arXiv subjects

Faicel Chamroukhi

Publications and source records attributed to Faicel Chamroukhi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Regularized Estimation and Feature Selection in Mixtures of Generalized Linear Experts

Mixtures of experts (MoE) are conditional mixture models in which both the mixing proportions and the component densities depend on the predictors, and are widely used for regression, classification and model-based clustering of heterogeneous data. Fitting MoE by maximum likelihood becomes unstable, and sometimes infeasible, when the predictors are numerous or correlated. We propose a regularized maximum likelihood framework for simultaneous parameter estimation and feature selection in MoE whose experts belong to the generalized linear model family, covering Gaussian, Poisson and multinomial responses within a single formulation. Sparsity is induced in both the gating network and the experts through $\ell_1$ penalties, and the penalized log-likelihood is maximized by a proximal Newton-EM algorithm whose M-step reduces to weighted Lasso problems with closed-form coordinate-ascent updates. Unlike existing penalized MoE procedures, the algorithm requires neither a local quadratic approximation of the penalty nor any matrix inversion, it returns exactly sparse estimates without thresholding, and a proximal Newton-type variant guarantees a monotone increase of the penalized objective at every iteration. On simulated data and five real data sets, the method recovers the actual sparsity support and delivers prediction and clustering accuracy that is competitive with, and often better than, state-of-the-art regularized MoE. The source codes of our developed algorithms and their documentation are publicly available on Github at https://github.com/nv-thin/GLM-RMoE.

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arXiv2024

Non-asymptotic oracle inequalities for the Lasso in high-dimensional mixture of experts

We investigate the estimation properties of the mixture of experts (MoE) model in a high-dimensional setting, where the number of predictors is much larger than the sample size, and for which the literature is particularly lacking in theoretical results. We consider the class of softmax-gated Gaussian MoE (SGMoE) models, defined as MoE models with softmax gating functions and Gaussian experts, and focus on the theoretical properties of their $l_1$-regularized estimation via the Lasso. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to investigate the $l_1$-regularization properties of SGMoE models from a non-asymptotic perspective, under the mildest assumptions, namely the boundedness of the parameter space. We provide a lower bound on the regularization parameter of the Lasso penalty that ensures non-asymptotic theoretical control of the Kullback--Leibler loss of the Lasso estimator for SGMoE models. Finally, we carry out a simulation study to empirically validate our theoretical findings.

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arXiv2022

A non-asymptotic approach for model selection via penalization in high-dimensional mixture of experts models

Mixture of experts (MoE) are a popular class of statistical and machine learning models that have gained attention over the years due to their flexibility and efficiency. In this work, we consider Gaussian-gated localized MoE (GLoME) and block-diagonal covariance localized MoE (BLoME) regression models to present nonlinear relationships in heterogeneous data with potential hidden graph-structured interactions between high-dimensional predictors. These models pose difficult statistical estimation and model selection questions, both from a computational and theoretical perspective. This paper is devoted to the study of the problem of model selection among a collection of GLoME or BLoME models characterized by the number of mixture components, the complexity of Gaussian mean experts, and the hidden block-diagonal structures of the covariance matrices, in a penalized maximum likelihood estimation framework. In particular, we establish non-asymptotic risk bounds that take the form of weak oracle inequalities, provided that lower bounds for the penalties hold. The good empirical behavior of our models is then demonstrated on synthetic and real datasets.

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arXiv2022

Approximation of probability density functions via location-scale finite mixtures in Lebesgue spaces

The class of location-scale finite mixtures is of enduring interest both from applied and theoretical perspectives of probability and statistics. We prove the following results: to an arbitrary degree of accuracy, (a) location-scale mixtures of a continuous probability density function (PDF) can approximate any continuous PDF, uniformly, on a compact set; and (b) for any finite $p\ge1$, location-scale mixtures of an essentially bounded PDF can approximate any PDF in $\mathcal{L}_{p}$, in the $\mathcal{L}_{p}$ norm.

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arXiv2022

Functional mixture-of-experts for classification

We develop a mixtures-of-experts (ME) approach to the multiclass classification where the predictors are univariate functions. It consists of a ME model in which both the gating network and the experts network are constructed upon multinomial logistic activation functions with functional inputs. We perform a regularized maximum likelihood estimation in which the coefficient functions enjoy interpretable sparsity constraints on targeted derivatives. We develop an EM-Lasso like algorithm to compute the regularized MLE and evaluate the proposed approach on simulated and real data.

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arXiv2022

Spectral image clustering on dual-energy CT scans using functional regression mixtures

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is an advanced CT scanning technique enabling material characterization not possible with conventional CT scans. It allows the reconstruction of energy decay curves at each 3D image voxel, representing varying image attenuation at different effective scanning energy levels. In this paper, we develop novel functional data analysis (FDA) techniques and adapt them to the analysis of DECT decay curves. More specifically, we construct functional mixture models that integrate spatial context in mixture weights, with mixture component densities being constructed upon the energy decay curves as functional observations. We design unsupervised clustering algorithms by developing dedicated expectation maximization (EM) algorithms for the maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters. To our knowledge, this is the first article to adapt statistical FDA tools and model-based clustering to take advantage of the full spectral information provided by DECT. We evaluate our methods on 91 head and neck cancer DECT scans. We compare our unsupervised clustering results to tumor contours traced manually by radiologists, as well as to several baseline algorithms. Given the inter-rater variability even among experts at delineating head and neck tumors, and given the potential importance of tissue reactions surrounding the tumor itself, our proposed methodology has the potential to add value in downstream machine learning applications for clinical outcome prediction based on DECT data in head and neck cancer.

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arXiv2021

Approximations of conditional probability density functions in Lebesgue spaces via mixture of experts models

Mixture of experts (MoE) models are widely applied for conditional probability density estimation problems. We demonstrate the richness of the class of MoE models by proving denseness results in Lebesgue spaces, when inputs and outputs variables are both compactly supported. We further prove an almost uniform convergence result when the input is univariate. Auxiliary lemmas are proved regarding the richness of the soft-max gating function class, and their relationships to the class of Gaussian gating functions.

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arXiv2021

Non-asymptotic model selection in block-diagonal mixture of polynomial experts models

Model selection, via penalized likelihood type criteria, is a standard task in many statistical inference and machine learning problems. Progress has led to deriving criteria with asymptotic consistency results and an increasing emphasis on introducing non-asymptotic criteria. We focus on the problem of modeling non-linear relationships in regression data with potential hidden graph-structured interactions between the high-dimensional predictors, within the mixture of experts modeling framework. In order to deal with such a complex situation, we investigate a block-diagonal localized mixture of polynomial experts (BLoMPE) regression model, which is constructed upon an inverse regression and block-diagonal structures of the Gaussian expert covariance matrices. We introduce a penalized maximum likelihood selection criterion to estimate the unknown conditional density of the regression model. This model selection criterion allows us to handle the challenging problem of inferring the number of mixture components, the degree of polynomial mean functions, and the hidden block-diagonal structures of the covariance matrices, which reduces the number of parameters to be estimated and leads to a trade-off between complexity and sparsity in the model. In particular, we provide a strong theoretical guarantee: a finite-sample oracle inequality satisfied by the penalized maximum likelihood estimator with a Jensen-Kullback-Leibler type loss, to support the introduced non-asymptotic model selection criterion. The penalty shape of this criterion depends on the complexity of the considered random subcollection of BLoMPE models, including the relevant graph structures, the degree of polynomial mean functions, and the number of mixture components.

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arXiv2019

Approximation by finite mixtures of continuous density functions that vanish at infinity

Given sufficiently many components, it is often cited that finite mixture models can approximate any other probability density function (pdf) to an arbitrary degree of accuracy. Unfortunately, the nature of this approximation result is often left unclear. We prove that finite mixture models constructed from pdfs in $\mathcal{C}_{0}$ can be used to conduct approximation of various classes of approximands in a number of different modes. That is, we prove approximands in $\mathcal{C}_{0}$ can be uniformly approximated, approximands in $\mathcal{C}_{b}$ can be uniformly approximated on compact sets, and approximands in $\mathcal{L}_{p}$ can be approximated with respect to the $\mathcal{L}_{p}$, for $p\in\left[1,\infty\right)$. Furthermore, we also prove that measurable functions can be approximated, almost everywhere.

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arXiv2019

Approximation results regarding the multiple-output mixture of linear experts model

Mixture of experts (MoE) models are a class of artificial neural networks that can be used for functional approximation and probabilistic modeling. An important class of MoE models is the class of mixture of linear experts (MoLE) models, where the expert functions map to real topological output spaces. There are a number of powerful approximation results regarding MoLE models, when the output space is univariate. These results guarantee the ability of MoLE mean functions to approximate arbitrary continuous functions, and MoLE models themselves to approximate arbitrary conditional probability density functions. We utilize and extend upon the univariate approximation results in order to prove a pair of useful results for situations where the output spaces are multivariate.

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arXiv2018

Regularized Maximum Likelihood Estimation and Feature Selection in Mixtures-of-Experts Models

Mixture of Experts (MoE) are successful models for modeling heterogeneous data in many statistical learning problems including regression, clustering and classification. Generally fitted by maximum likelihood estimation via the well-known EM algorithm, their application to high-dimensional problems is still therefore challenging. We consider the problem of fitting and feature selection in MoE models, and propose a regularized maximum likelihood estimation approach that encourages sparse solutions for heterogeneous regression data models with potentially high-dimensional predictors. Unlike state-of-the art regularized MLE for MoE, the proposed modelings do not require an approximate of the penalty function. We develop two hybrid EM algorithms: an Expectation-Majorization-Maximization (EM/MM) algorithm, and an EM algorithm with coordinate ascent algorithm. The proposed algorithms allow to automatically obtaining sparse solutions without thresholding, and avoid matrix inversion by allowing univariate parameter updates. An experimental study shows the good performance of the algorithms in terms of recovering the actual sparse solutions, parameter estimation, and clustering of heterogeneous regression data.

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arXiv2018

Dirichlet Process Parsimonious Mixtures for clustering

The parsimonious Gaussian mixture models, which exploit an eigenvalue decomposition of the group covariance matrices of the Gaussian mixture, have shown their success in particular in cluster analysis. Their estimation is in general performed by maximum likelihood estimation and has also been considered from a parametric Bayesian prospective. We propose new Dirichlet Process Parsimonious mixtures (DPPM) which represent a Bayesian nonparametric formulation of these parsimonious Gaussian mixture models. The proposed DPPM models are Bayesian nonparametric parsimonious mixture models that allow to simultaneously infer the model parameters, the optimal number of mixture components and the optimal parsimonious mixture structure from the data. We develop a Gibbs sampling technique for maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation of the developed DPMM models and provide a Bayesian model selection framework by using Bayes factors. We apply them to cluster simulated data and real data sets, and compare them to the standard parsimonious mixture models. The obtained results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed nonparametric parsimonious mixture models as a good nonparametric alternative for the parametric parsimonious models.

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arXiv2018

Model-Based Clustering and Classification of Functional Data

The problem of complex data analysis is a central topic of modern statistical science and learning systems and is becoming of broader interest with the increasing prevalence of high-dimensional data. The challenge is to develop statistical models and autonomous algorithms that are able to acquire knowledge from raw data for exploratory analysis, which can be achieved through clustering techniques or to make predictions of future data via classification (i.e., discriminant analysis) techniques. Latent data models, including mixture model-based approaches are one of the most popular and successful approaches in both the unsupervised context (i.e., clustering) and the supervised one (i.e, classification or discrimination). Although traditionally tools of multivariate analysis, they are growing in popularity when considered in the framework of functional data analysis (FDA). FDA is the data analysis paradigm in which the individual data units are functions (e.g., curves, surfaces), rather than simple vectors. In many areas of application, the analyzed data are indeed often available in the form of discretized values of functions or curves (e.g., time series, waveforms) and surfaces (e.g., 2d-images, spatio-temporal data). This functional aspect of the data adds additional difficulties compared to the case of a classical multivariate (non-functional) data analysis. We review and present approaches for model-based clustering and classification of functional data. We derive well-established statistical models along with efficient algorithmic tools to address problems regarding the clustering and the classification of these high-dimensional data, including their heterogeneity, missing information, and dynamical hidden structure. The presented models and algorithms are illustrated on real-world functional data analysis problems from several application area.

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arXiv2017

An Introduction to the Practical and Theoretical Aspects of Mixture-of-Experts Modeling

Mixture-of-experts (MoE) models are a powerful paradigm for modeling of data arising from complex data generating processes (DGPs). In this article, we demonstrate how different MoE models can be constructed to approximate the underlying DGPs of arbitrary types of data. Due to the probabilistic nature of MoE models, we propose the maximum quasi-likelihood (MQL) estimator as a method for estimating MoE model parameters from data, and we provide conditions under which MQL estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. The blockwise minorization-maximizatoin (blockwise-MM) algorithm framework is proposed as an all-purpose method for constructing algorithms for obtaining MQL estimators. An example derivation of a blockwise-MM algorithm is provided. We then present a method for constructing information criteria for estimating the number of components in MoE models and provide justification for the classic Bayesian information criterion (BIC). We explain how MoE models can be used to conduct classification, clustering, and regression and we illustrate these applications via a pair of worked examples.

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arXiv2016

Robust mixture of experts modeling using the skew $t$ distribution

Mixture of Experts (MoE) is a popular framework in the fields of statistics and machine learning for modeling heterogeneity in data for regression, classification and clustering. MoE for continuous data are usually based on the normal distribution. However, it is known that for data with asymmetric behavior, heavy tails and atypical observations, the use of the normal distribution is unsuitable. We introduce a new robust non-normal mixture of experts modeling using the skew $t$ distribution. The proposed skew $t$ mixture of experts, named STMoE, handles these issues of the normal mixtures experts regarding possibly skewed, heavy-tailed and noisy data. We develop a dedicated expectation conditional maximization (ECM) algorithm to estimate the model parameters by monotonically maximizing the observed data log-likelihood. We describe how the presented model can be used in prediction and in model-based clustering of regression data. Numerical experiments carried out on simulated data show the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed model in fitting non-linear regression functions as well as in model-based clustering. Then, the proposed model is applied to the real-world data of tone perception for musical data analysis, and the one of temperature anomalies for the analysis of climate change data. The obtained results confirm the usefulness of the model for practical data analysis applications.

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arXiv2016

Robust mixture of experts modeling using the $t$ distribution

Mixture of Experts (MoE) is a popular framework for modeling heterogeneity in data for regression, classification, and clustering. For regression and cluster analyses of continuous data, MoE usually use normal experts following the Gaussian distribution. However, for a set of data containing a group or groups of observations with heavy tails or atypical observations, the use of normal experts is unsuitable and can unduly affect the fit of the MoE model. We introduce a robust MoE modeling using the $t$ distribution. The proposed $t$ MoE (TMoE) deals with these issues regarding heavy-tailed and noisy data. We develop a dedicated expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm to estimate the parameters of the proposed model by monotonically maximizing the observed data log-likelihood. We describe how the presented model can be used in prediction and in model-based clustering of regression data. The proposed model is validated on numerical experiments carried out on simulated data, which show the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed model in terms of modeling non-linear regression functions as well as in model-based clustering. Then, it is applied to the real-world data of tone perception for musical data analysis, and the one of temperature anomalies for the analysis of climate change data. The obtained results show the usefulness of the TMoE model for practical applications.

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arXiv2015

Bayesian mixtures of spatial spline regressions

This work relates the framework of model-based clustering for spatial functional data where the data are surfaces. We first introduce a Bayesian spatial spline regression model with mixed-effects (BSSR) for modeling spatial function data. The BSSR model is based on Nodal basis functions for spatial regression and accommodates both common mean behavior for the data through a fixed-effects part, and variability inter-individuals thanks to a random-effects part. Then, in order to model populations of spatial functional data issued from heterogeneous groups, we integrate the BSSR model into a mixture framework. The resulting model is a Bayesian mixture of spatial spline regressions with mixed-effects (BMSSR) used for density estimation and model-based surface clustering. The models, through their Bayesian formulation, allow to integrate possible prior knowledge on the data structure and constitute a good alternative to recent mixture of spatial spline regressions model estimated in a maximum likelihood framework via the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The Bayesian model inference is performed by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. We derive two Gibbs sampler to infer the BSSR and the BMSSR models and apply them on simulated surfaces and a real problem of handwritten digit recognition using the MNIST data set. The obtained results highlight the potential benefit of the proposed Bayesian approaches for modeling surfaces possibly dispersed in particular in clusters.

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arXiv2015

Non-Normal Mixtures of Experts

Mixture of Experts (MoE) is a popular framework for modeling heterogeneity in data for regression, classification and clustering. For continuous data which we consider here in the context of regression and cluster analysis, MoE usually use normal experts, that is, expert components following the Gaussian distribution. However, for a set of data containing a group or groups of observations with asymmetric behavior, heavy tails or atypical observations, the use of normal experts may be unsuitable and can unduly affect the fit of the MoE model. In this paper, we introduce new non-normal mixture of experts (NNMoE) which can deal with these issues regarding possibly skewed, heavy-tailed data and with outliers. The proposed models are the skew-normal MoE and the robust $t$ MoE and skew $t$ MoE, respectively named SNMoE, TMoE and STMoE. We develop dedicated expectation-maximization (EM) and expectation conditional maximization (ECM) algorithms to estimate the parameters of the proposed models by monotonically maximizing the observed data log-likelihood. We describe how the presented models can be used in prediction and in model-based clustering of regression data. Numerical experiments carried out on simulated data show the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed models in terms modeling non-linear regression functions as well as in model-based clustering. Then, to show their usefulness for practical applications, the proposed models are applied to the real-world data of tone perception for musical data analysis, and the one of temperature anomalies for the analysis of climate change data.

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