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With computerized health information receiving unprecedented government support, a group of health policy scholars analyze the intricate legal, social, and professional implications of the new technology. These essays explore how Health Information Technology (HIT) may alter relationships between physicians and patients, physicians and other providers, and physicians and their home institutions. Patient use of web-based information may undermine the traditional information monopoly that physicians have long enjoyed. New IT systems may increase physicians' legal liability and heighten expectations about transparency. Case studies on kidney transplants and maternity practices reveal the unanticipated effects, positive and negative, of patient uses of the new technology. An independent HIT profession may emerge, bringing another organized interest into the medical arena. Taken together, these investigations cast new light on the challenges and opportunities presented by HIT.

Human faces are familiar to our visual systems. We easily recognize a person's face in arbitrary lighting conditions and in a variety of poses; detect small appearance changes; and notice subtle expression details. Can computer vision systems process face images as well as human vision systems can Face image processing has potential applications in surveillance, image and video search, social networking, and other domains. A comprehensive guide to this fascinating topic, this book provides a systematic description of modeling face geometry and appearance from images, including information on mathematical tools, physical concepts, image processing and computer vision techniques, and concrete prototype systems. The book will be an excellent reference for researchers and graduate students in computer vision, computer graphics, and multimedia as well as application developers who would like to gain a better understanding of the state of the art.

Providing all the necessary theoretical tools, this comprehensive introduction to machine vision shows how these tools are applied in actual image processing and machine vision systems. A key feature is the inclusion of many programming exercises giving insights into the development of practical image processing algorithms. A CD-ROM containing software and data used in these exercises is also included. Aimed at graduate students in electrical engineering, computer science, and mathematics, the book will be a useful reference for professionals as well.

This book is a state-of-the-art look at combinatorial games, that is, games not involving chance or hidden information. It contains a fascinating collection of articles by some of the top names in the field, such as Elwyn Berlekamp and John Conway, plus other researchers in mathematics and computer science, together with some top game players. The articles run the gamut from new theoretical approaches (infinite games, generalizations of game values, 2-player cellular automata, Alpha-Beta pruning under partial

Ambient Intelligence is a vision of the future where the world will be surrounded by electronic environments sensitive and responsive to people, wherein devices work in concert to support people in carrying out their everyday life activities, in an easy and natural way. This edited volume is based on the workshop Multimedia Techniques for Ambient Intelligence (MTDAI08), held in Mogliano Veneto, Italy in March 2008. Contributed by world renowned leaders in the field from academia and industry, this volume is dedicated to research on technologies used to improve the intelligence capability of multimedia devices for imaging, image processing and computer vision. Focuses on recent developments in digital signal processing, including evolutions in audiovisual signal processing, analysis, coding and authentication, and retrieval techniques. Designed for researchers and professionals, this book is also suitable for advanced-level students in computer science and electrical engineering.

A penetrating examination of the insidious effects of the Internet on our personalitiesonline and off.Whether sharing photos or following financial markets, many of us spend a shocking amount of time online. While the Internet can enhance well-being, Elias Aboujaoude has spent years treating patients whose lives have been profoundly disturbed by it. Part of the danger lies in how the Internet allows us to act with exaggerated confidence, sexiness, and charisma. This new self, which Aboujaoude dubs our "e-personality," manifests itself in every curt email we send, Facebook "friend" we make, and "buy now" button we click. Too potent to be confined online, however, e-personality traits seep offline, too, making us impatient, unfocused, and urge-driven even after we log off. Virtually You uses examples from Aboujaoude's personal and professional experience to highlight this new phenomenon. The first scrutiny of the virtual world's transformative power on our psychology, Virtually You shows us how real life is being reconfigured in the image of a chat room, and how our identity increasingly resembles that of our avatar.

Computer Science: An Overview uses broad coverage and clear exposition to present a complete picture of the dynamic computer science field. Accessible to students from all backgrounds, Glenn Brookshear uses a language-independent context to encourage the development of a practical, realistic understanding of the field. An overview of each of the important areas of Computer Science (e.g. Networking, OS, Computer Architecture, Algorithms) provides students with a general level of proficiency for future courses.

The Eleventh Edition features two new contributing authors (David Smith ? Indiana University of PA; Dennis Brylow ? Marquette University), new, modern examples, and updated coverage based on current technology.

The successful operation of any production process is dependent upon a well designed and reliable communication system. Modern communication systems that are employed within a factory use a variety of means for sending and receiving information. With time, these systems have become more and more complicated. This volume in The Industrial Electronics Handbook, Second Edition spans the full gamut of topics which are needed for engineers working with industrial communication systems. A detailed description of the numerous topics covered in this volume is outlined in the Preambles that are provided for the various sections, and readers are directed there for the detailed topics contained within. The four other volumes in the Handbook are available individually: Fundamentals of Industrial Electronics, Intelligent Systems, Power Electronics and Motor Drives, and Control and Mechatronics. Additionally, all of the volumes are available as a set.

Bioinformatics is growing by leaps and bounds; theories/algorithms/statistical techniques are constantly evolving. Nevertheless, a core body of algorithmic ideas have emerged and researchers are beginning to adopt a "problem solving" approach to bioinformatics, wherein they use solutions to well-abstracted problems as building blocks to solve larger scope problems.Problem Solving Handbook for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics is an edited volume contributed by world renowned leaders in this field. This comprehensive handbook with problem solving emphasis, covers all relevant areas of computational biology and bioinformatics. Web resources and related themes are highlighted at every opportunity in this central easy-to-read reference.Designed for advanced-level students, researchers and professors in computer science and bioengineering as a reference or secondary text, this handbook is also suitable for professionals working in this industry.

The present book aims to introduce a selection of research applications in the area of Web Intelligence. We have selected a number of researchers around the world, all of which are experts in their respective research areas. Each chapter focuses on a specific topic in the field of Web Intelligence. Furthermore the book consists of a number of innovative proposals which will contribute to the development of web science and technology for the long-term future, rendering this collective work a valuable piece of knowledge. It was a great honour to have collaborated with this team of very talented experts. We also wish to express our gratitude to those who reviewed this book