After the explosion of research on neural networks in the eighties, the nineties have seen a boom in industrial applications of neural networks. In contrast to the large output of publications in international neural network journals, which reflects the increase in neural network research, the large number of successful applications are less accessible. To make a survey of successful applications in industry in Europe, a project called SIENA was initiated with support from the European Community. The aim of SIENA was to assess the business impact of neural networks. Data were collected on both the supplier side and the end-user side of the market. In addition, case studies of successful 'money-making' applications using neural networks were gathered. This book contains detailed descriptions of some of the applications.

A comprehensive look at learning and generalization theory. The statistical theory of learning and generalization concerns the problem of choosing desired functions on the basis of empirical data. Highly applicable to a variety of computer science and robotics fields, this book offers lucid coverage of the theory as a whole. Presenting a method for determining the necessary and sufficient conditions for consistency of learning process, the author covers function estimates from small data pools, applying these estimations to real-life problems, and much more.

In recent years there have been exciting scientific discoveries about a powerful hormone whose role in the human body has long been neglected. Oxytocin is the hormone involved in bonding, sex, childbirth, and breast-feeding, as well as in relaxation and feelings of calm. It is the mirror image of the stress hormone (adrenaline), which triggers the "fight or flight" systems in the body. Much has been written about the latter but the many-sided importance of oxytocin is currently known only to specialists in obstetrics, physiology, and psychiatry. The Oxytocin Factor, by Dr. Kerstin Uvnäs-Moberg, is the first book on the subject for a general audience. The new research findings, as well as the potentially beneficial applications of this hormone in reducing anxiety states, stress, addictions, and problems of childbirth, are not only fascinating but of great significance to all our lives.