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Why is urine yellow? University of Maryland researchers discovered the answer – WTOP News

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Why is urine yellow? University of Maryland researchers discovered the answer – WTOP News


A long-standing scientific mystery related to why urine is yellow was solved by researchers at the University of Maryland.

It seems like an answer that the scientific community should have already had, but the exact reason as to why urine is yellow has been elusive until now.

Researchers at the University of Maryland have cracked the code, identifying an enzyme that’s responsible for giving urine its yellow hue.

“We’re elated,” said Brantley Hall, a professor in the department of cell biology and molecular genetics at the University of Maryland in College Park.

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Hall is the lead author of the study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature Microbiology.

“It’s a really important fundamental discovery, and we’re so happy that people can engage with this because it’s something they’re familiar with,” said Hall.

For decades, researchers had identified the molecule “urobilin” as the thing that makes urine yellow. But Hall’s research went further, finding out where urobilin actually comes from and how the body produces it.

When red blood cells degrade after their six-month life span, a bright orange pigment called “bilirubin” is produced as a byproduct.

Bilirubin is typically secreted into the gut, where it is destined for excretion.

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Gut microbes encode the enzyme “bilirubin reductase” that converts bilirubin into a colorless byproduct called urobilinogen.

Urobilinogen then degrades into urobilin.

“We’re building on the shoulders of a lot of people who have studied this phenomenon before,” Hall said. “It’s remarkable that an everyday biological phenomenon went unexplained for so long.”

Aside from solving a scientific mystery, the study could have other health implications.

Hall’s team found that bilirubin reductase is present in almost all healthy adults but is often missing from newborns and people who have inflammatory bowel disease.

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Their theory is that the absence of bilirubin reductase may contribute to infant jaundice and the formation of pigmented gallstones.

“Now that we’ve identified this enzyme, we can start investigating how the bacteria in our gut impact circulating bilirubin levels and related health conditions like jaundice,” said study co-author Xiaofang Jiang. “This discovery lays the foundation for understanding the gut-liver axis.”

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Maryland Senate Republicans push to roll back MVA fees as drivers complain of costs

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Maryland Senate Republicans push to roll back MVA fees as drivers complain of costs


Maryland drivers frustrated by rising costs at the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) are watching a push in Annapolis to roll back recent vehicle registration fee hikes.

At the MVA on Reisterstown Road, motorists said the cost of driving has become too high.

“It’s too expensive to drive,” one driver said.

Another driver said, “The cost is ridiculous. They want me to pay almost $400 (for my vehicle registration).”

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ALSO READ | Maryland residents react to soaring vehicle registration fees, rank fifth highest in U.S.

Delores Howell, a Maryland motorist at the MVA, said the increases are hitting her hard.

“I think it’s awful. Who can afford it? It’s too much money,” Howell said.

She added, “I’m a senior citizen, and I’m on social security. I’m one person, live by myself. I can’t afford all this stuff. They keep going up, up, up, how high are they gonna go?”

Senate Republicans in Annapolis are pushing legislation this week to roll back the vehicle registration fee increases that were implemented in 2024. Those increases raised registration costs by about 60% to 70%, adding between $70 and $162 a year for many drivers.

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The bill’s sponsor, Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, said the higher fees are hitting families as the cost of gas, insurance and everyday essentials continues to climb.

Critics have warned the fees help fund transportation projects across Maryland and argue that reducing them could create new budget challenges for road maintenance and infrastructure.

During a recent hearing, Sen. Mary-Dulany James, D-Harford County, questioned how the state would meet transportation needs with less revenue.

“I’ve never had a hearing with the transportation department where we don’t have extraordinary demands and inadequate revenue,” James said. “So, that’s what I’m wondering about with this bill. How would you respond to that?”

Hershey responded by arguing there are competing views of what transportation funding should prioritize.

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“There’s two different opinions on what transportation is in the state of Maryland,” Hershey said. “Many of us believe that it’s roads and highways, many of us believe that it’s transit.

The problem is transit is not sustainable on itself.”

James replied, “Well that’s true we should have a separate transportation trust fund for transit.”

“And that’s what’s important to get that conversation going… because the reality is you’re funding mass transit on the backs of motorists,” Hershey said.

ALSO READ | Maryland Judiciary warns of parking violation scam, directs recipients to Baltimore court

Back at the MVA, Howell said she hopes the proposed legislation could bring relief.

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“Every time you look around, it’s not taxes. They put fees. Fees is a tax. So what can we do?” Howell said.

For now, the bill remains up for debate as lawmakers continue discussing the potential impacts on transportation funding.

Follow FOX45 reporter Keith Daniels on X and Facebook. Send tips to Kdaniels@sbgtv.com.



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Around Town: Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds

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Around Town: Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds




Around Town: Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds – CBS Baltimore

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The Maryland Home and Garden Show returns to the State Fairgrounds.

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No. 6-seed Maryland women’s basketball stunned by No. 11-seed Oregon, 73-68, in Big Ten Tournament second round

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No. 6-seed Maryland women’s basketball stunned by No. 11-seed Oregon, 73-68, in Big Ten Tournament second round


No. 6-seed Maryland women’s basketball had a chance to earn the final shot Thursday night.

Oluchi Okananwa drew an and-one opportunity to potentially cut the deficit to one point. But she missed the free throw.

No. 11-seed Oregon went the other way and head coach Brenda Frese decided not to foul. With 4.4 seconds remaining, guard Avary Cain knocked down a 3-pointer to end Maryland’s run in the Big Ten Tournament after just one game with a 73-68 loss in Indianapolis.

“It felt like deja vu,” Frese said.

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Just like the last time it faced Oregon — in College Park in late January — Maryland led by a slim margin heading into the fourth quarter.

That night, the Terps were outscored 24-11 in the fourth. It was 21-11 in favor of Oregon on Thursday.

“They just made a few more plays than we did late game that sent us home,” Frese said.

Maryland’s offense didn’t come through when it needed it most — it made just one 3-pointer on 15 attempts on the night.

The Terps relied on interior scoring in the first half. Of its first 23 points, 22 came from inside the paint — the only other score was a free throw. The game finished with Maryland scoring 48 points in the paint. The other 15 points came from free throws.

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But that was too one-dimensional offensively. The Terps attempted 21 layups and seven 3-pointers in the first half. It finished with 33 layups and 16 3-pointers, and made 20 layups compared to one 3-pointer.

As the first half progressed, Oregon adjusted to take away that gameplan. The second quarter started with an 11-2 Ducks run — they simply found more ways to score. Maryland could not find scoring outside of the paint or the charity stripe — its only 3-pointer came with 1:50 remained in the first half.

The Ducks weren’t dominating from deep, either; the game consisted mostly of back-and-forth layups. Still, the lack of success from beyond the arc was relatively uncharted territory for head coach Brenda Frese.

Early on, the Terps were overly cautious in avoiding foul trouble. But it backfired.

Oluchi Okananwa started the game on 3-of-3 shooting and scored six of Maryland’s first eight points. She has dealt with foul trouble in recent games. So Frese opted to have her sit for the remaining six minutes of the first quarter after committing a foul.

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But amid the intention to avoid foul trouble, Yarden Garzon committed two quick fouls early in the second quarter.

The referees continued to call a tight game in the third quarter. Okananwa got up to three fouls, and so did Isi Ozzy-Momodu. The Terps were in the exact position they were looking to avoid.

Due to its cautiousness regarding foul trouble, Maryland’s rotations were altered. Breanna Williams had some extended playing time — though it started out well, it turned sour quickly. She made an early layup, but also had some defensive lapses and looked largely out of place.

Maryland relied on its freshmen for 35 collective minutes in the first half. They were impactful, but not as much as its senior leadership, which was hampered by foul trouble.

Okananwa finished with 27 points and was Maryland’s main workhorse. It didn’t end up being enough, but her ability to drive inside gave her team a fighting chance.

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“Just be aggressive. Be my normal self. A lot of good things happen for me when I drive,” Okananwa said. “Whether it’s me getting to the line or finishing the bucket. So that was my mentality. Just be aggressive.”

With a loss in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament, what seemed like a sure thing that Maryland would host NCAA Tournament games now looks in jeopardy.

1. A shocking loss. Since joining the Big Ten, this is the first time Maryland failed to reach the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament. Last year, the Terps lost their first game but had a double-bye; this was their worst outing ever in the Big Ten Tournament.

2. What now? With the Terps’ run in Indianapolis now over, they will wait to see if they will host in the NCAA Tournament. Maryland was not the only Big Ten team slated to host that lost on Thursday — Michigan State did too. It remains to be seen what that means for the Terps.

“It shouldn’t be judged off of one game, and I think our conference prepares you night in and night out,” Frese said. “I think you should be rewarded for your body of work.”

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3. Garzon’s bad game. Maryland needed more from Garzon on Thursday and simply didn’t get it, as she shot 1-of-11 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep. If she made one or two of those shots, there’s a good chance Maryland would have won.



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