3,691 research outputs found
Clinical parameters associated with absence of endocervical/transformation zone component in conventional cervical Papanicolaou smears
AbstractObjectiveTo study clinical factors predicting the absence of endocervical/transformation zone (EC/TZ) components of conventional cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) smears.Materials and methodsThe medical charts of patients who received Pap smears between March 2006 and August 2006 in the hospital were reviewed. The results of their Pap smears were retrieved while their demographic and clinical information were obtained from the medical charts. After excluding 378 cases with incomplete demographic data and 1397 cases with a history of pelvic irradiation, pelvic malignancy, and hysterectomy, 5662 cases were enrolled for data analysis. The relationship between clinical parameters and the absence of EC/TZ component was analyzed by Pearson Chi-square tests with Yates continuity correction and binary logistic regression tests.ResultsThe incidence of satisfactory but absence of EC/TZ component was 8.7% (491/5662). Pregnancy increased the absence of EC/TZ component [odds ratio (OR}: 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.14–3.77, p<0.0001]. Postpartum status and endocervical polyps decreased incidence (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.98, p = 0.043 and OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.25–0.44, p<0.0001, respectively).ConclusionsPregnancy is the only clinical factor associated with increased incidence of absence of EC/TZ cells. For these pregnant women undergoing a Pap smear, a more effective strategy may be needed to get a satisfactory smear with adequate EC/TZ components
Multi-Trace Superpotentials vs. Matrix Models
We consider N = 1 supersymmetric U(N) field theories in four dimensions with
adjoint chiral matter and a multi-trace tree-level superpotential. We show that
the computation of the effective action as a function of the glueball
superfield localizes to computing matrix integrals. Unlike the single-trace
case, holomorphy and symmetries do not forbid non-planar contributions.
Nevertheless, only a special subset of the planar diagrams contributes to the
exact result. Some of the data of this subset can be computed from the large-N
limit of an associated multi-trace Matrix model. However, the prescription
differs in important respects from that of Dijkgraaf and Vafa for single-trace
superpotentials in that the field theory effective action is not the derivative
of a multi-trace matrix model free energy. The basic subtlety involves the
correct identification of the field theory glueball as a variable in the Matrix
model, as we show via an auxiliary construction involving a single-trace matrix
model with additional singlet fields which are integrated out to compute the
multi-trace results. Along the way we also describe a general technique for
computing the large-N limits of multi-trace Matrix models and raise the
challenge of finding the field theories whose effective actions they may
compute. Since our models can be treated as N = 1 deformations of pure N =2
gauge theory, we show that the effective superpotential that we compute also
follows from the N = 2 Seiberg-Witten solution. Finally, we observe an
interesting connection between multi-trace local theories and non-local field
theory.Comment: 35 pages, LaTeX, 6 EPS figures. v2: typos fixed, v3: typos fixed,
references added, Sec. 5 added explaining how multi-trace theories can be
linearized in traces by addition of singlet fields and the relation of this
approach to matrix model
Anti-arthritic effect of total anthraquinone from Polygonum cuspidatum on type II collagen-induced arthritis in rats
Purpose: To study the anti-arthritic effect of total anthraquinone from Polygonum cuspidatum (TAPC) on type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats, and to investigate the underlying mechanism(s).Methods: CIA rats were prepared and treated orally with TAPC at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day, for 24 days. Paw volume and arthritis score were measured prior to TAPC treatment, and subsequently at 3-day intervals on days 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24. Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while synovial tissue TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17mRNA expressions were assayed by real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Thymus and spleen indices were also determined.Results: TAPC (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly alleviated paw swelling (p < 0.05), arthritis scores (p < 0.05) and thymus and spleen indices (p < 0.05) of CIA rats, when compared with the control rats. In addition, TAPC significantly decreased serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17 (p < 0.01); and down-regulated their mRNA expressions in synovial tissues (p < 0.01).Conclusion: These results suggest that TAPC exerts good anti-arthritic activity in rats, most probably via suppression of inflammatory responses.Keywords: Polygonum cuspidatum, Anthraquinone, Type II collagen-induced arthritis, Pro-inflammatory cytokine
Reflections on the cultivation of innovative talents of food quality and safety specialty in Provincial Universities
依据食品行业发展和社会需求,结合高校实地调研学习,本文对国内食品质量与安全专业人才需求和人才培养现状进行了分析,并对省属本科院校的应用型高素质创新人才培养提出了几点思考。On the basis of the food industry development and the needs of society, combined with the field research study, this paper analyses the training of domestic food safety and quality demands for the talents, and ponders the applied innovative talents for the cultivation of provincial colleges
Tris(1,10-phenanthroline)cobalt(II) bis(trichloroacetate)
In the title complex, [Co(C12H8N2)3](C2Cl3O2)2, the CoII ion lies on a twofold rotation axis and is coordinated by six N atoms from three bis-chelating 1,10-phenanthroline ligands in a distorted octahedral environment. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds
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