Image steganography is one of the prominent technologies in data hiding standards.Steganographic system performance mostly depends on the embedding strategy.Its goal is to embed strictly confidential information into ...Image steganography is one of the prominent technologies in data hiding standards.Steganographic system performance mostly depends on the embedding strategy.Its goal is to embed strictly confidential information into images without causing perceptible changes in the original image.The randomization strategies in data embedding techniques may utilize random domains,pixels,or region-of-interest for concealing secrets into a cover image,preventing information from being discovered by an attacker.The implementation of an appropriate embedding technique can achieve a fair balance between embedding capability and stego image imperceptibility,but it is challenging.A systematic approach is used with a standard methodology to carry out this study.This review concentrates on the critical examination of several embedding strategies,incorporating experimental results with state-of-the-art methods emphasizing the robustness,security,payload capacity,and visual quality metrics of the stego images.The fundamental ideas of steganography are presented in this work,along with a unique viewpoint that sets it apart from previous works by highlighting research gaps,important problems,and difficulties.Additionally,it offers a discussion of suggested directions for future study to advance and investigate uncharted territory in image steganography.展开更多
A numerical model has been developed to simulate the transport and fate of oil spilled at sea. The model combines the transport and fate processes of spilled oil with the random walk technique. Oil movement under th...A numerical model has been developed to simulate the transport and fate of oil spilled at sea. The model combines the transport and fate processes of spilled oil with the random walk technique. Oil movement under the influence of tidal currents, wind driven currents, and turbulent eddies is simulated by the PLUME RW dispersion model developed by HR Wallingford. The weathering processes in the model represent physical and chemical changes of soil slicks with time, and comprise mechanical spreading, dispersion, evaporation and emulsification. Shoreline stranding is determined approximately using a capacity method for different shoreline types. This paper presents details of the model, and describe the results of various sensitivity tests. The model is suitable for oil spill contingency planning.展开更多
In view of the feature of flight flutter test data with atmospheric turbulence excitation, a method which combines wavelet transformation with random decrement technique for identifying flight flutter modal parameters...In view of the feature of flight flutter test data with atmospheric turbulence excitation, a method which combines wavelet transformation with random decrement technique for identifying flight flutter modal parameters is presented. This approach firstly uses random decrement technique to gain free decays corresponding to the acceleration response of the structure to some non-zero initial conditions. Then the continuous Morlet wavelet transformation of the free decays is performed; and the Parseval formula and residue theorem are used to simplify the transformation. The maximal wavelet transformation coefficients in different scales are searched out by means of band-filtering characteristic of Morlet wavelet, and then the modal parameters are identified according to the relationships with maximal modulus and angle of the wavelet transform. In addition, the condition of modal uncoupling is discussed according to variation trend of flight flutter modal parameters in the flight flutter state. The analysis results of simulation and flight flutter test data show that this approach is not only simple, effective and feasible, but also having good noise immunity.展开更多
A mathematical model that makes use of data mining and soft computing techniques is proposed to estimate the software development effort. The proposed model works as follows: The parameters that have impact on the dev...A mathematical model that makes use of data mining and soft computing techniques is proposed to estimate the software development effort. The proposed model works as follows: The parameters that have impact on the development effort are divided into groups based on the distribution of their values in the available dataset. The linguistic terms are identified for the divided groups using fuzzy functions, and the parameters are fuzzified. The fuzzified parameters then adopt associative classification for generating association rules. The association rules depict the parameters influencing the software development effort. As the number of parameters that influence the effort is more, a large number of rules get generated and can reduce the complexity, the generated rules are filtered with respect to the metrics, support and confidence, which measures the strength of the rule. Genetic algorithm is then employed for selecting set of rules with high quality to improve the accuracy of the model. The datasets such as Nasa93, Cocomo81, Desharnais, Maxwell, and Finnish-v2 are used for evaluating the proposed model, and various evaluation metrics such as Mean Magnitude of Relative Error, Mean Absolute Residuals, Shepperd and MacDonell’s Standardized Accuracy, Enhanced Standardized Accuracy and Effect Size are adopted to substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. The results infer that the accuracy of the model is influenced by the metrics support, confidence, and the number of association rules considered for effort prediction.展开更多
Soil-rock mixture(SRM)filling in fault zone is an inhomogeneous geomaterial,which is composed of soil and rock block.It controls the deformation and stability of the abutment and dam foundation,and threatens the long-...Soil-rock mixture(SRM)filling in fault zone is an inhomogeneous geomaterial,which is composed of soil and rock block.It controls the deformation and stability of the abutment and dam foundation,and threatens the long-term safety of high arch dams.To study the macroscopic and mesoscopic mechanical properties of SRM,the development of a viable mesoscopic numerical simulation method with a mesoscopic model generation technology,and a reasonable parametric model is crucially desired to overcome the limitations of experimental conditions,specimen dimensions,and experiment fund.To this end,this study presents a mesoscopic numerical method for simulating the mechanical behavior of SRM by proposing mesoscopic model generation technology based on its mesostructure features,and a rock parameter model considering size effect.The validity and rationality of the presented mesoscopic numerical method is experimentally verified by the triaxial compression tests with different rock block contents(RBC).The results indicate that the rock block can increase the strength of SRM,and it is proved that the random generation technique and the rock parameter model considering size effect are validated.Furthermore,there are multiple failure surfaces for inhomogeneous geomaterial of SRM,and the angle of the failure zone is no longer 45◦.The yielding zones of the specimen are more likely to occur in thin sections of soil matrix isolated by blocks with the failure path avoiding the rock block.The proposed numerical method is effective to investigate the meso-damage mechanism of SRM.展开更多
AIM: Studies on Helicobacter pylori (H pylon) and gastroduodenal diseases have focused mainly on the distal sites of the stomach, but relationship with the gastric cardia is lacking. The aim of this study is to determ...AIM: Studies on Helicobacter pylori (H pylon) and gastroduodenal diseases have focused mainly on the distal sites of the stomach, but relationship with the gastric cardia is lacking. The aim of this study is to determine if the gastric topology and genotypic distribution of Hpyloriwere associated with different upper gastrointestinal pathologies in a multiethnic Asian population. METHODS: Gastric biopsies from the cardia, body/corpus and antrum were endoscoped from a total of 155 patients with dyspepsia and/or reflux symptoms, with informed consent. H pylori isolates obtained were tested for the presence of 26kDa, ureC, cagA, vacA, iceA1, iceA2 and babA2 genes using PCR while DNA fingerprints were generated using random amplification polymorphic DNA (RAPD). RESULTS: Hpyloriwas present in 51/155 (33%) of patients studied. Of these, 16, 15 and 20 were isolated from patients with peptic ulcer diseases, gastroesophageal reflux diseases and non-ulcer dyspepsia, respectively. Of the Hpyloripositive patients, 75% (38/51) had Hpyloriin all three gastric sites. The prevalence of various genes in the H pylori isolates was shown to be similar irrespective of their colonization sites as well as among the same site of different patients. The RAPD profiles of H pylori isolates from different gastric sites were highly similar among intra-patients but varied greatly between different patients. CONCLUSION: Topographic colonization of H pylori and the virulence genes harboured by these isolates have no direct bearing to the clinical state of the patients. In multiethnic Singapore, the stomach of each patient is colonized by a predominant strain of H pylori，irrespective of the clinical diagnosis.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Shoushen granule,Chinese herbal preparation,on carotid artery elasticity in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.METHODS: The total of 156 carotid atherosclerosis patien...OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Shoushen granule,Chinese herbal preparation,on carotid artery elasticity in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.METHODS: The total of 156 carotid atherosclerosis patients were randomly divided into the intervention group(83 cases,treated with Shoushen granule) and the control group(73 cases,treated with pravastatin). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(ba PWV) and Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index(ABI)were measured by automated arteriosclerosis detector. The changes of common carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) and parameters of the carotid artery elasticity in patients,including stiffness parameter(β),pressure-strain elastic modulus(Ep),arterial compliance(Ac),augmentation index(AI),and pulse wave velocity β(PWVβ) were detected by Echo-Tracking(ET) technique before and after 24 week treatment. In the meantime,levels of blood lipid,and liver and renal function were measured respectively.RESULTS: After 24 weeks,ba PWV,IMT and parameters of the carotid artery elasticity(β,Ep,AI and PWVβ) were markedly decreased in intervention group compared with those of before treatment(P < 0.01),but the level of Ac was increased significantly(P < 0.01). And there were no significant differences compared with control group on the same period(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: In this pilot study,it was demonstrated ET technology and automated arteriosclerosis detector could be used to evaluate carotid artery elasticity effectively,and the action of Shoushen granule on carotid atherosclerosis might be related to the regulation of carotid artery elasticity.展开更多
Background:Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)is spreading rapidly among men who have sex with men(MSM)in China.Anonymous questionnaires or direct interviews have been frequently used to study their behavior.The aim of ...Background:Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)is spreading rapidly among men who have sex with men(MSM)in China.Anonymous questionnaires or direct interviews have been frequently used to study their behavior.The aim of the study was to describe the behavioral risk profile of the MSM in Beijing using the randomized response techniques(RRTs).Methods:A cross-sectional survey of sexual behavior among a sample of MSM was conducted in two HIV counseling and testing clinics in Beijing.The survey was carried out with an anonymous questionnaire containing sensitive questions on sexual behavior.To obtain the honest responses to the sensitive questions,three distinctive RRTs were used in the questionnaire:(1)Additive randomized response model for quantitative questions,(2)randomized response model for multiple choice questions,and(3)Simmons randomized response model for binomial questions.Formulae for the point estimate,variance,and confidence interval(CI)were provided for each specific model.Results:Using RRTs in a sample of 659 participants,the mean age at first homosexual encounter was estimated to be 21.7 years(95%CI:21.2-22.2),and each had sex with about three(2.9,95%CI:2.4-3.4)male partners on average in the past month.The estimated rate for consistent condom use was 56.4%(95%CI:50.1-62.8%).In addition,condom was estimated to be used among 80.0%(95%CI:74.1-85.9%)of the population during last anal sex with a male partner.Conclusions:Our study employed RRTs in a survey containing questions on sexual behavior among MSM,and the results showed that RRT might be a useful tool to obtain truthful feedback on sensitive information such as sexual behavior from the respondents,especially in traditional Chinese cultural settings.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To detect DNA and chromosomes instabilities during the progression of tumors and screen new molecular markers coupled to putative or unknown oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. METHODS: Five kinds of t...OBJECTIVE: To detect DNA and chromosomes instabilities during the progression of tumors and screen new molecular markers coupled to putative or unknown oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. METHODS: Five kinds of tumors, in a total of 128 specimens, were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR. Bands representing instabilities were recovered, purified, and cloned, labeled as probes for Southern and Northern blot analysis and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Sample 5 and 3 of the gastric cancer tissues showed the highest genomic changes and the average detectability in five cancers was up to at least 40% (42.2% - 49.4%). There were significant differences in the ability of each primer to detect genomic instability, which ranged from 27% (primer 8) to 68% (primer 2). Band B is a single copy fragment, and was found to be an allelic loss in gastric and colon cancers. It is a novel sequence and was registered in GenBank with Accession Number AF151005. Further analysis revealed that it might be part of a cis-regulatory element of a new tumor suppressor gene, containing a promoter of cis-action 'CACA' box, an enhancer of 'GATA' family and a start codon. CONCLUSIONS: It was impossible or difficult to get great achievements for cancer treatments with the procedure of gene therapy only to one oncogene or one tumor suppressor gene because the extensive DNA variations occurred during the progression of tumor. RAPD assay connected with other techniques was a good tool for the detection of genomic instabilities and direct screening of some new molecular markers related to tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes.展开更多
In the present paper,we propose an efficient scrambled estimator of population mean of quantitative sensitive study variable,using general linear transformation of nonsensitive auxiliary variable.Efficiency comparison...In the present paper,we propose an efficient scrambled estimator of population mean of quantitative sensitive study variable,using general linear transformation of nonsensitive auxiliary variable.Efficiency comparisons with the existing estimators have been carried out both theoretically and numerically.It has been found that our optimal scrambled estimator is always more efficient than most of the existing scrambled estimators and also it is more efficient than few other scrambled estimators under some conditions.展开更多
Obtaining correct responses to sensitive questions in social and behavioural researches is an ancient problem in survey research with respondents misreporting on sensitive behaviours or giving false response to protec...Obtaining correct responses to sensitive questions in social and behavioural researches is an ancient problem in survey research with respondents misreporting on sensitive behaviours or giving false response to protect themselves.This paper develops an alternative unbiased estimator by modifying the dichotomous randomized response technique model to tackle this problem.The proposed estimatorwas compared numerically with conventional ones by considering different practicable and suitable design choices.Proposed model was also considered when sampling with unequal probabilities with or without replacement.It was observed that the proposed estimator performs efficiently than the conventional ones.As the proposed model captures progressively more people involved in the sensitive attribute,the model outperforms other models considered.Therefore,social and behavioural researchers can now obtain correct and valid responses from sensitive behavioural researches with ease in order to make informed and reliable decisions.展开更多
Recently,Ahmed et al.(Commun Stat Theory Methods 47(2):324-343,2018)have introduced the idea of simultaneously estimating means of two sensitive variables by collecting one scrambled response and another pseudo-respon...Recently,Ahmed et al.(Commun Stat Theory Methods 47(2):324-343,2018)have introduced the idea of simultaneously estimating means of two sensitive variables by collecting one scrambled response and another pseudo-response.In this paper,we extend their idea to the simultaneous estimation of two means by making use of the forced quantitative randomized response model of Gjestvang and Singh(Metrika 66(2):243-257,2007)but then re-scrambling the scrambled scores.This idea of re-scrambling already scrambled responses seems completely new in the field of randomized response sampling.The performance of the proposed forced quantitative randomized response model has been investigated analytically as well as empirically.展开更多
基金This research was funded by the Ministry of Higher Education(MOHE)through Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS)under the Grand Number FRGS/1/2020/ICT01/UK M/02/4,and University Kebangsaan Malaysia for open access publication.
文摘Image steganography is one of the prominent technologies in data hiding standards.Steganographic system performance mostly depends on the embedding strategy.Its goal is to embed strictly confidential information into images without causing perceptible changes in the original image.The randomization strategies in data embedding techniques may utilize random domains,pixels,or region-of-interest for concealing secrets into a cover image,preventing information from being discovered by an attacker.The implementation of an appropriate embedding technique can achieve a fair balance between embedding capability and stego image imperceptibility,but it is challenging.A systematic approach is used with a standard methodology to carry out this study.This review concentrates on the critical examination of several embedding strategies,incorporating experimental results with state-of-the-art methods emphasizing the robustness,security,payload capacity,and visual quality metrics of the stego images.The fundamental ideas of steganography are presented in this work,along with a unique viewpoint that sets it apart from previous works by highlighting research gaps,important problems,and difficulties.Additionally,it offers a discussion of suggested directions for future study to advance and investigate uncharted territory in image steganography.
文摘A numerical model has been developed to simulate the transport and fate of oil spilled at sea. The model combines the transport and fate processes of spilled oil with the random walk technique. Oil movement under the influence of tidal currents, wind driven currents, and turbulent eddies is simulated by the PLUME RW dispersion model developed by HR Wallingford. The weathering processes in the model represent physical and chemical changes of soil slicks with time, and comprise mechanical spreading, dispersion, evaporation and emulsification. Shoreline stranding is determined approximately using a capacity method for different shoreline types. This paper presents details of the model, and describe the results of various sensitivity tests. The model is suitable for oil spill contingency planning.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(60134010)
文摘In view of the feature of flight flutter test data with atmospheric turbulence excitation, a method which combines wavelet transformation with random decrement technique for identifying flight flutter modal parameters is presented. This approach firstly uses random decrement technique to gain free decays corresponding to the acceleration response of the structure to some non-zero initial conditions. Then the continuous Morlet wavelet transformation of the free decays is performed; and the Parseval formula and residue theorem are used to simplify the transformation. The maximal wavelet transformation coefficients in different scales are searched out by means of band-filtering characteristic of Morlet wavelet, and then the modal parameters are identified according to the relationships with maximal modulus and angle of the wavelet transform. In addition, the condition of modal uncoupling is discussed according to variation trend of flight flutter modal parameters in the flight flutter state. The analysis results of simulation and flight flutter test data show that this approach is not only simple, effective and feasible, but also having good noise immunity.
文摘A mathematical model that makes use of data mining and soft computing techniques is proposed to estimate the software development effort. The proposed model works as follows: The parameters that have impact on the development effort are divided into groups based on the distribution of their values in the available dataset. The linguistic terms are identified for the divided groups using fuzzy functions, and the parameters are fuzzified. The fuzzified parameters then adopt associative classification for generating association rules. The association rules depict the parameters influencing the software development effort. As the number of parameters that influence the effort is more, a large number of rules get generated and can reduce the complexity, the generated rules are filtered with respect to the metrics, support and confidence, which measures the strength of the rule. Genetic algorithm is then employed for selecting set of rules with high quality to improve the accuracy of the model. The datasets such as Nasa93, Cocomo81, Desharnais, Maxwell, and Finnish-v2 are used for evaluating the proposed model, and various evaluation metrics such as Mean Magnitude of Relative Error, Mean Absolute Residuals, Shepperd and MacDonell’s Standardized Accuracy, Enhanced Standardized Accuracy and Effect Size are adopted to substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. The results infer that the accuracy of the model is influenced by the metrics support, confidence, and the number of association rules considered for effort prediction.
基金supported by the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation(51739006)the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(SJKY19_0433)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2019B65714).
文摘Soil-rock mixture(SRM)filling in fault zone is an inhomogeneous geomaterial,which is composed of soil and rock block.It controls the deformation and stability of the abutment and dam foundation,and threatens the long-term safety of high arch dams.To study the macroscopic and mesoscopic mechanical properties of SRM,the development of a viable mesoscopic numerical simulation method with a mesoscopic model generation technology,and a reasonable parametric model is crucially desired to overcome the limitations of experimental conditions,specimen dimensions,and experiment fund.To this end,this study presents a mesoscopic numerical method for simulating the mechanical behavior of SRM by proposing mesoscopic model generation technology based on its mesostructure features,and a rock parameter model considering size effect.The validity and rationality of the presented mesoscopic numerical method is experimentally verified by the triaxial compression tests with different rock block contents(RBC).The results indicate that the rock block can increase the strength of SRM,and it is proved that the random generation technique and the rock parameter model considering size effect are validated.Furthermore,there are multiple failure surfaces for inhomogeneous geomaterial of SRM,and the angle of the failure zone is no longer 45◦.The yielding zones of the specimen are more likely to occur in thin sections of soil matrix isolated by blocks with the failure path avoiding the rock block.The proposed numerical method is effective to investigate the meso-damage mechanism of SRM.
基金Supported by NMRC Grant,No.0415/2000,R-182-000-037-213
文摘AIM: Studies on Helicobacter pylori (H pylon) and gastroduodenal diseases have focused mainly on the distal sites of the stomach, but relationship with the gastric cardia is lacking. The aim of this study is to determine if the gastric topology and genotypic distribution of Hpyloriwere associated with different upper gastrointestinal pathologies in a multiethnic Asian population. METHODS: Gastric biopsies from the cardia, body/corpus and antrum were endoscoped from a total of 155 patients with dyspepsia and/or reflux symptoms, with informed consent. H pylori isolates obtained were tested for the presence of 26kDa, ureC, cagA, vacA, iceA1, iceA2 and babA2 genes using PCR while DNA fingerprints were generated using random amplification polymorphic DNA (RAPD). RESULTS: Hpyloriwas present in 51/155 (33%) of patients studied. Of these, 16, 15 and 20 were isolated from patients with peptic ulcer diseases, gastroesophageal reflux diseases and non-ulcer dyspepsia, respectively. Of the Hpyloripositive patients, 75% (38/51) had Hpyloriin all three gastric sites. The prevalence of various genes in the H pylori isolates was shown to be similar irrespective of their colonization sites as well as among the same site of different patients. The RAPD profiles of H pylori isolates from different gastric sites were highly similar among intra-patients but varied greatly between different patients. CONCLUSION: Topographic colonization of H pylori and the virulence genes harboured by these isolates have no direct bearing to the clinical state of the patients. In multiethnic Singapore, the stomach of each patient is colonized by a predominant strain of H pylori，irrespective of the clinical diagnosis.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(the Role of TLR4/My D88/NF-κB Signal Transduction Pathway and Expression of mi RNA-146a in Atherosclerosis and the Intervention Mechanism of Shen Invigorating Compounds,No.81202731Study on the mechanism of two-ways regulation of angiogenesis using Guanxin 1 from the VEGF-Ang cascade signaling pathway,No.81202664)+2 种基金General Program of Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau Foundation(Evaluation of the Clinical Effect of the Shoushen Granule in Patients with Atherosclerosis based on Echo-Tracking Technique,No.20114047Study on Biomarkers of Atherosclerosis based on Telomere,No.2010225)Traditional Chinese Medicine Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau(Anti atherosclerosis Study of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Shoushen Granule on the Basis of Telomere,No.2010L046A)
文摘OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Shoushen granule,Chinese herbal preparation,on carotid artery elasticity in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.METHODS: The total of 156 carotid atherosclerosis patients were randomly divided into the intervention group(83 cases,treated with Shoushen granule) and the control group(73 cases,treated with pravastatin). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(ba PWV) and Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index(ABI)were measured by automated arteriosclerosis detector. The changes of common carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) and parameters of the carotid artery elasticity in patients,including stiffness parameter(β),pressure-strain elastic modulus(Ep),arterial compliance(Ac),augmentation index(AI),and pulse wave velocity β(PWVβ) were detected by Echo-Tracking(ET) technique before and after 24 week treatment. In the meantime,levels of blood lipid,and liver and renal function were measured respectively.RESULTS: After 24 weeks,ba PWV,IMT and parameters of the carotid artery elasticity(β,Ep,AI and PWVβ) were markedly decreased in intervention group compared with those of before treatment(P < 0.01),but the level of Ac was increased significantly(P < 0.01). And there were no significant differences compared with control group on the same period(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: In this pilot study,it was demonstrated ET technology and automated arteriosclerosis detector could be used to evaluate carotid artery elasticity effectively,and the action of Shoushen granule on carotid atherosclerosis might be related to the regulation of carotid artery elasticity.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of Chinathe Priority Academic Program Development(PAPD)of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions
文摘Background:Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)is spreading rapidly among men who have sex with men(MSM)in China.Anonymous questionnaires or direct interviews have been frequently used to study their behavior.The aim of the study was to describe the behavioral risk profile of the MSM in Beijing using the randomized response techniques(RRTs).Methods:A cross-sectional survey of sexual behavior among a sample of MSM was conducted in two HIV counseling and testing clinics in Beijing.The survey was carried out with an anonymous questionnaire containing sensitive questions on sexual behavior.To obtain the honest responses to the sensitive questions,three distinctive RRTs were used in the questionnaire:(1)Additive randomized response model for quantitative questions,(2)randomized response model for multiple choice questions,and(3)Simmons randomized response model for binomial questions.Formulae for the point estimate,variance,and confidence interval(CI)were provided for each specific model.Results:Using RRTs in a sample of 659 participants,the mean age at first homosexual encounter was estimated to be 21.7 years(95%CI:21.2-22.2),and each had sex with about three(2.9,95%CI:2.4-3.4)male partners on average in the past month.The estimated rate for consistent condom use was 56.4%(95%CI:50.1-62.8%).In addition,condom was estimated to be used among 80.0%(95%CI:74.1-85.9%)of the population during last anal sex with a male partner.Conclusions:Our study employed RRTs in a survey containing questions on sexual behavior among MSM,and the results showed that RRT might be a useful tool to obtain truthful feedback on sensitive information such as sexual behavior from the respondents,especially in traditional Chinese cultural settings.
文摘OBJECTIVE: To detect DNA and chromosomes instabilities during the progression of tumors and screen new molecular markers coupled to putative or unknown oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. METHODS: Five kinds of tumors, in a total of 128 specimens, were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR. Bands representing instabilities were recovered, purified, and cloned, labeled as probes for Southern and Northern blot analysis and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Sample 5 and 3 of the gastric cancer tissues showed the highest genomic changes and the average detectability in five cancers was up to at least 40% (42.2% - 49.4%). There were significant differences in the ability of each primer to detect genomic instability, which ranged from 27% (primer 8) to 68% (primer 2). Band B is a single copy fragment, and was found to be an allelic loss in gastric and colon cancers. It is a novel sequence and was registered in GenBank with Accession Number AF151005. Further analysis revealed that it might be part of a cis-regulatory element of a new tumor suppressor gene, containing a promoter of cis-action 'CACA' box, an enhancer of 'GATA' family and a start codon. CONCLUSIONS: It was impossible or difficult to get great achievements for cancer treatments with the procedure of gene therapy only to one oncogene or one tumor suppressor gene because the extensive DNA variations occurred during the progression of tumor. RAPD assay connected with other techniques was a good tool for the detection of genomic instabilities and direct screening of some new molecular markers related to tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes.
文摘In the present paper,we propose an efficient scrambled estimator of population mean of quantitative sensitive study variable,using general linear transformation of nonsensitive auxiliary variable.Efficiency comparisons with the existing estimators have been carried out both theoretically and numerically.It has been found that our optimal scrambled estimator is always more efficient than most of the existing scrambled estimators and also it is more efficient than few other scrambled estimators under some conditions.
文摘Obtaining correct responses to sensitive questions in social and behavioural researches is an ancient problem in survey research with respondents misreporting on sensitive behaviours or giving false response to protect themselves.This paper develops an alternative unbiased estimator by modifying the dichotomous randomized response technique model to tackle this problem.The proposed estimatorwas compared numerically with conventional ones by considering different practicable and suitable design choices.Proposed model was also considered when sampling with unequal probabilities with or without replacement.It was observed that the proposed estimator performs efficiently than the conventional ones.As the proposed model captures progressively more people involved in the sensitive attribute,the model outperforms other models considered.Therefore,social and behavioural researchers can now obtain correct and valid responses from sensitive behavioural researches with ease in order to make informed and reliable decisions.
文摘Recently,Ahmed et al.(Commun Stat Theory Methods 47(2):324-343,2018)have introduced the idea of simultaneously estimating means of two sensitive variables by collecting one scrambled response and another pseudo-response.In this paper,we extend their idea to the simultaneous estimation of two means by making use of the forced quantitative randomized response model of Gjestvang and Singh(Metrika 66(2):243-257,2007)but then re-scrambling the scrambled scores.This idea of re-scrambling already scrambled responses seems completely new in the field of randomized response sampling.The performance of the proposed forced quantitative randomized response model has been investigated analytically as well as empirically.
