Further Results on Order Statistics Generated by Two Simulation Methods

Uniform order statistics generated by two simulation methods are compared by means of Pitman’s measure of closeness. This measure, as a probability, is shown to be asymptotically 1/2. Some results are also established for fixed points of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) for a uniform order statistic. These fixed points are important for calculations involving the joint distribution of these order statistics.     

Parameter estimation by minimizing a probability generating function-based power divergence

Abstract

Generating function-based statistical inference is an attractive approach if the probability (density) function is complicated when compared with the generating function. Here, we propose a parameter estimation method that minimizes a probability generating function (pgf)-based power divergence with a tuning parameter to mitigate the impact of data contamination. The proposed estimator is linked to the M-estimators and hence possesses the properties of consistency and asymptotic normality. In terms of parameter biases and mean squared errors from simulations, the proposed estimation method performs better for smaller value of the tuning parameter as data contamination percentage increases.     

Mortality analysis of persons with disabilities in Argentina by age,sex and duration of benefit, 2015–16

This article describes the differential mortality of Argentina’s disability pension beneficiaries during the 2015–16 period, based on National Social Security Administration (Administración Nacional de la Seguridad Social – ANSES) payment records. It compares data for those with an assessed disability with overall population data, as well as with available international data (from Canada, Chile, Mexico, and the United States of America). In addition to breaking down mortality rates for people with disabilities by age and sex, it also factors in duration of benefit, establishing an inverse correlation between benefit duration and mortality.     

“后新儒学”对传统儒学实践观的省察

通过对牟宗三道德形而上哲学的反思,"后新儒学"认为当今儒学发展的关键在于其实践观的转变。传统的实践观内缩于心性修养和道德形而上的探求,主要偏向于道德的维度。"后新儒学"融摄马克思主义和船山哲学,提出以社会历史生活为总归的新的实践观,此种实践观旨在克服儒家传统实践观的缺陷,真正进入生活世界。     

Uncovered and disrespected. A qualitative study of Jordanian women’s experience of privacy in birth

BackgroundPrivacy is related to a person’s sense of self and the need to be respected and it is a key factor that contributes to women’s satisfaction with their birth experiences.AimTo examine the meaning of privacy for Jordanian women during labour and birth.MethodA qualitative interpretive design was used. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 27 Jordanian women. Of these women, 20 were living in Jordan while seven were living in Australia (with birthing experience in both Jordan and Australia). Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsThe phrase ‘there is no privacy’ captured women’s experience of birth in Jordanian public hospitals and in some private hospital settings. Women in public hospitals in Jordan had to share a room during their labour with no screening. This experience meant that they were, “lying there for everyone to see”, “not even covered by a sheet” and with doctors and others coming in and out of their room. This experience contrasted with birth experienced in Australia.ConclusionsThis study explicates the meaning of privacy to Jordanian women and demonstrates the impact of the lack of privacy during labour and birth. Seeking a birth in a private hospital in Jordan was one of the strategies that women used to gain privacy, although this was not always achieved. Some strategies were identified to facilitate privacy, such as being covered by a sheet; however, even simple practices are difficult to change in a patriarchal, medically dominated maternity system.     

Midwives’ views of caseload midwifery – comparing the caseload and non-caseload midwives’ opinions. A cross-sectional survey of Australian midwives.

BackgroundMidwife-led continuity of care has substantial benefits for women and infants and positive outcomes for midwives, yet access to these models remains limited. Caseload midwifery is associated with professional satisfaction and lower burnout, but also impacts on work-life boundaries. Few studies have explored caseload midwifery from the perspective of midwives working in caseload models compared to those in standard care models, understanding this is critical to sustainability and upscaling.AimTo compare views of caseload midwifery – those working in caseload models and those in standard care models in hospitals with and without caseload.MethodsA national cross-sectional survey of midwives working in Australian public hospitals providing birthing services.FindingsResponses were received from 542/3850 (14%) midwives from 111 hospitals – 20% worked in caseload, 39% worked in hospitals with caseload but did not work in the model, and 41% worked in hospitals without caseload. Regardless of exposure, midwives expressed support for caseload models, and for increased access to all women regardless of risk. Fifty percent of midwives not working in caseload expressed willingness to work in the model in the future. Flexibility, autonomy and building relationships were positive influencing factors, with on-call work the most common reason midwives did not want to work in caseload.ConclusionsThere was widespread support for and willingness to work in caseload. The findings suggest that the workforce could support increasing access to caseload models at existing and new caseload sites. Exposure to the model provides insight into understanding how the model works, which can positively or negatively influence midwives’ views.     

“四史”教育融入高校思政课教学的五维逻辑进路

历史照亮过去，历史启迪未来。以党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史为核心内容的“四史”教育，是以历史为基础的思想政治教育。从党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史中挖掘思想政治理论课教育资源，对高校传承红色基因、落实立德树人根本任务具有重要的指导意义。以庆祝中国共产党成立100周年为契机，将“四史”教育融入高校思想政治理论课教学，必须遵循相应的逻辑理路：树立正确党史观、坚定理想信念的价值追求是融入的逻辑立场；强化大历史观、理解党的伟大贡献是融入的逻辑方法；坚持内在统一性、把握“四史”教育的整体性逻辑是融入的基本前提；抓住侧重点、精准对接各门大学生思想政治理论课程是融入的逻辑核心；坚持实践逻辑、引导大学生从“四史”中汲取智慧和力量是融入的根本遵循。     

Mapping Right-Wing Women’s Policy Priorities in Latin America

ABSTRACT

Do right-wing women hold unique policy priorities from that of left-wing women and right-wing men? And do right-wing women legislators represent the priorities of right-wing citizens? Right-wing women share unique gendered socialization experiences with left-wing women, but their ideology informs values and attitudes critical to policy preference formation. Political representation theories suggest that women legislators should hold distinct incentives to represent female constituents. However, institutional theories suggest right-wing women legislators may face different incentives that limit the extent to which they represent right-wing female constituents. To evaluate our expectations, we leverage survey data from the Latin American Public Opinion Project and the Parliamentary Elites of Latin America. We demonstrate how right-wing women citizens differ from left-wing women citizens across a range of policy priorities. Then, we evaluate elite priorities for these same policy issues. We find little evidence for policy priority congruency between women citizens and women legislators on the right.     

Evaluating New Zealand’s restorative promise: the impact of legislative design on the practice of restorative justice

ABSTRACT

Restorative justice is regarded in modern criminal justice systems as one approach to address inadequacies in the conventional justice model. New Zealand has become a leader in implementing legislatively mandated restorative procedures. This reputation is due in part to a handful of supportive statutes: the Sentencing Act 2002, the Victims’ Rights Act 2002, the Parole Act 2002, the Corrections Act 2004 and subsequent amendments to those acts. In this article, I evaluate the practices bolstered by these acts and how effectively they operate, accounting for how legislative design may contribute to achievements and shortcomings in New Zealand's restorative justice programmes. I supplement the results by comparing New Zealand's efforts to those in Vermont, a U.S. state similarly well-regarded for its restorative policies. The evaluation of each jurisdiction's restorative justice programme is based on metrics for restorative success from Bazemore and Schiff (2005. Juvenile justice reform and restorative justice: building theory and policy from practice. Cullompton: Willan Publishing). I employ qualitative and quantitative data, surveying existing evaluations of restorative justice in New Zealand and Vermont, collecting longitudinal statistics, and conducting interviews with restorative justice practitioners. Overall, this analysis reveals that the design of restorative justice programmes requires negotiation; it is difficult to balance the dimensions of effective restorative justice with the needs of modern justice systems.