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Algorithms, Volume 9, Issue 4 (December 2016) – 27 articles

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798 KiB  
Article
Which, When, and How: Hierarchical Clustering with Human–Machine Cooperation
by Huanyang Zheng and Jie Wu
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040088 - 21 Dec 2016
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4068
Abstract
Human–Machine Cooperations (HMCs) can balance the advantages and disadvantages of human computation (accurate but costly) and machine computation (cheap but inaccurate). This paper studies HMCs in agglomerative hierarchical clusterings, where the machine can ask the human some questions. The human will return the [...] Read more.
Human–Machine Cooperations (HMCs) can balance the advantages and disadvantages of human computation (accurate but costly) and machine computation (cheap but inaccurate). This paper studies HMCs in agglomerative hierarchical clusterings, where the machine can ask the human some questions. The human will return the answers to the machine, and the machine will use these answers to correct errors in its current clustering results. We are interested in the machine’s strategy on handling the question operations, in terms of three problems: (1) Which question should the machine ask? (2) When should the machine ask the question (early or late)? (3) How does the machine adjust the clustering result, if the machine’s mistake is found by the human? Based on the insights of these problems, an efficient algorithm is proposed with five implementation variations. Experiments on image clusterings show that the proposed algorithm can improve the clustering accuracy with few question operations. Full article
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6425 KiB  
Article
A No Reference Image Quality Assessment Metric Based on Visual Perception
by Yan Fu and Shengchun Wang
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040087 - 16 Dec 2016
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6096 | Correction
Abstract
Nowadays, how to evaluate image quality reasonably is a basic and challenging problem. In view of the present no reference evaluation methods, they cannot reflect the human visual perception of image quality accurately. In this paper, we propose an efficient general-purpose no reference [...] Read more.
Nowadays, how to evaluate image quality reasonably is a basic and challenging problem. In view of the present no reference evaluation methods, they cannot reflect the human visual perception of image quality accurately. In this paper, we propose an efficient general-purpose no reference image quality assessment (NRIQA) method based on visual perception, and effectively integrates human visual characteristics into the NRIQA fields. First, a novel algorithm for salient region extraction is presented. Two characteristics graphs of texture and edging of the original image are added to the Itti model. Due to the normalized luminance coefficients of natural images obey the generalized Gauss probability distribution, we utilize this characteristic to extract statistical features in the regions of interest (ROI) and regions of non-interest respectively. Then, the extracted features are fused to be an input to establish the support vector regression (SVR) model. Finally, the IQA model obtained by training is used to predict the quality of the image. Experimental results show that this method has good predictive ability, and the evaluation effect is better than existing classical algorithms. Moreover, the predicted results are more consistent with human subjective perception, which can accurately reflect the human visual perception to image quality. Full article
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385 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Cloud Services: A Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Group Decision Making Method
by Santoso Wibowo, Hepu Deng and Wei Xu
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040084 - 16 Dec 2016
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4790
Abstract
This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making method for evaluating the performance of Cloud services in an uncertain environment. Intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are used to better model the subjectivity and imprecision in the performance evaluation process. An effective algorithm is developed [...] Read more.
This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making method for evaluating the performance of Cloud services in an uncertain environment. Intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are used to better model the subjectivity and imprecision in the performance evaluation process. An effective algorithm is developed based on the technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution and the Choquet integral operator for adequately solving the performance evaluation problem. An example is presented for demonstrating the applicability of the proposed method for solving the multi-criteria group decision making problem in real situations. Full article
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405 KiB  
Article
Moving Mesh Strategies of Adaptive Methods for Solving Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations
by Qinjiao Gao and Shenggang Zhang
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040086 - 15 Dec 2016
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3894
Abstract
This paper proposes moving mesh strategies for the moving mesh methods when solving the nonlinear time dependent partial differential equations (PDEs). Firstly we analyse Huang’s moving mesh PDEs (MMPDEs) and observe that, after Euler discretion they could be taken as one step of [...] Read more.
This paper proposes moving mesh strategies for the moving mesh methods when solving the nonlinear time dependent partial differential equations (PDEs). Firstly we analyse Huang’s moving mesh PDEs (MMPDEs) and observe that, after Euler discretion they could be taken as one step of the root searching iteration methods. We improve Huang’s MMPDE by adding one Lagrange speed term. The proposed moving mesh PDE could draw the mesh to equidistribution quickly and stably. The numerical algorithm for the coupled system of the original PDE and the moving mesh equation is proposed and the computational experiments are given to illustrate the validity of the new method. Full article
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1675 KiB  
Article
A Differentiated Anonymity Algorithm for Social Network Privacy Preservation
by Yuqin Xie and Mingchun Zheng
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040085 - 14 Dec 2016
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4225
Abstract
Devising methods to publish social network data in a form that affords utility without compromising privacy remains a longstanding challenge, while many existing methods based on k-anonymity algorithms on social networks may result in nontrivial utility loss without analyzing the social network [...] Read more.
Devising methods to publish social network data in a form that affords utility without compromising privacy remains a longstanding challenge, while many existing methods based on k-anonymity algorithms on social networks may result in nontrivial utility loss without analyzing the social network topological structure and without considering the attributes of sparse distribution. Toward this objective, we explore the impact of the attributes of sparse distribution on data utility. Firstly, we propose a new utility metric that emphasizes network structure distortion and attribute value loss. Furthermore, we design and implement a differentiated k-anonymity l-diversity social network anonymity algorithm, which seeks to protect users’ privacy in social networks and increase the usability of the published anonymized data. Its key idea is that it divides a node into two child nodes and only anonymizes sensitive values to satisfy anonymity requirements. The evaluation results show that our method can effectively improve the data utility as compared to generalized anonymizing algorithms. Full article
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347 KiB  
Article
Nonsmooth Levenberg-Marquardt Type Method for Solving a Class of Stochastic Linear Complementarity Problems with Finitely Many Elements
by Zhimin Liu, Shouqiang Du and Ruiying Wang
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040083 - 06 Dec 2016
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3638
Abstract
Our purpose of this paper is to solve a class of stochastic linear complementarity problems (SLCP) with finitely many elements. Based on a new stochastic linear complementarity problem function, a new semi-smooth least squares reformulation of the stochastic linear complementarity problem is introduced. [...] Read more.
Our purpose of this paper is to solve a class of stochastic linear complementarity problems (SLCP) with finitely many elements. Based on a new stochastic linear complementarity problem function, a new semi-smooth least squares reformulation of the stochastic linear complementarity problem is introduced. For solving the semi-smooth least squares reformulation, we propose a feasible nonsmooth Levenberg–Marquardt-type method. The global convergence properties of the nonsmooth Levenberg–Marquardt-type method are also presented. Finally, the related numerical results illustrate that the proposed method is efficient for the related refinery production problem and the large-scale stochastic linear complementarity problems. Full article
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5765 KiB  
Article
Linear Algorithms for Radioelectric Spectrum Forecast
by Luis F. Pedraza, Cesar A. Hernandez, Ingrid P. Paez, Jorge E. Ortiz and E. Rodriguez-Colina
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040082 - 02 Dec 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3901
Abstract
This paper presents the development and evaluation of two linear algorithms for forecasting reception power for different channels at an assigned spectrum band of global systems for mobile communications (GSM), in order to analyze the spatial opportunity for reuse of frequencies by secondary [...] Read more.
This paper presents the development and evaluation of two linear algorithms for forecasting reception power for different channels at an assigned spectrum band of global systems for mobile communications (GSM), in order to analyze the spatial opportunity for reuse of frequencies by secondary users (SUs) in a cognitive radio (CR) network. The algorithms employed correspond to seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH), which allow for a forecast of channel occupancy status. Results are evaluated using the following criteria: availability and occupancy time for channels, different types of mean absolute error, and observation time. The contributions of this work include a more integral forecast as the algorithm not only forecasts reception power but also the occupancy and availability time of a channel to determine its precision percentage during the use by primary users (PUs) and SUs within a CR system. Algorithm analyses demonstrate a better performance for SARIMA over GARCH algorithm in most of the evaluated variables. Full article
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2430 KiB  
Article
Cross-Coupled Contouring Control of Multi-DOF Robotic Manipulator
by Puren Ouyang, Yuqi Hu, Wenhui Yue and Deshun Liu
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040081 - 24 Nov 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4930
Abstract
Reduction of contour error is a very important issue for high precise contour tracking applications, and many control systems were proposed to deal with contour tracking problems for two/three axial translational motion systems. However, there is no research on cross-coupled contour tracking control [...] Read more.
Reduction of contour error is a very important issue for high precise contour tracking applications, and many control systems were proposed to deal with contour tracking problems for two/three axial translational motion systems. However, there is no research on cross-coupled contour tracking control for serial multi-DOF robot manipulators. In this paper, the contouring control of multi-DOF serial manipulators is developed for the first time and a new cross-coupled PD (CC-PD) control law is proposed, based on contour errors of the end-effector and tracking errors of the joints. It is a combination of PD control for trajectory tracking at joint level and PD control for contour tracking at the end-effector level. The contour error of the end-effector is transformed to the equivalent tracking errors of the joints using the Jacobian regulation, and the CC-PD control law is implemented in the joint level. Stability analysis of the proposed CC-PD control system is conducted using the Lyapunov method, followed by some simulation studies for linear and nonlinear contour tracking to verify the effectiveness of the proposed CC-PD control system. Full article
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3238 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Load Forecasting Based on the Analysis of User Electricity Behavior
by Yuancheng Li, Panpan Guo and Xiang Li
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040080 - 23 Nov 2016
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6701
Abstract
The smart meter is an important part of the smart grid, and in order to take full advantage of smart meter data, this paper mines the electricity behaviors of smart meter users to improve the accuracy of load forecasting. First, the typical day [...] Read more.
The smart meter is an important part of the smart grid, and in order to take full advantage of smart meter data, this paper mines the electricity behaviors of smart meter users to improve the accuracy of load forecasting. First, the typical day loads of users are calculated separately according to different date types (ordinary workdays, day before holidays, holidays). Second, the similarity between user electricity behaviors is mined and the user electricity loads are clustered to classify the users with similar behaviors into the same cluster. Finally, the load forecasting model based on the Online Sequential Extreme Learning Machine (OS-ELM) is applied to different clusters to conduct load forecasting and the load forecast is summed to obtain the system load. In order to prove the validity of the proposed method, we performed simulation experiments on the MATLAB platform using smart meter data from the Ireland electric power cooperation. The experimental results show that the proposed method is able to mine the user electricity behaviors deeply, improve the accuracy of load forecasting by the reasonable clustering of users, and reveal the relationship between forecasting accuracy and cluster numbers. Full article
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1113 KiB  
Article
A Two-Stage Method to Test the Robustness of the Generalized Approximate Message Passing Algorithm
by Qingshan You, Yongjie Luo and Qun Wan
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040079 - 22 Nov 2016
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3744
Abstract
We propose a two-stage method to test the robustness of the generalized approximate message passing algorithm (GAMP). A pursuit process based on the marginal posterior probability is inserted in the standard GAMP algorithm to find the support of a sparse vector, and a [...] Read more.
We propose a two-stage method to test the robustness of the generalized approximate message passing algorithm (GAMP). A pursuit process based on the marginal posterior probability is inserted in the standard GAMP algorithm to find the support of a sparse vector, and a revised GAMP process is used to estimate the amplitudes of the support. The numerical experiments with simulation and real world data confirm the robustness and performance of our proposed algorithm. Full article
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811 KiB  
Article
A Modified Cloud Particles Differential Evolution Algorithm for Real-Parameter Optimization
by Wei Li
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040078 - 18 Nov 2016
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4177
Abstract
The issue of exploration-exploitation remains one of the most challenging tasks within the framework of evolutionary algorithms. To effectively balance the exploration and exploitation in the search space, this paper proposes a modified cloud particles differential evolution algorithm (MCPDE) for real-parameter optimization. In [...] Read more.
The issue of exploration-exploitation remains one of the most challenging tasks within the framework of evolutionary algorithms. To effectively balance the exploration and exploitation in the search space, this paper proposes a modified cloud particles differential evolution algorithm (MCPDE) for real-parameter optimization. In contrast to the original Cloud Particles Differential Evolution (CPDE) algorithm, firstly, control parameters adaptation strategies are designed according to the quality of the control parameters. Secondly, the inertia factor is introduced to effectively keep a better balance between exploration and exploitation. Accordingly, this is helpful for maintaining the diversity of the population and discouraging premature convergence. In addition, the opposition mechanism and the orthogonal crossover are used to increase the search ability during the evolutionary process. Finally, CEC2013 contest benchmark functions are selected to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed MCPDE is an effective method for global optimization problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metaheuristic Algorithms in Optimization and Applications)
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3237 KiB  
Review
Algorithms for Drug Sensitivity Prediction
by Carlos De Niz, Raziur Rahman, Xiangyuan Zhao and Ranadip Pal
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040077 - 17 Nov 2016
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 9643
Abstract
Precision medicine entails the design of therapies that are matched for each individual patient. Thus, predictive modeling of drug responses for specific patients constitutes a significant challenge for personalized therapy. In this article, we consider a review of approaches that have been proposed [...] Read more.
Precision medicine entails the design of therapies that are matched for each individual patient. Thus, predictive modeling of drug responses for specific patients constitutes a significant challenge for personalized therapy. In this article, we consider a review of approaches that have been proposed to tackle the drug sensitivity prediction problem especially with respect to personalized cancer therapy. We first discuss modeling approaches that are based on genomic characterizations alone and further the discussion by including modeling techniques that integrate both genomic and functional information. A comparative analysis of the prediction performance of four representative algorithms, elastic net, random forest, kernelized Bayesian multi-task learning and deep learning, reflecting the broad classes of regularized linear, ensemble, kernelized and neural network-based models, respectively, has been included in the paper. The review also considers the challenges that need to be addressed for successful implementation of the algorithms in clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Networks)
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459 KiB  
Article
A Modified Iterative Algorithm for Split Feasibility Problems of Right Bregman Strongly Quasi-Nonexpansive Mappings in Banach Spaces with Applications
by Anantachai Padcharoen, Poom Kumam, Yeol Je Cho and Phatiphat Thounthong
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040075 - 10 Nov 2016
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4361
Abstract
In this paper, we present a new iterative scheme for finding a common element of the solution set F of the split feasibility problem and the fixed point set F ( T ) of a right Bregman strongly quasi-nonexpansive mapping T in p [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present a new iterative scheme for finding a common element of the solution set F of the split feasibility problem and the fixed point set F ( T ) of a right Bregman strongly quasi-nonexpansive mapping T in p-uniformly convex Banach spaces which are also uniformly smooth. We prove strong convergence theorem of the sequences generated by our scheme under some appropriate conditions in real p-uniformly convex and uniformly smooth Banach spaces. Furthermore, we give some examples and applications to illustrate our main results in this paper. Our results extend and improve the recent ones of some others in the literature. Full article
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774 KiB  
Article
A Procedure for Identification of Appropriate State Space and ARIMA Models Based on Time-Series Cross-Validation
by Patrícia Ramos and José Manuel Oliveira
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040076 - 09 Nov 2016
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5051
Abstract
In this work, a cross-validation procedure is used to identify an appropriate Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model and an appropriate state space model for a time series. A minimum size for the training set is specified. The procedure is based on one-step forecasts [...] Read more.
In this work, a cross-validation procedure is used to identify an appropriate Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model and an appropriate state space model for a time series. A minimum size for the training set is specified. The procedure is based on one-step forecasts and uses different training sets, each containing one more observation than the previous one. All possible state space models and all ARIMA models where the orders are allowed to range reasonably are fitted considering raw data and log-transformed data with regular differencing (up to second order differences) and, if the time series is seasonal, seasonal differencing (up to first order differences). The value of root mean squared error for each model is calculated averaging the one-step forecasts obtained. The model which has the lowest root mean squared error value and passes the Ljung–Box test using all of the available data with a reasonable significance level is selected among all the ARIMA and state space models considered. The procedure is exemplified in this paper with a case study of retail sales of different categories of women’s footwear from a Portuguese retailer, and its accuracy is compared with three reliable forecasting approaches. The results show that our procedure consistently forecasts more accurately than the other approaches and the improvements in the accuracy are significant. Full article
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4178 KiB  
Article
An Optimization Algorithm for the Design of an Irregularly-Shaped Bridge Based on the Orthogonal Test and Analytic Hierarchy Process
by Hanbing Liu, Xin He, Xianqiang Wang, Yubo Jiao and Gang Song
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040074 - 05 Nov 2016
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4350
Abstract
Irregularly-shaped bridges are usually adopted to connect the main bridge and ramps in urban overpasses, which are under significant flexion-torsion coupling effects and in complicated stress states. In irregular-shaped bridge design, the parameters such as ramp radius, bifurcation diaphragm stiffness, box girder height, [...] Read more.
Irregularly-shaped bridges are usually adopted to connect the main bridge and ramps in urban overpasses, which are under significant flexion-torsion coupling effects and in complicated stress states. In irregular-shaped bridge design, the parameters such as ramp radius, bifurcation diaphragm stiffness, box girder height, and supporting condition could affect structural performance in different manners. In this paper, the influence of various parameters on three indices, including maximum stress, the stress variation coefficient, and the fundamental frequency of torsional vibration, is investigated and analyzed based on orthogonal test method. Through orthogonal analysis, the major influence parameters and corresponding optimal values for these indices are achieved. Combining with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the hierarchical structure model of the multi-indices orthogonal test is established and a comprehensive weight analysis method is proposed to reflect the parameter influence on overall mechanical properties of an irregularly-shaped bridge. Influence order and optimal values of parameters for overall mechanical properties are determined based on the weight of factors and levels calculated by the comprehensive weight analysis method. The results indicate that the comprehensive weight analysis method is superior to the overall balance method, which verifies the effectiveness and accuracy of the comprehensive weight analysis in the parameter optimization of the multi-indices orthogonal test for an irregularly-shaped bridge. Optimal parameters obtained in this paper can provide reference and guidance for parameter control in irregularly-shaped bridge design. Full article
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259 KiB  
Article
Community Structure Detection for Directed Networks through Modularity Optimisation
by Lingjian Yang, Jonathan C. Silva, Lazaros G. Papageorgiou and Sophia Tsoka
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040073 - 01 Nov 2016
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5097
Abstract
Networks constitute powerful means of representing various types of complex systems, where nodes denote the system entities and edges express the interactions between the entities. An important topological property in complex networks is community structure, where the density of edges within subgraphs is [...] Read more.
Networks constitute powerful means of representing various types of complex systems, where nodes denote the system entities and edges express the interactions between the entities. An important topological property in complex networks is community structure, where the density of edges within subgraphs is much higher than across different subgraphs. Each of these subgraphs forms a community (or module). In literature, a metric called modularity is defined that measures the quality of a partition of nodes into different mutually exclusive communities. One means of deriving community structure is modularity maximisation. In this paper, a novel mathematical programming-based model, DiMod, is proposed that tackles the problem of maximising modularity for directed networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Networks)
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1015 KiB  
Article
Engineering a Combinatorial Laplacian Solver: Lessons Learned
by Daniel Hoske, Dimitar Lukarski, Henning Meyerhenke and Michael Wegner
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040072 - 31 Oct 2016
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5873
Abstract
Linear system solving is a main workhorse in applied mathematics. Recently, theoretical computer scientists contributed sophisticated algorithms for solving linear systems with symmetric diagonally-dominant (SDD) matrices in provably nearly-linear time. These algorithms are very interesting from a theoretical perspective, but their practical performance [...] Read more.
Linear system solving is a main workhorse in applied mathematics. Recently, theoretical computer scientists contributed sophisticated algorithms for solving linear systems with symmetric diagonally-dominant (SDD) matrices in provably nearly-linear time. These algorithms are very interesting from a theoretical perspective, but their practical performance was unclear. Here, we address this gap. We provide the first implementation of the combinatorial solver by Kelner et al. (STOC 2013), which is appealing for implementation due to its conceptual simplicity. The algorithm exploits that a Laplacian matrix (which is SDD) corresponds to a graph; solving symmetric Laplacian linear systems amounts to finding an electrical flow in this graph with the help of cycles induced by a spanning tree with the low-stretch property. The results of our experiments are ambivalent. While they confirm the predicted nearly-linear running time, the constant factors make the solver much slower for reasonable inputs than basic methods with higher asymptotic complexity. We were also not able to use the solver effectively as a smoother or preconditioner. Moreover, while spanning trees with lower stretch indeed reduce the solver’s running time, we experience again a discrepancy in practice: in our experiments, simple spanning tree algorithms perform better than those with a guaranteed low stretch. We expect that our results provide insights for future improvements of combinatorial linear solvers. Full article
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2499 KiB  
Article
A Variable Block Insertion Heuristic for the Blocking Flowshop Scheduling Problem with Total Flowtime Criterion
by Mehmet Fatih Tasgetiren, Quan-Ke Pan, Damla Kizilay and Kaizhou Gao
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040071 - 20 Oct 2016
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6730
Abstract
In this paper, we present a variable block insertion heuristic (VBIH) algorithm to solve the blocking flowshop scheduling problem with the total flowtime criterion. In the VBIH algorithm, we define a minimum and a maximum block size. After constructing the initial sequence, the [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present a variable block insertion heuristic (VBIH) algorithm to solve the blocking flowshop scheduling problem with the total flowtime criterion. In the VBIH algorithm, we define a minimum and a maximum block size. After constructing the initial sequence, the VBIH algorithm starts with a minimum block size being equal to one. It removes the block from the current sequence and inserts it into the partial sequence sequentially with a predetermined move size. The sequence, which is obtained after several block moves, goes under a variable local search (VLS), which is based on traditional insertion and swap neighborhood structures. If the new sequence obtained after the VLS local search is better than the current sequence, it replaces the current sequence. As long as it improves, it keeps the same block size. However, if it does not improve, the block size is incremented by one and a simulated annealing-type of acceptance criterion is used to accept the current sequence. This process is repeated until the block size reaches at the maximum block size. Furthermore, we present a novel constructive heuristic, which is based on the profile fitting heuristic from the literature. The proposed constructive heuristic is able to further improve the best known solutions for some larger instances in a few seconds. Parameters of the constructive heuristic and the VBIH algorithm are determined through a design of experiment approach. Extensive computational results on the Taillard’s well-known benchmark suite show that the proposed VBIH algorithm outperforms the discrete artificial bee colony algorithm, which is one of the most efficient algorithms recently in the literature. Ultimately, 52 out of the 150 best known solutions are further improved with substantial margins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metaheuristic Algorithms in Optimization and Applications)
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1968 KiB  
Article
Plant Electrical Signal Classification Based on Waveform Similarity
by Yang Chen, Dong-Jie Zhao, Zi-Yang Wang, Zhong-Yi Wang, Guiliang Tang and Lan Huang
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040070 - 15 Oct 2016
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 8943
Abstract
(1) Background: Plant electrical signals are important physiological traits which reflect plant physiological state. As a kind of phenotypic data, plant action potential (AP) evoked by external stimuli—e.g., electrical stimulation, environmental stress—may be associated with inhibition of gene expression related to stress tolerance. [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Plant electrical signals are important physiological traits which reflect plant physiological state. As a kind of phenotypic data, plant action potential (AP) evoked by external stimuli—e.g., electrical stimulation, environmental stress—may be associated with inhibition of gene expression related to stress tolerance. However, plant AP is a response to environment changes and full of variability. It is an aperiodic signal with refractory period, discontinuity, noise, and artifacts. In consequence, there are still challenges to automatically recognize and classify plant AP; (2) Methods: Therefore, we proposed an AP recognition algorithm based on dynamic difference threshold to extract all waveforms similar to AP. Next, an incremental template matching algorithm was used to classify the AP and non-AP waveforms; (3) Results: Experiment results indicated that the template matching algorithm achieved a classification rate of 96.0%, and it was superior to backpropagation artificial neural networks (BP-ANNs), supported vector machine (SVM) and deep learning method; (4) Conclusion: These findings imply that the proposed methods are likely to expand possibilities for rapidly recognizing and classifying plant action potentials in the database in the future. Full article
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5155 KiB  
Article
A New Fuzzy Harmony Search Algorithm Using Fuzzy Logic for Dynamic Parameter Adaptation
by Cinthia Peraza, Fevrier Valdez, Mario Garcia, Patricia Melin and Oscar Castillo
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040069 - 14 Oct 2016
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 6509
Abstract
In this paper, a new fuzzy harmony search algorithm (FHS) for solving optimization problems is presented. FHS is based on a recent method using fuzzy logic for dynamic adaptation of the harmony memory accepting (HMR) and pitch adjustment (PArate) [...] Read more.
In this paper, a new fuzzy harmony search algorithm (FHS) for solving optimization problems is presented. FHS is based on a recent method using fuzzy logic for dynamic adaptation of the harmony memory accepting (HMR) and pitch adjustment (PArate) parameters that improve the convergence rate of traditional harmony search algorithm (HS). The objective of the method is to dynamically adjust the parameters in the range from 0.7 to 1. The impact of using fixed parameters in the harmony search algorithm is discussed and a strategy for efficiently tuning these parameters using fuzzy logic is presented. The FHS algorithm was successfully applied to different benchmarking optimization problems. The results of simulation and comparison studies demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metaheuristic Algorithms in Optimization and Applications)
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1585 KiB  
Review
An Overview on the Applications of Matrix Theory in Wireless Communications and Signal Processing
by Xu Wang and Erchin Serpedin
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040068 - 14 Oct 2016
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 11777
Abstract
This paper overviews the key applications enabled by matrix theory in two major fields of interest in electrical engineering, namely wireless communications and signal processing. The paper focuses on the fundamental role played by matrices in modeling and optimization of wireless communication systems, [...] Read more.
This paper overviews the key applications enabled by matrix theory in two major fields of interest in electrical engineering, namely wireless communications and signal processing. The paper focuses on the fundamental role played by matrices in modeling and optimization of wireless communication systems, and in detection, extraction and processing of the information embedded in signals. Among the major applications in wireless communications, the role of matrix representations and decompositions in characterizing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication systems is described. In addition, this paper points out the important contribution made by matrices in solving signal estimation and detection problems. Special attention is given to the implementation of matrices in sensor array signal processing and the design of adaptive filters. Furthermore, the crucial role played by matrices in representing and processing digital images is depicted by several illustrative applications. This paper concludes with some applications of matrix theory in the area of compressive sensing of signals and by outlining a few open research problems for future study. Full article
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11570 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Different Algorithms to Orthorectify WorldView-2 Satellite Imagery
by Oscar Rosario Belfiore and Claudio Parente
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040067 - 11 Oct 2016
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 7524
Abstract
Due to their level of spatial detail (pixel dimensions equal to or less than 1 m), very high-resolution satellite images (VHRSIs) need particular georeferencing and geometric corrections which require careful orthorectification. Although there are several dedicated algorithms, mainly commercial and free software for [...] Read more.
Due to their level of spatial detail (pixel dimensions equal to or less than 1 m), very high-resolution satellite images (VHRSIs) need particular georeferencing and geometric corrections which require careful orthorectification. Although there are several dedicated algorithms, mainly commercial and free software for geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing applications, the quality of the results may be inadequate in terms of the representation scale for which these images are intended. This paper compares the most common orthorectification algorithms in order to define the best approach for VHRSIs. Both empirical models (such as 2D polynomial functions, PFs; or 3D rational polynomial functions, RPFs) and rigorous physical and deterministic models (such as Toutin) are considered. Ground control points (GCPs) and check points (CPs)—whose positions in the image as, well as in the real world, are known—support algorithm applications. Tests were executed on a WorldView-2 (WV-2) panchromatic image of an area near the Gulf of Naples in Campania (Italy) to establish the best-performing algorithm. Combining 3D RPFs with 2D PFs produced the best results. Full article
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2112 KiB  
Article
Fault Sensing Using Fractal Dimension and Wavelet
by Mei Wang, Liang Zhu and Yanan Guo
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040066 - 11 Oct 2016
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4241
Abstract
A new fusion sensing (FS) method was proposed by using the improved fractal box dimension (IFBD) and a developed maximum wavelet coefficient (DMWC) for fault sensing of an online power cable. There are four strategies that were used. Firstly, the traditional fractal box [...] Read more.
A new fusion sensing (FS) method was proposed by using the improved fractal box dimension (IFBD) and a developed maximum wavelet coefficient (DMWC) for fault sensing of an online power cable. There are four strategies that were used. Firstly, the traditional fractal box dimension was improved to enlarge the feature distances between the different fault classes. Secondly, the IFBD recognition algorithm was proposed by using the improved fractal dimension feature extracted from the three-phase currents for the first stage of fault recognition. Thirdly, the DMWC recognition algorithm was developed based on the K-transform and wavelet analysis to establish the relationship between the maximum wavelet coefficient and the fault class. Fourthly, the FS method was formed by combining the IFBD algorithm and the DMWC algorithm in order to recognize the 10 types of short circuit faults of online power. The designed test system proved that the FS method increased the fault recognition accuracy obviously. In addition, the parameters of the initial angle, transient resistance, and fault distance had no influence on the FS method. Full article
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900 KiB  
Article
Local Convergence Analysis of an Eighth Order Scheme Using Hypothesis Only on the First Derivative
by Ioannis K. Argyros, Ramandeep Behl and Sandile S. Motsa
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040065 - 29 Sep 2016
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3276
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a local convergence analysis of an eighth order three-step method to approximate a locally unique solution of a nonlinear equation in a Banach space setting. Further, we also study the dynamic behaviour of that scheme. In an earlier [...] Read more.
In this paper, we propose a local convergence analysis of an eighth order three-step method to approximate a locally unique solution of a nonlinear equation in a Banach space setting. Further, we also study the dynamic behaviour of that scheme. In an earlier study, Sharma and Arora (2015) did not discuss these properties. Furthermore, the order of convergence was shown using Taylor series expansions and hypotheses up to the fourth order derivative or even higher of the function involved which restrict the applicability of the proposed scheme. However, only the first order derivatives appear in the proposed scheme. To overcome this problem, we present the hypotheses for the proposed scheme maximum up to first order derivative. In this way, we not only expand the applicability of the methods but also suggest convergence domain. Finally, a variety of concrete numerical examples are proposed where earlier studies can not be applied to obtain the solutions of nonlinear equations on the other hand our study does not exhibit this type of problem/restriction. Full article
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159 KiB  
Meeting Report
Theorietage der Gesellschaft für Informatik in Speyer 2015—Special Issue
by Henning Fernau
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040064 - 26 Sep 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3187
Abstract
We briefly report on the national workshops on Formal Languages and Automata Theory as well as on Algorithms and Complexity Theory held in early Autumn, 2015. Full article
2940 KiB  
Article
Noise Reduction of Steel Cord Conveyor Belt Defect Electromagnetic Signal by Combined Use of Improved Wavelet and EMD
by Hong-Wei Ma, Hong-Wei Fan, Qing-Hua Mao, Xu-Hui Zhang and Wang Xing
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040062 - 26 Sep 2016
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7333
Abstract
In order to reduce the noise of a defect electromagnetic signal of the steel cord conveyor belt used in coal mines, a new signal noise reduction method by combined use of the improved threshold wavelet and Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) is proposed. Firstly, [...] Read more.
In order to reduce the noise of a defect electromagnetic signal of the steel cord conveyor belt used in coal mines, a new signal noise reduction method by combined use of the improved threshold wavelet and Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) is proposed. Firstly, the denoising method based on the improved threshold wavelet is applied to reduce the noise of a defect electromagnetic signal obtained by an electromagnetic testing system. Then, the EMD is used to decompose the denoised signal and then the effective Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) is extracted by the dominant eigenvalue strategy. Finally, the signal reconstruction is carried out by utilizing the obtained IMF. In order to verify the proposed noise reduction method, the experiments are carried out in two cases including the defective joint and steel wire rope break. The experimental results show that the proposed method in this paper obtains the higher Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) for the defect electromagnetic signal noise reduction of steel cord conveyor belts. Full article
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1284 KiB  
Article
A Practical and Robust Execution Time-Frame Procedure for the Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem with Minimal and Maximal Time Lags
by Angela Hsiang-Ling Chen, Yun-Chia Liang and Jose David Padilla
Algorithms 2016, 9(4), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/a9040063 - 24 Sep 2016
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5284
Abstract
Modeling and optimizing organizational processes, such as the one represented by the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP), improve outcomes. Based on assumptions and simplification, this model tackles the allocation of resources so that organizations can continue to generate profits and reinvest in future [...] Read more.
Modeling and optimizing organizational processes, such as the one represented by the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP), improve outcomes. Based on assumptions and simplification, this model tackles the allocation of resources so that organizations can continue to generate profits and reinvest in future growth. Nonetheless, despite all of the research dedicated to solving the RCPSP and its multi-mode variations, there is no standardized procedure that can guide project management practitioners in their scheduling tasks. This is mainly because many of the proposed approaches are either based on unrealistic/oversimplified scenarios or they propose solution procedures not easily applicable or even feasible in real-life situations. In this study, we solve a more true-to-life and complex model, Multimode RCPSP with minimal and maximal time lags (MRCPSP/max). The complexity of the model solved is presented, and the practicality of the proposed approach is justified depending on only information that is available for every project regardless of its industrial context. The results confirm that it is possible to determine a robust makespan and to calculate an execution time-frame with gaps lower than 11% between their lower and upper bounds. In addition, in many instances, the solved lower bound obtained was equal to the best-known optimum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metaheuristic Algorithms in Optimization and Applications)
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