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.     

Maximum likelihood estimator for hidden Markov models in continuous time

The paper studies large sample asymptotic properties of the Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE) for the parameter of a continuous time Markov chain, observed in white noise. Using the method of weak convergence of likelihoods due to Ibragimov and Khasminskii (Statistical estimation, vol 16 of Applications of mathematics. Springer-Verlag, New York), consistency, asymptotic normality and convergence of moments are established for MLE under certain strong ergodicity assumptions on the chain. This article has been written during the author’s visit at Laboratoire de Statistique et Processus, Universite du Maine, France, supported by the Chateaubriand fellowship.     

The Construction and Properties of Boundary Kernels for Smoothing Sparse Multinomials

In recent years several authors have investigated the use of smoothing methods for sparse multinomial data. In particular, Hall and Titterington (1987) studied kernel smoothing in detail. It is pointed out here that the bias of kernel estimates of probabilities for cells near the boundaries of the multinomial vector can dominate the mean sum of squared error of the estimator for most true probability vectors. Fortunately, boundary kernels devised to correct boundary effects for kernel regression estimators can achieve the same result for these estimators. Properties of estimates based on boundary kernels are investigated and compared to unmodified kernel estimates and maximum penalized likelihood estimates. Monte Carlo evidence indicates that the boundary-corrected kernel estimates usually outperform uncorrected kernel estimates and are quite competitive with penalized likelihood estimates.     

Maximum likelihood estimator for the drift of a Brownian flow

The maximum likelihood estimator for the drift of a Brownian flow on ℝ^d, d ⩾ 2, is found with the assumption that the covariance is known. By approximation of the drift with known functions, the statistical model is reduced to a parametric one that is a curved exponential family. The data is the n‐point motion of the Brownian flow throughout the time interval [0, T]. The asymptotic properties of the MLE are also investigated. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of a common parameter for pooled samples from the uniform distributions

Summary The problem to estimate a common parameter for the pooled sample from the uniform distributions is discussed in the presence of nuisance parameters. The maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) and others are compared and it is shown that the MLE based on the pooled sample is not (asymptotically) efficient.     

On exponential rates of likelihood ratio estimators for location parameters

In this paper the exponential rates, bounds, and local exponential rates for likelihood ratio estimators are studied. Under certain regularity conditions, a family of likelihood ratio estimators is shown to be admissible in exponential rate. It is also shown that the maximum likelihood estimator is the limit of this family of estimators.     

Mean integrated squared error of kernel estimators when the density and its derivative are not necessarily continuous

Summary Asymptotic properties of the mean integrated squared error (MISE) of kernel estimators of a density function, based on a sampleX ₁, …,X _n, were obtained by Rosenblatt [4] and Epanechnikov [1] for the case when the densityf and its derivativef′ are continuous. They found, under certain additional regularity conditions, that the optimal choiceh _n0 for the scale factorh _n=Kn^−α is given byh _n0=K₀n^−1/5 withK ₀ depending onf and the kernel; they also showed that MISE(h _n0)=O(n^−4/5) and Epanechnikov [1] found the optimal kernel. In this paper we investigate the robustness of these results to departures from the assumptions concerning the smoothness of the density function. In particular it is shown, under certain regularity conditions, that whenf is continuous but its derivativef′ is not, the optimal value of α in the scale factor becomes 1/4 and MISE(h _n0)=O(n^−3/4); for the case whenf is not continuous the optimal value of α becomes 1/2 and MISE(h _n0)=O(n^−1/2). For this last case the optimal kernel is shown to be the double exponential density. Supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada under Grant Nr. A 3114 and by the Gouvernement du Québec, Programme de formation de chercheurs et d'action concertée.     

A two-step estimator of the extreme value index

In this paper, we build a two-step estimator , which satisfies , where is the well-known maximum likelihood estimator of the extreme value index. Since the two-step estimator can be calculated easily as a function of the observations, it is much simpler to use in practice. By properly choosing the first step estimator, such as the Pickands estimator, we can even get a shift and scale invariant estimator with the above property. The author thanks Laurens de Haan for motivating this work and giving helpful comments. The author also thanks two anonymous referees for their useful comments.     

When is the inverse regression estimator MSE-superior to the standard regression estimator in multivariate controlled calibration situations?

We assume as model a standard multivariate regression of y on x, fitted to a controlled calibration sample and used to estimate unknown x′s from observed y-values. The standard weighted least squares estimator (‘classical’, regress y on x and ‘solve’ for x) and the biased inverse regression estimator (regress x on y) are compared with respect to mean squared error. The regions are derived where the inverse regression estimator yields the smaller MSE. For any particular component of x this region is likely to contain ‘most’ future values in usual practice. For simultaneous estimation this needs not be true, however.     

An ɛ -admissibility condition on the sample mean as an estimator of a location parameter in the presence of a nuisance scale parameter

An estimate of stability is obtained in a theorem on characterizing the normal law by the property of sufficiency of the sample mean as an estimate of the location parameter in the presence of a nuisance scale parameter when the loss function is quadratic.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 61, pp. 25–37, 1976.     

The sample mean as an estimator of the location parameter in the case of a Laplacian loss function and a nuisance scale parameter

Under certain a priori conditions it is shown that the sample mean is an admissible estimator of the location parameter in the case of a Laplacian loss function and a nuisance scale parameter only for samples from a Gaussian population.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 43, pp. 15–29, 1974.     

The breakdown behavior of the maximum likelihood estimator in the logistic regression model

In this note we discuss the breakdown behavior of the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator in the logistic regression model. We formally prove that the ML-estimator never explodes to infinity, but rather breaks down to zero when adding severe outliers to a data set. An example confirms this behavior.     

A matrix formula for the skewness of maximum likelihood estimators

We give a general matrix formula for computing the second-order skewness of maximum likelihood estimators. The formula was firstly presented in a tensorial version by Bowman and Shenton (1998). Our matrix formulation has numerical advantages, since it requires only simple operations on matrices and vectors. We apply the second-order skewness formula to a normal model with a generalized parametrization and to an ARMA model.     

Improving on the minimum risk equivariant estimator of a location parameter which is constrained to an interval or a half-interval

For location families with densitiesf ₀(x−θ), we study the problem of estimating θ for location invariant lossL(θ,d)=ρ(d−θ), and under a lower-bound constraint of the form θ≥a. We show, that for quite general (f ₀, ρ), the Bayes estimator δ _U with respect to a uniform prior on (a, ∞) is a minimax estimator which dominates the benchmark minimum risk equivariant (MRE) estimator. In extending some previous dominance results due to Katz and Farrell, we make use of Kubokawa'sIERD (Integral Expression of Risk Difference) method, and actually obtain classes of dominating estimators which include, and are characterized in terms of δ _U . Implications are also given and, finally, the above dominance phenomenon is studied and extended to an interval constraint of the form θ∈[a, b]. Research supported by NSERC of Canada.     

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.     

Sharp Error Estimate for Maximum Likelihood Estimator of Nonstationary Diffusion Processes

We consider the maximum likelihood estimator of the unknown parameter in a class of nonstationary diffusion processes. We give further a precise estimate for the error of the estimator.     

Maximum likelihood estimation in the proportional hazards cure model

The proportional hazards cure model generalizes Cox’s proportional hazards model which allows that a proportion of study subjects may never experience the event of interest. Here nonparametric maximum likelihood approach is proposed to estimating the cumulative hazard and the regression parameters. The asymptotic properties of the resulting estimators are established using the modern empirical process theory. And the estimators for the regression parameters are shown to be semiparametric efficient.     

Ergodicity of observation-driven time series models and consistency of the maximum likelihood estimator

This paper deals with a general class of observation-driven time series models with a special focus on time series of counts. We provide conditions under which there exist strict-sense stationary and ergodic versions of such processes. The consistency of the maximum likelihood estimators is then derived for well-specified and misspecified models.     

Asymptotic properties of a maximum likelihood estimator with data from a Gaussian process

We consider an estimation problem with observations from a Gaussian process. The problem arises from a stochastic process modeling of computer experiments proposed recently by Sacks, Schiller, and Welch. By establishing various representations and approximations to the corresponding log-likelihood function, we show that the maximum likelihood estimator of the identifiable parameter θσ² is strongly consistent and converges weakly (when normalized by √n) to a normal random variable, whose variance does not depend on the selection of sample points. Some extensions to regression models are also obtained.