International Consortium on Mammographic Density:methodology and population diversity captured across 22 countries

Mammographic density (MD) is a quantitative trait, measurable in all women, and is among the strongest markers of breast cancer risk. The population-based epidemiology of MD has revealed genetic, lifestyle and societal/environmental determinants, but studies have largely been conducted in women with similar westernized lifestyles living in countries with high breast cancer incidence rates. To benefit from the heterogeneity in risk factors and their combinations worldwide, we created an International Consortium on Mammographic Density (ICMD) to pool individual-level epidemiological and MD data from general population studies worldwide. ICMD aims to characterize determinants of MD more precisely, and to evaluate whether they are consistent across populations worldwide. We included 11755 women, from 27 studies in 22 countries, on whom individual-level risk factor data were pooled and original mammographic images were re-read for ICMD to obtain standardized comparable MD data. In the present article, we present (i) the rationale for this consortium; (ii) characteristics of the studies and women included; and (iii) study methodology to obtain comparable MD data from original re-read films. We also highlight the risk factor heterogeneity captured by such an effort and, thus, the unique insight the pooled study promises to offer through wider exposure ranges, different confounding structures and enhanced power for sub-group analyses

Nonlocal electron heat-flux

Electron thermal conduction in a not quite collisional unmagnetlzed plasma is analysed. The failure of classical results for temperature scale-length up to 100 times larger than thermal mean-free-path for electron scattering, and large ion-charge number Z , is discussed. Recent results from a nonlocal model of conduction at large Z are reviewed. Closed form expressions for Braginskii's coefficients a ,/3 , y for Z =0(1) are derived. An extension of the nonlocal model for Z =0(1) is discussed

Laufkäfer-Förderung durch Ausgleichsflächen

Neben der Extensivierung ist die Förderung der Biodiversität ein wichtiges Anliegen der aktuellen Agrarpolitik in der Schweiz. Der Staat fördert mit Direktzahlungen ökologische Ausgleichsmaßnahmen im landwirtschaftlich genutzten Landschaftsraum, um den Rückgang der Pflanzen- und Tierarten zu stoppen. Ökologische Ausgleichsflächen wie extensive Wieslandstreifen, Wildkrautstreifen, Hecken und Feldgehölze sind wesentliche Landschaftselemente, die zur Erhaltung und Förderung der Arten- und Strukturvielfalt im Kulturland beitragen. Diese Elemente erfüllen ebenso im Rahmen der Nützlingsförderung wichtige agrarökologische Funktionen

Thermodynamic modeling of the condensable fraction of a gaseous effluent from lignocellulosic biomass torrefaction

The condensable fraction of the gaseous effluent from the torrefaction process of wood is a complex mixture of more than one hundred oxygenated species (alcohols, acids, aldehydes, ketones, furans, phenolic, gaïacols and sugars) diluted in water where some of them are likely to react. This effluent is currently burnt to provide energy but it could be valorized as bio-sourced chemicals. To recover target products like acetic acid, glycolaldehyde, furfural and eugenol a first step of thermodynamic modeling of this complex mixture is required to be able to propose different strategies of separation-purification. This was done here by coupling the UNIQUAC model with chemical equilibria involved in the reactive mixture. Binary interaction parameters were identified using vapor–liquid equilibria data from the literature. The predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental data of systems containing water, methanol, formaldehyde, acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, furfural and furfuryl alcohol, main components of the considered mixture and their associated reaction products

The Effects Of Vocation Education In Agriculture On The Practice Performed By Farmers Of Limestone County , Texas, Based On Study Of One Hundred Farmers

In the preparation of this study, the writer has endeavored to include all necessary materials that will be helpful to Teachers of Agriculture and Farmers of Limestone County, Texas. The writer selected this problem because he felt that some type of evaluation of Vocational Education Programs in Agriculture should be made to determine to what extent Vocational Education in Agriculture has aided farmers of Limestone County, Texas, in their farming practices. The significance of an educational program for adult farmers is derived mainly from three facts: 1. The large number of farmers. 2. The crucial influence of these farmers in family, community, state, national, and world affairs. 3. The interest and persistence they have shown in adult education activities whenever reasonably good opportunities have been offered them. No matter how small, any community with a four-year high school is likely to keep a good teacher of Vocational Agriculture very busy. If he serves adequately the adults as well as the high school boys and the young farmers, full-time services are needed

Incomplete Information and Iterated Strict Dominance

The solution concept of iterated strict dominance for static games with complete information recursively deletes choices that are inferior. Here, we devise such an algorithm for the more general case of incomplete information. The ensuing solution concept of generalized iterated strict dominance is characterized in terms of common belief in rationality as well as in terms of best response sets. Besides, we provide doxastic conditions that are necessary and sufficient for modelling complete information from a one-person perspective