每日简报

平滑工具变量分位数回归AI 解读

In this article, I introduce the sivqr command, which estimates the coefficients of the instrumental variables (IV) quantile regression model introduced by Chernozhukov and Hansen (2005). The sivqr command offers several advantages over the existing ivqreg and ivqreg2 commands for estimating this IV quantile regression model, which complements the alternative "triangular model" behind cqiv and the "local quantile treatment effect" model of ivqte. Computationally, sivqr…

用机器学习选择助推对象：学生助学金续申请实验中的因果与预测定向AI 解读

In many settings, interventions may be more effective for some individuals than others, so that targeting interventions may be beneficial. We analyze the value of targeting in the context of a large-scale field experiment with over 53,000 college students, where the goal was to use "nudges" to encourage students to renew their financial-aid applications before a non-binding deadline. We begin with baseline approaches to targeting. First, we target based on a causal forest…

因果聚类：网络干扰下的群组实验设计AI 解读

This paper studies the design of cluster experiments to estimate the global treatment effect in the presence of network spillovers. We provide a framework to choose the clustering that minimizes the worst-case mean-squared error of the estimated global effect. We show that optimal clustering solves a novel penalized min-cut optimization problem computed via off-the-shelf semi-definite programming algorithms. Our analysis also characterizes simple conditions to choose between…

移动健康零膨胀计数结果的因果偏离效应：非参数估计方法AI 解读

In mobile health, tailoring interventions for real-time delivery is of paramount importance. Micro-randomized trials have emerged as the "gold-standard" methodology for developing such interventions. Analyzing data from these trials provides insights into the efficacy of interventions and the potential moderation by specific covariates. The "causal excursion effect", a novel class of causal estimand, addresses these inquiries. Yet, existing research mainly focuses on…

样本量为一时的随机化推断AI 解读

N-of-1 experiments, where a unit serves as its own control and treatment in different time windows, have been used in certain medical contexts for decades. However, due to effects that accumulate over long time windows and interventions that have complex evolution, a lack of robust inference tools has limited the widespread applicability of such N-of-1 designs. This work combines techniques from experiment design in causal inference and system identification from control…

价格实验与干扰AI 解读

In this paper, we examine the biases that arise when firms run A/B tests on continuous parameters to estimate global treatment effects on performance metrics of interest; we particularly focus on price experiments to measure the price impact on quantity demanded, and on profit. In canonical A/B experimental estimators, biases emerge due to interference between market participants. We employ structural modeling and differential calculus to derive intuitive characterizations…

秩—秩回归的统计推断AI 解读

The slope coefficient in a rank-rank regression is a popular measure of intergenerational mobility. In this article, we first show that commonly used inference methods for this slope parameter are invalid. Second, when the underlying distribution is not continuous, the OLS estimator and its distribution may be sensitive to how ties in the ranks are handled. Motivated by these findings we derive the asymptotic distribution of the OLS estimator and provide valid inference…

CausalGPS：连续暴露因果推断的 R 软件包AI 解读

Quantifying the causal effects of continuous exposures on outcomes of interest is critical for social, economic, health, and medical research. However, most existing software packages focus on binary exposures. We develop the CausalGPS R package that implements a collection of algorithms to provide algorithmic solutions for causal inference with continuous exposures. CausalGPS implements a causal inference workflow, with algorithms based on generalized propensity scores…

CATE Lasso：高维线性回归中的条件平均处理效应估计AI 解读

In causal inference about two treatments, Conditional Average Treatment Effects (CATEs) play an important role as a quantity representing an individualized causal effect, defined as a difference between the expected outcomes of the two treatments conditioned on covariates. This study assumes two linear regression models between a potential outcome and covariates of the two treatments and defines CATEs as a difference between the linear regression models. Then, we propose a…

观察性多因素研究中的因果推断平衡权重AI 解读

Many scientific questions in biomedical, environmental, and psychological research involve understanding the effects of multiple factors on outcomes. While factorial experiments are ideal for this purpose, randomized controlled treatment assignment is generally infeasible in many empirical studies. Therefore, investigators must rely on observational data, where drawing reliable causal inferences for multiple factors remains challenging. As the number of treatment…

一类潜在结果模型的识别与估计AI 解读

This paper develops a class of potential outcomes models characterized by three main features: (i) Unobserved heterogeneity can be represented by a vector of potential outcomes and a type describing the manner in which an instrument determines the choice of treatment; (ii) The availability of an instrumental variable that is conditionally independent of unobserved heterogeneity; and (iii) The imposition of convex restrictions on the distribution of unobserved heterogeneity.…

超高维混杂变量选择算法比较及影像组学应用AI 解读

Radiomics is an emerging area of medical imaging data analysis particularly for cancer. It involves the conversion of digital medical images into mineable ultra-high dimensional data. Machine learning algorithms are widely used in radiomics data analysis to develop powerful decision support model to improve precision in diagnosis, assessment of prognosis and prediction of therapy response. However, machine learning algorithms for causal inference have not been previously…

公平的自适应实验AI 解读

Randomized experiments have been the gold standard for assessing the effectiveness of a treatment or policy. The classical complete randomization approach assigns treatments based on a prespecified probability and may lead to inefficient use of data. Adaptive experiments improve upon complete randomization by sequentially learning and updating treatment assignment probabilities. However, their application can also raise fairness and equity concerns, as assignment…

多变量函数型数据因果发现的有向循环图模型AI 解读

Discovering causal relationship using multivariate functional data has received a significant amount of attention very recently. In this article, we introduce a functional linear structural equation model for causal structure learning when the underlying graph involving the multivariate functions may have cycles. To enhance interpretability, our model involves a low-dimensional causal embedded space such that all the relevant causal information in the multivariate functional…

应对 A/B 测试中数据训练循环引发的干扰：加权训练方法AI 解读

In modern recommendation systems, the standard pipeline involves training machine learning models on historical data to predict user behaviors and improve recommendations continuously. However, these data training loops can introduce interference in A/B tests, where data generated by control and treatment algorithms, potentially with different distributions, are combined. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel approach called weighted training. This approach…

双重差分估计中的处理前趋势等价性检验AI 解读

The plausibility of the ``parallel trends assumption'' in Difference-in-Differences estimation is usually assessed by a test of the null hypothesis that the difference between the average outcomes of both groups is constant over time before the treatment. However, failure to reject the null hypothesis does not imply the absence of differences in time trends between both groups. We provide equivalence tests that allow researchers to find evidence in favor of the parallel…

经济不确定性、地缘风险、疫情及金融宏观因素与原油收益：实证研究AI 解读

This study aims to use simultaneous quantile regression (SQR) to examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial uncertainty including global pandemic, geopolitical risk on the futures returns of crude oil (ROC). The data for this study is sourced from the FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Database) economic dataset; the importance of the factors have been validated by using variation inflation factor (VIF) and principal component analysis (PCA). To fully understand the…

用数论将无限时间序列图投影为有限边际图AI 解读

In recent years, a growing number of method and application works have adapted and applied the causal-graphical-model framework to time series data. Many of these works employ time-resolved causal graphs that extend infinitely into the past and future and whose edges are repetitive in time, thereby reflecting the assumption of stationary causal relationships. However, most results and algorithms from the causal-graphical-model framework are not designed for infinite graphs.…

无需正值性假设的观察数据政策学习AI 解读

Policy learning utilizing observational data is pivotal across various domains, with the objective of learning the optimal treatment assignment policy while adhering to specific constraints such as fairness, budget, and simplicity. This study introduces a novel positivity-free (stochastic) policy learning framework designed to address the challenges posed by the impracticality of the positivity assumption in real-world scenarios. This framework leverages incremental…

用于政策学习的半参数工具变量双重差分方法AI 解读

Recently, there has been a surge in methodological development for the difference-in-differences (DiD) approach to evaluate causal effects. Standard methods in the literature rely on the parallel trends assumption to identify the average treatment effect on the treated. However, the parallel trends assumption may be violated in the presence of unmeasured confounding, and the average treatment effect on the treated may not be useful in learning a treatment assignment policy…

利用个体数据与限制平均生存时间回归开展生存结局网络荟萃分析AI 解读

Restricted mean survival time (RMST) models have gained popularity when analyzing time-to-event outcomes because RMST models offer more straightforward interpretations of treatment effects with fewer assumptions than hazard ratios commonly estimated from Cox models. However, few network meta-analysis (NMA) methods have been developed using RMST. In this paper, we propose advanced RMST NMA models when individual participant data are available. Our models allow us to study…

用于交互式推荐的通用神经因果模型AI 解读

Survivor bias in observational data leads the optimization of recommender systems towards local optima. Currently most solutions re-mines existing human-system collaboration patterns to maximize longer-term satisfaction by reinforcement learning. However, from the causal perspective, mitigating survivor effects requires answering a counterfactual problem, which is generally unidentifiable and inestimable. In this work, we propose a neural causal model to achieve…

早期疫苗试验中个体处理效应的随机化推断AI 解读

Randomization inference is a powerful tool in early phase vaccine trials when estimating the causal effect of a regimen against a placebo or another regimen. Randomization-based inference often focuses on testing either Fisher's sharp null hypothesis of no treatment effect for any participant or Neyman's weak null hypothesis of no sample average treatment effect. Many recent efforts have explored conducting exact randomization-based inference for other summaries of the…

采用加性混合先验的贝叶斯预后协变量调整AI 解读

Effective and rapid decision-making from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) requires unbiased and precise treatment effect inferences. Two strategies to address this requirement are to adjust for covariates that are highly correlated with the outcome, and to leverage historical control information via Bayes' theorem. We propose a new Bayesian prognostic covariate adjustment methodology, referred to as Bayesian PROCOVA, that combines these two strategies. Covariate…