Modeling Survival Data: Extending the Cox Model (Statistics for Biology and Health) Review

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(More customer reviews)Terry Therneau is a research statistician at the Mayo Clinic and Patricia Grambsch is a Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Minnesota. The Cox proportional hazards model has been one of the key methods for analyzing survival data with covariates for the last 25 years. Proportionality is a key assumption that limits its use. There has long been a need to find methods which diagnose when the hazard rates are not proportional and provide alternative methods in such situations. Using the theory of counting processes the authors are able to extend the Cox model to more general situations including multiple/correlated event data using either marginal models or random effects (frailty) models. Time dependent covariates are also covered. Some of the theory of martigales and counting processes is included to make the book self-contained. Generalized residuals are used to identify outlying and influential observations (analogous to ordinary regression) and also to assess the proportional hazards assumption.
Although the topics are advanced and the mathematical level is high the book is designed for practitioners, emphasizing applications and providing numerous examples, many from the authors' experience. Statistical analyses are done in SAS and SPlus. The authors tend to use SAS for data management and analysis and SPlus for diagnostics and other plots. Therneau is an expert programmer who has written much of the necessary software in both systems.
Therneau gave an excellent short course that I attended a couple of years ago at the Joint Statistical Meetings based on a draft of the text. The finished product is as good as I expected.
The appendices include SAS and S-Plus tutorials on survival analysis and provide SAS Macros and S functions to apply the new methodology.
The book is now (December 2008) in its 6th printing which is another testament to its value and popularity and a nice deal at amazon's current price of $87. But O'Quigley's book is out now too. So maybe Terry and Patricia should be thinking about doing a revision if they don't already have one in the works.


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This book is for statistical practitioners, particularly those who design and analyze studies for survival and event history data. Building on recent developments motivated by counting process and martingale theory, it shows the reader how to extend the Cox model to analyze multiple/correlated event data using marginal and random effects. The focus is on actual data examples, the analysis and interpretation of results, and computation. The book shows how these new methods can be implemented in SAS and S-Plus, including computer code, worked examples, and data sets.

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Advanced Use Case Modeling: Software Systems (v. 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book has some powerful advice for those projects that use Use Cases to drive their analysis and design efforts. It lays out a good process to follow for developing the Use Cases so you don't jump right into the details without a plan. Much of the advice is good Software Engineering practices, but a lot of people seem to forget that it still applies even when making use of newer techniques such as Use Cases.
The chapters pertaining to relating the Use Cases to other artifacts - such as test cases, the User Interface, and the Object Model - offer very practical and sound advice. You can tell that the authors have actually done it before and are speaking from experience and lessons learned.
The chapter explaining Extend Relationships offered the clearest and most complete description of the Extend Relationship that I have encountered.
All of the writing is very approachable and the examples sprinkled throughout the book and in the Appendixes are very helpful.

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Use cases are increasingly popular, but many large organizations find it difficult to develop the complex use case models they need -- and poorly developed models fail to achieve their goals. In Advanced Use Case Modeling, Volume I, two leading use case experts present proven techniques for applying use cases in even the most challenging environments. The book begins with a clear, rigorous, example-driven explanation of the fundamental concepts of use cases. Next, the authors introduce repeatable processes for developing use cases that successfully drive systems design. Readers will learn the traps and pitfalls of use case design and how to avoid them; then discover new techniques for addressing the most important use case modeling issues -- several of which have never before been discussed in a book. All descriptions and examples reflect the latest UML notation. For all object-oriented designers, analysts, and software engineers -- and for all managers and users involved in object-oriented development projects.

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Modeling Monetary Economies Review

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(More customer reviews)Economists have a responsiblity to communicate as simply as possible. Too often complex mathematics are an egotistic tool of the economist that merely frustrates the reader. Champ and Freeman's Modeling Monetary Economies is a wonderful volume that explains tough issues in monetary economics by building upon Wallace and Bryant's overlapping generations (OLG) model.
The OLG framework is a very simple framework that has its limitations, yet it is a powerful explanatory device. Champ and Freeman apply it to the following exercises:
* Introduce money into an economy--any grad student of economics (as I once was) will tell you this is no simple task! We take money for granted, of course, but mathematical models tend to imply that money is unnecessary! Just getting money into an economic model without unreasonable assumptions is itself an accomplishment.
* Inflation--again, not easy to do in other mathematical models of money--and anticipated inflation
* International currency exchange and the indeterminancy of the exchange rate
* Central banking and changes to the money supply
* Banks and lending
* Deficits and the national debt
* The interaction of all of the above
The book also has exercises in it that apply and extend the models introduced in each chapter.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend this book for advanced year undergrads (in mathematical econ programs) and graduate students. It really is a great book that builds a conceptual knowledge of the interaction of the various components of monetary economics. This is useful for understanding more complicated dynamic optimization models. And it provides models that are useful in their own right and relevant as the basis for further (ie., dissertation) research.

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The approach of this text is to teach monetary economics using the classical paradigm of rational agents in a market setting. Too often monetaryeconomics has been taught as a collection of facts about existing institutions for students to memorize. By teaching from first principles instead, the authors aim to instruct students not only in the monetary policies and institutions that exist today in the United States and Canada, but also in what policies and institutions may orshould exist tomorrow and elsewhere. The text builds on a simple, clear monetary model and applies this framework consistently to a wide variety of monetary questions. The authors have added in this third edition new material on money as a means of replacing imperfect social record keeping, the role of currency inbanking panics, and a description of the policies implemented to deal with the banking crises that began in 2007.

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Mathematics for Dynamic Modeling, Second Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This is not a new cover on an older book. Having enjoyed Beltrami's first book I was glad to see a second. The new continues the subject of modeling not math. Well written, the author's book ties the conceptual difficulites of the subjects with the necessary math to get the point accross and guide the reader to new frontiers of insight again in the sense of the physical model not the math. This is a very important point! One does not lose sight of the over-all objective as with some math intensive proof types. The beauty of the work is getting the necessary across with the least. One disappointment though. The book was to short. I hope the author continues another work. Perhaps some more indepth of previous covered material. All examples and problems are easily solved in Mathcad, which already has the depth but sometimes not the explanation.

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The Data Modeling Handbook : A Best-Practice Approach to Building Quality Data Models Review

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(More customer reviews)I have many books on data modeling but this one is probably the most understandable. The examples are well-formed and many diagrams are provided along with written explanations. They do an excellent job of going through 5th normal form and show how to resolve many different issues such as special cases in generalization hierarchies. I have found this book very useful in practice and it has served me well.

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A Straightforward, No-Nonsense Guide to Building the Most Accurate, Complete, and Useful Data Models Possible. How do I know if my data model is accurate? When is a model really complete? Is it possible for a model to be both technically perfect and of no use to an organization, and what can I do to avoid that problem? This book provides answers to these and other crucial data modeling questions. While there are plenty of books that describe the characteristics of finished high-quality data models, only The Data Modeling Handbook gets down to the nitty-gritty of actually building one. Packed with real-world examples, annotated diagrams, and a wealth of rules and best practices, this field-tested guide provides experienced data modelers, architects, and engineers with hands-on guidance from two noted data management experts.* The only book offering clear, straightforward rules and guidelines for judging model accuracy and completeness* Presents all rules in several notations, including IDEF1X, Martin, Chen, and Finkelstein* Compares and contrasts the most popular modeling styles and demonstrates how great models can be built using any type of notation* Explains how to use an organization's plans, policies, objectives, and strategies to build accurate, complete, and useful models* Offers detailed guidance to establishing a continuous quality evaluation program that's easy to implement and follow* Packed with real-world examples and annotated diagrams illustrating each point covered* Describes how to use Case tools most effectively to build high-quality models

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3D Automotive Modeling: An Insider's Guide to 3D Car Modeling and Design for Games and Film Review

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(More customer reviews)This delightful, detailed instruction booklet for 3D Automotive Modeling includes high quality color photos with the easy to follow step by step instructions. From the Chicago styled Hot Rod concept, vortex concept, modeling the Mobile Suit, etc. this is an excellent manual for helping break down the numerous advancements in interactive game technology, 3D development and application and other modeling aids. A fantastic book for anyone hoping to grasp this challenging, yet fun, technology. I especially loved all the numerous photos and sketches included in the Chicago Styled Hot Rod concept chapter. Andrew Gahan has put forth an instructional guide truly focused on helping anyone understand 3D Automotive concepts.

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Master techniques from top automotive designers and world-class game developers with this insider's guide to designing and modeling 3D vehicles. With techniques demonstrated in 3ds Max, Maya, XSI, and Photoshop, 3D Automotive Modeling starts with a fantastic series of hot concept designs and continues by offering a full hands-on modeling tutorial for each. Some of the very best designers and modelers from across the globe take you through their processes step-by-step, giving you the tips, tricks, and short-cuts that true professionals use.

3D Automotive Modeling features tutorials from Honda, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz designers, as well as modelers from Sony Computer Entertainment, Lucas Arts, and Simbin-artists who have worked on some of the biggest games in the industry, including the MotorStorm series.

You will get:

* Insider tips from a team of noted professionals, led by author Andrew Gahan, part of the award-winning game team behind the PlayStation 3 smash hit series, MotorStorm * All tutorial files, models, textures, blueprints, and concept images on the associated web site * Access to a vibrant forum on the web site where you can discuss and share your work and get feedback from the pros

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Structural Equation Modeling With Lisrel, Prelis, and Simplis: Basic Concepts, Applications, and Programming (Multivariate Applications Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a good starting point for someone desiring to learn SEM in Lisrel. Theoretical/statistical concepts have been explained in a simple manner and explanation of Lisrel is thorough. Useful as a course book. Not a good book if you already know SEM and are looking for in-depth understanding.

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This book illustrates the ease with which various features of LISREL 8 and PRELIS 2 can be implemented in addressing research questions that lend themselves to SEM. Its purpose is threefold: (a) to present a nonmathmatical introduction to basic concepts associated with SEM, (b) to demonstrate basic applications of SEM using both the DOS and Windows versions of LISREL 8, as well as both the LISREL and SIMPLIS lexicons, and (c) to highlight particular features of the LISREL 8 and PRELIS 2 progams that address important caveats related to SEM analyses.This book is intended neither as a text on the topic of SEM, nor as a comprehensive review of the many statistical funcitons available in the LISREL 8 and PRELIS 2 programs. Rather, the intent is to provide a practical guide to SEM using the LISREL approach. As such, the reader is "walked through" a diversity of SEM applications that include both factor analytic and full latent variable models, as well as a variety of data management procedures.

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3-D Human Modeling and Animation, Third Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I highly recommend this book because it is teaching me a lot about 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, and animation. The book has detailed step-by-step instructions for modeling human characters plus video tutorials that go along with it.
The author is also a professor of 3D animation and it really shows. He presents the material as if you were taking one of his classes explaining and illustrating each step in this complicated process. First I learned how to model simple things like furniture. Then I followed his instructions and was able to model a cartoon character.
Now I'm learning how to model a human. I'm almost done and it's great that I've gotten this far without screwing things up. Sometimes when I had problems making out the exact step, I just played the video tutorial found on the DVD for that part. It really helped!
I noticed a reviewer who said there were errors in the book. I didn't find them. I've seen many other impressive models online that had 5-sided or more polygons such as Steven Stahlberg's awesome human models. He doesn't just stick with 4-sided polygons and look how great his models deform when animated. He's famous for his human models if you didn't know. In one of his tutorials, he says that sometimes you have to use polygons that have more than four sides.
I'm glad I bought this book and I think you will be too once you work with it like I did. I won't deny that you have to put in the time to get the results you want.

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3-D Human Modeling and Animation

Third Edition
All the tools and techniques you need to bring human figures to 3-D life
Thanks to today's remarkable technology, artists can create and animate realistic, three-dimensional human figures that were not possible just a few years ago. This easy-to-follow book guides you through all the necessary steps to adapt your own artistic skill in figure drawing, painting, and sculpture to this exciting digital canvas.
3-D Human Modeling and Animation, Third Edition starts you off with simple modeling, then prepares you for more advanced techniques for creating human characters. After a brief overview of human anatomy, you'll delve into the basic principles of proportion and structure, along with the different body parts. Exploring human modeling, texturing, rigging, and lighting leads you to more advanced techniques for digital figure animation.
Filled with?detailed, practical information about creating and animating 3-D human models, this updated Third Edition now features more than 500 full-color images that detail, step by step, the modeling and animation processes for both male and female figures. Most helpful of all, the included DVD features QuickTime tutorials tied to the modeling chapters and provides detailed color images from the chapters so you can get a quick start in bringing your visions to fruition!

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Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a concise, effective introduction to dynamic systems modeling
and how it can be used to provide insight to biological problems. The use
of dynamic modeling is demonstrated through example models, a new model
each chapter. The authors walk the reader/student through each model and
then make suggestions as to how it can be further exploited for greater
understanding of the problem. The greatest aspect of this book lies in
its demystification of computer modeling in general and shows that any
person, no matter their quantitative skills, can effectively model a
system by adhering to certain fundamentals. The models that are provided
range from ecosystems to individual cells, espousing a 'systems' approach
to every level of biology. Overall, this book is easy to understand; providing a mental tool by which one can bring greater clarity to complex, dynamic problems.

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Models help us understand the dynamics of real-world processes by using the computer to mimic the actual forces that are known or assumed to result in a system's behavior. This book does not require a substantial background in mathematics or computer science. Using STELLA II and MADONNA software, Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems applies methods of computer modeling to a wide range of topics from laboratory biology and ecology. STELLA II and MADONNA run-time software and computer files of sample models accompany the book on a CD-ROM. The software is compatible with both Macintosh- and Windows-based systems.

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Google SketchUp Workshop: Modeling, Visualizing, and Illustrating Review

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(More customer reviews)Executive Summary: Have a project in mind, do the online SketchUp tutorials, then read this
book's "Overview" section and whatever other sections catch your eye.
First off, this book isn't an introduction to SketchUp. The online SketchUp tutorials handle that job. Instead, this book is more like a series of conference papers. Very well done conference papers though.
The "Overview" section is suprisingly long at over 70 pages. Those pages, however, are rather good. SketchUp has a lot of oddities. Some oddities are just because SketchUp has its own approach to some things. Other oddities are just sort of odd. The overview provides pointers on making some things easier to deal with and to make projects flow more easily. It also provides a few hints as to why, when SketchUp isn't doing what you expect, and how to get back to predictability. Eventually these things make sense.
The rest of the book is a series of overviews of various people's work, work flows and design techniques. I was immediately drawn to the woodworking project overview because that's pretty much what my initial SketchUp efforts are all about. There are lots of other projects though and they are truly shocking in their complexity and breadth.
A reader can easily read only the overview and maybe a project section or two. That's surely the fastest way to process what you need and then get to your own project. The reality is that you get drawn back in the text. There's that cool longship in the concept art section, the virtual house design, the .... so much neat stuff!


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Discover the secrets of the Google SketchUp with the 16 real-world professional-level projects including parks, structures, concept art, and illustration. Google SketchUp Workshop includes all the wide variety of projects that SketchUp can be used for-architectural visualization, landscape design, video game and film conception, and more. SketchUp masters in every field will get you up to speed in this agile and intuitive software and then show you the real uses with through projects in architecture, engineering, and design.
* Packed with 16 real-world Google SketchUp projects from working professionals that traverse the entire spectrum of what SketchUp can accomplish * Covers both the free and Professional versions of the Google SketchUp program - it is not bound to any version* Teaches 2D illustration and pre-visualization through to the fully rendered 3D Model - from start to finish

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Data Modeling for the Business: A Handbook for Aligning the Business with IT using High-Level Data Models (Take It with You Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)Good handbook on Data Modeling High Level or Conceptual Data Model. The emphasis is on starting out with clear and concise High Level Data Models, which closely match the business requirements. Very useful book that not only gives you best practices but leaves you with a step-by-step methodology you could start using immediately. The book has a good flow with excellent illustrations, examples and case studies.

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Did you ever try getting Businesspeople and IT to agree on the project scope for a new application? Or try getting Marketing and Sales to agree on the target audience? Or try bringing new team members up to speed on the hundreds of tables in your data warehouse - without them dozing off?
Whether you are a businessperson or an IT professional, you can be the hero in each of these and hundreds of other scenarios by building a High-Level Data Model. The High-Level Data Model is a simplified view of our complex environment. It can be a powerful communication tool of the key concepts within our application development projects, business intelligence and master data management programs, and all enterprise and industry initiatives.
Learn about the High-Level Data Model and master the techniques for building one, including a comprehensive ten-step approach and hands-on exercises to help you practice topics on your own. In this book, we review data modeling basics and explain why the core concepts stored in a high-level data model can have significant business impact on an organization. We explain the technical notation used for a data model and walk through some simple examples of building a high-level data model. We also describe how data models relate to other key initiatives you may have heard of or may be implementing in your organization.
This book contains best practices for implementing a high-level data model, along with some easy-to-use templates and guidelines for a step-by-step approach. Each step will be illustrated using many examples based on actual projects we have worked on. One example spans an entire chapter and will allow you to practice building a high-level data model from beginning to end, and then compare your results to ours. Building a high-level data model following the ten step approach you will read about is a great way to ensure you will retain the new skills you learn in this book.
As is the case in many disciplines, using the right tool for the right job is critical to the overall success of your high-level data model implementation. To help you in your tool selection process, there are several chapters dedicated to discussing what to look for in a high-level data modeling tool and a framework for choosing a data modeling tool, in general.
This book concludes with a real-world case study that shows how an international energy company successfully used a high-level data model to streamline their information management practices and increase communication throughout the organization - between both businesspeople and IT.
Data modeling is one of the under-exploited, and potentially very valuable, business capabilities that are often hidden away in an organizations Information Technology department. Data Modeling for the Business highlights both the resulting damage to business value, and the opportunities to make things better. As an easy-to follow and comprehensive guide on the why and how of data modeling, it also reminds us that a successful strategy for exploiting IT depends at least as much on the information as the technology. Chris Potts, Corporate IT Strategist and Author of fruITion: Creating the Ultimate Corporate Strategy for Information Technology
The authors of Data Modeling for the Business do a masterful job at simply and clearly describing the art of using data models to communicate with business representatives and meet business needs. The book provides many valuable tools, analogies, and step-by-step methods for effective data modeling and is an important contribution in bridging the much needed connection between data modeling and realizing business requirements. Len Silverston, author of The Data Model Resource Book series

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MODELING OF ASPHALT CONCRETE (McGraw-Hill Construction) Review

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(More customer reviews)It has arrived very fast as I bought it in USA and it was send to Brazil. Very reliable! I recomend!

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An Expert Guide to Developing More-Durable and Cost-Effective Asphalt Pavements

Written by distinguished experts from countries around the world, Modeling of Asphalt Concrete presents in-depth coverage of the current materials, methods, and models used for asphalt pavements.
Included is state-of-the-art information on fundamental material properties and mechanisms affecting the performance of asphalt concrete, new rheological testing and analysis techniques, constitutive models, and performance prediction methodologies for asphalt concrete and asphalt pavements. Emphasis is placed on the modeling of asphalt mixes for specific geographic/climatic requirements.
In light of America's crumbling infrastructure and our heavy usage of asphalt as a paving material, this timely reference is essential for the development of more-durable and cost-effective asphalt materials for both new construction and rehabilitation.
Harness the Latest Breakthroughs in Asphalt Concrete Technology:
• Asphalt Rheology • Constitutive Models • Stiffness Characterization • Models for Low-Temperature Cracking • Models for Fatigue Cracking and Moisture Damage • Models for Rutting and Aging

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Texturing and Modeling, Third Edition: A Procedural Approach (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an update of a classic book on procedural texturing and modeling by the main founders of the field. The book presents lengthy discussions of classical procedural texturing using various noise functions of the sort originated by Ken Perlin (one of the authors). It discusses newer texturing techniques such as cellular texturing, which can be used, for example, to create convincing stone patterns. Other chapters focus on animating solid textures (e.g. marble forming, volumetric gasses, etc.), fractal terrain generation, and tips for utilizing existing graphics APIs and hardware for realtime procedural texturing. This is only a sampling of the topics covered.
Code samples in C and RenderMan are given throughout, although most algorithms are given in only one of those languages. This can be a bit of a problem, as many readers will probably not have access to a RenderMan implementation. Nevertheless, it is not too difficult to translate the RenderMan code into C code in many instances.
The biggest drawback to this book is its lack of rigorous technical coverage. The decision to omit many mathematical details was a conscious choice on the part of the authors. Instead the book is mostly prose discussion of the techniques and the coarse descriptions of the underlying concepts. Although the prose is mostly clear, many times I felt myself in need of more specific, technical details. Fortunately, the book's authors are the primary researchers in this field and most of the ideas in the book have been published in academic journals. It was very easy to supplement the book with these primary sources.
Overall I found this to be a very interesting and useful book, with many algorithms essentially ready-to-run right out of the book. It would get five stars, except for the lack of technical and mathematical details mentioned above. Every serious worker in graphics needs to have this book on their shelf. I use mine often.

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The third edition of this classic tutorial and reference on procedural texturing and modeling is thoroughly updated to meet the needs of today's 3D graphics professionals and students. New for this edition are chapters devoted to real-time issues, cellular texturing, geometric instancing, hardware acceleration, futuristic environments, and virtual universes. In addition, the familiar authoritative chapters on which readers have come to rely contain all-new material covering L-systems, particle systems, scene graphs, spot geometry, bump mapping, cloud modeling, and noise improvements. There are many new spectacular color images to enjoy, especially in this edition's full-color format.As in the previous editions, the authors, who are the creators of the methods they discuss, provide extensive, practical explanations of widely accepted techniques as well as insights into designing new ones. New to the third edition are chapters by two well-known contributors: Bill Mark of NVIDIA and John Hart of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on state-of-the-art topics not covered in former editions.An accompanying Web site (www.texturingandmodeling.com) contains all of the book's sample code in C code segments (all updated to the ANSI C Standard) or in RenderMan shading language, plus files of many magnificent full-color illustrations.No other book on the market contains the breadth of theoretical and practical information necessary for applying procedural methods. More than ever, Texturing & Modeling remains the chosen resource for professionals and advanced students in computer graphics and animation. *New chapters on: procedural real-time shading by Bill Mark, procedural geometric instancing and real-time solid texturing by John Hart, hardware acceleration strategies by David Ebert, cellular texturing by Steven Worley, and procedural planets and virtual universes by Ken Musgrave.*New material on Perlin Noise by Ken Perlin.*Printed in full color throughout.*Companion Web site contains revised sample code and dozens of images.

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Introduction to Computational Science: Modeling and Simulation for the Sciences Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great book for the college bound. Very interesting and easy to read.

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Computational science is a quickly emerging field at the intersection of the sciences, computer science, and mathematics because much scientific investigation now involves computing as well as theory and experiment. However, limited educational materials exist in this field. Introduction to Computational Science fills this void with a flexible, readable textbook that assumes only a background in high school algebra and enables instructors to follow tailored pathways through the material. It is the first textbook designed specifically for an introductory course in the computational science and engineering curriculum.

The text embraces two major approaches to computational science problems: System dynamics models with their global views of major systems that change with time; and cellular automaton simulations with their local views of how individuals affect individuals. While the text is generic, an extensive author-generated Web-site contains tutorials and files in a variety of software packages to accompany the text.

Generic software approach in the text
Web site with tutorials and files in a variety of software packages
Engaging examples, exercises, and projects that explore science
Additional, substantial projects for students to develop individually or in teams
Consistent application of the modeling process
Quick review questions and answers
Projects for students to develop individually or in teams
Reference sections for most modules, as well as a glossary
Online instructor's manual with a test bank and solutions

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Excel Modeling and Estimation in Investments Review

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(More customer reviews)Craig W. Holden's "Excel Modeling in Investments" came as an excellent surprise to me when I received a faculty review copy from the publisher. I have long used Simon Benninga's competing text "Financial Modeling in Excel" to teach undergraduate and graduate financial modeling courses, however, I seriously am considering switching to Holden's EMinI. Holden correctly emphasizes discounting a bond's value on various yield curves, rather than a linear or fixed discount rate as in Benninga. Holden has some flaws, his layouts for binomial pricing models are inefficient for adapting to trinomial converging tree models, for example, but Holden is the only serious rival to Benninga in coverage of the major topics of modeling. Holden covers bonds, duration, convexity, portfolio optimization, financial planning, and the leading option pricing models. In addition, he covers cost of carry in the context of spot and futures prices, and interest rate parity. Holden does not cover Value at Risk, cheapest to deliver bonds, and has little on Visual Basic. However he does cover the Vasicek and Cox-Ingersoll-Ross interest rate models more thoroughly than Benninga. Holden's flaws are many: there is no index, and this is a text that cries out for one. Similarly, the footnotes are inadequate, and a broad "Further Reading" and bibliography should be here. Holden also suffers from being written as a companion text to popular finance textbooks such as Bodie Kane and Marcus, however, one always has the impression that the author was looking more to maximizing the market share of the text than really selecting the best chapters. We can only hope that Holden follows the better angels of his nature and includes more detail and chapters, perhaps on Monte Carlo simulation, VaR, and VBA programming. The CD-Rom, while helpful, is a little light, but this is the author's intention for he wishes students to build their own models from scratch.
In summary, I heartily recommend this book coupled with Benninga's more detailed "Financial Modeling in Excel" and find the practical emphasis indispensable for those working with or using a theoretical text such as Bodie Kane and Marcus. For those students that want careers in finance, this book is fundamental, primary, and necessary, for it emphasizes practical skills you will be executing everyday at a much higher level in a bank or asset management firm. Master these skills and models now before beginning your career and the acceleration of your promotions responsibilities will exceed those of your peers quickly.

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Designing Geodatabases: Case Studies in GIS Data Modeling Review

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(More customer reviews)This book provides a good introduction of steps and principles in designing geodatabases and the importance of information products and identifying thematic layers. The book presents 7 complex models: streams and river networks, census units and boundaries, addresses and locations, parcels and cadastre, surveying federal lands, using raster data, cartography and the base map.For each model they present the features, feature data sets, relationships, and topology rules. Readers working in these 7 areas will probably gain most from the book.
I would have also liked simpler examples and more design principles on grouping features into feature data sets. One of the strengths of this book is in stressing the value of topology rules, and feature data sets are needed for topology rules. With a database background, I would have liked fuller exploration of database relationships and normality contrasted with GIS relationship classes, relates, and joins, since data is often "flattened" when put into GIS. Readers of this should probably start with Modeling Our World: The Esri Guide to Geodatabase design by Michael Zeiler.


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This guide to creating a dynamic GIS data model helps database managers design a schema that has comprehensive and descriptive query definitions, a user-friendly cartographic display, and increased performance standards. The five steps for taking a data model through its conceptual, logical, and physical phases, including modeling the user's view, defining objects and relationships, selecting geographic representations, matching geodatabase elements, and organizing the geodatabase structure are studied in detail. A look at nine decision points that deal with concerns common to all data modeling exercises, such as validating feature geometries, modeling linear networks, managing raster data, and labeling map features help database managers fine-tune their GIS data models. Several design models for a variety of applications are considered including addresses and locations, census units and boundaries, stream and river networks, and topography and the base map.

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Spreadsheet Modeling and Applications: Essentials of Practical Management Science (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) Review

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(More customer reviews)Item was good
came on time no delay
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Chris Albright and Wayne Winston have brought their hallmark teach-by-example approach to the undergraduate spreadsheet modeling course. Renowned for their other successful texts in operations research/management science, Winston and Albright successfully show how spreadsheets are used in real life to model and analyze real business problems. By modeling problems using spreadsheets from the outset, SPREADSHEET MODELING AND APPLICATIONS prepares future managers for the types of problems they will encounter on the job. Real cases throughout the text further cement this book's status as the most relevant of its kind on the market. This text is also accompanied by Palisade Corporation's professional spreadsheet add-ins, DecisionTools Suite.

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