Implementing an integrated time-series data mining environment based on temporal pattern extraction methods: A case study of an interferon therapy risk mining for chronic hepatitis

In this paper, we present the implementation of an integrated time-series data mining environment. Time-series data mining is one of key issues to get useful knowledge from databases. With mined time-series patterns, users can aware not only positive results but also negative result called risk after their observation period. However, users often face difficulties during time-series data mining process for data preprocessing method selection/construction, mining algorithm selection, and post-processing to refine the data mining process as other data mining processes. It is needed to develop a time-series data mining environment based on systematic analysis of the process. To get more valuable rules for domain experts from a time-series data mining process, we have designed an environment which integrates time-series pattern extraction methods, rule induction methods and rule evaluation methods with active human-system interaction. After implementing this environment, we have done a case study to mine time-series rules from blood and urine biochemical test database on chronic hepatitis patients. Then a physician has evaluated and refined his hypothesis on this environment. We discuss the availability of how much support to mine interesting knowledge for an expert.