Orangia Highways (A)

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Peter Eso ◽  
Peter Klibanoff ◽  
Karl Schmedders ◽  
Graeme Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Decision Maker ◽  
Procurement Auctions ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Omitted Variable Bias ◽  
Ratio Set ◽  
Basic Facts ◽  
Variable Bias ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up

The decision maker is in charge of procurement auctions at the department of transportation of Orangia (a fictitious U.S. state). Students are asked to assist him in estimating the winning bids in various auctions concerning highway repair jobs using data on past auctions. The decision maker is faced with various professional, statistical, and ethical dilemmas.To analyze highway procurement auctions from the buyer-auctioneer perspective, establish basic facts regarding the project price-to-estimated cost ratio, set up and estimate a structural regression model to predict the winning bid, and compute the probability the winning price will be below estimated cost. Difficulties include heteroskedasticity, logarithmic specification, and omitted variable bias. Also to estimate a Logit regression and predict bidder collusion probability.

scholarly journals Love Thy Neighbour? Perceived Community Abidance and Private Compliance to COVID-19 Norms in India

2021 ◽  
pp. 139156142110539
Author(s):  
Upasak Das ◽  
Prasenjit Sarkhel ◽  
Sania Ashraf
Keyword(s):  
Strict Adherence ◽  
Community Institutions ◽  
Community Benefits ◽  
Omitted Variable Bias ◽  
Health Gains ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Variable Bias ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Private Effort ◽  
Respiratory Hygiene

To arrest the spread of COVID-19 infection, strict adherence to frequent hand washing and respiratory hygiene protocols have been recommended. While these measures involve private effort, they provide health gains along with collective community benefits and hence are likely to be driven by pro-social motives like altruism and reciprocity. Using data from 934 respondents collected from April till May 2020 across India, we assess if changes in perceived community compliance can predict changes in individual compliance behaviour. We observe statistically significant and positive relationship between the two, even after accounting for observable and omitted variable bias allowing us to view the results from a plausible causal lens. Further, we find subsequent lockdowns having a detrimental effect on individual compliance though the gains from higher perceived community compliance seem to offset this loss. We also find positive perceptions about community can be particularly effective for people with pre-existing co-morbidities. Our findings underscore the need for multi-level behavioural interventions involving local actors and community institutions to sustain private compliance during the pandemic. We suggest these interventions need to be specially targeted for individuals with chronic ailments and emphasize on community behavioural practices in public messaging. JEL Codes: I12, I18, I19, I31

scholarly journals Integration of various scales for measurement of insomnia

2021 ◽  
pp. 263208432110100
Author(s):  
Satyendra Nath Chakrabartty
Keyword(s):  
Test Scores ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Weighted Sum ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Normal Probability ◽  
Equivalent Test ◽  
Item Scores ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Different Levels

Background Scales for evaluating insomnia differ in number of items, response format, and result in different scores distributions and score ranges and may not facilitate meaningful comparisons. Objectives Transform ordinal item-scores of three scales of insomnia to continuous, equidistant, monotonic, normally distributed scores, avoiding limitations of summative scoring of Likert scales. Methods Equidistant item-scores by weighted sum using data-driven weights to different levels of different items, considering cell frequencies of Item-Levels matrix, followed by normalization and conversion to [1, 10]. Equivalent test-scores (as sum of transformed item- scores) for a pair of scales were found by Normal Probability curves. Empirical illustration given. Results Transformed test-scores are continuous, monotonic and followed Normal distribution with no outliers and tied scores. Such test-scores facilitate ranking, better classification and meaningful comparison of scales of different lengths and formats and finding equivalent score combinations of two scales. For a given value of transformed test-score of a scale, easy alternate method avoiding integration proposed to find equivalent scores of another scales. Equivalent scores of scales help to relate various cut-off scores of different scales and uniformity in interpretations. Integration of various scales of insomnia is achieved by finding one-to-one correspondence among the equivalent score of various scales with correlation over 0.99 Conclusion Resultant test-scores facilitated undertaking analysis in parametric set up. Considering the theoretical advantages including meaningfulness of operations, better comparison, use of such method of transforming scores of Likert items/test is recommended test and items, Future studies were suggested.

scholarly journals A Model for Selecting a Strategic Information System Using the FITradeoff

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Henriques de Gusmão ◽  
Cristina Pereira Medeiros
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Decision Maker ◽  
Additive Model ◽  
New Method ◽  
Strategic Information ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Strategic Information System ◽  
Glass Packaging

This paper arose from the perceived need to make a contribution towards assessing a strategic information system by using a new method for eliciting the weights of criteria. This is considered one of the most complex and important stages in multicriteria models. Multicriteria models have been proposed to support decisions in the context of information systems given that problems in this field deal with many conflicting criteria. The new procedure for eliciting the weights of the criteria has the advantage of requiring less effort from the decision-maker and, thus, the risk of inconsistent answers is minimized. Therefore, a model based on this new procedure is proposed and applied using data from a glass packaging factory that needs to select a single information system from a set of systems previously identified as relevant. The results obtained are consistent both with the performance of alternatives and with the additive model used to evaluate the alternatives.

scholarly journals A Webgis Framework for Disseminating Processed Remotely Sensed on Land Cover Transformations

2016 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grazia Caradonna ◽  
Antonio Novelli ◽  
Eufemia Tarantino ◽  
Raffaela Cefalo ◽  
Umberto Fratino
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Satellite Data ◽  
Vegetation Indices ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Geospatial Data ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Mediterranean Regions ◽  
Multi Temporal ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up

Abstract Mediterranean regions have experienced significant soil degradation over the past decades. In this context, careful land observation using satellite data is crucial for understanding the long-term usage patterns of natural resources and facilitating their sustainable management to monitor and evaluate the potential degradation. Given the environmental and political interest on this problem, there is urgent need for a centralized repository and mechanism to share geospatial data, information and maps of land change. Geospatial data collecting is one of the most important task for many users because there are significant barriers in accessing and using data. This limit could be overcome by implementing a WebGIS through a combination of existing free and open source software for geographic information systems (FOSS4G). In this paper we preliminary discuss methods for collecting raster data in a geodatabase by processing open multi-temporal and multi-scale satellite data aimed at retrieving indicators for land degradation phenomenon (i.e. land cover/land use analysis, vegetation indices, trend analysis, etc.). Then we describe a methodology for designing a WebGIS framework in order to disseminate information through maps for territory monitoring. Basic WebGIS functions were extended with the help of POSTGIS database and OpenLayers libraries. Geoserver was customized to set up and enhance the website functions developing various advanced queries using PostgreSQL and innovative tools to carry out efficiently multi-layer overlay analysis. The end-product is a simple system that provides the opportunity not only to consult interactively but also download processed remote sensing data.

scholarly journals Omitted Variable Bias in GLMs of Neural Spiking Activity

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 3227-3258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian H. Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Neural Activity ◽  
Single Neuron ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Omitted Variables ◽  
History Effects ◽  
Omitted Variable Bias ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Variable Bias

Generalized linear models (GLMs) have a wide range of applications in systems neuroscience describing the encoding of stimulus and behavioral variables, as well as the dynamics of single neurons. However, in any given experiment, many variables that have an impact on neural activity are not observed or not modeled. Here we demonstrate, in both theory and practice, how these omitted variables can result in biased parameter estimates for the effects that are included. In three case studies, we estimate tuning functions for common experiments in motor cortex, hippocampus, and visual cortex. We find that including traditionally omitted variables changes estimates of the original parameters and that modulation originally attributed to one variable is reduced after new variables are included. In GLMs describing single-neuron dynamics, we then demonstrate how postspike history effects can also be biased by omitted variables. Here we find that omitted variable bias can lead to mistaken conclusions about the stability of single-neuron firing. Omitted variable bias can appear in any model with confounders—where omitted variables modulate neural activity and the effects of the omitted variables covary with the included effects. Understanding how and to what extent omitted variable bias affects parameter estimates is likely to be important for interpreting the parameters and predictions of many neural encoding models.

scholarly journals Buruli-Ulcer Induced Disability in Ghana: A Study at Apromase in the Ashanti Region

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pius Agbenorku ◽  
Anthony Edusei ◽  
Margaret Agbenorku ◽  
Thomas Diby ◽  
Esenam Nyador ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Buruli Ulcer ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Ulcer Disease ◽  
Mission Hospital ◽  
Ankle Joints ◽  
Proportional Increase ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up

Objectives. To describe trends and category of disabilities caused by Buruli ulcer disease. Design. This retrospective study was set up to quantify information on the disability trends caused by Buruli ulcer (BU) using data on patients attending BU and chronic ulcer clinics from 2004 to 2009, at Global Evangelical Mission Hospital, Apromase. Methods. Data was retrieved from the WHO BU1 form, case registry book, surgical theatre register, and BU patients' records book of the hospital. Disability was measured as the incapability of patients to perform one or more daily activities due to his/her state of BU disease before treatment. Results. A total of 336 positive BU cases comprising 181 males (53.9%) were recorded of which 113 (33.6%) cases of disabilities were identified. A mean age of 52.5 (±1.32) years was recorded. For the trend of disabilities, the year 2009 recorded the highest (N = 34, 31.0%). The lesions were mostly located at the lower limbs (N = 65, 57.5%) region of the patients. Lesions with diameter >15 cm were the major (59.3%) category of lesions. Conclusion. Trend of disability reveals proportional increase over the years from 2004 to 2009. Contracture at the knee and ankle joints was the commonest disability recorded.

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