Optimizing parameters in fuzzy k-means for clustering microarray data.

Rapid advances of microarray technologies are making it possible to analyze and manipulate large amounts of gene expression data. Clustering algorithms, such as hierarchical clustering, self-organizing maps, k-means clustering and fuzzy k-means clustering, have become important tools for expression analysis of microarray data. However, the need of prior knowledge of the number of clusters, k, and the fuzziness parameter, b, limits the usage of fuzzy clustering. Few approaches have been proposed for assigning best possible values for such parameters. In this thesis, we use simulated annealing and fuzzy k-means clustering to determine the optimal parameters, namely the number of clusters, k, and the fuzziness parameter, b. To assess the performance of our method, we have used synthetic and real gene experiment data sets. To improve our approach, two methods, searching with Tabu List and Shrinking the scope of randomization, are applied. Our results show that a nearly-optimal pair of k and b can be obtained without exploring the entire search space.Dept. of Computer Science. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2005 .Y37. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-03, page: 1419. Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005

EMAGE—Edinburgh Mouse Atlas of Gene Expression: 2008 update

EMAGE (http://genex.hgu.mrc.ac.uk/Emage/database) is a database of in situ gene expression patterns in the developing mouse embryo. Domains of expression from raw data images are spatially integrated into a set of standard 3D virtual mouse embryos at different stages of development, allowing data interrogation by spatial methods. Sites of expression are also described using an anatomy ontology and data can be queried using text-based methods. Here we describe recent enhancements to EMAGE which include advances in spatial search methods including: a refined local spatial similarity search algorithm, a method to allow global spatial comparison of patterns in EMAGE and subsequent hierarchical-clustering, and spatial searches across multiple stages of development. In addition, we have extended data access by the introduction of web services and new HTML-based search interfaces, which allow access to data that has not yet been spatially annotated. We have also started incorporating full 3D images of gene expression that have been generated using optical projection tomography (OPT)