Multi-analyte profiling of inflammatory mediators in COPD sputum – The effects of processing

Prior to using a new multi-analyte platform for the detection of markers in sputum it is advisable to assess whether sputum processing, especially mucus homogenization by dithiothreitol (DTT), affects the analysis. In this study we tested a novel Human Inflammation Multi Analyte Profiling® Kit (v1.0 Luminex platform; xMAP®).Induced sputum samples of 20 patients with stable COPD (mean FEV1, 59.2% pred.) were processed in parallel using standard processing (with DTT) and a more time consuming sputum dispersion method with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) only. A panel of 47 markers was analyzed in these sputum supernatants by the xMAP®.Twenty-five of 47 analytes have been detected in COPD sputum. Interestingly, 7 markers have been detected in sputum processed with DTT only, or significantly higher levels were observed following DTT treatment (VDBP, α-2-Macroglobulin, haptoglobin, α-1-antitrypsin, VCAM-1, and fibrinogen). However, standard DTT-processing resulted in lower detectable concentrations of ferritin, TIMP-1, MCP-1, MIP-1β, ICAM-1, and complement C3. The correlation between processing methods for the different markers indicates that DTT processing does not introduce a bias by affecting individual sputum samples differently.In conclusion, our data demonstrates that the Luminex-based xMAP® panel can be used for multi-analyte profiling of COPD sputum using the routinely applied method of sputum processing with DTT. However, researchers need to be aware that the absolute concentration of selected inflammatory markers can be affected by DTT.     

IPBES的建立、前景及应对策略

生物多样性和生态系统服务政府间科学-政策平台(IPBES)是一个类似于气候变化专门委员会(IPCC)的独立的政府间机构,其目标是建立科学界和决策者之间的沟通平台,推动全球生物多样性和生态系统服务的保护.从2008年11月到2010年6月,联合国环境规划署(UNEP)主持召开了三次政府间谈判会议.在最后一次会议上各国同意建立IPBES,并形成了一份《釜山成果》文件,确定其基本职能主要是开展评估,还确定IPBES的决策机构是全体会议,向联合国所有会员国和区域经济一体化组织开放,政府间组织和其他利益相关方可作为观察员.IPBES的建立将会在国际社会产生深刻的影响,但其未来走向也有一定的不确定性:一是如何保持科学独立性的问题,二是评估尺度可能会影响其成功,三是能否促进发展中国家的广泛参与.为使我国能在IPBES中发挥重要作用,建议今后应加强对IPBES运作模式的研究,加强评估工具和方法的开发以及加强生物多样性的监测.     

遗传学实验教学改革初探

对遗传学实验教学改革从建立开放式实验的教学模式,加强对学生平时实验操作能力的考核,以及充分利用多媒体教学等方面进行了探讨,促进了遗传学教学水平的提高。更加注重对学生综合能力的培养,使学生真正成为具有良好的职业素质和较强的实践能力的实用型人才。     

提高生物课堂教学有效性——新课程背景下探究教学法的灵活运用

新课程的实施需要运用探究教学法,广大高中生物教师对这一教法的运用还在摸索之中。通过拟从探究教学法的运用,对提高高中生物课堂教学有效性的作用,提出实践性的教学建议。     

独立学院生物化学实验课程的改革与实践

随着知识经济和人才需求的不断发展和提高,教育模式显得相对滞后,严重影响了学生创新思维和应用能力的培养。独立学院生物化学实验教学改革,包括优化实验教学体系,完善实验教学内容,改革实验教学方法和实验考核方式等方面,从而达到独立学院培养应用型人才的目的。     

浅谈发育生物学实验教学改革及创新能力培养

实验教学是培养具有创新精神和实践能力的应用型人才的重要途径.发育生物学是一门新兴学科,其实验教学存在教学内容参差不齐和教学环节薄弱等诸多问题,实行教学改革迫在眉睫.通过对发育生物学实验教学改革的实践经验进行总结,以期对同类高校该课程实验教学有所借鉴和参考,共同完善发育生物学实验教学环节.     

《植物生理学》教学改革中的实践成效

《植物生理学》系农艺类专业的一门必修的骨干性基础课程,随着相关学科的迅猛发展,使人类对于植物生命活动规律的认识更加全面与深入,势必要求植物生理学的课程教学不断改革创新。就多年的教学改革与实践,认为在教学过程中,通过整合最新研究报道不断优化教学内容体系,借助灵活多样的教学方式强化教学内容与实践紧密结合,以制作多媒体课件为突破口并结合传统教学的优点,促进教学手段现代化,提升教学效果;通过考核方式的多样化促进学生的全面学习能动性。     

Post‐Project Appraisals of River Restoration in Advanced University Instruction

Post‐project appraisals (PPAs) are systematic assessments of built restoration projects, which provide feedback on performance of restoration approaches to improve future restoration efforts. Unfortunately, most restoration projects are not subject to systematic assessment because of lack of institutional arrangements to sustain long‐term evaluation and the orientation of most funding agencies towards project implementation rather than “studies.” As semester‐long courses on river restoration increasingly appear in university curricula at the graduate and advanced undergraduate level, independent student research projects for such courses can provide a mechanism for building a database of PPAs (and components thereof) and providing the students with a powerful learning experience. In two UC Berkeley courses, we require independent student projects involving original field research, peer review of first drafts, instructor (and often outside) review of second drafts, and presentation of results to a public symposium. Since 1995, the revised, final papers have been added to the University of California library, where they constitute one of the largest collections of restoration‐related studies currently available for any region: over 300 restoration‐related studies, of which 80 are PPAs or components thereof. Since 2003, the papers have been posted on‐line, with 40,000 full text downloads through 2010. Some term projects have directly influenced river restoration programs, inducing changes in salmon habitat enhancement project design, documenting failure of projects based on inappropriate restoration approaches, and contributing to systematic assessments of step‐pool and compound channel designs in urban areas. Student evaluations cite the term projects as valuable learning experiences.