Fas/Apo1 mutations and autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome in a patient with type 2 autoimmune hepatitis

Inherited mutations of the Fas/Apo1/CD95 gene, a cell-surface receptor involved in cell death signaling and in the control of self-reactivity, characterize the recently identified autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndromes. A patient with type 2 autoimmune hepatitis with the immunologic and genetic features of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome is described. The clinical picture was dominated by liver disease with hepatosplenomegaly and positivity for anti-liver-kidney microsome 1 and anti-liver-cytosol 1 antibodies. A marked increase in CD3+CD4-CD8-T lymphocytes and inherited mutations in Fas alleles that led to the expression of a soluble form of the protein were also found. Fas-mediated apoptosis was deficient in the patient as it was in her mother and her sister, who carried the same allele 2 mutation. This observation links type 2 autoimmune hepatitis, an organ-specific disease, with a genetically determined defect in peripheral tolerance control.     

Elevated plasma and urinary endothelin-I levels in human salt-sensitive hypertension

The influence of anterior mandibular height is often overlooked when planning treatment of facial vertical excess or deficiency. Although treatment decisions tend to focus primarily on Le Fort I maxillary osteotomies, genioplasty remains a useful adjunctive surgical procedure. Components of anterior facial vertical dysplasia are reviewed, and six genioplasty strategies are described.     

Therapeutic strategies in the treatment of esophageal cancer: our experience

Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis. The Authors in reviewing esophageal carcinogenis stress the importance of an early diagnosis to improve surgical results and compare their experience with those of other Authors.     

Dimensions of the Functional Assessment Inventory for five disability groups.

The Functional Assessment Inventory (FAI) is used to assess functional capacities and limitations by a number of state rehabilitation agencies and other service groups working with people with disabilities. Previous investigations into the factor structure of the Functional Assessment Inventory reported by Crewe and Athelstan (1984) suggested that the FAI had the same factor structure for a variety of different disability groups. However, fairly heterogeneous disability groups were investigated using relatively small samples. This study used a sample of 5,741 applicants to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services to investigate the dimensionality of the FAI for 5 relatively homogeneous disability groups: orthopedic/amputation, chronic/physical condition, mental illness, mental retardation, and learning disability. Principal factor analyses with Promax rotations identified different factor structures for the different disability groups. A simple scoring system and sets of norms for the 5 disability groups and for a broadly representative disability group were developed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A single amino acid change in the hemagglutinin protein of measles virus determines its ability to bind CD46 and reveals another receptor on marmoset B cells

This paper provides evidence for a measles virus receptor other than CD46 on transformed marmoset and human B cells. We first showed that most tissues of marmosets are missing the SCR1 domain of CD46, which is essential for the binding of Edmonston measles virus, a laboratory strain that has been propagated in Vero monkey kidney cells. In spite of this deletion, the common marmoset was shown to be susceptible to infections by wild-type isolates of measles virus, although they did not support Edmonston measles virus production. As one would expect from these results, measles virus could not be propagated in owl monkey or marmoset kidney cell lines, but surprisingly, both a wild-type isolate (Montefiore 89) and the Edmonston laboratory strain of measles virus grew efficiently in B95-8 marmoset B cells. In addition, antibodies directed against CD46 had no effect on wild-type infections of marmoset B cells and only partially inhibited the replication of the Edmonston laboratory strain in the same cells. A direct binding assay with insect cells expressing the hemagglutinin (H) proteins of either the Edmonston or Montefiore 89 measles virus strains was used to probe the receptors on these B cells. Insect cells expressing Edmonston H but not the wild-type H bound to rodent cells with CD46 on their surface. On the other hand, both the Montefiore 89 H and Edmonston H proteins adhered to marmoset and human B cells. Most wild-type H proteins have asparagine residues at position 481 and can be converted to a CD46-binding phenotype by replacement of the residue with tyrosine. Similarly, the Edmonston H protein did not bind CD46 when its Tyr481 was converted to asparagine. However, this mutation did not affect the ability of Edmonston H to bind marmoset and human B cells. The preceding results provide evidence, through the use of a direct binding assay, that a second receptor for measles virus is present on primate B cells.     

An Upper Bound on the Performance of Pulse Modulation Systems

A lower bound is found on the mean square error achievable by any nonlinear pulse modulation system without memory. This bound differs by 6 dB from the limit given by Shannon theorems, at high signal-to-noise ratios. The bound is obtained by finding the signal locus which minimizes a simple lower bound on mean square error, for a given average signal energy and without bandwidth constraints. For the locus that we have found, an upper bound on error shows that the degradation with respect to Shannon's limit is within 8 to 9 dB. The locus, however, does not seem of practical interest.     

Predictors of therapeutic talent in aspiring clinicians: A multivariate analysis.

Three professional clinicians rated 40 advanced undergraduates planning to enter a career in clinical psychology on their videotaped performances on the Group Assessment of Interpersonal Traits (GAIT). The GAIT simulates an initial counseling session in which the participants take turns in their roles as "discloser" and "understander." Ss also completed 2 measures of interpersonal intelligence (a therapy process analysis and a social interpretations task), an adjective checklist, and the Study of Values. Demographic and academic achievement information was also obtained. A stepwise multiple regression was computed to clarify the relative contributions of interpersonal intelligence, demographic information, personality orientation, and academic achievement in predicting therapeutic talent, as measured by the GAIT. Results show that the 2 measures of interpersonal intelligence were the most powerful predictors of therapeutic talent, underscoring the importance of evaluating interpersonal aspects of intelligence when making selection decisions. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)