A Matrix Variate Closed Skew-Normal Distribution with Applications to Stochastic Frontier Analysis

In this article, we introduce the matrix extension of the closed skew-normal distribution and give two constructions for it: a marginal one and another based on hidden truncation. Important basic properties of the distribution are presented such as its closure under linear transformation and moment generating function. We also give distributional results for quadratic forms involving random matrices distributed according to two particular cases of it. Using an additive construction, we derive a submodel which can be employed to describe the compound error structure of a very general multivariate stochastic frontier model. Finally, we consider the skew-elliptical extension of the proposed distribution.     

Marshall–Olkin Extended Lomax Distribution and Its Application to Censored Data

The problem of making statistical inference about θ =P(X > Y) has been under great investigation in the literature using simple random sampling (SRS) data. This problem arises naturally in the area of reliability for a system with strength X and stress Y. In this study, we will consider making statistical inference about θ using ranked set sampling (RSS) data. Several estimators are proposed to estimate θ using RSS. The properties of these estimators are investigated and compared with known estimators based on simple random sample (SRS) data. The proposed estimators based on RSS dominate those based on SRS. A motivated example using real data set is given to illustrate the computation of the newly suggested estimators.     

Testing for spherical symmetry via the empirical characteristic function

Kolmogorov–Smirnov-type and Cramér–von Mises-type goodness-of-fit tests are proposed for the null hypothesis that the distribution of a random vector X is spherically symmetric. The test statistics utilize the fact that X has a spherical symmetric distribution if, and only if, the characteristic function of X is constant over surfaces of spheres centred at the origin. Both tests come in convenient forms that are straightforwardly applicable with the computer. The asymptotic null distribution of the test statistics as well as the consistency of the tests is investigated under general conditions. Since both the finite sample and the asymptotic null distribution depend on the unknown distribution of the Euclidean norm of X, a conditional Monte Carlo procedure is used to actually carry out the tests. Results on the behaviour of the test in finite-samples are included along with a real-data example.     

Some count-based nonparametric tests for circular symmetry of a bivariate distribution

In this paper, we revisit the problem of testing of the hypothesis of circular symmetry of a bivariate distribution. We propose some nonparametric tests based on sector counts. These include tests based on chi-square goodness-of-fit test, the classical likelihood ratio, mean deviation, and the range. The proposed tests are easy to implement and the exact null distributions for small sample sizes of the test statistics are obtained. Two examples with small and large data sets are given to illustrate the application of the tests proposed. For small and moderate sample sizes, the performances of the proposed tests are evaluated using empirical powers (empirical sizes are also reported). Also, we evaluate the performance of these count-based tests with adaptations of several well-known tests such as the Kolmogorov–Smirnov-type tests, tests based on kernel density estimator, and the Wilcoxon-type tests. It is observed that among the count-based tests the likelihood ratio test performs better.     

Indigenous Psychology: Grounding Science in Culture,Why and How?

My agenda is to ground psychological science in culture by using complex rather than overly simple models of culture and using indigenous categories as criteria of a translation test to determine the adequacy of scientific models of culture. I first explore the compatibility between Chinese indigenous categories and complex models of culture, by casting in the theoretical framework of symmetry and symmetry breaking (Bolender, 2010) a series of translations performed on Fiske's (1991) relational models theory. Next, I show how the dimensional approach to culture, prevalent in mainstream psychology, fails the translation test. Ethical implications of this analysis for cross cultural psychology are discussed.     

A weighted test of internal symmetry

This study examines extensions of McNemar's Test with multinomial responses, and proposes a linear weighting scheme, based on the distance of the response change, that is applied to one of these extensions (Bowker's test). This weighted version of Bowker's test is then appropriate for ordinal response variables. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to examine the Type I error rate of the weighted Bowker's test for a cross-classification table based on a five-category ordinal response scale. The weighted Bowker's test was also applied to a data set involving change in student attitudes towards mathematics. The results of the weighted Bowker's test were compared with the results of Bowker's test applied to the same set of data.     

我国商事登记制度的理论深化与实践分析——以《企业信息公示暂行条例》的颁布为视角

2014 年10 月1 日《企业信息公示暂行条例》（以下简称《条例》）的正式实施,从信息公示的角度解决了新 《公司法》颁布后引发的债权人保护的问题。但是,《条例》的位阶与《公司法》不具有对称性,其具体内容也需完善。 而企业信息公示制度是商事登记制度中的重要内容。长期以来,理论界对商事登记的法律性质争论不休,其中颇具代 表性的“公法行为说”、“私法行为说”与“双重性质说”均不能揭示商事登记的法律性质,而“法律事实记录环节说”准 确地揭示了商事登记的法律性质。《条例》的公布实施,对构建我国商事登记制度大有裨益。但《条例》还存在着对公 示信息真实性要求不明确具体、对企业信用等级区分不细等不足,应通过引入公证制度、建立企业信用评级制度来予 以完善。     

Valuation of Equity-indexed Annuities with Stochastic Interest Rate and Jump Diffusion

This article considers the pricing of equity-indexed annuity (EIA). By employing the change of measure technique, we derive the closed-form solutions for the prices of both point-to-point and annual reset equity-indexed annuities. We also provide numerical results to illustrate the method and computational efficiency of our simulation scheme and the effects of various model parameters on the participation rate.     

语言象似性视角下的翻译研究——以杨宪益、戴乃迭英译《阿Q正传》为例

从篇章象似性的视角出发,考察杨宪益、戴乃迭翻译的《阿Q正传》英译本中两类对称象似性——重复和排比的处理方法。通过对比分析,品评不同处理方式的得失,指出翻译过程中应做到形式对等,尽可能地再现原文中具有表现意义的象似性,以实现译文与原文“形神皆似”。     

Variability explained by covariates in linear mixed‐effect models for longitudinal data

Variability explained by covariates or explained variance is a well‐known concept in assessing the importance of covariates for dependent outcomes. In this paper we study R² statistics of explained variance pertinent to longitudinal data under linear mixed‐effect models, where the R² statistics are computed at two different levels to measure, respectively, within‐ and between‐subject variabilities explained by the covariates. By deriving the limits of R² statistics, we find that the interpretation of explained variance for the existing R² statistics is clear only in the case where the covariance matrix of the outcome vector is compound symmetric. Two new R² statistics are proposed to address the effect of time‐dependent covariate means. In the general case where the outcome covariance matrix is not compound symmetric, we introduce the concept of compound symmetry projection and use it to define level‐one and level‐two R² statistics. Numerical results are provided to support the theoretical findings and demonstrate the performance of the R² statistics. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 38: 352–368; 2010 © 2010 Statistical Society of Canada