BACKGROUND:Many ecosystem services associated with macroalgae depend on the biomass of a canopy-forming habitat. Studies of photosynthetic production in macroalgal forests have generally not considered the consequences of uneven distributions of resources: like the decline in light with depth in the canopy. The effects of shading mean that it is not possible to multiply up from incubations of single fronds or parts of fronds to estimate canopy photosynthesis. SCOPE:Canopy models split the vertical structure into discrete layers before estimating photosynthesis. Models can also approximate the canopy as a single surface (a 'big-leaf' model). I demonstrate these approaches and make a sensitivity analysis of a previously published multiple layer model parameterised for Fucus serratus. Optimality theory suggests that canopies will tend toward a state that is maximally productive. Applied to a big-frond model, optimality predicts peak biomass at different irradiance levels. KEY RESULTS:Sensitivity analysis identified canopy attenuation coefficient as the most important influence on net photosynthesis. Increasing biomass (as thallus area index: m2 thallus m-2 seabed) increases areal net photosynthesis, but with diminishing returns. Eventually, the respiratory cost of adding extra biomass starts to reduce net photosynthesis. A big-frond model could describe the best-performing simulated canopies, particularly if photosynthetic parameters are tuned to implicitly take account of processes that the big-frond approach omits. Peak biomass tracking of light climate suggests more pronounced seasonality at relatively high-latitude locations. CONCLUSIONS:The investigation advocates for a canopy approach to macroalgae: identifying understudied variables of interest. Better empirical definition of parameters can improve large-scale summaries of macroalgal net production that currently rely on spatially invariant means. Canopy theory can enrich the discussion of the functioning of algal habitats and can suggest hypotheses for investigation, such as the degree and consequences of changes in the seasonal amplitude of macroalgal biomass.

Species distribution modelling has proven effective in locating cold-water coral hotspots in the deep sea. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and gradient boosting (GBM) are equally good at modelling rare species, but previous efforts to predict the distribution of deep-sea Antipatharia have mostly employed MaxEnt. This study investigates how algorithm choice (MaxEnt or GBM) and the application of backward stepwise variable pre-selection influence model performance and generalisation. Thirty-six models (four frameworks for nine black coral morphospecies) were built and evaluated using AUC, TSS, and the average TSS index (ATI), a novel metric that calculates TSS drops between training and test data to measure generalisation capability.ATI identified concerns in model generalisation that were not captured by AUC and TSS, making it a valuable tool for evaluating predictive model quality in conservation applications. MaxEnt outperformed GBM in predicting black coral distribution, and the pre-selection of variables did not improve performance. Satisfactory results were only obtained for the two MaxEnt models of Stichopathes gravieri, pro-viding insights into the implications of using small datasets in conservation efforts. The inconsistencies in our findings do not lead us to recommend the use of a single model type in future studies; rather, we stress the importance of careful evaluation of model metrics with ecological knowledge of the species distribution when applying a dataset to conservation purposes.

The term marine animal forests (MAFs) describes a diverse range of 3-dimensional habitats dominated by benthic suspension feeders. The ecosystem functions of MAFs are broadly understood, but an overall framework remains to be developed. We present an equation that generalizes the relationships among species’ height, depth of occurrence and mean water temperature in terms of the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE). The applicability of the equation to field observations collated from the literature (n = 284) was tested using a multiple regression of colony density (log of numbers m-2) against transformed depth, height and temperature as predictors. Morphology was also examined both as a factor and when interacting with the effect of colony height. The model explained 39.7% of the variability in colony density with significant effects of morphology and height. Colony density decreased with taller individuals (slope -0.760, SE 0.1677). Typical mass-height scaling in MAF species suggests that the observed slope is less than the slope that would be predicted by the MTE. A detailed evaluation requires further estimates of metabolic rates in MAF species. Some morphologies, particularly planar and bushy sea rods, reach higher colony densities than expected for their size. These morphologies have been associated with environments where food supply may be higher due to currents or turbidity. Morphology-environment associations may therefore allow traits to be incorporated into an overall description of MAF ecosystems. With further improvements in observations of both colony density and metabolic scaling with size, a comprehensive description of energy flow in MAFs could be possible.

Species distribution modelling has proven effective in locating cold-water coral hotspots in the deep sea. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and gradient boosting (GBM) are equally good at modelling rare species, but previous efforts to predict the distribution of deep-sea Antipatharia have mostly employed MaxEnt. This study investigates how algorithm choice (MaxEnt or GBM) and the application of backward stepwise variable pre-selection influence model performance and generalisation. Thirty-six models (four frameworks for nine black coral morphospecies) were built and evaluated using AUC, TSS, and the average TSS index (ATI), a novel metric that calculates TSS drops between training and test data to measure generalisation capability.ATI identified concerns in model generalisation that were not captured by AUC and TSS, making it a valuable tool for evaluating predictive model quality in conservation applications. MaxEnt outperformed GBM in predicting black coral distribution, and the pre-selection of variables did not improve performance. Satisfactory results were only obtained for the two MaxEnt models of Stichopathes gravieri, providing insights into the implications of using small datasets in conservation efforts. The inconsistencies in our findings do not lead us to recommend the use of a single model type in future studies; rather, we stress the importance of careful evaluation of model metrics with ecological knowledge of the species distribution when applying a dataset to conservation purposes.

Black corals have been poorly studied with respect to their secondary metabolite chemistry. With the aim of discovering new bioactive metabolites, we collected deep-sea black corals from the Irish continental margin. Our analysis of the black coral Phanopathes sp. yielded three new peptides (maigheotides A-C). Through a combination of 2D NMR, mass spectrometry, and Marfey's analysis, the absolute configuration of all three structures was elucidated. The maigheotides are characterized by a noncanonical amino acid ΔZ-Trp, the cyclized N-terminal Glu (pyroGlu), and C-terminal amide (maigheotide B). Similar characteristics are critical features found in neuropeptides. Screening in a number of assays has identified only weak activity, although the breadth of assays screened was limited by the small mass of peptides obtained.

As exploration of ocean depths >1000 m is only possible by expensive remotely operated underwater vehicles, deep-sea invertebrates represent a largely untapped source of marine metabolites for potential applications in medicine. Our current study aims to investigate these deep-sea invertebrates in Ireland to discover new biological and chemical diversity. Here, we investigate the bubble gum coral, Paragorgia arborea, collected at 1500 m depth from Whittard canyon in the Northeastern Atlantic. This species was selected following chemical profiling and biological screening. The isolation and structure elucidation of the main metabolites yielded three new diterpenes, namely, miolenol (1) and epoxymiolenol (2) characterized by the rare bicyclo[7.2.0]undec-4-ene skeleton, and the xeniolide epoxycoraxeniolide A (3), together with five known diterpenes. The structures of the new compounds were identified through extensive NMR analysis with their absolute configurations assigned by comparison between experimental and TDDFT-calculated ECD. The eight compounds were screened for cytotoxicity and antimalarial activity, and none displayed noteworthy bioactivity.

Shallow water black corals were harvested as long ago as the ancient Greek civilization, for which they were used as medicines and jewelry. More recently, international conservation measures have been enacted to preserve black corals and their habitats due to overharvesting. Medicinal usage of black corals may stem from their need for chemical defenses to withstand predation since they are unable to withdraw their polyps. With the aim of discovering novel anti-cancer drugs and increase conservational awareness of these organisms, deep-sea black corals from the Irish continental margin were screened for cytotoxicity against solid tumors. This bioassay-guided approach revealed several Antipatharia spp. with selective cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell lines. A chemical investigation of an undescribed Antipatharia sp. yielded three new cyclic peptides (aigepatharitides A-C) bearing the non-canonical amino acid dehydrotryptophan. Structure analysis and bioactivity of the metabolites will be discussed. Funding sources include National Institutes of Health grant AT010939, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Marine Institute under the Investigators Programme Grant No. SFI/15/1A/3100, and European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020 NMBLI Grant-Aid Agreement PBA/MB/16/01

Abstract Increased food demand, reflecting a rising global human population, attaining 8 billion in 2022, has furthered the intensification of farmed aquatic animal production. Intensification practices can be resource demanding for micro and macronutrients, dedicated feeds, fossil fuels, chemotherapeutics, and water. Water replaces evaporative losses and may be used to dilute nutrient‐rich wastewater. As an alternative to wastewater discharge, biofloc technology (BFT) uses microbes to manage nutrient levels in production systems. A microbial community grown at high densities can assimilate waste metabolites for growth. This is promoted by increasing the carbon–nitrogen (C:N) ratio using a combination of aquafeed fed to the fish and an additional carbohydrate source, for example, starch, molasses, or bran. The microbial biomass offers a continuous and additional food source to the farmed animal, thus reducing the need for finished aquafeeds and lowering the feed conversion ratio. Although the approach relies on multiple interacting species, BFT can be deployed in relatively low technology settings. This review considers the basis of BFT and identifies areas for innovation and expansion. For example, control of light quantity and quality can influence the biofloc and hence the growth of cultured species. Research on biofloc aquaculture is dominated by studies using tilapia and shrimp, but the technology could be applied to other species, particularly species that are tolerant of biofloc conditions and not highly carnivorous. Biofloc may be a useful biosecurity tool for all or part of the life cycle, and meals made from dried biofloc may enhance the production of cultured species. The key benefits of BFT can potentially be seen in reduced water consumption, lower feed requirements, and improved fish health. This review differs from current review papers in proposing the use of a life cycle assessment in conjunction with BFT, which may be a useful tool for describing and communicating the relative benefits of biofloc systems and their wider environmental impact. This study will serve as a useful knowledge base of BFT information for students, researchers, and stakeholders alike, offering a central source of the main aspects around the culturing of biofloc, key parameters, common species used, areas of potential improvement, and a discussion on where the future of BFT may lie.

Cold water benthic environments are a prolific source of structurally diverse molecules with a range of bioactivities against human disease. Specimens of a previously chemically unexplored soft coral, Duva florida, were collected during a deep-sea cruise that sampled marine invertebrates along the Irish continental margin in 2018. Tuaimenal A (1), a cyclized merosesquiterpenoid representing a new carbon scaffold with a highly substituted chromene core, was discovered through exploration of the soft coral secondary metabolome via NMR-guided fractionation. The absolute configuration was determined through vibrational circular dichroism. Functional biochemical assays and in silico docking experiments found tuaimenal A selectively inhibits the viral main protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2.

The extent to which any particular taxon supplies novel natural products depends on biological and evolutionary differences, and on decisions made by (or constraints on) biodiscovery scientists. The influences of different sources of variability on the biodiscovery process were examined in a study of the Cnidaria, a group recognised as an important source of novel marine natural products. The number of species with at least one novel metabolite within a genus was related to the number of species in the genus. This pattern implies that different genera do not differ in the probability of containing a species with novel natural products. Outlying points of this relationship were consistent with the ease of obtaining material through culturing organisms. The most productive five species were the sources of over 100 novel metabolites each. The distribution of novel metabolites across species showed no signs of exhausting novelty for the most productive source species. Novel metabolite drug likeness (ADMET-score) varied among genera. However, this pattern of variation was of the same degree as observed for molecular weights of metabolites, suggesting that differences among genera are generated by the decisions of analysts with different interests and do not reflect underlying biology. Biogeographic patterns of soft coral species with novel natural products were matched to regional species richness. Overall, the evidence for phylogenetic or spatial influences on the chance of finding novel metabolites was weak. The patterns are consistent with a constant chance of finding novel natural products across different species, with some constraints linked to ease of sampling or culturing and some reinforcement of biodiscovery in species that have previously been the source of novel metabolites.

Macroalgal canopies are productive and diverse habitats that export material to other marine ecosystems. Macroalgal canopy cover and composition are considered an Essential Ocean Variable by the research community. Although several techniques exist to both directly and remotely measure algal canopies, frequent measures of biomass are challenging. Presented here is a technique of using the relative attenuation of light inside and outside canopies to derive a proxy for algal biomass. If canopy attenuation coefficients are known, the proxy can be converted to an area of algal thallus per seabed area (thallus area index). An advantage of the approach is that light loggers are widely available and relatively inexpensive. Deployment for a year in the intertidal demonstrated that the method has the sensitivity to resolve summertime peaks in macroalgal biomass, despite the inherent variation in light measurements. Relative attenuation measurements can complement existing monitoring, providing point proxies for biomass and adding seasonal information to surveys that sample shores at less frequent intervals.

Palinurids, also known as spiny lobsters, are high-value seafood, which is economically important for many European and Asian seafood trades. However, the reduction of wild European spiny lobster populations produces a need for developing alternative renewable strategies to meet current and future demands. Aquaculture of spiny lobsters has the potential to become of major economic importance in the coming years with growing markets in Asia, Europe, and America, with Palinurus elephas being a promising candidate species for use in the commercial culture and stock enhancement of natural fisheries. This is due to its shorter larval periods and rapid growth to the critical puerulus stage compared with other spiny lobster species. While we have a basic understanding of the lifecycle and biology of P. elephas, much of this is based on work undertaken on similar species globally. There are many gaps in our knowledge that need to be addressed to make its aquaculture viable with appropriate feeds being an immediate issue as well as many other husbandry-related factors. Previous studies act as a platform providing a baseline for further research and highlighting constraints. Developments in the use of P. elephas are promising due to realistically bridgeable knowledge gaps, the likelihood of producing sustainable food and the high commercial value of spiny lobsters. This review identifies our present state of knowledge and outlines the scope for further research and necessary technological developments to make it a viable contribution towards crustacean aquaculture in Europe.

Applied psychophysiological and psychological interventions can support successful post-surgical outcomes among patients who undergo surgical or medical procedures. However, more translational research is needed to extend the current understandings and practices of evidence-based and evidence-informed behavioral interventions to improve the outcomes of surgical and medical procedures. As healthcare becomes increasingly integrative, biopsychosocial oriented practitioners (e.g., health psychologists, neuropsychologists, pain psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses) will play an integral role with surgical and interventional professionals (e.g., neurosurgeons, bariatric surgeons, anesthesiologist, transplant surgeons, interventionalist, radiologist). These roles include pre-surgical evaluations, identifying pre-emptive concerns and implementing behavioral interventions, which ultimately act to improve the outcome of the surgery or medical procedure. In this paper, the authors 1) review the status of the broader practice of perioperative behavioral interventions; 2) review the pre-surgical and pre-procedural behavioral risk factors and translate psychophysiological and behavioral interventions to optimize post-surgical and post-procedural outcomes; and 3) provide a general framework (P3-Model) that can be used in a perioperative practice to carry out pre-surgical and pre-procedural behavioral interventions. Specifically, the role of behavioral and biofeedback interventions in the preparation of patients who are undergoing surgeries and medical procedures will be detailed. Psychological preparation that addresses pre-surgical and pre-medical procedure behavioral risk factors help perioperative healthcare providers and patients to have maximal post-operative success.

Macroalgal canopies are considered important for coastal food webs and may have a role in carbon sequestration. Until recently, measures of canopy photosynthesis have been relatively rare, and simulations have sometimes omitted key aspects (e.g. self‐shading, photosynthesis in air). PhycoCanopy offers a way of exploring how different algal parameters and environmental settings can affect net canopy photosynthesis. The model uses the approach of dividing the canopy into vertical layers, calculating the available light for photosynthesis in each layer with respect to attenuation by the water column and the canopy. A total of 23 parameters can be varied to investigate the consequences of changes in key processes such as the tidal cycle, position of algae relative to the low tide mark and photosynthesis in air. Predicted net photosynthesis can vary within a day as the timing of tides interacts with the light level at different times. The model offers a means of exploring the sensitivity of different parameters and building a fuller understanding of canopy photosynthesis. PhycoCanopy allows users to visualize net canopy photosynthesis and to make predictions in situations where parameters are well characterized. The results give an integrated insight into net photosynthesis, particularly as intertidal observations cannot be maintained continuously over the tidal cycle. The model also demonstrates important covariates, such as the area of algal thallus m −2 (thallus area index, T AI ), that should be measured to interpret observed variation in canopy photosynthesis.

Cold water benthic environments are a prolific source of structurally diverse molecules with a range of bioactivity against human disease. Specimens of a previously chemically unexplored soft coral, Drifa sp., were collected during a deep-sea cruise that sampled marine invertebrates along the Irish continental margin in 2018. Tuaimenal A (1), a cyclized merosesquiterpenoid representing a new carbon scaffold with a highly substituted chromene core, was discovered through exploration of the soft coral secondary metabolome via NMR-guided fractionation. Absolute stereochemistry was determined through vibrational circular dichroism. Functional assays and in silico docking experiments found tuaimenal A active against two major health burdens: SARS-CoV-2 and cancer. Biochemical and cell-based assays established that tuaimenal A effectively and selectively inhibits the viral main protease (3CLpro) and mitigates proliferation of cervical cancer cells lines. Given the need for novel treatment options for both diseases, our data suggest that tuaimenal A and/or its derivates could culminate in the development of a unique and effective drug.

Previous chemical investigation of the Irish deep-sea soft coral Duva florida led to the identification of tuaimenal A (10), a new merosesquiterpene containing a highly substituted chromene core and modest cytotoxicity against cervical cancer. Further MS/MS and NMR-guided investigation of this octocoral has resulted in the isolation and characterization of seven additional tuaimenal analogs, B-H (1-7), as well as two known A-ring aromatized steroids (8, 9), and additional tuaimenal A (10). Tuaimenals B, F, and G (1, 5, 6), bearing an oxygen at the C5 position, as well as monocyclic tuaimenal H (7), show increased cervical cancer inhibition profiles in comparison to that of 10. Tuaimenal G further displayed potent, selective cytotoxicity with an EC50 value of 0.04 μM against the C33A cell line compared to the CaSki cell line (EC50 20 μM). These data reveal the anticancer properties of tuaimenal analogs and suggest unique antiproliferation mechanisms across these secondary metabolites.

Phylum Cnidaria has been an excellent source of natural products, with thousands of metabolites identified. Many of these have not been screened in bioassays. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of 5600 Cnidaria natural products (after excluding those known to derive from microbial symbionts), using a systematic approach based on chemical space, drug-likeness, predicted toxicity, and virtual screens. Previous drug-likeness measures: the rule-of-five, quantitative estimate of drug-likeness (QED), and relative drug likelihoods (RDL) are based on a relatively small number of molecular properties. We augmented this approach using reference drug and toxin data sets defined for 51 predicted molecular properties. Cnidaria natural products overlap with drugs and toxins in this chemical space, although a multivariate test suggests that there are some differences between the groups. In terms of the established drug-likeness measures, Cnidaria natural products have generally lower QED and RDL scores than drugs, with a higher prevalence of metabolites that exceed at least one rule-of-five threshold. An index of drug-likeness that includes predicted toxicity (ADMET-score), however, found that Cnidaria natural products were more favourable than drugs. A measure of the distance of individual Cnidaria natural products to the centre of the drug distribution in multivariate chemical space was related to RDL, ADMET-score, and the number of rule-of-five exceptions. This multivariate similarity measure was negatively correlated with the QED score for the same metabolite, suggesting that the different approaches capture different aspects of the drug-likeness of individual metabolites. The contrasting of different drug similarity measures can help summarise the range of drug potential in the Cnidaria natural product data set. The most favourable metabolites were around 210–265 Da, quite often sesquiterpenes, with a moderate degree of complexity. Virtual screening against cancer-relevant targets found wide evidence of affinities, with Glide scores <−7 in 19% of the Cnidaria natural products.

There is growing evidence that being born late preterm (34–36+6 weeks gestation) comes with considerable health-care needs for physical illness and academic and developmental progress compared to full-term peers.1, 2 These infants are also more susceptible to jaundice, feeding difficulties and early readmission.3, 4 Electronic BadgerNet (Clevermed, Edinburgh, UK) records in our tertiary neonatal unit (Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK) over a 14-month period from January 2019 to March 2020 identified 175 local late preterm babies. Nearly 9% (15/175) were readmitted to neonatal or paediatric departments within 1 week of discharge. The majority (19/28, 68%) of hospital reviews related to jaundice, and starting phototherapy was the single largest cause for admission. Jaundice predominated the baseline data and was the clear target for intervention. We therefore developed and implemented a quality improvement project aimed at significantly reducing the number of late preterm infants re-attending hospital within the first 7 days after discharge. First, a discharge planning checklist was introduced to prompt clinicians to consider jaundice as a part of discharge planning. Second, purchase of an additional blood gas analyser meant that point-of-care blood bilirubin testing became available in the transitional care unit where many of these babies are managed. Review of electronic records after the implementation revealed 172 local late preterm babies in the 10 months of December 2020 to September 2021. There were no statistical differences in the median gestation at birth or initial length of admission for babies before and after the intervention. The second cohort had a lower median birthweight (2530 vs. 2351 g, P = 0.003). Following the interventions, significantly fewer babies were admitted for the treatment of jaundice (Fig. 1), with only 1.2% of infants needing treatment as compared to 6.3% beforehand (P = 0.01). In addition, the all-cause number of admissions also reduced significantly from 9 to 3% (P < 0.05). For infants admitted for jaundice, there was no difference in gestational age, birthweight or length of the first admission between the two cohorts. With a targeted intervention which actively considers the potential for jaundice, coupled with the ability to objectively assess it at the bedside, many more infants were able to be kept at home with their families and avoid readmission to hospital. This clearly delivers family-oriented care and is likely to be cost-effective. Importantly, these benefits were possible in a very short time frame and did not come at the expense of a longer initial hospital stay.

Four undescribed sesquiterpenoids, crannenols A-D (1-4), have been isolated from CHCl2 and MeOH extracts of the deep-sea bamboo coral Acanella arbuscula. The corals were collected from a submarine canyon on the edge of Ireland's Porcupine Bank via a remotely operated vehicle. The structure elucidation of these (Z,E)-α-farnesene derivatives was achieved using a combination of 1D and 2D NMR, electron impact (1, 2), and electrospray ionization (3, 4) mass spectrometry.