Independent predictors of breast malignancy in screen-detected microcalcifications: biopsy results in 2545 cases

Background: Mammographic microcalcifications are associated with many benign lesions, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive cancer. Careful assessment criteria are required to minimise benign biopsies while optimising cancer diagnosis. We wished to evaluate the assessment outcomes of microcalcifications biopsied in the setting of population-based breast cancer screening. Methods: Between January 1992 and December 2007, cases biopsied in which microcalcifications were the only imaging abnormality were included. Patient demographics, imaging features and final histology were subjected to statistical analysis to determine independent predictors of malignancy. Results: In all, 2545 lesions, with a mean diameter of 21.8 mm (s.d. 23.8 mm) and observed in patients with a mean age of 57.7 years (s.d. 8.4 years), were included. Using the grading system adopted by the RANZCR, the grade was 3 in 47.7%; 4 in 28.3% and 5 in 24.0%. After assessment, 1220 lesions (47.9%) were malignant (809 DCIS only, 411 DCIS with invasive cancer) and 1325 (52.1%) were non-malignant, including 122 (4.8%) premalignant lesions (lobular carcinoma in situ, atypical lobular hyperplasia and atypical ductal hyperplasia). Only 30.9% of the DCIS was of low grade. Mammographic extent of microcalcifications >15 mm, imaging grade, their pattern of distribution, presence of a palpable mass and detection after the first screening episode showed significant univariate associations with malignancy. On multivariate modeling imaging grade, mammographic extent of microcalcifications >15 mm, palpable mass and screening episode were retained as independent predictors of malignancy. Radiological grade had the largest effect with lesions of grade 4 and 5 being 2.2 and 3.3 times more likely to be malignant, respectively, than grade 3 lesions. Conclusion: The radiological grading scheme used throughout Australia and parts of Europe is validated as a useful system of stratifying microcalcifications into groups with significantly different risks of malignancy. Biopsy assessment of appropriately selected microcalcifications is an effective method of detecting invasive breast cancer and DCIS, particularly of non-low-grade subtypes.G Farshid, T Sullivan, P Downey, P G Gill, and S Pieters

Using Jungian Personality Types for Teaching Teamwork in a Software Engineering Capstone Course

Contains fulltext : 231320.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)SIGCSE'2

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to diabetes in South Africa in 2000

Objectives. To estimate the burden of disease attributable to diabetes by sex and age group in South Africa in 2000. Design. The framework adopted for the most recent World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. Small community studies used to derive the prevalence of diabetes by population group were weighted proportionately for a national estimate. Populationattributable fractions were calculated and applied to revised burden of disease estimates. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for uncertainty analysis. Setting. South Africa. Subjects. Adults 30 years and older. Outcome measures. Mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, hypertensive disease and renal failure. Results. Of South Africans aged ≥ 30 years, 5.5% had diabetes which increased with age. Overall, about 14% of IHD, 10% of stroke, 12% of hypertensive disease and 12% of renal disease burden in adult males and females (30+ years) were attributable to diabetes. Diabetes was estimated to have caused 22 412 (95% uncertainty interval 20 755 - 24 872) or 4.3% (95% uncertainty interval 4.0 - 4.8%) of all deaths in South Africa in 2000. Since most of these occurred in middle or old age, the loss of healthy life years comprises a smaller proportion of the total 258 028 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval 236 856 - 290 849) in South Africa in 2000, accounting for 1.6% (95% uncertainty interval 1.5 - 1.8%) of the total burden. Conclusions. Diabetes is an important direct and indirect cause of burden in South Africa. Primary prevention of the disease through multi-level interventions and improved management at primary health care level are needed

Exoten in de Nederlandse avifauna: integratie of concurrentie?

Environmental Biology - ol

Cross-talk between signaling pathways leading to defense against pathogens and insects

In nature, plants interact with a wide range of organisms, some of which are harmful (e.g. pathogens, herbivorous insects), while others are beneficial (e.g. growth-promoting rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and predatory enemies of herbivores). During the evolutionary arms race between plants and their attackers, primary and secondary immune responses evolved to recognize common or highly specialized features of microbial pathogens (Chisholm et al., 2006), resulting in sophisticated mechanisms of defense

Bluetooth command and control channel

Bluetooth is popular technology for short-range communications and is incorporated in mobile devices such as smartphones, tablet computers and laptops. Vulnerabilities associated with Bluetooth technology led to improved security measures surrounding Bluetooth connections. Besides the improvement in security features, Bluetooth technology is still plagued by vulnerability exploits. This paper explores the development of a physical Bluetooth C&C channel, moving beyond previous research that mostly relied on simulations. In order to develop a physical channel, certain requirements must be fulfilled and specific aspects regarding Bluetooth technology must be taken into consideration. To measure performance, the newly designed Bluetooth C&C channel is executed in a controlled environment using the Android operating system as a development platform. The results show that a physical Bluetooth C&C channel is indeed possible and the paper concludes by identifying potential strengths and weaknesses of the new channel.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/cosehb2016Computer Scienc

Design of a hybrid command and control mobile botnet

The increasing popularity and improvement in capabilities offered by smartphones caught the attention of botnet developers. Now the threat of botnets is moving towards the mobile environment. This study presents the design of a hybrid command and control mobile botnet. The hybrid design explores the efficiency of multiple command and control channels against the following objectives: no single point of failure within the topology, low cost for command dissemination, limited network activities and low battery consumption. The objectives are measured with a prototype that is deployed on a small collection of Android-based smartphones. The results indicate that current mobile technology exhibits all the capabilities needed to create a mobile botnet.http://www.jinfowar.comam2017Computer Scienc

Smartphone data evaluation model : identifying authentic smartphone data

Ever improving smartphone technology, along with the widespread use of the devices to accomplish daily tasks, leads to the collection of rich sources of smartphone data. Smartphone data are, however, susceptible to change and can be altered intentionally or accidentally by end-users or installed applications. It becomes, therefore, important to establish the authenticity of smartphone data, confirming the data refer to actual events, before submitting the data as potential evidence. This paper focuses on data created by smartphone applications and the techniques that can be used to establish the authenticity of the data. To identify authentic smartphone data, a better understanding of the smartphone, related smartphone applications and the environment in which the smartphone operates are required. From the gathered knowledge and insight, requirements are identified that authentic smartphone data must adhere to. These requirements are captured in a new model to assist digital forensic professionals with the evaluation of smartphone data. Experiments, involving different smartphones, are conducted to determine the practicality of the new evaluation model with the identification of authentic smartphone data. The presented results provide preliminary evidence that the suggested model offers the necessary guidance to identify authentic smartphone data.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/diinhj2019Computer Scienc

Powering sub-Saharan Africa’s urban revolution: An energy transitions approach

This paper develops a geographic understanding of urban energy transitions in subSaharan African towns and cities. In doing so this paper seeks to critically reflect on the value and limits of urban transitions analysis as a framework for understanding energy networks beyond the largely integrated systems across the Global North. We explore how these potentials and deficits can be addressed by examining promising developments across a series of debates in urban studies that can help sensitise this approach to energyscapes in the African context. By reviewing urban transi- tions analysis through these debates the paper offers four important contributions to expand existing ways of understanding energy transition. These include the particular urbanisation dynamics of African towns ands cities, the need to locate the urban across energy regimes, the agencies of various intermediaries and urban actors and the contested politics inherent in the governing of energy networks. In the conclusion we reflect on the specific directions that have emerged from the paper in relation to our contributions, offering a geographically informed framework that allows us to better examine the challenges and specificities of transition across these rapidly growing urban regions