The genomes of umbraviruses do not encode a coat protein, and thus no conventional virus particles are formed in infected plants. Umbraviruses are always coinfected with an assistor virus, which is always a member of the family Luteoviridae, to cause most devastating diseases in some areas. The epidemiology of the umbra-virus-caused disease is largely depended on aphid transmission. The symptomology, occurrence, characteristics of the causal agents, disease control of carrot motley dwarf, groundnut rosette and tobacco bushy top were reviewed detailedly in this article.

OBJECTIVEReduced oxygen availability at a high altitude is associated with increased pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). With the altitude goes up the change of PAP in healthy children is still not clear. The difference of PAP in native Tibetan and Han children at a high altitude are also not clear. Many studies have shown that Doppler echocardiographic estimation of PAP correlates closely to the values obtained with the invasive measurement. Therefore the indexes of PAP in health children living at different altitudes were investigated and the indexes of PAP in Han and Tibetan children at the high altitude were compared by Doppler echocardiography.

METHODSA randomized survey was carried out on the indexes of PAP with Doppler echocardiography (HP-8500 and CAL-163 echocardiographic machine) by two doctors of Qinghai Provincial Women and Children Hospital from June 1998 to July 2002. The survey covering Jiuzhi Qinghai (at 3700 m above the sea level), Xining Qinghai (at 2260 m above the sea level) and Shanghai (at 16 m above the sea level) included a population of 1061 children aged 0 - 14 years. The population of 1061 composed of 218 Han children at Shanghai, 567 Han children at Xining Qinghai and 276 children at Jiuzhi, Qinghai including 118 migrated Han and 148 native Tibetan children. The physical, EKG and chest X-ray examination of each child were carried out to ensure all the subjects were healthy. A pulse oximeter was placed on each child's foot to provide measurements of arterial oxygen saturation (SO2) distal to the ductus arteriosus. The indexes of PAP included right ventricular systolic time interval (RSTI) and mean of pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) which was assessed by a multiple regression equation (mPAP=27.79 + 35.42 x PEP/AT-50.85 x AT/ETc). The AT/ETc was that AT/ET was divided by R-R. The RSTI included previous ejection period (PEP), ascending time (AT), ejection time (ET), PEP/AT and AT/ET. All subjects were divided into 7 age groups. The data of PAP indexes were compared among three different altitude groups and age groups. The data of PAP indexes were also compared in Han and Tibetan children living over 3700 m sea level in each age group.

RESULTSWith the altitude increase the SO2 of the subjects obviously reduced and the indexes of PAP changed. The SO2 correlated closely with the PEP, AT, PEP/A, AT/ET and mPAP (r = 0.352, 0.144, -0.394, -0.166 and -0.363, respectively; P < 0.01). The AT and AT/ET in the groups of 2260 m and 3700 m were shorter than those in the group of 16 m (P = 0.03-0.000) in each age group. The PEP and PEP/AT in 3700 m group were longer than those in 2260 m and 16 m groups (P=0.006-0.000) in each age group. The mPAP in 3700 m group was higher than that in 2260 m and 16 m groups in each age group (mean [+/-SE] mmHg, 35.23 +/- 8.72 vs 17.99 +/- 8.78 and 15.86 +/- 8.96 aged 0 - 28 d, 32.06 +/- 13.38 vs 20.72 +/- 5.71 and 14.64 +/- 8.19 aged to 6 mo, 31.83 +/- 10.53 vs 20.89 +/- 10.12 and 14.69 +/- 5.89 aged to 1 yr, 27.58 +/- 13.55 vs 19.12 +/- 9.75 and 17.36 +/- 6.71 aged to 3 yr, 24.19 +/- 8.38 vs 19.64 +/- 9.36 and 16.43 +/- 4.68 aged to 6 yr, 23.90 +/- 11.35 vs 16.77 +/- 6.79 and 14.42 +/- 6.50 aged to 10 yr, 23.08 +/- 7.31 vs 18.53 +/- 7.25 and 15.45 +/- 6.12 aged to 14 yr, P=0.000). With the growth of the children the reduction of PAP was remarkable at 3700 m above sea level (F=5.638 P=0.000), the mPAP indexes of the first, second and third age groups were evidently higher than those of the other age groups. The SO2, RSTI and mPAP in the native Tibetan children were not different from those in the migrated Han children (P > 0.05) in each age group.

CONCLUSIONThe PAP of healthy children at the high altitude was different from that of healthy children at the low altitude. The PAP of the healthy children at 3700 m above sea level was remarkably increased. At 3700 m above sea level the PAP of newborns and infants increased much more compared with that of juvenile. The race may not significantly affect the PAP at the high altitude. The high altitude hypoxic environment might play a major role in the increase of PAP.

Adolescent ; Altitude ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; analysis ; Pulmonary Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; physiology ; Tibet

Objective To explore the changes of plasma angiotensinⅡ (AngⅡ) and cardiac function,and the curative effect of children with acute viral myocarditis (VMC) treated with captopril(CAP).Methods Concentrations of plasma AngⅡ were measured with radio-immunity and cardiac function was detected by Doppler echocardiography for the VMC group (n=60) before and after treatment [the CAP group (n=30), the routine group (n=30) and the control group (n=30)].Results 1. The level of plasma AngⅡ significantly increased and the contractive and diastolic function obviously declined in children with acute VMC. There was a significant difference between VMC group and control group, with a significant correlation between the level of AngⅡand the contractive diastolic function.2. Compared with the level before treatment, the level of AngⅡ decreased and the contractive function obviously ameliorated in two groups; the diastolic function obviously ameliorated in the CAP group and did not ameliorate in the routine group after treatment. In CAP group the level of AngⅡ and the cardiac function significantly improved; there were statistical differences between the two groups after treatment.Conclusions 1.The increase of the plasma AngⅡ was an important factor for decrements of the contractive and diastolic function in acute viral myocarditis.2.It could decrease the concentration of plasma AngⅡ and ameliorate cardiac function in children with acute VMC treated with captopril,which was an effective therapy for acute VMC.

Abnormalities, Multiple ; epidemiology ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; complications ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn

Adult ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pubic Symphysis Diastasis ; surgery

The murine bone marrow endothelial cell line (mBMEC) has been maintained by means of subculture and cryopreservation for over 10 years since it was established in our laboratory. This study was aimed to newly identify biological characteristics of this cell line for further study. The cultured mBMEC cells were observed by inverted microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). PECAM-1 (CD31) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were detected by immunofluorescent staining. The phagocytotic activity of the cells in culture was tested by using fluorescent acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL). The cell growth kinetics analysis and karyotype analysis were performed. The results showed that the adherent cells were mostly elliptical, rounded and spindle-shaped, and some of them connected to each other to form cord- and network-like arrangements in mBMEC cultures at subconfluence. The adherent cells grew up to confluence as a cobblestone-like monolayer. Several ultrastructural features of the endothelial cells could be observed in TEM sections of the cultured cells. More than 94% of mBMEC cells were positive for either CD31 or vWF. The phagocytotic ingestion of Dil-Ac-LDL occurred in 98.5% of cells. In normal culture conditions, the cells grew with a mean population doubling time of 54.6 hours and the maximal mitotic index was 38 per thousand in the rapid growth period. The colony yields were 4.33% to 7.40% depending on the plating density of cells. Karyotypes of all the cells were aneuploidy with a greater percentage of hyperdiploid. It is concluded that mBMEC cells retain the fundamental properties of endothelial cells, but the growth kinetics and biological behaviors are slightly different from those in the early days after the establishment of this cell line.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Karyotyping ; Mice ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; von Willebrand Factor ; metabolism

Background:A ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often fatal.In addition to surgery and transarterial embc lization,radiofrequency ablation (RFA) might be another option for treating a ruptured HCC.Unfortunately,conventional RFA has a limited ablation zone;as such,it is rarely used to treat ruptured tumors.Case presentation:This case was a 60-year-old man who had a large,ruptured HCC in which hydrochloric acid (HCI)-enhanced RFA successfully controlled the bleeding and made the tumor completely necrotic.Conclusion:Considering the effectiveness of HCI-enhanced RFA in achieving hemostasis and tumor ablation,it might be a new option for treating large,ruptured HCCs.

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of serum leptin (LEP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in children with congenital heart disease(CHD) and their roles in CHD.

METHODSForty-eight children with acyanotic CHD (ACHD group), 20 age-matched children with cyanotic CHD (CCHD group) and 20 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. The ACHD group was subdivided into two groups with (n=20) or without concurrent heart failure (n=28). Serum LEP, VEGF, total protein and albumin levels and body mass index (BMI) were measured.

RESULTSSerum total protein and albumin levels were not apparently different in all CHD children from healthy controls, but there was a significant difference in the BMI between them (p<0.01). Serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in all CHD children were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (p<0.01). Compared with the ACHD group without heart failure, the serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in the CCHD and the ACHD with heart failure groups increased significantly (p<0.01). In the ACHD group, serum LEP level was positively correlated with BMI (p<0.01). In the CCHD group, there were positive correlations between serum LEP level and serum VEGF level (p<0.01) and between hemoglobin concentration and serum VEGF level (p<0.01). Arterial oxygen saturation was negatively correlated with serum VEGF (p<0.01) and LEP levels (p<0.01) in the CCHD group.

CONCLUSIONSBoth VEGF and LEP play roles in the pathophisiological process of CHD. VEGF and LEP are associated with the development of heart failure in children with ACHD.

Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; blood ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Infant ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Oxygen ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

UNLABELLEDTo study the clinical significance of the expression of antiapoptosis gene, survivin and bcl-2, and proapoptosis gene, Fas and bax, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of survivin and flow cytometry (FCM) to detect the expression of Fas, bcl-2, bax and bcl-2/bax ratio in 68 cases of AML. The results demonstrated that: (1) The positivity of survivin mRNA expression was significantly higher in AML compared to control (70.6% vs 30%, P < 0.05). (2) The expression of Fas and bcl-2 in AML before treatment was significantly higher than that in control (P < 0.001), but the bax expression did not (P > 0.05). (3) The survivin-positive AML cases showed a significantly lower Fas and higher bcl-2 expression in comparison with survivin-negative ones (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), but the bax did not (P > 0.01). (4) Survivin-positive AML cases had a lower CR rate as compared with survivin-negative cases (64.6% vs 90%, P < 0.05). (5) The survivin-positive CR cases showed a decreased expression of Fas and bcl-2 after treatment in comparison with pretreatment expression (P < 0.001), but the bax expression remained unchanged before and after therapy. The survivin-positive NR cases showed a significantly decreased Fas and increased bcl-2 expression as compared with pretreatment expression (P < 0.001). bcl-2/bax ratio was also significantly higher in NR cases.

IN CONCLUSION70.6% AML cases showed positive for survivin expression with a lower CR rate, the survivin-positive AML showed a low Fas with high bcl-2 expression and bcl-2/bax ratio as compared to the survivin-negative cases.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; fas Receptor ; biosynthesis