Computing the marginal likelihood (also called the Bayesian model evidence) is an important task in Bayesian model selection, providing a principled quantitative way to compare models. The learned harmonic mean estimator solves the exploding variance problem of the original harmonic mean estimation of the marginal likelihood. The learned harmonic mean estimator learns an importance sampling target distribution that approximates the optimal distribution. While the approximation need not be highly accurate, it is critical that the probability mass of the learned distribution is contained within the posterior in order to avoid the exploding variance problem. In previous work a bespoke optimization problem is introduced when training models in order to ensure this property is satisfied. In the current article we introduce the use of normalizing flows to represent the importance sampling target distribution. A flow-based model is trained on samples from the posterior by maximum likelihood estimation. Then, the probability density of the flow is concentrated by lowering the variance of the base distribution, i.e. by lowering its "temperature", ensuring its probability mass is contained within the posterior. This approach avoids the need for a bespoke optimisation problem and careful fine tuning of parameters, resulting in a more robust method. Moreover, the use of normalizing flows has the potential to scale to high dimensional settings. We present preliminary experiments demonstrating the effectiveness of the use of flows for the learned harmonic mean estimator. The harmonic code implementing the learned harmonic mean, which is publicly available, has been updated to now support normalizing flows.
The future development of an AI scientist, a tool that is capable of integrating a variety of experimental data and generating testable hypotheses, holds immense potential. So far, bespoke machine learning models have been created to specialize in singular scientific tasks, but otherwise lack the flexibility of a general purpose model. Here, we show that a general purpose large language model, chatGPT 3.5-turbo, can be fine-tuned to learn the structural biophysics of DNA. We find that both fine-tuning models to return chain-of-thought responses and chaining together models fine-tuned for subtasks have an enhanced ability to analyze and design DNA sequences and their structures.
Simpson's paradox is an obstacle to establishing a probabilistic association between two events $a_1$ and $a_2$, given the third (lurking) random variable $B$. We focus on scenarios when the random variables $A$ (which combines $a_1$, $a_2$, and their complements) and $B$ have a common cause $C$ that need not be observed. Alternatively, we can assume that $C$ screens out $A$ from $B$. For such cases, the correct association between $a_1$ and $a_2$ is to be defined via conditioning over $C$. This set-up generalizes the original Simpson's paradox. Now its two contradicting options simply refer to two particular and different causes $C$. We show that if $B$ and $C$ are binary and $A$ is quaternary (the minimal and the most widespread situation for valid Simpson's paradox), the conditioning over any binary common cause $C$ establishes the same direction of the association between $a_1$ and $a_2$ as the conditioning over $B$ in the original formulation of the paradox. Thus, for the minimal common cause, one should choose the option of Simpson's paradox that assumes conditioning over $B$ and not its marginalization. For tertiary (unobserved) common causes $C$ all three options of Simpson's paradox become possible (i.e. marginalized, conditional, and none of them), and one needs prior information on $C$ to choose the right option.
In this work, for a given oriented graph $D$, we study its interval and hull numbers, respectively, in the oriented geodetic, P3 and P3* convexities. This last one, we believe to be formally defined and first studied in this paper, although its undirected version is well-known in the literature. Concerning bounds, for a strongly oriented graph D, and the oriented geodetic convexity, we prove that $ohng(D)\leq m(D)-n(D)+2$ and that there is at least one such that $ohng(D) = m(D)-n(D)$. We also determine exact values for the hull numbers in these three convexities for tournaments, which imply polynomial-time algorithms to compute them. These results allow us to deduce polynomial-time algorithms to compute $ohnp(D)$ when the underlying graph of $D$ is split or cobipartite. Moreover, we provide a meta-theorem by proving that if deciding whether $oing(D)\leq k$ or $ohng(D)\leq k$ is NP-hard or W[i]-hard parameterized by $k$, for some $i\in\mathbb{Z_+^*}$, then the same holds even if the underlying graph of $D$ is bipartite. Next, we prove that deciding whether $ohnp(D)\leq k$ or $ohnps(D)\leq k$ is W[2]-hard parameterized by $k$, even if $D$ is acyclic and its underlying graph is bipartite; that deciding whether $ohng(D)\leq k$ is W[2]-hard parameterized by $k$, even if $D$ is acyclic; that deciding whether $oinp(D)\leq k$ or $oinps(D)\leq k$ is NP-complete, even if $D$ has no directed cycles and the underlying graph of $D$ is a chordal bipartite graph; and that deciding whether $oinp(D)\leq k$ or $oinps(D)\leq k$ is W[2]-hard parameterized by $k$, even if the underlying graph of $D$ is split. Finally, also argue that the interval and hull numbers in the oriented P3 and P3* convexities can be computed in cubic time for graphs of bounded clique-width by using Courcelle's theorem.
Activation Patching is a method of directly computing causal attributions of behavior to model components. However, applying it exhaustively requires a sweep with cost scaling linearly in the number of model components, which can be prohibitively expensive for SoTA Large Language Models (LLMs). We investigate Attribution Patching (AtP), a fast gradient-based approximation to Activation Patching and find two classes of failure modes of AtP which lead to significant false negatives. We propose a variant of AtP called AtP*, with two changes to address these failure modes while retaining scalability. We present the first systematic study of AtP and alternative methods for faster activation patching and show that AtP significantly outperforms all other investigated methods, with AtP* providing further significant improvement. Finally, we provide a method to bound the probability of remaining false negatives of AtP* estimates.
This study develops a model-based index creation approach called the Generalized Shared Component Model (GSCM) by drawing on the large field of factor models. The proposed fully Bayesian approach accommodates heteroscedastic model error, multiple shared factors and flexible spatial priors. Moreover, our model, unlike previous index approaches, provides indices with uncertainty. Focusing on Australian risk factor data, the proposed GSCM is used to develop the Area Indices of Behaviors Impacting Cancer product - representing the first area level cancer risk factor index in Australia. This advancement aids in identifying communities with elevated cancer risk, facilitating targeted health interventions.
This paper presents a method for thematic agreement assessment of geospatial data products of different semantics and spatial granularities, which may be affected by spatial offsets between test and reference data. The proposed method uses a multi-scale framework allowing for a probabilistic evaluation whether thematic disagreement between datasets is induced by spatial offsets due to different nature of the datasets or not. We test our method using real-estate derived settlement locations and remote-sensing derived building footprint data.
By abstracting over well-known properties of De Bruijn's representation with nameless dummies, we design a new theory of syntax with variable binding and capture-avoiding substitution. We propose it as a simpler alternative to Fiore, Plotkin, and Turi's approach, with which we establish a strong formal link. We also show that our theory easily incorporates simple types and equations between terms.
We present an asymptotic-preserving (AP) numerical method for solving the three-temperature radiative transfer model, which holds significant importance in inertial confinement fusion. A carefully designedsplitting method is developed that can provide a general framework of extending AP schemes for the gray radiative transport equation to the more complex three-temperature radiative transfer model. The proposed scheme captures two important limiting models: the three-temperature radiation diffusion equation (3TRDE) when opacity approaches infinity and the two-temperature limit when the ion-electron coupling coefficient goes to infinity. We have rigorously demonstrated the AP property and energy conservation characteristics of the proposed scheme and its efficiency has been validated through a series of benchmark tests in the numerical part.
Several subjective proposals have been made for interpreting the strength of evidence in likelihood ratios and Bayes factors. I identify a more objective scaling by modelling the effect of evidence on belief. The resulting scale with base 3.73 aligns with previous proposals and may partly explain intuitions.
Fully decentralized learning is gaining momentum for training AI models at the Internet's edge, addressing infrastructure challenges and privacy concerns. In a decentralized machine learning system, data is distributed across multiple nodes, with each node training a local model based on its respective dataset. The local models are then shared and combined to form a global model capable of making accurate predictions on new data. Our exploration focuses on how different types of network structures influence the spreading of knowledge - the process by which nodes incorporate insights gained from learning patterns in data available on other nodes across the network. Specifically, this study investigates the intricate interplay between network structure and learning performance using three network topologies and six data distribution methods. These methods consider different vertex properties, including degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and clustering coefficient, along with whether nodes exhibit high or low values of these metrics. Our findings underscore the significance of global centrality metrics (degree, betweenness) in correlating with learning performance, while local clustering proves less predictive. We highlight the challenges in transferring knowledge from peripheral to central nodes, attributed to a dilution effect during model aggregation. Additionally, we observe that central nodes exert a pull effect, facilitating the spread of knowledge. In examining degree distribution, hubs in Barabasi-Albert networks positively impact learning for central nodes but exacerbate dilution when knowledge originates from peripheral nodes. Finally, we demonstrate the formidable challenge of knowledge circulation outside of segregated communities.