Calibration of the empirical likelihood for high-dimensional data

This article is concerned with the calibration of the empirical likelihood (EL) for high-dimensional data where the data dimension may increase as the sample size increases. We analyze the asymptotic behavior of the EL under a general multivariate model and provide weak conditions under which the best rate for the asymptotic normality of the empirical likelihood ratio (ELR) is achieved. In addition, there is usually substantial lack-of-fit when the ELR is calibrated by the usual normal in high dimensions, producing tests with type I errors much larger than nominal levels. We find that this is mainly due to the underestimation of the centralized and normalized quantities of the ELR. By examining the connection between the ELR and the classical Hotelling’s $T$ -square statistic, we propose an effective calibration method which works much better in most situations.     

Initial classification of joint data in EM estimation of latent class joint model

The latent class mixture-of-experts joint model is one of the important methods for jointly modelling longitudinal and recurrent events data when the underlying population is heterogeneous and there are nonnormally distributed outcomes. The maximum likelihood estimates of parameters in latent class joint model are generally obtained by the EM algorithm. The joint distances between subjects and initial classification of subjects under study are essential to finding good starting values of the EM algorithm through formulas. In this article, separate distances and joint distances of longitudinal markers and recurrent events are proposed for classification purposes, and performance of the initial classifications based on the proposed distances and random classification are compared in a simulation study and demonstrated in an example.     

Diffuse interface methods for multiclass segmentation of high-dimensional data

We present two graph-based algorithms for multiclass segmentation of high-dimensional data, motivated by the binary diffuse interface model. One algorithm generalizes Ginzburg–Landau (GL) functional minimization on graphs to the Gibbs simplex. The other algorithm uses a reduction of GL minimization, based on the Merriman–Bence–Osher scheme for motion by mean curvature. These yield accurate and efficient algorithms for semi-supervised learning. Our algorithms outperform existing methods, including supervised learning approaches, on the benchmark datasets that we used. We refer to Garcia-Cardona (2014) for a more detailed illustration of the methods, as well as different experimental examples.     

Experimental comparison of least-squares and maximum likelihood methods in factor analysis

Three popular methods to estimate the unknown parameters in the factor analysis model, simple (SLS) and weighted (WLS) least-squares methods and the maximum likelihood method (ML), are compared by a Monte Carlo study. The experiments were conducted with 200 replications for every combination of levels of the following three conditions: method (3 levels), sample size (3 levels) and uniquenesses (2 levels). It was found that SLS performed most favorably when the sample size is relatively small and unique variances are relatively large. WLS and ML proved to be rather alike.     

Power analysis for the bootstrap likelihood ratio test for the number of classes in latent class models

Latent class (LC) analysis is used to construct empirical evidence on the existence of latent subgroups based on the associations among a set of observed discrete variables. One of the tests used to infer about the number of underlying subgroups is the bootstrap likelihood ratio test (BLRT). Although power analysis is rarely conducted for this test, it is important to identify, clarify, and specify the design issues that influence the statistical inference on the number of latent classes based on the BLRT. This paper proposes a computationally efficient ‘short-cut’ method to evaluate the power of the BLRT, as well as presents a procedure to determine a required sample size to attain a specific power level. Results of our numerical study showed that this short-cut method yields reliable estimates of the power of the BLRT. The numerical study also showed that the sample size required to achieve a specified power level depends on various factors of which the class separation plays a dominant role. In some situations, a sample size of 200 may be enough, while in others 2000 or more subjects are required to achieve the required power.     

Sufficient statistic likelihood construction for age- and time-dependent multi-state joint recapture and recovery data

Two closed-form likelihoods for multi-state joint recapture and recovery data were proposed in King and Brooks (2003); the first incorporated dependence on time and cohort whilst the second included dependence on age and cohort. However, when multi-state joint recapture and recovery data are modelled, it is likely that dependence on age and time will both be potentially of interest and therefore the most useful model formulation will incorporate both of these parameter structures. Within this article the likelihood function required for such a model is derived in terms of a set of sufficient statistics.     

截断情况下生存函数的函数的经验似然

Owen首次在完全样本下提出了经验似然的方法,WangQihua将该方法应用到带有截断情况的生存函数的函数估计问题．本文给出了更为一般的调整似然比统计量,证明了在适当的情况下该统计量仍渐近服从χ^2分布,同时模拟的结果也表明该统计量具有良好的性质。     

A Monte Carlo evaluation of three methods to detect local dependence in binary data latent class models

Binary data latent class analysis is a form of model-based clustering applied in a wide range of fields. A central assumption of this model is that of conditional independence of responses given latent class membership, often referred to as the “local independence” assumption. The results of latent class analysis may be severely biased when this crucial assumption is violated; investigating the degree to which bivariate relationships between observed variables fit this hypothesis therefore provides vital information. This article evaluates three methods of doing so. The first is the commonly applied method of referring the so-called “bivariate residuals” to a Chi-square distribution. We also introduce two alternative methods that are novel to the investigation of local dependence in latent class analysis: bootstrapping the bivariate residuals, and the asymptotic score test or “modification index”. Our Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the latter two methods perform adequately, while the first method does not perform as intended.     

Asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimator for the proportional hazards model with doubly censored data

Doubly censored data, which include left as well as right censored observations, are frequently met in practice. Though estimation of the distribution function with doubly censored data has seen much study, relatively little is known about the inference of regression coefficients in the proportional hazards model for doubly censored data. In particular, theoretical properties of the maximum likelihood estimator of the regression coefficients in the proportional hazards model have not been proved yet. In this paper, we show the consistency and asymptotic normality of the maximum likelihood estimator and prove its semiparametric efficiency. The proposed methods are illustrated with simulation studies and analysis of an application from a medical study.     

Probabilities of large and moderate deviations for maximum likelihood estimates

One proves theorems on the probabilities of large and moderate deviations for maximum likelihood estimates while for less restrictive assumptions one establishes coarse asymptotics for probabilities of large deviations in the regular case. Similar results are obtained in the case of observations in white Gaussian noise.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 108, pp. 154–169, 1981.The author expresses his deep gratitude to Io Ao Ibragimov fort he formulation of the problem, for his constant care and for useful advice.     

Existence and consistency of the maximum likelihood estimator for the extreme value index

The paper is about the asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimator for the extreme value index. Under the second order condition, Drees et al. [H. Drees, A. Ferreira, L. de Haan, On maximum likelihood estimation of the extreme value index, Ann. Appl. Probab. 14 (2004) 1179-1201] proved asymptotic normality for any solution of the likelihood equations (with shape parameter γ>−1/2) that is not too far off the real value. But they did not prove that there is a solution of the equations satisfying the restrictions.In this paper, the existence is proved, even for γ>−1. The proof just uses the domain of attraction condition (first order condition), not the second order condition. It is also proved that the estimator is consistent. When the second order condition is valid, following the current proof, the existence of a solution satisfying the restrictions in the above-cited reference is a direct consequence.     

Geometrical expansions for the distributions of the score vector and the maximum likelihood estimator

In the present note, asymptotic expansions for conditional and unconditional distributions of the score vector are derived. Our aim is to consider these expansions in the light of differential geometry, particularly the theory of derivative strings. Expansions for the distributions of the maximum likelihood estimator are obtained from those for the score vector via transformation, with a view to interpreting from the standpoint of differential geometry the various terms entering the expansions.The present work was carried out at the Department of Theoretical Statistics, University of Aarhus, Denmark, with support from the Danish-French Cultural Exchange Programme.     

Model selection using modified AIC and BIC in joint modeling of paired functional data

A modified version of the Akaike information criterion and two modified versions of the Bayesian information criterion are proposed to select the number of principal components and to choose the penalty parameters of penalized splines in a joint model of paired functional data. Numerical results show that, compared with an existing procedure using the cross-validation, the procedure based on the information criteria is computationally much faster while giving a similar performance.     

Asymptotic properties and expectation-maximization algorithm for maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters from Weibull-Logarithmic model

In this article, we consider a lifetime distribution, the Weibull-Logarithmic distribution introduced by [6]. We investigate some new statistical characterizations and properties. We develop the maximum likelihood inference using EM algorithm. Asymptotic properties of the MLEs are obtained and extensive simulations are conducted to assess the performance of parameter estimation. A numerical example is used to illustrate the application.     

Bahadur efficiency of the maximum likelihood estimator and one-step estimator for quasi-arithmetic means of the Cauchy distribution

Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics - Some quasi-arithmetic means of random variables easily give unbiased strongly consistent closed-form estimators of the joint of the location and...     

隐变量交互效应分析方法的比较与评价

本文通过一个实例,比较了分析隐变量交互效应的主要方法,包括用隐变量的因子得分做回归分析、分组线性结构方程模型分析、加入乘积项的结构方程模型分析和两步最小二乘回归分析,并评价了这些方法的优缺点。     

基于对数正态分布下联合均值与散度广义线性模型的极大似然估计

基于对数正态分布研究提出了联合均值与散度广义线性模型,给出了此模型参数的极大似然估计,模拟和实例显示该模型和方法是有用和有效的.     

A computational comparison of the dinic and network simplex methods for maximum flow

We study the implementation of two fundamentally different algorithms for solving the maximum flow problem: Dinic's method and the network simplex method. For the former, we present the design of a storage-efficient implementation. For the latter, we develop a "steepest-edge" pivot selection criterion that is easy to include in an existing network simplex implementation. We compare the computational efficiency of these two methods on a personal computer with a set of generated problems of up to 4 600 nodes and 27 000 arcs.This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. MCS-8113503 and DMS-8512277.     

Onsager-Machlup functionals and maximum a posteriori estimation for a class of non-gaussian random fields

The “prior density for path” (the Onsager-Machlup functional) is defined for solutions of semilinear elliptic type PDEs driven by white noise. The existence of this functional is proved by applying a general theorem of Ramer on the equivalence of measures on Wiener space. As an application, the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation problem is considered where the solution of the semilinear equation is observed via a noisy nonlinear sensor. The existence of the optimal estimator and its representation by means of appropriate first-order conditions are derived.     

A class of rank-based test for left-truncated and right-censored data

A class of rank-based tests is proposed for the two-sample problem with left-truncated and right-censored data. The class contains as special cases the extension of log-rank test and Gehan test. The asymptotic distribution theory of the test is presented. The small-sample performance of the test is investigated under a variety of situations by means of Mone Carlo simulations.