Capítulo 1934: Chapter 1238: Really, Are We Going? (2)
Lele nodded and handed over the sketchbook. On it was drawn a complex spaceship, each component labeled with imagined functions: “Energy Core”, “Warp Drive”, “Ecological Circulation Cabin”… The drawing was very detailed.
“It’s a great spaceship,” Yang Ping said earnestly, “Where do you want to fly it to?”
“To Mars,” Lele whispered, “I want to land on Mars before Musk.”
Yang Ping’s heart trembled slightly; still, children have courage. He closed the sketchbook and looked at the parents: “Show all the dical records and test results.”
For the next half hour, Yang Ping carefully reviewed all of Lele’s dical records from the past three years: Genetic testing confird a specific mutation in the STING gene; Records of acute attacks again and again; Various treatnt plans tried and their effects; Evaluation of side effects brought by hormones…
“We’ve tried every plan, including so experintal ones,” the mother said chokingly, “So worked initially, but then stopped being effective. So had side effects so severe that the child couldn’t bear it…”
Yang Ping pondered. The essence of SAVI is the immune system’s “misjudgnt” and “overreaction”, the immune system mistakenly stays activated, attacking its own tissues. This is at a deep level consistent with the system regulation theory he studies: both are systems that have lost balance.
The traditional approach is suppression, inhibition, closure. But maybe, think differently?
“Lele’s immune system isn’t ‘broken’,” Yang Ping slowly spoke, “it’s the ‘regulator’ that’s malfunctioning, stuck in the ‘on’ position. We’ve been trying to forcibly ‘turn it off’, but maybe we can try to ‘fix the regulator’, so it can normally ‘turn on’ and ‘turn off’.”
The parents looked at him in confusion.
“Simply put, it’s not about using stronger drugs to suppress, but using more precise thods to restore the immune system’s own regulatory ability,” Yang Ping drew a simple diagram on paper, “Like Lele’s spaceship, if a component is overheating, it’s not about dismantling it directly, but adjusting its cooling system.”
“Is…is that possible?” the father asked.
“It’s theoretically possible, actual clinical operation success relies on many factors: existing chanism research on the disease, establishing regulation chanisms, finding key regulation points, etc.” Yang Ping said frankly, “So designing the plan is difficult and risky, we need to first do a detailed immune mapping analysis to understand Lele’s immune system’s precise state, then design a personalized regulation plan, which might include very low doses of specific regulators, combined with a tabolic adjustnt and microenvironnt optimization.”
He paused for a mont: “This process may take months, or even longer, and cannot guarantee success.”
The parents exchanged a glance. The mother held Lele’s hand.
“Professor Yang, we’re willing to try,” the father said firmly, “We’ve got nothing to lose anymore. As long as there’s a glimr of hope…”
“Currently, it’s just a glimr of hope,” Yang Ping continued, “it’s a new direction, but we need to work together. Starting tomorrow, Lele needs to undergo a series of detailed tests. Also, I need your cooperation in recording his daily symptoms, diet, mood changes, all details.”
“Alright! We’ll definitely cooperate!”
As they left the consultation room, Lele suddenly spoke: “Doctor Yang.”
“Hmm?”
“If I get better, can I go watch a real rocket launch?”
Yang Ping squatted down, looked into the child’s eyes: “Of course you can!”
Lele’s eyes lit up, nodding vigorously.
…
Back at the Institute, it was already noon. In the cafeteria, everyone was still discussing the morning’s events.
“Professor, did you go to the clinical ward this morning?” Tang Shun ca over with a tray, “The PR departnt has arranged a small press conference for tomorrow afternoon. Also, the Swedish Embassy sent a formal invitation regarding the December award ceremony details…”
“Hmm, you handle it,” Yang Ping simply replied.
“Are you not attending the award ceremony either?” Tang Shun was a bit disappointed yet sowhat excited.
“You and Song Zimo can go. Decide between yourselves who will accept the award, I’m not going. I’ve been quite busy lately and have taken on a special case that I need to study thoroughly, aiming to extend the system regulation theory beyond tumor-related diseases; this case is very suitable.” Yang Ping spoke as if discussing a routine matter.
Tang Shun was montarily taken aback: “Really? We’re going?”
“Really! You guys go!” Yang Ping confird.
Tang Shun nodded. Going to Sweden to accept the award? Such a wonderful thing, he was certainly happy to do it in their stead.
At three in the afternoon, Jiang Jitong ca looking for Yang Ping.
“Professor, the preliminary analysis of those two abnormal mice is out,” his expression was complex, “Their intestinal microflora composition is very special, with a ratio of a rare strain being abnormally high. We suspect that the tabolites produced by this strain interacted unexpectedly with the vaccine we gave them, causing an excessive immune response.”
“Hmm, you did well,” Yang Ping’s eyes brightened, “This shows our vaccine enhancer technology still needs improvent. The research needs to cover so very special conditions.”
“So this isn’t a failure?”
“Certainly not, it’s discovering new variables, new interactions,” Yang Ping replied, “Design the experint again, incorporating microbial factors.”
Jiang Jitong left thoughtfully.
At four in the afternoon, Yang Ping finished dealing with necessary affairs, started looking at Lele’s preliminary immune test results. The data was complex, but certain patterns began to erge: So of Lele’s regulatory immunocyte functions were abnormal, certain inflammatory pathways were persistently low-level activated…
He wrote and drew on paper, trying to sketch out a preliminary regulation plan frawork. Not simply suppressing, but a multi-target, low-dose, synergistic regulation strategy. It requires precise calculation and design.
…
In the evening, once Xiao Shu fell asleep, Yang Ping returned to the study. On the computer screen was the initial draft requirent for the December Stockholm award speech. He needed to prepare a speech lasting about 20 minutes to be delivered at 4 pm Stockholm ti (11 pm Beijing ti) on December 10.
While he would draft the speech, he wouldn’t be the one delivering it. Song Zimo and Tang Shun would handle that.
He opened a new docunt, leaving the title blank for now.
What should he talk about? The complex molecular chanisms? The intricate data models? How theory changes dicine paradigms?
He thought of Lele in the consultation room today, the spaceship the child drew, the question he asked about watching a real rocket launch. He rembered the origins of the system regulation theory, not for publishing papers, not for winning awards, but to answer a simple question: Is there a better way to help the body regain balance?
Outside the window, the night was filled with shimring lights. In the direction of the Institute, a few windows were still lit, perhaps one analyzing data, perhaps another preparing for tomorrow’s experint.
Yang Ping wrote the first line in the docunt:
dicine is a dialogue with life…”
He paused and continued writing:
Tonight, what I want to talk about is not about conquering disease, but about listening to the body; not about heroic interventions, but about humble collaborations; not about victories of war, but about the art of balance.”
The words slowly flowed out; he spoke about the patients struggling with illnesses, how systems thinking provided new perspectives, and how young people on the team turned ideas into practice. He spoke of failures and unexpected discoveries, about the essence of science.
Finally, he wrote:
The halo of the Nobel Prize will fade with ti, but those lights that burn bright in laboratories late at night, those sparks reigniting in patients’ eyes, and that relentless curiosity about life’s complexities, these are the true luster of science. This light doesn’t co from external awards, but from inner pursuits.”
Having finished the draft, Yang Ping checked the ti: 11:30 pm.
It was now 4:30 pm in Stockholm, just when day was brief and dusk was setting in. On the day of the award ceremony in December, it would be dark at 3 pm there, but the cold would not extinguish the passion of scientists exploring the unknown.
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