Sparse estimation via penalized likelihood (PL) is now a popular approach to learn the associations among a large set of variables. This paper describes an R package called lslx that implements PL methods for semi-confirmatory structural equation modeling (SEM). In this semi-confirmatory approach, each model parameter can be specified as free/fixed for theory testing, or penalized for exploration. By incorporating either a L1 or minimax concave penalty, the sparsity pattern of the parameter matrix can be efficiently explored. Package lslx minimizes the PL criterion through a quasi-Newton method. The algorithm conducts line search and checks the first-order condition in each iteration to ensure the optimality of the obtained solution. A numerical comparison between competing packages shows that lslx can reliably find PL estimates with the least time. The current package also supports other advanced functionalities, including a two-stage method with auxiliary variables for missing data handling and a reparameterized multi-group SEM to explore population heterogeneity.

(eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) Reformats XML data. Endorsed as a standard by the W3C, XSLT is a language for transforming data extracted from an XML document into a new document. The destination format can be in simple text, HTML or XML. The most common use of XSLT is in conjunction with XML Path Language (XPath) in e-business integration, when its role is to transform XML data between the different XML structures used by each participant. XSLT is also widely used in website content management, to convert raw XML into HTML pages.

(Service Level Agreement) Contractual service commitment. An SLA is a document that describes the minimum performance criteria a provider promises to meet while delivering a service. It typically also sets out the remedial action and any penalties that will take effect if performance falls below the promised standard. It is an essential component of the legal contract between a service consumer and the provider.

Leif Döring, Philip Weissmann.

Source: Bernoulli, Volume 26, Number 2, 980--1015.

Abstract:
Conditioning stable Lévy processes on zero probability events recently became a tractable subject since several explicit formulas emerged from a deep analysis using the Lamperti transformations for self-similar Markov processes. In this article, we derive new harmonic functions and use them to explain how to condition stable processes to hit continuously a compact interval from the outside.

South East Family History Group (S.A.) -- Periodicals.

Kraus, Peter -- Biography.

Barack Obama said the “rule of law is at risk” following the justice department’s decision to drop charges against former Trump advisor Mike Flynn, as he issued a stark warning about the long-term impact on the American way of life by his successor.

Joseph Antonelli, Giovanni Parmigiani, Francesca Dominici.

Source: Bayesian Analysis, Volume 14, Number 3, 825--848.

Abstract:
In observational studies, estimation of a causal effect of a treatment on an outcome relies on proper adjustment for confounding. If the number of the potential confounders ( $p$ ) is larger than the number of observations ( $n$ ), then direct control for all potential confounders is infeasible. Existing approaches for dimension reduction and penalization are generally aimed at predicting the outcome, and are less suited for estimation of causal effects. Under standard penalization approaches (e.g. Lasso), if a variable $X_{j}$ is strongly associated with the treatment $T$ but weakly with the outcome $Y$ , the coefficient $eta_{j}$ will be shrunk towards zero thus leading to confounding bias. Under the assumption of a linear model for the outcome and sparsity, we propose continuous spike and slab priors on the regression coefficients $eta_{j}$ corresponding to the potential confounders $X_{j}$ . Specifically, we introduce a prior distribution that does not heavily shrink to zero the coefficients ( $eta_{j}$ s) of the $X_{j}$ s that are strongly associated with $T$ but weakly associated with $Y$ . We compare our proposed approach to several state of the art methods proposed in the literature. Our proposed approach has the following features: 1) it reduces confounding bias in high dimensional settings; 2) it shrinks towards zero coefficients of instrumental variables; and 3) it achieves good coverages even in small sample sizes. We apply our approach to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to estimate the causal effects of persistent pesticide exposure on triglyceride levels.

London (33 Stillness Rd, London, SE23 ING) : Cleanair, Campaign for a Smoke-free Environment, [198-?]

Vinod Venkatraman
Mar 9, 2011; 31:3712-3718
BehavioralSystemsCognitive

Adam J. Krause
Mar 20, 2019; 39:2291-2300
BehavioralSystemsCognitive

Michele Bellesi
May 24, 2017; 37:5263-5273
Cellular

M Steriade
Aug 1, 1993; 13:3252-3265
Articles

Italian translation of speech delivered by Mr Agustín Carstens, General Manager of the BIS, on the occasion of the Bank's Annual General Meeting, Basel, 24 June 2018. Buongiorno signore e signori, desidero darvi il mio più caloroso benvenuto alla presentazione della prima Relazione economica annuale BRI. I primi tre capitoli passano in rassegna gli andamenti, le prospettive e i rischi dell'economia mondiale, con particolare enfasi sulla politica monetaria e le riforme della regolamentazione finanziaria, e sui mercati e gli intermediari. Due capitoli speciali sono dedicati a questioni di attualità: gli assetti macroprudenziali e l'analisi economica delle criptovalute. ...

Spanish translation of the Press Release on the pre-release of two special chapters of the Annual Economic Report of the BIS, 17 June 2018. Trust is the missing link in today's cryptocurrencies - Cryptocurrencies' model of generating trust limits their potential to replace conventional money, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) writes in its Annual Economic Report (AER), a new title launched this year.

To view more press releases, please visit http://www.snl.com/irweblinkx/news.aspx?iid=1024452.

Over the past years, we have often been reminded that we must leave no one behind as we strive to cement our plans for a sustainable future. Most recent data indicate that many of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have achieved undernourishment levels of less than 5 percent. Good governance is perhaps the most essential factor in increasing food [...]

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During WWII, Nazi forces were preparing to take the coastal city of Tobruk and tighten their grip on North Africa

Two sites preserve around 50 footprints, a discovery that highlights the richness of prehistoric life on the island

At 5,000 years old, the weapon predates the era when humans first started using tin to make bronze

If Perseverance doesn’t launch this year, it will have to wait until 2022

Matilda McCrear was just 2 when she was captured and brought to Alabama on the "Clotilda"

The art within Shing Yin Khor's virtual world represents a sassy response to the game's built-in natural history museum

Blossoms contort and twist back into optimal pollination position after getting bumped and battered

Perhaps the fictional Hogwarts founder would have appreciated the honor

Root vegetables like rutabagas and Jerusalem artichokes were ration staples during the Nazi occupation of Paris

Armchair travelers can also enjoy 360-degree views of the city's famed Northern Lights

Currently in the works, the new monument will honor her contributions and legacy with a contemplative space

Buried in a mass grave in Mexico City, the trio may have been part of the first generation abducted from their homeland and brought to the New World

The specimen may be the earliest known example of a squid-like creature on the attack

Remote Isle au Haut is integrating time-tested technology with emerging innovations to create its own microgrid

A museum director looks to the past to explain why 'Aloha' is as necessary as ever

Governments around the world grapple with how to deliver important guidelines on minimizing the spread of COVID-19

Plague, war and politics have altered the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca throughout history

Salt River First Nation in Fort Smith, N.W.T., is getting ready for a possible flood. 

The government of the Northwest Territories is releasing $8.7 million in federal funding to five airlines in the N.W.T. offering schedule-based passenger service.

The village of La Loche is calling on the provincial government to force the closure of liquor stores in the community, which is in the throes of a COVID-19 outbreak.