Sample size determination for a matched-pairs study with incomplete data using exact approach

This research was motivated by a clinical trial design for a cognitive study. The pilot study was a matched-pairs design where some data are missing, specifically the missing data coming at the end of the study. Existing approaches to determine sample size are all based on asymptotic approaches (e.g., the generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach). When the sample size in a clinical trial is small to medium, these asymptotic approaches may not be appropriate for use due to the unsatisfactory Type I and II error rates. For this reason, we consider the exact unconditional approach to compute the sample size for a matched-pairs study with incomplete data. Recommendations are made for each possible missingness pattern by comparing the exact sample sizes based on three commonly used test statistics, with the existing sample size calculation based on the GEE approach. An example from a real surgeon-reviewers study is used to illustrate the application of the exact sample size calculation in study designs.     

Interpersonal predictors of stress generation: Is there a super factor?

Hammen's (1991, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100, 555–561) seminal paper on stress generation highlighted the reciprocal relationship between stress and depression. Not only does stress predict depression, but women with a diagnosis of depression also experienced subsequent increased levels of stress. In the ensuing years, depression researchers have moved beyond clinical predictors and examined whether depression vulnerability factors also contribute to stress generation. This interest has led to a growing focus on interpersonal vulnerability factors that contribute to stress generation. To date, the research examining interpersonal predictors of stress generation has tended to examine vulnerability factors singly and thus potential overlap and unique predictions among vulnerability factors have not been determined. This study examines interpersonal vulnerability factors from various schools of thought (dependency, attachment, and unmitigated communion) as predictors of interpersonal stress generation. Three hundred and sixty-four young adults completed baseline measures of interpersonal vulnerabilities and provided weekly reports of depressive symptoms and stressful life events. Multilevel models were estimated to examine their unique predictions of interpersonal stress generation. Despite converging theories, there does not appear to be a single super factor. Of the interpersonal vulnerability factors tested, anxious attachment emerged as a consistent predictor of interpersonal stress generation both when examined singly and when in combination with related variables.     

Ranking of Drivers for Green Manufacturing Implementation Using Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution Method

The governments are under tremendous pressure to sustain high manufacturing growth in emerging economies. Unfortunately, the manufacturing sector consumes much energy and other resources and emits a large amount of green house gases, which increases environmental problems such as climate change and global warming. One possible solution to this problem is green manufacturing (GM) implementation in industry. However, GM implementation faces many challenges. Various motivating factors named as ‘drivers’ should be facilitated by the government and industry to make this change possible. This paper investigates the drivers for GM implementation and their ranking based on fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution method using government, industry and experts perspectives. The study concluded that competitiveness, incentives, organizational resources and technology are top ranked drivers and should be facilitated by the government and industry to help implement GM. The ranking of these drivers is expected to help the government and industry to focus on few important drivers to facilitate the GM implementation with limited resources. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Generational Differences as a Determinant of Women's Perspectives on Commitment

Differences between 116 graduate and undergraduate women, representing 4 generations (i.e., Baby Boomers, Transitionals, Generation Xers, and Millennials), were studied to categorize earliest awareness and definitions of commitment in relationships. More than 63% of participants in each generation viewed relationship commitment in terms of constraints rather than attractions.     

Determination of Peierls stress from acoustic harmonic generation

The interaction of acoustic waves with dislocations leads to aperiodic oscillations in the magnitude of the acoustic nonlinearity parameter β as a function of the acoustic drive amplitude σ _ampl. The magnitude and spacing of the oscillations depend on the value of the Peierls stress. A least-square curve fit of the β(σ _ampl) equation to experimental data taken of 99.999% pure aluminum monocrystals oriented for wave propagation along the [1?0?0] crystal axis yields the value 6.2?×?10⁴?Pa for the Peierls stress. The value is consistent with the smallest values reported in the literature for aluminum where for both theoretical and experimental studies the reported values range over three orders of magnitude.     

局部表象产生中行为性别差异的神经基础

行为研究发现女性具有更好的局部表象产生能力, 但其神经基础尚不清楚。研究采用事件相关电位技术以及小世界网络分析方法, 探索局部表象产生中性别差异的大脑信息加工基础。结果显示在局部表象产生中, 女性行为反应较男性更快, 表象产生诱发的P300-650平均波幅更小, 且大脑功能网络的平均路径长度更短。深入分析发现, 反应时与脑网络的平均路径长度之间成正相关。该结果意味着低耗高效的大脑信息加工模式是女性具有更好的局部表象能力的神经基础。     

新生代员工自杀意念的产生机理

新生代员工的自杀意念正在引起研究者的关注.本研究立足于职业健康心理学和积极心理学视野,汲取自我决定理论和生命意义理论的思想精髓以构建“动机-生命意义”模型,系统考察社会、组织和个体因素对自杀意念的综合影响,对揭示无精神疾患员工自杀意念产生的影响机制和心理动力机制、促进研究范式从病理取向转向积极取向具有重要的理论价值;此外,还有望开发出一套“社会-组织情境→动机→生命意义”干预方案,引导企业与政府反思其现有管理体系,帮助管理者审视其管理哲学并改善其管理行为,针对尚无自杀意念或意念处于萌芽期的员工,多层次、多途径构建员工自杀的一级防控体系和心理援助机制,促进员工与企业、社会的整体和谐发展.     

基于项目自动生成的认知诊断测验开发

认知诊断、项目自动生成是现代心理测量领域的重要发展领域,二者的结合更是心理测量领域亟待开展的重要课题。本研究以小学数学问题解决认知诊断项目自动生成为例,探讨认知诊断领域的项目生成技术及算法。研究发现：(1)计算机自生成的项目参数与原模板参数具有较高的一致性。(2)同一项目模板下生成的不同试题的测量学特征基本不变。(3)同一批被试在自动生成的两份试卷的前、后测的能力( )值高度相关(r=0.811),前、后两次对被试诊断结果的一致性高达86.5%。这表明本文所设计的认知诊断测验项目的自动生成技术及其算法基本可行,小学数学问题解决认知诊断项目的自动生成效果较好。这也为其它认知诊断领域的项目自动生成提供了技术借鉴和支持。