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This document is an editorial for a special issue of the journal AIMS Mathematics on the topic of discrete optimization. The issue includes 21 papers covering a range of subjects, including molecular trees, network systems, variational inequality problems, scheduling, image restoration, spectral clustering, integral equations, convex functions, graph products, optimization algorithms, air quality prediction, humanitarian planning, inertial methods, neural networks, transportation problems, emotion identification, fixed-point problems, structural engineering design, single machine scheduling, and ensemble learning. The papers present new theoretical results, algorithms, and applications in these areas. The guest editor expresses gratitude to the journal staff and reviewers and hopes that readers will find inspiration for their own research. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, an improved moth-flame optimization algorithm is proposed to alleviate the problems of premature convergence and convergence to local minima. From the perspective of diversity, an inertia weight of diversity feedback control is introduced in the moth-flame optimization to balance the algorithm's exploitation and global search abilities. Furthermore, a small probability mutation after the position update stage is added to improve the optimization performance. The performance of the proposed algorithm is extensively evaluated on a suite of CEC'2014 series benchmark functions and four constrained engineering optimization problems. The results of the proposed algorithm are compared with the ones of other improved algorithms presented in literatures. It is observed that the proposed method has a superior performance to improve the convergence ability of the algorithm. In addition, the proposed algorithm assists in escaping the local minima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY The present study deals with a comprehensive thermodynamic modeling of a combined heat and power (CHP) system in a paper mill, which provides 50 MW of electric power and 100 ton h−1 saturated steam at 13 bars. This CHP plant is composed of air compressor, combustion chamber (CC), Air Preheater, Gas Turbine (GT) and a Heat Recovery Heat Exchanger. The design parameters of this cycle are compressor pressure ratio ( rAC), compressor isentropic efficiency ( ηAC), GT isentropic efficiency ( ηGT), CC inlet temperature ( T3), and turbine inlet temperature ( T4). In the multi-objective optimization three objective functions, including CHP exergy efficiency, total cost rate of the system products, and CO2 emission of the whole plant, are considered. The exergoenvironmental objective function is minimized whereas power plant exergy efficiency is maximized using a Genetic algorithm. To have a good insight into this study, a sensitivity analysis of the results to the interest rate as well as fuel cost is performed. The results show that at the lower exergetic efficiency, in which the weight of exergoenvironmental objective is higher, the sensitivity of the optimal solutions to the fuel cost is much higher than the location of the Pareto Frontier with the lower weight of exergoenvironmental objective. In addition, with increasing exergy efficiency, the purchase cost of equipment in the plant is increased as the cost rate of the plant increases. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses the importance of optimization in various fields such as statistics, biology, finance, economics, and control. It highlights the advancements made in optimization theory and methods, including first-order methods and augmented Lagrangian methods. The document also introduces a special issue on "Symmetry in Optimization Theory, Algorithms and Applications," which features five papers on topics such as ensemble learning, ant colony system algorithms, subspace algorithms, consensus problems in multi-agent systems, and dynamic conditional correlation models. The authors express their gratitude to the contributors and reviewers of the special issue. [Extracted from the article]

Nonconvex constraints are valuable regularizers in many optimization problems. In particular, sparsity constraints have had a significant impact on sampling theory, where they are used in compressed sensing and allow structured signals to be sampled far below the rate traditionally prescribed. Nearly, all of the theory developed for compressed sensing signal recovery assumes that samples are taken using linear measurements. In this paper, we instead address the compressed sensing recovery problem in a setting where the observations are nonlinear. We show that, under conditions similar to those required in the linear setting, the iterative hard thresholding algorithm can be used to accurately recover sparse or structured signals from few nonlinear observations. Similar ideas can also be developed in a more general nonlinear optimization framework. In the second part of this paper, we therefore present related result that shows how this can be done under sparsity and union of subspaces constraints, whenever a generalization of the restricted isometry property traditionally imposed on the compressed sensing system holds. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we define a new area-type filter algorithm based on the trust-region method. A relaxed trust-region quadratic correction subproblem is proposed to compute the trial direction at the current point. Consider the objective function and the constraint violation function at the current point as a point pair. We divide the point pairs into different partitions by the dominant region of the filter and calculate the contributions of the point pairs to the area of the filter separately. Different from the conventional filter, we define the contribution as the filter acceptance criterion for the trial point. The nonmonotone area-average form is also adopted in the filter mechanism. In this paper, monotone and nonmonotone methods are proposed and compared with the numerical values. Furthermore, the algorithm is proved to be convergent under some reasonable assumptions. The numerical experiment shows the effectiveness of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general programming interface for parameter identification for marine ecosystem models is introduced. A comprehensive solver software for periodic steady-states is implemented that includes a fixed point iteration (spin-up) and a Newton solver. The software is based on the Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation (PETSc) library and uses transport matrices for efficient off-line simulation in 3-D. In addition to the usage of PETSc's parallel data structures and PETSc's Newton solver, an own load balancing algorithm is implemented. A simple verification is carried out using a well investigated biogeochemical model for phosphate (PO4) and dissolved organic phosphorous (DOP) with 7 parameters. The model is coupled via the interface to transport matrices that correspond to a longitudinal and latitudinal resolution of 2.8125° and 15 vertical layers. Initial tests show that both solvers and the load balancing algorithm work correctly. Further experiments demonstrate the robustness of the Newton solver with respect to parameter variations. Moreover, the numerical tests reveal that, with optimal control settings, the Newton solver converges at least 6 times faster towards a solution than the spin-up. However, additional twin experiments reveal differences between both solvers regarding a derivative-based black-box optimization. Whereas an optimization run with spin-up-based model evaluations is capable to identify model parameters of a refer ence solution, Newton-based model evaluations result in an inaccurate gradient approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a distributed interval optimization problem whose local functions are interval functions rather than scalar functions. Focusing on distributed interval optimization, this paper presents a distributed primal-dual algorithm. A criterion is introduced under which linear convergence to the Pareto solution of distributed interval optimization problems can be achieved without strong convexity. Lastly, a numerical simulation is presented to illustrate the linear convergence of the algorithm that has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic Dispatch Problems (EDP) refer to the process of determining the power output of generation units such that the electricity demand of the system is satisfied at a minimum cost while technical and operational constraints of the system are satisfied. This procedure is vital in the efficient energy management of electricity networks since it can ensure the reliable and efficient operation of power systems. As power systems transition from conventional to modern ones, new components and constraints are introduced to power systems, making the EDP increasingly complex. This highlights the importance of developing advanced optimization techniques that can efficiently handle these new complexities to ensure optimal operation and cost-effectiveness of power systems. This review paper provides a comprehensive exploration of the EDP, encompassing its mathematical formulation and the examination of commonly used problem formulation techniques, including single and multi-objective optimization methods. It also explores the progression of paradigms in economic dispatch, tracing the journey from traditional methods to contemporary strategies in power system management. The paper categorizes the commonly utilized techniques for solving EDP into four groups: conventional mathematical approaches, uncertainty modelling methods, artificial intelligence-driven techniques, and hybrid algorithms. It identifies critical research gaps, a predominant focus on single-case studies that limit the generalizability of findings, and the challenge of comparing research due to arbitrary system choices and formulation variations. The present paper calls for the implementation of standardized evaluation criteria and the inclusion of a diverse range of case studies to enhance the practicality of optimization techniques in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the autonomy and intelligence of group animation behavior, this paper proposes a particle swarm optimization algorithm for automatic control of group animation behavior. After the user inputs the group animation behavior construction target, the individual path is planned according to the fixed behavior rules, and the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the improved artificial fish swarm optimization algorithm are used to select the optimal action for the individual in the group animation according to the top-down control process. The experimental results show that after the PSO converges to the global optimal solution, the evolution times of the PSO converge to the global optimal solution again when the surrounding environment changes 10 times. The population diversity of particle swarm optimization algorithm is obviously better than those of the other two algorithms in the process of automatically controlling the movement of individuals to the circle and to the stand in the crowd animation. Compared with the original algorithm AFSA, the improved artificial fish swarm algorithm proposed in this paper is easier to obtain the global optimal value, and the optimization speed is also improved. In conclusion, the example analysis verifies that the algorithm can effectively realize the automatic control of group animation behavior and has high convergence speed and high autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the theory and application, this paper discusses the optimization of art image segmentation algorithm based on FFNN (Feed Forward Neural Network). In this paper, residual units are used in the corresponding stages of encoder and decoder, and feature information of several convolution layers in each convolution stage of encoder is extracted at the same time. And the feature pyramid module is used to extract multiscale features from the feature map of the last convolution stage in the encoder. Finally, pixel by pixel additions combine the previously mentioned feature information into the corresponding layer of the decoder. Additionally, an improved weight adaptive algorithm based on feature preservation is suggested in this paper, which addresses the issue that the conventional image segmentation algorithm is noise-sensitive. The adaptive connection weight mechanism is also introduced. The accuracy and recall rates of this optimization algorithm can both reach 96.574%, according to the results of 50% cross-validation. All the segmentation performance evaluation indexes of this algorithm are higher than the existing main algorithms. Moreover, the algorithm takes a short time, does not need too much manual intervention, and can effectively segment artistic images. The optimization algorithm in this paper has certain reference significance for the related research of artistic image segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a parameter coordination optimization design of a power system stabilizer (PSS) based on an improved quasi-affine transformation evolutionary (QUATRE) algorithm to suppress low-frequency oscillation and improve the dynamic stability of power systems. To begin, the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm randomly updates the globally optimal solution of each QUATRE iteration and matches the inferior solution with a certain probability to escape the local extreme point. This new algorithm is first applied to the power system. Since the damping ratio is one of the criteria with which to measure the dynamic stability of the power system, this paper sets the objective function according to the principle of maximization of the damping coefficient of the electromechanical mode, and uses SA-QUATRE to search a group of global optimal PSS parameter combinations to improve the safety factor of the system as much as possible. Finally, the method's rationality and validity were validated by applying it to the simulation examples of the IEEE 4-machine 2-area system with different operation states. The comparison with the traditional optimization algorithm shows that the proposed method has more advantages for multi-machine PSS parameter coordination optimization, can restrain the low-frequency oscillation of the power system more effectively and can enhance the system's stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new human resource scheduling algorithm is proposed based on the optimization simulation of the human resource scheduling algorithm to find the most suitable human resource allocation scheme for different regions. A simulation system for human resource allocation is proposed, which integrates the scheduling algorithm of this paper and conducts simulation experiments using the historical data of enterprise problems in each region collected in a smart city. The simulation experiment proves that the dispatching algorithm in this paper is more reasonable than the current dispatching algorithm, and the relationship between enterprise problems and the number of employees is also found, and finally, the simulation system in this paper is proved to be stable through large-scale simulation experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As is well known that the global optimization ability of the Fruit fly Optimization Algorithm (FOA)is weak because it is easy to fall into local optimum. In this paper, a Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm based on Locality Sensitive Hashing-aware (LSHFOA)was proposed. The locality sensitive hashing mechanism to optimize the generation mechanism for swarm population individuals was used, which can improve the individual diversity of the population. Meanwhile, when the fruit fly population falls into the local optimum, the locality sensitive hashing mechanism was adopted to change the population location, which is used for jumping out of local optimal limits. To verify the performance of LSHFOA, it was compared with FOA and its improvement algorithms CFOA, and IFFO with 8 representative benchmark functions. A large number of experimental results showed that LSHFOA has a faster convergence speed and higher precision of optimization for function optimization, especially in high-dimensional multi-peak functions. In addition to the theoretical evaluation, we also evaluate its performance in a real-world scenario. Generally, an edge computing environment, as an extension of cloud computing, can allow the users to access the network in a low-latency manner. In this way, to capture the high-speed convergence advantage, this paper makes the first attempt to tackle a classic research problem in the edge computing environment, i.e., the edge server placement problem. The experimental results show that the new algorithm has an excellent application effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a new dynamic statistical optimization algorithm to initialize ionospherecorrected bending angles of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based radio occultation (RO) measurements. The new algorithm estimates background and obser-vation error covariance matrices with geographically-varying uncertainty profiles and realistic global-mean correlation matrices. The error covariance matrices estimated by the new approach are more accurate and realistic than in simplified existing approaches and can therefore be used in statistical optimization to provide optimal bending angle profiles for high-altitude initialization of the subsequent Abel transform re trieval of refractivity. The new algorithm is evaluated against the existing Wegener Center Occultation Processing System version 5.6 (OPSv5.6) algorithm, using simulated data on two test days from January and July 2008 and real observed CHAMP and COSMIC measurements from the complete months of January and July 2008. The following is achieved for the new method's performance compared to OPSv5.6: (1) significant 15 reduction in random errors (standard deviations) of optimized bending angles down to about two-thirds of their size or more; (2) reduction of the systematic differences in optimized bending angles for simulated MetOp data; (3) improved retrieval of refractivity and temperature profiles; (4) produces realistically estimated global-mean correlation matrices and realistic uncertainty fields for the background and observations. Over all the results indicate high suitability for employing the new dynamic approach in the processing of long-term RO data into a reference climate record, leading to well characterized and high-quality atmospheric profiles over the entire stratosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During a Wet End break, the loss of paper feed through the paper machine causes loss of sensory information and the remaining parts of the process are operated in open-loop. This causes the stock composition in the Headbox to deviate substantially from the nominal specifications, causing paper quality (after start up) and paper machine runability issues. In this work, the Base Sheet Ash measurement of the scanner is estimated using a least absolute value (LAV) model which can then be used for control of the chalk valve during the breaks to keep the Headbox Ash within specified limits. The model is computed using a very fast optimization algorithm which is able to compute the LAV solution using only basic elementary operations. The proposed approach has been developed for a UK paper mill. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although the existing protein recognition methods have improved the recognition accuracy of key proteins to a certain extent, they have ignored the biological features of the proteins. In view of this shortcoming, this paper constructed a high-order dynamic complex protein network for key protein recognition. At first, this paper presented a method for feature selection and candidate set evaluation of complex protein network; a weighted network was constructed based on the obtained topological features of the complex protein network and the semantic similarity of protein gene ontology annotations. Then, this paper proposed an algorithm for recognizing key proteins in high-order dynamic protein network based on a Fruit fly optimization algorithm. At last, the effectiveness of the proposed model was verified by experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the most common pepper noise in grayscale image noise is investigated in depth in the median filtering algorithm, and the improved median filtering algorithm, adaptive switching median filtering algorithm, and adaptive polar median filtering algorithm are applied to the OTSU algorithm. Two improved OTSU algorithms such as the adaptive switched median filter-based OTSU algorithm and the polar adaptive median filter-based OTSU algorithm are obtained. The experimental results show that the algorithm can better cope with grayscale images contaminated by pretzel noise, and the segmented grayscale images are not only clear but also can better retain the detailed features of grayscale images. A genetic algorithm is a kind of search algorithm with high adaptive, fast operation speed, and good global space finding ability, and it will have a good effect when applied to the threshold finding of the OTSU algorithm. However, the traditional genetic algorithm will fall into the local optimal solution in different degrees when finding the optimal threshold. The advantages of the two interpolation methods proposed in this paper are that one is the edge grayscale image interpolation algorithm using OTSU threshold adaptive segmentation and the other is the edge grayscale image interpolation algorithm using local adaptive threshold segmentation, which can accurately divide the grayscale image region according to the characteristics of different grayscale images and effectively improve the loss of grayscale image edge detail information and jagged blur caused by the classical interpolation algorithm. The visual effect of grayscale images is enhanced by selecting grayscale images from the standard grayscale image test set and interpolating them with bilinear interpolation, bucolic interpolation, NEDI interpolation, and FEOI interpolation for interpolation simulation validation. The subjective evaluation and objective evaluation, as well as the running time, are compared, respectively, showing that the method of this paper can effectively improve the quality of grayscale image interpolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses reports within the issue on topics including the standard simplex for global optimization, the direct-type global optimization algorithms for expensive global optimization, and the multivariate McCormick relaxations.

In order to improve the effect of agricultural machinery task scheduling, this paper starts from the perspective of multiobjective optimization to achieve task scheduling based on multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm. The position of each particle is a combination of resource options for each construction activity, and the displacement range and speed range of the particles are determined. Moreover, this paper uses the method of introducing an external storage library to store the current noninferior solutions and uses the adaptive grid method and the roulette selection method to select the global optimal solution of the particles. In addition, this paper proposes a task scheduling algorithm suitable for modern agricultural machinery based on the actual needs of current agricultural machinery task scheduling. The experimental results show that the agricultural machinery task scheduling algorithm based on multiobjective optimization proposed in this paper has a good agricultural machinery task scheduling effect and meets the basic purpose of optimizing the algorithm in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual emergence of customized manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing systems have experienced widespread adoption, leading to a surge in research interests in the associated problem of intelligent scheduling. In this paper, we study the flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSP) with setup time, handling time, and processing time in a multi-equipment work center production environment oriented toward smart manufacturing and make-to-order requirements. A mathematical model with the optimization objectives of minimizing the maximum completion time, the total number of machine adjustments, the total number of workpieces handled and the total load of the machine is constructed, and an improved discrete particle swarm algorithm based on Pareto optimization and a nonlinear adaptive inertia weighting strategy is proposed to solve the model. By integrating the model characteristics and algorithm features, a hybrid initialization method is designed to generate a higher-quality initialized population. Next, three cross-variance operators are used to implement particle position updates to maintain information sharing among particles. Then, the performance effectiveness of this algorithm is verified by testing and analyzing 15 FJSP test instances. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the designed algorithm for solving multi-objective FJSPs are verified by designing an FJSP test example that includes processing time, setup time and handling time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mathematical side of applied problems in multiple subject areas (biology, pattern recognition, etc.) is reduced to the problem of discrete optimization in the following mathematical method. We were provided a network and graphs in its leaves, for which we needed to find a rearrangement of graphs by non-leaf nodes, in which the given functional reached its minimum. Such a problem, even in the simplest case, is NP-hard, which means unavoidable restrictions on the network, on graphs, or on the functional. In this publication, this problem is addressed in the case of all graphs being so-called "structures", meaning directed-loaded graphs consisting of paths and cycles, and the functional as the sum (over all edges in the network) of distances between structures at the endpoints of every edge. The distance itself is equal to the minimal length of sequence from the fixed list of operations, the composition of which transforms the structure at one endpoint of the edge into the structure at its other endpoint. The list of operations (and their costs) on such a graph is fixed. Under these conditions, the given discrete optimization problem is called the reconstruction problem. This paper presents novel algorithms for solving the reconstruction problem, along with full proofs of their low error and low polynomial complexity. For example, for the network, the problem is solved with a zero error algorithm that has a linear polynomial computational complexity; and for the tree the problem is solved using an algorithm with a multiplicative error of at most two, which has a second order polynomial computational complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, develop image encryption algorithm based on a chaotic bit-plane decomposition and optimization algorithm of a War Optimization Algorithm (WOA). Initially, utilization of SHA-256 hash algorithm for computing the plaintext images hash parameter as initial parameter of the fractional Lorenz hyperchaotic system after the process. Use the chaotic sequence for permuting plaintext image in a bit plane to achieve the scrambled images. After that, block the scrambles image into four sub images of similar size and count the hash parameter of every row of every block through the SHA-256 hash algorithm as the initial parameter of the Sine-Tent Logistic chaotic system. Utilize the achieved chaotic sequence to substitute the images. After that, the four sub-block images to get the last encrypted image and the population can be achieved. At last, utilization information entropy of ciphertext images as the fitness function of WOA. Choose the ciphertext image with the optimal information entropy of ciphertext images as the fitness function of the WOA. Select the ciphertext image with the best information entropy from the population as the optimal encrypted image, and then, return the position value of the best war source meanwhile. The proposed method is implemented in MATLAB and performance is analyzed with performance metrices. The proposed method is compared with the conventional techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a trend to deploy neural network on edge devices in recent years. While the mainstream of research often concerns with single edge device processing and edge-cloud two-layer neural network collaborative computing, in this paper, we propose partitioning multi-layer edge network for neural network collaborative computing. With the proposed method, sub-models of neural network are deployed on multi-layer edge devices along the communication path from end users to cloud. Firstly, we propose an optimal path selection method to form a neural network collaborative computing path with lowest communication overhead. Secondly, we establish a time-delay optimization mathematical model to evaluate the effects of different partitioning solutions. To find the optimal partition solution, an ordered elitist genetic algorithm (OEGA) is proposed. The experimental results show that, compared with traditional cloud computing, single-device edge computing and edge-cloud collaborative computing, the proposed multi-layer edge network collaborative computing has a smaller runtime delay with limited bandwidth resources, and because of the pipeline computing characteristics, the proposed method has a better response speed when processing large number of requests. Meanwhile, the OEGA algorithm has better performance than conventional methods, and the optimized partitioning method outperforms other methods like random and evenly partition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasingly widespread application of UAV intelligence, the need for autonomous navigation and positioning is becoming more and more important. To solve the problem that UAV cannot perform localization in complex scenes, a new multi-source fusion framework factor graph optimization algorithm is used for UAV localization state estimation in this paper, which is based on IMU/GNSS/VO multi-source sensors. Based on the factor graph model and the iSAM incremental inference algorithm, a multi-source fusion model of IMU/GNSS/VO is established, including the IMU pre-integration factor, IMU bias factor, GNSS factor, and VO factor. Mathematical simulations and validations on the EuRoC dataset show that, when the selected sliding window size is 30, the factor graph optimization (FGO) algorithm can not only meet the requirements of real time and accuracy at the same time, but it also achieves a plug-and-play function in the event of local sensor failures. Finally, compared with the traditional federated Kalman algorithm and the adaptive federated Kalman algorithm, the positioning accuracy of the FGO algorithm in this paper is improved by 1.5–2-fold, and can effectively improve autonomous navigation system robustness and flexibility in complex scenarios. Moreover, the multi-source fusion framework in this paper is a general algorithm framework that can satisfy other scenarios and other types of sensor combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of low accuracy in the traditional FunkSVD recommendation algorithm, an improved FunkSVD algorithm (RM-FS) is proposed. RM-FS is an improvement of the traditional FunkSVD algorithm, using RMSProp, a deep learning optimization algorithm. The RM-FS algorithm can not only solve the problem of reduced accuracy of the traditional FunkSVD algorithm because of iterative oscillations but also alleviate the impact of data sparseness on the accuracy of the algorithm, achieving the effect of improving the accuracy of the traditional algorithm. The experimental results show that the RM-FS algorithm proposed in this paper effectively improves the accuracy of the recommendation algorithm, which is better than the traditional FunkSVD recommendation algorithm and other improved FunkSVD algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the design of a dual-loop control system for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). An improved linear extended state observer (LESO) with excellent estimation capability is employed to develop an improved linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) suitable for PMSM speed regulation, achieving outstanding disturbance suppression in PMSM speed control. The use of an internal model control scheme to initialize the parameters of the proportional-integral- (PI-) based current controller simplifies the search space of the control system parameter optimization. An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to optimize the controller parameters, thereby enhancing the overall system performance. Finally, through a series of simulations and experiments, we validate that our proposed controller exhibits superior performance compared to some other control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Test case generation and optimization is the foremost requirement of software evolution and test automation. In this paper, a bio-inspired Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) is suggested with an improved objective function to fulfill this requirement. CSA is a nature-inspired optimization method. The improved objective function combines branch distance and predicate distance to cover the critical path on the control flow graph. CSA is a search-based technique that uses heuristic information for automation testing, and CSA optimizers minimize test cases generated by satisfying the objective function. This paper focuses on generating test cases for all paths, including critical paths. The control flow graph covers the information flow among all the classes, functions, and conditional statements and provides test paths. The number of test cases examined through graph path coverage analysis. The minimum number of test paths is counted through complexity metrics using the cyclomatic complexity of the constructed graph. The proposed method is evaluated as mathematical optimization functions to validate their effectiveness in locating optimal solutions. The python codes are considered for evaluation and revealed that our approach is time-efficient and outperforms various optimization algorithms. The proposed approach achieved 100% path coverage, and the algorithm executes and gives optimum results in approximately 0.2745 seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous research based on offline Tamil recognition deals only with few Tamil characters since it becomes extremely complicated in distinguishing small variations in large handwritten document. The writer's complexity affects the overall formation of the characters. Such types of complexities are due to discontinuation of structures, unnecessary over loops, variation in shapes as well as irregular curves. This complex issue results in enhanced error value rate. Therefore, to conquer such issues, this paper proposes a novel approach to enhance the offline Tamil handwritten character recognition by utilizing four principal steps: pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction and classification. For optimal segmentation of Tamil characters, this paper utilizes the Tsallis entropy approach-based atom search (TEAS) optimization algorithm. Then a Newton algorithm based deep convolution extreme learning (DELM) approach is utilized for the extraction and classification of input images. Finally, experiments are carried out for numerous Tamil handwritten recognition-based approaches. The proposed Tamil character recognition utilizes the datasets of isolated Tamil handwritten characters established by HP lab India to evaluate the efficiency of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bat algorithm is an effective swarm intelligence optimization algorithm which is widely used to solve continuous optimization problems. But it still has some limitations in search process and can't solve discrete optimization problems directly. Therefore, this paper introduces an unordered pair and proposes an unordered pair bat algorithm (UPBA) to make it more suitable for solving symmetric discrete traveling salesman problems. To verify the effectiveness of this method, the algorithm has been tested on 23 symmetric benchmarks and compared its performance with other algorithms. The results have shown that the proposed UPBA outperforms all the other alternatives significantly in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency and the effectiveness of a machine learning (ML) model are greatly influenced by feature selection (FS), a crucial preprocessing step in machine learning that seeks out the ideal set of characteristics with the maximum accuracy possible. Due to their dominance over traditional optimization techniques, researchers are concentrating on a variety of metaheuristic (or evolutionary) algorithms and trying to suggest cutting-edge hybrid techniques to handle FS issues. The use of hybrid metaheuristic approaches for FS has thus been the subject of numerous research works. The purpose of this paper is to critically assess the existing hybrid FS approaches and to give a thorough literature review on the hybridization of different metaheuristic/evolutionary strategies that have been employed for supporting FS. This article reviews pertinent documents on hybrid frameworks that were published in the period from 2009 to 2022 and offers a thorough analysis of the used techniques, classifiers, datasets, applications, assessment metrics, and schemes of hybridization. Additionally, new open research issues and challenges are identified to pinpoint the areas that have to be further explored for additional study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the dynamic access point (AP) clustering and precoding problem in the downlink of user-centric virtual cell networks. The goal is to maximize the weighted sum spectral efficiency (SE) while satisfying the power constraints and AP clustering constraints in adjacent time slots (TSs). By adopting the random walk mobility to model the mobile user equipments’ movement behaviors, we consider dynamic and time-varying channel conditions. Therefore, the weighted sum SE maximization programming takes the form of discrete-time sequence of mixed-integer non-convex optimization problems. In this paper, we propose to solve this sequential problem in two stages. In the first stage, a dynamic AP clustering approach based on discrete particle swarm optimization is developed. This approach takes the advantage of the channel correlation by exploiting the relationship between AP clustering solutions in adjacent TSs to improve the SE performance and reduce complexity. In the second stage, given the AP clustering solution obtained in the first stage, a distributed precoding algorithm is devised via applying the weighted minimum mean square error method. By combining these two stages, we propose a novel dynamic AP clustering and precoding algorithm (DAPC-Pre). The effectiveness of the proposed DAPC-Pre algorithm is verified by the simulation results. In particular, the proposed algorithm converges fast and significantly outperforms benchmark algorithms in terms of sum SE under different dynamic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean and renewable energy is the only way to achieve sustainable energy development, with considerable social and economic benefits. As a key technology for clean and renewable energy, it is very important to research the reliability optimization of microgrids. This paper reviews the research progress in microgrid reliability optimization. This paper first classifies and summarizes the existing research on microgrid control strategies and reliability assessment. Then, the system reliability optimization framework is summarized in terms of both microgrid systems and optimization objectives. Next, we summarize the most commonly used optimization algorithms for microgrid reliability for different microgrid systems. Finally, we provide a bibliometric analysis of the literature on the reliability research of microgrids. In addition, we propose some research challenges in the future for the reliability of microgrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the time-cost-quality trade-off problem in construction projects has been widely recognized. Its goal is to minimize time and cost and maximize quality. In this paper, the bonus-penalty mechanism is introduced to improve the traditional time-cost model, and considering the nonlinear relationship between quality and time, a nonlinear time-cost quality model is established. Meanwhile, in order to better solve the time-cost-quality trade-off problem, a multi-objective immune wolf colony optimization algorithm has been proposed. The hybrid method combines the fast convergence of the wolf colony algorithm and the excellent diversity of the immune algorithm to improve the accuracy of the wolf colony search process. Finally, a railway construction project is taken as an example to prove the effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have recently been increasingly popular in various areas, fields, and applications. Military, disaster management, rescue operations, public services, agriculture, and various other areas are examples. As a result, UAV path planning is concerned with determining the optimal path from the source to the destination while avoiding collisions with lowering the cost of time, energy, and other resources. This review aims to assort academic studies on the path planning optimization in UAV using meta-heuristic algorithms, summarize the results of each optimization algorithm, and extend the understanding of the current state of the path planning in UAV in the meta-heuristic optimization field. For this purpose, we implemented a broad, automated search using Boolean and snowballing searching methods to find academic works on path planning in UAVs. Studies and papers have been distinguished, and the following information was obtained and aggregated from each article: authors, publication's year, the journal name or the conference name, proposed algorithms, the aim of the study, the outcome, and the quality of each study. According to the findings, the meta-heuristic algorithm is a standard optimization method for tackling single and multi-objective problems. Besides, the findings show that meta-heuristic algorithms have a great compact on the path planning optimization in UAVs, and there is good progress in this field. However, the problem still exists mainly in complex and dynamic environments, on battlefields, in rescue missions, mobile obstacles, and with multiple UAVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a heuristic approach to doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) protection and low voltage ride through (LVRT) is carried out. DFIG-based wind systems are rapidly penetrating the power generation section. Despite their advantages, their direct coupling grid makes them highly sensitive to symmetrical faults. A well-known solution to this is the crowbar method of DFIG protection. This paper provides a method to determine the optimal crowbar resistance value, to ensure a strong trade-off between the rotor current and DC voltage transients. Further, since the crowbar method requires disconnection from the grid, the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) is applied to the system. This is to ensure fault ride through compliance with recent grid code requirements. The well-known PSO, as well as the recently developed African vultures optimization algorithm (AVOA), was applied to the problem. The first set of results show that for severe symmetrical voltage dips, the AVOA provides a good option for crowbar magnitude optimization, whereas PSO performed better for moderately severe dips. Secondly, when the LQR was optimized via the AVOA, it exhibited superiority over the conventional PSO-based PI controller. This superiority was in terms of rotor current transient magnitude, DC voltage transient magnitude, and reactive power steady-state ripple and were in the order of 67.5%, 20.35%, and 37.55%, respectively. When comparing the crowbar method and the LQR, it was observed that despite the LQR exhibiting superiority in terms of transient performance, the crowbar method offered a unanimously superior settling time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This article belongs to the Section Computing and Artificial Intelligence. Ineffective protein feature representation poses problems in protein classification in hierarchical structures. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is a feature representation method which generates global and local features based on different wavelet families and decomposition levels. To represent protein sequences, the proper wavelet family and decomposition level must be selected. This paper proposed a hybrid optimization method using particle swarm optimization and the firefly algorithm (FAPSO) to choose the suitable wavelet family and decomposition level of wavelet transformation for protein feature representation. The suggested approach improved on the work of earlier researchers who, in most cases, manually selected the wavelet family and level of decomposition based solely on experience and not on data. The paper also applied the virtual class methods to overcome the error propagation problems in hierarchical classification. The effectiveness of the proposed method was tested on a G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) protein data set consisting of 5 classes at the family level, 38 classes at the subfamily level, and 87 classes at the sub-subfamily level. Based on the result obtained, the most selected wavelet family and decomposition level chosen to represent GPCR classes by FAPSO are Biorthogonal wavelets and decomposition level 1, respectively. The experimental results show that the representation of GPCR protein using the FAPSO algorithm with virtual classes can yield 97.9%, 86.9%, and 81.3% classification accuracy at the family, subfamily, and sub-subfamily levels, respectively. In conclusion, the result shows that the selection of optimized wavelet family and decomposition level by the FAPSO algorithm, and the virtual class method can be potentially used as the feature representation method and a hierarchical classification method for GPCR protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unconstrained continuous large-scale global optimization (LSGO) is still a challenging task for a wide range of modern metaheuristic approaches. A cooperative coevolution approach is a good tool for increasing the performance of an evolutionary algorithm in solving high-dimensional optimization problems. However, the performance of cooperative coevolution approaches for LSGO depends significantly on the problem decomposition, namely, on the number of subcomponents and on how variables are grouped in these subcomponents. Also, the choice of the population size is still an open question for population-based algorithms. This paper discusses a method for selecting the number of subcomponents and the population size during the optimization process ("on fly") from a predefined pool of parameters. The selection of the parameters is based on their performance in the previous optimization steps. The main goal of the study is the improvement of coevolutionary decomposition-based algorithms for solving LSGO problems. In this paper, we propose a novel self-adapt evolutionary algorithm for solving continuous LSGO problems. We have tested this algorithm on 15 optimization problems from the IEEE LSGO CEC'2013 benchmark suite. The proposed approach, on average, outperforms cooperative coevolution algorithms with a static number of subcomponents and a static number of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper indicates that the filled function which appeared in one of the papers by Y. L. Shang et al. (2007) is also a tunneling function; that is, we prove that under some general assumptions this function has the characters of both tunneling function and filled function. A solution algorithm based on this T-F function is given and numerical tests from test functions show that our T-F function method is very effective in finding better minima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When adopting the matching method of the least squares image based on object-patch to match tilted images, problems like the low degree of connection points for images with the discontinuity of depth or the discrepancy in elevation or low availability of aerotriangulation points would frequently appear. To address such problems, a tilted-image-matching algorithm based on an adaptive initial object-patch is proposed by this paper. By means of the existing initial values of the interior and exterior orientation elements of the tilted image and the information of object points generated in the matching process, the algorithm takes advantage of the method of multi-patch forward intersection and object variance partition so as to adaptively calculate the elevation of the object-patch and the initial value of the normal vector direction angle. Furthermore, this algorithm aims to solve the problem of difficulties in matching the tilted image with its corresponding points brought about by the low accuracy of the initial value of the tilted image when adopting the matching method of the least squares image based on object-patch to match the tilted image with high discrepancy in elevation. We adopt the algorithm as proposed in this paper and the least squares image matching method in which the initial state of the object-patch is horizontal to the object-patch respectively to conduct the verification process of comparing and matching two groups of tilted images. Finally, the effectiveness of the algorithm as proposed in this paper is verified by the testing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on mobile robots began in the late 1960s. Mobile robots are a typical autonomous intelligent system and a hot spot in the high-tech field. They are the intersection of multiple technical disciplines such as computer artificial intelligence, robotics, control theory and electronic technology. The product not only has potentially very attractive application value and commercial value, but the research on it is also a challenge to intelligent technology. The development of mobile robots provides excellent research for various intelligent technologies and solutions. This dissertation aims to study the research of multi-sensor information fusion and intelligent optimization methods and the methods of applying them to mobile robot related technologies, and in-depth study of the construction of mobile robot maps from the perspective of multi-sensor information fusion. And, in order to achieve this function, combined with autonomous exploration and other related theories and algorithms, combined with the Robot Operating System (ROS). This paper proposes the area equalization method, equalization method, fuzzy neural network and other methods to promote the realization of related technologies. At the same time, this paper conducts simulation research based on the SLAM comprehensive experiment of the JNPF-4WD square mobile robot. On this basis, the high precision and high reliability of robot positioning are further realized. The experimental results in this paper show that the maximum error of the X-axis and Y-axis, FastSLAM algorithm is smaller than EKF algorithm, and the improved FASTSALM algorithm error is further reduced compared with the original FastSLAM algorithm, the value is less than 0.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements in computer science include some optimization models that have been developed and used in real applications. Some metaheuristic search/optimization algorithms have been tested to obtain optimal solutions to speed controller applications in self-driving cars. Some metaheuristic algorithms are based on social behaviour, resulting in several search models, functions, and parameters, and thus algorithm-specific strengths and weaknesses. The present paper proposes a fitness function on the basis of the mathematical description of proportional integrative derivate controllers showing that mean square error is not always the best measure when looking for a solution to the problem. The fitness developed in this paper contains features and equations from the mathematical background of proportional integrative derivative controllers to calculate the best performance of the system. Such results are applied to quantitatively evaluate the performance of twenty-one optimization algorithms. Furthermore, improved versions of the fitness function are considered, in order to investigate which aspects are enhanced by applying the optimization algorithms. Results show that the right fitness function is a key point to get a good performance, regardless of the chosen algorithm. The aim of this paper is to present a novel objective function to carry out optimizations of the gains of a PID controller, using several computational intelligence techniques to perform the optimizations. The result of these optimizations will demonstrate the improved efficiency of the selected control schema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Automatic generation control (AGC) plays a crucial role in modern power system to control the frequency with change in power demand. A novel fractional order (FO) hybrid PID‐fuzzy‐PID (FO‐hPID‐FPID) controller is proposed in this paper as the secondary controller for AGC of a three unequal area interconnected nonlinear reheat thermal power system considering generation rate constraint. This paper also deals with the implementation of FO fuzzy PID (FOFPID) and FO PID (FOPID) controllers in addition to the proposed controller along with their counterpart integer order controllers to establish the dominance of FO controllers over integer order controllers. Various parameters of the controllers are optimized by hybridizing two global optimization techniques: particle swarm optimization and modified sine cosine algorithm (MSCA) and the optimization techniques so obtained is called as hybrid PSO‐MSCA (hPSO‐MSCA) technique. A step load perturbation of 0.01 p.u. is injected in area‐1, and the system response is investigated independently with different controllers. It is revealed that the proposed FO‐hPID‐FPID delivers superior performance than the other controllers. Sensitivity analysis for parametric variations is carried out, and random load test is performed to validate the robustness of the proposed controller. Further, it is observed that the controllers deliver result in an ascending order of control performance as PID, FOPID, FPID, FOFPID, hPID‐FPID and FO‐hPID‐FPID controllers with FO‐hPID‐FPID controller delivering the best result and the FO controllers deliver better control performance than their integer order counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the useful knowledge representation tools, which can describe the joint probability distribution between some random variables with a graphical model and can be trained by a dataset, is the Bayesian network (BN). A BN is composed of a network structure and a conditional probability distribution table for each node. Discovering an optimal BN structure is an NP‐hard optimization problem that various meta‐heuristic algorithms are applied to solve this problem by researchers. The genetic algorithms, ant colony optimization, evolutionary programming, artificial bee colony, and bacterial foraging optimization are some of the meta‐heuristic methods to solve this problem using a dataset. Most of these methods are applying a scoring metric to generate the best network structure from a set of candidates. A Fixed Structure Learning Automata‐Based (FSLA‐B) algorithm is presented in this paper to solve the structure learning problem of BNs. There is a fixed structure learning automaton for each pair of vertices in the BN's graph structure in the proposed algorithm. The action of this automaton determines the presence and direction of an edge between the vertices. The proposed algorithm performs a guided search procedure using the FSLA and escapes from local optimums. Several datasets are utilised in this paper to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. By performing various experiments, multiple meta‐heuristic algorithms are compared with the introduced new one. The obtained results represented that the proposed algorithm could produce competitive results and find the near‐optimal solution for the BN structure learning problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there are some problems in the process of human motion recognition, such as poor timeliness and low fault tolerance rate. How to effectively identify the motion process accurately has become a hot spot in the optimization system. In the existing research studies, the recognition accuracy is not very good and the response time is long. To end this issue, the paper proposed an information processing system and optimization method of human motion recognition based on the GA-BP neural network algorithm. Firstly, a human motion recognition system based on dynamic capture recognition technology is designed, which realizes the recognition of motion information from common postures such as action span, speed change, motion trajectory, and other aspects in the process of human motion. Secondly, the proposed algorithm is used to comprehensively analyse and evaluate the motion state. Finally, experiments are designed to verify and analyse the results. Compared to some baseline methods in human motion recognition information systems, the system in this paper based on the GA-BP neural network algorithm has the advantages of higher data accuracy and response speed, which can quickly and accurately identify the muscle group change in the process of human motion, and it can also provide customized motion suggestions based on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a parallel computing analysis model HPM and analyzes the parallel architecture of CPU–GPU based on this model. On this basis, we study the parallel optimization of the ray-tracing algorithm on the CPU–GPU parallel architecture and give full play to the parallelism between nodes, the parallelism of the multi-core CPU inside the node, and the parallelism of the GPU, which improve the calculation speed of the ray-tracing algorithm. This paper uses the space division technology to divide the ground data, constructs the KD-tree organization structure, and improves the construction method of KD-tree to reduce the time complexity of the algorithm. The ground data is evenly distributed to each computing node, and the computing nodes use a combination of CPU–GPU for parallel optimization. This method dramatically improves the drawing speed while ensuring the image quality and provides an effective means for quickly generating photorealistic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquila optimizer (AO) is an efficient meta-heuristic optimization method, which mimics the hunting style of Aquila in nature. However, the AO algorithm may suffer from immature convergence during the exploitation stage. In this paper, two strategies are elegantly employed into conventional AO, such as random opposition-based learning and nonlinear flexible jumping factor, which can efficiently enhance the performance of conventional AO. Experiments on 1 7 benchmark functions and image segmentation demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Comparison with several state-of-the-art meta-heuristic optimization techniques indicates the efficacy of the developed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of an extensive number of low-power sensor nodes to gather information from their environment and monitor physical activities. This makes node localization a crucial aspect in most WSN applications since measurement data is worthless unless the location from where the data is acquired is known precisely. The majority of localization solutions rely on anchor nodes for estimating the node locations with different localization accuracy, complexity, and hence different applicability. But, the cost and complexity in the localization of large-scale WSNs are not significantly reduced. In this paper, a novel Hybridized Dragonfly and Jaya Optimization technique (HyDAJ) is introduced for improving localization accuracy and performance of mobile WSNs. The proposed hybrid technique combines the advantages of Dragonfly algorithm and Jaya algorithm to localize the sensor nodes in a more efficient way and overcomes the limitations of the original algorithm. The hybrid algorithm verifies that all target nodes are precisely localized with higher accuracy. Simulation results reveal that HyDAJ outperforms existing methods under multiple metrics including localization efficiency, mean localization error, computation time, and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of achieving total power network observability in smart grids using Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) carries a significant promise of real-time Wide-Area Monitoring, Protection, and Control (WAMPAC). PMU applications eliminate periodical measurements, thereby increasing accuracy through a high sampling rate of the measured power systems quantities. The high costs of installation of PMUs for total power system observability presents a challenge in the implementation of PMUs. This is due to the expensive costs of PMU devices. This has led to a prominent optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem that researchers tirelessly aim to solve by ensuring a complete power network observability while using the least installed PMU devices possible. In this paper, a novel Binary Firefly Algorithm (BFA) based on the node degree centrality scores of each bus is proposed to minimize PMU installations. The BFA solves the OPP problem in consideration of the effect of Zero Injection Buses (ZIBs) under normal operation and single PMU outage (SPO). The robustness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm is tested on IEEE-approved test systems and visualized with a force-directed technique on an undirected power network graph. The proposed BFA yields the same but better optimal PMU numbers, obtained by existing meta-heuristic optimization techniques found in the literature for each of the IEEE test cases, as well as highlighting the cost–benefit of having a robust system against single PMU loss while considering the ZIB effect for an improved system measurement availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rate control typically involves two steps: bit allocation and bitrate control. The bit allocation step can be implemented in various fashions depending on how many levels of allocation are desired and whether or not an optimal rate–distortion (R-D) performance is pursued. The bitrate control step has a simple aim in achieving the target bitrate as precisely as possible. In our recent research, we have developed a \lambda -domain rate control algorithm that is capable of controlling the bitrate precisely for High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). The initial research showed that the bitrate control in the \lambda -domain can be more precise than the conventional schemes. However, the simple bit allocation scheme adopted in this initial research is unable to achieve an optimal R-D performance reflecting the inherent R-D characteristics governed by the video content. In order to achieve an optimal R-D performance, the bit allocation algorithms need to be developed taking into account the video content of a given sequence. The key issue in deriving the video-content-guided optimal bit allocation algorithm is to build a suitable R-D model to characterize the R-D behavior of the video content. In this paper, to complement the R- \lambda model developed in our initial work, a D- \lambda model is properly constructed to complete a comprehensive framework of \lambda -domain R-D analysis. Based on this comprehensive \lambda -domain R-D analysis framework, a suite of optimal bit allocation algorithms are developed. In particular, we design both picture-level and basic-unit-level bit allocation algorithms based on the fundamental R-D optimization theory to take full advantage of the content-guided principles. The proposed algorithms are implemented in HEVC reference software, and the experimental results demonstrate that they can achieve an obvious R-D performance improvement with a smaller bitrate control error. The proposed bit allocation algorithms have already been adopted by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding and integrated into the HEVC reference software. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]