Local

LPAI in two Minnesotan flocks

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has identified H5N2 low pathogenic avian influenza in a two commercial turkey flocks in Stearns County and Kandiyohi County. Even though the strain carries the same identifier, H5N2 than the virus that caused the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in the Midwest in 2015, it is a different strain.

The infections were identified through routine pre-market influenza testing. Testing was done at the Minnesota Poultry Testing Laboratory in Willmar and initial positive results were then confirmed by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. The flocks were quarantined after receiving confirmed results.

H5N2 LPAI does not pose a risk to the public and there is no food safety concern for consumers. Poultry producers are asked to maintain strong biosecurity practices at their facilities to isolate their flocks from outside sources of infection.

Minnesota Board of Animal Health; Stearns County case
Minnesota Board of Animal Health; Kandiyohi County case

National

Midterms to impact your health

Health care is one of the top issues in this election and for a good reason. New data has showed that US life expectancy has declined for three years in a row. The U.S. average life expectancy is behind other developed nations, and according to CDC drugs, alcohol and suicide are driving the drop with circulatory and digestive diseases close behind. According to the NCSL’s Statewide Ballot Measures Database there are 24 health related initiatives and referendums up for vote today, ranging from abortion policy amendments to wastewater infrastructure bonds.

The big four issues at stake are the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, abortion rights and Marijuana. Three states are considering measures that could restrict or limit access to abortion (West Virginia, Oregon and Alabama) and number of states are considering legalising Marijuana (Michigan,North Dakota, Missouri and Utah). Four ballot initiatives and several governor’s races could expanse medicaid under the ACA.

The outcomes of these critical health races are bound to have a major impact. Your vote will matter.

TheBMJ
National Conference of State Legislature

Global

Food produced from electricity

The idea of using electricity, instead of photosynthesis, to convert sunlight into food sounds a lot like a sci-fi storyline. Incredibly, there’s a laboratory in Finland that has done exactly that: created protein from electricity. This work is part of a Finnish Neo-Carbon Energy research project that is aiming to develop a completely renewable and emission-free energy system.

They use electricity from solar panels to electrolyse water, producing hydrogen, which feeds bacteria that turn it back into water. Unlike other forms of microbial protein, these fella require no carbohydrate feedstock – in other words, no plants. According to estimates by the researchers, this process can be nearly 10 times as energy-efficient as common photosynthesis. There’s some critics out there though, saying it might not be a magic bullet but rather magical thinking.

It remains to be seen if this form of protein production can truly be made a viable commercial food source. One thing, however, is sure: this is just one of the out of the box examples that the many bright minds around the world are coming up with to solve our grand challenges. I’ve got a feeling that some of them will succeed.

LUT University
NEO Carbon Energy

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