Using locally polynomial regression, we develop nonparametric estimators for the conditional density function and its square root, and their partial derivatives. Two measures of sensitivity to initial conditions in nonlinear stochastic dynamic systems are proposed, one of which relates Fisher information with initial-value sensitivity in dynamical systems. We propose estimators for these, and show asymptotic normality for one of them. We further propose a simple method for choosing the bandwidth. The methods are illustrated by simulation of two well-known models in dynamical systems.

A practical and accessible introduction to the bootstrap methodnewly revised and updated Over the past decade, the application of bootstrap methods to new areas of study has expanded, resulting in theoretical and applied advances across various fields. Bootstrap Methods, Second Edition is a highly approachable guide to the multidisciplinary, real-world uses of bootstrapping and is ideal for readers who have a professional interest in its methods, but are without an advanced background in mathematics. Updated to reflect current techniques and the most up-to-date work on the topic, the Second Edition features: The addition of a second, extended bibliography devoted solely to publications from 19992007, which is a valuable collection of references on the latest research in the field A discussion of the new areas of applicability for bootstrap methods, including use in the pharmaceutical industry for estimating individual and population bioequivalence in clinical trials A revised chapter on when and why bootstrap fails and remedies for overcoming these drawbacks Added coverage on regression, censored data applications, P-value adjustment, ratio estimators, and missing data New examples and illustrations as well as extensive historical notes at the end of each chapter With a strong focus on application, detailed explanations of methodology, and complete coverage of modern developments in the field, Bootstrap Methods, Second Edition is an indispensable reference for applied statisticians, engineers, scientists, clinicians, and other practitioners who regularly use statistical methods in research. It is also suitable as a supplementary text

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Community detection is a fundamental problem in social network analysis. It is desirable to have fast community detection algorithm that applicable to large-scale networks we see today and also have reliable community detection results. This paper proposes Spectral Clustering On Ratios-of-eigenvectors (SCORE) as such an algorithm. The algorithm is fast in computation, is applicable to real large networks, and is competitive in real data performance when applied to some representative data sets in this area. We study the algorithm with the Degree-Corrected Block Model (DCBM). Compare to most works in this area that focus on the much narrower Block Models, our analysis is more difficult and requires new techniques. The novelty of our algorithm lies in that it uses entry-wise ratios between leading eigenvectors of the adjacency to reduce a seemingly hard problem to a problem that is very much tractable.

We propose a novel technique to boost the power of testing a highdimensional vector <i>H</i>:<i><b></b></i>=<b>0</b> against sparse alternatives where the null hypothesis is violated by only a few components. Existing tests based on quadratic forms such as the Wald statistic often suffer from low powers due to the accumulation of errors in estimating highdimensional parameters. More powerful tests for sparse alternatives such as thresholding and extreme value tests, on the other hand, require either stringent conditions or bootstrap to derive the null distribution and often suffer from size distortions due to the slow convergence. Based on a screening technique, we introduce a power enhancement component, which is zero under the null hypothesis with high probability, but diverges quickly under sparse alternatives. The proposed test statistic combines the power enhancement component with an asymptotically pivotal statistic, and