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PSL: An Algorithm for Partial Bayesian Network Structure Learning

Published: 09 March 2022 Publication History

Abstract

Learning partial Bayesian network (BN) structure is an interesting and challenging problem. In this challenge, it is computationally expensive to use global BN structure learning algorithms, while only one part of a BN structure is interesting, local BN structure learning algorithms are not a favourable solution either due to the issue of false edge orientation. To address the problem, this article first presents a detailed analysis of the false edge orientation issue with local BN structure learning algorithms and then proposes PSL, an efficient and accurate Partial BN Structure Learning (PSL) algorithm. Specifically, PSL divides V-structures in a Markov blanket (MB) into two types: Type-C V-structures and Type-NC V-structures, then it starts from the given node of interest and recursively finds both types of V-structures in the MB of the current node until all edges in the partial BN structure are oriented. To further improve the efficiency of PSL, the PSL-FS algorithm is designed by incorporating Feature Selection (FS) into PSL. Extensive experiments with six benchmark BNs validate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed algorithms.

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    Published In

    cover image ACM Transactions on Knowledge Discovery from Data
    ACM Transactions on Knowledge Discovery from Data  Volume 16, Issue 5
    October 2022
    532 pages
    ISSN:1556-4681
    EISSN:1556-472X
    DOI:10.1145/3514187
    Issue’s Table of Contents

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    Association for Computing Machinery

    New York, NY, United States

    Publication History

    Published: 09 March 2022
    Accepted: 01 December 2021
    Revised: 01 October 2021
    Received: 01 July 2021
    Published in TKDD Volume 16, Issue 5

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    Author Tags

    1. Bayesian network
    2. local structure learning
    3. global structure learning
    4. markov blanket
    5. feature selection

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    • Research-article
    • Refereed

    Funding Sources

    • National Key Research and Development Program of China
    • Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province of China
    • Australian Research Council

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    • (2025)Federated local causal structure learningScience China Information Sciences10.1007/s11432-023-4203-668:3Online publication date: 16-Jan-2025
    • (2024)Causal Discovery Using Weight-Based Conditional Independence TestACM Transactions on Knowledge Discovery from Data10.1145/368746719:1(1-24)Online publication date: 28-Aug-2024
    • (2024)Gradient-Based Local Causal Structure LearningIEEE Transactions on Cybernetics10.1109/TCYB.2023.323763554:1(486-495)Online publication date: Jan-2024
    • (2024)An efficient skeleton learning approach-based hybrid algorithm for identifying Bayesian network structureEngineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence10.1016/j.engappai.2024.108105133:PBOnline publication date: 1-Jul-2024

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