Local Linear Least Squares Kernel Regression for Linear and Circular Predictors

We extend nonparametric regression models with local linear least squares fitting using kernel weights to the case of linear and circular predictors. We derive the asymptotic properties of the conditional bias and variance of bivariate local linear least squares kernel estimators. A small simulation study and a real experiment are given.     

Kernel-Based Profile Estimation for Ordinary Differential Equations with Partially Measured State Variables

Kernel-based profile estimation (KBPE) is proposed for the partially measured ODEs. Compared to the existing approaches the structure information contained in ODEs is used more efficiently in KBPE and no higher order derivatives need to be estimated form the measurements. Construction of confidence interval in finite samples setting for both parameters and state variables are also discussed. Simulation studies show that KBPE can estimate the partially measured ODEs reasonably when the ordinary two-step approach cannot apply. We also illustrate KBPE by a real data set from a clinical HIV study.     

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.     

Implementation of recursive nonparametric kernel estimation and a monte carlo study on its finite sample properties

The recursive estimator for the conditional mean of a nonparametric regression model with independent observations was thoroughly explored by Ahmad and Lin (1976), and Singh and Ullah (1986). Their studies are mainly concerned with the estimator's asymptotic behaviour. However, they do not include much discussion on the strategy of computing the estimates. In this paper, we provide a convenient implementation of the recursive estimator and examine its finite sample properties through simulation studies. Our study has demonstrated that for relatively short length of recursive updating, the estimates are generally equivalent to their fixed window width counterparts However, we found that substantial recursive updating can seriously lower the estimator's efficiency even though it is a consistent estimator.     

Local Linear GMM Estimation of Functional Coefficient IV Models With an Application to Estimating the Rate of Return to Schooling

We consider the local linear generalized method of moment (GMM) estimation of functional coefficient models with a mix of discrete and continuous data and in the presence of endogenous regressors. We establish the asymptotic normality of the estimator and derive the optimal instrumental variable that minimizes the asymptotic variance-covariance matrix among the class of all local linear GMM estimators. Data-dependent bandwidth sequences are also allowed for. We propose a nonparametric test for the constancy of the functional coefficients, study its asymptotic properties under the null hypothesis as well as a sequence of local alternatives and global alternatives, and propose a bootstrap version for it. Simulations are conducted to evaluate both the estimator and test. Applications to the 1985 Australian Longitudinal Survey data indicate a clear rejection of the null hypothesis of the constant rate of return to education, and that the returns to education obtained in earlier studies tend to be overestimated for all the work experience.     

Correction locale de l'estimateur à noyau de la densité d'une loi de probabilité

The standard Parzen-Rosenblatt kernel density estimator is known to systematically deviate from the true value near critical points of the density curve. To overcome this difficulty, we extend the Rao-Blackwell method by using locally sufficient statistics: we define a new estimator and study its asymptotic behaviour. The interest of the method is shown by means of simulations.     

Double-blind deconvolution: the analysis of post-synaptic currents in nerve cells

This paper is concerned with the analysis of observations made on a system that is being stimulated at fixed time intervals but where the precise nature and effect of any individual stimulus is unknown. The realized values are modelled as a stochastic process consisting of a random signal embedded in noise. The aim of the analysis is to use the data to unravel the unknown structure of the system and to ascertain the probabilistic behaviour of the stimuli. A method of parameter estimation based on quasi-profile likelihood is presented and the statistical properties of the estimates are established while recognizing that there will be a discrepancy between the model and the true data-generating mechanism. A method of model validation and determination is also advanced and kernel smoothing techniques are proposed as a basis for identifying the amplitude distribution of the stimuli. The data processing techniques described have a direct application to the investigation of excitatory post-synaptic currents recorded from nerve cells in the central nervous system and their use in quantal analysis of such data is illustrated.     

A note on efficient density estimators of convolutions

It is already known that the convolution of a bounded density with itself can be estimated at the root-n rate using the two asymptotically equivalent kernel estimators: (i) Frees estimator ( Frees, 1994) and (ii) Saavedra and Cao estimator ( Saavedra and Cao, 2000). In this work, we investigate the efficiency of these estimators of the convolution of a bounded density. The efficiency criterion used in this work is that of a least dispersed regular estimator described in Begun et al. (1983). This concept is based on the Hájek–Le Cam convolution theorem for locally asymptotically normal (LAN) families.     

Online learning for quantile regression and support vector regression

We consider for quantile regression and support vector regression a kernel-based online learning algorithm associated with a sequence of insensitive pinball loss functions. Our error analysis and derived learning rates show quantitatively that the statistical performance of the learning algorithm may vary with the quantile parameter τ$\tau$. In our analysis we overcome the technical difficulty caused by the varying insensitive parameter introduced with a motivation of sparsity.