New MM-estimators in semi-parametric regression with errors in variables

In the regression model with errors in variables, we observe $n$ i.i.d. copies of $(Y,Z)$ satisfying $Y=f_{\theta^0}(X)+\xi$ and $Z=X+\epsilon$ involving independent and unobserved random variables $X,\xi,\epsilon$ plus a regression function $f_{\theta^0}$, known up to a finite dimensional $\theta^0$. The common densities of the $X_i$'s and of the $\xi_i$'s are unknown, whereas the distribution of $\epsilon$ is completely known. We aim at estimating the parameter $\theta^0$ by using the observations $(Y_1,Z_1),...,(Y_n,Z_n)$. We propose an estimation procedure based on the least square criterion \tilde{S}_{\theta^0,g}(\theta)=\m athbb{E}_{\theta^0,g}[((Y-f_{\theta}(X))^2w(X)] where $w$ is a weight function to be chosen. We propose an estimator and derive an upper bound for its risk that depends on the smoothness of the errors density $p_{\epsilon}$ and on the smoothness properties of $w(x)f_{\theta}(x)$. Furthermore, we give sufficient conditions that ensure that the parametric rate of convergence is achieved. We provide practical recipes for the choice of $w$ in the case of nonlinear regression functions which are smooth on pieces allowing to gain in the order of the rate of convergence, up to the parametric rate in some cases. We also consider extensions of the estimation procedure, in particular, when a choice of $w_{\theta}$ depending on $\theta$ would be more appropriate.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-AIHP107 the Annales de l'Institut Henri Poincar\'e - Probabilit\'es et Statistiques (http://www.imstat.org/aihp/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Semi-parametric estimation of the hazard function in a model with covariate measurement error

We consider a model where the failure hazard function, conditional on a covariate $Z$ is given by $R(t,\theta^0|Z)=\eta\_{\gamma^0}(t)f\_{\beta^0}(Z)$, with $\theta^0=(\beta^0,\gamma^0)^\top\in \mathbb{R}^{m+p}$. The baseline hazard function $\eta\_{\gamma^0}$ and relative risk $f\_{\beta^0}$ belong both to parametric families. The covariate $Z$ is measured through the error model $U=Z+\epsilon$ where $\epsilon$ is independent from $Z$, with known density $f\_\epsilon$. We observe a $n$-sample $(X\_i, D\_i, U\_i)$, $i=1,...,n$, where $X\_i$ is the minimum between the failure time and the censoring time, and $D\_i$ is the censoring indicator. We aim at estimating $\theta^0$ in presence of the unknown density $g$. Our estimation procedure based on least squares criterion provide two estimators. The first one minimizes an estimation of the least squares criterion where $g$ is estimated by density deconvolution. Its rate depends on the smoothnesses of $f\_\epsilon$ and $f\_\beta(z)$ as a function of $z$,. We derive sufficient conditions that ensure the $\sqrt{n}$-consistency. The second estimator is constructed under conditions ensuring that the least squares criterion can be directly estimated with the parametric rate. These estimators, deeply studied through examples are in particular $\sqrt{n}$-consistent and asymptotically Gaussian in the Cox model and in the excess risk model, whatever is $f\_\epsilon$

Adaptive density deconvolution with dependent inputs

In the convolution model $Z\_i=X\_i+ \epsilon\_i$, we give a model selection procedure to estimate the density of the unobserved variables $(X\_i)\_{1 \leq i \leq n}$, when the sequence $(X\_i)\_{i \geq 1}$ is strictly stationary but not necessarily independent. This procedure depends on wether the density of $\epsilon\_i$ is super smooth or ordinary smooth. The rates of convergence of the penalized contrast estimators are the same as in the independent framework, and are minimax over most classes of regularity on ${\mathbb R}$. Our results apply to mixing sequences, but also to many other dependent sequences. When the errors are super smooth, the condition on the dependence coefficients is the minimal condition of that type ensuring that the sequence $(X\_i)\_{i \geq 1}$ is not a long-memory process

Adaptive density estimation for general ARCH models

We consider a model $Y\_t=\sigma\_t\eta\_t$ in which $(\sigma\_t)$ is not independent of the noise process $(\eta\_t)$, but $\sigma\_t$ is independent of $\eta\_t$ for each $t$. We assume that $(\sigma\_t)$ is stationary and we propose an adaptive estimator of the density of $\ln(\sigma^2\_t)$ based on the observations $Y\_t$. Under various dependence structures, the rates of this nonparametric estimator coincide with the minimax rates obtained in the i.i.d. case when $(\sigma\_t)$ and $(\eta\_t)$ are independent, in all cases where these minimax rates are known. The results apply to various linear and non linear ARCH processes

Adaptive kernel estimation of the baseline function in the Cox model, with high-dimensional covariates

The aim of this article is to propose a novel kernel estimator of the baseline function in a general high-dimensional Cox model, for which we derive non-asymptotic rates of convergence. To construct our estimator, we first estimate the regression parameter in the Cox model via a Lasso procedure. We then plug this estimator into the classical kernel estimator of the baseline function, obtained by smoothing the so-called Breslow estimator of the cumulative baseline function. We propose and study an adaptive procedure for selecting the bandwidth, in the spirit of Gold-enshluger and Lepski (2011). We state non-asymptotic oracle inequalities for the final estimator, which reveal the reduction of the rates of convergence when the dimension of the covariates grows

Penalized contrast estimator for adaptive density deconvolution

The authors consider the problem of estimating the density $g$ of independent and identically distributed variables $X\_i$, from a sample $Z\_1, ..., Z\_n$ where $Z\_i=X\_i+\sigma\epsilon\_i$, $i=1, ..., n$, $\epsilon$ is a noise independent of $X$, with $\sigma\epsilon$ having known distribution. They present a model selection procedure allowing to construct an adaptive estimator of $g$ and to find non-asymptotic bounds for its $\mathbb{L}\_2(\mathbb{R})$-risk. The estimator achieves the minimax rate of convergence, in most cases where lowers bounds are available. A simulation study gives an illustration of the good practical performances of the method

Model selection in logistic regression

This paper is devoted to model selection in logistic regression. We extend the model selection principle introduced by Birg\'e and Massart (2001) to logistic regression model. This selection is done by using penalized maximum likelihood criteria. We propose in this context a completely data-driven criteria based on the slope heuristics. We prove non asymptotic oracle inequalities for selected estimators. Theoretical results are illustrated through simulation studies

Estimation of the hazard function in a semiparametric model with covariate measurement error

International audienceWe consider a failure hazard function, conditional on a time-independent covariate , given by . The baseline hazard function and the relative risk both belong to parametric families with . The covariate has an unknown density and is measured with an error through an additive error model where is a random variable, independent from , with known density . We observe a -sample , = 1, ..., , where is the minimum between the failure time and the censoring time, and is the censoring indicator. Using least square criterion and deconvolution methods, we propose a consistent estimator of using the observations , = 1, ..., .
We give an upper bound for its risk which depends on the smoothness properties of and as a function of , and we derive sufficient conditions for the -consistency. We give detailed examples considering various type of relative risks and various types of error density . In particular, in the Cox model and in the excess risk model, the estimator of is -consistent and asymptotically Gaussian regardless of the form of