Dominant inheritance in two families with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF)

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal-recessive disease which affects almost exclusively people of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origin. We examined the possibility of a dominant inheritance of FMF among our 3,000 patients in Israel. Two hundred forty FMF patients were members of 77 families in which the disease affected more than one generation. In 75 of these families the occurrence of FMF in more than one generation was found to be consistent with a recessive mode of inheritance due to a high gene frequency (q) and consanguinity among parents of the patients. In 2 families, one of Ashkenazi and the other of Georgian Iraqi origin, in which FMF occurred in 4 consecutive generations, the mode of inheritance could be explained only by autosomal-dominant inheritance.     

Role of Specimen Geometry in the Effect of Fiber Orientation on the Thermal Conductivity of a Uniaxial Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Aluminoborosilicate Glass-Matrix Composite

A study concerning the effect of fiber orientation on the thermal conductivity of a uniaxial carbon-fiber-reinforced borosilicate glass was conducted. For thin specimens, and thick specimens with specimen sides cut parallel to the fiber direction, the dependence of thermal conductivity on fiber orientation showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a composite infinite in extent. In contrast, the thermal conductivity data for rectangular thick specimens fell well below the data for the thin and angled specimens. For fiber orientation of 45° and higher, at which the heat was directed toward the side of the specimen rather than across, the thermal conductivity values showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a finite composite strip with insulated sides.     

Evaluation of accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure by handheld non-contact applanation tonometer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure by handheld non-contact applanation tonometer. METHOD: 58 patients' (113 eyes) intraocular pressure were measured by Keeler, non-contact tonometer and R 900 Goldmann applanation tonometer and the results of measurement of intraocular pressure by the two kinds of tonometers were compared. RESULT: The mean intraocular pressure measured by non-contact is 16.31 +/- 5.59 mmHg and 17.49 +/- 6.13 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.1333 kPa) by Goldmann applanation tonometer, respectively. There was no statistical significance to be found (P > 0.05) between the two methods. By linear correlation and regression analysis, a positive correlation was found between the two methods (r = 0.8942, b = 0.8154). CONCLUSION: The handheld non-contact tonometer has the same accuracy and reliability of measurement of intraocular pressure comparing with Goldmann applanation tonometer, and it can be used in glaucoma clinic and screening.