On asymptotic distribution of prediction in functional linear regression

There has been substantial recent attention on problems involving a functional linear regression model with scalar response. Among them, there have been few works dealing with asymptotic distribution of prediction in functional linear regression models. In recent literature, the centeral limit theorem for prediction has been discussed, but the proof and conditions under which the random bias terms for a fixed predictor converge to zero have been ignored so that the impact of these terms on the convergence of the prediction has not been well understood. Clarifying the proof and conditions under which the bias terms converge to zero, we show that the asymptotic distribution of the prediction is normal. Furthermore, we have derived those results related to other terms that already obtained by others, under milder conditions. Finally, we conduct a simulation study to investigate performance of the asymptotic distribution under various parameter settings.     

Approximate composite marginal likelihood inference in spatial generalized linear mixed models

Non-Gaussian spatial responses are usually modeled using spatial generalized linear mixed model with spatial random effects. The likelihood function of this model cannot usually be given in a closed form, thus the maximum likelihood approach is very challenging. There are numerical ways to maximize the likelihood function, such as Monte Carlo Expectation Maximization and Quadrature Pairwise Expectation Maximization algorithms. They can be applied but may in such cases be computationally very slow or even prohibitive. Gauss–Hermite quadrature approximation only suitable for low-dimensional latent variables and its accuracy depends on the number of quadrature points. Here, we propose a new approximate pairwise maximum likelihood method to the inference of the spatial generalized linear mixed model. This approximate method is fast and deterministic, using no sampling-based strategies. The performance of the proposed method is illustrated through two simulation examples and practical aspects are investigated through a case study on a rainfall data set.     

Bayesian spatial regression models with closed skew normal correlated errors and missing observations

This paper is concerned with Bayesian estimation of a spatial regression model with skew non-Gaussian errors. The regression parameters are estimated by using a closed skew normal (CSN) distribution, which is closed under conditioning and linear combination. The proposed model captures skewness in the response variable. Sometimes, we may encounter missing observations in the response variable, accordingly we model and predict the missing observations by a Bayesian approach using Gibbs sampling methods. Next, a simulation study is performed to asses our model validity. Also, the proposed model in this work is applied to CO data from Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Then, the accuracy of the CSN and Gaussian models is compared by cross validation criterion.     

Long-term effects of back extensor strengthening exercises on quality of life in women with osteoporosis

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effect of back extensor strengthening exercises on health-related quality of life (QOL) in women with osteoporosis. In this randomized clinical trial, 183 women with osteoporosis were treated with pharmacotherapy and weight-bearing and balance-training exercises. The case group additionally performed back extensor exercises at home. Patients filled out the Persian version of the Short Form (SF-36) QOL questionnaire at baseline and 6 months post treatment. At the end, all physical and mental parameters of the SF-36 questionnaire improved significantly in the case group, except for one subscale of mental health, compared to the control group. In the control group, only some physical health dimensions (bodily pain, role limitation, physical function, vitality), and mental health status as a mental health subscale improved. In conclusion, considering a major impact of back extensor exercises on improving QOL in women with osteoporosis over the long term, these exercises should be prescribed in routine management of these patients.     

Resist or Comply: The Power Dynamics of Organizational Routines during Mergers

The role of power and agency in the development of organizational routines is under‐theorized. In this paper, we draw on an in‐depth qualitative case study of a merger between two academic institutions, a college of art and a university, and examine the diverging responses of two organizational routines (admissions and budgeting) during the course of the merger to understand how power dynamics contribute to resistance/compliance of routines. Our findings suggest that the differences in routines’ responses to a merger initiative can be explained by applying Bourdieu's theory of practice and by employing the concepts of field and symbolic capital to unpack power relations in the context of organizational routines, and to disclose why some routine participants can exercise their agency while others cannot. We find that (a) the field within which a routine operates and (b) the actors’ symbolic capital and position‐taking during change implementation shape routines’ responses to organizational change initiatives.     

Voluntary Associations of Migrants and Politics: The Case of North African Immigrants in France

Voluntary associations have long been held in distrust in France, but things have changed recently. Associations are now said to develop tolerance, civic and democratic virtues, political sophistication and so on. Nevertheless, few studies focus on the interactions that actually take place in the associational context in order to demonstrate these relations. In this essay we focus on voluntary associations of migrants and we ask whether they are schools of democracy and places of politicization. We then study individual careers in order to identify the consequences of such a context for individuals. We work on three voluntary associations of young people mainly from North Africa, dealing with social action and leisure.     

Computing an effective decision making group of a society using social network analysis

Recent years have witnessed how much a decision making group can be dysfunctional due to the extreme hyperpartisanship. While partisanship is crucial for the representatives to pursue the wishes of those whom they represent for, such an extremism results in a severe gridlock in the decision making progress, and makes themselves highly inefficient. It is known that such a problem can be mitigated by having negotiators in the group. This paper investigates the potential of social network analysis techniques to choose an effective leadership group of a society such that it suffers less from the extreme hyperpartisanship. We establish three essential requirements for an effective representative group, namely Influenceability, Partisanship, and Bipartisanship. Then, we formulate the problem of finding a minimum size representative group satisfying the three requirements as the minimum connected \(k\) -core dominating set problem (MC \(k\) CDSP), and show its NP-hardness. We introduce an extension of MC \(k\) CDSP, namely MC \(k\) CDSP-C, which assumes the society has a number of sub-communities and requires at least one representative from each sub-community should be in the leadership. We also propose an approximation algorithm for a subclass of MC \(k\) CDSP with \(k=2\) , and show an \(\alpha \) -approximation algorithm of MC \(k\) CDSP can be used to obtain an \(\alpha \) -approximation algorithm of MC \(k\) CDSP-SC.     

Introducing Manus Prison theory: knowing border violence

ABSTRACT

Manus Prison theory is a coherent intellectual, creative and political project inspired over four years of ongoing research and organizing between Behrouz Boochani and Tofighian in what we refer to as a shared philosophical activity. Similar collaboration, consultation and sharing precede the project and include networks of scholarship and collective action. The theory has experienced a heightened interest and urgency since the release of No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Boochani (2018) and after winning prestigious awards. It aims to analyse the detention industry by identifying its connections with other forms of violence and domination; this approach focuses on how systems of oppression are interconnected, mutually reinforcing and multipliable. By considering an intersectional and decolonial approach and framing the analysis of Manus Prison within the discourse pertaining to kyriarchy we expose how border violence is rooted in Australia’s colonial imaginary and pervades socio-political structures and institutions.     

Development of Economic Consequence Methodology for Process Risk Analysis

A comprehensive methodology for economic consequence analysis with appropriate models for risk analysis of process systems is proposed. This methodology uses loss functions to relate process deviations in a given scenario to economic losses. It consists of four steps: definition of a scenario, identification of losses, quantification of losses, and integration of losses. In this methodology, the process deviations that contribute to a given accident scenario are identified and mapped to assess potential consequences. Losses are assessed with an appropriate loss function (revised Taguchi, modified inverted normal) for each type of loss. The total loss is quantified by integrating different loss functions. The proposed methodology has been examined on two industrial case studies. Implementation of this new economic consequence methodology in quantitative risk assessment will provide better understanding and quantification of risk. This will improve design, decision making, and risk management strategies.     

A postmodern theory of general economy: The contribution of georges bataille

One of the most important views concerning the post-industrial society is the return of the marketplace as the central economic institution. Although postmodernism has been viewed as “the cultural logic of late capitalism,” the work of Georges Bataille (1879–1962) sheds light on the idea of postmodern business in terms of a cultural shift concerning the motive of business venturing. While his contributions to political economy and business ethics still remain unknown to many of the advocates of postmodern business in the United States, Canada and Europe, Bataille formulated “a Copernican transformation” of capitalism, changing the perspectives of restrictive economy to those of “general economy.”