The term ‘chrono-nutrition’ describes the interaction between circadian timing and nutritional intake, as demonstrated by a wealth of animal and human studies(1). This relationship is bidirectional, with post-prandial response varying across the day and meal timing acting as a synchronising signal for some circadian rhythms. In humans, we have demonstrated that meal timing is a strong synchroniser of plasma glucose rhythms(2). Our recent data also suggest that interstitial glucose concentration can anticipate large meals(3). However, little is known about the effects of meal timing on other metabolic pathways. The existence of circadian rhythms in human plasma metabolites(4-6) provides a clear opportunity to address this timely issue. Here, in a controlled laboratory protocol, we tested the hypothesis that the anticipation of large meals is observed in human plasma metabolites.

Twenty-four male participants undertook an 8-day laboratory study, with strict sleep-wake schedules, light-dark schedules, and food intake. For 6 days, participants consumed either hourly small meals throughout the waking period or two large daily meals (7.5 and 14.5 h after wake-up). Isocaloric meals were calculated using the Mifflin St Jeor formula, and contained 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, 30% fat(2). All participants then undertook a 37-h constant routine. Samples were collected across a 30-h period in the middle of the constant routine. Plasma was collected every 30 minutes for targeted UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics analysis (Absolute p180 Biocrates kit), and saliva was collected hourly for assessment of melatonin onset, a marker of circadian timing. Data were statistically evaluated by cosinor analysis, unpaired t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA.

There was no difference (p >0.05) in melatonin onset between the two groups. Rhythms, as indicated by significant (p < 0.05) cosinor fit, were detected in 64 plasma metabolites (out of 141 detected) in both groups. These metabolites included glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, plus multiple amino acids, acylcarnitines, phospholipids and sphingolipids. Consistent with previous work, there was a large (c. 7-hour) difference in the phase of plasma glucose between groups, with no significant difference in the phase of plasma triglyceride. Some other metabolites (e.g. histidine and proline) exhibited phase changes like that of glucose, but the phase was mostly unchanged. Glucose, alanine, arginine, citrulline, glutamine, methionine, phenylalanine, met-SO, 3 acylcarnitines and 13 phospholipids exhibited a significant interaction (FDR <0.05 meal-size x time, n=25). Totalcholesterol, asparagine, glutamate, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, ornithine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, kynurenine, SDMA, sarcosine, t4-OH-Pro, taurine, 6 acylcarnitines, 25 phospholipids and SMC18:1 exhibited a significant effect of meal-size and time. A further 8 metabolites had a significant effect of time only. Sixteen metabolites had no significant differences in neither meal size nor time. Our data therefore reveal novel effects of meal timing on multiple metabolite rhythms and average daily concentrations.

With the growing global population and climate change, achieving food security is a pressing challenge(1). Vertical farming has the potential to support local food production and security. In the UK population females and younger adults appear to be particularly vulnerable to micronutrient shortfalls from food sources alone. Levels of micronutrient intakes including zinc and iron are below the recommended daily intake(2). As a Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) system, vertical farming employs hydroponics using a nutrient solution which offers opportunities to modulate nutrient uptake, and thus influence plant mineral and vitamin composition(3).

In this study we aimed to determine the suitability of different crop types for soilless agronomic biofortification with zinc and iron to achieve biofortified crops.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the addition of 20ppm (+20 mg L−1) of zinc (ZnSO4) or iron (Fe-EDTA) to the nutrient solution on the growth and nutritional components in pea microgreens, kale microgreens and kale baby leaf plants. The growth conditions were kept identical throughout the treatments with photoperiod 18 h d-1, temperature 20-22°C and relative humidity at 70-80%. Plant growth, mineral composition, glucosinolate content and protein content were evaluated. Results were analysed using ANOVA (p<0.05, Tukey’s test).

It was determined that higher amounts of zinc in the nutrient solution resulted in significantly higher levels of zinc in all three crops (p<0.05), with increases of 205% in pea microgreens, 264% in babyleaf kale and 217% in kale microgreens compared to the control plants. Higher amounts of iron in the nutrient solution resulted in significantly higher levels of iron only in pea microgreens, with an increase of 38% (p<0.05). Neither dosing regimen negatively influenced the overall crop performance.

These results suggest that the three different crops are suitable for soilless biofortification with zinc and iron, although pea microgreens were the only crop that had a significant increase in iron upon iron-dosing.

The proportion of the UK population over 65 years old is predicted to increase from 18.7% to 26% by 2066(1). However, healthy life expectancy (HLE) and disability free life expectancy (DLE) are decreasing(2, 3), which is particularly concerning in Scotland which also has the lowest overall life expectancy(4). Diet is a major modifiable factor in healthy aging(5) and should be a target to address declining HLE and DLE, but nutrient deficiencies in over 65s in Scotland are poorly understood. This study aimed to understand the presence and extent of inadequate intake of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals within over 60 year olds in Scotland.

Secondary data analysis of the Scottish Health Survey 2021(6) was performed. Dietary data of older adults (≥ 60 years old, n = 1344) were analysed for protein, fibre, and micronutrient (from food sources) inadequacies, defined as percentage below estimated average requirement, reference nutrient intake or adequate intake(7, 8). Wald Z-test was used to analyse inadequacy between males and females, and urban and rural populations. Differences between Scottish index of multiple deprivation (SIMD) levels (1 [most deprived] to 5 [least deprived]) were analysed using χ2 test and cellwise sub-analysis(9) with Bonferroni corrections.

The percentage of over 60s that had inadequate nutrient intake was highest for vitamin D (97%), fibre (93%), selenium (90%), potassium (79%) and Zinc (65%). Compared to males, females were at a greater risk of undernutrition in 18 of the 25 nutrients analysed, of which 11 were significant (p<0.05). Compared to rural populations, urban populations were at a greater risk of undernutrition in 22 of 25 nutrients analysed, of which 10 were significant. People in SIMD 1 were at a greater risk of undernutrition in 20 of 25 nutrients analysed, of which 14 were significant. 40% of over 60s had inadequate protein intake. Risk of inadequate protein intake was greatest for people in SIMD 1 (56%, p<0.001). 24% of over 60s had inadequate folate intake which was significantly higher in females than males (28% and 18%, respectively; p<.001), urban than rural (26% and 19%, respectively; p<.01), and in SIMD1 (36%; p<.001). Inadequate fibre intake was significantly higher in females than males (95% and 91% respectively, p<.01), and urban than rural (95% and 89%, respectively, p<.001). 26% of over 60s had inadequate calcium intake. Inadequate calcium intake was significantly higher in females than males (25% and 17%, respectively; p<.001).

These data highlight a considerable undernutrition risk, both overall and within specific nutrients important for healthy aging, in Scotland’s older adult population. Those in SIMD 1, females, and urban dwelling demographics being particularly vulnerable. Although the extent of potential health implications, are dependent on key aspects such as nutrient absorption and utilisation.

Essential minerals are cofactors for synthesis of neurotransmitters supporting cognition and mood. An 8-week fully-blind randomised controlled trial of multinutrients for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrated three times as many children (age 6–12) had significantly improved behaviour (‘treatment responders’) on multinutrients (54 %) compared with placebo (18 %). The aim of this secondary study was to evaluate changes in fasted plasma and urinary mineral concentrations following the intervention and their role as mediators and moderators of treatment response. Fourteen essential or trace minerals were measured in plasma and/or urine at baseline and week eight from eighty-six participants (forty-nine multinutrients, thirty-seven placebos). Two-sample t tests/Mann–Whitney U tests compared 8-week change between treatment and placebo groups, which were also evaluated as potential mediators. Baseline levels were evaluated as potential moderators, using logistic regression models with clinical treatment response as the outcome. After 8 weeks, plasma boron, Cr (in females only), Li, Mo, Se and vanadium and urinary iodine, Li and Se increased more with multinutrients than placebo, while plasma phosphorus decreased. These changes did not mediate treatment response. However, baseline urinary Li trended towards moderation: participants with lower baseline urinary Li were more likely to respond to multinutrients (P = 0·058). Additionally, participants with higher baseline Fe were more likely to be treatment responders regardless of the treatment group (P = 0·036.) These results show that multinutrient treatment response among children with ADHD is independent of their baseline plasma mineral levels, while baseline urinary Li levels show potential as a non-invasive biomarker of treatment response requiring further study.

We present radio observations of the galaxy cluster Abell S1136 at 888 MHz, using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder radio telescope, as part of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe Early Science program. We compare these findings with data from the Murchison Widefield Array, XMM-Newton, the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the Digitised Sky Survey, and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Our analysis shows the X-ray and radio emission in Abell S1136 are closely aligned and centered on the Brightest Cluster Galaxy, while the X-ray temperature profile shows a relaxed cluster with no evidence of a cool core. We find that the diffuse radio emission in the centre of the cluster shows more structure than seen in previous low-resolution observations of this source, which appeared formerly as an amorphous radio blob, similar in appearance to a radio halo; our observations show the diffuse emission in the Abell S1136 galaxy cluster contains three narrow filamentary structures visible at 888 MHz, between $\sim$80 and 140 kpc in length; however, the properties of the diffuse emission do not fully match that of a radio (mini-)halo or (fossil) tailed radio source.

The 57Fe Mössbauer spectra of six nontronite samples were measured at appropriate temperatures of 4.2 and 1.3 K. Three of the nontronites gave a complex magnetic hyperfine spectrum showing magnetic ordering at 4.2 K, and the other three required a lower temperature of 1.3 K to produce similar magnetic ordering. The spectra were computer-fitted with three closely overlapping sextets which are considered to arise from: (1) Fe3+ that is ordered magnetically in the cis-octahedral sites with a greater number of neighboring tetrahedral Fe3+ ions (51 T); (2) the cis-octahedral site with the greater number of neighboring Si4+ ions (46 T); and (4) the tetrahedral sites (41 T). In an untreated sample a further sextet corresponding to interlayer Fe3+ (36 T) was identified. The magnetic ordering was complicated and not directly related to the iron content of these sites. It probably depended also on the overall composition and structural order of the particular nontronite. The ordering appears to have been essentially two-dimensional, consistent with the layer structure of this material.

Single-crystal Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of Keokuk kaolinite and Ouray dickite were obtained with an FTIR microscope. Although numerous IR, FTIR, and Raman spectra of polycrystalline kaolinite and dickite can be found in the literature, the present data represent the first reported single-crystal vibrational spectra for these clay minerals. The orientation of the crystallographic axes of dickite was determined using a cross-polarizing optical microscope fitted with an 550-nm optical retardation plate. Assignment of the inner hydroxyl group OH1 to the 3623-cm-1 band was confirmed, and the angle of this OH group to the b-axis was determined to be 47° based upon the measured dichroic ratio. The 3702-3710-cm−1 absorption feature appeared to consist of two closely spaced bands having slightly different polarization behavior. The inner-surface hydroxyl group OH3 was assigned to the absorption bands at 3710 cm−1. The calculated angle of the OH3 groups to the b-axis was found to be 22°, which agrees well with the angles determined by X-ray powder diffraction and neutron diffraction. The remaining hydroxyl groups, OH2 and OH4, were assigned to the 3656 cm-1 band; the angle of the OH2 and OH4 groups to the b-axis was measured at 45°. The polarization behavior of the OH-deformation bands of dickite at 911, 937, and 952 cm−1 was found to be similar to that observed in the OH-stretching region. Single-crystal FTIR spectra of Keokuk kaolinite showed that rotation of the electric vector around the c/z axis in the ab plane of kaolinite resulted in a behavior distinct from that of dickite. The OH-stretching bands of kaolinite were found to be considerably more polarized than the corresponding bands of dickite. This is related directly to the fact that dickite possesses a glide plane (space group Cc) compared with kaolinite, which does not (space group C1).

Raman and Fourier-transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic methods and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) techniques have been used to study the influence of hydrazine on the vibrational modes of kaolinite. Strong vibrational perturbations of the OH-stretching and -deformation bands were observed in the Raman and FTIR spectra on intercalation. The intensities of the Raman- and IR-active OH-stretching bands decreased significantly upon intercalation; the intensities of the Raman bands were reduced to a greater extent than the IR bands. The deformation bands were also strongly perturbed by the presence of hydrazine in the interlamellar region. Upon evacuation of the intercalate, two new bands at 3628 and 912 cm−1 were noted, indicating the presence of a different structural conformation of the complex under vacuum. Similar results were obtained using XRD, on evacuation of the kaolinite-hy-drazine (KH) complex the d(001) value decreased from 10.4 to 9.6 Å. Partial collapse of the intercalate from 10.4 to 9.6 Å was probably due to keying of the -NH2 moiety of hydrazine into the siloxane ditrigonal cavity, as indicated by a blue-shift of the inner-OH band from 3620 to 3628 cm-1. Structural OH vibrational modes may therefore be useful probes of amine interactions with clay mineral surfaces.

Cave carbonate mineral deposits (speleothems) contain trace elements that are intensively investigated for their significance as palaeoclimate and environmental proxies. However, chlorine, which is abundant in marine and meteoric waters, has been overlooked as a potential palaeo-proxy, while cosmogenic 36Cl could, in principle, provide a solar irradiance proxy. Here, total Cl concentrations analysed from various speleothems were low (3–14 mg/kg), with variations linked to crystal fabrics. High-resolution synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) trace element mapping showed Cl often associated with Na, Si, and Al. We propose that speleothems incorporate Cl in two fractions: (1) water soluble (e.g., fluid inclusions) and (2) water insoluble and strongly bound (e.g., associated with detrital particulates). However, disparities indicated that alternate unidentified mechanisms for Cl incorporation were present, raising important questions regarding incorporation of many trace elements into speleothems. Our first measurements of 36Cl/Cl ratios in speleothems required large samples due to low Cl concentrations, limiting the potential of 36Cl as a solar irradiance proxy. Critically, our findings highlight a knowledge gap into how Cl and other trace elements are incorporated into speleothems, how the incorporation mechanisms and final elemental concentrations are related to speleothem fabrics, and the significance this may have for how trace elements in speleothems are interpreted as palaeoclimate proxies.

In Paper I, we presented an overview of the Southern-sky MWA Rapid Two-metre (SMART) survey, including the survey design and search pipeline. While the combination of MWA’s large field-of-view and the voltage capture system brings a survey speed of ${\sim} 450\, {\textrm{deg}}^{2}\,\textrm{h}^{-1}$, the progression of the survey relies on the availability of compact configuration of the Phase II array. Over the past few years, by taking advantage of multiple windows of opportunity when the compact configuration was available, we have advanced the survey to 75% of the planned sky coverage. To date, about 10% of the data collected thus far have been processed for a first-pass search, where 10 min of observation is processed for dispersion measures out to 250 ${\textrm{pc cm}}^{-3}$, to realise a shallow survey that is largely sensitive to long-period pulsars. The ongoing analysis has led to two new pulsar discoveries, as well as an independent discovery and a rediscovery of a previously incorrectly characterised pulsar, all from ${\sim} 3\% $ of the data for which candidate scrutiny is completed. In this sequel to Paper I, we describe the strategies for further detailed follow-up including improved sky localisation and convergence to timing solution, and illustrate them using example pulsar discoveries. The processing has also led to re-detection of 120 pulsars in the SMART observing band, bringing the total number of pulsars detected to date with the MWA to 180, and these are used to assess the search sensitivity of current processing pipelines. The planned second-pass (deep survey) processing is expected to yield a three-fold increase in sensitivity for long-period pulsars, and a substantial improvement to millisecond pulsars by adopting optimal de-dispersion plans. The SMART survey will complement the highly successful Parkes High Time Resolution Universe survey at 1.2–1.5 GHz, and inform future large survey efforts such as those planned with the low-frequency Square Kilometre Array (SKA-Low).

We present an overview of the Southern-sky MWA Rapid Two-metre (SMART) pulsar survey that exploits the Murchison Widefield Array’s large field of view and voltage-capture system to survey the sky south of 30$^{\circ}$ in declination for pulsars and fast transients in the 140–170 MHz band. The survey is enabled by the advent of the Phase II MWA’s compact configuration, which offers an enormous efficiency in beam-forming and processing costs, thereby making an all-sky survey of this magnitude tractable with the MWA. Even with the long dwell times employed for the survey (4800 s), data collection can be completed in $<$100 h of telescope time, while still retaining the ability to reach a limiting sensitivity of $\sim$2–3 mJy (at 150 MHz, near zenith), which is effectively 3–5 times deeper than the previous-generation low-frequency southern-sky pulsar survey, completed in the 1990s. Each observation is processed to generate $\sim$5000–8000 tied-array beams that tessellate the full $\sim 610\, {\textrm{deg}^{2}}$ field of view (at 155 MHz), which are then processed to search for pulsars. The voltage-capture recording of the survey also allows a multitude of post hoc processing options including the reprocessing of data for higher time resolution and even exploring image-based techniques for pulsar candidate identification. Due to the substantial computational cost in pulsar searches at low frequencies, the survey data processing is undertaken in multiple passes: in the first pass, a shallow survey is performed, where 10 min of each observation is processed, reaching about one-third of the full-search sensitivity. Here we present the system overview including details of ongoing processing and initial results. Further details including first pulsar discoveries and a census of low-frequency detections are presented in a companion paper. Future plans include deeper searches to reach the full sensitivity and acceleration searches to target binary and millisecond pulsars. Our simulation analysis forecasts $\sim$300 new pulsars upon the completion of full processing. The SMART survey will also generate a complete digital record of the low-frequency sky, which will serve as a valuable reference for future pulsar searches planned with the low-frequency Square Kilometre Array.

The damage caused by ear tags used for sheep identification was investigated in a two-part study. In Part I, ear tags classified as metal loop, golf-tee, single flex or lambtag were inserted into the ears of 62 ewes. The severity of ewe ear lesions was monitored until 20 weeks after ear tag insertion. In Part II, 351 lambs had tags classified as metal loop, plastic loop, golf-tee, double flex, single flap, lambtag and electronic, inserted in their ears. The behaviour of the lambs was observed for 30s after insertion of the ear tag. The severity of lamb ear lesions was monitored until 5 weeks after ear tag insertion. In both ewes and lambs there was a significantly greater risk of severe and persistent ear lesions following the use of metal loop tags as compared with the other types of ear tag (P < 0.001). The single flap tag was difficult to insert in a greater proportion of lambs (P < 0.001), and more lambs haemorrhaged (P < 0.001), vocalized (P = 0.002) and shook their heads (P = 0.004) with it, than with the other types of ear tags. All ear tags resulted in an inflammatory reaction and required correct positioning to minimize the severity of ear lesions.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic, infectious and zoonotic disease of domestic and wild animals caused mainly by Mycobacterium bovis. This study investigated farm management factors associated with recurrent bTB herd breakdowns (n = 2935) disclosed in the period 23 May 2016 to 21 May 2018 and is a follow-up to our 2020 paper which looked at long duration bTB herd breakdowns. A case control study design was used to construct an explanatory set of farm-level management factors associated with recurrent bTB herd breakdowns. In Northern Ireland, a Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Veterinarian investigates bTB herd breakdowns using standardised guidelines to allocate a disease source. In this study, source was strongly linked to carryover of infection, suggesting that the diagnostic tests had failed to clear herd infection during the breakdown period. Other results from this study associated with recurrent bTB herd breakdowns were herd size and type (dairy herds 43% of cases), with both these variables intrinsically linked. Other associated risk factors were time of application of slurry, badger access to silage clamps, badger setts in the locality, cattle grazing silage fields immediately post-harvest, number of parcels of land the farmer associated with bTB, number of land parcels used for grazing and region of the country.

We describe a new low-frequency wideband radio survey of the southern sky. Observations covering 72–231 MHz and Declinations south of $+30^\circ$ have been performed with the Murchison Widefield Array “extended” Phase II configuration over 2018–2020 and will be processed to form data products including continuum and polarisation images and mosaics, multi-frequency catalogues, transient search data, and ionospheric measurements. From a pilot field described in this work, we publish an initial data release covering 1,447 $\mathrm{deg}^2$ over $4\,\mathrm{h}\leq \mathrm{RA}\leq 13\,\mathrm{h}$ , $-32.7^\circ \leq \mathrm{Dec} \leq -20.7^\circ$ . We process twenty frequency bands sampling 72–231 MHz, with a resolution of 2′–45′′, and produce a wideband source-finding image across 170–231 MHz with a root mean square noise of $1.27\pm0.15\,\mathrm{mJy\,beam}^{-1}$ . Source-finding yields 78,967 components, of which 71,320 are fitted spectrally. The catalogue has a completeness of 98% at ${{\sim}}50\,\mathrm{mJy}$ , and a reliability of 98.2% at $5\sigma$ rising to 99.7% at $7\sigma$ . A catalogue is available from Vizier; images are made available via the PASA datastore, AAO Data Central, and SkyView. This is the first in a series of data releases from the GLEAM-X survey.

MeerTime is a five-year Large Survey Project to time pulsars with MeerKAT, the 64-dish South African precursor to the Square Kilometre Array. The science goals for the programme include timing millisecond pulsar (MSPs) to high precision ( ${<} 1 \unicode{x03BC} \mathrm{s}$ ) to study the Galactic MSP population and to contribute to global efforts to detect nanohertz gravitational waves with the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA). In order to plan for the remainder of the programme and to use the allocated time most efficiently, we have conducted an initial census with the MeerKAT ‘L-band’ receiver of 189 MSPs visible to MeerKAT and here present their dispersion measures, polarisation profiles, polarisation fractions, rotation measures, flux density measurements, spectral indices, and timing potential. As all of these observations are taken with the same instrument (which uses coherent dedispersion, interferometric polarisation calibration techniques, and a uniform flux scale), they present an excellent resource for population studies. We used wideband pulse portraits as timing standards for each MSP and demonstrated that the MeerTime Pulsar Timing Array (MPTA) can already contribute significantly to the IPTA as it currently achieves better than $1\,\unicode{x03BC}\mathrm{s}$ timing accuracy on 89 MSPs (observed with fortnightly cadence). By the conclusion of the initial five-year MeerTime programme in 2024 July, the MPTA will be extremely significant in global efforts to detect the gravitational wave background with a contribution to the detection statistic comparable to other long-standing timing programmes.