Table of ContentsThe Journal of Information Science and Technology
Association
(Johono Kagaku to Gijutsu)
Vol. 52 （2002） , No.8
Special feature : XML for Information Professionals
The Significance and recent trends on XML
Naohiko URAMOTO
(IBM Research, Tokyo Research Laboratovy and National Institute of Informatics (1623-14, Shimotsuruma, Yamato-shi, Kanagawa 242-8502))
Abstract : Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language for data and document descriptions and their exchange. It has been standardized in 1998 by W3C, and became a first class description language for business applications. This paper describes the background of the XML, its significance and recent trends.
Keywords : XML / Semistructued documents / RDF / Semantic Web / Web Services
The Basics of XML
Taisuke MURAKAMI
(NIHON UNITEC Co., Ltd. Planning Department (Mori Building-23 4F, 23-7, Toranomon, 1-chome,Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001))
Abstract : This paper first describes the structure of XML, a multipurpose data description language, and how to write it. XML is composed of elements and attributes that are made of tags. Before XML, there was SGML that is a document description language. XML is more simple and easy to use than SGML. This paper next describes the role of schema language that defines the logical structure of XML data, and discusses the characteristics and comparison of DTD and XML Schema that are the two major schema languages.
Keywords : XML / Tag / Schema / Namespace / DTD / XML Schema
Introduction and consideration of XML relative specifications
Hisayuki IGETA
(Infoteria Corporation Product Management (NT Bldg.10F, 1-47-1, Ooi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0014))
Abstract : XSLT is the one of the most important XML relative specifications. XSLT enables data integration in BtoB environment to be real since XSLT can absorb the differences from business vocabulary and data structure by its transformation feature.
However in actual user environment, much more flexible and high performance transformation capability is being required. We have to recognize that XSLT is not always the solution of data transformation. It is important that users should understand the merit and the demerit of XML relative specifications.
Nature of XML is direct communications between each systems, without someone's hand. XML programming interface addresses important position to utilize XML and to be succeed system.
Keywords : XML / XSLT / DOM / B to B / Web service / standardization
Applied specifications and standards of XML
Motomu NAITO
(Synergy Incubate Inc. Research & Development (ORITA BLDG. 2F, 1-30-22,Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0063))
Abstract : There are many Applied specifications and standards of XML and I would try to focus on the Topic Maps. Topic Maps is a standard of ISO and is a new paradign for organizing, retrieving, and navigating information semantically. Topic Maps make it possible through the provision of a upper layer (meta layer) that is independent of information resources themselves. Metadata such as Topic Maps and RDF is expected to play important role on the next generation of Web. It is expected that various standards of XML including metadata make possible to share, circurate and pass down the useful information, to get needed information just in time, to personalize the information and to aid to create knowledge.
Keywords : XML / Applied specifications and standards of XML / metadata / Topic Maps / RDF / Semantic Web
Proccedings processing system based on XML for Joint Conference on Medical Informatics
Takaya SAKUSABE
(Medical Sciences Graduate School, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine (1-20-1, Handayama, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka 431-3192))
Abstract : In The Joint Conference on Medical Informatics, the contribution and processing of a paper manuscript by XML are carried out from the 20th conventions of holding in 2000. A manuscript is written in XML form and submitted electronically. The manuscripts in XML form are processed electronically and published in two forms of proceedings, a booklet and CD-ROM. A couple of software was developed in order to perform this processing of the series. One software is distributed to a author and offers verification of XML and the function of a preview. Another software offers the function of an electronic typesetting. It generates Postscript data for printing and HTML data for browsing. These softwares were programmed in the Java language to be operated operate on multiple platforms.
Keywords : scientific meeting / proceedings / electronic typesetting / XML / TeX / Postscript / PDF / Java
Practical use of XML in the database construction by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Information Center (AFFRIC)
Katsumi KOUNOSU
(Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Information Center (2-1-9, Kannondai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8601))
Abstract : Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Information Center is a library of speciality on agronomy. It accepts books and bulletins from all over the world and rearranges them into the library in order for researchers to peruse or lend them. For the management of the library and information service, some sophisticated technologies are adopted. These services are available by the network system, which is covering whole branches of national research units in Japan, and even some services are available through the Internet. Among the literature information, there are AGRIS and JASI. For the literature information, XML is used for expressing the information of the literature and building the database. In addition, XSL dynamic expression function to XML, contributes to produce the index of these agricultural literature. For the image information, with help of Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, we make them into XML file. In FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), which is one of our collaborative organizations, XML is introduced to build a database of various set of information as well. As the result, both of us are ready to introduce seamless searching technology among our database in near future.
Keywords : Agriculture / Special Library / Information Center / Document database / AGRIS / JASI / XML / Bibliographical database / XSL / Article Index / Image database / Dublin Core Metadata Element Set / DCMES / FAO