EPA revs up to regulate biotechnology

The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to regulate products of genetic engineering. Unlike the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee of the National Institutes of Health, which oversees federally funded researchers, the EPA has the power to regulate industry and to concern itself with the health risks and environmental impact of commercial ventures. Claiming authority to regulate geneticaly engineered pesticides and organisms under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, and under the Toxic Substances Control Act, EPA officials expect industry to contest in court the agency's controversial extension of its regulatory powers.     

Extending genomics to natural communities and ecosystems

An important step in the integration of ecology and genomics is the progression from molecular studies of relatively simple model systems to complex field systems. The recent availability of sequenced genomes from key plants is leading to a new understanding of the molecular drivers of community composition and ecosystem processes. As genome sequences accumulate for species that form intimate associations in nature, a detailed view may emerge as to how these associations cause changes among species at the nucleotide level. This advance could dramatically alter views about the structure and evolution of communities and ecosystems.     

Genomics and global health: time for a reappraisal

Although currently there are only a limited number of genomic technologies that are applicable to health care in the developing countries, this is unlikely to be the case in the near future. If, however, the full potential of genomics for health care is to be fulfilled, there will have to be a complete change of emphasis in education and research in the richer countries toward a more global view of disease and its consequences.     

Improving the health of the global poor

We analyzed the technical basis for a major global program to reduce disease among the poor. Effective interventions exist against the few diseases which most account for excess mortality among the poor. Achieving high coverage of effective interventions requires a well-functioning health system, as well as overcoming a set of financial and nonfinancial constraints. The annual incremental cost would be between $40 billion and $52 billion by 2015 in 83 low-income and sub-Saharan African countries. Such a program is feasible and would avoid millions of child, maternal, and adult deaths annually in poor countries.     

分子生物技术在蜜蜂育种研究上的应用

综述了应用微卫星 DNA技术、线粒体 DNA(mt DNA)技术、随机扩增多态性 DNA(RAPD)、聚合酶链式反应 (PCR)和 DNA指纹等分子生物技术所进行的蜜蜂育种研究现状 .其应用主要包括估计蜂群内亚家系(父系 )的组成数目和分析工蜂间的遗传相关 ,推断蜂王的多雄水平和鉴定蜜蜂种性 ,构建连锁图和区别数量性状位点 ,鉴定基因型和区别全胞、半胞姐妹以及分析精子受精力的倾向性等     

现代生物技术在畜牧业中的应用和发展前景

21世纪是生物科学的世纪,生物技术是21世纪的主导技术.现代生物技术主要包括基因工程、细胞工程、酶工程、发酵工程等.随着重组DNA技术的发展,生物技术产品已进入动物生产、饲料工业等领域中,生物技术的应用必将使畜牧业发生巨大变化,对提高畜禽的生长和生产性能,提高产品质量,减少疾病的发生,改善环境污染,充分利用饲料资源,提高饲料营养价值,挖掘畜牧生产的潜力将产生更大影响.因此,加快现代生物技术的开发应用就完全有可能成为保证畜牧业优质、高产、高效发展的有效手段.     

生物技术在牧草育种中的应用

综述了近20年来生物技术在牧草育种中的主要研究进展.包括植物细胞和组织培养在牧草种质资源保存、体细胞杂交和胚抢救技术在克服种间杂交障碍、分子标记和转基因技术在牧草品质改良、抗病虫、抗逆性育种和作为生物反应器等方面的应用前景.     

农业生物技术内涵与转基因农业生物技术效应

技术进步是农业发展的不竭动力.根据技术形成的要素、结构和形态变化,农业生物技术可分为传统农业生物技术(遗传育种技术)和现代农业生物技术(转基因农业生物技术)两类.农业生物技术进步的不同原因在不同的政策作用机制下,引起的结果完全不同.而转基因农业生物技术可能引起各种经济、社会效应尤其值得审慎思考和认真对待.     

Advancing global health research through digital technology and sharing data

The imperative for improving health in the world's poorest regions lies in research, yet there is no question that low participation, a lack of trained staff, and limited opportunities for data sharing in developing countries impede advances in medical practice and public health knowledge. Extensive studies are essential to develop new treatments and to identify better ways to manage healthcare issues. Recent rapid advances in availability and uptake of digital technologies, especially of mobile networks, have the potential to overcome several barriers to collaborative research in remote places with limited access to resources. Many research groups are already taking advantage of these technologies for data sharing and capture, and these initiatives indicate that increasing acceptance and use of digital technology could promote rapid improvements in global medical science.     

农作物秸秆治理与综合利用

秸秆通常指小麦、水稻、玉米、薯类、油料、棉花、甘蔗和其他农作物在收获籽实后剩余的部分。农作物光合作用的产物有一半以上存在于秸秆中 ,秸秆富含有机质和氮、磷、钾、钙、镁、硫等多种养分 ,是一种具有多种用途的可再生生物资源。农业产生的秸秆量相当惊人 ,1ｋｇ稻米可产生1 .5ｋｇ稻草 ;1ｋｇ小麦可产生 1 .5ｋｇ麦秸 ;1ｋｇ玉米可产生 4ｋｇ玉米秸秆。据联合国环境规划署 (ＵＮＥＰ)统计 ,世界上种植的各种农作物每年所产生的秸秆多达 1 7亿ｔ ,其中大部分没有得到利用。1　我国农作物秸秆资源情况我国是一个农业大国 ,秸秆资源十分…     

太湖的水患与水治

本文从夏禹治水起,对太湖历史上进、出水道的变迁和治理作了较全面的论述。记述了从唐代后期至今的1000多年中,在太湖发生的水旱灾害和灾异的规律以及历代对太湖治理的措施和业绩。分析历史上太湖治理的经验教训。探讨今后治理太湖的方略。