Confidence intervals for ratio of two Poisson rates using the method of variance estimates recovery

Inference based on ratio of two independent Poisson rates is common in epidemiological studies. We study the performance of a variety of unconditional method of variance estimates recovery (MOVER) methods of combining separate confidence intervals for two single Poisson rates to form a confidence interval for their ratio. We consider confidence intervals derived from (1) the Fieller’s theorem, (2) the logarithmic transformation with the delta method and (3) the substitution method. We evaluate the performance of 13 such types of confidence intervals by comparing their empirical coverage probabilities, empirical confidence widths, ratios of mesial non-coverage probability and total non-coverage probabilities. Our simulation results suggest that the MOVER Rao score confidence intervals based on the Fieller’s theorem and the substitution method are preferable. We provide two applications to construct confidence intervals for the ratio of two Poisson rates in a breast cancer study and in a study that examines coronary heart diseases incidences among post menopausal women treated with or without hormones.     

Fixed-width multiple-comparison procedures using common random numbers for steady-state simulations

Suppose that there are k ? 2 different systems (i.e., stochastic processes), where each system has an unknown steady-state mean performance. We consider the problem of running a two-stage simulation using common random numbers to construct fixed-width confidence intervals for two multiple-comparison problems. Under the assumptions that the stochastic processes representing the simulation output of the different systems satisfy a functional central limit theorem and that the asymptotic covariance matrix satisfies a condition known as sphericity, we prove that our confidence intervals are asymptotically valid (as the desired half-width of the confidence intervals tend to zero). We develop both absolute- and relative-width confidence intervals. Empirical results are presented indicating the procedures’ robustness to violations of the sphericity assumption.     

Multistep stochastic mirror descent for risk-averse convex stochastic programs based on extended polyhedral risk measures

We consider risk-averse convex stochastic programs expressed in terms of extended polyhedral risk measures. We derive computable confidence intervals on the optimal value of such stochastic programs using the Robust Stochastic Approximation and the Stochastic Mirror Descent (SMD) algorithms. When the objective functions are uniformly convex, we also propose a multistep extension of the Stochastic Mirror Descent algorithm and obtain confidence intervals on both the optimal values and optimal solutions. Numerical simulations show that our confidence intervals are much less conservative and are quicker to compute than previously obtained confidence intervals for SMD and that the multistep Stochastic Mirror Descent algorithm can obtain a good approximate solution much quicker than its nonmultistep counterpart.     

均匀分布参数的最短置信区间

将求均匀分布未知参数的最短置信区间转化为条件极值问题,给出了均匀分布参数的最短置信区间,推广了原有的结论.     

Empirical likelihood for the contrast of two hazard functions with right censoring

In this paper, we consider the standard two-sample framework with right censoring. We construct useful confidence intervals for the ratio or difference of two hazard functions using smoothed empirical likelihood (EL) methods. The empirical log-likelihood ratio is derived and its asymptotic distribution is a standard chi-squared distribution. Bootstrap confidence bands are also proposed. Simulation studies show that the proposed EL confidence intervals have outperformed normal approximation methods in terms of coverage probability. It is concluded that the empirical likelihood methods provide better inference results.     

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The log-normal distribution is a common choice for modeling positively skewed data arising from many practical applications.This article introduces a new method of constructing confidence interval for a common mean shared by several log-normal populations through confidence distributions, which combines all information from independent sources. We develop a non-trivial weighting approach by taking account of the sample variances of related quantities to enhance efficiency. Combined confidence distributions are used to construct confidence intervals for the common mean and a simplified version of one existing method is also proposed. We conduct simulation studies to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods in comparison with existing methods. Our simulation results show that the weighting approach yields shorter interval length than the non-weighting approach. The newly proposed confidence intervals perform very well in terms of empirical coverage probability and average interval length. Finally, applications of the proposed methodology is illustrated through three real data examples.     

Single machine unbounded parallel-batch scheduling with forbidden intervals

In this paper we consider the single machine parallel-batch scheduling with forbidden intervals. There are some forbidden intervals in which the machine cannot be available. The jobs are processed in batches form in the remaining free time-slots without preemption, where the processing time of a batch is defined to be the maximum processing time of the jobs in this batch. We show that, when the objective is bottleneck form, maximum lateness, or makespan with release dates of jobs, the considered problem can be solved in polynomial time.     

Computational methods for comparing two binary diagnostic tests in the presence of partial verification of the disease

In the presence of partial verification of the disease, confidence interval estimation for the difference of sensitivities and specificities cannot be carried out by applying confidence intervals for the difference of binomial proportions, and the comparison of the accuracy of the two binary tests cannot be carried out by applying McNemar’s test. In this article we propose two methods for comparing the accuracy of two binary tests in the presence of partial verification of the disease. The first method is based on the application of the EM and SEM algorithms, and the second method consists of the calculation of confidence intervals for the difference in sensitivities and specificities applying confidence intervals for the difference in the two binomial proportions from the last table obtained applying the EM algorithm. We carried out simulation experiments in order to study and compare the coverage of several confidence intervals for the difference of the sensitivities and specificities.     

Coverage of generalized confidence intervals

Generalized confidence intervals provide confidence intervals for complicated parametric functions in many common practical problems. They do not have exact frequentist coverage in general, but often provide coverage close to the nominal value and have the correct asymptotic coverage. However, in many applications generalized confidence intervals do not have satisfactory finite sample performance. We derive expansions of coverage probabilities of one-sided generalized confidence intervals and use the expansions to explain the nonuniform performance of the generalized intervals. We then show how to use these expansions to obtain improved coverage by suitable calibration. The benefits of the proposed modification are illustrated via several examples.     

Model-based likelihood ratio confidence intervals for survival functions

We introduce an adjusted likelihood ratio procedure for computing pointwise confidence intervals for survival functions from censored data. The test statistic, scaled by a ratio of two variance quantities, is shown to converge to a chi-squared distribution with one degree of freedom. The confidence intervals are seen to be a neighborhood of a semiparametric survival function estimator and are shown to have correct empirical coverage. Numerical studies also indicate that the proposed intervals have smaller estimated mean lengths in comparison to the ones that are produced as a neighborhood of the Kaplan-Meier estimator. We illustrate our method using a lung cancer data set.     

Estimating the steady-state mean from short transient simulations

Steady-state mean performance is a common basis for evaluating discrete event simulation models. However, analysis is complicated by autocorrelation and initial transients. We present confidence interval procedures for estimating the steady-state mean of a stochastic process from observed time series which may be short, autocorrelated, and transient. We extend the generalized least squares estimator of Snell and Schruben [IIE Trans. 17 (1985) 354] and develop confidence interval procedures for single and multiple-replication experiments. The procedures are asymptotically valid and, for short series with reasonable initializations (e.g., empty and idle), are comparable or superior to existing procedures. Further, we demonstrate and explain the robustness of the weighted batch means procedure of Bischak et al. [Manage. Sci. 39 (1993) 1002] to initialization bias. The proposed confidence interval procedure requires neither truncation of initial observations nor choice of batch size, and permits the existence of steady-state mean to be inferred from the data.     

Confidence Intervals and Accuracy Estimation for Heavy-Tailed Generalized Pareto Distributions

The generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) is a two-parameter family of distributions which can be used to model exceedances over a threshold. We compare the empirical coverage of some standard bootstrap and likelihood-based confidence intervals for the parameters and upper p-quantiles of the GPD. Simulation results indicate that none of the bootstrap methods give satisfactory intervals for small sample sizes. By applying a general method of D. N. Lawley, correction factors for likelihood ratio statistics of parameters and quantiles of the GPD have been calculated. Simulations show that for small sample sizes accuracy of confidence intervals can be improved by incorporating the computed correction factors to the likelihood-based confidence intervals. While the modified likelihood method has better empirical coverage probability, the mean length of produced intervals are not longer than corresponding bootstrap confidence intervals. This article also investigates the performance of some bootstrap methods for estimation of accuracy measures of maximum likelihood estimators of parameters and quantiles of the GPD.     

广义Lorenz 曲线的非参数统计推断

本文讨论了广义Lorenz 曲线的经验似然统计推断. 在简单随机抽样、分层随机抽样和整群随机抽样下, 本文分别定义了广义Lorenz 坐标的pro le 经验似然比统计量, 得出这些经验似然比的极限分布为带系数的自由度为1 的χ² 分布. 对于整个Lorenz 曲线, 基于经验似然方法类似地得出相应的极限过程. 根据所得的经验似然理论, 本文给出了bootstrap 经验似然置信区间构造方法, 并通过数据模拟, 对新给出的广义Lorenz 坐标的bootstrap 经验似然置信区间与渐近正态置信区间以及bootstrap 置信区间等进行了对比研究. 对整个Lorenz 曲线, 基于经验似然方法对其置信域也进行了模拟研究. 最后我们将所推荐的置信区间应用到实例中.     

Remarks on between estimator in the intraclass correlation model with missing data

In this paper, we consider the between estimator under the intraclass correlation model with missing data. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for existing exact simultaneous confidence intervals for all contrasts in the means under the between transformed model, which indicates the F-test statistic and simultaneous confidence intervals, constructed by Seo et al. [T. Seo, J. Kikuchi, K. Koizumi, On simultaneous confidence intervals for all contracts in the means of the intraclass correlation model with missing data, J. Multivariate Anal. 97 (2006) 1976–1983] based on the between estimator, is invalid. Furthermore, using the distribution of the between estimator, we present the exact test statistics and confidence intervals for partial contrasts.     

Nonparametric statistical analysis of an upper bound of the ruin probability under large claims

In this paper, the classical Poisson risk model is considered. The claims are supposed to be modeled by heavy-tailed distributions, so that the moment generating function does not exist. The attention is focused on the probability of ruin. We first provide a nonparametric estimator of an upper bound of the ruin probability by Willmot and Lin. Then, its asymptotic behavior is studied. Asymptotic confidence intervals are studied, as well as bootstrap confidence intervals. Results for possibly unstable models are also obtained.     

Bootstrap estimation of the efficient frontier

In this paper, we propose a bootstrap resampling methodology to obtain the confidence intervals for efficient portfolios weights and the sample characteristics of the mean-variance efficient frontier. We provide an estimate of efficient portfolios, compute the confidence region of the efficient frontier and get the prediction densities of the future efficient portfolio returns without distributional assumptions on returns. An extensive simulation study evaluates the finite-sample performance of these bootstrap intervals and stresses the advantages of such approach. Interestingly, the methodology can be easily modified to make inferences that incorporate our modelling of returns in the predictive efficient frontier estimation with or without additional managerial restrictions.     

On some confidence intervals for estimating the mean of a skewed population

A number of methods are available in the literature to measure confidence intervals. Here, confidence intervals for estimating the population mean of a skewed distribution are considered. This note proposes two alternative confidence intervals, namely, Median t and Mad t, which are simple adjustments to the Student's t confidence interval. In order to compare the performance of these intervals, the following criteria are considered: (i) coverage probability; (ii) average width; and (iii) ratio of coverage to width. A simulation study has been undertaken to compare the performance of the intervals. The simulation study shows that for small sample size and moderate to highly skewed distributions, the proposed Median t performs the best in the sense of higher coverage, and the Mad t performs best in the sense of smaller confidence width. The proposed methods are very easy to calculate and are not overly computer-intensive, like Bootstrap confidence intervals. Some real-life examples have been considered that support the findings of the paper to some extent.     

Individual confidence intervals for solutions to expected value formulations of stochastic variational inequalities

Stochastic variational inequalities (SVIs) provide a means for modeling various optimization and equilibrium problems where data are subject to uncertainty. Often the SVI cannot be solved directly and requires a numerical approximation. This paper considers the use of a sample average approximation and proposes three methods for computing confidence intervals for components of the true solution. The first two methods use an “indirect approach” that requires initially computing asymptotically exact confidence intervals for the solution to the normal map formulation of the SVI. The third method directly constructs confidence intervals for the true SVI solution; intervals produced with this method meet a minimum specified level of confidence in the same situations for which the first two methods are applicable. We justify the three methods theoretically with weak convergence results, discuss how to implement these methods, and test their performance using three numerical examples.     

Empirical likelihood-based inferences for the Lorenz curve

In this paper, we discuss empirical likelihood-based inferences for the Lorenz curve. The profile empirical likelihood ratio statistics for the Lorenz ordinate are defined under the simple random sampling and the stratified random sampling designs. It is shown that the limiting distributions of the profile empirical likelihood ratio statistics are scaled Chi-square distributions with one degree of freedom. We also derive the limiting processes of the associated empirical likelihood-based Lorenz processes. Hybrid bootstrap and empirical likelihood intervals for the Lorenz ordinate are proposed based on the newly developed empirical likelihood theory. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to compare the relative performances of various confidence intervals for Lorenz ordinates in terms of coverage probability and average interval length. The finite sample performances of the empirical likelihood-based confidence bands are also illustrated in simulation studies. Finally, a real example is used to illustrate the application of the recommended intervals.     

Panel模型中的精确检验和置信区间

利用广义p-值和广义置信区间的概念,研究了Panel模型中未知参数的检验和置信区间问题.对于回归系数,分别考虑了单个情形和多个线性无关情形下的检验和置信区间问题,得到了精确检验和置信区间.对于方差分量,研究了其任意线性组合的检验和置信区间问题,建立了精确检验和置信区间.基于广义p-值和广义置信区间,获取精确检验和置信区间的方法具有计算方便、易应用于小样本问题的特点.最后,分别从理论和数值上研究了这些精确检验和置信区间的统计性质.