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A war without end - with Earth’s carbon cycle held in the balance
A major battle is going on between the most abundant organism in the oceans, and a virus that's now known to attack it. The results have implications for the Earth's carbon balance.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – The greatest battle in Earth’s history has been going on for hundreds of millions of years - it isn’t over yet - and until now no one knew it existed, scientists reported today in the journal Nature.
In one corner is SAR11, a bacterium that’s the most abundant organism in the oceans, survives where most other cells would die and plays a major role in the planet’s carbon cycle. It had been theorized that SAR11 was so small and widespread that it must be invulnerable to attack.
In the other corner, and so strange-looking that scientists previously didn’t even recognize what they were, are “Pelagiphages,” viruses now known to infect SAR11 and routinely kill millions of these cells every second. And how this fight turns out is of more than casual interest, because SAR11 has a huge effect on the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere, and the overall biology of the oceans.
“There’s a war going on in our oceans, a huge war, and we never even saw it,” said Stephen Giovannoni, a professor of microbiology at Oregon State University. “This is an important piece of the puzzle in how carbon is stored or released in the sea.”
Researchers from OSU, the University of Arizona and other institutions today outlined the discovery of this ongoing conflict, and its implications for the biology and function of ocean processes. The findings disprove the theory that SAR11 cells are immune to viral predation, researchers said.
“In general, every living cell is vulnerable to viral infection,” said Giovannoni, who first discovered SAR11 in 1990. “What has been so puzzling about SAR11 was its sheer abundance; there was simply so much of it that some scientists believed it must not get attacked by viruses.”
What the new research shows, Giovannoni said, is that SAR11 is competitive, good at scavenging organic carbon, and effective at changing to avoid infection. Because of that, it thrives and persists in abundance even though it’s constantly being killed by the new viruses that have been discovered.
The discovery of the Pelagiphage viral families was made by Yanlin Zhao, Michael Schwalbach and Ben Temperton, OSU postdoctoral researchers working with Giovannoni. They used traditional research methods, growing cells and viruses from nature in a laboratory, instead of sequencing DNA from nature. The new viruses were so unique that computers could not recognize the virus DNA.
“The viruses themselves, of course, appear to be just as abundant as SAR11,” Giovannoni said. “Our colleagues at the University of Arizona demonstrated this with new technologies they developed for measuring viral diversity.”
SAR11 has several unique characteristics, including the smallest known genetic structure of any independent cell. Through sheer numbers, this microbe has a huge role in consuming organic carbon, which it uses to generate energy while producing carbon dioxide and water in the process. SAR11 recycles organic matter, providing the nutrients needed by algae to produce about half of the oxygen that enters Earth’s atmosphere every day.
This carbon cycle ultimately affects all plant and animal life on Earth.
Contributors to this research included scientists at OSU’s High Throughput Culturing Laboratory; the University of Arizona’s Tucson Marine Phage Lab; University of California/San Diego’s National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research; and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, which provided opportunity to sample viruses from nature. Funding was provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Marine Microbiology Initiative.
Boiler Plate: College of Science Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Stephen Giovannoni, 541-737-1835
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Promote to the OSU home pageA war without end - with Earth’s carbon cycle held in the balance
A major battle is going on between the most abundant organism in the oceans, and a virus that's now known to attack it. The results have implications for the Earth's carbon balance.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – The greatest battle in Earth’s history has been going on for hundreds of millions of years - it isn’t over yet - and until now no one knew it existed, scientists reported today in the journal Nature.
In one corner is SAR11, a bacterium that’s the most abundant organism in the oceans, survives where most other cells would die and plays a major role in the planet’s carbon cycle. It had been theorized that SAR11 was so small and widespread that it must be invulnerable to attack.
In the other corner, and so strange-looking that scientists previously didn’t even recognize what they were, are “Pelagiphages,” viruses now known to infect SAR11 and routinely kill millions of these cells every second. And how this fight turns out is of more than casual interest, because SAR11 has a huge effect on the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere, and the overall biology of the oceans.
“There’s a war going on in our oceans, a huge war, and we never even saw it,” said Stephen Giovannoni, a professor of microbiology at Oregon State University. “This is an important piece of the puzzle in how carbon is stored or released in the sea.”
Researchers from OSU, the University of Arizona and other institutions today outlined the discovery of this ongoing conflict, and its implications for the biology and function of ocean processes. The findings disprove the theory that SAR11 cells are immune to viral predation, researchers said.
“In general, every living cell is vulnerable to viral infection,” said Giovannoni, who first discovered SAR11 in 1990. “What has been so puzzling about SAR11 was its sheer abundance; there was simply so much of it that some scientists believed it must not get attacked by viruses.”
What the new research shows, Giovannoni said, is that SAR11 is competitive, good at scavenging organic carbon, and effective at changing to avoid infection. Because of that, it thrives and persists in abundance even though it’s constantly being killed by the new viruses that have been discovered.
The discovery of the Pelagiphage viral families was made by Yanlin Zhao, Michael Schwalbach and Ben Temperton, OSU postdoctoral researchers working with Giovannoni. They used traditional research methods, growing cells and viruses from nature in a laboratory, instead of sequencing DNA from nature. The new viruses were so unique that computers could not recognize the virus DNA.
“The viruses themselves, of course, appear to be just as abundant as SAR11,” Giovannoni said. “Our colleagues at the University of Arizona demonstrated this with new technologies they developed for measuring viral diversity.”
SAR11 has several unique characteristics, including the smallest known genetic structure of any independent cell. Through sheer numbers, this microbe has a huge role in consuming organic carbon, which it uses to generate energy while producing carbon dioxide and water in the process. SAR11 recycles organic matter, providing the nutrients needed by algae to produce about half of the oxygen that enters Earth’s atmosphere every day.
This carbon cycle ultimately affects all plant and animal life on Earth.
Contributors to this research included scientists at OSU’s High Throughput Culturing Laboratory; the University of Arizona’s Tucson Marine Phage Lab; University of California/San Diego’s National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research; and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, which provided opportunity to sample viruses from nature. Funding was provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Marine Microbiology Initiative.
Boiler Plate: College of Science Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Stephen Giovannoni, 541-737-1835
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Promote to the OSU home pageConstruction begins on test facility for new nuclear energy concept
OSU is beginning construction on a system that will test an innovative type of nuclear reactor, one that could not only produce electricity but also hydrogen gas, direct steam power for buidlings or a better way to desalinate water.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – Construction has begun at Oregon State University on a $4.8 million facility to test a new nuclear energy technology that could be safer, more efficient and produce less waste than existing approaches.
It’s a viable and versatile energy concept for the future, researchers say. As needed, it could produce electricity, hydrogen to power automobiles, steam to heat a building complex, or provide a cheaper way to desalinate seawater.
The nuclear power industry is already undergoing a global renaissance with such technologies as “passive safety” and small modular reactors. They use traditional water-cooled approaches in innovative designs, some of which were developed and tested in recent years by OSU nuclear engineers.
But the new approach is a “super-hot” type of nuclear reactor cooled by helium gas, not water, and it would operate at temperatures above 2,000 degrees – about three times as hot as existing reactors. The basic concept of this reactor technology has been known for some time, but advances in material science and the unusual range of applications for such reactors now make them much more attractive.
Like any existing nuclear reactor, the high-temperature nuclear reactors could produce electricity – about 35-50 percent more efficiently than existing approaches. But they also create about half as much radioactive waste, by the nature of their design cannot melt down, and like all nuclear technologies produce no greenhouse gas emissions.
They could be cost-effectively built as small modular reactors, and produce super-heated steam that works well for powering large chemical companies or building complexes. As demand grows for fresh water in arid regions, they could offer a more cost-effective way to desalinate sea water.
And a promising potential is to produce hydrogen that could power the automobiles of the future, using efficient hydrogen fuel cells that leave only electricity and water as their byproducts. There are still obstacles to overcome in hydrogen transportation and storage, but a high-temperature nuclear reactor could directly split water, or H20, into hydrogen and oxygen, without emitting greenhouse gases.
“If they can make the cars, we could use this technology to make the hydrogen,” said Brian Woods, an associate professor of nuclear engineering and director of this project. “One of the biggest attractions of the high-temperature reactors is their versatility, they could be used in so many ways.
“Like any new technology, it will take some time for this to gain acceptance,” Woods said. “But by the middle of this century I could easily see high-temperature nuclear reactors becoming a major player in energy production around the world.”
The test facility now being built at OSU, like some of its previous counterparts in passive safety and small modular reactors, will be used to test high-temperature reactors for safety, and simulate multiple types of accidents. There will be no use of nuclear fuel, with the high temperatures produced by electrical heaters.
“Something that works at a very high temperature might sound more risky, but in fact this type of nuclear reactor technology would be the safest of all,” Woods said. “Everything in the system is designed to withstand extremely high temperatures, and in the event of any system failure, it would simply shut off and slowly cool down.”
The test facility being constructed in the OSU Radiation Center is about six feet wide and 18 feet tall, and will simulate the reactor vessel. In this technology, helium gas is used as the coolant to transfer heat through a steam generator. The system uses special stainless steel and other alloys to handle the extreme heat, and was built by Harris Thermal, Inc., in Newberg, Ore.
Field tests are scheduled to begin in April and continue until summer, 2014. The work is being supported by grants from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The new facility and testing programs will also provide opportunities for OSU graduate assistants and even undergraduate students to gain experience working with some of the newest nuclear power technology, educators said. Research of this type is a key part of a new program just announced, called the Oregon State University Advantage, which boosts educational programs and research with real-world applications.
Boiler Plate: College of Engineering Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Brian Woods, 541-737-6335
Multimedia:
Facility installation
YouTube video:
http://bit.ly/YSs7zo
Downloadable video:
http://bit.ly/XDOPKA
Construction begins on test facility for new nuclear energy concept
OSU is beginning construction on a system that will test an innovative type of nuclear reactor, one that could not only produce electricity but also hydrogen gas, direct steam power for buidlings or a better way to desalinate water.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – Construction has begun at Oregon State University on a $4.8 million facility to test a new nuclear energy technology that could be safer, more efficient and produce less waste than existing approaches.
It’s a viable and versatile energy concept for the future, researchers say. As needed, it could produce electricity, hydrogen to power automobiles, steam to heat a building complex, or provide a cheaper way to desalinate seawater.
The nuclear power industry is already undergoing a global renaissance with such technologies as “passive safety” and small modular reactors. They use traditional water-cooled approaches in innovative designs, some of which were developed and tested in recent years by OSU nuclear engineers.
But the new approach is a “super-hot” type of nuclear reactor cooled by helium gas, not water, and it would operate at temperatures above 2,000 degrees – about three times as hot as existing reactors. The basic concept of this reactor technology has been known for some time, but advances in material science and the unusual range of applications for such reactors now make them much more attractive.
Like any existing nuclear reactor, the high-temperature nuclear reactors could produce electricity – about 35-50 percent more efficiently than existing approaches. But they also create about half as much radioactive waste, by the nature of their design cannot melt down, and like all nuclear technologies produce no greenhouse gas emissions.
They could be cost-effectively built as small modular reactors, and produce super-heated steam that works well for powering large chemical companies or building complexes. As demand grows for fresh water in arid regions, they could offer a more cost-effective way to desalinate sea water.
And a promising potential is to produce hydrogen that could power the automobiles of the future, using efficient hydrogen fuel cells that leave only electricity and water as their byproducts. There are still obstacles to overcome in hydrogen transportation and storage, but a high-temperature nuclear reactor could directly split water, or H20, into hydrogen and oxygen, without emitting greenhouse gases.
“If they can make the cars, we could use this technology to make the hydrogen,” said Brian Woods, an associate professor of nuclear engineering and director of this project. “One of the biggest attractions of the high-temperature reactors is their versatility, they could be used in so many ways.
“Like any new technology, it will take some time for this to gain acceptance,” Woods said. “But by the middle of this century I could easily see high-temperature nuclear reactors becoming a major player in energy production around the world.”
The test facility now being built at OSU, like some of its previous counterparts in passive safety and small modular reactors, will be used to test high-temperature reactors for safety, and simulate multiple types of accidents. There will be no use of nuclear fuel, with the high temperatures produced by electrical heaters.
“Something that works at a very high temperature might sound more risky, but in fact this type of nuclear reactor technology would be the safest of all,” Woods said. “Everything in the system is designed to withstand extremely high temperatures, and in the event of any system failure, it would simply shut off and slowly cool down.”
The test facility being constructed in the OSU Radiation Center is about six feet wide and 18 feet tall, and will simulate the reactor vessel. In this technology, helium gas is used as the coolant to transfer heat through a steam generator. The system uses special stainless steel and other alloys to handle the extreme heat, and was built by Harris Thermal, Inc., in Newberg, Ore.
Field tests are scheduled to begin in April and continue until summer, 2014. The work is being supported by grants from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The new facility and testing programs will also provide opportunities for OSU graduate assistants and even undergraduate students to gain experience working with some of the newest nuclear power technology, educators said. Research of this type is a key part of a new program just announced, called the Oregon State University Advantage, which boosts educational programs and research with real-world applications.
Boiler Plate: College of Engineering Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Brian Woods, 541-737-6335
Multimedia:
Facility installation
YouTube video:
http://bit.ly/YSs7zo
Downloadable video:
http://bit.ly/XDOPKA
New OSU wheat resists stripe rust, bakes well
CORVALLIS, Ore. – With the baking industry in mind, Oregon State University has developed a higher-yielding soft white winter wheat that's also resistant to the disease stripe rust.
The new cultivar is known as Kaseberg and is ideal for rain-fed and irrigated areas. In field trials, the variety thrived in a number of Pacific Northwest regions, including eastern and western Oregon, southern Idaho and south central Washington.
During two years of testing in Oregon, Kaseberg averaged 136 bushels an acre on land with high rainfall or irrigation – compared with 122 bushels for similar Oregon variety Stephens and 106 for the more recent release Tubbs 06. Under low rainfall conditions, Kaseberg averaged 91 bushels per acre versus 85 for Stephens and 81 for Tubbs 06.
The new variety also resists stripe rust, a fungal disease that can cut yields in half, said Bob Zemetra, OSU's wheat breeder.
"Stripe rust resistance was fairly stable from the 1970s to 1990s,” he said. “Now the disease is changing more frequently, so breeders have to be upgrading resistance constantly."
Kaseberg is also mildly resistant to the disease Septoria, but the cultivar shows susceptibility to strawbreaker footrot, soilborne wheat mosaic virus and crown rot.
OSU researchers developed Kaseberg to appeal to millers and bakers. For cookies and crackers, it's superior to Tubbs 06, Stephens and Madsen because it has weaker gluten and finer flour particles when milled.
"New releases need to equal and surpass the performance of previous varieties,” Zemetra said. “The bar is set higher each time. In breeding we deal with three customers: the farmer, the miller and the baker. We aim to fit the needs of all three."
The new cultivar is named after the Kaseberg family, longtime eastern Oregon wheat growers who have been major contributors to the Oregon wheat industry, held leadership roles in the Agricultural Research Foundation and the Oregon Wheat League, and have allowed OSU to use their land to develop varieties for many years.
This year, OSU is also releasing another new cultivar known as Ladd. The new soft white winter wheat cultivar is the first produced in the Pacific Northwest resistant to soilborne wheat mosaic virus.
The variety is targeted toward irrigated areas in Oregon and central Washington where the virus has recently been found to thrive. Ladd is also resistant to strawbreaker foot rot and is moderately resistant to stripe rust.
The variety is named for Sheldon Ladd, the head of OSU's Department of Crop and Soil Science from 1985 to 2000.
Creating a new variety of wheat can take more than a decade. Even after that, breeders need an additional three years to generate enough seed for farmers.
Both new varieties are open cultivar releases from Oregon State University and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Registered seed of both varieties and a small amount of certified seed of Kaseberg will be available this fall.
More than 980,000 acres of wheat were harvested in Oregon in 2011, with gross sales exceeding $520 million, according to a report by OSU Extension.
Boiler Plate: Generic OSU Boiler Plate Media Contact: Daniel Robison Source:Bob Zemetra, 541-737-4278
Multimedia:
Oregon State University's new wheat called Kaseberg resists stripe rust, a fungal disease that can cut yields in half. (Photo by Tiffany Woods.)
New OSU wheat resists stripe rust, bakes well
CORVALLIS, Ore. – With the baking industry in mind, Oregon State University has developed a higher-yielding soft white winter wheat that's also resistant to the disease stripe rust.
The new cultivar is known as Kaseberg and is ideal for rain-fed and irrigated areas. In field trials, the variety thrived in a number of Pacific Northwest regions, including eastern and western Oregon, southern Idaho and south central Washington.
During two years of testing in Oregon, Kaseberg averaged 136 bushels an acre on land with high rainfall or irrigation – compared with 122 bushels for similar Oregon variety Stephens and 106 for the more recent release Tubbs 06. Under low rainfall conditions, Kaseberg averaged 91 bushels per acre versus 85 for Stephens and 81 for Tubbs 06.
The new variety also resists stripe rust, a fungal disease that can cut yields in half, said Bob Zemetra, OSU's wheat breeder.
"Stripe rust resistance was fairly stable from the 1970s to 1990s,” he said. “Now the disease is changing more frequently, so breeders have to be upgrading resistance constantly."
Kaseberg is also mildly resistant to the disease Septoria, but the cultivar shows susceptibility to strawbreaker footrot, soilborne wheat mosaic virus and crown rot.
OSU researchers developed Kaseberg to appeal to millers and bakers. For cookies and crackers, it's superior to Tubbs 06, Stephens and Madsen because it has weaker gluten and finer flour particles when milled.
"New releases need to equal and surpass the performance of previous varieties,” Zemetra said. “The bar is set higher each time. In breeding we deal with three customers: the farmer, the miller and the baker. We aim to fit the needs of all three."
The new cultivar is named after the Kaseberg family, longtime eastern Oregon wheat growers who have been major contributors to the Oregon wheat industry, held leadership roles in the Agricultural Research Foundation and the Oregon Wheat League, and have allowed OSU to use their land to develop varieties for many years.
This year, OSU is also releasing another new cultivar known as Ladd. The new soft white winter wheat cultivar is the first produced in the Pacific Northwest resistant to soilborne wheat mosaic virus.
The variety is targeted toward irrigated areas in Oregon and central Washington where the virus has recently been found to thrive. Ladd is also resistant to strawbreaker foot rot and is moderately resistant to stripe rust.
The variety is named for Sheldon Ladd, the head of OSU's Department of Crop and Soil Science from 1985 to 2000.
Creating a new variety of wheat can take more than a decade. Even after that, breeders need an additional three years to generate enough seed for farmers.
Both new varieties are open cultivar releases from Oregon State University and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Registered seed of both varieties and a small amount of certified seed of Kaseberg will be available this fall.
More than 980,000 acres of wheat were harvested in Oregon in 2011, with gross sales exceeding $520 million, according to a report by OSU Extension.
Boiler Plate: Generic OSU Boiler Plate Media Contact: Daniel Robison Source:Bob Zemetra, 541-737-4278
Multimedia:
Oregon State University's new wheat called Kaseberg resists stripe rust, a fungal disease that can cut yields in half. (Photo by Tiffany Woods.)
Ecampus ranked fourth in nation among public research universities
OSU's distance education program has been ranked fourth best in the nation among public research universities, and is continuing to grow and expand its offerings.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Ecampus program at Oregon State University has been ranked as the fourth best distance education program in the nation among public research universities, the best program of its type in Oregon, and eighth among all schools, both public and private.
The rankings of “Best Online Colleges and Universities in 2013” were made by SuperScholar Smart Choice, based on academic quality, strength of programs, student satisfaction, prestige and other factors. The prior year, this organization ranked OSU Ecampus as ninth best in the nation among all schools.
“Ecampus is regarded as one of the nation’s best providers of online education,” said Lisa Templeton, executive director of the program.
“Our degree programs and outstanding faculty teach courses that meet the needs of learners around the world,” Templeton said. “Our mission is to provide students with access to a high-quality OSU education no matter where they live.”
As it moved even higher in the rankings last year, OSU Ecampus added several bachelor’s degree programs - in German and psychology, and a novel, faster-paced program in computer science open to students who already have a college degree in another field. Also added were a master’s degree in counseling and a graduate certificate in public health.
“This computer science degree, which focuses on software engineering, databases, and web programming, is truly innovative,” said Terri Fiez, head of the OSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
“Employers are looking for people with computer skills that can be applied to a variety of fields,” Fiez said. “A student today who already has an undergraduate degree can get a second degree, online, in as little as one year. For example, by pairing a degree in psychology, a graduate will be prepared for a computing job involving ways to make computers and computer programs easier for people to use.”
Ecampus now has 33 undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs online, which offer hundreds of courses in dozens of subjects. It has grown steadily since its inception, as distance education offers new options that are not bound by place, time, or other conventional constraints on higher education. New technologies and teaching methods are also making distance education more effective than ever, educators say.
“OSU has long been recognized as top-tier in the sciences by online university rankings, especially in agricultural and environmental sciences,” the SuperScholar organization wrote in their analysis. “The university has also built up its online liberal arts programs, and today offers highly acclaimed online degrees in numerous disciplines.”
Only regionally accredited online colleges and universities were considered in the SuperScholar rankings.
Boiler Plate: Ecampus Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Lisa Templeton, 541-737-1279
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Promote to the OSU home pageEcampus ranked fourth in nation among public research universities
OSU's distance education program has been ranked fourth best in the nation among public research universities, and is continuing to grow and expand its offerings.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Ecampus program at Oregon State University has been ranked as the fourth best distance education program in the nation among public research universities, the best program of its type in Oregon, and eighth among all schools, both public and private.
The rankings of “Best Online Colleges and Universities in 2013” were made by SuperScholar Smart Choice, based on academic quality, strength of programs, student satisfaction, prestige and other factors. The prior year, this organization ranked OSU Ecampus as ninth best in the nation among all schools.
“Ecampus is regarded as one of the nation’s best providers of online education,” said Lisa Templeton, executive director of the program.
“Our degree programs and outstanding faculty teach courses that meet the needs of learners around the world,” Templeton said. “Our mission is to provide students with access to a high-quality OSU education no matter where they live.”
As it moved even higher in the rankings last year, OSU Ecampus added several bachelor’s degree programs - in German and psychology, and a novel, faster-paced program in computer science open to students who already have a college degree in another field. Also added were a master’s degree in counseling and a graduate certificate in public health.
“This computer science degree, which focuses on software engineering, databases, and web programming, is truly innovative,” said Terri Fiez, head of the OSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
“Employers are looking for people with computer skills that can be applied to a variety of fields,” Fiez said. “A student today who already has an undergraduate degree can get a second degree, online, in as little as one year. For example, by pairing a degree in psychology, a graduate will be prepared for a computing job involving ways to make computers and computer programs easier for people to use.”
Ecampus now has 33 undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs online, which offer hundreds of courses in dozens of subjects. It has grown steadily since its inception, as distance education offers new options that are not bound by place, time, or other conventional constraints on higher education. New technologies and teaching methods are also making distance education more effective than ever, educators say.
“OSU has long been recognized as top-tier in the sciences by online university rankings, especially in agricultural and environmental sciences,” the SuperScholar organization wrote in their analysis. “The university has also built up its online liberal arts programs, and today offers highly acclaimed online degrees in numerous disciplines.”
Only regionally accredited online colleges and universities were considered in the SuperScholar rankings.
Boiler Plate: Ecampus Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Lisa Templeton, 541-737-1279
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Promote to the OSU home pageAuditions held Feb. 18-19 for “The Misanthrope”
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University Theatre will hold open auditions for the spring comedy “The Misanthrope ,” on Feb. 18 and 19 at 6:30 p.m., and callbacks on Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m., on the Withycombe Hall main stage, 30th and Campus Way.
Auditions are open to all OSU students, faculty, staff, and Corvallis community members. Scripts will be available for check out in the OSU Theatre Main Office.
“The Misanthrope” is one of the best of Molière's comedies — focusing on the absurdities of social and literary pretension, and on a man who is quick to criticize the faults of others, yet remains blind to his own. This comedy of manners, which satirizes the customs, attitudes, and activities of the fashionable upper classes, utilizes witty dialogue and comic situations which reveal hypocrisy, deceit, excessive pride, and other moral shortcomings.
There are roles for seven men and four women in the play. For more information, contact the director, Tinamarie Ivey at Tinamarie.Ivey@Linnbenton.edu
Boiler Plate: College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageAuditions held Feb. 18-19 for “The Misanthrope”
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University Theatre will hold open auditions for the spring comedy “The Misanthrope ,” on Feb. 18 and 19 at 6:30 p.m., and callbacks on Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m., on the Withycombe Hall main stage, 30th and Campus Way.
Auditions are open to all OSU students, faculty, staff, and Corvallis community members. Scripts will be available for check out in the OSU Theatre Main Office.
“The Misanthrope” is one of the best of Molière's comedies — focusing on the absurdities of social and literary pretension, and on a man who is quick to criticize the faults of others, yet remains blind to his own. This comedy of manners, which satirizes the customs, attitudes, and activities of the fashionable upper classes, utilizes witty dialogue and comic situations which reveal hypocrisy, deceit, excessive pride, and other moral shortcomings.
There are roles for seven men and four women in the play. For more information, contact the director, Tinamarie Ivey at Tinamarie.Ivey@Linnbenton.edu
Boiler Plate: College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageOSU study: Salmon may use magnetic field as a navigational aid
A new study led by an OSU post-doctoral researcher suggests that salmon may use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate their way across the ocean and get close to their river of origin.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – The mystery of how salmon navigate across thousands of miles of open ocean to locate their river of origin before journeying upstream to spawn has intrigued biologists for decades, and now a new study may offer a clue to the fishes’ homing strategy.
In the study, scientists examined 56 years of fisheries data documenting the return of sockeye salmon to the Fraser River in British Columbia – and the route they chose around Vancouver Island showed a correlation with changes in the intensity of the geomagnetic field.
Results of the study, which was supported by Oregon Sea Grant and the National Science Foundation, were published this week in the journal Current Biology.
“What we think happens is that when salmon leave the river system as juveniles and enter the ocean, they imprint the magnetic field – logging it in as a waypoint,” said Nathan Putman, a post-doctoral researcher at Oregon State University and lead author on the study. “It serves as a proxy for geographic location when they return as adults. It gets them close to their river system and then other, finer cues may take over.”
Earth has a predictable, consistent geomagnetic field that weakens as you move from the poles toward the equator. The magnetic North Pole has an intensity gradient of roughly 58 microtesla, while the equator is about 24 microtesla.
Salmon originating from Oregon that have spent two to four years in the northern Pacific Ocean off Canada or Alaska would return as adults, the scientists speculate, journeying southward off the coast until they reached a magnetic field intensity similar to that of their youth.
“That should get them to within 50 to 100 kilometers of their own river system and then olfactory cues or some other sense kicks on,” said Putman, who conducts research in OSU’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Vancouver Island provides a natural laboratory for the study of salmon, the researchers point out. Salmon returning to the Fraser River must detour around the massive island to reach the mouth of the river, choosing a southern or northern route. In their study, the scientists found that the “drift” of the geomagnetic field correlated with which route the salmon chose.
When the normal intensity level for the Fraser River shifted to the north, the sockeye were more likely to choose a northern route for their return. When the field shifted slightly south, they chose a southern route.
This “field drift” accounted for about 16 percent of the variation in the migration route, Putman said, while variations in sea surface temperatures accounted for 22 percent. The interactive effect between these two variables accounted for an additional 28 percent of the variation in the migration route.
“Salmon are a cold-water fish, and all things being equal, they prefer cold water,” said Putman, who earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “But the fact that they also demonstrate geomagnetic fidelity in choosing a route shows that this could be a major instrument in their biological toolbox to guide their way home.”
Putman said that his previous studies of the Columbia River have shown that the magnetic intensity shifts less than 30 kilometers in either direction over a period of three years, which is about the length of time many salmon spend in the ocean.
“Salmon have to get it right because they only have one chance to make it back to their home river,” Putman said, “so it makes sense that they may have more than one way to get there. The magnetic field is amazingly consistent, so that is a strategy that can withstand the test of time. But they may also use the sun as a compass, track waves breaking on the beach through infrasound, and use smell.”
Putman and OSU fisheries biologist David Noakes plan to follow through with experiments on varying the magnetic field for salmon in a laboratory setting, using the Oregon Hatchery Research Center in Oregon’s Alsea River basin.
Other authors on the study include Kenneth Lohmann, University of North Carolina; Emily Putman, an independent researcher; Thomas Quinn, University of Washington; A. Peter Klimley, University of California, Davis; and David Noakes, Oregon State University.
Boiler Plate: College of Agricultural Sciences Media Contact: Mark Floyd Source:Nathan Putman, 205-218-5276
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Promote to the OSU home pageOSU study: Salmon may use magnetic field as a navigational aid
A new study led by an OSU post-doctoral researcher suggests that salmon may use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate their way across the ocean and get close to their river of origin.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – The mystery of how salmon navigate across thousands of miles of open ocean to locate their river of origin before journeying upstream to spawn has intrigued biologists for decades, and now a new study may offer a clue to the fishes’ homing strategy.
In the study, scientists examined 56 years of fisheries data documenting the return of sockeye salmon to the Fraser River in British Columbia – and the route they chose around Vancouver Island showed a correlation with changes in the intensity of the geomagnetic field.
Results of the study, which was supported by Oregon Sea Grant and the National Science Foundation, were published this week in the journal Current Biology.
“What we think happens is that when salmon leave the river system as juveniles and enter the ocean, they imprint the magnetic field – logging it in as a waypoint,” said Nathan Putman, a post-doctoral researcher at Oregon State University and lead author on the study. “It serves as a proxy for geographic location when they return as adults. It gets them close to their river system and then other, finer cues may take over.”
Earth has a predictable, consistent geomagnetic field that weakens as you move from the poles toward the equator. The magnetic North Pole has an intensity gradient of roughly 58 microtesla, while the equator is about 24 microtesla.
Salmon originating from Oregon that have spent two to four years in the northern Pacific Ocean off Canada or Alaska would return as adults, the scientists speculate, journeying southward off the coast until they reached a magnetic field intensity similar to that of their youth.
“That should get them to within 50 to 100 kilometers of their own river system and then olfactory cues or some other sense kicks on,” said Putman, who conducts research in OSU’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Vancouver Island provides a natural laboratory for the study of salmon, the researchers point out. Salmon returning to the Fraser River must detour around the massive island to reach the mouth of the river, choosing a southern or northern route. In their study, the scientists found that the “drift” of the geomagnetic field correlated with which route the salmon chose.
When the normal intensity level for the Fraser River shifted to the north, the sockeye were more likely to choose a northern route for their return. When the field shifted slightly south, they chose a southern route.
This “field drift” accounted for about 16 percent of the variation in the migration route, Putman said, while variations in sea surface temperatures accounted for 22 percent. The interactive effect between these two variables accounted for an additional 28 percent of the variation in the migration route.
“Salmon are a cold-water fish, and all things being equal, they prefer cold water,” said Putman, who earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “But the fact that they also demonstrate geomagnetic fidelity in choosing a route shows that this could be a major instrument in their biological toolbox to guide their way home.”
Putman said that his previous studies of the Columbia River have shown that the magnetic intensity shifts less than 30 kilometers in either direction over a period of three years, which is about the length of time many salmon spend in the ocean.
“Salmon have to get it right because they only have one chance to make it back to their home river,” Putman said, “so it makes sense that they may have more than one way to get there. The magnetic field is amazingly consistent, so that is a strategy that can withstand the test of time. But they may also use the sun as a compass, track waves breaking on the beach through infrasound, and use smell.”
Putman and OSU fisheries biologist David Noakes plan to follow through with experiments on varying the magnetic field for salmon in a laboratory setting, using the Oregon Hatchery Research Center in Oregon’s Alsea River basin.
Other authors on the study include Kenneth Lohmann, University of North Carolina; Emily Putman, an independent researcher; Thomas Quinn, University of Washington; A. Peter Klimley, University of California, Davis; and David Noakes, Oregon State University.
Boiler Plate: College of Agricultural Sciences Media Contact: Mark Floyd Source:Nathan Putman, 205-218-5276
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Promote to the OSU home pageSpoken word artist performs at OSU on Feb. 22
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nationally-recognized poetry slam and spoken-word artist Myrlin Hepworth will perform on Friday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m., in the Memorial Union Journey Room on the Oregon State University campus.
Hepworth has written and performed his poetry across the United States. In 2009, the Arizona Commission on the Arts selected him for its roster of teaching artists. In 2010 he became the first undergraduate teaching artist for the Young Writers Program at Arizona State University.
In addition to visiting nearly 30 high schools each year, Hepworth performs at universities, youth centers, group homes, museums, and theaters. He has competed on three National Poetry Slam teams and co-founded and coached the Phoenix youth team to consecutive appearances at the Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam. He is the author of “From the Rooftops.”
The Roger Weaver Poetry Activities Fund, along with the School of Writing, Literature, and Film, presents this event annually.
Boiler Plate: College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Heather Brown, 719-232-1485
Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageSpoken word artist performs at OSU on Feb. 22
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nationally-recognized poetry slam and spoken-word artist Myrlin Hepworth will perform on Friday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m., in the Memorial Union Journey Room on the Oregon State University campus.
Hepworth has written and performed his poetry across the United States. In 2009, the Arizona Commission on the Arts selected him for its roster of teaching artists. In 2010 he became the first undergraduate teaching artist for the Young Writers Program at Arizona State University.
In addition to visiting nearly 30 high schools each year, Hepworth performs at universities, youth centers, group homes, museums, and theaters. He has competed on three National Poetry Slam teams and co-founded and coached the Phoenix youth team to consecutive appearances at the Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam. He is the author of “From the Rooftops.”
The Roger Weaver Poetry Activities Fund, along with the School of Writing, Literature, and Film, presents this event annually.
Boiler Plate: College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Heather Brown, 719-232-1485
Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageOSU’s Weatherford Awards, celebrating entrepreneurs and innovation, held Feb. 21
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon’s first woman governor, a groundbreaking heart surgeon, a dynamic chief executive and innovative tech startup founders are among the recipients of this year’s Weatherford Awards, Oregon State University’s annual celebration of entrepreneurs and innovators.
The awards will be held Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower.
Hosted by OSU’s Austin Entrepreneurship Program, the event starts at 5:30 p.m. with a reception, followed by a dinner and the award presentations. Tickets are $95, available until sold out, and can be obtained at http://business.oregonstate.edu/programs/aep or by contacting Mary McKillop, 541-713-8044 or mary.mckillop@bus.oregonstate.edu.
The awards are named for OSU's Weatherford Hall, where entrepreneurship and business students can explore their innovations and new venture ideas in a unique, living-learning residence hall. Traditionally, the awards have been given to entrepreneurs and innovators later in their career. This year, for the first time, a trio of young entrepreneurs and Oregon State alumni are being honored as well.
The recipients of the 2013 Weatherford Awards are:
- Don Robert, an Oregon State alumnus and the chief executive officer with worldwide responsibility for global information services company Experian. Previously CEO of Experian North America, Robert started his career at US Bank, and joined Experian from The First American Corporation in 2001. From 1995 to 2001, he held positions with First American and before that served as president at Credco, Inc.
- Gov. Barbara Roberts, a fourth-generation Oregonian and the first woman elected as governor of Oregon. In 1985 she was elected Oregon’s Secretary of State and in 1991 she became governor. After her term she served as director of the State and Local Government Executive Programs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, held a senior fellowship at the Harvard Women and Public Policy Program, and served on the Metro Council in Portland.
- Dr. Albert Starr, co-inventor of the world’s first successful artificial heart valve. Dr. Starr joined Oregon Health and Science University in 1957 and led OHSU’s heart surgery program from then until 1964. In 1960, he and engineer M. Lowell Edwards invented the Starr-Edwards heart valve. He now serves as the Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine in the School of Medicine. Last fall, he was appointed to co-lead the OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Center.
- Alex Polvi, Dan Di Spaltro, Logan Welliver, the trio of Oregon State alumni who co-founded Cloudkick. The group was part of the 2009 Y Combinator startup incubator, which provided the support needed to launch Cloudkick. The company, which provides cloud server monitoring and management tools, was acquired by Rackspace Hosting in December 2010.
Jenn Casey, 541-737-0695
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageOSU’s Weatherford Awards, celebrating entrepreneurs and innovation, held Feb. 21
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon’s first woman governor, a groundbreaking heart surgeon, a dynamic chief executive and innovative tech startup founders are among the recipients of this year’s Weatherford Awards, Oregon State University’s annual celebration of entrepreneurs and innovators.
The awards will be held Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower.
Hosted by OSU’s Austin Entrepreneurship Program, the event starts at 5:30 p.m. with a reception, followed by a dinner and the award presentations. Tickets are $95, available until sold out, and can be obtained at http://business.oregonstate.edu/programs/aep or by contacting Mary McKillop, 541-713-8044 or mary.mckillop@bus.oregonstate.edu.
The awards are named for OSU's Weatherford Hall, where entrepreneurship and business students can explore their innovations and new venture ideas in a unique, living-learning residence hall. Traditionally, the awards have been given to entrepreneurs and innovators later in their career. This year, for the first time, a trio of young entrepreneurs and Oregon State alumni are being honored as well.
The recipients of the 2013 Weatherford Awards are:
- Don Robert, an Oregon State alumnus and the chief executive officer with worldwide responsibility for global information services company Experian. Previously CEO of Experian North America, Robert started his career at US Bank, and joined Experian from The First American Corporation in 2001. From 1995 to 2001, he held positions with First American and before that served as president at Credco, Inc.
- Gov. Barbara Roberts, a fourth-generation Oregonian and the first woman elected as governor of Oregon. In 1985 she was elected Oregon’s Secretary of State and in 1991 she became governor. After her term she served as director of the State and Local Government Executive Programs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, held a senior fellowship at the Harvard Women and Public Policy Program, and served on the Metro Council in Portland.
- Dr. Albert Starr, co-inventor of the world’s first successful artificial heart valve. Dr. Starr joined Oregon Health and Science University in 1957 and led OHSU’s heart surgery program from then until 1964. In 1960, he and engineer M. Lowell Edwards invented the Starr-Edwards heart valve. He now serves as the Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine in the School of Medicine. Last fall, he was appointed to co-lead the OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Center.
- Alex Polvi, Dan Di Spaltro, Logan Welliver, the trio of Oregon State alumni who co-founded Cloudkick. The group was part of the 2009 Y Combinator startup incubator, which provided the support needed to launch Cloudkick. The company, which provides cloud server monitoring and management tools, was acquired by Rackspace Hosting in December 2010.
Jenn Casey, 541-737-0695
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageVisiting poet to read from her work on Feb. 15
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Visiting poet Paisley Rekdal will read from her work at Oregon State University’s Memorial Union Journey Room on Friday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 pm, with a book signing to follow.
Rekdal is the author of the poetry collections “A Crash of Rhinos”, “Six Girls Without Pants”, and “The Invention of the Kaleidoscope,” as well as the book of essays “The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee: Observations on Not Fitting In”.
In reviewing “The Invention of the Kaleidoscope” for Barn Owl Review, Jay Robinson observed that it’s “the razor’s edge that always accompanies eros that makes the poems of Paisley Rekdal fresh, intense and ultimately irresistible.” Rekdal’s work grapples with issues of race, sexuality, myth, and identity while often referencing contemporary culture.
Rekdal has been honored with a National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, a Village Voice Writers on the Verge Award, and a Fulbright Fellowship to South Korea. Her work has been included in numerous anthologies, including Legitimate Dangers: American Poets of the New Century and the 2010 Pushcart Prize Anthology.
The Visiting Writers Series brings six nationally-known writers to campus each year and is made possible by support from The Valley Library, the OSU School of Writing, Literature, and Film, the Office of the Provost, the College of Liberal Arts, Kathy Brisker and Tim Steele, and the OSU Beaver Store.
Boiler Plate: College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Heather Brown, 719-232-1485
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageVisiting poet to read from her work on Feb. 15
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Visiting poet Paisley Rekdal will read from her work at Oregon State University’s Memorial Union Journey Room on Friday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 pm, with a book signing to follow.
Rekdal is the author of the poetry collections “A Crash of Rhinos”, “Six Girls Without Pants”, and “The Invention of the Kaleidoscope,” as well as the book of essays “The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee: Observations on Not Fitting In”.
In reviewing “The Invention of the Kaleidoscope” for Barn Owl Review, Jay Robinson observed that it’s “the razor’s edge that always accompanies eros that makes the poems of Paisley Rekdal fresh, intense and ultimately irresistible.” Rekdal’s work grapples with issues of race, sexuality, myth, and identity while often referencing contemporary culture.
Rekdal has been honored with a National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, a Village Voice Writers on the Verge Award, and a Fulbright Fellowship to South Korea. Her work has been included in numerous anthologies, including Legitimate Dangers: American Poets of the New Century and the 2010 Pushcart Prize Anthology.
The Visiting Writers Series brings six nationally-known writers to campus each year and is made possible by support from The Valley Library, the OSU School of Writing, Literature, and Film, the Office of the Provost, the College of Liberal Arts, Kathy Brisker and Tim Steele, and the OSU Beaver Store.
Boiler Plate: College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Heather Brown, 719-232-1485
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageSome omega-3 oils better than others for protection against liver disease
Some omega-3 fatty acids work better than others to protect against liver disease, a problem that's rapidly getting worse as more people become overweight or obese.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – Research at Oregon State University has found that one particular omega-3 fatty acid has a powerful effect in preventing liver inflammation and fibrosis – common problems that are steadily rising along with the number of Americans who are overweight.
The American Liver Foundation has estimated that about 25 percent of the nation’s population, and 75 percent of those who are obese, have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This early-stage health condition can sometimes progress to more serious, even fatal diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, as well as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The study, published online in the Journal of Nutrition, was one of the first to directly compare the effects of two of the omega-3 fatty acids often cited for their nutritional value, DHA and EPA.
In research with laboratory animals, it found that EPA had comparatively little effect on preventing the fibrosis, or scarring, that’s associated with NASH. However, DHA supplementation reduced the proteins involved in liver fibrosis by more than 65 percent.
“A reduction of that magnitude in the actual scarring and damage to the liver is very important,” said Donald Jump, a principal investigator with the Linus Pauling Institute at OSU and a professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences.
“Many clinical trials are being done with omega-3 fatty acids related to liver disease,” Jump said. “Our studies may represent the first to specifically compare the capacity of EPA versus DHA to prevent NASH. It appears that DHA, which can also be converted to EPA in the human body, is one of the most valuable for this purpose.”
The issues have taken center stage as the weight of Americans continues to rise, with a related increase in the incidence of fatty liver disease and liver damage.
NASH is a progressive form of liver disease that is associated with chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting from excess fat storage in the liver. Chronic inflammation can eventually lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer. While management of lifestyle, including weight loss and exercise, is one approach to control the onset and progression of fatty liver disease, other approaches are needed to prevent and treat it.
About 30-40 percent of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progress to NASH, which in turn can result in cirrhosis, a major risk factor for liver cancer. While this research studied the prevention of fatty liver disease, Jump said, ongoing studies are examining the capacity of DHA to be used in NASH therapy.
The levels of omega-3 oils needed vary with the health concern, officials say.
“Omega-3 fatty acids are typically recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease,” Jump said. “Recommended intake levels of omega-3 fatty acids in humans for disease prevention are around 200-500 milligrams of combined DHA and EPA per day.”
Levels used in therapy to lower blood triglycerides, also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, are higher, about 2-4 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day. The OSU studies with mice used DHA at levels comparable to the triglyceride therapies.
“DHA was more effective than EPA at attenuating inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis and hepatic damage,” the researchers wrote in their conclusion. “Based on these results, DHA may be a more attractive dietary supplement than EPA for the prevention and potential treatment of NASH in obese humans.”
This work was the result of a four-year study supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as well as the National Institutes of Health. Co-authors on the paper included Christopher M. Depner and Kenneth A. Philbrick, both graduate students in the Nutrition Graduate Program at OSU.
Boiler Plate: College of Public Health and Human Sciences Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Donald Jump, 541-737-4007
Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageSome omega-3 oils better than others for protection against liver disease
Some omega-3 fatty acids work better than others to protect against liver disease, a problem that's rapidly getting worse as more people become overweight or obese.
Body:CORVALLIS, Ore. – Research at Oregon State University has found that one particular omega-3 fatty acid has a powerful effect in preventing liver inflammation and fibrosis – common problems that are steadily rising along with the number of Americans who are overweight.
The American Liver Foundation has estimated that about 25 percent of the nation’s population, and 75 percent of those who are obese, have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This early-stage health condition can sometimes progress to more serious, even fatal diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, as well as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The study, published online in the Journal of Nutrition, was one of the first to directly compare the effects of two of the omega-3 fatty acids often cited for their nutritional value, DHA and EPA.
In research with laboratory animals, it found that EPA had comparatively little effect on preventing the fibrosis, or scarring, that’s associated with NASH. However, DHA supplementation reduced the proteins involved in liver fibrosis by more than 65 percent.
“A reduction of that magnitude in the actual scarring and damage to the liver is very important,” said Donald Jump, a principal investigator with the Linus Pauling Institute at OSU and a professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences.
“Many clinical trials are being done with omega-3 fatty acids related to liver disease,” Jump said. “Our studies may represent the first to specifically compare the capacity of EPA versus DHA to prevent NASH. It appears that DHA, which can also be converted to EPA in the human body, is one of the most valuable for this purpose.”
The issues have taken center stage as the weight of Americans continues to rise, with a related increase in the incidence of fatty liver disease and liver damage.
NASH is a progressive form of liver disease that is associated with chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting from excess fat storage in the liver. Chronic inflammation can eventually lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer. While management of lifestyle, including weight loss and exercise, is one approach to control the onset and progression of fatty liver disease, other approaches are needed to prevent and treat it.
About 30-40 percent of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progress to NASH, which in turn can result in cirrhosis, a major risk factor for liver cancer. While this research studied the prevention of fatty liver disease, Jump said, ongoing studies are examining the capacity of DHA to be used in NASH therapy.
The levels of omega-3 oils needed vary with the health concern, officials say.
“Omega-3 fatty acids are typically recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease,” Jump said. “Recommended intake levels of omega-3 fatty acids in humans for disease prevention are around 200-500 milligrams of combined DHA and EPA per day.”
Levels used in therapy to lower blood triglycerides, also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, are higher, about 2-4 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day. The OSU studies with mice used DHA at levels comparable to the triglyceride therapies.
“DHA was more effective than EPA at attenuating inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis and hepatic damage,” the researchers wrote in their conclusion. “Based on these results, DHA may be a more attractive dietary supplement than EPA for the prevention and potential treatment of NASH in obese humans.”
This work was the result of a four-year study supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as well as the National Institutes of Health. Co-authors on the paper included Christopher M. Depner and Kenneth A. Philbrick, both graduate students in the Nutrition Graduate Program at OSU.
Boiler Plate: College of Public Health and Human Sciences Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Donald Jump, 541-737-4007
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