There has been a common perception that computational complexity is a theory of "bad news" because its most typical results assert that various real-world and innocent-looking tasks are infeasible. In fact, "bad news" is a relative term, and, indeed, in some situations (e.g., in cryptography), we want an adversary to not be able to perform a certain task. However, a "bad news" result does not automatically become useful in such a scenario. For this to happen, its hardness features have to be quantitatively evaluated and shown to manifest extensively.
The book undertakes a quantitative analysis of some of the major results in complexity that regard either classes of problems or individual concrete problems. The size of some important classes are studied using resource-bounded topological and measure-theoretical tools. In the case of individual problems, the book studies relevant quantitative attributes such as approximation properties or the number of hard inputs at each length.
One chapter is dedicated to abstract complexity theory, an older field which, however, deserves attention because it lays out the foundations of complexity. The other chapters, on the other hand, focus on recent and important developments in complexity. The book presents in a fairly detailed manner concepts that have been at the centre of the main research lines in complexity in the last decade or so, such as: average-complexity, quantum computation, hardness amplification, resource-bounded measure, the relation between one-way functions and pseudo-random generators, the relation between hard predicates and pseudo-random generators, extractors, derandomization of bounded-error probabilistic algorithms, probabilistically checkable proofs, non-approximability of optimization problems, and others.
The book should appeal to graduate computer science students, and to researchers who have an interest in computer science theory and need a good understanding of computational complexity, e.g., researchers in algorithms, AI, logic, and other disciplines.
-Emphasis is on relevant quantitative attributes of important results in complexity.
-Coverage is self-contained and accessible to a wide audience.
-Large range of important topics including: derandomization techniques, non-approximability of optimization problems, average-case complexity, quantum computation, one-way functions and pseudo-random generators, resource-bounded measure and topology.

Even as developments in photorealistic computer graphics continue to affect our work and leisure activities, practitioners and researchers are devoting more and more attention to non-photorealistic (NPR) techniques for generating images that appear to have been created by hand. These efforts benefit every field in which illustrations thanks to their ability to clarify, emphasize, and convey very precise meanings offer advantages over photographs. These fields include medicine, architecture, entertainment, education, geography, publishing, and visualization.
Non-Photorealistic Computer Graphics is the first and only resource to examine non-photorealistic efforts in depth, providing detailed accounts of the major algorithms, as well as the background information and implementation advice readers need to make headway with these increasingly important techniques.
Already, an estimated 10% of computer graphics users require some form of non-photorealism. Strothotte and Schlechtweg's important new book is designed and destined to be the standard NPR reference for this large, diverse, and growing group of professionals.
*Hard-to-find information needed by a wide range and growing number of computer graphics programmers and applications users.
*Traces NPR principles and techniques back to their origins in human vision and perception.
*Focuses on areas that stand to benefit most from advances in NPR, including medical and architectural illustration, cartography, and data visualization.
*Presents algorithms for two and three-dimensional effects, using pseudo-code where needed to clarify complex steps.
*Helps readers attain pen-and-ink, pencil-sketch, and painterly effects, in addition to other styles.
*Explores specific challenges for NPR including "wrong" marks, deformation, natural media, artistic technique, lighting, and dimensionality.
*Includes a series of programming projects in which readers can apply the book's concepts and algorithms."

Despite the complexity of the subject, this wealth of information is presented succinctly and in such a way, using tables, diagrams and brief explanatory text, as to allow the user to locate information quickly and easily. Thus the book should be invaluable to those involved with the installation, commissioning and maintenance of data communications equipment, as well as the end user.
*A practical engineer's reference that puts the key information at your fingertips
*Covers essential data, techniques and working practice
*This update covers the latest international regulations

The papers included in this volume highlight research and practice in child and adolescent mental health from around the world. As systems of care are different across countries and cultures, it is imperative that knowledge is shared and lessons learned. The biennial Elsevier conference on Child and Adolescent Mental Health is designed to provide a forum for mental health and educational experts from various disciplines and countries.

The revised edition of the Newnes Dictionary of Electronics includes a substantial new section devoted to acronyms and abbreviations. So if you think you know the meaning of ADDER, LAP, FIB, SPICE or WORM, we recommend you check in the Newnes Dictionary of Electronics first.
*A concise glossary for electronics, TV, radio and computing
*Ideal for engineers, students and enthusiasts
*Includes a handy appendix of acronyms

This compendium is made up of a selection of the best and most representative papers from a group of Elsevier's structural engineering journals. Selections were made by the journal's editorial teams.

The papers appeared in the following journals during 2000:

Journal of Constructional Steel Research P.J. Dowling, J.E. Harding, R. Bjorhovde
Thin Walled Structures J. Loughlan, K.P. Chong
Engineering Structures P.L. Gould
Computers and Structures K.J. Bathe, B.H.V. Topping
Construction and Building Materials M.C. Forde
Journal of Wind Engineering & Industrial Areodynamics N.P. Jones
Marine Structures P.A. Frieze, A. Mansour, T. Yao

Each paper appears in the same format as it was published in the journal; citations should be made using the original journal publication details.
It is intended that this compendium will be the first in a series of such collections. A compendium has also been published in the area of geotechnical engineering.

The scope of service provided by professional accountants is influenced by legislation and case law as well as the dictates of a variety of government and private sector agencies; including State Boards of Accountancy, Academic Accreditation Bodies, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, independent standard setting bodies such as the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board [US], the Financial Accounting Standards Board [US], and self-regulatory organizations such as State Societies of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. There are equivalent and emerging national and international bodies, such as the International Accounting Standards Board [IASB] that exist in most developed and developing countries. These attempt to coordinate the activities among nations. It is important for academics, students, practitioners, regulators and researchers to consider, study and understand the role and relationship of such bodies with the practice and content of their discipline. "Research in Accounting Regulation" is a refereed annual serial that seeks to publish high quality manuscripts, which address regulatory issues and policy affecting the practice of accountancy, broadly defined. Topics of interest include research based upon: self-regulatory activities; case law and litigation; government and quasi-governmental regulation; and the economics of regulation, including modelling. This research series aims to encourage the submission of original empirical, behavioural or applied research manuscripts that consider strategic and policy implications for regulation, regulatory models and markets. It is intended for individual researchers, practitioners, regulators and students of accountancy who desire to increase their understanding of the regulation of accountancy.

The Field of Public Economics has been changing rapidly in recent years, and the sixteen chapters contained in this Handbook survey many of the new developments. As a field, Public Economics is defined by its objectives rather than its techniques and much of what is new is the application of modern methods of economic theory and econometrics to problems that have been addressed by economists for over two hundred years. More generally, the discussion of public finance issues also involves elements of political science, finance and philosophy. These connections are evidence in several of the chapters that follow.
Public Economics is the positive and normative study of government's effect on the economy. We attempt to explain why government behaves as it does, how its behavior influences the behavior of private firms and households, and what the welfare effects of such changes in behavior are. Following Musgrave (1959) one may imagine three purposes for government intervention in the economy: allocation, when market failure causes the private outcome to be Pareto inefficient, distribution, when the private market outcome leaves some individuals with unacceptably low shares in the fruits of the economy, and stabilization, when the private market outcome leaves some of the economy's resources underutilized. The recent trend in economic research has tended to emphasize the character of stabilization problems as problems of allocation in the labor market. The effects that government intervention can have on the allocation and distribution of an economy's resources are described in terms of efficiency and incidence effects. These are the primary measures used to evaluate the welfare effects of government policy.

This volume introduces a unified, self-contained study of linear discrete parabolic problems through reducing the starting discrete problem to the Cauchy problem for an evolution equation in discrete time. Accessible to beginning graduate students, the book contains a general stability theory of discrete evolution equations in Banach space and gives applications of this theory to the analysis of various classes of modern discretization methods, among others, Runge-Kutta and linear multistep methods as well as operator splitting methods.

Key features:

* Presents a unified approach to examining discretization methods for parabolic equations.
* Highlights a stability theory of discrete evolution equations (discrete semigroups) in Banach space.
* Deals with both autonomous and non-autonomous equations as well as with equations with memory.
* Offers a series of numerous well-posedness and convergence results for various discretization methods as applied to abstract parabolic equations; among others, Runge-Kutta and linear multistep methods as well as certain operator splitting methods.
* Provides comments of results and historical remarks after each chapter.
. Presents a unified approach to examining discretization methods for parabolic equations.
. Highlights a stability theory of discrete evolution equations (discrete semigroups) in Banach space.
. Deals with both autonomous and non-autonomous equations as well as with equations with memory.
. Offers a series of numerous well-posedness and convergence results for various discretization methods as applied to abstract parabolic equations; among others, Runge-Kutta and linear multistep methods as well as certain operator splitting methods as well as certain operator splitting methods are studied in detail.
.Provides comments of results and historical remarks after each chapter."

Machine component wear is one of the costliest problems within industry. In fact, a 1997 survey in the UK placed wear costs at 25% of turnover, or approximately $1 billion. In many cases, making design and or material changes can reduce this cost by 50% or more!

This handbook reviews component wear, and guides the reader through solutions to wear problems, testing methods for materials and wear mechanisms, and information on wear performance of different materials for components. The bottom line is that is helps to reduce "the bottom line" removing risks associated with changes to machinery.

This book is based on practical use. It outlines the following practices: reviews of wear mechanisms that occur in various types of machinery and solutions to industrial wear problems; guides to relative wear performance of different component materials; comparison of the wear performance of those materials; reviews of laboratory tests to simulate wear, and selection of appropriate tests; identification of improved materials, and; examination of worn surfaces.

Key Features:

- Brilliantly illustrated with tables, photos of typical wear patterns, and line diagrams of test apparatus

- Includes 8 page color section

- Contents based on four-year study drawing on international experience of industrial wear problems and in-depth testing at research laboratories

Handbook of Conceptualization and Treatment of Child Psychopathology evaluates and illustrates the integration of conceptualization and treatment of child and adolescent psychopathology. Organized into seven parts, this book first discusses the issues of conceptualization and developmental considerations in treatment. Subsequent part delineates treatment models and specific interventions for disruptive behavior disorders. Parts III-VI elucidate mood, anxiety, eating and substance use disorders. The last part covers firesetting, trichotillomania, elimination disorders, schizophrenia, sleep problems, and dissociative disorders. This handbook is an educational tool for graduate students and a resource for psychologists, psychiatrists, school counselors, social workers, and other mental health practitioners who treat children and adolescents and their families.

'Practical Temperature Measurement' introduces the concepts of temperature and its measurement to engineers, physicists and chemists of all disciplines. The author describes the wide range of techniques and specific devices available for temperature measurement and provides guidance for the selection of a particular method for a given application. It is of value to engineering and physics postgraduates studying modules on instrumentation and process control and, in addition, for practical project work requiring an understanding of temperature measurement methods.
For postgraduates and industrialists faced with the task of selecting a particular measurement method or sensor for an experiment, product or process, this text provides both thorough descriptions of the various techniques, as well as guidance for their selection.
Essential for all those who need to measure temperature in real-life situations
Includes worked examples of real situations commonly found in industry

Music Engineering is a hands-on guide to the practical aspects of electric and electronic music. It is both a compelling read and an essential reference guide for anyone using, choosing, designing or studying the technology of modern music. The technology and underpinning science are introduced through the real life demands of playing and recording, and illustrated with references to well known classic recordings to show how a particular effect is obtained thanks to the ingenuity of the engineer as well as the musician. In addition, an accompanying companion website containing over 50 specially chosen tracks for download, provides practical demonstrations of the effects and techniques described in the book.
Written by a music enthusiast and electronic engineer, this book covers the electronics and physics of the subject as well as the more subjective aspects. The second edition includes an updated Digital section including MPEG3 and fact sheets at the end of each chapter to summarise the key electronics and science. In addition to instruments and recording technology, this book covers essential kit such as microphones, sequencers, amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Discover the potential of electronics and computers to transform your performances and recordings
Develop an understanding of the engineering behind state of the art instruments, amplifiers and recording equipment
An accompanying companion website completes the package with over 50 tracks providing practical demonstrations of the effects and techniques described in the book

This book provides a detailed overview of the theory of analytical and experimental modal analysis and its applications. Modal Analysis is the processes of determining the inherent dynamic characteristics of any system and using them to formulate a mathematical model of the dynamic behavior of the system. In the past two decades it has become a major technological tool in the quest for determining, improving and optimizing dynamic characteristics of engineering structures.
Its main application is in mechanical and aeronautical engineering, but it is also gaining widespread use in civil and structural engineering, biomechanical problems, space structures, acoustic instruments and nuclear engineering.

The only book to focus on the theory of modal analysis before discussing applications
A relatively new technique being utilized more and more in recent years which is now filtering through to undergraduate courses
Leading expert in the field

Throughout its history, Understanding Telephone Electronics has been, by far, one of the most popular books on telecommunication electronics in the trade, electronic distribution, and educational markets because of its very simple, direct approach to the technology. In keeping with the distinguished tradition of its predecessors, Understanding Telephone Electronics, Fourth Edition covers conventional telephone fundamentals, including both analog and modern digital communication techniques, and provides basic information on the functions of each telephone system component, how electronic circuits generate dial tones, and how the latest digital transmission techniques work.
This new edition of Stephen Bigelow's well-known, widely used text on telephone electronics offers comprehensive coverage of the latest developments in fiber optic technology, the convergence of telecommunications, cable-TV and Internet services, and CTI (computer telephony integration). The authors have made extensive revisions in these and other essential areas, such as business systems, voice mail, phone networking, enhanced services, satellite communications, wireless paging systems, digital communications, and much more to ensure that topics covered are current with the most recent advances in technology. The original Understanding Telephone Electronics has been a "gold standard" reference and training staple for years. Likewise, Understanding Telephone Electronics, Fourth Edition will serve as an essential and invaluable resource for technicians, engineers, students at major universities and corporations, and anyone with an enthusiasm for telecommunication electronics.
Provides comprehensive coverage of telephone system functions and the role of the Internet in telephony
Updates encompass the trends and advances of the booming telecommunications field, with new chapters on fiber optic technology and the Internet

As the visual effects industry has diversified, so too have the books written to serve the needs of this industry. Today there are hundreds of highly specialized titles focusing on particular aspects of film and broadcast animation, computer graphics, stage photography, miniature photography, color theory, and many others.
Visual Effects in a Digital World offers a much-needed reconsolidation of this knowledge. All of the industry's workers frequently need to understand concepts from other specialties, and this book-the only one of its kind-lets them look up and grasp the basics of any visual effects concept in a matter of seconds. It's a great way for everyone, regardless of experience, to find their way through the jargon and learn what they need to know.
* Authoritative coverage from a winner visual effects expert-winner of a British Academy Award and two Emmys.
* Cover topics such as computer graphics, digital compositing, live action, stage, and miniature photography, and a wide range of computer and Internet concepts.
* Offers job descriptions for positions found throughout the industry.
* Demystifies the jargon used by practitioners in every subspecialty.

This volume contains the papers presented at the Third International Conference on Thin-Walled Structures, Cracow, Poland on June 5-7, 2001.
There has been a substantial growth in knowledge in the field of Thin-Walled Structures over the past few decades. Lightweight structures are in widespread use in the Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical, Automobile, Chemical and Offshore Engineering fields. The development of new processes, new methods of connections, new materials has gone hand-in-hand with the evolution of advanced analytical methods suitable for dealing with the increasing complexity of the design work involved in ensuring safety and confidence in the finished products.
Of particular importance with regard to the analytical process is the growth in use of the finite element method. This method, about 40 years ago, was confined to rather specialist use, mainly in the aeronautical field, because of its requirements for substantial calculation capacity. The development over recent years of extremely powerful microcomputers has ensured that the application of the finite element method is now possible for problems in all fields of engineering, and a variety of finite element packages have been developed to enhance the ease of use and the availability of the method in the engineering design process.

People working in development of drugs, pesticides, washing detergents, etc., are obliged by law to conduct analyses of the "metabolic pathways" or "maps" for the chemical compounds that they are using or proposing.
Everyone in these industries or carrying out research toward such products is therefore interested in having a reference on these compounds.
Key Features
* Covers literature relating to degradation and metabolic profiles of molecules
* Draws together the literature on degradation and metabolism patterns with that on diversified conditions of the environmental systems
* Indicates 3D chemical structures, predicted physico-chemical parameters, logP and the SMILES chemical notations of the parent compounds to assist scientists design the lead compounds for new discovery using computer-aided technology

"Spatial Databases" is the first unified, in-depth treatment of special techniques for dealing with spatial data, particularly in the field of geographic information systems (GIS). This book surveys various techniques, such as spatial data models, algorithms, and indexing methods, developed to address specific features of spatial data that are not adequately handled by mainstream DBMS technology.

The book also reviews commercial solutions to geographic data handling: ArcInfo, ArcView, and Smallworld GISs; and two extensions to the relational model, PostgreSQL and Oracle Spatial. The authors examine these underlying GIS technologies, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and consider specific uses for which each product is best suited.
* Examines the strengths of various query languages and approaches to query processing.
* Explains the use of computational geometry in spatial databases GISs, providing necessary background and an in-depth look at key algorithms.
* Covers spatial access methods, including the R-tree and several space-driven structures, and is filled with dozens of helpful illustrations.

This comprehensive overview of chassis technology presents an up-to-date picture for vehicle construction and design engineers in education and industry. The book acts as an introduction to the engineering design of the automobile's fundamental mechanical systems. Clear text and first class diagrams are used to relate basic engineering principles to the particular requirements of the chassis. In addition, the 2nd edition of 'The Automotive Chassis' has a new author team and has been completely updated to include new technology in total vehicle and suspension design, including platform concept and four-wheel drive technology.

This volume is the outcome of an international symposium held in Berlin, FRG, which brought together researchers in the field of infant development. The contributors are from Europe and North America, and have as their primary professional interest either pediatrics, biology or psychology. These fields, in spite of common involvement and large overlap, still have to overcome communication problems and differences in scientific approaches. The emphasis of this book is on the efforts of the participants towards reaching a mutual understanding. In spite of disciplinary diversity, the papers in this book complement each other, and set the scene for future multidisciplinary research and exchange in the field of infant development.

Scope of Publication
A reference work for process designers and users of decanters, this book aims to bridge the information gap in this field - that between academic theory promoted in student textbooks and case study data in manufacturers sales literature.

Design
It includes information on design and specification, preparing the reader to select and correctly size equipment.

Purchase
As a design or project engineer working with vendors to make final equipment selection, this work provides the readers with the full facts before they start talking to product vendors.

Supply
In an environment of industry consolidation, the handbook allows you to track suppliers old and new, providing a basis on which users can find the new relevant company for the parts/service he/she wishes to purchase.

Operation
Once an equipment purchase is made, the user needs to be made aware of how to optimally operate decanters. The "Decanter Centrifuge Handbook" covers relevant (process) operating issues such as instrumentation and control and the use of flocculents.

Some well-known age-related neurological diseases include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, deafness, and blindness. Even more common are the problems of aging which are not due to disease but to more subtle impairments in neurobiological systems, including impairments in vision, memory loss, muscle weakening, and loss of reproductive functions, changes in body weight, and sleeplessness. As the average age of our society increases, diseases of aging continue to become more common, and conditions associated with aging need more attention by doctors and researchers. In 1991, patients over the age of 65 saw their doctors an average of eight times per year. Research funding is provided by the Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging (NNA) Program, which is run by the National Institute on Aging. This book offers a comprehensive overview of all topics related to functional impairments which are related to the aging brain and nervous system. It is organized according to four general functions: movement, senses, memory, and neuroendocrine regulation. Written by the leading researchers in the field, this comprehensive work addresses both impairments associated with diseases and not associated with diseases, making it easier to understand the mechanisms involved. Functional Neurobiology of Aging is an important reference for professionals and students involved in aging research, as well as physicians who need to recognize and understand age-related impairments.
Key Features
* Organized by function, making it easy to find and understand the material
* Addresses impairments both associated with diseases and not associated with diseases
* Written by leading researchers in the field
* Most comprehensive source of information on the neurobiology of aging

Oscilloscopes are essential tools for checking circuit operation and diagnosing faults, and an enormous range of models are available. But which is the right one for a particular application? Which features are essential and which not so important? Ian Hickman has the answers.
This handy guide to oscilloscopes is essential reading for anyone who has to use a 'scope for their work or hobby: electronics designers, technicians, anyone in industry involved in test and measurement, electronics enthusiasts... Ian Hickman's review of all the latest types of 'scope currently available will prove especially useful for anyone planning to buy - or even build - an oscilloscope.
The science and electronics of how oscilloscopes work is explained in order to enhance the reader's appreciation of how to use their 'scope. The practical use of oscilloscope is explained with clarity and supported with examples, encouraging the reader to think about the application of their oscilloscope and improve their use of this complex instrument.
The advance of digital technology makes this timely revision of Ian Hickman's well known book an essential update for electronics professionals and enthusiasts alike.
The only fully up-to-date guide to oscilloscopes available
A practical guide to getting the most out of an oscilloscope
Essential reading for anyone planning to invest in an expensive piece of equipment

This book contains 15 fully peer-reviewed Invited Papers which were presented at the 13th Biennial European Conference on Fracture and is a companion to the CD-ROM http: //www.elsevier.com/locate/isbn/008043701xProceedings.
The organisers of the ECF 13 opted from the very beginning for an application-orientated conference, and consequently, this book contributes to the understanding of fracture phenomena, and disseminates fracture concepts and their application to the solution of engineering problems to practitioners in a wide range of fields.
The fields covered in this book can be broadly classified into: elastic-plastic fracture mechanics, fracture dynamics, fatigue and interactive processes, failure, structural integrity, coatings and materials, with applications to the following industrial sectors: transport, aerospace engineering, civil engineering, pipelines and automotive engineering.