Handling of household and item nonresponse in surveys

Für den Zensus 2000 wird das US Census Bureau eine Stichprobe zur Qualitätsprüfung auswählen (auch bekannt als integrated coverage measurement oder ICM), die die Schätzungen des Zensus verbessern soll. Die ICM-Stichprobe wird durch fehlende Daten aufgrund von Antwortverweigerung der befragten Haushalte oder Antwortverweigerung auf einzelne Fragen beeinflusst. Der Verfasser diskutiert alternative Methoden zur Berücksichtigung von Antwortverweigerung in der ICM-Stichprobe. Hierzu zählen folgende Vorgehensweisen: (1) keine Korrektur bei Antwortverweigerung durch Haushalte und keine Ableitung von Items; (2) Korrektur bei Antwortverweigerung durch Haushalte auf der Basis der Zensus-Kurzcharakteristiken; (3) Ersatz fehlender ICM-Items durch Zensusdaten; (4) Hot-Deck-Ableitungsverfahren. (ICEÜbers)"For the 2000 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau will select a quality check, also known as integrated coverage measurement (ICM), sample to improve Census estimates. The ICM sample is subject to missing data due to household and item nonresponse. This paper discusses alternative methods researched to deal with nonresponse in the ICM sample. These methods include no adjustment for household nonresponse and no item imputation, use of Census short form characteristics to perform household nonresponse adjustment, substitution of Census data for ICM missing items, and alternative hot deck imputation procedures." (author's abstract

Immunohistochemical identification of the beta3-adrenoceptor in intact human adipocytes and ventricular myocardium: effect of obesity and treatment with ephedrine and caffeine

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the beta(3)-adrenoceptor could be identified by immunohistochemistry in intact human white and brown adipocytes and other human tissues, and to investigate the influence of obesity and its treatment with ephedrine and caffeine on the expression of the beta(3)-adrenoceptor in adipocytes. METHODS: Morbidly obese patients were given a hypoenergetic diet (70% of energy expenditure) and some were also treated with ephedrine and caffeine (20/200 mg, three times daily) for 4 weeks. Adipose tissue and other tissues were taken during surgery. Immunohistochemistry was carried out using a monoclonal antibody raised against the human beta(3)-adrenoceptor. RESULTS: Staining was localized to the periphery of cells. All white adipocytes were stained. Those from lean subjects and obese subjects treated with ephedrine and caffeine showed more intense staining than those from untreated obese subjects. Staining was more intense in brown than in white adipocytes in perirenal adipose tissue from phaeochromocytoma patients. Staining was also seen in ventricular myocardium, and in smooth muscle of the prostate, ileum, colon and gall bladder. DISCUSSION: The tissue and subcellular distribution of staining was consistent with it being due to binding of the antibody to the human beta(3)-adrenoceptor. The presence of the beta(3)-adrenoceptor in human white adipocytes is consistent with evidence that it can mediate lipolysis in human white adipocytes. The increased expression of the beta(3)-adrenoceptor in obese subjects treated with caffeine and ephedrine supports the potential of beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonists in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Its expression in ventricular myocardium is consistent with evidence that the beta(3)-adrenoceptor mediates a negative inotropic effect in this tissue