Submergence in a Two-Foot Parshall Flume

The primary objective in this study was to ascertain the validity of the method of analyzing submergence developed by Hyatt (1965) in a standard 2-foot Parshall flume. The method of analyzing submergence was first developed for a trapezoidal flume (Hyatt, 1965), was later verified for a rectangular flume (Skogerboe, walker and Robinson, 1965), and has been shown by the authors to be valid for small Parshall flumes (Skogerboe, Hyatt, Johnson, and England, 1965). In view of previous findings, it was felt the method would also be valid for large Parshall flumes, and for this purpose the 2-foot flume was selected. One other objective of the study was to analyze the possibility that another, or possibly better, point of downstream measurement might be found. To accomplish this, two other points, designated c and d, were selected downstream. The downstream depth measurement is usually taken in the throat as a referenced point designated b. The resulting equations and calibration curve are listed in this report

Measuring Water with Parshall Flumes

Preface: As the value of water increases, the extent to which measurement is employed in an irrigation system also increases. Additional flow measurements provide information for improved management of the water supply. Good water management requires accurate measurement. Many devices have been developed for this purpose and are in use. Included among them are weirs, orifices, calibrated gates, Parshall flumes, and current meters. Of these, the Parshall flume is one of the most widely accepted and used. Presented in this publication is a discussion concerning the use of Parshall flumes for measuring water, including the utilization of a new approach for treating submerged flow that was developed at Utah State University. The information presented on free flow has been taken from the origianl publications of Ralph L. Parshall, and the bulletin, Measurement of Irrigation Water, prepared by Eldon M. Stock. Utilizing data developed by Ralph L. Parshall, A. R. Robinson, and the authors

Submerged Parshall Flumes of Small Size

The calibration of small Parshall flumes for measuring flows ranging in magnitude from 0.1 to 1.1 cubic feet per second (cfs) was accomplished by A. R. Robinson (1960) at Colorado State University. The purpose of Robinson’s investigation was to accurately calibrate and standardize the design of small Parshall measuring flumes. The rated flumes were constructed of galvanized sheet metal. Data was collected for Parshall flumes having throat widths of 1-, 2-, and 3- inches. Calibration tables or curves were prepared for both free and submerged flow. The dimensions of the Parshall flumes rated by Robinson are shown in Figure 1. The study reported herein was made to illustrate that the analysis of submergence developed at Utah State University (Hyatt, 1965) for trapezoidal flumes is applicable to small Parshall flumes. The data reported by Robinson (1960) is analyzed by the submergence parameters reported by Hyatt (1965) and the resulting equations and calibration curves are listed in this report

Identification of novel coloboma candidate genes through conserved gene expression analyses across four vertebrate species

Ocular coloboma (OC) is a failure of complete optic fissure closure during embryonic development and presents as a tissue defect along the proximal–distal axis of the ventral eye. It is classed as part of the clinical spectrum of structural eye malformations with microphthalmia and anophthalmia, collectively abbreviated to MAC. Despite deliberate attempts to identify causative variants in MAC, many patients remain without a genetic diagnosis. To reveal potential candidate genes, we utilised transcriptomes experimentally generated from embryonic eye tissues derived from humans, mice, zebrafish, and chicken at stages coincident with optic fissure closure. Our in-silico analyses found 10 genes with optic fissure-specific enriched expression: ALDH1A3, BMPR1B, EMX2, EPHB3, NID1, NTN1, PAX2, SMOC1, TENM3, and VAX1. In situ hybridization revealed that all 10 genes were broadly expressed ventrally in the developing eye but that only PAX2 and NTN1 were expressed in cells at the edges of the optic fissure margin. Of these conserved optic fissure genes, EMX2, NID1, and EPHB3 have not previously been associated with human MAC cases. Targeted genetic manipulation in zebrafish embryos using CRISPR/Cas9 caused the developmental MAC phenotype for emx2 and ephb3. We analysed available whole genome sequencing datasets from MAC patients and identified a range of variants with plausible causality. In combination, our data suggest that expression of genes involved in ventral eye development is conserved across a range of vertebrate species and that EMX2, NID1, and EPHB3 are candidate loci that warrant further functional analysis in the context of MAC and should be considered for sequencing in cohorts of patients with structural eye malformations

Enabling precision medicine in neonatology, an integrated repository for preterm birth research.

Preterm birth, or the delivery of an infant prior to 37 weeks of gestation, is a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. In the last decade, the advent and continued development of molecular profiling technologies has enabled researchers to generate vast amount of 'omics' data, which together with integrative computational approaches, can help refine the current knowledge about disease mechanisms, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Here we describe the March of Dimes' Database for Preterm Birth Research (http://www.immport.org/resources/mod), a unique resource that contains a variety of 'omics' datasets related to preterm birth. The database is open publicly, and as of January 2018, links 13 molecular studies with data across tens of thousands of patients from 6 measurement modalities. The data in the repository are highly diverse and include genomic, transcriptomic, immunological, and microbiome data. Relevant datasets are augmented with additional molecular characterizations of almost 25,000 biological samples from public databases. We believe our data-sharing efforts will lead to enhanced research collaborations and coordination accelerating the overall pace of discovery in preterm birth research

External validation of the electronic Frailty Index using the population of Wales within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank

Background: frailty has major implications for health and social care services internationally. The development, validation and national implementation of the electronic Frailty Index (eFI) using routine primary care data has enabled change in the care of older people living with frailty in England. Aims: to externally validate the eFI in Wales and assess new frailty-related outcomes. Study design and setting: retrospective cohort study using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank, comprising 469,000 people aged 65–95, registered with a SAIL contributing general practice on 1 January 2010. Methods: four categories (fit; mild; moderate and severe) of frailty were constructed using recognised cut points from the eFI. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) from Cox regression models for validation of existing outcomes: 1-, 3- and 5-year mortality, hospitalisation, and care home admission for validation. We also analysed, as novel outcomes, 1-year mortality following hospitalisation and frailty transition times. Results: HR trends for the validation outcomes in SAIL followed the original results from ResearchOne and THIN databases. Relative to the fit category, adjusted HRs in SAIL (95% CI) for 1-year mortality following hospitalisation were 1.05 (95% CI 1.03-1.08) for mild frailty, 1.24 (95% CI 1.21-1.28) for moderate frailty and 1.51 (95% CI 1.45-1.57) for severe frailty. The median time (lower and upper quartile) between frailty categories was 2,165 days (lower and upper quartiles: 1,510 and 2,831) from fit to mild, 1,155 days (lower and upper quartiles: 756 and 1,610) from mild to moderate and 898 days (lower and upper quartiles: 584 and 1,275) from moderate to severe. Conclusions: further validation of the eFI showed robust predictive validity and utility for new outcomes

Establishing a large prospective clinical cohort in people with head and neck cancer as a biomedical resource: head and neck 5000

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer is an important cause of ill health. Survival appears to be improving but the reasons for this are unclear. They could include evolving aetiology, modifications in care, improvements in treatment or changes in lifestyle behaviour. Observational studies are required to explore survival trends and identify outcome predictors. METHODS: We are identifying people with a new diagnosis of head and neck cancer. We obtain consent that includes agreement to collect longitudinal data, store samples and record linkage. Prior to treatment we give participants three questionnaires on health and lifestyle, quality of life and sexual history. We collect blood and saliva samples, complete a clinical data capture form and request a formalin fixed tissue sample. At four and twelve months we complete further data capture forms and send participants further quality of life questionnaires. DISCUSSION: This large clinical cohort of people with head and neck cancer brings together clinical data, patient-reported outcomes and biological samples in a single co-ordinated resource for translational and prognostic research