Shape preserving HC2HC^2 H C 2 interpolatory subdivision

A subdivision procedure is developed to solve a Hermite interpolation problem with the further request of preserving the shape of the initial data. We consider a specific non-stationary and non-uniform variant of the Merrien subdivision family, and we provide a data dependent strategy to select the related parameters which ensures convergence and shape preservation for any set of initial monotone and/or convex data. Each step of the proposed subdivision procedure can be regarded as the midpoint evaluation of an interpolating function-and of its first and second derivatives-in a suitable space of functions of dimension which has tension properties. The limit function of the subdivision procedure is a piecewise quintic polynomial interpolant

Severe hypophosphatasia: Characterization of fifteen novel mutations in the ALPL gene

Hypophosphatasia is an inherited disorder characterized by defective bone mineralization and deficiency of serum and tissue liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase (L/B/K ALP) activity. We report the characterization of ALPL gene mutations in a series of 11 families from various origins affected by perinatal and infantile hypophosphatasia. Sixteen distinct mutations were found, fifteen of them not previously reported: M45V, G46R, 388-391delGTAA, 389delT, T131I, G145S, D172E, 662delG, G203A, R255L, 876-881delAGGGGA, 962delG, E294K, E435K, and A451T. This confirms that severe hypophosphatasia is due to a large spectrum of mutations in Caucasian populations