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From Atom Optics to Quantum Simulation
by Sebastian WillThis thesis explores ultracold quantum gases of bosonic and fermionic atoms in optical lattices. The highly controllable experimental setting discussed in this work, has opened the door to new insights into static and dynamical properties of ultracold quantum matter. One of the highlights reported here is the development and application of a novel time-resolved spectroscopy technique for quantum many-body systems. By following the dynamical evolution of a many-body system after a quantum quench, the author shows how the important energy scales of the underlying Hamiltonian can be measured with high precision. This achievement, its application, and many other exciting results make this thesis of interest to a broad audience ranging from quantum optics to condensed matter physics. A lucid style of writing accompanied by a series of excellent figures make the work accessible to readers outside the rapidly growing research field of ultracold atoms.
Strategy Deployment in Business Units
by Maik SchlickelThis book reveals and presents the root-causes that lead to varying improvement performances across different locations of a global positioned manufacturing organization. Conducting a multiple case study analysis of manufacturing sites around the world, the author found that the quality of the strategy deployment process is vital, especially when it is clear to all affected employees--a situation we refer to as strategy cascading. But having a sound strategy cascading alone is not enough. The author worked out that a company, which achieves to align its sound strategy cascading with the company context and leadership style of its top-management team, is likely to realize more operations improvements than do companies that missed to do so.
The Human Hippocampus
by Francoise Cattin Henri M. Duvernoy Pierre-Yves RisoldThis new edition, like previous ones, offers a precise description of the anatomy of the human hippocampus based upon neurosurgical progress and the wealth of medical imaging methods available. The first part describes the fine structures of the hippocampus and is illustrated with new original figures. A survey is then provided of current concepts explaining the functions of the hippocampus, and the external and internal hippocampal vascularization is precisely described. The last and main part of the book presents serial sections in coronal, sagittal, and axial planes; each section is accompanied by a drawing to explain the MR 3T images. The new edition is also enriched by several MRI views of major hippocampal diseases. This comprehensive atlas of human hippocampal anatomy will be of interest to all neuroscientists, including neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and neurologists.
Design of Incentive Systems: Experimental Approach to Incentive and Sorting Effects
by Dennis D. FehrenbacherMonetary incentives, as a driving force for human behavior, are the main theme of this book. The primary goals underlying the application of monetary incentive systems in companies are motivating employees to strive for superior productivity in line with the interests of employers, and hiring adequately skilled employees. The first goal refers to incentive effects, the latter to sorting effects. This book introduces important theories and concepts concerning behavior under influence of monetary incentives; it reviews existing economic frameworks and identifies specific contingency variables. Based on an integrative framework of elements influencing incentive and sorting effects, a laboratory experiment is presented including detailed methodological discussion on experimentation and data analysis as well as an extensive presentation of findings and discussion of implications.
Porous Models for Wave-seabed Interactions
by Dong-Sheng Jeng"Porous Models for Wave-seabed Interactions" discusses the Phenomenon of wave-seabed interactions, which is a vital issue for coastal and geotechnical engineers involved in the design of foundations for marine structures such as pipelines, breakwaters, platforms, etc. The most important sections of this book will be the fully detailed theoretical models of wave-seabed interaction problem, which are particularly useful for postgraduate students and junior researchers entering the discipline of marine geotechnics and offshore engineering. This book also converts the research outcomes of theoretical studies to engineering applications that will provide front-line engineers with practical and effective tools in the assessment of seabed instability in engineering design. Prof. Dong-Sheng Jeng works at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
Mathematical Risk Analysis
by Ludger RüschendorfThe author's particular interest in the area of risk measures is to combine this theory with the analysis of dependence properties. The present volume gives an introduction of basic concepts and methods in mathematical risk analysis, in particular of those parts of risk theory that are of special relevance to finance and insurance. Describing the influence of dependence in multivariate stochastic models on risk vectors is the main focus of the text that presents main ideas and methods as well as their relevance to practical applications. The first part introduces basic probabilistic tools and methods of distributional analysis, and describes their use to the modeling of dependence and to the derivation of risk bounds in these models. In the second, part risk measures with a particular focus on those in the financial and insurance context are presented. The final parts are then devoted to applications relevant to optimal risk allocation, optimal portfolio problems as well as to the optimization of insurance contracts. Good knowledge of basic probability and statistics as well as of basic general mathematics is a prerequisite for comfortably reading and working with the present volume, which is intended for graduate students, practitioners and researchers and can serve as a reference resource for the main concepts and techniques.
The Future of Mountain Agriculture
by Stefan MannMountain agriculture is a socially and culturally unique system, but also a regionally important economic sector. In a globalising world, it is clear that fertile areas on all continents will always be used to produce large quantities of agricultural products in order to feed the world and, increasingly, provide biomass as a source of energy. It is far less clear, however, how land use in steep and more peripheral regions will evolve. By definition, farmland in mountain areas is more difficult to work because of steep slopes and missing accessibility. Climate conditions and poor soil quality often add to these adverse conditions. Through overcoming limited views from one region only or from one discipline, this book intends to draw a first truly international perspective on the issue of mountain farming.
CT- and MR-Guided Interventions in Radiology
by Andreas H. Mahnken Jens Ricke Kai E. WilhelmInterventional radiology is an indispensable and still expanding area of modern medicine that encompasses numerous diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The revised and extended second edition of this volume covers a broad range of non-vascular interventions guided by CT or MR imaging. Indications, materials, techniques, and results are all carefully discussed. A particularly comprehensive section is devoted to interventional oncology as the most rapidly growing branch of interventional radiology. In addition, detailed information is provided that will assist in establishing and developing an interventional service. This richly illustrated book will be a most valuable source of information and guidance for all radiologists who deal with non-vascular procedures.
Botulinum Neurotoxins (Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology #364)
by Andreas Rummel and Thomas BinzThe extremely potent substance botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) has attracted much interest in diverse fields. Originally identified as cause for the rare but deadly disease botulism, military and terrorist intended to misuse this sophisticated molecule as biological weapon. This caused its classification as select agent category A by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention and the listing in the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. Later, the civilian use of BoNT as long acting peripheral muscle relaxant has turned this molecule into an indispensable pharmaceutical world wide with annual revenues >$1.5 billion. Also basic scientists value the botulinum neurotoxin as molecular tool for dissecting mechanisms of exocytosis. This book will cover the most recent molecular details of botulinum neurotoxin, its mechanism of action as well as its detection and application.
Contemporary Logistics in China: Transformation and Revitalization (Current Chinese Economic Report Series)
by Bing-Lian Liu Ling Wang Shao-Ju Lee Jian-Hua Xiao Zhi-Lun JiaoThis present report, as a second volume of the series entitled "Contemporary Logistics in China: an Introduction," follows the same general conceptual organization, yet with updated analysis and discussion of logistics development, under the backdrop of the aftermath of the international financial crisis, the acceleration of the transformation of development mode and the strategic adjustment of the economic structure.
Adaptive Digital Filters
by Zoran Banjac Milan Milosavljević Branko Kovačević"Adaptive Digital Filters" presents an important discipline applied to the domain of speech processing. The book first makes the reader acquainted with the basic terms of filtering and adaptive filtering, before introducing the field of advanced modern algorithms, some of which are contributed by the authors themselves. Working in the field of adaptive signal processing requires the use of complex mathematical tools. The book offers a detailed presentation of the mathematical models that is clear and consistent, an approach that allows everyone with a college level of mathematics knowledge to successfully follow the mathematical derivations and descriptions of algorithms. The algorithms are presented in flow charts, which facilitates their practical implementation. The book presents many experimental results and treats the aspects of practical application of adaptive filtering in real systems, making it a valuable resource for both undergraduate and graduate students, and for all others interested in mastering this important field.
Prokhorov and Contemporary Probability Theory
by Albert N. Shiryaev Ernst L. Presman S. R. VaradhanThe role of Yuri Vasilyevich Prokhorov as a prominent mathematician and leading expert in the theory of probability is well known. Even early in his career he obtained substantial results on the validity of the strong law of large numbers and on the estimates (bounds) of the rates of convergence, some of which are the best possible. His findings on limit theorems in metric spaces and particularly functional limit theorems are of exceptional importance. Y.V. Prokhorov developed an original approach to the proof of functional limit theorems, based on the weak convergence of finite dimensional distributions and the condition of tightness of probability measures. The present volume commemorates the 80th birthday of Yuri Vasilyevich Prokhorov. It includes scientific contributions written by his colleagues, friends and pupils, who would like to express their deep respect and sincerest admiration for him and his scientific work.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates from Palm Oil: Biodegradable Plastics
by Kumar SudeshThe environmental problems caused by petroleum-based plastic and plastic waste have led to an increasing demand for biobased and biodegradable plastics, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). These polyesters are synthesized from carbon sources, e.g. sugar and plant oils, by various bacteria. This book highlights the potential of plant oils, especially palm oil, as a feedstock for PHA production. In addition, new PHA applications are discussed and the sustainability of PHA production from plant oils is critically examined.
Optical Properties of Advanced Materials
by Shin-Ya Koshihara Yoshinobu Aoyagi Koki Takanashi Kotaro Kajikawa Katsuhiko Fujita Shin-Ichiro Inoue Yoichi TakanishiIn the last decade, optically functionalized materials have developed rapidly, from bulk matters to structured forms. Now we have a rich variety of attractive advanced materials. They are applied to optical and electrical devices that support the information communication technology in the mid 21-th century. Accordingly, it is quite important to have a broad knowledge of the optical properties of advanced materials for students, scientists and engineers working in optics and related fields. This book is designed to teach fundamental optical properties of such advanced materials effectively. These materials have their own peculiarities which are very interesting in modern optical physics and also for applications because the concepts of optical properties are quite different from those in conventional optical materials. Hence each chapter starts to review the basic concepts of the materials briefly and proceeds to the practical use. The important topics covered in this book include: quantum structures of semiconductors, spintronics, photonic crystals, surface plasmons in metallic nanostructures, photonic metamaterials, liquid crystal materials, organic LED materials and magnet-optics.
Pro-active Dynamic Vehicle Routing
by Francesco FerrucciThis book deals with transportation processes denoted as the Real-time Distribution of Perishable Goods (RDOPG). The book presents three contributions that are made to the field of transportation. First, a model considering the minimization of customer inconvenience is formulated. Second, a pro-active real-time control approach is proposed. Stochastic knowledge is generated from past request information by a new forecasting approach and is used in the pro-active approach to guide vehicles to request-likely areas before real requests arrive there. Various computational results are presented to show that in many cases the pro-active approach is able to achieve significantly improved results. Moreover, a measure for determining the structural quality of request data sets is also proposed. The third contribution of this book is a method that is presented for considering driver inconvenience aspects which arise from vehicle en-route diversion activities. Specifically, this method makes it possible to restrict the number of performed vehicle en-route diversion activities.
Restoration of Coastal Dunes
by Luisa M Martínez Juan B. Gallego-Fernández Patrick A. HespThe continuously growing human population along the world's coasts will exacerbate the impact of human activities on all coastal environments. Restoration activities will therefore become increasingly important. In particular, sandy shores and coastal dunes will require significant restoration efforts because they are preferred sites for human settlement, industrial and urban development and tourism. With this book experts in the field present a comprehensive review of restoration studies and activities, where 'successful' and 'failed' studies or approaches from around the world are contrasted and compared. A major asset the book provides is a compendium of studies showing that coastal dune restoration has many definitions and thus leads to many different actions. This volume addresses those with an interest in conservation ecology and biology, coastal dune dynamics and geomorphology, and coastal management who are seeking information on the different strategies for coastal dune restoration applied in different regions of the world. Finally, it will be a valuable resource for coastal scientists and planners, as well as for local and state officials, residents of coastal communities, environmental advocates and developers.
Principles of Bioenergetics
by Alexander V. Bogachev Felix O. Kasparinsky Vladimir P. SkulachevPrinciples of Bioenergetics summarizes one of the quickly growing branches of modern biochemistry. Bioenergetics concerns energy transductions occurring in living systems and this book pays special attention to molecular mechanisms of these processes. The main subject of the book is the "energy coupling membrane" which refers to inner membranes of intracellular organelles, for example, mitochondria and chloroplasts. Cellular cytoplasmic membranes where respiratory and photosynthetic energy transducers, as well as ion-transporting ATP-synthases (ATPases) are also part of this membrane. Significant attention is paid to the alternative function of mitochondria as generators of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that mediate programmed death of cells (apoptosis and necrosis) and organisms (phenoptosis). The latter process is considered as a key mechanism of aging which may be suppressed by mitochondria-targeted antioxidants.
Creative Crisis in Democracy and Economy
by George C. Bitros Anastasios D KarayiannisDevelopments across the millennia suggest that, even though democracies and free market economies are continuously challenged by crises and disturbances, such as natural disasters, wars, or technological revolutions, in the countries where they take roots civil liberties deepen and per capita prosperity increases. To substantiate this claim analytically, the authors emphasize the principles that make free markets a sine qua non condition for democracy and study the nature of the relationship between free market institutions and economic growth. By examining the operating principles, outcomes and challenges experienced by contemporary democracies, many lessons are drawn with regard to how governments should act in order to avoid the pitfalls inherently associated with representative democracy. To illustrate the dangers of deviating from these principles, the authors apply their findings to the Greek democracy and economy since the Second World War.
Invariant Random Fields on Spaces with a Group Action
by Nicolai Leonenko Anatoliy MalyarenkoThe author describes the current state of the art in the theory of invariant random fields. This theory is based on several different areas of mathematics, including probability theory, differential geometry, harmonic analysis, and special functions. The present volume unifies many results scattered throughout the mathematical, physical, and engineering literature, as well as it introduces new results from this area first proved by the author. The book also presents many practical applications, in particular in such highly interesting areas as approximation theory, cosmology and earthquake engineering. It is intended for researchers and specialists working in the fields of stochastic processes, statistics, functional analysis, astronomy, and engineering.
Modern Theory of Magnetism in Metals and Alloys
by Yoshiro KakehashiThis book describes theoretical aspects of the metallic magnetism from metals to disordered alloys to amorphous alloys both at the ground state and at finite temperatures. The book gives an introduction to the metallic magnetism, and treats effects of electron correlations on magnetism, spin fluctuations in metallic magnetism, formation of complex magnetic structures, a variety of magnetism due to configurational disorder in alloys as well as a new magnetism caused by the structural disorder in amorphous alloys, especially the itinerant-electron spin glasses. The readers will find that all these topics can be understood systematically by means of the spin-fluctuation theories based on the functional integral method.
Geography, Institutions and Regional Economic Performance
by Marco Percoco Riccardo CrescenziThe book aims to present "traditional features" of regional science (as geographical concepts and institutions), as well as relatively new topics such as innovation and agglomeration economies. In particular it demonstrates that, contrary to what has been argued by recent economics literature, both geography and institutions (or culture) are relevant for local development. In fact, these phenomena, along with the movement of goods and workers, are among the main reasons for persisting development differentials. These intriguing relationships are at the heart of the analysis presented in this book and form the conceptual basis for a promising institutional approach to economic geography.
Studying Stellar Rotation and Convection
by John J. Green Coralie Neiner Kévin Belkacem Francois Lignières Mariejo GoupilThis volume synthesizes the results of work carried out by several international teams of the SIROCO (Seismology for Rotation and Convection) collaboration. It provides the theoretical background required to interpret the huge quantity of high-quality observational data recently provided by space experiments such as CoRoT and Kepler. Asteroseismology allows astrophysicists to test, to model and to understand stellar structure and evolution as never before. The chapters in this book address the two groups of topics summarized as "Stellar Rotation and Associated Seismology" as well as "Stellar Convection and Associated Seismology". The book offers the reader solid theoretical background knowledge and adapted seismic diagnostic techniques.
Sustainable Land Use and Rural Development in Southeast Asia: Innovations and Policies for Mountainous Areas (Springer Environmental Science and Engineering)
by Gerhard Clemens Karl Stahr Pepijn Schreinemachers Holger L. FröhlichThis book is based on the findings of a long-term (2000-2014) interdisciplinary research project of the University of Hohenheim in collaboration with several universities in Thailand and Vietnam. Titled Sustainable Land Use and Rural Development in Mountainous Areas in Southeast Asia, or the Uplands Program, the project aims to contribute through agricultural research to the conservation of natural resources and the improvement of living conditions of the rural population in the mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. Having three objectives the book first aims to give an interdisciplinary account of the drivers, consequences and challenges of ongoing changes in mountainous areas of Southeast Asia. Second, the book describes how innovation processes can contribute to addressing these challenges and third, how knowledge creation to support change in policies and institutions can assist in sustainably develop mountain areas and people's livelihoods.
Designing Organizational Systems
by Paolo Spagnoletti Marco De Marco Richard BaskervilleThis book is dedicated to the memory of Professor Alessandro (Sandro) D'Atri, who passed away in April 2011. Professor D'Atri started his career as a brilliant scholar interested in theoretical computer science, databases and, more generally information processing systems. He journeyed far in various applications, such as human-computer interaction, human factors, ultimately arriving at business information systems and business organisation after more than 20 years of researc hbased on "problem solving". Professor D'Atri pursued the development of an interdisciplinary culture in which social sciences, systems design and human sciences are mutually integrated. Rather than retrospection, this book is aimed to advance in these directions and to stimulate a debate about the potential of design research in the field of information systems and organisation studies with an interdisciplinary approach. Each chapter has been selected by the Editorial Board following a double blind peer review process. The general criteria of privileging the variety of topics and the design science orientation and/or empirical works in which a design research approach is adopted to solve various field problems in the management area. In addition several chapters contribute to the meta-discourse on design science research.
Consensus and Synchronization in Complex Networks (Understanding Complex Systems)
by Ljupco KocarevIn this book for the first time two scientific fields - consensus formation and synchronization of communications - are presented together and examined through their interrelational aspects, of rapidly growing importance. Both fields have indeed attracted enormous research interest especially in relation to complex networks. In networks of dynamic systems (or agents), consensus means to reach an agreement regarding a certain quantity of interest that depends on the state of all dynamical systems (agents). Consensus problems have a long history in control theory and computer sciences, and form the foundation of the field of distributed computing. Synchronization, which defines correlated-in-time behavior between different processes and roots going back to Huygens to the least, is now a highly popular, exciting and rapidly developing topic, with applications ranging from biological networks to mathematical epidemiology, and from processing information in the brain to engineering of communications devices. The book reviews recent finding in both fields and describes novel approaches to consensus formation, where consensus is realized as an instance of the nonlinear dynamics paradigm of chaos synchronization. The chapters are written by world-known experts in both fields and cover topics ranging from fundaments to various applications of consensus and synchronization.