Covariate handling approaches in combination with dynamic borrowing for hybrid control studies

Borrowing data from external control has been an appealing strategy for evidence synthesis when conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Often named hybrid control trials, they leverage existing control data from clinical trials or potentially real-world data (RWD), enable trial designs to allocate more patients to the novel intervention arm, and improve the efficiency or lower the cost of the primary RCT. Several methods have been established and developed to borrow external control data, among which the propensity score methods and Bayesian dynamic borrowing framework play essential roles. Noticing the unique strengths of propensity score methods and Bayesian hierarchical models, we utilize both methods in a complementary manner to analyze hybrid control studies. In this article, we review methods including covariate adjustments, propensity score matching and weighting in combination with dynamic borrowing and compare the performance of these methods through comprehensive simulations. Different degrees of covariate imbalance and confounding are examined. Our findings suggested that the conventional covariate adjustment in combination with the Bayesian commensurate prior model provides the highest power with good type I error control under the investigated settings. It has desired performance especially under scenarios of different degrees of confounding. To estimate efficacy signals in the exploratory setting, the covariate adjustment method in combination with the Bayesian commensurate prior is recommended.     

Urban growth in China: past, prospect, and its impacts

Rapid growth and globalization of the domestic economy have dramatically accelerated urbanization in China, resulting in significant environmental impacts and challenges for sustainable development. Using a multistate model accounting for distributional aspects of age, sex, education, and migration in rural and urban regions, we estimate the magnitude of urbanization in China through 2030 and examine some major associated sustainability issues. Results indicate that: (1) for a range of assumptions, China’s urban population will nearly double from 2000 to 2030; (2) the labor force will constitute a larger share of total population in urban areas than rural due to internal migration of younger workers—this appears particularly true for the mega-urban metropolises of Beijing and Shanghai; (3) rural populations will experience more aging than urban; and (4) level of education among China’s rural labor force will remain low, which could pressure China’s industrial structural transition from an agricultural to a service-based economy.     

俄罗斯境内的恐怖主义及其反恐策略研究——法律视角

俄罗斯的恐怖主义源于近代的"涅恰耶夫"现象,其产生有着深厚的理论基础。恐怖主义在当代俄罗斯社会的滥觞对其社会政治稳定、公民安全以及国家领土的完整造成严重威胁。俄罗斯当局在打击恐怖主义方面形成了较为完善的立法、行政、司法相结合的综合机制。发展国民经济、培育市民社会是当代俄罗斯根除恐怖主义的应然路径。     

北京市蔬菜“最后一公里”问题的实证研究

通过对北京市2011年一些典型的蔬菜批发市场和零售终端进行的调研数据分析,认为:蔬菜批发价格与其批量密切相关,不宜简单地讨论北京市蔬菜批零差价过大问题;北京市蔬菜零售终端价格的高低与"最后一公里"流通环节的多少无关,而与蔬菜零售终端的类型相关;市场租金也不是影响蔬菜加价的主要因素;将蔬菜的包装物记入蔬菜价格的计价方式,直接抬高了蔬菜二级批发商的加价幅度,导致了北京市蔬菜的"最后一公里"问题;北京市二级蔬菜批发商和农贸市场蔬菜零售商的收益处于合理范围内,不存在超额利润。     

试论傅玄职业人才思想

傅玄作为魏晋时期的教育思想家,其分业壹事、分数定法、九品论才、职业操守等思想超越了儒学、玄学的"致仕"、"空言"思想。尤其是农、工、商等实业人才与士并重职业人才思想以及人才多元化理念在职业教育史上具有重要意义。其中,贵农而重工、贱商不废业、用人当其才、重亲民之吏思想凸显出辩证的人才管理理念。傅玄职业人才思想中具有的民本精神、德性为先、劝民归农等思想具有深刻的现实意义。     

高校图书馆服务社会现状分析与基本对策

阐述了高校图书馆开展社会化服务的必要性,从信息资源、技术手段、专业人才、网站建设等方面分析了高校图书馆服务社会的有利条件。通过分析其服务社会的现状与存在问题,从转变观念,树立为社会服务的意识;完善法规,建立有效管理运行机制;大胆尝试,积极探索服务社会的途径;夯实基础,建设好社会化服务人才队伍;统筹兼顾,处理好对内和对外服务的关系等方面提出了高校图书馆服务社会的基本对策。     

来华旅游需求与贸易相关关系研究——来自欧洲四国的实证

入境旅游市场在提高外汇收入,提升国家形象、提供就业机会等方面发挥着重要作用,然而,在现有关于入境旅游需求的定量研究中,研究者都是从价格和收入角度建立需求模型。本文认为,由于客源地和目的地之间的差异,可能导致信息不对称使价格机制失灵。而贸易的发生将刚性拉动商务旅游者来华,商务旅游者通过＂示范效应＂和＂宣传效应＂带动更多的旅游者访华。通过欧洲四国意大利、法国、荷兰和德国旅华市场的实证研究显示,该假设没有被证伪。     

日本和印度两国关系走向的探析

日本和印度同为亚洲国家,近年来日印两国不断接近,其双边关系的发展值得关注。日本是外向型经济国家,需要不断开拓海外市场,而印度近年来经济发展迅速,是一个潜在巨大的市场。日印经济关系的发展互有所需,日方着眼于印度的巨大经济发展潜力,印方侧重于日本的技术与资金。     

黑格尔市民社会理论的伦理价值分析及其当代省视

从伦理价值视角分析黑格尔《法哲学原理》中市民社会理论的要义在于:一是从原子式的伦理原点追问黑格尔市民社会理论的价值源头,剖析其承前启后的近代历史意义;二是从伦理实体视角追问市民社会理论作为“否定性”环节的逻辑意蕴与价值合理性内涵;三是自安身立命视角说明市民社会如何为“一己之心提供精神本体”,从而具有伦理生活的生命力;四是揭示市民社会的伦理精神,确证“自己成为一个人,也尊敬他人为人”的理性认知;最后,在上述论述的基础上,凸显黑格尔市民社会理论所具有的潜在文化霸权,自觉生发黑格尔市民社会理论的当代超越的理论路向.     

Bridging the Gap: An Exploratory Study of Corporate Social Responsibility among SMEs in Singapore

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) among small-medium enterprises (SME) is an overlooked area, despite the latter's emerging prominence as an economic player. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the CSR landscape among Singapore SMEs, a triangulation of 15 in-depth interviews and a self-administered Web survey was conducted among 113 senior executives from top 500 Singapore SMEs (27.2% response). Key findings include (a) moderate awareness but low comprehension of CSR; (b) engagement relevance to immediate stakeholders; (c) individual values, stakeholder relationships, and governmental influences as main drivers; and (d) lack of various resources as key barriers. Implications and future research directions are discussed.