Dynamic models in fMRI

Most statistical methods for assessing activated voxels in fMRI experiments are based on correlation or regression analysis. In this context the main assumptions are that the baseline can be described by a few known basis-functions or variables and that the effect of the stimulus, i.e. the activation, stays constant over time. As these assumptions are in many cases neither necessary nor correct, a new dynamic approach that does not depend on those suppositions will be presented. This allows for simultaneous nonparametric estimation of the baseline as well as the time-varying effect of stimulation. This method of estimating the stimulus related areas of the brain furthermore provides the possibility of an analysis of the temporal and spatial development of the activation within an fMRI-experiment

Structural dynamic eutrophication models

This article discusses problems of modelling the seasonal succession of algal species in lakes and reservoirs, and the adaptive selection of certain groups of algae in response to changes in the inputs and relative concentrations of nutrients and other environmental variables. A new generation of quantitative models is being developed which attempts to translate some important biological properties of species (survival, variation, inheritance, reproductive rates and population growth) into predictions about the survival of the fittest, where ”fitness” is measured or estimated in thermodynamic terms. The concept of ”exergy” and its calculation is explored to examine maximal exergy as a measure of fitness in ecosystems, and its use for calculating changes in species composition by means of structural dynamic models. These models accomodate short-term changes in parameters that affect the adaptive responses (species selection) of algae

Measuring influence in dynamic regression models

This article presents a methodology to build measures of influence in regression models with time series data. We introduce statistics that measure the influence of each observation on the parameter estimates and on the forecasts. These statistics take into account the autocorrelation of the sample. The first statistic can be decomposed to measure the change in the univariate ARIMA parameters, the transfer function parameters and the interaction between both. For independent data they reduce to the D statistics considered by Cook in the standard regression modelo These statistics can be easily computed using standard time series software. Their performance is analyzed in an example in which they seem to be useful to identify important events, such as additive outliers and trend shifts, in time series data

Intrinsically dynamic population models

Intrinsically dynamic models (IDMs) depict populations whose cumulative growth rate over a number of intervals equals the product of the long term growth rates (that is the dominant roots or dominant eigenvalues) associated with each of those intervals. Here the focus is on the birth trajectory produced by a sequence of population projection (Leslie) matrices. The elements of a Leslie matrix are represented as straightforward functions of the roots of the matrix, and new relationships are presented linking the roots of a matrix to its Net Reproduction Rate and stable mean age of childbearing. Incorporating mortality changes in the rates of reproduction yields an IDM when the subordinate roots are held constant over time. In IDMs, the birth trajectory generated by any specified sequence of Leslie matrices can be found analytically. In the Leslie model with 15 year age groups, the constant subordinate root assumption leads to reasonable changes in the age pattern of fertility, and equations (27) and (30) provide the population size and structure that result from changing levels of net reproduction. IDMs generalize the fixed rate stable population model. They can characterize any observed population, and can provide new insights into dynamic demographic behavior, including the momentum associated with gradual or irregular paths to zero growth.dynamic models, dynamic population models, eigenvalues, Leslie matrices, population momentum

Outliers in dynamic factor models

Dynamic factor models have a wide range of applications in econometrics and applied economics. The basic motivation resides in their capability of reducing a large set of time series to only few indicators (factors). If the number of time series is large compared to the available number of observations then most information may be conveyed to the factors. This way low dimension models may be estimated for explaining and forecasting one or more time series of interest. It is desirable that outlier free time series be available for estimation. In practice, outlying observations are likely to arise at unknown dates due, for instance, to external unusual events or gross data entry errors. Several methods for outlier detection in time series are available. Most methods, however, apply to univariate time series while even methods designed for handling the multivariate framework do not include dynamic factor models explicitly. A method for discovering outliers occurrences in a dynamic factor model is introduced that is based on linear transforms of the observed data. Some strategies to separate outliers that add to the model and outliers within the common component are discussed. Applications to simulated and real data sets are presented to check the effectiveness of the proposed method.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-EJS082 the Electronic Journal of Statistics (http://www.i-journals.org/ejs/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org