Joint Tests for Long Memory and Non-linearity: The Case of Purchasing Power Parity

A pervasive finding of unit roots in macroeconomic data often runs counter to intuition regarding the stochastic nature of the process under consideration. Two econometric techniques have been utilized in an attempt to resolve the finding of unit roots, namely long memory and models that depart from linearity. While the use of long memory and stochastic regime switching models have developed almost independently of each other, it is now clear that the two modeling techniques can be intimately linked. In particular, both modeling techniques have been used in isolation to study the dynamics of the real exchange rate. To determine the importance of each technique in this context, I employ a testing and estimation procedure that allows one to jointly test for long memory and non-linearity (regime switching behavior) of the STAR variety. I find that there is substantial evidence of non-linear behavior for the real exchange rate for many developing and European countries, with little evidence for ESTAR non-linearity for countries outside the European continent including Japan and Canada. In cases where non-linearity is found, I also find significant evidence of long memory for the majority of the countries in my sample. Thus, long memory and non-linearity can also be viewed as compliments rather than substitutes. On the other hand, a combination of long memory and non-linearity may be a promising research avenue for pursuing an answer to the paradoxreal exchange rates, long memory, ESTAR non-linearity

Long Memory Regressors and Predictive Regressions: A two-stage rebalancing approach

Predictability tests with long memory regressors may entail both size distortion and incompatibility between the orders of integration of the dependent and independent variables. Addressing both problems simultaneously, this paper proposes a two-step procedure that rebalances the predictive regression by fractionally differencing the predictor based on a first-stage estimation of the memory parameter. Extensive simulations indicate that our procedure has good size, is robust to estimation error in the first stage, and can yield improved power over cases in which an integer order is assumed for the regressor. We also extend our approach beyond the standard predictive regression context to cases in which the dependent variable is also fractionally integrated, but not cointegrated with the regressor. We use our procedure to provide a valid test of forward rate unbiasedness that allows for a long memory forward premium

Inference for likelihood-based estimators of generalized long-memory processes

Despite a recent proliferation of research using cyclical long memory, surprisingly little is known regarding the asymptotic properties of likelihood-based methods. Estimators have been studied in both the time and frequency domains for the Gegenbauer autoregressive moving average process (GARMA). However, a full set of asymptotic results for all parameters has only been proposed by Chung (1996a,b), who present somewhat tenuous results without an initial consistency proof. In this paper, we review the GARMA process and the properties of frequency and time domain likelihood-based estimators using Monte Carlo analysis. The results demonstrate the strong efficacy of both estimators and generally sup- port the proposed theory of Chung for the parameter governing the cycle length. Important caveats await. The results show that asymptotic confidence bands can be unreliable in very small samples under weak long memory, and the distribution theory under the null of an infinitely long cycle appears to be unusable. Possible solutions are proposed, including the use of narrower confidence bands and the application of theory under the alternative of finite cycles

Inference for likelihood-based estimators of generalized long-memory processes

Despite a recent proliferation of research using cyclical long memory, surprisingly little is known regarding the asymptotic properties of likelihood-based methods. Estimators have been studied in both the time and frequency domains for the Gegenbauer autoregressive moving average process (GARMA). However, a full set of asymptotic results for all parameters has only been proposed by Chung (1996a,b), who present somewhat tenuous results without an initial consistency proof. In this paper, we review the GARMA process and the properties of frequency and time domain likelihood-based estimators using Monte Carlo analysis. The results demonstrate the strong efficacy of both estimators and generally sup- port the proposed theory of Chung for the parameter governing the cycle length. Important caveats await. The results show that asymptotic confidence bands can be unreliable in very small samples under weak long memory, and the distribution theory under the null of an infinitely long cycle appears to be unusable. Possible solutions are proposed, including the use of narrower confidence bands and the application of theory under the alternative of finite cycles

Conditional Sum of Squares Estimation of Multiple Frequency Long Memory Models

We review the multiple frequency Gegenbauer autoregressive moving average model, which is able to reproduce a wide range of autocorrelation functions. Extending the result of Chung (1996a), we propose the asymptotic distributions for a conditional sum of squares estimator of the model parameters. The parameters that determine the cycle lengths are asymptotically independent, converging at rate T for finite cycles. This result does not hold generally, most notably for the differencing parameters associated with the cycle lengths. Remaining parameters are typically not independent and converge at the standard rate of T1/2. We present simulation results to explore small sample properties of the estimator, which strongly support most distributional results while also highlighting areas that merit additional exploration. We demonstrate the applicability of the theory and estimator with an application to IBM trading volume

Down but not out in posterior cingulate cortex : Deactivation yet functional coupling with prefrontal cortex during demanding semantic cognition

The posterior cingulate cortex (pCC) often deactivates during complex tasks, and at rest is often only weakly correlated with regions that play a general role in the control of cognition. These observations led to the hypothesis that pCC contributes to automatic aspects of memory retrieval and cognition. Recent work, however, has suggested that the pCC may support both automatic and controlled forms of memory processing and may do so by changing its communication with regions that are important in the control of cognition across multiple domains. The current study examined these alternative views by characterising the functional coupling of the pCC in easy semantic decisions (based on strong global associations) and in harder semantic tasks (matching words on the basis of specific non-dominant features). Increasingly difficult semantic decisions led to the expected pattern of deactivation in the pCC; however, psychophysiological interaction analysis revealed that, under these conditions, the pCC exhibited greater connectivity with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), relative to both easier semantic decisions and to a period of rest. In a second experiment using different participants, we found that functional coupling at rest between the pCC and the same region of dorsolateral PFC was stronger for participants who were more efficient at semantic tasks when assessed in a subsequent laboratory session. Thus, although overall levels of activity in the pCC are reduced during external tasks, this region may show greater coupling with executive control regions when information is retrieved from memory in a goal-directed manner

Maternal DNA Methylation Regulates Early Trophoblast Development

This work was funded by the BBSRC, Wellcome Trust, MRC, the EC Network of Excellence EpiGeneSys, the EC BLUEPRINT project, the Centre for Trophoblast Research, and CIHR (grant MOP-119357 to L.L.). M.R.B. is a Sir Henry Dale Fellow (101225/Z/13/Z), jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Joint Tests for Non-linearity and Long Memory: The Case of Purchasing Power Parity

A pervasive finding of unit roots in macroeconomic data often runs counter to intuition regarding the stochastic nature of the process under consideration. Two econometric techniques have been utilized in an attempt to resolve the finding of unit roots, namely long memory and models that depart from linearity. While the use of long memory and stochastic regime switching models have developed almost independently of each other, it is now clear that the two modeling techniques can be intimately linked. In particular, both modeling techniques have been used in isolation to study the dynamics of the real exchange rate. To determine the importance of each technique in this context, I employ a testing and estimation procedure that allows one to jointly test for long memory and non-linearity (regime switching behavior) of the STAR variety. I find that there is substantial evidence of non-linear behavior for the real exchange rate for many developing and European countries, with little evidence for ESTAR non-linearity for countries outside the European continent including Japan and Canada. In cases where non-linearity is found, I also find significant evidence of long memory for the majority of the countries in my sample. Thus, long memory and non-linearity can also be viewed as compliments rather than substitutes. The linear model in isolation appears to be inadequate for breaking down the paradox known as the PPP puzzle. On the other hand, a combination of long memory and non-linearity may be a promising research avenue for pursuing an answer to the paradox.