Scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have genetically sequenced the Steno bacterium.

Steno is a quickly emerging hospital superbug that is extremely drug resistant.

There are no known drugs capable of combating these microorganisms.

Researchers hope that this genome sequence can give clues as to how Steno resists antibiotics. With that information, possible ways of combating these germs can be developed.

For additional information, see:

• Superbug Genome Sequenced: Steno Has Remarkable Capacity For Drug Resistance (Science Daily)

Photo courtesy PDPhoto.org

Researchers have discovered that the hormone ghrelin plays an important role in overeating by stimulating the brain's pleasure center.

Ghrelin stimulates our appetite and also increases our desire for food.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers were able to measure brain responses in people who viewed pictures of food and nonfood images.

The study showed that people who were given ghrelin had an increased response to food images in several areas of the brain.

For additional information, see:

• Gut Hormone Makes Food Look Even Yummier (Science Daily)