Optimal design results for 2n factorial paired comparison experiments

Four general classes of partially balanced designs for 2ⁿ factorials, corresponding to four different forms of a general null hypothesis H on factorial effects, are presented. For the typical design in each class, the simplified form of the non-centrality parameter λ² of the asymptotic chi-square distribution of the likelihood ratio statistic for testing the corresponding form of H₀ is derived under defined local alternatives. Optimal designs d₁ maximizing λ² in the i-th class and minimizing the trace, determinant and largest eigenvalue of a defined covariance matrix, i =1,…,4, are determined.     

Asymptotic properties of kruskal-wallis test and friedman test in the analysis of variance models with random effects

In this paper, asymptotic properties of the Kruskal-Wallis test in the one-way analysis of variance model and that of the Friedman test in the two-way classification model are investigated under alternatives when the treatment effects are random. It is shown that the asymptotic distribution of each statistic is the same as a mixture of central chi-squared variables. Asymptotic comparisons of the tests with respect to their parametric competitors are also performed     

Treatment design selection effects on parameter estimation in dynamic logistic models for longitudinal binary data

In a longitudinal set-up, to examine the effects of certain fixed covariates on the repeated binary responses, there exists an approach to model the binary probabilities through a dynamic logistic relationship. In some practical situations such as in longitudinal clinical studies, it may happen that some of the covariates such as treatments are selected randomly following an adaptive design, whereas the rest of the covariates may be fixed by nature. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the design weights selection on the parameter estimation including the treatment effects, after taking the longitudinal correlations of the repeated binary responses into account.     

Supporting transgender children: new legal, social, and medical approaches

The author, a lawyer who advocates for transgender children and youth, explores how clinical approaches to transgender children and youth are keeping pace with social and legal changes affecting these young people and with recent evidence suggesting that children are harmed by family and societal rejection as well as by attempts to change their gender identity or gender expression. The author urges providers and legal advocates to work with policymakers and the families of transgender children and youth to create a future in which these young people can reach their full potential and be embraced as fully equal, respected, and participating members of society.     

On the Value and Meaning of Trauma-Informed Practice: Honoring Safety,Complexity, and Relationship

ABSTRACT

In social work, as in other mental health fields, there has been a surge of literature regarding trauma-informed practice. Even so, the value and meaning of being a trauma-informed practitioner still call for further explication and analysis, especially in the realm of clinical social work practice. Approaching and engaging traumatized clients with a trauma-informed lens carry profound implications in the assessment, diagnostic, and intervention stages of treatment, and these implications warrant further unpacking. Additionally, it is critical to explore, through real-world case examples, the significance of working with a trauma-informed lens. This article develops a stage-based, relational definition of trauma-informed practice and argues that trauma-informed practice prioritizes client complexity, social context, and the therapeutic relationship throughout the assessment, diagnostic, and treatment process. In addition, it prioritizes the nuanced experiences and needs of the client, in particular the need for safety, above specific treatment modalities. In this way, it has vital importance to the field of social work. The significance of being trauma informed is considered at all stages of treatment and will be illuminated through practice examples and a longer clinical vignette.     

Weighted log‐rank test for time‐to‐event data in immunotherapy trials with random delayed treatment effect and cure rate

A cancer clinical trial with an immunotherapy often has 2 special features, which are patients being potentially cured from the cancer and the immunotherapy starting to take clinical effect after a certain delay time. Existing testing methods may be inadequate for immunotherapy clinical trials, because they do not appropriately take the 2 features into consideration at the same time, hence have low power to detect the true treatment effect. In this paper, we proposed a piece‐wise proportional hazards cure rate model with a random delay time to fit data, and a new weighted log‐rank test to detect the treatment effect of an immunotherapy over a chemotherapy control. We showed that the proposed weight was nearly optimal under mild conditions. Our simulation study showed a substantial gain of power in the proposed test over the existing tests and robustness of the test with misspecified weight. We also introduced a sample size calculation formula to design the immunotherapy clinical trials using the proposed weighted log‐rank test.     

互联网、大数据与区域共享公共服务——基于互联网医疗的考察

互联网与大数据正在深度改变区域公共服务模式,中国区域公共服务正由“新区域主义”逐渐转向“区域共享公共服务”。区域一体化公共服务不再单纯依赖成本高昂的行政区划合并或者大都市政府扩容,而是另辟蹊径地由信息化驱动区域公共服务共享化：区域公共服务的价值观转向共享价值观;信息与大数据消解区域服务的行政壁垒,区域公共服务资源由行政空间非均衡配置转向信息空间一体化、均衡化与共享化;区域公共服务组织结构由官僚制转向人才共享机制与项目创新制。     

A Consistent Variance Estimator for 2SLS When Instruments Identify Different LATEs

Under treatment effect heterogeneity, an instrument identifies the instrument-specific local average treatment effect (LATE). With multiple instruments, two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimand is a weighted average of different LATEs. What is often overlooked in the literature is that the postulated moment condition evaluated at the 2SLS estimand does not hold unless those LATEs are the same. If so, the conventional heteroscedasticity-robust variance estimator would be inconsistent, and 2SLS standard errors based on such estimators would be incorrect. I derive the correct asymptotic distribution, and propose a consistent asymptotic variance estimator by using the result of Hall and Inoue (2003 Hall, A.R., and Inoue, A. (2003), “The Large Sample Behaviour of the Generalized Method of Moments Estimator in Misspecified Models,” Journal of Econometrics, 114, 361–394.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Journal of Econometrics) on misspecified moment condition models. This can be used to correctly calculate the standard errors regardless of whether there is more than one LATE or not.     

Feedback and Mediation in Causal Inference Illustrated by Stochastic Process Models

The concept of causality is naturally related to processes developing over time. Central ideas of causal inference like time‐dependent confounding (feedback) and mediation should be viewed as dynamic concepts. We shall study these concepts in the context of simple dynamic systems. Time‐dependent confounding and its implications are illustrated in a Markov model. We emphasize the distinction between average treatment effect, ATE, and treatment effect of the treated, ATT. These effects could be quite different, and we discuss the relationship between them. Mediation is studied in a stochastic differential equation model. A type of natural direct and indirect effects is considered for this model. Mediation analysis of discrete measurements from such processes may give misleading results, and one needs to consider the underlying continuous process. The dynamic and time‐continuous view of causality and mediation is an essential feature, and more attention should be payed to the time aspect in causal inference.