Problem Solving in Automata, Languages, and Complexity

The evidence for social problem solving deficits being relevant to the understanding and treatment of offending behaviour has been accumulating since the 1980s. Reasoning and Rehabilitation (R&R), the first structured cognitive-behavioural treatment programme used widely with prisoners, included social problem solving as a key component and is now in use worldwide. More recently, interventions that focus specifically on social problem solving have recently been developed. Arranged in three parts (evidence, evaluation and evolution and exploration), this book draws together aetiological and therapeutic research evidence and practice over the last twenty years in social problem-solving with offenders.

Enzyme biocatalysis is a fast-growing area in process biotechnology that has expanded from the traditional fields of foods, detergents, and leather applications to more sophisticated uses in the pharmaceutical and fine-chemicals sectors and environmental management. Conventional applications of industrial enzymes are expected to grow, with major opportunities in the detergent and animal feed sectors, and new uses in biofuel production and human and animal therapy. In order to design more efficient enzyme reactors and evaluate performance properly, sound mathematical expressions must be developed which consider enzyme kinetics, material balances, and eventual mass transfer limitations. With a focus on problem solving, each chapter provides abridged coverage of the subject, followed by a number of solved problems illustrating resolution procedures and the main concepts underlying them, plus supplementary questions and answers. Based on more than 50 years of teaching experience, Problem Solving in Enzyme Biocatalysis is a unique reference for students of chemical and biochemical engineering, as well as biochemists and chemists dealing with bioprocesses. Contains: Enzyme properties and applications; enzyme kinetics; enzyme reactor design and operation 146 worked problems and solutions in enzyme biocatalysis.

A unique approach to solving HPLC problems. Everyone who bought «Problem Solving in HPLC» by Stavros Kromidas will equally benefit from nearly 100 new practical examples for optimization, trouble-shooting, and instrument performance given in this sequel. The author provides – guidance for selecting and evaluating methods, intstruments and columns, – practical help with everyday trouble-shooting, – advice for optimizing separations, always explaining the reason why. In each case the problem, the solution and the conclusions are presented over a maximum of 4 pages, and in addition the book contains manufacturers' addresses, references, data tables and checklists.

Devised with a focus on problem solving, Geotechnical Problem Solving bridges the gap between geotechnical and soil mechanics material covered in university Civil Engineering courses and the advanced topics required for practicing Civil, Structural and Geotechnical engineers. By giving newly qualified engineers the information needed to apply their extensive theoretical knowledge, and informing more established practitioners of the latest developments, this book enables readers to consider how to confidently approach problems having thought through the various options available. Where various competing solutions are proposed, the author systematically leads through each option, weighing up the benefits and drawbacks of each, to ensure the reader can approach and solve real-world problems in a similar manner The scope of material covered includes a range of geotechnical topics, such as soil classification, soil stresses and strength and soil self-weight settlement. Shallow and deep foundations are analyzed, including special articles on laterally loaded piles, retaining structures including MSE and Tieback walls, slope and trench stability for natural, cut and fill slopes, geotechnical uncertainty, and geotechnical LRFD (Load and Resistance Factor Design).

This book provides methods to train process operators to solve challenging problems. The book is split into two parts. The first part consists of two parts; first developing a daily monitoring system and second providing a structured 5 step problem solving approach that combines cause and effect problem solving thinking with the formulation of theoretically correct hypotheses. The 5 step approach emphasizes the classical problem solving approach (defining the sequence of events) with the addition of the steps of formulating a theoretically correct working hypothesis, providing a means to test the hypothesis, and providing a foolproof means to eliminate the problem. The initial part of the book focuses on defining the problem that must be solved and obtaining the location, time and quantity based specifications of the problem. This part of the book also presents techniques to find and define problems at an early point before they progress to the critical level. The second part of the book deals with the utilization of fundamental chemical engineering skills to develop a technically correct working hypothesis that is the key to successful problem solving. The primary emphasis is on simple pragmatic calculation techniques that are theoretically correct. It is believed that any operator can perform these calculations if he is provided the correct prototype. Throughout the book, the theory behind each pragmatic calculation technique is explained in understandable terms prior to presenting the author's approach. These techniques have been developed by the author in 50+ years of industrial experience. The book includes many sample problems and examples of real world problem solving. Using these techniques, theoretically correct working hypotheses can be developed in an expedient fashion.

Avoid wasting time and money on recurring plant process problems by applying the practical, five-step solution in Process Engineering Problem Solving: Avoiding «The Problem Went Away, but it Came Back» Syndrome. Combine cause and effect problem solving with the formulation of theoretically correct working hypotheses and find a structural and pragmatic way to solve real-world issues that tend to be chronic or that require an engineering analysis. Utilize the fundamentals of chemical engineering to develop technically correct working hypotheses that are key to successful problem solving.

Employees who possess problem-solving skills are highly valued in today?s competitive business environment. The question is how can employees learn to deal in innovative ways with new data, methods, people, and technologies? In this groundbreaking book, Arthur VanGundy – a pioneer in the field of idea generation and problem solving – has compiled 101 group activities that combine to make a unique resource for trainers, facilitators, and human resource professionals. The book is filled with idea-generation activities that simultaneously teach the underlying problem-solving and creativity techniques involved. Each of the book?s 101 engaging and thought-provoking activities includes facilitator notes and advice on when and how to use the activity. Using 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving will give you the information and tools you need to: Generate creative ideas to solve problems. Avoid patterned and negative thinking. Engage in activities that are guaranteed to spark ideas. Use proven techniques for brainstorming with groups. Order your copy today.

An authoritative guide to computer simulation grounded in a multi-disciplinary approach for solving complex problems Simulation and Computational Red Teaming for Problem Solving offers a review of computer simulation that is grounded in a multi-disciplinary approach. The authors present the theoretical foundations of simulation and modeling paradigms from the perspective of an analyst. The book provides the fundamental background information needed for designing and developing consistent and useful simulations. In addition to this basic information, the authors explore several advanced topics. The book’s advanced topics demonstrate how modern artificial intelligence and computational intelligence concepts and techniques can be combined with various simulation paradigms for solving complex and critical problems. Authors examine the concept of Computational Red Teaming to reveal how the combined fundamentals and advanced techniques are used successfully for solving and testing complex real-world problems. This important book: • Demonstrates how computer simulation and Computational Red Teaming support each other for solving complex problems • Describes the main approaches to modeling real-world phenomena and embedding these models into computer simulations • Explores how a number of advanced artificial intelligence and computational intelligence concepts are used in conjunction with the fundamental aspects of simulation Written for researchers and students in the computational modelling and data analysis fields, Simulation and Computational Red Teaming for Problem Solving covers the foundation and the standard elements of the process of building a simulation and explores the simulation topic with a modern research approach.

Formal Languages, Automaton and Numeration Systems presents readers with a review of research related to formal language theory, combinatorics on words or numeration systems, such as Words, DLT (Developments in Language Theory), ICALP, MFCS (Mathematical Foundation of Computer Science), Mons Theoretical Computer Science Days, Numeration, CANT (Combinatorics, Automata and Number Theory). Combinatorics on words deals with problems that can be stated in a non-commutative monoid, such as subword complexity of finite or infinite words, construction and properties of infinite words, unavoidable regularities or patterns. When considering some numeration systems, any integer can be represented as a finite word over an alphabet of digits. This simple observation leads to the study of the relationship between the arithmetical properties of the integers and the syntactical properties of the corresponding representations. One of the most profound results in this direction is given by the celebrated theorem by Cobham. Surprisingly, a recent extension of this result to complex numbers led to the famous Four Exponentials Conjecture. This is just one example of the fruitful relationship between formal language theory (including the theory of automata) and number theory.

The interplay between words, computability, algebra and arithmetic has now proved its relevance and fruitfulness. Indeed, the cross-fertilization between formal logic and finite automata (such as that initiated by J.R. B?chi) or between combinatorics on words and number theory has paved the way to recent dramatic developments, for example, the transcendence results for the real numbers having a “simple” binary expansion, by B. Adamczewski and Y. Bugeaud. This book is at the heart of this interplay through a unified exposition. Objects are considered with a perspective that comes both from theoretical computer science and mathematics. Theoretical computer science offers here topics such as decision problems and recognizability issues, whereas mathematics offers concepts such as discrete dynamical systems. The main goal is to give a quick access, for students and researchers in mathematics or computer science, to actual research topics at the intersection between automata and formal language theory, number theory and combinatorics on words. The second of two volumes on this subject, this book covers regular languages, numeration systems, formal methods applied to decidability issues about infinite words and sets of numbers.