Inference for the Mean Residual Life Function via Empirical Likelihood

In addition to the distribution function, the mean residual life (MRL) function is the other important function which can be used to characterize a lifetime in survival analysis and reliability. For inference on the MRL function, some procedures have been proposed in the literature. However, the coverage accuracy of such procedures may be low when the sample size is small. In this article, an empirical likelihood (EL) inference procedure of MRL function is proposed and the limiting distribution of the EL ratio for MRL function is derived. Based on the result, we obtain confidence interval/band for the MRL function. The proposed method is compared with the normal approximation based method through simulation study in terms of coverage probability.     

Inference for a Linear Functional of Cumulative Hazard Function Via Empirical Likelihood

This article discusses sampling plans, that is, the allocation of sampling units, for computing tolerance limits in a balanced one--way random-effects model. The expected width of the tolerance interval is derived and used as the basis for comparing different sampling plans. A well-known cost function and examples are used to facilitate the discussion.     

Kernel Density-Based Linear Regression Estimate

For linear regression models with non normally distributed errors, the least squares estimate (LSE) will lose some efficiency compared to the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE). In this article, we propose a kernel density-based regression estimate (KDRE) that is adaptive to the unknown error distribution. The key idea is to approximate the likelihood function by using a nonparametric kernel density estimate of the error density based on some initial parameter estimate. The proposed estimate is shown to be asymptotically as efficient as the oracle MLE which assumes the error density were known. In addition, we propose an EM type algorithm to maximize the estimated likelihood function and show that the KDRE can be considered as an iterated weighted least squares estimate, which provides us some insights on the adaptiveness of KDRE to the unknown error distribution. Our Monte Carlo simulation studies show that, while comparable to the traditional LSE for normal errors, the proposed estimation procedure can have substantial efficiency gain for non normal errors. Moreover, the efficiency gain can be achieved even for a small sample size.     

The adaptive calibration of testing p-values

Abstract

In statistical hypothesis testing, a p-value is expected to be distributed as the uniform distribution on the interval (0, 1) under the null hypothesis. However, some p-values, such as the generalized p-value and the posterior predictive p-value, cannot be assured of this property. In this paper, we propose an adaptive p-value calibration approach, and show that the calibrated p-value is asymptotically distributed as the uniform distribution. For Behrens–Fisher problem and goodness-of-fit test under a normal model, the calibrated p-values are constructed and their behavior is evaluated numerically. Simulations show that the calibrated p-values are superior than original ones.     

Asymptotic convergence of dimension reduction based boosting in classification

In high dimensional classification problem, two stage method, reducing the dimension of predictor first and then applying the classification method, is a natural solution and has been widely used in many fields. The consistency of the two stage method is an important issue, since errors induced by dimension reduction method inevitably have impacts on the following classification method. As an effective method for classification problem, boosting has been widely used in practice. In this paper, we study the consistency of two stage method–dimension reduction based boosting algorithm (briefly DRB) for classification problem. Theoretical results show that Lipschitz condition on the base learner is required to guarantee the consistency of DRB. This theoretical findings provide useful guideline for application.     

人力资本投资的社会收益估算

人力资本的社会收益是各国政治家、经济学家和发展战略家都十分关注的问题,但由于人力资本的不可触摸性、投资和收益的长期性,及其数据支撑的缺乏性,我国并未对此问题展开卓有成效的实证研究。本文从人力资本价值估算的成本法和收入法寻找到新的数据来源支撑人力资本社会收益估算,并将内部收益率法和净现值结合,修正了内部收益率法,提出了"差分回报"计算人力资本社会收益的方法。估算了1995-2009年全国及代表性省份的人力资本收益总额及其收益率水平。结果表明,15年来全国及各省份人力资本投资收益额只有小幅增长,而收益率则呈下降趋势,全国及代表省份人力资本投资收益额与GDP之比的下降幅度更为显著。     

收入分布函数在收入不平等研究领域的应用

收入分布函数的研究对于收入不平等的探讨意义重大,但是国内该领域的研究尚待进一步的拓展。笔者在文献回顾的基础上梳理了国外的相关研究,把常用的分布函数分成两参数分布和多参数分布函数两类,介绍了各类函数拟合居民实际收入分布的效果及其与基尼系数的关系;同时,本文剖析了各类函数之间的内在联系;进一步,基于分布函数的角度,笔者研究了收入流动性与收入不平等之间的联系,分析了平均数和中位数比值与基尼系数之间的数学关系以及如何利用该比值来估计分布函数的参数。利用这些研究结果,文章探讨了2010年我国城镇居民的收入结构和贫困问题并提出了一些前瞻性的研究建议。     

Likelihood Ratio Order of m-Spacings in Multiple-Outlier Models

This article deals with the multiple-outlier exponential model. The likelihood ratio order between m-spacings of the combined sample is developed, some results extend the conclusions on simple spacings in Wen et al. (2007 Wen , S. , Lu , Q. , Hu , T. ( 2007 ). Likelihood ratio order of spacings of heterogeneous exponential random variables . J. Multivariate Anal. 98 : 743 – 756 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]).     

Some characterization results for parallel systems with two heterogeneous exponential components

In this paper, we study ordering properties of lifetimes of parallel systems with two independent heterogeneous exponential components in terms of the likelihood ratio order (reversed hazard rate order) and the hazard rate order (stochastic order). We establish, among others, that the weakly majorization order between two hazard rate vectors is equivalent to the likelihood ratio order (reversed hazard rate order) between lifetimes of two parallel systems, and that the p-larger order between two hazard rate vectors is equivalent to the hazard rate order (stochastic order) between lifetimes of two parallel systems. Moreover, we extend the results to the proportional hazard rate models. The results derived here strengthen and generalize some of the results known in the literature.