Recorded quadrant incidence of female breast cancer in Great Britain suggests a disproportionate increase in the upper outer quadrant of the breast

Background: The upper outer quadrant (UOQ) of the breast is the most frequent site for incidence of breast cancel; but the reported disproportionate incidence in this quadrant appears to rise with year of publication. Materials and Methods: In order to determine whether this increasing incidence in the UOQ is an artifact of different study populations or is chronological, data have been analysed for annual quadrant incidence of female breast cancer recorded nationally in England and Wales between 1979 and 2000 and in Scotland between 1980 and 2001. Results: In England and Wales, the recorded incidence of female breast cancer in the UOQ rose front 47.9% in 1979 to 53.3% in 2000, and has done so linearly over tune with a con-elation coefficient R of +/- 0.71 +/- SD 0.01 (p < 0.001). Analysis of independent data front Scotland showed a similar trend in that recorded female breast cancer had also increased in the UOQ from 38.3% in 1980 to 54.7% in 2001, with a con-elation coefficient R for the linear annual increase of +0.80 +/- SD 0.03 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These results are inconsistent with current views that the high level of UOQ breast cancer is due solely to a greater amount of target epithelial tissue in that region. Identification of the reasons for such a disproportionate site-specific increase could provide clues as to causative factors in breast cancer.

Movements, activity patterns and home range of a female brown bear (Ursus arctos, L.) in the Rodopi Mountain Range, Greece

Movements and activity patterns of an adult radio-tagged female brown bear accompanied by her cubs were documented for the first time in Rodopi area (NE Greece) from August 2000 to July 2002. Average daily movements were 2.45 +/- 2.26 SD km, (range 0.15-8.5 km). The longest daily range could be related to human disturbance (hunting activity). The longest seasonal distance (211 km), during Summer 2001 coincided with the dissolution of the family. With cubs, the female was more active during daytime (73 % of all radio-readings) than when solitary (28 %). The female switched to a more crepuscular behaviour, after separation from the yearling (July 2001). According to pooled data from 924 activity - recording sessions, during the whole monitoring period, the female was almost twice as active during day time while rearing cubs (51 % active) than when solitary (23 %). The autumn and early winter home range size of the family was larger (280 km(2)) than after the separation from the cubs (59 km(2)). During the family group phase, home range size varied from 258 km(2) in autumn to 40 km(2) in winter (average denning period lasted 107 days : December 2000-March 2001). The bear hibernated in the Bulgarian part of the Rodopi Range during winters of 2001 and 2002.

An analytic knowledge network process for construction entrepreneurship education

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a quantitative multicriteria decision-making approach to knowledge management in construction entrepreneurship education by means of an analytic knowledge network process (KANP) Design/methodology/approach- The KANP approach in the study integrates a standard industrial classification with the analytic network process (ANP). For the construction entrepreneurship education, a decision-making model named KANP.CEEM is built to apply the KANP method in the evaluation of teaching cases to facilitate the case method, which is widely adopted in entrepreneurship education at business schools. Findings- The study finds that there are eight clusters and 178 nodes in the KANP.CEEM model, and experimental research on the evaluation of teaching cases discloses that the KANP method is effective in conducting knowledge management to the entrepreneurship education. Research limitations/implications- As an experimental research, this paper ignores the concordance between a selected standard classification and others, which perhaps limits the usefulness of KANP.CEEM model elsewhere. Practical implications- As the KANP.CEEM model is built based on the standard classification codes and the embedded ANP, it is thus expected that the model has a wide potential in evaluating knowledge-based teaching materials for any education purpose with a background from the construction industry, and can be used by both faculty and students. Originality/value- This paper fulfils a knowledge management need and offers a practical tool for an academic starting out on the development of knowledge-based teaching cases and other teaching materials or for a student going through the case studies and other learning materials.

Probiotics and prebiotics in female health

Functional foods such as probiotics, prebiotics and nutraceuticals are of extreme interest to researchers. There is growing evidence that these food ingredients may improve and in some cases treat certain conditions that are implicated in women's health. The use of probiotics (live, beneficial bacteria) in improving gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal tract conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, candidiasis and other female urogenital tract conditions are reviewed. Emphasis is also given to the importance of prebiotics (non-digestible food ingredients) in osteoporosis management and alleviation of menopausal symptoms and reducing the onset of cancer.