Near Infrared Spectroscopy Detection and Quantification of Herbal Medicines Adulterated with Sibutramine

There is an increasing demand for herbal medicines in weight loss treatment. Some synthetic chemicals, such as sibutramine (SB), have been detected as adulterants in herbal formulations. In this study, two strategies using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy have been developed to evaluate potential adulteration of herbal medicines with SB: a qualitative screening approach and a quantitative methodology based on multivariate calibration. Samples were composed by products commercialized as herbal medicines, as well as by laboratory adulterated samples. Spectra were obtained in the range of 14,000–4000 per cm. Using PLS‐DA, a correct classification of 100% was achieved for the external validation set. In the quantitative approach, the root mean squares error of prediction (RMSEP), for both PLS and MLR models, was 0.2%w/w. The results prove the potential of NIR spectroscopy and multivariate calibration in quantifying sibutramine in adulterated herbal medicines samples.     

The supervisory communication-commitment to workgroup model： Example on a Malaysian organization

This study examined the relationship between supervisory communication and commitment to workgroup model in a particular Malaysian organization. We employed structural equation modeling （SEM） statistical procedures. We found that positive relationship communication, upward openness, negative relationship communication and job-relevant communication within superior-subordinate relationships have significant effect on group commitment. Consequences of this finding were discussed and elaborated in this article.     

A comparison between neural network and other metric methods to determine sex from the upper femur in a modern French population

Forensic anthropologists are frequently asked to assess partial or badly damaged skeletal remains.One such request led us to compare the predictive accuracy of different mathematical methods using four non-standard measurements of the proximal femur (trochanter–diaphysis distance (TD), greater–lesser trochanter distance (TT), greater trochanter width (TW) and trochanter–head distance (TH)). These measurements were taken on 76 femurs (38 males and 38 females) of French individuals. Intra- and inter-observer trials did not reveal any significant statistical differences. The predictive accuracy of three models built using linear and non-linear modelling techniques was compared: discriminant analysis, logistic regression and neural network. The neural network outperformed discriminant analysis and, to a lesser extent, logistic regression. Indeed, the best results were obtained with a neural network that correctly classified 93.4% of femurs, with similar results in males (92.1%) and females (94.7%). Univariate functions were less accurate (68–88%). Discriminant analysis and logistic regression, both using all four variables, led to slightly better results (88.2% and 89.5%, respectively). In addition, all the models, save the neural network, led to unbalanced results between males and females. In conclusion, the artificial neural network is a powerful classification technique that may improve the accuracy rate of sex determination models for skeletal remains.     

简论改善干群关系的合理路径

进一步改善干群关系,凝聚民心,是构建社会主义和谐社会的必然要求。而要改善干群关系,其合理路径主要有:一是让权力真正回归人民,重塑权为民所用;二是将情感倾注民生,重塑情为民所系;三是将利益让渡群众,重塑利为民所谋。     

Analyzing Multiple-Item Measures of Crime and Deviance II: Tobit Regression Analysis of Transformed Scores

The purpose of this article is to inform criminological researchers about tobit regression, an alternative regression model that deserves more attention in this field. Tobit regression is intended for continuous data that are censored, or bounded at a limiting value. The tobit model may be a particularly good match to measures of self-reported offending, provided they have been transformed to reduce skewness. We present empirical analyses that evaluate the match of self-report measures to the assumptions of ordinary least square (OLS) and tobit regression models and that assess the consequences of any violations of assumptions. The analyses use a fourteen-item, self-report measure of delinquency from the Monitoring the Future study, a national survey of high school seniors. These analyses provide clear evidence that (1) transformations to reduce skewness improve the match of OLS to the data but still leave considerable discrepancies, and (2) the tobit model is well suited to the transformed measure. We conclude by assessing the purposes for which tobit offers greater and smaller advantages over OLS regression.     

Statistical Difficulties in Determining the Role of Race in Capital Cases: A Re-analysis of Data from the State of Maryland*

In this paper, we re-analyze data used to study the role of race in capital cases in the state of Maryland. We show that when alternative, and arguably more appropriate, statistical procedures are applied, the racial effects reported in early work turn out to be very fragile. The methodological point is more general: conventional causal modeling with observational data is not likely to produce robust results for a variety of criminal justice applications. Raymond Paternoster provided us with the data on which this paper is based and made a number of very helpful suggestions on a earlier draft of this paper. We very much appreciate both. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Justice.     

法学方法论研究的语用学转向(上)———法学方法论研究范式的批判性检审

传统的法学方法论范式，被学界概括和界定为归类（或包摄和涵摄）、推论、等置和评价——这四种范式。但归类或包摄和涵摄均可再归属于形式主义的推论范式，于是传统四范式最少可化归为推论、等置和评价——这三范式；其中的等置范式试图借助于具有实践理性的类推法、比较法和归纳法，实现法律事实与法律规范关系的等置或者对称性，但其重心依然倚重于逻辑理性；而评价范式不仅离开了“客观化”的逻辑框架，而且也因脱离价值评价的主体及其特定语境，而成为无法实施的一厢情愿。最后认定，唯有具有主体间性（交往理性）、综观性、动态性的语用范式，才可以克服和超越传统三范式的缺陷，经由交往理性而实现逻辑理性和实践理性的统一，从而最终实现法律事实与法律规范关系的对称性。     

An assessment of Bayesian and multinomial logistic regression classification systems to analyse admixed individuals

Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) has been applied to the prediction of hair and eye colour. Here we apply it to the prediction of biogeographical ancestry (BGA) in a test set of 1092 admixed and non-admixed genotypes from the 1000 Genomes Project using a training set of 571 non-admixed genotypes from the HGDP CEPH cell line panel. Predicted BGAs are consistent with those of Structure, a naïve Bayesian classifier.     

Widening Inter-County Inequality in Jiangsu Province,China, 1950-95

Scholars have heatedly debated the change of regional inequality in China and policies for intervention. However, most studies on China are based on macro regions and provinces, and have paid less attention to trends and mechanisms of regional inequality within provinces. This paper uses time-series county data to examine inter-county inequality in Jiangsu from 1950 to 1995. We find that inter-county inequality in Jiangsu did not change much under Mao and during the rural reform period (1978-84), but dramatically intensified in the urban-based comprehensive reform period (since 1984). Regression analysis reveals that the institutional structure, agglomeration effects, and human capital are important factors underlying the divergence of inter-county inequality in Jiangsu.