Association of parvovirus B19 genome in children with myocarditis and cardiac allograft rejection: diagnosis using the polymerase chain reaction

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory diseases of the heart, including myocarditis and cardiac transplant rejection, are important causes of morbidity and mortality in children. Although viral infection may be suspected in either of these clinical conditions, the definitive etiology is often difficult to ascertain. Furthermore, the histology is identical for both disorders. Coxsackievirus has long been considered the most common cause of viral myocarditis; however, we previously demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis that many different, and sometimes unexpected, viruses may be responsible for myocarditis and cardiac rejection. In this study, we describe the association of parvovirus genome identified through PCR analysis of cardiac tissue in the clinical setting of myocarditis and cardiac allograft rejection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Myocardial tissue from endomyocardial biopsy, explant, or autopsy was analyzed for parvovirus B19 using primers designed to amplify a 699-base pair PCR product from the VP1 gene region. Samples tested included those obtained from patients with suspected myocarditis (n=360) or transplant rejection (n=200) or control subjects (n=250). Parvoviral genome was identified through PCR in 9 patients (3 myocarditis; 6 transplant) and no control patients. Of the 3 patients with myocarditis, 1 presented with cardiac arrest leading to death, 1 developed dilated cardiomyopathy, and the other gradually improved. Four of the 6 transplant patients had evidence of significant rejection on the basis of endomyocardial biopsy histology. All transplant patients survived the infection. CONCLUSIONS: Parvovirus is associated with myocarditis in a small percentage of children and may be a potential contributor to cardiac transplant rejection. PCR may provide a rapid and sensitive method of diagnosis.     

Infection after pediatric heart transplantation: results of a multiinstitutional study. The Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group

BACKGROUND: Detailed information regarding the spectrum and predictors of infection after heart transplantation in children is limited because of relatively small numbers of patients at any single institution. We therefore used combined data obtained from the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group to gain additional information regarding infectious complications in the pediatric population. METHODS: To determine the time-related risk of infection and death related to infection in a large pediatric patient population, we analyzed data related to 332 pediatric patients (undergoing heart transplantation between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1994) from 22 institutions in the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group. RESULTS: Among the 332 total patients, 276 infections were identified in 136 patients. Of those patients with development of infection, a single infection episode was reported in 54% of patients, 21% had two infections, and 25% had three or more infections. Of the 276 infections, 164 (60%) were bacterial, 51 (18%) were due to cytomegalovirus, 35 (13%) were other viral (noncytomegalovirus) infections, 19 (7%) were fungal, and 7 (2%) were protozoal. Bacterial infections were more common in infants younger than 6 months of age at time of transplantation, comprising 73% of all infections as compared with 49% in patients older than 6 months of age. The incidence of bacterial infection peaked during the first month after transplantation, with the actuarial likelihood of a bacterial infection among all patients reaching 25% at 2 months. The most common sites of bacterial infection were blood and lung (74% of bacterial infections). Cytomegalovirus accounted for 59% of viral infections, with a peak hazard occurring at 2 months after transplantation. Among all infections, cytomegalovirus was less common in infants younger than 6 months of age (8% of all infections) than in older patients (25%). By multivariate analysis, risk factors for early infection included younger recipient age (p = 0.05), mechanical ventilation at time of transplantation (p = 0.0002), positive donor cytomegalovirus serologic study result with negative recipient result (p = 0.004), and longer donor ischemic time (p = 0.04). The overall mortality rate from infection was 5%, with an actuarial freedom from death related to infection of 92% at 1 year after transplantation. The mortality rate was high in patients with fungal infections (52%), yet was low for those with cytomegalovirus infection (6%). Infections accounted for 27% of the overall mortality rate in infants younger than 6 months of age, compared with 16% for older patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although most infections in pediatric heart transplant recipients are successfully treated, infection remains an important cause of posttransplantation morbidity and death, especially in infants. Bacterial infections predominate within the first month after transplantation, whereas the peak hazard for viral infections occurs approximately 2 months after transplantation. Cytomegalovirus infections are common in the pediatric transplant population, but death related to cytomegalovirus is low.     

Effects of smoking cessation on insulin and cardiovascular risk factors--a controlled study of 4 months'' duration

MIB-1 Ki-67 and PCNA scores in infiltrating ductal NOS breast carcinomas were compared. The correlation between MIB-1, Ki-67 and PCNA indices and several clinicopathological factors that have prognostic significance in breast cancer was also assessed. The mean Ki-67, MIB-1 and PCNA indices were 13.4%, 19.4%, 27.6%, respectively. Significant positive linear correlation was found only between Ki-67 and MIB-1 indices. PCNA score did not correlate with Ki-67 and MIB-1 indices. The significant correlation between Ki-67 and MIB-1 scores and histological grade was found. There was no correlation between Ki-67 and MIB-1 indices and axillary lymph node status or tumor diameter. The results suggest that MIB-1 antibody is an excellent tool for assessment of proliferative rate of breast cancer cells in paraffin sections.     

静电纺聚碳硅烷制备SiOC超细纤维

以聚碳硅烷(PCS)为先驱体, 采用静电纺丝法和先驱体转化法制备SiOC超细纤维, 研究PCS溶液浓度和表面活性剂对纤维形貌和直径的影响。实验结果表明: 添加表面活性剂后, 纤维分布均匀, 串珠现象消失; 通过调节溶液中PCS比例, 纤维直径分布范围为500~900 nm。力学性能测试表明SiOC纤维毡的抗拉强度可达8.88 MPa。SiOC超细纤维毡也展现出优异的热稳定性和抗化学腐蚀性能, 在苛刻环境中可以作为催化剂载体和过滤材料使用。     

土石坝的动态反应：离心机模型试验与数值模拟

为评估LIQCA程序是否能合理分析台湾仁义潭土石坝在地震时的反应,进行3个土石坝离心机模型试验,并对相同的土石坝与振动历时进行LIQCA动态数值分析。通过动态数值分析与离心机模型试验结果,探讨土石坝受震时超孔隙水压力的激增以及土体加速度在坝体不同填土区的变化,并评估LIQCA程序耦合在仿真土石坝受震时的可靠性。     

Performance of simple cross-interleaved Reed-Solomon decoding strategies for compact disc players

The complexity and performance of three simple error detection and correction strategies frequently used for the decoding of the cross-interleaved Reed-Solomon codes in digital compact disc ( CD) are compared. It is assumed that the number of byte errors in the input codeword is always a multiple of l a positive integer. By varying l from 1 to 32, the random to burst error performance of the various strategies is obtained. Specifically, it is shown that unless random errors are the main cause of concern, the best strategies seem to be those using erasure corrections. The results presented will be useful for deciding the decoding strategies to be adopted for CD players as well as in potential applications such as optical mass storage devices using the CD format     

Computer Techniques to Analyze Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers

This paper outlines computer analyses to predict thermal-hydraulics, flow-induced vibration, and fretting-wear damage in shell-and-tube heat exchangers. The analytical techniques are briefly described and the results arc illustrated by example. It is concluded that computer techniques can do much to improve the reliability and performance of heat exchangers.     

Electrochemical oxidation of some basic alcohols on multiwalled carbon nanotube–platinum composites

Some composites of multiwalled carbon nanotubes, which were chemically treated in acidic and/or hydrogen peroxide solution, and platinum nanoparticles were prepared by the simple reduction in glycerol solution. Carboxylated and/or hydroxyl MWNTs were structurally analysed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, the MWNT?CPt composites were characterized by XRD and TEM in detail. The electrochemical oxidation of some basic alcohols, which was catalyzed by the MWNT?CPt composites, was analysed by cyclic voltammetry. Their catalytic activities were studied with cyclic voltammograms of alcohols.