Estimation of the Longitudinal Dispersion Coefficient Using the Velocity Profile in Natural Streams

In this study, a theoretical method for predicting the longitudinal dispersion coefficient is developed based on the transverse velocity distribution in natural streams. Equations of the transverse velocity profile for irregular cross sections of the natural streams are analyzed. Among the velocity profile equations tested in this study, the beta distribution equation, which is a probability density function, is considered to be the most appropriate model for explaining the complex behavior of the transverse velocity structure of irregular natural streams. The new equation for the longitudinal dispersion coefficient that is based on the beta function for the transverse velocity profile is developed. A comparison of the proposed equation with existing equations and the observed longitudinal dispersion coefficient reveals that the proposed equation shows better agreement with the observed data compared to other existing equations.     

Effect of alendronate treatment on the osteoclastogenic potential of bone marrow cells in mice

The expression of cytokeratins (CK), involucrin, vimentin, CD34, and alpha-smooth-muscle actin was studied in fetal and adult hair follicles. The first stage of the developing hair follicle is characterized by palisaded, elongated epithelial cells budding from the epidermal basal layer. These cells express CK5/6, CK14, CK17, CK19, and vimentin. During the following weeks of gestation, different structures in the developing hair follicle can be identified and characterized. The matrical cells display only CK19. The keratinocytes of the outer root sheath express CK5/6, CK14, CK17, CK19, and involucrin; those of the inner root sheath, CK4, CK18, and involucrin; those of the isthmus, the same profile as the ORS. In the infundibulum, the basal-layer keratinocytes express CK5/6, CK14, CK17, and CK19, whereas in the suprabasal layers CK1, CK4, CK10, CK14, and CK17 are seen. The adult hair follicle in anagen fails to express CK19 in the matrical cells and isthmus and both CK17 and CK19 in the infundibulum. These profiles of intermediate filaments and other markers appear to be potentially useful in categorizing neoplasms with apparent follicular differentiation.     

The effect of topical corticosteroids on refractive outcome and corneal haze after photorefractive keratectomy

BACKGROUND: The effect of topical corticosteroids after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) remains a matter of some controversy. Refractive effects may be different according to the amount of myopia and timing of instillation. METHODS: Two groups of patients were studied: Study A consisted of 215 eyes (128 patients) with PRK (mean baseline myopia, -6.53 +/- 2.22 D) that received no corticosteroids (No Corticosteroid Group) unless significant regression or corneal haze appeared (Delayed Corticosteroid Group), and in Study B, we randomly assigned eyes to the Initial Corticosteroid Group (mean baseline myopia, -6.39 +/- 1.84 D) or the No/delayed Corticosteroid Group (mean baseline myopia -5.78 +/- 2.02 D). Clinical results after PRK for low-to-moderate and high myopia were compared. RESULTS: In the first group, 70.9% (73 eyes) of moderately myopic eyes (mean, -4.56 +/- 1.10 D) belonged to the No Corticosteroid Group that had a mean refraction of -5.39 +/- 1.77 D. Delayed Corticosteroid Group eyes were more myopic (mean, -7.52 +/- 2.10 D), and showed more severe haze than those in the No Corticosteroid Group. In study B, only in high myopes with more than -6.00 D (mean, -7.76 +/- 1.15 D) did refraction and corneal haze outcomes show significant difference between the Initial Corticosteroid Group and the No/delayed Corticosteroid Group. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of topical corticosteroids after PRK were less in moderate myopes compared to high myopes. Delayed instillation of corticosteroids did not reverse the regression or haze whereas initial instillation showed a beneficial effect on high myopes but not on moderate myopes.     

Analysis of 24,444 surgical specimens accessioned over 55 years in an ophthalmic pathology laboratory

PURPOSE: To summarize the pathologic diagnoses of a large number of surgically-obtained specimens over an extended time period in a single ophthalmic pathology laboratory. METHODS: We analyzed the records of 24,444 surgically obtained specimens accessioned in the L.F. Montgomery Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory, Emory University, Atlanta, GA between May 1941 and December 1995. Age, sex, topography, clinical procedure, and histologic diagnosis were entered into a database using the modified SNOMED coding system. The diagnosis of the surgically enucleated eyes were analyzed with respect to years of enucleation. RESULTS: The most common topographic area associated with a histologic diagnosis was the cornea (39.3%), followed by lens (16.0%), vitreous (12.0%), uvea (9.8%), eyelids (8.0%), conjunctiva (7.7%), retina (7.7%), and orbit (2.1%). The relative proportion of vitreous specimens has continuously increased and became the most common surgical specimen in 1995. The most common underlying disease of surgically enucleated eyes is trauma (40.9%), followed by ocular neoplasia (24.2%), 'surgical' diseases of the cornea, lens and retina including glaucoma (17.3%), vascular diseases (6.7%), and inflammatory conditions (6.7%). The relative frequency of trauma and ocular inflammation as a cause of enucleation decreased significantly (p < 0.05) over the time of the study period while the relative proportion of ocular neoplastic processes increased (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The availability of new surgical techniques has caused a change in the relative frequencies of different ocular specimens submitted for histologic examination.     

Multi-antenna scheme for high capacity transmission in the digital audio broadcasting

In this paper, we apply multi-antenna scheme to DAB system for high-rate transmission. In the MIMO-DAB system with a number of transmitting and receiving antennas increases the transmission rate efficiently with low multiplication operations. For channel estimation in the MIMO-DAB system, we propose a new PRS structure and evaluate the channel estimation performance. The proposed PRS structure can estimate multi-channel information based on the semi-blind processing. The performance of proposed PRS is compared with that of conventional training sequence employing Tarokh's transmission matrix. And also we investigate the performance limitation due to the imperfect channel estimation in a MIMO-DAB receiver. It has been shown that the MIMO-DAB system with multi-antennas can achieve the high-rate transmission for multimedia broadcasting and the performance of MIMO-DAB system is impaired by imperfect channel information.     

Androgen-dependent protein interactions within an intron 1 regulatory region of the 20-kDa protein gene

The 20-kDa protein gene is androgen regulated in rat ventral prostate. Intron 1 contains a 130-base pair complex response element (D2) that binds androgen (AR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) but transactivates only with AR in transient cotransfection assays in CV1 cells using the reporter vector D2-tkCAT. To better understand the function of this androgen-responsive unit, nuclear protein interactions with D2 were analyzed by DNase I footprinting in ventral prostate nuclei of intact or castrated rats and in vitro with ventral prostate nuclear protein extracts from intact, castrated, and testosterone-treated castrated rats. Multiple androgen-dependent protected regions and hypersensitive sites were identified in the D2 region with both methods. Mobility shift assays with 32P-labeled oligonucleotides spanning D2 revealed specific interactions with ventral prostate nuclear proteins. Four of the D2-protein complexes decreased in intensity within 24 h of castration. UV cross-linking of the androgen-dependent DNA binding proteins identified protein complexes of approximately 140 and 55 kDa. The results demonstrate androgen-dependent nuclear protein-DNA interactions within the complex androgen response element D2.     

Plasma GABA in children and adolescents with mood, behavior, and comorbid mood and behavior disorders: a preliminary study

Plasma GABA concentrations (pGABA) were measured in 115 inpatients (aged 7-17) with child psychiatric disorders. Group mean pGABAs were compared for 38 patients with mood disorders only (MOOD), 29 with behavior disorders only (BEH), 48 with comorbid mood and behavior disorders (MOOD + BEH), and 14 normal controls (CON, aged 14-17). The BEH group was characterized by (a) high mean pGABAs (157 vs. 133 pmol/ml), (b) lower mean pGABAs in BEH subjects who had been receiving pharmacotherapy with SSRIs or other medications (p < 0.026), and (c) decreased pGABA with increasing age (p = 0.019). These features were not found in controls or in groups of patients with mood disorders (MOOD or MOOD + BEH). Elevated mean pGABA in the BEH group appeared specifically in patients with comorbid CD and ADHD, not in patients with ADHD or CD alone (p = 0.004). No patient in BEH (or CON) had pGABA below 100 pmol/ml, but low pGABAs were found in 15% of MOOD patients (who had no behavior disorder) and in 16% of MOOD + BEH patients. Pharmacotherapy did not change pGABAs in the MOOD or the MOOD + BEH groups. No pGABA differences were found among the anxiety disorders, either alone or with mood or behavior comorbidity. The finding that plasma GABA levels are elevated in nonmedicated behavior disorders that present in the absence of mood disorders, and appear to lower following medication treatments, merits increased attention to the pharmacological study of nonaffective behavior disorders.     

Extensive genomic conservation of cattle microsatellite heterozygosity in sheep

We report the evaluation of 1036 bovine microsatellite primer pairs for their suitability as linkage markers in sheep. Approximately 58% (605/1036) of bovine primer pairs amplified a locus in sheep. Sixty-seven per cent (409/605) of amplified loci were detected as polymorphic. Marker heterozygosity, allele number and range of allele sizes were significantly lower in sheep than cattle sampled in this study. However, median fragment size was similar. These data suggest that high-resolution comparative linkage maps between closely related species can be constructed relatively efficiently.