We Japanese and our unique stomachs...

[matsuki]

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/04/sushi-guts/

In a neat confluence of human history, stomach bacteria and food, researchers have found that the intestinal microbes of Japanese people may be souped up for eating seaweed.

“In a marine bacteria, we identified an enzyme that is very specialized for degrading algal cell walls,” said Mirjam Czjzek, a biologist at France’s Station Biologique de Roscoff. “The only other place we find this enzyme is in the human-gut bacteria of Japanese individuals.”

The discovery, described April 7 in Nature, started with Roscoff biologist Jan-Hendrik Hehemann’s analysis of Zobellia galactanivorans, a common marine bacteria. In it, he found an enzyme that breaks down porphyran, a carbohydrate found in the cell walls of red algae.

The gene that codes for the enzyme has been found in one other place: the genome of Bacteroides plebeius, a microbe found in human intestines. However, not all B. plebeius strains produce the algae-crunching enzyme. It has only been found in Japanese people.

[yanpa]

Have we ruled out back-channel funding of these people by the Japan Foundation?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

....the study isn’t absolutely conclusive. It looked only at the gut microbes of 18 westerners....

Some cuntry must be trying to sell seaweed to the Japanese if they're coming up with this shite...

[matsuki]

....the study isn’t absolutely conclusive. It looked only at the gut microbes of 18 westerners....

Some cuntry must be trying to sell seaweed to the Japanese if they're coming up with this shite...

hahahahaha, follow the money indeed!

[Samurai_Jerk]

I find this hard to believe as the Japanese aren't the only sea weed eaters.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I find this hard to believe as the Japanese aren't the only sea weed eaters.

Maybe it comes from that traditional Japanese practice of wakamezake (and for the benefit of whitewashing consular officials in Italy, this traditional Japanese practice is engaged in immediately following those other traditional Japanese practices, nyotaimori, bukkake and rinkan).

I just realized why the Japanese Embassy in Italy claims nyotaimori is not a traditional Japanese practice...the women involved aren't 12-years-old.

[matsuki]

I find this hard to believe as the Japanese aren't the only sea weed eaters.

Maybe it comes from that traditional Japanese practice of wakamezake (and for the benefit of whitewashing consular officials in Italy, this traditional Japanese practice is engaged in immediately following those other traditional Japanese practices, nyotaimori, bukkake and rinkan).

I just realized why the Japanese Embassy in Italy claims nyotaimori is not a traditional Japanese practice...the women involved aren't 12-years-old.

SDH <3<3<3

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

SDH <3<3<3

Mate, I'm an old man...I'm not sure whether the symbols are farting in my general direction or you're kissing me...

Actually, it looks more like I'm farting at the smilie and it's grossed out, which would certainly be an accurate depiction of real life, anyway....

[Taro Toporific]

I find this hard to believe as the Japanese aren't the only sea weed eaters.

The significances of bacterial flora of the human gut are not well understood. For example, the Japanese have the world's highest rate of gastric cancer as well as gastric ulcers and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections of the stomach. These correlations point to something very wrong and "unique" with the bacterial flora inside the Japanese (those salarymen with dogshit breath are generally in a pre-cancerous gastric condition).

Disclaimer: A major source of my university scholarships was funded by E-coli, Salmonella, Botulism & Associates (by the poultry industry looking for food safety solutions).

[GomiGirl]

SDH <3<3<3

Mate, I'm an old man...I'm not sure whether the symbols are farting in my general direction or you're kissing me...

Actually, it looks more like I'm farting at the smilie and it's grossed out, which would certainly be an accurate depiction of real life, anyway....

Those are hearts - he is sending you lurve..

[Coligny]

SDH <3<3<3

Mate, I'm an old man...I'm not sure whether the symbols are farting in my general direction or you're kissing me...

Actually, it looks more like I'm farting at the smilie and it's grossed out, which would certainly be an accurate depiction of real life, anyway....

Those are hearts - he is sending you lurve..

For zee french that means "farting in your general direkshiun"

[Samurai_Jerk]

I find this hard to believe as the Japanese aren't the only sea weed eaters.

The significances of bacterial flora of the human gut are not well understood. For example, the Japanese have the world's highest rate of gastric cancer as well as gastric ulcers and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections of the stomach. These correlations point to something very wrong and "unique" with the bacterial flora inside the Japanese (those salarymen with dogshit breath are generally in a pre-cancerous gastric condition).

Disclaimer: A major source of my university scholarships was funded by E-coli, Salmonella, Botulism & Associates (by the poultry industry looking for food safety solutions).

That's why they're always talking about "pylori-kin" around the time of the annual health check. I was wondering what the fuck that was all about. It seems they blame meat consumption.

[matsuki]

I find this hard to believe as the Japanese aren't the only sea weed eaters.

The significances of bacterial flora of the human gut are not well understood. For example, the Japanese have the world's highest rate of gastric cancer as well as gastric ulcers and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections of the stomach. These correlations point to something very wrong and "unique" with the bacterial flora inside the Japanese (those salarymen with dogshit breath are generally in a pre-cancerous gastric condition).

Disclaimer: A major source of my university scholarships was funded by E-coli, Salmonella, Botulism & Associates (by the poultry industry looking for food safety solutions).

That's why they're always talking about "pylori-kin" around the time of the annual health check. I was wondering what the fuck that was all about. It seems they blame meat consumption.

Haha, blame it on barbarian meat consumption....when the meat eating barbarians don't have near the same problem with it as they do. Makes sense

[matsuki]

C360_2012-09-04-08-29-47_org.jpg

[cstaylor]

That's why they're always talking about "pylori-kin" around the time of the annual health check. I was wondering what the fuck that was all about. It seems they blame meat consumption.

Doubtful. More likely poor sanitation during early postwar Japan.

[GomiGirl]

That's why they're always talking about "pylori-kin" around the time of the annual health check. I was wondering what the fuck that was all about. It seems they blame meat consumption.

Doubtful. More likely poor sanitation during early postwar Japan.

Helicobacter pylori is the bacteria that causes ulcers. This was discovered about 20 years ago and it was a bit of a shock as most people thought they were caused by stress, food or high acid concentrations (caused by stress).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori

And yes - places with poor sanitation usually have a higher prevalence of this infection.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/55002 ... gastritis/

H. Pylori and Beef

While it is possible to become infected with H. pylori through ground beef, the chances of this happening are relatively slim. According to an article published in the "Journal of Food Protection," researchers from the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University found no H. pylori present in a selection of retail beef cuts. The researchers further found that H. pylori dies quickly in both refrigerated and frozen ground beef, thereby concluding that H. pylori infection from beef is not a primary cause of H. pylori infection in humans.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/55002 ... z25ewzhItC

(in a former life I worked in medical science field and sold test kits for this bug.)

[Samurai_Jerk]

They're probably getting it from those nasty-ass soy sauce bottles that sit in restaurants at room temperature forever and just get refilled again and again without getting washed.

[GomiGirl]

They're probably getting it from those nasty-ass soy sauce bottles that sit in restaurants at room temperature forever and just get refilled again and again without getting washed.

Gross - I have never thought about those things much.. but I don't drown my food in soy sauce anyway.

[Coligny]

They're probably getting it from those nasty-ass soy sauce bottles that sit in restaurants at room temperature forever and just get refilled again and again without getting washed.

Dun't know... Aren't these bottle full of 1 substance quite binary in their behaviour ?

If they provide an environment proper for bacterial development won't they be totally transformed by the colony to the point of being easily spotable ?

Since previous meat conservation was salt and soy sauce is rotten shit with salt (or is it ?) can any bacteria call it home ?

(Just checked, contains ethyl and salt... good luck growing some lifeforms in this...)

[matsuki]

How about the lack of soap in public restrooms? It's much better lately but the whole bring your own towel and no soap, with just water for washing your after toilet hands just seems to encourage bacteria growth more than cleanse you of it..

[Mike Oxlong]

Soap is a waste there. Most J-dudes don't even splash water on their hands after making toilet.

[Samurai_Jerk]

How about the lack of soap in public restrooms? It's much better lately but the whole bring your own towel and no soap, with just water for washing your after toilet hands just seems to encourage bacteria growth more than cleanse you of it..

Especially in restaurant bathrooms .... which the staff also use by the way. There's usually no hot water either.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Soap is a waste there. Most J-dudes don't even splash water on their hands after making toilet.

I used to date a Chinese American girl and she told me that white girls in the US never wash theirs hands after using the ladies room.