Generalized method of moments for an extended gamma process

In reliability theory, a widely used process to model the phenomena of the cumulative deterioration of a system over time is the standard gamma process (SGP). Based on several restrictions, such as a constant variance-to-mean ratio, this process is not always a suitable choice to describe the deterioration. A way to overcome these restrictions is to use an extended version of the gamma process introduced by Cinlar (1980), which is characterized by shape and scale functions. In this article, the aim is to propose statistical methods to estimate the unknown parameters of parametric forms of the shape and scale functions. We here develop two generalized methods of moments (Hansen 1982 Hansen, L. P. 1982. Large sample properties of generalized method of moments estimators. Econometrica 50 (4):1029–54.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), based either on the moments or on the Laplace transform of an extended gamma process. Asymptotic properties are provided and a Wald-type test is derived, which allows to test SGPs against extended ones with a specific parametric shape function. Also, the performance of the proposed estimation methods is illustrated on simulated and real data.     

Robust estimation for linear regression with asymmetric errors

The authors propose a new class of robust estimators for the parameters of a regression model in which the distribution of the error terms belongs to a class of exponential families including the log‐gamma distribution. These estimates, which are a natural extension of the MM‐estimates for ordinary regression, may combine simultaneously high asymptotic efficiency and a high breakdown point. The authors prove the consistency and derive the asymptotic normal distribution of these estimates. A Monte Carlo study allows them to assess the efficiency and robustness of these estimates for finite samples.     

LOG-LINEAR MODELS FOR MEAN AND DISPERSION IN MIXED POISSON REGRESSION MODELS

This paper is concerned with the analysis of repeated measures count data overdispersed relative to a Poisson distribution, with the overdispersion possibly heterogeneous. To accommodate the overdispersion, the Poisson random variable is compounded with a gamma random variable, and both the mean of the Poisson and the variance of the gamma are modelled using log linear models. Maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) are then obtained. The paper also gives extended quasi-likelihood estimates for a more general class of compounding distributions which are shown to be approximations to the MLEs obtained for the gamma case. The theory is illustrated by modelling the determination of asbestos fibre intensity on membrane filters mounted on microscope slides.     

A non‐linear model of fecundability,postpartum amenorrhea,and sterility*

This paper proposes a convolution model of fecundability, controling for the effects of postpartum amenorrhea and unobserved heterogeneity in fecundability. Simulation analysis was used to assess the validity and reliability of estimates derived from the model. Analysis showed that the model captured the mean and standard deviation of age at the onset of sterility in simulated populations where sterility followed either a Gompertz, a gamma, or a lognormal distribution. The model performed well when sterility was specified by either a lognormal or a gamma distribution. The model also accurately estimated fecundability and postpartum amenorrhea. Next, the model was found to fit data from 17th and 18th century French Canadian birth histories. In this French Canadian sample the mean age at sterility was found to be 46.3 years using a gamma model. The decline in fecundability was almost linear after age 30. Thus, fecundability at age 40 had declined to about one‐third of that observed at age 30. Variability in individual fecundability was quite high. For example, women with fecundability one standard deviation above the mean had about 2.3 times as high fecundability as women one standard deviation below the mean.     

Extended tables for moments of gamma distribution order statistics

Apart from having intrinsic mathematical interest, order statistics are also useful in the solution of many applied sampling and analysis problems. For a general review of the properties and uses of order statistics, see David (1981). This paper provides tabulations of means and variances of certain order statistics from the gamma distribution, for parameter values not previously available. The work was motivated by a particular quota sampling problem, for which existing tables are not adequate. The solution to this sampling problem actually requires the moments of the highest order statistic within a given set; however the calculation algorithm used involves a recurrence relation, which causes all the lower order statistics to be calculated first. Therefore we took the opportunity to develop more extensive tables for the gamma order statistic moments in general. Our tables provide values for the order statistic moments which were not available in previous tables, notably those for higher values of m, the gamma distribution shape parameter. However we have also retained the corresponding statistics for lower values of m, first to allow for checking accuracy of the computtions agtainst previous tables, and second to provide an integrated presentation of our new results with the previously known values in a consistent format     

A Note on Bias of Closed-Form Estimators for the Gamma Distribution Derived From Likelihood Equations

We discuss here an alternative approach for decreasing the bias of the closed-form estimators for the gamma distribution recently proposed by Ye and Chen in 2017. We show that, the new estimator has also closed-form expression, is positive, and can be computed for n?>?2. Moreover, the corrective approach returns better estimates when compared with the former ones.     

Risk measure estimation under two component mixture models with trimmed data

Several two component mixture models from the transformed gamma and transformed beta families are developed to assess risk performance. Their common statistical properties are given and applications to real insurance loss data are shown. A new data trimming approach for parameter estimation is proposed using the maximum likelihood estimation method. Assessment with respect to Value-at-Risk and Conditional Tail Expectation risk measures are presented. Of all the models examined, the mixture of inverse transformed gamma-Burr distributions consistently provides good results in terms of goodness-of-fit and risk estimation in the context of the Danish fire loss data.     

Bayes estimation of Moran–Downton bivariate exponential distribution based on censored samples

In this paper, we discuss a Bayesian estimation procedure for the parameters in a Moran–Downton bivariate exponential distribution based on complete and censored samples. A Markov-chain Monte Carlo method is used to obtain the Bayes estimates of the parameters. An intensive simulation experiment is conducted to study the performance of the proposed Bayesian estimation procedure. Discussions and suggestions are provided based on the simulation results. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the Bayesian estimation procedure developed here and some concluding remarks are provided.     

Inference on proportional hazard rate model parameter under Type-I progressively hybrid censoring scheme

ABSTRACT

In this paper, under Type-I progressive hybrid censoring sample, we obtain maximum likelihood estimator of unknown parameter when the parent distribution belongs to proportional hazard rate family. We derive the conditional probability density function of the maximum likelihood estimator using moment-generating function technique. The exact confidence interval is obtained and compared by conducting a Monte Carlo simulation study for burr Type XII distribution. Finally, we obtain the Bayes and posterior regret gamma minimax estimates of the parameter under a precautionary loss function with precautionary index k = 2 and compare their behavior via a Monte Carlo simulation study.     

Bayes sequential estimation in a life test and asymptotic properties

For a life test without replacement on M machines, assuming an exponential distribution for failure times, the Bayes sequential procedure for estimating the failure rate is studied. Estimation error is assumed to be measured by one of a family of loss functions, and the cost of sampling consists of a cost per machine failure c, >, 0 and a cost per unit time c > 0. Assuming a conjugate prior on 9, the Bayes sequential procedure and its asymptotic Bayesian and sampling theory properties are obtained as c1, z9 - 0 and M + jointly.