A Berry-Esseen type bound in kernel density estimation for strong mixing censored samples

In this paper, we discuss the estimation of a density function based on censored data by the kernel smoothing method when the survival and the censoring times form a stationary α-mixing sequence. A Berry-Esseen type bound is derived for the kernel density estimator at a fixed point x. For practical purposes, a randomly weighted estimator of the density function is also constructed and investigated.     

Minimum Hellinger distance estimation in a two-sample semiparametric model

We investigate the estimation problem of parameters in a two-sample semiparametric model. Specifically, let X₁,…,X_n be a sample from a population with distribution function G and density function g. Independent of the X_i’s, let Z₁,…,Z_m be another random sample with distribution function H and density function h(x)=exp[α+r(x)β]g(x), where α and β are unknown parameters of interest and g is an unknown density. This model has wide applications in logistic discriminant analysis, case-control studies, and analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves. Furthermore, it can be considered as a biased sampling model with weight function depending on unknown parameters. In this paper, we construct minimum Hellinger distance estimators of α and β. The proposed estimators are chosen to minimize the Hellinger distance between a semiparametric model and a nonparametric density estimator. Theoretical properties such as the existence, strong consistency and asymptotic normality are investigated. Robustness of proposed estimators is also examined using a Monte Carlo study.     

Strong convergence in nonparametric regression with truncated dependent data

In this paper we derive rates of uniform strong convergence for the kernel estimator of the regression function in a left-truncation model. It is assumed that the lifetime observations with multivariate covariates form a stationary α-mixing sequence. The estimation of the covariate’s density is considered as well. Under the assumption that the lifetime observations are bounded, we show that, by an appropriate choice of the bandwidth, both estimators of the covariate’s density and regression function attain the optimal strong convergence rate known from independent complete samples.     

Smooth estimation of survival and density functions for a stationary associated process using Poisson weights

Let {X_n,n≥1} be a sequence of stationary non-negative associated random variables with common marginal density f(x). Here we use the empirical survival function as studied in Bagai and Prakasa Rao (1991) and apply the smoothing technique proposed by Gawronski (1980) (see also Chaubey and Sen, 1996) in proposing a smooth estimator of the density function f and that of the corresponding survival function. Some asymptotic properties of the resulting estimators, similar to those obtained in Chaubey and Sen (1996) for the i.i.d. case, are derived. A simulation study has been carried out to compare the new estimator to the kernel estimator of a density function given in Bagai and Prakasa Rao (1996) and the estimator in Buch-Larsen et al. (2005).     

A smooth nonparametric quantile estimator from right-censored data

Based on randomly right-censored data, a smooth nonparametric estimator of the quantile function of the lifetime distribution is studied. The estimator is defined to be the solution x_n(p) of F_n(x_n(p)) = p, where F_n is the distribution function corresponding to a kernel estimator of the lifetime density. The strong consistency and asymptotic normality of x_n(p) are shown. Data-based selection of the bandwidth required for computing F_n is investigated using bootstrap methods. Illustrative examples are given.     

Wavelet linear estimation for derivatives of a density from observations of mixtures with varying mixing proportions

A wavelet based linear estimator is proposed for the derivatives of a probability density function based on a sample from a finite mixture of components with varying mixing proportions. It extends the linear estimator of a probability density function proposed by Pokhyl’ko (Theor. Probability and Math. Statist, 70 (2005) 135–145). Upper bounds on L ₂ and L _∞ losses are obtained for such estimators.     

Consistency of kernel density estimators for causal processes

Using the blocking techniques and m-dependent methods,the asymptotic behavior of kernel density estimators for a class of stationary processes,which includes some nonlinear time series models,is investigated.First,the pointwise and uniformly weak convergence rates of the deviation of kernel density estimator with respect to its mean(and the true density function)are derived.Secondly,the corresponding strong convergence rates are investigated.It is showed,under mild conditions on the kernel functions and bandwidths,that the optimal rates for the i.i.d.density models are also optimal for these processes.     

Efficiency of a Liu-type estimator in semiparametric regression models

In this paper we consider the semiparametric regression model, y=Xβ+f+ε. Recently, Hu [11] proposed ridge regression estimator in a semiparametric regression model. We introduce a Liu-type (combined ridge-Stein) estimator (LTE) in a semiparametric regression model. Firstly, Liu-type estimators of both β and f are attained without a restrained design matrix. Secondly, the LTE estimator of β is compared with the two-step estimator in terms of the mean square error. We describe the almost unbiased Liu-type estimator in semiparametric regression models. The almost unbiased Liu-type estimator is compared with the Liu-type estimator in terms of the mean squared error matrix. A numerical example is provided to show the performance of the estimators.     

Wavelet estimation of conditional density with truncated, censored and dependent data

In this paper we define a new nonlinear wavelet-based estimator of conditional density function for a random left truncation and right censoring model. We provide an asymptotic expression for the mean integrated squared error (MISE) of the estimator. It is assumed that the lifetime observations form a stationary α-mixing sequence. Unlike for kernel estimators, the MISE expression of the wavelet-based estimators is not affected by the presence of discontinuities in the curves. Also, asymptotic normality of the estimator is established.     

On near neighbour estimates of a multivariate density

A recent paper by Mack and Rosenblatt (J. Multivar. Anal.9 (1979), 1–15) has shown that near neighbour estimators of a density may perform more poorly than other kernel-type estimators, particularly for x values in the tail of a distribution. In order to overcome the difficulties discovered by Mack and Rosenblatt, a generalized type of near neighbour estimator is proposed. Here the window size, or bandwidth, is chosen as a function of near neighbour distances, rather than actually equal to one of the distances. Two forms for this function are suggested and it is proved that for large samples the resulting estimator does not suffer the drawbacks of the usual near neighbour estimator.     

Completeness and unbiased estimation of mean vector in the multivariate group sequential case

We consider estimation after a group sequential test about a multivariate normal mean, such as a χ² test or a sequential version of the Bonferroni procedure. We derive the density function of the sufficient statistics and show that the sample mean remains to be the maximum likelihood estimator but is no longer unbiased. We propose an alternative Rao-Blackwell type unbiased estimator. We show that the family of distributions of the sufficient statistic is not complete, and there exist infinitely many unbiased estimators of the mean vector and none has uniformly minimum variance. However, when restricted to truncation-adaptable statistics, completeness holds and the Rao-Blackwell estimator has uniformly minimum variance.     

Hazard rate estimation on random fields

Consider observations (representing lifelengths) taken on a random field indexed by lattice points. Our purpose is to estimate the hazard rate r(x), which is the rate of failure at time x for the survivors up to time x. We estimate r(x) by the nonparametric estimator constructed in terms of a kernel-type estimator for f(x) and the natural estimator for . Under some general mixing assumptions, the limiting distribution of the estimator at multiple points is shown to be multivariate normal. The result is useful in establishing confidence bands for r(x) with x in an interval.     

Bidimensional random effect estimation in mixed stochastic differential model

In this work, a mixed stochastic differential model is studied with two random effects in the drift. We assume that N trajectories are continuously observed throughout a large time interval [0, T]. Two directions are investigated. First we estimate the random effects from one trajectory and give a bound of the \(L^2\)-risk of the estimators. Secondly, we build a nonparametric estimator of the common bivariate density of the random effects. The mean integrated squared error is studied. The performances of the density estimator are illustrated on simulations.     

Robust regression function estimation

A robust estimator of the regression function is proposed combining kernel methods as introduced for density estimation and robust location estimation techniques. Weak and strong consistency and asymptotic normality are shown under mild conditions on the kernel sequence. The asymptotic variance is a product from a factor depending only on the kernel and a factor similar to the asymptotic variance in robust estimation of location. The estimation is minimax robust in the sense of Huber (1964). Robust estimation of a location parameter. Ann. Math. Statist.33 73–101.     

Statistical inference of spectral estimation for continuous-time MA processes with finite second moments

In this paper we investigate a continuous-time MA (moving average) process (X _t ) _t≥0 sampled at an equally spaced time grid {Δ,2Δ, …, nΔ}, where the grid distance Δ > 0 is fixed and n denotes the number of observations, in the frequency domain. We derive for the process (X _kΔ) _k∈? with finite second moments the asymptotic behavior of the periodogram and of the lag-window spectral density estimator. The periodogram is not a consistent estimator for the spectral density of (X _kΔ) _k∈?. Different periodogram frequencies are asymptotically independent and exponentially distributed like for ARMA processes in discrete time. This result is basic for frequency bootstraps. In contrast, the lag-window spectral density estimator is a consistent estimator for the spectral density of (X _kΔ) _k∈? and moreover, it is asymptotically normally distributed.     

Wavelet estimation in diffusions with periodicity

We consider a time-inhomogeneous diffusion process, whose drift term contains a deterministic T-periodic signal with known periodicity. This signal is supposed to be contained in a Besov space, we try to estimate it using a non-parametric wavelet estimator. Our estimator is inspired by the thresholded wavelet density estimator constructed by Donoho, Johnstone, Kerkyacharian and Picard in 1996. Under certain ergodicity assumptions to the process, we can give the same asymptotic rate of convergence as for the density estimator.     

Estimation de la densité dans un espace de dimension infinie : Application aux diffusionsDensity estimation in an infinite dimensional space: Application to diffusion processes

This Note presents a nonparametric density function estimator in an infinite dimensional space. We consider two estimators of the density. Asymptotic results are stated. Finally we give a rate of convergence in the case of a diffusion process's density relative to a Wiener's measure. To cite this article: S. Dabo-Niang, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 334 (2002) 213–216.     

Estimating and Visualizing Conditional Densities

Abstract

We consider the kernel estimator of conditional density and derive its asymptotic bias, variance, and mean-square error. Optimal bandwidths (with respect to integrated mean-square error) are found and it is shown that the convergence rate of the density estimator is order n ^–2/3. We also note that the conditional mean function obtained from the estimator is equivalent to a kernel smoother. Given the undesirable bias properties of kernel smoothers, we seek a modified conditional density estimator that has mean equivalent to some other nonparametric regression smoother with better bias properties. It is also shown that our modified estimator has smaller mean square error than the standard estimator in some commonly occurring situations. Finally, three graphical methods for visualizing conditional density estimators are discussed and applied to a data set consisting of maximum daily temperatures in Melbourne, Australia.     

Estimation localement suroptimale et adaptative de la densitéLocally superoptimal and adaptive projection density estimators

We study a data-driven version of the density projection estimator in a general framework. We show that this estimator reaches a superoptimal rake on a dense set in the density class, and a quasi-optimal rake elsewhere. This set can be chosen by the statistician, and the superoptimal speed is reached for integrated quadratic error and almost sure uniform convergence. An adaptive version of the estimator is also considered. To cite this article: D. Bosq, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 334 (2002) 591–595.