Genomic Medicine, Biomarkers, and Health Sciences最新文献

High-throughput detection is always attractive for researchers in developing sensing techniques. Recently, MEMS techniques have become well-established to produce miniaturized microfluidic devices with low-cost and small size. However, large-scale conventional off-chip detection approaches may limit the throughput of the detection systems such that the benefits come with the miniaturization are hindered. This review gives a brief overview for the development of high-throughput detection techniques in microfluidic systems, especially for the major optically fluorescence detections. Fundamental fluorescence techniques and two microfluidic systems including the micro capillary electrophoresis and the micro flow cytometer are introduced in this review. Various approaches for developing high-throughput and parallel fluorescence detection in microfluidic system are reviewed. A state-of-the-art diascopic illumination system for multispectral analysis in microfluidic systems is also included. Even though great progress for high-throughput bio-analysis has been made during the past decades, there is plenty of room for further improving the performance of existing detection techniques.

Extensive research on the Ras proteins and their functions in cell physiology over the past 30 years has led to copious approaches that reported the possible role of Ras not only in tumorigenesis but also in many developmental disorders. One of the hallmarks of human cancers is the intrinsic resistance to apoptosis. In this review we focus on anticancer drug sensitivities towards Ha-ras oncogene overexpression in vitro, reveal the downstream Ras effector molecules involved in the signaling pathways and the effect on cell cycle progression. Furthermore, we particularly emphasized 5-fluorouracil, Lovastatin, Tumor necrosis factor-α and Xanthone in selective suppression of Ha-ras-related tumorigenesis. Hence, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor sensitivity to apoptotic cell death is anticipated to provide the basis for a rational approach to develop molecular targeted therapies.

Over the last 20 years, adjuvant chemotherapy has been administered after surgical resection of tumors for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with stage III disease to reduce the risk of recurrence of cancer. However, it is controversial as to whether all stage II CRC patients, or at least stage II CRC patients with additional risk factors, should receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II CRC patients may be considered for patients in high-risk groups. It is a high priority to define prognostic factors for these stage II CRC patients to identify high-risk patients at risk of tumor metastases or recurrence and referral of stage II CRC patients for individual assessment. Recent guidelines advocate the consideration of clinicopathological factors such as free bowel perforation or obstruction, lymphatic and vascular invasion, poorly differentiated tumors, fewer than 12 lymph nodes examined, tumors with adjacent organ involvement, and indeterminate or positive margins as strong predictors of a poor prognosis in stage II CRC. Furthermore, with recent advances in basic research attempting to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis, a variety of candidate genes with potential value for the early detection of cancer have been discovered. Molecular factors such as microsatellite stability and loss of heterozygosity of 18q have been used to identify groups of patients with stage II CRC who have much worse prognoses and may benefit from administration of chemotherapy. Accumulated reports have described the detection of circulating tumor cell-related molecular markers in the peripheral blood of CRC patients, which has important prognostic and therapeutic implications. Consequently, therapeutic decision-making models are likely to be further refined by the inclusion of such molecular markers.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have the ability to reproduce themselves for a long period and differentiate into specific morphological and functional cells. The ES cells are an important material in developmental biology, genomics, and transgenic methods, as well as in potential clinical applications, gene therapy and tissue engineering. The pluripotent ES cells will be a valuable source in the treatment of numerous functional degenerative pathologies including Parkinson's disease (PD), which is characterized by progressive and selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain substantia nigra. Thus, the most important for using ES cells in PD therapy is to direct their differentiation into dopaminergic phenotype to replace the degenerated cells. In this review, we summarize the neural differentiation directing protocol, transplantation results, and behavioral recovery of ES cells derived dopaminergic neurons in the therapeutic studies in PD animal models.