2009

Annals of the Italian Group of Fracture journal "Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale" (issues 7 - 10, 2009)

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Image Analysis and Processing, ICIAP 2009, held in Vietri sul Mare, Italy, in September 2009. The 107 revised full papers presented together with 3 invited papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 168 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on computer graphics and image processing, low and middle level processing, 2D and 3D segmentation, feature extraction and image analysis, object detection and recognition, video analysis and processing, pattern analysis and classification, learning, graphs and trees, applications, shape analysis, face analysis, medical imaging, and image analysis and pattern recognition.

This third edition of Pensions at a Glance updates in-depth information on the key features of mandatory pension systems—both public and private—in the 30 OECD countries, including projections of retirement income for today’s workers.

This report presents the research initiative to explore an alternative methodology for extrapolating purchasing power parities (PPPs) for 21 participating economies in the Asia and Pacific region. The 2009 PPP Update provides an intermediate benchmark and more firmly based real expenditures and price level indexes for 2009 than would have been possible using the conventional extrapolation technique. The results include PPP-based gross domestic product and its major aggregates of actual final consumption; collective consumption expenditure by general government; gross fixed capital formation; changes in inventories and net acquisitions of valuables; and, balance of exports and imports.

ItOs All Who You Know When Working the System HereOs How to Get to Know the Right People The worldOs attention turned to the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2009, when Barack Obama took the Presidential oath of office. But inside the building, changes had already taken place that would have broad implications for his agenda. The 111th Congress had convened on January 6 with a far stronger Democratic majority than the one that had preceded it. Their ambitious legislative agenda requires the assistance of their staffs to prepare them for all the important issues on the legislative table. Thus, it is more important than ever to know about senior congressional committee staff members and the role they play in shaping todayOs legislation. While members of the House of Representatives and the Senate enact laws, it is often their staffers who exert the greatest influence in the lawmaking process. Staffers advise their elected bosses, establish political positions on issues, craft legislation, put policies in place, and play important roles on scores of congressional committees. The next time you need to find out who is the most effective person to advocate your cause D turn to the InsiderOs Guide for all the answers. Overall it provides access to an important, if not very visible, component of the legislative process. Recommended-CHOICE The InsiderOs Guide to Key Committee Staff of the U.S. Congress contains in-depth profiles on key congressional staff members that you will not find elsewhere. The information provided on these personnel gives you not only the contact information and other pertinent data but also the inside track to those people. These are the staffers who work with and support the representatives and senators in various important roles that help to enact change or refine existing laws and codes that govern our nation. With all the sweeping changes that have taken place since the Obama administration took office, this essential resource has never been more important or more valuable. This new edition features over 125 new profiles and is designed to be the ultimate for quick and easy reference. The InsiderOs Guide is the leading source for information on more than 600 congressional staff members. The profiles included feature: In-depth biographical information Detailed professional history and educational background Staff membersO areas of expertise and committee role Up-to-date contact information and photograph, when available Staffers' own insights as to their committeeOs priorities and special projects during this session of Congress Organized by House, Senate, and Joint committee assignments, youOll find both the person youOre looking for and information on his or her individual impact on legislation and decision-making. With this InsiderOs Guide, youOll never again need to question who is the most effective person to advocate your cause.