从文献统计看我国离子束生物技术的发展

本文检索了1994-2003年间离子束技术在生物领域的应用研究文章,并从文献量,研究材料及研究的水平,期刊,离子源和基金来源等五个方面对其进行了统计和分析。统计结果表明,我国离子束生物技术在国家和地方政府院校的支持下得到了较快发展,其中微生物领域的发展最快;进入21世纪,地方政府院校开始逐渐加大对离子束生物技术的支持,并出现了有企业人员参与研究和企业基金支持的文献;文献内容主要是应用研究,基础研究较为匮乏。在综合分析数据的基础上,展望了我国离子束生物技术的未来发展趋势。     

从文献计量看个性化医学国际发展态势

该文选取当前生物医学发展的前沿领域——个性化医学领域,以美国科技信息所科学引文指标数据库(SCI-Expanded)为信息源,德温特数据分析家(Thomson Data Analyzer)为工具,对1999?2009年间,全球个性化医学研究领域发表的论文进行了文献计量学分析,以了解世界个性化医学的发展态势,为我国提升个性化医学的研究提供参考依据。     

Strip-tilled Cover Cropping for Managing Nematodes, Soil Mesoarthropods, and Weeds in a Bitter Melon Agroecosystem

A field trial was conducted to examine whether strip-tilled cover cropping followed by living mulch practice could suppress root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and enhance beneficial nematodes and other soil mesofauna, while suppressing weeds throughout two vegetable cropping seasons. Sunn hemp (SH), Crotalaria juncea, and French marigold (MG), Tagetes patula, were grown for three months, strip-tilled, and bitter melon (Momordica charantia) seedlings were transplanted into the tilled strips; the experiment was conducted twice (Season I and II). Strip-tilled cover cropping with SH prolonged M. incognita suppression in Season I but not in Season II where suppression was counteracted with enhanced crop growth. Sunn hemp also consistently enhanced bacterivorous and fungivorous nematode population densities prior to cash crop planting, prolonged enhancement of the Enrichment Index towards the end of both cash crop cycles, and increased numbers of soil mesoarthropods. Strip-tilled cover cropping of SH followed by clipping of the living mulch as surface mulch also reduced broadleaf weed populations up to 3 to 4 weeks after cash crop planting. However, SH failed to reduce soil disturbance as indicated by the Structure Index. Marigold suppressed M. incognita efficiently when planted immediately following a M. incognita-susceptible crop, but did not enhance beneficial soil mesofauna including free-living nematodes and soil mesoarthropods. Strip-tilled cover cropping of MG reduced broadleaf weed populations prior to cash crop planting in Season II, but this weed suppression did not last beyond the initial cash crop cycle.     

Imaging Enzymes at Work: Metabolic Mapping by Enzyme Histochemistry

For the understanding of functions of proteins in biological and pathological processes, reporter molecules such as fluorescent proteins have become indispensable tools for visualizing the location of these proteins in intact animals, tissues, and cells. For enzymes, imaging their activity also provides information on their function or functions, which does not necessarily correlate with their location. Metabolic mapping enables imaging of activity of enzymes. The enzyme under study forms a reaction product that is fluorescent or colored by conversion of either a fluorogenic or chromogenic substrate or a fluorescent substrate with different spectral characteristics. Most chromogenic staining methods were developed in the latter half of the twentieth century but still find new applications in modern cell biology and pathology. Fluorescence methods have rapidly evolved during the last decade. This review critically evaluates the methods that are available at present for metabolic mapping in living animals, unfixed cryostat sections of tissues, and living cells, and refers to protocols of the methods of choice. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:481–497, 2010)     

Dynamics of the ion cyclotron resonance effect on amino acids adsorbed at the interfaces

In this study we show a reproduction of the Zhadin experiment, which consists of the transient increase of the electrolytic current flow across an aqueous solution of L-arginine and L-glutamic acid induced by a proper low frequency alternating magnetic field superimposed to a static magnetic field of higher strength. We have identified the mechanisms that were at the origin of the so-far poor reproducibility of the above effect: the state of polarization of the electrode turned out to be a key parameter. The electrochemical investigation of the system shows that the observed phenomenon involves the transitory activation of the anode due to ion cyclotron frequency effect, followed again by anode passivation due to the adsorption of amino acid and its oxidation products. The likely occurrence of similar ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) phenomena at biological membranes, the implications on ion circulation in living matter, and the consequent biological impact of environmental magnetic fields are eventually discussed.     

Is HIV infection associated with an increased risk for cholera? Insights from a mathematical model

Cholera, a waterborne gastroenteric infection, remains a significant threat to public health in sub-Saharan Africa, the region most heavily affected by HIV. It is biologically plausible that immune suppression caused by HIV infection predisposes to cholera. In this paper, a simple mathematical model is developed and comprehensively analyzed to assess whether HIV infection is associated with an increased risk for cholera or not. Analytical results of the model show that the quantities R(c) and R(h), which represents the reproductive number for cholera and HIV infection, respectively, provide threshold conditions that determine cumulative new single and dual infection cases. These threshold conditions can be used to gain important insights on the epidemiological consequences of HIV and cholera coexistence in the community. Numerical results are provided to support the analytical findings. The findings suggest that in a cholera-endemic area, HIV infection is associated with an increased risk for cholera.     

Parentage-based pedigree reconstruction reveals female matrilineal clusters and male-biased dispersal in nongregarious Asian great apes, the Bornean orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus)

Philopatry and sex-biased dispersal have a strong influence on population genetic structure, so the study of species dispersal patterns and evolutionary mechanisms shaping them are of great interest. Particularly nongregarious mammalian species present an underexplored field of study: despite their lower levels of sociality compared to group-living species, interactions among individuals do occur, providing opportunities for cryptic kin selection. Among the least gregarious primates are orang-utans (genus: Pongo), in which preferential associations among females have nevertheless been observed, but for which the presence of kin structures was so far unresolved because of the equivocal results of previous genetic studies. To clarify relatedness and dispersal patterns in orang-utans, we examined the largest longitudinal set of individuals with combined genetic, spatial and behavioural data. We found that males had significantly higher mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation and more unique haplotypes, thus underscoring their different maternal ancestries compared to females. Moreover, pedigree reconstruction based on 24 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers and mtDNA haplotypes demonstrated the presence of three matrilineal clusters of generally highly related females with substantially overlapping ranges. In orang-utans and possibly other nongregarious species, comparing average biparental relatedness (r) of males and females to infer sex-biased dispersal is extremely problematic. This is because the opportunistic sampling regime frequently employed in nongregarious species, combined with overlapping space use of distinct matrilineal clusters, leads to a strong downward bias when mtDNA lineage membership is ignored. Thus, in nongregarious species, correct inferences of dispersal can only be achieved by combining several genetic approaches with detailed spatial information.     

一起流行性脑脊髓膜炎疫情的调查及控制

目的对流行性脑脊髓膜炎疫情进行流行病学分析,以了解流行性脑脊髓膜炎(流脑)发生的特点,评价防控措施的效果。方法采用现场流行病学、血清学调查的方法对发生的流行性脑脊髓膜炎疫情进行调查分析。结果此疫情鉴定为一起C群脑膜炎奈瑟菌引起的聚集性病例,3例病人均已接种过A群流脑多糖疫苗3～4次,而未接种过A群C群流脑多糖疫苗,对C群脑膜炎奈瑟菌无免疫力;采取相应措施后疫情得到控制,没有引起流脑流行。结论对C群脑膜炎奈瑟菌所致疫情,采取以预防性服药、应急接种为主的综合控制措施能得到有效控制。     

Suicidal process,suicidal communication and psychosocial situation of young suicide attempters in a rural Vietnamese community

The study aimed to explore the suicidal process, suicidal communication and psychosocial situation of young suicide attempters in a rural community in Hanoi, Vietnam. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, in a community setting, with 19 suicide attempters aged 15-24 who had been consecutively hospitalized in an intensive care unit. In 12 of 19 cases, the first pressing, distinct and constant suicidal thoughts appeared less than one day before the suicide attempt in question. However, distress and mild, fleeting suicidal thoughts had been present up to six months before the suicide attempt in 16 cases. Five respondents had a suicide plan one to three days before attempting suicide. Altogether, 13 engaged in some form of suicidal communication before their attempt. This communication was, however, difficult for outsiders to interpret. Twelve of the respondents were victims of regular physical abuse and 16 had suffered psychological violence for at least one year before attempting suicide. Eighteen of the respondents used pesticides or raticides in their suicide attempts. None sought advice or consultation in the community despite long-standing psychosocial problems. The strategy of reducing the availability of suicide means (e.g., pesticides or raticides) in Asian countries should be complemented with a long-term suicide-preventive strategy that targets school dropouts and domestic violence, and promotes coping abilities and communication about psychological and social problems as well as recognition of signs of distress and suicidal communication.     

论植物园的活植物收集

对植物园活植物收集评价、引种中的取样方法和迁地保护种群大小等问题进行了论述.对活植物收集的评价包括科学性和代表性,最具有科学意义的是经过调查从野外收集的有完整记录的材料,其次是从植物园等机构 引种的有记录的材料,再次是从各地引种的基本上无记录的材料.根据收集物的代表性可分为具有保护意义的收集和保护性收集.取样技术主要针对保护性收集而言,要求收集样本能涵盖该物种95%以上、频率大于5%的等位基因.活植物收集种群的大小应从科学性和现实性二方面来考虑,对植物园里大量的具有保护意义的收集,其种群大小为乔木10～20株,灌木40～50株,草本100～200株;对于保护性收集则至少为乔木50～100株,灌木200株或更多,草本300～500株以上.另外,对当前植物园活植物收集圃建设的一些重要问题也进行了探讨.