US researchers use AI to develop powerful new antibiotic

In a first, US researchers have used artificial intelligence to identify a powerful new antibiotic capable of killing several drug-resistant bacteria.

Antibiotics have been a cornerstone of modern medicine since the discovery of penicillin, but their effectiveness has seriously diminished in recent years as overuse has led to bacteria becoming resistant.

The scientists at MIT and Harvard trained a machine learning algorithm to analyze chemical compounds capable of fighting infections using different mechanisms than those of existing drugs.

Their findings were published in the journal Cell on Thursday.

"Our approach revealed this amazing molecule which is arguably one of the more powerful antibiotics that has been discovered," said James Collins, a professor of medical engineering at MIT and one of the paper's senior authors.

The team trained the model on about 2,500 molecules, identifying a compound they called "halicin" -- after the fictional artificial intelligence system from "2001: A Space Odyssey" -- for real world testing on strains of bacteria taken from patients and grown in lab dishes.

It was able to kill many bacteria that are resistant to treatment, including Clostridium difficile, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

It also cured two mice with A. baumannii, which has infected many US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The strain of the infection in the mice was resistant to all known antibiotics, but a halicin ointment completely cured the mice within 24 hours.

The idea of using predictive computer models for discovery of drugs is not new, but had never been successful until now.

"The machine learning model can explore... large chemical spaces that can be prohibitively expensive for traditional experimental approaches," said Regina Barzilay, a professor of computer science at MIT.

The development raises hope for the future of antibiotics, and comes at a critical time: It is predicted that without immediate action to discover and develop new drugs, deaths attributable to resistant infections will reach 10 million a year by 2050.

The researchers plan to study halicin further and work with a pharmaceutical company or nonprofit to develop it for use in humans.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

Scientists Used AI To Discover a New Powerful Antibiotic

It’s been recently published in the scientific journal Cell that a powerful new type of antibiotics has been discovered, using a pioneering machine-learning method. The work was led by biologist Jim Collins at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. 

The definition of machine-learning is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to learn from its own experience. This is the ability of computerized systems to learn and improve from ‘their own’ experience without being explicitly programmed, like playing chess against itself without human players.

This is the first time that the use of AI has led to the identification of a completely new kind of antibiotic from scratch, without the input of any previous human assumptions. The new antibiotic was named halicin. When tested on mice, it was found to be highly effective against a wide range of bacteria, including tuberculosis and strains that were considered ‘pan-resistant’ and thus untreatable.
In previous experiments involving other antibiotic compounds, resistance has typically arisen within a day or two, but in the case of halicin it did not occur even after 30 days. The name halicin was picked as a homage to HAL, the intelligent computer in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. 

Why Is the Discovery So Significant?
In recent years bacterial resistance to antibiotics has bee rising exponentially, while the discovery and regularity approval of new antibiotics is slowing down. Experts have made the grim prediction that by the year 2050, infections could become resistant to the point where they would kill 10 million people per year. One of the ways to avoid this terrifying scenario is by finding new antibiotics. The problem, according to Collins, is that people keep finding the same molecules again and again. That’s why the development of new modes of searching is so important. 

How Was AI Used to Discover the New Antibiotic?
The team of researchers developed an AI algorithm inspired by the brain’s structure. This system, called a neural network, learns the features and qualities of molecules atom by atom. The neural network was then trained to spot molecules which hinder the growth of the bacterium known as E. coli. 

Once the system was trained, it was used to screen about 6000 molecules. The researchers asked the model to predict which ones would be effective against E. Coli and to show only the ones that look different from conventional antibiotics.  Out of the results, about 100 candidate molecules were selected for physical testing. Luckily, one of these molecules - halicin - turned out to be an extremely potent antibiotic.  

The algorithm predicts the functions without any assumptions about how drugs work and without chemical groups being labeled, and it’s because of that neutral approach it can learn new patterns, unknown to human experts.

What Does It All Mean for The Future?

AI has already been put to use for medical research purposes, but in a slightly different way than Collins and his team have used it here. Instead of searching for specific structures and molecular classes, their network looked for molecules that display a particular activity.

The team hopes to broaden the general approach for finding new antibiotics and even use their methods to design molecules from scratch. The use of AI technology within healthcare is still considered in its infancy, but it is proving a powerful tool that may help us reach some major breakthroughs in the medical field. Many experts believe the next level of medicine and medical drugs depends enormously on our progress in computer processing power. 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

How Garlic Does More Than Ward Off Vampires

An old saying goes that if you eat garlic, you are sure to keep away vampires at night. But what is the origin of this saying and does it really have any significance? 

 

The notion that garlic can kill off vampires and other creatures of the night was a folk belief that was once common among Central European communities. It was thought that garlic's overwhelming pungency would ward off demons, were wolves and vampires, and traditionally would be worn, hung in windows or rubbed around the entrance to the house. Other cultures believed that garlic is a relic of Satan that should be avoided at all costs. Although these superstitions may seem outlandish, there happens to be a bit of useful truth in them.

 

 

Garlic is the most powerful antibiotic cure nature has to offer. This simple looking herb can be used to treat a number of heart and blood-related conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and is even used by some to prevent common cancers, like stomach, colon and even breast cancer. This is due to a chemical in the garlic called allicin, the same element that makes the garlic smell and probably the reason for the folk belief in vampires.

Studies have shown that allicin can offer tremendous aid in weight loss and may even help cure the common cold. Yet it is important to note that the wonderful powers of garlic are optimized when the garlic is completely raw, peeled and crushed, and when it is consumed only as medicine.

 

How to use garlic to fend off real-life vampires like the flu and other diseases:

 

1. Cold and Fever Cure 

 

An effective cold and fever cure is garlic tea. To make the tea, boil some water and crush 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic (peeled) and place them at the bottom of the mug. Then add hot water, lemon and a bit of honey (to ease the taste) and drink it all down at once. Repeat a few times a day until the fever or cold symptoms subside.

 

2. Treat Skin and Fungal Infections 

To treat skin or fungal infections, garlic can be used topically on a daily basis. Apply a slice of garlic to a wart regularly (about 2-3 times per day) and be amazed at the improvement. The wart or corn may not completely disappear, but any discomfort will subside. 

 

3. Garlic as an Antibiotic 

 

As mentioned above, in order to use garlic as an antibiotic, it is best to consume the herb regularly. Studies have shown that eating raw garlic at the onset of food poisoning can kill off the deadly E.coli, Staph and Salmonella bacteria. Chop up garlic and drink it in a tea, this time without lemon, and a bit of honey, and the poisoning is sure to subside. 

 

4. For Those That Can't Stand the Taste

 

If you are not a big fan of garlic or its taste, there are some allicin supplements that can be store-bought and taken as needed. It is important to remember, however, that the potency of the allicin depends on its preparation, and it can change into a different chemical quite quickly. For this reason, it is best to buy the most natural version of an allicin vitamin where it is available, or stomach the taste of raw garlic only when you are sick. 

 

5. Bug Repellent 

 

Another way to use garlic harks back to the vampire myth. Smearing garlic over the skin not only prevents bacterial or fungal infections, but can also ward off mosquitoes and ticks quite effectively. One village in India uses only garlic to deter the deadly malaria mosquitoes and can attest to the natural and harmless effectiveness of garlic. All that remains is to overcome the sharp smell!

 

Garlic in its many forms can be used to treat and prevent a variety of diseases and conditions, and, just as the folklore suggests, is nature's miracle solution for warding off the bad.

 

I use garlic in milk along with turmeric, it helps to reduce my cough and phlegm, almost every night I drink it, I simmer the content for 20-25 minutes, then drink it hot adding little sugar at night. 

 

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement        

Golden Milk: Health Benefits

There is gold buried in the ground of the Indian Subcontinent, but this one doesn’t come in the form of rocky nuggets, but a knobby, unassuming root: turmeric. The gold powder the root yields has been in use for thousands of years in South Asia as a dye, spice and also in traditional medicine.

Besides adding a wonderful aroma, color, and flavor to curry stews, turmeric offers a host of health benefits which make it a veritable superfood. But stews and rice dishes aren’t the only way to ingest turmeric, and turmeric-based drinks are becoming more and more popular among health-conscious people, and the hottest thing right now is golden milk, a warm turmeric-based beverage that is both delicious and good for you. But why exactly is ingesting turmeric so beneficial, and in what ways?

Keep reading for a list of benefits of drinking turmeric milk, as well as a recipe for homemade golden milk.

1. It contains a powerful antioxidant

A major component of turmeric that gives it its distinctive golden color is the pigment curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight cell damage due to oxidative stress which results in aging, DNA mutations, and formation of tumors.

2. It reduces inflammation

Curcumin is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent, as is ginger which is another of our golden milk ingredients. Chronic inflammation is believed to play a big part in several chronic diseases, including arthritis, Alzheimer’s, inflammatory bowel syndrome, cancer, and heart disease. Ingestion of golden milk could thus reduce joint pain caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

3. It’s good for digestion

Turmeric stimulates bile production, which aids in digestion, waste removal and the effective digestion and absorption of fats. Beyond that, the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin may prevent the formation of ulcers in people suffering from ulcerative colitis, one of the major types of inflammatory bowel disease.

4. It’s also good for the noggin

Curcumin ingestion has been shown to increase levels of a certain protein in our brain called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF for short) which fills an important protective role in brain function. Conversely, reduced BDNF levels have been associated with impaired cognitive function, memory loss, depression, and schizophrenia.

5. It may have an active role in battling cancer

Take it with a grain of turmeric, as it were, but curcumin may also have some anti-cancer properties. Beyond battling oxidative stress and preempting tumor formation, curcumin has been found to have a more active effect on existing cancer. Test-tube studies have shown that the active ingredient in turmeric can actually kill cancer cells. That being said, the evidence is as yet inconclusive about whether the effect can be replicated in vivo.

How to make golden/ turmeric milk, kindly view my recipe blog, link given below, thanks. 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                      FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                    

                                https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Researchers discover genes that help bacteria prevent treatment

Researchers have discovered two genes that make some strains of harmful bacteria resistant to treatment by copper, which is a powerful and frequently used antibacterial agent, says a new study. The discovery showed that Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which is highly resistant to antibiotics, can acquire additional genes that promote infections and antibacterial resistance and may open new paths for the development of antibacterial drugs.

The study,  showed the two genes, named copl and copl, in some strains of S. aureus bacteria protect the germs from copper. The genes may promote the survival of S. aureus in settings, such as in hospitals, that could lead to infections or they may lead to S. aureus strains with higher copper resistance.

Recently, hospitals began using it against bacteria found on medical instruments and other surfaces. It has also been used for thousands of years to sterilise wounds and drinking water. But the two newly discovered genes encode proteins that help remove copper from S. aureus cells and prevent it from entering.

The findings, revealed that some strains of S. aureus have newly acquired genes embedded in their genome in pieces of DNA called transposons. Transposons aid in the spread of genes that can give rise to bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and more likely to cause disease. The newly discovered genes are encoded within a transposon, said the study.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
                                                                                                                                                                      FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           
                                                                           FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com