Software quality measurement

This article analyses our ability to measure software quality. The analysis is based on the representational theory of measurement. We analyse three assumptions on software quality measurement and recommend an increased measurement focus on establishing empirical relational systems (models of what we measure) in software quality related work. Applying measurement theory on the measurement of software quality related properties means that, we have a powerful tool to understand what we measure, what the meaningful operations on the measured values are, and how to interpret the results.     

SEAM: A state-entity-activity-model for a well-defined workflowdevelopment methodology

Current conceptual workflow models use either informally defined conceptual models or several formally defined conceptual models that capture different aspects of the workflow, e.g., the data, process, and organizational aspects of the workflow. To the best of our knowledge, there are no algorithms that can amalgamate these models to yield a single view of reality. A fragmented conceptual view is useful for systems analysis and documentation. However, it fails to realize the potential of conceptual models to provide a convenient interface to automate the design and management of workflows. First, as a step toward accomplishing this objective, we propose SEAM (State-Entity-Activity-Model), a conceptual workflow model defined in terms of set theory. Second, no attempt has been made, to the best of our knowledge, to incorporate time into a conceptual workflow model. SEAM incorporates the temporal aspect of workflows. Third, we apply SEAM to a real-life organizational unit's workflows. In this work, we show a subset of the workflows modeled for this organization using SEAM. We also demonstrate, via a prototype application, how the SEAM schema can be implemented on a relational database management system. We present the lessons we learned about the advantages obtained for the organization and, for developers who choose to use SEAM, we also present potential pitfalls in using the SEAM methodology to build workflow systems on relational platforms. The information contained in this work is sufficient enough to allow application developers to utilize SEAM as a methodology to analyze, design, and construct workflow applications on current relational database management systems. The definition of SEAM as a context-free grammar, definition of its semantics, and its mapping to relational platforms should be sufficient also, to allow the construction of an automated workflow design and construction tool with SEAM as the user interface     

Structural matching by discrete relaxation

This paper describes a Bayesian framework for performing relational graph matching by discrete relaxation. Our basic aim is to draw on this framework to provide a comparative evaluation of a number of contrasting approaches to relational matching. Broadly speaking there are two main aspects to this study. Firstly we focus on the issue of how relational inexactness may be quantified. We illustrate that several popular relational distance measures can be recovered as specific limiting cases of the Bayesian consistency measure. The second aspect of our comparison concerns the way in which structural inexactness is controlled. We investigate three different realizations of the matching process which draw on contrasting control models. The main conclusion of our study is that the active process of graph-editing outperforms the alternatives in terms of its ability to effectively control a large population of contaminating clutter     

Magnetic bubble memory structures for relational database management systems

Recently the concept of using magnetic bubble technology to store data and to perform logical operations has received considerable attention. By exploiting this hardware approach for relational database management systems, we introduce an efficient support for records permutation, sorting and searching for data. Actually these are substantial operations in relational data models.The organization of a relational data model in a magnetic bubbie memory is straightforward. In such systems the memory consists of loops, where each loop is capable of holding one record. Under the control of a switch, a loop can circulate the records or can hold them in position. However, as the number of switches in the memory system increases, the number of control lines becomes large and the model structure may lose its practical significance.In this investigation three different models of bubble memories are applied to a simple relational database example. The two basic operations of permuting records and searching for data are emphasized. For these models, some theoretical features, the essential characteristics and their applicability are pointed out.     

Complex Probabilistic Modeling with Recursive Relational Bayesian Networks

A number of representation systems have been proposed that extend the purely propositional Bayesian network paradigm with representation tools for some types of first-order probabilistic dependencies. Examples of such systems are dynamic Bayesian networks and systems for knowledge based model construction. We can identify the representation of probabilistic relational models as a common well-defined semantic core of such systems.Recursive relational Bayesian networks (RRBNs) are a framework for the representation of probabilistic relational models. A main design goal for RRBNs is to achieve greatest possible expressiveness with as few elementary syntactic constructs as possible. The advantage of such an approach is that a system based on a small number of elementary constructs will be much more amenable to a thorough mathematical investigation of its semantic and algorithmic properties than a system based on a larger number of high-level constructs. In this paper we show that with RRBNs we have achieved our goal, by showing, first, how to solve within that framework a number of non-trivial representation problems. In the second part of the paper we show how to construct from a RRBN and a specific query, a standard Bayesian network in which the answer to the query can be computed with standard inference algorithms. Here the simplicity of the underlying representation framework greatly facilitates the development of simple algorithms and correctness proofs. As a result we obtain a construction algorithm that even for RRBNs that represent models for complex first-order and statistical dependencies generates standard Bayesian networks of size polynomial in the size of the domain given in a specific application instance.     

Learning directed relational models with recursive dependencies

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in generative models that represent probabilistic patterns over both links and attributes. A common characteristic of relational data is that the value of a predicate often depends on values of the same predicate for related entities. For directed graphical models, such recursive dependencies lead to cycles, which violates the acyclicity constraint of Bayes nets. In this paper we present a new approach to learning directed relational models which utilizes two key concepts: a pseudo likelihood measure that is well defined for recursive dependencies, and the notion of stratification from logic programming. An issue for modelling recursive dependencies with Bayes nets are redundant edges that increase the complexity of learning. We propose a new normal form format that removes the redundancy, and prove that assuming stratification, the normal form constraints involve no loss of modelling power. Empirical evaluation compares our approach to learning recursive dependencies with undirected models (Markov Logic Networks). The Bayes net approach is orders of magnitude faster, and learns more recursive dependencies, which lead to more accurate predictions.     

The implication problem for measure-based constraints

We study the implication problem of measure-based constraints. These constraints are formulated in a framework for measures generalizing that for mathematical measures. Measures arise naturally in a wide variety of domains. We show that measure constraints, for particular measures, correspond to constraints that occur in relational databases, data mining applications, cooperative game theory, and in the Dempster–Shafer and possibility theories of reasoning about uncertainty. We prove that the implication problem for measure constraints is in general decidable. We introduce inference systems for particular classes of measure constraints and show that some of these are complete, yielding tractability for the corresponding implication problem.     

Integrating relational and object-oriented database systems using a metaclass concept

This paper presents a specific approach of integrating a relational database system into a federated database system. The underlying database integration process consist of three steps: first, the external database systems have to be connected to the integrated database system environment and the external data models have to be mapped into a canonical data model. This step is often called syntactic transformation including structural enrichment and leads to component schemas for each external DBMS. Second, the resulting schemas from the first step are used to construct export schemas which are then integrated into global, individual schemas or views in the third step. In this paper we focus on the first step for relational databases, i.e., the connection of a relational database system and the mapping of the relational model into a canonical data model. We take POSTGRES as the relational database system and the object-oriented federated database system VODAK as the integration platform which provides the open, object-oriented data model as the canonical data model for the integration. We show different variations of mapping the relational model. By exploiting the metaclass concept provided by VML, the modelling language of VODAK, we show how to tailor VML such that the canonical data model meets the requirements of integrating POSTGRES into the global database system VODAK in an efficient way.     

Modularization of fuzzy relational equations

 In this study, we are concerned with a modularization of fuzzy relational equations that is converting a highly dimensional (multivariable) relational equation into a series of single input fuzzy relational equations. The problem originates from a need of handling (estimating) highly dimensional relational structures and is inherently associated with the curse of dimensionality present in relational fuzzy models. We propose a two-layer architecture and discuss a detailed optimization scheme leading to the determination of the fuzzy relations occurring there. Illustrative numerical studies are also included.     

An entity—relationship framework for information resource management

We outline a framework for information resource management based on the relational and entity—relationship models of data base management. They are enlarged to encompass the variety of information resources now found in many organizations — including data files, data analysis procedures, text files, decision models, expert systems and knowledge bases, and human information resources (both individuals and groups).     

Generalized fuzzy c-means clustering strategies using Lpnorm distances

Fuzzy c-means (FCM) is a useful clustering technique. Modifications of FCM using L₁ norm distances increase robustness to outliers. Object and relational data versions of FCM clustering are defined for the more general case where the L_p norm (p⩾1) or semi-norm (00 in order to facilitate the empirical examination of the object data models. Both object and relational approaches are included in a numerical study     

Enhanced spatiotemporal relational probability trees and forests

Many real world domains are inherently spatiotemporal in nature. In this work, we introduce significant enhancements to two spatiotemporal relational learning methods, the spatiotemporal relational probability tree and the spatiotemporal relational random forest, that increase their ability to learn using spatiotemporal data. We enabled the models to formulate questions on both objects and the scalar and vector fields within and around objects, allowing the models to differentiate based on the gradient, divergence, and curl and to recognize the shape of point clouds defined by fields. This enables the model to ask questions about the change of a shape over time or about its orientation. These additions are validated on several real-world hazardous weather datasets. We demonstrate that these additions enable the models to learn robust classifiers that outperform the versions without these new additions. In addition, analysis of the learned models shows that the findings are consistent with current meteorological theories.     

一种OWL本体进化方法*

针对从关系数据库模式学习所得的OWL本体大都是轻量级的,其概念层次结构过于扁平,很难被直接用于实际的本体应用,提出一种新颖的OWL本体进化方法。其通过形式概念分析对已有轻量级OWL本体进行概念聚类,根据概念等同度、概念包含度计算,自动提出丰富、修改本体概念语义关系的建议,从而辅助设计者实现本体进化。该方法将FCA与相似度计算结合使用,既发挥FCA语义强度较高的特点,又发挥相似度计算执行效率高且容易实现的特点;同时,规避了相似度计算语义强度较低与FCA实现较为困难且执行效率较低的不足。一个实例结果的评估证实     

Implementing a Graph Transformation Engine in Relational Databases

We present a novel approach to implement a graph transformation engine based on standard relational database management systems (RDBMSs). The essence of the approach is to create database views for each rule and to handle pattern matching by inner join operations while handling negative application conditions by left outer join operations. Furthermore, the model manipulation prescribed by the application of a graph transformation rule is also implemented using elementary data manipulation statements (such as insert, delete). As a result, we obtain a robust and fast transformation engine especially suitable for (1) extending modeling tools with an underlying RDBMS repository and (2) embedding model transformations into large distributed applications where models are frequently persisted in a relational database and transaction handling is required to handle large models consistently.     

Multilevel fuzzy relational systems: structure and identification

 Existing fuzzy relational equations (FRE) typically possess an evident single-level structure, where no consequence part of the rule being modeled, is used as a fact to another rule. Corresponding to multistage fuzzy reasoning, a natural extension of traditional fuzzy relational systems (FRS) is to introduce some intermediate levels of processing governed by enhanced FRE's so that the structure resulted becomes multilevel or multistage. Three basic multilevel FRS structures, namely, incremental, aggregated, and cascaded, are considered in this paper and they correspond to different reasoning mechanisms being frequently used by human beings in daily life. While the research works on multilevel FRS are sparse and our ability to solve a system of multilevel FRE's in a purely analytical manner is very limited, we address the identification problem from an optimization approach and introduce three fuzzy neural models. The proposed models consist of single-level FRS modules that are arranged in different hierarchical manners. Each module can be realized by Lin and Lee's fuzzy neural model for implementing the Mamdani fuzzy inference. We have particularly addressed the problem of how to distribute the input variables to different (levels of) relational modules for the incremental and aggregated models. In addition, the new models can learn a complete multistage fuzzy rule set from stipulated data pairs using structural and parameter learning. The effectiveness of the multilevel models has been demonstrated through various benchmarking problems. It can be generally concluded that the new models are distinctive in learning, generalization, and robustness.     

RuleRS: a rule-based architecture for decision support systems

Decision-makers in governments, enterprises, businesses and agencies or individuals, typically, make decisions according to various regulations, guidelines and policies based on existing records stored in various databases, in particular, relational databases. To assist decision-makers, an expert system, encompasses interactive computer-based systems or subsystems to support the decision-making process. Typically, most expert systems are built on top of transaction systems, databases, and data models and restricted in decision-making to the analysis, processing and presenting data and information, and they do not provide support for the normative layer. This paper will provide a solution to one specific problem that arises from this situation, namely the lack of tool/mechanism to demonstrate how an expert system is well-suited for supporting decision-making activities drawn from existing records and relevant legal requirements aligned existing records stored in various databases.We present a Rule-based (pre and post) reporting systems (RuleRS) architecture, which is intended to integrate databases, in particular, relational databases, with a logic-based reasoner and rule engine to assist in decision-making or create reports according to legal norms. We argue that the resulting RuleRS provides an efficient and flexible solution to the problem at hand using defeasible inference. To this end, we have also conducted empirical evaluations of RuleRS performance.     

一个开放可扩展的SDAI实现系统

STEP标准数据存取界面－SDAI为应用程序提供了独立于数据存储的STEP数据访问界面，SDAI允许访问不同的数据存储系统，有不同的实现语言联编方式，如果对每一种实用语言和数据存储系统单独实现SDAI，其工作量将是巨大的，该文选择系数据库作为SDAI数据存储系统，C语言作为实现语言，实现系统独立于不同的关系数据库系统，并且为不同语言的联编提供了一个统一的开发平台，提高了系统的开放性和可扩展性，为STEP在企业信息集成中的应用提供了核心操作，STEP建模语言EXPRESS，关系数据库，SDAI实现语言在模式表示上的不匹配是系统实现要解决的主要问题，该文从数据字典，STEP数据的字储与访问等方面阐明了系统实现时没模式之间的匹配过程。     

Relational networks of conditional preferences

Much like relational probabilistic models, the need for relational preference models naturally arises in real-world applications involving multiple, heterogeneous, and richly interconnected objects. On the one hand, relational preferences should be represented into statements which are natural for human users to express. On the other hand, relational preference models should be endowed with a structure that supports tractable forms of reasoning and learning. Based on these criteria, this paper introduces the framework of relational conditional preference networks (RCP-nets), that maintains the spirit of the popular ??CP-nets?? by expressing relational preferences in a natural way using the ceteris paribus semantics. We show that acyclic RCP-nets support tractable inference for optimization and ranking tasks. In addition, we show that in the online learning model, tree-structured RCP-nets (with bipartite orderings) are efficiently learnable from both optimization tasks and ranking tasks, using linear loss functions. Our results are corroborated by experiments on a large-scale movie recommendation dataset.