稳健高维协方差矩阵估计及其投资组合应用——基于中心正则化算法

高维协方差矩阵的估计问题现已成为大数据统计分析中的基本问题,传统方法要求数据满足正态分布假定且未考虑异常值影响,当前已无法满足应用需要,更加稳健的估计方法亟待被提出。针对高维协方差矩阵,一种稳健的基于子样本分组的均值-中位数估计方法被提出且简单易行,然而此方法估计的矩阵并不具备正定稀疏特性。基于此问题,本文引进一种中心正则化算法,弥补了原始方法的缺陷,通过在求解过程中对估计矩阵的非对角元素施加L1范数惩罚,使估计的矩阵具备正定稀疏的特性,显著提高了其应用价值。在数值模拟中,本文所提出的中心正则稳健估计有着更高的估计精度,同时更加贴近真实设定矩阵的稀疏结构。在后续的投资组合实证分析中,与传统样本协方差矩阵估计方法、均值-中位数估计方法和RA-LASSO方法相比,基于中心正则稳健估计构造的最小方差投资组合收益率有着更低的波动表现。     

Random search algorithm for optimal mixture experimental design

It is well known that it is difficult to obtain an accurate optimal design for a mixture experimental design with complex constraints. In this article, we construct a random search algorithm which can be used to find the optimal design for mixture model with complex constraints. First, we generate an initial set by the Monte-Carlo method, and then run the random search algorithm to get the optimal set of points. After that, we explain the effectiveness of this method by using two examples.     

Selection and influence processes in academic achievement—More pronounced for girls?

Friends tend to be similar in their academic achievement. In this study, we investigate whether this similarity results from students selecting friends with similar achievement or from friends influencing students’ achievement. In particular, we argue that selection and influence effects should be stronger among girls than among boys. Using friendship network data on 1273 German secondary school students and stochastic actor-oriented models for the co-evolution of networks and behavior, we find selection effects only among girls, which is in line with our theoretical arguments. By contrast, influence effects contribute to achievement similarity among both boys and girls.     

样本选择模型截距项的半参数估计及应用———户籍工资差异分解研究

样本选择模型是解决样本选择问题的主要工具,广泛应用于工资差异分解、平均处理效应测算等实证研究。截距项的估计是样本选择模型半参数估计中相对独立且重要的一部分,现有的以无穷处识别为代表的半参数估计方法存在窗宽参数难以选取的问题。为此,本文把无穷处识别等价转化为边界处识别,并基于新的识别关系给出样本选择模型截距项的核估计方法。这种新方法的好处在于将样本选择模型截距项的估计纳入核估计框架中,从而可以采用经验法则解决现有方法的窗宽选取难题。数值模拟结果表明,本文所提出的估计方法在不同设定下均有良好的有限样本表现。把这种新的半参数估计方法应用于户籍工资差异分解后发现,我国劳动力市场目前不存在明显的户籍差别待遇。     

Constructing brain connectivity group graphs from EEG time series

Graphical analysis of complex brain networks is a fundamental area of modern neuroscience. Functional connectivity is important since many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, are described as ‘dys-connectivity’ syndromes. Using electroencephalogram time series collected on each of a group of 15 individuals with a common medical diagnosis of positive syndrome schizophrenia we seek to build a single, representative, brain functional connectivity group graph. Disparity/distance measures between spectral matrices are identified and used to define the normalized graph Laplacian enabling clustering of the spectral matrices for detecting ‘outlying’ individuals. Two such individuals are identified. For each remaining individual, we derive a test for each edge in the connectivity graph based on average estimated partial coherence over frequencies, and associated p-values are found. For each edge these are used in a multiple hypothesis test across individuals and the proportion rejecting the hypothesis of no edge is used to construct a connectivity group graph. This study provides a framework for integrating results on multiple individuals into a single overall connectivity structure.     

大维变量选择、混频因子模型与新冠肺炎疫情冲击下的GDP现时预测

新冠肺炎疫情不仅对我国宏观经济造成了巨大冲击,也为准确预测我国宏观经济未来走势带来挑战。本文从新冠肺炎疫情冲击出发,将模型置信集检验与U-MIDAS模型组合,设计了一种在混频情形下利用预测变量的异质性波动从大维数据集中选取对GDP具有稳定预测效果变量的方法。通过利用选取出的稳定性变量构建多种形式的混频目标因子模型并与其他类型的混频因子模型对比,全面评估了不同模型在疫情前后对GDP进行高频现时预测的效果。研究发现,在疫情冲击前的平稳时期,利用覆盖范围较广的变量构建双因子MIDAS模型预测效果最优;利用稳定性变量构建的单因子U-MIDAS模型同样具有良好的预测效果。当经济从冲击中持续恢复时,利用部分稳定性变量构建的双因子U-MIDAS模型在捕捉到GDP的核心变化后率先对其连续做出准确的现时预测。经济稳定时,对预测变量设定较长的滞后阶数会提升预测效果;在冲击后的恢复期中则应减少滞后阶数,避免变量在冲击中出现的异常值对预测产生负面影响。本文也为当经济受到巨大外生冲击或处于冲击后的恢复期时其他宏观经济指标的预测提供了有价值的参考。     

Parameter expansion for sampling a correlation matrix: an efficient GPX-RPMH algorithm

Sampling the correlation matrix (R) plays an important role in statistical inference for correlated models. There are two main constraints on a correlation matrix: positive definiteness and fixed diagonal elements. These constraints make sampling R difficult. In this paper, an efficient generalized parameter expanded re-parametrization and Metropolis-Hastings (GPX-RPMH) algorithm for sampling a correlation matrix is proposed. Drawing all components of R simultaneously from its full conditional distribution is realized by first drawing a covariance matrix from the derived parameter expanded candidate density (PXCD), and then translating it back to a correlation matrix and accepting it according to a Metropolis-Hastings (M-H) acceptance rate. The mixing rate in the M-H step can be adjusted through a class of tuning parameters embedded in the generalized candidate prior (GCP), which is chosen for R to derive the PXCD. This algorithm is illustrated using multivariate regression (MVR) models and a simulation study shows that the performance of the GPX-RPMH algorithm is more efficient than that of other methods.     

基于集值统计的区间综合评判及其应用

综合评判是根据评判对象的评判因素,采用综合评判模型对评判对象作出一个综合判断。为了克服传统综合评判的不足,研究了基本集值统计的区间综合评判,探讨了集值统计区间分析处理方法。运用了集值统计判断矩阵计算因素权重区间;集值统计和属性测度构建评判矩阵;综合评判区间构建可能度矩阵计算相对权重;得到了综合评判区间排序。该综合评判的优点在于充分体现了评价者的真实意图,充分融合了集值统计区间分析处理多种方法的优点。通过案例分析,基于集值统计的区间综合评判是可行的,具有较强的操作性。     

ON THE EQUIVALENCE OF SOME INDICES OF SIMILARITY: IMPLICATION FOR BINARY PRESENCE/ABSENCE DATA

Cohen’s kappa, a special case of the weighted kappa, is a chance‐corrected index used extensively to quantify inter‐rater agreement in validation and reliability studies. In this paper, it is shown that in inter‐rater agreement for 2 × 2 tables, for two raters having the same number of opposite ratings, the weighted kappa, Cohen’s kappa, Peirce, Yule, Maxwell and Pilliner and Fleiss indices are identical. This implies that the weights in the weighted kappa are less important under such assumptions. Equivalently, it is shown that for two partitions of the same data set, resulting from two clustering algorithms having the same number of clusters with equal cluster sizes, these similarity indices are identical. Hence, an important characterisation is formulated relating equal numbers of clusters with the same cluster sizes to the presence/absence of a trait in a reliability study. Two numerical examples that exemplify the implication of this relationship are presented.