Local influence diagnostics for incomplete overdispersed longitudinal counts

We develop local influence diagnostics to detect influential subjects when generalized linear mixed models are fitted to incomplete longitudinal overdispersed count data. The focus is on the influence stemming from the dropout model specification. In particular, the effect of small perturbations around an MAR specification are examined. The method is applied to data from a longitudinal clinical trial in epileptic patients. The effect on models allowing for overdispersion is contrasted with that on models that do not.     

Local influence diagnostics for generalized linear mixed models with overdispersion

Since the seminal paper by Cook and Weisberg [9 R.D. Cook and S. Weisberg, Residuals and Influence in Regression, Chapman &; Hall, London, 1982. [Google Scholar]], local influence, next to case deletion, has gained popularity as a tool to detect influential subjects and measurements for a variety of statistical models. For the linear mixed model the approach leads to easily interpretable and computationally convenient expressions, not only highlighting influential subjects, but also which aspect of their profile leads to undue influence on the model's fit [17 E. Lesaffre and G. Verbeke, Local influence in linear mixed models, Biometrics 54 (1998), pp. 570–582. doi: 10.2307/3109764[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. Ouwens et al. [24 M.J.N.M. Ouwens, F.E.S. Tan, and M.P.F. Berger, Local influence to detect influential data structures for generalized linear mixed models, Biometrics 57 (2001), pp. 1166–1172. doi: 10.1111/j.0006-341X.2001.01166.x[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] applied the method to the Poisson-normal generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). Given the model's nonlinear structure, these authors did not derive interpretable components but rather focused on a graphical depiction of influence. In this paper, we consider GLMMs for binary, count, and time-to-event data, with the additional feature of accommodating overdispersion whenever necessary. For each situation, three approaches are considered, based on: (1) purely numerical derivations; (2) using a closed-form expression of the marginal likelihood function; and (3) using an integral representation of this likelihood. Unlike when case deletion is used, this leads to interpretable components, allowing not only to identify influential subjects, but also to study the cause thereof. The methodology is illustrated in case studies that range over the three data types mentioned.     

Process Capability Assessment for Asymmetric Tolerances with Consideration of Gauge Measurement Errors

In recent years, the issue of process capability assessment in the presence of gauge measurement errors (GME) for cases with symmetric tolerances was investigated enthusiastically. However, even processes with symmetric tolerances are very common in practical situations, cases of asymmetric tolerances also occur in manufacturing industries. In this article, a novel approach, called the generalized confidence interval (GCI) approach, is applied to assess the capabilities of processes with asymmetric tolerances in the presence of the GME. To examine the performance of the proposed approach, an exhaustive simulation was conducted. The conclusion is that the proposed approach appears quite satisfactorily for assessing process performance with asymmetric tolerances in the presence of GME in terms of the coverage rate (CR) and the average value of the generalized lower confidence limits.     

Performance evaluation of processes with asymmetric tolerances in the presence of gauge measurement errors

ABSTRACT

In this study, the generalized confidence interval method is applied to evaluate the performances of processes with asymmetric tolerances taking into account the gauge measurement errors (GME). To examine the performance of the proposed method, a series of simulations is conducted. Moreover, a sensitivity study is carried out to analyze the effects of ignoring GME. The proposed method performs very well and can be recommended for assessing the performances of processes with asymmetric tolerances in the presence of GME.