New Year and New Board Members

##正##Following the winter holidays I look forward to the New Yearof 2012,and would like to take the opportunity to express mysincere thanks to all the authors,reviewers and editors of JIPB.Indeed,the Journal thrives on their support.     

Post-Viking Microbiology: New Approaches,New Data,New Insights

In the 20 years since the Viking experiments, major advances have been made in the areas of microbial systematics, microbial metabolism, microbial survival capacity, and the definition of environments on earth, suggesting that life is more versatile and tenacious than was previously appreciated. Almost all niches on earth which have available energy, and which are compatible with the chemistry of carbon-carbon bonds, are known to be inhabited by bacteria. The oldest known bacteria on earth apparently evolved soon after the formation of the planet, and are heat loving, hydrogen and/or sulfur metabolizing forms. Among the two microbial domains (kingdoms) is a great deal of metabolic diversity, with members of these forms being able to grow on almost any known energy source, organic or inorganic, and to utilize an impressive array of electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration. Both hydrothermal environments and the deep subsurface environments have been shown to support large populations of bacteria, growing on energy supplied by geothermal energy, thus isolating these ecosystems from the rest of the global biogeochemical cycles. This knowledge, coupled with new insights into the history of the solar system, allow one to speculate on possible evolution and survival of life forms on Mars.     

New Millennium,New Anthrozoös

Abstract

Published eyewitness accounts and stories from Aboriginal Australians are used to provide an overview of the geographical extent and characteristics of cooperative fishing between Aboriginal Australians and dolphins in eastern Australia. These sources indicate that cooperative fishing was geographically widespread in eastern Australia, involved both bottlenose dolphins and orcas, and had a significance (emotional and spiritual) to Aboriginal people beyond the acquisition of food. These fishing interactions represent both context and precedent for the economic and emotional objectives of contemporary human–dolphin interactions such as dolphin provisioning.     

抗高脂血症:新靶点与新药研发

高脂血症是引发各种心脑血管疾病最主要的因素之一,通过调节血脂来降低心脑血管疾病的发生率,具有重大意义。从调控内 源性脂质合成、外源性脂质吸收与胆汁酸重吸收、血浆脂蛋白代谢以及脂质代谢等 4 个方面出发,系统概述抗高脂血症的新靶点与新药 研究进展,旨在为高脂血症的治疗药物开发提供参考。     

New foliicolous lichens from New Zealand 3

Podotara gen. nov. (incertae sedis) is described. It is based on the foliicolous taxonP. pilophoriformis sp.nov., which is described and illustrated. Characteristic of the new genus and species are globose and stipitate apothecia and 3-septate, hyaline, thin-walled ascospores with annular thickening of the septa.Scoliciosporum lividum sp. nov. (Scoliciosporaceae) differs from all species of its genus known to date by its leprose grey thallus, its livid, globose, dull apothecia, and its 3-septate ascosoores spirally contorted in the ascus.     

New foliicolous lichens from New Zealand 1

Three species and one genus of theTrichotheliaceae are described as new and illustrated.Polycornum rubrofuscum gen. and sp. nov. is related to the generaPorina andTrichothelium, but differs in having complex horn-like appendages growing from the entire surface of its perithecia, giving them a tomentose appearance.Trichothelium rubellum is characterized by red or brown perithecia and 5–7 white membranaceous setae arranged in a star pattern around the ostiole.Trichothelium nanum is characterized by 3-septate spores, small black perithecia, and white setae.     

A New Biology for a New Century

Biology today is at a crossroads. The molecular paradigm, which so successfully guided the discipline throughout most of the 20th century, is no longer a reliable guide. Its vision of biology now realized, the molecular paradigm has run its course. Biology, therefore, has a choice to make, between the comfortable path of continuing to follow molecular biology's lead or the more invigorating one of seeking a new and inspiring vision of the living world, one that addresses the major problems in biology that 20th century biology, molecular biology, could not handle and, so, avoided. The former course, though highly productive, is certain to turn biology into an engineering discipline. The latter holds the promise of making biology an even more fundamental science, one that, along with physics, probes and defines the nature of reality. This is a choice between a biology that solely does society's bidding and a biology that is society's teacher.     

New foliicolous lichens from New Zealand 2

Two new species of foliicolous lichens from New Zealand are described and illustrated. The most characteristic trait ofDimerella flava sp. nov. (Gyalectaceae) is its pale yellow tubular pycnidia, which clothe the algal-containing thallus on the upper surface of leaves and sometimes also on thin twigs.Porinula setifera sp. nov. (incertae sedis) is closely related to the type species ofPorinula, P. tanzanica, but differs in having hyaline setae on its perithecia and mostly simple paraphysoids.     

Modified Oligonucleotides: New Structures,New Properties,and New Spheres of Application

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - Nucleic acids have made a long and arduous journey “from the bench to the bedside.” At present, it can be assumed that drugs based on...     

New insights into plant development in New England

This year, the biannually organized FASEB meeting 'Mechanisms in Plant Development' took place in August in Vermont, USA, organized by Martin Hulskamp (University of Koln, Koln, Germany) and John Schiefelbein (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA). The meeting covered numerous topics, ranging from patterning and differentiation to the evolution of developmental mechanisms. Despite apparent distinctions between the sessions, many of the talks were broad ranging and most highlighted unifying developmental concepts.     

New Antifungal Agents and New Formulations Against Dermatophytes

A variety of oral and topical antifungal agents are available for the treatment of superficial fungal infections caused by dermatophytes. This review builds on the antifungal therapy update published in this journal for the first special issue on Dermatophytosis (Gupta and Cooper 2008;166:353–67). Since 2008, there have not been additions to the oral antifungal armamentarium, with terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole still in widespread use, albeit for generally more severe or recalcitrant infections. Griseofulvin is used in the treatment of tinea capitis. Oral ketoconazole has fallen out of favor in many jurisdictions due to risks of hepatotoxicity. Topical antifungals, applied once or twice daily, are the primary treatment for tinea pedis, tinea corporis/tinea cruris, and mild cases of tinea unguium. Newer topical antifungal agents introduced include the azoles, efinaconazole, luliconazole, and sertaconazole, and the oxaborole, tavaborole. Research is focused on developing formulations of existing topical antifungals that utilize novel delivery systems in order to enhance treatment efficacy and compliance.