Jewelry Wax Modeling: a Practical Guide for the Jewelry Model Maker Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is excellent and informative. I just started making jewelry and this book was easy to follow and understand for a beginner, but certainly has plenty to learn for someone with more practice. It has eleven lessons for beautiful and ornate rings, but information and tips for modeling any type of jewelry. I highly recommend it for anyone!

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Eclipse Modeling Framework Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have used Eclipse to program Java, you might have gotten comfortable with its capabilities. Very intuitive and kindly donated by IBM to open source. So when I opened this book, I anticipated oodles of helpful tweaks and shortcuts.
But not so. IBM has indeed provided these in the book. But their goals were far more ambitious. The Eclipse Modelling Framework is a serious effort to incorporate into a development environment java, XML and UML. They found, perhaps correctly, that most Java programmers, including, and maybe especially the experienced ones, don't really use UML much. Okay, as an afterthought, to document a code base upon a major release. But rarely as a starting point. So one intent is to seamlessly let java programmers incorporate UML. More strongly, they claim that EMF lets you define a model in any of java, XML or UML. Then simply clicking a button will make EMF generate the other 2 forms. The greatest payoff for this is that it lets programmers, who may not be fluent in UML, make a graphical UML model and thence have EMF make the java code stubs. Much less error prone than doing it manually.
There is an analogy here with Spice, if any of you have an electrical engineering background. Until the late 80s, if you wanted to model a circuit in Spice, you typically drew it by hand on paper. Then you manually transcribed these into a text file of netlists that was input into Spice. Slow and very error prone. Then along came MicroSim, Carver Mead's Magic program and others, that let you construct a circuit diagram on a console, and from which you could press a button and a Spice input file would be made. Much more productive.
The book offers a similar gain in productivity. All you are asked to risk is your time in understanding the book.

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EMF is a powerful framework and code generation facility for building Java applications based on simple model definitions. Designed to make modeling practical and useful to the mainstream Java programmer, EMF unifies three important technologies: Java, XML, and UML. Models can either be defined using a UML modeling tool, an XML Schema, or by specifying simple annotations on Java interfaces whereby programmers write the abstract interfaces (a small subset of what they would normally need to write), and the rest is generated automatically and merged back into their existing code. This book thoroughly describes EMF and shows how EMF-based modeling is a foundation for fine-grained interoperability and data sharing among tools and applications. The authors provide a basic overview of the most important concepts in EMF and modeling as well as clear explanations with step-by-step instructions for defining EMF models. This book shows how the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) has successfully bridged the gap between modelers and Java programmers.It serves as a gentle introduction to modeling for Java programmers and at the same time as a reinforcement of the modeler's theory that plenty of Java coding can be automated, given an appropriate tool.

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Excel Data Analysis: Your visual blueprint for creating and analyzing data, charts and PivotTables Review

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(More customer reviews)The third updated edition of Microsoft Excel Data Analysis offers an excellent visual approach to professional-level computer instruction in Excel, and uses web-based applications as keys to creating formulas, working with functions, performing predictions, automating Excel with macros, and adding color and customizing results. No Excel collection should be without this!


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Advanced techniques for Excel power users
Crunch and analyze Excel data the way the professionals do with this clean, uncluttered, visual guide to advanced Excel techniques. Using numerous screenshots and easy-to-follow numbered steps, this book clearly shows you how to perform professional-level modeling, charting, data access, data slicing, and other functions. You'll find super techniques for getting the most out of Excel's statistical and financial functions, Excel PivotTables and PivotCharts, Excel Solver, and more.
Provides a clear look at power-using Excel, the world's leading spreadsheet application from Microsoft, and part of the new Microsoft Office 2010 suite
Expands your Excel knowledge and helps you use Excel data more efficiently
Demonstrates how to retrieve data from databases;; cut, slice, and pivot data using PivotTables; model data and chart data; and use advanced formulas
Explores all features and functions in friendly, two-color pages packed with screenshots, numbered steps, and other visual graphics that clearly show you how to accomplish tasks
Includes practical examples, tips, and advice to help you get the most out of Excel's features and functions

Learn Excel at the highest levels with this practical guide.

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A First Course in Structural Equation Modeling Review

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(More customer reviews)If you haven't been exposed to SEM , this book is right for you. Basic, straightforward, well planned and nonmathematical. However, this book cannot be the "only" book in your library if you are planning to go deep in SEM. This book is a good step for moving to intermediate or advanced levels.
The book is well desinged. It starts with fundamentals of SEM and EQS and LISREL programs. This book is NOT an EQS or LISREL reference, however, in each chapter, Raykov and Marcoulides cover an example showing the syntax and output of each program. The syntax and the output are deeply explained.
After introducing SEM and EQS and LISREL, the authors start to cover different approaches in SEM. Path analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Structural Regression Models and finally there is chapter about Latent Change Analysis.
In overall, the book is useful for only beginners as the authors' claim.

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This book is designed to introduce students to the basics of structural equation modeling through a conceptual, nonmathematical approach. The few mathematical formulas included are used in a conceptual or illustrative nature, rather than a computational one. The book features examples from LISREL and EQS. For that reason, the book can also be used as a beginning guide to learning how to set up input files to fit the most commonly used types of structural equation models with these programs. Intended as an introduction for graduate students or researchers in psychology, education, business, and other applied social and health sciences. The only prerequisite is a basic statistics course.

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Applied Integer Programming: Modeling and Solution Review

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(More customer reviews)A timely, comprehensive, easy-to-read, and self-contained application textbook for integer programming - the first readable text this 30 year veteran has seen in a decade - a must-have for every practitioner. The book is formatted as a traditional textbook, with problems at the end of each chapter, and solutions in the back of the book for many of the more difficult problems. This text is a natural extension of the well-known introductory texts: e.g. Winston. An extensive reference list bridges the practical solutions to the underlying theory. The references are linked from the historical notes at the end of each chapter. The text covers integer programming in 3 major sections: modeling, linear programming theory, and classical and modern solutions.
The modeling section covers all the classical problems: knapsack, production planning, and scheduling - followed by the network models: assignment, transshipment, maxflow, and shortest path.
Since linear programming based branch and bound solutions are state-of-the-art, the second section reviews linear programming fundamentals as both a traditional linear algebra formulation and, in preparation for branch and bound cuts, a geometrical formulation where the columns are the basis vectors spanning the feasible solution space. Figures are extensively used to crystallize the geometric concepts.
In the final, integer programming methods are covered in general: branch and bound, cutting plane, and group theoretic - focusing on using the methods in combinations, especially, branch and bound with cutting plane. Detailed, but tractable, examples with figures are included every step of the way emphasizing how and why the algorithms work. Rarely introduced in a text are 3 modeling languages that can actually be used in commercial applications.
An excellent application text - enjoy.


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An accessible treatment of the modeling and solution of integer programming problems, featuring modern applications and software
In order to fully comprehend the algorithms associated with integer programming, it is important to understand not only how algorithms work, but also why they work. Applied Integer Programming features a unique emphasis on this point, focusing on problem modeling and solution using commercial software. Taking an application-oriented approach, this book addresses the art and science of mathematical modeling related to the mixed integer programming (MIP) framework and discusses the algorithms and associated practices that enable those models to be solved most efficiently.
The book begins with coverage of successful applications, systematic modeling procedures, typical model types, transformation of non-MIP models, combinatorial optimization problem models, and automatic preprocessing to obtain a better formulation. Subsequent chapters present algebraic and geometric basic concepts of linear programming theory and network flows needed for understanding integer programming. Finally, the book concludes with classical and modern solution approaches as well as the key components for building an integrated software system capable of solving large-scale integer programming and combinatorial optimization problems.
Throughout the book, the authors demonstrate essential concepts through numerous examples and figures. Each new concept or algorithm is accompanied by a numerical example, and, where applicable, graphics are used to draw together diverse problems or approaches into a unified whole. In addition, features of solution approaches found in today's commercial software are identified throughout the book.
Thoroughly classroom-tested, Applied Integer Programming is an excellent book for integer programming courses at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It also serves as a well-organized reference for professionals, software developers, and analysts who work in the fields of applied mathematics, computer science, operations research, management science, and engineering and use integer-programming techniques to model and solve real-world optimization problems.

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Simulating Society: A Mathematica Toolkit for Modeling Socioeconomic Behavior Review

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(More customer reviews)This book will help you design simulations. It doesn't take you trough the design on the simulation, but rather help you apply certain algorithms to your simulations. If you know simulations and require help in coding Mathematica, this book is for you.

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An exploration of the basis for social and economic behaviour. Using cellular automata in particular, the authors model various factors that are involved in a system of individuals who interact socially and economically with one another. Computer simulations in the social sciences provide a laboratory in which qualitative ideas about social and economic interactions can be tested. This brings a new dimension to the science, where 'explanations' abound, but are rarely subject to much experimental testing. The authors have chosen Mathematica because it has a number of features which make it uniquely qualified for use by social scientists, especially those without expertise in computer programming. Further, users can easily access and readily interact with the various 3.0 Mathematica notebooks, plus other data to be found at www.telospub.com.

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Functions Modeling Change: A Preparation for Calculus Review

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(More customer reviews)This is probably one of the most thorough math text books that I have ever read. I would recommend this book highly. A great presentation of information being explained in a very simple manner.

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This text can be used for pre-calculus courses, or courses in algebra and trigonometry. The text focuses on fewer topics than is customary, but treats each topic in greater depth and also provides numerical, graphical and algebraic approaches. It also includes a large number of real-world examples and problems which should enable students to create mathematical models.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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3-D Human Modeling and Animation, First Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Our Computer Animation students use this book to create stunning character animations. As a result, our alumni have been very successful in finding jobs at major studios such as PIXAR, MetroLight Studios, ABC Interactive, Encore Productions, etc.
Peter Ratner's book outlines the process of modeling and animating male and female human models in easy to follow steps. His illustrative directions guide one through every aspect of the human anatomy; all the way down to minute details such as modeling the fingernails. The author assumes nothing of the reader and therefore goes to great lengths to explain everything as clearly as possible. There are hundreds of illustrations that show each step in the modeling and animation process. In fact, there isn't one page in the book that doesn't have at least one illustration in it.
Professor Ratner's exquisite 3D illustrations are his own and exemplify the fact that he is an accomplished artist as well as author. As a 3D artist he understands the problems that face 3D modelers and animators. Unlike other authors who depend on outside artists to supply illustrations and techniques for their books, Professor Ratner is able to create his own. The numerous color illustrations from his former students are a significant testimonial to the effectiveness of his teaching methodology.
Our department has found it very easy to adapt this book to the various software packages that we are using. For example, even though the book is geared toward spline and NURBS based software, the students who are using LightWave have successfully adapted it for polygon modeling, boning and animating. The book is geared toward mid-level to high-end modeling software packages. Animators using low-end modeling and animation packages that do not have deformation tools might find it difficult to work with this book due to the limitations of their software. In any event, this type of software most likely lacks the tools for any kind of character modeling and animation.
This book's descriptive instructions, brilliant color and black and white illustrations and easy to follow layout practically guarantee improved results for the 3D artist. It has played an important role in our computer animation curriculum. I highly recommend this book to any student or professional interested in learning more about the exciting field of 3D character modeling and animation.
Professor Gary Chatelain, Design Department, James Madison University

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Graph Theory: Modeling, Applications, and Algorithms Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very good introductory book on Graph Theory. If you don't want to be overwhelmed by Doug West's, etc., and yet receive a decent introduction to the topic, this book is your best bet. It covers all the topics required for an advanced undergrad course or a graduate level graph theory course for Math, engineering, operations research or computer science students in good depth and details. There are good examples and interesting exercises; some computer codes (JAVA) are also available in the book implementing some of the algorithms.
I would say O.R. and CS people will benefit a lot from it both as a reference or a textbook if adapted for a one semester graduate course. The only drawback is the price!


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Once considered an "unimportant" branch of topology, graph theory has come into its own through many important contributions to a wide range of fields – and is now one of the fastest-growing areas in discrete mathematics and computer science. This practical, intuitive book introduces basic concepts, definitions, theorems, and examples from graph theory. Presents a collection of interesting results from mathematics that involve key concepts and proof techniques. Covers design and analysis of computer algorithms for solving problems in graph theory. Discusses applications of graph theory to the sciences. Includes a collection of graph algorithms, written in Java, that are ready for compiling and running. For anyone interested in learning graph theory, discrete structures, or algorithmic design for graph problems.

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Practical Management Science (with CD-ROM, Decision Tools and Stat Tools Suite, and Microsoft Project 2003 120 Day Version): Spreadsheet Modeling and Applications (with CD-ROM Update) Review

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(More customer reviews)Unlike most textbooks on OR/MS, Winston and Albright's Practical Management Science's has, at least, three clear possible roles -- each performed superbly. 1. As a self-study text for someone learning / relearning management science in a spreadsheet environment. 2. As a management science student's self-help resource to decipher whatever cryptic text happens to have been required for a course. 3. As a conventional textbook to be chosen by an academic for classroom use.
1. As a self-study text for someone learning / relearning management science in a spreadsheet environment, you'll find PMSc written with obvious and utter mastery of the subject matter, that's commendable but hardly unique. What is unique are the clarity of the presentation and the lucidity of the abundant examples running throughout. In addition, there is thoroughness in the treatment which effectively anticipates virtually any and all sources of confusion which a student of any stripe might suffer. It is, in my view, wholly autodidactic. There is a subset of this type of user: the individual with a job-specific task which defies current familiarity / skill-level. No sweat! Use the inside-the-front cover material as a functional area task locator to identify "look-alike" situations and then proceed to master all which is required by back-tracing the example to similar situations encapsulated within the many interspersed problems -- for each of which there is a complete Excel solution format.
2. As a management science student's self-help resource with which to cope and to decipher whatever cryptic text was assigned for the course. If you find yourself in this far too common dilemma, take heart, help is well and truly at hand. Skim the TOC, find the relevant chapter and enjoy basking in your fast-welling, new-found competence. PMSc will provide ample basis for warranting a celebration at the local "pub" -- or whatever passes for same in your locale.
3. "As a conventional textbook to be chosen by an academic for classroom use" was the category into which I "fell." To my dismay, I recently found myself assigned, on extremely short notice, to teach a comprehensive course on MS/OR. I found our standard two-volume text decidedly off-putting and could only conclude that my students would likely as well. As my background includes accounting, finance, and computer systems, I knew that I wanted a spreadsheet-based textbook for the course. As at most schools, MS is under fire for "relevance" and "accessibility," compounded here through the "mix" of students for my various sections: MBA, EMBA, and MS/MOT (latter all engineering degreed).
Suffice it to say that the classes proved complete successes: the students petitioned the Dean to have an advanced management science course added to the curriculum which I'm teaching this (fall '98) semester. In addition to covering the chapters / chapter sections omitted from the "introductory" course, we're using PMSc as the primary text with Bodily, Carraway, et al's excellent QBA case book for facilitating the integration of MS with finance, marketing, operations, and strategy.
As a sidebar: Most of my MBA students were from one of our "dedicated" MBA programs. These manager / students have apparently provided many of their subordinates with copies of PMSc. Their experience had regularly been that they were using on Monday the material I had "taught" them on Saturday.
As if this weren't enough praise, I'm using PMSc as a supplemental text in my finance courses because of its lucid and extensive coverage of @RISK and for the extensive finance material provided. This is proving extremely popular with my students.
As you might infer, I think that PMSc is without peer as the best and most effective text for learning how to actually perform REAL management science without tears or undue ancillary learning. I've yet to have a student who was not wildly enthusiastic about PMSc (that's not hyperbole) -- when's the last time you've had THAT experience?
I'd be happy to hear from anyone buying this text -- I really WANT to hear from anyone buying this text who is less than completely satisfied.

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This text takes an active-learning approach, providing numerous examples and problems so students can practice extensively with a concept before moving on. Four types of problems -- skill-building, skill-extending, modeling, and cases are graded within sections and chapters to help instructors assign homework. Another important feature is the way that the text integrates modeling into all functional areas of business: finance, marketing, operations management using real examples and real data. The text emphasizes modeling over algebraic formulations and memorization of particular models. Shell files are also provided so that instructors can give students as much or as little information as they need.

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Data Modeling for Everyone Review

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(More customer reviews)As I was reviewing this book for a class I was teaching on the subject, I could'nt help but think the author's effort was rushed. This book would be good for someone with a strong data modeling background who wants a new perspective. It is a poor choice for novices to the field. Explanations are lacking in clarity. Book is poorly organized. Check out Inside Relational Databases, Whithorn.

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Data Modeling is about gathering, documenting, and communicating the elements and structure of business information. What begins as a conceptual interplay of logical data units, through the application of relational theory, becomes the basis for creating a physical database design.Data Modeling is a core skill for data professionals, and is a full time job for a small but growing number of IT practitioners. It is a crucial stage prior to good quality relational database design.Data Modeling for Everyone is for those who:Have no previous data modeling experienceWant to understand the role of the data modeler in database designNeed to know how to capture the essence of a system but don't know where to startWant more than just the theory and learn best from real world experienceRequire a book before other data design books – helping you develop a logical model rather than assuming one exists that needs to be implemented in a databaseData Modeling for Everyone provides a solid foundation in the following tools & techniques:The different types of data modeling – enterprise, transactional, and dimensionalThe stages of analysis – developing conceptual, logical, and physical modelsWhat to do if you need to work with existing systems – reverse engineering and forensic analysisGeneral principles for converting logical models to physical onesModeling scope – focusing on what's important but allowing for future development of your modelDefining detail – entity relationship (E/R), key based, and fully attributed modelsDocumenting your understanding of the business in the modelGraphical data modeling, focusing on the IDEF1X notation--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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The Art of Business Process Modeling: The Business Analyst's Guide to Process Modeling with UML & BPMN Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a business analyst working in the healthcare and pharma industries. Recently I was assigned to document a number of our business processes. I have drawn some Visio diagrams before but I was looking for a better way to do the work. A search on Amazon turned up this book by Dr. Schedlbauer. I heard him speak before at a conference and knew that he was an expert, so I decided to buy the book and see his approach.
His book describes his technique called PROMAP. I found that PROMAP was a pretty good framework to get me organized and to point out that process modeling is more than just drawing Visio diagrams. I particularly liked the other types of models and his advice on how to elicit procedures from my business partners. His discussion of linking processes to rules was great - it made my business partners real happy; they could see which rules applied to their processes.
The book is short and to the point, which I really like - not a lot of fluff. The book could give more examples of the diagrams and how to apply PROMAP, but overall the approach is easy to implement. We use flowcharts and UML, but not BPMN, so I did not dive deeply into the section on BPMN modeling but I expect to do that soon. The book explains UML well and we will adopt more of that going forward.
Overall, I would recommend this short and to the point book to anyone whose job it is to map out business processes or who works as a business analyst.


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Information systems have become a critical part of the infrastructure of most, if not all, businesses, government organizations, and even individual households. To be useful, an information system must integrate and align with the way the business conducts its operations. By necessity this means that information systems construction requires an understanding of the organization's procedures, operations, and processes. Articulating, modeling, and managing business processes and workflows are pre-conditions to successful automation. Business processes are part of the fabric of the business and represent a strategic and critical intellectual asset that needs to be understood and proactively managed. Processes are often cross-functional and involve multiple systems, software applications, and human assets - including employees, customers, partners, and vendors. Processes must be formally defined and documented so that they can be practiced uniformly and consistently across the organization. Explicit articulation of processes is essential so that the processes truly become intellectual property of the organization rather than being tied to a specific individual.Business process modeling (or BPM for short) is the activity of eliciting, documenting, modeling, and analyzing work procedures within an organization.To be successful, the business analyst must possess the necessary modeling skills and business knowledge to carry out these responsibilities.The first step in business process management is capturing and articulating the processes. This is done through process modeling. Once processes have been documented, then the organization can think about optimizing and eventually automating the processes. Optimization is done through a combination of manual analysis as well as automated simulation.This book describes the PROMAP methodology for articulating and modeling business processes. PROMAP is practical and based on over 20 years of experience in modeling.

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Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling and Simulation Review

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(More customer reviews)The author is well-known in the PK/PD modeling field. It is a reader-friendly book. It is very easy to understand. You would not be bored by the terminology. The author explained the theory and ideas by the simplest words. Actually, it is a very fun book. You are just like reading a story, not a boring science book.
This book is for students/professionals with adequate backgroup of PK/PD, math and statistics. It is especially useful for an entry level modeler or future modeler.
I love this book.

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A natural hierarchy exists in pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling culminating in population pharmacokinetic models, which are a specific type of nonlinear mixed effects model. The purpose of this book is to present through theory and example how to develop pharmacokinetic models, both at an individual and population level. In order to do so, however, one must first understand linear models and then build to nonlinear models followed by linear mixed effects models and then ultimately nonlinear mixed effects models. This book develops in that manner - each chapter builds upon previous chapters by first presenting the theory and then illustrating the theory using published data sets and actual data sets that were used in the development of new chemical entities collected by the author during his years in industry. A key feature of the book is the process of modeling. Most books and manuscripts often present the final model never showing how the model evolved. In this book all examples are presented in an evolutionary manner.

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Spreadsheet Modeling in Corporate Finance Review

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(More customer reviews)Although intended as a supplement for textbooks used in college level business courses, this book is also valuable to working professionals who deal with financial modeling. Because I am a consultant and project manager I'm going to slant this review towards how my peers will benefit from the book. It's value outside of my narrow scope should be apparent.
First, unlike other books that teach spreadsheet modeling, the spreadsheets that come on the CD ROM are not finished products. Instead the author has chosen spreadsheets that use dynamic charts to illustrate concepts in an interactive manner (drag a control to change the parameters and the chart changes - this is a powerful teaching tool in or out of the classroom).
Second, the book needs to be read in sequence because spreadsheets you build in one chapter are the basis for refinements and added complexity in later chapters. This leads to highly complex spreadsheets, such as the model in chapter 16 (Life-Cycle Financial Planning), which incorporates tax parameters (federal and state levels), benefits analysis and other factors.
In all there are 53 spreadsheets presented in this book, and you build them. The author calls this "active learning" (as opposed to passive learning where you are provided templates), and it is effective because you are the one who builds the models and tools while following the book. Note that this book does NOT purport to teach Excel programming, but how to build models using Excel's basic features and functions.
As a consultant and project manager the parts of this book that were immediately useful to me were: Parts I (Time Value of Money), III (Capital Budgeting) and IV (Financial Planning). In particular, project management requires a thorough understanding of time value of money and capital budgeting, and the chapters in these sections should be read by anyone who is assigned as a project manager. Financial planning, especially from the perspective of IT asset management, is another knowledge area in which IT consultants should be well versed.
The other parts of the book (II Valuation and V Options and Corporate Finance) will be more useful to finance professionals and general business managers. There is a collection of supporting material on the author's web site that augment this book, including spreadsheets that can be downloaded. Another plus for the working professional is the book is fast-paced and, dare I say, engrossing.

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If you build it, you will learn.*Comes as a book and CD-ROM that teaches students how to build financial models in Excel *Provides instructions for building financial models, not templates *Progresses from simple examples to complex real-world applications *Is available is alternative versions that match the notation of most Prentice Hall Corporate Finance textbooks and other popular textbooks *Includes end-of-chapter problems *Has been extensively classroom-tested

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Solar Electric Power Generation - Photovoltaic Energy Systems: Modeling of Optical and Thermal Performance, Electrical Yield, Energy Balance, Effect on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Review

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(More customer reviews)This book explores the real potential of solar electric power generation in order to reduce CO2 emissions and prevent the planet from global warming. For this purpose the author analyses the entire energy balance of photovoltaic power plants during their life time from the production to the recycling - taking into account the whole system. He considers all optical interfaces and layers passed by the sunlight from the sun into the solar cell, thermal layout of any photovoltaic module and its heat transfer mechanisms, its related actual electrical properties, allowing an accurate calculation of yield and an optimization of system components, thus reducing costs for solar electricity. Different locations for production and installation of photovoltaic systems are also considered. The concluding message is: If applied in an intelligent way, global energy supply via photo-electric power generation is widely possible.

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This book thoroughly examines the technical parameters of photovoltaic systems, and appraises their net energy balance from production, operation and maintenance, to recycling. Similar performance and yield analysis is applied to optical, thermal, and electrical parameters and interfaces. Professor Krauter demonstrates how accurate yield calculations, optimal system performance, and new prototypes aid in cost reduction. Examples, tables and figures are included.

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Introduction to Matrix Analytic Methods in Stochastic Modeling (ASA-SIAM Series on Statistics and Applied Probability) (English and Spanish Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Matrix Analytic Methods (MAM) are great modeling tools that can analyze a variety of stochastic systems in a unified way and in an algorithmically tractable manner. This book is one of the greatest that have been published on queueing theory and stochastic modeling.
This book covers
1. Examples of quasi-birth-and-death (QBD) processes.
2. Phase-type distributions
3. Stationary and non-stationary QBDs
4. Algorithms (from probabilistic reasoning)
5. And many others.
I used this book as a text for my graduate students and it was a real pleasure. Throughout the books, readers will see MAM as an art of modeling and analysis of stochastic systems, not the pile of techniques.
This book is aiming at readers in queueing theory, computer science, OR/MS, statistics, mathematics, and many other related disciplines. This book also serves as the source of bibliography not otherwise easily available.

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Matrix analytic methods are popular as modeling tools because they give one the ability to construct and analyze a wide class of queuing models in a unified and algorithmically tractable way. The authors present the basic mathematical ideas and algorithms of the matrix analytic theory in a readable, up-to-date, and comprehensive manner. In the current literature, a mixed bag of techniques is used-some probabilistic, some from linear algebra, and some from transform methods. Here, many new proofs that emphasize the unity of the matrix analytic approach are included.

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Gateway to Memory: An Introduction to Neural Network Modeling of the Hippocampus and Learning (Issues in Clinical and Cognitive Neuropsychology) Review

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(More customer reviews)To those students, mostly at the undergraduate level, that are not applied mathematic specialists and have looked for an easy to understand, well written, introduction to Neural Networks in learning processes; this is a must-have book. "Gateway..." is an excellent read, targeted to readers from a wide scope of backgrounds, from Biologists to Computer Science Majors through Medical Sciences.
Although leaning a bit too heavily on the conceptual view of the subject, the book introduces the reader gradually to what a Neural Network is, what a computer model is and how it works.
Two basic tools are of special interest to the reader. First, the beginning half of the book gives a general, yet very complete, introduction of the concepts, history and theory to be used. Second, for those with a little more interest in the mathematics there's a good number of "Math Boxes" delving into the details of the subject(s).
The effect of these tools is that, by the time you reach into the core matter of how neural networks models are constructed and worked in the field of Hippocampal memory, the reader suddenly finds his/herself well-familiarized with the theory. A comfortable, gradual, learning process has taken place without any discomfort (and in less time than you would think!).

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This book is for students and researchers who have a specific interest inlearning and memory and want to understand how computational models can beintegrated into experimental research on the hippocampus and learning. It emphasizesthe function of brain structures as they give rise to behavior, rather than themolecular or neuronal details. It also emphasizes the process of modeling, ratherthan the mathematical details of the models themselves.The book is divided into twoparts. The first part provides a tutorial introduction to topics in neuroscience,the psychology of learning and memory, and the theory of neural network models. Thesecond part, the core of the book, reviews computational models of how thehippocampus cooperates with other brain structures--including the entorhinal cortex,basal forebrain, cerebellum, and primary sensory and motor cortices--to supportlearning and memory in both animals and humans. The book assumes no prior knowledgeof computational modeling or mathematics. For those who wish to delve more deeplyinto the formal details of the models, there are optional "mathboxes" andappendices. The book also includes extensive references and suggestions for furtherreadings.

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