الصفحة 1
الصفحة 1
Open and distance education in Asia, Africa and the Middle East : National perspectives in a digital age
This book describes the history, structure and institutions of open and distance education in six countries: China, India, Russia, Turkey, South Africa and South Korea. It describes how open and distance education is evolving in a digital age to reflect the needs and circumstances of the national higher education systems in these countries. It also explores the similarities and differences between how their open and distance higher education systems are managed and structured. The book compare and draw conclusions about the nature of open and distance education in the context of various national higher education systems. In a digital era characterized by the growing use of online, open and distance education, this book will prove particularly valuable for policy-makers and senior administrators who want to learn about establishing or expanding open and distance education services. In addition, it offers a valuable reference guide for researchers, academics and students interested in understanding the different approaches to open and distance education.
Ontology Management : Semantic Web, Semantic Web Services, and Business Applications
This volume describes relevant tasks, practical and theoretical challenges, limitations and methodologies, plus available software tools. The editors discuss integrating the conceptual and technical dimensions with a business view on using ontologies, by stressing the cost dimension of ontology engineering and by providing guidance on how up-to-date tooling helps to build, maintain, and use ontologies. Also included is a one-stop reference on all aspects of managing ontological data and best practices on ontology management for a number of application domains.
Ontology Learning and Population from Text: Algorithms, Evaluation and Applications
Ontology Learning and Population from Text: Algorithms, Evaluation and Applications presents approaches for ontology learning from text and will be relevant for researchers working on text mining, natural language processing, information retrieval, semantic web and ontologies. Containing introductory material and a quantity of related work on the one hand, but also detailed descriptions of algorithms, evaluation procedures etc. on the other, this book is suitable for novices, and experts in the field, as well as lecturers.
Ontology Alignment : Bridging the Semantic Gap
Ontology Alignment: Bridging the Semantic Gap introduces novel methods and approaches for semantic integration. In addition to developing new methods for ontology alignment, the author provides extensive explanations of up-to-date case studies. The topic of this book, coupled with the application-focused methodology, will appeal to professionals from a number of different domains.
Ontologies-Based Business Integration
E-business integration is a vision we have developed over a long period of time. As we have worked in business practice for many years prior to and in parallel with our academic research, we have always thought of such - tegration not only as an intellectual challenge but also as a real business tool. Consequently, when we started our project on Ontologies-based R- onciliation for Business Integration (ORBI) in 2004, not only pure science but also business objectives were at the center of our research. We were very happy to be able to form a project consortium that consisted not only of renowned researchers but also of experienced business practitioners from a range of companies. Each played a specific role – as user, provider or co-developer of the application components that are based on the me- ods we have developed. So may this book find its way not only to the desks of researchers and students, but also into the offices and minds of business practitioners worldwide who are dealing with the challenge of integrating their business processes, applications and information.
Ontologies for Agents : Theory and Experiences
On the other hand, ontologies have established themselves as a powerful tool to enable kno- edge sharing, and a growing number of applications have bene?ted from the use of ontologies as a means to achieve semantic interoperability among heterogeneous, distributed systems. In principle ontologies and agents are a match made in heaven, that has failed to happen. What makes a simple piece of software an agent is its ability to communicate in a ”social” environment, to make autonomous decisions, and to be proactive on behalf of its user. Communication ultimately depends on und- standing the goals, preferences, and constraints posed by the user. Autonomy is theabilitytoperformataskwithlittleornouserintervention,whileproactiveness involves acting autonomously with no need for user prompting. Communication, but also autonomy and proactiveness, depend on knowledge. The ability to c- municate depends on understanding the syntax (terms and structure) and the semantics of a language. Ontologies provide the terms used to describe a domain and the semantics associated with them. In addition, ontologies are often comp- mented by some logical rules that constrain the meaning assigned to the terms. These constraints are represented by inference rules that can be used by agents to perform the reasoning on which autonomy and proactiveness are based.
Online Marketing
Provides a clear and practice-oriented overview of the basics of online marketing. Short learning units, clear didactic modules and the accompanying learning control ensure a sustainable transfer of knowledge. It is thus aimed at all those who deal with questions of online marketing in the context of their education and training (also as a minor subject) as well as their professional practice.
One-Dimensional Nanostructures
One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures, including nanowires, nanotubes and quantum wires, have been regarded as the most promising building blocks for nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. Worldwide efforts in both the theory and the experimental investigation of growth, characterization and applications of 1D nanostructures have resulted in a mature, multidisciplinary field. In this book, a wealth of state-of-the-art information offers the opportunity to uncover the underlying science from diverse perspectives. Leading researchers elucidate the synthesis and properties of 1D nanostructures for various morphologies and compositions (semiconductor, metal, carbon, etc.) as well as their considerable impact on spintronics, information storage, and the design of field-effect transistors.
One Hundred Years of Intuitionism (1907-2007) : The Cerisy Conference
With logicism and formalism, intuitionism is one of the main foundations for mathematics proposed in the twentieth century; and since the seventies, notably its views on logic have become important also outside foundational studies, with the development of theoretical computer science. The aim of the book is threefold: to review and complete the historical account of intuitionism; to present recent philosophical work on intuitionism; and to give examples of new technical advances and applications of intuitionism.
Oncology : An Evidence-Based Approach
Reflect the principles and current practice of oncology with contributors from the fields of medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. The textbook will incorporate an evidence-based approach, enabling the reader to make decisions on the basis of concrete data. Sections on solid tumors, hematologic malignancies and the practice of oncology address the natural history and therapy for the full spectrum of neoplastic diseases in the adult. Further sections present fundamentals of supportive care of the cancer patient, the management of oncologic emergencies and acute toxicities of therapy, as well as care of metastatic disease and the terminally-ill patient. Breaking new ground, the textbook features thoughtful, in-depth sections on cancer prevention and control, cancer surviorship, the economics of cancer care, and cancer informatics. Cancer imaging is covered with an organ system-based approach, with an additional chapter on the especially intriguing potential of PET. Furthermore, a comprehensive section on translational basic science reviews the fundamentals of molecular biology, the cell cycle and signal transduction, carcinogenesis, cancer genetics, the biology of invations and metastasis, and tumor immunology.
On the Way to the Web : The Secret History of the Internet and its Founders
On the Way to the Web: The Secret History of the Internet and Its Founders is an absorbing chronicle of the inventive, individualistic, and often cantankerous individuals who set the Internet free. Michael A. Banks describes how the online population created a new culture and turned a new frontier into their vision of the future. This book will introduce you to the innovators who laid the foundation for the Internet and the World Wide Web, the man who invented online chat, and the people who invented the products all of us use online every day. Learn where, when, how and why the Internet came into being, and exactly what hundreds of thousands of people were doing online before the Web. See who was behind it all, and what inspired them.
On the Moon : The Apollo Journals
This book explains how the Apollo crews learned to work on the lunar surface. Its lively and informative text draws heavily on transcripts and photographs to illustrate points. It puts the reader on the lunar surface with the astronauts, sharing their observations, excitement, and frustrations.
On Bypass : Advanced Perfusion Techniques
With the introduction of cardiac surgery more than five decades ago and the use of the heart-lung machine for open heart surgical procedures granting the surgeon unlimited time in which to operate inside the heart, a complex task has been given to the Perfusionist. With a pairing of a perfusionist and a surgeon for each chapter, On Bypass: Advanced Perfusion Techniques is an essential collection of techniques and protocols to aid in the difficult and immediate decision making in the operating room. Among the topics covered in this comprehensive text are pediatric perfusion techniques for complex congenital, separation from cardiopumonary bypass, blood flow during cardiopumonary bypass, and minimally invasive perfusion techniques. Also covered is ultrafiltration in cardiac surgery, echocardiography and cardiopulmonary bypass, and advances in long-term pulmonary support.
Oligomers- Polymer Composites -Molecular Imprinting
The series Advances in Polymer Science presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics and material science.It is adressed to all scientists at universities and in industry who wish to keep abreast of advances in the topics covered.As a rule, contributions are specially commissioned. The editors and publishers will, however, always be pleased to receive suggestions and supplementary information.
Olfactory knows the truth
Olfaction, the sense of smell detects and discriminate odors as well as social cues which influence our innate responses. The olfactory system in human beings is found to be weak as compared to other animals; however, it seems to be very precise. It can detect and discriminate millions of chemical moieties (odorants) even in minuscule quantities. The sense of smell is greatly underappreciated, despite the fact that it monitors the intake of airborne agents into the human respiratory system and determine to a large degree the flavor and palatability of foods and beverage. In addition to enhancing quality of life, this primary sensory system warns of spoiled foods, leaking natural gas, polluted air and smoke, and mediates basic elements of communication (e.g., mother-infant interaction). It is now apparent that smell dysfunction is among the first clinical signs of such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer’s disease and sporadic Parkinson’s disease.
Oilseeds
Genome Mapping and Molecular Breeding in Plants presents the current status of the elucidation and improvement of plant genomes of economic interest. The focus is on genetic and physical mapping, positioning, cloning, monitoring of desirable genes by molecular breeding and the most recent advances in genomics. The series comprises seven volumes: Cereals and Millets; Oilseeds; Pulses, Sugar and Tuber Crops; Fruits and Nuts; Vegetables; Technical Crops; and Forest Trees.
Oil Spill Response : A Global Perspective
This book provides a timely international perspective on applied research and development, technology transfer, and “lessons learned” from field trials and actual case studies associated with recent spill events. This book provides a synopsis as to the methods currently employed to deals with spills and an insight on future technologies under development.
Oil and Security : A World Beyond Petroleum
This book examines the economic impact of changes in the global demand and supply for fossil fuels both on the major producers in Middle Eastern countries around the Persian Gulf, other producers, as well as the world at large. The economic, social and political life of most countries is not only intimately linked to and influenced by the energy market but also affected by historical developments. Among other issues, it shows how the economic, social and political development of societies in Arabia, the peoples of the Arab Peninsula are influenced by their historic and cultural environment, and what the future may bring to this region when their principal economic assets, petroleum and gas, start to lose markets as alternative sources of fossil fuel, alternative, and renewable energy supply the bulk of global energy needs. It also describes how changing fossil fuel costs, access, security of supply, and environmental impacts may affect future economic, social, and political developments as well as technological advances and changes in priorities.
Offshore Wind Energy : Research on Environmental Impacts
The accompanying ecological research for using wind energy in the German North and Baltic Seas has brought out a variety of results concerning possible effects on the marine environment. This book provides an overview of the state of the accompanying ecological research in Germany. It shows the relevance of the new results of the research projects for the planning and permission process for offshore wind energy farms.
Offshore Risk Assessment : Principles, Modelling and Applications of QRA Studies
This updated and expanded second edition has been informed by a major R&D programme on offshore risk assessment in Norway (2002–2006), and reflects the trend of expanded use of floating production installations. It starts with a thorough discussion of risk metrics and risk analysis methodology with subsequent chapters devoted to analytical approaches to escalation, escape, evacuation and rescue analysis of safety and emergency systems. Separate chapters analyse the main hazards of offshore structures: fire, explosion, collision and falling objects. Risk mitigation and control are discussed, as well as an illustration of how the results from quantitative risk assessment studies should be presented. The second edition has a stronger focus on the use of risk assessment techniques in the operation of offshore installations. Also decommissioning of installations is covered.
