The Jackknife estimate of covariance of two Kaplan–Meier integrals with covariables

In this paper the Jackknife estimate of covariance of two Kaplan–Meier integrals with covariates is introduced. Its strong consistency is established under mild conditions. Several applications of the estimator are discussed.     

Expanded renal transplantation: a competing risk model approach

Multi-state models (MSMs) are useful to analyze survival data when, besides the event of main interest, one or more intermediate states of the individual are identified. These models take the several existing states and the possible transitions among them into account. At the same time, covariate effects on each transition intensity may be investigated separately and, therefore, MSMs are more flexible than the standard Cox proportional hazards model. In this work, we use MSMs to investigate the impact of the quality of a transplanted kidney for a group of patients at the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Specifically, we use an illness-death model to study the evolution of patients with kidney disease who received a renal transplant after a dialysis period. The intermediate state is defined as the failure of the received organ, while the terminating state is the death of the patient. In order to increase the potential number of organs available for transplant, the standards of quality for the transplanted kidneys were relaxed (the new criteria are labeled expanded criteria), and these ‘expanded kidneys’ were transplanted in appropriate candidates (older patients, with higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus). Results suggest that the expanded kidneys have a minor effect on survival, while both the kidney mortality and the risk of death increase with the patient's age and the serum creatinine and serum hemoglobin levels.     

Small Area Estimation Using Estimated Population Level Auxiliary Data

Unit level linear mixed models are often used in small area estimation (SAE), and the empirical best linear unbiased prediction (EBLUP) is widely used for the estimation of small area means under such models. However, EBLUP requires population level auxiliary data, atleast area specific aggregated values. Sometimes population level auxiliary data is either not available or not consistent with the survey data. We describe a SAE method that uses estimated population auxiliary information. Empirical results show that proposed method for SAE produces an efficient set of small area estimates.     

Ethnicity as a risk indicator for musculoskeletal disease, long consultation times and care utilization A prospective visitor study of 438 consecutive adult consultations of a primary health care centre

This article shows the influence of ethnicity (people born outside Sweden and in Sweden) and social class (socioeconomic class) on the distribution of diagnoses, consultation time and health care utilization in primary health care controlled for sex, age, marital status and educational level. The study was designed as a prospective primary health care utilization study during 7 consecutive weeks. Of a total of 439 adults who lived in the residential area, 290 were born in Sweden and 149 were born elsewhere. The data were analysed unmatched with logistic regression and Poisson regression in main effect models. People born outside Sweden received significantly more diagnoses per consultation than people born in Sweden. The strongest independent risk indicator for musculoskeletal disease was being born outside Sweden, with an estimated odds ratio (OR) of 5.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.70–8.72. Age over 44 was associated with increased odds for musculoskeletal disease. Respiratory disease, as an indicator of less serious disease, were significantly less common among people born outside Sweden (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.33–0.87). Being born outside Sweden was a risk indicator for consultations longer than 30 minutes (OR = 3.03, 95% CI=1.18–7.43). There were no differences between people born in Sweden and those born elsewhere in health and utilization. Social class was not associated with any of the dependent variables.     

人是思维运动的唯一主体

思维运动主体不是人脑，而是从事社会实践的人。近代形而上学唯物主义把人脑看作是思维运动的主体，虽然肯定了思维运动主体的物质性，但却忽视了它的社会实践性。马克思主义哲学从实践出发理解现存世界和人的思维，把实践看作“人的思维的最本质和最切近的基础”，将从事社会实践活动的人确立为思维运动的主体，从而在思维运动主体上实现了物质性、实践性和社会性三者的有机统一。     

Benchmarking for small- to medium-sized enterprises

This paper identifies which benchmarking databases are available for small- to medium-sized enterprises and the best way to conduct a benchmarking project given the limiting factors which exist at the present time. First, the meaning of benchmarking and performance measures, and their importance to an enterprise are explained. Second, frameworks for the identification of critical performance measures are considered. Third, different types of industrial benchmarking are identified and defined. Fourth, publicly accessible databases are critically reviewed against the requirements of industrial benchmarking. Fifth, the results of the critical review are presented in tabular form. Sixth, conclusions are drawn as how best to proceed with a benchmarking project at the present time. Seventh, recommendations for how best to address the issues raised by the critical review are presented.     

Models for two-way contingency tables

We derive a theoretical and parametrized form for a two-way contingency table by using matrix calculus and Kronecker products.