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The paper deals with the seismic response of a multilayered soil. It focuses on the influence of the uncertainty that may affect the soil height (SH). The soil under study is considered as a superposition of layers that extend horizontally to infinity. A tunnel, located inside this soil, is supposed to behave as a rigid inclusion; it represents a part of the Algiers subway. Its dynamical response is investigated under Boumerdes earthquake effect, 21 May 2003 (MW =6.5). The soil accelerations are collected at Keddara station (12 from the epicentre) as it corresponds to bedrock. As the study is devoted herein to SH wave propagation, the accelerations under study correspond to the EW horizontal direction. The SH below the tunnel is assumed to be a random variable. For this purpose, a log-normal distribution is adopted. The probabilistic seismic response of the soil is thus investigated. The mean and standard deviation of the tunnel displacement as well as of both the extreme ground acceleration and the transfer function are analysed. The present analysis is based on the boundary element method, which is adequate for the case of systems with infinite boundaries, while Green's functions are calculated using the thin layer method. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fas (CD95/Apo-1) mutations were previously reported as the genetic defect responsible for human lymphoproliferative syndrome associated with autoimmune manifestations (also known as autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome or Canale-Smith syndrome). We have identified 14 new heterozygous Fas mutations. Analysis of patients and families allow us to further dissect this syndrome with regards to the relationship between Fas mutations, inheritance pattern, and phenotype as observed on long-term follow-up. In vitro studies show that lymphocytes from all Fas mutant carriers exhibit a Fas-antibody-induced apoptosis defect. However, among the 8 inherited mutations, 4 of 4 Fas missense mutations were associated with high clinical penetrance, whereas 3 of 4 mutations leading to a truncated Fas product were associated with variable clinical penetrance. This suggests that a second defect, in another yet undefined factor involved in apoptosis and/or lymphoproliferation control, is necessary to induce full clinical expression of the disease. These results also indicate that the currently available antibody-mediated in vitro apoptosis assay does not necessarily reflect the in vivo ability of abnormal Fas molecules to trigger lymphocyte death. In addition, we found that lymphoproliferative manifestations resolved with age, whereas immunological disorders [ie, hypergammaglobulinemia and detection of TcR alphabeta(+) CD4(-) CD8(-) lymphocytes] persisted. This observation suggests that Fas-mediated apoptosis plays a more important role in lymphocyte homeostasis in early childhood than later on in life.

Platelets-endothelial cells interaction appears to cause vascular damage in diabetes. Platelet aggregation was studied in 24 diabetic children and adolescents (mean age: 12.2 years, mean duration of diabetes: 3.3 years), with only one presenting microangiopathy complications (retinopathy). Platelet aggregation was found to be normal, suggesting that there is usually no platelet hyperactivity in diabetic children.