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The $$ \overline{X} $$ type charts are not robust against estimation errors or changes in process standard deviation. Thus, the t type charts, like the t and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) t charts, are introduced to overcome this weakness. In this paper, a run sum t chart is proposed, and its optimal scores and parameters are determined. The Markov chain method is used to characterize the run length distribution of the run sum t chart. The statistical design for minimizing the out-of-control average run length (ARL) and the economic statistical design for minimizing the cost function are studied. Numerical results show that the t type charts are more robust than the $$ \overline{X} $$ type charts for small shifts, in terms of ARL and cost criteria, with respect to changes in the standard deviation. Among the t type charts, the run sum t chart outperforms the EWMA t chart for medium to large shifts by having smaller ARL and lower minimum cost. The run sum t chart surpasses the $$ \overline{X} $$ type charts by having lower ARL when the charts are optimally designed for large shifts but the run sum $$ \overline{X} $$ and EWMA $$ \overline{X} $$ prevail for small shifts. In terms of minimum cost, the $$ \overline{X} $$ type charts are superior to the t type charts. As occurrence of estimation errors is unpredictable in real process monitoring situations, the run sum t chart is an important and useful tool for practitioners to handle such situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Some extracellular matrix genes as prognostic biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were evaluated. Methods: We investigated gene expression of fibronectin 1 (FN1), integrin α4β1 (ITGA4), syndecan-2 (SDC2), and glycoprotein CD44 in matched OSCC/margin tissues. Results: Areas under receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of relative mRNA expression of FN1, ITGA4, SDC2, and CD44 were 0.700, 0.677, 0.513, and 0.549, respectively. For tongue/mouth floor and edentulous ridge, AUC for FN1 and ITGA4 were 0.827 and 0.725 and sensitivities/specificities were 80%/84% and 88%/52%, respectively. Conclusion: FN1 and ITGA4 are potential OSCC biomarkers for tongue/mouth floor and edentulous ridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim was to retrospectively compare the measurements of the location and size of the inferior alveolar canal at the mental foramen and the length of the anterior loop between two cohorts of Americans and Taiwanese using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: CBCT was performed with an I-CAT Cone-Beam 3D Dental Imaging System and reconstructed into multiple-plane views to measure two populations. Results: There was no statistically significant difference ( P = 0.2681) in the distance from the mental foramen to the inferior border of the mandible (mandibular border height) between Americans (9.84 ± 2.01 mm) and Taiwanese (10.13 ± 1.66 mm). No significant difference was found ( p = 0.1161) in the inferior alveolar canal diameter between these two cohorts (2.26 ± 0.67 and 2.13 ± 0.47 mm, respectively). However, the anterior loop length of Taiwanese (7.61 ± 1.81 mm) was significantly longer than that of Americans (6.22 ± 1.68 mm) ( P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Our study indicated that (1) the location of mental foramen of Americans was closer to the inferior border of the mandible than Taiwanese; (2) the diameter of the inferior alveolar canal of Americans was larger than Taiwanese; (3) the anterior loop of Taiwanese was longer than Americans. These differences may be, at least partly, due to the racial influence and this information may possess potential valuable clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about any consequences of swallowing tobacco-free betel-quid (TF-BQ) juice/remnants following chewing and its carcinogenic impact on the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) to gastrointestinal tract (GIT). We investigated the neoplastic impact of TF-BQ on different anatomical locations along UADT and GIT, and differences according to their histological categories. We conducted a multicenter case-control study examining patients with 2,163 pathology-proven UADT and GIT cancers, comparing them with 2,250 control subjects. Generalized additive models, piecewise regression and polytomous logistic models were applied to identify possible dose-dependent structures and cancer risks. Contrary to nonsignificant GIT-adenocarcinoma risk (aOR = 0.9), TF-BQ users experienced a 1.7- to 16.2-fold higher risk of UADT-squamous cell carcinomas than nonusers, with the peak risk discovered in oral neoplasms. We separately observed a curvilinear and linear TF-BQ dose-risk relationship in oral/pharyngeal/esophageal and laryngeal cancers. Chewers of betel inflorescence were generally at a greater UADT cancer risk. A higher first-piecewise increased risk of esophageal cancer was recognized among areca-fluid swallowers than among nonswallowers (continuous aOR = 1.12 vs. 1.03). TF-BQ use accounted for 66.1-78.7% and 17.8-33.2% of the cases of oral/pharyngeal and esophageal/laryngeal cancers, respectively. However, a reduction from heavy TF-BQ consumption to low-to-moderate consumption only reduced 11.3-34.6% of etiologic fraction of oral/pharyngeal cancers. Alcohol supra-additively modified the risk of TF-BQ in determining the development of oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancers. In conclusion, the interplay of TF-BQ and alcohol/tobacco use, combined with how chewing habit is practiced, influences carcinogenic consequences on anatomically diverse sites of UADT and GIT cancers, and histologically different types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J Oral Pathol Med (2011) 40: 684-692 Background: Recognition of how risk factors affect the age when cancers are first diagnosed may help to establish more appropriate cancer screening and preventive strategies. Methods: To investigate the independent and synergistic effects of alcohol, tobacco-free betel-quid (TF-BQ), and cigarette use on diagnosis age and dissemination of upper aerodigestive tract squamous cell carcinoma (UADT-SCC), we recruited pathology-proven 1522 patients with UADT-SCC for study. Results: A 49-, 53-, 57-, and 62-year-old stepwise older median age at carcinoma diagnosis was, respectively, found among patients with oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, and laryngeal cancer. Oral cavity (53.2%) and larynx (11.6%) were separately the dominant and recessive sites where the UADT-SCC occurred. Although alcohol and tobacco bestowed increased risks of earlier tumor occurrence only for oral/pharyngeal and oral cancers, respectively, TF-BQ was consistently observed to confer elevated age-associated risks for each UADT-SCC [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.6-2.3]. Alcohol and TF-BQ joint consumers experienced a stepwise increased cumulative risk (CR) of contracting carcinomas of the larynx (46.2%), esophagus (47.5%), pharynx (53.5%), and oral cavity (60.5-71.0%), with >68% of CRs found among drinkers who started chewing before age 20. Alcohol + Betel + Cigarette and Alcohol + Betel users exhibi-ted earlier diagnosis ages than non-users: 10 years ahead for oral cancer, 7, 17, and 12 years earlier for pharyngeal, esophageal, and laryngeal cancers. Noticeably, higher cumulative cancer risks regarding earlier tumor occurrence were correspondingly identified for these users aged 43, 49, 43, and 44 upward. Conclusions: Tobacco-free betel-quid, in conjunction with alcohol and/or tobacco consumption, impacts early cancer occurrence for specific UADT-SCC and influences tumor site incidence pattern of these neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a synthetic double sampling chart that integrates the Double Sampling (DS) [image omitted] chart and the conforming run length chart. The proposed procedure offers performance improvements in terms of the zero-state Average Run Length (ARL) and Average Number of Observations to Sample (ANOS). When the size of a mean shift δ (given in terms of the number of standard deviation units) is small (i.e., between 0.4 and 0.6) and the mean sample size n= 5, the proposed procedure reduces the out-of-control ARL and ANOS values by nearly half, compared with both the synthetic and DS [image omitted] charts. In terms of detection ability versus the Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) chart, the synthetic DS chart is superior to the synthetic or even the DS [image omitted] chart, as the former outperforms the EWMA chart for a larger range of δ values compared to the latter. The proposed procedure generally outperforms the EWMA chart in the detection of a mean shift when δ is larger than 0.5 and n= 5 or 10. Although the proposed procedure is less sensitive than the EWMA chart when δ is smaller than 0.5, this may not be a setback as it is usually not desirable, from a practical viewpoint, to signal very small shifts in the process to avoid too frequent process interruptions. Instead, under such circumstances, it is better to leave the process undisturbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39: 306–312 Background: Many studies have reported that the interaction and dose–response effects of betel quid chewing, tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking habits are important risk factors for oral cancer and precancerous lesions or conditions. These results are useful for comparing statistics, but may not be informative for personal disease-related information. Methods: This study used data from a community screening program to evaluate the dose–response effects of daily frequency and duration from oral habits in Taiwan. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were further used to compare exposure measurements on indicating the occurrence of lesions/conditions. Results: Our results showed that the highest prevalence was found in leukoplakia (11.1%) and followed by oral submucous fibrosis (OSF, 4.4%). Betel quid chewing habit was found to have dose–response effects on leukoplakia and OSF, cigarette smoking habit only has the dose–response effect on leukoplakia, and alcohol drinking was not associated with both oral precancers. The daily frequency of chewing habit is a better indicator than other dose–response measurements for the occurrence of precancers. In addition, the cut-off points of two to five counts per day have about 60–82% of sensitivities and 79–88% of specificities. Conclusions: The cut-off points from ROC curves can provide an informative message to people with oral habits and their chances of developing diseases. High daily frequency of chewing can lead to excessive irritation to oral mucosa. Although the tobacco is never added to chewing quid in Taiwan, intensive irritation may play an important role in developing oral precancers in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39: 155–161 Background: Our aim was to measure the relationship of FAS (−1377G>A and −670A>G), FASL (−844C>T) gene variants and risk of oral cancer. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was used to determine the FAS and FASL polymorphisms in 294 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), 53 oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), and 84 oral leukoplakia (OL) patients, as well as in 333 healthy controls. A standardized questionnaire was applied to collect demographic data, and potential confounding factors. JMP statistical software was used to analyze the association. Results: FAS and FASL polymorphisms were not correlated with OSCC development or the malignant potential of OL by simple and multivariate logistic regression. However, a two- to fourfold difference in the risks of betel quid chewing, alcohol consumption, and smoking on OSCC development were observed between participants with different FAS polymorphisms. FAS polymorphisms were significantly correlated with the malignant potential of OSF. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that FAS A−1377-G−670 vs. G−1377-A−670 haplotype (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.16–4.41) was correlated with the malignant potential of OSF. Conclusions: We suggest that FAS and FASL polymorphisms are not significantly correlated with OSCC development or malignant potential of OL. The impact of substance usage on OSCC development could be differentiated by FAS polymorphisms. FAS A−1377-G−670 haplotype may play a role in the malignant potential of OSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been found to be associated with oral cancer but the biological interactions through SNPs are seldom addressed. In this study, we focused on the joint effect for SNP combinations of four DNA repair genes, X-ray repair cross-complementing groups (XRCCs) 1–4, involved in major cancer-related pathways. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping was determined using by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in this study (case = 103, control = 98). Different numbers of combinational SNPs with genotypes called the pseudo-haplotypes from these chromosome-wide genes were used to evaluate their joint effect on oral cancer risk. Results: Except for XRCC2 rs2040639-AG, none of these SNPs was found to individually contribute to oral cancer risk. However, for two combined SNPs, the proportion of subjects with oral cancer was significantly higher in the pseudo-haplotype with AG-CC genotypes in rs2040639-rs861539 (XRCC2–XRCC3) compared with those with non-AG-CC genotypes. Similarly, the pseudo-haplotype of rs2040639–rs861539–rs2075685 (XRCC2–XRCC3–XRCC4) and rs2040639–rs861539–rs2075685–rs1799782 (XRCCs 1–4) with specific genotype pattern (AG-CC-TG and CT-AG-CC-TG) among three and four combinational SNPs were significantly associated with oral cancer. After controlling for age, gender, smoking, drinking, and betel nut chewing, the estimated odds ratio of oral cancer were 2.45, 5.03, and 10.10 for two, three and four specific SNP combinations, respectively, comparing these specific pseudo-haplotypes to their corresponding non-pseudo-haplotypes. Conclusion: We have identified the potential combined XRCCs 1–4 SNPs with genotypes that were associated with oral cancer risk and may have an impact on identification of a high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the results of surgical treatment for oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) in patients who did or did not cooperate with the rehabilitation regimen. Patients and Methods: There were 54 patients who had surgical treatment of trismus caused by OSF. Split-thickness skin grafts were used to repair surgical defects after surgery on the fibrous bands. According to postoperative collaboration in the rehabilitation regimen, patients were defined as non-cooperative patients (group I) and cooperative patients (group II). Group I (n = 28) and group II (n = 26) were analyzed separately for changes in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative interincisal distances (ID) for at least 6 months after surgery. Results: The mean preoperative ID was 18.9 mm (range, 8 to 25 mm) in group I and 18 mm (range, 7 to 25 mm) in group II. The intraoperative ID increased to an average of 39 mm in group I and 38.5 mm in group II. The mean final follow-up ID was 22 mm in group I and 36.1 mm in group II. When evaluating the changes of ID, only a statistically significant difference was found at final visit between groups. Conclusions: In our study, we found the patient’s cooperation is the primary requirement for success in the treatment of OSF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is defined as a precancerous condition, and it is also commonly seen in clinical practice, coexisting with oral cancer. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of areca quid, cigarette, and alcohol on the coexistence of oral cancer and OSF. Study design: This is a case-control study. One hundred four histologically confirmed male OSF subjects were included, which consisted of 65 OSF subjects without oral cancer (control group) and 39 OSF subjects with oral cancer (case group). Results: The cigarette consumption in the case group was significantly higher than the control group. In drinking habits, the mean consumption of alcohol in the case group was significantly higher than the control group. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify these risk factors. Age and alcohol consumption showed a significant effect, and the odds ratios were 1.07 in age and 1.5 in alcohol consumption. Conclusion: Alcohol drinking could be a risk factor associated with an increased risk of malignant transformation and coexistence with oral cancer in OSF patients, but cigarette and areca quid were not risk factors in our study. For oral cancer prevention from OSF, more attention should be paid to the importance of public health strategies targeted toward preventing and reducing alcohol consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report experience in the treatment of ameloblastoma in Taiwanese children and to discuss the treatment regimen. Study design: Fifteen patients, all younger than 18 years of age, with a diagnosis of ameloblastoma in our department between January 1991 and December 2004 were selected for study. Data included sex, age at surgery, tumor type, size and site of lesion, primary surgical methods, use of adjuvant therapy, complications, recurrences, and course of follow-up. Results: Ages ranged from 9 to 17 (average was 13.7 years). Nine were male, 6 were female; the sex ratio was 1.5:1. Fourteen lesions were in the mandible (1 in the symphysis, 13 in the mandibular posterior area) and only 1 was in the maxilla. The size of the lesions ranged from 4 × 2.5 cm to 8 × 8 cm. Clinical typing included 8 unicystic type, 3 multicystic type, and 4 solid types. Of the histologic types, 5 were plexiform, 3 were mixed type, and 3 were acanthomatous type. Complications included numbness of the lower lip and contour defect of the face. Three cases (20%) were recurrent, and 1 patient had 2 recurrences. Conclusions: Good results can be achieved in the treatment of ameloblastoma in children using conservative surgery. In the event of recurrence, a second surgery can be successful. Patient compliance and careful follow-up are important. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Over-expression of HER-2/ neu has been associated with advanced disease, metastasis, and poor clinical outcome. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-related antigen (SCCA) is used as a tumor marker in a variety of SCC. This study was performed to investigate the pre- and post-treatment values of HER-2/ neu and SCCA in patients with oral SCC. Materials: Patients with OSCC were enrolled between 2002 and 2004. Serum samples were obtained before treatment and at 1 month following treatment. HER-2/ neu levels and SCCA levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Results: A significant correlation was found between HER-2/ neu and lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.0252). SCCA correlated with tumor size ( P = 0.0042). Both HER-2/ neu and SCCA mean levels were reduced significantly after treatment. Conclusion: The combination of HER-2/ neu and SCCA serum levels may be a useful marker in evaluating therapeutic effects and in monitoring the recurrence rate of OSCC and survival rate of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is generally accepted that the development of cancer in the oral mucosa is preceded by an identifiable non-invasive precursor lesion. The aim of this follow-up study was to estimate the rate and the time to transformation in a group of patients from southern Taiwan with potentially malignant oral epithelial lesions. Methods: The follow-up time is defined as the duration between the onset of the initial diagnosis and the occurrence of confirmed oral cancer. A total of 1458 patients with histological diagnoses of various pre-malignant oral lesions were followed up between 1991 and 2001. The average age at initial diagnosis was 47.5 years. The histological diagnoses were divided into six categories: epithelial dysplasia with hyperkeratosis/epithelial hyperplasia (8.85%); epithelial dysplasia with submucous fibrosis (2.54%); submucous fibrosis (27.57%); hyperkeratosis/epithelial hyperplasia (29.01%); lichen planus (9.80%) and verrucous hyperplasia (22.22%). Results: Within the cohort of 1458 patients, 44 patients progressed to oral cancer in the same site as the initial lesions with an overall transformation rate of 3.02% and a mean follow-up time of 42.64 months. Eight of the 166 patients with dysplastic lesions and 15 of 423 patients with hyperkeratosis/epithelial hyperplasia progressed to malignancy. The other patients with malignant transformation originated from various pre-cancerous oral lesions and conditions (submucous fibrosis, eight of 402; lichen planus, three of 143; verrucous hyperplasia, 10 of 324). Conclusion: These results indicate that patients with pre-malignant oral lesions need long-term follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Various types of temporary implants have been introduced to serve as orthodontic anchorage. The hypothesis of this study is that microimplants of 1.2 mm diameter can be used as orthodontic anchors, and that their success is related to their length. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of anchor retention after orthodontic force application for moving teeth, and to determine the relationship of microimplant length to retention rate. Methods: Fifty-nine microimplants (diameter: 1.2 mm) were placed in 29 patients as orthodontic anchorages. After 2 weeks of microimplant placement, a force of 100 to 200 g was loaded with an elastometric chain or NiTi coil spring. Risk factors were characterized as to why a microimplant may fail, and Fisher’s exact test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Nine microimplants were removed and the overall success rate was 84.7%. Exploring the causes for failure, we found significant differences between the length of microimplants and success rate; 6 mm was 72.2% and 8 mm was 90.2%. Conclusions: The results suggest that microimplants are suited as an alternative orthodontic anchorage. We recommend that 8-mm microimplants are preferable to 6-mm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Defects in the head and neck resulting from ablation of oral cancer frequently lead to disabling functional and cosmetic deformities. Rehabilitation of patients with oral cancer can be an emotionally and technically challenging endeavor. Selection of the donor tissue is clearly dependent upon the defect that is to be reconstructed. The donor tissue should be of sufficient bulk and pliability to facilitate reestablishing contour and function. Regional flap and free flap have been the mainstays of reconstruction for surgical defects after ablation of oral cancer. The records of 77 patients in whom 49 deltopectoral (DP) flaps and 28 free radial forearm flaps (FRFF) were used were analyzed. The success rate of the DP flap was 89.8% and of the FRFF was 96.4%. The minor complication rate at the transplant site (fistula, dehiscence, hematoma) for the DP flaps was 22.4% and for the FRFFs was 14.3%. Overall complication rate at the transplant site for DP flaps was 32.7% and for the FRFFs was 17.9%. The incidence of partial loss of the donor-site skin graft was 4.1% for the DP flaps and 10.7% for the FRFFs. Overall complication rate at the donor site for DP flaps was 10.2% and for the FRFFs was 39.3%. DP flaps had better aesthetic and functional results at the donor site, than FRFFs. However, the DP flap is a staged procedure and results in prolonged hospitalization. In contrast to FRFF, performing a DP flap avoids the difficult technique of microanastomosis, and therefore reduces the donor-site complication rate and the operation time. Therefore, free flaps can not be routinely substituted for regional flaps, but they represent better reconstructive alternatives for specific and selected patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: This article presents our clinical experience with head and neck reconstruction using a free anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap and describes the morbidity of the donor site. Materials and Methods: From October 2001 to October 2003, 20 free ALT flaps were transferred for reconstructing soft tissue defects of the head and neck. The age and gender of the patients, the site of the primary tumor, tumor stage, previous operative condition, types of associated operation, results of flap transfer, donor site morbidity, and clinical course were analyzed. Results: Of 20 cases, 19 free flaps were successfully performed. The success rate was 95%. The size of the ALT flaps ranged from 6 to 10 cm in width and 9 to 20 cm in length (54 to 200 cm2 in area). Sixteen of the 20 donor sites were closed primarily, whereas 4 cases required a split-thickness skin graft to cover the donor site. Complications and morbidity of the donor site were minimal. Conclusion: The ALT flap has some advantages over other free flaps, including a long pedicle with a suitable diameter for anastomoses, the availability of different tissues with large amounts of skin, the ease of closing the donor site, and the ability for 2 teams to simultaneously perform the operation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The signal-to-noise ratio is an indicator, introduced by Taguchi, for evaluating the experimental data in robust design. Estimating the confidence interval of the signal-to-noise ratio is an important topic in data analysis of robust design. Calculating the confidence interval for a parameter usually needs the assumption about the underlying distributions. Bootstrapping is a nonparametric, but computer-intensive estimation method. In this article, we present the results of a simulation study on the behavior of three 95% bootstrap confidence intervals (i.e., SB, PB, and BCPB) for estimating the smaller-the-better signal-to-noise ratio when the data are from either a normal distribution or one of the Burr distributions. A detailed discussion of the simulation results is presented and some recommendations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control charts are widely applied to monitor manufacturing processes. In 1962, Page presented a modified chart with warning limit, which includes an upper and lower warning band. In 1975, Gordon and Weindling presented a cost model for determining the five parameters of a warning limit chart: the sample size, the sampling interval between successive subgroups, the control limit coefficient, the warning limit coefficient, and the significant run length. When conducting the design of control charts, one usually assumes the measurements are normally distributed. However, this assumption may not be tenable in some specific production processes. Burr developed a general probability distribution to represent a wide range of density functions, including normal and nonnormal ones. In this article, we study the effect of nonnormality on the design of warning limit charts by combining Gordon and Weindling's cost model with the Burr distribution. In this study, it is observed that negative skewness leads to wider control and warning limits. In addition, larger kurtosis results in a longer significant run length and wider control and warning limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wen & Mergen (1999) proposed a method for setting the optimal process mean when a process was not capable of meeting specifications in the short term. However, they neglected to consider the quality loss for a product within specifications in the model. Chen & Chou (2002) presented a modified Wen & Mergen's (1999) model, including the quadratic quality loss function for a one-sided specifications limit. In this paper, we propose the modified Wen & Mergen (1999) cost model including the linear quality loss function of a product for determining the optimal process mean of a one-sided specification limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chen and Chou presented the economic design of type I continuous sampling plan (CSP-1 plan) under the linear inspection cost. However, it can be argued that the production process is seldom independent. In this paper, we further propose the problem concerning the economic design of CSP-1 plan under the dependent production process and linear inspection cost. A solution procedure is developed to find the unique combination (i*, f*) that will meet the average outgoing quality limit (AOQL) requirement while also minimizing the total expected cost per unit produced during one inspection cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the problem of designing a new variable sampling plan. Suppose that the lot quality characteristic obeys an exponential distribution. Adopting Taguchi's loss function, the objective is to design a plan under which the producer's risk of rejecting a lot that has a specified average loss per item is no greater than alpha, and the consumer's risk of accepting a lot that has a specified average loss per item is no greater than beta. The method of designing this plan is an extension of the method used by Derman and Ross. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on architecture techniques which affect memory latency and are major factors which determine a computing system's performance. Available features for improving the performance of a cache-based system; Affects of the techniques; Assessment of the performance trade-offs of the architecture techniques; What is a cache hit ratio; Results of architecture trade-offs.

This paper presents details of the calculation of the average outgoing quality limit (AOQL) for a short-run CSP-1 plan based on Y ang's renewal process approach. A solution procedure is developed to find the unique combination (i,f) that will meet the AOQL requirement, while also minimizing the average fraction inspected for the shortrun CSP-1 plan when the process average p (> AOQL) and production run length R are known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The role of radiation therapy (RT) for ameloblastoma remains controversial and undetermined due to the rarity of the disease. Methods A case of repeatedly recurrent ameloblastoma with malignant transformation is presented. The clinical course and managements are described. Results The 63-year-old man had a recurrent ameloblastoma in the left mandible. Five years after the first surgical resection, he underwent 8 more rounds of surgical excision of the recurrent tumors. The malignant transformation occurred and the unresectable tumor invaded the masticator space, parapharyngeal space, and skull base. He received 3-dimensional conformal RT, at the dose of 66 Gray (Gy) in 33 fractions. The ulcerative exophytic mass had regressed gradually. After follow-up of 28 months, the tumor was well controlled. Conclusions RT seems to be a feasible treatment option for recurrent ameloblastoma with malignant transformation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: E1-E3, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]