Screening for prostate cancer by using random-effects models

Summary. Random-effects models are used to screen male participants in a long-term longitudinal study for prostate cancer. By using posterior probabilities, each male can be classified into one of four diagnostic states for prostate disease: normal, benign prostatic hyperplasia, local cancer and metastatic cancer. Repeated measurements of prostate-specific antigen, collected when there was no clinical evidence of prostate disease, are used in the classification process. An individual's screening data are considered one repeated measurement at a time as his data are collected longitudinally over time. Posterior probabilities are calculated on the basis of data from other individuals with confirmed diagnoses of each of the four diagnostic states.     

A collaborative university model for employee wellness

Universities are taking a more active approach in understanding and monitoring employees' modifiable health risk factors and chronic care conditions by developing strategies to encourage employees to start and sustain healthy behaviors. WellBama, the University of Alabama's signature health and wellness program, utilizes a collaborative model in partnership with select colleges and departments to implement strategies to improve employees' health status. The program provides onsite health screenings and assessments, timely health advising sessions, assistance in setting and monitoring individual health goals to promote improved health, and preventive examination referrals.     

Implicit Association Task and Perception of Homosexuality: Differences between African American and Non-Hispanic Caucasian Homosexual Males

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the relationship between sexual orientation and minority group membership in a sample of African American and non-Hispanic Caucasian (NHC) homosexual men. Participants competed measures of pathology, sexual orientation, and ethnic identity. They completed two IATs, one using homosexual symbols and the other ethnically diverse homosexual images. Results indicated that African American participants reported more ethnic and sexual orientation discriminatory experiences than NHC. It was also found that both groups exhibited a positive association toward gay symbols. Both groups also demonstrated a bias toward NHC homosexual images, although the bias was stronger for NHC participants. Moderation analyses indicated that as internalized homophobia increased, preference for gay NHC images decreased, and that high ethnically discriminatory experiences resulted in stronger associations between NHC images and “good” attributes. Overall, the results partially support the minority stress theory and highlight some important differences between African American and NHC homosexual men.     

Racialization in Public and Private: Memories of First Racial Experiences

Research suggests retention of childhood memories into adulthood requires such memories to hold a certain amount of importance. Therefore, initial racial memories likely play a role in one??s racialization process, or formulation of an understanding of race. This study uses data from 49 in-depth interviews with white undergraduate students on memories of their first experiences of race. Data generally fell into the categories of private and public racialization. Private racialization included accounts of events that took place at home, primarily consisting of racist joking, derogatory comments, and family storytelling. Public racialization consisted of events that took place outside the home, most commonly at school. Data also revealed interactions between private and public realms, where accommodations were made in private to control, minimize or restrict interracial contact in public.     

Component selection norms for principal components regression

Multicollinearity or near exact linear dependence among the vectors of regressor variables in a multiple linear regression analysis can have important effects on the quality of least squares parameter estimates. One frequently suggested approach for these problems is principal components regression. This paper investigates alternative variable selection procedures and their implications for such an analysis.     

The application of generalized ridge and stein-like general minimax rules to multicollinear data

We consider the use of minimax shrinkage estimators for the linear regression mcjel under several loss functions when severe multicollinearity is present. The examples considered illustrate that little or no departure from the least squares estimates is permitted in many cases when the data is highly multicollinear and/or shrinkage is toward a point in the parameter space that does not closely agree with the sample data     

Understanding congressional foreign policy innovators: Mapping entrepreneurs and their strategies

Since World War II, a small group of assertive MCs have chosen to lead on foreign policy issues about which they care, without waiting on the administration to take action. Significant foreign policy innovation has been the result. From the coldest days of the Cold War to the changed circumstances after 9/11, important congressional initiatives attributable to a few key individuals can be found. Drawing on an original quantitative dataset of post-World War II congressional foreign policy activity, interviews with members and their staffs, and primary and secondary research, this paper: (a) discusses the characteristics and impact of these policymakers; (b) develops categories of entrepreneurs, drawn from issues to which entrepreneurs have devoted their attention; and (c) derives strategies of entrepreneurship drawn from the activities and avenues utilized by the entrepreneurs.     

Family Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Risks of Financial Insecurity and Coping

During the COVID-19 pandemic, families have experienced unprecedented financial and social disruptions. We studied the impact of preexisting psychosocial factors and pandemic-related financial and social disruptions in relation to family well-being among N = 4091 adolescents and parents during early summer 2020, participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development^SM Study. Poorer family well-being was linked to prepandemic psychosocial and financial adversity and was associated with pandemic-related material hardship and social disruptions to routines. Parental alcohol use increased risk for worsening of family relationships, while a greater endorsement of coping strategies was mainly associated with overall better family well-being. Financial and mental health support may be critical for family well-being during and after a widespread crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.     

The Importance of Sex in the Lives of Women Living with HIV: A Critical Quantitative Analysis

The authors explored the importance of sex for 1,289 women living with HIV in Canada. Approximately half of women viewed sex as “very” (19.6%) or “somewhat” important (32.3%) and the remaining reported “neither important or unimportant” (22.0%), “somewhat unimportant” (5.4%), or “not at all important” (20.1%). Women who had a regular sex partner, identified as African, Caribbean, or Black, were more educated, believed HIV treatment prevents transmission, or had better physical health-related quality-of-life reported greater importance of sex, whereas those who were older, used illicit drugs, or experienced violence in adulthood reported lesser importance. Findings underscore the diversity of women's perspectives within the context of their lives.