Search

In this article, the last two sentences in the Results section under "Contemporary geneflow" were incorrectly given as: Interestingly, although the estimated migration rate remained similar when excluding eastern Scottish samples (m = 3265), the direction of geneflow reversed to a unidirectional influx from western Scotland and Ireland to the North Sea. All other migration rates did not exceed 0.06 migrants per generation and were therefore considered low. But should have been: Interestingly, although the estimated migration rate remained similar when excluding eastern Scottish samples (m = 0.3265), the direction of geneflow reversed to a unidirectional influx from western Scotland and Ireland to the North Sea. All other migration rates did not exceed 0.06 migrants per generation and were therefore considered low. The given value for the estimated migration rate between the two mentioned groups was wrong. In the text it says m = 3265 when it should be m = 0.3265 instead. The original article has been corrected.

The production of animal sourced food significantly contributes to climate change. Cattle, for example, produce methane while digesting feed, which is a strong climate gas. In addition, manure management and feed production largely contribute to the carbon footprint of meat and milk. To mitigate climate impacts innovations are needed on both the supply side, such as changes in the production, as well as on demand side, such as reducing meat consumption and food waste. In the Re-Livestock project, innovations on the production-side will be analysed and how they contribute to a reduced carbon footprint, using the method Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). However, to calculate the impact of livestock systems on climate change, several methodological challenges exist. In this report, three issues are addressed: 1) choice of functional units; 2) accounting for carbon stored in soils and biomass; 3) integrating effects of long-lived greenhouse gases (such as carbon) and short lived greenhouse gases (such as methane). For each methodological challenge, the relevant literature, models, guidelines and recommendations are reviewed. The findings were then discussed among experts involved in the project to draw conclusions and recommendations.

A non-invasive glucose sensing device could revolutionise diabetes treatment. Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a promising technology for glucose sensing; however, the design and choice of components for NIR spectroscopy can greatly affect the sensing accuracy. We aimed to develop a NIR absorption spectroscopy system to determine liquid glucose concentrations in the physiological range, by evaluating a range of NIR photodetector components and light sources. Three detection assemblies were tested: (i) a dispersive spectrometer with photodiode array, (ii) a Czerny-Turner monochromator with InGaAs photodiode and (iii) a miniature Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. A halogen lamp and NIR globar were trialled as potential light sources. The components were systematically tested by comparing the coefficient of determination and standard error of prediction (SEP) for the same set of aqueous glucose samples through 10 mmol/L concentration steps. The Czerny-Turner monochromator with InGaAs photodiode, along with the globar, were identified as the optimal components for the system. A range of concentration steps (1-10 mmol/L) were scanned to identify the physiologically relevant limit of detection, which was identified as 5mmol/L for glucose in solution. Spectra were then collected from glucose samples in 10% intralipid suspension in the 10-20 mmol/L range and the equivalent concentrations in solution. The SEP was greater for the intralipid samples due to strong scattering. Scattering was dominant above 1300nm, whilst absorption was dominant below 1300nm. Although alternative approaches achieve better resolution, our system uses simple and readily-available components and presents a platform for a non-invasive NIR glucose sensing device.

Climate change will bring about plethora of challenges to how we farm, creating a need to adapt our practices to shield ourselves from extreme weather, supply chain shocks, increasing temperatures and more. Here, we present an overview of the Horizon Europe project Re-Livestock – Facilitating innovations for resilient livestock farming systems. Re-Livestock is a five-year project (2022-2027) with the overriding objective to increase the overall resilience of the livestock sector. This will be achieved by understanding and mobilizing adoption of innovative practices, to reduce GHG emissions and increase adaptive capacity in livestock farming, to increase the overall resilience of the sector. Specifically, Re-Livestock will identify and evaluate low carbon footprint feed materials, the role of grasslands in low carbon livestock production and the use of feed supplements to suppress enteric methane. In Re-Livestock we will also investigate the role of breeding in increasing sustainability and resilience. We will investigate the potential for certain cattle breeds to mitigate GHGs through reduced enteric methane, as well as the potential for cross-breeding, and dual-purpose (beef and dairy) systems to bring about wider environmental and social benefits. We will also assess the role of sustainable management approaches such as agroforestry, and compost bed systems to increase resilience. Innovative holistic farm-level environmental and socio-economic assessment tools to enhance the adoption of strategies by farmers will be applied. Additionally, Life Cycle Assessment and a suite of models will be applied to explore the impacts of re-designed European livestock production systems. This poster will give an overview of the objectives of Re-Livestock and how the project will increase sustainability and resilience in livestock systems. Re-Livestock receives funding from the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101059609.

Self-monitoring of blood glucose forms an important part of the management of diabetes and the prevention of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia. Current glucose monitoring methods either use needle-prick enzymatic glucose-meters or subcutaneous continuous glucose sensors (CGM) and thus, non-invasive glucose measurements could greatly improve the self-management of diabetes. A wide range of non-invasive sensing techniques have been reported, though achieving a level of precision comparable to invasive meters remains a challenge. Optical sensors, which utilise the interactions between glucose and light, offer the potential for non-invasive continuous sensing, allowing real-time monitoring of glucose levels, and a range of different optical sensing technologies have been proposed. These are primarily based upon optical absorption and scattering effects and include infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT), with other optical techniques such as photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) and polarimetry also reported. This review aims to discuss the current progress behind the most reported optical glucose sensing methods, theory and current limitations of optical sensing methods and the future technology development required to achieve an accurate optical-based glucose monitoring device.

The deep sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth, yet little is known about the processes driving patterns of genetic diversity in its inhabitants. Here, we investigated the macro- and microevolutionary processes shaping genomic population structure and diversity in two poorly understood, globally distributed, deep-sea predators: Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris). We used double-digest restriction associated DNA (ddRAD) and whole mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequencing to characterise genetic patterns using phylogenetic trees, cluster analysis, isolation-by-distance, genetic diversity and differentiation statistics. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; Blainville's n = 43 samples, SNPs=13988; Cuvier's n = 123, SNPs= 30479) and mitogenomes (Blainville's n = 27; Cuvier's n = 35) revealed substantial hierarchical structure at a global scale. Both species display significant genetic structure between the Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and in Cuvier's, the Mediterranean Sea. Within major ocean basins, clear differentiation is found between genetic clusters on the east and west sides of the North Atlantic, and some distinct patterns of structure in the Indo-Pacific and Southern Hemisphere. We infer that macroevolutionary processes shaping patterns of genetic diversity include biogeographical barriers, highlighting the importance of such barriers even to highly mobile, deep-diving taxa. The barriers likely differ between the species due to their thermal tolerances and evolutionary histories. On a microevolutionary scale, it seems likely that the balance between resident populations displaying site fidelity, and transient individuals facilitating gene flow, shapes patterns of connectivity and genetic drift in beaked whales. Based on these results, we propose management units to facilitate improved conservation measures for these elusive species.

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) occur when offspring inherit haplotypes that are identical by descent from each parent. Length distributions of ROH are informative about population history; specifically, the probability of inbreeding mediated by mating system and/or population demography. Here, we investigated whether variation in killer whale (Orcinus orca) demographic history is reflected in genome-wide heterozygosity and ROH length distributions, using a global data set of 26 genomes representative of geographic and ecotypic variation in this species, and two F1 admixed individuals with Pacific-Atlantic parentage. We first reconstructed demographic history for each population as changes in effective population size through time using the pairwise sequential Markovian coalescent (PSMC) method. We found a subset of populations declined in effective population size during the Late Pleistocene, while others had more stable demography. Genomes inferred to have undergone ancestral declines in effective population size, were autozygous at hundreds of short ROH (<1 Mb), reflecting high background relatedness due to coalescence of haplotypes deep within the pedigree. In contrast, longer and therefore younger ROH (>1.5 Mb) were found in low latitude populations, and populations of known conservation concern. These include a Scottish killer whale, for which 37.8% of the autosomes were comprised of ROH >1.5 Mb in length. The fate of this population, in which only two adult males have been sighted in the past five years, and zero fecundity over the last two decades, may be inextricably linked to its demographic history and consequential inbreeding depression.

With global increases in anthropogenic pressures on wildlife populations comes a responsibility to manage them effectively. The assessment of marine ecosystem health is challenging and often relies on monitoring indicator species, such as cetaceans. Most cetaceans are however highly mobile and spend the majority of their time hidden from direct view, resulting in uncertainty on even the most basic population metrics. Here, we discuss the value of long-term and internationally combined stranding records as a valuable source of information on the demographic and mortality trends of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Sea. We analysed stranding records (n = 16,181) from 1990 to 2017 and demonstrate a strong heterogeneous seasonal pattern of strandings throughout the North Sea, indicative of season-specific distribution or habitat use, and season-specific mortality. The annual incidence of strandings has increased since 1990, with a notable steeper rise particularly in the southern North Sea since 2005. A high density of neonatal strandings occurred specifically in the eastern North Sea, indicative of areas important for calving, and large numbers of juvenile males stranded in the southern parts, indicative of a population sink or reflecting higher male dispersion. These findings highlight the power of stranding records to detect potentially vulnerable population groups in time and space. This knowledge is vital for managers and can guide, for example, conservation measures such as the establishment of time-area -specific limits to potentially harmful human activities, aiming to reduce the number and intensity of human -wildlife conflicts.