The eosinophil ribonucleases

The eosinophil ribonucleases, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN/RNase 2) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP/RNase 3) are two closely related proteins with intriguing functional and evolutionary properties. While both EDN and ECP maintain the structural and catalytic residues typical of the RNase A superfamily, the role of ribonuclease activity in the physiologic function of these proteins remains unclear. The biochemistry and physiology of EDN, ECP and the recently discovered ribonuclease k6 (RNase 6) will be reviewed in this chapter.     

生境破碎化对非人灵长类生存影响的研究

生境破碎化是生物多样性研究的热点之一．综合论述了生境破碎化的概念、成因和以景观生态学、异质种群学说、岛屿生物地理学组成的理论基础,并着重论述了生境破碎化对非人灵长类的影响现状．     

Towards progress on DNA vaccines for cancer

Cancer immunotherapy faces many obstacles that include eliciting immune reactions to self antigens as well as overcoming tumor-derived immunosuppressive networks and evasion tactics. Within the vaccine arsenal for inhibiting cancer proliferation, plasmid DNA represents a novel immunization strategy that is capable of eliciting both humoral and cellular arms of the immune response in addition to being safely administered and easily engineered and manufactured. Unfortunately, while DNA vaccines have performed well in preventing and treating malignancies in animal models, their overall application in human clinical trials has not impacted cancer regression to date. Since the establishment of these early trials, progress has been made in terms of increasing DNA vaccine immunogenicity and subverting the suppressive properties of tumor cells. Therefore, the success of future plasmid DNA use in cancer patients will depend on combinatorial strategies that enhance and direct the DNA vaccine immune response while also targeting tumor evasion mechanisms. Received 2 April 2007; received after revision 14 May 2007; accepted 21 May 2007