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- Order a toxin: an analog of puffer fish venom and brain-deceiving cancer cells
Order a toxin: an analog of puffer fish venom and brain-deceiving cancer cells
Russian scientists have discovered marine worms that can become an alternative source of puffer fish venom, a valuable medicinal substance. American researchers have found that tumor cells in the lungs of mice transmit signals to the brain that suppress the immune system. In addition, the Russian Federation has created an AI technology for virtual testing of autonomous vehicles, which makes it possible to simulate dangerous situations that are practically impossible to reproduce in real conditions. These and other scientific studies can be found in the weekly Izvestia column.
A substance from marine invertebrates will relieve pain better than opiates.
Specialists from the A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center for Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have discovered and studied a type of marine worms suitable for the industrial production of tetrodotoxin (TTX). This is one of the most powerful natural toxins: it is about 10 thousand times more toxic. It is several times superior to potassium cyanide and is widely known as the poison contained in puffer fish. The substance blocks the transmission of nerve impulses, so it can be used as an effective painkiller. However, obtaining the substance on an industrial scale has long remained a difficult task. To produce 1 g of TTX, the cost of which reaches $ 100 thousand on the world market, requires the processing of about 1 ton of fish. At the same time, a similar amount of toxin can be obtained from the eggs of about 2.4 thousand individuals of nemertine worms — this is about 360 g of biomass.
— There is a serious problem with painkillers today. In fact, morphine remains the only truly effective remedy, while other analgesics have to be used in significantly higher doses. At the same time, there are substances in nature that can block certain channels in the nervous system, providing an analgesic effect lasting up to two weeks. Tetrodotoxin also belongs to such compounds," said Timur Magarlamov, a senior researcher at the center.
According to the researchers, the international TTX market in 2022 amounted to $710 million. Its high cost is explained by the complexity of production. The chemical synthesis of the toxin requires a large amount of feedstock with a maximum final product yield of only 11%. And the extraction of venom from the liver of puffer fish requires the capture of many individuals, which damages the population.
Highly accurate breast milk tests will help monitor the development of babies
The staff of the Institute of Molecular Theranostics of the First Moscow State Medical University, together with the Sechenov Center for Motherhood and Childhood, are creating a series of specialized diagnostic kits for working on tandem mass spectrometers. In this method, several mass analyzers are used sequentially, which makes it possible to carry out structural analysis and identification of substances in mixtures with high accuracy.
In the future, the kits will be used in the country's clinical and diagnostic laboratories to accurately quantify the levels of hormones, vitamins, lipids, amino acids and other substances in the human body.
The goal of the project is to provide Russian clinical diagnostic laboratories with modern, standardized kits for the quantitative analysis of key biomarkers, which will reduce dependence on foreign reagents and equipment, the developers explained to Izvestia.
— Assessment of the state of fatty acid metabolism in the mother during lactation using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry allows you to individually select a diet or nutraceutical support. This is necessary to ensure the optimal supply of vital substances to the child, which is very important for his full development," said Natalia Trifonova, Deputy Chief Physician for Science and Innovative Development at the Sechenov Center for Motherhood and Childhood, MD, Professor.
Upon successful completion of all stages of development and registration, the introduction of pilot panels into clinical practice is possible within two to three years.
Genetic networks will help to adapt potatoes to global warming
Scientists from the Siberian Federal University, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Novosibirsk State University have deciphered an ancient genetic strategy that allows potatoes and tomatoes to adapt to heat and drought. This achievement gives breeders new tools to accelerate the creation of varieties capable of adapting to global warming conditions.
According to current forecasts, the average global temperature may rise by 1-7 degrees by the end of the 21st century, experts explained. In many regions, this will lead to reduced precipitation and increased droughts. To adapt to climate change, plant varieties that are resistant to new conditions are needed, so the researchers set the task of determining which genes are activated under temperature stress and which remain inactive.
— The research is based on the modern RNA-seq method, which allows for in-depth analysis of all RNA molecules (ribonucleic acids) in a sample. These are intermediate structures between genes and proteins, and studying them makes it possible to determine which genetic "instructions" are being read and implemented and which are not. In total, 450 potato and tomato samples were analyzed as part of the work," said Evgeniya Bondar, one of the researchers, a researcher at the Laboratory of Forest Genomics, associate professor at the Department of Genomics and Bioinformatics at SibFU.
As a result, reproducible genetic networks have been obtained — complexes that include more than 5,000 genes, proteins and regulatory elements that change plant behavior in response to heat and drought, she added.
Self-driving cars will teach you how to avoid accidents in virtual reality
Yandex researchers have created the MADrive AI technology for virtual testing of autonomous vehicles. It allows you to work out any dangerous traffic situations in a virtual environment. Previously, simulators needed to record real trips for this, but now you can optionally create scenarios of any complexity: sudden overtaking, emergency braking or other dangerous situations. Car control algorithms can be tested in thousands of virtual scenes that are too risky in real life.
— Simulators are an important part of the development of autonomous transport: in them, algorithms are learned and tested without going on a real road. However, simulators that reproduce real-world driving have the problem of data scarcity. For example, if the car actually turned left, we won't be able to show what it would look like if it were overtaking or changing lanes abruptly. Our approach removes this limitation: we can create new road scenes that look as natural as if they were captured on video. This opens the way to safe testing of rare and critical situations that cannot be organized on a real road," said Viktor Yurchenko, head of the sensor simulation group for autonomous vehicles at Yandex.
During the experiments, the technology demonstrated higher quality indicators compared to existing methods of visual reconstruction of scenes, especially in tasks where it is required not just to reproduce the original recording, but to generate its continuation or an alternative scenario.
Cancer cells trick the brain to weaken the body's immune defenses
A study by American scientists has shown that a cancerous tumor in the lungs of mice uses neurons to transmit a signal that suppresses the immune system. The neoplasm stimulates its own growth, attracting and then capturing nearby sensory nerves. Absorbed in this way, they can send a signal to the brain that suppresses the protective activity of immune cells. This allows the diseased cells to multiply uncontrollably.
"The tumor captures the signaling axis and uses it for its own purposes,— said Anna-Maria Globig, an immunologist and oncologist at the Allen Institute of Immunology in Seattle.
When the authors of the study used genetic engineering to "turn off" some of these neurons, they saw a decrease in tumor growth of more than 50%.
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