Though mathematical ideas underpin the study of neural networks, the author presents the fundamentals without the full mathematical apparatus. All aspects of the field are tackled, including artificial neurons as models of their real counterparts; the geometry of network action in pattern space; gradient descent methods, including back-propagation; associative memory and Hopfield nets; and self-organization and feature maps. The traditionally difficult topic of adaptive resonance theory is clarified within a hierarchical description of its operation. The book also includes several real-world examples to provide a concrete focus. This should enhance its appeal to those involved in the design, construction and management of networks in commercial environments and who wish to improve their understanding of network simulator packages. As a comprehensive and highly accessible introduction to one of the most important topics in cognitive and computer science, this volume should interest a wide range of readers, both students and professionals, in cognitive science, psychology, computer science and electrical engineering.
This study details the most current knowledge about stratospheric ozone depletion and provides an objective look at current debates surrounding the research, the technological developments, and the policymaking aimed at eliminating ozone-depleting substances.--From publisher description.
From Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson comes Dune: The Heir of Caladan, a new novel in the internationally bestselling Dune series that shows us Paul Atreides as we've never seen him before. The story that began with Duke Leto Atreides's rise to power, then continued with the consequences of Lady Jessica’s betrayal, will now conclude with Paul becoming the leader that he needs to be on the way to his pivotal role as Muad’Dib. Any Dune fan will devour this tale of a legend coming into his own. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
From Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, Dune: The Lady of Caladan is a brand new novel in the internationally bestselling Dune series. Lady Jessica, mother of Paul, and consort to Leto Atreides. The choices she made shaped an empire, but first the Lady of Caladan must reckon with her own betrayal of the Bene Gesserit. She has already betrayed her ancient order, but now she must decide if her loyalty to the Sisterhood is more important than the love of her own family. Meanwhile, events in the greater empire are accelerating beyond the control of even the Reverend Mother, and Lady Jessica's family is on a collision course with destiny. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Collected for the first time, these Dune novellas by bestselling authors Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson shine a light upon the darker corners of the Dune universe. Spanning space and time, Sands of Dune is essential reading for any fan of the series. The world of Dune has shaped an entire generation of science fiction. From the sand blasted world of Arrakis, to the splendor of the imperial homeworld of Kaitain, readers have lived in a universe of treachery and wonder. Now, these stories expand on the Dune universe, telling of the lost years of Gurney Halleck as he works with smugglers on Arrakis in a deadly gambit for revenge; inside the ranks of the Sardaukar as the child of a betrayed nobleman becomes one of the Emperor’s most ruthless fighters; a young firebrand Fremen woman, a guerrilla fighter against the ruthless Harkonnens, who will one day become Shadout Mapes. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
First published in 2001, Barren Lands is the classic true story of the men who sought—and found—a great diamond mine on the last frontier of the far north. From a bloody 18th-century trek across the Canadian tundra to the daunting natural forces facing protagonists Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson as they struggle against the mighty DeBeers cartel, this is the definitive account of one of the world’s great mineral discoveries. Combining geology, science history, raw nature, and high intrigue, it is also a tale of supreme adventure, taking the reader into a magical—and now fast-vanishing—wild landscape. Now in a newly revised and updated edition.
Book Two of the Epic Prequel to the Classic Novel Dune—A Major Motion Picture Sequel to the international bestseller Dune: House Atreides Before Dune . . . The epic tale of Duke Leto Atreides and his rise to power . . . The fierce ambitions of his mortal enemy, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen . . . The struggles of the young girl Jessica, the Baron’s secret daughter, under the harsh training of the Sisterhood school . . . The schemes of Shaddam Corrino to create a synthetic spice that may bring unlimited wealth, or cause the collapse of the Spacing Guild . . . And the implausible dream of Planetologist Kynes to turn the desert planet Dune into a paradise, uniting the desperate Fremen into a force unlike anything the Imperium has ever seen . . . Dune: House Harkonnen continues the epic story that lays the foundation for Frank Herbert’s masterpiece Dune, a complex tale of politics, religion, and the rise and fall of dynasties on a galaxy-spanning canvas. Look for the entire prequel series DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES • DUNE: HOUSE HARKONNEN • DUNE: HOUSE CORRINO
The Road to Dune is a treasure trove of essays, articles, and fiction that every reader of Dune will want to add to their shelf. Includes never-before-published chapters from Dune and Dune Messiah, original stories, and a new short novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson Frank Herbert's Dune is widely known as the science fiction equivalent of The Lord of the Rings, and The Road to Dune is a companion work comparable to The Silmarillion, shedding light on and following the remarkable development of the bestselling science fiction novel of all time. Herein, the world's millions of Dune fans can now read---at long last---the unpublished chapters and scenes from Dune and Dune Messiah. The Road to Dune also includes the original correspondence between Frank Herbert and famed editor John W. Campbell, Jr.; excerpts from Herbert's correspondence during his years-long struggle to get his innovative work published; and the article "They Stopped the Moving Sands," Herbert's original inspiration for Dune. The Road to Dune features newly discovered papers and manuscripts of Frank Herbert, and also "Spice Planet," an original sixty-thousand-word short novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, based on a detailed outline left by Frank Herbert. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A legend begins in Dune: The Duke of Caladan, first in The Caladan Trilogy by New York Times bestselling authors Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Leto Atreides, Duke of Caladan and father of the Muad’Dib. While all know of his fall and the rise of his son, little is known about the quiet ruler of Caladan and his partner Jessica. Or how a Duke of an inconsequential planet earned an emperor’s favor, the ire of House Harkonnen, and set himself on a collision course with his own death. This is the story. Through patience and loyalty, Leto serves the Golden Lion Throne. Where others scheme, the Duke of Caladan acts. But Leto’s powerful enemies are starting to feel that he is rising beyond his station, and House Atreides rises too high. With unseen enemies circling, Leto must decide if the twin burdens of duty and honor are worth the price of his life, family, and love. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
This ebundle includes: Dune: The Duke of Caladan, Dune: The Lady of Caladan, and Dune: The Heir of Caladan. New York Times bestselling authors Brian Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson present The Caladan Trilogy, a prequel series to the timeless Dune novels. Dune: The Duke of Caladan — Through patience and loyalty, Leto serves the Golden Lion Throne. Where others scheme, the Duke of Caladan acts. But Leto’s powerful enemies are starting to feel that he is rising beyond his station, and House Atreides rises too high. With unseen enemies circling, Leto must decide if the twin burdens of duty and honor are worth the price of his life, family, and love. Dune: The Lady of Caladan — Lady Jessica, mother of Paul, and consort to Leto Atreides. The Lady of Caladan has already betrayed her ancient order of the Bene Gesserit, but now she must decide if her loyalty to the Sisterhood is more important than the love of her own family. Meanwhile, events in the greater empire are accelerating beyond the control of even the Reverend Mother, and Lady Jessica's family is on a collision course with destiny. Dune: The Heir of Caladan — The story now concludes with Paul becoming the leader that he needs to be on the way to his pivotal role as Muad’Dib. Any Dune fan will devour this tale of a legend coming into his own. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
This new edition meets the requirements of the revised Core Curriculum for Surgical Technologists, 5th edition. It is written by surgical technologists for surgical technologists. The content focuses on the concepts and skill development (cognitive and procedural) required of surgical technologists in the operative environment. The text uses the A POSitive CARE approach to surgical problem solving that concentrates on the ability of the surgical technologist to predict the patient's and surgeon's needs through the intraoperative period. The goal is for the surgical technologist to apply this model in daily practice for maximum efficiency and effectiveness during the surgical procedure. The surgical procedures included in the text were selected for their instructive value and because the skills demonstrated can be applied to many other procedures.
An engaging look at how modern finance almost destroyed our global economy Over the last thirty years, capital markets have been restructured through the tenets of modern finance. This has been enormously profitable for the financial services sector. However, these innovations, coupled with unsound risk and regulatory practices have proved disastrous for the global economy. In a clear and accessible style, ex-investment banker and financial journalist Martin Hutchinson, and highly respected academic, Kevin Dowd show how modern finance combined with easy money threatened to bring down the world financial system. At the heart of the book is modern finance as a U.S. invention, the theories and practices associated with them, and the changes they made in business models and risk management on Wall Street and other major financial centers. Breaks down the events involved in the 2007-08 financial collapse Reveals how botched policy response made a bad situation worse Focuses on lessons that the practice of finance must learn from recent events The Alchemists of Loss will help you to understand how our financial system crashed and show you what it will take to make sure this won't happen again as we move forward.
At once accessible and cutting edge, An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology is a uniquely comprehensive textbook for undergraduate students. In a single volume, it provides clearly signposted chapters on both normal cognitive function and related clinical disorders. Especially written to cover all levels of ability, it offers in-depth and up-to-date research to appeal to the most able students, with a clear and engaging text written by experienced teachers to help students who find the material difficult.
Dr. Christopher Ringle is the last person you'd expect to find moonlighting as Santa Claus at the mall on the day after Thanksgiving. But it is there that he meets a young man named Molar Alan, who desperately needs a new perspective on the underlying value of Christmas. Dr. Ringle recruits Mo and his older brother as volunteers at a nearby children's hospital for the holiday season. At the hospital, Mo is tasked to help bring holiday cheer to the young cancer patients on the fifth floor. His biggest challenge is befriending a decidedly angry girl who is so embarrassed by her scarred appearance that she hides her face behind the safety of a paper bag. Almost in spite of himself, Mo finds that Christmas joy emanates from a source far greater than the North Pole, while the young girl learns that she is more beautiful than she had ever imagined.
Winner of the 2014 Christian Book of the Year Award "I'M TOO BUSY!" We've all heard it. We've all said it. All too often, busyness gets the best of us. Just one look at our jam-packed schedules tells us how hard it can be to strike a well-reasoned balance between doing nothing and doing it all. That's why award-winning author and pastor Kevin DeYoung addresses the busyness problem head on in his newest book, Crazy Busy — and not with the typical arsenal of time management tips, but rather with the biblical tools we need to get to the source of the issue and pull the problem out by the roots. Highly practical and super short, Crazy Busy will help you put an end to "busyness as usual.
I grew up in the Old Colony housing project in South Boston and became partners with James "Whitey" Bulger, who I always called Jimmy. Jimmy and I, we were unstoppable. We took what we wanted. And we made people disappear—permanently. We made millions. And if someone ratted us out, we killed him. We were not nice guys. I found out that Jimmy had been an FBI informant in 1999, and my life was never the same. When the feds finally got me, I was faced with something Jimmy would have killed me for—cooperating with the authorities. I pled guilty to twenty-nine counts, including five murders. I went away for five and a half years. I was brutally honest on the witness stand, and this book is brutally honest, too; the brutal truth that was never before told. How could it? Only three people could tell the true story. With one on the run and one in jail for life, it falls on me.
American Legacy Book Awards Winner “The harrowing accounts detail the experiencesof 11 US soldiers and Marines who have been ravaged by modern warfare and its psychological aftermath. What makes Kevin’s reporting unique and essential is that it didn’t stop on the battlefield—he followed his subjects home.” — Vice An important look at the unspoken and unknown truths of war and its impact, told through the personal stories of those who have been there. In The Things They Cannot Say, eleven soldiers and Marines display a courage that transcends battlefield heroics—they share the truth about their wars. For each it means something different: one struggles to recover from a head injury he believes has stolen his ability to love, another attempts to make amends for the killing of an innocent man, while yet another finds respect for the enemy fighter who tried to kill him. Award-winning journalist and author Kevin Sites asks the difficult questions of these combatants, many of whom he first met while in Afghanistan and Iraq and others he sought out from different wars: What is it like to kill? What is it like to be under fire? How do you know what’s right? What can you never forget? Sites compiles the accounts of soldiers, Marines, their families and friends, and also shares the narrative of his own failures during war (including complicity in a murder) and the redemptive powers of storytelling in arresting a spiraling path of self-destruction. He learns that war both gives and takes from those most involved in it. Some struggle in disequilibrium, while others find balance, usually with the help of communities who have learned to listen, without judgment, to the real stories of the men and women it has sent to fight its battles.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.