Background: Oral opportunistic bacteria pose health risks for people with intellectual disability, yet their relationship with activities of daily living (ADLs) remains underexplored. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 178 institutionalised people with intellectual disability. ADL was assessed by caregivers. Oral samples were…

Autism spectrum disorders are potentially associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Recently, the oral cavity has gained attention as the starting point of the digestive tract. We aim to explore the potential association between altered oral microbiota and oxidative stress in individuals with…

Objective: Define microbiological characteristics of pathogens causing lower urinary tract infections (LUTI), frequency of "Chlamydia trachomatis" (CT) or "Neisseria gonorrhea" (GC), and accuracy of self-diagnosis by college women with LUTI symptoms. Participants: Sexually active women with LUTI symptoms attending a large…

This paper describes a teaching experiment in a Numerical Methods course for Master of Science students. The experiment uses scientific papers to develop modelling studies in the context of wine fermentation microbial interactions. The course involves theoretical and laboratory classes that focus on implementing numerical methods using Matlab for…

The associations of microbes with their environment can result in both positive and negative effects on humans. While most people are aware of the existence of microbes, research shows that perceptions of microbes and their effects are often incomplete or include misconceptions. Much like the positive psychology movement, the recently proposed…

Undergraduate learning assistant (ULA) programs are widely recognized for their positive impact on student engagement, academic performance, and classroom inclusion in large-enrollment STEM courses. However, far less attention has been given to the professional development of the ULAs themselves. This perspective paper accompanies the article…

Laboratory experience is vital to undergraduate science education. It allows students to observe and conduct engaging experiments to enhance their skills and literacy, helps them retain knowledge, and deepens their understanding of related content covered in lectures. This paper reports a 4-week undergraduate laboratory exercise on…

The gut microbiota was reported to differ between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in preterm infants is common. Here, we explored the characteristics of gut microbiota in children born preterm with ASD. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing using stool samples…

Bacteria have developed a cell-to-cell communication system called quorum sensing (QS), allowing them to regulate group behavior and synchronize the expression of virulence factors, responsible for increasing their infection capacity and resistance to antimicrobials. Although the control of microbial infections through the inhibition of microbial…

In the environment, communication among microorganisms is a key aspect of their lives. Through communication, single cells of a microbial population can coordinate their gene expression and, in consequence, their physiology. Quorum sensing systems (QS) are one of these mechanisms that allow this communication through the production and detection…

The flipped classroom method has recently become popular in biology education. However, there is a lack of systematic and quantitative assessments on the efficiency of teaching medical microbiology using this novel approach. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to explore the flipped classroom method's effects versus those of traditional…

Recently, several articles have reflected on the existence of microorganisms in supporting the life and health of living creatures as the beginning of the emergence of microbiology literacy. In the curriculum, understanding the activity of microorganisms has been studied from pre-school, elementary school, and middle school to college. The…

The importance of teaching the Luria-Delbrück experiment to biology students is increasingly recognized by educators, and improved pedagogical methods for teaching the classic experiment have been proposed and tested in the classroom. However, there are still obstacles that impede the proper teaching of the classic experiment. This note proposes…

Nicotine is a major alkaloid in tobacco plants and an addictive component of tobacco products. Some bacteria grow on tobacco plants and have evolved the ability to metabolize nicotine. As part of our microbiology teaching lab, we used minimal media with nicotine as the sole carbon source to isolate nicotine-degrading bacteria from tobacco leaves…

Plant extracts and their components have been reported to have antimicrobial properties against phytopathogens. Although such properties could be harnessed for the development of new pathogen control strategies, there are no standardised methods for their assessment in different extracts. The laboratory exercise presented here involves the use of…