Orthographic neighborhood size effect in Chinese character naming: orthographic and phonological activations

The present study examined the effects of orthographic neighborhood (N) size on the cognitive processes underlying Chinese character reading. Previous research has shown increasing N size facilitates word naming and recognition performance in alphabetic languages. Experiment 1 revealed that a large N size was associated with a general inhibition of processes underlying character reading, in contrast to previous findings with alphabetic languages. This inhibitory effect was influenced by regularity and consistency. Experiment 2 sought to assess the effects of higher-frequency neighbors on character naming performance. The results revealed that higher-frequency neighbors with different pronunciation to the target interfered with the phonological retrieval of targets. We propose that this type of interference may have caused the N size effect observed in Experiment 1. The results of Experiment 3 revealed that a large N size facilitated target naming in the absence of higher-frequency neighbors. The current results shed light on the processes underlying character naming, and we propose possible cognitive mechanisms of the N size effect on Chinese character naming.     

Sample size planning with the cost constraint for testing superiority and equivalence of two independent groups

The allocation of sufficient participants into different experimental groups for various research purposes under given constraints is an important practical problem faced by researchers. We address the problem of sample size determination between two independent groups for unequal and/or unknown variances when both the power and the differential cost are taken into consideration. We apply the well‐known Welch approximate test to derive various sample size allocation ratios by minimizing the total cost or, equivalently, maximizing the statistical power. Two types of hypotheses including superiority/non‐inferiority and equivalence of two means are each considered in the process of sample size planning. A simulation study is carried out and the proposed method is validated in terms of Type I error rate and statistical power. As a result, the simulation study reveals that the proposed sample size formulas are very satisfactory under various variances and sample size allocation ratios. Finally, a flowchart, tables, and figures of several sample size allocations are presented for practical reference.     

New heterogeneous test statistics for the unbalanced fixed‐effect nested design

When the underlying variances are unknown or/and unequal, using the conventional F test is problematic in the two‐factor hierarchical data structure. Prompted by the approximate test statistics (Welch and Alexander–Govern methods), the authors develop four new heterogeneous test statistics to test factor A and factor B nested within A for the unbalanced fixed‐effect two‐stage nested design under variance heterogeneity. The actual significance levels and statistical power of the test statistics were compared in a simulation study. The results show that the proposed procedures maintain better Type I error rate control and have greater statistical power than those obtained by the conventional F test in various conditions. Therefore, the proposed test statistics are recommended in terms of robustness and easy implementation.     

Using SAS PROC TCALIS for multigroup structural equation modelling with mean structures

Multigroup structural equation modelling (SEM) is a technique frequently used to evaluate measurement invariance in social and behavioural science research. Before version 9.2, SAS was incapable of handling multigroup SEM. However, this limitation is resolved in PROC TCALIS in SAS 9.2. For the purpose of illustration, this paper provides a step-by-step guide to programming the tests of measurement invariance and partial invariance using PROC TCALIS for multigroup SEM with mean structures. Fit indices and parameter estimates are validated, thus providing an alternative tool for researchers conducting both applied and simulated studies. Other new features (e.g., different types of modelling languages and estimation methods) and limitations (e.g., ordered-categorical SEM and multilevel SEM) of the TCALIS procedure are also briefly discussed.     

如何避免卵巢良性肿瘤的过度治疗

卵巢肿瘤是妇科常见肿瘤之一,可分为良性、恶性、交界性肿瘤,及时处理卵巢良性肿瘤具有重要意义,但关于如何避免卵巢良性肿瘤的过度治疗,尚无定论。目前为止,关于卵巢肿瘤发生、发展机制的基础研究和诊疗技术正在取得较大的进步,对临床医师发挥着重要的指导和辅助作用。如何正确诊断卵巢良性肿瘤,如何选择合适的手术方式、实现个体化治疗,是避免卵巢良性肿瘤的过度治疗的关键。     

低疟区疟疾导致胸外科术后高热的诊治体会

探讨疟疾导致术后高热的诊治方法,回顾性研究15例疟疾导致术后高热患者的诊治经过,其中1例确诊患者给予氯喹治疗后痊愈,14例疑似患者经氯喹试验性治疗后痊愈,9例患者随访1年均无复发。因此,对曾有输血史或疟疾史的术后高热患者,排除感染或变态反应后,可给予氯喹试验性治疗,无需等待确切的病原学结论。     

陈实功对传统医德思想的丰富和发展

陈实功时传统医德思想的丰富和发展主要体现在四个方面:一是深化了医家必须急病人所急、不计个人得失的思想见解;二是提出了医家必须严守病人隐私、做到自重自爱的明确要求;三是阐发了医家必须忠于职守、尊重同道的基本主张;四是强调了医家必须专心本务、踏实做人的重要原则.     

诺贝尔奖(1935)候选人伍连德及其学说

伍连德(1879年～1960年),剑桥大学第一位华人医学博士,1908年回国任天津陆军军医学堂帮办.1910年末东北爆发鼠疫,他出任"东三省防疫总医官".经过科学考察与实验对旱獭进行研究,他确定了鼠疫菌宿主动物和肺鼠疫传播方式,并创立"肺鼠疫"学说.1935年,伍连德被提名为诺贝尔生理学或医学奖候选人.     

老子之道的虚空特征与本体性之新探

"道"是老子哲学体系中的核心。"道"以"虚空"或"无"的形态存在,"虚空"或"无"是物质的潜在状态。"道"是混成之物,所以"道"是具有精妙的内部结构特性的,它是人类尚未完全认识的物质存在的高级形态。宇宙万物是"道"创生与演化的结果,而且在演化的过程中,"道"的作用是"无为而无不为"的。在研究宇宙的本体(或本源)问题上,没有其它的概念可以替代它、超越它。"道"是具有至上性的。     

日常生活中的教派差异——关于甘肃临潭旧城伊斯兰教的人类学田野报告

本文在田野调查的基础上,描述了甘肃省临潭旧城回族内部在日常宗教实践中存在的区别,展现了地方社会内不同教派在服饰、婚姻策略、宗教生活、丧葬、纪念和墓地安排等方面的差异性,并分析了这些差异性在日常实践层面维系宗教群体延续的作用。同时指出,教派作为人为性的一种社会建构,在社会实践中一旦获得承认,并具有合法延续的可能性时,其教派特征就会在日常生活的不同层面上表达出来。所有这些表达都是宗教群体集体认同的体现,也是日常实践中区分"我群"和"他群"意识的体现,其价值目标还是在于使宗教群体得以延续。