Developmental stages and gut microenvironments influence gut microbiota dynamics in the invasive beetle Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) (2019)
Journal Article
Chouaia, B., Goda, N., Mazza, G., Alali, S., Florian, F., Gionechetti, F., Callegari, M., Gonella, E., Magoga, G., Fusi, M., Crotti, E., Daffonchio, D., Alma, A., Paoli, F., Roversi, P. F., Marianelli, L., & Montagna, M. (2019). Developmental stages and gut microenvironments influence gut microbiota dynamics in the invasive beetle Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Environmental Microbiology, 21(11), 4343-4359. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.14797

Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a highly polyphagous invasive beetle originating from Japan. This insect is highly resilient and able to rapidly adapt to new vegetation. Insect‐associated microorganisms can play important roles... Read More about Developmental stages and gut microenvironments influence gut microbiota dynamics in the invasive beetle Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Regulation of the expression of DAPK1 by SUMO pathway. (2019)
Journal Article
Wang, Q., Zhang, X., Chen, L., Weng, S., Xia, Y., Ye, Y., Li, K., Liao, Z., Chen, P., Alsamman, K., Meng, C., Stevens, C., Hupp, T. R., & Lin, Y. (2019). Regulation of the expression of DAPK1 by SUMO pathway. Biomolecules, 9(4), 151. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9040151

Death Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1) is an important signaling kinase mediating the biological eect of multiple natural biomolecules such as IFN-, TNF-, curcumin, etc. DAPK1 is degraded through both ubiquitin-proteasomal and lysosomal degradat... Read More about Regulation of the expression of DAPK1 by SUMO pathway..

The thin(ning) green line? Investigating changes in Kenya's seagrass coverage (2018)
Journal Article
Harcourt, W. D., Briers, R. A., & Huxham, M. (2018). The thin(ning) green line? Investigating changes in Kenya's seagrass coverage. Biology Letters, 14(11), Article 20180227. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0227

Knowledge of seagrass distribution is limited to a few well-studied sites and poor where resourcesare scant (e.g. Africa), hence global estimates of seagrass carbon storage are inaccurate. Here, we analysed freely available Sentinel-2 and Landsat im... Read More about The thin(ning) green line? Investigating changes in Kenya's seagrass coverage.

Sources and contamination routes of microbial pathogens to fresh produce during field cultivation: A review (2018)
Journal Article
Alegbeleye, O. O., Singleton, I., & Sant’Ana, A. S. (2018). Sources and contamination routes of microbial pathogens to fresh produce during field cultivation: A review. Food Microbiology, 73, 177-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2018.01.003

Foodborne illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated fresh produce is a common phenomenon and has severe effects on human health together with severe economic and social impacts. The implications of foodborne diseases associated with fres... Read More about Sources and contamination routes of microbial pathogens to fresh produce during field cultivation: A review.

Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt (2017)
Journal Article
Findlay, M., Briers, R., Diamond, N., & White, P. (2017). Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt. European journal of wildlife research, 63(6), Article 96

The study of nocturnal mammals relies on indirect evidence or invasive methods involving capture and tagging of individuals. Indirect methods are prone to error, while capture and tagging mammals have logistical and ethical considerations. Off-the-sh... Read More about Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt.

Metformin selectively targets redox control of complex I energy transduction (2017)
Journal Article
Cameron, A. R., Logie, L., Patel, K., Erhardt, S., Bacon, S., Middleton, P., Harthill, J., Forteath, C., Coats, J. T., Kerr, C., Curry, H., Stewart, D., Sakamoto, K., Repiščák, P., Paterson, M. J., Hassinen, I., McDougall, G., & Rena, G. (2018). Metformin selectively targets redox control of complex I energy transduction. Redox Biology, 14, 187-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2017.08.018

Many guanide-containing drugs are antihyperglycaemic but most exhibit toxicity, to the extent that only the biguanide metformin has enjoyed sustained clinical use. Here, we have isolated unique mitochondrial redox control properties of metformin that... Read More about Metformin selectively targets redox control of complex I energy transduction.

Pollinator importance networks illustrate the crucial value of bees in a highly speciose plant community (2017)
Journal Article
Ballantyne, G., Baldock, K. C. R., Rendell, L., & Willmer, P. (2017). Pollinator importance networks illustrate the crucial value of bees in a highly speciose plant community. Scientific Reports, 7(1), Article 8389. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08798-x

Accurate predictions of pollination service delivery require a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between plants and flower visitors. To improve measurements of pollinator performance underlying such predictions, we surveyed visitation f... Read More about Pollinator importance networks illustrate the crucial value of bees in a highly speciose plant community.

Gregarines (Apicomplexa, Gregarinasina) in psocids (Insecta, Psocoptera) including a new species description and their potential use as pest control agents (2017)
Journal Article
Devetak, D., Rueckert, S., & Devetak, D. (2017). Gregarines (Apicomplexa, Gregarinasina) in psocids (Insecta, Psocoptera) including a new species description and their potential use as pest control agents. European Journal of Protistology, 60, 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2017.05.007

Gregarine apicomplexans are unicellular organisms that infect invertebrate hosts in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. The largest group of invertebrates infested on land is the insects. The insect order Psocoptera (booklice) has recently... Read More about Gregarines (Apicomplexa, Gregarinasina) in psocids (Insecta, Psocoptera) including a new species description and their potential use as pest control agents.

Metamorphosis of the edible mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Ucididae) in response to benthic microbial biofilms (2017)
Journal Article
Simith, D. D. J. D. B., Abrunhosa, F. A., & Diele, K. (2017). Metamorphosis of the edible mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Ucididae) in response to benthic microbial biofilms. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 492, 132-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2017.01.022

Benthic microbial communities can play an important role in the induction of larval metamorphosis in marine invertebrates. The role of biofilms in recognizing the parental habitat is unknown for the ecologically and economically important mangrove cr... Read More about Metamorphosis of the edible mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Ucididae) in response to benthic microbial biofilms.

Effect of Inorganic and Organic Carbon Enrichments (DIC and DOC) on the Photosynthesis and Calcification Rates of Two Calcifying Green Algae from a Caribbean Reef Lagoon (2016)
Journal Article
Meyer, F. W., Schubert, N., Diele, K., Teichberg, M., Wild, C., & Enríquez, S. (2016). Effect of Inorganic and Organic Carbon Enrichments (DIC and DOC) on the Photosynthesis and Calcification Rates of Two Calcifying Green Algae from a Caribbean Reef Lagoon. PLOS ONE, 11(8), Article e0160268. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160268

Coral reefs worldwide are affected by increasing dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) concentrations due to ocean acidification (OA) and coastal eutrophication. These two stressors can occur simultaneously, particularly in near-s... Read More about Effect of Inorganic and Organic Carbon Enrichments (DIC and DOC) on the Photosynthesis and Calcification Rates of Two Calcifying Green Algae from a Caribbean Reef Lagoon.

Challenges and priorities for modelling livestock health and pathogens in the context of climate change (2016)
Journal Article
Özkan, Ş., Vitali, A., Lacetera, N., Amon, B., Bannink, A., Bartley, D. J., Blanco-Penedo, I., de Haas, Y., Dufrasne, I., Elliott, J., Eory, V., Fox, N. J., Garnsworthy, P. C., Gengler, N., Hammami, H., Kyriazakis, I., Leclère, D., Lessire, F., Macleod, M., Robinson, T. P., …Kipling, R. P. (2016). Challenges and priorities for modelling livestock health and pathogens in the context of climate change. Environmental Research, 151, 130-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2016.07.033

Climate change has the potential to impair livestock health, with consequences for animal welfare, productivity, greenhouse gas emissions, and human livelihoods and health. Modelling has an important role in assessing the impacts of climate change on... Read More about Challenges and priorities for modelling livestock health and pathogens in the context of climate change.

MAPK Activation Is Essential for Waddlia chondrophila Induced CXCL8 Expression in Human Epithelial Cells (2016)
Journal Article
Storrie, S., Longbottom, D., Barlow, P. G., & Wheelhouse, N. (2016). MAPK Activation Is Essential for Waddlia chondrophila Induced CXCL8 Expression in Human Epithelial Cells. PLOS ONE, 11(3), Article e0152193. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152193

Background
Waddlia chondrophila (W. chondrophila) is an emerging agent of respiratory and reproductive disease in humans and cattle. The organism is a member of the order Chlamydiales, and shares many similarities at the genome level and in growth s... Read More about MAPK Activation Is Essential for Waddlia chondrophila Induced CXCL8 Expression in Human Epithelial Cells.

Demonstrating the links between psychology and biology: the practical use of Biopac in undergraduate psychology teaching. (2016)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Murray, J., Shaw, M., & Willis, A. (2016, January). Demonstrating the links between psychology and biology: the practical use of Biopac in undergraduate psychology teaching. Paper presented at The Teaching Fellows' Conference: innovations in teaching and supporting student learning

For those unfamiliar with psychology, there is often a perception that it is a subject that is all about the mind and ‘talking therapies. However, since the 1930s this has not been the case. Modern psychology seeks to build our knowledge base about h... Read More about Demonstrating the links between psychology and biology: the practical use of Biopac in undergraduate psychology teaching..

Use of the BioGRID Database for Analysis of Yeast Protein and Genetic Interactions (2016)
Journal Article
Oughtred, R., Chatr-aryamontri, A., Breitkreutz, B.-J., Chang, C. S., Rust, J. M., Theesfeld, C. L., Heinicke, S., Breitkreutz, A., Chen, D., Hirschman, J., Kolas, N., Livstone, M. S., Nixon, J., O’Donnell, L., Ramage, L., Winter, A., Reguly, T., Sellam, A., Stark, C., Boucher, L., …Tyers, M. (2016). Use of the BioGRID Database for Analysis of Yeast Protein and Genetic Interactions. Cold Spring Harbor protocols, 2016(1), pdb.prot088880. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot088880

The BioGRID database is an extensive repository of curated genetic and protein interactions for the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and the yeast Candida albicans SC5314, as well as for several oth... Read More about Use of the BioGRID Database for Analysis of Yeast Protein and Genetic Interactions.

Parasites of deep-sea fish Simenchelys parasitica. (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Rueckert, S. (2015, September). Parasites of deep-sea fish Simenchelys parasitica. Poster presented at MASTS 5th Annual Science Meeting

Molecular systematics of marine gregarine apicomplexans from Pacific tunicates: linking surface ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny. (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Rueckert, S. (2015, September). Molecular systematics of marine gregarine apicomplexans from Pacific tunicates: linking surface ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny. Poster presented at European Congress of Protistology

'Skills Passport' for Life Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University: Helping students to help themselves. (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Campbell, S. A., Durkin, P., MacCallum, J., & MacNab, A. (2015, June). 'Skills Passport' for Life Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University: Helping students to help themselves. Paper presented at QAA Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education Conference

Developing graduates with the appropriate skills for future employment is an issue that affects every sector of industry. Research within the Life Sciences sector in Scotland has identified a number of areas where improvements could be made in the sk... Read More about 'Skills Passport' for Life Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University: Helping students to help themselves..

Chlamydia-related Organisms: Infection in Ruminants and Potential for Zoonotic transmission (2015)
Journal Article
Wheelhouse, N., & Longbottom, D. (2015). Chlamydia-related Organisms: Infection in Ruminants and Potential for Zoonotic transmission. Current Clinical Microbiology Reports, 2(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40588-014-0011-x

The chlamydiae are a diverse group of obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that are known to infect a wide variety of host species and are responsible for a wide range of diseases in animals and man. Studies of human disease first provided e... Read More about Chlamydia-related Organisms: Infection in Ruminants and Potential for Zoonotic transmission.

Habitat use by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in a mixed moorland-forest landscape in Scotland and implications for a national afforestation strategy (2015)
Journal Article
White, P. J. C., Warren, P., & Baines, D. (2015). Habitat use by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in a mixed moorland-forest landscape in Scotland and implications for a national afforestation strategy. Bird Study, 62(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2014.1000261

Capsule Long-term conservation of Black Grouse in Scotland may rely upon the retention of sufficiently large and well-connected patches of moorland and a diversity of adjacent forest types.

Aims To study Black Grouse habitat use within a moorland-... Read More about Habitat use by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in a mixed moorland-forest landscape in Scotland and implications for a national afforestation strategy.

Burrows of the semi-terrestrial crab Ucides cordatus enhance CO2 release in a North Brazilian mangrove forest (2014)
Journal Article
Puelmanns, N., Diele, K., Mehlig, U., & Nordhaus, I. (2014). Burrows of the semi-terrestrial crab Ucides cordatus enhance CO2 release in a North Brazilian mangrove forest. PLOS ONE, 9(10), Article e109532. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0109532

Ucides cordatus is an abundant mangrove crab in Brazil constructing burrows of up to 2 m depth. Sediment around burrows may oxidize during low tides. This increase in sediment-air contact area may enhance carbon degradation processes. We hypothesized... Read More about Burrows of the semi-terrestrial crab Ucides cordatus enhance CO2 release in a North Brazilian mangrove forest.