Maximum likelihood sequence estimation

Abstract: In this paper it is shown that the classical maximum likelihood principle can be considered to be a method of asymptotic realization of an optimum estimate with respect to a very general information theoretic criterion. This observation shows an extension of the principle to provide answers to many practical problems of statistical model fitting.

Abstract: The application of maximum likelihood techniques to the estimation of evolutionary trees from nucleic acid sequence data is discussed. A computationally feasible method for finding such maximum likelihood estimates is developed, and a computer program is available. This method has advantages over the traditional parsimony algorithms, which can give misleading results if rates of evolution differ in different lineages. It also allows the testing of hypotheses about the constancy of evolutionary rates by likelihood ratio tests, and gives rough indication of the error of the estimate of the tree.

Abstract: This paper contains the likelihood analysis of vector autoregressive models allowing for cointegration. The author derives the likelihood ratio test for cointegrating rank and finds it asymptotic distribution. He shows that the maximum likelihood estimator of the cointegrating relations can be found by reduced rank regression and derives the likelihood ratio test of structural hypotheses about these relations. The author shows that the asymptotic distribution of the maximum likelihood estimator is mixed Gaussian, allowing inference for hypotheses on the cointegrating relation to be conducted using the Chi(" squared") distribution. Copyright 1991 by The Econometric Society.

Abstract: Maximum likelihood factor analysis provides an effective method for estimation of factor matrices and a useful test statistic in the likelihood ratio for rejection of overly simple factor models. A reliability coefficient is proposed to indicate quality of representation of interrelations among attributes in a battery by a maximum likelihood factor analysis. Usually, for a large sample of individuals or objects, the likelihood ratio statistic could indicate that an otherwise acceptable factor model does not exactly represent the interrelations among the attributes for a population. The reliability coefficient could indicate a very close representation in this case and be a better indication as to whether to accept or reject the factor solution.