Search results for ""Springer International Publishing AG""

Imagine mathematics, imagine with the help of mathematics, imagine new worlds, new geometries, new forms. Imagine building mathematical models that make it possible to manage our world better, imagine combining music, art, poetry, literature, architecture and cinema with mathematics. Imagine the unpredictable and sometimes counterintuitive applications of mathematics in all areas of human endeavour. Imagination and mathematics, imagination and culture, culture and mathematics.This sixth volume in the series begins with a homage to the architect Zaha Hadid, who died on March 31st, 2016, a few weeks before the opening of a large exhibition of her works in Palazzo Franchetti in Venice, where all the Mathematics and Culture conferences have taken place in the last years. A large section of the book is dedicated to literature, narrative and mathematics including a contribution from Simon Singh. It discusses the role of media in mathematics, including museums of science, journals and movies. Mathematics and applications, including blood circulation and preventing crimes using earthquakes, is also addressed, while a section on mathematics and art examines the role of math in design. A large selection presents photos of mathematicians and mathematical objects by Vincent Moncorge. Discussing all topics in a way that is rigorous but captivating, detailed but full of evocations, it offers an all-embracing look at the world of mathematics and culture.

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This unique collection of new and classical problems provides full coverage of algebraic inequalities. Many of the exercises are presented with detailed author-prepared-solutions, developing creativity and an arsenal of new approaches for solving mathematical problems. Algebraic Inequalities can be considered a continuation of the book Geometric Inequalities: Methods of Proving by the authors. This book can serve teachers, high-school students, and mathematical competitors. It may also be used as supplemental reading, providing readers with new and classical methods for proving algebraic inequalities.

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Rove beetles (Staphylinidae) are common elements of the soil biota, living in the litter and deeper soil layers. Although they are one of the most diverse and speciose groups of insects, no comprehensive books on their general evolution and ecology are as yet available. This book fills that gap, discussing significant aspects and active research examples in the fields of phylogeny and systematics, ecology and conservation, and reproduction and development. The combination of review chapters and case studies provides an excellent introduction to the biology of rove beetles and enables readers to become familiar with active research fields in this megadiverse group of beetles. Offering easy access to these fields, it also demonstrates how staphylinids are used as bioindicators in applied ecosystem research, including that concerning conservation issues. Experienced scientists and beginners alike find the diversity of subjects covered intriguing and inspiring for continuing and starting their own research. The book is intended for students and researchers in biology and zoology (entomology), including morphologists, ecologists, soil scientists, evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, biogeographers, taxonomists and systematists.

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This open access book provides insight into the implementation of Life Cycle approaches along the entire business value chain, supporting environmental, social and economic sustainability related to the development of industrial technologies, products, services and policies; and the development and management of smart agricultural systems, smart mobility systems, urban infrastructures and energy for the built environment. The book is based on papers presented at the 8th International Life Cycle Management Conference that took place from September 3-6, 2017 in Luxembourg, and which was organized by the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and the University of Luxembourg in the framework of the LCM Conference Series.

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The Auditory System at the Cocktail Party is a rather whimsical title that points to the very serious challenge faced by listeners in most everyday environments: how to hear out sounds of interest amid a cacophony of competing sounds. The volume presents the mechanisms for bottom-up object formation and top-down object selection that the auditory system employs to meet that challenge. Ear and Brain Mechanisms for Parsing the Auditory Scene by John C. Middlebrooks and Jonathan Z. Simon Auditory Object Formation and Selection by Barbara Shinn-Cunningham, Virginia Best, and Adrian K. C. Lee Energetic Masking and Masking Release by John F. Culling and Michael A. Stone Informational Masking in Speech Recognition by Gerald Kidd, Jr. and H. Steven Colburn Modeling the Cocktail Party Problem by Mounya Elhilali Spatial Stream Segregation by John C. Middlebrooks Human Auditory Neuroscience and the Cocktail Party Problem by Jonathan Z. Simon Infants and Children at the Cocktail Party by Lynne Werner Older Adults at the Cocktail Party by M. Kathleen Pichora-Fuller, Claude Alain, and Bruce A. Schneider Hearing with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids in Complex Auditory Scenes by Ruth Y. Litovsky, Matthew J. Goupell, Sara M. Misurelli, and Alan Kan About the Editors: John C. Middlebrooks is a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of California, Irvine, with affiliate appointments in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, the Department of Cognitive Sciences, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Jonathan Z. Simon is a Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, with joint appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Biology, and the Institute for Systems Research. Arthur N. Popper is Professor Emeritus and Research Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Richard R. Fay is Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at Loyola University, Chicago. About the Series: The Springer Handbook of Auditory Research presents a series of synthetic reviews of fundamental topics dealing with auditory systems. Each volume is independent and authoritative; taken as a set, this series is the definitive resource in the field.

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This book comprehensively covers the topic of recommender systems, which provide personalized recommendations of products or services to users based on their previous searches or purchases. Recommender system methods have been adapted to diverse applications including query log mining, social networking, news recommendations, and computational advertising. This book synthesizes both fundamental and advanced topics of a research area that has now reached maturity. The chapters of this book are organized into three categories: Algorithms and evaluation: These chapters discuss the fundamental algorithms in recommender systems, including collaborative filtering methods, content-based methods, knowledge-based methods, ensemble-based methods, and evaluation. Recommendations in specific domains and contexts: the context of a recommendation can be viewed as important side information that affects the recommendation goals. Different types of context such as temporal data, spatial data, social data, tagging data, and trustworthiness are explored. Advanced topics and applications: Various robustness aspects of recommender systems, such as shilling systems, attack models, and their defenses are discussed. In addition, recent topics, such as learning to rank, multi-armed bandits, group systems, multi-criteria systems, and active learning systems, are introduced together with applications. Although this book primarily serves as a textbook, it will also appeal to industrial practitioners and researchers due to its focus on applications and references. Numerous examples and exercises have been provided, and a solution manual is available for instructors.

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The focus of the present volume is stochastic optimization of dynamical systems in discrete time where - by concentrating on the role of information regarding optimization problems - it discusses the related discretization issues. There is a growing need to tackle uncertainty in applications of optimization. For example the massive introduction of renewable energies in power systems challenges traditional ways to manage them. This book lays out basic and advanced tools to handle and numerically solve such problems and thereby is building a bridge between Stochastic Programming and Stochastic Control. It is intended for graduates readers and scholars in optimization or stochastic control, as well as engineers with a background in applied mathematics.

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This book is written by a high-skilled specialist with huge experience in diagnosis, therapy and surgery for urogenital tuberculosis UGTB is the second most common form of TB in countries with a severe epidemic situation and the third most common form in regions with low incidence of TB. With patients living in the region of a high TB incidence rate or patients who had contact with TB or suffer from recurrent course of the disease, all urogenital tract infections should be tested for UGTB. Patients with tuberculosis, including UGTB need long multi-drug chemotherapy, and compliance depends on the drug tolerance. Anti-TB therapy for kidney TB was complicated by adverse effects in 41.0%. This book discovers ways of minimizing side effects and presents optimal regimens and surgical techniques for UGTB patients.

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This manual is a condensed and didactic "how to" book, demonstrating surgical procedures in a step by step manner. It is fully comprehensive and highly illustrated (in colour, using mostly operative photographs), restricted solely to the surgical management of maxillofacial trauma, but includes most of the surfical approaches and methods of repair for all maxillofacial injuries. By including all surgical procedures (in trauma) this manual will make a useful and portable accompaniment to the Atlas of Operative Maxillofacial Trauma Surgery. It will be a good resource for all trainees, not only in maxillofacial surgery, but also in other related specialties.

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Freshwater and Marine Ecology is an introduction to the field of aquatic ecology, integrating the conceptually and methodologically widely overlapping fields of limnology and biological oceanography. It is structured like most textbooks of general ecology, leading from more elemental entities (individuals having to cope with their environment) to increasingly overarching entities, from populations over communities and ecosystems to the biogeochemistry of the entire planet and, finally, an overview over the major human impacts on the aquatic components of the earth system. The book provides examples for all major theoretical concepts of general ecology while the usual ecology textbooks have a strong terrestrial bias and rely only on few aquatic examples. This book takes the contrasting approach, motivated by the fact the fact that life originated from aquatic systems and that surface waters cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. The choice of studies used as examples in Freshwater and Marine Ecology provides a balanced mix of freshwater and marine studies, of field observations, experimental and modeling studies. The readers are confronted with very recent work leading to the forefront of contemporaneous research but also with classic studies which laid the foundations of theory development in the field. Freshwater and Marine Ecology is a comprehensive text ideally serving for undergraduate courses in biological oceanography, limnology, and ecology, but also for advanced students, teachers and scientists who had limited exposure to aquatic sciences and/or ecology during their studies.

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This open access book provides insight on how the tactical urbanism has the capacity to influence change in mobility practices such as cycling. COVID-19 crisis prompted the public authorities to rethink the use of public space in order to develop means of transport that are both efficient and adapted to the health context and their effects on cycling practices in Europe, North, and South America. Its contributors collectively reveal and evidence through policies analysis, mapping, and innovative qualitative analysis bridging video and interviews, how those new infrastructures and policies can be a trigger for change in a context of mobility transition.This book provides an important element on the way local authorities can act in a quicker and more agile way. While some decisions are specific to the context of the beginning of the pandemic, the analysis offers lessons on the way to implement the transition toward a low-carbon mobility, on the importance of processes based on trials and errors, on the political stakes of reallocating road space.

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Horticulture has remained far behind in understanding of botanical principles. Recent phylogenetic (DNA-based) reorganization of higher plants has revolutionized taxonomic treatments of all biological entities, even when morphology does not completely agree with their organization. This book is an example of applying principals of botanical phylogenetic taxonomy to assemble genera, species, and cultivars of 200 vascular plant families of ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms that are cultivated for enhancement of human living space; homes, gardens, and parks. The emphases are on cultivated species but examples of some plants are often shown in the wild and in landscapes. In providing descriptions, it is assumed that students and other interested individuals have no background in general botany (plant characteristics), or nomenclature. Fundamental features of all plant groups discussed are fully illustrated by original watercolor drawings or photographs. Discussion of the families is grounded on recent botanical phylogenetic treatments, which is based on common ancestry (monophyly). Of course, phylogenetic taxonomy is not a new concept, and was originally based on morphological characteristics; it is the DNA-based phylogeny that has revolutionized modern biological classifications. In practical terms, this book represents the horticultural treatment that corresponds to phylogenetic-based botanical taxonomy, to which is added cultigens and cultivated genera and species. Hence, the harmony between horticultural and botanical taxonomy. This book covers phylogenetic-based taxonomy of Angiosperms (Eudicots). A companion volume covers Ferns, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms (Monocots).

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This text provides a comprehensive review and expertise on various interventional cancer pain procedures. The first part of the text addresses the lack of consistency seen in the literature regarding interventional treatment options for specific cancer pain syndromes. Initially, it discusses primary cancer and treatment-related cancer pain syndromes that physicians may encounter when managing cancer patients. The implementation of paradigms that can be used in treating specific groups of cancer such as breast cancer, follows. The remainder of the text delves into a more common approach to addressing interventional cancer pain medicine. After discussing interventional options that are commonly employed by physicians, the text investigates how surgeons may address some of the more severe pain syndromes, and covers the most important interventional available for our patients, intrathecal drug delivery. Chapters also cover radiologic options in targeted neurolysis and ablative techniques, specifically for bone metastasis, rehabilitation to address patients’ quality of life and function, and integrative and psychological therapies. Essentials of Interventional Cancer Pain Management globally assesses and addresses patients’ needs throughout the cancer journey. Written by experts in the field, and packed with copious tables, figures, and flow charts, this book is a must-have for pain physicians, residents, and fellows.

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This book consists of eleven new essays that provide new insights into classical and contemporary issues surrounding free will and human agency. They investigate topics such as the nature of practical knowledge and its role in intentional action; mental content and explanations of action; recent arguments for libertarianism; the situationist challenge to free will; freedom and a theory of narrative configuration; the moral responsibility of the psychopath; and free will and the indeterminism of quantum mechanics. Also tackling some historical precursors of contemporary debates, taken together these essays demonstrate the need for an approach that recognizes the multifaceted nature of free will. This book provides essential reading for anyone interested in the current scholarship on free will.

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Marketing text: This book covers the overlap between informatics, computer science, philosophy of causation, and causal inference in epidemiology and population health research. Key concepts covered include how data are generated and interpreted, and how and why concepts in health informatics and the philosophy of science should be integrated in a systems-thinking approach. Furthermore, a formal epistemology for the health sciences and public health is suggested. Causation in Population Health Informatics and Data Science provides a detailed guide of the latest thinking on causal inference in population health informatics. It is therefore a critical resource for all informaticians and epidemiologists interested in the potential benefits of utilising a systems-based approach to causal inference in health informatics.

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Adult neuropsychiatry is now a well-established field with numerous reputable references. Practitioners who work with children routinely note how references and practitioners knowledgeable in the equivalent work in the pediatric world are rare. Child psychiatrists and neurologists frequently work with individuals struggling with these conditions and would strongly benefit from such a reference that incorporates medical work-up, psychopharmacological recommendations, family/support recommendations and theoretical pathophysiology. Pediatricians and developmental pediatricians often treat children with behavioral and neuropsychiatric sequelae, but are not well-trained in the neuropsychiatric management of these cases. Neuropsychologists and educational psychologists working with children and adults with pediatric-onset conditions will also find the text helpful to contextualize their cases, better-understand the medical evaluation and management and perhaps adjust recommendations that would supplement their own testing methods. Finally, sub-specialists in adult neurology, psychiatry and neuropsychiatry often find themselves working with these children by default as there are few pediatric subspecialists who are available to accept them into practice. When facing complex neuropsychiatric illness in children, many clinicians are stymied because they may have “never seen a case like that”. This text fills the wide gap that currently exists and helps move this field forward. The approach utilized in adult neuropsychiatry that is both clear and accessible does not yet have an equivalent in the pediatric realm, but there is tremendous interest in its development. Children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric conditions are very common and they and their caregivers often struggle to find professionals well educated in this field. Ultimately, a wide range of clinicians will find this text to be a very helpful resource for diagnosis and management in the spectrum of pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions. The case-based approach is also unique with respect to neuropsychiatric approaches, and the clear cut, reader-friendly approach of such a format would likely be well-received among physicians looking for a resource on this issue.

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This book presents two new decomposition methods to decompose a time series in intrinsic components of low and high frequencies. The methods are based on Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of a Hankel matrix (HSVD). The proposed decomposition is used to improve the accuracy of linear and nonlinear auto-regressive models. Linear Auto-regressive models (AR, ARMA and ARIMA) and Auto-regressive Neural Networks (ANNs) have been found insufficient because of the highly complicated nature of some time series. Hybrid models are a recent solution to deal with non-stationary processes which combine pre-processing techniques with conventional forecasters, some pre-processing techniques broadly implemented are Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and Stationary Wavelet Transform (SWT). Although the flexibility of SSA and SWT allows their usage in a wide range of forecast problems, there is a lack of standard methods to select their parameters. The proposed decomposition HSVD and Multilevel SVD are described in detail through time series coming from the transport and fishery sectors. Further, for comparison purposes, it is evaluated the forecast accuracy reached by SSA and SWT, both jointly with AR-based models and ANNs.

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This handbook provides comprehensive treatment of the current state of glass science from the leading experts in the field. Opening with an enlightening contribution on the history of glass, the volume is then divided into eight parts. The first part covers fundamental properties, from the current understanding of the thermodynamics of the amorphous state, kinetics, and linear and nonlinear optical properties through colors, photosensitivity, and chemical durability. The second part provides dedicated chapters on each individual glass type, covering traditional systems like silicates and other oxide systems, as well as novel hybrid amorphous materials and spin glasses. The third part features detailed descriptions of modern characterization techniques for understanding this complex state of matter. The fourth part covers modeling, from first-principles calculations through molecular dynamics simulations, and statistical modeling. The fifth part presents a range of laboratory and industrial glass processing methods. The remaining parts cover a wide and representative range of applications areas from optics and photonics through environment, energy, architecture, and sensing. Written by the leading international experts in the field, the Springer Handbook of Glass represents an invaluable resource for graduate students through academic and industry researchers working in photonics, optoelectronics, materials science, energy, architecture, and more.

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This textbook is a product of William Bennett’s work in developing and teaching a course on the physics of music at Yale University to a diverse audience of musicians and science students in the same class. The book is a culmination of over a decade of teaching the course and weaves together historical descriptions of the physical phenomena with the author’s clear interpretations of the most important aspects of the science of music and musical instruments. Many of the historical examples are not found in any other textbook available on the market. As the co-inventor of the Helium-Neon laser, Prof. Bennett’s knowledge of physics was world-class. As a professor at one of the most prestigious liberal-arts universities in the world, his appreciation for culture and humanities shines through. The book covers the basics of oscillations, waves and the analysis techniques necessary for understanding how musical instruments work. All types of stringed instruments, pipe organs, and the human voice are covered in this volume. A second volume covers the remaining families of musical instruments as well as selected other topics. Readers without a background in acoustics will enjoy learning the physics of the Science of Musical Sound from a preeminent scientist of the 20th century. Those well versed in acoustics will discover wonderful illustrations and photographs depicting familiar concepts in new and enlightening ways.

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This book provides a richly interdisciplinary assessment of the thought and work of Bryan Norton, one of most innovative and influential environmental philosophers of the past thirty years. In landmark works such as Toward Unity Among Environmentalists and Sustainability: A Philosophy of Adaptive Ecosystem Management, Norton charted a new and highly productive course for an applied environmental philosophy, one fully engaged with the natural and social sciences as well as the management professions. A Sustainable Philosophy gathers together a distinguished group of scholars and professionals from a wide array of fields (including environmental philosophy, natural resource management, environmental economics, law, and public policy) to engage Norton’s work and its legacy for our shared environmental future. A study in the power of intellectual legacy and the real-world influence of philosophy, the book will be of great interest scholars and students in environmental philosophy, public policy and management, and environmental and sustainability studies. By considering the value and impact of Norton’s body of work it will also chart a course for the next generation of pragmatic environmental philosophers and sustainability scholars grappling with questions of environmental value, knowledge, and practice in a rapidly changing world.

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This book is intended as a definitive, state of the art guide to robotic surgery that summarizes the field for surgeons at all levels. More specifically, its goals are threefold: to review the basics of robotic surgery, including fundamental principles, technology, operating room setup, and workflow; to describe and illustrate the procedures most commonly performed in a robotic operating room; and to discuss key issues relating to cost, adoption, and training. Procedures from many surgical disciplines are included, which will aid robotic surgeons in supervising and assisting colleagues in these disciplines and simultaneously heighten their awareness of the tricks and tools used in other disciplines that can be retasked for their own purposes. In addition, the future prospects for robotic surgery, including anticipated developments in equipment, are discussed. The Textbook and Atlas of Robotic Surgery will be an excellent aid for residents and fellows entering the field, as well as a welcome update on recent progress for practicing robotic surgeons and an ideal primer for senior surgeons adapting these new technologies to their current practice.

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Building on the successful first and second volumes, this book is the third volume of the Springer book on the Robot Operating System (ROS): The Complete Reference. The Robot Operating System is evolving from year to year with a wealth of new contributed packages and enhanced capabilities. Further, the ROS is being integrated into various robots and systems and is becoming an embedded technology in emerging robotics platforms. The objective of this third volume is to provide readers with additional and comprehensive coverage of the ROS and an overview of the latest achievements, trends and packages developed with and for it. Combining tutorials, case studies, and research papers, the book consists of sixteen chapters and is divided into five parts. Part 1 presents multi-robot systems with the ROS. In Part 2, four chapters deal with the development of unmanned aerial systems and their applications. In turn, Part 3 highlights recent work related to navigation, motion planning and control. Part 4 discusses recently contributed ROS packages for security, ROS2, GPU usage, and real-time processing. Lastly, Part 5 deals with new interfaces allowing users to interact with robots. Taken together, the three volumes of this book offer a valuable reference guide for ROS users, researchers, learners and developers alike. Its breadth of coverage makes it a unique resource.

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The second of two volumes, this edited proceedings book features research presented at the XVI International Conference on Hyperbolic Problems held in Aachen, Germany in summer 2016. It focuses on the theoretical, applied, and computational aspects of hyperbolic partial differential equations (systems of hyperbolic conservation laws, wave equations, etc.) and of related mathematical models (PDEs of mixed type, kinetic equations, nonlocal or/and discrete models) found in the field of applied sciences.

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More than perhaps any other genre, crime fiction invites debate over the role of popular fiction in English studies. This book offers lively original essays on teaching crime fiction written by experienced British and international scholar teachers, providing vital insight into this diverse genre through a series of compelling subjects. Taking its starting-point in pedagogical reflections and classroom experiences, the book explores methods for teaching students to develop their own critical perspectives as crime fiction critics, the impact of feminism, postcolonialism, and ecocriticism on crime fiction, crime fiction and film, the crime short story, postgraduate perspectives, and more.

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This easy-to-understand textbook presents a modern approach to learning numerical methods (or scientific computing), with a unique focus on the modeling and applications of the mathematical content. Emphasis is placed on the need for, and methods of, scientific computing for a range of different types of problems, supplying the evidence and justification to motivate the reader. Practical guidance on coding the methods is also provided, through simple-to-follow examples using Python.Topics and features: provides an accessible and applications-oriented approach, supported by working Python code for many of the methods; encourages both problem- and project-based learning through extensive examples, exercises, and projects drawn from practical applications; introduces the main concepts in modeling, python programming, number representation, and errors; explains the essential details of numerical calculus, linear, and nonlinear equations, including the multivariable Newton method; discusses interpolation and the numerical solution of differential equations, covering polynomial interpolation, splines, and the Euler, Runge–Kutta, and shooting methods; presents largely self-contained chapters, arranged in a logical order suitable for an introductory course on scientific computing.Undergraduate students embarking on a first course on numerical methods or scientific computing will find this textbook to be an invaluable guide to the field, and to the application of these methods across such varied disciplines as computer science, engineering, mathematics, economics, the physical sciences, and social science.

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This textbook integrates the classic fields of mechanics—statics, dynamics, and strength of materials—using examples from biology and medicine. The book is excellent for teaching either undergraduates in biomedical engineering programs or health care professionals studying biomechanics at the graduate level. Extensively revised from a successful third edition, Fundamentals of Biomechanics features a wealth of clear illustrations, numerous worked examples, and many problem sets. The book provides the quantitative perspective missing from more descriptive texts, without requiring an advanced background in mathematics. It will be welcomed for use in courses such as biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation and industrial engineering, and occupational or sports medicine.This book: Introduces the fundamental concepts, principles, and methods that must be understood to begin the study of biomechanics Reinforces basic principles of biomechanics with repetitive exercises in class and homework assignments given throughout the textbook Includes over 100 new problem sets with solutions and illustrations

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This book provides an interdisciplinary account of how technological advances – mainly in the domains of energy and transportation – contribute to the transformation towards a more sustainable economic system. Drawing on methods from engineering, the management sciences and economics, which it combines in the framework of a systems sciences approach, the book presents qualitative and quantitative studies on government regulation, resources management and firms' strategy. Topics covered include the state-market dilemma of government CO2 emission targets, implications of the electrification of the economy, incentives and coercion in government transport policies, and innovations in the electric vehicle industry.

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In the light of better and more detailed administrative databases, this open access book provides statistical tools for evaluating the effects of public policies advocated by governments and public institutions. Experts from academia, national statistics offices and various research centers present modern econometric methods for an efficient data-driven policy evaluation and monitoring, assess the causal effects of policy measures and report on best practices of successful data management and usage. Topics include data confidentiality, data linkage, and national practices in policy areas such as public health, education and employment. It offers scholars as well as practitioners from public administrations, consultancy firms and nongovernmental organizations insights into counterfactual impact evaluation methods and the potential of data-based policy and program evaluation.

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Prepared under the auspices of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), this first volume provides a comprehensive overview of the rapidly emerging field of advanced nursing practice. It addresses central issues in the role and practice development that are fundamental to defining and differentiating the nature of this field. Topics include defining the role, role characteristics, scope of practice, education, regulation and research. Obstacles to and facilitators of that role are addressed and include ethical questions arising in the context of practice development. With an international focus, this volume examines international developments in the field, as reflected in country-specific case studies and examples. It offers a valuable resource for advanced practice nurses, educators and administrators at healthcare institutions.

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This edition of the SAGES Manual of Hernia Surgery aligns with the current version of the new SAGES University MASTERS Program Hernia Surgery pathway. This manual serves as a curriculum for participants in the MASTERS Program as well as a modern text on hernia surgery for all learners. Hernia surgery is one of the fastest developing fields in general surgery today. There have been rapid advancements in hernia techniques in recent years, making most prior texts on the subject obsolete. These advancements involve significant evolution in both the techniques and strategies for hernia repairs, as well as the tools used to achieve these means. This text thoroughly addresses the multiple component separation techniques and options for locations of mesh repairs. It also discusses the revolution of hernia repair being facilitated by robotic surgery, which allows increased access to minimally invasive techniques for surgeons and thus increased access to minimally invasive surgical repairs for patients. This manual will be a valuable resource for interested surgeons to understand the variety of potential approaches to individual hernias, and to individually tailor the care of the hernia patient.

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This book offers new transparent views and step-by-step methods for performance evaluation of a set of units using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The book has twelve practical chapters. Elementary concepts and definitions are gradually built in Chapters 1-6 based upon four examples of one input and one output factors, two input factors, two output factors, and four input and three output factors. Simultaneously, the mathematical foundations using linear programming are also introduced without any prerequisites. A reader with basic knowledge of mathematics and computers is able to understand the contents of the book. In addition, to prevent pre-judgment about the available concepts and definitions in the DEA literature, some new phrases are introduced and, after elucidating each phrase in detail in Chapters 1-6, they are reintroduced for industry-wide accuracy in Chapter 7. After that, some of the more advanced DEA topics are illustrated in Chapters 8-12, such as: production-planning problems, output-input ratio analysis, efficiency over different time periods, Malmquist efficiency indexes, and a delta neighborhood model.A clear overview of many of the elementary and advanced concepts of DEA is provided, including Technical Efficiency, Relative Efficiency, Cost/Revenue/Profit Efficiency, Price/Overall Efficiency, the DEA axioms, the mathematical background to measure technical efficiency and overall efficiency, the multiplier/envelopment form of basic DEA models in input/output-orientation, the multiplier/envelopment of Additive DEA model, the multiplier/envelopment of slacks-based models, and others. The book also covers a variety of DEA techniques, input-output ratio analysis, the natural relationships between DEA frontier and the ratio of output to input factors, production-planning problems, planning ideas with a centralized decision-making unit, context-dependent DEA, Malmquist efficiency index, efficiency over different time periods, and others. End-of-chapter exercises are provided for each chapter.

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The theme of this book is the documentarian—what the documentarian is and how we can understand it as a concept. Working from the premise that the documentarian is a special—extended—sign, the book develops a model of a quadruple sign structure for-and-of the documentarian, growing out of enduring traditions in philosophy, semiotics, psychoanalysis, and documentary theory. Dan Geva investigates the intellectual premise that allows the documentarian to show itself as an extremely sophisticated, creative, and purposeful being-in-the-world—one that is both embedded in its own history and able to manifest itself throughout its entire documentary life project, as a stand-alone conceptual phase in the history of ideas.

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This new book offers a fresh approach to matrix and linear algebra by providing a balanced blend of applications, theory, and computation, while highlighting their interdependence. Intended for a one-semester course, Applied Linear Algebra and Matrix Analysis places special emphasis on linear algebra as an experimental science, with numerous examples, computer exercises, and projects. While the flavor is heavily computational and experimental, the text is independent of specific hardware or software platforms. Throughout the book, significant motivating examples are woven into the text, and each section ends with a set of exercises.

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For 50 years, Star Trek has been an inspiration to its fans around the world, helping them to dream of a better future. This inspiration has entered our culture and helped to shape much of the technology of the early 21st Century.The contributors to this volume are researchers and teachers in a wide variety of disciplines; from Astrophysics to Ethnology, from English and History to Medicine and Video Games, and from American Studies to the study of Collective Computing Systems. What the authors have in common is that some version of Star Trek has inspired them, not only in their dreams of what may be, but in the ways in which they work - and teach others to work - here in the real world. Introduced with references to Star Trek films and television shows, and illustrated with original cartoons, each of the 15 chapters included in this volume provides insights into research and teaching in this range of academic fields.

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This text provides essential modeling skills and methodology for the study of infectious diseases through a one-semester modeling course or directed individual studies. The book includes mathematical descriptions of epidemiological concepts, and uses classic epidemic models to introduce different mathematical methods in model analysis. Matlab codes are also included for numerical implementations. It is primarily written for upper undergraduate and beginning graduate students in mathematical sciences who have an interest in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases. Although written in a rigorous mathematical manner, the style is not unfriendly to non-mathematicians.

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This accessible and engaging textbook/guide provides a concise introduction to data structures and associated algorithms. Emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of data structures, enabling the reader to quickly learn the key concepts, and providing a strong foundation for later studies of more complex topics. The coverage includes discussions on stacks, queues, lists, (using both arrays and links), sorting, and elementary binary trees, heaps, and hashing. This content is also a natural continuation from the material provided in the separate Springer title Guide to Java by the same authors.Topics and features: reviews the preliminary concepts, and introduces stacks and queues using arrays, along with a discussion of array-based lists; examines linked lists, the implementation of stacks and queues using references, binary trees, a range of varied sorting techniques, heaps, and hashing; presents both primitive and generic data types in each chapter, and makes use of contour diagrams to illustrate object-oriented concepts; includes chapter summaries, and asks the reader questions to help them interact with the material; contains numerous examples and illustrations, and one or more complete program in every chapter; provides exercises at the end of each chapter, as well as solutions to selected exercises, and a glossary of important terms.This clearly-written work is an ideal classroom text for a second semester course in programming using the Java programming language, in preparation for a subsequent advanced course in data structures and algorithms. The book is also eminently suitable as a self-study guide in either academe or industry.

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The book represents an earthquake in genocide studies, particularly in the field of Armenian Genocide research. A unique feature of the Armenian Genocide has been the long-standing efforts of successive Turkish governments to deny its historicity and to hide the documentary evidencesurrounding it. This book provides a major clarification of the often blurred lines between facts and truth in regard to these events. The authenticity of the killing orders signed by Ottoman Interior Minister Talat Pasha and the memoirs of the Ottoman bureaucrat Naim Efendi have been two of the most contested topics in this regard. The denialist school has long argued that these documents and memoirs were all forgeries, produced by Armenians to further their claims. Taner Akçam provides the evidence to refute the basis of these claims and demonstrates clearly why the documents can be trusted as authentic, revealing the genocidal intent of the Ottoman-Turkish government towards its Armenian population. As such, this work removes a cornerstone from the denialist edifice, and further establishes the historicity of the Armenian Genocide.

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The second edition of this well-received book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date description of the diagnosis and management of dysphagia, including oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal dysfunction. All aspects of dysphagia are covered, with detailed consideration of anatomy, physiology, and pathology. In addition to a variety of benign and malignant disease entities, signs and symptoms, and treatment approaches, many other relevant topics are addressed, including endoscopy, manometry, malnutrition, dehydration, oral care, dementia, ethics, and the social and psychologic impacts of dysphagia. Specific aspects of importance in pediatric and geriatric patients are highlighted. This edition features a number of completely new chapters focusing on, among other subjects, dysphagia in further disease contexts and following laryngectomy and radiation therapy. The authors are without exception world-leading experts in their fields. The book will be of value for practitioners in all specialties involved in the evaluation and treatment of dysphagia. It is therefore a truly multidisciplinary project.

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This book describes several mathematical models of the primary visual cortex, referring them to a vast ensemble of experimental data and putting forward an original geometrical model for its functional architecture, that is, the highly specific organization of its neural connections. The book spells out the geometrical algorithms implemented by this functional architecture, or put another way, the “neurogeometry” immanent in visual perception. Focusing on the neural origins of our spatial representations, it demonstrates three things: firstly, the way the visual neurons filter the optical signal is closely related to a wavelet analysis; secondly, the contact structure of the 1-jets of the curves in the plane (the retinal plane here) is implemented by the cortical functional architecture; and lastly, the visual algorithms for integrating contours from what may be rather incomplete sensory data can be modelled by the sub-Riemannian geometry associated with this contact structure. As such, it provides readers with the first systematic interpretation of a number of important neurophysiological observations in a well-defined mathematical framework. The book’s neuromathematical exploration appeals to graduate students and researchers in integrative-functional-cognitive neuroscience with a good mathematical background, as well as those in applied mathematics with an interest in neurophysiology.

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Matrix algebra is one of the most important areas of mathematics for data analysis and for statistical theory. This much-needed work presents the relevant aspects of the theory of matrix algebra for applications in statistics. It moves on to consider the various types of matrices encountered in statistics, such as projection matrices and positive definite matrices, and describes the special properties of those matrices. Finally, it covers numerical linear algebra, beginning with a discussion of the basics of numerical computations, and following up with accurate and efficient algorithms for factoring matrices, solving linear systems of equations, and extracting eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

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This book addresses the wide range of issues that face the program leader – from how to choose a site and how to negotiate for equipment, to how to determine staffing requirements and how to anticipate and defuse possible turf issues with other programs and services in the hospital or healthcare facility. The early chapters of this book focus on the leadership of your program whether in your department or institution. The second section centers on education at all levels recognizing that smaller machines have made ultrasound available for medical students to advanced practitioners. The third section provides detailed logistics on equipment, maintenance, and safety. The fourth section focuses on a quality improvement program and includes a chapter on the workflow process. For those with limited budgets we also offer a section on practical operating and educational solutions. The fifth section offers insight into hospital level credentialing, quality assurance, national politics, and recent issues with accreditation. This is followed by reimbursement and coding. The last section covers topics in specialized communities. Chapters focus on ultrasound in global health, emergency medical services, pediatrics, critical care, community and office based practices. Multiple US working documents including checklists, graphs, spreadsheets, tables, and policy appendices are included.

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This book highlights the lived experiences of gay Muslims in Malaysia, where Islam is the majority and official religion, and in Britain, where Muslims form a religious minority. By exploring how they negotiate their religious and sexual identities, Shah challenges the notion that Islam is inherently homophobic and that there is an unbridgeable divide between ‘Islam’ and the ‘West’. Shah also gained access to gay Muslim networks and individuals for his in-depth research in both countries, and the book investigates the different ways that they respond to everyday anti-homosexual or anti-Muslim sentiments. Amid the many challenges they confront, the gay Muslims whom Shah encountered find innovative and meaningful ways to integrate Islam and gay identity into their lives. The Making of a Gay Muslim will appeal to students and scholars with an interest in contemporary Islam, religion, gender and sexuality.

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This book provides a comprehensive guide to market timing using moving averages. Part I explores the foundations of market timing rules, presenting a methodology for examining how the value of a trading indicator is computed. Using this methodology the author then applies the computation of trading indicators to a variety of market timing rules to analyse the commonalities and differences between the rules. Part II goes on to present a comprehensive analysis of the empirical performance of trading rules based on moving averages.

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This book studies party leaders from selection to post-presidency. Based on data covering a large set of Western countries, and focusing on the trends of personalisation of politics, the volume is one of the first empirical investigations into how party leaders are elected, how long they stay in office, and whether they enter and guide democratic governments. It also provides novel data on how leaders end their career in a broad and diverse range of business activities. Topics covered include political leaders’ increasing autonomy, their reinforcement of popular legitimation, often through the introduction of direct election by party rank and file, and their grip on party organization. The book will appeal to students and scholars interested in political parties, political leadership, the transformation of democracy, and comparative politics.

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This second edition of an extremely well-received book presents more than 250 nonrelativistic quantum mechanics problems of varying difficulty with the aim of providing students didactic material of proven value, allowing them to test their comprehension and mastery of each subject. The coverage is extremely broad, from themes related to the crisis of classical physics through achievements within the framework of modern atomic physics to lively debated, intriguing aspects relating to, for example, the EPR paradox, the Aharonov-Bohm effect, and quantum teleportation. Compared with the first edition, a variety of improvements have been made and additional topics of interest included, especially focusing on elementary potential scattering. The problems themselves range from standard and straightforward ones to those that are complex but can be considered essential because they address questions of outstanding importance or aspects typically overlooked in primers. The book offers students both an excellent tool for independent learning and a ready-reference guide they can return to later in their careers.

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This book explores the once popular idea of 'Flexible Path' in terms of Mars, a strategy that would focus on a manned orbital mission to Mars's moons rather than the more risky, expensive and time-consuming trip to land humans on the Martian surface. While currently still not the most popular idea, this mission would take advantage of the operational, scientific and engineering lessons to be learned from going to Mars's moons first. Unlike a trip to the planet's surface, an orbital mission avoids the dangers of the deep gravity well of Mars and a very long stay on the surface. This is analogous to Apollo 8 and 10, which preceded the landing on the Moon of Apollo 11. Furthermore, a Mars orbital mission could be achieved at least five years, possibly 10 before a landing mission. Nor would an orbital mission require all of the extra vehicles, equipment and supplies needed for a landing and a stay on the planet for over a year. The cost difference between the two types of missions is in the order of tens of billions of dollars. An orbital mission to Deimos and Phobos would provide an early opportunity to acquire scientific knowledge of the moons and Mars as well, since some of the regolith is presumed to be soil ejected from Mars. It may also offer the opportunity to deploy scientific instruments on the moons which would aid subsequent missions. It would provide early operational experience in the Mars environment without the risk of a landing. The author convincingly argues this experience would enhance the probability of a safe and successful Mars landing by NASA at a later date, and lays out the best way to approach an orbital mission in great detail. Combining path-breaking science with achievable goals on a fast timetable, this approach is the best of both worlds--and our best path to reaching Mars safely in the future.

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This book is a study of the lived experience of African men in Australia and New Zealand. The author employs a relational account of racism which foregrounds how the colonial shaped the contemporary, with the settler states of contemporary Australia and New Zealand having been moulded by their colonial histories. Uncommodified Blackness examines the changing racial conditions in Australia and New Zealand, inspired by the view that as racial conditions change globally, prevailing racial modalities in these two countries must be reexamined and theory must be developed or revised as appropriate. Students and scholars across a range of social science disciplines will find this book of interest, particularly those with an interest in refugees, immigration, race and masculinity.

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The second, updated edition of this essential reference book provides a wealth of detail on a wide range of electronic and photonic materials, starting from fundamentals and building up to advanced topics and applications. Its extensive coverage, with clear illustrations and applications, carefully selected chapter sequencing and logical flow, makes it very different from other electronic materials handbooks. It has been written by professionals in the field and instructors who teach the subject at a university or in corporate laboratories. The Springer Handbook of Electronic and Photonic Materials, second edition, includes practical applications used as examples, details of experimental techniques, useful tables that summarize equations, and, most importantly, properties of various materials, as well as an extensive glossary. Along with significant updates to the content and the references, the second edition includes a number of new chapters such as those covering novel materials and selected applications. This handbook is a valuable resource for graduate students, researchers and practicing professionals working in the area of electronic, optoelectronic and photonic materials.

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