Inaccurate age and sex data in the Census PUMS files: evidence and implications

We discover and document errors in public use microdata samples ("PUMS files") of the 2000 Census, the 2003-2006 American Community Survey, and the 2004-2009 Current Population Survey. For women and men ages 65 and older, age- and sex-specific population estimates generated from the PUMS files differ by as much as 15% from counts in published data tables. Moreover, an analysis of labor force participation and marriage rates suggests the PUMS samples are not representative of the population at individual ages for those ages 65 and over. PUMS files substantially underestimate labor force participation of those near retirement ages and overestimate labor force participation rates of those at older ages. These problems were an unintentional by-product of the misapplication of a newer generation of disclosure avoidance procedures carried out on the data. The resulting errors in the public use data could significantly impact studies of people ages 65 and older, particularly analyses of variables that are expected to change by age.Census ; Population ; Labor supply

Inaccurate Age and Sex Data in the Census PUMS Files: Evidence and Implications

We discover and document errors in public use microdata samples ("PUMS files") of the 2000 Census, the 2003-2006 American Community Survey, and the 2004-2009 Current Population Survey. For women and men ages 65 and older, age- and sex-specific population estimates generated from the PUMS files differ by as much as 15% from counts in published data tables. Moreover, an analysis of labor force participation and marriage rates suggests the PUMS samples are not representative of the population at individual ages for those ages 65 and over. PUMS files substantially underestimate labor force participation of those near retirement ages and overestimate labor force participation rates of those at older ages. These problems were an unintentional by-product of the misapplication of a newer generation of disclosure avoidance procedures carried out on the data. The resulting errors in the public use data could significantly impact studies of people ages 65 and older, particularly analyses of variables that are expected to change by age.Current Population Survey, American Community Survey, Census, disclosure avoidance, aging, data, sex, labor force participation, marriage

Science and the IS Researcher: Building an Empire Without Walls

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a radical alternative perspective into the debate on diversity, and the use of reference disciplines in IS research. It seeks to provide the foundation for a philosophical dialectic from which a new synthesis of the opposing views on the debate may emerge. Specifically, it is argued that the boundaries that divide academic disciplines are merely social conventions; products of convenience and individual and group self-interest. In contrast to this socially constructed view of scholarly inquiry, it is argued thatscience is a common good and that maturity of a field and of a researcher is evidenced not by defending the walls of a scientific empire but by contributing to the broader scientific community in which scholars in all fields may participate. The paradigm promulgated here is one of intellectual development and knowledge sharing that breaks down the walls of disciplines, views knowledge holistically, and considers the spread and evolution of ideas as the most important goal of all researchers. More than justa philosophical ideal, with the advent of the world wide web this new paradigm becomes a very real possibilit

Inaccurate age and sex data in the Census PUMS files: Evidence and Implications

We discover and document errors in public use microdata samples ( PUMS files ) of the 2000 Census, the 2003-2006 American Community Survey, and the 2004-2009 Current Population Survey. For women and men ages 65 and older, age- and sex-specific population estimates generated from the PUMS files differ by as much as 15% from counts in published data tables. Moreover, an analysis of labor force participation and marriage rates suggest the PUMS samples are not representative of the population at individual ages for those ages 65 and over. PUMS files substantially underestimate labor force participation of those near retirement ages and overestimate labor force participation rates of those at older ages. These problems were an unintentional by-product of the misapplication of a newer generation of disclosure avoidance procedures carried out on the data. The resulting errors in the public use data could significantly impact studies of people ages 65 and older, particularly analyses of variables that are expected to change by age

Inaccurate age and sex data in the Census PUMS files: Evidence and Implications

We discover and document errors in public use microdata samples ("PUMS files") of the 2000 Census, the 2003-2006 American Community Survey, and the 2004-2009 Current Population Survey. For women and men ages 65 and older, age- and sex-specific population estimates generated from the PUMS files differ by as much as 15% from counts in published data tables. Moreover, an analysis of labor force participation and marriage rates suggests the PUMS samples are not representative of the population at individual ages for those ages 65 and over. PUMS files substantially underestimate labor force participation of those near retirement ages and overestimate labor force participation rates of those at older ages. These problems were an unintentional by-product of the misapplication of a newer generation of disclosure avoidance procedures carried out on the data. The resulting errors in the public use data could significantly impact studies of people ages 65 and older, particularly analyses of variables that are expected to change by age.

Transaction-Driven Personalization: The Moderating Effects of Personality Traits

With transaction-driven personalization engines online merchants can use knowledge gained from an individual customer’s past transactions to match web content to the customer’s individual interests and preferences. Prior research in this area has focused on how to maximize knowledge mined from transaction logs to generate recommendations which are highly similar to the individual’s past preferences. However, it remains an empirical question as to whether a recommendation closely matched with previous transactions is most likely to influence choice behavior? In this study, we postulate that a recommendation closely matched with previous transactions may not be the most efficient in biasing an individual. In the consideration and choice process, an individual’s personality traits play a pivotal role in moderating the effect of personalized content. Drawing on prior work in marketing, we examine two key personality traits, need for cognition and variety seeking, and explore their effects on choice behavior in the context of transaction-driven personalization. Research hypotheses are tested using 2,294 pre-selected subjects in an online field experiment based on a ring tone download website. Our findings establish that personality traits of an individual moderate content consideration and choice. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed

THE ROLE OF SYNERGY IN USING ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE FOR BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

Enterprise architecture (EA) provides an integrated representation of an organization’s current and desirable future business capabilities, processes, systems, data and IT infrastructure. EA can interact with and enhance other organizational capabilities, including business transformation capabilities. De-spite significant interest and investment in EA, there is little understanding of how EA can augment other organizational capabilities. In this research in progress paper, we focus on the role of EA in augmenting a firm’s business transformation capability. We conceptualize a synergistic relationship between EA and a firm’s business transformation capability and the emergent EA-enabled business transformation capability. We propose a research model that uses synergy and EA-enabled business transformation capability to explain how transformation outcomes and organizational benefits can be enhanced using EA. We argue that EA capability can lead to the exploitation of existing resources by sharing and reuse of assets and exploration of new capabilities by reconfiguring and integrating re-sources. At an organizational level, EA can increase flexibility, agility and business-IT alignment. The model forms the basis for planned mixed method empirical work combining case studies and a survey

Detection and quantification of γ-H2AX using a dissociation enhanced lanthanide fluorescence immunoassay

Phosphorylation of the histone protein H2AX to form γ-H2AX foci directly represents DNA double-strand break formation. Traditional γ-H2AX detection involves counting individual foci within individual nuclei. The novelty of this work is the application of a time-resolved fluorescence assay using dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluorescence immunoassay for quantitative measurements of γ-H2AX. For comparison, standard fluorescence detection was employed and analyzed either by bulk fluorescent measurements or by direct foci counting using BioTek Spot Count algorithm and Gen 5 software. Etoposide induced DNA damage in A549 carcinoma cells was compared across all test platforms. Time resolved fluorescence detection of europium as a chelated complex enabled quantitative measurement of γ-H2AX foci with nanomolar resolution. Comparative bulk fluorescent signals achieved only micromolar sensitivity. Lanthanide based immunodetection of γ-H2AX offers superior detection and a user-friendly workflow. These approaches have the potential to improve screening of compounds that either enhance DNA damage or protect against its deleterious effects

Australia and Other Nations are Failing to Meet Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children: Implications and a Way Forward

BACKGROUND: Australia has joined a growing number of nations which have evaluated the physical activity and sedentary behaviour status of their children. Australia received a 'D minus' in the first Active Healthy Kids Australia Physical Activity Report Card. METHODS: An expert subgroup of the Australian Report Card Research Working Group iteratively reviewed available evidence to answer three questions: 1) What are the main sedentary behaviours of children?, 2) What are the potential mechanisms for sedentary behaviour to impact on child health and development? and, 3) What are the effects of different types of sedentary behaviours on child health and development? RESULTS: Neither sedentary time nor screen time are homogeneous activities likely to result in homogenous effects. There are several mechanisms by which various sedentary behaviours may positively or negatively affect cardiometabolic, neuro-musculoskeletal, and psycho-social health, though the strength of evidence varies. National surveillance systems, and mechanistic, longitudinal and experimental studies are needed for Australia and other nations to improve their grade. CONCLUSIONS: Despite limitations, available evidence is sufficiently convincing that the total exposure and pattern of exposure to sedentary behaviours are critical to the healthy growth, development and wellbeing of children. Nations therefore need strategies to address these common behaviours

The Art and Science of Weed Mapping

Land managers need cost-effective and informative tools for non-native plant species management. Many local, state, and federal agencies adopted mapping systems designed to collect comparable data for the early detection and monitoring of non-native species. We compared mapping information to statistically rigorous, plot-based methods to better understand the benefits and compatibility of the two techniques. Mapping non-native species locations provided a species list, associated species distributions, and infested area for subjectively selected survey sites. The value of this information may be compromised by crude estimates of cover and incomplete or biased estimations of species distributions. Incorporating plot-based assessments guided by a stratified-random sample design provided a less biased description of non-native species distributions and increased the comparability of data over time and across regions for the inventory, monitoring, and management of non-native and native plant species