Foundations and applications of MIS : A model theory approach
Foundations and Applications of MIS presents a unique systems theory approach to management information system (MIS) development. The development is driven by the need to eliminate ambiguity in specification, design and construction of the application software. Further, the authors show that the considerable effort being expanded nowadays on validation, verification and testing, as required in current software engineering practices, will be reduced. The approach also reinforces the belief that MIS development is independent of software development. The work presents an approach that provides a theoretical foundation for MIS development from the systems theoretic viewpoint along with practical applications ranging from a transaction processing system to a solver system. Both formal systems theory and automatic system generation based on the authors' newly extended Prolog offer a significant increase in the efficiency of specification, design and production of the application software, as well as an increase in the functional reliability of the software produced. The book assumes a working knowledge of elementary set theory, logic, and familiarity with some systems concepts, such as the automaton model.
Foundational texts in modern criminal law
Presents essays in which scholars from various countries and legal systems engage critically with formative texts in criminal legal thought since Hobbes. It examines the emergence of a transnational canon of criminal law by documenting its intellectual and disciplinary history and provides a snapshot of contemporary work on criminal law within that historical and comparative context.
Foundation models for natural language processing : pre-trained language models integrating media
Covers basic natural language processing models, pre-trained language models BERT, GPT, and sequence-to-sequence converters, as well as the concepts of self-attention and context-sensitive embedding. Various approaches to improving these models are then discussed, such as expanding the pre-training parameters, increasing the length of input texts, or incorporating additional knowledge. An overview of the best performing models is then provided for about twenty application areas, e.g., question answering, translation, story generation, dialogue systems, image generation from text, etc. For each application area, the strengths and weaknesses of existing models are discussed, and an overview of further developments is provided. In addition, links to freely available code are provided. The concluding chapter summarizes the economic opportunities, risk mitigation, and potential developments of AI.
Foundation Mathematics for Computer Science : A Visual Approach
In this second edition of Foundation Mathematics for Computer Science, John Vince has reviewed and edited the original book and written new chapters on combinatorics, probability, modular arithmetic and complex numbers. These subjects complement the existing chapters on number systems, algebra, logic, trigonometry, coordinate systems, determinants, vectors, matrices, geometric matrix transforms, differential and integral calculus. During this journey, the author touches upon more esoteric topics such as quaternions, octonions, Grassmann algebra, Barrycentric coordinates, transfinite sets and prime numbers.
Fostering transformative change for sustainability in the context of socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS)
This book is a compilation of case studies that provide useful knowledge and lessons that derive from on-the-ground activities and contribute to policy recommendations, focusing on the relevance of social-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) to “transformative change.” The concept of “transformative change” has been gaining more attention to deal with today’s environmental and development problems, whereas both policy and scientific communities have been increasingly calling for transformative change toward sustainable society. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has planned to start the so-called “assessment on transformative change” if approved by the IPBES plenary to be held in 2021
Fostering innovation : How to build an amazing IT team
In Fostering Innovation: How to Build an Amazing IT Team, accomplished technology strategist, executive, and leader Andrew Laudato delivers an eye-opening exploration of how to design, build, staff, and run a high-performing IT department. The book is filled with universally applicable strategies and techniques that can transform any IT team into an all-star cast perfectly aligned with your organization’s objectives.
Formulation of Appropriate Laws : A New Integrated Multidisciplinary Approach and an Application to Electronic Funds Transfer Regulation
This book presents such an approach using the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) regulation in Australia as its vehicle of analysis. The two-pronged approach offered in this book can be applied to formulate efficient laws that maximise the social welfare of the country, irrespective of social, political and economic organisations of the country under study. As such, this book makes several distinct contributions to the literature in law as it: . develops a new integrated multi-disciplinary approach using quantitative methods to formulate appropriate laws; . applies recent developments in welfare economics.
Formal techniques for computer systems and business processes ; European performance engineering workshop, EPEW 2005 and International workshop on web services and formal methods, WS-FM 2005, Versailles, France, September 1-3, 2005, Proceedings
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of two colocated international workshops EPEW 2005 (European Performance Engineering Workshop) and WS-FM 2005 (Web Services and Formal Methods) held in Versailles, France in September 2005. The 20 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 59 submissions. For EPEW 2005 only 10 papers - of the 32 submitted - were accepted for presentation; they deal with queueing theory, bounding techniques, stochastic model checking, communication schemes analysis for high-speed LAN, QOS analysis in wireless ad-hoc networks and optical networks analysis. The main topics of the 10 papers accepted for WS-FM 2005 - from 27 submissions - include: protocols and standards for WS (SOAP, WSDL, UDDI, etc.); languages and description methodologies for Choreography/Orchestration/Workflow (BPML, XLANG and BizTalk, WSFL, WS-BPEL, etc.); coordination techniques for WS (transactions, agreement, coordination services, etc.); semantics-based dynamic WS discovery services (based on Semantic Web/Ontology Techniques or other semantic theories); security, performance evaluation and quality of service of WS; semi-structured data and XML related technologies; comparisons with different related technologies/approaches.
Formal Methods in Software and Systems Modeling : Essays Dedicated to Hartmut Ehrig on the Occasion of His 60th Birthday
By presenting state-of-the-art research results on various aspects of formal and visual modeling of software and systems, this book commemorates the 60th birthday of Hartmut Ehrig. The 24 invited reviewed papers are written by students and collaborators of Hartmut Ehrig who are established researchers in their fields. Reflecting the scientific interest and work of Hartmut Ehrig, the papers fall into three main parts on graph transformation, algebraic specification and logic, and formal and visual modeling.
Formal Methods for Open Object-Based Distributed Systems ; Vol. 3535 ; 7th IFIP WG 6.1 International Conference, FMOODS 2005, Athens, Greece, June 15-17, 2005, Proceedings
This volume contains the proceedings of FMOODS2005, the 7th IFIPWG6. 1 International Conference on Formal Methods for Open Object-Based Distributed Systems. The conference was held in Athens, Greece on June 15-17, 2005. The eventwasthe seventh meeting ofthis conference series, whichis held roughly every year and a half, with the earlier events held respectively in Paris, Canterbury, Florence, Stanford, Twente, and Paris. The goal of the FMOOD Sseries of conferences is to bring together researchers whose work encompasses three important and related fields: - formal methods; - distributed systems; - object-based technology. Sucha convergenceis representative of recent advances in the field of distributed systems, and provides links between several scientific and technological communities, as represented by the conferences FORTE, CONCUR, and ECOOP. The objective of FMOODS is to provide an integrated forum for the pres- tation of research in the above-mentioned fields, and the exchange of ideas and experiences in the topics concerned with the formal methods support for open object-based distributed systems.
Forest Road Operations in the Tropics
This book brings together information on road planning, location, design, construction and maintenance to support environmentally acceptable operations in tropical forests. It highlights the challenges of road operations in the tropics, includes techniques that have been shown to be successful, and discusses newer technologies. It is intended as a reference book for the forest engineer and others interested in the planning and management of tropical forests. Numerical examples are provided to provide clarity for interpreting graphs, procedures, and formulas. The book covers the various facets of road management from design objectives through practices to control environmental impacts.
Forest Radioecology in Fukushima : Radiocesium Dynamics, Impact, and Future
This book provides holistic information on the radioactive contamination of forests. Topics are highly interdisciplinary, ranging from the dynamics of radioactive cesium in forest ecosystems to the radiation protection or the socio-economic aspects of radiation effects. It is designed to help people understand the radioactive contamination in forests and provide hints of how to cope with it and restore their livelihoods. The book is characterized by its well-balanced structure that allows the reader to understand the whole picture without going into too much scientific content. After explaining the basics of radioactive materials and radiation, the book illustrates the radioactive contamination of forests, it also describes the impacts on the forestry and life of local people and the measures taken by. Few books address the concerns about how to deal with radioactive contamination of forests and the future perspectives. In this book, people can learn all about the Fukushima nuclear accident of forests, forest products, and people with abundant reference materials.
Forest Landscape Ecology : Transferring Knowledge to Practice
Forest Landscape Ecology: Transferring Knowledge to Practice is the first book to introduce landscape ecologists to the discipline of knowledge transfer. The book considers knowledge transfer in general, critically examines aspects of transfer that are unique to forest landscape ecology, and reviews several case studies of successful applications for policy developers and forest managers in North America. Readers are encouraged to recognize the value of sharing their knowledge, and to understand their role in active knowledge transfer. The intent is to connect, as seamlessly and effectively as possible, ecological principles to policy and practice.
Foresight and Design: Composing Future Places
Every plan, pro-forma, design, building contract, and construction schedule is a proposal about future places. To help improve such proposals, Foresight and Design: Composing Future Places presents conceptual tools to inform design and outline the need for designers to rigorously think about potential futures. Our built compositions are constantly transforming due to continuing urbanization, demographic shifts, climate change, the evolution of virtual worlds, economic and health disparities, and other unforeseen trends. Five brief case studies interspersed between the chapters serve as examples of practitioners exercising foresight through these practices. Contributions include a description of a regional design process in Afghanistan by Anthony Fettes of Sasaki Architects, and an exploration into the Indigenous Futurism model-making competition by Anjelica Gallegos.
Food-Borne Parasitic Zoonoses : Fish and Plant-Borne Parasites
The focus of this book is on those zoonoses that are transmitted by fish, plant and invertebrate foods. While people, especially those living in developed countries, are commonly aware of meat-borne zoonoses such as trichinellosis and cysticercosis, fewer are acquainted with parasitic diseases caused by liver, lung and intestinal flukes, fish-borne tapeworms, and tissue roundworms. This book reviews not only the prevalence and distribution of these zoonoses, including available health and economic impact data, but also highlights gaps in our knowledge base that must be filled in order to gain insights on approaches to prevention. The topics on epidemiology, diagnosis, and clinical aspects emphasize knowledge gaps that limit a full understanding of these zoonoses, and target where greater research investments on these parasitic diseases should be focused.
Foodborne Parasites
Microbiologists are being challenged as foodborne outbreaks are increasingly being observed worldwide. Most of these outbreaks are associated with viral and bacterial pathogens such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, and lately Escherichia coli O157:H7.Foodborne Parasites examines the two major parasite groups that are transmitted via water or foods: the protozoa, which are single celled organisms, and the helminths. The helminths are classified in three sub groups: cestodes (tapeworms), nematodes (round worms), and trematodes (flukes). To better understand their significance, each chapter covers the biology, mechanisms of pathogenesis, epidemiology, treatment, and inactivation of these parasites.
Food preservation and safety of natural products
Food Preservation and Safety of Natural Products addresses the most common causes of food spoilage that create significant loss to global food production while also discussing how food serves as a vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms responsible for mild to debilitating health conditions in humans. The book provides essential information for food safety professionals on issues relating to foodborne diseases and offers potential solutions by presenting various methods of incorporating natural products in food production to prevent the spread of foodborne pathogenic organisms. The demand for green consumerism and consumers general distaste for synthetic food additives poses a serious challenge to food safety and preservation. Natural products are used as green and sustainable source of bioactive compounds that can be applied in various fields including food. The use of plant and other natural products in food preservation is on the rise, hence this book reviews microbial mediated food spoilage, foodborne pathogens and food contamination and offers applications of natural products in food preservation.
Food Engineering : Integrated Approaches
Food Engineering: Integrated Approaches presents an up-to-date review of important food engineering concepts, issues and recent advances in the field. Distinguished food engineers and food scientists from key institutions worldwide have contributed chapters that provide a deep analysis of their particular subjects. At the same time, each topic is framed within the context of a broader more integrated approach, demonstrating its relationship and interconnectedness to other areas. The premise of this work, therefore, is to offer both a comprehensive understanding of food engineering as a whole and a thorough knowledge of individual subjects. This approach appropriately conveys the basic fundamentals, state-of-the-art technology, and applications of the involved disciplines.
Food Biotechnology in Ethical Perspective
Agrifood biotechnology—the genetic transformation of plants and animals through recombinant means—has created controversy in the food system for more than twenty years. The new edition reflects lessons from the hotly contested debates over those issues in the intervening decade, and includes wholly new discussions on ethical issues associated with livestock cloning, the Precautionary Principle, and the transatlantic debate between United States and European perspectives on biotechnology.
Food biotechnology
This work, with only six chapters, covers a fraction of the vast area of food biotechnology … . the detailed information included in each chapter is meticulously referenced and complete. … the chapters are well written and easy to understand. The many examples used by the authors give the book a very practical feel, making it an easier read than one might expect.



















