N-stage splitting for maximum penalized likelihood estimation

An n-stage splitting algorithm for the solution of maximum penalized likelihood estimation (MPLE) problems is compared to the one-step-late (OSL) algorithm. General conditions under which the asymptotic rate of convergence of this splitting algorithm. exceeds that of the OSL algorithm are given. A one-dimensional positive data example, illustrates the comparison of the rates of convergence of these two algorithms.     

Maximum likelihood revisited under a semi-parametric context - estimation of the tail index

In this paper, and in a context of regularly varying tails, we study computationally the classical Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimator based on the Paretian behaviour of the excesses over a high threshold, denoted PML-estimator, a type II Censoring estimator based specifically on a Fréchet parent, denoted CENS-estimator, and two ML estimators based on the scaled log-spacings, and denoted SLS-estimators. These estimators are considered under a semi-parametric set-up, and compared with the classical Hill estimator and a Generalized Jackknife (GJ) estimator, which has essentially in mind a reduction of the bias of Hill's estimator.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for reflected Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes

In this paper, we investigate the maximum likelihood estimation for the reflected Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (ROU) processes based on continuous observations. Both the cases with one-sided barrier and two-sided barriers are considered. We derive the explicit formulas for the estimators, and then prove their strong consistency and asymptotic normality. Moreover, the bias and mean square errors are represented in terms of the solutions to some PDEs with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions. We also illustrate the asymptotic behavior of the estimators through a simulation study.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for reflected Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes with jumps

In this paper, we investigate the maximum likelihood estimation for the reflected Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes with jumps based on continuous observations. We derive likelihood functions by using semimartingale theory. From this we get explicit formulas for estimators. The strong consistence and asymptotic normality of estimators are proved by using the method of stochastic integration.     

Maximum likelihood estimation of variance components of heteroscedastic random anova model

the estimation of variance components of heteroscedastic random model is discussed in this paper. Maximum Likelihood (ML) is described for one-way heteroscedastic random models. The proportionality condition that cell variance is proportional to the cell sample size, is used to eliminate the efffect of heteroscedasticity. The algebraic expressions of the estimators are obtained for the model. It is seen that the algebraic expressions of the estimators depend mainly on the inverse of the variance-covariance matrix of the observation vector. So, the variance-covariance matrix is obtained and the formulae for the inversions are given. A Monte Carlo study is conducted. Five different variance patterns with different numbers of cells are considered in this study. For each variance pattern, 1000 Monte Carlo samples are drawn. Then the Monte Carlo biases and Monte Carlo MSE’s of the estimators of variance components are calculated. In respect of both bias and MSE, the Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimators of variance components are found to be sufficiently good.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for the beta distribution

A fast method of calculating the two-parameter maximum-likelihood estimates of the beta distribution is given which does not require starting values and is generally free from convergence problems.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for the proportional odds model with mixed interval-censored failure time data

This article discusses regression analysis of mixed interval-censored failure time data. Such data frequently occur across a variety of settings, including clinical trials, epidemiologic investigations, and many other biomedical studies with a follow-up component. For example, mixed failure times are commonly found in the two largest studies of long-term survivorship after childhood cancer, the datasets that motivated this work. However, most existing methods for failure time data consider only right-censored or only interval-censored failure times, not the more general case where times may be mixed. Additionally, among regression models developed for mixed interval-censored failure times, the proportional hazards formulation is generally assumed. It is well-known that the proportional hazards model may be inappropriate in certain situations, and alternatives are needed to analyze mixed failure time data in such cases. To fill this need, we develop a maximum likelihood estimation procedure for the proportional odds regression model with mixed interval-censored data. We show that the resulting estimators are consistent and asymptotically Gaussian. An extensive simulation study is performed to assess the finite-sample properties of the method, and this investigation indicates that the proposed method works well for many practical situations. We then apply our approach to examine the impact of age at cranial radiation therapy on risk of growth hormone deficiency in long-term survivors of childhood cancer.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for generalized conditionally autoregressive models of spatial data

Conditionally autoregressive (CAR) models are often used to analyze a spatial process observed over a lattice or a set of irregular regions. The neighborhoods within a CAR model are generally formed deterministically using the inter-distances or boundaries between the regions. To accommodate directional and inherent anisotropy variation, a new class of spatial models is proposed that adaptively determines neighbors based on a bivariate kernel using the distances and angles between the centroid of the regions. The newly proposed model generalizes the usual CAR model in a sense of accounting for adaptively determined weights. Maximum likelihood estimators are derived and simulation studies are presented for the sampling properties of the estimates on the new model, which is compared to the CAR model. Finally the method is illustrated using a data set on the elevated blood lead levels of children under the age of 72 months observed in Virginia in the year of 2000.     

Maximum likelihood estimation with missing spatial data and with an application to remotely sensed data

The paper examines the small and large lattice properties of the exact maximum likelihood estimator for a spatial model where parameter estimation and missing data estimation are tackled simultaneously, A first order conditional autoregressive model is examined in detail. The paper concludes with an empirical analysis of remotely sensed data.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for directional conditionally autoregressive models

A spatial process observed over a lattice or a set of irregular regions is usually modeled using a conditionally autoregressive (CAR) model. The neighborhoods within a CAR model are generally formed using only the inter-distances or boundaries between the regions. To accommodate directional spatial variation, a new class of spatial models is proposed using different weights given to neighbors in different directions. The proposed model generalizes the usual CAR model by accounting for spatial anisotropy. Maximum likelihood estimators are derived and shown to be consistent under some regularity conditions. Simulation studies are presented to evaluate the finite sample performance of the new model as compared to the CAR model. Finally, the method is illustrated using a data set on the crime rates of Columbus, OH and on the elevated blood lead levels of children under the age of 72 months observed in Virginia in the year of 2000.     

Estimation of weibull parameters for grouped data with competing risks

We consider the problem of estimating Weibull parameters for grouped data when competing risks are present. We propose two simple methods of estimation and derive their asymptotic properties. A Monte Carlo study was carried out to evaluate the performance of these two methods.     

Maximum likelihood estimation in hazard rate models with a change-point

The problem of estimation of parameters in hazard rate models with a change-point is considered. An interesting feature of this problem is that the likelihood function is unbounded. A maximum likelihood estimator of the change-point subject to a natural constraint is proposed, which is shown to be consistent.The limiting distributions are also derived.     

Maximum likelihood estimation of linear continuous time long memory processes with discrete time data

Summary.  We develop a new class of time continuous autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (CARFIMA) models which are useful for modelling regularly spaced and irregu-larly spaced discrete time long memory data. We derive the autocovariance function of a stationary CARFIMA model and study maximum likelihood estimation of a regression model with CARFIMA errors, based on discrete time data and via the innovations algorithm. It is shown that the maximum likelihood estimator is asymptotically normal, and its finite sample properties are studied through simulation. The efficacy of the approach proposed is demonstrated with a data set from an environmental study.     

时变系数空间自回归面板数据模型的极大似然估计

本文对扰动项存在跨时期的异方差、但不存在序列相关的时变系数空间自回归模型提出了极大似然的估计方法,并证明了该估计量的一致性,同时,证明了该估计量渐进服从正态分布,由此说明该估计量具有优良的大样本性质。同时,我们还对本文所提出估计量的小样本性质进行了数值模拟。本文研究表明,估计量虽然在N较小时偏差较大,但是随着N的不断增加,估计量偏差减小,体现了比较优良的渐进性质。同时,估计量的偏差会随着时期数的增加而变大,这说明本文所提出的估计方法适用于个体数较多、时期数较少的短面板数据。     

Maximum likelihood estimation in a model with interval data

It is suggested that in some situations, observations for random variables should be collected in the form of intervals. In this paper, the unknown parameters in a bivariate normal model are estimated based on a set of point and interval observations via the maximum likelihood approach. The Newton-Raphson algorithm is used to find the estimates, and asymptotic properties of the estimator are provided. Monte Carlo studies are conducted to study the performance of the estimator. An example based on real-life data is presented to demonstrate the practical applicability of the method.     

Maximum likelihood estimation of stationary multivariate ARFIMA processes

This article considers the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of a class of stationary and invertible vector autoregressive fractionally integrated moving-average (VARFIMA) processes considered in Equation (26) of Luceño [A fast likelihood approximation for vector general linear processes with long series: Application to fractional differencing, Biometrika 83 (1996), pp. 603–614] or Model A of Lobato [Consistency of the averaged cross-periodogram in long memory series, J. Time Ser. Anal. 18 (1997), pp. 137–155] where each component y _{i, t} is a fractionally integrated process of order d _i , i=1, …, r. Under the conditions outlined in Assumption 1 of this article, the conditional likelihood function of this class of VARFIMA models can be efficiently and exactly calculated with a conditional likelihood Durbin–Levinson (CLDL) algorithm proposed herein. This CLDL algorithm is based on the multivariate Durbin–Levinson algorithm of Whittle [On the fitting of multivariate autoregressions and the approximate canonical factorization of a spectral density matrix, Biometrika 50 (1963), pp. 129–134] and the conditional likelihood principle of Box and Jenkins [Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, and Control, 2nd ed., Holden-Day, San Francisco, CA]. Furthermore, the conditions in the aforementioned Assumption 1 are general enough to include the model considered in Andersen et al. [Modeling and forecasting realized volatility, Econometrica 71 (2003), 579–625] for describing the behaviour of realized volatility and the model studied in Haslett and Raftery [Space–time modelling with long-memory dependence: Assessing Ireland's wind power resource, Appl. Statist. 38 (1989), pp. 1–50] for spatial data as its special cases. As the computational cost of implementing the CLDL algorithm is much lower than that of using the algorithms proposed in Sowell [Maximum likelihood estimation of fractionally integrated time series models, Working paper, Carnegie-Mellon University], we are thus able to conduct a Monte Carlo experiment to investigate the finite sample performance of the CLDL algorithm for the 3-dimensional VARFIMA processes with the sample size of 400. The simulation results are very satisfactory and reveal the great potentials of using the CLDL method for empirical applications.     

Maximum likelihood estimators in finite mixture models with censored data

The consistency of estimators in finite mixture models has been discussed under the topology of the quotient space obtained by collapsing the true parameter set into a single point. In this paper, we extend the results of Cheng and Liu (2001) to give conditions under which the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) is strongly consistent in such a sense in finite mixture models with censored data. We also show that the fitted model tends to the true model under a weak condition as the sample size tends to infinity.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for arma models in the presence of ARMA errors

An ARMA(p, q) process observed with an ARMA(c, d) error has an ARMA (p + c, k) representation with k = max(c + q, p + d) whose parameters satisfy some nonlinear constraints. Identification of the model is discussed. We develop Newton-Raphson estimators for the ARMA(p + c, k) process which take advantage of the information contained in the nonlinear restrictions. Explicit expressions for the derivatives of the restrictions are derived.     

Maximum likelihood estimation for the proportional hazards model with partly interval-censored data

Summary. The maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) for the proportional hazards model with partly interval-censored data is studied. Under appropriate regularity conditions, the MLEs of the regression parameter and the cumulative hazard function are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. Two methods to estimate the variance–covariance matrix of the MLE of the regression parameter are considered, based on a generalized missing information principle and on a generalized profile information procedure. Simulation studies show that both methods work well in terms of the bias and variance for samples of moderate size. An example illustrates the methods.