On the Comparison of Two Ordinal Responses

Responses of two groups, measured on the same ordinal scale, are compared through the column effect association model, applied on the corresponding 2 × J contingency table. Monotonic or umbrella shaped ordering for the scores of the model are related to stochastic or umbrella ordering of the underlying response distributions, respectively. An algorithm for testing all possible hypotheses of stochastic ordering and deciding on an appropriate one is proposed.     

Estimation for Stochastic Models Driven by Laplace Motion

Laplace motion is a Lévy process built upon Laplace distributions. Non Gaussian stochastic fields that are integrals with respect to this process are considered and methods for their model fitting are discussed. The proposed procedures allow for inference about the parameters of the underlying Laplace distributions. A fit of dependence structure is also addressed. The importance of a convenient parameterization that admits natural and consistent estimation for this class of models is emphasized. Several parameterizations are introduced and their advantages over one another discussed. The proposed estimation method targets the standard characteristics: mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis. Their sample equivalents are matched in the closest possible way as allowed by natural constraints within this class. A simulation study and an example of potential applications conclude the article.     

Estimation in Singular Linear Models with Stochastic Linear Restrictions and Linear Equality Restrictions

This article is concerned with the parameter estimation in a singular linear regression model with stochastic linear restrictions and linear equality restrictions simultaneously. A new estimator is introduced and it is proved that the proposed estimator is superior to the least squares estimator and singular mixed estimator in the mean squared error sense under certain conditions.     

Local Linear Estimation of Recurrent Jump—Diffusion Models

In this article, we provide a nonparametric estimation of first and second infinitesimal moments of the underlying jump diffusion model. We show that under certain regularity conditions the nonparametric estimations of first and second infinitesimal moments based on the local linear estimator are consistent and asymptotically follow normal distributions.     

A Generalized Chain Binomial Model with Aggregated Data

In large cohort studies it can be impractical to report individual data that only summary or aggregated data are available. Using aggregated data from Bernoulli trials is expected to result in overdispersion so that a quasi-binomial approach would seem feasible. We show that when applied to aggregated data arising from cohorts of individuals according to a chain binomial model, the quasi-binomial model results in biased estimates. We propose an alternate calibration estimator and demonstrate its improved performance by simulations. The calibration method is then applied to model the probability of leaving a personal emergency link service in Hong Kong.     

Multivariate Aging with Archimedean Dependence Structures in High Dimensions

Bivariate aging notions for a vector X of lifetimes based on stochastic comparisons between X and X _t, where X _t is the multivariate residual lifetime after time t > 0, have been studied in Pellerey (2008 Pellerey , F. ( 2008 ). On univariate and bivariate aging for dependent lifetimes with Archimedean survival copulas . Kybernetika 44 : 795 – 806 .[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) under the assumption that the dependence structure in X is described by an Archimedean survival copula. Similar stochastic comparisons between X _t and X _t+s, for all t; s > 0, were considered in Mulero and Pellerey (2010 Mulero , J. , Pellerey , F. ( 2010 ). Bivariate aging properties under Archimedean dependence structures . Commun. Statist. Theor. Meth. 39 : 3108 – 3121 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). In this article, these results are generalized and extended to the multivariate case. Two illustrative examples are also provided.     

The Homogeneous Markov System (HMS) as an Elastic Medium. The Three-Dimensional Case

Every attainable structure of the so-called continuous-time Homogeneous Markov System (HMS) with fixed size and state space S = {1, 2,…, n} is considered as a particle of R ⁿ and, consequently, the motion of the structure corresponds to the motion of the particle. Under the assumption that “the motion of every particle-structure at every time point is due to its interaction with its surroundings,” R ⁿ becomes a continuum (Tsaklidis, 1998 Tsaklidis , G. ( 1998 ). The continuous time homogeneous Markov system with fixed size as a Newtonian fluid? Appl. Stoch. Mod. Data Anal. 13 : 177 – 182 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). Then the evolution of the set of the attainable structures corresponds to the motion of the continuum. For the case of a three-state HMS it is stated that the concept of the two-dimensional isotropic elasticity can further be used to interpret the three-state HMS's evolution.     

SCAD-Penalized Least Absolute Deviation Regression in High-Dimensional Models

When outliers and/or heavy-tailed errors exist in linear models, the least absolute deviation (LAD) regression is a robust alternative to the ordinary least squares regression. Existing variable-selection methods in linear models based on LAD regression either only consider the finite number of predictors or lack the oracle property associated with the estimator. In this article, we focus on the variable selection via LAD regression with a diverging number of parameters. The rate of convergence of the LAD estimator with the smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) penalty function is established. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, under certain regularity conditions, the penalized estimator with a properly selected tuning parameter enjoys the oracle property. In addition, the rank correlation screening method originally proposed by Li et al. (2011 Li, G.R., Peng, H., Zhu, L.X. (2011). Nonconcave penalized M-estimation with a diverging number of parameters. Statistica Sinica 21:391–419.[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) is applied to deal with ultrahigh dimensional data. Simulation studies are conducted for revealing the finite sample performance of the estimator. We further illustrate the proposed methodology by a real example.     

Further results on discrete mean past lifetime

Abstract

The present paper aims at studying the mean past lifetime of a discrete random variable. The notion of discrete mean past lifetime is studied in relation to the concepts of reversed hazard rate, reversed lack of memory property, and cumulative past entropy. New classes of distributions characterized by particular forms of discrete mean past life are also investigated. Implications of an increasing mean past lifetime on other reliability notions are studied and finally some bivariate generalizations are discussed.     

Stochastic comparisons of two-unit repairable systems

Abstract

We consider two models of two-unit repairable systems: cold standby system and warm standby system. We suppose that the lifetimes and repair times of the units are all independent exponentially distributed random variables. Using stochastic orders we compare the lifetimes of systems under different assumptions on the parameters of exponential distributions. We also consider a cold standby system where the lifetimes and repair times of its units are not necessarily exponentially distributed.