Inference for the scale parameter of lifetime distribution of k-unit parallel system based on progressively censored data

In this paper, inference for the scale parameter of lifetime distribution of a k-unit parallel system is provided. Lifetime distribution of each unit of the system is assumed to be a member of a scale family of distributions. Maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) and confidence intervals for the scale parameter based on progressively Type-II censored sample are obtained. A β-expectation tolerance interval for the lifetime of the system is obtained. As a member of the scale family, half-logistic distribution is considered and the performance of the MLE, confidence intervals and tolerance intervals are studied using simulation.     

βExpectation and β-content tolerance intervals for dependent observations

Methods of constructing exact tolerance intervals (β-expectation and β-content) for independent observations are well known. For the case of dependent observations, obtaining exact results is not possible. In this article we provide an approximate method of constructing β-expectation tolerance intervals via a Taylor series expansion. Examples of independent observations are considered to compare the intervals constructed with those obtained by the exact method. For the case of non-stationary type processes we have proposed a method of constructing approximate β-content tolerance intervals. Once again an example is given to illustrate the results.     

Optimal tolerance regions for future regression vector and residual sum of squares of multiple regression model with multivariate spherically contoured errors

This paper considers multiple regression model with multivariate spherically symmetric errors to determine optimal β-expectation tolerance regions for the future regression vector (FRV) and future residual sum of squares (FRSS) by using the prediction distributions of some appropriate functions of future responses. The prediction distribution of the FRV, conditional on the observed responses, is multivariate Student-t distribution. Similarly, the prediction distribution of the FRSS is a beta distribution. The optimal β-expectation tolerance regions for the FRV and FRSS have been obtained based on the F -distribution and beta distribution, respectively. The results in this paper are applicable for multiple regression model with normal and Student-t errors.      

Bayesian optimization analysis with ML-II ε-contaminated prior

In this paper we derive the predictive density function of a future observation when prior distribution for unknown mean of a normal population is a Type-II maximum likelihood ε-contaminated prior. The derived predictive distribution is applied to the problem of optimization of a regression nature in the decisive prediction framework.     

The multivariate linear model with multivariatet and intra-class covariance structure

The prediction distribution of future responses from a multivariate linear model with error having a multivariatet-distribution and intra-class covariance structure has been derived. The distribution depends on ρ, the intra-class correlation coefficient. For unknown ρ, the marginal likelihood function of ρ has been obtained and the prediction distribution has been approximated by the estimate of ρ. As an application, a β-expectation tolerance region for the model has been constructed.     

A Simple Approximate Procedure for Constructing Binomial and Poisson Tolerance Intervals

The problems of constructing tolerance intervals for the binomial and Poisson distributions are considered. Closed-form approximate equal-tailed tolerance intervals (that control percentages in both tails) are proposed for both distributions. Exact coverage probabilities and expected widths are evaluated for the proposed equal-tailed tolerance intervals and the existing intervals. Furthermore, an adjustment to the nominal confidence level is suggested so that an equal-tailed tolerance interval can be used as a tolerance interval which includes a specified proportion of the population, but does not necessarily control percentages in both tails. Comparison of such coverage-adjusted tolerance intervals with respect to coverage probabilities and expected widths indicates that the closed-form approximate tolerance intervals are comparable with others, and less conservative, with minimum coverage probabilities close to the nominal level in most cases. The approximate tolerance intervals are simple and easy to compute using a calculator, and they can be recommended for practical applications. The methods are illustrated using two practical examples.     

Stability analysis using mixed models: A critique of tolerance interval methods and a probabilistic solution

Recently, tolerance interval approaches to the calculation of a shelf life of a drug product have been proposed in the literature. These address the belief that shelf life should be related to control of a certain proportion of batches being out of specification. We question the appropriateness of the tolerance interval approach. Our concerns relate to the computational challenges and practical interpretations of the method. We provide an alternative Bayesian approach, which directly controls the desired proportion of batches falling out of specification assuming a controlled manufacturing process. The approach has an intuitive interpretation and posterior distributions are straightforward to compute. If prior information on the fixed and random parameters is available, a Bayesian approach can provide additional benefits both to the company and the consumer. It also avoids many of the computational challenges with the tolerance interval methodology.     

Exponentiated models preserve stochastic orderings of parallel and series systems

Abstract

In this paper, we establish that the usual stochastic, hazard rate, reversed hazard rate, likelihood ratio, dispersive and star orders are all preserved for parallel systems under exponentiated models for lifetimes of components. We then use the multiple-outlier exponentiated gamma models to illustrate this result. Finally, we consider the dual family with exponentiated survival function and establish similar results for series systems. The results established here extend some well-known results for series and parallel systems arising from different exponentiated distributions such as generalized exponential and exponentiated Weibull, established previously in the literature.     

Explorative Data Analysis and CATANOVA for Ordinal Variables: An Integrated Approach

Categorical analysis of variance (CATANOVA) is a statistical method designed to analyse variability between treatments of interest to the researcher. There are well-established links between CATANOVA and the τ statistic of Goodman and Kruskal which, for the purpose of the graphical identification of this variation, is partitioned using singular value decomposition for Non-Symmetrical Correspondence Analysis (NSCA) (D'Ambra & Lauro, 1989). The aim of this paper is to show a decomposition of the Between Sum of Squares (BSS), measured both in CATANOVA framework and in the statistic τ, into location, dispersion and higher order components. This decomposition has been developed using Emerson's orthogonal polynomials. Starting from this decomposition, a statistical test and a confidence circle have been calculated for each component and for each modality in which the BSS was decomposed, respectively. A Customer Satisfaction study has been considered to explain the methodology.     

On the existence and uniqueness of the MLEs of the parameters of a general class of exponentiated distributions

In this paper, we present a formal simple proof for the existence and uniqueness of the maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) of the parameters of a general class of exponentiated distributions. This class includes the exponentiated (general) exponential, exponentiated Rayleigh (scaled Burr X) and exponentiated Pareto distributions, as special cases, and thus the proof given here establishes the existence and uniqueness of the MLEs for these important special cases as well.     

Confidence intervals for discrete distributions based on a single observation

Confidence intervals are developed for the mode of a discrete unimodal distribution in the case where only a single observation is available. These intervals are centered on either the observation, X, or a weighted average of X with a constant, b, chosen by the investigator. Intervals are derived for nonrestricted unimodal distributions, for unimodal distributions with a symmetry property, and for a family of two-sided truncated geometric distributions.     

The exponentiated exponential–geometric distribution: a distribution with decreasing,increasing and unimodal failure rate

In this paper, we proposed a new family of distributions namely exponentiated exponential–geometric (E2G) distribution. The E2G distribution is a straightforwardly generalization of the exponential–geometric (EG) distribution proposed by Adamidis and Loukas [A lifetime distribution with decreasing failure rate, Statist. Probab. Lett. 39 (1998), pp. 35–42], which accommodates increasing, decreasing and unimodal hazard functions. It arises on a latent competing risk scenarios, where the lifetime associated with a particular risk is not observable but only the minimum lifetime value among all risks. The properties of the proposed distribution are discussed, including a formal proof of its probability density function and explicit algebraic formulas for its survival and hazard functions, moments, rth moment of the ith order statistic, mean residual lifetime and modal value. Maximum-likelihood inference is implemented straightforwardly. From a mis-specification simulation study performed in order to assess the extent of the mis-specification errors when testing the EG distribution against the E2G, and we observed that it is usually possible to discriminate between both distributions even for moderate samples with presence of censoring. The practical importance of the new distribution was demonstrated in three applications where we compare the E2G distribution with several lifetime distributions.     

Fisher''s inequality for designs on regular graphs

Let G=(V,E) be a regular graph of valency d. A (v,k,λ,μ)-design over G is a pair , where is a family of k-subsets of V (blocks) such that for any distinct vertices x and y, the number of blocks containing {x,y} is equal to λ if {x,y} is an edge and is equal to μ if {x,y} is not an edge. We will prove that the number of vertices does not exceed the number of blocks (Fisher's Inequality) under the following condition: (r−μ)/(μ−λ) is not a multiple eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix of the graph (r is the replication number of the design). We also give examples showing that this restriction is essential.     

Tolerance intervals for symmetric location-scale families based on uncensored or censored samples

Exact methods for constructing two-sided tolerance intervals (TIs) and tolerance intervals that control percentages in both tails for a location-scale family of distributions are proposed. The proposed methods are illustrated by constructing TIs for a normal, logistic, and Laplace (double exponential) distributions based on type II singly censored samples. Factors for constructing one-sided and two-sided TIs for a logistic distribution are tabulated for the case of uncensored samples. Factors for constructing TIs based on censored samples for all three distributions are also tabulated. The factors for all cases are estimated by Monte Carlo simulation. An adjustment to the tolerance factors based on type II censored samples is proposed so that they can be used to find approximate TIs based on type I censored samples. Coverage studies of the approximate TIs based on type I censored samples indicate that the approximation is satisfactory as long as the proportion of censored observations is no more than 0.70. The methods are illustrated using some practical examples.     

Bayesian robustness for multiparameter problems

Bayesian robustness is studied for ε-contamination classes of prior distributions. Nonparametric classes of contsminations such as the class of all unimodal spherically symmetric densities are considered here. Posterior φ-divergence and its curvature are used to measure the sensitivity of priors on the resulting posterior densities. Examples are provided to illustrate our results.     

ß-expectation tolerance region for the heteroscedastic multiple regression model with multivariate Student-t error

A ß-expectation tolerance region has been constructed for the multivariate regression model with heteroscedastic errors which follow a multivariate Student-t distribution with an unknown number of degrees of freedom. The ß-expectaion tolerance region obtained in this paper is optimal in the sense of having minimum enclosure among all such tolerance regions that guarantees that it would cover any preassigned proportions, namely, ß×100 percent of the future responses from the model.     

Use of a two-sided tolerance interval in the design and evaluation of biosimilarity in clinical studies

In assessing biosimilarity between two products, the question to ask is always “How similar is similar?” Traditionally, the equivalence of the means between products is the primary consideration in a clinical trial. This study suggests an alternative assessment for testing a certain percentage of the population of differences lying within a prespecified interval. In doing so, the accuracy and precision are assessed simultaneously by judging whether a two-sided tolerance interval falls within a prespecified acceptance range. We further derive an asymptotic distribution of the tolerance limits to determine the sample size for achieving a targeted level of power. Our numerical study shows that the proposed two-sided tolerance interval test controls the type I error rate and provides sufficient power. A real example is presented to illustrate our proposed approach.     

Adaptive wavelet empirical Bayes estimation of a location or a scale parameter

Assume that in independent two-dimensional random vectors (X₁,θ₁),…,(X_n,θ_n), each θ_i is distributed according to some unknown prior density function g. Also, given θ_i=θ, X_i has the conditional density function q(x−θ), x,θ(−∞,∞) (a location parameter case), or θ⁻¹q(x/θ), x,θ(0,∞) (a scale parameter case). In each pair the first component is observable, but the second is not. After the (n+1)th pair (X_n+1,θ_n+1) is obtained, the objective is to construct an empirical Bayes (EB) estimator of θ. In this paper we derive the EB estimators of θ based on a wavelet approximation with Meyer-type wavelets. We show that these estimators provide adaptation not only in the case when g belongs to the Sobolev space H with an unknown , but also when g is supersmooth.     

Generalized exponential distributions

The three-parameter gamma and three-parameter Weibull distributions are commonly used for analysing any lifetime data or skewed data. Both distributions have several desirable properties, and nice physical interpretations. Because of the scale and shape parameters, both have quite a bit of flexibility for analysing different types of lifetime data. They have increasing as well as decreasing hazard rate depending on the shape parameter. Unfortunately both distributions also have certain drawbacks. This paper considers a three-parameter distribution which is a particular case of the exponentiated Weibull distribution originally proposed by Mudholkar, Srivastava & Freimer (1995) when the location parameter is not present. The study examines different properties of this model and observes that this family has some interesting features which are quite similar to those of the gamma family and the Weibull family, and certain distinct properties also. It appears this model can be used as an alternative to the gamma model or the Weibull model in many situations. One dataset is provided where the three-parameter generalized exponential distribution fits better than the three-parameter Weibull distribution or the three-parameter gamma distribution.