Equalizer technology – Equal rights for disparate beads

One major limitation in proteomics is the detection and analysis of low‐abundant proteins, i.e. in plasma. Several years ago, a technique to selectively enrich the relative concentration of low‐abundant proteins was introduced by Boschetti and co‐workers. It is based on a specific and saturable interaction of proteins to a high diversity of binding sites, realized by a hexapeptide library coupled to beads. This technology was commercialized as Equalizer beads or ProteoMiner. However, during application of ProteoMiner beads to plasma samples unexpected results questioned the proposed mode of action. Therefore, ProteoMiner beads were compared with chromatographic beads exhibiting completely different surface chemistry. Sepabeads FP‐OD400 octadecyl, FP‐DA400 diethylamine, FP‐BU400 butyl, FP‐HG400 hydroxyl and EXE056 epoxy were used. The results show that ProteoMiner or the different Sepabeads behave surprisingly similarly in the separation of complex protein mixtures. ProteoMiner beads interact with protein mixtures according to a general hydrophobic binding mechanism, where diversity in surface ligands plays only a negligible role.     

Protection of patients' rights to privacy

The following statement was agreed [upon] by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (the Vancouver Group) at its meeting last week in San Francisco. It is a complete revision of the initial guidelines on this subject issued in 1991.     

留住她，就是留住一个健康的系统

国际野生生物保护学会（wcs）首席科学家,著名的野生生物学家,乔治@夏勒（GeorgeB．Schailer）博士在全球20多个国家公园和保护区致力于濒危野生动物的保护研究,从非洲的大猩猩、狮子到中亚地区的马可波罗盘羊、雪豹、藏羚羊．蒙古黄羊、大熊猫．东北虎等,进行了几十年的研究工作,并努力促进边境地区野生动物的跨界保护。2008年11月,本刊记者就雪豹的保护问题在北京采访了夏勒博士。以下是夏勒博士的谈话内容。     

Managing genetic material to protect intellectual property rights

One of the most important policy instruments for the promotion of further biotechnology development is intellectual property right (IPR) protection. However, one cannot improve upon a biotechnological invention without physical access to the germplasm, making exchanges of genetic material necessary. A formal transfer agreement, which addresses the key issues of ownership, access, use, and equitable benefit-sharing, is a powerful legal instrument for intellectual property. Other restrictions are generally imposed as a result of national and international safety regulations. Forming strategic alliances, such as joint ventures, collaborative research agreements, joint research and development agreements, and manufacturing and distribution alliances to exploit the economic value of genetic material, provides scientists with the mechanisms they need to bring their research material and products to the marketplace. Received 06 November 1997/ Accepted in revised form 24 November 1997     

Geometric parameters defining the structure of proteins--relation to early-stage folding step

Two geometrical parameters describing the structure of a polypeptide: V-dihedral angle between two sequential peptide bond planes and R-radius of curvature are used for structural classification of polypeptide structure in proteins. The relation between these two parameters was the basis for the definition of the conformational sub-space for early-stage structural forms. The cluster analysis of V and lnR, applied to the selected proteins of well-defined secondary structure (according to DSSP classification) and to proteins without any introductory classified analysis, revealed that several of the discriminated groups of proteins agree with the assumed model of early-stage conformational sub-space. This analysis shows that protein structures may be represented in VR space instead of Phi, Psi angles space, thus lowering the conformational space dimensionality. The VR model allows classification of traditional secondary structure elements as well as different Random Coil motifs, which broadens the range of recognized structural categories (compared to standard secondary structure elements).