Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a biological factor associated with gastric carcinoma. The prognosis of EBV-associated gastric car-cinoma (EBVaGC) is good because of its distinct clinicopathological features. The pathogenesis mechanism of EBVaGC is extensively in-vestigated at present. The development of molecular techniques has stimulated the research on the expression of EBV genes in EB-VaGC, thereby providing a theoretical foundation on the diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of EBVaGC. This article reviewed present research advances in EBV genes in EBVaGC.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is prevalent in Southeast Asia, especially in the area of southern China. It is acknowl-edged that NPC is absolutely related to EBV infection. Nevertheless, there are just a few researches about the relationship between the level of EBV antibodies and the tumor stages and it hasn't come to conclusion. This review makes a summary on present research progress and would be valuable for the better understanding of the contribution of EBV antibodies to the tumor stages in NPC.

OBJECTIVE To study the distributive properties and susceptibility of yeasts to six antifungal agents. METHODS To analyze the distributive properties of 264 clinical Candida spp isolates and study the susceptibility to amphotericin B,nystatin,fluconazole,ketoconazole,miconazole and clotrimazole.The susceptibility of yeasts was tested according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards guideline(NCCLS M27-A2). RESULTS Strains of Candida albicans were the most frequent organism isolated accounted for 62.5% of all the isolates.C.tropicalis,C.glabrata,and C.parapsilosis accounted for 20.8%,12.5%,and 1.9%,the others accounted for only 2.3%.The main infected organs were lungs,urinary tract,and digestive tract;the susceptibility tests showed strains of Candida spp to nystatin,amphotericin B,and fluconazole were more active than to the other antifungal agents.The resistance to triazole antifugal agents could be shown. CONCLUSIONS We should strengthen the diagnosis of Candida spp and strengthen the surveillance on susceptibility of clinical isolates Candida spp so as to help the doctors choose the antifungal agents reasonably.

Esophagus ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1/immunoglobulin A (EBNA1/IgA), BamH1 Z transactivator/IgA (Zta/IgA), capsid antigen/IgA (VCA/IgA), and Epstein-Barr virus deoxyribonucleic acid (EBV-DNA) in detecting different stages of na-sopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The relationship between the EBV markers and stages of NPC was also analyzed. Methods:Blood sam-ples of 152 untreated patients with NPC and 675 healthy subjects were collected.ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of EBNA1/IgA, Zta/IgA, and VCA/IgA. Fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) was used to detect the plasma levels of EBV-DNA. ROC and correla-tion analyses were employed to assess the detection assays for NPC diagnosis. The positive rates of EBV markers in NPC patients in dif-ferent stages were analyzed statistically. Results: The positive rates of EBNA1/IgA, Zta/IgA, VCA/IgA, and EBV-DNA in NPC patients were higher than those in the healthy individuals. The expression of EBNA1/IgA was relatively high in early NPC. The sensitivity of EB-NA1/IgA was 77.8%. In advanced NPC, the level of EBV-DNA was high, and the sensitivity of EBV-DNA was 88.8%. The specificity of EBV-DNA and EBNA1/IgA could reach more than 96%. The combination of EBV-DNA and EBNA1/IgA showed the best diagnostic value, with a sensitivity of 92.1%(early stage 82.5%, advanced stage 98.9%) and a specificity of 96.9%. The positive rates of EBV-DNA were positively associated with the NPC clinic stage and N stage. The positives rates of Zta/IgA were positively associated with the NPC N stage. Conclusion:The best single index for NPC screening in an asymptomatic population is EBNA1/IgA. EBV–DNA is an ideal index for auxiliary diagnostics of advanced NPC. The combination of EBV-DNA and EBNA1/IgA shows the best diagnostic value. EBV-DNA is an important index in the stage and illness monitoring of NPC. Zta/IgA can indirectly reflect the character of lymph node metastasis, and it may be useful in assessment of NPC surveillance.

Objective To investigate effects of β-thalassemia on 8 HbA1c measurement systems including Capillary electrophoresis and application of HbA2 values of samples with β-thalassemia from Capillary 2 Flex Piercing HbA1c measurement systems.Methods 338 samples without β-thalassemia ( include 80 α-thalassemia with --SEA/ααgenotype) and 225 samples with β-thalassemia were collected in Peking University Shenzhen hospital from January 2014 to August 2014.Samples withβ-thalassemia are all heterozygotes with normal α-globin and abnormal β-globin, and without combining other haemoglobinopathies.76 normal samples and 76 samples with β-thalassemia were selected from above all samples, HbA1c values of which were given by capillary electrophoresis ( Capillary Flex 2 Piercing), enzymatic ( Norudia N HbA1c ), immune transmission turbidity ( oneHbA1c FS ), chemiluminescent immunoassay (ARCHITECT HbA1c Reagent Kit), boronate affinity HPLC (Trinity Ultra2)and ion exchange HPLC (HA8160, VariantⅡTurbo and Variant Ⅱ BioRad 2.0), respectively.HbA1c values given by the eight systems were compared.338 samples without β-thalassemia and 225 samples with β-thalassemia were measured by using Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing HbA1c system and capillary electrophoresis hemoglobin system, the cut-off values of HbA2 from Capillary 2 Flex Piercing HbA1c measurement system for β-thalassemia was
assessed by using ROC curve.Data statistics were done by using SPSS 19.0.Results The HbA1c values of normal samples were well correlated with the comparative system.The correlation coefficients for the 7 systems are all greater than 0.98.For samples withβ-thalassemia, the correlation coefficients are all greater than 0.98 except for Variant Ⅱ Turbo.The bias between normal samples and samples with β-thalassemia have no significant difference except for VariantⅡTurbo.HbA2 values from Capillary 2 Flex Piercing HbA1c measurement and capillary electrophoresis hemoglobin system were well correlated. The correlation coefficient is 0.993.When cut-off value of HbA2 from Capillary 2 Flex Piercing HbA1c measurement system for β-thalassemia is 3.38, sensitivity is 98.3%, specificity is 100% .Conclusions Samples withβ-thalassemia have no significant effects on HbA1c measurement syetems except for Variant Ⅱ Turbo.The Capillary 2 Flex Piercing HbA1c measurement syetem has the advantage of screeningβthalassemia by HbA2 while measuring HbA1c.

Objective To assess influences of hemoglobin variants on different HbA 1c measurement systems.Methods HbA1c values of normal samples and samples with hemoglobin variants were measured respectively byenzymatic assay (Norudia N HbA1c,SEKISUI), immunity transmission turbidity (oneHbA1c FS,DiaSys), boronate affinity HPLC(Ultra2,Trinity Biotech), capillary electrophoresis(Capillary 2 Flex Piercing,Sebia)and ion exchange HPLC(HA8160,Arkary;Variant Ⅱ Turbo(VⅡ-T),Bio-Rad;Variant ⅡTurbo 2.0 (VⅡ-T 2.0), Bio-Rad).HbA1c values from different hemoglobin variants and HbA1c measurement systems were analyzed .Results The HbA1c values from the 7 HbA1c measurement systems were well correlatedin normal samples .For HbE heterozygote , the HbA1c values from VⅡ-T were divided into 2 groups comparing with CFP , and HbA1c differences between CFP and other measurement systems are minor except for HA8160 and VⅡ-T.The HbA1c values of homozygous HbE were given by Ultra 2 but CFP and VⅡ-T 2.0.The differences of HbA1c values from samples with J-Bangkok are much higher than those from the samples with other hemoglobin variants .The differences of HbA1c values from samples with all kinds of hemoglobin variants(Hb J-Bangkok, Hb J-Newyork, Hb G-Taipei and Hb G-Coushatta)are dramatic for VⅡ-T.For rare Kurosaki, CFP can give a hint that there existshemoglobin variant while measuring HbA 1c. Conclusions Capillary Flex 2 Piercingcan well recognize common hemoglobin variants . Different hemoglobin variants have different influences on different HbA 1c measurement systems.The influences of J-Bangkok among HbA1c measurement systems are more evident than the other common hemoglobin variants .

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI)for the differential diagnosis of the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma of the head and neck.Methods Thirty-one pa-tients with histopathologically proved adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma were examined with DCE-MRI,in which 10 cases were benign and 21 cases were malignant.The data of the conventional 3.0T DCE-MRI were improved by the 3D fast spoiled gradient-echo sequence (FSPGR)method.Z-test was performed on the quantitative parameters for benign and malignant le-sions,including volume transfer constant (Ktrans ),rate constant (Kep )and extravascular extracellular space fraction (Ve ).The re-ceiver operating characteristic (ROC)curves were plotted to investigate the diagnosis.Results The mean Ktranss of the adenoid cystic carcinoma group and pleomorphic adenoma group were (0.266 ± 0.103 )min-1 and (0.1 55 ± 0.080)min-1 respectively,and the difference between them were statistically significant (Z =-2.699,P < 0.05).The difference between the keps of the aforementioned two groups was of statistical significance (Z =-2.263,P < 0.05),while that of the ves is without statistical significance (Z =-1.132, P >0.05).The areas under the ROC curves of the Ktrans and kep were 0.813 and 0.763 respectively.Choosing the optimal diagnostic cut-off points corresponding to the maximum Youden indexes 0.173 min-1 and 0.818 min-1 ,the sensitivities of Ktrans and kep for identifying the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma were 90.9% and 81.8%,and the specificities were 77.8% and 66.7%.Ktrans was of the highest sensitivity and specificity for the identification of the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma.Conclu-sion The dynamic contrast-enhanced parameter Ktrans plays a certain role in the differential diagnosis of the adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoma of the head and neck.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; adverse effects ; methods ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Hematoma ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Thyroid Nodule ; pathology ; Young Adult

Mini health technology assessment (Mini-HTA) was developed from traditional HTA,based on the hospital needs.It is a very important decision making method and reference tool for the hospital policy makers.Currently there is no report of using Mini-HTA ease on introducing new equipment in China.Present paper introduces the Mini-HTA to provide reference for others hospitals in China.