Testing Serial Correlation in Partially Linear Additive Errors-in-variables Models

This article considers testing serial correlation in partially linear additive errors-in-variables model. Based on the empirical likelihood based approach, a test statistic was proposed, and it was shown to follow asymptotically a chi-square distribution under the null hypothesis of no serial correlation. Finally, some simulation studies are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed method.     

Unified multivariate survival model with a surviving fraction: an application to a Brazilian customer churn data

In this paper we propose a new lifetime model for multivariate survival data in presence of surviving fractions and examine some of its properties. Its genesis is based on situations in which there are m types of unobservable competing causes, where each cause is related to a time of occurrence of an event of interest. Our model is a multivariate extension of the univariate survival cure rate model proposed by Rodrigues et al. [37 J. Rodrigues, V.G. Cancho, M. de Castro, and F. Louzada-Neto, On the unification of long-term survival models, Statist. Probab. Lett. 79 (2009), pp. 753–759. doi: 10.1016/j.spl.2008.10.029[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. The inferential approach exploits the maximum likelihood tools. We perform a simulation study in order to verify the asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimators. The simulation study also focus on size and power of the likelihood ratio test. The methodology is illustrated on a real data set on customer churn data.     

Strengths-Based Approach and Coping Strategies used by Parents Whose Young Children Exhibit Violent Behaviour: Collaboration Between Schools and Parents

This research study explores the strategies adopted by 60 parents of children between 3 and 9 years of age considered to have engaged in violent behaviour, within the meaning of the Safe Schools Act (Ontario Ministry of Education, Canada, 2000). This legal framework requires parents to be involved in the decisions concerning their children. Parents’ perceptions of their involvement lead them to develop coping strategies enabling them to play a more active role in such decision making. This article analyzes their perceptions according to a strengths-based approach and seeks to provide a mediation perspective to social work practice with families.

过程写作法在英语专业低年级的运用

过程写作法近年来盛行海外，已经成为西方写作教学主流。它将写作视为交互循环的心理认知过程和语言交际过程，重视写作的具体过程及其交际性，被证明对于提高学习者写作能力效果显著。本文系统地研究了过程写作法产生的背景、理论基础及其在写作教学中的实际应用。     

外语隐喻意义建构的模式假设及外语隐喻能力

通过研究,旨在说明以下问题:中国英语学习者对英语中的概念隐喻了解不多,隐喻能力较低,其中一个重要原因是两个民族的隐喻概念系统和认知方式存在差异;语境对心理空间的构建和整个整合网络的运行起到限制作用,语境限制了跨域映射和选择性投射的可能性;提出外语隐喻意义建构的认知模式假设;最后,对基于提高隐喻能力的认知教学法的实行进行了探讨.     

中国居民自有住房虚拟租金的一个估算

居民自有住房服务价值应纳入GDP核算,但各国对自有住房服务虚拟租金的估算方法存在差异,当前主要的核算方法为市场租金法和使用成本法。采用使用成本法对中国居民自有住房虚拟租金重新估算,发现2004—2012年间居民自有住房虚拟租金年均达3.2万亿元,最近三年年均达到4万亿。中国统计部门基于建筑成本估算的虚拟租金大大低估了居民居住支出,2004—2012年间年均低估达2.3万亿元,近三年年均低估达3万亿元。调整后的居住消费占GDP比重达到11%~14%,高于官方6%的统计数据,仅自有住房虚拟租金的重新调整就提高了4%~5%的居民消费率,随着居民收入提高,城市化进程加快,居住消费支出还将增长。     

Evaluating the Impact of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Perspective in Social Work Curriculum

A trauma-informed care (TIC) curriculum was integrated into a school of social work master’s level program. Measures assessed the impact of the curriculum on first and advanced-year students’ knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention at the beginning and end of a semester. Initial comparisons show advanced-year students as having more knowledge about TIC, more positive attitudes toward TIC, higher levels of self-efficacy to use TIC approaches, and greater likelihood to engage in TIC behaviors than first-year students. However, by the end of the semester, the latter were equivalent with advanced students on all measures. Results suggest the first-year curriculum provides sufficient background in TIC approaches to allow for significant gains across all areas assessed. However, integration of the TIC perspective within advanced courses needs further assessment.     

CEO duality and firm performance: The moderating roles of other executives and blockholding outside directors

This study examines how the effect of CEO duality on firm performance is affected by two internal governance forces – namely other executives in the top management team and blockholding outside directors. Results based on a longitudinal dataset from the U.S. computer industry were consistent with my hypotheses. Specifically, I found that the effect of CEO duality was negative when the CEO had dominant power relative to other executives and when the board had a blockholding outside director, but was nonsignificant otherwise. This study enriches our understanding of the effect of CEO duality, and helps reinforce the call for the nonduality structure as the default choice and put the burden of proof on those who wish to justify otherwise on special grounds.     

大学英语交际教学法新思考

自20世纪70年代以来，交际教学法已成为国内外语言教学颇受青睐的教学方法。交际教学法主张以具体的交际功能项目为线索来安排教学内容，而不是以语言形式来安排内容，激发学生的学习兴趣，提高了语言运用能力。然而，交际教学法的教材增加了语法学习的困难，为此，同一功能表达形式多样对测试的不利及对教师专业培训要求更高等问题，足以引起英语一线教学同仁们的新思考。     

Home-Based Palliative Care Study

Abstract

Purpose: To examine differences in site of death and costs of services by primary diagnosis for patients receiving home-based palliative care as compared to usual care at the end of life verity of illness, service use, and site of death.

Design and Methods: A nonequivalent group design was employed with 298 terminally ill patients diagnosed with cancer, CHF, or COPD enrolled. The treatment group received an interdisciplinary home-based palliative care program and the comparison group received usual Kaiser Permanente services. Data collected included patient demographics, se-

Results: Among all diseases, patients enrolled in palliative care were more likely to die at home. Enrollment in palliative care was significant associated with cost reductions for patients with cancer, COPD, and CHF. No significant difference was found between diagnostic groups in terms of magnitude of cost savings.

Implications: Provision of interdisciplinary home-based palliative care at end of life can effectively increase the likelihood of dying at home for patients with CHF, COPD, and cancer while realizing significant COSt savings.