Bacteria

They have found a bacteria capable of increasing your risk

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We often think of the health of our mouth as something completely isolated that has no more significance than the odious cavities that we get. forced to go to the dentist or the bad breath. However, science has been warning for years that the mouth is the gateway to much more complex systems, such as the possibility that a bacteria from our gums travel to the breast tissue and may accelerate tumor growth. An unwanted traveler. The protagonist of this new discovery is the bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, an old acquaintance of dentists. We are talking about an opportunistic bacteria that thrives in dental plaque and is one of the main culprits of periodontitis, which is undoubtedly one of the most recognized gum diseases. What the team led by Dipalo Sharma has recently demonstrated is that this bacteria does not stay still on the gumsbut it has the ability to travel through the body to the breast tissue or even also is already linked to colon cancer. Its effect. The study In this case, he used mice to simulate two different scenarios in order to see how this very common bacteria behaved. The first of them was to inject the bacteria into the breasts of healthy mice, where precancerous inflammatory lesions began to be seen. In the case of injecting into existing tumors is where the alarms go off, since in these mice the presence of the bacteria tripled the size of the cancer and caused lung metastases in 100% of the cases observed. How he does it. It’s the million-dollar question: how does a bacteria from the mouth know that it has to go to the chest and how does it manage to do so much damage? Science has found an explanation at a molecular level that begins with inflammation of the gums in periodontal disease, since this causes the bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Once in the stream, the bacteria begins to travel and takes advantage of a very specific protein, called Fap2, which acts like a key that searches for a specific lock: a sugar called Gal-GalNAc, which turns out to be very abundant on the surface of breast cancer cells. Creating a shield. Once the bacteria adheres to the tissue thanks to this specificity, it begins to colonize, but it also has the ability to suppress the cells in charge of our defense. And specifically those that defend us from cancer cells that bypass the body’s checkpoints. Furthermore, it induces direct DNA damage and preferentially colonizes cells that have mutations in the BRCA1 gene, exacerbating the risk in genetically predisposed people. Dental hygiene. The result of this research leads us to a very clear question: does not brushing your teeth cause cancer? Logically not. In the field of health, causality is not as simple as ‘do this and that happens’, but rather it works as an accumulation of risks that increase the chances of generating a problem such as cancer. A risk factor. In this case, science suggests that having periodontitis, due to poor hygiene sustained over time, is associated with an increase of around 22% in the risk of suffering from breast cancer. And it is not the first time that dental disease is a risk factor of this type. A well documented case is in the relationship between deep dental caries and bacterial endocarditisan infection of the inner lining of the heart. That is why the recommendation here is always to maintain good oral hygiene and always treat cavities as soon as possible when they appear. Images | Caroline L.M. In Xataka | AI is no longer a promise in breast cancer: the largest clinical trial confirms that it detects more and reduces the burden on the radiologist

We have been believing that bacteria are a weapon against tumors for 150 years. And finally we have discovered how

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In the fight against cancer, there are many treatments that are emerging, being the immunotherapy one of the most innovative, although there are also other alternatives such as based on LED light. Now therapies continue to advance and science is already pointing to a group of bacteria to be able to destroy tumors without depending on the immune response, opening a new era in oncological medicine. It’s not something new. The idea of ​​using bacteria to treat cancer is not new: already in 1868 the German doctor Busch observed that some cancer patients experienced remissions after bacterial infections. Later, William Colby developed bacteria-based treatments that they laid the foundation of modern immunotherapy. However, these traditional therapies require a functional immune system, which is a serious problem for patients who are immunocompromised due to cancer. The present. a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering presented an innovative “drug-free” strategy that uses a group of bacteria to fight cancer, rescuing this old idea of ​​bacteria against cancer. This treatment has not only demonstrated powerful antitumor efficacy, but it has done so by achieving complete remission of the tumor and, most importantly, it has been maintained for years in mouse models, even in those who are immunosuppressed. The most relevant thing is that the fact that a bacteria helps us with this disease has been achieved without the need to use genetic engineering that alters your RNA. And also, without generating toxicity on the body. A priori they are all advantages. A bacterial duo. The protagonists of this therapy are a bacterial group called AUN, composed of two specific bacteria: Proteus mirabilis (nicknamed A-gyo) and Rhodopseudomonas palustris (UN-gyo). And although we may all have in mind that bacteria are bad for humans, the reality is that They help us (a lot) starting with all those that are in our intestine. When this bacterial duo was administered directly into the blood of tumor-bearing mice, the results were dramatic: complete tumor remission and prolonged survival. And it wasn’t magic. How does it work? It is the obligatory question after seeing the results of this study. The researchers explain that what these bacteria do in short is block the arrival of oxygen and nutrients to the tumors, which literally causes them to suffocate. And a tumor is nothing more than a set of cells that have an advanced metabolism. When taking away their food they end up dead. In essence, these bacteria can reach the tumor and enter its interior, as if it were a Trojan horse. Upon arrival, it causes very small blood clots to form and only in the blood vessels that go to the tumor. In this way, blood clots block the passage of blood and, therefore, its food source. Bacterial transformation. Bacteria are STILL not passive agents, but are dynamic actors that change their behavior when detecting cancer. In this way, the study observed that the A-gyo bacteria undergoes a “wonderful fibrous transformation.” This change is not random. It is specifically activated when the bacteria encounters “oncometabolites“, chemical signals emitted by cancer cells. This highly mobile form of “swarm”, together with the toxins and hemolysins secreted by the consortium, seems to be responsible for the tumor vascular destruction without affecting the rest of the healthy cells. A safe treatment. Using live bacteria as therapy may sound risky, but the study spends much of its time demonstrating the safety and control of AUN. The first thing that has been seen is that the bacterial strains have a unique non-pathogenic profile. Furthermore, to achieve a 100% complete response and avoid the lethality of a single high dose, the researchers developed a “double dose” regimen: a first injection at a low dose, followed days later by a high dose. The low dose “primes” the body, consuming aggressive neutrophils and mitigating the risk of severe cytokine release syndrome. Looking to the future. Although the experiments were performed in mice, the therapy was tested against human cancer cell lines in xenograft models. In this case, cells from human colon adenocarcinoma, ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer were used. The results in this case were very clear: all the tumors tested successfully disappeared in the mouse models, without very serious side effects. In this way, we are faced with a therapy that does not require any type of drug a priori and that can be self-managed. The authors of the study point out that this approach can revolutionize cancer therapy, but there is still a long way to go. Images | CDC In Xataka | Colon cancers are increasing alarmingly among young people. We have a suspect: sedentary lifestyle

It is to “eat” your bacteria

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Every time you go to the beach or walk under an intense sun, the skin starts a complex chain of reactions on its surface. You can think automatically In vitamin D and in the burnsbut at the microscopic level a fascinating ‘battle’ is fought where bacteria that cover the skin have a leading role. And what they do is surprising: literally, they “eat” one of the most negative effects of the sun, altering the way our body responds to it. The sun is a threat to the immune system. To understand this story, you must first know that the sun does not only bronze. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) acts as a powerful ‘switch’ for the immune system. When UV rays affect the skin, it converts a very abundant molecule called urocanic acid In its ‘twin’, cis-urocanic acid. This new molecule, the CIS-UA, has a very clear mission: to be a powerful Immunosuppressive. It is as if it disarms the ‘defenses’ in the skin so that they do not react to the presence of the sun. As a positive point, it allows us to use the UV light phototherapy to calm inflammatory diseases such as dermatitis. But it also has a negative point, since not having the defenses ‘on alert’ can hinder the elimination of sun damaged cells that in the long term they can in the long term evolve to skin cancer. Bacteria again demonstrate their importance. A published study by the magazine Journal of Investigative Dermatology It has given light to why the immunosuppressive effect of CIS-UA in a real environment was not always as powerful as expected in the laboratory. The answer to this dilemma was in the billions of microorganisms that inhabit the skin: the Microbioma. In a series of animal experiments, the researchers saw that when exposing the skin to UC radiation, the population of certain bacteria (especially the Staphylococcus epidermidis) He shot. And it wasn’t a coincidence. This bacterium It has an enzyme of the catalase type that functions as a perfect ‘crusher’ to eliminate the CIS-UA. In essence, while the sun produces this immunosuppressive molecule, the bacteria of our skin use it as a source of food, limiting its amount and, therefore, its effect on our defenses. They demonstrated it by eliminating bacteria. To give more validity to the theory presented, the researchers disinfected the skin of the mice to eliminate their microbiome. When exposing them to UV light, the immunosuppressive effect shot. Without bacteria that end the CIS-UA, the molecule could continue ‘silence’ to the skin defenses and give rise to having a greater probability of cancer. But when they only left the bacteria on the skin Staphylococcus epidermidis The defenses were not depressed. This was a great proof that the bacteria and its enzyme were responsible for regulating the effect of the sun on the skin. A door to sun’s sun’s sun. These discoveries are not only to satisfy scientific curiosity, but opens the door to new medical and cosmetic applications. For patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, a simple step such as disinfecting the skin before applying UV light therapy can greatly enhance its effectiveness by suppressing skin defenses. For the day to day, we are interested in otherwise: limit immunosuppression to maintain active defenses in the skin against the damage that prolonged exposure to the sun can do. The creams of the future could not only block UV rays, but also include ‘probiotics’ or ingredients that feed these beneficial bacteria. We would be in this way by promoting our natural defenses instead of depending solely chemicals. Although for now the sun cream is still essential. Bacteria are one of us. Although bacteria are almost always related to a pathology, the reality is that There are about 100 billion microorganisms in the body (ten times more than cells). And the reality is that they do important functions such as in the human microbiota, whose alteration has been related With serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s wave depression. Now we see a new beneficial function of the bacteria that live with us, and that are more allied than enemies. That is why the investigation is pointing out that A healthier chocolate must focus on probiotics or that one of the most famous diets such as intermittent fasting It has positive effects In our health, But also negative. This makes your research right now in the priority of numerous groups and very diverse disciplines. Images | CDC Morgan Alley In Xataka | Science has solved one of the strangest mysteries of the human species: the people who do not like music

We have found a centrifuge bacteria

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We depend on plastic and, at the same time, we have been trying to find a substitute. That serves the same, but does not generate the tons of garbage and the microplastics that are generated today. There are several alternatives underway And now, a group of researchers believe there are found A convincing solution: use bacteria as a kind of living factory that produces the plastic of the future. And it is really promising: as resistant as metal, but that does not pollute when decomposing. Urgent alternatives. Seeing that plastic dependence and? Recycling is not something that is done too welltry to limit the use of plastic through different regulations. The big problem of this material is that, when degrading, it does not disappear completely, but is broken into particles known as microplastics. They end in rivers, seas, In food and In our body (They have been found until In human testicles or in the breast milk). And, in the process, many of these plastics release toxic substances such as phthalates or bisphenol A (BPA), highly harmful and related to hormonal problems and even cancer. Looking for that alternativeresearchers from RICE University and the University of Houston began experimenting to find a substitute for plastic that meet three conditions: Non-polluting. That is just as strong, or more, than plastic. That can be manufactured in a scalable way. Centrifugating bacteria. With that in mind, the researchers considered bacterial cellulose. It is a substance that produces some bacteria naturally and that is very similar to the cellulose of the plants, but finer. The finding is not this, since the bacterial cellulose was already known, but it has not been developed on a large scale due to its disorganized structure and complexity when using it. Therefore, the novelty is not the material, but how they have managed to produce it. To get that cellulose, they developed a “rotational bioreactor.” It is a machine in which they introduce these bacteria that produce cellulose while keeping them in a liquid. And what they have forced is to limit their movement so that they do not move at random. Basically, and as if it were a washing machine, they have put the bacteria there and have turned them in a specific direction during the production of the material. In this way, the fibers that make up the cellulose and that were previously disorganized, are now aligned in an orderly manner. Of course, in him studyresearchers expose that it is something that makes the difference, since, as with other materials (steel or carbon fiber, for example), when the fibers are aligned it is when the final material has those properties that make it unique. In the upper image, the messy fibers. In the lower one, the fibers created through that “bioreactor” Properties. Several, and very promising. The team has detailed that the new material is: Biodegradable. Resistant to replace plastic, but also some metals. Flexible and transparent. What resistance are we talking about? Of a traction resistance of up to 436 MPa, approaching the one presented by materials such as glass or aluminumbut adding to that property that of being flexible and transparent. It can be given. Masr Saadi is the main author of the study and one of the characteristics that he has outstanding is that they can be added to the material. “The method allows you to easily integrate various additives to nanoscale directly into bacterial cellulose, which allows customizing material properties for specific applications. For example, adding nitruro nitruro nanolás, the resistance rose to 553 MPA, but the capacity of the material to dissipate heat was also improved, tripling its thermal efficiency with respect to normal samples. Promising. “We imagine that these bacterial cellulose sheets, resistant, multifunctional and ecological will become omnipresent, replacing plastics in various industries,” says Muhammad Maksud Rahman, another of the researchers involved. And, although this bioplastic is in the laboratory phase, its industrial potential is evident. This multifunctionality would allow the material not only to containers that are currently plastic, but also to technical textiles due to their resistance and properties, also to heat dissipation devices, to Flexible screenslight structural sensors or elements that can be used in the construction segment. But, as we say, it is still a product that has demonstrated its potential in the laboratory, but it still remains for it to reach the market. If you end up doing it, of course. In Xataka | We are very bad recycling plastic. A super worm that devours it can help us solve it

What is “carnivorous bacteria” and why Europe believes that now is the best time to take precautions

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Many of the infectious diseases around us have a seasonal component. The flu, for example, is a thing of winter. Other infections are more dangerous in summer, such as those caused by Salmonella, or those caused by gender bacteria Vibrio. A seasonal infection. A few days ago, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a statement in which it remembered that, with the arrival of summer, increases the risk of vibriosisinfections caused by the bacterial genre Vibrio. Maybe the name Vibrio It does not tell us much, but this genus contains several species of pathogenic bacteria. This genre belongs for example Vibrio Choleraethe bacteria that cause anger. Also in this genre is the so -called “carnivorous” bacteria, V. Vulnificus. Salobres waters. Bacteria of this genre usually inhabit salobres waters, waters such as river estuaries where salinity levels are intermediate, not as high as in the sea but greater than in rivers. These bacteria can be found in different geographical contexts. In its statement, for example, the ECDC indicates the presence of these bacteria in the Baltic Sea, where salinity conditions are especially favorable. The European center has A monitoring system of the risk in which the Black Sea is also indicated as the potential focus of infections. Two ways. Infections by Vibrio They can occur in two very different ways. The food route is perhaps the most common. It is generally produced through seafood specimens contaminated by the bacteria and occurs when the animal is consumed in raw or little cooked. The symptoms of this infection They are similar to those of other gastroenteritis: diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, fever or chills. The other way of infection is through wounds, and occurs When we bathe in waters contaminated by this bacterium with open wounds. These infections can lead to complications such as those given when the infection goes to our circulatory system; but also to tissue necrosis. The nickname of “carnivorous” bacteria that is assigned to the species V. Vulnificus It is because infections caused by this bacterium can cause necrotizing fasciitisthe death of infected tissues. This is not the only bacteria that causes this problem, in fact there are bacteria, like group A streptococci that we associate with this problem more frequently, so in reality the appellation can be used to refer to bacteria of very distant species. Relative risk The severity of vibriosis It depends on several factors. The most vulnerable people are those with liver problems, committed and elderly immune systems. In Europe and Spain. The last cholera epidemic in Spain occurred in the 1970s, but since then various European countries have seen outbreaks caused by this and other bacteria of the genre Vibrio. In Spain, for example we do not have to go far behind to find recent cases of vibrosis (beyond the case of cholera detected a few years ago in Madrid). According to Explain the ECDCvibriosis cases remain “relatively uncommon” in Europe. Between 2014 and 2017 there were an annual median of 126 cases, although in 2014 a more important outbreak left 445 registered cases. The heat wave registered that year can be linked to the increase in cases. In Spain, infections have also been registered, even some starring V. Vulnificus. According to experts, these types of infections are a risk that grows summer due to the increase in temperatures associated with climate change. This increase does not affect only the concentrations of this bacterium in certain waters, it also implies its geographical expansion to estuaries and seas where before its presence had not been problematic. Should we worry? ECDC warning should be seen as a reminder to extreme caution, not as a health or food alert. In summer it is convenient to increase our caution. The risk of contracting these infections is greater for different reasons: The increase in water temperature It allows these bacteria to prolish more easily, which increases their concentrations and with it the risk of infection; In addition, the mere fact of spending more time in these waters makes our exposure greater. As detailed by the ECDC, reducing the risk of these infections is partly in our hand. Avoid raw or poorly cooked seafood (especially oysters, stand out) can avoid scare. In the case of bathers, the center recommends covering open wounds, piercings or recent tattoos, avoiding the bathroom in salobres as much as possible. If the wound occurs while we are in the water, it is convenient to clean it properly and with fresh water to avoid infections. In Xataka | In the 50 we decided to bombard food cans with huge amounts of radiation. Thus we discover a new bacteria: ‘D. Radiodurans’ Image | Tiffany Jae / CDC/Janice Haney Carr

In the 50 we decided to bombard food cans with huge amounts of radiation. Thus we discover a new bacteria: ‘D. Radiodurans’

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What happens if we bombard Escherichia coli? Well, many things may probably happen, but what happened in 1956 was that those responsible for this extreme experience discovered a new species of bacteria. They discovered it for a simple fact: Deinococcus radiodurans It is a bacterium with enormous resistance to ionizing radiation. In his experiment, the team submitted the can to a Dose of 4,000 gray (gy) of radiation-γ. A radiation capable of sterilizing almost anything. At first, its discoverers baptized the species as Micrococcus radioduransbut decades of taxonomic work led to reclassify the species as a member of a new genre that was called Deinococcus. The new name of the bacteria: D. Radiodurans. Almost seven decades after the discovery of its first member, the strange family of the deinococcus already has 11 cataloged species. The “strange” is not a saying: the name of this genre comes from the Greek word “Deinos“, Which can be translated as” strange “or” unusual. “ Seven decades of study have allowed us to enter the mechanisms that D. RadioduransUse to get unharmed from exposure to ionizing radiation (it is estimated that the bacteria can leave “rositas” of Dose equivalent to 5,000 gy and get to survive even higher levels) and the breaks of the DNA chains that usually result from this type of exposure. This bacterium uses several “tricks” of survival that, according to An article Posted in 2005 in Naturecan be classified between passive, and active or enzymatic mechanisms. Among the passive mechanisms that this bacterium has, the fact that D. Radiodurans Porta with several copies of its genome and with a condensed organization in its nuclear body. Thus you can avoid the dissemination of DNA fragments generated upon receiving radiation, explains the signatory team of the article in Nature. Regarding active or enzymatic mechanisms, the article explains that this unicellular organism has processes for the Damaged DNA repair. Also how much with mechanisms that limit DNA degradation after receiving radiation. The study continues In the last 20 years we have continued advancing in the study of this strange bacteria. Last year without going any further, the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a new article detailing a study that revealed new aspects of the resistance of this bacterium. The article studied the presence of a series of metabolites of this bacterium that, in combination with manganese, could form a powerful antioxidant agent. The team analyzed a synthetic version of this compound they called MDP, composed of manganese ions, phosphate and a small peptide. As they observedthe MDP components form a much more powerful complex when protecting against radiation than the compounds formed by the combination of manganese and the individual components of the MDP. The resistance of the bacteria can fascinate us but if so much attracts the interest of the scientific community is not only out of curiosity. Discoveries such as MDP antioxidant can help us protect our own radiation body and its effects. If we want to do long -term space tripsprotect us from Cosmic radiation It is essential; as it can also be to protect people who could be exposed to excessive radiation doses here on Earth. We do not know much about the origin of this bacterium but decades of study have given us enough information to rule out some ideas perhaps more typical of science fiction, such as the one that is postulating that it is an extraterrestrial organism or the fruit of the entry into the nuclear era. D. Radiodurans It is a bacterium, which implies a clear bond with the rest of the living beings of this planet and the evolution of its gender does not seem something that can occur in a few decades. The study of this bacterium, and of other similar will continue, either to satisfy our natural curiosity or to try to find new ways to protect us against radiation. In Xataka | The last time we lost a radioactive capsule ended in tragedy: Kramorsk nuclear incident Image | Michael Daly laboratory, uniform Services University / Catalan

We have found bacteria at the Chinese space station. The most surprising thing is that it is a new species

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Space exploration has an obsession with cleanliness. It is not for less: if we want to look for life on other planets of our solar system we have to make sure that our ships do not lead with them terrestrial life that can lead us to confusion. This is the main reason why space agencies pay enormous attention to microorganisms that may appear in their ships, even in those who do not travel to other planets. Sometimes life gives us surprises. Bacteria on board. Sample analysis taken in the Chinese Space Station Tiangong It has allowed to detect traces of the presence of an unknown bacterium in this aseptic space environment. The newly discovered bacteria would have mechanisms that would have allowed her to stay alive in the extreme conditions of life aboard an orbital station. Niallia tiagongensis. The new species has been baptized as Niallia tiagongensisin reference to the name of the space station placed in orbit by China. Name in turn can translate as “Celestial Palace” N. tiagongensis Share taxonomic gender with the species Niallia Circumsa pathogenic bacterium capable of causing sepsis in immunocompromised patients. The New bacterium It has a cane shape, but it would be able to form spores, oval structures that protect the genetic information of the species in extreme conditions such as high temperatures, radiation or lack of water. N. tiagongensis It could have arrived in this way to the station that has given it. A space bacterium? The evolutionary origin of this bacterium is on earth, but We do not know for now If this new species can be found on the surface or if on the contrary it is the result of the evolution of another bacterium. An evolution that could have occurred aboard the station, allowing the survival of the bacterial colonies. It is also possible that the species has an almost fully terrestrial origin but that its “space colonies” have evolved to better adapt to the new extraterrestrial environment. Two years of study. The samples that have given rise to the finding were collected inside the station In May 2023 by astronauts of the Shenzhou-15 mission. The study of the remains found has allowed to know details on the survival strategy of this microorganism. Genes have been found that encode some responses of these bacteria to some extreme conditions, such as their response to oxidative stress or their ability to repair the damage caused by radiation. For example, we know that this bacterium is capable of generating protective particles obtaining nitrogen and carbon from the decomposition of gelatins. The details of the finding were published In an article In the magazine International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. From ISS A Tiangong. It is not the first time that we find bacteria aboard a space station. We have detected bacteria years In the International Space Station, so much so that their astronauts began recently began the Life search abroad of the ship. What we can intuit from the fact that we would not have detected the new bacteria in other ships such as the ISS is that there is diversity in the populations of microorganisms that populate the different vehicles and stations that we send to space. A lost race? The news of the new finding has been produced almost at the same time that The announcement by NASA of the detection of numerous species of microorganisms inside one of its “clean rooms”, allegedly aseptic environments designed precisely to maintain devices and vehicles safe from pollution. Bad news, not only before we send (or we have already sent) microorganisms aboard the probes that explore planets and satellites where we suspect can exist or have existed extraterrestrial life. The fact that we know that this life is able to survive in the low terrestrial orbits It does not necessarily imply That these microbes can resist an interplanetary trip, but it is a bad indication. In Xataka | The International Space Station is a farm of new species of candidate bacteria Image | Shujianyang / Bob Blaylock

While half the world seeks more lithium, some researchers from China have eliminated it from the equation: batteries with bacteria

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The shortage of critical resources such as lithium and cobalt has been being a warningsince they are essential for the manufacture of batteries. However, a group of Chinese engineers have found a solution that does not require mining or polluting processes: it only needs bacteria. The study. Researchers from the Shenzhen Advanced Technology They have developed A battery that works with live bacteria. These microorganisms are electroactive, that is, they produce electricity. So the system uses hydrogels that contain living bacteria To conduct electricity and generate it, in addition within the soft material they are protected. Tangible applications Biobatería has a small size and ability to generate energy autonomously, ideal for integrating into portable devices, especially in the medical field. One of its most promising uses is the precise control of physiological functions such as blood pressure, by directed bioelectric stimulation. In this way, a door opens to new forms of physiotherapy, real -time monitoring and devices that do not require frequent recharge or toxic materials. More technical. Biobatería generates electricity thanks to the activity of bacteria such as Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1, which are contained in a alginate-based gel. The material It can be molded With 3D printers, which allows to design it. Its size of 20 mm in diameter and 3.2 mm high contains: a gel with bacteria that acts as an anode, another gel with a chemical that acts as a cathode, and a special membrane that allows the passage of ions between them. Replaces lithium? Its specific capacity (0.4 mAh/g) and energy density (0.008 WH/L) are lower than those of lithium -ion batteries, this biobatría offers a more sustainable alternative: it does not use critical materials or toxic components. In addition, it maintains a bacterial viability of 70 % during its operation and reaches 97.6 % at the end, which speaks of remarkable stability and efficiency. Forecasts Biobaterías are still far from reaching lithium in capacity or energy density. But what they lose potentially, compensate for it with other virtues: they are recharged alone, they are highly efficient and, above all, biocompatible. These qualities make them especially suitable for very specific uses, such as nerve stimulation, control of physiological functions or the operation of bioportile devices. Image | Unspash and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – PNNL Xataka | Biological batteries? These bacteria can create a world based on renewable energies

There are more and more intrusions of Saharan dust in southern Europe. Now we know that fungi and bacteria are accompanied

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Since 2021, Calima’s episodes They have been increasingly frequent and intense. In fact, in these few years, the intrusions of Saharian dust in Spain have doubled. We already knew that this was becoming A huge public health problem And that, at the same time, it was a key factor in fertilization of large areas of the planet. What we just discovered is, in addition to dust, there are many more things in that calima. How are “more things”? A joint research team of the Blanes Advanced Studies Center (CEAB-CSIC) and the Ecological Research and Forest Applications Center (CREAF) He has discovered that “bacteria and fungi from the soils of the deserts of North Africa occupy the skies of southern Europe continuously.” They do, in fact, “even long after the great injections of Saharian dust produced by the episodes of Calima.” Analyzing 30 years of rains. To discover it, researchers They have studied Rain samples between 1987 and 2014 and have compared the results with the soils of the deserts of North Africa. In addition, they have recreated the main atmospheric dynamics that are in charge of dispersing microorganisms globally. And this is important? The truth is that yes. Until now It was thought that the microbiota present in a specific ecosystem was basically derived from that ecosystem and its neighbors. Now we have experimental record that continental distances can travel without major problem. On a practical level, all this not only has an impact on soil fertilization, but also on the spread of antibiotic -resistant genes or allergies. Could it be that the growth of allergies among the population was linked to that growth in dust intrusions on the peninsula? The increasingly small world. During the last decades we have believed that new information and transport technologies have made the world smaller and smaller. And it’s true. What we did not know is that the world was already very small before all this. And that changes the preconceived ideas we had been handling. Therefore, it is getting clearer, that we will have to assume the complicated task of manage comprehensive all ecological systems of the earth. And we better be prepared to do it well. Image | Copernicus In Xataka | More pollen, more deaths behind the wheel: the unexpected effect of the allergies season on traffic accidents

Tell me what bacteria live in your intestine and I will tell you who your friends are | Health and well-being

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Mencius, a Chinese philosopher, wrote a handful of centuries ago that “friendship is one mind in two bodies.” Modern science could add another element: friendship is also a microbiota in two bodies. A study has found that the more people interact, the more similar the composition of the microorganisms living in their intestines becomes, even if they do not live in the same household. The investigation, recently published in the magazine Naturealso ensures that an individual’s microbiome is determined not only by their closest social contacts, but also by the connections of these contacts. That is, the friends of your friends. To know the details of this investigation you have to take a trip to the western heart of the Honduran jungle. It was in this Caribbean country where scientists from Yale University worked for ten years until they recruited a group of 1,787 adults, spread across 18 isolated villages, to donate a sample of their feces. All participants had a traditional diet and practically did not consume antibiotics or other medications. Nicholas Christakis, lead author of the study, explains that they were “very lucky that the participants were helpful and engaged.” The scientists needed to be able to trace each of the volunteers’ contacts with certainty, something that would have been much more complicated to do in cities like Madrid or Barcelona. The towns of Honduras, in this case, were perfect. More information Before continuing to advance with the results of this research, it is worth explaining what the microbiota is and why it is important. Francisco Guarner, director of the Digestive System Research Unit at the Vall d’Hebron General Hospital in Barcelona, ​​has a definition: “It is the bacteria communityviruses and fungi that colonize the digestive tract. We could think of it as another organ of the human body, a set of biological capacities that help the survival of an individual.” Although this organ It lives within us, it functions under its own rules and hierarchies. It is organized in its own way and it is not easy to manipulate it. “It is essential for the digestion of food. It provides us with many enzymes and metabolic pathways that humans do not have,” adds the expert. Thanks to the microbiota we can, for example, digest fiber. They are also essential for the development of a balanced immune system. For decades, science has explored the composition of the microbiota to understand how it is generated in each person. Mireia Vallés Colomer, director of the Microbiome Research Group at Pompeu Fabra University, details that vertical transmission had been, until now, the most likely explanation. “We receive these microorganisms, in large part, from our mothers, through childbirth and breastfeeding. We also share bacteria that our grandmother passed to our mother,” he details. However, the new study ventures that the microbiota changes throughout life, and that those largely responsible for these changes are our social contacts. A horizontal transmission. “We were very surprised by the reach of microbes that networks of people share. In fact, we can predict who your friends are based on how similar the microbes in your stool are to theirs,” says Christakis. Data suggests that people living in the same house share up to 14% of the microbial strains in their intestines. While those who do not live together, but usually spend time together, share 10%. The research has also been able to determine that individuals who live in the same town, but who do not usually interact too frequently, share only 4%. There is, the authors say, a chain of transmission because friends of friends share more strains than would be expected by mere chance. The transmission method There is a question that continues to swirl around this research and that is to understand how strains are transmitted bacteria from one microbiota to the other. “We do not have a conclusive answer about how this transmission occurs,” says Vallés. And he adds: “What is hypothesized is that what reaches the intestine has to pass through the mouth. “Many bacteria in the microbiome don’t tolerate direct contact with oxygen for very long, so close contact is needed, but we don’t know exactly what that looks like.” Guarner, however, details that “the fecal-oral route “It seems to be the most important transmission vector.” That is to say, although we clean ourselves and more or less control our hygiene, in some previous studies it has been detected that the bacteria that are typically found in the intestine also appear on the hands. This is how they then reach the mouth. Some of the bacteria manage to survive this journey from the intestine because they travel in the form of spores, similar to those of fungi. “With this transmission mechanism it does not have to be extremely direct contact, it can be through a towel or clothing,” details Guarner. There is no need to be alarmed. This transfer of microorganisms It is what, in some way, keeps us alive. So much so, that new lines of research on the relationship between microbiota and health suggest that a healthy and fit community of microorganisms has an impact on several aspects of our well-being. Some researchers are trying to establish a direct relationship between the microbiota and non-communicable diseasessuch as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and even depression. Guarner explains: “This is still a bit speculative, but normally what happens is that these types of diseases are associated with a poor microbiome.” Vallés contributes that “it has been observed that people with the so-called ‘modern diseases’ suffer an alteration in the composition of their microbiome.” But it is not that there is a particular bacteria responsible for these diseases, but rather it is the loss of diversity in general that worsens the state of health. In this case, the research opens the door to continue analyzing whether these non-communicable diseases, in fact, do have a transmissibility factor. And if an entire community of people has a weakened microbiota, these diseases could proliferate more easily … Read more

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