Sunshine and Water-Microbes

Lice, Humans, and Microbes

Lice are small, wingless, minor ectoparasites of mammals and birds. More than 540  blood-sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) have been described with each host having its own type of louse, suggesting the cospeciation of the lice species with their host. Among these, two lice species from two different genera infest humans: Pediculus humanus and Phthirus pubis (pubic “crab” l...

Using microbes and wastewater to desalinate water.

The technology is based on microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which use microorganisms as catalysts to convert chemical energy to electrical energy. The paper’s authors, including Bruce Logan of Pennsylvania State University and Xiaoxin Cao of Tsinghua University (China), are among the small group of researchers worldwide trying to improve MFCs—or bioelectrochemical systems, as they are beginning to ...

Sunshine and the cardiovascular benefits – a dose of sunshine!

Pathogenic microbes in water and food: changes and challenges.

Despite the progress seen in recent times in medical care and food technology, foodand waterborne diseases are still (and increasingly) of major concern for human health, both in developing and in developed countries. Except for the obvious epidemic case, foodand waterborne diseases go frequently unrecognised and the impact on human health and economy is underestimated. It is estimated that inc...

Sunshine and multiple sclerosis.

In 1960, Donald Acheson made the seminal observation that the global distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS) may be related to available hours of sunshine; this observation was met with disbelief at the time. However, over the subsequent more than 50 years, it has become clear that he may well be right. The effect of sunlight exposure and subsequent vitamin D production (generated by photolysis...