The secret of the bacteria's ability to withstand radiation that exceeds the lethal dose for humans is revealed

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

人間の致死量超える放射線に耐えられる細菌、能力の秘密が明らかに

2024.12.12 Thu posted at 18:28 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 「デイノコッカス・ラジオデュランス」と呼ばれる細菌の一種は最も過酷な環境でも生き延びる能力を持つ。「英雄コナン」にちなみ「コナン・ザ・バクテリア」というニックネームが付けられており、人間の致死量の２万８０００倍もの放射線に耐えられる。今回、その能力の秘密が抗酸化物質にあることが分かった。

科学者は抗酸化物質の働きを解明し、地球上の人間と将来地球外を探索する人々の健康を守るために抗酸化物質を利用できる可能性を解き明かした。

抗酸化物質はマンガン、リン酸塩、アミノ酸のペプチド（分子）を含む代謝産物と呼ばれる小さな分子の単純な集合体で構成されている。

米国科学アカデミー紀要に９日に発表された研究で、この強力な三つの成分を組み合わせると、マンガンと他の成分の一つのみを組み合わせた場合よりも放射線に対する防御効果が高いことが明らかになった。

研究の著者らによると、この発見は、将来太陽系を横断する深宇宙ミッションで宇宙飛行士を高線量の宇宙放射線から守るために活用できる可能性がある。

 

抗酸化物質の秘密を解明

デイノコッカスは最も放射線耐性が高い生物としてギネス世界記録に登録されている。これまでの研究で、この細菌は国際宇宙ステーション（ＩＳＳ）の外で３年生存できることがわかっている。酸や寒さ、脱水状態にも耐えられる。

２０２２年１０月の報告によれば、デイノコッカスが火星に存在していた場合、凍結した状態で何百万年も生き延びていた可能性があるという。

以前、細菌の細胞内のマンガン抗酸化物質の量を測定したところ、微生物が生き延びることができる放射線の量はマンガン抗酸化物質の量に直接関係していることがわかった。つまり、マンガン抗酸化物質が多いほど、放射線への耐性が増す。

乾燥して凍結すると、デイノコッカスは１４万グレイに耐えられる。これは人間の致死量にあたる放射線量の２万８０００倍だ。

今回の研究では、デイノコッカスにヒントを得て設計された合成抗酸化物質、ＭＤＰ（メラトニン由来の保護物質）を使用した。

研究チームは、マンガン、リン酸塩、ＤＰ１と呼ばれるペプチドを含むＭＤＰの活性成分が、細胞やたんぱく質を放射線被ばくからどのように保護するかを分析。ペプチドとリン酸塩がマンガンに結合すると、放射線に対する保護にきわめて効果的な三元複合体が形成される。

ユニフォームド・サービス大学の病理学教授であるマイケル・デイリー氏は「ＭＤＰに関する今回の新たな理解はさらに強力なマンガンベースの抗酸化剤の開発につながる可能性がある。これは医療や製造業のほか防衛、宇宙探査に応用しうる」と述べた。

また、「ＭＤＰは単純で費用対効果が高いうえ、無毒で非常に効果的な放射線防護剤であるため、経口投与することで宇宙放射線のリスクを軽減できる可能性がある」とも指摘する。

地球上では、放射線の漏えい事故に対する保護に使用することも考えられる。

Translation

The secret of the bacteria's ability to withstand radiation that exceeds the lethal dose for humans is revealed

 (CNN) A type of bacteria called "Deinococcus radiodurans" had the ability to survive even in the harshest environments. It was nicknamed "Conan the Bacteria" after the "Hero Conan" series, it could withstand radiation that was 28,000 times the lethal dose for humans. Now, it had been discovered that the secret of its ability lay in antioxidants.

Scientists had uncovered how antioxidants work and revealed the possibility of using them to protect the health of humans on Earth and those who might explore extraterrestrials in the future.

Antioxidants were made up of simple aggregates of small molecules called metabolites that contained manganese, phosphate, and peptides (molecules) of amino acids.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on the 9th revealed that the combination of this powerful trio of ingredients provided more protection against radiation than manganese combined with one of the other ingredients alone.

According to the study authors, this discovery could be used to protect astronauts from high doses of space radiation on future deep space missions across the solar system.

Unlocking the secrets of antioxidants

Deinococcus is listed in the Guinness World Records as the most radiation-resistant organism. Studies so far had shown that the bacterium could survive for three years outside the International Space Station (ISS). It could also withstand acid, cold, and dehydration.

According to a report in October 2022, if Deinococcus existed on Mars, it could have survived for millions of years in a frozen state.

Previously, when the amount of manganese antioxidants in the bacterial cells was measured, it was found that the amount of radiation that the microorganism could survive is directly related to the amount of manganese antioxidants. In other words, the more manganese antioxidants there were, the more resistant it was to radiation.

When dried and frozen, Deinococcus could withstand 140,000 grays, which was 28,000 times the amount of radiation that would be lethal to human.

In this study, a synthetic antioxidant, MDP (Melatonin-derived Protective Protein) was used, it was designed with Deinococcus as inspiration.

The research team analyzed how the active components of MDP, which contained manganese, phosphate, and a peptide called DP1, had protected cells and proteins from radiation exposure. When the peptide and phosphate bound to manganese, they formed a ternary complex that was highly effective at protecting against radiation.

Michael Daly, professor of pathology at the Uniformed Services University said that "This new understanding of MDP could lead to the development of even more powerful manganese-based antioxidants, it could have applications in medicine, manufacturing, defense, and space exploration."

He also noted that "MDP is a simple, cost-effective, non-toxic, and highly effective radioprotector, which could potentially reduce the risks of space radiation when administered orally."

On Earth, it could also be used to protect against accidental radiation leaks.

              So, a type of bacteria called "Deinococcus radiodurans" has the ability to survive even in the harshest environments. A research team analyzed how the active components of MDP, which contain manganese, phosphate, and a peptide can protected cells and proteins from radiation exposure. It is also noted that MDP is a simple, cost-effective, non-toxic, and highly effective radioprotector. On Earth, it could also be used to protect against accidental radiation leaks. Apparently, MDP will help us in our space exploration projects.

Note:

1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal. It is the official journal of the National Academy of Sciences, published since 1915, publishing original research, scientific reviews, commentaries, and letters. (Wikipedia)

2. A gray (Gy) is the SI-derived unit of absorbed dose and specific energy (energy per unit mass). Such energies are usually associated with ionizing radiation such as gamma particles or X-rays. It is defined as the absorption of one joule of energy in the form of ionizing radiation by one kilogram of tissue. In the SI basic units, a gray is expressed as m²⋅s⁻².(https://www.translatorscafe.com/unit-converter/en-US/radiation-absorbed-dose/7-1/gray-rad/)

中國一位頂級經濟學家剛剛說了很多人已懷疑的事：中國官方GDP數據可能不準確

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

A top Chinese economist just said what many people suspected: China's official GDP numbers may not be accurate

Business Insider - Huileng Tan

Thu, December 12, 2024 at 11:16 p.m. PST·3 min read

A Chinese economist said China's official GDP figures may be higher than actual numbers.

He said China's GDP is likely to grow between 3% and 4% in the next three to five years, but the official number is likely to remain at around 5%.

China faces economic challenges including a real-estate crisis and high youth unemployment.

A prominent Chinese economist just said what many people suspected: China's official GDP numbers may not be accurate.

"We do not know the true number of China's real growth figure and maybe some other numbers," Gao Shanwen, the chief economist at SDIC Securities, said on Thursday.

Many people speculate that "after the pandemic, those numbers may not be so accurate," he said at an event hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC. Gao previously advised the country's policymakers.

Gao said China's GDP probably averaged around 2% in the last two to three years even though the official number is "close to 5%," Gao said.

"If my speculation is correct, I think it might be more reasonable to expect a growth rate between 3% to 4% in the years to come, for the next three to five years," Gao said. "But we know, and I think, the official number will always be around 5%."

China reported 5.2% GDP growth last year and has a growth target of "around 5%" this year — which economists said is ambitious.

While there have been longstanding doubts over the veracity of China's GDP data, one economist explained to Business Insider in 2022 that the headline GDP figure is "systematically inflated" due to how it's calculated and that it's unlikely the central government in Beijing manipulates numbers.

Chinese youth are 'tightening their belts and eating noodles with the lights off'

Gao came under the spotlight recently for making comments at an investor conference about "lifeless" Chinese youths. Chinese censors have since taken the speech off the internet.

In the speech, Gao said his analysis of regional data showed that the younger the population of a province is, the slower its consumption growth.

China is now "full of vibrant old people, lifeless young people and middle-aged people in despair," Gao added.

"Young people are tightening their belts and eating noodles with the lights off," Gao said.

Gao's assessments of China's economy come as the country struggles to recover from pandemic lockdowns.

The world's second-largest economy is facing multiple issues, including a real-estate crisis, high youth unemployment, and deflation.

China's economy has been holding up this year thanks to robust exports — but the country's consumer demand has been dismal due to poor consumer confidence. Many people are trading down for cheaper purchases.

China's economy is still struggling to recover from the pandemic

On Thursday, Xinhua state news agency reported that top Chinese officials pledged to loosen monetary policy, increase the budget deficit, and issue more debt to boost consumption and maintain stable economic growth.

China's top leaders also pledged to "vigorously boost consumption" and domestic demand "on all fronts," per Xinhua, citing the two-day Central Economic Work Conference led by Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.

China's new pledges and measures to shore up its flagging economy did not excite investors, especially since they were short on details, analysts said.

China's benchmark CSI300 Index was 1.8% lower at midday while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.7%.

"Due to the property meltdown, the fiscal crisis and worsening tensions with the US, China's economy is not in a normal downcycle, so it may take much more than a 'bazooka' stimulus package to truly reboot the economy," Nomura economists wrote in a note on Friday.

Translation

中國一位頂級經濟學家剛剛說了很多人已懷疑的事：中國官方GDP數據可能不準確

一位中國經濟學家表示，中國官方GDP數據可能高於實際數據。

他表示，未來三到五年，中國GDP可能成長3%至4%，但官方數字可能維持在5%左右。

中國面臨房地產危機和青年失業率高等經濟挑戰。

一位中國著名經濟學家剛剛說出了許多人有所的懷疑：中國的官方GDP數據可能不準確。

國投證券首席經濟學家高善文週四表示，“我們不知道中國實際增長的真實數字，及其他一些數字。”

他在華盛頓特區彼得森國際經濟研究所主辦的活動上表示，許多人猜測「疫情大流行之後，這些數字可能不會那麼準確」。高先生先前曾為中國的政策制定者提供建議。

高說，儘管官方數字“接近5%”，但過去兩三年中國GDP的平均成長率可能約為2%。

高說：“如果我的猜測是正確的，我認為未來三到五年的成長率預計在3%到4%之間可能更合理”; “但我們知道，而且我認為官方數字將始終會在 5% 左右。”

中國去年的GDP成長率為5.2%，今年的成長目標為「5%左右」- 經濟學家稱這個目標雄心勃勃。

儘管長期以來人們對中國GDP 數據的準確性存在懷疑，但一位經濟學家在2022 年向《商業內幕》解釋說，由於計算方式的原因，總體GDP 數據“系統性地被誇大了”，且北京中央政府不太可能操縱數據。

中國年輕人“勒緊褲頭，關燈後吃麵條”

高最近因在一次投資者會議上發表有關「死氣沉沉」的中國年輕人的言論而受到關注。此後，中國審查機構已將這篇演講從網路上刪除。

高在演講中表示，他對地區數據的分析表明，一個省份的人口越年輕，其消費成長就越慢。

高補充說，中國現在「充滿了充滿活力的老年人、毫無生氣的年輕人和絕望的中年人」。

高說:「年輕人開始勒緊褲頭，關燈後吃麵條」。

在高先生對中國經濟作出評估之際，中國正努力從病毒大流行的封鎖中恢復過來。

這個世界第二大經濟體正面臨多重問題，包括房地產危機、青年失業率高和通貨緊縮。

由於出口強勁，中國經濟今年一直維持堅挺，但由於消費者信心不佳，中國的消費需求一直低迷。許多人正在以低價購買更便宜的商品。

中國經濟仍在掙扎從疫情中恢復

週四，新華社報道稱，中國高級官員承諾放鬆貨幣政策，增加預算赤字，發行更多債務刺激消費，維持經濟穩定成長。

據新華社報道，本週由中國領導人習近平主持召開的為期兩天的中央經濟工作會議，中國最高領導人還承諾“全方位”“大力促進消費”和內需。

分析師表示，中國提振疲軟經濟的新承諾和措施並沒有令投資人興奮，特別是因為他們缺乏細節。

中國基準滬深300指數午盤下跌1.8%，香港恆生指數下跌1.7%。

野村證券經濟學家在報告中寫道：「由於房地產崩盤、財政危機以及與美國的緊張關係不斷惡化，中國經濟並未處於一般的下行週期，因此，要真正重新啟動經濟，可能需要的不僅僅是 '火箭筒' 式刺激計劃」。

              So, Dr. Gao Shanwen, a Chinese economist has said that China's official GDP figures may be higher than actual numbers. Gao notes that China is now "full of vibrant old people, lifeless young people and middle-aged people in despair". If his observation is true, it seems that Chinese youth will still face a hard time in the coming years unless China reboots its economy.

 

Note:

1. Dr. Gao Shanwen (高善文博士) is the chief economist of SDIC Securities, an industry mentor at Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance, editor and academic committee member of "Tsinghua Financial Review". He is also a member of the Academic Committee of the China Finance 40 Forum and the China Chief Economist Forum.

敘利亞叛軍領袖的勝利宣言向伊朗傳達了訊息，也向特朗普和以色列傳達了訊息

Recently CNN News on-line reported the following:

Syrian rebel leader’s victory speech holds a message for Iran – and for Trump and Israel too

Analysis by Nic Robertson

Updated Sun, December 8, 2024 at 11:10 p.m. PST·3 min read

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani’s road to Damascus has been long. He has talked openly about his change along the way. From young al Qaeda fighter two decades ago, to rebel commander espousing sectarian tolerance.

It’s a journey along which he has had plenty of time to plan where and how he would mark his arrival, and to fine-tune his narrative – his message for those who put him in power, those who might bring him down, and others who can keep him in power.

It is no surprise that the Islamist rebel chose Damascus’s venerated Umayyad Mosque – not a TV studio, nor newly absented presidential palace, but a place of towering religious significance, which at 1,300 years old is one of the world’s most ancient mosques – to deliver that message.

“This victory, my brothers, is a victory for the entire Islamic nation,” he told his tiny entourage, who stumbled behind him against the backdrop of the mosque’s distinctive black and white stone splendor.

It was a message to all those who had taken him to power, and propelled his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters at startling speed across Syria to oust President Bashir al-Assad.

It was a message too to the newly liberated Syrians. “This victory, my brothers, by the grace of God Almighty (follows) the sacrifices of the martyrs, the widows, and the orphans. This victory, my brothers, has come through the suffering of those who endured imprisonment,” he said.

In a country where the God you chose, and how you pray, can define your class, limit your aspirations and pit you against your neighbor, Jolani sent a very clear signal in the Umayyad Mosque. He is a Sunni Muslim, part of Syria’s majority. Assad was an Alawite. There are Christians, Druze, Shia Muslims, Ismailis and more.

Yet the words he chose appeared intended to break those old bounds. “This new triumph, my brothers, marks a new chapter in the history of the region, a history fraught with dangers (that left) Syria as a playground for Iranian ambitions, spreading sectarianism, stirring corruption,” he said.

Singling Iran out appears to be a message to Tehran’s theocracy – that their meddling is over, their easy land access to their mega proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon is over, their support for Syrian Hezbollah is over, and gone too is the home they once had for Iran’s weapons stockpiles.

But it is a message Jolani will know is being heard in Tel Aviv and Washington, where he is considered to be a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation with a $10 million dollar bounty on his head. A message that says to them, ‘your interests are understood in the new Syria,’ and an understanding on his part that these are the powers capable of bringing him down.

Jolani has been at pains on his race to Damascus to make sure US President Joe Biden and even President-elect Donald Trump know his intent. It is no coincidence that he picked a US TV network, CNN, and not an Arab one, for a key interview in the days before he ousted Assad, claiming he had parted company from other jihadists because of their brutal tactics.

Speaking a few hours later, Biden said he had heard Jolani “saying the right things,” but insisted the rebel leader be judged by his actions.

Jolani’s message was also tuned for regional powers he’ll need to keep onside, promising to clean shop. “Syria is being purified,” he said, referring to the country’s regional reputation as a narco-state, saying Assad’s Syria had “become the world’s leading source of Captagon,” an amphetamine-type drug, and criminality through the region.

Jolani’s mosque speech was about arrival and survival. It’s his actions, though, that will secure the latter.

Translation

敘利亞叛軍領袖的勝利宣言向伊朗傳達了訊息，也向特朗普和以色列傳達了訊息

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (喬拉尼) 通往大馬士革的道路是的漫長是的。他一直公開談論自己的改變。從二十年前的年輕基地組織戰士，到支持宗派寬容的叛軍指揮官。

在這段旅程中，他有充足的時間來計劃他將在哪裡以, 及如何紀念他的到來，並微調他的敘述 - 傳達訊息向那些讓他到來掌權的人、那些可能令他下台的人, 以及可以令他繼續掌權的人。

毫不奇怪的是，這伊斯蘭叛亂者選擇了大馬士革受人尊敬的Umayyad清真寺 - 不是電視演播室，也不是新近被空置的總統府，而是一個具有崇高宗教意義的地方，它擁有1300年的歷史，是世界上最古老的清真寺之一 - 來傳遞這一信息。

他告訴他的小隨從說:「我的兄弟們，這場勝利是整個伊斯蘭國家的勝利」，他們在清真寺獨特的黑白石輝煌背景下跌跌撞撞地跟在他身後。

這是向所有那些讓他上台並推動他的沙姆解放組織 (HTS) 戰士以驚人的速度穿越敘利亞推翻總統阿薩德的人發出的信息。

這也是向新解放的敘利亞人傳遞的訊息。 他說:「兄弟們，這場勝利是全能上帝的恩典，是在殉道者、寡婦和孤兒的犧牲(之後)取得的。兄弟們，這場勝利是透過那些遭受監禁的人們的痛苦而取得的」。

在一個你選擇的上帝以及你的祈禱方式, 就可以被定義你的階層、限制你的願望, 並使你與鄰居對抗的國家裡，Jolani在Umayyad清真寺發出了一個非常明確的信號。他是遜尼派穆斯林，是敘利亞多數派的一部分。阿薩德是阿拉維派。這裡有基督徒、德魯茲派、什葉派穆斯林、伊斯瑪儀派等等。

然而他選擇的字詞彙似乎是為了打破這些舊的界線。他說：“兄弟們，這一新的勝利標誌著該地區歷史的新篇章，這段歷史充滿了危險，(致使)敘利亞成為伊朗野心、傳播宗派主義、煽動腐敗的遊樂場。”

將伊朗單獨挑出來似乎是向德黑蘭神權政治發出的一個信息 - 他們的干預已經結束，他們在黎巴嫩的超級代理人真主黨的便利陸路通道已經完了，他們對敘利亞真主黨的支持也結束了，他們曾經擁有的伊朗的武器庫存基地也消失了。

但Jolani知道，這樣的訊息特拉維夫和華盛頓亦正在聽到，他被認為是屬於受到禁止的恐怖組織的成員，捕拿懸賞金額為 1000 萬美元。向他們傳達的訊息是，“新敘利亞理解你們的利益”，而他也明白，這些力量有能力打倒他。

Jolani在奔向大馬士革的馳逐中一直煞費苦心，以確保美國總統拜登，甚至當選總統特朗普知道他的意圖。在推翻阿薩德之前的幾天裡，他選擇美國電視網 CNN（而非阿拉伯電視網）接受一次重要採訪，這並非巧合，聲稱他因其他聖戰士的殘酷策略而與他們分道揚鑣。

幾個小時後，拜登表示，他聽到Jolani“說出了正確的話”，但堅稱要根據他的行動來評判叛軍領導人。

Jolani的訊息也針對他需要繼續獲得支持的區域大國，承諾重整工作。 他說:“敘利亞正在被淨化”; 他指的是該國在該地區作成為毒品國家的名堂，並稱阿薩德領導下的敘利亞已“成為世界上Captagon 的主要來源” 它是安非他明類藥物，並成為該地區犯罪活動的主要源頭。

Jolani的清真寺演講是關於他的到來和往後生存。不過，他的生存将是取决於他將會做出的事。

              So, Jolani has sent out a message for those who put him in power, those who might bring him down, and others who can keep him in power. Jolani’s mosque speech is about his arrival and survival, apparently it is his next steps that will secure his survival. He has made a calculated and important speech.

Note:

1. Fenethylline (BAN, USAN) or fenetylline (INN) is a codrug of amphetamine and theophylline and so a mutual prodrug of both. The drug is marketed for use as a psychostimulant under the brand names Captagon, Biocapton, and Fitton. The name "Captagon" is often used generically to describe illicitly-produced fenetylline. (Wikipedia)