几何分布产品不完全数据场合下的统计分析

几何分布是离散型寿命分布中最为重要的分布之一,许多产品的寿命（比如开关等）都可以用几何分布来描述。由于几何分布的无记忆性,它在可靠性理论与应用概率模型中有着非常重要的地位。目前,对关于几何分布在全样本场合、截尾样本场合以及加速寿命试验场合下参数的统计分析已经有了广泛的研究。并且有着重要的理论与应用价值。因此将不完全数据场合下的几何分布问题转化为指数分布问题,再利用指数分布的已有结果首次得到了几何分布在缺失数据场合和分组数据场合下参数的近似点估计,Monte—Carlo模拟算例结果令人满意,说明该方法是可行的。     

Least Squares estimation for the multivariate weibull model of bougaard based on accelerated life test of system and component

Accelerated life testing of products quickly yields information on life. In this article, we present a simple method to incorporate the information collected from accelerated life tests of both components and (series) systems. The multivariate Weibull distribution of Hougaard is applied to model lifetimes of components. Least-squares (LS) estimators of the model parameters and their joint asymptotic distribution are derived. The effects of the dependence parameter and the proportion of the system-data to the asymptotic relative efficiencies of the LS estimators are investigated.     

Optimal step-stress accelerated degradation test plans for inverse Gaussian process based on proportional degradation rate model

The purpose of this paper is to address the optimal design of the step-stress accelerated degradation test (SSADT) issue when the degradation process of a product follows the inverse Gaussian (IG) process. For this design problem, an important task is to construct a link model to connect the degradation magnitudes at different stress levels. In this paper, a proportional degradation rate model is proposed to link the degradation paths of the SSADT with stress levels, in which the average degradation rate is proportional to an exponential function of the stress level. Two optimization problems about the asymptotic variances of the lifetime characteristics' estimators are investigated. The optimal settings including sample size, measurement frequency and the number of measurements for each stress level are determined by minimizing the two objective functions within a given budget constraint. As an example, the sliding metal wear data are used to illustrate the proposed model.     

Statistical analysis of controlled calibration model with replicates

In this work, we generalize the controlled calibration model by assuming replication on both variables. Likelihood-based methodology is used to estimate the model parameters and the Fisher information matrix is used to construct confidence intervals for the unknown value of the regressor variable. Further, we study the local influence diagnostic method which is based on the conditional expectation of the complete-data log-likelihood function related to the EM algorithm. Some useful perturbation schemes are discussed. A simulation study is carried out to assess the effect of the measurement error on the estimation of the parameter of interest. This new approach is illustrated with a real data set.     

Analysis of rounded exponential data

The problem of inference based on a rounded random sample from the exponential distribution is treated. The main results are given by an explicit expression for the maximum-likelihood estimator, a confidence interval with a guaranteed level of confidence, and a conjugate class of distributions for Bayesian analysis. These results are exemplified on two concrete examples. The large and increasing body of results on the topic of grouped data has been mostly focused on the effect on the estimators. The methods and results for the derivation of confidence intervals here are hence of some general theoretical value as a model approach for other parametric models. The Bayesian credibility interval recommended in cases with a lack of other prior information follows by letting the prior equal the inverted exponential with a scale equal to one divided by the resolution. It is shown that this corresponds to the standard non-informative prior for the scale in the case of non-rounded data. For cases with the absence of explicit prior information it is argued that the inverted exponential prior with a scale given by the resolution is a reasonable choice for more general digitized scale families also.     

Bootstrap likelihood ratio test for Weibull mixture models fitted to grouped data

Abstract

Weibull mixture models are widely used in a variety of fields for modeling phenomena caused by heterogeneous sources. We focus on circumstances in which original observations are not available, and instead the data comes in the form of a grouping of the original observations. We illustrate EM algorithm for fitting Weibull mixture models for grouped data and propose a bootstrap likelihood ratio test (LRT) for determining the number of subpopulations in a mixture model. The effectiveness of the LRT methods are investigated via simulation. We illustrate the utility of these methods by applying them to two grouped data applications.     

Bivariate Birnbaum-Saunders accelerated lifetime model: estimation and diagnostic analysis

In this paper, we discuss the bivariate Birnbaum-Saunders accelerated lifetime model, in which we have modeled the dependence structure of bivariate survival data through the use of frailty models. Specifically, we propose the bivariate model Birnbaum-Saunders with the following frailty distributions: gamma, positive stable and logarithmic series. We present a study of inference and diagnostic analysis for the proposed model, more concisely, are proposed a diagnostic analysis based in local influence and residual analysis to assess the fit model, as well as, to detect influential observations. In this regard, we derived the normal curvatures of local influence under different perturbation schemes and we performed some simulation studies for assessing the potential of residuals to detect misspecification in the systematic component, the presence in the stochastic component of the model and to detect outliers. Finally, we apply the methodology studied to real data set from recurrence in times of infections of 38 kidney patients using a portable dialysis machine, we analyzed these data considering independence within the pairs and using the bivariate Birnbaum-Saunders accelerated lifetime model, so that we could make a comparison and verify the importance of modeling dependence within the times of infection associated with the same patient.     

Bayesian analysis of the Box-Cox transformation model based on left-truncated and right-censored data

In this paper, we discuss the inference problem about the Box-Cox transformation model when one faces left-truncated and right-censored data, which often occur in studies, for example, involving the cross-sectional sampling scheme. It is well-known that the Box-Cox transformation model includes many commonly used models as special cases such as the proportional hazards model and the additive hazards model. For inference, a Bayesian estimation approach is proposed and in the method, the piecewise function is used to approximate the baseline hazards function. Also the conditional marginal prior, whose marginal part is free of any constraints, is employed to deal with many computational challenges caused by the constraints on the parameters, and a MCMC sampling procedure is developed. A simulation study is conducted to assess the finite sample performance of the proposed method and indicates that it works well for practical situations. We apply the approach to a set of data arising from a retirement center.     

A score test for overdispersion in Poisson regression based on the generalized Poisson-2 model

Overdispersion is a common phenomenon in Poisson modeling. The generalized Poisson (GP) regression model accommodates both overdispersion and underdispersion in count data modeling, and is an increasingly popular platform for modeling overdispersed count data. The Poisson model is one of the special cases in the collection of models which may be specified by GP regression. Thus, we may derive a test of overdispersion which compares the equi-dispersion Poisson model within the context of the more general GP regression model. The score test has an advantage over the likelihood ratio test (LRT) and over the Wald test in that the score test only requires that the parameter of interest be estimated under the null hypothesis (the Poisson model). Herein, we propose a score test for overdispersion based on the GP model (specifically the GP-2 model) and compare the power of the test with the LRT and Wald tests. A simulation study indicates the proposed score test based on asymptotic standard normal distribution is more appropriate in practical applications.     

Statistical test based on intuitionistic fuzzy hypotheses

In this paper, the classical statistical test based on intuitionistic fuzzy hypotheses in relation to the underlying population parametric is extended. In this approach, the type-I, type-II, power of test, and p-value are extended for intuitionistic fuzzy hypotheses. Throughout the paper, some applied examples are provided for both parametric and non parametric cases to clarify the discussions.     

Inverse gaussian accelerated test models based on cumulative damage

The failure of a system under environmental stress often can be described by an accelerated test model which incorporates the environmental variable L. Here, the failure of such a system at environmental level L is modeled as the first passage of accumulated damage to a critical threshold value. Assuming a discrete additive damage model leads to a Birnbaum–Saunders-type distribution for the failure time which can be closely approximated by an inverse Gaussian-type model. However, if a continuous damage model based on a Gaussian process is assumed, a more general family of inverse Gaussian accelerated test models is obtained. Three sets of failure data are discussed to illustrate the usefulness of this general family.     

Nonparametric Bayesian analysis for multi-site hidden Markov model

The hidden Markov model (HMM) provides an attractive framework for modeling long-term persistence in a variety of applications including pattern recognition. Unlike typical mixture models, hidden Markov states can represent the heterogeneity in data and it can be extended to a multivariate case using a hierarchical Bayesian approach. This article provides a nonparametric Bayesian modeling approach to the multi-site HMM by considering stick-breaking priors for each row of an infinite state transition matrix. This extension has many advantages over a parametric HMM. For example, it can provide more flexible information for identifying the structure of the HMM than parametric HMM analysis, such as the number of states in HMM. We exploit a simulation example and a real dataset to evaluate the proposed approach.     

Bayesian analysis for confirmatory factor model with finite-dimensional Dirichlet prior mixing

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model is a useful multivariate statistical tool for interpreting relationships between latent variables and manifest variables. Often statistical results based on a single CFA are seriously distorted when data set takes on heterogeneity. To address the heterogeneity resulting from the multivariate responses, we propose a Bayesian semiparametric modeling for CFA. The approach relies on using a prior over the space of mixing distributions with finite components. Blocked Gibbs sampler is implemented to cope with the posterior analysis. Results obtained from a simulation study and a real data set are presented to illustrate the methodology.     

Statistical modeling for Bayesian extrapolation of adult clinical trial information in pediatric drug evaluation

Children represent a large underserved population of “therapeutic orphans,” as an estimated 80% of children are treated off‐label. However, pediatric drug development often faces substantial challenges, including economic, logistical, technical, and ethical barriers, among others. Among many efforts trying to remove these barriers, increased recent attention has been paid to extrapolation; that is, the leveraging of available data from adults or older age groups to draw conclusions for the pediatric population. The Bayesian statistical paradigm is natural in this setting, as it permits the combining (or “borrowing”) of information across disparate sources, such as the adult and pediatric data. In this paper, authored by the pediatric subteam of the Drug Information Association Bayesian Scientific Working Group and Adaptive Design Working Group, we develop, illustrate, and provide suggestions on Bayesian statistical methods that could be used to design improved pediatric development programs that use all available information in the most efficient manner. A variety of relevant Bayesian approaches are described, several of which are illustrated through 2 case studies: extrapolating adult efficacy data to expand the labeling for Remicade to include pediatric ulcerative colitis and extrapolating adult exposure‐response information for antiepileptic drugs to pediatrics.     

Bayesian semiparametric inference for the accelerated failure-time model

Bayesian semiparametric inference is considered for a loglinear model. This model consists of a parametric component for the regression coefficients and a nonparametric component for the unknown error distribution. Bayesian analysis is studied for the case of a parametric prior on the regression coefficients and a mixture-of-Dirichlet-processes prior on the unknown error distribution. A Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method is developed to compute the features of the posterior distribution. A model selection method for obtaining a more parsimonious set of predictors is studied. The method adds indicator variables to the regression equation. The set of indicator variables represents all the possible subsets to be considered. A MCMC method is developed to search stochastically for the best subset. These procedures are applied to two examples, one with censored data.     

Bayesian model comparison based on expected posterior priors for discrete decomposable graphical models

The implementation of the Bayesian paradigm to model comparison can be problematic. In particular, prior distributions on the parameter space of each candidate model require special care. While it is well known that improper priors cannot be routinely used for Bayesian model comparison, we claim that also the use of proper conventional priors under each model should be regarded as suspicious, especially when comparing models having different dimensions. The basic idea is that priors should not be assigned separately under each model; rather they should be related across models, in order to acquire some degree of compatibility, and thus allow fairer and more robust comparisons. In this connection, the intrinsic prior as well as the expected posterior prior (EPP) methodology represent a useful tool. In this paper we develop a procedure based on EPP to perform Bayesian model comparison for discrete undirected decomposable graphical models, although our method could be adapted to deal also with directed acyclic graph models. We present two possible approaches. One based on imaginary data, and one which makes use of a limited number of actual data. The methodology is illustrated through the analysis of a 2×3×4 contingency table.     

Bayes estimation for a bivariate survival model based on exponential distributions

Bayesian analysis of a bivariate survival model based on exponential distributions is discussed using both vague and conjugate prior distributions. Parameter and reliability estimators are given for the maximum likelihood technique and the Bayesian approach using both types of priors. A Monte Carlo study indicates the vague prior Bayes estimator of reliability performs better than its maximum likelihood counterpart.     

Some estimators and tests for accelerated hazards model using weighted cumulative hazard difference

For a censored two-sample problem, Chen and Wang [Y.Q. Chen and M.-C. Wang, Analysis of accelerated hazards models, J. Am. Statist. Assoc. 95 (2000), pp. 608–618] introduced the accelerated hazards model. The scale-change parameter in this model characterizes the association of two groups. However, its estimator involves the unknown density in the asymptotic variance. Thus, to make an inference on the parameter, numerically intensive methods are needed. The goal of this article is to propose a simple estimation method in which estimators are asymptotically normal with a density-free asymptotic variance. Some lack-of-fit tests are also obtained from this. These tests are related to Gill–Schumacher type tests [R.D. Gill and M. Schumacher, A simple test of the proportional hazards assumption, Biometrika 74 (1987), pp. 289–300] in which the estimating functions are evaluated at two different weight functions yielding two estimators that are close to each other. Numerical studies show that for some weight functions, the estimators and tests perform well. The proposed procedures are illustrated in two applications.     

Optimal design for constant-stress accelerated degradation test based on gamma process

This paper addresses the optimal design problems for constant-stress accelerated degradation test (CSADT) based on gamma processes with fixed effect and random effect. For three optimization criteria, we prove that optimal CSADT plans with multiple stress levels degenerate to two-stress-level test plans only using the minimum and maximum stress levels under model assumptions. Under each optimization criterion, the optimal sample size allocation proportions for the minimum and maximum stress levels are determined theoretically. The effect of the stress level on the objective functions is also discussed. A numerical example and a simulation study are provided to illustrate the obtained results.     

Bayesian estimation in the multidimensional three-parameter logistic model

The Gibbs sampler has a great potential to be an efficient and versatile estimation procedure in item response theory. In this article, based on a data augmentation scheme using the Gibbs sampler, we propose a Bayesian procedure to estimate the multidimensional three-parameter logistic model. With the introduction of the two latent variables, the full conditional distributions are tractable, and consequently the Gibbs sampling is easy to implement. Finally, the technique is illustrated by using simulated and real data, respectively.