In this thesis, we propose to analyze panel count data using a spline-basedsieve generalized estimating equation method with a semiparametric proportional mean model E(N(t)|Z) = Λ0(t) eβT0Z. The natural log of the baseline mean function, logΛ0(t), is approximated by a monotone cubic B-spline...

We revisit Hawkins’ (Comput Stat 9(3):233–247, <CitationRef CitationID="CR15">1994</CitationRef>) algorithm for fitting monotonic polynomials and discuss some practical issues that we encountered using this algorithm, for example when fitting high degree polynomials or situations with a sparse design matrix but multiple observations...</citationref>