Basic Science World Blog

Microbes: Amazing Allies
* Its no exaggeration to say that without microbes there would be no life at all.

* Ancient bacteria breathed out oxygen and created the atmosphere that sustains life on Earth today. Even now, microbes produce at least half of the air we breathe.

* Microbes are the foundation of the food chain that feeds all life on earth. For example, bacteria –> protozoan –> small fish –> large fish –> human

* Every year, microbes convert billions of tons of human feces and other organic waste, into soil.

* Microbes help plants take up nutrients from the soil, act as natural pest-killers and turn waste into fertilizer.

* Microbes make more than 3,500 foods worldwide. These include bread, cheese, soda, chocolate, pickles and sauerkraut.

* Microbes eat up toxic wastes such as battery acid, old paint, oil, pesticides and even radioactive material.

* The bacteria that live all over your skin keep away harmful microbes by seizing any available space or food.

* The trillions of bacteria in your stomach crowd out harmful bacteria, produce vitamins and help you digest your food.

* Bacteria and fungi are the source of the antibiotics that doctors use to fight many diseases.

* Bacteria is being used to produce human insulin. Viruses are being used to introduce genes that can
The Microbial Superhighway
Modern transportation, ecological destruction, overpopulation and pollution help infectious diseases spread around the world.

Modern planes, trains, and cars help microbes travel. They hitch a ride inside an infected person, animal or insect and go thousands of miles in a matter of days or even hours.

By invading the virgin jungles and rainforests of Africa, Asia and South America we unleash unknown microbes that may grow in the many poorly maintained, overcrowded, unhygienic and polluted mega-cities around the world.

Pollution fouls water supplies that make ideal breeding grounds for microbes. The very water we drink may transmit disease-causing microbes.

**Mutating Microbes:

The Deadly Dilemma of Drug Resistance

The antibiotic Penicillin is a fungus natural defense against harmful bacteria. Humans have simply borrowed this antibiotic to help defend their own bodies.

But these defenses sometimes fail. Bacteria can mutate and become resistant to antibiotics. This means that antibiotics cant stop the bacteria from harming your body. At least 24 different kinds of bacteria have become resistant to one or more antibiotics, including those that cause meningitis, scarlet fever and pneumonia. Bacteria continuously change so researchers have to constantly develop new antibiotics to fight them.

Bacteria quickly develop resistance when people do not use anitbiotics properly. There are many ways people can misuse antibiotics. In some cases, a persons immune system is too weak to mop up the bacteria remaining after treatment with an antibiotic. Other times, the patient stops taking the medication too soon. Occasionally, patients are given the wrong kind of antibiotic. All three scenarios allow more resistant strains of bacteria to spread and reproduce.

Pharmaceutical companies are always developing new drugs for use in the fight against disease. But we must use antibiotics wisely and carefully if we are to slow bacterias rush to resistance.
** New Frontiers
Microbes are found in the most extreme environments imaginable: inside nuclear reactors, below Antarctic ice, in waters boiling above 2000??F and even in space. Scientists study these and other microbes with the hope of understanding the beginning of life and its evolution.

Advanced technologies like computers and electron microscopes allow us to observe and change the behavior and structure of the microbes that cause disease. These advances have produced new vaccines, medicines and other therapies that have proven to be powerful weapons in our constant struggle against disease.

The interaction between people and microbes is an essential, never ending process.

Important Facts
* Without microbes there would be no life on Earth.

* Most microbes are useful or harmless; only a few cause disease.

* Microbes dont mean to make us sick. Theyre just trying to survive.

* Microbes can help fight disease and disasters such as oil spills.

* Microbes pose one of the greatest and most exciting challenges for researchers and scientists.

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The Fungal Diastase Or Fungal Alpha Amylase is a potent, dependable, powerful enzyme complex, obtained from Aspergillus oryzae.

The Fungal Diastase is manufactured by controlled fermentation of Fungi Aspergillus oryzae, followed by a sophisticated down stream process of recovery.

The recovery process involves various types of filtration, concentration process method and converts it into steps to make enzyme useful for pharmaceutical applications and finally spray drying to fine free flowing powder form.

Fungal Diastase is a Carbohydrase (starch degrading) enzyme. Amylases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of alpha-1, 4-glycosidic linkages of polysaccharides to yield dextrins, oligosaccarides, maltose and D-glucose. Its broad substrate specificity and ability to hydrolyze starch make Fungal Diastase an ideal enzymatic supplement.

Therapeutic use of Fungal Diastase:

Used as effective digestive aid

Helps in digestion of carbohydrates in the diet.

This digestive activity has been used in cases of a sense of fullness; pain or nausea that may be present after meals.

Digests starch and carbohydrates from our diet into diet into simple polysaccharides and sugars.

Digests carbohydrates along with dead white blood cells (pus).

Is also involved in anti inflammatory reactions such as those caused by the release of histamines and similar substances.

In concert with Protease, it stimulates immune system function.

Acts in association with lipase to digest fragments of viruses and reduce inflammation and infections.
Indications:

Used as digestive aid in case of Loss of appetite due to chronic illness, stomach fullness and indigestion after operations or surgery.

Used in case of disturbance of protein and carbohydrate digestion

Used in Diarrhea, constipation, Burps or belches.

Used in prevention of mal absorption of food.

Used in digestive problems in old age and childhood; also useful during pregnancy and in smokers

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