books44 Chapter 688 Actually, we've been researching this for a while now.
Chapter 688 Actually, we've been researching this for a while now.
Heavy water experimental reactor
Jiang Xia invited the two teachers to sit in the conference room.
Jiang Xia, who was personally serving tea, then noticed that Pang Guoxing had already employed our unit's traditional cleaning skills, even tidying up the few discarded drafts lying in the corner.
"Professor Xinghan, do you mean that you have already started research on radioactive elements?"
"Yes. Uh, not exactly..." Teacher Xinghan seemed a little reserved, holding the teacup with both hands and taking a small sip.
His gaze quickly swept over the official document Jiang Xia had casually slipped into his pocket, then refocused, displaying the respect one would show when reporting to a superior and the refined elegance characteristic of a scholar from the Republican era, and continued the previous topic.
"I am but a humble individual, and having some experience in the production of steroidal drugs, and coincidentally during the nationwide campaign against schistosomiasis organized by the Institute of Pharmaceuticals, I accidentally obtained a compound called 'nitrofuranacryloylcyclohexylamine,' which has an inhibitory effect on schistosomiasis. Therefore, the relevant authorities assigned me here to assist..."
"The situation at Yuyuan is different. As early as the beginning of the 60s, when the Second Ministry of Machine Building was developing the nuclear industry in Fangshan District, in order to protect the health of the relevant staff, the organization required them to develop radioactive nuclide-inducing drugs. In detail, come, Yuyuan, please explain to Comrade Jiangxia..."
Ms. Yuyuan hummed a few times before speaking: "The specific situation is the same as what my teacher said. The cause was still schistosomiasis, because at that time the only effective drug for treating schistosomiasis was tartaric acid."
"The drawback of this drug is that it often causes patients to die from antimony poisoning. So, in Mr. Ru Yun's working group, I designed and synthesized an ortho-dithiol compound. Experiments showed that the toxicity was indeed reduced... This was originally very promising..."
His voice suddenly stopped, his fingers gripping the teacup tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white, and a suppressed anger and deep regret flashed in his eyes. "But, this achievement... ultimately failed to be developed into a new drug."
"Oh?" Hearing this, Jiang Xia raised his eyebrows and gestured to Secretary Liu. Watching Secretary Liu jot down another string of unintelligible symbols, Jiang Xia continued listening to Teacher Yuyuan's report.
Teacher Xinghan keenly sensed the student's low spirits. Without making a sound, he reached out and gently placed his hand on the back of Yuyuan's tightly gripping teacup, patting it reassuringly. Feeling the teacher's comfort, Yuyuan's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and he returned a grateful yet slightly aggrieved look.
Wow, he really is a scholar from the Republic of China era. His refined demeanor and the teacher-student relationship are so heartwarming.
This scene reminded Jiang Xia of his own master. Although they were from the same era, his old man only knew how to express concern by throwing punches...
I'm so happy~ Smash it~
He was unhappy, so he smashed it hard...
However, it seems like it's been a long time since I've received any "care" from my master, and I quite miss that feeling...
Ms. Yuyuan took a deep breath, like a cat whose fur had been stroked by its teacher, and her emotions calmed down a bit. She squinted her eyes and continued, "Later, I joined Professor Xinghan's furan-based drug research team, and I accumulated some experience... Then, after receiving a transfer order from the Second Ministry of Machine Building, I devoted myself to the exploration of developing a new generation of medical chelation excretion-inducing agents."
"My initial target was to develop excretion-inducing drugs for radionuclides such as plutonium-239, thorium-234, and zirconium-95. However, commonly used chelating agents such as EDTA and DTPA were not very effective. EDTA was basically ineffective, and although DTPA had some effect, the side effects were too severe, making it difficult to use..."
When the topic turned to his field of expertise, Mr. Yuyuan's eyes lit up again. He even took Mr. Xinghan's hand in return, with a hint of excitement: "But, teacher, I have a direction now!"
“I started by analyzing the chemical properties of these radionuclides and found that they all have one thing in common: they are extremely prone to hydrolysis! The chelates they form with EDTA in body fluids are extremely unstable and decompose very easily.” He quickened his pace, “From this, I deduced that if one or more phenolic hydroxyl groups are introduced into the structure of the chelating agent molecule, and the acidity of phenolic hydroxyl groups is much stronger than that of ordinary aliphatic hydroxyl groups, the ‘competitive’ ability of the chelating agent with water molecules can be greatly enhanced, thereby avoiding the hydrolysis failure of the chelate in the body fluid environment!” As he spoke, he drew the molecular structure on the table with his finger.
"Oh! Really?" Teacher Xinghan's eyes lit up, and he immediately took out a notebook and pen from his old leather bag. "Explain in detail!"
The teacher and student immediately huddled together, their pens flying across the paper as they sketched complex chemical structures and discussed in hushed tones. The notebook quickly filled with sketches of carbon chains, benzene rings, hydroxyl groups, and chelate bonds.
“Based on this line of thinking,” Professor Xinghan pointed to one of the structures, “theoretically, we could try to synthesize a polyamine-polycarboxyl chelating agent with two adjacent phenolic hydroxyl groups. It’s estimated that it should have good chelation stability and excretion-promoting effects on these easily hydrolyzed nuclides. However,” he changed his tone, with the rigor of a scholar, “no matter how good the theory is, ultimately we still need to see the actual effects and safety of the drug on the human body…”
Sure enough, these intellectuals all like to use the word "based on"...
Pang Guoxing walked past them carrying a stack of blueprints. Upon hearing the word "based on," he began to purse his lips. Don't misunderstand, he wasn't chewing on them; he just subconsciously wanted to start reciting the "secrecy rules"...
He didn't want to linger in such a dangerous place... Pang Guoxing made his escape very quickly.
……
“Perhaps…we could try using levodopa as a raw material to synthesize a similar skeleton?” A new voice, thoughtful, broke into the heated discussion between the teacher and student.
A new voice broke into their discussion, and Teacher Xinghan's first reaction was to look at the "leader" with the cowlick across the table.
Only then did they realize that Jiangxia's seat had been empty sometime earlier.
Looking back, I saw that Professor Fangzhou had quietly entered the conference room at some point. He was leaning slightly over Professor Xinghan's shoulder, looking at the structural formulas on his notebook with great interest.
"Hahaha! Fangzhou! Long time no see..." Teacher Xinghan stood up in surprise and held Fangzhou's hand tightly.
"Teacher Xinghan! It's been a long time. How have you been?" Fang Zhou smiled broadly and shook hands firmly in return.
Ms. Yuyuan also stood up and shook hands with Fangzhou, exchanging pleasantries. The three of them warmly greeted each other for a few moments.
“I really didn’t expect this,” Fang Zhou said, looking at Xing Han and Yu Yuan with genuine joy. “That kid actually managed to persuade you two! Now, the ‘Prussian Blue Pharmaceutical Project’ has some real hope!”
"Hey! Fangzhou, you were the one who proposed this project, weren't you? I thought it was just some leader's son messing around."
"No, that kid tricked me into coming here! However, although I can't yet confirm that this compound promotes the expulsion of radioactive nuclides, I've observed a strange phenomenon..."
"Oh?"
Professor Fangzhou scratched his slightly unruly hair, looking somewhat puzzled: "This drug is a bit like the montmorillonite preparation I used in the 'steel mill diarrhea incident' I first researched..."
"But it's also different, and I don't know how to put it..."
"By the way, that 'montmorillonite powder' that's been so effective at stopping diarrhea was made based on a prescription provided by that kid!"
Ms. Misono paused, then opened her mouth in surprise: "Huh? The prescription was provided by that brat?"
"Yes! Not a single penny was taken!..."
"Oh...this is truly remarkable! There are still some bacterial weapons left over from the Northeast. Not long ago, a leak caused cholera. The local medical institutions performed miraculously this time, saving quite a few patients with this 'montmorillonite powder'!" Teacher Xinghan was no longer as calm as before, and happily held Teacher Fangzhou's hand.
"Lattice substitution!"
"what?"
Professor Yuyuan nodded affirmatively: "Fangzhou, you studied virology, so it's normal that you don't know this. I've studied the montmorillonite powder you mentioned. It relies on 'surface adsorption,' while the phenomenon you observed should be 'lattice substitution' in ion exchange! The former relies on weak physical forces, while the latter relies on reversible chemical equilibrium."
"Hiss... That's right! Through the ion exchange mechanism, it specifically binds to metal ions in the digestive tract, forming insoluble complexes that are excreted with feces, preventing intestinal absorption!"
Teacher Yuyuan clenched her fists and said, "If you've really observed this phenomenon, then this project has potential! It might even be easier to achieve than the chelating agent we just researched!"
……
Outside the meeting room, Secretary Liu, who was huddled in the corner with Xiao Daimao, nudged Jiang Xia's shoulder: "Hey! They're praising you inside! Comrade Yuyuan is really amazing..."
"Hmm, it's just so-so..."
"Whether they follow or not, my hand is here..."
Jiang Xia raised his paw and waved it, still deeply worried about the immense power he was about to gain...