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Update - November 2003, Loma Linda University Center For Christian Bioethics

Update

In this issue:

-- Editorial
-- Hindu Perspectives on Genetic Enhancements in Humans
-- HIPAA: Privacy and Public Good
-- 2003 Graduates

Front Matter, Jmasm Editors

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

No abstract provided.

Fortune Cookies, Measurement Error, And Experimental Design, Greogry R. Hancock

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This article pertains to the theoretical and practical detriments of measurement error in traditional univariate and multivariate experimental design, and points toward modern methods that facilitate greater accuracy in effect size estimates and power in hypothesis testing.

Correcting Publication Bias In Meta-Analysis: A Truncation Approach, Guillermo Montes, Bohdan S. Lotyczewski

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Meta-analyses are increasingly used to support national policy decision making. The practical implications of publications bias in meta-analysis are discussed. Standard approaches to correct for publication bias require knowledge of the selection mechanism that leads to publication. In this study, an alternative approach is proposed based on Cohen’s corrections for a truncated normal. The approach makes less assumptions, is easy to implement, and performs well in simulations with small samples. The approach is illustrated with two published meta-analyses.

Comparison Of Viral Trajectories In Aids Studies By Using Nonparametric Mixed-Effects Models, Chin-Shang Li, Hua Liang, Ying-Hen Hsieh, Shiing-Jer Twu

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The efficacy of antiretroviral therapies for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can be assessed by studying the trajectory of the changing viral load with treatment time, but estimation of viral trajectory parameters by using the implicit function form of linear and nonlinear parametric models can be problematic. Using longitudinal viral load data from a clinical study of HIV-infected patients in Taiwan, we described the viral trajectories by applying a nonparametric mixed-effects model. We were then able to compare the efficacies of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and conventional therapy by using Young and Bowman’s (1995) test.

Deconstructing Arguments From The Case Against Hypothesis Testing, Shlomo S. Sawilowsky

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The main purpose of this article is to contest the propositions that (1) hypothesis tests should be abandoned in favor of confidence intervals, and (2) science has not benefited from hypothesis testing. The minor purpose is to propose (1) descriptive statistics, graphics, and effect sizes do not obviate the need for hypothesis testing, (2) significance testing (reporting p values and leaving it to the reader to determine significance) is subjective and outside the realm of the scientific method, and (3) Bayesian and qualitative methods should be used for Bayesian and qualitative research studies, respectively.

Ecotoxicological Research At Dit, Maria Davoren, Colm O'Dowd, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain

Articles

The term ecotoxicology first defined by Rene Truhart in 1969, essentially describes the study of the harmful effects of chemicals upon ecosystems.

Statistical Pronouncements Ii, Shlomo S. Sawilowsky

Theoretical and Behavioral Foundations of Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Benthic Biological Monitoring Program Of The Elizabeth River Watershed (2002), Daniel M. Dauer

Elizabeth River Reports

Executive Summary

A study of the macrobenthic communities of the Elizabeth River watershed was initiated in summer 1999. This report presents the data from the fourth year of sampling in 2002. The three objectives of the Benthic Biological Monitoring Program of the Elizabeth River watershed are: (1) To characterize the health of the tidal waters of the Elizabeth River watershed as indicated by the structure of the benthic communities. ( 2) To conduct trend analyses on long-term data at 14 fixed-point stations to relate temporal trends in the benthic communities to changes in water and/or sediment quality. Trend analyses will …

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln School Of Natural Resources Review: Final Report, December 2003, Michael O'Neill, Phaedra Budy, Stephen Degloria, Ed Kanemasu, Jamie Robertson, Derrel Martin, Anne K. Vidaver, Tylr Naprstek, Donna Woudenberg

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

In July 2003, the School of Natural Resource Sciences was merged with the Conservation and Survey Division and the Water Center Nebraska State Survey. This merger produced the School of Natural Resources (hereafter referred to as the "School") in its current form. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln requested a ten-year review of the School's programs and activities. The review was administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) in cooperation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the College of Agriculture, and the School.

The review document is divided into nine sections. The first …

A Critical Examination Of The Use Of Preliminary Tests In Two-Sample Tests Of Location, Kimberly T. Perry

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This paper explores the appropriateness of testing the equality of two means using either a t test, the Welch test, or the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for two independent samples based on the results of using two classes of preliminary tests (i.e., tests for population variance equality and symmetry in underlying distributions).

Confidence Intervals For P(X Less Than Y) In The Exponential Case With Common Location Parameter, Ayman Baklizi

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The problem considered is interval estimation of the stress - strength reliability R = P(Xθ and λ respectively and a common location parameter μ . Several types of asymptotic, approximate and bootstrap intervals are investigated. Performances are investigated using simulation techniques and compared in terms of attainment of the nominal confidence level, symmetry of lower and upper error rates, and expected length. Recommendations concerning their usage are given.

Approximate Bayesian Confidence Intervals For The Variance Of A Gaussian Distribution, Vincent A. R. Camara

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The aim of the present study is to obtain and compare confidence intervals for the variance of a Gaussian distribution. Considering respectively the square error and the Higgins-Tsokos loss functions, approximate Bayesian confidence intervals for the variance of a normal population are derived. Using normal data and SAS software, the obtained approximate Bayesian confidence intervals will then be compared to the ones obtained with the well known classical method. The Bayesian approach relies only on the observations. It is shown that the proposed approximate Bayesian approach relies only on the observations. The classical method, that uses the Chi-square statistic, does …

A Comparison Of Equivalence Testing In Combination With Hypothesis Testing And Effect Sizes, Christopher J. Mecklin

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Equivalence testing, an alternative to testing for statistical significance, is little used in educational research. Equivalence testing is useful in situations where the researcher wishes to show that two means are not significantly different. A simulation study assessed the relationships between effect size, sample size, statistical significance, and statistical equivalence.

Determining Error Bars In Measurements Of Ultrashort Laser Pulses, Ziyang Wang, Erik Zeek, Rick Trebino, Paul Kvam

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

We present a simple and automatic method for determining the uncertainty in the retrieved intensity and phase versus time (and frequency) due to noise in a frequency-resolved optical-gating trace, independent of noise source. It uses the ‘‘bootstrap’’ statistical method and also yields an automated method for phase blanking (omitting the phase when the intensity is too low to determine it).

Statistics Of Transmission In One-Dimensional Disordered Systems: Universal Characteristics Of States In The Fluctuation Tails, Lev I. Deych, Mikhail V. Erementchouk, Alexander A. Lisyansky, Alexey Yamilov, Hui Cao

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We numerically study the distribution function of the conductance (transmission) in the one-dimensional tight-binding Anderson and periodic-on-average superlattice models in the region of fluctuation states where single parameter scaling is not valid. We show that the scaling properties of the distribution function depend upon the relation between the system's length L and the length l_s determined by the integral density of states. For long enough systems, L ≫ l_s, the distribution can still be described within a new scaling approach based upon the ratio of the localization length l_loc and l_s. In an intermediate …

Temperature Control Of A Solid Substrate Cultivation Deep - Bed Reactor Using An Internal Heat Exchanger, Mari S. Chinn, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The solid substrate cultivation (SSC) process is often limited by rapid increases in temperature as a result of metabolic activity and poor heat transfer properties of the solid substrate. High temperatures can adversely affect microbial growth and product formation. Reduction of substrate temperatures is important for improved productivity, yet effective and efficient control of heat transfer in a deep-bed SSC reactor has proven difficult. An internal cooling water coil was incorporated into a deep-bed reactor system and evaluated for its ability to reduce substrate temperature. Three operating treatments were investigated: cooling water circulation whenever the center bed temperature was above …

Copyright Ownership & The Impact On Academic Libraries, Laura N. Gasaway

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Theoretical Investigation Of The Surface Vibrational Modes In Germanium Nanocrystals, Shang-Fen Ren, Wei Cheng, Peter Y. Yu

Faculty publications – Physics

We have used a microscopic lattice dynamical model to study phonon modes in germanium (Ge) NC with size varying between 47 to 7289 atoms (diametersimilar to6.8 nm). By separating these atoms into bulk and surface atoms we have found that surface modes can exist in Ge NC both at low frequencies (<50>cm(-1)) and at high frequency (similar to260 cm(-1)). The latter mode is a resonant mode which occurs in the "pseudogap" between the acoustic and optical phonon branches in bulk Ge. From the low frequency surface modes we have been able to reconstruct the spheroidal and torsional Lamb modes …

University Reporter - Vol. 08, No. 03 - November 2003, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

Strong Mid-Depth Currents And A Deep Cyclonic Gyre In The Gulf Of Mexico, Wilton Sturges, Eric Chassignet, Tal Ezer

CCPO Publications

The main purpose of this work was to explore the possibility that the deep flow (~2000m) around the edges of the Gulf circulates in a cyclonic, or counter-clockwise direction. The existence of such flow was proposed on theoretical grounds but had not been previously documented. Our results are quite clear that such flow is reliably observed.

Decision Process For Identification Of Estuarine Benthic Impairments, Roberto J. Llansó, Jon H. Volstad, Daniel M. Dauer

Benthic Applications

To meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act, the States of Maryland and Virginia are in the process of developing biological criteria for evaluating estuarine waters. The Chesapeake Bay Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) is the basis for these biological criteria. As an initial step, a Workgroup developed an interim framework for the application of the B-IBI to the States’ water quality inventory report (305b report) and list of impaired waters (303d list). The Workgroup included representatives of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), USEPA …

Rules And Fuzzy Rules In Text: Concept, Extraction And Usage, D. H. Kraft, M. J. Martín-Bautista, J. Chen, D. Sánchez

Faculty Publications

Several concepts and techniques have been imported from other disciplines such as Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to the field of textual data. In this paper, we focus on the concept of rule and the management of uncertainty in text applications. The different structures considered for the construction of the rules, the extraction of the knowledge base and the applications and usage of these rules are detailed. We include a review of the most relevant works of the different types of rules based on their representation and their application to most of the common tasks of Information Retrieval such as …

Landmine Clearance Projects: Task Manager's Guide, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

These World Bank guidelines on landmine clearance describe suggested good practice for use by task managers in the design and implementation of land mine clearance projects financed by the World Bank. It complements Demining - Operational Guidelines for Financing Land Mine Clearance, which the World Bank issued in February 1997, bringing together their experience in addressing this problem.

A Study Of The Factors Related To The Successful Merger Of Information Technology Departments Within Local Government, Angela Patton

Student Work

This study focuses on the merger process of Information Technology (IT) departments within local government. The research that exists indicates that local government mergers, in general, have a high rate of failure. In addition, the political, managerial, cultural, and behavioral aspects that impact these mergers are ignored.

The importance of computers to the departments/agencies housed within local government has made the IT departments a critical part of the local government structure. This study looks at the problems faced by the merging IT departments within local government in order to gain a better understanding of this process and to increase the …

Rethinking Racial Profiling: A Critique Of The Economics, Civil Liberties, And Constitutional Literature And Of Criminal Profiling More Generally, Bernard E. Harcourt

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

New data on highway stops and searches from across the country have spawned renewed debate over racial profiling on the roads. The new data reveal consistently disproportionate searches of minority motorists, but, very often, an equal or lower general success rate—or “hit rate”—associated with those searches. Economists are developing new models of racial profiling to test whether the data are consistent with policing efficiency or racial prejudice, and argue that equal hit rates reflect that the police are maximizing the success rate of their searches. Civil liberties advocates are scrutinizing the same data and, in most cases, reaching opposite conclusions. …

The False Promise Of One Person, One Vote, Grant M. Hayden

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

It has now been four decades since the Supreme Court stepped into the political thicket with its groundbreaking series of reapportionment cases. Those cases rather quickly brought about radical changes in the structure of our national, state, and local governments and, in so doing, reshaped the political landscape of the country in many, mostly beneficial, ways. The reapportionment cases also signaled the beginning of a revolution in the way we view the rights associated with meaningful participation in a democratic society, a revolution that continues to this day. We now enjoy a right to vote that is much more comprehensive …

Timber Damage By Black Bears, Dale L. Nolte, Kimberly K. Wagner, Andy Trent

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Consequences of Bear Damage
Damage Management
Bear Removal
Silvicultural Practices
Alternative Food Sources
Alternative Approaches

Groundwater Investigation On Victoria Location 8565, East Binnu, Russell John Speed

Resource management technical reports

Describes a drilling investigation undertaken for the East Binnu area within Victoria location 8565, Western Australia. Groundwater monitoring bores were installed to assess the risk of dryland salinity developing if after clearance of native vegetation, the area is used to grow annual crops and pastures. The investigation confirmed that the risk of further salinity development in this location is extreme.

An Inconsistency Sensitive Arrangement Algorithm For Curve Segments, Victor Milenkovic, Elisha Sacks

Department of Computer Science Technical Reports

No abstract provided.