Regatta: Comparative, Multivariate LCMS Data Analysis for Biomarker Discovery
Regatta extends ProTrawler's capability to deliver high-throughput multivariate analysis. Regatta is designed for fast, cost-effective comparative analysis of LC/MS data.
Regatta was designed to aid researchers in exploring reduced LC/MS data. By "reduced" we mean that the actual raw data (1's and 0's obtained by the instrument digitizer and stored in a vendor- specific binary file or files) have been analyzed to produce a mass-retention time-intensity list, where each of the three measurables has an associated error.
Regatta is optimized to analyze output from the BioAnalyte Trawler family of products (ProteinTrawler, ProTrawler, iTrawler, etc.) However, Regatta will also analyze user-generated data stored in a particular CSV file format.
Regatta delivers the following features and benefits:
List View of Results
Powerful discovery presentation view to display, filter, align, normalize, and compare your LC/MS peak lists, in mass and retention time.
Dynamic Binning
Merge sets with with BioAnalyte's proprietary order-independent dynamic binning technology.
Replicate Handling
Sort data set by their most reproducible features.
Pair-wise and Group-wise Comparisons
Perform logical operations AND, OR, XOR, as well as HCA.
Compare Large Data Sets
No limit to complexity or length of LC/MS data.
Data Analysis on Your Terms
Regatta is a cross platform solution integrates with Excel and BioAnalyte ProTrawler-formatted data. (ProTrawler reads many common raw vendor data formats and reduces them to mass-retention time-intensity lists used by Regatta.)
Principles
Regatta is a qualitative and quantitative fuzzy list* handler. In its present manifestation, Regatta is customized for analytical chemistry, specifically mass spectrometry, sub-specifically LC/MS. However, Regatta is first and last a fuzzy list handler. That is, it is a short step to other forms of mass spectrometry, analytical chemistry and even non-chemical applications.
Crucial to Regatta's design is the notion of measurement error. Regatta finesses a subtle point of both engineering and mathematics by treating each data point as a point-with-errors, thereby making it possible to make a clear distinction between Data Point A = Data Point B and Data Point A != Data Point B, even when the actual measured numbers aren't identical to measurement precision.
This innovation creates a central epistemological problem. If A=B and B=C, does A=C? In order for arithmetic to be defined on these measurements, the answer has to be YES. But a simple inspection of three sequentially-but-not-mutually overlapping measurements-with-error will quickly lead the observer to the conclusion NO, or at least NOT OBVIOUSLY. Regatta solves this problem.
System Requirements
See our system requirements and compatible file formats.
Schedule a live web demo for a more complete picture
*Fuzzy Elements and Fuzzy Lists
In BioAnalyte applications, a fuzzy element is a measurable (mass, retention time, mobility) with intrinsic measurement error. The measurement error suggests that two basically equivalent measurements may not be numerically equal but should be construed as functionally and scientifically equivalent. A fuzzy element is an entity that does not immediately satisfy the Transitive Property of Equality.
A list of fuzzy elements is a fuzzy set or fuzzy list. Every ProTrawler .trawl file is a fuzzy list in mass and retention time.
N.B. There is a subfield of mathematics called fuzzy logic. We do not use this term as logic is by definition not fuzzy. Indeed, the logic used in "fuzzy logic" is not fuzzy at all. There are other areas of human endeavor that show signs of true fuzziness in logic, but we try very hard not to engage in those.