Poliomyelitis-like illness due to Japanese encephalitis virus

BACKGROUND: Acute flaccid paralysis remains common among Vietnamese children despite a pronounced fall in the incidence of poliomyelitis. METHODS: During 1995, all 22 children presenting with acute flaccid paralysis to a referral centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, had virological cultures and antibody measurements done on serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and faeces. A year later the children were reassessed and electrophysiological studies were done. FINDINGS: Wild poliovirus type 1 was isolated from the faeces of only one patient, and non-polio enteroviruses from three patients. 12 (55%) of the 22 children with acute flaccid paralysis had evidence of acute Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection, compared with only one (1%) of 88 age-matched hospital controls (children with diphtheria; p<0.0001). Compared with JEV-negative patients, weakness in JEV-infected children was more rapid in onset, tended to be asymmetrical, but was less likely to involve the arms. All 12 children with JEV infection were febrile at the onset of weakness, seven had acute retention of urine, and ten had CSF pleiocytosis. Seven of eight JEV-negative patients met the case-definition of Guillain-Barré syndrome, compared with only one of 12 JEV-positive children. At follow-up, patients with JEV infection had greater disability and were more likely to have muscle wasting than were JEV-negative children. Nerve conduction and electromyographic studies indicated damage to the anterior horn cells. INTERPRETATION: JEV causes an acute flaccid paralysis in children that has similar clinical and pathological features to poliomyelitis. In endemic areas, children with acute flaccid paralysis should be investigated for evidence of JEV infection.     

A Partitioned finite element method for dynamical systems

A new analytical method is described for deriving the equations of motion of dynamical systems. The concept is to consider the displacements of the domain to be composed of rigid and elastic components. In contrast to other reduction methods, the domain modeled by finite number of degrees of freedom is discretized into two distinctive types of subdomains. Rigid and elastic subdomains are generated by consistent lumping of the domain properties under unique kinematic constraint relations. Equations of motion of the disjoint subdomains are derived by Lagrange's equations, in conjunction with the shape function matrix represented in partitioned form. This allows reduced sizes of matrices and avoids their possible singularities. Based on the invariance of energies under a compatible partitioned procedure, a simple analytical method is introduced for building the equations of motion of the whole domain from those of the subdomains. The dynamic analysis of a two-node domain with application to a blade-shaft combination is presented to illustrate the method.     

A knowledge-based system for computer-aided production of measuring instrument specifications

Specification writing is considered a specialist task which is time consuming, difficult to do well, but vitally important to any organisation which lets contracts for engineering services. As such, specification generation is a worthwhile candidate for computer assistance and results in this area have already been reported. This paper describes a more ambitious system. Specriter 3, which incorporates integral domain knowledge to provide firstly, a much higher degree of user assistance, and secondly, the ability to check the resulting specification for reasonableness and consistency.     

The D2 dopamine receptor gene and alcoholism: a genetic effect in the liability for alcoholism

Three of five recent association studies have demonstrated an increased frequency of the A1 allele of the TaqI Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of the DRD2 locus in alcoholics compared to controls. One of three family studies has shown preliminary results in favour of linkage of this locus with alcoholism and heavy drinking. The possible mechanism of a genetic effect of the DRD2 locus in alcoholism remains open to speculation, but many involve personality characteristics such as impulsiveness or spontaneity. The applications of the findings of research in this field offer much potential for the prevention and treatment of alcoholism, but also raise certain ethical issues when applied to screening programmes. Future research will be assisted by the development of new, and more informative, genetic markers which are now available at this locus.     

Embracing diversity at Allegheny College: Signs of success at a residential college of the liberal arts and sciences.

The past five years have set Allegheny College firmly on the path to fulfilling a commitment to enhance diversity on our campus. Enhancing diversity has been a key element of our strategic planning, and investing our entire community in reaching this goal has resulted in measurable successes. But it is important that college and university presidents realize that their role in this process is absolutely pivotal and that they must be both forward-thinking and aggressive in advancing their diversity goals. Allegheny's story, while unique in its details, likely reflects a wider reality at many small residential campuses around the country. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterization and distribution of amylases during vegetative cell growth and sporulation of Clostridium perfringens

Clostridium perfringens produced eight extracellular and two intracellular amylolytic activities when examined by zymograms following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under native conditions. The major intracellular amylase was isolated from vegetative cells of C. perfringens. It possessed an estimated molecular mass of 112 kDa. Sulfhydryl and phenol functional groups were essential to its activity. The amylase was endo-acting on starch and also hydrolyzed pullulan. Polyclonal antisera against a purified extracellular amylase did not cross-react with intracellular amylase and the two amylases were biochemically different. The distribution of extracellular amylolytic activities of sporulating cells was different from that of vegetative cells, whereas the distribution of intracellular amylolytic activities remained identical. A significant increase of a particular amylase (A8) occurred in the extracellular fluid during sporulation compared with that during vegetative growth. Regulation of the excretion of amylase(s) may be sporulation and enterotoxingenicity related.