Imposing and Testing for Shape Restrictions in Flexible Parametric Models

In many economic models, theory restricts the shape of functions, such as monotonicity or curvature conditions. This article reviews and presents a framework for constrained estimation and inference to test for shape conditions in parametric models. We show that “regional” shape-restricting estimators have important advantages in terms of model fit and flexibility (as opposed to standard “local” or “global” shape-restricting estimators). In our empirical illustration, this is the first article to impose and test for all shape restrictions required by economic theory simultaneously in the “Berndt and Wood” data. We find that this dataset is consistent with “duality theory,” whereas previous studies have found violations of economic theory. We discuss policy consequences for key parameters, such as whether energy and capital are complements or substitutes.     

论我国学前教育专业人才培养规格之嬗变

我国学前专业人才培养规格历史的基本走向是：清末民初时期的幼儿园教师培养制度初建,建国初期学习苏联幼儿园教师培养经验,改革开放初期提出幼儿园教师培养基本要求,21世纪初期肯定幼儿园教师专业地位,2010年以来幼儿园教师培养迈向标准化。学前教育专业学生培养的规格取向由只重保育到保教结合,由保姆到专业教师,由重理论学习到理论与实践相结合。学前专业人才培养规格从萌芽、形成走向逐渐清晰和成熟。审视和梳理我国学前教育专业人才培养规格的历史演变,总结其发展趋势,旨在准确认识和把握当前学前教育专业的人才培养规格,构建在培养规格科学定位指导下与之相匹配的课程体系。     

On asymptotic distribution of prediction in functional linear regression

There has been substantial recent attention on problems involving a functional linear regression model with scalar response. Among them, there have been few works dealing with asymptotic distribution of prediction in functional linear regression models. In recent literature, the centeral limit theorem for prediction has been discussed, but the proof and conditions under which the random bias terms for a fixed predictor converge to zero have been ignored so that the impact of these terms on the convergence of the prediction has not been well understood. Clarifying the proof and conditions under which the bias terms converge to zero, we show that the asymptotic distribution of the prediction is normal. Furthermore, we have derived those results related to other terms that already obtained by others, under milder conditions. Finally, we conduct a simulation study to investigate performance of the asymptotic distribution under various parameter settings.     

Functional Partial Linear Single‐index Model

This paper deals with the problem of predicting the real‐valued response variable using explanatory variables containing both multivariate random variable and random curve. The proposed functional partial linear single‐index model treats the multivariate random variable as linear part and the random curve as functional single‐index part, respectively. To estimate the non‐parametric link function, the functional single‐index and the parameters in the linear part, a two‐stage estimation procedure is proposed. Compared with existing semi‐parametric methods, the proposed approach requires no initial estimation and iteration. Asymptotical properties are established for both the parameters in the linear part and the functional single‐index. The convergence rate for the non‐parametric link function is also given. In addition, asymptotical normality of the error variance is obtained that facilitates the construction of confidence region and hypothesis testing for the unknown parameter. Numerical experiments including simulation studies and a real‐data analysis are conducted to evaluate the empirical performance of the proposed method.     

An F-type test for detecting departure from monotonicity in a functional linear model

When studying associations between a functional covariate and scalar response using a functional linear model (FLM), scientific knowledge may indicate possible monotonicity of the unknown parameter curve. In this context, we propose an F-type test of monotonicity, based on a full versus reduced nested model structure, where the reduced model with monotonically constrained parameter curve is nested within an unconstrained FLM. For estimation under the unconstrained FLM, we consider two approaches: penalised least-squares and linear mixed model effects estimation. We use a smooth then monotonise approach to estimate the reduced model, within the null space of monotone parameter curves. A bootstrap procedure is used to simulate the null distribution of the test statistic. We present a simulation study of the power of the proposed test, and illustrate the test using data from a head and neck cancer study.     

论“公海”定义的分歧及我国的应对策略

《联合国海洋法公约》并未对“公海”下一个明确的定义,这导致了“公海”定义的分歧.美国一直认为领海之外即公海,专属经济区属于公海的一部分.而我国的的立法意图是将专属经济区视为独立于公海的一个特殊海域,但这一理解未必能够得到条约法和习惯法上的支持.我国应在国内立法和双边条约中规定公海的定义,从国家实践和法律确信方面强化公海不包括专属经济区这一意图.     

Classical testing in functional linear models

We extend four tests common in classical regression – Wald, score, likelihood ratio and F tests – to functional linear regression, for testing the null hypothesis, that there is no association between a scalar response and a functional covariate. Using functional principal component analysis, we re-express the functional linear model as a standard linear model, where the effect of the functional covariate can be approximated by a finite linear combination of the functional principal component scores. In this setting, we consider application of the four traditional tests. The proposed testing procedures are investigated theoretically for densely observed functional covariates when the number of principal components diverges. Using the theoretical distribution of the tests under the alternative hypothesis, we develop a procedure for sample size calculation in the context of functional linear regression. The four tests are further compared numerically for both densely and sparsely observed noisy functional data in simulation experiments and using two real data applications.     

The sacred and the profane in life science work: The case of assisted reproduction laboratories

Reproductive medicine and assisted reproduction therapies have been developed over the last decades resulting in over five million babies. The handling of human reproductive materials and patients is based on the ability to combine health care work and techno-scientific expertise in both the clinic and the laboratory setting. This study of Swedish assisted reproductive technology clinics demonstrates that the active day-to-day manipulation of human reproductive materials enact both the ‘profane’, through treating the embryos as raw materials in standardized procedures enabling economies of scale, and the ‘sacred’ through enacting a separation, the potential to human life, the patients ordeals, and seriousness. The enactment of the profane and the sacred is mostly balanced but at certain points in the work procedures, their intersecting becomes particularly salient. Such points provide opportunities for the study of the sense making of professionals in organizational grey zones, during techno-scientific activities.     

论电子商务法的功能等同原则

通过对电子商务法功能等同原则基本内涵的剖析以及国际国内电子商务法对功能等同原则的体现，阐述了为什么只有电子商务法领域才有功能等同原则、功能等同原则是如何与其它原则一同构成电子商务法基本原则体系的、功能等同原则对立法和司法实践具有什么指导意义，并最终得出功能等同原则不应该长久地作为电子商务法的基本原则的结论。