News Brief: August 14-18

International

An employee at the British Museum was “dismissed” this week after stealing and damaging several museum artifacts. Some of the stolen items remain missing. 

“The stolen artifacts include gold jewelry and gems of semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century B.C. to the 19th century A.D. Most were small items kept in a storeroom and none had been on display recently,” ABC reported. 

The museum plans to pursue legal action against the terminated employee and the London Metropolitan Police have begun an investigation. 

George Osborne, the chair of the museum, released a statement about the incident. 

“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again,″ Osborne said. 

The museum is conducting an independent investigation and security review to find their missing artifacts. 

“Sir Nigel Boardman, a former trustee, and Lucy D’Orsi, the chief constable of the British Transport Police, will investigate and make recommendations on future security arrangements,” the Guardian reported. 

National

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health have successfully transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney into the body of a brain dead man. 32 days after the operation, the kidney is functioning properly and sustaining the body. The procedure was led by Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, and H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair of the Department of Surgery and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. 

This was NYU’s 5th xenotransplant, the medical term for a cross-species organ transplant, and Dr. Montgomery’s third transplant involving pig organs. By altering the alpha-gal gene, the doctors were able to prevent rejection of the kidney. 

“This work demonstrates a pig kidney—with only one genetic modification and without experimental medications or devices—can replace the function of a human kidney for at least 32 days without being rejected,” Dr. Montgomery said. 

Observation of the kidney will continue through September of 2023. If the study is successful, it could go on to provide life-saving treatment to over 100,000 patients on organ transplant waiting lists. 

The staff gave special thanks to Mary Miller Duffy for allowing her brother’s body to be used for the innovative procedure. 

Local

Just after 1 p.m. on Sunday, a small plane crashed near Interstate 235 and Northwest 63rd Street. The pilot has been identified by family as Dr. Richard Stanford, a pediatrician in Oklahoma City. Stanford’s family has confirmed he is hospitalized and responsive, though he does have multiple serious injuries, News 9 reported. 

The plane crashed into several power lines and caused a fire. North and southbound lanes of Broadway Extension between North 50th and I-44 were closed and around 250 individuals lost electricity as well. Some wreckage remains at the crash site and the I-44 westbound ramp is still closed off. The cause of the crash is still unknown, but the Federal Aviation Administration has initiated an investigation.