49 research outputs found
Labeled Directed Acyclic Graphs: a generalization of context-specific independence in directed graphical models
We introduce a novel class of labeled directed acyclic graph (LDAG) models
for finite sets of discrete variables. LDAGs generalize earlier proposals for
allowing local structures in the conditional probability distribution of a
node, such that unrestricted label sets determine which edges can be deleted
from the underlying directed acyclic graph (DAG) for a given context. Several
properties of these models are derived, including a generalization of the
concept of Markov equivalence classes. Efficient Bayesian learning of LDAGs is
enabled by introducing an LDAG-based factorization of the Dirichlet prior for
the model parameters, such that the marginal likelihood can be calculated
analytically. In addition, we develop a novel prior distribution for the model
structures that can appropriately penalize a model for its labeling complexity.
A non-reversible Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm combined with a greedy hill
climbing approach is used for illustrating the useful properties of LDAG models
for both real and synthetic data sets.Comment: 26 pages, 17 figure
Marginal and simultaneous predictive classification using stratified graphical models
An inductive probabilistic classification rule must generally obey the
principles of Bayesian predictive inference, such that all observed and
unobserved stochastic quantities are jointly modeled and the parameter
uncertainty is fully acknowledged through the posterior predictive
distribution. Several such rules have been recently considered and their
asymptotic behavior has been characterized under the assumption that the
observed features or variables used for building a classifier are conditionally
independent given a simultaneous labeling of both the training samples and
those from an unknown origin. Here we extend the theoretical results to
predictive classifiers acknowledging feature dependencies either through
graphical models or sparser alternatives defined as stratified graphical
models. We also show through experimentation with both synthetic and real data
that the predictive classifiers based on stratified graphical models have
consistently best accuracy compared with the predictive classifiers based on
either conditionally independent features or on ordinary graphical models.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure
Stratified Gaussian graphical models
Gaussian graphical models represent the backbone of the statistical toolbox for analyzing continuous multivariate systems. However, due to the intrinsic properties of the multivariate normal distribution, use of this model family may hide certain forms of context-specific independence that are natural to consider from an applied perspective. Such independencies have been earlier introduced to generalize discrete graphical models and Bayesian networks into more flexible model families. Here, we adapt the idea of context-specific independence to Gaussian graphical models by introducing a stratification of the Euclidean space such that a conditional independence may hold in certain segments but be absent elsewhere. It is shown that the stratified models define a curved exponential family, which retains considerable tractability for parameter estimation and model selection.Peer reviewe