title: The characteristics, management and outcomes of older women with breast cancer in New Zealand

authors: Blackmore, Tania Louise

abstract: The aim of this study was to understand the characteristics of older women with breast cancer and to describe the current patterns of treatment and outcomes. The study included data from the combined Auckland and Waikato breast cancer registers, which hold information for 12, 372 women diagnosed with stage I–IV breast cancer between June 2000 and May 2013. Of these women, 2671 (21.6%) were over 70 years of age. Patient characteristics, treatment type and survival were compared across four-year age groups (70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85+) and hormone receptor status. Of the women aged over 70 years, 2485 (93.0%) had stage I–III disease. Increasing age was significantly associated with decreasing use of surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and chemotherapy, even after adjustment for stage and level of co-morbidity. Nine hundred and one women (33.7%) had co-morbidities at the time of diagnosis. The 5-year breast cancer-specific survival rate for women aged 70–74 and that for women aged 75–79 were similar, but was worse in women aged over 80. Generally, older women are treated as per guidelines, although chemotherapy may be under-used. However, age is a significant factor influencing whether women are treated or not.

text: The characteristics, management and outcomes of older women with breast cancer in New Zealand The aim of this study was to understand the characteristics of older women with breast cancer and to describe the current patterns of treatment and outcomes. The study included data from the combined Auckland and Waikato breast cancer registers, which hold information for 12, 372 women diagnosed with stage I–IV breast cancer between June 2000 and May 2013. Of these women, 2671 (21.6%) were over 70 years of age. Patient characteristics, treatment type and survival were compared across four-year age groups (70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85+) and hormone receptor status. Of the women aged over 70 years, 2485 (93.0%) had stage I–III disease. Increasing age was significantly associated with decreasing use of surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and chemotherapy, even after adjustment for stage and level of co-morbidity. Nine hundred and one women (33.7%) had co-morbidities at the time of diagnosis. The 5-year breast cancer-specific survival rate for women aged 70–74 and that for women aged 75–79 were similar, but was worse in women aged over 80. Generally, older women are treated as per guidelines, although chemotherapy may be under-used. However, age is a significant factor influencing whether women are treated or not.

year: 2018

title: Power anisotropy in the magnetic field power spectral tensor of solar wind turbulence

authors: Wicks, Robert T.

subjects: magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)

abstract: We observe the anisotropy of the power spectral tensor of magnetic field fluctuations in the fast solar wind for the first time. In heliocentric RTN coordinates, the power in each element of the tensor has a unique dependence on the angle between the magnetic field and velocity of the solar wind (θ B ) and the angle of the vector in the plane perpendicular to the velocity (φ B ). We derive the geometrical effect of the high speed flow of the solar wind past the spacecraft on the power spectrum in the frame of the plasma P( k ) to arrive at the observed power spectrum P(f, θ B , φ B ) based on a scalar field description of turbulence theory. This allows us to predict the variation in the φ B direction and compare it to the data. We then transform the observations from RTN coordinates to magnetic-field-aligned coordinates. The observed reduced power spectral tensor matches the theoretical predictions we derive in both RTN and field-aligned coordinates, which means that the local magnetic field we calculate with wavelet envelope functions is an accurate representation of the physical axis of symmetry for the turbulence and implies that on average the turbulence is axisymmetric. We also show that we can separate the dominant toroidal component of the turbulence from the smaller but significant poloidal component and that these have different power anisotropy. We also conclude that the magnetic helicity is anisotropic and mostly two dimensional, arising from wavevectors largely confined to the plane perpendicular to B.

text: Power anisotropy in the magnetic field power spectral tensor of solar wind turbulence We observe the anisotropy of the power spectral tensor of magnetic field fluctuations in the fast solar wind for the first time. In heliocentric RTN coordinates, the power in each element of the tensor has a unique dependence on the angle between the magnetic field and velocity of the solar wind (θ B ) and the angle of the vector in the plane perpendicular to the velocity (φ B ). We derive the geometrical effect of the high speed flow of the solar wind past the spacecraft on the power spectrum in the frame of the plasma P( k ) to arrive at the observed power spectrum P(f, θ B , φ B ) based on a scalar field description of turbulence theory. This allows us to predict the variation in the φ B direction and compare it to the data. We then transform the observations from RTN coordinates to magnetic-field-aligned coordinates. The observed reduced power spectral tensor matches the theoretical predictions we derive in both RTN and field-aligned coordinates, which means that the local magnetic field we calculate with wavelet envelope functions is an accurate representation of the physical axis of symmetry for the turbulence and implies that on average the turbulence is axisymmetric. We also show that we can separate the dominant toroidal component of the turbulence from the smaller but significant poloidal component and that these have different power anisotropy. We also conclude that the magnetic helicity is anisotropic and mostly two dimensional, arising from wavevectors largely confined to the plane perpendicular to B.

year: 2012

title: The Marist missionaries' first encounters with inhabitants of the Pacific

authors: William, Jennings

subjects: missionaries

abstract: Missionaries of the French-based Society of Mary (Marists) arrived in the Pacific in the late 1830s. Reports by European travellers and missionaries had told the first Marists to expect Pacific peoples who were either cannibals or noble savages. Their encounter with recently-converted Mangarevans in the Gambier Islands led them to believe that idyllic Christian societies could be created in the South Pacific. This belief influenced the first Marists' descriptions of Pacific peoples, notably New Zealand Maori. The Marists consequently emphasised the noble savage trope and downplayed cannibalism. They also displayed a relatively tolerant attitude towards indigenous practices.

text: The Marist missionaries' first encounters with inhabitants of the Pacific Missionaries of the French-based Society of Mary (Marists) arrived in the Pacific in the late 1830s. Reports by European travellers and missionaries had told the first Marists to expect Pacific peoples who were either cannibals or noble savages. Their encounter with recently-converted Mangarevans in the Gambier Islands led them to believe that idyllic Christian societies could be created in the South Pacific. This belief influenced the first Marists' descriptions of Pacific peoples, notably New Zealand Maori. The Marists consequently emphasised the noble savage trope and downplayed cannibalism. They also displayed a relatively tolerant attitude towards indigenous practices.

year: 2013