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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 2019)
A6 OPINION NEWS Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, December 4, 2019 The microbiome: our tiny, silent partners in health ‘W hen we eat, so do they. When we travel, they come along. When we die, they consume us.” —From “I Contain Mul- titudes,” by Ed Yong. Today’s Mountain Medi- cine Column is an introduc- tion (Part 1) to the human microbiome. This introduc- tion will summarize “What is the microbiome all about, and why is it important?” and in subsequent columns, “Where is it going?” Among many of the pro- found changes in scien- tifi c thinking that have had major impact on our daily lives is the realization that the world of microbes is not always to be feared and conquered. Those that live happily in our gut and body are known as our microbi- ome. They provide many functions that keep us healthy and are essential — though unseen — partners in our lives. The old attitudes of “Just take an antibiotic,” and the heavy promotion and use of over-the-counter antibacte- rial soaps, body washes and hand washes are rapidly changing. Earlier this year, the federal Food and Drug Administration announced that most “antibacterial” soaps and washes are over- kill, since plain soap and water are equally effective used properly. The reasons for these new approaches are two- fold. First, antibiotic resis- tance continues to increase, in part from exposure to unnecessary antibiot- ics. Second, it is increas- ingly realized that most of the bacteria that normally reside within and on our bodies — our microbiome — are the products of evo- lution; they are “normal,” they often have a protective effect to prevent diseases and, most intriguing, these bacteria interact with our bodies, such as our immune system, in ways that appear to be essential for human health. Most of the bacteria that compose our microbiome live in the gastrointestinal tract. That they serve a pro- WALLOWA COUNTY 519 W. North Street, Enterprise 541.426.3413 Mon-Thurs 9 to Noon/1-5pm; Fri. 9-1 MOUNTAIN MEDICINE Ron Polk tective effect is most evi- dent when antibiotics are taken for treatment of infec- tion. Antibiotics cannot dis- tinguish between the bac- teria causing the infection and the microbiome bacte- ria, and the death of a sig- nifi cant number of the pro- tecting bacteria can result in resistant and pathogenic microorganisms taking over. The most dramatic of these is the unwelcome bac- terium Clostridium diffi cile, or “C. diff”. Clostridium diffi cile infection (CDI) is the most common cause of hospital acquired infection. Therapy for CDI usu- ally requires antibiotics to kill Clostridium diffi cile, but relapse of CDI after a course of antibiotics is not uncommon. Attempts to replace the normal, protec- tive bacteria by fecal trans- plantation (via enema or capsules) are increasingly used and appear to be effec- tive. However there are potential downsides to this approach. You may have heard of the report in Octo- ber of two patients who received fecal transplants that contained antibiotic-re- sistant bacteria and that subsequently caused a new infection. We still have a lot to learn about improv- ing strategies to prevent and treat CDI. CDI may not be the only adverse consequence of an altered microbiome, called “dysbiosis.” Much of the material to follow is selected from the April 2018 issue of the journal, Nature Medicine: “Current understanding of the human microbiome.” The authors (Gilbert et al.) are leading U.S. scientists in microbi- ome research. Nature Med- icine is a highly regarded peer-reviewed journal. The composition of an individual’s microbiome is complex, and differed from individual human to indi- vidual human. The spe- cifi c bacteria, their num- bers, their locations, as well as nonbacterial microor- ganisms, including fungi and viruses, are determined by the conditions of birth (vaginal vs. cesarean sec- tion), diet (including breast milk vs. formula), expo- sure to antibiotics, expo- sure to probiotics, various diseases, lifestyle (e.g., pet ownership. livestock expo- sure, exercise and stress) and other factors. The microbiome tends to be rel- atively constant for each individual over their life- time unless one or more of the preceding variables are introduced. Differences in microbi- ome composition have been shown to correlate to, for example, obesity, possibly autism spectrum disorder and depression, childhood onset allergies and asthma, infl ammatory bowel dis- ease and Type 1 diabetes. While many of these condi- tions may include genetics and environmental factors, the microbiome contributes to development and main- tenance of the immune sys- tem in ways only recently discovered. Why might a person’s microbiome have an effect on medical conditions that are anatomically distant from the gastrointestinal tract? It appears that micro- biome bacteria communi- cate with one-another and the brain via existing neu- ral pathways. Bacteria pro- duce compounds that may infl uence the central and peripheral nervous systems, and thus provide feedback to the microbiome. This is very strange stuff. Human microbiome science is a new, rapidly evolving science. Whether taking tablets of various microorganisms to establish a healthy microbiome or eating yogurt will be effec- tive in preventing or treat- ing the multiple medical conditions affected by our microbiomes is currently unknown. These topics will be explored in future columns. Finally, a disclaimer. The broad generalizations discussed above are not patient specifi c and may not be applicable to your specifi c medical condi- tion. As always, your health care practitioner is in the best position to advise you regarding diagnosis and treatment, including a dis- cussion of the role of the issues just reviewed. How- ever the microbiome story is just beginning. Subse- quent research will impact us in ways that will be profound and diffi cult to predict. Mountain Medicine is edited by Lostine resident Ron Polk (Google, “Ron Polk SHEA”), with fre- quent contributions from Wallowa County medical practitioners. T HE B OOKLOFT AND Skylight Gallery Finding books is our specialty 541.426.3351 • 107 E. Main • Enterprise • www.bookloftoregon.com Church Directory Church of Christ Grace Lutheran Church 502 W. 2nd Street • Wallowa 541-398-2509 409 West Main -Enterprise SUNDAY WORSHIP at 9am Worship at 11 a.m. Mid-week Bible Study 7 p.m. St. Katherine’s Catholic Church Fr. Thomas Puduppulliparamban 301 E. Garfield Enterprise Mass Schedule Sundays: St. Pius X, Wallowa - 8:00 am St. Katherine of Siena, Enterprise 10:30am Saturdays: St Katherine of Siena, Enterprise 5:30pm Weekday: St. Katherine of Siena, Enterprise – 8:00am (Monday – Thursday and First Friday) Mission Project : WC Heating Assistance phone (message): 541-426-4633 web: gracelutheranenterprise.com St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church 100 NE 3rd St, Enterprise NE 3rd & Main St 541-426-3439 Worship Service Sunday 9:30am All are welcome Joseph United Methodist Church 3rd & Lake St. • Joseph Pastor Cherie Dearth Phone: 541-432-3102 Sunday Worship Service 10:00 am CLUES ACROSS 1. Confession topic 4. On the briny 8. Naked 12. Tilling tool 13. Fellow 14. Ancient 15. Finished lunch 16. Petting 18. Pillages 20. Clever 21. Hire 22. Travel endorsement 23. Although 26. Rock’s Pearl ____ 27. Margarine container 30. Five cards, in poker 31. Submit, as a question 32. Contend 33. Not even 34. Haze 35. Hex 36. Chilled 38. Blacktop 39. Winter drink 41. Married man 45. Kind of complex 47. Unhappiness 48. Past due 49. Final exam, sometimes 50. Timespan 51. Ran away 52. Prescription information 53. Earth’s upper atmosphere CLUES DOWN 1. Fraud 2. Particle 3. ____-do-well 4. Level charges against 5. Sun blocker 6. Lobes’ locations 7. Monkey 8. Foundation 9. Provoker 10. Monthly payment 11. Anxious 17. Do the breaststroke 19. “____ Lang Syne” 22. Dyer’s tank 23. Reporter’s query 24. Once owned 25. Show 26. Earthenware container 28. Times of good fortune 29. Hive builder 31. Pea holder 32. Restrict 34. Noteworthy act 35. Palace 37. Removed the center of 38. Albacores 39. Newborn cow 40. October stone 41. Sub 42. Fills with wonder 43. ____ and cranny 44. Withhold 46. Stylish JosephUMC.org Summit Church Gospel Centered Community Service time: 10:30 am Cloverleaf Hall in Enterprise 541-426-2150 Pastor: David Pendleton www.summitchurchoregon.org Enterprise Christian Church Christ Covenant Church 85035 Joseph Hwy • (541) 426-3449 Pastor Terry Tollefson Church Office: 541-263-0505 Worship at 9 a.m. Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. Evening Worship at 6 p.m. (nursery at A.M. services) Family Prayer 9 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Adelphi University Majungasaurus grew new teeth about every two months. A DENTIST’S DELIGHT Dinosaur replaced its teeth every few months Adelphi University Talk about high turn- over. A meat-eating dino- saur species that lived in Madagascar some 70 mil- lion years ago replaced all its teeth every couple of months or so, a new study has found, surprising even the researchers. In fact, Majungasau- rus grew new teeth roughly two to 13 times faster than those of other carnivorous dinosaurs, says Michael D. D’Emic, an assistant pro- fessor of biology at Adel- phi University. Majunga- saurus would form a new tooth in each socket every couple of months. “This meant they were wearing down their teeth quickly, possibly because they were gnawing on bones,” D’Emic says. “There is independent evi- dence for this in the form of scratches and gouges that match the spacing and size of their teeth on a variety of bones — bones from ani- mals that would have been their prey.” Some animals today, too, will gnaw on bones, including rodents, D’Emic explains. It’s a way for them to ingest certain nutri- ents. It also requires excep- tionally strong teeth — but Majungasaurus did not have those. “That’s our working hypothesis for why they had such elevated rates of replacement,” D’Emic says. The rapid-fi re tooth growth puts Majungasaurus in same league with sharks and big, herbivorous dino- saurs, he adds. Although at least a few hundred meat-eating dino- saur species roamed the Earth, researchers have analyzed tooth-replace- ment rates for only about a half-dozen of them, D’Emic says. He also has looked into tooth-replace- ment patterns in plant-eat- ing dinosaurs. “I’m hoping this lat- est project spurs more peo- ple to study other species. I bet that will reveal further surprises,” he says. “And hopefully that will lead to a better understanding of how dinosaurs evolved to be successful for so long.” “Loving God & One Another” David Bruce, Sr. - Minister 723 College Street, Lostine Join us for the Lostine Presbyterian Church Enterprise Community Congregational Church BLOCK PARTY! Discussion Group 9:30 AM Worship Service 11:00 AM The Big Brown Church Childrens program during service Blog: dancingforth.blogspot.com Pastor Archie Hook Bible Studies: Thurs, 6:30 pm Sundays 9:30 am 541.398.0597 Hwy 82, Lostine Stephen Kliewer, Minister Wallowa Assembly of God 702 West Hwy 82 Wallowa, Oregon 541-886-8445 Sunday School • 9:am Worship Service • 10:am Pastor Tim Barton Visit Us on with an open door Sundays 11:00 am Children’s program during Sunday worship 301 NE First St. • Enterprise, OR Find us on Facebook! 541.426.3044 Seventh-Day Adventist Church & School Friday, Dec 6th 4pm - 7pm Mistletoe Margaritas & Holiday Promotions!! Stop by the store or shop online Temptingtealboutique.com 305 Wagner (near the Cemetery) P.O. Box N. Enterprise, OR 97828 541-426-3751 Church 541-426-8339 School Worship Services Sabbath School 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. Worship Hour 11:00 a.m. - Noon Pastor Jonathan DeWeber Uptown Clothing & Accessories in Downtown Joseph 12 S. Main St. • 541-432-9653
