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The role of artificial intelligence in the battle against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria

Lau HJ, Lim CH, Foo SC, Tan HS

Curr Genet, 2021 Jun;67(3):421-429.
PMID: 33585980 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-021-01156-5

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is a global health crisis due to the rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and the lengthy development of new antimicrobials. In light of this, artificial intelligence in the form of machine learning has been viewed as a potential counter to delay the spread of AMR. With the aid of AI, there are possibilities to predict and identify AMR in bacteria efficiently. Furthermore, a combination of machine learning algorithms and lab testing can help to accelerate the process of discovering new antimicrobials. To date, many machine learning algorithms for antimicrobial-resistance discovery had been created and vigorously validated. Most of these algorithms produced accurate results and outperformed the traditional methods which relied on sequence comparison within a database. This mini-review will provide an updated overview of antimicrobial design workflow using the latest machine-learning antimicrobial discovery algorithms in the last 5 years. With this review, we hope to improve upon the current AMR identification and antimicrobial development techniques by introducing the use of AI into the mix, including how the algorithms could be made more effective.
Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Supplementation on Diarrhea Frequency and Gut Microbiome Count Among Pelvic Radiation Patients

Rosli D, Shahar S, Manaf ZA, Lau HJ, Yusof NYM, Haron MR, et al.

JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 2021 02;45(2):277-286.
PMID: 32740950 DOI: 10.1002/jpen.1987

BACKGROUND: Radiation therapy is the treatment of pelvic cancers, with diarrhea often being the most frequent acute side effect. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) usage in reducing radiotherapy-induced diarrhea and improving bacterial count, nutrition status, and quality of life (QoL) among cancer patients.
METHODS: Adult patients undergoing pelvic radiation were recruited and randomly assigned to receive supplementation of either 10 g of PHGG or placebo (maltodextrin) twice daily, 14 days prior and 14 days during pelvic radiation. Diarrhea frequency, fecal samples, nutrition status, and QoL were assessed at baseline and days 14, 28 (2 weeks after pelvic radiation), and 45 (at the completion of pelvic radiation, 2 weeks' postsupplementation).
RESULTS: A total of 30 patients (mean age 56.5 ± 10.8 years, 75% malnourished) participated. The mean of diarrhea frequency in the intervention group (IG) was higher compared with the control group (CG) from days 14 and 28 but reduced at day 45. There was a significant intervention effect after controlling for confounders (ie, baseline diarrhea, age, nutrition status) (P < .05). Bifidobacterium count increased by double among the IG at 14 days of PHGG supplementation, whereas such trend was not observed in the CG.
CONCLUSION: Supplementation of PHGG potentially increased the bifidobacterial count and seemed to have post-supplementation effects by reducing the frequency of diarrhea upon the completion of pelvic radiation treatment.
Fulltext Is There Any Relationship Between Biochemical Indices and Anthropometric Measurements With Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation Among Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment?

You YX, Shahar S, Mohamad M, Rajab NF, Che Din N, Lau HJ, et al.

Front Hum Neurosci, 2021;15:765451.
PMID: 35046782 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.765451

Working memory is developed in one region of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The dysfunction of this region leads to synaptic neuroplasticity impairment. It has been reported that several biochemical parameters and anthropometric measurements play a vital role in cognition and brain health. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between cognitive function, serum biochemical profile, and anthropometric measurements using DLPFC activation. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 35 older adults (≥60 years) who experienced mild cognitive impairment (MCI). For this purpose, we distributed a comprehensive interview-based questionnaire for collecting sociodemographic information from the participants and conducting cognitive tests. Anthropometric values were measured, and fasting blood specimens were collected. We investigated their brain activation using the task-based functional MRI (fMRI; N-back), specifically in the DLPFC region. Positive relationships were observed between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (β = 0.494, p < 0.01) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (β = 0.698, p < 0.01); however, negative relationships were observed between serum triglyceride (β = -0.402, p < 0.05) and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) (β = -0.326, p < 0.05) with right DLPFC activation (R 2 = 0.512) while the participants performed 1-back task after adjustments for age, gender, and years of education. In conclusion, higher serum triglycerides, higher oxidative stress, and lower neurotrophic factor were associated with lower right DLPFC activation among older adults with MCI. A further investigation needs to be carried out to understand the causal-effect mechanisms of the significant parameters and the DLPFC activation so that better intervention strategies can be developed for reducing the risk of irreversible neurodegenerative diseases among older adults with MCI.

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