An introduction to arrays

DNA microarrays are a new technology that allows the analysis of large numbers of genes at a high resolution by the hybridization of labelled DNA, which may be reverse-transcribed from mRNA, to a substrate containing thousands of spotted cDNAs or oligonucleotides. The amount of hybridized target is analysed, giving information on gene expression, polymorphisms or mutations present and allowing the gene profiling of different subtypes of disease. This technique has massive implications for the further understanding of the complicated genetic alterations involved in tumourigenesis and other disease processes and also for the generation of accurate prognostic information and optimization of treatment in these situations.     

An introduction to iatrogenic pathology

The authors presented the current conception of iatrogenesis in wide interpretation consistent with The International Classification of the Diseases and Causes of Death (the IX revision). The tendencies in iatrogenesis determination are analysed. Soviet and foreign literature data published on iatrogenic variants, frequency rate, problems for pathologists, classification, medical-pathological and social aspects are delineated.     

An introduction to tumour immunology

In this brief review some of the basic concepts in tumour immunology are summarised. These include the nature of tumour antigens, the many and varied ways the immune system of the host may respond thereto, and the mechanisms by which tumours may evade such responses. The limitations of current immunotherapeutic procedures employed are also considered and potentially important areas of tumour immunology research are emphasized.     

干细胞及肿瘤干细胞研究

干细胞及肿瘤干细胞研究是近年来最活跃的研究领域.到2008年12月底NCBI可查到的有关干细胞的文献达217 070篇,综述26 010篇.     

An introduction to silicon neural analogs

Synthetic neural systems that operate in real time have been fabricated using analog complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) very large scale integration (VLSI) technology. The analog silicon system surpasses the computational power of a general-purpose digital computer because, from device physics to circuit architecture, its form parallels the functional organization of the neural system. Because the CMOS circuit represents neural processing directly in hardware, it is not simply a simulation tool but rather an analog neural system that is embedded in, and interacts with, the real world.     

An introduction to wave intensity analysis

Wave intensity analysis applies methods first used to study gas dynamics to cardiovascular haemodynamics. It is based on the method of characteristics solution of the 1-D equations derived from the conservation of mass and momentum in elastic vessels. The measured waveforms of pressure P and velocity U are described as the summation of successive wavefronts that propagate forward and backward through the vessels with magnitudes dP _± and dU _±. The net wave intensity dPdU is the flux of energy per unit area carried by the wavefronts. It is positive for forward waves and negative for backward waves, providing a convenient tool for quantifying the timing, direction and magnitude of waves. Two methods, the PU-loop and the sum of squares, are given for calculating the wave speed c from simultaneous measurements of P and U at a single location. Given c, it is possible to separate the waveforms into their forward and backward components. Finally, the reservoir-wave hypothesis that the arterial and venous pressure can be conveniently thought of as the sum of a reservoir pressure arising from the total compliance of the vessels (the Windkessel effect) and the pressure associated with the waves is discussed.

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干细胞/基因联合治疗

细胞治疗与基因治疗的相互交融形成了更行之有效的干细胞/基因联合治疗,本文简要介绍干细胞/基因联合治疗中常用的细胞类型、各种载体以及它们的优缺点;例举了迄今已报道有成效的某些人类疾病的治疗或动物实验治疗的结果。此外,指出干细胞/基因联合治疗中可能遇到的致瘤性问题及其对策。     

An introduction to multivariate growth curve analyses

The Potthoff-Roy growth curve model provides a convenient and useful representation for the multivariate analysis of growth curve and repeated measurement data. In particular, it is especially well-suited for polynomial growth models, which can accurately summarize growth characteristics over limited time frames. In this paper we offer a tutorial in multivariate growth curve methodology, our aim being to assist investigators in implementing appropriate statistical analyses of growth curve data.     

An in vitro pathway from embryonic stem cells to neurons and glia

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced to differentiate into neurons and glia in vitro. Induction protocols are straightforward and involve culture in the presence of retinoic acid. They result in an efficient conversion of undifferentiated ES cells to neural cells. Mature neurons produced have the key physiological, morphological and molecular properties of primary cultured neurons derived from the central nervous system. Most significantly, they form functional chemical synapses that utilize either glutamate, GABA or glycine as neurotransmitters. ES cell-derived glial cells also correspond well with their normal counterparts. During induction, ES cells undergo a series of developmental steps that resemble key stages in the early mouse embryo. This supports the hypothesis that the in vitro pathway is a valid model of the normal developmental pathway leading to neurons and glia. The in vitro system combines three experimental strengths. It is suitable for genetic manipulation, affords large numbers of cells and allows precise manipulation of the culture environment. It is thus suitable for a wide variety of mechanistic studies in the areas of neural development and cell biology.     

Directing the differentiation of embryonic stem cells to neural stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are a potential source of neural derivatives that can be used in stem cell-based therapies designed to treat neurological disorders. The derivation of specific neuronal or glial cell types from ESCs invariably includes the production of neural stem cells (NSCs). We describe the basic mechanisms of neural induction during vertebrate embryogenesis and how this information helped formulate several protocols used to generate NSCs from ESCs. We highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and review what has been learned about the intermediate stages in the transition from ESC to NSC. Recent data describing how specific growth factors and signaling molecules regulate production of NSCs are described and a model synthesizing this information is presented.