Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus associated with important human diseases, including infectious mononucleosis syndrome, malignant lymphoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The mechanism of EBV entry into host cells remains a subject of intensive research. After decades of study, researchers have identified several key proteins and different patterns of EBV intrusion into host cells. The viral surface glycoproteins, gp350/220, gp42, gB, gH, and gL, are involved in interactions with the CR2 receptor on the surface of B lymphocytes during viral entry. However, the majority of epithelial cells lack CR2 receptor expression, which makes viral invasion much more complex than in B lymphocytes. Three different models have been proposed to explain how EBV enters epithelial cells: (1) "transfer of infection", mediated by B lymphocytes or Langerhans cells; (2) EBV utilizes its own proteins during the process of fusion with the cell membrane; and (3) progeny virions arising from EBV-infected epithelial cells cross lateral membranes into adjacent epithelial cells. This review will discuss the relevant mechanism of viral entry into B lymphocytes and epithelial cells during EBV infection.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; virology ; Epithelial Cells ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Internalization

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Objective To evaluate the blood supply features and effectiveness of arterial chemoembolization for pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods Angiography and chemoembolization via supplying blood arteries of tumor were performed in five patients with pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma.Interventional procedure was carried out with tumor vascular infusion of 350 mg hot elemene emulsion and tumor embolization by cisplantin-lipidol emulsion(cisplantin 60-80 mg+lipidol 8-15 ml)and glutin.Results Ten interventional procedures(TACE)were undertaken in 5 patients.Angiography showed that tumor blood supply mainly coming from collateral circulation adjacent to the tumors,but partially from hepatic artery.Tumor sizes decreased from 30% to 50% in 5 cases,and AFP declined in 4 cases after the treatment. Conclusion Pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma possessing different blood supply features from intrahepatocellular carcinomas.But transarterial ehemoembolization is still an effective method of choice for this treatment.

Aquilaria agallocha can produce fragrant agarwood used for incense, traditional medicine and other products. An efficient plant regeneration system was established via organogenesis from shoots developed from seedlings of Aquilaria agallocha. Shoots generated many buds on MS medium supplemented with 1.3 micromol/L BA (6-benzylaminopurine) in the first 7 weeks, and the buds elongated on MS medium with 1.3 micromol/L BA+0.5 micromol/L NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid) in another 7 weeks, 2.3 shoots 2 cm in length per explant were obtained within 14 weeks. Plantlets were rooted on 1/2 MS medium after being immersed in 5 micromol/L NAA for 48 h, 96.7% of the roots grew up two weeks later. All plantlets that survived acclimatization grew well in the pots.
Agriculture ; methods ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Forestry ; methods ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Growth Regulators ; metabolism ; Plant Shoots ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Thymelaeaceae ; drug effects ; growth & development

Objective To investigate the effects and clinical significance of comfort care in postoperative gastrointestinal carcinoma patients with chemical therapy. Methods One hundred and one postoperative gastrointestinal carcinoma patients with chemical therapy were divided into intervention group(n = 51) and control group (n = 50) randomly, intervention group was given three to six months' comfort care besides conventional nursing, while control group only received conventional nursing, and clinical effects were evaluated after intervention. Results Life quality in intervention group (KPS score 80. 5 ±6.2) was significantly higher than that of control group (75.6±8.1), and satisfactory degree to comfort care was higher than that of control group too, but the incidence of adverse effects was significantly lower than that of control group, P<0.05). Conclusions Comfort care in postoperative gastrointestinal carcinoma patients with chemical therapy is of great importance in improving patients' life quality and alleviating adverse effects after chemical therapy.

OBJECTIVETo examine the changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and elucidate the inflammatory status of apparently healthy subjects.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples (5 ml) were collected after fasting for more than 8 h from 14 healthy control subjects and 14 apparently healthy subjects with elevated serum high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) level (≥ 2.0 mg/L). PBMCs were separated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation and the total RNA was extracted for real-time quantitative PCR analysis of the inflammatory cytokines, and plasma was separated for ELISA analysis of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expressions.

RESULTSThe gene expressions of TNF-α and MCPIP were significantly increased in PBMCs of apparently healthy subjects, while IL-6 and MCP-1 only showed slight elevations; IL-10 expression in PBMCs decreased significantly in apparently healthy subjects as compared to that in the control group. The results of ELISA showed significantly elevated TNF-α level without significant changes of plasma IL-6 level in apparently healthy subjects.

CONCLUSIONIn apparently healthy subjects with normal lipid levels, chronic low-grade inflammation has occurred shown by elevated expressions of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and lowered expressions of the anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Inflammation ; immunology ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

BACKGROUNDIt has been reported that osteopontin has an important role in cardiac fibrosis and remodeling. However, its direct mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of angiotensin and aldosterone blockades in cardiac osteopontin expression associated with cardiac remodeling in myocardial infarcted (MI) rats.

METHODSFifty SD rats that survived 24 hours after ligating left anterior descending coronary artery were randomly divided into three groups: MI-saline group (n = 15, 5 ml/d), MI-perindopril group (n = 18, perindopril 2 mgxkg(-1)d(-1)) and MI-spironolacton (n = 17, spironolacton 20 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)). A sham operation group (n = 15) was selected as non-infarcted control. At 6 weeks after treatment, hemodynamic pararmeters and left ventricular function were measured with catheterization, interstitial fibrosis infiltration and cardiomyocyte diameters were evaluated histologically. Myocardium osteopontin protein expression level in the non-infarcted myocardium was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSNo osteopontin protein was detected in the myocardium of sham-operation rats. High levels of osteopontin protein expression were detected in the MI-saline rats, but the levels were suppressed in the MI-perindopril and MI-spironolacton rats at 6 weeks following MI (P < 0.01, respectively). Compared with the sham operation group, all rats in the MI group showed marked interstitial fibrosis infiltration in the non-infarction area, higher ventricular weight/body weight ratio, significantly increased cardiomyocyte diameter (P < 0.01, respectively), and developed significant systolic and diastolic dysfunction as indicated by decreased left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and +/-dp/dt, as well as increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (P < 0.01, respectively). Angiotensin and aldosterone blockades partly prevented cardiac fibrosis and systolic and diastolic dysfunction (P < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONTreatment with angiotensin and aldosterone blockades inhibits expression of osteopontin in the non-infarcted myocardium and prevents cardiac remodeling following MI.

Angiotensins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Fibrosis ; Hemodynamics ; Male ; Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; chemistry ; pathology ; Osteopontin ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo understand the incidence of colorectal cancer in population drinking or not and to validate the relationship between drinking and colorectal cancer.

METHODSThe data obtained from a questionnaire used in a population-based prospective screenings study in ten countries of Jiashan County was examined. A total of 64,102 men and women aged 30 y and older without history of cancer at baseline and a subcohort of 29,044 of them drinking past and current was conducted. Cox regression model was applied to estimate relative risk (RR).

RESULTSAfter 10 years follow-up,107 colon cancer and 135 rectal cancer cases were identified. Among drinkers and abstainers, the incidence density of colorectal cancer was 36.18 per 100 thousand and 37.26 per 100 thousand, respectively and there wasn't statistical significance(Z=0.52, P>0.05); The crude RR (95%CI) for drinker compared with never drinkers was 0.97(0.75 approximately 1.25), and the multivariable-adjusted RR (95%CI) was 1.13(0.87 approximately 1.48). The research power of this study was 96.99%.

CONCLUSIONAlcohol drinking isn't one of the risk factors of colorectal cancer among Jiashan County population.

Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; China ; epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUNDYes-associated protein (YAP) plays an important role in signal transduction and gene transcription regulation in normal cells, with elevated and over-expressed YAP levels observed in various malignant tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of YAP in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to study the possible relationship of YAP expression with the occurrence and development of NSCLC.

METHODSYAP expression was assessed in 40 cases of NSCLC tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry, and their protein and mRNA levels were evaluated through Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Normal lung tissues obtained from the same patient were used as control. Statistical analysis was performed to correlate the YAP expression to clinical pathological factors, such as tumor type, stage and grade.

RESULTSYAP-positive expression was found in 28 (70%) of the 40 cases of NSCLC, which included 10 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (25%), 17 cases of adenocarcinoma (42.5%) and 1 case of squamous adenocarcinoma (2.5%). In the 28 YAP-positive cases, 19 cases showed lymph node metastasis and were classified in TNM stage II + III (47.5%); the other nine cases showed no lymph node metastasis (22.5%) and were classified in the TNM stage I. There was no relationship between YAP expression and patients' age, gender or tumor histological grades. However, YAP showed significant over expression in late period of T stage (P = 0.012), TNM stage (P = 0.039), and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.013), respectively. Notably, YAP-positive expression was significantly higher in adenocarcinoma than that in squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONSOver-expression of YAP was associated with NSCLC, especially lung adenocarcinoma. The high YAP expression in late period of tumor stage and lymph node metastasis may indicate that YAP expression could be an early marker for NSCLC tumorigenesis.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between lifestyle factors, parental obesity and adiposity in children, in order to provide theoretical evidence for public health policy establishment.

METHODSA cross-sectional observation study was conducted among approximately 20 thousand children aged 2 - 18 years old in urban and rural regions of Beijing, by using stratified randomization clustering sampling methods. Familial environmental risk factors of children adiposity and parental obesity were assessed with standardized questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements, including height and weight, were conducted. SPSS 13.0 software was applied to analyze the data, including general description, chi(2) trend test and non-condition logistic analyse.

RESULTSWith IOTF obesity references, the prevalence of obesity in 21,198 children aged 2 - 18 years old was 5.6%. The behavioral characters (for example, smoking and drinking) and children obesity showed significant familial aggregation. In groups including "both parents not smoke", "only one parent smoke" and "both parents smoke", the smoking rates of offsprings were 1.50%, 2.93% and 6.01%, respectively (chi(trend)(2) = 107.009, P < 0.01). A similar pattern was found for offsprings' alcohol consumption rates (5.85%, 9.12% and 13.96%; chi(trend)(2) = 107.009, P < 0.01). Based on parents' BMI status, in groups including "both parents had normal weight", "father was obese", "mother was obese" and "both parents were obese", the prevalence of obesity in children were 3.29%, 11.48%, 9.12% and 27.01%, respectively (chi(trend)(2) = 293.404, P < 0.01). After controlling for sex and ages, factors such as physical exercises, sleeping times per day, fat intakes, watching TV, drinking alcohol were impact factors of children obesity. After controlling of confounding factors, such as children gender, age, birth weight, puberty, smoking history, drinking history, fat intakes, soft drink, physical exercises, education experiences of parents, smoking history, drinking history, family income and so on, maternal obesity had a greater influence on daughters than on sons (OR = 5.93, 95% CI: 3.57 - 9.84), and paternal obesity showed similar influence on sons (OR = 4.29, 95% CI: 3.21 - 5.72). Comparing to parents with normal weight, obese parents had more powerful impact on daughters (OR = 28.51, 95% CI: 15.13 - 53.72) than on sons (OR = 7.21, 95% CI: 4.07 - 12.75), regarding to 2 - 5 years group and 10 - 12 years group versus other age group (OR = 18.67, 95% CI: 1.49 - 234.46; OR = 22.25, 95% CI: 10.62 - 46.59).

CONCLUSIONParental obesity is an independent risk factor of adiposity in children; gender and age affect this association. The lifestyle patterns of parents should have great impact on children. When prevention or intervention with children obesity, familial environmental factors should be emphasized.

Adolescent ; Alcohol Drinking ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sampling Studies ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires