Contextual and ideological dimensions of attitudes toward discretionary abortion

This study examines the contextual and ideological dimensions of attitudes toward discretionary abortion using two national surveys. The abortion attitudes are dichotomized in terms of consistent opposition versus consistent support. Discriminant analysis, partial correlations, and stepwise regression procedures are used in the analysis. Findings indicate that education and attendance at religious services are the two most significant contextual dimensions and sexual permissiveness and fertility ideology are the two most significant ideological dimensions for explaining attitudes toward discretionary abortion. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Efficient Algorithms for Determining 3-D Bi-Plane Imaging Geometry

Biplane projection imaging is one of the primary methods for imaging and visualizing the cardiovascular system in medicine. A key problem in such a technique is to determine the imaging geometry (i.e., the relative rotation and translation) of two projections so that the 3-D structure can be accurately reconstructed. Based on interesting observations and efficient geometric techniques, we present in this paper new algorithmic solutions for this problem. Comparing with existing optimization-based approaches, our techniques yield better accuracy and have bounded execution time, thus is more suitable for on-line applications. Our techniques can easily detect outliers to further improve the accuracy.This research was supported in part by NIH under USPHS grant numbers HL52567.     

A NOTE ON SAMPLE QUANTILE PROCESSES OF FINITE POPULATIONS

A representation is established for sample quantile processes of simple random samples drawn without replacement from finite populations. The result is then used to obtain weak limits of properly normalized quantile processes and their linear functions.     

ON TWO-STAGE SUCCESSIVE SAMPLING

In repeated sampling enquiries application of method of successive sampling with partial replacement of units is advantageous. In this paper use of successive sampling technique when the sampling design is multi-stage has been studied. Estimates of population mean and its variance have been obtained (a) on the second occasion, and (b) on the h-th occasion under two systems of replacement, namely (i) by retaining only a fraction p of psu's along with their sample of ssu's, and (ii) by retaining all the psu's on the second occasion, but from each psu only a fraction p of the ssu's within them is retained. A cost function suitable to the design has been illustrated, with the help of data collected from a sample survey conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.     

On the Use of Superpopulation Model in Estimation of Population Mean in Two-Occasion Rotation Patterns

The present work is an attempt to study the estimation of the population mean on the current occasion in two-occasion successive (rotation) sampling under a superpopulation model. Six different estimators are proposed for estimating the current population mean in two-occasion successive (rotation) sampling. Optimum replacement policies and performances of the proposed estimators have been discussed. Results are interpreted via empirical studies.     

An Application of Matrix Power Series to Linear Models

In the system of two seemingly unrelated regressions, employing a matrix power series, we show that the two-stage estimator is better than the ordinary least square estimator (OLSE) in terms of the mean square error matrix (MSEM) criterion. The result enriches the existing literature and can be applied to many fields of applications related to economics and statistics.     

Some Classes of Estimators for the Population Median Using Auxiliary Information

This article considers some classes of estimators of the population median of the study variable using information on an auxiliary variable with their properties under large sample approximation. Asymptotic optimum estimator (AOE) in each class of estimators has been investigated along with the approximate mean square error formulae. It has been shown that the proposed classes of estimators are better than these considered by Gross (1980 Gross , T. S. ( 1980 ). Median estimation in sample surveys. Proc. Surv. Res. Meth. Sect. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 181–184 . [Google Scholar]), Kuk and Mak (1989 Kuk , A. Y. C. , Mak , T. K. ( 1989 ). Median estimation in the presence of auxiliary information . J. Roy. Statist. Soc. Ser. B51 : 261 – 269 . [Google Scholar]), Singh et al. (2003a Singh , H. P. , Singh , S. , Joarder , A. H. ( 2003a ). Estimation of population median when mode of an auxiliary variable is known . J. Statist. Res. 37 ( 1 ): 57 – 63 . [Google Scholar]), and Al and Cingi (2009 Al , S. , Cingi , H. ( 2009 ). New estimators for the population median in simple random sampling. Tenth Islamic Countries Conference on Statistical Sciences, held in New Cairo, Egypt . [Google Scholar]). An empirical study is carried out to judge the merits of the suggested class of estimators over other existing estimators.     

Effective Rotation Patterns Under Non Response in Two-Occasion Successive Sampling

This article intends to develop some effective rotation patterns with the aid of attractive imputation methods when the problems of non response occur in two-occasion successive sampling. Utilizing the information on p (p ??1) auxiliary variables regression methods of imputation have been considered and subsequently multiple linear regression type estimators are proposed to estimate the current population mean in two-occasion successive sampling. Proposed estimators are compared with the estimator for same situations but in the absence of non-response. Optimum replacement strategies of the respective estimators have been discussed and results are interpreted with the help of empirical studies. Conclusions and suitable recommendations are made.     

An Improved Procedure of Estimating the Finite Population Mean Using Auxiliary Information in the Presence of Random Non Response

This article deals with the problem of estimation of the finite population mean using auxiliary information in the presence of random non response. Three different situations where random non response occurs either in study variate, or in auxiliary variate, or in both the variates, have been discussed. The asymptotically optimum estimators (AOEs) for each strategy are also identified. Expressions of biases and mean squared errors of the proposed estimators have been derived up to the first degree of approximation. Proposed estimators have been compared with the usual unbiased estimator, ratio estimator, and product estimator in the presence of random non response. Empirical studies are also carried out to show the performance of the proposed estimators over other estimators.     

Some estimation procedures using a linear model in successive sampling

ABSTRACT

In successive sampling some recent works depict the use of super-population models where information on stable auxiliary variable over occasions has been utilized. Stability character of auxiliary variable may not sustain, if the duration between occasions is large. To cope with such situations, the present work is an attempt to develop some estimation procedures by utilizing the information on two independent auxiliary variables through a linear super-population model. Some estimators are proposed to estimate the current population mean in two occasions successive (rotation) sampling. Optimum replacement strategies are formulated and performances of the proposed estimators have been discussed. Results are interpreted through empirical studies.