Decentralized Learning with Lazy and Approximate Dual Gradients

This paper develops algorithms for decentralized machine learning over a network, where data are distributed, computation is localized, and communication is restricted between neighbors. A line of recent research in this area focuses on improving both computation and communication complexities. The methods SSDA and MSDA \cite{scaman2017optimal} have optimal communication complexity when the objective is smooth … Read more

Iteration-complexity of an inner accelerated inexact proximal augmented Lagrangian method based on the classical Lagrangian function and a full Lagrange multiplier update

This paper establishes the iteration-complexity of an inner accelerated inexact proximal augmented Lagrangian (IAPIAL) method for solving linearly constrained smooth nonconvex composite optimization problems which is based on the classical Lagrangian function and, most importantly, performs a full Lagrangian multiplier update, i.e., no shrinking factor is incorporated on it. More specifically, each IAPIAL iteration consists … Read more

Spatially Adaptive Regularization in Image Segmentation

We modify the total-variation-regularized image segmentation model proposed by Chan, Esedoglu and Nikolova [SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics 66, 2006] by introducing local regularization that takes into account spatial image information. We propose some techniques for defining local regularization parameters, based on the cartoon-texture decomposition of the given image, on the mean and median filters, … Read more

A Subspace Acceleration Method for Minimization Involving a Group Sparsity-Inducing Regularizer

We consider the problem of minimizing an objective function that is the sum of a convex function and a group sparsity-inducing regularizer. Problems that integrate such regularizers arise in modern machine learning applications, often for the purpose of obtaining models that are easier to interpret and that have higher predictive accuracy. We present a new … Read more

On the abs-polynomial expansion of piecewise smooth functions

Tom Streubel has observed that for functions in abs-normal form, generalized Taylor expansions of arbitrary order $\bd \!- \!1$ can be generated by algorithmic piecewise differentiation. Abs-normal form means that the real or vector valued function is defined by an evaluation procedure that involves the absolute value function $|\cdot|$ apart from arithmetic operations and $\bd$ … Read more

Convergence analysis under consistent error bounds

We introduce the notion of consistent error bound functions which provides a unifying framework for error bounds for multiple convex sets. This framework goes beyond the classical Lipschitzian and Holderian error bounds and includes logarithmic and entropic error bound found in the exponential cone. It also includes the error bounds obtainable under the theory of … Read more

Accelerated Dual-Averaging Primal-Dual Method for Composite Convex Minimization

Dual averaging-type methods are widely used in industrial machine learning applications due to their ability to promoting solution structure (e.g., sparsity) efficiently. In this paper, we propose a novel accelerated dual-averaging primal-dual algorithm for minimizing a composite convex function. We also derive a stochastic version of the proposed method which solves empirical risk minimization, and … Read more

Accelerated Inexact Composite Gradient Methods for Nonconvex Spectral Optimization Problems

This paper presents two inexact composite gradient methods, one inner accelerated and another doubly accelerated, for solving a class of nonconvex spectral composite optimization problems. More specifically, the objective function for these problems is of the form f_1 + f_2 + h where f_1 and f_2 are differentiable nonconvex matrix functions with Lipschitz continuous gradients, … Read more

Tight bounds on Lyapunov rank

The Lyapunov rank of a cone is the number of independent equations obtainable from an analogue of the complementary slackness condition in cone programming problems, and more equations are generally thought to be better. Bounding the Lyapunov rank of a proper cone in R^n from above is an open problem. Gowda and Tao gave an … Read more

Analysis of Energy Markets Modeled as Equilibrium Problems with Equilibrium Constraints

Equilibrium problems with equilibrium constraints are challenging both theoretically and computationally. However, they are suitable/adequate modeling formulations in a number of important areas, such as energy markets, transportation planning, and logistics. Typically, these problems are characterized as bilevel Nash-Cournot games. For instance, determin- ing the equilibrium price in an energy market involves top-level decisions of … Read more