Testing Homogeneity in Gamma Mixture Models

This paper characterizes the asymptotic behaviour of the likelihood ratio test statistic (LRTS) for testing homogeneity (i.e. no mixture) against gamma mixture alternatives. Under the null hypothesis, the LRTS is shown to be asymptotically equivalent to the square of Davies's Gaussian process test statistic and diverges at a log n rate to infinity in probability. Based on the asymptotic analysis, we propose and demonstrate a computationally efficient method to simulate the null distributions of the LRTS for small to moderate sample sizes.     

SiZer Inference for Varying Coefficient Models

Varying coefficient models are a useful statistical tool to explore dynamic patterns of a regression relationship, in which the variation features of the regression coefficients are taken as the main evidence to reflect the dynamic relationship between the response and the explanatory variables. In this study, we propose a SiZer approach as a visually diagnostic device to uncover the statistically significant features of the coefficients. This method can highlight the significant structures of the coefficients under different scales and can therefore extract relatively full information in the data. The simulation studies and real-world data analysis show that the SiZer approach performs satisfactorily in mining the significant features of the coefficients.     

Covariate Adjusted Correlation Analysis via Varying Coefficient Models

Abstract.  We propose covariate adjusted correlation (Cadcor) analysis to target the correlation between two hidden variables that are observed after being multiplied by an unknown function of a common observable confounding variable. The distorting effects of this confounding may alter the correlation relation between the hidden variables. Covariate adjusted correlation analysis enables consistent estimation of this correlation, by targeting the definition of correlation through the slopes of the regressions of the hidden variables on each other and by establishing a connection to varying-coefficient regression. The asymptotic distribution of the resulting adjusted correlation estimate is established. These distribution results, when combined with proposed consistent estimates of the asymptotic variance, lead to the construction of approximate confidence intervals and inference for adjusted correlations. We illustrate our approach through an application to the Boston house price data. Finite sample properties of the proposed procedures are investigated through a simulation study.     

Semi Varying Coefficient Zero-Inflated Generalized Poisson Regression Model

In this paper, the semi varying coefficient zero-inflated generalized Poisson model is discussed based on penalized log-likelihood. All the coefficient functions are fitted by penalized spline (P-spline), and Expectation-maximization algorithm is used to drive these estimators. The estimation approach is rapid and computationally stable. Under some mild conditions, the consistency and the asymptotic normality of these resulting estimators are given. The score test statistics about dispersion parameter is discussed based on the P-spline estimation. Both simulated and real data example are used to illustrate our proposed methods.     

Efficient Estimation in Heteroscedastic Partially Linear Varying Coefficient Models

This article considers statistical inference for the heteroscedastic partially linear varying coefficient models. We construct an efficient estimator for the parametric component by applying the weighted profile least-squares approach, and show that it is semiparametrically efficient in the sense that the inverse of the asymptotic variance of the estimator reaches the semiparametric efficiency bound. Simulation studies are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed method.     

Statistical Analysis Of Mixture Vector Autoregressive Models

In this paper, we reconsider the mixture vector autoregressive model, which was proposed in the literature for modelling non‐linear time series. We complete and extend the stationarity conditions, derive a matrix formula in closed form for the autocovariance function of the process and prove a result on stable vector autoregressive moving‐average representations of mixture vector autoregressive models. For these results, we apply techniques related to a Markovian representation of vector autoregressive moving‐average processes. Furthermore, we analyse maximum likelihood estimation of model parameters by using the expectation–maximization algorithm and propose a new iterative algorithm for getting the maximum likelihood estimates. Finally, we study the model selection problem and testing procedures. Several examples, simulation experiments and an empirical application based on monthly financial returns illustrate the proposed procedures.     

Statistical inferences for single-index models with measurement errors

An important factor in house prices is its location. However, measurement errors arise frequently in the process of observing variables such as the latitude and longitude of the house. The single-index models with measurement errors are used to study the relationship between house location and house price. We obtain the estimators by a SIMEX method based on the local linear method and the estimating equation. To test the significance of the index coefficient and the linearity of the link function, we establish the generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) tests for the models. We demonstrate that the asymptotic null distributions of the established GLR tests follow χ2-distributions which are independent of nuisance parameters or functions. Finally, two simulated examples and a real estate valuation data set are given to illustrate the effect of GLR tests.     

基于小波变系数模型的CPI权重估计

居民消费价格指数（CPI）是反映宏观经济运行的重要指标之一,因此其编制中所采用权重的取值和调整特征一直是各界所关心的问题,但目前中国CPI编制中所采用的权重大小一直没有权威机构的正式公布。根据2000—2010年间的CPI数据,采用基于小波的变系数模型对权重进行了估计。估计结果揭示了中国近10年中CPI权重的动态变化特征,这种变化特征也反映了近10年中居民消费结构的动态调整。     

Estimation and Inference Procedures for Semiparametric Distribution Models with Varying Linear‐Index

More flexible semiparametric linear‐index regression models are proposed to describe the conditional distribution. Such a model formulation captures varying effects of covariates over the support of a response variable in distribution, offers an alternative perspective on dimension reduction and covers a lot of widely used parametric and semiparameteric regression models. A feasible pseudo likelihood approach, accompanied with a simple and easily implemented algorithm, is further developed for the mixed case with both varying and invariant coefficients. By justifying some theoretical properties on Banach spaces, the uniform consistency and asymptotic Gaussian process of the proposed estimator are also established in this article. In addition, under the monotonicity of distribution in linear‐index, we develop an alternative approach based on maximizing a varying accuracy measure. By virtue of the asymptotic recursion relation for the estimators, some of the achievements in this direction include showing the convergence of the iterative computation procedure and establishing the large sample properties of the resulting estimator. It is noticeable that our theoretical framework is very helpful in constructing confidence bands for the parameters of interest and tests for the hypotheses of various qualitative structures in distribution. Generally, the developed estimation and inference procedures perform quite satisfactorily in the conducted simulations and are demonstrated to be useful in reanalysing data from the Boston house price study and the World Values Survey.     

A Note on the Modified Likelihood Ratio Test for Homogeneity in Beta Mixture Models

This article presents a note on the modified likelihood ratio test for homogeneity in beta mixture models. Under consistency of the penalized maximum likelihood estimators, the limiting distribution of the test statistic converges to the chi-bar-squared distributions. The statistic degenerates to zero with a weight due to the negative definiteness of a complicated random matrix. The probability that this matrix is negative definite is related to the parameter values under the homogeneity hypothesis. The dependency pattern enables the introduction of an upper bound on the asymptotic null distribution. Simulation study is investigated to verify the accuracy of the results.     

Unified Inference for Sparse and Dense Longitudinal Data in Time‐varying Coefficient Models

Time‐varying coefficient models are widely used in longitudinal data analysis. These models allow the effects of predictors on response to vary over time. In this article, we consider a mixed‐effects time‐varying coefficient model to account for the within subject correlation for longitudinal data. We show that when kernel smoothing is used to estimate the smooth functions in time‐varying coefficient models for sparse or dense longitudinal data, the asymptotic results of these two situations are essentially different. Therefore, a subjective choice between the sparse and dense cases might lead to erroneous conclusions for statistical inference. In order to solve this problem, we establish a unified self‐normalized central limit theorem, based on which a unified inference is proposed without deciding whether the data are sparse or dense. The effectiveness of the proposed unified inference is demonstrated through a simulation study and an analysis of Baltimore MACS data.     

Semiparametric Smooth Coefficient Models

In this article, we propose a semiparametric smooth coefficient model as a useful yet flexible specification for studying a general regression relationship with varying coefficients. The article proposes a local least squares method with a kernel weight function to estimate the smooth coefficient function. The consistency of the estimator and its asymptotic normality are established. A simple statistic for testing a parametric model versus the semiparametric smooth coefficient model is proposed. An empirical application of the proposed method is presented with an estimation of the production function of the nonmetal mineral industry in China. The empirical findings show that the intermediate production and management expense has played a vital role and is an unbalanced determinant of the labor and capital elasticities of output in production.     

Mixture Models in View of Evidential Analysis

In some practical inferential situations, it is needed to mix some finite sort of distributions to fit an adequate model for multi-modal observations. In this article, using evidential analysis, we determine the sample size for supporting hypotheses about the mixture proportion and homogeneity. An Expectation-Maximization algorithm is used to evaluate the probability of strong misleading evidence based on modified likelihood ratio as a measure of support.     

响应变量缺失下半参数变系数EV模型的约束统计推断

文章研究了半参数变系数EV模型在线性约束条件下的估计和检验问题,当响应变量缺失、非参数部分协变量带有测量误差时,利用局部纠偏的Profile最小二乘估计、Lagrange乘子方法和借补技术构造了回归模型参数分量两类纠偏约束估计量。此外,为了检验线性约束条件,构造了借补的Profile Lagrange乘子检验统计量,并通过蒙特卡洛数值模拟验证估计量和检验统计量的有效性。     

Asymptotic Normality of M-Estimators for Varying Coefficient Models with Longitudinal Data

This article considers a nonparametric varying coefficient regression model with longitudinal observations. The relationship between the dependent variable and the covariates is assumed to be linear at a specific time point, but the coefficients are allowed to change over time. A general formulation is used to treat mean regression, median regression, quantile regression, and robust mean regression in one setting. The local M-estimators of the unknown coefficient functions are obtained by local linear method. The asymptotic distributions of M-estimators of unknown coefficient functions at both interior and boundary points are established. Various applications of the main results, including estimating conditional quantile coefficient functions and robustifying the mean regression coefficient functions are derived. Finite sample properties of our procedures are studied through Monte Carlo simulations.     

局部平稳部分线性面板数据模型的统计推断

部分线性模型是一类非常重要的半参数回归模型,由于它既含有参数部分又含有非参数部分,与常规的线性模型相比具有更强的适应性和解释能力。文章研究带有局部平稳协变量的固定效应部分线性面板数据模型的统计推断。首先提出一个两阶段估计方法得到模型中未知参数和非参数函数的估计,并证明估计量的渐近性质,然后运用不变原理构造出非参数函数的一致置信带,最后通过数值模拟研究和实例分析验证了该方法的有效性。     

Methods of Statistical Inference for Median Regression Models with Doubly Censored Data

Recently, least absolute deviations (LAD) estimator for median regression models with doubly censored data was proposed and the asymptotic normality of the estimator was established. However, it is invalid to make inference on the regression parameter vectors, because the asymptotic covariance matrices are difficult to estimate reliably since they involve conditional densities of error terms. In this article, three methods, which are based on bootstrap, random weighting, and empirical likelihood, respectively, and do not require density estimation, are proposed for making inference for the doubly censored median regression models. Simulations are also done to assess the performance of the proposed methods.     

A Class of Pseudolikelihood Ratio Tests for Homogeneity in Exponential Tilt Mixture Models

Mixture models are commonly used in biomedical research to account for possible heterogeneity in population. In this paper, we consider tests for homogeneity between two groups in the exponential tilt mixture models. A novel pairwise pseudolikelihood approach is proposed to eliminate the unknown nuisance function. We show that the corresponding pseudolikelihood ratio test has an asymptotic distribution as a supremum of two squared Gaussian processes under the null hypothesis. To maintain the appeal of simplicity for conventional likelihood ratio tests, we propose two alternative tests, both shown to have a simple asymptotic distribution of under the null. Simulation studies show that the proposed class of pseudolikelihood ratio tests performs well in controlling type I errors and having competitive powers compared with the current tests. The proposed tests are illustrated by an example of partial differential expression detection using microarray data from prostate cancer patients.     

Functional Coefficient Regression Models for Non-linear Time Series: A Polynomial Spline Approach

Abstract.  We propose a global smoothing method based on polynomial splines for the estimation of functional coefficient regression models for non-linear time series. Consistency and rate of convergence results are given to support the proposed estimation method. Methods for automatic selection of the threshold variable and significant variables (or lags) are discussed. The estimated model is used to produce multi-step-ahead forecasts, including interval forecasts and density forecasts. The methodology is illustrated by simulations and two real data examples.     

Statistical Inference on a Stochastic Epidemic Model

In this work, we develop statistical inference for the parameters of a discrete-time stochastic SIR epidemic model. We use a Markov chain for describing the dynamic behavior of the epidemic. Specifically, we propose estimators for the contact and removal rates based on the maximum likelihood and martingale methods, and establish their asymptotic distributions. The obtained results are applied in the statistical analysis of the basic reproduction number, a quantity that is useful in establishing vaccination policies. In order to evaluate the population size for which the results are useful, a numerical study is carried out. Finally, a comparison of the maximum likelihood and martingale estimators is conducted by means of Monte Carlo simulations.