Backfitting and smooth backfitting for additive quantile models

In this paper, we study the ordinary backfitting and smooth backfitting as methods of fitting additive quantile models. We show that these backfitting quantile estimators are asymptotically equivalent to the corresponding backfitting estimators of the additive components in a specially-designed additive mean regression model. This implies that the theoretical properties of the backfitting quantile estimators are not unlike those of backfitting mean regression estimators. We also assess the finite sample properties of the two backfitting quantile estimators.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/10-AOS808 the Annals of Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org). With Correction

Which Osteotomy for Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head and Which Patient for the Osteotomy?

Transtrochanteric curved varus osteotomy (TCVO) and transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy (TRO) are joint-preserving procedures for osteonecrosis of the femoral head. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date guidelines for the osteotomies. One retrospective comparison revealed that TCVO has shorter operation time, less bleeding, lower incidence of osteophyte formation, and lower rate of secondary collapse. To obtain successful results of the osteotomy, the patient should be younger than 40 years and should have a body mass index of less than 24 kg/m2. The osteotomy should be performed in early stages of femoral head osteonecrosis before marked collapse of the femoral head. The patient should have a medium-size lesion and an enough viable bone to restore the intact articular surface and subchondral bone in the weight-bearing area

Self-esteem, propensity for sensation seeking, and risk behaviour among adults with tattoos and piercings

Background: In recent years, increasing numbers of adults and adolescents have opted to undergo tattoo and piercing procedures. Studies among adolescents with tattoo and piercing have usually explored the relationship between one factor and the decision to have tattoos and/or piercings. The aim of this study was to determine relationships between body cosmetic procedures and selfesteem, propensity for sensation seeking, and risk behaviours among adults. Materials and Methods: The subjects were divided into two groups, i.e., those with (n=429) and those without tattoos/piercings (n=237), and self-esteem, propensity for sensation seeking, and risk behaviour were compared between the two groups using self-report questionnaires. To analyse differences in self-esteem and the propensity for sensation seeking, general characteristics were statistically adjusted. In addition, general characteristics, self-esteem, and propensity for sensation seeking were statistically adjusted to determine differences in the propensity for risk behaviour between the two groups. Results: Significant differences were observed in age, marital status, income level, occupation, values or sensitivity to fashion, and educational level between the group with and that without tattoos/ piercings. There was no significant difference in self-esteem, whereas there were significant differences in the propensity for sensation seeking and risk behaviour between the two groups. Conclusions: Continuous attention to, and interest in, the increased incidence of tattooing and piercing are necessary, especially in terms of public interventions for health education and health promotion, as these forms of self-adornment are associated with behaviours that pose a risk to health

Challenges and Responses for Ensuring Sustainability of INSA Training Programs

Providing a systematic training is critical for a state or international perspective to reinforce nuclear security regime nationally or internationally. Korea government recognizes the importance of such challenge, and established the INSA under the KINAC as a Center of Excellence for fostering national nuclear security capacity and contributing international nuclear security governance. INSA started with the government policy that the establishment of sustainable education and training infrastructure and processes is fundamental to the capacity building strategy. After established, INSA has been designing and delivering the domestic and international/regional training programs for the purpose of fostering human resources development in nuclear nonproliferation and security since Feb. 2014. This paper will cover a couple of new exercise modules which will be introduced newly in INSA training courses to achieve and ensure objectives of provided training programs

Mobile Enterprise Systems, Agility, And Job Performance: A Perspective Of Information Science

Despite the increasing attention paid to the information quality of mobile enterprise systems, it is still not clear how they affect job performance. This study examines mobile enterprise systems (MES) to explain how organizational workers’ perceived job performance is increased from both the organizational agility and their habitual use and mobility, while also investigating the role of information quality of MES; quality, structure, and richness. Based on the literature on agility, habitual behavior, and information quality, we proposed a comprehensive research model. Based on a large-scale survey from employees who use MES in their workplace across industries, our finding suggest that both market agility and operational agility are positively associated with perceived job performance, and such agilities are positively associated with users’ habitual use and mobility. More importantly, we also found that information quality, structure, and richness of MES are positively associated with users’ habitual use and mobility. The present findings provide us with a deeper understanding of how organizational workers utilize MES and how informational characteristics of MES affect users’ behavior and organizational agility. We discuss the implications for research and practice

THE IMPACT OF EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS ON KNOWLEDGE CREATION IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES

People become involved in online communities (OCs) to obtain information, share ideas, or create knowledge. In an OC with a text-based and asynchronous communication environment, knowledge is created and embedded in the dialogues codified into text-format. While most extant studies in OCs focus on social, structural, and cognitive factors leading to knowledge creation, little effort has been made to investigate more affective factors leading to knowledge creation. In this paper, we investigate the role of Emotional Expression (EE) triggering knowledge creation processes. We hypothesize that EE in OC triggers two processes for the quality of knowledge creation: sharing experiences and sustaining dialogues. Moreover, recombining ideas moderates the relationship between “sharing experiences” and the “quality of knowledge”. The hypotheses will be tested with data from an OC on “Business Ph.D. programs”. We conclude with possible implications of this study for academy and practice