Great scientific discoveries in medicine that changed the world. The most significant discoveries in the history of medicine

04/05/2017

Modern clinics and hospitals are equipped with sophisticated diagnostic equipment, with the help of which it is possible to establish an accurate diagnosis of the disease, without which, as we know, any pharmacotherapy becomes not only meaningless, but also harmful. Significant progress has also been observed in physiotherapeutic procedures, where appropriate devices show high efficiency. Such achievements became possible thanks to the efforts of design physicists who, as scientists joke, “repay the debt” to medicine, because at the dawn of the formation of physics as a science, many doctors made a very significant contribution to it

William Gilbert: at the origins of the science of electricity and magnetism

The founder of the science of electricity and magnetism is essentially William Gilbert (1544–1603), a graduate of St. John's College, Cambridge. This man, thanks to his extraordinary abilities, made a dizzying career: two years after graduating from college, he became a bachelor, four years later a master, five years later a doctor of medicine, and finally received the post of physician to Queen Elizabeth.

Despite his busy schedule, Gilbert began studying magnetism. Apparently, the impetus for this was the fact that crushed magnets were considered a medicine in the Middle Ages. As a result, he created the first theory of magnetic phenomena, establishing that any magnets have two poles, while opposite poles attract, and like poles repel. Conducting an experiment with an iron ball that interacted with a magnetic needle, the scientist first suggested that the Earth is a giant magnet, and both magnetic poles of the Earth can coincide with the geographic poles of the planet.

Gilbert discovered that when a magnet is heated above a certain temperature, its magnetic properties disappear. This phenomenon was subsequently studied by Pierre Curie and called the “Curie point.”

Gilbert also studied electrical phenomena. Since some minerals, when rubbed on wool, acquired the property of attracting light bodies, and the greatest effect was observed in amber, the scientist introduced a new term into science, calling such phenomena electrical (from lat. Electricus- “amber”). He also invented a device for detecting charge - an electroscope.

The CGS unit of measurement of magnetomotive force, the hilbert, is named after William Gilbert.

Jean Louis Poiseuille: one of the pioneers of rheology

Member of the French Academy of Medicine Jean Louis Poiseuille (1799–1869) in modern encyclopedias and reference books is listed not only as a doctor, but also as a physicist. And this is fair, since, dealing with issues of blood circulation and respiration of animals and people, he formulated the laws of blood movement in vessels in the form of important physical formulas. In 1828, the scientist first used a mercury manometer to measure blood pressure in animals. In the process of studying the problems of blood circulation, Poiseuille had to engage in hydraulic experiments, in which he experimentally established the law of fluid flow through a thin cylindrical tube. This type of laminar flow is called “Poiseuille flow”, and in modern science about the flow of liquids - rheology - the unit of dynamic viscosity - poise - is also named after him.

Jean-Bernard Leon Foucault: a visual experience

Jean-Bernard Leon Foucault (1819–1868), a doctor by training, immortalized his name not by achievements in medicine, but primarily by the fact that he designed the very pendulum, named in his honor and now known to every schoolchild, with the help of which it was clear The rotation of the Earth around its axis has been proven. In 1851, when Foucault first demonstrated his experience, people started talking about it everywhere. Everyone wanted to see the rotation of the Earth with their own eyes. It got to the point that the President of France, Prince Louis Napoleon, personally allowed this experiment to be staged on a truly gigantic scale in order to demonstrate it publicly. Foucault was given the building of the Parisian Pantheon, the height of which is 83 m, since under these conditions the deviation of the swing plane of the pendulum was much more noticeable.

In addition, Foucault was able to determine the speed of light in air and water, invented the gyroscope, was the first to draw attention to the heating of metallic masses when they are rapidly rotated in a magnetic field (Foucault currents), and also made many other discoveries, inventions and improvements in the field of physics. In modern encyclopedias, Foucault is listed not as a doctor, but as a French physicist, mechanic and astronomer, a member of the Paris Academy of Sciences and other prestigious academies.

Julius Robert von Mayer: ahead of his time

The German scientist Julius Robert von Mayer, the son of a pharmacist, who graduated from the medical faculty of the University of Tübingen and subsequently received a doctorate in medicine, left his mark on science both as a doctor and as a physicist. In 1840–1841 he took part in the voyage to the island of Java as a ship's doctor. During the voyage, Mayer noticed that the color of the venous blood of sailors in the tropics was much lighter than in northern latitudes. This led him to the idea that in hot countries to maintain normal temperature The body must oxidize (“burn”) less food than in cold ones, that is, there is a connection between food consumption and the formation of heat.

He also found that the amount of oxidizable products in the human body increases as the amount of work he performs increases. All this gave Mayer reason to assume that heat and mechanical work are capable of mutual transformation. He presented the results of his research in several scientific works ah, where for the first time he clearly formulated the law of conservation of energy and theoretically calculated the numerical value of the mechanical equivalent of heat.

"Nature" in Greek is "physis", and in English language Until now, a doctor is a “physician,” so the joke about the “debt” of physicists to doctors can be answered with another joke: “There is no debt, it’s just the name of the profession that obliges me.”

According to Mayer, movement, heat, electricity, etc. - qualitatively different forms of “forces” (as Mayer called energy), transforming into each other in equal quantitative proportions. He also examined this law in relation to processes occurring in living organisms, arguing that plants are the accumulator of solar energy on Earth, while in other organisms only transformations of substances and “forces” occur, but not their creation. Mayer's ideas were not understood by his contemporaries. This circumstance, as well as persecution in connection with challenging the priority in the discovery of the law of conservation of energy, led him to a severe nervous breakdown.

Thomas Jung: amazing diversity of interests

Among the outstanding representatives of science of the 19th century. A special place belongs to the Englishman Thomas Young (1773-1829), who was distinguished by a variety of interests, including not only medicine, but also physics, art, music and even Egyptology.

From an early age he discovered extraordinary abilities And phenomenal memory. Already at the age of two he read fluently, at the age of four he knew by heart many works of English poets, by the age of 14 he became acquainted with differential calculus (according to Newton), and spoke 10 languages, including Persian and Arabic. Later he learned to play almost all musical instruments of that time. He also performed in the circus as a gymnast and equestrian!

From 1792 to 1803, Thomas Young studied medicine in London, Edinburgh, Göttingen, and Cambridge, but then became interested in physics, in particular optics and acoustics. At the age of 21 he became a member of the Royal Society, and from 1802 to 1829 he was its secretary. Received a Doctor of Medicine degree.

Young's research in the field of optics made it possible to explain the nature of accommodation, astigmatism and color vision. He is also one of the creators of the wave theory of light, he was the first to point out the amplification and weakening of sound when sound waves are superimposed and proposed the principle of wave superposition. In the theory of elasticity, Young contributed to the study of shear deformation. He also introduced a characteristic of elasticity - the tensile modulus (Young's modulus).

And yet, Jung’s main occupation remained medicine: from 1811 until the end of his life, he worked as a doctor at St. George in London. He was interested in the problems of treating tuberculosis, he studied the functioning of the heart, and worked on creating a system for classifying diseases.

Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz: in “free time from medicine”

Among the most famous physicists of the 19th century. Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (1821–1894) is considered a national treasure in Germany. Initially he received medical education and defended his dissertation on the structure nervous system. In 1849, Helmholtz became a professor at the Department of Physiology at the University of Königsberg. He was interested in physics in his free time from medicine, but very quickly his work on the law of conservation of energy became known to physicists around the world.

The scientist’s book “Physiological Optics” became the basis of all modern physiology of vision. With the name of the doctor, mathematician, psychologist, professor of physiology and physics Helmholtz, inventor of the eye mirror, in the 19th century. the fundamental reconstruction of physiological concepts is inextricably linked. Brilliant connoisseur higher mathematics and theoretical physics, he put these sciences at the service of physiology and achieved outstanding results.

Incredible facts

Human health directly concerns each of us.

Facilities mass media are replete with stories about our health and body, starting with the creation of new medicines and ending with the discoveries of unique surgical methods that give hope to disabled people.

Below we will talk about the latest achievements modern medicine.

Latest advances in medicine

10. Scientists have identified new part body

Back in 1879, a French surgeon named Paul Segond described in one of his studies the “pearly, resistant fibrous tissue” running along the ligaments in the human knee.

This study was conveniently forgotten until 2013, when scientists discovered the anterolateral ligament, knee ligament, which is often damaged when injuries and other problems occur.

Considering how often a person's knee is scanned, the discovery came very late. It is described in the journal Anatomy and published online in August 2013.

9. Brain-computer interface

Scientists working at Korea University and University of Technology Germany, have developed a new interface that allows the user control the exoskeleton of the lower extremities.

It works by decoding specific brain signals. The results of the study were published in August 2015 in the journal Neural Engineering.

Participants in the experiment wore an electroencephalogram headgear and controlled the exoskeleton by simply looking at one of five LEDs mounted on the interface. This caused the exoskeleton to move forward, turn right or left, and sit or stand.

So far the system has only been tested on healthy volunteers, but it is hoped that it could eventually be used to help people with disabilities.

Study co-author Klaus Muller explained that "people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal cord injuries often have difficulty communicating and controlling their limbs; deciphering their brain signals by such a system offers a solution to both problems."

Achievements of science in medicine

8. A device that can move a paralyzed limb with the power of thought

In 2010, Ian Burkhart was left paralyzed when he broke his neck in a swimming pool accident. In 2013, thanks to the joint efforts of specialists from Ohio State University and Battelle, a man became the first person in the world who can now bypass his spinal cord and move a limb using only the power of thought.

The breakthrough came thanks to the use of a new type of electronic nerve bypass, a pea-sized device that implanted in the motor cortex of the human brain.

The chip interprets brain signals and transmits them to the computer. The computer reads the signals and sends them to a special sleeve worn by the patient. Thus, the necessary muscles are brought into action.

The whole process takes a split second. However, to achieve such a result, the team had to work hard. The team of technologists first figured out the exact sequence of electrodes that allowed Burkhart to move his arm.

Then the man had to undergo several months of therapy to restore atrophied muscles. The end result is that he is now can rotate his hand, clench it into a fist, and also determine by touch what is in front of him.

7. A bacterium that feeds on nicotine and helps smokers quit the habit.

Quitting smoking is an extremely difficult task. Anyone who has tried to do this will confirm what was said. Almost 80 percent of those who tried to do this using pharmaceutical drugs, failed.

In 2015, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute are giving new hope to those who want to quit. They were able to identify a bacterial enzyme that eats nicotine before it can reach the brain.

The enzyme belongs to the bacterium Pseudomonas putida. This enzyme is not a new discovery, however, it has only recently been developed in the laboratory.

Researchers plan to use this enzyme to create new methods of quitting smoking. By blocking nicotine before it reaches the brain and triggers dopamine production, they hope they can discourage smokers from putting their mouths on a cigarette.

To be effective, any therapy must be sufficiently stable, without causing additional problems during activity. Currently a laboratory-produced enzyme behaves stably for more than three weeks while in a buffer solution.

Tests involving laboratory mice showed no side effects. The scientists published the results of their research in the online version of the August issue of the journal American Chemical Society.

6. Universal flu vaccine

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that exist in the cellular structure. They act as the main building block for proteins. In 2012, scientists working at the University of Southampton, the University of Oxford and the Retroskin Virology Laboratory, succeeded in identifying a new set of peptides found in the influenza virus.

This could lead to the creation of a universal vaccine against all strains of the virus. The results were published in the journal Nature Medicine.

In the case of influenza, the peptides on the outer surface of the virus mutate very quickly, making them almost inaccessible to vaccines and drugs. The newly discovered peptides live in the internal structure of the cell and mutate quite slowly.

Moreover, these internal structures can be found in every strain of influenza, from classical to avian. The current flu vaccine takes about six months to develop, but does not provide long-term immunity.

However, it is possible, by focusing efforts on the work of internal peptides, to create a universal vaccine that will give long-term protection.

Flu is viral disease upper respiratory tract, which affects the nose, throat and lungs. It can be deadly, especially if a child or elderly person becomes infected.

Influenza strains have been responsible for several pandemics throughout history, the worst of which was the 1918 pandemic. No one knows for sure how many people have died from the disease, but some estimates suggest 30-50 million people worldwide.

The latest medical advances

5. Possible treatment Parkinson's disease

In 2014, scientists took artificial but fully functioning human neurons and successfully grafted them into the brains of mice. Neurons have the potential to treating and even curing diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

The neurons were created by a team of specialists from the Max Planck Institute, the University Hospital Münster and the University of Bielefeld. Scientists managed to create stable nervous tissue from neurons reprogrammed from skin cells.

In other words, they induced neural stem cells. This is a method that increases the compatibility of new neurons. After six months, the mice did not develop any side effects, and the implanted neurons integrated perfectly with their brains.

The rodents showed normal brain activity, resulting in the formation of new synapses.

The new technique has the potential to give neuroscientists the ability to replace diseased, damaged neurons with healthy cells that could one day fight Parkinson's disease. Because of it, the neurons that supply dopamine die.

There is currently no cure for this disease, but the symptoms are treatable. The disease usually develops in people aged 50-60 years. At the same time, the muscles become stiff, changes occur in speech, gait changes and tremors appear.

4. The world's first bionic eye

Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common hereditary eye disease. It leads to partial loss of vision, and often to complete blindness. Early symptoms include loss of night vision and difficulty with peripheral vision.

In 2013, the Argus II retinal prosthetic system was created, the world's first bionic eye designed to treat advanced retinitis pigmentosa.

The Argus II system is a pair of external glasses equipped with a camera. The images are converted into electrical impulses that are transmitted to electrodes implanted in the patient's retina.

These images are perceived by the brain as light patterns. The person learns to interpret these patterns, gradually restoring visual perception.

Currently, the Argus II system is only available in the United States and Canada, but there are plans to implement it worldwide.

New advances in medicine

3. Painkiller that works only due to light

Severe pain is traditionally treated with opioid medications. The main disadvantage is that many of these drugs can be addictive, so their potential for abuse is enormous.

What if scientists could stop pain using nothing but light?

In April 2015, neurologists at the Washington University medical school at the University of St. Louis announced that they managed to do this.

By combining a light-sensitive protein with opioid receptors in a test tube, they were able to activate opioid receptors the same way opiates do, but only with light.

It is hoped that experts can develop ways to use light to relieve pain while using drugs with fewer side effects. According to research by Edward R. Siuda, it is likely that with more experimentation, light could completely replace drugs.

To test the new receptor, an LED chip about the size of a human hair was implanted into the brain of a mouse, which was then linked to the receptor. Mice were placed in a chamber where their receptors were stimulated to produce dopamine.

If the mice left the special designated area, the lights were turned off and the stimulation stopped. The rodents quickly returned to their place.

2. Artificial ribosomes

A ribosome is a molecular machine made up of two subunits that use amino acids from cells to make proteins.

Each of the ribosomal subunits is synthesized in the cell nucleus and then exported to the cytoplasm.

In 2015, researchers Alexander Mankin and Michael Jewett were able to create the world's first artificial ribosome. Thanks to this, humanity has a chance to learn new details about the operation of this molecular machine.

Solutions to various conditions human body searched for a long time and painfully. Not all attempts by doctors to get to the bottom of the truth were received with enthusiasm and welcome by society. After all, doctors often had to do things that seemed wild to people. But at the same time, without them, further advancement of the medical business was impossible. AiF.ru has collected stories of the most striking medical discoveries, for which some of their authors were almost persecuted.

Anatomical features

Even doctors were puzzled by the structure of the human body as the basis of medical science. ancient world. So, for example, in Ancient Greece have already paid attention to the relationship between various physiological states of a person and the characteristics of his physical structure. At the same time, as experts note, the observation was rather philosophical in nature: no one suspected what was happening inside the body itself, and surgical interventions were completely rare.

Anatomy as a science arose only during the Renaissance. And for those around her it was a shock. For example, Belgian doctor Andreas Vesalius decided to practice dissection of corpses in order to understand exactly how the human body works. At the same time, he often had to act at night and using not entirely legal methods. However, all doctors who decided to study such details were unable to act openly, since such behavior was considered demonic.

Andreas Vesalius. Photo: Public Domain

Vesalius himself bought the corpses from the executioner. Based on his findings and research, he created treatise"On the Structure of the Human Body", which was published in 1543. This book is rated by the medical community as one of greatest works and the most important discovery that gives the first complete understanding of internal structure person.

Dangerous radiation

Today, modern diagnostics cannot be imagined without technology such as x-rays. However, back in late XIX For centuries, absolutely nothing was known about X-rays. Such useful radiation was discovered Wilhelm Roentgen, German scientist. Before its discovery, it was much more difficult for doctors (especially surgeons) to work. After all, they couldn’t just go and see where a foreign body was located in a person. I had to rely only on my intuition, as well as the sensitivity of my hands.

The discovery took place in 1895. The scientist conducted various experiments with electrons; he used a glass tube with rarefied air for his work. At the end of the experiments, he turned off the light and prepared to leave the laboratory. But at that moment I discovered a green glow in the jar that remained on the table. It appeared because the scientist did not turn off the device, which was located in a completely different corner of the laboratory.

Then all that remained for Roentgen was to experiment with the data obtained. He began to cover the glass tube with cardboard, creating darkness in the whole room. He also tested the effect of the beam on various objects placed in front of him: a sheet of paper, a board, a book. When the scientist's hand was in the path of the beam, he saw his bones. Having compared a number of his observations, he was able to understand that with the help of such rays it is possible to examine what is happening inside the human body without violating its integrity. In 1901, Roentgen received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery. It has been saving people’s lives for more than 100 years, making it possible to identify various pathologies at different stages of their development.

The power of microbes

There are discoveries that scientists have been moving towards purposefully for decades. One of these was the microbiological discovery made in 1846 Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis. At that time, doctors very often encountered the death of women in labor. Ladies who had recently become mothers died from the so-called puerperal fever, that is, an infection of the uterus. Moreover, doctors could not determine the cause of the problem. The department where the doctor worked had 2 rooms. In one of them, doctors attended the birth, in the other, midwives. Despite the fact that doctors had significantly better training, women died in their hands more often than in the case of childbirth with midwives. And this fact interested the doctor extremely.

Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Semmelweis began to carefully observe their work in order to understand the essence of the problem. And it turned out that in addition to childbirth, doctors also practiced autopsies on deceased mothers. And after the anatomical experiments they returned to the delivery room again without even washing their hands. This prompted the scientist to think: are doctors carrying invisible particles on their hands, which lead to the death of their patients? He decided to test his hypothesis empirically: he obliged medical students who participated in the process of obstetrics to wash their hands every time (at that time bleach was used for disinfection). And the number of deaths of young mothers immediately fell from 7% to 1%. This allowed the scientist to conclude that all infections with puerperal fever have one cause. At the same time, the connection between bacteria and infections was not yet visible, and Semmelweis’s ideas were ridiculed.

Only 10 years later no less famous scientist Louis Pasteur proved experimentally the importance of microorganisms invisible to the eye. And it was he who determined that with the help of pasteurization (i.e. heating) they can be destroyed. It was Pasteur who was able to prove the connection between bacteria and infections through a series of experiments. After this, it remained to develop antibiotics, and the lives of patients, previously considered hopeless, were saved.

Vitamin cocktail

Until the second half of the 19th century, no one knew anything about vitamins. And the values ​​of these small micronutrients no one had any idea. And even now vitamins are not appreciated by everyone as they deserve. And this despite the fact that without them you can lose not only your health, but also your life. There are a number of specific diseases that are associated with nutritional defects. Moreover, this position is confirmed by centuries of experience. For example, one of the most striking examples of the destruction of health from a lack of vitamins is scurvy. On one of the famous hikes Vasco da Gama 100 of the 160 crew members died from it.

The first to achieve success in the search for useful minerals was Russian scientist Nikolai Lunin. He experimented on mice that consumed artificially prepared food. Their diet consisted of the following nutritional system: purified casein, milk fat, milk sugar, salts, which were included in both milk and water. In fact, these are all necessary components of milk. At the same time, the mice were clearly missing something. They did not grow, lost weight, did not eat their food and died.

The second batch of mice, called control, received normal full milk. And all the mice developed as expected. Lunin derived the following experiment based on his observations: “If, as the above-mentioned experiments teach, it is impossible to provide life with proteins, fats, sugar, salts and water, then it follows that milk, in addition to casein, fat, milk sugar and salts, contains other substances essential for nutrition. It is of great interest to study these substances and study their nutritional significance.” In 1890, Lunin's experiments were confirmed by other scientists. Further observations of animals and people in different conditions gave doctors the opportunity to find these vital important elements and make another brilliant discovery that has significantly improved the quality of human life.

Salvation in sugar

Today, people with diabetes live a completely normal life with some adjustments. And not so long ago, everyone who suffered from such a disease were hopeless patients and died. This happened until insulin was discovered.

In 1889, young scientists Oscar Minkowski And Joseph von Mehring As a result of experiments, diabetes was artificially induced in a dog by removing its pancreas. In 1901 Russian doctor Leonid Sobolev proved that diabetes develops against the background of disorders of a certain part of the pancreas, and not the entire gland. The problem was noted in those who had malfunctions of the gland in the area of ​​the islets of Langerhans. It has been suggested that these islets contain a substance that regulates carbohydrate metabolism. However, it was not possible to identify him at that time.

The next attempts date back to 1908. German specialist Georg Ludwig Zülzer isolated an extract from the pancreas, which was even used for some time to treat a patient dying of diabetes. Later, the outbreak of world wars temporarily postponed research in this area.

The next one who took on the solution to the mystery was Frederick Grant Banting, a doctor whose friend died precisely because of diabetes. After the young man graduated from medical school and served during World War I, he became an assistant professor at one of the private medical schools. Reading an article about pancreatic duct ligation in 1920, he decided to experiment. The goal of this experiment was to obtain a gland substance that was supposed to lower blood sugar. Together with an assistant provided to him by his mentor, in 1921 Banting was finally able to obtain the necessary substance. After administering it to an experimental dog with diabetes, which was dying from the consequences of the disease, the animal felt significantly better. All that remains is to build on the results achieved.

Scientific breakthroughs have created many useful medicines, which will certainly soon be freely available. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the ten most amazing medical breakthroughs of 2015, which are sure to make a serious contribution to the development of medical services in the very near future.

Discovery of teixobactin

In 2014 World organization Health warned everyone that humanity is entering the so-called post-antibiotic era. And she turned out to be right. Science and medicine have not produced truly new types of antibiotics since 1987. However, diseases do not stand still. Every year new infections appear that are more resistant to existing medications. This has become a real world problem. However, in 2015, scientists made a discovery that they believe will bring dramatic changes.

Scientists have discovered a new class of antibiotics from 25 antimicrobial drugs, including a very important one, called teixobactin. This antibiotic kills germs by blocking their ability to produce new cells. In other words, microbes under the influence of this drug cannot develop and develop resistance to the drug over time. Teixobactin has now proven highly effective in the fight against resistant Staphylococcus aureus and several bacteria that cause tuberculosis.

Laboratory tests of teixobactin were carried out on mice. The vast majority of experiments showed the effectiveness of the drug. Human trials are due to begin in 2017.

One of the most interesting and promising areas in medicine is tissue regeneration. In 2015, the list of recreated artificial method organs has been replenished with a new item. Doctors from the University of Wisconsin have learned to grow human vocal cords from virtually nothing.

A team of scientists led by Dr. Nathan Welhan has bioengineered tissue that can mimic the functioning of the mucous membrane of the vocal cords, namely the tissue that appears as two lobes of the cords that vibrate to create human speech. The donor cells from which new ligaments were subsequently grown were taken from five volunteer patients. In laboratory conditions, scientists grew the necessary tissue over two weeks, and then added it to an artificial model of the larynx.

The sound created by the resulting vocal cords is described by scientists as metallic and compared to the sound of a robotic kazoo (toy wind musical instrument). However, scientists are confident that the vocal cords they created in real conditions (that is, when implanted into a living organism) will sound almost like real ones.

In one of the latest experiments on laboratory mice with inoculated human immunity, researchers decided to test whether the rodents' body would reject the new tissue. Fortunately, this did not happen. Dr. Welham is confident that the tissue will not be rejected by the human body.

Cancer drug could help patients with Parkinson's disease

Tisinga (or nilotinib) is a tested and approved medicine that is commonly used to treat people with symptoms of leukemia. However, a new study conducted medical center Georgetown University, shows that the drug Tasinga may be a very powerful treatment for controlling motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease, improving their motor function and controlling non-motor symptoms of the disease.

Fernando Pagan, one of the doctors who led the study, believes that nilotinib therapy may be a first-of-its-kind effective treatment for reducing cognitive and motor function decline in patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

Scientists gave increased doses of nilotinib to 12 volunteer patients over a six-month period. All 12 patients who completed this drug trial experienced improvement motor functions. 10 of them showed significant improvement.

The main objective of this study was to test the safety and harmlessness of nilotinib in humans. The dose of the drug used was much less than what is usually given to patients with leukemia. Despite the fact that the drug showed its effectiveness, the study was still conducted on a small group of people without the involvement of control groups. Therefore, before Tasinga is used as a therapy for Parkinson's disease, several more trials and scientific studies will have to be conducted.

World's first 3D printed ribcage

The man suffered rare species sarcomas, and doctors had no other choice. To prevent the tumor from spreading further throughout the body, specialists removed almost the entire sternum from the person and replaced the bones with a titanium implant.

As a rule, implants for large parts of the skeleton are made from a variety of materials, which can wear out over time. In addition, replacing bones as complex as the sternum, which are typically unique to each individual case, required doctors to carefully scan a person's sternum to design the correct size implant.

It was decided to use titanium alloy as the material for the new sternum. After conducting high-precision 3D CT scans, the scientists used a $1.3 million Arcam printer to create a new titanium rib cage. The operation to install a new sternum in the patient was successful, and the person has already completed a full course of rehabilitation.

From skin cells to brain cells

Scientists from the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, have spent the past year studying the human brain. They have developed a method for transforming skin cells into brain cells and have already found several useful applications for the new technology.

It should be noted that scientists have found a way to turn skin cells into old brain cells, which makes them easier to further use, for example, in research into Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and their relationship with the effects of aging. Historically, animal brain cells have been used for such research, but scientists have been limited in what they can do.

Relatively recently, scientists have been able to turn stem cells into brain cells that can be used for research. However, this is a rather labor-intensive process, and the resulting cells are not capable of imitating the functioning of the brain of an elderly person.

Once researchers developed a way to artificially create brain cells, they turned their efforts to creating neurons that would have the ability to produce serotonin. And although the resulting cells have only a tiny fraction of the capabilities of the human brain, they actively help scientists research and find cures for diseases and disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and depression.

Birth control pills for men

Japanese scientists from the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases in Osaka have published a new scientific paper, according to which in the near future we will be able to produce actually working contraceptive pills for men. In their work, scientists describe studies of the drugs Tacrolimus and Cixlosporin A.

These medications are typically used after organ transplant surgery to suppress immune system body so that it does not reject new tissue. The blockade occurs by inhibiting the production of the enzyme calcineurin, which contains the PPP3R2 and PPP3CC proteins normally found in male semen.

In their study on laboratory mice, scientists found that as soon as rodents do not produce enough PPP3CC protein, their reproductive functions are sharply reduced. This led researchers to the conclusion that insufficient amounts of this protein could lead to sterility. After more careful study, experts concluded that this protein gives sperm cells the flexibility and the necessary strength and energy to penetrate the egg membrane.

Testing on healthy mice only confirmed their discovery. Just five days of using the drugs Tacrolimus and Ciclosporin A led to complete infertility in mice. However, their reproductive function was fully restored just a week after they stopped receiving these drugs. It is important to note that calcineurin is not a hormone, so the use of drugs in no way reduces libido or excitability of the body.

Despite the promising results, it will take several years to create a real male birth control pill. About 80 percent of mouse studies are not applicable to human cases. However, scientists still hope for success, since the effectiveness of the drugs has been proven. In addition, similar drugs have already passed human clinical trials and are widely used.

DNA stamp

3D printing technologies have led to the emergence of a unique new industry- printing and sale of DNA. True, the term “printing” here is rather used specifically for commercial purposes, and does not necessarily describe what is actually happening in this area.

The CEO of Cambrian Genomics explains that this process The phrase “error checking” is better described than “printing”. Millions of pieces of DNA are placed on tiny metal substrates and scanned by a computer, which selects those strands that will eventually make up the entire sequence of the DNA strand. After this, the necessary connections are carefully cut out with a laser and placed in a new chain, pre-ordered by the client.

Companies such as Cambrian believe that in the future people will be able, thanks to special computer equipment and software create new organisms just for fun. Of course, such assumptions will immediately cause the righteous anger of people who doubt the ethical correctness and practical benefits of these studies and opportunities, but sooner or later, no matter how much we want it or not, we will come to this.

Currently, DNA printing is showing some promising potential in the medical field. Drug manufacturers and research companies are among the early clients of companies like Cambrian.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden went even further and began to create various figures from DNA chains. DNA origami, as they call it, may at first glance seem like simple pampering, but this technology also has practical potential for use. For example, it can be used during delivery medicines into the body.

Nanobots in a living organism

The robotics field scored a big win in early 2015 when a team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego announced that they had completed their task while inside a living organism.

A living organism in in this case performed by laboratory mice. After placing the nanobots inside the animals, the micromachines went to the rodents’ stomachs and delivered the cargo placed on them, which were microscopic particles of gold. By the end of the procedure, the scientists did not note any damage to the internal organs of the mice and thereby confirmed the usefulness, safety and effectiveness of the nanobots.

Further tests showed that more gold particles delivered by nanobots remained in the stomachs than those that were simply introduced there with food. This has led scientists to believe that nanobots in the future will be able to deliver needed drugs into the body much more efficiently than with more traditional methods of administering them.

The motor chain of the tiny robots is made of zinc. When it comes into contact with the acid-base environment of the body, it occurs chemical reaction, as a result of which hydrogen bubbles are produced, which propel the nanobots inside. After some time, the nanobots simply dissolve in the acidic environment of the stomach.

Although the technology has been in development for almost a decade, it wasn't until 2015 that scientists were able to actually test it in a living environment rather than in regular petri dishes, as has been done many times before. In the future, nanobots could be used to identify and even treat various diseases of internal organs by exposing individual cells to the desired drugs.

Injectable brain nanoimplant

A team of Harvard scientists has developed an implant that promises to treat a range of neurodegenerative disorders that lead to paralysis. The implant is an electronic device consisting of a universal frame (mesh), to which various nanodevices can later be connected after it is inserted into the patient’s brain. Thanks to the implant, it will be possible to monitor the neural activity of the brain, stimulate the functioning of certain tissues, and also accelerate the regeneration of neurons.

The electronic mesh consists of conductive polymer filaments, transistors or nanoelectrodes that interconnect intersections. Almost the entire area of ​​the mesh is made up of holes, allowing living cells to form new connections around it.

By early 2016, a team of Harvard scientists was still testing the safety of using such an implant. For example, two mice were implanted into the brain with a device consisting of 16 electrical components. The devices have been successfully used to monitor and stimulate specific neurons.

Artificial production of tetrahydrocannabinol

For many years, marijuana has been used in medicine as a pain reliever and, in particular, to improve the conditions of cancer and AIDS patients. A synthetic substitute for marijuana, or more precisely its main psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC), is also actively used in medicine.

However, biochemists from Technical University Dortmund announced the creation of a new type of yeast that produces THC. Moreover, unpublished data shows that these same scientists have created another type of yeast that produces cannabidiol, another psychoactive component of marijuana.

Marijuana contains several molecular compounds that interest researchers. Therefore, the discovery of effective artificial way creating these components in large quantities could bring enormous benefits to medicine. However, the method of conventional cultivation of plants and subsequent extraction of the necessary molecular compounds is now the most effective way. Inside 30 percent dry matter modern species marijuana may contain the desired component THC.

Despite this, Dortmund scientists are confident that they will be able to find a more effective and quick way THC production in the future. By now, the created yeast is re-grown on molecules of the same fungus instead of the preferred alternative of simple saccharides. All this leads to the fact that with each new party yeast, the amount of free THC component also decreases.

In the future, scientists promise to optimize the process, maximize THC production and scale up to industrial scale, ultimately satisfying the needs of medical research and European regulators who are looking for new ways to produce THC without growing marijuana itself.

Physics is one of the most important sciences studied by man. Its presence is noticeable in all areas of life, sometimes discoveries even change the course of history. This is why great physicists are so interesting and significant for people: their work is relevant even many centuries after their death. Which scientists should you know first?

Andre-Marie Ampère

The French physicist was born into the family of a businessman from Lyon. The parents' library was full of works by leading scientists, writers and philosophers. Since childhood, Andre was fond of reading, which helped him gain deep knowledge. By the age of twelve, the boy had already learned the basics of higher mathematics, and at next year presented his work to the Lyon Academy. He soon began giving private lessons, and from 1802 he worked as a teacher of physics and chemistry, first in Lyon and then at the Ecole Polytechnique of Paris. Ten years later he was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences. The names of great physicists are often associated with concepts to which they devoted their lives to study, and Ampere is no exception. He worked on problems of electrodynamics. The unit of electric current is measured in amperes. In addition, it was the scientist who introduced many of the terms still used today. For example, these are the definitions of “galvanometer”, “voltage”, “electric current” and many others.

Robert Boyle

Many great physicists carried out their work at a time when technology and science were practically in their infancy, and, despite this, achieved success. For example, a native of Ireland. He was engaged in a variety of physical and chemical experiments, developing the atomic theory. In 1660, he managed to discover the law of changes in the volume of gases depending on pressure. Many of the greats of his time had no idea about atoms, but Boyle was not only convinced of their existence, but also formed several concepts related to them, such as “elements” or “primary corpuscles.” In 1663 he managed to invent litmus, and in 1680 he was the first to propose a method for obtaining phosphorus from bones. Boyle was a member of the Royal Society of London and left behind many scientific works.

Niels Bohr

Often great physicists turned out to be significant scientists in other fields. For example, Niels Bohr was also a chemist. A member of the Royal Danish Society of Sciences and a leading scientist of the twentieth century, Niels Bohr was born in Copenhagen, where he received his higher education. For some time he collaborated with the English physicists Thomson and Rutherford. Bohr's scientific work became the basis for the creation of quantum theory. Many great physicists subsequently worked in the directions originally created by Niels, for example, in some areas of theoretical physics and chemistry. Few people know, but he was also the first scientist to lay the foundations of the periodic system of elements. In the 1930s made many important discoveries in atomic theory. For his achievements he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Max Born

Many great physicists came from Germany. For example, Max Born was born in Breslau, the son of a professor and a pianist. Since childhood, he was interested in physics and mathematics and entered the University of Göttingen to study them. In 1907, Max Born defended his dissertation on the stability of elastic bodies. Like other great physicists of the time, such as Niels Bohr, Max collaborated with Cambridge specialists, namely Thomson. Born was also inspired by Einstein's ideas. Max was involved in crystal research and developed several analytical theories. In addition, Born created the mathematical basis of quantum theory. Like other physicists, the Great Patriotic War the anti-militarist Bourne categorically did not want to, and during the years of battle he had to emigrate. Subsequently, he will denounce the development of nuclear weapons. For all his achievements, Max Born received the Nobel Prize and was also accepted into many scientific academies.

Galileo Galilei

Some great physicists and their discoveries are associated with the field of astronomy and natural science. For example, Galileo, the Italian scientist. While studying medicine at the University of Pisa, he became familiar with Aristotle's physics and began reading ancient mathematicians. Fascinated by these sciences, he dropped out of school and began writing “Little Scales” - a work that helped determine the mass of metal alloys and described the centers of gravity of figures. Galileo became famous among Italian mathematicians and received a position at the department in Pisa. After some time, he became the court philosopher of the Duke of Medici. In his works, he studied the principles of equilibrium, dynamics, fall and movement of bodies, as well as the strength of materials. In 1609, he built the first telescope with a three-fold magnification, and then with a thirty-two-fold magnification. His observations provided information about the surface of the Moon and the sizes of stars. Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter. His discoveries created a sensation in the scientific field. The great physicist Galileo was not very approved by the church, and this determined the attitude towards him in society. Nevertheless, he continued his work, which became the reason for denunciation to the Inquisition. He had to give up his teachings. But still, a few years later, treatises on the rotation of the Earth around the Sun, created on the basis of the ideas of Copernicus, were published: with the explanation that this is only a hypothesis. Thus, the scientist’s most important contribution was preserved for society.

Isaac Newton

The inventions and statements of great physicists often become a kind of metaphors, but the legend about the apple and the law of gravity is the most famous of all. Everyone is familiar with the hero of this story, according to which he discovered the law of gravity. In addition, the scientist developed integral and differential calculus, became the inventor of the reflecting telescope, and wrote many fundamental works on optics. Modern physicists consider him the creator of classical science. Newton was born into a poor family, studied at a simple school, and then at Cambridge, while working as a servant to pay for his studies. Already in early years ideas came to him that in the future would become the basis for the invention of calculus systems and the discovery of the law of gravity. In 1669 he became a lecturer in the department, and in 1672 - a member of the Royal Society of London. In 1687 it was published most important work called "Beginnings". For his invaluable achievements, Newton was given nobility in 1705.

Christiaan Huygens

Like many other great people, physicists were often talented in different areas. For example, Christiaan Huygens, a native of The Hague. His father was a diplomat, scientist and writer; his son received an excellent education in the legal field, but became interested in mathematics. In addition, Christian spoke excellent Latin, knew how to dance and ride a horse, and played music on the lute and harpsichord. Even as a child, he managed to build himself and worked on it. During his university years, Huygens corresponded with the Parisian mathematician Mersenne, which greatly influenced the young man. Already in 1651 he published a work on the squaring of the circle, ellipse and hyperbola. His work allowed him to gain a reputation as an excellent mathematician. Then he became interested in physics and wrote several works on colliding bodies, which seriously influenced the ideas of his contemporaries. In addition, he made contributions to optics, designed a telescope and even wrote a paper on calculations in gambling related to probability theory. All this makes him an outstanding figure in the history of science.

James Maxwell

Great physicists and their discoveries deserve every interest. Thus, James Clerk Maxwell achieved impressive results that everyone should familiarize themselves with. He became the founder of the theories of electrodynamics. The scientist was born into a noble family and was educated at the universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge. For his achievements he was admitted to the Royal Society of London. Maxwell opened the Cavendish Laboratory, which was equipped with last word techniques for conducting physical experiments. During his work, Maxwell studied electromagnetism, the kinetic theory of gases, issues of color vision and optics. He also proved himself as an astronomer: it was he who established that they are stable and consist of unbound particles. He also studied dynamics and electricity, having a serious influence on Faraday. Comprehensive treatises on many physical phenomena are still considered relevant and in demand in the scientific community, making Maxwell one of the greatest specialists in this field.

Albert Einstein

The future scientist was born in Germany. Since childhood, Einstein loved mathematics, philosophy, and was fond of reading popular science books. For his education, Albert went to the Institute of Technology, where he studied his favorite science. In 1902 he became an employee of the patent office. During his years of work there, he would publish several successful scientific papers. His first works were related to thermodynamics and interactions between molecules. In 1905, one of the works was accepted as a dissertation, and Einstein became a Doctor of Science. Albert had many revolutionary ideas about electron energy, the nature of light and the photoelectric effect. The theory of relativity became the most important. Einstein's findings transformed humanity's understanding of time and space. Absolutely deservedly he was awarded the Nobel Prize and recognized throughout the scientific world.