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.     

一种图文数据库系统的设计与实现

随着计算机技术的发展和水平的提高，图像，声音，图形等多媒体信息逐步应用于管理信息系统之中。文章中提出了图文数据库系统设计中存在的三个基本问题。讨论了介绍了图文数据库系统的设计方法和实现技术。     

电流模精密整流电路

由电压型运算放大器组成的精密整流电路要严格地匹配电阻才能获得精密全波整流波形．本文给出一种具有CCⅡ电路特性由运算放大器AD844所构成的电流模精密整流电路．无需匹配电阻就可输出良好的精密全波整流波形．且具有输入电压范围大，频带宽等特点．     

Study on Oxygen-Sensing Properties of LaNiO3 Thin Films

The synthesis of rare-earth perovskite-type composition thin films of LaNiO₃ by means of the inorganic-sol-gel (ISG) method was studied. The structural stability under high temperature in reducing atmospheres and the oxygen-sensitivity mechanism of the LaNiO₃ thin films were examined. It is shown that under the experimental conditions, LaNiO₃ decomposes and the valance states of nickel are +2 and +3.     

Evaluation of Morphology—Stable Critical Size of KNbO3 Crystals

Skeletal form of KnbO3 crystals growing in Li2B4O7 solvent was in-situ observed at 900℃ and it was found that shallow depression started to develop on the surface of KnbO3 crystals when the crystal size exceeded several micron,typically 7 micron.Based on the quantitative criterion derived by Chernov,the estimated critical size of KNbO3 crystals was 1 micron,which was consistent with the experimental measurement.The kinetic coefficients,Kcorner and Kcr,in the criterion were experimentally obtained in the diffusive-convective and diffusive-advective flow states respectively.     

枪口脉冲噪声测试传声器的探讨

在枪口脉冲噪声的测试过程中,传声器(即话筒)的选择具有至关重要的作用.本文主要依据国家军用标准中对枪口脉冲噪声的测试要求,分析枪口脉冲噪声的特性,介绍枪口脉冲噪声测试中几种不同原理的传声器,研究和探讨几种常用电容传声器的特性及应用范围.     

Element Importance and System Failure Frequency of a 2-State System

This paper redefines three measures of element s-importance for 2-state systems regardless of s-coherence, presents the calculation methods of these measures, and gives a new method to calculate the system time-specific failure and recovery frequencies. A poor point in the literature in extending methods for evaluating the s-importance of elements of s-coherent system to non-coherent system is pointed out. An example illustrates these definitions and calculation methods.     

专用集成电路CAT技术的进展

本文简单地回顾了提高VLSI测试效率所采用的一些手段,讨论了在ASIC测试问题研究中出现的一些新观点、新方法、新动向,以及所取得的成果。在此基础上,文章阐明了ASIC测试技术的发展方向,并着重论述了可望在未来得到发展的,针对ASIC的功能测试方法。     

Adaptive predictive control algorithm based on Laguerre Functional Model

Laguerre Functional Model has many advantages such as good approximation capability for the variances of system time‐delay, order and other structural parameters, low computational complexity, and the facility of online parameter identification, etc., so this model is suitable for complex industrial process control. A series of successful applications have been gained in linear and non‐linear predictive control fields by the control algorithm based on Laguerre Functional Model, however, former researchers have not systemically brought forward the theoretical analyses of the stability, robustness, and steady‐state performance of this algorithm, which are the keys to guarantee the feasibility of the control algorithm fundamentally. Aimed at this problem, we introduce the principles of the Incremental Mode Linear Laguerre Predictive Control (IMLLPC) algorithm, and then systemically propose the theoretical analyses and proofs of the stability and robustness of the algorithm, in addition, we also put forward the steady‐state performance analysis. At last, the control performances of this algorithm on two different physical industrial plants are presented in detail, and a number of experimental results validate the feasibility and superiority of IMLLPC algorithm. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Method of selecting the regularisation parameter for microwaveimaging

The Tikhonov regularisation technique is widely used in the solution of inverse scattering problems. One of the difficulties in applying this technique is the proper selection of the associated regularisation parameter. Based on a stochastic model of the reconstruction process, a simple method is presented for selecting this parameter for an efficient implementation of various microwave imaging methods