Toxicology
The Shen Qi Mathematical and Physical Research Center began its relocation, moving from the third floor of the mathematics building to the newly built center building.
The center's staff were thrilled to finally have their own independent research base.
Shen Qi made some simple arrangements in room 401 on the fourth floor. He asked Yang Ding Tian to help him tidy up room 401.
The FASTER Project Team is engaged in Amorphous Materials research and deals with various chemical elements every day. They already had some basic chemical instruments and raw materials.
Electronic balance, beakers, volumetric flasks, pipettes, Erlenmeyer beakers, transmission electron microscopes, ultrasonic suspension apparatus... all these common instruments are available.
Shen Qi purchased additional syringes, gavage needles, glass specimen bottles, as well as dissecting instruments such as dissecting boards, surgical scissors, forceps, and hemostatic forceps.
Yang Ding Tian noticed a problem. "Academician Shen, these dissecting instruments shouldn't have anything to do with Condensed Matter Physics experiments, right?"
"We basically have no contact. By the way, Dingtian, you have an orange cat, and it knows a lot about laboratory animals. Could you go and buy me 10 Wistar rat and 10 KM mouse?"
"Academician Shen, Laplace is a pet, our friend, not a laboratory animal!"
Yang Ding Tian realized that Shen Qi was going to conduct animal experiments.
Many people say that Yang Ding Tian is an oddball and has mental problems.
One advantage of eccentric people is that they think things that others find strange are nothing special and not worth making a fuss about.
Yang Ding Tian quickly helped Shen Qi obtain 10 Wistar rat and 10 KM mouse. These two strains of white mice are widely used in various animal experiments.
Shen Qi gently stroked the white mice, then put them back in their cages, treating them to good food and drink.
"Dingtian, I'll be going to Sweden soon for the Nobel Prize ceremony. While I'm gone, please take good care of these white mice. Don't let your cat eat them; they're scientific research assets," Shen Qi instructed Yang Ding Tian.
Yang Ding Tian accepted the task. "Don't worry, Laplace only eats cat food and canned food, and it hates mice the most."
Shen Qi continued to explain the details, "Animal experiments are, in a sense, a cruel thing, but for the sake of science, we must do it. In the process of raising animals, we cannot allow them to suffer unnecessary harm, discomfort, hunger, panic, torment, pain, and disease. We must ensure that the animals can perform natural behaviors, receive good management and care, and that the individual animals are always in a state of well-being."
Yang Ding Tian nodded. "Okay."
In fact, Shen Qi also knew that anyone who entered Laboratory 401 could see that the scientific research tasks undertaken by this laboratory had nothing to do with physics.
Yang Ding Tian did not inquire further about Shen Qi's purpose in conducting animal experiments.
Shen Qi's initial goal was to develop a drug to cure his wife's illness.
It depends on how you interpret it. If Shen Qi uses national scientific research resources to serve only his wife, then that violates discipline.
If we elevate this to a higher level, and if Shen Qi serves patients worldwide with chronic diseases of the Immune System and blood systems, providing effective scientific solutions, then it will no longer be about using public office for private gain, but rather about benefiting all of humanity. Ou Ye is not the only one in the world suffering from this disease.
Before developing drugs, it is necessary to first prepare experimental animals, cultivate the relationship between humans and animals, and keep the animals in a happy state.
Every medicine has some degree of toxicity.
Thalidomide caused phocomelia in more than 12,000 infants in countries such as the UK, France, and Germany, while Clioquinol caused subacute myelooptic neuritis, resulting in disability in tens of thousands and death in nearly a thousand people in Japan.
Propranolol- induced ocular-cutaneous-mucous membrane syndrome causes 1 million cases worldwide each year.
Hemolytic anemia and kidney failure caused by Temasalin have severely impacted developed countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The high blood pressure and arrhythmia caused by Phenylpropanolamine Hydrochloride, and the heart disease and stroke caused by the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Rofecoxib, are beginning to harm Chinese patients as well.
There are many similar cases of drug-related harm. These well-known drugs were developed and produced by famous European and American pharmaceutical companies such as Bayer in Germany and Merck in the United States. They were widely sold worldwide and caused large-scale harm and even death to patients.
Drugs are meant to treat and save lives, but while they can have a positive effect on target organs, they can also cause serious side effects and damage to other organs.
Therefore, the scientific significance of toxicology is extremely important.
The term toxicology means "toxicological research." Modern toxicology studies the harmful (toxic) effects of an organism's contact with chemical, biological, and physical substances under specific conditions.
Drug Toxicology is a branch of toxicology that mainly studies the inevitable systemic or local pathological changes caused by drugs during the use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases in humans, and even the irreversible damage or fatal effects. It also studies the safety and risk assessment of new drugs before they are marketed.
Shen Qi's current focus is on the branch of Drug Toxicology, which is mainly supported by knowledge of chemistry and biology.
My wife's body is already very fragile; it can't withstand any more harm.
Before manufacturing pharmaceuticals, it is essential to understand the various toxicological properties. This is an experimental science, and Shen Qi must personally conduct experiments to improve his skills.
Shen Qi acted immediately, selecting male mice, weighing 18-22 grams, as the experimental animals.
Mice were first exposed to the pesticide Atrazine, and then immunized by injecting 0.4 ml of 5% SRBC serum into the peritoneum of the mice.
After being exposed to the toxin, Shen Qi was injected with immune serum. His purpose was to conduct a Hemolytic Plaque Assay, which is an immunotoxicity test.
The infected mice continued to live happily, and Shen Qi observed their survival status every day.
On the fourth day, the laboratory mouse showed signs of discomfort, and its short life was about to end, but its scientific mission would continue.
Shen Qi put on protective gloves and a mask, and took the mouse out of the cage.
The mouse had begun to twitch slightly, and Shen Qi needed to end its suffering as soon as possible.
Cervical Dislocation is an effective way to end the suffering of laboratory animals.
Shen Qi grabbed the mouse with his right hand and pulled it backward forcefully, while simultaneously pressing down on the mouse's head with his left thumb and forefinger. This simple action was intended to sever the mouse's spinal cord and brain, causing the mouse to die immediately.
Click!
Shen Qi made his move, his technique swift and decisive.
He closed his eyes and observed a moment of silence; after all, it was a life.
Scientists must respect life, even though they may end some lives; respect for life is indispensable.
Squeak!
The mouse that was snapped did not die immediately; it convulsed in even greater pain.
Holy crap?
Shen Qi was embarrassed. It was his first time performing the Cervical Dislocation. He had applied the right amount of force, but the angle of the pull was slightly off.
Click!
Shen Qi performed the Cervical Dislocation on the mouse again, and this time it was successful. The mouse was then euthanized.
Shen Qi picked up surgical scissors and tweezers, quickly cut open the abdomen of the dead mouse, and removed its spleen.
Shen Qi had never killed a chicken before; this was the first time in his life that he had gutted an animal, and he needed to remove its internal organs quickly and accurately.
Feeling a bit nauseous, Shen Qi held it in.