Combining deep reinforcement learning with heuristics to solve the traveling salesman problem

Recent studies employing deep learning to solve the traveling salesman problem(TSP)have mainly focused on learning construction heuristics.Such methods can improve TSP solutions,but still depend on additional programs.However,methods that focus on learning improvement heuristics to iteratively refine solutions remain insufficient.Traditional improvement heuristics are guided by a manually designed search strategy and may only achieve limited improvements.This paper proposes a novel framework for learning improvement heuristics,which automatically discovers better improvement policies for heuristics to iteratively solve the TSP.Our framework first designs a new architecture based on a transformer model to make the policy network parameterized,which introduces an action-dropout layer to prevent action selection from overfitting.It then proposes a deep reinforcement learning approach integrating a simulated annealing mechanism(named RL-SA)to learn the pairwise selected policy,aiming to improve the 2-opt algorithm's performance.The RL-SA leverages the whale optimization algorithm to generate initial solutions for better sampling efficiency and uses the Gaussian perturbation strategy to tackle the sparse reward problem of reinforcement learning.The experiment results show that the proposed approach is significantly superior to the state-of-the-art learning-based methods,and further reduces the gap between learning-based methods and highly optimized solvers in the benchmark datasets.Moreover,our pre-trained model M can be applied to guide the SA algorithm(named M-SA(ours)),which performs better than existing deep models in small-,medium-,and large-scale TSPLIB datasets.Additionally,the M-SA(ours)achieves excellent generalization performance in a real-world dataset on global liner shipping routes,with the optimization percentages in distance reduction ranging from3.52%to 17.99%.

Association of preschool children behavior and emotional problems with the parenting behavior of both parents

BACKGROUND Parental behaviors are key in shaping children’s psychological and behavioral development,crucial for early identification and prevention of mental health issues,reducing psychological trauma in childhood.AIM To investigate the relationship between parenting behaviors and behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.METHODS From October 2017 to May 2018,7 kindergartens in Ma’anshan City were selected to conduct a parent self-filled questionnaire-Health Development Survey of Preschool Children.Children’s Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire(Parent Version)was applied to measures the children’s behavioral and emotional performance.Parenting behavior was evaluated using the Parental Behavior Inventory.Binomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between the detection rate of preschool children’s behavior and emotional problems and their parenting behaviors.RESULTS High level of parental support/participation was negatively correlated with conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal total difficulty scores and abnormal prosocial behavior problems.High level of maternal support/participation was negatively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms and abnormal peer interaction in children.High level of parental hostility/coercion was positively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms,abnormal conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal peer interaction,and abnormal total difficulty scores in children(all P<0.05).Moreover,paternal parenting behaviors had similarly effects on behavior and emotional problems of preschool children compared with maternal parenting behaviors(all P>0.05),after calculating ratio of odds ratio values.CONCLUSION Our study found that parenting behaviors are associated with behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.Overall,the more supportive or involved the parents are,the fewer behavioral and emotional problems the children experience;conversely,the more hostile or controlling the parents are,the more behavioral and emotional problems the children face.Moreover,the impact of fathers’parenting behaviors on preschool children’s behavior and emotions is no less significant than that of mothers’parenting behaviors.

Optimal Shape Factor and Fictitious Radius in the MQ-RBF:Solving Ill-Posed Laplacian Problems

To solve the Laplacian problems,we adopt a meshless method with the multiquadric radial basis function(MQRBF)as a basis whose center is distributed inside a circle with a fictitious radius.A maximal projection technique is developed to identify the optimal shape factor and fictitious radius by minimizing a merit function.A sample function is interpolated by theMQ-RBF to provide a trial coefficient vector to compute the merit function.We can quickly determine the optimal values of the parameters within a preferred rage using the golden section search algorithm.The novel method provides the optimal values of parameters and,hence,an optimal MQ-RBF;the performance of the method is validated in numerical examples.Moreover,nonharmonic problems are transformed to the Poisson equation endowed with a homogeneous boundary condition;this can overcome the problem of these problems being ill-posed.The optimal MQ-RBF is extremely accurate.We further propose a novel optimal polynomial method to solve the nonharmonic problems,which achieves high precision up to an order of 10^(−11).

ON THE CAUCHY PROBLEM FOR THE GENERALIZED BOUSSINESQ EQUATION WITH A DAMPED TERM

This paper is devoted to the Cauchy problem for the generalized damped Boussinesq equation with a nonlinear source term in the natural energy space.With the help of linear time-space estimates,we establish the local existence and uniqueness of solutions by means of the contraction mapping principle.The global existence and blow-up of the solutions at both subcritical and critical initial energy levels are obtained.Moreover,we construct the sufficient conditions of finite time blow-up of the solutions with arbitrary positive initial energy.

Problematic Use of Video Games in Schools in Northern Benin (2023)

Objective: To study the problematic use of video games among secondary school students in the city of Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the commune of Parakou from December 2022 to July 2023. The study population consisted of students regularly enrolled in public and private secondary schools in the city of Parakou for the 2022-2023 academic year. A two-stage non-proportional stratified sampling technique combined with simple random sampling was adopted. The Problem Video Game Playing (PVP) scale was used to assess problem gambling in the study population, while anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: A total of 1030 students were included. The mean age of the pupils surveyed was 15.06 ± 2.68 years, with extremes of 10 and 28 years. The [13 - 18] age group was the most represented, with a proportion of 59.6% (614) in the general population. Females predominated, at 52.8% (544), with a sex ratio of 0.89. The prevalence of problematic video game use was 24.9%, measured using the Video Game Playing scale. Associated factors were male gender (p = 0.005), pocket money under 10,000 cfa (p = 0.001) and between 20,000 - 90,000 cfa (p = 0.030), addictive family behavior (p < 0.001), monogamous family (p = 0.023), good relationship with father (p = 0.020), organization of video game competitions (p = 0.001) and definite anxiety (p Conclusion: Substance-free addiction is struggling to attract the attention it deserves, as it did in its infancy everywhere else. This study complements existing data and serves as a reminder of the need to focus on this group of addictions, whose problematic use of video games remains the most frequent due to its accessibility and social tolerance. Preventive action combined with curative measures remains the most effective means of combating the problem at national level.

A Multi-Baseline PolInSAR Forest Height Inversion Method Taking into Account the Model Ill-posed Problem

Affected by the insufficient information of single baseline observation data,the three-stage method assumes the Ground-to-Volume Ratio(GVR)to be zero so as to invert the vegetation height.However,this assumption introduces much biases into the parameter estimates which greatly limits the accuracy of the vegetation height inversion.Multi-baseline observation can provide redundant information and is helpful for the inversion of GVR.Nevertheless,the similar model parameter values in a multi-baseline model often lead to ill-posed problems and reduce the inversion accuracy of conventional algorithm.To this end,we propose a new step-by-step inversion method applied to the multi-baseline observations.Firstly,an adjustment inversion model is constructed by using multi-baseline volume scattering dominant polarization data,and the regularized estimates of model parameters are obtained by regularization method.Then,the reliable estimates of GVR are determined by the MSE(mean square error)analysis of each regularized parameter estimation.Secondly,the estimated GVR is used to extracts the pure volume coherence,and then the vegetation height parameter is inverted from the pure volume coherence by least squares estimation.The experimental results show that the new method can improve the vegetation height inversion result effectively.The inversion accuracy is improved by 26%with respect to the three-stage method and the conventional solution of multi-baseline.All of these have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the new method.

Enriched Constant Elements in the Boundary Element Method for Solving 2D Acoustic Problems at Higher Frequencies

The boundary element method(BEM)is a popular method for solving acoustic wave propagation problems,especially those in exterior domains,owing to its ease in handling radiation conditions at infinity.However,BEM models must meet the requirement of 6–10 elements per wavelength,using the conventional constant,linear,or quadratic elements.Therefore,a large storage size of memory and long solution time are often needed in solving higher-frequency problems.In this work,we propose two new types of enriched elements based on conventional constant boundary elements to improve the computational efficiency of the 2D acoustic BEM.The first one uses a plane wave expansion,which can be used to model scattering problems.The second one uses a special plane wave expansion,which can be used tomodel radiation problems.Five examples are investigated to showthe advantages of the enriched elements.Compared with the conventional constant elements,the new enriched elements can deliver results with the same accuracy and in less computational time.This improvement in the computational efficiency is more evident at higher frequencies(with the nondimensional wave numbers exceeding 100).The paper concludes with the potential of our proposed enriched elements and plans for their further improvement.

A Numerical Study of Riemann Problem Solutions for the Homogeneous One-Dimensional Shallow Water Equations

The solution of the Riemann Problem (RP) for the one-dimensional (1D) non-linear Shallow Water Equations (SWEs) is known to produce four potential wave patterns for the scenario where the water depth is always positive. In this paper, we choose four test problems with exact solutions for the 1D SWEs. Each test problem is a RP with one of the four possible wave patterns as its solution. These problems are numerically solved using schemes from the family of Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO) methods. For comparison purposes, we also include results obtained from the Random Choice Method (RCM). This study has three main objectives. Firstly, we outline the procedures for the implementation of the methods employed in this paper. Secondly, we assess the performance of the schemes in conjunction with a second-order Total Variation Diminishing (TVD) flux on a variety of RPs for the 1D SWEs (for both short- and long-time simulations). Thirdly, we investigate if a single method yields optimal outcomes for all test problems. Optimal outcomes refer to numerical solutions devoid of spurious oscillations, exhibiting high resolution of discontinuities, and attaining high-order accuracy in the smooth parts of the solution.

Riemann–Hilbert problem for the defocusing Lakshmanan–Porsezian–Daniel equation with fully asymmetric nonzero boundary conditions

The Riemann–Hilbert approach is demonstrated to investigate the defocusing Lakshmanan–Porsezian–Daniel equation under fully asymmetric nonzero boundary conditions.In contrast to the symmetry case,this paper focuses on the branch points related to the scattering problem rather than using the Riemann surfaces.For the direct problem,we analyze the Jost solution of lax pairs and some properties of scattering matrix,including two kinds of symmetries.The inverse problem at branch points can be presented,corresponding to the associated Riemann–Hilbert.Moreover,we investigate the time evolution problem and estimate the value of solving the solutions by Jost function.For the inverse problem,we construct it as a Riemann–Hilbert problem and formulate the reconstruction formula for the defocusing Lakshmanan–Porsezian–Daniel equation.The solutions of the Riemann–Hilbert problem can be constructed by estimating the solutions.Finally,we work out the solutions under fully asymmetric nonzero boundary conditions precisely via utilizing the Sokhotski–Plemelj formula and the square of the negative column transformation with the assistance of Riemann surfaces.These results are valuable for understanding physical phenomena and developing further applications of optical problems.

The UNIFORM C^(0)ESTIMATE AND WEIGHTED ESTIMATE OF GENERALIZED CHRISTOFFEL-MINKOWSKI PROBLEMS

In this paper,we consider generalized Christo®el-Minkowski problems as followsσ_(k)(u_(ij)+uδ_(ij))/σ_(l)(u_(ij)+uδ_(ij))=|u^(p-1)f(x),x∈S^(n),where 0≤l≤k≤n,p-1>0 and f is positive,and we establish the weighted gradient estimate and uniform C^(0)estimate for the positive convex even solutions,which is a generalization of Guan-Xia[1]and Guan[2].

THE RIEMANN PROBLEM FOR ISENTROPIC COMPRESSIBLE EULER EQUATIONS WITH DISCONTINUOUS FLUX

We consider the singular Riemann problem for the rectilinear isentropic compressible Euler equations with discontinuous flux,more specifically,for pressureless flow on the left and polytropic flow on the right separated by a discontinuity x=x(t).We prove that this problem admits global Radon measure solutions for all kinds of initial data.The over-compressing condition on the discontinuity x=x(t)is not enough to ensure the uniqueness of the solution.However,there is a unique piecewise smooth solution if one proposes a slip condition on the right-side of the curve x=x(t)+0,in addition to the full adhesion condition on its left-side.As an application,we study a free piston problem with the piston in a tube surrounded initially by uniform pressureless flow and a polytropic gas.In particular,we obtain the existence of a piecewise smooth solution for the motion of the piston between a vacuum and a polytropic gas.This indicates that the singular Riemann problem looks like a control problem in the sense that one could adjust the condition on the discontinuity of the flux to obtain the desired flow field.

On the Method of Solution for the Non-Homogeneous Generalized Riemann-Hilbert Boundary Value Problems

This paper studies the non-homogeneous generalized Riemann-Hilbert(RH)problems involving two unknown functions.Using the uniformization theorem,such problems are transformed into the case of homogeneous type.By the theory of classical boundary value problems,we adopt a novel method to obtain the sectionally analytic solutions of problems in strip domains,and analyze the conditions of solvability and properties of solutions in various domains.

Problem-solving model guided by stimulus-organism-response theory:State of mind and coping styles of depressed mothers after cesarean delivery

BACKGROUND The use of a problem-solving model guided by stimulus-organism-response(SOR)theory for women with postpartum depression after cesarean delivery may inform nursing interventions for women with postpartum depression.AIM To explore the state of mind and coping style of women with depression after cesarean delivery guided by SOR theory.METHODS Eighty postpartum depressed women with cesarean delivery admitted to the hospital between January 2022 and October 2023 were selected and divided into two groups of 40 cases each,according to the random number table method.In the control group,the observation group adopted the problem-solving nursing model under SOR theory.The two groups were consecutively intervened for 12 weeks,and the state of mind,coping styles,and degree of post-partum depression were analyzed at the end of the intervention.RESULTS The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale-24-item scores of the observation group were lower than in the control group after care,and the level of improvement in the state of mind was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).The level of coping with illness in the observation group after care(26.48±3.35)was higher than that in the control group(21.73±3.20),and the level of avoidance(12.04±2.68)and submission(8.14±1.15)was lower than that in the control group(15.75±2.69 and 9.95±1.20),with significant differences(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Adopting the problem-solving nursing model using SOR theory for postpartum depressed mothers after cesarean delivery reduced maternal depression,improved their state of mind,and coping level with illness.

An 8-Node Plane Hybrid Element for StructuralMechanics Problems Based on the Hellinger-Reissner Variational Principle

The finite element method (FEM) plays a valuable role in computer modeling and is beneficial to the mechanicaldesign of various structural parts. However, the elements produced by conventional FEM are easily inaccurate andunstable when applied. Therefore, developing new elements within the framework of the generalized variationalprinciple is of great significance. In this paper, an 8-node plane hybrid finite element with 15 parameters (PHQ8-15β) is developed for structural mechanics problems based on the Hellinger-Reissner variational principle.According to the design principle of Pian, 15 unknown parameters are adopted in the selection of stress modes toavoid the zero energy modes.Meanwhile, the stress functions within each element satisfy both the equilibrium andthe compatibility relations of plane stress problems. Subsequently, numerical examples are presented to illustrate theeffectiveness and robustness of the proposed finite element. Numerical results show that various common lockingbehaviors of plane elements can be overcome. The PH-Q8-15β element has excellent performance in all benchmarkproblems, especially for structures with varying cross sections. Furthermore, in bending problems, the reasonablemesh shape of the new element for curved edge structures is analyzed in detail, which can be a useful means toimprove numerical accuracy.

THE WEIGHTED KATO SQUARE ROOT PROBLEMOF ELLIPTIC OPERATORS HAVING A BMOANTI-SYMMETRICPART

Let n≥2 and let L be a second-order elliptic operator of divergence form with coefficients consisting of both an elliptic symmetric part and a BMO anti-symmetric part in ℝ^(n).In this article,we consider the weighted Kato square root problem for L.More precisely,we prove that the square root L^(1/2)satisfies the weighted L^(p)estimates||L^(1/2)(f)||L_(ω)^p(R^(n))≤C||■f||L_(ω)^p(R^(n);R^(n))for any p∈(1,∞)andω∈Ap(ℝ^(n))(the class of Muckenhoupt weights),and that||■f||L_(ω)^p(R^(n);R^(n))≤C||L^(1/2)(f)||L_(ω)^p(R^(n))for any p∈(1,2+ε)andω∈Ap(ℝ^(n))∩RH_(2+ε/p),(R^(n))(the class of reverse Hölder weights),whereε∈(0,∞)is a constant depending only on n and the operator L,and where(2+ε/p)'denotes the Hölder conjugate exponent of 2+ε/p.Moreover,for any given q∈(2,∞),we give a sufficient condition to obtain that||■f||L_(ω)^p(R^(n);R^(n))≤C||L^(1/2)(f)||L_(ω)^p(R^(n))for any p∈(1,q)andω∈A_(p)(R^(n))∩pRH_(q/p),(R^(n)).As an application,we prove that when the coefficient matrix A that appears in L satisfies the small BMO condition,the Riesz transform∇L^(−1/2)is bounded on L_(ω)^(p)(ℝ^(n))for any given p∈(1,∞)andω∈Ap(ℝ^(n)).Furthermore,applications to the weighted L^(2)-regularity problem with the Dirichlet or the Neumann boundary condition are also given.

Appropriate Combination of Crossover Operator and Mutation Operator in Genetic Algorithms for the Travelling Salesman Problem

Genetic algorithms(GAs)are very good metaheuristic algorithms that are suitable for solving NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems.AsimpleGAbeginswith a set of solutions represented by a population of chromosomes and then uses the idea of survival of the fittest in the selection process to select some fitter chromosomes.It uses a crossover operator to create better offspring chromosomes and thus,converges the population.Also,it uses a mutation operator to explore the unexplored areas by the crossover operator,and thus,diversifies the GA search space.A combination of crossover and mutation operators makes the GA search strong enough to reach the optimal solution.However,appropriate selection and combination of crossover operator and mutation operator can lead to a very good GA for solving an optimization problem.In this present paper,we aim to study the benchmark traveling salesman problem(TSP).We developed several genetic algorithms using seven crossover operators and six mutation operators for the TSP and then compared them to some benchmark TSPLIB instances.The experimental studies show the effectiveness of the combination of a comprehensive sequential constructive crossover operator and insertion mutation operator for the problem.The GA using the comprehensive sequential constructive crossover with insertion mutation could find average solutions whose average percentage of excesses from the best-known solutions are between 0.22 and 14.94 for our experimented problem instances.

Solving the Generalized Traveling Salesman Problem Using Sequential Constructive Crossover Operator in Genetic Algorithm

The generalized travelling salesman problem(GTSP),a generalization of the well-known travelling salesman problem(TSP),is considered for our study.Since the GTSP is NP-hard and very complex,finding exact solutions is highly expensive,we will develop genetic algorithms(GAs)to obtain heuristic solutions to the problem.In GAs,as the crossover is a very important process,the crossovermethods proposed for the traditional TSP could be adapted for the GTSP.The sequential constructive crossover(SCX)and three other operators are adapted to use in GAs to solve the GTSP.The effectiveness of GA using SCX is verified on some GTSP Library(GTSPLIB)instances first and then compared against GAs using the other crossover methods.The computational results show the success of the GA using SCX for this problem.Our proposed GA using SCX,and swap mutation could find average solutions whose average percentage of excesses fromthe best-known solutions is between 0.00 and 14.07 for our investigated instances.

A Novel Insertion Solution for the Travelling Salesman Problem

The studypresents theHalfMax InsertionHeuristic (HMIH) as a novel approach to solving theTravelling SalesmanProblem (TSP). The goal is to outperform existing techniques such as the Farthest Insertion Heuristic (FIH) andNearest Neighbour Heuristic (NNH). The paper discusses the limitations of current construction tour heuristics,focusing particularly on the significant margin of error in FIH. It then proposes HMIH as an alternative thatminimizes the increase in tour distance and includes more nodes. HMIH improves tour quality by starting withan initial tour consisting of a ‘minimum’ polygon and iteratively adding nodes using our novel Half Max routine.The paper thoroughly examines and compares HMIH with FIH and NNH via rigorous testing on standard TSPbenchmarks. The results indicate that HMIH consistently delivers superior performance, particularly with respectto tour cost and computational efficiency. HMIH’s tours were sometimes 16% shorter than those generated by FIHand NNH, showcasing its potential and value as a novel benchmark for TSP solutions. The study used statisticalmethods, including Friedman’s Non-parametric Test, to validate the performance of HMIH over FIH and NNH.This guarantees that the identified advantages are statistically significant and consistent in various situations. Thiscomprehensive analysis emphasizes the reliability and efficiency of the heuristic, making a compelling case for itsuse in solving TSP issues. The research shows that, in general, HMIH fared better than FIH in all cases studied,except for a few instances (pr439, eil51, and eil101) where FIH either performed equally or slightly better thanHMIH. HMIH’s efficiency is shown by its improvements in error percentage (δ) and goodness values (g) comparedto FIH and NNH. In the att48 instance, HMIH had an error rate of 6.3%, whereas FIH had 14.6% and NNH had20.9%, indicating that HMIH was closer to the optimal solution. HMIH consistently showed superior performanceacross many benchmarks, with lower percentage error and higher goodness values, suggesting a closer match tothe optimal tour costs. This study substantially contributes to combinatorial optimization by enhancing currentinsertion algorithms and presenting a more efficient solution for the Travelling Salesman Problem. It also createsnew possibilities for progress in heuristic design and optimization methodologies.

A SINGULAR DIRICHLET PROBLEM FOR THE MONGE-AMPÈRE TYPE EQUATION

We consider the singular Dirichlet problem for the Monge-Ampère type equation■=0,whereΩis a strictly convex and bounded smooth domain in■is positive and strictly decreasing in(0,∞)with■is positive inΩ.We obtain the existence,nonexistence and global asymptotic behavior of the convex solution to such a problem for more general b and g.Our approach is based on the Karamata regular variation theory and the construction of suitable sub-and super-solutions.

The Demographic Problem in Greece:Consequences and Solutions

Globally,population dynamics are shifting towards increased life expectancy,and many countries,including Greece,face significant demographic challenges.Greece is particularly impacted by one of the lowest birth rates in the world and a rapidly aging population.This demographic shift places unprecedented pressure on the nation’s pension systems and economic stability,as more people retire than enter the workforce.This study aims to explore the historical factors contributing to Greece’s demographic situation,analyze the consequences of current trends,and propose strategic solutions.The research utilizes a literature review approach and the case study of Greece to understand the depth and breadth of the demographic crisis.Key areas of focus include the declining birth rate,the economic implications of an aging population,and the potential of migration and policy reform to rejuvenate demographic dynamics.The study evaluates various policy interventions from other countries to propose a tailored,multi-faceted strategy for Greece.These strategies emphasize economic incentives for young families,improved childcare and parental support,healthcare investment,and inclusive migration policies to enhance workforce numbers.This comprehensive approach seeks to provide actionable insights that can help Greece mitigate the effects of demographic decline and foster a more sustainable future,aligning policy interventions with socio-economic and cultural realities.