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BACKGROUND Low-income and uninsured people with a cervix (PWC) are at highest risk of being underscreened for cervical cancer. We evaluated the prevalence of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) on home self-collected samples, as well as rates of in-clinic follow-up and risk factors associated with hrHPV positivity in this at-risk population. METHODS My-Body-My-Test-3 was conducted between 2016-2019 in North Carolina among individuals aged 25-64 years, overdue for cervical cancer screening, and with incomes of

IntroductionCervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Malawi, but preventable through screening. Malawi primarily uses visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) for screening, however, a follow-up for positive screening results remains a major barrier, in rural areas. We interviewed women who underwent a community-based screen-and-treat campaign that offered same-day treatment with thermocoagulation, a heat-based ablative procedure for VIA-positive lesions, to understand the barriers in accessing post-treatment follow-up and the role of male partners in contributing to, or overcoming these barriers.MethodsWe conducted in-depths interviews with 17 women recruited in a pilot study that evaluated the safety and acceptability of community-based screen-and-treat programme using VIA and thermocoagulation for cervical cancer prevention in rural Lilongwe, Malawi. Ten of the women interviewed presented for post-treatment follow-up at the healthcare facility and seven did not. The interviews were analysed for thematic content surrounding barriers for attending for follow-up and role of male partners in screening.ResultsTransportation was identified as a major barrier to post-thermocoagulation follow-up appointment, given long distances to the healthcare facility. Male partners were perceived as both a barrier for some, that is, not supportive of 6-week post-thermocoagulation abstinence recommendation, and as an important source of support for others, that is, encouraging follow-up attendance, providing emotional support to maintaining post-treatment abstinence and as a resource in overcoming transportation barriers. Regardless, the majority of women desired more male partner involvement in cervical cancer screening.ConclusionDespite access to same-day treatment, long travel distances to health facilities for post-treatment follow-up visits remained a major barrier for women in rural Lilongwe. Male partners were identified both as a barrier to, and an important source of support for accessing and completing the screen-and-treat programme. To successfully eliminate cervical cancer in Malawi, it is imperative to understand the day-to-day barriers women face in accessing preventative care.

Background Malawi has the world’s highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality due to high rate of HIV coupled with inadequate screening and treatment services. The country’s cervical cancer control program uses visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryotherapy, but screening is largely limited by poor access to facilities, high cost of cryotherapy gas, and high loss-to-follow-up. To overcome these limitations, we implemented a community-based screen-and-treat pilot program with VIA and thermocoagulation. Through a qualitative study, we explore the experiences of women who underwent this community-based pilot screening program. Methods We implemented our pilot program in rural Malawi and conducted an exploratory qualitative sub-study. We conducted in-depth interviews with women who were treated with thermocoagulation during the program. We used semi-structured interviews to explore screen-and-treat experience, acceptability of the program and attitudes towards self-sampling for HPV testing as an alternative screening method. Content analysis was conducted using NVIVO v12. Results Between July – August 2017, 408 participants eligible for screening underwent VIA screening. Thirty participants had VIA positive results, of whom 28 underwent same day thermocoagulation. We interviewed 17 of the 28 women who received thermocoagulation. Thematic saturation was reached at 17 interviews. All participants reported an overall positive experience with the community-based screen-and-treat program. Common themes were appreciation for bringing screening directly to their villages, surprise at the lack of discomfort, and the benefits of access to same day treatment immediately following abnormal screening. Negative experiences were rare and included discomfort during speculum exam, long duration of screening and challenges with complying with postprocedural abstinence. Most participants felt that utilizing self-collected HPV testing could be acceptable for screening in their community. Conclusions Our exploratory qualitative sub-study demonstrated that the community-based screen-and-treat with VIA and thermocoagulation was widely accepted. Participants valued the accessible, timely, and painless thermocoagulation treatment and reported minimal side effects. Future considerations for reaching rural women can include community-based follow-up, cervical cancer education for male partners and self-sampling for HPV testing.

Background Hypertension is a well-known risk factor for potentially cardiovascular diseases, which is underdiagnosis and treatment. Clinical evidence suggests that periodic and continuous monitoring of blood pressure (BP) is helpful for the early detection of hypertension to reduce the cardiovascular risk. Photoplethysmogram (PPG) is a simple and non-invasive technique to measure the instantaneous blood flow in capillaries. This study proposes a miniaturized PPG sensor, which is feasible to integrate into smartphone, to estimate cuff-less BP and heart rate (HR). Methods A miniaturized PPG sensor, provided by FocalTech Smart Sensors Co., Ltd., was used to collect reflective finger PPG signal. The methodology of BP estimation from PPG was using a vascular elasticity model which estimating the physiological parameters from PPG features Simultaneously, we utilized oscillometric blood pressure monitors to obtain automated BP readings as the validation standard. Result Seventy-one subjects were recruited in this validation study. By using our PPG algorithm, an accuracy of ± 11.9 mmHg for systolic BP and ± 8.0 mmHg for diastolicBP was observed at 71 subjects. There was a good linear correlation (CC) between PPG-estimating BP and automated BP (systolic BP, CC=0.4; diastolic BP, CC=0/.45).Likewise, slopes of the liner fit on the Bland Altman plots for both systolic BP (slope = −0.23) and diastolic BP (slope = −0.11) indicated there was no particular bias in predicting high or low BP. Subjects characteristics Parameters Total number (subjects) 71 Entry BP range Normal 21 Prehypertension 27 Stage 1 hypertension 17 Stage 2 hypertension 6 Sex Male 37 Female 34 Age (years) Mean ± standard deviation 55±12 Range 27–77 Conclusion In this study, the feasibility of mobile based cuff-less BP measurement using a vascular elasticity model on finger PPG signal was demonstrated with a level of acceptable accuracy. Based on mobile-based and easy-to-use features of our sensor/device, the incorporation this real-time measurement into the monitoring of BP could be helpful for the management of hypertension.

Recent research has shown that attitudinal ambivalence has important implications on political attitudes and behavior. The concept holds one of the keys to understanding complicated and seemingly contradictory opinions of the public. This article examines ambivalence in public opinion regarding democratic reform in Hong Kong. Analysis of a representative survey (N = 600) shows that common citizens indeed have a significant degree of ambivalence toward the government's political reform bill proposed in 2005. Regarding consequences, objective ambivalence is shown to have greater predictive power than subjective ambivalence. The former relates negatively to attitude extremity and weakens the attitude–behavior linkage. However, contrary to the usual finding in the literature, objective ambivalence also relates positively to protest participation intention. The theoretical and social implications of the findings are discussed.

Samples of Haipao from three cities of Taiwan were analyzed for their microbial population. Two species of acetic acid bacteria and three species of yeast were isolated from tea fungus Haipao using appropriate isolation media. The isolated bacteria were identified asAcetobacter acetiandAcetobacter pasteurianus, based on their biochemical properties, and compared with those of the type strains of the genusAcetobacter. The yeasts wereSaccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, andBrettanomyces bruxellensisaccording to conventional phenotypic characterization combined with the Yeast Identification Program. The brew broth analyzed by high−performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was shown to contain glycerol, acetic acid and ethanol. The symbiosis phenomenon between the yeast andAcetobacterwas studied. It was found that the autoclaved yeast cells and ethanol produced by yeasts were helpful forAcetobacterto grow or produce acetic acid. The acetic acid produced byAcetobactercould stimulate the yeast to produce ethanol. The ethanol and acetic acid produced by yeasts andAcetobactermight prevent the competition from other micro-organisms.

With the thriving development of mass media, entertainment industry has enormous growth. The goal of entertainment agency is to establish an efficient career management system for individual artists. The research aims at developing an approach to evaluate the potential of entertainment artists and to construct their suitable career pathes. In this research, data mining techniques are applied to correlate degrees and types of media exposures and successes of artists. The technology forecasting methods are applied to foresee the future career paths for new artists. Thus, entertainment agencies can assess values of artists, plan appropriate marketing strategy, and cultivate talented artists by utilizing quantitative and systematic methodology.

The sequela of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an important cause of infant blindness. This study was designed to screen the high-risk premature infants and investigate the incidence and risk factors associated with the development of ROP.From October 1997 to October 1998, all premature infants with birth body weight (BBW) less than 2000 gm or gestational age (GA) less than 36 weeks were enrolled and underwent ophthalmologic examination at 4 to 6 weeks of age at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The perinatal variables were analyzed to evaluate their correlation with the development of ROP.In totally 108 premature infants, the incidence for development of ROP was 25% (27 in 108 patients). The threshold ROP occurred in 15 eyes (7%). The average BBW and GA (1267+/-341 gm and 29.7+/-2.7 weeks) were significantly lower in ROP group than in the non-ROP group (1703+/-368 gm and 32.3+/-2.2 weeks). The artificial ventilation for more than 5 days, chronic lung disease and periventricular leukomalacia were significant risk factors associated with highest rate of ROP. The respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular hemorrhage, congenital heart disease and sepsis were significant risk factors accompanied by moderate rate of ROP.Low birth body weight and young gestational age are the most important risk factors in the development of ROP. The analysis of risk factors will be helpful in understanding and prediction of ROP formation in high-risk neonates. The timely clinical screening retina examination of high-risk premature infants is important to prevent the development of advanced ROP.

A healthy 76-year-old woman complained of redness and a painful sensation in her right eye after cataract surgery 5 months previously. The eye was treated with topical corticosteroid and ciprofloxacin, and a soft exudative mass on the nasal lower iris was noted later. Fungal endophthalmitis was suspected and a repeat aqueous culture grew Penicillium spp. After treatment with topical natamycin and an intracameral injection of amphotericin B, the endophthalmitis was cured. We describe the disease course and management and discuss topical corticosteroids as a possible risk factor for increasing the dissemination of Penicillium infection. This was a unique case of successful therapy resulting in the cure of Penicillium endophthalmitis in an immunocompetent patient.

Age-related cataracts are the main cause of blindness throughout the world. Nonetheless, population-based data on the epidemiology of age-related cataracts among Taiwanese populations are not readily available. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of age-related cataracts and to determine the relationships of age, gender, blood pressure, diabetes and smoking to the risks of age-related cataracts in an urban Taiwanese population.The study was part of a population-based survey of eye diseases among residents aged 50 years or older in Peitou Precinct, Taipei, Taiwan. Of the 2,700 eligible persons, 2,038 (75.5%) underwent a standard evaluation protocol including dilated slit-lamp examination, a questionnaire of medical and ophthalmic histories and blood pressure measurement.Among the participants, 1,040 were diagnosed with age-related cataracts. The prevalence was 51.0% (95% confidence interval, 48.9%-53.2%). Nuclear opacity was the most prevalent type (718/1,040; 35.2%) of cataracts, followed by posterior subcapsular opacity (311/1,040; 15.3%) and cortical opacity (163/1,040; 7.8%). An increased risk of age-related cataracts was associated with female gender (p = 0.002). When a single type of lens opacity was considered, diabetes was significantly associated with a posterior subcapsular cataract (p = 0.022). Overall, older women with diabetes and relatively lower diastolic blood pressure were more likely to have age-related cataracts.The study provided the first prevalence data on age-related cataracts in an urban Taiwanese population and highlighted the relationships of age, gender, blood pressure and diabetes to the frequency and type of age-related cataracts. The results can assist in the design and implementation of intervention programs to reduce the prevalence of age-related cataracts.

Sun-gazing is the main cause of solar retinopathy. A 20-year-old inebriated man lying in a park gazed at the sun for approximately three hours at noon. Forty-eight hours after sun-gazing, the patient experienced the symptoms of blurred vision, erythropsia, and central scotoma in the left eye. Visual acuity decreased from 6/6 to 6/60 in the left eye and fundi examinations showed a round, yellowish-white discoid lesion on the left fovea and a smaller one on the right fovea. Fluorescein angiography showed early dye leakage in the fovea of the left eye, that increased gradually in size and became fuzzy at the foveal border in the late phase. A small, central scotoma of the left eye was also found in the visual field test. One month later, the lesion in the fovea of the left eye became smaller and was surrounded by a coarse pigmented halo. Fluorescein angiography showed a window defect in the retinal pigment epithelium. Visual field testing disclosed that the central scotoma persisted, but became smaller. Six months after sun-gazing, a lamellar hole in the fovea of the left eye was detected by optical coherence tomography. The visual acuity was 6/6 in the right eye and 6/60 in the left eye, and was unchanged at the end of the six-month follow-up period.

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the most prevalent cause of blindness in the elderly population. This study retrospectively evaluated the natural course of submacular hemorrhage related to ARMD.We reviewed the records of patients with submacular hemorrhage and foveal avascular zone involvement at the Veterans General Hospital-Taipei from 1981 to 1996. Data were collected from color fundus pictures, fluorescence angiographic films and visual acuity changes.Data from a total of 86 eyes with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and 37 non-ARMD eyes were collected. Analysis of data from the ARMD group revealed 10.5% visual acuity improvement six months after presentation and a final mean acuity of 0.069. Analysis of data from the non-ARMD group revealed 29.7% visual acuity improvement and a final mean acuity of 0.388.In this study, patients with submacular hemorrhage had spontaneous visual improvement even without surgery, especially those without subretinal neovascularization.

Fluorescein angiography (FA) is important in the diagnosis of chorioretinal diseases; however, it has some limitations. We conducted this study to evaluate whether digital indocyanine green (ICG) angiography can offer enhanced image in chorioretinal diseases.Digital indocyanine green angiography with scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) was performed in 314 patients with various chorioretinal diseases. This coupled digital imaging system can offer instant images, process and store data by computer, and give convenient hardcopy generation.The digital ICG angiography provided enhanced image resolution of the choroid compared with FA. The disease categories included choroidal neovascularization (CNV), choroidal tumor, inflammatory choroidal disease, ischemic choroidal disorder, idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy and retinal macroaneurysm.ICG angiography is a useful adjunctive diagnostic technique to fluorescein angiography for various chorioretinal diseases. It is especially useful in the diagnosis of occult and recurrent CNV, as well as choroidal tumor and choroiditis. With greater clinical experience, ICG angiography is promising in giving additional clinical information for many other chorioretinal diseases.

An actograph system was developed and used to record hourly locomotor activity for adult cabbage loopers, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), soybean loopers, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), velvetbean caterpillars, Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hubner), beet armyworms, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), fall armyworms, S. frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and corn earworms, Heliothis zea (Boddie). The peak nocturnal activity of velvetbean caterpillars and corn earworms was greater than that of the other moths; and, except for these 2 species, males moved more often than females. Pairs were considerably less active and lived for fewer days than the isolated sexes.

Obtention du dimethyl-3,3 phenyl-1indanol. Mecanisme. Le rendement quantique est de 0,04 dans les hydrocarbures alors qu'il est egal a 1 dans le methanol

Single crystals of 4-phenyl-1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolium trithiatriazinide , prepared by the reduction of S5N5+AlCl4− in SO2 with , contain a trace paramagnetic impurity which is shown by EPR spectroscopy to be the dithiadiazolyl free radical . The g and 14N hyperfine tensors of the radical were deduced from measurements made throughout three mutually orthogonal planes of crystallographically aligned specimens: g = (2.0011, 2.0075, 2.0197); 14N(2) = (37.1, 11.3, 3.4 MHz.). Within experimental error, the two nitrogen hyperfine interaction tensors are collinear and have their maximum principal value aligned parallel to gmin and perpendicular to the plane of the host cation. The results are interpreted in terms of a planar π-radical which substitutes for the planar host cation, and which has considerable unpaired spin density in N(2px) atomic orbitals directed perpendicular to the heterocyclic ring.

Ortho-disubstituted aromatics with bulky substituents are distorted so that the substituents are above and below the approximate plane of the aromatic system. This introduces chirality which was observed by proton resonance spectroscopy with and without the use of a chiral shift reagent. The more nearly planar naphthalene systems invert their chiral configurations more rapidly. Crystals of 1,2-benzenediacetic acid, α,α,α′,α′-tetramethyldimethyl ester are monoclinic, space group A2/a with a = 10.665(3), b = 8.467(2), c = 17.198(4) Å and β = 105.94(2)°. The torsion angle between the 1,2 substituents is 12.1°. Crystals of 2,3-naphthalene diacetic acid, α,α,α′,α′-tetramethyldimethyl ester are also monoclinic, space group P21/c with a = 9.0992(14), b = 18.849(3), c = 11.319(2) Å and β = 113.88(1)°. The analogous torsion angle in this case is 8.9°.

Activity spectra were determined for adult cabbage loopers, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), maintained under ultraviolet, filtered blue, green, or red fluorescent lighting with 0, 1, 10, or 100% of the diurnal intensity retained during the scotophase. CO2 production and the occurrence of mating were inversely correlated with nocturnal light intensity for UV and green, whereas cyclic red and blue actually enhanced these activities. Considering all light regimes, CO2 output was greatest in response to green, intermediate for red and blue, and least with UV. However, UV illumination resulted in the highest level of mating.

Successive intravenous injections of nicotine cause a biphasic block of the adrenal medulla of the cat. During the early phase the adrenal glands fail to respond to any stimulant; however, during the late, non-depolarizing phase the glands respond to non-nicotinic agents (5-hydroxytryptamine, bradykinin and pilocarpine) and to potassium chloride at a time when there is a pronounced and insurmountable antagonism to nicotinic agents. During this late phase of the block the effects of most of these agents are enhanced, although the sensitivity to noradrenaline is not. The enhancement is abolished by hexamethonium, which lacks any effect on the sensitivity to noradrenaline. The results obtained with the muscarinic agent, pilocarpine, support the earlier postulate that transmission of impulses from the splanchnic nerve, as observed during the late phase of the block by nicotine, is mediated by muscarinic mechanisms sensitized by nicotine.

Adult of cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hµbner) and corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie) were irradiated with 28, 118, and 337 µm laser emissions, and fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) with the 337 µm emission. When the laser radiation was directed along the longitudinal axis of a plastic tube containing 10 pairs of insects there resulted no significant increase or decrease in the number of insects in the quarter-section of the tube nearest the laser during the 1-h treatment period. Also, pairs of corn earworm maintained in 337 µm radiation displayed mating percentages similar to control groups.

Publisher Summary In vitro studies demonstrated that the enhanced synthesis of norepinephrine in peripheral nervous tissue, which occurs during nerve stimulation, is the result of increased activity of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase in the intact tissue. Because this effect can be prevented by the addition of norepinephrine to the medium that bathes the stimulated tissue, it was presumed that the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase is a consequence of reduced end-product feedback inhibition. Experiments suggest that the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase during nerve stimulation might be mediated by a different process, because the addition to the incubation medium of the synthetic pterin cofactor, 6,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin (Me2PtH4), which is able to antagonize competitively the inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase by norepinephrine, does not eliminate the enhanced synthesis of norepinephrine associated with nerve stimulation of the isolated, intact vas deferens preparation. Results suggested that tyrosine hydroxylase is activated during nerve stimulation by a mechanism that is unrelated to an altered affinity for either norepinephrine or pterin cofactor.

Obtention du dimethyl-3,3 phenyl-1indanol. Mecanisme. Le rendement quantique est de 0,04 dans les hydrocarbures alors qu'il est egal a 1 dans le methanol

The clip appendectomy is an alternative to the classical suture appendectomy. The use of a new polymer clip facilitates this technique. During pelvic reconstructive surgery an appendectomy may be indicated when suspected appendiceal pathology (such as endometriosis) could adversely affect the surgical outcome. Clip appendectomy can reduce the operative time without increasing morbidity.

A multi-rate multi-loop digital control system is a special class of a time varying system which contains two or more sampling switches operating at different data rates and two or more signal flow loops. When the ratio of the different rates are integers (i. e,, in practice most often powers of two) it is possible to analyze a multi-rate multi-loop system by reducing it to an equivalent signal rate multiloop time invariant system. Three different modeling procedures for this class of systems are: (i) sampler decomposition in time domain, (ii) sampler decomposition in frequency domain, and (iii) hybrid state transition. In the first and the third methods, the multi-rate system is reduced to an equivalent single rate system with the largest sampling period, whereas in the second method, the multi-rate system is reduced to an equivalent single rate system with the smallest sampling period. In this paper, a methodology is developed to apply the frequency domain decomposition technique to large scale digital systems. Three assertions are given which provide methods to compute multi-rate system with state space techniques. The developed algorithm which has been incorporated in the DIGIKON-II program is applied to the Space Shuttle flight control system. The multi-rate results are developed for 2:1 and 4:1 sampling ratios.

Autosomal dominant vitreoretinochoroidopathy (ADVIRC), a recently described disease, is clinically characterized by a slowly progressive or stationary circumferential peripheral pigmentary retinopathy with fibrillar condensation of the vitreous. Histopathologic study of an 88-year-old patient with this disease showed disorganization of the peripheral retina with focally atrophic retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Altered pigment epithelial cells surrounded retinal blood vessels and lined the internal limiting membrane. At the equator, a remarkable and possibly unique multifocal loss of photoreceptor cells was seen. An extensive preretinal membrane, consisting of condensed vitreous with cellular debris and layers of Müller cells, was demonstrated by electron microscopic examination and immunohistochemistry. Histologically, this entity has some similarities to and some differences from retinitis pigmentosa. The clinical features are distinctive.

This paper introduces an experimental technique and associated data analysis procedure for studying the shear dependent viscosity of oils containing polymers at shear rates up to 10 6 s −1 and temperatures up to 170°C, conditions which are typically experienced in operating engines. The experimental apparatus is a capillary viscometer with a controlled nitrogen gas pressure as the driving force and uses constant volume efflux bulbs to measure the oil flow rate. The main contribution of this work is the coupling of experimental calibration measurements and a theoretical analysis to develop a calibration procedure which can be used to extract accurate high-shear rate viscosity data from capillary viscometer measurements when the fluid viscosity is being influenced by temperature, pressure, and shear rate.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on studies on the mechanism of regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity during nerve stimulation. Most of the studies on the regulation of TH activity in adrenergic neurons have been performed with either mouse vas deferens preparations or the hypogastric nerve-vas deferens preparation of the guinea-pig. These tissues contain short adrenergic neurons and the entire cell body, axon and nerve terminals are present intact in the isolated preparations of these tissues. For this reason these tissues may represent a more appropriate model system of in vivo adrenergic neuronal metabolism and, in particular, they may provide a model for central adrenergic neurons, most of which are much shorter than the bulk of the neurons of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. The properties of the enzymes of the mouse vas deferens preparation and the guinea-pig vas deferens preparation are very similar. Both enzymes have a higher affinity for tetrahydrobiopterin than for 6,7-dimethyltetrahydropterin. The guinea-pig vas deferens tissue is capable of converting both tyrosine and phenylalanine to catecholamines, although tyrosine is much the preferred substrate.

The influence of wind speed and direction on the attraction of soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), to a synthetic pheromone source in the field was investigated by employing a pheromone baited electric grid trap and a wind recording instrument. The 6-sided insect trap, with associated electronics, gave information on number and time of insect captures, and direction of their approach. Analysis of 2 years data showed that attraction of soybean loopers to the pheromone is not strongly influenced by wind speed over the range 0-2 m/s. There was evidence for a tendency of the attracted loopers to fly upwind to the pheromone source.