Refining the debate on GM crops using technological foresight—the Danish experience

Rapid developments in and the controversial nature of biotechnology call for communication, networks, partnerships, and collaboration in research, not just among researchers, but also between researchers and research “users” in industry, government, and elsewhere. Technological foresight appears to offer a coordinating method for developing and strengthening those linkages. To test this, a technological foresight study was performed on genetically modified (GM) crop technology in the Danish context. The background of the study was the conflict and intense debate in Denmark over applications of gene technology, especially over the deliberate release of genetically modified (GM) crops. However, the current debate characteristically involves sharply opposed fronts, lacking willingness and courage to engage in a free-flowing and open-minded debate on both rational and normative components of biosafety. In it, stakeholders and experts on both side of the conflict advocate widely differing opinions. Without a proper generally intelligible dialogue, the broader public audience finds it hard to comprehend this type of debate. The study pursues the notion that public dialogue can act as a driver of future applications in the technological domain, specifically GM crops. The study concluded with a stakeholder workshop that revealed three key issues that might provide helpful starting points for a more free-flowing and open-minded debate about the future of GM crops. The issues were those arising from the following statements: a broad perspective on risk is crucial; international regulation must make allowance for developing countries; a better configuration of the risk debate is needed. These issues are discussed in more details in the article.     

胶质母细胞瘤PTEN基因突变和Ki-67表达的研究

目的对胶质母细胞瘤内部PTEN基因突变以及Ki-67表达情况进行研究,并对两者关系展开探讨。方法取胶质瘤石蜡切片102例为研究对象,其中胶质母细胞瘤切片42例,对所选样本行聚合酶链反应-单链构象多态性处理分析（PCR-SSCP）,对其PTEN基因突变进行检测;并对Ki-67在胶质瘤中的表达行免疫组化SP检测法进行检测。结果在胶质母细胞瘤中,PTEN基因突变发生率与剩余60例相比明显更高（P〈0.05）;在Ki-67平均标记指数方面,胶质母细胞瘤与其它胶质瘤相比数值更高（P〈0.05）。结论在胶质母细胞瘤中,PTEN基因突变对其发生以及发展具有重要作用;其病理恶性程度则与Ki-67表达程度呈明显的正相关;Ki-67表达程度同PTEN基因突变之间的关系也表现为正相关。     

基于web的基因检测服务现状分析

芯片技术把数以万计的寡核苷酸以点阵的方式排列在固体介质表面， 实现了基因（组）的快速、高能量、敏 感和高效率检测。基因检测在一定程 度上可以预测疾病风险及个 体特性， 而将基因检测服务和无处不在的网络 平台相结合，则真正实现了个人遗传 信息（personal genetic information, PGI）快捷可读，实现了预防医学、IT 科技和商业的完美结合。通过互联网 进行基因检测服务销售与广告，将加 快实现基因检测服务商业化进程和推 动其快速发展。从而将基因革命和基 因检测服务推到一个全新的平台，即 基因检测服务电子商务化。这将在临 床疾病检测和健康监测等领域掀起一 股高科技消费热潮。     

关于克隆技术社会意义的伦理思考

克隆技术早已“沸沸扬扬”,但是我们并未揭开它那似明非明的“面纱”,要识其“庐山真面目”,远非指日可待。但“克隆”的备受关注 ,表明科学本身影响力在扩大、科学在发展 ,更为重要的是表明人类对“自我”的认识在深化。     

对虾白斑综合征病毒表面抗原基因免疫保护性的研究

将对虾白斑综合征病毒（White Spot Syndrome Virus,W SSV）的VP19、VP28基因融合克隆入pVAX1.0真核表达载体制备成多价 DNA 疫苗,并用构建的 DNA 疫苗制备成饲料免疫实验对虾,用RT-PCR 检测DNA 疫苗在对虾体内的表达,同时比较构建的多价DNA 疫苗与VP19、VP28单价DNA 疫苗对抗W SSV的保护率。结果显示构建的DNA疫苗有抗W SSV免疫保护性,且pVAX1.0-VP19-VP28多价DNA 疫苗保护率高于单价疫苗。     

编组站车流接续优化模型及算法

在解编顺序给定的条件下,建立车流接续优化模型。在模型构建中,列车属性方面同时考虑了换重、换长和满轴三个约束,通过算例证明,该设定不但更加符合实际,而且使得车流接续优化具有了一定的灵活性。在算例分析部分,分别利用一般数学软件Lingo11.0以及VC++编写的自适应免疫克隆算法对模型进行求解,证明了模型和算法的有效性,为编组站阶段计划车流接续优化智能化提供了较好的解决途径。     

Linkage Disequilibrium Mapping of Disease Susceptibility Genes in Human Populations

The paper reviews recent work on statistical methods for using linkage disequilibrium to locate disease susceptibility genes, given a set of marker genes at known positions in the genome. The paper starts by considering a simple deterministic model for linkage disequilibrium and discusses recent attempts to elaborate it to include the effects of stochastic influences, of "drift", by the use of either Writht-Fisher models or by approaches based on the coalescence of the genealogy of the sample of disease chromosomes. Most of this first part of the paper concerns a series of diallelic markers and, in this case, the models so far proposed are hierarchical probability models for multivariate binary data. Likelihoods are intractable and most approaches to linkage disequilibrium mapping amount to marginal models for pairwise associations between individual markers and the disease susceptibility locus. Approaches to evalutation of a full likelihood require Monte Carlo methods in order to integrate over the large number of unknowns. The fact that the initial state of the stochastic process which has led to present-day allele frequencies is unknown is noted and its implications for the hierarchical probability model is discussed. Difficulties and opportunities arising as a result of more polymorphic markers and extended marker haplotypes are indicated. Connections between the hierarchical modelling approach and methods based upon identity by descent and haplotype sharing by seemingly unrelated case are explored. Finally problems resulting from unknown modes of inheritance, incomplete penetrance, and "phenocopies" are briefly reviewed.     

The Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer III: A new model of family history with insurance applications

Insurers’ access to genetic test results is often restricted and the only genetic information that might be collected during underwriting in some countries is family history. Previous studies have included family history in a simple way but only for diseases which have no cause other than gene mutations, because then the event ‘affected parent’ contributes all possible information short of a genetic test result. We construct a model of breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) — common diseases with rare genetic variants — in which the development of a family history is represented explicitly as a transition between states, hence as part of the applicant's own life history. This allows the impact of a moratorium to be modelled. We then apply this family history model to life insurance in a semi-Markov framework and to critical illness (CI) insurance in a Markov framework to: (a) estimate premium ratings depending on genotype or family history; and (b) model the potential cost of adverse selection.     

Comparing technological hype cycles: Towards a theory

The notion of ‘hype’ is widely used and represents a tempting way to characterize developments in technological fields. The term appears in business as well as in academic domains. Consultancy firms offer technological hype cycle models to determine the state of development of technological fields in order to facilitate strategic investment decisions. In Science, Technology and Innovation Studies the concept of hype is considered in studies on the dynamics of expectations in innovation processes, which focuses on the performative force of expectations. What is still lacking is a theory of hype patterns that is able to explain the different shapes of hype cycles in different contexts. In this paper we take a first step towards closing this gap by studying and comparing the results of case studies on three hypes in three different empirical domains: voice over internet protocol (VoIP), gene therapy and high-temperature superconductivity. The cases differ in terms of the type of technology and the characteristics of the application environment. We conclude that hype patterns indeed vary a lot, and that the interplay of expectations at different levels affects the ability of a field to cope with hype and disappointment.     

克隆软件GHOST在公用机房的应用

介绍了利用 GHOST硬盘拷贝工具克隆硬盘、分区 ,将硬盘或硬盘某一分区打包压缩成为一个映象文件及映像文件的还原方法