Calibration for Randomized Response Estimators

In the present article, we consider the calibration procedure for the Warner's and Mangat–Singh's (:M–S) randomized response survey estimators using auxiliary information associated with the variable of interest. In the calibration procedure, we can use auxiliary information such as age, gender, and income for the respondents of RR questions from an external source, and then the classical RR estimators can be improved with respect to the problems of noncoverage or nonresponse. From the efficiency comparison study, we show that the calibration estimators are more efficient than those of Warner's and Mangat-Singh's when the known population cell and marginal counts of auxiliary information are used for the calibration procedure.     

Semiparametric Estimation in Transformation Models with Cure Fraction

Semiparametric transformation model has been extensively investigated in the literature. The model, however, has little dealt with survival data with cure fraction. In this article, we consider a class of semi-parametric transformation models, where an unknown transformation of the survival times with cure fraction is assumed to be linearly related to the covariates and the error distributions are parametrically specified by an extreme value distribution with unknown parameters. Estimators for the coefficients of covariates are obtained from pseudo Z-estimator procedures allowing censored observations. We show that the estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. The bootstrap estimation of the variances of the estimators is also investigated.     

Nonparametric Estimation for FBSDEs Models with Applications in Finance

As a continuous-time model, forward-backward stochastic differential equations (in short FBSDEs) have been successfully applied in mathematical finance, e.g., European option pricing for either a small or a large investor in a Markovian market. However, the correct FBSDEs model for a specific topic can neither be provided automatically by financial market nor derived from theory of mathematical finance. In this article, a nonparametric FBSDEs model is adopted for its flexibility and robustness, and the estimators of the functional coefficients of the FBSDEs model are obtained. The asymptotic properties of the estimators are also discussed. A simulation is performed to test the feasibility of our method.     

Nonparametric Bayesian Analysis of Competing Risks Problem with Masked Data

Bayesian analysis of system failure data under a competing-failure framework is considered when the failure causes have not been exactly identified but narrowed down to a subset of all potential failure causes. The usual assumption of independence of failure causes is relaxed. We obtain the posterior distribution of the joint survival function, assuming a Dirichlet process prior, and derive the limiting posterior distribution. We show that the posterior estimate of the reliability of the series system of interest in practice is consistent. A numerical example shows that our approach is feasible.     

Strong consistency of the general rank estimator

In this article, we consider a general regression model. We are concerned with the study of the rank estimator of the regression coefficients. Strong consistency of the resulting estimator is established under mild conditions.     

Stochastic properties and parameter estimation for a general load-sharing system

We study here a general load-sharing parallel system in which the lifetimes of the components of the system are arbitrary continuous random variables. The system functions if at least one component in the system functions and the surviving unit shares the whole load. Some sufficient conditions are obtained for the usual stochastic order between two different load-sharing systems. We then consider the optimal allocation problem of one load standby in a series system with two independent components. Finally, the maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters for some specific systems is discussed.     

The distribution of the Liu-type estimator of the biasing parameter in elliptically contoured models

We derive the density function of the stochastic shrinkage parameters of the Liu-type estimator in elliptical models. The correctness of derivation is checked by simulations. A real data application is also provided.     

Asymptotic properties of maximum quasi-likelihood estimator in quasi-likelihood non linear models with stochastic regression

In this paper, we establish the asymptotic properties of maximum quasi-likelihood estimator (MQLE) in quasi-likelihood non linear models (QLNMs) with stochastic regression under some mild regular conditions. We also investigate the existence, strong consistency, and asymptotic normality of MQLE in QLNMs with stochastic regression.     

A New Robust Regression Method Based on Particle Swarm Optimization

Regression analysis is one of methods widely used in prediction problems. Although there are many methods used for parameter estimation in regression analysis, ordinary least squares (OLS) technique is the most commonly used one among them. However, this technique is highly sensitive to outlier observation. Therefore, in literature, robust techniques are suggested when data set includes outlier observation. Besides, in prediction a problem, using the techniques that reduce the effectiveness of outlier and using the median as a target function rather than an error mean will be more successful in modeling these kinds of data. In this study, a new parameter estimation method using the median of absolute rate obtained by division of the difference between observation values and predicted values by the observation value and based on particle swarm optimization was proposed. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated with a simulation study by comparing it with OLS and some other robust methods in the literature.     

Comparison of the Iterative Stein-Rule and the Usual Estimators of the Disturbance Variance Under the Pitman Nearness Criterion in a Linear Regression Model with Proxy Variables

In a linear regression model with proxy variables, the iterative Stein-rule estimator and the usual estimator of the disturbance variance is compared under the Pitman Nearness Criterion. The exact expression of Pitman Nearness probability is derived and numerically evaluated.