A. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUNDl,2 This report reviews and interprets research on the nature and magnitude of the effects of those factors which influence how well knowledge and skills (K&S) are retained over relatively long periods of nonuse. Our interest lies in the kinds of knowledge domains and skills that military personnel must master to function effectively on their jobs. The practical concern impelling this study is that K&S degradation or loss (which we will refer to as "decay") can and does occur, often and severely enough, to jeopardize military preparedness. There are occasions in...

"In truth, it is not knowledge, but learning, not possessing, but production, not being there, but travelling there, which provides the greatest pleasure. When I have completely understood something, then I turn away and move on into the dark; indeed, so curious is the insatiable man, that when he has completed one house, rather than living in it peacefully, he starts to build another. " Letter from C. F. Gauss to W. Bolyai on Sept. 2, 1808 This textbook adds a book devoted to applied mathematics to the series "Grundwissen Mathematik. " Our goals, like those of the other books in the series,...

From the very beginning, algebraic topology has developed under the influ ence of the problems posed by trying to understand the topological properties of complex algebraic varieties (e.g., the pioneering work by Poincare and Lefschetz). Especially in the work of Lefschetz Lf2], the idea is made explicit that singularities are important in the study of the topology even in the case of smooth varieties. What is known nowadays about the topology of smooth and singular vari eties is quite impressive. The many existing results may be roughly divided into two classes as follows: (i) very general...

I suppose that most of the people reading this volume will have read or have access to Volume One of my Global Report on Student Well Being. Therefore, I will not review the background literature relevant to multiple discrepancies theory (MDT), the theory itself or the essential features of the international university undergraduate data set on which this whole report is based. Anyone familiar with my earlier papers (Michalos 1985, 1987, 1988) will have a good idea of MDT. However, one really has to have a look at the first volume of this study in order to appreciate the richness of a...

This book presents a set of basic understandings of the behavior and response of solids to propagating shock waves. The propagation of shock waves in a solid body is accompanied by large compressions, decompression, and shear. Thus, the shear strength of solids and any inelastic response due to shock wave propagation is of the utmost importance. Furthermore, shock compres sion of solids is always accompanied by heating, and the rise of local tempera ture which may be due to both compression and dissipation. For many solids, under a certain range of impact pressures, a two-wave structure...

This textbook covers the basic properties of elliptic curves and modular forms, with emphasis on certain connections with number theory. The ancient "congruent number problem" is the central motivating example for most of the book. My purpose is to make the subject accessible to those who find it hard to read more advanced or more algebraically oriented treatments. At the same time I want to introduce topics which are at the forefront of current research. Down-to-earth examples are given in the text and exercises, with the aim of making the material readable and interesting to mathematicians...

In den internationalen Umweltbeziehungen herrscht seit der Rio-Konferenz von 1992 Einigkeit dar ber, da Staaten erst ab einem bestimmten Entwicklungsstand vereinbarte Umweltverpflichtungen erf llen k nnen. Dies hat zu dem Konzept der "gemeinsamen, aber unterschiedlichen Verantwortlichkeiten" gef hrt, das der ungleichen Bef higung der Industriestaaten einerseits und der Entwicklungsl nder andererseits zur wirksamen Beteiligung am Schutz der globalen Umwelt Rechnung tragen will. Es wirkt sich vor allem in unterschiedlichen Umweltschutzverpflichtungen f r die verschiedenen Staatengruppen sowie...

This volume is the third volume of papers originating from the European Mathematical Psychology Group. Earlier volumes were: E. Degreef & J. van Buggenhaut (Eds.), Trends In Mathematical Psychology, Amsterdam, North-Holland Publ. Cy., 1984, and E.E. Roskam & R. Suck (Eds.), Progress in Mathematical Psychology, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publ. As the title indicates, this volume presents work in progress, which was reported in one of the recent annual meetings of the European Mathematical Psychology Group. The Group finds it worthwhile to disseminate this work, using a review process which is...

AIMS AND ORGANISATION OF THE PRESENT REPORT This document is a report on the state of Cognitive Science research in the European Economic Community. Since Cognitive Science is a young discipline, we have taken part of our task to be an exposition of its goals, methods and progress, and of its significance for technology. Subsequent to this exposition we survey the intellectual resources devoted to Cognitive Science research within member nations of the EEC. Specific proposals for the advancement of the discipline in Europe are also formulated. In more detail, the six chapters comprising the...

Numerous provocative studies on the psychological effects of aerobic fitness training are available today, and more are appearing almost on a daily basis. This book reviews and evaluates the research, and it asks and attempts to answer significant background questions: What are the various motivating factors that have contributed to the emergence of the national fitness movement? What are the public health considerations con- cerning the relationship between physical fitness and coronary heart disease? What exactly do we mean by "physical fitness," especially "aerobic" fitness? This book...