Ml estimation in the poisson binomial distribution with grouped data via the em algorithm

The maximum likelihood estimation of parameters of the Poisson binomial distribution, based on a sample with exact and grouped observations, is considered by applying the EM algorithm (Dempster et al, 1977). The results of Louis (1982) are used in obtaining the observed information matrix and accelerating the convergence of the EM algorithm substantially. The maximum likelihood estimation from samples consisting entirely of complete (Sprott, 1958) or grouped observations are treated as special cases of the estimation problem mentioned above. A brief account is given for the implementation of the EM algorithm when the sampling distribution is the Neyman Type A since the latter is a limiting form of the Poisson binomial. Numerical examples based on real data are included.     

Estimation of parameters in logistic and log-logistic distribution with grouped data

In many situations, instead of a complete sample, data are available only in grouped form. For example, grouped failure time data occur in studies in which subjects are monitored periodically to determine whether failure has occurred in the predetermined intervals. Here the model under consideration is the log-logistic distribution. This paper demonstrates the existence and uniqueness of the MLEs of the parameters of the logistic distribution under mild conditions with grouped data. The times with the maximum failure rate and the mode of the p.d.f. of the log-logistic distribution are also estimated based on the MLEs. The methodology is further studied with simulations and exemplified with a data set with artificially introduced grouping from a locomotive life test study.     

A Poisson-multinomial mixture approach to grouped and right-censored counts

Although count data are often collected in social, psychological, and epidemiological surveys in grouped and right-censored categories, there is a lack of statistical methods simultaneously taking both grouping and right-censoring into account. In this research, we propose a new generalized Poisson-multinomial mixture approach to model grouped and right-censored (GRC) count data. Based on a mixed Poisson-multinomial process for conceptualizing grouped and right-censored count data, we prove that the new maximum-likelihood estimator (MLE-GRC) is consistent and asymptotically normally distributed for both Poisson and zero-inflated Poisson models. The use of the MLE-GRC, implemented in an R function, is illustrated by both statistical simulation and empirical examples. This research provides a tool for epidemiologists to estimate incidence from grouped and right-censored count data and lays a foundation for regression analyses of such data structure.     

Bayesian Point Estimation Using the Predictive Distribution

There is considerable question about how a Bayesian might provide a point estimate for a parameter when no loss function is specified. The mean, median, and mode of the posterior distribution have all been suggested. This article considers a natural Bayesian estimator based on the predictive distribution of future observations. It is shown that for the set of parameters that admit an unbiased estimate, this predictive estimate coincides with the posterior mean of the parameter. It is argued that this result provides some justification for use of the posterior mean as a Bayesian point estimate when there is no loss structure.     

On the quality of k-means clustering based on grouped data

Let us have a probability distribution P   (possibly empirical) on the real line R$\mathbb{R}$. Consider the problem of finding the k-mean of P, i.e. a set A of at most k points that minimizes given loss-function. It is known that the k-mean can be found using an iterative algorithm by Lloyd [1982. Least squares quantization in PCM. IEEE Transactions on Information Theory 28, 129–136]. However, depending on the complexity of the distribution P, the application of this algorithm can be quite resource-consuming. One possibility to overcome the problem is to group the original data and calculate the k-mean on the basis of the grouped data. As a result, the new k-mean will be biased, and our aim is to measure the loss of the quality of approximation caused by such approach.     

A class of mean residual life regression models with censored survival data

When describing a failure time distribution, the mean residual life is sometimes preferred to the survival or hazard rate. Regression analysis making use of the mean residual life function has recently drawn a great deal of attention. In this paper, a class of mean residual life regression models are proposed for censored data, and estimation procedures and a goodness-of-fit test are developed. Both asymptotic and finite sample properties of the proposed estimators are established, and the proposed methods are applied to a cancer data set from a clinic trial.     

Estimating the mean life time using right censored data

Estimation of the population mean based on right censored observations is considered. The naive sample mean will be an inconsistent and asymptotically biased estimator in this case. An estimate suggested in textbooks is to compute the area under a Kaplan–Meier curve. In this note, two more seemingly different approaches are introduced. Students’ reaction to these approaches was very positive in an introductory survival analysis course the author recently taught.     

A transformation for estimating the trinomial logit model with grouped data

For logit models where the outcome variables are the proportions of individuals falling into each of three categories, this paper develops a data transformation through which GLS estimates can be obtained by running OLS on the transformed data.     

The random-effects proportional hazards model with grouped survival data: a comparison between the grouped continuous and continuation ratio versions

Summary.  When analysing grouped time survival data having a hierarchical structure it is often appropriate to assume a random-effects proportional hazards model for the latent continuous time and then to derive the corresponding grouped time model. There are two formally equivalent grouped time versions of the proportional hazards model obtained from different perspec-tives, known as the continuation ratio and the grouped continuous models. However, the two models require distinct estimation procedures and, more importantly, they differ substantially when extended to time-dependent covariates and/or non-proportional effects. The paper discusses these issues in the context of random-effects models, illustrating the main points with an application to a complex data set on job opportunities for a cohort of graduates.     

The mean of the conditional,truncated multinormal distribution

An expression is derived for the mean of the conditional, truncated multinormal distribution in the general case, and for the situation where the conditioning variates have iden¬tical correlation. This equicorrelated case occurs in some models of duration and in panel data. An example is taken from economics, where a cross section of firms consider the adoption of several technological innovations. The results of the paper are used to estimate the firm-specific.     

Estimation of the population mean and median using truncation-based ranked set samples

In this paper, a new sampling method is suggested, namely truncation-based ranked set samples (TBRSS) for estimating the population mean and median. The suggested method is compared with the simple random sampling (SRS), ranked set sampling (RSS), extreme ranked set sampling (ERSS) and median-ranked set sampling (MRSS) methods. It is shown that for estimating the population mean when the underlying distribution is symmetric, TBRSS estimator is unbiased and it is more efficient than the SRS estimator based on the same number of measured units. For asymmetric distributions considered in this study, TBRSS estimator is more efficient than the SRS for all considered distributions except for exponential distribution when the selection coefficient gets large. When compared with ERSS and MRSS methods, TBRSS performs well with respect to ERSS for all considered distributions except for U(0, 1) distribution, while TBRSS efficiency is higher than that of MRSS for U(0, 1) distribution. For estimating the population median, the TBRSS estimators have higher efficiencies when compared with SRS and ERSS. A real data set is used to illustrate the suggested method.     

Parameter estimation with grouped data according to the linearization method — a comparison with alternative approaches

Received: January 11, 2000; revised version: August 23, 2000     

Robust estimation of mean and covariance for longitudinal data with dropouts

In this paper, we study estimation of linear models in the framework of longitudinal data with dropouts. Under the assumptions that random errors follow an elliptical distribution and all the subjects share the same within-subject covariance matrix which does not depend on covariates, we develop a robust method for simultaneous estimation of mean and covariance. The proposed method is robust against outliers, and does not require to model the covariance and missing data process. Theoretical properties of the proposed estimator are established and simulation studies show its good performance. In the end, the proposed method is applied to a real data analysis for illustration.     

Analysis of count data with covariate dependence in both mean and variance

Extended Poisson process modelling is generalised to allow for covariate-dependent dispersion as well as a covariate-dependent mean response. This is done by a re-parameterisation that uses approximate expressions for the mean and variance. Such modelling allows under- and over-dispersion, or a combination of both, in the same data set to be accommodated within the same modelling framework. All the necessary calculations can be done numerically, enabling maximum likelihood estimation of all model parameters to be carried out. The modelling is applied to re-analyse two published data sets, where there is evidence of covariate-dependent dispersion, with the modelling leading to more informative analyses of these data and more appropriate measures of the precision of any estimates.     

The cosine geometric distribution with count data modeling

In this paper, a new two-parameter discrete distribution is introduced. It belongs to the family of the weighted geometric distribution (GD), with the feature of using a particular trigonometric weight. This configuration adds an oscillating property to the former GD which can be helpful in analyzing the data with over-dispersion, as developed in this study. First, we present the basic statistical properties of the new distribution, including the cumulative distribution function, hazard rate function and moment generating function. Estimation of the related model parameters is investigated using the maximum likelihood method. A simulation study is performed to illustrate the convergence of the estimators. Applications to two practical datasets are given to show that the new model performs at least as well as some competitors.     

Estimation of conditional mode with truncated,censored, and dependent data

In this paper, we studied the uniform convergence with rates for the kernel estimator of the conditional mode function for a left truncated and right censored model. It is assumed that the lifetime observations with multivariate covariates form a stationary α-mixing sequence. Also, the asymptotic normality of the estimator is established.     

Confidence intervals for the difference between two median survival times for clustered survival data

Clustered survival data arise often in clinical trial design, where the correlated subunits from the same cluster are randomized to different treatment groups. Under such design, we consider the problem of constructing confidence interval for the difference of two median survival time given the covariates. We use Cox gamma frailty model to account for the within-cluster correlation. Based on the conditional confidence intervals, we can identify the possible range of covariates over which the two groups would provide different median survival times. The associated coverage probability and the expected length of the proposed interval are investigated via a simulation study. The implementation of the confidence intervals is illustrated using a real data set.     

Robust modelling of the relationship between CD4 and viral load for complex AIDS data

CD4 and viral load play important roles in HIV/AIDS studies, and the study of their relationship has received much attention with well-known results. However, AIDS datasets are often highly complex in the sense that they typically contain outliers, measurement errors, and missing data. These data complications can greatly affect statistical analysis results, but much of the literature fail to address these issues in data analysis. In this paper, we re-visit the important relationship between CD4 and viral load and propose methods which simultaneously address outliers, measurement errors, and missing data. We find that the strength of the relationship may be severely mis-estimated if measurement errors and outliers are ignored. The proposed methods are general and can be used in other settings, where jointly modelling several different types of longitudinal data is required in the presence of data complications.