Testing Monotonicity of Regression Functions – An Empirical Process Approach

We propose several new tests for monotonicity of regression functions based on different empirical processes of residuals and pseudo‐residuals. The residuals are obtained from an unconstrained kernel regression estimator whereas the pseudo‐residuals are obtained from an increasing regression estimator. Here, in particular, we consider a recently developed simple kernel‐based estimator for increasing regression functions based on increasing rearrangements of unconstrained non‐parametric estimators. The test statistics are estimated distance measures between the regression function and its increasing rearrangement. We discuss the asymptotic distributions, consistency and small sample performances of the tests.     

Flexible Copula Density Estimation with Penalized Hierarchical B‐splines

The paper introduces a new method for flexible spline fitting for copula density estimation. Spline coefficients are penalized to achieve a smooth fit. To weaken the curse of dimensionality, instead of a full tensor spline basis, a reduced tensor product based on so called sparse grids (Notes Numer. Fluid Mech. Multidiscip. Des., 31, 1991, 241‐251) is used. To achieve uniform margins of the copula density, linear constraints are placed on the spline coefficients, and quadratic programming is used to fit the model. Simulations and practical examples accompany the presentation.     

A Lagrangian Non Central Negative Binomial Distribution of the First Kind

A Lagrangian probability distribution of the first kind is proposed. Its probability mass function is expressed in terms of generalized Laguerre polynomials or, equivalently, a generalized hypergeometric function. The distribution may also be formulated as a Charlier series distribution generalized by the generalizing Consul distribution and a non central negative binomial distribution generalized by the generalizing Geeta distribution. This article studies formulation and properties of the distribution such as mixture, dispersion, recursive formulas, conditional distribution and the relationship with queuing theory. Two illustrative examples of application to fitting are given.     

A new test for the extreme value distribution

In this paper a test statistic which is a modification of the W statistic for testing the goodness of fit for the two paremeter extreme value (smallest element) distribution is proposed. The test statistic Is obtained as the ratio of two linear estimates of the scale parameter. It Is shown that the suggested statistic is computationally simple and has good power properties. Percentage points of the statistic are obtained by performing Monte Carlo experiments. An example is given to illustrate the test procedure.     

Optimal allocation of time points for the random effects model

In this article the problem of the optimal selection and allocation of time points in repeated measures experiments is considered. D‐ optimal designs for linear regression models with a random intercept and first order auto‐regressive serial correlations are computed numerically and compared with designs having equally spaced time points. When the order of the polynomial is known and the serial correlations are not too small, the comparison shows that for any fixed number of repeated measures, a design with equally spaced time points is almost as efficient as the D‐ optimal design. When, however, there is no prior knowledge about the order of the underlying polynomial, the best choice in terms of efficiency is a D‐ optimal design for the highest possible relevant order of the polynomial. A design with equally‐spaced time points is the second best choice     

Predictive inference for linear and multivariate linear models with ma(1) error processes

The prediction distributions of future responses from the linear and multivariate linear models with errors having a first order moving average (MA(1)) process have been derived. First, we obtained the marginal likelihood function for the moving average parameter 6 and from this likelihood function we estimate the maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) of θ. Using the estimated value θ, we have derived the prediction distributions as well as prediction regions for the future responses. An example has been included.     

Generalized polya eggenberger family of distributions and its relation to lagrangian katz family

Janardan (1973) introduced the generalized Polya Eggenberger family of distributions (GPED) as a limiting distribution of the generalized Markov-Polya distribution (GMPD). Janardan and Rao (1982) gave a number of characterizing properties of the generalized Markov-Polya and generalized Polya Eggenberger distributions. Here, the GPED family characterized by four parameters, is formally defined and studied. The probability generating function, its moments, and certain recurrence relations with the moments are provided. The Lagrangian Katz family of distributions (Consul and Famoye (1996)) is shown to be a sub-class of the family of GPED (or GPED ₁ ) as it is called in this paper). A generalized Polya Eggenberger distribution of the second kind (GPED ₂ ) is also introduced and some of it's properties are given. Recurrence relations for the probabilities of GPED ₁ and GPED ₂ are given. A number of other structural and characteristic properties of the GPED ₁ are provided, from which the properties of Lagrangian Katz family follow. The parameters of GMPD ₁ are estimated by the method of moments and the maximum likelihood method. An application is provided.     

Reliability Characteristics of the Maxwell Distribution: A Bayes Estimation Study

ABSTRACT

This article presents maximum likelihood, Bayes, and empirical Bayes estimators of the truncated first moment and hazard function of the Maxwell distribution. A comparison of the relative efficiency of these three estimators is performed via a Monte Carlo simulation study.     

Estimation in an empirical bayes model for longitudinal and cross‐sectionally clustered binary data

Some studies generate data that can be grouped into clusters in more than one way. Consider for instance a smoking prevention study in which responses on smoking status are collected over several years in a cohort of students from a number of different schools. This yields longitudinal data, also cross‐sectionaliy clustered in schools. The authors present a model for analyzing binary data of this type, combining generalized estimating equations and estimation of random effects to address the longitudinal and cross‐sectional dependence, respectively. The estimation procedure for this model is discussed, as are the results of a simulation study used to investigate the properties of its estimates. An illustration using data from a smoking prevention trial is given.     

Correlation in a Bayesian framework

The authors consider the correlation between two arbitrary functions of the data and a parameter when the parameter is regarded as a random variable with given prior distribution. They show how to compute such a correlation and use closed form expressions to assess the dependence between parameters and various classical or robust estimators thereof, as well as between p‐values and posterior probabilities of the null hypothesis in the one‐sided testing problem. Other applications involve the Dirichlet process and stationary Gaussian processes. Using this approach, the authors also derive a general nonparametric upper bound on Bayes risks.