Estimating the covariance matrix and the generalized variance under a symmetric loss

For estimating the power of a generalized variance under a multivariate normal distribution with unknown means, the inadmissibility of the best affine equivariant estimator relative to the symmetric loss is shown, and a class of improved estimators is given. The problem of estimating the covariance matrix is also discussed.     

具有特殊协方差结构的 SURE 模型中参数估计的若干结果

本文讨论具有特殊协方差结构似乎不相关回归方程（SURE）模型中参数的估计问题．除非另有说明,损失函数将取为二次损失和矩阵损失．本文证明了回归系数的线性可估函数的最小二乘估计是极小极大的且在矩阵损失函数下是可容许的;还分别在仿射交换群和平移群下导出了存在回归系数的线性可估函数的一致最小风险同变（UMRE）估计的充要条件,并证明了在仿射交换和二次损失下不存在协方差阵和方差的UMRE估计．     

Generalized Bayes minimax estimation of the normal mean matrix with unknown covariance matrix

This paper addresses the problem of estimating the normal mean matrix in the case of unknown covariance matrix. This problem is solved by considering generalized Bayesian hierarchical models. The resulting generalized Bayes estimators with respect to an invariant quadratic loss function are shown to be matricial shrinkage equivariant estimators and the conditions for their minimaxity are given.     

Other Classes of Minimax Estimators of Variance Covariance Matrix in Multivariate Normal Distribution

It is well known that the best equivariant estimator of the variance covariance matrix of the multivariate normal distribution with respect to the full affine group of transformation is not even minimax. Some minimax estimators have been proposed. Here we treat this problem in the framework of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) model and give other classes of minimax estimators.     

Robustifying principal component analysis with spatial sign vectors

In this paper, we apply orthogonally equivariant spatial sign covariance matrices as well as their affine equivariant counterparts in principal component analysis. The influence functions and asymptotic covariance matrices of eigenvectors based on robust covariance estimators are derived in order to compare the robustness and efficiency properties. We show in particular that the estimators that use pairwise differences of the observed data have very good efficiency properties, providing practical robust alternatives to classical sample covariance matrix based methods.     

Estimation of the ratio of the scale parameters of two exponential distributions with unknown location parameters

We consider the estimation of the ratio of the scale parameters of two independent two-parameter exponential distributions with unknown location parameters. It is shown that the best affine equivariant estimator (BAEE) is inadmissible under any loss function from a large class of bowl-shaped loss functions. Two new classes of improved estimators are obtained. Some values of the risk functions of the BAEE and two improved estimators are evaluated for two particular loss functions. Our results are parallel to those of Zidek (1973, Ann. Statist., 1, 264–278), who derived a class of estimators that dominate the BAEE of the scale parameter of a two-parameter exponential distribution.     

Stein's idea and minimax admissible estimation of a multivariate normal mean

We consider estimation of a multivariate normal mean vector under sum of squared error loss.We propose a new class of minimax admissible estimator which are generalized Bayes with respect to a prior distribution which is a mixture of a point prior at the origin and a continuous hierarchical type prior. We also study conditions under which these generalized Bayes minimax estimators improve on the James–Stein estimator and on the positive-part James–Stein estimator.     

对称熵损失下的一类指数族刻度参数估计

In this paper we investigate the estimator for the rth power of the scale parameter in a class of exponential family under symmetric entropy loss L（θ, δ） = v（θ/δ ＋ δ/θ - 2）. An exact form of the minimum risk equivariant estimator under symmetric entropy loss is given, and the minimaxity of the minimum risk equivariant estimator is proved. The results with regard to admissibility and inadmissibility of a class of linear estimators of the form cT（X） ＋ d are given, where T（X） Gamma（v, θ）.     

Improving on the Best Affine Equivariant Estimator of the Ratio of Generalized Variances

We consider the problem of decision-theoretic estimation of the ratio of generalized variances of two matrix normal distributions with unknown means under a general loss function. The inadmissibility of the best affine equivariant estimator is established by exhibiting various improved estimators. In particular, under certain conditions on the loss, two classes of improved procedures based onallthe available data are presented. As a preliminary result of independent interest, an improved estimator of an arbitrary power of the generalized variance of a matrix normal distribution with an unknown mean is derived under a general strictly bowl-shaped loss.     

Estimating the covariance matrix: a new approach

In this paper, we consider the problem of estimating the covariance matrix and the generalized variance when the observations follow a nonsingular multivariate normal distribution with unknown mean. A new method is presented to obtain a truncated estimator that utilizes the information available in the sample mean matrix and dominates the James-Stein minimax estimator. Several scale equivariant minimax estimators are also given. This method is then applied to obtain new truncated and improved estimators of the generalized variance; it also provides a new proof to the results of Shorrock and Zidek (Ann. Statist. 4 (1976) 629) and Sinha (J. Multivariate Anal. 6 (1976) 617).     

Estimation of the multivariate normal precision and covariance matrices in a star-shape model

In this paper, we introduce the star-shape models, where the precision matrix Ω (the inverse of the covariance matrix) is structured by the special conditional independence. We want to estimate the precision matrix under entropy loss and symmetric loss. We show that the maximal likelihood estimator (MLE) of the precision matrix is biased. Based on the MLE, an unbiased estimate is obtained. We consider a type of Cholesky decomposition of Ω, in the sense that Ω=Ψ′Ψ, where Ψ is a lower triangular matrix with positive diagonal elements. A special group , which is a subgroup of the group consisting all lower triangular matrices, is introduced. General forms of equivariant estimates of the covariance matrix and precision matrix are obtained. The invariant Haar measures on , the reference prior, and the Jeffreys prior of Ψ are also discussed. We also introduce a class of priors of Ψ, which includes all the priors described above. The posterior properties are discussed and the closed forms of Bayesian estimators are derived under either the entropy loss or the symmetric loss. We also show that the best equivariant estimators with respect to is the special case of Bayesian estimators. Consequently, the MLE of the precision matrix is inadmissible under either entropy or symmetric loss. The closed form of risks of equivariant estimators are obtained. Some numerical results are given for illustration. The project is supported by the National Science Foundation grants DMS-9972598, SES-0095919, and SES-0351523, and a grant from Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-13-R through Missouri Department of Conservation.     

增长曲线模型中UMRE估计和UMRU估计的存在性

对于一般的增长曲线模型,在一般的矩阵损失和二次损失下,用统一的方法分别给出了回归系数矩阵的任一指定可估函数存在一致最小风险同变（ＵＭＲＥ）估计（分别在仿真变换群和转换变换群下）和一致最小风险无编（ＵＭＲＵ）估计的充要条件,以及所有可估函数恒存在ＵＭＲＥ估计和ＵＭＲＵ估计的允要条件。最后将结果应用于一些特殊模型。     

Estimation of a Multivariate Normal Covariance Matrix with Staircase Pattern Data

In this paper, we study the problem of estimating a multivariate normal covariance matrix with staircase pattern data. Two kinds of parameterizations in terms of the covariance matrix are used. One is Cholesky decomposition and another is Bartlett decomposition. Based on Cholesky decomposition of the covariance matrix, the closed form of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of the covariance matrix is given. Using Bayesian method, we prove that the best equivariant estimator of the covariance matrix with respect to the special group related to Cholesky decomposition uniquely exists under the Stein loss. Consequently, the MLE of the covariance matrix is inadmissible under the Stein loss. Our method can also be applied to other invariant loss functions like the entropy loss and the symmetric loss. In addition, based on Bartlett decomposition of the covariance matrix, the Jeffreys prior and the reference prior of the covariance matrix with staircase pattern data are also obtained. Our reference prior is different from Berger and Yang’s reference prior. Interestingly, the Jeffreys prior with staircase pattern data is the same as that with complete data. The posterior properties are also investigated. Some simulation results are given for illustration.     

Improved estimation of the generalized precision under the entropy loss

1.IntroductionInthisarticleweconsiderthepointestimationofthegeneralizedprecisionofamultivariatenormaldistributionwithanunknownmeanvector.TObespecific,letXI,'?XubelidobservationfromNc(~,E)wherebothpERPandZ>0arecompletelyunknown.Insteadoftheoriginaldatasetonecanreducetheproblembysufficiencyandlookonlyatnn(X,S),whereX~n--1ZXiandS~Z(Xi--X)(Xi--X)'.ItiswellknownthatXisi=1i~1mutuallyindependentofSandX~Nc(~,n--'Z),S~Wb(n--1,Z).ThelossfunctionweconsiderinthispaperistheentropylossL(6,IZ…     

Some modifications of improved estimators of a normal variance

Consider the problem of estimating a normal variance based on a random sample when the mean is unknown. Scale equivariant estimators which improve upon the best scale and translation equivariant one have been proposed by several authors for various loss functions including quadratic loss. However, at least for quadratic loss function, improvement is not much. Herein, some methods are proposed to construct improving estimators which are not scale equivariant and are expected to be considerably better when the true variance value is close to the specified one. The idea behind the methods is to modify improving equivariant shrinkage estimators, so that the resulting ones shrink little when the usual estimate is less than the specified value and shrink much more otherwise. Sufficient conditions are given for the estimators to dominate the best scale and translation equivariant rule under the quadratic loss and the entropy loss. Further, some results of a Monte Carlo experiment are reported which show the significant improvements by the proposed estimators.     

一类线性模型中Bayes估计的优良性

本文研究了一类线性模型中参数的Bayes线性无偏估计的优良性.利用矩阵论的相关知识,分别在平衡损失准则和均方误差阵准则下,得到了Bayes线性无偏估计优于广义最小二乘估计的条件.     

Estimation of the Multivariate Normal Precision Matrix under the Entropy Loss

Let X ₁, , X _n (n > p) be a random sample from multivariate normal distribution N _p (, ), where R ^p and is a positive definite matrix, both and being unknown. We consider the problem of estimating the precision matrix ^–1. In this paper it is shown that for the entropy loss, the best lower-triangular affine equivariant minimax estimator of ^–1 is inadmissible and an improved estimator is explicitly constructed. Note that our improved estimator is obtained from the class of lower-triangular scale equivariant estimators.     

有缺失数据的条件独立正态母体中参数的最优同变估计

在缺失数据机制是可忽略的假设下,导出了有单调缺失数据的条件独立正态模型中协方差阵和精度阵的Cholesky分解的最大似然估计和无偏估计.通过引入一类特殊的变换群并在更广义的损失下,获得了其最优同变估计.这表明最大似然估计和无偏估计是非容许的.最后,通过数值模拟验证了相关结果的有效性.     

平衡数据结构下ANOVA 估计和SD 估计的比较

在线性混合效应模型下, 方差分析(ANOVA) 估计和谱分解(SD) 估计对构造精确检验和广义P-值枢轴量起着非常重要的作用. 尽管这两估计分别基于不同的方法, 但它们共享许多类似的优点, 如无偏性和有精确的表达式等. 本文借助于已得到的协方差阵的谱分解结果, 揭示了平衡数据一般线性混合效应模型下ANOVA 估计与SD 估计的关系, 并分别针对协方差阵两种结构: 套结构和多项分类随机效应结构, 给出了ANOVA 估计与SD 估计等价的充分必要条件.     

一种对称损失函数下一类指数分布族刻度参数的估计

在p,q对称熵损失函数L(θ,δ)=θp/δp+δq/θq-2(p,q0)下,研究了一类指数分布族c(x,n)θ-ve-T(x)/θ的刻度参数θ的Bayes估计与可容许估计,并应用积分变换定理证明了这两个估计具有不变性.