Striving for the development of biology——The celebration of Biomagnelism formally changed into Progress in Modem Biomedicine

ime flies!Biomagnetism magazine has been gradually growing up since it was started publication,which was firstly sponsored by China Biomagnetism Society in 1987 as a restricted publication.The publication was given official number by Ministry of Science and Technology in April,2001,issued by post office in 2003;it was chosen as one of the core periodicals of science and technology in 2004,with influence factor(0.734)and being classified as ninth-rale in periodicals of biology.Upon the approv…     

The biology of ethics or the ethics of biology? The biologist's quest for meaning

The biologist's involvement in value issues concerning the methodology of biological sciences, in establishing the biological basis of ethics and in creating a value system based on biological knowledge is examined. It is proposed that the roots of this involvement are in the conflict of the knowledge-ethic with the established system of values and in the need for metaphysical explanation.This essay is dedicated to the memory of I. Michael Lerner, formerly Professor of Genetics University of California, Berkeley.     

Vanadium in biology—the case of the Amanita toadstools

Abstract

The studies relative to the presence, state and combined form of vanadium in Amanita toadstools are reviewed critically. A possible role for the vanadium containing compound “amavadine” is suggested on the basis of the present knowledge of its structure, thermodynamic stability and oxidation-reduction behaviour.     

Breeding for salt tolerance in crop plants — the role of molecular biology

Salinity in soil affects about 7 % of the land’s surface and about 5 % of cultivated land. Most importantly, about 20 % of irrigated land has suffered from secondary salinisation and 50 % of irrigation schemes are affected by salts. In many hotter, drier countries of the world salinity is a concern in their agriculture and could become a key issue. Consequently, the development of salt resistant crops is seen as an important area of research. Although there has been considerable research into the effects of salts on crop plants, there has not, unfortunately, been a commensurate release of salt tolerant cultivars of crop plants. The reason is likely to be the complex nature of the effect of salts on plants. Given the rapid increase in molecular biological techniques, a key question is whether such techniques can aid the development of salt resistance in plants. Physiological and biochemical research has shown that salt tolerance depends on a range of adaptations embracing many aspects of a plant’s physiology: one of these the compartmentation of ions. Introducing genes for compatible solutes, a key part of ion compartmentation, in salt-sensitive species is, conceptually, a simple way of enhancing tolerance. However, analysis of the few data available suggests the consequences of transformation are not straightforward. This is not unexpected for a multigenic trait where the hierarchy of various aspects of tolerance may differ between and within species. The experimental evaluation of the response of transgenic plants to stress does not always match, in quality, the molecular biology. We have advocated the use of physiological traits in breeding programmes as a process that can be undertaken at the present while more knowledge of the genetic basis of salt tolerance is obtained. The use of molecular biological techniques might aid plant breeders through the development of marker aided selection.     

Insect cells for the study of general problems in biology—Somatic inheritance

A central problem in biology concerns the mechanisms by which linear nucleic acid codes are translated into the 3-dimensional dynamic architecture of cells. The contents of cells are restricted in their movement by skeletons in their nuclei and cytoplasm. Every cell has an individual arrangement of skeletal components, which vary in time and space, while maintaining shape, internal order, and mechanical continuity with neighbouring cells. The precise pattern is realized by gene products that self-assemble at organizing centers oriented by delicate local stresses. However, the epidermis of caterpillars shows that other factors may contribute to skeletal patterns. The epidermis of caterpillars is composed of syncytial cell doublets formed by the retention of midbodies from mitosis to mitosis. It is an epithelium of Siamese twin cells. The interesting feature of these twins is that they have similar or even mirror image nuclear and cytoplasmic patterns. In most cells, sibling similarities are too short-lived to be noticed. In twin cells, the structural similarities are conserved, giving evidence for somatic inheritance, that is the survival and replication from one cell generation to the next of 3-dimensional arrangements that may not be completely specified by the nature and activity of the genetic material.     

Teacher assessment of A-level biology practical notebooks—the development of a system of moderation

From June 1980 onwards most home candidates taking University of London Advanced level Biology are required to submit their practical and fleldwork notebooks to their teachers for an assessment which contributes up to 10 per cent of their final subject mark. This paper describes a trial run assessment of the practical books of 700 candidates, conducted in June 1979, and the statistical moderation procedure produced.     

The Concept of Mainstream Medicine for All Californians—Part II Fifth Progress Report of the Committee on Role of Medicine in Society

This Fifth Progress Report is being printed in three parts in California Medicine. Following the appearance of Part III the report will be bound in a pamphlet which may be ordered at $1 a copy from 693 Sutter Publications, Inc., 693 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California 94102.     

The Concept of Mainstream Medicine for All Californians—Part I Fifth Progress Report of the Committee on Role of Medicine in Society

This Fifth Progress Report is to be printed in three parts in California Medicine. Following the appearance of Part III the report will be bound in a pamphlet which may be ordered at $1 a copy from 693 Sutter Publications, Inc., 693 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California 94102.     

Progress in the development of therapeutic antibodies targeting prion proteins and β-amyloid peptides

Prion diseases and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by protein misfolding, and can lead to dementia. However, prion diseases are infectious and transmissible, while AD is not. The similarities and differences between these diseases have led researchers to perform comparative studies. In the last 2 decades, progress has been made in immunotherapy using anti-prion protein and anti-β-amyloid antibodies. In this study, we review new ideas and strategies for therapeutic antibodies targeting prion diseases and AD through conformation dependence.     

Humidity – The overlooked variable in the thermal biology of mosquito-borne disease

Vector-borne diseases cause significant financial and human loss, with billions of dollars spent on control. Arthropod vectors experience a complex suite of environmental factors that affect fitness, population growth and species interactions across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Temperature and water availability are two of the most important abiotic variables influencing their distributions and abundances. While extensive research on temperature exists, the influence of humidity on vector and pathogen parameters affecting disease dynamics are less understood. Humidity is often underemphasized, and when considered, is often treated as independent of temperature even though desiccation likely contributes to declines in trait performance at warmer temperatures. This Perspectives explores how humidity shapes the thermal performance of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission. We summarize what is known about its effects and propose a conceptual model for how temperature and humidity interact to shape the range of temperatures across which mosquitoes persist and achieve high transmission potential. We discuss how failing to account for these interactions hinders efforts to forecast transmission dynamics and respond to epidemics of mosquito-borne infections. We outline future research areas that will ground the effects of humidity on the thermal biology of pathogen transmission in a theoretical and empirical framework to improve spatial and temporal prediction of vector-borne pathogen transmission.     

BILIARY TRACT ANOMALIES—The Utilization of Modern Techniques in Differential Diagnosis

The diagnostic aids used in dealing with biliary disease in adults were applied to the study in infants of the principal congenital anomalies of the biliary tract such as choledochal cyst, biliary atresia and biliary stenosis.Choledochal cysts were distinguished from other upper abdominal masses occurring in childhood by the use of intravenous cholecystography.Since the clinical manifestations in infants with biliary atresia or stenosis are almost identical to those associated with the obstructive phase of neonatal hepatitis, the problem of differentiation is difficult. The serial total serum bilirubin curve, a careful analysis of the pigment content of feces and urine and duodenal intubation for bilirubin determinations were found to be useful in making the distinction. Operative cholangiograms were helpful in some cases. Frozen section examinations of liver tissue during operation were of little value except to demonstrate certain unusual cases of intrahepatic biliary atresia. Routine liver function studies, including serum transaminase determination in a limited number of cases, did not help in differentiation.