A framework for the comparative evaluation of knowledge acquisition tools and techniques

The evaluation of knowledge acquisition (KA) tools, techniques and products is a key concern for researchers in KA. This paper presents and demonstrates the use of a framework for generating testable propositions to guide empirical research evaluating KA tools and for integrating the findings of past, ongoing and future studies. By considering the tools and techniques used in KA as independent variables, it isolates two major categories of dependent variables and discusses empirical measures for them. Additionally, it examines four sets of moderating variables that bear upon the success of any KA activity: (1) human factors; (2) problem space characteristics; (3) system development approach; and (4) the organizational environment. The research methods suitable for the comparison of KA tools and techniques are also discussed. © 1990 Academic Press Limited

Supporting inter-expert cooperative work in expert system development

IEEE Region 10's Annual International Conference, Proceedings1144-14985QX

Enhancing explanations in knowledge-based systems with hypertext

This article investigates the use of hypertext to enhance explanations in knowledge-based systems (KBS). Three fundamental issues are addressed: (1) why is hypertext suited for enhancing explanations in KBS? (2) what kind of knowledge needs to be added to KBS to provide effective explanations? and (3) how should such knowledge be represented efficiently and made accessible naturally and conveniently to users? The central idea is to develop a hypertext deep knowledge base to supplement KBS conclusions and explanations, so that users are provided with a rich context for understanding and interpreting KBS conclusions and reasoning. Explanations in KBS can be made more intelligible and relevant to users, and more interactive by (1) representing deep knowledge needed for explanations with hypertext in a way consistent with learning and educational theories, and (2) providing access to domain knowledge from KBS output with hypertext links, thus integrating domain knowledge into the KBS output in a manner conducive to contextualized learning

Use of hypertext to provide explanations in knowledge-based systems: A conceptual model and an implementation

This paper discusses how hypertext can be used to provide explanations in knowledge-based systems (KBS), from both conceptual and implementation perspectives. To this end, it proposes a generic approach to providing hypertext-based explanations, which is based on the functional match between hypertext and explanations in KBS. A simulated KBS for financial analysis (Hyper-FINALYZER) is also described, to demonstrate the approach. First, deep knowledge can be linked to KBS output with referential links. Second, various concepts and procedures involved in problem solving can be linked to each other with both referential links and organizational links to reflect the interdependence among domain constructs and the complexity of the task domain

Shared epitope alleles remain a risk factor for anti-citrullinated proteins antibody (ACPA)--positive rheumatoid arthritis in three Asian ethnic groups.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the associations between HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) alleles and rheumatoid arthritis in subsets of rheumatoid arthritis defined by autoantibodies in three Asian populations from Malaysia. METHODS: 1,079 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 1,470 healthy controls were included in the study. Levels of antibodies to citrullinated proteins (ACPA) and rheumatoid factors were assessed and the PCR-SSO method was used for HLA-DRB1 genotyping. RESULTS: The proportion of ACPA positivity among Malay, Chinese and Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients were 62.9%, 65.2% and 68.6%, respectively. An increased frequency of SE alleles was observed in ACPA-positive rheumatoid arthritis among the three Asian ethnic groups. HLA-DRB1*10 was highly associated with rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility in these Asian populations. HLA-DRB1*0405 was significantly associated with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Malays and Chinese, but not in Indians. HLA-DRB1*01 did not show any independent effect as a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis in this study and HLA-DRB1*1202 was protective in Malays and Chinese. There was no association between SE alleles and ACPA- negative rheumatoid arthritis in any of the three Asian ethnic groups. CONCLUSION: The HLA-DRB1 SE alleles increase the risk of ACPA-positive rheumatoid arthritis in all three Asian populations from Malaysia

Differences in the Spectrum of Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibody Fine Specificities Between Malaysian and Swedish Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis : Implications for Disease Pathogenesis

Objective. Antibodies to the citrullinated protein antigens (ACPAs) are important in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the prevalence of ACPAs with different fine specificities in different populations is unclear. This study sought to examine the fine specificity of the antibody responses toward citrullinated proteins in RA patients from Malaysia, an area where genetic and environmental determinants of RA are different from those in more frequently studied cohorts of Caucasian subjects. Methods. A multiplex analytic microarray system was used to analyze the occurrence of antibodies to 10 different citrullinated peptides (filaggrin [fil307-324], vimentin [Vim2-17, Vim60-75], fibrinogen [Fiba563-583, Fib alpha 580-600, Fib beta 36-52, Fib beta 62-81a, Fib beta 62-81b], enolase [Eno5-21], and type II collagen [CitCII355-378]) in serum samples from 4,089 RA patients (1,231 Malaysian and 2,858 Swedish) and 827 healthy control subjects (249 Malaysian and 578 Swedish). The positive reaction threshold for each peptide was set separately for each population based on a specificity of 98%. Results. Distinct differences in the frequencies of 5 ACPA fine specificities (Vim60-75, Vim2-17, Fibb62-81b, Eno5-21, and CitCII355-378) were found between the Malaysian and Swedish RA populations, despite a nearly identical percentage of patients in each population who were positive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 ish RA patients, the frequencies of antibodies to Vim60-75 (54% versus 44%, corrected P [P-corr] =1.06 x 10(-8)) and CitCII355-378 (17% versus 13%, P-corr = 0.02) were significantly higher, while the frequencies of antibodies to Vim2-17 (25% versus 32%, P-corr = 1.91 x 10(-4)), Fib beta 62-81b (15% versus 30%, P-corr = 2.47 x 10(-22)), and Eno5-21 (23% versus 50%, P-corr = 3.64 x 10(-57)) were significantly lower. Conclusion. Serum ACPA fine specificities differ between RA patients in different populations, although the total proportions of individuals positive for ACPAs are similar. Differing patterns of ACPA fine specificity could be attributed to variations in genetic and/or environmental factors

Carrier frequencies of HLA-DRB1in the Malay ethnic group by ACPA status.

<p>*The frequency of DRB1 genotypes in ACPA subgroups was calculated as the number of ACPA-positive or ACPA-negative RA cases for a specific DRB1 allele divided by the total number of cases within that ACPA subgroup (Malay: 256 ACPA-positive RA cases and 149 ACPA-negative RA cases).</p><p>§Individuals without the allele being investigated were used as the reference group for the calculation of odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).</p><p>Corrected p (p_c) values were obtained by multiplying the uncorrected p values by 13.</p><p>NS: not significant.</p