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A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

astralcodexten.com

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Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#71

Post by justinclift »

smallnamespace wrote: post #39
david_l_lin wrote: post #20

This story has been around for far too long and evidence is unbelievably weak, and the claims border on fraudulent. 1. The claim that this strain outcompetes the same S mutans from occupying the same niche cannot be true unless this strain is also capable of creating and tolerating environments with low pH. By definition if it creates acid to the same degree it will also cause cavities. 2. Single applications are ins…

From the article, the claim is that this strain of S mutans variant produces mutacin-1140 which allows it to outcompete other strains of S mutans and other Gram-positive bacteria. I have no particular opinion about whether this claim is plausible or true, but you don't address this at all in your comment even though it's directly relevant. For example, if this strain's production of mutacin-1140 allows it to kill oth…

> if this strain's production of mutacin-1140 allows it to kill other bacteria ...

Wonder if it could in a different direction, giving rise to other oral bacteria also unaffected by mutacin-1140?

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#73

Post by seu »

The question missing there is: do small amounts of lactic acid fulfill a function, and if so, what happens when there's no more of it in our mouths? Will this have consequences on our digestive system? It sounds to me like they're focusing on one thing only and not thinking systemically enough.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#74

Post by yosame »

justrealist wrote: post #19
gamblor956 wrote: post #16

This seems like a scam... The author claims that the FDA set impossible standards for getting this approved when it was originally discovered and that those same standards prevent them from seeking FDA approval now....but further down acknowledges that probiotics like this product are actually subject to much more lenient standards.

I really hate to appeal to authority but Scott Alexander is the single last person on earth, and I am not exaggerating, who I would accuse of analyzing a topic in bad faith.

Scott absolutely analyses topics in bad faith, particularly when it comes to politics or movements/people he personally supports. Here's one where he essentially says 'no study is ever fully representative, therefore my friends twitter polls are exactly as good evidence as a scientific study':

https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/selection-bias-is-a-fact-of...

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#75

Post by Sankozi »

yosame wrote: post #74
justrealist wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really hate to appeal to authority but Scott Alexander is the single last person on earth, and I am not exaggerating, who I would accuse of analyzing a topic in bad faith.

Scott absolutely analyses topics in bad faith, particularly when it comes to politics or movements/people he personally supports. Here's one where he essentially says 'no study is ever fully representative, therefore my friends twitter polls are exactly as good evidence as a scientific study': https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/selection-bias-is-a-fact-of...

Your comment is an example of analyzing in bad faith.

In the linked article there is a whole section that starts with "Selection bias is disastrous if". He definitely does not says anything remotely close to "twitter polls are exactly as good evidence as a scientific study".

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#77

Post by stuaxo »

Bonus points for launching it in the anarcho capitalist wonderland /s "Prospera", a Charter City.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7a7ae/foreign-investors-are...

> A controversial law allows these experimental cities, known as “charter” or “model” cities, to use a legal right to land known as “eminent domain”, which permits a government, or in this case charter cities, to take over private property. The community is worried that it could be forced from its ancestral lands.

Of course, the model of Charter Cities is one the Tories wish to take to the UK - areas where laws and regulations would no longer apply, except the ones companies want.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#79

Post by rewmie »

Horffupolde wrote: post #78

With good hygiene and dental checkups twice a year, you can reasonably expect to avoid cavities altogether.

> With good hygiene and dental checkups twice a year, you can reasonably expect to avoid cavities altogether.

Your comment is self-contradicting. The only thing that dental checkups do is allow cavities to be flagged before they progress very far.

Also, I feel that in this context "good hygiene" is a weasel word, in the sense that implies that any occurrence of a cavity can only be explained by the absence of good hygiene. There are many factors to cavities that aren't addressed by hygiene, such as vulnerable teeth and cavity types such as root cavities, whose primary risk factor is decreased salivary flow.

Re: A genetically modified bacterium that outcompetes bacteria causing tooth decay

#80

Post by kimi »

So, in order to bypass the FDA, you plan to produce a bacterium, export it, go somewhere outside the US, pass it to people and then everybody returns to the US?

what happens if someone, ahem, takes a dim view of the process and denies entry on biosecurity grounds?

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