Common Cold ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Rhinovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUNDResection of petroclival meningioma (PCM) is difficult for neurosurgeons and usually brings poor performance status. In this study, we evaluated the possible risk factors for unfavorable clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of PCM, and tried to explore the optimal surgical strategies for better postoperative quality of life.

METHODSWe recruited 57 patients (14 male, 43 female, mean age, 50.5 years) who underwent surgical resection of PCM in Huashan Hospital during 2002 - 2006. The primary outcomes including postoperative neurological deficits, modified Rankin scale (mRS) score and recurrence rate were evaluated, and all potential risk factors were assessed by the χ(2) test. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated by univariate Logistic regression. The mean follow-up time was 34 months.

RESULTSGross total resection was achieved in 58% of patients. One patient died during the perioperative period because of intracranial hemorrhage. Sixty-seven percent of patients experienced new postoperative neurological deficits and 26% had a higher mRS score at follow-up assessment. Postoperative complications were observed in 24 patients. Within the follow-up period, radiographic recurrence occurred in 12.3% of patients at a mean follow-up of 42 months. Postoperative radiosurgery was administered to 19 patients who had residual tumors or recurrence and no further progression was found. Tumor adhesion, hypervascularity and engulfment of neurovascular structures were three risk factors for increased mRS score (P = 0.0002; P = 0.0051; P = 0.0009). Tumor adherence to adjacent structures clearly affected the extent of resection (P = 0.0029). The risk of postoperative cranial nerve deficits increased with tumor engulfment of neurovascular structures (P = 0.0004).

CONCLUSIONSIntraoperatively defined tumor characteristics played a critical role in identifying postoperative functional status. An individual treatment strategy after careful preoperative evaluation could help improve quality of life.

Adult ; Aged ; Cranial Fossa, Posterior ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; psychology ; surgery ; Meningioma ; physiopathology ; psychology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Quality of Life

OBJECTIVEHuman parainfluenza virus (HPIV) types 1, 2 and 3 are major viral pathogens responsible for upper and lower respiratory tract infections. In this study, a real-time RT-PCR was developed using multiplex primers-probe (HPIV-1, 2, 3) for the simultaneous detection of both HPIV1, HPIV2 and HPIV3 genomes.

METHODSOptimal primers and probes were designed using specialized software. The conditions for multiplex real-time RT-PCR had been optimized. The synthesis of RNA standards of HPIV1, 2, 3 were used a T7 RNA polymerase. Check the specificity sensitivities and stability of one step RT-PCR assay.

RESULTSObtained in a 10-fold dilution series assay demonstrate a high sensitivity of the assay with a lowest detection limit of 10 copies for HPIV1, 100 copies for HPIV2 and 100 copies for HPIV3.

CONCLUSIONThe assays demonstrates an improved sensitivity and scope of detecting HPIV1, 2, 3 viruses relative to routine antigen detection assays while the quantitative utility may facilitate investigation of the pre-diagnosis and respiratory virus pathogenesis.

Humans ; Oligonucleotides ; genetics ; Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human ; isolation & purification ; Parainfluenza Virus 2, Human ; isolation & purification ; Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human ; isolation & purification ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods

OBJECTIVETo analyze the genetic characterizations of wild type measles viruses caused the measles outbreak in Xinjiang.

METHODSVero/Slam cell were used for measles viruses isolation from the specimens collected from measles outbreaks patients. Fragment of 676 nucleotide acids of the carboxylend of nucleoprotein gene were amplified using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method and then the PCR products were directly sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic tree was constructed based on 450 nucleotide acids of the N-terminus of nucleoprotein gene, and homological analysis was performed at nucleotide acid level.

RESULTS11 measles viruses were sequenced and all belonged to H1a subgenotype. The nucleotide difference was 0-0.2% between 11 Xinjiang isolates. And the nucleotide difference was 2.2%-2.4% between Xinjiang isolates and H1 genotype reference strain.

CONCLUSIONThe Measles viruses causing the measles outbreak in Xinjiang were H1a subgenotype.

China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Measles ; epidemiology ; virology ; Measles virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleoproteins ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVEWe want to explore the harm degree of human rhinovirus in infants in Beijing area.

METHODSFrom May 2008 to September 2009, 240 nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from the children and infants who were hospitalized and with lower respiratory tract infections. These specimens were screened for HRV by real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and statistically analysised.

RESULTIn all of 240 hospitalized children, 208 cases were admission diagnosis of pneumonia, accounting for 86.67% (208/240), no deaths, the ratio of male and female patients was 1.93 : 1, and the collected samples reached to a maximum number in February 2009. Real-time PCR used to detect human rhinovirus, positive samples number is 71, positive rate is 29.58% (71/240), and the main symptoms and clinical diagnosis was pneumonia. Most cases were less than 2 years old, making up 81.69% (58/71), amony them, 13 months-18 months age and > or = 24 months groups have the highest incidence rates, the incidence rate is 33.33%.

CONCLUSIONHuman rhinovirus happened in spring and winter seasons, especially the infants who were under 2 years are the main infection groups, the important symptoms are lower respiratory infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis and bronchiolitis et al. Human rhinovirus is seasonal and contagious, spreads fast, so protective measures in hospitals should be prepared to avoid cross-infection.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Picornaviridae Infections ; virology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology ; Rhinovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo study the situation of 1- 5-years-old children's antibody against Coxsackievirus A group 16 strain (CVA16) in Guangdong, Heilongjiang,Yunnan Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions, China, 2005, it can offer scientific evidences for preventing and controlling CVA16 causative hand-food and mouth disease.

METHODSUsing microneutrilization test, to study 503 serum samples randomly selected from sera collected in 2005.

RESULTSPositive rate of anti-CVA16 antibody were 41.90%, 9.40%, 40.00% and 34.40% in Guangdong, Heilongjiang,Yunnan and Xinjiang, respectively. Antibody titer was relative low (average, 1: 6.1) and there was no statistical difference of geometry mean of antibody titer (GMT) among Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Yunnan (F = 0.97, 0.40, 1.06, respectively; P > 0.05), while there had statistical difference of GMT between Heilongjiang and other three regions( F = 10.61, P < 0.00).

CONCLUSIONSThere had probably existed local epidemic in some regions of Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Yunnan Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions, China, 2005 or even before, but the area and degree of transmission and epidemic had difference. Children aged from 1- 5-years-old were relatively susceptible population of CVA16 infection.

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; China ; epidemiology ; Enterovirus A, Human ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

OBJECTIVETo improve the diagnosis and treatment of primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) of the pancreas.

METHODSOne patient with PNET of the pancreas was reported in this article. The corresponding literatures on the diagnosis and treatment was reviewed.

RESULTSThe patient was diagnosed as pancreatic PNET by her clinical, microscopic, and immunohistochemical features as well as cytogenetic analysis after the resection of the tumor located in the uncinate process in PUMC Hospital. Radiochemotherapy was given after the operation for 8 months and no recurrence was observed. Since PNET of pancreas have no specific clinical symptoms and most patients have jaundice and/or abdominal pain, the diagnosis depended on the immunohistochemical features of positive P30/32(MIC2) and at least two of the neural markers. The cytogenetic analysis showed translocation mainly harbored the characteristic t (11; 22) (q24; q12). Since pancreatic PNET were highly aggressive, early chemotherapy, close follow-up, and immediate surgical interventions were required as early as possible.

CONCLUSIONPNET can occur in pancreas, and diagnosis and treatment should be made as early as possible to improve the outcome.

Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy

57 rubella virus strains were isolated using Vero cell line or Vero/SLAM cell line from patients' throat swabs during rubella outbreaks and sporadics in 10 provinces of China from 2003 to 2007. Fragments of 1107 nucleotides of E1 genes of the isolates were amplified by RT-PCR, the PCR products were directly sequenced and analyzed. The phylogenetic analysis based on 739 nucleotides showed that out of 57 Chinese rubella virus strains, 55 belong to a distinguish branch of 1E genotype when comparing with 1E genotype rubella strains from other countries, and the other 2 Chinese rubella virus strains belong to 2B genotype. Most of the nucleotide mutations of 57 rubella viruses were silent mutations, and the amino acid sequences were highly conserved. Except one amino acid change (Thr212 --> Ser212) in two rubella viruses at the hemagglutination inhibition and neutralization epitopes, there had no change found at the important antigenic epitope sites of the other rubella viruses. 1E genotype rubella viruses isolated from 10 provinces of China from 2003 to 2007, and two imported 2B genotype rubella viruses from Vietnam suggested that 1E genotype was the predominant genotype in this period of time. The rubella virus genotypes circulated during 2003 to 2007 were different from that circulating during 1979 to 1984 and 1999 to 2002, the rubella prevailed in recent years was mainly caused by 1E genotype rubella viruses with multi-transmission routes.
Genotype ; Mutation ; Phylogeny ; Rubella virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDHuman bocavirus (HBoV) is a parvovirus recently found to possibly cause respiratory tract disease in children and adults. This study investigated HBoV infection and its clinical characteristics in children younger than five years of age suffering from acute lower respiratory tract infection in Beijing Children's Hospital.

METHODSNasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from children suffering from acute lower respiratory tract infection during the winters of 2004 to 2006 (from November through the following February). HBoV was detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification and virus isolation and the amplification products were sequenced for identification.

RESULTSHBoV infection was detected in 16 of 333 study subjects. Coinfections with respiratory syncytial virus were detected in 3 of 16 HBoV positive patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection. The median age for HBoV positive children was 8 months (mean age, 17 months; range, 3 to 57 months). Among the HBoV positive children, 14 were younger than 3 years old, 9 were younger than 1 year old and 7 were younger than 6 months. These 16 positive HBoV children exhibited coughing and abnormal chest radiography findings and more than 60% of these children had wheezing and fever. Ten children were clinically diagnosed with pneumonia, 2 bronchiolitis, 2 acute bronchitis and 2 asthma. One child died.

CONCLUSIONSHBoV was detected in about 5% of children with acute lower respiratory infection seen in Beijing Children's Hospital. Further investigations regarding clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of HBoV infection are needed.

Bocavirus ; isolation & purification ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Parvoviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among type 2 diabetic patients aged over 30 in Shanghai central area.

METHODS1039 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) aged over 30 were investigated by randomized cluster sampling in Shanghai central area and data from 767 of those patients were analyzed.

RESULTS(1) Among all of the 1534 digital ocular fundus images from 767 patients, 87.6% of the images from 672 patients were gradable. (2) Among all of the 672 patients with gradable ocular fundus images, the prevalence of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) was 21.6%, while proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) was 1.3%. The rates of mild, moderate and severe NPDR were 8.8%, 11.2% and 1.6% respectively. (3) DR patients were characterized with elder age, higher HbA1c, urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. DM duration and the level of fasting plasma glucose were risk factors for DR.

CONCLUSIONThe overall prevalence of DR in type 2 diabetic patients aged over 30 in Shanghai central area was 22.9% and the DR risk factors were found to include duration of diabetes and fasting plasma glucose level.

Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors