1. Scientific News in China By: Paris Holland

2. Chinese researchers identify a key protein behind depression  Chinese researchers identified a key protein in the brain that is responsible for the development of depression  This is a significant find because it provides a possible route in therapies to treat depression  Earlier studies show that cells in the region of the brain called lateral habenula are hyperactive in individuals who are depressed

4. The experiment  Researchers used a technique called quantitative proteomic screening to examine the proteins in the LHB tissue of regular rats and rats that were depressed since birth  A protein called CaM was twice the amount in depressed rats  Using antidepressants their symptoms decreased and improved significantly – causing the levels of CaM in LHB tissue to drop  This data further led to experimentation on what level of protein is required in the LHB tissue to cause depression  Injected variable levels of protein into regular and depressed rats – LHB activity greatly increased  Most testing included subjecting the animals to their attractiveness to sugar and subjecting them to forced swim tests in order to see their willingness to stay afloat  Those with high CaM levels showed less interest than regular rats to sugar and others fought less to stay afloat in the swim tests – symptoms of depression

5. The result  Depression symptoms were able to be reversed when the CaM expression was reduced using a technique called RNA interference  Gene silencing – methylation in DNA codons  “Our study shows is that depression could be reversed via regulating a molecule’s expression levels in a part of the brain…Hence, it provides a new potential target for gene therapy of depression” – Professor Hailan Hu at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences

6. More Scientific News  Chinese archaeologists recently discovered a well-preserved and large burial complex  Dates back to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (1600B.C. – 256B.C.)  Discovered at Dashahe Wetland in Jiaozou City in Central China’s Henan province  Shell ornaments, jade objects, and other cultural relics were discovered

7. More Scientific News  China produces a genetic map of Tibetan barley  Chinese scientist sequenced the entire genome of highland barley  This could help cultivate better breeds of Tibet’s barley and increase production  Project was launched in 2012 by researchers at Tibet’s Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences and BGI Tech Solutions in Shenzhen  The study assembled 3.89 billion base pairs of the estimated 4.5 billion base pairs that make up the DNA in highland barley  Highland barley makes up 70% of all cereal crops in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region which is the home of the world’s leading barley production base  The regions annual yield increased to 660,000 tonnes – a record high in the past decade

8. Sources  1. "Chinese Researchers Identify Key Protein behind Depression - People's Daily Online." Chinese Researchers Identify Key Protein behind Depression - People's Daily Online. Ed. Weng Xin. People's Daily Online, 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 08 Apr. 2014..  2. Xin, Weng. "Ancient Burial Complex Found in Central China." People's Daily Online. People's Daily Online, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2014..  3. Yang, Cheng. "China Exclusive: China Produces Genetic Map of Tibetan Barley." - Xinhua. N.p., 3 Mar. 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2014..