Analysis of Competing Risks by Using Bayesian Smoothing

We consider the competing risks set-up. In many practical situations, the conditional probability of the cause of failure given the failure time is of direct interest. We propose to model the competing risks by the overall hazard rate and the conditional probabilities rather than the cause-specific hazards. We adopt a Bayesian smoothing approach for both quantities of interest. Illustrations are given at the end.     

On the Critical Value Behaviour of Multiple Decision Procedures

In this paper we investigate the asymptotic critical value behaviour of certain multiple decision procedures as e.g. simultaneous confidence intervals and simultaneous as well as stepwise multiple test procedures. Supposing that n hypotheses or parameters of interest are under consideration we investigate the critical value behaviour when n increases. More specifically, we answer e.g. the question by which amount the lengths of confidence intervals increase when an additional parameter is added to the statistical analysis. Furthermore, critical values of different multiple decision procedures as for instance step-down and step-up procedures will be compared. Some general theoretic results are derived and applied for various distributions.     

Seasonal forcing on the dynamics ofClethrionomys rufocanus: Modeling geographic gradients in population dynamics

We interpret gradients in population dynamics of the gray-sided vole from the southwestern part of the island of Hokkaido to its northeastern part within the framework of a phenomenological model involving the relative length of summer and winter. In Hokkaido, as in other northern regions, both spring and fall is considered as short transition periods between the two main seasons — summer (the primary breeding season) and winter (the non-reproductive or secondary breeding season). We show that the geographic transition in dynamics may be understood as the combined consequence of different patterns of density-dependence during summer and winter, and geographically varying season lengths. Differences are shown to exist between summer and winter with respect to strength of density-dependence. Direct density-dependence, in particular, is stronger during winter than during summer. A model is presented to show how relative lengths of seasons can induce both stable and periodically fluctuating population dynamics. The results are compared and contrasted with what is otherwise known about the gradient in rodent dynamics in Fennoscandia.     

长江流域城市人口分布及空间相关性研究

本文选取长江流域104个城市人口样本作为研究对象,采用人口分布的结构指数和空间自相关分析方法,以及借用GIS技术来研究长江流域城市人口分布的空间动态特征和城市人口之间的功能联系。结果表明,长江流域城市人口空间结构呈均衡发展态势;人口密度分布呈现趋同趋势;城市人口与邻近城市人口之间的空间正相关要多于空间负相关;长江流域城市人口之间的空间关联性被分为八种类型。     

地区间个人收入差距的状况及特点(英文)

在地区收入差距的文献中,一直缺乏从个人收入角度出发的研究;而关于个人收入分配的研究,也很少考察地区差异。文章使用2005年全国1％人口普查数据,从个人收入角度描述了全国及（几种不同定义下的）地区间的个人收入差距,并分析了影响个人收入差距的因素,得到了一些有意义的结果。     

浅析改进物流配送体系促进电子商务发展

本文从电子商务发展中的物流配送瓶颈出发,论述电子商务环境下我国物流配送存在的现实问题,总结了物流配送的两种基本模式,并进一步探讨物流配送要适应电子商务发展新要求的有关对策,提出了物流配送如何改进的方法,使电子商务产业符合快捷、高效、低成本、个性化的配送要求。     

Robustness of Parameter Estimation Procedures in Multilevel Models When Random Effects are MEP Distributed

In this paper we examine maximum likelihood estimation procedures in multilevel models for two level nesting structures. Usually, for fixed effects and variance components estimation, level-one error terms and random effects are assumed to be normally distributed. Nevertheless, in some circumstances this assumption might not be realistic, especially as concerns random effects. Thus we assume for random effects the family of multivariate exponential power distributions (MEP); subsequently, by means of Monte Carlo simulation procedures, we study robustness of maximum likelihood estimators under normal assumption when, actually, random effects are MEP distributed.     

Some characterizations of discrete distributions based on weak records

Let X ₁, X ₂,... be iid random variables (rv's) with the support on nonnegative integers and let (W _n , n≥0) denote the corresponding sequence of weak record values. We obtain new characterization of geometric and some other discrete distributions based on different forms of partial independence of rv's W _n and W _n+r —W _n for some fixed n≥0 and r≥1. We also prove that rv's W ₀ and W _n+1 —W _n have identical distribution if and only if (iff) the underlying distribution is geometric.     

BATHTUB-TYPE CURVES IN RELIABILITY AND BEYOND

Finding optimal, or at least good, maintenance and repair policies is crucial in reliability engineering. Likewise, describing life phases of human mortality is important when determining social policy or insurance premiums. In these tasks, one searches for distributions to fit data and then makes inferences about the population(s). In the present paper, we focus on bathtub‐type distributions and provide a view of certain problems, methods and solutions, and a few challenges, that can be encountered in reliability engineering, survival analysis, demography and actuarial science.