Thesis title: Flexibility, Robustness and Discontinuity in Nonparametric Regression Approaches Author: Mgr. Matúš Maciak, M.Sc. Department: Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Charles University in Prague Supervisor: Prof. RNDr. Marie Hušková, DrSc. huskova@karlin.mff.cuni.cz Abstract: In this thesis we focus on local polynomial estimation approaches of an unknown regression function while taking into account also some robust issues like a presence of outlying observa- tions or heavy-tailed distributions of random errors as well. We will discuss the most common method used for such settings, so called local polynomial M-smoothers and we will present the main statistical properties and asymptotic inference for this method. The M-smoothers method is especially suitable for such cases because of its natural robust flavour, which can nicely deal with outliers as well as heavy-tailed distributed random errors. Another important quality we will focus in this thesis on is a discontinuity issue where we allow for sudden changes (discontinuity points) in the unknown regression function or its derivatives respectively. We will propose a discontinuity model with different variability structures for both independent and dependent random errors while the discontinuity points will be treated in a...

A linear regression model, where covariates and a response are subject to errors, is considered in this thesis. For so-called errors-in-variables (EIV) model, suitable error structures are proposed, various unknown parameter estimation techniques are performed, and recent algebraic and statistical results are summarized. An extension of the total least squares (TLS) estimate in the EIV model-the EIV estimate-is invented. Its invariant (with respect to scale) and equivariant (with respect to the covariates' rotation, to the change of covariates direction, and to the interchange of covariates) properties are derived. Moreover, it is shown that the EIV estimate coincides with any unitarily invariant penalizing solution to the EIV problem. It is demonstrated that the asymptotic normality of the EIV estimate is computationally useless for a construction of confidence intervals or hypothesis testing. A proper bootstrap procedure is constructed to overcome such an issue. The validity of the bootstrap technique is proved. A simulation study and a real data example assure of its appropriateness. Strong and uniformly strong mixing errors are taken into account instead of the independent ones. For such a case, the strong consistency and the asymptotic normality of the EIV estimate are shown. Despite of that, their...

人口政策的制定需要人口推估作基礎。近年世界各國人口推估逐漸從專家意見推估走向機率推估，常見的機率推估分成三大類，隨機推估、模擬情境、推估誤差三種，本文所使用的人口推估方法為隨機推估法結合生育率之模擬情境方法，在人口變動要素組合法 (Cohort Component Method) 之下輔以電腦模擬的區塊拔靴法 (Block Bootstrap)，針對台灣地區與台灣北、中、南、東四地區進行人口推估。另外，本文試圖在隨機模型人口推估中加入遷移人口之考量，以期針對遷移人口在數量與其影響上都能有較深入的了解，比較區塊拔靴法與經建會推估之差異後發現遷移之考量確實會影響人口推估之結果。 / 針對與全區相符的小區域人口推估，本文亦提出可使得推估一致的方法，但其缺點為限制了生育、死亡人口要素之變動性。此推估在總數上與隨機推估方法差異不大，但在人口結構上則有明顯的差別，此差別可能是來自於死亡率在四區間差異造成。 / Population projection is important to policy making, and only with accurate population projection can the government achieve suitable policy planning and improve the welfare of the society. The most popular and well-known population projection method is the Cohort Component method, proposed since 1930’s. The trends of future fertility, mortality and migration are required, in order to apply the cohort component method. Currently in Taiwan, these trends are determined according to experts’ opinions (or scenario projection) and three future scenarios are assumed: high, median and low scenarios. One of the drawbacks in applying experts’ opinions is that the projection results of these three scenarios do not have the meaning in probability. / To modify the expert’ opinions and let the projection results carry the meaning in probability, many demographic researchers have developed stochastic projection methods. The proposed stochastic methods can be categorized into three groups: stochastic forecast, random scenario and ex post methods. In this study, we introduce these stochastic methods and evaluate the possibility of applying the methods in projecting the population in Taiwan. / In this study we use block bootstrap, a computer simulation and stochastic forecast method, to determine the trends of future fertility, mortality and migration in Taiwan, and combine it with the cohort component method for population projection in Taiwan. We compare the projection results with those from the Council for Economic Planning and Development (a scenario projection). We found that the block bootstrap is a possible alternative to the scenario projection in population projection, and the numbers of migration is small but have a non-ignorable influence on the future population. However, we also found that the block bootstrap alone might not be appropriate for population projection in small areas.

本文首次提出應用新的模擬方法：定態(stationary) bootstrap來估計涉險值(Value-at-Risk, 以下簡稱VaR)。VaR是衡量投資組合市場風險(market risk)的工具，由於1990年代以來國際間對市場風險管理的重視，且VaR較傳統風險衡量指標容易瞭解，又考慮整個投資組合資產間相關性降低風險的效果，加上VaR可作為企業內控、主管機關監督、以及投資人評估企業營運狀況等指標，故已廣為實務界及學界所接受。目前幾種主要衡量VaR的方法，包括變異數—共變數法、歷史模擬法、蒙地卡羅模擬法、classical bootstrap法以及壓力測試法等，各有其假設限制及優缺點。其中，classical bootstrap在衡量VaR時，使用的假設比較少，似乎非常適合衡量VaR。但是classical bootstrap會割裂了資料自我相關的性質，較適用於獨立且相同分配的樣本。我們在本文中介紹修正classical bootstrap的方法：移動區塊(moving block) bootstrap以及定態bootstrap，並利用統計模擬的方式證明定態bootstrap適合用於時間序列資料，對於捕捉真實分配的能力很強。接著我們選取11檔上市公司股票建構投資組合，並利用classical bootstrap以及定態bootstrap來衡量1999年共266個交易日的VaR。實證結果支持定態bootstrap能夠正確地衡量VaR，且其結果與classical bootstrap有明顯的不同。定態bootstrap法是個比較合理的衡量VaR方法，因此，我們建議風險管理者可採用定態bootstrap 衡量VaR。

Testing Structural Changes Using Ratio Type Statistics Barbora Peštová Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Czech Republic Abstract of the doctoral thesis We deal with sequences of observations that are naturally ordered in time and assume various underlying stochastic models. These models are parametric and some of the parameters are possibly subject to change at some unknown time point. The main goal of this thesis is to test whether such an unknown change has occurred or not. The core of the change point methods presented here is in ratio type statistics based on maxima of cumulative sums. Firstly, an overview of thesis' starting points is given. Then we focus on methods for detecting a gradual change in mean. Consequently, procedures for detection of an abrupt change in mean are generalized by considering a score function. We explore the possibility of applying the bootstrap methods for obtaining critical values, while disturbances of the change point model are considered as weakly dependent. Procedures for detection of changes in parameters of linear regression models are shown as well and a permutation version of the test is derived. Then, a related problem of testing a change in autoregression parameter is studied....