A class of count models and a new consistent test for the Poisson distribution

We define a class of count distributions which includes the Poisson as well as many alternative count models. Then the empirical probability generating function is utilized to construct a test for the Poisson distribution, which is consistent against this class of alternatives. The limit distribution of the test statistic is derived in case of a general underlying distribution, and efficiency considerations are addressed. A simulation study indicates that the new test is comparable in performance to more complicated omnibus tests.     

Bahadur efficiency and local optimality of a test for the exponential distribution based on the gini statistic

Summary The sample scale-free Gini index is known to be a powerful test of exponentiality against a broad class of alternatives. To understand better the efficiency properties of this test we calculate its Bahadur efficiency for most commonly used parametric alternatives to the exponential distribution. Using variational arguments and the Bahadur-Raghavachari inequality for exact slopes we find the conditions of local Bahadur optimality of the Gini test. It turns out that this property surprisingly holds for a family of alternative distributions including the well-known Gompertz-Makeham distribution. Partially supported by Russian Fund of Fundamental Research, grants No. 95-01-1260 and 96-01-0852.     

Russian Social Science in Transition: Applied Political Research and Social Criticism

One means by which the Soviet state maintained hegemony was through control over the production and movement of information. This function created ambiguity, on the one hand, and contradiction on the other, as sociological inquiry progressed within the Soviet system. This circumstance extended to both the appropriate subject matter and the methodology of sociological research. While sociology practiced in the West operated more or less within broad boundaries of free inquiry, such was not the case for most of twentieth century Russia. This paper explores this history of permissible sociological research in Russia, and then turns an eye on the more recent developments in sociology in light of the new Russian state. In particular, the development of democratic processes in Russia have led to a concomitant growth in research centers, institutes, and consultancies, all of which have significant practical and applied objectives for the sociological product. A listing of Russian research centers on the web is included.     

Approximate asymptotic Bahadur efficiency of independence tests with random sample size

We compare various kind of independence tests based on samples with random size, in order to provide practitioners with some guidance for their choice based on approximate Bahadur efficiency. Such results are obtained for a wide class of distributions of the random index; the efficiency slopes of the statistics we consider are then expressed in terms of the parameters of these same distributions.     

Soil microbial community of urban green infrastructures in a polar city

Urban and technogenic landscapes in subarctic zones are not considered comfortable habitats for soil microbiota. However, green infrastructures in polar cities can provide a new niche for the development of a microbial soil community. Soil microbial biomass and the diversity of cultivable microfungi have been studied in relation to the chemical and morphological properties of urban soils in the polar city of Apatity. The quantitative indicators based on fluorescence microscopy and PCR real-time methods as well as the qualitative composition of the cultivable microfungal community were used to characterize the microbial community. Changes in the morphological and chemical composition of urban soils included a shift in pH and increased C and N content compared with forest soil. Studies have shown that the biomass of microfungi and actinomycetes in urban soils was lower than in forest soils and equals 0.12–0.19 mg/g and 0.06–0.44?×?10^?3 mg/g, respectively. Bacterial biomass, on the contrary, increased in urban soils up to 2.6?×?10^–3 – 5.6?×?10^–3 mg/g. The number of ITS gene copies of fungi in urban soils varied from 5.0?×?10⁹ to 1.45?×?10¹⁰ copies/g of soil, reaching the highest values in the courtyard. The number of rRNA gene copies of bacteria and archaea in urban soils increased compared with forest soil and amounted to 2.37?×?10¹⁰ – 9.99?×?10¹⁰ and 0.4?×?10¹⁰ – 0.8?×?10¹⁰ copies/g of soil, respectively. In urban soils, morphological changes in microfungi, including the predominance of small spores, were revealed in comparison with forest soils, where mycelium prevailed. An increase in the diversity of microfungi in urban soil and changes in the structure of their communities compared with forest soil was noted. Microfungi found in urban soils are not typical of the background soils of the region and would be expected in more southern conditions. Among them, opportunistic fungi species have been identified in humans, which increases the risk of diseases in residents of the northern region.