ESTHER: A “R Package” Implementing a Novel Approach to Bidimen-sional Display of Multidimensional Binary Data

摘要

The R package ESTHER implements two novel algorithms designed to dispose in a reduced space multidimensionalobjects defined by binary descriptors. The approach is to assign discrete and fix positions to all possible combinationsobtained with the descriptors employed. One of the two algorithms, called clock, position objects on a circle at regularintervals, whereas the other, star, maintains the angular position as in clock, but defines the distance of the object fromthe center of the circle proportionally to the number of descriptor in state”1”. Comparisons with Principal CoordinateAnalysis (PCoA) showed that the three methods perform differently according to the number of objects and descriptorsand to the distance method employed to carry out the PCoA. The algorithm clock produced the best object clustering in avalidation carried out with a matrix generated by molecular fingerprint of yeast isolates.