Skip to main content

Elsevier Science

  • Benguela: Predicting a Large Marine Ecosystem

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 14
    • Vere Shannon + 4 more
    • English
    This is a book which examines much of what we know and also what we don’t know about the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem and its inherent variability. Building on recent work and exciting findings about the predictability of the Benguela and other coastal upwelling ecosystems, the book takes a look towards the future and highlights the difficulty of making predictions in such a complex and variable region. The book illustrates what scientists and managers from developed and developing countries can achieve by working together, and it lays a solid base upon which to build wise management and ensure sustainable use of the ecosystem.
  • Fluorine and the Environment: Atmospheric Chemistry, Emissions & Lithosphere

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1
    • Alain Tressaud
    • English
    Advances in Fluorine Science presents critical multidisciplinary overviews for areas in which fluorine and fluoride compounds have a decisive impact. The individual volumes of Advances in Fluorine Science are thematic, addressing comprehensively both the science and applications on topics including the Environment, Green chemistry, Medicine, Health & Life Sciences, New Technologies & Materials Science, Energy and the Earth Sciences.For each subject the contributors will clearly inform the reader on the nature of the problem (if any) and on the solutions, combining knowledge from different scientific disciplines, that have been proposed to solve each issue.This volume covers a wide scope of important issues about our atmospheric environment and contains contributions from both chemists and environmental scientists. Articles review the origin of fluorine-emissions either from natural or anthropogenic origin; the chemistry of fluorine- and halogen-based species in the atmosphere; the monitoring and characterization of atmospheric pollutants; new generations of halocarbons and improved destruction procedures of banned CFCs; the role of fluorides within both our geosphere: volcanic magmas and natural fluorine emissions, and effects on our biosphere: life cycle, plants and animals.
  • Information-Theoretic Methods for Estimating of Complicated Probability Distributions

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 207
    • Zhi Zong
    • English
    Mixing up various disciplines frequently produces something that are profound and far-reaching. Cybernetics is such an often-quoted example. Mix of information theory, statistics and computing technology proves to be very useful, which leads to the recent development of information-theory based methods for estimating complicated probability distributions.Estima... probability distribution of a random variable is the fundamental task for quite some fields besides statistics, such as reliability, probabilistic risk analysis (PSA), machine learning, pattern recognization, image processing, neural networks and quality control. Simple distribution forms such as Gaussian, exponential or Weibull distributions are often employed to represent the distributions of the random variables under consideration, as we are taught in universities. In engineering, physical and social science applications, however, the distributions of many random variables or random vectors are so complicated that they do not fit the simple distribution forms at al.Exact estimation of the probability distribution of a random variable is very important. Take stock market prediction for example. Gaussian distribution is often used to model the fluctuations of stock prices. If such fluctuations are not normally distributed, and we use the normal distribution to represent them, how could we expect our prediction of stock market is correct? Another case well exemplifying the necessity of exact estimation of probability distributions is reliability engineering. Failure of exact estimation of the probability distributions under consideration may lead to disastrous designs.There have been constant efforts to find appropriate methods to determine complicated distributions based on random samples, but this topic has never been systematically discussed in detail in a book or monograph. The present book is intended to fill the gap and documents the latest research in this subject.Determining a complicated distribution is not simply a multiple of the workload we use to determine a simple distribution, but it turns out to be a much harder task. Two important mathematical tools, function approximation and information theory, that are beyond traditional mathematical statistics, are often used. Several methods constructed based on the two mathematical tools for distribution estimation are detailed in this book. These methods have been applied by the author for several years to many cases. They are superior in the following senses:(1) No prior information of the distribution form to be determined is necessary. It can be determined automatically from the sample;(2) The sample size may be large or small;(3) They are particularly suitable for computers. It is the rapid development of computing technology that makes it possible for fast estimation of complicated distributions. The methods provided herein well demonstrate the significant cross influences between information theory and statistics, and showcase the fallacies of traditional statistics that, however, can be overcome by information theory.Key Features:- Density functions automatically determined from samples- Free of assuming density forms- Computation-effectiv... methods suitable for PC
  • Bioinformatics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • Dilip K Arora + 2 more
    • English
    The advances in genomic technologies, such as microarrays and high throughput sequencing,have expanded the realm of possibilities for capturing data and analyzing it using automatedcomputer driven bioinformatics tools. With the completion of the sequencing of genomes ofhuman and several model organisms, a quest for scientific discoveries being fueled byintegrative and multidimensional techniques in mathematics and computational sciences. Inthis volume, leading researchers and experts have provided an overview of significantconcepts from biological, mathematical, and computational perspectives. It provides a high level view of fungal genomic data integration and annotation, classification of proteins and identification of vaccine targets, identification of secretome or secreted proteins in fungal genomes, as well as tools for analyzing microarray expressionprofiles.
  • Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Structural Materials

    • 1st Edition
    • Flake C Campbell Jr
    • English
    The rapidly-expanding aerospace industry is a prime developer and user of advanced metallic and composite materials in its many products. This book concentrates on the manufacturing technology necessary to fabricate and assemble these materials into useful and effective structural components. Detailed chapters are dedicated to each key metal or alloy used in the industry, including aluminum, magnesium, beryllium, titanium, high strength steels, and superalloys. In addition the book deals with composites, adhesive bonding and presents the essentials of structural assembly. This book will be an important resource for all those involved in aerospace design and construction, materials science and engineering, as well as for metallurgists and those working in related sectors such as the automotive and mass transport industries. Flake Campbell Jr has over thirty seven years experience in the aerospace industry and is currently Senior Technical Fellow at the Boeing Phantom Works in Missouri, USA.
  • Cyclodextrin Materials Photochemistry, Photophysics and Photobiology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1
    • Abderrazzak Douhal
    • English
    Cyclodextrin Materials Photochemistry, Photophysics and Photobiology provides to the scientific community the state-of-the art on photochemistry, photophysics and photobiology of cyclodextrin complexes in one book, and the chapters material will trigger further research in applied science connected to these small nanocapsules.The chapters contain a large number of information of value not only to readers working in the field of cyclodextrins, but also to researchers working on related areas like those of supramolecular chemistry, nanochemistry, and in general in nano- and biotechnology.
  • New Transcription Factors and Their Role in Diabetes and Therapy

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • Jacob E. Friedman
    • English
    This book contains contributions from some of the most eminent experts in the fields of genetics, biochemistry, and pathophysiology of diabetes. Through specific examples, with broad applications, this book provides a comprehensive look at how transcription factors may underline the pathogenetic mechanisms of diabetes and obesity. Volume 5 provides an overview of the status of the field, while also providing valuable information of practical utility to those who do not necessarily work in this field. The integration of basic biology with physiologically and clinically relevant proteins should provide the reader with a theoretical background to understanding the strategies for new potential therapeutic targets and their application to disease.
  • Stochastic Dynamics and Control

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 4
    • Jian-Qiao Sun
    • English
    This book is a result of many years of author’s research and teaching on random vibration and control. It was used as lecture notes for a graduate course. It provides a systematic review of theory of probability, stochastic processes, and stochastic calculus. The feedback control is also reviewed in the book. Random vibration analyses of SDOF, MDOF and continuous structural systems are presented in a pedagogical order. The application of the random vibration theory to reliability and fatigue analysis is also discussed. Recent research results on fatigue analysis of non-Gaussian stress processes are also presented. Classical feedback control, active damping, covariance control, optimal control, sliding control of stochastic systems, feedback control of stochastic time-delayed systems, and probability density tracking control are studied. Many control results are new in the literature and included in this book for the first time. The book serves as a reference to the engineers who design and maintain structures subject to harsh random excitations including earthquakes, sea waves, wind gusts, and aerodynamic forces, and would like to reduce the damages of structural systems due to random excitations.
  • Nanomaterials

    Research Towards Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Hideo Hosono + 3 more
    • English
    A research project at the Tokyo Institute of Technology – dedicated to fostering innovation in the field of nanomaterials – was selected as one of the 21st Century COE (Center of Excellence) programs. The achievements of this COE program, which builds on the strong tradition of materials science in the Institute, are summarized within this book. Nanomaterials: Research Towards Applications is divided into four main parts: Revolutionary Oxides State-of-the-Art Polymers Nanostructure Design for New Functions Nanostructure Architecture for Engineering Applications
  • Biotechnology Annual Review

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 12
    • M. Raafat El-Gewely
    • English
    Biotechnology is a diverse, complex and rapidly evolving field. Students and experienced researchers alike face the challenges of staying on top of developments in their field of specialty and maintaining a broader overview of the field as a whole. Volumes containing competent reviews on a diverse range of topics in the field fulfill the dual role of broadening and updating biotechnologists’ knowledge. The current volume is an excellent example of such a book. The topics covered range from classical issues in biotechnology - such as, recent advances in all-protein chromophore technology- to topics that are focused on coencapsulation of hepatocytes and bone marrow cell. The information presented in this book will therefore will be of great value to both experienced biotechnologists and biotechnologists in training.