Partially smooth tail-index estimation for small samples

Small samples are a challenge in extreme value theory. Asymptotic results do not apply and many estimation techniques, e.g. maximum likelihood, are unstable. In such situations, imposing qualitative constraints on the empirical distribution function is known to greatly reduce variability. Distribution functions typically appearing in the extreme-value theory, e.g. the generalized extreme-value distribution or the generalized Pareto distribution, have monotone upper tails. Applying monotone density estimation to parts of initial kernel density estimators leads to partially smooth estimated distribution functions. Particularly in small samples, replacing the order statistics in tail-index estimators by their corresponding quantiles from partially smooth estimated distribution functions leads to improved tail-index estimators. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that the partially smoothed version of the estimators are well superior to their non-smoothed counterparts, in terms of mean-squared error.     

On the block thresholding wavelet estimators with censored data

We consider block thresholding wavelet-based density estimators with randomly right-censored data and investigate their asymptotic convergence rates. Unlike for the complete data case, the empirical wavelet coefficients are constructed through the Kaplan-Meier estimators of the distribution functions in the censored data case. On the basis of a result of Stute [W. Stute, The central limit theorem under random censorship, Ann. Statist. 23 (1995) 422-439] that approximates the Kaplan-Meier integrals as averages of i.i.d. random variables with a certain rate in probability, we can show that these wavelet empirical coefficients can be approximated by averages of i.i.d. random variables with a certain error rate in L². Therefore we can show that these estimators, based on block thresholding of empirical wavelet coefficients, achieve optimal convergence rates over a large range of Besov function classes , p≥2, q≥1 and nearly optimal convergence rates when 1≤p<2. We also show that these estimators achieve optimal convergence rates over a large class of functions that involve many irregularities of a wide variety of types, including chirp and Doppler functions, and jump discontinuities. Therefore, in the presence of random censoring, wavelet estimators still provide extensive adaptivity to many irregularities of large function classes. The performance of the estimators is tested via a modest simulation study.     

On an improvement of Hill and some other estimators

In the paper, we propose a new idea in the tail-index estimation. This idea allows us to improve the asymptotic performance of the classical Hill estimator and other most popular estimators over the range of the parameters present in the second-order regular-variation condition. We prove the asymptotic normality of the introduced estimators and provide a comparison (using the asymptotic mean-squared error) with other estimators of the tail index.     

Integrated squared error of kernel-type estimator of distribution function

Let X ₁ ,...,X _n be a random sample drawn from distribution function F(x) with density function f(x) and suppose we want to estimate X(x). It is already shown that kernel estimator of F(x) is better than usual empirical distribution function in the sense of mean integrated squared error. In this paper we derive integrated squared error of kernel estimator and compare the error with that of the empirical distribution function. It is shown that the superiority of kernel estimators is not necessarily true in the sense of integrated squared error.     

Polygonal smoothing of the empirical distribution function

We present two families of polygonal estimators of the distribution function: the first family is based on the knowledge of the support while the second addresses the case of an unknown support. Polygonal smoothing is a simple and natural method for regularizing the empirical distribution function \(F_n\) but its properties have not been studied deeply. First, consistency and exponential type inequalities are derived from well-known convergence properties of \(F_n\). Then, we study their mean integrated squared error (MISE) and we establish that polygonal estimators may improve the MISE of \(F_n\). We conclude by some numerical results to compare these estimators globally, and also together with the integrated kernel distribution estimator.     

Estimation of semi-varying coefficient model with surrogate data and validation sampling

In this paper, we investigate the estimation of semi-varying coefficient models when the nonlinear covariates are prone to measurement error. With the help of validation sampling, we propose two estimators of the parameter and the coefficient functions by combining dimension reduction and the profile likelihood methods without any error structure equation specification or error distribution assumption. We establish the asymptotic normality of proposed estimators for both the parametric and nonparametric parts and show that the proposed estimators achieves the best convergence rate. Data-driven bandwidth selection methods are also discussed. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the finite sample property of the estimation methods proposed.     

Statistical inference for $$L^2$$-distances to uniformity

The paper deals with the asymptotic behaviour of estimators, statistical tests and confidence intervals for \(L^2\)-distances to uniformity based on the empirical distribution function, the integrated empirical distribution function and the integrated empirical survival function. Approximations of power functions, confidence intervals for the \(L^2\)-distances and statistical neighbourhood-of-uniformity validation tests are obtained as main applications. The finite sample behaviour of the procedures is illustrated by a simulation study.     

Smoothing estimation of rate function for recurrent event data with informative censoring

This paper proposes kernel estimation of the occurrence rate function for recurrent event data with informative censoring. An informative censoring model is considered with assumptions made on the joint distribution of the recurrent event process and the censoring time without modeling the censoring distribution. Under the validity of the informative censoring model, we also show that an estimator based on the assumption of independent censoring becomes inappropriate and is generally asymptotically biased. To investigate the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator, the explicit form of its asymptotic mean squared risk and the asymptotic normality are derived. Meanwhile, the empirical consistent smoothing estimator for the variance function of the estimator is suggested. The performance of the estimators are also studied through Monte Carlo simulations. An epidemiological example of intravenous drug user data is used to show the influence of informative censoring in the estimation of the occurrence rate functions for inpatient cares over time.     

Asymptotics of R-, MD- and LAD-estimators in linear regression models with long range dependent errors

Summary This paper establishes the uniform closeness of a weighted residual empirical process to its natural estimate in the linear regression setting when the errors are Gaussian, or a function of Gaussian random variables, that are strictly stationary and long range dependent. This result is used to yield the asymptotic uniform linearity of a class of rank statistics in linear regression models with long range dependent errors. The latter result, in turn, yields the asymptotic distribution of the Jaeckel (1972) rank estimators. The paper also studies the least absolute deviation and a class of certain minimum distance estimators of regression parameters and the kernel type density estimators of the marginal error density when the errors are long range dependent.Research of this author was partly supported by the NSF grant: DMS-9102041     

Empirical Likelihood Inference Under Stratified Random Sampling in the Presence of Measurement Error

Suppose that several different imperfect instruments and one perfect instrument are used independently to measure some characteristic of a population. In order to make full use of the sample information, in this paper the empirical likelihood method is put forward for making inferences on parameters of interest under stratified random sampling in the presence of measurement error, Our results show that it can lead to estimators which are asymptotically normal and utilize all the available sample information. We also obtain the asymptotic distribution of empirical likelihood testing statistics. In particular, we apply the method to obtain estimator and confidence interval of population mean.     

Mean Integrated Squared Error of Nonlinear Wavelet-based Estimators with Long Memory Data

We consider the nonparametric regression model with long memory data that are not necessarily Gaussian and provide an asymptotic expansion for the mean integrated squared error (MISE) of nonlinear wavelet-based mean regression function estimators. We show this MISE expansion, when the underlying mean regression function is only piecewise smooth, is the same as analogous expansion for the kernel estimators. However, for the kernel estimators, this MISE expansion generally fails if an additional smoothness assumption is absent. Research supported in part by the NSF grant DMS-0103939.     

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.     

A note on superkernel density estimators

It is well known that so-called superkernel density estimators have better asymptotic properties than conventional kernel estimators (and generally finite-order estimators) in the case when the density to be estimated is very smooth. In this note, we study asymptotic behavior of the mean integrated square error of superkernel density estimators in the case when the density to be estimated is not very smooth. It turns out that in this case, superkernel estimators still have better asymptotics than finite-order estimators.     

附加信息下的局部线性估计

在回归模型中，对一类因变量函数的条件期望方程的附加信息，我们提出了基于极大经验似然方法的局部线性点估计，在一定条件下证明了这些估计的相合性和渐近正态性，而且估计的方差小于通常不带附加信息核估计的方差．模拟结果也显示了估计的优良性．     

Histogram-kernel error and its application for bin width selection in histograms

Histogram and kernel estimators are usually regarded as the two main classical data-based non- parametric tools to estimate the underlying density functions for some given data sets. In this paper we will integrate them and define a histogram-kernel error based on the integrated square error between histogram and binned kernel density estimator, and then exploit its asymptotic properties. Just as indicated in this paper, the histogram-kernel error only depends on the choice of bin width and the data for the given prior kernel densities. The asymptotic optimal bin width is derived by minimizing the mean histogram-kernel error. By comparing with Scott’s optimal bin width formula for a histogram, a new method is proposed to construct the data-based histogram without knowledge of the underlying density function. Monte Carlo study is used to verify the usefulness of our method for different kinds of density functions and sample sizes.     

Bandwidth choice for local polynomial estimation of smooth boundaries

Local polynomial methods hold considerable promise for boundary estimation, where they offer unmatched flexibility and adaptivity. Most rival techniques provide only a single order of approximation; local polynomial approaches allow any order desired. Their more conventional rivals, for example high-order kernel methods in the context of regression, do not have attractive versions in the case of boundary estimation. However, the adoption of local polynomial methods for boundary estimation is inhibited by lack of knowledge about their properties, in particular about the manner in which they are influenced by bandwidth; and by the absence of techniques for empirical bandwidth choice. In the present paper we detail the way in which bandwidth selection determines mean squared error of local polynomial boundary estimators, showing that it is substantially more complex than in regression settings. For example, asymptotic formulae for bias and variance contributions to mean squared error no longer decompose into monotone functions of bandwidth. Nevertheless, once these properties are understood, relatively simple empirical bandwidth selection methods can be developed. We suggest a new approach to both local and global bandwidth choice, and describe its properties.     

Empirical likelihood estimators for the error distribution in nonparametric regression models

The aim of this paper is to show that existing estimators for the error distribution in non-parametric regression models can be improved when additional information about the distribution is included by the empirical likelihood method. The weak convergence of the resulting new estimator to a Gaussian process is shown and the performance is investigated by comparison of asymptotic mean squared errors and by means of a simulation study.      

空间半参数变系数部分线性回归中的分位数估计

本文研究了空间数据变系数部分线性回归中的分位数估计. 模型中的参数估计量通过未知系数函数的分段多项式逼近得到, 而未知系数函数的估计量通过将参数估计量代入模型中并通过局部线性逼近得到. 文中推导了未知参数向量估计量的渐近分布, 并建立了未知系数函数估计量在内点及边界点的渐近分布. 通过Monte Carlo 模拟研究了估计量的有限样本性质.     

Superefficient estimation of the marginals by exploiting knowledge on the copula

We consider the problem of estimating the marginals in the case where there is knowledge on the copula. If the copula is smooth, it is known that it is possible to improve on the empirical distribution functions: optimal estimators still have a rate of convergence n^−1/2, but a smaller asymptotic variance. In this paper we show that for non-smooth copulas it is sometimes possible to construct superefficient estimators of the marginals: we construct both a copula and, exploiting the information our copula provides, estimators of the marginals with the rate of convergence logn/n.     

强相关数据回归函数的小波估计

讨论了在强相关数据情形下对回归函数的小波估计,并且给出了估计量的均方误差的一个渐近展开表示式． 对研究估计量的优劣,所推导的近似表示式显得非常重要．对一般的回归函数核估计,如果回归函数不是充分光滑,这个均方误差表示式并不成立A·D2但对小波估计,即使回归函数间断连续,这个均方误差表示式仍然成立．因此,小波估计的收敛速度要比核估计来得快,从而小波估计在某种程度上改进了现有的核估计．