Inference for quantile measures of kurtosis,peakedness, and tail weight

Insight into measures of peakedness, heavy-tailedness, and kurtosis can be gained by studying Ruppert’s ratios of interquantile ranges. They are not only monotone in Horn’s measure of peakedness when applied to the central portion of the population, but also monotone in the practical tail-index of Morgenthaler and Tukey, when applied to the tails. Non-parametric confidence intervals are found for Ruppert’s ratios, and sample sizes required to obtain such intervals for a pre-specified relative width and level are provided. In addition, the empirical power of distribution-free tests for peakedness and bimodality are found for some symmetric distributions.     

Simulation techniques for generalized Gaussian densities

This contribution deals with the Monte Carlo simulation of generalized Gaussian random variables. Such a parametric family of distributions has been proposed in many applications in science to describe physical phenomena and in engineering, and it seems to be also useful in modelling economic and financial data. For values of the shape parameter α within a certain range, the distribution presents heavy tails. In particular, the cases α=1/3 and α=1/2 are considered. For such values of the shape parameter, different simulation methods are assessed.     

Transformed generalized linear models

The estimation of data transformation is very useful to yield response variables satisfying closely a normal linear model. Generalized linear models enable the fitting of models to a wide range of data types. These models are based on exponential dispersion models. We propose a new class of transformed generalized linear models to extend the Box and Cox models and the generalized linear models. We use the generalized linear model framework to fit these models and discuss maximum likelihood estimation and inference. We give a simple formula to estimate the parameter that index the transformation of the response variable for a subclass of models. We also give a simple formula to estimate the r$r$th moment of the original dependent variable. We explore the possibility of using these models to time series data to extend the generalized autoregressive moving average models discussed by Benjamin et al. [Generalized autoregressive moving average models. J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 98, 214–223]. The usefulness of these models is illustrated in a simulation study and in applications to three real data sets.     

Using power transformations when approximating quantiles

Estimators are obtained tor quantiles of survival distributions. This is accomplished by approximating Lritr distribution of the transtorrneri data, where the transformation used is that of Box and Cox (1964). The normal approximation as in Box and Cox and, in addition, the extreme value approximation are considered. More generally, to use the methods given, the approximating distribution must come from a location-scale family. For some commonly used survival random variables T the performance of the above approximations are evaluated in terms of the ratio of the true quantiles of T to the estimated one, in the long run. This performance is also evaluated for lower quantiles using simulated lognormai, Weibull and gamma data. Several examples are given to illustrate the methodology herein, including one with actual data.     

A generalised Box–Cox transformation for the parametric estimation of clinical reference intervals

Parametric methods for the calculation of reference intervals in clinical studies often rely on the identification of a suitable transformation so that the transformed data can be assumed to be drawn from a Gaussian distribution. In this paper, the two-stage transformation recommended by the International Federation for Clinical Chemistry is compared with a novel generalised Box–Cox family of transformations. Investigation is also made of sample sizes needed to achieve certain criteria of reliability in the calculated reference interval. Simulations are used to show that the generalised Box–Cox family achieves a lower bias than the two-stage transformation. It was found that there is a possibility that the two-stage transformation will result in percentile estimates that cannot be back-transformed to obtain the required reference intervals, a difficulty not observed when using the generalised Box–Cox family introduced in this paper.     

对马克思货币理论的思考

商品第一相对价值表现和商品的第一形态变化之间、商品第二相对价值表现和商品的第二形态变化之间,分别具有对应关系.这是在"货币理论带"或"货币理论三边形"的基础上,通过把价值方程式和商品的总形态变化公式的有关顶端项联系起来进行分析之后得出的逻辑的结论.理解和把握上述两种性质不同的价值表现和两种相反的形态变化之间分别具有的对应关系,对于从整体上理解和把握马克思的货币理论,具有重要意义.     

“三维”适应选择转换视阈下的外宣翻译--以云南丽江世界遗产解说词的英译文为例

从“三维”即交际维、文化维和语言维适应性选择转换的角度出发,对丽江世界遗产景区的英译文进行举隅解读,探讨外宣翻译的“三维”转换。译者在产生译文时,在交际维上应对原语信息进行适当处理,在文化维上应突出文化内涵,在语言维上应注重语言形式和修辞的转换,以此产生“整合适应选择度”最高的外宣翻译。     

Social Origins and Transformations: The Changing Role of English Housing Associations

Following the suggestion of Ragin (1998, Voluntas, 9(3), 261–270), this article uses social origins theory (Salamon and Anheier, 1998, Voluntas, 9(3), 213–248) as an heuristic device to explore change in a specific field of nonprofit activity; the English housing association sector. Conventional histories of the sector in the twentieth century suggest a succession of eras with different policy drivers. These eras can be seen as consistent with shifts in welfare regime from liberal to social democratic (after 1919) and to neo-liberal/neo-corporatist (after 1980). Examples drawn from a panel study support the analysis of Esping-Anderson (1990, The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, Princeton University Press, Princeton) that underlying the apparent stability of welfare regimes there are constant processes of negotiation and conflict which may lead to transformations at organization, sector, or regime level. Rather than simply responding to policy drivers, some housing associations have been able to influence the environment in which policy is made and thereby to shape their own and the sector's transformations.     

中国小说现代性命名的审美视域

中国小说现代转型的缘起与走向与此后小说现代性建构直接相关。在中国小说现代性发生之际,虽然追求小说历史化功能的呼声占据主流,但小说界也的确有关心小说诗学问题的声音,从而成为一股小说变革过程中的自我制衡的力量。即使在梁启超等“新小说”的主流理论家那里,对小说文体的某些本体性认知也是存在的；而王国维等着意在小说理论与批评本身自觉做出美学理解的小说家或学者,尤其为小说现代性的完整命名做出了贡献。在小说现代性发生和命名的审美视域中,王国维等对小说诗学问题的关注以及梁启超小说理论中的双重性,一并显示出被主流话语遮蔽的小说生长的潜质。