Optimization Methods for Logical Inference

A pioneering look at the fundamental role of logic in optimization and constraint satisfaction While recent efforts to combine optimization and constraint satisfaction have received considerable attention, little has been said about using logic in optimization as the key to unifying the two fields. Logic-Based Methods for Optimization develops for the first time a comprehensive conceptual framework for integrating optimization and constraint satisfaction, then goes a step further and shows how extending logical inference to optimization allows for more powerful as well as flexible modeling and solution techniques. Designed to be easily accessible to industry professionals and academics in both operations research and artificial intelligence, the book provides a wealth of examples as well as elegant techniques and modeling frameworks ready for implementation. Timely, original, and thought-provoking, Logic-Based Methods for Optimization: * Demonstrates the advantages of combining the techniques in problem solving * Offers tutorials in constraint satisfaction/constraint programming and logical inference * Clearly explains such concepts as relaxation, cutting planes, nonserial dynamic programming, and Bender's decomposition * Reviews the necessary technologies for software developers seeking to combine the two techniques * Features extensive references to important computational studies * And much more

Fully describes optimization methods that are currently most valuable in solving real-life problems. Since optimization has applications in almost every branch of science and technology, the text emphasizes their practical aspects in conjunction with the heuristics useful in making them perform more reliably and efficiently. To this end, it presents comparative numerical studies to give readers a feel for possibile applications and to illustrate the problems in assessing evidence. Also provides theoretical background which provides insights into how methods are derived. This edition offers revised coverage of basic theory and standard techniques, with updated discussions of line search methods, Newton and quasi-Newton methods, and conjugate direction methods, as well as a comprehensive treatment of restricted step or trust region methods not commonly found in the literature. Also includes recent developments in hybrid methods for nonlinear least squares; an extended discussion of linear programming, with new methods for stable updating of LU factors; and a completely new section on network programming. Chapters include computer subroutines, worked examples, and study questions.

A comprehensive account of the theory and application of Monte Carlo methods Based on years of research in efficient Monte Carlo methods for estimation of rare-event probabilities, counting problems, and combinatorial optimization, Fast Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Counting and Optimization is a complete illustration of fast sequential Monte Carlo techniques. The book provides an accessible overview of current work in the field of Monte Carlo methods, specifically sequential Monte Carlo techniques, for solving abstract counting and optimization problems. Written by authorities in the field, the book places emphasis on cross-entropy, minimum cross-entropy, splitting, and stochastic enumeration. Focusing on the concepts and application of Monte Carlo techniques, Fast Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Counting and Optimization includes: Detailed algorithms needed to practice solving real-world problems Numerous examples with Monte Carlo method produced solutions within the 1-2% limit of relative error A new generic sequential importance sampling algorithm alongside extensive numerical results An appendix focused on review material to provide additional background information Fast Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Counting and Optimization is an excellent resource for engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians, statisticians, and readers interested in efficient simulation techniques. The book is also useful for upper-undergraduate and graduate-level courses on Monte Carlo methods.

Provides a tutorial on the computational tools that use mathematical optimization concepts and representations for the curation, analysis and redesign of metabolic networks Organizes, for the first time, the fundamentals of mathematical optimization in the context of metabolic network analysis Reviews the fundamentals of different classes of optimization problems including LP, MILP, MLP and MINLP Explains the most efficient ways of formulating a biological problem using mathematical optimization Reviews a variety of relevant problems in metabolic network curation, analysis and redesign with an emphasis on details of optimization formulations Provides a detailed treatment of bilevel optimization techniques for computational strain design and other relevant problems

Mark H.A. Davis introduced the Piecewise-Deterministic Markov Process (PDMP) class of stochastic hybrid models in an article in 1984. Today it is used to model a variety of complex systems in the fields of engineering, economics, management sciences, biology, Internet traffic, networks and many more. Yet, despite this, there is very little in the way of literature devoted to the development of numerical methods for PDMDs to solve problems of practical importance, or the computational control of PDMPs. This book therefore presents a collection of mathematical tools that have been recently developed to tackle such problems. It begins by doing so through examples in several application domains such as reliability. The second part is devoted to the study and simulation of expectations of functionals of PDMPs. Finally, the third part introduces the development of numerical techniques for optimal control problems such as stopping and impulse control problems.

The book is a monograph in the cross disciplinary area of Computational Intelligence in Finance and elucidates a collection of practical and strategic Portfolio Optimization models in Finance, that employ Metaheuristics for their effective solutions and demonstrates the results using MATLAB implementations, over live portfolios invested across global stock universes. The book has been structured in such a way that, even novices in finance or metaheuristics should be able to comprehend and work on the hybrid models discussed in the book.

Explains how Hilbert space techniques cross the boundaries into the foundations of probability and statistics. Focuses on the theory of martingales stochastic integration, interpolation and density estimation. Includes a copious amount of problems and examples.

Stochastic processes are widely used for model building in the social, physical, engineering and life sciences as well as in financial economics. In model building, statistical inference for stochastic processes is of great importance from both a theoretical and an applications point of view. This book deals with Fractional Diffusion Processes and statistical inference for such stochastic processes. The main focus of the book is to consider parametric and nonparametric inference problems for fractional diffusion processes when a complete path of the process over a finite interval is observable. Key features: Introduces self-similar processes, fractional Brownian motion and stochastic integration with respect to fractional Brownian motion. Provides a comprehensive review of statistical inference for processes driven by fractional Brownian motion for modelling long range dependence. Presents a study of parametric and nonparametric inference problems for the fractional diffusion process. Discusses the fractional Brownian sheet and infinite dimensional fractional Brownian motion. Includes recent results and developments in the area of statistical inference of fractional diffusion processes. Researchers and students working on the statistics of fractional diffusion processes and applied mathematicians and statisticians involved in stochastic process modelling will benefit from this book.

Stochastic processes are widely used for model building in the social, physical, engineering and life sciences as well as in financial economics. In model building, statistical inference for stochastic processes is of great importance from both a theoretical and an applications point of view. This book deals with Fractional Diffusion Processes and statistical inference for such stochastic processes. The main focus of the book is to consider parametric and nonparametric inference problems for fractional diffusion processes when a complete path of the process over a finite interval is observable. Key features: Introduces self-similar processes, fractional Brownian motion and stochastic integration with respect to fractional Brownian motion. Provides a comprehensive review of statistical inference for processes driven by fractional Brownian motion for modelling long range dependence. Presents a study of parametric and nonparametric inference problems for the fractional diffusion process. Discusses the fractional Brownian sheet and infinite dimensional fractional Brownian motion. Includes recent results and developments in the area of statistical inference of fractional diffusion processes. Researchers and students working on the statistics of fractional diffusion processes and applied mathematicians and statisticians involved in stochastic process modelling will benefit from this book.

This concise, yet thorough, book is enhanced with simulations and graphs to build the intuition of readers Models for Probability and Statistical Inference was written over a five-year period and serves as a comprehensive treatment of the fundamentals of probability and statistical inference. With detailed theoretical coverage found throughout the book, readers acquire the fundamentals needed to advance to more specialized topics, such as sampling, linear models, design of experiments, statistical computing, survival analysis, and bootstrapping. Ideal as a textbook for a two-semester sequence on probability and statistical inference, early chapters provide coverage on probability and include discussions of: discrete models and random variables; discrete distributions including binomial, hypergeometric, geometric, and Poisson; continuous, normal, gamma, and conditional distributions; and limit theory. Since limit theory is usually the most difficult topic for readers to master, the author thoroughly discusses modes of convergence of sequences of random variables, with special attention to convergence in distribution. The second half of the book addresses statistical inference, beginning with a discussion on point estimation and followed by coverage of consistency and confidence intervals. Further areas of exploration include: distributions defined in terms of the multivariate normal, chi-square, t, and F (central and non-central); the one- and two-sample Wilcoxon test, together with methods of estimation based on both; linear models with a linear space-projection approach; and logistic regression. Each section contains a set of problems ranging in difficulty from simple to more complex, and selected answers as well as proofs to almost all statements are provided. An abundant amount of figures in addition to helpful simulations and graphs produced by the statistical package S-Plus(r) are included to help build the intuition of readers.