Feb 21, 2020 07:03 AM
Veggie-loving fish could be the new white meat
https://news.uci.edu/2020/02/19/veggie-l...hite-meat/
RELEASE: A secret to survival amid rising global temperatures could be dwelling in the tidepools of the U.S. West Coast. Findings by University of California, Irvine biologists studying the genome of an unusual fish residing in those waters offer new possibilities for humans to obtain dietary protein as climate change imperils traditional sources. Their paper appears in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The fish, Cebidichthys violaceus, is known as the monkeyface prickleback. With an acidic stomach and small and large intestines, it has a digestive system similar to that of humans. The monkeyface prickleback is among just five percent of the 30-thousand fish species that are vegetarian, nourishing themselves only with the specialized algae in the tidepools where they live.
This characteristic captured the attention of Donovan German, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, researcher Joseph Heras and colleagues. They wanted to figure out how the monkeyface prickleback survives on a food source containing a low level of lipids, which are essential for all living beings. By sequencing and assembling a high-quality genome for the fish, the team discovered the secret.
“We found that the monkeyface prickleback’s digestive system is excellent at breaking down starch, which we anticipated,” said German. “But we also learned it has adapted to be very efficient at breaking down lipids, even though lipids comprise just five percent of the algae’s composition. It is a compelling example of what we call ‘digestive specialization’ in the genome.”
With climate change making the raising of livestock less sustainable, the discovery holds promise for developing new sources of protein for human consumption. In particular, it could be important for aquaculture, which is a possible alternative but is contending with the issue of what to feed the fish being raised.
“Using plant-based food ingredients reduces pollution and costs less,” said Heras, the paper’s first author. “However, most aquaculture fish are carnivores and can’t handle plant lipids. Sequencing this genome has provided us a better understanding of what types of genes are necessary for breaking down plant material. If we scan additional fish genomes, we may find omnivorous fish with the right genes that could provide new candidates for sustainable aquaculture.”
The monkeyface prickleback grows to as much as three feet long and six pounds in weight. It can live on land for up to 37 straight hours, thanks to the ability to breathe above water as well as under. In the past decade, it has become a culinary delicacy, appearing on plates in a number of high-end restaurants. Its flavor belies its imposing appearance.
“The taste is actually delicate and mild,” said German.
In an Internet vacuum, private securities companies prosper in the ‘new wild west’
https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-b...-wild-west
RELEASE: A “quiet” revolution in unregulated areas of the internet has led to the emergence of a new private security industry, according to latest research from the University of Portsmouth. Often described as the “new wild west”, criminals see new opportunities online, with this latest study showing how individuals and organisations are now taking the law into their own hands in order to protect themselves.
The study, published in the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, investigated the impact of changing technologies and found these private companies operated where government had failed to regulate, often leading to other forms of private policing – largely rooted in volunteerism and vigilantism.
Professor Mark Button, Director and founder of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth, describes this phenomena as a, “second quiet revolution” that has caused the emergence of a new security industry and urges policy makers to respond quickly to regulate it. He warns “It is time for researchers to start better understanding these new forms of private policing. And where the evidence supports it, develop new policy ideas for the better regulation of theses growing increasingly important activities. Technology is moving quickly and policing needs to keep up with it.”
The way most people shop, play, bank and date is very different to 20 years ago – as is the way many organisations offer services. This shift has also meant a change in crime patterns. The Crime Survey for England and Wales showed that fraud and computer misuse related offenses doubled from 5.8 million in June 2017 to 10.7 million in September 2018.
The growth in internet crime is perhaps unsurprising, especially when the rapid rise in internet usage is taken into account. In 2006, the number of adults using the internet Great Britain was 36 per cent. By 2018 the number had risen to 86 per cent. Many organisations have sought to protect themselves from the growing problem of cybercrime by purchasing services and creating new roles in their structures. Professor Button explains, “the needs of organisations and individuals to deal with the growing cybersecurity problems has spawned a wide range of new companies to offer such services as well as some traditional security companies moving into this area.”
This is a new and expanding sector is very dynamic, responding as technology evolves and threats change. The size of this sector is growing fast globally. In 2017, “Markets and Markets” estimated the global cyber security market was worth US$137.85 billion. It is predicted to grow to US$231.94 billion in 2022.
Technological changes have also fuelled new opportunities for people to voluntarily participate in policing. The internet creates a space for individuals who have the time and skill to carry out their own desk based investigations. There are some positive examples where criminals have been brought to justice by members of the public. However, more controversially this has facilitated a new form of vigilantism, perhaps the most contentious form of internet vigilantism that has emerged is the so-called “paedophile hunters”, which can lead to instant justice and harmful outcomes.
Professor Button makes several suggestions for researchers and policy makers to help fill the gap:
• To map the activities and extent of the new private security and private policing.
• To identify areas of concern which regulatory and other governance responses, with particular reference to new roles that may require licensing.
• To explore the adequacy of existing regulatory and governance structures to undertake such functions where necessary.
• To identify new models of regulation and governance where existing structures are not deemed appropriate.
The study concluded that a priority for policy-makers must be more depth and focused consideration of these new activities to assess if current regulatory and governance mechanisms work and whether new structures should be created to deal with them.
https://news.uci.edu/2020/02/19/veggie-l...hite-meat/
RELEASE: A secret to survival amid rising global temperatures could be dwelling in the tidepools of the U.S. West Coast. Findings by University of California, Irvine biologists studying the genome of an unusual fish residing in those waters offer new possibilities for humans to obtain dietary protein as climate change imperils traditional sources. Their paper appears in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The fish, Cebidichthys violaceus, is known as the monkeyface prickleback. With an acidic stomach and small and large intestines, it has a digestive system similar to that of humans. The monkeyface prickleback is among just five percent of the 30-thousand fish species that are vegetarian, nourishing themselves only with the specialized algae in the tidepools where they live.
This characteristic captured the attention of Donovan German, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, researcher Joseph Heras and colleagues. They wanted to figure out how the monkeyface prickleback survives on a food source containing a low level of lipids, which are essential for all living beings. By sequencing and assembling a high-quality genome for the fish, the team discovered the secret.
“We found that the monkeyface prickleback’s digestive system is excellent at breaking down starch, which we anticipated,” said German. “But we also learned it has adapted to be very efficient at breaking down lipids, even though lipids comprise just five percent of the algae’s composition. It is a compelling example of what we call ‘digestive specialization’ in the genome.”
With climate change making the raising of livestock less sustainable, the discovery holds promise for developing new sources of protein for human consumption. In particular, it could be important for aquaculture, which is a possible alternative but is contending with the issue of what to feed the fish being raised.
“Using plant-based food ingredients reduces pollution and costs less,” said Heras, the paper’s first author. “However, most aquaculture fish are carnivores and can’t handle plant lipids. Sequencing this genome has provided us a better understanding of what types of genes are necessary for breaking down plant material. If we scan additional fish genomes, we may find omnivorous fish with the right genes that could provide new candidates for sustainable aquaculture.”
The monkeyface prickleback grows to as much as three feet long and six pounds in weight. It can live on land for up to 37 straight hours, thanks to the ability to breathe above water as well as under. In the past decade, it has become a culinary delicacy, appearing on plates in a number of high-end restaurants. Its flavor belies its imposing appearance.
“The taste is actually delicate and mild,” said German.
In an Internet vacuum, private securities companies prosper in the ‘new wild west’
https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-b...-wild-west
RELEASE: A “quiet” revolution in unregulated areas of the internet has led to the emergence of a new private security industry, according to latest research from the University of Portsmouth. Often described as the “new wild west”, criminals see new opportunities online, with this latest study showing how individuals and organisations are now taking the law into their own hands in order to protect themselves.
The study, published in the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, investigated the impact of changing technologies and found these private companies operated where government had failed to regulate, often leading to other forms of private policing – largely rooted in volunteerism and vigilantism.
Professor Mark Button, Director and founder of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth, describes this phenomena as a, “second quiet revolution” that has caused the emergence of a new security industry and urges policy makers to respond quickly to regulate it. He warns “It is time for researchers to start better understanding these new forms of private policing. And where the evidence supports it, develop new policy ideas for the better regulation of theses growing increasingly important activities. Technology is moving quickly and policing needs to keep up with it.”
The way most people shop, play, bank and date is very different to 20 years ago – as is the way many organisations offer services. This shift has also meant a change in crime patterns. The Crime Survey for England and Wales showed that fraud and computer misuse related offenses doubled from 5.8 million in June 2017 to 10.7 million in September 2018.
The growth in internet crime is perhaps unsurprising, especially when the rapid rise in internet usage is taken into account. In 2006, the number of adults using the internet Great Britain was 36 per cent. By 2018 the number had risen to 86 per cent. Many organisations have sought to protect themselves from the growing problem of cybercrime by purchasing services and creating new roles in their structures. Professor Button explains, “the needs of organisations and individuals to deal with the growing cybersecurity problems has spawned a wide range of new companies to offer such services as well as some traditional security companies moving into this area.”
This is a new and expanding sector is very dynamic, responding as technology evolves and threats change. The size of this sector is growing fast globally. In 2017, “Markets and Markets” estimated the global cyber security market was worth US$137.85 billion. It is predicted to grow to US$231.94 billion in 2022.
Technological changes have also fuelled new opportunities for people to voluntarily participate in policing. The internet creates a space for individuals who have the time and skill to carry out their own desk based investigations. There are some positive examples where criminals have been brought to justice by members of the public. However, more controversially this has facilitated a new form of vigilantism, perhaps the most contentious form of internet vigilantism that has emerged is the so-called “paedophile hunters”, which can lead to instant justice and harmful outcomes.
Professor Button makes several suggestions for researchers and policy makers to help fill the gap:
• To map the activities and extent of the new private security and private policing.
• To identify areas of concern which regulatory and other governance responses, with particular reference to new roles that may require licensing.
• To explore the adequacy of existing regulatory and governance structures to undertake such functions where necessary.
• To identify new models of regulation and governance where existing structures are not deemed appropriate.
The study concluded that a priority for policy-makers must be more depth and focused consideration of these new activities to assess if current regulatory and governance mechanisms work and whether new structures should be created to deal with them.