Commotio cordis is real and awareness can save lives, experts say

Coverage in Heart Rhythm Case Reports details a commotio cordis event experienced by an 18-year-old basketball player who went into cardiac arrest after being hit in the chest

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ELSEVIER

 

VIDEO: 

INITIALLY, THERE IS A SCRAMBLE FOR A LOOSE BALL AND PLAYER M.V. (LARGE WHITE ARROW) IS STRUCK IN THE CHEST BY THE ELBOW OF AN OPPONENT. M.V. STUMBLES BUT REMAINS UPRIGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS JUST PRIOR TO FULL COLLAPSE IN CARDIAC ARREST.

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CREDIT: HEART RHYTHM CASE REPORTS

Philadelphia, November 20, 2023 – A new case report appearing in Heart Rhythm Case Reports, an official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, published by Elsevier, details the commotio cordis event experienced by a Romanian basketball player that resulted in cardiac arrest. The case is unique because it is validated and documented by an ECG and video evidence of the event. Swift action by onlookers saved his life.

In early January 2023, commotio cordis received substantial visibility and notoriety as the underlying cause of cardiac arrest when Damar Hamlin, a defensive player for the Buffalo Bills, was struck in the chest during a collision with an opponent in a US NFL professional football game. Rapid cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation were lifesaving, with the event witnessed by millions on television in real time.

In Bucharest, Romania, 60 days later and 5,000 miles away, another commotio cordis event occurred, this time during a youth basketball tournament game witnessed only by families and friends. An 18-year-old basketball player (M.V.) was hit in the chest by an inadvertent light blow from an opponent's elbow and collapsed during the game, which was filmed and documented. Rapid CPR and one defibrillation shock saved his life.

Commotio cordis events have been reported globally in more than 20 countries, but are extraordinarily rare and virtually always counterintuitive, as in M.V.’s case. In commotio cordis, ventricular fibrillation is precipitated by a blow over the heart and requires a precise timing to a narrow 20 ms window at the upstroke of the T wave.

After the commotio cordis event, M.V. was examined at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, MA, USA, by a team led by Barry J. Maron, MD.

Dr. Maron explains, "There is some skepticism regarding the existence of commotio cordis. Since the case of the Romanian basketball player was recorded and documented, it validates the existence of commotio cordis. It is a real phenomenon, and it occurs in real people in sports and in daily living. It is important to raise awareness of this condition, which is reversible with prompt intervention, as this case demonstrates.”

Prior to the event, M.V. was completely healthy without cardiovascular complaints; there is no family history of cardiovascular disease. When evaluated at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center six weeks after his cardiac arrest, he was asymptomatic and neurologically intact, without residual medical problems, and had begun to resume normal daily activities without difficulty.

The commotio cordis event reported here is notable for expanding the clinical spectrum of commotio cordis, given that competitive basketball previously had not been associated with this cause of cardiac arrest. Contact sports such as baseball/softball and hockey have dominated commotio cordis, owing to the greater possibility of physical contact and chest blows from hard-core projectiles (e.g., balls and pucks).

Dr. Maron concludes, "In this report, we have underscored once again that commotio cordis can occur under virtually any circumstance where there is the possibility of physical bodily contact of any magnitude, or projectile-induced chest blows, but always when least expected. This may be the best documented case we have of commotio cordis, which should go a long way to dispel skepticism."

 

The commotio cordis event during a high school basketball game in Romania. 

There is a scramble for a loose ball and player M.V. (white arrow) is struck in the chest by the elbow of an opponent. M.V. stumbles but remains upright for a few seconds just prior to full collapse in cardiac arrest.

CREDIT

Heart Rhythm Case Reports

JOURNAL

HeartRhythm Case Reports

DOI

10.1016/j.hrcr.2023.10.013 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Case study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Commotio cordis…once again: Unusual occurrence in a noncontact sport

 

Research scientists produce a global overview of road transportation of industrial roundwood

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND

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A survey conducted by the University of Eastern Finland and a total of 34 other universities, research institutes and companies has produced a comprehensive and global overview of the road transportation of industrial roundwood.

The study documented the maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) limits for timber trucking in different countries, the road transportation share of the total industrial roundwood long-distance transportation volume, typical payloads in timber trucking, and the average long-distance transportation distances and costs of industrial roundwood.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, the global annual removal of industrial roundwood in recent years has been around 2 billion solid cubic metres under bark.  Naturally, all this roundwood – logs and pulpwood – must be transported from forest to factory for further processing.

Road transportation of roundwood was documented

While the global removal of industrial roundwood is comprehensively recorded, global statistics on the long-distance transportation of roundwood are not produced by the FAO or any other entity. For instance, there is no statistical overview of the shares of different long-distance transportation methods (i.e., road, railways and waterways) in different countries.  Similarly, there is no summary of the kinds of timber trucking fleets that are used to transport industrial roundwood by country. Moreover, readily accessible information on the long-distance transportation distances and costs for industrial roundwood in different European countries, or globally, is lacking. These questions were addressed in a study led by the University of Eastern Finland focusing, in particular, on the road transport of industrial roundwood.    

The study found major variation in the maximum allowable GVW limits in timber trucking. The strictest maximum allowable GVW limits were found in Japan, where the highest GVW limits allowed in timber trucking were below 30 tonnes. Correspondingly, in many countries, the maximum GVW limits allowed in timber trucking were more than 70 tonnes when hauling timber with truck configurations having eight or more axles. These countries include in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Canada (the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario), Sweden, Finland, Uruguay and the US (the State of Michigan).

Many countries also have exceptions to the maximum allowable GVW limits for timber truck combinations. For example, some sections of the road network may have higher maximum GVW limits, and higher maximum GVW limits may be allowed in wintertime, or by special permit from the relevant authorities.

One fifth of the respondents reported that their country has plans to increase the maximum GVW limit of truck combinations to better align with the limits of neighbouring countries in order to make the transport of roundwood more flexible between the countries.

Differences in roundwood payloads, too

The study also showed that higher GVW limits resulted, on average, in greater payloads of industrial roundwood. For example, industrial roundwood payloads over 45 tonnes could be achieved in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Canada (the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario), Sweden, Finland and the US (the State of Michigan). On the other hand, in Germany, for example, payloads remained at around 20 tonnes.

The study also revealed that road transport is the main form of long-distance transportation of industrial roundwood in nearly all the survey countries. Denmark was the only country where the share of road transportation accounted for less than 50% of the total long-distance transport volume. Overall, road transportation accounted for 89% of the total industrial roundwood moved over long distances, when weighted by the industrial roundwood removals of the survey countries in 2019.

Great variation in transportation distances and costs

In the study, the average distance of long-distance transportation of industrial roundwood was 128 kilometres.  In Bulgaria, Poland, Türkiye and Uruguay, the average long-distance transportation distances in timber trucking exceeded 200 kilometres. The shortest long-distance transportation distances were in Japan, Denmark, Estonia and Slovenia, where they were less than 60 kilometres on average.

The average cost of long-distance industrial roundwood timber trucking was 11.1 euros per tonne of timber transported, with the range being 4–24 euros per tonne, depending on the country. An interesting observation from the entire survey material is that an increase in the average long-distance transportation distance also increased the cost of long-distance transportation of roundwood. On the other hand, as the maximum GVW limit of timber truck combinations increased, the average cost of long-distance road transportation decreased. 

Statistics and surveys are needed in some countries

Many respondents complained that there were no comprehensive official statistics and recent surveys on the long-distance transportation of roundwood in their country. Hence, some participants were not able to answer all survey questions or, alternatively, offered their best expert estimation. In some countries, there thus is a need for up-to-date statistics and new surveys on the long-distance transportation of roundwood.

The results showed that lower maximum GVW limits and longer road transportation distances resulted in higher timber transportation costs. One solution would be to increase the maximum GVW in road transportation. However, this is not the most likely way to make road transportation more efficient. The most feasible way would be to improve long-distance road transportation planning in all countries, thereby shortening mean transportation distances and reducing the percentage of empty driving, while also ensuring full loads in roundwood transportation.

Besides cost-effectiveness, better planning can also help to achieve better energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions in the long-distance transportation of roundwood globally.

The study was conducted as follows:

The study, conducted by the University of Eastern Finland in collaboration with 34 other universities, research institutes and companies, explored the maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) limits in different countries, the road transportation share of the total industrial roundwood long-distance transportation volume, typical payloads in timber trucking, and the average long-distance transportation distances and costs of industrial roundwood.

The study was carried out as a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was sent to timber transportation and logistics experts and research scientists in all European countries that had more than one million solid cubic metres under bark of industrial roundwood removals in 2019, i.e., the questionnaire was sent to a total of 30 countries in Europe.

In addition, the questionnaire was sent out to selected major forestry countries globally –. Canada, the US, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and Türkiye – in February 2022, and it was closed in May 2022. A total of 31 countries took part in the survey. In 2019, the industrial roundwood removals of the survey countries totalled 1.43 billion solid cubic metres under bark. When reporting the road transportation share of the total industrial roundwood long-distance transportation volumes, as well as the average transportation distances and costs of industrial roundwood long-distance transportation in timber trucking, values were calculated by weighting them with the industrial roundwood removals of each survey country in 2019.

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JOURNAL

Croatian journal of forest engineering

DOI

10.5552/crojfe.2024.2286 

ARTICLE TITLE

Overview of Global Long-Distance Road Transportation of Industrial Roundwood.

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

17-Nov-2023

 

Feeding dogs raw meat increases the risk of antibiotic-resistant E. coli

This week is World AMR Awareness Week (18-24 November)

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

Feeding dogs raw (uncooked) meat increases their risk of excreting E. coli that cannot be killed by a widely used antibiotic - ciprofloxacin - researchers at the University of Bristol have found from a study of 600 healthy pet dogs.

E. coli, which can cause food poisoning, is also the UK’s most common cause of urinary tract and bloodstream infections, which can be life-threatening. Ciprofloxacin belongs to a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, which are used to treat a range of bacterial infections in humans and animals. The World Health Organisation classes these antibiotics among the highest-priority critically important antibiotics.

The study, published in One Health, looked for ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli carried in the intestines of 600 healthy pet dogs. The research team asked the dog owners to complete a survey that provided details about their dog, the dog’s diet, environments the dog walked in and if the dog had been treated with antibiotics.

The microbiology data along with the survey data enabled statistical analysis, which showed that feeding uncooked meat to dogs was the only significant risk factor associated with excretion of these resistant bacteria in the dog’s faeces. This work supports other published studies demonstrating associations between dogs being fed raw meat and excreting resistant E. coli.

In the UK, reduced ciprofloxacin use by GPs has led to a decrease in ciprofloxacin resistance in E. coli from human infections. There has also been an almost total cessation of the use of fluoroquinolones to treat farmed animals in the UK. However, fluoroquinolone use, and resistance remains at very high levels around the world.

Dr Jordan Sealey, Research Associate in the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (CMM), who carried out the research, said: “Our aim was not to focus on raw dog food, but to investigate what might make a dog more likely to excrete resistant E. coli in its faeces. Our study found a very strong association between excreting ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli and feeding dogs a raw food diet.”

Matthew Avison, Professor of Molecular Bacteriology in CMM, who led the study, explained: “Raw meat - whether intended for human consumption after cooking or sold as raw dog food - is likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant E. coli. Cooking kills the bacteria and good hand hygiene reduces the immediate risk of these bacteria being swallowed and getting into a person’s intestines.

"Choosing to feed a dog raw meat means a person almost certainly has to handle the raw meat, and our research is clear that raw feeding also means pet owners are likely to be interacting with a pet that is excreting resistant E. coli.”

Dr Sealey added: “Individual measures to reduce the risk of resistant bacteria being excreted by dogs include changing to a non-raw food diet or sourcing good quality raw meat that can be cooked, and then cooking it. Most raw food sold for consumption by dogs is not of a quality that can be cooked, and can cause a serious health hazard to dogs if cooked.

“Choosing to feed a dog meat from animals raised on farms in the UK, or other countries with very low usage of critically important antibiotics in farming, may also decrease the risk of them eating resistant bacteria with their dinner.”

Professor Avison concluded: “As part of our response to the emerging crisis of antibiotic resistance, further incentive should be given to companies joining the raw dog food industry to source meat from farms with appropriate antibiotic usage policies, and to test meat for resistant bacteria before selling. Stricter limits should be set on the numbers of bacteria allowed in meat that is sold to be eaten uncooked than in meat sold to be cooked prior to eating.”

E. coli are found in the intestines of people and animals quite normally and can be passed between them, usually through poor domestic hygiene, e.g. after using the toilet or handling food contaminated with faecal material, including uncooked meat.  When dogs excrete resistant bacteria into the environment and home, there is the potential for these bacteria to be passed on to their owners and other people.

Once a person swallows some E. coli, these bacteria can sit in their intestines for years before causing an infection.  There are hundreds of thousands of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli in the UK every year, as well as thousands of bloodstream infections which frequently lead to life-threatening sepsis. When E. coli is resistant to important antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, infections are more difficult to treat, meaning patients are more likely to be hospitalised and die.

This study was funded by a grant from the United Kingdom Research and Innovation’s Antimicrobial Resistance Cross Council Initiative and from the Medical Research Foundation National PhD Training Programme in Antimicrobial Resistance Research.

This week is World AMR Awareness Week (18-24 November).

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JOURNAL

One Health

DOI

10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100640 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

One health transmission of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli and risk factors for their excretion by dogs living in urban and nearby rural settings

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

 

Gambling addiction may increase the risk of long-term sick leave

Peer-Reviewed Publication

KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET

 

IMAGE: 

VIKTOR MÅNSSON

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CREDIT: PHOTO: SANNA CASSON

Gambling addiction can increase the risk of long-term sick leave for several years, according to a new study published in Psychological Medicine. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet behind the study point to the need to detect people with gambling addiction in time to avoid financial and health problems.  

Gambling addiction is a psychiatric condition characterized by prolonged and problematic gambling that leads to negative financial, health and social consequences. 1.3 percent of the Swedish population, corresponding to 105,000 Swedes, have gambling problems or an increased risk of gambling problems, but the number of unreported cases is believed to be much higher. The condition has been described as a "hidden addiction" that can go on without the knowledge of the environment.  

The research team, with expertise in addiction, gambling, epidemiology, and sickness absence, used several linked national registers to study 2,830 working-age individuals between 19 and 62 who had been diagnosed with gambling addiction and examined their sickness absence over six years. They then compared these data to an equivalent group of 28 300 people without a gambling addiction diagnosis.  

 "Thanks to the extensive data in the different registers, we were also able to control for a range of factors that are linked to both gambling addiction and sickness absence, including physical and mental health, gender, age, length of education, and how densely populated area the individual lives in," says the study's last author Yasmina Molero, researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet.

The researchers found that people with gambling addiction had an 89% higher risk of being on long-term sick leave, which means more than 90 days per year during the year they were diagnosed.   

"This is particularly worrying as this group often has a history of mental health problems and the ability to work is important for mental and financial recovery," says the study's first author Viktor Månsson, researcher at the same department.

The study also shows that the risk is unevenly distributed. Being female, having less education and living in less densely populated areas were linked to a higher risk of long-term sick leave.  

According to the researchers, the results are important because there is a lack of knowledge about the consequences of gambling addiction over time and how they can affect the individual in terms of health and workability, and ultimately financial stability and participation in society through work.  

“The study shows that we need to detect gambling problems at an earlier stage in health care and at workplaces and increase access to help for affected people so that they can break negative trajectories earlier. Gambling addiction risks going unnoticed, and the problems can become extensive before they are noticed and diagnosed in health care, something that this study shows," says Viktor Månsson.   

The next step in the research is to continue to develop methods for earlier detection of gambling addiction and to educate healthcare professionals about the problem, Yasmina Molero explains.   

“As gambling addiction is often a long-term problem, it will also be important to follow people over an even longer period, for example up to ten years, to find out more about the long-term consequences for those affected and their environment.”

The research was mainly funded by Region Stockholm and Forte. The researchers declare that there is no conflict of interest.   

Publication: "The risk and development of work disability among individuals with gambling disorder: a longitudinal case-cohort study in Sweden", Viktor Månsson, Emma Pettersson, Ellenor Mittendorfer- Rutz, Joar Guterstam, Anne H Berman, Nitya Jayaram Lindström, Yasmina Molero, Psychological Medicine, online November 20, 2023, doi: 10.1017/S0033291723003288

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JOURNAL

Psychological Medicine

DOI

10.1017/S0033291723003288 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

The risk and development of work disability among individuals with gambling disorder: a longitudinal case-cohort study in Sweden

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

 

State-of-the-art nanomaterial enabling ecofriendly removal of fine dust precursors

Development of world's first alkaline ceramic nanocomposite material that can reduce fine dust precursors at room temperature in an eco-friendly manner

Business Announcement

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 

IMAGE: 

(A) SEM MICROGRAPH; (B) HR-TEM MICROGRAPH; (C) EDAX ANALYSIS; (D) 2D ELEMENTAL MAPPING OF SODIUM-MANGANESE OXIDE.

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CREDIT: KOREA INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

Over the past decade, fine dust conditions in Korea have worsened, as perceived by the general public, with an increase in the number of days per year featuring high-concentration fine dust. Additionally, the previous maximum fine-dust concentration level has been surpassed. In response, the Korean government has expanded its financial investment in efforts aimed at addressing fine-dust issues.

Fine dust consists of particles that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. When these particles enter the human body through the skin and respiratory system, they can cause various diseases. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Environment Institute, three in ten people in Korea have experienced fine dust-induced diseases. Notably, NO2 and NO, among the main components of exhaust gas, are known as sources of fine dust.

Against this backdrop, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT, President Kim Byung-suk) has developed a material for key components that can absorb NOx and SOx in an eco-friendly and efficient manner.

Currently, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and flue gas desulfurization (FGD), based on oxidation-reduction reactions, are among the most widely used methods to remove NOx and SOx in the field. These techniques, however, require large amounts of thermal energy and high temperatures. Simply put, they are high-energy-consuming methods.

As an alternative, the ‘Environmental Nanomaterials Laboratory’ under the KICT's Department of Environmental Research has recently developed a material that can immediately mineralize pollutants via a complex mechanism in which SOx and NOx is easily adsorbed and oxidized at room temperature. Another advantage of the state-of-the-art nanocomposite material developed by a research team led by Dr. Jiyeol Bae is that it can be regenerated for recycling through simple chemical treatments, so that it can be repeatedly reused.

This ceramic nanomaterial, composed of sodium-manganese oxides, is a hybrid material that combines adsorption and oxidation reactions, which chemically absorbs SOx and NOx while immediately mineralizing them into sulfate ions and nitrite ions. The research team published the world's first paper on materials capable of mineralizing acid gases at room temperature. They will continue their study to make the developed material more widely applicable as an energy-efficient and eco-friendly solution for efficiently reducing SOx and NOx gases.

Dr. Jiyeol Bae, who led this project, said, “With the development of this novel nanomaterial, it is now possible to implement a system that can reduce fine-dust precursors from urban environments in an eco-friendly and cost-effective manner. All these efforts will help the general public enjoy clean and healthy air.”

 

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The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, a government-funded research institute with 40 years of extensive research experience, is at the forefront of solving national issues that are directly related to the quality of the people’s life.

The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, of the Republic of Korea. An article explaining the results of this research was published in the 13 issue of Scientific reports this year, a renowned international journal in the environmental and chemistry field (IF:4.997).

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DOI

10.1038/s41598-023-29274-9 

 

Texas A&M researchers develop comprehensive genetic map for bison, discover gene responsible for albinism

Discovery marks the first time anyone has determined the gene mutation responsible for an observable trait in bison

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

 

WHITE CLOUD, A FEMALE ALBINO BISON, LIVED WITH THE NATIONAL BUFFALO MUSEUM HERD IN JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA, UNTIL HER DEATH IN 2016 AT THE AGE OF 20. RESEARCHERS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY’S SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES RECENTLY THE DISCOVERED THE GENE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALBINISM IN BISON.

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CREDIT: PHOTO COURTESY OF SEARLE SWEDLUND AND THE NATIONAL BUFFALO MUSEUM

By Courtney Price, Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

A research team led by scientists from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has developed the most comprehensive genome yet for the North American bison, bringing the animal’s genetic roadmap up to date with the latest genome sequencing technology. In doing so, the research team also discovered the gene responsible for albinism in bison.

The study — recently published  in G3: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics — details the development of this high-resolution reference genome, which the researchers then used to produce the first test for genetic mutations, starting with the mutation responsible for albinism.

Albinism, a rare condition characterized by a lack of pigment in an animal’s body, making them look white with red eyes, has historical significance in that albino bison have been recognized as a religious symbol for some Native American Indigenous tribes. 

The study also lays the framework for determining other genetic variations that impact important bison traits, such as those that contribute to the health and production value of this species.

New Genome, New Possibilities

Dr. James Derr, a VMBS professor of veterinary pathobiology and genetics who led the research team that created the first bison genome back in 2015, assembled the team that developed this new reference genome. This team includes assistant professor of genetics Dr. Brian Davis, graduate student Sam Stroupe, and representatives from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the National Park Service.

“Because reference genomes can help researchers identify and characterize genes that are responsible for a large number of traits, this technology is used to do all kinds of things, including diagnosing health conditions and developing targeted treatments,” Davis said.

The newest bison reference genome was developed using technology that allows researchers to create genomes based on DNA from hybrids, which are animals with DNA from two different species. In this case, the researchers used DNA from a type of bison-cow hybrid called an F1, or individuals with a perfect 50-50 split between its parents’ DNA.

In general, F1 hybrids between bison and cattle are rare but have historically happened, since we now know that most bison herds in North America contain descendants of hybrids between bison and cattle — a discovery that Derr and his research partners made last year.

“One day we got a call from Texas Parks and Wildlife saying they knew someone who had an F1 hybrid,” Derr said. “It was the first fully documented, first-generation F1 hybrid I have seen in 25 years of working with bison. That’s why we were able to do this.”

To create the new bison genome, the researchers first sequenced the genome of the F1 hybrid as well as the bison mom and the domestic cattle father. With this information, they were able to separate bison DNA from the cattle DNA regions in the hybrid. 

Since the cattle genome is already very advanced, it provided a reference for creating the new bison genome, helping to guide researchers in developing the complete high-resolution reference bison genome.

To prove the utility of the new genome, the team set out to discover which gene mutation was responsible for albinism in bison and to create a genetic test that could be used to identify carriers of that mutation. 

The discovery is the first time anyone has successfully determined the gene mutation responsible for an observable trait in bison.

“We knew albinism was an inherited recessive trait, but we didn’t know which gene was responsible,” Stroupe said. “So, we sequenced the DNA from a few albino bison and compared them to those of normal coloration to find the mutation that causes albinism. As it turns out, the mutation causes an important enzyme to cease functioning correctly, which leads to the lack of skin pigmentation.”

The Uniqueness Of Albino Bison

Many North American Indigenous peoples regard white bison as sacred entities with prophetic spiritual associations. While not all white bison have albinism, the birth of one is cause for celebration in some communities.

Despite this cultural significance, Derr isn’t suggesting that people try to produce albino bison using genetic testing. 

“Sadly, albino bison are often not very healthy,” Derr said. “They tend to develop skin cancers, and they can develop other health problems as they age.”

Albino bison are also different from white or tan bison that result from crossing bison with white cattle, particularly Charolais. These bison lack the red eyes and pink nose of true albinos.

Now that a more accurate bison genome exists, scientists can learn more about the genetic makeup of North America’s bison population.

“The development of this new reference genome and the identification of a causative genetic mutation is exciting news for bison,” Derr said. “It opens the doors for new discoveries and insights into bison genetics. 

“Overall, this is a vital step toward the future conservation management of the United States’ national mammal,” he said. 

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JOURNAL

G3 Genes Genomes Genetics

DOI

10.1093/g3journal/jkad156 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Chromosome-level reference genome for North American bison (Bison bison) and variant database aids in identifying albino mutation

 

Protect delicate polar ecosystems by mapping biodiversity

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA

Polar regions contain vast, undiscovered biodiversity but are both the most-threatened and least-understood areas of the world. 

Now scientists led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are calling for a roadmap of polar ecosystems to fill that knowledge gap, preserve polar life and even protect “our everyday life and our planet’s health”. The study would map all biodiversity in those regions, from the atmosphere to the deep sea and from land to the oceans. 

The authors said concerted action is required to mitigate the impact of warming on polar ecosystems via conservation efforts, to sustainably manage these unique habitats and their ecosystem services, and for the sustainable bioprospecting of novel genes and compounds for societal gain.   

‘Multi-omics for studying and understanding polar life’, is published today in Nature Communications. The paper is co-authored by UEA, BAS and the University of Bielefeld, Germany.   

Polar ecosystems are the most threatened because they are the most sensitive to global warming. They are being lost at a rapid pace and with them all the biology that provides ecosystem services and biology-driven regulation of the climate, including the carbon cycle. 

Prof Thomas Mock, Professor of Marine Microbiology in UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, is the joint lead author with Prof Melody Clark, Project Leader for the British Antarctic Survey. 

Prof Thomas Mock said: “Biodiversity projections for the polar regions can only be reliably constructed if we have a sufficiently profound understanding of the diversity, ecological functions, and interrelations of polar organisms, as well as their resilience to climate change. 

“These remote regions play substantial, often underappreciated, roles in the carbon cycle and drive global nutrient and dissolved organic matter fluxes. Consequently, polar environmental and ecological processes are intimately connected with our everyday life and our planet’s health, much of which is underpinned by the endemic biota, from viruses to large animals. 

“There is strong evidence that climate-induced changes in the polar regions are already altering species distributions on land and in the sea, with major impacts on ecosystem function.” 

Some species have shifted poleward, which has a knock-on effect on the food chain. Polar life, from microbes to seals, whales and polar bears, largely depends on overall low temperature and a substantial snow and ice cover, which are experiencing the impacts of global warming.   

In the Arctic, temperatures are rising at least four times faster than elsewhere, destabilising the Arctic jet stream and increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events including heat waves, drought and flooding in temperate regions.  

On land, permafrost melting and collapsing Arctic coastlines are dramatically altering ecological interactions and biogeochemistry due to the release of millennia-old carbon stores, trace elements, nutrients and potentially even deep-frozen ancient viruses and pathogenic bacteria.  

In the oceans, the increased seasonal melting of sea ice is stabilizing surface waters too much, which reduces the amount of nutrients required for primary production to take place.     

Similarly, the situation in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic continent is equally bleak, particularly for the Antarctic Peninsula, which has already experienced substantial levels of warming that has increased the loss of sea ice and glaciers.     

The Southern Ocean is responsible for the uptake of three-quarters of the anthropogenic heat absorbed by the ocean and up to half of the carbon drawdown. It accounts for around 40 per cent of the global oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2 and around 50 per cent of the total atmospheric uptake. Furthermore, sequestering carbon by the organisms living in polar seas is probably the largest natural negative feedback against climate change. 

The climate impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in both the Arctic and Antarctic serve as a bellwether for the consequences of global warming, including the persistence of biodiversity on Earth.  

Prof Clark said: “Sequencing technologies have massively changed our abilities to decipher how organisms work. However the uptake in polar biology has been relatively low, especially when considering the tens of thousands of species that reside at the poles and are at threat in our warming world.  

“Understanding how lots of very strange organisms living in extreme cold can help answer globally questions and provide real benefits for society. Failure to act now will result in a substantial loss of knowledge regarding evolutionary adaptation to the cold.” 

Genomic screening not only offers the possibility of identifying populations under stress, but it can also be used for the monitoring of invasive species, thereby facilitating early interventions.  

Prof Mock said: “With the cold regions of our planet diminishing, there is a real imperative to obtain full genome sequences for diverse organisms inhabiting polar ecosystems, from the deep oceans to the permafrost on land, for both the Arctic and Antarctic. This will enable the wider application of omics technologies to polar species, which will revolutionise our understanding of evolution in the cold and adaptive responses to a warming world.” 

‘Multi-omics for studying and understanding polar life’, is published on 20 November 2023 in Nature Communications. 

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JOURNAL

Nature Communications

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Commentary/editorial

ARTICLE TITLE

Multi-omics for studying and understanding polar life

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023