Robust hybrid algorithms for regularization and variable selection in QSAR studies

This study introduces a robust hybrid sparse learning approach for regularization and variable selection. This approach comprises two distinct steps. In the initial step, we segment the original dataset into separate training and test sets and standardize the training data using its mean and standard deviation. We then employ either the LASSO or sparse LTS algorithm to analyze the training set, facilitating the selection of variables with non-zero coefficients as essential features for the new dataset. Secondly, the new dataset is divided into training and test sets. The training set is further divided into k folds and evaluated using a combination of Random Forest, Ridge, Lasso, and Support Vector Regression machine learning algorithms. We introduce novel hybrid methods and juxtapose their performance against existing techniques. To validate the efficacy of our proposed methods, we conduct a comprehensive simulation study and apply them to a real-life QSAR analysis. The findings unequivocally demonstrate the superior performance of our proposed estimator, with particular distinction accorded to SLTS+LASSO. In summary, the twostep robust hybrid sparse learning approach offers an effective regularization and variable selection applicable to a wide spectrum of real-world problems.