Technology, Engineering & Agriculture Books

Book SynopsisThe aim of the studies presented in this report is the implementation of rational concepts and testing procedures for the design and manufacture of bituminous materials for applications in pavement construction. Practical test procedures are recommended for binder evaluation, mix design and performance assessment of bituminous materials. The three main topics addressed are binder testing, mix design and mechanical testing of mixtures. Each is examined through interlaboratory tests and there is a literary review of existing practices and methods for the production of polymer modified binders, mixture design and the mechanical properties of mixtures.Trade Review'At a time of profound changes in experimental procedures and specifications for asphalts, this book will be a source of information and reference not only for research scientists but also for highway engineers and practitioners ' - IAT NewsTable of ContentsBituminous binders. Testing and appraisal of polymer modified road bitumens. Interlaboratory tests on the rheology of bituminous binders. Mixture design. State of the art report on mix design. Interlaboratory tests on mix design. Mechanical testing of mixtures. State of the art on complex modulus and fatigue of bituminous mixes. Interlaboratory tests on modulus and fatigue testing

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Book SynopsisAt some time 30% of the worldâs land mass was covered by glaciers leaving substantial deposits of glacial soils under major conurbations in Europe, North and South America, New Zealand, Europe and Russia. For instance, 60% of the UK has been affected, leaving significant glacial deposits under major conurbations where two thirds of the population live. Glacial soils are composite soils with significant variations in composition and properties and are recognised as challenging soils to deal with. Understanding the environment in which they were formed and how this affects their behaviour are critical because they do not always conform to classic theories of soil mechanics.This book is aimed at designers and contractors working in the construction and extractive industries to help them mitigate construction hazards on, with or in glacial deposits. These soils increase risks to critical infrastructure which, in the UK includes the majority of the road and raTrade Review"I know that this one is a book I shall acquire and use... it is a book that merits reading from cover to cover.It was a delight to see a book on engineering that recognizes the important role of geological processes in forming soils, therefore explaining their properties and behavior."-- Eddie Bromhead, retired professor and consulting engineer"This authoritative and well referenced book contains a wealth of information about glaciation, glacial geology and the engineering aspects of construction on and in glacial deposits."-- John Hudson, Imperial College, London and past president International Society of Rock Mechanics"I know that this one is a book I shall acquire and use... it is a book that merits reading from cover to cover.It was a delight to see a book on engineering that recognizes the important role of geological processes in forming soils, therefore explaining their properties and behavior."-- Eddie Bromhead, retired professor and consulting engineer"This authoritative and well referenced book contains a wealth of information about glaciation, glacial geology and the engineering aspects of construction on and in glacial deposits."-- John Hudson, Imperial College, London and past president International Society of Rock MechanicsTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Glaciation1.3 Engineering glacial soils1.4 Glacial Soil 1.5 The evolution of glacial geology1.6 ‘The past is the key to the present‘1.7 ‘Glacial soils are the most variable of all soils’1.8 ‘We know more about the stars above us than the soils beneath our feet’ (Leonardo da Vinci, c 1600)1.9 ObservationsChapter 2 Glacial Geology2.1 Introduction2.2 Glacial Soils2.2.1 Facies2.2.2 Primary Deposits2.2.2.1 Subglacial Traction Till2.2.2.1.1 Glaciotectonite2.2.2.1.2 Deformation Till2.2.2.1.3 Lodgement Till2.2.2.1.4 Comminution Till2.2.2.2 Melt Out Till2.2.3 Secondary Deposits2.2.3.1 Glaciofluvial Deposits2.2.3.2 Glacial Sedimentation2.2.3.2.1 Glaciolacustrine Deposits2.2.3.2.2 Glaciomarine Deposits2.3 Glacial Landforms2.3.1 Subglacial Landforms Formed by Ice2.3.1.1 Drumlins2.3.1.2 Flutes2.3.1.3 Rogens (ribbed moraines)2.3.1.4 Erratics2.3.2 Subglacial Landforms Formed by Water 2.3.3 Ice Margin Moraines2.3.3.1 Push Moraines2.3.3.2 Dump Moraines2.3.3.3 Ablation Moraines2.3.4 Glaciofluvial Ice Marginal Landforms2.4 Glacial Land systems2.5 Glacial Dynamics2.5.1 Glacier Movement due to Substrate Deformation2.5.2 Sliding2.5.3 Friction and Sliding2.5.4 Erosion2.5.5 Deposition2.6 Subglacial Deformation2.6.1 Hydraulic Conditions2.6.2 Deformation2.6.3 Local Deformation2.7 ObservationsChapter 3 Ground Investigation 3.1 Introduction3.2 Design of a Ground Investigation3.3 Desk Study3.4 Site Reconnaissance 3.5 Preliminary Investigation3.6 The Main I

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Book SynopsisCuring is one of those activities that every civil engineer and construction worker has heard of, but in reality does not worry about much. In practice, curing is often low on the list of priorities on the construction site, particularly when budgets and timelines are under pressure. Yet the increasing demands being placed on concrete mixtures also mean that they are less forgiving than in the past. Therefore, any activity that will help improve hydration and so performance, while reducing the risk of cracking, is becoming more important. Curing Concrete explains exactly why curing is so important and shows you how to best do it.The book covers: The fundamentals behind hydration How curing affects the properties of concrete, improving its long-term performance What curing technologies and techniques you can use for different applications How to effectively specify, provide, aTrade Review"This book explains exactly why curing is so important and shows you how best to do it... There are numerous examples of how curing (or a lack of it) has affected concrete performance in real-world situations. These include examples from hot and cold climates, as well as those related to high-performance concretes. This book is aimed at construction professionals who want to ensure the quality and durability of their concrete structures and demonstrates that curing is well worth the extra effort and cost."—Concrete, October 2014 "I like the tone and level of the book. While it deals with a critical technical issue, it does so in a manner that makes it immediately attractive and intelligible to the ‘real’ people who have to worry about curing. This will be a great book for site personnel and mid-level managers, as well as students and other practitioners of concrete, to use in order to inform themselves about curing and to help in doing it properly. The book is clear and concise without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. While some background in cement and concrete is probably needed, the book manages to deal with fairly complex issues in a readily understandable way…"––Prof. M.G. Alexander, University of Cape Town, South Africa "This book is a practical yet comprehensive guide for anyone who is involved in concrete construction. It first describes the role curing plays in the hydration process, what properties are influenced by curing, guidance in the application and use of curing, how to measure and specify, and finally real-world guidance drawn from the experiences of others. … Overall, this is an excellent publication that presents fundamental concepts of concrete curing with a practical application of real-world expertise drawn from well-respected practitioners. Why we cure, how to specify it, and what the benefits will be are well presented."––Jim Grove, P.E., Global Consulting Inc., Ames, Iowa, USA "A l Table of ContentsIntroduction: References. Cementitious Materials Chemistry and Hydration: Introduction. Portland Cement. Supplementary Cementitious Materials. Hydration. Mix Design and Proportioning. Effects of Water. Temperature Effects. Summary. References. Benefits of Curing on Concrete Performance: Introduction. Cracking. Durability. Strength. Modulus of Elasticity. Creep. Sustainability. References. Curing in Practice: Introduction. Selecting Curing Methods. Temperature Control. Moisture Control. Where, When, and How Long? References. Measurement and Specifications: Balancing Theory and Practice. Heating and Cooling. Moisture Control. International Specifications. Verification of Curing. Guide Specification. Payment. References. Real-World Experience: Introduction. Hot Climate. Cold Climate. High-Performance Concrete. Performance Parameters. Specifications and Testing. Summary. References.

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Book SynopsisIncludes Case Studies from a Range of Event SitesIntroduction to Crowd Science examines the growing rate of crowd-related accidents and incidents around the world. Using tools, methods, and worked examples gleaned from over 20 years of experience, this text provides an understanding of crowd safety. It establishes how crowd accidents and incidents (specifically mass fatalities in crowded spaces) can occur. The author explores the underlying causes and implements techniques for crowd risk analysis and crowd safety engineering that can help minimize and even eliminate occurrences altogether. Understand Overall Crowd Dynamics and Levels of Complex StructureThe book outlines a simple modeling approach to crowd risk analysis and crowds safety in places of public assembly. With consideration for major events, and large-scale urban environments, the material focuses on the practical elemeTrade Review"Really excellent work. It does a good job of taking a very sophisticated topic and making it accessible for an educated reader."—Tracy Pearl, Florida International UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction. Crowd risk analysis. Causality. Crowd science. Crowd and event modelling. Case studies and examples. Control room applications. The way forward. Appendices. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Synthetic Biology Handbook explains the major goals of the field of synthetic biology and presents the technical details of the latest advances made in achieving those goals. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current areas of focus in synthetic biology, this handbook: Explores the standardisation of classic molecular bioscience approaches Addresses the societal context and potential impacts of synthetic biology Discusses the use of legacy systems as tools for new product development Examines the design and construction of de novo cells and genetic codes Describes computational methods for designing genes and gene networks Thus, the Synthetic Biology Handbook provides an accurate sense of the scope of synthetic biology today. The handbook also affords readers with an opportunity to scrutinize the underlying scTable of ContentsSynthetic Biology: Culture and Bioethical Considerations. Synthetic Biology Standards and Methods of DNA Assembly. Standardised Genetic Output Measurement. Bacterial Cells as Engineered Chassis. Eukaryotae Synthetica: Synthetic Biology in Yeast, Microalgae, and Mammalian Cells. Synthetic Plants. Theory and Construction of Semi-Synthetic Minimal Cells. Design Tools for Synthetic Biology. New Genetic Codes.

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Book SynopsisTerrestrial Ecosystem Research Infrastructures: Challenges and Opportunities reveals how environmental research infrastructures (RIs) provide new valuable insights on ecological processes that cannot be realized by more traditional short-term funding cycles and are integral to understand our changing world. This book bonds the latest state-of-the-science knowledge on environmental RIs, the challenges in creating them, their place in addressing scientific frontiers, and the new perspectives they bear. Each chapter is thoughtfully invested with fresh viewpoints from the environmental RI vantage as the authors explore and explain many topics such as the rationale and challenges in global change, field and modeling platforms, new tools, challenges in data management, distilling information into knowledge, and new developments in large-scale RIs. This work serves an advantageous guide for academics and practitioners alike who aim to deepen their knowledge in the field ofTrade Review"A long overdue and fine analysis of the importance of ecosystems and ecosystem research in this time of global change. This should be required reading for any one concerned about achieving truly sustainable development."— Thomas E. Lovejoy, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, United States"…is a timely and comprehensive account of the emergence of large-scale ecological research infrastructure, worldwide. A fortunate convergence between the need to address emerging ecological problems with the technology to understand pattern and process at ecosystem scale has led to dramatic progress in this field. The ability to combine automated sensors, remote sensing, computational power and data management techniques has provided ecologists with a whole new toolbox. It brings with it new challenges of organization and design in order to provide an infrastructure which is fit-for-use, multi-institutional, adaptive and durable. This volume covers the learning achieved so far in implementing research platforms of this kind." — Robert J Scholes, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa"… a very timely book. Large-scale infrastructures are essential to advance our understanding of the Earth System at a variety of scales. The establishment of these is often difficult as it conflicts with traditional short term funding cycles. This book comes at a time when several such large-scale ecological infrastructures are indeed being established worldwide based on a plethora of new scientific ideas and. It deals however not only with the science questions driving the need for infrastructures, but importantly also with crucial issues such as data quality and accessibility and the introduction and development of new technologies. The editors have done a great job in producing this much-needed overview that will enable a new generation of scientists and other users to appreciate the need, value and benefits of large scale infrastructures."— Han Dolman, Free University Amsterdam, Netherlands"This volume describes how to approach contemporary global environmental challenges with large and integrated experimental and monitoring infrastructure, including the scientific and engineering platforms necessary to acquire, evaluate, maintain, interpret, and synthesize vast amounts of data in order to produce useful knowledge. Building and connecting research infrastructure across the globe is a frontier science and this book, edited by Abbad Chabbi and Hank Loescher provides valuable lessons learned to date from a number of aspects of networked activities worldwide."— Jill Baron, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USATable of ContentsPreface: Goals and Structure of This Book. Editors. Contributors. Section I Ecosystem Research Infrastructures: The Need to Address Global Change and Associated Challenges. Section II A New Generation of Controlled Environment, Field, and Modeling Platforms. Section III New Tools to meet New Challenges: Emerging Technologies for Exploring Unknown Ecosystem Processes. Section IV Data Management and Access. Section V Infrastructure Integration and Perspectives. Index.

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Book SynopsisCovering fabrication, characterization, and applications nanofiltration (NF) membranes, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of NF membrane technology over the past decade. It uniquely covers a variety of fabrication techniques, comparing the procedures of each technique to produce polymeric membranes of different morphologies. The book also discusses advances in the materials used in thin film composite (TFC) polyamide membrane fabrication and their influences on properties with respect to structural and separation characteristics. A comprehensive review on NF characterization methods and techniques is provided, assessing physical and chemical properties and separation characteristics and stability. Technical challenges in fabricating a new generation of NF membranes are also reviewed and the possible approaches to overcome the challenges are provided. The book concludes with relevant case studies on the use of NF membranes in industrial implementation of Trade Review"…readers can easily have an overview of the latest development of nanofiltration membranes." — Takeshi Matsuura, University of Ottawa, Canada"This book is an excellent source of information for someone who wants to know more about nanofiltration membranes. …the publication of this book is timely and should be a good reference book for many scientists and engineers. Each chapter is well explained and discussed, with an extensive list of references. Important figures and tables are provided, which make it easier for readers to understand the important principles and concepts of NF. Overall I found that this reference book is simple enough to understand, but also contains important information necessary to understand NF membranes. I would definitely suggest this book for those who wants to know more about NF." —Abdul Wahab Mohammad, National University of MalaysiaTable of ContentsIntroduction. Synthesis of Nanofiltration Membrane. Advanced Materials in Nanofiltration Membrane. Technical Challenges and Approaches in Fabricating Nanofiltration Membrane. Characterization of Nanofiltration Membrane. Applications

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Book SynopsisAround the world the focus is on the relationship between ethics and governance codes and how widely this should be interpreted. Sustainability has three main accepted dimensions: economic growth, social responsibility, and environmental protection. It is a truly multidimensional and multidisciplinary concept, and one which directly affects the risks and opportunities for markets and businesses. In three distinct parts, Sustainable Markets for Sustainable Business explores the relationship between markets and business and sustainable development, as well as issues such as climate change, pollution, land degradation and biodiversity loss. Firstly the authors, all experts from around the world, consider a variety of theoretical issues concerned with sustainability in the new environment. In Part Two the emphasis is on looking at these issues in the market and business practice under various guises. Although every chapter contains discussion and recommended solutions, the final part specTrade Review’Professor Aras has tackled the very timely subject of business sustainability. She has put together a global perspective that presents best practices, discusses the role of businesses and markets, and provides examples of innovative approaches. The book will be a valuable resource not only for scholars but also for the wider business community and policy makers.’ Reena Aggarwal, Georgetown Center for Financial Markets and Policy, USA ’This work demonstrates the multi-dimensional elements of sustainability, moving beyond conceptions of sustainable enterprise and industry, to ask fundamental questions regarding the sustainability of markets. Can markets be made to work towards sustainable development rather than environmental destruction? The book highlights how new modes of regulation, governance, incentives and strategic thinking are essential to reformulate the fundamental objectives and operations of economic endeavour towards sustainable goals.’ Thomas Clarke, University of Technology, Sydney, AustraliaTable of ContentsPart 1 Theoretical Perspectives and Current Issues: Causality and interaction: sustainable markets and sustainable business. The need for a theoretical reexamination of sustainability in economics and business. The relationship between sustainable markets and sustainable development. Part 2 Corporate and Market Approaches: The corporate world and sustainability: eco-efficiency and the doxic shareholder value. The role of small and medium-sized enterprises in sustainable development. The governance mindset: is sustainability a board issue? Sustainability issues in corporate social responsibility and strategy: sustainable or temporary competitive advantage in today's dynamic environment? Part 3 Future Perspectives and Solutions: Systemic crises in global markets: in search of regulatory and sustainable solutions. Disclosure of corporate environmental, social and governance data: toward effective and sustainable systems. What is sustainable: the need for sufficient reporting and its accounting implications. The future perspectives: what do we need for market and business sustainability?

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Book SynopsisSince 1981, the biennial International Symposium on Aviation Psychology (ISAP) has been convened for the purposes of (a) presenting the latest research on human performance problems and opportunities within aviation systems, (b) envisioning design solutions that best utilize human capabilities for creating safe and efficient aviation systems, and (c) bringing together scientists, research sponsors, and operators in an effort to bridge the gap between research and applications.Though rooted in the presentations of the 18th ISAP, held in 2015 in Dayton, Ohio, Advances in Aviation Psychology is not simply a collection of selected proceedings papers. Based upon the potential impact of emerging trends, current debates or enduring issues present in their work, select authors were invited to expand upon their work following the benefit of interactions at the symposium. Consequently the volume includes discussion of the most pressing research priorities and the latest scientific and technical priorities for addressing them.This book is the second in a series of volumes. The aim of each volume is not only to report the latest findings in aviation psychology but also to suggest new directions for advancing the field.Table of ContentsChapter 1: The History of Instrument Flight (as told to me by Carl J. Crane), ErcolineChapter 2: Practitioner Operational Challenges and Priorities, Rantanen, Fennell, Russi, & DoughertyChapter 3: Researcher Role in Aerospace Operations, Hoermann, Tsang, Vidulich, & AlexanderChapter 4: Commonsense Statistics in Aviation Safety Research, Wickens & McCarleyChapter 5: An Evaluation of the Utility of AT-SAT for the placement of New Controllers by Option, Byrne & BroachChapter 6: Visualizing Automation in Aviation Interfaces, Kirlik, Ackerman, Seefeldt, Xargay, Riddle, Talleur, Carbonari, Sha, & HovakimyanChapter 7: Experimental Evaluation of Varying Feedback of a Cognitive Agent System for UAV Mission Management, Clauss, Denk, & SchulteChapter 8: Using Simulation to Evaluate Ait Traffic Controller Acceptability of Unmanned Aircraft with Detect and Avoid Technology, Comstock, Ghatas, Consiglio, Vincent, Chamberlain, & HofflerChapter 9: Automation Surprises in Commercial Aviation: An Analysis of ASRS Reports, Tripp & MauroChapter 10: Testing Eye Measures for the Sense-Assess-Augment Paradigm, Middendorf, Gruewald, Vidulich, & GalsterChapter 11: Assessing Situation Awareness in an Unmanned Vehicle Control Task: A Case for Eye Tracking Based Metrics, Coyne, Sibley, & MonfortChapter 12: Four Design Choices for Haptic Shared Control, van Paassen, Boink, Abbink, Mulder, & Mulder

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Book SynopsisThe first edition published in 2010. The response was encouraging and many people appreciated a book that was dedicated to quality management in construction projects. Since it published, ISO 9000: 2008 has been revised and ISO 9000: 2015 has published. The new edition will focus on risk-based thinking which must be considered from the beginning and throughout the project life cycle. There are quality-related topics such as Customer Relationship, Supplier Management, Risk Management, Quality Audits, Tools for Construction Projects, and Quality Management that were not covered in the first edition. Furthermore, some figures and tables needed to be updated to make the book more comprehensive.Table of Contents1. Overview of Quality2. Quality Management System3. Construction Projects4. Quality in Construction Projects5. Operation and Maintenance6. Facility Management7. Assessment of QualityAppendix A: Design Review ChecklistsAppendix B: Major Activities during the Construction Processin Building Construction ProjectAppendix C: Content of Contractor’s Quality Control Plan

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Book SynopsisBringing together ecofeminism and ecological literary criticism (ecocriticism), this book presents diverse ways of understanding and responding to the tangled relationships between the personal, social, and environmental dimensions of human experience and expression. Literature and Ecofeminism explores the intersections of sexuality, gender, embodiment, and the natural world articulated in literary works from Shakespeare through to contemporary literature. Bringing together essays from a global group of contributors, this volume draws on American literature, as well as Spanish, South African, Taiwanese, and Indian literature, in order to further the dialogue between ecofeminism and ecocriticism and demonstrate the ongoing relevance of ecofeminism for facilitating critical readings of literature. In doing so, the book opens up multiple directions for ecofeminist ideas and practices, as well as new possibilities for interpreting literature. This comprehensiTrade Review"Literature and Ecofeminism: Intersectional and International Voices is a narrative symbiosis of literary and scholarly voices converging on ecofeminist thought. Dealing with various themes, issues, and concerns of ecofeminism, the 13 chapters weave truly compelling connections across different literary voices. The international scholars who make up this collection bring forward the ecofeminist voices of Native American, African American, English, Scottish, American, Taiwanese, Caribbean, Spanish, Indian, and South African writers in powerful and dynamic ways. The topics are diverse and refreshing, covering Shakespeare’s Ophelia, 18th century British critic Anna Letitia Barbauld, Mary Austin, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Zora Neale Hurston, Ann Pancake, Peter Matthiessen, Linda Hogan, Jade Chen, and, surprisingly, T.S. Eliot. They all help expand the repertoire of ecofeminism in this skillfully prepared collection." — Serpil Oppermann, Professor of English, Hacettepe University, Turkey and President of EASLCE"Ever since its origins, ecofeminism has advocated for the dismantling of all the interweaved forms of oppression that encapsulate women, nonhuman animals, marginal humans, and whatever subject has been marked as "other" by dominants systems of power, including the earth. Merging with literary studies, these emancipatory stances have found their narratives and new critical landscapes. With its rich plurality of angles and visions, Literature and Ecofeminism: Intersectional and International Voices continues to enrich this seminal conversation, demonstrating the key role of feminist ecocriticism in shaping creative epistemologies of liberation that are essential to the imagination of our time." — Serenella Iovino, Professor of Comparative Literature, University of Turin, ItalyTable of ContentsEditor’s Preface Sam Mickey; Foreword Greta Gaard; Introduction Patrick D. Murphy; 1. Like a creature native": Ophelia’s Death and Ecofeminism Lesley Kordecki 2. Anna Letitia Barbauld’s Ecological Sensibility Calley A. Hornbuckle 3. Mary Austin’s Proto-Ecofeminist Land Ethic in ‘The Ford’ (1917) and The Owens Valley Water Controversy Emine Geçgil 4. T.S. Eliot, ecofeminist Etienne Terblanche 5. Ecofeminist Philosophy and Issues of Identity in Sylvia Townsend Warner's ‘Lolly Willowes’ and ‘Mr. Fortune's Maggot’ Julia Tofantšuk 6. "Taking mighty strides across the world": Positioning Zora Neale Hurston in the Ecofeminist Tradition Nicole Anae 7. Ecofeminist Sensibilities and Rural Land Literacies in the Work of Contemporary Appalachian Novelist Ann Pancake Theresa L. Burriss 8. Essentialist Tropes in ‘At Play in the Fields of the Lord’ Karl Zuelke 9. Cyborg-goddesses, Linda Hogan’s ‘Indios’, and Jade Chen’s ‘Mazu’s Body-guards’ Peter I-min Huang 10. Wolves, Singing Trees, and Replicants: Ecofeminist Readings of Contemporary Spanish Novels Carmen Flys Junquera 11. Ecofeminist Moorings in Globalized India: Literary Discourse and Interpretations Swapna Gopinath, Sony Jalarajan Raj, and Soumya Jose 12. The Vocation of Healing: The Poetry of Malika Ndlovu Deirdre Byrne 13. Grace Nichols and Jackie Kay’s Corporeal Black Venus: Feminist Ecocritical Realignments Izabel F.O. Brandão; Afterword: Ecofeminism through Literary Activism, Hybridity, Connections, and Caring Anna Bedford

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Book SynopsisCreating a Culture of Predictable Outcomes demonstrates the importance of creating cultures in the design and construction industries grounded in sophisticated-caring leadership, high-performing collaborative teams, and master-level decision-making discipline, informed by values, to finally address massive inefficiencies, waste, and unpredictability. Barbara White Bryson offers specific guidance to industry stakeholders to succeed in achieving project-related predictable outcomes by focusing on culture rather than process. This includes selecting the right team members by hiring and firing bravely, valuing psychological safety, leading with values, practicing respect and transparency, fostering empowerment to make decisions at the right level at the right time, and more.This book is a must-read for design and construction professionals who want to finally understand how to set goals and meet those goals for their clients as well as for their teams. Trade ReviewIn her straightforward manner, Barbara White Bryson speaks directly to the fundamental misses inhibiting the built environment industry from firing on all cylinders. A blend of in-depth domain knowledge and relatable storytelling, Creating a Culture of Predictable Outcomes will stand as foundational to the professions for years to come. - David G. Gilmore, President & CEO, DesignIntelligenceWorking with Barbara on the Rice Bioscience Research Collaborative was one of the best project experiences our team at SOM has had. Her real-world experiences, including senior academic and strategic leadership, as well as being an architect with an MBA and Doctorate in Higher Education, make Barbara uniquely adept at describing comprehensive and highly effective strategies with analogous references that are clear, engaging and memorable. - Carrie Byles, FAIA, LEED BD+C, Partner SOM"Predictability is power." There are no truer words spoken than this premise from Barbara White Bryson’s illuminating and strategic book, particularly in a time of chaos and mismanagement. Barbara’s book is an imminently useful read for firm leaders at any phase in their careers. Universally, business, design and engineering schools will use this book to demonstrate predictability as the active decision-making model we need. - James Timberlake, FAIA, Architect/Partner, Kieran Timberlake, PhiladelphiaCreating a Culture of Predictable Outcomes packs a powerful message while forging a new path for the industry, one that is more nimble, adaptable and resilient. Bryson’s list outlining twenty disruptions that will impact our future is alone worth the price of the book. As we’ve all witnessed, unexpected things happen – this book is here just in time to help! - Randy Deutsch, Author of Superusers (Routledge, 2019)Table of Contents1. Predictability is Power 2. Sophisticated Caring Leadership 3. High-Performing Collaborative Teams 4. Master-Level Decision-Making 5. Aligning Values to Goals 6. Embracing Risk and Contracts 7. Research 8. Twenty Freight Trains of Disruption 9. Unpredictable

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Book SynopsisPresenting an overview of agroecology within the framework of climate change, this book looks at the impact of our changing climate on crop production and agroecosystems, reporting on how plants will cope with these changes, and how we can mitigate these negative impacts to ensure food production for the growing population. It explores the ways that farmers can confront the challenges of climate change, with contributed chapters from around the world demonstrating the different challenges associated with differing climates. Examples are provided of the approaches being taken right now to expand the ecological, physiological, morphological, and productive potential of a range of crop types. Describes the effects and responses of the macro and micro levels of crops under the different components of climate changeReports on the adaptation and resilience of food production systems within the changing climateCovers how planTable of ContentsAgroecology, Climate Change, and Agroecosystem Resilience. Physiological and Morphological Mechanisms Mediating Plant Tolerance to Osmotic Stress: Balancing Tolerance and Productivity. Response and Adaptation of Crops to Carbon Dioxide Rise: Coping or Dying. The Physiology and Phenology of Crop Production Under Temperate Climate Changes. Fitting Wheat Phenology to Maximize Yield in a Changing Climate. Response of Pulses to Climate Change: A Physiological Perspective. Climate Resilient Agriculture of Rice: A Physiological Perspective. Tropical Crops and Resilience to Climate Change. Grassland Resilience to Climate Change: From Species to Ecosystem. Effect of Topographic Properties on Crop Yield Variability and Farm Size in a Rural Farming Landscape: Opportunities for Engancing Resilience. Climatic Constraints in Tropical Forages and Common Beans: Suite of Plant Traits to Overcome Water Stress. Climate Change and Food Production Systems Sustainability. Mainstreaming Climate Change in Agricultural and Agroecology Education.

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Book SynopsisA Tour of Data Science: Learn R and Python in Parallel covers the fundamentals of data science, including programming, statistics, optimization, and machine learning in a single short book. It does not cover everything, but rather, teaches the key concepts and topics in Data Science. It also covers two of the most popular programming languages used in Data Science, R and Python, in one source.Key features: Allows you to learn R and Python in parallel Cover statistics, programming, optimization and predictive modelling, and the popular data manipulation tools – data.table and pandas Provides a concise and accessible presentation Includes machine learning algorithms implemented from scratch, linear regression, lasso, ridge, logistic regression, gradient boosting trees, etc. Appealing to data scientists, statisticians, quantitative analysts, and others who want to learn progrTable of ContentsAssumptions about the reader’s backgroundBook overview Introduction to R/Python Programming Calculator Variable and TypeFunctions Control flowsSome built-in data structures Revisit of variables Object-oriented programming (OOP) in R/Python Miscellaneous More on R/Python Programming Work with R/Python scripts Debugging in R/Python Benchmarking Vectorization Embarrassingly parallelism in R/Python Evaluation strategySpeed up with C/C++ in R/PythonA first impression of functional programming Miscellaneous data.table and pandasSQL Get started with data.table and pandas Indexing & selecting data Add/Remove/UpdateGroup by Join Random Variables, Distributions & Linear Regression A refresher on distributions Inversion sampling & rejection sampling Joint distribution & copula Fit a distribution Confidence intervalHypothesis testing Basics of linear regression Ridge regression Optimization in PracticeConvexity Gradient descent Root-finding General purpose minimization tools in R/Python Linear programming Miscellaneous Machine Learning - A gentle introduction Supervised learning Gradient boosting machine Unsupervised learning Reinforcement learning Deep Q-Networks Computational differentiation Miscellaneous

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Book SynopsisA finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book PrizeA magisterial work of narrative history and original reportage . . . You can feel the tension building one cold, catastrophic fact at a time . . . A virtually unprecedented achievement. Mike Spies, The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)A Washington Post top 50 nonfiction book of 2023 Short-listed for the Zócalo Book PrizeOne of The New York Times' 33 nonfiction books to read this fall One of Esquire's best books of fall A Kirkus Reviews best nonfiction book of 2023Named a most anticipated book of the fall by The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and BloombergAmerican Gun: The True Story of the AR-15 presents the epic history of America's most controversial weapon.In the 1950s, an obsessive firearms designer named Eugene Stoner invented the AR-15 rifle in a California garage. High-minded and patriotic, Stoner sought to devise a lightweight, easy-to-use weapon that could replace the M1s touted by soldiers in World War II. What he did create was a lethal handheld icon of the American century.In American Gun, the veteran Wall Street Journal reporters Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson track the AR-15 from inception to ubiquity. How did the same gun represent the essence of freedom to millions of Americans and the essence of evil to millions more? To answer this question, McWhirter and Elinson follow Stonerthe American Kalashnikovas he struggled mightily to win support for his invention, which under the name M16 would become standard equipment in Vietnam. Shunned by gun owners at first, the rifle's popularity would take off thanks to a renegade band of small-time gun makers. And in the 2000s, it would become the weapon of choice for mass shooters, prompting widespread calls for proscription even as the gun industry embraced it as a financial savior. Writing with fairness and compassion, McWhirter and Elinson explore America's gun culture, revealing the deep appeal of the AR-15, the awful havoc it wreaks, and the politics of reducing its toll. The result is a moral history of contemporary America's love affair with technology, freedom, and weaponry.Includes 8 pages of black-and-white images.

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Book SynopsisThis is the fascinating story of the dream of a completely new aircraft, a hybrid of the plane and the rigid airship - huge, wingless, moving slowly through the lower sky. John McPhee chronicles the perhaps unfathomable perseverance of the aircraft's sucessive progenitors.

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Book SynopsisFrom FSGO x Logic: stories about rural China, food, and tech that reveal new truths about the globalised world.

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Book SynopsisIt was all part of man's greatest adventure--landing men on the Moon and sending a rover to Mars, finally seeing the edge of the universe and the birth of stars, and launching planetary explorers across the solar system to Neptune and beyond.        The ancient dream of breaking gravity's hold and taking to space became a reality only because of the intense cold-war rivalry between the superpowers, with towering geniuses like Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolyov shelving dreams of space travel and instead developing rockets for ballistic missiles and space spectaculars. Now that Russian archives are open and thousands of formerly top-secret U.S. documents are declassified, an often startling new picture of the space age emerges:the frantic effort by the Soviet Union to beat the United States to the Moon was doomed from the beginning by gross inefficiency and by infighting so treacherous that Winston Churchill likened it to 'dogs

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Book SynopsisEach year, for generations, poor, ill-clad Newfoundland fishermen sailed out “to the ice” to hunt seals in the hope of a few pennies in wages from the prosperous merchants of St. John’s. The year 1914 witnessed the worst in the long line of tragedies that were part of their harsh way of life.             For two long days and nights a party of seal hunters—132 men—were left stranded on an icefield floating in the North Atlantic in winter. They were thinly dressed, with almost no food, and with no hope of shelter against the snow or the constant, bitter winds. To survive they had to keep moving, always moving. Those who lay down to rest died.             This is an incredible story of bungling and greed, of suffering and heroism. With the aid of compelling, contemporary photographs, the book paints an unforgettable portrait of the bloody

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Book SynopsisThe study of capillarity is in the midst of a veritable explosion. What is offered here is not a comprehensive review of the latest research but rather a compendium of principles designed for the undergraduate student and for readers interested in the physics underlying these phenomena.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: Choice Review by P. R. Douville, emeritus, Central Connecticut State University "You are an intelligent spider sitting on your web. Early morning light forms tiny rainbows as it passes through the beads of dew strung along the filaments composing your hard-earned handiwork. Why beads? What happened to the water in between each drop? To answer this question, our eight-legged intellectual must first gain an understanding of how liquids such as water actually wet surfaces and why such liquids fail to wet other surfaces. The problem encompasses such subjects as liquids rising up capillary tubes, paint spreading on solid surfaces or liquids spreading on other liquids, the fascinating subject of bubble formation and stability, and why water streams down some surfaces and forms droplets on other surfaces. De Gennes (Collège ((College) de France; Institute Curie), Brochard-Wyart (Institut Curie), and Quéré (Quere) (Collège ((College) de France) have written an excellent treatise on these phenomena that opens with a very poetic introduction relating esoteric concepts to everyday observations, and includes chapter references, historical sketches, and a very good discussion of each problem at chapter beginnings. For readers with backgrounds in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, although it is not beyond advanced undergraduates in the sciences and technological fields. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals; two-year technical program students." "This book is designed as an elementary introduction to the conceptual framework used in research on wetting/dewetting processes and related capillary phenomena. … a simple and inspiring style of writing allows the authors to ‘convey the sense of curiosity and joy’ that unites researchers in this area … . The range of topics covered and a host of physical ideas and principles the authors describe as guidelines in the field are likely to make this book interesting to a wide audience … ." (Dr. Y. D. Shikhmurzaev, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 46 (1), 2005) "Capillarity refers to the study of surface phenomena involving at least one liquid phase. … This book brings together (almost) everything which is known in a single volume. In view of the fact that the history of capillarity covers several centuries, this is a real ‘tour de force’. … It contains a wealth of practical information about a very large variety of surface phenomena. … This book should be of interest to a large variety of scientists (not only physicists)." (Marc Baus, Physicalia, Vol. 57 (3), 2005) "Capillarity and Wetting Phenomena: Drops, Bubbles, Pearls, Waves is a translation of the earlier French Gouttes, Bulles, Perles et Ondes … . It has been wonderfully translated by Axel Reisinger. The English is fully fluent and idiomatic … . The book can be read with pleasure and profit by the uninitiated, but it is also a valuable - and even an indispensable reference work for the expert. … contains a whole bookshelf of information – all of it useful and much of it fascinating." (Benjamin Widom, Physics Today, December, 2004) "De Gennes (Collège ((College) de France; Institute Curie), Brochard-Wyart (Institut Curie), and Quéré (Quere) (Collège (College) de France) have written an excellent treatise … with a very poetic introduction relating esoteric concepts to everyday observations, and includes chapter references, historical sketches, and a very good discussion of each problem at chapter beginnings. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals: two-year technical program students." (P. R. Douville, CHOICE, May, 2004) "The whole book is in the same spirit, which is very enjoyable … . Thus it contains many illuminating examples and sketches … . it will also act as a reference for those working in the field. In conclusion, the intended readers of this book, whether they be soft matter students or scientists or simply the curious, should find therein not just a very good source of information but also an impressive collection of exciting and simple explanations of very complex phenomena." (Dr. Roberto Cerbino, Europhysics News, Vol. 37 (1), 2006)Table of ContentsCapillarity: Unconstrained Interfaces / Capillarity and Gravity / Hysteresis and Elasticity of Triple Lines / Wetting and Long-Range Forces b/ Hydrodynamics of Interfaces -- Thin Films, Waves, and Ripples / Dynamics of the Triple Line / Dewetting / Surfactants / Special Interfaces / Transport Phenomena

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Book SynopsisI Introductory.- 1 Material constitution of rocks.- 2 Mechanical state.- 3 Change in mechanical state.- 4 Mechanical significance of structure.- II Forces in Rocks.- 5 Classes of forces.- 6 Stress on a plane.- 7 The stress ellipsoid, I.- 8 The stress ellipsoid, II.- 9 Mohr circle for stress.- 10 Tensor components of stress.- 11 Cauchy's formula, transformation of tensor components.- 12 Stress fields.- 13 Stress history.- III Deformation of Rocks.- 14 Distortion and deformation, measures of distortion.- 15 The strain ellipsoid.- 16 Mohr circle for infinitesimal strain.- 17 Mohr circle for finite strain.- 18 Displacement and deformation gradients.- 19 Tensor components of infinitesimal strain, I.- 20 Tensor components of infinitesimal strain, II.- 21 Tensor components of finite strain, I.- 22 Tensor components of finite strain, II.- 23 Strain fields.- 24 Strain history.- IV Topics Involving Forces and Deformation.- 25 Hookean behavior.- 26 Newtonian behavior.- 27 Energy consumed in deforTable of ContentsI Introductory.- 1 Material constitution of rocks.- 2 Mechanical state.- 3 Change in mechanical state.- 4 Mechanical significance of structure.- II Forces in Rocks.- 5 Classes of forces.- 6 Stress on a plane.- 7 The stress ellipsoid, I.- 8 The stress ellipsoid, II.- 9 Mohr circle for stress.- 10 Tensor components of stress.- 11 Cauchy’s formula, transformation of tensor components.- 12 Stress fields.- 13 Stress history.- III Deformation of Rocks.- 14 Distortion and deformation, measures of distortion.- 15 The strain ellipsoid.- 16 Mohr circle for infinitesimal strain.- 17 Mohr circle for finite strain.- 18 Displacement and deformation gradients.- 19 Tensor components of infinitesimal strain, I.- 20 Tensor components of infinitesimal strain, II.- 21 Tensor components of finite strain, I.- 22 Tensor components of finite strain, II.- 23 Strain fields.- 24 Strain history.- IV Topics Involving Forces and Deformation.- 25 Hookean behavior.- 26 Newtonian behavior.- 27 Energy consumed in deformation.

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Book SynopsisFundamentals of Crystalline State and Crystal Lattice.- Finite Symmetry Elements and Crystallographic Point Groups.- Infinite Symmetry Elements and Crystallographic Space Groups.- Formalization of Symmetry.- Nonconventional Symmetry.- Properties, Sources, and Detection of Radiation.- Fundamentals of Diffraction.- The Powder Diffraction Pattern.- Structure Factor.- Solving the Crystal Structure.- Powder Diffractometry.- Collecting Quality Powder Diffraction Data.- Preliminary Data Processing and Phase Analysis.- Determination and Refinement of the Unit Cell.- Solving Crystal Structure from Powder Diffraction Data.- Crystal Structure of LaNi4.85Sn0.15.- Crystal Structure of CeRhGe3.- Crystal Structure of Nd5Si4.- Empirical Methods of Solving Crystal Structures.- Crystal Structure of NiMnO2(OH).- Crystal Structure of ,i.tma V3O71.- Crystal Structure of ma2Mo7O221.- Crystal Structure of Mn7(OH)3(VO4)41.- Crystal Structure of FePO4.- Crystal Structure of Acetaminophen, C8H9NO2.Trade ReviewFrom a review of the first edition: “The book is well written and organized. The authors’ enthusiasm and dedication to the subject matter are clearly evident. I find the book to be not only an excellent introduction to structural characterization, but also a valuable introduction to the world of the working crystallographer. The text is rich in references to internet resources, software, literature, organizations, databases, and institutions that x-ray researchers employ routinely. As a class text the book could be used in an introductory course for third or fourth year undergraduates in materials science, chemistry, physics, or geochemistry. The detailed structural treatments may be too much for the typical introductory x-ray diffraction course, but students would be adding a valuable text for future reference to their libraries. The sections are also ideal for more advanced coursework at the graduate level. Beyond the classroom, any researcher desiring structural information on materials would benefit from this book.” - Materials Today, July/August 2004 Amazon.com readers: http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Diffraction-Structural-Characterization-Materials/dp/0387241477/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229536007&sr=8-1Table of ContentsFundamentals of Crystalline State and Crystal Lattice.- Finite Symmetry Elements and Crystallographic Point Groups.- Infinite Symmetry Elements and Crystallographic Space Groups.- Formalization of Symmetry.- Nonconventional Symmetry.- Properties, Sources, and Detection of Radiation.- Fundamentals of Diffraction.- The Powder Diffraction Pattern.- Structure Factor.- Solving the Crystal Structure.- Powder Diffractometry.- Collecting Quality Powder Diffraction Data.- Preliminary Data Processing and Phase Analysis.- Determination and Refinement of the Unit Cell.- Solving Crystal Structure from Powder Diffraction Data.- Crystal Structure of LaNi4.85Sn0.15.- Crystal Structure of CeRhGe3.- Crystal Structure of Nd5Si4.- Empirical Methods of Solving Crystal Structures.- Crystal Structure of NiMnO2(OH).- Crystal Structure of ,i.tma V3O71.- Crystal Structure of ma2Mo7O221.- Crystal Structure of Mn7(OH)3(VO4)41.- Crystal Structure of FePO4.- Crystal Structure of Acetaminophen, C8H9NO2.

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Book SynopsisForeword.- Author's Preface.- Acknowledgements.- List of Illustrations.- Origins and F-1 Engine Development.- From Nova to Saturn: Evolution of the Moon Rocket.- Manufacturing the F-1 Engine at Rocketdyne.- Boeing and the Saturn V S-IC Stage.- Testing the F-1 and S-IC Stage.- The Apollo Saturn V Launches.- The Engine that Might Been: the F-1A and its Legacy.- Appendix.- Index.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:"The author provides good descriptions of engine components and manufacturing and the contributions that Rocketdyne, Boeing, and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center made to the F-1. The book also covers engine testing, the first Saturn V stage, and the Apollo launches. … The book contains 32 excellently printed full-page color photographs and numerous black-and-white photos and diagrams. An important contribution to the history of technology and the history of space exploration. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections." (A. M. Strauss, Choice, Vol. 46 (10), June, 2009)“Over the years there have been a few books published about the Saturn rockets, but here’s one that focuses solely on the business end of the Saturn V – the F-1 rocket engine, still the largest such engine ever developed. … The book is profusely illustrated throughout, and there’s a nice section of colour plates as well. All in all, a valuable addition to the literature of both rocket development and the Apollo programme.” (Liftoff, Issue 257, May-June, 2010)Table of ContentsForeword.- Author’s Preface.- Acknowledgements.- List of Illustrations.- Origins and F-1 Engine Development.- From Nova to Saturn: Evolution of the Moon Rocket.- Manufacturing the F-1 Engine at Rocketdyne.- Boeing and the Saturn V S-IC Stage.- Testing the F-1 and S-IC Stage.- The Apollo Saturn V Launches.- The Engine that Might Been: the F-1A and its Legacy.- Appendix.- Index.

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Book SynopsisPeer-to-peer networking is a disruptive technology for large scale distributed app- cations that has recently gained wide interest due to the successes of peer-to-peer (P2P) content sharing, media streaming, and telephony applications.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:“This handbook serves as a foundation work on P2P networks covering a broad spectrum of topics … . Within each subject area, many notable researchers contribute their seminal work to make up the contents. Hence this volume is invaluable not only to those primarily doing research in P2P network technologies, but also to those interested in network-related issues and their impact on society. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and above.” (J. Y. Cheung, Choice, Vol. 48 (1), September, 2010)Table of ContentsPart 1: Introduction to Peer-to-Peer Networking: Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications: Synopsis and Research Directions John Buford, Heather Yu.- The social impact of P2P systems Andrea Glorioso, Ugo Pagallo, Giancarlo Ruffo.- From Client- Server to P2P Networking Lu Liu, Nick Antonopoulos.- Examining the Use of Peer-to-Peer Networks from an Activity Perspective Jorn De Boever, Dirk De Groof.- Part 2: Unstructured P2P Overlay Architectures: Unstructured Peer-to-Peer Network Architectures Xing Jin, S.-H. Gary Chan.- Exchanging Peers to Establish P2P Networks Mursalin Akon, Mohammad Towhidul Islam, Xuemin Shen, Ajit Singh.- Peer-to-Peer Topology Formation Using Random Walk Kin-Wah Kwong, Danny H.K. Tsang.- Semantic Social Overlay Networks Alexander Lser, Steffen Staab, Christoph Tempich.- Part 3: Structured P2P Overlay Architectures: Overview of Structured Overlay Algorithms Krishna Dhara, Yang Guo, Mario Kolberg, Xiaotao Wu.- Distributed Hash Tables: Design and Applications C.-F. Michael Chan, S.-H. Gary Chan, - The Gamut of Bootstrapping Mechanisms for Structured Overlay Networks Anwitaman Datta.- Network Aware DHT-based P2P Systems Marguerite Fayçal, Ahmed Serhrouchni.- On Adding Structure to Unstructured Overlay Networks João Leitão, Nuno A.Carvalho, José Orlando Pereira, Rui Oliveira, Luis Rodrigues.- Mathematical Modeling of Routing in DHTs Peter Kersch, Robert Szabo.- Part 4: Search and Query Processing: Keyword Search in Unstructured P2P Networks Dingyi Han, Yong Yu.- Distributed Search and Pattern Matching Reaz Ahmad, Raouf Boutaba.- Distributed Semantic Overlay Networks Christos Doulkeridis, Akrivi Vlachou, Kjetil Nørvåg, Michalis Vazirgiannis.- Self-adaptation and Self-organization for Search in Social-like Peer-to-Peer Networks LuLiu, Jie Xu, Duncan Russell, Zongyang Luo.- Data Sharing in P2P Systems Rabab Hayek, Guillaume Raschia, Patrick Valduriez, Noureddine Mouaddib.- Managing Linguistic Data Summaries in Advanced P2P Applications R.Hayek, G. Raschia, P. Valduriez, N. Mouaddib.- Case Study: Scoop for Partial Read from P2P Database Farnoush Banaei-Kashani, Cyrus Shahabi.- Part 5: Incentive Mechanisms: Incentive Mechanisms for Cooperation in Peer-to-Peer Networks Daniel A. G. Manzato, Nelson L. S. da Fonseca.- Bandwidth Trading as Incentive Kolja Eger, Ulrich Killat.- Part 6: Trust, Anonymity, and Privacy: Reputation-based Trust Management in Peer-to-Peer Systems: Taxonomy and Anatomy Loubna Mekouar, Youssef Iraqi, Raouf Boutaba.- P2P Reputation Management Through Social Networking Zoran Despotovic .- State of the Art in Trust and Reputation Models in P2P Networks Felix Gómez Mármol, Gregorio Martinez Pérez.- Anonymity in P2P Systems Pilar Manzanares-Lopez, Juan Pedro Muñoz-Gea, Josemaria Malgosa-Sanahuja, Juan Carlos Sanchez-Aarnoutse.- Private Peer-to-Peer Network Michael Rogers, Saleem Bhatti.- Part 7: Broadcast and Multicast Services: Gossip-based Broadcast João Leitão, José Pereira, Luís Rodrigues.- Employing Multicast in P2P Overlay Networks Mario Kolberg.- Multicast Services Over Structured P2P Networks P. Manzanares-Lopez, J. Malgosa-Sanahuja, J.P. Muñoz-Gea, J. Sanchez-Aarnoutse.- Multicast Routing in Structured Overlays and Hybrid Networks Matthias Wählisch, Thomas C. Schmidt.- Multicast and Bulk Lookup in Structured Overlay Networks Ali Ghodsi.-Part 8: Multimedia Content Delivery: Peer-to-Peer Content Distribution and Over-The-Top TV: An Analysis of Value Networks J. De Boever, D. De Grooff.- Live video and IP-TV Maria Luisa Merani, Daniela Saladino.- Providing VoD streaming using P2P networks J. P. Muñoz-Gea, J. Malgosa-Sanahuja, P. Manzanares-Lopez, J. C. Sanchez-Aarnoutse.- Part 9: Mobile P2P: Peer-to-Peer Overlay in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks Marcel C. Castro, Andreas J. Kassler, Carla-Fabiana Chiasserini, Claudio Casetti, Ibrahim Korpeoglu.- Opportunistic Information Retrieval in Sparsely Connected Ad Hoc Networks Mooi-Choo Chuah, Jian-bin Han.- The MOBI-DIK Approach to

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Book SynopsisThe Cosmonaut Training Centre: birth and growth.- Simulators.- Other national and international facilities.- Survival training.- The Cosmonaut Group of the RGNII TsPK.- The Cosmonaut group of RKK Energiya.- Other Soviet and Russian cosmonaut selections.- Cosmonauts selected to fly the Buran Shuttle.- International training.- Joint programmes.- Zvyozdnyy Gorodok the town.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the first edition: "With the downfall of the Soviet Union … the history of the ‘other’ manned space program could have been lost forever. That this can no longer occur is due in no small part to enthusiasts like the authors of this book. Diligently they have gathered together a host of appropriately-monochrome photographs, maps and detailed information concerning the Soviet space effort … . it’s a significant printed resource. Doubtless it will soon be scanned and on the web itself." (Duncan Steel, Australian Physics, Vol. 43 (4), 2006) "The book provides important background information and insight to the operational Soviet/Russian human space program … revealing information and facts not covered elsewhere and providing a unique reference source for those who wish to understand the changing role of Russian cosmonauts in today’s global space program." (Quest, Vol. 13 (4), 2006) "This comprehensive account of the once-secret centre is written by three of the leading western authorities on the Soviet-Russian human spaceflight programme. … One of the strengths of the book is the inclusion of numerous photographs of training-centre facilities … . Also of value for spaceflight enthusiasts are the detailed appendices of the individuals and crews who have trained there … . This book is recommended for anyone who wants an in-depth look at the centre that trained the world’s first human space explorers." (Peter Bond, The Observatory, Vol. 126 (1194), 2006) "What was the philosophy behind the Soviet Space Program? These questions and very many more are answered in this superb history of the Soviet/Russian cosmonauts and the training centre popularly known as Star City. … The work is based on extensive research of English and Russian language written sources … . The author’s wide experience is reflected in the breath and depth of this history. Noteworthy points include a definitive identification of all cosmonaut recruits." (John O’Dwyer, Tiros Space Information, Vol. 31 (9), 2006) "There was a time when the Russian space effort was shrouded in the utmost secrecy. … But Hall, Shayler and Vis leave no detail to the imagination. Cosmonaut squads, simulation rooms and accommodation buildings are all listed, and their histories explained. There’s a good index too – Russia’s Cosmonauts is remarkable for its depth of research. … this is a highly reliable book for reference purposes. … You must definitely put this in your library if you’re a serious space fan … ." (Piers Bizony, BBC Focus, April, 2006) "It is the result of a tremendous amount of research, and the authors have been able to visit Star City … where the cosmonauts are trained, as well as others who have been to the Russian space stations. … The reference lists are excellent. This is essentially a book for specialists. … to the serious researcher it will be an invaluable work of reference." (Patrick Moore, BBC Sky at Night, February, 2006) "The authors explore how Russian citizens have been selected for spaceflight and how the process has evolved in the past forty years. They are well-versed in this sub-genre of spaceflight literature, having followed the Soviet space programme for many years, and this book is a valuable addition to the field. … The book is illustrated with black-and-white photographs and line drawings, and is well referenced. … This book represents an important addition to the ‘ongoing documentary’ of manned spaceflight." (www.satellite-evolution.com, May/June, 2007)Table of ContentsThe Cosmonaut Training Centre: birth and growth.- Simulators.- Other national and international facilities.- Survival training.- The Cosmonaut Group of the RGNII TsPK.- The Cosmonaut group of RKK Energiya.- Other Soviet and Russian cosmonaut selections.- Cosmonauts selected to fly the Buran Shuttle.- International training.- Joint programmes.- Zvyozdnyy Gorodok — the town.

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Book Synopsisto Quantum Trajectories.- The Bohmian Route to the Hydrodynamic Equations.- The Phase Space Route to the Hydrodynamic Equations.- The Dynamics and Properties of Quantum Trajectories.- Function and Derivative Approximation on Unstructured Grids.- Applications of the Quantum Trajectory Method.- Adaptive Methods for Trajectory Dynamics.- Quantum Trajectories for Multidimensional Dynamics.- Approximations to the Quantum Force.- Derivative Propagation Along Quantum Trajectories.- Quantum Trajectories in Phase Space.- Mixed Quantum-Classical Dynamics.- Topics in Quantum Hydrodynamics: The Stress Tensor and Vorticity.- Quantum Trajectories for Stationary States.- Challenges and Opportunities.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "This excellent book covers a wide range of topics associated with Quantum Hydrodynamics. It's an excellent survey of the history, current state-of-the-field, and future research directions." (Brian Kendrick, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA) "The book is unique in that it addresses with equal expertise, computational methodology and theoretical connections at the interface between de Broglie-Bohm theory and phase space moment methods. A highly didactic text, to be recommended to graduate students and researchers in physics and chemistry." (Irene Burghardt, Dépt. de chimie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France) "Wyatt shows how one can use the ideas drawn from Bohm's interpretation to develop new and efficient computational methods for both time dependent and time independent quantum mechanics.This is THE definitive text on practical Bohmian mechanics." (Eric Bittner, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Houston, TX, USA) "The book under review is a good introduction to quantum hydrodynamics and an invaluable survey of the subject. It is written in clear and rigorous language and may be helpful both for novices having basic knowledge in quantum mechanics and experts. … Numerous illustrations, results of numerical computations and historical comments make reading more fascinating." (Sergei A. Nemnyugin, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2006 k) "This book presents the state of the art in the quantum trajectory (QT) method and its applications in quantum hydrodynamics. … In addition to advanced issues at the level of professional researchers, the book also contains many introductory elements that can nicely serve also to graduate students as a suitable extension of their textbook literature on quantum mechanics. Numerous boxes with outlines and summaries of basic results of chapter are particularly valuable to those who need a brief and concise information on a particular item." (Vladimir Cadež, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1107 (9), 2007)Table of Contentsto Quantum Trajectories.- The Bohmian Route to the Hydrodynamic Equations.- The Phase Space Route to the Hydrodynamic Equations.- The Dynamics and Properties of Quantum Trajectories.- Function and Derivative Approximation on Unstructured Grids.- Applications of the Quantum Trajectory Method.- Adaptive Methods for Trajectory Dynamics.- Quantum Trajectories for Multidimensional Dynamics.- Approximations to the Quantum Force.- Derivative Propagation Along Quantum Trajectories.- Quantum Trajectories in Phase Space.- Mixed Quantum-Classical Dynamics.- Topics in Quantum Hydrodynamics: The Stress Tensor and Vorticity.- Quantum Trajectories for Stationary States.- Challenges and Opportunities.

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Book SynopsisVectors and Tensors.- The Geometry of Deformation.- The Transmission of Force.- Elastic Constitutive Theory.- Boundary Value Problems in Elasticity.- The Ritz Method of Approximation.- The Linear Theory of Beams.- The Linear Theory of Plates.- Energy Principles and Static Stability.- Fundamental Concepts in Static Stability.- The Planar Buckling of Beams.- Numerical Computation for Nonlinear Problems.Table of ContentsVectors and Tensors.- The Geometry of Deformation.- The Transmission of Force.- Elastic Constitutive Theory.- Boundary Value Problems in Elasticity.- The Ritz Method of Approximation.- The Linear Theory of Beams.- The Linear Theory of Plates.- Energy Principles and Static Stability.- Fundamental Concepts in Static Stability.- The Planar Buckling of Beams.- Numerical Computation for Nonlinear Problems.

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Book SynopsisThe second edition (1997) of this text was a completely rewritten version of the original text Basic Coastal Engineering published in 1978. Basic Coastal Engineering is an introductory text on wave mechanics and coastal processes along with fundamentals that underline the practice of coastal engineering.Table of ContentsCoastal Engineering.- Two-Dimensional Wave Equations and Wave Characteristics.- Finite-Amplitude Waves.- Wave Refraction, Diffraction, and Reflection.- Coastal Water Level Fluctuations.- Wind-Generated Waves.- Coastal Structures.- Coastal Zone Processes.- Field and Laboratory Investigations.

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Book SynopsisComputer Simulation.- Basic Probability.- Conditional Probability.- Discrete Random Variables.- Expected Values for Discrete Random Variables.- Multiple Discrete Random Variables.- Conditional Probability Mass Functions.- Discrete N-Dimensional Random Variables.- Continuous Random Variables.- Expected Values for Continuous Random Variables.- Multiple Continuous Random Variables.- Conditional Probability Density Functions.- Continuous N-Dimensional Random Variables.- Probability and Moment Approximations Using Limit Theorems.- Basic Random Processes.- Wide Sense Stationary Random Processes.- Linear Systems and Wide Sense Stationary Random Processes.- Multiple Wide Sense Stationary Random Processes.- Gaussian Random Processes.- Poisson Random Processes.- Markov Chains.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:"The book is composed of 22 chapters. … This is a very readable book. … Kay’s book undoubtedly will see its greatest use in engineering schools, but I think it would work nicely in other settings as well. … It is written in a clear and informal style that students will appreciate, its coverage is excellent, and the author’s stated objective (to lessen the difficulty that students usually experience assimilating and applying probability and random processes) will, I predict, be met." (Ralph P. Russo, The American Statistician, Vol. 62 (2), May, 2008)“Kay’s book occupies a unique place in the overcrowded market of textbooks on probability and random processes. … This new textbook is a breath of fresh air in the market of books devoted to probability and random processes. The book lives up to its ambition of setting a new standard for a modern, computer-based treatment of the subject. … I fully recommend its use in undergraduate and first-year graduate courses.” (Osvaldo Simeone, IEEE Control Systems Magazine, Vol. 27, June, 2007)Table of ContentsComputer Simulation.- Basic Probability.- Conditional Probability.- Discrete Random Variables.- Expected Values for Discrete Random Variables.- Multiple Discrete Random Variables.- Conditional Probability Mass Functions.- Discrete N-Dimensional Random Variables.- Continuous Random Variables.- Expected Values for Continuous Random Variables.- Multiple Continuous Random Variables.- Conditional Probability Density Functions.- Continuous N-Dimensional Random Variables.- Probability and Moment Approximations Using Limit Theorems.- Basic Random Processes.- Wide Sense Stationary Random Processes.- Linear Systems and Wide Sense Stationary Random Processes.- Multiple Wide Sense Stationary Random Processes.- Gaussian Random Processes.- Poisson Random Processes.- Markov Chains.

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Book SynopsisFundamentals of System Design.- Radio Architectures and Design Considerations.- Receiver System Analysis and Design.- Transmitter System Analysis and Design.- Applications of System Design.Table of Contents1. Introduction. 1.1. Wireless Systems. 1.2. System Design Convergence. 1.3. Organization of This Book. -2. Fundamentals of System Design. 2.1. Linear Systems and Transformations. 2.2. Nonlinear System Representation and Analysis Approaches. 2.3. Noise and Random Process. 2.4. Elements of Digital Base-Band System. -3. Radio Architectures and Design Considerations. 3.1. Superheterodyne Architecture. 3.2. Direct Conversion (Zero IF) Architecture. 3.3. Low IF Architecture. 3.4. Band-Pass Sampling Radio Architecture. Appendix 3A. Intermodulation Distortion Formulas. Appendix 3B. Effective Interference Evaluation of Second Order Distortion Products. Appendix 3C. I and Q Imbalance and Image Rejection Formula. Appendix 3D. Estimation of ADC Equivalent Noise Figure.-4. Receiver System Analysis and Design. 4.1. Introduction. 4.2. Sensitivity and Noise Figure of Receiver. 4.3. Intermodulation Characteristics. 4.4. Single Tone Desensitization. 4.5. Adjacent/Alternate Channel Selectivity and Blocking Characteristics. 4.6. Receiver Dynamic Range and AGC System. 4.7. System Design and Performance Evaluation. Appendix 4A. Conversion Between Power dBm and Electric Field Strength dBuV/m. Appendix 4B. Proof of Relationship (4.4.6) Appendix 4C. A Comparison of Wireless Mobile Station Minimum Performance Requirements. Appendix 4D. An Example of Receiver Performance Evaluation by Means of Matlab.-5. Transmitter System Analysis and Design. 5.1. Introduction. 5.2. Transmission Power and Spectrum. 5.3. Modulation Accuracy. 5.4. Adjacent and Alternate Channel Power. 5.5. Noise Emission Calculation. 5.6. Some Important Considerations in System Design. Appendix 5A. Approximate Relationship between p and EVM. Appendix 5B. Image Suppression of Transmission Signal. Appendix 5C. Amplifier Nonlinear Simulation: ACPR Calculation. -6. Applications of System Design. 6.1. Multimode and Multiband Superheterodyne Transceiver. 6.2. Direct Conversion Transceiver.

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Book SynopsisFoundations of Confocal Scanned Imaging in Light Microscopy.- Fundamental Limits in Confocal Microscopy.- Special Optical Elements.- Points, Pixels, and Gray Levels: Digitizing Image Data.- Laser Sources for Confocal Microscopy.- Non-Laser Light Sources for Three-Dimensional Microscopy.- Objective Lenses for Confocal Microscopy.- The Contrast Formation in Optical Microscopy.- The Intermediate Optical System of Laser-Scanning Confocal Microscopes.- Disk-Scanning Confocal Microscopy.- Measuring the Real Point Spread Function of High Numerical Aperture Microscope Objective Lenses.- Photon Detectors for Confocal Microscopy.- Structured Illumination Methods.- Visualization Systems for Multi-Dimensional Microscopy Images.- Automated Three-Dimensional Image Analysis Methods for Confocal Microscopy.- Fluorophores for Confocal Microscopy: Photophysics and Photochemistry.- Practical Considerations in the Selection and Application of Fluorescent Probes.- Guiding Principles of Specimen PreservatioTable of ContentsFoundations of Confocal Scanned Imaging in Light Microscopy.- Fundamental Limits in Confocal Microscopy.- Special Optical Elements.- Points, Pixels, and Gray Levels: Digitizing Image Data.- Laser Sources for Confocal Microscopy.- Non-Laser Light Sources for Three-Dimensional Microscopy.- Objective Lenses for Confocal Microscopy.- The Contrast Formation in Optical Microscopy.- The Intermediate Optical System of Laser-Scanning Confocal Microscopes.- Disk-Scanning Confocal Microscopy.- Measuring the Real Point Spread Function of High Numerical Aperture Microscope Objective Lenses.- Photon Detectors for Confocal Microscopy.- Structured Illumination Methods.- Visualization Systems for Multi-Dimensional Microscopy Images.- Automated Three-Dimensional Image Analysis Methods for Confocal Microscopy.- Fluorophores for Confocal Microscopy: Photophysics and Photochemistry.- Practical Considerations in the Selection and Application of Fluorescent Probes.- Guiding Principles of Specimen Preservation for Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy.- Confocal Microscopy of Living Cells.- Aberrations in Confocal and Multi-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy Induced by Refractive Index Mismatch.- Interaction of Light with Botanical Specimens.- Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Confocal Microscopes.- Comparison of Widefield/Deconvolution and Confocal Microscopy for Three-Dimensional Imaging.- Blind Deconvolution.- Image Enhancement by Deconvolution.- Fiber-Optics in Scanning Optical Microscopy.- Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging in Scanning Microscopy.- Multi-Photon Molecular Excitation in Laser-Scanning Microscopy.- Multifocal Multi-Photon Microscopy.- 4Pi Microscopy.- Nanoscale Resolution with Focused Light: Stimulated Emission Depletion and Other Reversible Saturable Optical Fluorescence Transitions Microscopy Concepts.- Mass Storage, Display, and Hard Copy.- Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy.- Related Methods for Three-Dimensional Imaging.- Tutorial on Practical Confocal Microscopy and Use of the Confocal Test Specimen.- Practical Confocal Microscopy.- Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy.- Cell Damage During Multi-Photon Microscopy.- Photobleaching.- Nonlinear (Harmonic Generation) Optical Microscopy.- Imaging Brain Slices.- Fluorescent Ion Measurement.- Confocal and Multi-Photon Imaging of Living Embryos.- Imaging Plant Cells.- Practical Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer or Molecular Nanobioscopy of Living Cells.- Automated Confocal Imaging and High-Content Screening for Cytomics.- Automated Interpretation of Subcellular Location Patterns from Three-Dimensional Confocal Microscopy.- Display and Presentation Software.- When Light Microscope Resolution Is Not Enough:Correlational Light Microscopy and Electron Microscopy.- Databases for Two- and Three-Dimensional Microscopical Images in Biology.- Confocal Microscopy of Biofilms — Spatiotemporal Approaches.- Bibliography of Confocal Microscopy.

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Book SynopsisPart A Solid Mechanics Topics Chap.  1 Analytical Mechanics of Solids.- Chap. 2 Materials Science for the Experimental Mechanist.- Chap. 3 Polymers and Viscoelasticity.- Chap. 4 Composite Materials.- Chap. 5 Fracture Mechanics.- Chap. 6 Active Materials.- Chap. 7 Biological Soft Tissues.- Chap. 8 Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites.- Chap. 9 MEMS and NEMS.- Chap. 10 Hybrid Methods. Chap. 11 Statistical Analysis of Experimental Data.Part B Contact Methods Chap. 12 Electrical Resistance Strain Gages.- Chap. 13 Extensometers.- Chap. 14 Fiber Strain Gages.- Chap. 15 Residual Stress Measurement.- Chap. 16 Nanoindentation.- Chap. 17 Atomic Force Microscopy.Part C Noncontact Methods Chap. 18 Basics of Optics.- Chap. 19 Image Analysis and Processing.- Chap. 20 Digital Image Correlation.- Chap. 21 Geometric Moiré.- Chap. 22 Moiré Interferometry.- Chap. 23 Speckle Methods.- Chap. 24Table of ContentsPart A Solid Mechanics Topics Part A presents topics that fall within the purview of solid mechanics. The first five chapters cover familiar ground, but the next four present new material systems along with the new topics of MEMS and NEMS. The last two chapters describe methods of interpreting the results of tests.Chap. 1 Analytical Mechanics of Solids Chap. 2 Materials Science for the Experimental Mechanist Chap. 3 Polymers and ViscoelasticityChap. 4 Composite MaterialsChap. 5 Fracture MechanicsChap. 6 Active MaterialsChap. 7 Biological Soft Tissues Chap. 8 Ionic Polymer-Metal CompositesChap. 9 MEMS and NEMSChap. 10 Hybrid MethodsChap. 11 Statistical Analysis of Experimental DataPart B Contact Methods Part B starts with three practical chapters on the ‘backbones’ of experimental solid mechanics – strain gages and extensometers – followed by another mainstay – residual stress measurement. Nanoindentation is becoming more widely used for material property determination as is atomic force microscopy.Chap. 12 Electrical Resistance Strain GagesChap. 13 ExtensometersChap. 14 Fiber Strain GagesChap. 15 Residual Stress MeasurementChap. 16 NanoindentationChap. 17 Atomic Force MicroscopyPart C Noncontact Methods Part C is an overview of the rich field of optical methods in the first eight chapters ranging from modern versions of established such as photoelasticity to newer ones based on image analysis. Non-contacting methods at other wavelengths are described in the last three chapters.Chap. 18 Basics of OpticsChap. 19 Image Analysis and ProcessingChap. 20 Digital Image CorrelationChap. 21 Geometric MoiréChap. 22 Moiré InterferometryChap. 23 Speckle MethodsChap. 24 HolographyChap. 25 PhotoelasticityChap. 26 Thermoelastic Stress AnalysisChap. 27 Photoacoustic Characterization of MaterialsChap. 28 X-Ray Stress AnalysisPart D ApplicationsPart D presents applications of the methods and topics of the three previous parts to selected topics – all of which are new and important areas of modern technology. These are examples that demonstrate the breadth and depth of experimental solid mechanics.Chap. 29 Optical MethodsChap. 30 Mechanical Testing at the Micro/Nano ScaleChap. 31 Biological Tissue TestingChap. 32 Biomedical Devices and Biologically Inspired MaterialsChap. 33 High Strain Rate and Impact TestingChap. 34 Delamination MechanicsChap. 35 Structural Testing ApplicationsChap. 36 Electronic PackagingAbout the Authors.- Subject Index

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an introduction to MIP modeling and to planning systems, a unique collection of reformulation results, and an easy to use problem-solving library. This approach is demonstrated through a series of real life case studies, exercises and detailed illustrations.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "The book provides a complete overview of different models existing in the literature as well as in practice. … The authors also analyze MIP (mixed integer programming) based algorithms … . Practitioners who are interested in using MIP … can use the book to identify the most efficient way to formulate the problems and to choose the most efficient solution method. … it also can serve as a good reference for students and researchers. Overall, this is an excellent book." (Panos M. Pardalos, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2006 k) "Recently published Production Planning by Mixed Integer Programming by Yves Pochet and Laurence Wolsey has raised considerable expectations. Firstly, problems of production planning are among the most interesting in Operations Research. … Secondly, both authors are renowned experts in the field. … There is no doubt that this volume offers the present best introduction to integer programming formulations of lot-sizing problems, encountered in production planning." (Jakub Marecek, The Computer Journal, September, 2007)Table of ContentsProduction Planning and MIP.- The Modeling and Optimization Approach.- Production Planning Models and Systems.- Mixed Integer Programming Algorithms.- Classification and Reformulation.- Reformulations in Practice.- Basic Polyhedral Combinatorics for Production Planning and MIP.- Mixed Integer Programming Algorithms and Decomposition Approaches.- Single-Item Uncapacitated Lot-Sizing.- Basic MIP and Fixed Cost Flow Models.- Single-Item Lot-Sizing.- Lot-Sizing with Capacities.- Backlogging and Start-Ups.- Single-Item Variants.- Multi-Item Lot-Sizing.- Multi-Item Single-Level Problems.- Multi-Level Lot-Sizing Problems.- Problem Solving.- Test Problems.

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Book SynopsisReliability and Six Sigma - Introduction.- Reliability and Six Sigma Probabilitic Models.- Reliability and Six Sigma Measures.- System Reliability.- Design for Reliability and Six Sigma.- Inservice Reliability.- Reliability and Six Sigma Estimation.- Software Reliability.- Availability and Six Sigma.- Reliability and Six Sigma Management.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "Six Sigma is essentially a method of assessing and improving quality … . This text basically describes a large number of reliability measures, and shows how they can be translated into Six Sigma measures. … the book does a fine job of introducing reliability engineers or reliability theorists into the basics of the Six Sigma methodology." (Moshe Shaked, Zentrablatt MATH, Vol. 1096 (22), 2006) "Six Sigma is essentially a measure of process capability and allows less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. … The book is interspersed with several useful case studies from live examples, which make a good reading for a beginner in the subject. The book is recommended to all those who would like to see symbiosis between improved reliability design of a product and Six Sigma strategy for performance improvement." (Krishna B. Misra, International Journal of Performability Engineering, Vol. 4 (3), 2008)Table of ContentsReliability and Six Sigma - Introduction.- Reliability and Six Sigma — Probabilitic Models.- Reliability and Six Sigma Measures.- System Reliability.- Design for Reliability and Six Sigma.- Inservice Reliability.- Reliability and Six Sigma Estimation.- Software Reliability.- Availability and Six Sigma.- Reliability and Six Sigma Management.

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Book SynopsisFoundations.- to Music Transcription.- An Introduction to Statistical Signal Processing and Spectrum Estimation.- Sparse Adaptive Representations for Musical Signals.- Rhythm and Timbre Analysis.- Beat Tracking and Musical Metre Analysis.- Unpitched Percussion Transcription.- Automatic Classification of Pitched Musical Instrument Sounds.- Multiple Fundamental Frequency Analysis.- Multiple Fundamental Frequency Estimation Based on Generative Models.- Auditory Model-Based Methods for Multiple Fundamental Frequency Estimation.- Unsupervised Learning Methods for Source Separation in Monaural Music Signals.- Entire Systems, Acoustic and Musicological Modelling.- Auditory Scene Analysis in Music Signals.- Music Scene Description.- Singing Transcription.Table of ContentsFoundations.- to Music Transcription.- An Introduction to Statistical Signal Processing and Spectrum Estimation.- Sparse Adaptive Representations for Musical Signals.- Rhythm and Timbre Analysis.- Beat Tracking and Musical Metre Analysis.- Unpitched Percussion Transcription.- Automatic Classification of Pitched Musical Instrument Sounds.- Multiple Fundamental Frequency Analysis.- Multiple Fundamental Frequency Estimation Based on Generative Models.- Auditory Model-Based Methods for Multiple Fundamental Frequency Estimation.- Unsupervised Learning Methods for Source Separation in Monaural Music Signals.- Entire Systems, Acoustic and Musicological Modelling.- Auditory Scene Analysis in Music Signals.- Music Scene Description.- Singing Transcription.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers concise information on the properties of polymeric materials, particularly those most relevant to physical chemistry and chemical physics. Extensive updates and revisions to each chapter include eleven new chapters on novel polymeric structures, reinforcing phases in polymers, and experiments on single polymer chains.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the second edition: "This edition of Physical Properties of Polymers Handbook is a mammoth undertaking with 63 chapters divided into nine parts and 100 distinguished contributors with affiliations in industry, academia, and governmental agencies. The objectives of the book are very ambitious. … The compilations of physical properties are very readable and, depending on one’s interests, range from the mundane and practical to the esoteric. … All in all, this is a very useful compendium and should have a place on every polymer scientist’s bookshelf." (George Christopher Martin, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 130 (3), 2008) "This handbook covers an enormous range of properties of polymeric materials, particularly those relevant to the areas of physical chemistry and chemical physics. … It is a reference work for researchers or advanced students studying polymeric materials. … The main goal of the book is to discuss and describe important results and modern developments. … If the reader … wishes to work in polymer applications or related areas, this is a good book to have available." (Christian Brosseau, Optics and Photonics News, February, 2008)Table of ContentsPreface to the Second Edition. -Preface to the First Edition. -STRUCTURE. -Chain Structures. -Names, Acronyms, Classes, and Structures of Some Important Polymers. -THEORY. -The Rotational Isomeric State Model. -Computational Parameters. -Theoretical Models and Simulations of Polymer Chains. -Scaling, Exponents, and Fractal Dimensions. -THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES. -Densities, Coefficients of Thermal Expansion, and Compressibilities of Amorphous Polymers. -Thermodynamic Properties of Proteins. -Heat Capacities of Polymers. -Thermal Conductivity. -Thermodynamic Quantities Governing Melting. -The Glass Temperature. -Sub-Tg Transitions. -Polymer-Solvent Interaction Parameter c. -Theta Temperatures. -Solubility Parameters. -Mark-Houwink-Staudinger-Sakurada Constants. -Polymers and Supercritical Fluids. -Thermodynamics of Polymer Blends. -SPECTROSCOPY. -NMR Spectroscopy of Polymers. -Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy to Study the Molecular Dynamics of Polymers Having Different Molecular Architectures. -Group Frequency Assignments for Major Infrared Bands Observed in Common Synthetic Polymers. -Small Angle Neutron and X-Ray Scattering. -MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. -Mechanical Properties. -Chain Dimensions and Entanglement Spacings. -Temperature Dependences of the Viscoelastic Response of Polymer Systems. -Adhesives. -Some Mechanical Properties of Typical Polymer-Based Composites. -Polymer Networks and Gels. -Force Spectroscopy of Polymers: Beyond Single Chain Mechanics. -REINFORCING PHASES. -Carbon Black. -Properties of Polymers Reinforced with Silica. -Physical Properties of Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites. -Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS). -Carbon Nanotube Polymer Composites: Recent Developments in Mechanical Properties. -Reinforcement Theories. -CRYSTALLINITY AND MORPHOLOGY. -Densities of Amorphous and Crystalline Polymers. -Unit Cell Information on Some Important Polymers. -Crystallization Kinetics of Polymers. -Block Copolymer Melts. -Polymer Liquid Crystals and Their Blends. -The Emergence of a New Macromolecular Architecture: 'The Dendritic State'. –Polyrotaxanes. -Foldamers: Nanoscale Shape Control at the Interface Between Small Molecules and High Polymers. -Recent Advances in Supramolecular Polymers. -ELECTRO-OPTICAL AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES. -Conducting Polymers: Electrical Conductivity. -Conjugated Polymer Electroluminescence. -Magnetic, Piezoelectric, Pyroelectric, and Ferroelectric Properties of Synthetic and Biological Polymers. -Nonlinear Optical Properties of Polymers. -Refractive Index, Stress-Optical Coefficient, and Optical Configuration Parameter of Polymers. -RESPONSES TO RADIATION, HEAT, AND CHEMICAL AGENTS. -Ultraviolet Radiation and Polymers. -The Effects of Electron Beam and g-Irradiation on Polymeric Materials. –Flammability. -Thermal-Oxidative Stability and Degradation of Polymers. -Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers for Medical Applications. -Biodegradability of Polymers. -Properties of Photoresist Polymers. -Pyrolyzability of Preceramic Polymers. -OTHER PROPERTIES. -Surface and Interfacial Properties. -Acoustic Properties. -Permeability of Polymers to Gases and Vapors. –MISCELLANEOUS. –Definitions. -Units and Conversion Factors. -Subject Index

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Book SynopsisTaming the rockets: From wrath to research.- Holloman and the Albert Hall of Fame.- Pioneers of destiny: The suborbital dog flights.- High-altitude research.- Able and Baker lead the way.- The most famous dog in history.- Prelude to manned space flight.- Pioneers in a weightless world.- Biting the hand.- Cosmos/Bion: The age of the biosatellites.- End of an era.- Shuttling into space.- Epilogue.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "Animals in Space, a relentlessly factual account of animal endeavours in near Earth orbit. … The programme and its relationship to animal rights is surely fertile material for any future popular science work on the subject. … the history of animal space flight is long and fascinating. It deserves its place alongside the human stories of Vostok 1, Apollo 11 and Challenger." (New Scientist, April, 2007) "Animals in Space is an extremely detailed, yet absorbing, history of animals used in the space programs around the world. … In addition to a list of references at the end of each chapter, the book’s documentation includes photos, charts, and lists of the U.S., Soviet, Chinese, French and international space missions (including Bion and International Space Station) that utilized animals as test and research subjects. … the book will surely serve as a standard on the subject for years to come." (Advocacy for Animals, November, 2007)Table of ContentsTaming the rockets: From wrath to research.- Holloman and the Albert Hall of Fame.- Pioneers of destiny: The suborbital dog flights.- High-altitude research.- Able and Baker lead the way.- The most famous dog in history.- Prelude to manned space flight.- Pioneers in a weightless world.- Biting the hand.- Cosmos/Bion: The age of the biosatellites.- End of an era.- Shuttling into space.- Epilogue.

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Book SynopsisDuring the last 20 years interest in high-resolution x-ray diffractometry and reflectivity has grown as a result of the development of the semiconductor industry and the increasing interest in material research of thin layers of magnetic, organic, and other materials.Table of Contents1 Elements for Designing an X-Ray Diffraction Experiment.- 2 Diffractometers and Reflectometers.- 3 Scans and Resolution in Angular and Reciprocal Space.- 4 Basic Principles.- 5 Kinematical Theory.- 6 Dynamical Theory.- 7 Semikinematical Theory.- 8 Determination of Layer Thicknesses of Single Layers and Multilayers.- 9 Lattice Parameters and Strains in Epitaxial Layers and Multilayers.- 10 Diffuse Scattering From Volume Defects in Thin Layers.- 11 X-Ray Scattering by Rough Multilayers.- 12 X-Ray Scattering by Artificially Lateral Semiconductor Nanostructures.- 13 Strain Analysis in Periodic Nanostructures.- 14 X-Ray Scattering from Self-Organized Structures.- References.

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Book SynopsisNanopackaging: Nanotechnologies and Electronics Packaging.- Modelling Technologies and Applications.- Application of Molecular Dynamics Simulation in Electronic Packaging.- Advances in Delamination Modeling.- Nanoparticle Properties.- Nanoparticle Fabrication.- Nanoparticle-Based High-k Dielectric Composites: Opportunities and Challenges.- Nanostructured Resistor Materials.- Nanogranular Magnetic Core Inductors: Design, Fabrication, and Packaging.- Nanoconductive Adhesives.- Nanoparticles in Microvias.- Materials and Technology for Conductive Microstructures.- A Study of Nanoparticles in SnAg-Based Lead-Free Solders.- Nano-Underfills for Fine-Pitch Electronics.- Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis and Characterization.- Characteristics of Carbon Nanotubes for Nanoelectronic Device Applications.- Carbon Nanotubes for Thermal Management of Microsystems.- Electromagnetic Shielding of Transceiver Packaging Using Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes.- Properties of 63Sn-37Pb and Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu Solders ReinfoTrade ReviewFrom the reviews: “This is an impressive work that provides a substantial and relatively in depth coverage of a wide range of electronics packaging and assembly related applications for nanotechnology. Each chapter concludes with a list of references that can be used by the reader to further investigate a particular subject and the book is well produced with good quality figures and illustrations. … I am pleased to be able to conclude this … Nanopackaging: Nanotechnologies and Electronics Packaging as ‘highly recommended’.” (Martin Goosey, Microelectronics International, Vol. 26 (3), 2009)Table of ContentsNanopackaging: Nanotechnologies and Electronics Packaging.- Modelling Technologies and Applications.- Application of Molecular Dynamics Simulation in Electronic Packaging.- Advances in Delamination Modeling.- Nanoparticle Properties.- Nanoparticle Fabrication.- Nanoparticle-Based High-k Dielectric Composites: Opportunities and Challenges.- Nanostructured Resistor Materials.- Nanogranular Magnetic Core Inductors: Design, Fabrication, and Packaging.- Nanoconductive Adhesives.- Nanoparticles in Microvias.- Materials and Technology for Conductive Microstructures.- A Study of Nanoparticles in SnAg-Based Lead-Free Solders.- Nano-Underfills for Fine-Pitch Electronics.- Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis and Characterization.- Characteristics of Carbon Nanotubes for Nanoelectronic Device Applications.- Carbon Nanotubes for Thermal Management of Microsystems.- Electromagnetic Shielding of Transceiver Packaging Using Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes.- Properties of 63Sn-37Pb and Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu Solders Reinforced With Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes.- Nanowires in Electronics Packaging.- Design and Development of Stress-Engineered Compliant Interconnect for Microelectronic Packaging.- Flip Chip Packaging for Nanoscale Silicon Logic Devices: Challenges and Opportunities.- Nanoelectronics Landscape: Application, Technology, and Economy.- Errata.

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Book SynopsisThe roots of Buran.- The birth of Buran.- Systems and scenarios.- Organizations and infrastructure.- The Buran cosmonaut team.- Testing the hardware.- Buran in the spotlight.- Shattered dreams, new beginnings.- Beyond Buran.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "Historians Hendrickx and Vis offer a history of the Soviet space shuttle and its attached rocket, one of the most powerful ever built. … This comprehensive history of the program, its technology, its designers, and its cosmonauts is an important contribution to the history of space technology, and is for those interested in space policy, engineering, systems, and history. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels." (A. M. Strauss, CHOICE, Vol. 45 (7), 2008) "Hendrickx and Vis begin with an overview of Soviet spaceplane research and development stretching back to rocketplane designs of the 1930s before moving on to describing the origins of Energiya and Buran themselves. … Special note must also be made of the many excellent photos in this book, most of which have not been published in the West before. … a vital addition to the literature on the USSR/Russian space programme, and Hendrickx and Vis are to be congratulated on a job very well done!" (Liftoff, Issue 248, November-December, 2008)Table of ContentsThe roots of Buran.- The birth of Buran.- Systems and scenarios.- Organizations and infrastructure.- The Buran cosmonaut team.- Testing the hardware.- Buran in the spotlight.- Shattered dreams, new beginnings.- Beyond Buran.

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Book SynopsisRigid Body Dynamics Algorithms presents the subject of computational rigid-body dynamics through the medium of spatial 6D vector notation. The use of spatial vector notation facilitates the implementation of dynamics algorithms on a computer: shorter, simpler code that is easier to write, understand and debug, with no loss of efficiency.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "This book deals with a numerical treatment of different problems in the dynamics of rigid-body systems which arise mainly in robotics ... . is centered on mechanical models made up of many rigid bodies connected by joints. ... The book is written in a clear way. Each chapter begins by stating the objectives to be achieved. The algorithms presented are well documented and worked examples are also given. ... the bibliography close this useful book on the computational approach to the dynamics of rigid-body systems." (A. San Miguel, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2011 h)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Spatial Vector Algebra.- Dynamics of Rigid Body Systems.- Modelling Rigid Body Systems.- Inverse Dynamics.- Forward Dynamics - Inertia Matrix Methods.- Forward Dynamics - Propagation Methods.- Closed Loop Systems.- Hybrid Dynamics and Other Topics.- Accuracy and Efficiency.- Contact and Impact.

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Book SynopsisClearly written in a conceptual language, it provides readers with an understanding of the dynamic behavior of the instrument, including structural and component dynamics, and various analytical models, such as discrete, finite element, and boundary element models.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: „…[This is the only book] that deals with the engineering aspects of guitars. Thus it serves a real need for scientifically-oriented guitar makers and aficionados as well as those interested in a broad overview of the world of guitars… The overall broad view of the book makes good reading for those interested in the myriad details involve in constructing a string instrument and then evaluating it scientifically, as the author’s personal building experience and knowledge of a wide variety of guitar construction techniques are put to good use… a significant, commendable addition to the guitar literature in a very broad-ranging book on a very important string instrument."George Bissinger, East Carolina University, EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES (May-June 2009)“French discusses whether the math models are … sufficient to capture the features of acoustic responses that are highly correlated with good sound quality. In conclusion … this book will help luthiers at all levels think more clearly about how to successfully manufacture guitars of high sound quality. The book … particularly valuable to students of guitar construction and repair. For the rest of us, this book makes interesting reading.” (Leo Beranek, International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration, Vol. 14 (2), 2009)“Why do guitars sound like they do, and how do you set about making one? These are central questions addressed … in this attractive new book. … The book is well written, and generously illustrated with interesting … graphs. … a unique and special addition to the literature, and it deserves to be widely read. For anyone contemplating construction of a guitar it will surely be indispensible. Physicists and engineers with musical inclinations, as well as guitar players … are likely to be fascinated.” (Peter V. E. McClintock, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 51 (6), 2010)Table of ContentsHistory of the Guitar.- Acoustics and Musical Theory.- Structure of the Guitar.- Dynamic Behavior.- Analytical Models.- Manufacturing Processes.- Sound Quality.- Guitar Electronics.- Unique Characteristics.

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Book SynopsisThis third edition of the classic textbook in Optimization has been fully revised and updated. The book connects the purely analytical character of an optimization problem, and the behavior of algorithms used to solve it. Now, the third edition has been completely updated with recent Optimization Methods.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the third edition:“The aim of this book is to present the central concepts of optimization techniques. … the material in this new edition is organized into three separate parts. … this very well-written book is a classic textbook in Optimization. It should be present in the bookcase of each student, researcher, and specialist from the host of disciplines from which practical optimization applications are drawn.” (Jean-Jacques Strodiot, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1207, 2011)Table of ContentsLinear Programming.- Basic Properties of Linear Programs.- The Simplex Method.- Duality.- Interior-Point Methods.- Transportation and Network Flow Problems.- Unconstrained Problems.- Basic Properties of Solutions and Algorithms.- Basic Descent Methods.- Conjugate Direction Methods.- Quasi-Newton Methods.- Constrained Minimization.- Constrained Minimization Conditions.- Primal Methods.- Penalty and Barrier Methods.- Dual and Cutting Plane Methods.- Primal-Dual Methods.

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Book SynopsisThe new edition also includes an extensive collection of questions for the student, providing approximately 800 self-assessment questions and over 400 questions suitable for homework assignment.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the second edition:“This book is intended to be used as a textbook for material science students studying the theory, operation, and application of the TEM. It is truly a book so thoughtfully written that … it will provide a solid foundation for those studying material science. It is richly illustrated with full-color figures and illustrations throughout the text. … There are an abundant number of references at the end of each chapter for further study … . This is an outstanding book … .” (IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, Vol. 26 (4), July/August, 2010)“D.B. Williams and C.B. Carter have now prepared a new edition, splendidly produced by Springer with colour throughout. … This textbook is magnificent, written in a very readable style, immensely knowledgeable, drawing attention to difficulties and occasionally to unsolved problems. Any microscopist who has mastered … the book relevant to his projects will be well armed for battle. … Buy this book!” (P. W. Hawkes, Ultramicroscopy, Vol. 110, 2010)Table of ContentsBasics.- The Transmission Electron Microscope.- Scattering and Diffraction.- Elastic Scattering.- Inelastic Scattering and Beam Damage.- Electron Sources.- Lenses, Apertures, and Resolution.- How to ‘See’ Electrons.- Pumps and Holders.- The Instrument.- Specimen Preparation.- Diffraction.- Diffraction in TEM.- Thinking in Reciprocal Space.- Diffracted Beams.- Bloch Waves.- Dispersion Surfaces.- Diffraction from Crystals.- Diffraction from Small Volumes.- Obtaining and Indexing Parallel-Beam Diffraction Patterns.- Kikuchi Diffraction.- Obtaining CBED Patterns.- Using Convergent-Beam Techniques.- Imaging.- Amplitude Contrast.- Phase-Contrast Images.- Thickness and Bending Effects.- Planar Defects.- Imaging Strain Fields.- Weak-Beam Dark-Field Microscopy.- High-Resolution TEM.- Other Imaging Techniques.- Image Simulation.- Processing and Quantifying Images.- Spectrometry.- X-ray Spectrometry.- X-ray Spectra and Images.- Qualitative X-ray Analysis and Imaging.- Quantitative X-ray Analysis.- Spatial Resolution and Minimum Detection.- Electron Energy-Loss Spectrometers and Filters.- Low-Loss and No-Loss Spectra and Images.- High Energy-Loss Spectra and Images.- Fine Structure and Finer Details.

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Book SynopsisAcoustic Signals and Systems.- Signals and Systems.- Acoustic Data Acquisition.- Spectral Analysis and Correlation.- The FFT and Tone Identification.- Measuring Transfer-Functions and Impulse Responses.- Digital Sequences.- Filters.- Adaptive Processing.- Beamforming and Wavenumber Processing.- Auditory System and Hearing.- Anatomy, Physiology and Function of the Auditory System.- Physiological Measures of Auditory Function.- Auditory Processing Models.- Speech Intelligibility.- Signal Processing in Hearing Aids.- Psychoacoustics.- Methods for Psychoacoustics in Relation to Long-Term Sounds.- Masking and Critical Bands.- Aspects of Modeling Pitch Perception.- Calculation of Loudness for Normal and Hearing-Impaired Listeners.- Psychoacoustical Roughness.- Musical Acoustics.- Automatic Music Transcription.- Music Structure Analysis from Acoustic Signals.- Computer Music Synthesis and Composition.- Singing Voice Analysis, Synthesis, and Modeling.- Instrument Modeling and Synthesis.- DigitTrade ReviewFrom the reviews:“The ‘Handbook of Signal Processing in Acoustics’ provides an excellent reference for practicing acousticians and engineers. … encompasses essential background material, technical details, standards, and practical tips. It is aimed to a public with some knowledge of signal processing, and it is meant to be used as a reference. … Signal processing techniques which find major application in different areas of acoustics are well presented from different perspectives … . this compendium is an excellent reference for engineers and professionals working in acoustics.” (Joaquin E. Moran, Noise Control Engineering Journal, Vol. 58 (6), November-December, 2010)Table of Contents1. Acoustical oceanography Models for Propagation Codes Transducer Arrays: structure, data acquisition, signal generation, calibration Sonar MFP Tomography Other Inverse Techniques Signal and Noise Characteristics 2. Active Noise Control Principles of adaptive techniques Plant modeling Sound/vibration field sensing Actuator characteristics and requirements Performance limitations Multi-channel systems Performance and complexity 3. Animal bioacoustics Recording and monitoring systems Models of echolocation Hearing performance and modelling Characteristics of calls Stimuli generation Locating and tracking Archives and Databases of signals 4. Architectural acoustics Room models Measurement of transmissions, absorption, reverberation, etc. Sound fields (definitions, criteria, measurement, typical values) MLS and other coded signals Auralization: Modelling techniques, listening modes, processing requirements, existing systems, performace Artificial reverberation Sound reinforcement Acoustic privacy 5. Audio engineering Transducer modeling Loudspeaker performance characteristics Audio recording and playback formats Audio-visual interaction ADC, DAC, and Codec technologies Multi-channel sound and Virtual audio Restoration Digital audio editing Effects generation 6. Auditory System, Hearing Modeling of hearing Thresholds and Masking Frequency and level discrimination Binaural hearing and spatialization HRTF HATS and other physical models Hearing aids Auditory illusions 7. Education in acoustics 8. Electroacoustics Microphone types and their characteristics Vibration sensors and their characteristics Acoustic actuators and their characteristics Smart sensors and actuators 9. Engineering acoustics 10. Infrasonics Background noise and source signals Sensors and their characteristics Propagation models Event detection Data archiving Source identification 11. Musical Acoustics Computer music synthesis and composition Computer music recognition and analysis Singing voice analysis, synthesis, and processing Instrument measurement, modeling and synthesis Coding and compression of music 12. Noise Noise source modeling Acoustic holography Atmospheric sound propagation Source localization Noise evaluation and Annoyance thresholds 13. Non-linear acoustics Propagation equations and codes Example non-linear systems Parametric array Measurement methods Detection of non-linearities 14. Psychoacoustics Perceptual models Cochlear implants Auditory alarms 15. Seismology Seismic Coda Acoustic Profiling Propagation modes and properties for modeling Seismo-acoustic coupling 16. Speech Characteristics of speech as signals Synthesis Recognition Intelligibility and quality metrics Corpus for tests Coding and compression Display and analysis 17. Strutural acoustics and vibration BEM, FEM, EA, etc. Actuator design and deployment Propagation and radiation Machine diagnostics and prognosis Modeling, measuring and analyzing shock Materials testing 18. Telecomm POTS Wideband Echo supression Hearing aids Handset, Headset, and Wireless standards Systems for handicapped users 19. Ultrasonics

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