springer us springer us mär 2002 (26 Ergebnisse)

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Informatics, the study of the science of information and related disciplines, is being increasingly applied to medicine and healthcare. Medical schools are de veloping departments, divisions, and sections of medical (or biomedical) infor matics, and curricula are being created for medical students and residents. For many practicing physicians, questions such as 'What is informatics ' and 'Why is informatics important in medicine ' are becoming commonplace. Further, once these basics are understood, many physicians seek more complete information about this new 'basic science. ' The goal of this book is to provide primary care physicians with a practical in troductory understanding of medical informatics, focusing on areas of importance in primary care. Additionally, we seek to present clinical contexts in which some of the various applications of medical informatics can be applied. The book begins with an overview of medical informatics, based on the inter action (interface) between the patient and the primary care physician. Next, we study how this interaction can be documented with electronic medical records, and how information on laboratory data and imaging, originating from other elec tronic sources, can be integrated into the electronic medical record. We then cover several areas that concern the content of the information used in primary care. Areas of focus include evidence-based medicine, decision support, knowledge re sources, and patient education. Finally, this book concludes with five chapters concerning practical aspects of primary care informatics: workflow, privacy and security, electronic billing, reporting and analysis, and telecommunications.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 252 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Compression and Coding Algorithms describes in detail the coding mechanisms that are available for use in data compression systems. The well known Huffman coding technique is one mechanism, but there have been many others developed over the past few decades, and this book describes, explains and assesses them. People undertaking research of software development in the areas of compression and coding algorithms will find this book an indispensable reference. In particular, the careful and detailed description of algorithms and their implementation, plus accompanying pseudo-code that can be readily implemented on computer, make this book a definitive reference in an area currently without one.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 292 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book provides an accelerated introduction to Maple for scientific programmers who already have experience in other computer languages (such as C, Pascal, or FORTRAN). It gives an overview of the most commonly used constructs and an elementary introduction to Maple programming. The new edition is substantially updated throughout. In particular, there are new programming features especially modules, nested lexical scopes, documentation features, and object-oriented support), a new solution of differential equations, and new plotting features.Review of Earlier Edition'It is especially nice for people like us, who have done some C and FORTRAN programming in our time, but would like to take better advantage of a tool like Maple. It discusses things of key importance to a scientific programmer and does not go on and on with things you'd never use anyway. The examples are terrific--beyond description. I have informed my colleagues here that this is a must-have.'(Brynjulf Owren, Department of Mathematical Sciences, The Norwegian Institute of Technology)Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 304 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -In the paper we propose a model of tax incentives optimization for inve- ment projects with a help of the mechanism of accelerated depreciation. Unlike the tax holidays which influence on effective income tax rate, accelerated - preciation affects on taxable income. In modern economic practice the state actively use for an attraction of - vestment into the creation of new enterprises such mechanisms as accelerated depreciation and tax holidays. The problem under our consideration is the following. Assume that the state (region) is interested in realization of a certain investment project, for ex- ple, the creation of a new enterprise. In order to attract a potential investor the state decides to use a mechanism of accelerated tax depreciation. The foll- ing question arise. What is a reasonable principle for choosing depreciation rate From the state¿s point of view the future investor¿s behavior will be rat- nal. It means that while looking at economic environment the investor choose such a moment for investment which maximizes his expected net present value (NPV) from the given project. For this case both criteria and ¿investment rule¿ depend on proposed (by the state) depreciation policy. For the simplicity we will suppose that the purpose of the state for a given project is a maximi- tion of a discounted tax payments into the budget from the enterprise after its creation. Of course, these payments depend on the moment of investor¿s entry and, therefore, on the depreciation policy established by the state.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Social Networks and Trust discusses two possible explanations for the emergence of trust via social networks. If network members can sanction untrustworthiness of actors, these actors may refrain from acting in an untrustworthy manner. Moreover, if actors are informed regularly about trustworthy behavior of others, trust will grow among these actors.A unique combination of formal model building and empirical methodology is used to derive and test hypotheses about the effects of networks on trust. The models combine elements from game theory, which is mainly used in economics, and social network analysis, which is mainly used in sociology.The hypotheses are tested (1) by analyzing contracts in information technology transactions from a survey on small and medium-sized enterprises and (2) by studying judgments of subjects in a vignette experiment related to hypothetical transactions with a used-car dealer.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 292 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Research in real estate finance and economics has developed in an exciting way in the past twenty-five years or so. The resulting theoretical and empirical findings are shining a new light on some of the classic mysteries of the real estate markets. It is good to see that a growing proportion of this research output is concerned with contemporary problems and issues regarding the European and Far Eastern property markets.To stimulate a creative exchange of new ideas and a debate of the latest research findings regarding the global property markets, the Maastricht-Cambridge Real Estate Finance and Investment Symposium was established. This initiative aims at bringing together a number of leading researchers in the field for a short, intensive conference. The 2000 Symposium, which was hosted by Maastricht University in the Netherlands in June of that year, is the first in an annual series of such conferences, which will alternate between Maastricht University and Cambridge University. This book is a compilation of the papers originally presented at the first Maastricht-Cambridge Symposium in 2000.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 204 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -From September 13 to 17 in 1999, the First China-Japan Seminar on Number Theory was held in Beijing, China, which was organized by the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica jointly with Department of Mathematics, Peking University. TE:m Japanese Professors and eighteen Chinese Professors attended this seminar. Professor Yuan Wang was the chairman, and Professor Chengbiao Pan was the vice-chairman. This seminar was planned and prepared by Professor Shigeru Kanemitsu and the first-named editor. Talks covered various research fields including analytic number theory, algebraic number theory, modular forms and transcendental number theory. The Great Wall and acrobatics impressed Japanese visitors. From November 29 to December 3 in 1999, an annual conference on analytic number theory was held in Kyoto, Japan, as one of the conferences supported by Research Institute of Mathematical Sciences (RIMS), Kyoto University. The organizer was the second-named editor. About one hundred Japanese scholars and some foreign visitors com ing from China, France, Germany and India attended this conference. Talks covered many branches in number theory. The scenery in Kyoto, Arashiyama Mountain and Katsura River impressed foreign visitors. An informal report of this conference was published as the volume 1160 of Surikaiseki Kenkyusho Kokyuroku (June 2000), published by RIMS, Ky oto University. The present book is the Proceedings of these two conferences, which records mainly some recent progress in number theory in China and Japan and reflects the academic exchanging between China and Japan.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 428 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Memory Design Techniques for Low Energy Embedded Systems centers one of the most outstanding problems in chip design for embedded application. It guides the reader through different memory organizations and technologies and it reviews the most successful strategies for optimizing them in the power and performance plane.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 160 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Selenium is a naturally occurring trace element that can become concentrated and released by industrial, agricultural, petrochemical and mining activities. At concentrated levels it is toxic and has polluted ecosystems around the world. This book will serve as a comprehensive practical handbook for everyone dealing with selenium in aquatic environments. It offers field-tested approaches and methods for assessment and water quality management. Using his twenty-year experience, the author discusses the effects of selenium on fish and bird populations and presents guidelines for identifying sources of pollution, interpreting selenium concentrations, assessing hazardous conditions, setting water quality criteria and ecosystem loading limits (TMDLs). He also includes a procedure for setting environmentally safe limits that ensure compliance with EPA regulations.Selenium Assessment in Aquatic Ecosystems will interest field scientists, natural resource managers, risk assessors and environmental planners.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 180 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Recent droughts in Africa and elsewhere in the world, from China to Peru, have serious implications for food security and grave consequences for local and international politics. The issues do not just concern the plight of African peoples, but also our global ecological future.Global climatic changes become manifest initially in regions that are marginal or unstable. Africa's Sahel zone is one of the most sensitive climatic regions in the world and the events that have gripped that region beginning in the 1970's were the first indicator of a significant shift in global climatic conditions.This work aims to bring archaeology with the domain on contemporary human affairs and to forge a new methodology for coping with environmental problems from an archaeological perspective. Using the later prehistory of Africa as a comparison, the utility of this methodological strategy in interpreting culture change and assessing long-term response to current, global climatic fluctuations is examined and understood.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 368 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -During the past decade, geneticists have cloned scores of Mendelian disease genes and constructed a rough draft of the entire human genome. The unprecedented insights into human disease and evolution offered by mapping, cloning, and sequencing will transform medicine and agriculture. This revolution depends vitally on the contributions of applied mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists. Mathematical and Statistical Methods for Genetic Analysis is written to equip students in the mathematical sciences to understand and model the epidemiological and experimental data encountered in genetics research. Mathematical, statistical, and computational principles relevant to this task are developed hand in hand with applications to population genetics, gene mapping, risk prediction, testing of epidemiological hypotheses, molecular evolution, and DNA sequence analysis. Many specialized topics are covered that are currently accessible only in journal articles. This second edition expands the original edition by over 100 pages and includes new material on DNA sequence analysis, diffusion processes, binding domain identification, Bayesian estimation of haplotype frequencies, case-control association studies, the gamete competition model, QTL mapping and factor analysis, the Lander-Green-Kruglyak algorithm of pedigree analysis, and codon and rate variation models in molecular phylogeny. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are many new problems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 396 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This work brings together some of the most up to date research in the application of operations research and mathematical modeling te- niques to problems arising in supply chain management and e-Commerce. While research in the broad area of supply chain management enc- passes a wide range of topics and methodologies, we believe this book provides a good snapshot of current quantitative modeling approaches, issues, and trends within the field. Each chapter is a self-contained study of a timely and relevant research problem in supply chain mana- ment. The individual works place a heavy emphasis on the application of modeling techniques to real world management problems. In many instances, the actual results from applying these techniques in practice are highlighted. In addition, each chapter provides important mana- rial insights that apply to general supply chain management practice. The book is divided into three parts. The first part contains ch- ters that address the new and rapidly growing role of the internet and e-Commerce in supply chain management. Topics include e-Business applications and potentials; customer service issues in the presence of multiple sales channels, varying from purely Internet-based to traditional physical outlets; and risk management issues in e-Business in B2B m- kets.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 394 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The purpose of Transporting Compressed Digital Video is to introduce fundamental principles and important technologies used in design and analysis of video transport systems for many video applications in digital networks. In the past two decades, progress in digital video processing, transmission, and storage technologies, such as video compression, digital modulation, and digital storage disk, has proceeded at an astounding pace. Digital video compression is a field in which fundamental technologies were motivated and driven by practical applications so that they often lead to many useful advances. Especially, the digital video-compression standards, developed by the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), have enabled many successful digital-video applications. These applications range from digital-video disk (DVD) and multimedia CDs on a desktop computer, interactive digital cable television, to digital satellite networks. MPEG has become the most recognized standard for digital video compression. MPEG video is now an integral part of most digital video transmission and storage systems. Nowadays, video compression technologies are being used in almost all modern digital video systems and networks. Not only is video compression equipment being implemented to increase the bandwidth efficiency of communication systems, but video compression also provides innovative solutions to many related vid- networking problems. The subject of Transporting Compressed Digital Video includes several important topics, in particular video buffering, packet scheduling, multiplxing and synchronization. 276 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Welcome to the proceedings of the Seventh International Conference of the UK Systems Society being held at York University, United Kingdom from July 7th to 10th, 2002. It is a pleasure to be able to share with you this collection ofpapers that have been contributed by systems thinkers from around the world. As with previous UKSS conferences, the aim ofthis conference is to encourage debate and promote development of pertinent issues in systems theory and practice. In current times where the focus has moved from 'information' to 'knowledge' and where 'knowledge management', of everyday speak, it seemed fitting to 'knowledge assets' and so on, have become part offer a conference title of'Systems Theory and Practice in the Knowledge Age'. In keeping with another tradition of previous conferences, the UKSS Conference 2002 Committee decided to compile a collection ofdelegates' papers before the event as a platform from which to launch discussions in York. Ideas presented in the following papers will, undoubtedly, be developed during the dialogue generated at the conference and new papers will emerge. In his abstract for his plenary at this conference, Professor Peter Checkland throws down the gauntlet to systems thinking and its relevance in the knowledge age with the following statement: '30 Years In The Systems Movement: Disappointments I Have Known and Hopes/or the Future Springing from a lunchtime conversation at an American University, the Systems Movement is now nearly 50 years old.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 496 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -As humans ventured into the twentieth century, the industrialized countries were confronted with the scourge of rickets. Although solariums were becoming common in the early 1900s and phototherapy was gaining popularity as a result of the awarding of a Nobel Prize to Finsen in 1903, it wasn't until 1921 when Hess and Unger demonstrated that rickets could be cured by exposure to sunlight that the healthful benefit of sun exposure appreciated. In 1941, Apperly (Cancer Research; 1: 191-195, 1941) noted that the occasional increased risk of skin cancer was associated with a decreased risk of many other more common and serious cancers. The alarming increase in the number of cases of skin cancer, especially melanoma, has caused great concern about the negative role of sunlight in health. The Sixth International Arnold Rikli Symposium on the Biologic Effects of Light was held in Boston, Massachusetts from June 16th - 18th, 2001. The goal of this Symposium was to focus on the very popular practice of tanning either by sunlight or by artificial light sources and the overall impact this practice has on health and disease. The program was organized by members of the Scientific Advisory Committee and my co-chair emeritus, Professor Ernst G. Jung. The Program Committee organized an outstanding state-of-the-art program that was enthusiastically received by the participants.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 524 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Mycotoxins, from the Greek 'mukes' referring to fungi or slime molds and toxin from the Latin 'toxicum' referencing a poison for arrows, have earned their reputation for being potentially deleterious to the health and well being of a consuming organism, whether it be animal or human. Unfortunately, mycotoxins are a ubiquitous factor in the natural life cycle of food producing plants. As such, control of the potential impact of mycotoxins on food safety relies heavily upon accurate analysis and surveys followed by commodity segregation and restricted use or decontamination through processing. The purpose of this book is to provide the most comprehensive and current information on the topic of mycotoxins and assuring food safety. Chapters represented in the book reflect such diverse topics ranging from occurrence and impact, analysis, reduction through processing and plant breeding, toxicology and safety assessments to regulatory perspectives. Authors represent a range of international perspectives.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 312 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The present book is the offspring of my Habilitation, which is the key to academic tenure in Austria. Legal requirements demand that a Ha bilitation be published and so only seeing it in print marks the real end of this biographical landmark project. From a scientific perspective I may hope to finally reach a broader audience with this book for a criti cal appraisal of the research done. Aside from objectives the book is a reflection of many years of research preceding Habilitation proper in the field of efficiency measurement. Regarding the subject matter the main intention was to fill an important remaining gap in the efficiency analysis literature. Hitherto no technique was available to estimate output-specific efficiencies in a statistically convincing way. This book closes this gap, although some desirable improvements and generalizations of the proposed estimation technique may yet be required, before it will eventually establish as standard tool for efficiency analysis. The likely audience for this book includes professional researchers, who want to enrich their tool set for applied efficiency analysis, as well as students of economics, management science or operations research, in tending to learn more about the potentials of rigorously understood efficiency analysis. But also managers or public officials potentially or dering efficiency studies should benefit from the book by learning about the extended capabilities of efficiency analysis. Just reading the intro duction may change their perception of value for money when it comes to comparative performance measurement.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -One of the most significant challenges facing mankind in the twenty-first century is the development of a sustainable global economy. Within the scientific community, this calls for the development of processes and technologies that will allow the sustainable production of materials from renewable natural resources. Plant material, in particular lignin, is one such resource. During the annual production of about 100 million metric tons of chemical wood pulps worldwide, approximately 45 and 2 million metric tons/year of kraft lignin and lignosulfonates, respectively, are also generated. Although lignosulfonates have found many applications outside the pulp and paper industry, the majority of kraft lignin is being used internally as a low-grade fuel for the kraft pulping operation. A surplus of kraft lignin will become available as kraft mills increase their pulp production without expanding the capacity of their recovery boilers that utilize lignin as a fuel. There is a tremendous opportunity and an enormous economic incentive to find better uses of kraft lignin, lignosulfonates and other industriallignins. The pulp and paper industry not only produces an enormous amount of lignins as by products of chemical wood pulps, but it also utilizes about 10 million metric tons of lignin per year as a component of mechanical wood pulps and papers. Mechanical wood pulps, produced in a yield of 90-98% with the retention of lignin, are mainly used to make low-quality, non-permanent papers such as newsprint and telephone directories because of the light-induced photooxidation of lignin and the yellowing of the papers.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 304 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The principle aim of this book, entitled 'Operations ResearchlManagement Science at Work', is to provide a summary snapshot of recent research in and applications of Operations Research (OR)/ Management Science (MS) in the Asia-pacific region. The book emphasises research having potential industry interest, covering a wide range of topics from major fields of ORIMS in a systematic and coherent fashion and shows the elegance of their implementations. The book is intended to serve the needs of applied researchers who are interested in applications of ORIMS algorithms. The book includes descriptions of many real-world problems together with their solutions; we hope the reader will appreciate their applicability. The Asia-pacific region has embraced business applications of decision support systems in recent years. Given that many of these applications are unaffected by legacy models or systems it has meant that state of the art ORIMS techniques have been embedded in them. Moreover, the increased use of OR/MS techniques in this region provides opportunities for identifying methodological advances that are taking place as a result of the unique nature of the applications. These also provide opportunities for exploring synergies and interfaces that exist between OR/MS, from the point of view of applications as well as theoretical advances.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Systematic Design of CMOS Switched-Current Bandpass Sigma-Delta Modulators for Digital Communication Chips discusses architectures, circuits and procedures for the optimum design of bandpass sigma-delta (SD) A/D interfaces for mixed-signal chips in standard CMOS technologies. The book differs from others in the very detailed and in-depth coverage of switched-current (SI) errors, which supports the design of high performance SI chips. The book starts with a tutorial presentation of the fundamentals of bandpass SD converters, their applications in communications and their most common architectures. It then presents the basic SI building blocks required for their implementation and analyzes in great detail the operation of these blocks. The influence of SI errors on the performance of the SD modulators (SDMs) is also studied. The outcome is a unique set of models which can be employed with a double purpose: namely, to support iterative procedures employed in mapping specifications onto design parameters; and to allow for accurate behavioural time-domain simulation using MATLAB-like tools. The book is completed with two case studies corresponding to modulators for AM digital radio receivers.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 488 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Signal Processing for Wireless Communication Systems brings together in one place important contributions and up-to-date research results in this fast moving area. The Contributors to this work were selected from leading researchers and practitioners in this field.The book's 18 chapters are divided into three areas: systems, Networks, and Implementation Issues; Channel Estimation and Equalization; and Multiuser Detection. The Work, originally published as Volume 30, Numbers 1-3 of the Journal of VLSI Signal Processing Systems for Signal, Image, and Video Technology, will be valuable to anyone working or researching in the field of wireless communication systems. It serves as an excellent reference, providing insight into some of the most challenging issues being examined today.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Introduction or Why I wrote this book N the fallof 1997 a dedicated troff user e-rnalled me the macros he used to typeset his books. 1took one look inside his fileand thought, 'I can do I this;It'sjustcode. ' Asan experiment1spent aweekand wrote a Cprogram and troff macros which formatted and typeset a membership directory for a scholarly society with approximately 2,000 members. When 1 was done, I could enter two commands, and my program and troff would convert raw membershipdata into 200 pages ofPostScriptin 35 seconds. Previously, it had taken me several days to prepare camera-readycopy for the directory using a word processor. For completeness 1sat down and tried to write 1EXmacros for the typesetting. 1failed. Although ninety-five percent of my macros worked, I was unable to prepare the columns the project required. As my frustration grew, 1began this book-mentally, in myhead-as an answer to the question, 'Why is 'lEX so hard to learn ' Why use Tgx Lest you accuse me of the old horse and cart problem, 1should address the question, 'Why use 1EX at all ' before 1explain why 'lEX is hard. Iuse 'lEXfor the followingreasons. Itisstable, fast, free, and it uses ASCII. Ofcourse, the most important reason is: 'lEX does a fantastic job. Bystable, I mean it is not likely to change in the next 10 years (much less the next one or two), and it is free of bugs. Both ofthese are important.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Data Access and Storage Management for Embedded Programmable Processors gives an overview of the state-of-the-art in system-level data access and storage management for embedded programmable processors. The targeted application domain covers complex embedded real-time multi-media and communication applications. Many of these applications are data-dominated in the sense that their cost related aspects, namely power consumption and footprint are heavily influenced (if not dominated) by the data access and storage aspects. The material is mainly based on research at IMEC in this area in the period 1996-2001. In order to deal with the stringent timing requirements and the data dominated characteristics of this domain, we have adopted a target architecture style that is compatible with modern embedded processors, and we have developed a systematic step-wise methodology to make the exploration and optimization of such applications feasible in a source-to-source precompilation approach.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Lattices are geometric objects that can be pictorially described as the set of intersection points of an infinite, regular n-dimensional grid. De spite their apparent simplicity, lattices hide a rich combinatorial struc ture, which has attracted the attention of great mathematicians over the last two centuries. Not surprisingly, lattices have found numerous ap plications in mathematics and computer science, ranging from number theory and Diophantine approximation, to combinatorial optimization and cryptography. The study of lattices, specifically from a computational point of view, was marked by two major breakthroughs: the development of the LLL lattice reduction algorithm by Lenstra, Lenstra and Lovasz in the early 80's, and Ajtai's discovery of a connection between the worst-case and average-case hardness of certain lattice problems in the late 90's. The LLL algorithm, despite the relatively poor quality of the solution it gives in the worst case, allowed to devise polynomial time solutions to many classical problems in computer science. These include, solving integer programs in a fixed number of variables, factoring polynomials over the rationals, breaking knapsack based cryptosystems, and finding solutions to many other Diophantine and cryptanalysis problems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 234 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Modelling and Forecasting Financial Data brings together a coherent and accessible set of chapters on recent research results on this topic. To make such methods readily useful in practice, the contributors to this volume have agreed to make available to readers upon request all computer programs used to implement the methods discussed in their respective chapters. Modelling and Forecasting Financial Data is a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students studying complex systems in finance, biology, and physics, as well as those applying such methods to nonlinear time series analysis and signal processing.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The study of the chemistry of metal alkoxides, which began more than 100 years ago, is now experiencing a renaissance connected with the broad application of these compounds as molecular precursors in the synthesis of materials of modern technology based on simple and complex oxides. The solution of this problem is occupying a wide circle of inorganic chemists, technologists specializing in fine synthesis in nonaqueous media, and those working on the production of films and coatings. The application of metal alkoxides in the first step of sol-gel technology (based on hydrolysis of alk- ides with subsequent dehydration of the hydrated oxides formed) can benefit from this monograph covering the modern literature devoted to all the steps of this process. The information on chemistry of metal alkoxides has been reported in a number of reviews (devoted to the single groups of derivatives) and numerous original publications. The only other monograph - Metal Alkoxides by D. C. Bradley, R. C. Mehrotra and D. P. Gaur was published in 1978 (A- demic Press, London) and, unfortunately, does not reflect modern findings.