Bayes估计的进一步研究及其Pitman最优性

对线性模型参数,讨论了Bayes估计的Pitman最优性,将已有结果进行了改进,去掉了附加条件,证明了在Pitman准则下,Bayes估计一致优于最小二乘估计(LSE),在此基础上,提出了一种基于先验信息的方差分量估计,通过和基于LSE的方差分量估计作比较,证明了新估计是无偏估计且有更小的均方误差．最后,证明了在Pitman准则下生长曲线模型参数的Bayes估计优于最佳线性无偏估计．     

Least median of squares estimation by optimization heuristics with an application to the CAPM and a multi-factor model

For estimating the parameters of models for financial market data, the use of robust techniques is of particular interest. Conditional forecasts, based on the capital asset pricing model, and a factor model are considered. It is proposed to consider least median of squares estimators as one possible alternative to ordinary least squares. Given the complexity of the objective function for the least median of squares estimator, the estimates are obtained by means of optimization heuristics. The performance of two heuristics is compared, namely differential evolution and threshold accepting. It is shown that these methods are well suited to obtain least median of squares estimators for real world problems. Furthermore, it is analyzed to what extent parameter estimates and conditional forecasts differ between the two estimators. The empirical analysis considers daily and monthly data on some stocks from the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index.     

BAYESIAN ANALYSIS OF DATA WITH ONLY ONE FAILURE

The hearings of a certain type have their lives following a Weibull distribution. In a life test with 20 sets of bearings, only one set failed within the specified time, and none of the remainder failed even after the time of to estimate the reliabilWith a set of testing data like that in Table 1, it is required to estimate the reliability at the mission time, In this paper, we first use hierarchical Bayesian method of determine the prior distribution and the Bayesian estimates of various probabilities of failures, pi‘s, then use the method of least squares to estimate the parameters of the Weibull distribution and the reliability. Actual computation shows that the estimates so obtained are rather robust. And the results have been adopted for practical use.     

Full Bayesian analysis of claims reserving uncertainty

We revisit the gamma–gamma Bayesian chain-ladder (BCL) model for claims reserving in non-life insurance. This claims reserving model is usually used in an empirical Bayesian way using plug-in estimates for the variance parameters. The advantage of this empirical Bayesian framework is that allows us for closed form solutions. The main purpose of this paper is to develop the full Bayesian case also considering prior distributions for the variance parameters and to study the resulting sensitivities.     

Using degradation models to assess pipeline life

Longitudinal inspections of thickness at particular locations along a pipeline provide useful information to assess the remaining life of the pipeline. In applications with different mechanisms of corrosion processes, we have observed various types of general degradation paths. We present two applications of fitting a degradation model to describe the corrosion initiation and growth behavior in a pipeline. We use a Bayesian approach for parameter estimation for the degradation model. The failure‐time and remaining lifetime distributions are derived from the degradation model, and we compute Bayesian estimates and credible intervals of the failure‐time and remaining lifetime distributions for both individual segments and for the entire pipeline circuit.     

Nonlinear weighted least squares estimation of a three-parameter Weibull density with a nonparametric start

This paper is concerned with the parameter estimation problem for the three-parameter Weibull density which is widely employed as a model in reliability and lifetime studies. Our approach is a combination of nonparametric and parametric methods. The basic idea is to start with an initial nonparametric density estimate which needs to be as good as possible, and then apply the nonlinear least squares method to estimate the unknown parameters. As a main result, a theorem on the existence of the least squares estimate is obtained. Some simulations are given to show that our approach is satisfactory if the initial density is of good enough quality.     

MSE's of prediction in growth curve model with covariance structures

We consider the growth curve model with covariance structures: positive-definite, uniform covariance structure and serial covariance structure. Two types of prediction problems are studied in this paper. One is called the conditional prediction problem and the other is called the extended prediction problem. For both types of prediction problems, the mean squared error for a serial covariance structure is obtained for the estimates based on the conditional expectation: the mean squared error for an unrestricted covariance structure is compared with the mean squared error for a uniform covariance structure or a serial covariance structure. These results are exemplified by two sets of real data.This research was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for general Scientific Research, The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture under Contract Number 03640239.     

A MCMC approach for modeling customer lifetime behavior using the COM‐Poisson distribution

One of the major challenges associated with the measurement of customer lifetime value is selecting an appropriate model for predicting customer future transactions. Among such models, the Pareto/negative binomial distribution (Pareto/NBD) is the most prevalent in noncontractual relationships characterized by latent customer defections; ie, defections are not observed by the firm when they happen. However, this model and its applications have some shortcomings. Firstly, a methodological shortcoming is that the Pareto/NBD, like all lifetime transaction models based on statistical distributions, assumes that the number of transactions by a customer follows a Poisson distribution. However, many applications have an empirical distribution that does not fit a Poisson model. Secondly, a computational concern is that the implementation of Pareto/NBD model presents some estimation challenges specifically related to the numerous evaluation of the Gaussian hypergeometric function. Finally, the model provides 4 parameters as output, which is insufficient to link the individual purchasing behavior to socio‐demographic information and to predict the behavior of new customers. In this paper, we model a customer's lifetime transactions using the Conway‐Maxwell‐Poisson distribution, which is a generalization of the Poisson distribution, offering more flexibility and a better fit to real‐world discrete data. To estimate parameters, we propose a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm, which is easy to implement. Use of this Bayesian paradigm provides individual customer estimates, which help link purchase behavior to socio‐demographic characteristics and an opportunity to target individual customers.     

部分线性模型中估计的渐近正态性

考虑回归模型其中是未知函数，（ｘ＿ｉ，ｔ＿ｉ，ｕ＿ｉ）是固定非随机设计点列，β是待估参数，ｅ＿ｉ是随机误差。基于ｇ（·）及ｆ（·）的一类非参数估计（包括常见的核估计和近邻估计），我们构造了β的加权最小二乘估计，并证得了最小二乘估计和加权最小二乘估计的渐近正态性。     

Predictive Inference for the Elliptical Linear Model

This paper derives the prediction distribution of future responses from the linear model with errors having an elliptical distribution with known covariance parameters. For unknown covariance parameters, the marginal likelihood function of the parameters has been obtained and the prediction distribution has been modified by replacing the covariance parameters by their estimates obtained from the marginal likelihood function. It is observed that the prediction distribution with elliptical error has a multivariate Student'st-distribution with appropriate degrees of freedom. The results for some special cases such as the Intra-class correlation model, AR(1), MA(1), and ARMA(1,1) models have been obtained from the general results. As an application, theβ-expectation tolerance region has been constructed. An example has been added.     

Semiparametric Estimation and Selection for Nonstationary Spatial Covariance Functions

We propose a method for estimating nonstationary spatial covariance functions by representing a spatial process as a linear combination of some local basis functions with uncorrelated random coefficients and some stationary processes, based on spatial data sampled in space with repeated measurements. By incorporating a large collection of local basis functions with various scales at various locations and stationary processes with various degrees of smoothness, the model is flexible enough to represent a wide variety of nonstationary spatial features. The covariance estimation and model selection are formulated as a regression problem with the sample covariances as the response and the covariances corresponding to the local basis functions and the stationary processes as the predictors. A constrained least squares approach is applied to select appropriate basis functions and stationary processes as well as estimate parameters simultaneously. In addition, a constrained generalized least squares approach is proposed to further account for the dependencies among the response variables. A simulation experiment shows that our method performs well in both covariance function estimation and spatial prediction. The methodology is applied to a U.S. precipitation dataset for illustration. Supplemental materials relating to the application are available online.     

Statistical software reliability prediction and its applicability based on mean time between failures

One of the most important issues for a development manager may be how to predict the reliability of a software system at an arbitrary testing time. In this paper, using the software failure-occurrence time data, we discuss a method of software reliability prediction based on software reliability growth models described by an NHPP (nonhomogeneous Poisson process). From the applied software reliability growth models, the conditional probability distribution of the time between software failures is derived, and its mean and median are obtained as reliability prediction measures. Finally, based on several numerical examples, we compare the performance between these measures from the view point of software reliability prediction in the testing phase.     

Generalized least squares and maximum likelihood estimations of multivariate polychoric correlations

This paper investigates the generalized least squares estimation and the maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters in a multivariate polychoric correlations model, based on data from a multidimensional contingency table. Asymptotic properties of the estimators are discussed. An iterative procedure based on the Gauss-Newton algorithm is implemented to produce the generalized least squares estimates and the standard errors estimates. It is shown that via an iteratively reweighted method, the algorithm produces the maximum likelihood estimates as well. Numerical results on the finite sample behaviors of the methods are reported.     

灰色预测GM(1,1)模型的改进及应用

应用自动寻优定权的方法和最小二乘法,研究了灰色系统理论中灰色预测GM(1,1)模型的预测公式的形成过程,发现灰色预测GM(1,1)模型在形成预测公式时对背景值和初始值的规定是不尽合理的,且现有的改进方法对灰色预测GM(1,1)模型的改进还不尽完善.为了提高灰色预测GM(1,1)模型的预测精度,提出并使用自动寻优定权对背景值进行选择,基于最小二乘法原理对灰色预测GM(1,1)模型的初始值进行改进.实例结果表明,提出的改进方法是有效和完善的,对灰色预测GM(1,1)模型的预测精度也有较大的提高.     

The conditioning of least‐squares problems in variational data assimilation

In variational data assimilation a least‐squares objective function is minimised to obtain the most likely state of a dynamical system. This objective function combines observation and prior (or background) data weighted by their respective error statistics. In numerical weather prediction, data assimilation is used to estimate the current atmospheric state, which then serves as an initial condition for a forecast. New developments in the treatment of observation uncertainties have recently been shown to cause convergence problems for this least‐squares minimisation. This is important for operational numerical weather prediction centres due to the time constraints of producing regular forecasts. The condition number of the Hessian of the objective function can be used as a proxy to investigate the speed of convergence of the least‐squares minimisation. In this paper we develop novel theoretical bounds on the condition number of the Hessian. These new bounds depend on the minimum eigenvalue of the observation error covariance matrix and the ratio of background error variance to observation error variance. Numerical tests in a linear setting show that the location of observation measurements has an important effect on the condition number of the Hessian. We identify that the conditioning of the problem is related to the complex interactions between observation error covariance and background error covariance matrices. Increased understanding of the role of each constituent matrix in the conditioning of the Hessian will prove useful for informing the choice of correlated observation error covariance matrix and observation location, particularly for practical applications.     

Robust Frequency Estimation Using Elemental Sets

Abstract

The extraction of sinusoidal signals from time-series data is a classic problem of ongoing interest in the statistics and signal processing literatures. Obtaining least squares estimates is difficult because the sum of squares has local minima O(1/n) apart in the frequencies. In practice the frequencies are often estimated using ad hoc and inefficient methods. Problems of data quality have received little attention. An elemental set is a subset of the data containing the minimum number of points such that the unknown parameters in the model can be identified. This article shows that, using a variant of the classical method of Prony, parameter estimates for a sum of sinusoids can be obtained algebraically from an elemental set. Elemental set methods are used to construct finite algorithm estimators that approximately minimize the least squares, least trimmed sum of squares, or least median of squares criteria. The elemental set estimators prove able in simulations to resolve the frequencies to the correct local minima of the objective functions. When used as the first stage of an MM estimator, the constructed estimators based on the trimmed sum of squares and least median of squares criteria produce final estimators which have high breakdown properties and which are simultaneously efficient when no outliers are present. The approach can also be applied to sums of exponentials, and sums of damped sinusoids. The article includes simulations with one and two sinusoids and two data examples.     

Optimal plan for Wiener constant-stress accelerated degradation model

This paper explores inferential procedures for the Wiener constant-stress accelerated degradation model under degradation mechanism invariance. The exact confidence intervals are obtained for the parameters of the proposed accelerated degradation model. The generalized confidence intervals are also proposed for the reliability function and pth quantile of the lifetime at the normal operating stress level. In addition, the prediction intervals are developed for the degradation characteristic, lifetime and remaining useful life of the product at the normal operating stress level. The performance of the proposed generalized confidence intervals and the prediction intervals is assessed by the Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, a new optimum criterion is proposed based on minimizing the mean of the upper prediction limit for the degradation characteristic at the design stress level. The exact optimum plan is also derived for the Wiener accelerated degradation model according to the proposed optimal criterion. The proposed interval procedures and optimum plan are the free of the equal testing interval assumption. Finally, two examples are provided to illustrate the proposed interval procedures and exact optimum plan. Specifically, based on the degradation data of LEDs, some interval estimates of quantities related to reliability indicators are obtained. For the degradation data of carbon-film resistors, the optimal allocation of test units is derived in terms of the proposed optimal criterion.     

A Two-Step Smoothing Method for Varying-Coefficient Models with Repeated Measurements

Datasets involving repeated measurements over time are common in medical trials and epidemiological cohort studies. The outcomes and covariates are usually observed from randomly selected subjects, each at a set of possibly unequally spaced time design points. One useful approach for evaluating the effects of covariates is to consider linear models at a specific time, but the coefficients are smooth curves over time. We show that kernel estimators of the coefficients that are based on ordinary local least squares may be subject to large biases when the covariates are time-dependent. As a modification, we propose a two-step kernel method that first centers the covariates and then estimates the curves based on some local least squares criteria and the centered covariates. The practical superiority of the two-step kernel method over the ordinary least squares kernel method is shown through a fetal growth study and simulations. Theoretical properties of both the two-step and ordinary least squares kernel estimators are developed through their large sample mean squared risks.     

Empirical Bayes Prediction in Exponential Distribution

This paper concerns with an empirical Bayes prediction problem in exponential distribution. Using observed samples, we construct a prediction interval for a set of interest which consists of some unobserved samples. Simulation studies with different prior distributions are conducted to examine coverage probability of the prediction interval.