Large-Scale Dynamic Systems

Working with medium- to large-scale prints, quilters can create dynamic pieced blocks without hours of planning and precision cutting. The kaleidoscope effects occur spontaneously, thanks to the inge

Predicting how terrestrial ecosystems might respond in the future to large-scale human-generated changes is a major challenge for ecologists. In Terrestrial Ecosystems in Changing Environments, Herman H. Shugart describes the fundamental ecological concepts, theoretical developments, and quantitative analyses involved in understanding the responses of natural systems to change. The key ecological concepts described include the ecosystem paradigm, niche theory, vegetation/climate relationships, landscape ecology and ecological modelling. A variety of ecological models are presented, and their applications in predicting responses to change are considered. The challenge of producing ecological models capable of predicting long-term and large-area ecosystem dynamics is reviewed and several examples are provided. Finally, some of the exciting findings regarding terrestrial landscapes and their feedback with their climatic setting are discussed in the context of human land-use and global ch

The difficulty that humans have in perceiving and understanding large-scale phenomena is widely acknowledged. The need to study and understand processes associated with global environmental change has created an environment that has promoted unprecedented scientific co-operation between and within disciplines. The science of global change emphasises the need to understand the complex biophysical systems both in terms of components and as a whole. This has involved research at many levels of organisation, or scales, within each system. The need to link and integrate information between scales underlies the scientific approaches described in this 1997 book. The theory, practice and challenges of scaling are discussed using examples from current research, combining biology and geography to address issues at a range of scales, from local to global levels.

Originally published in 1997, The Political Economy of Property Rights reports on comparative research into the transformation of property rights in post-communist countries and China. Two important theoretical questions unify the contributions: what aspects of political systems give credibility to systems of property rights? What can be learned from the transformation of property rights in post-communist countries about the large-scale change of economic institutions? The contributors consider the credibility of property rights as arising from the strategic interaction of political and economic actors, and they apply this perspective and test its implications using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods. Overall, the volume demonstrates the value of coordinated cross-national research by area specialists sharing a common focus on questions of political economy.

This textbook for beginning graduate students is a general introduction to the dynamics of astrophysical fluids for students with a knowledge of basic physics at undergraduate level. No previous knowledge of fluid dynamics or astrophysics is required because the author develops all new concepts in context. The first four chapters cover classical fluids, relativistic fluids, photon fluids and plasma fluids, with many cosmic examples being included. The remaining six chapters deal with astrophysical applications: stars, stellar systems, astrophysical plasmas, cosmological applications and large scale structure of the Universe. Astrophysical fluid dynamics is a promising branch of astronomy, with wide applicability. This textbook considers the role of plasma and magnetism in planets, stars, galaxies, the interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic media, as well as the universe at large.

This textbook for beginning graduate students is a general introduction to the dynamics of astrophysical fluids for students with a knowledge of basic physics at undergraduate level. No previous knowledge of fluid dynamics or astrophysics is required because the author develops all new concepts in context. The first four chapters cover classical fluids, relativistic fluids, photon fluids and plasma fluids, with many cosmic examples being included. The remaining six chapters deal with astrophysical applications: stars, stellar systems, astrophysical plasmas, cosmological applications and large scale structure of the Universe. Astrophysical fluid dynamics is a promising branch of astronomy, with wide applicability. This textbook considers the role of plasma and magnetism in planets, stars, galaxies, the interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic media, as well as the universe at large.

Technology has long played a central role in the formation of Americans' sense of selfhood. From the first canal systems through the moon landing, Americans have, for better or worse, derived unity from the common feeling of awe inspired by large-scale applications of technological prowess. American Technological Sublime continues the exploration of the social construction of technology that David Nye began in his award-winning book Electrifying America. Here Nye examines the continuing appeal of the "technological sublime" (a term coined by Perry Miller) as a key to the nation's history, using as examples the natural sites, architectural forms, and technological achievements that ordinary people have valued intensely.American Technological Sublime is a study of the politics of perception in industrial society. Arranged chronologically, it suggests that the sublime itself has a history - that sublime experiences are emotional configurations that emerge from new social and technological

This book develops a statistical mechanical analysis of the stability of biological macromolecules. The author's approach is valid both for the long time-scale needed for DNA bond disruption, and also for highly co-operative transitions needed to explain helix melting. A new theoretical approach for executing macromolecule calculations is developed. In particular, the author devises a method for describing chemical bond disruption in these large systems, which are then used to determine when the helix melts and how drugs can dissociate from the helix. Melting temperatures are found to be in excellent agreement with experimental observations. The book will be of interest to biomolecular dynamics researchers, especially to graduate students in biological physics, theoretical chemistry and molecular biology.

Advances in hardware and software technologies have led to an increased interest in the use of large-scale parallel and distributed systems for database, real-time, defense, and large-scale commercial

This is an introductory text intended to give the non-specialist a comprehensive insight into the science of biotransformations. The book traces the history of biotransformations, clearly spells out the pros and cons of conducting enzyme-mediated versus whole-cell bioconversions, and gives a variety of examples wherein the bio-reaction is a key element in a reaction sequence leading from cheap starting materials to valuable end-products (such as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, fragrances and flavours). Biotransformations involving the hydrolysis of esters, amides and nitriles, the synthesis of esters and amides, reduction and oxidation reactions and carbon–carbon bond-forming systems are discussed. The book finishes with a discussion of some industrially important large-scale bioconversions.

This is an introductory text intended to give the non-specialist a comprehensive insight into the science of biotransformations. The book traces the history of biotransformations, clearly spells out the pros and cons of conducting enzyme-mediated versus whole-cell bioconversions, and gives a variety of examples wherein the bio-reaction is a key element in a reaction sequence leading from cheap starting materials to valuable end-products (such as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, fragrances and flavours). Biotransformations involving the hydrolysis of esters, amides and nitriles, the synthesis of esters and amides, reduction and oxidation reactions and carbon–carbon bond-forming systems are discussed. The book finishes with a discussion of some industrially important large-scale bioconversions.

Multigrid methods are among the most efficient iterative methods for the solution of linear systems which arise in many large scale scientific calculations. Every researcher working with the numerical

Synoptic meteorology, the study of large-scale weather systems and forecasting using observation, and dynamic meteorology, the study of the laws of physics involved in air movement, are treated in thi

Addresses some fundamental considerations associated with the engineering of large scale systems. The first part deals with systems methodology, design and management including a detailed examination

In this innovative study, David Parkin shows how indigenous African rites and beliefs may be reworked to accommodate a variety of economic systems, new spatial and ecological relations between communities, and the locally variable influences of Islam and Christianity. The Giriama people of Kenya include pastoralists living in the hinterland; farmers, who work land closer to the coast; and migrants, who earn money as labourers or fishermen on the coast itself. Wherever they live, they revere an ancient and formerly fortified capital, located in the pastoralist hinterland, which few of them ever see or visit. Their different perspectives sometimes conflict, but together provide a shifting idea of the sacred place. As the site of occasional large-scale ceremonies, moreover, the settlement becomes especially important at times of national crisis. It then acts as a moral core of Giriama society, and a symbolic defence against total domination and assimilation.

The highlanders of New Guinea are renowned for their elaborate systems of ceremonial exchange. Although much has been written about them, previous accounts have concentrated far less on the conduct of exchange events than on the structure of exchange systems. This 1991 book deals centrally with the conduct of particular exchange events, and shows through examination of them how larger social structures are reproduced and transformed. As part of the emphasis on exchange as social action, the book closely examines the oratory that plays a crucial part in the events. Basing their study on original fieldwork carried out in the Nebilyer Valley, Francesca Merlan and Alan Rumsey focus on an inter related set of large-scale compensation payments which arose out of an episode of warfare. This book furthers our understanding of the interaction between social structures and historical events; and particularly of the crucial role of talk. It will be of special interest to anthropologists and lingu

This handbook is designed for experimental scientists, particularly those in the life sciences. It is for the non-specialist, and although it assumes only a little knowledge of statistics and mathematics, those with a deeper understanding will also find it useful. The book is directed at the scientist who wishes to solve his numerical and statistical problems on a programmable calculator, mini-computer or interactive terminal. The volume is also useful for the user of full-scale computer systems in that it describes how the large computer solves numerical and statistical problems. The book is divided into three parts. Part I deals with numerical techniques and Part II with statistical techniques. Part III is devoted to the method of least squares which can be regarded as both a statistical and numerical method. The handbook shows clearly how each calculation is performed. Each technique is illustrated by at least one example and there are worked examples and exercises throughout the vo

Embedded network systems (ENS) provide a set of technologies that can link the physical world to large-scale networks in applications, such as monitoring of borders, infrastructure, health, the enviro

Iterative Methods for Sparse Linear Systems, Second Edition gives an in-depth, up-to-date view of practical algorithms for solving large-scale linear systems of equations. These equations can number i

Power systems are evolving towards the smart grid paradigm, featuring large-scale integration of renewable energy resources, deeper participation of demand side, and enhanced interaction of electric v

Project Darwin is a large-scale nature science art creation project for the purpose of restoring the extinct biological systems on the planet. Initiated by science artist Mr ZHAO Chuang and popular

The asymptotic limit theorems of control and information theories make it possible to explore the dynamics of collapse likely to afflict large-scale systems of autonomous ground vehicles that communic

This book presents new efficient methods for optimization in realistic large-scale, multi-agent systems. These methods do not require the agents to have the full information about the system, but inst

In practice, actuators often undergo failures and various factors influence its effectiveness. Also due to the increasing complexity of large-scale systems, subsystems are often interconnected, wherea

Mechatronic systems are used in a range of consumer products from large-scale braking systems in vehicular agents to small-scale integrated sensors in mobile phones. To keep pace in the competitive co

The market and policy impetus to install increasingly large-scale solar systems, or solar farms (sometimes known as solar parks or ranches), has seen products and applications develop ahead of the col

As our economic and natural systems continue on their collision course, Bruce Jennings asks whether we have the political capacity to avoid large-scale environmental disaster. Can liberal democracy, h

Agriculture in the United States today increasingly operates in two separate spheres: large, corporate-connected commodity production and distribution systems and small-scale farms that market directl

The challenges of designing, building, and maintaining large-scale, distributed enterprise systems are truly daunting. Written by and for IT professionals,IT Architectures and Middleware, Second Editi

The Rapid Evaluation of Potential Fields in Particle Systems presents a group of algorithms for the computation of the potential and force fields in large-scale systems of particles that are likely to

Much research focuses on the question of how information is processed in nervous systems, from the level of individual ionic channels to large-scale neuronal networks, and from "simple" animals such a

Much research focuses on the question of how information is processed in nervous systems, from the level of individual ionic channels to large-scale neuronal networks, and from "simple" animals such a

"The Rapid Evaluation of Potential Fields in Particle Systems" presents a group of algorithms for the computation of the potential and force fields in large-scale systems of particles that are likely

"Networks and Distributed Computation" covers the recent rapid developments in distributed systems. It introduces the basic tools for the design and analysis of systems involving large-scale concurren