Epstein-Barr virus( EBV )is a ubiquitous human gamma-1 herpesvirus,which is associated with human malignancies,such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma,Burkitt's lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma.Based on the polymorphism of amino acids in the polymorphic region of EBV genome,it can be classified into different subtypes/variants.By now,whether the subtypes/variants of EBV preferentially is associated with particular malignancies or represent geographical polymorphism remains controversial.This review summarized the literature on sequence variation in EBV genes,focusing on LMP-1,EBNA-1,and BZLF-1 and their distribution by geography and disease.

Background and purpose:MMMT is known as a rare malignancy in gynecological tumor. Because of its difficulty in diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis is extremely poor. This study was to discuss the clinicopathologic feature and PRA,PRB expressions of uterine MMMT. Methods:We analysed clinicopathologic data and the expressions of PRA,PRB by immunohistochemical staining on 17 cases of uterine MMMT, and 11 patients were followed up. Results:①The patients usually presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding with no specifi city clinically. ②The morphological changes were various and complicated, including epithelial and mesenchymal components and a variety of inter-permeated and transitional tissue elements.③The positive rate of PRA in stageⅠ and stageⅡ were 66.7% and 40%, and PRB in stage Ⅰ and stageⅡwere 55.6% and 20%, respectively. ④The mean survival time in stageⅠ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ were 43.8 months (32-59), 34.25 months (19~41) and 5 months, respectively. Conclusion:The diagnosis of uterine MMMT was mainly based on tissue morphology; the development of uterine MMMT might be related with the loss of PRA and PRB ; the clinical stage and the expression of PRA and PRB might be the prognostic factors for uterine MMMT.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gamma herpes virus associated with several types of malignancies. The EBV encodes viral microRNAs (miRNAs) that can target genes within cells. The EBV participates in signal transduction as well as the proliferation and differentiation of cells. How the target genes and functions of EBV-encoded miRNAs contribute to the pathogenesis of EBV is an important research topic. Some target genes have been validated since EBV-encoded miRNAs were discovered and, in this article, we summarize them and their functions.
Animals ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; genetics ; metabolism ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate left atrial(LA)function in patients with prophase essential hypertension (EH)by left atrial volume tracking(LAVT)method.Methods Thirty prophase EH patients and 35 healthy subjects(control group)were enrolled in this study.Ultrasound LAVT(Hitachi EUB-6500)was applied to display and analyze the LA volume loop imaging on the standard LV apical two and four chamber views.The maximal LA volume at end-systole(LAVmax),LA volume at the onset of ECG-P wave(LAVP),the minimal LA volume at end-diastole(LAVmin)from the LA volume loop were recorded,and body surface area was used to revise these volume indexs(LAVImax,LAVIp,LAVImin).LA pass,act and total empting volume(LAVIpass,LAVIact,LAVItotal)and empting rate(%LAVIpass,%LAVIact,%LAVItotal),effective pass and act erupting rate(%eLAVIpass,%eLAVIaet),and the proportionality of pass empting volume and act empting volume were caculated.Results The LAVIp,LAVIact,LAVItotal,%LAVIact,%LAVItotal,%eLAVIact in the prophase EH group were significantly higher than those in the control group,wheras the LAVIpass,%LAVIpass,%eLAVIpass,LAVIpass/act were lower(all P＜0.05,or P＜0.01).Conclusions The LA volume change in prophase EH is the act empting volume increased at end-diastole in main,LAVT is a potientially useful tool to evaluate the function of LA.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of ultrasound markers in screening fetal trisomy 21.Methods From Jan.2001 to Dec.2011,a retrospective study about sonographic information of 138 fetuses diagnosed as trisomy 21 was taken in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.All fetuses were divided into 3 groups:isolated ultrasound markers,non-isolated ultrasound markers,and isolated structural malformations or other abnormalities.The relationship between trisomy 21 and ultrasound markers as well as structural anomalies or other abnormalities was analyzed.Results Sonographic anomalies were detected in 132 fetuses(95.7％,132/138),including ultrasound markers and structural malformations or other abnormalities.One hundred and twenty cases(87.0％,120/138)had ultrasound markers,38(31.7％,38/120)had one marker and 82(68.3％,82/120)had more than one marker (P ＜ 0.01).Fifty-one fetuses(37.0％,51/138)had isolated ultrasound markers and non-isolated markers were found in 69 fetuses(50.0％,69/138).Only 12 fetuses(8.7％,12/138)had isolated structural malformations or other abnormalities.In 20 fetuses on whom the first-trimester ultrasound screening were performed,all had ultrasound markers,95％(19/20)had thickened nuchal translucency and 55％ (11/20)had nasal bone hypoplasia.The most common ultrasound markers on the second-trimester screening were nasal bone hypoplasia,which accounted for 41.9％(52/124)cases,followed by thickened nuchal fold (25.0％,31/124),short fenurs and humerus(24.2％,30/124),echogenic intracardiac focus(16.1％,20/124),mild ventriculomegaly(15.3％,19/124),hyperechoic bowel(12.9％,16/124),mild renal pyelectasis(12.1％,15/124).Furthermore,thc common structural malformations or other abnormalities were as follows:cardiac defects(33.1％,41/124),digestive system(26.6％,33/124).Condusions Ultrasound markers are valuable for screening fetal trisomy 21.The fetuses of trisomy 21 usually had more than one ultrasound markers or associated with other abnormalities.Combinations of ultrasound markers with the results of serum screening and maternal age are necessary for evaluation.

Objective To explore the value of combined detection with MMP-9 and uPA in the progno-sis of pancreatic carcinoma. Methods By immunohistochemistry PV methods,the expression of MMP-9 and uPA was respectively studied in 63 surgical specimens of primary pancreatic carcinoma and the survival time of patients with pancreatic carcinoma was analysed. Results The expressions of MMP-9 and uPA were positively related(r=0. 573,P=0. 000). The expression of MMP-9 and uPA significantly correlated with differentiation (r= -0. 271,P=0. 032;r= -0. 333,P=0. 008),TNM stages(r= -0. 449,P=0. 000;r= -0. 430,P=0. 000)and lymph node metastasis(r=0. 329,P=0. 009;r=0. 400,P=0. 001),separately. The expression of MMP-9 had also a significant correlation with tumer size(r= -0. 297,P=0. 018)and distant metastasis(r=0. 320,P=0. 011). Univariate analysis identified that tumor size(χ2 =8. 766,P=0. 012),differentiation(χ2 =29. 050,P=0. 000),clinical stage(χ2 =24. 940,P=0. 000),distant metastasis(χ2 =12. 846,P=0. 000), lymph node metastasis(χ2 =15. 457,P=0. 000),MMP-9(χ2 =32. 700,P=0. 000)and uPA(χ2 =41. 495,P=0. 000)were significantly associated with prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that 1-year survival rate of patients with MMP-9 ( -),uPA ( -)were significantly longer than that of the patients with MMP-9( ﹢),uPA( ﹢),respectively(χ2 =32. 700,P=0. 000;χ2 =41. 495,P=0. 000);1-year survival rate of patients with MMP-9( -)/uPA( -)was significantly longer than the others( Log-rank test,χ2 = 54. 892, P=0. 000). COX regression revealed that differentiation(RR=2. 315,P=0. 004),clinical stage(RR=1. 694, P=0. 002),MMP-9(RR=0. 165,P=0. 000)and uPA(RR=0. 244,P=0. 007)was independent prognostic factors in pancreatic carcinoma. Conclusion They may have a synergistic function in the the process of growth and invasion in pancreatic cancer between MMP-9 and uPA,and the posssible mechanism is that uPA activate degradation of MMP-9,which is not favorable to prognosis. Combined analysis of MMP-9 and uPA may lead to a more reliable prognostic estimation,as the beneficial supplement of the differentiation,and clinical stage to judge the prognosis of pancreatic cancer.

The value of the left atrial volume tracking (LAVT) method in the evaluation of left atrial (LA) function in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) was examined in this study. Fifty-eight DM patients as DM group and 40 healthy people as normal control group were enrolled in this study. EUB-6500 echocardiographic imaging system with LAVT was applied to display and analyze the LA volume curve imaging on LV apical two and four chamber views. The maximal LA volume at end-systole (LAV(max)), LA volume at the onset of ECG-P wave (LAV(p)), the minimal LA volume at end-diastole (LAV(min)) from the LA volume curve were acquired and recorded. All values above were standardized by body surface area (BSA). Then the passive, active and total LA volume (LAVIpass, LAVIact, LAVItotal) and empting rate (%LAVIpass, %LAVIact, %LAVItotal), effective passive and active empting rate (%eLAVIpass, %eLAVIact), and the proportionality of passive empting volume and active empting volume were calculated. The LAVIp, LAVIact, LAVItotal, %LAVIact, %LAVItotal and %eLAVIact were significantly higher in the DM group than those in the control group, whereas the LAVIpass, %LAVIpass, %eLAVIpass and LAVIpass/act were lower (all P<0.05). For the LA volume change in DM, the active empting volume was enhanced at end-diastole. It was concluded that LAVT is a potentially useful tool to evaluate the function of LA.

Transthoracic echocardiographic characteristics of 17 cases of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), a rare disease in China, were analyzed in order to improve the understanding of the disease. Seventeen cases of biopsy-proven CA, admitted to Wuhan Union Hospital from June 1994 to September 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty normal volunteers served as control group. Left atrial and ventricular functions and mitral inflow velocity were measured by two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)-derived peak systolic wall motion velocities (Sv), peak early diastolic wall motion velocities (Ev), and peak late diastolic wall motion (Av) were measured at the septum, lateral, inferior and anterior corners of mitral annulus from the apical 4- and 2 chamber views. Compared with the control group, the interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), the left ventricular posterior wall (LVPWd), right ventricular transverse diameter (RVTDd) near the end of diastole and the interauricular septum thickness (IASs), left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAADs), right atrial transverse diameter (RATDs) near the end of systole were increased significantly (all P<0.05) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased (P<0.05) in the CA group. Compared with the control group, Sv, Ev at each wall and Av at almost all walls were significantly decreased in the CA group. In the CA group, Myocardial echoes of interventricular septum and free wall of left ventricle were enhanced evidently and distributed unevenly. The echoes presented as ground glass-like images, with some spotty hyper echoes. Both atria were enlarged, and LVEF decreased, with diastolic function impaired, and mild-moderate hydropericardium found in the CA group. It was concluded that echocardiography was a relatively sensitive and highly specific non-invasive method for the diagnosis of CA.
Amyloidosis/*ultrasonography ; Cardiomyopathies/*ultrasonography ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler/*methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Objective To observe hemodynamic changes in patients with primary hypertension with wave intensity (WI). Methods Carotid arteries of 36 patients with primary hypertension and 30 age-matched normal controls were examined with imaging technique of WI. The following parameters were measured: the first wave peak in early ejection (W1), the second wave peak in late ejection (W2), the negative area during the mid-ejection (NA), the interval between the R wave of the ECG and the first peak of W1 (R-1st), the interval between the first peak and the second peak (1~(st)-2~(nd)), the ratio of R-1st and a cardiac cycle time R-1_(HR)~(st)) and the ratio of 1~(st)-2~(nd) , as well as one cardiac cycle time (1~(st)-2(_(HR)~(nd)). Results ①W1 in primary hypertension group increased compared with those of normal controls (P＜0.01), while no significant difference of W2, NA, R-1st, 1~(st)-2~(nd), R-1_(HR)~(st), 1~(st)-2_(nd)~(HR) was detected (P＞0.05). ②Both W1 and W2 correlated positively with pulse pressure (PP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r=0.66, 0.55, P＜0.01;r=0.62, 0.44, P＜0.01). W1, W2 and age, DBP were not related significantly (P＞0.05). Conclusion The hemodynamic parameters of WI technology provide a new way to evaluate the dynamics of the heart and vascular system and their interaction.

Objectives To investigate the relationship of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methioninesynthase reductase (MTRR) with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). Methods Case control study was used to select 244 patients with URSA (miscarriage group) and 116 normal women (control group) who were admitted to Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Tianjin Women’s and Children’s Health Center from January 2013 to March 2015. The oral mucosal epithelial cells were extracted using fluorescence quantitative PCR to detect MTHFR gene C677T, A1298C and MTRR gene loci of A66G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). The relationship between folate metabolism related gene polymorphisms of MTHFR and MTRR and URSA was analysed. Results The frequency of C677T genotype MTHFR was significantly higher in URSA group than that in the control group, and the frequency of CT genotype was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the frequencies of A1298C MTRR and A66G MTHFR between the two groups. The activity of MTHFR, red cell folate and plasma folate levels were significantly lower in URSA group than those of control group. Homocysteine levels were significantly higher in URSA group than those of control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum folic acid, red cell folate, homocysteine cysteine levels between patients <35 years old and ≥ 35 years old in URSA group. Conclusion C677TMTHFR gene polymorphism is associated with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion.