Blinded continuous monitoring in clinical trials with recurrent event endpoints

In studies with recurrent event endpoints, misspecified assumptions of event rates or dispersion can lead to underpowered trials or overexposure of patients. Specification of overdispersion is often a particular problem as it is usually not reported in clinical trial publications. Changing event rates over the years have been described for some diseases, adding to the uncertainty in planning. To mitigate the risks of inadequate sample sizes, internal pilot study designs have been proposed with a preference for blinded sample size reestimation procedures, as they generally do not affect the type I error rate and maintain trial integrity. Blinded sample size reestimation procedures are available for trials with recurrent events as endpoints. However, the variance in the reestimated sample size can be considerable in particular with early sample size reviews. Motivated by a randomized controlled trial in paediatric multiple sclerosis, a rare neurological condition in children, we apply the concept of blinded continuous monitoring of information, which is known to reduce the variance in the resulting sample size. Assuming negative binomial distributions for the counts of recurrent relapses, we derive information criteria and propose blinded continuous monitoring procedures. The operating characteristics of these are assessed in Monte Carlo trial simulations demonstrating favourable properties with regard to type I error rate, power, and stopping time, ie, sample size.     

网络视频实时在线评论用户认可度的影响因素

目前，网络视频实时在线评论激增带来的信息爆炸，使实时在线评论信息管理成为重要议题。以往对实时在线评论的研究多集中于个人行为结果方面，而缺乏对实时在线评论信息管理问题的关注；同时，现有视频网站对实时在线评论信息的管理也存在诸多局限。以爱奇艺视频网站热度榜中的电影为样本，基于信息质量维度框架并采用Tobit模型对实时在线评论用户认可度的影响因素进行研究，结果发现：实时在线评论的新颖性、相似性、情感倾向性和信息丰富性，均对实时在线评论的用户认可度存在显著影响，其中新颖性和相似性影响作用最大。视频网站可以据此进一步强化实时在线评论管理，改善用户的体验，保持用户的粘性。     

论作为创新信息系统的专利制度

专利制度发挥着一种受信赖的信息系统之作用，它被视为信息可靠性的保障，降低了发明信息的传递成本和交易成本。它所意欲促进扩散的创新信息不仅指技术信息，还包括与技术相关的非技术信息。非技术信息对于技术扩散也具有重要的意义，但其价值常常被人们漠视，其原因在于人们对专利制度如何促进技术信息扩散的作用机理产生了错误的认识。专利制度不仅应该通过公开充分性制度来实现技术信息的扩散，它还需要通过权利要求解释、侵权救济与权利例外等制度的完善来实现非技术信息的扩散。因此，传统上的“专利公开”概念应该予以拓宽。     

全连接世界的融传播

智媒体技术为各种传播形态的信息提供了“全连接”的技术支撑，人类社会自此从有信息传播边界的传统媒体时代的人际传播、群体传播、组织传播的社会生活场域，进入到信息传播边界消逝后的全连接世界。在互联网场域，信息从人际传播到群体传播再到大众传播，为此从媒介环境学角度提出“融传播”概念，分析智能媒体时代熟人社交的失控，无边界控制的赛博空间对人的多元身份确认的困惑，智媒技术对人的“监控”等对人类社会生活产生的诸多影响，并反思拟真世界中的人际沟通。     

路演中董事长面部表情与IPO后公司业绩变脸

投资者是否可以利用“软”信息来识别公司的真实价值?社会心理学理论认为人在提供虚假信息(如撒谎)的时候会流露出负面情绪,进而反映到面部表情上。论文以2009年至2014年在创业板上市的公司为样本,分析公司上市后的业绩变脸幅度与其董事长在IPO路演讲话时的负面情绪水平之间的关系。为了提高结论的可靠性,本研究首先基于实验室实验方法设计欺骗行为实验,检验了Facereader软件测量面部表情给出的负面情绪值与欺骗行为之间的相关性。本研究指出可以利用董事长在IPO路演讲话的面部表情来识别公司的真实价值,该结论为保护投资者利益提供了一条新的途径。     

Predicting Condom Use Outcomes via the Information Motivation Behavioral Skills Model: An Analysis of Young Black Men

Objectives: This study examines the relationships between information motivation behavioral skills model constructs and their associations with consistent condom use and condom use problems among young Black men. Methods: The authors use baseline data collected from 702 participants in a randomized controlled trial. Analyses involved path modeling and bootstrapped standard errors to estimate associations. Results: Motivation had the largest association with consistent condom use, whereas condom application skills had the largest association with condom use problems. Conclusion: Motivation is the most important predictor of consistent condom use, whereas condom application skills are the most important predictor of condom use problems.     

An algorithmic approach to construct D-optimal saturated designs for logistic model

In this paper, locally D-optimal saturated designs for a logistic model with one and two continuous input variables have been constructed by modifying the famous Fedorov exchange algorithm. A saturated design not only ensures the minimum number of runs in the design but also simplifies the row exchange computation. The basic idea is to exchange a design point with a point from the design space. The algorithm performs the best row exchange between design points and points form a candidate set representing the design space. Naturally, the resultant designs depend on the candidate set. For gain in precision, intuitively a candidate set with a larger number of points and the low discrepancy is desirable, but it increases the computational cost. Apart from the modification in row exchange computation, we propose implementing the algorithm in two stages. Initially, construct a design with a candidate set of affordable size and then later generate a new candidate set around the points of design searched in the former stage. In order to validate the optimality of constructed designs, we have used the general equivalence theorem. Algorithms for the construction of optimal designs have been implemented by developing suitable codes in R.     

Agency and fatalism in older Appalachian women’s information seeking about gynecological cancer

Researchers consider older women in rural Appalachia to have low levels of agency and high levels of fatalism regarding decision making about cancer treatment. Using the life course perspective, we examined older women’s agency with information seeking about gynecological cancer. Semistructured interviews with 20 White women living in central Appalachia revealed four trajectories: Surrendering Control, Accepting Death, Self-Care, and Advocacy, each with its own forms of agency. Some women experienced personal transformation, increased self-efficacy, and a passion for community empowerment. Fatalism was not understood apart from placing trust in medical expertise. We implore researchers to further explore rural expressions of agency.