Randomized trial of breast self-examination in Shanghai: methodology and preliminary results

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of breast self-examination in helping to reduce mortality from breast cancer has not been rigorously demonstrated. PURPOSE: To assess efficacy, a large, randomized trial was initiated in Shanghai, China. METHODS: From October 1989 to October 1991, 267040 current and retired female employees associated with 520 factories in the Shanghai Textile Industry Bureau were randomly assigned on the basis of factory to either a self-examination instruction group (133375 women) or a control group (133665 women). The women were born within the period from 1925 through 1958. Women in the instruction group were given intensive training in breast self-examination, including the use of silicone breast models and personalized instruction, plus two subsequent reinforcement sessions and multiple reminders to practice the technique. Women in the control group were asked to attend training sessions on the prevention of low back pain. All women have been followed for the development of breast diseases and for death from breast cancer. RESULTS: A high level of participation during the first 4-5 years of the trial was documented among women in the instruction group. Randomly sampled women in this group demonstrated greater proficiency in detecting lumps in breast models than did randomly sampled women in the control group. Approximately equal numbers of breast cancers were detected in the two groups (331 in the instruction group and 322 in the control group) through 1994, which is the last year for which case-finding efforts have been completed. The breast cancers detected in the instruction group were not diagnosed at an appreciably earlier stage or smaller size than those in the control group. More benign breast lesions were detected in the instruction group than in the control group (1457 versus 623, respectively), suggesting a higher index of suspicion for women who received training. Cumulative breast cancer mortality rates through 5 years from entry into the study were nearly equivalent for the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Breast self-examination has not led to a reduction in mortality from breast cancer in this study cohort in the first several years since the trial began. A shift toward the diagnosis of disease at a less advanced stage in women given instruction has also not been demonstrated. Longer follow-up of participants in this trial is required before final assessment can be made of the efficacy of breast self-examination. IMPLICATIONS: At this time, there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the teaching of breast self-examination.     

Performance characteristics of parallel resonant convertor

Using a set of characteristic curves derived from the stateplane analysis, a novel approach to the design of the parallel resonant convertor (PRC) is presented. It will be shown that the steady-state response of the convertor can also be obtained from these characteristic curves     

铸件浸渗系统脱液机故障树的建立和分析

利用FTA方法对脱液机的各种故障进行系统分析,建立了脱液机的故障树,并对故障树进行定性分析.找出了影响脱液机可靠性的主要因素,提出了提高脱液机可靠性的相应措施.     

Direct evaluation of singular integrals in elastoplastic analysis by the boundary element method

This paper presents a new method for the direct and accurate evaluation of strongly singular integrals in the sense of Cauchy principal values and weakly singular integrals over quadratic boundary elements in three-dimensional stress analysis and quadratic internal cells in two-dimensional elastoplastic analysis by the boundary element method. A quadratic triangle polar co-ordinate transformation technique is applied to reduce the order of singularity of the singular integrals. Next, a form of Stokes' theorem is introduced in order to remove the singularity in the Cauchy principal value integrals; therefore, the evaluation of these integrals can be carried out by standard Gaussian quadrature. Numerical examples of 2-D elastoplastic problems and a 3-D elastic problem show the effectiveness and efficiency of the method.     

装备工作性能模糊评判新方法

阐述了虚拟样机技术的优越性及其在机械系统研究领域应用中的必要性,总结了火炮可靠和安全工作的三个基本准则.将模糊的观点引入到火炮研究领域,定义了单因素与火炮工作性能等级间的隶属度函数,建立了基于虚拟样机的火炮工作性能模糊综合评判模型.     

无线局域网中基于RC4的加密算法的分析与改进

分析RC4加密算法自身的缺陷和无线局域网WEP协议对RC4的误用,介绍了TKIP协议在安全性方面的改进。     

Al-Cu-Fe系初生准晶相凝固过程的电子显微分析

采用包括金相（OM），粉末X射线衍射（XRD），扫描电子显微镜（SEM）观察和透射电子显微（TEM）分析等方法，研究了铸态Al592.Cu36.8Fe3.0Si1.0合金（700℃保温2．5h后水淬）的显微组织及相组成。发现铸锭中存在4种相：准晶I相，τ3相（或φ相），θ－Al2Cu相和η－AlCu相，凝固过程可描述为：初生晶是准晶Ⅰ相；在保温过程中发生包晶或共晶反应（L＋i→τ3(或φ）或L→τ3（或φ）＋i)形成的τ3相（或φ相），呈微畴结构；而剩余液体水淬形成θ－Al2Cu相和η－AlCu 相。