A hybrid approach to constraint reasoning in bio-ontologies

The term Semantic Web refers to the web of linked data whose semantics can be understood by machines for further automatic process. As an expressive knowledge representation language for Semantic Web, Web Ontology Language (OWL) is intensively used for model construction and data exchange in biomedical field. However, the problem of maintaining integrity constraints arises because OWL employs the Open World Assumption (OWA) as well as the Non-Unique Name Assumption (NUNA). Integrity constraints (ICs) on ontologies have to be enforced; otherwise conflicting results would be derivable from the same knowledge base. In this study, we examined characteristics of commonly used bio-ontologies. Then this paper proposes a hybrid architecture integrating semantic knowledge base technologies and forward rule reasoning, to better serve the purpose of maintaining integrity constraints in bio-ontologies. A design and prototype implementation are introduced. As a preliminary result, our demonstration shows the feasibility of efficient, composable, and easy-to-use bio-ontology constraint checking method from expressive rules reasoning.