Semiparametric regression methods for temporal processes subject to multiple sources of censoring

Process regression methodology is underdeveloped relative to the frequency with which pertinent data arise. In this article, the response-190 is a binary indicator process representing the joint event of being alive and remaining in a specific state. The process is indexed by time (e.g., time since diagnosis) and observed continuously. Data of this sort occur frequently in the study of chronic disease. A general area of application involves a recurrent event with non-negligible duration (e.g., hospitalization and associated length of hospital stay) and subject to a terminating event (e.g., death). We propose a semiparametric multiplicative model for the process version of the probability of being alive and in the (transient) state of interest. Under the proposed methods, the regression parameter is estimated through a procedure that does not require estimating the baseline probability. Unlike the majority of process regression methods, the proposed methods accommodate multiple sources of censoring. In particular, we derive a computationally convenient variant of inverse probability of censoring weighting based on the additive hazards model. We show that the regression parameter estimator is asymptotically normal, and that the baseline probability function estimator converges to a Gaussian process. Simulations demonstrate that our estimators have good finite sample performance. We apply our method to national end-stage liver disease data. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 48: 222–237; 2020 © 2019 Statistical Society of Canada     

A strong law of large numbers for independent random variables under non-additive probabilities

Abstract

Under non‐additive probabilities, cluster points of the empirical average have been proved to quasi-surely fall into the interval constructed by either the lower and upper expectations or the lower and upper Choquet expectations. In this paper, based on the initiated notion of independence, we obtain a different Marcinkiewicz-Zygmund type strong law of large numbers. Then the Kolmogorov type strong law of large numbers can be derived from it directly, stating that the closed interval between the lower and upper expectations is the smallest one that covers cluster points of the empirical average quasi-surely.     

Throughput and delay analysis of an opportunistic tree algorithm

Tree algorithms are a well-known class of random access algorithms with a provable maximum stable throughput under the infinite population model (as opposed to ALOHA or the binary exponential backoff algorithm). In this article, we propose a tree algorithm for opportunistic spectrum usage in cognitive radio networks. A channel in such a network is shared among so-called primary and secondary users, where the secondary users are allowed to use the channel only if there is no primary user activity. The tree algorithm designed in this article can be used by the secondary users to share the channel capacity left by the primary users.

We analyze the maximum stable throughput and mean packet delay of the secondary users by developing a tree structured Quasi-Birth Death Markov chain under the assumption that the primary user activity can be modeled by means of a finite state Markov chain and that packets lengths follow a discrete phase-type distribution.

Numerical experiments provide insight on the effect of various system parameters and indicate that the proposed algorithm is able to make good use of the bandwidth left by the primary users.     

A combinatorial study of two-periodic random walks

Two-periodic random walks have up-steps and down-steps of one unit as usual, but the probability of an up-step is α after an even number of steps and β = 1 ? α after an odd number of steps, and reversed for down-steps. This concept was studied by Böhm and Hornik^{[2 Böhm, W.; Hornik, K. On two-periodic random walks with boundaries. Stoch. Models 2010, 26, 165–194.[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]}. We complement this analysis by using methods from (analytic) combinatorics. By using two steps at once, we can reduce the analysis to the study of Motzkin paths, with up-steps, down-steps, and level-steps. Using a proper substitution, we get the generating functions of interest in an explicit and neat form. The parameters that are discussed here are the (one-sided) maximum (already studied by Böhm and Hornik^{[2 Böhm, W.; Hornik, K. On two-periodic random walks with boundaries. Stoch. Models 2010, 26, 165–194.[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]}) and the two-sided maximum. For the asymptotic evaluation of the average value of the two-sided maximum after n random steps, more sophisticated methods from complex analysis (Mellin transform, singularity analysis) are required. The approach to transfer the analysis to Motzkin paths is, of course, not restricted to the two parameters under consideration.     

一类含有随机参数的混沌系统的Hopf分岔研究

文章选取随机变量为系统的随机变量研究含有随机参数混沌系统的Hopf分岔,利用Chebyshev正交多项式逼近理论将含有随机变量的系统转化为等价的确定性系统,通过Hopf分岔定理和Lyapunov系数讨论了随机参数系统的Hopf分岔及稳定性,发现随机系统的渐进稳定性参数区间大小不仅和确定性参数有关,还与随机参数有非常密切的关系.     

Linear Increments with Non‐monotone Missing Data and Measurement Error

Linear increments (LI) are used to analyse repeated outcome data with missing values. Previously, two LI methods have been proposed, one allowing non‐monotone missingness but not independent measurement error and one allowing independent measurement error but only monotone missingness. In both, it was suggested that the expected increment could depend on current outcome. We show that LI can allow non‐monotone missingness and either independent measurement error of unknown variance or dependence of expected increment on current outcome but not both. A popular alternative to LI is a multivariate normal model ignoring the missingness pattern. This gives consistent estimation when data are normally distributed and missing at random (MAR). We clarify the relation between MAR and the assumptions of LI and show that for continuous outcomes multivariate normal estimators are also consistent under (non‐MAR and non‐normal) assumptions not much stronger than those of LI. Moreover, when missingness is non‐monotone, they are typically more efficient.     

Testing Serial Correlation in Partially Linear Additive Errors-in-variables Models

This article considers testing serial correlation in partially linear additive errors-in-variables model. Based on the empirical likelihood based approach, a test statistic was proposed, and it was shown to follow asymptotically a chi-square distribution under the null hypothesis of no serial correlation. Finally, some simulation studies are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed method.     

Unified multivariate survival model with a surviving fraction: an application to a Brazilian customer churn data

In this paper we propose a new lifetime model for multivariate survival data in presence of surviving fractions and examine some of its properties. Its genesis is based on situations in which there are m types of unobservable competing causes, where each cause is related to a time of occurrence of an event of interest. Our model is a multivariate extension of the univariate survival cure rate model proposed by Rodrigues et al. [37 J. Rodrigues, V.G. Cancho, M. de Castro, and F. Louzada-Neto, On the unification of long-term survival models, Statist. Probab. Lett. 79 (2009), pp. 753–759. doi: 10.1016/j.spl.2008.10.029[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. The inferential approach exploits the maximum likelihood tools. We perform a simulation study in order to verify the asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimators. The simulation study also focus on size and power of the likelihood ratio test. The methodology is illustrated on a real data set on customer churn data.