Learning to Branch in Combinatorial Optimization With Graph Pointer Networks

Traditional expert-designed branching rules in branch-and-bound(B&B) are static, often failing to adapt to diverse and evolving problem instances. Crafting these rules is labor-intensive, and may not scale well with complex problems.Given the frequent need to solve varied combinatorial optimization problems, leveraging statistical learning to auto-tune B&B algorithms for specific problem classes becomes attractive. This paper proposes a graph pointer network model to learn the branch rules. Graph features, global features and historical features are designated to represent the solver state. The graph neural network processes graph features, while the pointer mechanism assimilates the global and historical features to finally determine the variable on which to branch. The model is trained to imitate the expert strong branching rule by a tailored top-k Kullback-Leibler divergence loss function. Experiments on a series of benchmark problems demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly outperforms the widely used expert-designed branching rules. It also outperforms state-of-the-art machine-learning-based branch-and-bound methods in terms of solving speed and search tree size on all the test instances. In addition, the model can generalize to unseen instances and scale to larger instances.

Model Agnostic Meta-Learning(MAML)-Based Ensemble Model for Accurate Detection of Wheat Diseases Using Vision Transformer and Graph Neural Networks

Wheat is a critical crop,extensively consumed worldwide,and its production enhancement is essential to meet escalating demand.The presence of diseases like stem rust,leaf rust,yellow rust,and tan spot significantly diminishes wheat yield,making the early and precise identification of these diseases vital for effective disease management.With advancements in deep learning algorithms,researchers have proposed many methods for the automated detection of disease pathogens;however,accurately detectingmultiple disease pathogens simultaneously remains a challenge.This challenge arises due to the scarcity of RGB images for multiple diseases,class imbalance in existing public datasets,and the difficulty in extracting features that discriminate between multiple classes of disease pathogens.In this research,a novel method is proposed based on Transfer Generative Adversarial Networks for augmenting existing data,thereby overcoming the problems of class imbalance and data scarcity.This study proposes a customized architecture of Vision Transformers(ViT),where the feature vector is obtained by concatenating features extracted from the custom ViT and Graph Neural Networks.This paper also proposes a Model AgnosticMeta Learning(MAML)based ensemble classifier for accurate classification.The proposedmodel,validated on public datasets for wheat disease pathogen classification,achieved a test accuracy of 99.20%and an F1-score of 97.95%.Compared with existing state-of-the-art methods,this proposed model outperforms in terms of accuracy,F1-score,and the number of disease pathogens detection.In future,more diseases can be included for detection along with some other modalities like pests and weed.

Feature extraction for machine learning-based intrusion detection in IoT networks

A large number of network security breaches in IoT networks have demonstrated the unreliability of current Network Intrusion Detection Systems(NIDSs).Consequently,network interruptions and loss of sensitive data have occurred,which led to an active research area for improving NIDS technologies.In an analysis of related works,it was observed that most researchers aim to obtain better classification results by using a set of untried combinations of Feature Reduction(FR)and Machine Learning(ML)techniques on NIDS datasets.However,these datasets are different in feature sets,attack types,and network design.Therefore,this paper aims to discover whether these techniques can be generalised across various datasets.Six ML models are utilised:a Deep Feed Forward(DFF),Convolutional Neural Network(CNN),Recurrent Neural Network(RNN),Decision Tree(DT),Logistic Regression(LR),and Naive Bayes(NB).The accuracy of three Feature Extraction(FE)algorithms is detected;Principal Component Analysis(PCA),Auto-encoder(AE),and Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA),are evaluated using three benchmark datasets:UNSW-NB15,ToN-IoT and CSE-CIC-IDS2018.Although PCA and AE algorithms have been widely used,the determination of their optimal number of extracted dimensions has been overlooked.The results indicate that no clear FE method or ML model can achieve the best scores for all datasets.The optimal number of extracted dimensions has been identified for each dataset,and LDA degrades the performance of the ML models on two datasets.The variance is used to analyse the extracted dimensions of LDA and PCA.Finally,this paper concludes that the choice of datasets significantly alters the performance of the applied techniques.We believe that a universal(benchmark)feature set is needed to facilitate further advancement and progress of research in this field.

Combining reinforcement learning with mathematical programming:An approach for optimal design of heat exchanger networks

Heat integration is important for energy-saving in the process industry.It is linked to the persistently challenging task of optimal design of heat exchanger networks(HEN).Due to the inherent highly nonconvex nonlinear and combinatorial nature of the HEN problem,it is not easy to find solutions of high quality for large-scale problems.The reinforcement learning(RL)method,which learns strategies through ongoing exploration and exploitation,reveals advantages in such area.However,due to the complexity of the HEN design problem,the RL method for HEN should be dedicated and designed.A hybrid strategy combining RL with mathematical programming is proposed to take better advantage of both methods.An insightful state representation of the HEN structure as well as a customized reward function is introduced.A Q-learning algorithm is applied to update the HEN structure using theε-greedy strategy.Better results are obtained from three literature cases of different scales.

Quick Weighing of Passing Vehicles Using the Transfer-Learning-Enhanced Convolutional Neural Network

Transfer learning could reduce the time and resources required by the training of new models and be therefore important for generalized applications of the trainedmachine learning algorithms.In this study,a transfer learningenhanced convolutional neural network(CNN)was proposed to identify the gross weight and the axle weight of moving vehicles on the bridge.The proposed transfer learning-enhanced CNN model was expected to weigh different bridges based on a small amount of training datasets and provide high identification accuracy.First of all,a CNN algorithm for bridge weigh-in-motion(B-WIM)technology was proposed to identify the axle weight and the gross weight of the typical two-axle,three-axle,and five-axle vehicles as they crossed the bridge with different loading routes and speeds.Then,the pre-trained CNN model was transferred by fine-tuning to weigh themoving vehicle on another bridge.Finally,the identification accuracy and the amount of training data required were compared between the two CNN models.Results showed that the pre-trained CNN model using transfer learning for B-WIM technology could be successfully used for the identification of the axle weight and the gross weight for moving vehicles on another bridge while reducing the training data by 63%.Moreover,the recognition accuracy of the pre-trained CNN model using transfer learning was comparable to that of the original model,showing its promising potentials in the actual applications.

Generative adversarial networks based motion learning towards robotic calligraphy synthesis

Robot calligraphy visually reflects the motion capability of robotic manipulators.While traditional researches mainly focus on image generation and the writing of simple calligraphic strokes or characters,this article presents a generative adversarial network(GAN)-based motion learning method for robotic calligraphy synthesis(Gan2CS)that can enhance the efficiency in writing complex calligraphy words and reproducing classic calligraphy works.The key technologies in the proposed approach include:(1)adopting the GAN to learn the motion parameters from the robot writing operation;(2)converting the learnt motion data into the style font and realising the transition from static calligraphy images to dynamic writing demonstration;(3)reproducing high-precision calligraphy works by synthesising the writing motion data hierarchically.In this study,the motion trajectories of sample calligraphy images are firstly extracted and converted into the robot module.The robot performs the writing with motion planning,and the writing motion parameters of calligraphy strokes are learnt with GANs.Then the motion data of basic strokes is synthesised based on the hierarchical process of‘stroke-radicalpart-character’.And the robot re-writes the synthesised characters whose similarity with the original calligraphy characters is evaluated.Regular calligraphy characters have been tested in the experiments for method validation and the results validated that the robot can actualise the robotic calligraphy synthesis of writing motion data with GAN.

Anomaly-Based Intrusion DetectionModel Using Deep Learning for IoT Networks

The rapid growth of Internet of Things(IoT)devices has brought numerous benefits to the interconnected world.However,the ubiquitous nature of IoT networks exposes them to various security threats,including anomaly intrusion attacks.In addition,IoT devices generate a high volume of unstructured data.Traditional intrusion detection systems often struggle to cope with the unique characteristics of IoT networks,such as resource constraints and heterogeneous data sources.Given the unpredictable nature of network technologies and diverse intrusion methods,conventional machine-learning approaches seem to lack efficiency.Across numerous research domains,deep learning techniques have demonstrated their capability to precisely detect anomalies.This study designs and enhances a novel anomaly-based intrusion detection system(AIDS)for IoT networks.Firstly,a Sparse Autoencoder(SAE)is applied to reduce the high dimension and get a significant data representation by calculating the reconstructed error.Secondly,the Convolutional Neural Network(CNN)technique is employed to create a binary classification approach.The proposed SAE-CNN approach is validated using the Bot-IoT dataset.The proposed models exceed the performance of the existing deep learning approach in the literature with an accuracy of 99.9%,precision of 99.9%,recall of 100%,F1 of 99.9%,False Positive Rate(FPR)of 0.0003,and True Positive Rate(TPR)of 0.9992.In addition,alternative metrics,such as training and testing durations,indicated that SAE-CNN performs better.

IDS-INT:Intrusion detection system using transformer-based transfer learning for imbalanced network traffic

A network intrusion detection system is critical for cyber security against llegitimate attacks.In terms of feature perspectives,network traffic may include a variety of elements such as attack reference,attack type,a subcategory of attack,host information,malicious scripts,etc.In terms of network perspectives,network traffic may contain an imbalanced number of harmful attacks when compared to normal traffic.It is challenging to identify a specific attack due to complex features and data imbalance issues.To address these issues,this paper proposes an Intrusion Detection System using transformer-based transfer learning for Imbalanced Network Traffic(IDS-INT).IDS-INT uses transformer-based transfer learning to learn feature interactions in both network feature representation and imbalanced data.First,detailed information about each type of attack is gathered from network interaction descriptions,which include network nodes,attack type,reference,host information,etc.Second,the transformer-based transfer learning approach is developed to learn detailed feature representation using their semantic anchors.Third,the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique(SMOTE)is implemented to balance abnormal traffic and detect minority attacks.Fourth,the Convolution Neural Network(CNN)model is designed to extract deep features from the balanced network traffic.Finally,the hybrid approach of the CNN-Long Short-Term Memory(CNN-LSTM)model is developed to detect different types of attacks from the deep features.Detailed experiments are conducted to test the proposed approach using three standard datasets,i.e.,UNsWNB15,CIC-IDS2017,and NSL-KDD.An explainable AI approach is implemented to interpret the proposed method and develop a trustable model.

Resource Allocation for Cognitive Network Slicing in PD-SCMA System Based on Two-Way Deep Reinforcement Learning

In this paper,we propose the Two-way Deep Reinforcement Learning(DRL)-Based resource allocation algorithm,which solves the problem of resource allocation in the cognitive downlink network based on the underlay mode.Secondary users(SUs)in the cognitive network are multiplexed by a new Power Domain Sparse Code Multiple Access(PD-SCMA)scheme,and the physical resources of the cognitive base station are virtualized into two types of slices:enhanced mobile broadband(eMBB)slice and ultrareliable low latency communication(URLLC)slice.We design the Double Deep Q Network(DDQN)network output the optimal codebook assignment scheme and simultaneously use the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient(DDPG)network output the optimal power allocation scheme.The objective is to jointly optimize the spectral efficiency of the system and the Quality of Service(QoS)of SUs.Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the CNDDQN algorithm and modified JEERA algorithm in terms of spectral efficiency and QoS satisfaction.Additionally,compared with the Power Domain Non-orthogonal Multiple Access(PD-NOMA)slices and the Sparse Code Multiple Access(SCMA)slices,the PD-SCMA slices can dramatically enhance spectral efficiency and increase the number of accessible users.

Autonomous Vehicle Platoons In Urban Road Networks:A Joint Distributed Reinforcement Learning and Model Predictive Control Approach

In this paper, platoons of autonomous vehicles operating in urban road networks are considered. From a methodological point of view, the problem of interest consists of formally characterizing vehicle state trajectory tubes by means of routing decisions complying with traffic congestion criteria. To this end, a novel distributed control architecture is conceived by taking advantage of two methodologies: deep reinforcement learning and model predictive control. On one hand, the routing decisions are obtained by using a distributed reinforcement learning algorithm that exploits available traffic data at each road junction. On the other hand, a bank of model predictive controllers is in charge of computing the more adequate control action for each involved vehicle. Such tasks are here combined into a single framework:the deep reinforcement learning output(action) is translated into a set-point to be tracked by the model predictive controller;conversely, the current vehicle position, resulting from the application of the control move, is exploited by the deep reinforcement learning unit for improving its reliability. The main novelty of the proposed solution lies in its hybrid nature: on one hand it fully exploits deep reinforcement learning capabilities for decisionmaking purposes;on the other hand, time-varying hard constraints are always satisfied during the dynamical platoon evolution imposed by the computed routing decisions. To efficiently evaluate the performance of the proposed control architecture, a co-design procedure, involving the SUMO and MATLAB platforms, is implemented so that complex operating environments can be used, and the information coming from road maps(links,junctions, obstacles, semaphores, etc.) and vehicle state trajectories can be shared and exchanged. Finally by considering as operating scenario a real entire city block and a platoon of eleven vehicles described by double-integrator models, several simulations have been performed with the aim to put in light the main f eatures of the proposed approach. Moreover, it is important to underline that in different operating scenarios the proposed reinforcement learning scheme is capable of significantly reducing traffic congestion phenomena when compared with well-reputed competitors.

Security Monitoring and Management for the Network Services in the Orchestration of SDN-NFV Environment Using Machine Learning Techniques

Software Defined Network(SDN)and Network Function Virtualization(NFV)technology promote several benefits to network operators,including reduced maintenance costs,increased network operational performance,simplified network lifecycle,and policies management.Network vulnerabilities try to modify services provided by Network Function Virtualization MANagement and Orchestration(NFV MANO),and malicious attacks in different scenarios disrupt the NFV Orchestrator(NFVO)and Virtualized Infrastructure Manager(VIM)lifecycle management related to network services or individual Virtualized Network Function(VNF).This paper proposes an anomaly detection mechanism that monitors threats in NFV MANO and manages promptly and adaptively to implement and handle security functions in order to enhance the quality of experience for end users.An anomaly detector investigates these identified risks and provides secure network services.It enables virtual network security functions and identifies anomalies in Kubernetes(a cloud-based platform).For training and testing purpose of the proposed approach,an intrusion-containing dataset is used that hold multiple malicious activities like a Smurf,Neptune,Teardrop,Pod,Land,IPsweep,etc.,categorized as Probing(Prob),Denial of Service(DoS),User to Root(U2R),and Remote to User(R2L)attacks.An anomaly detector is anticipated with the capabilities of a Machine Learning(ML)technique,making use of supervised learning techniques like Logistic Regression(LR),Support Vector Machine(SVM),Random Forest(RF),Naïve Bayes(NB),and Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost).The proposed framework has been evaluated by deploying the identified ML algorithm on a Jupyter notebook in Kubeflow to simulate Kubernetes for validation purposes.RF classifier has shown better outcomes(99.90%accuracy)than other classifiers in detecting anomalies/intrusions in the containerized environment.

Automated Machine Learning Algorithm Using Recurrent Neural Network to Perform Long-Term Time Series Forecasting

Long-term time series forecasting stands as a crucial research domain within the realm of automated machine learning(AutoML).At present,forecasting,whether rooted in machine learning or statistical learning,typically relies on expert input and necessitates substantial manual involvement.This manual effort spans model development,feature engineering,hyper-parameter tuning,and the intricate construction of time series models.The complexity of these tasks renders complete automation unfeasible,as they inherently demand human intervention at multiple junctures.To surmount these challenges,this article proposes leveraging Long Short-Term Memory,which is the variant of Recurrent Neural Networks,harnessing memory cells and gating mechanisms to facilitate long-term time series prediction.However,forecasting accuracy by particular neural network and traditional models can degrade significantly,when addressing long-term time-series tasks.Therefore,our research demonstrates that this innovative approach outperforms the traditional Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average(ARIMA)method in forecasting long-term univariate time series.ARIMA is a high-quality and competitive model in time series prediction,and yet it requires significant preprocessing efforts.Using multiple accuracy metrics,we have evaluated both ARIMA and proposed method on the simulated time-series data and real data in both short and long term.Furthermore,our findings indicate its superiority over alternative network architectures,including Fully Connected Neural Networks,Convolutional Neural Networks,and Nonpooling Convolutional Neural Networks.Our AutoML approach enables non-professional to attain highly accurate and effective time series forecasting,and can be widely applied to various domains,particularly in business and finance.

Energy-Efficient Traffic Offloading for RSMA-Based Hybrid Satellite Terrestrial Networks with Deep Reinforcement Learning

As the demands of massive connections and vast coverage rapidly grow in the next wireless communication networks, rate splitting multiple access(RSMA) is considered to be the new promising access scheme since it can provide higher efficiency with limited spectrum resources. In this paper, combining spectrum splitting with rate splitting, we propose to allocate resources with traffic offloading in hybrid satellite terrestrial networks. A novel deep reinforcement learning method is adopted to solve this challenging non-convex problem. However, the neverending learning process could prohibit its practical implementation. Therefore, we introduce the switch mechanism to avoid unnecessary learning. Additionally, the QoS constraint in the scheme can rule out unsuccessful transmission. The simulation results validates the energy efficiency performance and the convergence speed of the proposed algorithm.

Decentralized Semi-Supervised Learning for Stochastic Configuration Networks Based on the Mean Teacher Method

The aim of this paper is to broaden the application of Stochastic Configuration Network (SCN) in the semi-supervised domain by utilizing common unlabeled data in daily life. It can enhance the classification accuracy of decentralized SCN algorithms while effectively protecting user privacy. To this end, we propose a decentralized semi-supervised learning algorithm for SCN, called DMT-SCN, which introduces teacher and student models by combining the idea of consistency regularization to improve the response speed of model iterations. In order to reduce the possible negative impact of unsupervised data on the model, we purposely change the way of adding noise to the unlabeled data. Simulation results show that the algorithm can effectively utilize unlabeled data to improve the classification accuracy of SCN training and is robust under different ground simulation environments.

Machine Learning Models for Heterogenous Network Security Anomaly Detection

The increasing amount and intricacy of network traffic in the modern digital era have worsened the difficulty of identifying abnormal behaviours that may indicate potential security breaches or operational interruptions. Conventional detection approaches face challenges in keeping up with the ever-changing strategies of cyber-attacks, resulting in heightened susceptibility and significant harm to network infrastructures. In order to tackle this urgent issue, this project focused on developing an effective anomaly detection system that utilizes Machine Learning technology. The suggested model utilizes contemporary machine learning algorithms and frameworks to autonomously detect deviations from typical network behaviour. It promptly identifies anomalous activities that may indicate security breaches or performance difficulties. The solution entails a multi-faceted approach encompassing data collection, preprocessing, feature engineering, model training, and evaluation. By utilizing machine learning methods, the model is trained on a wide range of datasets that include both regular and abnormal network traffic patterns. This training ensures that the model can adapt to numerous scenarios. The main priority is to ensure that the system is functional and efficient, with a particular emphasis on reducing false positives to avoid unwanted alerts. Additionally, efforts are directed on improving anomaly detection accuracy so that the model can consistently distinguish between potentially harmful and benign activity. This project aims to greatly strengthen network security by addressing emerging cyber threats and improving their resilience and reliability.

Application of Bayesian Analysis Based on Neural Network and Deep Learning in Data Visualization

This study aims to explore the application of Bayesian analysis based on neural networks and deep learning in data visualization.The research background is that with the increasing amount and complexity of data,traditional data analysis methods have been unable to meet the needs.Research methods include building neural networks and deep learning models,optimizing and improving them through Bayesian analysis,and applying them to the visualization of large-scale data sets.The results show that the neural network combined with Bayesian analysis and deep learning method can effectively improve the accuracy and efficiency of data visualization,and enhance the intuitiveness and depth of data interpretation.The significance of the research is that it provides a new solution for data visualization in the big data environment and helps to further promote the development and application of data science.

A Deep Learning Approach for Forecasting Thunderstorm Gusts in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

Thunderstorm gusts are a common form of severe convective weather in the warm season in North China,and it is of great importance to correctly forecast them.At present,the forecasting of thunderstorm gusts is mainly based on traditional subjective methods,which fails to achieve high-resolution and high-frequency gridded forecasts based on multiple observation sources.In this paper,we propose a deep learning method called Thunderstorm Gusts TransU-net(TGTransUnet)to forecast thunderstorm gusts in North China based on multi-source gridded product data from the Institute of Urban Meteorology(IUM)with a lead time of 1 to 6 h.To determine the specific range of thunderstorm gusts,we combine three meteorological variables:radar reflectivity factor,lightning location,and 1-h maximum instantaneous wind speed from automatic weather stations(AWSs),and obtain a reasonable ground truth of thunderstorm gusts.Then,we transform the forecasting problem into an image-to-image problem in deep learning under the TG-TransUnet architecture,which is based on convolutional neural networks and a transformer.The analysis and forecast data of the enriched multi-source gridded comprehensive forecasting system for the period 2021–23 are then used as training,validation,and testing datasets.Finally,the performance of TG-TransUnet is compared with other methods.The results show that TG-TransUnet has the best prediction results at 1–6 h.The IUM is currently using this model to support the forecasting of thunderstorm gusts in North China.

Recent Progress in Reinforcement Learning and Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Advanced Control Applications

Reinforcement learning(RL) has roots in dynamic programming and it is called adaptive/approximate dynamic programming(ADP) within the control community. This paper reviews recent developments in ADP along with RL and its applications to various advanced control fields. First, the background of the development of ADP is described, emphasizing the significance of regulation and tracking control problems. Some effective offline and online algorithms for ADP/adaptive critic control are displayed, where the main results towards discrete-time systems and continuous-time systems are surveyed, respectively.Then, the research progress on adaptive critic control based on the event-triggered framework and under uncertain environment is discussed, respectively, where event-based design, robust stabilization, and game design are reviewed. Moreover, the extensions of ADP for addressing control problems under complex environment attract enormous attention. The ADP architecture is revisited under the perspective of data-driven and RL frameworks,showing how they promote ADP formulation significantly.Finally, several typical control applications with respect to RL and ADP are summarized, particularly in the fields of wastewater treatment processes and power systems, followed by some general prospects for future research. Overall, the comprehensive survey on ADP and RL for advanced control applications has d emonstrated its remarkable potential within the artificial intelligence era. In addition, it also plays a vital role in promoting environmental protection and industrial intelligence.

基于Q-Learning的分簇无线传感网信任管理机制

针对无线传感器网络中存在的安全问题,提出了基于Q-Learning的分簇无线传感网信任管理机制(Q-learning based trust management mechanism for clustered wireless sensor networks,QLTMM-CWSN).该机制主要考虑通信信任、数据信任和能量信任3个方面.在网络运行过程中,基于节点的通信行为、数据分布和能量消耗,使用Q-Learning算法更新节点信任值,并选择簇内信任值最高的节点作为可信簇头节点.当簇中主簇头节点的信任值低于阈值时,可信簇头节点代替主簇头节点管理簇内成员节点,维护正常的数据传输.研究结果表明,QLTMM-CWSN机制能有效抵御通信攻击、伪造本地数据攻击、能量攻击和混合攻击.

Machine Learning Techniques Using Deep Instinctive Encoder-Based Feature Extraction for Optimized Breast Cancer Detection

Breast cancer(BC)is one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide,as it has emerged as the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in women.Early detection and effective treatment of BC can help save women’s lives.Developing an efficient technology-based detection system can lead to non-destructive and preliminary cancer detection techniques.This paper proposes a comprehensive framework that can effectively diagnose cancerous cells from benign cells using the Curated Breast Imaging Subset of the Digital Database for Screening Mammography(CBIS-DDSM)data set.The novelty of the proposed framework lies in the integration of various techniques,where the fusion of deep learning(DL),traditional machine learning(ML)techniques,and enhanced classification models have been deployed using the curated dataset.The analysis outcome proves that the proposed enhanced RF(ERF),enhanced DT(EDT)and enhanced LR(ELR)models for BC detection outperformed most of the existing models with impressive results.