借助优势比信息识别不可忽略缺失数据的模型参数

由不可忽略缺失机制引起的缺失数据,常使得模型变得不可识别。对于那些不可识别的模型,可以通过添加协变量和借助其他来源的外部数据来达到识别的目的。本文探讨不可忽略缺失机制下,利用外部获得的优势比估计,来达到识别联合概率的方法。     

Some representations of the multivariate Bernoulli and binomial distributions

Multivariate but vectorized versions for Bernoulli and binomial distributions are established using the concept of Kronecker product from matrix calculus. The multivariate Bernoulli distribution entails a parameterized model, that provides an alternative to the traditional log-linear model for binary variables.     

Identification of graphical models for nonignorable nonresponse of binary outcomes in longitudinal studies

In this paper, we use directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) with temporal structure to describe models of nonignorable nonresponse mechanisms for binary outcomes in longitudinal studies, and we discuss identification of these models under an assumption that the sequence of variables has the first-order Markov dependence, that is, the future variables are independent of the past variables conditional on the present variables. We give a stepwise approach for checking identifiability of DAG models. For an unidentifiable model, we propose adding completely observed variables such that this model becomes identifiable.     

Extending Mosaic Displays: Marginal,Conditional, and Partial Views of Categorical Data

Abstract

This article first illustrates the use of mosaic displays for the analysis of multiway contingency tables. We then introduce several extensions of mosaic displays designed to integrate graphical methods for categorical data with those used for quantitative data. The scatterplot matrix shows all pairwise (bivariate marginal) views of a set of variables in a coherent display. One analog for categorical data is a matrix of mosaic displays showing some aspect of the bivariate relation between all pairs of variables. The simplest case shows the bivariate marginal relation for each pair of variables. Another case shows the conditional relation between each pair, with all other variables partialled out. For quantitative data this represents (a) a visualization of the conditional independence relations studied by graphical models, and (b) a generalization of partial residual plots. The conditioning plot, or coplot shows a collection of partial views of several quantitative variables, conditioned by the values of one or more other variables. A direct analog of the coplot for categorical data is an array of mosaic plots of the dependence among two or more variables, stratified by the values of one or more given variables. Each such panel then shows the partial associations among the foreground variables; the collection of such plots shows how these associations change as the given variables vary.     

Identification of the occurrence of boundary solutions in a contingency table with nonignorable nonresponse

We establish a sufficient condition for the occurrence of nonresponse boundary solutions in a two-way square contingency table with nonignorable nonresponse. The condition depends only on the observed counts and thus it does not require computing the maximum likelihood estimates.     

On ideals of triangular matrix rings

We provide a formula for the number of ideals of complete block-triangular matrix rings over any ring R such that the lattice of ideals of R is isomorphic to a finite product of finite chains, as well as for the number of ideals of (not necessarily complete) block-triangular matrix rings over any such ring R with three blocks on the diagonal.     

Analysis of NMAR missing data without specifying missing-data mechanisms in a linear latent variate model

It is natural to assume that a missing-data mechanism depends on latent variables in the analysis of incomplete data in latent variate modeling because latent variables are error-free and represent key notions investigated by applied researchers. Unfortunately, the missing-data mechanism is then not missing at random (NMAR). In this article, a new estimation method is proposed, which leads to consistent and asymptotically normal estimators for all parameters in a linear latent variate model, where the missing mechanism depends on the latent variables and no concrete functional form for the missing-data mechanism is used in estimation. The method to be proposed is a type of multi-sample analysis with or without mean structures, and hence, it is easy to implement. Complete-case analysis is shown to produce consistent estimators for some important parameters in the model.     

On the exploration of linear latent effect for multivariate modeling

A data analysis method is proposed to derive a latent structure matrix from a sample covariance matrix. The matrix can be used to explore the linear latent effect between two sets of observed variables. Procedures with which to estimate a set of dependent variables from a set of explanatory variables by using latent structure matrix are also proposed. The proposed method can assist the researchers in improving the effectiveness of the SEM models by exploring the latent structure between two sets of variables. In addition, a structure residual matrix can also be derived as a by-product of the proposed method, with which researchers can conduct experimental procedures for variables combinations and selections to build various models for hypotheses testing. These capabilities of data analysis method can improve the effectiveness of traditional SEM methods in data property characterization and models hypotheses testing. Case studies are provided to demonstrate the procedure of deriving latent structure matrix step by step, and the latent structure estimation results are quite close to the results of PLS regression. A structure coefficient index is suggested to explore the relationships among various combinations of variables and their effects on the variance of the latent structure.     

Bayesian Estimation of Discrete Multivariate Latent Structure Models With Structural Zeros

In multivariate categorical data, models based on conditional independence assumptions, such as latent class models, offer efficient estimation of complex dependencies. However, Bayesian versions of latent structure models for categorical data typically do not appropriately handle impossible combinations of variables, also known as structural zeros. Allowing nonzero probability for impossible combinations results in inaccurate estimates of joint and conditional probabilities, even for feasible combinations. We present an approach for estimating posterior distributions in Bayesian latent structure models with potentially many structural zeros. The basic idea is to treat the observed data as a truncated sample from an augmented dataset, thereby allowing us to exploit the conditional independence assumptions for computational expediency. As part of the approach, we develop an algorithm for collapsing a large set of structural zero combinations into a much smaller set of disjoint marginal conditions, which speeds up computation. We apply the approach to sample from a semiparametric version of the latent class model with structural zeros in the context of a key issue faced by national statistical agencies seeking to disseminate confidential data to the public: estimating the number of records in a sample that are unique in the population on a set of publicly available categorical variables. The latent class model offers remarkably accurate estimates of population uniqueness, even in the presence of a large number of structural zeros.     

Information-based Parameterization of the Log-linear Model for Categorical Data Analysis

Zighera (App Stoch Mod Data Anal 1:93–108 1985) introduced a new parameterization of log-linear models for analyzing categorical data, directly linked to a thorough analysis of discrimination information through Kullback-Leibler divergence. The method mainly aims at quantifying in terms of information the variations of a binary variable of interest, by comparing two contingency tables – or sub-tables – through effects of explanatory categorical variables. The present paper settles the mathematical background necessary to rigorously apply Zighera’s parameterization to any categorical data. In particular, identifiability and good properties of asymptotically χ ²-distributed test statistics are proven to hold. Determination of parameters and all tests of effects due to explanatory variables are simultaneous. Application to classical data sets illustrates contribution with respect to existing methods.     

Factoring Matrices into the Product of Circulant and Diagonal Matrices

A generic matrix \(A\in \,\mathbb {C}^{n \times n}\) is shown to be the product of circulant and diagonal matrices with the number of factors being \(2n-1\) at most. The demonstration is constructive, relying on first factoring matrix subspaces equivalent to polynomials in a permutation matrix over diagonal matrices into linear factors. For the linear factors, the sum of two scaled permutations is factored into the product of a circulant matrix and two diagonal matrices. Extending the monomial group, both low degree and sparse polynomials in a permutation matrix over diagonal matrices, together with their permutation equivalences, constitute a fundamental sparse matrix structure. Matrix analysis gets largely done polynomially, in terms of permutations only.     

An S-Plus Implementation of Hidden Markov Models in Continuous Time

Abstract

Hidden Markov models (HMM) can be applied to the study of time varying unobserved categorical variables for which only indirect measurements are available. An S-Plus module to fit HMMs in continuous time to this type of longitudinal data is presented. Covariates affecting the transition intensities of the hidden Markov process or the conditional distribution of the measured response (given the hidden states of the process) are handled under a generalized regression framework. Users can provide C subroutines specifying the parameterization of the model to adapt the software to a wide variety of data types. HMM analysis using the S-Plus module is illustrated on a dataset from a prospective study of human papillomavirus infection in young women and on simulated data.     

Precision Matrix Estimation by Inverse Principal Orthogonal Decomposition

We investigate the structure of a large precision matrix in Gaussian graphical models by decomposing it into a low rank component and a remainder part with sparse precision matrix.Based on the decomposition,we propose to estimate the large precision matrix by inverting a principal orthogonal decomposition(IPOD).The IPOD approach has appealing practical interpretations in conditional graphical models given the low rank component,and it connects to Gaussian graphical models with latent variables.Specifically,we show that the low rank component in the decomposition of the large precision matrix can be viewed as the contribution from the latent variables in a Gaussian graphical model.Compared with existing approaches for latent variable graphical models,the IPOD is conveniently feasible in practice where only inverting a low-dimensional matrix is required.To identify the number of latent variables,which is an objective of its own interest,we investigate and justify an approach by examining the ratios of adjacent eigenvalues of the sample covariance matrix?Theoretical properties,numerical examples,and a real data application demonstrate the merits of the IPOD approach in its convenience,performance,and interpretability.     

不同缺失率下EM算法的参数估计

缺失数据是林学研究中普遍存在的一种现象,依据极大似然的思想,对林学研究中有缺失数据的线性模型,推导出了基于EM算法参数估计的迭代公式,为考察样地林分质量,以8个杉木固定样地观测资料的真实数据建立模型,通过计算机模拟和有关的数据分析,得到了12种不同缺失率下参数的估计结果,并与完全数据时的参数估计进行了比较。     

Exponential family non-linear models for categorical data with errors of observation

We present a general framework for treating categorical data with errors of observation. We show how both latent class models and models for doubly sampled data can be treated as exponential family nonlinear models. These are extended generalized linear models with the link function substituted by an observationwise defined non-linear function of the model parameters. The models are formulated in terms of structural probabilities and conditional error probabilities, thus allowing natural constraints when modelling errors of observation. We use an iteratively reweighted least squares procedure for obtaining maximum likelihood estimates. This is faster than the traditionally used EM algorithm and the computations can be made in GLIM.¹ As examples we analyse three sets of categorical data with errors of observation which have been analysed before by Ashford and Sowden,² Goodman³ and Chen,⁴ respectively.     

New families of estimators and test statistics in log-linear models

In this paper we consider categorical data that are distributed according to a multinomial, product-multinomial or Poisson distribution whose expected values follow a log-linear model and we study the inference problem of hypothesis testing in a log-linear model setting. The family of test statistics considered is based on the family of ?-divergence measures. The unknown parameters in the log-linear model under consideration are also estimated using ?-divergence measures: Minimum ?-divergence estimators. A simulation study is included to find test statistics that offer an attractive alternative to the Pearson chi-square and likelihood-ratio test statistics.     

A necessary and sufficient condition for the stabilisation of a matrix and its principal submatrices

We present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a real diagonal matrix such that its product with a given real square matrix is Hurwitz together with all its principal submatrices. We also give an explicit formula for a matrix which, in particular, supplies all the involved matrices with negative distinct eigenvalues.     

Latent scale linear models for multivariate ordinal responses and analysis by the method of weighted least squares

Summary A multivariate latent scale linear model is defined for multivariate ordered categorical responses and inference procedures based on the weighted least squares method are developed. Several applications of the model are suggested and illustrated through an analysis of real data. Asymptotic properties of the weighted least squares method are examined and some consequences of misspecification of the model are also discussed.