Maximum likelihood estimator and likelihood ratio test in complex models: an application to B lymphocyte development.
In this paper we introduce a simple framework which provides a basis for estimating parameters and testing statistical hypotheses in complex models. The only assumption that is made in the model describing the process under study, is that the deviations of the observations from the model have a multivariate normal distribution. The application of the statistical techniques presented in this paper may have considerable utility in the analysis of a wide variety of complex biological and epidemiological models. To our knowledge, the model and methods described here have not previously been published in the area of theoretical immunology.
Gorfine
Malka
M
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel. gorfinm@macs.biu.ac.il
Freedman
Laurence
L
Shahaf
Gitit
G
Mehr
Ramit
R
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D015233:Models, Statistical