Transcriptomic signatures across a critical sedimentation threshold in a major reef-building coral.

Sedimentation is a major cause of global near-shore coral reef decline. Although the negative impacts of sedimentation on coral reef community composition have been well-documented, the effects of sedimentation on coral metabolism have received comparatively little attention. Using transcriptomics, we identified gene expression patterns changing across a previously defined sedimentation threshold that was deemed critical due to changes in coral cover and community composition.

Impact of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening on cochlear implanted children in Ireland.

Objectives: Cochlear Implant (CI) is an established treatment for severe to profound hearing loss (HL). Early diagnosis and intervention in HL are crucial in order to provide access to sound and increase the likelihood of spoken language development in pre-lingually deaf children. In April 2011, the Health Service Executive (HSE) implemented the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) in a phased regional basis in Ireland.