氢气生物医学研究进展

氢气以其安全、有效、渗透性强、代谢产物只有水等特点,逐渐进入医学研究者和临床工作者的视野,并在近年来快速发展。大量研究证明,氢气对于包括肿瘤、炎症损伤、代谢疾病、神经性疾病等百余种疾病具有潜在的治疗作用。2020年新型冠状病毒肺炎（新冠肺炎）疫情全球大流行期间,氢气在新冠肺炎辅助治疗中也崭露头角。对氢气在生物医学的动物学、细胞学和临床研究领域的研究进展进行了总结,并主要综述了氢气在代谢性疾病、神经退行性疾病、急救和创伤医学以及肿瘤领域的研究进展,以期为氢气在生物医学领域的应用研究提供参考。     

临近闪烁分析技术在生命科学研究中的新进展

起源于放射免疫分析的临近闪烁分析法(scintillation proximity assay,SPA)是一种均相、灵敏、快速和简便的基于闪烁载体的分析平台.放射性标记分子和亲和标签分子的多样化和商业化,以及液闪计数器和液相操作等技术的发展,使得SPA操作具有无需分离、被测目标分子易于固定和检测的优势.SPA已成为高通量检测的重要方法,广范应用于筛选药物靶点及先导化合物筛选、药物作用机理研究,以及病毒、肿瘤标志物等抗原的高通量检测.本文在简要介绍SPA技术的原理及系统分析SPA操作中环境、条件对测试结果影响的基础上,比较全面地介绍了SPA技术在生物学研究中的应用,尤其是在膜蛋白和细胞水平上的应用进展,介绍了应用实例,归纳了国内研究人员开展相关技术应用与技术创新的制约因素,给出了未来的发展趋势.基于SPA的生物学应用技术创新必然提升我们对细胞体系生物学的全面理解.     

生态学在现代科学发展中的地位

生态学这个术语由Heckel所首创(1869),在当时并未为学术界所接受,Heckel本人也时以“自然经济学”,时而以“个体生态学”取而代之。尔后,其它生态学家又作过各种不同的解释,如“自然科学史”,“自然界的结构与功能的研究”等,但对生态学解释持反对意见的也不乏其人,如俄国著名的植物生理学家季米里亚捷夫直到最后才放弃自己的意     

不同处理方法对海稻米中γ-氨基丁酸提取率的影响

以海稻米为研究对象,研究提取温度、提取溶剂、料液比、提取时间、提取次数等5个因素对海稻米中γ 氨基丁酸（GABA）提取率的影响,采用正交试验分析方法确定海稻米中GABA最优工艺条件。结果表明：海稻米中GABA的最佳提取工艺为：提取溶剂为水、提取时间为1 h、提取次数3次、提取温度60 ℃、提取物料比1 g∶15 mL,在此提取条件下的提取率为6.2μg/g。     

快速PCR方法在法医DNA检验中的研究进展

目前法医DNA检验应用的短串联重复序列(short tandem repeat,STR)复合扩增系统均依赖于荧光标记的多重PCR方法。常规DNA检验流程包括提取、定量、扩增、分离和检测,而多重PCR扩增常常是整个过程中的限速步骤,完成28~30个循环大约需要3 h。以往常利用商业化的热循环仪和热稳定DNA聚合酶,但需要很长的PCR循环时间才能够确保100~400 bp的目标片段得到有效且均衡的复合扩增。随着各种缩短扩增时间方法的出现,STR复合扩增不再需要3 h,而是可以减少到几十分钟甚至十几分钟。现主要总结了快速PCR、直接PCR、芯片PCR以及其他快速扩增等方法的研究现状与进展,尤其是在法医DNA检验领域,同时对比了几种常见快速PCR扩增方法,可见缩短扩增时间对DNA检验的意义重大。未来,以芯片为主导、快速检验为目的的全自动、便携式、集成化的DNA分析系统,将使得法医DNA检验从实验室走进案件现场,甚至日常生活,实现真正的快速即时检验。     

Women in Science

To coincide with International Women's Day, Genome Biology asked several female scientists about their experience of an academic career, how they managed to balance an active research career with family life, and what should be done to encourage more women to pursue research careers to stop the 'leaky' pipeline.     

Ethics in Science

Ethics are a set of moral principles and values a civilized society follows. Doing science with principles of ethics is the bedrock of scientific activity. The society trusts that the results and the projected outcome of any scientific activity is based on an honest and conscientious attempt by the scientific community. However, during the last few decades, there has been an explosion of knowledge and the advent of digital age. We can access the publications of competitors with just a “click”. The evaluation parameters have evolved a lot and are based on impact factors, h-index and citations. There is a general feeling that the scientific community is under a lot of pressure for fulfilling the criteria for upward growth and even retention of the positions held. The noble profession of scientific research and academics has been marred by the temptation to falsify and fabricate data, plagiarism and other unethical practices. Broadly speaking, the breach of ethics involves: plagiarism, falsification of data, redundant (duplicate) publication, drawing far-fetched conclusions without hard data, for early publicity, gift authorship (receiving as well as giving), not giving sufficient attention and consideration to scholars and post-docs as per the norms, self promotion at the cost of team-members, treating colleagues (overall all juniors) in a feudal way and Machiavellianism (cunningness and duplicity in general conduct and push to positions of power and pelf). Misconduct in Indian academics and science is also under a lot of focus. It is important and urgent that science, engineering, and health departments and institutions in our country have in place systems for education and training in pursuit of science with ethics by sound and professional courses in Responsible Conduct of Research. All research and academic institution must have the Office of Ethics for information, guidelines, training and professional oversight of conduct of research with the ethos and ethics of research.