A sequential Monte Carlo approach to computing tail probabilities in stochastic models

Sequential Monte Carlo methods which involve sequential importance sampling and resampling are shown to provide a versatile approach to computing probabilities of rare events. By making use of martingale representations of the sequential Monte Carlo estimators, we show how resampling weights can be chosen to yield logarithmically efficient Monte Carlo estimates of large deviation probabilities for multidimensional Markov random walks.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/10-AAP758 the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Combining domain knowledge and statistical models in time series analysis

This paper describes a new approach to time series modeling that combines subject-matter knowledge of the system dynamics with statistical techniques in time series analysis and regression. Applications to American option pricing and the Canadian lynx data are given to illustrate this approach.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/074921706000001049 in the IMS Lecture Notes Monograph Series (http://www.imstat.org/publications/lecnotes.htm) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Historical and recent investigations on the bee fauna of Taiwan (Hymenoptera, Apoidea)

The bee fauna of Taiwan was studied intensively in the first half of last century and was based in large parts on the extensive material collected by Hans Sauter between 1902 and 1914. Subsequent studies on bees of Taiwan have only been sporadic. Within a cooperation between the above mentioned institutions the bee fauna was reinvestigated. It was shown how insufficiently the bee fauna of Taiwan had been investigated so far, in particular, the higher mountain regions. Now about 150 species of bees, belonging to 32 different genera, are known from Taiwan, ten of which have been described or recognized as new for science by the recent cooperation

Examining Exchange Rates Exposure, J-Curve and the Marshall-Lerner Condition for High Frequency Trade Series between China and Malaysia

Over the last decade, China and Malaysia have committed to export-led growth policy based on maintenance of their undervalued currencies. Both nations had succumbed to pressure of revaluation to de-peg their currency against the USD, the same day in July 2005. This unique scenario motivated us to examine the dynamic nexus of exchange rate impact on bilateral export and import flows between China and Malaysia. Our analysis contributed in using high frequency monthly data for the recent period from January 1990 to January 2008, based on the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bound testing procedure and generalised impulse response analysis. Our empirical findings reveal that the Marshall-Lerner condition holds that real depreciation accelerates trade expansion in the long run but only the short run import demands adhere to the potential J-curve pattern. Domestic and foreign incomes are significant and correctly signed, suggesting that the China-Malaysia exports and imports are determined by demand side effects. In brief, the study supports for the complementary role of China instead of conflicting (competing) features in the China-Malaysia bilateral tradingExchange rates, Trade, J-curve, Marshall-Lerner Condition, ARDL Bounds test