A Modification for Bayesian Credible Intervals

In Bayesian analysis, people usually report the highest posterior density (HPD) credible interval as an interval estimate of an unknown parameter. However, when the unknown parameter is the nonnegative normal mean, the Bayesian HPD credible interval under the uniform prior has quite a low minimum frequentist coverage probability. To enhance the minimum frequentist coverage probability of a credible interval, I propose a new method of reporting the Bayesian credible interval. Numerical results show that the new reported credible interval has a much higher minimum frequentist coverage probability than the HPD credible interval.     

A bayesian analysis of interrelated bernoulli processes with an application for clinical trials

Prior information regarding the interrelation of two Bernoulli processes may justify a clinical trial designed to corroborate this information. Antelman (1973) has studied the Dirichlet-beta which permits the expression of the prior knowledge of such interrelation. However, use of this prior distribution leads to complicated and intractable analyses. Alternately, such prior information regarding the interrelation of the processes may be adequately summarized by a simple Dirichlet distribution. Procedures for testing hypotheses regarding a priori interrelations of the success probabilities of the processes are given. Exact expressions for the posterior probabi1ities of these hypotheses are shown to be approximately equal to weighted p-values or 1ikelihood ratios.     

Some Geometric Methods for Constructing Decision Criteria Based On Two-Dimensional Parameters

This paper reviews two types of geometric methods proposed in recent years for defining statistical decision rules based on 2-dimensional parameters that characterize treatment effect in a medical setting. A common example is that of making decisions, such as comparing treatments or selecting a best dose, based on both the probability of efficacy and the probability toxicity. In most applications, the 2-dimensional parameter is defined in terms of a model parameter of higher dimension including effects of treatment and possibly covariates. Each method uses a geometric construct in the 2-dimensional parameter space based on a set of elicited parameter pairs as a basis for defining decision rules. The first construct is a family of contours that partitions the parameter space, with the contours constructed so that all parameter pairs on a given contour are equally desirable. The partition is used to define statistical decision rules that discriminate between parameter pairs in term of their desirabilities. The second construct is a convex 2-dimensional set of desirable parameter pairs, with decisions based on posterior probabilities of this set for given combinations of treatments and covariates under a Bayesian formulation. A general framework for all of these methods is provided, and each method is illustrated by one or more applications.     

Bayesian latent variable model for mixed continuous and ordinal responses with possibility of missing responses

A general framework is proposed for joint modelling of mixed correlated ordinal and continuous responses with missing values for responses, where the missing mechanism for both kinds of responses is also considered. Considering the posterior distribution of unknowns given all available information, a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling algorithm via winBUGS is used for estimating the posterior distribution of the parameters. For sensitivity analysis to investigate the perturbation from missing at random to not missing at random, it is shown how one can use some elements of covariance structure. These elements associate responses and their missing mechanisms. Influence of small perturbation of these elements on posterior displacement and posterior estimates is also studied. The model is illustrated using data from a foreign language achievement study.     

On discrete weighted distributions and their use in model choice for observed data

This paper provides a brief structural perspective of discrete weighted distributions in theory and practice.. It develops a unified view of previous work involving univariate and bivariate models with some new results pertaining to mixtures, form-invariance and Bayesian inference