家蚕丝素基因研究进展

3种丝素基因的全序列已被测定，其中重链基因的中心区域由12个具有多态性的重复区和11个保守性较强的无定形区组成．丝素基因的表达主要在转录水平受到调控，已分离到了9种反式作用因子．丝素基因存在4种变异系统：Nd、Nd(2)、Nd-s和Nd-s^D，Nd和Nd(2)能抑制重链基因的转录，Nd-s和Nd-s^D为轻链基因的等位基因．利用同源重组技术,GFP等外源基因已被插入到家蚕重、轻链基因中．     

从海洋寻找基因资源

海洋为人类提供了广阔的资源开发和利用空间，然而人类在利用海洋的同时，种种不当的措施正不断地恶化海洋的生态环境。在此情况下，科学家将目光投向了海洋生物基因组和功能基因的研究。在他们看来，抢救．保护和利用宝贵的海洋生物基因资源，对于海洋生物资源的可持续利用，具有十分重要的意义。     

亚硫酸氢钠对转PEPC基因水稻叶片光合作用的促进作用

用1～2mmol／L的NaHSO3喷施于野生型水稻Kitaake(WT)、以其为基因受体的转PEPC基因水稻(PC)和转PEPC PPDK双基因水稻(PC PK)叶面．叶片的光合速率分别提高了23．0％、28．8％和32．4％，并能持续3d左右．在此条件下，光下叶片中的ATP含量提高．将已知可促进循环光合磷酸化的辅助因子硫酸甲酯吩嗪(PMS)和NaHSO3分别和共同喷洒叶片，次日所有叶片的光合速率均比对照(喷水)提高，共同处理未出现叠加效应，表明NaHSO3的主要作用和PMS促进光合速率的原因类似，都是增加了ATP的供应．与野生型水稻Kitaake(WT)相比．经NaHSO3处理后，转PEPC基因水稻(PC)净光合速率增加的幅度大，转PEPC PPDK双基因水稻(PC PK)净光合速率增加的幅度更大，因此认为水稻叶片中增加ATP的供应可明显增强水稻的光合速率，特别是转PEPC或PEPC PPDK基因水稻．     

初发性系统性红斑狼疮患者外周血及T、B淋巴细胞疾病相关基因的筛选及鉴定

目的寻找在SLE分子发病机制中起关键作用的致病基因的候选基因。方法通过高密度基因芯片技术，得到初发性SLE患者外周血单核细胞及T、B淋巴细胞亚群的基因表达谱，在差异表达显著的基因中挑选4个位于SLE易感区段的基因，通过TaqMan实时PCR技术在55例SLE患者中验证基因的差异表达。结果得到初发性SLE患者外周血单核细胞及T、B淋巴细胞亚群的基因表达谱，确定TRIM，KLRCl，IL-4R及EGR-1基因为SLE易感基因的候选基因，实时PCR结果证明：SLE患者外周血单核细胞中，TRIM基因△Ct值显著低于正常人对照（P〈0．05），基因表达水平为正常对照的2．43倍，IL-4R基因与EGRl基因的△Ct值显著高于正常人对照（P〈0．05），基因表达水平分别为正常对照的0．33倍、0.26倍，KLRCl基因的△Ct值显著高于正常人对照（P〈0．01），基因表达水平为正常对照的0.56倍，在SLE患者外周血T细胞亚群中，TRIM基因△Ct值显著低于正常人对照（P〈0．01），基因表达水平为正常对照的2．94倍，IL4R基因与EGRl基因的△Ct值显著高于正常人对照（P〈0．01），基因表达水平分别为正常对照的0.32、0.21倍，LRCl基因的△Ct值显著高于正常人对照（P〈0．01），基因表达水平为正常对照的0.56倍。在SLE患者外周血B淋巴细胞亚群中，由于B细胞淋巴亚群所占淋巴细胞比率过低，基因检测数据不稳定，故未作统计学分析。结论在系统性红斑狼疮的发病中，患者外周血单核细胞及T、B淋巴细胞亚群细胞基因表达水平发生了改变，主要集中于-系列免疫相关基因，其中TRIM，KLRC1，IL-4R及EGR-1基因在患者群中变化显著，初步断定为SLE易感基因的候选基因。     

极大螺旋藻(Spirulina maxima)藻蓝蛋白基因的克隆及其同源性分析

藻蓝蛋白是红藻和蓝绿藻中一种重要的捕光色素蛋白．克隆了编码极大螺旋藻藻蓝蛋白α和β两个亚基的基因，序列分析表明该基因全长为1119bp．β亚基基因位于α亚基基因上游，两个亚基基因序列长度分别为519bp和489bp，中间被111bp的基因片段间隔．除编码α和β两个亚基的开放阅读密码框外，还存在两个潜在的开放阅读密码框，但这两个密码框的意义还不清楚．比较了该藻蓝蛋白氨基酸序列和来自于其他藻类的藻蓝蛋白氨基酸序列的同源性以及藻蓝蛋白α和β两个亚基之间氨基酸序列的同源性，总的来说其同源性在45．9％．99％之间，α和β两个亚基氨基酸序列同源性为27．1％．藻蓝蛋白包含许多疏水性氨基酸，这些疏水性氨基酸在藻胆蛋白的聚集过程中起着极为重要的作用．分析表明编码藻蓝蛋白α和β两个亚基基因的密码子显示出非对称性．     

纳米技术

2003是D．Watson和H．Crick发现DNA双螺旋结构50周年。这一发现使遗传学问题简化成了化学问题，并奠定了之后半个世纪生命科学的基础。今天，成千上万的研究者正在努力工作，试图破译基因控制生物体发育及机能的秘密。而所有这些基因都记录在DNA这种媒介上。     

基因剪接花样多

2000年春天，一些基础分子生物学家互相打赌，试图预测DNA测序完成后在人类基因组中所能发现的基因数目。那时估计的基因数最高达到15．3万个。毕竟在大多数人看来，人类要产生大约9万种不同类型的蛋白质，因此我们需要至少同样多的基因来编码它们。并且考虑到我们人类的复杂性，我们应当比只有1，000个细胞的圆形蠕虫——秀丽隐杆线虫(Caenorhabditis elegans)(有19，500个基因)和玉米(有40，000个基因)具有更庞大的基因分类。     

我国人体基因资源保护的立法思考

我国生物资源十分丰富,特别是人类基因资源领域占有优势地位,已引起仝球关注．但我国人体基因资源保护的现状和法律环境都不容乐观,提高基因保护的法律规格、细化基因保护的具体措施乃属当务之急．     

人物简介：基因医生

W．French Anderson开创了基因疗法     

小麦转TPS基因植株的获得及其初步功能鉴定

为了探索利用基因工程改良小麦抗旱性和耐盐性的途径．通过基因枪法将具有抗旱和耐盐碱功能的海藻糖合酶（TPS）基因导入普通小麦品种CB9945．获得了转TPS基因的小麦植株．对TO代植株进行了PCR检测．对T2代植株进行了叶片涂抹除草剂检测并进一步进行了验证．鉴定出15个转基因株系．采用模拟抗旱、耐盐环境．对15个转基因株系进行了初步功能鉴定．发现转TPS基因小麦植株的抗旱、耐盐能力得到了一定程度的提高．     

Students' Reactions to the Introduction of Videoconferencing for Classroom Instruction

This study examined how students who had no prior experience with videoconferencing would react to the use of videoconferencing as an instructional medium. Students enrolled in seven different courses completed a questionnaire at the beginning of the semester and again at the end of the semester. Students at the origination and remote sites did not differ in their reactions toward videoconferencing but there was a significant difference for gender. Women reacted less favorably to videoconferencing. Compared to the beginning of the semester, students reported significantly less positive attitudes toward taking a course through videoconferencing at the end of the semester. There were no significant differences in students' attitudes toward videoconferencing across courses at the beginning of the semester but there were significant differences across the courses at the end of the semester. The results suggest the need for better preparation for both students and instructors.     

Cooler temperatures inductive to locust outbreaks

Ajoint study by Prof. ZHANG Zhibin from the CAS Institute of Zoology and his co-workers from Norway, US and Swiss have indicated that historical outbreaks of migratory locusts in China were associated with cold spells, suggesting that China＇s projected climate warming could decrease the pest＇s numbers. The study was published in Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences on 17 September, 2007.     

Exploring Multiplexity: Social Network Structures in a Computer-Supported Distance Learning Class

A computer-mediated group is a complex entity whose members exchange many types of information via multiple means of communication in pursuit of goals specific to their environment. Over time, they coordinate technical features of media with locally enacted use to achieve a viable working arrangement. To explore this complex interaction, a case study is presented of the social networks of interactions and media use among members of a class of computer-supported distance learners. Results show how group structures associated with project teams dominated who communicated with whom, about what, and via which media over the term, and how media came to occupy their own communication niches: Webboard for diffuse class-wide communication; Internet Relay Chat more to named others but still for general communication across the class; and e-mail primarily for intrateam communication. Face-to-face interaction, occurring only during a short on-campus session, appears to have had a catalytic effect on social and emotional exchanges. Results suggest the need to structure exchanges to balance class-wide sharing of ideas with subgroup interactions that facilitate project completion, and to provide media that support these two modes of interaction.     

The Role of Intermediating Institutions in the Diffusion of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI): How Industry Associations Intervened in Denmark, Finland, and Hong Kong

Electronic data interchange (EDI) provides means for interorganizational communication, creates network externalities, requires an advanced information technology (IT) infrastructure, and relies on standards. In the diffusion of such innovations, institutional involvement is imperative. Such institutions contain governmental agencies, national and global standardization organizations, local government, and nonprofit private organizations like industry associations. The last type of organizations we call intermediating institutions. They intermediate or coordinate ("inscribe") the activities of a group of would-be adopters. Unfortunately, little is known of how these organizations shape the EDI diffusion trajectory. In this article we examine one specific type of intermediating organizations?industry associations?and how they advanced the EDI diffusion process in the grocery sectors of Hong Kong, Denmark and Finland. We identify six institutional measures, placed into a matrix formed by the mode of involvement (influence vs. regulation) and the type of diffusion force (supply push vs. demand pull), that can be mobilized to further the EDI diffusion. Industry associations were found to be active users of all these measures to varying degrees. Their role was critical especially in knowledge building, knowledge deployment, and standard setting. Furthermore, institutional involvement varied due to policy and cultural contingencies and power dependencies.     

How Electronic Publishers are Protecting Against Piracy: Doubts About Technical Systems of Protection

The increasing prospects of digital piracy has prompted the perceived need by electronic publishers to adopt technical systems of protection, and governments to reform their copyright laws. This article is a preliminary study of the management of intellectual property by electronic publishers, defined as those involved in the production of online databases, and CD-ROMs. It focuses on three main issues: (1) how electronic publishers view the increasing threat of piracy; (2) the methods of protection employed to protect intellectual property in digital format; and (3) the importance of technological protection of intellectual property in electronic publications. The analysis is based on a sample of 23 UK electronic publishers. The interviews revealed an interesting assortment of protection methods and did not show that technological protection was a preferred way. Instead, the means of protection, in addition to copyright law, comprised niche markets, pricing, trust, bad publicity, and nontechnical and technical means.     

Rough Justice: A Statistical Assessment of ICANN's Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy

Long-standing conflict between domain name registrants and trademark holders prompted the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to create a global, mandatory arbitration procedure known as the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). The UDRP has been used in 2166 cases involving 3938 domain names as of 1 November 2000. The policy gives the initiator of a complaint, generally a trademark holder, the right to choose which ICANN-accredited dispute resolution service provider (RSP) will handle the case. During the preparation of the UDRP,some feared that complainant selection would lead to "forum shopping" that might bias the results. This article performs a statistical assessment of the forum-shopping thesis and finds support for it. There are statistically significant differences in the various RSPs' propensity to take away names from defendants; there are also major differences in the number of cases brought to each RSP. RSPs who take away names have the larger share of cases. The study examines other variables that might explain differences in market share, such as price, the plaintiff's nationality, or the time taken to decide a case. It finds that nationality and time also are correlated with market share. The study concludes that shopping for a favorable outcome is an important factor in the UDRP.     

Prevalence of soft neurological signs in Chinese people

Prof. Raymond C.K. Chen, a neuropsychologist with the CAS Institute of Psychology, has made novel progress in his studies of schizophrenia. His work has been reported by a recent issue of Behavioural Neurology.     

Monoculture Rubber Plantations Have Negative Ef ects on Controlling Splash Erosion

<正>In Xishuangbanna,one of China’s most biodiverse regions,landscape has changed dramatically during the past three decades due to the conversion of tropical rainforest to rubber plantations.In steep areas,terraces are often constructed before planting rubber trees,which causes two important changes in the soil:the destabilization of soil in the bench terraces and the increased vulnerability of unvegetated riser faces to erosion.Few studies have documented the nature and intensity of erosion on bench terraces.Prof.LIU Wenjie and his colleagues from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden(XTBG)conducted a study in Menglun County(21°5′39″N,101°15′55″E),Xishuangbanna to evaluate the influence     

Chinese Scientists Use Earth Observation Technologies to Study and Protect Wild Camels

<正>Chinese scientists plan to apply Earth Observation technologies to protect the critically endangered wild camels(Camelus ferus).With the help of remote sensing,satellite positioning,geographical information system and wireless sensors networks,they will be able to access the distribution and population of the wild camels and protect their habitats.The project will be carried out by the International Research Center for Wild Camel Conservation,which was jointly established earlier this year by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth(RADI)of the Chinese     

More than Skin Deep – Understand Skin Biology by Means of Dermatogenomics

<正>The Paul Gerson Unna Research Group on Dermatogenomics was founded in October 2012 at the Partner Institute for Computational Biology.The ultimate goal of the group is to understand the biology of skin and skin appendages.