University of St Andrews

Costs and benefits of group size for sperm whales of the open ocean

Abstract Individual feeding success can change with the size of a social group through competition, cooperation, recruitment and other processes. Female sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) live in long-term social units that themselves can form larger, temporary groups, but the...

Structural insights into the polytopic Escherichia coli phosphoglycosyl transferase WbaP

Abstract Host–pathogen interactions frequently depend on key components of the bacterial cell surface, such as capsules and lipopolysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria. The first step in the synthesis of lipid-linked polysaccharides is the substitution of a uridine diphosphate...

Academic entrepreneurship: uncovering the role of formal and informal logics in the academic entrepreneurial space

Abstract This study integrates the embedded perspective of entrepreneurship with institutional logics theory to theorise AE as an embedded phenomena, sitting at the intersection of individuals within surrounding contexts. Drawing on qualitative data from STEM academics at three r...

Clearance of Treponema pallidum from oral and anal sites after treatment of secondary syphilis: results from a multi-centre, prospective, cross-sectional study

Background Syphilis is increasing worldwide, and secondary syphilis may represent its most infectious stage. Scarce data exist on Treponema pallidum clearance after treatment. We aimed to determine the frequency and load of T. pallidum mucosal shedding, and time to clearance foll...

Maximum Likelihood Thresholds of Generic Linear Concentration Models

Abstract. The maximum likelihood threshold of a statistical model is the minimum number of datapoints required to fit the model via maximum likelihood estimation. In this paper, we determine the maximum likelihood thresholds of generic linear concentration models. This turns out...

Will work for sardines: 20 years of animal-borne ocean observing by Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) Animal Tagging Facility

The world’s ocean stores ~90% of the excess heat generated by anthropogenic global warming, making sustained ocean observations essential for understanding physical, biological and climate processes. Here, we describe how the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) Animal Taggi...

Impact on health outcomes of treating all eligible large B-cell lymphoma patients with axicabtagene ciloleucel in Portugal – A modeling approach

AIM: This study aimed to quantify the health benefits that can be achieved by treating axicabtagene-ciloleucel (axi-cel)-eligible large B-cell lymphoma patients with axi-cel instead of historical standard of care (hSoC) in Portugal. "Estimated Opportunity Lost" quantified the dif...

A novel diagnostic technology rapidly detects the presence of infection and defines antimicrobial sensitivities in organisms typical for joint infection

Aims Infective arthritis is rare, but serious. Timely treatment with appropriate antimicrobial therapy is potentially life- and limb-saving, but our ability to deliver this is limited by current laboratory practices, which confer a delay of several days before antimicrobial sensi...

Does plastic waste present an infection hazard? Current evidence, surveillance challenges and research priorities

Abstract Unmanaged plastic waste is widespread in settings with limited waste collection, yet its contribution to infectious disease risk remains poorly understood. In this review, we synthesise current evidence on the human health implications of plastic waste, with a specific f...

Volcano–climate interactions: reframing the volcano–climate puzzle

Explosive volcanic eruptions are major natural perturbations of the Earth system. By increasing stratospheric aerosol loading, they exert a dual radiative forcing: enhanced scattering of incoming solar radiation induces global surface cooling, while absorption of terrestrial radi...

Measuring masses of transiting Earth-like planets: first insights from the PLATO RV Data Challenge

Abstract The PLATO Stellar Variability Mitigation Working Group designed a radial-velocity (RV) data challenge to assess the precision and accuracy achievable on RV semi-amplitudes in the context of the future PLATO follow-up. Using Sun-as-a-star observations obtained with HARPS-...

Adherence to the Eatwell Guide and associations with markers of adiposity: a prospective analysis within the UK Biobank cohort

Abstract Background Obesity remains a major public health concern in the UK, contributing towards increased disease risk and premature mortality. The Eatwell Guide - the UK’s health eating model - is widely applied in policy and practice, yet evidence linking adherence to this di...

Fluorine-InducedElimination Drives Mechanism-BasedInactivation of Isocitrate Lyase

Abstract Fluorinated succinate analogues were evaluated as mechanistic probes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isocitrate lyase (MtICL). However, 2,2-difluorosuccinate (1; Ki = 6.1 mM) and 2,2,3-trifluorosuccinate (2; Ki = 23.5 μM) act as reversible noncompetitive inhibitors and mes...

Self-Assembled Monolayersof Phosphorus–NitrogenCages

Abstract This study investigates the deposition of the phosphorus–nitrogen (PN) cage P2N6 onto Au and Cu surfaces using both vapor-phase and solution-phase methods. The P2N6 cage sublimes cleanly and reaches an onset of volatility near 83 °C, suitable for vapor-phase deposition p...

Technical note: examining the response of a large carnivore (Panthera leo) to dummy prey

Abstract Animal dummies (sometimes called decoys or models) are widely used in ecological research to investigate predation, sexual selection, or social communication. The use of this method, however, is generally limited to small-bodied taxa, especially in predation studies. Yet...

Glacier surges on James Ross Island, Antarctica, and their relationship with climate

Abstract. Although the Antarctic Peninsula has a similar climate to that of other regions hosting surge-type glaciers, only one glacier surge has been previously observed in this region. We examined ice surface velocity, elevation and terminus position changes of Antarctic Penins...

Medical Laboratory Technologists’ Perceptions of Laboratory Information Systems

Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) are essential for managing laboratory workflows, yet their effectiveness depends on user acceptance. This study examined Medical Laboratory Technologists’ (MLTs’) perceptions of LIS in Indonesian laboratories. This sequential explanatory mixed...

Language-like statistical structure arises in learned signaling: evidence from birdsong

All languages have statistically coherent subsequences (e.g., words) whose frequency distribution follows a power law. These properties facilitate language learning in humans, making them good candidates for arising through cultural transmission as a way to help faithful transmis...

Stratification in small randomised clinical trials and analysis of covariance: Some simple theory and recommendations

A simple device for balancing for a continuous covariate in clinical trials is to stratify by whether the covariate is above or below some target value, typically the predicted median. The object is to improve balance of the covariate and hence efficiency of the treatment estimat...

Emerging innovations in movement ecology to address planetary challenges

Abstract Movement ecology—the study of how and why animals move within their environments—stands to offer transformative insights into our rapidly changing world, with benefits for both nature and people. Here, we present the first global horizon scan for movement ecology, engagi...