Next Generation Information System Technology

Currently, the field of information systems technology is rapidly extending into several dimensions. There is the semantic dimension (including object orientation, data deduction and extended knowledge representation schemes), there is improved systems integration, and there are new tools. All these extensions aim to provide semantically richer and better engineered information systems that allow for more adequate and complete representations and thus extend the effective use of database technology to a wider class of applications. Database researchers and developers, whether they are committed to application or to system construction, are convinced that next-generation information system technology will be heavily determined by a handful of new concepts that they have to understand and work out in detail now. This volume concentrates on the following topics: - Extended data types and data models, database programming languages; - Rule-based data deduction, expert systems, knowledge bases; - Object orientation and semantic data modelling; - DB application development, methodologies and tools; - Interface technology, parallelism, interoperability, ...; - New database applications.

The development of computer technology, particularly the work of the Fifth Generation Computer Project of Japan, will have far-reaching international implications. The author explores the uses of the new generation computer and information systems now under development in Japan by identifying their application, assessing their impact on society, and envisioning the transition to the future.

The Next Generation Information Technologies and Systems (NGITS) wo- shop series is a biannual event held in Israel since 1993. Like its predecessors, NGITS’99 brings together active members of the international research com- nity interested in information technology and knowledge based systems. Many of the base technologies in the traditional areas of database management systems, information retrieval, and resource optimization, are being deployed nowadays in novel systems and applications that ?ourish with the astonishing increase in computational power, storage capacity, communication, and - of course - the advent of the world-wide web. These new fronts, in turn, present an ever gr- ing set of challenges to the technologies, such as data availability, information integrity, and knowledge extraction, fuelling an exciting set of activities. Our workshop clearly re?ects this trend, o?ering a rich sample of the state of the art at the close of the millennium and a glimpse of what is to come in the next one. In response to the call for papers, we received 34 high quality submissions, 22 of which were carefully selected by the Program Committee for presentation at the workshop and inclusion in these proceedings. These include 17 full length papers as well as 5 short papers (that will be accompanied by demonstrations during the workshop). In addition, it is our pleasure to feature two invited talks, given by Professor J. Ullman of Stanford University and IBM Fellow C. Mohan.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Next Generation Information Technologies and Systems, NGITS 2006, held in Kibbutz Shefayim, Israel, July 2006. The book presents 28 revised full papers and four revised short papers together with three invited papers. Topical sections include information integration, next generation applications, information systems development, security and privacy, semi-structured data, frameworks, models and taxonomies, simulation and incremental computing, and more.

Information technology is a rapidly changing field in which researchers and devel- ers must continuously set their vision on the next generation of technologies and the systems that they enable. The Next Generation Information Technologies and Systems (NGITS) series of conferences provides a forum for presenting and discussing the latest advances in information technology. NGITS conferences are international events held in Israel; previous conferences have taken place in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, and 2006. In addition to 14 reviewed papers, the conference featured two keynote lectures and an invited talk by notable experts. The selected papers may be classified roughly in five broad areas: • Middleware and Integration • Modeling • Healthcare/Biomedical • Service and Information Management • Applications NGITS 2009 also included a demonstration session and an industrial track focusing on how to make software development more efficient by cutting expenses with techn- ogy and infrastructures. This event is the culmination of efforts by many talented and dedicated individuals.

NGITS2002 was the ?fth workshop of its kind, promoting papers that discuss new technologies in information systems. Following the success of the four p- vious workshops (1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999), the ?fth NGITS Workshop took place on June 24–25, 2002, in the ancient city of Caesarea. In response to the Call for Papers, 22 papers were submitted. Each paper was evaluated by three Program Committee members. We accepted 11 papers from 3 continents and 5 countries, Israel (5 papers), US (3 papers), Germany, Cyprus, and The Netherlands (1 paper from each). The workshop program consisted of ?ve paper sessions, two keynote lectures, and one panel discussion. The topics of the paper sessions are: Advanced Query Processing, Web Applications, Moving Objects, Advanced Information Models, and Advanced Software Engineering. We would like to thank all the authors who submitted papers, the program committee members, the presenters, and everybody who assisted in making NGITS2002 a reality.

As information technology (IT) becomes specialized and fragmented, it is easy to lose sight that many topics have common threads and because of this, advances in one s- discipline may transmit to another. The presentation of results between different s- disciplines encourages this interchange for the advancement of IT as a whole. This volume comprises the selection of papers presented at the Second International Mega-Conference on Future Generation Information Technology (FGIT 2010), composed of the following 11 international conferences: Advanced Software Engineering and Its Applications (ASEA 2010), Bio-Science and Bio- Technology (BSBT 2010), Control and Automation (CA 2010), Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity (DRBC 2010), Database Theory and Application (DTA 2010), Future Generation Communication and Networking (FGCN 2010), Grid and Distributed Computing (GDC 2010), Multimedia, Computer Graphics and Broadcasting (MulGraB 2010), Security Technology (SecTech 2010), Signal Processing, Image Processing and Pattern Recognition (SIP 2010), as well as u- and e-Service, Science and Technology (UNESST 2010). In total, 1,630 papers were submitted to FGIT 2010 from 30 countries. The submitted papers went through a rigorous reviewing process and 395 papers were accepted. Of these 395 papers, 60 were assigned to this volume. In addition, this volume contains 7 invited papers and abstracts. Of the remaining accepted papers, 269 were distributed among 8 volumes of proceedings published by Springer in the CCIS series. 66 papers were withdrawn due to technical reasons.

With about 200,000 entries, StarBriefs Plus represents the most comprehensive and accurately validated collection of abbreviations, acronyms, contractions and symbols within astronomy, related space sciences and other related fields. As such, this invaluable reference source (and its companion volume, StarGuides Plus) should be on the reference shelf of every library, organization or individual with any interest in these areas. Besides astronomy and associated space sciences, related fields such as aeronautics, aeronomy, astronautics, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, communications, computer sciences, data processing, education, electronics, engineering, energetics, environment, geodesy, geophysics, information handling, management, mathematics, meteorology, optics, physics, remote sensing, and so on, are also covered when justified. Terms in common use and/or of general interest have also been included where appropriate.