Most of us (I'll speak for us women) aren't necessarily proud of our farts. A new study shows that we should be, male or female. According to the article, "Got Gas? It Could Mean You've Got Healthy Gut Microbes" having up to 18 passes of gas a day is normal and healthy. "Eating foods that cause gas is the only way for the microbes in the gut to get nutrients," says Purna Kashya, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  Michaeleen Doucleff, who is the author of "Got Gas? It Could Mean You've Got Healthy Gut Microbes" does a great job of presenting the facts of the study in a way that 'average level science brains' like me can understand. Doucleff discusses how gassy foods like broccoli, beans, and cabbage feed our gut microbes. "All these microbes are gas-making fools. They eat up unused food in your large intestine, like fiber and other carbohydrates we don't digest, and churn out a bunch of gases as waste," says Doucleff. Of course, too much gas could be signs of something more serious - but all in moderation is a good sign. Doucleff uses quotes from a credible source, like the one I used above. Doucleff incorporates a combination of the ethos and logos elements using trustworthiness and facts throughout her article.
I really enjoyed reading this article. I think it was presented really well and all of the proper information was set forth. As I have with my other articles, I don't exactly feel the need to say that I hope more research is done on the subject. I think this study is interesting by all means, but doesn't depend on the well being of the human race. Regardless, I still enjoyed blogging about gassy microbes! 

It's been known for some time that our gut microbes differ depending on what we eat. Researchers are surprised to find out when the gut microbes of the Hazda tribe are drastically different from anything they've ever seen.
This week I am going to base my blog on the article, "The Surprising Gut Microbes of African Hunter-Gatherers" by Nick Stockton. Stockton presents the facts about the study without sounding bias or as if he is giving his own opinion. He uses quotes from scholarly microbiologists and a nutritional anthropologist implementing the ethos rhetorical element into his work. By using credible sources and siting their credentials in his paper (ie. "said co-author Alyssa Crittenden, a nutritional anthropologist from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.") this makes Stockton's article more convincing and trustworthy. When deciding which article to blog about every week, I tend to leave behind the ones that don't have any quotes from credible sources or sources at all, for that matter; they just aren't reliable!
Another way Stockton incorporates ethos into this article is by presenting a study done on the Hazda tribe gut microbes. "To study the difference between the ancient and modern gut, researchers analyzed stool samples from 16 Italian urbanites and 27 Hadza foragers, of both genders." The reader is then presented with the picture I placed below, which I found very helpful; pictures are always beneficial to the reader when writing an essay or an article!

 

Stockton presents the study in a way that somebody who 'Isn't even close to being a scientist but is still interested in microbes' can still understand (like me.)
Throughout my blogging career (about 3/4 of a semester) I've learned a lot about gut microbes. My all-time favorite microbe fact so far is that there are six pounds of microbes in our gut alone... more or less! I think there is a lot to learn about the microbes in our gut and they can tell us a lot about our bodies and human life as a whole!

Say "Yummy" to Old Milk!

Imagine if the milk you bought six months ago was still drinkable? Professor and Agricultural Experiment Station researcher, Sanjev Anand, has "begun developing ways to combat heat-resistant microorganisms." According to the article "Diary Scientist Targets Heat-Resistant Microbes" drinking that six-month-old milk may be a safe possibility in the near future.
This was one of my favorite articles to read since I have began blogging about microbes. The way the information presented in the article was as if the author knew exactly what questions to answer at each point in the article. One thing I did find a little odd was that the name of the author was not presented on the website, www.phys.org. Why the name is not there I am unsure; regardless, this was a very well presented article.The article presents the facts of the experiment and which steps were executed to make the research successful.
Obvious to some, bacteria is what makes milk and other dairy products spoil. Dairy farmers pasteurize their product to get rid of harmful bacteria and microbes but some are able to survive it - otherwise known as the thermophiles. Thermophiles form spores to protect themselves from heat and makes them, "trickier to activate" as claimed by Anand.
While this information may be new to some of us, Anand and his team of eighteen students have been doing similar research on the topic for over five years. Like I say in majority of my blogs, there is much more research to be executed to perfect the theory. It's a good fantasy to think that one day we may not have to worry about our food going bad... and all natural way of course!

 

has begun developing ways to combat heat-resistant microorganisms, a major challenge for the world's dairy industry.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-04-dairy-scientist-heat-resistant-microbes.html#jCp

has begun developing ways to combat heat-resistant microorganisms, a major challenge for the world's dairy industry.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-04-dairy-scientist-heat-resistant-microbes.html#jCp

has begun developing ways to combat heat-resistant microorganisms, a major challenge for the world's dairy industry.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-04-dairy-scientist-heat-resistant-microbes.html#jCp

has begun developing ways to combat heat-resistant microorganisms, a major challenge for the world's dairy industry.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-04-dairy-scientist-heat-resistant-microbes.html#jCp

has begun developing ways to combat heat-resistant microorganisms, a major challenge for the world's dairy industry.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-04-dairy-scientist-heat-resistant-microbes.html#jCp

Microbes Rule the Earth, and We just Live on It

One thing that I have come to realize throughout the semester in my Biology class is that microbes have just as much power to keep us alive as they do to kill us. A new study suggests that microbes may be responsible for the largest extinction in the history of our planet. Of course, this extinction occurred way before human life existed - even before the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Scientists call this microbe-induced extinction the "end-Permian extinction" which began about 252 million years ago and lasted approximately 20,000 years.
The article, "Small Microbes Almost Killed All Life On Earth, Study Suggests" tells all about the deathly microbes. Author of this article, Deborah Netburn does a good job presenting the facts of this new discovery. Netburn doesn't present what actually caused this extinction until the middle-end of the article - something I would have presented earlier on. Eventually I did learn that the source of this extinction was the Methanosarcina. Methanosarcina is a " tiny methane-spewing microbe" - according to the article. I did like how Netburn presented the clues as to why scientists think that this extinction could have transpired. One of the clues Netburn discusses were the huge spikes in CO2 levels at the time of the extinction. "If the C02 came from the sudden combustion of a coal field in Siberia it wouldn't behave this way. It has this special character that is consistent with microbial processes" says  MIT geophysicist Dan Rothman.
Rothman understands that this idea sounds a little far fetched, but it is "...consistent, and that's what is necessary to move forward and provide further tests." Similar to other articles I have written a blog about - more research is to be conducted. I'm unsure as to how concluding this discovery could benefit us today, but I'm sure any scientist could answer that question.
Microbes are tiny but powerful. As microbiologists like to say, 'Microbes rule the Earth, and we just live on it.'

After reading several articles on microbes, I'm starting to wonder if there is anything microbes can't do. Whether you're a dark chocolate lover or not - taking your daily dose of the chocolatey goodness may be worth it in the long run. It's been known for some time that dark chocolate can actually be good for you; some of the benefits provided by the cocoa in dark chocolate includes improvement in vascular function and increased insulin sensitivity. Daily consumption can do as much as reduce cholesterol by a median of two points. Luckily, I am one of the dark chocolate lovers and the article, "Why is Dark Chocolate Good for You? Thank Your Microbes" by Katherine Harmon Courage caught my eye. "Cocoa is good for your heart because of fermentation by gut bacteria, creating anti-inflammatory compounds that improve blood vessel function," says Courage. This sentence basically sums up the newly discovered relationship between the cocoa in dark chocolate and our gut microbes.
Leading some of the experiments for this research is John Finley, a professor of food sciences at Louisiana State University. Finley and students conducted a study that simulated the human gut by making an artificial digestive system. With this "fake" digestive system Finley was able to see the process of chocolate through the human gut. At the end of the experiment it was found that, "They [microbes] fermented these compounds—flavonols that include catechin and epicatechin, which are also found in green tea—into smaller anti-inflammatories that could be absorbed into the bloodstream."
Researchers interviewed in the article said that there is definitely more research that needs to be done; for now its safe to say that dark chocolate will serve as a sufficient supplement to take. This won't be hard for those of us who are already fans of the cocoa goodness... Feast on dark chocolate lovers!

Blame Microbes for Crohn's Disease

I have written a few blogs discussing the affect of gut microbes on the human body. Obesity, mental health, and now Crohn's disease. Ramnik Xavier of Massachusetts general hospital led a study that involved more than 1,500 patients who had Crohn's disease. According to the study, the patients who had Crohn's disease had, "less diverse populations of gut microbes."
The article, "Mix Of Gut Microbes May Play Role In Crohn's Disease" describes this study. Author, Rob Stein, states, "More than a million Americans suffer from Crohn's, which seems to start when an overreactive immune system causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding, weight loss and other symptoms". One of the treatments for the disease is harsh steroids or having pieces of the digestive system removed. I am always for treatments that could be less harmful or chemical related to tend to diseases. Stein says that this study could lead to the possibility of an alternative to the harsh antibiotics. The article suggests that doctors may use something to resemble the bacteria that Crohn's patients have a lack of.
I think this study has a lot of potential and should be further researched. Some of the other articles I have done relating to microbes having affect on human diseases are heading in the same direction. From what I can tell, it seems as if there is a lot of hope for this field of study. I am unsure as to how long the affect of microbes on human diseases has been studied - but as far as my own personal knowledge its fairly new to me. Like I mentioned before, I am all for the closest alternative to remedies or treatments being organic. I think humans tend to become unaware at times of what they are putting into their bodies. Sometimes antibiotics and other prescriptions can harm one's body if not taken properly. Hopefully studies like this one will lead to a healthier alternative!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/03/12/289041150/mix-of-gut-microbes-may-play-role-in-crohns-disease

The McDonald's Isn't Making You Fat, It's Your Gut Microbes

According to an article, "Gut Check: Based on New Microbe Study, Should We Really Blame Geography for Obesity?" gut microbes may be the cause for human obesity. The author Brenden Buhler discusses a recent study by Taichi Suzuki, a grad student from UC Berkley. According to the article, firmicutes and bacteroidetes are the two governing microbes located in our gut microbiome. Gram negative bacterium tend to be more prominent in slimmer people. Suzuki's work consistently showed that the farther North people lived, the more they increase in size. The article does state that these microbes may not be the only factor contributing to human obesity, but could be a correlation. 
I think this article has an interesting proposal, but agree with the fact that it can't be what is causing human obesity alone. It has become pretty obvious that if you eat right and exercise on a regular basis, you won't be obese- regardless of your gut microbes. Obesity, mainly in America, is the result of humans decrease in desire to exercise and increase in consumption of processed foods. It would be an interesting fact to see if over time our gut microbes have contributed to obesity because of our modern day habits. I am curious to know if gut microbes may have been a contribution to obesity two-hundred years ago. 
While I have my opinion about what causes obesity, I do believe that this study has potential. New studies lead to new discoveries all the time. So, who knows, this study could lead to something great for human life!

Stay Away From the Ocean Garbage

The next time you're swimming in the ocean and thinking about picking up some plastic trash, think again. According to the article, "Secret World of Ocean Garbage Patch Microbes Revealed" microbes are clinging to ocean trash. How the microbes are surviving on the plastic is currently unclear, but finding out could lead to some interesting discoveries. As most of us know, because of the oceans substantial size, humans are unable to know very much about the ocean. Luckily, a case such as the article presents, could lead to some insight into the ecosystem of the ocean. Unfortunately, the microbes that were found on the plastic could be potentially harmful to humans and animals.
Tia Ghose, who is the author of the article, states the facts of this event in a very advantageous way. The only criticism I would have is that she waits until the end of the article to present what the significance of finding the microbe filled plastic is. When first reading the article, towards the beginning I was thinking to myself, "Now... why does this matter?..." Luckily, towards the end of the article she tells us why this story is relevant when saying, "Unlocking the mysterious world of these microbes could help scientists understand the role of plastic in the ocean as a whole."
I find this subject to be very compelling. Seeing that we know so little about the ocean, its very exciting to know that that there may be something to open up the oceanic world to our human world. When comparing human life to nature and the organic environment, humans are such a small part of what the world is naturally made up of. I'm hoping this finding of microbial life on plastic takes off and studies begin to be conducted.
Since the found microbes could be harmful to humans, the next time I find any plastic in the ocean I'll just keep swimming. 

Who Needs Crops When You Have Microbes?

Finding an alternative to using oil for fuel production has been a strenuous battle. When the discovery that certain crops, like soy and corn, could be used to make fuel it was a big deal. Unfortunately, it is now being acknowledged that there simply isn’t enough space for these crops. What do we do now? Microbes are the answer. Specifically the Streptomyces bacterium. A microbe commonly seen in antibiotics, Streptomyces is a soil bacterium and may be the solution to the problem.

The article “How Scientists Could Expand The Menu Of Biofuel-Making Microbes” discusses how this concept was discovered and how scientists plan to move forward with this finding. The author, Jeff Spross, is arguing for the usage of microbes in the production of biofuel. Seeing that there doesn’t seem to be any negative results of using microbes as an alternative, it’s hard not to agree with Spross’ argument. The issue of limited amount of arable land space for crops is identified in the article, but there is also another issue. Spross states, “…the feedstocks also double as human food, so the demand for biofuels can drive up food prices.”

I completely agree that using microbes as an alternative source for biofuel is a brilliant idea. It’s an all-natural source, which I am always for, and producers know how to produce the Streptomyces in large quantities. As mentioned prior, Streptomyces is used for antibiotics, so producers are familiar with the production process. This seems as if it would be an easy transition and production process, so, why not?

This is definitely a concept that I think should be pursued. Any chance we get to improve the economy and find better alternatives for fuel should be taken. Spross does a good job go getting his argument across clearly and effectively. After reading his article, I am convinced that using microbes for biofuel is an excellent idea.

"Lemon? No Thank You!"

We’ve all heard about the germs in bar peanuts, but in lemon slices? According to the article, “Ice and a Lemon Slice? The Germs That Go With the Garnish” traces of E.coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis were found in lemon wedges. Researchers conducted tests from 21 eateries and 46 different visits to restaurants. Author, Kate Henderson states, “Lemon juice itself is a powerful and cleansing antimicrobial agent, but it seems the skins can teem with “potentially pathogenic microbes.”” The fact that something that has its own cleaning agent can’t be resistant to these microbes is a scary thought. You’re probably wondering where these dangerous critters are coming from. According to the article, the E.coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis could have came from raw meat or poultry in the restaurant kitchens. Dr. Philip Tierno from the Journal of Environmental Health has done similar tests and found germs on a majority of the lemon wedges tested. Tierno tested other drink toppers such as olives, cherries, and table condiments like ketchup. One of the most disturbing parts of this article is that Tierno chooses generally clean restaurants to take samples from. The same bacteria found on the lemon wedges are found in human feces. The fact that there could be the same bacteria in FECES in my water- will definitely make me think twice about getting a lemon wedge with my water. The good news is, the chances of the bacteria on the lemon wedges making you seriously sick, is slim. Although I wouldn’t be guaranteed an illness from the bacteria in lemon water, I’d rather not take the chance. Also the fact that restaurant’s lemon wedges will forever gross me out from now on is enough to say, “No thank you!”

Don't breath, Beijing.

Until reading the article, "Beijing Smog Contains Witches' Brew of Microbes" (January 31, 2014) I took for granted the amount of fresh air we have in the United States. We are all fully aware that lots of fresh air is vital to our existence, but its easy to forget that some people don't get this privilege. According to Chinese researchers, there are 1,300 different microbial species in a smog that struck Beijing in January 2013. The researchers used a process called genome sequencing to observe the amount of microbial species in the Beijing air. Luckily, a majority of the microbes are fairly harmless, but some are still responsible for allergies and respiratory disease. The author of the article, Mark Peplow, states that, "the scientists took 14 air samples over 7 consecutive days and filtered out two types of particles: those measuring less than 2.5 micrometres across, and those up to 10 micrometers across..." From the tests, the scientists found three species of microbes: Geodermatophilus obscures, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Aspergillus fumigatus. The most abundant species was Geodermatophilus obscures which is, according to the article, "a common soil bacterium." The other bacteria, unfortunately, don't sound as mild. Streptococcus pneumoniae causes pneumonia, which becomes clear from its name "pneumoniae". Aspergillus fumigates is a, "a fungal allergen; and a range of other bacteria typically found in feces." Its very obvious to me why this strange Beijing smog is being studied. Breathing in pneumonia and feces microbes is not something I want to do every time I step outside. Sadly, this article does not come with a very happy ending. Peplow states at the end of the article that, "In the past few years, public pressure has persuaded the Chinese government to tackle the country’s growing air pollution problem. But for now the smogs continue." He also says that the, " PM2.5 levels in Beijing rose above 600 micrograms per cubic meter" and people have been advised to stay inside. If you ask me, this isn't something to just ignore. If you are being forced to stay inside your home because you might die from breathing outside, its time to take action. Hopefully, these studies can lead to some resolutions. Until then, stay inside people of Beijing.

Belly Microbes to the Rescue

Did you know that there are up to six pounds of bacteria in our gut? That is almost twice the weight of the average human brain. If you knew that fact already, I bet you didn't know that the same bacteria in our gut could potentially have a large impact on our mental health. An article, "Creative Minds: Can Microbes Influence Mental Health?" (January 27, 2014)  by Dr. Francis Collins of the National Institutes of Health, discusses how the bacteria in our gut influences our minds. The person in charge of this research is Elaine Hsiao; a senior research fellow at the California Institute of Technology.
The article starts off describing Hsiao and letting us know of how she came to be interested in this research. Collins lists Hsiao's prior education and experience to credit her knowledge of the subject, incorporating the ethos element into her article. Collins then states that, "One species of bacterium, for example, sends messages that are carried via the vagus nerve, which links the intestinal lining to the brain. When this species is present, the mice demonstrate fewer depressive behaviors than when it’s absent." This statement just shows one of the ways that the bacteria from our gut can affect our brains. It is also said that mice who displayed behaviors of autism and were given probiotics had a dissipation in their abnormalities of behavior. I found this fact to be very promising. Eventually leading to probiotics to treat symptoms of autism would be an incredible accomplishment.
I understand that microbes play a crucial role in the surviving of the human species, in retrospect one could say we're just a big microbe storage system. Looking at the fact that microbes do make human existence possible, it would make a lot of sense that microbes have a lot to do with the brain and our human behaviors. Understanding that the immune system works alongside with "normal microbes", the article made it clear that Hsiao is working specifically on how gut microbes have an impact on, "immunity, functioning of the brain and behaviors in mouse models of neurodevelopment disorders." Hsiao is also studying how microbes can have and influence on one's seratonin levels. Most of us are familiar with seratonin and its links to depression but Collins states that it, "...also helps to regulate heart function, constriction of blood vessels, and differentiation of red blood cells." Collins also says that Hsiaos plan is to eventually, "identify specific types of bacteria that modulate human serotonin levels, figure out the biochemical pathways they use, and understand the links to human disease."
I think that this is a fantastic field of study. Using our own bacteria to form a defense against neurological diseases sounds completely practical. There are so many side-effects to different medications that treat depression and other mental diseases. Eventually moving to treating mental and neurological diseases with our own bacteria would be a much healthier version of treatment. I think that there are nearly unlimited uses for microbes. The fact microbes support life is purely amazing, so there has to be more to them that humans just don't know yet. I recently learned in my Biology 110 course that microbes weren't heavily studied until the last twenty, or so years. This shows that there is so much more room for discovery and so much more for humans to learn about microbes. Microbes are infinite.