Mammalian Host Defense Peptides (Advances in Molecular and Cellular Microbiology)

Book Description

This book draws together contributions from many leading scientists and reviews the most significant recent advances in the development of mammalian host defense peptides. These short, cationic single gene products have been isolated from a vast array of higher and lower organisms, and the conservation of function across so many species is an indication of their importance. Antimicrobial peptides are also the only new class of antimicrobial agent discovered in recent years, and there is interest in them as alternatives to conventional antibiotics.

Book Description

For decades now, chemists have been dreaming of observing exactly what happens at the molecular level during a chemical reaction. The breakthrough came at the end of the 80s with the development of special spectrometers that use extremely short-pulsed laser light and so enable measurements in the femtosecond range. Since then, "femtochemistry" has made rapid progress, due to intensive collaboration between physical chemists, spectroscopists, photochemists and physicists.

The first-class contributions collected here from top international femtochemists provide a comprehensive insight into this area of interdisciplinary research. The range extends from femtochemistry in nanohollows to the investigation of the dynamics of biological reactions in the femtosecond range, from ab initio approaches to quantum chemical reaction controls to two-dimensional, nonlinear optical spectroscopy in liquids. This overview of the current level of research is rounded off with A. Zewail's Nobel prizewinning lecture. The vast amount of information and numerous references make this not only an ideal introduction to the research, but also recommended reading for everyone concerned with this hot topic.

MALDI MS: A Practical Guide to Instrumentation, Methods and Applications

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MALDI MS: A Practical Guide to Instrumentation, Methods and Applications

Manufacturer: Wiley-VCH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Discovering Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics (2nd Edition) (The Genetics Place Series)

ASIN: 3527314407

Book Description

The introduction of the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization technique (MALDI) changed mass spectrometry (MS) into a powerful tool for biomedical analysis that is now widely employed in academic as well as industrial laboratories.

The 2002 Nobel Prize was awarded for the development of methods for identification and structure analyses of biological macromolecules. MALDI is one of the two mass spectrometric methods besides Electrospray which is universally used for this purpose.

Book Description

These fifteen essays explore the archaeological applications of an exciting new field of research in materials science. Since the first archaeometric uses of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) in the early 1980s, most applications have required the processing of solid samples with heat and/or strong acids. This is time consuming, expensive, and sometimes dangerous.

An alternative sample-introduction technique, laser ablation (LA), became commercially available in the mid-1990s. The coupling of laser ablation with state-of-the-art inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometers (ICP-MS) has resulted in the development of extremely sensitive microprobes capable of determining most elements of the periodic table. Already recognized as an invaluable technique in earth sciences, zoology, and botany, the use of LA-ICP-MS is being explored in archaeology.

Robert Speakman and Hector Neff bring together writings that specifically describe laser ablation, methods for data quantification, and applications. Originating in New World and Mediterranean sites, the materials whose analysis are described here include paints and glazes, ceramic pastes, lithics, human teeth and bone, and metals.

Contributors

David R. Abbott, Arizona State University, Tempe
Ronald L. Bishop, Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education
Vera Tiesler Blos, Universidad Autonoma, Yucátan
James W. Cogswell, Northland Research, Tempe, Arizona
Christina Conlee, University of California, Santa Barbara
Andrea Cucina, Universidad Autonoma, Yucátan
Benjamin Diebold, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Michael D. Glascock, University of Missouri, Columbia
Brigitte Kovacevich, Vanderbilt University, Nashville
Daniel Larson, California State University, Long Beach
Michael Love, California State University, Northridge
Elizabeth J. Miksa, Center for Desert Archaeology, Tucson
Michael P. Neeley, Montana State University, Bozeman
Axel E. Nielson, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
Helen P. Pollard, Michigan State University, East Lansing
Rachel Popelka, University of Missouri, Columbia
Peter Robertshaw, California State University, San Bernardino
Tom Roll, Montana State University, BozemanSachiko Sakai, University of California, Santa Barbara
Candace A. Sall, University of Missouri, Columbia
Katharina Schreiber, University of California, Santa Barbara
Payson Sheets, University of Colorado, BoulderA. Natasha Tabares, Ancient Enterprises, Inc., Santa Monica, California
Kevin J. Vaughn, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma
Marilee Wood, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Maria Nieves Zedeño, University of Arizona, Tucson

This volume brings together for the first time a collection of papers that specifically describe laser ablation, methods for data quantification, and applications to archaeological questions.

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time for the 5th edition?

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Lasers to Mass Spectrometry (Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology)
Kirk-Othmer
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471526843

Customer Reviews:

time for the 5th edition?.......2005-07-25

Maybe it's time for the 5th edition? This 4th edition is now ten years old. Still immensely comprehensive and useful, mind you. The roughly thousand articles therein scan a huge variety of subfields.

But material science has marched on. One huge change has been the recent economical fabrication of blue and green lasers, pioneered by a Japanese researcher. From a product standpoint, this enables a huge market in next generation DVDs, that use shorter wavelengths to read the DVD. Hence we get DVDs with higher capacity. And you can probably think of other uses too.

The above was only one example of a significant event in the field that occurred after the 4th edition. A newer edition might be welcomed by many.

Lasers and Mass Spectrometry (Oxford Series in Optical and Imaging Sciences)

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Lasers and Mass Spectrometry (Oxford Series in Optical and Imaging Sciences)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195059298

Book Description

Contributors to this volume focus on the fundamentals of the technique of analyzing material based on the atomic weight of the species, using the power and definition of lasers to enable measurement of smaller quantities and more finely localized particles. Each chapter deals with a particular application area and should be sufficient to form an entry point for the utilization of mass spectrometry by graduate students and researchers. The book provides the first full discussion of the new techniques of laser applications in the field.

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Lasers and Mass Spectrometry.
David M. (ed) Lubman
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M43XZ8

Analysis of arsenic and calcium in soil samples by laser ablation mass spectrometry [An article from: Analytica Chimica Acta]

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Analysis of arsenic and calcium in soil samples by laser ablation mass spectrometry [An article from: Analytica Chimica Acta]
A.M. Beccaglia , C.A. Rinaldi , and J.C. Ferrero
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B000PAUEZG

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This digital document is a journal article from Analytica Chimica Acta, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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We present an analytical procedure based on laser ablation mass spectrometry (LAMS) in order to detect and quantify arsenic and calcium in soil samples and we analyze the diverse factors that influence the precision of LAMS, such as laser fluence and matrix effect. The results indicate that a Zn matrix is a good choice for the analysis of those metals in soil samples. This work also provides a method for the direct determination of As in soil samples whose concentrations are lower than 100ppm with a 70ppm minimum detection limits (MDL).

Analysis of cigarette smoke by laser desorption mass spectrometry [An article from: Analytica Chimica Acta]

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Analysis of cigarette smoke by laser desorption mass spectrometry [An article from: Analytica Chimica Acta]
V. Carre , F. Aubriet , and J.F. Muller
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR3F1M

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Analytica Chimica Acta, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Laser desorption ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (LDI-FTICRMS) has been successfully applied for the characterization of tobacco smokes. The versatily of analysis allows inorganic and organic tobacco smoke constituents to be identified. As a function of ion detection mode and laser irradiance experimental conditions, inorganic nitrate and sulfate as well as nicotine and associated nicotine, tobacco-specific nitrosamine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, polyoxygenated compounds are highlighted. The high mass resolution and the high mass accuracy attained by LDI-FTICRMS measurements allow the unambiguous assignment of detected species for m/z <250 to be achieved.

Analysis of variance-principal component analysis: A soft tool for proteomic discovery [An article from: Analytica Chimica Acta]

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Analysis of variance-principal component analysis: A soft tool for proteomic discovery [An article from: Analytica Chimica Acta]
P.d.B. Harrington , N.E. Vieira , J. Espinoza , and Nien
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR6WD0

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Analytica Chimica Acta, published by Elsevier in . The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
A soft tool for detection of biomarkers in high dimensional data sets has been developed. The tool combines analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Covariations are separated using ANOVA into main effects and interaction. The covariances for each effect are combined with the pure error and subjected to PCA. If the main effect is significant compared to the residual error, the first principal component will span this source of variation. This technique avoids rotation of the principal components and when significant the variable loadings are amenable to interpretation. ANOVA-PCA is demonstrated as a tool for optimization of a proteomic assay for biomarkers. Two independent sets of matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectra (MALDI-MS) were collected from amniotic fluids. These studies gave consistent biomarkers for premature delivery.

A basic study of lipsticks utilizing microspectrophotometry, laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: (Dissertation)

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A basic study of lipsticks utilizing microspectrophotometry, laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: (Dissertation)
Carissa Ann Stark
Manufacturer: ProQuest Information and Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Citation Details

Distributed by ProQuest Information and Learning

Book Description

In this book the authors consider the natural environment as an integrated system and describe a cohesive approach to its modelling and prediction. The book emphasises the mathematical representation and numerical simulation of the interactions between the various environmental components and those of the environmental processes, including physical, chemical and biological. Furthermore, it summarises some of the recent progress and new developments in the modelling and prediction of the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, continental hydrosphere, cryosphere, etc. The authors also explore new theoretical frameworks in environmental prediction, such as systems analysis and statistical-dynamic modelling. The applications of remote sensing and geographic information systems in environmental modelling and prediction are discussed. Examples of integrated environmental modelling are given

Fate of Chemicals in the Environment: Compartmental Modeling for Predictions : Based on a Symposium Sponsored by the Acs Division of Pesticide Chemi (ACS symposium series)

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Fate of Chemicals in the Environment: Compartmental Modeling for Predictions : Based on a Symposium Sponsored by the Acs Division of Pesticide Chemi (ACS symposium series)
Robert L. Swann
Manufacturer: Amer Chemical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0841207925

Calculation of environmental concentration and comparison of output for existing chemicals using regional multimedia modeling [An article from: Chemosphere]

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Calculation of environmental concentration and comparison of output for existing chemicals using regional multimedia modeling [An article from: Chemosphere]
K. Kawamoto , and K.A. Park
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B000RR9I1I

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Chemosphere, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The environmental fate of 40 existing chemicals is discussed using the EUSES multimedia distribution and risk assessment model with site-specific parameter setting in an urban area of Japan including a highly industrial region. There has been a strong need to assess the environmental fate of a huge number of existing chemicals. Data on the emission amounts of chemicals are essential for such prediction, and PRTR surveys may yield this data. The study delivered the following results: (1) Volatile compounds with large amounts of emission showed higher predicted concentrations in air, and the concentrations of several compounds agreed well with averaged monitoring data within an order of magnitude. (2) A close relationship was found between the concentration of water and that of sediment, suggesting that the fate of chemicals in sediment essentially depended on the water environment. (3) A group of volatile solvents had high mass distribution ratio to air. Some compounds having high solubility in water were also included in that group due to the high ratio of air emission. Highly hydrophobic compounds with logK"O"W larger than 6.0 showed a high distribution ratio to soil and sediment. (4) Volatile compounds were mostly taken through air. The exposure through fish is a dominant pathway for highly hydrophobic compounds. (5) Exposure ratio could be gathered from physicochemical properties. The exposure from fish intake was roughly estimated by logK"O"W, whereas exposure from air and water intake was difficult to estimate simply by vapor pressure and solubility in water, respectively.

FUERO: foundations of a fuzzy exploratory model for soil erosion hazard prediction [An article from: Environmental Modelling and Software]

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FUERO: foundations of a fuzzy exploratory model for soil erosion hazard prediction [An article from: Environmental Modelling and Software]
G. Metternicht , and S. Gonzalez
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B000RR4L3I

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Environmental Modelling and Software, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
This paper describes the foundations of FUERO, a FUzzy exploratory model for soil EROsion hazard prediction, which explores cause-effect relationships on the basis of general knowledge about causes and specific relations between processes and indicators of soil erosion. The model was designed to investigate the susceptibility of specific areas of a landscape to erosion by incorporating expert knowledge, in the sense that information on soil properties and/or landscape elements assumed to control accelerated soil erosion could be incorporated into the modelling process. Fuzzification of the landscape elements used in modelling the likelihood of an area to be affected by different degrees of erosion was done using a Fuzzy Semantic Import Modelling approach. Fuzzy min-max operators were used within a GI System for determining the likelihood an area to low, moderate or high erosion hazard. Although the model provides qualitative estimations, it showed very useful to explore indicators-causes-processes relationships. In addition, it allowed testing the importance of individual landscape elements related to soil erosion and selection of those that best predict soil erosion over a particular area.

Neural network prediction model for fine particulate matter (PM"2"."5) on the US-Mexico border in El Paso (Texas) and Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua) [An article from: Environmental Modelling and Software]

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Neural network prediction model for fine particulate matter (PM"2"."5) on the US-Mexico border in El Paso (Texas) and Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua) [An article from: Environmental Modelling and Software]
J.B. Ordieres , E.P. Vergara , R.S. Capuz , and Salazar
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RR4L10

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Environmental Modelling and Software, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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The daily average PM"2"."5 concentration forecast is a leading component nowadays in air quality research, which is necessary to perform in order to assess the impact of air on the health and welfare of every living being. The present work is aimed at analyzing and benchmarking a neural-network approach to the prediction of average PM"2"."5 concentrations. The model thus obtained will be indispensable, as a control tool, for the purpose of preventing dangerous situations that may arise. To this end we have obtained data and measurements based on samples taken during the early hours of the day. Results from three different topologies of neural networks were compared so as to identify their potential uses, or rather, their strengths and weaknesses: Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Square Multilayer Perceptron (SMLP). Moreover, two classical models were built (a persistence model and a linear regression), so as to compare their results with the ones provided by the neural network models. The results clearly demonstrated that the neural approach not only outperformed the classical models but also showed fairly similar values among different topologies. Moreover, a differential behavior in terms of stability and length of the training phase emerged during testing as well. The RBF shows up to be the network with the shortest training times, combined with a greater stability during the prediction stage, thus characterizing this topology as an ideal solution for its use in environmental applications instead of the widely used and less effective MLP.

$Neural network prediction model for the methane fraction in biogas from field-scale landfill bioreactors [An article from: Environmental Modelling and Software]$
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Neural network prediction model for the methane fraction in biogas from field-scale landfill bioreactors [An article from: Environmental Modelling and Software]
B. Ozkaya , A. Demir , and M.S. Bilgili
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000PDT4D6

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Environmental Modelling and Software, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
In this study we present a neural network model for predicting the methane fraction in landfill gas originating from field-scale landfill bioreactors. Landfill bioreactors were constructed at the Odayeri Sanitary Landfill, Istanbul, Turkey, and operated with (C2) and without (C1) leachate recirculation. The refuse height of the test cell was 5m, with a placement area of 1250m^2 (25mx50m). We monitored the leachate and landfill gas components for 34 months, after which we modeled the methane fraction in landfill gas from the bioreactors (C1 and C2) using artificial neural networks; leachate components were used as input parameters. To predict the methane fraction in landfill gas as a final product of anaerobic digestion, we used input parameters such as pH, alkalinity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, sulfate, conductivity, chloride and waste temperature. We evaluated the anaerobic conversion efficiencies based on leachate characteristics during different time periods. We determined the optimal architecture of the neural network, and advantages, disadvantages and further developments of the network are discussed.

Prediction of ozone concentration in ambient air using multivariate methods [An article from: Chemosphere]

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Prediction of ozone concentration in ambient air using multivariate methods [An article from: Chemosphere]
A. Lengyel , K. Heberger , L. Paksy , O. Banhidi , and Raj
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RQYP4E

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Chemosphere, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Multivariate statistical methods including pattern recognition (Principal Component Analysis-PCA) and modeling (Multiple Linear Regression-MLR, Partial Least Squares-PLS, as well as Principal Component Regression-PCR) methods were carried out to evaluate the state of ambient air in Miskolc (second largest city in Hungary). Samples were taken from near the ground at a place with an extremely heavy traffic. Although PCA is not able to determine the significance of variables, it can uncover their similarities and classify the cases. PCA revealed that it is worth to separate day and night data because different factors influence the ozone concentrations during all day. Ozone concentration was modeled by MLR and PCR with the same efficiency if the conditions of meteorological parameters were not changed (i.e. morning and afternoon). Without night data, PCR and PLS suggest that the main process is not a photochemical but a chemical one.

Some statistical issues related to multiple linear regression modeling of beach bacteria concentrations [An article from: Environmental Research]

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Some statistical issues related to multiple linear regression modeling of beach bacteria concentrations [An article from: Environmental Research]
Z. Ge , and W.E. Frick
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000PDT918

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Environmental Research, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
As a fast and effective technique, the multiple linear regression (MLR) method has been widely used in modeling and prediction of beach bacteria concentrations. Among previous works on this subject, however, several issues were insufficiently or inconsistently addressed. Those issues include the value and use of interaction terms, the serial correlation, the criteria for model selection, and model assessment. The present work shows that serial correlations, as often present in sequentially observed data records, deserve full attention from the modeler. The testing and adjustment for the time-series effect should be implemented in a statistically rigorous framework. The R^2 and Cp-statistic as joint criteria are recommended for the model selection process, while using the t-statistics associated with the full model is erroneous. During model selection, using interaction terms can often help to decrease the bias in reduced models, although the resulting improvement in the numerical performance may be limited. For the assessment of the model predictive capacity, which is different from testing the goodness of fit, a comprehensive set of statistics are advocated to allow for an objective evaluation of different models. Results obtained from the data at Huntington Beach, OH, show that erroneous conclusions could be drawn if only the model R^2 and the count of type I and type II errors are considered. In this sense, several previous works deserve further investigation.

Sources of uncertainty in model predictions: lessons learned from the IAEA Forest and Fruit Working Group model intercomparisons [An article from: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity]

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Sources of uncertainty in model predictions: lessons learned from the IAEA Forest and Fruit Working Group model intercomparisons [An article from: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity]
I. Linkov , and D. Burmistrov
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RR3TL8

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through the BIOMASS program, has provided a unique international forum for assessing the relative contribution of different sources of uncertainty associated with environmental modeling. The methodology and guidance for dealing with parameter uncertainty have been fairly well developed and quantitative tools such as Monte-Carlo modeling are often recommended. The issue of model uncertainty is still rarely addressed in practical applications and the use of several alternative models to derive a range of model outputs (similar to what was done in IAEA model intercomparisons) is one of a few available techniques. This paper addresses the often overlooked issue of what we call 'modeler uncertainty,' i.e., differences in problem formulation, model implementation and parameter selection originating from subjective interpretation of the problem at hand. This study uses results from the Fruit and Forest Working Groups created under the BIOMASS program (BIOsphere Modeling and ASSessment). The greatest uncertainty was found to result from modelers' interpretation of scenarios and approximations made by modelers. In scenarios that were unclear for modelers, the initial differences in model predictions were as high as seven orders of magnitude. Only after several meetings and discussions about specific assumptions did the differences in predictions by various models merge. Our study shows that the parameter uncertainty (as evaluated by a probabilistic Monte-Carlo assessment) may have contributed over one order of magnitude to the overall modeling uncertainty. The final model predictions ranged between one and three orders of magnitude, depending on the specific scenario. This study illustrates the importance of problem formulation and implementation of an analytic-deliberative process in fate and transport modeling and risk characterization.

Static modeling of dynamic recreation behavior: Implications for prediction and welfare estimation [An article from: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management]

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Static modeling of dynamic recreation behavior: Implications for prediction and welfare estimation [An article from: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management]
K.A. Baerenklau , and B. Provencher
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RR5FTW

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, published by Elsevier in . The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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This paper examines the consequences of using a static model of recreation trip-taking behavior when the underlying decision problem is dynamic. Specifically we examine the implications for trip forecasting and welfare estimation using a panel dataset of Lake Michigan salmon anglers for the 1996 and 1997 fishing seasons. We derive and estimate both a structural dynamic model using Bellman's equation, and a reduced-form static model with trip probability expressions mimicking those of the dynamic model. We illustrate an inherent identification problem in the reduced-form model that creates biased welfare estimates, and we discuss the general implications of this for the interpretation of preference parameters in static models. We then use both models to simulate trip taking behavior and show that although their in-sample trip forecasts are similar, their welfare estimates and out-of-sample forecasts are quite different.

Book Description

After a brilliant literary career in Russian, Vladimir Nabokov came to the United States and went on to an even more brilliant one in English--earning a place as one of the greatest writers of his adopted home. Between 1941 and 1974 he published the autobiography and eight novels now collected by The Library of America in an authoritative three-volume set. "The Real Life of Sebastian Knight" is a tantalizing literary mystery in which a writer's half brother searches to unravel the enigma of the famous novelist's life. "Bend Sinister," Nabokov's most explicitly political novel, is the haunting, dreamlike story of a quiet philosophy professor caught up in the bureaucratic terror of a totalitarian police state. "Speak, Memory" is the dazzling memoir of Nabokov's childhood in imperial Russia amd exile in Europe. The texts in this volume have been corrected based on the author's own copies. Two companion volumes collect "Lolita," "Pnin," "Pale Fire," and "Lolita: A Screenplay," and "Ada," "Transparent Things," and "Look at the Harlequins!"

Customer Reviews:

Real Nabokov.......2005-07-05

It's a sad fact that Vladimir Nabokov is still thought primarily as the guy who wrote a book about a middle-aged man's crush on a preteen girl. What that fails to note is that Nabokov, a Russian expatriate who spent many years in America, also wrote many other novels that were often even more groundbreaking than "Lolita."

Three of them were compiled into "Novels and Memoirs 1941-1951": the horrifying political satire "Bend Sinister," the entertainingly offbeat "Real Life of Sebastian Knight," and the unique memoir "Speak Memory." These three each demonstrate why Vladimir Nabokov was one of the best writers of the 20th century.

"Bend Sinister" is the most obviously political of all the novels Nabokov wrote.
It tells the story of Krug, a philosopher in the land of Padukgrad, who is dealing with the death of his wife, and having to raise his young son alone. To make things worse, an inept inventor's son named Paduk, has become the dictator. Worse, Krug is somehow in Paduk's way -- and Paduk will do anything to get Krug to endorse him. Literally, anything.

"The Real Life of Sebastian Knight" has a lighter tone than "Bend Sinister," with an unnamed narrator searching for clues about the true persona of his brother, Sebastian Knight, a famed writer. It ends up becoming a superb satire/detective story, looking at the faint traces that biographers snatch at, but which can only give a tiny look at the whole.

"Speak Memory" is an entirely different kind of book -- it's all about Nabokov himself. He reexamines his colorful life, but not so much through basic experiences and facts. Instead, he looks at how he made sense of the world, whether as a privileged child, a man torn up by the Russian Revolution, and finally finding sanctuary in another land.

It might come as a surprise that the famous "Lolita," which caused such a scandal at the time, is actually one of Nabokov's less complex books. He dabbled in metafiction, existentialism, autobiography, and almost always in satire. And there are almost always layers on layers of meaning in his books -- these aren't the exception.

His writing is dense, lush and detailed, and he seems almost to blur the line between fantasy and reality, especially since "Bend Sinister" takes little bits from various totalitarian governments. Even stranger, Krug apparently discovers that he is actually Nabokov's creation, and has an existential crisis. And Nabokov's self-examination is as fascinating as any bestselling novel, where he revisits those bizarre thoughts that we all have as children.

A harrowing political thriller, an amusing satire, and an intriguing autobiography make up "Novels and Memoirs 1941-1951." A writer like no other, and three books like no other.

Incredible writer doesn't deserve dirty old man rep.......2000-08-31

Picture Vladimir Nabokov. In the hall of mirrors that is popular culture, he is the dirty man who wrote the dirty book "Lolita," about a 12-year-old "nymphet" -- he invented the term, by the way -- and her affair with an older man.

Angle the mirror another way, and he is one of the founders of the modernist novel, which to some people -- myself included -- that's a damning phrase. "Modernist" and "post-modernist" literature seems a) self-referencing to the point of egotism; b) dedicated to the advancement of decedent themes, and to score big points as a writer, pile it on, brother; and c) obsessed with the discovery that the "arts" -- whether books, pictures or movies -- are artificial, and that we use them to create, well, books, pictures and movies.

Unless you think I am making it up, here's an example drawn from real life: a few years back, a Charlotte museum mounted an exhibition of a painter's work, one of which was a canvas whose front side was turned toward the wall, exposing a paint-stained frame. A newspaper reviewer breathlessly informed the reading public that the artist did this "to inform the viewer that most paintings are recetangular."

Now, a reasonably intelligent person could probably reach that conclusion without much effort, but discoveries like these seem to drive those who tread into the "modern" era of art.

So Vlaidmir Nabokov's reputation is caught between two very opposing poles. He either panders to the worst tastes of man, or the worst tastes of art.

Fortunately, he is neither, and the Library of America agrees. The non-profit publisher throws its reputation behind Nabokov as a writer worth reading by publishing all of his English-language novels in three volumes. The first volume covers his work from 1941 to 1951: "The Real Life of Sebastian Knight," "Bend Sinister," and his memoir, "Speak, Memory." The middle work contains the notorious "Lolita," "Pale Fire," "Pnin," and the "Lolita" screenplay Nabokov wrote for Stanley Kubrick. The concluding volume contains "Ada," "Transparent Things," and "Look at the Harlequins!"

But of these works, only "Lolita" stands alone. It is not a dirty book, and one should pity those American and British tourists who, in the mid-1950s, bought the pale olive-green two-volume paperbacks published in Paris by the notorious Olympia Press. Those expecting frankly pornographic stories like "The Story of O" and "How to Do It" would have been sorely disappointed in Humbert Humbert's self-confessed defense of his rape (not "seduction," which implies a willingness to be seduced) and exploitation of Delores Haze, "Lolita, light of my life,fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta."

Even Olympia's publisher was taken in, telling a mutual friend that he though Nabokov was Humbert, and that he was attempting to popularize nymphet love.

What does become apparent after reading through the volumes (and aided by an excellent two-volume biography by Brian Boyd) is that there is much more to Nabokov than meets the eye. Delving deeper in his works reveals a funhouse hall of mirrors that can lead to a definitive end, and there's not much in modernist fiction that could substantiate that claim.

What sets Nabokov off from other writers is his use of the language. Raised in Tsarist Russia, Nabokov was a child prodigy who was taught Russian, French and English at an early age. His prose is elegent, his command of English astounding. It's close to the prose of Henry James, but except for the foreign phrases, which the Library editions provide translations and explanations, far more understandable.

Descriptions pulled at random from "Lolita" ring as if English was a newly minted language, capable of expressing humor ("The bed was a frightful mess with overtones of potato chips") and snobbish anger ("Lo had grabbed some comics from the back seat and, mobile white-bloused, one brown elbow out of the window, was deep in the current adventure of some clout or clown").

Even, when Humbert meets his Lolita long after she escaped his clutches, when he believes that he still loves her, heart-rending: "In her washed-out grey eyes, strangely spectacled, our poor romance was for a moment reflected, pondered upon, and dismissed like a dull party, like a rainy picnic to which only the dullest bores had come, like a humdrum exercise, like a bit of dry mud caking her childhood."

This is not casual reading, but neither is it reading-as-masochistic exercise, with furrowed brows and an exasperated flipping of once-read pages. There is a surface meaning that is easily accessible, but there are deeper meanings, in-jokes, ironies and moral questions worthy of consideration.

The best volume of the three is the second, which contains "Lolita," the screenplay he wrote for Stanley Kubrick (which was not used), the comic novel (for Nabokov at least) "Pnin" and "Pale Fire."

But good works can be found in the other volumes as well. "The Real Life of Sebastian Knight," in the first volume, is the author's account of his biographical research on his half-brother, the brilliant writer Sebastian Knight, who had died recently of a heart condition after writing a half-dozen novels. It bears all the hallmarks of the post-modernist novel replete with a self-absorption with writers, spurious biography, an unreliable narrator and ironical references. "Speak, Memory," also in the first volume, is Nabokov's memoirs about growing up in Russia.

Indeed, the only disadvantage to reading Nabokov is that it may cause a nagging niggling in the back of your head, while reading novels in the future, that they just cannot compare to those composed by the American from Russia.

Nabokov!.......2000-04-20

This collection of novels and a memoir is a must for anyone interested in twentieth century literature. Nabokov is a giant, a superstar, a Freud-bashing genius--order now!

Novels & Memoirs, 1941-1951 : The Real Life of Sebastian Knight; Bend Sinister; Speak, Memory (Library of America)

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Novels & Memoirs, 1941-1951 : The Real Life of Sebastian Knight; Bend Sinister; Speak, Memory (Library of America)
Vladimir; Boyd, Brian (editor) Nabokov
Manufacturer: Library of America, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KP3VRY

Vladimir Nabokov: Novels and Memoirs 1941-1951 The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Bend Sinister, Speak, Memory an Autobiography Revisited

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Vladimir Nabokov: Novels and Memoirs 1941-1951 The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Bend Sinister, Speak, Memory an Autobiography Revisited
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OVDS5E

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