Bücher veröffentlicht von Taylor & Francis Inc

Explaining how to improve our knowledge-based society, this book addresses problems in collecting, synthesizing, coordinating, and creating knowledge. It provides knowledge engineering tools and a framework for integrating knowledge creation, discovery, and management. The text covers knowledge technology, knowledge management, knowledge discovery and data mining, knowledge synthesis, knowledge justification, and knowledge construction. Experienced researchers in decision science, artificial intelligence, systems engineering, behavioral science, and management science present new methods for creating technological innovation from existing knowledge, such as IT techniques, organizational theory, and mathematical systems theory.

Compiled by an international group of experts, this volume covers the history, present status, and projected future trends of environmental contamination by highly toxic organic chemicals. The text informs readers on widespread distribution and effects of man-made chemical pollutants in a comprehensive manner not seen in existing textbooks and references. The book is relevant to professionals and students alike, providing timely coverage on the environmental issues due to classical as well as emerging chemical pollutants. Supplementary figures and equations are included for enhanced comprehension of the subject.

This work presents nonparametric statistical methods for functional regression analysis, specifically the methods based on a Gaussian process prior in a functional space. The authors discuss functional data analysis, theoretical aspects based on the asymptotic properties of Gaussian process regression models, and new methodological developments for high dimensional data and variable selection. They also explore novel nonparametric statistical methods for curve prediction, curve clustering, functional ANOVA, and functional regression analysis of batch data, repeated curves, and non-Gaussian data. Some MATLAB® and C codes are available on the first author¿s website.

This book covers an extensive range of topics related to visual cryptography techniques and secure image sharing solutions. It addresses sharing multiple secrets and visual cryptography schemes based on the probabilistic reconstruction of the secret image, including pictures in the distributed shares, contrast enhancement techniques, visual cryptography schemes based on different logical operations for combining shared images, cheating prevention, and the alignment problem for image shares. The book also describes practical applications, steganography, and authentication. Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques.

Written by experts from industry and academia around the world, this book focuses on electrical engineering and elaborates on how electrical circuits interface with biology, microfluidics, and photonics. Including only light math and physics, with greater focus on explanation, it covers integrated devices and other emerging structures required for future micro- and nanotechnologies. This material addresses physical and chemical sensing, imaging, smart actuation, and data fusion and management. Providing tables, figures, and equations to help illustrate concepts, the book¿s contributors examine and explain the potential of emerging applications that are in integrated microsystems.

Over the past decade, there have been great advances in the technology available to crime scene personnel and laboratory analysts. Many of the newer methods employed by criminalists are based on sound scientific research and have extraordinary sensitivity and specificity. This volume describes such methods and provides insight into their impact on forensic science and criminal justice. Topics discussed include scientific evidence in criminal cases where the outcome has been largely decided based on forensic evidence analysis, legal and chemical aspects in the detection and analysis of methamphetamines, DNA analysis, new applications of chemical methods to forensic science, NMR methods, pharmacogenetics, and virtual autopsy.

Written to help researchers and environmental managers tackle environmental problems, this book presents models as reference points for specific plans of action. The first part of the book focuses on the type of ecosystem, while the second focuses on the different types of environmental problems. The author explains which models to use in particular situations. Areas covered include lakes, estuaries, and rivers. Environmental problems covered include oxygen depletion, species diversity, and ground water pollution. The book includes many tables and figures throughout.

Individuals who will be involved in design and manufacturing of finished products need to understand the grand spectrum of manufacturing technology. Comprehensive and fundamental, Manufacturing Technology: Materials, Processes, and Equipment introduces and elaborates on the field of manufacturing technology its processes, materials, tooling, and equipment. The book emphasizes the fundamentals of processes, their capabilities, typical applications, advantages, and limitations. Thorough and insightful, it provides mathematical modeling and equations as needed to enhance the basic understanding of the material at hand. Designed for upper-level undergraduates in mechanical, industrial, manufacturing, and materials engineering disciplines, this book covers complete manufacturing technology courses taught in engineering colleges and institutions worldwide. The book also addresses the needs of production and manufacturing engineers and technologists participating in related industries.

Written by international contributors, Learning Curves: Theory, Models, and Applications first draws a learning map that shows where learning is involved within organizations, then examines how it can be sustained, perfected, and accelerated. The book reviews empirical findings in the literature in terms of different sources for learning and partial assessments of the steps that make up the actual learning process inside the learning curve. Traditionally, books on learning curves have focused either on cost accounting or production planning and control. In these books, the learning curve has been treated as a forecasting tool. This book synthesizes current research and presents a clear picture of organizational learning curves. It explores how organizations improve other measures of organizational performance including quality, inventory, and productivity, then looks inside the learning curve to determine the actual processes through which organizations learn.

Work and Authority in Industry analyzes how the entrepreneurial class responded to the challenge of creating, and later managing, an industrial work force in widely differing types of industrial societies: the United States, England, and Russia

Offers an overview of advanced methods for solving problems in business, economics, and finance. This book describes techniques, often using MATLAB and Simulink models, for finance, business valuation, retail sales prediction, tax policy, public policy, and other challenges faced by executives, investors, and economists on a daily basis.

The third edition of this text provides a thorough discussion of the rationale for using group counselling, outlines practical suggestions on the skills needed for effective facilitations of groups, and gives guidelines for forming a group and solutions to common problems.

Using real-world examples from diverse taxa and ecosystems, this book presents research on rapid shifts in temperature and precipitation and explains how these shifts can alter the biotic landscape. It highlights general trends expected in wildlife and ecological responses and the exceptions and contingencies that may mediate those responses. Topics include description and quantification of how aspects of climate have recently changed, and may change in the future; species-level and higher-order ecological responses to climate change and variability; approaches to monitor and interpret ecological effects of climatic variability; and conservation and management efforts.

Written by a team of authors from all continents, this book summarizes the global and multi-lateral efforts to manage the risks to environment or health of chemicals on the world stage. It highlights the relevant main international instruments, the organizations involved, and their roles and responsibilities. It gives insight into important regional instruments, implementation at national levels, and successes and limitations. Consolidating information scattered throughout the literature, the book will be a key reference for policy makers, industry, NGOs, academia, and others working on chemical management issues.

Presents the research in coating materials, permeability properties, and measurement techniques. This work provides information on the main materials used as film formers in coatings, including proteins, lipids, resins and polysaccharides. It covers the permeability properties of coatings and techniques to measure permeability.

Discussing changes over the last two decades, this book represents an up-to-date treatment of superfluidity. It covers new superfluid materials such as high-temperature and multicomponentsuperconductors, ultra-cold atomic bosons and fermions, and helium supersolids. It begins by explaining the general physical principles behind the superfluid phenomenon as a framework for the discussion of realistic systems. The authors present superfluidity as a phenomenon of emergent topological order and show that all superproperties of the system are explained by the appearance of a new constant of motion.

Covers important aspects of X-ray spectrometry, from basic principles to the selection of instrument parameters and sample preparation. This title explicates the use of combined X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction data, and features fresh applications in environmental studies, forensic science, minerals and ore, and ceramic materials.

Knowledge and Power shows how science has developed in different historical settings by focusing on four episodes in the history of world science from the Middle Ages to the mid-twentieth century.The title of this book comes from a famous saying by the English Renaissance philosopher Francis Bacon: "Knowledge is Power." Through a combination of narrative and primary sources, author William Burns explores the following topics in order to provide students with an understanding of how different cultures throughout time and across the globe approached science: Science in the Medieval Mediterranean, The Jesuits and World Science ca. 1540-1773, Science in Russia and Japan ca. 1684-1860s, and Africa in the Age of Imperialism and Nationalism ca. 1860-1960.

Research on number theory has produced a wealth of interesting and beautiful results yet topics are strewn throughout the literature, the notation is far from being standardized, and a unifying approach to the different aspects is lacking. Covering both classical and recent results, this book unifies the theory of continued fractions, quadratic orders, binary quadratic forms, and class groups based on the concept of a quadratic irrational. It highlights the connection between Gauss¿s theory of binary forms and the arithmetic of quadratic orders.

This book introduces the theory of the finite element method using a balanced approach between its mathematical formulations and programming implementation. The computer implementation is carried out using MATLAB, while the practical applications are carried out in both MATLAB and Abaqus. All of the key steps are presented in great detail. MATLAB allows the reader to focus on the finite element method by alleviating the programming burden. Detailed step-by-step procedures for solving sample problems with Abaqus interactive and keyword editions are provided in each chapter.

To achieve cardiac regeneration using pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, researchers must understand iPS cell generation methods. This book presents the current status and future possibilities in cardiac regeneration using iPS cells.

This book discusses the most well-known excellence models, methods, and tools to foster quality management, including how to develop abilities in order to identify core operational and support processes to set a strategic agenda for quality management projects. It discusses building the Quality Management Systems (QMS) based on two important organizational elements: needs and resources. With a clear focus on business performance and a process management, it provides the basis for creating a quality management-culture, and can help professionals and organizations to succeed in becoming a world-class organization.

In this book of mathematical stories, the well-known and highly esteemed author provides a surprisingly entertaining tour of unfamiliar territory. He describes stories about numbers, problems, people who do math, and the places where mathematical discoveries are made (such as desks, libraries, beds, and churches). You'll discover that counting can be quite difficult'for example, news reports claiming that "bees can count" show that journalists can't count and people who shun 13 must assume that gods can't count.

Focusing on the methodologies and applications of the field, this book presents mathematical tools for complex decision making. The first part of the book introduces the most popular methods used to calculate the solution of MOP in the field of MODM. The authors describe multi-objective evolutionary algorithms; expand de novo programming to changeable spaces, such as decision and objective spaces; and cover network data envelopment analysis. The second part focuses on various applications, giving readers a practical, in-depth understanding of MODM.

This book describes the laws of sustainable soil management to enhance ecosystem services while restoring degraded soils and promoting sustainable use. With chapters contributed by world-class soil scientists, ecologists, and social scientists, the book outlines critical changes in management of agricultural soils necessary to address global issues of food security, climate change, water security, and energy needs. Topics covered include organic farming, soil fertility, crop-symbiotic soil microbiota, human-driven soil degradation, soil degradation and restoration, carbon sink capacity of soils, and soil renewal and sustainability.

Although there have been extensive developments in computing and communications needs of integrated microsystems, the sensors required to conduct advanced and integrated tasks are only now seeing transformational change. With their huge potential interfacing applications for biological and medical fields, sensors will soon become ubiquitous. Focusing heavily on practical applications but remaining light on physics and math, this book addresses the developments necessary to make truly integrated sensors a reality in physical, biological, optical, and chemical sensing, as well as future micro- and nanotechnologies.

Possibly the first one-stop reference on plasma discharge in liquids, this book details physical mechanisms of initiation and propagation of pulsed discharges in liquids. It covers the major types of plasma sources, their distinguishing features, and the fundamental limits of performance. It also describes a fundamental understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena associated with different types of plasma in liquids. The book examines state-of-the-art plasma-assisted water treatment technologies, such as microorganism sterilization, decontamination of volatile organic compounds, and cooling water treatment. Equations, figures, charts, graphs, and photographs are included to reinforce comprehension.

Originating from protein stretching experiments, dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) allows for the extraction of detailed information on the unbinding process of biomolecular complexes. It is becoming progressively more important in biochemical studies and is finding wider applications in areas such as biophysics and polymer science. This book covers the most recent ideas and advances in the field of DFS applied to biorecognition. Leading experts in the field offer their perspectives on such important topics as atomic force microscopy, force spectroscopy, interaction geometries, and immobilization strategies.

Helping readers gain a solid, hands-on background in batch processing, this best-selling text explains how to effectively design, synthesize, and make operations decisions related to batch processes. Along with updating the references, this edition features special sections on complex column configurations and azeotropic, extractive, and reactive distillation. It also includes a new chapter on various kinds of uncertainties in batch distillation and a new chapter describing software packages for simulation, design, optimization, and control. A solutions manual is available for qualifying instructors.

With new chapters on polymer fusing, rapid prototyping, and piezoelectric polymers, this second edition provides one of the only textbooks on the analysis and design of mechanical components made from polymer materials. It explains how to create polymer materials to meet design specifications. The authors describe modern design concepts for selecting polymers and composites for design applications. They also present computer methods for choosing polymer materials from a database, for optimal design, and for laminated plate design. A solutions manual is available for qualifying instructors.