springer netherlands dez 2013 (192 resultados)

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Machine learning is concerned with the analysis of large data and multiple variables. It is also often more sensitive than traditional statistical methods to analyze small data. The first and second volumes reviewed subjects like optimal scaling, neural networks, factor analysis, partial least squares, discriminant analysis, canonical analysis, fuzzy modeling, various clustering models, support vector machines, Bayesian networks, discrete wavelet analysis, association rule learning, anomaly detection, and correspondence analysis. This third volume addresses more advanced methods and includes subjects like evolutionary programming, stochastic methods, complex sampling, optional binning, Newton's methods, decision trees, and other subjects. Both the theoretical bases and the step by step analyses are described for the benefit of non-mathematical readers. Each chapter can be studied without the need to consult other chapters. Traditional statistical tests are, sometimes, priors to machine learning methods, and they are also, sometimes, used as contrast tests. To those wishing to obtain more knowledge of them, we recommend to additionally study (1) Statistics Applied to Clinical Studies 5th Edition 2012, (2) SPSS for Starters Part One and Two 2012, and (3) Statistical Analysis of Clinical Data on a Pocket Calculator Part One and Two 2012, written by the same authors, and edited by Springer, New York.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 244 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Ageing population poses a set of complex policy and dilemmas for social security systems, intensifying the concerns about rising expenditures in health care and long-term care for elderly. In this context, ageing societies has many valuable lessons to learn by studying Japan's experience dealing with its hyper-aged society and particularly from its strategies to ensure the financial sustainability of the Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) system.Based on an exhaustive literature review, and the results from six original researches on long-term care expenditures in Japan (LTCE) conducted during a doctoral program, the book provides a comprehensive view in analyzing trends and factors associated with increasing expenditures in the Long-Term Care Insurance system in Japan.The book address relevant topics such as; the main socio-demographic changes experienced by the Japanese society during the last three decades,predictors of the LTCE, measuring efficiency in nursing homes, the impact of the LTCI 2005-reform to contain expenditures, cost-effectiveness of the in-home and community based services and institutional LTCE in the last year of life. The book end with a discussion on futures challenges and strategies oriented to contribute with the sustainability of LTCI system in Japan.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 148 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -In this monograph the authors present an overview of the state-of-the-art and use examples or case histories to illustrate the combined role of rock decay and rivers on continental denudation. The Earth¿s surface dynamics would not be conceivable without the fundamental component ofrock weathering and the subsequent transport of solid debris and dissolved components to the coastal ocean through riverine drainage pathways. In other words, continental wear away is highly dependent on the mechanisms that control mineral decay. Moreover, besides the significant role played by rivers in shaping the Earth¿s outer skin, there is the important function that rivers perform in all geochemical cycles, mediating between the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere and the hydrosphere. Drainage basins and the weathering of rocks that occur therein may be significant sources (or sinks) of carbon dioxide and, hence, play a significant role in affecting the Earth¿s climate.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 108 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The EQ-5D instrument, as a standardized, cross-culturally validated measure of self-assessed health has a hugely important role in understanding population health within and across countries. Over the past two decades a wealth of international population health survey data have been accumulated by the EuroQol Group from research conducted in many countries across four continents. One of the success factors of the EQ-5D instruments has been the easy availability of national or international sets of EQ-5D data, as well as clear explanations and guidance for users. There is an unmet need to produce a comprehensive book that captures up-to-date and expanded information of EQ-5D self-reported health and index values. EQ-5D population norms and cross-country analyses are provided from representative national surveys of 20 countries and additional regional surveys. This book will be a must for those who believe that how people report and value health is very important.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 212 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -A broad range of state-of-the-art methods to determine properties of clusters are presented. The experimental setup and underlying physical concepts of these experiments are described.Furthermore, existing theoretical models to explain the experimental observations are introduced and the possibility to deduce structural information from measurements of dielectric properties is discussed.Additional case studies are presented in the book to emphasize the possibilities but also drawbacks of the methods.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 108 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book examines the conception of the person at work in John Rawls¿s writings from Theory of Justice to Justice as Fairness: A Restatement. The book aims to show that objections to Rawls¿s political conception of the person fail and that a Rawlsian conception of political identity is defensible. The book shows that the debate between liberals and communitarians is relevant to the current debate regarding perfectionism and neutrality in politics, and clarifies the debate between Rawls and communitarians in a way that will promote fruitful discussion on the issue of political identity. It does this by providing a clearer account of a conception of personal identity according to which persons are socially constituted, including the intuitions and assumptions underlying the communitarians¿ conception of persons as ¿socially constituted.¿ It examines the communitarian objections to liberal political theory and to the liberal conception of persons, the ¿unencumbered self.¿ The book differentiates between two types of objection to the liberal conception of persons: the metaphysical and normative. It explains Rawls's political conception of persons, and the metaphysical and normative commitments Rawls incurs¿and does not incur¿in virtue of that conception. It shows that both kind of objection to Rawls's political conception of the person fail. Finally, modifying Rawls¿s political conception of the person, a Rawlsian conception of political identity is explained and defended.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 200 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book is an introduction to Karl Marx (1818¿1883) as a radical educational thinker. Marx¿s own schooling and education are examined and we see how his interest in educational issues was informed by his own experience. Educational themes in Marx¿s thinking are identified: the role of education within capitalist society, the contribution of education to human development and the character of education in a future society. These are placed in a historical setting by the author and related to public debates over educational policy.Throughout his career, Marx identified education as key to the prospects of the working class. The story of this engagement adds a new dimension to the picture of his work as a philosopher, political economist and socialist revolutionary. The aspects of education that concerned Marx matched prominent features of his theoretical and political activity, and educational themes provided him with a critical application for many of his most important ideas.The author explores Marx¿s work on the British factory school system, his use of evidence from the reports of school inspectors, and the contemporary movement that led to the establishment of modern systems of public schooling. The final chapter relates Marx¿s thinking to questions about the place of education in today¿s society, showing how relevant it is for the twenty-first century.These discussions contain new scholarship, draw on original sources and are written in a clear and readable style. Students in education courses at universities and colleges, educational researchers and teachers will find this examination of Karl Marx¿s ideas concerning education both engaging and enlightening.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 92 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book shows how Systemic Functional Linguistics may be used to explore and explain the grammar of scientific examination questions. The author outlines the key elements of this theory and identifies problematical structures that affect the linguistic validity of such education assessment questions. This book also shows how examination questions may provide insight into the relationship between teaching and language in science.Do candidates give an incorrect answer because they do not understand the topic or because they do not understand the language by which the question is framed This book shows how the analysis of scientific examination questions can answer this question.These chapters show how contemporary linguistics can inform the assessment of science and address topics including: the role of images, lexicography, the morphology of sentences, semantic discontinuity and the active reader.An example question is used throughout the text to illustrate the theories and each chapter has its own useful summary, making it a very readable work.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 104 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This work investigates the early encounters of French philosophers and religious thinkers with the phenomenological philosophy of Edmund Husserl. Following an introductory chapter addressing context and methodology, Chapter 2 argues that Henri Bergson¿s insights into lived duration and intuition and Maurice Blondel¿s genetic description of action functioned as essential precursors to the French reception of phenomenology. Chapter 3 details the presentations of Husserl and his followers by three successive pairs of French academic philosophers: Léon Noël and Victor Delbos, Lev Shestov and Jean Hering, and Bernard Groethuysen and Georges Gurvitch. Chapter 4 then explores the appropriation of Bergsonian and Blondelian phenomenological insights by Catholic theologians Édouard Le Roy and Pierre Rousselot. Chapter 5 examines applications and critiques of phenomenology by French religious philosophers, including Jean Hering, Joseph Maréchal, and neo-Thomists like Jacques Maritain. A concluding chapter expounds the principal finding that philosophical and theological receptions of phenomenology in France prior to 1939 proceeded independently due to differences in how Bergson and Blondel were perceived by French philosophers and religious thinkers and their respective orientations to the Cartesian and Aristotelian/Thomist intellectual traditions.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 352 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Everyone likes maps and maps are always used to illustrate the many books on the Antarctic. Here the focus is reversed with contemporary maps telling the story ¿ one that should be attractive to the widest audience as it is a unique approach complimenting what has gone before and providing something different for all interested in Antarctica.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 352 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 308 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book is designed to extend the field of organizational learning in several ways. The contributors from three continents bring different perspectives on processes and outcomes of knowledge creation and sharing in and between organizations in diverse contexts. They use approaches and concepts from numerous disciplines including the arts, economics, geography, organizational studies, psychology, and sociology. The contributions enrich the spatial turn in organization studies by offering fresh insights for researchers who seek to attend to the contextual dimensions of the phenomena they are studying. They provide examples of organizational places and spaces that have not yet received sufficient attention, as diverse as temporary international organizations and computer screens.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This volume contributes to the on-going legal discussion on pressing procedural and substantial law issues in the ambit of international human rights and civil liberties. While the 20th century has seen the true awakening of human rights, the 21st century poses new challenges to this ever-unfolding area of law. Not only do international tribunals and quasi-tribunals worldwide and domestic US and European continental courts have to deal with increasing numbers of complaints and petitions from individuals and groups on a vast array of societal problems, the legal issues put to them are sometimes extremely difficult to resolve as they relate to very sensitive issues. This book examines issues ranging from the status of human rights under US law to the status of the ECHR in the broader context of international law. It looks at the role of positive obligations in the case law of the Strasbourg Court, as well the impact of its case-law on childbirth and push-back operation towards boat people, but also at the growing unwillingness of ECHR member states to cooperate with the Strasbourg Court. It explores the new frontiers in US Capital punishment litigation, the first case before the International Criminal Court and the legal effect of judgments of the European Court on third states.¿Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 272 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book focuses on families and their changes in Taiwan and China. Traditional notions of what constitutes a family have been changing in China, Taiwan and other Asian countries. The chapters in this book provide interesting methodological and substantive contributions to the discourse on family and social change in Chinese societies. They also underscore the implications of the various social changes in Chinese families. Written by Chinese and Western scholars, they provide an unprecedented overview of what is known about the effects of social change on Chinese families.One might think that defining a ¿family¿ is an easy task because the family is so significant to society and is universal. The family is the first place we learn culture, norms, values, and gender roles. Families exist in all societies throughout the world; but their constitution differs. In the past several decades there have been many changes in the family in Taiwan and China. For instance, whereas in the West, we use a bilineal system of descent in which descent is traced through both the mother¿s side and the father¿s side of the family, in many parts of China, descent is patrilineal, although this is changing, and China and Taiwan are starting to assume a family constitution similar to that in the West. This and other issues are discussed in great detail in this book. Indeed it is the very nature of the differences that motivated the writing of this book on changing families in Taiwan and China.The chapters in Part I: The Family in Taiwan and China focus on the basic family issues in Taiwan and China that provide the groundwork for many of the chapters that follow. Chapter 1 is about the distribution of resources in the family in Taiwan. Chapter 2 focuses on filial piety and the autonomous development of adolescents in the Taiwanese family, and Chapter 3 explores the important issue of family poverty in Taiwan. Chapter 4 moves away from Taiwan and looksat several issues of family growth and change in Hong Kong, noting the interesting similarities and differences between Hong Kong and China.Part II: Issues of Marriage, the Family and Fertility in Taiwan and China focuses specifically on marriage, family and fertility. In Chapter 5 the authors discuss the relationships between marital status, socioeconomic status and the subjective well-being among women in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Chapter 6 describes patterns of sexual activity in China and the United States. Chapter 7 considers gender imbalances in Taiwan and their impact on the marriage market. Chapter 8 also focuses on Taiwan and examines the effects of mothers¿ attitudes on daughters¿ interaction with their mothers-in-law. Chapter 9 compares female and male fertility trends and changes in Taiwan.Part III: Children and the Family in East Asia and in Western Countries consists of comparative studies of the family and children. Chapter 10 examines the dynamics of grandparents caring for children in China. Chapter 11 explores family values and parent-child interaction in Taiwan. Chapter 12 examines the significant amount of diversity among families in contemporary Taiwan. Chapter 13 describes adolescent development in Taiwan. Chapter 14 examines the impact of son preference on fertility in China, South Korea and the United States. And Chapter 15 explores the determinants of intergenerational support in Taiwan.The final chapter in our book, the only chapter in Part IV: The Family and the Future in Taiwan, examines the future of the family in Taiwan with respect especially to the marriage market and aged dependency.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This volume addresses the role of the judge and the parties in civil litigation in mainland China, Hong Kong and various European jurisdictions. It provides an overview and an analysis of how these respective roles have been changed in order to cope with growing caseloads and quality demands. It also shows the different approaches chosen in the jurisdictions covered.Mainland China is introducing far-reaching reforms in its system of civil litigation. From an inquisitorial procedure, in which the parties play a relatively minor role, the country is changing to a more adversarial system with increased powers for the parties. At the same time, case management and the role of the judge as it is understood in mainland China remains different from case management and the role of the judge in Western countries, mainly as regards the limited powers of individual Chinese judges in this respect. Changes in China are justified by the ever-increasing case load of the Chinese courts and the consequent inability to deal with cases in an adequate manner, even though generally speaking Chinese courts still adjudicate civil cases within a relatively short time frame (this may, however, be problematic when viewed from the perspective of the quality of adjudication).Growing caseloads and quality concerns may also be observed in various European states and Hong Kong. In these jurisdictions the civil procedural systems have a relatively adversarial character and it is some of the adversarial features of the existing systems of procedure which are felt to be problematic. Therefore, the lawmakers have opted for increasing the powers of the judge, often making the judge and the parties mutually responsible for the proper conduct of civil cases.Starting from opposite directions, mainland China and the various European states and Hong Kong could meet half way in their reform attempts. This is, however, only possible if a proper understanding is fostered of the developments in these different parts of the World. Even though in both China and Europe the academic community and lawmakers are showing a keen interest in the relevant developments abroad, a study addressing the role of the judge and the parties in civil litigation in both China and Europe is still missing. This book aims to fill this gap in the existing literature.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 372 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The aim of this book is to offer a river-basin management plan which is directly implementable and consistent with the European Union -Water Framework Directive (EU WFD).The contributors, who are leading world experts in their respective fields, develop an integrated water resources management plan for the Asopos river basin in Greece which is economically efficient, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable. The program offers explicit technical and investment solutions, socioeconomic and legal instruments and recommendations for institutional restructuring. The introductory chapter describes the water situation in Greece and assesses the potential of timely implementation of the EU WFD. Special emphasis is given to the cost-recovery principle. Chapter 2 introduces the case study area highlighting the particular pressures and impacts as well as the environmental functions and values of Asopos River and Oropos Lagoon. Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the economic characterisation of Asopos River Basin in order to identify the economic sectors and social groups that will bear the cost and benefits of the implementation of the EU WFD. In particular, Chapter 3 presents the main water uses and pricing for water supply in the industrial and the agricultural sectors. Chapter 4 completes the baseline appraisal, presenting the details of water use by the residential and touristic sectors. The following chapters assess valuation and decision-making tools from a range of perspectives, including agricultural needs, valuing the impacts of industrial activity, the costs and benefits of environmental preservation and management. The water resources management plan is presented in Chapter 9; the concluding chapter offers recommendations on institutional changes and presents the lessons learned as resources applicable to other river basins in Greece and elsewhere. The book applies state-of-the art market and non-market valuation methods to estimate water demands in the residential, industrial, agricultural, tourism, environmental and health sectors and to balance these, over time and space, with water supply. Given the well-known challenge of managing natural resources in a way that maximizes and sustains social welfare, this book will provide an invaluable point of reference for applied researchers and policy makers working in water resources management.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 208 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Military recruitment will become more difficult in times of demographic aging. The question arises whether demographic change will constrain the capacity of aging states like Germany to conduct foreign policy and pursue their national security interests. Since contemporary military operations still display a strong human element, particular scrutiny is given to the empirical analysis of the determinants of military propensity and military service among youth.An additional human capital projection until 2030 illustrates how the decline in the youth population will interact with trends in educational attainment and adolescent health to further complicate military recruitment in the future. A concluding review of recruiting practices in other NATO countries provides insight in best-practice policy options to reduce the military¿s sensitivity to demographic change.Following this approach, the book gives prominence to a topic that has thus far been under-represented in the greater discussion of demographic change today, namely the demographic impact on international affairs and strategic calculations.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Mediation, the facilitated discussion of disputes and conflicts, is a flexible approach that can be used at all levels of intervention to move us toward a global peace that is both inclusive and fair.This volume, edited by Jan Marie Fritz, brings together mediators, scholar-practitioners, and a veteran diplomat to discuss the life and times of mediation in very different settings.The 14 chapters include three essays about culture, creativity, and models/theories/approaches.And there are ten chapters about practice: community mediation, mediation by police, special education mediation; interventions on behalf of widows in Nigeria; capacity-building work in Burundi; mediation in Israel; the creative facilitation of meetings; community conferencing; UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women and Peace and Security) and the role of civil society organizations in peacebuilding.This volume discusses the expanding roles - from prevention through societal transformation - assumed by mediators and the urgent need for mediators working at different intervention levels to learn from each other. This volume is a must read for scholars, researchers, policymakers, civil society representatives and practitioners with interests in effective dispute and conflict intervention. It particularly is recommended for those managing dispute and conflict intervention processes.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 384 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book considers the modelling and analysis of the many types of ropes, linear fibre assemblies. The construction of these structures is very diverse and in the work these are considered from the modelling point of view. As well as the conventional twisted structures, braid and plaited structures and parallel assemblies are modelled and analysed, first for their assembly and secondly for their mechanical behaviour. Also since the components are assemblies of components, fibres into yarns, into strands, and into ropes the hierarchical nature of the construction is considered.The focus of the modelling is essentially toward load extension behaviour but there is reference to bending of ropes, encompassed by the two extremes, no slip between the components and zero friction resistance to component slip. Friction in ropes is considered both between the rope components, sliding, sawing and scissoring, and within the components, dilation and distortion, these latter modes being used to model component set, the phenomenon instrumental in rope proofing. The exploitation of the modelling is closed by the suggested modelling and analysis of component wear and life limitation and also of rope steady state heating. These will require extensive experimentation to extract the necessary coefficients, achievable by parallel testing of prototypes and similar structures.This development is focused on the modelling and analysis of ropes and other similar structures. All the modelling is based on the Principle of Virtual Work and admissible modes of deformation. Finally this book is directed towards the various industries involved in design, manufacture anduse of ropes, stays and other similar structures.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 136 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The editors of Factor X explore and analyze this trajectory, predicting scarcities of non-renewable materials such as metals, limited availability of ecological capacities and shortages arising from geographic concentrations of materials. They argue that what is needed is a radical change in the ways we use nature¿s resources to produce goods and services and generate well-being. The goal of saving our ecosystem demands a prompt and decisive reduction of man-induced material flows. Before 2050, they assert, we must achieve a significant decrease in consumption of resources, in the line with the idea of a factor 10 reduction target. EU-wide and country specific targets must be set, and enforced using strict, accurate measurement of consumption of materials. Their arguments are drawn from empirical evidence and observations, as well as theoretical considerations based on economic modeling and on natural science.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 332 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book presents an integrated approach to the study of the evolution of the Archean lithosphere, biosphere and atmosphere, and as such it is a unique contribution to our understanding of the early Earth and life. The structural and geochemical make-up of both the oceanic and continental crust of the Archean Earth is documented in some case studies of various cratons, and the implications of the Phanerozoic plate and plume tectonic processes for the Archean geology are discussed in several chapters in the book. All chapters are process-oriented and data-rich, and reflect the most recent knowledge and information on the Archean Earth. The interdisciplinary approach of examining the evolution of the Archean crust, oceans, and life that we adopt in this book sets it apart from previous publications on Precambrian geology.The book will be attractive to researchers in academia and in industry, and to senior undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty in earth and natural sciences.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 432 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -How can cultivated plant biodiversity contribute to the transformation and the 'ecologization' of agriculture in Southern countries Based on extensive field work in the Southern countries, a great deal of scientific progress is presented in all areas affecting agriculture (agronomy, plant breeding and crop protection, cultivation systems, etc.) in order to intensify the ecological processes in cultivated plots and at the scale of rural landscapes.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 276 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book examines the textual, social, cultural, practical and institutional environments to which the expression ¿teaching and learning contexts¿ refers. It reflects on the extent to which studying such environments helps us to better understand ancient or modern sources, and how notions of ¿teaching¿ and ¿learning¿ are to be understood.Tackling two problems: the first, is that of certain sources of scientific knowledge being studied without taking into account the various ¿contexts¿ of transmission that gave this knowledge a long-lasting meaning.The second is that other sources are related to teaching and learning activities, but without being too precise and demonstrative about the existence and nature of this ¿teaching context¿. In other words, this book makes clear what is meant by ¿context¿ and highlights the complexity of the practice hidden by the words ¿teaching¿ and ¿learning¿. Divided into three parts, the book makes accessible teaching and learning situations, presents comparatist approaches, and emphasizes the notion of teaching as projects embedded in coherent treatises or productions.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 344 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book explores the multi-dimensional asymmetries of scale, time, and directions in the large dam controversy with a regional focus on Asia, especially on India and China. Whereas the concept of large-scale transformation of fluvial environments into technological hydroscapes originated in the West, widespread construction of large dams started in the countries of the Global South in the period after decolonisation. Construction and operation of large dams are amongst the most prestigious but also most sensitive development issues, often accompanied by massive resistance of adversely affected people and civil society organisations. Based on the notion of a contested politicised environment, various case studies are analysed to identify the dominant narratives and imaginations that shape the large dams debate. This volume largely contains contributions related to several subprojects from within the Cluster of Excellence ¿Asia and Europe in a Global Context: Shifting Asymmetries inCultural Flows¿, based at Heidelberg University, with several expert contributions from external researchers.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 192 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Eutrophication continues to be a major global challenge and the problem of eutrophication and availability of freshwater for human consumption is an essential ecological issue. The global demand for water resources due to increasing population, economic developments, and emerging energy development schemes has created new environmental challenges for global sustainability. Accordingly, the area of research on eutrophication has expanded considerably in recent years. Eutrophication, acidification and contamination by toxic substances are likely to pose increasing threats to freshwater resources and ecosystems. The consequences of anthropogenic-induced eutrophication of freshwaters are severe deterioration of surface waters and growing public concern, as well as new interest among the scientific community. ¿Eutrophication: causes, consequences & control¿ provides the latest information on many important aspects of the processes of natural and accelerated eutrophication in major aquatic ecosystems around the world.This book offers a cutting-edge resource for researchers and students alike who are studying eutrophication in various ecosystems. It presents the latest trends and developments in the field, including: global scenarios and local threats to the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, economics of eutrophication, eutrophication in the great lakes of the Chinese pacific drainage basin, photoautotrophic productivity in eutrophic ecosystems, eutrophication¿s impacts on natural metal remediation in salt marshes, phytoplankton assemblages as an indicator of water quality in seven temperate estuarine lakes in southeast Australia, biogeochemical indicators of nutrient enrichments in wetlands ¿ the microbial response as a sensitive indicator of wetland eutrophication, and ultraviolet radiation and bromide as limiting factors in eutrophication processes in semi-arid climate zones. Written by respected experts and featuring helpful illustrations andphotographs, ¿Eutrophication: causes, consequences & control¿ provides a concise and practical update on the latest developments in eutrophication.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 276 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book details a model of consciousness supported by scientific experimental data from the human brain. It presents how the Corollary Discharge of Attention Movement (CODAM) neural network model allows for a scientific understanding of consciousness as well as provides a solution to the Mind-Body problem. The book provides readers with a general approach to consciousness that is powerful enough to lead to the inner self and its ramifications for the vast range of human experiences. It also offers an approach to the evolution of human consciousness and features chapters on mental disease (especially schizophrenia) and on meditative states (including drug-induced states of mind). Solving the Mind-Body Problem bridges the gap that exists between philosophers of mind and the neuroscience community, allowing the enormous weight of theorizing on the nature of mind to be brought to earth and put under the probing gaze of the scientific facts of life and mind.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 296 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book discusses the natural and anthropogenic determinants of the environment and their impact on human health. It throws light on the perspectives of climate change with case studies from Australia, India, Italy, and Latin America. Themes covered are ecology of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, pesticide and heavy metal (arsenic) problems in natural environment; molecular advances in understanding of microbial interactions; ecological studies of human/animal health and diseases; food security, technological developments and more. The various chapters incorporate both theoretical and applied aspects and may serve as baseline information for future research through which significant development is possible.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 440 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book presents recent findings about the consequences and policy implications of economic stress for human capital development and family well-being in Asia. The scope of the chapters goes beyond the impact of current financial crisis to include the effect of economic deprivation families in Asia experience as a result of job loss, low-wage employment, and catastrophic natural calamities. The studies show how macro-level economic stress can filter down through households to affect individuals¿ economic and socio-psychological well-being. The chapters reveal a wide spectrum of economic stresses experienced by families in Asia that is linked topoor human capital development, emotional distress, health problems, changing fertility patterns, more frequent geographic movement, and less supportive parenting behavior. The elderly, women, children, low-skilled workers are particularly vulnerable. The economic shocks in the past several decades have exposed the vulnerability of the family institution and the weaknesses in this region¿s social protection system that can lead to detrimental long-term effects on human capital development. This book is relevant for researchers and students in fields such as Family Studies, Globalization, Development, Social Problems, Social Stratification, Social Inequalities, Poverty and Welfare, Education, and Social Policies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 288 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -A number of arguments are made by an international group of authors in this though provoking book about an understudied and socially important context. A future in which financial wealth transfers across the North-South divide from richer to poorer countries is far from sufficient for the relief of poverty and the pursuit of sustainability. Caution must be taken when growth is achieved through the liquidation of the natural wealth of poorer nations, in order to maintain a global economic status quo. Neither poverty reduction nor sustainability will ultimately be achieved. The financial collapse and social upheaval that might result will make the most recent economic downturn look trivial by comparison. What is more urgently needed instead, as argued in this book, is collaboration for sustainability and innovation in the global South, especially building on models originally developed in the South that are transferable to the North. In pursuit of a sustainable and more equitable future, the book examines such topics as Cross-Border Innovation in South-North Fair Trade Supply Chains; Potential Pollution Prevention Programs in Bangladesh; Digital Literacy and Social Inclusion in the South through Collective Storytelling and Eco-innovation at the ¿Bottom of the Pyramid¿. Many of these stories and have not been told and need greater visibility. The book contributes in a meaningfully to the discussion of how innovation and sustainability science can benefit both sides in South-North innovation collaborations. It provides useful introduction to the topics, as well as valuable critiques and best practices. This back-and-forth flow of ideas and innovation is itself new and promising in the modern pursuit of a fair and sustainable future for all regions of our planet.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 348 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells: Materials, Performance, Durability and Applications begins with an introductory overview of direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFC); it focuses on the main goals and challenges in the areas of materials development, performance, and commercialization. The preparation and the properties of the anodic catalysts used for the oxidation of methanol, higher alcohols, and alcohol tolerant cathodes are then described. The membranes used as proton conductors in DAFC are examined, as well as alkaline membranes, focusing on the electrical conductivity and alcohol permeability.The use of different kinds of carbon materials as catalyst supports, gas diffusion layers, and current collectors in DAFC is also discussed. State of the art of the modeling is used to estimate performance and durability. The closing chapter reviews the use of DAFC in portable equipment and mobile devices and features a detailed discussion on the mechanisms of component degradation which limits their durability.This book is written to facilitate the understanding of DAFC technology, applications, and future challenges. It is an excellent introduction for electrochemical and material engineers interested in small fuel cells as portable energy sources, scientists focused on materials science for energy production and storage, as well as policy-makers in the area of renewable energies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 380 pp. Englisch.