Assumptions and Consequences of Treating Providers in Therapy Studies as Fixed Versus Random Effects: Reply to Crits-Christoph, Tu, and Gallop (2003) and Serlin, Wampold, and Levin (2003).

In their comments on the authors' article (see record 2003-10163-009), R. C. Serlin, B. E. Wampold, and J. R. Levin (see record 2003-10163-011) and P. Crits-Christoph, X. Tu, and R. Gallop (see record 2003-10163-010) took issue with the authors' suggestion to evaluate therapy studies with nested providers with a fixed model approach. In this rejoinder, the authors' comment on Serlin et al's critique by showing that their arguments do not apply, are based on misconceptions about the purpose and nature of statistical inference, or are based on flawed reasoning. The authors also comment on Crits-Christoph et al's critique by showing that the proposed approach is very similar to, but less inclusive than, their own suggestion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thermodynamische Stoffdaten für Biogase

Thermodynamic analysis of apparatus designed for biogas and biogas production calls for the thermodynamic properties of these gases. In this paper newly fitted functions of the isobaric specific heat capacity c_p ^iG =c_p(T) are presented for the species nitrogen N₂, methane CH₄, carbondioxide CO₂, carbonmonoxide CO, water H₂O, sulfurdioxide SO₂, hydrogen H₂, oxygen O₂, sulfur hydrogen H₂S und Argon Ar. Equations for mixtures of these ideal gases are given and their application is shown by means of an example.     

Power and Measures of Effect Size in Analysis of Variance With Fixed Versus Random Nested Factors.

Ignoring a nested factor can influence the validity of statistical decisions about treatment effectiveness. Previous discussions have centered on consequences of ignoring nested factors versus treating them as random factors on Type I errors and measures of effect size (B. E. Wampold & R. C. Serlin, see record 2000-16737-003). The authors (a) discuss circumstances under which the treatment of nested provider effects as fixed as opposed to random is appropriate; (b) present 2 formulas for the correct estimation of effect sizes when nested factors are fixed; (c) present the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the consequences of treating providers as fixed versus random on effect size estimates, Type I error rates, and power; and (d) discuss implications of mistaken considerations of provider effects for the study of differential treatment effects in psychotherapy research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Seminal vesicle cysts associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis. Diagnosis, and long-term clinical course

PURPOSE: This report focuses on the prognostic factors of the renal pelvic and ureteral cancer and on the treatment for advanced and/or recurrent cases. METHODS: We reviewed the forty-nine patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and/or ureter who underwent surgery at the Department of Urology, Osaka National Hospital from April, 1986 to October, 1996. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done on the pathological features from these patients. RESULTS: The patients consisted of 34 males and 15 females and the mean age was 64.9, ranging from 27 to 83. Overall the 1, 3 and 5-year disease specific survival rates were 93.5%, 70.2% and 61.3% respectively by the Kaplan-Meier's method. The prognostic significance of the 6 pathological factors (pT, Grade, INF, pL, pV and pR) were evaluated statistically in terms of generalized Wilcoxon test and/or Cox-Mantel test. All the 6 factors effected on survival rates significantly. However, the grade, INF, pL, pV and pR factors were closely related to the pT factor. Moreover the pT factor was confirmed to be the most important and independent factor according to a multivariate analysis by the Cox's proportional hazard model. And the grade 3 factor with pT2 or higher stage was a high risk factor in recurrences significantly, in spite of curatively operated cases. Thirteen patients with high stage, metastasis or recurrences were treated after operation with the M-VAC or modified M-VAC regimen as preventive, adjuvant and/or salvage chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 72.7% in eleven cases with evaluable lesions, while these regimens could not be expected to improve long-term survival rate. The response rate of combined chemoradiation therapy was 66.7% for six cases with the localized recurrent cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The pT factor was the independent predictor of disease-specific survival. Adjuvant chemotherapy for prevention of cancer recurrence should be considered in the case of pT2 or higher stage plus grade 3 factor, even if curatively operated cases. The M-VAC or modified M-VAC regimen was reconfirmed to be useful as first line chemotherapy of advanced renal pelvic and ureteral cancer. Combined chemoradiation therapy was useful for the localized cancer recurrences, especially as a second line therapy for relapsed cases after M-VAC chemotherapy in this series.     

Mood-congruent cognitions constitute mood experience.

Three studies tested the assumption of a dispositional theory of moods that mood-related cognitions constitute essential parts of the phenomenal mood experience. In Study 1, after a hot- versus a cold-, sad-, or angry-mood induction, participants reported their momentary moods and their momentary mood-related cognitions. Self-reported moods and mood-related cognitions changed in a strictly parallel fashion in all mood induction groups. A mediation analysis showed that the influences of distraction on moods were completely mediated by changes in mood-related cognitions. Study 2 replicated the central findings of Study 1 with a musical mood induction procedure. Study 3 showed that the findings do not depend on the explicit manipulation of moods. The results support the tested assumption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of Na on the properties of Cu-rich prepared CuInS2 thin films and the performance of corresponding CuInS2/CdS/ZnO solar cells

Using different glass substrate types the Na content in sequentially and Cu-rich prepared CuInS₂ films and corresponding CuInS₂/CdS/ZnO thin-film solar cells is varied. The purpose was to investigate the influence of different Na concentrations on absorbers and devices. While the morphology of the absorbers seems not to be affected by this variation, corresponding PL spectra differ significantly. The properties of the solar cells, however, show no dependence on the Na concentration. This implies that even though the defect chemistry of CuInS₂, sequentially prepared under Cu excess, is changed by the presence of Na this influence has no impact on properties of corresponding solar cells.     

Increased incidence of mumps orchitis in adolescence and adulthood--sequelae of low vaccination rate?

In recent years, mumps orchitis has become a rarely reported disease. However, since October 1994 a clear increase in the incidence of this disease has been observed. At four hospitals in the Saarland, Germany, 45 cases of mumps orchitis in adolescents and adults were diagnosed in this period. In addition to the case history and clinical findings, the diagnosis was confirmed by an increased IgM titer. None of the patients had been previously vaccinated. The main reason for this was a lack of parental knowledge of the necessity for this vaccination, one which has almost no side effects. The goal of this study is to describe the disease, present our own results, and indicate the need for vaccination. In addition to providing information, a further aim of the study is to increase the motivation of adolescents and adults for vaccination. Although many treatments for mumps have been published in recent years, the most successful therapy is still prophylactic vaccination.     

The academic field of information systems in Europe

This paper reviews the institutional and cognitive profile of the information systems (IS) field in Europe, using the results of a survey of IS academics in 18 European countries. The emerging picture suggests that the study of IS in European academia is dispersed in small units with various names, which are hosted in various disciplines across the science/social science spectrum. Our survey confirms the widespread view that the IS field is concerned with the study of a wide range of themes, from developing technologies per se, to assessing the social impact of new information and communication technologies. Moreover, a variety of research perspectives and approaches is found to be pursued, drawing from both the positivist and interpretative epistemological traditions. Reflecting upon the survey findings, we argue that while the institutional dispersion is a weakness that requires remedying action, the cognitive diversity should not be considered as a characteristic of immaturity. In Europe, the diversity of themes and research perspectives probably manifests more fundamental differences of the socioeconomic context which gives rise to, and sustains, different types of IS research in different countries.