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Innovation

New Tech Revives ‘Unusable’ Organs

34 Lives, a medical innovation company, is making a significant impact in kidney transplants with their innovative technology that "revives" kidneys typically rejected by surgeons. So far, they have successfully saved ten kidneys and ten lives, with many more to come.

In the US, over 120,000 people await organ transplants, most needing kidneys. Patients on the waiting list often endure years of dialysis, risking their health and lives. Daily, 34 people die waiting. Choosing West Lafayette, near Purdue University, was strategic for 34 Lives. Purdue supports startups and offers top-tier facilities and engineering talent, enhancing 34 Lives' life-saving efforts.

Around 30% of recovered kidneys are discarded, a loss for patients and donors' families. 34 Lives aims to ensure donated kidneys save lives as intended. Their facility at Purdue Research Park includes custom-built Organ Rescue Labs, essential for quickly reviving and sending kidneys for transplant. Time is critical; delays in transport can render kidneys nonviable.

34 Lives ensures kidney viability using normothermic preservation, a technique that maintains organs at normal physiological temperature. This method allows for prolonged preservation and the ability to resuscitate organs after warm ischemia. This approach also enables more accurate assessment of the kidneys’ condition before transplantation, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

By collaborating with OPOs and transplant surgeons, 34 Lives identifies and rescues kidneys that would otherwise go unused the keeps them working with normothermic preservation.

Using Purdue's regional airport, 34 Lives avoids delays common with commercial flights, which is crucial for their success. Their fifth kidney transplant was successful thanks to this proximity.

The partnership with Purdue exemplifies how collaboration can lead to world-changing solutions. Each saved kidney and life brings us closer to a future where no one dies waiting for a transplant.

World News

George Washington’s Cherries Found

Archaeologists have unearthed 35 glass bottles from the 18th century in the cellar of George Washington’s home. The five storage pits under Mount Vernon contained 29 intact bottles of preserved cherries, a fruit linked to Washington.

Workers discovered the stash during a renovation of Washington’s manor. “Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine this spectacular archaeological discovery,” said Mount Vernon President & CEO Doug Bradburn. “We were ecstatic.” “To our knowledge, this is an unprecedented find and nothing of this scale and significance has ever been excavated in North America.” he added.

The contents of the bottles, some containing berries like currants, have been extracted and refrigerated for scientific analysis. The bottles are drying in the Mount Vernon archaeology lab and will be sent off-site for conservation. “These artifacts likely haven’t seen the light of day since before the American Revolution” said Mount Vernon Principal Archaeologist Jason Boroughs.

Mount Vernon is partnering with the US Department of Agriculture’s Research Service to analyze the contents. They have identified 54 cherry pits and 23 stems, likely from a tart variety. The cherries may be candidates for DNA extraction to determine the species.

The team at Mount Vernon hopes some pits will be viable for growing future fruit trees, especially as the county prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

Am I the only one who is curious how those old, fermented cherries would taste like?

World News

The Impact of Solar in Africa

Little Sun Solar is a company dedicated to providing affordable and clean energy solutions. They operate primarily in Africa, working to bring solar energy and solar powered tools to help with agriculture, education, and health. One of their initiatives, providing small solar lamps to school children, has had a good impact.

A new survey released by Singizi Consulting Africa (Singizi) reveals that the benefits of Little Sun solar technology has not only helped the classroom, but has improved health conditions and reduced lighting costs. The survey is based on nearly 60,000 Little Sun solar lamps distributed to students in rural Africa as part of the Power to Read program.

The report focused on the Somali region of Ethiopia and surveyed teachers and parents of students who received one or more Little Sun solar lamps distributed in the region. The lamp distribution supported the Ministry of Education's effort to ensure access to energy for school-age children in the Somali region, including the Degahbur woreda, where an estimated 16% of the population has access to energy.

The survey findings show that 96% of teachers surveyed saw an improvement in students’ academic performance. The report also found that investing in Little Sun solar technology increases academic performance, more than doubles the amount of time students spend studying, and nearly 100% of households saw a decrease in lighting costs once they started using Little Sun technology, and for some, Little Sun solar lamps reduce occurrences of eye irritation, headaches, and other health ailments mostly due to burning coal or wood for light.

I think the power of solar energy is both overestimated and underestimated. While it will probably never power entire nations, if it is applied in the right place, it can make a huge difference! If you would like to learn more about their mission, you can read their About page here.

Mind Stretchers

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One year has 365 days. How many seconds are in a year?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
I can be short and sometimes hot. When displayed, I rarely impress. What am I? -Temper!

Chris Hostetler and Gerry Moore got their answers in right at the same time!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.