We Owe Half of All Medication to Nature

About a half of all modern pharmaceuticals was created on the basis of low-molecular biological substances, derived from either higher terrestrial plants, or soil microorganisms and marine dwellers.

Russian scientists from Vladivostok have isolated about 500 new biological substances, which can be useful for medicine. Rhizokhalin, extracted from tropical sponges, shows anti-fungal properties; alkaloids of sea squirts – polykarpin and varacin C – have high anti-tumor activity. Long-term studies of quinoid pigments of sea urchins resulted in “Histochrome”, highly appreciated by cardiologists. Other valuable substances of marine dwellers show wound-healing and hepatoprotecting properties.

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Site for New Russian Spaceport Approved

This November RosCosmos sent the reconnaissance commission to the Amur Region in order to specify location of the construction site for new Russian launching site “Vostochny”.

The commission included experts in machine engineering and other industrial and scientific fields. Researchers specified sites for design and survey works near the town of Uglegorsk. Said works are scheduled to start in 2009.

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Stem Cells for Human Eye Tissue Analogues

Russian geneticists succeeded in growing analogues of human eye tissues from embryonic stem cells in the laboratory.

Growing process takes about three-four months. Geneticists also developed a technology for turning embryonic stem cells into endothelium functional cells, which are known to form human blood supply, and cardiomyocytes – cells of a cardiac muscle. The laboratory already has 12 stem cell lines out of 13, which are in Russia.

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Mammoth or Elephant?

Joint research group with participants form USA and Russia attempted to decipher mammoth’s genome. Scientists used DNA samples, extracted from mammoth’s hair, found in permafrost. Results are published in the Nature magazine

Researchers deciphered 80% of genome of Mammuthus primigenius. For the analysis they used hair samples from two mammoth bodies, found in permafrost. Results showed that genetic difference between mammoths and modern African elephants (Loxodonta africana) was twice as less than between human beings and chimpanzees.

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New Engine Invented

Russian scientists invented new type of engine. This innovation may change the world.

New engine will weigh three times less than combustion engine, however, new development has the same capacity. New engine is expected to emit almost nothing to the atmosphere and to work on any fuel preferred – wood, spirit, coal, solar energy and hot water.

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Search for Sulphide Ore Deposits

Early in December Russian research vessel “Professor Logachev” will head to the Atlantic to find proven deposits of sulphide ores at the oceanic bottom.

Expedition and scheduled experiments are the part of federal research programme “World Ocean”. The journey will take 180 days, and the vessel expected to return in summer 2009.

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Back to “Buran”

Russian expert in machine construction assumes Russia can get back to using space shuttle “Buran”, but with some change.

Today Russian space industry utilizes “Zenith” rocket carrier (part of “Energia”) nd other technical solutions.

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Back to “Buran”

“Mars 500” Call for Volunteers Closed

Russian scientists from the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems (Russian Academy of Sciences) announce that the call for European volunteers for the 105-day-long experiment within the project “Mars 500” is closed.

This November eight successful candidates from European Space Agency passed thorough medical examination, which included electrocardiogram (stress and rest tests), chest and back X-ray, ultrasound studies of internal organs and various blood tests.

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Russian DAN to Search for Water on Mars

Russian DAN (Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons) device, developed for studying water ice in soils of the Red planet, arrived to the USA, where it will be installed onboard the heavy Mars rover “Mars Science Laboratory”.

Next September the rover will head for Mars and softly land on its surface. DAN device significantly differs from HEND () device, created in the same laboratory, which successfully works onboard “Mars Odyssey” for over seven years.

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Russian DAN to Search for Water on Mars

Say Goodbye to Spots

Russian scientists from Nizhniy Novgorod developed an ultrasonic device, which fights acne. Ultrasound causes no allergy, unlike many pharmaceuticals, and shows strong antibacterial effect.

Developers claim that their creation needs only seven days to eliminate signs of acne
from human skin. Wonder device will be tested in the USA, where acne tortures about 50million people.

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Unique “Fat-meter” Developed

Russian physicists created a unique ultrasonic device, which is able to measure subcutaneous fat thickness. The device monitors subcutaneous fat and tells those, who spent some time in exercise, whether their time was not lost in vain.

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Why Organism Conflicts with Its Microsymbionts?

Russian scientists suggest the explanation to the fact that sometimes immune system of an organism kills its normal microscopic inhabitants.

An organism shelters millions of microorganisms, which are its usual symbionts, and organism’s guard – immune system – normally doesn’t pay any attention to these little creatures. This fact is known as “oral tolerance”. However, oral tolerance often disappears for unknown reasons, and Russian scientists suggest their explanation.

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New Blood Purification System Developed

Russian officials approved development of new project on producing medical hardware for cascade filtration of blood plasma and allied technologies.

The project is aimed at treating such widely spread diseases as atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, cardiac angina, cardiac insufficiency, acute intoxication and etc.

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Documentary About Polar Explorers to be Shot

Shooting of a documentary about Russian polar explorers will start this week in the Antarctica.

Film creators plan to spend one year together with members of 54th Russian Antarctic Expedition. The documentary will consist from two parts: “The Crew of the Sixth Continent” and “Wintering”. First film will describe new birth of once world famous Russian polar aviation, and second will tell us about a long winter of the polar station, how people change in case of emergency.

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“Flying Ship” Tested

Ground-effect craft is a flying vehicle, which uses bouyancy of air, compressed between wings and the ground. Common flight height of the vehicle is 2-8 meters with maximum of 100 meters.

Ground-effect crafts are three times efficient, than ordinary aircrafts, and much safer. “Ivolga” is equipped with two 300-HP engines, having cruise speed of 180 kmph and maximum speed of 240 kmph. The craft consumes 30 liters of fuel for 100 kilometers and has 12 seats.

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Vampire Moths Found In Russia

Scientists from the University of Florida found previously unknown population of vampire moths in Siberia.

Researchers think that bloodthirsty insects are next step of evolution from ordinary fruit-eating moths. Lines on the wings allow suggesting that little Draculas are close relatives of Calyptra thalictri moth, common for Central and Southern Europe.

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Anti-Tumor Therapy Can Be Versatile

Russian medics claim that anti-cancer drugs can cure and kill, depending on the dose.

Russian researchers studied how a certain antibiotic affected tumor – carcinoma. They received exciting results – therapy dose of rubomycinum doesn’t allow tumor to grow, but very small doses (traces) of the drug promoted growth of carcinoma.

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Peptides Lower Pension Expenses

Demographers predict bankruptcy of Pension Fund of Russian Federation, and the reason is not the failure of the pension reform.

Researchers claim that life expectancy grew significantly, affecting state expenses on pension coverage and public health services. Scientists suggest an original solution.

New medical technology helps to restore and preserve main functions of tissues and organs for the whole period of genetically predetermined life of a human being.

Keys of the innovation are peptides, chains of ordinary amino acids, which have small molecular weight and size and can reach damaged cells and stimulate biosynthesis of necessary proteins there according to requirements of a certain organism.

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