Clustering with position-specific constraints on variance: Applying redescending M-estimators to label-free LC-MS data analysis

摘要

BackgroundClustering is a widely applicable pattern recognition method for discovering groups of similar observations in data. While there are a large variety of clustering algorithms, very few of these can enforce constraints on the variation of attributes for data points included in a given cluster. In particular, a clustering algorithm that can limit variation within a cluster according to that cluster's position (centroid location) can produce effective and optimal results in many important applications ranging from clustering of silicon pixels or calorimeter cells in high-energy physics to label-free liquid chromatography based mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data analysis in proteomics and metabolomics.