2015年11月19日 星期四

今日兩則新聞

本來以為是兩則加拿大的新聞,因為一看到鮭魚就自動歸類為加拿大,後來才發現是美國的,哈哈。(反正美國是加拿大的一省阿,是吧?XD)

1. 基改鮭魚(AquAdvantage)通過美國的 FDA 認證,為第一個通過美國 FDA 的基改動物。這個鮭魚會自己分泌高量賀爾蒙,所以可在一年半(十八個月)內長成,非基改大西洋鮭魚(Atlantic salmon)需三年時間。

[Nature] Salmon is first transgenic animal to win US approval for food

[Science] Updated: Genetically modified salmon wins FDA approval

[The Scientist] Opinion: Sizing Up GM Salmon

2. 溫哥華鑽石公司 Lucara 在南非北邊的博茨瓦納(Botswana)挖到一顆一千多克拉(1111-carat, 222g)的超級大鑽石,為史上第二大鑽石。第一大是 1905 年在南非挖到的三千多克拉的鑽石。

[CBC] Canadian mining firm Lucara finds 2nd largest diamond ever


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前陣子還有基改番茄哦。基改的抗氧化番茄,含有比非基改的番茄多防癌、防心血管疾病的抗氧化物(heart-healthy antioxidants),請問反基改的人會吃嗎?比非基改的番茄還健康的基改番茄喔,反基改的人還會反嗎?哈哈~ XD

[Medical Daily] Super Tomatoes With Extra Heart-Healthy Antioxidants: The Bright Future Of Agricultural Engineering









2015年11月11日 星期三

寄生蟲癌,寄生蟲也有癌症?

上禮拜三發表在 NEJM 的一個病例,個人覺得超特別的,就是哥倫比亞有位四十一歲的 HIV 患者,因為身體不舒服而住院,糞便檢驗發現體內有寄生蟲(tapeworm),然後醫生也發現他身體各處有腫瘤,包括肺部、肝臟和淋巴等等,但是他的腫瘤細胞跟人類細胞長得不太一樣,比較小一點,於是醫生就把檢體送 CDC 檢驗,做 DNA 定序,然後發現那是寄生蟲的癌細胞!寄生蟲得了癌症,癌細胞轉移到患者全身,最後患者死於寄生蟲癌。

患者生前一直問醫生他得了什麼病,醫生也回答不出來,等到 CDC 發現那是寄生蟲的癌細胞後,患者已陷入昏迷,於七十二小時內過世。



Article:

[NPR] A Man In Colombia Got Cancer And It Came From A Tapeworm


Paper:

A Muehlenbachs et al, Malignant Transformation of Hymenolepis nana in a Human Host. NEJM (2015)









2015年11月5日 星期四

Canada: science & politics

做個筆記。(存參)


Nature News / Canada’s top scientist faces tough challenge (Dec 2015)

The Globe & Mail / Three scientists on the research they couldn’t discuss with media under Harper

Nature News / Canada creates science-minister post (Nov 2015)

Science News / Q&A: A scientist elected to Canada’s Parliament shares his hopes as Trudeau prepares to take power (Nov 2015)

Science Insider / Canadian research councils get a rain check from Harper government (Apr 2015)


Science Insider / Canadian scientists smile as Liberals deliver a déjà vu budget (March 2016)


Morneau also provided:

* $181.75 million to Genome Canada to support the nonprofit agency’s regional genomics centers through 2019–20;
* $7.66 million a year for 5 years in continuation funding for the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics starting in 2017–18;
* $10.73 million over 2 years to create 825 business internships and fellowships;
* $15.32 million over 3 years in continuation funding for the Canada Brain Research Fund;
* $38.31 million over 5 years to the National Optics Institute to provide R&D and technical support for businesses operating in the areas of optics and photonics; and
* $9.19 million over 2 years for “research, training and outreach” activities at the Stem Cell Network.

Science Insider / Canada launches review of its research enterprise (June 2016)

Nature News / Scientific challenges loom for Canada’s popular prime minister (October 2016)

Neuron / Brain Canada: One Brain One Community (Nov 2016)

Science Insider / Canada's government scientists get anti-muzzling clause in contract (Dec 2016)

Science Insider / In Canada, case spurs concern over misconduct secrecy (Dec 2016)

Science Insider / Research stays frozen in Canadian budget (March 2017)

Nature News & Comment / Canada budget falls flat with scientists (March 2017)

Science Insider / Canada’s new genetic privacy law is causing huge headaches for Justin Trudeau (March 2017)

Nature / Billion-dollar boost sought for Canadian science (April 2017)

Science Insider / Review of Canadian science calls for better oversight, coordination—and more money (April 2017)