15074010
A Modular Reduction Method for k-NN Algorithm with Self-recombination Learning
A difficulty faced by existing reduction techniques for k-NN algorithm is to require loading the whole training data set. Therefore, these approaches often become inefficient when they are used for solving large-scale problems. To overcome this deficiency, we propose a new method for reducing samples for k-NN algorithm. The basic idea behind the proposed method is a self-recombination learning strategy, which is originally designed for combining classifiers to speed up response time by reducing the number of base classifiers to be checked and improve the generalization performance by rearranging the order of training samples. Experimental results on several benchmark problems indicate that the proposed method is valid and efficient.
16473944
Analysis of Fault Tolerance of a Combining Classifier
This paper mainly analyses the fault tolerant capability of a combining classifier that uses a K-voting strategy for integrating binary classifiers. From the point view of fault tolerance, we discuss the influence of the failure of binary classifiers on the final output of the combining classifier, and present a theoretical analysis of combination performance under three fault models. The results provide a theoretical base for fault detection of the combining classifier.
18920027
A computational approach for ordering signal transduction pathway components from genomics and proteomics Data
BackgroundSignal transduction is one of the most important biological processes by which cells convert an external signal into a response. Novel computational approaches to mapping proteins onto signaling pathways are needed to fully take advantage of the rapid accumulation of genomic and proteomics information. However, despite their importance, research on signaling pathways reconstruction utilizing large-scale genomics and proteomics information has been limited.ResultsWe have developed an approach for predicting the order of signaling pathway components, assuming all the components on the pathways are known. Our method is built on a score function that integrates protein-protein interaction data and microarray gene expression data. Compared to the individual datasets, either protein interactions or gene transcript abundance measurements, the integrated approach leads to better identification of the order of the pathway components.ConclusionsAs demonstrated in our study on the yeast MAPK signaling pathways, the integration analysis of high-throughput genomics and proteomics data can be a powerful means to infer the order of pathway components, enabling the transformation from molecular data into knowledge of cellular mechanisms.
1139392
Pathway analysis using random forests classification and regression
MOTIVATION
Although numerous methods have been developed to better capture biological information from microarray data, commonly used single gene-based methods neglect interactions among genes and leave room for other novel approaches. For example, most classification and regression methods for microarray data are based on the whole set of genes and have not made use of pathway information. Pathway-based analysis in microarray studies may lead to more informative and relevant knowledge for biological researchers.


RESULTS
In this paper, we describe a pathway-based classification and regression method using Random Forests to analyze gene expression data. The proposed methods allow researchers to rank important pathways from externally available databases, discover important genes, find pathway-based outlying cases and make full use of a continuous outcome variable in the regression setting. We also compared Random Forests with other machine learning methods using several datasets and found that Random Forests classification error rates were either the lowest or the second-lowest. By combining pathway information and novel statistical methods, this procedure represents a promising computational strategy in dissecting pathways and can provide biological insight into the study of microarray data.


AVAILABILITY
Source code written in R is available from http://bioinformatics.med.yale.edu/pathway-analysis/rf.htm.
5682481
VitaPad: visualization tools for the analysis of pathway data
MOTIVATION
Packages that support the creation of pathway diagrams are limited by their inability to be readily extended to new classes of pathway-related data.


RESULTS
VitaPad is a cross-platform application that enables users to create and modify biological pathway diagrams and incorporate microarray data with them. It improves on existing software in the following areas: (i) It can create diagrams dynamically through graph layout algorithms. (ii) It is open-source and uses an open XML format to store data, allowing for easy extension or integration with other tools. (iii) It features a cutting-edge user interface with intuitive controls, high-resolution graphics and fully customizable appearance.


AVAILABILITY
http://bioinformatics.med.yale.edu


CONTACTS
matthew.holford@yale.edu; hongyu.zhao@yale.edu.
11712321
HAPLORE: a program for haplotype reconstruction in general pedigrees without recombination
MOTIVATION
Haplotype reconstruction is an essential step in genetic linkage and association studies. Although many methods have been developed to estimate haplotype frequencies and reconstruct haplotypes for a sample of unrelated individuals, haplotype reconstruction in large pedigrees with a large number of genetic markers remains a challenging problem.


METHODS
We have developed an efficient computer program, HAPLORE (HAPLOtype REconstruction), to identify all haplotype sets that are compatible with the observed genotypes in a pedigree for tightly linked genetic markers. HAPLORE consists of three steps that can serve different needs in applications. In the first step, a set of logic rules is used to reduce the number of compatible haplotypes of each individual in the pedigree as much as possible. After this step, the haplotypes of all individuals in the pedigree can be completely or partially determined. These logic rules are applicable to completely linked markers and they can be used to impute missing data and check genotyping errors. In the second step, a haplotype-elimination algorithm similar to the genotype-elimination algorithms used in linkage analysis is applied to delete incompatible haplotypes derived from the first step. All superfluous haplotypes of the pedigree members will be excluded after this step. In the third step, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm combined with the partition and ligation technique is used to estimate haplotype frequencies based on the inferred haplotype configurations through the first two steps. Only compatible haplotype configurations with haplotypes having frequencies greater than a threshold are retained.


RESULTS
We test the effectiveness and the efficiency of HAPLORE using both simulated and real datasets. Our results show that, the rule-based algorithm is very efficient for completely genotyped pedigree. In this case, almost all of the families have one unique haplotype configuration. In the presence of missing data, the number of compatible haplotypes can be substantially reduced by HAPLORE, and the program will provide all possible haplotype configurations of a pedigree under different circumstances, if such multiple configurations exist. These inferred haplotype configurations, as well as the haplotype frequencies estimated by the EM algorithm, can be used in genetic linkage and association studies.


AVAILABILITY
The program can be downloaded from http://bioinformatics.med.yale.edu.
7262387
An Experimental Investigation into the Rank Function of the Heterogeneous Earliest Finish Time Scheduling Algorithm
This paper considers the Heterogeneous Earliest Finish Time (HEFT) algorithm for scheduling the tasks of an application, represented by a directed acyclic graph, onto a bounded number of heterogeneous machines. We focus on the appropriate selection of the weight for the nodes and edges of the graph, and experiment with a number of different schemes for computing these weights. Our findings indicate that the length of the schedule produced may be affected significantly by the scheme used, and suggest that the mean value based approach used by HEFT may not be a particularly good choice.