Technology and the Internet have brought about numerous changes in the field of politics. Understanding the effects of social media, blogs, and evolving new sites in politics is becoming a crucial aspect in this field for researchers and practitioners. Political Activism in the Information Age offers a better understanding of methods for political activism in the information age, the effectiveness of these methods, and tools for analysing them. This book presents an array of real-world political issues and how they relate to the ever-expanding realm of information. The publication will benefit researchers, politicians, public policy analysts, political scientists, students, and anyone involved in the field of politics.

This book describes recent innovations in 3D media and technologies, with coverage of 3D media capturing, processing, encoding, and adaptation, networking aspects for 3D Media, and quality of user experience (QoE). The main contributions are based on the results of the FP7 European Projects ROMEO, which focus on new methods for the compression and delivery of 3D multi-view video and spatial audio, as well as the optimization of networking and compression jointly across the Future Internet (www.ict-romeo.eu).

The delivery of 3D media to individual users remains a highly challenging problem due to the large amount of data involved, diverse network characteristics and user terminal requirements, as well as the user s context such as their preferences and location. As the number of visual views increases, current systems will struggle to meet the demanding requirements in terms of delivery of constant video quality to both fixed and mobile users.

ROMEO will design and develop hybrid-networking solutions that combine the DVB-T2 and DVB-NGH broadcast access network technologies together with a QoE aware Peer-to-Peer (P2P) distribution system that operates over wired and wireless links. Live streaming 3D media needs to be received by collaborating users at the same time or with imperceptible delay to enable them to watch together while exchanging comments as if they were all in the same location.

The volume provides state-of-the-art information on 3D multi-view video, spatial audio networking protocols for 3D media, P2P 3D media streaming, and 3D Media delivery across heterogeneous wireless networks among other topics. Graduate students and professionals in electrical engineering and computer science with an interest in 3D Future Internet Media will find this volume to be essential reading."

In an embedded system, firmware is the software that directly interfaces with the microcontroller, controlling the system s function. The major forces driving the embedded firmware development process today are reduced development times, increased complexity, and the need to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. These forces translate into strenuous design requirements for embedded engineers and programmers. Many low-level embedded microcontroller designs have insufficient memory and/or architectural limitations that make the use of a real-time operating system impractical. The techniques presented in this book allow the design of robust multitasking firmware through the use of interleaved state machines. This book presents a complete overview of multitasking terminology and basic concepts. Practical criteria for task selection and state machine design are also discussed.
Designing multitasking firmware is arduous, complex and fraught with potential for errors, and there is no one, standard way to do it. This book will present a complete and well-organized design approach with examples and sample source code that designers can follow.
* Covers every aspect of design from the system level to the component level, including system timing, communicating with the hardware, integration and testing.
* Accompanying companion website contains the source code for the text examples and other useful design tools."

A groundbreaking, flexible approach to computer science anddata science The Deitels' Introduction to Python for ComputerScience and Data Science: Learning to Program with AI, Big Data and the Cloudoffers a unique approach to teaching introductory Python programming,appropriate for both computer-science and data-science audiences. Providing themost current coverage of topics and applications, the book is paired withextensive traditional supplements as well as Jupyter Notebooks supplements.Real-world datasets and artificial-intelligence technologies allow students towork on projects making a difference in business, industry, government andacademia. Hundreds of examples, exercises, projects (EEPs) and implementationcase studies give students an engaging, challenging and entertainingintroduction to Python programming and hands-on data science. The book's modular architecture enables instructors toconveniently adapt the text to a wide range of computer-science anddata-science courses offered to audiences drawn from many majors.Computer-science instructors can integrate as much or as little data-scienceand artificial-intelligence topics as they'd like, and data-science instructorscan integrate as much or as little Python as they'd like. The book aligns withthe latest ACM/IEEE CS-and-related computing curriculum initiatives and withthe Data Science Undergraduate Curriculum Proposal sponsored by the NationalScience Foundation.

XML has become the lingua franca for representing business data, for exchanging information between business partners and applications, and for adding structure
and sometimes meaning to text-based documents. XML offers some special challenges and opportunities in the area of search: querying XML can produce very precise, fine-grained results, if you know how to express and execute those queries.
For software developers and systems architects: this book teaches the most useful approaches to querying XML documents and repositories. This book will also help managers and project leaders grasp how querying XML fits into the larger context of querying and XML. Querying XML provides a comprehensive background from fundamental concepts (What is XML?) to data models (the Infoset, PSVI, XQuery Data Model), to APIs (querying XML from SQL or Java) and more.
* Presents the concepts clearly, and demonstrates them with illustrations and examples; offers a thorough mastery of the subject area in a single book.
* Provides comprehensive coverage of XML query languages, and the concepts needed to understand them completely (such as the XQuery Data Model).
* Shows how to query XML documents and data using: XPath (the XML Path Language); XQuery, soon to be the new W3C Recommendation for querying XML; XQuery's companion XQueryX; and SQL, featuring the SQL/XML
* Includes an extensive set of XQuery, XPath, SQL, Java, and other examples, with links to downloadable code and data samples."

This publication contributes to the serious games field by investigating original contributions and methods that use serious games in various domains. This comprehensive and timely publication works as an essential reference source, building on the available literature in the field of Serious Games for the economic and social development of countries while providing for further research opportunities in this dynamic and growing field. Thus, the book provides the opportunity for a reflection on this important issue, increasing the understanding of the importance of Serious Games in the context of organizations' improvements, providing relevant academic work, empirical research findings, and an overview of this relevant field of study. This text provides the resources necessary for policy makers, technology developers and managers to adopt and implement solutions for a more digital era.

Agile is a relatively recent methodology used in the development process of a project. Therefore, it is important to share new emerging knowledge with researchers and professionals interested in adopting an agile mindset. Emerging Innovations in Agile Software Development focuses on the use of agile methodologies to manage, design, develop, test and maintain software projects. Emphasizing research-based solutions for contemporary software development, this publication is designed for use by software developers, researchers, and graduate-level students in software engineering and project management programs.

Most Perl programmers were originally trained as C and Unix programmers, so the Perl programs that they write bear a strong resemblance to C programs. However, Perl incorporates many features that have their roots in other languages such as Lisp. These advanced features are not well understood and are rarely used by most Perl programmers, but they are very powerful. They can automate tasks in everyday programming that are difficult to solve in any other way. One of the most powerful of these techniques is writing functions that manufacture or modify other functions. For example, instead of writing ten similar functions, a programmer can write a general pattern or framework that can then create the functions as needed according to the pattern. For several years Mark Jason Dominus has worked to apply functional programming techniques to Perl. Now Mark brings these flexible programming methods that he has successfully taught in numerous tutorials and training sessions to a wider audience.
* Introduces powerful programming methods--new to most Perl programmers--that were previously the domain of computer scientists
* Gradually builds up confidence by describing techniques of progressive sophistication
* Shows how to improve everyday programs and includes numerous engaging code examples to illustrate the methods

The massive volume of data that some medical and biological applications generate require special processing resources that guarantee privacy and security, creating a crucial need for cluster and grid computing. Biomedical Diagnostics and Clinical Technologies: Applying High-Performance Cluster and Grid Computing disseminates knowledge regarding high performance computing for medical applications and bioinformatics. Containing a defining body of research on the subject, this critical reference source includes a valuable collection of cutting-edge research chapters for those working in the broad field of medical informatics and bioinformatics.

Models and simulations are an important first step in developing computer applications to solve real-world problems. However, in order to be truly effective, computer programmers must use formal modeling languages to evaluate these simulations. Formal Languages for Computer Simulation: Transdisciplinary Models and Applications investigates a variety of programming languages used in validating and verifying models in order to assist in their eventual implementation. This book will explore different methods of evaluating and formalizing simulation models, enabling computer and industrial engineers, mathematicians, and students working with computer simulations to thoroughly understand the progression from simulation to product, improving the overall effectiveness of modeling systems.

XML in Data Management is for IT managers and technical staff involved in the creation, administration, or maintenance of a data management infrastructure that includes XML. For most IT staff, XML is either just a buzzword that is ignored or a silver bullet to be used in every nook and cranny of their organization. The truth is in between the two. This book provides the guidance necessary for data managers to make measured decisions about XML within their organizations. Readers will understand the uses of XML, its component architecture, its strategic implications, and how these apply to data management.
To view a sample chapter and read the Foreword by Thomas C. Redman, visit http: //books.elsevier.com/mk/?isbn=0120455994
* Takes a data-centric view of XML.
* Explains how, when, and why to apply XML to data management systems.
* Covers XML component architecture, data engineering, frameworks, metadata, legacy systems, and more.
* Discusses the various strengths and weaknesses of XML technologies in the context of organizational data management and integration.

This handbook provides a comprehensive reference for firmware developers looking to increase their skills and productivity. It addresses each critical step of the development process in detail, including how to optimize hardware design for better firmware. Topics covered include real-time issues, interrupts and ISRs, memory management (including Flash memory), handling both digital and analog peripherals, communications interfacing, math subroutines, error handling, design tools, and troubleshooting and debugging. The companion CD-ROM includes all the code used in the design examples and a searchable ebook version of the text.
This book is not for the beginner, but rather is an in-depth, comprehensive one-volume reference that addresses all the major issues in firmware design and development, including the pertinent hardware issues.
* Included CD-Rom contains all the source code used in the design examples, so engineers can easily use it in their own designs

As today's world continues to advance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field that has become a staple of technological development and led to the advancement of numerous professional industries. An application within AI that has gained attention is machine learning. Machine learning uses statistical techniques and algorithms to give computer systems the ability to understand and its popularity has circulated through many trades. Understanding this technology and its countless implementations is pivotal for scientists and researchers across the world. The Handbook of Research on Emerging Trends and Applications of Machine Learning provides a high-level understanding of various machine learning algorithms along with modern tools and techniques using Artificial Intelligence. In addition, this book explores the critical role that machine learning plays in a variety of professional fields including healthcare, business, and computer science. While highlighting topics including image processing, predictive analytics, and smart grid management, this book is ideally designed for developers, data scientists, business analysts, information architects, finance agents, healthcare professionals, researchers, retail traders, professors, and graduate students seeking current research on the benefits, implementations, and trends of machine learning.

Through a systematic view of technologies, researchers are now finding it less complicated to examine, predict, and explain complex interactions between fields such as engineering and computer science. ""Emerging Systems Approaches in Information Technologies: Concepts, Theories, and Applications"" presents innovative research findings utilizing the incorporation of the systems approach into fields such as systems engineering, computer science, and software engineering. Containing philosophical evaluations and issues related to complexity, this publication provides academicians, practitioners, and researchers with the first resource that fully emphasizes the integration of this approach.

Originally designed for interpersonal communication, today mobile devices are capable of connecting their users to a wide variety of Internet-enabled services and applications. Multimodality in Mobile Computing and Mobile Devices: Methods for Adaptable Usability explores a variety of perspectives on multimodal user interface design, describes a variety of novel multimodal applications, and provides real-life experience reports. Containing research from leading international experts, this innovative publication presents core concepts that define multi-modal, multi-channel, and multi-device interactions and their role in mobile, pervasive, and ubiquitous computing.

Clouds are being positioned as the next-generation consolidated, centralized, yet federated IT infrastructure for hosting all kinds of IT platforms and for deploying, maintaining, and managing a wider variety of personal, as well as professional applications and services. Handbook of Research on Cloud Infrastructures for Big Data Analytics focuses exclusively on the topic of cloud-sponsored big data analytics for creating flexible and futuristic organizations. This book helps researchers and practitioners, as well as business entrepreneurs, to make informed decisions and consider appropriate action to simplify and streamline the arduous journey towards smarter enterprises.

In a digital context, trust is a multifaceted concept, including trust in application usability, trust in information security, and trust in fellow users. Mobile technologies have compounded the impact of such considerations. Trust Management in Mobile Environments: Autonomic and Usable Models explores current advances in digital and mobile computing technologies from the user perspective, evaluating trust models and autonomic trust management. From the recent history of trust in digital environments to prospective future developments, this book serves as a potent reference source for professionals, graduate and post-graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in the field of trust management.

Dig deep and master the intricacies of the common language runtime, C#, and .NET development. Led by programming expert Jeffrey Richter, a longtime consultant to the Microsoft .NET team - you'll gain pragmatic insights for building robust, reliable, and responsive apps and components.Fully updated for .NET Framework 4.5 and Visual Studio 2012Delivers a thorough grounding in the .NET Framework architecture, runtime environment, and other key topics, including asynchronous programming and the new Windows RuntimeProvides extensive code samples in Visual C# 2012Features authoritative, pragmatic guidance on difficult development concepts such as generics and threading