A general hazard model for lifetime data in the presence of cure rate

Historically, the cure rate model has been used for modeling time-to-event data within which a significant proportion of patients are assumed to be cured of illnesses, including breast cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, prostate cancer, melanoma, and head and neck cancer. Perhaps the most popular type of cure rate model is the mixture model introduced by Berkson and Gage [1]. In this model, it is assumed that a certain proportion of the patients are cured, in the sense that they do not present the event of interest during a long period of time and can found to be immune to the cause of failure under study. In this paper, we propose a general hazard model which accommodates comprehensive families of cure rate models as particular cases, including the model proposed by Berkson and Gage. The maximum-likelihood-estimation procedure is discussed. A simulation study analyzes the coverage probabilities of the asymptotic confidence intervals for the parameters. A real data set on children exposed to HIV by vertical transmission illustrates the methodology.     

On the improvement of one-sided S control charts

The most common charting procedure used for monitoring the variance of the distribution of a quality characteristic is the S control chart. As a Shewhart-type control chart, it is relatively insensitive in the quick detection of small and moderate shifts in process variance. The performance of the S chart can be improved by supplementing it with runs rules or by varying the sample size and the sampling interval. In this work, we introduce and study one-sided adaptive S control charts, supplemented or not with one powerful runs rule, for detecting increases or decreases in process variation. The properties of the proposed control schemes are obtained by using a Markov chain approach. Furthermore, a practical guidance for the choice of the most suitable control scheme is also provided.     

ROC Curves in Non‐Parametric Location‐Scale Regression Models

Abstract. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is a tool of extensive use to analyse the discrimination capability of a diagnostic variable in medical studies. In certain situations, the presence of a covariate related to the diagnostic variable can increase the discriminating power of the ROC curve. In this article, we model the effect of the covariate over the diagnostic variable by means of non‐parametric location‐scale regression models. We propose a new non‐parametric estimator of the conditional ROC curve and study its asymptotic properties. We also present some simulations and an illustration to a data set concerning diagnosis of diabetes.     

Two‐sample empirical likelihood ratio tests for medians in application to biomarker evaluations

The median is a commonly used parameter to characterize biomarker data. In particular, with two vastly different underlying distributions, comparing medians provides different information than comparing means; however, very few tests for medians are available. We propose a series of two‐sample median‐specific tests using empirical likelihood methodology and investigate their properties. We present the technical details of incorporating the relevant constraints into the empirical likelihood function for in‐depth median testing. An extensive Monte Carlo study shows that the proposed tests have excellent operating characteristics even under unfavourable occasions such as non‐exchangeability under the null hypothesis. We apply the proposed methods to analyze biomarker data from Western blot analysis to compare normal cells with bronchial epithelial cells from a case–control study. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 39: 671–689; 2011. © 2011 Statistical Society of Canada     

High‐frequency family contact: a road to nowhere for infants

Understanding the practices which support the best interests of infants when placed in out‐of‐home care in the first year of life is a significant challenge. A study based in Victoria, Australia, explored the practice by the Children's Court of ordering high‐frequency contact (4–7 days a week) with the infant's mother and father when they are placed in care in the first year of life. A literature review revealed little attention to the issue of frequency of family contact for infants. An audit of case files of all infants in care in mid‐2007 showed that at 1 year follow‐up, there was no difference in the reunification rate for children with a period of high‐frequency contact and those with less contact with their mothers and fathers. Focus groups revealed deep divisions of opinion about high‐frequency family contact which are played out in the adversarial Children's Court system in Victoria. The study highlights the complexity of understanding and supporting the attachment relationships at this critical period in the infant's life.     

农产品质量监测信息系统的设计与实现

在农产品质量监测信息系统的需求分析基础上,提出了农产品质量监测信息数据的分析与处理方法,设计了农产品质量监测信息系统,给出了农产品质量监测信息系统的实现方法。本系统采用采用面向对象的MVC模型技术路线设计,运用物联网技术与农产品质量安全监测技术,实现对农产品质量安全的监控和管理。     

A new role for Low German? Language insertion as bilingual practice in the process of language shift

This article analyzes language insertion as a bilingual communicative practice, applying a functional, speaker‐focused approach to the study of sociolinguistics and language contact. The article is based on a study of contact phenomena in a formerly diglossic region in Northern Germany, where the previously spoken language – Low German – is in the process of being replaced by the dominant standard variety, German. It examines regional publications in order to establish the linguistic techniques by which Low German elements are incorporated into the Standard German texts and the communicative purposes that they serve. The paper concludes that in the process of language shift an emblematic repertoire from Low German is created which can be applied into the dominant contact language, German, for specific communicative purposes. Ausgehend von einer funktionalen, sprecherzentrierten soziolinguistischen Herangehensweise werden im folgenden Artikel bilinguale Einfügungen als Form mehrsprachiger kommunikativer Praxis untersucht. Die Studie analysiert Kontaktphänomene in einer vormals diglossischen Region Norddeutschlands, in der die gesprochene Sprache Niederdeutsch zunehmend von der dominanten Kontaktsprache Deutsch ersetzt wird. Im Artikel werden regionale Publikationen untersucht, um die sprachlichen Techniken heraus zu arbeiten, mit denen niederdeutsche Elemente in den Text integriert werden und welche kommunikativen Funktionen mit ihnen verbunden sind. Der Artikel kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass während eines Prozesses von fortschreitendem Sprachverlust ein emblematisches niederdeutsches Repertoire geschaffen wird, das für spezifische Funktionen in die dominante Kontaktsprache Deutsch eingefügt werden kann. [Standard German] In disse Artikel geiht dat um Insprengsels van en Spraak in en anner. De Autor hett unnersöcht un lett weten, dat in Noorddüütskland as en tweetalerge Kuntrei immer mehr de sproken Spraak Nedderdüütsk van de machterge Kuntaktspraak Hoogdüütsk bisieddrückt un oflööst word. Se hett Schrifftstücken ut de Gewesten unnersöcht un deit wiesen, up wat för Maneren nedderdüütske Insprengsels in hoogdüütske Texten inbunnen worden. Daarbi kummt vandag, dat en egenaardig nedderdüütsk Weeswark upkummt, dat bi besünner Gelegenheiden in dat Hoogdüütsk sien Stee kriegen kann. [Low German]     

基于非参数 ACE变换的贝叶斯非线性协整检验

针对线性以及非线性协整检验存在模型参数过多、小样本条件下检验功效偏低的问题,提出基于非参数 ACE变换的贝叶斯非线性协整 VAR模型, 运用 ACE算法进行变量变换, 结合参数的完全条件分布设计 Gibbs抽样方案, 进行贝叶斯非线性协整检验, 并利用 MonteCarlo仿真研究了贝叶斯非线性协整方法的检验势, 发现贝叶斯非线性协整比经典 Johansen法具有更高更稳健的检验势;同时, 对中国城市和农村居民消费价格指数序列进行实证分析.研究结果表明:贝叶斯非线性协整方法解决了模型中参数过多、小样本条件下检验功效偏低的问题,提高了估计的精确度和检验的准确性     

数字网络环境下学术期刊传播方式的变革及因应策略

数字网络技术的迅速发展,给学术期刊的出版模式、编辑方式以及学术评价方式带来了一系列的变革与创新,但同时由于网络期刊发展的不充分、不完备,也使网络学术期刊的传播存在这样或那样一些问题:依托权威数据库上网,学术期刊的主体性丧失;学术期刊网络版发展空间受到局限;内容创新受到制约,等等。要真正发挥数字网络传播的优势,促进学术期刊的更大发展,就必须进行编辑观念的网络化转向,真正实现由期刊上网向网络期刊的转化;创办自己的学术期刊网站,建构各种模式的学术期刊网络站群;优化学术评价机制,促进学术创新;加强编辑队伍建设,促进网络学术期刊的健康发展。     

信仰的跨文化传播经验视野下的马克思主义中国化探索

人类文明史上不同信仰体系曾经历了长期的跨文化传播过程,从世界性宗教传播的历史经验来看,成功的跨文化传播必须在保持核心价值的前提下对信仰体系进行重新解释和形式变通,实现与传入地文化环境的有机融合。在吸收外来信仰方面中国社会有独特的机制和能力,佛教中国化的过程提供了思考这一问题的丰富经验。马克思主义传入中国后也曾面临着与佛教传入类似的环境,中国共产党人坚持了正确的吸收学习方法,在长期的实践和思考中澄清迷雾排除障碍,创造性传播和发展了马克思主义,形成了马克思主义中国化的伟大成就。