Semiparametric modeling is a hybrid of the parametric and nonparametric modelings where some function forms are known and others are unknown. In this dissertation, we have made several contributions to semiparametric modeling based on the single index model related to the following three topics: the first is to propose a model for detecting change points simultaneously with estimating the unknown function; the second is to develop two models for spatially correlated data; and the third is to further develop two models for spatially-temporally correlated data. To address the first topic, we propose a unified approach in its ability to simultaneously estimate the nonlinear relationship and change points. We propose a single index change point model as our unified approach by adjusting for several other covariates. We nonparametrically estimate the unknown function using kernel smoothing and also provide a permutation based testing procedure to detect multiple change points. We show the asymptotic properties of the permutation testing based procedure. The advantage of our approach is demonstrated using the mortality data of Seoul, Korea from January, 2000 to December, 2007. On the second topic, we propose two semiparametric single index models for spatially correlated data. One additively separates the nonparametric function and spatially correlated random effects, while the other does not separate the nonparametric function and spatially correlated random effects. We estimate these two models using two algorithms based on Markov Chain Expectation Maximization algorithm. Our approaches are compared using simulations, suggesting that the semiparametric single index nonadditive model provides more accurate estimates of spatial correlation. The advantage of our approach is demonstrated using the mortality data of six cities, Korea from January, 2000 to December, 2007. The third topic involves proposing two semiparametric single index models for spatially and temporally correlated data. Our first model has the nonparametric function which can separate from spatially and temporally correlated random effects. We refer it to "semiparametric spatio-temporal separable single index model (SSTS-SIM)", while the second model does not separate the nonparametric function from spatially correlated random effects but separates the time random effects. We refer our second model to "semiparametric nonseparable single index model (SSTN-SIM)". Two algorithms based on Markov Chain Expectation Maximization algorithm are introduced to simultaneously estimate parameters, spatial effects, and times effects. The proposed models are then applied to the mortality data of six major cities in Korea. Our results suggest that SSTN-SIM is more flexible than SSTS-SIM because it can estimate various nonparametric functions while SSTS-SIM enforces the similar nonparametric curves. SSTN-SIM also provides better estimation and prediction. / Ph. D.

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in Lake Erie support valuable commercial and recreational fisheries critical to the local economy and society. The study of yellow perch's temporal and spatial population dynamics is important for both stock assessment and fisheries management. I explore the spatial and temporal variation of the yellow perch population by analyzing the fishery-independent surveys in Lake Erie. Model-based approaches were developed to estimate the relative abundance index, which reflected the temporal variation of the population. I also used design-based approaches to deal with the situation in which population density varied both spatially and temporally. I first used model-based approaches to explore the spatial and temporal variation of the yellow perch population and to develop the relative abundance index needed. Generalized linear models (GLM), spatial generalized linear models (s-GLM), and generalized additive models (GAM) were compared by examining the goodness-of-fit, reduction of spatial autocorrelation, and prediction errors from cross-validation. The relationship between yellow perch density distribution and spatial and environmental factors was also studied. I found that GAM showed the best goodness-of-fit shown as AIC and lowest prediction errors but s-GLM resulted in the best reduction of spatial autocorrelation. Both performed better than GLM for yellow perch relative abundance index estimation. I then applied design-based approaches to study the spatial and temporal population dynamics of yellow perch through both practical data analysis and simulation. The currently used approach in Lake Erie is stratified random sampling (StRS). Traditional sampling designs (simple random sampling (SRS) and StRS) and adaptive sampling designs (adaptive two-phase sampling (ATS), adaptive cluster sampling (ACS), and adaptive two-stage sequential sampling (ATSS)) for fishery-independent surveys were compared. From accuracy and precision aspect, ATS performed better than the SRS, StRS, ACS and ATSS for yellow perch fishery-independent survey data in Lake Erie. Model-based approaches were further studied by including geostatistical models. The performance of the GLM and GAM models and geostatistical models (spatial interpolation) were compared when they are used to analyze the temporal and spatial variation of the yellow perch population through a simulation study. This is the first time that these two types of model- based approaches have been compared in fisheries. I found that arithmetic mean (AM) method was only preferred when neither environment factors nor spatial information of sampling locations were available. If the survey can not cover the distribution area of the population due to biased design or lack of sampling locations, GLMs and GAMs are preferable to spatial interpolation (SI). Otherwise, SI is a good alternative model to estimate relative abundance index. SI has rarely been realized in fisheries. Different models may be recommended for different species/fisheries when we estimate their spatial-temporal dynamics, and also the most appropriate survey designs may be different for different species. However, the criteria and approaches for the comparison of both model-based and design-based approaches will be applied for different species or fisheries. / Ph. D.

O padrão espacial de ocorrência de atributos de espécies florestais, tal como a área basal das árvores, pode fornecer informações para o entendimento da estrutura da comunidade vegetal. Uma vez que fatores ambientais podem influenciar tanto o padrão espacial de ocorrência quanto os atributos das espécies em florestas nativas. Desse modo, investigar a relação entre as características ambientais e o padrão espacial de espécies florestais pode ajudar a entender a dinâmica das florestas. Especificamente, neste trabalho, o objetivo é avaliar métodos estatísticos que permitam identificar quais atributos do solo são capazes de explicar a variação da área basal de cada espécie de árvore. A área basal foi considerada como variável resposta e como covariáveis, um grande número de atributos físicos e químicos do solo, medidos em uma malha de localizações cobrindo a área de estudo. Foram revisados e utilizados os métodos de regressão linear múltipla com método de seleção stepwise, modelos aditivos generalizados e árvores de regressão. Em uma segunda fase das análises, adicionou-se um efeito espacial aos modelos, com o intuito de verificar se havia ainda padrões na variabilidade, não capturados pelos modelos. Com isso, foram considerados os modelos autoregressivo simultâneo, condicional autoregressivo e geoestatístico. Dado o grande número de atributos do solo, as análises foram também conduzidas utilizando-se as covariáveis originais, fatores identificados em uma análise fatorial prévia dos atributos de solo. A seleção de modelos com melhor ajuste foi utilizada para identificar os atributos de solo relevantes, bem como a presença e melhor descrição de padrões espaciais. A área de estudo foi a Estação Ecológica de Assis, da Unidade de Conservação do Estado de São Paulo em parcelas permanentes, dentro do projeto \"Diversidade, Dinâmica e Conservação em Florestas do Estado de São Paulo: 40 ha de parcelas permanentes\", do programa Biota da FAPESP. As análises reportadas aqui se referem à área basal das espécies Copaifera langsdorffii, Vochysia tucanorum e Xylopia aromatica. Com os atributos de solo reduzidos e consistentemente associados à área basal, a declividade, altitude, saturação por alumínio e potássio mostraram-se relevantes para duas das espécies. Resultados obtidos mostraram a presença de um padrão na variabilidade, mesmo levando-se em consideração os efeitos das covariáveis, ou seja, os atributos do solo explicam parcialmente a variabilidade da área basal, mas existe um padrão que ocorre no espaço que não é capturado por essas covariáveis. / The spatial pattern of occurrenceis of forest species and their attributes, such as the basal area of trees, can provide information for understanding the structure of the vegetable community. Considering the environmental factors can influence the spatial pattern of occurrences of species in native forests and related attributes, describing relationship between environmental characteristics and spatial pattern of forest species can be associated with the dynamics of forests. The objective of the present study is to assess different statistical methods used to identify which soil attributes are associated with the basal area of each tree selected species. The basal area was considered as the response variable and the covariates are given by a large number of physical and chemical attributes of the soil, measured at a grid of locations covering the study area. The methods considered are the multiple linear regression with stepwise model selection, generalized additive models and regression trees. Spatial effects were added to the models, in order to ascertain whether there is residual spatial patterns not captured by the covariates. Thus, simultaneous autoregressive model, autoregressive conditional and geostatistical were considered. Considering the large number of soil attributes, analysis were were conducted both ways, using the original covariates, and using factors identified in a preliminar factor analysis of the soil attributes. Model selection was used to identify the relevant attributes of soil as well as the presence and better description of spatial patterns. The study area was the Ecological Station of Assis, the Conservation Unit of the State of São Paulo in permanent plots within the \"Diversity Dynamics and Conservation Forests in the State of São Paulo: 40 ha of permanent plots\" project, under the research project FAPESP biota. The analyzes reported here refer to the basal area of the species Copaifera langsdorffii, Vochysia tucanorum and Xylopia aromatica. Results differ among the considered methods reinforcing the reccomendation of considering differing modeling strategies. Covariates consistently associated with basal area are slope, altitude and aluminum saturation, potassium, relevant to at least two of the species. Results obtained showed the presence of patterns in residual variability, even taking into account the effects of covariates. The soil characteristics only partially explain the variability of the basal area and there are spatial patterns not captured by these covariates.

現行公告土地現值的評估，係採用人工的傳統方法，估價結果誤差甚大且過於主觀，無法達到大量估價客觀、快速、精確之目標。本文首先利用土地經濟理論的分析，探討土地市場價值、交易價格、評估價值之間的關係，釐清常見的混淆概念。並藉由估價比率研究，討論公告現值與市價差距的檢定模型，針對台南市的實際資料進行統計檢定，結果發現平均估價比率落於46.74﹪~48.52﹪之區間，並存在輕微的垂直不公平。 為改進現行公告現值不夠準確之缺失，本研究基於都市經濟理論與估價先驗訊息之基礎，利用特徵價格法與可加性模型建立大量估價模式。實證結果發現，影響台南市地價之因素，以區位、臨街關係、路寬、使用分區最為重要。在部份年度中，亦證實存在基地面積規模不經濟（plattage）現象。 傳統特徵價格法必須預設函數型態，若函數設定錯誤則將使參數估計產生偏誤。可加性模型結合無母數迴歸與母數迴歸之優點，不須預設函數型態、估計結果易於解釋且維持母數迴歸之收斂速度。其可經由修勻法配適出更客觀的函數關係，無論在樣本內與樣本外之估計均較特徵價格法為佳。 研究結果發現，本文所提出的二種估價模式確可達到快速精確的目標，使估價比率接近１，比目前評估效率提高一倍；在公平性方面雖無改善，但亦無嚴重之垂直不公平。其中可加性模型又較特徵價格法為佳，在電腦技術快速進步的今天，應用至大量估價的可行性大為提高，值得後續進一步深入研究。 / The present Announced Land Current Value （ALCV）was evaluated by traditional appraisal method that may result in large errors. Comparing to mass assessment approaches, it is hard to be objective, quick and precise. This research begins with the analysis based on land economic theory to discuss the relation among the market value, sale price and assessed value of land in order to clarify some confusing concepts. Through assessment-sale price ratio study, we analyze the difference between ALCV and sale price, and then use the actual data of Tainan City for empirical study. The results show that the average a-s ratio falls between 46.74%~48.52% with slight vertical inequity. To improve the lack of preciseness and objectivity of the present ALCV, this research uses hedonic price theory and Generalized Additive Model（GAM）based on urban economic theory and appraisal priori information. The results show that location, relations with adjacent streets, road width and zoning are the most influencing factors of land price in Tainan City. During some years, the phenomenon of plattage effect also exits. The function form must be set beforehand in the traditional hedonic pricing, meanwhile parameters bias will occur if the pre-determined function form were wrong. GAM has the advantages of nonparametric regression and parametric regression. The function form needs not to be pre-determined, the empirical results are easy to interpret, and the speed of variable convergence can be maintained. More precise functional relations can also be smoothed by GAM. It is superior to the traditional hedonic price in the sample and out of the sample prediction alike. The results of empirical study show that both of two models can reach the goal of rapidity and preciseness and make the a-s ratio toward 1. As to the equity, although they are not improved very much, the models don't bring serious vertical inequity. However, GAM is better than hedonic pricing when compared to each other. Due to the great progress of computer technology, the application of GAM to mass assessment can be increased greatly and is worthy continuing further study.

Energimyndigheten har drivit ett projekt kallat ”Förbättrad energistatistik i bebyggelsen” för att få mer kunskap om energianvändningen i byggnader.  Denna rapport fokuserar på ”Mätning av hushållsel på apparatnivå” som var ett delprojekt. Diverse regressionsmodeller används i denna rapport för att undersöka sambandet mellan elanvändningen och de olika förklarande variablerna, som exempelvis hushållens bakgrundsvariabler, hushållstyp och geografiska läge, elförbrukningen av olika elapparater samt antalet elapparater. Datamaterialet innefattar 389 hushåll där de flesta är spridda runt om i Mälardalen. Ett fåtal mätningar gjordes på hushåll i Kiruna och Malmö. Slutsatsen vi kan dra från denna uppsats är att hushållens bakgrund, hustyp, geografiska läge och antal elapparater samt dessa apparaters typ har relevans för elförbrukningen i ett hushåll. / The Swedish Energy Agency conducted a project which is called “Improved energy statistics for settlements”. This report focuses on one field of the project: “households’ electricity use on device level”. Various regression models are used in the analysis to analyze the relationship between electricity usage and different explanatory variables, for instance: background variables for the household, type of household, geographical setting, usage of different electrical devices and quantity of electrical devices used.  The data material consists of 389 households which are spread around the region of Märlardalen except for a few households from the communities of Kiruna and Malmö. The conclusion we can draw from this thesis shows that the background variables for a household, its type, its geographical setting and the amount and type of devices it contains all have a contribution to the electricity usage in the household. / Förbättrad energistatistik i bebyggelsen

In this thesis Generalized Additive Neural Networks (GANNs) are studied in the context of predictive Data Mining. A GANN is a novel neural network implementation of a Generalized Additive Model. Originally GANNs were constructed interactively by considering partial residual plots. This methodology involves subjective human judgment, is time consuming, and can result in suboptimal results. The newly developed automated construction algorithm solves these difficulties by performing model selection based on an objective model selection criterion. Partial residual plots are only utilized after the best model is found to gain insight into the relationships between inputs and the target. Models are organized in a search tree with a greedy search procedure that identifies good models in a relatively short time. The automated construction algorithm, implemented in the powerful SAS® language, is nontrivial, effective, and comparable to other model selection methodologies found in the literature. This implementation, which is called AutoGANN, has a simple, intuitive, and user-friendly interface. The AutoGANN system is further extended with an approximation to Bayesian Model Averaging. This technique accounts for uncertainty about the variables that must be included in the model and uncertainty about the model structure. Model averaging utilizes in-sample model selection criteria and creates a combined model with better predictive ability than using any single model. In the field of Credit Scoring, the standard theory of scorecard building is not tampered with, but a pre-processing step is introduced to arrive at a more accurate scorecard that discriminates better between good and bad applicants. The pre-processing step exploits GANN models to achieve significant reductions in marginal and cumulative bad rates. The time it takes to develop a scorecard may be reduced by utilizing the automated construction algorithm. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

In this thesis Generalized Additive Neural Networks (GANNs) are studied in the context of predictive Data Mining. A GANN is a novel neural network implementation of a Generalized Additive Model. Originally GANNs were constructed interactively by considering partial residual plots. This methodology involves subjective human judgment, is time consuming, and can result in suboptimal results. The newly developed automated construction algorithm solves these difficulties by performing model selection based on an objective model selection criterion. Partial residual plots are only utilized after the best model is found to gain insight into the relationships between inputs and the target. Models are organized in a search tree with a greedy search procedure that identifies good models in a relatively short time. The automated construction algorithm, implemented in the powerful SAS® language, is nontrivial, effective, and comparable to other model selection methodologies found in the literature. This implementation, which is called AutoGANN, has a simple, intuitive, and user-friendly interface. The AutoGANN system is further extended with an approximation to Bayesian Model Averaging. This technique accounts for uncertainty about the variables that must be included in the model and uncertainty about the model structure. Model averaging utilizes in-sample model selection criteria and creates a combined model with better predictive ability than using any single model. In the field of Credit Scoring, the standard theory of scorecard building is not tampered with, but a pre-processing step is introduced to arrive at a more accurate scorecard that discriminates better between good and bad applicants. The pre-processing step exploits GANN models to achieve significant reductions in marginal and cumulative bad rates. The time it takes to develop a scorecard may be reduced by utilizing the automated construction algorithm. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This study investigated long-term (1961-2008) changes in albacore (Thunnus alalunga) abundance and distribution in relation to local environmental and large-scale climate indices in the Northeastern Pacific using time series and spatial analyses. Prior to the time series analysis, a wavelet analysis was conducted to examine nonrandom patterns of cyclical variability which revealed that monthly and annual time scales had the highest non-random variability. Thus, the time series analysis was done at these two scales using non-linear generalized additive models (GAMs) and threshold GAMs. At the monthly scale, sea surface temperature (SST) was found to be the variable with the strongest (positive) association to albacore catch per unit effort (CPUE). This association was likely driven by the seasonal migrations of juvenile albacore into and out of the U.S. coastal waters. At the yearly time scale over large geographical areas, the SST association broke down, and the scalar wind speed cubed (an indicator of mixed layer depth) at a five year lag became the dominant variable. The scalar wind speed cubed index explained 65% of the variability and was highly significant, even after adjusting for multiple tests (Bonferroni corrected P-value<0.001). These results suggest that a deeper mixed layer in the Northeastern Pacific may provide favorable foraging habitat for juvenile (mostly age 3) albacore, resulting in successful growth, spawning, and recruitment into the fishery in later years. This mixed layer depth association could help managers and stock assessment groups in their efforts to integrate environmental factors into the estimate of albacore population size. The spatial/spatio-temporal analyses involved modeling the CPUE with four competing GAM formulations, each representative of a different hypotheses for albacore distribution: 1) spatial, 2) spatial and environmental (SST, PDO, and MEI), 3) spatially variant, and 4) nonstationary, as indicated by the North Pacific regime shift of 1977. Results indicate that SST had a predominantly positive but spatially-variable effect on albacore CPUE, while the PDO had a negative overall effect. Specifically, CPUE was found to increase with increased SST, particularly off of Oregon and Washington. These results imply that if ocean temperatures continue to increase, west coast communities reliant on commercial albacore fisheries are likely to be negatively impacted in the southern areas but positively benefited in the northern areas, where current albacore landings are highest. / Graduation date: 2012

O padrão espacial de ocorrência de atributos de espécies florestais, tal como a área basal das árvores, pode fornecer informações para o entendimento da estrutura da comunidade vegetal. Uma vez que fatores ambientais podem influenciar tanto o padrão espacial de ocorrência quanto os atributos das espécies em florestas nativas. Desse modo, investigar a relação entre as características ambientais e o padrão espacial de espécies florestais pode ajudar a entender a dinâmica das florestas. Especificamente, neste trabalho, o objetivo é avaliar métodos estatísticos que permitam identificar quais atributos do solo são capazes de explicar a variação da área basal de cada espécie de árvore. A área basal foi considerada como variável resposta e como covariáveis, um grande número de atributos físicos e químicos do solo, medidos em uma malha de localizações cobrindo a área de estudo. Foram revisados e utilizados os métodos de regressão linear múltipla com método de seleção stepwise, modelos aditivos generalizados e árvores de regressão. Em uma segunda fase das análises, adicionou-se um efeito espacial aos modelos, com o intuito de verificar se havia ainda padrões na variabilidade, não capturados pelos modelos. Com isso, foram considerados os modelos autoregressivo simultâneo, condicional autoregressivo e geoestatístico. Dado o grande número de atributos do solo, as análises foram também conduzidas utilizando-se as covariáveis originais, fatores identificados em uma análise fatorial prévia dos atributos de solo. A seleção de modelos com melhor ajuste foi utilizada para identificar os atributos de solo relevantes, bem como a presença e melhor descrição de padrões espaciais. A área de estudo foi a Estação Ecológica de Assis, da Unidade de Conservação do Estado de São Paulo em parcelas permanentes, dentro do projeto \"Diversidade, Dinâmica e Conservação em Florestas do Estado de São Paulo: 40 ha de parcelas permanentes\", do programa Biota da FAPESP. As análises reportadas aqui se referem à área basal das espécies Copaifera langsdorffii, Vochysia tucanorum e Xylopia aromatica. Com os atributos de solo reduzidos e consistentemente associados à área basal, a declividade, altitude, saturação por alumínio e potássio mostraram-se relevantes para duas das espécies. Resultados obtidos mostraram a presença de um padrão na variabilidade, mesmo levando-se em consideração os efeitos das covariáveis, ou seja, os atributos do solo explicam parcialmente a variabilidade da área basal, mas existe um padrão que ocorre no espaço que não é capturado por essas covariáveis. / The spatial pattern of occurrenceis of forest species and their attributes, such as the basal area of trees, can provide information for understanding the structure of the vegetable community. Considering the environmental factors can influence the spatial pattern of occurrences of species in native forests and related attributes, describing relationship between environmental characteristics and spatial pattern of forest species can be associated with the dynamics of forests. The objective of the present study is to assess different statistical methods used to identify which soil attributes are associated with the basal area of each tree selected species. The basal area was considered as the response variable and the covariates are given by a large number of physical and chemical attributes of the soil, measured at a grid of locations covering the study area. The methods considered are the multiple linear regression with stepwise model selection, generalized additive models and regression trees. Spatial effects were added to the models, in order to ascertain whether there is residual spatial patterns not captured by the covariates. Thus, simultaneous autoregressive model, autoregressive conditional and geostatistical were considered. Considering the large number of soil attributes, analysis were were conducted both ways, using the original covariates, and using factors identified in a preliminar factor analysis of the soil attributes. Model selection was used to identify the relevant attributes of soil as well as the presence and better description of spatial patterns. The study area was the Ecological Station of Assis, the Conservation Unit of the State of São Paulo in permanent plots within the \"Diversity Dynamics and Conservation Forests in the State of São Paulo: 40 ha of permanent plots\" project, under the research project FAPESP biota. The analyzes reported here refer to the basal area of the species Copaifera langsdorffii, Vochysia tucanorum and Xylopia aromatica. Results differ among the considered methods reinforcing the reccomendation of considering differing modeling strategies. Covariates consistently associated with basal area are slope, altitude and aluminum saturation, potassium, relevant to at least two of the species. Results obtained showed the presence of patterns in residual variability, even taking into account the effects of covariates. The soil characteristics only partially explain the variability of the basal area and there are spatial patterns not captured by these covariates.

The migratory birds stop at different stopover sites during migration. The presence of resources in these stopover sites is essential to regain the energy of these birds. This thesis aims to compare the resource abundance and intake at the two stopover sites: Reda and Wisla river estuaries. How a bird's mass changes during its stay at an estuary is considered as a proxy for the resource abundance of a site. The comparison is made on different subsets, including those which has incomplete data, i.e. next day is not exactly one day after the previous capture. Multiple linear regression, Generalized additive model and Linear mixed effect model are used for analysis. Expectation maximization and an iterative predictive process are implemented to deal with incomplete data. We found that Reda has higher resource abundance and intake as compared to that of Wisla river estuary.