Functional data: local linear estimation of the conditional density and its application

In this paper, we introduce a new nonparametric estimation procedure of the conditional density of a scalar response variable given a random variable taking values in a semi-metric space. Under some general conditions, we establish both the pointwise and the uniform almost-complete consistencies with convergence rates of the conditional density estimator related to this estimation procedure. Moreover, we give some particular cases of our results which can also be considered as novel in the finite-dimensional setting. Notice also that the results of this paper are used to derive some asymptotic properties of the local linear estimator of the conditional mode.     

The conditional cumulative distribution function in single functional index model

ABSTRACT

We consider the estimation of the conditional cumulative distribution function of a scalar response variable Y given a Hilbertian random variable X when the observations are linked via a single-index structure. We establish the pointwise and the uniform almost complete convergence (with the rate) of the kernel estimate of this model. As an application, we show how our result can be applied in the prediction problem via the conditional median estimate. Also, the choice of the functional index via the cross-validation procedure is also discussed but not attacked.     

Rates of strong consistencies of the regression function estimator for functional stationary ergodic data

The aim of this paper is to study both the pointwise and uniform consistencies of the kernel regression estimate and to derive also rates of convergence whenever functional stationary ergodic data are considered. More precisely, in the ergodic data setting, we consider the regression of a real random variable Y over an explanatory random variable X taking values in some semi-metric separable abstract space. While estimating the regression function using the well-known Nadaraya-Watson estimator, we establish the strong pointwise and uniform consistencies with rates. Depending on the Vapnik-Chervonenkis size of the class over which uniformity is considered, the pointwise rate of convergence may be reached in the uniform case. Notice, finally, that the ergodic data framework extends the dependence setting to cases that are not covered by the usual mixing structures.     

Estimation and simulation of conditional hazard function in the quasi-associated framework when the observations are linked via a functional single-index structure

We consider the estimation of the conditional hazard function of a scalar response variable Y given a Hilbertian random variable X when the observations are linked via a single-index structure in the quasi-associated framework. We establish the pointwise almost complete convergence and the uniform almost complete convergence (with the rate) of the estimate of this model. A simulation is given to illustrate the good behavior in the practice of our methodology.     

Fiducial inference under nonparametric situations

The object of the paper is to provide recipes for various fiducial inferences on a parameter under nonparametric situations. First, the fiducial empirical distribution of a random variable was introduced under nonparametric situations. And its almost sure behavior was established. Then based on it, fiducial model and hence fiducial distribution of a parameter are obtained. Further fiducial intervals of parameters as functionals of the population were constructed. Some of their frequentist properties were investigated under some mild conditions. Besides, p-values of some test hypotheses and their asymptotical properties were also given. Three applications of above results and further results were provided. For the mean, simulations on its interval estimator and hypothesis testing were conducted and their results suggest that the fiducial method performs better than others considered here.     

Consistency of the kernel density estimator: a survey

Various consistency proofs for the kernel density estimator have been developed over the last few decades. Important milestones are the pointwise consistency and almost sure uniform convergence with a fixed bandwidth on the one hand and the rate of convergence with a fixed or even a variable bandwidth on the other hand. While considering global properties of the empirical distribution functions is sufficient for strong consistency, proofs of exact convergence rates use deeper information about the underlying empirical processes. A unifying character, however, is that earlier and more recent proofs use bounds on the probability that a sum of random variables deviates from its mean.     

Nonparametric estimation of the conditional mean residual life function with censored data

The conditional mean residual life (MRL) function is the expected remaining lifetime of a system given survival past a particular time point and the values of a set of predictor variables. This function is a valuable tool in reliability and actuarial studies when the right tail of the distribution is of interest, and can be more informative than the survivor function. In this paper, we identify theoretical limitations of some semi-parametric conditional MRL models, and propose two nonparametric methods of estimating the conditional MRL function. Asymptotic properties such as consistency and normality of our proposed estimators are established. We investigate via simulation study the empirical properties of the proposed estimators, including bootstrap pointwise confidence intervals. Using Monte Carlo simulations we compare the proposed nonparametric estimators to two popular semi-parametric methods of analysis, for varying types of data. The proposed estimators are demonstrated on the Veteran’s Administration lung cancer trial.     

Strong uniform consistency rates and asymptotic normality of conditional density estimator in the single functional index modeling for time series data

In this paper, we investigate a nonparametric estimation of the conditional density of a scalar response variable given a random variable taking values in separable Hilbert space. We establish under general conditions the uniform almost complete convergence rates and the asymptotic normality of the conditional density kernel estimator, when the variables satisfy the strong mixing dependency, based on the single-index structure. The asymptotic \((1-\zeta )\) confidence intervals of conditional density function are given, for \(0 < \zeta < 1\) . We further demonstrate the impact of this functional parameter to the conditional mode estimate. Simulation study is also presented. Finally, the estimation of the functional index via the pseudo-maximum likelihood method is discussed, but not tackled.     

An omnibus test of goodness-of-fit for conditional distributions with applications to regression models

We introduce an omnibus goodness-of-fit test for statistical models for the conditional distribution of a random variable. In particular, this test is useful for assessing whether a regression model fits a data set on all its assumptions. The test is based on a generalization of the Cramér–von Mises statistic and involves a local polynomial estimator of the conditional distribution function. First, the uniform almost sure consistency of this estimator is established. Then, the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is derived under the null hypothesis and under contiguous alternatives. The extension to the case where unknown parameters appear in the model is developed. A simulation study shows that the test has good power against some common departures encountered in regression models. Moreover, its power is comparable to that of other nonparametric tests designed to examine only specific departures.     

Minimum distance lack-of-fit tests for fixed design

This paper discusses a class of tests of lack-of-fit of a parametric regression model when design is non-random and uniform on [0,1]. These tests are based on certain minimized distances between a nonparametric regression function estimator and the parametric model being fitted. We investigate asymptotic null distributions of the proposed tests, their consistency and asymptotic power against a large class of fixed and sequences of local nonparametric alternatives, respectively. The best fitted parameter estimate is seen to be n^1/2-consistent and asymptotically normal. A crucial result needed for proving these results is a central limit lemma for weighted degenerate U statistics where the weights are arrays of some non-random real numbers. This result is of an independent interest and an extension of a result of Hall for non-weighted degenerate U statistics.     

About the Nonparametric Estimation of the Bernoulli Regression

The nonparametric estimation of the Bernoulli regression function is studied. The uniform consistency conditions are established and the limit theorems are proved for continuous functionals on C[a, 1 ? a], 0 < a < 1/2.     

Conditional Density Estimation in the Single Functional Index Model for α-Mixing Functional Data

In this article, we investigate the nonparametric estimation of the conditional density of a scalar response variable Y, given the explanatory variable X taking value in a Hilbert space when the observations are linked with a single index structure. The goal of this article is to present the asymptotic results such as pointwise almost complete consistency and the uniform almost complete convergence of the kernel estimation with rate for the conditional density in the setting of the α-mixing functional data, which extend the i.i.d case in Attaoui et al. (2011 Attaoui , S. , Laksaci , A. , Ould-Said , E. ( 2011 ). A note on the conditional density estimate in the single functional index model . Statist. Probab. Lett. 81 ( 1 ): 45 – 53 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) to the dependence setting. As an application, the convergence rate of the kernel estimation for the conditional mode is also obtained.     

Pointwise and uniform convergence of multivariate kernel density estimators using random bandwidths

We obtain the rates of pointwise and uniform convergence of multivariate kernel density estimators using a random bandwidth vector obtained by some data-based algorithm. We are able to obtain faster rate for pointwise convergence. The uniform convergence rate is obtained under some moment condition on the marginal distribution. The rates are obtained under i.i.d. and strongly mixing type dependence assumptions.     

Consistency of the Generalized MLE with Interval-Censored and Masked Competing Risks Data

We consider nonparametric estimation based on interval-censored competing risks data with masked failure cause. The generalized maximum likelihood estimator of the joint survival function of the failure time and the failure cause is studied under mixed case interval censorship and random partition masking. Strong consistency in the L ₁(μ)-topology is established for some finite measure μ which is derived from the joint censoring and masking distribution. Under additional regularity assumptions we also establish the strong consistencies in the topologies of weak convergence, point-wise convergence, and uniform convergence.     

Uniform in bandwidth consistency for various kernel estimators involving functional data

The paper investigates various nonparametric models including regression, conditional distribution, conditional density and conditional hazard function, when the covariates are infinite dimensional. The main contribution is to prove uniform in bandwidth asymptotic results for kernel estimators of these functional operators. Then, the application issues, involving data-driven bandwidth selection, are discussed.     

A Projection-Based Nonparametric Test of Conditional Quantile Independence

Abstract

This paper proposes a nonparametric procedure for testing conditional quantile independence using projections. Relative to existing smoothed nonparametric tests, the resulting test statistic: (i) detects the high frequency local alternatives that converge to the null hypothesis in probability at faster rate and, (ii) yields improvements in the finite sample power when a large number of variables are included under the alternative. In addition, it allows the researcher to include qualitative information and, if desired, direct the test against specific subsets of alternatives without imposing any functional form on them. We use the weighted Nadaraya-Watson (WNW) estimator of the conditional quantile function avoiding the boundary problems in estimation and testing and prove weak uniform consistency (with rate) of the WNW estimator for absolutely regular processes. The procedure is applied to a study of risk spillovers among the banks. We show that the methodology generalizes some of the recently proposed measures of systemic risk and we use the quantile framework to assess the intensity of risk spillovers among individual financial institutions.     

Uniform-in-bandwidth kernel estimation for censored data

We present a sharp uniform-in-bandwidth functional limit law for the increments of the Kaplan–Meier empirical process based upon right-censored random data. We apply this result to obtain limit laws for nonparametric kernel estimators of local functionals of lifetime densities, which are uniform with respect to the choices of bandwidth and kernel. These are established in the framework of convergence in probability, and we allow the bandwidth to vary within the complete range for which the estimators are consistent. We provide explicit values for the asymptotic limiting constant for the sup-norm of the estimation random error.     

Nonparametric estimation of the conditional distribution function in a semiparametric censorship model

In this paper we propose a new nonparametric estimator of the conditional distribution function under a semiparametric censorship model. We establish an asymptotic representation of the estimator as a sum of iid random variables, balanced by some kernel weights. This representation is used for obtaining large sample results such as the rate of uniform convergence of the estimator, or its limit distributional law. We prove that the new estimator outperforms the conditional Kaplan–Meier estimator for censored data, in the sense that it exhibits lower asymptotic variance. Illustration through real data analysis is provided.     

Consistency of the GMLE with Mixed Case Interval-Censored Data

In this paper we consider an interval censorship model in which the endpoints of the censoring intervals are determined by a two stage experiment. In the first stage the value k of a random integer is selected; in the second stage the endpoints are determined by a case k interval censorship model. We prove the strong consistency in the L ₁( μ )-topology of the non-parametric maximum likelihood estimate of the underlying survival function for a measure μ which is derived from the distributions of the endpoints. This consistency result yields strong consistency for the topologies of weak convergence, pointwise convergence and uniform convergence under additional assumptions. These results improve and generalize existing ones in the literature.     

Functional convergence of quantile-type frontiers with application to parametric approximations

Nonparametric estimators of the upper boundary of the support of a multivariate distribution are very appealing because they rely on very few assumptions. But in productivity and efficiency analysis, this upper boundary is a production (or a cost) frontier and a parametric form for it allows for a richer economic interpretation of the production process under analysis. On the other hand, most of the parametric approaches rely on often too restrictive assumptions on the stochastic part of the model and are based on standard regression techniques fitting the shape of the center of the cloud of points rather than its boundary. To overcome these limitations, Florens and Simar [2005. Parametric approximations of nonparametric frontiers. J. Econometrics 124 (1), 91–116] propose a two-stage approach which tries to capture the shape of the cloud of points near its frontier by providing parametric approximations of a nonparametric frontier. In this paper we propose an alternative method using the nonparametric quantile-type frontiers introduced in Aragon, Daouia and Thomas-Agnan [2005. Nonparametric frontier estimation: a conditional quantile-based approach. Econometric Theory 21, 358–389] for the nonparametric part of our model. These quantile-type frontiers have the superiority of being more robust to extremes. Our main result concerns the functional convergence of the quantile-type frontier process. Then we provide convergence and asymptotic normality of the resulting estimators of the parametric approximation. The approach is illustrated through simulated and real data sets.