bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Geometry of Jet Bundles
Authors: Saunders D. J.
Published: December 2009

The purpose of this book is to provide an introduction to the theory of jet bundles for mathematicians and physicists who wish to study differential equations, particularly those associated with the calculus of variations, in a modern geometric way. One of the themes of the book is that first-order jets may be considered as the natural generalisation of vector fields for studying variational problems in field theory, and so many of the constructions are introduced in the context of first- or second-order jets, before being described in their full generality. The book includes a proof of the local exactness of the variational bicomplex. A knowledge of differential geometry is assumed by the author, although introductory chapters include the necessary background of fibred manifolds, and on vector and affine bundles. Coordinate-free techniques are used throughout, although coordinate representations are often used in proofs and when considering applications.
Approaches to the Theory of Optimization
Authors: Ponstein J. P.
Published: December 2009

Optimization is concerned with finding the best (optimal) solution to mathematical problems that may arise in economics, engineering, the social sciences and the mathematical sciences. As is suggested by its title, this book surveys various ways of penetrating the subject. The author begins with a selection of the type of problem to which optimization can be applied and the remainder of the book develops the theory, mainly from the viewpoint of mathematical programming. To prevent the treatment becoming too abstract, subjects which may be considered 'unpractical' are not touched upon. The author gives plausible reasons, without forsaking rigor, to show how the subject develops 'naturally'. Professor Ponstein has provided a concise account of optimization which should be readily accessible to anyone with a basic understanding of topology and functional analysis. Advanced students and professionals concerned with operations research, optimal control and mathematical programming will welcome this useful and interesting book.
Two-Level Functional Languages
Authors: Nielson Flemming , Nielson Hanne Riis
Published: December 2009

The authors describe here a framework in which the type notation of functional languages is extended to include a notation for binding times (that is run-time and compile-time) that distinguishes between them. Consequently the ability to specify code and verify program correctness can be improved. Two developments are needed, the first of which introduces the binding time distinction into the lambda calculus, in a manner analogous with the introduction of types into the untyped lambda calculus. Methods are also presented for introducing combinators for run-time. The second concerns the interpretation of the resulting language, which is known as the mixed lambda-calculus and combinatory logic. The notion of 'parametrized semantics' is used to describe code generation and abstract interpretation. The code generation is for a simple abstract machine designed for the purpose; it is close to the categorical abstract machine. The abstract interpretation focuses on a strictness analysis that generalises Wadler's analysis for lists.
Affine Analysis of Image Sequences
Authors: Shapiro Larry S.
Published: December 2009

Computer vision is a rapidly growing field which aims to make computers 'see' as effectively as humans. In this book Dr Shapiro presents a new computer vision framework for interpreting time-varying imagery. This is an important task, since movement reveals valuable information about the environment. The fully-automated system operates on long, monocular image sequences containing multiple, independently-moving objects, and demonstrates the practical feasibility of recovering scene structure and motion in a bottom-up fashion. Real and synthetic examples are given throughout, with particular emphasis on image coding applications. Novel theory is derived in the context of the affine camera, a generalisation of the familiar scaled orthographic model. Analysis proceeds by tracking 'corner features' through successive frames and grouping the resulting trajectories into rigid objects using new clustering and outlier rejection techniques. The three-dimensional motion parameters are then computed via 'affine epipolar geometry', and 'affine structure' is used to generate alternative views of the object and fill in partial views. The use of all available features (over multiple frames) and the incorporation of statistical noise properties substantially improves existing algorithms, giving greater reliability and reduced noise sensitivity.
Legal Positivism in American Jurisprudence
Authors: Sebok Anthony J.
Published: December 2009

This book represents a serious and philosophically sophisticated guide to modern American legal theory, demonstrating that legal positivism has been a misunderstood and underappreciated perspective through most of twentieth-century American legal thought. Anthony Sebok traces the roots of positivism through the first half of the twentieth century, and rejects the view that one must adopt some version of natural law theory in order to recognize moral principles in the law. On the contrary, once one corrects for the mistakes of formalism and postwar legal process, one is left with a theory of legal positivism that takes moral principles seriously while avoiding the pitfalls of natural law. The broad scope of this book ensures that it will be read by philosophers of law, historians of law, historians of American intellectual life, and those in political science concerned with public law and administration.
The Philosophy of F. P. Ramsey
Authors: Sahlin Nils-Eric
Published: December 2009

F. P. Ramsey was a remarkably creative and subtle philosopher who in the briefest of academic careers (he died tragically in 1930 aged 26) made significant contributions to logic, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of language and decision theory. His few published papers reveal him to be a figure or comparable importance to Russell, Carnap and Wittgenstein in the history of analytical philosophy. This book was the first critical study of Ramsey's work, offering a thorough exposition and interpretation of his ideas, setting the ideas in their historical context, and assessing their significance for contemporary research. The study is intended to complement the reissue of Ramsey's papers edited by Professor Hugh Mellor.
Minding the Close Relationship
Authors: Harvey John H. , Omarzu Julia
Published: December 2009

This volume provides a statement of a new theory of how committed romantic partners can maintain and enhance their close relationships over an extended period. It blends the relationship scholarship on closeness with practical advice and comparison of minding with several other major theories of how to maintain closeness. Minding is a package of reciprocal thought, feeling and behaviour and involves components of behaviour aimed at knowing and being known by one's partner, attribution about one's partner and the relationship, respect, acceptance and a never-ending commitment to the process. Minding the Close Relationship will serve as a supplementary textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in social psychology, communication, family studies, and clinical and counselling psychology.
Building a Democratic Political Order
Authors: Plotke David
Published: December 2009

This 1996 book analyses the dramatic changes in American politics that occurred during the 1930s and 1940s - including the break-up of national Republican power, the growth of the federal government, the emergence of a new labour movement, American entry into World War II, the Cold War and domestic anti-Communism, and the opening of national political debate about civil rights. The central dynamic of this era was the creation and maintenance of a distinctive new political order, formed through the creative political action of progressive liberals in alliance with mass movements, notably labour. At the core of this new order was a powerful triangle formed by a national state, a leading party, and major nonparty interest groups and movements. Democratic progressive liberalism recast American political institutions and discourses in ways that went well beyond what was expected in the early 1930s, and in forms strong enough to endure for several decades after Roosevelt's death.
Odd Markets in Japanese History
Authors: Ramseyer J. Mark
Published: December 2009

Employing a rational-choice approach, Professor Ramseyer studies the impact of Japanese law on economic growth in Japan. Toward that end, the author investigates the way law governed various markets and the way that people negotiated contracts within those markets. For much of the period at stake, the Japanese government was an oligarchy rather than a democracy; the judges operated a civil rather than common law regime; the economy grew modestly but erratically; and social customs changed rapidly and radically. As a result, this study applies an economic logic, but to markets in a vastly different world, in a different historical period, and with a different political regime and legal system. Findings reveal that the legal system generally promoted mutually advantageous deals, and that people generally negotiated in ways that shrewdly promoted their private best interests. Whether in the markets for indentured servants, prostitutes, or marriage partners, Odd Markets in Japanese History reports little evidence of either age- or gender- related exploitation.
The Methodology of Economics
Authors: Blaug Mark
Published: December 2009

This book is an examination of the nature of economic explanation. The opening chapters introduce current thinking in the philosophy of science and review the literature on methodology. Professor Blaug then turns to the troublesome question of the logical status of welfare economics, giving the reader an understanding of the outstanding issues in the methodology of economics. This is followed by a series of case studies of leading economic controversies, which shows how controversies in economics may be illuminated by paying attention to questions of methodology. A final chapter draws the strands together and gives the author's view of what is wrong with modern economics. This book is a revised and updated edition of a classic work on the methodology of economics, in which Professor Blaug develops his discussion of the latest developments in macroeconomics, general equilibrium theory and international trade theory. A new section on the rationality postulate is also added.
On Concepts and Measures of Multifactor Productivity in Canada, 1961–1980
Authors: Cas Alexandra , Rymes Thomas K.
Published: December 2009

This book presents new estimates of the sources of economic growth in Canada. The experimental measures account for the reproducibility of capital inputs in an input-output framework and show that advances in technology are more important for economic growth than previously estimated. Traditional measures of multifactor productivity advance are also presented. Extensive comparisons relate the two approaches to each change and labour productivity. The book will be of interest to macroeconomists studying economic growth, capital accumulation, technical advance, growth accounting, and input-output analysis.
The Rise of the New Model Army
Authors: Kishlansky Mark A.
Published: December 2009

This is a meticulously-researched and highly controversial study of the origins and development of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary politics during the English Civil War. Professor Kishlansky challenges the fundamental assumptions upon which all previous interpretations of this period have been based. It is his contention that during the years 1643–6, Parliament operated on a model of consensus rather than on one of party conflict as has been traditionally assumed. The New Model Army was thus the product of compromise and, Professor Kishlansky argues, it embodied the ideology that created it. The political invention of the Army occurred only after the machine of consensus politics had broken down with Parliament. The New Model Army, perpetuating the belief in consensus and balance but also representing its own interests, then became one of many factions competing for dominance.
Criminal Justice and Crime in Late Renaissance Florence, 1537–1609
Authors: Brackett John K.
Published: December 2009

This book examines in detail the Florentine system of criminal justice under the reign of the first three Medici grand dukes, from 1537 to 1609. The author discusses the structure and functions of the court, the operation of the two city prisons, and the definition and treatment of the major categories of crime. His main purpose is to shed light on the character of the Medicean state by examining the effectiveness of its main instrument of social control. The study is important for the amount of detail that it offers for such an early period, and it helps to vitiate the usefulness of the term 'absolutist,' which conveys a misleading picture of the early modern state.
Peasant and French
Authors: Lehning James R.
Published: December 2009

Peasant and French examines the relationship between French peasants and the development of the French national identity during the nineteenth century. Drawing on methods from cultural studies and social history and a broad range of literary and archival sources, Lehning argues that modern France has in part defined itself as different from the peasantry. Rather than seeing rural French history as a process in which peasants lose their identities and become French, he views it as an ongoing process of cultural contact in which both peasants and the French nation negotiate their identities in relation to the other. The book suggests a new kind of rural history that places the countryside in its national context rather than in isolation.
Business Interest Groups in Nineteenth-Century Brazil
Authors: Ridings Eugene
Published: December 2009

This book is the first to describe the role of business interest groups, also known as pressure groups, in the development of Brazil during the nineteenth-century. Business interest groups strongly affected the modernization and prosperity of agriculture, the pace of industrialisation, and patterns of communications. Although they sometimes initiated enterprises themselves, they most affected development by influencing the scope and direction of government aid. The most important of business interest groups, the commercial associations, also may be seen as institutions through which ties of dependency to better-developed nations overseas were maintained.
Asymptotic Efficiency of Nonparametric Tests
Authors: Nikitin Yakov
Published: December 2009

Making a substantiated choice of the most efficient statistical test is one of the basic problems of statistics. Asymptotic efficiency is an indispensable technique for comparing and ordering statistical tests in large samples. It is especially useful in nonparametric statistics where it is usually necessary to rely on heuristic tests. This monograph presents a unified treatment of the analysis and calculation of the asymptotic efficiencies of nonparametric tests. Powerful new methods are developed to evaluate explicitly different kinds of efficiencies. Of particular interest is the description of domains of the Bahadur local optimality and related characterisation problems based on recent research by the author. Other Russian results are also published here for the first time in English. Researchers, professionals and students in statistics will find this book invaluable.
Kinematic Analysis of Robot Manipulators
Authors: Crane, III Carl D. , Duffy Joseph
Published: December 2009

A robot manipulator is a movable chain of links interconnected by joints. One end is fixed to the ground, and a hand or end effector that can move freely in space is attached at the other end. This book begins with an introduction to the subject of robot manipulators. Next, it describes in detail a forward and reverse analysis for serial robot arms. Most of the text focuses on closed form solution techniques applied to a broad range of manipulator geometries, from typical industrial robot designs (relatively simple geometries) to the most complicated case of seven general links serially connected by six revolute joints. A unique feature is its detailed analysis of 6R-P and 7R mechanisms. Case studies show how the techniques described in the book are used in real engineering applications. The book will be useful to both graduate students and engineers working in the field of robotics.
Extended Defects in Semiconductors
Authors: Holt D. B. , Yacobi B. G.
Published: December 2009

The elucidation of the effects of structurally extended defects on electronic properties of materials is especially important in view of the current advances in electronic device development that involve defect control and engineering at the nanometer level. This book surveys the properties, effects, roles and characterization of extended defects in semiconductors. The basic properties of extended defects (dislocations, stacking faults, grain boundaries, and precipitates) are outlined, and their effect on the electronic properties of semiconductors, their role in semiconductor devices, and techniques for their characterization are discussed. These topics are among the central issues in the investigation and applications of semiconductors and in the operation of semiconductor devices. The authors preface their treatment with an introduction to semiconductor materials and conclude with a chapter on point defect maldistributions. This text is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in materials science and engineering, and for those studying semiconductor physics.
Phonons in Nanostructures
Authors: Stroscio Michael A. , Dutta Mitra
Published: December 2009

This book focuses on the theory of phonon interactions in nanoscale structures with particular emphasis on modern electronic and optoelectronic devices. The continuing progress in the fabrication of semiconductor nanostructures with lower dimensional features has led to devices with enhanced functionality and even novel devices with new operating principles. The critical role of phonon effects in such semiconductor devices is well known. There is therefore a great need for a greater awareness and understanding of confined phonon effects. A key goal of this book is to describe tractable models of confined phonons and how these are applied to calculations of basic properties and phenomena of semiconductor heterostructures. The level of presentation is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students in physics and engineering with some background in quantum mechanics and solid state physics or devices. A basic understanding of electromagnetism and classical acoustics is assumed.
Geometry of Quantum States
Authors: Bengtsson Ingemar , Zyczkowski Karol
Published: December 2009

Quantum information theory is at the frontiers of physics, mathematics and information science, offering a variety of solutions that are impossible using classical theory. This book provides an introduction to the key concepts used in processing quantum information and reveals that quantum mechanics is a generalisation of classical probability theory. After a gentle introduction to the necessary mathematics the authors describe the geometry of quantum state spaces. Focusing on finite dimensional Hilbert spaces, they discuss the statistical distance measures and entropies used in quantum theory. The final part of the book is devoted to quantum entanglement - a non-intuitive phenomenon discovered by Schrödinger, which has become a key resource for quantum computation. This richly-illustrated book is useful to a broad audience of graduates and researchers interested in quantum information theory. Exercises follow each chapter, with hints and answers supplied.
Functional Integration
Authors: Cartier Pierre , DeWitt-Morette Cecile
Published: December 2009

Functional integration successfully entered physics as path integrals in the 1942 Ph.D. dissertation of Richard P. Feynman, but it made no sense at all as a mathematical definition. Cartier and DeWitt-Morette have created, in this book, a fresh approach to functional integration. The book is self-contained: mathematical ideas are introduced, developed, generalised and applied. In the authors' hands, functional integration is shown to be a robust, user-friendly and multi-purpose tool that can be applied to a great variety of situations, for example: systems of indistinguishable particles; Aharonov–Bohm systems; supersymmetry; non-gaussian integrals. Problems in quantum field theory are also considered. In the final part the authors outline topics that can be profitably pursued using material already presented.
Physical Problems Solved by the Phase-Integral Method
Authors: Fröman Nanny , Fröman Per Olof
Published: December 2009

This book provides a thorough introduction to one of the most efficient approximation methods for the analysis and solution of problems in theoretical physics and applied mathematics. It is written with practical needs in mind and contains a discussion of 50 problems with solutions, of varying degrees of difficulty. The problems are taken from quantum mechanics, but the method has important applications in any field of science involving second order ordinary differential equations. The power of the asymptotic solution of second order differential equations is demonstrated, and in each case the authors clearly indicate which concepts and results of the general theory are needed to solve a particular problem. This book will be ideal as a manual for users of the phase-integral method, as well as a valuable reference text for experienced research workers and graduate students.
Remarkable Physicists
Authors: James Ioan
Published: December 2009

The 250 years from the second half of the 17th century saw the birth of modern physics and its growth into one of the most successful of the sciences. The reader will find here the lives of 55 of the most remarkable physicists from that era described in brief biographies. All the characters profiled have made important contributions to physics, either through their ideas, through their teaching or in other ways. The emphasis is on their varied life-stories, not on the details of their achievements, but when read in sequence the biographies, which are organised chronologically, convey in human terms something of the way in which physics was created. Scientific and mathematical detail is kept to a minimum, so the reader who is interested in physics, but perhaps lacks the background to follow technical accounts, will find this collection an inviting and easy path through the subject's modern development.
Molecular Light Scattering and Optical Activity
Authors: Barron Laurence D.
Published: December 2009

Using classical and quantum methods with a strong emphasis on symmetry principles, this book, a reissue of the 2004 second edition, develops the theory of a variety of optical activity and related phenomena from the perspective of molecular scattering of polarised light. In addition to the traditional topic of optical rotation and circular dichroism in the visible and near-ultraviolet associated with electronic transitions, the newer topic of optical activity associated with vibrational transitions, which may be studied using both infrared and Raman techniques, is also treated. Ranging from the physics of elementary particles to the structure of viruses, the subject matter of the book reflects the importance of optical activity and chirality in much of modern science and will be of interest to a wide range of physical and life scientists.
Mars: An Introduction to its Interior, Surface and Atmosphere
Authors: Barlow Nadine
Published: December 2009

Our knowledge of Mars has changed dramatically in the past 40 years due to the wealth of information provided by Earth-based and orbiting telescopes, and spacecraft investigations. Recent observations suggest that water has played a major role in the climatic and geologic history of the planet. This textbook covers our understanding of the planet's formation, geology, atmosphere, interior, surface properties, and potential for life. This interdisciplinary textbook encompasses the fields of geology, chemistry, atmospheric sciences, geophysics, and astronomy. Each chapter introduces the necessary background information to help the non-specialist understand the topics explored. It includes results from missions through 2006, including the latest insights from Mars Express and the Mars Exploration Rovers. Containing the most up-to-date information on Mars, this textbook is essential reading for graduate courses, and an important reference for researchers.
Masks of the Universe
Authors: Harrison Edward
Published: December 2009

To the ancient Greeks the universe consisted of earth, air, fire, and water. To Saint Augustine it was the Word of God. To many modern scientists it is the dance of atoms and waves, and in years to come it may be different again. What then is the real Universe? History shows that in every age each society constructs its own universe, believing it to be the real and final Universe. Yet each universe is only a model or mask of the unknown Universe. Originally published in 2003, this book brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical, and religious issues in cosmology, raising thought-provoking questions. In every age people have pitied the universes of their ancestors, convinced that they have at last discovered the ultimate truth. Does the modern model stand at the threshold of discovering everything, or will it, like all the rest, come to be pitied?
Planet Formation
Authors: Brandner Wolfgang
Published: December 2009

When this book was published in 2006, it had been just over ten years since the first planet outside our solar system was detected. Since then, much work has focused on understanding how extrasolar planets may form, and discovering the frequency of potentially habitable Earth-like planets. This volume addresses fundamental questions concerning the formation of planetary systems in general, and of our solar system in particular. Drawing from advances in observational, experimental and theoretical research, it summarises our understanding of the planet formation processes, and addresses major open questions and research issues. Chapters are written by leading experts in the field of planet formation and extrasolar planet studies. The book is based on a meeting held at Ringberg Castle in Bavaria, where experts gathered together to present and exchange their ideas and findings. It is a comprehensive resource for graduate students and researchers, and is written to be accessible to newcomers to the field.
Power Analysis for Experimental Research
Authors: Bausell R. Barker , Li Yu-Fang
Published: December 2009

Power analysis is an essential tool for determining whether a statistically significant result can be expected in a scientific experiment prior to the experiment being performed. Many funding agencies and institutional review boards now require power analyses to be carried out before they will approve experiments, particularly where they involve the use of human subjects. This comprehensive, yet accessible, book provides practising researchers with step-by-step instructions for conducting power/sample size analyses, assuming only basic prior knowledge of summary statistics and the normal distribution. It contains a unified approach to statistical power analysis, with numerous easy-to-use tables to guide the reader without the need for further calculations or statistical expertise. This will be an indispensable text for researchers and graduates in the medical and biological sciences needing to apply power analysis in the design of their experiments.
Food Webs and Container Habitats
Authors: Kitching R. L.
Published: December 2009

The animal communities in plant-held water bodies, such as tree holes and pitcher plants, have become models for food-web studies. In this book, Professor Kitching introduces us to these fascinating miniature worlds and demonstrates how they can be used to tackle some of the major questions in community ecology. Based on thirty years' research in many parts of the world, this work presents much previously unpublished information, in addition to summarising over a hundred years of natural history observations by others. The book covers many aspects of the theory of food-web formation and maintenance presented with field-collected information on tree holes, bromeliads, pitcher plants, bamboo containers and the axils of fleshy plants. It is a unique introduction for the field naturalist and a stimulating source treatment for graduate students and professionals working in the fields of tropical and other forest ecology, as well as entomology.
Invertebrate Conservation and Agricultural Ecosystems
Authors: New T. R.
Published: December 2009

Invertebrate Conservation and Agricultural Ecosystems explores the diverse interests of invertebrate conservation and agricultural production. It is both an introduction to invertebrate conservation biology for agriculturists and an introduction to crop protection for conservation biologists, demonstrating how these two disparate fields may draw on each other for greater collective benefit. It draws on recent literature to show how invertebrate conservation in highly altered landscapes may be promoted and enhanced. The book deals with problems of, and approaches to, invertebrate conservation in highly managed agricultural ecosystems, and how biodiversity may be promoted without compromising agricultural production. It draws attention to the importance of invertebrates in agricultural systems and their role in ecosystem functions.
The Ecology of Trees in the Tropical Rain Forest
Authors: Turner I. M.
Published: December 2009

Our knowledge of the ecology of tropical rain-forest trees is limited, with detailed information available for perhaps only a few hundred of the many thousand of species that occur. Yet a good understanding of the trees is essential to unravelling the workings of the forest itself. This book aims to summarise contemporary understanding of the ecology of tropical rain-forest trees. The emphasis is on comparative ecology, an approach that can help to identify possible adaptive trends and evolutionary constraints and which may also lead to a workable ecological classification for tree species, conceptually simplifying the rain-forest community and making it more amenable to analysis.
Tropical Forest Insect Pests
Authors: Nair K. S. S.
Published: December 2009

Tropical Forest Insect Pests, first published in 2007, promotes a better theoretical understanding of pest population dynamics, and causes of forest insect outbreaks in the tropics. Covering pests of both natural forests and plantations, it examines the diversity of tropical forest insects; their ecological functions; the concept of pests; and the incidence of pests in natural forests, plantations, and stored timber. General issues on which foresters and forest entomologists hold strong traditional views, such as the severity of pest incidence in plantations vs. natural forests, in plantations of exotics vs. indigenous tree species, and in monocultures vs. mixed plantations are discussed. The final section looks in detail at specific insect pests of the common plantation tree species across the tropics, with recommendations for their control. This is a comprehensive resource suitable for graduate students and researchers in forestry and tropical forest entomology, and for forest plantation managers in the tropics.
Orbifolds and Stringy Topology
Authors: Adem Alejandro , Leida Johann , Ruan Yongbin
Published: December 2009

An introduction to the theory of orbifolds from a modern perspective, combining techniques from geometry, algebraic topology and algebraic geometry. One of the main motivations, and a major source of examples, is string theory, where orbifolds play an important role. The subject is first developed following the classical description analogous to manifold theory, after which the book branches out to include the useful description of orbifolds provided by groupoids, as well as many examples in the context of algebraic geometry. Classical invariants such as de Rham cohomology and bundle theory are developed, a careful study of orbifold morphisms is provided, and the topic of orbifold K-theory is covered. The heart of this book, however, is a detailed description of the Chen-Ruan cohomology, which introduces a product for orbifolds and has had significant impact. The final chapter includes explicit computations for a number of interesting examples.
Typical Dynamics of Volume Preserving Homeomorphisms
Authors: Alpern Steve , Prasad V. S.
Published: December 2009

This 2000 book provides a self-contained introduction to typical properties of homeomorphisms. Examples of properties of homeomorphisms considered include transitivity, chaos and ergodicity. A key idea here is the interrelation between typical properties of volume preserving homeomorphisms and typical properties of volume preserving bijections of the underlying measure space. The authors make the first part of this book very concrete by considering volume preserving homeomorphisms of the unit n-dimensional cube, and they go on to prove fixed point theorems (Conley–Zehnder– Franks). This is done in a number of short self-contained chapters which would be suitable for an undergraduate analysis seminar or a graduate lecture course. Much of this work describes the work of the two authors, over the last twenty years, in extending to different settings and properties, the celebrated result of Oxtoby and Ulam that for volume homeomorphisms of the unit cube, ergodicity is a typical property.
Psychiatric Intensive Care
Authors: Beer M. Dominic , Pereira Stephen M. , Paton Carol
Published: December 2009

Significantly expanded and updated from the first edition, this edition of Psychiatric Intensive Care is essential reading for all healthcare professionals and managers involved in the care of the mentally ill patient, particularly in the intensive care environment. It provides practical and evidence-based advice on the management of disturbed and severely ill psychiatric patients in secure hospital settings. New chapters were added covering multidisciplinary team working, and emphasising the interface of psychiatric intensive care with other mental health specialities; specifically, Interface with General Psychiatry, Interface with Learning Difficulties, Interface with the Child and Adolescent, Interface with Substance Misuse, Interface with Social Work, User and Carer Issues, Legal Issues and National Standards and Good Practice in Psychiatric Intensive Care. This book should be read by all mental health team members working with disturbed psychiatric patients on an inpatient basis, as well as by management staff responsible for establishing and running these services.
Integrated Management of Depression in the Elderly
Authors: Chew-Graham Carolyn A. , Baldwin Robert , Burns Alistair
Published: December 2009

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems facing older people, and it is often unrecognised and usually under-treated. Integrated Management of Depression in the Elderly provides an entirely new approach to understanding late-life depression, by using a series of case studies with commentaries from practitioners internationally. The book covers the epidemiology, presentation and diagnosis of depression in older people and outlines current evidence for effective management drawing on recently published work. The substantive part of the book presents ten case studies of increasing complexity, each case has a commentary from a primary care clinician and a health or social care professional, to outline how professionals should work together to manage the patient within their community. Contributions from world experts give the book an international appeal. It will appeal to a wide audience of health and social care professionals together with psychiatrists-in-training.
Social Inclusion of People with Mental Illness
Authors: Leff Julian , Warner Richard
Published: December 2009

People with serious mental illness no longer spend years of their lives in psychiatric institutions. In developed countries, there has been a major shift in the focus of care from hospitals into the community. However, whilst it means those with mental illness are not confined, it does not guarantee they will be fully integrated into their communities. The barriers to full citizenship are partly due to the disabilities produced by their illnesses and partly by stigmatising and discriminatory attitudes of the public. This book analyses the causes of these barriers and suggests ways of dismantling them. The book is constructed in two parts: the first relates to social inclusion and the second to occupational inclusion. Throughout, the text is annotated with quotes from consumers, to illustrate their experience of the issues discussed. The innovations outlined are described in sufficient detail for the reader to implement them in their own practice.
Psychiatric Interviewing and Assessment
Authors: Poole Robert , Higgo Robert
Published: December 2009

This book will help mental health professionals to develop the fundamental generic skills in interviewing and assessment which form the foundation of psychiatric practice. It is about the process of reaching a diagnosis and is a practical guide to help the reader make the transition from novice to competent clinician. It is based on real problems encountered in modern general adult psychiatric practice, and is set in a range of environments, in the clinic and in the community. The text is punctuated by a selection of case studies to illustrate the principles highlighted in the book. This book will be essential reading for all members of the mental health team. Its practical grounding in everyday clinical experience will appeal to trainee psychiatrists and more experienced clinicians alike, as well as to nurses, social workers and psychologists.
Melancholia
Authors: Taylor Michael Alan , Fink Max
Published: December 2009

This book provides a comprehensive review of melancholia as a severe disorder of mood, associated with suicide, psychosis, and catatonia. The syndrome is defined with a clear diagnosis, prognosis, and range of management strategies, differentiated from other similar psychiatric, neurological, and general medical conditions. It challenges accepted doctrines in the classification and biology of the mood disorders and defines melancholia as a treatable mental illness. Described for millennia in medical texts and used as a term in literature and poetry, melancholia was included within early versions of the major diagnostic classificatory systems, but lost favour in later editions. This book updates the arguments for the diagnosis, describes its characteristics in detail, and promotes treatment and prevention. The book offers great hope to those with a disorder too often mis-diagnosed and often fatal. It should be read by all those responsible for the management of patients with mood disorders.
Undertaking Sensitive Research in the Health and Social Sciences
Authors: Dickson-Swift Virginia , James Erica Lyn , Liamputtong Pranee
Published: December 2009

Undertaking qualitative research on sensitive topics often raises a variety of ethical problems. Based on empirical research, this book documents experiences throughout the entire research process: from conceptualization, ethics approval, fieldwork, to analysis and publication. It presents readers with stories from the researcher's perspective and synthesizes these experiences into a conceptual framework that will assist researchers to undertake qualitative research. Each section discusses potential pitfalls, provides quotes and stories and reviews the relevant literature and theory, providing readers with a description of the process of conducting sensitive research from the perspective of those actually doing the research. This is not a methodology textbook, rather, it discusses the issues faced by researchers during the conduct of qualitative research on sensitive topics, such as death and dying, sexuality, homelessness, HIV/AIDS, cancer. It provides practical recommendations for researchers and Research Ethics Committees. It will also be a useful resource for anyone interested in undertaking a research project on sensitive topics and for those teaching qualitative methods across a broad range of disciplines.
The Ethics of Medical Research on Humans
Authors: Foster Claire
Published: December 2009

One of the most difficult problems that confronts clinicians and medical professionals is how to apply ethical principles to real decisions affecting patients. In this even-handed book, Foster examines the three main approaches to moral decision-making: goal-based, duty-based and rights-based. She examines the underlying philosophical arguments behind each, their relative strengths and weaknesses, and how they can actually be applied. She also looks at the problematic boundaries where best practice ends and experimentation begins. Is it ethical to experiment with new cures on people who are probably dying anyway? And how do you assess quality of consent? This book provides a thorough, non-partisan grounding in what the ethical principles are and what informs them. It is an invaluable preparation both for a researcher being interviewed by an ethics committee and for the people sitting on the committee, and will be essential reading for all medical decision-makers.
Management Mistakes in Healthcare
Authors: Davidson Richard J.
Published: December 2009

This book defines management mistakes and offers a variety of models to classify and interpret them. It describes the evolution of management mistakes, techniques for identifying and disclosing mistakes, the relationship between management and medical mistakes, and steps to prevent and correct mistakes. Six case studies, drawn from a real set of events in healthcare organizations, describe management mistakes and are followed by commentaries by experts in the field of healthcare management. They indicate steps that might have produced more positive outcomes. Ultimately, managers will not be completely successful in making healthcare better and more cost-effective without viewing mistakes as learning opportunities. This book is written for healthcare managers throughout the world and for the benefit of their patients, staff and communities.
Vascular Disease
Authors: Al-Khaffaf Haytham , Dorgan Sharon
Published: December 2009

Caring for Patients with Vascular Disease: A Practical Approach for Medical and Nursing Staff offers a step-by-step guide to caring for patients in a variety of clinical settings. It follows a patient's path of care from management in the outpatient clinic, through to the hospital ward, theatre, recovery room and back to the follow-up outpatient clinic. A clear, concise format is used throughout the book, with reference to evidence-based interventions and the physiology underpinning them, and the use of simple line diagrams and treatment flow charts to illustrate the essential aspects of care. Edited by a vascular nurse and vascular surgeon, with contributions from a group of invited authors, the book reflects the multidisciplinary nature of patient care and will be a valuable resource for nurses, surgeons and other healthcare professionals involved in caring for this patient group.
Plasma Chemistry
Authors: Fridman Alexander
Published: December 2009

Providing a fundamental introduction to all aspects of modern plasma chemistry, this book describes mechanisms and kinetics of chemical processes in plasma, plasma statistics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and electrodynamics, as well as all major electric discharges applied in plasma chemistry. Fridman considers most of the major applications of plasma chemistry, from electronics to thermal coatings, from treatment of polymers to fuel conversion and hydrogen production and from plasma metallurgy to plasma medicine. It is helpful to engineers, scientists and students interested in plasma physics, plasma chemistry, plasma engineering and combustion, as well as chemical physics, lasers, energy systems and environmental control. The book contains an extensive database on plasma kinetics and thermodynamics and numerical formulas for practical calculations related to specific plasma-chemical processes and applications. Problems and concept questions are provided, helpful in courses related to plasma, lasers, combustion, chemical kinetics, statistics and thermodynamics, and high-temperature and high-energy fluid mechanics.
THE FINANCIAL RETURN OF CEREAL FARMING FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA
Authors: DUGUMA LALISA ALEMAYEHU , DARNHOFER IKA , HAGER HERBERT
Published: December 2009

A study was conducted in Suba area, central highlands of Ethiopia, to assess the net return, land and labour productivity, and the return to scale of cereal farming practice. Seventy-five farmers belonging to three local wealth classes (poor, medium and rich) were randomly selected and interviewed about inputs and outputs related to cereal farming for the production year 2007/2008. Farm soil properties were investigated to check the variability in soil quality among the wealth classes. Benefit:cost ratio (BCR), net returns and annual profit were used to indicate the worthiness of the cereal farming activity. The return to scale was estimated by using the Cobb–Douglas production function. The results show that cereal farming is a rewarding practice, with the rich households gaining more profit than the poor. Farm size was the most important variable that affects the net return. There is an increasing return to scale. However, it is unlikely that farmers will have more land than they own at present because of the land shortage problem in the country caused by the increasing human population. Thus, attention should be given to minimizing the costs of production through proper regulation of domestic fertilizer costs and increasing labour productivity especially for the poor and medium households. The use of manure and compost as an additional fertilizer should also be promoted.
Macroscopic electromagnetic stress tensor for ionized media
Authors: JOHNSON ROBERT W.
Published: December 2009

Following the arguments presented by Mansuripur [Opt. Express, vol.16, 2008, pp. 14821–14835], we suggest a form for the macroscopic electromagnetic stress tensor appropriate for ionized media. The generalized Lorentz force includes the effects of polarization forces as well as those on the free charge and current densities. The resulting tensor is written in terms of the fieldsD,B,E, andH. Its expression for a fully ionized medium subject to an external electromagnetic field is discussed, as are the plasma conservation equations. An apparatus is suggested for its experimental discrimination.
The potential of mass spectrometry for the global profiling of parasite metabolomes
Authors: WATSON D. G.
Published: December 2009

The strengths and limitations of existing mass spectrometry methods for metabolite detection and identification are discussed. A brief review is made of the methods available for quenching and extraction of cells or organisms prior to instrumental analysis. The techniques available for carrying out mass spectrometry-based profiling of metabolomes are discussed using the analysis of extracts from trypanosomes to illustrate various points regarding methods of separation and mass spectrometric analysis. The advantages of hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) for the analysis of polar metabolites are discussed. The challenges of data processing are outlined and illustrated using the example of ThermoFisher's Sieve software. The existing literature on applications of mass spectrometry to the profiling of parasite metabolomes is reviewed.