On the Loss Robustness of Least-Square Estimators

Abstract

The article revisits univariate and multivariate linear regression models. It is shown that least-square estimators (LSEs) are minimum risk estimators in general class of linear unbiased estimators under some general divergence loss. This amounts to the loss robustness of LSEs.     

Parameter Estimation in Conditional Heteroscedastic Models

Abstract

We study asymptotics of parameter estimates in conditional heteroscedastic models. The estimators considered are those obtained by minimizing certain functionals and those obtained by solving estimation equations. We establish consistency and derive asymptotic limit laws of the estimators. Condition under which the limit law is normal is studied. Further, bootstrap for these estimators is discussed. The limiting distribution of the estimators is not necessary always normal, and we present a real data example to illustrate this.     

Statistical inference for the accelerated failure time model under two-stage generalized case–cohort design

Abstract

In this article, we propose a two-stage generalized case–cohort design and develop an efficient inference procedure for the data collected with this design. In the first-stage, we observe the failure time, censoring indicator and covariates which are easy or cheap to measure, and in the second-stage, select a subcohort by simple random sampling and a subset of failures in remaining subjects from the first-stage subjects to observe their exposures which are different or expensive to measure. We derive estimators for regression parameters in the accelerated failure time model under the two-stage generalized case–cohort design through the estimated augmented estimating equation and the kernel function method. The resulting estimators are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. The finite sample performance of the proposed method is evaluated through the simulation studies. The proposed method is applied to a real data set from the National Wilm’s Tumor Study Group.     

Modelling claim number using a new mixture model: negative binomial gamma distribution

ABSTRACT

In actuarial applications, mixed Poisson distributions are widely used for modelling claim counts as observed data on the number of claims often exhibit a variance noticeably exceeding the mean. In this study, a new claim number distribution is obtained by mixing negative binomial parameter p which is reparameterized as p?=?exp( ?λ) with Gamma distribution. Basic properties of this new distribution are given. Maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters are calculated using the Newton–Raphson and genetic algorithm (GA). We compared the performance of these methods in terms of efficiency by simulation. A numerical example is provided.     

ASYMPTOTIC PROPERTIES OF AN OPTIMAL ESTIMATING FUNCTION APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF MARK RECAPTURE DATA

ABSTRACT

A drawback of non parametric estimators of the size of a closed population in the presence of heterogeneous capture probabilities has been their lack of analytic tractability. Here we show that the martingale estimating function/sample coverage approach to estimating the size of a closed population with heterogeneous capture probabilities is mathematically tractable and develop its large sample properties.     

New shrinkage-type estimators in a linear regression model when multicollinearity is severe

For the linear regression model y=Xβ+e with severe multicollinearity, we put forward three shrinkage-type estimators based on the ordinary least-squares estimator including two types of independent factor estimators and a seemingly convex combination. The simulation study shows that the new estimators are not good enough when multicollinearity is mild to moderate, but perform very well when multicollinearity is severe to very severe.     

Robust Estimators for the Parameters of Multivariate Lognormal Distribution

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a class of location and scale estimators for the p-variate lognormal distribution. These estimators are obtained by applying a log transform to the data, computing robust Fisher consistent estimators for the obtained Gaussian data and transforming those estimators for the lognormal using the relationship between the parameters of both distributions. We prove some of the properties of these estimators, such as Fisher consistency, robustness and asymptotic normality.     

On the efficiency property of the linear estimators in the bivariate pearson type vii distribution

In this paper the efficiency property of the estimators of the parameters of the bivariate Pearson type VII distribution is studied inside the family of linear estimators, assuming that the sample is constituted by dependent random vectors. It is proven that, although there are not efficient linear estimators, the sample mean and the sample covariance matrix (affected by an unbiasedness weighting) are unbiased linear estimators of minimum distance to the Cramér-Rao lower bound. Finally, a numerical simulation example shows that the proposed estimators are computationally feasible.     

An asymptotic equivalence of the cross-data and predictive estimators

Abstract

Estimators using multiplicative tuning parameters for maximum likelihood estimators in cross-validation are called cross-data estimators in this paper. Single-sample versions of the cross-data estimators have been called predictive estimators in literatures, which are given by maximizing the expected log-likelihood, where the two-fold expectations are taken over the distributions of future and current data using maximum likelihood estimators based on current data. An asymptotic equivalence of the cross-data and predictive estimators is shown, which guarantees an optimality of the predictive estimator when an unknown population parameter vector is replaced by the sample counterpart. Examples using typical statistical distributions are shown.     

The true maximum-likelihood estimators for the generalized Gaussian distribution with p = 3, 4, 5

The generalized Gaussian distribution with location parameter μ, scale parameter σ, and shape parameter p contains the Laplace, normal, and uniform distributions as particular cases for p = 1, 2, +∞, respectively. Derivations of the true maximum-likelihood estimators of μ and σ for these special cases are popular exercises in many university courses. Here, we show how the true maximum-likelihood estimators of μ and σ can be derived for p = 3, 4, 5. The derivations involve solving of quadratic, cubic, and quartic equations.     

Improved estimation of quantiles of two normal populations with common mean and ordered variances

Abstract

Estimation of quantiles from two normal populations is considered under the assumption of common mean and ordered variances. Several new estimators have been proposed using certain estimators of the common mean, including the plug-in type restricted MLE. A sufficient condition for improving equivariant estimators is proved and as a result improved estimators are derived. The percentage of risk improvements for each of the improved estimators have been computed numerically, which are quite significant. All the improved estimators have been compared numerically using Monte-Carlo simulation method. Finally, recommendations have been made for the use of estimators in practice.     

An extension of Franklin's randomized response technique for multi-proportions

ABSTRACT

In this article, we introduce six estimators, three based on row averages and the remaining three on column averages of population proportions for trichotomous population when randomized response sampling with a normal randomizing distribution is used. The estimators have been obtained using the method of moments. All the proposed estimators are shown to be unbiased and their variances have been worked out. The percent relative efficiencies of the column total based estimators with respect to row total based estimators are investigated through empirical study.     

General linear estimators under the prediction error sum of squares criterion in a linear regression model

In this paper, the notion of the general linear estimator and its modified version are introduced using the singular value decomposition theorem in the linear regression model y=X β+e to improve some classical linear estimators. The optimal selections of the biasing parameters involved are theoretically given under the prediction error sum of squares criterion. A numerical example and a simulation study are finally conducted to illustrate the superiority of the proposed estimators.     

Regression model with elliptically contoured errors

For the regression model y=X β+ε where the errors follow the elliptically contoured distribution, we consider the least squares, restricted least squares, preliminary test, Stein-type shrinkage and positive-rule shrinkage estimators for the regression parameters, β.

We compare the quadratic risks of the estimators to determine the relative dominance properties of the five estimators.     

Exact Likelihood Equations for Autoregression Models with Multivariate Elliptically Contoured Distributions

Abstract

The multivariate elliptically contoured distributions provide a viable framework for modeling time-series data. It includes the multivariate normal, power exponential, t, and Cauchy distributions as special cases. For multivariate elliptically contoured autoregressive models, we derive the exact likelihood equations for the model parameters. They are closely related to the Yule-Walker equations and involve simple function of the data. The maximum likelihood estimators are obtained by alternately solving two linear systems and illustrated using the simulation data.     

Dependent Right Censorship in the MOMW Distribution

In this paper, we consider paired survival data, in which pair members are subject to the same right censoring time, but they are dependent on each other. Assuming the Marshall–Olkin Multivariate Weibull distribution for the joint distribution of the lifetimes (X₁, X₂) and the censoring time X₃, we derive the joint density of the actual observed data and obtain maximum likelihood estimators, Bayes estimators and posterior regret Gamma minimax estimators of the unknown parameters under squared error loss and weighted squared error loss functions. We compare the performances of the maximum likelihood estimators and Bayes estimators numerically in terms of biases and estimated Mean Squared Error Loss.     

On mitigating collinearity through mixtures

In linear models having near collinear columns of X, ridge and surrogate estimators often are used to mitigate collinearity. A new class of estimators is based on mixtures, either of X and a design minimal in an ordered class or of the Fisher information and a scalar matrix. Comparisons are drawn among choices for the mixing parameter, and the estimators are found to be admissible relative to ordinary least squares. Case studies demonstrate that selected mixture designs are perturbed from the original design to a lesser extent than are those of the surrogate method, while retaining reasonable efficiency characteristics.     

Asymptotic normality of conditional density estimation under truncated,censored and dependent data

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on the left-truncated and right-censored model, and construct the local linear and Nadaraya-Watson type estimators of the conditional density. Under suitable conditions, we establish the asymptotic normality of the proposed estimators when the observations are assumed to be a stationary α-mixing sequence. Finite sample behavior of the estimators is investigated via simulations too.     

Two new estimators of entropy for testing normality

ABSTRACT

We present two new estimators for estimating the entropy of absolutely continuous random variables. Some properties of them are considered, specifically consistency of the first is proved. The introduced estimators are compared with the existing entropy estimators. Also, we propose two new tests for normality based on the introduced entropy estimators and compare their powers with the powers of other tests for normality. The results show that the proposed estimators and test statistics perform very well in estimating entropy and testing normality. A real example is presented and analyzed.     

Plug-in estimators for the mean value and variance functions in delayed renewal processes

Abstract

In this paper, we deal with the problem of estimating the delayed renewal and variance functions in delayed renewal processes. Two parametric plug-in estimators for these functions are proposed and their unbiasedness, asymptotic unbiasedness and consistency properties are investigated. The asymptotic normality of these estimators are established. Further, a method for the computation of the estimators is given. Finally, the performances of the estimators are evaluated for small sample sizes by a simulation study.