springer mär 2014 (665 risultati)

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R is designed to teach readers to use R for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses. Over the past decade, a dizzying array of tools and methods were generated to incorporate phylogenetic and functional information into traditional ecological analyses. Increasingly these tools are implemented in R, thus greatly expanding their impact. Researchers getting started in R can use this volume as a step-by-step entryway into phylogenetic and functional analyses for ecology in R. More advanced users will be able to use this volume as a quick reference to understand particular analyses. The volume begins with an introduction to the R environment and handling relevant data in R. Chapters then cover phylogenetic and functional metrics of biodiversity; null modeling and randomizations for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses; integrating phylogenetic and functional trait information; and interfacing the R environment with a popular C-based program. This book presents a unique approach through its focus on ecological analyses and not macroevolutionary analyses. The author provides his own code, so that the reader is guided through the computational steps to calculate the desired metrics. This guided approach simplifies the work of determining which package to use for any given analysis. Example datasets are shared to help readers practice, and readers can then quickly turn to their own datasets.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware - Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R is designed to teach readers to use R for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses. Over the past decade, a dizzying array of tools and methods were generated to incorporate phylogenetic and functional information into traditional ecological analyses. Increasingly these tools are implemented in R, thus greatly expanding their impact. Researchers getting started in R can use this volume as a step-by-step entryway into phylogenetic and functional analyses for ecology in R. More advanced users will be able to use this volume as a quick reference to understand particular analyses. The volume begins with an introduction to the R environment and handling relevant data in R. Chapters then cover phylogenetic and functional metrics of biodiversity; null modeling and randomizations for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses; integrating phylogenetic and functional trait information; and interfacing the R environment with a popular C-based program. This book presents a unique approach through its focus on ecological analyses and not macroevolutionary analyses. The author provides his own code, so that the reader is guided through the computational steps to calculate the desired metrics. This guided approach simplifies the work of determining which package to use for any given analysis. Example datasets are shared to help readers practice, and readers can then quickly turn to their own datasets.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Mehrsprachigkeit ist heute eine Realität, ganz besonders in der Schule: Lehrer sind damit konfrontiert, dass ihre Schüler zum Teil keine deutschen Muttersprachler sind. Viele Kinder wachsen mehrsprachig auf, manche lernen erst in der Schule Deutsch. Das empfinden Lehrer, Bildungsplaner, Didaktiker - und Eltern - häufig als Last, die das Bildungsniveau der Schulen drückt. Dabei ist Mehrsprachigkeit ein wertvolles Gut, ein Mehr an Sprachen und an Unterrichtsmöglichkeiten. Dazu müssen Lehrer aber etwas über die Sprachen wissen, die ihre Schüler in den Unterricht mitbringen.Hier setzt dieses Buch an: Es liefert anregende und dabei linguistisch fundierte Informationen über die Sprachen, die von Schülerinnen und Schülern in Deutschland am häufigsten gesprochen werden - von Japanisch, Chinesisch, Vietnamesisch, über Hindi, Persisch und Türkisch bis Spanisch, von Russisch und Ukrainisch über Griechisch und Albanisch bis Arabisch und Hebräisch. Linguisten und Mehrsprachigkeits-Forscher wollen in diesem Buch zeigen, dass diese unterschiedlichen Sprachkompetenzen ein Schatz sind.'Das mehrsprachige Klassenzimmer' ist kein didaktischer Leitfaden, sondern bietet Hintergrundinformationen, die Leser und Leserinnen nach Bedarf in Unterrichtsvorbereitungen, in die Konzeption von Lehrbüchern, in politische Überlegungen zur schulischen Integration oder in ihre persönliche Weiterbildung einfließen lassen können. 504 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Mehrsprachigkeit ist heute eine Realität, ganz besonders in der Schule: Lehrer sind damit konfrontiert, dass ihre Schüler zum Teil keine deutschen Muttersprachler sind. Viele Kinder wachsen mehrsprachig auf, manche lernen erst in der Schule Deutsch. Das empfinden Lehrer, Bildungsplaner, Didaktiker - und Eltern - häufig als Last, die das Bildungsniveau der Schulen drückt. Dabei ist Mehrsprachigkeit ein wertvolles Gut, ein Mehr an Sprachen und an Unterrichtsmöglichkeiten. Dazu müssen Lehrer aber etwas über die Sprachen wissen, die ihre Schüler in den Unterricht mitbringen.Hier setzt dieses Buch an: Es liefert anregende und dabei linguistisch fundierte Informationen über die Sprachen, die von Schülerinnen und Schülern in Deutschland am häufigsten gesprochen werden - von Japanisch, Chinesisch, Vietnamesisch, über Hindi, Persisch und Türkisch bis Spanisch, von Russisch und Ukrainisch über Griechisch und Albanisch bis Arabisch und Hebräisch. Linguisten und Mehrsprachigkeits-Forscher wollen in diesem Buch zeigen, dass diese unterschiedlichen Sprachkompetenzen ein Schatz sind.'Das mehrsprachige Klassenzimmer' ist kein didaktischer Leitfaden, sondern bietet Hintergrundinformationen, die Leser und Leserinnen nach Bedarf in Unterrichtsvorbereitungen, in die Konzeption von Lehrbüchern, in politische Überlegungen zur schulischen Integration oder in ihre persönliche Weiterbildung einfließen lassen können. 504 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware 224 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware - Enormous advances in our knowledge of genetic contributions to aging and disease, and in our understanding of the potential for manipulation of the aging process, have taken place during the past 20 years. This is the first volume in decades to consolidate this research in one place. It provides a broad and current overview of the most promising advances in genetic research on aging, current understanding of genetic contributions to the basic processes of aging, and age-related disease. The Review focuses on the aging process from lower organisms to man, and is organized in ascending order of biological complexity starting with stem cells and progressing through worms, flies, mice, and humans. Where relevant, the Review also includes information about yeasts and non-human primates.The research presented in the Review uses a species-comparative approach that makes finding cross species similarities (gene conservation) and differences (gene differentiation) apparent. This approach reflects the way in which the field is organized, making it highly useful for investigators who want quick access and a concise summary of a particular topic.Key Features: Provides state-of-the-art information about promising advances in genetic research on agingComprises the first comprehensive volume regarding genetic research about aging in decadesAuthored by leading scholars in the fieldDisseminates enormous advances in our understanding of the aging process.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Die Debatte zur sozialen Kognition ist ein zentrales Thema einer aktuell entstehenden Forschungslandschaft zur Interdisziplinären Anthropologie. Der Band sammelt die Beiträge führender Wissenschaftler/Innen in den Geistes-, Sozial- und Kulturwissenschaften und bindet sie in eine dialogische Form ein. Es zeigt sich, dass die interdisziplinäre Forschung zur Sozialen Kognition an den Schnittstellen der Disziplinen neue Perspektiven für ein zeitgemäßes Verständnis des Menschen eröffnet.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -In diesem Lehrbuch werden die mathematischen Grundlagen exakt und dennoch anschaulich und gut nachvollziehbar vermittelt. Sie werden durchgehend anhand zahlreicher Musterbeispiele illustriert, durch Anwendungen in der Informatik motiviert und durch historische Hintergründe oder Ausblicke in angrenzende Themengebiete aufgelockert. Am Ende jedes Kapitels befinden sich Kontrollfragen, die das Verständnis testen und typische Fehler bzw. Missverständnisse ausräumen. Zusätzlich helfen zahlreiche Aufwärmübungen (mit vollständigem Lösungsweg) und weiterführende Übungsaufgaben das Erlernte zu festigen und praxisrelevant umzusetzen. Dieses Lehrbuch ist daher auch sehr gut zum Selbststudium geeignet. Ergänzend wird in eigenen Abschnitten das Computeralgebrasystem Mathematica vorgestellt und eingesetzt, wodurch der Lehrstoff visualisiert und somit das Verständnis erleichtert werden kann. 416 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware - Mehrsprachigkeit ist heute eine Realität, ganz besonders in der Schule: Lehrer sind damit konfrontiert, dass ihre Schüler zum Teil keine deutschen Muttersprachler sind. Viele Kinder wachsen mehrsprachig auf, manche lernen erst in der Schule Deutsch. Das empfinden Lehrer, Bildungsplaner, Didaktiker - und Eltern - häufig als Last, die das Bildungsniveau der Schulen drückt. Dabei ist Mehrsprachigkeit ein wertvolles Gut, ein Mehr an Sprachen und an Unterrichtsmöglichkeiten. Dazu müssen Lehrer aber etwas über die Sprachen wissen, die ihre Schüler in den Unterricht mitbringen.Hier setzt dieses Buch an: Es liefert anregende und dabei linguistisch fundierte Informationen über die Sprachen, die von Schülerinnen und Schülern in Deutschland am häufigsten gesprochen werden - von Japanisch, Chinesisch, Vietnamesisch, über Hindi, Persisch und Türkisch bis Spanisch, von Russisch und Ukrainisch über Griechisch und Albanisch bis Arabisch und Hebräisch. Linguisten und Mehrsprachigkeits-Forscher wollen in diesem Buch zeigen, dass diese unterschiedlichen Sprachkompetenzen ein Schatz sind.'Das mehrsprachige Klassenzimmer' ist kein didaktischer Leitfaden, sondern bietet Hintergrundinformationen, die Leser und Leserinnen nach Bedarf in Unterrichtsvorbereitungen, in die Konzeption von Lehrbüchern, in politische Überlegungen zur schulischen Integration oder in ihre persönliche Weiterbildung einfließen lassen können.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Das zeitgemäße Repertoire der offenen GefäßeingriffeTrotz der zunehmenden Anwendung endovaskulärer Verfahren muss jeder gefäßchirurgisch tätige Arzt die offenen Techniken kennen: sie sind für manche Indikationen nach wie vor Methode der Wahl, weisen höhere und längerdauernde Erfolgsraten auf und sind bei Komplikationen der endovaskulären Technik oder bei Verschleiß der eingesetzten Stents häufig der einzige Ausweg, um ein zufriedenstellendes Operationsergebnis zu erreichen. Ausgewiesene Experten für die einzelnen Gefäßregionen beschreiben umfassend und Schritt für Schritt die Eingriffe an Arterien, Venen und Lymphgefäßen: - Topographische Anatomie,- Anästhesie, Lagerung und Hautschnitt,- Präparation, Rekonstruktionsverfahren und Wundverschluss,- Vorgehen bei speziellen Krankheitsbildern und in besonderen klinischen Situationen,- Mögliche Komplikationen und ihre Beherrschung,- Nachsorge und Reinterventionen. Nahezu 1000 instruktive Abbildungen - Operationssitus, Bildgebung und zahlreiche, neu erstellte Zeichnungen - lassen Prinzip und Durchführung der Operationen anschaulich werden. In eigenen Kapiteln sind Instrumente, Materialien und operative Grundtechniken beschrieben. Mit dem neuen gefäßchirurgischen Operationsatlas bereit für das 21. Jahrhundert 488 pp. Deutsch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Das zeitgemäße Repertoire der offenen GefäßeingriffeTrotz der zunehmenden Anwendung endovaskulärer Verfahren muss jeder gefäßchirurgisch tätige Arzt die offenen Techniken kennen: sie sind für manche Indikationen nach wie vor Methode der Wahl, weisen höhere und längerdauernde Erfolgsraten auf und sind bei Komplikationen der endovaskulären Technik oder bei Verschleiß der eingesetzten Stents häufig der einzige Ausweg, um ein zufriedenstellendes Operationsergebnis zu erreichen. Ausgewiesene Experten für die einzelnen Gefäßregionen beschreiben umfassend und Schritt für Schritt die Eingriffe an Arterien, Venen und Lymphgefäßen: - Topographische Anatomie,- Anästhesie, Lagerung und Hautschnitt,- Präparation, Rekonstruktionsverfahren und Wundverschluss,- Vorgehen bei speziellen Krankheitsbildern und in besonderen klinischen Situationen,- Mögliche Komplikationen und ihre Beherrschung,- Nachsorge und Reinterventionen. Nahezu 1000 instruktive Abbildungen - Operationssitus, Bildgebung und zahlreiche, neu erstellte Zeichnungen - lassen Prinzip und Durchführung der Operationen anschaulich werden. In eigenen Kapiteln sind Instrumente, Materialien und operative Grundtechniken beschrieben. Mit dem neuen gefäßchirurgischen Operationsatlas bereit für das 21. Jahrhundert 488 pp. Deutsch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Das zeitgemäße Repertoire der offenen Gefäßeingriffe.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Das zeitgemäße Repertoire der offenen GefäßeingriffeSpringer-Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 488 pp. Deutsch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware - Das zeitgemäße Repertoire der offenen GefäßeingriffeTrotz der zunehmenden Anwendung endovaskulärer Verfahren muss jeder gefäßchirurgisch tätige Arzt die offenen Techniken kennen: sie sind für manche Indikationen nach wie vor Methode der Wahl, weisen höhere und längerdauernde Erfolgsraten auf und sind bei Komplikationen der endovaskulären Technik oder bei Verschleiß der eingesetzten Stents häufig der einzige Ausweg, um ein zufriedenstellendes Operationsergebnis zu erreichen. Ausgewiesene Experten für die einzelnen Gefäßregionen beschreiben umfassend und Schritt für Schritt die Eingriffe an Arterien, Venen und Lymphgefäßen: - Topographische Anatomie,- Anästhesie, Lagerung und Hautschnitt,- Präparation, Rekonstruktionsverfahren und Wundverschluss,- Vorgehen bei speziellen Krankheitsbildern und in besonderen klinischen Situationen,- Mögliche Komplikationen und ihre Beherrschung,- Nachsorge und Reinterventionen. Nahezu 1000 instruktive Abbildungen - Operationssitus, Bildgebung und zahlreiche, neu erstellte Zeichnungen - lassen Prinzip und Durchführung der Operationen anschaulich werden. In eigenen Kapiteln sind Instrumente, Materialien und operative Grundtechniken beschrieben. Mit dem neuen gefäßchirurgischen Operationsatlas bereit für das 21. Jahrhundert.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Das zeitgemäße Repertoire der offenen Gefäßeingriffe 488 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This is not science fiction. It's a voyage on the arrow of time to the coming fifty years. The legendary palindromic character Mr. Qfwfq from Italo Calvino's collection of short stories, The Cosmicomics, will go with us - he who knows all the answers but will give out no hints. He will help us to discover the innovations that will have changed our lives by 2062, when, riding astride Halley's Comet, our omniscient extraterrestrial will return to visit us.In this book, we shall learn how astronomers will devote themselves to the study of the mysterious force of dark energy, which makes up some three-quarters of the Universe. We shall also delve deeply into the study of our Earth, to exploit the immense thermal energy that lies beneath our feet. We shall solve another enigma in today's science: the origin of life. We shall come to understand how to develop direct contacts between our brains and the rest of the world. We shall learn about the future of genetics, the reason for the longevity of Methuselah flies and the quest for prime numbers. These are only some of the exciting and important discoveries to be revealed in this intriguing book, which is designed for a broader public and not only for science fiction devotees. 108 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Before the arrival of penicillin in the 1940s, phage therapy was one of the few weapons doctors had against bacterial infections. It saved the life of Hollywood legend Tom Mix before being abandoned by Western science. Now, researchers and physicians are rediscovering the treatment, which pits phage viruses against their natural bacterial hosts, as a potential weapon against antibiotic-resistant infections.The Forgotten Cure traces the story of phages from Paris, where they were discovered in 1917; to Tbilisi, Georgia, where one of phage therapy's earliest proponents died at the hands of Stalin; to the Nobel podium, where prominent scientists have been recognized for breakthroughs stemming from phage research. Today, a crop of biotech startups and dedicated physicians is racing to win regulatory approval for phage therapy before superbugs exhaust the last drug in the medical arsenal. Will they clear the hurdles in time 148 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -What is a dialect How are dialects represented in film and literature How can they be analysed In the first textbook to cover dialect representation in both film and literature, Jane Hodson explores why and how different varieties of English are used. In order to link the concepts to actual usage, illustrative examples of popular films, classic novels and poems are discussed throughout the text. Dialect in Film and Literature:. examines the key differences between the handling of dialect in literature and film . draws on recent work in linguistics to examine a range of topics, including metalanguage, identity and authenticity. includes useful teaching resources, such as exercises and suggestions for further reading Written for students of English language and literature, this is a lively introduction to the fascinating field of dialect representation. 272 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The NATO Advanced Study Institute on Physios of St~ong Fields was held at Maratea/Italy from 1-14 June, 1986. The school was devoted to the advances, theoretical and experimental, in physics of strong fields made during the past five years. The topic of the first week was almost exclusively quantum electrodynamics, with dis cussions of symmetry breaking in the ground state, of the physics of strong fields in heavy ion collisions and of precision tests of perturba tive quantum electrodynamics. The famous positron lines found at GSI (Darmstadt) and the related question 'new particle versus vacuum decay' - (yes or no or both) - constituted the center of experimental advances. This was followed in the second week by the presentation of a broad range of other areas where strong fields occur, reaching from nuclear physics over quantum chromodynamics to gravitation theory and astrophysics. We were fortunate to be able to calIon a body of lecturers who not only made considerable personal contributions to this research but who are also noted for their lecturing skills. Their enthusiasm and dedication for their work was readily transmitted to the students resulting in a very suc cessful school. 1028 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The previous volumes in this series have included contributions on a varied range of topics. Some subjects were virtuaIIy self-selecting-no text on food microbiology could ignore the importance of food-borne pathogens-but others were included to iIIustrate, in some measure, the fascinating diversity of facets encompassed by the title. This same approach has been adopted in the present volume, so that while central issues, such as current views on the taxonomy of food-borne fungi, are discussed, the interfaces between 'classical' microbiology and other relevant disciplines have also been explored. The impact of economic constraints on fermentations is one such area of interaction, while the rapidly developing subject of tissue culture offers some exciting chaIIenges for any microbiologist wishing to apply his or her expertise in a somewhat paraIIel field. It can be argued, of course, that a scientific text should be held within tight guidelines, and certainly the academic demands of microbiology are becoming increasingly stringent. Nevertheless, novel ideas can often arise from a casual insight into an adjacent area of study, and it is, perhaps, appropriate that the Developments Series should find space for just a few, speculative incursions. Whatever the precise format, however, the basic intention of the series remains unaltered, and if this volume does provide food microbiologists with a useful source of information and/or further reading, then the endeavours of the authors wiII have been worthwhile. 212 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -It has become increasingly evident that there is much to begained from a detailed understanding of the structure and properties of polymers in the oriented state. This book reftects the growth of interest in this area of polymer scienceand attempts to give the reader an up to date viewofthe present position. The individual chapters are for the most part self contained, and cover a very wide range of topics. It is intended that each of them should serve the dual purpose of an expository introduction to the subject and a topical review of recent research. It is inevitable that there will be differences of style and approach in the contributions from the different authors. No atternpt has been made to moderate these differences, as they serve to illustrate the diversity of approaches required to give the reader a balanced view of the subject. I should like to thank the contributors for their endeavours, and especially for their patience in accepting modifications and corrections which make for consistency in the book as a whole. 1 am particularly indebted to Professor Leslie Holliday who originally approached me with the proposition that such a book would be a worthwhile venture and to the publishers who have given me every assistance in making its progress as painless as possible. 520 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Ever since the signing of the World Heritage Convention 40 years ago and ratified by 33 African countries, to date, only 43 cultural heritage sites have been successfully proclaimed as World Heritage Sites in Africa. These include archaeological and historical sites, religious monuments and cultural landscapes. This book is a re-evaluation of the nomination and management of cultural World Heritage sites in Africa from the late 1970s when the Island of Gorée of Senegal and the Rock-Hewn Churches of Ethiopia were first inscribed on the WHL until today. It considers whether a credible and well balanced WHL has been attained, especially in regards to the nomination of more sites in Africa. The book also examines the roles and contribution of various heritage organizations and African governments to the nomination and management of cultural World Heritage sites in Africa. Lastly, the volume also scrutinizes economic development, which may result from the nomination and successful management of cultural World Heritage sites in Africa. 124 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -This is not science fiction. It¿s a voyage on the arrow of time to the coming fifty years. The legendary palindromic character Mr. Qfwfq from Italo Calvinös collection of short stories, The Cosmicomics, will go with us ¿ he who knows all the answers but will give out no hints. He will help us to discover the innovations that will have changed our lives by 2062, when, riding astride Halley¿s Comet, our omniscient extraterrestrial will return to visit us.In this book, we shall learn how astronomers will devote themselves to the study of the mysterious force of dark energy, which makes up some three-quarters of the Universe. We shall also delve deeply into the study of our Earth, to exploit the immense thermal energy that lies beneath our feet. We shall solve another enigma in today¿s science: the origin of life. We shall come to understand how to develop direct contacts between our brains and the rest of the world. We shall learn about the future of genetics, the reason for the longevity of Methuselah flies and the quest for prime numbers. These are only some of the exciting and important discoveries to be revealed in this intriguing book, which is designed for a broader public and not only for science fiction devotees.Springer-Verlag KG, Sachsenplatz 4-6, 1201 Wien 108 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This work opens with an accessible introduction to computer networks, providing general definitions of commonly used terms in networking. This is followed by a detailed description of the OSI model, including the concepts of connection-oriented and connectionless communications. The text carefully elaborates the specific functions of each layer, along with what is expected of protocols operating at each layer. Next, the journey of a single packet, from source to destination, is described in detail. The final chapter is devoted to the TCP/IP model, beginning with a discussion of IP protocols and the supporting ARP, RARP and In ARP protocols. The work also discusses the TCP and UDP protocols operating at the transport layer and the application layer protocols HTTP, DNS, FTP, TFTP, SMTP, POP3 and Telnet. Important facts and definitions are highlighted in gray boxes found throughout the text. 60 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The Pilates book for professionals: Background information and extensive practical knowledge on using the Pilates approach in prevention and therapy. The foundations include, among others, the 'Pilates Principles' (Breathing, Centering, Flow, Precision, Concentration, Control and Coordination). The extensive praxis part presents all techniques and exercises (mat and equipment training) with detailed photos of movement sequences and with precise instructions and explanations of each exercise. Class plans provide concrete suggestions for the design of course units with prevention orientation and patient examples illustrate treatment procedures and therapeutic effects of the Pilates approach for different symptoms. - A must-have for all Pilates professionals: teachers, trainers, physiotherapists. 328 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book offers a presentation of the special theory of relativity that is mathematically rigorous and yet spells out in considerable detail the physical significance of the mathematics. It treats, in addition to the usual menu of topics one is accustomed to finding in introductions to special relativity, a wide variety of results of more contemporary origin. These include Zeeman's characterization of the causal automorphisms of Minkowski spacetime, the Penrose theorem on the apparent shape of a relativistically moving sphere, a detailed introduction to the theory of spinors, a Petrov-type classification of electromagnetic fields in both tensor and spinor form, a topology for Minkowski spacetime whose homeomorphism group is essentially the Lorentz group, and a careful discussion of Dirac's famous Scissors Problem and its relation to the notion of a two-valued representation of the Lorentz group. This second edition includes a new chapter on the de Sitter universe which is intended to serve two purposes. The first is to provide a gentle prologue to the steps one must take to move beyond special relativity and adapt to the presence of gravitational fields that cannot be considered negligible. The second is to understand some of the basic features of a model of the empty universe that differs markedly from Minkowski spacetime, but may be recommended by recent astronomical observations suggesting that the expansion of our own universe is accelerating rather than slowing down. The treatment presumes only a knowledge of linear algebra in the first three chapters, a bit of real analysis in the fourth and, in two appendices, some elementary point-set topology. The first edition of the book received the 1993 CHOICE award for Outstanding Academic Title. Reviews of first edition: '. a valuable contribution to the pedagogical literature which will be enjoyed by all who delight in precise mathematics andphysics.' (American Mathematical Society, 1993) 'Where many physics texts explain physical phenomena by means of mathematical models, here a rigorous and detailed mathematical development is accompanied by precise physical interpretations.' (CHOICE, 1993) '. his talent in choosing the most significant results and ordering them within the book can't be denied. The reading of the book is, really, a pleasure.' (Dutch Mathematical Society, 1993) 340 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Digital libraries (DLs) have evolved since their launch in 1991 into an important type of information system, with widespread application. This volume advances that trend further by describing new research and development in the DL field that builds upon the 5S (Societies, Scenarios, Spaces, Structures, Streams) framework, which is discussed in three other DL volumes in this series.While the 5S framework may be used to describe many types of information systems, and is likely to have even broader utility and appeal, we focus here on digital libraries. Drawing upon six (Akbar, Kozievitch, Leidig, Li, Murthy, Park) completed and two (Chen, Fouh) in-process dissertations, as well as the efforts of collaborating researchers, and scores of related publications, presentations, tutorials, and reports, this book demonstrates the applicability of 5S in five digital library application areas, that also have importance in the context of the WWW, Web 2.0, and innovative information systems. By integrating surveys of the state-of-the-art, newresearch, connections with formalization, case studies, and exercises/projects, this book can serve as a textbook for those interested in computing, information, and/or library science. Chapter 1 focuses on images, explaining how they connect with information retrieval, in the context of CBIR systems. Chapter 2 gives two case studies of DLs used in education, which is one of the most common applications of digital libraries. Chapter 3 covers social networks, which are at the heart of work onWeb 2.0, explaining the construction and use of deduced graphs, that can enhance retrieval and recommendation. Chapter 4 demonstrates the value of DLs in eScience, focusing, in particular, on cyber-infrastructure for simulation. Chapter 5 surveys geospatial information in DLs, with a case study on geocoding. Given this rich content, we trust that any interested in digital libraries, or in related systems, will find this volume to be motivating, intellectually satisfying, and useful. We hope it will help move digital libraries forward into a science as well as a practice. We hope it will help build community that will address the needs of the next generation of DLs.Springer-Verlag KG, Sachsenplatz 4-6, 1201 Wien 176 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Solving challenging computational problems involving time has been a critical component in the development of artificial intelligence systems almost since the inception of the field. This book provides a concise introduction to the core computational elements of temporal reasoning for use in AI systems for planning and scheduling, as well as systems that extract temporal information from data. It presents a survey of temporal frameworks based on constraints, both qualitative and quantitative, as well as of major temporal consistency techniques. The book also introduces the reader to more recent extensions to the core model that allow AI systems to explicitly represent temporal preferences and temporal uncertainty. This book is intended for students and researchers interested in constraint-based temporal reasoning. It provides a self-contained guide to the different representations of time, as well as examples of recent applications of time in AI systems.Springer-Verlag KG, Sachsenplatz 4-6, 1201 Wien 124 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Digital Watermarking is the art and science of embedding information in existing digital content for Digital Rights Management (DRM) and authentication. Reversible watermarking is a class of (fragile) digital watermarking that not only authenticates multimedia data content, but also helps to maintain perfect integrity of the original multimedia 'cover data.' In non-reversible watermarking schemes, after embedding and extraction of the watermark, the cover data undergoes some distortions, although perceptually negligible in most cases. In contrast, in reversible watermarking, zero-distortion of the cover data is achieved, that is the cover data is guaranteed to be restored bit-by-bit. Such a feature is desirable when highly sensitive data is watermarked, e.g., in military, medical, and legal imaging applications. This work deals with development, analysis, and evaluation of state-of-the-art reversible watermarking techniques for digital images. In this work we establish the motivation for research on reversible watermarking using a couple of case studies with medical and military images. We present a detailed review of the state-of-the-art research in this field. We investigate the various subclasses of reversible watermarking algorithms, their operating principles, and computational complexities. Along with this, to give the readers an idea about the detailed working of a reversible watermarking scheme, we present a prediction-based reversible watermarking technique, recently published by us. We discuss the major issues and challenges behind implementation of reversible watermarking techniques, and recently proposed solutions for them. Finally, we provide an overview of some open problems and scope of work for future researchers in this area.Springer-Verlag KG, Sachsenplatz 4-6, 1201 Wien 132 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -General game players are computer systems able to play strategy games based solely on formal game descriptions supplied at 'runtime' (n other words, they don't know the rules until the game starts). Unlike specialized game players, such as Deep Blue, general game players cannot rely on algorithms designed in advance for specific games; they must discover such algorithms themselves. General game playing expertise depends on intelligence on the part of the game player and not just intelligence of the programmer of the game player. GGP is an interesting application in its own right. It is intellectually engaging and more than a little fun. But it is much more than that. It provides a theoretical framework for modeling discrete dynamic systems and defining rationality in a way that takes into account problem representation and complexities like incompleteness of information and resource bounds. It has practical applications in areas where these features are important, e.g., in business andlaw. More fundamentally, it raises questions about the nature of intelligence and serves as a laboratory in which to evaluate competing approaches to artificial intelligence. This book is an elementary introduction to General Game Playing (GGP). (1) It presents the theory of General Game Playing and leading GGP technologies. (2) It shows how to create GGP programs capable of competing against other programs and humans. (3) It offers a glimpse of some of the real-world applications of General Game Playing.Springer-Verlag KG, Sachsenplatz 4-6, 1201 Wien 232 pp. Englisch.