Web and Semantic Web Query Languages

A number of techniques have been developed to facilitate powerful data retrieval on the Web and Semantic Web. Three categories of Web query languages can be distinguished, according to the format of the data they can retrieve: XML, RDF and Topic Maps. This article introduces the spectrum of languages falling into these categories and summarises their salient aspects. The languages are introduced using common sample data and query types. Key aspects of the query languages considered are stressed in a conclusion

Knowledge Rich Natural Language Queries over Structured Biological Databases

Increasingly, keyword, natural language and NoSQL queries are being used for information retrieval from traditional as well as non-traditional databases such as web, document, image, GIS, legal, and health databases. While their popularity are undeniable for obvious reasons, their engineering is far from simple. In most part, semantics and intent preserving mapping of a well understood natural language query expressed over a structured database schema to a structured query language is still a difficult task, and research to tame the complexity is intense. In this paper, we propose a multi-level knowledge-based middleware to facilitate such mappings that separate the conceptual level from the physical level. We augment these multi-level abstractions with a concept reasoner and a query strategy engine to dynamically link arbitrary natural language querying to well defined structured queries. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach by presenting a Datalog based prototype system, called BioSmart, that can compute responses to arbitrary natural language queries over arbitrary databases once a syntactic classification of the natural language query is made

A survey of parallel execution strategies for transitive closure and logic programs

An important feature of database technology of the nineties is the use of parallelism for speeding up the execution of complex queries. This technology is being tested in several experimental database architectures and a few commercial systems for conventional select-project-join queries. In particular, hash-based fragmentation is used to distribute data to disks under the control of different processors in order to perform selections and joins in parallel. With the development of new query languages, and in particular with the definition of transitive closure queries and of more general logic programming queries, the new dimension of recursion has been added to query processing. Recursive queries are complex; at the same time, their regular structure is particularly suited for parallel execution, and parallelism may give a high efficiency gain. We survey the approaches to parallel execution of recursive queries that have been presented in the recent literature. We observe that research on parallel execution of recursive queries is separated into two distinct subareas, one focused on the transitive closure of Relational Algebra expressions, the other one focused on optimization of more general Datalog queries. Though the subareas seem radically different because of the approach and formalism used, they have many common features. This is not surprising, because most typical Datalog queries can be solved by means of the transitive closure of simple algebraic expressions. We first analyze the relationship between the transitive closure of expressions in Relational Algebra and Datalog programs. We then review sequential methods for evaluating transitive closure, distinguishing iterative and direct methods. We address the parallelization of these methods, by discussing various forms of parallelization. Data fragmentation plays an important role in obtaining parallel execution; we describe hash-based and semantic fragmentation. Finally, we consider Datalog queries, and present general methods for parallel rule execution; we recognize the similarities between these methods and the methods reviewed previously, when the former are applied to linear Datalog queries. We also provide a quantitative analysis that shows the impact of the initial data distribution on the performance of methods

A query processing system for very large spatial databases using a new map algebra

Dans cette thèse nous introduisons une approche de traitement de requêtes pour des bases de donnée spatiales. Nous expliquons aussi les concepts principaux que nous avons défini et développé: une algèbre spatiale et une approche à base de graphe utilisée dans l'optimisateur. L'algèbre spatiale est défini pour exprimer les requêtes et les règles de transformation pendant les différentes étapes de l'optimisation de requêtes. Nous avons essayé de définir l'algèbre la plus complète que possible pour couvrir une grande variété d'application. L'opérateur algébrique reçoit et produit seulement des carte. Les fonctions reçoivent des cartes et produisent des scalaires ou des objets. L'optimisateur reçoit la requête en expression algébrique et produit un QEP (Query Evaluation Plan) efficace dans deux étapes: génération de QEG (Query Evaluation Graph) et génération de QEP. Dans première étape un graphe (QEG) équivalent de l'expression algébrique est produit. Les règles de transformation sont utilisées pour transformer le graphe a un équivalent plus efficace. Dans deuxième étape un QEP est produit de QEG passé de l'étape précédente. Le QEP est un ensemble des opérations primitives consécutives qui produit les résultats finals (la réponse finale de la requête soumise au base de donnée). Nous avons implémenté l'optimisateur, un générateur de requête spatiale aléatoire, et une base de donnée simulée. La base de donnée spatiale simulée est un ensemble de fonctions pour simuler des opérations spatiales primitives. Les requêtes aléatoires sont soumis à l'optimisateur. Les QEPs générées sont soumis au simulateur de base de données spatiale. Les résultats expérimentaux sont utilisés pour discuter les performances et les caractéristiques de l'optimisateur.Abstract: In this thesis we introduce a query processing approach for spatial databases and explain the main concepts we defined and developed: a spatial algebra and a graph based approach used in the optimizer. The spatial algebra was defined to express queries and transformation rules during different steps of the query optimization. To cover a vast variety of potential applications, we tried to define the algebra as complete as possible. The algebra looks at the spatial data as maps of spatial objects. The algebraic operators act on the maps and result in new maps. Aggregate functions can act on maps and objects and produce objects or basic values (characters, numbers, etc.). The optimizer receives the query in algebraic expression and produces one efficient QEP (Query Evaluation Plan) through two main consecutive blocks: QEG (Query Evaluation Graph) generation and QEP generation. In QEG generation we construct a graph equivalent of the algebraic expression and then apply graph transformation rules to produce one efficient QEG. In QEP generation we receive the efficient QEG and do predicate ordering and approximation and then generate the efficient QEP. The QEP is a set of consecutive phases that must be executed in the specified order. Each phase consist of one or more primitive operations. All primitive operations that are in the same phase can be executed in parallel. We implemented the optimizer, a randomly spatial query generator and a simulated spatial database. The query generator produces random queries for the purpose of testing the optimizer. The simulated spatial database is a set of functions to simulate primitive spatial operations. They return the cost of the corresponding primitive operation according to input parameters. We put randomly generated queries to the optimizer, got the generated QEPs and put them to the spatial database simulator. We used the experimental results to discuss on the optimizer characteristics and performance. The optimizer was designed for databases with a very large number of spatial objects nevertheless most of the concepts we used can be applied to all spatial information systems."--Résumé abrégé par UMI

Survey over Existing Query and Transformation Languages

A widely acknowledged obstacle for realizing the vision of the Semantic Web is the inability of many current Semantic Web approaches to cope with data available in such diverging representation formalisms as XML, RDF, or Topic Maps. A common query language is the first step to allow transparent access to data in any of these formats. To further the understanding of the requirements and approaches proposed for query languages in the conventional as well as the Semantic Web, this report surveys a large number of query languages for accessing XML, RDF, or Topic Maps. This is the first systematic survey to consider query languages from all these areas. From the detailed survey of these query languages, a common classification scheme is derived that is useful for understanding and differentiating languages within and among all three areas

Behavioural Evidence Analysis Applied to Digital Forensics: An Empirical Analysis of Child Pornography Cases using P2P Networks

The utility of Behavioural Evidence Analysis (BEA) has gained attention in the field of Digital Forensics in recent years. It has been recognized that, along with technical examination of digital evidence, it is important to learn as much as possible about the individuals behind an offence, the victim(s) and the dynamics of a crime. This can assist the investigator in producing a more accurate and complete reconstruction of the crime, in interpreting associated digital evidence, and with the description of investigative findings. Despite these potential benefits, the literature shows limited use of BEA for the investigation of cases of the possession and dissemination of Sexually Exploitative Imagery of Children (SEIC). This paper represents a step towards filling this gap. It reports on the forensic analysis of 15 SEIC cases involving P2P filesharing networks, obtained from the Dubai Police. Results confirmed the predicted benefits and indicate that BEA can assist digital forensic practitioners and prosecutors

The relationship between IR and multimedia databases

Modern extensible database systems support multimedia data through ADTs. However, because of the problems with multimedia query formulation, this support is not sufficient.\ud \ud Multimedia querying requires an iterative search process involving many different representations of the objects in the database. The support that is needed is very similar to the processes in information retrieval.\ud \ud Based on this observation, we develop the miRRor architecture for multimedia query processing. We design a layered framework based on information retrieval techniques, to provide a usable query interface to the multimedia database.\ud \ud First, we introduce a concept layer to enable reasoning over low-level concepts in the database.\ud \ud Second, we add an evidential reasoning layer as an intermediate between the user and the concept layer.\ud \ud Third, we add the functionality to process the users' relevance feedback.\ud \ud We then adapt the inference network model from text retrieval to an evidential reasoning model for multimedia query processing.\ud \ud We conclude with an outline for implementation of miRRor on top of the Monet extensible database system

Identification of Design Principles

This report identifies those design principles for a (possibly new) query and transformation language for the Web supporting inference that are considered essential. Based upon these design principles an initial strawman is selected. Scenarios for querying the Semantic Web illustrate the design principles and their reflection in the initial strawman, i.e., a first draft of the query language to be designed and implemented by the REWERSE working group I4

Reactive Rules for Emergency Management

The goal of the following survey on Event-Condition-Action (ECA) Rules is to come to a common understanding and intuition on this topic within EMILI. Thus it does not give an academic overview on Event-Condition-Action Rules which would be valuable for computer scientists only. Instead the survey tries to introduce Event-Condition-Action Rules and their use for emergency management based on real-life examples from the use-cases identified in Deliverable 3.1. In this way we hope to address both, computer scientists and security experts, by showing how the Event-Condition-Action Rule technology can help to solve security issues in emergency management. The survey incorporates information from other work packages, particularly from Deliverable D3.1 and its Annexes, D4.1, D2.1 and D6.2 wherever possible

Querying Geometric Figures Using a Controlled Language, Ontological Graphs and Dependency Lattices

Dynamic geometry systems (DGS) have become basic tools in many areas of geometry as, for example, in education. Geometry Automated Theorem Provers (GATP) are an active area of research and are considered as being basic tools in future enhanced educational software as well as in a next generation of mechanized mathematics assistants. Recently emerged Web repositories of geometric knowledge, like TGTP and Intergeo, are an attempt to make the already vast data set of geometric knowledge widely available. Considering the large amount of geometric information already available, we face the need of a query mechanism for descriptions of geometric constructions. In this paper we discuss two approaches for describing geometric figures (declarative and procedural), and present algorithms for querying geometric figures in declaratively and procedurally described corpora, by using a DGS or a dedicated controlled natural language for queries.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted at CICM 201