Testing whether survival function is bivariate new better than used

We present statistical procedures to test that a life distribution is bivariate exponential against the alternative that it is bivariate new better than used (BNBU).     

A class of test statistics for testing whether new is better than used

A class of test statistics Is proposed for testing that a life distribution Is exponential against that it is new better than used and not exponential, Consistency, unbiasedness and the asymptotic normality for the one class of class of test are proved. The efflication are compeled and compared with some otner statinties. The proposed test is shown to perform well against other tests.     

Stochastic ordering and a class of multivariate new better than used distributions

A new characterization for the univariate class of new better than used ‘NBU’ distributions in terms of stochastic ordering is introduced. A multivariate version of this characterization is then used to define a multivariate class of NBU distributions. Basic properties of this class are derived. Comparisons and relationships of this new class with earlier classes are developed. Two multivariate new worse than used (NWU) classes of life distributions are defined and compared and their basic properties are studied.     

A simple test for new better than used in expectation

We present a statistical procedure to test that a life distribution is exponential against the al ternative that it is continuous new better than used in expectation. The test is shown to be consistent and asymptotic relative efficiency resul ts are obtained against the competitor developed earlier by Hollander and Proschan [2], for certain families of alternatives.     

Testing whether new is better than used of a specified age,with randomly censored data

Using randomly censored data, we develop a test of the null hypothesis that a new item has stochastically the same residual lifelength as does a used item of specified age t₀, versus the alternative hypothesis that a new item has stochastically greater residual lifelength than does a used item of age t₀. We also compare our test with a related test, developed for a complete-data model, in order to study the loss in efficiency because of censoring.     

Nonparametric estimator for mean residual life and vitality function

In this paper, we study the estimation of the vitality function(v(x)=E(X|X>x) and mean residual life function(e(x)=E(X-x|X>x) from a sample ofX using the empirical estimator and kernel estimator. Under suitable conditions of regularity, the asymptotic normality of the kernel estimator is obtained. Partially supported by Consejeria de Cultura y Ed. (C.A.R.M.), under Grant PIB 95/90.     

On prediction from the location-scale model with a compound error distribution

The prediction distribution of future response(s) given a set of data from a location-scale model with a compound error distribution has been derived by utilizing the structural relations of the model. The compound error distribution has been specialized to cover the case of multivariate t-distribution.     

Simultaneous equivariant estimation of the parameters of linear models

Consider a family of distributions which is invariant under a group of transformations. In this paper, we define an optimality criterion with respect to an arbitrary convex loss function and we prove a characterization theorem for an equivariant estimator to be optimal. Then we consider a linear model Y=Xβ+ε, in which ε has a multivariate distribution with mean vector zero and has a density belonging to a scale family with scale parameter σ. Also we assume that the underlying family of distributions is invariant with respect to a certain group of transformations. First, we find the class of all equivariant estimators of regression parameters and the powers of σ. By using the characterization theorem we discuss the simultaneous equivariant estimation of the parameters of the linear model.     

Competing risks simulation with the survsim R package

The goal of this work is to describe how the last version available of the survsim R package can be used to simulate a cohort in a competing risks context by means of a cause-specific hazards model following the ideas introduced by Beyersmann in 2009, and also allowing for individual heterogeneity through a random effect. An example of its application based on a real cohort will be discussed.     

Tests for bivariate exponentiality against BHNBUE alternatives

We present statistical procedures to test that a life distribution is bivariate exponential (BVE) against the alternative that it is bivariate harmonic new better than used in expectation (BHNBUE). We present a simulation study to compare the power the proposed test with tests proposed by Basu and Ebrahimi (1984) and Sen and Jain (1990) and we observe that the proposed test performs better than the other two tests.     

Characterization of an optimal matrix estimator under convex loss function

Characterization of an optimal vector estimator and an optimal matrix estimator are obtained. In each case appropriate convex loss functions are considered. The results are illustrated through the problems of simultaneous unbiased estimation, simultaneous equivariant estimation and simultaneous unbiased prediction. Further an optimality criterion is proposed for matrix unbiased estimation and it is shown that the matrix unbiased estimation of a matrix parametric function and the minimum variance unbiased estimation of its components are equivalent.     

Testing for bivariate gumbel against bivariate new better than used in expectation

It is shown that a bivariate survival function is both New Better than Used in Expectation (NBUE) and New Worse than Used in Expectation (NWUE) if and only if it is a bivariate Gumbel distribution. Statistical procedures are then presented to test whether that, within the class of bi-variate NBUE survival functions, a survival function is a Gumbel's bivariate exponential.     

On the accuracy of approximate studentization

With a parametric model, a measure of departure for an interest parameter is often easily constructed but frequently depends in distribution on nuisance parameters; the elimination of such nuisance parameter effects is a central problem of statistical inference. Fraser & Wong (1993) proposed a nuisance-averaging or approximate Studentization method for eliminating the nuisance parameter effects. They showed that, for many standard problems where an exact answer is available, the averaging method reproduces the exact answer. Also they showed that, if the exact answer is unavailable, as say in the gamma-mean problem, the averaging method provides a simple approximation which is very close to that obtained from third order asymptotic theory. The general asymptotic accuracy, however, of the method has not been examined. In this paper, we show in a general asymptotic context that the averaging method is asymptotically a second order procedure for eliminating the effects of nuisance parameters.     

A sequential sampling plan for the inverse gaussian mean

The inverse gaussian distribution is a flexible model which has been extensively applied in the theory of generalized linear models and accelerated life testing where early failure times predominate. More recently it has received attention in areas such as quality control, and as an underlying model that provides an alternative to the analysis of variance. In reliability testing and acceptance sampling data acquisition is often in the face of scarce resources and may be both costly and time-consuming. In such settings it is desirable to reach a statistically sound decision as quickly as possible. Based on sequential probability ratio tests (SPRT), sequential sampling plans provide one method of arriving at a timely, statistically based decision. A sequential sampling plan for the inverse gaussian process mean when the value of the shape parameter of the density is known is presented in this paper.     

Note on estimation of reliability under bivariate pareto stress-strength model

In this paper, we discuss the problem of estimating reliability (R) of a component based on maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs). The reliability of a component is given byR=P[Y<X]. Here X is a random strength of a component subjected to a random stress(Y) and (X,Y) follow a bivariate pareto(BVP) distribution. We obtain an asymptotic normal(AN) distribution of MLE of the reliability(R).     

Estimation of critical points in the mixture inverse Gaussian model

The maximum likelihood estimation for the critical points of the failure rate and the mean residual life function are presented in the case of mixture inverse Gaussian model. Several important data sets are analyzed from this point of view. For each of the data sets, Bootstrapping is used to construct confidence intervals of the critical points.     

Least squares estimation of the coefficients of a partially explosive model,with polynomial regressions of same degree,generating a pair of related time series

This paper is concerned with a partially explosive linear model with polynomial regression components generating a pair of related time series. The least squares estimates of the coefficients are shown to be √N-consistent and asymptotically singular normal, when the degrees of polynomial regression components are same, thus generalising a result due to Venkataraman (1974).     

Admissibility of estimators in the non-regular family under entropy loss function

In this paper we have considered the problem of finding admissible estimates for a fairly general class of parametric functions in the so called “non-regular” type of densities. The admissibility of generalized Bayes and Pitman estimates of functions of parameters have been established under entropy loss function.     

Estimation of parameters of exponential distribution in the truncated space using asymmetric loss function

This paper is concerned with estimation of location and scale parameters of an exponential distribution when the location parameter is bounded above by a known constant. We propose estimators which are better than the standard estimators in the unrestricted case with respect to the suitable choice of LINEX loss. The admissibility of the modified Pitman estimators with respect to the LINEX loss is proved. Finally the theory developed is applied to the problem of estimating the location and scale parameters of two exponential distributions when the location parameters are ordered.