A universal ontology-based approach to data integration

One of the main problems in building data integration systems is that of semantic integration. It has been acknowledged that the problem would not exist if all systems were developed using the same global schema, but so far, such global schema has been considered unfeasible in practice. However, in our previous work, we have argued that given the current state-of-the-art, a global schema may be feasible now, and we have put forward a vision of a Universal Ontology (UO) that may be desirable, feasible, and viable. One of the reasons why the UO may be desirable is that it might solve the semantic integration problem. The objective of this paper is to show that indeed the UO could solve, or at least greatly alleviate, the semantic integration problem. We do so by presenting an approach to semantic integration based on the UO that requires much less effort than other approaches.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Data integration through service-based mediation for web-enabled information systems

The Web and its underlying platform technologies have often been used to integrate existing software and information systems. Traditional techniques for data representation and transformations between documents are not sufficient to support a flexible and maintainable data integration solution that meets the requirements of modern complex Web-enabled software and information systems. The difficulty arises from the high degree of complexity of data structures, for example in business and technology applications, and from the constant change of data and its representation. In the Web context, where the Web platform is used to integrate different organisations or software systems, additionally the problem of heterogeneity arises. We introduce a specific data integration solution for Web applications such as Web-enabled information systems. Our contribution is an integration technology framework for Web-enabled information systems comprising, firstly, a data integration technique based on the declarative specification of transformation rules and the construction of connectors that handle the integration and, secondly, a mediator architecture based on information services and the constructed connectors to handle the integration process

Integrated management of hierarchical levels: towards a CAPE tool

The integration of decision-making procedures usually assigned to different hierarchical production systems requires the use of complex mathematical models and high computational efforts, in addition to the need of an extensive management of data and knowledge within the production systems. This work addresses this integration problem and proposes a comprehensive solution approach, as well as guidelines for Computer Aided Process Engineering (CAPE) tools managing the corresponding cyberinfrastructure. This study presents a methodology based on a domain ontology which is used as the connector between the introduced data, the different available formulations developed to solve the decision-making problem, and the necessary information to build the finally required problem instance. The methodology has demonstrated its capability to help exploiting different available decision-making problem formulations in complex cases, leading to new applications and/or extensions of these available formulations in a robust and flexible way.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Application of fuzzy simulation for evaluating enterprise application integration in healthcare organisations

Healthcare organisations have focused on the latest technological innovations to overcome their organisational and clinical problems. The information systems were not developed in a cordinated way but evolved as autonomous and hetrogeneous systems. Thus, the integration of these systems represents one of the most urgent priorities of healthcare organisations that allow the whole organisation to meet the increasing clinical, organisational and managerial needs. Recently, technological developments have emerged in the area of integration technology such as Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). This provides significant benefits to organisations to overcome the integration problem. This work therefore evaluates the adoption of EAI in healthcare organisations. In doing so, Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) simulation is used to demonstrate the causal inter-relationships between the EAI adoption factors. FCM simulation provides insights into better understanding about interdependencies of the factors that influence EAI adoption in healthcare organisations

A Foundational View on Integration Problems

The integration of reasoning and computation services across system and language boundaries is a challenging problem of computer science. In this paper, we use integration for the scenario where we have two systems that we integrate by moving problems and solutions between them. While this scenario is often approached from an engineering perspective, we take a foundational view. Based on the generic declarative language MMT, we develop a theoretical framework for system integration using theories and partial theory morphisms. Because MMT permits representations of the meta-logical foundations themselves, this includes integration across logics. We discuss safe and unsafe integration schemes and devise a general form of safe integration

Projective and Coarse Projective Integration for Problems with Continuous Symmetries

Temporal integration of equations possessing continuous symmetries (e.g. systems with translational invariance associated with traveling solutions and scale invariance associated with self-similar solutions) in a ``co-evolving'' frame (i.e. a frame which is co-traveling, co-collapsing or co-exploding with the evolving solution) leads to improved accuracy because of the smaller time derivative in the new spatial frame. The slower time behavior permits the use of {\it projective} and {\it coarse projective} integration with longer projective steps in the computation of the time evolution of partial differential equations and multiscale systems, respectively. These methods are also demonstrated to be effective for systems which only approximately or asymptotically possess continuous symmetries. The ideas of projective integration in a co-evolving frame are illustrated on the one-dimensional, translationally invariant Nagumo partial differential equation (PDE). A corresponding kinetic Monte Carlo model, motivated from the Nagumo kinetics, is used to illustrate the coarse-grained method. A simple, one-dimensional diffusion problem is used to illustrate the scale invariant case. The efficiency of projective integration in the co-evolving frame for both the macroscopic diffusion PDE and for a random-walker particle based model is again demonstrated

Operational alternatives for LANDSAT in California

Data integration is defined and examined as the means of promoting data sharing among the various governmental and private geobased information systems in California. Elements of vertical integration considered included technical factors (such as resolution and classification) and institutional factors (such as organizational control, and legal and political barriers). Attempts are made to fit the theoretical elements of vertical integration into a meaningful structure for looking at the problem from a statewide focus. Both manual (mapped) and machine readable data systems are included. Special attention is given to LANDSAT imagery because of its strong potential for integrated use and its primary in the California Integrated Remote Sensing System program