This encyclopedia provides a comprehensive reference to topics in biometrics including concepts, modalities, algorithms, devices, systems, security, performance testing, applications and standardization. With an A–Z format and over 1400 entries, it provides easy access to relevant information on all aspects of biometrics for those seeking entry into this broad field. Entries are written by…
This book consists of both expository and research articles solicited from speakers at the conference entitled "Arithmetic and Ideal Theory of Rings and Semigroups," held September 22–26, 2014 at the University of Graz, Graz, Austria. It reflects recent trends in multiplicative ideal theory and factorization theory, and brings together for the first time in one volume both commutative and non…
This book presents state-of-the-art computational attention models that have been successfully tested in diverse application areas and can build the foundation for artificial systems to efficiently explore, analyze, and understand natural scenes. It gives a comprehensive overview of the most recent computational attention models for processing visual and acoustic input. It covers the biological…
This book focuses on natural gas and synthetic methane as contemporary and future energy sources. Following a historical overview, physical and chemical properties, occurrence, extraction, transportation and storage of natural gas are discussed. Sustainable production of natural gas and methane as well as production and storage of synthetic methane are scrutinized next. A substantial part of th…
This book reports on the state of the art in the field of multiphysics systems. It consists of accurately reviewed contributions to the MMSSD’2014 conference, which was held from December 17 to 19, 2004 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The different chapters, covering new theories, methods and a number of case studies, provide readers with an up-to-date picture of multiphysics modeling and simulation. T…
This book offers a comprehensive collection of the most advanced numerical techniques for the efficient and effective solution of simulation and optimization problems governed by systems of time-dependent differential equations. The contributions present various approaches to time domain decomposition, focusing on multiple shooting and parareal algorithms. The range of topics covers theoreti…
The aim of this book is to publicise and bring to a wider audience the concept that the cause of two neurological diseases, namely multiple sclerosis (MS) and “mad cow disease” also known as “bovine spongiform encephalopathy” are related through exposure to a common microbe Acinetobacter which is found in human sinuses, on skin and in the soil. An infection is the cause of a neurologica…
This book discusses the historic range of variation (HRV) in the types, frequencies, severities and scales of natural disturbances, and explores how they create heterogeneous structure within upland hardwood forests of the Central Hardwood Region (CHR). The book was written in response to a 2012 forest planning rule which requires that national forests to be managed to sustain ‘ecological int…
This book is devoted to recent developments and applications of multiple criteria decision aid tools in the field of finance, insurance and investment. It illustrates recent methods and procedures designed to solve problems related to finance, insurance and portfolio selection formulated through a mathematical programming framework and for which a large number of conflicting and incommensurable…
This work responds to the increasing global need of measuring and analyzing impacts, vulnerabilities and coping capacity of countries, regions and communities regarding climate change, extreme weather conditions, natural disasters and institutional constraints. The case of Mexico, analyzed in this work, provides lessons for further developing countries to assess natural disasters vulnerability,…