bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process Modelling of Combined Degumming and Bleaching in Palm Oil Refining Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Morad Noor Azian , Mohd Zin Rohani , Mohd Yusof Khairiyah , Abdul Aziz Mustafa Kamal
Published: July 2010

Combined degumming and bleaching is the first stage of processing in a modern physical refining plant. In the current practice, the amount of phosphoric acid (degumming agent) and bleaching earth (bleaching agent) added during this process is usually fixed within a certain range. There is no system that can estimate the right amount of chemicals to be added in accordance with the quality of crude palm oil (CPO) used. The use of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for an improved operating procedure was explored in this process. A feed forward neural network was designed using a back‐propagation training algorithm. The optimum network for the response factor of phosphoric acid and bleaching earth dosages prediction were selected from topologies with the smallest validation error. Comparisons of ANN predicted results with industrial practice were made. It is proven in this study that ANN can be effectively used to determine the phosphoric acid and bleaching earth dosages for the combined degumming and bleaching process. In fact, ANN gives much more precise required dosages depending on the quality of the CPO used as feedstock. Therefore, the combined degumming and bleaching process can be further optimised with savings in cost and time through the use of ANN.
Fatty Acid Profiling of the Main Tissues of Spanish Olive Fruit: Effect of the Oil Extraction Method
Authors: Gómez‐González S. , Ruiz‐Jiménez J. , Luque de Castro M. D.
Published: July 2010

The aims of the present study were as follows: (1) study of the extraction efficiency of the methods to obtain extra virgin olive oil and pomace oil, and the fatty oil composition provided by each tissue and the whole fruit using both methods; (2) characterisation of the oil obtained by each extraction method according to quality parameters; and (3) development of chemometric models able to explain the differences between the oils obtained from the different extraction procedures, olive varieties or fruit tissues. With these objectives in mind, eight fruit varieties (i.e. arbequina, frantoio, hojiblanca, lechín from Sevilla, manzanilla, ocal, picual and picudo) from the same geographical area, harvested when the maturation was complete and the fatty acids content was at a maximum, were used. Oils from the whole fruit and from each of its main tissues (i.e. ectocarp, mesocarp, endocarp, and kernel) were sequentially extracted by the two methods based on principles similar to those used in the oil industry: pressure + centrifugation for extra virgin oil extraction and organic solvents for pomace oil. The oils thus obtained were weighed to know the oil richness of the fruit and that of each separate tissue, and also to determine the efficiency of each extraction method. Then, the fatty acids were subject to derivatisation, individual separation of the products by gas chromatography and identification–quantitation by tandem‐mass‐spectrometry. The results thus obtained (fatty‐acid profile of the oil from each tissue obtained with each oil‐extraction method and from each olive‐fruit variety) were subject to statistical studies to fulfill the aims of the research.
Neurotrophic peptides incorporating adamantane improve learning and memory, promote neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity in mice
Authors: Li Bin , Wanka Lukas , Blanchard Julie , Liu Fei , Chohan Muhammad Omar , Iqbal Khalid , Grundke-Iqbal Inge
Published: July 2010

Development of neurotrophic peptidergic drugs that can mimic neurotrophins and promote neurogenesis and maturation of newborn cells into mature functional neurons represents an exciting therapeutic opportunity for treatment of Alzheimer disease and other learning and memory disorders as well as enhancing cognition of normal individuals. Here we report the design of a peptidergic compound, Ac‐DGGLAG‐NH2, called P21, when administered peripherally, enhanced learning as well as both short‐term and spatial reference memories of normal adult C57Bl6 mice. P21 induced enhancement of neurogenesis and maturation of newly born neurons in the granular cell layer and subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus.
Mitochondrial respiration defects modulate differentiation but not proliferation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Inoue Shin-Ichi , Noda Shinichi , Kashima Koutarou , Nakada Kazuto , Hayashi Jun-Ichi , Miyoshi Hiroyuki
Published: July 2010

Mitochondrial energy production is involved in various cellular processes. Here we show that ATP content is significantly increased in lineage‐restricted progenitor cells compared with hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) or more differentiated cells. Transplantation analysis using a mouse model of mitochondrial disease revealed that mitochondrial respiration defects resulted in a significant decrease in the total number and repopulating activity of bone marrow cells, although the number of HSPCs increased. The proliferative activity of HSPCs and lineage‐restricted progenitor cells was not impaired by reduction of ATP content and there seems to be no associated increase in reactive oxygen species levels and apoptosis. Our findings indicate that mitochondrial respiration defects modulate HSPC commitment/differentiation into lineage‐restricted progenitor cells.
Developmental changes in cerebral grey and white matter volume from infancy to adulthood
Authors: Groeschel S. , Vollmer B. , King M.D. , Connelly A.
Published: July 2010

In order to quantify human brain development in vivo, high resolution magnetic resonance images of 158 normal subjects from infancy to young adulthood were studied (age range 3 months–30 years, 71 males, 87 females). Data were analysed using algorithms based on voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) (an objective whole brain processing technique) to generate global volume measures of whole brain, grey matter (GM) and white matter (GM). Gender‐specific development of WM and GM volumes is characterised using a piecewise polynomial growth curve model to account for the non‐linear nature of human brain development, implemented using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation.

The statistical method employed in this study proved to be successful and robust in the characterisation of brain development. The resulting growth curve parameter estimates lead to the following observations: total brain volume is demonstrated to undergo an initial rapid spurt. The total GM volume peaks during childhood and decreases thereafter, whereas total WM volume increases up to young adulthood. Relative to brain size, GM decreases and WM increases markedly over this age range in a non‐linear manner, resulting in an increasing WM‐to‐GM ratio over much of the observed age range. In addition, significant gender differences are found. In general, brain volume and total white and grey matter volume are larger in males than in females, with a time‐dependent difference over the age range studied. Over part of the observed age range females tend to have more GM volume relative to brain size and lower WM‐to‐GM ratio than males.

The presented findings should be taken into account when investigating physiological and pathological changes during brain development.
Fostering a Culture of Accountability through a Performance Appraisal System
Authors: Gillani Asmita , Jarvi Kristine , De Angelis Andrew
Published: July 2010

The current climate in Canadian healthcare requires that healthcare providers be more accountable to the government and other stakeholders. Using a well-structured performance appraisal system that is based on quantifiable objectives and standards, a high level of accountability can be achieved. The objective of this article is to demonstrate how a sound performance appraisal system can increase accountability and performance of healthcare organizations and their senior management.
Long-Term Care in the St. John's Region: Impact of Single Entry and Prediction of Bed Need
Authors: McDonald Jacqueline , Hibbs Jennette , Reddy Madhuri , Stuckless Susan , O'Reilly Daria , Barrett Brendan J. , Parfrey Patrick S.
Published: July 2010

In 1996, the St. John's region had a population of 8,435 ≥ 75 years, with 996 nursing home (NH) beds and 550 supervised care (SC) beds. A single entry system to these institutions was implemented in 1995.

To determine the impact of the single entry system, the demographic and clinical characteristics of NH residents were assessed in 1997 (N = 1,044) and in 2003 (N = 963). To determine the efficiency of placement and the need for long-term care beds, two incident cohorts requesting placement were studied in 1995/96 (N = 467) and in 1999/2000 (N = 464). Degree of disability was determined using the Residents Utilization Groups III classification (RUG-III) and the Alberta Resident Classification Score (ARCS), and time to placement and to death was measured. In prevalent NH residents, the percentage without RUGS-III disability decreased from 18.5% in 1997 and to 9.9% in 2003. The proportion recommended for NH was 75% in 1995/96 and 72% in 1999/2000, despite the fact that the proportion with RUGS-III disability was 64% in both periods. Using a decision tree, optimal placement for the 1999/2000 cohort was 36% to SC, 20% to SC for the cognitively impaired, and 44% to NH. Predicted need for long-term care beds in 2004 matched poorly with current provision of NH and SC beds, and the mismatch will be worse in 2014.

It was concluded that the single entry system was associated with improved appropriateness of NH bed utilization. However, there was a mismatch in need for and provision of institutional long-term care. Investment in the reconfiguration of long-term care beds by case mix and by geography is necessary.
The Cost of Developing and Implementing a Pathway for Congestive Heart Failure: Not an Inexpensive Journey
Authors: Sagan Mark , Hadjistavropoulos Heather , Beim H. Jay
Published: July 2010

This article describes the cost of developing and implementing an integrated care pathway (ICP) for Congestive Heart Failure. Costs were tracked prospectively and allocated to either development or implementation. The development took 1,980 hours of staff time at a salary cost of $67,800. The ICP implementation took 2,083 hours of personnel time at a salary cost of $66,900. Even though an available pathway was adapted for local use, a substantial amount of time and money was required. This article may be useful to others who are interested in monitoring costs of pathways.
Health Care Management Competencies: Identifying the GAPs
Authors: Lockhart Wallace , Backman Allen
Published: July 2010

This study examines issues around health care management competencies, as perceived by senior managers. A combination of questionnaire survey, focus group and in-depth interview methods was used to ascertain views on the importance of various competencies, current competency levels and thus the deficiencies or “GAPs.” GAPs are greatest at the frontlines, where managers are generally appointed from clinical roles. However, there are significant GAPs at all levels of management.
Le programme de Formation en recherche pour cadres qui exercent dans la santé (FORCES): Perceptions de la première cohorte de boursiers
Authors: Lavoie-Tremblay Mélanie , Anderson Malcolm
Published: July 2010

La Fondation canadienne de la recherche sur les services de santé (FCRSS) et ses partenaires ont créé un programme de formation novateur qui vient à l'appui des cadres qui utilisent des données probantes de recherche pour éclairer la prise de décisions. Le présent article décrit le programme de Formation en recherche pour cadres qui exercent dans la santé (FORCES) et les perceptions de sa première cohorte de boursiers ( n = 24). Malgré les défis de gestion du temps requis pour participer à cette activité d'apprentissage, qui se déroule dans un climat de confiance et qui suscite et encourage le réseautage, les boursiers ont été en mesure d'acquérir et d'appliquer une base de connaissances considérables permettant la prise de décisions éclairées par des données probantes.
The Challenges of Evaluating Health Systems Networks: Lessons Learned from an Early Evaluation of the Child Health Network for the Greater Toronto Area
Authors: Alidina Shehnaz , Jordan Michele
Published: July 2010

This article describes the first system-wide evaluation of the Child Health Network (CHN) for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), a partnership of 29 community and hospital care providers. The CHN performance evaluation sought to identify the impact of the network on the delivery of maternal, newborn and child health services in the GTA. CHN members identified seven criteria to be evaluated (appropriate care, accessibility, effectiveness, satisfaction, integrated and coordinated care, accountability and affordability) and then collaborated in selecting measurable indicators for each criterion. Data were compiled from administrative data sets, or collected as needed. This undertaking succeeded in providing a comprehensive assessment of the network's performance, identification of strategies to improve outcomes and network sustainability, as well as practical information that will inform the important new field of network evaluation.
Measuring and Managing Waiting Times: What's to Be Done?
Authors: DeCoster Carolyn
Published: July 2010

On September 11, 2000, the First Ministers of Canada issued a communiqué pledging to develop and report on waiting times for a number of diagnostic and treatment services. Reporting is to begin by September 2002. Given this commitment, what are the ideal characteristics of such a data collection system? This article defines and evaluates methods of measuring waiting times, and recommends a prioritized waiting-time information system to permit both measurement and management.
Mesurer et gérer les délais d'attente: Que peut-on faire?
Authors: DeCoster Carolyn
Published: July 2010

Le 11 septembre 2000, les premiers ministres du Canada diffusaient un communiqué dans lequel ils s'engageaient à étudier et à faire rapport sur les temps d'attente pour divers services diagnostiques et thérapeutiques. La reddition de compte doit débuter en septembre 2002. Face à l'engagement formulé, quelles seraient les caractéristiques idéales d'un système de cueillette de données? Le présent article décrit et évalue des méthodes permettant de mesurer les temps d'attentes et recommande l'adoption d'un système d'information sur les temps d'attente permettant à la fois leur mesure et leur gestion.
Devolving Healthcare Delivery to Regional Health Authorities: Is Health Technology Assessment Prepared to Follow?
Authors: Gibis Bernhard R. , Juzwishin Don
Published: July 2010

Since the establishment of health technology assessment units in the latter 1980s, Canada has witnessed an unprecedented transformation of the governance, management and service delivery of its healthcare system. In Alberta, this transformation culminated in the establishment of regional health authorities that provide integrated healthcare to Albertans. With the shift of responsibility for healthcare delivery from the provincial to the regional level, the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research HTA unit recognized that for health technology assessment to continue to be relevant, it must follow this change. Four steps were taken to refocus the unit's scope: a thorough analysis of the healthcare environment; face-to-face interviews with the chief executive officers of the regions; the development of a framework for HTA in the regions; and the organization of a conference on evidence-based decision making. These steps were helpful in bringing HTA to the attention of regional decision makers. A formal, analytical assessment of the regional healthcare environment, provision of general information (through the framework and conference) and individual information (through face-to-face interviews) enabled a proactive engagement with regions. However, to meet the demands and needs of a population that expects comprehensive coverage that delivers “state of the art” diagnostics and treatments, the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions can sometimes be of subordinate importance.
The Color of the Sky
Authors: Halliburton David
Published: July 2010

David Halliburton's book is a richly textured study of the complete writings of Stephen Crane, including Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, The Red Badge of Courage, and the less well-known fiction, newswriting, and poetry. Offering close readings of the works within a broad framework, Halliburton sets out to explore the imaginative world Crane created in his total œuvre of fiction, poetry and reportage. Comparative and interdisciplinary methods, combined with insights from historians such as Toynbee and Hofsteader, enable Halliburton to shed light on a number of issues. These include Crane's interest in musicality, the importance of his poetry and journalism to his other writings, the phenomenology of his social structures, his mastery of prosody, and the relation of his writings to the ideas of thinkers such as William James, Santayana, Weber and Sartre. This ambitious and comprehensive book sets a standard by which to measure all future interpretations of Crane.
Christian Humanism and the Puritan Social Order
Authors: Todd Margo
Published: July 2010

Traditional views of puritan social thought have done a great injustice to the intellectual history of the sixteenth century. They have presented puritans as creators of a disciplined, progressive, ultimately revolutionary theory of social order. The origins of modern society and politics are laid at the feet of zealous English protestants whose only intellectual debts are owed to Calvinist theology and the Bible. Professor Todd demonstrates that this view is fundamentally ahistorical. She places puritanism back in its own historical milieu, showing puritans as the heirs of a complex intellectual legacy, derived no less from the Renaissance than from the Reformation. The focus is on puritan social thought as part of a sixteenth-century intellectual consensus. This study traces the continuity of Christian humanism in the social thought of English protestants.
Council and Hierarchy
Authors: Fasolt Constantin
Published: July 2010

In 1311, at the council of Vienne, William Durant the Younger (c. 1266–1330), the French bishop and count, demanded that general councils ought to meet every ten years in order to place effective limits on the papal plenitude of power because 'what touches all must be approved by all'. This is the first systematic interpretation of William Durant's remarkable project to transfer supreme legislative authority from the papacy to general councils. It suggests that the conciliar theory has a more ambivalent complexion than is sometimes recognized. It confirms, on the one hand, that constitutional ideas were deeply embedded in the tradition of the church, which enabled Durant to anticipate the council of Constance by more than a hundred years. On the other hand, Durant attributed an authority to ancient law that overrode his republican ideas, sapped their vitality, and launched him on a pursuit of the true meaning of the law that could end only in his transformation into an historian and a reluctant champion of monarchy. William Durant the Younger's ideas thus help us to understand both the origins of the conciliar theory and the transition from late medieval reform movements to early modern humanism and princely sovereignty.
Crime, Disorder, and the Risorgimento
Authors: Hughes Steven C.
Published: July 2010

This 1994 book provides a meticulous examination of the ideology, structure, and functions of papal police as they operated in the city and province of Bologna in the period before Italian unity. In doing so, it also offers an important new perspective on the Risorgimento in the region. The author argues that after the Restoration the papal government maintained much of Napoleon's police apparatus in order to enhance its absolute power as an administrative monarchy; but the new police soon found themselves incapable of dealing effectively with the prevailing problems of the day, including political conspiracy, rampant unemployment, widespread poverty, and endemic crime in city and countryside alike. In 1828 and 1847 the papal government was forced to allow Bologna's elites to arm themselves in posse-style 'citizen patrols'. On each occasion the patrols became a rallying point of reform and, eventually, revolution.
Papers in Experimental Economics
Authors: Smith Vernon L.
Published: July 2010

Professor Vernon L. Smith is a major creator of the new discipline of experimental economics. This collection of his papers from 1962 to 1990 surveys key developments in the field from early attempts to study economic behaviour in now classic double oral auction markets through recent studies of industrial organization and decision making. Topics covered include monopoly and oligopoly, supply and demand theory under posted pricing, uniform pricing, double continuous auction, and sealed bid-offer auctions; hypothetical valuation and market pricing; asset price bubbles; predatory pricing; market contestability and natural monopoly; and the methodology of experimental economics. Taken together, the papers form a history of the study of economics under controlled conditions.
The Culture of the English People
Authors: Pounds N. J. G.
Published: July 2010

This wide-ranging book, first published in 1994, traces the development of popular culture in England from the Iron Age, when it first becomes apparent as a whole, to the eighteenth century. The concept of popular culture is here taken to be the body of ideas which is held by a people about itself and its environment, both physical and social, together with the tools and artefacts through which its members related to one another and to the outside world; it follows therefore that the general theme of the book is peoples' attitude to, and use of, their environment. After a short discussion of the Prehistoric and Roman cultures the book deals in depth with the essential foundations - shelter and housing, warmth and security, furnishings and domestic convenience, food and its preparation, and ultra-familial and ultra-communal relations. A separate chapter is devoted to the culture of towns. The text is illustrated throughout by objects, artefacts and structures, many of which are visual representations of earlier cultures.
The Shape of Culture
Authors: Blau Judith R.
Published: July 2010

This book systematically examines prevailing cultural patterns in contemporary American society. Using information on several thousands of cultural organisations, including elite ones (such as opera and chamber music companies) and popular cultural ones (such as cinemas and live rock concerts), Professor Blau examines the geography of culture, the changing demands for culture, the interdependencies among cultural organisations of different kinds, the nature of labour markets for artists, and the effects of arts subsidies on nonprofit cultural establishments over a ten year period. One of the major conclusions of the book is that the social conditions that support elite and popular culture are increasingly similar over time.
Multiparty Democracy
Authors: Schofield Norman , Sened Itai
Published: July 2010

This book adapts a formal model of elections and legislative politics to study party politics in Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Britain, and the United States. The approach uses the idea of valence, that is, the party leader's non-policy electoral popularity, and employs survey data to model these elections. The analysis explains why small parties in Israel and Italy keep to the electoral periphery. In the Netherlands, Britain, and the US, the electoral model is extended to include the behavior of activists. In the case of Britain, it is shown that there will be contests between activists for the two main parties over who controls policy. For the recent 2005 election, it is argued that the losses of the Labour party were due to Blair's falling valence. For the US, the model gives an account of the rotation of the locations of the two major parties over the last century.
The New Global Law
Authors: Domingo Rafael
Published: July 2010

The dislocations of the worldwide economic crisis, the necessity of a system of global justice to address crimes against humanity, and the notorious 'democratic deficit' of international institutions highlight the need for an innovative and truly global legal system, one that permits humanity to re-order itself according to acknowledged global needs and evolving consciousness. A new global law will constitute, by itself, a genuine legal order and will not be limited to a handful of moral principles that attempt to guide the conduct of the world's peoples. If the law of nations served the hegemonic interests of Ancient Rome, and international law served those of the European nation-state, then a new global law will contribute to the common good of all humanity and, ideally, to the development of durable world peace. This volume offers a historical-juridical foundation for the development of this new global law.
The Geometry of Moduli Spaces of Sheaves
Authors: Huybrechts Daniel , Lehn Manfred
Published: July 2010

Now back in print, this highly regarded book has been updated to reflect recent advances in the theory of semistable coherent sheaves and their moduli spaces, which include moduli spaces in positive characteristic, moduli spaces of principal bundles and of complexes, Hilbert schemes of points on surfaces, derived categories of coherent sheaves, and moduli spaces of sheaves on Calabi–Yau threefolds. The authors review changes in the field since the publication of the original edition in 1997 and point the reader towards further literature. References have been brought up to date and errors removed. Developed from the authors' lectures, this book is ideal as a text for graduate students as well as a valuable resource for any mathematician with a background in algebraic geometry who wants to learn more about Grothendieck's approach.
Investing in Dynamic Markets
Authors: Kressel Henry , Lento Thomas V.
Published: July 2010

Without venture capital, many of the companies whose technical innovations sparked the digital revolution would not exist. Venture investments funded these firms to develop their bright ideas into commercial products that created new business models and established whole new markets. In Investing in Dynamic Markets, Henry Kressel, a partner at multi-billion-dollar global investing company Warburg Pincus, takes you behind the scenes of the private equity process. He draws on his extensive experience to show how venture capital works, why venture capitalists fund certain companies and not others, and what factors influence the success or failure of their high-risk, high-reward investments. He also discusses venture capital's future, now that the commercialization of technology requires larger investments and global market access. Written in clear, non-technical language, the book features informative case studies of venture capital funding in a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, software and services, semiconductors, and the internet.
Purifying Empire
Authors: Heath Deana
Published: July 2010

Purifying Empire explores the material, cultural and moral fragmentation of the boundaries of imperial and colonial rule in the British Empire in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It charts how a particular bio-political project, namely the drive to regulate the obscene in late nineteenth-century Britain, was transformed from a national into a global and imperial venture and then re-localized in two different colonial contexts, India and Australia, to serve decidedly different ends. While a considerable body of work has demonstrated both the role of empire in shaping moral regulatory projects in Britain and their adaptation, transformation and, at times, rejection in colonial contexts, this book illustrates that it is in fact only through a comparative and transnational framework that it is possible to elucidate both the temporalist nature of colonialism and the political, racial and moral contradictions that sustained imperial and colonial regimes.
Sparse Image and Signal Processing
Authors: Starck Jean-Luc , Murtagh Fionn , Fadili Jalal M.
Published: July 2010

This book presents the state of the art in sparse and multiscale image and signal processing, covering linear multiscale transforms, such as wavelet, ridgelet, or curvelet transforms, and non-linear multiscale transforms based on the median and mathematical morphology operators. Recent concepts of sparsity and morphological diversity are described and exploited for various problems such as denoising, inverse problem regularization, sparse signal decomposition, blind source separation, and compressed sensing. This book weds theory and practice in examining applications in areas such as astronomy, biology, physics, digital media, and forensics. A final chapter explores a paradigm shift in signal processing, showing that previous limits to information sampling and extraction can be overcome in very significant ways. Matlab and IDL code accompany these methods and applications to reproduce the experiments and illustrate the reasoning and methodology of the research are available for download at the associated web site.
A Course in Language Teaching Trainee Book
Authors: Ur Penny
Published: July 2010

This important course provides a comprehensive basic introduction to teaching languages, for use in pre-service or early experience settings. It can be used by groups of teachers working with a trainer, or as a self-study resource.
The Trainee's Book provides all the tasks given in the main book but without background information, bibliographies, notes or solutions. It is suitable for those studying on a trainer-led course, where feedback is readily available.
Multiple Scattering
Authors: Martin P. A.
Published: July 2010

The interaction of waves with obstacles is an everyday phenomenon in science and engineering, arising for example in acoustics, electromagnetism, seismology and hydrodynamics. The mathematical theory and technology needed to understand the phenomenon is known as multiple scattering, and this book is the first devoted to the subject. The author covers a variety of techniques, describing first the single-obstacle methods and then extending them to the multiple-obstacle case. A key ingredient in many of these extensions is an appropriate addition theorem: a coherent, thorough exposition of these theorems is given, and computational and numerical issues around them are explored. The application of these methods to different types of problems is also explained; in particular, sound waves, electromagnetic radiation, waves in solids and water waves. A comprehensive bibliography of some 1400 items rounds off the book, which will be an essential reference on the topic for applied mathematicians, physicists and engineers.
David Levy's Guide to Observing Meteor Showers
Authors: Levy David H.
Published: July 2010

Meteors occur when a meteoroid, a speck of dust in space, enters the Earth's atmosphere. The heat generated when this happens causes the surrounding air to glow, resulting in 'shooting stars'. During the most spectacular meteor storms larger particles give rise to fireballs and firework-like displays! Meteors are a delightful observing field - they do not require a telescope, and they can be seen on any clear night of the year, even in bright twilight. It was the sight of a single meteor that inspired David Levy to go into astronomy, and in this book he encourages readers to go outside and witness these wonderful events for themselves. This book is a step-by-step guide to observing meteors and meteor showers. Any necessary science is explained simply and in clearly understandable terms. This is a perfect introduction to observing meteors, and is ideal for both seasoned and budding astronomers.
Excel Basics to Blackbelt
Authors: Bendoly Elliot
Published: July 2010

Excel Basics to Blackbelt is intended to serve as an accelerated guide to decision support designs. Its structure is designed to enhance the skills in Excel of those who have never used it for anything but possibly storing phone numbers, enabling them to reach a level of mastery that will allow them to develop user interfaces and automated applications. To accomplish this, the major theme of the text is 'the integration of the basic'; as a result readers will be able to develop decision support tools that are at once highly intuitive from a working-components perspective but also highly significant from the perspective of practical use and distribution. Applications integration discussed includes the use of MS MapPoint, XLStat and RISKOptimizer, as well as how to leverage Excel's iteration mode, web queries, visual basic code, and interface development. There are ample examples throughout the text.
Probability Theory and Statistical Inference
Authors: Spanos Aris
Published: July 2010

This major textbook from a distinguished econometrician is intended for students taking introductory courses in probability theory and statistical inference. No prior knowledge other than a basic familiarity with descriptive statistics is assumed. The primary objective of this book is to establish the framework for the empirical modelling of observational (non-experimental) data. This framework known as 'Probabilistic Reduction' is formulated with a view to accommodating the peculiarities of observational (as opposed to experimental) data in a unifying and logically coherent way. Probability Theory and Statistical Inference differs from traditional textbooks in so far as it emphasizes concepts, ideas, notions and procedures which are appropriate for modelling observational data. Aimed at students at second-year undergraduate level and above studying econometrics and economics, this textbook will also be useful for students in other disciplines which make extensive use of observational data, including finance, biology, sociology and psychology and climatology.
The Economics of Art and Culture
Authors: Heilbrun James , Gray Charles M.
Published: July 2010

The 2001 second edition of this survey of the economics of - and public policy towards - the fine arts and performing arts covers arts at federal, state, and local levels in the United States as well as the international arts sector. The work will interest academic readers in the field and scholars of the sociology of the arts, as well as general readers seeking a systematic analysis of the arts. Theoretical concepts are developed from scratch so that readers with no background in economics can follow the argument. The authors look at the arts' historical growth and then examine consumption and production of the live performing arts and the fine arts, the functioning of arts markets, the financial problems of performing arts companies and museums, and the key role of public policy. A final chapter speculates about the future of art and culture in the United States.
Quickest Detection
Authors: Poor H. Vincent , Hadjiliadis Olympia
Published: July 2010

The problem of detecting abrupt changes in the behavior of an observed signal or time series arises in a variety of fields, including climate modeling, finance, image analysis, and security. Quickest detection refers to real-time detection of such changes as quickly as possible after they occur. Using the framework of optimal stopping theory, this book describes the fundamentals underpinning the field, providing the background necessary to design, analyze, and understand quickest detection algorithms. For the first time the authors bring together results which were previously scattered across disparate disciplines, and provide a unified treatment of several different approaches to the quickest detection problem. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the basic statistical procedures for change detection from a fundamental viewpoint, and for those interested in theoretical questions of change detection. It is ideal for graduate students and researchers of engineering, statistics, economics, and finance.
Physiology by Numbers
Authors: Burton Richard F.
Published: July 2010

Thinking quantitatively about physiology is something many students find difficult. However, it is fundamentally important to a proper understanding of many of the concepts involved. In this enlarged second edition of his popular textbook, Richard Burton gives the reader the opportunity to develop a feel for values such as ion concentrations, lung and fluid volumes, blood pressures etc. through the use of calculations which require little more than simple arithmetic for their solution. Much guidance is given on how to avoid errors and the usefulness of approximation and 'back-of-envelope sums'. Energy metabolism, nerve and muscle, blood and the cardiovascular system, respiration, renal function, body fluids and acid-base balance are all covered, making this book essential reading for students (and teachers) of physiology everywhere, both those who shy away from numbers and those who revel in them.
Who Wants to be a Scientist?
Authors: Rothwell Nancy
Published: July 2010

Scientific research is about discovering new things and applying them to improvements in life style for people and animals. But careers in science are now very demanding, requiring much more than a keen scientific mind and practical ability. If you are considering a career in research, have already embarked on your career and want to succeed, are uncertain which route to take, or advise, train or supervise scientists, this book should offer some helpful advice. It covers topics ranging from choosing a PhD or postdoctoral position, successful interviews and preparing your cv to managing your supervisor; how to give successful talks, publish high quality papers and get yourself known; and broad aspects of science which are so important today, including ethics and fraud, intellectual property and exploitation and disseminating science to the public.
A Primer of Analytic Number Theory
Authors: Stopple Jeffrey
Published: July 2010

This 2003 undergraduate introduction to analytic number theory develops analytic skills in the course of studying ancient questions on polygonal numbers, perfect numbers and amicable pairs. The question of how the primes are distributed amongst all the integers is central in analytic number theory. This distribution is determined by the Riemann zeta function, and Riemann's work shows how it is connected to the zeroes of his function, and the significance of the Riemann Hypothesis. Starting from a traditional calculus course and assuming no complex analysis, the author develops the basic ideas of elementary number theory. The text is supplemented by series of exercises to further develop the concepts, and includes brief sketches of more advanced ideas, to present contemporary research problems at a level suitable for undergraduates. In addition to proofs, both rigorous and heuristic, the book includes extensive graphics and tables to make analytic concepts as concrete as possible.
Exploratory Galois Theory
Authors: Swallow John
Published: July 2010

Combining a concrete perspective with an exploration-based approach, Exploratory Galois Theory develops Galois theory at an entirely undergraduate level. The text grounds the presentation in the concept of algebraic numbers with complex approximations and assumes of its readers only a first course in abstract algebra. The author organizes the theory around natural questions about algebraic numbers, and exercises with hints and proof sketches encourage students' participation in the development. For readers with Maple or Mathematica, the text introduces tools for hands-on experimentation with finite extensions of the rational numbers, enabling a familiarity never before available to students of the subject. Exploratory Galois Theory includes classical applications, from ruler-and-compass constructions to solvability by radicals, and also outlines the generalization from subfields of the complex numbers to arbitrary fields. The text is appropriate for traditional lecture courses, for seminars, or for self-paced independent study by undergraduates and graduate students.
Theory of Vortex Sound
Authors: Howe M. S.
Published: July 2010

The book is an introduction to the branch of fluid mechanics concerned with the production of sound by hydrodynamic flows. It is designed for a one semester introductory course at advanced undergraduate or graduate level. Great care is taken to explain underlying fluid mechanical and acoustic concepts, and to describe as fully as possible the steps in a complicated derivation. The discussion deals specifically with low Mach number flows, which enables the sound produced by 'vortex-surface' interactions to be analysed using the 'compact Green's function'. This provides a routine procedure for estimating the sound, and an easy identification of those parts of a structure that are likely to be important sources of sound. Each chapter ends with a set of problems, many of which can form the basis of an extended student project. The final chapter contains worked examples that have been investigated by students at Boston University.
Bose–Einstein Condensation in Dilute Gases
Authors: Pethick C. J. , Smith H.
Published: July 2010

In 1925 Einstein predicted that at low temperatures particles in a gas could all reside in the same quantum state. This gaseous state, a Bose–Einstein condensate, was produced in the laboratory for the first time in 1995 and investigating such condensates has become one of the most active areas in contemporary physics. The study of Bose–Einstein condensates in dilute gases encompasses a number of different subfields of physics, including atomic, condensed matter, and nuclear physics. The authors of this graduate-level textbook explain this exciting new subject in terms of basic physical principles, without assuming detailed knowledge of any of these subfields. Chapters cover the statistical physics of trapped gases, atomic properties, cooling and trapping atoms, interatomic interactions, structure of trapped condensates, collective modes, rotating condensates, superfluidity, interference phenomena, and trapped Fermi gases. Problem sets are also included in each chapter.
Principles of Lasers and Optics
Authors: Chang William S. C.
Published: July 2010

Principles of Lasers and Optics, first published in 2005, describes both the fundamental principles of the laser and the propagation and application of laser radiation in bulk and guided-wave components. All solid state, gas and semiconductor lasers are analysed uniformly as macroscopic devices with susceptibility originated from quantum mechanical interactions to develop an overall understanding of the coherent nature of laser radiation. Analyses of the unique properties of coherent laser light in bulk and guided-wave components are presented together and derived from fundamental principles, to allow students to appreciate the differences and similarities. Topics covered include discussions on how laser radiation should be analysed, the macroscopic differences and similarities of various analyses, special techniques, types of lasers and setting up laser analyses. This text will be useful for first-year graduates in electrical engineering and physics and also as a reference book on analytical techniques.
Special Relativity
Authors: Schwarz Patricia M. , Schwarz John H.
Published: July 2010

This book provides a thorough introduction to Einstein's special theory of relativity, suitable for anyone with a minimum of one year's university physics with calculus. It is divided into fundamental and advanced topics. The first section starts by recalling the Pythagorean rule and its relation to the geometry of space, then covers every aspect of special relativity, including the history. The second section covers the impact of relativity in quantum theory, with an introduction to relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. It also goes over the group theory of the Lorentz group, a simple introduction to supersymmetry, and ends with cutting-edge topics such as general relativity, the standard model of elementary particles and its extensions, superstring theory, and a survey of important unsolved problems. Each chapter comes with a set of exercises. The book is accompanied by a CD-ROM illustrating, through interactive animation, classic problems in relativity involving motion.
A Centripetal Theory of Democratic Governance
Authors: Gerring John , Thacker Strom C.
Published: July 2010

This book outlines the importance of political institutions in achieving good governance within a democratic polity and sets forth an argument to explore what sorts of institutions do the job best. By focusing on 'centripetal institutions', which maximize both representation and authority by bringing political energy and actors toward the centre of a polity, the authors set forth a relatively novel theory of democratic governance, applicable to all political settings in which multi-party competition obtains. Basing their theory on national-level political institutions, the authors argue that there are three types of political institutions that are fundamental in securing a centripetal style of democratic governance: unitary (rather than federal) sovereignty, a parliamentary (rather than presidential) executive, and a closed-list PR electoral system (rather than a single-member district or preferential-vote system).
Global Analysis on Foliated Spaces
Authors: Moore Calvin C. , Schochet Claude L.
Published: July 2010

Foliated spaces look locally like products, but their global structure is generally not a product, and tangential differential operators are correspondingly more complex. In the 1980s, Alain Connes founded what is now known as noncommutative geometry and topology. One of the first results was his generalization of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem to compute the analytic index associated with a tangential (pseudo) - differential operator and an invariant transverse measure on a foliated manifold, in terms of topological data on the manifold and the operator. This second edition presents a complete proof of this beautiful result, generalized to foliated spaces (not just manifolds). It includes the necessary background from analysis, geometry, and topology. The present edition has improved exposition, an updated bibliography, an index, and additional material covering developments and applications since the first edition came out, including the confirmation of the Gap Labeling Conjecture of Jean Bellissard.
Building the International Criminal Court
Authors: Schiff Benjamin N.
Published: July 2010

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first and only standing international court capable of prosecuting humanity's worst crimes: genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It faces huge obstacles. It has no police force; it pursues investigations in areas of tremendous turmoil, conflict, and death; it is charged both with trying suspects and with aiding their victims; and it seeks to combine divergent legal traditions in an entirely new international legal mechanism. International law advocates sought to establish a standing international criminal court for more than 150 years. Other, temporary, single-purpose criminal tribunals, truth commissions, and special courts have come and gone, but the ICC is the only permanent inheritor of the Nuremberg legacy. In Building the International Criminal Court, Oberlin College Professor of Politics Ben Schiff analyzes the International Criminal Court, melding historical perspective, international relations theories, and observers' insights to explain the Court's origins, creation, innovations, dynamics, and operational challenges.