Is urine leukocyte esterase test a useful screening method to predict Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women?

We evaluated the use of the leukocyte esterase test (LET) on first-catch urine specimens from women as a screening test to predict infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. For diagnosis, we used Abbott's ligase chain reaction (LCR) on urine specimens and isolation by tissue culture (TC) on cervical brushes. Of 4,053 women attending sexually transmitted disease and family planning clinics, 4.3% (n = 174) were positive by TC and 5.9% (n = 239) were positive by LCR. When LET was compared to TC, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 54.0, 67.0, 6.8, and 97.0%, respectively. The corresponding performance of LET versus LCR was 53.1, 67.3, 10.1, and 95.8%. Almost half of the laboratory-confirmed chlamydial infections were negative by LET. The low specificity probably reflects multiple causes of pyuria in women and results in a low positive predictive value. LET is neither sensitive nor specific as a predictor of chlamydial infection and cannot be recommended for use as a screening test for C. trachomatis with first-catch urine samples from females from low- or moderate-prevalence populations.     

Model-based texture measures

Many measures have been developed to quantify the structural properties of image texture. This correspondence explores their applicability to textures generated by several standard models.     

The impact of plasma-wall interaction on the gas mixing efficiency in electron cyclotron resonance ion source

It is generally accepted that different effects are necessary to explain the gas mixing method of increasing the output of highly charged ions from an ECRIS. The two most important effects are the mass effect and the dilution effect. Their relative weights have not been determined experimentally yet, but it is generally assumed that the mass effect is dominant in standard ECRIS installations with stainless steel plasma chambers. In order to gain more insight into the physics of the gas mixing effect and in particular on the relevance of the dilution process, we have carried out a study where we have investigated the role of the plasma-wall interaction on the gas mixing effect. In this contribution, we shall discuss Charge state distributions spectra, measured at the Frankfurt ECRIS using different working gases, pure argon, a mixture of argon and oxygen, and argon mixed with neon.     

"Debunking myths about self-quitting: Evidence from 10 prospective studies of persons who attempt to quit smoking by themselves": Reply.

Replies to the comments of S. Cohen et al (see record 1990-05833-001) concerning S. Schachter's (see record 1982-30809-001) study on smoking cessation. Schachter agrees that Cohen's data are evidence that self-selected, hard-core smokers are indeed hard-core smokers, but questions what this has to do with self-quitting over time in the general population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A field experiment on rumor transmission and distortion.

"Current notions of the determinants of rumor spread and distortion were tested in a field experiment… . Evidence is presented indicating that under conditions of wide-spread cognitive unclarity there is far more transmission of a planted rumor and far more speculation involving new rumors when the issue is important than when it is relatively unimportant… . In distinct contrast to expectations created by studies using the technique of serial reproduction, there is absolutely no indication of distortion of the planted rumor." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-Coupled Phase-Locked Loop with Closed Loop Amplitude Control

In this work a new version of the cross-coupled phaselocked loop (CCPLL) interference canceller is presented. This detector consists of two phase-locked loop (PLL) demodulators interconnected in such a manner as to permit one PLL to lock onto and track the instantaneous frequency of the stronger received signal, while the other loop tracks and demodulates the weaker of two received signals. In addition, the receiver includes control loops to estimate the instantaneous amplitude of both received signals. This demodulator, therefore, has the capability of detecting both the desired and interfering signals, even though the interferer may be stronger than the desired signal and may share the same frequency band. The defining nonlinear differential equations for the CCPLL structure are derived and transient acquisition responses are obtained using computer-aided analysis. The CCPLL has numerous technological applications in suppressing a wide variety of cochannel and adjacent channel interferers.     

3-Dimensional current distribution in the nozzle of an MHD channel

The nozzle has been idealized by retaining only its salient feature, the accelerated motion of the fluid. Analytical solutions of the current distributions have been obtained and plotted. High current concentrations can be avoided by allowing a net current flow through an appropriate electrical connection to the nozzle and by minimizing the turbulence in the fluid flow.     

Temperature effect on the action of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) on secretion of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (IR beta EP) in TM3 and AtT-20 cell lines

Testicular function is sensitive to chemical and thermal stresses. To investigate the effects of small temperature changes on CRH-stimulated beta EP release, we employed TM3 cells, a mouse prepubertal Leydig cell line that secretes ir beta EP. To monitor beta EP secretion from these cells we used the reverse hemolytic plaque assay. After 3.5 hr incubation of cells with hormone, the EC50 of the CRH dose-response curve at 34 degrees C and 37 degrees C were 0.1 nM and 1 nM, respectively. For comparison, we also investigated the effect of temperature on CRH-stimulated beta EP release from a non-testicular cell line, AtT-20, a mouse anterior pituitary cell line. Using radioimmunoassay to measure ir beta EP levels in the media of AtT-20 cells, the EC50s for the CRH dose-response curve at 34 degrees C and 37 degrees C were 0.2 nM and 2 nM, respectively, at 1 h. After 3.5 h this temperature dependent difference in EC50 was still observed. These results suggest that CRH receptors or post-receptor actions in Leydig cells and anterior pituitary corticotropes are sensitive to small temperature changes.