Construction of New Three-Level Response Surface Designs

Response surface methodology is widely used for developing, improving, and optimizing processes in various fields. In this article, we present a method for constructing three-level designs in order to explore and optimize response surfaces combining orthogonal arrays and covering arrays in a particular manner. The produced designs achieve the properties of rotatability, predictive performance and efficiency for the estimation of a second-order model.     

Evaluating Item Discrimination Power of WHOQOL-BREF from an Item Response Model Perspectives

Quality of life (QOL) has become an important component of health. By using the methodology of psychometric theory, we examine the item properties of the WHOQOL-BRIEF. Samejima’s graded response model with natural metrics of the logistic response function was fitted. The results showed items with negative natures were less discriminating. Items written in a specific way were more suitable to assess certain subgroups. The national items showed variation in discriminatory power. Questions measuring objective and specific issues performed worse than items assessing general aspects of the QOL.     

On asymptotic non-normality of null distributions of mrpp statistics

Severe departures from normality occur frequently for null distributions of statistics associated with applications of mulLi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) for either small or large finite populations. This paper describes the commonly encountered situation associated with asymptotic non-normality for null distributions of MRPP statistics which does not depend on the underlying multivariate distribution. In addition, this paper establishes the existence of a non-degenerate underlying distribution for which the null distributions of MRPP statistics are asymptotically non-normal for essentially all size structure configurations. It is known that MRPP statistics are symmetric versions of a broader class of statistics, most of which are asymmetric. Because of the non-normality associated with null distributions of MRPP statistics, this paper includes necessary results for inferences based on the exact first three moments of anv statistic in this broader class (analogous to existing results for MRPP statistics).     

A generalized scheffé method of multiple comparisons

Standard resulrs on the extrema of quotients of quadratic forms are extended to the non-negative definite case. The maximum and the set over which it is achieved are characterized explicitly both in terms of generalized inverse matrices and generalized eigenvalues. These results become the basis of Scheffe type multiple comparisons in the usual way. To demonstrate their application to statistics with singular covariance matrices, the method is detailed for Mantel-Haenszel, Breslow, and Cox statistics. An example is presented illustrating a situation where the proposed Scheffe type comparisons may be better than the pairwise method.     

生活的多重可能性——浅析《黑王子》的召唤结构

英国小说家艾丽丝·默多克的代表作《黑王子》是一部具有实验性质的小说，从多个层面探讨了生活的本质，艺术与生活的关系。包括情节、引喻、叙事策略以及结构安排等构成了小说的召唤结构，共同作用于读者的阅读活动，使读者能够自觉地建构小说的意义，对其哲学内涵作出反应。     

用于QR码自动识读的图像分析方法

对于所采集的条码图像,为了适应实时性的要求,以得到不同光照条件下的最佳阈值,该文提出了把直方图双峰法、OTSU法及NLNiblack阈值法结合起来的改进的自适应阈值法。实验证明了该方法具有高效性和稳定性。为了在条码分割图像中获取QR码的4个顶点,首先,根据3个位置探测图形的特性提出了一种新的方法以求取对应的3个顶点,同时利用QR码的特征提出挖空算法获取条码的边缘,再采用过已知点的Hough变换得到第4个顶点。实验证明该算法在各种采集条件下可有效地得到QR码的4个顶点。     

Response predictions in regressions on panel data

In this paper we consider the problem of obtaining best linear unbiased estimators of individual response coefficients in a Random Coefficient Linear Regression (RCR} Model, comparing alternative estimators for these response vectors through a simulation study. We also provide an empirical example that illustrates the estimation procedure proposed here.     

Women's Hair Color and Survey Response Rate: A Field Experiment

Previous research found that survey response rates were influenced by physical characteristics of the interviewer. However, the effect of hair color on compliance to a survey request has never been studied. Female confederates wearing blond, brown, black, or red wigs solicited 1,200 male and female pedestrians for a survey. It was found those male passersby, but not the female, agreed more frequently to the confederates wearing blond wigs whereas they agreed less to the same confederates wearing red wigs. Greater youth and healthiness associated with blond hair in women is used to explain these results. The practical interest in face-to-face surveys is addressed.     

A Note on Functional Forms of Order Statistics

Functional forms of order statistics, as the solution of a system of equations, are studied. The case of the smaller and the larger of two random variables is discussed in detail. Some applications for normal and binomial distributions are presented.     

Tolerance‐based error reduction in multi‐agent bioassays

Some degree of error is inevitable in multi‐agent bioassays regardless of design or measurement technology. Estimation error can be reduced post facto by exploiting the matrix partial ordering of the bioassay survival estimates. The standard method for this is order‐restricted regression (ORR). If the joint action of the bioassay agents admits a tolerance‐based interpretation, additional structure beyond matrix partial ordering is available, leading to a new method of error reduction. This tolerance‐based error reduction (TBER) procedure almost always outperforms ORR. Like ORR, TBER applies to complete factorial bioassay designs and, using weighting, to incomplete designs.