A graphical model is a statistical model that is represented by a graph. The factorization properties underlying graphical models facilitate tractable computation with multivariate distributions, making the models a valuable tool with a plethora of applications. Furthermore, directed graphical models allow intuitive causal interpretations and have become a cornerstone for causal inference. While there exist a number of excellent books on graphical models, the field has grown so much that individual authors can hardly cover its entire scope. Moreover, the field is interdisciplinary by nature. Through chapters by leading researchers from different areas, this handbook provides a broad and accessible overview of the state of the art. Key features: * Contributions by leading researchers from a range of disciplines * Structured in five parts, covering foundations, computational aspects, statistical inference, causal inference, and applications * Balanced coverage of concepts, theory, methods, examples, and applications * Chapters can be read mostly independently, while cross-references highlight connections The handbook is targeted at a wide audience, including graduate students, applied researchers, and experts in graphical models.

Created with the input of a distinguished International Board of the foremost authorities in data mining from academia and industry, The Handbook of Data Mining presents comprehensive coverage of data mining concepts and techniques. Algorithms, methodologies, management issues, and tools are all illustrated through engaging examples and real-world applications to ease understanding of the materials. This book is organized into three parts. Part I presents various data mining methodologies, concepts, and available software tools for each methodology. Part II addresses various issues typically faced in the management of data mining projects and tips on how to maximize outcome utility. Part III features numerous real-world applications of these techniques in a variety of areas, including human performance, geospatial, bioinformatics, on- and off-line customer transaction activity, security-related computer audits, network traffic, text and image, and manufacturing quality. This Handbook is ideal for researchers and developers who want to use data mining techniques to derive scientific inferences where extensive data is available in scattered reports and publications. It is also an excellent resource for graduate-level courses on data mining and decision and expert systems methodology.

Both pattern recognition and computer vision have experienced rapid progress in the last twenty-five years. This book provides the latest advances on pattern recognition and computer vision along with their many applications. It features articles written by renowned leaders in the field while topics are presented in readable form to a wide range of readers. The book is divided into five parts: basic methods in pattern recognition, basic methods in computer vision and image processing, recognition applications, life science and human identification, and systems and technology. There are eight new chapters on the latest developments in life sciences using pattern recognition as well as two new chapters on pattern recognition in remote sensing.

Examines what's new and updated in BPMN 2.0 and look at interchange, best practice, analytics, conformance, optimization, choreography from a technical perspective. Also addresses the business imperative for widespred adoption of the standard by examining best practice guidelines, BPMN busines strategy and the human interface including real-life case studies. Other chapters tackle the practical aspects of making BPMN model executable and the basic time-line analysis of a BPMN model.

In this second edition of a bestseller, authors Paul H. Brunner and Helmut Rechberger guide professional newcomers as well as experienced engineers and scientists towards mastering the art of material flow analysis (MFA) from the very beginning to an advanced state of material balances of complex systems. Handbook of Material Flow Analysis: For Environmental, Resource, and Waste Engineers, Second Edition serves as a concise and reproducible methodology as well as a basis for analysis, assessment and improvement of anthropogenic systems through an approach that is helpfully uniform and standardized. The methodology featured in this book is a vital resource for generating new data, fostering understanding, and increasing knowledge to benefit the growing MFA community working in the fields of industrial ecology, resource management, waste management, and environmental protection. This new second edition takes into account all new developments and readers will profit from a new exploration of STAN software, newly added citations, and thoroughly described case studies that reveal the potential of MFA to solve industrial ecology challenges.

This comprehensive guide provides a uniquely practical, application-focused introduction to medical image analysis. This fully updated new edition has been enhanced with material on the latest developments in the field, whilst retaining the original focus on segmentation, classification and registration. Topics and features: presents learning objectives, exercises and concluding remarks in each chapter; describes a range of common imaging techniques, reconstruction techniques and image artifacts, and discusses the archival and transfer of images; reviews an expanded selection of techniques for image enhancement, feature detection, feature generation, segmentation, registration, and validation; examines analysis methods in view of image-based guidance in the operating room (NEW); discusses the use of deep convolutional networks for segmentation and labeling tasks (NEW); includes appendices on Markov random field optimization, variational calculus and principal component analysis.

In honor of Dale J. Poirier, experienced editors Ivan Jeliazkov and Justin Tobias bring together a cast of expert contributors to explore the most up-to-date research on econometrics, including subjects such as panel data models, posterior simulation, and Bayesian models.

This handbook provides an overview of major developments around diagnostic classification models (DCMs) with regard to modeling, estimation, model checking, scoring, and applications. It brings together not only the current state of the art, but also the theoretical background and models developed for diagnostic classification. The handbook also offers applications and special topics and practical guidelines how to plan and conduct research studies with the help of DCMs. Commonly used models in educational measurement and psychometrics typically assume a single latent trait or at best a small number of latent variables that are aimed at describing individual differences in observed behavior. While this allows simple rankings of test takers along one or a few dimensions, it does not provide a detailed picture of strengths and weaknesses when assessing complex cognitive skills. DCMs, on the other hand, allow the evaluation of test taker performance relative to a potentially large number of skill domains. Most diagnostic models provide a binary mastery/non-mastery classification for each of the assumed test taker attributes representing these skill domains. Attribute profiles can be used for formative decisions as well as for summative purposes, for example in a multiple cut-off procedure that requires mastery on at least a certain subset of skills. The number of DCMs discussed in the literature and applied to a variety of assessment data has been increasing over the past decades, and their appeal to researchers and practitioners alike continues to grow. These models have been used in English language assessment, international large scale assessments, and for feedback for practice exams in preparation of college admission testing, just to name a few. Nowadays, technology-based assessments provide increasingly rich data on a multitude of skills and allow collection of data with respect to multiple types of behaviors. Diagnostic models can be understood as an ideal match for these types of data collections to provide more in-depth information about test taker skills and behavioral tendencies.

"This book focuses on methods widely used in modeling gene networks including structure discovery, learning, and optimization"--Provided by publisher.

"This accessible volume presents both the mechanics of structural equation modeling (SEM) and specific SEM strategies and applications. The editor, along with an international group of contributors, and editorial advisory board are leading methodologists who have organized the book to move from simpler material to more statistically complex modeling approaches. Sections cover the foundations of SEM; statistical underpinnings, from assumptions to model modifications; steps in implementation, from data preparation through writing the SEM report; and basic and advanced applications, including new and emerging topics in SEM. Each chapter provides conceptually oriented descriptions, fully explicated analyses, and engaging examples that reveal modeling possibilities for use with readers' data. Many of the chapters also include access to data and syntax files at the companion website, allowing readers to try their hands at reproducing the authors' results"--