Catálogo de publicaciones

Understanding Complex Ecosystem Dynamics: A Systems and Engineering Perspective takes a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on complex system dynamics, beginning with a discussion of relevant systems and engineering skills and practices, including an explanation of the systems approach and its major elements. From this perspective, the author formulates an ecosystem dynamics functionality-based framework to guide ecological investigations.

Next, because complex system theory (across many subject matter areas) is crucial to the work of this book, relevant network theory, nonlinear dynamics theory, cellular automata theory, and roughness (fractal) theory is covered in some detail. This material serves as an important resource as the book proceeds. In the context of all of the foregoing discussion and investigation, a view of the characteristics of ecological network dynamics is constructed. This view, in turn, is the basis for the central hypothesis of the book, i.e., ecological networks are ever-changing networks with propagation dynamics that are punctuated, local-to-global, and perhaps most importantly fractal. To analyze and fully test this hypothesis, an innovative ecological network dynamics model is defined, designed, and developed. The modeling approach, which seeks to emulate features of real-world ecological networks, does not make a priori assumptions about ecological network dynamics, but rather lets the dynamics develop as the model simulation runs. Model analysis results corroborate the central hypothesis. Additional important insights and principles are suggested by the model analysis results and by the other supporting investigations of this book – and can serve as a basis for going-forward complex system dynamics research, not only for ecological systems but for complex systems in general.

• Provides a fresh interdisciplinary perspective, offers a broad integrated development, and contains many new ideas
• Clearly explains the elements of the systems approach and applies them throughout the book
• Takes on the challenging and open issues of complex system network dynamics
• Develops and utilizes a new, innovative ecosystem dynamics modeling approach
• Contains over 135 graphic illustrations to help the reader visualize and understand important concepts

Understanding Credit Derivatives and Related Instruments, Second Edition is an intuitive, rigorous overview that links the practices of valuing and trading credit derivatives with academic theory. Rather than presenting highly technical explorations, the book offers summaries of major subjects and the principal perspectives associated with them.

The book's centerpiece is pricing and valuation issues, especially valuation tools and their uses in credit models. Five new chapters cover practices that have become commonplace as a result of the 2008 financial crisis, including standardized premiums and upfront payments. Analyses of regulatory responses to the crisis for the credit derivatives market (Basel III, Dodd-Frank, etc.) include all the necessary statistical and mathematical background for readers to easily follow the pricing topics.

Every reader familiar with mid-level mathematics who wants to understand the functioning of the derivatives markets (in both practical and academic contexts) can fully satisfy his or her interests with the comprehensive assessments in this book.

• Explores the role that credit derivatives played during the economic crisis, both as hedging instruments and as vehicles that potentially magnified losses for some investors
• Comprehensive overview of single-name and multi-name credit derivatives in terms of market specifications, pricing techniques, and regulatory treatment
• Updated edition uses current market statistics (market size, market participants, and uses of credit derivatives), covers the application of CDS technology to other asset classes (CMBX, ABX, etc.), and expands the treatment of individual instruments to cover index products, and more

This fully revised and updated second edition of Understanding Digital Libraries focuses on the challenges faced by both librarians and computer scientists in a field that has been dramatically altered by the growth of the Web.

At every turn, the goal is practical: to show you how things you might need to do are already being done, or how they can be done. The first part of the book is devoted to technology and examines issues such as varying media requirements, indexing and classification, networks and distribution, and presentation. The second part of the book is concerned with the human contexts in which digital libraries function. Here you’ll find specific and useful information on usability, preservation, scientific applications, and thorny legal and economic questions.

- Thoroughly updated and expanded from original edition to include recent research, case studies and new technologies
- For librarians and technologists alike, this book provides a thorough introduction to the interdisciplinary science of digital libraries
- Written by Michael Lesk, a legend in computer science and a leading figure in the digital library field.
- Provides insights into the integration of both the technical and non-technical aspects of digital libraries