Free Access
Issue
Genet. Sel. Evol.
Volume 33, Number 4, July-August 2001
Page(s) 443 - 452
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/gse:2001106
DOI: 10.1051/gse:2001106

Genet. Sel. Evol. 33 (2001) 443-452

Alternative implementations of Monte Carlo EM algorithms for likelihood inferences

Louis Alberto García-Cortésa and Daniel Sorensenb

a  Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle Miguel Servet 177, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain
b  Section of Biometrical Genetics, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PB 50, 8830 Tjele, Denmark

(Received 14 September 2000; accepted 23 April 2001)

Abstract
Two methods of computing Monte Carlo estimators of variance components using restricted maximum likelihood via the expectation-maximisation algorithm are reviewed. A third approach is suggested and the performance of the methods is compared using simulated data.


Key words: restricted maximum likelihood / Markov chain Monte Carlo / EM algorithm / Monte Carlo variance / variance components

Correspondence and reprints: Daniel Sorensen
    e-mail: sorensen@inet.uni2.dk

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2001