Regions of alternatives with high and low power for goodness-of-fit tests

In the present paper we find finite dimensional spaces W of alternatives with high power for a given class of tests and non-parametric alternatives. On the orthogonal complement of W the power function is flat. These methods can be used to reduce the dimension of interesting alternatives. We sketch a device how to calculate (approximately) an alternative with maximum power of a fixed test on a given ball of certain non-parametric alternatives.

The calculations are done within different asymptotic models specified by signal detection tests. Specific tests are Kolmogorov–Smirnov type tests, integral tests (like the Anderson and Darling test) and Rényi tests for hazard based models. The statistical meaning and interpretation of the spaces of alternatives with high power is discussed. These alternatives belong to least favorable directions of a class of statistical functionals which are linear combinations of quantile functions. For various cases their meaning is explained for parametric submodels, in particular for location alternatives.     

Sexuality in Older Adults (65+)—An Overview of The Recent Literature,Part 2: Body Image and Sexual Satisfaction

Objectives: the aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the literature published 2005-2015 on sexual satisfaction and body image in older adults. Method: A narrative literature search using the PsycINFO database was conducted. Results: Although women in general seem less satisfied with their bodies than men, particularly in sexual contexts, older women appear to be less vulnerable to body-related dissatisfaction than younger women. Despite the age-specific dynamics of sexual satisfaction and sexual well-being, which parallel age-related decrease in the frequency of sexual activity, research findings from different countries show that substantial proportions of aging men and women are satisfied with their sex life. There is some limited evidence that this proportion may be increasing across cohorts. Gender differences in factors that influence sexual satisfaction among older adults appear marginal. Conclusion: Older age can affect sexual satisfaction on individual, interpersonal, and culture-related levels. Future research in older adults' sexuality should focus on sexual well-being in women who are without partners, sexual satisfaction among aging lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and couples, the relationship between religiosity and sexual satisfaction, and employ a comparative, cross-cultural approach.     

Maintaining mastery despite age related losses. The resilience narratives of two older women in need of long-term community care

The aim of this article is to examine how older people mobilise sources of strength, often denoted under the concept of resilience, to maintain mastery over their lives in the context of significant threats to their function. Departing from a relational approach to resilience, we focus on how they cooperate and interact with significant others to achieve their personal goals. This is illustrated by the narratives of two older women. The concept of resilience helps us to reflect on their stories and to gain an in-depth understanding of the mediating sources of strength older people rely on when encountering the losses associated with old age. The narratives of the women show that what on the surface appears to be a similar burden to a life or function, turned out to be interpreted and responded to in a different way. Maintaining mastery in old age is a symbolic and interactional process, and a shared responsibility for older persons and their social environment. Important mediating sources of strength that turn out to influence positively one's sense of mastery include a positive perception of one's situation, openness about one's vulnerability and responsiveness to help. In order to promote older people's sense of mastery, significant others need to approach them in a positive way, by being aware of the way support is offered, by believing in their potential and strength and by allowing reciprocity in the relationship. When these conditions are fulfilled, it becomes possible to enter into a constructive dialogue and recommendations can be developed – in terms of treatment – that are consistent with the older persons' values and expectations.     

Automatic processes and the appraisal of sexual stimuli: Toward an information processing model of sexual arousal

A model of sexual arousal is presented that highlights the interaction between automatic and controlled cognitive processes and proposes that different levels of cognitive processing can differentially affect subjective and physiological sexual arousal. In addition, two studies are presented in which the role of automatic processes was explored using a priming paradigm. Subjects were sexually functional men. In the first study an effect of priming was found on penile erection. Unexpectedly, responses were lower in sexual than in neutral trials. In the second study support was found, using a behavioral measure (decision time), for the notion that the meaning of sexual stimuli can be perceived in a fast, automatic manner. Priming was most successful at lower levels of stimulus accessibility. The model and experimental approach presented in this article render starting points for new research on response discordance, gender differences in the processing of sexual stimuli, and inhibition of sexual response.     

Conditional Studentized Survival Tests for Randomly Censored Models

It is shown that in the case of heterogenous censoring distributions Studentized survival tests can be carried out as conditional permutation tests given the order statistics and their censoring status. The result is based on a conditional central limit theorem for permutation statistics. It holds for linear test statistics as well as for sup-statistics. The procedure works under one of the following general circumstances for the two-sample problem: the unbalanced sample size case, highly censored data, certain non-convergent weight functions or under alternatives. For instance, the two-sample log rank test can be carried out asymptotically as a conditional test if the relative amount of uncensored observations vanishes asymptotically as long as the number of uncensored observations becomes infinite. Similar results hold whenever the sample sizes and are unbalanced in the sense that and hold.     

Variations in the pace of old-age mortality decline in seven European countries, 1950–1999: the role of smoking and other factors earlier in life

We examine the variations in the pace of old-age (80+) mortality decline in seven European countries, from 1950 to 1999. Marked variations were found between countries, periods and sexes. While mortality declines were strong in France and England and Wales, modest or no mortality declines were seen in the 1950s and 1960s in the Nordic countries, and since the 1980s in Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway (men only). For non-smoking-related mortality, a high and consistent pace of mortality decline was observed. Mortality decline stagnated among men born between 1890 and 1899, but persisted among women born between 1847 and 1937. The pace of old-age mortality decline correlated with the pace of mortality decline at ages 60–69 among the same cohorts, but only among men and not for non-smoking-related mortality. Smoking, thus, seems more important than other factors originating earlier in life. Our results furthermore indicate substantial future declines in old-age mortality.     

Fashions, habits and changing preferences: Simulation of psychological factors affecting market dynamics

Markets can show different types of dynamics, from quiet markets dominated by one or few products, to markets with constant penetration of new and reintroduced products. This paper explores the dynamics of markets from a psychological perspective using a multi-agent simulation model. The behavioural rules of the artificial consumers, the consumats, are based on a conceptual meta-theory from psychology. The artificial consumers have to choose each period between similar products. Products remain in the market as long as they maintain a minimum level of market share, else they will be replaced by a new product. Assuming a population of consumats with different preferences, and social networks, the model simulates adoption of new products for alternative assumptions on behavioural rules. Furthermore, the consequences of changing preferences and the size of social networks are explored. Results show that the behavioural rules that dominate the artificial consumer's decision making determine the resulting market dynamics, such as fashions, lock-in and unstable renewal. Results also show the importance of psychological variables like social networks, preferences and the need for identity to explain the dynamics of markets.     

Insight into “Calculated Risk”: An Application to the Prioritization of Emerging Infectious Diseases for Blood Transfusion Safety

Increasing identification of transmissions of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) by blood transfusion raised the question which of these EIDs poses the highest risk to blood safety. For a number of the EIDs that are perceived to be a threat to blood safety, evidence on actual disease or transmission characteristics is lacking, which might render measures against such EIDs disputable. On the other hand, the fact that we call them “emerging” implies almost by definition that we are uncertain about at least some of their characteristics. So what is the relative importance of various disease and transmission characteristics, and how are these influenced by the degree of uncertainty associated with their actual values? We identified the likelihood of transmission by blood transfusion, the presence of an asymptomatic phase of infection, prevalence of infection, and the disease impact as the main characteristics of the perceived risk of disease transmission by blood transfusion. A group of experts in the field of infectious diseases and blood transfusion ranked sets of (hypothetical) diseases with varying degrees of uncertainty associated with their disease characteristics, and used probabilistic inversion to obtain probability distributions for the weight of each of these risk characteristics. These distribution weights can be used to rank both existing and newly emerging infectious diseases with (partially) known characteristics. Analyses show that in case there is a lack of data concerning disease characteristics, it is the uncertainty concerning the asymptomatic phase and the disease impact that are the most important drivers of the perceived risk. On the other hand, if disease characteristics are well established, it is the prevalence of infection and the transmissibility of the disease by blood transfusion that will drive the perceived risk. The risk prioritization model derived provides an easy to obtain and rational expert assessment of the relative importance of an (emerging) infectious disease, requiring only a limited amount of information. Such a model might be used to justify a rational and proportional response to an emerging infectious disease, especially in situations where little or no specific information is available.     

Turning sexual science into news: sex research and the media.

In this article we report on the findings of a two-part project investigating contemporary issues in sexuality researchers' interaction with journalists. The goal of the project was to explore best practices and suggest curricular and training initiatives for sexuality researchers and journalists that would enhance the accurate dissemination of sexuality research results in the media. We present the results of a survey of a convenience sample of 94 sexuality researchers about their experiences and concerns regarding media coverage and a summary of the main themes that emerged from an invitational conference of sexuality researchers and journalists. In addition, we present some preliminary recommendations for training and best practices. Topics assessed include reporting accuracy; sex researchers' comfort with various topics, media, and journalists; researchers' perceptions of the purpose and content of articles; concern about the impact of media coverage; and training for sexuality researchers.