8,890 research outputs found
Mixtures of Shifted Asymmetric Laplace Distributions
A mixture of shifted asymmetric Laplace distributions is introduced and used
for clustering and classification. A variant of the EM algorithm is developed
for parameter estimation by exploiting the relationship with the general
inverse Gaussian distribution. This approach is mathematically elegant and
relatively computationally straightforward. Our novel mixture modelling
approach is demonstrated on both simulated and real data to illustrate
clustering and classification applications. In these analyses, our mixture of
shifted asymmetric Laplace distributions performs favourably when compared to
the popular Gaussian approach. This work, which marks an important step in the
non-Gaussian model-based clustering and classification direction, concludes
with discussion as well as suggestions for future work
Unsupervised Learning via Mixtures of Skewed Distributions with Hypercube Contours
Mixture models whose components have skewed hypercube contours are developed
via a generalization of the multivariate shifted asymmetric Laplace density.
Specifically, we develop mixtures of multiple scaled shifted asymmetric Laplace
distributions. The component densities have two unique features: they include a
multivariate weight function, and the marginal distributions are also
asymmetric Laplace. We use these mixtures of multiple scaled shifted asymmetric
Laplace distributions for clustering applications, but they could equally well
be used in the supervised or semi-supervised paradigms. The
expectation-maximization algorithm is used for parameter estimation and the
Bayesian information criterion is used for model selection. Simulated and real
data sets are used to illustrate the approach and, in some cases, to visualize
the skewed hypercube structure of the components
Parsimonious Shifted Asymmetric Laplace Mixtures
A family of parsimonious shifted asymmetric Laplace mixture models is
introduced. We extend the mixture of factor analyzers model to the shifted
asymmetric Laplace distribution. Imposing constraints on the constitute parts
of the resulting decomposed component scale matrices leads to a family of
parsimonious models. An explicit two-stage parameter estimation procedure is
described, and the Bayesian information criterion and the integrated completed
likelihood are compared for model selection. This novel family of models is
applied to real data, where it is compared to its Gaussian analogue within
clustering and classification paradigms
The Co-occurrence of child and intimate partner maltreatment in the family: characteristics of the violent perpetrators
This study considers the characteristics associated with mothers and fathers who maltreat their child and each other in comparison to parents who only maltreat their child. One hundred and sixty-two parents who had allegations of child maltreatment made against them were considered. The sample consisted of 43 fathers (Paternal Family—PF) and 23 mothers (Maternal Family—MF) who perpetrated both partner and child maltreatment, together with 23 fathers (Paternal Child—PC) and 26 mothers (Maternal Child—MC) who perpetrated child maltreatment only. In addition, 2 fathers (Paternal Victim—PV) and 23 mothers (Maternal Victim—MV) were victims of intimate partner maltreatment and perpetrators of child maltreatment and 7 fathers (Paternal Non-abusive Carer—PNC) and 15 mothers (Maternal Non-abusive Carer—MNC) did not maltreat the child but lived with an individual who did. Within their family unit, 40.7% of parents perpetrated both intimate partner and child maltreatment. However, fathers were significantly more likely to maltreat both their partner and child than mothers and mothers were significantly more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence than fathers. PF fathers conducted the highest amount of physical and/or sexual child maltreatment while MC and MV mothers perpetrated the highest amount of child neglect. Few significant differences between mothers were found. PF fathers had significantly more factors associated with development of a criminogenic lifestyle than PC fathers. Marked sex differences were demonstrated with PF fathers demonstrating significantly more antisocial characteristics, less mental health problems and fewer feelings of isolation than MF mothers. MC mothers had significantly more childhood abuse, mental health problems, parenting risk factors and were significantly more likely to be biologically related to the child than PC fathers. This study suggests that violent families should be assessed and treated in a holistic manner, considering the effects of partner violence upon all family members, rather than exclusively intervening with the violent man
VLA 8.4-GHz monitoring observations of the CLASS gravitational lens B1933+503
The complex ten-component gravitational lens system B1933+503 has been
monitored with the VLA during the period February to June 1998 with a view to
measuring the time delay between the four compact components and hence to
determine the Hubble parameter. Here we present the results of an `A'
configuration 8.4-GHz monitoring campaign which consists of 37 epochs with an
average spacing of 2.8 days. The data have yielded light curves for the four
flat-spectrum radio components (components 1, 3, 4 and 6). We observe only
small flux density changes in the four flat-spectrum components which we do not
believe are predominantly intrinsic to the source. Therefore the variations do
not allow us to determine the independent time delays in this system. However,
the data do allow us to accurately determine the flux density ratios between
the four flat-spectrum components. These will prove important as modelling
constraints and could prove crucial in future monitoring observations should
these data show only a monotonic increase or decrease in the flux densities of
the flat-spectrum components.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 5 pages, 2 included PostScript
figure
The Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey parent population - I. Sample selection and number counts
We present the selection of the Jodrell Bank Flat-spectrum (JBF) radio source
sample, which is designed to reduce the uncertainties in the Cosmic Lens
All-Sky Survey (CLASS) gravitational lensing statistics arising from the lack
of knowledge about the parent population luminosity function. From observations
at 4.86 GHz with the Very Large Array, we have selected a sample of 117
flat-spectrum radio sources with flux densities greater than 5 mJy. These
sources were selected in a similar manner to the CLASS complete sample and are
therefore representative of the parent population at low flux densities. The
vast majority (~90 per cent) of the JBF sample are found to be compact on the
arcsecond scales probed here and show little evidence of any extended radio jet
emission. Using the JBF and CLASS complete samples we find the differential
number counts slope of the parent population above and below the CLASS 30 mJy
flux density limit to be -2.07+/-0.02 and -1.96+/-0.12, respectively.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Keck spectroscopy of CLASS gravitational lenses
We present the optical spectra of four newly discovered gravitational lenses
from the Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey (CLASS). These observations were carried
out using the Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph on the W. M. Keck-I Telescope
as part of a program to study galaxy-scale gravitational lenses. From our
spectra we found the redshift of the background source in CLASS B0128+437
(z_s=3.1240+-0.0042) and the lensing galaxy redshifts in CLASS B0445+123
(z_l=0.5583+-0.0003) and CLASS B0850+054 (z_l=0.5883+-0.0006). Intriguingly, we
also discovered that CLASS B0631+519 may have two lensing galaxies
(z_l,1=0.0896+-0.0001, z_l,2=0.6196+-0.0004). We also found a single
unidentified emission line from the lensing galaxy in CLASS B0128+437 and the
lensed source in CLASS B0850+054. We find the lensing galaxies in CLASS
B0445+123 and CLASS B0631+519 (l,2) to be early-type galaxies with Einstein
Radii of 2.8-3.0 h^{-1} kpc. The deflector in CLASS B0850+054 is a late-type
galaxy with an Einstein Radius of 1.6 h^{-1} kpc.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Lensing galaxies: light or dark?
In a recent paper, Hawkins (1997) argues on the basis of statistical studies
of double-image gravitational lenses and lens candidates that a large
population of dark lenses exists and that these outnumber galaxies with more
normal mass-to-light ratios by a factor of 3:1. If correct, this is a very
important result for many areas of astronomy including galaxy formation and
cosmology. In this paper we discuss our new radio-selected gravitational lens
sample, JVAS/CLASS, in order to test and constrain this proposition. We have
obtained ground-based and HST images of all multiple-image lens systems in our
sample and in 12 cases out of 12 we find the lensing galaxies in the optical
and/or near infrared. Our success in finding lensing galaxies creates problems
for the dark lens hypothesis. If it is to survive, ad hoc modifications seem to
be necessary: only very massive galaxies (more than about one trillion solar
masses) can be dark, and the cutoff in mass must be sharp. Our finding of lens
galaxies in all the JVAS/CLASS systems is complementary evidence which supports
the conclusion of Kochanek et al. (1997) that many of the wide-separation
optically-selected pairs are physically distinct quasars rather than
gravitational lens systems.Comment: 4 pages, 2 included figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy
and Astrophysics. Paper version available on request. This replacement amends
the text to allow more discussion of the overlap with astro-ph/971016
The channels of technology acquisition in commercial firms, and the NASA dissemination program
Technology acquisition in commercial firms, and NASA dissemination progra
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