Prospectives for Gene Therapy of Retinal Degenerations

Retinal degenerations encompass a large number of diseases in which the retina and associated retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells progressively degenerate leading to severe visual disorders or blindness. Retinal degenerations can be divided into two groups, a group in which the defect has been linked to a specific gene and a second group that has a complex etiology that includes environmental and genetic influences. The first group encompasses a number of relatively rare diseases with the most prevalent being Retinitis pigmentosa that affects approximately 1 million individuals worldwide. Attempts have been made to correct the defective gene by transfecting the appropriate cells with the wild-type gene and while these attempts have been successful in animal models, human gene therapy for these inherited retinal degenerations has only begun recently and the results are promising. To the second group belong glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). These retinal degenerations have a genetic component since they occur more often in families with affected probands but they are also linked to environmental factors, specifically elevated intraocular pressure, age and high blood sugar levels respectively. The economic and medical impact of these three diseases can be assessed by the number of individuals affected; AMD affects over 30 million, DR over 40 million and glaucoma over 65 million individuals worldwide. The basic defect in these diseases appears to be the relative lack of a neurogenic environment; the neovascularization that often accompanies these diseases has suggested that a decrease in pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), at least in part, may be responsible for the neurodegeneration since PEDF is not only an effective neurogenic and neuroprotective agent but also a potent inhibitor of neovascularization. In the last few years inhibitors of vascularization, especially antibodies against vascular endothelial cell growth factors (VEGF), have been used to prevent the neovascularization that accompanies AMD and DR resulting in the amelioration of vision in a significant number of patients. In animal models it has been shown that transfection of RPE cells with the gene for PEDF and other growth factors can prevent or slow degeneration. A limited number of studies in humans have also shown that transfection of RPE cells in vivo with the gene for PEDF is effective in preventing degeneration and restore vision. Most of these studies have used virally mediated gene delivery with all its accompanying side effects and have not been widely used. New techniques using non-viral protocols that allow efficient delivery and permanent integration of the transgene into the host cell genome offer novel opportunities for effective treatment of retinal degenerations.     

Bioenergy Plants: Hopes,Concerns and Prospectives

There are major concerns over both the security of energy supplies (declining supplies and political control) and the environmental costs associated with energy generation and use.The global consumption of carbon-containing fossil fuels for     

Prospectives for applying molecular and genetic methodology to improve wheat cultivars in drought environments

With the advent of molecular biotechnologies, new opportunities are available for plant physiologists to study the relationships between wheat traits and their genetic control. The functional determinations of all genes that participate in drought adaptation or tolerance reactions are expected to provide an integrated understanding of the biochemical and physiological basis of stress responses in wheat. However, despite all the recent technological breakthroughs, the overall contribution of genomics-assisted breeding to the release of drought-resilient wheat cultivars has so far been marginal. This paper critically analyses how biotechnological, genetic and information tools can contribute to accelerating the release of improved, drought-tolerant wheat cultivars. Armed with such information from established models, it will be possible to elucidate the physiological basis of drought tolerance and to select genotypes with an improved yield under water-limited conditions.     

卡泊芬净联合复方磺胺甲噁唑治疗艾滋病合并肺孢子菌肺炎

目的探讨卡泊芬净联合复方磺胺甲噁唑(TMP-SMX)治疗艾滋病合并肺孢子菌肺炎(PCP)的疗效。方法回顾性总结分析9例艾滋病合并肺孢子菌肺炎的临床资料,包括临床特点及诊疗经过。结果 9例患者临床诊断PCP成立,经卡泊芬净联合TMP-SMX抗PCP治疗后,除1例死亡(老年患者合并慢性支气管炎病史)外,其余8例均得到满意疗效。结论卡泊芬净联合TMP-SMX治疗艾滋病合并PCP,可达到良好的治疗效果。     

Absorption of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by bark chips and its role in microbial PCP degradation

A pentachlorophenol (PCP)-degrading mixed bacterial population was enriched in a biofilter filled with soft wood bark chips. We found that bark chips were essential for the degradation to proceed at PCP concentrations higher than 10M. PCP-degrading bacteria were found to be extremely sensitive to PCP. Bark chips absorbed PCP reversibly, thus detoxifying the medium and allowing degradation to proceed at higher concentrations of PCP (beyond 200M).     

Billions for biodefense: federal agency biodefense budgeting, FY2005-FY2006

Since 2001, the United States government has spent substantial resources on preparing the nation against a bioterrorist attack. An earlier article analyzed the civilian biodefense funding by the federal government from fiscal years 2001 through 2005. This article updates those figures with budgeted amounts for fiscal year 2006, specifically analyzing the budgets and allocations for biodefense at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of State.     

国家自然科学基金微生物学学科2000-2006年度资助面上项目概况及分析

对国家自然科学基金2000～2006年度资助微生物学各分支学科面上项目的数量和经费情况进行了总结分析,试图详细地展示我国微生物学各分支学科基础研究概况,指明了在未来一段时间里国家自然科学基金资助微生物学学科的重点研究方向。