Intelligent Image and Video Compression: Communicating Pictures, Second Edition explains the requirements, analysis, design and application of a modern video coding system. It draws on the authors' extensive academic and professional experience in this field to deliver a text that is algorithmically rigorous yet accessible, relevant to modern standards and practical. It builds on a thorough grounding in mathematical foundations and visual perception to demonstrate how modern image and video compression methods can be designed to meet the rate-quality performance levels demanded by today's applications and users, in the context of prevailing network constraints. "David Bull and Fan Zhang have written a timely and accessible book on the topic of image and video compression. Compression of visual signals is one of the great technological achievements of modern times, and has made possible the great successes of streaming and social media and digital cinema. Their book, Intelligent Image and Video Compression covers all the salient topics ranging over visual perception, information theory, bandpass transform theory, motion estimation and prediction, lossy and lossless compression, and of course the compression standards from MPEG (ranging from H.261 through the most modern H.266, or VVC) and the open standards VP9 and AV-1. The book is replete with clear explanations and figures, including color where appropriate, making it quite accessible and valuable to the advanced student as well as the expert practitioner. The book offers an excellent glossary and as a bonus, a set of tutorial problems. Highly recommended!" --Al Bovik

This book explores the practices in a Zen Buddhist temple located in Northwest Ohio against the backdrop of globalization. Drawing on the previous studies on Buddhist modernization and westernization, it provides a better understanding of the westernization of Buddhism and its adapted practices and rituals in the host culture. Using rhetorical criticism methodology, the author approaches this temple as an embodiment of Buddhist rhetoric with both discursive and non-discursive expressions within the discourses of modernity. By analyzing the rhetorical practices at the temple through abbots' teaching videos, the temple website, members' dharma names, and the materiality of the temple space and artifacts, the author discovers how Buddhist rhetoric functions to constitute and negotiate the religious identities of the community members through its various rituals and activities. At the same time, the author examines how the temple's space and settings facilitate the collective the formation and preservation of the Buddhist identity. Through a nuanced discussion of Buddhist rhetoric, this book illuminates a new rhetorical methodology to understand religious identity construction. Furthermore, it offers deeper insights into the future development of modern Buddhism, which are also applicable to Buddhist practitioners and other major world religions.

This book introduces the latest advances made in both fundamental studies and potential applications of upconversion nanomaterials, particularly in the field of high-resolution in vitro bioanalysis and in vivo imaging. This book starts with the synthesis and characterization, and focuses on applications ranging from materials science to biology. Above all, it describes cutting-edge advances in upconversion nanophosphor (UCNP)-based applications in multiplexed encoding, guest delivery and release systems, photodynamic therapy (PDT), solar cells, photocatalysis and so on. The major barriers that currently prevent UCNPs from being used in mainstream applications are also presented in detail.

This book will describe ultra low-power, integrated circuits and systems designed for the emerging field of neural signal recording and processing, and wireless communication. Since neural interfaces are typically implanted, their operation is highly energy-constrained. This book introduces concepts and theory that allow circuit operation approaching the fundamental limits. Design examples and measurements of real systems are provided. The book will describe circuit designs for all of the critical components of a neural recording system, including: Amplifiers which utilize new techniques to improve the trade-off between good noise performance and low power consumption. Analog and mixed-signal circuits which implement signal processing tasks specific to the neural recording application: Detection of neural spikes Extraction of features that describe the spikes Clustering, a machine learning technique for sorting spikes Weak-inversion operation of analog-domain transistors, allowing processing circuits that reduce the requirements for analog-digital conversion and allow low system-level power consumption. Highly-integrated, sub-mW wireless transmitter designed for the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) and ISM bands.

This volume gathers papers presented at the Workshop on Computational Diffusion MRI (CDMRI 2019), held under the auspices of the International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI), which took place in Shenzhen, China on October 17, 2019. This book presents the latest advances in the rapidly expanding field of diffusion MRI. It shares new perspectives on the latest research challenges for those currently working in the field, but also offers a valuable starting point for anyone interested in learning about computational techniques in diffusion MRI. The book includes rigorous mathematical derivations, a wealth of rich, full-colour visualisations and extensive clinically relevant results. As such, it will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of computer science, MRI physics and applied mathematics. Readers will find contributions covering a broad range of topics, from the mathematical foundations of the diffusion process and signal generation, to new computational methods and estimation techniques for the in vivo recovery of microstructural and connectivity features, as well as diffusion-relaxometry and frontline applications in research and clinical practice. This edition includes invited works from high-profile researchers with a specific focus on three new and important topics that are gaining momentum within the diffusion MRI community, including diffusion MRI signal acquisition and processing strategies, machine learning for diffusion MRI, and diffusion MRI outside the brain and clinical applications.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of recently developed space multi-tethers, such as maneuverable space tethered nets and space tethered formation. For each application, it provides detailed derivatives to describe and analyze the mathematical model of the system, and then discusses the design and proof of different control schemes for various problems. The dynamics modeling presented is based on Newton and Lagrangian mechanics, and the book also introduces Hamilton mechanics and Poincare surface of section for dynamics analysis, and employs both centralized and distributed controllers to derive the formation question of the multi-tethered system. In addition to the equations and text, it includes 3D design drawings, schematic diagrams, control scheme blocks and tables to make it easy to understand. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students in the fields of astronautics, control science, and engineering.

This textbook characterizes the economics of telecommunication services from an engineering perspective. The authors bring out the fundamental drivers of the industry and characterize networks from a graph theoretic perspective, including random, small world, and scale free networks. The authors relate the topology of a telecommunication network using circuit and packet switched architectures to throughput and other performance parameters. The pricing model proposed in this book is based on the cost of displaced opportunity as opposed to the cost of the elements of the network engaged in delivering a service. The displaced opportunity is characterized by the revenue associated with the service that the network could have alternatively delivered most efficiently using an identical level of resources. The book addresses other topics such as regulation in legacy networks, and net neutrality. Finally, the book introduces the application of game theory in a multi-vendor, multi-services competitive marketplace. The book aims to bridge the gap between the science of economics as practiced by economists and practice of pricing from a telecommunication engineer's perspective. This book is suitable for use by senior undergraduate or graduate students of telecommunication engineering or researchers and practitioners in telecommunication engineering.

This volume contains original, refereed contributions by researchers from national metrology institutes, universities and laboratories across the world involved in metrology and testing. The volume has been produced by the International Measurement Confederation Technical Committee 21, Mathematical Tools for Measurements and is the twelfth in the series. The papers cover topics in numerical analysis and computational tools, statistical inference, regression, calibration and metrological traceability, computer science and data provenance, and describe applications in a wide range of application domains. This volume is useful to all researchers, engineers and practitioners who need to characterize the capabilities of measurement systems and evaluate measurement data. It will also be of interest to scientists and engineers concerned with the reliability, trustworthiness and reproducibility of data and data analytics in data-driven systems in engineering, environmental and life sciences.

This volume contains original, refereed contributions by researchers from institutions and laboratories across the world that are involved in metrology and testing. They were adapted from presentations made at the eleventh edition of the Advanced Mathematical and Computational Tools in Metrology and Testing conference held at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, in September 2017, organized by IMEKO Technical Committee 21, the National Physical Laboratory, UK, and the University of Strathclyde. The papers present new modeling approaches, algorithms and computational methods for analyzing data from metrology systems and for evaluation of the measurement uncertainty, and describe their applications in a wide range of measurement areas.This volume is useful to all researchers, engineers and practitioners who need to characterize the capabilities of measurement systems and evaluate measurement data. Through the papers written by experts working in leading institutions, it covers the latest computational approaches and describes applications to current measurement challenges in engineering, environment and life sciences.

Tethered Space Robot: Dynamics, Measurement, and Control discusses a novel tethered space robot (TSR) system that contains the space platform, flexible tether and gripper. TSR can capture and remove non-cooperative targets such as space debris. It is the first time the concept has been described in a book, which describes the system and mission design of TSR and then introduces the latest research on pose measurement, dynamics and control. The book covers the TSR system, from principle to applications, including a complete implementing scheme. A useful reference for researchers, engineers and students interested in space robots, OOS and debris removal.

The main theme of the AMCTM 2008 conference, reinforced by the establishment of IMEKO TC21, was to provide a central opportunity for the metrology and testing community worldwide to engage with applied mathematicians, statisticians and software engineers working in the relevant fields.This review volume consists of reviewed papers prepared on the basis of the oral and poster presentations of the Conference participants. It covers all the general matters of advanced statistical modeling (e.g. uncertainty evaluation, experimental design, optimization, data analysis and applications, multiple measurands, correlation, etc.), metrology software (e.g. engineering aspects, requirements or specification, risk assessment, software development, software examination, software tools for data analysis, visualization, experiment control, best practice, standards, etc.), numerical methods (e.g. numerical data analysis, numerical simulations, inverse problems, uncertainty evaluation of numerical algorithms, applications, etc.), and data fusion techniques and design and analysis of inter-laboratory comparisons.

This book gathers papers presented at the Workshop on Computational Diffusion MRI, CDMRI 2020, held under the auspices of the International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI), which took place virtually on October 8th, 2020, having originally been planned to take place in Lima, Peru.This book presents the latest developments in the highly active and rapidly growing field of diffusion MRI. While offering new perspectives on the most recent research challenges in the field, the selected articles also provide a valuable starting point for anyone interested in learning computational techniques for diffusion MRI. The book includes rigorous mathematical derivations, a large number of rich, full-colour visualizations, and clinically relevant results. As such, it is of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of computer science, MRI physics, and applied mathematics. The reader will find numerous contributions covering a broad range of topics, from the mathematical foundations of the diffusion process and signal generation to new computational methods and estimation techniques for the in-vivo recovery of microstructural and connectivity features, as well as diffusion-relaxometry and frontline applications in research and clinical practice.

This book gathers papers presented at the Workshop on Computational Diffusion MRI, CDMRI 2020, held under the auspices of the International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI), which took place virtually on October 8th, 2020, having originally been planned to take place in Lima, Peru.This book presents the latest developments in the highly active and rapidly growing field of diffusion MRI. While offering new perspectives on the most recent research challenges in the field, the selected articles also provide a valuable starting point for anyone interested in learning computational techniques for diffusion MRI. The book includes rigorous mathematical derivations, a large number of rich, full-colour visualizations, and clinically relevant results. As such, it is of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of computer science, MRI physics, and applied mathematics. The reader will find numerous contributions covering a broad range of topics, from the mathematical foundations of the diffusion process and signal generation to new computational methods and estimation techniques for the in-vivo recovery of microstructural and connectivity features, as well as diffusion-relaxometry and frontline applications in research and clinical practice.

This volume gathers papers presented at the Workshop on Computational Diffusion MRI (CDMRI 2019), held under the auspices of the International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI), which took place in Shenzhen, China on October 17, 2019. This book presents the latest advances in the rapidly expanding field of diffusion MRI. It shares new perspectives on the latest research challenges for those currently working in the field, but also offers a valuable starting point for anyone interested in learning about computational techniques in diffusion MRI. The book includes rigorous mathematical derivations, a wealth of rich, full-colour visualisations and extensive clinically relevant results. As such, it will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of computer science, MRI physics and applied mathematics. Readers will find contributions covering a broad range of topics, from the mathematical foundations of the diffusion process and signal generation, to new computational methods and estimation techniques for the in vivo recovery of microstructural and connectivity features, as well as diffusion-relaxometry and frontline applications in research and clinical practice. This edition includes invited works from high-profile researchers with a specific focus on three new and important topics that are gaining momentum within the diffusion MRI community, including diffusion MRI signal acquisition and processing strategies, machine learning for diffusion MRI, and diffusion MRI outside the brain and clinical applications.

This textbook characterizes the economics of telecommunication services from an engineering perspective. The authors bring out the fundamental drivers of the industry and characterize networks from a graph theoretic perspective, including random, small world, and scale free networks. The authors relate the topology of a telecommunication network using circuit and packet switched architectures to throughput and other performance parameters. The pricing model proposed in this book is based on the cost of displaced opportunity as opposed to the cost of the elements of the network engaged in delivering a service. The displaced opportunity is characterized by the revenue associated with the service that the network could have alternatively delivered most efficiently using an identical level of resources. The book addresses other topics such as regulation in legacy networks, and net neutrality. Finally, the book introduces the application of game theory in a multi-vendor, multi-services competitive marketplace. The book aims to bridge the gap between the science of economics as practiced by economists and practice of pricing from a telecommunication engineer's perspective. This book is suitable for use by senior undergraduate or graduate students of telecommunication engineering or researchers and practitioners in telecommunication engineering.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of recently developed space multi-tethers, such as maneuverable space tethered nets and space tethered formation. For each application, it provides detailed derivatives to describe and analyze the mathematical model of the system, and then discusses the design and proof of different control schemes for various problems. The dynamics modeling presented is based on Newton and Lagrangian mechanics, and the book also introduces Hamilton mechanics and Poincare surface of section for dynamics analysis, and employs both centralized and distributed controllers to derive the formation question of the multi-tethered system. In addition to the equations and text, it includes 3D design drawings, schematic diagrams, control scheme blocks and tables to make it easy to understand. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students in the fields of astronautics, control science, and engineering.

This book explores the practices in a Zen Buddhist temple located in Northwest Ohio against the backdrop of globalization. Drawing on the previous studies on Buddhist modernization and westernization, it provides a better understanding of the westernization of Buddhism and its adapted practices and rituals in the host culture. Using rhetorical criticism methodology, the author approaches this temple as an embodiment of Buddhist rhetoric with both discursive and non-discursive expressions within the discourses of modernity. By analyzing the rhetorical practices at the temple through abbots' teaching videos, the temple website, members' dharma names, and the materiality of the temple space and artifacts, the author discovers how Buddhist rhetoric functions to constitute and negotiate the religious identities of the community members through its various rituals and activities. At the same time, the author examines how the temple's space and settings facilitate the collective the formation and preservation of the Buddhist identity. Through a nuanced discussion of Buddhist rhetoric, this book illuminates a new rhetorical methodology to understand religious identity construction. Furthermore, it offers deeper insights into the future development of modern Buddhism, which are also applicable to Buddhist practitioners and other major world religions.

In this concise but authoritative book, the authors take the reader through the epidemiology, risk factors and the basic mechanism of coronary artery disease. In addition, they explain how coronary microvascular dysfunction can lead to angina, even after successful angioplasty following a heart attack. The methods for diagnosis and the options for treatment are explained, ending with a discussion of the evolution of coronary angioplasty from balloon catheters to novel, fully resorbable polymeric drug eluting stents. Enclosed is a list of currently available commercial devices, as well as a listing of experimental products under research and development, so that readers can appreciate the serious nature of this disease and have an understanding of how the medical device sector is attempting to address this major healthcare problem. Globally in 2010, ischemic heart disease was the cause of 13.3% of all deaths. In the US alone, the direct medical costs from coronary artery disease and stroke are currently estimated to be $126 billion per year, and are expected to rise to $309 billion by 2035.

Electricity shortages are among the biggest barriers to South Asia's development. Some 255 million people - more than a quarter of the world's off-grid population - live in South Asia, and millions of households and firms that are connected experience frequent and long hours of blackouts. Inefficiencies originating in every link of the electricity supply chain contribute significantly to the power deficit. Three types of distortions lead to most of the inefficiencies: institutional distortions caused by state ownership and weak governance; regulatory distortions resulting from price regulation, subsidies, and cross-subsidies; and social distortions (externalities) causing excessive environmental and health damages from energy use. Using a common analytical framework and covering all stages of power supply, In the Dark identifies and estimates how policy-induced distortions have affected South Asian economies. The book introduces two innovations. First, it goes beyond fiscal costs, evaluating the impact of distortions from a welfare perspective by measuring the impact on consumer wellbeing, producer surplus, and environmental costs. And second, the book adopts a broader definition of the sector that covers the entire power supply chain, including upstream fuel supply and downstream access and reliability. The book finds that the full cost of distortions in the power sector is far greater than previously estimated based on fiscal cost alone: The estimated total economic cost is 4-7 percent of the gross domestic product in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Some of the largest costs are upstream and downstream. Few other reforms could quickly yield the huge economic gains that power sector reform would produce. By expanding access to electricity and improving the quality of supply, power sector reform would also directly benefit poor households. The highest payoffs are likely to come from institutional reforms, expansion of reliable access, and the appropriate pricing of carbon and local air pollution emissions.

The study analyzes the social, sectoral, and fiscal impacts of the proposed district heating tariff reform in Belarus, and identifies and recommends measures to mitigate adverse impacts of district heating tariff increases on the households.

The causes of global warming and its consequences are clear, and the economic impacts of climate change are apparent. Climate change threatens development gains. Extreme weather events have brought severe droughts to Central Asia, heat waves and forest fires to the Russian Federation, and floods to Southeastern Europe. Unchecked emissions will result in rising economic costs and increasing risks to individuals. There is a clear case for all of the world's economies to move to a low-carbon growth path. Yet climate action has been inadequate, especially in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. With prospects of a global climate agreement uncertain, Growing Green: The Economic Benefits of Climate Action identifies the actions that governments in the region can take to reduce the carbon footprints of their economies. Many of these actions will more than pay for themselves, and quickly-especially when indirect benefits such as better health and increased competitiveness are considered. To realize these benefits, policy makers in ECA need to move quickly on three sets of priorities: use energy much more efficiently; gradually move to cleaner energy sources; and increase carbon capture in soils and forests. These actions will require transformations in power generation, industrial production, mobility, city living, and farming and forestry. Policy makers are justifiably worried that climate action may jeopardize economic performance and strain the budgets of poorer families. Growing Green: The Economic Benefits of Climate Action shows how well-designed growth and social policies can make climate action growth-enhancing while protecting the living standards of less well-off households. The ECA region has been a bystander on climate action, and sluggish in realizing the benefits of the economic and technological innovations available to combat climate change. Growing Green: The Economic Benefits of Climate Action aims to help ECA become a leader in confronting this challenge. In doing so, it shows how countries in the region can make climate action-along with economic growth and social inclusion-the third pillar of their development strategies. Growing Green: The Economic Benefits of Climate Action is a part of a series of three regional reports that includes Balancing Act: Cutting Energy Subsidies While Protecting Affordability and Energy Efficiency: Lessons Learned from Success Stories. These reports will be of interest to policy makers, government officials in finance and line ministries, nongovernmental organizations, and development practitioners.

This paper studies the design of optimal, privately-stipulated damages when breach of contract is possible at more than one point in time. It offers an intuitive explanation for why cancellation fees for some services (e.g., hotel reservations) increase as the time for performance approaches. If the seller makes investments over time to improve her value from trade, she will protect the value of her investments by demanding a higher compensation when the buyer breaches their contract at a time closer to when contract performance is due.

Born in a beautiful coastal town in Northern China, naive and warm-hearted Jiang Fan leaves the comforts of her hometown behind in search of her childhood friend, Xue Ning, who mysteriously disappeared and traveled to Hong Kong. Despite Jiang's best efforts, Xue is nowhere to be found. Jiang becomes acquainted with local law-enforcement officers who, touched by Jiang and Xue's childhood stories, offer their assistance. Yet they soon discover a terrifying fact; Xue's fate lies in the hands of Hong Kong's elite criminal society, the Gang. Meanwhile, Jiang's emergence as a business prodigy attracts the attention of the criminals. Using Xue as bait, the Gang lures Jiang to the dark side, and her friends soon become targets of assassination. With no choice, Jiang must toe a fine line between good and evil to save those she holds dear. She alone must stare down the barrel of the gun. (Chinese Language Novel)

In the last decade, bioimaging and therapy based on near-infrared (NIR) nanomaterials have played an important role in biotechnology due to their intrinsic advantages when compared with the traditional imaging probe and medicine. NIR nanomaterials allow deeper penetration depth, low detection threshold concentration and better targeted performance. This book systematically summarises the recent progress in the fabrication and application of NIR nanomaterials for biomedical imaging and therapy, and discusses the advantages, challenges and opportunities available. Near-infrared Nanomaterials contains achapter highlighting the outlook of these materials, detailing novel ideas for the further application of NIR nanomaterials in bioimaging and medicine. Written by leading experts working in the field, this title will have broad appeal to those working in chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, biology, bioengineering, biomedical science and biophysics.