Ebook: Flexible Databases Supporting Imprecision and Uncertainty

This volume collects selected contributions on the application of heterogeneous methods for managing uncertainty and imprecision in databases. It contains both survey chapters on classic topics such as "flexible querying in databases", and up to date ontributions
on "database models to represent imperfect data". Further, it includes specific contributions on uncertainty management in database integration, and in representing and
querying semistructured and spatial data. These topics are of particular relevance nowadays with the diffusion of the internet since, most of the time, applications require information spread across several information sources and their integration may result in inconsistent information. Semistructured information querying often calls for the application of approximate matching techniques, and spatial information is often incomplete and imprecise. Reading this volume can serve as a guide to students for having a panoramic view of the methods to manage uncertainty and imprecision in databases proposed so far, to researchers to focus on the most up to date research trends, and to practitioners for having examples in which current databases incorporate flexible functionalities for the management of uncertainty and imprecision.

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This volume collects selected contributions on the application of heterogeneous methods for managing uncertainty and imprecision in databases. It contains both survey chapters on classic topics such as "flexible querying in databases", and up to date ontributions
on "database models to represent imperfect data". Further, it includes specific contributions on uncertainty management in database integration, and in representing and
querying semistructured and spatial data. These topics are of particular relevance nowadays with the diffusion of the internet since, most of the time, applications require information spread across several information sources and their integration may result in inconsistent information. Semistructured information querying often calls for the application of approximate matching techniques, and spatial information is often incomplete and imprecise. Reading this volume can serve as a guide to students for having a panoramic view of the methods to manage uncertainty and imprecision in databases proposed so far, to researchers to focus on the most up to date research trends, and to practitioners for having examples in which current databases incorporate flexible functionalities for the management of uncertainty and imprecision.

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This volume collects selected contributions on the application of heterogeneous methods for managing uncertainty and imprecision in databases. It contains both survey chapters on classic topics such as "flexible querying in databases", and up to date ontributions
on "database models to represent imperfect data". Further, it includes specific contributions on uncertainty management in database integration, and in representing and
querying semistructured and spatial data. These topics are of particular relevance nowadays with the diffusion of the internet since, most of the time, applications require information spread across several information sources and their integration may result in inconsistent information. Semistructured information querying often calls for the application of approximate matching techniques, and spatial information is often incomplete and imprecise. Reading this volume can serve as a guide to students for having a panoramic view of the methods to manage uncertainty and imprecision in databases proposed so far, to researchers to focus on the most up to date research trends, and to practitioners for having examples in which current databases incorporate flexible functionalities for the management of uncertainty and imprecision.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Flexible Query Languages for Relational Databases: An Overview....Pages 3-53
Vacuity-Oriented Generalized Yes/No Queries Addressed to Possibilistic Databases....Pages 55-73
On the Applicability of Extended Possibilistic Truth Values in Flexible Database Modelling and Querying....Pages 75-90
Preference based Quality Assessment and Presentation of Query Results....Pages 91-121
Modeling Fuzzy Information in the EER and Nested Relational Database Models....Pages 123-146
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Querying Contradictory Databases by Taking into Account Their Reliability and Their Number....Pages 149-168
Database Integrations in Distributed Enterprise Information Systems: A Database Model with Imprecise Information and Query Processing....Pages 169-192
Integrating Data Doubtfully....Pages 193-217
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
An Overview of Imperfection Representation in Semistructured Data....Pages 221-239
A Synopsis based Approach for XML Fast Approximate Querying....Pages 241-265
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Maximum Entropy Inference for Geographical Information Systems....Pages 269-291
Storage and Manipulation of Vague Spatial Objects Using Existing GIS Functionality....Pages 293-321
Spatial SQL with Customizable Soft Selection Conditions....Pages 323-346

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This volume collects selected contributions on the application of heterogeneous methods for managing uncertainty and imprecision in databases. It contains both survey chapters on classic topics such as "flexible querying in databases", and up to date ontributions
on "database models to represent imperfect data". Further, it includes specific contributions on uncertainty management in database integration, and in representing and
querying semistructured and spatial data. These topics are of particular relevance nowadays with the diffusion of the internet since, most of the time, applications require information spread across several information sources and their integration may result in inconsistent information. Semistructured information querying often calls for the application of approximate matching techniques, and spatial information is often incomplete and imprecise. Reading this volume can serve as a guide to students for having a panoramic view of the methods to manage uncertainty and imprecision in databases proposed so far, to researchers to focus on the most up to date research trends, and to practitioners for having examples in which current databases incorporate flexible functionalities for the management of uncertainty and imprecision.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Flexible Query Languages for Relational Databases: An Overview....Pages 3-53
Vacuity-Oriented Generalized Yes/No Queries Addressed to Possibilistic Databases....Pages 55-73
On the Applicability of Extended Possibilistic Truth Values in Flexible Database Modelling and Querying....Pages 75-90
Preference based Quality Assessment and Presentation of Query Results....Pages 91-121
Modeling Fuzzy Information in the EER and Nested Relational Database Models....Pages 123-146
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Querying Contradictory Databases by Taking into Account Their Reliability and Their Number....Pages 149-168
Database Integrations in Distributed Enterprise Information Systems: A Database Model with Imprecise Information and Query Processing....Pages 169-192
Integrating Data Doubtfully....Pages 193-217
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
An Overview of Imperfection Representation in Semistructured Data....Pages 221-239
A Synopsis based Approach for XML Fast Approximate Querying....Pages 241-265
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Maximum Entropy Inference for Geographical Information Systems....Pages 269-291
Storage and Manipulation of Vague Spatial Objects Using Existing GIS Functionality....Pages 293-321
Spatial SQL with Customizable Soft Selection Conditions....Pages 323-346
....