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In this paper, we propose the MulticlusterKDE algorithm applied to classify elements of a database into categories based on their similarity. MulticlusterKDE is centered on the multiple optimization of the kernel density estimator function with multivariate Gaussian kernel. One of the main features of the proposed algorithm is that the number of clusters is an optional input parameter. Furthermore, it is very simple, easy to implement, well defined and stops at a finite number of steps and it always converges regardless of the data set. We illustrate our findings by implementing the algorithm in R software. The results indicate that the MulticlusterKDE algorithm is competitive when compared to K-means, K-medoids, CLARA, DBSCAN and PdfCluster algorithms. Features such as simplicity and efficiency make the proposed algorithm an attractive and promising research field that can be used as basis for its improvement and also for the development of new density-based clustering algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A special source of difficulty in the statistical analysis is the possibility that some subjects may not have a complete observation of the response variable. Such incomplete observation of the response variable is called censoring. Censorship can occur for a variety of reasons, including limitations of measurement equipment, design of the experiment, and non-occurrence of the event of interest until the end of the study. In the presence of censoring, the dependence of the response variable on the explanatory variables can be explored through regression analysis. In this paper, we propose to examine the censorship problem in context of the class of asymmetric, i.e., we have proposed a linear regression model with censored responses based on skew scale mixtures of normal distributions. We develop a Monte Carlo EM (MCEM) algorithm to perform maximum likelihood inference of the parameters in the proposed linear censored regression models with skew scale mixtures of normal distributions. The MCEM algorithm has been discussed with an emphasis on the skew-normal, skew Student-t-normal, skew-slash and skew-contaminated normal distributions. To examine the performance of the proposed method, we present some simulation studies and analyze a real dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider two well-known parametric long-term survival models, namely, the Bernoulli cure rate model and the promotion time (or Poisson) cure rate model. Assuming the long-term survival probability to depend on a set of risk factors, the main contribution is in the development of the stochastic expectation maximization (SEM) algorithm to determine the maximum likelihood estimates of the model parameters. We carry out a detailed simulation study to demonstrate the performance of the proposed SEM algorithm. For this purpose, we assume the lifetimes due to each competing cause to follow a two-parameter generalized exponential distribution. We also compare the results obtained from the SEM algorithm with those obtained from the well-known expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Furthermore, we investigate a simplified estimation procedure for both SEM and EM algorithms that allow the objective function to be maximized to split into simpler functions with lower dimensions with respect to model parameters. Moreover, we present examples where the EM algorithm fails to converge but the SEM algorithm still works. For illustrative purposes, we analyze a breast cancer survival data. Finally, we use a graphical method to assess the goodness-of-fit of the model with generalized exponential lifetimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the vector autoregressive model of order p, VAR(p), with multivariate t error distributions, the latter being more prevalent in real life than the usual multivariate normal distribution. It is believed that the maximum-likelihood equations for the multivariate t distribution have convergence problem, hence we develop estimation procedures for VAR(p) model using the normal mean–variance mixture representation of multivariate t distribution. The procedure relies on the computational ease available in Expectation Maximization-based algorithms. The estimators obtained are explicit functions of sample observations and therefore are easy to compute. Extensive simulation experiments show that the estimators have negligible bias and are considerably more efficient than an existing method that uses the least-squares error approach. It is shown that the proposed estimators are robust to plausible deviations from an assumed distribution and hence are more advantageous when compared with the other estimator. One real-life example is given for illustration purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a robust extension of factor analysis model by assuming the multivariate normal mean–variance mixture of Birnbaum–Saunders distribution for the unobservable factors and errors. A computationally analytical EM-based algorithm is developed to find maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters. The asymptotic standard errors of parameter estimates are derived under an information-based paradigm. Numerical merits of the proposed methodology are illustrated using both simulated and real datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the estimation of unknown parameters of Chen distribution is considered under progressive Type-II censoring in the presence of competing failure causes. It is assumed that the latent causes of failures have independent Chen distributions with the common shape parameter, but different scale parameters. From a frequentist perspective, the maximum likelihood estimate of parameters via expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm is obtained. Also, the expected Fisher information matrix based on the missing information principle is computed. By using the obtained expected Fisher information matrix of the MLEs, asymptotic 95% confidence intervals for the parameters are constructed. We also apply the bootstrap methods (Bootstrap-p and Bootstrap-t) to construct confidence intervals. From Bayesian aspect, the Bayes estimates of the unknown parameters are computed by applying the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) procedure, the average length and coverage rate of credible intervals are also carried out. The Bayes inference is based on the squared error, LINEX, and general entropy loss functions. The performance of point estimators and confidence intervals is evaluated by a simulation study. Finally, a real-life example is considered for illustrative purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heteroscedastic nonlinear regression model (HNLM) is an important tool in data modeling. In this paper we propose a HNLM considering skew scale mixtures of normal (SSMN) distributions, which allows fitting asymmetric and heavy-tailed data simultaneously. Maximum likelihood (ML) estimation is performed via the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The observed information matrix is derived analytically to account for standard errors. In addition, diagnostic analysis is developed using case-deletion measures and the local influence approach. A simulation study is developed to verify the empirical distribution of the likelihood ratio statistic, the power of the homogeneity of variances test and a study for misspecification of the structure function. The method proposed is also illustrated by analyzing a real dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]