Expanding Bioattribute Profiles
A bioinformatics method, software, database and system for expanding attribute profiles are presented in which primary attributes from an attribute profile of an individual are used to derive secondary attributes that can be added to the individual's attribute profile to generate an expanded attribute profile having a higher strength of association with a query attribute (i.e., an attribute of interest).
1 . A bioinformatics method for expanding an attribute profile of an individual to increase the strength of association between a query attribute and the attribute profile, comprising:
a) accessing the attribute profile of the individual, wherein the attribute profile contains a set of primary attributes;
b) expanding the set of primary attributes to generate a set of secondary attributes, wherein the set of secondary attributes increases the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute; and
c) storing the set of secondary attributes in association with the attribute profile to generate an expanded attribute profile.
2 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute is determined based on the frequencies of occurrence of one or more attribute combinations from the attribute profile of the individual for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-positive individuals and for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-negative individuals.
3 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , further comprising:
d) determining the strength of association of the expanded attribute profile with the query attribute by comparing the expanded attribute profile to a set containing attribute combinations and corresponding statistical results that indicate the strength of association of each of the attribute combinations with the query attribute.
4 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , further comprising:
d) determining attribute combinations associated with a query attribute by identifying one or more attribute combinations in the expanded attribute profile that have higher frequencies of occurrence within a set of expanded attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-positive individuals than within a set of expanded attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-negative individuals.
5 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein the identity of the individual is masked or anonymized.
6 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein the set of secondary attributes has lower resolution than the set of primary attributes.
7 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein the set of secondary attributes encompasses the set of primary attributes.
8 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein at least one secondary attribute is a categorical attribute that encompasses at least one of the primary attribute that is a numerical attribute.
9 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein at least one secondary attribute is derived by compounding the values of two or more primary attributes.
10 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein at least one primary attribute has a continuous value and at least one secondary attribute derived from that primary attribute has a discrete value.
11 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein at least one secondary attribute is derived through a heuristic rule applied to one or more primary attributes.
12 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein at least one secondary attribute comprises an inequality statement containing a quantitative value, wherein the quantitative value is either larger or smaller than the quantitative value of the primary attribute from which it was derived.
13 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein two or more of the secondary attributes comprise a sequence of inequality statements containing progressively larger quantitative values.
14 . The bioinformatics method of claim 1 , wherein two or more of the secondary attributes comprise a sequence of inequality statements containing progressively smaller quantitative values.
15 . A program storage device readable by a machine and containing a set of instructions which, when read by the machine, causes execution of a bioinformatics method for expanding an attribute profile of an individual to increase the strength of association between a query attribute and the attribute profile, comprising:
a) accessing the attribute profile of the individual, wherein the attribute profile contains a set of primary attributes;
b) expanding the set of primary attributes to generate a set of secondary attributes, wherein the set of secondary attributes increases the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute; and
c) storing the set of secondary attributes in association with the attribute profile to generate an expanded attribute profile.
16 . The program storage device of claim 15 , wherein the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute is determined based on the frequencies of occurrence of one or more attribute combinations from the attribute profile of the individual for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-positive individuals and for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-negative individuals.
17 . A bioinformatics database system for expanding an attribute profile of an individual to increase the strength of association between a query attribute and the attribute profile, comprising:
a) a memory containing:
i) a first data structure containing the attribute profile of the individual, wherein the attribute profile contains a set of primary attributes;
b) a processor for:
i) accessing the first data structure;
ii) expanding the set of primary attributes to generate a set of secondary attributes, wherein the set of secondary attributes increases the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute; and
iii) storing, within a second data structure in the memory, the set of secondary attributes in association with the attribute profile to generate an expanded attribute profile.
18 . The bioinformatics database system of claim 17 , wherein the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute is determined based on the frequencies of occurrence of one or more attribute combinations from the attribute profile of the individual for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-positive individuals and for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-negative individuals.
19 . A bioinformatics computer-based system for expanding an attribute profile of an individual to increase the strength of association between a query attribute and the attribute profile, comprising:
a) a data accessing subsystem for accessing the attribute profile of the individual, wherein the attribute profile contains a set of primary attributes;
b) a data processing subsystem for expanding the set of primary attributes to generate a set of secondary attributes, wherein the set of secondary attributes increases the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute;
c) a data storage subsystem for storing the set of secondary attributes in association with the attribute profile to generate an expanded attribute profile.
20 . The bioinformatics computer-based system of claim 19 , wherein the strength of association of the attribute profile with the query attribute is determined based on the frequencies of occurrence of one or more attribute combinations from the attribute profile of the individual for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-positive individuals and for a set of attribute profiles associated with a group of query-attribute-negative individuals.