Gut Bacteria

The large bowel is home to the majority of microbes in the human gut, where they act to ferment undigested food, mostly carbohydrates and fiber, and create fecal bulk. More than half of the bacteria that make up the human gut microbiota belong to Bacteroidetes or Firmicutes (9). The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes has been shown to have health implications; a greater number of Firmicutes to a smaller number of Bacteroidetes has been seen in healthier individuals. What we eat can play a role on the composition of our gut, and which bacteria phyla are

There are major effects in the United States and Europe to help identify the role of microbial communities in the human body. The colon requires a balance of microbial agents that assist with various functions of the body. An imbalance can lead to C.diff., irritable bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), neurological disorders, and obesity just to list a few. Many of these problems have grown to an epidemic proportion. Both the United States and Europe have started projects aimed at the microbial communities of the body and their roles in our health.

Studies have identified different genera of bacteria which are present in the microbiome and their role in nutrient intake. Gut microbiota has 3 main enterotypes Prevotella, Bacteroides and Ruminococcus, there is a strong correlation between the concentration of each bacterial community and the dietary constituents. A diet high in carbohydrates and simple sugars would also indicate and reveal a greater concentration of Prevotella whereas a diet high in protein and animal fats would present a higher concentration of Bacteroides in the gut. A long term change in the diet would permanently shift the concentration of bacteria in the gut to accommodate the new nutrient uptake. This would then change the bacterial barrier in the intestine which could make it more vulnerable due to reduced species richness.

The effect of different diets on the gut microbiome has been studied greatly in mice and to a lesser extent in humans to assess the effect that dietary composition has on the gut micro-biome. It has been suggested that increased efficiency of energy harvest due to changes in the gut microbiota with an increase in Firmicutes and decrease Bacteroidetes bacteria, occurs in obesity in mice and humans.4 A study performed by Murphy et al looked at the effect of a high-fat (HF) diet and genetic obesity (ob/ob) for changes in gut microbiota and the amount of energy harvested from food over time.4 Ob/ob mice were fed a low-fat diet and wild-type mice were fed either a low-fat or HF-diet for 8 weeks. Results indicated an increase in Firmicutes bacteria in both mice fed a HF diet as well as ob/ob mice, but Firmicutes bacteria did not change over time in the lean control mice. A reduction in Bacteroidetes bacteria was also found in ob/ob mice.4

Apart from environmental factors, the microbiome composition also relies on the diet of the hosts. Studies have shown that host lineages that share a similar gut physiology and diet tend to have the same gut microbiome [1]. These studies were initially performed on apes to study their phylogeny. However, due to the complexity and the diversity of the mammalian gut microbes, the studies were more focused on insects like flies, beetles and ants [1].

The use of the first form of microbe-based therapeutics, probiotics, is beneficial for preventing disease. These live microorganisms are known to strengthen the equilibrium of the gut flora by the development of healthy gut

Is the key to disease prevention, treatment, and longevity found within us? For many illnesses pervading in American society today, our bodies may hold the answer. Each individual human has more than 100 trillion bacterial cells in their gastrointestinal tract. The commensal and mutualistic relationship between this multitude of bacteria and their host has been seen to prevent and treat disease, as well as provide insight to a long, healthy life (Koboziev, 2014). The diversity of these microorganisms and their relative abundance within the gastrointestinal tract provides protection against disease and metabolism of food (Nicholson, 2012). Due to the great diversity in gut microbiota, the composition can serve as a biological fingerprint (Sunagawa, 2013). Any significant change in an individual’s gut

Physiological books—specifically those about the gut microbiota and the importance of the digestive system—took up the most rows in my mental library due to the fact that I can use their knowledge to positively impact countless lives, starting with the ones closest to home. I grew up allergic to pollen, dust, peanuts, oatmeal, and even penicillin. My mother has an issue with Helicobacter pylori in her stomach and cholesterol levels. My father is genetically predisposed towards high blood pressure. Through these books, I gained a better understanding of the biological human; specifically, I learned about how central the digestive system is to the body, not only by providing nutrients but also, through its resident bacteria, by regulating immune function. Through learning more about this expansive mass, I can help my loved ones change their lifestyle and dietary habits to improve their

These complex communities play an important role in health and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. The microbiota living symbiotically with their host are generally non-pathogenic and have evolved with humans in order to combat colonization by harmful bacteria while extracting energy from non-digestible polysaccharides. There are many factors that contribute to the stability of the gut microbiome. Typically, the gut microbiome is established at birth and differs with mode of delivery (vaginally vs. cesarean) [7,9]. Therefore, the manner in which a child is born influences the composition of bacteria. Other factors include host environment, genetics and lifestyle, the latter of which is the focus of this proposal [8,16]. The gut flora are beneficial to humans as they provide essential nutrients while also acting as an adaptive immune system [7, 23]. Research has suggested that antigens released from gut microbiota can be absorbed and infiltrate adipose tissue, thereby worsening chronic inflammation and oxidative stress associated with obesity [23]. Therefore, identifying the specific microbiome of an individual can be diagnostic of metabolic disorders [8] and may contribute to impaired endothelium-mediated

It is clear that the role of the gut bacteria to our fitness cannot be underestimated; however, one may argue that complexity of this topic still does not reform our

Ultimately, the foods people eat can influence the gut bacteria they develop. Healthy gut bacteria in the intestinal tract can help the body digest and absorb essential nutrients and vitamins as well as combat toxins. Good gut bacteria can boost the immune system and help regulate

Enteric infections are often caused by foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The impact these pathogens have on the human body can depend on their pathogenicity and possibly even the hosts’ resident intestinal microbiome. The research aim was therefore to evaluate the possible effects the intestinal microbiome could have on susceptibility to and recovery from enteric infections. By evaluating the microbial compositions present in faecal samples of patients with enteric infections and their uninfected family members by DNA sequencing, the authors discovered levels of the microbes Proteobacteria were higher in infected persons while levels of the microbes Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were lower in uninfected persons. Future

The new theoretical perspective, accessibility-attribution model, is a more flexible and malleable variant of the prior affect-as-information model (Isbell et al., 2013, Isbell & Lair, 2013). As this new model illustrates, one’s affective states confer value on any currently accessible cognitions (Clore & Robinson, 2014). More specifically, positive affective states assign positive value, so serve as a “go” sign, to those available thoughts and inclinations, while negative affective states assign negative value, and therefore represent a “stop” sign, to those accessible cognitions.

Information of profitability is required for stakeholders to invest in the business. It also gives the information on the growth of the business over a period of time.

“The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources-because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples” (Johnson). In today’s society, immigration is a controversial topic. Regardless of current views towards immigration, the nation is experiencing a daily influx of immigrants, particularly those with Hispanic heritage. To address this dramatic increase, a new program, The Influential, is effectively working to educate both U.S. citizens and immigrants. Instead of students taking two years of Spanish in high school, students will be mandated to take Spanish in the fifth grade and above. The Influential program focuses primarily on school aged children, affecting change in the mindsets of the nation’s youth that will carry the country into a more culturally aware future.