Antibiotic Persistence | Throat Printing | Painkiller 2.0

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Welcome to week 2 of our first annual Casual Awards! 🥳

This week we’re reliving the best medical stories of 2024 with the Healing Hoodies!

• Next week: Genome Joggers (biology)

• Last week: Celestial Sweatpants (space)

Fun fact: You can browse these categories in the Archive here

-Steve

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Antibiotic Persistence

MRSA’s antibiotic resistance may be coming to an end. Scientists learned the infection’s secret to defending treatment and causing 10k+ deaths per year.

• MRSA = Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

• Secret Defense: Antibiotic triggered cell division

• Antibiotics target enzymes that build bacterial cell walls

When these enzymes are attacked, MRSA replicates to overwhelm and outlast the antibiotics. Identifying this specific resistance mechanism will help scientists develop better targeted treatments. Classic UNO Reverse Card play.

Anti-Anti-Antibiotic

Throat Printing

3D-printers created a breath of fresh air. A patient received the world’s first printed windpipe after losing part of theirs to thyroid cancer surgery.

• Created using nasal stem cells, cartilage cells, and bio-ink

• Biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) added for support

• As PCL degrades, natural trachea will regenerate

The windpipe took only two weeks to print and did not require any immunosuppressants. A potential revolution in treating patients with related conditions like congenital anomalies or windpipe trauma. Just don’t try printing one at home.

How to print body parts

Painkiller 2.0

Non-addictive pain medication may be coming soon. Vertex Pharmaceuticals recently wrapped up Phase 3 clinical trials of its non-opioid painkiller, VX-548.

• Blocks NaV1.8 sodium channel

• Stopping pain signals at the PNS (peripheral nervous system)

• Effective for surgical and non-surgical pain

By combating pain through the PNS, VX-548 avoids reward/pleasure areas of the central nervous system targeted by opioids. Vertex will file for FDA approval by mid-2024 to treat moderate-to-severe acute pain.

Painless

Why are you seeing this ad? My money-printer is awaiting phase 1 trials…

So I personally review all ads for potential value to you. Plus, checking them out helps support the cost of running casualSTEM 🤓 

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Unnatural Selection

Last week: “Which wood make a cooler moon tree?”

I think we can all agree on planting enough moon trees to create a smiley visible from Earth.

st3v on site

3D-Printed Necks

Not limited by a need for bio-ink, st3v went all out 3D-printing spare necks. Perks of being a robot!

When Beyoncé Gets Paid, So Could You

• JKBX (pronounced “Jukebox”) lets you own fractional shares of chart-topping songs.

• Potential payouts whenever tracks generate revenue.

• Explore stability with a timeless, revenue-focused asset.

Build Your Portfolio with Music

Visit www.jkbx.com/legal/offering-circulars for important Reg A disclosures. This content is not investment advice, nor is it an offer of securities. All investments involve risk and may result in loss.

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