博浪椎：从四大名著看中国之走投无路

看四大名著，不能只看到其中神魔乱舞的有趣，英雄好汉惩恶扬善的痛快淋漓，帝王将相纵横捭阖的权谋秘计，才子佳人荡人心魄的情孽缠绵。我们还可以看到，这里面明明白白写着：中国已经到了走投无路的地步。

孙 悟空大闹天宫，很是让一潭死水的天宫闹腾了一阵子。他提出的革命理论是：皇帝轮流做，明年到我家。这一革命理论，与历来农民起义提出的号召如出一辙。陈胜 吴广的口号——“王侯将相宁有种乎”，不就是孙大圣的轮流坐庄的理论么？大概孙大圣看到玉帝的排场，心向往之，豪言壮语脱口而出：“彼可取而代之。”或者 吃天鹅肉的心理作祟：“嗟乎，大丈夫当如此也。”率领他的猴子猴孙，攻占天庭，把天庭改朝换代成猢狲王朝，这就是孙悟空的革命理想。坐天下的是王，抢天下 的是贼；在天庭里，坐天下的是神仙，抢天下的是妖孽，人间天上，奉行同一道德规条。

玉皇大帝，太上老君斗不过妖猴，于是借师助剿，请来 如来佛，妖猴斗不过佛祖，于是猴子被洗脑，跟随唐僧，充当了镇压各路反叛势力的急先锋，一路降妖除怪，最后官封斗战胜佛。从现有体制的反叛者到忠实维护 者，进而变成现有体制的受益者，孙悟空用了五百多年。天庭也付出了惨重代价，最后双方妥协，互相利用。孙悟空在当初跟他一样身份的妖魔前可以堂而皇之地自 称仙佛，口含天宪，大展神威，实现终极自我价值。天庭也可以利用他充当打手，扫荡其他对现有体制构成挑战的各路反叛势力。孙悟空的七十二变，怎么都比不上 他这第七十三变实在，能得更多实惠。

历代农民起义领袖的嘴脸，在这里被照妖镜照得毫发无隐。斗得过现有体制，就把玉帝的张姓朝廷改姓 孙，斗不过就投降，自己的反叛实力就是跟朝廷谈判的本钱，兄弟队伍的头颅就是投名状，几番含娇弄态之后，即漂白了自己的出身。唐末朱全忠玩的是这一套， 《水浒》里宋江玩的也是这一套。农民起义救中国？痴人说梦而已。

《水浒》里的宋江，玩的也是这一套，不过一在天上，一在地下。世人都怪 宋江，怪他不该投降，他不投降又能怎样呢？梁山事业，实在无路可走。梁山政权，只不过是东京赵家朝廷的山寨版。想当年，赵匡胤在位时，也跟他们的宋大哥一 样英明，一样讲义气，一样替天行道，到如今子孙不肖，宋徽宗赵佶昏庸无比，贪官墨吏扰乱天下，假设梁山事业百年长青，谁能保证宋江的子孙比赵佶一定强，好 汉们的后代一定比高俅雄起？投降了倒好，中国历史省去了一个不必要的循环节。好汉们的理想不过是大碗喝酒大块吃肉大秤分金，贪官们的理想不过是大肆捞权大 把捞钱多睡女人，后者是前者的衍生品，他们只相隔一张纸的距离。梁山与祝家庄，一个由好地主领导，一个由坏地主领导，好地主与坏地主的距离，也不过一张纸 而已。

梁山道路，走下去将无路可走。只可怜了那鲁莽得天真可爱的李逵，为了“替天行道”的杏黄旗永续飘扬，拎着一对大斧排头价砍来去，不知他端的要砍谁？

梁山道路，最终无路可走。

《三 国演义》宣扬的是圣主贤相救国论，翻译成无产阶级口吻，就是只有刘备诸葛亮才能救中国。可惜枭雄斗不过奸雄，贤相斗不过奸相，仁义斗不过厚黑，刘姓天下无 可奈何花落去，圣主贤相的理想一江春水向东流。仁义事业实在让人悲催，刘备诸葛亮只给后人留下一个欲哭无泪的背影。 最终一统天下的司马氏，一点仁义的影子都找不到。

刘备诸葛亮事业的流产，意味着圣贤救国论的破产。

把中国古代的知识 分子分为两拨，《红楼梦》的作者曹雪芹超世独立，一个人站一边，其他所有人站另一边。中国历史上所有读书人的脑袋凑在一起也比不过他思想的深刻。曹雪芹通 过贾宝玉告诉我们，封建社会已是穷途末路。身处康乾盛世而能认识到这一点的，绝无仅有。比他稍前的明末清初的黄宗羲顾炎武王夫之等人，痛心于明朝的灭亡， 沉痛反思的结果无非是皇帝太昏庸，大臣太贪婪顾私利，不去从根本上否定制度，没有从我们固有文化中查找致命之处，反而抱残守缺，对传统儒家沾沾自喜，以为 明的灭亡，不是儒家文化的失败，而是不能遵守儒家戒律的结果。就像《旧约圣经》里的犹太人，每受一次打击，每遭一次失败，都认为是对上帝笃信不坚的后果， 是上帝因为他们在异教间摇摆不定而降罚，因而每一次反思的结果都是更加信仰上帝。鸦片战争后很长一段时间，先进的中国人反思落后挨打原因，还认为我们只是 技不如人，而不是体制不如人，文化已落后。曹雪芹超越了他以前和以后所有的旧式知识分子精英。

他通过贾宝玉的口告诉我们，我们的制度， 我们的文化已是走投无路。贾府里面的男人，从上到下全都灵魂烂透了，封建社会的大厦靠这些人支撑，倾倒是必然的事。不仅如此，贾宝玉还以戏谑的口吻否定了 封建社会的最高道德教条,所谓的“文死谏武死战”。这一条认识是从根基上否定了我们引以为豪的封建道德和封建文化。最崇高的东西都被他看穿看透了，他还能 跟周围的男人沆瀣一气么？他还能从父命读八股考科举光耀门庭为这一腐烂的家族提供继续腐烂下去的养分么？所以贾宝玉清醒坚决地拒绝了合作，不愿为这个注定 要烂掉的社会陪葬。可惜宝玉的心思书中无人理解，就连他深爱的林妹妹也半点不知，他只能“无故寻愁觅恨，有时似傻如狂”了。他的愁恨，他的傻与狂，是出于 绝望，他找不到新的道路。《红楼梦》所深刻揭示的，不是曹雪芹所处的朝代已濒临绝境，此时是大清盛世，正是鲜花着锦烈火烹油无限风光的时代，他揭示给我们 的，是整个封建社会的走投无路。林妹妹的葬花词，在贾宝玉听来，在后世的我们听来，是唱给所有中国人的一首挽歌。

《西游记》《水浒传》告诉我们，农民起义，革命造反不能救中国；《三国演义》告诉我们，伟大领袖不能救中国；《红楼梦》告诉我们，我们真的已走投无路。

我们的文化没有内生性的力量，靠我们的固有文明来救中国，就好像是用中药来救治需要开膛破肚的病人一样无效。

来源：爱思想

Conducting Massively Parallel Sequencing

http://blog.allelebiotech.com/2013/03/conducting-massively-parallel-sequencing/

One of the major breakthroughs in modern biology is the development of massively parallel sequencing, also called next generation sequencing (NGS), which enabled the complete delineation of the human genome more than a decade ago. Since then many more species’ genomes have been sequenced, and the cost per genome has dropped from billions to mere thousands of dollars. New discoveries are being made as a result of the capability many research teams now possess to not only sequence chromosomal DNA, but also to identify which regions a protein of interest specifically binds (Chip-seq), analyze a whole transcriptome of a cell population under investigation (RNA-seq), or find out which RNA regions an RNA binding protein resides (CLIC-seq).

While it is inevitable that many PIs will seriously consider the inclusion of deep sequencing in their next grant proposal, it is not necessarily easy to take the first step and get their feet wet, so to speak. Knowing what format (e.g. 454 for longer reads, HighSeq for higher accuracy, or Ion Torren for bench top convenience) to use and how much to pay requires a vast amount of knowledge and experience. Even when you are done with sample prep, amplification and sequencing, to handle such massive amount of data is not trivial—transporting data alone can be a headache. A database server for storage and analysis requires another layer of expertise. There is no easy solution but to get started somehow. However, be prepared to deal with these issues.

Whether the cost on a type of next generation service is justifiable depends on whether it is required for your purposes. For example, when analyzing a person’s propensity of developing a disease by using known, disease-relevant genetic information, often times exome sequencing is sufficient. This costs anywhere between $1,000 to $3,000 with 100X coverage, significantly less than sequencing a complete genome which typically costs ~$5,000 at ~20x coverage.

High coverage sequencing of maternal blood DNA has been developed into clinically approved prenatal diagnosis of trisomy in Down’s syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. Transcriptome analysis helped the understanding of how reprogramming works when iPSCs are. Looking forward, with more routine use of deep sequencing we can predict with much more certainty the “off-target” effects of RNAi or cellular toxicity of chromosomal modifications enabled by ZFN, TALEN, or CRISPR. As a matter of fact, we believe that transcriptome sequencing should be required after each RNAi event to prove a specific linkage between knockdown and functions; similarly, whole genome sequencing results need to be provided after making a site directed chromosomal change in the future for high level publications.

*This blog partially resulted from discussions between Jiwu Wang @Allele_Biotech and his colleagues, who are NGS experts at UCSD’s Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Moore Cancer Center, and BGI Americas.

Allele Biotechnology Initiates Project On Scaled Manufacturing Of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells And Differentiation With Chinese Academics

AlleleBlog 01/16/2013 San Diego:

Allele Biotechnology has signed an agreement with Jinan University to develop culturing systems of stem cells and differentiation methods for producing skin tissue cells for wound treatment and stem cell therapy.

San Diego, California (I-Newswire) January 16, 2013 – Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a San Diego based company with a focus on new technology development, announced today that it has signed an agreement with the Biomedical Institute of Jinan University through a focus group to develop culturing systems of stem cells and differentiation methods for producing skin tissue cells for wound treatment. The joint team will also evaluate using stem cell therapy as potential treatment for arthritis, Lupus, and other autoimmune-related diseases.

Scientists from Allele Biotechnology recently described an important advance in the generation of stem cells capable of producing all the different tissues of the human body. Using messenger RNA molecules and without the need of viral vectors, animal products or feeder cells, this new method can be used to reprogram human fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The efficiency is significantly improved over previously reported reprogramming results and the time required to complete reprogramming is slashed in half under optimal conditions.

The Biomedical Institute at Jinan University, a leading comprehensive research university in South China, has focused on translational research in the areas of epidemic diseases and autoimmune diseases. It has broad collaboration with partners and close connections to the biotech industry in China. It was known to have launched (licensed) a number of new biologics in China, and contributed to the understanding and diagnostics of the SARS epidemic in 2003. The institute has also been entitled as the national engineering research center of biopharmaceutics since 2005.

This collaboration will last for at least 2 years, and will go beyond the R&D stage with selected candidates moving into clinical trials, first in China, then in other countries. If the project reaches clinical trials it will be funded jointly by industry and academic partners in the range of $10 million USD.

New Publication by Allele Biotech Researchers on Adipogenesis

Title:

A Novel pro-adipogenesis factor abundant in adipose tissues and over-expressed in obesity acts upstream of PPARg and C/EBPa

Authors:

Yuhui Ni, Chenbo Ji, Bin Wang, Jie Qiu, Jiwu Wang, Xirong Guo

Abstract:

An important question about adipogenesis is how master adipogenesis factors (defined as being able to initiate adipogenesis when expressed alone) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) initiate adipogenesis only in differentiating preadipocytes. The objective of our research was to find previously unidentified factors that are unique or highly enriched in cells of the adipocyte lineage during adipogenesis that may provide functional tissue specificity to preadipocytes. We reasoned that such factors may alter expression profile specifically in obese individuals. Omental adipose tissues were obtained from obese and non-obese male patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. mRNAs extracted from either group were used for suppression subtraction hybridization (SSH). Genes corresponding to mRNAs enriched in obese versus non-obese patients were identified through sequencing and further analyzed for tissue distribution. Out of ~20 genes, we found several that showed clear fat cell specific expression patterns. In this study, we functionally studied one of these genes, previously designated as open reading frame C10orf116. Our data demonstrated that C10orf116 is highly expressed in adipose tissue and is localized primarily within the nucleus. Over-expression studies in 3T3-L1 cells indicated that it up-regulates the levels of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein a (C/EBPa) and PPARg and promotes adipogenic differentiation starting from the early stage of adipogenesis. Over-expressed in omental tissues from obese patients, C10orf16 manifested the characteristics of an adipocyte lineage-specific nuclear factor that can modulate the master adipogenesis transcription factors early during differentiation. Further studies of this factor should help reveal tissue-specific events leading to fat cell development at the transcriptional level.

Link to the original publication: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10863-012-9492-6
Here is Allele Biotech’s webpage showing relevant cell and development biology products: www.allelebiotech.com

American CryoStem Corporation (OTCQB:CRYO), announced the launch of its newest adult stem cell and adipose tissue collection center in Bellevue, Washington

From AlleleBlog: http://blog.allelebiotech.com/2012/12/american-cryostem-corporation-otcqbcryo-announced-the-launch-of-its-newest-adult-stem-cell-and-adipose-tissue-collection-center-in-bellevue-washington/

A public company doing business of preparing and providing adipose (fat) tissue and adipose derived adult stem cells, American CryoStem Corporation (OTCQB:CRYO), announced the launch of its newest adult stem cell and adipose tissue collection center in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Fredric Stern will officially launch the new Stern Center Stem Cell Collection Service as the first to provide Adult Stem Cell and Tissue Banking services to the general public in the Seattle, Washington area.

“Having successfully worked with American CryoStem in the past we are truly excited about the official launch of these adipose tissue based services to the general public in Washington. I look forward to working with American CryoStem on educating my patients about the Regenerative Medicine benefits of “bio-banking” and the latest fat transfer cosmetic services now available at the center. I chose to affiliate my practice with American Cryostem because of their thorough scientific approach to stem cell banking and strict adherence to aseptic technique and FDA guidelines,” said Dr. Fredric Stern, the founder of The Stern Center and a plastic surgeon.

John S. Arnone, CEO said, according to a company news release, “We are excited to have a surgeon with Dr. Stern’s abilities and reputation associated with American CryoStem in the Seattle, WA area and look forward to a productive relationship with the entire Stern Center team. We remain committed to our “Gold Standard” clinical laboratory processing and storage reputation and strive to provide the best physician and patient services in the U.S. The newest stem cell collection center in our network represents our commitment to associate with leading physicians in the Regenerative Medicine Industry.”

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are typically the products of adipose tissue-isolated stem cells for regenerative medicine or, in this case cosmetic surgeries. The mesenchymal stem cells can also be isolated from bone marrow or embryos. They secret hormones once introduced into human bodies and help balance cytokines in the blood. It is reported that MSCs help reduce several disease symptoms and, in some countries, are used as “youth fountains” in anti-aging treatment. MSCs can be produced fairly easily, in our hands at least, from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). iPSCs, like embryonic stem cells, can be expanded indefinitely, differentiated into MSCs and all other cell types, and are being tested in various cell therapies including those that are mediated through the MSC stage.

NIDA Branch Chief, Jonathan D. Pollock, Ph.D., Encourages SBIR/STTR Grants on Reagent Kits Including iPSC

 From AlleleBlog:

“We’re interested in areas of genetics, in terms of smoking cessation, pharmacogenomics, treatment of substance abuse, and particularly right now, issues related to prescription substance abuse,” Jonathan D. Pollock, Ph.D., chief of the Genetics and Molecular Neurobiology Research Branch at NIDA’s Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, told GEN.

In addition to that solicitation, Dr. Pollock said, the branch is interested in supporting commercialization and development of products, resources, and services through SBIR/STTR relevant to brain research. They include protein capture reagents, proteomics, genomics, pharmacogenomics, molecular diagnostics, nanotechnology, gene delivery and viral vectors, identification of RNA and DNA sequences in formalin fixed nervous tissue, shRNA, microfluidics, epigenetics diagnostics, therapeutics, and tools to detect epigenetic modifications.

The branch is also looking to support commercialization and development of biomarkers, optogenetics, reagents for iPS and neural stem cells, technologies to uniquely barcode cell types, improved super resolution microscopy methods, in vivo gene expression imaging, automated sectioning, image acquisition and 3D reconstruction of electron micrographic sections, genetically encoded markers for electron microscopy, and “big” genomic and proteomic data, including data visualization, data contextualization, and data analysis.
“What we’re really looking for is products that you could basically commercialize coming out of research. These can be things that are either products or services. I think that there are opportunities, particularly for groups of individuals that have an idea, IP, and want to have a startup company.”
SBIR/STTR grants account for 2.8% of NIDA’s roughly $1 billion annual budget. NIDA spent $26.679 million on SBIR and STTR in fiscal year 2012, which ended September 30—up from $26.497 million in FY 2011. The number of SBIR/STTR research projects grants rose to 56 in FY 2012 from 44 a year earlier, according to the GEN article.

Allele Biotech’s CEO, Jiwu Wang, Ph.D., has worked with Dr. Pollock on a previous, VHH nanobody-related project under the NIDA SBIR program. He has just submitted a SBIR grant application based on Allele’s recently published mRNA-based reprogramming technology, after discussion with Dr. Pollock.

莫言不言则已，一言就无耻

木石64 于 2012-12-7 13:22:55 发布在 凯迪社区 > 猫眼看人

 

 百姓一万倍痛感黑夜来临——海子《秋日黄昏》1987年。

    据说，现在允许“异质思维”了，不知此“质”为何“质”？我们大家拭目以待

    ——此为时论的前语。

  

    莫言领奖，再一次成为焦点，在接受境外记者采访时说，“如果说一个作家在一种完全自由的状态下必定能够写出伟大的作品，那一定是假话，如果说一个作家在不自由甚至不太自由的环境下必定写不出伟大的作品，那也是假话。”

    这话表面看起来完全正确，逻辑上毫无漏洞，但稍有脑子的人，就可以看出，其实质混账到极点！无耻到极点！只有独裁体制下甘心情愿做高级奴才的文化人，才说得出这样表面正确实质无耻到极点的话。

    按 照莫言的逻辑，我们可以推导出同样正确的一系列混账话。比如这一句：“如果说莫言不是他父母的儿子，那一定是假话；如果说莫言户口本上写着是他父母的儿 子，就百分之百绝不可能是别人的儿子，那也是假话。”——此言当然是有人身攻击之嫌的混账话，但从逻辑上而言，它和莫言的话，是同样正确的。

    再比如这一句：“如果说希特勒是好人，那肯定是假话；如果说希特勒从来没有做过一丁点好事，那同样是假话。”

    再比如这一句：“如果说薄熙来老婆杀人薄熙来没有责任，那肯定是假话。可如果说薄熙来老婆杀人就要薄熙来负责，那同样是假话。”

    类似的正确言论可以不间断写下去。可是，如果你是个脑浆尚存的百姓，不妨想一想，说这种话的人，动机究竟何在？目的究竟何在？

    莫言为何敢公然说出如此无耻的言论？原因不外是三点：

    第一、他知道这话主子听了特别高兴，而他的主子依然权势熏天。也或者说，他知道自己获了这个奖以后，实际已经上升到主子地位，必须为千万尚未升上去的文人准文人作出示范和训导——你只管自己去好好写作，不要管自由不自由的事，自由不自由不重要！

    第二、他自以为自己得了诺贝尔奖，现在放个屁都有人说好——至少主子开办的无数报刊确实一定会轰然叫好。而骂他的人，现在已经不在莫言眼里了，那基本都是无足轻重的屁民——哪怕是有文化的屁民。

    第三、他确信绝大多数中国老百姓头脑里脑浆不多，而且多数已经成了浆糊状，看不出他话里的无耻内涵。

    如莫言一类的无数中国无耻文人，比如含泪请求、做鬼也幸福、四千万身家、中国创造了世界上最好模式等等、等等言论的专利人，已经成为中国的真正耻辱。独裁不是耻辱，而是不幸。而人格沦丧，道德堕落，廉耻全无，才是民族真正的奇耻大辱。 

    要使中国真正站起来，必须让中国人首先在人格上站起来，否则，经济再发达，“其抵屁”增长再迅猛，也只不过用来扩充解决问题人民的维稳队伍，用来增高压迫民众的人为大山，用来奖励高唱红歌的无耻文人，用来装饰华丽的遮羞墙而已！
 

Non-business repost by Allele outpost.