There is epidemiological evidence that infection may play a role in the etiology of childhood leukemia in particular common B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A panel of 20 leukemic samples (panel 1) was examined for the presence of four lymphotropic herpesviruses using conventional molecular techniques. A second independent panel of 27 leukemic samples (panel 2), along with 28 control peripheral blood samples from children with other forms of cancer, was tested for the presence of the same four viruses using sensitive realtime quantitative PCR. While herpesvirus genomes were detected, they were present at very low levels; detection rates and levels were similar in the leukemic and control panels. In addition we surveyed 18 leukemic samples (five from panel 1, six from panel 2 and a further seven samples not previously analyzed) using a degenerate PCR assay capable of detecting the genomes of known herpesviruses plus putative new members of the family. No novel herpesvirus genomes were detected suggesting that a herpesvirus is unlikely to be etiologically involved as a transforming agent in common acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia (2001) 15, 415-421.

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IntroductionCardiac muscle can respond to long term increase in demand placed upon it or advancement of age by cellular hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is a major cause of cardiac disease.Hypertrophy induces an increased action potential duration (APD) and calcium transient duration. It reduces the calcium transient amplitude. The electrical restitution properties of cells often dictate spatial behaviours and their instabilities. The relationship between APD of successive pulses APD n and their corresponding diastolic intervals is given by APD n+1 = f (SI -DI n ) where f is the restitution relationship for single cell. It is known that if as MethodsA computer model of rat left ventricular cell was constructed by modifying an already existing model [2]. The main modifications included were as following.For exchanger current [9]. A 30% increase in cell capacitance [10], 30% increase in cell size [11,12] was also implemented. Hypertrophy induced T-type calcium current was also considered. Steady state kinetics were obtained from [13]. The time constants and formulation for the current were taken from [14]. Both control and hypertrophic models were integrated using a simple forward Euler method with a time step of 0.1 µs which gave stable solutions.The virtual strand was 8 mm long. Electrotonic interaction between cells was simulated through diffusive coupling and 1D models were developed by incorporating single cell models into a parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) of the formwhere I ion is the total cellular ionic current, V is the cell membrane voltage, C is cell capacitance, and D is the diffusion constant. The space step was 0.1 mm. No flux boundary conditions were imposed at each end of the strand. Diffusion constant was set to a value of 0.1 cm 2 /s. Periodic waves were stimulated in the strand by applying a periodic SI to 7 nodes situated at one end of the strand. Stimulus duration was 5 ms. Strength of SI was 0.6 pA in

We describe a rare case of Gorlin syndrome with superimposed Meigs' syndrome, complicated by peripartum cardiomyopathy in a primiparous woman. The spectrum of conditions associated with Gorlin syndrome, the anaesthetic implications, and principles of peri-operative management of the three conditions are discussed.