Refine Results
Sort By
From
To
Page 27
Page 27
Markov Decision Processes with Their Applications
Markov decision processes (MDPs), also called stochastic dynamic programming, were first studied in the 1960s. MDPs can be used to model and solve dynamic decision-making problems that are multi-period and occur in stochastic circumstances. There are three basic branches in MDPs: discrete-time MDPs, continuous-time MDPs and semi-Markov decision processes. Starting from these three branches, many generalized MDPs models have been applied to various practical problems. These models include partially observable MDPs, adaptive MDPs, MDPs in stochastic environments, and MDPs with multiple objectives, constraints or imprecise parameters.
Markov Chains : Models, Algorithms and Applications
Markov chains are a particularly powerful and widely used tool for analyzing a variety of stochastic (probabilistic) systems over time. This monograph will present a series of Markov models, starting from the basic models and then building up to higher-order models. Included in the higher-order discussions are multivariate models, higher-order multivariate models, and higher-order hidden models. In each case, the focus is on the important kinds of applications that can be made with the class of models being considered in the current chapter. Special attention is given to numerical algorithms that can efficiently solve the models. Therefore, Markov Chains: Models, Algorithms and Applications outlines recent developments of Markov chain models for modeling queueing sequences, Internet, re-manufacturing systems, reverse logistics, inventory systems, bio-informatics, DNA sequences, genetic networks, data mining, and many other practical systems.
Maritime Work Law Fundamentals : Responsible Shipowners, Reliable Seafarers
As the title suggests, a fundamental challenge of this branch of international maritime law is to achieve a balance between the interests of the two main stakeholders. Institutionally, the effort to achieve this balance dates back a number of decades with its genesis mainly found in the work of the International Labour Organization. It has to be said that whilst this effort achieved great progress, it has led to a haphazard, plethora of legal instruments.
Marine Organic Matter : Biomarkers, Isotopes and DNA
The oceans contain a great biodiversity of marine organisms. They include a rich variety of unusual genes and biochemistries and hence a diverse array of organic compounds ranging from colourful carotenoids and chlorophylls to lipids with structures ranging from the simple to the complex. This volume brings together ten chapters on the occurrence and identification of the lipid biomarkers and of pigments in marine waters. It describes how they can be used in conjunction with stable isotopes and molecular biology to ascertain the sources and fate of organic matter (both natural and pollutant) in the sea and underlying sediments. The authors are each experts in their field and the chapters provide both an overview of the state-of-the-art and knowledge gaps together with abundant detail to satisfy the needs of specialists and non-specialists alike.
Marine Geochemistry
Since 1980 a considerable amount of scientific research dealing with geochemical processes in marine sediments has been carried out. This textbook summarizes the state of the art in this field of research. The topics comprise the examination of sedimentological and physical properties of the sedimentary solid phase, of pore water and pore water constituents, organic matter as the driving force of most microbiological processes, biotic and abiotic redox reactions, carbonates and stable isotopes as proxies for paleoclimate reconstruction, metal enrichments in ferromanganese nodules and crusts as well as in hot vents and cold seeps on the seafloor. A new chapter describes properties, occurrence and formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments. The textbook ends with a chapter on model conceptions and computer models to quantify processes of early diagenesis.
Manufacturing Execution Systems - MES
The production plants of today develop into modern service centers. Economic efficiency of modern added value is not a property of products alone but of the process. Decisive potential in business now is a question of process capability, rather than production capability. Process capability in business requires real-time systems for optimization. Business-IT needs to be developed from telecommunications and ERP to real time services, which are not offered by the prevailing ERP systems. Today, only modern Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) offer real-time applications. They generate current as well as historic mappings of production facilities and thus they can be used as basis for optimizations. It is important to map the supply chain in real time. Increasing complexity in production requires an integrated view of the production and service facilities: detailed scheduling, status collection, quality, performance analysis, tracing of material and so on have to be recorded and displayed in an integrated way.
Mantle Plumes : A Multidisciplinary Approach
In this book, a group of experts review these advances in plume research and present a general overview on recent plume studies.
Managing Critical Infrastructure Risks
At the beginning of each year, there is a deluge of top-10 lists on just about every subject you can imagine. A top-10 list of biggest news stories, best-selling books, most popular music and movies, richest companies, and best places to visit or live. It seems everyone has his or her own top-10 list, reflecting, perhaps, differences in regional, national, and cultural values. Companies and governments most often tend to focus their top-10 lists on economic priorities, or priorities related to national defense, security, public health, and new infrastructure. This year, 2007, was no exception. Yet, increasingly, we see governments, private organizations, and companies advocating a new type of prioritization. This framework needs to reach beyond the realms of economics, world trade, and corporate management to include the environment, stakeholders, public preferences, and social goals. Moreover, corporations and individuals are not only interested in generic 10-best lists; they want lists tailored to their values, goals, and current economic and social state. For example, the U. S.
Malliavin Calculus for Lévy Processes with Applications to Finance
While the original works on Malliavin calculus aimed to study the smoothness of densities of solutions to stochastic differential equations, this book has another goal. It portrays the most important and innovative applications in stochastic control and finance, such as hedging in complete and incomplete markets, optimisation in the presence of asymmetric information and also pricing and sensitivity analysis. In a self-contained fashion, both the Malliavin calculus with respect to Brownian motion and general Lévy type of noise are treated. Besides, forward integration is included and indeed extended to general Lévy processes. The forward integration is a recent development within anticipative stochastic calculus that, together with the Malliavin calculus, provides new methods for the study of insider trading problems.
Malaria : Genetic and Evolutionary Aspects
This book was originally conceived at a conference at the University of Turin in Italy. The conference was organized to examine the so-called “Malaria Hypothesis”, that is to say, the higher fitness of t- lassemia heterozygotes in a malarial environment, and to pay tribute to the proponent of that hypothesis, J.B.S. Haldane. Contributors to this book examine certain genetic and evolutionary aspects of malaria which is a major killer of human populations, especially in Africa and Asia. There were attempts to discredit Haldane’s contribution from two directions: (a) it has been suggested that the “Malaria Hypothesis” was known long before Haldane and that there was nothing original about his idea (Lederberg 1999), and that (b) the hypothesis of heterozygote su- riority was first suggested by the Italian biologist Giuseppe Montalenti who communicated his idea to Haldane (Allison 2004).
Make and Test Projects in Engineering Design : Creativity, Engagement and Learning
This is a book about the invention and testing of ideas. By describing how to generate engaging problem situations for engineering students to solve it inspires original currents of thought. This is the first book that formalises an important aspect of early learning in engineering design.
Magnetism and Structure in Functional Materials
Magnetism and Structure in Functional Materials addresses three distinct but related topics: (i) magnetoelastic materials such as magnetic martensites and magnetic shape memory alloys, (ii) the magnetocaloric effect related to magnetostructural transitions, and (iii) colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) and related magnanites. The goal is to identify common underlying principles in these classes of materials that are relevant for optimizing various functionalities. The emergence of apparently different magnetic/structural phenomena in disparate classes of materials clearly points to a need for common concepts in order to achieve a broader understanding of the interplay between magnetism and structure in this general class of new functional materials exhibiting ever more complex microstructure and function. The topic is interdisciplinary in nature and the contributors correspondingly include physicists, materials scientists and engineers. Likewise the book will appeal to scientists from all these areas.
Magnetic Nanostructures in Modern Technology ; Spintronics, Magnetic MEMS and Recording
A team of outstanding scientists in the field of modern magnetic nanotechnologies illustrates the state of the art in several areas of advanced magneto-electronic devices, magnetic micro-electromechanical systems and high density information storage technologies.The physics and chemistry of nano-scale systems have made rapid advances and there are real prospects of translating exciting scientific findings into a new generation of processes and high technology products with a potential impact on several industrial sectors. In particular the development of nano-structured magnetic materials plays a leading role in the increasing miniaturization of devices with superior performances.
Magnetic Functions Beyond the Spin-Hamiltonian
Using the spin-Hamiltonian formalism the magnetic parameters are introduced through the components of the Lambda-tensor involving only the matrix elements of the angular momentum operator. The energy levels for a variety of spins are generated and the modeling of the magnetization, the magnetic susceptibility and the heat capacity is done. Theoretical formulae necessary in performing the energy level calculations for a multi-term system are prepared with the help of the irreducible tensor operator approach. The goal of the programming lies in the fact that the entire relevant matrix elements (electron repulsion, crystal field, spin-orbit interaction, orbital-Zeeman, and spin-Zeeman operators) are evaluated in the basis set of free-atom terms. The modeling of the zero-field splitting is done at three levels of sophistication. The spin-Hamiltonian formalism offers simple formulae for the magnetic parameters by evaluating the matrix elements of the angular momentum operator in the basis set of the crystal-field terms. The magnetic functions for dn complexes are modeled for a wide range of the crystal-field strengths.
Machining: Fundamentals and Recent Advances
Machining is one of the most important manufacturing processes. Parts manufactured by others processes often require further operations before the product is ready for application. Machining is the broad term used to describe the removal of material from a work-piece. Machining processes can be applied to work metallic and non-metallic materials such as polymers, wood, ceramics and composites.
Low-Cost Approaches to Promote Physical and Mental Health : Theory, Research, and Practice
Most physical and mental health professionals will agree that their time, space, and funds are generally in short supply, even under optimal conditions. Their participants (clients or patients), too, will admit to similar deficits of time and patience, even with optimal motivation. Overburdened mental health facilities are trying to cope with limited budgets and overworked and underpaid personnel. Low-Cost Approaches to Promote Physical and Mental Health addresses both sides of this shortfall by offering either self-administered or easily administered verbal and non-verbal interventions designed to promote positive health behaviors while requiring little or no outside funding.
Low Molecular Mass Gelators : Design, Self-Assembly, Function
Chapter 1 presents the physical principles of the growth mechanism of fiber and fiber network with LMGs, as treated on the basis of the heterogeneous nucleation model. in Chaps. 2 and 3, respectively. These chapters are intended to outline useful synthetic guidelines for the generation of an ever-increasing variety of molecular architectures within these two families of gelators. Recent developments in the chemistry of nucleobase-containing LMGs are described in Chap. 4. Hydrogen-bonding within these molecular systems involves complementary base pair formation, a process relevant to DNA double-helix formation The self-assembly of chiral organo- or hydrogelators is the subject of Chap. 5. result from the orthogonal self-assembly of liquid crystals and LMGs are presented in Chap. 6. The volume concludes with Chap. 7, a review of the emerging field of dendritic gels.
Lone Parenthood in the Life Course
Provides a comprehensive portrait of lone parenthood at the beginning of the XXI century from a life course perspective. The contributions included in this volume examine the dynamics of lone parenthood in the life course and explore the trajectories of lone parents in terms of income, poverty, labour, market behaviour, wellbeing, and health. Throughout, comparative analyses of data from countries as France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, and Australia help portray how lone parenthood varies between regions, cultures, generations, and institutional settings. The findings show that one-parent households are inhabited by a rather heterogeneous world of mothers and fathers facing different challenges.
Logos of phenomenology and phenomenology of the logos ; Book Two : The Human Condition in-the-Unity-of-Everything-there-is-alive Individuation, Self, Person, Self-determination, Freedom, Necessity
The Human Condition-in-the-unity-of-everything-there-is-alive, under whose aegis the present selection of essays falls, offers the urgently needed new approach to reinvestigating humanness. While recent advances in the neurosciences, genetics and bio-engineering challenge the traditional abstract conception of "human nature", indicating its transformability, thus putting in question the main tenets of traditional philosophical anthropology, in the new perspective of the Human Creative Condition the human individual is seen in its emergence and unfolding within the dynamic networks of the logos of life, and within the evolution of living types.
Logica Universalis : Towards a General Theory of Logic
Modern logic has been intimately connected with algebra since its origins in figures such as Boole, De Morgan, and Peirce. But while universal algebra is a long recognized field, universal logic has only recently been named as such. This is perhaps because classical logic was until relatively recently taken by many as the "one true logic". But with the proliferation of special purpose non-classical logics in recent years, universal logic is clearly a field whose time has come. This book contains many excellent papers demonstrating the value of this approach.
