What are the latest developments in biotechnology?
1. Chinese scientists discovered a new mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease
November 19, 2006 , the online version of the internationally renowned academic journal "Nature Medicine" published online the latest research results of the research group of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, on the new mechanism of the production process of β-amyloid protein. This result reveals a new mechanism of Alzheimer's disease and suggests that β2-adrenergic receptors may become a new target for the development of therapeutic drugs for Alzheimer's disease.
2. my country has made groundbreaking progress in the research of new anti-diabetic drugs
Scientists from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2006 discovered non-peptide small molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Important progress has been made in the research field, and the relevant results were published in the online version of the international authoritative scientific journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)" in the first week of January 2007. The editorial board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences pointed out in a written press release to the media that this type of orally effective non-peptide small molecule agonist has the potential to become a new treatment for diabetes, obesity and other related metabolic diseases.
3. Reveal the mystery of Drosophila memory and explore the neurobiological basis of memory
The latest research results on Drosophila by the research group of the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the brain of Drosophila There is no universal memory center in the brain, but different sensory memories are stored in different areas. And just like humans can remember different parameters such as the height, size, and color of images, the image memory of fruit flies also has different corresponding parameters. . Through the study of Drosophila memory genes, it can be further applied to mice, mammals and even humans to solve mental diseases such as insomnia and Alzheimer's disease in humans.
4. Terminal control technology and application of drinking water quality safety risks
In order to promptly evaluate water quality conditions and respond to emergencies, the Ecological Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Cooperate to develop biological online monitoring and early warning technology suitable for terminal water quality monitoring, establish and improve biological toxicity testing methods, and form a technical system suitable for water quality assessment at the molecular and cellular levels. The key technologies developed in the research have independent intellectual property rights, 22 invention patents have been produced, and 61 papers have been published, including 23 papers included in SCI.
5. U.S. scientists develop “bionic eyes” to help blind people regain their sight
U.S. scientists say they will be able to provide “bionic eye” implant surgeries within two years, helping millions The blind man regains his sight.
Researchers in the United States have received approval to install such "bionic eyes" on 50 to 70 patients at five treatment centers within two years.
The "Agrus II" system, named after the hundred-eyed giant Agrus in Greek mythology, uses a camera mounted on glasses to transmit visual signals to electrodes in the eyes.
Patients who previously received less advanced artificial retinal transplants were able to "see" light, images and the movement of objects. But the image is not clear enough.
A blind man underwent this kind of surgery in 1999. Now he can avoid long or lower branches when walking on the street, but when he looks at people, he seems to see a black shadow.
However, scientists from the University of California, USA, said that the "bionic eye" they developed attempts to obtain real-time images from the camera, and then converts them into weak electrical signals, which are transmitted to a receiver and passed through electrodes. , stimulating the optic nerve of the retina to send signals to the brain, allowing the blind person to "see" the scenery.
This new device is smaller than traditional artificial retinas, but has up to 60 electrodes for higher resolution. And the area is only one square millimeter, making implantation surgery easier.