Abstract
We present a methodology that enables the use of classification algorithms on regression tasks. We implement this method in system RECLA that transforms a regression problem into a classification one and then uses an existent classification system to solve this new problem. The transformation consists of mapping a continuous variable into an ordinal variable by grouping its values into an appropriate set of intervals. We use misclassification costs as a means to reflect the implicit ordering among the ordinal values of the new variable. We describe a set of alternative discretization methods and, based on our experimental results, justify the need for a search-based approach to choose the best method. Our experimental results confirm the validity of our search-based approach to class discretization, and reveal the accuracy benefits of adding misclassification costs.

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract
In this paper we are concerned with the problem of inducing recursive Horn clauses from small sets of training examples. The method of iterative bootstrap induction is presented. In the first step, the system generates simple clauses, which can be regarded as properties of the required definition. Properties represent generalizations of the positive examples, simulating the effect of having larger number of examples. Properties are used subsequently to induce the required recursive definitions. This paper describes the method together with a series of experiments. The results support the thesis that iterative bootstrap induction is indeed an effective technique that could be of general use in ILP.

Abstract

Abstract
We recall a formalism based on the notion of symbolic object (Diday [15], Brito and Diday [8]), which allows to generalize the classical tabular model of Data Analysis. We study assertion objects, a particular class of symbolic objects which is endowed with a partial order and a quasi-order. Operations are then defined on symbolic objects. We study the property of completeness, already considered in Brito and Diday [8], which expresses the duality extension/intension. We formalize this notion in the framework of the theory of Galois connections and study the order structure of complete assertion objects. We introduce the notion of c-connection, as being a pair of mappings (f, g) between two partially ordered sets which should fulfil given conditions. A complete assertion object is then defined as a fixed point of the composed f o g; this mapping is called a ''completeness operator'' for it ''completes'' a given assertion object. The set of complete assertion objects forms a lattice and we state how suprema and infima are obtained. The lattice structure being too complex to allow a clustering study of a data set, we have proposed a pyramidal clustering approach [8]. The symbolic pyramidal clustering method builds a pyramid bottom-up, each cluster being described by a complete assertion object whose extension is the cluster itself. We thus obtain an inheritance structure on the data set. The inheritance structure then leads to the generation of rules.