Estimating calorie content not clear-cut for all
We make food decisions several times a day – from what time we eat to how much – but a new study has found we are not very good at judging the energy-density of what we consume.
Read moreBacteria
Food insecurity in young adults raises risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma
A paradox of food insecurity in wealthy countries is its association with excess weight. Now, a study finds that young adults in the United States who are food insecure not only are slightly more likely to be obese, they are significantly more likely to suffer from disorders associated with high body mass index, as well as obstructive airway diseases like asthma.
Read moreProtozoans and pathogens make for an infectious mix
The new observation that strains of V. cholerae can be expelled into the environment after being ingested by protozoa, and that these bacteria are then primed for colonization and infection in humans, could help explain why cholera is so persistent in aquatic environments. The disease-causing bacteria are protected in the protozoan gut and ejected into the environment in membrane-bound expelled food vacuoles (EFVs).
Read moreGlowing bacteria in anglerfish 'lamp' come from the water
New research shows that female deep-sea anglerfish's bioluminescent bacteria — which illuminate their 'headlamp' — most likely come from the water.
Read moreHorse nutrition: Prebiotics may do more harm than good
Prebiotics are only able to help stabilize the intestinal flora of horses to a limited degree. Before they can reach the intestines, commercially available supplements partially break down in the animals' stomachs, which can lead to inflammation of the stomach lining.
Read moreBabies have fewer respiratory infections if they have well-connected bacterial networks
Microscopic bacteria, which are present in all humans, cluster together and form communities in different parts of the body, such as the gut, lungs, nose and mouth. Now, for the first time, researchers have shown the extent to which these microbial communities are linked to each other across the body, and how these networks are associated with susceptibility to respiratory infections in babies.
Read moreThe flagellar hook: Making sense of bacterial motility
Researchers show how bacteria transmit motion from an inner motor to an outer tail through a flexible joint in the flagellum known as the hook. This finding could help in the fight against deadly bacterial infections. By better understanding how bacteria move, researchers may be able to improve disease prevention strategies.
Read moreORNL scientists shed light on microbial 'dark matter' with new approach
Scientists have demonstrated a way to isolate and grow targeted bacteria using genomic data, making strides toward resolving the grand challenge of uncultivated microbial 'dark matter' in which the vast majority of microorganisms remain unstudied in the laboratory.
Read moreUrban beaches are environmental hotspots for antibiotic resistance after rainfall
New research provide clear links between storm-water discharge, which sometimes includes wet-weather sewer overflow (WWSO) events, and the presence of AbR in microorganisms living in urban beach habitats.
Read moreYour energy-efficient washing machine could be harboring pathogens
For the first time ever, investigators have identified a washing machine as a reservoir of multidrug-resistant pathogens. The pathogens, a single clone of Klebsiella oxytoca, were transmitted repeatedly to newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit at a children's hospital. The transmission was stopped only when the washing machine was removed from the hospital.
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