Could gonadal and adrenal androgen deficiencies contribute to the depressive symptoms in men with systolic heart failure?

Background: Testosterone (TT) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) are neurosteroids and their deficiencies constitute the hormone risk factors promoting the development of depression in elderly otherwise healthy men. We investigated the link between hypogonadism and depression in accordance with age and concomitant diseases in men with systolic HF using the novel scale previously dedicated for elderly population.

Methods: We analysed the prevalence of depression and severity of depressive symptoms in population of 226 men with systolic HF (40–80 years) compared to 379 healthy peers. The severity of depression was assessed using the Polish long version of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).

Results: In men aged 40–59 years the severity of depressive symptoms was greater in NYHA classes III–IV compared to NYHA classes I–II and reference group. In men aged 60–80 years depressive symptoms were more severe in NYHA class III-IV compared to controls (all p?≤?0.001). In multivariate logistic regression model in men aged 40–59 years advanced NYHA class was associated with higher prevalence of mild depression (OR?=?2.14, 95%CI: 1.07–4.29) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with higher prevalence of severe depression (OR?=?69.1, 95%CI: 2.11–2264.3). In men aged 60–80 years advanced NYHA class and TT deficiency were related to higher prevalence of mild depression (respectively: OR?=?2.9, 95%CI: 1.3–6.4; OR?=?3.6, 95%CI: 1.2–10.63).

Conclusion: TT deficiency, COPD and advanced NYHA class were associated with higher prevalence of depression in men with systolic HF.     

The logic of strategic ignorance

Ignorance and knowledge are often thought of as opposite phenomena. Knowledge is seen as a source of power, and ignorance as a barrier to consolidating authority in political and corporate arenas. This article disputes this, exploring the ways that ignorance serves as a productive asset, helping individuals and institutions to command resources, deny liability in the aftermath of crises, and to assert expertise in the face of unpredictable outcomes. Through a focus on the Food and Drug Administration's licensing of Ketek, an antibiotic drug manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis and linked to liver failure, I suggest that in drug regulation, different actors, from physicians to regulators to manufacturers, often battle over who can attest to the least knowledge of the efficacy and safety of different drugs - a finding that raises new insights about the value of ignorance as an organizational resource.     

略论中国远征军第一次入缅作战及其失败的原因——纪念中国远征军出国作战70周年

第二次世界大战期间,中国作为同盟国的一员不仅在本土牵制和消耗了绝大多数日军,而且还在英美盟国的邀请下,组织中国远征军开赴缅甸与英美盟国共同作战,为世界反法西斯战争的胜利做出了杰出的贡献。在第一次入缅作战中,中国远征军在仁安羌成功解救英军,同古保卫战中重创日军等战绩轰动了世界,让世人充分认识到了中国是世界反法西斯统一战线的一支重要力量。但是,由于同盟国在缅甸战场的合作过程中存在全球战略目标、中英战略矛盾、中英联军配合不力、分歧和矛盾及中国远征军将领失职等原因,致使中国远征军第一次入缅作战失败而告终。     

A Risk Analysis Model in Concurrent Engineering Product Development

Concurrent engineering has been widely accepted as a viable strategy for companies to reduce time to market and achieve overall cost savings. This article analyzes various risks and challenges in product development under the concurrent engineering environment. A three‐dimensional early warning approach for product development risk management is proposed by integrating graphical evaluation and review technique (GERT) and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). Simulation models are created to solve our proposed concurrent engineering product development risk management model. Solutions lead to identification of key risk controlling points. This article demonstrates the value of our approach to risk analysis as a means to monitor various risks typical in the manufacturing sector. This article has three main contributions. First, we establish a conceptual framework to classify various risks in concurrent engineering (CE) product development (PD). Second, we propose use of existing quantitative approaches for PD risk analysis purposes: GERT, FMEA, and product database management (PDM). Based on quantitative tools, we create our approach for risk management of CE PD and discuss solutions of the models. Third, we demonstrate the value of applying our approach using data from a typical Chinese motor company.     

A Semiparametric Approach for Accelerated Failure Time Models with Covariates Subject to Measurement Error

There are relatively few discussions about measurement error in the accelerated failure time (AFT) model, particularly for the semiparametric AFT model. In this article, we propose an adjusted estimation procedure for the semiparametric AFT model with covariates subject to measurement error, based on the profile likelihood approach and simulation and exploration (SIMEX) method. The simulation studies show that the proposed semiparametric SIMEX approach performs well. The proposed approach is applied to a coronary heart disease dataset from the Busselton Health study for illustration.     

非再生性资源的价格路径问题研究

文章内对现有的非再生性资源的最优价格路径问题的文献进行了整合性研究，解释了在短期内非再生性资源的价格路径呈U型原因。并进一步从产权制度的不确定性和供需双方的战略性的博弈行为两个角度对价格路径进行了拓展。在霍特林规则失灵的情况下，资源配置可能与社会最优相偏离，也可能不会。针对市场失灵，提出了相应的政策建议。     

Maximum likelihood estimation of the bimodal failure rate for censored and tied observations

DIMITROV, RACHEV and YAKOVLEV ( 1985 ) have obtained the isotonic maximum likelihood estimator for the bimodal failure rate function. The authors considered only the complete failure time data. The generalization of this estimator for the case of censored and tied observations is now proposed.     

Questions and Answers

In addition to his contributions to biostatistics and clinical trials, Paul Meier had a long-term interest in the legal applications of statistics. As part of this, he had extensive experience as a statistical consultant. Legal consulting can be a minefield, but as a result of his background, Paul had excellent advice to give to those starting out on how to function successfully in this environment.     

试论市场经济下政府的适度规模--兼论我国"吃饭财政"与"建设财政"之争

首先分析了市场经济下政府与市场内在的统一关系 :伴随着公共产品论的提出 ,“私人品”与“公共品”统一于边际效用理论。由于缺乏市场价格引导的政府偏好以更大的规模提供过度的公共品 ,甚至在过大的规模下提供不足的公共品 ,从而出现“政府失灵”。最后分析了我国政府规模的现状及其原因 ,指出我国“吃饭财政”的迅速增长严重挤占了“建设财政”,这正是政府规模低效率膨胀的结果     

Dependence Estimation Over a Finite Bivariate Failure Time Region

This articleconcerns nonparametric estimation of association between bivariatefailure times. In the presence of independent right censoring,the support for failure time variates may be restricted and measuresof dependence over a finite failure time region may be of particularinterest. To this end, the reciprocal cross ratio function, weightedby the bivariate failure time density, is proposed as a summarymeasure of dependence over a failure time region. This `relativerisk' estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptoticallynormally distributed, with consistent bootstrap variance estimator.A finite-region version of Kendall's tau, which is suitable forcensored failure time data, is also proposed, and correspondingasymptotic distribution theory is noted. The accuracy of theseasymptotic approximations is studied in simulations and an illustrationis provided.