Statistics and Probability Commons^™

Robust Penalized Density Power Divergence Regression With Scad Penalty For High Dimensional Data Analysis, Maxwell Kwesi Mac-Ocloo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Amidst the exponential surge in big data, managing high-dimensional datasets across diverse fields and industries has emerged as a significant challenge. Conventional statistical methods struggle to handle their complexity, making analysis intricate. In response, we've formulated a robust estimator tailored to counter outliers and heavy-tailed errors. Our approach integrates the SCAD penalty into the Density Power Divergence method, effectively reducing insignificant coefficients to zero. This enhances analysis precision and result reliability.We benchmark our robust and penalized model against existing techniques like Huber, Tukey, LASSO, LAD, and LAD-LASSO. Employing both simulated and UCI machine learning repository datasets, we assess method performance …

Comparative Study Of Supervised Classification Techniques With A Modified Knn Algorithm, Noah Owusu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The goal of classification is to develop a model that can be used to accurately assign new observations to labeled classes based on the patterns learned from the training data. K-nearest Neighbors algorithm (KNN) is a popular and widely used algorithm for classification, however, its performance can be adversely affected by the presence of outliers in a dataset. In this study we have modified this existing KNN algorithm that can alleviate the effect of outliers in a dataset, thereby improving the performance of the KNN algorithm. We compared the performances of the Modified KNN method and the Existing KNN algorithm …

Robust Mahalanobis K-Means Algorithm In Comparison With Other Existing Clustering Methods., Eleazer Tabi Serebour

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study enhances K-means Mahalanobis clustering using Density Power Divergence (DPD) for outlier handling and detection. Through the utilization of simulations and the analysis of real-world data, our approach consistently outperforms standard K-means, Mahalanobis K-means, Fuzzy C-means, and others in clustering datasets with outliers. While our method performs similarly to others on spherical datasets, it ranks second to DBSCAN for arbitrary shapes. We showcase its superiority on real-life datasets (Iris flower and wheat seed), demonstrating resilient outlier identification. By navigating various structures and cluster characteristics, our Modified Mahalanobis K-means method proves adaptable and robust, offering insights into diverse clustering scenarios. …

Weighted Mean Difference Statistics For Paired Data In The Presence Of Missing Values, Yuntong Li, Brent J. Shelton, William St Clair, Heidi L. Weiss, John L. Villano, Arnold Stromberg, Chi Wang, Li Chen

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Missing data is a common issue in many biomedical studies. Under a paired design, some subjects may have missing values in either one or both of the conditions due to loss of follow-up, insufficient biological samples, etc. Such partially paired data complicate statistical comparison of the distribution of the variable of interest between the two conditions. In this article, we propose a general class of test statistics based on the difference in weighted sample means without imposing any distributional or model assumption. An optimal weight is derived from this class of tests. Simulation studies show that our proposed test with …

Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Modern Viperid Vertebrae Facilitates Identification Of Fossil Specimens, Lance D. Jessee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Snake vertebrae are common in the fossil record, whereas cranial remains are generally fragile and rare. Consequently, vertebrae are the most commonly studied fossil element of snakes. However, identification of snake vertebrae can be problematic due to extensive variation. This study utilizes 2-D geometric morphometrics and canonical variates analysis to 1) reveal variation between genera and species and 2) classify vertebrae of modern and fossil eastern North American Agkistrodon and Crotalus. The results show that vertebrae of Agkistrodon and Crotalus can reliably be classified to genus and species using these methods. Based on the statistical analyses, four of the …

Statistical Inference On Lung Cancer Screening Using The National Lung Screening Trial Data., Farhin Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three research projects on cancer screening probability modeling. In these projects, the three key modeling parameters (sensitivity, sojourn time, transition density) for cancer screening were estimated, along with the long-term outcomes (including overdiagnosis as one outcome), the optimal screening time/age, the lead time distribution, and the probability of overdiagnosis at the future screening time were simulated to provide a statistical perspective on the effectiveness of cancer screening programs. In the first part of this dissertation, a statistical inference was conducted for male and female smokers using the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) chest X-ray data. A …

Penalized Bayesian Exponential Random Graph Models., Vicki Modisette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Networks have the critical ability to represent the complex interconnectedness of social relationships, biological processes, and the spread of diseases and information. Exponential random graph models (ERGM) are one of the popular statistical methods for analyzing network data. ERGM, however, struggle with computational challenges and degeneracy issues, further exacerbated by their inability to handle high-dimensional network data. Bayesian techniques provide a promising avenue to overcome these two problems. This paper considers penalized Bayesian exponential random graph models with adaptive lasso and adaptive ridge penalties to perform variable selection and reduce multicollinearity on a variety of networks. The experimental results demonstrate …

Statistical Modeling Approaches For The Inference Of Cancer Mechanisms, Licai Huang

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The aim of this study was to explore the potential of integrating multi-platform genomic datasets to improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms behind cancer. By merging clinical outcomes with the data obtained from multi-platform genomic studies, we can gain insight into the biological mechanisms behind a patient’s response to treatment. Additionally, the evaluation of the correlations between genetic variations and gene expression provides a better understanding of the functional significance of these variations. Such knowledge has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and treatment. This thesis describes methods developed to address two related aims. Aim 1: We have developed …

Statistical Approaches To Estimate Bidirectional And Time-Varying Causal Effects Using Mendelian Randomization, Jinhao Zou

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Mendelian Randomization (MR) is an epidemiological framework using genetic variants as instrumental variables (IVs) to examine the causal effect of an exposure on an outcome. It is widely used to detect causal factors of diseases and provide insight into the biological pathway of diseases. Current methods under the MR framework are built to estimate the unidirectional causal effects of exposures on outcomes and neglect the potential bidirectional causal effects. However, a bidirectional causal effect creates a feedback loop that biases the casual inference in MR studies. Furthermore, current MR methods estimate the causal effect as a single value using cross-sectional …

A Comparative Study Of Techniques For Non-Monotonic Dependence With Emphasis On Sensitivity To Sample Size, Noise Level And Computational Attributes, Fariha Tasnim

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Evaluating association between variables is often of interest by many researchers. To serve this purpose, different association measures have been developed. However, type of relation between variables affects the degree of relationship. Hence, detection of the rela- tionship between variables is germane to measuring the correlation coefficient. With that mindset, here we explored six non-monotonic measure of association techniques and com- pared them with three classical approaches. Due to inconsistency in definition and range of different techniques, it is not feasible to compare the correlation estimates as their nature of variability differ. Therefore, we used permutation test based on Monte …

Development Of A Metapgs For Accurate Prediction Of Osteoporotic Fracture, Xiangxue Xiao

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Early identification of individuals at high-risk for osteoporotic fractures who may benefit from preventive intervention is essential. However, the predictive accuracy of the currently used fracture risk assessment tool remains suboptimal. The first aim of this research is to construct genome-wide polygenic scores for the femoral neck (PGS_FNBMD_idpred) and total body BMD (PGS_TBBMD_idpred) and to estimate their potential in identifying individuals with a high risk of osteoporotic fractures. The second aim is to validate the predictive performance of two previously established PGSs (PGS_FNBMD_idpred and PGS_TBBMD_idpred) in an external cohort …

Stressor: An R Package For Benchmarking Machine Learning Models, Samuel A. Haycock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many discipline specific researchers need a way to quickly compare the accuracy of their predictive models to other alternatives. However, many of these researchers are not experienced with multiple programming languages. Python has recently been the leader in machine learning functionality, which includes the PyCaret library that allows users to develop high-performing machine learning models with only a few lines of code. The goal of the stressor package is to help users of the R programming language access the advantages of PyCaret without having to learn Python. This allows the user to leverage R’s powerful data analysis workflows, while simultaneously …

Synergy And Antagonism In Log-Linear Models, Md Nahid Hasan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Synergy and antagonism have been extensively studied in the context of the statistical analysis of drug combinations given to treat a disease. “Synergy” (“antagonism”, resp.) in a drug combination occurs when the desirable effect of two drugs given together for treating a disease is greater than (less than, resp.) the effect of each drug given separately.

In this dissertation, however, we study “synergy” and “antagonism” in log-linear models. We also give a thorough review and extend several epidemiological definitions of synergy and antagonism for categorical data, and we connect these definitions to the definitions of synergy and antagonism in log-linear …

Benchmarking And Practical Evaluation Of Machine And Statistical Learning Methods In Credit Scoring: A Method Selection Perspective, Gwen Verbeck

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Predictive models are important tools used in all scientific fields. Machine learning (ML) algorithms and statistical models are widely used for decision-making because of their capability to tackle intricate and unique problems. In domains where data are high-dimensional and contain irrelevant and redundant features, ML algorithms are known to have superior performance over traditional (statistical) learning methods. However, researchers and analysts are often faced with a myriad of techniques to choose from, with no clear consensus on which will perform best for their specific task. Considering resource limitations, exhaustive exploration of all available methods is impractical and often fails to …

Polygenic Risk Score Development And Validation For Early Detection And Risk Stratification Of Rheumatoid Arthritis And Osteoarthritis In Postmenopausal Women, Yingke Xu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Around one in four adults worldwide suffer from arthritis. There are more than one hundred different forms of arthritis; the two most common forms of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). RA is an autoimmune disease that can cause joint inflammation. Around 1.3 million adults in the US suffer from RA, representing 0.6%–1% of the population. The RA diagnosis in its early stages is difficult since its signs and symptoms are similar to other arthritis. OA is the most common form of arthritis. In the US, around 30.8 million people are affected by this disease. However, OA …

Statistical Graph Quality Analysis Of Utah State University Master Of Science Thesis Reports, Ragan Astle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Graphical software packages have become increasingly popular in our modern world, but there are concerns within the statistical visualization field about the default settings provided by these packages, which can make it challenging to create good quality graphs that align with standard graph principles. In this thesis, we investigate whether the quality of graphs from Utah State University (USU) Plan A Master of Science (MS) thesis reports from the years 1930 to 2019 was affected by the rise of graphical software packages. We collected all data stored on the USU Digital Commons website since November 2021 to determine the specific …

Using Natural Language Processing To Quantify The Efficacy Of Language Simplification As A Communication Strategy, Brian Nalley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

People with communication disorders often experience difficulties being understood by unfamiliar listeners or in noisy environments. A common strategy for effectively communicating in these scenarios is to use simpler and more predictable language. Despite the prevalence of this strategy, there has been little to no research to date focused on the effectiveness of language simplification as a communication strategy. This study seeks to begin filling that gap by using natural language processing to determine whether speakers with early-stage Parkinson’s disease and age-matched neurotypical speakers are able to successfully simplify their language while still maintaining the original message.

Simplification was measured …

An Interval-Valued Random Forests, Paul Gaona Partida

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is a growing demand for the development of new statistical models and the refinement of established methods to accommodate different data structures. This need arises from the recognition that traditional statistics often assume the value of each observation to be precise, which may not hold true in many real-world scenarios. Factors such as the collection process and technological advancements can introduce imprecision and uncertainty into the data.

For example, consider data collected over a long period of time, where newer measurement tools may offer greater accuracy and provide more information than previous methods. In such cases, it becomes crucial …

Editorial, Al Asyary

Kesmas

No abstract provided.

Sentiment Analysis Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emily Musgrove

Mathematics Summer Fellows

This study examines the change in connotative language use before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. By analyzing news articles from several major US newspapers, we found that there is a statistically significant correlation between the sentiment of the text and the publication period. Specifically, we document a large, systematic, and statistically significant decline in the overall sentiment of articles published in major news outlets. While our results do not directly gauge the sentiment of the population, our findings have important implications regarding the social responsibility of journalists and media outlets especially in times of crisis.

Correlation Analysis Between External Damages And Transverse Load Distribution Capacit Y Of Hollow Slab Bridges, Cao Hao, Sun Dunhua, Wang Zichen, Zhao Fuli, Sun Haipeng, Xiong Wen

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To correctly evaluate the service status of prefabricated hollow slab girder bridge, based on the measured data of apparent disease and load test of hollow slab girder bridge in reconstruction and expansion project, this paper first analyzed the data characteristics of the beam body, hinge joints, and support disease samples and obtained their statistical distribution rules. Then, according to the typical diseases (transverse cracks and hinge cracks at the bottom of the beam), the BP neural network was used to build a correlation model for them, and the close correlation between the two typical diseases of hollow slab girder bridge …

Research Of Disease Analysis And Reinforcement Technology For Typical Orthotropic Bridge Deck, Guo Fukuan, Zhou Shangmeng

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to effectively solve the disease problem of orthotropic steel bridge decks, this paper relied on a steel box girder cable-stayed bridge deck reinforcement project to carry out steel bridge deck disease analysis and reinforcement technology research. The results show that the main disease of steel bridge decks is fatigue cracking. The fatigue cracks are numerous, short, and deep, and they continuously grow and cause more severe disease. The excessive fatigue stress amplitude is the main factor leading to the fatigue cracking of steel bridge decks. Once the crack occurs, the stress amplitude of the crack tip increases continuously, …

Review Of Research Progress Of Frame Beam Anchore D Structure In Slope Supporting, Zhang Junhui, Zhou Qinwei, Li Feng, Zhang Shiping

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

This paper summarized the research status of frame beam anchored structures in slope supporting and reinforcement engineering in China and abroad. It analyzed the results of structural design, model test, and field construction. Through induction and analysis, it is found that the current design of frame beam anchored structure has certain limitations, and it is necessary to form a universal design theory and method. The model test of frame beam anchored structure in slope supporting is limited by the test equipment and conditions and fails to be carried out on a large scale. The key points and standards of the …

Experimental Study On Interface Fatigue C Haracteristics Of Asphalt P Avement Pothole Patch Under External Factors, Ai Changfa, Shao Zhutao, Huang Yangquan, Ren Dongya

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

After the asphalt pavement patch for potholes is put into use, the interface joints around it are prone to fatigue and durability problems under the action of external factors such as the natural environment and driving load effect. In order to analyze the fatigue characteristics of the repaired interface joints under the action of external factors, the four-point bending fatigue test and pull-out test, combined with the results of orthogonal analysis, were used to determine the best bonding scheme of the repaired interface. The influence of external factors such as temperature, frequency, and strain level on the fatigue life of …

Case Study Of Steel Wire Corrosion In Hoist Cable Of Half ⁃Through Arch Bridge, Xu Hongsheng, Jiang Lei, Yan Donghuang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to understand the causes and development rules of steel wire corrosion diseases inside the hoist cable of half⁃through and through arch bridges, this paper systematically studied the defects and loopholes of the protection system for the hoist cable of two half⁃through steel arch bridges by disintegrating the old hoist cables of Yuehai Bridge in Yinchuan and Xiangjiang Bridge in Heishipu Street in Changsha City. It probed into the distribution rules of corrosion diseases of steel wire inside the hoist cables. The main reasons leading to the difference in steel wire corrosion disease inside the old hoist cables of …

Influence Of Proximity Construction Of A New Pile Foundation On Adjacent Metro Tunnel, Jin Shengji, Mu Anxin, Bi Bo, Xu Chao, Yu He

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The construction of a bridge pile foundation and cap not only causes disturbance to its foundation and surrounding soil but also has a certain influence on adjacent existing structures. In order to study the influence of new pile foundation proximity construction on tunnels adjacent to subway sections, this paper took the pile foundation construction process of auxiliary bridge extension on both sides of Shenyang Changqing Bridge as the research object and adopted Midas/GTS finite element numerical simulation and construction monitoring methods to study the influence of new pile foundation proximity construction on tunnels adjacent to subway sections. The results show …

Research On Cyclic Accumulative Strain Characteristics Of Structured Soft Clay, Ding Zhi, Yu Jiangang, Sun Miaomiao, Wang Jiawei, Ye Ke

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Due to its structural properties, natural soft clay is prone to produce large cumulative deformation under cyclic loads such as traffic, which has a great impact on engineering. In order to solve the deformation problem caused by structural failure of soft clay under dynamic action, dynamic characteristics of undisturbed soft clay near a highway in Hangzhou were tested by the dynamic triaxial device under cyclic loading, and the dynamic characteristics of saturated undisturbed soft clay under different effective consolidation confining pressures, vibration frequencies, and dynamic stress ratios under K0 (static earth pressure coefficient) consolidation conditions were studied. The results show …

Experimental Study On Time ⁃Varying Characteristics Of Saturated Water Content Of Granite Residual Soil In Acid⁃Etched Environment, Zhang Maolin, Xie Qingzhong, Fu Helin, Zhang Meng, Li Qinglong, Dong Hui

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to clarify the correlation between saturated water content variability and slope stability, characteristic tests on saturated water content of granite residual soil affected by acid were carried out. Direct shear tests were carried out to test the variation rule of saturated water content and its characteristic value under the influence of vertical loading and acidification time, and the internal causes of variation were deduced based on the structural characteristics obtained by microscope electron microscopy. The results show that: ① The vertical pressure σ = 300 kPa is the turning point of the linear and nonlinear relationship, and under …

Effect Of Activator On Compressive Strength Of Steel Slag Powder Cement Soil, Chen Fei, Wang Yanchun, Du Sujun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to reasonably solve the environmental pollution caused by steel slag, steel slag powder was used to improve cement soil. The optimal mix ratio was determined by a laboratory unconfined compressive strength test to prepare steel slag powder cement soil. In view of of low activity and limited compressive strength enhancement effect of steel slag powder, three kinds of activators including sodium hydroxide, silica fume, and calcium chloride were selected to be added to steel slag powder cement soil, so as to study the strength variation rule. The results show that the strength of cement soil can be improved …

Influence Of Steel Fiber And Polymer Emulsion On Mechanical Properties And Microstructure Of Concrete, Guo Guanglei, Sun Shiqiang, Li Ying, Zheng Yiwei, Mei Yingjun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The microstructure and mechanical properties of concrete were improved by adding steel fiber and polymer emulsion. The working properties and mechanical properties of steel fiber concrete, polymer emulsion-modified concrete, and steel fiber polymer concrete were tested at 3 d, 28 d, and 90 d. Nitrogen adsorption test, mercury injection test, and density method were used to obtain the total pore volume, median pore size, and closed porosity of concrete. The influence of steel fiber and polymer emulsion on the microstructure and mechanical properties of concrete was analyzed. The results show that the compressive strength of concrete after adding steel fiber …