Partial cell suppression: A new methodology for statistical disclosure control

In this paper we address the problem of protecting confidentiality in statistical tables containing sensitive information that cannot be disseminated. This is an issue of primary importance in practice. Cell Suppression is a widely-used technique for avoiding disclosure of sensitive information, which consists in suppressing all sensitive table entries along with a certain number of other entries, called complementary suppressions. Determining a pattern of complementary suppressions that minimizes the overall loss of information results into a difficult (i.e., -hard) optimization problem known as the Cell Suppression Problem. We propose here a different protection methodology consisting of replacing some table entries by appropriate intervals containing the actual value of the unpublished cells. We call this methodology Partial Cell Suppression, as opposed to the classical complete cell suppression. Partial cell suppression has the important advantage of reducing the overall information loss needed to protect the sensitive information. Also, the new method provides automatically auditing ranges for each unpublished cell, thus saving an often time-consuming task to the statistical office while increasing the information explicitly provided with the table. Moreover, we propose an efficient (i.e., polynomial-time) algorithm to find an optimal partial suppression solution. A preliminary computational comparison between partial and complete suppression methologies is reported, showing the advantages of the new approach. Finally, we address possible extensions leading to a unified complete/partial cell suppression framework.     

A dose-response analysis of skin cancer from inorganic arsenic in drinking water

A study of the prevalence of skin cancer among 40,421 persons consuming arsenic-contaminated drinking water in Taiwan was used for a cancer dose-response assessment of ingested arsenic. The numbers of persons at risk over three dose intervals and four exposure durations were estimated from the data in order to apply the method of maximum likelihood to a multistage-Weibull time/dose-response model. A constant exposure level since birth for each of the exposure categories was assumed. It was found that the cumulative hazard increases as a power of three in age, and is linear or quadratic (with a linear coefficient) in dose. Observations from a smaller epidemiologic survey in Mexico were similar to what would be predicted from the model of the Taiwan data. Assuming that the skin cancer risk from ingested arsenic in the American population would also be similar to the Taiwan population, an American male would have a lifetime risk of developing skin cancer of 1.3 x 10(-3) (3.0 x 10(-3] if exposed to 1 microgram/kg/day for a 76-year lifespan (median lifespan in the U.S.).     

Do Aid Donors Specialize and Coordinate within Recipient Countries? The case of Malawi

Acknowledging that aid proliferation and a lack of coordination impair aid effectiveness, donors have repeatedly promised to specialize and better coordinate their aid activities, notably in the Paris Declaration of 2005. We exploit data on the exact location of aid projects in Malawi to assess whether the country's bilateral and multilateral donors have acted accordingly at the district and sector level. We do not find compelling evidence for increased aid specialization after the Paris Declaration, and the regional division of labour among donors may even have deteriorated. Our within‐country evidence thus broadly corroborates what previous studies have found at the national level of recipient countries.     

Central hypogonadism due to a giant, “silent” FSH-secreting,atypical pituitary adenoma: effects of adenoma dissection and short-term Leydig cell stimulation by luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

We present a case report of an atypical giant pituitary adenoma secreting follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). A 55-year-old patient presented for erectile dysfunction, loss of libido and fatigue. The biochemical evaluation showed very high FSH serum levels in the presence of central hypogonadism. Neither testicular enlargement nor increased sperm count was observed, thus a secretion of FSH with reduced biological activity was supposed. The histological examination after neuro-surgery showed an atypical pituitary adenoma with FSH-positive cells. Hypogonadism persisted and semen analyses impaired until azoospermia in conjunction with the reduction in FSH levels suggesting that, at least in part, this gonadotropin should be biologically active. Thus, we hypothesized a concomitant primary testicular insufficiency. The patient underwent short-term treatment trials with low doses of either recombinant luteinizing hormone (LH) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in three consecutive treatment schemes, showing an equal efficacy in stimulating testosterone (T) increase. This is the first case of atypical, giant FSH-secreting pituitary adenoma with high FSH serum levels without signs of testicular hyperstimulation, in presence of hypogonadism with plausible combined primary and secondary etiology. Hypophysectomized patients may represent a good model to assess both pharmacodynamics and effective dose of LH and hCG in the male.     

蟾酥对小鼠白细胞数量的影响

本文以小鼠为实验材料,实验鼠两组经0．04mg/ml自制蟾酥试剂,分别以腹腔注射及灌喂方式给药0．5ml／天连续7天,并将腹腔注射及灌喂等量生理盐水设置为对照组进行实验对比,通过计数小鼠白细胞数目来比较给药前后小鼠的非特异性免疫能力．实验结果显示,用腹腔注射蟾酥试剂处理的小鼠,其血细胞中白细胞的数量明显大于对照组小鼠白细胞数目．此实验的结论为：蟾酥经腹腔注射对增加小鼠白细胞数量有显著效果．     

基于数字图像处理的癌变细胞识别方法研究

作为图像处理技术与模式识别方法在细胞学的研究与诊断方面的应用,提出了一种新的识别癌细胞的方法,取得了预期的结果。为了提高系统识别癌细胞的稳定性与有效性,我们采用了一种新的细胞分割与分类的分层处理结构,利用细胞的形态学特征检出可疑癌细胞。     

Throughput Optimization in Constant Travel‐Time Dual Gripper Robotic Cells with Parallel Machines

Constant travel‐time robotic cells with a single gripper robot and with one or more machines at each processing stage have been studied in the literature. By contrast, cells with a dual gripper robot, although more productive, have so far received scant attention, perhaps due to their inherent complexity. We consider the problem of scheduling operations in dual gripper robotic cells that produce identical parts. The objective is to find a cyclic sequence of robot moves that minimizes the long‐run average time to produce a part or, equivalently, maximizes the throughput. We provide a structural analysis of cells with one or more machines per processing stage to obtain first a lower bound on the throughput and, subsequently, an optimal solution under conditions that are common in practice. We illustrate our analysis on two cells implemented at a semiconductor equipment manufacturer and offer managerial insights for assessing the potential productivity gains from the use of dual gripper robots.     

Principles and analysis of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes: the physician’s perspective

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is used widely for the treatment of malignant and non-malignant diseases. Advances in transplantation strategies such as modifications to existing transplant-conditioning regimens to lower morbidity and mortality, use of alternative donors and grafts, supportive care including graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis and antimicrobial therapy have led to increasing numbers of HSCT being performed. The procedure is now available to children, young and older adults with an ever increasing number of survivors from this procedure. Analysis of outcomes after HSCT giving consideration to existing strategies warrants using appropriate statistical methodology. This is critical not only in documenting the current success of HSCT but to plan future strategies to optimize accessibility to HSCT, donor and graft choices, patient selection, counsel potential HSCT candidates and long-term survivors and plan intervention trials for these persons. We describe concepts and principles of HSCT to better understand the complexities associated with outcome analysis.     

浅析北京工业空间布局演变路径

20世纪90年代北京城市功能定位出现了重大调整。城市功能定位的调整及杜能环式的差级地租和政府的开发区政策等多方面的因素,导致北京工业在空间布局上呈现出圈状扩散的演变路径。这种演变路径,影响了京津冀城市群的产业分工与合作,影响了多中心城市空间结构的形成,不利于产业的集群和专业化分工。本文提出了几条北京工业走出圈状扩散的演变路径的对策建议,希望能对今后北京工业的发展有所指导。