This volume presents the results of approximately 15 years of work from researchers around the world on the use of fuzzy set theory to represent imprecision in databases. The maturity of the research in the discipline and the recent developments in commercial/industrial fuzzy databases provided an opportunity to produce this survey. In this introduction we will describe briefly how fuzzy databases fit into the overall design of database systems and then overview the organization of the text. FUZZY DATABASE LANDSCAPE The last five years have been witness to a revolution in the database research community. The dominant data models have changed and the consensus on what constitutes worthwhile research is in flux. Also, at this time, it is possible to gain a perspective on what has been accomplished in the area of fuzzy databases. Therefore, now is an opportune time to take stock of the past and establish a framework. A framework should assist in evaluating future research through a better understanding of the different aspects of imprecision that a database can model [ 1 l.

"This book includes an introduction to fuzzy logic, fuzzy databases and an overview of the state of the art in fuzzy modeling in databases"--Provided by publisher.

"This book provides comprehensive coverage and definitions of the most important issues, concepts, trends, and technologies in fuzzy topics applied to databases, discussing current investigation into uncertainty and imprecision management by means of fuzzy sets and fuzzy logic in the field of databases and data mining. It offers a guide to fuzzy information processing in databases"--Provided by publisher.

First of all, I would like to congratulate Gabriella Pasi and Gloria Bordogna for the work they accomplished in preparing this new book in the series "Study in Fuzziness and Soft Computing". "Recent Issues on the Management of Fuzziness in Databases" is undoubtedly a token of their long-lasting and active involvement in the area of Fuzzy Information Retrieval and Fuzzy Database Systems. This book is really welcome in the area of fuzzy databases where they are not numerous although the first works at the crossroads of fuzzy sets and databases were initiated about twenty years ago by L. Zadeh. Only five books have been published since 1995, when the first volume dedicated to fuzzy databases published in the series "Study in Fuzziness and Soft Computing" edited by J. Kacprzyk and myself appeared. Going beyond books strictly speaking, let us also mention the existence of review papers that are part of a couple of handbooks related to fuzzy sets published since 1998. The area known as fuzzy databases covers a bunch of topics among which: -flexible queries addressed to regular databases, -the extension of the notion of a functional dependency, -data mining and fuzzy summarization, -querying databases containing imperfect attribute values represented thanks to possibility distributions.

1. When I was asked by the editors of this book to write a foreword, I was seized by panic. Obviously, neither I am an expert in Knowledge Representation in Fuzzy Databases nor I could have been beforehand unaware that the book's contributors would be some of the most outstanding researchers in the field. However, Amparo Vila's gentle insistence gradually broke down my initial resistance, and panic then gave way to worry. Which paving stones did I have at my disposal for making an entrance to the book? After thinking about it for some time, I concluded that it would be pretentious on my part to focus on the subjects which are dealt with directly in the contributions presented, and that it would instead be better to confine myself to making some general reflections on knowledge representation given by imprecise information using fuzzy sets; reflections which have been suggested to me by some words in the following articles such as: graded notions, fuzzy objects, uncertainty, fuzzy implications, fuzzy inference, empty intersection, etc.

The volume "Fuzziness in Database Management Systems" is a highly informative, well-organized and up-to-date collection of contributions authored by many of the leading experts in its field. Among the contributors are the editors, Professors Patrick Bose and Janusz Kacprzyk, both of whom are known internationally. The book is like a movie with an all-star cast. The issue of fuzziness in database management systems has a long history. It begins in 1968 and 1971, when I spent my sabbatical leaves at the IBM Research Laboratory in San Jose, California, as a visiting scholar. During these periods I was associated with Dr. E.F. Codd, the father of relational models of database systems, and came in contact with the developers ofiBMs System Rand SQL. These associations and contacts at a time when the methodology of relational models of data was in its formative stages, made me aware of the basic importance of such models and the desirability of extending them to fuzzy database systems and fuzzy query languages. This perception was reflected in my 1973 ffiM report which led to the paper on the concept of a linguistic variable and later to the paper on the meaning representation language PRUF (Possibilistic Relational Universal Fuzzy). More directly related to database issues during that period were the theses of my students V. Tahani, J. Yang, A. Bolour, M. Shen and R. Sheng, and many subsequent reports by both graduate and undergraduate students at Berkeley.

"Addresses the evolution of database management, technologies and applications along with the progress and endeavors of new research areas."--P. xiii.

This volume contains the proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Database Systems for Advanced Applications (DASFAA '97). DASFAA '97 focused on advanced database technologies and their applications. The 55 papers in this volume cover a wide range of areas in the field of database systems and applications ? including the rapidly emerging areas of the Internet, multimedia, and document database systems ? and should be of great interest to all database system researchers and developers, and practitioners.

This book makes use of the LISP programming language to provide readers with the necessary background to understand and use fuzzy logic to solve simple to medium-complexity real-world problems. It introduces the basics of LISP required to use a Fuzzy LISP programming toolbox, which was specifically implemented by the author to “teach” the theory behind fuzzy logic and at the same time equip readers to use their newly-acquired knowledge to build fuzzy models of increasing complexity. The book fills an important gap in the literature, providing readers with a practice-oriented reference guide to fuzzy logic that offers more complexity than popular books yet is more accessible than other mathematical treatises on the topic. As such, students in first-year university courses with a basic tertiary mathematical background and no previous experience with programming should be able to easily follow the content. The book is intended for students and professionals in the fields of computer science and engineering, as well as disciplines including astronomy, biology, medicine and earth sciences. Software developers may also benefit from this book, which is intended as both an introductory textbook and self-study reference guide to fuzzy logic and its applications. The complete set of functions that make up the Fuzzy LISP programming toolbox can be downloaded from a companion book’s website.

The Database and Expert Systems Applications (DEXA) conferences have established themselves as a platform for bringing together researchers and practitioners from various backgrounds and all regions of the world to exchange ideas, experiences and opinions in a friendly and stimulating environment. The papers presented at the conference represent recent developments in the field and important steps towards shaping the future of applied computer science and information systems. DEXA covers a broad field: all aspects of databases, knowledge based systems, knowledge management, web-based systems, information systems, related technologies and their applications. Once again there were a good number of submissions: out of 183 papers that were submitted, the program committee selected 92 to be presented. In the first year of this new millennium DEXA has come back to the United Kingdom, following events in Vienna, Berlin, Valencia, Prague, Athens, London, Zurich, Toulouse, Vienna and Florence. The past decade has seen several revolutionary developments, one of which was the explosion of Internet-related applications in the areas covered by DEXA, developments in which DEXA has played a role and in which DEXA will continue to play a role in its second decade, starting with this conference.