Abstract. We propose a simple approach to combining first-order logic and probabilistic graphical models in a single representation. A Markov logic network (MLN) is a first-order knowledge base with a weight attached to each formula (or clause). Together with a set of constants representing objects in the domain, it specifies a ground Markov network containing one feature for each possible grounding of a first-order formula in the KB, with the corresponding weight. Inference in MLNs is performed by MCMC over the minimal subset of the ground network required for answering the query. Weights are efficiently learned from relational databases by iteratively optimizing a pseudo-likelihood measure. Optionally, additional clauses are learned using inductive logic programming techniques. Experiments with a real-world database and knowledge base in a university domain illustrate the promise of this approach.

Log-linear models provide a statistically sound framework for Stochastic "Unification-Based" Grammars (SUBGs) and stochastic versions of other kinds of grammars. We describe two computationally-tractable ways of estimating the parameters of such grammars from a training corpus of syntactic analyses, and apply these to estimate a stochastic version of LexicalFunctional Grammar.

We describe a graphical model for probabilistic relationships|an alternative tothe Bayesian network|called a dependency network. The graph of a dependency network, unlike aBayesian network, is potentially cyclic. The probability component of a dependency network, like aBayesian network, is a set of conditional distributions, one for each nodegiven its parents. We identify several basic properties of this representation and describe a computationally e cient procedure for learning the graph and probability components from data. We describe the application of this representation to probabilistic inference, collaborative ltering (the task of predicting preferences), and the visualization of acausal predictive relationships.

This paper is about estimating the parameters of the exponential random graph model, also known as the p # model, using frequentist Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. The exponential random graph model is simulated using Gibbs or Metropolis-Hastings sampling. The estimation procedures considered are based on the Robbins-Monro algorithm for approximating a solution to the likelihood equation.

We present an algorithm that uses multiple cues to recover shading and reflectance intrinsic images from a single image. Using both color information and a classifier trained to recognize gray-scale patterns, each image derivative is classified as being caused by shading or a change in the surface's reflectance. Generalized Belief Propagation is then used to propagate information from areas where the correct classification is clear to areas where it is ambiguous. We also show results on real images.

Markov logic networks (MLNs) combine logic and probability by attaching weights to first-order clauses, and viewing these as templates for features of Markov networks. In this paper we develop an algorithm for learning the structure of MLNs from relational databases, combining ideas from inductive logic programming (ILP) and feature induction in Markov networks. The algorithm performs a beam or shortestfirst search of the space of clauses, guided by a weighted pseudo-likelihood measure. This requires computing the optimal weights for each candidate structure, but we show how this can be done efficiently. The algorithm can be used to learn an MLN from scratch, or to refine an existing knowledge base. We have applied it in two real-world domains, and found that it outperforms using off-the-shelf ILP systems to learn the MLN structure, as well as pure ILP, purely probabilistic and purely knowledge-based approaches. 1.

This paper discusses standard and intrinsic autoregressions and describes how the problems that arise can be alleviated using Dempster's (1972) algorithm or an appropriate modification. The approach partly represents a synthesis of standard geostatistical and Gaussian Markov random field formulations. Some non-spatial applications are also mentioned. Some key words: Agricultural experiments; Bayesian image analysis; Conditional autoregressions; Dempster's algorithm; Geographical epidemiology; Geostatistics; Intrinsic autoregressions; Multi-way tables; Prior distributions; Spatial statistics; Surface reconstruction; Texture analysis. 1 Introduction

Instance independence is a critical assumption of traditional machine learning methods contradicted by many relational datasets. For example, in scientific literature datasets there are dependencies among the references of a paper. Recent work on graphical models for relational data has demonstrated significant performance gains for models that exploit the dependencies among instances. In this paper, we present relational dependency networks (RDNs), a new form of graphical model capable of reasoning with such dependencies in a relational setting. We describe the details of RDN models and outline their strengths, most notably the ability to learn and reason with cyclic relational dependencies. We present RDN models learned on a number of real-world datasets, and evaluate the models in a classification context, showing significant performance improvements. In addition, we use synthetic data to evaluate the quality of model learning and inference procedures. 1.

For many large undirected models that arise in real-world applications, exact maximumlikelihood training is intractable, because it requires computing marginal distributions of the model. Conditional training is even more difficult, because the partition function depends not only on the parameters, but also on the observed input, requiring repeated inference over each training example. An appealing idea for such models is to independently train a local undirected classifier over each clique, afterwards combining the learned weights into a single global model. In this paper, we show that this piecewise method can be justified as minimizing a new family of upper bounds on the log partition function. On three natural-language data sets, piecewise training is more accurate than pseudolikelihood, and often performs comparably to global training using belief propagation. 1

Learning patterns of human behavior from sensor data is extremely important for high-level activity inference. We show how to extract a person’s activities and significant places from traces of GPS data. Our system uses hierarchically structured conditional random fields to generate a consistent model of a person’s activities and places. In contrast to existing techniques, our approach takes high-level context into account in order to detect the significant places of a person. Our experiments show significant improvements over existing techniques. Furthermore, they indicate that our system is able to robustly estimate a person’s activities using a model that is trained from data collected by other persons. 1