Snake Venom C-Type Lectin Related Proteins Up-to-date

The research projects were supported by aresearch scholarship from the National Universityof Singapore,Singapore and by a fund from TheNational Bureau of Foreign Talents,China[2 0 0 1 -1 51 ] .1　 Introduction　　 L ectins are generally considered to be non-enzymatic proteins which selectively bind to spe-cific carbohydrate structure.Animal C- typelectins are a group of proteins which have carbo-hydrate- recognition domains (CRDs) in theirstructures and require calcium ion for their lig-…     

Guest Editor＇s Forward

This is the special issue devoted to bioinformatics research in Singapore. Bioinformatics research in Singapore started largely in 1996 when the Bioinformatics Center, National University of Singapore, was formed. With the government＇s efforts to turn Singapore into a powerhouse of biomedical research, the Genome Institute of Singapore and the Bioinformatics Institute of Singapore have been established since 2000. Recently, a bioinformatics research center was also formed in the Nanyang Technological University. Currently, there are a large number of bioinformatics research teams in each of these institutions.     

SCIENCE IN CHINA (SCIENTIA SINICA)

Aims and ScopeScience in China is a comprehensive academic journal of natural sciences sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sci-ences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.The primary purpose is to provide regular,rapid and au-thoritative reviews of current important developments in scientific research in China for scientific workers in China andother countries.The contents are selected by an extensive editorial committee which is composed of the most highly     

Conference summary

From August 7-14, 2006, the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）, and the Overseas Chinese Entomologists Association （OCEA）, convened a ＂Summer Training Workshop on Modern Entomology and New Technology＂ in Beijing, China. The workshop was held at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and attracted 130 attendees from 27 research institutes and universities in China. There were 36 talks presented by 21 entomologists. Among them were one prestigious CAS Albert Einstein Visiting Professorship, Prof. Randy Gaugler, 18 scientists from the USA, and three entomologists from the Institute of Zoology. Topics at the workshop covered diverse areas including insect molecular biology, chemical ecology, behavior, immunology, cell biology, toxicology and so on. The workshop was financed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Notice for Contributors of Cell Research

Aims and ScopesCell Research, a peer-reviewed journal that publishes worldwide new original achievements articles of basic researchin English, plus reviews, features and special report or analyses of current research in Cell and Molecular Biology,aims to the promotion of scientific exchanges between China and all other parts of the world. Our offices in Shanghai,Bethesda, MD, Piscataway, NJ, Toronto, Oxford and London welcome submissions from scientists of all parts in theworld.About the journalCell Research was founded by Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1990 and sponsoredby Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciencesfrom 2002. It was awarded one of the most important science journals in China Journal Array approved by NationalJournalism Administration of China and supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and ChineseAcademy of Sciences. The journal is indexed in Index Medicus,     

Instructions for Authors

<正>Aims and scope SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences(Sci China Life Sci)is a journal supervised by the Chinese Academy of Sciences,and co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and National Natural Science Foundation of China.It is published monthly in English by Science China Press and Springer.The journal is indexed/abstracted in SCI,Pub Med,MEDLINE,BIOSIS,CA,etc.Sci China Life Sci publishes authoritative reviews,high-quality original research papers,CUSBEA article series,insight,letter to the     

Instructions for Authors

正Aims and scope SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences(Sci China Life Sci)is a journal supervised by the Chinese Academy of Sciences,and co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and National Natural Science Foundation of China.It is published monthly in English by Science China Press and Springer.The journal is indexed/abstracted in SCI,Pub Med,MEDLINE,BIOSIS,CA,etc.Sci China Life Sci publishes authoritative reviews,high-quality original research papers,CUSBEA article series,insight,letter to the     

The nitrogen cycle, scientific uncertainty and policy relevant science

Much of the research on the nitrogen cycle aims to improving scientific understanding but is not focused specifically on removing or reducing the scientific uncertainties that constrain policy makers in the formulation of appropriate responses to old or emerging environmental problems. Policy makers, for example, commonly find it difficult to assess the spatial or temporal importance of the various risks to human and ecosystem health that stem from man's interference with the natural N cycle. This paper will justify this conclusion by reference to the findings of a recent study on non-point pollution from crop production in China. The findings concern the perceived risks of groundwater nitrate to human health; uncertainties about critical NOX levels and their interactions with other pollutants; various other dimensions of man's impact on the N cycle. The paper will go on to suggest a more systematic process or pathway by which scientists can select and design their research in a manner that could give more effective support to policy makers.     

What actually is the Münch hypothesis?A short history of assimilate transport by mass flow

In the 1920s,the German forestry scientist Ernst Münch postulated that photo-assimilate transport is a mass flow driven by osmotically induced pressure gradients between source organs(high turgor) and sink organs(lower turgor). Two crucial components of Münch's hypothesis,the translocation by mass flow from sources to sinks and the osmotic mechanism of pressure flow,were established notions at the time,but had been developed by two institutionally separated groups of scholars. A conceptual separation of whole-plant biology from cellular physiology had followed the institutional separation of forestry science from botany in German-speaking central Europe during the so-called Humboldtian reforms,and was reinforced by the delayed institutionalization of plant physiology as an academic discipline. Münch did not invent a novel concept,but accomplished an integration of the organism-focused and the cell-focused research traditions,reducing the polarization that had evolved when research universities emerged in central Europe. Post-Münch debates about the validity of his hypothesis focused increasingly on the suitability of available research methodologies,especially the electron microscope and the proper interpretation of the results it produced. The present work reconstructs the influence of the dynamic scientific and non-scientific context on the history of the Münch hypothesis.     

Dance education in Singapore: Policy,discourse, and practice

This article provides an overview of dance education in schools in Singapore with regard to physical education, co-curricular activity, initiatives by the National Arts Council's Arts Education unit, and pre-tertiary and tertiary dance programs. In an effort to gain a better understanding of how well the official discourse and the reality of schooling in dance interconnect, a meta-analysis of published articles, conference papers, committee reports, and curricula was conducted. Situated within the larger sociocultural, political, and historical contexts, Singapore presents a curious case for probing the merits and limitations of research, policy initiatives, and policy implementation. In the conclusion, the author argues that the development of a coherent dance education in Singapore requires “fixing” three dilemmas—meritocratic schooling in dance, the ill-defined and exhaustive use of the term “talent,” and the uneven research that has not kept pace with the policy initiatives.     

Training tissue bank operators: the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/National University of Singapore (NUS) 10 years of experience

National University of Singapore (NUS) was appointed by IAEA to become IAEA/NUS Regional Training Centre (RTC) for Asia and the Pacific region in September 1996. The Government of Singapore (represented by the Ministry of Environment) with the National Science and Technology Board as the funding agency awarded a grant of S$225,500 to build a new purpose-built tissue bank to be the Regional Training Centre. National University Hospital provided a space of 2,000 square feet for this purpose. The first Diploma Course was launched on 3 November 1997 with 17 candidates with the first NUS Diploma Examination being held in October 1998. Between November 1997 and April 2007, a total of nine courses were conducted by RTC with a total of 180 tissue bank operators, 133 from Asia and the Pacific region (13 countries including 2 from Iran), 14 from Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Egypt, South Africa and Zambia), 6 from Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Peru and Uruguay), 9 from Europe (Greece, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine) and 2 from Australia. The last batch (ninth batch) involved twenty students registered in April 2007 and will be due to sit for the terminal examination only in April 2008.     

The impact of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) program on radiation and tissue banking in Singapore

The National University Hospital (NUH) Tissue Bank was established in October 1988. The National University of Singapore (NUS) was officially appointed by IAEA to be the IAEA/NUS Regional Training Centre (RTC) for RCA Member States for training of tissue bank operators on September 18, 1996. In the first five years since its establishment the National University Hospital Tissue Bank concentrated its work on the sterile procurement and production of deep frozen femoral heads and were used in patients for bone reconstruction. The cost of producing these tissues were about SGD$ 250 per femoral head although cost fees were initially charged at SGD$ 50 per femoral head. The most important activity carried out by Singapore within the IAEA was training. Between November 1997 and April 2007, a total of nine courses were conducted by RTC with a total of 180 tissue bank operators registered, 133 from Asia and the Pacific region (13 countries, including 2 from Iran), 14 from Africa (Zambia, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa), 6 from Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Peru, and Uruguay), 9 from Europe (Greece, Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine), and 2 from Australia. The last batch (ninth batch) involved 20 students registered in April 2007 and will be due to sit for the terminal examination in April 2008.     

Life cycle emissions and energy study of biodiesel derived from waste cooking oil and diesel in Singapore

Background, aim and scope  

Biodiesel derived from Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) is considered highly environmentally sustainable since WCO is a waste product from domestic and commercial cooking processes and then recycled to a transportation fuel in Singapore. In addition, it avoids the conversion of land use for crop production. This is a strong advantage for Singapore which has relatively smaller land space than other countries. The import of virgin oil as feedstock into Singapore is also avoided. Therefore, the more appropriate feedstock to produce biodiesel in Singapore context is WCO. According to the National Environment Agency, diesel vehicles in Singapore contribute 50% of the total particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM_0.25) emissions to air ambient. Hence, the aim of this life cycle assessment study was to compare the environmental performances of biodiesel derived from WCO and low sulphur diesel in terms of global warming potential, life cycle energy efficiency (LCEE) and fossil energy ratio (FER) using the life cycle inventory. The results of this study would serve as a reference for energy policy makers and environmental agencies.     

IAEA/NUS Distance Learning Diploma Training Course for Tissue Bank Operators – Past, Present and Future

National University Hospital (NUH) Tissue Bank as the Regional Training Centre for Asia Pacific Region provided National University of Singapore (NUS) Diploma Course in Tissue Banking - a long distance diploma course since 1997. To date, five batches have participated - 94 tissue bank operators. Sixty-three tissue bank operators have convocated with NUS Diploma in Tissue Banking.From Regional Co-operative Agreement (RCA) Project, RAS 7/008 technology transfer was effected to Latin America and to Africa.A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and NUS in July 2002 making Singapore the International Training Centre. An Internet NUS Diploma Course in Tissue Banking has been developed by IAEA and NUS. The first on-line diploma course will be launched in 2003.     

The damselfishes (Pisces: Osteichthyes: Pomacentridae) of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore: systematics,ecology and conservation

Damselfishes (Pomacentridae) are among the most common of reef fishes in tropical seas, comprising 320 species in all, with 268 species alone in the Indo-West Pacific regions. 15 genera (Abudefduf, Amblyglyphidodon, Amphiprion, Chelioprion, Chromis, Chrysiptera, Dascyllus, Pristotis, Dischistodus, Hemiglyphidodon, Neoglyphidodon, Neopomacentrus, Plectroglyphidodon, Pomacentrus, Stegastes) and at least 39 species inhabit the waters of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. They are important ecologically because many species are extremely abundant in reefs, and also economically, as several are collected in large numbers for the lucrative aquarium trade. This demand has led to some fishermen using destructive methods in obtaining the fishes, to the point that original standing populations may not be recoverable. This threat poses a need for conservation of the reefs. The present study based primarily on fishes collected from the waters of Singapore and specimens from the Zoological Reference Collection at the National University of Singapore, will serve the dual purpose of establishing a current species list for Malaysia and Singapore, and to update and clarify the local taxonomy of the group. An annotated list (with localities) is provided of the known or reported species to aid studies on reefs.     

Next issue (November 2007): Singapore Biotech Crossroads

Edited by Dr. Michael Entzeroth, Singapore Highlight articles: – Singapore's biomedical sciences landscape – Re-starting malaria research at NITD – CombinatoRx moves its molecular speed-dating to Singapore – UK-Singapore relationships in life sciences – AMRI and Singapore: Driving discovery in Asia – Function of SIRT1 Deacetylase in Oncology – The chakragati mouse: rapid in vivo antipsychotic drug screening – Neuroscience drug discovery in Singapore ... and much more: Read the next issue of BTJ!     

Sources of fungal linamarases

Forty-four strains of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma and Rhizopus were grown on a liquid medium containing glucose and cassava-root extract. All of the Aspergillus and Fusarium strains, eight out of 10 Penicillium strains and three of seven Trichoderma strains showed linamarase activity. No such activity was detected in any Rhizopus strain. The crude enzyme preparation from F. oxysporum had the highest affinity for linamarin whereas that from A. nidulans was the most heat-stable.The authors are with the Department of Botany, National University of Singapore. Kent Ridge. Singapore 0511     

Homograft banking in Singapore: two years of cardiovascular tissue banking in Southeast Asia

Established in 2008, the National Cardiovascular Homograft Bank (NCHB) has been instrumental in creating an available supply of cardiovascular tissues for implantation in Singapore. This article introduces its collaboration with Singapore General Hospital Skin Bank Unit. The procedure of homograft recovery, processing, cryopreservation and quality assurance are presented. Since its establishment, the NCHB has followed the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health Singapore and the American Association of Tissue Banks. A total of 57 homografts had been recovered and 40 homografts were determined to be suitable for clinical use. The most significant reasons for non-clinical use are positive microbiological culture or unsuitable graft condition. Crucial findings prompted reviews and implementation of new procedures to improve the safety of homograft recipients. These include (1) a change in antibiotic decontamination regime from penicillin and streptomycin to amikacin and vancomycin after a review and (2) mandating histopathogical examination since the discovery of cardiac sarcoidosis in a previously undiagnosed donor. Further, the NCHB also routinely performs dengue virus screening, for donors suspected of dengue infection. Cultural factors which affect the donation rate are also briefly explored. By 2010, 31 homografts had been implanted into recipients with congenital or acquired heart valve conditions. More than half of these recipients were children. Post-operative outcomes had been encouraging, with no report of adverse events attributed to implanted homografts.