Reliability Estimation in Stress Strength for Generalized Rayleigh Distribution Using a Lower Record Ranked Set Sampling Scheme

PurposeThe study based on the estimation of the stress–strength reliability parameter plays a vital role in showing system efficiency. In this paper, considering independent strength and stress random variables distributed as inverted exponentiated Rayleigh model, the author have developed estimation procedures for the stress–strength reliability parameter R = P(X>Y) under Type II hybrid censored samples.Design/methodology/approachThe maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimates of R based on Type II hybrid censored samples are evaluated. Because there is no closed form for the Bayes estimate, the author use the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm to obtain approximate Bayes estimate of the reliability parameter. Furthermore, the author construct the asymptotic confidence interval, bootstrap confidence interval and highest posterior density (HPD) credible interval for R. The Monte Carlo simulation study has been conducted to compare the performance of various proposed point and interval estimators. Finally, the validity of the stress–strength reliability model is demonstrated via a practical case.FindingsThe performance of various point and interval estimators is compared via the simulation study. Among all proposed estimators, Bayes estimators using MHG algorithm show minimum MSE for all considered censoring schemes. Furthermore, the real data analysis indicates that the splashing diameter decreases with the increase of MPa under different hybrid censored samples.Originality/valueThe frequentist and Bayesian methods are developed to estimate the associated parameters of the reliability model under the hybrid censored inverted exponentiated Rayleigh distribution. The application of the proposed stress–strength reliability model will help the reliability engineers and also other scientists to estimate the system reliability.

This paper studies estimation of the parameters of the generalized Gompertz distribution based on ranked-set sample (RSS). Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian approaches are considered. Approximate confidence intervals for the unknown parameters are constructed using both the normal approximation to the asymptotic distribution of the ML estimators and bootstrapping methods. Bayes estimates and credible intervals of the unknown parameters are obtained using differential evolution Markov chain Monte Carlo and Lindley’s methods. The proposed methods are compared via Monte Carlo simulations studies and an example employing real data. The performance of both ML and Bayes estimates is improved under RSS compared with simple random sample (SRS) regardless of the sample size. Bayes estimates outperform the ML estimates for small samples, while it is the other way around for moderate and large samples.

Latent growth models (LGMs) are an application of structural equation modeling and frequently used in developmental and clinical research to analyze change over time in longitudinal outcomes. Maximum likelihood (ML), the most common approach for estimating LGMs, can fail to converge or may produce biased estimates in complex LGMs especially in studies with modest samples. Bayesian estimation is a logical alternative to ML for LGMs, but there is a lack of research providing guidance on when Bayesian estimation may be preferable to ML or vice versa. This study compared the performance of Bayesian versus ML estimators for LGMs by evaluating their accuracy via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. For the MC study, longitudinal data sets were generated and estimated using LGM via both ML and Bayesian estimation with three different priors, and parameter recovery across the two estimators was evaluated to determine their relative performance. The findings suggest that ML estimation is a reasonable choice for most LGMs, unless it fails to converge, which can occur with limiting data situations (i.e., just a few time points, no covariate or outcome, modest sample sizes). When models do not converge using ML, we recommend Bayesian estimation with one caveat that the influence of the priors on estimation may have to be carefully examined, per recent recommendations on Bayesian modeling for applied researchers.

In this research, the statistical inference of unknown lifetime parameters is proposed in the presence of independent competing risks using a progressive Type-II censored dataset. The lifetime distribution associated with a failure mode is assumed to follow the new Pareto distribution, with consideration given to two distinct competing failure reasons. Maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) for the unknown model parameters, as well as reliability and hazard functions, are derived, noting that they are not expressible in closed form. The Newton–Raphson, expectation maximization (EM), and stochastic expectation maximization (SEM) methods are employed to generate maximum likelihood (ML) estimations. Approximate confidence intervals for the unknown parameters, reliability, and hazard rate functions are constructed using the normal approximation of the MLEs and the normal approximation of the log-transformed MLEs. Additionally, the missing information principle is utilized to derive the closed form of the Fisher information matrix, which, in turn, is used with the delta approach to calculate confidence intervals for reliability and hazards. Bayes estimators are derived under both symmetric and asymmetric loss functions, with informative and non-informative priors considered, including independent gamma distributions for informative priors. The Monte Carlo Markov Chain sampling approach is employed to obtain the highest posterior density credible intervals and Bayesian point estimates for unknown parameters and reliability characteristics. A Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to assess the effectiveness of the proposed techniques, with the performances of the Bayes and maximum likelihood estimations examined using average values and mean squared errors as benchmarks. Interval estimations are compared in terms of average lengths and coverage probabilities. Real datasets are considered and examined for each topic to provide illustrative examples.

This article compares maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation of the correlated trait–correlated method (CT–CM) confirmatory factor model for multitrait–multimethod (MTMM) data. In particular, Bayesian estimation with minimally informative prior distributions—that is, prior distributions that prescribe equal probability across the known mathematical range of a parameter—are investigated as a source of information to aid convergence. Results from a simulation study indicate that Bayesian estimation with minimally informative priors produces admissible solutions more often maximum likelihood estimation (100.00% for Bayesian estimation, 49.82% for maximum likelihood). Extra convergence does not come at the cost of parameter accuracy; Bayesian parameter estimates showed comparable bias and better efficiency compared to maximum likelihood estimates. The results are echoed via 2 empirical examples. Hence, Bayesian estimation with minimally informative priors outperforms enables admissible solutions of the CT–CM model for MTMM data.

This paper examines the role of reliability theory in system analysis, focusing on system representation, quantification, and uncertainty modeling. It explores various multiscenario reliability stress-strength models based on Topp-Leone and Generalized Rayleigh distributions, covering environments with multiple stresses, strength variability, and constrained stress conditions. The study addresses modeling complexity in stress-strength relationships for multi-component, n-standby, and cascade systems. Several parameter estimation methods are evaluated, including maximum likelihood estimation, the Jackknife, and Bayesian estimators, with a Monte Carlo simulation used to compare their performance. The results indicate that maximum likelihood estimation and Jackknife methods are superior due to their low bias and Mean Squared Error across various scenarios and sample sizes, demonstrating robustness and reliability. Bayesian methods offer flexibility but require careful management of priors and data volume, while non-parametric methods tend to have higher bias and MSE, particularly in complex scenarios or with smaller sample sizes.

In this paper, we consider Dagum distribution which is capable of modeling various shapes of failure rates and aging criteria. Based on progressively type-I interval censoring data, we first obtain the maximum likelihood estimators and the approximate confidence intervals of the unknown parameters of the Dagum distribution. Next, we obtain the Bayes estimators of the parameters of Dagum distribution under the squared error loss (SEL) and balanced squared error loss (BSEL) functions using independent informative gamma and non informative uniform priors for both scale and two shape parameters. A Monte Carlo simulation study is performed to assess the performance of the proposed Bayes estimators with the maximum likelihood estimators. We also compute credible intervals and symmetric 100(1 − τ)% two-sided Bayes probability intervals under the respective approaches. Besides, based on observed samples, Bayes predictive estimates and intervals are obtained using one-and two-sample schemes. Simulation results reveal that the Bayes estimates based on SEL and BSEL performs better than maximum likelihood estimates in terms of bias and MSEs. Besides, credible intervals have smaller interval lengths than confidence interval. Further, predictive estimates based on SEL with informative prior performs better than non-informative prior for both one and two sample schemes. Further, the optimal censoring scheme has been suggested using a optimality criteria. Finally, we analyze a data set to illustrate the results derived.

The events of interest in any survival analysis study are regularly subject to censoring. There are various censoring schemes, including right or left censoring, and interval censoring. The most frequent censoring scheme is the right censoring, where subjects might drop out of the study or simply because not all events of interest occur before the end of the study. Moreover, for each subject, additional information referred to as covariates is registered at the beginning or throughout the study, such as age, sex, undergoing treatment, etc. The classical model to study the distribution of the events of interest, while accounting for additional information, is the Cox model. The Cox model expresses the hazard function of a subject given a set of covariates in terms of a baseline hazard, for which all covariates are zero, and an exponential function of the covariates and corresponding regression parameters. The baseline hazard can be left completely unspecified while estimating the regression parameters. Nonetheless, in practice, there are numerous studies in which the baseline hazard appears to be monotone. Time to death or to the onset of a disease are observed to have a nondecreasing baseline hazard, while the survival or recovery time after a successful medical treatment usually exhibit a nonincreasing baseline hazard. The aim of this thesis is to study the behavior of nonparametric baseline hazard and baseline density estimators in the Cox model under monotonicity constraints. The event times are assumed to be right censored and the censoring mechanism is assumed to be independent of the event of interest and non-informative. The covariates are assumed to be time-independent, usually recorded at the beginning of the study. In addition to point estimates, interval estimates of a monotone baseline hazard will be provided, based on a likelihood ratio method, along with testing at a fixed point. Furthermore, kernel smoothed estimates of a monotone baseline hazard will be defined and their behavior will be investigated. In Chapter 2, we propose several nonparametric monotone estimators of a baseline hazard or a baseline density within the Cox model. We derive the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator of a nondecreasing baseline hazard and we consider a Grenander-type estimator, defined as the left-hand slope of the greatest convex minorant of the Breslow estimator. The two estimators are then shown to be strongly consistent and asymptotically equivalent. Moreover, we derive their common limit distribution at a fixed point. The two equivalent estimators of a nonincreasing baseline hazard and their asymptotic properties are acquired similarly. Furthermore, we introduce a Grenander-type estimator of a nonincreasing baseline density, defined as the left-hand slope of the least concave majorant of an estimator of the baseline cumulative distribution function derived from the Breslow estimator. This estimator is proven to be strongly consistent and its asymptotic distribution at a fixed point is derived. Chapter 3 provides an asymptotic linear representation of the Breslow estimator of the baseline cumulative hazard function in the Cox model. This representation can be used to derive the asymptotic distribution of the Grenander type estimator of a monotone baseline hazard estimator. The representation consists of an average of independent random variables and a term involving the difference between the maximum partial likelihood estimator and the underlying regression parameter. The order of the remainder term is arbitrarily close to n^-1. Chapter 4 focuses on interval estimation and on testing whether a monotone baseline hazard function in the Cox model has a particular value at a fixed point, via a likelihood ratio method. Nonparametric maximum likelihood estimators under the null hypothesis are defined for both nondecreasing and nonincreasing baseline hazard functions. These characterizations, along with those of the monotone nonparametric maximum likelihood estimators provide the asymptotic distribution of the likelihood ratio test. This asymptotic distribution enables, via inversion, the construction of pointwise confidence intervals. This method of constructing confidence intervals avoids the issue of estimating the nuisance parameters, as in the case of confidence intervals based on the asymptotic distribution of the estimators. Simulations indicate that the two methods yield confidence intervals with comparable coverage probabilities. Nonetheless, the confidence intervals based on the likelihood ratio are smaller, on average. Finally, in chapter 5 we consider smooth baseline hazard estimators. The estimators are obtained by kernel smoothing the maximum likelihood and Grenander-type estimators of a monotone baseline hazard function. Three different estimators are proposed for a nondecreasing baseline hazard, which are provided by the interchange of the smoothing and isotonization step. With this respect, we define a smoothed maximum likelihood estimator (SMLE), as well as a smoothed Grenander type (SG) estimator and a Grenander type smoothed (GS) estimator. All estimators are shown to be strongly pointwise or uniformly consistent.

This study examines the estimation of the scale parameter of the Weibull-Power Function Distribution (WPFD) using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. Bayesian estimation is conducted under one informative Gamma prior with hyperparameters , as well as two non-informative priors: the uniform prior and Jeffreys’ prior. For each prior specification, Bayes estimators are derived under squared error, quadratic, and precautionary loss functions. Closed-form expressions for the posterior distributions and corresponding Bayes estimators are obtained. The finite-sample performance of the competing estimators is evaluated through a Monte Carlo simulation study based on 1000 replications. Estimator performance is assessed using mean squared error (MSE), bias, and coverage probability. The results indicate that all estimators are consistent, with bias and MSE decreasing as sample size increases. Across different prior specifications and parameter settings, the Bayesian estimator under the quadratic loss function consistently attains the lowest MSE, yielding reductions of approximately 10-20% relative to the maximum likelihood estimator in small and moderate samples. These findings suggest that Bayesian estimation under quadratic loss provides improved finite-sample efficiency for estimating the WPFD scale parameter, while maintaining asymptotic comparability with the maximum likelihood approach.

SUMMARY Confidence intervals for the relative frequency of responding cells in limiting dilution assays (LDAs) have not been examined closely. Generally, confidence intervals are calculated by using the normal approximation, sometimes preceded by a log transform. We evaluate and compare with analytical approaches: the normal approximation, the log transform, and two binomial methods-the quadratic approximation and a modification of the Clopper-Pearson exact method. We evaluate these confidence interval methods for use with the maximum likelihood and jackknife estimators of the relative frequency. Our results show that confidence interval construction with maximum likelihood point estimates is more accurate than construction with jackknife estimates. When using maximum likelihood estimates, the normal approximation produces acceptable two-sided confidence intervals, with the smallest length, at a = .05. At a = .01, the normal approximation is anticonservative. In all cases, the normal approximation is unable to produce adequate one-sided confidence intervals. The log transform and both binomial confidence interval methods are shown to be generally superior to

In this paper, we offer generalized exponentiated gamma distribution. We consider the maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimators of unknown parameters and propose Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method to generate samples from the posterior distribution. The mean square error of estimations is computed and comparisons are made using Monte Carlo simulation. Key words: Maximum likelihood estimator, Bayesian estimator, squared error loss function, generalized exponentiated gamma distribution.

Latent variable models with many categorical items and multiple latent constructs result in many dimensions of numerical integration, and the traditional frequentist estimation approach, such as maximum likelihood (ML), tends to fail due to model complexity. In such cases, Bayesian estimation with diffuse priors can be used as a viable alternative to ML estimation. This study compares the performance of Bayesian estimation with ML estimation in estimating single or multiple ability factors across 2 types of measurement models in the structural equation modeling framework: a multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) model and a multiple-indicator multiple-cause (MIMIC) model. A Monte Carlo simulation study demonstrates that Bayesian estimation with diffuse priors, under various conditions, produces results quite comparable with ML estimation in the single- and multilevel MIRT and MIMIC models. Additionally, an empirical example utilizing the Multistate Bar Examination is provided to compare the practical utility of the MIRT and MIMIC models. Structural relationships among the ability factors, covariates, and a binary outcome variable are investigated through the single- and multilevel measurement models. The article concludes with a summary of the relative advantages of Bayesian estimation over ML estimation in MIRT and MIMIC models and suggests strategies for implementing these methods.

Estimating the midpoints of interval-valued data poses significant challenges, particularly when uncertainty and variability are inherent. This paper advances midpoint estimation by leveraging both Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian methodologies, incorporating various forms of additional information through parameter constraints. In practical applications, such information often naturally arises, enabling the imposition of constraints such as order, rectangular, spherical, and bounded-order conditions on the parameter space. By integrating these constraints, the estimators can exploit structural relationships among parameters to achieve improved precision and accuracy. Through comprehensive simulation studies, we assess the performance of ML and Bayesian estimators under these constrained settings, demonstrating that Bayesian estimators consistently outperform ML estimators, particularly when employing noninformative priors. The constrained Bayesian approach not only results in lower mean squared errors (MSEs) but also yields more precise credible intervals compared to the confidence intervals obtained via ML, showcasing its robustness and efficiency. Furthermore, a real-world climatological case study validates our theoretical and simulation findings, demonstrating the practical utility of the proposed methods for interval-valued temperature data. This example illustrates how integrating additional information–often readily available–enhances the accuracy and reliability of midpoint estimation in multivariate contexts. Our work underscores the potential of structural constraints in symbolic data analysis, providing actionable insights across diverse scientific domains.

In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in the research of cooperative censoring schemes. In this work, we compared the relative benefits of two competing length-of-life products using inverse Weibull lifetime products with a joint type-II hybrid censoring scheme (JHC-Type II). We initially examined the maximum likelihood estimators and their confidence intervals (CIs) for the unknown parameters based on JHC-Type II. Then, under the premise of independent gamma priors, we offer Bayes estimates of the parameters using squared error loss and LINEX loss functions. We used the Markov chain Monte Carlo method to create credible intervals and Bayesian estimates. Based on the parametric bootstrapping techniques known as Boot-p and Boot-t, we create two bootstrapping CIs. In addition, we do a Monte Carlo simulation experiment to track how well the aforementioned approaches work and to determine the corresponding confidence and credible intervals. Finally, to show how the approaches covered in this paper might be used, we consider a real physical dataset.

This study deals with the reliability analysis of a multi-component load sharing system where failure of any component within the system induces higher failure rate on the remaining surviving components. It is assumed that each component failure time follows Chen distribution. In classical set up, the maximum likelihood estimates of the load sharing parameters, system reliability and hazard rate along with their standard errors are computed. Since maximum likelihood estimates are not in closed form, so asymptotic confidence intervals and two bootstrap confidence intervals for the unknown parameters have also been constructed. Further, by assuming both informative and non-informative prior for the unknown parameters, Bayes estimates along with their posterior standard errors and HPD intervals of the parameters are obtained. Thereafter, a simulation study elicitates the theoretical developments. A real data analysis, at the end, eshtablishes the applicability of the proposed theory.