This pedagogical and self-contained text describes the modern mean field theory of simple structural glasses. The book begins with a thorough explanation of infinite-dimensional models in statistical physics, before reviewing the key elements of the thermodynamic theory of liquids and the dynamical properties of liquids and glasses. The central feature of the mean field theory of disordered systems, the existence of a large multiplicity of metastable states, is then introduced. The replica method is then covered, before the final chapters describe important, advanced topics such as Gardner transitions, complexity, packing spheres in large dimensions, the jamming transition, and the rheology of glass. Presenting the theory in a clear and pedagogical style, this is an excellent resource for researchers and graduate students working in condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics.

Spin glasses are disordered magnetic systems that have led to the development of mathematical tools with an array of real-world applications, from airline scheduling to neural networks. Spin Glasses and Complexity offers the most concise, engaging, and accessible introduction to the subject, fully explaining what spin glasses are, why they are important, and how they are opening up new ways of thinking about complexity. This one-of-a-kind guide to spin glasses begins by explaining the fundamentals of order and symmetry in condensed matter physics and how spin glasses fit into--and modify--this framework. It then explores how spin-glass concepts and ideas have found applications in areas as diverse as computational complexity, biological and artificial neural networks, protein folding, immune response maturation, combinatorial optimization, and social network modeling. Providing an essential overview of the history, science, and growing significance of this exciting field, Spin Glasses and Complexity also features a forward-looking discussion of what spin glasses may teach us in the future about complex systems. This is a must-have book for students and practitioners in the natural and social sciences, with new material even for the experts.

With contributions from 24 global experts in diverse fields, and edited by world-recognized leaders in physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysics, Structural Glasses and Supercooled Liquids: Theory, Experiment, and Applications presents a modern, complete survey of glassy phenomena in many systems based on firmly established characteristics of the underlying molecular motions as deduced by first principle theoretical calculations, or with direct/single-molecule experimental techniques. A well-rounded view of a variety of disordered systems where cooperative phenomena, which are epitomized by supercooled liquids, take place is provided. These systems include structural glasses and supercooled liquids, polymers, complex liquids, protein conformational dynamics, and strongly interacting electron systems with quenched/self-generated disorder. Detailed calculations and reasoned arguments closely corresponding with experimental data are included, making the book accessible to an educated non-expert reader.

Written by renowned researchers in the field, this up-to-date treatise fills the gap for a high-level work discussing current materials and processes. It covers all the steps involved, from vitrification, relaxation and viscosity, right up to the prediction of glass properties, paving the way for improved methods and applications. For solid state physicists and chemists, materials scientists, and those working in the ceramics industry. With a preface by L. David Pye and a foreword by Edgar D. Zanotto

OphthoBook is the printed version of the amazing OphthoBook.com online book and video series. The combination of this text, along with the online video lectures, creates the most informative and easy-to-understand ophthalmology review ever written. It is geared toward medical students, optometry students, and non-ophthalmologists who want to learn more about the eye without getting bogged down with mindless detail. The book is broken down into ten chapters: 1. Eye History 2. Anatomy 3. Glaucoma 4. Retina 5. Infection 6. Neuroophthalmology 7. Pediatric Ophthalmology 8. Trauma 9. Optics 10. Lens and Cataract Each chapter also includes "pimp questions" you might be asked in a clinic. Also, an entire chapter of ophthalmology board-review questions, flashcards, and eye abbreviations. Perhaps most useful, each chapter corresponds to the 20-minute video lectures viewable at OphthoBook.com. And lots of fun cartoons!

Spin glass theory is going through a stunning period of progress while finding exciting new applications in areas beyond theoretical physics, in particular, in combinatorics and computer science. This collection of state-of-the-art review papers written by leading experts in the field covers the topic from a wide variety of angles. The topics covered are mean field spin glasses, including a pedagogical account of Talagrand's proof of the Parisi solution, short range spin glasses, emphasizing the open problem of the relevance of the mean-field theory for lattice models, and the dynamics of spin glasses, in particular the problem of ageing in mean field models. The book will serve as a concise introduction to the state of the art of spin glass theory, useful to both graduate students and young researchers, as well as to anyone curious to know what is going on in this exciting area of mathematical physics.

This book aims to describe in simple terms the new area of statistical mechanics known as spin-glasses, encompassing systems in which quenched disorder is the dominant factor. The book begins with a non-mathematical explanation of the problem, and the modern understanding of the physics of the spin-glass state is formulated in general terms. Next, the 'magic' of the replica symmetry breaking scheme is demonstrated and the physics behind it discussed. Recent experiments on real spin-glass materials are briefly described to demonstrate how this somewhat abstract physics can be studied in the laboratory. The final chapters of the book are devoted to statistical models of neural networks.The material here is self-contained and should be accessible to students with a basic knowledge of theoretical physics and statistical mechanics. It has been used for a one-term graduate lecture course at the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics.

About sixty years ago, the anomalous magnetic response of certain magnetic alloys drew the attention of theoretical physicists. It soon became clear that understanding these systems, now called spin glasses, would give rise to a new branch of statistical physics. As physical materials, spin glasses were found to be as useless as they were exotic. They have nevertheless been recognized as paradigmatic examples of complex systems with applications to problems as diverse as neural networks, amorphous solids, biological molecules, social and economic interactions, information theory and constraint satisfaction problems.This book presents an encyclopaedic overview of the broad range of these applications. More than 30 contributions are compiled, written by many of the leading researchers who have contributed to these developments over the last few decades. Some timely and cutting-edge applications are also discussed. This collection serves well as an introduction and summary of disordered and glassy systems for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and practitioners interested in the topic.