A similarity hybrid harmony search algorithm for the Team Orienteering Problem

The Harmony Search (HS) is a metaheuristic algorithm, which is inspired from the composition of music harmonies. The functionality and flexibility of HS contribute to the development of successful methodologies for different kind of scientific problems. The aim of this paper is to propose a variant of the classic HS algorithm in order to provide competitive solutions for the Team Orienteering Problem (TOP). We introduce the Similarity Hybrid Harmony Search (SHHS) algorithm as an alternative and innovative optimization method. The SHHS follows the standard procedure of HS with some modifications and includes a new strategy called “similarity process”. Two versions of the proposed method have been developed, the static version with predefined values for the parameters of the method and the dynamic one with dynamic adjustment of the parameters. The SHHS algorithm is applied to the known benchmark instances of TOP. The dynamic of the algorithm is tested through a complete solution analysis which gives the superiority of the dynamic version compared to the static one. The results of both versions of the proposed algorithm indicate the positive performance against other effective and robust optimization algorithms from the literature.     

A comparison of manual handling risks in different domestic waste collection systems using three separate evaluation methods

Arising out of the challenge for Local Authorities (LAs) to operate sustainable systems of work, is to avoid the creation of ill-health including the most significant causes of physical absence, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).The study's aim was to compare the reliability of the manual handling element of the Health and Safety Executives (HSEs) risk comparator tool for different domestic waste collection methods with self-reported pain via body-mapping and MSD ill health absence rates. Participatory body-mapping exercises were carried out in five LAs with one LA resurveyed, six months after the move from 35 and 50 L containers to a wheeled bin recycling service.The lowest levels of self-reported pain were for services designed with 240l wheeled bins excluding glass; the highest levels were for services that included 100l of garden waste sacks and recycling boxes. Industry data supports previous laboratory studies showing wheeled bins to be associated with less MSD outcomes than boxes, baskets and sacks.Triangulation of data established a statistically significant correlation of 0.85 (Pearson) between average pain-count (APC) and the mean MSD absence rates, with a strong correlation of 0.77 (Spearman) between APC and risk rating. The correlation is moderate, 0.49 (Spearman) between MSD absence and risk rating, reflecting possible intervening variables and a low participation rate by LAs.The contribution of this study is to improve the design of sustainable waste collection strategies to minimise MSD associated absence. In the absence of reliable absence data, body mapping should be used as a proxy method of assessing MSD risk.     

Hybridizing adaptive large neighborhood search with kernel search: a new solution approach for the nurse routing problem with incompatible services and minimum demand

The average age of the population has grown steadily in recent decades along with the number of people suffering from chronic diseases and asking for treatments. Hospital care is expensive and often unsafe, especially for older individuals. This is particularly true during pandemics as the recent SARS-CoV-2. Hospitalization at home has become a valuable alternative to face efficiently a huge increase in treatment requests while guaranteeing a high quality of service and lower risk to fragile patients. This new model of care requires the redefinition of health services organization and the optimization of scarce resources (e.g., available nurses). In this paper, we study a Nurse Routing Problem that tries to find a good balance between hospital costs reduction and the well-being of patients, also considering realistic operational restrictions like maximum working times for the nurses and possible incompatibilities between services jointly provided to the same patient. We first propose a Mixed Integer Linear Programming formulation for the problem and use some valid inequalities to strengthen it. A simple branch-and-cut algorithm is proposed and validated to derive ground benchmarks. In addition, to efficiently solve the problem, we develop an Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search hybridized with a Kernel Search and validate its performance over a large set of different realistic working scenarios. Computational tests show how our matheuristic approach manages to find good solutions in a reasonable amount of time even in the most difficult settings. Finally, some interesting managerial insights are discussed through an economic analysis of the operating context.     

Gradient-based recursive parameter estimation for a periodically nonuniformly sampled-data Hammerstein–Wiener system based on the key-term separation

The identification of the Hammerstein–Wiener (H-W) systems based on the nonuniform input–output dataset remains a challenging problem. This article studies the identification problem of a periodically nonuniformly sampled-data H-W system. In addition, the product terms of the parameters in the H-W system are inevitable. In order to solve the problem, the key-term separation is applied and two algorithms are proposed. One is the key-term-based forgetting factor stochastic gradient (KT-FFSG) algorithm based on the gradient search. The other is the key-term-based hierarchical forgetting factor stochastic gradient (KT-HFFSG) algorithm. Compared with the KT-FFSG algorithm, the KT-HFFSG algorithm gives more accurate estimates. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithms are effective.     

加权信息熵与增强局部二值模式结合的人脸识别

针对人脸识别因光照、姿态、表情、遮挡及噪声等多种因素的影响而导致的识别率不高的问题，提出一种加权信息熵（IEw）与自适应阈值环形局部二值模式（ATRLBP）算子相结合的人脸识别方法（IE （w） ATR-LBP）。首先，从原始人脸图像分块提取信息熵，得到每个子块的IEw；然后，利用ATRLBP算子分别对每个人脸子块提取特征从而得到概率直方图；最后，将各个块的IEw与概率直方图相乘，再串联成为原始人脸图像最后的特征直方图，并利用支持向量机（SVM）对人脸进行识别。在AR人脸库的表情、光照、遮挡A和遮挡B四个数据集上，IE （w） ATR-LBP方法分别取得了98.37%、94.17%、98.20%和99.34%的识别率。在ORL人脸库上，IE （w） ATR-LBP方法的最大识别率为99.85%；而且在ORL人脸库5次不同训练样本的实验中，与无噪声时相比，加入高斯和椒盐噪声后的平均识别率分别下降了14.04和2.95个百分点。实验结果表明，IE （w） ATR-LBP方法能够有效提高人脸在受光照、姿态、遮挡等影响时的识别率，尤其是存在表情变化及脉冲类噪声干扰时的识别率。     

基于Simhash的安全密文排序检索方案

针对密文检索中存在的计算量大、检索效率不高的问题，提出一种基于Simhash的安全密文排序检索方案。该方案基于Simhash的降维思想构建安全多关键词密文排序检索索引（SMRI），将文档处理成指纹和向量，利用分段指纹和加密向量构建B+树，并采用"过滤-精化"策略进行检索和排序，首先通过分段指纹的匹配进行快速检索，得到候选结果集；然后通过计算候选结果集与查询陷门的汉明距离和向量内积进行排序，带密钥的Simhash算法和安全k近邻（SkNN）算法保证了检索过程的安全性。实验结果表明，与基于向量空间模型（VSM）的方案相比，基于SMRI的排序检索方案计算量小，能节约时间和空间成本，检索效率高，适用于海量加密数据的快速安全检索。     

基于stackelberg多步博弈的无人机协同搜索路径规划

考虑到现有无人机搜索问题研究中无人机、移动目标仅有一方具有远距离探测能力的设定，已经无法体现出战场环境下双方的博弈关系。针对这一不足，基于stackelberg均衡策略，结合多步预测的思想，提出了stackelberg多步博弈策略，实现了无人机、目标都具有远距离探测能力的博弈搜索。通过建立无人机、目标各自的路径收益函数，使双方能够根据不同时刻的博弈状态选择相对应的函数，实现无人机的动态路径规划。仿真结果表明所提出策略完全适用于该博弈模型，比贪婪策略具有更高的搜索效率，大大提高了目标捕获率。     

航班恢复问题的迭代局部搜索算法

在恶劣天气和机械故障等原因造成航班不能按照原计划执行时，航空公司需要采取相应的措施对航班进行恢复。本文基于经典的资源指派模型，综合考虑了调整时间、换机、联程拉直、取消航班和调机5种恢复策略，提出一种以最小化加权成本为优化目标的航班恢复模型，并设计一种迭代局部搜索算法。首先用构造-修复启发式方法构造可行解，然后从该初始解出发，在飞机路线对的邻域中进行局部搜索。当陷入局部最优后，对解进行扰动，然后从扰动后的解重新出发进行局部搜索。为了提高搜索效率，同时降低陷入局部最优解的概率，局部搜索过程采用模拟退火算法。实例结果表明，本文提出的模型及算法能够在短时间内对受到影响的大规模航班计划进行恢复。     

Querying on large and complex databases by content: Challenges on variety and veracity regarding real applications

The amount and variety of digital data currently being generated, stored and analyzed, including images, videos, and time series, have brought challenges to data administrators, analysts and developers, who struggle to comply with the expectations of both data owners and end users. The majority of the applications demand searching complex data by taking advantage of queries that analyze different aspects of the data, and need the answers in a timely manner. Content-based similarity retrieval techniques are well-suited to handle large databases, because they enable performing queries and analyses using features automatically extracted from the data, without users’ intervention. In this paper, we review and discuss the challenges posed to the database and related communities in order to provide techniques and tools that can meet the variety and veracity characteristics of big and complex data, while also considering the aspects of semantical preservation and completeness of the data. Examples and results obtained over a two-decade-long experience with real applications are presented and discussed.     

Why stop after 20 minutes? Breaks and target prevalence in a 60-minute X-ray baggage screening task

Current EU regulation restricts continuously reviewing X-ray images of passenger baggage to 20-min duration as a precautionary measure to prevent performance decrements in airport security officers (screeners). However, this 20-min limit is not based on clear empirical evidence on how well screeners can sustain their performance over time. Our study tested screeners in a 60-min simulated X-ray cabin baggage screening task. One group took 10-min breaks after 20 min of screening; the other group worked without breaks. We found no decrease in performance over 60 min in either group. Breaks did not affect performance, but they did reduce the amount of subjective distress. By varying target prevalence, we found that d_a with a slope of about 0.6 is a more valid measure of detection performance than d'. Target prevalence caused a criterion shift. Our results provide a basis for conducting field studies of prolonged screening durations, and open the discussion on whether more flexible break policies and work schedules should be considered.