从反义技术到反基因技术：基因治疗的新突破

脱氧寡核苷酸或肽核酸可与基因双链DNA内的特定序列结合形成三逻DNA,三链DNA结构的形成可以抑制靶基因的转录。三链DNA在治疗肿瘤和病毒感染,降低耐药性,抑制免疫等方面都可以有广泛的应用,三链DNA的提出和发现为基因治疗提供了一个新的方向。     

Reviews

Books reviewed: Science and Theology: An Introduction, by JohnPolkinghorne Genesis, Genes, and God: Values and Their Origins in Naturaland Human History, by Holmes Rolston, III Playing God? Genetic Determinism and Human Freedom, by Ted Peters Green Space, Green Time: The Way of Science, by Connie Barlow Reconstructing Nature: The Engagement of Science and Religion , by John Brooke and GeoffreyCantor Whatever Happened to the Soul? Scientific and Theological Portraits ofHuman Nature, Edited by Warren S. Brown, Nancey Murphy, and H.Newton Malony The Turn of the Millennium: An Agenda for Christian Religion in an Age of Science, by Jeffrey G. Sobosan God without the Supernatural: A Defense of Scientific Theism, by Peter Forrest Religion and Creation, by Keith Ward     

The nature (and nurture) of personality disorders

Personality disorders have a long history in the literature but a short scientific history. The point prevalence of personality disorders is 10%, but the lifetime prevalence is probably 30–40%. Genetic factors contribute to around 40–50% of the variation in the development of personality disorders. The effect of shared environment is very small or non‐existent. Some researchers have tried to promote gene‐environment interaction. However, in reality, the studies investigated gene‐situation interaction, as the “environment” may in reality be partly of a genetic nature. Thus, we are dealing with an unknown part of gene‐gene interaction. Gene‐experience (not gene‐environment) correlations are the rule in human life. Personality disorders co‐occur (are comorbid) with symptom disorders (Axis I) and correlate with common personality dimensions. Possibly, the concept of personality disorder could merge with dysfunctional personality types. But it is likely that the concept will survive on its own.     

Duchenne型肌营养不良基因诊断技术的发展及其哲学评析

Duchenne型肌营养不良（DMD）是发病率较高的神经系统遗传病,其基因突变机制复杂,探索简便、准确的基因突变检测技术是DMD研究的热点之一。随着分子生物学的进展,DMD基因诊断技术不断发展,经历了DNA印迹杂交、聚合酶链反应、生物芯片、多重连接探针扩增等。其发展过程带给我们许多哲学思考。     

BDNF基因与抑郁

抑郁的发生发展具有重要的遗传基础。随着细胞分子生物学实验方法以及分子遗传技术的进步, 与神经可塑性有关的BDNF基因作为抑郁遗传学研究的候选基因日益受到关注。概观而言, 已有相关研究主要探查了BDNF基因与抑郁的直接关联, BDNF基因与其他基因对抑郁的交互作用, 以及环境因素对BDNF基因与抑郁关系的调节作用。然而, 研究结论尚存在分歧甚至相互矛盾。其原因包括研究设计、环境测量指标、抑郁测量方法与研究对象种族背景等方面的差异。未来研究可通过采用多基因–环境设计, 考察被试种族、性别和年龄的调节作用, 以及探究潜在的作用机制等进一步推进和深化有关BDNF基因与抑郁关系的研究。     

COMT基因Val158Met多态性与同伴关系对青少年抑郁的影响

以1048名汉族青少年为被试,采用问卷法和基因分型技术,综合运用传统回归分析和新兴的再参数化回归分析,考察COMT基因Val158Met多态性与同伴关系对青少年抑郁的交互作用模式及其性别差异。结果发现,COMT基因与同伴接纳和同伴拒绝交互预测青少年抑郁,具体表现为,在低同伴接纳或高同伴拒绝环境中,携带ValVal基因型的青少年抑郁水平高于Met等位基因携带者;在高同伴接纳或低同伴拒绝环境中,携带ValVal基因型的青少年抑郁水平低于Met等位基因携带者。此外,COMT基因与同伴接纳和同伴拒绝的交互作用与男生抑郁的关联更加密切。结果显示,COMT基因与同伴关系的交互效应为不同易感性模型提供了证据,而且该基因×环境交互效应存在性别差异。     

COMT基因多态性与攻击行为的关系

攻击行为的发生具有重要的遗传学基础。近年来, 随着分子遗传学的发展, 对攻击行为发生机制的研究已经深入到分子水平, COMT基因成为攻击行为遗传学研究的候选基因之一, 然而以人类为被试的研究结论尚存在分歧, 甚至相互矛盾。通过回顾、梳理既有关于COMT基因多态性与个体攻击行为关系的研究, 剖析了研究结论尚存在分歧和矛盾的原因, 并在此基础上从SNP标记、被试群体、研究设计、神经生物机制等几个方面展望了未来研究的方向。     

GENETIC AND REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE LIGHT OF RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

Since the gene splicing debates of the 1980s, the public has been exposed to an ongoing sequence of genetic and reproductive technologies. Many issue areas have outcomes that lose track of people's inner values or engender opposing religious viewpoints defying final resolution. This essay relocates the discussion of what is an acceptable application from the individual to the societal level, examining technologies that stand to address large numbers of people and thus call for policy resolution, rather than individual fiat, in their application. A major source of guidance is the “Genetic Frontiers” series of professional dialogues and conferences held by the National Conference for Community and Justice from 2002 to 2004. Genetic testing, human gene therapy, genetic engineering of plants and animals, and stem cell technology are examined. While differences in perspective on the beginning of life persist, a stepwise approach to the examination of genetic testing reveals areas of general agreement. Stewardship of life, human co‐creativity with the divine, and social justice help define the bounds of application of genetic engineering and therapy; compassionate care plays a major role in establishing stem cell policy. Active, sustained dialogue is a useful resource for enabling sharing of religious values and crystallization of policies.     

Duchenne型肌营养不良基因诊断技术的发展及其哲学评析

Duchenne型肌营养不良(DMD)是发病率较高的神经系统遗传病,其基因突变机制复杂,探索简便、准确的基因突变检测技术是DMD研究的热点之一.随着分子生物学的进展,DMD基因诊断技术不断发展,经历了DNA印迹杂交、聚合酶链反应、生物芯片、多重连接探针扩增等.其发展过程带给我们许多哲学思考.     

Beyond the Sociobiological Dilemma: Social Emotions and the Evolution of Morality

Is morality biologically altruistic? Does it imply a disadvantage in the struggle for existence? A positive answer puts morality at odds with natural selection, unless natural selection operates at the level of groups. In this case, a trait that is good for groups though bad (reproductively) for individuals can evolve. Sociobiologists reject group selection and have adopted one of two horns of a dilemma. Either morality is based on an egoistic calculus, compatible with natural selection; or morality continues tied to psychological and biological altruism but not as a product of natural selection. The dilemma denies a third possibility—that psychological altruism evolves as a biologically selfish trait. I discuss the classical treatments of the paradox by Charles Darwin ([1871] 1989) and Robert Trivers (1971), focusing on the role they attribute to social emotions. The upshot is that both Darwin and Trivers sketch a natural‐selection process relying on innate emotional mechanisms that render morality adaptive for individuals as well as for groups. I give additional reasons for viewing it as a form of natural, instead of only cultural, selection.