University of Exeter

About: University of Exeter is a education organization based out in Exeter, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Climate change. The organization has 15820 authors who have published 50650 publications receiving 1793046 citations. The organization is also known as: Exeter University & University of the South West of England.

Global research priorities for sea turtles: informing management and conservation in the 21st century

Abstract: Over the past 3 decades, the status of sea turtles and the need for their protection to aid population recovery have increasingly captured the interest of government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the general public worldwide. This interest has been matched by increased research attention, focusing on a wide variety of topics relating to sea turtle biology and ecology, together with the interrelations of sea turtles with the physical and natural environments. Although sea turtles have been better studied than most other marine fauna, management actions and their evaluation are often hindered by the lack of data on turtle biology, human–turtle interactions, turtle population status and threats. In an effort to inform effective sea turtle conservation a list of priority research questions was assembled based on the opinions of 35 sea turtle researchers from 13 nations working in fields related to turtle biology and/or conservation. The combined experience of the contributing researchers spanned the globe as well as many relevant disciplines involved in conservation research. An initial list of more than 200 questions gathered from respondents was condensed into 20 metaquestions and classified under 5 categories: reproductive biology, biogeography, population ecology, threats and conservation strategies.

The Processes by Which Perceived Autonomy Support in Physical Education Promotes Leisure-Time Physical Activity Intentions and Behavior: A Trans-Contextual Model

Abstract: The trans-contextual model proposes that young people's perceived autonomy support in physical education will affect their perceived locus of causality, intentions, and physical activity behavior in leisure time High school students completed measures of perceived autonomy support and perceived locus of causality in physical education One week later, participants' perceived locus of causality and constructs from the theory of planned behavior were assessed in leisure time Leisure-time physical activity behavior was measured 5 weeks later Perceived autonomy support in physical education affected leisure-time physical activity directly and indirectly through a motivational sequence involving internal perceived locus of causality, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and intentions Results support the trans-contextual model indicating that perceived autonomy support in an educational context influences motivation in a leisure-time context (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)

The Assessment of Prostatic Obstruction from Urodynamic Measurements and from Residual Urine

Abstract: One hundred and seventeen males over the age of 55 were investigated for possible prostatic obstruction. About half of the cases in this series could have been objectively classified as unobstructed or obstructed from the maximum flow rate alone. In about two-thirds of the cases obstruction could be satisfactorily assessed from the maximum flow rate together with the detrusor pressure at maximum flow. It was not helpful to combine these 2 measurements into a single urethral resistance factor. In the remaining one-third of the cases, obstruction could be objectively assessed only from a plot of detrusor pressure against flow rate throughout micturition. In many of these cases both the pressure and the flow rate were low and the main peculiarity was that the contractile power of the bladder was weak. Residual urine is a sign of an abnormality of bladder function rather than the direct result of urethral obstruction.

Overexpression of petunia chalcone isomerase in tomato results in fruit containing increased levels of flavonols.

Abstract: Tomatoes are an excellent source of the carotenoid lycopene, a compound that is thought to be protective against prostate cancer. They also contain small amounts of flavonoids in their peel (∼5–10 mg/kg fresh weight), mainly naringenin chalcone and the flavonol rutin, a quercetin glycoside. Flavonols are very potent antioxidants, and an increasing body of epidemiological data suggests that high flavonoid intake is correlated with a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease. We have upregulated flavonol biosynthesis in the tomato in order to generate fruit with increased antioxidant capacity and a wider range of potential health benefit properties. This involved transformation of tomato with the Petunia chi-a gene encoding chalcone isomerase. Resulting transgenic tomato lines produced an increase of up to 78 fold in fruit peel flavonols, mainly due to an accumulation of rutin. No gross phenotypical differences were observed between high-flavonol transgenic and control lines. The phenotype segregated with the transgene and demonstrated a stable inheritance pattern over four subsequent generations tested thus far. Whole-fruit flavonol levels in the best of these lines are similar to those found in onions, a crop with naturally high levels of flavonol compounds. Processing of high-flavonol tomatoes demonstrated that 65% of flavonols present in the fresh fruit were retained in the processed paste, supporting their potential as raw materials for tomato-based functional food products.