Diagnostic efficacy of sonography for diagnosis of ovarian torsion

Objectives: Misdiagnosing ovarian torsion is now suggested as an important issue in clinical setting. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of sonography for ovarian torsion. Methods: In this study 323 women with acute pelvic pain with highly suspected ovarian torsion signs and symptoms attending Imam Reza Medical Center in Kermanshah between 2011 through 2012 were included and underwent a transabdominal sonography (2-5 MHz probes). Then findings of sonography were compared with laparatomy. Results: The ultrasound correctly diagnosed 72.1% of ovarian torsion and missed 27.9% of them (false negatives). However, one free subject (0.4%) was misclassified as ovarian torsion (false positive). There was a strong correlation between sonography and laparatomy with a kappa value of 84.0%. The sensitivity and specificity of sonography were 72.1% and 99.6%, respectively. Sonography had a positive predictive value of 96.9%, a negative predictive value of 95.9%, and a total accuracy of 96.0% for detection of ovarian torsion. Conclusion: Sonography appears to be an excellent method to evaluate patients with suspected ovarian torsion. Abnormal blood flow detected by sonography is highly predictive of ovarian torsion and is therefore useful in the diagnosis of this phenomenon

The effect of Melatonin on histological changes of ovary in induced polycystic ovary syndrome model in mice

Antioxidants can be used as adjuvant treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Melatonin (MT) is one of the antioxidant that is used nowadays. Objective: In this study, the effect of MT on the histological changes of ovary in the experimental model of polycystic ovary syndrome is investigated. Methods: In this study 30 immature female NMRI mice were divided into 5 groups including: (1) control group received distilled water, (2) received a dose of 10. mg/kg MT for 5. days, (3) received Dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) at a dose of 6. mg/kg for 20. days to induce PCOS, (4) after induction of PCOS received MT at a dose of 10. mg/kg for 5. days, and (5) received 6. mg/kg DHEA and 10. mg/kg MT for 20. days simultaneously. Results: The evaluation of ovarian tissue characteristics such as the granulosa layer, theca, number and diameter of cysts and follicles was performed. PCOS caused a significant reduction in the number of antral follicles and corpus luteum and an increase in the number of primordial, primary, pre-antral and cystic follicles in comparison with the control group (P. <. 0.05). Moreover, MT resulted in a significant increase in the granulosa layer thickness in group 4 (P. <. 0.001), and group 5 (P = 0.001) and a significant reduction in the thickness of theca layer between groups 4 and 5 compared with group 3 (P. <. 0.001). Conclusion: These findings indicate that MT have a protective effects on polycystic ovary damages induced by DHEA, although the mechanism is unclear. It is likely that this is happening by reducing oxidative damage. © 2017

Comparison of 21-Plex PCR and API 20C AUX, MALDI-TOF MS, and rDNA sequencing for a wide range of clinically isolated yeast species: Improved identification by combining 21-Plex PCR and API 20C AUX as an alternative strategy for developing countries

Occurrence of non-Candida albicans Candida (NCAC) species that are associated with elevated MIC values and therapeutic failures are increasing. As a result, timely and accurate means of identification to the species level is becoming an essential part of diagnostic practices in clinical settings. In this study, 301 clinically isolated yeast strains recovered fromvarious anatomical sites Blood (n=145), other sites (n=156) were used to assess the accuracy and practicality of API 20C AUX and 21-plex PCR compared to MALDI-TOF MS and large subunit rDNA (LSU rDNA). MALDI-TOF MS correctly identified 98.33%of yeast isolates, 100%of top five Candida species, 95.7%of rare yeast species, while 1.3%of isolates weremisidentified. API 20C AUX correctly identified 83.7%of yeast isolates, 97.2% of top five Candida species, 61.8% of rare yeast species, while 16.2% of yeast isolates were misidentified. The 21-plex PCR, accurately identified 87.3% of yeast isolates, 100%of top five Candida species, 72%of rare yeast species, but it misidentified 1.3% of rare yeast species while 9.9% of whole yeast isolates were not identified. The combination of rapidity of 21-plex PCR and comprehensiveness of API 20C AUX, led to correct identification of 92% of included yeast isolates. Due to expensiveness of MALDI-TOF MS and sequencing, this combination strategy could be the most accurate and inexpensive alternative identification strategy for developing countries. Moreover, by the advent and development of cost-effective, reliable, and rapid PCRmachines that cost 130 US dollars, 21-plex could be integrated in routine laboratories of developing and resource-limited countries to specifically identify 95% causative agents of yeast-related infections in human. Databases of MALDI-TOF MS, API 20C AUX, and the number of target species identified by 21-plex require further improvement to keep up with the diverse spectrum of yeast species. © 2019 Frontiers Media S.A. All Rights Reserved

Measurement of the polarisation of W bosons produced with large transverse momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS experiment

This paper describes an analysis of the angular distribution of W->enu and W->munu decays, using data from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2010, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 35 pb^-1. Using the decay lepton transverse momentum and the missing transverse energy, the W decay angular distribution projected onto the transverse plane is obtained and analysed in terms of helicity fractions f0, fL and fR over two ranges of W transverse momentum (ptw): 35 < ptw < 50 GeV and ptw > 50 GeV. Good agreement is found with theoretical predictions. For ptw > 50 GeV, the values of f0 and fL-fR, averaged over charge and lepton flavour, are measured to be : f0 = 0.127 +/- 0.030 +/- 0.108 and fL-fR = 0.252 +/- 0.017 +/- 0.030, where the first uncertainties are statistical, and the second include all systematic effects.Comment: 19 pages plus author list (34 pages total), 9 figures, 11 tables, revised author list, matches European Journal of Physics C versio

Observation of a new chi_b state in radiative transitions to Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(2S) at ATLAS

The chi_b(nP) quarkonium states are produced in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.4 fb^-1, these states are reconstructed through their radiative decays to Upsilon(1S,2S) with Upsilon->mu+mu-. In addition to the mass peaks corresponding to the decay modes chi_b(1P,2P)->Upsilon(1S)gamma, a new structure centered at a mass of 10.530+/-0.005 (stat.)+/-0.009 (syst.) GeV is also observed, in both the Upsilon(1S)gamma and Upsilon(2S)gamma decay modes. This is interpreted as the chi_b(3P) system.Comment: 5 pages plus author list (18 pages total), 2 figures, 1 table, corrected author list, matches final version in Physical Review Letter

Search for displaced vertices arising from decays of new heavy particles in 7 TeV pp collisions at ATLAS

We present the results of a search for new, heavy particles that decay at a significant distance from their production point into a final state containing charged hadrons in association with a high-momentum muon. The search is conducted in a pp-collision data sample with a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and an integrated luminosity of 33 pb^-1 collected in 2010 by the ATLAS detector operating at the Large Hadron Collider. Production of such particles is expected in various scenarios of physics beyond the standard model. We observe no signal and place limits on the production cross-section of supersymmetric particles in an R-parity-violating scenario as a function of the neutralino lifetime. Limits are presented for different squark and neutralino masses, enabling extension of the limits to a variety of other models.Comment: 8 pages plus author list (20 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version to appear in Physics Letters

Measurement of the inclusive isolated prompt photon cross-section in pp collisions at sqrt(s)= 7 TeV using 35 pb-1 of ATLAS data

A measurement of the differential cross-section for the inclusive production of isolated prompt photons in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is presented. The measurement covers the pseudorapidity ranges |eta|<1.37 and 1.52<=|eta|<2.37 in the transverse energy range 45<=E_T<400GeV. The results are based on an integrated luminosity of 35 pb-1, collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The yields of the signal photons are measured using a data-driven technique, based on the observed distribution of the hadronic energy in a narrow cone around the photon candidate and the photon selection criteria. The results are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations and found to be in good agreement over four orders of magnitude in cross-section.Comment: 7 pages plus author list (18 pages total), 2 figures, 4 tables, final version published in Physics Letters

Measurement of D*+/- meson production in jets from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper reports a measurement of D*+/- meson production in jets from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is based on a data sample recorded with the ATLAS detector with an integrated luminosity of 0.30 pb^-1 for jets with transverse momentum between 25 and 70 GeV in the pseudorapidity range |eta| < 2.5. D*+/- mesons found in jets are fully reconstructed in the decay chain: D*+ -> D0pi+, D0 -> K-pi+, and its charge conjugate. The production rate is found to be N(D*+/-)/N(jet) = 0.025 +/- 0.001(stat.) +/- 0.004(syst.) for D*+/- mesons that carry a fraction z of the jet momentum in the range 0.3 < z < 1. Monte Carlo predictions fail to describe the data at small values of z, and this is most marked at low jet transverse momentum.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (22 pages total), 5 figures, 1 table, matches published version in Physical Review

Search for scalar top quark pair production in natural gauge mediated supersymmetry models with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The results of a search for pair production of the lighter scalar partners of top quarks in 2.05 fb-1 of pp collisions at sqrt(s) =7 TeV using the ATLAS experiment at the LHC are reported. Scalar top quarks are searched for in events with two same flavour opposite-sign leptons (electrons or muons) with invariant mass consistent with the Z boson mass, large missing transverse momentum and jets in the final state. At least one of the jets is identified as originating from a b-quark. No excess over Standard Model expectations is found. The results are interpreted in the framework of R-parity conserving, gauge mediated Supersymmetry breaking `natural' scenarios, where the neutralino is the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle. Scalar top quark masses up to 310 GeV are excluded for the lightest neutralino mass between 115 GeV and 230 GeV at 95% confidence level, reaching an exclusion of the scalar top quark mass of 330 GeV for the lightest neutralino mass of 190 GeV. Scalar top quark masses below 240 GeV are excluded for all values of the lightest neutralino mass above the Z boson mass.Comment: 7 pages plus author list (20 pages total), 4 figures, 1 table, matches published PLB versio