springer us aug 2001 (102 risultati)

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The aim of the book is to represent a new object-oriented methodology called Tabular Application Development (TAD). The book is designed to approach the subject of Business Process Reengineering and Information Systems Development from a new prospective, which is unique to this methodology. TAD methodology has six phases and develops the information system using several tables. The concept of the methodology discussed first translates the information about the behavior of the system into different tables and then uses the information collected in the tables to develop the information system. In addition to this, the methodology covers Business Process Reengineering. In recent years BPR became a very important way of assuring changes in an organization's structure and functioning to create a better, more competitive and successful enterprise. The book is organized in three parts: introduction, methodology, and applications/case studies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 208 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Statisticians of the Centuries aims to demonstrate the achievements of statistics to a broad audience, and to commemorate the work of celebrated statisticians. This is done through short biographies that put the statistical work in its historical and sociological context, emphasizing contributions to science and society in the broadest terms rather than narrow technical achievement. The discipline is treated from its earliest times and only individuals born prior to the 20th Century are included. The volume arose through the initiative of the International Statistical Institute (ISI), the principal representative association for international statistics (founded in 1885). Extensive consultations within the statistical community, and with prominent members of ISI in particular, led to the names of the 104 individuals who are included in the volume. The biographies were contributed by 73 authors from across the world.The editors are the well-known statisticians Chris Heyde and Eugene Seneta. Chris Heyde is Professor of Statistics at both Columbia University in New York and the Australian National University in Canberra. He is also Director of the Center for Applied Probability at Columbia. He has twice served as Vice President of the ISI, and also as President of the ISI's Bernoulli Society. Eugene Seneta is Professor of Mathematical Statistics at the University of Sydney and a Member of the ISI. His historical writings focus on 19th Century France and the Russian Empire. He has taught courses on the history of probability-based statistics in U.S. universities. Both editors are Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science and have, at various times, been awarded the Pitman Medal of the Statistical Society of Australia for their distinguished research contributions.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 516 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The scientific community has voiced two general concerns about the future of the earth. Climatologists and oceanographers have focused on the changes in our physical environment -- changes in the climate, the oceans, and the chemistry of the air we breathe. Environmental biologists, on the other hand, have addressed issues of conservation and the extinction of species. There is increasing evidence that these two broad concerns are intertwined and mutually dependent. Past changes in biodiversity have both responded to and caused changes in Earth's environment. In its discussions of ten key terrestrial biomes and freshwater ecosystems, this volume uses our broad understanding of global environmental change to present the first comprehensive scenarios of biodiversity for the twenty-first century. Combining physical earth science with conservation biology, Future Scenarios of Global Biodiversity provides a starting point for regional assessments on all scales. The book will be of interest to those concerned with guiding research on the changing environment of the earth and with planning future policy, especially in accordance with the Global Biodiversity Convention.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 404 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Over the past 25 years, applied econometrics has undergone tremen dous changes, with active developments in fields of research such as time series, labor econometrics, financial econometrics and simulation based methods. Time series analysis has been an active field of research since the seminal work by Box and Jenkins (1976), who introduced a gen eral framework in which time series can be analyzed. In the world of financial econometrics and the application of time series techniques, the ARCH model of Engle (1982) has shifted the focus from the modelling of the process in itself to the modelling of the volatility of the process. In less than 15 years, it has become one of the most successful fields of 1 applied econometric research with hundreds of published papers. As an alternative to the ARCH modelling of the volatility, Taylor (1986) intro duced the stochastic volatility model, whose features are quite similar to the ARCH specification but which involves an unobserved or latent component for the volatility. While being more difficult to estimate than usual GARCH models, stochastic volatility models have found numerous applications in the modelling of volatility and more particularly in the econometric part of option pricing formulas. Although modelling volatil ity is one of the best known examples of applied financial econometrics, other topics (factor models, present value relationships, term structure 2 models) were also successfully tackled.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 200 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Communications markets have made much progress towards competition and deregulation in recent years. However, it is increasingly clear, in the age of the Internet and the digital revolution, that much more needs to be done, and that new approaches, both at the Federal Communications Commission and in Congress, will be required to complete the task. In this volume, the Progress and Freedom Foundation presents nine papers by communications policy experts and government policymakers that show how to finish the job of deregulating communications markets and reforming the FCC.The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was a landmark piece of legislation for an industry moving from a monopoly orientation towards competition, but additional steps are needed to complete the process of implementing the pro-competitive, deregulatory vision of the act. Bringing together a group of the caliber represented in this book makes possible the best recommendations about the exact nature of those necessary changes. In this volume, the most difficult and politically-charged hot-button issues involving local and long distance competition, universal service, spectrum allocation, program content regulation, and the public interest doctrine are confronted head-on. As importantly, the authors recommend specific reform proposals to be considered by the Federal Communications Commission and Congress.The ideas contained in the experts' essays were presented and debated at a conference hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation, which was held in Washington, DC, on December 8, 2000. The Progress & Freedom Foundation studies the impact of the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It conducts research in fields such as electronic commerce, telecommunications and the impact of the Internet on government, society and economic growth. It also studies issues such as the need to reform government regulation, especially in technology-intensive fields such as medical innovation, energy and environmental regulation.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 252 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Constrained Coding and Soft Iterative Decoding is the first work to combine the issues of constrained coding and soft iterative decoding (e.g., turbo and LDPC codes) from a unified point of view. Since constrained coding is widely used in magnetic and optical storage, it is necessary to use some special techniques (modified concatenation scheme or bit insertion) in order to apply soft iterative decoding.Recent breakthroughs in the design and decoding of error-control codes (ECCs) show significant potential for improving the performance of many communications systems. ECCs such as turbo codes and low-density parity check (LDPC) codes can be represented by graphs and decoded by passing probabilistic (a.k.a. `soft') messages along the edges of the graph. This message-passing algorithm yields powerful decoders whose performance can approach the theoretical limits on capacity. This exposition uses `normal graphs,' introduced by Forney, which extend in a natural manner to block diagram representations of the system and provide a simple unified framework for the decoding of ECCs, constrained codes, and channels with memory. Soft iterative decoding is illustrated by the application of turbo codes and LDPC codes to magnetic recording channels.For magnetic and optical storage, an issue arises in the use of constrained coding, which places restrictions on the sequences that can be transmitted through the channel; the use of constrained coding in combination with soft ECC decoders is addressed by the modified concatenation scheme also known as `reverse concatenation.' Moreover, a soft constraint decoder yields additional coding gain from the redundancy in the constraint, which may be of practical interest in the case of optical storage. In addition, this monograph presents several other research results (including the design of sliding-block lossless compression codes, and the decoding of array codes as LDPC codes).Constrained Coding and Soft Iterative Decoding will prove useful to students, researchers and professional engineers who are interested in understanding this new soft iterative decoding paradigm and applying it in communications and storage systems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 284 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Scientists from many disciplines require making observations which are dependent upon the behavior of compounds in solution. This ranges from areas in geography, such as oceanography, to areas in chemistry, such as chromatography, to areas in biology, such as pharmacology. Historically, information would be obtained by observing a response for a given set of conditions and then the conditions would be changed and a new response obtained. In this approach there would be little effort made to actually understand how a compound was behaving in solution but rather just the response was noted. Understanding the behavior of compounds in solution is critical to understanding their behavior in biological systems. This has become increasingly important during the last twenty years as an understanding of the biochemistry related to human illness has become better understood. The development of the pharmaceutical industry and the need to rapidly screen large numbers of compounds has made scientists in the area of drug development aware that the pharmacological activity of compounds can be predicted by knowing their solution physical chemical properties. This is not to say that a specific drug-active site interaction can be predicted but rather a prediction can be made whether or not a compound will be absorbed, transported, or distributed within a physiological system in such a way that an interaction can occur.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 300 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Headspace gas analysis is an analytical technique that has been successfully applied to food flavors for over 20 years but has experienced a resurgence of interest and innovation in recent years. In its truest form, headspace analysis represents the direct collection and analysis of the mixture of vapors in the space immediately above a food or beverage. The technique offers several advantages for workers interested in how a product smells and ultimately tastes. It offers the advantages of speed, simplicity, and, more importantly, represents the aroma profile a consumer is likely to experience just before consuming the product. Since only volatile components are collected, the sample is totally free of nonvolatile residues which commonly plague comparison liquid-liquid extracts of the same product.This is the first book devoted to headspace analysis in foods and beverages in more than 20 years. The publication contains chapters on the basic theory of headspace analysis, as well as the theory and application of newly developed headspace techniques, such as solid phase micro extraction, SPME and electronic noses. New concentrating and desorption techniques are described in addition to a raft of food applications including tomato and citrus juices, alcoholic beverages, baguettes, dairy products, lipids, grill flavoring, baked potato, and meat. Chapters on off-flavors as well as aroma-food matrix interactions are also included.'This is the bible of headspace analysis. If you are involved in, or planning on becoming involved, or want to learn more about, this incredible subject , then buy this book immediately!'¿ Aubrey Parsons, governing council member, International Union for Food Science and TechnologySpringer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 228 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -In many statistical applications the scientists have to analyze the occurrence of observed clusters of events in time or space. The scientists are especially interested to determine whether an observed cluster of events has occurred by chance if it is assumed that the events are distributed independently and uniformly over time or space. Applications of scan statistics have been recorded in many areas of science and technology including: geology, geography, medicine, minefield detection, molecular biology, photography, quality control and reliability theory and radio-optics.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 398 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Statisticians of the Centuries aims to demonstrate the achievements of statistics to a broad audience, and to commemorate the work of celebrated statisticians. This is done through short biographies that put the statistical work in its historical and sociological context, emphasizing contributions to science and society in the broadest terms rather than narrow technical achievement. The discipline is treated from its earliest times and only individuals born prior to the 20th Century are included. The volume arose through the initiative of the International Statistical Institute (ISI), the principal representative association for international statistics (founded in 1885). Extensive consultations within the statistical community, and with prominent members of ISI in particular, led to the names of the 104 individuals who are included in the volume. The biographies were contributed by 73 authors from across the world.The editors are the well-known statisticians Chris Heyde and Eugene Seneta. Chris Heyde is Professor of Statistics at both Columbia University in New York and the Australian National University in Canberra. He is also Director of the Center for Applied Probability at Columbia. He has twice served as Vice President of the ISI, and also as President of the ISI's Bernoulli Society. Eugene Seneta is Professor of Mathematical Statistics at the University of Sydney and a Member of the ISI. His historical writings focus on 19th Century France and the Russian Empire. He has taught courses on the history of probability-based statistics in U.S. universities. Both editors are Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science and have, at various times, been awarded the Pitman Medal of the Statistical Society of Australia for their distinguished research contributions.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 516 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -It was none other than Henri Poincare who at the turn of the last century, recognised that initial-value sensitivity is a fundamental source of random ness. For statisticians working within the traditional statistical framework, the task of critically assimilating randomness generated by a purely de terministic system, often known as chaos, is an intellectual challenge. Like some other statisticians, we have taken up this challenge and our curiosity as reporters and participants has led us to investigate beyond the earlier discoveries in the field. Earlier statistical work in the area was mostly con cerned with the estimation of what is sometimes imprecisely called the fractal dimension. During the different stages of our writing, substantial portions of the book were used in lectures and seminars. These include the DMV (German Mathematical Society) Seminar Program, the inaugural session of lectures to the Crisis Points Project at the Peter Wall Institute of Advanced Stud ies, University of British Columbia and the graduate courses on Time Series Analysis at the University of Iowa, the University of Hong Kong, the Lon don School of Economics and Political Science, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. We have therefore benefitted greatly from the comments and suggestions of these audiences as well as from colleagues and friends. We are grateful to them for their contributions. Our special thanks go to Colleen Cutler, Cees Diks, Barbel FinkensHidt, Cindy Greenwood, Masakazu Shi mada, Floris Takens and Qiwei Yao.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 324 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Divided into four parts, this book covers recent developments in topics pertaining to gravity theories, including discussions on the presence of scalar fields.Part One is devoted to exact solutions in general relativity, and is mainly concerned with the results of rotating null dust beams and fluids. Also included is a panoramic vision of new research directions in this area, which would require revising certain theorems and their possible extensions within gravity theories, new aspects concerning the Ernst potentials, double Kerr spacetimes, and rotating configurations. In particular, there is a detailed discussion of totally symmetric and totally geodesic spaces, in which a method for generating (2+1)-dimensional solutions from (3+1)-dimensional solutions is given.Part Two deals with alternative theories of gravity, all of which include scalar fields and gauge fields. Here, quantum and cosmological effects, which arise from both gravity theories in four and higher dimensions and from metric-affine theories, are investigated.Part Three is devoted to cosmological and inflationary scenarios. Local effects, such as the influence of scalar fields in protogalactic interactions, numerical studies of the collapse of molecular cores, as well as the inverse inflationary problem and the blue eigenvalue spectrum of it, are considered. Moreover, the role of scalar fields as dark matter and quantum cosmology in the Bergman-Wagoner and Gowdy theories, together with the relation of the conformal symmetry and deflationary gas universe, are likewise presented.The last part of the book includes some mixed topics which are still in the experimental stage. Among them are the foundation of the Maxwell theory, a discussion on electromagnetic Thirring problems, a note on the staticity of black holes with non-minimally coupled scalar fields, and a study of the Lorentz force free charged fluids in general relativity.Thus, this book is the most up-to-date, comprehensive collection of papers on the subject of exact solutions and scalar fields in gravity and is a valuable tool for researchers in the area.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 356 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Traditionally, scientific fields have defined boundaries, and scientists work on research problems within those boundaries. However, from time to time those boundaries get shifted or blurred to evolve new fields. For instance, the original goal of computer vision was to understand a single image of a scene, by identifying objects, their structure, and spatial arrangements. This has been referred to as image understanding. Recently, computer vision has gradually been making the transition away from understanding single images to analyzing image sequences, or video understanding. Video understanding deals with understanding of video sequences, e. g. , recognition of gestures, activities, facial expressions, etc. The main shift in the classic paradigm has been from the recognition of static objects in the scene to motion-based recognition of actions and events. Video understanding has overlapping research problems with other fields, therefore blurring the fixed boundaries. Computer graphics, image processing, and video databases have obvious overlap with computer vision. The main goal of computer graphics is to gener ate and animate realistic looking images, and videos. Researchers in computer graphics are increasingly employing techniques from computer vision to gen erate the synthetic imagery. A good example of this is image-based rendering and modeling techniques, in which geometry, appearance, and lighting is de rived from real images using computer vision techniques. Here the shift is from synthesis to analysis followed by synthesis.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 198 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -According to R.H. Crabtree, Metal Dihydrogen and sigma-Bond Complexes is described as `the definitive account of twentieth-century work in the area of sigma complexation'. It covers not only Kubas' discovery of dihydrogen coordination and the study of its structure and general properties but also discusses both the theoretical beliefs and experimental results of bonding and activation of dihydrogen on metal centers and the coordination and activation of C-H, B-H, X-H, and X-Y bonds, giving an overview of `one of the hottest areas in chemistry'.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 492 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Th e vari a t i on al s p li ne t heo ry w h ic h orig i na t es from th e w ell-kn own p ap er b y J. e . Hollid a y ( 1957) i s t od a y a we ll- deve lo pe d fi eld in a p pr o x - mat i o n t he o ry . T he ge ne ra l d efinition of s p l i nes in t he Hilb er t s pace , - i st ence , uniquen e s s , and ch ar a c t eriz a tion t he o re ms w ere obt ain ed a b o ut 35 ye a r s ago b y M . A t t ei a , P . J . Laur en t , a n d P . M. An selon e , bu t in r e cent y e a r s important n e w r esult s h a v e b e en ob t ain ed in th e a bst ract va r i a t i o n a l s p l i ne theor y .Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 308 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -MOVING THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MESSAGE: TURNING A VAGUE IDEA INTO A MORAL IMPERATIVE Peter L. Benson and Karen Pittman THE CONTAGION OF AN IDEA In the past fifteen years, countless programs, agencies, funding initiatives, profes sionals, and volunteers have embraced the term 'youth development. ' Linked more by shared passion than by formal membership or credentials, these people and places have contributed to a wave of energy and activity not unlike that of a social movement, with a multitude of people 'on the ground' connecting to a set of ideas that give sustenance, support, and value to increasingly innovative efforts to build competent, successful, and healthy youth. There are several particularly interesting dimensions to this movement. First, the youth development idea has the potential to draw people and organizations to gether across many sectors. Conferences and initiatives using youth development language attract increasingly eclectic audiences, bringing together national youth organizations, schools, city, county, and state agencies, police and juvenile jus tice workers, clergy, and committed citizens. Perhaps embedded in the youth de velopment idea is a philosophy or a 'way' that has created an intellectual and/or spiritual home for actors across many settings. However this happens, it is clear that one of the powerful social consequences of the youth development idea is a connecting of the dots-the weaving within and across city, county, state, and of a tapestry of new relationships.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 332 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -As the pastPresident ofthe Israel Society forAutism, it gives me great pleasure to c- gratulate Professor Schopler and his colleagues on the publication of their new book concerning the relationship between scientific research and treatment. When we in Israel began our specifically structured education program for young children with autism, our work was based on slim to scarceknow-how andinformation, and with no experience whatsoever. Whatever information we could gather was mostly from psychological educational centers in the U.S. One of the most important and significant connections was established between the TEACCH program of North Carolina, led and conducted by the two important scholars, Professor Eric Schopler and Professor Lee Marcus, and our Israel Society for Autism. During our many encounters, seminars, and conferences, we profited enormously from all their accumulated expertise and scientific research, while perhaps it was also an important experience for them to see how a young society with very limited means was eventually shaping its educational program and arriving at some excellent results. We, ofcourse, have the highest esteem for Governor Hunt who has been following this program with so much attention and support, and we still remember his visit to Israel with distinguished representatives of the TEACCH Program. I wish the new book every success. I know it will be an enormous contribution to all those who must cope with a difficult and painful issue¿autism¿for whom there is no end to the need for research and continuously improving methods of care and education.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 268 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume is designed to provide an overview of Asperger¿s Syndrome/High Functioning Autism for professionals, parents, and others concerned about these conditions. It is part of the library series that has been created for the many people interested in the field of autism spectrum disorders who want up-to-date, authoritative infor- tion without having to locate and read through the original sources. Our goal in this series is to review, synthesize, and organize the inf- mation so that it can be presented comprehensively and clearly. This volume is the culmination of over a decade of clinical work identifying, organizing, writing, and editing the most current infor- tion available about this high functioning group of people with autism spectrum disorders from current reputable sources. The book explores the history and emphasizes the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of these people and their families. We hope that we have done justice to this extensive literature so that it can be of use to these people th- selves as well as to their many friends, colleagues, and families, and to the interested citizens who are seeking more information about this intriguing area of inquiry.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 148 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Learning disabilities is a subject that is usually associated with school-aged children where the research and intervention strategies are well known. Much less research has been done for assessing and diagnosing older adolescents and adults in this area. This work is an effort to provide a comprehensive review of what we know about certain of these disorders, specifically: language-based learning disorders;nonverbal learning disorders;high-functioning autism;attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; andmathematics disordersand how they manifest themselves in the later years of development and maturity. A chapter addresses each one of these disorders of learning. Included in each chapter is a discussion of historical perspectives, definitions and diagnostic criteria, incidence and prevalence data, comorbidity studies, pertinent research from all relevant fields of study, reasonable accommodations in academia as well as the workplace, and outcome data. This much-needed review will be of interest to clinicians in neuropsychology, educational psychology, and psychopharmacology.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Evolutionary Theory and Human Nature is an original, highly theoretical work dealing with the transition from genes to behavior using general principles of evolution, especially those of sexual selection. It seeks to develop a seamless transition from genes to human motivations as bio-electric brain processes (emotional-cognitive processes), to human nature propensities (various constellations of emotional-cognitive forces, desires and fears) to species typical patterns of behavior.This work covers two often antagonistic fields: biology and the social sciences. It should be of strong interest to anthropologists, sociologists, sociobiologists, psychobiologists and psychologists who are interested in the question of human nature influences on social behavior.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 276 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -It is now widely recognized that many of the central unresolved problems in economic policy, management and research turn on questions of knowledge. Increasingly, complex firms and agencies must ask, and answer, such difficult questions as: What is knowledge Where is it Who has it Does the organization lose or gain competitive advantage or effectiveness by sharing knowledge Where can we find the knowledge we need How can we measure knowledge In a knowledge-based economy, these queries are integral to the pursuits of every policy maker, analyst and strategist.Knowledge Management in The Innovation Process - a joint project between Statistics Canada and Program of Research on Innovation Management and Economy (PRIME) at the University of Ottawa - brings together economic, social, measurement and policy views on these critical issues. This project fits into an ongoing research program at Statistics Canada to develop meaningful indicators for science, technology and innovation in a technology-intensive economy. It also fits into the ongoing program at PRIME to better understand technology policy and innovation strategy. This book tells the story of the dynamic interplay between knowledge and innovation with an eye to developing tools and frameworks for managing knowledge for social and economic benefit.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 278 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Given that thermodynamics books are not a rarity on the market, why would an additional one be useful The answer is simple: at any level, thermodynamics is usually taught as a somewhat abstruse discipline where many students get lost in a maze of difficult concepts. However, thermodynamics is not as intricate a subject as most people feel. This book fills a niche between elementary textbooks and mathematically oriented treatises, and provides readers with a distinct approach to the subject. As indicated by the title, this book explains thermodynamic phenomena and concepts in physical terms before proceeding to focus on the requisite mathematical aspects. It focuses on the effects of pressure, temperature and chemical composition on thermodynamic properties and places emphasis on rapidly evolving fields such as amorphous materials, metastable phases, numerical simulations of microsystems and high-pressure thermodynamics. Topics like redox reactions are dealt with in less depth, due to the fact that there is already much literature available. Without requiring a background in quantum mechanics, this book also illustrates the main practical applications of statistical thermodynamics and gives a microscopic interpretation of temperature, pressure and entropy.This book is perfect for undergraduate and graduate students who already have a basic knowledge of thermodynamics and who wish to truly understand the subject and put it in a broader physical perspective. The book is aimed not at theoretical physicists, but rather at practitioners with a variety of backgrounds from physics to biochemistry for whom thermodynamics is a tool which would be better used if better understood.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 484 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Computer systems that analyze images are critical to a wide variety of applications such as visual inspections systems for various manufacturing processes, remote sensing of the environment from space-borne imaging platforms, and automatic diagnosis from X-rays and other medical imaging sources. Professor Azriel Rosenfeld, the founder of the field of digital image analysis, made fundamental contributions to a wide variety of problems in image processing, pattern recognition and computer vision. Professor Rosenfeld's previous students, postdoctoral scientists, and colleagues illustrate in Foundations of Image Understanding how current research has been influenced by his work as the leading researcher in the area of image analysis for over two decades.Each chapter of Foundations of Image Understanding is written by one of the world's leading experts in his area of specialization, examining digital geometry and topology (early research which laid the foundations for many industrial machine vision systems), edge detection and segmentation (fundamental to systems that analyze complex images of our three-dimensional world), multi-resolution and variable resolution representations for images and maps, parallel algorithms and systems for image analysis, and the importance of human psychophysical studies of vision to the design of computer vision systems. Professor Rosenfeld's chapter briefly discusses topics not covered in the contributed chapters, providing a personal, historical perspective on the development of the field of image understanding.Foundations of Image Understanding is an excellent source of basic material for both graduate students entering the field and established researchers who require a compact source for many of the foundational topics in image analysis.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 512 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Peter A. Coming Palo Alto, CA November, 2000 This volwne represents a distillation of the plenary sessions at a unique millenniwn year event -a World Congress of the Systems Sciences in conjunction with the 44th annual meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS). The overall theme of the conference was 'Understanding Complexity in the New Millenniwn. ' Held at Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto, Canada, from July 16-22,2000, the conference included some 350 participants from over 30 countries, many of whom were representatives of the 21 organizations and groups that co-hosted this landmark event. Each of these co-host organizations/groups also presented a segment of the program, including a plenary speech. In addition, the conference featured a nwnber of distinguished 'keynote' speeches related to the three daily World Congress themes: (1) The Evolution of Complex Systems, (2) The Dynamics of Complex Systems, and (3) Human Systems in the 21st Century. There were also seven special plenary-level symposia on a range of timely topics, including: 'The Art and Science of Forecasting in the Age of Global Wanning'; 'Capitalism in the New Millenniwn: The Challenge of Sustainability'; 'The Future of the Systems Sciences'; 'Global Issues in the New Millenniwn'; 'Resources and the Environment in the New Millenniwn'; 'The Lessons of Y2K'; and 'Can There be a Reconciliation Between Science and Religion ' Included in this special commemorative volume is a cross-section of these presentations.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Dr. Heinonen reviews and critically evaluates the scientific literature on the biological role of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi ) published from 1940 to the end of 1999. He describes and classifies all known biochemical reactions that produce Ppi; describes and evaluates all published methods used in biological Ppi; and compiles and critically evaluates information on the concentration of PPi (with the conclusion that, contrary to common belief, PPi exists throughout the living world in rather high concentrations). Many reactions in which PPi is used as a biochemical energy source instead of ATP have been described in recent decades, especially in bacteria, protists, and plants. These reactions are evaluated from the bioenergetic and regulatory points of view. Also considered is the possible role of PPi as a source of biochemical energy in the primitive phases of life, before ATP. Data is presented on the regulatory role of PPi in living systems, such as activities of enzymes, fidelity of syntheses of macromolecules, and proliferation of cells. PPi may also regulate the formation and dissolution of bone as well as pathologic calcification of soft tissues and the formation of urinary stones. The formation of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in the extracellular fluids of joints cause the disease called pseudogout.Biological Role of Inorganic Pyrophosphate book is a unique and invaluable source of references (about 1120) and summarized data for professionals who study or plan to study the role of PPi in living systems. Many different branches of science (biochemistry, microbiology, bioenergetics, plant physiology, parasitology, evolution, orthopedics, rheumatology) have involvement with PPi. This book sums up available knowledge in one place and will help scientists cross disciplinary boundaries.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 268 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Continuous-Time Sigma-Delta Modulation for A/D Conversion in Radio Receivers describes the design and theory of continuous-time sigma-delta modulators for analog-to-digital conversion in radio receivers. The book's main focus is on dynamic range, linearity and power efficiency aspects of sigma-delta modulators, which are very important requirements for use in battery operated receivers like GSM phones. An important part of the book deals with the image rejection performance of quadrature sigma-delta modulators. It is shown that techniques like dynamic-element-matching and integration of a mixer with the sigma-delta modulator greatly enhance the performance and functionality. In addition, the authors provide the reader with a theoretical overview of continuous-time sigma-delta modulation, including non-ideal effects, stability issues and different filter designs. The book's concluding chapters present chip realizations showing practical implementations oflow-power and high-performance sigma-delta modulators for GSM and AM/FM radio applications.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 174 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Acute lung injury (ALI) impacts patient care in every ICU in the world. Our collective understanding of this condition has grown immensely over the past decade but morbidity and mortality remain unacceptably high. To enhance the understanding of clinicians and researchers, this book addresses the pathophysiology of acute lung injury from a molecular and cellular standpoint; includes animal models of acute lung injury and points to potential therapeutic advances based on scientific findings. It is a concise compendium of the multiple pathways, mechanisms and molecules involved in the pathophysiology of acute lung injury and is intended to help caregivers understand the process and thus care for patients more effectively.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 348 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Despite the high prevalence (as many as one in four) and severe impairment often associated with anxiety disorders, people who suffer are often undiagnosed, and may fail to receive appropriate treatment. The purpose of this volume is to provide a single resource that contains information on almost all of the measures that have demonstrated usefulness in measuring the presence and severity of anxiety and related disorders.This remarkable compendium includes reviews of more than 200 instruments for measuring anxiety-related constructs in adults. These measures are summarized in `quick view grids' which clinicians will find invaluable. Seventy-five of the most popular instruments are reprinted and a glossary of frequently used terms is provided.This and the companion volumes in the series are written for practitioners who wish to make their assessment practices more systematic, want to have assessment devices readily available, and want to expand their assessment practices with the most up-to-date approaches.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 536 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware - Optimality and stability are two important notions in applied mathematics. This book is a study of these notions and their relationship in linear and convex parametric programming models. It begins with a survey of basic optimality conditions in nonlinear programming. Then new results in convex programming, using LFS functions, for single-objective, multi-objective, differentiable and non-smooth programs are introduced. Parametric programming models are studied using basic tools of point-to-set topology. Stability of the models is introduced, essentially, as continuity of the feasible set of decision variables under continuous perturbations of the parameters. Perturbations that preserve this continuity are regions of stability. It is shown how these regions can be identified. The main results on stability are characterizations of locally and globally optimal parameters for stable and also for unstable perturbations. The results are straightened for linear models and bi-level programs. Some of the results are extended to abstract spaces after considering parameters as `controls'. Illustrations from diverse fields, such as data envelopment analysis, management, von Stackelberg games of market economy, and navigation problems are given and several case studies are solved by finding optimal parameters. The book has been written in an analytic spirit. Many results appear here for the first time in book form. Audience: The book is written at the level of a first-year graduate course in optimization for students with varied backgrounds interested in modeling of real-life problems. It is expected that the reader has been exposed to a prior elementary course in optimization, such as linear or non-linear programming. The last section of the book requires some knowledge of functional analysis.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The application of computational electromagnetics to real-world EMI/EMC engineering is an emerging technology. With the advancement in electronics, EMI/EMC issues have greatly increased in complexity. As a result, it is no longer possible to rely exclusively on traditional techniques and expect cost-effective solutions. The first edition of this book introduced computational electromagnetics to EMI/EMC engineering. This second edition continues the introduction of computational electromagnetics to EMI/EMC engineering, but also adds new modeling techniques, namely the Partial Element Equivalent Circuit method and the Transmission Line Matrix method, and updates to the science of EMI/EMC modeling that have occurred since the first edition was published.This book combines the essential elements of electromagnetic theory, computational techniques, and EMI/EMC engineering as they apply to computational modeling for EMI/EMC applications. It is intended to provide an understanding for those interested in incorporating modeling techniques in their work. A variety of modeling techniques are needed for anyone interested in using computational modeling in the real world. This book includes an introduction of all the popular modeling techniques, such as the Finite-Difference Time-Domain method, the Method of Moments, the Finite Element Method, the Partial Element Equivalent Circuit method and the Transmission Line Matrix method.EMI/EMC Computational Modeling Handbook, Second Edition will serve many different levels of readers. It will serve as a basic introduction to modeling as applied to EMI/EMC problems for the engineer interested in getting started, and it will help the person already using modeling as a tool to become more effective in using different modeling techniques. It will also be useful for the engineer who is familiar with computational techniques and wishes to apply them to EMI/EMC applications. This book can also be used as a text to help students of electromagnetic theory and application better understand real-world challenges facing engineers.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 340 pp. Englisch.