By studying string loop corrections to superpotential of type II strings compactified on Calabi-Yau threefolds we find a quantum stringy test and a confirmation of a recent proposal of Strominger on the fate of the conifold singularity. We also propose a connection between the spectrum of Bogomolnyi saturated solitons and one-loop string partition function of N = 2 topological strings.

The identification of Brucella can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that places personnel at risk for laboratory-acquired infection. Here, we describe a real-time PCR assay for confirmation of presumptive Brucella isolates. The assay was designed in a multiplex format that will allow the rapid identification of Brucella spp., B. abortus, and B. melitensis in a single test.

Endocervical infections due to Chlamydia trachomatis remain difficult to diagnose due to the lack of an inexpensive, rapid, and accurate test. We evaluated an alternative strategy for diagnosis in which initial screening was performed with an enzyme immunoassay (Chlamydiazyme) followed by a direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test on specimens in which the Chlamydiazyme optical density (OD) readi...

Confirmation of presumptive positive urine drug screens, necessary to minimize the reporting of false-positive results, can be costly and time-consuming. The predictive value model can be used to select the confirming tests and to calculate the confidence of the result. The predictive value of a test result is the probability, based on the sensitivity and specificity of the test, that the resul...

The aim of this study was to select the best approach for screening coeliac disease patients among populations with different grades of disease prevalence. The diagnostic performance was assessed of class A and G antigliadin antibodies and class A antiendomysium antibodies in 93 consecutive outpatients with suspected malabsorption, 44 of whom (47%) had coeliac disease according to duodenal hist...

INTRODUCTION Confirmation of proper endotracheal tube placement is one of the most important and lifesaving issues of tracheal intubation. The present study was aimed to evaluate the accuracy of tracheal ultrasonography by emergency residents in this regard. METHOD This was a prospective, cross sectional study for evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in endotracheal tube plac...

PURPOSE To compare the most recent versions of standard automated perimetry (SAP), short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP), and frequency-doubling technology (FDT) using three definitions of visual field (VF) abnormality: single-test abnormality, abnormality confirmed by the same test, and abnormality confirmed by a different test. METHODS Data obtained from one eye of each of 174 patient...

In this report a case of macro-aspartate aminotransferase in a 34-year-old pregnant woman is presented. Awareness of the existence of a macroenzyme is important because of their ability to cause diagnostic confusion, which leads to unnecessary investigations. Confirmation with a polyethylene glycol precipitation test is simple to perform and not expensive.