A random effects epidemic-type aftershock sequence model.

We consider an extension of the temporal epidemic-type aftershock sequence (ETAS) model with random effects as a special case of a well-known doubly stochastic self-exciting point process. The new model arises from a deterministic function that is randomly scaled by a nonnegative random variable, which is unobservable but assumed to follow either positive stable or one-parameter gamma distribution with unit mean. Both random effects models are of interest although the one-parameter gamma random effects model is more popular when modeling associated survival times.

Characterizing daily life experience of patients on maintenance dialysis.

Background: Despite growing literature of the dialysis patients' high burden of illness and a compromised quality of life, little is known about their daily life experiences.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using the day reconstruction method, an experience sampling method, was used. Seventy-one dialysis patients recruited from three dialysis centers systematically reconstructed their activities and experiences of the preceding day.