WCG has a new project, Microbiome Immunity Project.
New research tools have let researchers explore the human microbiome, the collection of up to 30 trillion (million million) cells that coexist with the human cells in our bodies, including bacterial cells. Early findings show that most of the bacteria in the human microbiome are beneficial. However, some are linked to diseases. For example, the microbiome in the human gut has been linked to autoimmune diseases including Type I diabetes (T1D), Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. These are complex diseases which are affected by both host genetics and gut microbial composition. These two factors contribute to disease progression and affect a patient’s response to treatment. The incidence of these diseases is increasing worldwide, suggesting that non-genetic factors, including the microbiome and environment, are at play.
As of 2014, between 19 to 39 million people are estimated to have Type I diabetes (T1D). T1D results from a patient’s own immune system destroying the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. When these cells are damaged and stop producing insulin, too much glucose (sugar) remains in the bloodstream, where it can damage organs and cause life-threatening complications, including kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. The disease afflicts one in 300 Americans, with incidence rising at 3% annually. T1D typically begins in childhood—although it can begin later—and its onset is preceded by a decrease in gut microbial diversity and an increase in microbial species associated with inflammation. Researchers found that early life exposure to specific bacteria may help or hinder the ability of the immune system to learn to properly recognize and develop antibodies against foreign agents rather than its own body, potentially changing the risk of developing T1D.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic conditions that affect millions of people worldwide, with a prevalence between 114 and 500 people in every 100,000 suffering from one of these diseases in various areas of the globe. These diseases are often diagnosed during young adulthood, and are characterized by ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract, frequently leading to debilitating complications. Both diseases are linked to microbial imbalances in the gut, including changes in the bacteria associated with maintaining a proper balance of regulatory immune cells and mucosal barrier function (which helps protect internal cells from a sometimes hostile environment outside of the cells). However, the precise mechanism of how this microbial community interacts with the host cells to mediate disease is still unknown.
Understanding patients’ microbial composition and how these microbes interact with the host immune system is therefore critical for designing novel treatments to eradicate these microbiome-associated diseases.
About 1h12m for me on the 4770K running at stock here.
I shouldn't have trusted the estimated times... About the same for me... 1h15m to about 1h40m give or take depending on whether it's a core or hyperthread it's on. I also have a "decent" amount of Chrome tabs open, and BOINC is currently restricted to just 50% of the memory.
Either way, I like how they're a relatively quick work unit. ^_^