Reports on the development of an NLP (natural language processing) component for processing the free-text comments on life insurance applications for evaluation by an underwriting expert system. A sublanguage grammar approach with strong reliance on semantic word classes is described. Highlights include lexical analysis, adjacency analysis, and…

Describes a prototype system for interactive knowledge-based indexing of the medical literature. Topics covered include current indexing practice; knowledge-based systems using frames; various types of assistance provided by the prototype system; and current research activities and plans for the development of the system. (17 references) (CLB)

Describes a conceptual Knowledge Representation Language (KRL) developed at the French National Center for Scientific Research, that is used for the construction and use of Large Knowledge Bases (LKBs) and/or Intelligent Information Retrieval Systems (IIRSs). Semantic factors are discussed, and the specialization hierarchies used are explained.…

Presents a concept of end-user query language with facilities for expressing relationships between objects kept in a database. The idea of nesting these features in typical document query language is shown. Examples of usage of these new facilities are included. (Author/MBR)

Discusses and examines two approaches to concept-based retrieval of hypermedia information that improve a user's ability to navigate large systems--term indexing with semantically coupled thesauri and semantic hyperindexing. Visualization of index structures is discussed, and an example, the Cube of Contents retrieval model for the "Active…

Describes the hyperterm system REALIST (Retrieval Aids by Linguistics and Statistics) with emphasis on its semantic component, which generates term relations from free-text input. Experiments with various similarity measures are discussed, and the quality of the associated terms is evaluated using term recall and term precision measures. (22…

Describes a collaborative, reuse hypertext system, called MUCH (Many Using and Creating Hypertext). The novel browsing and retrieval characteristics of the system are based on a semantic net connecting documents, thesauri, and discussions. Word patterns are documented for reuse, creating and reorganizing network traversal according to user…

Describes SHRIF, a System for Heuristic Retrieval of Information and Facts, and the medical knowledge base that was used in its development. Highlights include design decisions; the user-machine interface, including the language processor; and the organization of the knowledge base in an artificial intelligence (AI) project like this one. (57…

Important characteristics of lexical databases and their applications in information retrieval and natural language processing are explained. An ongoing project using various machine-readable sources to build a lexical database is described, and detailed designs of individual entries with examples are included. (Contains 66 references.) (EAM)