- FDA advisers vote against first MDMA therapy to treat PTSD
- Fresh cucumbers recalled due to salmonella contamination risk
- The hidden spaces on planes that are off limits to passengers
- ‘It might make most people’s legs tremble a bit’: ‘Floating’ ladder for thrillseekers opens in Norway
- First pig-to-human liver transplant recipient ‘doing very well’
- Biggest genome ever found belongs to this odd little plant
FDA advisers vote against first MDMA therapy to treat PTSD
FDA 顧問投票反對首個治療 PTSD 的 MDMA 療法
Health
A federal advisory committee on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly against of the use of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. The novel treatment has the potential to transform a field with significant need, but the committee had concerns about the integrity of the particular trials up for review. After hearing presentations from the US Food and Drug Administration, treatment sponsor Lykos Therapeutics and members of the public, the independent committee voted on recommendations to be made to the FDA. Two of the 11 committee members said that they considered the treatment effective, while nine said that it was not. Only one committee member said that the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks as presented, but the other 10 voted that they did not. This was the first time FDA advisers have considered a psychedelic drug for medical use. MDMA is known as an entactogen, a class of psychoactive drugs that produce experiences of emotional communion, relatedness and emotional openness. It’s currently classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, and changing this status would be a marked shift. The FDA has final say on whether the treatment is formally approved. The agency often follows recommendations from its independent advisory committees but does not have to do so. About 5% of adults in the United States – about 13 million people – experience PTSD in any given year, according estimates from the National Center for PTSD. But current treatment options – including antidepressants and some specialized forms of cognitive behavioral therapy – are limited in their scope and effectiveness, with few alternatives available to help those don’t respond well to them.
---from CNN
週二，一個聯邦諮詢委員會以壓倒性多數投票反對使用 MDMA（俗稱搖頭丸）作為創傷後壓力症候群的治療方法。這種新穎的治療方法有可能改變一個有重大需求的領域，但委員會對待審查的特定試驗的完整性表示擔憂。 在聽取了美國食品和藥物管理局、治療贊助商 Lykos Therapeutics 和公眾的陳述後，獨立委員會對向 FDA 提出的建議進行了投票。 11 名委員會成員中有2名表示他們認為該治療有效，而9名則表示無效。只有1名委員會成員表示該治療的益處大於所提出的風險，但其他 10 名成員投票表示不這麼認為。 這是 FDA 顧問首次考慮將啟靈藥用於醫療用途。 MDMA 被稱為放心藥，是一類精神活性藥物，可產生情感交流、關聯性和情緒開放的體驗。目前，根據《管制物質法》，它被列為一類藥物，改變這一狀態將是一個顯著的轉變。 FDA 對於該治療是否獲得正式批准擁有最終決定權。該機構經常遵循其獨立諮詢委員會的建議，但並非必須這樣做。 根據國家創傷後壓力症候群中心 (National Center for PTSD) 的估計，在任何一年中，美國約有 5% 的成年人（約 1300 萬人）患有創傷後壓力症候群 (PTSD)。但目前的治療方案——包括抗憂鬱藥物和一些專門形式的認知行為療法——其範圍和有效性都有限，幾乎沒有替代方案可以幫助那些反應不佳的人。
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
Fresh cucumbers recalled due to salmonella contamination risk
新鮮黃瓜因沙門氏菌污染風險而被召回
Health
Fresh cucumbers sold in 14 states have been recalled due to possible contamination with salmonella. Florida-based Fresh Start Produce recalled the cucumbers, which shipped from May 17 through May 21. The cucumbers were sent to retail distribution centers, wholesalers and food service distributors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, the company said in its announcement. Mini cucumbers and English cucumbers are not included in the recall. The recall comes after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture found that a sample tested positive for salmonella. The US Food and Drug Administration is conducting more testing to see whether it’s related to an ongoing outbreak investigation. Fresh Start Produce notified its customers that received recalled cucumbers directly from the company about the recall and requested that their own customers be notified of the recall. The cucumbers are “unlikely in the marketplace,” the company said, but customers can check with retailers to determine whether recalled cucumbers were sold there. Products should be discarded or returned to the store.
---from CNN
由於可能受到沙門氏菌污染，在 14 個州銷售的新鮮黃瓜已被召回。 Florida的Fresh Start Produce 召回了5 月17 日至21 日期間發貨的黃瓜。 這些黃瓜被送往Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia的零售配送中心、批發商和食品服務分銷商。迷你黃瓜和英國黃瓜不包括在召回範圍內。 此次召回是在賓州農業部發現樣本沙門氏菌檢測呈陽性後進行的。美國食品藥物管理局正在進行更多測試，以確定是否與正在進行的疫情調查有關。 Fresh Start Produce 向其直接從該公司收到召回黃瓜的客戶通報了此次召回事件，並要求他們自己的客戶被通知此次召回。該公司表示，這些黃瓜“不太可能出現在市場上”，但顧客可以向零售商查詢，以確定召回的黃瓜是否在該市場出售。產品應丟棄或退回商店。
---摘錄翻譯自 CNN
The hidden spaces on planes that are off limits to passengers
飛機上禁止乘客進入的隱藏空間
Culture
There are some secret areas on widebody aircraft, where the pilots and cabin crew go to rest during long flights. Passengers can’t access them under any circumstance and they’re well hidden from view. They’re called Crew Rest Compartments and their location on the plane varies. On newer aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 or the Airbus A350, they are located above the main cabin, in the upper fuselage. But on older aircraft, they can also be in the cargo hold or simply in the main cabin. They come in pairs: one for the pilots, which usually sits above the cockpit and often includes two bunks and a recliner seat, and another for the cabin crew, usually containing six bunks or more and placed above the aft galley, the section at the back of the plane where food and drinks are prepared and stored. The next time you’re on a long-haul flight, you might want to keep your eyes peeled for an inconspicuous door at the front or the back of the plane – if you see a pilot or flight attendant disappear into it, you might have spotted a rest area. But keep in mind that crew members won’t necessarily be happy to show you around, as passenger access to the rest areas is prohibited: “It’s a little bit like Disney – we keep the magic behind closed doors,” says Carr. “You don’t necessarily want to know that your flight attendants are getting a little bit of shuteye, but at the same time you’ll be happy when we pop up after our little cat nap all fresh as a daisy.”
---from CNN
寬體飛機上有一些秘密區域，供飛行員和機組人員在長途飛行期間休息。乘客在任何情況下都無法接觸到它們，而且它們完全隱藏在視線之外。 它們被稱為機組休息艙，它們在飛機上的位置各不相同。 在較新的飛機上，例如波音 787 或空中巴士 A350，它們位於主艙上方的機身上部。但在較舊的飛機上，它們也可以位於貨艙或乾脆位於主艙內。 它們成對出現：一個供飛行員使用，通常位於駕駛艙上方，通常包括兩個舖位和一個躺椅；另一個供機組人員使用，通常包含六個或更多舖位，放置在後廚房上方，該部分位於機尾廚房的上方。 下次您搭乘長途飛行時，您可能需要留意飛機前部或後部的一扇不起眼的門 - 如果您看到飛行員或空服員消失在其中，您可能會發現了一個休息區。 但請記住，機組人員不一定會樂意帶您四處參觀，因為禁止乘客進入休息區：「這有點像迪士尼 - 我們將魔法關在門後，」Carr說。 “你不一定想知道你的空服人員正在小睡，但同時，當我們在我們的小貓午睡後精神飽滿的出現時，你會很高興。”
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
‘It might make most people’s legs tremble a bit’: ‘Floating’ ladder for thrillseekers opens in Norway
「這可能會讓大多數人的腿有點顫抖」：為尋求刺激的人開放的『浮動』梯子在挪威開放
Culture
A new “floating” staircase in Norway promises spectacular views and undeniable thrills – but it’s probably not for the fainthearted. The 131-foot long stairway, called the “Stigull” ladder, dangles some 2,591 feet above a Norwegian fjord in the small village of Loen, in the north west of the country. “It might make most people’s legs tremble a bit,” the man behind the ladder, Per Helge Bø, tells CNN Travel. Seen from Loen’s nearby Gjølmunne suspension bridge, “it looks like people are floating in the air,” says Helge Bø. Visitors can also book other activities including kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and a ride on the Mount Hoven zipline. For those embarking on the via ferrata route, there are several measures in place to ensure climbers’ safety. “All climbing in Via Ferrata Loen, including the Stigull, takes place while you are securely attached to a wire,” explains Helge Bø. And while the staircase looks intimidating, Helge Bø says it’s suitable for anyone with a decent level of fitness and, according to him at least, it’s “not particularly demanding.” He hopes it’ll attract more visitors to the already popular Loen region. “Climbing the ladder itself is not difficult, but the exposure and the sense of accomplishment you feel when climbing there are immense,” he says.
---from CNN
挪威的一個新的「浮動」樓梯承諾壯觀的景色和不可否認的刺激——但它可能不適合膽小的人。 這段 131 英尺長的樓梯被稱為「Stigull」梯，懸掛在挪威西北部Loen小村莊的峽灣上方約 2,591 英尺處。 「這可能會讓大多數人的腿有點顫抖，」梯子後面的人 Per Helge Bø 告訴 CNN Travel。 從Leon附近的 Gjølmunne 吊橋看去，「看起來就像人們漂浮在空中，」Helge Bø 說。 遊客還可以預訂其他活動，包括皮划艇、立式單槳衝浪和Hoven山高空滑索。 對於那些踏上鐵索攀岩(Via Ferrata)路線的人來說，有幾項措施可以確保登山者的安全。 「Via Ferrata Loen 的所有攀爬，包括 Stigull，都是在您牢固地連接到鋼絲上時進行的，」Helge Bø 解釋道。 雖然樓梯看起來很嚇人，但 Helge Bø 表示，它適合任何具有良好健康水平的人，而且至少在他看來，「要求不是特別高」。他希望這能吸引更多遊客來到已經很受歡迎的Loen地區。 「爬梯子本身並不困難，但攀登時所感受到的震撼和成就感是巨大的，」他說。
---摘錄翻譯自CNN
First pig-to-human liver transplant recipient ‘doing very well’
首例豬肝移植受者“表現非常好”
Sciences
A 71-year-old man in China has become the first living person to receive a liver transplant from a genetically modified pig — and the fifth person reported to have received a pig organ. More than two weeks after the surgery, the man is “doing very well”, says Sun Beicheng, a surgeon at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in China, who led the transplantation. The surgeons have not released many details about the procedure, but researchers are encouraged by the apparent success. “It is very exciting news,” says Burcin Ekser, a transplant surgeon at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. The liver is the latest in a series of pig organs that have been introduced to people. Since early 2022, surgeons have transplanted pig hearts, kidneys and a thymus into four people. Three of them died in the months after receiving their transplants, although researchers say that their pre-existing poor health, which contributed to their selection as transplant candidates, makes it difficult to determine whether the transplants were a factor. One person who was operated on in mid-April is still alive today. The transplants have allowed researchers to gain valuable insights into the feasibility of xenotransplantation — the transfer of organs from one species to another. Clinicians hope the procedure might one day supply organs to the thousands of people who die each year while waiting for a donor organ. Xenotransplantation of livers has surged this year. In January, a US team connected a genetically modified pig liver outside the body of a clinically dead person. In March, Kefeng Dou, a transplant surgeon at Xijing Hospital of the Air Force Medical University in Xi’an, China, and his colleagues transplanted a genome-edited pig liver into a clinically dead individual, with approval from the man’s family. The liver remained in the body for ten days and saw no signs of rejection. And earlier in May, another team in China transplanted a pig kidney and liver into a clinically dead person.
---from Nature
中國一名 71 歲的男子成為第一個接受基因改造豬肝臟移植的在世人，也是第五個接受豬器官移植的人。移植手術的負責人、安徽醫科大學第一附屬醫院外科醫生Sun Beicheng表示，手術兩週多後，這名男子「情況非常好」。 外科醫生尚未公佈有關該手術的許多細節，但研究人員對明顯的成功感到鼓舞。 「這是一個非常令人興奮的消息，」Indianapolis印第安納大學醫學院的移植外科醫生 Burcin Ekser 說。 肝臟是引進人類的一系列豬器官中最新的一個。自 2022 年初以來，外科醫生已將豬心臟、腎臟和胸腺移植到四人體內。其中三人在接受移植後的幾個月內死亡，儘管研究人員表示，他們先前存在的健康狀況不佳導致他們被選為移植候選人，因此很難確定移植是否是一個因素。一名四月中旬接受手術的人至今仍活著。 這些移植使研究人員能夠對異種移植（將器官從一個物種轉移到另一個物種）的可行性獲得寶貴的見解。臨床醫生希望這項手術有一天能為每年在等待器官捐贈過程中死亡的數千人提供器官。 今年異種肝臟移植激增。一月份，一個美國研究小組在臨床死亡者的體外連接了基因改造豬肝。今年三月，中國西安空軍軍醫大學Xijing醫院的移植外科醫師Kefeng Dou和他的同事在徵得死者家屬同意後，將經過基因組編輯的豬隻肝臟移植到一名臨床死亡者體內。肝臟在體內保留了十天，沒有看到排斥的跡象。 5月初，中國的另一個團隊將豬腎和豬肝移植到臨床死亡的人身上。
---摘錄翻譯自Nature
Biggest genome ever found belongs to this odd little plant
迄今為止發現的最大基因組屬於這種奇怪的小植物
Sciences
A small, unassuming fern-like plant has something massive lurking within: the largest genome ever discovered, outstripping the human genome by more than 50 times. The plant (Tmesipteris oblanceolata) contains a whopping 160 billion base pairs, the units that make up a strand of DNA. That’s 11 billion more than the previous record holder, the flowering plant Paris japonica, and 30 billion more than the marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus), which has the largest animal genome. The findings were published today in iScience. Study co-author Jaume Pellicer, an evolutionary biologist at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona in Spain, who also co-discovered P. japonica’s gargantuan genome, had thought that the earlier discovery was close to the genome size limit. “But the evidence has once again surpassed our expectations,” he says. Finding ways to analyse enormous genomes could yield crucial insights into how genome size influences where organisms can grow, how they are able to flourish in their environments and their resilience to climate change, independent of their specific DNA sequence, she adds. Pellicer says it’s remarkable that a tiny, non-flowering plant that most people “wouldn’t bother to stop and look at” could offer such important lessons. “The beauty of the plant is inside.”
--from Nature
一種不起眼的小蕨類植物體內潛藏著巨大的東西：迄今為止發現的最大的基因組，比人類基因組多 50 倍。 這種植物（Tmesipteris oblanceolata）含有多達 1600 億個鹼基對，這些鹼基對構成了 DNA 鏈。這比之前的記錄保持者——開花植物衣笠草（Paris japonica）——多了 110 億，比擁有最大動物基因組的大理石肺魚（Protopterus aethiopicus）多了 300 億。研究結果今天發表在《iScience》期刊。 研究的合著者 Jaume Pellicer 是西班牙巴塞隆納植物研究所的演化生物學家，他也是粳稻龐大基因組的共同發現者，他認為早期的發現已經接近基因組大小的極限。 「但證據再次超出了我們的預期，」他說。 她補充說，找到分析巨大基因組的方法可以產生重要的見解，了解基因組大小如何影響生物體的生長位置、它們如何在其環境中繁衍生息以及它們對氣候變遷的適應能力，而與它們特定的DNA序列無關。Pellicer說，令人驚訝的是，大多數人「懶得停下來看」的一種微小的、不開花的植物能夠提供如此重要的訊息。 “植物的美麗就在裡面。”
--摘錄翻譯自Nature