Organized to help the reader find needed information quickly and easily, this book emphasizes psychophysical experiments which measure the detection and identification of near-threshold patterns and the mathematical models used to draw inferences from experimental results.

The more than twenty contributions in this book, all new and previously unpublished, provide an up-to-date survey of contemporary research on computational modeling of the visual system. The approaches represented range from neurophysiology to psychophysics, and from retinal function to the analysis of visual cues to motion, color, texture, and depth. The contributions are linked thematically by a consistent consideration of the links between empirical data and computational models in the study of visual function. An introductory chapter by Edward Adelson and James Bergen gives a new and elegant formalization of the elements of early vision. Subsequent sections treat receptors and sampling, models of neural function, detection and discrimination, color and shading, motion and texture, and 3D shape. Each section is introduced by a brief topical review and summary. ContributorsEdward H. Adelson, Albert J. Ahumada, Jr., James R. Bergen, David G. Birch, David H. Brainard, Heinrich H. Bülthoff, Charles Chubb, Nancy J. Coletta, Michael D'Zmura, John P. Frisby, Norma Graham, Norberto M. Grzywacz, P. William Haake, Michael J. Hawken, David J. Heeger, Donald C. Hood, Elizabeth B. Johnston, Daniel Kersten, Michael S. Landy, Peter Lennie, J. Stephen Mansfield, J. Anthony Movshon, Jacob Nachmias, Andrew J. Parker, Denis G. Pelli, Stephen B. Pollard, R. Clay Reid, Robert Shapley, Carlo L. M. Tiana, Brian A. Wandell, Andrew B. Watson, David R. Williams, Hugh R. Wilson, Yuede. Yang, Alan L. Yuille

This accessibly written book examines the most commonly taken dietary supplements, exploring what they are and what they're purported to do, and summarizing key research findings regarding their potential health benefits and risks. Today, more than 50 percent of Americans take at least one type of dietary supplement regularly. But do these products actually work? How are they regulated? Are there any potential health risks? Dietary Supplements: Fact versus Fiction examines the most commonly used non-nutrient supplements (those that are neither vitamins nor minerals and not essential for human health). Using a standardized structure, each entry discusses a particular supplement's origins, purported benefits, potential risks, and common dosage. Summaries of key research studies are included to help readers make informed decisions about supplements' usefulness. Introductory materials give readers a foundational understanding of how supplements are regulated and labeled and offer practical information about how to read a Supplement Facts panel. For those interested in supplements for a particular health complaint (such as fatigue or pain), a topic finder has also been included.