Estimating Marginal Hazard Ratios by Simultaneously Using A Set of Propensity Score Models: A Multiply Robust Approach

The inverse probability weighted Cox model is frequently used to estimate marginal hazard ratios. Its validity requires a crucial condition that the propensity score model is correctly specified. To provide protection against misspecification of the propensity score model, we propose a weighted estimation method rooted in empirical likelihood theory. The proposed estimator is multiply robust in that it is guaranteed to be consistent when a set of postulated propensity score models contains a correctly specified model. Our simulation studies demonstrate satisfactory finite sample performance of the proposed method in terms of consistency and efficiency. We apply the proposed method to compare the risk of postoperative hospitalization between sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass using data from a large medical claims and billing database.We further extend the development to multi-site studies to enable each site to postulate multiple site-specific propensity score models

Far- and Near-Field Channel Measurements and Characterization in the Terahertz Band Using a Virtual Antenna Array

Extremely large-scale antenna array (ELAA) technologies consisting of ultra-massive multiple-input-multiple-output (UM-MIMO) or reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), are emerging to meet the demand of wireless systems in sixth-generation and beyond communications for enhanced coverage and extreme data rates up to Terabits per second. For ELAA operating at Terahertz (THz) frequencies, the Rayleigh distance expands, and users are likely to be located in both far-field (FF) and near-field (NF) regions. On one hand, new features like NF propagation and spatial non-stationarity need to be characterized. On the other hand, the transition of properties near the FF and NF boundary is worth exploring. In this paper, a complete experimental analysis of far- and near-field channel characteristics using a THz virtual antenna array is provided based on measurement of the multi-input-single-output channel with the virtual uniform planar array (UPA) structure of at most 4096 elements. In particular, non-linear phase change is observed in the NF, and the Rayleigh criterion regarding the maximum phase error is verified. Then, a new cross-field path loss model is proposed, which characterizes the power change at antenna elements in the UPA and is compatible with both FF and NF cases.Comment: 5 pages, 10 figure

Delay-dependent stabilization of stochastic interval delay systems with nonlinear disturbances

This is the post print version of the article. The official published version can be obtained from the link below - Copyright 2007 Elsevier Ltd.In this paper, a delay-dependent approach is developed to deal with the robust stabilization problem for a class of stochastic time-delay interval systems with nonlinear disturbances. The system matrices are assumed to be uncertain within given intervals, the time delays appear in both the system states and the nonlinear disturbances, and the stochastic perturbation is in the form of a Brownian motion. The purpose of the addressed stochastic stabilization problem is to design a memoryless state feedback controller such that, for all admissible interval uncertainties and nonlinear disturbances, the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable in the mean square, where the stability criteria are dependent on the length of the time delay and therefore less conservative. By using Itô's differential formula and the Lyapunov stability theory, sufficient conditions are first derived for ensuring the stability of the stochastic interval delay systems. Then, the controller gain is characterized in terms of the solution to a delay-dependent linear matrix inequality (LMI), which can be easily solved by using available software packages. A numerical example is exploited to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design procedure.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the UK under Grant GR/S27658/01, the Nuffield Foundation of the UK under Grant NAL/00630/G, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany