Weighted Majorization Algorithms for Weighted Least Squares Decomposition Models

For many least-squares decomposition models efficient algorithms are well known. A more difficult problem arises in decomposition models where each residual is weighted by a nonnegative value. A special case is principal components analysis with missing data. Kiers (1997) discusses an algorithm for minimizing weighteddecomposition models by iterative majorization. In this paper, we for computing a solution. We will show that the algorithm by Kiers is a special case of our algorithm. Here, we will apply weighted majorization to weighted principal components analysis, robust Procrustes analysis, and logistic bi-additive models of which the two parameter logistic model in item response theory is a specialcase. Simulation studies show that weighted majorization is generally faster than the method by Kiers by a factor one to four and obtains the same or better quality solutions. For logistic bi-additive models, we propose a new iterative majorization algorithm called logistic majorization.iterative majorization;IRT;logistic bi-additive model;robust Procrustes analysis;weighted principal component analysis;two parameter logistic model

Weighted Majorization Algorithms for Weighted Least Squares Decomposition Models

For many least-squares decomposition models efficient algorithms are well known. A more difficult problem arises in decomposition models where each residual is weighted by a nonnegative value. A special case is principal components analysis with missing data. Kiers (1997) discusses an algorithm for minimizing weighted decomposition models by iterative majorization. In this paper, we for computing a solution. We will show that the algorithm by Kiers is a special case of our algorithm. Here, we will apply weighted majorization to weighted principal components analysis, robust Procrustes analysis, and logistic bi-additive models of which the two parameter logistic model in item response theory is a special case. Simulation studies show that weighted majorization is generally faster than the method by Kiers by a factor one to four and obtains the same or better quality solutions. For logistic bi-additive models, we propose a new iterative majorization algorithm called logistic majorization

Successful private–public funding of paediatric medicines research: lessons from the EU programme to fund research into off-patent medicines

The European Paediatric Regulation mandated the European Commission to fund research on off-patent medicines with demonstrated therapeutic interest for children. Responding to this mandate, five FP7 project calls were launched and 20 projects were granted. This paper aims to detail the funded projects and their preliminary results. Publicly available sources have been consulted and a descriptive analysis has been performed. Twenty Research Consortia including 246 partners in 29 European and non-European countries were created (involving 129 universities or public funded research organisations, 51 private companies with 40 SMEs, 7 patient associations). The funded projects investigate 24 medicines, covering 10 therapeutic areas in all paediatric age groups. In response to the Paediatric Regulation and to apply for a Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation, 15 Paediatric Investigation Plans have been granted by the EMAPaediatric Committee, including 71 studies of whom 29 paediatric clinical trials, leading to a total of 7,300 children to be recruited in more than 380 investigational centres. Conclusion: Notwithstanding the EU contribution for each study is lower than similar publicly funded projects, and also considering the complexity of paediatric research, these projects are performing high-quality research and are progressing towards the increase of new paediatric medicines on the market. Private–public partnerships have been effectively implemented, providing a good example for future collaborative actions. Since these projects cover a limited number of offpatent drugs and many unmet therapeutic needs in paediatrics remain, it is crucial foreseeing new similar initiatives in forthcoming European funding programmes

An Investigation of Differences in Reading Achievement of Students Who Attend Full-Day Kindergarten Versus Half-Day Kindergarten Using DIBELS NEXT

Kindergarten policies at both the state and local levels differ significantly, including areas such as availability, length of day, entry assessments, quality of instruction, class size, funding, teacher preparation and licensure, and curriculum. Despite this, the nation’s governors and education commissioners came together to approve the Common Core State Standards, a set of clear college-and career-ready standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English Language Arts and Mathematics. This research was designed to investigate the difference, if any, in the reading achievement of students who attended full-day kindergarten versus students who attended half-day programs. Data included results of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Next assessment. The participants were two independent cohorts of general education elementary school students in kindergarten. Students who attended the elementary school for half-day kindergarten during the 2012-2013 school year comprised Cohort 1 (n=111 ) in District A. Cohort 2 was represented by students who attended a different elementary school in District B for full-day kindergarten during the 2012-2013 school year (n=119). Pairwise comparisons were analyzed at three time points: BOY-MOY, MOY-EOY, and BOY-EOY (Beginning of year, middle of year, end of year) for all available data. Two different kinds of data required different kinds of analyses. First, score data were a continuous variable and were analyzed with ANCOVA. An analysis of covariance was employed to determine the effect of the independent variable on the average value of the dependent variable. Second, level data were originally presented as text data (nominal). The data were converted to an ordinal variable and analyzed with logistic regression, which provided results that can be interpreted exactly the same as the ANCOVA results. A secondary analysis analyzing effect sizes was also calculated. Overall findings from the data that were collected and analyzed revealed that, although participation in full-day kindergarten had higher mean scores than half-day programs in all but one comparison, only a few DIBELS Next measures showed significant gains for full-day over half-day. One measure showed very small significant gains for half-day rather than full-day. These findings were similar with the gender comparisons. The general pattern of full-day doing better than half-day with small insignificant differences across a large number of variables was seen for both males and females

Fuzzy support vector machines for pattern classification

In response to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa, the World Health Organization has advised all nations to prepare for the detection, investigation and management of confirmed and suspected EVD cases in order to prevent further spread through international travel. To gain insights into the state of preparedness of European hospitals, an electronic survey was circulated in August–September 2014 to 984 medical professionals representing 736 hospitals in 40 countries. The survey addressed the willingness and capacity to admit patients with suspected EVD as well as specific preparedness activities in response to the current Ebola crisis. Evaluable responses were received from representatives of 254 (32%) hospitals in 38 countries, mostly tertiary care centres, of which 46% indicated that they would admit patients with suspected EVD. Patient transfer agreements were in place for the majority of hospitals that would not admit patients. Compared with non-admitting hospitals, admitting hospitals were more frequently engaged in various preparedness activities and more often contained basic infrastructural characteristics such as admission rooms and laboratories considered important for infection control, but some gaps and concerns were also identified. The results of this survey help to provide direction towards further preparedness activities and prioritisation thereof

Religious faith and psychosocial adaptation among stroke patients in Kuwait: A mixed method study

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2012 Springer Science+Business Media.Religious faith is central to life for Muslim patients in Kuwait, so it may influence adaptation and rehabilitation. This study explored quantitative associations among religious faith, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction in 40 female stroke patients and explored the influence of religion within stroke rehabilitation through qualitative interviews with 12 health professionals. The quantitative measure of religious faith did not relate to life satisfaction or self-efficacy in stroke patients. However, the health professionals described religious coping as influencing adaptation post-stroke. Fatalistic beliefs were thought to have mixed influences on rehabilitation. Measuring religious faith among Muslims through a standardized scale is debated. The qualitative accounts suggest that religious beliefs need to be acknowledged in stroke rehabilitation in Kuwait

Surveillance of HIV Drug Resistance in Children Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy: A Pilot Study of the World Health Organization's Generic Protocol in Maputo, Mozambique

Between 2007 and 2008, the Mozambique Ministry of Health conducted an assessment of human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance (HIVDR) using World Health Organization (WHO) methods in a cohort of children initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the main pediatric ART referral center in Mozambique. It was shown that prior to ART initiation 5.4% of children had HIVDR that was associated with nevirapine perinatal exposure (P < .001). Twelve months after ART initiation, 77% had viral load suppression (<1000 copies/mL), exceeding the WHO target of ≥70%; 10.3% had HIVDR at 12 months. Baseline HIVDR (P = .04), maternal prevention of mother-to-child transmission (P = .02), and estimated days of missed medication (P = .03) predicted HIVDR at 12 months. As efforts to eliminate pediatric AIDS are intensified, implementation of ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor regimens in children with prevention of mother-to-child transmission exposure may reduce risk of virological failure in our settin

A differential U-module algebra for U=U_q sl(2) at an even root of unity

We show that the full matrix algebra Mat_p(C) is a U-module algebra for U = U_q sl(2), a 2p^3-dimensional quantum sl(2) group at the 2p-th root of unity. Mat_p(C) decomposes into a direct sum of projective U-modules P^+_n with all odd n, 1<=n<=p. In terms of generators and relations, this U-module algebra is described as the algebra of q-differential operators "in one variable" with the relations D z = q - q^{-1} + q^{-2} z D and z^p = D^p = 0. These relations define a "parafermionic" statistics that generalizes the fermionic commutation relations. By the Kazhdan--Lusztig duality, it is to be realized in a manifestly quantum-group-symmetric description of (p,1) logarithmic conformal field models. We extend the Kazhdan--Lusztig duality between U and the (p,1) logarithmic models by constructing a quantum de Rham complex of the new U-module algebra.Comment: 29 pages, amsart++, xypics. V3: The differential U-module algebra was claimed quantum commutative erroneously. This is now corrected, the other results unaffecte