Random weighting method for Cox’s proportional hazards model

Variance of parameter estimate in Cox’s proportional hazards model is based on asymptotic variance. When sample size is small, variance can be estimated by bootstrap method. However, if censoring rate in a survival data set is high, bootstrap method may fail to work properly. This is because bootstrap samples may be even more heavily censored due to repeated sampling of the censored observations. This paper proposes a random weighting method for variance estimation and confidence interval estimation for proportional hazards model. This method, unlike the bootstrap method, does not lead to more severe censoring than the original sample does. Its large sample properties are studied and the consistency and asymptotic normality are proved under mild conditions. Simulation studies show that the random weighting method is not as sensitive to heavy censoring as bootstrap method is and can produce good variance estimates or confidence intervals.     

Approximation by random weighting method for M-test in linear models

The M-test has been in common use and widely studied in testing the linear hypotheses in linear models. However, the critical value for the test is usually related to the quantities of the unknown error distribution and the estimate of the nuisance parameters may be rather involved, not only for the M-test method but also for the existing bootstrap methods. In this paper we suggest a random weighting resampling method for approximating the null distribution of the M-test statistic. It is shown that, under both the null and the local alternatives, the random weighting statistic has the same asymptotic distribution as the null distribution of the M-test. The critical values of the M-test can therefore be obtained by the random weighting method without estimating the nuisance parameters. A distinguished feature of the proposed method is that the approximation is valid even the null hypothesis is not true and the power evaluation is possible under the local alternatives.     

Adaptive penalized M-estimation with current status data

Current status data arises when a continuous response is reduced to an indicator of whether the response is greater or less than a random threshold value. In this article we consider adaptive penalized M-estimators (including the penalized least squares estimators and the penalized maximum likelihood estimators) for nonparametric and semiparametric models with current status data, under the assumption that the unknown nonparametric parameters belong to unknown Sobolev spaces. The Cox model is used as a representative of the semiparametric models. It is shown that the modified penalized M-estimators of the nonparametric parameters can achieve adaptive convergence rates, even when the degrees of smoothing are not known in advance. consistency, asymptotic normality and inference based on the weighted bootstrap for the estimators of the regression parameter in the Cox model are also established. A simulation study is conducted for the Cox model to evaluate the finite sample efficacy of the proposed approach and to compare it with the ordinary maximum likelihood estimator. It is demonstrated that the proposed method is computationally superior.We apply the proposed approach to the California Partner Study analysis.     

线性模型中M估计分布的随机加权方法逼近

在线性模型中,M估计的渐近分布通常都涉及到不易估计的未知误差分布的某些量,如果要估计渐近方差,就需对这些冗余参数进行估计.利用随机加权方法可以避免先对误差分布中的冗余参数进行估计.给出了当自变量是随机变量时,M估计分布的随机加权逼近,证明了M估计分布的随机加权逼近是一致相合的.当取不同的凸函数,样本大小和随机权时,进一步利用蒙特卡洛方法研究估计分布.研究表明随机权取泊松权时,不仅达到同样的效果而且可以减小计算量.     

线性模型中M检验原假设分布的随机加权逼近

在线性模型中M-方法可以用于线性假设检验, 其中M检验、Wald检验和Rao的计分型检验是最常用的检验准则. 但是在计算这些检验的临界值时都涉及到未知参数的估计. 在本文中我们利用随机加权的方法来逼近这些检验的原假设分布. 结果表明在原假设和局部对立假设之下随机加权统计量的渐近分布与原检验统计量在原假设之下的渐近分布相同. 因此我们不需要对冗余参数进行估计,利用随机加权的方法就可以得到这些检验的临界值. 而且在局部对立假设之下可以实现对功效的计算. 当取不同的误差分布和不同的随机权时, 我们对本文的方法进行了蒙特卡洛模拟. 结果表明用随机加权方法来逼近原假设分布是非常精确的.     

基于随机加权的空间聚集性检验及其在基础教育师资均衡性评价中的应用

使用空间统计检验方法研究北京基础教育资源分配的均衡性问题.对于空间分布均匀性的检验,常用的统计量是Moran's I统计量.但基于Moran's I统计量做推断的时候,人们往往用渐进正态分布或者用Bootstrap反复抽样得到经验分布来进行.提出使用随机加权法进行统计量的经验检验.Jin和Lee(2014)文中得出基于Bootstrap的Moran's I统计量满足一致逼近和渐进正态等性质.采用类似的统计工具证明了基于随机加权得到的统计量的渐进分布也满足这些良好性质.填补了用随机加权法在空间统计量的推断中理论保证的空白.通过模拟研究,证明了所提算法的有效性.方法应用于北京基础教育的师资-适龄儿童数比例,师资-在校生数比例的空间聚集性检验中得到了良好的应用,并与其它检验方法所得结论进行比较.结论显示在不同相邻概念(地理相邻、政策空间相邻)下,方法得到的结论符合常理.     

A Random Effect Block Bootstrap for Clustered Data

Random effects models for hierarchically dependent data, for example, clustered data, are widely used. A popular bootstrap method for such data is the parametric bootstrap based on the same random effects model as that used in inference. However, it is hard to justify this type of bootstrap when this model is known to be an approximation. In this article, we describe a random effect block bootstrap approach for clustered data that is simple to implement, free of both the distribution and the dependence assumptions of the parametric bootstrap, and is consistent when the mixed model assumptions are valid. Results based on Monte Carlo simulation show that the proposed method seems robust to failure of the dependence assumptions of the assumed mixed model. An application to a realistic environmental dataset indicates that the method produces sensible results. Supplementary materials for the article, including the data used for the application, are available online.     

Bootstraps of sums of independent but not identically distributed stochastic processes

A central limit theorem is developed for sums of independent but not identically distributed stochastic processes multiplied by independent real random variables with mean zero. Weak convergence of the Hoffmann–Jørgensen–Dudley type, as described in van der Vaart and Wellner (Weak Convergence and Empirical Processes, Springer, New York, 1996), is utilized. These results allow Monte Carlo estimation of limiting probability measures obtained from application of Pollard's (Empirical Processes: Theory and Applications, IMS, Hayward, CA, 1990) functional central limit theorem for empirical processes. An application of this theory to the two-parameter Cox score process with staggered entry data is given for illustration. For this process, the proposed multiplier bootstrap appears to be the first successful method for estimating the associated limiting distribution. The results of this paper compliment previous bootstrap and multiplier central limit theorems for independent and identically distributed empirical processes.     

Approximation to the distribution of the least squares estimators in two dimensional cosine models by randomly weighted bootstrap

Recently, Kundu and Gupta （Metrika, 48：83 C 97, 1998） established the asymptotic normality of the least squares estimators in the two dimensional cosine model. In this paper, we give the approximation to the general least squares estimators by using random weights which is called the Bayesian bootstrap or the random weighting method by Rubin （Annals of Statistics, 9：130 C 134, 1981） and Zheng （Acta Math. Appl. Sinica （in Chinese）, 10（2）： 247 C 253, 1987）. A simulation study shows that this approximation works very well.     

L1-Norm Estimation and Random Weighting Method in a Semiparametric Model

In this paper, the L_1-norm estimators and the random weighted statistic for a semiparametric regression model are constructed, the strong convergence rates of estimators are obtain under certain conditions, the strong efficiency of the random weighting method is shown. A simulation study is conducted to compare the L_1-norm estimator with the least square estimator in term of approximate accuracy, and simulation results are given for comparison between the random weighting method and normal approximation method.     

BOOTSTRAP WAVELET IN THE NONPARAMETRIC REGRESSION MODEL WITH WEAKLY DEPENDENT PROCESSES

This paper introduces a method of bootstrap wavelet estimation in a nonparametric regression model with weakly dependent processes for both fixed and random designs. The asymptotic bounds for the bias and variance of the bootstrap wavelet estimators are given in the fixed design model. The conditional normality for a modified version of the bootstrap wavelet estimators is obtained in the fixed model. The consistency for the bootstrap wavelet estimator is also proved in the random design model. These results show that the bootstrap wavelet method is valid for the model with weakly dependent processes.     

Inference for the Mean Difference in the Two-Sample Random Censorship Model

Inference for the mean difference in the two-sample random censorship model is an important problem in comparative survival and reliability test studies. This paper develops an adjusted empirical likelihood inference and a martingale-based bootstrap inference for the mean difference. A nonparametric version of Wilks' theorem for the adjusted empirical likelihood is derived, and the corresponding empirical likelihood confidence interval of the mean difference is constructed. Also, it is shown that the martingale-based bootstrap gives a correct first order asymptotic approximation of the corresponding estimator of the mean difference, which ensures that the martingale-based bootstrap confidence interval has asymptotically correct coverage probability. A simulation study is conducted to compare the adjusted empirical likelihood, the martingale-based bootstrap, and Efron's bootstrap in terms of coverage accuracies and average lengths of the confidence intervals. The simulation indicates that the proposed adjusted empirical likelihood and the martingale-based bootstrap confidence procedures are comparable, and both seem to outperform Efron's bootstrap procedure.     

The exact bootstrap method shown on the example of the mean and variance estimation

The bootstrap method is based on resampling of the original randomsample drawn from a population with an unknown distribution. In the article it was shown that because of the progress in computer technology resampling is actually unnecessary if the sample size is not too large. It is possible to automatically generate all possible resamples and calculate all realizations of the required statistic. The obtained distribution can be used in point or interval estimation of population parameters or in testing hypotheses. We should stress that in the exact bootstrap method the entire space of resamples is used and therefore there is no additional bias which results from resampling. The method was used to estimate mean and variance. The comparison of the obtained distributions with the limit distributions confirmed the accuracy of the exact bootstrap method. In order to compare the exact bootstrap method with the basic method (with random sampling) probability that 1,000 resamples would allow for estimating a parameter with a given accuracy was calculated. There is little chance of obtaining the desired accuracy, which is an argument supporting the use of the exact method. Random sampling may be interpreted as discretization of a continuous variable.     

Fuzzy random regression based multi-attribute evaluation and its application to oil palm fruit grading

Multi-attribute decision-making is usually concerned with weighting alternatives, thereby requiring weight information for decision attributes from a decision maker. However, the assignment of an attribute’s weight is sometimes difficult, and may vary from one decision maker to another. Additionally, imprecision and vagueness may affect each judgment in the decision-making process. That is, in a real application, various statistical data may be imprecise or linguistically as well as numerically vague. Given this coexistence of random and fuzzy information, the data cannot be adequately treated by simply using the formalism of random variables. To address this problem, fuzzy random variables are introduced as an integral component of regression models. Thus, in this paper, we proposed a fuzzy random multi-attribute evaluation model with confidence intervals using expectations and variances of fuzzy random variables. The proposed model is applied to oil palm fruit grading, as the quality inspection process for fruits requires a method to ensure product quality. We include simulation results and highlight the advantage of the proposed method in handling the existence of fuzzy random information.     

Edgeworth expansion for the survival function estimator in the Koziol-Green model

In the Koziol-Green or proportional hazards random censorship model, the asymptotic accuracy of the estimated one-term Edgeworth expansion and the smoothed bootstrap approximation for the Studentized Abdushukurov-Cheng-Lin estimator is investigated. It is shown that both the Edgeworth expansion estimate and the bootstrap approximation are asymptotically closer to the exact distribution of the Studentized Abdushukurov-Cheng-Lin estimator than the normal approximation.     

Testing in linear composite quantile regression models

Composite quantile regression (CQR) can be more efficient and sometimes arbitrarily more efficient than least squares for non-normal random errors, and almost as efficient for normal random errors. Based on CQR, we propose a test method to deal with the testing problem of the parameter in the linear regression models. The critical values of the test statistic can be obtained by the random weighting method without estimating the nuisance parameters. A distinguished feature of the proposed method is that the approximation is valid even the null hypothesis is not true and power evaluation is possible under the local alternatives. Extensive simulations are reported, showing that the proposed method works well in practical settings. The proposed methods are also applied to a data set from a walking behavior survey.     

Statistical inference for right-censored data with nonignorable missing censoring indicators

We consider the statistical inference for right-censored data when censoring indicators are missing but nonignorable, and propose an adjusted imputation product-limit estimator. The proposed estimator is shown to be consistent and converges to a Gaussian process. Furthermore, we develop an empirical processbased testing method to check the MAR (missing at random) mechanism, and establish asymptotic properties for the proposed test statistic. To determine the critical value of the test, a consistent model-based bootstrap method is suggested. We conduct simulation studies to evaluate the numerical performance of the proposed method and compare it with existing methods. We also analyze a real data set from a breast cancer study for an illustration.     

Bootstrap for estimating the MSE of the Spatial EBLUP

This work assumes that the small area quantities of interest follow a Fay–Herriot model with spatially correlated random area effects. Under this model, parametric and nonparametric bootstrap procedures are proposed for estimating the mean squared error of the empirical best linear unbiased predictor (EBLUP). A simulation study based on the Italian Agriculture Census 2000 compares bootstrap and analytical estimates of the MSE and studies their robustness to non-normality. Results indicate lower bias for the non-parametric bootstrap under specific departures from normality.      

Bootstrapping the distance between smooth bootstrap and sample quantile distribution

Summary The normalized Kolmogorov-Smirnov and variational distance between the distribution of the sampleq-quantile and the pertaining smooth bootstrap distribution are asymptotically distributed like the absolute value of a normal random variable. The distribution functions of these random distances may serve as measures of the accuracy of the bootstrap procedure.It is shown that these distribution functions of random distances, and thus the accuracy of the bootstrap procedure, can again consistently be estimated by means of the bootstrap technique.     

半参数回归模型中小波估计的随机加权逼近速度

把小波光滑方法和随机加权方法结合在一起，获得了半参数回归模型中参数分量的小波估计的随机加权逼近速度为σ(n^-1/2)。因此，从大样本意义上说，小波光滑方法和随机加权方法对半参数回归模型是可用的。