Rank- and sign-dependent linear utility models for finite first-order gambles

Finite first-order gambles are axiomatized. The representation combines features of prospect and rank-dependent theories. What is novel are distinctions between gains and losses and the inclusion of a binary operation of joint receipt. In addition to many of the usual structural and rationality axioms, joint receipt forms an ordered concatenation structure with special features for gains and losses. Pfanzagl's (1959) consistency principle is assumed for gains and losses separately. The nonrational assumption is that a gamble of gains and losses is indifferent to the joint receipt of its gains pitted against the status quo and of its losses against the status quo.Reprints may be obtained from either author. Luce's work was supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation grant IRI-8996149 to the University of California, Irvine.     

Women’s health and pregnancy outcomes: Do services make a difference?

We use data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey to investigate the impact of a major expansion in access to midwifery services on health and pregnancy outcomes for women of reproductive age. Between 1990 and 1998 Indonesia trained some 50,000 midwives. Between 1993 and 1997 these midwives tended to be placed in relatively poor communities that were relatively distant from health centers. We show that additions of village midwives to communities between 1993 and 1997 are associated with a significant increase in body mass index in 1997 relative to 1993 for women of reproductive age, but not for men or for older women. The presence of a village midwife during pregnancy is also associated with increased birthweight. Both results are robust to the inclusion of community-level fixed effects, a strategy that addresses many of the concerns about biases because of nonrandom program placement.     

Views of euthanasia from an east Texas university

Euthanasia has become a subject of public debate and concern. Here we examine the views of euthanasia among students at an east Texas university. Roughly three-fourths are in favor of euthanasia -similar to the general public. Because the university is located in a conservative geographical area, this result suggests growing approval of the various forms of euthanasia and doctor assisted death. While no significant differences were found between the three student major groups -Liberal Arts, Science and Business, some demographic differences were found within the groups. Mainly, African American female Science majors are the most opposed to euthanasia whereas Caucasian male Science majors are the most in favor and the most likely to use a scientific definition of death. The views of the latter group contrast notably with practicing doctors who lag behind the public in their approval of euthanasia. Student views might reflect a cohort difference, a lack of professional experience, or a growing trend among medical practitioners. Liberal Arts majors are the most conservative of the three groups, indicating nonscientific reasons for opposition. Resistance to euthanasia is apparently associated with demographics and nonscientific reasoning.     

Improved inference for areal unit count data using graph-based optimisation

Statistics and Computing - Profile likelihood confidence intervals are a robust alternative to Wald’s method if the asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimator are not met....