Bidding Behaviour in Second-Price and Random Nth-Price Auctions Given a Skewed Distribution of Interval Private Values

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasenjit Banerjee ◽  
Debkumar Chakrabarti ◽  
Souvik Datta ◽  
Rupayan Pal ◽  
Abul Maala Hussain
Methodology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Ferrer ◽  
Antonio Pardo

Abstract. In a recent paper, Ferrer and Pardo (2014) tested several distribution-based methods designed to assess when test scores obtained before and after an intervention reflect a statistically reliable change. However, we still do not know how these methods perform from the point of view of false negatives. For this purpose, we have simulated change scenarios (different effect sizes in a pre-post-test design) with distributions of different shapes and with different sample sizes. For each simulated scenario, we generated 1,000 samples. In each sample, we recorded the false-negative rate of the five distribution-based methods with the best performance from the point of view of the false positives. Our results have revealed unacceptable rates of false negatives even with effects of very large size, starting from 31.8% in an optimistic scenario (effect size of 2.0 and a normal distribution) to 99.9% in the worst scenario (effect size of 0.2 and a highly skewed distribution). Therefore, our results suggest that the widely used distribution-based methods must be applied with caution in a clinical context, because they need huge effect sizes to detect a true change. However, we made some considerations regarding the effect size and the cut-off points commonly used which allow us to be more precise in our estimates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1038
Author(s):  
V.V. Smirnov

Subject. The article investigates financial flows. Objectives. The study is to determine directions of financial flows in global social and economic entities. Methods. I rely upon the systems approach and methods of descriptive statistics. Results. The article illustrates the importance of national interests in financial flows of global social and economic entities. I emphasize that finance is a factor determining the importance of national interests. Finance mirrors the national development and opportunities of a social and economic entity to protect its sovereignty. Sustainable development seems to be the ground for solving any issues of national interests as part of financial flows of social and economic entities. This may be feasible through fund raising. I determined directions of financial flows streaming to socialist and capitalist social and economic entities. In Russia capitalist social and economic entities emerge due to a positively-skewed distribution of values around the average growth rate of direct investment in non-financial assets and portfolio investment, and a negatively-skewed distribution, i.e. military spending, inflation, fiscal revenue and general reserves net of gold. The article highlights that Russia and China have similar economic views on poverty and equality. Conclusions and Relevance. As global economic ties transform and controversies concerning the world order escalate, capitalist economies disregard the specifics of the social and economic paradigm and national interests of other countries. Such controversies can be eliminated if multiple economic interests are simplified. Sustainable development and respective goals seem to offer a solution to national interests as part of financial flows of social and economic entities. The findings unveil opportunities for exercising national interests in global social and economic entities by regulating a source of financial flows, generating new competencies for managerial decision-making on sustainable development goals.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Froeb ◽  
Vlad Mares ◽  
Steven Tschantz

Author(s):  
Murray Bennett ◽  
Rachel Mullard ◽  
Marc T. P. Adam ◽  
Mark Steyvers ◽  
Scott Brown ◽  
...  

AbstractIn a Dutch auction, an item is offered for sale at a set maximum price. The price is then gradually lowered over a fixed interval of time until a bid is made, securing the item for the bidder at the current price. Bidders must trade-off between certainty and price: bid early to secure the item and you pay a premium; bid later at a lower price but risk losing to another bidder. These properties of Dutch auctions provide new opportunities to study competitive decision-making in a group setting. We developed a novel computerised Dutch auction platform and conducted a set of experiments manipulating volatility (fixed vs varied number of items for sale) and price reduction interval rate (step-rate). Triplets of participants ($$N=66$$ N = 66 ) competed with hypothetical funds against each other. We report null effects of step-rate and volatility on bidding behaviour. We developed a novel adaptation of prospect theory to account for group bidding behaviour by balancing certainty and subjective expected utility. We show the model is sensitive to variation in auction starting price and can predict the associated changes in group bid prices that were observed in our data.


Genetics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 166 (2) ◽  
pp. 835-881 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer K Inlow ◽  
Linda L Restifo

Abstract Affecting 1-3% of the population, mental retardation (MR) poses significant challenges for clinicians and scientists. Understanding the biology of MR is complicated by the extraordinary heterogeneity of genetic MR disorders. Detailed analyses of >1000 Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database entries and literature searches through September 2003 revealed 282 molecularly identified MR genes. We estimate that hundreds more MR genes remain to be identified. A novel test, in which we distributed unmapped MR disorders proportionately across the autosomes, failed to eliminate the well-known X-chromosome overrepresentation of MR genes and candidate genes. This evidence argues against ascertainment bias as the main cause of the skewed distribution. On the basis of a synthesis of clinical and laboratory data, we developed a biological functions classification scheme for MR genes. Metabolic pathways, signaling pathways, and transcription are the most common functions, but numerous other aspects of neuronal and glial biology are controlled by MR genes as well. Using protein sequence and domain-organization comparisons, we found a striking conservation of MR genes and genetic pathways across the ∼700 million years that separate Homo sapiens and Drosophila melanogaster. Eighty-seven percent have one or more fruit fly homologs and 76% have at least one candidate functional ortholog. We propose that D. melanogaster can be used in a systematic manner to study MR and possibly to develop bioassays for therapeutic drug discovery. We selected 42 Drosophila orthologs as most likely to reveal molecular and cellular mechanisms of nervous system development or plasticity relevant to MR.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianfeng Lu ◽  
Ji Lan ◽  
Xiao’e Li ◽  
Zhongxin Zhu

Abstract Background The organ toxicities of lead and cadmium have been extensively studied; however, studies of their toxic effects on bone remain limited, especially in young adults. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of blood lead levels (BLL) and blood cadmium levels (BCL) with bone mineral density (BMD) among young adults. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2018 database. Because of the skewed distribution, BLL and BCL were Ln-transformed for analysis. Weighted multivariate regressions were performed to evaluate the associations between LnBLL and LnBCL and lumbar BMD. Subgroup analyses were further performed. Results A total of 3234 participants aged 20–35 years were included in this study. No significant association between LnBLL and lumbar BMD was found (β = − 5.6, 95%CI: − 13.5–2.3). However, in the subgroup analysis stratified by sex, this association became negative in women (β = − 18.2, 95%CI: − 29.9– − 6.4). Moreover, this negative association was more prominent in female blacks (β = − 35.5, 95%CI: − 63.4– − 7.6). On the other hand, a negative association between LnBCL and lumbar BMD was found (β = − 7.4, 95%CI: − 14.0– − 0.8). In the subgroup analysis stratified by sex, this negative association only existed in women (β = − 18.7, 95%CI: − 28.0– − 9.5). Moreover, this negative association was more prominent in female whites (β = − 31.1, 95%CI: − 46.2– − 16.1). Conclusions Our finding showed that both BLL and BCL were independently and negatively associated with lumbar BMD among young females, but not among young males.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anup Karan ◽  
Himanshu Negandhi ◽  
Suhaib Hussain ◽  
Tomas Zapata ◽  
Dilip Mairembam ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Investment in human resources for health not only strengthens the health system, but also generates employment and contributes to economic growth. India can gain from enhanced investment in health workforce in multiple ways. This study in addition to presenting updated estimates on size and composition of health workforce, identifies areas of investment in health workforce in India. Methods We analyzed two sources of data: (i) National Health Workforce Account (NHWA) 2018 and (ii) Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017–2018 of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). Using the two sources, we collated comparable estimates of different categories of health workers in India, density of health workforce and skill-mix at the all India and state levels. Results The study estimated (from NHWA 2018) a total stock of 5.76 million health workers which included allopathic doctors (1.16 million), nurses/midwives (2.34 million), pharmacist (1.20 million), dentists (0.27 million), and traditional medical practitioner (AYUSH 0.79 million). However, the active health workforce size estimated (NSSO 2017–2018) is much lower (3.12 million) with allopathic doctors and nurses/midwives estimated as 0.80 million and 1.40 million, respectively. Stock density of doctor and nurses/midwives are 8.8 and 17.7, respectively, per 10,000 persons as per NHWA. However, active health workers’ density (estimated from NSSO) of doctor and nurses/midwives are estimated to be 6.1 and 10.6, respectively. The numbers further drop to 5.0 and 6.0, respectively, after accounting for the adequate qualifications. All these estimates are well below the WHO threshold of 44.5 doctor, nurses and midwives per 10,000 population. The results reflected highly skewed distribution of health workforce across states, rural–urban and public–private sectors. A substantial proportion of active health worker were found not adequately qualified on the one hand and on the other more than 20% of qualified health professionals are not active in labor markets. Conclusion India needs to invest in HRH for increasing the number of active health workers and also improve the skill-mix which requires investment in professional colleges and technical education. India also needs encouraging qualified health professionals to join the labor markets and additional trainings and skill building for already working but inadequately qualified health workers.


Author(s):  
Jana Jurkovičová ◽  
Katarína Hirošová ◽  
Diana Vondrová ◽  
Martin Samohýl ◽  
Zuzana Štefániková ◽  
...  

The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors has increased in Slovakian adolescents as a result of serious lifestyle changes. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and the associations with cardiometabolic and selected lifestyle risk factors in a sample of Slovak adolescents. In total, 2629 adolescents (45.8% males) aged between 14 and 18 years were examined in the study. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure (BP), and resting heart rate were measured; fasting venous blood samples were analyzed; and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-insulin resistance (IR) was calculated. For statistical data processing, the methods of descriptive and analytical statistics for normal and skewed distribution of variables were used. The mean HOMA-IR was 2.45 ± 1.91, without a significant sex differences. IR (cut-off point for HOMA-IR = 3.16) was detected in 18.6% of adolescents (19.8% males, 17.6% females). IR was strongly associated with overweight/obesity (especially central) and with almost all monitored cardiometabolic factors, except for total cholesterol (TC) and systolic BP in females. The multivariate model selected variables such as low level of physical fitness, insufficient physical activity, breakfast skipping, a small number of daily meals, frequent consumption of sweetened beverages, and low educational level of fathers as significant risk factors of IR in adolescents. Recognizing the main lifestyle risk factors and early IR identification is important in terms of the performance of preventive strategies. Weight reduction, regular physical activity, and healthy eating habits can improve insulin sensitivity and decrease the incidence of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).


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