Thurston maps are topological generalizations of postcritically-finite rational maps. This book provides a comprehensive study of ergodic theory of expanding Thurston maps, focusing on the measure of maximal entropy, as well as a more general class of invariant measures, called equilibrium states, and certain weak expansion properties of such maps. In particular, we present equidistribution results for iterated preimages and periodic points with respect to the unique measure of maximal entropy by investigating the number and locations of fixed points. We then use the thermodynamical formalism to establish the existence, uniqueness, and various other properties of the equilibrium state for a Holder continuous potential on the sphere equipped with a visual metric. After studying some weak expansion properties of such maps, we obtain certain large deviation principles for iterated preimages and periodic points under an additional assumption on the critical orbits of the maps. This enables us to obtain general equidistribution results for such points with respect to the equilibrium states under the same assumption.

The world economy has witnessed a sudden increase in free trade agreements, generating a renewed debate on their economic impact. In Expanding NAFTA Carmen Zechner focuses on the economic effects on Chile of the potential free trade agreement with the United States. The author creates a framework for analyzing the impact of economic integration between a developed and a developing country from the developing country's perspective. This book goes beyond earlier analyses of the static gains from free trade to examine the dynamic and more intangible effects that are critical to the welfare evaluation of trade agreements. Expanding NAFTA is an important contribution to the research on preferential trade liberalization and to understanding developing countries' trade policy choices. This book will be indispensable to anyone interested in trade policy making and the Chilean economy.

For this book, the term "desalination" is used in the broadest sense of the removal of dissolved, suspended, visible and invisible impurities in seawater, brackish water and wastewater, to make them drinkable, or pure enough for industrial applications like in the processes for the production of steam, power, pharmaceuticals and microelectronics, or simply for discharge back into the environment. This book is a companion volume to "Desalination, Trends and Technologies", INTECH, 2011, expanding on the extension of seawater desalination to brackish and wastewater desalination applications, and associated technical issues. For students and workers in the field of desalination, this book provides a summary of key concepts and keywords with which detailed information may be gathered through internet search engines. Papers and reviews collected in this volume covers the spectrum of topics on the desalination of water, too broad to delve into in depth. The literature citations in these papers serve to fill in gaps in the coverage of this book. Contributions to the knowledge-base of desalination is expected to continue to grow exponentially in the coming years.