Gender and sex bias in COVID-19 epidemiological data through the lens of causality

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a large amount of experimental and observational studies reporting clear correlation between the risk of developing severe COVID-19 (or dying from it) and whether the individual is male or female. This paper is an attempt to explain the supposed male vulnerability to COVID-19 using a causal approach. We proceed by identifying a set of confounding and mediating factors, based on the review of epidemiological literature and analysis of sex-dis-aggregated data. Those factors are then taken into consideration to produce explainable and fair prediction and decision models from observational data. The paper outlines how non-causal models can motivate discriminatory policies such as biased allocation of the limited resources in intensive care units (ICUs). The objective is to anticipate and avoid disparate impact and discrimination, by considering causal knowledge and causal-based techniques to compliment the collection and analysis of observational big-data. The hope is to contribute to more careful use of health related information access systems for developing fair and robust predictive models.     

企业间因果模糊与创新能力的跨层次研究

基于企业内部与企业间因果模糊的影响因素,引入跨层次的研究方法检验因果模糊对企业创新绩效与员工服务创新能力影响的悖论。通过问卷调研106家企业,根据个体层次聚合至企业层次的变量特征模糊、关联模糊,检验两者与样本企业可持续竞争优势间的关系。结果表明：特征模糊和关联模糊对员工创新能力具有负向影响,其中互动式替代学习具有中介作用;但特征模糊和关联模糊对企业间可持续竞争优势未有正向影响。研究结论提供了从因果模糊的维度划分和结果导向两个方面的研究视角参考,并在促进员工创新能力提高、增强企业可持续竞争力方面得到企业管理者应做好保护“圈内”、干扰“圈外”,以及在大数据时代背景下企业应降低因果模糊程度等启示。     

对休谟因果关系理论的思考

休谟的因果关系理论是休谟怀疑论的核心,对于哲学思维的发展具有巨大的启发和推动作用,理解了休谟的这一理论有助于对经验论发展的认识也有助于加深对休谟本人思想的理解。本文对休谟的因果关系进行了深入的思考,从其因果关系理论的建设性和破坏性意义说起,分析了对于唯理论的破坏性和对于经验论的建设性,以及对于知识合理性的影响,并着重分析了“习惯”这一概念在休谟因果关系理论中的价值和意义;接着笔者分析了这种理论中理性缺乏导致的矛盾,着重从方法论意义上揭示矛盾,然后点明了这一理论的意义以及藏们该如何面对这一理论．     

《船舶航行安全标准体系表》的编制

在分析船舶交通运输领域中众多国家标准和行业标准现状的基础上,综述《船舶航行安全标准体系表》体系分层思路;着重叙述《船舶航行安全标准体系表》的体系构架总图和各层次上标准的分布与组成;编制《船舶航行安全标准体系表》.     

论因果陈述逻辑的哲学意蕴

勃克斯的因果陈述逻辑理论,以“因果蕴涵”和“因果可能世界”为核心,建构了一个公理化的逻辑体系。它所蕴涵的哲学性质及其认知价值为现代归纳逻辑的研究奠定了坚实的基础,同时也为人们的实践活动提供了一种具有指导性的逻辑方法和途径。     

Intercultural willingness to communicate and communication anxiety in international teaching assistants

This study addressed patterns and correlates of communication apprehension, intercultural communication apprehension, and intercultural willingness to communicate in international teaching assistants. Results indicated an inverse relationship between communication apprehension of international TAs and their satisfaction with students, relationship with students, and perceptions of student ratings of instruction. Similar results were found for ITA state anxiety. Inverse relationships were also found between ITA intercultural communication apprehension and relationship with students and perceptions of student ratings of instruction. International teaching assistant CA and ICA were positively related with ITA state anxiety.     

Motives as predictors of argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness of black and white adolescents

Motives of inclusion, affection, control, pleasure, escape, and relaxation (Rubin, Perse & Barbato, 1988) were investigated as predictors of adolescents' argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness. White and black girls and boys (N = 198) completed the Adolescent Argumentativeness Scale and Adolescent Verbal Aggressiveness Scale (Roberto & Finucane, 1997). One Multiple Regression (stepwise) analysis found that control, inclusion, and affection predicted argumentativeness. A second analysis found that control predicted verbal aggressiveness. Race and sex were not significant in either model. Significantly, a positive relationship was found for argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness for whites and blacks, girls and boys. Suggestions for future research include re‐examination of the verbal aggression scale for adolescent samples.     

Measurement and segmentation of sport fans using brand association networks: Application to Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League (UCL)

This article presents a new research methodology for cognitive segmentation based on brand association networks. This application illustrates how brand association networks and cognitive segmentation can identify and describe the UEFA Champions League fans’ segments as a function of their cognitive content and structure. Four segments were identified (show-business lovers, passionate fans, admirers of celebrities and fair play, and event followers). A discussion of the results, directions for future research and managerial contributions are provided.     

勃克斯因果陈述逻辑理论评析

勃克斯构建的因果陈述逻辑系统集中体现了他对“因果性”模式的研究和探讨。他创新性地提出了“因果必然”、“因果可能”和“因果蕴涵”概念,并在因果可能世界语义学中对它们进行了诠释。无论是因果陈述逻辑公理系统的语形还是语义,都为归纳逻辑的发展提供了一个新的工具．而这一逻辑系统所具有的强大的理论创新功能也为归纳逻辑成为科学认知的必然逻辑奠定了坚实的基础。     

Interpreting evolutionary diagrams: When topology and process conflict

The authors argue that some diagrams in biology textbooks and the popular press presented as depicting evolutionary relationships suggest an inappropriate (anagenic) conception of evolutionary history. The goal of this research was to provide baseline data that begin to document how college students conceptualize the evolutionary relationships depicted in such noncladogenic diagrams and how they think about the underlying evolutionary processes. Study 1 investigated how students (n = 50) interpreted the evolutionary relationships depicted in four such evolutionary diagrams. In Study 2, new students (n = 62) were asked to interpret what the students in Study 1 meant when they used the terms evolved into/from and ancestor/descendant of. The results show the interpretations fell broadly into two categories: (a) evolution as an anagenic rather than cladogenic process, and (b) evolution as a teleological (purpose‐driven) process. These results imply that noncladogenic diagrams are inappropriate for use in evolution education because they lead to the misinterpretation of many evolutionary processes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47:861–882, 2010