Header-Only C++ Mathematical Optimization Library for 'Armadillo'

'Ensmallen' is a templated C++ mathematical optimization library (by the 'MLPACK' team) that provides a simple set of abstractions for writing an objective function to optimize. Provided within are various standard and cutting-edge optimizers that include full-batch gradient descent techniques, small-batch techniques, gradient-free optimizers, and constrained optimization. The 'RcppEnsmallen' package includes the header files from the 'Ensmallen' library and pairs the appropriate header files from 'armadillo' through the 'RcppArmadillo' package. Therefore, users do not need to install 'Ensmallen' nor 'Armadillo' to use 'RcppEnsmallen'. Note that 'Ensmallen' is licensed under 3-Clause BSD, 'Armadillo' starting from 7.800.0 is licensed under Apache License 2, 'RcppArmadillo' (the 'Rcpp' bindings/bridge to 'Armadillo') is licensed under the GNU GPL version 2 or later. Thus, 'RcppEnsmallen' is also licensed under similar terms. Note that 'Ensmallen' requires a compiler that supports 'C++14' and 'Armadillo' 10.8.2 or later.

Linear Programming / Optimization

Can be used to solve Linear Programming / Linear Optimization problems by using the simplex algorithm.

Discrete and Global Optimization Routines

The R package 'adagio' will provide methods and algorithms for (discrete) optimization, e.g. knapsack and subset sum procedures, derivative-free Nelder-Mead and Hooke-Jeeves minimization, and some (evolutionary) global optimization functions.

Manly Mixture Modeling and Model-Based Clustering

The utility of this package includes finite mixture modeling and model-based clustering through Manly mixture models by Zhu and Melnykov (2016) . It also provides capabilities for forward and backward model selection procedures.

Adequacy of Probabilistic Models and General Purpose Optimization

The main application concerns to a new robust optimization package with two major contributions. The first contribution refers to the assessment of the adequacy of probabilistic models through a combination of several statistics, which measure the relative quality of statistical models for a given data set. The second one provides a general purpose optimization method based on meta-heuristics functions for maximizing or minimizing an arbitrary objective function.

'Rcpp' Integration for Numerical Computing Libraries

A collection of open source libraries for numerical computing (numerical integration, optimization, etc.) and their integration with 'Rcpp'.

Functions for Optimal Non-Bipartite Matching

Perform non-bipartite matching and matched randomization. A "bipartite" matching utilizes two separate groups, e.g. smokers being matched to nonsmokers or cases being matched to controls. A "non-bipartite" matching creates mates from one big group, e.g. 100 hospitals being randomized for a two-arm cluster randomized trial or 5000 children who have been exposed to various levels of secondhand smoke and are being paired to form a greater exposure vs. lesser exposure comparison. At the core of a non-bipartite matching is a N x N distance matrix for N potential mates. The distance between two units expresses a measure of similarity or quality as mates (the lower the better). The 'gendistance()' and 'distancematrix()' functions assist in creating this. The 'nonbimatch()' function creates the matching that minimizes the total sum of distances between mates; hence, it is referred to as an "optimal" matching. The 'assign.grp()' function aids in performing a matched randomization. Note bipartite matching can be performed using the prevent option in 'gendistance()'.

Random Orthonormal Matrix Generation and Optimization on the Stiefel Manifold

Simulation of random orthonormal matrices from linear and quadratic exponential family distributions on the Stiefel manifold. The most general type of distribution covered is the matrix-variate Bingham-von Mises-Fisher distribution. Most of the simulation methods are presented in Hoff(2009) "Simulation of the Matrix Bingham-von Mises-Fisher Distribution, With Applications to Multivariate and Relational Data" . The package also includes functions for optimization on the Stiefel manifold based on algorithms described in Wen and Yin (2013) "A feasible method for optimization with orthogonality constraints" .

Large, Sparse Optimal Matching with Refined Covariate Balance

Tools for large, sparse optimal matching of treated units and control units in observational studies. Provisions are made for refined covariate balance constraints, which include fine and near-fine balance as special cases. Matches are optimal in the sense that they are computed as solutions to network optimization problems rather than greedy algorithms. See Pimentel, et al.(2015) and Pimentel (2016), Obs. Studies 2(1):4-23. The rrelaxiv package, which provides an alternative solver for the underlying network flow problems, carries an academic license and is not available on CRAN, but may be downloaded from Github at < https://github.com/josherrickson/rrelaxiv/>.

Animal Network Toolkit Software

How animals interact and develop social relationships in face of sociodemographic and ecological pressures is of great interest. New methodologies, in particular Social Network Analysis (SNA), allow us to elucidate these types of questions. However, the different methodologies developed to that end and the speed at which they emerge make their use difficult. Moreover, the lack of communication between the different software developed to provide an answer to the same/different research questions is a source of confusion. The R package Animal Network Toolkit 'ANTs' was developed with the aim of implementing in one package the different social network analysis techniques currently used in the study of animal social networks. Hence, ANT is a toolkit for animal research allowing among other things to: 1) measure global, dyadic and nodal networks metrics; 2) perform data randomization: pre- and post-network (node and link permutations); 3) perform statistical permutation tests as correlation test (), t-test (), General Linear Model (), General Linear Mixed Model (), deletion simulation (), 'Matrix TauKr correlations' (). The package is partially coded in C++ using the R package 'Rcpp' for an optimal coding speed. The package gives researchers a workflow from the raw data to the achievement of statistical analyses, allowing for a multilevel approach (): from the individual's position and role within the network, to the identification of interaction patterns, and the study of the overall network properties. Furthermore, ANT also provides a guideline on the SNA techniques used: 1) from the appropriate randomization technique according to the data collected; 2) to the choice, the meaning, the limitations and advantages of the network metrics to apply, 3) and the type of statistical tests to run. The ANT project is multi-collaborative, aiming to provide access to advanced social network analysis techniques and to create new ones that meet researchers' needs in future versions. The ANT project is multi-collaborative, aiming to provide access to advanced social network analysis techniques and to create new ones that meet researchers' needs in future versions.