Books published by Springer

This book provides a systematic review of the research literature related to the effectiveness of organizational policies and programs on work-life balance (WLB). It discusses policies and practices related to workload management, flextime, flexplace, alternative job arrangements, and family care. Based on the evidence, the authors make specific recommendations to organizational executives and HR directors to design and implement work-life balance policies and programs to maximize their effectiveness and help employees achieve their optimal level of work-life balance. Specifically, the authors discuss how to: (1) identify employees with greater need for WLB programs, (2) evaluate environmental circumstances for WLB programs (3) design effective WLB policies and programs, (3) facilitate effective implementation of WLB policies and programs, (4) provide management support for WLB policies and programs, and (5) evaluate performance of WLB policies and programs. Written lucidly by experts in the field and with many case studies and examples, this book appeals to a wide range of academic and professional readers.

This volume contains twenty-six lectures on basic anatomy and physiology for first-year university students. Topics included are standard for anatomy and physiology courses, including cells and tissues, a brief review of chemistry, thermoregulation and homeostasis, the musculo-skeletal system, structure and function of blood vessels, respiration, the reproductive system, and more.Also included are sixteen worksheets with homework exercises that complement the lectures. Suggested answers to all the worksheets are also included at the end of the book.This is an ideal book for professors teaching basic anatomy and physiology courses as well as researchers, students, and professionals looking to brush up on the subject. The book complements the already published, Martin Caon (2020) "Examination Questions and Answers in Basic Anatomy and physiology: 2900 Multiple Choice Questions and 64 Essay Topics. 3rd Ed." Springer ISBN 978-3-030-47313-6

This book provides a well-researched, well-structured, interesting, and informative narrative depicting the little-known yet successful efforts of the Captain Arve Staxrud Norwegian Arctic Rescue Expedition of 1913 that searched for and saved members of the Lieutenant Herbert Schro¿der-Stranz German Arctic Expedition of 1912 in Spitsbergen (Svalbard). The book portrays the cooperative and strategic endeavors of the humans and animals involved in the Staxrud expedition who worked together to save human lives on the icy fjords and glaciers of the far north during an unseasonable time of year for exploratory expeditions. It examines and analyzes the unpreparedness and lack of training that resulted in the failure of the Schro¿der-Stranz expedition. It compares and contrasts concurrent rescue expeditions that failed, including the Kurt Wegener expedition and the Theodor Lerner expedition. It describes the crucial role of animals in both the Norwegian and German expeditions, as well as German interest and Norwegian activity in Spitsbergen leading up to the expeditions. And it reconstructs the interaction and organization of principal officers, overwintering experts, Norwegians, Sämi, draft reindeer teams, and experienced sledge dogs who made the Staxrud rescue mission a success and who created and enabled improved search and rescue capabilities for Spitsbergen and for the future of the Arctic archipelago.

The Cenozoic history of South America faunas mainly rests on the evidence yielded by the study of fossil mammals. Following the seminal work of William D. Matthew, George G. Simpson established the slogan "Splendid Isolation" for describing the evolutionary history of South American faunas. He envisaged South America (as well as other Southern Hemisphere landmasses) as dead ends in the evolution and geographical expansion of animals and plants that since the Mesozoic come in successive migratory waves from the North.More than 40 years passed away from the last important contribution by Simpson (1980). Since then, in spite to the exponential increase in biological, paleontological and geological knowledge, and an incredibly new number of fossils, his scheme remained almost unpolluted and most recent books regarding the palaeobiogeography of South American vertebrates follow this paradigm nearly without criticism.However, the factthat South America was joined to Africa, Australia, Antarctica and India during most of the Cretaceous, and that it was still connected Australia (via Antarctica) and probably Africa up to the Paleogene, together with the large number of shared biotic components between these landmasses, point in favor of a different paleobiogeographical scenario.The book aims to demonstrate that during the Paleogene (and most of the Neogene) the nature and evolutionary history of South American vertebrates is by far much more intricate than previously envisaged. As will be shown, new evidence suggests that southern landmasses may have played an important role in the early evolution and radiation of extant mammal clades.  This book is not written to conform with the ideal of a technical manual or a review, and is not carried forward to collect all that has been said before. The main goals are to criticize the current Palaeobiogeographic Model of Vertebrate Settlement of South America, and to propose a new vision based on the evidence provided by the natural world in the last decades.

This book contains visionary and best papers from the workshops held at the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, AAMAS 2023, held in London, UK, during May 29-June 2, 2023.The 12 regular papers, 5 best papers and 7 visionary papers, presented were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of more than 110 contributions to the workshops. They focus on emerging topics and new trends in the area of autonomous agents and multiagent systems and stem from the following workshops: - Workshop on Autonomous Robots and Multirobot Systems (ARMS)- Workshop on Adaptive and Learning Agents (ALA)- Workshop on Interdisciplinary Design of Emotion Sensitive Agents (IDEA)- Workshop on Rebellion and Disobedience in Artificial Intelligence (RaD-AI)- Workshop on Neuro-symbolic AI for Agent and Multi-Agent Systems (NeSyMAS)- Workshop on Multiagent Sequential Decision Making under Uncertainty (MSDM)- Workshop on Citizen-Centric Multi-Agent Systems (C-MAS)

This book is a unique, comprehensive board review dedicated solely to preventive cardiology. This volume is a companion work to the ASPC Manual of Preventive Cardiology. The book is comprised of a series of questions, each which addresses a core issue in preventive cardiology. Each question is accompanied with a correct answer key as well as a discussion of why the chosen response is correct, and the others are incorrect. Answers are supported by illustrations and discussion of contemporary literature when applicable. The book also provides references for additional study. This book contains questions written by many of the original authors who contributed to the ASPC Manual of Preventive Cardiology. This book, along with the ASPC Manual of Preventive Cardiology, accompanies the ASPC Experts Course in Preventive Cardiology.The ASPC Self-Assessment Program in Preventive Cardiology is a valuable resource for cardiologists and other specialists, as well as primary care clinicians (including internists, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) who seek additional training and expertise in cardiovascular disease prevention.

Presents an introduction to of formal mathematical logic and set theoryPresents simple yet nontrivial results in modern model theoryProvides introductory remarks to all results, including a historical background

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Large-Scale Scientific Computations, LSSC 2023, held in Sozopol, Bulgaria, during June 5-9, 2023. The 49 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 61 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: preconditioning and multilevel methods; fractures and mixed dimensional modeling: discretizations, solvers, and methodology; machine learning and model order reduction for large scale predictive simulations; fractional differential problems: theoretical aspects, algorithms and applications; variational analysis and optimal control; stochastic optimal control and numerical methods in economics and finance; tensor methods for big data analytics and low-rank approximations of PDEs solutions; applications of metaheuristics to large-scale problems; large-scale models: numerical methods, parallel computations and applications; HPC and HPDA: algorithms and applications.

This book focuses on different aspects of cooperatives in Switzerland and their contribution to meeting overarching societal challenges. It seeks to identify how cooperatives can tackle grand societal challenges and extends the body of research on cooperatives. The discussions are highlighted in the context of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The respective chapters cover topics such as cooperatives in Switzerland (historical roots, current landscape, embeddedness in profit/nonprofit organizations, participatory governance and legal aspects), grand societal challenges and cooperatives, and the future with and of cooperatives. This is an open access book.

Revolutionizing the field of complex system optimization and management, this book introduces the innovative concept of cyber-collaborative protocols (CCP), representing a new approach to managing the complexity of interconnected systems. Departing from traditional methods, this book emphasizes collaboration, efficiency, and intelligence within cyber-physical systems (CPS), with a specific focus on precision agriculture and agricultural robotics systems (ARS). With a combination of theoretical foundations and practical applications, the book explores CCP's unique advantages and potential to enhance system effectiveness to address real-world critical issues such as food security. This book is an essential resource for diverse audiences, including academics and students in the fields of complex systems design and management, as well as professionals and practitioners. Importantly, the book provides a forward-looking perspective on the role of engineered collaboration in complex CPS.

In a world increasingly characterized by rapid change and constant challenges, maintaining good physical and mental health is more important than ever. "Essentials in Health & Mental Health" is a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted landscape of health and well-being, delving into key aspects that affect individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances. Through the lens of 20 meticulously crafted chapters, this book takes you on a journey to understand the essential elements that contribute to our overall health, from the invisible struggles of loneliness and mental health problems to the impact of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. The book begins with an eye-opening chapter that sheds light on the pervasive nature of loneliness and its profound impact on the functioning of individuals. The authors delve into the various costs of loneliness and uncover the under-recognized association between loneliness and mental health problems. In a world interconnected like never before, these insights are essential for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of human well-being.

This operations manual offers an accessible, step-by-step guide to launching, running, and achieving success with a life science and biotechnology business incubator. Written by the founder and President Emeritus of the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC), one of the most successful biotech and drug discovery incubators in the United States, it is designed to introduce researchers and funders to the broad considerations and minute details of managing an incubation program.As of 2023, there are more than 1100 business incubators in the United States alone, and more than 5000 worldwide. One of the fastest-growing industries of the "new economy," science business incubators are a tool for regional economic stimulation and commercial development for universities and research organizations. The PABC was founded in 2006 as a state-of-the-art research facility; its purpose and operation is unusual and its success has been remarkable. It was created by the nonprofit Hepatitis BFoundation and its research arm, the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, to help their effort to find a cure for hepatitis B. But it has proved to be more than a source of funding for those nonprofits - it has become a major economic driver for its region and Pennsylvania, creating thousands of jobs and bringing in billions of dollars to the local economy. The PABC's model has drawn attention from economists, legislators, and the research community. The strategy of bringing nonprofit research organizations and biotech startups under one roof was a founding principle, and has created powerful, lasting collaborations between scientific innovators, entrepreneurs and investors. The partnerships forged at the PABC have led to the discovery, testing, and FDA approval of new drugs for cancer and gastrointestinal diseases and medical devices, as well as multiple multimillion-dollar IPOs, and thousands of jobs. There are currently more than 50 startups housed in the Center's offices, ranging in focusfrom pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, to medical wearables and nanomedicine research.Curing Disease from the Ground Up: How to Operate a Biotechnology Business Incubator tells both a personal story about the ups and downs of leveraging a business incubator to fund and find a cure for a deadly disease, as well as providing a practical guide to running a business incubator. It is a first-hand, expert perspective for running a science business incubator, and explains how the success of the PABC can be learned and replicated. Whether it is developing a mission-focused framework, the practicalities of managing a scalable, business-savvy research nonprofit, identifying ideal tenant partners, or planning for the infrastructure needs of a large research facility, this manual is the first and last stop for entrepreneurial thinkers in this field.

This volume constitutes the revised selected papers of several workshops which were held in conjunction with the 5th International Conference on Process Mining, ICPM 2023, held in Rome, Italy, in October 23-27, 2023.The 38 revised full papers presented in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 85 submissions. The book also contains one invited talk. ICPM 2023 presented the following six workshops: - 4th International Workshop on Event Data and Behavioral Analytics (EdbA)- 4th International Workshop on Leveraging Machine Learning in Process Mining (ML4PM)- 6th International Workshop on Process-Oriented Data Science for Healthcare (PODS4H)- 8th International Workshop on Process Querying, Manipulation, and Intelligence (PQMI)- 2nd International Workshop on Education Meets Process Mining (EduPM)- 2nd International Workshop on Collaboration Mining for Distributed Systems (COMINDS).

This volume uses advanced machine learning techniques to analyze government communication to evaluate policy effectiveness. The book develops policy effectiveness foundation models by cohorting historical budget policies with statistical models which are built on well reputed data sources including economic events, macroeconomic trends, and ratings and commerce terms from international institutions. By signal mining policies to the economic outcome patterns, the book aims to create a rich source of successful policy insights in terms of their effectiveness in bringing development to the poor and underserved communities to ensure the spread of wealth, social wellbeing, and standard of living to the common denomination of society rather than a selected quotient. Enabling academics and practitioners across disciplines to develop applications for effective policy interventions, this volume will be of interest to a wide audience including software engineers, data scientists, social scientists, economists, and agriculture practitioners.

This multi- and interdisciplinary book will offer novel environmental history (EH) research on Dinaric Karst, one of European largest continuous karstic areas, from prehistory to contemporary history. Various methodological approaches will be applied (e.g., archival investigations, oral-history interviews, field work and laboratory analyses). Historical human adaptations to karstic environmental conditions, human interventions in environment, environmental dynamics and impacts of environmental change will be dealt with by focusing on historical uses of natural resources, their further ecological implications (e.g., fire hazard) and their change over time, on natural and social impacts of changes in weather and climate, on pollution and on intellectual EH. General characteristics and local peculiarities will be identified based on comparisons with foreign literature. Primary audience are historians, geographers, archaeologists, anthropologists, ethnologists, foresters and landscapearchitects.Chapters 1, 5, 12 and 16 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This unique, first of its kind, book offers an integrated treatment of the atomistic-continuum behaviours of single and interacting microdefects under elasto-static loading. These microdefects may take the form of nanocracks, microcracks, microvoids, inclusions, and inhomogeneities. Professor Meguid elucidates the subject matter using novel treatment that offers a fresh look at molecular and continuum mechanics, imperfections in solids, the Griffith crack, modes of failure and diagnostics at varied length scales, LEFM and multiscale modeling of interacting microdefects. Providing a range of perspectives from theory and applications, this book is ideal for college seniors, graduate students, practicing and research engineers interested in failure analysis, diagnostics and prevention.

This textbook presents the theory of continuous-time and discrete-time signals and systems and shows how it can be used to solve analytically different problems. The book is dedicated to engineering students who are interested in mathematical methods used to solve real technical problems connected with signals and systems. The book covers, both in continuous- and in discrete domains, analysis of signals in time domain; orthogonal signal representation including Fourier series; convolution and correlation of signals; analysis of signals in the frequency domain and signal sampling, including aliasing and stroboscopic effects, among others. The author also emphasizes the role of Fourier-, one-sided Laplace- and one-sided Z transformations in signals and systems. Chosen methods of analog and digital filter design and stability criteria of analog and digital filters are also described. The author presents the necessary theory in the form of a concise "lecture" accompanied with a number of solved original problems. Every chapter ends with examples of complete solutions with explanation and necessary graphical visualization (graphs, schemes etc.).

This book analyses the possible regionalization of global value chains, particularly in manufacturing. Amidst calls for an industrial renaissance in Europe and a resurgence of manufacturing jobs in the United States, the dynamics of global value chains have been reshaped by global pandemics, geopolitical tensions, and increased automation. Employing a multi-regional input-output model, the book scrutinizes the decline in offshoring afer the mid-2010s. It sheds light on regionalization as a pivotal force redefining global markets, and focuses on Europe and North America, revealing the strengthening of regional ties. Discussing future challenges, the book will appeal to scholars, students, and researchers, as well as practitioners and policy-makers interested in a better understanding of (de)globalization nuances connected to the evolving role of manufacturing in global value chains.

This interdisciplinary anthology offers both theoretical reflections and empirical data on past, present and possible future war and crisis situations. In addition, against the background of the authors' academic and practical experience in the field of international political observation and consultancy, proposals are formulated for peacekeeping in crisis regions and with regard to extreme environments. Furthermore it addresses sensory and aesthetic perceptions of war and peace. Unlike other books on the subject, this contributed volume seeks solutions for lasting peace from various fields that could help improve quality of life for people around the world - especially in heterogeneous societies, which are often shaken by religious, ethnic or political crises.

This textbook introduces graduate and upper undergraduate students to Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models. As DSGE models become integral in advanced coursework, this book serves as an invaluable guide, explaining the complexities with a methodological red thread across its five chapters. Starting with the stochastic dynamic models of the Real Business Cycle (RBC) and progressing through the field of New Keynesian Macroeconomics (NKE), it employs DSGE models to shed light on the dynamic nature of economic systems.The book presents the Blanchard-Kahn methodology for theoretical solutions, discussing its usefulness and limitations as models evolve in complexity. The book goes on to explain the shift from analytical to numerical solutions, showcasing the DYNARE software and providing coding insights. Unique to this volume is a chapter on difference equations, equipping students with essential mathematical tools, and a concluding exploration of a medium-sized NewKeynesian Economics model.This book will equip students to navigate the theoretical complexities of the topic and to independently replicate and comprehend the presented results. It bridges the gap between classical and Keynesian paradigms, reviving the debate in today's "RBC vs NKE" landscape. It will enable students to master the essence of macroeconomic theories and methodologies, paving the way for their scholarly pursuits.

This book in Open Access is the first to provide clinicians with practical guidelines to explain the most frequently occurring neonatal brain injuries to parents and caretakers.The brains of high-risk neonates are vulnerable to often severe injury, and brain injuries are among the most serious complications in patients admitted to neonatal intensive care. In addition to basic explanations on the origin, extent, severity, consequences, and treatment options, the book provides illustrations and representative imaging examples that enable clinicians to provide parents with the necessary information in a clear and concise way, using lay language and simple drawings.Therefore, this book is a valuable resource for practitioners from various disciplines, including neonatologists, pediatricians, neurologists, (neuro- and pediatric-) radiologists, neonatal nurse specialists, and physician assistants. This is an open access book.

This publication includes an unabridged and annotated translation of two works by Johann Heinrich Lambert (1728-1777) written in the 1760s: Vorläufige Kenntnisse für die, so die Quadratur und Rectification des Circuls suchen and Mémoire sur quelques propriétés remarquables des quantités transcendentes circulaires et logarithmiques. The translations are accompanied by a contextualised study of each of these works and provide an overview of Lambert's contributions, showing both the background and the influence of his work. In addition, by adopting a biographical approach, it allows readers to better get to know the scientist himself. Lambert was a highly relevant scientist and polymath in his time, admired by the likes of Kant, who despite having made a wide variety of contributions to different branches of knowledge, later faded into an undeserved secondary place with respect to other scientists of the eighteenth century. In mathematics, in particular, he is famous for his research on non-Euclidean geometries, although he is likely best known for having been the first who proved the irrationality of pi. In his Mémoire, he conducted one of the first studies on hyperbolic functions, offered a surprisingly rigorous proof of the irrationality of pi, established for the first time the modern distinction between algebraic and transcendental numbers, and based on such distinction, he conjectured the transcendence of pi and therefore the impossibility of squaring the circle.

This book offers a broad selection of statistical applications to everyday situations, illustrating how exciting and diverse statistical analysis can be. It covers a wide variety of topics, including offering hearing-impaired people the option to enjoy music, extracting meaningful quantitative data from texts, and modeling flood disasters to help get a better grip on them. Most of the examples are not typically found in textbooks but directly relate to real-life problems encountered by the "average person", including topics relevant for sustainable development.Technical jargon and formalism have been avoided as much as possible, and a detailed statistical background is not assumed of the reader, making the book accessible to anyone interested in current research in statistical applications. Providing an unobscured look at a thoroughly fascinating science, it will help students to develop enthusiasm for statistical issues and methods, and may even inspire ideas for their own projects.

What Evolutionary Medicine and Psychoneuroimmunology Teach About Chronic Inflammation and Aging Pain, Sleep Disorders, and More: Learn how to better understand your illness and aging, and maintain physical and mental performance A scientific non-fiction book from a holistic perspective.

The effects of climate change on food safety and plant health represent a relatively new area of study. However, evidence from recent studies is clear: climate change contributes to increased and new food safety & plant health risks as one of several global change factors. This volume analyzes the scientific understanding of the relationship between climate change, food safety, plant pests, plant diseases, and trade. It identifies and discusses four key areas for future policy consideration: risk assessment, SPS capacity in developing countries, climate change resilience, and basic research challenges. We must effectively communicate the impacts of climate change on plant health and build the capacity of national plant protection organizations. More importantly, we need to mobilize resources that will help build stronger national phytosanitary systems that can prevent the spread of plant pests, thereby protecting our food sources and environment, and facilitating safe trade.The present volume is an asset for plant quarantine personnel working in the field, agricultural university students, plant health workers, farmers doing agriculture, plant & seed traders, and all those who use agricultural produce and products. The book is a useful resource for students and professional plant pathologists, entomologists, and plant breeders because it summarizes current knowledge and suggests new research directions. It is also suitable for ecologists & researchers working on crop protection, climate change, and pest control.

This book explores and discusses how businesses transit from big data and business analytics to artificial intelligence (AI), by examining advanced technologies and embracing challenges such as ethical issues, governance, security, privacy, and interoperability of capabilities. This book covers a range of topics including the application of cyber accounting and strategic objectives, financial inclusion, big data analytics in telecommunication sector, digital marketing strategies and sports brand loyalty, robotic processes automation in banks, and the applications of AI for decision-making in human resources, healthcare, banking, and many more. The book provides a comprehensive reference for scholars, students, managers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers by examining frameworks and business practice implications through its discussions which embrace a wide variety of unique topics on business analytics, AI, and how it can be applied together to address the challenges of the digital era.

Businesses in African countries continued to face crises due to COVID-19, supply chain, and climate change. Governments can take steps to increase businesses' resilience by supporting and promoting sustainable development. In turn, businesses can increase their resilience by promoting the resilience of their employees. This book explores the current state of management and resilience in African nations and discusses issues that revolve around its reciprocal impact on global business, government, and society. Featuring select papers from the 4th Annual Current Business Issue in African Countries (CBIAC) Conference held in Agadir, Morocco in 2023, this book focuses on the synergies between climate change, supply chain and sustainable development, particularly post pandemic featuring content from business and NGO leaders, faculty, and students. The impetus of the CBIAC conference was the discussions held at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) held in Nairobi, Keyna in July 2016 and in Bridgetown, Barbados, and Geneva in October. The goal of the conference is to create long-term collaborative relationships between business leaders, faculty, researchers, students, and community members from different African nations.

Cultivated meat is an emerging substitute for conventional meat that is not associated with animal farming and slaughtering. Instead, animal cells are cultivated in bioreactors and post-processed into "artificial" meat products. Although this new technology solves several ethical and environmental problems, there are techno-economic challenges that need to be addressed to make the commercial-scale production of cultivated meat a real perspective. This book addresses fundamental aspects of new food systems, animal cell culture and cultivated meat production, including cell lines, culture media, microcarriers and scaffolds, bioreactors, downstream processes, formulation, packaging, quality control, scale-up, and waste management. Also, aspects related to commercialization, market, patents, legislation, global and regional policies, and sustainability metrics such as life-cycle assessment, together with a bioeconomy perspective analysis, are reviewed. Finally, case studies are presented and the challenges and future prospects for cultivated meat production are proposed. This book is a collection of 20 chapters written by specialists in the field.

Monte Carlo Methods are among the most used, and useful, computational tools available today. They provide efficient and practical algorithms to solve a wide range of scientific and engineering problems in dozens of areas many of which are covered in this text. These include simulation, optimization, finance, statistical mechanics, birth and death processes, Bayesian inference, quadrature, gambling systems and more.This text is for students of engineering, science, economics and mathematics who want to learn about Monte Carlo methods but have only a passing acquaintance with probability theory. The probability needed to understand the material is developed within the text itself in a direct manner using Monte Carlo experiments for reinforcement. There is a prerequisite of at least one year of calculus and a semester of matrix algebra.Each new idea is carefully motivated by a realistic problem, thus leading to insights into probability theory via examples and numerical simulations. Programming exercises are integrated throughout the text as the primary vehicle for learning the material. All examples in the text are coded in Python as a representative language; the logic is sufficiently clear so as to be easily translated into any other language. Further, Python scripts for each worked example are freely accessible for each chapter. Along the way, most of the basic theory of probability is developed in order to illuminate the solutions to the questions posed. One of the strongest features of the book is the wealth of completely solved example problems. These provide the reader with a sourcebook to follow towards the solution of their own computational problems. Each chapter ends with a large collection of homework problems illustrating and directing the material. This book is suitable as a textbook for students of engineering, finance, and the sciences as well as mathematics. The problem-oriented approach makes it ideal for an applied course in basic probability as well as for a more specialized course in Monte Carlo Methods. Topics include probability distributions, probability calculations, sampling, counting combinatorial objects, Markov chains, random walks, simulated annealing, genetic algorithms, option pricing, gamblers ruin, statistical mechanics, random number generation, Bayesian Inference, Gibbs Sampling and Monte Carlo integration.