Comparing several exponential populations with more than one control

Suppose there are k ₁ (k ₁ ≥ 1) test treatments that we wish to compare with k ₂ (k ₂ ≥ 1) control treatments. Assume that the observations from the ith test treatment and the jth control treatment follow a two-parameter exponential distribution and , where θ is a common scale parameter and and are the location parameters of the ith test and the jth control treatment, respectively, i = 1, . . . ,k ₁; j = 1, . . . ,k ₂. In this paper, simultaneous one-sided and two-sided confidence intervals are proposed for all k ₁ k ₂ differences between the test treatment location and control treatment location parameters, namely , and the required critical points are provided. Discussions of multiple comparisons of all test treatments with the best control treatment and an optimal sample size allocation are given. Finally, it is shown that the critical points obtained can be used to construct simultaneous confidence intervals for Pareto distribution location parameters.     

Multiple comparisons with a control for exponential location parameters under heteroscedasticity

In this paper, a new design-oriented two-stage two-sided simultaneous confidence intervals, for comparing several exponential populations with control population in terms of location parameters under heteroscedasticity, are proposed. If there is a prior information that the location parameter of k exponential populations are not less than the location parameter of control population, one-sided simultaneous confidence intervals provide more inferential sensitivity than two-sided simultaneous confidence intervals. But the two-sided simultaneous confidence intervals have advantages over the one-sided simultaneous confidence intervals as they provide both lower and upper bounds for the parameters of interest. The proposed design-oriented two-stage two-sided simultaneous confidence intervals provide the benefits of both the two-stage one-sided and two-sided simultaneous confidence intervals. When the additional sample at the second stage may not be available due to the experimental budget shortage or other factors in an experiment, one-stage two-sided confidence intervals are proposed, which combine the advantages of one-stage one-sided and two-sided simultaneous confidence intervals. The critical constants are obtained using the techniques given in Lam [9,10]. These critical constant are compared with the critical constants obtained by Bonferroni inequality techniques and found that critical constant obtained by Lam [9,10] are less conservative than critical constants computed from the Bonferroni inequality technique. Implementation of the proposed simultaneous confidence intervals is demonstrated by a numerical example.     

Asymptotic Distribution for Symmetric Spacing Statistics

A new procedure for testing the H ₀: μ₁ = ··· = μ _k against the alternative H _u :μ₁ ≥ ··· ≥μ _r  ≤ ··· ≤ μ _k with at least one strict inequality, where μ _i is the location parameter of the ith two-parameter exponential distribution, i = 1,…, k, is proposed. Exact critical constants are computed using a recursive integration algorithm. Tables containing these critical constants are provided to facilitate the implementation of the proposed test procedure. Simultaneous confidence intervals for certain contrasts of the location parameters are derived by inverting the proposed test statistic. In comparison to existing tests, it is shown, by a simulation study, that the new test statistic is more powerful in detecting U-shaped alternatives when the samples are derived from exponential distributions. As an extension, the use of the critical constants for comparing Pareto distribution parameters is discussed.     

The simultaneous confidence intervals for all distances from the extreme populations for two-parameter exponential populations based on the multiply type II censored samples

Among k independent two-parameter exponential distributions which have the common scale parameter, the lower extreme population (LEP) is the one with the smallest location parameter and the upper extreme population (UEP) is the one with the largest location parameter. Given a multiply type II censored sample from each of these k independent two-parameter exponential distributions, 14 estimators for the unknown location parameters and the common unknown scale parameter are considered. Fourteen simultaneous confidence intervals (SCIs) for all distances from the extreme populations (UEP and LEP) and from the UEP from these k independent exponential distributions under the multiply type II censoring are proposed. The critical values are obtained by the Monte Carlo method. The optimal SCIs among 14 methods are identified based on the criteria of minimum confidence length for various censoring schemes. The subset selection procedures of extreme populations are also proposed and two numerical examples are given for illustration.     

Some comments on a class of simultaneous inference procedures in ancova

Methods for constructing simultaneous confidence intervals for contrasts of treatment effects in analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models are discussed and compared. A simple procedure is given by which, under a normality assumption made on the covariates, any method appropriate in an analysis of variance (ANOVA) may be applied to a corresponding ANCOVA by means of a simple adjustment of the required critical values. Some properties of this procedure are noted.     

A one-sided test for testino homogeneity of scale parameters against simple ordered alternative

In an earlier paper the authors (1997) extended the results of Hayter (1990) to the two parameter exponential probability model. This paper addressee the extention to the scale parameter case under location-scale probability model. Consider k (k≧3) treatments or competing firms such that an observation from with treatment or firm follows a distribution with cumulative distribution function (cdf) F_i(x)=F[(x-μ_i)/Q_i], where F(·) is any absolutely continuous cdf, i=1,…,k. We propose a test to test the null hypothesis H₀:θ₁=…=θ_k against the simple ordered alternative H₁:θ₁≦…≦θ_k, with at least one strict inequality, using the data X_i,j, i=1,…k; j=1,…,n₁. Two methods to compute the critical points of the proposed test have been demonstrated by talking k two parameter exponential distributions. The test procedure also allows us to construct simultaneous one sided confidence intervals (SOCIs) for the ordered pairwise ratios θ_j/θ_i, 1≦i<j≦k. Statistical simulation revealed that: 9i) actual sizes of the critical points are almost conservative and (ii) power of the proposed test relative to some existing tests is higher.     

Simultaneous Confidence Bands for Linear Regression with Covariates Constrained in Intervals

Abstract. The focus of this article is on simultaneous confidence bands over a rectangular covariate region for a linear regression model with k>1 covariates, for which only conservative or approximate confidence bands are available in the statistical literature stretching back to Working & Hotelling (J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 24 , 1929; 73–85). Formulas of simultaneous confidence levels of the hyperbolic and constant width bands are provided. These involve only a k‐dimensional integral; it is unlikely that the simultaneous confidence levels can be expressed as an integral of less than k‐dimension. These formulas allow the construction for the first time of exact hyperbolic and constant width confidence bands for at least a small k(>1) by using numerical quadrature. Comparison between the hyperbolic and constant width bands is then addressed under both the average width and minimum volume confidence set criteria. It is observed that the constant width band can be drastically less efficient than the hyperbolic band when k>1. Finally it is pointed out how the methods given in this article can be applied to more general regression models such as fixed‐effect or random‐effect generalized linear regression models.     

Distribution-free confidence intervals for quantiles and tolerance intervals in terms of k-records

In this paper, we consider the problem of determining non-parametric confidence intervals for quantiles when available data are in the form of k-records. Distribution-free confidence intervals as well as lower and upper confidence limits are derived for fixed quantiles of an arbitrary unknown distribution based on k-records of an independent and identically distributed sequence from that distribution. The construction of tolerance intervals and limits based on k-records is also discussed. An exact expression for the confidence coefficient of these intervals are derived. Some tables are also provided to assist in choosing the appropriate k-records for the construction of these confidence intervals and tolerance intervals. Some simulation results are presented to point out some of the features and properties of these intervals. Finally, the data, representing the records of the amount of annual rainfall in inches recorded at Los Angeles Civic Center, are used to illustrate all the results developed in this paper and also to demonstrate the improvements that they provide on those based on either the usual records or the current records.     

Adjusted Confidence Bands in Nonparametric Regression

Suppose we have {(x _i , y _i )} i = 1, 2,…, n, a sequence of independent observations. We wish to find approximate 1 ? α simultaneous confidence bands for the regression curve. Many previous confidence bands in the literature have practical difficulties. In this article, the local linear smoother is used to estimate the regression curve. The bias of the estimator is considered. Different methods of constructing confidence bands are discussed. Finally, a possible method incorporating logistic regression in an innovative way is proposed to construct the bands for random designs. Simulations are used to study the performance or properties of the methods. The procedure for constructing confidence bands is entirely data-driven. The advantage of the proposed method is that it is simple to use and can be applied to random designs. It can be considered as a practically useful and efficient method.     

Exact Likelihood Inference for k Exponential Populations Under Joint Type-II Censoring

In this paper, when a jointly Type-II censored sample arising from k independent exponential populations is available, the conditional MLEs of the k exponential mean parameters are derived. The moment generating functions and the exact densities of these MLEs are obtained using which exact confidence intervals are developed for the parameters. Moreover, approximate confidence intervals based on the asymptotic normality of the MLEs and credible confidence regions from a Bayesian viewpoint are also discussed. An empirical comparison of the exact, approximate, bootstrap, and Bayesian intervals is also made in terms of coverage probabilities. Finally, an example is presented in order to illustrate all the methods of inference developed here.     

Nonparametric confidence intervals for quantiles and quantile intervals from inversely sampled record breaking data in a multi-sample plan

There are a number of situations in which an observation is retained only if it is a record value, which include studies in industrial quality control experiments, destructive stress testing, meteorology, hydrology, seismology, athletic events and mining. When the number of records is fixed in advance, the data are referred to as inversely sampled record-breaking data. In this paper, we study the problems of constructing the nonparametric confidence intervals for quantiles and quantile intervals of the parent distribution based on record data. For a single record-breaking sample, the confidence coefficients of the confidence intervals for the pth quantile cannot exceed p and 1?p, on the basis of upper and lower records, respectively; hence, replication is required. So, we develop the procedure based on k independent record-breaking samples. Various cases have been studied and in each case, the optimal k and the exact nonparametric confidence intervals are obtained, and exact expressions for the confidence coefficients of these confidence intervals are derived. Finally, the results are illustrated by numerical computations.     

A method of unconstrained multiple comparisons with the best

There are three types of multiple comparisons: all-pairwise multiple comparisons (MCA), multiple comparisons with the best (MCB), and multiple comparisons with a control (MCC). There are also three levels of multiple comparisons inference: confidence sets, subset comparisons, test of homogeneity. In current practice, MCA procedures dominate. In correct attempts at more efficient comparisons, in the form of employing lower level MCA procedures for higher level inference, account for the most frequent abuses in multiple comparisons. A better strategy is to choose the correct type of inference at the level of inference desired. In particular, very often the simulataneous comparisons of each treatment with the best of the other treatments (MCB) suffice. Hsu (1984b) gave simultaneous confidence intervals for θ_i ? max_j≠iθ_j having the simple form [? (Y_i ?max_j≠i Y_j ? C) (Y_i?max_j≠i Y_j + C)⁺]. Those intervals were constrained, sothat even if a treatment is inferred to be the best, no positive bound on how much it is better thatn the rest is given, a somewhat undesirable property. In this article it is shown that by employing a slightly larger critical value, the nonpositivity constraint on the lower bound is removed.     

On selecting populations better than a control: weibull populations case

Consider k( k ≥ 1) independent Weibull populations and a control population which is also Weibull. The problem of identifying which of these k populations are better than the control using shape parameter as a criterion is considered. We allow the possibility of making at most m(0 ≤ m < k) incorrect identifications of better populations. This allowance results in significant savings in sample size. Procedures based on simple linear unbiased estimators of the reciprocal of the shape parameters of these populations are proposed. These procedures can be used for both complete and Type II-censored samples. A related problem of confidence intervals for the ratio of ordered shape parameters is also considered. Monte Carlo simulations as well as both chi-square and normal approximations to the solutions are obtained.     

One-sided range test for testing against an ordered alternative under heteroscedasticity

In a one-way fixed effects analysis of variance model, when normal variances are unknown and possibly unequal, a one-sided range test for testing the null hypothesis H ₀ : μ ₁ = … = μ_k against an ordered alternative H_a : μ ₁ ≤ … ≤ μ_k by a single-stage and a two-stage procedure, respectively, is proposed. The critical values under H ₀ and the power under a specific alternative are calculated. Relation between the one-stage and the two-stage test procedures is discussed. A numerical example to illustrate these procedures is given.     

NON-EXISTENCE OF AN EXACT β-CONFIDENCE INTERVAL FOR A SCALE PARAMETER*

Abstract There are given k (≥22) independent distributions with c.d.f.'s F(x;θ_j) indexed by a scale parameter θ_j, j = 1,…, k. Let θ_[i] (i = 1,…, k) denote the ith smallest one of θ₁,…, θ_k. In this paper we wish to show that, under some regularity conditions, there does not exist an exact β-level (0≤β1) confidence interval for the ith smallest scale parameter θ_i based on k independent samples. Since the log transformation method may not yield the desired results for the scale parameter problem, we will treat the scale parameter case directly without transformation. Application is considered for normal variances. Two conservative one-sided confidence intervals for the ith smallest normal variance and the percentage points needed to actually apply the intervals are provided.     

A class of fixed-width confidence intervals for a ranked normal mean

Suppose that we are given k(≥ 2) independent and normally distributed populations π₁, …, π_k where π_i has unknown mean μ_i and unknown variance σ² _i (i = 1, …, k). Let μ_[i] (i = 1, …, k) denote the i^th smallest one of μ₁, …, μ_k. A two-stage procedure is used to construct lower and upper confidence intervals for μ_[i] and then use these to obtain a class of two-sided confidence intervals on μ_[i] with fixed width. For i = k, the interval given by Chen and Dudewicz (1976) is a special case. Comparison is made between the class of two-sided intervals and a symmetric interval proposed by Chen and Dudewicz (1976) for the largest mean, and it is found that for large values of k at least one of the former intervals requires a smaller total sample size. The tables needed to actually apply the procedure are provided.     

A general algorithm for computing simultaneous prediction intervals for the (log)-location-scale family of distributions

Making predictions of future realized values of random variables based on currently available data is a frequent task in statistical applications. In some applications, the interest is to obtain a two-sided simultaneous prediction interval (SPI) to contain at least k out of m future observations with a certain confidence level based on n previous observations from the same distribution. A closely related problem is to obtain a one-sided upper (or lower) simultaneous prediction bound (SPB) to exceed (or be exceeded) by at least k out of m future observations. In this paper, we provide a general approach for computing SPIs and SPBs based on data from a particular member of the (log)-location-scale family of distributions with complete or right censored data. The proposed simulation-based procedure can provide exact coverage probability for complete and Type II censored data. For Type I censored data, our simulation results show that our procedure provides satisfactory results in small samples. We use three applications to illustrate the proposed simultaneous prediction intervals and bounds.     

Simultaneous Logit-Based Confidence Intervals for Odds Ratios in 2 × k Classification Tables with a Fixed Reference Level

In this article, we consider the problem of constructing simultaneous confidence intervals for odds ratios in 2 × k classification tables with a fixed reference level. We discuss six methods designed to control the familywise error rate and investigate these methods in terms of simultaneous coverage probability and mean interval length. We illustrate the importance and the implementation of these methods using two {\sc hiv} public health studies.     

Comparison of confidence intervals of traffic intensity forM/E k/1 queueing systems

This paper compares the width of confidence intervals for the traffic intensity inM/E _k/1 queueing systems with three methods-Lilliefors' method, a second method based on the number of arrivals during the service period, and a third method using censored observations, in which only those service periods with no arrivals are observed. It is shown that the width of confidence intervals, based on the number of arrivals during the service period, is narrower than for other methods.