
Color-Changing Poop to Diagnose Bowel Problems - curtis
http://gizmodo.com/scientists-want-to-use-color-changing-rainbow-poop-to-d-1794070915
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gdxform
As a side note, I learned from a gastroenterologist that the human digestive
system isn't a FIFO queue. In fact, the intestines sort food, so that some
components of meals can overtake other ones. Fat and protein move more slowly
because they need extra processing.

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Neliquat
Wow, thats a mindfsck. I never even considered something so obvious. Thanks
for sharing that tidbit. Must also be why eating more fat and protien keeps us
satiated longer.

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jamessb
This reminds me of the E.chromi scatalog: in 2009, the Cambridge iGEM team
created a set of "color generator" biobricks that produced various pigments
(carotenoids, melanin, violacein) [1], which led into a conceptual design
project by Daisy Ginsberg and James King [2, 3]

The concept was that:

>The patient ingests a drink, much like a probiotic shake, laced with the
engineered E. coli; the bacteria react with the enzymes, proteins, and other
chemicals that are present in the gastrointestinal tract and turn different
colors for different diseases, thus changing the color of the patient’s feces.
[4]

[1]:
[http://2009.igem.org/Team:Cambridge/Project/Pigments](http://2009.igem.org/Team:Cambridge/Project/Pigments)

[2]:
[https://dublin.sciencegallery.com/growyourown/echromi](https://dublin.sciencegallery.com/growyourown/echromi)

[3]: [http://www.daisyginsberg.com/work/echromi-living-colour-
from...](http://www.daisyginsberg.com/work/echromi-living-colour-from-
bacteria)

[4]: [http://inhabitat.com/e-chromi-designer-bacteria-will-
color-y...](http://inhabitat.com/e-chromi-designer-bacteria-will-color-your-
poop-according-to-what-ails-you/)

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Neliquat
Cue the pooping rainbows gifs.

This seems especially good for work in the feild, particularly 3rd world
countries without nearby labs. Are they accurate enough for diag or only as a
starting point for more tests?

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stagbeetle
I think you're going to have a serious marketing and UX problem if this is
going to be adapted to the general public.

People already get alarmed if their urine is a few shades darker than usual,
then scramble to WebMD (what a terrible service) to find out which flavor of
cancer they've acquired.

Hyperbole, but I think my point is clear. The instant shock of seeing bright
green in the bowl is more than enough to hinder widespread adoption.

Perhaps it could be useful as an as-needed test, administrated by doctors in-
lieu of blood tests?

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failrate
That is likely the intent. It seems likely that you would have different doses
for different diseases, probably with some overlap (akin to Gram-staining, for
example).

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stagbeetle
The author was focused on consumer applications:

> _" And instead of producing green fluorescent proteins, the sensor bacteria,
> easily ingested by just eating a pro-biotic yogurt, could produce an enzyme
> that makes a colored pigment that would dye someone’s stool, making the
> color change easy to spot after a bowel movement."The development of such
> bacteria would also help reduce the need for repeated doctor visits or
> expensive procedures like colonoscopies. If only every medical test was as
> simple as eating what you probably already eat for breakfast."_

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failrate
I disagree with that interpretation based on the text you have selected. It
does not reference a consumer market (which would be a nightmare scenario if
this popped up in health food stores), and explicitly uses the term "medical
test". If you have a colorectal or digestive problem, you are already bringing
stool samples from home to the lab, and dosing on a diagnostic substance prior
is common enough before different examinations (for example, radioactive
iodine). I think that this approach is just combining the two with a novel
bacterial agent.

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19eightyfour
Doesn't it change color naturally and indicate?

If it ain't broken... Why does it need to be easier? Biome is important. Don't
mess with it.

This technology is probably not for me. But you're welcome to make your poo
rainbow if you want to take that risk.

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temp246810
>>>The physical appearance of your bowel movements can already reveal a lot
about your body’s digestive health, and color changes can even indicate more
severe problems. But scientists at Rice University want to make it even easier
to spot medical problems in your colon, by tinting your poop a rainbow of
different colors

Literally the first line.

