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This paper provides a simple proof for the fact that the hitting time to an infrequently visited subset for a one-dependent regenerative process converges weakly to an exponential distribution. Special cases are positive recurrent Harris chains and Harris processes. The paper further extends this class of limit theorems to ‘rewards’ that are cumulated to the hitting time of such a rare set.

In this paper, the componentwise increasing convex order, the upper orthant order, the upper orthant convex order, and the increasing directionally convex order for random vectors are generalized to hierarchical classes of integral stochastic order relations. The elements of the generating classes of functions possess nonnegative partial derivatives up to some given degrees. Some properties of these new stochastic order relations are studied. Particular attention is paid to the comparison of weighted sums of the respective components of ordered random vectors. By providing a unified derivation of standard multivariate stochastic orderings, the present paper shows how some well-known results derive from a common principle.

This thesis consists of four papers.In paper 1, we prove central limit theorems for Markov chains under (local) contraction conditions. As a corollary we obtain a central limit theorem for Markov chains associated with iterated function systems with contractive maps and place-dependent Dini-continuous probabilities.In paper 2, properties of inverse subordinators are investigated, in particular similarities with renewal processes. The main tool is a theorem on processes that are both renewal and Cox processes.In paper 3, distributional properties of supercritical and especially immortal branching processes are derived. The marginal distributions of immortal branching processes are found to be compound geometric.In paper 4, a description of a dynamic population model is presented, such that samples from the population have genealogies as given by a Lambda-coalescent with mutations. Depending on whether the sample is grouped according to litters or families, the sampling distribution is either regenerative or non-regenerative.

Suppose that {X s , 0 ≤ s ≤ T} is an m-dimensional geometric Brownian motion with drift, μ is a bounded positive Borel measure on [0,T], and ϕ : ℝ m → [0,∞) is a (weighted) l q (ℝ m )-norm, 1 ≤ q ≤ ∞. The purpose of this paper is to study the distribution and the moments of the random variable Y given by the L p (μ)-norm, 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, of the function s ↦ ϕ(X s ), 0 ≤ s ≤ T. By using various geometric inequalities in Wiener space, this paper gives upper and lower bounds for the distribution function of Y and proves that the distribution function is log-concave and absolutely continuous on every open subset of the distribution's support. Moreover, the paper derives tail probabilities, presents sharp moment inequalities, and shows that Y is indetermined by its moments. The paper will also discuss the so-called moment-matching method for the pricing of Asian-styled basket options.

We consider the exact distribution of the number of peaks in a random permutation of the integers 1, 2, ···, n. This arises from a test of whether n successive observations from a continuous distribution are i.i.d. The Eulerian numbers, which figure in the p.g.f., are then shown to provide a link between the simpler problem of ascents (which has been thoroughly analysed) and both our problem of peaks and similar problems on the circle. This link then permits easy deduction of certain general properties, such as linearity in n of the cumulants, in the more complex settings. Since the focus of the paper is on exact distributional results, a uniform bound on the deviation from the limiting normal is included. A secondary purpose of the paper is synthesis, beginning with the more familiar setting of peaks and troughs.

The hazard rate ordering is an ordering for random variables which compares lifetimes with respect to their hazard rate functions. It is stronger than the usual stochastic order for random variables, yet is weaker than the likelihood ratio ordering. The hazard rate ordering is particularly useful in reliability theory and survival analysis, owing to the importance of the hazard rate function in these areas. In this paper earlier work on the hazard rate ordering is reviewed, and extensive new results related to coherent systems are derived. Initially we fix the form of a coherent structure and investigate the effect on the hazard rate function of the system when we switch the lifetimes of its components from the vector (T 1, · ··, Tn ) to the vector (T′ 1, · ··, T′n ), where the hazard rate functions of the two vectors are assumed to be comparable in some sense. Although the hazard rate ordering is closed under the formation of series systems, we see that this is not the case for parallel systems even when the system is a two-component parallel system with exponentially distributed lifetimes. A positive result shows that for two-component parallel systems with proportional hazards (λ 1 r(t), λ 2 r(t))), the more diverse (λ 1, λ2 ) is in the sense of majorization the stronger is the system in the hazard rate ordering. Unfortunately even this result does not extend to parallel systems with more than two components, demonstrating again the delicate nature of the hazard rate ordering. The principal result of the paper concerns the hazard rate ordering for the lifetime of a k-out-of-n system. It is shown that if τ k|n is the lifetime of a k-out-of-n system, then τ k|n is greater than τ k+ 1|n in the hazard rate ordering for any k. This has an interesting interpretation in the language of order statistics. For independent (not necessarily identically distributed) lifetimes T 1, · ··, Tn , we let Tk:n represent the kth order statistic (in increasing order). Then it is shown that Tk + 1:n is greater than Tk:n in the hazard rate ordering for all k = 1, ···, n − 1. The result does not, however, extend to the stronger likelihood ratio order.

In this paper we study first passage percolation on a random graph model, the configuration model. We first introduce the notions of weighted diameter, which is the maximum of the weighted lengths of all optimal paths between any two vertices in the graph, and the flooding time, which represents the time (weighted length) needed to reach all the vertices in the graph starting from a uniformly chosen vertex. Our result consists in describing the asymptotic behavior of the diameter and the flooding time, as the number of vertices n tends to infinity, in the case where the weight distribution G has an exponential tail behavior, and proving that this category of distributions is the largest possible for which the asymptotic behavior holds.

In this paper we prove asymptotic upper bounds on the variance of the number of vertices and the missed area of inscribed random disc-polygons in smooth convex discs whose boundary isC+2. We also consider a circumscribed variant of this probability model in which the convex disc is approximated by the intersection of random circles.

Consider a sample 𝒳n={X1,…,Xn} of independent and identically distributed variables drawn with a probability distribution ℙX supported on a compact set M⊂ℝd. In this paper we mainly deal with the study of a natural estimator for the geodesic distance on M. Under rather general geometric assumptions on M, we prove a general convergence result. Assuming M to be a compact manifold of known dimension d′≤d, and under regularity assumptions on ℙX, we give an explicit convergence rate. In the case when M has no boundary, knowledge of the dimension d′ is not needed to obtain this convergence rate. The second part of the work consists in building an estimator for the Fréchet expectations on M, and proving its convergence under regularity conditions, applying the previous results.

In this paper we consider the degree-wise effect of a second step for a random walk on a graph. We prove that under the configuration model, for any fixed degree sequence the probability of exceeding a given degree threshold is smaller after two steps than after one. This builds on recent work of Krameret al.(2016) regarding the friendship paradox under random walks.

In this paper we prove a quenched functional central limit theorem for a biased random walk on a supercritical Galton–Watson tree with leaves. This extends a result of Peres and Zeitouni (2008) where the case without leaves was considered. A conjecture of Ben Arous and Fribergh (2016) suggests an upper bound on the bias which we observe to be sharp.

In this paper we deal with an optimal stopping problem whose objective is to maximize the probability of selecting k out of the last ℓ successes, given a sequence of independent Bernoulli trials of length N, where k and ℓ are predetermined integers satisfying 1≤k≤ℓ

In this paper we study the expected rank problem under full information. Our approach uses the planar Poisson approach from Gnedin (2007) to derive the expected rank of a stopping rule that is one of the simplest nontrivial examples combining rank dependent rules with threshold rules. This rule attains an expected rank lower than the best upper bounds obtained in the literature so far, in particular, we obtain an expected rank of 2.326 14.

In this paper we consider an M/M/c queue modified to allow both mass arrivals when the system is empty and the workload to be removed. Properties of queues which terminate when the server becomes idle are firstly developed. Recurrence properties, equilibrium distribution, and equilibrium queue-size structure are studied for the case of resurrection and no mass exodus. All of these results are then generalized to allow for the removal of the entire workload. In particular, we obtain the Laplace transformation of the transition probability for the absorptive M/M/c queue.

The chord length distributions of planar convex sets are discussed, particu- larly the density values at the extremes of the range; there is a qualitative distinction between polygons and sets with smooth boundaries. The distance between convex sets is related to the distance between distribution functions. This paper is concerned with recording some of the simpler properties of chord length distributions (henceforth abbreviated to c.l.d.) of compact con- vex figures in R2. Detailed calculation of c.l.d.'s are exercises in integration. In the case of polygons the results can be expressed in terms of elementary functions, but are usually highly tedious, requiring different expressions over different ranges. In this paper Kwill denote a compact convex set in R2, containing more than one point; Jr will denote the set of such sets and ((.) the set of equivalence classes of.J under the Euclidean group of motions, M2. The measure on the set of lines in R2 will be the M2 invariant measure, u. If a line G meets K we may write G t K and the set of incident lines as G(K), with S(G) the chord length. If an origin is chosen in K a line can be parametrised by its perpendicular distance, p, and the orientation p of that perpendicular. It is well known (Santal6 (13), p. 28) that the invariant line measure is dG = dpd4, so that, in this parametrisation, ,L is identified with Lebesgue measure, u2, in R2. It is shown in Sulanke (14) that S is a measurable function on G(K). As #u(G(K)) is equal to the perimeter, L, of K the distribution function of chord length is

Let {W(t), 0 ≦ t < ∞} be the standard Wiener process. The probabilities of the type P[sup0≦t ≦ T W(t) − f(t) ≧ 0] have been extensively studied when f(t) is a deterministic function. This paper discusses the probabilities of the type P{sup0≦t ≦ T W(t) − [f(t) + X(t)] ≧ 0} when X(t) is a stochastic process. By taking compound Poisson processes as X(t), the paper gives procedures for finding such probabilities.

Sufficient conditions for strong ergodicity of discrete-time non-homogeneous Markov chains have been given in several papers. Conditions have been given using the left eigenvectors ψ n of Pn (ψ nPn = ψ n ) and also using the limiting behavior of Pn. In this paper we consider the analogous results in the case of continuous-time Markov chains where one uses the intensity matrices Q(t) instead of P(s, t). A bound on the rate of convergence of certain strongly ergodic chains is also given.

A detailed probabilistic treatment is given of a birth-and-death process proposed by Williams (1969) in which the elements of the process bear up to s inanimate marks. Equations for the second-order moments of the process, and approximate marginal univariate solutions, are derived. The exact bivariate solution is given for the case s = 1. For general s the variance of the mark population is also derived. MARKED BIRTH-AND-DEATH PROCESS; MULTIVARIATE LAGRANGE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; MULTITYPE BRANCHING PROCESS Introduction In a recent paper Williams (1969) has considered the following process. We have a population of elements developing as a linear birth-and-death process and each element bears a number of inanimate marks. When a marked element dies then it and its marks are removed from the population; when a marked element divides, its marks segregate independently and without loss, each with probability I into one of the two daughter elements. It is assumed that marking an element does not affect its birth and death rates (cf. Clifford and Sudbury (1972)). Williams' process was proposed as a model of an experiment conducted on bacteria (the elements) infected by phage (the inanimate marks), by Meynell (1959). (The bacteria are lysogenic with respect to the phage, which means that the phage do not interfere with the behaviour of the bacteria.) His object was to use the marking process in order to separate the birth and death rates of the bacteria; if we denote birth and death rates by A and p respectively, then the mean-value measures on the bacterial population (assumed to develop as a linear birth-and-death process) will estimate the difference (A p). As the marks are inanimate, however, they will only be affected by p and so mean-value measures on the mark population enable us to estimate p (see Williams (1969)). The papers of Meynell and Williams taken together provide a most interesting example of a virological experiment and the probability model of that experiment. Received in revised form 10 August 1973 Research sponsored by a Science Research Council grant and a World Health Organisation research traineeship. 423 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.180 on Thu, 08 Sep 2016 05:01:40 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 424 BYRON J. T. MORGAN Williams considered the mean-value solution of his model; this was adequate for Meynell's experiment in which population sizes were large. Here we shall give a fuller probabilistic statement of the model and make some contributions to its solution. Two differences from Williams' work lie in the adoption of an upper bound, s, to the number of marks any element can have, and the assumption (except where stated) of birth and death rates independent of time. We 'shall assume general initial conditions which, in Meynell's experiment, correspond to the distribution of phage over bacteria once these have been initially exposed to a phage population. Williams took this distribution to be Poisson; the distribution of phage over bacteria has, however, been the subject of much probabilistic study (e.g., see Gani (1965) and Morgan (1971)). Finally, let us note that the value s = I, on which we shall particularly concentrate, probably gives the most realistic description of Meynell's experiment. 2. The probability model The model is a continuous-time Markov process with discrete states. Let N,(t) be a random variable denoting the number of elements with i marks at time t, i = 0, 1,2, ..., s. Let n = (n0,n1, l , n.., ), Iu = (Uo, u1, *,us), N(t) = (No(t), N(t), --,N,(t)), and suppose N,(O) = ai, i = 0, 1,2, --, s. Let P(n; t) = P(N(t) = n), then corresponding to death we have the transitions, (No, ..., Ni, ---, N,) (No, --, Ni 1, , N,) at probability rate pNi, i = 0, 1,2, ,s, while corresponding to birth we have the following transitions (No, N,) ,(No + 1, .., N,) at probability rate, 2 =1 N 2-' +,ANo, (No, , Ni ,N2i,..., X (No, Ni + 2, , N2iI, at probability rate, This content downloaded from 207.46.13.180 on Thu, 08 Sep 2016 05:01:40 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms On the distribution of inanimate marks over a linear birth-and-death process 425 where we use [is] to denote the integral part of is, and (No, " , Ni, * * *, Nk i Nk, "', Ns) -*(No, ..., Nj + 1, ..., Nk-i + 1, ..., Nj 1, ..., Nl) at probability rate 2N 2-k' i = 1,2,...,C[(k 1)], k = 3,4,...,s (smaller k give transitions already considered above). It is readily verified that the sum of the transition rates is (A + yp) X = oN,, as required in the overall birth-and-death process. Introducing the operator Di, which increases the argument ni of a function of n by 1, we then deduce that the Kolmogorov forward equations (for all possible n) are, d S S (1) +(n; t) P(n; t)(A+ t)1 (n2 + D,P(n;t)(n +1) dt ==0 1=0

We adapt arguments from a paper of Seymour and Welsh concerning percolation probabilities on the infinite square lattice L to show that for certain regions R in L, if there is a positive probability of having an infinite open path in L starting at the origin then there is also a positive probability of having such a path within R. PERCOLATION; CRITICAL PROBABILITY; SQUARE LATTICE This note is based on the paper of Seymour and Welsh (1978) and we adopt notation from that paper. We denote by L the infinite square lattice, that is the set of points (i,j) in the plane with integer coordinates, together with edges joining each point (i, j) to its four nearest neighbours (i + 1, j), (i 1, j), (i, j + 1), (i, j 1). Fix some real number p with 0 p 1, and suppose that each edge of L has probability p of being open and probability q = 1 p of being closed, independently of all other edges. Regard the origin as a source of fluid and suppose that the fluid can flow along open edges but not along closed edges. We say that a point v of L is wet if there is an open path (that is, a path consisting of open edges) from the origin to v, and otherwise v is dry. We may enquire which values of p give us a positive probability of having an infinite number of wet vertices. Note that by K6nig's lemma, for any assignment of open or closed to each edge of L, there is an infinite number of wet vertices if and only if there is an infinite open (self-avoiding) path in L starting at the origin. Given any non-negative function f defined on the non-negative integers with f(0) = 0 let R(f) denote the region of L in the first quadrant above the function f, that is R (f) denotes the subgraph of L induced by those points (i, j) in L with i -0 and jf(i). Theorem. Fix p and suppose that for some integer k f(n)exp{-(logn)k}--O as n -oo. Received 27 November 1978; revision received 15 January 1979. * Postal address: London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton St., London WC 2A 2AE, U.K. Research partially supported by NRC grant A9211.

Many species of birds have a characteristic clutch size which is either fixed at k or is of the form k or k + 1 for some appropriate integer k. In this paper we show, using a multitype Galton–Watson process to model a bird population, that such behaviour can correspond to maximization of the probability of survival of the species to time t for each finite t. This is also a conclusion which might be drawn from the theory of natural selection and hence provides some mathematical evidence of the force of evolution. The results of the paper rest on a bounding of probability generating functions.

This paper is on conditioned weak limit theorems for imbedded waiting-time processes of an M/G/1 queue. More specifically we study functional limit theorems for the actual waiting-time process conditioned by the event that the number of customers in a busy period exceeds n or equals n. Attention is also paid to the actual waiting-time process with random time index. Combined with the existing literature on the subject this paper gives a complete account of the conditioned limit theorems for the actual waiting-time process of an M/G/1 queue for arbitrary traffic intensity and for a rather general class of service-time distributions. The limit processes that occur are Brownian excursion and meander, while in the case of random time index also the following limit occurs: Brownian excursion divided by an independent and uniform (0, 1) distributed random variable.

Several different orderings for the comparison of point processes have been introduced and their relationships discussed in Whitt [9], Daley [2] and Deng [4]. It is of some interest to know whether these orderings, in general, are preserved under various operations on point processes. Some results concerning limit operations were given in Deng [4]. In the present paper, we first further introduce some convex and concave orderings for counting processes, and survey the relationships among all orderings mentioned in [9], [4] and this paper. Then we focus our attention on the study of the conditions for the preservation of orderings under the operations of superposition, thinning, shift, and random change of time.

This paper demonstrates how a simple ballot theorem leads, through the interjection of a queuing process, to the solution of a problem in the theory of random graphs connected with a study of polymers in chemistry. Let Γ n (p) denote a random graph with n vertices in which any two vertices, independently of the others, are connected by an edge with probability p where 0 < p < 1. Denote by ρ n (s) the number of vertices in the union of all those components of Γ n (p) which contain at least one vertex of a given set of s vertices. This paper is concerned with the determination of the distribution of ρ n (s) and the limit distribution of ρ n (s) as n → ∞and ρ → 0 in such a way that np → a where a is a positive real number.

This paper applies the theory of semi-Markov processes to the construction of a stochastic model for interpreting data obtained from clinical trials. The model characterizes the patient as being in one of a finite number of states at any given time with an arbitrary probability distribution to describe the length of stay in a state. Transitions between states are assumed to be chosen according to a stationary finite Markov chain.Other attempts have been made to develop stochastic models of clinical trials. However, these have all been essentially Markovian with constant transition probabilities which implies that the distribution of time spent during a visit to a state is exponential (or geometric for discrete Markov chains). Markov models need also to assume that the transitions in the state of a patient depend only on absolute time whereas the semi-Markov model assumes that transitions depend on time relative to a patient. Thus the models are applicable to degenerative diseases (cancer, acute leukemia), while Markov models with time dependent transition probabilities are applicable to colds and epidemic diseases. In this paper the Laplace transforms are obtained for (i) probability of being in a state at timet, (ii) probability distribution to reach absorption state and (iii) the probability distribution of the first passage times to go from initial states to transient or absorbing states, transient to transient, and transient to absorbing. The model is applied to a clinical study of acute leukemia in which patients have been treated with methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine. The agreement between the data and the model is very good.

This paper applies the constant population approximation to the study of epidemics which involve more than a single type of infective. An example of this would be a situation in which both clinically infected individuals and subclinically infected individuals or carriers are present. We derive equations for the expected numbers of clinically infected individuals and carriers at any time t for the model with zero latent period and infectious periods having negative exponential distributions. From these equations we derive conditions under which a unimodal incidence curve can result, and expressions for the expected total epidemic size. The equations describing the course of an epidemic are analytically intractable except in certain simple cases, [1]. When one examines the reason for the mathematical difficulties that arise, one finds that the principal stumbling block is the assumption of a finite population of susceptibles. It can be argued, however, that in modern societies epidemics very rarely menace an entire population, and that observed epidemic sizes are usually much smaller than the total susceptible population. This is due to a variety of reasons, among which are public health measures and good communication facilities available to a modern society. In consequence it is reasonable to try to bypass some of the mathematical difficulties inherent in the theory of epidemics by assuming a susceptible population whose size does not change through the course of the epidemic. Bailey [2], Morgan [3], and Williams [4] have discussed in some detail the theory of epidemics using the constant population approximation, although such an approximation was used by several authors earlier, [5], [6], [7]. The theory developed so far has dealt mainly with epidemic processes in which there is only a single type of infective and a single type of susceptible. Recently Gart [8] has considered a model for epidemics involving more than one type of susceptible. It is the purpose of this paper to analyze the development in time of epidemics which involve more than a single type of infective individual. This Received in revised form 3 January 1967. 257 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.78 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 07:20:57 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 258 HUGH M. PETTIGREW AND GEORGE H. WEISS problem, in which there may be several types of infectives, is suggested by diseases in which carriers are important, [9]. In the present paper we derive equations for the expected numbers of carriers and clinically infected individuals at any time t, in the case of a zero latent period and negative exponential distributions of infectious periods. From these equations we will give the conditions under which an epidemic arises from the introduction of a bearer of the disease, i.e., the conditions under which the reporting curve increases initially. These conditions are of some theoretical interest since Bailey has shown that in the infinite population approximation to an epidemic with only one class of susceptibles and one class of infected individuals, no initial increase in the reporting curve can occur. Finally, we derive expressions; for the expected total epidemic size. Let us consider a homogeneously mixing population which, in the present approximation, can be characterized by four parameters, yi(t), y,(t), zi(t), zc(t). These are, respectively, the number of clinically infected individuals, the number of carriers, the cumulative number of removals of infectives, and the cumulative number of removals of carriers, all evaluated at time t. The probability that a single susceptible individual will become clinically infected in (t, t + dt) is assumed to be fli(y, + yc)dt, and the probability that a susceptible will become a carrier is assumed to be Ic(yi + ye)dt, where both l's are assumed to be constant and it is assumed for simplicity that carriers and infectives are equally infectious. The constancy of these p's is the principal assumption of the present theory; in the more detailed stochastic theory discussed by Bailey [1] the f's are proportional to the number of susceptibles as well. In the simplest model, we assume that the latent period is zero, i.e., that newly infected individuals are immediately capable of infecting others, and that the infectious period is a random variable with a negative exponential distribution. The rate parameter appearing in the distribution for clinically infected will be denoted by vi and that appearing in the distribution for carriers will be denoted by v,. In order to describe the stochastic process we introduce a set of probabilities p(r,,r2, r3, r4, t) defined by p(r, t) = Pr{y,(t) = r, yc(t) = r2, z(t) = r3, zc(t) = r4}. By our assumptions the p(r, t) satisfy ap = fl (r1 + r2 1)p(r, 1,r2,r3, r4, t) + fl(r, + r2 -1)p(r1,r2 1,r3, r4, t) (1) + vA(r1 + 1)p(r + 1,r2, r 1,r4)+ vc(r2 + 1)p(r, r2 + 1, r3,r4 1) [(fl + ic + vi)rl + (fl + flPc + ve)r2] p(r, t). This content downloaded from 157.55.39.78 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 07:20:57 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Epidemics with carriers: the large population approximation 259 The moment generating function (2) M(01, 02, 03 , 0,t) = M(O, t) = E{eo'Y'+2yYc+03zi+042C} therefore satisfies aM M = [f#,(ee I1) + flc(e02 1) + vi(ee, +03 1)] (3) aM + [fl(ee' 1) + flc(e02 1) + vc(e-02+4 1)] The interesting features of the development of the epidemic can be determined by analyzing the properties of the mean values Lpi(t) = E{yi(t)}, pc(t) = E{yc(t)} (4) ow(t) = E{z,(t)}, wc(t) = E{zc(t)}. The equations for these mean values are easily determined by equating coefficients of the O's on both sides of Equation (3). They are Pi = (/01v-i)it?+fliltc (5) Pc = flcpi+ (fc v)Pc

We consider a countable number of independent random uniform lines in the hyperbolic plane (in the sense of the theory of geometrical probability) which divide the plane into an infinite number of convex polygonal regions. The main purpose of the paper is to compute the mean number of sides, the mean perimeter, the mean area and the second order moments of these quantities of such polygonal regions. For the Euclidean plane the problem has been considered by several authors, mainly Miles [4]-[9] who has taken it as the starting point of a series of papers which are the basis of the so-called stochastic geometry. GEOMETRICAL PROBABILITY; RANDOM LINES; RANDOM POLYGONS; PLANE OF CONSTANT CURVATURE; HYPERBOLIC PLANE; CONVEX DOMAINS; POISSON LINE PROCESS

This paper is concerned with the distribution of "types" of individuals in an infinite population after indefinitely many nonoverlapping generations of random mating. The absence of selection and mutation is assumed. The probabilistic law which governs the production of an offspring may be asymmetrical with respect to the "sexes" of the two parents, but the law is assumed to apply independently of the "sex" of the offspring. The question of the existence of a limit distribution of types, the rate at which a limit distribution is approached, and properties of limit distributions are treated. Such questions have already received much attention in the genetic literature. Most of the limit results which have been obtained previously appear in the series of papers [5] [12] by Geiringer (1944-1949). These papers include results of earlier workers such as those of Jennings (1917), Robbins (1918) and Haldane (1930). With the exception of Geiringer's 1948 paper [8], all papers referred to in this paper assume that differences due to sex are absent. All of Geiringer's papers admit an arbitrary number of alleles at each locus. In [5], Geiringer (1944) obtains a limit theorem for haploid gametes, an arbitrary number of loci and linkage. Additional details in the case of three loci are given by Geiringer (1945) in [6]. A limit theorem is proved in Geiringer's 1947 paper, [7], for an arbitrary degree of autopolyploidy, one locus and chromosomal segregetion. In [8], Geiringer proves a limit theorem for haploid gametes, an arbitrary number of loci, and linkage with different recombination values for males and females. In [9], Geiringer (1949a) obtains the limit distribution and rate of convergence for diploid and triploid gametes, one locus and a general chromatid segregation; tetraploid gametes are considered briefly. In the second part of the two-part paper [10]"-[11], Geiringer (1949b, c) proves a limit theorem for an arbitrary degree of autopolyploidy, an arbitrary number of loci and chromosomal segregation with linkage. Paper [12] is a review paper in which Geiringer (1949d) summarizes the results then available, and indicates what remains to be done.

It has been demonstrated by Takaics in a series of papers and in his book [6] that combinatorial methods can be successfully applied to derive certain probability distributions in queueing processes. In this paper, we further illustrate the usefulness of combinatorial techniques and determine the stochastic law of the busy period in two queueing systems particularly involving batches. It may be of interest to note that queues involving batches have been dealt with in [3] and [7]. COMBINATORIAL THEORY; QUEUEING PROCESSES 1. Queueing model I Before describing the model, we give a combinatorial result which is required later. Consider a vector x = (x, -...,x,) with xi's integers and 0? X1 _ x2 ?-_ ...

Let X, B, and Y be the Dirichlet, Bernoulli, and beta-independent random variables such that X ~ D (a 0, …, a d ), Pr(B = (0, …, 0, 1, 0, …, 0)) = a i / a with a = ∑ i=0 d a i , and Y ~ β(1, a). Then, as proved by Sethuraman (1994), X ~ X(1 - Y) + BY. This gives the stationary distribution of a simple Markov chain on a tetrahedron. In this paper we introduce a new distribution on the tetrahedron called a quasi-Bernoulli distribution B k (a 0, …, a d ) with k an integer such that the above result holds when B follows B k (a 0, …, a d ) and when Y ~ β(k, a). We extend it even more generally to the case where X and B are random probabilities such that X is Dirichlet and B is quasi-Bernoulli. Finally, the case where the integer k is replaced by a positive number c is considered when a 0 = · · · = a d = 1.

Although the exact expressions for the extinction probabilities of the Interacting Branching Collision Processes (IBCP) were very recently given by Chen et al. [4], some of these expressions are very complicated; hence, useful information regarding asymptotic behaviour, for example, is harder to obtain. Also, these exact expressions take very different forms for different cases and thus seem lacking in homogeneity. In this paper, we show that the asymptotic behaviour of these extremely complicated and tangled expressions for extinction probabilities of IBCP follows an elegant and homogenous power law which takes a very simple form. In fact, we are able to show that if the extinction is not certain then the extinction probabilities {a n } follow an harmonious and simple asymptotic law of a n ∼ kn -αρ c n as n → ∞, where k and α are two constants, ρ c is the unique positive zero of the C(s), and C(s) is the generating function of the infinitesimal collision rates. Moreover, the interesting and important quantity α takes a very simple and uniform form which could be interpreted as the ‘spectrum’, ranging from -∞ to +∞, of the interaction between the two components of branching and collision of the IBCP.

In this paper we establish a connection between epidemic models on random networks with general infection times considered in Barbour and Reinert 2013 and first passage percolation. Using techniques developed in Bhamidi, van der Hofstad, Hooghiemstra 2012, when each vertex has infinite contagious periods, we extend results on the epidemic curve in Barbour Reinert 2013 from bounded degree graphs to general sparse random graphs with degrees having finite third moments as the number of vertices tends to infinity. We also study the epidemic trail between the source and typical vertices in the graph. This connection to first passage percolation can be also be used to study epidemic models with general contagious periods as in Barbour Reinert 2013 without bounded degree assumptions., Comment: 14 pages

In a discrete-time single-type Galton--Watson branching random walk {Z n , ζ n } n≤ 0, where Z n is the population of the nth generation and ζ n is a collection of the positions on ℝ of the Z n individuals in the nth generation, let Y n be the position of a randomly chosen individual from the nth generation and Z n (x) be the number of points in ζ n that are less than or equal to x for x∈ℝ. In this paper we show in the explosive case (i.e. m=E(Z 1∣ Z 0=1)=∞) when the offspring distribution is in the domain of attraction of a stable law of order α,0 Z n (x)/Z n :−∞

In this paper we study limit theorems for the Feller game which is constructed from one-dimensional simple symmetric random walks, and corresponds to the St. Petersburg game. Motivated by a generalization of the St. Petersburg game which was investigated by Gut (2010), we generalize the Feller game by introducing the parameter α. We investigate limit distributions of the generalized Feller game corresponding to the results of Gut. Firstly, we give the weak law of large numbers for α=1. Moreover, for 0

Consider a random graph where the mean degree is given and fixed. In this paper we derive the maximal size of the largest connected component in the graph. We also study the related question of the largest possible outbreak size of an epidemic occurring ‘on’ the random graph (the graph describing the social structure in the community). More precisely, we look at two different classes of random graphs. First, the Poissonian random graph in which each node i is given an independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random weight X i with E(X i )=µ, and where there is an edge between i and j with probability 1-e-X i X j /(µ n), independently of other edges. The second model is the thinned configuration model in which the n vertices of the ground graph have i.i.d. ground degrees, distributed as D, with E(D) = µ. The graph of interest is obtained by deleting edges independently with probability 1-p. In both models the fraction of vertices in the largest connected component converges in probability to a constant 1-q, where q depends on X or D and p. We investigate for which distributions X and D with given µ and p, 1-q is maximized. We show that in the class of Poissonian random graphs, X should have all its mass at 0 and one other real, which can be explicitly determined. For the thinned configuration model, D should have all its mass at 0 and two subsequent positive integers.

We investigate the Zagreb index, one of the topological indices, of random recursive trees in this paper. Through a recurrence equation, the first two moments of Zn, the Zagreb index of a random recursive tree of size n, are obtained. We also show that the random process {Zn − E[Zn], n ≥ 1} is a martingale. Then the asymptotic normality of the Zagreb index of a random recursive tree is given by an application of the martingale central limit theorem. Finally, two other topological indices are also discussed in passing.

Let {X i } i=1 n be a sequence of random variables with two possible outcomes, denoted 0 and 1. Define a random variable S n,m to be the maximum number of 1s within any m consecutive trials in {X i } i=1 n . The random variable S n,m is called a discrete scan statistic and has applications in many areas. In this paper we evaluate the distribution of discrete scan statistics when {X i } i=1 n consists of exchangeable binary trials. We provide simple closed-form expressions for both conditional and unconditional distributions of S n,m for 2m ≥ n. These results are also new for independent, identically distributed Bernoulli trials, which are a special case of exchangeable trials.

In this paper we study the moment generating function order and the new better than used in the moment generating function order (NBUMG) life distributions. A closure property of this order under an independent random sum is deduced, and stochastic comparisons among the block replacement policy, the age replacement policy, the complete repair policy, and the minimal repair policy of an NBUMG component are investigated.

In this paper we study the asymptotic normality of discrete-time Markov control processes in Borel spaces, with possibly unbounded cost. Under suitable hypotheses, we show that the cost sequence is asymptotically normal. As a special case, we obtain a central limit theorem for (noncontrolled) Markov chains.

In this paper we obtain several mixture representations of the reliability function of the inactivity time of a coherent system under the condition that the system has failed at time t (> 0) in terms of the reliability functions of inactivity times of order statistics. Some ordering properties of the inactivity times of coherent systems with independent and identically distributed components are obtained, based on the stochastically ordered coefficient vectors between systems.

The topic of the present paper is a generalized St Petersburg game in which the distribution of the payoff X is given by P(X = sr (k-1)/α) = pq k-1, k = 1, 2,…, where p + q = 1, s = 1 / p, r = 1 / q, and 0 < α ≤ 1. For the case in which α = 1, we extend Feller's classical weak law and Martin-Löf's theorem on convergence in distribution along the 2 n -subsequence. The analog for 0 < α < 1 turns out to converge in distribution to an asymmetric stable law with index α. Finally, some limit theorems for polynomial and geometric size total gains, as well as for extremes, are given.

In the present paper an almost-sure renewal theorem for branching random walks (BRWs) on the real line is formulated and established. The theorem constitutes a generalization of Nerman's theorem on the almost-sure convergence of Malthus normed supercritical Crump-Mode-Jagers branching processes counted with general characteristic and Gatouras' almost-sure renewal theorem for BRWs on a lattice.

In this paper we propose a framework that facilitates the study of large deviations for point processes based on stationary sequences with regularly varying tails. This framework allows us to keep track both of the magnitude of the extreme values of a process and the order in which these extreme values appear. Particular emphasis is put on (infinite) linear processes with random coefficients. The proposed framework provides a fairly complete description of the joint asymptotic behavior of the large values of the stationary sequence. We apply the general result on large deviations for point processes to derive the asymptotic decay of certain probabilities related to partial sum processes as well as ruin probabilities.

In this paper we study a generalized Pólya urn with balls of two colors and a random triangular replacement matrix. We extend some results of Janson (2004), (2005) to the case where the largest eigenvalue of the mean of the replacement matrix is not in the dominant class. Using some useful martingales and the embedding method introduced in Athreya and Karlin (1968), we describe the asymptotic composition of the urn after the nth draw, for large n.

In Lyons, Pemantle and Peres (1995), a martingale change of measure method was developed in order to give an alternative proof of the Kesten–Stigum L log L theorem for single-type branching processes. Later, this method was extended to prove the L log L theorem for multiple- and general multiple-type branching processes in Biggins and Kyprianou (2004), Kurtz et al. (1997), and Lyons (1997). In this paper we extend this method to a class of superdiffusions and establish a Kesten–Stigum L log L type theorem for superdiffusions. One of our main tools is a spine decomposition of superdiffusions, which is a modification of the one in Englander and Kyprianou (2004).

In this paper, we give an analytic solution for graphs with n nodes and E edges for which the probability of obtaining a given graph G is specified in terms of the degree sequence of G. We describe how this model naturally appears in the context of load balancing in communication networks, namely Peer-to-Peer overlays. We then analyse the degree distribution of such graphs and show that the degrees are concentrated around their mean value. Finally, we derive asymptotic results on the number of edges crossing a graph cut and use these results $(i)$ to compute the graph expansion and conductance, and $(ii)$ to analyse the graph resilience to random failures., Comment: 18 pages

Let X1, X2, …, Xn be independent random variables uniformly distributed on [0,1]. We observe these sequentially and have to stop on exactly one of them. No recall of preceding observations is permitted. What stopping rule minimizes the expected rank of the selected observation? What is the value of the expected rank (as a function of n) and what is the limit of this value when n goes to ∞? This full-information expected selected-rank problem is known as Robbins' problem of minimizing the expected rank, and its general solution is unknown. In this paper we provide an alternative approach to Robbins' problem. Our model is similar to that of Gnedin (2007). For this, we consider a continuous-time version of the problem in which the observations follow a Poisson arrival process on ℝ+ × [0,1] of homogeneous rate 1. Translating the previous optimal selection problem in this setting, we prove that, under reasonable assumptions, the corresponding value function w(t) is bounded and Lipschitz continuous. Our main result is that the limiting value of the Poisson embedded problem exists and is equal to that of Robbins' problem. We prove that w(t) is differentiable and also derive a differential equation for this function. Although we have not succeeded in using this equation to improve on bounds on the optimal limiting value, we argue that it has this potential.

In this paper we consider a class of quasi-birth-and-death processes for which explicit solutions can be obtained for the rate matrix R and the associated matrix G . The probabilistic interpretations of these matrices allow us to describe their elements in terms of paths on the two-dimensional lattice. Then determining explicit expressions for the matrices becomes equivalent to solving a lattice path counting problem, the solution of which is derived using path decomposition, Bernoulli excursions, and hypergeometric functions. A few applications are provided, including classical models for which we obtain some new results.

The representation of the reliability function of the lifetime of a coherent system as a mixture of the reliability function of order statistics associated with the lifetimes of its components is a very useful tool to study the ordering and the limiting behaviour of coherent systems. In this paper, we obtain several representations of the reliability functions of residual lifetimes of used coherent systems under two particular conditions on the status of the components or the system in terms of the reliability functions of residual lifetimes of order statistics.

Nanosystems are devices that are in the size range of a billionth of a meter (1 x 10-9) and therefore are built necessarily from individual atoms. The one-dimensional nanosystems or linear nanosystems cover all the nanosized systems which possess one dimension that exceeds the other two dimensions, i.e. extension over one dimension is predominant over the other two dimensions. Here only two of the dimensions have to be on the nanoscale (less than 100 nanometers). In this paper we consider the structural relationship between a linear nanosystem and its atoms acting as components of the nanosystem. Using such information, we then assess the nanosystem's limiting reliability which is, of course, probabilistic in nature. We consider the linear nanosystem at a fixed moment of time, say the present moment, and we assume that the present state of the linear nanosystem depends only on the present states of its atoms.

The distributions of the run occurrences for a sequence of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) experiments are usually obtained by combinatorial methods (see Balakrishnan and Koutras (2002, Chapter 5)) and the resulting formulae are often very tedious, while the distributions for non i.i.d. experiments are generally intractable. It is therefore of practical interest to find a suitable approximate model with reasonable approximation accuracy. In this paper we demonstrate that the negative binomial distribution is the most suitable approximate model for the number of k-runs: it outperforms the Poisson approximation, the general compound Poisson approximation as observed in Eichelsbacher and Roos (1999), and the translated Poisson approximation in Rollin (2005). In particular, its accuracy of approximation in terms of the total variation distance improves when the number of experiments increases, in the same way as the normal approximation improves in the Berry-Esseen theorem.