springer us springer us nov 1998 (95 resultados)

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -'Here's a gem of a book.all peppered with delightful notes from science fiction films, novels, and comics. I can't turn a page without finding a jewel.' Clifford Stoll, University of California, Berkeley, author of The Cuckoo's Egg 'The research that has gone into this book is impressive.' Nature 'For professional physicists much of the value lies in the extensive technical appendices and footnotes, and the exhaustive list of references. But if, like me, you are a child at heart, the real fun lies in the zany stories and wild speculations.' Physics World Time Machines explores the idea of time travel from the first account in English literature to the latest theories of physicists such as Kip Thorne and Igor Novikov. This very readable work covers a variety of topics including the history of time travel in fiction; the fundamental scientific concepts of time, spacetime, and the fourth dimension; the speculations of Einstein, Richard Feynman, Kurt Goedel, and others; time travel paradoxes, and much more.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 668 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Regulation Under Increasing Competition brings together practitioners, regulators, and economists to examine the important policy and regulatory issues facing the telecommunications and electricity industries. This volume reviews such topics as competitive entry, stranded costs, pricing and market mechanisms. It provides a unique perspective on problems in a newly deregulated environment.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 198 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The last treatise on the theory of determinants, by T. Muir, revised and enlarged by W. H. Metzler, was published by Dover Publications Inc. in 1960. It is an unabridged and corrected republication of the edition ori- nally published by Longman, Green and Co. in 1933 and contains a preface by Metzler dated 1928. The Table of Contents of this treatise is given in Appendix 13. A small number of other books devoted entirely to determinants have been published in English, but they contain little if anything of importance that was not known to Muir and Metzler. A few have appeared in German and Japanese. In contrast, the shelves of every mathematics library groan under the weight of books on linear algebra, some of which contain short chapters on determinants but usually only on those aspects of the subject which are applicable to the chapters on matrices. There appears to be tacit agreement among authorities on linear algebra that determinant theory is important only as a branch of matrix theory. In sections devoted entirely to the establishment of a determinantal relation, many authors de ne a determinant by rst de ning a matrixM and then adding the words: ¿Let detM be the determinant of the matrix M¿ as though determinants have no separate existence. This belief has no basis in history.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 396 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Formal Semantics and Proof Techniques for Optimizing VHDL Models presents a formal model of VHDL that clearly specifies both the static and dynamic semantics of VHDL. It provides a mathematical framework for representing VHDL constructs and shows how those constructs can be formally manipulated to reason about VHDL. The dynamic semantics is presented as a description of what the simulation of VHDL means. In particular it specifies what values the signals of a VHDL description will take if the description were to be executed. An advantage of the approach is that the semantic model can be used to validate different simulation algorithms. The book also presents an embedding of the dynamic semantics in a proof checker which is then used to prove equivalences of classes of VHDL descriptions.Formal Semantics and Proof Techniques for Optimizing VHDL Models is written for hardware designers who are interested in the formal semantics of VHDL.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 184 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Survivable Networks: Algorithms for Diverse Routing provides algorithms for diverse routing to enhance the survivability of a network. It considers the common mesh-type network and describes in detail the construction of physically disjoint paths algorithms for diverse routing. The algorithms are developed in a systematic manner, starting with shortest path algorithms appropriate for disjoint paths construction. Key features of the algorithms are optimality and simplicity. Although the algorithms have been developed for survivability of communication networks, they are in a generic form, and thus applicable in other scientific and technical disciplines to problems that can be modeled as a network.A notable highlight of this book is the consideration of real-life telecommunication networks in detail. Such networks are described not only by nodes and links, but also by the actual physical elements, called span nodes and spans. The sharing of spans (the actual physical links) by the network (logical) links complicates the network, requiring new algorithms. This book is the first one to provide algorithms for such networks.Survivable Networks: Algorithms for Diverse Routing is a comprehensive work on physically disjoint paths algorithms. It is an invaluable resource and reference for practicing network designers and planners, researchers, professionals, instructors, students, and others working in computer networking, telecommunications, and related fields.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 216 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The concept of 'reformulation' has long been playing an important role in mathematical programming. A classical example is the penalization technique in constrained optimization that transforms the constraints into the objective function via a penalty function thereby reformulating a constrained problem as an equivalent or approximately equivalent unconstrained problem. More recent trends consist of the reformulation of various mathematical programming prob lems, including variational inequalities and complementarity problems, into equivalent systems of possibly nonsmooth, piecewise smooth or semismooth nonlinear equations, or equivalent unconstrained optimization problems that are usually differentiable, but in general not twice differentiable. Because of the recent advent of various tools in nonsmooth analysis, the reformulation approach has become increasingly profound and diversified. In view of growing interests in this active field, we planned to organize a cluster of sessions entitled 'Reformulation - Nonsmooth, Piecewise Smooth, Semismooth and Smoothing Methods' in the 16th International Symposium on Mathematical Programming (ismp97) held at Lausanne EPFL, Switzerland on August 24-29, 1997. Responding to our invitation, thirty-eight people agreed to give a talk within the cluster, which enabled us to organize thirteen sessions in total. We think that it was one of the largest and most exciting clusters in the symposium. Thanks to the earnest support by the speakers and the chairpersons, the sessions attracted much attention of the participants and were filled with great enthusiasm of the audience. 456 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Document Computing: Technologies for Managing Electronic Document Collections discusses the important aspects of document computing and recommends technologies and techniques for document management, with an emphasis on the processes that are appropriate when computers are used to create, access, and publish documents. This book includes descriptions of the nature of documents, their components and structure, and how they can be represented; examines how documents are used and controlled; explores the issues and factors affecting design and implementation of a document management strategy; and gives a detailed case study. The analysis and recommendations are grounded in the findings of the latest research.Document Computing: Technologies for Managing Electronic Document Collections brings together concepts, research, and practice from diverse areas including document computing, information retrieval, librarianship, records management, and business process re-engineering. It will be of value to anyone working in these areas, whether as a researcher, a developer, or a user.Document Computing: Technologies for Managing Electronic Document Collections can be used for graduate classes in document computing and related fields, by developers and integrators of document management systems and document management applications, and by anyone wishing to understand the processes of document management.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 216 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Algorithms for VLSI Physical Design Automation, Third Edition covers all aspects of physical design. The book is a core reference for graduate students and CAD professionals. For students, concepts and algorithms are presented in an intuitive manner. For CAD professionals, the material presents a balance of theory and practice. An extensive bibliography is provided which is useful for finding advanced material on a topic. At the end of each chapter, exercises are provided, which range in complexity from simple to research level.Algorithms for VLSI Physical Design Automation, Third Edition provides a comprehensive background in the principles and algorithms of VLSI physical design. The goal of this book is to serve as a basis for the development of introductory-level graduate courses in VLSI physical design automation. It provides self-contained material for teaching and learning algorithms of physical design. All algorithms which are considered basic have been included, and are presented in an intuitive manner. Yet, at the same time, enough detail is provided so that readers can actually implement the algorithms given in the text and use them.The first three chapters provide the background material, while the focus of each chapter of the rest of the book is on each phase of the physical design cycle. In addition, newer topics such as physical design automation of FPGAs and MCMs have been included.The basic purpose of the third edition is to investigate the new challenges presented by interconnect and process innovations. In 1995 when the second edition of this book was prepared, a six-layer process and 15 million transistor microprocessors were in advanced stages of design. In 1998, six metal process and 20 million transistor designs are in production. Two new chapters have been added and new material has been included in almost allother chapters. A new chapter on process innovation and its impacton physical design has been added. Another focus of the third edition is to promote use of the Internet as a resource, so wherever possible URLs have been provided for further investigation.Algorithms for VLSI Physical Design Automation, Third Edition is an important core reference work for professionals as well as an advanced level textbook for students.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 606 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - This book provides a framework for analyzing and forecasting a variety of mineral and energy markets and related industries. Such modeling activity has been at the forefront of the economic and engineering professions for some time, having received a major stimulus fC llowing the first oil price shock in 1973. Since that time, other shocks have affected these markets and industries, causing disequilibrium economic adjustments which are difficult to analyze and to predict. Moreover, geopolitics remains an important factor which can destabilize crude oil markets and associated refining industries. Mineral and energy modeling, consequently, has become a major interest of energy-related corporations, mining and drilling companies, metal manufacturers, public utilities, investment banks, national government agencies and international organizations. This book hopes to advance mineral and energy modeling as follows: (1) The modeling process is presented sequentially by leading the model builder from model specification, estimation, simulation, and validation to practical model applications, including explaining history, analyzing policy, and market and price forecasting; (2) New developments in modeling approaches are presented which encompass econometric market and industry models, spatial equilibrium and programming models, optimal resource depletion models, input-output models, economic sector models, and macro oriented energy interaction models (including computable general equilibrium); (3) The verification and application of the models is considered not only individually but also in relation to the performance of alternative modeling approaches; and (4) The modeling framework includes a perspective on new directions, so that the present model building advice willextend into the future.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Despite recent progress in many areas of treatment and control, cancer remains a frightening threat to everyone. While scientists have known for decades that the majority of human cancers are caused by environmental agents such as radiation and the chemicals in cigarette smoke, not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer. Furthermore, many people who assiduously avoid all possible risk from smoking, diet, and pollution still succumb to some form of cancer later in life. Does this mean that there is an element of blind chance in the underlying mechanisms of human carcinogenesis To what extent do genetic influences play a role in determining the cancer risk of individuals A number of `cancer families', in which several closely related individuals have suffered from various specific forms of cancer, have been studied by genetic epidemiologists. However, for the majority of cancer cases, little or no discernible genetic influence or family history is found. Recent research has discovered that for many of these `sporadic' (non-familial) cancer cases, defects or aberrations in certain metabolic genes not previously associated with genetic cancer risk may contribute to either causing the disease or at least increasing the chances of developing cancer. It is therefore possible that much of what has previously passed for `bad luck' may turn out to be a new type of `bad genes'. Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer explains that this new idea of `bad genes' may contain an unexpected positive side. The carcinogenic effects of these metabolic genes, unlike those of the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that are responsible for the inherited cancer syndromes, can potentially be overcome or nullified. Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer will provide a valuable reference for health professionals, researchers, clinicians and biomedical scientists who are interested in the current thinking in this critically important areaof cancer management.

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -CARlA BODO Board Member of the Cultural Information and Research Centres liaison in Europe (CIRCLE) and Director of the Observatory for the Performing Arts at the Department of the Performing Arts of the Italian Prime Minister's Office, Roma The relation between the public and the private sector in the field of culture, the central theme of this publication, was thoroughly debated during the 1997 CIRCLE Round Table in Amsterdam. It was not the first time CIRCLE addressed this issue. In 1988 CIRCLE'S Bureau was invited to participate in a seminar in Budapest on The State, the Market and Culture. I will never forget the emotional impact of Sacha Rubinstein's demonization of state sup port and his apotheosis of the role of the market in the cultural field in Russia. So, in ad vance of actual events, we suddenly had a premonition of what was going to happen, ofthe turmoil which was about to radically change the socio-political scene of Central and East ern Europe. Six years later, in 1994, we met again in Budapest for a Conference on The Distribu tion of Roles between Government and Arts Councils, Associations and Foundations.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 224 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -CARlA BODO Board Member of the Cultural Information and Research Centres liaison in Europe (CIRCLE) and Director of the Observatory for the Performing Arts at the Department of the Performing Arts of the Italian Prime Minister's Office, Roma The relation between the public and the private sector in the field of culture, the central theme of this publication, was thoroughly debated during the 1997 CIRCLE Round Table in Amsterdam. It was not the first time CIRCLE addressed this issue. In 1988 CIRCLE'S Bureau was invited to participate in a seminar in Budapest on The State, the Market and Culture. I will never forget the emotional impact of Sacha Rubinstein's demonization of state sup port and his apotheosis of the role of the market in the cultural field in Russia. So, in ad vance of actual events, we suddenly had a premonition of what was going to happen, ofthe turmoil which was about to radically change the socio-political scene of Central and East ern Europe. Six years later, in 1994, we met again in Budapest for a Conference on The Distribu tion of Roles between Government and Arts Councils, Associations and Foundations.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 228 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Uncertain Decisions: Bridging Theory and Experiments presents advanced directions of thinking on decision theory - in particular the more recent contributions on non-expected utility theory, fuzzy decision theory and case-based theory. This work also provides theoretical insights on measures of risk aversion and on new problems for general equilibrium analysis. It analyzes how the thinking that underlies the theories described above spills over into real decisions, and how the thinking that underlies these real decisions can explain the discrepancies between theoretical approaches and actual behavior. This work elaborates on how the most recent laboratory experiments have become an important source both for evaluating the leading theory of choice and decision, and for contributing to the formation of new models regarding the subject.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 388 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The interest for :I:~ modulation-based NO converters has significantly increased in the last years. The reason for that is twofold. On the one hand, unlike other converters that need accurate building blocks to obtain high res olution, :I:~ converters show low sensitivity to the imperfections of their building blocks. This is achieved through extensive use of digital signal pro cessing - a desirable feature regarding the implementation of NO interfaces in mainstream CMOS technologies which are better suited for implementing fast, dense, digital circuits than accurate analog circuits. On the other hand, the number of applications with industrial interest has also grown. In fact, starting from the earliest in the audio band, today we can find :I:~ converters in a large variety of NO interfaces, ranging from instrumentation to commu nications. These advances have been supported by a number of research works that have lead to a considerably large amount of published papers and books cov ering different sub-topics: from purely theoretical aspects to architecture and circuit optimization. However, so much material is often difficultly digested by those unexperienced designers who have been committed to developing a :I:~ converter, mainly because there is a lack of methodology. In our view, a clear methodology is necessary in :I:~ modulator design because all related tasks are rather hard. 312 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -When the 50th anniversary of the birth of Information Theory was celebrated at the 1998 IEEE International Symposium on Informa tion Theory in Boston, there was a great deal of reflection on the the year 1993 as a critical year. As the years pass and more perspec tive is gained, it is a fairly safe bet that we will view 1993 as the year when the 'early years' of error control coding came to an end. This was the year in which Berrou, Glavieux and Thitimajshima pre sented 'Near Shannon Limit Error-Correcting Coding and Decoding: Turbo Codes' at the International Conference on Communications in Geneva. In their presentation, Berrou et al. claimed that a combi nation of parallel concatenation and iterative decoding can provide reliable communications at a signal to noise ratio that is within a few tenths of a dB of the Shannon limit. Nearly fifty years of striving to achieve the promise of Shannon's noisy channel coding theorem had come to an end. The implications of this result were immediately apparent to all -coding gains on the order of 10 dB could be used to dramatically extend the range of communication receivers, increase data rates and services, or substantially reduce transmitter power levels. The 1993 ICC paper set in motion several research efforts that have permanently changed the way we look at error control coding.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The growth in the field of digital signal processing began with the simulation of continuous-time systems in the 1950s, even though the origin of the field can be traced back to 400 years when methods were developed to solve numerically problems such as interpolation and integration. During the last 40 years, there have been phenomenal advances in the theory and application of digital signal processing. In many applications, the representation of a discrete-time signal or a sys tem in the frequency domain is of interest. To this end, the discrete-time Fourier transform (DTFT) and the z-transform are often used. In the case of a discrete-time signal of finite length, the most widely used frequency-domain representation is the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) which results in a finite length sequence in the frequency domain. The DFT is simply composed of the samples of the DTFT of the sequence at equally spaced frequency points, or equivalently, the samples of its z-transform at equally spaced points on the unit circle. The DFT provides information about the spectral contents of the signal at equally spaced discrete frequency points, and thus, can be used for spectral analysis of signals. Various techniques, commonly known as the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithms, have been advanced for the efficient com putation of the DFT. An important tool in digital signal processing is the linear convolution of two finite-length signals, which often can be implemented very efficiently using the DFT.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 228 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Although limnology is a young discipline, it has, over the past century, experi enced marked growth. Its early descriptive period was a long one, given the enormous diversity of biota and environments in freshwater ecosystems. With the development of quantitative techniques came the ability to measure production rates and other parameters and to demonstrate the effects of nutrient limitation and predation on productivity and energy flow. As understanding of these phenomena grew, so too did our appreciation of the many complex chemical interactions among the biotic and habitat components of freshwater ecosystems. A recent, exciting phase of limnology, which may be called biochemical lim nology, is evolving rapidly. One of its many facets is the study of population and community dynamics at basic physiological levels. Examples are many. The integration of recent studies of food biochemistry with traditional studies of food quantity has begun to reveal the striking importance of food quality to reproduc tion and to the growth dynamics of many aquatic animals. Positive as well as negative alleleochemical interactions, already known in terrestrial ecosystems, are emerging as a major factor of many competitive interactions in fresh waters.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 336 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -A major goal of hearing research is to explain how the human auditory system normally functions and to help identify the causes of and treatments for hearing impairment. Experimental approaches to this research make use of animal models that are developed, evaluated and validated to determine what can be generalized from one species to another. By investigating the structures, physiological functions and hearing capabilities of various species, comparative hearing research establishes the biological and evolutionary context for such models. This volume brings together our current understanding of the auditory systems of two of the major vertebrate classes, fish and amphibians. It overcomes the differing theoretical and experimental paradigms that underlie most work on these groups and treats both fish and amphibians together in most chapters in order to address broader comparative issues.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 460 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Active rules provide a new and important method for designing databases and the subject is seeing an increasing amount of attention from commercial database companies. This book provides a timely survey of the field from the point of view of some of the subject's most active researchers. The book is divided into several parts, organized by theme: the first, Fundamentals covers the underlying methodology reagrding active rules, next comes a collection of chapters which cover formal specification, rule analysis, performance analysis, and support tools, the third part is devoted to a number of chapters covering the implementation of active rules in a number of commercial systems. Finally, come sections on applications and future directions that research may take. All researchers in databases will find this provides a valuable overview of this topic. 464 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Since I started working in the area of nonlinear programming and, later on, variational inequality problems, I have frequently been surprised to find that many algorithms, however scattered in numerous journals, monographs and books, and described rather differently, are closely related to each other. This book is meant to help the reader understand and relate algorithms to each other in some intuitive fashion, and represents, in this respect, a consolidation of the field. The framework of algorithms presented in this book is called Cost Approxi mation. (The preface of the Ph.D. thesis [Pat93d] explains the background to the work that lead to the thesis, and ultimately to this book.) It describes, for a given formulation of a variational inequality or nonlinear programming problem, an algorithm by means of approximating mappings and problems, a principle for the update of the iteration points, and a merit function which guides and monitors the convergence of the algorithm. One purpose of this book is to offer this framework as an intuitively appeal ing tool for describing an algorithm. One of the advantages of the framework, or any reasonable framework for that matter, is that two algorithms may be easily related and compared through its use. This framework is particular in that it covers a vast number of methods, while still being fairly detailed; the level of abstraction is in fact the same as that of the original problem statement.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 356 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Jim Green 1.1 THE THAMES ESTUARY:A PERSONAL VIEW For almost 50 years I have lived close to the Thames estuary (Figure 1.1). In the early 1950s, from our flat in Pimlico, we could walk along the embankment opposite Battersea Power Station. At low tide, the exposed mud had large red patches caused by the haemoglobin in innumerable tubificid worms. These formed the basis of a minor trade. Men with waders and sieves would collect the worms and sell them to the aquarium trade as food for fishes.The superabundance of these worms depended on the gross organic pollution of this reach of the Thames. Towards the end of the 1950s we moved to Teddington, within a few minutes' walk from the lock. Casual observation of the birds on the river indicates an increase in the piscivores over the last 20 years.Cormorants tPhalacrocorax carbo) are regularly seen, and grey herons (Ardea cinerea) are more abundant. On a good day it is possible to see up to eight herons around the weir and below the lock. Another bird that is now common place in the area is the great-crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus).The regular mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)and Canada geese (Branta canadensis)are some times joined by tufted duck (Aythafuligula)and mandarin (Aixgalericulata).Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 272 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -In this book, we give a rational treatment of multicomponent materials as intera- ingcontinua.Weoffertwoderivationsoftheequationsofmotionfortheinteracting continua; one which uses the concepts of continua for the components, and one which applies an averaging operation to the continuum equations for each c- ponent. Arguments are given for constitutive equations appropriate for dispersed multicomponent ow. The forms of the constitutive equations are derived from the principles of continuum mechanics applied to the components and their int- actions. The solutions of problems of hydromechanics of ordinary continua are used as motivation for the forms of certain constitutive equations in multicom- nent materials. The balance of the book is devoted to the study of problems of hydrodynamics of multicomponent ows. Many materials are homogeneous in the sense that each part of the material has the same response to a given set of stimuli as all of the other parts. An example of such a material is pure water. Formulation of equations describing the behavior of homogeneous materials is well understood, and is described in numerous standard textbooks. Many other materials, both manufactured and occurring in nature, are not - mogeneous. Such materials are often given names such as mixtures or composites.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 324 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Computing Equilibria and Fixed Points is devoted to the computation of equilibria, fixed points and stationary points. This volume is written with three goals in mind: (i) To give a comprehensive introduction to fixed point methods and to the definition and construction of Gröbner bases; (ii) To discuss several interesting applications of these methods in the fields of general equilibrium theory, game theory, mathematical programming, algebra and symbolic computation; (iii) To introduce several advanced fixed point and stationary point theorems. These methods and topics should be of interest not only to economists and game theorists concerned with the computation and existence of equilibrium outcomes in economic models and cooperative and non-cooperative games, but also to applied mathematicians, computer scientists and engineers dealing with models of highly nonlinear systems of equations (or polynomial equations).

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -Comparative Vertebrate Reproduction is the only comprehensive textbook covering major topics in the reproductive biology of vertebrates, from sexuality and gametogenesis to reproductive ecology and life history tactics. The work draws heavily on recent reviews and papers while placing topics in a historical context and conceptual framework. In addition, the author provides detailed comparative surveys of each of the major topics discussed.Comparative Vertebrate Reproduction has been written as a textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level students in biology, zoology, physiology, animal science, and veterinary medicine. The work also serves as an excellent reference for researchers in medical and veterinary schools working in reproductive medicine.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 484 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Still Image Compression on Parallel Computer Architectures investigates the application of parallel-processing techniques to digital image compression. Digital image compression is used to reduce the number of bits required to store an image in computer memory and/or transmit it over a communication link. Over the past decade advancements in technology have spawned many applications of digital imaging, such as photo videotex, desktop publishing, graphics arts, color facsimile, newspaper wire phototransmission and medical imaging. For many other contemporary applications, such as distributed multimedia systems, rapid transmission of images is necessary. Dollar cost as well as time cost of transmission and storage tend to be directly proportional to the volume of data. Therefore, application of digital image compression techniques becomes necessary to minimize costs. A number of digital image compression algorithms have been developed and standardized. With the success of these algorithms, research effort is now directed towards improving implementation techniques. The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) and Motion Photographic Experts Group(MPEG) are international organizations which have developed digital image compression standards. Hardware (VLSI chips) which implement the JPEG image compression algorithm are available. Such hardware is specific to image compression only and cannot be used for other image processing applications. A flexible means of implementing digital image compression algorithms is still required. An obvious method of processing different imaging applications on general purpose hardware platforms is to develop software implementations. JPEG uses an 8 × 8 block of image samples as the basic element for compression. These blocks are processed sequentially. There is always the possibility of having similar blocks in a given image. If similar blocks in an image are located, then repeatedcompression of these blocks is not necessary. By locating similar blocks in the image, the speed of compression can be increased and the size of the compressed image can be reduced. Based on this concept an enhancement to the JPEG algorithm is proposed, called Bock Comparator Technique (BCT). Still Image Compression on Parallel Computer Architectures is designed for advanced students and practitioners of computer science. This comprehensive reference provides a foundation for understanding digital image compression techniques and parallel computer architectures.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Perspectives in Life Cycle Impact Assessment: A Structured Approach to Combine Models of the Technosphere, Ecosphere and Valuesphere describes the relationship between subjective and objective elements in Life Cycle Impact Assessment. It suggests a new framework which will allow people to master two of the major problems associated with LCA, the difficulty of separating subjective from objective elements and the tendency for impact assessment to record `phantoms' rather than actual damages. Perspectives in Life Cycle Impact Assessment: A Structured Approach to Combine Models of the Technosphere, Ecosphere and Valuesphere presents a proposal for a second generation framework and method for Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Many of the suggested elements are either based on other tools for environmental analysis, e.g. risk assessment, or fit in well with tools and concepts such as industrial ecology, technology assessment, or environmental impact assessment. The research presented in this book goes beyond the scope of presently used methods for Life Cycle Assessment and may stimulate new developments in a variety of areas. The book will appeal to persons from a wide range of scientific disciplines who are interested in learning more about Life Cycle Assessment. It will be especially valuable to members of SETAC and to students and researchers in the fields of environmental impact assessment, risk assessment and industrial ecology.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - This book contains a selection of papers presented at the conference on High Performance Software for Nonlinear Optimization (HPSN097) which was held in Ischia, Italy, in June 1997. The rapid progress of computer technologies, including new parallel architec tures, has stimulated a large amount of research devoted to building software environments and defining algorithms able to fully exploit this new computa tional power. In some sense, numerical analysis has to conform itself to the new tools. The impact of parallel computing in nonlinear optimization, which had a slow start at the beginning, seems now to increase at a fast rate, and it is reasonable to expect an even greater acceleration in the future. As with the first HPSNO conference, the goal of the HPSN097 conference was to supply a broad overview of the more recent developments and trends in nonlinear optimization, emphasizing the algorithmic and high performance software aspects. Bringing together new computational methodologies with theoretical ad vances and new computer technologies is an exciting challenge that involves all scientists willing to develop high performance numerical software. This book contains several important contributions from different and com plementary standpoints. Obviously, the articles in the book do not cover all the areas of the conference topic or all the most recent developments, because of the large number of new theoretical and computational ideas of the last few years.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Competition, Efficiency and Welfare contains a collection of papers in honor of Manfred Neumann. This collection was prepared as a tribute to a teacher and scholar, whose accomplishments have enriched various fields of economics. The magnitude of his interests is reflected in the breadth of topics covered in this volume: industrial economics, competition policy and related topics. However, if one unifying principle runs through Manfred Neumann's work, it is the belief in the power of competition. Born on May 16, 1933, Manfred Neumann studied economics at the University of Cologne. He graduated in 1960. In 1969 Manfred Neumann was appointed Professor of Economics at Nürnberg University. He was Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences of the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, President of the European Association for Research in Industrial Economics (EARIE) and Chairman of Industrial Organization Study Group of the Verein für Sozialpolitik. Most of his professional career has been spent at Nürnberg, where he has helped to make the Economic Institute one of the leading research centers in Industrial Organization. He has also been involved in various advisory activities. The volume contains 18 essays. The first twelve are grouped into four categories: Innovation and R&D (Part I), Cartels (Part II), Mergers and Merger Policy (Part III), and Methodological Issues in Industrial Organization (Part IV). These papers fall within the bounds of industrial economics, which has been Manfred Neumann's primary research interest throughout his career. Part V includes two papers on theories of international trade, which has been a recurring topic of interest for Manfred Neumann through the years. The last three papers look at broader policy and macroeconomic issues. Contributors to this volume include Karl Aiginger, David B. Audretsch, Paul A. Geroski, Stephen Martin and Dennis Mueller.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Constraint Logic Programming (CLP), an area of extreme research interest in recent years, extends the semantics of Prolog in such a way that the combinatorial explosion, a characteristic of most problems in the field of Artificial Intelligence, can be tackled efficiently. By employing solvers dedicated to each domain instead of the unification algorithm, CLP drastically reduces the search space of the problem, which leads to increased efficiency in the execution of logic programs. CLP offers the possibility of solving complex combinatorial problems in an efficient way, and at the same time maintains the advantages offered by the declarativeness of logic programming. The aim of this book is to present parallel and constraint logic programming, offering a basic understanding of the two fields to the reader new to the area. The first part of the book gives an introduction to the fundamental aspects of conventional logic programming which is necessary for understanding the parts that follow. The second part includes an introduction to parallel logic programming, architectures and implementations proposed in the area. Finally, the third part presents the principles of constraint logic programming. The last two parts also include descriptions of the supporting facilities for the two paradigms in two popular systems; ECLIPSe and SICStus. These platforms have been selected mainly because they offer both parallel and constraint features. Annotated and explained examples are also included in the relevant parts, offering a valuable guide and a first practical experience to the reader. Finally, applications of the covered paradigms are presented. The authors felt that a book of this kind should provide some theoretical background necessary for the understanding of the covered logic programming paradigms, and a quick start for the reader interested in writing parallel and constraint logic programming programs. However it is outside the scope of this book to provide a deep theoretical background of the two areas. In that sense, this book is addressed to a public interested in obtaining a knowledge of the domain, without spending the time and effort to understand the extensive theoretical work done in the field &endash; namely postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students in the area of logic programming. This book fills a gap in the current bibliography, since there is no comprehensive book of this level that covers the areas of conventional, parallel, and constraint logic programming. Parallel and Constraint Logic Programming: An Introduction to Logic, Parallelism and Constraints is appropriate for an advanced level course on Logic Programming or Constraints, and as a reference for practitioners and researchers in industry.

Buch. Condición: Neu. Neuware - Telepresence is enabling human interaction at a distance, creating a sense of being present at a remote location. In the next millennium we are certain to be increasingly `telepresent' both at work and at play, with an expanding market for telepresence services. As we move from a physical to an information economy, demand will grow for services which transport bits not atoms and which support the output of the human mind. Moreover, technology continues to advance at an unprecedented rate, and it could be suggested that we are reaching key breakpoints in client processing power and global network interconnectivity. In practice, telepresence systems utilise a very wide range of technologies. In compiling this book the editors have included chapters from across these technologies which they have broadly classified as audio, data, video and virtual environments. Telepresence gives a flavour of the exciting developments in telepresence and teleconferencing technologies being researched and developed within BT. Just as the telephone began changing the world a century ago, so will telepresence one day alter the way we live, think, do business and react to the world around us. The potential for these technologies is staggering, the implications mind-boggling. Building on a strong base of established audiovisual conferencing and interactive multimedia services, BT and MCI are leading the way in defining the commercial applications of telepresence that will shape the future of global telecommunication. Telepresence is a snapshot of these groundbreaking activities and conveys the complexity, uncertainty and enthusiasm involved in this challenging and exciting work. It is essential reading for all researchers, engineers and managers working in this stimulating field.