We derive a nonparametric test for constant beta over a fixed time interval from high-frequency observations of a bivariate Itô semimartingale. Beta is defined as the ratio of the spot continuous covariation between an asset and a risk factor and the spot continuous variation of the latter. The test is based on the asymptotic behavior of the covariation between the risk factor and an estimate o...

A statistical mixture model is used to fit time-to-emesis data. The Weibull probability distribution is shown to provide a good fit for those subjects who either become sick or withdraw from the experiment within 2 h. The second part of the mixture accounts for those subjects who neither quit nor vomit within 2 h. The log-normal probability model is shown to give a poorer fit to the data and fi...

In this paper, trends in streamflow and precipitation at the annual, seasonal and monthly timescales for different periods of records are analysed for the Aconcagua River Basin in central Chile. In this mountainous basin in the dry Andes water resources originate mainly from glaciers and seasonal snowcovers. The Mann-Kendall nonparametric test is used, and statistically significant trends are i...

Studies of evolutionary correlations commonly use phylogenetic regression (i.e., independent contrasts and phylogenetic generalized least squares) to assess trait covariation in a phylogenetic context. However, while this approach is appropriate for evaluating trends in one or a few traits, it is incapable of assessing patterns in highly multivariate data, as the large number of variables relat...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to determine the oral health status of a sample of prisoners at the Federal Prison in Enugu. The health status of inmates in the prison system needs to be incorporated into data and reports that summarize the state of the nation's health; this will encourage the provision of health care to prisoners and foster development of the nation's health. SUBJECTS AN...

BACKGROUND Community-based primary mental health care is recommended in low and middle-income countries. The Brazilian Health System has been restructuring primary care by expanding its Family Health Strategy. Due to mental health problems, psychosocial vulnerability and accessibility, Matrix Support teams are being set up to broaden the professional scope of primary care. This paper aims to an...

The identification of unsubtracted foreground residuals in the cosmic microwave background maps on large scales is of crucial importance for the analysis of polarization signals. These residuals add a non-Gaussian contribution to the data. We propose the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence as an effective, non-parametric test on the one-point probability distribution function of the data. With mot...

OBJECTIVES To verify whether changes in bone mass induced by glucocorticoid and bisphosphonate can be detected by digital subtraction radiography of lateral X-rays in female rat mandibles. METHODS 36 Rattus norvegicus (Wistar) females were randomly allocated to three groups: Group 1, control (n = 12); Group 2, induced osteopaenia (n = 12); and Group 3, induced osteopaenia plus risedronate (n ...

This paper is concerned with testing properties of polymorphic functions. The problem is that testing can only be performed on specific monomorphic instances, whereas parametrically polymorphic functions are expected to work for any type. We present a schema for constructing a monomorphic instance for a polymorphic property, such that correctness of that single instance implies correctness for ...

PURPOSE To determine whether a correlation exists between the term "good" on the summative, comparative assessment of a student's Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) and his or her actual performance in medical school. METHOD The authors reviewed the MSPEs submitted to three residency programs to determine the presence of the term "good" in either the summary paragraph or the append...