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Elsevier

North Holland

  • Decision Support in Public Administration

    Proceedings of the IFIP TC8/WG8.3 Working Conference on Decision Support in Public Administration, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 13-14 May, 1993
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 26
    • P.W.G. Bots + 2 more
    • English
    The vast flow of information to be considered by policy and decision makers in national and local governments is continuing to expand during the 1990s, whilst budgets for staff to process the information are being tightened. This publication provides a forum for the examination of the problem. It aims to focus the efforts of researchers and practitioners more effectively in applying information technology to increase the performance of decision makers in public administration despite the limited resources. Topics explored include the following: design considerations and approaches for, and practical experiences with, communication and information processing infrastructure and applications at the workplace level; the design and implementation of support systems for individual or group decision making in governmental and municipal settings; modelling and model management techniques, based on case reports of successful and unsuccessful modelling efforts; concepts, approaches and models for re-designing tasks and processes in public administration; issues and challenges in integrating the information systems of several governmental bodies. The book is divided into two parts for the discussion of these themes - the first section deals primarily with theoretical and conceptual issues; the second part contains papers with a stronger emphasis on systems, their functionality and experiences in their development and application. The authors' affiliations (17 organizations from 8 different countries) indicates the international nature of the contributions. The ideas put forward in their papers show that research into supporting decision making in public administration is well on its way but that the research area is vast, with yet many hills to scale.

  • Formal Description Techniques, IV

    Proceedings of the IFIP TC6/WG6.1 Fourth International Conference on Formal Description Techniques for Distributed Systems and Communications Protocols, FORTE '91, Sydney, Australia, 19-22 November 1991
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 2
    • K.R. Parker + 1 more
    • English
    Formality is becoming accepted as essential in the development of complex systems such as multi-layer communications protocols and distributed systems. Formality is mandatory for mathematical verification, a procedure being imposed on safety-critical system development. Standard documents are also becoming increasingly formalised in order to capture notions precisely and unambiguously. This FORTE '91 proceedings volume has focussed on the standardised languages SDL, Estelle and LOTOS while, as with earlier conferences, remaining open to other notations and techniques, thus encouraging the continuous evolution of formal techniques. This useful volume contains 29 submitted papers, three invited papers, four industry reports, and four tool reports organised to correspond with the conference sessions.

  • The Adaptive Brain II

    Vision, Speech, Language, and Motor Control
    • 1st Edition
    • Stephen Grossberg
    • English
    The Adaptive Brain, II: Vision, Speech, Language, and Motor Control focuses on a unified theoretical analysis and predictions of important psychological and neurological data that illustrate the development of a true theory of mind and brain. The publication first elaborates on the quantized geometry of visual space and neural dynamics of form perception. Discussions focus on reflectance rivalry and spatial frequency detection, figure-ground separation by filling-in barriers, and disinhibitory propagation of functional scaling from boundaries to interiors. The text then takes a look at neural dynamics of perceptual grouping and brightness perception. Topics include simulation of a parametric binocular brightness study, smoothly varying luminance contours versus steps of luminance change, macrocircuit of processing stages, paradoxical percepts as probes of adaptive processes, and analysis of the Beck theory of textural segmentation. The book examines the neural dynamics of speech and language coding and word recognition and recall, including automatic activation and limited-capacity attention, a macrocircuit for the self-organization of recognition and recall, role of intra-list restructuring arid contextual associations, and temporal order information across item representations. The manuscript is a vital source of data for scientists and researchers interested in the development of a true theory of mind and brain.

  • Toxicology and Occupational Medicine

    Proceedings of the Tenth Inter-American Conference on Toxicology and Occupational Medicine, Key Biscayne (Miami), Florida, October 22-25, 1978
    • 1st Edition
    • William B. Deichmann
    • English
    Toxicology and Occupational Medicine documents the proceedings of the Tenth Inter-American Conference on Toxicology and Occupational Medicine held in Key Biscayne (Miami), Florida, on 22-25 October 1978. The purpose of the conference was the presentation by delegates of research reports on subjects in the broad field of Toxicology and Occupational Medicine, followed by free discussions by all participants. This volume contains 47 papers and begins by tracing the history of the Inter-American Conferences. Subsequent chapters present papers on topics such as legal and scientific concerns over food safety; factors to consider to ensure the validity of the design of the experiment, the procedure for carrying it out, and the method of interpreting the results; and comparison of mutagenic, carcinogenic, and epidemiological data on known human carcinogens. Other papers cover the hidden carcinogen in the manufacture of isopropyl alcohol; developments in protecting workers from chemical hazards on the job; and safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients.

  • Reviving Private Investment in Developing Countries

    Empirical Studies and Policy Lessons
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 208
    • A. Chhibber + 2 more
    • English
    The aim of the research described in this volume is to examine the behavior of private domestic investment in a sample of seven developing economies: Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Turkey, and Zimbabwe. The studies represent a first step toward understanding the investment process in developing countries and the scope for government policy to affect private capital formation. Such issues will become increasingly important in the future as more developing countries try to encourage private investment.Four key issues emerge in the analysis of the determinants of private investment and its role in adjustment programs in developing countries. The first is the impact of changes in the exchange rate; the second major concern is the existence of crowding out of private activity as a result of government borrowing in domestic financial markets through interest rates or quantity rationing. A third and related issue is whether government spending, particularly that on investment, "crowds in" or "crowds out" private capital formation. Fourth, the effects of uncertainty are important in determining the response of private agents to changes in the incentive structure.

  • Progress in Myeloma

    Biology of Myeloma 1980 Edition
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael Potter
    • English
    Progress in Myeloma: Biology of Myeloma is a collection of research studies dealing with the clinical and experimental plasma cell tumors. This work is composed of 14 chapters that provide a particularly advantageous basis for defining in biochemical and genetic terms the nature of critical alterations in the neoplastic transformation of immunoglobulin producing cells. The introductory chapters survey the epidemiology of multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders, as well as the mechanism of in vitro bone resorption by human myeloma cells. The subsequent chapters describe the clinical manifestations of the Waldenström's macroglobulinemia in black and white South Africans; myeloma models to evaluate the activation and suppression of normal lymphocytes; and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of murine myeloma cell growth and differentiation regulation. These topics are followed by discussions of the characteristics of multiple myeloma as an immunodeficiency disease, the myeloma growth kinetics, and the extent of clonal involvement in multiple myeloma. A chapter explores the use of anti-idiotypic antibodies in the regulation of the myeloma tumor cell growth and non-neoplastic B cell clones. The concluding chapters look into the chromosomal changes, therapeutic trials, and genetic basis of myeloma. This book will prove useful to oncologists, cell biologists, immunologists, and researchers.

  • Spatial Choices and Processes

    • 1st Edition
    • M.M. Fischer + 2 more
    • English
    Spatial decisions and processes are fundamental to the understanding of spatial structure. In the earlier stages of spatial analysis proposed explanations were typically on the aggregate, phenomenological level. Now a new field has evolved and matured which calls for a deeper understanding of spatial structure with a particular emphasis on spatial decisions and processes. The present volume serves as a guide and as an anthology by discussing a wide variety of new modelling approaches, techniques and issues related to spatial decision and processes and drawing these seemingly disparate, but interlocking parts together.

  • Theory of Plasticity and Limit Design of Plates

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 18
    • Z. Sobotka
    • English
    An extensive review of the theory of plasticity, limit design and limit analysis of plates is contained in this volume. Detailed descriptions are given on the plastic behaviour of homogeneous, reinforced and sandwich plates, and on the rise of various yield-line patterns. The volume differs from other books on the plastic analysis of plates by its comprehensive treatment of: the theory of yield fans connected with yield-line planning; the plastic behaviour of plates under combined loadings characterized by the load factors; statical solutions; and continuous, rectangular and skew plates.Before discussing the upper-bound solutions for various types of ultimate loads acting on isotropic, orthotropic and anisotropic plates, the kinematic conditions of the plastic behaviour of plates and the principles and methods of the yield-line theory are examined in detail. Generalized yield conditions of the second degree for orthotropic and anisotropic plates are introduced. Special attention is paid to the rise of yield fans. The concept of yield line planning is also discussed, which may be of practical interest since it indicates the possibilities for preventing the rise of yield fans. Upper-bound and lower-bound solutions for the ultimate uniform load, concentrated loads, triangular and trapexoidal loads, are presented. Similar solutions are provided for continuous loads bounded by various plane and curved surfaces and for various combinations of loads acting on rectangular, polygonal, circular, elliptic and skew plates. Solutions are given for plates on hinged supports, on free supports with elevating corners, on point supports and also for plates with built-in edges. Numerical tables are provided for determining the ultimate loads, bearing moments needed for the given load systems and the parameters of yield-line patterns. The procedures detailed in the volume will prove an indispensable reference source in the practical design of roof, ceiling and bridge slabs.

  • The Structures of Binary Compounds

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 2
    • J. Hafner + 6 more
    • F.R. de Boer
    • English
    - Up-to-date compilation of the experimental data on the structures of binary compounds by Villars and colleagues. - Coloured structure maps which order the compounds into their respective structural domains and present for the first time the local co-ordination polyhedra for the 150 most frequently occurring structure types, pedagogically very helpful and useful in the search for new materials with a required crystal structure. - Crystal co-ordination formulas: a flexible notation for the interpretation of solid-state structures by chemist Bill Jensen. - Recent important advances in understanding the quantum mechanical origin of structural stability presented in two clearly-written chapters by leading experts in the field: Hafner, Majewski and Vogl. ``The Structures of Binary Compounds'' presents not only the most up-to-date compilation of the experimental data on the structures of binary compounds, but also the recent important theoretical advances in understanding the quantum-mechanical origin of structural stability. In addition to this volume, a large wall chart displaying the structure maps for the AB, ABs and AB3 stoichiometries together with the corresponding co-ordination polyhedra, has been published.The first half of the book details the successful ordering of the known experimental data in two- or three-dimensional coloured structure maps, the 150 most frequently occurring structure types being characterized for the first time by their local co-ordination polyhedra. The second half of the book details the success of first-principle theoretical calculations within the Local Density Functional Approximation in predicting the correct ground state structures of binary semiconductors, insulators and metals. The book concludes with a chapter on the cohesion and structure of solids from the more localized tight-binding point of view.

  • Handbook of Quantitative Studies of Science and Technology

    • 1st Edition
    • A.F.J. van Raan
    • English
    Quantitative studies of science and technology represent the research field of utilization of mathematical, statistical, and data-analytical methods and techniques for gathering, handling, interpreting, and predicting a variety of features of the science and technology enterprise, such as performance, development, and dynamics. The field has both strongly developed applied research as well as basic research characteristics.The principal purpose of this handbook is to present this wide range of topics in sufficient depth to give readers a reasonably systematic understanding of the domain of contemporary quantitative studies of science and technology, a domain which incorporates theory, methods and techniques, and applications. In addressing this domain, the handbook aims at different groups of readers: those conducting research in the field of science and technology, including (graduate) students, and those who are to use results of the work presented in this book.

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