Dave R. Skingsley

Staffordshire University | SU · Department of Biological Sciences

Video demonstrations are considered a useful way of preparing students for laboratory practicals or fieldwork, but the benefits may be dependent on the type of task and the level of prior understanding. In this study we initially replicate the findings of others in that 62% of student questionnaire respondents found video exemplars of technically c...

This poster outlines some of the preliminary work conducted on this ongoing project.

LSE Dr Richard Halfpenny (RH) LSE Title of presentation (maximum 15 words): Entomological collaborations with Tri-services Environmental Health Officers Abstract (maximum 250 words): The collaboration came about following a successful bid to supply the MoD with training, identification and guidance on entomology for Environmental health officers. T...

Forensic entomology, although an important tool in Forensic Science, is an area of slow research growth. Larval characteristics, although not a true indication of the time since death, are beneficial in providing an indication of the time when a cadaver is populated by dipteran carrion species. (Adair, 2012). Diptera are usually the first insects t...

The status of Synanthedon scoliaformis was investigated at Cannock Chase Country Park. A 1km2 study area in Old Acre Valley, thought previously to be a key area for the moth, was selected for observation. Tree surveys conducted prior to the adult moth’s flight period, identified 31 Betula trees with signs of emergence. Correlation analysis suggests...

Staffordshire University has been running a spring undergraduate marine and terrestrial field course at Millport Field Centre since 2009. These field notes will focus on the terrestrial records (non-avian) that cover a period in late March (24th March) to mid-April (19th April). These notes started as casual observations linked to our marine focus...

Book review: Trowler, P. (2008) Cultures and change in higher education: Theories and practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Secretary of Staffordshire Invertebrate Group, Dr Dave Skingsley, shares his pictures of insects that will be bursting into activity in springtime Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) "Males of this species offer food gifts to potential female mates. Some have also been observed 'feigning death', that is, remaining still while holding the food g...

It informs the subject area about LTA and inclusivity that affect Bioscience students and teaching staff. The focus is an investigation into enquiry based learning

The use of video demonstrations of practical techniques prior to laboratory or fieldwork classes may better prepare students for teaching sessions. The literature, however, indicates that the benefits to learning from realistic dynamic visualisations are dependent on the nature of the task being learnt and on the level of prior understanding of the...

This study, at Staffordshire University, funded by a Departmental Teaching Enhancement Scheme aimed to increase biology students’ awareness and understanding of the role of data in furthering scientific knowledge. Its ultimate aim was to provide the students’ with a more valid and applied preparation for their final year projects. Some aspects of t...

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is employed to examine and study mucus and mucus-like substances from a variety of organisms such as humans, plants or microbes. FT-IR microscopy of nematodes has shown that it can be used to differentiate species based on exudates, which has the potential to become important in identifying the source...

In the 21st century higher education needs to provide a foundation for professional practice in which there will be a requirement to continually learn and engage with new ideas. Student-directed learning can be seen as a preparation for this with engagement in investigative practical work as an authentic activity which can help students develop in...

Over 10 years we have graduated 5346 students from the Faculty of Sciences. 295 disabled people (6%) and 5051 (94%) with no declaration of disability which is roughly in line with HESA values. There has been much debate about barriers to study (ref) and making the curriculum inclusive (ref), in order to make the outcome of the learning journey the...

To increase your awareness of the consequences of disability legislation on professional body competencies and to be able to appreciate the validity of recommendations for disabled students in the context of their award

This a review of the Disabled student journey in higher education as it relates to the West Midlands and in particular Stoke-on-Trent as of Sept 2007

To outline the development and content of a 'top-up' neuropharmacology module for mental health nurse prescribers and consider how much pharmacology training is required to ensure effective mental health prescribing practice. Debate about the content of prescribing training courses has persisted within the United Kingdom since the mid-1980s. In ear...

To evaluate the level of participation of disabled people in HE based on publicly available database information and to use the database evaluation to inform our understanding of the diversity of students likely to participate in HE

We are interested in analysing the detailed modulation of defined neuronal systems by multiple neuropeptides encoded in the FMRFamide locus of the snail Lymnaea. Cloning of the FMRFamide gene has predicted the existence of two novel peptides previously unknown from biochemical analysis, the pentapeptides EFLRlamideand QFYRlamide. These peptides may...

Lung cancer is a disease associated with a poor prognosis. One of the reasons for this is the lack of effective treatment. Chemotherapy, together with surgery and radiotherapy, is one of the main treatments for this disease. However, it is not possible at present to determine which tumours would be more sensitive to a given drug or combination of d...

The primary driver necessitating change was a jump in student numbers from about 70 to 106 which meant they could not fit into the labs using the previous structure. Our solution to this was to adopt the block approach. This necessitated condensing two of the practicals on trace biological evidence into one. Our worry was that the experience of the...

It appears that the snails in the study site (East Prawle, Devon) are significantly more common in hedges associated with roads and lanes than with farmed fields. With Helix aspersa preferring green lanes and both Cepea hortensis and Cepea nemoralis preferring roads. At the present time the evidence from the floral studies in the same transects has...

Fourier transform Infrared-spectroscopy (FT-IR) can analyse a range of molecules in diverse biological systems and is already used in forensic biology, clinical diagnosis, and environmental monitoring. A previous study on human saliva has shown that volumes as low as 20 μl can be used to determine its macro-molecular composition using HATR techniqu...

By screening Drosophila mutants that are potentially defective in synaptic transmission between photoreceptors and their target laminar neurons, L1/L2, (lack of electroretinogram on/off transients), we identified ort as a candidate gene encoding a histamine receptor subunit on L1/L2. We provide evidence that the ort gene corresponds to CG7411 (refe...

To date, all four classes of identified histamine receptors are G-protein coupled receptors. The presence of a new class of histamine receptors is suggested by evidence indicating that photoreceptor neurotransmitter, histamine, directly gates a postsynaptic chloride channel in Drosophila eyes. A Drosophila mutant of the ort complementation group ha...

Infrared (IR)-spectroscopy can analyse a range of molecules in diverse biological systems and has already found use in forensic biology, clinical diagnosis, and environmental monitoring. Using IR-spectroscopy to analyse gastropod mucus represents an original application of this technique. This study describes the differences in mucus composition th...

A cost analysis of the use of electronic media, particularly the internet, for students based on the use of learning resources. As a starting point I would like to give a flavour of the costs involved in supporting IT for any PC based learning environment, before outlining the possible benefits of merging IT and Library resources with reference to...

For a county as large as Staffordshire there is a relative lack of information concerning the "Craneflies" of our region . This is surprising because most of us can remember autumns full of these leggy creatures battering themselves against outside lights and windows. It is even more surprising to realise that there are about 87 recorded species of...

INTRODUCTION The VD4 interneuron (a.k.a. VWI) of Lymnaea stagnalis is part of a neural network controlling respiration and heart activity (1). It makes a biphasic synapse (excitation followed by inhibition) with the RPeD1 interneuron, a large dopaminergic cell in the right pedal ganglion (2). Both the excitation and inhibition are apparently monosy...

The large monopolar cells (LMCs) of the first optic neuropil (lamina) in insects respond to the photoreceptor neurotransmitter histamine with an increase in chloride conductance. We have compared the properties of this conductance from a range of diptera from different visual environments:Tipula paludosa (slow flying, crepuscular),Drosophila melano...

We are interested in analysing the detailed modulation of defined neuronal systems by multiple neuropeptides encoded in the FMRFamide locus of the snail Lymnaea. Cloning of the FMRFamide gene has predicted the existence of two novel peptides previously unknown from biochemical analysis, the pentapeptides EFLRlamide and QFYRlamide. These peptides ma...

Photoinactivation of cardio-respiratory inter-neurons in the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis D.R.Skingsley and C.J.H.Elliott School of Sciences (Biology), Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke-on-rent ST42DE and Department of Biology, University of York, York Y015DD In Lymnaea, the large interneurons RPeD1 and VWI are located in the pedal...

1. Neuron-specific expression of alternately spliced exons of the gene encoding the Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFamide) family of neuropeptides and the role of encoded peptides in synaptic transmission were examined in an identified cardiorespiratory interneuron, the visceral white interneuron (VWI), in the snail Lymnaea. 2. In situ hybridization using...

Pharmacological and morphological study of a centrally acting FMRFamide containing interneurone, the visceral white interneurone (VWI), in the model CNS of Lymnaea stagnalis.

Pharmacological investigation of FMRFamide-related peptides in the model invertebrate system of Lymnaea stagnalis.

The Thesis investigated the FMRFamide neuropeptide family effects on the molluscan central nervous system as measured by electrophysiology and dye trace anatomy. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.308588

Synaptic actions of a FMRFamide containing interneurone