Gene chip is a recently developed high-throughput gene expression analyzing technique. Key techniques and new development of gene chip are reviewed in this paper, including carrier(or substrate) surface chemical modification, preparations of DNA fragment, preparation of gene chips, tagging of the probes, hybridization, and analysis of gene chips. Comprehensive introduction of advantages and disadvantages of various technical taches and elements are introduced in this article. Particular attention is paid to further improvement needed to promote the popularization and application of this technology.

Objective To investigate the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) on apoptosis of cultured human cytotrophoblast cells and its possible mechanism involved in pathogenesis of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome.Methods Human cytotrophoblast cells from three term pregnancy(37-39 weeks) women were cultured and divided into four groups: normal control group,5-HT groups(0.1,1 and 10 ?mol?L~(-1)).The cells were cultivated for 3,6,12 and 24 h,respectively.Apoptotic index was measured by TdT-mediated biotinyated-dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) and morphological features of apoptotic cells were observed under electron microscope.Results When cells were cultivated for 3,6,12 and 24 h,compared with the normal control group(1.21?0.97,2.30?1.24,3.89?2.32 and 7.34?5.59,respectively),apoptotic indexes of cytotrophoblast cells in(10 ?mol?L~(-1)) 5-HT group were significantly increased(8.40?2.48,17.82?5.43,29.53?7.41,(45.56?)12.10,respectively)(P0.05).The significant morphological changes of apoptotic cytotrophoblast cells in various groups were found under electron microscope.Apoptotic cytotrophoblast cells were obviously compact and the chromatins were formed as mass and apoptotic bodies were also found under electron microscope.Conclusion 5-HT can promote the apoptosis of human cytotrophoblast cells and its mechanism may be correlated with pregnancy induced-hypertension syndrome.

Objective To study the expression of RUNX3 mRNA in primary liver cancer (PHC) tissue and its surrounding normal tissue,and its clinical significance.MethodsReverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of RUNX3 mRNA in tumor and peritumor tissues in 51 patients with PHC.The relationship between RUNX3 mRNA expression and some clinical pathological parameters was analyzed.ResultsThe relative expression values of RUNX3 mRNA in the tumor tissue and the surrounding normal tissue were 0.4509±0.0963 and 0.9147± 0.0222,respectively.The difference was significant (t=33.6087,P＜0.001).The RUNX3 mRNA expression in tumor tissue correlated with some clinical pathological parameters including low tumor differentiation,positive cancer embolus and intrahepatic invasion and metastasis.The RUNX3 mRNA expression was not correlated with other clinicopathological parameters including gender,cancer diameter,cancer location,hemorrhage and necrosis of cancer,and histotype.ConclusionRUNX3 may be a new tumor suppressor gene for PHC.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of edaravone on free radical damage after acute stroke. Methods The 60 patients with acute stroke were randomly divided into therapy group and control group. Both the groups were treated with routine approaches of dehydration, intracranial pressure reducing and blood pressure control. The treatment with balanced saline 250 ml plus edaravone 30 mg, intravenously infusion twice a day, was adopted in therapy group, while the control group received balanced saline 250 ml only, the treatment lasted for 14 days. Before and 14 days after treatment, the neurologic impairment analysis, activity of daily living scale (ADL) and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) were checked. Results Compared with control group, after 14 dtreatment, the improvements in neurologic impairment analysis (7.5±5.4 vs. 15.9±7.9, P＜0.05),ADL (58.32±11.57 vs. 43.73± 12.48, P＜0.05) and SOD[(157.25±21.81)mmol/L vs. (127.08 ± 13. 14)mmol/L, P＜0. 05] occurred in therapy group. Conclusions Edaravone could increase the ability of cleaning free radicals and promoting function of nerves recovery.

The experimental study of cerebral ischemia plays an important role for understanding the pathogenesis of ischemic brain injury, but its correlation with the clinical therapeutic strategies has certain limitations. One of its main reasons is that the experimental models and methods can not or only partially repeat the pathophysiological processes of natural cerebral ischemia. In order to promote the understanding and interpretation of the experimental data, we review the commonly used experimental animal models and modeling methods and mainly elaborate the methods of current different in vivo and in vitro clinical evaluation. Based on these studies, we believe that the standardized clinical evaluations are hugely important for assessing the experimental results and clinical transformation.

catechin plus dexamethasone-treated group. Compared with nephrotic group, the renal pathologic score were significantly different among the nephrotic group and the catechin-treated group (6 80?0 84,P

AIM:To investigate the effect of tert-butylhydroquinone ( tBHQ) on the replicative senescence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).METHODS: Late stage BMSCs were continuously treated with tBHQ at concentration of 30 μmol/L for 4 weeks and the cells were used for the following assays immediately .The proteasomal ac-tivity was determined by chemiluminescence method .The samples were subjected to CCK-8 assay and BrdU incorporation as well as flow cytometry analysis for analyzing the cell vitality and proliferation .Percentage of senescent cells was detected by senescence-associatedβ-galactosidase ( SA-β-Gal) staining.The expression of P53 was measured by Western blot .RE-SULTS:After the continuous treatment of tBHQ (30 μmol/L) for 4 weeks, the proteasomal activity of late stage BMSCs increased by 21.96%±1.98%(P<0.05).The cell vitality and survival were significantly increased with the increases in tBHQ doses till 40 μmol/L, and no cytotoxicity reaction with the increased dose of tBHQ till 120 μmol/L was observed . BrdU-positive cells, which represented the cell proliferation , were significantly increased (P<0.05).The proliferation in-dex was also significantly increased by flow cytometry analysis (P<0.05).The SA-β-Gal positive cells and the expression of P53 were decreased (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:tBHQ delays the proteasome dysfunction associated senescence pro-gress of BMSCs by increasing the proteasomal activity .

Objective To investigate indications,pacing modes,pacing parameters and postoperative complications of pacemaker implantation for patients aged 80 years or over.Methods Patients were recruited on a continuous basis and were assigned into two groups,with 112 patients in the very elderly (80-90 years old) group and 484 patients in the elderly (60-79 years old) group,which served as the control.Follow-up observations with the two groups were conducted concerning indications,mode selection,pacing parameters and postoperative complications.Results Compared with the control group,the very elderly group showed:1) a higher rate of coronary heart disease (58cases vs.163 cases or 51.8％ vs.33.7％ ; x2 =12.78,P＜0.01) ; 2) more single-chamber pacemaker implantations (63 cases vs.217 cases or 56.3％ vs.44.8％; x2=4.76,P＜0.05) and fewer dual-or multi-chamber pacemaker implantations (49 cases vs.267 cases or 43.8％ vs.55.2％ ; x2 =4.76,P＜0.05) ; 3) a higher rate of double bundles branch block (19 cases vs.31 cases or 17.0％ vs.6.4％ ; x2=13.20,P＜0.01); 4) a higher rate of postoperative acute cerebral infarction (x2 =8.34,P＜0.01) ; and 5) increased ventricular [(0.78±0.24)V vs.(0.55±0.16)V,P＜0.05]and atrial [(1.07±0.22)V vs.(0.84±0.28)V,P＜0.05]pacing thresholds.Conclusions Special considerations should be made when pacemaker implantation is planned for patients aged 80 or over.Pacemaker selection decisions ought to be based on a comprehensive evaluation of relevant clinical situations so that clinical benefits can be maximized.

Objective To explore the formation mechanism of peritumoral brain edema(PTBE)by vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF).Methods 40 biopsies were obtained from 37 patients.Inmunohistochemical staining and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of VEGF protein.Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to analyze the presence and quantity of VEGF mRNA.The extent of PTBE was estimated as an edema index(EI)based on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging.Results In VEGF-positive cases,a decreasing gradient of VEGF protein expression was observed with increasing distance from tumors(0.38±0.08,0.20±0.03,0.04±0.02).In meningiomas,the protein level and the mRNA level were congruent and the expression of both protein and mRNA had a significant correlation with EI(protein: r =0.892,RNA: r =0.875,P ＜ 0.05).However,in peritumoral areas,protein level were not consistent with the mRNA level.Protein results showed high correlation with EI(r =0.912,P ＜ 0.05),but mRNA almost was almost undetectable(0.06±0.02).Conclusion VEGF is impartant on PTBE.It is concluded that VEGF macromolecules are secreted by tumor tissue and enter peritumoral normal brain tissue to induce edemagenesis in meningiomas.

BACKGROUND: With development of modern medical sciences, the out comes after meningioma surgery cannot be fully assessed using morbidity,livability and mortality merely. Quality of life (QOL) is a health-related multivariable index, which provides integrated inf ormation associated with physiological,sychological and social adaptation status of the patients to doctors. Assessment of the QOL in meningioma patients may be one of a relatively good method for guiding surgery and reducing reoccurrence of tuOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the QOL in meningioma patients and then to provide relevant data for assessing the outcomes of meningioma surgery comprehensively.DESIGN: It was a single-sample investigation. SETTING: Neurosurgery Department, Second People's Hospital of Wuxi City of Nanjing Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 147 patients underwent meningioma surgery in the Neurosurgery Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wuxi City affiliated to Nanjing Medical University between January 1995 to January 2001 were selected, 61 males and 86 females, with a male/female ratio of 2:3 and an age ranging from 5-77 years old, in average of 43 years old, and the median was 43 years old.METHODS: Based on World Health Organization Quality of Life 100item questionnaire (WHOQOL-100) and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), we designed a questionnaire on QOL in patients with meningioma.Outcomes of the transverse investigation on 147 meningioma patients were compared with healthy controls. Surgery-related QOL curve was used for identifying the threshold satisfactory point of QOL. In addition, with selfcontrol, influence of surgery on QOL was assessed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relationship between QOL and clinical histories, radiological analysis, operation grading, histological properties and reoccurrence were investigated.RESULTS: All of the 147 patients entered the statistical analysis. ①In patient with meningioma, Cronbach's coefficient was 0.9521 and the correlated coefficient was 0.8685, which suggested that QOL questionnaire for patients with meningioma had a good reliability and validity. ②QOL ≥70 represented that the patient was satisfied with the QOL. ③In patients underwent surgical treatment, their physiological functions, self-help and self-care except for psychological functions were significantly improved (P ＜ 0.001 ).CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment enables patients to get a satisfied QOL. QOL questionnaire for patients with meningioma is helpful to provide relevant data for meningioma operation.