springer mär 2011 (273 risultati)

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -From the early pulse code modulation-based coders to some of the recent multi-rate wideband speech coding standards, the area of speech coding made several significant strides with an objective to attain high quality of speech at the lowest possible bit rate. This book presents some of the recent advances in linear prediction (LP)-based speech analysis that employ perceptual models for narrow- and wide-band speech coding. The LP analysis-synthesis framework has been successful for speech coding because it fits well the source-system paradigm for speech synthesis. Limitations associated with the conventional LP have been studied extensively, and several extensions to LP-based analysis-synthesis have been proposed, e.g., the discrete all-pole modeling, the perceptual LP, the warped LP, the LP with modified filter structures, the IIR-based pure LP, all-pole modeling using the weighted-sum of LSP polynomials, the LP for low frequency emphasis, and the cascade-form LP. These extensions canbe classified as algorithms that either attempt to improve the LP spectral envelope fitting performance or embed perceptual models in the LP. The first half of the book reviews some of the recent developments in predictive modeling of speech with the help of Matlab¿ Simulation examples. Advantages of integrating perceptual models in low bit rate speech coding depend on the accuracy of these models to mimic the human performance and, more importantly, on the achievable 'coding gains' and 'computational overhead' associated with these physiological models. Methods that exploit the masking properties of the human ear in speech coding standards, even today, are largely based on concepts introduced by Schroeder and Atal in 1979. For example, a simple approach employed in speech coding standards is to use a perceptual weighting filter to shape the quantization noise according to the masking properties of the human ear. The second half of the book reviews some of the recent developments in perceptual modeling of speech (e.g., masking threshold, psychoacoustic models, auditory excitation pattern, and loudness) with the help of Matlab¿ simulations. Supplementary material including Matlab¿ programs and simulation examples presented in this book can also be accessed here. Table of Contents: Introduction / Predictive Modeling of Speech / Perceptual Modeling of SpeechSpringer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 124 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book focuses on a class of single-channel noise reduction methods that are performed in the frequency domain via the short-time Fourier transform (STFT). The simplicity and relative effectiveness of this class of approaches make them the dominant choice in practical systems. Even though many popular algorithms have been proposed through more than four decades of continuous research, there are a number of critical areas where our understanding and capabilities still remain quite rudimentary, especially with respect to the relationship between noise reduction and speech distortion. All existing frequency-domain algorithms, no matter how they are developed, have one feature in common: the solution is eventually expressed as a gain function applied to the STFT of the noisy signal only in the current frame. As a result, the narrowband signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) cannot be improved, and any gains achieved in noise reduction on the fullband basis come with a price to pay, which is speechdistortion. In this book, we present a new perspective on the problem by exploiting the difference between speech and typical noise in circularity and interframe self-correlation, which were ignored in the past. By gathering the STFT of the microphone signal of the current frame, its complex conjugate, and the STFTs in the previous frames, we construct several new, multiple-observation signal models similar to a microphone array system: there are multiple noisy speech observations, and their speech components are correlated but not completely coherent while their noise components are presumably uncorrelated. Therefore, the multichannel Wiener filter and the minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) filter that were usually associated with microphone arrays will be developed for single-channel noise reduction in this book. This might instigate a paradigm shift geared toward speech distortionless noise reduction techniques. Table of Contents: Introduction / Problem Formulation / Performance Measures / Linear and Widely Linear Models / Optimal Filters with Model 1 / Optimal Filters with Model 2 / Optimal Filters with Model 3 / Optimal Filters with Model 4 / Experimental StudySpringer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 112 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Traditional network optimization focuses on a single control objective in a network populated by obedient users and limited dispersion of information. However, most of today's networks are large-scale with lack of access to centralized information, consist of users with diverse requirements, and are subject to dynamic changes. These factors naturally motivate a new distributed control paradigm, where the network infrastructure is kept simple and the network control functions are delegated to individual agents which make their decisions independently ('selfishly'). The interaction of multiple independent decision-makers necessitates the use of game theory, including economic notions related to markets and incentives.This monograph studies game theoretic models of resource allocation among selfish agents in networks. The first part of the monograph introduces fundamental game theoretic topics. Emphasis is given to the analysis of dynamics in game theoretic situations, which is crucial for design and control of networked systems. The second part of the monograph applies the game theoretic tools for the analysis of resource allocation in communication networks. We set up a general model of routing in wireline networks, emphasizing the congestion problems caused by delay and packet loss. In particular, we develop a systematic approach to characterizing the inefficiencies of network equilibria, and highlight the effect of autonomous service providers on network performance. We then turn to examining distributed power control in wireless networks. We show that the resulting Nash equilibria can be efficient if the degree of freedom given to end-users is properly designed.Table of Contents: Static Games and Solution Concepts / Game Theory Dynamics / Wireline Network Games / Wireless Network Games / Future PerspectivesSpringer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 160 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Quantum computers can (in theory) solve certain problems far faster than a classical computer running any known classical algorithm. While existing technologies for building quantum computers are in their infancy, it is not too early to consider their scalability and reliability in the context of the design of large-scale quantum computers. To architect such systems, one must understand what it takes to design and model a balanced, fault-tolerant quantum computer architecture. The goal of this lecture is to provide architectural abstractions for the design of a quantum computer and to explore the systems-level challenges in achieving scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computation. In this lecture, we provide an engineering-oriented introduction to quantum computation with an overview of the theory behind key quantum algorithms. Next, we look at architectural case studies based upon experimental data and future projections for quantum computation implemented using trapped ions. While we focus here on architectures targeted for realization using trapped ions, the techniques for quantum computer architecture design, quantum fault-tolerance, and compilation described in this lecture are applicable to many other physical technologies that may be viable candidates for building a large-scale quantum computing system. We also discuss general issues involved with programming a quantum computer as well as a discussion of work on quantum architectures based on quantum teleportation. Finally, we consider some of the open issues remaining in the design of quantum computers. Table of Contents: Introduction / Basic Elements for Quantum Computation / Key Quantum Algorithms / Building Reliable and Scalable Quantum Architectures / Simulation of Quantum Computation / Architectural Elements / Case Study: The Quantum Logic Array Architecture / Programming the Quantum Architecture / Using the QLA for Quantum Simulation: The Transverse Ising Model / Teleportation-Based Quantum Architectures/ Concluding RemarksSpringer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 204 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Ever since the Montgolfier's hot air balloon carried a chicken, a goat, and a duck into the Parisian skies, scientists have dreamed of contraptions to explore the atmosphere. With the advent of the space age, new airborne inventions were needed. From the Soviet Venus balloons to the advanced studies of blimps and airplanes for the atmospheres of Mars and Titan, Drifting on Alien Winds surveys the many creative and often wacky ideas for exploring alien skies. Through historical photographs and stunning original paintings by the author, readers also explore the weather on planets and moons, from the simmering acid-laden winds of Venus to liquid methane-soaked skies of Titan.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 256 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 6th International Haifa Verification Conference, HVC 2010, held in Haifa, Israel in October 2010.The 10 revised full papers presented together with 7 invited papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 30 submissions. The papers address all current issues, challenges and future directions of verification for hardware, software, and hybrid systems and have a research focus on hybrid methods and the migration of methods and ideas between hardware and software, static and dynamic analysis, pre- and post-silicon.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 208 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -What makes a ¿good¿ manager This is a book by a manager about managers but it is not just for managers. It is for anyone and for everyone who is interested in the way people ¿ and not just managers - behave and function around the world. Based on actual experience the title ¿Essence of a Manager¿ is a succinct distillation of what this book is about. It is not a management manual and yet it is a map for navigation and a guide for behavior which can be valuable for practicing managers at all levels. It formulates a sound thesis to describe the qualities needed in a ¿good¿ manager and builds up from elemental qualities to develop a holistic view of a good manager. Nine fundamental attributes are proposed as being necessary and sufficient to describe a ¿good¿ manager. It is applied management philosophy for a thinking manager and deals with the fundamental drivers which lie deeper than language or culture and which control human behavior.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 192 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Advice involves recommendations on what to think; through thought, on what to choose; and via choices, on how to act. Advice is information that moves by communication, from advisors to the recipient of advice.Ivan Jureta offers a general way to analyze advice. The analysis applies regardless of what the advice is about and from whom it comes or to whom it needs to be given, and it concentrates on the production and consumption of advice independent of the field of application. It is made up of two intertwined parts, a conceptual analysis and an analysis of the rationale of advice. He premises that giving advice is a design problem and he treats advice as an artifact designed and used to influence decisions.What is unusual is the theoretical backdrop against which the author¿s discussions are set: ontology engineering, conceptual analysis, and artificial intelligence. While classical decision theory would be expected to play a key role, this is not the case here for one principal reason: the difficulty of having relevant numerical, quantitative estimates of probability and utility in most practical situations. Instead conceptual models and mathematical logic are the author¿s tools of choice.The book is primarily intended for graduate students and researchers of management science. They are offered a general method of analysis that applies to giving and receiving advice when the decision problems are not well structured, and when there is imprecise, unclear, incomplete, or conflicting qualitative information.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This extensively revised and updated new edition of Specification of Software Systems builds upon the original focus on software specification with added emphasis on the practice of formal methods for specification and verification activities for different types of software systems and at different stages of developing software systems. Topics and features: provides a wide coverage of formal specification techniques and a clear writing style, supported by end-of-chapter bibliographic notes for further reading; presents a logical structure, with sections devoted to specification fundamentals, basics of formalism, logic, set theory and relations, property-oriented specification methods, and model-based specification techniques; contains end-of-chapter exercises and numerous case studies, with potential course outlines suggested in the Preface; covers Object-Z, B-Method, and Calculus of Communicating Systems; offers material that can be taught with tool-supported laboratory projects.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 672 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book presents a functional calculus for n-tuples of not necessarily commuting linear operators. In particular, a functional calculus for quaternionic linear operators is developed. These calculi are based on a new theory of hyperholomorphicity for functions with values in a Clifford algebra: the so-called slice monogenic functions which are carefully described in the book. In the case of functions with values in the algebra of quaternions these functions are named slice regular functions.Springer Basel AG in Springer Science + Business Media, Heidelberger Platz 3, 14197 Berlin 228 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 4th IFIP WG 8.1 Working Conference on Method Engineering, ME 2011, held in Paris, France, in April 2011. The 13 revised full papers and 6 short papers presented together with the abstracts of two keynote talks were carefully reviewed and selected from 30 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on situated method engineering, method engineering foundations, customized methods, tools for method engineering, new trends to build methods, and method engineering services.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 244 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book constitutes the refereed post-proceedings of the 9th IFIP WG 3.7 Conference on Information Technology in Educational Management, ITEM 2010, held in Kasane, Botswana, in July 2010. The 22 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected. The papers cover a wide range of topics addressing the utilization of ICT at different levels of education from primary education to higher education, such as identifying and satisfying learning needs, strategical management, school management information systems, open source software, and the relationship between ICT and organizational performance.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 216 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -We consider Levi non-degenerate tube hypersurfaces in complex linear space which are 'spherical', that is, locally CR-equivalent to the real hyperquadric. Spherical hypersurfaces are characterized by the condition of the vanishing of the CR-curvature form, so such hypersurfaces are flat from the CR-geometric viewpoint. On the other hand, such hypersurfaces are of interest from the point of view of affine geometry. Thus our treatment of spherical tube hypersurfaces in this book is two-fold: CR-geometric and affine-geometric. Spherical tube hypersurfaces turn out to possess remarkable properties. For example, every such hypersurface is real-analytic and extends to a closed real-analytic spherical tube hypersurface in complex space. One of our main goals is to give an explicit affine classification of closed spherical tube hypersurfaces whenever possible. In this book we offer a comprehensive exposition of the theory of spherical tube hypersurfaces starting with the idea proposed in the pioneering work by P. Yang (1982) and ending with the new approach due to G. Fels and W. Kaup (2009).Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The traditional topics of the 'philosophy of nature' ¿ space, time, causality, the structure of the universe ¿ are overwhelmingly present in our modern scientific theories. This book traces the complex paths that discussion of these topics has followed, from Plato and Aristotle, through Descartes, Leibniz, Kant and other great thinkers, right up to the relativistic cosmologies and the grand unified theories of contemporary science. In the light of this historical development, it becomes clear that modern science gives us not only a technological power over the world, but also a deeper understanding of physical reality. In this sense, science could be regarded as an heir to the traditional 'philosophy of nature'. Moreover, the reader will learn why science itself deserves to be the subject of philosophical reflection.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 180 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Model development is of vital importance for understanding and management of ecological processes. Identifying the complex relationships between ecological patterns and processes is a crucial task. Ecological modelling¿both qualitatively and quantitatively¿plays a vital role in analysing ecological phenomena and for ecological theory. This textbook provides a unique overview of modelling approaches. Representing the state-of-the-art in modern ecology, it shows how to construct and work with various different model types. It introduces the background of each approach and its application in ecology. Differential equations, matrix approaches, individual-based models and many other relevant modelling techniques are explained and demonstrated with their use. The authors provide links to software tools and course materials. With chapters written by leading specialists, ¿Modelling Complex Ecological Dynamics¿ is an essential contribution to expand the qualification of students, teachers and scientists alike.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 416 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book is of interest for students of mathematics or of neighboring subjects like physics, engineering, computer science, and also for people who have at least school level mathematics and have kept some interest in it. Also good for younger readers just reaching their final school year of mathematics.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 300 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -1946 is the year Bryce DeWitt entered Harvard graduate school. Quantum Gravity was his goal and remained his goal throughout his lifetime until the very end. The pursuit of Quantum Gravity requires a profound understanding of Quantum Physics and Gravitation Physics. As G. A. Vilkovisky commented , 'Quantum Gravity is a combination of two words, and one should know both. Bryce understood this as nobody else, and this wisdom is completely unknown to many authors of the flux of papers that we see nowadays.'Distingished physicist Cecile DeWitt-Morette skillfully blends her personal and scientific account with a wealth of her late husband's often unpublished writings on the subject matter.This volume, through the perspective of the leading researcher on quantum gravity of his generation, will provide an invaluable source of reference for anyone working in the field.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 164 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -In studying the past, archaeologists have focused on the material remains of our ancestors. Prehistorians generally have only artifacts to study and rely on the diverse material record for their understanding of past societies and their behavior. Those involved in studying historically documented cultures not only have extensive material remains but also contemporary texts, images, and a range of investigative technologies to enable them to build a broader and more reflexive picture of how past societies, communities, and individuals operated and behaved. Increasingly, historical archaeology refers not to a particular period, place, or a method, but rather an approach that interrogates the tensions between artifacts and texts irrespective of context. In short, historical archaeology provides direct evidence for how humans have shaped the world we live in today.Historical archaeology is a branch of global archaeology that has grown in the last 40 years from its North American base into an increasingly global community of archaeologists each studying their area of the world in a historical context. Where historical archaeology started as part of the study of the post-Columbian societies of the United States and Canada, it has now expanded to interface with the post-medieval archaeologies of Europe and the diverse post-imperial experiences of Africa, Latin America, and Australasia.The 36 essays in the International Handbook of Historical Archaeology have been specially commissioned from the leading researchers in their fields, creating a wide-ranging digest of the increasingly global field of historical archaeology. The volume is divided into two sections, the first reviewing the key themes, issues, and approaches of historical archaeology today, and the second containing a series of case studies charting the development and current state of historical archaeological practice around the world. This key reference work captures the energy and diversity of this global discipline today.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 720 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Applications of Finite Element Methods for Reliability Studies on ULSI Interconnections provides a detailed description of the application of finite element methods (FEMs) to the study of ULSI interconnect reliability. Over the past two decades the application of FEMs has become widespread and continues to lead to a much better understanding of reliability physics.To help readers cope with the increasing sophistication of FEMs¿ applications to interconnect reliability, Applications of Finite Element Methods for Reliability Studies on ULSI Interconnections will:introduce the principle of FEMs;review numerical modeling of ULSI interconnect reliability;describe the physical mechanism of ULSI interconnect reliability encountered in the electronics industry; anddiscuss in detail the use of FEMs to understand and improve ULSI interconnect reliability from both the physical and practical perspective, incorporating the Monte Carlo method.A full-scale review of the numerical modeling methodology used in the study of interconnect reliability highlights useful and noteworthy techniques that have been developed recently. Many illustrations are used throughout the book to improve the reader¿s understanding of the methodology and its verification. Actual experimental results and micrographs on ULSI interconnects are also included.Applications of Finite Element Methods for Reliability Studies on ULSI Interconnections is a good reference for researchers who are working on interconnect reliability modeling, as well as for those who want to know more about FEMs for reliability applications. It gives readers a thorough understanding of the applications of FEM to reliability modeling and an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of various numerical models for interconnect reliability.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 160 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Membrane Reactors for Hydrogen Production Processes deals with technological and economic aspects of hydrogen selective membranes application in hydrogen production chemical processes.Membrane Reactors for Hydrogen Production Processes starts with an overview of membrane integration in the chemical reaction environment, formulating the thermodynamics and kinetics of membrane reactors and assessing the performance of different process architectures.Then, the state of the art of hydrogen selective membranes, membrane manufacturing processes and the mathematical modeling of membrane reactors are discussed. A review of the most useful applications from an industrial point of view is given. These applications include:natural gas steam reformingautothermal reformingwater gas shift reactiondecomposition of hydrogen sulphide, andalkanes dehydrogenation.The final part is dedicated to the description of a pilot plant where the novel configuration was implemented at a semi-industrial scale.Plant engineers, researchers and postgraduate students will find Membrane Reactors for Hydrogen Production Processes a comprehensive guide to the state of the art of membrane reactor technology.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 248 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The papers in this volume present an overview of the general aspects and practical applications of dynamic inverse methods, through the interaction of several topics, ranging from classical and advanced inverse problems in vibration, isospectral systems, dynamic methods for structural identification, active vibration control and damage detection, imaging shear stiffness in biological tissues, wave propagation, to computational and experimental aspects relevant for engineering problems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume consists of eighteen peer-reviewed papers related to lectures on pseudo-differential operators presented at the meeting of the ISAAC Group in Pseudo-Differential Operators (IGPDO) held at Imperial College London on July 13-18, 2009. Featured in this volume are the analysis, applications and computations of pseudo-differential operators in mathematics, physics and signal analysis. This volume is a useful complement to the volumes ¿Advances in Pseudo-Differential Operators¿, ¿Pseudo-Differential Operators and Related Topics¿, ¿Modern Trends in Pseudo-Differential Operators¿, ¿New Developments in Pseudo-Differential Operators¿ and ¿Pseudo-Differential Operators: Complex Analysis and Partial Differential Equations¿ published in the same series in, respectively, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.Springer Basel AG in Springer Science + Business Media, Heidelberger Platz 3, 14197 Berlin 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Living beings require constant information processing for survival. In cells, information is being processed and propagated at various levels, from the gene regulatory network to chemical pathways, to the interaction with the environment. How this is achieved and how information is coded is still poorly understood. For example, what a cell interprets as information in the temporal level of an mRNA and what is interpreted as noise remains an open question. Recently, information theoretical methods and other tools, developed in the context of engineering and natural sciences, have been applied to study diverse biological processes. This book covers the latest findings on how information is processed in various biological processes, ranging from information processing and propagation in gene regulatory networks to information processing in natural language. An overview is presented of the state-of-the-art in information processing in biological systems and the opinion of current leaders in this research field on future research directions.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This important book breaks new ground in addressing issues of gendered learning in different contexts across the (adult) life span at the start of the 21st century. Adult learning sits within a shifting landscape of educational policy, profoundly influenced by the skills agenda, by complex funding policies, new qualifications and the widening/narrowing participation debate. The book is unique in highlighting the centrality of gendered choices to these developments which shape participation in and experiences of lifelong learning.Gendered Choices critically examines the continued expansion of a skills-based approach in areas of lifelong learning, including career decisions, professional identities and informal networks. It explores key intersections of adult learning from a gender perspective: notably participation, workplace learning and informal pathways.Drawing on research from a range of contexts, Gendered Choices demonstrates that for women the public/private spaces of work and home are often conflated, although the gendering of ¿choice¿ has largely been ignored by policy makers.The themes of the book bring together some of these critical issues, explored through the multiple and fractured identities which constitute gendered lives. The book addresses these in an international context, with contributions from Canada, Spain and Iran that provide a wider international perspective on shared issues.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 280 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book describes the processes through which rates for energy consumption are derived, ranging from initial analyses of the supply and demand parameters to the final forms and levels of end-use consumer prices. The author argues against aggressive accounting procedures, and suggests criteria for choosing firm's position on pending public policy issues. A handbook on energy formulae for non-professionals is included in the book. The author is adjunct professor at the University of Portland.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 436 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book addresses the topic of urban models with reference to large western cities and particularly to global cities. In the current transitional phase, the use of language and the systematization of phenomena has become important. The book¿s matrix examines two important and strongly connected themes: urban models and public-private partnerships (PPP) determined by urban functions which are transformed in an increasingly rapid and complex manner as a result of globalization. PPPs represent the new border of the modern global state. The book focuses on two principal urban models (renewal and restructuring) through PPPs and subsequently the relationship between state and market in fourteen Italian cities (renewal) and two central European cities, Leipzig and Budapest (restructuring). CoUrbIT (Complex Urban Investment Tools) and the book 'Globalization and Urban Implosion: Creating New Competitive Advantage' by the same author serve as points of reference.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 280 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The international dimensions of competition law and policy are most often examined at the level of substantive law. In this legal area both intentional and spontaneous assimilation and harmonization trends can be recognized, which manifest themselves e.g. in comparable approaches to combating particularly harmful restraints (so-called 'hardcore cartels'). However, the complex terrain of enforcement law has been mainly ignored up to date. Are there common approaches in this field as well How are the various competition laws linked with each other in respect to procedural norms This book conceptualizes 'International Competition Enforcement Law' against the backdrop of these issues and at the level of comparative law. The ciphers 'cooperation' and 'convergence' will serve as the two principle ideas for this book.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 112 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book seeks to fill a gap in the existing literature by examining the role of African States in the development and establishment of the regime of the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction (the Area) and the concept of the Common Heritage of Mankind.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 304 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book is part of a bold, new initiative towards global sustainability and development that draws on the disciplines of geotechnical engineering and earthquake geotechnics.It contains contributions from fifteen of the world's leading experts who met in Kyoto in early 2010 to discuss a range of issues related to the ways geotechnics can help us face the challenges ahead, from the technical to the social, from geo-hazards to megacities, from global warming and coastal protection to the conservation of world heritage sites.We hope these contributions will stimulate the debate over the role geotechnics has to play in achieving a more sustainable future for the world.AudienceThis book will be of interest to advanced levels of researchersand practicing engineers in the fields of geotechnics and earthquake geotechnics for global sustainability: the greatest long term challenge of our time.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 276 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Soil is the Earth¿s living skin. It provides anchorage for roots, holds water long enough for plants to make use of it and the nutrients that sustain life ¿ otherwise the Earth would be as barren as Mars. It is home to myriad micro-organisms and armies of microscopic animals as well as the familiar earthworm that accomplish biochemical transformations from fixing atmospheric nitrogen to recycling wastes; it receives and process all fresh water, provides the foundations for our built environment; and comprises the biggest global carbon store that we know how to manage. This book is about the best soil in the world - the black earth or chernozem: how it is being degraded by farming and how it may be farmed sustainably. Industrialisation of farming has laid bare contradictions between the unforgiving laws of ecology and economics. Soil organic matter is the fuel that powers soil systems and the cement that holds the soil together ¿ and in place ¿ but agriculture is burning it up faster than it is being formed: even the chernozem cannot long survive this treatment. Here is the evidence for this trend and, based on long-term field experiments, ecological principles for sustainable agriculture that can reverse the trend and, at the same time, feed the world. Unlike other volumes in the series, this is not an edited collection of scientific papers. The authors have chosen the classical monograph to be near to the reader from beginning to end - to convey their anxiety about the state of the land and their optimism about the possibility of retrieving the situation by changing the social and political approach to the land so as to provide the necessary incentives for sustainable land use and management.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 172 pp. Englisch.