Does mammographic screening and a negative result affect attitudes towards future breast screening?

OBJECTIVES:To investigate the impact of an experience of a benign mammographic result on intention to seek medical help immediately in the case of breast abnormalities, and on intentions and thoughts about future participation in screening. SETTING:The Dutch Breast Cancer Screening Programme for women aged 50¿69. METHODS:Subjects were women who were invited for an initial breast examination: 223 women filled out a questionnaire about 10 days before and about 6 weeks after their initial breast examination. To be able to control for possible test effects, another group of 293 women filled out a questionnaire only after mammography. Changes in thoughts and intentions were examined. RESULTS:Most women were very satisfied with the course of their initial breast examination, although pain or discomfort was often mentioned. No clues to suggest false reassurance were found: more than 99% of the women would consider the possibility of breast cancer if they felt a lump in one of their breasts. In such a situation, most women intended to seek medical help within a week. These variables were not influenced by the experience of mammography with a benign result. In general, women were very positive about (repeat) participation, both before and after screening. After screening, the average woman perceived fewer costs in participating, and perceived her own ability to engage in future screening as higher. However, the experience of pain and anxiety during the initial screening did lead to reverse effects. Women who were less satisfied about their treatment by the staff were more likely to change their intentions to reparticipate in a negative way. CONCLUSIONS:As, in general, women became more positive about regular participation after they had attended breast cancer screening, efforts to improve first round attendance must be continued. At the same time, the screening organisations must continue to prioritise the high level of client friendliness throughout the screening. No evidence for detrimental effects of screening through false reassurance among participants was found

Hubungan Migrasi Perlekatan Otot Pada Tulang Panjang Dengan Perubahan Panjang Tulang Dan Volume Otot Pada Perlakuan Hiperaktivitas Selama Pertumbuhan

This study was aimed to recognize the ccorrelation between migration of muscle attachment on long bone and the change of bone length and mucle volume in a hyperactivity treatment during bone growth. A number of 150 male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were used as experimental animal. Randomly, the experimental animals were divided into three groups (1) the first group consisted of 30 rats, were used to examine the anatomical structure of the rats, and the accuracy of placing metal pins of muscles and of the bone shaft, (2) the control group (60 rats) and (3) the hyperactivity group (60 rats) were given increased muscular activity by physical exercise in every groups. Metal pins were implanted in the middle of the femoral and the tibial bone shaft, and 30 rats (the first group) were directly sacrificed. Every 2 months and 6 months following treatment, the hyperactivity and the control group were sacrificed. Five muscles which were attached on the femur and on the tibia were cut and their volumes, absolute distance and proportional distance of their attachment to the metal pins, and to the length of the bone were measured. It was found that in the hyperactivity rats, a change of bone length was detected, whereas none in the control group. The change of the long bone was significantly correlated proportionally with the migration of the attachment of the muscle. In the treated group, muscle volume differed compared to that in the control group. However, the difference of the muscle volume was not correlated with the migration of the muscle attachment during bone growth. In conclusion, there was a convincing correlation between the migration of the muscle attachment and the change of bone length in hyperactivity group during bones growth

Hubungan Migrasi Perlekatan Otot Pada Tulang Panjang Dengan Perubahan Panjang Tulang Dan Volume Otot Pada Perlakuan Bipedal Selama Pertumbuhan

Dalam penelitian ini diselidiki hubungan antara migrasi perlekatan otot pada tulang panjang dengan penambahan beban dengan perlakuan bipedal selama pertumbuhan. Sebagai hewan percobaandipakai 150 ekor tikus jantan (Rattus norvegicus) strain Lembaga Makanan Rakyat Departemen Kesehatan Republik Indonesia, berumur 6 minggu dan dengan berat rata-rata 70 gr. Perlakuan dibeikan selama 6 bulan. Secara randomisasi hewan percobaan dibagi atas beberapa kelompok, yaitu kelompok Wo pemasangan kawat penunjuk pada corpus tulang, kelompok kontrol sebanyak 60 ekor tikus, sebagai kelompok pembanding, kelompok bipedal sebanyak 60 ekor tikus dan mendapat penambahan berat badan secara bipedal pada tulang. Pada semua kelompok dipasang kawat penunjuk pada pertengahan corpus femoris dan corpus tibiae. Selama perlakuan, hewan percobaan dibiarkan hidup bebas dalam kandang selama 2 sampai 6 bulan, tikus diberi makan dan minum ad libitum. Pada tiap-tiap kelompok, 30 ekor tikus dikorbankan pada waktu 2 bulan dan 6 bulan sesudah perlakuan. M. Gluteus maximus, M. Pectineus, M. adductor brevis, M. addductor magnus dan M. aastrocnemius yang melekat pada femur, dan M. rectus femoris, M.semimembranosus, M.gracilis, M.semitendinosus dan M.tibialis anterior yang melekat pada tibia dipotong dan diukur volumenya serta diukur jarak perlekatannya secara absolut dan secara proporsional terhadap jarak dari kawat penunjuk ke ujung tulang. Femur bagian proximal, femur badian distal dan tibia bagian proximal diukur panjangnya terhadap kawat penunjuk. Dicari korelasi antara selisih panjang tulang dan volume otot antara perlakuan 6 bulan dan 2 bulan dengan selisih jarak absolut (migrasi absolut) dan selisih jarak proporsional (migrasi proporsional) perlekatan otot antara perlakuan 6 bulan dan 2 bulan. Hasil yang didapat dari penelitian ini memberikan gambaran bahwa perlakuan bipedal ada korelasi antara migrasi perlekatan otot dengan Perubahan panjang tulang selama pertumbuhan, tetapi tidak ada korelasi dengan Perubahan volume otot. Dengan demikian dapat dikatakan bahwa ada korelasi selama pertumbuhan, yang berdasarkan pada unsur tulang

Estrous behavior in dairy cows: identification of underlying mechanisms and gene functions

Selection in dairy cattle for a higher milk yield has coincided with declined fertility. One of the factors is reduced expression of estrous behavior. Changes in systems that regulate the estrous behavior could be manifested by altered gene expression. This literature review describes the current knowledge on mechanisms and genes involved in the regulation of estrous behavior. The endocrinological regulation of the estrous cycle in dairy cows is well described. Estradiol (E2) is assumed to be the key regulator that synchronizes endocrine and behavioral events. Other pivotal hormones are, for example, progesterone, gonadotropin releasing hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. Interactions between the latter and E2 may play a role in the unfavorable effects of milk yield-related metabolic stress on fertility in high milk-producing dairy cows. However, a clear understanding of how endocrine mechanisms are tied to estrous behavior in cows is only starting to emerge. Recent studies on gene expression and signaling pathways in rodents and other animals contribute to our understanding of genes and mechanisms involved in estrous behavior. Studies in rodents, for example, show that estrogen-induced gene expression in specific brain areas such as the hypothalamus play an important role. Through these estrogen-induced gene expressions, E2 alters the functioning of neuronal networks that underlie estrous behavior, by affecting dendritic connections between cells, receptor populations and neurotransmitter releases. To improve the understanding of complex biological networks, like estrus regulation, and to deal with the increasing amount of genomic information that becomes available, mathematical models can be helpful. Systems biology combines physiological and genomic data with mathematical modeling. Possible applications of systems biology approaches in the field of female fertility and estrous behavior are discusse

Design of fibre reinforced PV concepts for building integrated applications

Fibre reinforced polymers present an interesting encapsulation medium for PV-modules. Glass fibres can provide increased strength and stiffness to thin polymer layers overcoming the brittleness and limited deformability of glass-panes. Glass fibre reinforced polymers allows for transparency over a broad range of the solar spectrum while the material properties and integral production processes create possibilities for novel product concepts with embedded PV technology. To explore such possibilities, innovative design methods were used to design novel PV product concepts for applications in the build environment.\ud In our paper three conceptual designs are presented; (1) a thin film module with an adjoining interconnection system functioning as structural element for geodetic roofing structures, (2) a PV lamella with single-axis tracking utilizing a linear concentration effect caused by the geometry of the product and the materials applied, and (3) a prepreg PV-material which allows for easy shaping during the production of PV modules with complex geometries. Each concept employs a specific PV technology and demonstrates a possible application aimed at a specific market. In this way we show the potential of integration of PV technology in fibre reinforced composites. The paper will be illustrated by concept renderings

Studies on tableting properties of lactose. Part III. The consolidation behaviour of sieve fractions of crystalline a-lactose\ud monohydrate

The consolidation and compaction behaviour of sieve fractions of crystalline α-lactose monohydrate were studied. From mercury porosimetry measurements tablet pore surface areas were derived. At a certain compaction load it appeared that tablets compressed from small particles were generally stronger and showed a larger surface area than compacts prepared from coarse sieve fractions. By plotting compact strength against pore surface area, a unique linear relationship was obtained. From these results it can be concluded that the actual tablet surface area, being a function of both the initial particle size and applied compaction pressure, is responsible for the compact strength

N=8 matter coupled AdS_3 supergravities

Following the recent construction of maximal (N=16) gauged supergravity in three dimensions, we derive gauged D=3, N=8 supergravities in three dimensions as deformations of the corresponding ungauged theories with scalar manifolds SO(8,n)/(SO(8)x SO(n)). As a special case, we recover the N=(4,4) theories with local SO(4) = SO(3)_L x SO(3)_R, which reproduce the symmetries and massless spectrum of D=6, N=(2,0) supergravity compactified on AdS_3 x S^3.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX2