Phytoplankton blooms over Arctic Ocean continental shelves are thought to be restricted to waters free of sea ice. Here, we document a massive phytoplankton bloom beneath fully consolidated pack ice far from the ice edge in the Chukchi Sea, where light transmission has increased in recent decades because of thinning ice cover and proliferation of melt ponds. The bloom was characterized by high diatom biomass and rates of growth and primary production. Evidence suggests that under-ice phytoplankton blooms may be more widespread over nutrient-rich Arctic continental shelves and that satellite-based estimates of annual primary production in these waters may be underestimated by up to 10-fold.

written by Bioenergetics

Dietary fiber promotes a shift in the gut toward different types of beneficial bacteria, according to a University of Illinois study.

And the microbes that live in the gut, scientists now believe, can support a healthy gastrointestinal tract as well as affect our susceptibility to conditions as varied as type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

As these microbes ferment fiber in the intestine, short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites are produced, resulting in many health benefits for the host.

When we understand what kinds of fiber best nurture these health-promoting bacteria, we should be able to modify imbalances to support and improve gastrointestinal health.

This research suggests that fiber is good for more than laxation, which means helping food move through the intestines.

Unfortunately, people eat only about half of the 30 to 35 grams of daily fiber that is recommended. To achieve these health benefits, consumers should read nutrition labels and choose foods that have high fiber content.

For example, one type of bacteria that thrived as a result of the types of fiber fed in this study is inherently anti-inflammatory, and their growth could be stimulated by using prebiotics, foods that promote the bacteria’s growth, or probiotics, foods that contain the live microorganism.

written by Bioenergetics

Snoring is often viewed as humorous. However, one researcher is calling for an end to such a societal view, as snoring could be an implication of a far more serious condition: sleep apnea.  And what’s more, the disorder of sleep apnea (also spelled apnoea) may be more dangerous than previously thought. Scientists from University of New South Wales (UNSW) has found that those suffering from “obstructive sleep apnoea experience similar changes in brain biochemistry as people who have had a severe stroke or who are dying, the research shows.”

Sleep apnea is a field of research that has been gathering steam for some time, meaning most are aware that it exists and that snoring is a physical manifestation of the disorder.  Apnea occurs when breathing stops during sleep for at least ten seconds.  While unconscious, most biorhythms, including heart beat and breathing, slow. But a ten second gap in breathing accounts for several missed breaths.  That means missed oxygen.

The research, used MRIs to track in real-time what is happening in the brain of someone with sleep apnea while sleeping.  The imaging found that the lack of oxygen reflected a more severe change in brain bioenergetics than what had been seen in similar experiences conducted with patients who were awake.

“The findings show that lack of oxygen while asleep may be far more detrimental than when awake, possibly because the normal compensatory mechanisms don’t work as well when you are asleep,” said Professor Caroline Rae, lead author of the study. It is a long-standing fact in science that low levels of oxygen in the brain can cause serious damage. The scans of sleep apnea patients are completely different from what has been seen before in a healthy person, reflecting more accurately the brain scans of someone who has suffered a stroke or is dying.

Why the brain is reacting in such a way is unclear. However, the data is strong evidence that snoring is not so humorous after all. It could be indicative that something very strange, and not so healthy, is going on in the rest of the body. The study could have big implications in the medical field, as 25% of middle-aged men suffer from some form of sleep apnea.

“The brain could be basically resetting its bioenergetics to make itself more resistant to lack of oxygen,” Rae said. “It may be a compensatory mechanism to keep you alive, we just don’t know, but even if it is it’s not likely to be doing you much good.”

written by Bioenergetics