Ebook: Elephant Sense and Sensibility

Elephant Sense and Sensibility is a comprehensive treatment of the full range of elephant behavior. Beginning with chapters on evolution and the elephant’s brain, this book is an integrated presentation of the elephant’s capacity for memory, morality, emotion, empathy, altruism, language, intelligence, learning and teaching. Grounded primarily in scientific research, the book also draws upon anecdotal and visual evidence showing elephants thinking, acting, feeling and behaving in ways that we, as humans, recognize. This complete treatment of elephant behavior supported by the extensive literature, along with anecdotal and photographic material, provides an overview not available in any other text.

• Covers a variety of aspects that relate to behavior, ranging from brain function and sensory input to communication, learning, and intelligence
• Features a comprehensive treatment of elephant behavior supported by the extensive literature, anecdotal information, and striking photographic material, providing an overview not available in any other text
• Features an interdisciplinary approach to behavior, with vital information included and integrated from several key disciplines

Featuring previously unpublished results, Semi-Markov Models: Control of Restorable Systems with Latent Failuresdescribes valuable methodology which can be used by readers to build mathematical models of a wide class of systems for various applications. In particular, this information can be applied to build models of reliability, queuing systems, and technical control.

Beginning with a brief introduction to the area, the book covers semi-Markov models for different control strategies in one-component systems, defining their stationary characteristics of reliability and efficiency, and utilizing the method of asymptotic phase enlargement developed by V.S. Korolyuk and A.F. Turbin. The work then explores semi-Markov models of latent failures control in two-component systems. Building on these results, solutions are provided for the problems of optimal periodicity of control execution. Finally, the book presents a comparative analysis of analytical and imitational modeling of some one- and two-component systems, before discussing practical applications of the results

• Reflects the possibility and effectiveness of this method of modeling systems, such as phase merging algorithms developed by V.S. Korolyuk, A.F. Turbin, A.V. Swishchuk, little covered elsewhere
• Focuses on possible applications to engineering control systems