A Comparison of Two Random Number Generators for the Birnbaum–Saunders Distribution

Abstract

The Birnbaum–Saunders distribution was developed to describe fatigue failure lifetimes, however, the distribution has been shown to be applicable for a variety of situations that frequently occur in the engineering sciences. In general, the distribution can be used for situations that involve stochastic wear–out failure. The distribution does not have an exponential family structure, and it is often necessary to use simulation methods to study the properties of statistical inference procedures for this distribution. Two random number generators for the Birnbaum–Saunders distribution have appeared in the literature. The purpose of this article is to present and compare these two random number generators to determine which is more efficient. It is shown that one of these generators is a special case of the other and is simpler and more efficient to use.     

Variance reduction of estimators arising from Metropolis–Hastings algorithms

The Metropolis–Hastings algorithm is one of the most basic and well-studied Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. It generates a Markov chain which has as limit distribution the target distribution by simulating observations from a different proposal distribution. A proposed value is accepted with some particular probability otherwise the previous value is repeated. As a consequence, the accepted values are repeated a positive number of times and thus any resulting ergodic mean is, in fact, a weighted average. It turns out that this weighted average is an importance sampling-type estimator with random weights. By the standard theory of importance sampling, replacement of these random weights by their (conditional) expectations leads to more efficient estimators. In this paper we study the estimator arising by replacing the random weights with certain estimators of their conditional expectations. We illustrate by simulations that it is often more efficient than the original estimator while in the case of the independence Metropolis–Hastings and for distributions with finite support we formally prove that it is even better than the “optimal” importance sampling estimator.     

Estimation of Weibull distribution parameters for irregular interval group failure data with unknown failure times

SUMMARY This paper presents three methods for estimating Weibull distribution parameters for the case of irregular interval group failure data with unknown failure times. The methods are based on the concepts of the piecewise linear distribution function (PLDF), an average interval failure rate (AIFR) and sequential updating of the distribution function (SUDF), and use an analytical approach similar to that of Ackoff and Sasieni for regular interval group data. Results from a large number of simulated case problems generated with specified values of Weibull distribution parameters have been presented, which clearly indicate that the SUDF method produces near-perfect parameter estimates for all types of failure pattern. The performances of the PLDF and AIFR methods have been evaluated by goodness-of-fit testing and statistical confidence limits on the shape parameter. It has been found that, while the PLDF method produces acceptable parameter estimates, the AIFR method may fail for low and high shape parameter values that represent the cases of random and wear-out types of failure. A real-life application of the proposed methods is also presented, by analyzing failures of hydrogen make-up compressor valves in a petroleum refinery.     

Conditional mix-GEE models for longitudinal data with unspecified random-effects distributions

In the longitudinal studies, the mixture generalized estimation equation (mix-GEE) was proposed to improve the efficiency of the fixed-effects estimator for addressing the working correlation structure misspecification. When the subject-specific effect is one of interests, mixed-effects models were widely used to analyze longitudinal data. However, most of the existing approaches assume a normal distribution for the random effects, and this could affect the efficiency of the fixed-effects estimator. In this article, a conditional mixture generalized estimating equation (cmix-GEE) approach based on the advantage of mix-GEE and conditional quadratic inference function (CQIF) method is developed. The advantage of our new approach is that it does not require the normality assumption for random effects and can accommodate the serial correlation between observations within the same cluster. The feature of our proposed approach is that the estimators of the regression parameters are more efficient than CQIF even if the working correlation structure is not correctly specified. In addition, according to the estimates of some mixture proportions, the true working correlation matrix can be identified. We establish the asymptotic results for the fixed-effects parameter estimators. Simulation studies were conducted to evaluate our proposed method.     

Methods for repeated measures data analysis with missing values

There are various techniques for dealing with incomplete data; some are computationally highly intensive and others are not as computationally intensive, while all may be comparable in their efficiencies. In spite of these developments, analysis using only the complete data subset is performed when using popular statistical software. In an attempt to demonstrate the efficiencies and advantages of using all available data, we compared several approaches that are relatively simple but efficient alternatives to those using the complete data subset for analyzing repeated measures data with missing values, under the assumption of a multivariate normal distribution of the data. We also assumed that the missing values occur in a monotonic pattern and completely at random. The incomplete data procedure is demonstrated to be more powerful than the procedure of using the complete data subset, generally when the within-subject correlation gets large. One other principal finding is that even with small sample data, for which various covariance models may be indistinguishable, the empirical size and power are shown to be sensitive to misspecified assumptions about the covariance structure. Overall, the testing procedures that do not assume any particular covariance structure are shown to be more robust in keeping the empirical size at the nominal level than those assuming a special structure.     

Regularization in dynamic random-intercepts models for analysis of longitudinal data

This paper addresses the problem of simultaneous variable selection and estimation in the random-intercepts model with the first-order lag response. This type of model is commonly used for analyzing longitudinal data obtained through repeated measurements on individuals over time. This model uses random effects to cover the intra-class correlation, and the first lagged response to address the serial correlation, which are two common sources of dependency in longitudinal data. We demonstrate that the conditional likelihood approach by ignoring correlation among random effects and initial responses can lead to biased regularized estimates. Furthermore, we demonstrate that joint modeling of initial responses and subsequent observations in the structure of dynamic random-intercepts models leads to both consistency and Oracle properties of regularized estimators. We present theoretical results in both low- and high-dimensional settings and evaluate regularized estimators' performances by conducting simulation studies and analyzing a real dataset. Supporting information is available online.     

A Profile Conditional Likelihood Approach for the Semiparametric Transformation Regression Model with Missing Covariates

We propose a profile conditional likelihood approach to handle missing covariates in the general semiparametric transformation regression model. The method estimates the marginal survival function by the Kaplan-Meier estimator, and then estimates the parameters of the survival model and the covariate distribution from a conditional likelihood, substituting the Kaplan-Meier estimator for the marginal survival function in the conditional likelihood. This method is simpler than full maximum likelihood approaches, and yields consistent and asymptotically normally distributed estimator of the regression parameter when censoring is independent of the covariates. The estimator demonstrates very high relative efficiency in simulations. When compared with complete-case analysis, the proposed estimator can be more efficient when the missing data are missing completely at random and can correct bias when the missing data are missing at random. The potential application of the proposed method to the generalized probit model with missing continuous covariates is also outlined.     

Analysis of longitudinal data unbalanced over time

Summary.  The paper considers modelling, estimating and diagnostically verifying the response process generating longitudinal data, with emphasis on association between repeated meas-ures from unbalanced longitudinal designs. Our model is based on separate specifications of the moments for the mean, standard deviation and correlation, with different components possibly sharing common parameters. We propose a general class of correlation structures that comprise random effects, measurement errors and a serially correlated process. These three elements are combined via flexible time-varying weights, whereas the serial correlation can depend flexibly on the mean time and lag. When the measurement schedule is independent of the response process, our estimation procedure yields consistent and asymptotically normal estimates for the mean parameters even when the standard deviation and correlation are misspecified, and for the standard deviation parameters even when the correlation is misspecified. A generic diagnostic method is developed for verifying the models for the mean, standard deviation and, in particular, the correlation, which is applicable even when the data are severely unbalanced. The methodology is illustrated by an analysis of data from a longitudinal study that was designed to characterize pulmonary growth in girls.     

Marginal Projected Multivariate Linear Models for Clustered Angular Data

Among the diverse frameworks that have been proposed for regression analysis of angular data, the projected multivariate linear model provides a particularly appealing and tractable methodology. In this model, the observed directional responses are assumed to correspond to the angles formed by latent bivariate normal random vectors that are assumed to depend upon covariates through a linear model. This implies an angular normal distribution for the observed angles, and incorporates a regression structure through a familiar and convenient relationship. In this paper we extend this methodology to accommodate clustered data (e.g., longitudinal or repeated measures data) by formulating a marginal version of the model and basing estimation on an EM‐like algorithm in which correlation among within‐cluster responses is taken into account by incorporating a working correlation matrix into the M step. A sandwich estimator is used for the parameter estimates’ covariance matrix. The methodology is motivated and illustrated using an example involving clustered measurements of microbril angle on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) Simulation studies are presented that evaluate the finite sample properties of the proposed fitting method. In addition, the relationship between within‐cluster correlation on the latent Euclidean vectors and the corresponding correlation structure for the observed angles is explored.     

Optimal model averaging estimation for correlation structure in generalized estimating equations

Longitudinal data analysis requires a proper estimation of the within-cluster correlation structure in order to achieve efficient estimates of the regression parameters. When applying likelihood-based methods one may select an optimal correlation structure by the AIC or BIC. However, such information criteria are not applicable for estimating equation based approaches. In this paper we develop a model averaging approach to estimate the correlation matrix by a weighted sum of a group of patterned correlation matrices under the GEE framework. The optimal weight is determined by minimizing the difference between the weighted sum and a consistent yet inefficient estimator of the correlation structure. The computation of our proposed approach only involves a standard quadratic programming on top of the standard GEE procedure and can be easily implemented in practice. We provide theoretical justifications and extensive numerical simulations to support the application of the proposed estimator. A couple of well-known longitudinal data sets are revisited where we implement and illustrate our methodology.     

A comparison of univariate and multivariate multilevel models for repeated measures of use of antenatal care in Uttar Pradesh

Summary.  We compare two different multilevel modelling approaches to the analysis of repeated measures data to assess the effect of mother level characteristics on women's use of prenatal care services in Uttar Pradesh, India. We apply univariate multilevel models to our data and find that the model assumptions are severely violated and the parameter estimates are not stable, particularly for the mother level random effect. To overcome this we apply a multivariate multilevel model. The correlation structure shows that, once the decision has been made regarding use of antenatal care by the mother for her first observed birth in the data, she does not tend to change this decision for higher order births.     

A Simple Distribution for the Sum of Correlated,Exchangeable Binary Data

This article describes a generalization of the binomial distribution. The closed form probability function for the probability of k successes out of n correlated, exchangeable Bernoulli trials depends on the number of trials and its two parameters: the common success probability and the common correlation. The distribution is derived under the assumption that the common correlation between all pairs of Bernoulli trials remains unchanged conditional on successes in all completed trials. The distribution was developed to model bond defaults but may be suited to biostatistical applications involving clusters of binary data encountered in repeated measurements or toxicity studies of families of organisms. Maximum likelihood estimates for the parameters of the distribution are found for a set of binary data from a developmental toxicity study on litters of mice.     

Variance component models for longitudinal count data with baseline information: epilepsy data revisited

Random effect models have often been used in longitudinal data analysis since they allow for association among repeated measurements due to unobserved heterogeneity. Various approaches have been proposed to extend mixed models for repeated count data to include dependence on baseline counts. Dependence between baseline counts and individual-specific random effects result in a complex form of the (conditional) likelihood. An approximate solution can be achieved ignoring this dependence, but this approach could result in biased parameter estimates and in wrong inferences. We propose a computationally feasible approach to overcome this problem, leaving the random effect distribution unspecified. In this context, we show how the EM algorithm for nonparametric maximum likelihood (NPML) can be extended to deal with dependence of repeated measures on baseline counts.     

The asymptotic distributions of maximum likelihood ratio test and maximally selected χ2-test in binomial observations

We considered binomial distributed random variables whose parameters are unknown and some of those parameters need to be estimated. We studied the maximum likelihood ratio test and the maximally selected χ²-test to detect if there is a change in the distributions among the random variables. Their limit distributions under the null hypothesis and their asymptotic distributions under the alternative hypothesis were obtained when the number of the observations is fixed. We discussed the properties of the limit distribution and found an efficient way to calculate the probability of multivariate normal random variables. Finally, those results for both tests have been applied to examples of Lindisfarne's data, the Talipes Data. Our conclusions are consistent with other researchers' findings.     

A Random Coefficient Degradation Model With Ramdom Sample Size

In testing product reliability, there is often a critical cutoff level that determines whether a specimen is classified as failed. One consequence is that the number of degradation data collected varies from specimen to specimen. The information of random sample size should be included in the model, and our study shows that it can be influential in estimating model parameters. Two-stage least squares (LS) and maximum modified likelihood (MML) estimation, which both assume fixed sample sizes, are commonly used for estimating parameters in the repeated measurements models typically applied to degradation data. However, the LS estimate is not consistent in the case of random sample sizes. This article derives the likelihood for the random sample size model and suggests using maximum likelihood (ML) for parameter estimation. Our simulation studies show that ML estimates have smaller biases and variances compared to the LS and MML estimates. All estimation methods can be greatly improved if the number of specimens increases from 5 to 10. A data set from a semiconductor application is used to illustrate our methods.     

The em algorithm for the quasi-likelihood regression model

The objective of this paper is to present a method which can accommodate certain types of missing data by using the quasi-likelihood function for the complete data. This method can be useful when we can make first and second moment assumptions only; in addition, it can be helpful when the EM algorithm applied to the actual likelihood becomes overly complicated. First we derive a loss function for the observed data using an exponential family density which has the same mean and variance structure of the complete data. This loss function is the counterpart of the quasi-deviance for the observed data. Then the loss function is minimized using the EM algorithm. The use of the EM algorithm guarantees a decrease in the loss function at every iteration. When the observed data can be expressed as a deterministic linear transformation of the complete data, or when data are missing completely at random, the proposed method yields consistent estimators. Examples are given for overdispersed polytomous data, linear random effects models, and linear regression with missing covariates. Simulation results for the linear regression model with missing covariates show that the proposed estimates are more efficient than estimates based on completely observed units, even when outcomes are bimodal or skewed.     

MINIMUM QUADRATIC DISTANCE ESTIMATION FOR A PARAMETRIC FAMILY OF DISCRETE DISTRIBUTIONS DEFINED RECURSIVELY

The distribution function of a random sum can easily be computed iteratively when the distribution of the number of independent identically distributed elements in the sum is itself defined recursively. Classical estimation procedures for such recursive parametric families often require specific distributional assumptions (e.g. Poisson, Negative Binomial). The minimum distance estimator proposed here is an estimator within a larger parametric family. The estimator is consistent, efficient when the parametric family is truncated, and can be made either robust or asymptotically efficient when the parametric family has infinite range. Its asymptotic distribution is derived. A brief illustration with Automobile Insurance data is included.     

Zero-Inflated Poisson Regression for Longitudinal Data

Medical and public health research often involve the analysis of repeated or longitudinal count data that exhibit excess zeros such as the number of yearly doctor visits by a group of individuals over a number of years. Zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression models can be used to account for excess zeros in count data. We propose an extension of the ZIP model that is appropriate for longitudinal data. Our extension includes a non stationary, observation-driven time series model based correlation structure. We discuss estimation of the model parameters and the inefficiency of the estimators when the correlation structure is mis-specified. The model's application to the analysis of health care utilization data is also discussed.     

Modelling repeated insurance claim frequency data using the generalized linear mixed model

Most of the methods used to estimate claim frequency rates in general insurance have assumed that data are independent. However, it is not uncommon for information stored in the database of an insurance company to contain previous years' claim data from each policyholder. We consider the application of the generalized linear mixed model approach to the analysis of repeated insurance claim frequency data in which a conditionally fixed random effect vector is incorporated explicitly into the linear predictor to model the inherent correlation. A motor insurance data set is used as the basis for simulation to demonstrate the advantages of the method. Ignoring the underlying association for observations within the same policyholder results in an underestimation of the standard error of the parameter estimates and a remarkable reduction in the prediction accuracy. The method provides a viable alternative for incorporating repeated claim experience that enables the revision of rates in general insurance.     

Smoothing combined estimating equations in quantile regression for longitudinal data

Quantile regression has become a powerful complement to the usual mean regression. A simple approach to use quantile regression in marginal analysis of longitudinal data is to assume working independence. However, this may incur potential efficiency loss. On the other hand, correctly specifying a working correlation in quantile regression can be difficult. We propose a new quantile regression model by combining multiple sets of unbiased estimating equations. This approach can account for correlations between the repeated measurements and produce more efficient estimates. Because the objective function is discrete and non-convex, we propose induced smoothing for fast and accurate computation of the parameter estimates, as well as their asymptotic covariance, using Newton-Raphson iteration. We further develop a robust quantile rank score test for hypothesis testing. We show that the resulting estimate is asymptotically normal and more efficient than the simple estimate using working independence. Extensive simulations and a real data analysis show the usefulness of the method.