Structuring policy problems for plastics,the environment and human health: reflections from the UK

How can we strengthen the science–policy interface for plastics, the environment and human health? In a complex policy area with multiple stakeholders, it is important to clarify the nature of the particular plastics-related issue before trying to understand how to reconcile the supply and demand for evidence in policy. This article proposes a simple problem typology to assess the fundamental characteristics of a policy issue and thus identify appropriate processes for science–policy interactions. This is illustrated with two case studies from one UK Government Department, showing how policy and science meet over the environmental problems of plastics waste in the marine environment and on land. A problem-structuring methodology helps us understand why some policy issues can be addressed through relatively linear flows of science from experts to policymakers but why others demand a more reflexive approach to brokering the knowledge between science and policy. Suggestions are given at the end of the article for practical actions that can be taken on both sides.     

A historical review of research on the weaver ant Oecophylla in biological control

1 Although the weaver ant Oecophylla is the first written record of biological control, dating from 304 ad , there have been fewer than 70 scientific publications on this predator as a biological control agent in Asia, from the early 1970s onwards, and fewer than 25 in Africa. 2 Apart from crop‐specific ecological and perceptual factors, a historical review shows that political and market forces have also determined the extent to which Oecophylla was incorporated into research and development programmes. 3 In Africa, research on weaver ants in biological control concentrated on export crops, such as coconut and cocoa, whereas, in Asia and Australia, research focused on fruit and nut crops, primarily destined for domestic markets. 4 Increased evidence of pesticide inefficiency under tropical smallholder conditions, changing paradigm shifts in participatory research and a growing scientific interest in local knowledge in the early 1990s opened up new avenues for research on conservation biological control. 5 Lobbying and advocacy have been needed to ensure that Oecophylla was recognized as an effective biological control agent. 6 With an increased market demand for organic produce, holistic approaches such as conservation biological control, particularly the use of Oecophylla, are increasing in importance. 7 Multi‐stakeholder strategies for collaborative learning are proposed for a better control of major fruit, nut and timber tree pests in Africa, Asia and Australia.     

Correspondence between Scientific and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Rain Forest Classification by the Non-Indigenous Ribereños in Peruvian Amazonia

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is a potential source of ecological information. Typically TEK has been documented at the species level, but habitat data would be equally valuable for conservation applications. We compared the TEK forest type classification of ribereños, the non-indigenous rural peasantry of Peruvian Amazonia, to a floristic classification produced using systematically collected botanical data. Indicator species analysis of pteridophytes in 300 plots detected two forest types on non-flooded tierra firme, each associated with distinct soil texture and fertility, and one forest type in areas subject to flooding. Nine TEK forest types were represented in the same set of plots. Each TEK forest type was consistently (>82%) associated with one of the three floristic classes and there were also clear parallels in the ecological characterizations of the forest types. Ribereños demonstrated clear preferences for certain forest types when selecting sites for slash-and-burn agriculture and hunting. Our results indicate that the non-tribal inhabitants of Amazonia possess valuable TEK that could be used in biodiversity inventories and wildlife management and conservation for characterizing primary rain forest habitats in Amazonia.     

Global diversity of dipteran families (Insecta Diptera) in freshwater (excluding Simulidae, Culicidae, Chironomidae, Tipulidae and Tabanidae)

Today’s knowledge of worldwide species diversity of 19 families of aquatic Diptera in Continental Waters is presented. Nevertheless, we have to face for certain in most groups a restricted knowledge about distribution, ecology and systematic, particularly in the tropical environments. At the same time we realize a dramatically decline or even lack of specialists being able, having the time or the opportunity to extend or even secure the present information. The respective families with approximate numbers of aquatic species are: Blephariceridae (308), Deuterophlebiidae (14), Nyphomyiidae (7), Psychodidae (∼2.000), Scatopsidae (∼5), Tanyderidae (41), Ptychopteridae (69), Dixidae (173), Corethrellidae (97), Chaoboridae (∼50), Thaumaleidae (∼170), Ceratopogonidae (∼6.000), Stratiomyidae (∼43), Empididae (∼660), Lonchopteridae (2), Syrphidae (∼1.080), Sciomyzidae (∼190), Ephydridae (∼1.500), Muscidae (∼870). Numbers of aquatic species will surely increase with increased ecological and taxonomical efforts. Guest editors: E. V. Balian, C. Lévêque, H. Segers & K. Martens Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment     

健脾化瘀中药提高胞嘧啶脱氨酶/单纯疱疹病毒胸苷激酶基因治疗肝细胞癌的实验研究

目的:观察健脾化瘀中药提高胞嘧啶脱氨酶/单纯疱疹病毒胸苷激酶基因治疗肝细胞癌的作用。方法:脂质体lipofectamine将含有双自杀基因的腺病毒载体pAd-CD/TK导人293细胞,收集病毒上清转染人肝癌细胞BEL7402,MTT法测定BEL7402细胞存活率。裸鼠人肝癌模型转染CD/TK双自杀基因后,给予5-FC500mg/kg,GCV 100mg/kg腹腔注射,同时予健脾化瘀中药960复方灌胃。观察肿瘤生长情况。结果:给予前体药物5-FC和GCV后,CD/TK转染细胞被杀死。并表现出较强的旁观者效应。转染细胞比例达到10%即表现出较强的杀伤作用(P<0.01)。健脾化瘀中药960复方具有提高旁观者效应作用,1.67ml/kg和2.5ml/kg960复方含药血清组细胞存活率显著低于对照组(P<0.01)。转染基因组应用5-FC和GCV治疗后,裸鼠肝癌的生长明显受到抑制(P<0.05),抑瘤率39.42%,单用中药组抑瘤率18.04%,中药与CD/TK 5-FC/GCV联合运用组,较单纯CD/5-FC/HSV-tk/GCV对裸鼠肿瘤模型的生长抑制作用更加明显(P<0.05),抑瘤率55.10%。结伦:腺病毒介导CD/TK自杀基因可有效地杀死人肝癌BEL7402细胞,健脾化瘀中药960复方具有显著提高CD/TK双自杀基因对人肝癌细胞的抑杀作用。     

VoroMQA: Assessment of protein structure quality using interatomic contact areas

In the absence of experimentally determined protein structure many biological questions can be addressed using computational structural models. However, the utility of protein structural models depends on their quality. Therefore, the estimation of the quality of predicted structures is an important problem. One of the approaches to this problem is the use of knowledge‐based statistical potentials. Such methods typically rely on the statistics of distances and angles of residue‐residue or atom‐atom interactions collected from experimentally determined structures. Here, we present VoroMQA (Voronoi tessellation‐based Model Quality Assessment), a new method for the estimation of protein structure quality. Our method combines the idea of statistical potentials with the use of interatomic contact areas instead of distances. Contact areas, derived using Voronoi tessellation of protein structure, are used to describe and seamlessly integrate both explicit interactions between protein atoms and implicit interactions of protein atoms with solvent. VoroMQA produces scores at atomic, residue, and global levels, all in the fixed range from 0 to 1. The method was tested on the CASP data and compared to several other single‐model quality assessment methods. VoroMQA showed strong performance in the recognition of the native structure and in the structural model selection tests, thus demonstrating the efficacy of interatomic contact areas in estimating protein structure quality. The software implementation of VoroMQA is freely available as a standalone application and as a web server at http://bioinformatics.lt/software/voromqa . Proteins 2017; 85:1131–1145. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

印度生物遗传资源和相关传统知识获取制度发展动态研究

印度是世界上生物多样性最丰富的国家之一,主张遗传资源主权归国家所有并实现遗传资源惠益公平分享。印度政府于2003年颁布了《生物多样性法》,2004年又补充颁布了《生物多样性条例》,明确规定国家对其生物资源及相关传统知识的主权、保护原则、主管部门和管理体系、获取和惠益分享等问题。2014年又制订发布了《生物资源及相关传统知识获取规则指南》,对生物考察和利用、商业开发的惠益形式与比例、成果转化程序与惠益分享方式、知识产权获取程序与惠益分享形式、第三方转让为研究或商业利用、豁免审批情况等都作出了详细明确的规定。从印度遗传资源获取与惠益分享制度体系发展动态来看,印度的制度构建过程是循序渐进,不断更新,逐步趋于完善、细化。印度的遗传资源制度体系建设紧跟国际发展形势,从原则性的规定发展到具体措施。印度与中国生物遗传资源及相关传统知识国情相似,国际谈判立场一致,印度的遗传资源获取与惠益分享管理制度体系构建思路值得中国在国内遗传资源获取与惠益分享国家制度体系构建借鉴。