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Throughout the estrus cycle, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cervical smooth muscle cells (cSMC) coordinate to accomplish normal physiologic function in the non-pregnant cervix. While previous uniaxial experiments provide fundamental knowledge about cervical contractility and biomechanics, the specimen preparation is disruptive to native organ geometry and does not permit simultaneous assessment of circumferential and axial properties. Thus, a need remains to investigate cervical contractility and passive biomechanics within physiologic multiaxial loading. Biaxial inflation-extension experiments overcome these limitations by preserving geometry, ECM–cell interactions, and multiaxially loading the cervix. Utilizing in vivo pressure measurements and inflation-extension testing, this study presented methodology and examined maximum biaxial contractility and biomechanics in the nulliparous murine cervix. The study showed that increased pressure resulted in decreased contractile potential in the circumferential direction, however, axial contractility remained unaffected. Additionally, total change in axial stress ( $$\Delta {T}_{zz}$$ ) increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to circumferential stress ( $$\Delta {T}_{\theta \theta }$$ ) with maximum contraction. However, passive stiffness was significantly greater (p < 0.01) in the circumferential direction. Overall, axial cSMC may have a critical function in maintaining cervical homeostasis during normal function. Potentially, a loss of axial contractility in the cervix during pregnancy may result in maladaptive remodeling such as cervical insufficiency.

Child abuse pediatricians often carry the stigma that their sole role is to diagnose maltreatment. In reality, child abuse pediatricians use their clinical experience and current evidence-based medicine to make the best medical diagnoses for the children they evaluate. To better understand the legal conclusion of suspected maltreatment cases with medical examinations, this study sought to: (i) evaluate the percentage of children seen for suspected maltreatment that led to a clinical diagnosis of maltreatment, (ii) determine the number and type of criminal charges associated, and (iii) analyze the legal outcomes of cases as they proceeded through the judicial system. This study retrospectively reviewed the legal outcomes of 1698 children medically evaluated in 2013-2014 as part of an investigation by a multidisciplinary team at a children's advocacy center in a mid-sized city in Oklahoma. Data were collected from electronic medical records, the district attorney's office, and a public court docket. Of the original cohort, 477 (28.09%) children yielded a medical diagnosis of at least one type of maltreatment. Further analysis yielded 115 unique court cases involving 138 defendants and 151 children. A total of 286 charges were filed resulting in 190 convictions. While maltreatment allegations yield a high number of children that must be evaluated, a comprehensive medical evaluation helps determine which cases do not have sufficient medical findings for a diagnosis of maltreatment. The findings in this study indicate that a majority of suspected maltreatment cases seen by child abuse pediatricians did not result in criminal court outcomes.

Water vapor absorption in the near-ultraviolet region is essential to describe the energy budget of Earth, but little spectroscopic information is available since it is a challenging spectral region for both experimental and theoretical studies. A continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopic experiment was built to record absorption lines of water vapor around 415 nm. With a minimum detectable absorption coefficient of 4 × 10−10 cm−1, 40 rovibrational transitions of H162O were observed in this work, and 27 of them were assigned to the (224), (205), (710), (304), (093), (125), and (531) vibrational bands. A comparison of line positions and intensities determined in this work to the most recent HITRAN database is presented. Water vapor absorption cross-sections near 415 nm were calculated based on our measurements, which vary between 1 × 10−26 and 5 × 10−26 cm2/molecule. These data will also significantly impact the spectroscopy detection of trace gas species in the near-UV region.

We present an extensive study of the five-dimensional potential energy and induced dipole surfaces of the CH

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects a significant portion of the female population, impacting quality of life and often requiring intervention. The exact cause of prolapse is unknown. Methods: We review some of the current research that focuses on defining the elements involved in POP, with a focus on in vitro testing. Results: Treatment for POP, ranging from physical therapy or pessary use to more invasive surgery, has varying success rates. This variation is, in part, because the pathophysiology of pelvic floor support-and thus dysfunction-is incompletely understood, particularly regarding the structural components and biomechanical properties of tissue. However, researchers are working to identify and quantify the structural and functional dysfunction that may lead to the development of this condition. Conclusion: Given the limited understanding of prolapse development, more research is needed to quantify the microstructure of the pelvic organs and pelvic support structures, with and without prolapse. Identifying biomechanical properties in multiaxial configurations will improve our understanding of pelvic tissue support, as well as our ability to establish predictive models and improve clinical treatment strategies.

From a biomechanical perspective, female reproductive health is an understudied area of research. There is an incomplete understanding of the complex function and interaction between the cervix and uterus. This, in part, is due to the limited research into multiaxial biomechanical functions and geometry of these organs. Knowledge of the biomechanical function and interaction between these organs may elucidate etiologies of conditions such as preterm birth. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the multiaxial biomechanical properties of the murine cervix and uterus using a biaxial testing set-up. To accomplish this, an inflation-extension testing protocol (n = 15) was leveraged to quantify biaxial biomechanical properties while preserving native matrix interactions and geometry. Ultrasound imaging and histology (n = 10) were performed to evaluate regional geometry and microstructure, respectively. Histological analysis identified a statistically significant greater collagen content and significantly smaller smooth muscle content in the cervix as compared to the uterus. No statistically significant differences in elastic fibers were identified. Analysis of bilinear fits revealed a significantly stiffer response from the circumferentially orientated ECM fibers compared to axially orientated fibers in both organs. Bilinear fits and a two-fiber family constitutive model showed that the cervix was significantly less distensible than the uterus. We submit that the regional biaxial information reported in this study aids in establishing an appropriate reference configuration for mathematical models of the uterine-cervical complex. Thus, may aid future work to elucidate the biomechanical mechanisms leading to cervical or uterine conditions.

Background Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum (Tp), the causative agent of syphilis, is a highly invasive pathogen that moves throughout the body via the bloodstream and invades organs and tissues to cause the serious sequelae associated with sexually transmitted and congenitally acquired syphilis infections. The endothelium represents a crucial barrier for Tp dissemination, and we hypothesized that Tp alters endothelial structure and signalling. In this study, we apply an integrative omics approach to characterize transcriptomic, proteomic, and immune secretomic responses of endothelial cells to Tp. Methods Endothelial cells were grown in vitro and exposed to viable Tp or a background control lacking the pathogen. For transcriptomic analysis, RNA was harvested from the endothelial cells and sequenced via RNAseq. For proteomic analysis, experimental and control samples grown using stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), total protein was harvested and analyzed via orbitrap fusion tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For immune secretomic analysis, supernatant from endothelial cells co-incubated with Tp was harvested and analyzed for cytokine content via cytometric bead arrays (CBA) using flow-cytometry. Results RNAseq studies identified genes within immune signalling pathways that are differentially regulated in response to Tp. Proteomic analysis identified several pathways involved in cellular structure and modulation, interleukin signalling, and intracellular signalling. Data from CBA experiments further indicate the ability of Tp to alter endothelial cytokine production and secretion. These data give a novel multi-faceted look into the role and response of the endothelium during Tp infection. Conclusion These studies represent a novel systems-level approach to understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the establishment and persistence of Tp infection. Further, they provide insight into how Tp may induce host cellular changes to enable barrier traversal and immune cell recruitment, and in this way provide information that is relevant to syphilis vaccine design.

Molecular line lists, particularly those computed for high temperature applications, often have very few states assigned local quantum numbers, i.e rotational and vibrational quantum labels. These are often important components for accurately determining line shape parameters required for radiative transfer simulations. Through variational calculations, the projection of the total angular momentum onto the molecule fixed axis ( k ) is investigated in the Radau internal coordinate system to determine when it can be considered a good quantum number. In the Radau coordinate system, when the square of the th component of the wavefunction is greater than one half, then we can classify k as a good quantum number in accordance with the theorem of Hose and Taylor, a quantum analogue of the Kolmogorov–Arnold–Moser theorem. When the theorem is satisfied, it is shown that k can reliably be used to determine oblate and prolate quantum labels K a and K c . This approach is tested on the states of the water and ozone molecules.

We present an extensive study of the five-dimensional potential energy and induced dipole surfaces of the CH4–N2 complex assuming rigid-rotor approximation. Within the supermolecular approach, ab initio calculations of the interaction energies and dipoles were carried out at the CCSD(T)-F12 and CCSD(T) levels of theory using the correlation-consistent aug-cc-pVTZ basis set, respectively. Both potential energy and induced dipole surfaces inherit the symmetry of the molecular system and transform under the A1+ and A2+ irreducible representations of the molecular symmetry group G48, respectively. One can take advantage of the symmetry when fitting the surfaces; first, when constructing angular basis functions and second, when selecting the grid points. The approach to the construction of scalar and vectorial basis functions exploiting the eigenfunction method [Q. Chen, J. Ping and F. Wang, Group Representation Theory for Physicists, World Scientific, 2nd edn, 2002] is developed. We explore the use of Sobolev-type quadrature grids as building blocks of robust quadrature rules adapted to the symmetry of the molecular system. Temperature variations of the cross second virial coefficient and first classical spectral moments of the rototranslational collision-induced band were derived. A reasonable agreement between calculated values and experimental data was found attesting to the high quality of constructed surfaces.

Throughout the estrus cycle, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cervical smooth muscle cells (cSMC) coordinate to accomplish normal physiologic function in the non-pregnant cervix. While previous uniaxial experiments provide fundamental knowledge about cervical contractility and biomechanics, the specimen preparation is disruptive to native organ geometry and does not permit simultaneous assessment of circumferential and axial properties. Thus, a need remains to investigate cervical contractility and passive biomechanics within physiologic multiaxial loading. Biaxial inflation-extension experiments overcome these limitations by preserving geometry, ECM-cell interactions, and multiaxially loading the cervix. Utilizing in vivo pressure measurements and inflation-extension testing, this study presented methodology and examined maximum biaxial contractility and biomechanics in the nulliparous murine cervix. The study showed that increased pressure resulted in decreased contractile potential in the circumferential direction, however, axial contractility remained unaffected. Additionally, total change in axial stress ([Formula: see text]) increased significantly (p0.05) compared to circumferential stress ([Formula: see text]) with maximum contraction. However, passive stiffness was significantly greater (p0.01) in the circumferential direction. Overall, axial cSMC may have a critical function in maintaining cervical homeostasis during normal function. Potentially, a loss of axial contractility in the cervix during pregnancy may result in maladaptive remodeling such as cervical insufficiency.

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) is expected to occur in the atmospheres of hot rocky super-Earth exoplanets but a lack of spectroscopic data is hampering its possible detection. Here, we present the first, comprehensive molecular line list for SiO2. The line list, named OYT3, covers the wavenumber range 0 – 6000 cm−1 (wavelengths λ > 1.67 μm) and is suitable for temperatures up to T = 3000 K. Almost 33 billion transitions involving 5.69 million rotation–vibration states with rotational excitation up to J = 255 have been computed using robust first-principles methodologies. The OYT3 line list is available from the ExoMol data base at www.exomol.com.

Theoretical calculations are contributing a significantly higher proportion of data to contemporary spectroscopic databases, which have traditionally relied on experimental observations and semi-empirical models. It is now a common procedure to extend calculated line lists to include ro-vibrational transitions between all bound states of the ground electronic state up to the dissociation limit. Advanced ab initio methods are utilized to calculate the potential energy and dipole moment surfaces (PESs and DMSs), and semi-empirical PESs are then obtained by combining ab initio and experimental data. The objective is to reach high accuracy in the calculated transition intensities for all parts of spectrum, i.e. to increase the predictive power of the model. We show that in order to perform this task, one needs, in addition to the standard improvements of the PES and DMS in the spectroscopically accessible regions, to extend the ab initio calculations of the PES towards the united-atom limit along the stretching coordinates. The argument is based on the correlation between the intensities of high-overtone transitions and the repulsive potential wall that has previously been theoretically established for diatomic molecules and is empirically extended here to linear and nonlinear triatomic molecules. We generate partial line lists for water and ozone, and together with an already available line list for carbon dioxide, we derive the normal intensity distribution, which is a direct consequence of this correlation. The normal distribution is not an instrument to compute highly accurate intensities, rather it is a means to analyse the intensities computed by the traditional methods.

Accurate reference spectroscopic information for the water molecule from the microwave to the near-ultraviolet is of paramount importance in atmospheric research. A semi-empirical potential energy surface for the ground electronic state of H216O has been created by refining to almost 4 000 experimentally determined energy levels. These states extend into regions with large values of rotational and vibrational excitation. For all states considered in our refinement procedure, which extend to 37 000 wavenumber and J = 20, the average root mean squared deviation is approximately 0.05 wavenumber. This potential energy surface offers significant improvements when compared to recent models by accurately predicting states possessing high values of J. This feature will offer significant improvements in calculated line positions for high temperature spectra where transitions between high J states become more prominent. Combining this potential with the latest dipole moment surface for water vapor, a line list has been calculated which extends reliably to 37 000 wavenumber. Obtaining reliable results in the ultraviolet is of special importance as it is a challenging spectral region for the water molecule both experimentally and theoretically. Comparisons are made against several experimental sources of cross sections in the near-ultraviolet and discrepancies are observed. In the near-ultraviolet our calculations are in agreement with recent atmospheric retrievals and the upper limit obtained using broad band spectroscopy by Wilson et al. (J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf., 2016, 170, 194) but do not support recent suggestions of very strong absorption in this region.

Calculating dipole moments with high-order basis sets is generally only possible for the light molecules, such as water. A simple, yet highly effective strategy of obtaining high-order dipoles with small, computationally less expensive basis sets is described. Using the finite field method for computing dipoles, energies calculated with small basis sets can be extrapolated to produce dipoles that are comparable to those obtained in high order calculations. The method reduces computational resources by approximately 50% (allowing the calculation of reliable dipole moments for larger molecules) and simultaneously improves the agreement with experimentally measured infrared transition intensities. For atmospherically important molecules, which are typically too large to consider the use of large basis sets, this procedure will provide the necessary means of improving calculated spectral intensities by several percent.

The ExoMol database ( www.exomol.com ) provides molecular data for spectroscopic studies of hot atmospheres. While the data are intended for studies of exoplanets and other astronomical bodies, the dataset is widely applicable. The basic form of the database is extensive line lists; these are supplemented with partition functions, state lifetimes, cooling functions, Lande g-factors, temperature-dependent cross sections, opacities, pressure broadening parameters, k-coefficients and dipoles. This paper presents the latest release of the database which has been expanded to consider 80 molecules and 190 isotopologues totaling over 700 billion transitions. While the spectroscopic data are concentrated at infrared and visible wavelengths, ultraviolet transitions are being increasingly considered in response to requests from observers. The core of the database comes from the ExoMol project which primarily uses theoretical methods, albeit usually fine-tuned to reproduce laboratory spectra, to generate very extensive line lists for studies of hot bodies. The data have recently been supplemented by line lists derived from direct laboratory observations, albeit usually with the use of ab initiotransition intensities. A major push in the new release is towards accurate characterisation of transition frequencies for use in high resolution studies of exoplanets and other bodies.

Background: Alcohol is a well-established risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC). This study aims to explore the effect of alcohol intensity and duration, as joint continuous exposures, on HNC risk. Methods: Data from 26 case-control studies in the INHANCE Consortium were used, including never and current drinkers who drunk ≤10 drinks/day for ≤54 years (24234 controls, 4085 oral cavity, 3359 oropharyngeal, 983 hypopharyngeal and 3340 laryngeal cancers). The dose-response relationship between the risk and the joint exposure to drinking intensity and duration was investigated through bivariate regression spline models, adjusting for potential confounders, including tobacco smoking. Results: For all subsites, cancer risk steeply increased with increasing drinks/day, with no appreciable threshold effect at lower intensities. For each intensity level, the risk of oral cavity, hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers did not vary according to years of drinking, suggesting no effect of duration. For oropharyngeal cancer, the risk increased with durations up to 28 years, flattening thereafter. The risk peaked at the higher levels of intensity and duration for all subsites (odds ratio = 7.95 for oral cavity, 12.86 for oropharynx, 24.96 for hypopharynx and 6.60 for larynx). Conclusions: Present results further encourage the reduction of alcohol intensity to mitigate HNC risk. © 2020, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Cancer Research UK.

The female reproductive organs, specifically the vagina and cervix, are composed of various cellular components and a unique extracellular matrix (ECM). Smooth muscle cells exhibit a contractile function within the vaginal and cervical walls. Depending on the biochemical environment and the mechanical distension of the organ walls, the smooth muscle cells alter the contractile conditions. The contribution of the smooth muscle cells under baseline physiological conditions is classified as a basal tone. More specifically, a basal tone is the baseline partial constriction of smooth muscle cells in the absence of hormonal and neural stimulation. Furthermore, the ECM provides structural support for the organ walls and functions as a reservoir for biochemical cues. These biochemical cues are vital to various organ functions, such as inciting growth and maintaining homeostasis. The ECM of each organ is composed primarily of collagen fibers (mostly collagen types I, III, and V), elastic fibers, and glycosaminoglycans/proteoglycans. The composition and organization of the ECM dictate the mechanical properties of each organ. A change in ECM composition may lead to the development of reproductive pathologies, such as pelvic organ prolapse or premature cervical remodeling. Furthermore, changes in ECM microstructure and stiffness may alter smooth muscle cell activity and phenotype, thus resulting in the loss of the contractile force. In this work, the reported protocols are used to assess the basal tone and passive mechanical properties of the nonpregnant murine vagina and cervix at 4-6 months of age in estrus. The organs were mounted in a commercially available pressure myograph and both pressure-diameter and force-length tests were performed. Sample data and data analysis techniques for the mechanical characterization of the reproductive organs are included. Such information may be useful for constructing mathematical models and rationally designing therapeutic interventions for women’s health pathologies.

Endovascular stent grafting has become the primary modality when assessing patients for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The traditional open approach is transperitoneal (TP) but many suggest the retroperitoneal method (RP) has significant benefits. Retroperitoneal aortic surgery may be unfamiliar to many surgeons as they have been trained in the TP approach. This paper provides specific tips for the critical steps of this approach enabling it to be performed with ease and minimal morbidity.

Usual or undifferentiated type vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) is more common in young women and is usually associated with high-risk human papillomavirus infection. It is associated with the development of basaloid or warty squamous cell carcinoma. Studies have shown that HIV-positive women have an increased risk of VIN and invasive vulval carcinoma, but there is a paucity of data about this cohort of women. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical features and treatment responses of HIV-positive women diagnosed with VIN in a specialist vulval dermatology clinic. HIV-positive women diagnosed with VIN from 2007 to 2013 were retrospectively identified. Data were collected on demographics, clinical features, treatments and outcomes. Seven cases were retrospectively identified. The median CD4 cell count at presentation was 500 cells/mm3 (range 59–761). Five had multifocal VIN. Five were treated with imiquimod alone, one had surgical excision and one patient was treated with imiquimod and surgery. Five of the seven had complete resolution of disease. HIV-positive patients with VIN had good responses to treatment with imiquimod. They were likely to be stable on combination antiretroviral therapy at presentation, have multifocal disease and concurrent vaginal, anal or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Objective:To investigate the associations between head and neck cancer (HNC) risk and occupations.Methods:We harmonized data on occupations in a pooled analysis of 8839 HNC cases and 13,730 controls in International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for associations of occupations and HNC risk. Population attributable fraction (PAF) for occupations was calculated using the formula PEC×(OR-1)/OR.1Results:Trend of increasing HNC risk was found with increasing duration of employment for many occupations, including cooks (OR=1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.68), cleaners (OR=1.38; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.69), painters (OR=1.82; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.35). The PAF for a priori occupations was 14.5% (95% CI 7.1% to 21.9%) for HNC.Conclusions:We found associations between certain occupations and HNC risks, including for subsites, with a duration-response relationship. Copyright © 2019 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

A new global and highly accurate

Long‐term warming of the continental shelf of the Canadian Beaufort Sea caused by the transgression associated with the last deglaciation may be causing decomposition of relict offshore subsea permafrost and gas hydrates. To evaluate this possibility, pore waters from 118 sediment cores up to 7.3‐m long were taken on the shelf and slope and analyzed for chloride concentrations and δ180 and δD composition. We observed downcore decreases in pore waters Cl− concentration in sediments from all sites from the inner shelf (

The IES method for evaluating light source color renditionhas the potential to improve how light source spectra are designed and evaluated. The method builds upon decades of color science, amalgamated to create a rational system for evaluating light source color rendition. It can be as simple to use as CIE CRI, or much more powerful thanks to its secondary and tertiary features. Fil: Tonello, Graciela Lucia del Carmen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucuman. Instituto de Investigacion En Luz, Ambiente y Vision; Argentina Fil: The society of Light and Lightning.

Objectives The aim of the study was to identify differences in infant outcomes, virological efficacy, and preterm delivery (PTD) outcome between women exposed to lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) and those exposed to atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r). Methods A retrospective case note review was carried out. The case notes of 493 women who conceived while on LPV/r or ATV/r or initiated LPV/r or ATV/r during pregnancy and who delivered between 1 September 2007 and 30 August 2012 were reviewed. Data collected included demographics, antiretroviral use, HIV markers, and pregnancy and infant outcomes. Infant outcomes, virological efficacies and PTD rates for LPV/r and ATV/r were compared. Results A total of 306 women received LPV/r (82 conceiving while on the drug and 224 commencing it post-conception) and 187 received ATV/r (96 conceiving while on the drug and 91 commencing it post-conception). Comparing the two protease inhibitors (PIs), viral suppression rates were similar and, in women starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) post-conception, the median times to first undetectable HIV viral load were not significantly different (P = 0.64). PTD rates did not differ by therapy overall (ATV/r, 13%; LPV/r, 14%) or when considering the timing of first exposure (conceiving on ART, P = 0.81; commencing ART in pregnancy, P = 0.08). Poor fetal outcomes were very uncommon. There were two transmissions, giving a mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate of 0.4% (95% confidence interval 0.05–1.5%). Conclusions Both ART regimens were well tolerated and successful in preventing MTCT. No significant differences in tolerability or in pregnancy or infant outcomes were observed, which supports the provision of a choice of PI in pregnancy.

The concept of Improvement cross cuts moral, cultural and ideological realms, as well as practical aspects of material life, including housing, education, and agricultural technology. Archaeological and historical research on Inishark, County. Galway, Ireland, provides a unique opportunity to identify and track the linkages between Irish National policy and local community actions that created a material footprint of improvement from the 1880s to the 1920s. Drawing upon vernacular architecture and village phasing, detailed historical maps, ownership records, and detailed computer mapping, this study presents a multi-dimensional portrait of improvement within nineteenth- through twentieth-century Irish communities.