The Rural/Urban Volunteering Divide

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - Are rural residents more likely to volunteer than those living in urban places? Although early sociological theory posited...     

Infants born full term and preterm increase the height of anti-gravity leg movements during a kick-activated mobile task using a scaffolded task environment

Prior research supports that infants born very preterm (PT), compared with full term (FT), have early differences in rate of learning and motor control that may hinder their ability to learn challenging motor tasks. Four-month-old infants born FT (n = 18) and PT (n = 18) participated in an infant kick-activated mobile task that was scaffolded to motivate progressively higher kicks. We found the FT group learned the association between their leg movements and mobile activation on the second day, but the PT group learned the association on the third day. Both groups of infants increased the height of their kicks on the day they learned the task, compared with their spontaneous kicking height. These findings suggest that infants born PT have the ability to learn challenging motor tasks, such as kicking high, when participating in a task environment that uses scaffolding.     

Bayesian variable selection for the Cox regression model with missing covariates

In this paper, we develop Bayesian methodology and computational algorithms for variable subset selection in Cox proportional hazards models with missing covariate data. A new joint semi-conjugate prior for the piecewise exponential model is proposed in the presence of missing covariates and its properties are examined. The covariates are assumed to be missing at random (MAR). Under this new prior, a version of the Deviance Information Criterion (DIC) is proposed for Bayesian variable subset selection in the presence of missing covariates. Monte Carlo methods are developed for computing the DICs for all possible subset models in the model space. A Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) dataset is used to illustrate the proposed methodology.     

On the problem of selecting good populations

The problem of selecting good populations out of k normal populations is considered in a Bayesian framework under exchangeable normal priors and additive loss functions. Some basic approximations to the Bayes rules are discussed. These approximations suggest that some well-known classical rules are "approximate" Bayes rules. Especially, it is shown that Gupta-type rules are extended Bayes with respect to a family of the exchangeable normal priors for any bounded and additive loss function. Furthermore, for a simple loss function, the results of a Monte Carlo comparison of Gupta-type rules and Seal-type rules are presented. They indicate that, in general, Gupta-type rules perform better than Seal-type rules     

Change point test of tail index for autoregressive processes

In this paper, we extend the change point test for tail index proposed by Quintos, Fan, and Phillips (2001) to that based on autoregressive residuals. It is shown that the asymptotic null distribution of the test remains the same as that of the version in i.i.d. samples. A simulation study is carried out for illustration.     

Asset Ownership of New Asian Immigrants in the United States

This study examined the asset ownership of Asian immigrants using a nationally representative sample of newly legalized immigrants (New Immigrant Survey). Findings revealed that ownership of a business or farm, financial assets, and home ownership were associated with socioeconomic, demographic, and acculturation variables. Family income, education, English fluency, and length of stay were significant in all types of asset ownership. Variances in asset ownership by ethnic groups exist. Asian Indians and Koreans had higher levels of business asset ownership. Korean, and Filipino immigrants were also more likely to be homeowners. Asian Indian and Chinese immigrants were more likely to own financial assets. Vietnamese lagged in business or farm and financial asset ownership. Findings provided insights into the investment decisions of new Asian immigrants for financial educators, researchers, and policymakers.     

Discovering the knowledge creation process of an expert group in women-friendly policy: The policy case of Seoul City

ABSTRACT

This research explores how expert knowledge is created in the process of women-friendly policy making, based on actor network theory (ANT). To address this purpose, this study uses the “Women’s Happiness in the City of Seoul” policy initiated by the local government of Seoul as one example of policy development. Research findings demonstrate that knowledge creation in expert groups followed the four stages suggested by ANT. In addition, this study found that various types of knowledge emerged from individual experts. This research elucidates the process of knowledge creation and its meanings for women-friendly policy.     

Child Health and NGOs in Peruvian Provinces

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are widely accepted in developing countries as a crucial organizational asset. They combine entrepreneurship, provision of quasi-government services and donor financing, but their conceptual status is unclear. Are they the organizational embodiments of social capital, generating cohesion and superior performance, or do they expand the competitiveness of the province, contributing to superior performance via political pluralism? This analysis of the relationship of NGOs to three criteria of child health in the provinces of Peru examines that question and concludes that NGOs are best interpreted as actors in provinces that foster political contestation. As such they contribute to the growth of a core dimension of democracy in developing countries and to higher levels of health.