Tag Archives: lifesaving

The Lethal Fungus Linked to Tutankhamun’s “Curse” May Now Hold Life-Saving Potential

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The fungus that has long been linked to the death of the archaeologist who uncovered King Tutankhamun’s tomb may now have a role in saving lives. Researchers have utilized the toxic bacteria Aspergillus flavus—often associated with the so-called “Pharaoh’s Curse”—to develop a potent new compound capable of killing cancer cells.

A study published in Natural Chemistry Biology revealed that the fungus produced previously unknown molecules, which the research team subsequently corrected and tested against human leukemia cells.

Two compounds known as asperigycin exhibited strong anti-cancer activity. After correction, one variant, along with two FDA-approved drugs, was effective in eliminating cancer cells.

“We know that fungi have significant potential to generate bioactive molecules,” stated senior author Professor Sherry Gao in an interview with BBC Science Focus. “However, only a small fraction of these possible molecules has been discovered.”

A. flavus carries a grim legacy. Following the opening of King Tut’s tomb in the 1920s, a wave of fatalities fueled the myth of the Pharaoh’s curse. Subsequent investigations indicated that spores of A. flavus, sealed within the tomb for millennia, could have triggered deadly pulmonary infections.

A similar incident occurred in the 1970s, where 10 out of 12 scientists who entered the tomb of a Polish king died shortly after exposure to the fungus.

Samples of Aspergillus flavus cultured in GAO labs. – Credit: Veracielbo

Now, the same lethal fungus may catalyze a medical advancement. The research team discovered that A. flavus produces a type of molecule called RIPP, short for ribosome-synthesized post-translationally modified peptides.

These molecules are known for their intricate structure and significant biological effects, yet few have been identified from fungi.

The team isolated four peptides featuring a distinctive ring-shaped structure. When tested on cancer cells, two were particularly effective against leukemia. The third, artificially modified with a fatty molecule known as a “lipid chain,” exhibited effects similar to conventional chemotherapeutics like cytarabine and donorubicin.

“After modification, the compounds were better at entering the cell,” Gao explained. “I believe that once inside, there is a mechanism to inhibit cell division.”

GAO noted that further research is essential to understand how RIPPS target cancer cells and why they are effective against leukemia but not other tested cancer types.

According to GAO, the team aims to develop a platform to identify more potentially beneficial products derived from fungi.

“Nature has gifted us this incredible pharmacy,” Gao remarked in a statement. “It is up to us to uncover that secret.”

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About our experts

Xue (Sherry) Gao serves as an Associate Professor of President Pen Compact at the University of Pennsylvania. Her laboratory is focused on developing highly specific and effective genome editing tools for diverse applications in disease treatment, diagnosis, and the exploration of new small molecule drugs.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Life-Saving Treatments for Fatal Genetic Disorders Through Brain Immune Cell Replacement

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Microglia are specialized immune cells in the brain

Science Photo Library/Alamy

The process of replacing immune cells in the brain halts the advancement of a rare and terminal brain disorder known as ALSP. This also paves the way for future clinical trials targeting other neurological ailments.

Extensive research indicates that impaired microglia—specialized immune cells within the brain—play a role in various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. The term ALSP stands for adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia, characterized by mutations in genes responsible for the survival of these cells, resulting in a reduced number of microglia and leading to progressive cognitive decline. Currently, no effective treatment exists for this fatal illness.

To address this, Bo Peng from Fudan University in China and his team employed a novel treatment called microglia replacement therapy. Prior experiments in rodents have shown that implanted stem cells—capable of developing into different cell types—can effectively replace microglia. However, it is necessary to first eliminate existing microglia in the brain to facilitate this. This can be achieved using drugs that target protein microglia.

Pursuing this avenue, Peng and his colleagues conducted initial tests on five mice with genetic mutations analogous to those associated with ALSP. As the mutations already impacted protein microglia, the researchers did not need to deplete these proteins with medication. Subsequently, they transplanted stem cells from healthy mice into the affected mice. Fourteen months later, treated mice exhibited approximately 85% more microglia in their brains compared to six untreated mice harboring the same mutation. Notably, these treated mice also demonstrated improvements in motor function and memory.

Encouraged by these promising findings, the researchers extended the treatment to eight individuals diagnosed with ALSP, using donor stem cells without preconditions. One year post-treatment, brain scans revealed minimal changes in participants compared to scans taken before the procedure. In contrast, four untreated individuals displayed significant brain deterioration and lesions over the same period. This implies that microglial replacement therapy effectively halted the progression of the disease.

At the study’s outset, all participants underwent cognitive assessments using a 30-point scale, where a decrease in score indicated cognitive decline. Reassessments a year later showed that, on average, scores remained stable for those who received the microglia replacements.

These results point to microglial replacement therapy being a potentially effective solution for ALSP. However, since this represents the inaugural human trial, “we remain unaware of any potential side effects,” comments Peng. “Given the rapidly progressive and lethal nature of this disease, prioritizing benefits over possible side effects might be crucial.”

Chris Bennett from the University of Pennsylvania cites the historical use of stem cell transplants for treating neurological disorders. “It has demonstrated effectiveness, particularly through microglia replacement,” he states. Recent FDA approvals for two similar therapies addressing other rare brain conditions further support this. “While prior studies may not have used this exact terminology, they effectively addressed similar conditions,” Bennett elaborates. “I’d describe this as a smart and innovative application of stem cell transplants. Nonetheless, microglia replacement therapy has been evolving for decades.”

Despite this, the results underscore the broader implications of microglial replacement therapy. Experts believe this strategy could one day address more prevalent brain disorders. For example, certain genetic mutations significantly heighten Alzheimer’s disease risk and affect microglial function. Replacing these malfunctioning cells with healthy human equivalents could offer a promising avenue for treatment.

Topics:

  • Neuroscience /
  • Immune System

Source: www.newscientist.com

Carpenter ants possess the ability to perform life-saving amputation surgery on injured nestmates

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Carpenter Ants (Camponotus) – Jumping spiders, a diverse genus of large ants that inhabit many forested areas around the world, are able to selectively treat the injured limbs of their nestmates by cleaning or amputating the wounds.

Injured (marked in yellow) Camponotus floridanus. His wounds are being treated by his nestmates. Image credit: Frank others., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.021.

For animals, open wounds pose a significant risk of infection and death. To reduce these risks, many animal species apply antibacterial compounds to wounds.

In 2023, researchers discovered another ant species, Megaponera analis, uses special glands to inject antibacterial compounds into wounds, reducing the chance of infection.

Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus) and other species of the same genus Camponotus. Notably, they lack such glands and therefore appear to use only mechanical means to treat their nestmates.

Dr. Eric Frank from the University of Würzburg and his colleagues discovered that this mechanical care involves one of two pathways.

The ants either clean the wound using only their mouthparts, or clean it and then amputate the leg completely.

When choosing which route to take, Ali appears to be assessing the type of injury and tailoring the best treatment approach based on information.

The study analyzed two types of leg injuries: femur lacerations and ankle-like tibial lacerations.

All femur injuries involved a nestmate first cleaning the cut and then biting off the entire leg, in contrast to the tibia injuries, which involved only mouth cleaning.

In both cases, the intervention resulted in a significant increase in survival of ants with experimentally infected wounds.

“With femur injuries, we always end up amputating the leg, and we have about a 90 to 95 percent success rate. And with tibia injuries, where we don’t amputate, we achieve about a 75 percent survival rate,” Dr. Frank said.

“This is in contrast to the survival rates of untreated infected femoral and tibial abrasions, which are less than 40 percent and 15 percent, respectively.”

The scientists hypothesized that preferred methods of wound care may be related to the risk of infection from the wound site.

Micro-CT scans of the femur confirmed that it was mostly composed of muscle tissue, suggesting that it played a functional role in pumping blood, called hemolymph, from the leg to the trunk.

When the femur is damaged, the muscles are damaged and the ability to circulate blood that may be contaminated with bacteria is reduced.

The tibia, on the other hand, has very little musculature and little contribution to blood circulation.

“With a tibia injury, the hemolymph flow is less disrupted, allowing bacteria to enter the body more quickly, whereas a femur injury slows down the rate at which blood circulates in the leg,” Dr Frank said.

“If tibial injury would hasten infection, one might expect that amputation of the entire leg would be the most appropriate option, but in fact the opposite has been observed.”

“It turns out that the speed at which the ants can sever the legs makes a difference.”

“An amputation surgery using ants takes at least 40 minutes to complete.”

“Experiments have demonstrated that in the case of tibial injuries, the ants cannot survive unless the leg is removed soon after infection.”

“This means that the ants cannot cut their legs quickly enough to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, so by taking their time cleaning the wound in their shins they try to reduce a potentially fatal infection,” says Dr Laurent Keller, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Lausanne.

“The fact that ants can diagnose wounds, determine whether they are infected or sterile, and then treat them accordingly over time with other individuals — the only medical system that could match that would be the human medical system.”

Given the sophisticated nature of these behaviors, the next question to ask is how these ants are able to perform such precise care.

“This is all innate behaviour; ants’ behaviour changes as individuals age, but there is little evidence of learning,” Dr Keller said.

of Investigation result Published in the journal Current Biology.

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Eric T. Frank othersIn order to combat infections in the ant community, they amputate legs depending on the injury. Current BiologyPublished online July 2, 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.021

This article is based on an original release by Cell Press.

Source: www.sci.news

Research reveals that these ants possess the remarkable ability to perform life-saving emergency surgery on one another

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Florida carpenter ants are unique in their behavior, as they have been observed selectively cutting off the injured limbs of their nestmates. This unusual behavior was discovered in a study published in Current Biology, where researchers found that the ants use this “surgery” as a form of treatment for their injured companions. The ants were observed to carefully evaluate each injury and decide whether to clean the wound or amputate the leg entirely, based on the extent of the injury.

Lead author David Levine, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Würzburg, described this behavior as unique in the animal kingdom, as it involves one ant surgically treating another without the use of any tools. Unlike other ants that have specialized glands for wound treatment, Florida Carpenter ants rely solely on mechanical means to care for their injured nestmates.

The study found that the ants have a high success rate in treating femoral injuries, where amputation is required, compared to tibial injuries that can be treated with a simple mouthwash. This indicates that the ants have a sophisticated system for evaluating and treating wounds effectively to improve the chances of survival for the injured ants.

Credit: Bert Zielstra

The researchers believe that the ants’ ability to diagnose and treat wounds in such a precise manner is comparable to the human medical system. Further research is being conducted to understand if similar behavior exists in other ant species and to explore the ants’ tolerance to pain during these prolonged surgical procedures.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Cutting-edge rescue robots set to revolutionize life-saving efforts

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Burning buildings, collapsing tunnels, sinking ships… wherever you're trapped and in danger, there's a robot designed to come to your rescue. Here are nine of the best.

trail blazers

Firefighting robot, Anshan Hengye Special Vehicle Manufacturing Co.

Photo credit: Getty

Firefighters are testing a fire extinguishing robot here at Bajiao Fire Station in Yantai, northeast China. The Chinese government has been promoting the technology for several years, allowing human firefighters to control robotic fire extinguishers while remaining safely outside fire danger zones.

Back in 2020, the city of Tongliao in northern China announced a firefighting mechanical unit. This 10-strong unit of his, known as the “Blade Formation”, includes robots, drones, and transport units. In other regions, ground-based robotic firefighters are being employed to fight fires in chemical plants and subways.

One of the big advantages of this approach is fire resistance. The robot can operate at temperatures of 1,000°C (1,800°F) for more than 30 minutes. Sensors can also be used to detect heat sources, difficult terrain, and flammable gases.

In the future, it may be possible to replace residential fire alarms and fire extinguishers. In 2022, Chinese researchers published the following paper: Compact and lightweight “home firefighting robot”.

go underground

Team Explorer, Carnegie Mellon University, Oregon State University

Photo courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University

Searching for people trapped in dark underground tunnels and cave complexes isn't fun for most people, but in 2017 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) turned it into a game. There may not have been any survivors, but there was a huge underground space.

Players are tasked with developing and using an autonomous robot system to search for mannequins and other objects to earn points. DARPA designed this competition to foster innovation in autonomous subsurface mapping and navigation. This could benefit rescue workers working after mine collapses or in cave rescue operations.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com