The book focuses on system dependability modeling and calculation, considering the impact of s-dependency and uncertainty. The best suited approaches for practical system dependability modeling and calculation, (1) the minimal cut approach, (2) the Markov process approach, and (3) the Markov minimal cut approach as a combination of (1) and (2) are described in detail and applied to several examples. The stringently used Boolean logic during the whole development process of the approaches is the key for the combination of the approaches on a common basis. For large and complex systems, efficient approximation approaches, e.g. the probable Markov path approach, have been developed, which can take into account s-dependencies be-tween components of complex system structures. A comprehensive analysis of aleatory uncertainty (due to randomness) and epistemic uncertainty (due to lack of knowledge), and their combination, developed on the basis of basic reliability indices and evaluated with the Monte Carlo simulation method, has been carried out. The uncertainty impact on system dependability is investigated and discussed using several examples with different levels of difficulty. The applications cover a wide variety of large and complex (real-world) systems. Actual state-of-the-art definitions of terms of the IEC 60050-192:2015 standard, as well as the dependability indices, are used uniformly in all six chapters of the book.

Over the last decades several researchers discovered that children, pupils and even young adults develop their own understanding of "how nature really works." These pre-concepts concerning combustion, gases or conservation of mass are brought into lectures and teachers have to diagnose and to reflect on them for better instruction. In addition, there are school-made misconceptions concerning equilibrium, acid-base or redox reactions which originate from inappropriate curriculum and instruction materials. The primary goal of this monograph is to help teachers at universities, colleges and schools to diagnose and cure the pre-concepts. In case of the school-made misconceptions it will help to prevent them from the very beginning through reflective teaching. The volume includes detailed descriptions of class-room experiments and structural models to cure and to prevent these misconceptions."

The three volumes VIII/1A, B, C document the state of the art of Laser Physics and Applications . Scientific trends and related technological aspects are considered by compiling results and conclusions from phenomenology, observation and experiments. Reliable data, physical fundamentals and detailed references are presented.

In the recent decades the laser source matured to an universal tool common to scientific research as well as to industrial use. Today the main technical goal is the generation of optical power towards shorter wavelengths, shorter pulses, higher efficiency and higher power for applications in science and industry. Tailoring the optical energy in wavelength, space and time is a requirement for the investigation of laser-induced processes, i.e. excitation, non-linear amplification, storage of optical energy, etc. According to the actual trends in laser research and development, Vol. VIII/1 is split into three parts: Vol. VIII/1A with its two subvolumes 1A1 and 1A2 covers laser fundamentals, Vol. VIII/1B with its three subvolumes 1B1, 1B2 and 1B3 deals with laser systems and Vol. VIII/1C gives an overview on laser applications.

Lightning represents a natural phenomenon of substantial interest. Due to its complex nature, research continues in many countries and reveals amazing results. Lightning is actively observed because of its relevance to Earth climate and air composition in addition to the classical aspects of related human fatalities and damage to forests, buildings, power lines, aircraft, structures and electronic devices. In this volume, the most important contemporary questions on lightning are addressed and analyzed under many experimental and theoretical aspects. Lightning detection techniques using ground-based and space-borne methods are described, along with network engineering and statistical analysis. Contributions detail research on atmospheric electricity, cloud physics, lightning physics, modeling of electrical storms and middle atmospheric events. Special phenomena such as triggered lightning and sprite observations are examined. Lightning-induced nitrogen oxides and their effects on atmospheric chemistry and climate are discussed. Each topic is presented by international experts in the field. Topics include: * air chemistry * convective storms * infrasound from lightning * lightning and climate change * lightning and precipitation * lightning and radiation * lightning and supercells * lightning and thunderstorms * lightning detection * lightning from space * lighting protection * lightning return strokes * observations and interpretations * spatial distribution and frequency * triggered lightning * weather extremes

This book provides an in-depth understanding of precise and approximate MMC modeling and calculation techniques of engineering systems. The in-depth analysis demonstrates that it is only possible to precisely model and calculate the dependability of systems including s-dependent components with the knowledge of their (total) universe spaces, represented here by Markov spaces. They provide the basis for developing and verifying approximate MMC models. With the mathematical steps described and applied to several examples throughout this text, interested system developers and users can perform dependability analyses themselves. All examples are structured in precisely the same way.

For everybody teaching chemistry or becoming a chemistry teacher, the authors provide a practice-oriented overview with numerous examples from current chemical education, including experiments, models and exercises as well as relevant results from research on learning and teaching. With their proven concept, the authors cover classical topics of chemical education as well as modern topics such as every-day-life chemistry, student's misconceptions, the use of media or the challenges of motivation. This is the completely revised and updated English edition of a highly successful German title.

This volume features contributions from participants of the ESRF symposium on "Immunotherapy in 2020a "Visions and Trends for Targeting Inflammatory Diseases" held in Potsdam near Berlin, Germany, in October 2006.

The symposium presentations covered the main mechanisms of immunoregulation such as peripheral and central tolerance, epigenetic programming, immunologic memory, and regulatory networks in inflammation as well as novel experimental and clinical approaches for targeting inflammation in autoimmunity and transplantation. An important related question is how recent findings in immunological research can lead to improved diagnostics, new drugs, and better therapies. The targeting of novel pathways and immunoregulatory mechanisms, the challenge of immunologic memory for lastingly successful anti-inflammatory therapy, new approaches for adoptive T cell and polyclonal antibody therapies, and the individualization of immunomodulatory therapies are thereby topics of this volume.

This book explains the usage and application of Molecular Quantum Dynamics, the methodology where both the electrons and the nuclei in a molecule are treated with quantum mechanical calculations. This volume of Lecture Notes in Chemistry addresses graduate students and postdocs in the field of theoretical chemistry, as well as postgraduate students, researchers and teachers from neighboring fields, such as quantum physics, biochemistry, biophysics, or anyone else who is interested in this rising method in theoretical chemistry, and who wants to gain experience in the opportunities it can offer. It can also be useful for teachers interested in illustrative examples of time-dependent quantum mechanics as animations of realistic wave packets have been designed to assist in visualization. Assuming a basic knowledge about quantum mechanics, the authors link their explanations to recent experimental investigations where Molecular Quantum Dynamics proved successful and necessary for the understanding of the experimental results. Examples including reactive scattering, photochemistry, tunneling, femto- and attosecond chemistry and spectroscopy, cold chemistry or crossed-beam experiments illustrate the power of the method. The book restricts complicated formalism to the necessary and in a self-contained and clearly explained way, offering the reader an introduction to, and instructions for, practical exercises. Continuative explanation and math are optionally supplemented for the interested reader. The reader learns how to apply example simulations with the MCTDH program package (Multi Configuration Time Dependent Hartree calculations). Readers can thus obtain the tools to run their own simulations and apply them to their problems. Selected scripts and program code from the examples are made available as supplementary material. This book bridges the gap between the existing textbooks on fundamental theoretical chemistry and research monographs focusing on sophisticated applications. It is a must-read for everyone who wants to gain a sound understanding of Molecular Quantum Dynamics simulations and to obtain basic experience in running their own simulations.

Although software engineering can trace its beginnings to a NATO conf- ence in 1968, it cannot be said to have become an empirical science until the 1970s with the advent of the work of Prof. Victor Robert Basili of the University of Maryland. In addition to the need to engineer software was the need to understand software. Much like other sciences, such as physics, chemistry, and biology, software engineering needed a discipline of obs- vation, theory formation, experimentation, and feedback. By applying the scientific method to the software engineering domain, Basili developed concepts like the Goal-Question-Metric method, the Quality-Improvement- Paradigm, and the Experience Factory to help bring a sense of order to the ad hoc developments so prevalent in the software engineering field. On the occasion of Basili's 65th birthday, we present this book c- taining reprints of 20 papers that defined much of his work. We divided the 20 papers into 6 sections, each describing a different facet of his work, and asked several individuals to write an introduction to each section. Instead of describing the scope of this book in this preface, we decided to let one of his papers, the keynote paper he gave at the International C- ference on Software Engineering in 1996 in Berlin, Germany to lead off this book. He, better than we, can best describe his views on what is - perimental software engineering.

Managing in Britain and Germany compares British and German managers' behaviour and views of their work, and seeks to explain the differences. Based on a two year comparative study by British and German research teams, the book challenges the universal view of management presented in so many management books, by showing how differently German middle managers think and act. These differences are then unravelled and traced back to their various roots: ranging from the particular (nature of the job, product or organisation) to the general (the society's institutions and values). Written by leading management experts from Britain and Germany, the book provides useful lessons and insights for practising managers and for those studying management everywhere.

Fractional-Horsepower drives are crucial for all kinds of products, from simple domestic utensils to most complex technological applications. This handbook gives a practical overview on the available drives. It gives a comprehensive reference about design, functionality, properties, and applications of fractional horsepower drives and introduces into their control and the mechanical transducers. Additionally, the book shows us avenues for projecting new drives.

With first English edition of the bestselling German book, the author address practicing engineers as well as students of electrical and mechanical engineering, control and mechatronics.

Interquanta (IQ), an interactive program on quantum mechanics allows students to do their own quantum physics experiments on the computer, and to study in 3D color graphics such quantities as complex probability amplitude, eigencalues, scattering cross sections, and more. By experiencing many such computer experiments, students gain a unique, "hands-on" experience in quantum physics which is otherwise difficult to achieve. The graphic features include two-and three-dimensional graphics in the form of static frames and motion pictures.

Students do no programming, and hence need no previous detailed knowledge of this. The program has a very convenient, self-explanatory user interface based on the Java software technology. The book provides a recapitulation of the basic quantum mechanical formula, a manual to the IQ program, and a complete course with more than 300 tested problems. Fully automatic demonstration sessions are provided as introduction to interactive work.

Physics topics covered include free particles, bound states and scattering in various potentials in one and three space dimensions, two-particle systems, properties of special functions of mathematical physics.

Richly illustrated volume covers the development of modern German rifles and machine pistols, as well as their ammunition, and includes many rare and experimental types. Covered are the Werder rifle, Mauser rifles, the various M/71 rifles and ammunition, the 88 cartridge, the Infantry Rifle 88, the 98 rifles, the FallschirmjAger rifle, the 41 & 43 rifles, ERMA and Walther machine pistols and many more.

The Manifesto data are the only comprehensive set of policy indicators for social, economic and political research. It is thus vital that their quality is established. The purpose of this book is to review methodological issues that have got in the way of straightforwardly using the Manifesto data since our two preceding volumes were published and to resolve them in ways which best serve users and textual analysts in general. The book is thus generally about text-based quantitative analysis with a particular focus on the quality of the CMP-MARPOR data and ways of assessing and using them, In doing so the book goes beyond normal data documentation - essential though that is - to confront the analytic issues faced by users of the data now distributed by MARPOR. It also provides concrete strategies for tackling these at the research level, with examples from the field of political representation. The problems of uncertainty, error, reliability and validity considered here are generic issues for political analysts in any area of research, so the book has an interest extending beyond the Manifesto estimates themselves - in particular to other textual analyses. In addition the book widens the range of applications introduced in our two previous volumes and discusses the extension of the manifesto project database to cover Latin America.

As a consequence of various rounds of EU enlargements, the degree of cultural diversity in Europe has intensified - a phenomenon which is increasingly perceived as problematic by many EU citizens. This fascinating book not only empirically explores the current state of the identity and the legitimacy of the EU as viewed by its citizens, but also evaluates their attitudes towards it. The expert contributors show that the development of a European identity and a common European culture is a prerequisite for European integration; that European identity and a common political culture will not develop rapidly but emerge slowly, and that the beginnings of a European identity and a common European culture are currently emerging. The roles of civil society organizations and political parties are examined within this context, and an explanatory model with subjective predictors of the attitudes towards the EU is tested. The empirical analysis is underpinned by a theoretical framework incorporating operational definitions and conceptual discussion of legitimacy and identity. This intriguing and thought-provoking book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and students focusing on political science and international relations.

Cities around the world are becoming increasingly popular as economic powerhouses and magnets for migrants from rural and suburban areas. All big cities in First and Third World countries as well as emerging markets such as New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Delhi, Jakarta etc. have to cope with high population density and serious challenges such as air pollution or traffic congestion. How do we pack more people into big cities and yet continue to realise a high quality of life? How do we plan, create and manage 'good cities' which are safe, spacious, green, connected, fair and resilient? How can cities create economic wealth while still fulfilling the vision of sustaining our 'Green Planet'? What are best practice designs and innovative technical smart city solutions which could be leveraged to tackle these challenges and how can they be successfully commercialised?These are some of the questions the reader addresses from a multi-disciplinary perspective with special reference to Singapore whose development from regional entrepot to First World Metropolis continues to impress business and societal leaders around the world.The book's contents are broadly structured according to the following aspects: (i) definition and taxonomy of innovative & sustainable cities, including its core characteristics and how they create value in terms of innovativeness and sustainability; (ii) governance, planning and selected design principles of innovative & sustainable cities and how they pan out with regard to livability and sustainability; and (iii) in-depth study of selected smart city dimensions such as governance, clustering, connectivity, mobility, ageing, water, sports, and safety.

Cities around the world are becoming increasingly popular as economic powerhouses and magnets for migrants from rural and suburban areas. All big cities in First and Third World countries as well as emerging markets such as New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Delhi, Jakarta etc. have to cope with high population density and serious challenges such as air pollution or traffic congestion. How do we pack more people into big cities and yet continue to realise a high quality of life? How do we plan, create and manage 'good cities' which are safe, spacious, green, connected, fair and resilient? How can cities create economic wealth while still fulfilling the vision of sustaining our 'Green Planet'? What are best practice designs and innovative technical smart city solutions which could be leveraged to tackle these challenges and how can they be successfully commercialised?These are some of the questions the reader addresses from a multi-disciplinary perspective with special reference to Singapore whose development from regional entrepot to First World Metropolis continues to impress business and societal leaders around the world.The book's contents are broadly structured according to the following aspects: (i) definition and taxonomy of innovative & sustainable cities, including its core characteristics and how they create value in terms of innovativeness and sustainability; (ii) governance, planning and selected design principles of innovative & sustainable cities and how they pan out with regard to livability and sustainability; and (iii) in-depth study of selected smart city dimensions such as governance, clustering, connectivity, mobility, ageing, water, sports, and safety.

This book serves as a textbook for courses on Asian studies with a focus on ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs and business management in Asia. It provides a comprehensive Asian perspective on the organizational peculiarities and changing business practices of ethnic Chinese businesses and their leaders who continue to form the backbone of Asia's dynamic economies. The book features selected chapters written by reputable scholars on Chinese business, covering diverse and yet closely related topics such as the role of ethnic identity, trust, guanxi, Chineseness, leadership, change management, learning and knowledge management in organizations owned and managed by ethnic Chinese.

This book serves as a textbook for courses on Asian studies with a focus on ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs and business management in Asia. It provides a comprehensive Asian perspective on the organizational peculiarities and changing business practices of ethnic Chinese businesses and their leaders who continue to form the backbone of Asia's dynamic economies. The book features selected chapters written by reputable scholars on Chinese business, covering diverse and yet closely related topics such as the role of ethnic identity, trust, guanxi, Chineseness, leadership, change management, learning and knowledge management in organizations owned and managed by ethnic Chinese.

Based on the success of the "World Scientific publication Governing and Managing Knowledge" edited by Thomas Menkhoff, Hans-Dieter Evers and Chay Yue Wah in 2005, this unique volume presents 16 new theoretical-practical papers on the strategic aspects of developing knowledge-based economies with case studies from South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Uzbekistan. A key question which the book seeks to answer is what Asian policy-makers and leaders in government, economy and society can do to further enhance learning and capability formation so as to foster sustainable development in an increasingly globalized world. It addresses the politico-cultural and socio-economic challenges of effectively managing both knowledge resources and coping with the great digital divide created by globalization, continuous technology innovations and rapid external change. A key objective of the publication is to enable latecomers in the knowledge race to understand some of the critical success factors of sustainable knowledge-based development and what it takes to build a resilient knowledge-based economy.

The field of knowledge for development now occupies a top position on the agenda of all Asian governments as well as large development organizations. This book reflects this mega-trend of development towards KBEs (Knowledge Based Economies). For this 2nd edition all chapters have been thoroughly edited and data, tables and graphs have been updated to reflect the latest available statistics. Trends have been re-evaluated and adjusted to reflect recent developments in the fast-moving scene of knowledge governance and knowledge management.