The Birnbaum-Saunders Distribution presents the statistical theory, methodology, and applications of the Birnbaum-Saunders distribution, a very flexible distribution for modeling different types of data (mainly lifetime data). The book describes the most recent theoretical developments of this model, including properties, transformations and related distributions, lifetime analysis, and shape analysis. It discusses methods of inference based on uncensored and censored data, goodness-of-fit tests, and random number generation algorithms for the Birnbaum-Saunders distribution, also presenting existing and future applications. - Introduces inference in the Birnbaum-Saunders distribution - Provides a comprehensive review of the statistical theory and methodology of the Birnbaum-Distribution - Discusses different applications of the Birnbaum-Saunders distribution - Explains characterization and the lifetime analysis

In recent years, the advances and abilities of computer software have substantially increased the number of scientific publications that seek to introduce new probabilistic modelling frameworks, including continuous and discrete approaches, and univariate and multivariate models. Many of these theoretical and applied statistical works are related to distributions that try to break the symmetry of the normal distribution and other similar symmetric models, mainly using Azzalini's scheme. This strategy uses a symmetric distribution as a baseline case, then an extra parameter is added to the parent model to control the skewness of the new family of probability distributions. The most widespread and popular model is the one based on the normal distribution that produces the skewed normal distribution. In this Special Issue on symmetric and asymmetric distributions, works related to this topic are presented, as well as theoretical and applied proposals that have connections with and implications for this topic. Immediate applications of this line of work include different scenarios such as economics, environmental sciences, biometrics, engineering, health, etc. This Special Issue comprises nine works that follow this methodology derived using a simple process while retaining the rigor that the subject deserves. Readers of this Issue will surely find future lines of work that will enable them to achieve fruitful research results.

This book introduces a number of new sampling plans, such as time truncated life tests, skip sampling plans, resubmitted plans, mixed sampling plans, sampling plans based on the process capability index and plans for big data, which can be used for testing and inspecting products, from the raw-materials stage to the final product, in every industry using statistical process control techniques. It also presents the statistical theory, methodology and applications of acceptance sampling from truncated life tests. Further, it discusses the latest reliability, quality and risk analysis methods based on acceptance sampling from truncated life, which engineering and statisticians require in order to make decisions, and which are also useful for researchers in the areas of quality control, lifetime analysis, censored data analysis, goodness-of-fit and statistical software applications. In its nine chapters, the book addresses a wide range of testing/inspection sampling schemes for discrete and continuous data collected in various production processes. It includes a chapter on sampling plans for big data and offers several illustrative examples of the procedures presented. Requiring a basic knowledge of probability distributions, inference and estimation, and lifetime and quality analysis, it is a valuable resource for graduate and senior undergraduate engineering students, and practicing engineers, more specifically it is useful for quality engineers, reliability engineers, consultants, black belts, master black belts, students and researchers interested in applying reliability and risk and quality methods.

The book provides details on 22 probability distributions. Each distribution section provides a graphical visualization and formulas for distribution parameters, along with distribution formulas. Common statistics such as moments and percentile formulas are followed by likelihood functions and in many cases the derivation of maximum likelihood estimates. Bayesian non-informative and conjugate priors are provided followed by a discussion on the distribution characteristics and applications in reliability engineering.

This book aims to promote regression methods for analyzing lifetime (or time-to-event) data that are based on a representation of the underlying process, and are therefore likely to offer greater scientific insight compared to purely empirical methods. In contrast to the rich statistical literature, the regression methods actually employed in lifetime data analysis are limited, particularly in the biomedical field where D. R. Cox’s famous semi-parametric proportional hazards model predominates. Practitioners should become familiar with more flexible models. The first hitting time regression models (or threshold regression) presented here represent observed events as the outcome of an underlying stochastic process. One example is death occurring when the patient’s health status falls to zero, but the idea has wide applicability – in biology, engineering, banking and finance, and elsewhere. The central topic is the model based on an underlying Wiener process, leading to lifetimes following the inverse Gaussian distribution. Introducing time-varying covariates and many other extensions are considered. Various applications are presented in detail.

Modern financial management is largely about risk management, which is increasingly data-driven. The problem is how to extract information from the data overload. It is here that advanced statistical and machine learning techniques can help. Accordingly, finance, statistics, and data analytics go hand in hand. The purpose of this book is to bring the state-of-art research in these three areas to the fore and especially research that juxtaposes these three.

This new book offers a guide to the theory and methods of progressive censoring. In many industrial experiments involving lifetimes of machines or units, experiments have to be terminated early. Progressive Censoring first introduces progressive sampling foundations, and then discusses various properties of progressive samples. The book points out the greater efficiency gained by using this scheme instead of classical right-censoring methods.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

This book is written in the hope that it will serve as a companion volume to my first monograph. The first monograph was largely devoted to the probabilistic aspects of the inverse Gaussian law and therefore ignored the statistical issues and related data analyses. Ever since the appearance of the book by Chhikara and Folks, a considerable number of publications in both theory and applications of the inverse Gaussian law have emerged thereby justifying the need for a comprehensive treatment of the issues involved. This book is divided into two sections and fills up the gap updating the material found in the book of Chhikara and Folks. Part I contains seven chapters and covers distribution theory, estimation, significance tests, goodness-of-fit, sequential analysis and compound laws and mixtures. The first part forms the backbone of the theory and wherever possible I have provided illustrative examples for easy assimilation of the theory. The second part is devoted to a wide range of applications from various disciplines. The applied statistician will find numerous instances of examples which pertain to a first passage time situation. It is indeed remarkable that in the fields of life testing, ecology, entomology, health sciences, traffic intensity and management science the inverse Gaussian law plays a dominant role. Real life examples from actuarial science and ecology came to my attention after this project was completed and I found it impossible to include them.

The Gradient Test: Another Likelihood-Based Test presents the latest on the gradient test, a large-sample test that was introduced in statistics literature by George R. Terrell in 2002. The test has been studied by several authors, is simply computed, and can be an interesting alternative to the classical large-sample tests, namely, the likelihood ratio (LR), Wald (W), and Rao score (S) tests. Due to the large literature about the LR, W and S tests, the gradient test is not frequently used to test hypothesis. The book covers topics on the local power of the gradient test, the Bartlett-corrected gradient statistic, the gradient statistic under model misspecification, and the robust gradient-type bounded-influence test. Covers the background of the gradient statistic and the different models Discusses The Bartlett-corrected gradient statistic Explains the algorithm to compute the gradient-type statistic