Surface Functionality in Nanocellulose Processing and Composite Formulations (2019)
Thesis
Onyianta, A. Surface Functionality in Nanocellulose Processing and Composite Formulations. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University. http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2025207

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) are cellulose nanomaterials with desirable properties and offer great potentials to be applied in diverse fields. While various pre-treatments have been studied with the aim of reducing the intensity of mechanical fibrilla... Read More about Surface Functionality in Nanocellulose Processing and Composite Formulations.

How to build a bone: PHOSPHO1, biomineralization and beyond (2019)
Journal Article
Dillon, S., Staines, K. A., Millán, J. L., & Farquharson, C. (2019). How to build a bone: PHOSPHO1, biomineralization and beyond. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Plus, 3(7), Article e10202. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm4.10202

Since its characterization two decades ago, the phosphatase PHOSPHO1 has been the subject of an increasing focus of research. This work has elucidated PHOSPHO1’s central role in the biomineralization of bone and other hard tissues, but has also impli... Read More about How to build a bone: PHOSPHO1, biomineralization and beyond.

The Ex Vivo Organ Culture of Bone (2019)
Book Chapter
Staines, K. A., Brown, G., & Farquharson, C. (2019). The Ex Vivo Organ Culture of Bone. In Bone Research Protocols (199-215). Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8997-3_10

The ex vivo organ culture of bone provides many of the advantages of both the whole organism and isolated cell strategies and can deliver valuable insight into the network of processes and activities that are fundamental to bone and cartilage biology... Read More about The Ex Vivo Organ Culture of Bone.

Land use driven change in soil pH affects microbial carbon cycling processes (2018)
Journal Article
Malik, A. A., Puissant, J., Buckeridge, K. M., Goodall, T., Jehmlich, N., Chowdhury, S., Gweon, H. S., Peyton, J. M., Mason, K. E., van Agtmaal, M., Blaud, A., Clark, I. M., Whitaker, J., Pywell, R. F., Ostle, N., Gleixner, G., & Griffiths, R. I. (2018). Land use driven change in soil pH affects microbial carbon cycling processes. Nature Communications, 9(1), Article 3591. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05980-1

Soil microorganisms act as gatekeepers for soil–atmosphere carbon exchange by balancing the accumulation and release of soil organic matter. However, poor understanding of the mechanisms responsible hinders the development of effective land managemen... Read More about Land use driven change in soil pH affects microbial carbon cycling processes.

Silver nanoparticles promote the emergence of heterogeneic human neutrophil sub-populations (2018)
Journal Article
Kemp, S., Young, L., Ross, M., Prach, M., Hutchison, G. R., Malone, E., & Fraser, J. A. (2018). Silver nanoparticles promote the emergence of heterogeneic human neutrophil sub-populations. Scientific Reports, 8(1), Article 7506. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-25854-2

Neutrophil surveillance is central to nanoparticle clearance. Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) have numerous uses, however conflicting evidence exists as to their impact on neutrophils and whether they trigger damaging inflammation. Neutrophil’s importanc... Read More about Silver nanoparticles promote the emergence of heterogeneic human neutrophil sub-populations.

Relative age effects in international age group championships: A study of Spanish track and field athletes (2018)
Journal Article
Brazo-Sayavera, J., Martínez-Valencia, M. A., Müller, L., Andronikos, G., & Martindale, R. J. J. (2018). Relative age effects in international age group championships: A study of Spanish track and field athletes. PLOS ONE, 13(4), Article e0196386. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196386

The relative age effect is a well-researched phenomenon, however there is still a dearth of understanding in track and field and female sport. This study investigated the role of relative age on selection for international competition of Spanish age... Read More about Relative age effects in international age group championships: A study of Spanish track and field athletes.

Aqueous morpholine pre-treatment in cellulose nanofibril (CNF) production: comparison with carboxymethylation and TEMPO oxidisation pre-treatment methods (2017)
Journal Article
Onyianta, A. J., Dorris, M., & Williams, R. (2017). Aqueous morpholine pre-treatment in cellulose nanofibril (CNF) production: comparison with carboxymethylation and TEMPO oxidisation pre-treatment methods. Cellulose, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-017-1631-0

In this study, pulped cellulose fibres were pre-treated with aqueous morpholine prior to mechanical disruption in the production of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). The properties of the morpholine pre-treated CNF (MCNF) were closely compared with CNF ob... Read More about Aqueous morpholine pre-treatment in cellulose nanofibril (CNF) production: comparison with carboxymethylation and TEMPO oxidisation pre-treatment methods.

The Use of Sedimentation for the Estimation of Aspect Ratios of Charged Cellulose Nanofibrils (2017)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Onyianta, A. J., & Williams, R. (2017, June). The Use of Sedimentation for the Estimation of Aspect Ratios of Charged Cellulose Nanofibrils. Presented at 3rd International Conference on Natural Fibers ICNF 2017, Braga, Portugal

In this study, the aspect ratios of carboxymethylated and TEMPO-oxidised cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were estimated by gel point analysis using a sedimentation approach. The flocculation and subsequent sedimentation of the CNF aqueous suspensions, wh... Read More about The Use of Sedimentation for the Estimation of Aspect Ratios of Charged Cellulose Nanofibrils.

TetraploidSNPMap: Software for Linkage Analysis and QTL Mapping in Autotetraploid Populations Using SNP Dosage Data (2017)
Journal Article
Hackett, C. A., Boskamp, B., Vogogias, A., Preedy, K. F., & Milne, I. (2017). TetraploidSNPMap: Software for Linkage Analysis and QTL Mapping in Autotetraploid Populations Using SNP Dosage Data. Journal of Heredity, 108(4), 438-442. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esx022

An earlier software application of ours, TetraploidMap for Windows, enabled linkage analysis and quantitative trait locus interval mapping to be carried out in an experimental cross of an autotetraploid species, using both dominant markers such as am... Read More about TetraploidSNPMap: Software for Linkage Analysis and QTL Mapping in Autotetraploid Populations Using SNP Dosage Data.

Overexpression of TIMP-3 in Chondrocytes Produces Transient Reduction in Growth Plate Length but Permanently Reduces Adult Bone Quality and Quantity (2016)
Journal Article
Poulet, B., Liu, K., Plumb, D., Vo, P., Shah, M., Staines, K., Sampson, A., Nakamura, H., Nagase, H., Carriero, A., Shefelbine, S., Pitsillides, A. A., & Bou-Gharios, G. (2016). Overexpression of TIMP-3 in Chondrocytes Produces Transient Reduction in Growth Plate Length but Permanently Reduces Adult Bone Quality and Quantity. PLOS ONE, 11(12), Article e0167971. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0167971

Bone development and length relies on the growth plate formation, which is dependent on degradative enzymes such as MMPs. Indeed, deletion of specific members of this enzyme family in mice results in important joint and bone abnormalities, suggesting... Read More about Overexpression of TIMP-3 in Chondrocytes Produces Transient Reduction in Growth Plate Length but Permanently Reduces Adult Bone Quality and Quantity.

Increased Glucose Transport into Neurons Rescues Aβ Toxicity in Drosophila (2016)
Journal Article
Niccoli, T., Cabecinha, M., Tillmann, A., Kerr, F., Wong, C., Cardenes, D., Vincent, A., Bettedi, L., Li, L., Grönke, S., Dols, J., & Partridge, L. (2016). Increased Glucose Transport into Neurons Rescues Aβ Toxicity in Drosophila. Current Biology, 26(17), 2291-2300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.017

Glucose hypometabolism is a prominent feature of the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Disease progression is associated with a reduction in glucose transporters in both neurons and endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier. Howeve... Read More about Increased Glucose Transport into Neurons Rescues Aβ Toxicity in Drosophila.

PP2ACdc55’s role in reductional chromosome segregation during achiasmate meiosis in budding yeast is independent of its FEAR function (2016)
Journal Article
Kerr, G. W., Wong, J. H., & Arumugam, P. (2016). PP2ACdc55’s role in reductional chromosome segregation during achiasmate meiosis in budding yeast is independent of its FEAR function. Scientific Reports, 6(1), Article 30397. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30397

PP2ACdc55 is a highly conserved serine-threonine protein phosphatase that is involved in diverse cellular processes. In budding yeast, meiotic cells lacking PP2ACdc55 activity undergo a premature exit from meiosis I which results in a failure to form... Read More about PP2ACdc55’s role in reductional chromosome segregation during achiasmate meiosis in budding yeast is independent of its FEAR function.

Developmental programming of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): prenatal androgens establish pancreatic islet α/β cell ratio and subsequent insulin secretion (2016)
Journal Article
Ramaswamy, S., McNeilly, A. S., Rae, M. T., Ramaswamy, S., Grace, C., Mattei, A. A., Siemienowicz, K., Brownlee, W., MacCallum, J., McNeilly, A. S., Duncan, W. C., & Rae, M. T. (2016). Developmental programming of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): prenatal androgens establish pancreatic islet α/β cell ratio and subsequent insulin secretion. Scientific Reports, 6(1), Article 27408. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep27408

Exogenous androgenic steroids applied to pregnant sheep programmes a PCOS-like phenotype in female offspring. Via ultrasound guidance we applied steroids directly to ovine fetuses at d62 and d82 of gestation, and examined fetal (day 90 gestation) and... Read More about Developmental programming of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): prenatal androgens establish pancreatic islet α/β cell ratio and subsequent insulin secretion.

Cationic host defense peptides; novel antimicrobial therapeutics against Category A pathogens and emerging infections (2016)
Journal Article
Findlay, F., Proudfoot, L., Stevens, C., & Barlow, P. G. (2016). Cationic host defense peptides; novel antimicrobial therapeutics against Category A pathogens and emerging infections. Pathogens and Global Health, 110(4-5), 137-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/20477724.2016.1195036

Cationic Host Defense Peptides (HDP, also known as antimicrobial peptides) are crucial components of the innate immune system and possess broad-spectrum antibacterial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. They can contribute to the rapid clear... Read More about Cationic host defense peptides; novel antimicrobial therapeutics against Category A pathogens and emerging infections.

Lithium Promotes Longevity through GSK3/NRF2-Dependent Hormesis (2016)
Journal Article
Castillo-Quan, J., Li, L., Kinghorn, K., Ivanov, D., Tain, L., Slack, C., Kerr, F., Nespital, T., Thornton, J., Hardy, J., Bjedov, I., & Partridge, L. (2016). Lithium Promotes Longevity through GSK3/NRF2-Dependent Hormesis. Cell Reports, 15(3), 638-650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.041

The quest to extend healthspan via pharmacological means is becoming increasingly urgent, both from a health and economic perspective. Here we show that lithium, a drug approved for human use, promotes longevity and healthspan. We demonstrate that li... Read More about Lithium Promotes Longevity through GSK3/NRF2-Dependent Hormesis.

BioGRID: A Resource for Studying Biological Interactions in Yeast: Table 1. (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). BioGRID: A Resource for Studying Biological Interactions in Yeast: Table 1. Cold Spring Harbor protocols, 2016(1), pdb.top080754. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.top080754

The Biological General Repository for Interaction Datasets (BioGRID) is a freely available public database that provides the biological and biomedical research communities with curated protein and genetic interaction data. Structured experimental evi... Read More about BioGRID: A Resource for Studying Biological Interactions in Yeast: Table 1..

Soil contamination with silver nanoparticles reduces Bishop pine growth and ectomycorrhizal diversity on pine roots (2015)
Journal Article
Sweet, M. J., & Singleton, I. (2015). Soil contamination with silver nanoparticles reduces Bishop pine growth and ectomycorrhizal diversity on pine roots. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 17, 448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-3246-4

Soil contamination by silver nanoparticles (AgNP) is of potential environmental concern but little work has been carried out on the effect of such contamination on ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF). EMF are essential to forest ecosystem functions as they a... Read More about Soil contamination with silver nanoparticles reduces Bishop pine growth and ectomycorrhizal diversity on pine roots.

Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein as a potential biomarker of breast cancer in at risk individuals (2015)
Thesis
Dewar, E. L. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein as a potential biomarker of breast cancer in at risk individuals. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University. http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/9835

The identification of a blood-based diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer (BC) would be particularly beneficial to those at increased risk of developing BC and could result in earlier detection which may increase survival rates due to earlier treatm... Read More about Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein as a potential biomarker of breast cancer in at risk individuals.

Constructing more informative plant–pollinator networks: visitation and pollen deposition networks in a heathland plant community (2015)
Journal Article
Ballantyne, G., Baldock, K. C. R., & Willmer, P. G. (2015). Constructing more informative plant–pollinator networks: visitation and pollen deposition networks in a heathland plant community. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1814), Article 20151130. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1130

Interaction networks are widely used as tools to understand plant–pollinator communities, and to examine potential threats to plant diversity and food security if the ecosystem service provided by pollinating animals declines. However, most networks... Read More about Constructing more informative plant–pollinator networks: visitation and pollen deposition networks in a heathland plant community.

Investigation of potential reasons for bacterial survival on ‘ready-to-eat’ leafy produce during exposure to gaseous ozone (2015)
Journal Article
Wani, S., Barnes, J., & Singleton, I. (2016). Investigation of potential reasons for bacterial survival on ‘ready-to-eat’ leafy produce during exposure to gaseous ozone. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 111, 185-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.08.007

Fresh leafy produce, such as lettuce and coriander, are subject to post-harvest microbial contamination and decay. Because of increasing pesticide resistance and consumer pressures, alternative residue-free treatments, such as ozone, are being active... Read More about Investigation of potential reasons for bacterial survival on ‘ready-to-eat’ leafy produce during exposure to gaseous ozone.