Efficient Causal Structure Learning via Modular Subgraph Integration

Learning causal structures from observational data remains a fundamental yet computationally intensive task, particularly in high-dimensional settings where existing methods face challenges such as the super-exponential growth of the search space and increasing computational demands. To address this, we introduce VISTA (Voting-based Integration of Subgraph Topologies for Acyclicity), a modular framework that decomposes the global causal structure learning problem into local subgraphs based on Markov Blankets. The global integration is achieved through a weighted voting mechanism that penalizes low-support edges via exponential decay, filters unreliable ones with an adaptive threshold, and ensures acyclicity using a Feedback Arc Set (FAS) algorithm. The framework is model-agnostic, imposing no assumptions on the inductive biases of base learners, is compatible with arbitrary data settings without requiring specific structural forms, and fully supports parallelization. We also theoretically establish finite-sample error bounds for VISTA, and prove its asymptotic consistency under mild conditions. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real datasets consistently demonstrate the effectiveness of VISTA, yielding notable improvements in both accuracy and efficiency over a wide range of base learners.

Improving VQA Reliability: A Dual-Assessment Approach with Self-Reflection and Cross-Model Verification

Vision-language models (VLMs) have demonstrated significant potential in Visual Question Answering (VQA). However, the susceptibility of VLMs to hallucinations can lead to overconfident yet incorrect answers, severely undermining answer reliability. To address this, we propose Dual-Assessment for VLM Reliability (DAVR), a novel framework that integrates Self-Reflection and Cross-Model Verification for comprehensive uncertainty estimation. The DAVR framework features a dual-pathway architecture: one pathway leverages dual selector modules to assess response reliability by fusing VLM latent features with QA embeddings, while the other deploys external reference models for factual cross-checking to mitigate hallucinations. Evaluated in the Reliable VQA Challenge at ICCV-CLVL 2025, DAVR achieves a leading $Φ_{100}$ score of 39.64 and a 100-AUC of 97.22, securing first place and demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing the trustworthiness of VLM responses.