Asymptotic hypothesis test to simultaneously compare the weighted kappa coefficients of multiple binary diagnostic tests in the presence of ignorable missing data

The weighted kappa coefficient of a binary diagnostic test is a measure of the beyond-chance agreement between the diagnostic test and the gold standard, and is a measure that allows us to assess and compare the performance of binary diagnostic tests. In the presence of partial disease verification, the comparison of the weighted kappa coefficients of two or more binary diagnostic tests cannot be carried out ignoring the individuals with an unknown disease status, since the estimators obtained would be affected by verification bias. In this article, we propose a global hypothesis test based on the chi-square distribution to simultaneously compare the weighted kappa coefficients when in the presence of partial disease verification the missing data mechanism is ignorable. Simulation experiments have been carried out to study the type I error and the power of the global hypothesis test. The results have been applied to the diagnosis of coronary disease.     

Assessing respondent-driven sampling: A simulation study across different networks

The purpose was to assess RDS estimators in populations simulated with diverse connectivity characteristics, incorporating the putative influence of misreported degrees and transmission processes. Four populations were simulated using different random graph models. Each population was “infected” using four different transmission processes. From each combination of population x transmission, one thousand samples were obtained using a RDS-like sampling strategy. Three estimators were used to predict the population-level prevalence of the “infection”. Several types of misreported degrees were simulated. Also, samples were generated using the standard random sampling method and the respective prevalence estimates, using the classical frequentist estimator. Estimation biases in relation to population parameters were assessed, as well as the variance. Variability was associated with the connectivity characteristics of each simulated population. Clustered populations yield greater variability and no RDS-based strategy could address the estimation biases. Misreporting degrees had modest effects, especially when RDS estimators were used. The best results for RDS-based samples were observed when the “infection” was randomly attributed, without any relation with the underlying network structure.     

Sensory Work of Diagnosis: A Crisis of Legitimacy

Sensory judgments have always been a part of medical practice, as sensory studies scholars have emphasized. However, in current regulatory, management and technological contexts, there is a push toward rational decision-making procedures and test-based evidence over clinical diagnosis. Sociological scholarship highlights that in focusing on explicit medical knowledge and disembodied data we take for granted aspects of healthcare work, including the ways in which health and illness is sensed. Research in sociologies of diagnosis and social studies of science and technology has captured that while the senses continue to play a role in medical work, the status and practice of this sensory work is not straightforward as evidenced by dual use of the senses and tests and the delegation of sensory work. Based on semi-structured interviews with expert doctors in diverse specialties, this article examines the sensory work of medical decision-making, with attention to its legitimacy. It examines applications of the senses from auscultation to ongoing sensing of patients’ bodies unmediated and via technological outputs. While critical to clinical judgments, there is discomfort with this sensory work in light of medico-legal pressures. I argue that the sensory work of diagnosis is vital, to the extent that gaps in sensory information imply gaps in understanding.     

毛泽东发动“文化大革命”的决策问题研究

"文化大革命"的决策问题,是指从"文化大革命"的问题界定到方案抉择的过程。毛泽东认为在政治领域阶级矛盾是我国社会的主要矛盾,国家有三分之一的领导权掌握在敌人手中;在中共党内出现了以刘少奇为首的走资派,出了修正主义;在经济领域出现了资本主义;在文化领域出现了资产阶级反动思想和资产阶级代表人物;单靠社会主义教育运动,不能解决中国社会中的"黑暗面"问题。为此,他毅然发动了"文化大革命",结果犯了严重的错误。"文化大革命"的决策之所以是错误的,因为其方案的规划违背了决策时应遵循的信息真实、现实可行、民主参与等原则。     

对台湾技职类大学创新教育的几点思考——以朝阳科技大学为例

随着我国经济的转型发展创新教育在大学教育中的地位被凸显出来，技职类大学的创新教育是摆在我们面前的一个实际课题。我国台湾地区高校这类教育开始比大陆早一些，在政策的制定、教师的培养、课程的设计等方面有一些经验可以借鉴，能给我们一些重要的启示。     

中式菜谱艺术菜名分类及其英译策略

中式艺术菜名在中式菜谱汉译英翻译中最难处理,最具争议。针对中式艺术菜名的翻译,依据运用修辞手法的不同把中式艺术菜名分为比喻型、吉祥语型、典故型、诗句型和夸张型等五大类型,并参照海外著名中餐厅与西餐厅菜谱,为不同类型艺术菜名探讨恰当有效的翻译策略与方法,旨在弘扬中国饮食文化。     

医学专业毕业生择业观影响因素分析及其对策研究——以内蒙古民族大学医学院为例

通过对临床医学、护理学专业2010届120名本科毕业生的书面问卷调查,对少数民族高等院校医学毕业生的择业观影响因素、择业期望值、求职成功制约要素等进行分析,发现了少数民族高等院校医学毕业生的择业观呈现多元化;择业期望值脱离现实需要;择业心理复杂多样;就业心态存在城市情结;偏执心理、攀比心理、自卑心理等负面心理因素影响择业成功的事实,研究并提出了应对上述问题的对策。     

Comparison between method of moments and entropy regularization algorithm applied to parameter estimation for mixed-Weibull distribution

Mixed-Weibull distribution has been used to model a wide range of failure data sets, and in many practical situations the number of components in a mixture model is unknown. Thus, the parameter estimation of a mixed-Weibull distribution is considered and the important issue of how to determine the number of components is discussed. Two approaches are proposed to solve this problem. One is the method of moments and the other is a regularization type of fuzzy clustering algorithm. Finally, numerical examples and two real data sets are given to illustrate the features of the proposed approaches.     

The “Silent Dog” Method: Analyzing the Impact of Self-Generated Rules When Teaching Different Computer Chains to Boys with Autism

The purpose of the study was to extend the literature on verbal self-regulation by using the “silent dog” method to evaluate the role of verbal regulation over nonverbal behavior in 2 individuals with autism. Participants were required to talk-aloud while performing functional computer tasks.Then the effects of distracters with increasing demands on target behavior were evaluated as well as whether self-talk emitted by Participant 1 could be used to alter Participant 2''s performance. Results suggest that participants'' tasks seemed to be under control of self-instructions, and the rules generated from Participants 1''s self-talk were effective in teaching computer skills to Participant 2. The silent dog method was useful in evaluating the possible role of self-generated rules in teaching computer skills to participants with autism.     

An economic model for the quality selection problem

The object of an economic model for the quality selection problem is to select the best parameter value for an input quality characteristic (X) so that the quality loss incurred on an output quality characteristic (Y) is minimized. The relation function between Y and X is assumed to be known throughout the article. In the work of Taguchi's experimentations, the selection of best parameter values is solved by two-step optimization when Y is adjustable. In the article, it is further extended to the case where Y is non-adjustable. An economic quality selection model with a general relation function is proposed based on a Taylor-series method for both adjustable and non-adjustable cases. A special case of a quality selection model with a quadratic relation function is also studied. A circuit example provided by Taguchi is presented to illustrate the use of this model.