The optimization of a cost function which has a number of local minima is a relevant subject in many important fields. For instance, the determination of the weights of learning machines depends in general on the solution of global optimization tasks (Haykin, 1999). A feature shared by almost all of the most common deterministic and stochastic algorithms for continuous non – linear optimization...

A method is presented for extrapolation of time-series which contain time-varying frequency components. The time-series is complex-demodulated at a set of frequencies. The resulting time-frequency time-series are assumed to be time-dependent such that the amplitude and phase change relatively slowly with time. This change is taken into account in the extrapolation. This model of a non-stationar...

The stationary state of a stochastic process on a ring can be expressed using traces of monomials of an associative algebra defined by quadratic relations. If one considers only exclusion processes one can restrict the type of algebras and obtain recurrence relations for the traces. This is possible only if the rates satisfy certain compatibility conditions. These conditions are derived and the...