生物力学:与生命科学的有机融合——关于我国生物力学“十一·五”发展的一点建议

<正>生物力学是研究生命体运动和变形的学科,其基本内涵是运用力学原理、理论和方法深化对生物学/医学问题的定量认识。当前生物力学的主要分支学科包括:(1)按力学分支学科分类,包括:生物流体力学,生物固体力学,生物传热与传质,生物动力学——运动生物力学,等等。(2)按生理系统分类,包括:心(脑)血管力学,骨骼-肌肉-创伤力学,呼吸系统力学,感觉系统力学,泌尿-生殖系统力学,等等。(3)按解剖层次分类,包括:整体(局部)力学——运动生物力学,器官-组织力学,细胞-亚细胞-分子力学,等等。(4)按研究对象分类,包括:(哺乳)动物生物力学,植物生物力学,仿生力学,等等。     

The life sciences computer resources program of the National Institutes of Health

This paper describes how NIH-supported computer resources relate, both organizationally and operationally, to life science research programs. Aggregate funding levels and trends involving the various types of computer centers over the past several years are reviewed. A number of specific resources are highlighted and examples of their scientific and technological accomplishments are given. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of this NIH program, as derived through reflection on almost a decade of activity, are presented.     

Solving bottlenecks in data sharing in the life sciences

The joint Open PHACTS/GEN2PHEN workshop on “Solving Bottlenecks in Data Sharing in the Life Sciences” was held in Volendam, the Netherlands, on September 19 and 20, 2011, and was attended by representatives from academia, industry, publishing, and funding agencies. The aim of the workshop was to explore the issues that influence the extent to which data in the life sciences are shared, and to explore sustainability scenarios that would enable and promote “open” data sharing. Several key challenges were identified and solutions to each of these were proposed. Hum Mutat 33:1494–1496, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Semi-automatic web service composition for the life sciences using the BioMoby semantic web framework

Researchers in the life-sciences are currently limited to small-scale informatics experiments and analyses because of the lack of interoperability among life-sciences web services. This limitation can be addressed by annotating services and their interfaces with semantic information, so that interoperability problems can be reasoned about programmatically. The Moby semantic web framework is a popular and mature platform that is used for this purpose. However, the number of services that are available to select from when building a workflow is becoming unmanageable for users. As such, attempts have been made to assist with service selection and composition. These tasks fall under the general label of automated service composition. We present a prototype workflow assembly client that reduces the number of choices that users have to make by (1) restricting the overall set of services presented to them and (2) ranking services so that the the most desirable ones are presented first. We demonstrate via an evaluation of this prototype that a unification of relatively simple techniques can rank desirable services highly while maintaining interactive response times.     

Global microbial commons: institutional challenges for the global exchange and distribution of microorganisms in the life sciences

Exchanges of microorganisms between culture collections, laboratories and researchers worldwide have historically occurred in an informal way. These informal exchanges have facilitated research activities, and, as a consequence, our knowledge and exploitation of microbial resources have advanced rapidly. During the last decades of the twentieth century, the increasing economic importance of biotechnology and the introduction of new legislation concerning the use of and access to biological resources has subjected exchanges of genetic resources to greater controls. Their access and distribution are more strictly regulated and, therefore, exchanges are becoming more and more formalized. This paper analyzes one of the main drivers of the movement toward more formal worldwide exchange regimes, which is increasing global interdependency of access to genetic resources. Its main finding is that formalization of exchange practices as such is not necessarily leading to more restrictive licensing conditions. The goal of further formalization and harmonization of institutional frameworks should therefore be to provide the broadest possible access to essential research materials (within the constraints set by biosecurity and quality management requirements), while maximizing the reciprocity benefits of access and exchange (which motivate the exchange practices to start with).     

Advanced jet protocols for directly engineering living cells: a genesis to alternative biohandling approaches for the life sciences

Processing methodologies possessing the ability to directly handle living cells imply tremendous possibilities for a whole host of applications in the regenerative and therapeutic medicinal themes of R&D. Most cell-handling techniques have, in the past, been unearthed in the physical sciences, which have subsequently undergone rapid development for a plethora of applications within the life sciences. In this review, the author wishes to introduce current and swiftly emerging direct cell-handling jet protocols whilst identifying their advantages and disadvantages in comparison to each approach. The article extends to elucidating their applicability for a few life science-based research themes, where these protocols are currently undergoing intense investigation. It is the opinion of this author that these protocols generate a range of opportunities for the life sciences, which have previously not been explored and hence could have an overwhelming affect in a biological and clinical standpoint. These methods and protocols have evidently bridged the physical with the life sciences during this endeavor.     

Data withholding in genetics and the other life sciences: prevalences and predictors.

PURPOSE: To better understand the variety and prevalence of data withholding in genetics and the other life sciences and to explore factors associated with these behaviors. METHOD: In 2000, a sample of 2,893 geneticists and other life scientists (OLS) at the 100 most research-intensive universities in the United States were surveyed concerning data withholding and sharing. The instrument was developed and pretested in 1999. The two primary outcome measures were withholding in verbal exchanges with colleagues about unpublished research (verbal withholding) and withholding as part of the publishing process (publishing withholding). The independent variables related to the personal characteristics, research characteristics of faculty, and previous experience with data withholding. RESULTS: A total of 1,849 faculty responded (64%): 1,240 geneticists and 600 OLS. Forty-four percent of geneticists and 32% of OLS reported participating in any one of 13 forms of data withholding in the three previous years. Publishing withholding (geneticists 35%, OLS 25%) was more frequent than verbal withholding (geneticists 23%, OLS 12%). In multivariate analyses, male gender, participation in relationships with industry, mentors' discouraging data sharing, receipt of formal instruction in data sharing, and negative past experience with sharing were significantly associated with either verbal or publishing withholding among either geneticists or OLS. CONCLUSIONS: Data withholding is common in biomedical science, takes multiple forms, is influenced by a variety of characteristics of investigators and their training, and varies by field of science. Encouraging openness during the formative experiences of young investigators may be critical to increased data sharing, but the effects of formal training do not appear straightforward.     

Intraperitoneal adhesions--an ongoing challenge between biomedical engineering and the life sciences

Peritoneal adhesions remain a relevant clinical problem despite the currently available prophylactic barrier materials. So far, the physical separation of traumatized serosa areas using barriers represents the most important clinical strategy for adhesion prevention. However, the optimal material has not yet been found. Further optimization or pharmacological functionalization of these barriers could give an innovative input for peritoneal adhesion prevention. Therefore, a more complete understanding of pathogenesis is required. On the basis of the pathophysiology of adhesion formation the main barriers currently in clinical practice as well as new innovations are discussed in the present review. Physiologically, mesothelial cells play a decisive role in providing a frictionless gliding surface on the serosa. Adhesion formation results from a cascade of events and is regulated by a variety of cellular and humoral factors. The main clinically applied strategy for adhesion prevention is based on the use of liquid or solid adhesion barriers to separate physically any denuded tissue. Both animal and human trials have not yet been able to identify the optimal barrier to prevent adhesion formation in a sustainable way. Therefore, further developments are required for effective prevention of postoperative adhesion formation. To reach this goal the combination of structural modification and pharmacological functionalization of barrier materials should be addressed. Achieving this aim requires the interaction between basic research, materials science and clinical expertise.