Learning and Microbes Lets start from a simple fact Each person shelters about 100 trillion microbes But scientists cannot rear a vast majority of these bacteria in their labs to identify them and learn their characteristics. The implication is staggering.
For example, Are people, as a result of their microbe hosting difference, require, favor, or demand different ways of learning? Do our brains influenced in any way by this difference?
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that each person belonged to one of four blood types. Now they have discovered a new way to classify humanity: by bacteria. Each human being is host to thousands of different species of microbes. Yet a group of scientists now report just three distinct ecosystems in the guts of people they have studied.
Its an important advance, said Rob Knight, a biologist at the University of Colorado, who was not involved in the research. Its the first indication that human gut ecosystems may fall into distinct types.
The researchers, led by Peer Bork of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, found no link between what they called enterotypes and the ethnic background of the European, American and Japanese subjects they studied.
Nor could they find a connection to sex, weight, health or age. They are now exploring other explanations. One possibility is that the guts, or intestines, of infants are randomly colonized by different pioneering species of microbes. The microbes alter the gut so that only certain species can follow them.
Whatever the cause of the different enterotypes, they may end up having discrete effects on peoples health. Gut microbes aid in food digestion and synthesize vitamins, using enzymes our own cells cannot make.
Dr. Bork and his colleagues have found that each of the types makes a unique balance of these enzymes. Enterotype 1 produces more enzymes for making vitamin B7 , for example, and Enterotype 2 more enzymes for vitamin B1 .
The discovery of the blood types A, B, AB and O had a major effect on how doctors practice medicine. They could limit the chances that a patients body would reject a blood transfusion by making sure the donated blood was of a matching type. The discovery of enterotypes could someday lead to medical applications of its own, but they would be far down the road.
Some things are pretty obvious already, Dr. Bork said. Doctors might be able to tailor diets or drug prescriptions to suit peoples enterotypes, for example.
Or, he speculated, doctors might be able to use enterotypes to find alternatives to antibiotics, which are becoming increasingly ineffective. Instead of trying to wipe out disease-causing bacteria that have disrupted the ecological balance of the gut, they could try to provide reinforcements for the good bacteria. Youd try to restore the type you had before, he said.
Dr. Bork notes that more testing is necessary. Researchers will need to search for enterotypes in people from African, Chinese and other ethnic origins. He also notes that so far, all the subjects come from industrial nations, and thus eat similar foods. This is a shortcoming, he said. We dont have remote villages.
上一篇: SSAT类比题反义词词汇总结(四十七)
下一篇: SAT作文题目分类:真话假话类
国内英语资讯:Feature: U.S. beef producers welcome renewal of exports to China
《权力的游戏》最新季回归,首集收视破纪录
孙俪爆出与马云的网络友谊,原来是女企业家
体坛英语资讯:Iran claims mens and womens titles of Baku Martial Arts competitions
一周热词榜(7.8-14)
世界杯来袭 The Coming of The World Cup
土耳其以“帮助恐怖分子”为由关押6名人权活动人士
国际英语资讯:Trump in Paris to improve ties despite divergence on climate, trade
喝咖啡的人更健康,不易得重大疾病
体坛英语资讯:Valverde pleased with first weeks training with Barca
国际英语资讯:At least 22 killed in conflicts near Yemens capital
摩拜单车在英国被破坏 歪果人民素质差不多
True colors?
给朋友的一封信A Letter to a Friend
川普将提名洪博培出任驻俄大使
体坛英语资讯:Dortmund conquer AC Milan 3-1 at ICC
赛龙舟 Dragon Boat Race
邮轮是空气污染重灾区 空气质量比严重污染城市更差
怎样判断别人有没有对你撒谎
国内英语资讯:Angola thanks China for economic development: Vice President
爆笑偷懒妙招:不好意思,你不仅没我懒,还没我机智
国际英语资讯:Trooper killed in Pakistan-India skirmishes in Kashmir
国际英语资讯:Three Republican senators oppose GOP Obamacare repeal
国际英语资讯:Libya, Italy keen to fight illegal immigration across Mediterranean
我喜欢的书 The Book I Like
国际英语资讯:Indian forces commit 542 cease-fire violations so far this year, says Pakistan
Rough and ready?
PC销量创10年最低,个人电脑的时代结束了
想睡好觉?科学家们总结了8个方法
《蓝精灵:寻找神秘村》电影精讲(视频)