**• Bivariate Estimation (pycop/bivariate/estimation):**
- Upgraded `fit_cmle_mixt` function with improved constraint handling and customizable optimization options.
- Removed the use of `pandas` in `IAD` and `AD` distance calculations.
- Removed `ECDF` and `statsmodels` dependencies from `pseudo_obs` computation.
**• Empirical Module (pycop/bivariate/empirical.py):**
- Removed `pandas` dependency.
- Improved `optimal_tdc` efficiency.
**• Codebase Improvements**
- Removed `distutils` usage to resolve compatibility issues with Python 3.12.
**• Documentation Update**
- The `README` file has been updated to reflect these and previous changes.
**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/maximenc/pycop/compare/v0.0.11...v0.0.12