2287582
Resolution complexity of random constraint satisfaction problems: Another half of the story
Let C"n","m^2^,^k^,^t be a random constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) on n binary variables, where m constraints are selected uniformly at random from all the possible k-ary constraints each of which contains exactly t tuples of the values as its restrictions. We establish an upper bound on the constraint tightness threshold for C"n","m^2^,^k^,^t to have an exponential resolution complexity. The upper bound partly answers the open problem regarding the CSP resolution complexity with the tightness between the existing upper and lower bounds [D. Mitchell, Resolution complexity of random constraints, in: Proceedings Principles and Practices of Constraint Programming-CP 2002, Springer, Berlin, 2002, pp. 295-309].
3221081
Consistency and Random Constraint Satisfaction Models
In this paper, we study the possibility of designing non-trivial random CSP models by exploiting the intrinsic connection between structures and typical-case hardness. We show that constraint consistency, a notion that has been developed to improve the efficiency of CSP algorithms, is in fact the key to the design of random CSP models that have interesting phase transition behavior and guaranteed exponential resolution complexity without putting much restriction on the parameter of constraint tightness or the domain size of the problem. We propose a very flexible framework for constructing problem instances with interesting behavior and develop a variety of concrete methods to construct specific random CSP models that enforce different levels of constraint consistency. 
 
A series of experimental studies with interesting observations are carried out to illustrate the effectiveness of introducing structural elements in random instances, to verify the robustness of our proposal, and to investigate features of some specific models based on our framework that are highly related to the behavior of backtracking search algorithms.
17160551
Pattern discovery on character sets and real-valued data: linear bound on irredundant motifs and an efficient polynomial time algorithm
Given an input sequence of data, a motif is a repeating pattern, possibly interspersed with "dont care" characters. The data could be a sequence of characters or sets of characters or even real values. In the first two cases, the number of motifs could potentially be exponential in the size of the input sequence and in the third case there could be infinite number of motifs (assuming two real numbers are equal if they are within some specified 5 > 0 of each other). However, it has been shown in some motif based applications, such as multiple sequence aligz~nent [Par98, PFR99], that a small subset of these motifs capture all the relevant information. Also, from an information-theoretic viewpoint, the special motifs represent the sets with low co-relation, hence of higher informational value. In this paper, we show, for any sequence with n characters, there exists only a linear (or no more than 3n) number of these special motifs and every other motif can be constructed from this set. We term these special motifs as irredundant motifs. We also present an efficient polynomial time algorithm to generate these motifs. This bound on the number of useful motifs ~ves validation to motif-based approaches, since the total number of irredundant motifs does not explode. This result is potentially of significance to most applications that use pattern discovery as the basic engine such as data mining, clustering, matching and others.
16464835
Automated Face Pose Estimation Using Elastic Energy Models
Face pose estimation forms an important part in a face recognition system. However, fully automated and accurate pose determination still remains an unsolved problem in the research community. In this paper, we propose a novel elastic energy model to automatically estimate face poses. Our method employs statistical energy contributions of a set of feature points, which can avoid over-trusting selected anchor points. It provides a robust solution to the feature localisation inaccuracy problem, which is inevitable in practical applications with cluttered backgrounds. As a general configuration, our model can be easily implemented and extended to other non-rigid objects. Its effectiveness and robustness are revealed in our experiments
14861370
On transforming statistical models for non-frontal face verification
We address the pose mismatch problem which can occur in face verification systems that have only a single (frontal) face image available for training. In the framework of a Bayesian classifier based on mixtures of gaussians, the problem is tackled through extending each frontal face model with artificially synthesized models for non-frontal views. The synthesis methods are based on several implementations of maximum likelihood linear regression (MLLR), as well as standard multi-variate linear regression (LinReg). All synthesis techniques rely on prior information and learn how face models for the frontal view are related to face models for non-frontal views. The synthesis and extension approach is evaluated by applying it to two face verification systems: a holistic system (based on PCA-derived features) and a local feature system (based on DCT-derived features). Experiments on the FERET database suggest that for the holistic system, the LinReg-based technique is more suited than the MLLR-based techniques; for the local feature system, the results show that synthesis via a new MLLR implementation obtains better performance than synthesis based on traditional MLLR. The results further suggest that extending frontal models considerably reduces errors. It is also shown that the local feature system is less affected by view changes than the holistic system; this can be attributed to the parts based representation of the face, and, due to the classifier based on mixtures of gaussians, the lack of constraints on spatial relations between the face parts, allowing for deformations and movements of face areas.
18106801
Mining Protein Sequences for Motifs
We use methods from Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery to design an algorithm for detecting motifs in protein sequences. The algorithm assumes that a motif is constituted by the presence of a "good" combination of residues in appropriate locations of the motif. The algorithm attempts to compile such good combinations into a "pattern dictionary" by processing an aligned training set of protein sequences. The dictionary is subsequently used to detect motifs in new protein sequences. Statistical significance of the detection results are ensured by statistically determining the various parameters of the algorithm. Based on this approach, we have implemented a program called GYM. The Helix-Turn-Helix motif was used as a model system on which to test our program. The program was also extended to detect Homeodomain motifs. The detection results for the two motifs compare favorably with existing programs. In addition, the GYM program provides a lot of useful information about a given protein sequence.
28841129
Believability Based Iterated Belief Revision
Classical iterated belief revision methods rarely take into account the impact of the uncertain information. In this paper, an approach of believability based iterated belief revision(BIBR) is presented. BIBR relates the belief revision in the multi-agent system to the believability of information, which plays an important role in the revision process. Based on the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence and believability function formalism, the believability of information can be obtained. The revised belief set by BIBR is dependent on the history of revision, namely, on the information received prior to the current belief set. It is proved that the BIBR operation meets the AGM postulates for belief revision and the Darwiche and Pearl postulates for iterated belief revision.