Some New Series of Partially Balanced Residual Treatment Effects Designs

Blaisdell and Raghavarao (1980 Blaisdell , E. A. , Raghavarao , D. ( 1980 ). Partially balanced change-over designs based on m-associate class PBIB designs . JRSS B 42 : 334 – 338 . [Google Scholar] 1985 Blaisdell , E. A. , Raghavarao , D. ( 1985 ). Efficiency bounds for partially balanced change-over designs based on m-associate class PBIB designs . JRSS B 47 : 132 – 135 . [Google Scholar]) introduced partially balanced residual treatment effects designs and gave methods of construction of these designs. They also gave efficiencies for the estimated direct and residual elementary treatment contrasts of these designs. In this paper, we construct some new series of partially balanced residual treatment effects designs and also give their efficiencies for the estimated direct and residual elementary treatment contrasts.     

New Generalizations of Cauchy Distribution

The generalized skew-normal distribution introduced by Balakrishnan (2002 Balakrishnan , N. ( 2002 ). Discussion on ‘Skew multivariate models related to hidden truncation and/or selective reporting’ by B. C. Arnold and R. J. Beaver . Test 11 : 37 – 39 .[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) is used to obtain new generalizations of univariate Cauchy distribution with two parameters, denoted by GC _{m, n} (a, b) with m and n non-negative integer numbers and a, b ∈ R. For cases (m, n) = (1, 2), (m, n) = (2, 1), (m, n) = (0, 3) and (m, n) = (3, 0) explicit forms of the density functions are derived and compared to previous generalizations of Cauchy and skew-Cauchy distributions.     

Simultaneous Canonization of Linear Models

Canonical form plays a similar role in linear models to spectral decomposition in matrix analysis. Let X = (X ₁,…, X _n )′ be a random vector with expectation Aβ and the variance–covariance matrix σV, where V is positive definite and let rank(A) = r. Then there exists a nonsingular linear transformation from X to T = (T ₁,…, T _n )′, such that ET _i  = η _i , for i = 1,…, r and zero for i > r, while cov(T _i , T _j ) = δ _ij σ. This canonical form, introduced by Ko?odziejczyk (1935 Ko?odziejczyk , S. ( 1935 ). On an important class of statistical hypotheses . Biometrika 27 : 161 – 190 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), was used, among others, by Scheffé (1959 Scheffé , H. ( 1959 ). Analysis of Variance . New York : Wiley . [Google Scholar]) and by Lehmann (1959, 1986 Lehmann , E. L. (1959, 1986 ). Testing Statistical Hypotheses . New York : Wiley . [Google Scholar]). This technique is extended here for arbitrary (possibly singular) V and for simultaneous canonization of two models of this type.     

Progressively Type-II censored conditionally N-ordered statistics from a unified elliptically contoured copula

Progressively Type-II censored conditionally N-ordered statistics (PCCOS-N) arising from iid random vectors X_i = (X¹_i, X²_i, …, X_i^p), i = 1, 2…, n, were investigated by Bairamov (2006 Bairamov, I. (2006). Progressive Type II censored order statistics for multivariate observations. J. Mult. Anal. 97:797–809.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), with respect to the magnitudes of N(X_i), i = 1, 2, …, n, where N( · ) is a p-variate measurable function defined on the support set of X₁ satisfying certain regularity conditions and N(X_i) denotes the lifetime of the random vector X_i, i = 1, …, n. Under the PCCOS-N sampling scheme, n independent units are placed on a life-test and after the ith failure, R_i (i = 1, …, m) of the surviving units are removed at random from the remaining observations. In this article, we consider PCCOS-N arising from a vector with identical as well as non identical dependent components, jointly distributed according to a unified elliptically contoured copula (PCCOSDUECC-N). Results established here contain the previous results as particular cases. Illustrative examples and simulation studies show that PCCOSDUECC-N enables us to analyze the lifetime of several systems, including repairable systems and systems with standby components, more efficiently than PCCOS-N.     

Is the Selected Population the Best?—Location and Scale Parameter Cases

We observe X ₁,…,X _k , where X _i has density f(x,θ _i ) possessing monotone likelihood ratio. The best population corresponds to the largest θ _i . We select the population corresponding to the largest X _i . The goal is to attach the best possible p-value to the inference: the selected population has the uniquely largest θ _i . Gutmann and Maymin (1987 Gutmann , S. , Maymin , Z. ( 1987 ). Is the selected population the best? Ann. Statist . 15 : 456 – 461 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) considered the location parameter case and derived the supremum of the error probability by conditioning on S, the index of the largest X _i . Using this conditioning approach, Kannan and Panchapakesan (2009 Kannan , N. , Panchapakesan , S. ( 2009 ). Does the selected normal population have the smallest variance? Amer. J. Math. Management Sci . 29 : To appear . [Google Scholar]) considered the problem for the gamma family. We consider here a unified approach to both the location and scale parameter cases, and obtain the supremum of the error probability without using conditioning.     

A self-normalized central limit theorem for a ρ-mixing stationary sequence

We investigate a self-normalized central limit theorem for a ρ-mixing stationary sequence {X_i, i ? 1} of random variables such that L(x) ? E(X²₁I{|X₁| ? x}) is a slowly varying function as x → ∞. The results obtained generalize the results of Gine, Gotze, and Mason (1997) and Mason (2005 Mason, D. M. 2005. The asymptotic distribution of self-normalized triangular arrays. Journal of Theoretical Probability 18 (4):853–70.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) to ρ-mixing sequences.     

A Note on Criterion-Robust Optimal Designs for Model Discrimination and Parameter Estimation in Polynomial Regression Models

Consider the problem of discriminating between the polynomial regression models on [?1, 1] and estimating parameters in the models. Zen and Tsai (2002 Zen , M. M. , Tsai , M. H. ( 2002 ). Some criterion-robust optimal designs for the dual problem of model discrimination and parameter estimation . Sankhya Ind. J. Statist. 64 : (Series B, Pt. 3) : 322 – 338 . [Google Scholar]) proposed a multiple-objective optimality criterion, M _γ-criterion, which uses weight γ (0 ≤ γ ≤ 1) for model discrimination and α = β = (1 ? γ)/2 for parameter estimation in each model. In this article, we generalize it to a wider setup with different values of α and β. For instance, α = 2 β suggests that the “smaller” model is more likely to be the true model. Using similar techniques, the corresponding criterion-robust optimal design is investigated. A study for the original criterion-robust optimal design with α = β, through M-efficiency, shows that it is good enough for any wider setup.     

Reliabilities for (n,f, k (i,j)) and ⟨n,f, k (i,j)⟩ Systems

The (n,f,k(i,j)):F(? n,f,k(i,j)?:F) system consists of n components ordered in a line or circle, while the system fails if, and only if, there exist at least f failed components OR (AND) at least k consecutive failed components among components i,i + 1,…,j ? 1,j. In this article, we present the system reliability formulae for these systems with product of matrices by means of a two-stage finite Markov chain imbedding approach, a technique first used by Cui et al. (2002 Cui , L. R. , Kuo , W. , Xie , M. ( 2002 ). On (f,g)-out-of-((i,j),n) systems and its reliability . In: Third International Conference on Mathematical Methods in Reliability Methodology and Practice , June 17–20 , Norway , Trondheim , pp. 173 – 176 . [Google Scholar]). In addition, their dual systems, denoted by (n,f,k(i,j)):G and ? n,f,k(i,j)?:G, are also introduced. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the results.     

Large Deviation Results for Wave Governed Random Motions Driven by Semi-Markov Processes

In this article, we present large deviation results for a model {ξ₁ + … + ξ _n : n ≥ 1} which is close to a random walk. More precisely, we consider independent random variables {ξ _n : n ≥ 1} such that {ξ _n : n ≥ 2} are i.i.d. and a different distribution for ξ₁ is allowed. We prove large deviation estimates for P(N _x  ≤ xT) and P(N _x < ∞) as x → ∞, where N _x : = inf {n ≥ 1: ξ₁ + … + ξ _n  ≥ x}. Moreover, we provide an asymptotically efficient simulation law for the estimation of P(N _x  ≤ xT) and P(N _x < ∞) by Monte Carlo simulation based on the importance sampling technique. These results will be adapted to wave governed random motions driven by semi-Markov processes and we present some simulations. Finally, we study the convergence of some large deviation rates for standard wave governed random motions based on a scaling presented in the literature (see Kac, 1974 Kac , M. ( 1974 ). A stochastic model related to the telegrapher's equation . Rocky Mountain Journal of Mathematics 4 : 497 – 509 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]; Orsingher, 1990 Orsingher , E. ( 1990 ). Probability law, flow function, maximum distribution of wave governed random motions and their connections with Kirchoff's laws . Stochastic Processes and their Applications 34 ( 1 ): 49 – 66 . [Google Scholar]).     

Procedures for Selecting Good Exponential Populations

Suppose exponential populations π _i with parameters (μ_i , σ_i ) (i = 1,2,…,k) are given. This article discusses how to select “good” populations in the sense of [Lam (1986 Lam, K. 1986. A new procedure for selecting good populations. Biometrika, 73(1): 201–206. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). A new procedure for selecting good populations. Biometrika 73(1):201–206]. Depending on whether the σ _i 's are known or unknown, several one-stage and a two-stage procedure of selection are proposed. The two-stage procedure can be replaced by a one-stage procedure if the second-stage sample is proved intangible. An attracting feature of these procedures is that they need no new statistical tables to implement.     

Circular First- and Second-Order Balanced Repeated Measurements Designs

Sharma (1977 Sharma , V. K. ( 1977 ). Change-over designs with complete balance for first and second order residual effect . Canad. J. Statist. 5 : 121 – 132 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) and Aggarwal et al. (2006 Aggarwal , M. L. , Deng , L.-Y. , Jha , M. K. ( 2006 ). Balanced residual treatment effects designs of first and second order . Statist. Probab. Lett. 76 : 597 – 600 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) considered non circular construction of first- and second-order balanced repeated measurements designs. Sharma et al. (2002 Sharma , V. K. , Varghese , C. , Jaggi , S. ( 2002 ). On optimality of change-over designs balanced for first and second order residual effects . Metron 60 : 153 – 162 . [Google Scholar]) constructed circular first- and second-order balanced repeated measurements designs only for a class with parameters (v, p = 3n, n = v ²) and also showed its universal optimality. In this article, we consider circular construction of first- and second-order balanced repeated measurements designs and strongly balanced repeated measurements designs by using the method of cyclic shifts. Some new circular designs with parameters (v, p, n) for cases p = v, p < v and p > v are given.     

The Uniform Asymptotics of the Overshoot of a Random Walk with Light-Tailed Increments

Let {S _n : n ≥ 0} be a random walk with light-tailed increments and negative drift, and let τ(x) be the first time when the random walk crosses a given level x ≥ 0. Tang (2007 Tang , Q. ( 2007 ). The overshoot of a random walk with negative drift . Statist. Probab. Lett. 77 : 158 – 165 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) obtained the asymptotics of P(S _τ(x) ? x > y, τ(x) < ∞) as x → ∞, which is uniform for y ≥ f(x) for any positive function f(x) → ∞ as x → ∞. In this article, the uniform asymptotics of P(S _τ(x) ? x > y, τ(x) < ∞) as x → ∞, for 0 ≤ y ≤ N for any positive number N will be given. Using the above two results, the uniform asymptotics of P(S _τ(x) ? x > y, τ(x) < ∞) as x → ∞, for y ≥ 0, is presented.     

Smoothed Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon Procedure for Two-Sample Location Problem

This study is mainly concerned with estimating a shift parameter in the two-sample location problem. The proposed Smoothed Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon method smooths the empirical distribution functions of each sample by using convolution technique, and it replaces unknown distribution functions F(x) and G(x ? Δ₀) with the new smoothed distribution functions F _s (x) and G _s (x ? Δ₀), respectively. The unknown shift parameter Δ₀ is estimated by solving the gradient function S _n (Δ) with respect to an arbitrary variable Δ. The asymptotic properties of the new estimator are established under some conditions that are similar to the Generalized Wilcoxon procedure proposed by Anderson and Hettmansperger (1996 Anderson , G. F. , Hettmansperger , T. P. ( 1996 ). Generalized Wilcoxon methods for the one and two-sample location models . In: Brunner , E. , Denker , M. , eds. Research Developments in Probability and Statistics: Festschrift in Honor of Madan L. Puri on the Occasion of his 65th Birthday . Zeist, The Netherlands : VSP BV , pp. 303 – 317 . [Google Scholar]). Some of these properties are asymptotic normality, asymptotic level confidence interval, and hypothesis testing for Δ₀. Asymptotic relative efficiency of the proposed method with respect to the least squares, Generalized Wilcoxon and Hodges and Lehmann (1963 Hodges , J. L. , Lehmann , E. L. ( 1963 ). Estimates of location based on rank tests . Ann. Mathemat. Statist. 34 : 598 – 611 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) procedures are also calculated under the contaminated normal model.     

Reverse Foldovers for Blocked 2 m−k Fractional Factorial Designs

Two-level regular fractional factorial designs are often used in industry as screening designs to help identify early on in an experimental process those experimental or system variables which have significant effects on the process being studied. When the experimental material to be used in the experiment is heterogenous or the experiment must be performed over several well-defined time periods, blocking is often used as a means to improve experimental efficiency by removing the possible effects of heterogenous experimental material or possible time period effects. In a recent article, Li and Jacroux (2007 Li , F. , Jacroux , M. (2007). Optimal foldover plans for blocked 2 ^m?k fractional factorial designs. J. Statsist. Plann. Infer 137:2434–2452. [Google Scholar]) suggested a strategy for constructing optimal follow-up designs for blocked fractional factorial designs using the well-known foldover technique in conjunction with several optimality criteria. In this article, we consider the reverse foldover problem for blocked fractional factorial designs. In particular, given a 2^(m+p)?(p+k) blocked fractional factorial design D, we derive simple sufficient conditions which can be used to determine if there exists a 2^{(m+p?1)?(p?1+k+1)} initial fractional factorial design d which yields D as a foldover combined design as well how to generate all such d. Such information is useful in developing an overall experimental strategy in situations where an experimenter wants an overall blocked fractional factorial design with “desirable” properties but also wants the option of analyzing the observed data at the halfway mark to determine if the significant experimental variables are obvious (and the experiment can be terminated) or if a different path of experimentation should be taken from that initially planned.     

Nonparametric Testing of an Exclusion Restriction in Quantile Regression

Using the framework proposed by Bickel et al. (2006 Bickel , P. J. , Ritov , Y. , Stoker , T. ( 2006 ). Tailor-made tests for goodness-of-fit to semiparametric hypotheses . Ann. Stat. 34 ( 2 ): 721 – 741 . [Google Scholar]), we provide a score-based testing method to check the exclusion restriction in quantile regression, i.e., H: ν_α(Y|U, V) = ν_α(Y|U) w.p.1, where ν_α denotes the αth (0 < α < 1) quantile. A subsampling method is suggested to acquire the critical values and justified. The tests are all found to be consistent against fixed alternatives and have discriminating power against local alternatives at root-n scale. We address this particular problem as a representative among a wide family of semiparametric model checking problems. The methodology can be carried over to other goodness-of-fit testing of semiparametric models, possibly involve non smooth functions.     

Optimal Designs for Best Linear Unbiased Prediction in Diallel Crosses

ABSTRACT

Recently, Ghosh and Das (2003 Ghosh , H. , Das , A. ( 2003 ). Optimal diallel cross designs for estimation of heritability . J. Statist. Plann. Inference 116 : 185 – 196 . [Google Scholar]) considered the estimation of variance components and the variances of these estimates. While comparing the yielding capacities of the cross (i, j), Kempthorne and Curnow (1961 Kempthorne , O. , Curnow , R. N. ( 1961 ). The partial diallel cross . Biometrics 17 : 229 – 250 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) proposed the estimation of the yielding capacity of any cross based on the least square estimators of the general combining ability effects and/or the mean yield of the cross (i, j). In this article, the problem of predicting the yielding capacity of the cross (i, j) from the sample of inbred lines has been considered. The properties of the best linear unbiased predictor for predicting the unobserved general combining ability effects together with general mean effect has been studied. We characterize A-optimal complete diallel cross designs and some efficient partial diallel cross designs under this setup.     

Analyzing Supersaturated Designs by Means of an Information Based Criterion

The cost and time consumption of many industrial experimentations can be reduced using the class of supersaturated designs since this can be used for screening out the important factors from a large set of potentially active variables. A supersaturated design is a design for which there are fewer runs than effects to be estimated. Although there exists a wide study of construction methods for supersaturated designs, their analysis methods are yet in an early research stage. In this article, we propose a method for analyzing data using a correlation-based measure, named as symmetrical uncertainty. This method combines measures from the information theory field and is used as the main idea of variable selection algorithms developed in data mining. In this work, the symmetrical uncertainty is used from another viewpoint in order to determine more directly the important factors. The specific method enables us to use supersaturated designs for analyzing data of generalized linear models for a Bernoulli response. We evaluate our method by using some of the existing supersaturated designs, obtained according to methods proposed by Tang and Wu (1997 Tang , B. , Wu , C. F. J. (1997). A method for constructing supersaturated designs and its E(s ²)-optimality. Canadian Journal of Statistics 25:191–201.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) as well as by Koukouvinos et al. (2008 Koukouvinos , C. , Mylona , K. , Simos , D. E. ( 2008 ). E(s ²)-optimal and minimax-optimal cyclic supersaturated designs via multi-objective simulated annealing . Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference 138 : 1639 – 1646 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). The comparison is performed by some simulating experiments and the Type I and Type II error rates are calculated. Additionally, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves methodology is applied as an additional statistical tool for performance evaluation.     

Generalized E(s 2) Criterion for Multilevel Supersaturated Designs

Several extensions of the popular E(s ²) criterion of Booth and Cox (1962 Booth , K. H. V. , Cox , D. R. ( 1962 ). Some systematic supersaturated designs . Technometrics 4 : 489 – 495 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) to multilevel supersaturated designs have been advanced in literature. These extensions are not unique due to different ways they measure overall nonorthogonality between all pairs of the columns of the model matrix. We exploit the connection of the E(s ²) criterion with A- and D-optimality that naturally lends itself to a generalized criterion for the multilevel situation in a unified way. The extensions provided in literature follow as special cases of the generalized criterion. A lower bound to the generalized criterion is derived for a wide class of designs, and a method of construction for the symmetrical case is discussed.     

D-Optimal Chemical Balance Weighing Designs with N ≡ 0 (mod 4) and 3 Objects

In this article, the problem of estimation of the individual weights of three objects using a chemical balance weighing design is considered. We use the criterion of D-optimality. We assume that the covariance matrix of errors is the matrix of first-order autoregressive process. Such problems were discussed in Li and Yang (2005 Li , C. H. , Yang , S. Y. ( 2005 ). On a conjecture in D-optimal designs with n ≡ 0 (mod 4) . Lin. Alg. Applic. 400 : 279 – 290 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and also in Yeh and Lo Huang (2005 Yeh , H. G. , Lo Huang , M. N. ( 2005 ). On exact D-optimal designs with 2 two-level factors and n autocorrelated observations . Metrika 61 : 261 – 275 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). We present some results of D-optimal designs in certain class of designs with the design matrix X  ∈ M _n×3(±1) such that each column of matrix X has at least one 1 and one ?1.