Book Reviews

Books reviewed:
M Hollander and D Wolfe, Nonparametric Statistical Methods
T Leonard and J.S.J Hsu, Bayesian Methods     

On Block Updating in Markov Random Field Models for Disease Mapping

Gaussian Markov random field (GMRF) models are commonly used to model spatial correlation in disease mapping applications. For Bayesian inference by MCMC, so far mainly single-site updating algorithms have been considered. However, convergence and mixing properties of such algorithms can be extremely poor due to strong dependencies of parameters in the posterior distribution. In this paper, we propose various block sampling algorithms in order to improve the MCMC performance. The methodology is rather general, allows for non-standard full conditionals, and can be applied in a modular fashion in a large number of different scenarios. For illustration we consider three different applications: two formulations for spatial modelling of a single disease (with and without additional unstructured parameters respectively), and one formulation for the joint analysis of two diseases. The results indicate that the largest benefits are obtained if parameters and the corresponding hyperparameter are updated jointly in one large block. Implementation of such block algorithms is relatively easy using methods for fast sampling of Gaussian Markov random fields ( Rue, 2001 ). By comparison, Monte Carlo estimates based on single-site updating can be rather misleading, even for very long runs. Our results may have wider relevance for efficient MCMC simulation in hierarchical models with Markov random field components.     

小区建筑物共有权权属分析

共有权权属是小区建筑物区分所有制度的核心问题。区分所有共有权与一般财产共有权在权利主客体等方面有着显著的不同,并具有特殊的按份共有的性质。国外相关立法和学理对共用部分的界定各有特点,且对其有较为一致的三种分类。中国现有立法中关于小区建筑物共有权权属的规定较为零乱。中国应借鉴国外成功的立法经验,统一、完善相关立法,以保障业主的合法权益。     

共同背景和梦想下的相互依存——对《人与鼠》中两人物对话的分析

心理语言学家认为交谈者双方的诸多特性因素无疑会影响交谈过程的本质,这些特性包括交谈双方的年龄、性别、社会地位、种族背景、友谊的程度和关系的亲密程度.由美国著名作家约翰·斯坦贝克所著的《人与鼠》是一部极其感人并长期为读者喜爱的作品.该作品描写了两个劳动工人间真挚的友谊,相互依存以及共同的梦想.从《人与鼠》中,我们可以得知两人物之间的对话是有特性的,他们真势的友谊,相互依存以及共同的梦想是影响其交流方式最重要的特性.通过分析其背景,共同话题,共同梦想,我们可以总结出两人物的谈话方式是与心理语言学交谈的本质特性相符.     

土地红利公共利益属性的现实基础与保障机制

中国土地红利是经济红利和政策红利共同缔造的特殊红利形式,彰显土地红利公共利益属性是社会公平正义的内在要求。从逻辑上分析,我国土地红利源于土地公有制基础上的一系列制度安排,城镇化和工业化、土地用途管制、土地区位优势、公共投资等因素共同推高了土地价格,奠定了土地红利公共利益属性的坚实基础。为维护土地红利的公共利益属性,国家一方面将其纳入公共财政范畴,以规范公共财政收支的方式实现土地收益“全民共享”,防止土地红利被少数人垄断。另一方面,通过完善相关制度,改进土地收益的税法体系,科学界定房地产开发相关税收的税基和税额;健全土地征收制度,确保征地的目的、程序、收益合法且符合公益;推进土地红利城乡间公平分配,协调公共利益与个人利益的关系,实现土地红利共享。     

Exporting stimulus and “shared prosperity”: Reinventing foreign aid for a retroliberal era

The global aid world has changed, partly in response to the reconfigurations of geopolitical power and to the global financial crisis (GFC). Paradoxically, in the face of recession in most northern economies, collectively foreign aid contributions have not fallen. However there has been a qualitative shift in its narrative and nature. This new regime—which we term retroliberalism—projects the concept of “shared prosperity,” but constitutes a return to explicit self‐interest designed to bolster private sector trade and investment. Drawing evidence from New Zealand and the United Kingdom, we argue that aid programmes are increasingly functioning as “exported stimulus” packages.     

我国网络课程建设存在的问题及对策

分析指出了我国网络课程建设存在着重申报、轻建设、不持续、更新少、共享难、效果差等问题,提出了课程建设要以学生为主体、课程质量要以学生满意为最终标准,对于目前开展的资源共享课和视频公开课建设,教育行政部门要有顶层设计,要做到网络课程的真正共享,需要从政策层面规范各学科或专业的教学计划、规定学生可以以网络课程完成的科目和学分,学生在规定的教学计划内自由选修网络课程,学分不受地域和学校限制,跨校选修,全国认可;为此网络课程应给与学生自主空间,具有学习过程网络监控、课程考核和学分认证等功能。     

Need,well‐being and outcomes: the development of policy‐thinking for children's services 1989–2004

This paper describes how government policy thinking about the well‐being of children and young people developed between the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. These two Acts are milestone statements about how services to children in England and Wales should be delivered. It is an account informed by the author's own experience as a government adviser on children's social care over much of this period and supporting documentation. It traces the strands of government policy thinking about how to deliver services for children from children in need to the articulation of the five Every Child Matters outcomes. It argues that attempts to achieve coordinated service planning for children and young people played a significant role in the formulation of shared objectives and the articulation of child outcomes. However, it argues that looking at real outcomes exposes how children in the UK do relatively badly compared with other rich nations. It questions whether we can realistically expect our services to deliver significantly improved outcomes given the impact of enduring inequality in our society. This paper is dedicated to the memory of David Lambert CBE, former Assistant Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate in London, who died suddenly on 7 October 2010. He lent me articles to assist me in writing this paper.     

重大公共卫生事件背景下的青年思想政治教育工作

新冠疫情的暴发作为一场全球性重大公共卫生事件对青年思想状况产生了较大影响。思想政治教育必须回应青年的思想关切,并给予及时的引导。基于重大公共卫生事件做好思想政治教育工作有五个基本着力点,即：以树立正确的灾难观为着力点,培养危机意识和担当精神;以倡导科学应对疫情为着力点,提高理性思辨能力和自我防护能力;以讲好中国抗疫经验为着力点,增强四个意识,坚定四个自信;以反思人与自然关系为着力点,增强自然保护意识和生态文明理念;以关注全球抗疫大局为着力点,筑牢人类命运共同体意识。     

基于出行者选择的城市公交和共享单车竞合关系影响因素研究

摘要:为了更好地便利交通并促进城市地面交通系统可持续发展,基于出行者行为选择,从竞合关系视角研究共享单车对公交的影响,以共享单车对公交影响的相关文献为案例进行研究,包括北美、欧洲、大洋洲和亚洲的城市,并总结归纳相关影响因素;对北京市出行者进行了SP问卷调查,利用MNL模型定量分析了各种因素对出行者公交、共享单车选择的影响,采用二元logit模型估计组合模式选择的影响机制。研究认为,共享单车作为独立个体或接驳公共交通的新模式,与地面公交交通模式间竞争与合作并存,可骑行距离、道路基础设施以及出行者的心理因素都会导致共享单车和公交之间的竞争;相反,公交换乘站之间的距离、出行端点与站点的间距均会影响二者的合作模式。城市交通管理者应合理配置公交和共享单车的数量,鼓励市区出行者根据自己的需求选择不同的出行模式以快速接驳轨道交通,提倡竞争性并行,促进公交和共享单车在综合交通系统中的合作与协调发展。