Methods

Spectral sequences are among the most elegant, most powerful, and most complicated methods of computation in mathematics. This book describes some of the most important examples of spectral sequences and some of their most spectacular applications. The first third of the book treats the algebraic foundations for this sort of homological algebra, starting from informal calculations, to give the novice a familiarity with the range of applications possible. The heart of the book is an exposition of the classical examples from homotopy theory, with chapters on the Leray-Serre spectral sequence, the Eilenberg-Moore spectral sequence, the Adams spectral sequence, and, in this new edition, the Bockstein spectral sequence. The last part of the book treats applications throughout mathematics, including the theory of knots and links, algebraic geometry, differential geometry and algebra. This is an excellent reference for students and researchers in geometry, topology, and algebra.

This book covers the experimental and theoretical understanding of surface and thin film processes. It presents a unique description of surface processes in adsorption and crystal growth, including bonding in metals and semiconductors. Emphasis is placed on the strong link between science and technology in the description of, and research for, new devices based on thin film and surface science. Practical experimental design, sample preparation and analytical techniques are covered, including detailed discussions of Auger electron spectroscopy and microscopy. Thermodynamic and kinetic models of structure are emphasised throughout. The book provides extensive leads into practical and research literature, as well as resources on the World Wide Web (see http://venables.asu.edu/book). Each chapter contains problems which aim to develop awareness of the subject and the methods used. Aimed as a graduate textbook, this book will also be useful as a sourcebook for graduate students, researchers

This introduction to the basic ideas of structural proof theory contains a thorough discussion and comparison of various types of formalization of first-order logic. Examples are given of several areas of application, namely: the metamathematics of pure first-order logic (intuitionistic as well as classical); the theory of logic programming; category theory; modal logic; linear logic; first-order arithmetic and second-order logic. In each case the aim is to illustrate the methods in relatively simple situations and then apply them elsewhere in much more complex settings. There are numerous exercises throughout the text. In general, the only prerequisite is a standard course in first-order logic, making the book ideal for graduate students and beginning researchers in mathematical logic, theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. For the new edition, many sections have been rewritten to improve clarity, new sections have been added on cut elimination, and solutions to sel

Edgar Allan Poe continues to be a fascinating literary figure to students and scholars alike. Increasingly the focus of study pushes beyond the fright and amusement of his famous tales and seeks to locate the author within the culture of his time. In Poe and the Printed Word, Kevin Hayes explores the relationship between various facets of print culture and Poe's writings. His study provides a fuller picture of Poe's life and works by examining how the publishing opportunities of his time influenced his development as a writer. Hayes demonstrates how Poe employed different methods of publication as a showcase for his verse, criticism and fiction. Beginning with Poe's early exposure to the printed word, and ending with the ambitious magazine and book projects of his final years, this reappraisal of Poe's career provides an engaging account that is part biography, part literary history and part history of the book.

Semiotics, the science of signs, has long been recognised as an important discipline for understanding information and communications. Moreover it has found wide application in other areas of computer science, as it offers an effective insight into organisations and the computer systems that support them. An organisation may be viewed as a system of information and communication in which human actors, with the assistance of information technology, are able to process, represent, store and consume information. Computer systems that fit into an organisation and that support and enhance its performance and competitiveness, can be better delivered if semiotic principles are understood and applied. In this book, first published in 2000, semiotic methods are introduced and illustrated through three major case studies, which demonstrate how information systems can be developed to meet business requirements and support business objectives. It will appeal to academics, systems developers and an

It is now over twenty years since revisionist history began to transform our understanding of early modern England. The debates between revisionists and their critics goes on. But it has become a sterile debate in which both sides are confined by an attenuated conception of politics. Meanwhile scholars in other disciplines have opened new approaches to the political culture of the English Renaissance state, emphasising the importance of representations of authority and reading plays, poems and portraits as texts of power. Kevin Sharpe has been at the forefront of the dialogue between historians and critics, and a leading exponent of interdisciplinary approaches. In the essays collected here, and in an important new remapping of the field, he revisits earlier debates and urges a 'cultural turn' that will refigure our understanding of the history and politics of early modern England and the materials and methods of our study.

It is now over twenty years since revisionist history began to transform our understanding of early modern England. The debates between revisionists and their critics goes on. But it has become a sterile debate in which both sides are confined by an attenuated conception of politics. Meanwhile scholars in other disciplines have opened new approaches to the political culture of the English Renaissance state, emphasising the importance of representations of authority and reading plays, poems and portraits as texts of power. Kevin Sharpe has been at the forefront of the dialogue between historians and critics, and a leading exponent of interdisciplinary approaches. In the essays collected here, and in an important new remapping of the field, he revisits earlier debates and urges a 'cultural turn' that will refigure our understanding of the history and politics of early modern England and the materials and methods of our study.

Quality of attachment has been a central variable in developmental research during recent decades. However, even though attachment is relevant to all cultures and humans of all ages, the majority of research has focused on middle class infants in Anglicized cultures. Further, the function of attachment to protect humans from danger has been overlooked in a focus on the advantages of safety and security. This volume, first published in 2000, presents a theory on attachment that broadens its range to ages beyond infancy, to many cultures and to endangered populations, including both psychopathological individuals and those living in threatening contexts. The intent is to provide new theory and methods to better understand human variation in interpersonal and cultural self-protective strategies. The expansion of the attachment classificatory system beyond its roots in infancy and to a broad range of cultures differentiates this volume from other work on attachment.

Since the 1967 constitutional referendum, Australian governments have moved towards policies of indigenous self-determination. Obliged to be Difficult, first published in 2000, presents the central issue of self-determination as seen by Dr H. C. Coombs, the most important policy maker since the referendum: through what political mechanisms will indigenous Australians find their own voice? Coombs was singularly influential within government in the years 1967 to 1976, and he remained a tireless critic and policy advocate from 1977 to 1996. Rowse's narrative of his work, drawing on many unpublished sources, illuminates the interplay of government policy with indigenous practice. This book is both an account of government policies and a biographical slice of an outstanding Australian. In attempting a critical celebration of Coombs' vision and methods, it invites informed reflection on the issues of land rights, sovereignty and reconciliation in these conservative, and highly anxious, times

Since the 1967 constitutional referendum, Australian governments have moved towards policies of indigenous self-determination. Obliged to be Difficult, first published in 2000, presents the central issue of self-determination as seen by Dr H. C. Coombs, the most important policy maker since the referendum: through what political mechanisms will indigenous Australians find their own voice? Coombs was singularly influential within government in the years 1967 to 1976, and he remained a tireless critic and policy advocate from 1977 to 1996. Rowse's narrative of his work, drawing on many unpublished sources, illuminates the interplay of government policy with indigenous practice. This book is both an account of government policies and a biographical slice of an outstanding Australian. In attempting a critical celebration of Coombs' vision and methods, it invites informed reflection on the issues of land rights, sovereignty and reconciliation in these conservative, and highly anxious, times

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

Studies of dental and skeletal growth and development have often been treated as independent disciplines within the literature. Human Growth in the Past, first published in 1999, brings together these two related fields of enquiry in a single volume whose purpose is to place methodological issues of growth and development in past populations within a strong theoretical framework. Contributions examine a variety of aspects of human growth in the past, drawing from both palaeoanthropological and bioarchaeological data. The book covers a wide spectrum of topics, from patterns of growth in humans and their close relatives, innovative methods and applications of techniques and models for the study of growth, to estimation of age-at-death in subadults and infant mortality in archaeological samples. Human Growth in the Past will be of interest to biological anthropologists, and those in the related fields of dental anatomy, evolutionary biology and developmental biology.

This is the second and fully revised edition of the first comprehensive work on nasopharyngeal carcinoma. It provides readily available access to the experience accumulated in an endemic region covering many aspects of this disease. In compiling this book, the editors have delivered an up-to-date and comprehensive reference of interest to all who interact with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, whether it be in a clinical, laboratory or research setting. This multi-author, multidisciplinary book covers all aspects of NPC, from anatomy, histopathology, epidemiology, experimental studies, clinical manifestations, clinical and laboratory diagnostic methods to the latest imaging techniques. It also contains all of the information necessary for the clinician to correctly stage NPC and to treat the tumour efficiently. In addition, it offers guidance on screening family members in order to better control very early tumours or even precancerous conditions. Most of the authors are from the Chinese Unive

The Remote Sensing Data Book provides a unique resource of all aspects of remote sensing for the expert and non-expert alike. Organised as a dictionary, it contains over 700 alphabetically-arranged and cross-referenced entries on how remote sensing works, what kinds of data are available, and the large number of satellites and instruments from which the information is obtained. As well as short technical definitions, it also includes longer essays and reviews to give an overview of the subject. Although not a textbook in itself, the data book will serve as a valuable addition to existing textbooks for undergraduates and graduate students on geography, environmental and earth science courses that include an element of remote sensing. It will also be an essential reference for researchers and research managers at all levels using spaceborne remote sensing methods to obtain information about the earth's land, sea, ice and atmosphere.

This book provides an introduction to nonequilibrium statistical physics via lattice models. Beginning with an introduction to the basic driven lattice gas, the early chapters discuss the relevance of this lattice model to certain natural phenomena and examine simulation results in detail. Several possible theoretical approaches to the driven lattice gas are presented. In the next two chapters, absorbing-state transitions are discussed in detail. The later chapters examine a variety of systems subject to dynamic disorder before returning to look at the more surprising effects of multiparticle rules, nonunique absorbing-states and conservation laws. Examples are given throughout the book, the emphasis being on using simple representations of nature to describe ordering in real systems. The use of methods such as mean-field theory, Monte Carlo simulation, and the concept of universality to study and interpret these models is described. Detailed references are included.

The startle response (response to a loud noise, for instance) is a reflex that is wired into the brain at a very basic level. Although everybody has such a reflex, the strength and quickness of the startle response is modified by a subject's underlying psychoneurological state. The nature of this modification, therefore, is now seen as an accurate, objective measure of very deep neurological processes. This book is a comprehensive volume devoted to startle modification and offers a unique overview of the methods, measurement, physiology and psychology of the phenomenon, particularly modification of the human startle eyeblink. Chapters are written by many of the world's leading investigators in the field and include coverage of elicitation and recording of startle blink, issues in measurement and quantification, the neurophysiological basis of the basic startle response and its modification by attentional and affective processes, psychological processes underlying short and long lead in

This volume brings together leading European scholars and policy-makers to address the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) and its effects on globalisation, growth and European integration since 1945. The main focus of the study is foreign direct investment by German multinational companies. A range of methods, including econometric studies, survey-based analysis, and detailed discussions of published statistics are used to assess the implications for the German economy and the results in host countries of foreign investment. Consideration is also given to FDI by Swedish multinational corporations, as well as to the role national and supranational institutions can play in stimulating FDI. Although FDI often raises fears for employment and growth, it is an effective way of transferring techniques, processes and products into new markets. Firm-specific assets transferred in this way can raise productivity in the host country without sacrificing jobs in the home country.

This is a three-part text on the subject of superconductivity, an area of intense research activity worldwide. The first part covers the London, Pippard and Ginzburg-Landau theories, which are used to discuss a wide range of phenomena involving surface energies, vorticity, the intermediate and mixed states, boundaries and boundary conditions, the upper critical field in bulk, thin film and anisotropic superconductors, and surface superconductivity. The second section discusses the microscopic theory of Bardeen, Cooper and Schreiffer. The theory is used to discuss quasi particle tunneling and the Josephson effects from a microscopic point of view. The final part of the book treats non-uniform superconductors using the Bogoliubov-de Gennes approach with which it is possible to extract many important results without invoking Green's function methods. This text will be of great interest to graduate students and research workers in the fields of superconductivity, superfluidity, many body t

Major scholars on Japan explore the Japanese style of learning in this important volume, drawing upon ethnographic and experimental studies of learning throughout the lifespan. The reader will get an inside view of Japanese teaching methods, where the emphasis is on the process of learning, rather than the end product. Applications across contexts - from religion to music, to mathematics, to guidance - are very differently handled than in the West. Contributors analyze various models of learning within and without the Japanese school system. The examples considered here allow us to understand better the rich coherence and variety of educational experiences in the broader social context. A carefully articulated introduction and conclusion by the editors provide salient comparisons of East and West and caution, that we do not simplify our model of either one. Teaching and Learning in Japanwill be of interest to educators, Japan scholars, and to educational psychologists.

The first edition of this well known book was noted for its clear and accessible exposition of the basic theory of Hardy spaces from the concrete point of view (in the unit circle and the half plane). The intention was to give the reader, assumed to know basic real and complex variable theory and a little functional analysis, a secure foothold in the basic theory, and to understand its applications in other areas. For this reason, emphasis is placed on methods and the ideas behind them rather than on the accumulation of as many results as possible. The second edition retains that intention, but the coverage has been extended. The author has included two appendices by V. P. Havin, on Peter Jones' interpolation formula, and Havin's own proof of the weak sequential completeness of L1/H1(0); in addition, numerous amendments, additions and corrections have been made throughout.

Boundary-layer separation from a rigid body surface is one of the fundamental problems of classical and modern fluid dynamics. The major successes achieved since the late 1960s in the development of the theory of separated flows at high Reynolds numbers are in many ways associated with the use of asymptotic methods. The most fruitful of these has proved to be the method of matched asymptotic expansions, which has been widely used in mechanics and mathematical physics. There have been many papers devoted to different problems in the asymptotic theory of separated flows and we can confidently speak of the appearance of a very productive direction in the development of theoretical hydrodynamics. This book will present this theory in a systematic account. The book will serve as a useful introduction to the theory, and will draw attention to the possibilities that application of the asymptotic approach provides.

This book introduces the basic principles of motivation as they apply to classroom learning and management in a readable, non-technical form. Covington argues against the popular notion that the problems existing in schools today stem primarily from a lack of student motivation. Instead, he asserts that students are motivated, sometimes even overly motivated, but often for the wrong reasons. Traditional teaching methods, including conventional grading procedures and an emphasis on competition, can contribute to student demoralization, and Covington identifies the ways in which students respond to misguided incentives. For some students, motivation is directed at avoiding failure by avoiding participation. For others, demoralization leads to withdrawal from an educational system that they believe to be irrelevant to their lives. Still other students are driven to prove their worth by outperforming fellow students. The book suggests practical, concrete ways that teachers can use classroo

This book introduces the basic principles of motivation as they apply to classroom learning and management in a readable, non-technical form. Covington argues against the popular notion that the problems existing in schools today stem primarily from a lack of student motivation. Instead, he asserts that students are motivated, sometimes even overly motivated, but often for the wrong reasons. Traditional teaching methods, including conventional grading procedures and an emphasis on competition, can contribute to student demoralization, and Covington identifies the ways in which students respond to misguided incentives. For some students, motivation is directed at avoiding failure by avoiding participation. For others, demoralization leads to withdrawal from an educational system that they believe to be irrelevant to their lives. Still other students are driven to prove their worth by outperforming fellow students. The book suggests practical, concrete ways that teachers can use classroo

String Theory comprises two volumes which give a comprehensive and pedagogic account of the subject. Volume 1, first published in 1998, provides a thorough introduction to the bosonic string. The first four chapters introduce the central ideas of string theory, the tools of conformal field theory and of the Polyakov path integral, and the covariant quantization of the string. The next three chapters treat string interactions: the general formalism, and detailed treatments of the tree level and one loop amplitudes. Chapter eight covers toroidal compactification and many important aspects of string physics, such as T-duality and D-branes. Chapter nine treats higher-order amplitudes, including an analysis of their finiteness and unitarity, and various nonperturbative ideas. An appendix giving a short course on path integral methods is included. This is an essential text and reference for graduate students and researchers interested in modern superstring theory.

This 1995 book examines the early history of the excavations at three important sites of classical antiquity, which came to light in 1738 through the life and work of Karl Jakob Weber, who supervised these investigations from 1750 to 1765. While many of his contemporaries sought only the recovery of precious antiquities to the exclusion of the architectural remains, Weber sought to retrieve evidence of the ancient urban fabric and to relate his discoveries to their archaeological context, thereby establishing the first systematic approach for the excavations. He also proposed a revolutionary manner for publishing his findings, in which all of the works of art from an individual site would appear together with detailed plans, drawings, and commentary drawn from classical and modern sources. His methods were to influence all subsequent publications of contemporary rediscoveries throughout Europe. Based on original excavation documents and plans, contemporary correspondence and the extant

This book brings together contributions from researchers within various social science disciplines who seek to redefine the methods and topics that constitute the study of work. They investigate work activity in ways that do not reduce it to a 'psychology' of individual cognition nor to a 'sociology' of societal structures and communication. A key theme in the material is the relationship between theory and practice. This is not an abstract problem of interest merely to social scientists. Rather, it is discussed as an issue that working people address when they attempt to understand a task and communicate its demands. Mindful practices and communicative interaction are examined as situated issues at work in the reproduction of communities of practice in a variety of settings including: courts of law, computer software design, the piloting of airliners, the coordination of air traffic control, and traffic management in underground railway systems.

Advances in the study of dynamical systems have revolutionized the way that classical mechanics is taught and understood. Classical Dynamics, first published in 1998, is a comprehensive textbook that provides a complete description of this fundamental branch of physics. The authors cover all the material that one would expect to find in a standard graduate course: Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics, canonical transformations, the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, perturbation methods, and rigid bodies. They also deal with more advanced topics such as the relativistic Kepler problem, Liouville and Darboux theorems, and inverse and chaotic scattering. A key feature of the book is the early introduction of geometric (differential manifold) ideas, as well as detailed treatment of topics in nonlinear dynamics (such as the KAM theorem) and continuum dynamics (including solitons). The book contains many worked examples and over 200 homework exercises. It will be an ideal textbook for graduate studen

This volume provides a concise, historical review of the methods of structural analysis and design - from Galileo in the seventeenth century, to the present day. Through it, students in structural engineering and professional engineers will gain a deeper understanding of the theory behind the modern software packages they use daily in structural design. This book also offers the reader a lucid examination of the process of structural analysis and how it relates to modern design. The first three chapters cover questions about the strength of materials, and how to calculate local effects. An account is then given of the development of the equations of elastic flexure and buckling, followed by a separate chapter on masonry arches. Three chapters on the overall behaviour of elastic structures lead to a discussion of plastic behaviour, and a final chapter indicates that there are still problems needing solution.

Probabilistic modelling is the most cost-effective means of performance and reliability evaluation of complex dynamic systems. This self-contained text will be welcomed by students and teachers for its no-nonsense treatment of the basic results and examples of their application. The only mathematical background that is assumed is basic calculus. The necessary fundamentals of probability theory are included, as well as an introduction to renewal, Poisson and Markov processes. Models arising in the fields of manufacturing, computing and communications, involving single or multiple service stations and one or more customer classes, are examined in some detail. Both exact and approximate solution methods are discussed, including recent techniques such as spectral expansion. Special attention is devoted to models of systems subject to breakdowns and repairs. Throughout the book, strong emphasis is placed on explaining the ideas behind the results and helping the reader to use them, making t

Probabilistic modelling is the most cost-effective means of performance and reliability evaluation of complex dynamic systems. This self-contained text will be welcomed by students and teachers for its no-nonsense treatment of the basic results and examples of their application. The only mathematical background that is assumed is basic calculus. The necessary fundamentals of probability theory are included, as well as an introduction to renewal, Poisson and Markov processes. Models arising in the fields of manufacturing, computing and communications, involving single or multiple service stations and one or more customer classes, are examined in some detail. Both exact and approximate solution methods are discussed, including recent techniques such as spectral expansion. Special attention is devoted to models of systems subject to breakdowns and repairs. Throughout the book, strong emphasis is placed on explaining the ideas behind the results and helping the reader to use them, making t

How well can we reconstruct the appearance, movements and behavior of extinct vertebrates from studies of their bones and other, more rarely preserved parts? Where is the boundary between the scientific evidence for reconstruction and the need to resort to imagination? In this book, sixteen paleontologists and biologists discuss these questions, review the status of functional studies of extinct vertebrates in the context of similar work on living animals, and present a broad philosophical view of the subject's development within the framework of phylogenetic analysis. The authors describe and debate methods for making robust inferences of function in fossil vertebrates, and present examples where we may be confident that our reconstructions are both detailed and accurate. The detailed studies are placed in the context of their contribution to the understanding of evolutionary processes and will be valuable reading for vertebrate paleontologists, comparative anatomists and evolutionary

Cell culture techniques are invaluable to the modern researcher but difficult to carry out successfully. As part of the series of Handbooks in Practical Animal Cell Biology, this volume offers a concise practical guide to the basic essentials of the technique. Researchers new to cell culture will find a clear explanation of the essential equipment of a tissue culture facility, including tissue culture media and sera. It describes methods for growing suspension and adhesion cultures, including how to store cells and prepare primary cultures from cells. For those already culturing cells, the handbook will act as a handy reference to the basic techniques. The essence of the book is to deal with the generalities of cell culture to give a grasp of the basic concepts before involvement in more specialized work in the field. Ideal for anyone moving into tissue cell culture techniques or looking for a concise reference book.

Cell culture techniques are invaluable to the modern researcher but difficult to carry out successfully. As part of the series of Handbooks in Practical Animal Cell Biology, this volume offers a concise practical guide to the basic essentials of the technique. Researchers new to cell culture will find a clear explanation of the essential equipment of a tissue culture facility, including tissue culture media and sera. It describes methods for growing suspension and adhesion cultures, including how to store cells and prepare primary cultures from cells. For those already culturing cells, the handbook will act as a handy reference to the basic techniques. The essence of the book is to deal with the generalities of cell culture to give a grasp of the basic concepts before involvement in more specialized work in the field. Ideal for anyone moving into tissue cell culture techniques or looking for a concise reference book.

Nitric oxide has a tantalising role in health and disease: whilst many of its wide-ranging effects are well known, there remains much more to explore and to learn about the interactions of this fascinating molecule in physiological and pathophysiological processes. The volume reviews the myriad of effects of nitric oxide: as a chemical messenger in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, immune system and cardiovascular system. Furthermore, it provides a very practical introduction to the procedures and experimental protocols necessary to work with and study nitric oxide and its synthesing enzyme, nitric oxide synthase, in the laboratory. In this respect the volume is unique, providing as it does a complete single-volume review of the role of nitric oxide in health and disease, and a very practical introduction to the methods and protocols involved in this intriguing and active area of biomedical research.

Nitric oxide has a tantalising role in health and disease: whilst many of its wide-ranging effects are well known, there remains much more to explore and to learn about the interactions of this fascinating molecule in physiological and pathophysiological processes. The volume reviews the myriad of effects of nitric oxide: as a chemical messenger in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, immune system and cardiovascular system. Furthermore, it provides a very practical introduction to the procedures and experimental protocols necessary to work with and study nitric oxide and its synthesing enzyme, nitric oxide synthase, in the laboratory. In this respect the volume is unique, providing as it does a complete single-volume review of the role of nitric oxide in health and disease, and a very practical introduction to the methods and protocols involved in this intriguing and active area of biomedical research.

This book presents a comprehensive survey of the climatology and meteorology of Antarctica. The first section of the book reviews the methods by which we can observe the Antarctic atmosphere and presents a synthesis of climatological measurements. In the second section, the processes which maintain the observed climate are considered, from large-scale atmospheric circulation to small-scale processes. The final section reviews our knowledge of the variability of Antarctic climate and the possible effects of 'greenhouse' warming. Links between the Antarctic atmosphere, other elements of the Antarctic climate system (oceans, sea ice and ice sheets), and the global climate system are stressed throughout. This volume will be of greatest interest to meteorologists and climatologists with a specialist interest in Antarctica, but it will also appeal to researchers in Antarctic glaciology, oceanography and biology. Graduates and undergraduates studying physical geography, and the earth, atmosph

This book will show you the technique of star-hopping, or using the brighter stars and asterisms as guideposts on celestial paths to fainter stars or celestial objects. Twelve monthly star-hops form the heart of the book. Two or more tours are given for each month of the year. Each main hop is a step-by-step trip for you to follow. Taking these exciting tours reinforces the lessons of the methods of star-hopping. These celestial tours can be taken any time during the year. One chapter is devoted to the popular Messier Marathon. The book covers such techniques as reading star charts, finding celestial directions, telescopic types, and selecting and using light pollution reduction filters. Basic information is also given about what we know about the universe and the people who have made the discoveries, and the ancient mythology of the sky.

Although stress occurs at every stage of life, much research studies its effects over short-term periods, typically within circumscribed life stages. Little attention has been given to the possibilities that the consequences or impact of stress depend critically on the timing in the life course in which the individual is exposed to the stress, and that the sequence of prior stressors acts as a context for these effects. This book attempts to map the influence of early stressful experiences on later life outcomes, studying the trajectories of stressors over the life course. It examines the ramifications of stressful events at key life-course transition points, and explores the diversity of outcomes for individuals who have suffered through trauma. Finally, the book suggests methods for study of stress and adversity through the life course, where issues of timing, ordering and sequencing of stressors are crucial.

This book challenges standard accounts of early Christian exegesis of the Bible. Professor Young sets the interpretation of the Bible in the context of the Graeco-Roman world - the dissemination of books and learning, the way texts were received and read, the function of literature in shaping not only a culture but a moral universe. For the earliest Christians, the adoption of the Jewish scriptures constituted a supersessionary claim in relation to Hellenism as well as Judaism. Yet the debt owed to the practice of exegesis in the grammatical and rhetorical schools is of overriding significance. Methods were philological and deductive, and the usual analysis according to 'literal', 'typological' and 'allegorical' is inadequate to describe questions of reference and issues of religious language. The biblical texts shaped a 'totalizing discourse' which by the fifth century was giving identity, morality and meaning to a new Christian culture.

This compelling book contains a comprehensive analytical treatment of the theory of production in a long-period framework. Although the authors take a 'Classical' approach to their subject, the scope of investigation and methods employed should interest all economic theorists. Professors Kurz and Salvadori explore economic systems that are characterised by a particular kind of primary input in the production process, such as different kinds of labour and natural resources. These systems and the corresponding prices can be understood to reflect characteristic features of a capitalist market economy in an ideal way: they express the pure logic of the relationship between value and distribution in an economic system. Specific chapters deal with prices and income distribution, economic growth, joint production, fixed capital, scarce natural resources (both renewable and exhaustible), and heterogeneous labour. The historical origins of the concepts used are also discussed in considerable de