UF Statistics Winter Workshop – 2019

UF Statistics Winter Workshop – 2019

 

Recent Advances in Causal Inference and Mediation Analysis and their Applications.

The Department of Statistic’s Annual Winter Workshop, co-sponsored by the University of Florida Informatics Institute, Department of Statistics, and Infotech Consulting will take place on January 18-19, 2019 (Friday-Saturday), 8:00AM-5:00PM, at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

Abstract: The workshop will focus on recent advances in causal inference and causal mediation analysis. Causal inference is essential for comparative effectiveness research and causal discoveries from (large) observational data (including EHRs). Causal mediation helps us understand how an exposure or intervention works through different pathways.  Both become considerably more complex in the presence of interference, on networks, with time-varying exposures, and in big data settings with many potential confounders and/or many potential mediators.  Important issues to be addressed include the complication of causal inference in the presence of interference, causal inference on networks, causal mediation analysis in the presence of many mediators, variable selection, sensitivity analysis for uncheckable assumptions (including unmeasured confounders) with applications to ‘omics,  mental health, education, networks, and more.  Ten national and international researchers on causal inference will report on their latest research.
2019 Stats Winter Workshop -Program

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To read title, abstract and bio of the following guest speakers, click Here.

Guest speakers:

 

1) Edoardo Airoldi, Millard E. Gladfelter Professor of Statistics & Data Science, Fox School of Business, Temple University, “Model-assisted design of experiments on social and information networks”

2) Jennifer Hill,Professor of Applied Statistics & Data Science, New York University, “Identifying Heterogeneous Treatment Effects with Bayesian Nonparametrics”

3) Luke Keele,Associate Professor of Statistics in Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, “Estimation Methods for Cluster Randomized Trials with Noncompliance: A Study of A Biometric Smartcard Payment System in India”

4) Fan Li, Associate Professor of Statistical Science, Duke University, “Introducing the overlap weights in causal inference”

5) Hongzhe LiProfessor of Biostatistics & Statistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, “Inference for Individual Mediation Effects and Interventional Effects in Sparse High- Dimensional Causal Graphical Models”

6) Jasjeet Sekhon, Robson Professor of Political Science & Statistics, University of California at Berkeley, “Transfer Learning for Estimating Causal  Effects using Neural Networks”

7) Michael Sobel, Professor of Statistics, Columbia University, “Between Causation and Association: Inference for the Role of Judge Attributes in EEOC Litigation Outcomes”

8) ​Elizabeth Stuart, Associate Dean for Education, Professor of Mental Health, Biostatistics, and Health Policy and Management, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,“Confounders? Assumptions? Huh? Mediation analysis in applied research”

9) ​Eric Tchetgen Tchetgen, Luddy Family President’s Distinguished Professor & Professor of Statistics, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Longitudinal Marginal Structural Models Estimation with Instrumental Variables: Identification and Multiple Robustness”

10) Stijn Vansteelandt, Professor of Statistics, Ghent University (Belgium) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, “Time-to-event analysis of randomized trials with repeatedly measured mediators: a re-analysis of the LEADER trial”

In case you didn’t make the 2018 Winter Workshop, click on Program.
Dentists Get $80M From Supply Cos. To End Collusion Case

Dentists Get $80M From Supply Cos. To End Collusion Case

The country’s biggest dental supply distributors reached an $80 million settlement agreement with dentists and dental laboratories in a proposed class action case.  Distributors Henry Schein, Inc., Patterson Cos. Inc. and Benco Dental Supply Co. Inc. were accused of artificially inflating prices on dental supplies and equipment.  Products at issue included supplies such as adhesives, implants, tooth brushes, pins and posts all the way to equipment such as imaging devices and dental chairs. Although there are hundreds of distributors and manufacturers of dental supplies and equipment, Defendants controlled approximately 80% of the market share.

Info tech, Inc was hired to calculate damages to plaintiffs due to the alleged conspiratorial conduct.  In formalizing a damage analysis, Infotech Consulting scrutinized over 400 million transactions that occurred between January 2009 and March 2016.  After a thorough econometric analysis, Dr. McClave opined that prices were in fact elevated during the conspiracy period. Minutes before a scheduled Daubert hearing, defendants agreed to a settlement figure bringing the case to closure.

Analysis of Historical Billboard Placement Leads to Summary Judgement in Breach of Contract – Titze vs Simon (2010)

The Michael Titze Company purchased an outparcel in front of a shopping mall in Pensacola, Florida.  Unbeknownst to Titze, this property was subject to restrictive covenants that required Titze to obtain permission from Simon (owner of the shopping mall) for any construction or improvement to the property and restricted Titze from improving the property in any manner that would conflict with the interests of or detract from the shopping mall.  In 2003, Titze leased a portion of the property to Lamar to install a billboard, without seeking approval from Simon. Simon wrote Titze a letter stating that the proposed billboard violated the operating agreement. Titze then requested Lamar not to proceed with the billboard installation, thereby cancelling their agreement. A few months later Simon and Lamar executed subleases for Lamar to install billboards on all Simon’s Properties.  Titze filed suit against Simon and Lamar on seven grounds, including breach of contract and tortious interference.

Infotech was hired by Defendant, Simon Property Group, Inc to calculate any economic damages arising from the alleged wrongdoing of the Defendants.  Using standard econometric methods, Infotech Consulting and Dr. McClave analyzed historical billboard placements in addition to the contractual agreement between Titze and Lamar.  Dr. McClave’s analysis was used to rebut Plaintiff’s expert’s damage analysis. Infotech’s client never had to pay damages in this suit as Defendant’s were granted summary judgement which was affirmed on appeal.

The Michael Titze Company Inc. v. Simon Property Group, Inc., et al, No. 10-12742 (11th Cir. 2010)

Infotech Consulting’s Analyses Instrumental in Steel Class Case with $193.9 Million in Settlements

Infotech Consulting’s Analyses Instrumental in Steel Class Case with $193.9 Million in Settlements

The Infotech Consulting team, led by Dr. Jim McClave, provided econometric damages analysis to a large, national class of steel purchasers, alleging violations of the U.S. antitrust laws by several of the world’s largest steel manufacturers. Based on millions of sales transactions from thousands of customers, Infotech Consulting conducted damage analyses in support of the class. After years of litigation, the U.S. District Court granted class certification in September 2015 to over 5,500 direct purchasers of steel products. Settlements have been reached with all Defendants, totaling $193.9 million.

In re: Steel Antitrust Litigation, No. 08-cv-0514 (US District Court for the N.D. of Illinois)

Final Disposition in Air Cargo price fixing case – $1.25 billion in total settlements

Plaintiffs brought suit in 2006 after the US Department of Justice and the European Commission initiated investigations into the air cargo industry. The alleged conspirators took part in meetings and other communications to determine and set air cargo rates that airlines should charge for various routes. The airlines then imposed the agreed upon rates and continued to maintain and enforce those rates for over six years.

This suit included over 30 airline companies. Infotech Consulting and Dr. McClave was hired in April 2010 to calculate damages to Plaintiffs due to the illegal price-fixing scheme. Infotech Consulting analyzed more than 30 million transactions in the formalization of Dr. McClave damage analysis report and testimony for the class certification hearing in October, 2013. In July 2015, class certification was granted for a class of tens of thousands of direct purchasers of air cargo shipping services. By the beginning of 2016 all but two Defendants had settled with the Plaintiffs. In the spring of 2016, the remaining two Defendants settled, bringing the total settlement value to over $1.25 billion.

In re: Air Cargo Shipping Services Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1775 (E.D. of New York)