Basic Methods of Linear Functional Analysis

Much of our understanding about insect predator-prey dynamics has been due to studies on insect parasitoids. But do true predators such as ladybird beetles really operate in a similar way and how does this affect their use in biological control? The extensive literature on ladybirds as biocontrol agents shows that their size and rate of development is very dependent on the nature of their prey. This volume explores basic ladybird biology, their association with their prey and its effect on development rate and body size. Optimal foraging theory, field observations and laboratory experiments are used to illustrate how ladybird larvae maximise their rate of energy intake, and ladybird adults their fitness. The interdependence of these life history parameters is then used to develop a simple predator-prey model which, with an analysis of the literature, highlights the specific attributes of potentially successful biocontrol agents for all those interested in predator-prey dynamics.

Information Theory and the Brain deals with an expanding area of neuroscience which provides a framework for understanding neuronal processing. It is derived from a conference held in Newquay, UK, where a select group of scientists from around the world met to discuss the topic. This book begins with an introduction to the basic concepts of information theory and then illustrates these concepts with examples from research over 40 years. Throughout the book, the contributors highlight current research from four different areas: 1) biological networks, 2) information theory and artificial networks, 3) information theory and psychology, 4) formal analysis. Each section includes an introduction and glossary covering basic concepts. This book will appeal to graduate students and researchers in neuroscience as well as computer scientists and cognitive scientists. Neuroscientists interested in any aspect of neural networks or information processing will find this a very useful addition to the

Although nearly all major social science departments offer graduate students training in quantitative methods, the typical sequencing of topics generally delays training in regression analysis and oth

Safety through design is defined as the integration of hazard analysis and risk assessment methods early in the design and engineering stages and the taking of the action necessary so that the risks o

An overview of the theory and application of linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models in the analysis of grouped data, such as longitudinal data, repeated measures, and multilevel data. The authors p

What are the best ways to do research on the psychology of women and gender? Within feminist psychology, there is a great deal of methodological creativity and diversity. This volume, first published in 2000, highlights how familiar methods such as focus groups can be brought to bear on feminist issues. It demonstrates less common methods, such as Q-sort, phenomenological analysis, concept mapping, and discourse analysis. Moreover, it explores the role of personal values, interpersonal dynamics, and sociopolitical influences on the research process. Over 60 international contributors share insights into adolescent girls' and adult women's sexuality, violence and its prevention, life patterns and narratives, the teaching-research nexus, gender and race in clinical practice, and more. Included is a comprehensive resource guide for research, publication and teaching on methodological diversity.

System modeling and analysis is a standard activity in every engineering discipline. This text offers a broad-based introduction to engineering systems, incorporating material from mechanical, electrical, aerospace, and chemical engineering. The overall theme that distinguishes the text from others is its unified treatment of disparate physical systems, emphasizing similarities in both the modeling and behaviour of lumped-element systems. Linear graph theory provides the framework for modeling engineering systems as lumped elements. The analysis of system dynamics that follows is organized by behavioral characteristics rather than by engineering subdisciplines. Next, the Laplace transform is introduced as a tool for understanding frequency response. The final chapter covers feedback systems. Every chapter includes a wide variety of examples, as well as exercise problems, drawn from real-world mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, chemical, and thermal systems. Aimed at second and third ye

Scientists tend to take the thought processes that drive their research for granted, often learning them indirectly by observing first their supervisors and then their colleagues. This book emphasises the advantages of being explicit about these thought processes and aims to help those undertaking ecological research to develop a critical attitude to approaching a scientific problem and constructing a procedure for assessment. The outcome is a text which provides a framework for understanding methodological issues and which assists with the effective definition and planning of research. As such it represents a unique resource for anyone embarking on their research career. It also provides a valuable source of information for those more experienced researchers who are seeking to strengthen the methodology underlying their studies or who have an interest in the analysis of research methods in ecology.

System modeling and analysis is a standard activity in every engineering discipline. This text offers a broad-based introduction to engineering systems, incorporating material from mechanical, electrical, aerospace, and chemical engineering. The overall theme that distinguishes the text from others is its unified treatment of disparate physical systems, emphasizing similarities in both the modeling and behaviour of lumped-element systems. Linear graph theory provides the framework for modeling engineering systems as lumped elements. The analysis of system dynamics that follows is organized by behavioral characteristics rather than by engineering subdisciplines. Next, the Laplace transform is introduced as a tool for understanding frequency response. The final chapter covers feedback systems. Every chapter includes a wide variety of examples, as well as exercise problems, drawn from real-world mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, chemical, and thermal systems. Aimed at second and third ye

Written for pilots who want to improve their flight weather forecasting skills, this manual provides an in-depth discussion of the basic theory and logic of aviation weathercasting and an analysis of

Further Mathematics for the Physical Sciences Further Mathematics for the Physical Sciences aims to build upon the reader's knowledge of basic mathematical methods, through a gradual progression to mo

Further Mathematics for the Physical Sciences Further Mathematics for the Physical Sciences aims to build upon the reader's knowledge of basic mathematical methods, through a gradual progression to mo

Nonlinear behavior can be found in such highly disparate areas as population biology and aircraft wing flutter. Largely because of this extensive reach, nonlinear dynamics and chaos have become very active fields of study and research. This book uses an extended case study - an experiment in mechanical vibration - to introduce and explore the subject of nonlinear behavior and chaos. Beginning with a review of basic principles, the text then describes a cart-on-a-track oscillator and shows what happens when it is gradually subjected to greater excitation, thereby encountering the full spectrum of nonlinear behavior, from simple free decay to chaos. Experimental mechanical vibration is the unifying theme as the narrative evolves from a local, linear, largely analytical foundation toward the rich and often unpredictable world of nonlinearity. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as practising engineers, will find this book a lively, accessible introduction to the complex

Democracy in Deficit is one of the early comprehensive attempts to apply the basic principles of public-choice analysis to macroeconomic theory and policy. According to Robert D. Tollison in the for

Originally published in 2000, this was the first book to present the basic theory of the symmetry of solutions to second-order elliptic partial differential equations by means of the maximum principle. It proceeds from elementary facts about the linear case to recent results about positive solutions of non-linear elliptic equations. Gidas, Ni and Nirenberg, building on work of Alexandrov and of Serrin, have shown that the shape of the set on which such elliptic equations are solved has a strong effect on the form of positive solutions. In particular, if the equation and its boundary condition allow spherically symmetric solutions, then, remarkably, all positive solutions are spherically symmetric. Results are presented with minimal prerequisites in a style suited to graduate students. Two long and leisurely appendices give basic facts about the Laplace and Poisson equations. There is a plentiful supply of exercises, with detailed hints.

Partial differential equations provide mathematical models of many important problems in the physical sciences and engineering. This book, first published in 2000, treats one class of such equations, concentrating on methods involving the use of surface potentials. It provided the first detailed exposition of the mathematical theory of boundary integral equations of the first kind on non-smooth domains. Included are chapters on three specific examples: the Laplace equation, the Helmholtz equation and the equations of linear elasticity. The book is designed to provide an ideal preparation for studying the modern research literature on boundary element methods.

Originally published in 2000, this is the first volume of a comprehensive two-volume treatment of quadratic optimal control theory for partial differential equations over a finite or infinite time horizon, and related differential (integral) and algebraic Riccati equations. Both continuous theory and numerical approximation theory are included. The authors use an abstract space, operator theoretic approach, which is based on semigroups methods, and which is unifying across a few basic classes of evolution. The various abstract frameworks are motivated by, and ultimately directed to, partial differential equations with boundary/point control. Volume 1 includes the abstract parabolic theory for the finite and infinite cases and corresponding PDE illustrations as well as various abstract hyperbolic settings in the finite case. It presents numerous fascinating results. These volumes will appeal to graduate students and researchers in pure and applied mathematics and theoretical engineering

Originally published in 2000, this is the second volume of a comprehensive two-volume treatment of quadratic optimal control theory for partial differential equations over a finite or infinite time horizon, and related differential (integral) and algebraic Riccati equations. Both continuous theory and numerical approximation theory are included. The authors use an abstract space, operator theoretic approach, which is based on semigroups methods, and which unifies across a few basic classes of evolution. The various abstract frameworks are motivated by, and ultimately directed to, partial differential equations with boundary/point control. Volume 2 is focused on the optimal control problem over a finite time interval for hyperbolic dynamical systems. A few abstract models are considered, each motivated by a particular canonical hyperbolic dynamics. It presents numerous fascinating results. These volumes will appeal to graduate students and researchers in pure and applied mathematics and

Partial differential equations provide mathematical models of many important problems in the physical sciences and engineering. This book, first published in 2000, treats one class of such equations, concentrating on methods involving the use of surface potentials. It provided the first detailed exposition of the mathematical theory of boundary integral equations of the first kind on non-smooth domains. Included are chapters on three specific examples: the Laplace equation, the Helmholtz equation and the equations of linear elasticity. The book is designed to provide an ideal preparation for studying the modern research literature on boundary element methods.

Color Vision: From Genes to Perception, first published in 2000, documents the state of understanding about primate color vision in 20 review articles written by 35 leading international experts. The articles range from genes - the molecular genetics of the human cone photopigment genes - to perception - the color processing of complex scenes. Detailed overviews of such basic topics as cone spectral sensitivity and color processing in the retina and cortex are included. Introductions are given to important and innovative technologies such as molecular genetics, anatomical staining, visual psychophysics, intracellular and extracellular physiological recordings, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Color Vision is intended for graduate students and research specialists. By bringing together scientists from different disciplines, the book will clarify issues of general interest for the expert and non-expert alike.

Compact and highly practical this step-by-step textbook of biostatistics gives students and practitioners specific answers about the statistical analysis needed for a specific clinical or basic resear

Lets you target the specific information you need quickly and easily, so you can stay in the lab and out of the library. This invaluable database also available on CD-ROM gives you fast, hands-on acc

This introductory text covers basic electronics and the behavior of passive components, circuit analysis and systematic troubleshooting. The analytical methods used are strongly based on Ohm's and Ki

Contrasts are statistical procedures for asking focused questions of data. Compared to diffuse or omnibus questions, focused questions are characterized by greater conceptual clarity and greater statistical power when examining those focused questions. If an effect truly exists, we are more likely to discover it and to believe it to be real when asking focused questions rather than omnibus ones. Researchers, teachers of research methods and graduate students will be familiar with the principles and procedures of contrast analysis, but will also be introduced to a series of newly developed concepts, measures, and indices that permit a wider and more useful application of contrast analysis. This volume takes on this new approach by introducing a family of correlational effect size estimates.

Contrasts are statistical procedures for asking focused questions of data. Compared to diffuse or omnibus questions, focused questions are characterized by greater conceptual clarity and greater statistical power when examining those focused questions. If an effect truly exists, we are more likely to discover it and to believe it to be real when asking focused questions rather than omnibus ones. Researchers, teachers of research methods and graduate students will be familiar with the principles and procedures of contrast analysis, but will also be introduced to a series of newly developed concepts, measures, and indices that permit a wider and more useful application of contrast analysis. This volume takes on this new approach by introducing a family of correlational effect size estimates.

Computer vision aims to detect and reconstruct features of surfaces from the images produced by cameras, in some way mimicking the way in which humans reconstruct features of the world around them by using their eyes. In this book the authors describe research in computer vision aimed at recovering the 3D shape of surfaces from image sequences of their 'outlines'. They provide all the necessary background in differential geometry (assuming knowledge of elementary algebra and calculus) and in the analysis of visual motion, emphasising intuitive visual understanding of the geometric techniques with computer-generated illustrations. They also give a thorough introduction to the mathematical techniques and the details of the implementations and apply the methods to data from real images using the most current techniques.

What is inequality? In the late 1990s there was an explosion of interest in the subject that yielded a substantial body of formal tools and results for income-distribution analysis. Nearly all of this is founded on a small set of core assumptions - such as the Principle of Transfers, scale independence, the population principle∑ - that are used to give meaning to specific concepts of inequality measurement, inequality ranking and, indeed, to inequality itself. But does the standard axiomatic structure coincide with public perceptions of inequality? Or is the economist's concept of inequality a thing apart, perpetuated through serial brainwashing in the way the subject is studied and taught? In this 1999 book, Amiel and Cowell examine the evidence from a large international questionnaire experiment using student respondents. Along with basic 'cake-sharing' issues, related questions involving social-welfare rankings, the relationship between inequality and overall income growth and the m

This book concerns the use of concepts from statistical physics in the description of financial systems. The authors illustrate the scaling concepts used in probability theory, critical phenomena, and fully developed turbulent fluids. These concepts are then applied to financial time series. The authors also present a stochastic model that displays several of the statistical properties observed in empirical data. Statistical physics concepts such as stochastic dynamics, short- and long-range correlations, self-similarity and scaling permit an understanding of the global behaviour of economic systems without first having to work out a detailed microscopic description of the system. Physicists will find the application of statistical physics concepts to economic systems interesting. Economists and workers in the financial world will find useful the presentation of empirical analysis methods and well-formulated theoretical tools that might help describe systems composed of a huge number o

Covers basic principles underlying inclusion, family-centered service, resource-based practice, and the provision of library service to families and children with special needs. Strategies and methods

Lets you target the specific information you need quickly and easily-so you can stay in the lab and out of the library.This invaluable database-also available on CD-ROM-gives you fast, hands-on access

For more than a quarter of a century, the polemics surrounding educational reform have centered on two points of view: those who favor a 'progressive' child-centered form of education, and those who would prefer a return to a more structured, teacher-directed curriculum, which emphasizes basic knowledge and skills. Vygotsky's social constructivist theory offers an alternative solution, placing stress on co-construction of knowledge by more and less mature participants engaging in joint activity together, with semiotic mediation as the primary means whereby the less mature participants can seek solutions to everyday problems, using the resources existing in society. In addition to using illustrative examples from classroom studies, a comparative analysis of the theories and complementary developments in works by Vygotsky, and the linguist M. A. K. Halliday, are provided. This unique volume will be of tremendous benefit to those in the field of education, as well as to sociolinguists, ps

For more than a quarter of a century, the polemics surrounding educational reform have centered on two points of view: those who favor a 'progressive' child-centered form of education, and those who would prefer a return to a more structured, teacher-directed curriculum, which emphasizes basic knowledge and skills. Vygotsky's social constructivist theory offers an alternative solution, placing stress on co-construction of knowledge by more and less mature participants engaging in joint activity together, with semiotic mediation as the primary means whereby the less mature participants can seek solutions to everyday problems, using the resources existing in society. In addition to using illustrative examples from classroom studies, a comparative analysis of the theories and complementary developments in works by Vygotsky, and the linguist M. A. K. Halliday, are provided. This unique volume will be of tremendous benefit to those in the field of education, as well as to sociolinguists, ps

This text in microeconomics focuses on the strategic analysis of markets under imperfect competition, incomplete information, and incentives. Part I of the book covers imperfect competition, from monopoly and regulation to the strategic analysis of oligopolistic markets. Part II explains the analytics of risk, stochastic dominance, and risk aversion, supplemented with a variety of applications from different areas in economics. Part III focuses on markets and incentives under incomplete information, including a comprehensive introduction to the theory of auctions, which plays an important role in modern economics. Each chapter introduces the core issues in an accessible yet rigorous fashion, and then investigates specialized themes. Each also offers self-contained explanations and proofs. The only prerequisites are a basic knowledge of calculus and probability, and familiarity with intermediate undergraduate microeconomics. The text can be used as a textbook in different courses for se

Lets you target the specific information youneed quickly and easily-so you can stay inthe lab and out of the libraryThis invaluable database-also available on CD-ROM-gives you fast, hands-on access to

Shape memory materials are fascinating materials, with potential for application as 'smart materials' and also as new functional materials. This book presents a systematic and up-to-date account of all aspects of shape memory materials, from fundamentals to applications. Starting from the basic principles of the martensitic transformation, on which the shape memory effect and the superelasticity of alloys are based, the mechanisms of the two phenomena are clearly described, together with possible applications. The characteristics, fabrication techniques and thermomechanical treatment of various shape memory alloys are described in detail, with special emphasis on Ti–Ni and Ti–Ni–X (with X being Cu, Fe etc.) alloys. The book then describes various applications and design principles, for example in actuators, medical applications and as smart materials. The book contains chapters on shape memory ceramics and polymers as well as shape memory alloys, making the book a comprehensive account

An exploration of the features and methods of Imami exegesis. Principally, it offers a description and analysis of the major tenets of Imami doctrine, as reflected in the earliest Imami works of exege

Great advances have been made in recent years towards a better understanding of the healthy brain and the physical basis of psychiatric disorder. This text brings together contributions from leading international authorities to provide a timely and multidisciplinary overview of this fast developing area. Its broad coverage ranges from epilepsy and schizophrenia to basal ganglia disorder and brain lesions. In many cases, a clinically oriented chapter is paired with one which describes the basic science which underpins it and considerable attention is given to the impact of the new technologies - structural and functional neuroimaging. In highlighting the basic pathophysiological mechanisms of multifaceted clinical manifestations, this book serves as a valuable review of current neuropsychiatry. It will be welcomed by clinicians, researchers and students alike from neuroscience through to neuropsychology and psychiatry.

Semiclassical approximation addresses the important relationship between quantum and classical mechanics. There has been a very strong development in the mathematical theory, mainly thanks to methods of microlocal analysis. This book develops the basic methods, including the WKB-method, stationary phase and h-pseudodifferential operators. The applications include results on the tunnel effect, the asymptotics of eigenvalues in relation to classical trajectories and normal forms, plus slow perturbations of periodic Schrödinger operators appearing in solid state physics. No previous specialized knowledge in quantum mechanics or microlocal analysis is assumed, and only general facts about spectral theory in Hilbert space, distributions, Fourier transforms and some differential geometry belong to the prerequisites. This book is addressed to researchers and graduate students in mathematical analysis, as well as physicists who are interested in rigorous results. A fairly large fraction can be

The development of the supersymmetry technique has led to significant advances in the study of disordered metals and semiconductors. The technique has proved to be of great use in the analysis of modern mesoscopic quantum devices, but is also finding applications in a broad range of other topics, such as localization and quantum chaos. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the ideas and uses of supersymmetry. The first four chapters of the book set out the basic results and some straightforward applications of the technique. Thereafter, a range of topics is covered in detail, including random matrix theory, persistent currents in mesoscopic rings, transport in mesoscopic devices, localization in quantum wires and films, and the quantum Hall effect. Each topic is covered in a self-contained manner, and the book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in condensed matter physics and quantum chaos.

A book/CD-ROM text covering both the analysis and design of piping systems. Begins with a review of basic hydraulic principles, with emphasis on pumped pipelines, manifolds, and the analysis and desig