Estimation of dependence between paired correlated failure times in the presence of covariate measurement error

Summary. In many biomedical studies, covariates are subject to measurement error. Although it is well known that the regression coefficients estimators can be substantially biased if the measurement error is not accommodated, there has been little study of the effect of covariate measurement error on the estimation of the dependence between bivariate failure times. We show that the dependence parameter estimator in the Clayton–Oakes model can be considerably biased if the measurement error in the covariate is not accommodated. In contrast with the typical bias towards the null for marginal regression coefficients, the dependence parameter can be biased in either direction. We introduce a bias reduction technique for the bivariate survival function in copula models while assuming an additive measurement error model and replicated measurement for the covariates, and we study the large and small sample properties of the dependence parameter estimator proposed.     

Chinese version of the OSI: A validation study

This article examines the construct validity of the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI) in its Chinese version as well as its criterion-oriented validity against self-reported data on absenteeism and accidents, using a final sample of 1054 workers in the Chinese manufacturing and power industries. The divergent and convergent validities of five of the OSI scales—Job satisfaction, Physical ill-health, Mental ill-health, Type A behaviour and Control—were examined by a multimethod-multitrait matrix technique. Results indicated that the Chinese OSI had fairly good validity in relation to other well-established measures as well as relevant organizational behaviours.     

小说《恐怖分子》的"魔鬼"意象解读

《恐怖分子》是美国当代著名小说家约翰·厄普代克依托9·11恐怖事件发生的时代背景所写的一部现实主义小说.以文本细读的方式推理分析作者厄普代克创作的真实动机和意义,一步步揭示小说中"魔鬼"意象的真实身份,指出美国社会普遍存在的精神危机才是美国恐怖主义的根源.     

田径运动训练过程控制理论研究述评

基于国内外相关文献,对田径运动训练周期理论、运动负荷控制理论、训练过程控制模式以及田径运动训练过程控制理论等进行综述.当前学术界在田径运动训练周期划分、训练结构等方面已经形成了统一的意见,但对训练周期的安排还存在部分分歧.关于运动负荷控制理论的研究是在适应人体能力的基础上进行的,而训练过程中控制模型的研究则是从数学以及专项训练等方面切入的,对田径运动员身体体能、训练强度承受能力以及运动内容等方面的研究呈现出交叉融合应用的态势.尽管以上研究有一定的局限性,但也为运动负荷理论以及训练过程控制理论打下了坚实的理论基础.     

Utilizing Bayesian predictive power in clinical trial design

The Bayesian paradigm provides an ideal platform to update uncertainties and carry them over into the future in the presence of data. Bayesian predictive power (BPP) reflects our belief in the eventual success of a clinical trial to meet its goals. In this paper we derive mathematical expressions for the most common types of outcomes, to make the BPP accessible to practitioners, facilitate fast computations in adaptive trial design simulations that use interim futility monitoring, and propose an organized BPP-based phase II-to-phase III design framework.     

An integrated system of engaging social workers and community volunteers in social care for the elderly: case studies in Taiwan

Integrating volunteers into social care is widely expected but rarely successful in practice. This paper discusses how the Community Care Centre Plan organising community volunteers to provide services to the elderly in Taiwan. This plan successfully integrated social workers and volunteers in a national system to offer service in local communities, showing a systemic practice of community care and a unique case of community-based and volunteer-based service. The purposes of this paper are to introduce the programme design and to understand how to integrate the mission of social workers and volunteers’ performance. The governmental policy and requirements, the role of social workers and the provision of voluntary community service which contributed to form the system were examined in this paper.     

The Alliance Experience Transfer Effect: The Case of Industry Convergence in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry

A central premise of the industry change literature is that firms change their strategic actions when an industry changes. Industry convergence (IC), the blending of boundaries between industries creating competition among firms that previously did not compete, is increasingly impacting many industries and is a salient case of industry change. Acquisitions are an important action shaping the course of IC because they trigger imitation and bandwagon effects further accelerating IC. This paper focuses on why and when learning from alliances reduces uncertainty resulting in acquisitions during IC: an ‘alliance experience transfer effect’. We demonstrate the utility of this mechanism for the substitution‐based form of IC that occurred between the telecommunications equipment and computer networking industries. Our key insight is that when the extent of IC is low there are significant transfer effects but, as the extent of IC increases, firms have access to an expanding volume and diversity of information sources that reduce uncertainty, thus weakening the transfer effect mechanism. We contribute to the alliance–acquisition relationship and learning literatures by demonstrating that the alliance experience transfer effect mechanism explains changes in firm strategic action (alliancing and acquiring) as the extent of IC changes. We also introduce a semi‐convergence perspective by directly measuring the extent of IC.     

The gender wage gap,weather, and intimate partner violence

Review of Economics of the Household - Two theories of intimate partner violence (IPV) have differing predictions on how women’s bargaining power affects rates of IPV. If an abuser enjoys and...     

医学生择业过程中的心理状况与职业生涯规划

随着大学毕业生人数的激增以及用人单位对于专业化程度要求的提高,就业形势变得日益严峻。同时,由于地区间经济发展的不平衡,人才往城市倾斜现象较为严重,由此出现城市与乡镇医院人才供求比例严重失衡。伴随社会问题出现的是医学生对于职业生涯规划的定位不准确而产生的各种心理问题,这些心理上的困境正严重地威胁着医学生职业前途。本文通过对医学生择业困境中的心理状态进行溯源与探讨,并结合我国目前医学生群体的就业状况,论述医学生择业过程中存在的心理问题,提出有针对性的解决方案与符合医学生群体特征的职业生涯规划,以期能为医学生群体带来一定的帮助。