9 research outputs found
Comparative Analysis and Practical Applications of Cubic Transmutations for the Pareto Distribution
No full textTransmutation is a technique for extending classical probability distributions in order to give them more flexibility. In this paper, we are interested in cubic transmutations of the Pareto distribution. We establish a general formula that unifies the three existing cubic transmuted Pareto (CTP) distributions and facilitates the derivation of three new CTP distributions that have not yet been proposed in the literature. We also derive general formulas for the related mathematical properties and study parameter estimation via the maximum likelihood method. Finally, we perform a comparative analysis of the six CTP distributions using real-world data. The results obtained confirm the flexibility and effectiveness of CTP distributions in modelling various types of data
(R2130) CUSUM-test for Unconditional Variance Change Detection in Bilinear GARCH Models
No full textWe examine CUSUM-type test for detecting changes in unconditional variance within Bilinear GARCH models. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic under both null and alternative hypotheses and assess test effectiveness in identifying single structural breaks. Simulation studies support our theoretical results and demonstrate the practical utility of the test
A Fast and Efficient Estimation of the Parameters of a Model of Accident Frequencies via an MM Algorithm
No full textIn this paper, we consider a multivariate statistical model of accident frequencies having a variable number of parameters and whose parameters are dependent and subject to box constraints and linear equality constraints. We design a minorization-maximization (MM) algorithm and an accelerated MM algorithm to compute the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters. We illustrate, through simulations, the performance of our proposed MM algorithm and its accelerated version by comparing them to Newton-Raphson (NR) and quasi-Newton algorithms. The results suggest that the MM algorithm and its accelerated version are better in terms of convergence proportion and, as the number of parameters increases, they are also better in terms of computation time
A Preventive Approach to Post-Election Conflicts in Contemporary Africa
No full textIn this dissertation the author hypothesizes that (H1): In Africa, countries that use majoritarian electoral systems are more likely to experience post-election conflicts than are countries that use proportional electoral systems, (H2): In Africa, countries that use majoritarian electoral systems are more likely to experience post-election conflicts than are countries that use mixed electoral systems, and (H3): In Africa, countries that use mixed electoral systems are more likely to experience post-election conflicts than are countries that use proportional electoral systems.
These hypotheses are tested by using both primary qualitative and secondary quantitative data analyses in order to answer the research question: In Africa, why do some countries tend to experience post-election conflict while others do not? This dissertation focuses on the first twenty years (1990-2010) of the move to democracy in Africa. With elections as the unit of analysis, and using the dataset on African electoral violence and the Cingranelli-Richards (CIRI) Human Rights dataset, this dissertation uses a most different systems design on six countries included in the Afrobarometer studies: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Togo, and Senegal. Among these six countries, Ghana and Togo use a majoritarian electoral system, Benin and Guinea-Bissau use a proportional representation electoral system, and Guinea and Senegal use a mixed electoral system.
The findings indicate that reforming the electoral system to accommodate the needs of the populace in countries with frequent electoral conflicts is the one way not only to cope with current post-election conflicts, but also to help prevent future ones. To be more specific, the author recommends that proportional representation systems are the best tools to help prevent and mitigate post-election conflicts in Africa. Other implications include, but are not limited to, identifying ways to help promote substantive and representative democracies in Africa based on the findings of both the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study
Curing Cholera: Pathogens, Places and Poverty in South Asia
No full textIn this paper I will seek to provide a new understanding of endemicity of disease in India. Through a study of cholera research in the twentieth century I will argue that disease and its endemicity has to be understood in biological factors as well as within a wider social and economic context. I will discuss the medical efforts at locating the causality of cholera from the nineteenth century in Indian climate, water bodies and human anatomy to show that cholera is no more a biological phenomena than water is an ecological or environmental problem. Both are essentially political and economic questions
Exploring The Veil of Blackness
No full textabstract: Abstract
Exploring the Veil of Blackness is a creative project in the form of a podcast titled UKME America”. UKME America stands for Uwem mi Kederimbot America, which means “my life in the world in America”. It aims to explore the differences that divide individuals within the black community from a perspective of a First-Generation African American. It also illustrates how diverse the black community is. Drawing from my own experiences and research, this led me to a common theme centered around the following four questions: (a) what is it like to lose one’s identity; (b) where does this insecurity stem from; (c) how does society impact the way we view ourselves; and (d) how can we uplift ourselves. In my podcast, I interviewed individuals who identified as African Americans, First Generation African Americans, and Africans.
Everyone I interviewed told me their stories using historical, social, and cultural narratives. Overall, I want individuals to understand that there is fluidity behind the meaning of “black”, and the more individuals learn to embrace their differences, the more we can break down the barriers, put a united front, fight societal discrimination. I would like to thank my thesis director Dr. Neveser Köker and Second Committee Chair, Matthew Voorhees. I want to thank them for their guidance, motivation, patience, and for pushing and challenging me to reach new heights. I also would like thank my mom and Dr. Cynthia Patiño, for their constant encouragement and support. This would not have been possible without them
An Estimation of the Entomological Inoculation Rate for Ifakara: A Semi-Urban Area in a Region of Intense Malaria Transmission in Tanzania.
No full textAn entomological study on vectors of malaria and their relative contribution to Plasmodium falciparum transmission in the semi-urban area of Ifakara, south-eastern Tanzania, was conducted. A total of 32 houses were randomly sampled from the area and light trap catches (LTC) performed in one room in each house every 2 weeks for 1 year. A total of 147 448 mosquitoes were caught from 789 LTC; 26 134 Anopheles gambiae s.l., 615 A. funestus, 718 other anophelines and 119 981 culicines. More than 60% of the total A. gambiae s.l. were found in five (0.6%) LTCs, with a maximum of 5889 caught in a single trap. Of 505 A. gambiae s.l. speciated by polymerase chain reaction, 91.5% were found to be A. arabiensis. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests were performed on 10 108 anopheles mosquitoes and 39 (0.38%) were positive. Entomological inoculation rate (EIR) estimates were generated using a standard method and an alternative method that allows the calculation of confidence intervals based on a negative binomial distribution of sporozoite positive mosquitoes. Overall EIR estimates were similar; 31 vs. 29 [95% confidence interval (CI): 19, 44] infectious bites per annum, respectively. The EIR ranged from 4 (95% CI: 1, 17) in the cool season to 108 (95% CI: 69, 170) in the wet season and from 54 (95% CI: 30, 97) in the east of the town to 15 (95% CI: 8, 30) in the town centre. These estimates show large variations over short distances in time and space. They are all markedly lower than those reported from nearby rural areas and for other parts of Tanzania
