A non-parametric bound on substitution bias in the UK retail prices index

This paper uses revealed preference restrictions and nonparametric statistical methods to bound true cost-of-living indices. These are compared to the popular price indices including the type used to calculated the UK RPI. This is used to assess the method of calculating the RPI for substitution bias

Nonparametric Statistical Methods for the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Two measures often used in a cost-effectiveness analysis are the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and the net health benefit (NHB). Inferences on these two quantities are often hindered by highly skewed cost data. In this paper, we derived the Edgeworth expansions for the studentized t-statistics for the two measures and showed how they could be used to guide inferences. In particular, we used the expansions to study the theoretical performance of existing confidence intervals based on normal theory and to derive transformational confidence intervals for the ICER and the NHB. We conducted a simulation study to compare our new intervals with several existing methods. The methods evaluated included the normal theory interval, the Fieller\u27s interval, the bootstrap percentile interval, and the bootstrap bias-corrected acceleration (BCa) interval. We found that our new intervals give good coverage accuracy and are narrower compared to the current recommendation

Towards Novel Nonparametric Statistical Methods and Bioinformatics Tools for Clinical and Translational Sciences

As the field of functional genetics and genomics is beginning to mature, we become confronted with new challenges. The constant drop in price for sequencing and gene expression profiling as well as the increasing number of genetic and genomic variables that can be measured makes it feasible to address more complex questions. The success with rare diseases caused by single loci or genes has provided us with a proof-of-concept that new therapies can be developed based on functional genomics and genetics. Common diseases, however, typically involve genetic epistasis, genomic pathways, and proteomic pattern. Moreover, to better understand the underlying biologi-cal systems, we often need to integrate information from several of these sources. Thus, as the field of clinical research moves toward complex diseases, the demand for modern data base systems and advanced statistical methods increases. The traditional statistical methods implemented in most of the bioinformatics tools currently used in the novel field of genetics and functional genomics are based on the linear model and, thus, have shortcomings when applied to nonlinear biological systems. The previous work on partially ordered data (Wittkowski 1988; 1992), when combined with theoretical results (Hoeffding 1948) and computational strategies (Deuchler 1914) has opened a new field of nonparametric statistics. With grid technology, new tools are now feasible when screening for interactions between genetics (Wittkowski, Liu 2002) and functional genomics (Wittkowski, Lee 2004). Having more complex study designs and more specific methods available increases the demand for decision support when selecting appropriate bioinformatics tools. With the advent of rapid prototyping systems for Web based database application, we have recently begun to complement previous work on knowledge based systems with graphical Web-based tools for acquisition of DESIGN and MODEL knowledge.Biostatistics Bioinformatics NIH NCRR ROADMAP

Parameters behind "nonparametric" statistics: Kendall's tau,Somers' D and median differences

So-called nonparametric statistical methods are often in fact based o

Valuing quality

This paper uses revealed preference restrictions and nonparametric statistical methods to bound a quality-constant price series for a good that changes quality over time. Unlike the more usual hedonic regression techniques for estimating quality-adjusted prices, this method does not require us to observe the changing characteristics of the good or to assume a particular functional relationship between these characteristics and quality. To place a bound on quality change using revealed preference conditions we assume that preferences are stable over time, that quality change occurs in one good or group of goods and that the direction of quality change is known

A nonparametric test of stochastic dominance in multivariate distributions

The literature on statistical test of stochastic dominance has thus far been concerned with univariate distributions. This paper presents nonparametric statistical tests for multivariate distributions. This allows a nonparametric treatment of multiple welfare indicators. These test are applied to a time series of cross-section datasets on household level total expenditure and non labour market time in the UK. This contrasts the welfare inferences which might be drawn from looking at univariate (marginal) distributions with those which consider the joint distribution.Social welfare, stochastic dominance, nonparametric statistical methods

Multidimensional analysis of data obtained in experiments with X-ray emulsion chambers and extensive air showers

Nonparametric statistical methods are used to carry out the quantitative comparison of the model and the experimental data. The same methods enable one to select the events initiated by the heavy nuclei and to calculate the portion of the corresponding events. For this purpose it is necessary to have the data on artificial events describing the experiment sufficiently well established. At present, the model with the small scaling violation in the fragmentation region is the closest to the experiments. Therefore, the treatment of gamma families obtained in the Pamir' experiment is being carried out at present with the application of these models

A Comparative Financial Ratio Analysis of U.S. Farmer Cooperatives Using Nonparametric Statistics

A comparative ratio analysis using nonparametric statistical methods provides no evidence to support the hypothesis that U.S. farmer cooperatives generally are financially weaker than other firms. Although some cooperative groups had lower current ratios than industry standards, most of these groups consisted of marketing associations for which differences may be explained largely by the unique business relationships between the associations and their patrons. Comparisons of debt/equity ratios indicate that, except for regional grain and farm supply associations, cooperatives generally are less leveraged than other firms. The overall financial strength of cooperatives appears better than during the early 1980s.Agribusiness,

Nonparametric statistical methods for randomized complete block design

Call number: LD2668 .R4 1968 T2