Multi-database mining has been recognized recently as an important and strategically essential area of research in data mining. In this book, we discuss various issues regarding the systematic and efficient development of multi-database mining applications. It explains how systematically one could prepare data warehouses at different branches. As appropriate multi-database mining technique is essential to develop better applications. Also, the efficiency of a multi-database mining application could be improved by processing more patterns in the application. A faster algorithm could also play an important role in developing a better application. Thus the efficiency of a multi-database mining application could be enhanced by choosing an appropriate multi-database mining model, an appropriate pattern synthesizing technique, a better pattern representation technique, and an efficient algorithm for solving the problem. This book illustrates each of these issues either in the context of a specific problem, or in general.

Animesh Adhikari is an associate professor in the department of Computer Science, Chowgule College, Goa, India. His education includes: Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science, Goa University, Goa, India (2009); Master of Technology in Computer Science, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India (1993); Master of Computer Application, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India (1991). The dissertations he has written cover: [Ph D] Knowledge Discovery in Databases with an Emphasis on Multiple Large Databases (Goa University, 2009). This dissertation has the following parts: (i) Association analysis and patterns recognition in a database, (ii) Pattern recognition in multiple databases, (iii) Developing better multi-database mining applications; [M Tech] Fractal-based Image Segmentation (Indian Statistical Institute, 1993). Adhikaris areas of interest include: data mining and knowledge discovery, database systems, decision support systems, artificial intelligence, statistics and other related topics. Adhikaris professional activities are: Member, Program Committee, Indian International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (2009) Session Chair, Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Indian International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (2009); Reviewer, IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering journal; Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Knowledge-Based Organizations, IGI Global (2009 - date); Member, Program Committee, Ph D Workshop;International Conference on Management of Data (2009); Reviewer, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distibuted Systems journal.Witold Pedrycz is a Professor and Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Computational Intelligence in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Dr. Pedrycz is an IEEE Fellow, IFSA Fellow and a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC). Dr. Pedrycz received the M.Sc., and Ph.D., D.Sci. all from the Silesian University ofTechnology, Gliwice, Poland. His main research interests encompass fundamentals of Computational Intelligence, Granular Computing, fuzzy modeling, knowledge discovery and data mining, fuzzy control including fuzzy controllers, pattern recognition, knowledge-based neural networks, relational computing, and Software Engineering. He has published vigorously in these areas. He is an author of 11 research monographs and over 250 journal papers published in highly reputable journals. His research is highly cited and he is also on the list Highly cited researcher on ISI HighlyCited.com. Dr. Pedrycz is the past president of IFSA and the past president of NAFIPS. He is a recipient of the prestigious Norbert Wiener Award which is one of the two highest awards of the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society. He is also a recipient of the K.S. Fu of NAFIPS and a 2008 IEEE Canada Silver Medal in Computer Engineering Dr. Pedrycz has been a member of numerous program committees of IEEE conferences in the area of Computational Intelligence, Granular Computing, fuzzy sets and neurocomputing. He was a Program Chair of the 2007 Int. Conf on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, August 19-22, 2007, Hong Kong. He was also a General Chair of NAFIPS 2004, June 24-26, 2004, Banff, Alberta- a flagship conference of the NAFIPS Society. Currently Dr. Pedrycz serves as an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems. He is on editorial boards of over 10 international journals. Dr Pedrycz is also an Editor-in-Chief of Information Sciences and IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics part A.

An Extended Model of Local Pattern Analysis.- Mining Multiple Large Databases.- Mining Patterns of Select Items in Multiple Databases.- Enhancing Quality of Knowledge Synthesized from Multi-database Mining.- Efficient Clustering of Databases Induced by Local Patterns.- A Framework for Developing Effective Multi-database Mining Applications.