The exponential–Weibull lifetime distribution

In this paper, we propose a new three-parameter model called the exponential–Weibull distribution, which includes as special models some widely known lifetime distributions. Some mathematical properties of the proposed distribution are investigated. We derive four explicit expressions for the generalized ordinary moments and a general formula for the incomplete moments based on infinite sums of Meijer's G functions. We also obtain explicit expressions for the generating function and mean deviations. We estimate the model parameters by maximum likelihood and determine the observed information matrix. Some simulations are run to assess the performance of the maximum likelihood estimators. The flexibility of the new distribution is illustrated by means of an application to real data.     

白居易融会三教的“中隐”思想及其仕隐心态

白居易的"中隐"思想是对传统仕隐观念的继承、整合和发展,其本质上既区别于隐于山林的"小隐",也与隐于朝市的"大隐"不同,而是隐于地方官、散官、闲官。它巧妙地平衡了集权专制与士大夫独立意识之间的矛盾,是一种能在入世与出世间进退裕如的处世哲学和生活方式。这一以仕求隐的隐逸观,较之魏晋时期"居官无官官之事,处事无事事之心"的仕宦态度要积极得多,它更圆融通达地调谐了身与心、职与事、仕与隐的矛盾,是白居易以儒治身、以佛道修心的人生哲学的具体体现。     

General results for the Kumaraswamy-G distribution

For any continuous baseline G distribution [G.M. Cordeiro and M. de Castro, A new family of generalized distributions, J. Statist. Comput. Simul. 81 (2011), pp. 883–898], proposed a new generalized distribution (denoted here with the prefix ‘Kw-G’ (Kumaraswamy-G)) with two extra positive parameters. They studied some of its mathematical properties and presented special sub-models. We derive a simple representation for the Kw-G density function as a linear combination of exponentiated-G distributions. Some new distributions are proposed as sub-models of this family, for example, the Kw-Chen [Z.A. Chen, A new two-parameter lifetime distribution with bathtub shape or increasing failure rate function, Statist. Probab. Lett. 49 (2000), pp. 155–161], Kw-XTG [M. Xie, Y. Tang, and T.N. Goh, A modified Weibull extension with bathtub failure rate function, Reliab. Eng. System Safety 76 (2002), pp. 279–285] and Kw-Flexible Weibull [M. Bebbington, C.D. Lai, and R. Zitikis, A flexible Weibull extension, Reliab. Eng. System Safety 92 (2007), pp. 719–726]. New properties of the Kw-G distribution are derived which include asymptotes, shapes, moments, moment generating function, mean deviations, Bonferroni and Lorenz curves, reliability, Rényi entropy and Shannon entropy. New properties of the order statistics are investigated. We discuss the estimation of the parameters by maximum likelihood. We provide two applications to real data sets and discuss a bivariate extension of the Kw-G distribution.     

Can art-based reflection help us cope with organisational change in the public sector?

Never before have public sector jobs been so threatened. Fear and anxiety have shifted their focus, from performance to survival. With reference to immediately contemporary works on the NHS in particular, such as Mandelstam (2011) and Leys and Player (2011), the paper establishes the factual validity of the crisis.

The authors conducted a series of workshops for public sector staff to enable them to explore their reactions to the current situation.

It is possible to identify increasing levels of denial and other forms of resistance to change similar to those first identified by Menzies' (1959). Drawing on the work of Bion (cited Obholzer & Roberts, 1994) the paper considers the dangers of a retreat to the paranoid schizoid position, and identifies a theoretical clue in Halton (2004) for turning the trauma of change into a creative opportunity.

Art has access to emotional, spiritual and creative facets of the human mind that science cannot explore. Klein's (1975) consideration of the infantile and regressive aspect of art is acknowledged. The paper then considers what is revealed by a study of specific works of art which were presented in the workshops; including paintings by Bosch, Rousseau, Breughel and Goya. The work of Zagier-Roberts (1998) and Winnicott (1971) is called upon to endorse the usefulness of such a playful collage of responses.

Art can be used to help people move through Kubler Ross' stages of bereavement (1997); not to acceptance but out of the paranoid schizoid position into the depressive position (Klein 1975). Revisiting the work of Halton (2004) and the concept of evolutionary creativity, a move on from the depressive position can begin. Collective validation can be affirmed through a rebooting of the essential public sector values while a radical turning away from organisational priorities, to face the service user, provides a more far reaching optimism than any envisaged by an essentially limited demand for modernisation.

In conclusion the paper considers the recent contributions of Dienst (2011) and Dumenil and Levy (2011) to advocate tactical resistance to the denigration of the public sphere.     

井壁稳定性分析在靖边气田水平井钻井设计中的应用简

井壁稳定性问题（即井壁坍塌破裂）会引起系列严重的井下卡钻井漏等事故。靖边气田在钻井过程中,钻遇的地层当中存在多煤层,井壁稳定性问题十分突出,在该地区水平井钻井设计当中进行井壁稳定性分析有着重要的意义。分析了井壁围岩应力分布规律并建立地层坍塌（破裂）压力计算模式,根据库仑-摩尔强度准则和最大拉应力破裂准则,计算井壁坍塌（破裂）压力与钻井液安全密度窗口。通过实验研究分析煤层坍塌压力和破裂压力随井斜角、方位角变化规律,提出合理的方位角优选方案,指导水平井钻井方案设计。     

Your position in society matters for how happy you are

This article shows that people's perception of their position in society is strongly correlated with their level of happiness, and thus that differences in happiness levels among countries in different welfare state clusters are influenced by people's perceptions of their relative position in society (subjective position). The study drew on data from the European Social Survey. Two important findings emerged from the analysis. First, an individual's subjective position in society is a more important predictor of happiness than objective measures such as income, education and labour market position. Second, the link between individuals’ perceived position in society and their level of happiness is moderated by the welfare state. In the Nordic countries, people's perceptions of their position in society have less influence on happiness whereas in Eastern European countries we found a strong connection between subjective position and happiness.     

Who “Fills in” for Siblings and How? A Multilevel Analysis of Personal Network Composition and Its Relationship to Sibling Size1

In the midst of widespread fertility decline, I examine the relationship between sibling number and support network composition using multilevel regression on data from 25 countries. A fundamental structural effect of having fewer siblings is that individuals have a smaller pool of available close‐kin alters with whom to construct support networks. Consequently, networks of people with fewer siblings should be composed of different sorts of relations. Results confirm that such compositional adjustment occurs in systematic ways. Compared to those with three or more siblings, adults with none to two siblings (as separate categories) are more likely to expect support from parents, extended kin, and close friends but not more likely to do so from spouses/partners and children. Single children are also more likely to include neighbors and have smaller‐sized and/or impersonal networks. These findings contradict the primacy of familial ties in social support networks. Moreover, adjustment of support networks towards nonsibling ties occurs in culturally expected ways. Those with fewer siblings are generally only more likely to turn to ties for the types of support typically associated with those relations—parents for instrumental and financial support and friends for emotional support. Single children, however, also violate institutionalized expectations of social support by turning to ties for a wider range of social support. The results suggest that continuing declines in fertility could bring about both reinforcement and rearticulation of the sociocultural framing of close personal relationships. Moreover, consistent with recent research, the results show that personal networks are influenced more by individual‐level than country‐level factors.     

农村女性流动打工经历对其家庭经济地位的影响

本文利用调查数据，对是否外出打工及不同类型打工地的农村女性家庭经济地位差异进行对比，考查在资源因素与文化规范变迁的多重影响下，不同的打工经历对农村女性家庭经济地位的影响及其发展变化。     

试论伦理思想在伊斯兰教中的核心地位

伊斯兰教是以道德为本的宗教。在伊斯兰教中 ,宗教信仰是基础 ,伦理道德是核心。离开信仰 ,道德无以寄托 ;离开道德 ,信仰无以落实。信仰之路也就是道德完善之路 ,信仰的最高境界也就是道德的至境。无论是伊斯兰兴教的出发点、最终目的 ,还是伊斯兰教的主旨 ,都说明伦理道德在伊斯兰教中居于核心地位。阐明伦理道德在伊斯兰教中的地位 ,对于我们正确理解伊斯兰教的真谛具有积极意义。