Sequential procedures based on M-estimators with discontinuous score functions

Bounded-width sequential confidence intervals and sequential tests for regression parameter based on M-estimators are extended to the case where the score-functions generating the M-estimators have jump-discontinuities. In the context of the asymptotic normality of the stopping variable, for the confidence interval problem, it is observed that the jump-discontinuities induce a slower rate of convergence. The proofs of the main theorems rest on the weak convergence of some related processes and this is also studied.     

A New Look at the Psychometric Paradigm of Perception of Hazards

The psychometric paradigm has been the most influential model in the field of risk analysis. The "cognitive maps" of hazards produced by the paradigm seem to explain how laypeople perceive the various risks they face. Because most of the studies used aggregated data, analyzed using principal component analysis, it is not known whether the model neglects individual differences in risk perception. There has been much criticism on the fact that few studies have examined individual differences in the cognitive representation of hazards. In order to detect and describe the internal structure of the three-way data, we conducted a three-way component analysis (3MPCA). Data for the present analysis were derived from a mail survey conducted in Switzerland. Participants were asked to judge 9 attributes for 26 hazards. Individual differences in the cognitive representation of hazards were correlated with external variables (e.g., general trust). The results suggest that methods permitting individual differences should be used more frequently and that utilizing different methods could provide greater insight into the cognitive representation of risks.     

市场导向下的西部民族地区内生式发展研究

面对中国经济非均衡发展现状,缩小区域差距成为西部民族经济转型的关键动因。立足西部民族地区发展现状,转变经济发展方式是经济转型的占优选择。分析西部民族经济发展条件,市场主导下的内生式发展是其转变发展方式的正确方向,现代循环经济模式则是实践这一转变的占优路径。     

长株潭地区金融发展对产业集群影响的实证研究

产业集群是区域经济增长的内在动力,对优化经济结构和提升区域核心竞争优势起着至关重要的作用。集群的健康快速发展是长株潭“两型”示范区建设的关键路径,这需要金融的有效支持。基于2001-2010年湖南省长株潭地区的面板数据,以金融相关比率与金融效率两个指标测量金融发展水平,对该地区产业集群与金融发展水平二者之间的关系进行了实证分析。研究结果表明,长株潭地区金融发展对该地区产业集群的发展具有正向且显著的促进作用。结合“两型”社会实验区的背景,提出应注重培育和发展“两型”产业集群,从提升金融总量、创新金融服务模式与产品等方面促进集群发展与升级。     

我国西部开发中政府财政投资政策的思考

当前,西部大开发已进入一个新的发展阶段,运用财政政策推动西部开发,充分发挥财政投资政策的导向功能和作用,这将是极大推动西部经济的重要举措.从目前西部地区国家财政投资的现状来看,投入还相对薄弱.未来西部地区国家财政投资的方向和重点是:继续支持社会公共基础设施建设;着力强化农牧业的基础地位;对支柱产业给予支持;大力扶持高新技术产业发展.同时在完善国家财政投资政策的基础上,还要正确处理好几个关系.     

Time Series Modeling of Degradation Due to Outdoor Weathering

Environmental variables have an important effect on the reliability of many products such as coatings and polymeric composites. Long-term prediction of the performance or service life of such products must take into account the probabilistic/stochastic nature of the outdoor weather. In this article, we propose a time series modeling procedure to model the time series data of daily accumulated degradation. Daily accumulated degradation is the total amount of degradation accrued within one day and can be obtained by using a degradation rate model for the product and the weather data. The fitted model of the time series can then be used to estimate the future distribution of cumulative degradation over a period of time, and to compute reliability measures such as the probability of failure. The modeling technique and estimation method are illustrated using the degradation of a solar reflector material. We also provide a method to construct approximate confidence intervals for the probability of failure.     

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.     

Pseudo New Modified Latin Square (NML m (m)) Type PBIB Designs

A New Modified Latin square [NML _i (m)] association scheme with i constraints for v = m ² treatments was introduced by Garg (2008 Garg , D. K. ( 2008 ). New modified Latin square (NMLi) type PBIB designs . J. Math. Syst. Sci. 1 ( 4 ): 83 – 89 . [Google Scholar]). In this article, a new association scheme known as Pseudo New Modified Latin square [Pseudo NML _m (m)] type association scheme is defined. The parameters of Pseudo NML _m (m) association scheme turned out to be parameters of NML _i (m) association scheme by taking i = m in NML _i (m) association scheme. The Pseudo NML _m (m) association scheme will be the usual NML _m (m) association scheme when m is a prime or a prime power. The PBIB designs following Pseudo NML _m (m) association scheme will be called the Pseudo NML _m (m) type PBIB designs. Analysis of Pseudo NML _m (m) designs along with a construction method of these designs is also given in this article.     

Empirical Likelihood Inference for the Parameter in Additive Partially Linear EV Models

In this article, we consider empirical likelihood inference for the parameter in the additive partially linear models when the linear covariate is measured with error. By correcting for attenuation, a corrected-attenuation empirical log-likelihood ratio statistic for the unknown parameter β, which is of primary interest, is suggested. We show that the proposed statistic is asymptotically standard chi-square distribution without requiring the undersmoothing of the nonparametric components, and hence it can be directly used to construct the confidence region for the parameter β. Some simulations indicate that, in terms of comparison between coverage probabilities and average lengths of the confidence intervals, the proposed method performs better than the profile-based least-squares method. We also give the maximum empirical likelihood estimator (MELE) for the unknown parameter β, and prove the MELE is asymptotically normal under some mild conditions.