting or microdissection is reported for the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Microdissected Y-chromosomes from the killer whale and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) were screened for sequences containing microsatellite motifs. 15 and 10 male-specific microsatellites were identified from the killer whale and bottlenose dolphin, respectively. Additional microsatellite loci were identified from previously published fin whale Y-chromosome sequence. 6 markers designed from heterologous sequences amplified from sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), were also screened for variation. All 31 markers were monomorphic in the bottlenose dolphin, only 2 loci showed 2 variants in the killer whale and 7 were polymorphic in the sperm whale. In addition 162 anonymous regions of the Y-chromosome, isolated from the delphinid species were used to characterize the comparative composition of the ‘Y’ relative to the autosomes in these species. Characteristics are discussed in the context of the genome as a whole, species-specific history and with reference to the expected patterns of mammalian Y-chromosome evolution

Properties and Interactions of Type III Intermediate Filaments with CRYAB

Glial fibrillary acidic protein is a type three intermediate filament found within astrocytes in the central nervous system and mutations have been found as the cause of Alexander disease, resulting in protein aggregates of Rosenthal fibers with αBcrystallin. Here two glial fibrillary acidic protein mutants of R79C and R239H, located in the LNDR and rod 2A domain respectively, were assembled in vitro and their morphology, assembly competence and interactions with αB-crystallin were assessed. Both mutants were unable to form usual filament lengths but instead were similar to unit length filaments with R239H forming aggregates due to such high protein interactions and the R79C mutant having much lower assembly competent protein interactions. R239H had a much greater affinity for αB-crystallin, likely a reflection that it has one of the most severe phenotypes. An absence of divalent cations equally affected GFAP assembly resulting in compromised compaction and increased filament-filament interactions. The R120G αB-crystallin mutant results in cardiomyopathy and cataract due to aberrant interactions with desmin intermediate filaments, due to an increased oligomer size and therefore these interactions were studied and compared to wild-type interactions. Temperature and pH also alter the oligomer size of αB-crystallin and were therefore investigated with αB-crystallin-type III intermediate filament interactions. It was found that ischemic conditions and increased temperatures promote their association, demonstrated by increased co-pelleting under high speed sedimentations. There was a preference for binding to desmin filaments thus showing how desmin-wild-type αB-crystallin interactions are important for homeostasis in muscle. Passive microrheology was used to complement this and investigate how αB-crystallin may be modulating desmin filaments under equilibrium. From these experiments wild-type αB-crystallin reduced the frequency-dependent passive viscosity η(f) and the G’, whereas the cardiomyopathy- and cataract- causing R120G mutant increased the η(f)

Confirming the position of a nasogastric tube what does the literature say?

Nasogastric tubes are a medical device that can be used for a number of purposes. The process of inserting them however can be complicated. Nurses must therefore use an evidence based approach to confirm the correct position of nasogastric tubes and there are three main techniques described in the literature to do so. To date, one group of authors has published the majority of the studies on these techniques. This paper reviews their work. <br /

The impact of chronic breathlessness on psychological concerns and quality of life in an older, frail population in primary care

Background Chronic breathlessness is a debilitating symptom with major detrimental impact on individuals, carers, across health care settings. Little is known about prevalence, impact, or experience of breathlessness in the older, frail population.Aims For older adults at risk of frailty: to explore the impact of chronic breathlessness on patients’ and carers’ psychological wellbeing and quality of life (QoL), and to explore how chronic breathlessness is identified and assessed in primary care, considering patient, carer, and health care practitioner (HCP) experiences. Methods A multiple-methods thesis incorporating a systematic review and mixed-methods study. My quantitative narrative systematic review of published literature aimed to determine how clinicians identified and assessed breathlessness across health care settings. My mixed-methods study included: a quantitative cross-sectional survey to determine prevalence and psychological impact of chronic breathlessness, and clinical factors associated with breathlessness, in the primary care setting; qualitative in-depth interviews further explored psychological impact and experiences of management in primary care for patients, carers, and HCPs. Mixed-methods findings were synthesised using modified critical interpretative synthesis, then integrated with the systematic review results.Findings Chronic breathlessness is prevalent (40%) in older, frail adults and associated with worse psychological outcomes and poorer QoL. People with chronic breathlessness give up activities because of their breathlessness which is conflated with the underlying disease and not recognised as therapeutic target by patient or HCPs. Chronic breathlessness is often ‘one of many’ symptoms and in the primary care context of ‘one appointment, one problem’, remains invisible and unmanaged. HCPs can feel helpless and do not routinely ask about impact of breathlessness on QoL.Conclusions Lack of routine assessment in primary care means older, frail adults with chronic breathlessness may not access evidence-based symptom-targeted interventions. Systematic identification, assessment, and management in primary care may help improve psychological health, QoL, and overall wellbeing

Temporal event-structure coding in developmental dyslexia: Evidence from explicit and implicit temporal processes

As an alternative to theories positing visual or phonological deficits it has been suggested that the aetiology of dyslexia takes the form of a temporal processing deficit that may refer to impairment in the functional connectivity of the processes involved in reading. Here we investigated this idea in an experimental task designed to measure simultaneity thresholds. Fifteen children diagnosed with developmental dyslexia, alongside a matched sample of 13 normal readers undertook a series of threshold determination procedures designed to locate visual simultaneity thresholds and to assess the influence of subthreshold synchrony or asynchrony upon these thresholds. While there were no significant differences in simultaneity thresholds between dyslexic and normal readers, indicating no evidence of an altered perception, or temporal quantization of events, the dyslexic readers reported simultaneity significantly less frequently than normal readers, with the reduction largely attributable presentation of a subthreshold asynchrony. The results are discussed in terms of a whole systems approach to maintaining information processing integrity

Thinking, Doing, Talking Science: Evaluation report and Executive summary

Thinking, Doing, Talking Science (TDTS) is a programme that aims to make science lessons in primary schools more practical, creative and challenging. Teachers are trained in a repertoire of strategies that aim to encourage pupils to use higher order thinking skills. This project sought to assess the impact of the programme on the academic outcomes and attitudes towards science of Year 5 pupils. 655 pupils from 21 schools across England completed the project. Participating schools followed the programme for the entirety of the 2013/14 academic year. A further 20 schools formed a randomised comparison group and did not receive training in the approach until the following year. Thinking, Doing, Talking Science appeared to have a positive impact on the attainment of pupils in science. Overall, Year 5 pupils in schools using the approach made approximately three additional months’ progress. The programme had a particularly positive effect on girls and on pupils with low prior attainment

EDITORIAL

A: So, Hayley, we’ve decided on a particularly gentle strategy for putting together the editorial for Issue 3 of cinder, which has fallen across the COVID-19 pandemic moment, in Naarm (Melbourne) where we both live. I’m sitting outside at the back of my house, and the light is a kind of translucent grey, which makes the purple flowers on one of the garden plants really pop. We’ve decided to compose together, somehow, and to converse while we read back over the articles that our authors have intrepidly put together despite the strange times. I’m starting with Daniel Juckes’ work, ‘A straight track through a dark valley’. An apt-enough title, one could say, for an issue at this time. Daniel’s piece is our featured fiction work for this issue. It’s specifically about writing, as well as our loving people, whom we may lose, and the situations we can contrive in order to be with them, and to hold onto them. These efforts, of course, are never a ‘straight track’. The work manages to say some of the complications that our urge for this and its very contrivance generate. I love the fact that there is a train in this story (since we can’t travel so much right now), a cherished older woman, as well as the image of her hands around a cup of tea. The writer here is an ambiguous figure. Present, but also not, with his notebook. Writing about an intensive encounter that he is aware he might be sabotaging via the very attempt to archive it. Slightly monstrous like writers can be, but staring that in the face, too. Or am I being too dark? H: I miss travelling somewhere with someone, rather than sitting still (awkwardly speaking over each other on a video platform), or walking in circles around the man-made lake near my house. Sharing that kind of time felt intimate, and I miss the ‘doing-with’ that happened during long distance travel. The writing, the listening to music, the reading, the sleeping.Is it dangerous to speak about the writer as monstrous? I wonder if it doesn’t slip in a kind of permission. I am a writer and therefore I can be...but there’s always something monstrous about a writer acknowledging what they do, even if it is part of the craft. Writers who don’t observe life and use it probably aren’t very good. But conversations around the ethics of writing in general are difficult to have. I recently had someone ask me never to write about them. I had to say I was sorry, but I couldn’t promise that. ..