Clinical ethics and nursing: "yes" to caring, but "no" to a female ethics of care

According to a contemporary school of thought there is a specific female approach to ethics which is based not on abstract "male" ethical principles or rules, but on "care". Nurses have taken a keen interest in these female approaches to ethics. Drawing on the views expounded by Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings, nurses claim that a female "ethics of care" better captures their moral experiences than a traditional male "ethics of justice". This paper argues that "care" is best understood in a dispositional sense, that is, as sensitivity and responsiveness to the particularities of a situation and the needs of "concrete" others. While "care", in this sense, is necessary for ethics, it is not sufficient. Ethics needs "justice" as well as "care". If women and nurses excessively devalue principles and norms, they will be left without the theoretical tools to condemn some actions or practices, and to defend others. They will, like generations of nurses before them, be condemned to silence.     

Comparative morphology of tissues when using polypropylene and polytetrafluoretilen prostheses

The synthetic mesh is widely used for treatment of hernias. We conducted a comparative study of the morphological pattern of inflammation, the cellular composition of tissues and dynamics of scar formation in mice when using implants "Esfil" and "Unifleks" under influence of single and double injection of cultured fibroblast and without such injection to the region of stents location. A more pronounced inflammatory reaction during the study period of investigation was observed in the case of "Esfil". In the late period of the study, a higher percentage of fibroblasts was observed in the case of the prosthesis "Unifleks" compared to the prosthesis "Esfil". Injection of cultured fibroblasts modifies the curve of the dynamics of the inflammatory process by making it smoother in the case of both prostheses. So, more preferred is the use of prostheses "Unifleks".     

The ovalbumin split gene: molecular cloning of Eco RI fragments "c" and "d".

The Eco RI fragments "c" and "d" of the ovalbumin gene (1, 2) have been isolated by molecular cloning. Restriction enzyme mapping and electron microscopy have confirmed that the two fragments contain the same ovalbumin mRNA coding sequences. These sequences are split into two regions which have been mapped in fragments "c" and "d". There is no evidence that the ovalbumin mRNA sequences contained in these fragments could be further interrupted. Our results confirm that the presence of Eco RI fragment "d" in some chickens is due to the existence of an allelic variant of the ovalbumin gene which contains an additional Eco RI site within the region corresponding to Eco RI fragment "c". This additional Eco RI site appears to be the main difference between the two alleles. Finally, our results provide a direct demonstration that most of the ovalbumin mRNA sequences are encoded for by Eco RI fragments "a", "b" and "c".     

CLINICAL ETHICS AND NURSING: "YES" TO CARING, BUT "NO" TO A FEMALE ETHICS OF CARE

According to a contemporary school of thought there is a specific female approach to ethics which is based not on abstract "male" ethical principles or rules, but on "care". Nurses have taken a keen interest in these female approaches to ethics. Drawing on the views expounded by Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings, nurses claim that a female "ethics of care" better captures their moral experiences than a traditional male "ethics of justice". This paper argues that "care" is best understood in a dispositional sense, that is, as sensitivity and responsiveness to the particularities of a situation and the needs of "concrete" others. While "care", in this sense, is necessary for ethics, it is not sufficient. Ethics needs "justice" as well as "care". If women and nurses excessively devalue principles and norms, they will be left without the theoretical tools to condemn some actions or practices, and to defend others. They will, like generations of nurses before them, be condemned to silence.     

"Matrigenin" activity from bovine bone--III. Effects on glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans of human synovial cells in culture

1. Human synovial fibroblastic cells were cultured in the presence and absence of an extract from bovine bone containing "matrigenin" activity. The rate of incorporation of radioactivity into the glycosaminoglycans of the medium of "matrigenin"-treated cultures increased after 24 hr of incubation, compared to "controls". 2. Higher serum concentrations had a greater effect on the incorporation of radioactivity into hyaluronic acid synthesized by "matrigenin"-treated cultures, than by "controls". 3. Incorporation of radioactive precursors into the proteoglycans isolated from the medium was greater in the "matrigenin"-treated cultures than in "controls". The synthesis of a large mol. wt proteoglycan was specifically stimulated.     

Report on the round-table discussion of the subject "idea and experience" in connection with the 1977 annual meeting "process kinetics" of the German Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina (Halle/S., October 16, 1977)]

A report is given about a round-table-discussion upon the role and meaning of "idea and experience" in the creative scientific process. Notable representatives of mathematics, theoretical physics and geophysics, chemistry, theoretical and general experimental biology, and of medicine contribute in the discussion guided by C. F. V. WEIZSACKER to this theme from point of view of their disciplines. The components of meaning of "idea and experience" in their connection one to another may be paraphrased by such pairs of terms as "theory and practice", "theoretical or empirical", "law and appearance of a single phenomenon", "unity and diversity", abstract and concrete". It was demonstrated that in each of the mentioned scientific disciplines there is a natural, and that, starting from mathematics and going to biology and medicine, the weight in that relation will shift more and more to "experience". Many of the known methodological problems and difficulties will arise in the mentioned scientific branches if one stresses immoderately only one component of "idea and experience" by leaving the natural, discipline-related range of variation of the relation "idea and experience".     

Supermolecular organization of aminotransferases and dehydrogenases of alpha-ketoacid from rat brain mitochondria

A fraction of coarse mitochondria from the rat brain was deposited after short-term effect of supersound to obtain "metabolones". Activity of dehydrogenases of alpha-ketoacids, succinate dehydrogenase, aspartate-, alanine- and GABA-alpha-ketoglutarate amino-transferases has been determined in the supernatant liquid and in "metabolones". It is shown that dehydrogenase activity is mainly (93-100%) localized in "metabolones", while the level of aminotransferase activity in the latter is lower (72-94%). Nonproportionally high activity of aminotransferases in the supernatant liquid is found to considerably suprpass a decrease in activity of these enzymes in "metabolones" against a background of extremely scanty losses of protein (within 5%) induced by the supersound effect. A hypothetic model of a "metabolone" containing the enzymes of the Krebbs cycle and GABA-shunt is suggested.     

Minimal mixture principle as a method of choosing the form of a dynamic model]

The extremality principle for molecular processes in biological systems is considered. The principle is based on an assumption that the main function of biological processes is the separation of the "product" from the "scheme". The form of the dynamical model of the process is determined from the requirement of the "minimum mixture". As an example Selkov's model of glycolysis is considered.     

Corrections

Vol. 30, parts 1 and 2 page 45, line 7 for "Canyon" read "Cayman". page 46 line 27for "2G; 7.xi.l937" read "36; 2.vi.l938". page 50 line 5 for "31" read "27". delete "dredged at 3 &metres". page 50 line 32 for "26; 7.xi.l937" read "30; 2.vi.l938". page 53 line 6 for "19.x.l937" read "8.v.l938". page 10, line 35, for "niiudula" read nitidula. page 21, figure 29, for "L. 8248" read "L. 82482". page 61, line 12, for "holotype (B.M. 43100)" read "syntypes(B.M. 43106, L. 82350)". page 64, line 23, for "Coriopsis" read "Cordiopsis". p. 64, lines 34 and 3G, for "lyell" read "lyellii". page 76, line 37, "Rzymowska 1914" should follow "Taylor (1900)"in line 36. page 77, line 43, for "Xerotrhicha" read "Xerotricha". page 87, line 1, for "twelve" read "ten". page 90, lines 44 and 45, for "marginal (M)" read "lateral",and for "two lateral teeth (L₁ L₂)" read "two marginal teeth".In figure 2, for "esehalent" read "exhalent". pp. 123, 125, 127, 129, headings, for "Pseudoneptunia" read"Pseudoneptunea" p. 124, line 34, for "highgatenis" read "highgatensis". p. 125, The locality of the Sedgwick Museum specimens C. 12891of Siphonalia ferroviae should be given as Titchfield, Hants.,and not as Portsmouth Dock.     

Age-related and carcinogen-induced alterations of the extracellular growth factor requirements for cell proliferation in vitro

Cells from thigh muscles of fetal rats proliferate readily in vitro in medium containing homologous adult rat "plasma". As the donor animals mature, these cells become unable to make DNA and proliferate in "plasma" medium, but retain an ability to proliferate in medium containing fetal bovine serum (FBS). This age-related loss of the ability to proliferate in "plasma"-medium is due to an increasing need by the cells for an exogenous prereplicative promoter which is found in FBS and a crude preparation of bovine luteinizing hormone. Adult cells (and possibly fetal cells) also require a "cycle-completion" factor which is found in FBS and adult rat "plasma". The requirements for such external proliferative promoters is completely eliminated by neoplastic transformation in vivo, and neoplastic adult cells isolated from a nickel sulfide-induced mixed rhabdomyo-fibro-sarcoma can make DNA and proliferate in vitro in the complete absence of exogenous growth factors.     

“藏茵陈”的基原植物和药用亲缘学

详细比较藏药"藏茵陈"基原植物川西獐牙菜及其混淆品(代用品)抱茎獐牙菜、紫红獐牙菜、四数獐牙菜、红直獐牙菜、大籽獐牙菜、狭叶獐牙菜和椭圆叶花锚的外部形态特征及化学成分,澄清了这一类群在分类上的混乱,发现川西獐牙菜与紫红獐牙菜在习性,花部特征,种子形态和化学成分组成等方面相似性最高,印证了核基因ITS序列的结果。同时分析"藏茵陈"混淆的原因是多种来源和形态相似性造成的,讨论了"藏茵陈"鉴定的方法。通过对獐牙菜属系统关系的分析,提出紫红獐牙菜作为川西獐牙菜替代品的理论依据。     

Recognizing scientific excellence in the biology of cell adhesion

The prestigious 2005 Japan Prize for Cell Biology has been awarded to Dr. Masatoshi Takeichi, Director of RIKEN Developmental Biology, Kobe, Japan, and Dr. Erkki Ruoslahti, Distinguished Professor, The Burnham Institute, La Jolla, USA for their "Fundamental contribution in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of cell adhesion". The award is scheduled to be presented to the scientists in ceremonies in Tokyo on April 20, 2005 as part of a week-long celebration of "Japan Prize Week".     

微生物微纳米生物制造的前沿与展望

自然界中微生物种类极为丰富,尺寸涵盖了纳米级与微米级.微生物细胞培养成本低廉,生长繁殖迅速,具有丰富的遗传表现型,因此微生物是可用于纳米、微米以及多层次跨尺度加工的天然“基本单元”和“底盘细胞”.“基于微生物”的生物制造目的是利用微生物的特异结构和多样功能进行仿生和调控,操纵微生物进行加工组装,从而获得新材料、新器件.同时,建立深入研究微生物行为模式的新技术与新方法,为揭示传统方法所未涉及的基本科学问题提供新的平台.以下将分别从纳米和微米两个尺度以及利用微生物的结构或功能两个角度来概述基于微生物的微纳米生物制造的前沿进展.     

SMARThivCD4mos: a complexity-free and cost effective model technology for monitoring HIV patients CD4 number in resource-poor settings

We design a "simple" and "low cost" model technology for monitoring HIV patients CD4 number in resource-poor settings: SMARThivCD4mos. Cost and complexity are the major challenges to the developing world in transferring and implementing HIV surveillance technologies. We previously proposed a "three tests" combo kit model for improving HIV patients monitoring standards in resource-poor settings. From the pool of recommended alternative CD4 counting technologies, our "three tests" combo kit model retained the Capcellia technology for its "simplicity". However, compared to other CD4 counting technologies, such as Dynabeads, the Capcellia technology is "expensive". Here, we describe a cost reduction strategy of the Capcellia technology.     

Functional genomics of UV radiation responses in human cells

Functional foods are "foods and beverages with claimed health benefits based on scientific evidence". Health claims need to be substantiated scientifically. The future of functional foods will heavily rely on proven efficacy in well-controlled intervention studies with human volunteers. In order to have the maximum output of human trials, improvements are needed with respect to study design and optimization of study protocols. Efficacy at realistic intake levels needs to be established in studies with humans via the use of suitable biomarkers, unless the endpoint can be measured directly. The human body is able to deal with chemical entities irrespective of their origin, and the pharmaceutical terms "absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion" have their equivalent when biomarkers are concerned. Whereas only "diurnal variation" or "circadian rhythm" is sometimes considered, little attention is paid to "kinetics of biomarkers". "Kinetics of biomarkers" comprises "formation, distribution, metabolism and excretion". However, this is at present neither an established science nor common practice in nutrition research on functional foods. As a consequence, sampling times and matrices, for example, are chosen on the basis of historical practice and convenience (for volunteers and scientists) but not on the basis of in depth insight. The concept of kinetics of biomarkers is illustrated by a variety of readily comprehensible examples, such as malaria, cholesterol, polyphenols, glutathione-S-transferase alpha, F2-isoprostanes, interleukin-6, and plasma triacylglycerides.     

鳓形态指标体系分析及雌雄鉴别模型

对鳓的形态指标体系进行了主成分分析和R-聚类分析．鳓的形态指标大体可归纳为“大小因子”、“形态因子”和“头型因子”;关于“肥瘦”方面、“长度”方面和“头部”的指标各自的相关较为密切,而这三类指标间的相关较小．在此分析基础上,构建了48个相对指标,并用逐步判别建立了雌雄判别模型,此模型回判的错判率为8．9％．     

萝卜提取物在小鼠体内抗病毒和抗肿瘤作用的研究

实验研究发现,萝卜提取物在小鼠体内有抗病毒和抗肿瘤作用。卫萝卜提取物对受流行性乙型脑炎病毒感染的小鼠有很强的保护作用;萝卜提取物在小鼠体内可抑制网状细胞肉瘤实体瘤的生长,并且可增强自然杀伤细胞的活性。     

鹅掌楸致濒的生态因素研究

鹅掌楸（Liriodendronchinense（Hemsl．）Sarg．）为古老残遗植物,该属植物在第三纪曾广布于北半球。由于第四纪冰川的压力,现存中国鹅掌楸局限星散分布于被称作“避难所”的长江流域以南亚热带山地,其种群大小和结构,受到与其共存的优势树种的竞争压力及人为干扰等多方面因素影响。目前天然分布的鹅掌楸,其种群规模小,在原生境中往往种子饱满率偏低,尤其是位于分布区东部的种群,正处于非适宜的“濒危生境”中。如果物种陷入了因地质历史变化、种间竞争或其他灾难引起的“濒危生境”中,运用迁地保护手段,可有效地保护该物种。     

国内生态安全研究知识图谱——基于Citespace的计量分析

以CSSCI中2000—2011年299篇生态安全研究论文为研究对象,采用文献共被引网络、关键词共现网络及突现词分析,以信息可视化为手段,对国内生态安全研究现状进行了分析。研究发现,目前国内生态安全研究已完成了基础理论和研究体系的架构,但研究网络过于集中,前沿分支较少。生态安全研究起源、生态安全基础理论、生态风险评价、生态系统评价、土地生态安全研究是国内生态安全研究的主要知识群组。国内生态安全研究主题集聚成3条核心路径:"生态安全基础理论研究"路径、"生态安全-生态系统评价-区域生态安全评价-生态预警"路径、"生态安全-生态风险评价-农村资源生态系统-土地生态安全研究-生态预警"路径。生态预警及土地生态安全研究成为当前生态安全的研究前沿,生态安全研究更趋向于对特色性的生态系统进行分析与评价。     

两个不同基因型小麦光抑制特性的比较

比较了两个不同基因型小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)"京411"和"小偃54"的原初光能转化效率、荧光猝灭参数和光合色素对强光胁迫的响应.在正常生长条件下"京411"的光合色素含量高于"小偃54";但在高光强下"京411"出现明显的光抑制,而"小偃54"对高光强的适应上优于"京411"."小偃54"适应高光强的原因是它在高光强下能大幅度地提高叶黄素循环的调控因子抗坏血酸的浓度及紫黄素脱环氧化酶(vDE)的活性,从而加速叶黄素循环对过多光能的耗散过程.