Maximum likelihood estimation of variance components in a completely random bib design

ABSTRACT

The purposes of this paper are to abstract from a number of articles variance component estimation procedures which can be used for completely random balanced incomplete block designs, to develop an iterated least squares (ITLS) computing algorithm for calculating maximum likelihood estimates, and to compare these procedures by use of simulated experiments. Based on the simulated experiments, the estimated mean square errors of the ITLS estimates are generally less than*those for previously proposed analysis of variance and symmetric sums estimators.     

Erectile dysfunction is strongly linked with decreased libido in diabetic men

Erectile dysfunction frequently occurs with diabetes mellitus. A survey of diabetic men was conducted by anonymous questionnaire to investigate the associations of erectile dysfunction with various predictive factors. A total of 112 diabetic males without an obvious history of erectile dysfunction were available for analyses. The mean age and duration of diabetes were 53.7?±?12.2 years and 10.2?±?8.6 years (mean?±?standard deviation), respectively. The questionnaire included questions on the presence or absence of smoking, hypertension, libido and subjective symptoms of diabetic neuropathy that may be associated with erectile dysfunction. Analysis of the answers to the questionnaire revealed that 40% of the patients complained of erectile dysfunction (erection ‘always insufficient’). Erectile dysfunction was significantly correlated with age (p?=?0.005), but not with duration of diabetes (p?=?0.25), adjusted for age. Erectile dysfunction was also associated with sensory neuropathy and reduced libido, independently of age. The logistic regression analysis revealed that erectile dysfunction was positively associated with reduced libido and age. The odds ratio of erectile dysfunction for reduced compared to unreduced libido was 18.21, suggesting that psychogenic factors have a marked influence on erectile dysfunction. It is concluded that the presence of erectile dysfunction should be considered when symptoms related to diabetic neuropathy are observed; psychological approaches, such as sexual counseling, could be applied for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.     

Statistical techniques in stereology

Stereology typically concerns estimation of properties of a geometric structure from plane section information. This paperprovides a brief review of some statistical aspects of this rapidly developing field, with some reference to applications in the earth sciences. After an introductory discussion of the scope of stereology, section 2 briefly mentions results applicable when no assumptions can be made about the stochastic nature of the sampled matrix, statistical considerations then arising solelyfrom the ‘randomness’ of the plane section. The next two sections postulate embedded particles of specific shapes, the particular case of spheres being discussed in some detail.

References are made to results for ‘thin slices’ and other prob-ing mechanisms. Randomly located convex particles, of otherwise arbitrary shape, are discussed in section 5 and the review concludes with a specific application of stereological ideas to some data on neolithic mining.     

Editorial

Drawing on texts written by young people aged 14–17 years in a school context in response to an invitation to write a page describing themselves and their vision of Ireland and to use the reverse side creatively for drawings, poems or songs, this article illustrates the methodological difficulties of exploring globalization and individualization in such texts. The indicators of globalization were global entertainment and consumer culture, global technology, references to international travel, and global concerns. The indicators of individualization were the absence of references to structural location, or the presence of references to choices, hopes or plans and related images. There were insurmountable methodological difficulties in differentiating between individualization in these terms and stereotypical ways of ‘doing boy/girl’. Hence, the typology that was created focussed on the global content of the main texts and back pages and their gendered content.     

Interpretation and the Therapeutic Relationship: An Attempt at Integration

The term integrative psychotherapy can have a range of meanings. It can refer to integration between therapeutic approaches grounded in different theoretical frameworks as exemplified in Wachtel’s (Psychoanalysis and behavior therapy: toward an integration. Basic Books, New York, 1977) Psychoanalysis and Behavior Therapy. Many therapists informally practice this sort of integration when, in response to problems and issues presented by the patient, they intuitively borrow from a variety of approaches in their clinical work. Therapeutic integration can also refer to attempts at integration within a single broad therapeutic approach such as psychoanalytic or psychodynamic. This is the direction I will take in this article. My goal in this paper is to contribute to the possibility of integration among different theoretical approaches within psychoanalysis in a delimited area. The delimited area that I will focus on is the tension between an emphasis on interpretation and insight versus an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship as the primary agent of therapeutic change. Rather than an “either-or” position, I will show that integrating theories about both aspects of this process leads to a richer, more complex picture of what happens in psychodynamically-informed therapy.     

Failure Probability Under Parameter Uncertainty

In many problems of risk analysis, failure is equivalent to the event of a random risk factor exceeding a given threshold. Failure probabilities can be controlled if a decisionmaker is able to set the threshold at an appropriate level. This abstract situation applies, for example, to environmental risks with infrastructure controls; to supply chain risks with inventory controls; and to insurance solvency risks with capital controls. However, uncertainty around the distribution of the risk factor implies that parameter error will be present and the measures taken to control failure probabilities may not be effective. We show that parameter uncertainty increases the probability (understood as expected frequency) of failures. For a large class of loss distributions, arising from increasing transformations of location‐scale families (including the log‐normal, Weibull, and Pareto distributions), the article shows that failure probabilities can be exactly calculated, as they are independent of the true (but unknown) parameters. Hence it is possible to obtain an explicit measure of the effect of parameter uncertainty on failure probability. Failure probability can be controlled in two different ways: (1) by reducing the nominal required failure probability, depending on the size of the available data set, and (2) by modifying of the distribution itself that is used to calculate the risk control. Approach (1) corresponds to a frequentist/regulatory view of probability, while approach (2) is consistent with a Bayesian/personalistic view. We furthermore show that the two approaches are consistent in achieving the required failure probability. Finally, we briefly discuss the effects of data pooling and its systemic risk implications.     

Austin Turk,stratification reinforcers and reversals,and traffic ticket decisions by Boston police during April and May of 2001

Austin Turk theorizes that places in stratification hierarchies affect police–citizen encounters by reinforcing or reversing the positional authority of police officers. To this point, however, there have been only three direct tests of the stratification portions of Turk's theory. Two examined overt conflict and all represented Turk's concepts using aggregated measures. The results are mixed. The present research adds a fourth test to the stratification and policing literatures by examining the effects of aggregated as well as disaggregated measures of stratification reinforcers and reversals on traffic ticket decisions by Boston police officers during April and May of 2001. Net of important control measures, there is no support for Turk's theory using the aggregated stratification measures employed in previous research. However, support for Turk's theory is clearly visible when viewed through the lens of some of the disaggregated stratification measures advanced for the first time in present research. We conclude that more research is needed to determine whether stratification reinforcers and reversals are among the factors affecting people in police blue and the people they police, with a sustained focus on both aggregated and disaggregated measures.