Functional k-sample problem when data are density functions

This paper deals with the k-sample problem for functional data when the observations are density functions. We introduce test procedures based on distances between pairs of density functions (L ₁ distance and Hellinger distance, among others). A simulation study is carried out to compare the practical behaviour of the proposed tests. Theoretical derivations have been done in order to allow weighted samples in the test procedures. The paper ends with a real data example: for a collection of European regions we estimate the regional relative income densities and then we test the significance of the country effect.     

非参数可加回归模型和非线性协整检验

本文基于非参数可加回归模型的局部核权最小二乘法提出变量间非线性协整的一种非参数检验方法。     

Identification for Linear Stochastic Systems Driven by Fractional Brownian Motion

Abstract

We apply Grenander's method of sieves to the problem of identification or estimation of the “drift” function for linear stochastic systems driven by a fractional Brownian motion (fBm). We use an increasing sequence of finite dimensional subspaces of the parameter space as the natural sieves on which we maximise the likelihood function.     

LASSO Isotone for High-Dimensional Additive Isotonic Regression

Additive isotonic regression attempts to determine the relationship between a multidimensional observation variable and a response, under the constraint that the estimate is the additive sum of univariate component effects that are monotonically increasing. In this article, we present a new method for such regression called LASSO Isotone (LISO). LISO adapts ideas from sparse linear modeling to additive isotonic regression. Thus, it is viable in many situations with high-dimensional predictor variables, where selection of significant versus insignificant variables is required. We suggest an algorithm involving a modification of the backfitting algorithm CPAV. We give a numerical convergence result, and finally examine some of its properties through simulations. We also suggest some possible extensions that improve performance, and allow calculation to be carried out when the direction of the monotonicity is unknown. Supplemental materials are available online for this article.     

Data Sharpening for Nonparametric Inference Subject to Constraints

Data sharpening involves perturbing the data to improve the performance of a statistical method. The versions of it that have been proposed in the past have been for bias reduction in curve estimation, and the amount of perturbation of each datum has been determined by an explicit formula. This article suggests a distance-based form of data sharpening, in which the sum of the distances that data are moved is minimized subject to a constraint imposed on an estimator. The constraint could be one that leads to bias reduction, or to variance or variability reduction, or to a curve estimator being monotone or unimodal. In contrast to earlier versions of the method, in the form presented in this article the amount and extent of sharpening is determined implicitly by a formula that is typically given as the solution of a Lagrange-multiplier equation. Sometimes the solution can be found by Newton–Raphson iteration, although when qualitative constraints are imposed it usually requires quadratic programming or a related method.     

Estimating Hidden Semi-Markov Chains From Discrete Sequences

This article addresses the estimation of hidden semi-Markov chains from nonstationary discrete sequences. Hidden semi-Markov chains are particularly useful to model the succession of homogeneous zones or segments along sequences. A discrete hidden semi-Markov chain is composed of a nonobservable state process, which is a semi-Markov chain, and a discrete output process. Hidden semi-Markov chains generalize hidden Markov chains and enable the modeling of various durational structures. From an algorithmic point of view, a new forward-backward algorithm is proposed whose complexity is similar to that of the Viterbi algorithm in terms of sequence length (quadratic in the worst case in time and linear in space). This opens the way to the maximum likelihood estimation of hidden semi-Markov chains from long sequences. This statistical modeling approach is illustrated by the analysis of branching and flowering patterns in plants.     

Efficient Algorithm for Computing Maximum Likelihood Estimates in Linear Transformation Models

Linear transformation models, which have been extensively studied in survival analysis, include the two special cases: the proportional hazards model and the proportional odds model. Nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation is usually used to derive the efficient estimators. However, due to the large number of nuisance parameters, calculation of the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator is difficult in practice, except for the proportional hazards model. We propose an efficient algorithm for computing the maximum likelihood estimates, where the dimensionality of the parameter space is dramatically reduced so that only a finite number of equations need to be solved. Moreover, the asymptotic variance is automatically estimated in the computing procedure. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the proposed algorithm works very well for linear transformation models. A real example is presented for an illustration of the new methodology.     

Penalized Estimation of Free-Knot Splines

Abstract

Polynomial splines are often used in statistical regression models for smooth response functions. When the number and location of the knots are optimized, the approximating power of the spline is improved and the model is nonparametric with locally determined smoothness. However, finding the optimal knot locations is an historically difficult problem. We present a new estimation approach that improves computational properties by penalizing coalescing knots. The resulting estimator is easier to compute than the unpenalized estimates of knot positions, eliminates unnecessary “corners” in the fitted curve, and in simulation studies, shows no increase in the loss. A number of GCV and AIC type criteria for choosing the number of knots are evaluated via simulation.     

Wavelet Shrinkage Denoising Using the Non-Negative Garrote

Abstract

In this article, we combine Donoho and Johnstone's wavelet shrinkage denoising technique (known as WaveShrink) with Breiman's non-negative garrote. We show that the non-negative garrote shrinkage estimate enjoys the same asymptotic convergence rate as the hard and the soft shrinkage estimates. Simulations are used to demonstrate that garrote shrinkage offers advantages over both hard shrinkage (generally smaller mean-square-error and less sensitivity to small perturbations in the data) and soft shrinkage (generally smaller bias and overall mean-square-error). The minimax thresholds for the non-negative garrote are derived and the threshold selection procedure based on Stein's unbiased risk estimate (SURE) is studied. We also propose a threshold selection procedure based on combining Coifman and Donoho's cycle-spinning and SURE. The procedure is called SPINSURE. We use examples to show that SPINSURE is more stable than SURE: smaller standard deviation and smaller range.     

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.