A robustness study in sampling on successive occasions

Summary In this paper, we have undertaken an investigation covering three occasions in sampling on successive occasions with a view to examining efficiency robustness of the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) visa-vis certain other potentially conceivable estimators when the usual correlation model breaks down. We have inferred that the BLUE, is by and large, an efficiency robust estimate in the face of unforeseen deviations from the usual correlation model.     

Admissible prediction in superpopulation models with random regression coefficients under matrix loss function

Admissible prediction problems in finite populations with arbitrary rank under matrix loss function are investigated. For the general random effects linear model, we obtained the necessary and sufficient conditions for a linear predictor of the linearly predictable variable to be admissible in the two classes of homogeneous linear predictors and all linear predictors and the class that contains all predictors, respectively. Moreover, we prove that the best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs) of the population total and the finite population regression coefficient are admissible under different assumptions of superpopulation models respectively.     

Best affine unbiased representations of the fully restricted general Gauss-Markov model

This article completes and simplifies earlier results on the derivation of best linear, or affine, unbiased estimates in the general Gauss-Markov model with a singular dispersion matrix and additional restrictions under very general conditions. We provide the class of all linear representations of the best affine unbiased estimator with precise statements concerning its indeterminacy.     

Conditional and unconditional methods for selecting variables in linear mixed models

In the problem of selecting the explanatory variables in the linear mixed model, we address the derivation of the (unconditional or marginal) Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the conditional AIC (cAIC). The covariance matrices of the random effects and the error terms include unknown parameters like variance components, and the selection procedures proposed in the literature are limited to the cases where the parameters are known or partly unknown. In this paper, AIC and cAIC are extended to the situation where the parameters are completely unknown and they are estimated by the general consistent estimators including the maximum likelihood (ML), the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) and other unbiased estimators. We derive, related to AIC and cAIC, the marginal and the conditional prediction error criteria which select superior models in light of minimizing the prediction errors relative to quadratic loss functions. Finally, numerical performances of the proposed selection procedures are investigated through simulation studies.     

Estimation of location and scale parameters for the Burr XII distribution using generalized order statistics

The minimum variance linear unbiased estimators (MVLUE), the best linear invariant estimators (BLIE) and the maximum likelihood estimators (MLE) based on n-selected generalized order statistics are presented for the parameters of the Burr XII distribution.     

Perturbation theorems for α-times integrated semigroups

We prove perturbation results for -times integrated semigroups assuming relative smallness conditions for the perturbation B on a halfplane. If A is a semigroup generator on a uniformly convex Banach space, then these conditions on B already imply that A + B generates a once integrated semigroup. As an illustration we consider Schrödinger operators and higher order differential operators.Received: 30 April 2002     

On the equivalence of estimations under a general linear model and its transformed models

Some necessary and sufficient conditions are given for two equalities of ordinary least-squares estimators and best linear unbiased estimators of an estimable vector of parametric functions under a general linear model and its transformed linear model to hold     

Multivariate dependence of spacings of generalized order statistics

Multivariate dependence of spacings of generalized order statistics is studied. It is shown that spacings of generalized order statistics from DFR (IFR) distributions have the CIS (CDS) property. By restricting the choice of the model parameters and strengthening the assumptions on the underlying distribution, stronger dependence relations are established. For instance, if the model parameters are decreasingly ordered and the underlying distribution has a log-convex decreasing (log-concave) hazard rate, then the spacings satisfy the MTP₂ (S- MRR₂) property. Some consequences of the results are given. In particular, conditions for non-negativity of the best linear unbiased estimator of the scale parameter in a location-scale family are obtained. By applying a result for dual generalized order statistics, we show that in the particular situation of usual order statistics the assumptions can be weakened.     

Shrinkage priors for Bayesian estimation of the mean matrix in an elliptically contoured distribution

This paper deals with the problem of estimating the mean matrix in an elliptically contoured distribution with unknown scale matrix. The Laplace and inverse Laplace transforms of the density allow us not only to evaluate the risk function with respect to a quadratic loss but also to simplify expressions of Bayes estimators. Consequently, it is shown that generalized Bayes estimators against shrinkage priors dominate the unbiased estimator.     

Efficiency of a Liu-type estimator in semiparametric regression models

In this paper we consider the semiparametric regression model, y=Xβ+f+ε. Recently, Hu [11] proposed ridge regression estimator in a semiparametric regression model. We introduce a Liu-type (combined ridge-Stein) estimator (LTE) in a semiparametric regression model. Firstly, Liu-type estimators of both β and f are attained without a restrained design matrix. Secondly, the LTE estimator of β is compared with the two-step estimator in terms of the mean square error. We describe the almost unbiased Liu-type estimator in semiparametric regression models. The almost unbiased Liu-type estimator is compared with the Liu-type estimator in terms of the mean squared error matrix. A numerical example is provided to show the performance of the estimators.     

An adjusted maximum likelihood method for solving small area estimation problems

For the well-known Fay-Herriot small area model, standard variance component estimation methods frequently produce zero estimates of the strictly positive model variance. As a consequence, an empirical best linear unbiased predictor of a small area mean, commonly used in small area estimation, could reduce to a simple regression estimator, which typically has an overshrinking problem. We propose an adjusted maximum likelihood estimator of the model variance that maximizes an adjusted likelihood defined as a product of the model variance and a standard likelihood (e.g., a profile or residual likelihood) function. The adjustment factor was suggested earlier by Carl Morris in the context of approximating a hierarchical Bayes solution where the hyperparameters, including the model variance, are assumed to follow a prior distribution. Interestingly, the proposed adjustment does not affect the mean squared error property of the model variance estimator or the corresponding empirical best linear unbiased predictors of the small area means in a higher order asymptotic sense. However, as demonstrated in our simulation study, the proposed adjustment has a considerable advantage in small sample inference, especially in estimating the shrinkage parameters and in constructing the parametric bootstrap prediction intervals of the small area means, which require the use of a strictly positive consistent model variance estimate.     

New insights into best linear unbiased estimation and the optimality of least-squares

New results in matrix algebra applied to the fundamental bordered matrix of linear estimation theory pave the way towards obtaining additional and informative closed-form expressions for the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE). The results prove significant in several respects. Indeed, more light is shed on the BLUE structure and on the working of the OLS estimator under nonsphericalness in (possibly) singular models.     

Representations of best linear unbiased estimators in the Gauss-Markoff model with a singular dispersion matrix

In the general Gauss-Markoff model (Y, Xβ, σ²V), when V is singular, there exist linear functions of Y which vanish with probability 1 imposing some restrictions on Y as well as on the unknown β. In all earlier work on linear estimation, representations of best-linear unbiased estimators (BLUE's) are obtained under the assumption: “L′Y is unbiased for Xβ ? L′X = X.” Such a condition is not, however, necessary. The present paper provides all possible representations of the BLUE's some of which violate the condition L′X = X. Representations of X for given classes of BLUE's are also obtained.     

Estimation for parameters of interest in random effects growth curve models

In this paper, we consider the general growth curve model with multivariate random effects covariance structure and provide a new simple estimator for the parameters of interest. This estimator is not only convenient for testing the hypothesis on the corresponding parameters, but also has higher efficiency than the least-square estimator and the improved two-stage estimator obtained by Rao under certain conditions. Moreover, we obtain the necessary and sufficient condition for the new estimator to be identical to the best linear unbiased estimator. Examples of its application are given.     

Fluctuations of interacting Markov chain Monte Carlo methods

We present a multivariate central limit theorem for a general class of interacting Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms used to solve nonlinear measure-valued equations. These algorithms generate stochastic processes which belong to the class of nonlinear Markov chains interacting with their empirical occupation measures. We develop an original theoretical analysis based on resolvent operators and semigroup techniques to analyze the fluctuations of their occupation measures around their limiting values.     

Point prediction of future order statistics from an exponential distribution

Two-sample point prediction is considered for a two-parameter exponential distribution. Several point predictors such as the best unbiased predictor, best invariant predictor and maximum likelihood predictor are obtained for future order statistics on the basis of observed record values in two cases: where the location parameter is known and unknown. These predictors are compared in the sense of their mean squared prediction errors. Finally, some numerical results are given to illustrate the proposed procedures.     

Best linear unbiased prediction for linear combinations in general mixed linear models

The general mixed linear model can be written as . In this paper, we mainly deal with two problems. Firstly, the problem of predicting a general linear combination of fixed effects and realized values of random effects in a general mixed linear model is considered and an explicit representation of the best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) is derived. In addition, we apply the resulting conclusion to several special models and offer an alternative to characterization of BLUP. Secondly, we recall the notion of linear sufficiency and consider it as regards the BLUP problem and characterize it in several different ways. Further, we study the concepts of linear sufficiency, linear minimal sufficiency and linear completeness, and give relations among them. Finally, four concluding remarks are given.     

Analysis of NMAR missing data without specifying missing-data mechanisms in a linear latent variate model

It is natural to assume that a missing-data mechanism depends on latent variables in the analysis of incomplete data in latent variate modeling because latent variables are error-free and represent key notions investigated by applied researchers. Unfortunately, the missing-data mechanism is then not missing at random (NMAR). In this article, a new estimation method is proposed, which leads to consistent and asymptotically normal estimators for all parameters in a linear latent variate model, where the missing mechanism depends on the latent variables and no concrete functional form for the missing-data mechanism is used in estimation. The method to be proposed is a type of multi-sample analysis with or without mean structures, and hence, it is easy to implement. Complete-case analysis is shown to produce consistent estimators for some important parameters in the model.     

On impulsive functional differential inclusions with Hille-Yosida operators in Banach spaces

We consider a semilinear functional differential inclusion with infinite delay and impulse characteristics in a Banach space assuming that its linear part is a non-densely defined Hille-Yosida operator. We assume that the multivalued nonlinearity of upper Carathèodory or almost lower semicontinuous type satisfies a regularity condition expressed in terms of the measures of noncompactness. We apply the theory of integrated semigroups and the theory of condensing multivalued maps to obtain local and global existence results. The application to an optimization problem for an impulsive feedback control system is given.     

Modifying estimators of ordered positive parameters under the Stein loss

This paper treats the problem of estimating positive parameters restricted to a polyhedral convex cone which includes typical order restrictions, such as simple order, tree order and umbrella order restrictions. In this paper, two methods are used to show the improvement of order-preserving estimators over crude non-order-preserving estimators without any assumption on underlying distributions. One is to use Fenchel’s duality theorem, and then the superiority of the isotonic regression estimator is established under the general restriction to polyhedral convex cones. The use of the Abel identity is the other method, and we can derive a class of improved estimators which includes order-statistics-based estimators in the typical order restrictions. When the underlying distributions are scale families, the unbiased estimators and their order-restricted estimators are shown to be minimax. The minimaxity of the restrictedly generalized Bayes estimator against the prior over the restricted space is also demonstrated in the two dimensional case. Finally, some examples and multivariate extensions are given.