Set Stabilization of Probabilistic Boolean Networks Using Pinning Control

Finite-Time Stabilizers for Large-Scale Stochastic Boolean Networks

This article presents a distributed pinning control strategy aimed at achieving global stabilization of Markovian jump Boolean control networks. The strategy relies on network matrix information to choose controlled nodes and adopts the algebraic state space representation approach for designing pinning controllers. Initially, a sufficient criterion is established to verify the global stability of a given Markovian jump Boolean network (MJBN) with probability one at a specific state within finite time. To stabilize an unstable MJBN at a predetermined state, the selection of pinned nodes involves removing the minimal number of entries, ensuring that the network matrix transforms into a strictly lower (or upper) triangular form. For each pinned node, two types of state feedback controllers are developed: 1) mode-dependent and 2) mode-independent, with a focus on designing a minimally updating controller. The choice of controller type is determined by the feasibility condition of the mode-dependent pinning controller, which is articulated through the solvability of matrix equations. Finally, the theoretical results are illustrated by studying the T cell large granular lymphocyte survival signaling network consisting of 54 genes and 6 stimuli.

Set stabilization of logical control networks: A minimum node control approach

In network systems, control using minimum nodes or pinning control can be effectively used for stabilization problems to cut down the cost of control. In this paper, we investigate the set stabilization problem of logical control networks. In particular, we study the set stabilization problem of probabilistic Boolean networks (PBNs) and probabilistic Boolean control networks (PBCNs) via controlling minimal nodes. Firstly, an algorithm is given to search for the minimum index set of pinning nodes. Then, based on the analysis of its high computational complexity, we present optimized algorithms with lower computational complexity to ascertain the network control using minimum node sets. Moreover, some sufficient and necessary conditions are proposed to ensure the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. Furthermore, a theorem is presented for PBCNs to devise all state-feedback controllers corresponding to the set of pinning nodes. Finally, two models of gene regulatory networks are considered to show the efficacy of obtained results.

Robust Stabilizing Control of Perturbed Biological Networks via Coordinate Transformation and Algebraic Analysis

This article investigates robust stabilizing control of biological systems modeled by Boolean networks (BNs). A population of BNs is considered where a majority of BNs have the same BN dynamics, but some BNs are inflicted by mutations damaging particular nodes, leading to perturbed dynamics that prohibit global stabilization to the desired attractor. The proposed control strategy consists of two steps. First, the nominal BN is transformed and curtailed into a sub-BN via a simple coordinate transformation and network reduction associated with the desired attractor. The feedback vertex set (FVS) control is then applied to the reduced BN to determine the control inputs for the nominal BN. Next, the control inputs derived in the first step and mutated nodes are applied to the nominal BN so as to identify residual dynamics of perturbed BNs, and additional control inputs are selected according to the canalization effect of each node. The overall control inputs are applied to the BN population, so that the nominal BN converges to the desired attractor and perturbed BNs to their own attractors that are the closest possible to the desired attractor. The performance of the proposed robust control scheme is validated through numerical experiments on random BNs and a complex biological network.

Optimal preview pinning control of Boolean networks

This paper investigates the problem of optimal preview pinning control for Boolean networks. The primary objective is to design efficient control strategies that leverage future reference information for improved control performance. We propose a policy iteration algorithm specifically for Boolean networks based on an augmented error system, constructed using the state augmentation technique in combination with the Exclusive-Or operator approach. The algorithm effectively optimizes control policies using future information. Finally, an example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Pinning Controller Design for Set Reachability of State-Dependent Impulsive Boolean Networks

Considered the stimulation of tumor necrosis factor as an impulsive control, an apoptosis network is modeled as a state-dependent impulsive Boolean network (SDIBN). Making cell death normally means driving the trajectory of an apoptosis network out of states that indicate cell survival. To achieve the goal, this article focuses on the pinning controller design for set reachability of SDIBNs. To begin with, the definitions of reachability and set reachability are introduced, and their relation is illustrated. For judging whether the trajectory of an SDIBN leaves undesirable states, a necessary and sufficient condition is presented according to the criteria for the set reachability. In addition, a series of algorithms is provided to find all possible sets of pinning nodes for the set reachability. Note that attractors containing in all undesirable states are studied to make SDIBNs set reachable via controlling the smallest states. For the purpose of determining pinning nodes for one-step set reachability, the Hamming distance is presented under scalar forms of states. Pinning nodes with the smallest cardinality for the set reachability are derived by deleting some redundant nodes. Compared with the existing results, the state feedback gain can be obtained without solving logical matrix equations. The computation complexity of the proposed approach is lower than that of the existing methods. Moreover, the method of designing pinning controllers is used to discuss apoptosis networks. The experimental result shows that apoptosis networks depart from undesirable states by controlling only one node.

Pinning Stabilizer Design for Probabilistic Boolean Control Networks via Condensation Digraph

This article investigates the design of pinning controllers for state feedback stabilization of probabilistic Boolean control networks (PBCNs), based on the condensation digraph method. First, two effective algorithms are presented to achieve state feedback stabilization of the considered system from the perspective of condensation digraph. One is to find the desired matrix, and the other is to search for the minimum number of pinned nodes and specific pinned nodes. Then, all the mode-independent pinning controllers can be designed based on the desired matrix and pinned nodes. Several examples are delineated to illustrate the validity of the main results.

Total-Activity Conservation Analysis and Design of Boolean Networks

The law of conservation of mass, represented in Boolean networks (BNs) as total-activity conservation, is one of the typical properties of biological networks. This article analyzes the total-activity conservation of BNs based on the algebraic state-space representation (ASSR) approach. First, the total-activity-conservative matrix is defined and a matrix-based criterion is proposed to verify the total-activity conservation of BNs. Meanwhile, when function perturbation is considered, robust total-activity conservation is investigated. Second, by means of the pseudo-Boolean function generated by total-activity conservation, a constructive design procedure of the Boolean dynamics is given to achieve the total-activity conservation. Third, the total-activity conservation of switched Boolean networks (SBNs) under arbitrary switching signal is studied, which together with network aggregation achieves the total-activity conservation of large-scale BNs.

Stabilizing Large-Scale Probabilistic Boolean Networks by Pinning Control

This article aims to stabilize probabilistic Boolean networks (PBNs) via a novel pinning control strategy. In a PBN, the state evolution of each gene switches among a collection of candidate Boolean functions with preassigned probability distributions, which govern the activation frequency of each Boolean function. Due to the existence of stochasticity, the mode-independent pinning controller might be disabled. Thus, both mode-independent and mode-dependent pinning controller are required here. Moreover, a criterion is derived to determine whether mode-independent controllers are applicable while the pinned nodes are given. It is worth pointing out that this pinning control is based on the n×n network structure rather than 2ⁿ ×2ⁿ state transition matrix. Therefore, compared with the existing results, this pinning control strategy is more practicable and has the ability to handle large-scale networks, especially sparsely connected networks. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed control scheme, a PBN that describes the mammalian cell-cycle encountering a mutated phenotype is discussed as a simulation.

Self-Triggered Scheduling for Boolean Control Networks

It has been shown that self-triggered control has the ability to deal with cases with constrained resources by properly setting up the rules for updating the system control when necessary. In this article, self-triggered stabilization of the Boolean control networks (BCNs), including the deterministic BCNs, probabilistic BCNs, and Markovian switching BCNs, is first investigated via the semitensor product of matrices and the Lyapunov theory of the Boolean networks. The self-triggered mechanism with the aim to determine when the controller should be updated is provided by the decrease of the corresponding Lyapunov functions between two consecutive samplings. Rigorous theoretical analysis is presented to prove that the designed self-triggered control strategy for BCNs is well defined and can make the controlled BCNs be stabilized at the equilibrium point.

Finite-Time Synchronization of Reaction-Diffusion Inertial Memristive Neural Networks via Gain-Scheduled Pinning Control

For the considered reaction-diffusion inertial memristive neural networks (IMNNs), this article proposes a novel gain-scheduled generalized pinning control scheme, where three pinning control strategies are involved and 2ⁿ controller gains can be scheduled for different system parameters. Moreover, a time delay is considered in the controller to make it has a memory function. With the designed controller, drive-and-response systems can be synchronized within a finite-time interval. Note that the final finite-time synchronization criterion is obtained in the forms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) by introducing a memristor-dependent sign function into the controller and constructing a new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF). Furthermore, by utilizing some improved integral inequality methods, the conservatism of the main results can be greatly reduced. Finally, three numerical examples are provided to illustrate the feasibility, superiority, and practicability of this article.

Finite-Horizon Optimal Control of Boolean Control Networks: A Unified Graph-Theoretical Approach

This article investigates the finite-horizon optimal control (FHOC) problem of Boolean control networks (BCNs) from a graph theory perspective. We first formulate two general problems to unify various special cases studied in the literature: 1) the horizon length is a priori fixed and 2) the horizon length is unspecified but finite for given destination states. Notably, both problems can incorporate time-variant costs, which are rarely considered in existing work, and a variety of constraints. The existence of an optimal control sequence is analyzed under mild assumptions. Motivated by BCNs' finite state space and control space, we approach the two general problems intuitively and efficiently under a graph-theoretical framework. A weighted state transition graph and its time-expanded variants are developed, and the equivalence between the FHOC problem and the shortest-path (SP) problem in specific graphs is established rigorously. Two algorithms are developed to find the SP and construct the optimal control sequence for the two problems with reduced computational complexity, though technically, a classical SP algorithm in graph theory is sufficient for all problems. Compared with existing algebraic methods, our graph-theoretical approach can achieve state-of-the-art time efficiency while targeting the most general problems. Furthermore, our approach is the first one capable of solving Problem 2) with time-variant costs. Finally, a genetic network in the bacterium E. coli and a signaling network involved in human leukemia are used to validate the effectiveness of our approach. The results of two common tasks for both networks show that our approach can dramatically reduce the running time. Python implementation of our algorithms is available at GitHub https://github.com/ShuhuaGao/FHOC.

Stability and Stabilization in Probability of Probabilistic Boolean Networks

This article studies the stability in probability of probabilistic Boolean networks and stabilization in the probability of probabilistic Boolean control networks. To simulate more realistic cellular systems, the probability of stability/stabilization is not required to be a strict one. In this situation, the target state is indefinite to have a probability of transferring to itself. Thus, it is a challenging extension of the traditional probability-one problem, in which the self-transfer probability of the target state must be one. Some necessary and sufficient conditions are proposed via the semitensor product of matrices. Illustrative examples are also given to show the effectiveness of the derived results.

Pinning Stabilization of Boolean Control Networks via a Minimum Number of Controllers

The stabilization problem of Boolean control networks (BCNs) under pinning control is investigated in this article, and the set of pinned nodes is minimized. A BCN is a Boolean network with Boolean control inputs in it. When the given BCNs cannot realize stabilization under existing Boolean control inputs, pinning control strategy is introduced to make the BCNs achieve stabilization. The Warshall algorithm is introduced to verify the stabilizability of BCNs, then novel computational feasible algorithms are developed to design the minimum number pinning controller for the system. By using our method, the minimum set of pinned nodes can be found with relatively low computational complexity. Finally, the theoretical result is validated using a biological example.

On Optimal Time-Varying Feedback Controllability for Probabilistic Boolean Control Networks

This brief studies controllability for probabilistic Boolean control network (PBCN) with time-varying feedback control laws. The concept of feedback controllability with an arbitrary probability for PBCNs is formulated first, and a control problem to maximize the probability of time-varying feedback controllability is investigated afterward. By introducing semitensor product (STP) technique, an equivalent multistage decision problem is deduced, and then a novel optimization algorithm is proposed to obtain the maximum probability of controllability and the corresponding optimal feedback law simultaneously. The advantages of the time-varying optimal controller obtained by the proposed algorithm, compared to the time-invariant one, are illustrated by numerical simulations.