基因治疗20年

1990年9月14日美国NIH临床中心首次采用基因治疗成功治愈腺苷脱氨酶（ADA）基因缺陷而患重度联合免疫缺损和免疫系统功能低下疾患,至今已整整20年,其发展迅速,从单纯的重组技术导入基因DNA发展到了涵盖DNA和RNA两个干预水平、和基因上调（如基因增补、矫正、置换等）及下调（基因失活）的两大策略,近年来的进展使得基因治疗登入《Science》杂志2009年度十大科学进展,我国在基因治疗领域诞生了第一个上市药物,有10多个制剂临床前和多个在临床研究。基因治疗在遗传病治疗中具备巨大潜力,已经成为当代生命科学中最有前景的研究方向之一。     

Brain dopamine receptors: 20 Years of progress

I present a brief overview of the contribution of Paul Greengard's laboratory to the field of dopamine receptor research. I show that the work on the biochemical pharmacology of dopamine receptors was part of the intellectual foundation for the division of dopamine receptors into two general pharmacological categories.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Paul Greengard.     

Forest Soil Chemistry and Mesofauna 20 Years After an Amelioration Fertilization

Abstract Soil chemical properties and soil mesofauna composition were assessed at a forest site in northern Austria, where 20 years earlier an amelioration treatment had been performed. The site had been treated with limestone, a high P slag, and ammonium nitrate to replace the poorly growing pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest with a Norway spruce (Picea abies) stand. This treatment was at that time a common means for the amelioration of nutrient‐poor forest soils with recalcitrant forest floor layers. After treatment, a dense cover of a nitrophilic stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) developed. Most likely, the site had been over‐fertilized, and inadvertently, an experiment with extreme N enrichment had been conducted. The abundance of collembolans increased, and dominance structure shifted from Isotomiella minor, Lipothrix lubbocki, and Isotoma notabilis at fertilizer treatment to Friesea mirabilis, Isotomiella minor, and Sphaeridia pumilis in the control, but the abundance of soil mesofauna generally decreased in the fertilizer treatment. Fertilization reduced the mass of the litter layer from 7.6 to 2.4 kg/m². The total carbon pool in the soil was reduced due to reduction of the litter layer. However, the content of soil organic matter in the upper mineral soil was significantly increased. A part of the applied and mineralized nitrogen had been lost from the soil, but N retention in the upper mineral soil was still considerable. Soil pH and the base saturation were sustainably increased. Carbon losses upon mineralization of the litter layer were not offset by the increase in C content of the mineral soil. Presently, the C pool in the soil of the fertilized treatment is lower than in the control. However, the overall nutrient enrichment of the soil may facilitate C sequestration in the fertilized site in the future.     

单克隆抗体药物风雨飘摇20年

1986年,美国FDA批准了第一个单克隆抗体药物上市.迄今,全世界共有21个治疗用抗体药物被批准上市,实现300亿美元的销售额,促进了国际、国内抗体药物的开发热潮.巨大的市场前景和亟待克服的技术问题及壁垒并存的现实不可避免地引发抗体药物的新一轮技术革命,而其结果又将毫无疑问地改变抗体药物的市场格局.抗体药物的研究和开发能否真正成为中国生物技术药物开启国际市场大门的新钥匙？何为我们首选的切入点？我们又该如何形成自己的特色和竞争优势？回顾国际抗体药物20年风雨飘摇的发展经历,总结其中的经验教训,无疑会给我们一些有益的启示.     

Salt Marsh Restoration in Connecticut: 20 Years of Science and Management

In 1980 the State of Connecticut began a tidal marsh restoration program targeting systems degraded by tidal restrictions and impoundments. Such marshes become dominated by common reed grass (Phragmites australis) and cattail (Typha angustifolia and T. latifolia), with little ecological connection to Long Island Sound. The management and scientific hypothesis was that returning tidal action, reconnecting marshes to Long Island Sound, would set these systems on a recovery trajectory. Specific restoration targets (i.e., pre‐disturbance conditions or particular reference marshes) were considered unrealistic. However, it was expected that with time restored tides would return ecological functions and attributes characteristic of fully functioning tidal salt marshes. Here we report results of this program at nine separate sites within six marsh systems along 110 km of Long Island Sound shoreline, with restoration times of 5 to 21 years. Biotic parameters assessed include vegetation, macroinvertebrates, and use by fish and birds. Abiotic factors studied were soil salinity, elevation and tidal flooding, and soil water table depth. Sites fell into two categories of vegetation recovery: slow, ca. 0.5%, or fast, more than 5% of total area per year. Although total cover and frequency of salt marsh angiosperms was positively related to soil salinity, and reed grass stand parameters negatively so, fast versus slow recovery rates could not be attributed to salinity. Instead, rates appear to reflect differences in tidal flooding. Rapid recovery was characterized by lower elevations, greater hydroperiods, and higher soil water tables. Recovery of other biotic attributes and functions does not necessarily parallel those for vegetation. At the longest studied system (rapid vegetation recovery) the high marsh snail Melampus bidentatus took two decades to reach densities comparable with a nearby reference marsh, whereas the amphipod Orchestia grillus was well established on a slow‐recovery marsh, reed grass dominated after 9 years. Typical fish species assemblages were found in restoration site creeks and ditches within 5 years. Gut contents of fish in ditches and on the high marsh suggest that use of restored marsh as foraging areas may require up to 15 years to reach equivalence with reference sites. Bird species that specialize in salt marshes require appropriate vegetation; on the oldest restoration site, breeding populations comparable with reference marshland had become established after 15 years. Use of restoration sites by birds considered marsh generalists was initially high and was still nearly twice that of reference areas even after 20 years. Herons, egrets, and migratory shorebirds used restoration areas extensively. These results support our prediction that returning tides will set degraded marshes on trajectories that can bring essentially full restoration of ecological functions. This can occur within two decades, although reduced tidal action can delay restoration of some functions. With this success, Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection established a dedicated Wetland Restoration Unit. As of 1999 tides have been restored at 57 separate sites along the Connecticut coast.     

中国蝙蝠核型研究20年存在的问题与展望

对20年来中国蝙蝠核型研究的现状进行了概述,在已有的研究中,报道了39种蝙蝠的核型,中国尚有2/3的蝙蝠种类未进行核型分析。针对以往研究论文中存在部分种类鉴定有误、图表欠准确合理和研究方法上的问题,提出了将蝙蝠核型研究与细胞分类和核型进化相结合的建议,以提高我国蝙蝠研究水平和论文质量。     

近 20 年国外系统保护规划研究进展及启示

运用系统保护规划（SCP）的方法建立保护地（protected area）对生物多样性资源及其所提供的生态系统服务价值具有重要保护作用。笔者归纳总结了自 19 世纪 80 年代以来系统保护规划思想产生和发展的历程,随后基于近 20 年来系统保护规划相关文献,梳理得到现阶段影响保护规划最为核心的两大背景—气候变化及生态系统服务,此背景对系统保护规划六步法关键步骤的研究动态产生深刻影响,并推动了新的研究进展的产生,其中涵盖了规划理念更新、保护目标多元化、数据及模型算法拓展、管理框架变更。笔者结合中国的自然保护地规划背景和相关实践,从关键内容、监测评估、实施管理 3 个方面提出未来的研究方向,以期通过借鉴国际上保护规划的方法、工具、经验对完善中国的保护地体系构建的实践提供参考。     

Light Activates Output from Evening Neurons and Inhibits Output from Morning Neurons in the Drosophila Circadian Clock

Animal circadian clocks are based on multiple oscillators whose interactions allow the daily control of complex behaviors. The Drosophila brain contains a circadian clock that controls rest–activity rhythms and relies upon different groups of PERIOD (PER)–expressing neurons. Two distinct oscillators have been functionally characterized under light-dark cycles. Lateral neurons (LNs) that express the pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) drive morning activity, whereas PDF-negative LNs are required for the evening activity. In constant darkness, several lines of evidence indicate that the LN morning oscillator (LN-MO) drives the activity rhythms, whereas the LN evening oscillator (LN-EO) does not. Since mutants devoid of functional CRYPTOCHROME (CRY), as opposed to wild-type flies, are rhythmic in constant light, we analyzed transgenic flies expressing PER or CRY in the LN-MO or LN-EO. We show that, under constant light conditions and reduced CRY function, the LN evening oscillator drives robust activity rhythms, whereas the LN morning oscillator does not. Remarkably, light acts by inhibiting the LN-MO behavioral output and activating the LN-EO behavioral output. Finally, we show that PDF signaling is not required for robust activity rhythms in constant light as opposed to its requirement in constant darkness, further supporting the minor contribution of the morning cells to the behavior in the presence of light. We therefore propose that day–night cycles alternatively activate behavioral outputs of the Drosophila evening and morning lateral neurons.     

Epidemiology of Tropical Neglected Diseases in Ecuador in the Last 20 Years

Background

Tropical and zoonotic diseases are major problems in developing countries like Ecuador. Poorly designed houses, the high proportion of isolated indigenous population and under developed infrastructure represent a fertile environment for vectors to proliferate. Control campaigns in Ecuador over the years have had varying success, depending on the disease and vectors targeted.

Aims

In our study we analyse the current situation of some neglected diseases in Ecuador and the efficiency of the control campaigns (by measuring changes in numbers of cases reported) that the Ecuadorian government has been running to limit the spread of these infectious and parasitic diseases.

Results

Our study reveals that Brucellosis, Chagas Disease, Rabies and Onchocerciasis have been controlled, but small outbreaks are still detected in endemic areas. Leptospirosis and Echinococcosis have been increasing steadily in recent years in Ecuador since the first records. The same increase has been reported world-wide also. Better diagnosis has resulted in a higher number of cases being identified, particularly with regard to the linking of outdoor activities and contact with farm animals as contributing vectors. Improvements in diagnosis are due to regular professional training, implementation of automatized systems, establishing diagnosis protocols and the creation of an epidemiological vigilance network that acts as soon as a case is reported.

Conclusion

Control campaigns performed in Ecuador have been successful in recent years, although natural phenomena limit their efficiency. Leptospirosis and Echinococcosis infections remain a growing problem in Ecuador as it is worldwide.     

Patents and technology transfer.

Although the discovery and transfer of technology from universities to industry has been taking place for many years, the surge of activity in areas related to biotechnology, over the past fifteen years, has been remarkable. As the very essence of university research requires rapid publication of results, it is particularly important that timely patenting activity take place if an orderly and profitable transfer of technology is to occur.     

近20年疏勒河流域生态承载力和生态需水研究

水资源是一切生物赖以生存和不可替代的基本自然资源,生态需水在维持流域生态系统平衡和生态承载力可持续性方面扮演着极其重要的角色,干旱区内陆河流域尤为突出。以疏勒河流域和其所辖县区为不同尺度区域,利用LandsatTM/ETM+/OLI遥感数据(30 m分辨率),解译该流域近20年5期土地利用数据,同时在收集和整理流域多年水文水资源基础数据的基础上,以流域生态需水为研究主线,运用多学科方法和原理,结合遥感技术、GIS技术,通过现场调查和观测,计算了流域及其所辖县区近20年生态承载力和天然植被生态需水量。结果表明:近20年来,伴随流域生态承载力的增加,生态需水量也呈增加趋势,两者呈非常明显的正相关关系,相关系数达0.6076;县域尺度上,生态需水与生态承载力正相关关系也较高,其中林、草地的生态需水与生态承载力拟合优度R~2分别达0.8519、0.7235,说明林、草地生态承载力的变化对生态需水变化的解释能力更强,二者之间的关系更为紧密;基于空间热点分析,该流域生态承载力和生态需水的热点和冷点区域均呈现相似的空间格局,说明二者之间在空间尺度上也呈正相关关系。研究结论可为疏勒河流域生态水资源量的科学配置和调控提供重要的决策依据。