After losing eyesight 40 years ago, a blind man has had his vision partially restored using optogenetic therapy and engineered goggles, according to CNN. The French man suffers from retinitis pigmentosa — an eye disease that changes how the retina responds to light. People with the disease lose their vision gradually over time.
Technically, this gene therapy is based on algae proteins that respond to light sources, with researchers reprogramming cells in the retina by injecting genes to make it light sensitive. Several months later, they equipped the patient with engineered goggles that detected changes in light intensity, and he was able to see objects to a degree when wearing the googles.
“This is a significant milestone and undoubtedly further refinements will make optogenetic therapy a viable option for many patients in future,” said Robert MacLaren, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Oxford. The breakthrough study, titled “Partial recovery of visual function in a blind patient after optogenetic therapy,” was published in Nature Medicine journal earlier this year.
Photo: Pan Shao-tang, Liberty Times 照片︰自由時報潘少棠
(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)
據CNN報導,在失明長達四十年後,一名視障男子藉由「光遺傳學」技術及特製墨鏡,成功修復了部分視力。這名法國男子為「色素性視網膜炎」患者——這種眼疾會改變視網膜對光線的反應,該疾病患者將隨著時間逐漸喪失視力。
從技術上來說,這項「基因療法」是以一種取自感光藻類的蛋白質為基礎。研究人員將蛋白質基因注射至視網膜,藉以改編細胞基因使細胞具有感光性。而幾個月之後,他們讓患者戴上可偵測光線強度的輔助墨鏡,藉由這副墨鏡,患者在某種程度上竟可隱約看到物體。
「這是一項重大里程碑!」牛津大學的眼科教授羅柏麥克拉倫說,「若再經過進一步改良,無疑將使光遺傳學療法成為更多患者未來可行的選項。」這篇突破性研究名為《視障患者藉由光遺傳學療法恢復部分視覺功能》,今年稍早發表於《自然醫學》期刊。
(台北時報張聖恩〉
Tangbao are one of the most internationally renowned delicacies, that win the hearts of both locals and tourists. Their charm lies in the paper-thin flour wrapper that needs to be folded evenly almost 20 times. Folding a tangbao requires skill to deal with a bulging filling and a thin wrapper. Tangbao are served in a bamboo steamer in which they are steamed, not only adding to the visual appearance, but ensuring they do not get cold before reaching the table. The best way to enjoy a tangbao is to dip it in a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce with
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) announced a seismic change in direction on March 19, hiking interest rates for the first time in 17 years. The move represents an unwinding of an ultra-loose — and maverick -- policy aimed at putting Japan’s “lost decades” of stagnation and deflation behind it. The last time the BoJ raised interest rates was in 2007, but its war against deflation began in earnest in 2013 under then-prime minister Shinzo Abe. “Abenomics” combined generous government spending and central bank monetary easing. The BoJ spent vast amounts on bonds and other assets to pump liquidity into the
A: How much is baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani’s new deal? B: Not long ago, he signed a 10-year contract with the Dodgers at US$700 million, breaking the record in MLB history. A: Wow, the deal’s over NT$22 billion. B: And the opening game of the new season is taking place in South Korea this week. A: I can’t wait to see how the “two-way” player performs in the new season. A: 棒球巨星大谷翔平的身價到底有多高? B: 道奇隊不久前,以十年7億美元合約套牢大谷,創下大聯盟歷史新高。 A: 哇高達220多億台幣耶! B: 而新球季開幕戰本週將在南韓開打唷。 A: 真期待這位「二刀流」球星新球季的表現。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
For the first time, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has fined a company for improper disposal of its defunct satellite. The satellite cable company Dish Network was fined US$150,000 because it failed to move an old satellite that was no longer in operation to a safe distance from others currently being used. The FCC had asked Dish Network to move one of its older satellites, EchoStar-7, 186 miles further from the Earth. However, the satellite had only advanced 76 miles before it ran out of fuel at the end of its operational life in 2022.