A computer program suitable for fitting linear models when the dependent variable is dichotomous, polichotomous or censored survival and non-linear models when the dependent variable is quantitative.

Abstract

Given a set of measurements of s explanatory variables corresponding to each experimental unit, a computer program, whose methodological background can be found in [2] has been written in FORTRAN IV language in order to perform regression analyses when the dependent variable is: (i) dichotomous; (ii) polichotomous; (iii) censored survival. In the two former the Cox's [6] linear logistic models are used while in the third one it has been resorted to the models suggested by Feigl and Zelen [8]. The statistical estimation procedure is maximum likelihood and among the different algorithms developed to reach this goal, the one published by Van der Voort and Dorpema [3], has been utilized. Furthermore, when the dependent variable is quantitative, the program is suitable to fit any function non-linear in the parameters; the pertinent function and its first and second derivatives must be provided by the user. In the present version, implemented on a Univac 1106 machine, the program fits directly the Gompertz function.