Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer: A ten-year cohort study of women living in the Estrie Region of Quebec, Canada

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>Endometriosis has been believed to increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer, but recent data supporting this hypothesis are lacking. The aim of this study was to verify whether the incidence of endometriosis, ovarian cancer and the both increased during the last 10 years among women living in the Estrie region of Quebec.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We collected data of women diagnosed with endometriosis, ovarian cancer or both, between 1997 and 2006, from a population living in the Estrie region of Quebec. We performed this retrospective cross-sectional study from the CIRESSS (Centre Informatisé de Recherche Évaluative en Services et Soins de Santé) system, the database of the CHUS (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Sherbrooke), Sherbrooke, Canada.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the 2854 identified patients, 2521 had endometriosis, 292 patients had ovarian cancer and 41 patients had both ovarian cancer and endometriosis. We showed a constant increase in the number of ovarian cancer (OC) between 1997 and 2006 (r²= 0.557, P = 0.013), which is not the case for endometriosis (ENDO) or endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC). The mean age ± SD was 40.0 ± 9.9 and 53.9 ± 11.4 for patients having ENDO and OC, respectively. Mean age of women with EAOC was 48.3 ± 10.8, suggesting an early onset of ovarian cancer in women having endometriosis of about 5.5 years average, P = 0.003. Women with ENDO were at increased risk for developing OC (Rate Ratio [RR] = 1.6; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.12-2.09). Pathological analyses showed the predominance of endometrioid type (24.4%) and clear-cell type (21.9%) types in EAOC compared to OC, P = 0.0070 and 0.0029, respectively. However, the serous type is the most widespread in OC (44.5%) in comparison to EAOC (19.51%), P = 0.0023.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings highlight that the number of cases of ovarian cancer is constantly increasing in the last ten years and that endometriosis represents a serious risk factor which accelerates its apparition by about 5.5 years.</p

Compound reconfigurable microstrip antenna array using integrated controlled ground modified structure and sub delay feeding network architecture / Mohd Aziz Aris

Predisposition to implement multifunction concept in modern wireless communication systems is one of the main reason why Reconfigurable Microstrip Antenna has received extreme attention from engineers and antenna designers, particularly Compound Reconfigurable Microstrip Antennas (CRMA) that capable to control more antenna parameters into single antenna structure. The versatility of the antenna in terms of functionality, is more significant to support multidisciplinary wireless communication systems. However, formal structure of CRMA using contacting feeding line, stacked patch and limited utilization of array element to control radiation beam contributes to performance degradation and increase high volume of patch antenna. According to these issues, this research is conducted to embark on investigating a new structure of CRMA. The antenna has been simulated and fabricated, and further CRMA has constructed with biasing line to control frequency and radiation angle using PIN diodes that designed on the feeding network. To realize the new CRMA, aperture coupled patch antenna with newly Controlled Ground Modified Slot (CGMS) and Sub Delay Feeding Network Architecture (SDFNA) techniques are proposed to allow the antenna tunes two operating frequencies alternately at 7.5 GHz and 8.85 GHz, and concurrently control the direction of antenna beam towards selected angles. Consisting several designs, single element, 2 x 2 and 4 x 4 planar arrays, the reconfigurable antennas were simulated and fabricated in ideal condition to examine their performance and practicality. For single element and 2 x 2 planar array, the antennas generate two frequencies, F1= 7.5 GHz and F2 = 8.85 GHz. The functionality of patch antenna enhanced by designing delay line on feeding line for 2 x 2 planar array in order to control beam direction. The fabricated antenna capable to steer antenna beam between -20, 0, +12 degrees. To improve the proposed antenna, final design of 4 x 4 compound reconfigurable microstrip array antenna with PIN diodes circuit has been fabricated and measured. Consist of 24 switches for frequency reconfigurability and 8 switches to reconfigure radiation beam to three directions, the antenna is successfully to tune operating frequency in range of 7.52 GHz and 7.46 GHz with S11 between -22.2 dB to -38.76 dB when the switches are turned OFF. Meanwhile, the antenna generates operating frequency at range of 8.795 GHz to 8.82 GHz with S11 between -21.07 dB to -31.9 dB when the switches are turned ON. Activation and deactivation of 8 switches from the antenna can elevate radiation beam between -14, 0, +10 degrees for 7.5 GHz, and at 8.85 GHz, the antenna beam can elevate between of -6, 0, +14 degrees. Further, with directivity gain between 14 to 15 dBi and efficiency in range 60% to 70% the antenna has potential to support outdoor wireless communication systems. The small misalignment between measurement and simulated results for operating frequency significantly contributed fabrication imperfection and small metal line from DC biasing network that linked to antenna feeding network. However, based on gain directivity and efficiency the reconfigurable antenna has potentially suggested for supporting outdoor wireless application system

Compound reconfigurable microstrip antenna array using integrated controlled ground modified structure and sub delay feeding network architecture / Mohd Aziz Aris

Predisposition to implement multifunction concept in modern wireless communication systems is one of the main reason why Reconfigurable Microstrip Antenna has received extreme attention from engineers and antenna designers, particularly Compound Reconfigurable Microstrip Antennas (CRMA) that capable to control more antenna parameters into single antenna structure. The versatility of the antenna in terms of functionality, is more significant to support multidisciplinary wireless communication systems. However, formal structure of CRMA using contacting feeding line, stacked patch and limited utilization of array element to control radiation beam contributes to performance degradation and increase high volume of patch antenna. According to these issues, this research is conducted to embark on investigating a new structure of CRMA. The antenna has been simulated and fabricated, and further CRMA has constructed with biasing line to control frequency and radiation angle using PIN diodes that designed on the feeding network. To realize the new CRMA, aperture coupled patch antenna with newly Controlled Ground Modified Slot (CGMS) and Sub Delay Feeding Network Architecture (SDFNA) techniques are proposed to allow the antenna tunes two operating frequencies alternately at 7.5 GHz and 8.85 GHz, and concurrently control the direction of antenna beam towards selected angles. Consisting several designs, single element, 2 x 2 and 4 x 4 planar arrays, the reconfigurable antennas were simulated and fabricated in ideal condition to examine their performance and practicality. For single element and 2 x 2 planar array, the antennas generate two frequencies, F1= 7.5 GHz and F2 = 8.85 GHz. The functionality of patch antenna enhanced by designing delay line on feeding line for 2 x 2 planar array in order to control beam direction. The fabricated antenna capable to steer antenna beam between -20, 0, +12 degrees. To improve the proposed antenna, final design of 4 x 4 compound reconfigurable microstrip array antenna with PIN diodes circuit has been fabricated and measured. Consist of 24 switches for frequency reconfigurability and 8 switches to reconfigure radiation beam to three directions, the antenna is successfully to tune operating frequency in range of 7.52 GHz and 7.46 GHz with Si i between -22.2 dB to -38.76 dB when the switches are turned OFF. Meanwhile, the antenna generates operating frequency at range of 8.795 GHz to 8.82 GHz with Sn between -21.07 dB to -31.9 dB when the switches are turned ON. Activation and deactivation of 8 switches from the antenna can elevate radiation beam between -14, 0, +10 degrees for 7.5 GHz, and at 8.85 GHz, the antenna beam can elevate between of-6, 0, +14 degrees. Further, with directivity gain between 14 to 15 dBi and efficiency in range 60% to 70% the antenna has potential to support outdoor wireless communication systems. The small misalignment between measurement and simulated results for operating frequency significantly contributed fabrication imperfection and small metal line from DC biasing network that linked to antenna feeding network. However, based on gain directivity and efficiency the reconfigurable antenna has potentially suggested for supporting outdoor wireless application systems

A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF DIRECTIVE UTTERENCE USED BY ENGLISH TEACHER AT MADRASAH ALIYAH PONDOK PESANTREN AL-KAMIL

This research was intended to describe types of speech acts performed by English lecturers in learning process at Madrasah Aliyah Pondok Pesantren Al-Kamil. This research was descriptive qualitative. The data of this research were the English utterances performed by English Teachers. The researcher obtained the data by means of observation technique. In observation technique the researcher used recording instruments, sound recorder, to record the classroom dialogues. Next, the researcher writes some data into note to as a additional data report The researcher analyzes the directive speech act in this research using Kreidler’s theory (1998). Based on the observation, the researcher found three types of directive speech act. They are command/order, request, Warning or prohibitation. In conclusion, the researcher found directives speech act from observation are 3 utterances are command/order (2,80%) , 2 utterances are requesting (1,87%), 1 utterance is warning (0,93%), and 101 utterances are unidentified (94,39%

Studi Pola Arus Laut Di Perairan Pantai Kabupaten Aceh Timur

Kabupaten Aceh Timur merupakan kabupaten yang berada di sisi timur Aceh dengan letak astronomis berada pada 4º 09\u27 21,08” - 5º 06\u27 02,16” LU dan 97º 15\u27 22,07” - 97º 34\u27 47,22” BT memiliki berbagai potensi dan permasalahan yang dihadapi hingga saat ini. Potensi wilayah pesisir tersebut antara lain berupa potensi perikanan laut dan darat, pelabuhan, pariwisata dan kawasan industri yang berada di wilayah pesisir. Permasalahan abrasi yang cukup parah mengakibatkan kerugian besar dengan rusaknya wilayah pantai dan pesisir dengan segala kehidupan yang ada diwilayah tersebut. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pola arus yang dapat dijadikan sebagai referensi dalam pengelolaan lingkungan laut dan perencanaan bangunan pantai. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada tanggal 27 – 30 September 2014. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode kuantitatif. Pengambilan data arus dengan ADCP type Argounaunt-XR dengan sistem mooring. Pengolahan data pasang surut dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode Admiralty. Pemodelan pola arus menggunakan pemodelan matematis. Berdasarkan pengukuran di lapangan, perairan Aceh Timur memiliki kondisi arus yang didominasi oleh arus pasang surut. Kecepatan arus maksimum sebesar 0,647 m/s bergerak menuju arah Timur-Tenggara. Kecepatan arus minimum 0,003 m/s yang bergerak menuju ke arah Tenggara. Tipe pasang surut yang terjadi adalah pasang surut harian ganda dengan bilangan Formzahl sebesar 0,17, tinggi muka air laut rata-rata (MSL) sebesar 176, 03 cm, tinggi muka air terendah (LLWL) sebesar 82,34 cm dan tinggi muka air tertinggi (HHWL) sebesar 269,98 cm. Hasil simulasi model hidrodinamika menunjukkan bahwa arus yang terjadi pada daerah model relatif menuju arah barat laut pada kondisi surut menuju pasang dan ke arah tenggara saat pasang menuju surut

Simulasi dosis serap kanker payudara dengan empat sudut penyinaran menggunakan teknik radioterapi konformal tiga dimensi

Cancer treatment using radiotherapy has several techniques. This study uses a three-dimensional conformal technique with four radiation directions at angles of 0°, 60°, 180°, and 240°. This study aims to determine the absorbed dose of breast cancer tissue using a three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy technique with the addition of a multileaf collimator (MLC) using a linear accelerator radiotherapy machine. The MLC is modeled in the form of a beam with 24 rods made in duplicate which is inserted in the middle of an empty space in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 1.3 cm. The cancer tissue was modeled as a ball with a diameter of 3 cm located in the center of the left breast. The method used is the Monte Carlo method using the MCNPX Visual Editor software. The combined absorption dose for the four radiation directions showed the largest absorption dose was in cancer tissue at 2 Gy, while the organ that received the least absorption dose was the liver at 0.0054 Gy

Expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1) ligands system in the most common endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer subtypes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>Endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary is one of the most types of epithelial ovarian cancer associated to endometrioisis. Endometrioid tumors as well as endometriotic implants are characterized by the presence of epithelial cells, stromal cells, or a combination of booth, that resemble the endometrial cells, suggesting a possible endometrial origin of these tumors. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been reported to be involved in both endometriosis and ovarian carcinogenesis. The major objective of this study was to determine the level expression of IL-1 ligands system (IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-1RA) in the most common subtypes of ovarian cancer cells compared to endometrial cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used primary endometrial cells, endometrial cell line RL-952 and different subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines including TOV-112D (endometrioid), TOV-21G (clear cell) and OV-90 (serous). Immunofluorescence and real-time PCR analysis were used respectively for detecting IL-1 ligands at the levels of cell-associated protein and mRNA. Soluble IL-1 ligands were analyzed by ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We demonstrated that IL-1 ligands were expressed by all endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer subtypes and endometrial cells. In contrast to other cancer ovarian cells, endometrioid cells exhibit a specific decrease of cell-associated IL-1RA expression and its soluble secretion.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Endometrioid ovarian cancer exhibits an alteration in the expression of IL-1RA, a key protector against tumorogenic effects of IL-1. This alteration evokes the same alteration observed in endometriotic cells in previous studies. This suggests a possible link between the endometrium, the tissue ectopic endometriosis and endometrioid ovarian cancer.</p

Understanding Malaysian English (Manglish) jargon in social media

The advent of the internet, mobile communication and media has created a new form of language such as Slang, Emoticons, Hashtag and Abbreviation as well as a combination of several languages in one word. Some go to the extent of localizing foreign language. In Malaysia, a new trend of using social media language is called Manglish, a mix language of Malay and English words that are popularized by social media users. Based on initial findings, the use of Malaysian English (Manglish) jargon can lead to confusion and miscommunication between social media users of different generations. Even though there are various translation software available, no online Manglish Jargon translator is available at present. Therefore, this work proposes the development of Manglish Jargon Translator that will reduce the miscommunication gap between social media users of all ages. Interview and survey instruments were conducted to capture user requirement and as part of the Manglish Jargon validation process.  As a result, the Manglish Jargon translator was developed to further clarify Manglish Jargon terms, actual words, meanings and definitions.Keywords: Manglish, jargon, communication, social media, Malaysia