# Positive semidefinite kernel matrix from Gower distance

I have a dataframe with continuous and categorical variables and I want to obtain a kernel matrix for classification. The kernel matrix must be symmetric and positive semidefinite, so that no eigenvalue is negative. I started with Gower distance matrix for mixed data, which is not positive semidefinite. I tried to transform the Gower distance matrix into a positive semidefinite and symmetric kernel with the function D2Ksof MiRVpackage in R, with no success. I tried also to apply the approach of page 799 in Zhao, Ni et al. “Testing in Microbiome-Profiling Studies with MiRKAT, the Microbiome Regression-Based Kernel Association Test” American journal of human genetics vol. 96,5 (2015): 797-807. with no success, as well. I always obtain a indefinite kernel matrix with positive and negative eigenvalues. Any suggestion?

• – Esmailian Mar 13 '19 at 16:50
• Oh! Wonderful suggestion! Will check it out!! – coolsv Mar 13 '19 at 18:00
• Worked like a charm! – coolsv Mar 13 '19 at 18:22