Semiparametric inference of proportional odds model based on randomly truncated data

This paper studies the estimation in the proportional odds model based on randomly truncated data. The proposed estimators for the regression coefficients include a class of minimum distance estimators defined through weighted empirical odds function. We have investigated the asymptotic properties like the consistency and the limiting distribution of the proposed estimators under mild conditions. The finite sample properties were investigated through simulation study making comparison of some of the estimators in the class. We conclude with an illustration of our proposed method to a well-known AIDS data.     

Partitioning k multivariate normal populations according to equivalence with respect to a standard vector

We propose optimal procedures to achieve the goal of partitioning k multivariate normal populations into two disjoint subsets with respect to a given standard vector. Definition of good or bad multivariate normal populations is given according to their Mahalanobis distances to a known standard vector as being small or large. Partitioning k multivariate normal populations is reduced to partitioning k non-central Chi-square or non-central F distributions with respect to the corresponding non-centrality parameters depending on whether the covariance matrices are known or unknown. The minimum required sample size for each population is determined to ensure that the probability of correct decision attains a certain level. An example is given to illustrate our procedures.     

Inference of non-centrality parameter of a truncated non-central chi-squared distribution

Non-central chi-squared distribution plays a vital role in statistical testing procedures. Estimation of the non-centrality parameter provides valuable information for the power calculation of the associated test. We are interested in the statistical inference property of the non-centrality parameter estimate based on one observation (usually a summary statistic) from a truncated chi-squared distribution. This work is motivated by the application of the flexible two-stage design in case–control studies, where the sample size needed for the second stage of a two-stage study can be determined adaptively by the results of the first stage. We first study the moment estimate for the truncated distribution and prove its existence, uniqueness, and inadmissibility and convergence properties. We then define a new class of estimates that includes the moment estimate as a special case. Among this class of estimates, we recommend to use one member that outperforms the moment estimate in a wide range of scenarios. We also present two methods for constructing confidence intervals. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed point and interval estimates.     

Characteristic function estimation of non-Gaussian Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes

Continuous non-Gaussian stationary processes of the OU-type are becoming increasingly popular given their flexibility in modelling stylized features of financial series such as asymmetry, heavy tails and jumps. The use of non-Gaussian marginal distributions makes likelihood analysis of these processes unfeasible for virtually all cases of interest. This paper exploits the self-decomposability of the marginal laws of OU processes to provide explicit expressions of the characteristic function which can be applied to several models as well as to develop efficient estimation techniques based on the empirical characteristic function. Extensions to OU-based stochastic volatility models are provided.     

Some properties of tests for parameters that can be arbitrarily close to being unidentified

Confidence intervals for parameters that can be arbitrarily close to being unidentified are unbounded with positive probability [e.g. Dufour, J.-M., 1997. Some impossibility theorems in econometrics with applications to instrumental variables and dynamic models. Econometrica 65, 1365–1388; Pfanzagl, J. 1998. The nonexistence of confidence sets for discontinuous functionals. Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference 75, 9–20], and the asymptotic risks of their estimators are unbounded [Pötscher, B.M., 2002. Lower risk bounds and properties of confidence sets for ill-posed estimation problems with applications to spectral density and persistence estimation, unit roots, and estimation of long memory parameters. Econometrica 70, 1035–1065]. We extend these “impossibility results” and show that all tests of size α concerning parameters that can be arbitrarily close to being unidentified have power that can be as small as α for any sample size even if the null and the alternative hypotheses are not adjacent. The results are proved for a very general framework that contains commonly used models.     

Semiparametric estimation for count data through weighted distributions

This paper is concerned with semiparametric discrete kernel estimators when the unknown count distribution can be considered to have a general weighted Poisson form. The estimator is constructed by multiplying the Poisson estimate with a nonparametric discrete kernel-type estimate of the Poisson weight function. Comparisons are then carried out with the ordinary discrete kernel probability mass function estimators. The Poisson weight function is thus a local multiplicative correction factor, and is considered as the uniform measure to detect departures from the equidispersed Poisson distribution. In this way, the effects of dispersion and zero-proportion with respect to the standard Poisson distribution are also minimized. This method of estimation is also applied to the weighted binomial form for the count distribution having a finite support. The proposed estimators, in addition to being simple, easy-to-implement and effective, also outperform the competing nonparametric and parametric estimators in finite-sample situations. Two examples illustrate this new semiparametric estimation.     

中国M2/GDP水平的国际比较与畸高的成因探析

M2/GDP本是衡量一国经济货币化程度的重要指标.文章通过国际比较发现,中国不但存在M2/GDP持续上升的普遍性问题,而且这一问题相时其他主要经济国家表现得更为异常.造成中国M2/GDP畸高的原因可以归结为货币化论、货币沉淀论及货币反替代论.M2/GDP的比例越高,整体支付风险越大,任由这种局面发展,央行的信用创造能力和银行体系的支付能力都将逐渐蚀空.文章提出提高我国金融配置效率、加快金融体制改革和现行外汇体制改革是有效解决我国M2/GDP畸高的必经之路.     

Deletion residuals in the detection of heterogeneity of variances in linear regression

The heterogeneity of error variance often causes a huge interpretive problem in linear regression analysis. Before taking any remedial measures we first need to detect this problem. A large number of diagnostic plots are now available in the literature for detecting heteroscedasticity of error variances. Among them the ‘residuals’ and ‘fits’ (R–F) plot is very popular and commonly used. In the R–F plot residuals are plotted against the fitted responses, where both these components are obtained using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method. It is now evident that the OLS fits and residuals suffer a huge setback in the presence of unusual observations and hence the R–F plot may not exhibit the real scenario. The deletion residuals based on a data set free from all unusual cases should estimate the true errors in a better way than the OLS residuals. In this paper we propose ‘deletion residuals’ and the ‘deletion fits’ (DR–DF) plot for the detection of the heterogeneity of error variances in a linear regression model to get a more convincing and reliable graphical display. Examples show that this plot locates unusual observations more clearly than the R–F plot. The advantage of using deletion residuals in the detection of heteroscedasticity of error variance is investigated through Monte Carlo simulations under a variety of situations.     

Estimation in capture–recapture models when covariates are subject to measurement errors and missing data

For capture–recapture models when covariates are subject to measurement errors and missing data, a set of estimating equations is constructed to estimate population size and relevant parameters. These estimating equations can be solved by an algorithm similar to the EM algorithm. The proposed method is also applicable to the situation when covariates with no measurement errors have missing data. Simulation studies are used to assess the performance of the proposed estimator. The estimator is also applied to a capture–recapture experiment on the bird species Prinia flaviventris in Hong Kong. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 37: 645–658; 2009 © 2009 Statistical Society of Canada