大中专在校学生考试分数的正态化线性转换

本文分析了考试记分方法中传统的绝对百分体制的缺陷，给出了一种正态化转换分数的算法，较适合于在校大中专学生学习水平的横向评价。     

基本剩余价值初探

剩余价值在其历史发展中相继地采取了绝对剩余价值、相对剩余价值和基本剩余价值的直接表现形式。基本剩余价值是在绝对剩余价值和相对剩余价值尚未产生或产而复失的历史场合中必须生产的 ,也是在实行绝对剩余价值生产和相对剩余价值生产的历史场合中 ,被它们凸现出来并使它们赖以产生的具有原先既定性 ,或扩张基础性和增生本体性的剩余价值形式。基本剩余价值生产与资本主义生产相始终 ,是资本主义生产目的的基本实现。它和绝对剩余价值、相对剩余价值在质和量及其历史形态上的差异 ,使剩余价值成为一个比较经济范畴     

全球视野内的中国贫困问题研究

中国贫困问题的研究应顺应贫困研究国际趋势其中国贫困走向进行相应调整,即顺应贫困演变趋势,从研究绝对贫困向研究相对贫困转化;改变政策取向,从关注集体贫困向关注个体贫困转化;拓宽研究范围,从研究物质贫困向人文贫困转化;转变研究方法,从一般经济学分析拓宽到制度经济学分析。在对策设计上,应从加强反贫困制度建设、实行瞄准贫困人口的扶贫政策、缩小收入差距和关注人文贫困等方面加以考虑。     

没有场的空间是不存在的——广义相对论的空间概念

本文简述了空间概念的发展历程。经典力学和SR把空间看作虚无,而GR则认为空间是 物质的。从而指出了空间概念是人类思维的自由创造。     

On the shrinkage of local linear curve estimators

Local linear curve estimators are typically constructed using a compactly supported kernel, which minimizes edge effects and (in the case of the Epanechnikov kernel) optimizes asymptotic performance in a mean square sense. The use of compactly supported kernels can produce numerical problems, however. A common remedy is ridging, which may be viewed as shrinkage of the local linear estimator towards the origin. In this paper we propose a general form of shrinkage, and suggest that, in practice, shrinkage be towards a proper curve estimator. For the latter we propose a local linear estimator based on an infinitely supported kernel. This approach is resistant against selection of too large a shrinkage parameter, which can impair performance when shrinkage is towards the origin. It also removes problems of numerical instability resulting from using a compactly supported kernel, and enjoys very good mean squared error properties.     

An Assessment of Change in Risk Perception and Optimistic Bias for Hurricanes Among Gulf Coast Residents

This study focuses on levels of concern for hurricanes among individuals living along the Gulf Coast during the quiescent two‐year period following the exceptionally destructive 2005 hurricane season. A small study of risk perception and optimistic bias was conducted immediately following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Two years later, a follow‐up was done in which respondents were recontacted. This provided an opportunity to examine changes, and potential causal ordering, in risk perception and optimistic bias. The analysis uses 201 panel respondents who were matched across the two mail surveys. Measures included hurricane risk perception, optimistic bias for hurricane evacuation, past hurricane experience, and a small set of demographic variables (age, sex, income, and education). Paired t‐tests were used to compare scores across time. Hurricane risk perception declined and optimistic bias increased. Cross‐lagged correlations were used to test the potential causal ordering between risk perception and optimistic bias, with a weak effect suggesting the former affects the latter. Additional cross‐lagged analysis using structural equation modeling was used to look more closely at the components of optimistic bias (risk to self vs. risk to others). A significant and stronger potentially causal effect from risk perception to optimistic bias was found. Analysis of the experience and demographic variables’ effects on risk perception and optimistic bias, and their change, provided mixed results. The lessening of risk perception and increase in optimistic bias over the period of quiescence suggest that risk communicators and emergency managers should direct attention toward reversing these trends to increase disaster preparedness.     

Semi-doubly optimal concentric circles fitting with presence of heteroscedasticity

Previous studies focus on homogeneous and isotropic assumptions about the noisy data. Many methods have been developed recently for fitting concentric circles to data. In this paper, these statistical assumptions have been relaxed. To the best of our knowledge, only one iterative method has been recently developed. Due to its complexity, no such algorithm is available to compute the reliable maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). Accordingly, we have developed four new methods that outperform the existing methods including the orthogonal distance regression (ODR). We also discuss which of these methods is superior according to the four principles: statistical efficiency, accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency. Numerical experiments on synthetic and real images have been conducted to validate our findings.     

Discovering hidden statistical issues through individual-level models in ecological studies

ABSTRACT

In ecological studies, individual inference is made based on results from ecological models. Interpretation of the results requires caution since ecological analysis on group level may not hold in the individual level within the groups, leading to ecological fallacy. Using an ecological regression example for analyzing voting behaviors, we highlight that the explicit use of individual-level models is crucial in understanding the results of ecological studies. In particular, we clarify three relevant statistical issues for each individual-level models: assessment of the uncertainty of parameter estimates obtained from a wrong model, the use of shrinkage estimation method for simultaneous estimation of many parameters, and the necessity of sensitivity analysis rather than adhering to one seemingly most compelling assumption.     

Longitudinal relations between behavioral inhibition and social information processing: Moderating role of maternal supportive reactions to children's emotions

Utilizing multiple measures of interpretive biases, the current study examined the roles of toddlers’ behavioral inhibition (BI) and maternal supportive reactions to children's negative emotions in relation to children's interpretive biases across middle to late childhood. Toddlers’ BI was measured during several laboratory tasks (n = 248) at 2 and 3 years of age. Mothers reported on their reactions to children's negative emotional expressions when children were 7 years old (n = 203), and children's interpretations of social cues were assessed at 7 and 10 years of age (n s = 179 and 161, respectively). Toddlers with high levels of BI expressed less positivity toward social engagement with unfamiliar peers during discussion of ambiguous social situations. Further, children with high BI were less likely to attribute the cause of negative social situations to external factors, particularly when mothers were less accepting of children's negative emotional displays. Findings are discussed in terms of cognition related to the interpretation of ambiguous and threat‐related social situations among temperamentally at‐risk children.     

Bootstrap methods for bias correction and confidence interval estimation for nonlinear quantile regression of longitudinal data

This paper examines the use of bootstrapping for bias correction and calculation of confidence intervals (CIs) for a weighted nonlinear quantile regression estimator adjusted to the case of longitudinal data. Different weights and types of CIs are used and compared by computer simulation using a logistic growth function and error terms following an AR(1) model. The results indicate that bias correction reduces the bias of a point estimator but fails for CI calculations. A bootstrap percentile method and a normal approximation method perform well for two weights when used without bias correction. Taking both coverage and lengths of CIs into consideration, a non-bias-corrected percentile method with an unweighted estimator performs best.