Macaques Contribute to New Breakthroughs in Autism Research

A China-U.S. joint research team has made new breakthroughs in developing nonhuman primate models for autism research. This does much to pave the way for possible drug discovery and gene therapy of the disorder.

The research was conducted by scientists from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology （SIAT） under the Chinese Academy of Sciences， Massachusetts Institute of Technology（MIT）， Sun Yat-Sen University， and South China Agricultural University.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic basis. Scientists have identified hundreds of genetic variants associated with autism， and researchers in the study focused on one gene that had a strong association called SHANK3.

Through the CRISPR genomeediting system， they engineered macaque monkeys with SHANK3 mutations and these monkeys showed some behavioral traits and brain connectivity patterns similar to those in humans with these conditions.

According to the research team， the primate model will provide a basis for a deeper understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of autism and the development of more transformative therapeutics.

The research results were published in the journal Nature.

China Builds First Overpass for Wildlife

Chinas first overpass for wildlife migration will be put into use in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on August 1， creating a safe pathway for 3，000-5，000 migrating animals. Located on the newly constructed national highway running between Fuyun County and Wucaiwan District of Altay Prefecture， it will link animal habitats separated by the road. The bridge – 100 meters long， 50 meters wide， and six meters high – will be a corridor for wild horses， Mongolian gazelles， kiang wild asses， blacktailed gazelles， and other large hoofed animals.

In order to blend in with the surrounding environment， the overpass is covered with a layer of sand about 50 centimeters thick， much like the surrounding land. Grass is also planted and some animal droppings placed on the overpass to help animals find their way. Pools of water will be installed on either side of the bridge to provide water for the migrating wildlife. Walls of the bridge are painted in a light color that is similar to the surrounding natural environment.

The National Highway 216 that passes under the bridge will also open on August 1. It crosses the Junggar Basin and the Kalamely Hoofed Animal Wildlife Reserve. Designed with environmental protection as a top priority， it has one viaduct and 21 passageways for animal migration.

Drug Users on Decline

A report issued by the China National Narcotics Control Commission on the status of Chinas control on drugs showed that drug addicts accounted for 0.18 percent of the Chinese population last year， marking a first time decline in that number. The progress made in drug control in China during 2018 is the clear result of Chinas hard work to fight against the use and trafficking of drugs.

Last year China busted 109，600 criminal cases involving drugs， and seized 67.9 tons of various kinds of narcotics. By the end of 2018 the number of drug addicts in China stood at 2.4 million （excluding those who relapse three years after treatment， deceased， or those who had left the country）， declining by 5.8 percent over that of 2017. Methamphetamine （56.1 percent） has replaced heroin as the most addictive drug in China， and marijuana abuse continued to rise in 2018， according to the report.

For the year 2018， the National Drug Laboratory detected 31 types of new psychoactive substances（NPS）. The proliferation of NPS is posing a growing threat to the world， and the Internet + express delivery is now the prevalent form of drug transactions. Meanwhile， foreign suppliers， such as the Golden Triangle， Golden Crescent， and those in South America， continue to infiltrate China， and collude with domestic dealers. The drug control situation is now more complicated.

Safe Drinking Water for More Rural Areas

China has always attached great importance to drinking water security in rural areas. By the end of 2018， more than 11 million water supply projects had been completed， serving 940 million residents in rural areas. The coverage of tap water in the countryside has now reached 81 percent. This year China has further increased funding for water security in rural areas， thus to provide safe drinking water to 283，000 more low-income citizens there before June.

The Ministry of Water Resources gives top priority to poverty alleviation by solving the drinking water problem among low-income people. Measures are taken in three aspects： first， devising quantitative indexes for measurement of the volume， quality， and accessibility of safe water supply； second， keeping a precise tally of impoverished people who have difficulties in getting safe drinking water， listing them in the national poverty alleviation information system， and updating the data in a timely manner； third， drawing specific plans for regions where the problem is acute， such as Xinjiang， Sichuan， Yunnan， and Guangxi， and launching programs that cover all impoverished communities and households without safe drinking water.

“The next step the ministry will take is to intensify its efforts to accelerate construction of projects across the nation， guaranteeing that at least 800，000 more hard-up people have access to safe drinking water， and solving this problem once and for all next year，” said Vice Minister of Water Resources Tian Xuebin at a recent press briefing.