Friday, December 20, 2024

Newly published study reveals diversity of novel hydrothermal vent styles on the arctic ocean floor

Research offers potential understanding of habitability on ocean worlds in the outer solar system

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

NUI Recovery — image:
Scientists recover the robotic submersible, Nereid Under Ice, almost 4,000 meters above Aurora.
view more
Credit: Chris German/NUI, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole, Mass. (Dec. 19, 2024) -- A new study about Earth’s northernmost seafloor hydrothermal system shows even more variety in vent styles than previously thought.

This has important implications for understanding the origin of these vents and assessing the global-scale impact of hydrothermal activity on the ocean and Earth system, according to the journal article, “Ultramafic-influenced submarine venting on basaltic seafloor at the Polaris site, 87°N, Gakkel Ridge,” published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

In addition, the study has implications for understanding and investigating for habitability and perhaps even life on ocean worlds in our outer solar system, according to the study’s authors.

The article reports on results from return studies in 2016 and 2023 to the Polaris hydrothermal field on the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean. Initial reports about the Polaris site suggested that it was a volcanically-hosted “black smoker”-type system, because of temperature and turbidity anomalies in its hydrothermal plume and because of its location near the summit of a volcanic seamount situated astride the spreading-ridge axis.

However, a combination of geochemical analyses and seafloor surveys discerned that Polaris is not a conventional black smoker hydrothermal system, but instead, discharges metal-poor hydrogen- and methane-enriched fluids into the Arctic Ocean.

Of the more than 30 locales at which deep-sea hydrothermal plumes have been detected along ultra-slow spreading mid-ocean ridges [MORs] to date, the nature of more than 90% has only been inferred from water column plume signals coupled with seafloor mapping and/or petrologic sampling. Where detailed studies have been carried out, “a diversity of styles of venting has been found, beyond what had previously been reported. This expansion of the geodiversity of hydrothermal sites has continued into the Arctic Ocean, first with the Aurora hydrothermal field [in the Gakkel Ridge] and now with this study.”

“Hydrogen-rich vents like Polaris have a lot more chemical potential energy available for life than any other kinds of vents, bang per buck. The microbial diversity you get when there is that much energy available also is really quite impressive and distinct from most ordinary hydrothermal vents,” said journal co-author Chris German, senior scientist in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

“The discoveries we have made here are particularly important because they reassure us that we could go and search for life on other ocean worlds beyond Earth in a credible and meaningful way, based on what we now know,” added German, who also is principal investigator for the Exploring Ocean Worlds project, which is a cornerstone for NASA’s Network for Ocean Worlds program. German added that findings from Polaris also underscore the need for improved approaches for exploring hydrothermal plumes on Earth to properly classify their underlying sources.

“It is both fascinating and inspiring to study seafloor geologic processes in the Arctic Ocean, one of the least-explored places on Earth,” said journal article lead author Elmar Albers, a postdoctoral investigator in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at WHOI. Albers’ work over the past two years has been supported by a Feodor Lynen Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Foundation, hosted by Chris German at WHOI. “The insights we gained from the Polaris hydrothermal system were unexpected, with major implications for hydrothermal exploration in other oceans. We are excited to learn what other surprises the Arctic holds in the future.”

“Understanding the distribution of life in the universe starts here at home in exploring the places and ways that life thrives on Earth,” said Becky McCauley Rench, Astrobiology Program Scientist at NASA headquarters. “The work of this team amplifies the importance of expanding our knowledge of our home planet and applying those lessons as we search the solar system and universe for answers about whether we are alone. What we learn here, in the Arctic or anywhere on Earth, is directly applied to our successful exploration at other worlds, like Europa and Enceladus, and beyond.”

This work was funded primarily through NASA’s PSTAR program at WHOI and by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Helmholtz Association and the Max Planck Society in Germany.

Authors:

Elmar Albersa,b,*,1, Alexander Diehla,b, Jessica N. Fitzsimmonsc, Laramie T. Jensenc,d, Frieder Kleine, Jill McDermottf, Autun Purserg, Jeffrey S. Seewalde, Maren Walterb,h, Gunter Wegenerb,i, Wolfgang Bacha,b, Antje Boetiusa,b,g,i, Christopher R. Germanj

Affiliations:

aFaculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

bMARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

cDepartment of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

dPolar Science Center, Applied Physics Lab, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

eDepartment of Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

fDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

gAlfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany

hInstitute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, Bremen, German

iMax Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany

jDepartment of Geology & Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

*Corresponding author

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate an understanding of the ocean’s role in the changing global environment. WHOI’s pioneering discoveries stem from an ideal combination of science and engineering—one that has made it one of the most trusted and technically advanced leaders in basic and applied ocean research and exploration anywhere. WHOI is known for its multidisciplinary approach, superior ship operations, and unparalleled deep-sea robotics capabilities. We play a leading role in ocean observation and operate the most extensive suite of data-gathering platforms in the world. Top scientists, engineers, and students collaborate on more than 800 concurrent projects worldwide—both above and below the waves—pushing the boundaries of knowledge and possibility. For more information, please visit www.whoi.edu

Hydrothermal Vent Field Aurora

By studying hydrothermal vent fields such as Aurora, scientists hope to also learn more about Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Black smoker vents such as this one at Aurora discharge fluids up to 370°C.

Credit

Chris German/NUI, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Robotic Arm sampling

A127°C vent is sampled using a robotic arm. Scientists dubbed it “Lander” related to a NASA Europa Mission Concept study.
Credit
Chris German/NUI Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Journal

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

DOI

10.1016/j.epsl.2024.119166

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Ultramafic-influenced submarine venting on basaltic seafloor at the Polaris site, 87°N, Gakkel Ridge

Article Publication Date

18-Dec-2024

Comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials demonstrate beef can be enjoyed in variety of heart-healthy diets

Gold standard nutrition research shows unprocessed beef does not elevate cardiovascular disease risk factors

Indiana University School of Public Health

A recently published, comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis has added to the growing body of evidence showing that beef can be enjoyed in a heart-healthy diet. Specifically, research consistently demonstrated that eating two (3-ounce) servings of unprocessed beef, on average, in a daily dietary pattern had no significant impact on most cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. The study, “Beef Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” was published in Current Developments in Nutrition. Importantly, this systematic review and meta-analysis assessed randomized human clinical trials, which are well-established as being the gold-standard nutrition research that should inform public health recommendations, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Experts often stress the importance of dietary guidance being based on the highest quality research to inform evidence-based recommendations that can effectively improve public health. However, given the challenges with conducting long-term randomized controlled trials (RCTs), guidance is often based on observational evidence that does not prove cause and effect – and which often inconsistently classifies food. Red meat is a broad category that includes many different meats of varying fat content and levels of processing. Combining this variety of meats into one group can lead to oversimplified recommendations, such as “eat less red meat,” and overlooks potential benefits of individual red meats, such as lean beef.

The study authors noted that, in both observational studies and RCTs assessing dietary components and/or patterns on cardiometabolic outcomes, “red meat” is a large category including both unprocessed and processed products, as well as a range of items such as beef, pork, lamb and even some types of poultry that are frequently clustered together under the umbrella term “red meat.” In this meta-analysis, 20 RCTs were assessed, which included a variety of dietary patterns with unprocessed or minimally processed beef.

“Given the disparity of products in the ‘red meat’ category, study methods that group all red meats together can lead to overly generalized findings,” said Kevin C. Maki, PhD, Adjunct Professor and Dean’s Eminent Scholar, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, and co-lead of this study. “However, when high-quality clinical trials analyze unprocessed or minimally processed beef as part of various dietary patterns, results have generally indicated that beef consumption has no adverse effects on traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”

Key findings included:

Beef intake did not impact blood pressure or most lipoprotein-related variables, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein (apo) A, apo B, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C).
Unprocessed beef contains more cholesterol-lowering or neutral fatty acids than cholesterol-raising fatty acids, so beef intake did not significantly affect most blood lipids, apolipoproteins, or blood pressures compared to diets with little to no beef.
Beef consumption had a small, but statistically significant effect on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), corresponding to about 2.7 mg/dL higher LDL-C in diets containing more beef compared to low or no beef diets. However, testing of the contribution of each individual study to the overall findings showed that one study, where baseline values for LDL-C were already lower prior to consuming beef, was the primary influence of this result. When this study was removed from the analysis, the effect on LDL-C was no longer significant.
The average amount of beef in the “higher” beef treatments was about 5.7 ounces, or approximately 2 servings/day. On average, American adults (19 years and older) consume 1.6 ounces of total beef each day.

Consistent evidence from previously published RCTs demonstrates that 1-2 servings of lean beef can be enjoyed daily as part of a heart-healthy diet. For example, the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study was a landmark clinical trial demonstrating how subjects who included 4-5.4 ounces of lean beef into a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style dietary pattern rich in other healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy maintained normal cholesterol levels.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs are regarded as the highest quality evidence, as they synthesize data from multiple relevant, rigorously controlled studies. In addition, it is well-established that bias can influence the findings of meta-analyses that pool results from clinical trials; therefore, several sources of potential bias were evaluated in this investigation. Of note, 71% of studies funded by the beef industry had a low risk of bias compared to only 40% of studies not funded by the beef industry.

“This research is a rigorous review of high-quality evidence, which can be useful for informing accurate and reliable public health guidance about unprocessed beef in healthy dietary patterns,” added Dr. Maki. “Our findings suggest that beef may be enjoyed in a variety of heart-healthy diets.”

This research was funded by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. NCBA was not involved in the study design, data collection and analysis, or publication of the findings.

Journal

Current Developments in Nutrition

DOI

10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104500

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Beef Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

COI Statement

KCM reports financial support was provided by Beef Checkoff and a relationship with Beef Checkoff that includes funding grants. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.

Are particle emissions from offshore wind farms harmful for blue mussels?

In a laboratory experiment, research team investigates the potential effects of particle emissions

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

image:
Mussels on the foundation of a wind farm
view more
Credit: Alfred Wegener Institute / Roland Krone

After several years of service under harsh weather conditions, the rotor blades of offshore wind parks are subjected to degradation and surface erosion, releasing sizeable quantities of particle emissions into the environment. A team of researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now investigated the effects of these particle on blue mussels – a species also being considered for the multi-use of wind parks for aquaculture. In the experiment, the mussels absorbed metals from the rotor blades’ coatings, as the team describes in a study just released in the journal Science of the Total Environment, where they also discuss the potential physiological effects.

In a laboratory-based pilot study, a team of researchers explored the potential effects of rotor blade emissions on the physiology of blue mussels. To do so, the material from these rotor blades was ground to a particle size small enough for the mussels to ingest. “We exposed the mussels to varying particle concentrations and took samples after predefined exposure durations,” explains Dr Gisela Lannig, the study’s project head and an eco-physiologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). In addition, the researchers carried out physiological measurements to detect metabolic changes in the animals. Tissue samples from the mussels were subsequently tested for inorganic elements, particularly metals, at the laboratories of the Helmholtz Centre Hereon.

“Our experiment was a worst-case scenario, in which the blue mussels were exposed to high particle concentrations for up to 14 consecutive days. The mussels displayed moderate to pronounced uptake of metals, particularly barium and chromium,” reports Dr Daria Bedulina, a fellow eco-physiologist and postdoctoral candidate at the AWI. “When it came to the physiological examinations, there was no clear result. However, the findings on metabolic changes in the mussels indicate potential short-term effects on their neuroendocrine system and amino-acid metabolism. Further studies are therefore urgently needed, especially with regard to the long-term effects on mussels.”

In addition to the AWI and Hereon, the study includes contributions from researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (IWES), who provided the material from the rotor blades and shared their expertise on the amount of eroded material. The outcomes show that offshore wind parks constitute a new anthropogenic burden for the marine environment: according to the study, the polymer particle emissions from rotor blades, produced by the degradation and surface erosion of the blades’ coatings and core material, should not be underestimated. Mussel species like the blue mussel studied here play a key role in coastal ecosystems. Mussel beds offer e.g. habitats and breeding grounds for a range of marine fauna, promote biodiversity, and, given the animals’ role as filter feeders, preserve water quality. Microplastics and pollutants can accumulate in the animals’ tissues.

“With regard to the multi-use of offshore wind parks to breed mussels for human consumption, comprehensive investigations that combine controlled lab experiments and fieldwork are urgently needed in order to definitively rule out possible effects on human health,” explains Gisela Lannig. Yet the current pilot study, she adds, is far from providing a comprehensive and reliable picture of the potential risks posed by offshore wind farms for the marine environment. This requires extensive short-term and long-term studies, together with an integrative approach that assesses the parameters at different biological levels and life stages. Given the necessary and desirable expansion of renewable energy sources and multi-use of offshore wind parks for aquaculture, this type of research is essential.

Journal

Science of The Total Environment

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177509

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Effect of particles from wind turbine blades erosion on blue mussels Mytilus edulis

Annual report details more economic struggles for Tennessee’s ag sectors

Gross revenues decline for 2024, 2025 outlook is clouded

University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

In 2024, Tennessee’s agricultural and forestry industrial complex was significantly impacted by six major factors: drought, agricultural land loss, trade deficits, decreasing foreign market demand, below average yields and relatively lower prices for major commodities. Researchers and Extension specialists from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics also suggest that the outlook for 2025 could vary depending on the sector.

In the annual economic report to the governor of Tennessee prepared by the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the UT Haslam College of Business, the agricultural and resource economists provide an economic outlook for the state’s farmers and foresters. “The state’s agricultural and forestry industries directly and indirectly contributed $103 billion to the Tennessee economy,” says Andrew Muhammad, UTIA professor of agricultural economics. “2024 was a struggle for many of our producers and sectors. Next year could also be difficult, with trade policy uncertainty, low crop prices, drought- and hurricane-reduced feed supplies and high input costs.” Muhammad is a co-author of the report and holds the Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy.

In terms of gross output, the agricultural and forestry industrial complex measured 11% of the economic activity conducted in Tennessee in 2024. An estimated 385,743 individuals worked in industries supported by the complex, which is 8.8% of the state’s total employment.

“Due to the dramatic declines in gross revenue in 2024, many crop producers will struggle with obtaining financing for the 2025 crop, which could affect production and result in consolidation in the row crop sector in Tennessee,” Muhammad and his co-authors write in the report. They add that negative factors affecting the livestock, poultry and dairy industries in 2025 will be continued high interest rates when financing operations and equipment as well as inflation and reduced discretionary spending available to consumers.

The report includes economic indicators for both agricultural and forestry production as well as related manufacturing and processing. The data are consolidated from a number of sources, including the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Economic Research Service (ERS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and others.

Corn, cotton, soybeans and wheat are Tennessee’s top crops, and prices for each fell in 2024. Over the last five years prices for each of the commodities have fallen, with cotton prices having fallen the least over five years (10.8% on average), while corn, soybeans and wheat have all fallen by at least 20% during the period 2019-2024.

Tennessee also had below average yields in 2024, which when combined with price declines and changes in harvested acreage, will result in a dramatic decline in gross cash receipts. Based on current estimates of average prices, yields, and acreage harvested, gross cash receipts for Tennessee corn, cotton, soybeans and wheat will decline by $582.3 million compared to 2023, a drop from $2.2 billion to $1.6 billion. For the 2024-2025 marketing year, Tennessee farm-gate prices are projected to be similar: $4.00-$5.20 per bushel for corn; $0.67-$0.78 per pound for cotton; $10.00-$11.50 per bushel for soybeans; and $5.30-$6.50 per bushel for wheat.

The value of animals and animal products increased slightly in 2024, accounting for approximately 40% ($2.10 billion) of Tennessee’s agricultural receipts. At the beginning of 2024, Tennessee ranked sixteenth nationally in terms of the total cattle and calves inventory (1.60 million head including 835,000 beef cows and 25,000 dairy cows), which is the same ranking as a year ago. Tennessee ranked twelfth in total beef cow numbers. Kentucky and Florida are the only states east of the Mississippi River with larger beef cow inventories. Tennessee is ranked fourth nationally in meat goat numbers at 72,000 head. In addition to cattle, with cash receipts valued at $876.7 million in 2024, the state has a significant broiler production industry ($794.4 million). Hogs (2.6% of cash receipts), dairy products and milk (1.9%) and chicken eggs (1.7%) round out the top valuations.

A big question mark for the agricultural sector in 2025 will be U.S. trade policies. In FY 2024, Tennessee’s agricultural and related exports were $2.7 billion, down $313.7 million or 10.4% when compared to the previous fiscal year ($3.0 billion). While exports to China and Germany, two of our top agricultural trading partners, increased—primarily because of China’s interest in purchasing cotton— exports of intermediate products such as soybean meal and oil and other feeds fell by 10.5%, due in large part to a 60% decline in distilled spirits exports to the Netherlands. In better news, related-product exports, which are mostly forest products, were up $15.4 million to a total of $174.8 million (+9.7%).

The following faculty in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics contributed to the agricultural analyses included in the report: Andrew Muhammad, Andrew P. Griffith, Charley Martinez, R. Jamey Menard, Aaron Smith, Sreedhar Upendram and T. Edward Yu.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.

Survey reveals concerns and adoption trends around AI’s rising influence

A new Rutgers-led project tracks how Americans view artificial intelligence’s impact on politics, media and daily life

Rutgers University

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent, a new Rutgers University-New Brunswick survey sheds light on public attitudes, revealing widespread concerns about its impact on politics and media, alongside an increasing adoption of AI tools in daily life.

More than half of the respondents expressed worry about AI’s impact on politics (58%) and news media (53%), with researchers suggesting these concerns may stem from fears of misinformation and manipulation, particularly during the 2024 election cycle when the survey was conducted.

The survey is part of the National AI Opinion Monitor (NAIOM), a new Rutgers-led, long-term project monitoring public attitudes toward AI. Researchers found 41% of Americans said AI does more harm than good in protecting personal information.

Despite these concerns, the findings show one-third of Americans have used generative AI to ask health-related questions or seek information – a finding that underscores both the opportunities and challenges as these tools evolve. The researchers define AI as a collection of advanced technologies that allow machines to perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as understanding language, decision making and recognizing images. Generative AI is a subset of those technologies which focuses on creating original content, including text, images, audio and video.

To gather these insights, the researchers surveyed nearly 5,000 people between Oct. 25 and Nov. 8 about AI usage and attitudes across demographic groups, including differences by gender, age, socioeconomic status and geographic location.

Katherine Ognyanova, an associate professor of communication at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information and a coauthor of the report, explained that the project was launched in response to the increasing prevalence of AI.

“These tools have the potential to transform a wide range of industries – technology, media, entertainment, marketing, education and health care,” said Ognyanova. “It’s critical to understand how Americans are using and perceiving AI now, as trust in these technologies will shape their adoption, development and regulation. We are at a pivotal moment where public opinion about AI is being formed and rapidly changing as people engage with it firsthand and encounter related narratives in the news.”

“AI development and adoption are accelerating at an unprecedented pace,” said Vivek Singh, an associate professor with the School of Communication, a coauthor of the report and an expert in AI and algorithmic fairness. “Today, AI is no longer confined to the algorithms of tech companies; it has become an integral part of everyday life.”

According to survey results, more than half of Americans (53%) have used a generative AI service such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot, further demonstrating the increasing influence of these technologies.

Among other findings:

Knowledge gaps: While 90% of Americans have heard of AI, 51% recognize the term “generative AI,” and 12% are familiar with “large language models.”
Demographic disparities: Younger, male, better-educated and higher-income Americans are more likely to use and show interest in AI tools.
Task-specific approval: While 48% of Americans support AI for household chores, majorities disapprove of AI performing surgery (57%) or driving vehicles (53%).
Daily interactions: Nearly 30% of respondents encounter AI-generated text or summaries daily, with 86% finding them helpful.

“These findings raise critical questions about inclusion and equity,” said Ognyanova, who is also director of the Rutgers Computational Social Science Lab and one of the founders and principal investigators of the COVID States Project and the Civic Health and Institutions Project, which are initiatives by multiple universities exploring public attitudes towards politics and health. “Older Americans and those with lower educational attainment may be less likely to benefit from these tools, which risks creating a new digital divide.”

The NAIOM survey provides baseline data on how Americans perceive and use generative AI, creating a foundation for monitoring changes over time. The researchers stressed this ongoing tracking is vital as public attitudes toward AI continue to evolve.

To capture evolving trends, researchers plan to conduct national surveys three times a year with a sample of 5,000 respondents. This sample includes nationally representative quotas and oversamples groups such as individuals under 25, those older than age 65 and Hispanic and Black respondents. The researchers aim to examine AI's impact on young people, older adults and minority communities.

Reports will explore themes including AI adoption, trust, attitudes toward AI-generated content, regulation and AI’s role in jobs.

“Both of us share a keen interest in understanding how people evaluate information and misinformation, whether it comes from human or nonhuman sources,” said Singh, who is the director of the Behavioral Informatics Lab at Rutgers. “We’ve consulted with experts and hope to expand our advisory board as the project grows.”

The researchers hope NAIOM will serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, media and the public, offering data-driven insights into the evolving role of AI in society.

Sugar solution fights infection in dairy cows just as well as antibiotics

New treatment for dairy cows could help fight antibiotic resistance, study finds

Penn State

dairy cows in a cow barn — image:
A led by Penn State researchers compared two treatments for a common uterine infection, called clinical metritis, that can lead to serious health problems for dairy cows. One treatment was based on antibiotics and the other was not. Both treatments had a similar clinical cure rate in mild cases of the disease.
view more
Credit: Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A concentrated sugar solution could be just as effective as antibiotics at treating a common infection in dairy cows, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State. The results were recently published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

The discovery has the potential to reduce reliance on antibiotics and ultimately help combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in both humans and animals, said Adrian Barragan, associate research professor and extension veterinarian at Penn State and co-lead author on the paper.

The findings are particularly significant for the organic dairy industry where antibiotic use is restricted, he added, and may also pave the way for future studies in humans on the use of sugar-based formulations for uterine infections such as endometritis.

“The disease is an infection of the uterus that occurs after calving and it’s one of the top diseases that affect dairy cattle in the United States,” said Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes at Penn State and co-lead author on the study. “We treat cows with antibiotics only when necessary to ensure their welfare, following strict withdrawal periods to prevent residues in milk. Minimizing antibiotic use helps reduce the risk of resistant bacteria that can impact farm workers, families and communities. Antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine is a growing public health concern, so the main goal of this research was to test an antibiotic-free alternative option against the current gold standard for treating this prevalent disease.”

The study compared two treatments for a common uterine infection, called clinical metritis, that can lead to serious health problems for dairy cows. The condition is typically treated using systemic antibiotics, like ceftiofur, which are effective in treating the condition, but may contribute to the growing antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals.

“We have been searching for alternative therapies that can effectively treat metritis without relying on antibiotics,” Barragan said. “We asked two main questions when studying an alternative: Do the animals get cured with this treatment? And do treated animals have similar performance? Although the alternative treatment had the same clinical cure rate as the antibiotics, the answer wasn’t as clear cut as expected since performance between treatment groups differed based on disease severity.”

The study focused on using intrauterine dextrose, a sugar solution, as a possible alternative treatment. Dextrose has been extensively studied in animal and human clinical research for its ability to plasmolyze harmful bacteria, essentially the strong sugar solution pulls water out of the bacteria, causing them to dry out and die, Barragan explained. The approach had shown some promise in human wound healing, but previous studies in cattle yielded mixed results.

“We were hopeful that we would find positive results, but we were definitely not expecting to find that both treatments worked similarly for mild cases of metritis,” Barragan said. “That was a very exciting discovery.”

To investigate the effectiveness of dextrose, the researchers conducted a study on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania. They enrolled 77 cows diagnosed with clinical metritis and randomly assigned them to one of two treatment groups: intrauterine dextrose or systemic ceftiofur. The researchers then monitored the cows' recovery and analyzed their uterine microbial communities using advanced DNA sequencing to better understand the overall health of their microbiomes.

Although the sample size was not ideal for assessing clinical cure rate, Barragan said, the results suggested that both treatments had similar clinical cure rates, meaning dextrose could be just as effective as antibiotics in treating mild metritis cases.

Additionally, the analysis of the cows' microbiomes revealed that dextrose does not significantly disrupt the bacterial balance of bacteria in the reproductive tract, unlike antibiotics, which can alter microbial communities and potentially impact the long-term health of the cow, Ganda explained.

Further research is needed to understand the full potential of dextrose as an alternative to antibiotic treatment, Barragan said, but one day that potential could even extend to treating humans.

“Our findings may be applicable for reproductive disease in human medicine,” he said. “In fact, we were inspired by medical literature and sugar-based wound treatments for people.”

The other Penn State authors on the paper are Jennine Lection, who earned a doctoral degree from Penn State and is currently an assistant professor at North Carolina State University; Emily Van Syoc, postdoctoral scholar; Asha Miles, former postdoctoral research associate who is currently a research geneticist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Julia Hamilton, undergraduate student; Marcela Martinez, research technologist; and Justin Silverman, assistant professor of statistics and of medicine and faculty fellow of the Institute for Computational and Data Science. Santiago Bas of the Germany-based feed company Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH also contributed to the paper.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hatch Appropriations, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health funded this research.

Journal

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

DOI

10.3389/fvets.2024.1478288

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Use of intrauterine dextrose as an alternative to systemic antibiotics for treatment of clinical metritis in dairy cattle: a microbiome perspective

A surgical fix to greenhouse gases

University of Pittsburgh

A University of Pittsburgh study inspired by the late Freddie H. Fu, MD, one of the world’s leading orthopaedic surgeons, is tackling a significant contributor to climate change– the healthcare sector.1 Engineers and physicians examined how one procedure in particular – anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction – contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and how its impacts can be reduced.

The paper, “How Can the Environmental Impact of Orthopaedic Surgery Be Measured and Reduced? Using Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction as a Test Case,” was published this month by Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (doi 10.1097/CORR.0000000000003242). Principal investigator is Melissa M. Bilec, PhD, the George M. and Eva M. Bevier Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering and co-director of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation; and first author is Nathalia Silva de Souza Lima Cano, MSc, Fulbright/CAPES PhD Fellow at Pitt. Bilec partnered with Fu and his team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, where he served as chair.

The investigators utilized a method known as life-cycle assessment (LCA), which analyzes the entire life cycle of a product, service, or industry, from raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life. Bilec was the first to apply this process to examining hospital room infant births in 2012 in a study with UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

“While life cycle assessment and material flow analysis (MFA) are tools in engineering and sustainability research, their potential has only recently been adapted to understanding the incredible impact that healthcare has on climate,” noted Bilec, who is also the Special Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability at Pitt. “This “cradle-to-grave” assessment takes a hard look at every product and process involved – in this case, with ACL surgery, everything from the materials used to make the devices used in surgery to the energy consumed, and the cost of disposing of the material. Partnerships with Pitt and UPMC are critical to advancing our collective strategic climate and environmental goals.

An unrivaled carbon footprint

Greenhouse gas emissions seem easy to understand – a fuel is produced and consumed, and emissions are released into the atmosphere, like when driving a car or flying in a plane. However, according to first author Nathalia Cano, conducting an LCA on a complex process such as construction of a building or performing surgery results in astonishing carbon footprints.

“As healthcare professionals and researchers, we must explore ways to make our practices more sustainable without compromising patient outcomes,” Cano said. “With LCA and MFA as our toolbox, we examined scenarios throughout the operation to reduce environmental impact, including reducing resources, optimizing surgical practices, and exploring innovative materials and circular economy approaches.”

Some of their findings include:

The carbon footprint of one ACLR is 47 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) or driving a typical gasoline-fueled passenger vehicle about 120 miles.
The 130,000 ACLRs each year in the U.S. produce approximately 6,110 metric tons of CO2eq per year, or about 15 million miles driven.
Products contributing most to global warming potential were disposable cotton for OR towels (9 percent) and laparotomy sponges (1 percent) and disposable plastics made of polypropylene (6 percent), including disposable fabrics such as drapes.
Production of all products accounted for 58 percent of global warming potential, and energy for OR equipment and HVAC were responsible for 10 percent and 14 percent, respectively.
Autoclaving steel surgical instruments was responsible for 9 percent, linens laundering for 4 percent, and waste disposal for 1 percent of global warming potential.

“Though the most important priority in surgery is excellent patient care, surgeons can and should also be mindful of the carbon footprint of our surgeries,” noted Ian Engler, MD, Orthopedic Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Central Maine Medical Center (previously a research fellow at . “We make many decisions in patient care that lead to a big environmental footprint, and this research helps us guide efforts to integrate sustainability into orthopedic surgery.

“We presented this idea to Dr. Freddie Fu (left) several months before he passed. He said, “I thought I knew everything about the ACL, and here is something I didn’t know.” His contagious enthusiasm jumpstarted the research and is the reason it came to be.”

Fu launched UPMC’s sports medicine program and was head team physician for Pitt’s Department of Athletics.

Other researchers in the study:

Nicholas Drain, MD, University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Federica Geremicca, MSc, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering
Dylan Lawson, BSc, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering
Bryson P. Lesniak, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
Rezvan Mohammadiziazi, PhD, senior research analyst, Energy Solutions (formerly post-doctoral researcher, Swanson School of Engineering)
Volker Musahl, MD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
- Musahl is an orthopaedic surgeon and is board certified in orthopaedic surgery and orthopaedic sports medicine. He is the medical director of the UPMC Rooney Sports Medicine Complex, program director of the sports medicine fellowship program, and a professor of both bioengineering and orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh.

Journal

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

DOI

10.1097/CORR.0000000000003242

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

How Can the Environmental Impact of Orthopaedic Surgery Be Measured and Reduced? Using Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction as a Test Case