Mr. Ippolito
Current Event 1
September 8, 2019
Saey, Tina Hesman. “Bacteria Nearly Killed by Antibiotics Can Recover and Gain Resistance.” Science News, 12 Aug. 2019, www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-nearly-killed-antibiotics-recover-gain-resistance.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Only recently, scientists have discovered why. The protein known as the AcrAB-ToIC multidrug efflux pump has been buying time for microbes to become antibiotic resistant. Although it can't do the job on its own, it is self sufficient enough to allow for the production of resistance proteins. It is not new that bacteria swaps DNA. If two bacteria come in contact with each other, they will often swap plasmids, antibiotic-resistant genes carried on DNA, and contaminate the healthy cells. The role of antibiotics is to eventually stop this from happening in order to preserve the sensitive cells. However, as Kim Lewis, a microbiologist at Northeastern University said, "yesterday, that's what I would have told you. Today...I have to change my views". The multidrug pump is helping bacteria to stay alive longer, allowing for the development of resistance to other antibiotics. Scientists say there are drugs that can possibly disable the pump, hindering the spread of antibiotic resistance through plasmids; however, that drug wouldn't be safe for the use of the public yet.
The threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria is an urgent one. If bacteria become resistant to the common antibiotics used today, the health and survival of the population is at risk. Bacterial geneticist Christian Lesterlin at the University of Lyon in France said, "There's no good news for human well-being". Still, "it's better to know your enemy and what type of weapon it has. Possibly the biggest effect will be the increasing resistance of treatable diseases like pneumonia or tuberculosis, let alone the more major infections. When bacteria becomes resistant to medication, infections persist and spread.
This article was very informative and well written. It remained descriptive and engaging. I specifically enjoyed the video depicting real E.coli bacterial cells in the act of becoming resistant to the antibiotic tetracycline. This provided a great visual to the idea described in the article. I did however, find myself confused in the last paragraph. Saey describes how the removal of the multidrug pump would stop the bacteria from developing resistance. If this is the case, have they not figured out a way to remove it? I would have hoped this idea would have been further explained or explored. Overall, however, I found this article very compelling but also worried for the future and the issue at stake.
Clara DeMagalhaes Current Event #1
ReplyDeleteSaey, Tina Hesman. “Bacteria Nearly Killed by Antibiotics Can Recover and Gain Resistance.” Science News, 12 Aug. 2019, www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-nearly-killed-antibiotics-recover-gain-resistance.
Rory’s review of an article about the way bacteria are now developing resistance to certain antibiotics was very engaging and well informed. One thing that was well done was how the summary was written in a very neat and concise manner. It wasn’t too long and was very easy to understand. Additionally, the frequent use of quotes from the source material lends more credibility and also gives a feel for how the original article was narrated. Lastly, I think that the criticism given was fair and brought up a good point, and it definitely would have been in the better interest of the readers to have the solution to the problem described in the article explored a bit more.
However, I feel like there were a couple of things that could have been improved upon a little bit. For example, I feel like maybe it would have been better if it were shown, not told, how the article was descriptive and engaging by maybe describing it a bit more or directly showing it with quotes. Furthermore, there were a couple of grammar mistakes and the sentence structure at the beginning of the last paragraph is a little bit choppy. However, these small errors pale in comparison to everything else that was done well in the review.
The fact that bacteria have more ways than what was known before to resist antibiotics is worrying, but it’s also a good thing that scientists are looking into this new development and finding ways to combat it. As antibody resistance is a big issue when it comes to the effectiveness of antibodies, I feel glad that at least partial treatment seems to be on the way. It’s definitely a topic that I’d like to learn more about in the future and it’d be interesting to follow developments on it.
Saey, Tina Hesman. “Bacteria Nearly Killed by Antibiotics Can Recover and Gain Resistance.” Science News, 12 Aug. 2019, www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-nearly-killed-antibiotics-recover-gain-resistance.
ReplyDeleteI read Rory’s current event discussing the recent study of bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics. The first idea Rory discusses concerns the protein known as AcrAB-ToIC multidrug efflux pump and how it has been buying time for microbes to become antibiotic resistant. This discovery regarding the protein holds much importance because it provides a scientific explanation to why this resistance is occurring. Secondly, Rory talks about the urgency of the threat posed by antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is important because if bacteria were to become resistant to the antibiotic used today, the health and survival population is at a high risk. Her last main point discusses the biggest threat posed by antibiotic resistant bacteria, and that is increasing resistance to treatable diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, along with even more major infections. This aspect to her current event is important, something she could have elaborated more on, because once bacteria becomes resistant to medication, infections will persist and spread, which is a very scary thought.
Rory did an excellent job describing the science behind the bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics. Rory could have gone into more detail regarding the urgency of this situation. For example, Rory mentioned that possibly the biggest effect of the bacteria's resistance to medication would be the increasing resistance to treatment of major diseases. I found that section of the current event to be more vague as she could have mentioned more specific major infections that we have treatments for, but would kill people if bacteria was resistant. I also believe that Rory could have discussed that a major concern about this situation is this idea that we would be going back to a time where treatable illnesses of the 21st century were deadly. If this were to happen, the entire human race may be affected and that could lead to the downfall of human beings for good, a crazy but possible thought to take into consideration when discussing this topic.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this current event as I found it was very relevant to the modern day and it is a subject we as humans should all be educated on. Prior to reading this, I was not aware of this major threat to the human race. I found the science behind the bacteria’s resistance to medication to be extremely intriguing but also very worrying. I chose to comment on this current event because I really enjoy learning about topics that hold importance and relevance to the wellbeing of humans and our survival. After reading this article, I realized that tomorrow is never a promise. The human race is never guaranteed survival in the future, and there are threats that we may be completely unaware of. Overall, Rory did an excellent job discussing the science and possible outcomes of this mind-boggling and frightening discovery.
Rory's recent development is talking about the ongoing investigation of microscopic organisms' protection from anti-microbials. The main thought she talks about concerns the protein known as AcrAB-ToIC multidrug efflux siphon and how it possesses been purchasing energy for organisms to wind up anti-toxin safe. This revelation with respect to the protein holds much significance since it gives a logical clarification to why this obstruction is happening. Besides, Rory discusses the direness of the danger presented by anti-infection safe microorganisms. This is significant provided that microorganisms were to end up impervious to the anti-toxin utilized today, the wellbeing and survival populace is at a high chance. Her last primary concern examines the greatest risk presented by anti-microbial safe microorganisms, and that is expanding protection from treatable sicknesses, for example, pneumonia, tuberculosis, alongside considerably increasingly significant diseases. This angle to her recent development is significant, something she could have explained more on, on the grounds that once microscopic organisms winds up impervious to drug, diseases will continue and spread, which is an alarming idea.
ReplyDeleteThis was well done, depicting the science behind the microscopic organisms' protection from anti-infection agents. Rory could have really expounded with respect to the criticalness of this circumstance. For instance, Rory referenced that perhaps the greatest impact of the microbes' protection from drug would be the expanding protection from treatment of real ailments. I found that area of the recent development to be increasingly ambiguous as she could have referenced progressively explicit significant diseases that we have medications for, however would murder individuals if microbes was safe. I likewise accept that Rory could have talked about that a noteworthy worry about this circumstance is this thought we would return to a period where treatable diseases of the 21st century were lethal. If this somehow happened to occur, the whole human race might be influenced and that could prompt the ruin of people for good, an insane yet conceivable idea to contemplate when examining this point.
I completely delighted in perusing this recent development as I discovered it was pertinent to the present day and it is a subject we as people should all be taught on. Preceding perusing this, I didn't know about this significant risk to humankind. I found the science behind the microorganisms' protection from medicine to be incredibly fascinating yet additionally stressing. I remarked on this recent development since I truly appreciate finding out about points that hold significance and importance to the prosperity of people and our survival. In the wake of perusing this article. Mankind is never ensured survival ever again, and there are dangers that we might be totally uninformed of.
Saey's blog post about antibiotic resistance is eloquent and concise. First, the author introduces the roles of AB-ToIC, the multidrug efflux pump, and microbes in language that is simple and easy to understand. She then goes on to provide quotes from scientists in the field that demonstrate the ongoing struggle of keeping up with new antibiotic resistances to essential drugs for common diseases. I felt the author did a nice job of providing us with a potential future solution, however, I would have liked to hear a little more about the drug that could possibly disable the multidrug pump: it is important we hear about the potential solution. Also, I would suggest maybe describing the threat and seriousness of antibiotic resistance in the beginning, before getting into the science of it. Overall, I learned a lot from this article. It's serious tone about the issue sparked genuine interest in the subject, and it did a good job of conveying the issue in an accessible way. Now I will think twice before taking antibiotics, as my potential resistance to the medication could keep it from working affectively again !
ReplyDeleteOlivia Conniff
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Current Event 4
10/4/19
Saey, Tina Hesman. “Bacteria Nearly Killed by Antibiotics Can Recover and Gain Resistance.” Science News, 12 Aug. 2019, www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-nearly-killed-antibiotics-recover-gain-resistance.
For my fourth current event, I read Rory’s review of the Science News article, “Bacteria Nearly Killed by Antibiotics Can Recover and Gain Resistance”, which was extremely interesting and informative. In her review, she explains the reasons for bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, which is a protein known as the AcrAB-ToIC multidrug efflux pump, which produces resistance proteins, which are helping bacteria to stay alive longer. Rory’s review was very well-written and has many strengths. Firstly, her explanation paragraph was clear, concise, and only included the essential information, which is very important in a review. She explained how bacteria has become resistant to antibiotics, included a quote to increase credibility, and kept the language easily understandable. Furthermore, she was extremely clear about this affects our society, which made the review all the more riveting and interesting to read. Finally, Rory provided excellent critiques to Tina Hesman, the writer of the original article, on how she could improve it.
While overall Rory’s review was very well-written, there are a few minor things she could do to improve it further. I feel that she could have included more about how this issue impacted her on a personal level, not just society as a whole. That would have strengthened the message. I also feel that while she did include one quote which helped her review be more credible, I think she should have perhaps added one or two more.
From reading this review, I learned a great deal about how bacteria is becoming resistant to antibiotics. Certainly this makes me wonder about the future of illness treatment and antibiotics. I wonder how scientists will solve this problem.