Permanents in probability and statistics

AbstractThis is a survey of several topics in probability and statistics in which permanents seem to have a role. The topics covered include multiparameter versions of the multinational and the negative multinomial distributions, arrangement-decreasing functions, order statistics for nonidentically distributed random variables, sequential experiments with feedback, and sampling. It is shown by means of examples how Alexandroff's inequality can be applied to demonstrate log-concavity of certain sequences in some of these areas