4th International Conference "Coordinating Engineering for Sustainability and Resilience" & Midterm Conference of CircularB “Implementation of Circular Economy in the Built Environment”
This open access book gathers the proceedings of the 4th International Conference “Coordinating Engineering for Sustainability and Resilience” (CESARE) & Midterm Conference of CircularB “Implementation of Circular Economy in the Built Environment”, held in Timișoara, Romania, on May 29-31, 2024, as part of the COST Action CA21103. The volume represents the state of the art of sustainability and resilience in modern and future built environment, constructions, and infrastructure, and includes topics such as structural materials and robustness, fire engineering, risk assessment, impact of climate change on the built environment, sustainable resilience of systems in the built environment, smart cities, circular economy, design strategies for product design, integration of renewable energy at building and small urban area scales, restoration & rehabilitation of historical buildings, sustainable infrastructures, wind energy structures, façade engineering, green buildings, and waste management.
Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design
A collection of readings and exercises aligned with the course, ME 270, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design, at Iowa State University. This course provides an overview of mechanical engineering design with applications to thermal and mechanical systems, and an introduction to current design practices used in industry.
Research Data Management in the Canadian Context
Research Data Management is a term for all the things that researchers do to structure, organize and maintain data before, during and after doing research. RDM is also an emerging discipline that is concerned with researching and developing ways to manage research data more effectively. But what is research data? Where is the push towards formal Research Data Management coming from? What are the requirements of good data management? Research Data Management in the Canadian Context: A Guide for Practitioners and Learners looks at these questions and more, all with a focus on Canadian guidelines, regulations and infrastructure.
Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-6C)
The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Safety Standards, Regulatory Support Division, Airman Testing Standards Branch, has published the Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (ACS) to communicate the aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and flight proficiency standards for private pilot certification in the airplane category, single-engine land and sea; and multiengine land and sea classes.
Electrolysers, Fuel Cells and Batteries: Analytical Modelling
Electrochemical engineering deals with electrochemical devices like electrolysers, fuel cells, and batteries. While several excellent books exist in this long-standing and still growing field, their focus is usually on chemistry or phenomenology. In this textbook, we focus on mathematical modelling of the physical phenomena involved. Instead of resorting to numerical modelling, the aim is to derive simplified analytical models that maximise understanding. Porous electrodes, ion mass transport, and multiphase flow are central themes in this book. Examples include modelling the water saturation in a fuel cell diffusion layer, the gas fraction and current distribution in an alkaline water electrolyser, the potential distribution in a binary electrolyte inside porous battery electrode, and the concentration distribution in the flow channel of a redox flow battery.
Ultrasound Physics and its Application in Medicine
Ultrasound has a wide range of medical applications. Some of these include obstetrics (monitoring the progress of pregnancy), oncology (monitoring the growth of tumors), cardiology (visualizing the heart function and physiology), biopsy (guiding needles in various procedures), and physiotherapy. For example, today, an estimated 60-70% of pregnant women in the United States undergo ultrasound examination during pregnancy. An estimated 250 million fetal ultrasound examinations are performed every year in the USA. In the last few decades, ultrasound technology has expanded to medical imaging in various other specialties: Anesthesiology, Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, General Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN), Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Physiatry, Sports Medicine, and Surgery.
This open access textbook focuses on the various aspects of radiobiology. The goal of radiobiological research is to better understand the effects of radiation exposure at the cellular and molecular levels in order to determine the impact on health. This book offers a unique perspective, by covering not only radiation biology but also radiation physics, radiation oncology, radiotherapy, radiochemistry, radiopharmacy, nuclear medicine, space radiation biology & physics, environmental and human radiation protection, nuclear emergency planning, molecular biology and bioinformatics, as well as the ethical, legal and social considerations related to radiobiology.
Introduction to Health (OER) - 2nd edition
The Introduction to Health OER Textbook provides a broad overview of information pertaining to human health and opportunities for improving health and wellness throughout life. The intended goal of the book is to equip the learners with important information needed to better understand their own health and how their daily choices may impact both their quantity and quality of life. Although this is a "health" textbook, it could actually be called a "life" textbook.
Nutrition for Nurses is structured to support the flexible integration of nutrition content across both system-based and nursing competency-based curricula. It can be used whether nutrition is taught as a standalone course or part of another nursing course. The table of contents for Nutrition for Nurses presents content in 20 chapters, organized into 9 thematic units. The text emphasizes evidence-based practice and holistic assessment to facilitate the integration of nutritional awareness for pre-licensure nursing students in the provision of client-centered care. Nutrition for Nurses helps students develop sound clinical judgment as well as a deep understanding of the impact of nutrition on body systems across the lifespan.
Focusing attention upon early modern European women as creators and practitioners, the essays in this volume examine women from saints to midwives, visual artists to writers, who authored their own visions and who have in turn been “authored” and “authorized” by modern writers interested in telling their stories in biographies and through fictionalizations. This opening chapter introduces the contemporary scholars and creative writers who are grappling with the challenges of re-creating early modern women from Spain, Flanders, Scotland, England, Italy, the Netherlands, and Mexico (then New Spain); and provides a framework for their assessments from the emerging field of biofiction, or fictionalizations of actual figures.
Fitzmaurice, James (editor), Miller, Naomi (editor), Steen, Sara Jayne (editor)
The book’s introduction places the phenomenon of film’s museumification within the context of the digital turn and the debates about its impact on the medium’s specificity, its historicization, the circulation of archival footage, and archival workflows. Building on previous readings of Jean-Louis Baudry’s notion of dispositif, the chapter examines the curatorial discourses and historical narratives that shape our understanding of early and silent cinema today, positioning film museums at the intersection of film archiving and film historiography. Against the limits of poststructuralist conceptualizations of the archive, this introduction theorizes archival film curatorship as a space of temporal and historical mediation within the framework of Hayden White’s metahistory and Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics.
Chapter Artful care for self and others in daily design practice
This paper examines how arts- and nature-based interventions can support thriving and mental health as an integrated part of daily design practice for freelance designers and one-person companies in precarious working conditions. The research is conducted as a practice-based, explorative case study at The Royal Danish Academy in collaboration with The Union of Architects and Designers (FAOD) and Design denmark and financed by The Velliv Association. Thirty-two professional designers participate in a course of two full-day workshops and two coaching sessions. Data consists of preliminary questionnaires and questionnaires after each workshop, observations and registrations during the workshops and coaching sessions.
Friis, Silje Alberthe Kamille ,Mølhave, Annegrete
Chapter Applying human-centered system design to the development of a tool for service innovation
According to the 2019 Revision of World Population Prospects, by 2050, people aged 65 and above will account for 25% of the population in Europe and Northern America. The number of people aged 80 or above is estimated to triple to 426 million by this time. Global aging has widespread implications for our society. With the emergence of technological and biomedical advances, people now hold higher expectations for their physical and mental health throughout their longer lifespans. People expect to live not only longer, but also better, calling for improved quality of living and working environments to support later adulthood (Coughlin, 2017).
This open access book is an update of genome editing techniques applied to a range of plants. We discuss the latest techniques and applications to cereals, roots and tubers, oilseed crops, fruit and forest trees, vegetables, legumes and algae including resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, improved quality, drug production, yield and adaptation to climate change. The regulations in different countries worldwide, the patentibility and the perception by society of the applications of new genomic techniques are examined.
A Circular Built Environment in the Digital Age
This open access book offers a comprehensive exploration of the digital innovations that have emerged in recent years for the circular built environment. Each chapter is meticulously crafted to ensure that both academic readers and industry practitioners can grasp the inner workings of each digital technology, understand its relevance to the circular built environment, examine real-life implementations, and appreciate the intriguing business models behind them. Our primary objective is to blend scholarly knowledge with practical inspiration by providing real-life case studies for each innovation. The authors, who possess extensive expertise in their respective fields, have contributed chapters dedicated to digital technologies within their areas of specialization. The book is organized into three distinct parts. The first part focuses on data-driven digital technologies and delves into how their capabilities can facilitate the transition to a circular built environment.
De Wolf, Catherine , Çetin, Sultan, Bocken, Nancy M. P.
A Handbook of Higher Education Leadership
Thirty-five experienced and accomplished higher education leaders have come together to provide twenty-five essays on twelve topics about which all leaders, aspiring leaders and students of higher education should be informed. This is a labor of love, provided for free electronically, and there are no star turns here. Each essay is focused on providing the reader with advice based on wisdom acquired from lessons learned. Some topics covered include: beginning and completing a leadership position, responding to authority, establishing accountability, budget policy, long-term planning, affordability and student success, creating a safe community, fundraising, research funding, college athletics, and crisis management.
This Open Textbook is a dynamic guide incorporating the essential skills needed to build a foundation in Financial Analysis. Students and readers will learn how to insightfully read a Financial Statement, utilize key financial ratios in order to derive forward-looking investment-related inferences from the accounting data, engage in elementary forecasting and modeling, master the theory of the Time Value of Money, and learn to price stocks and bonds in an environment in which interest rates constantly change. Ample problems and solutions, and review questions are provided to the student so that s/he can gauge his/her progress.
Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Operations on Air, Sea, Land
This is our fourth textbook in a series previously covering the world of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS). The authors have expanded our purview beyond UAS / CUAS systems. Our title shows our concern for growth and unique operations for all unmanned vehicles in all theaters: Air, Sea and Land.
Space Systems: Emerging Technologies and Operations
SPACE SYSTEMS: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND OPERATIONS (SSETO) is our seventh textbook in a series covering the world of UASs / CUAS / UUVs. SSETO takes on a new purview of SPACE. UASs (Drones) have a maximum altitude of about 33,000 ft (10 km) because rotating rotors become physically limiting. (Nichols R. et al., 2019) Between 400 ft and 33,000 ft is in the purview of DREAMERS. In the DREAMERS region, Space has its most interesting technological emergence. We see emerging technologies and operations that may have profound effects on humanity.
Cyber-Human Systems, Space Technologies, and Threats
CYBER-HUMAN SYSTEMS, SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, AND THREATS is our eighth textbook in a series covering the world of UASs / CUAS / UUVs / SPACE. We address the technological future of the merging of cyber-human systems (robots, cyborgs, AI/ML, computers) with humans and apply these innovations to space operations and defense against threats that are concomitant with their development. We look at artificial brains, legality of CHS sensors, AI /ML and Ag and food industry; Neurostrike and CHATGPT, biological threats and growth in space, space EW, modeling, deep space warfare, logistics and dominance; hypersonic missiles, cyber threats in space, machine parts, materials technologies, and economies of scale, quantum technologies impact and finally, innovative wireless power transfer for space applications.
Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies and Operations
Aircraft Systems Technologies and Operations
As the quarter-century mark in the 21st Century nears, new aviation-related equipment has come to the forefront, both to help us and to haunt us. (Coutu, 2020). This is particularly the case with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These vehicles have grown in popularity and accessible to everyone. Of different shapes and sizes, they are widely available for purchase at relatively low prices. They have moved from the backyard recreation status to important tools for the military, intelligence agencies, and corporate organizations. New practical applications such as military equipment and weaponry are announced on a regular basis – globally. (Coutu, 2020). Every country seems to be announcing steps forward in this bludgeoning field.
Statistics for Ecologists: A Frequentist and Bayesian Treatment of Modern Regression Models
Ecological data pose many challenges to statistical inference. Most data come from observational studies rather than designed experiments; observational units are frequently sampled repeatedly over time, resulting in multiple, non-independent measurements; response data are often binary (e.g., presence-absence data) or non-negative integers (e.g., counts), and therefore, the data do not fit the standard assumptions of linear regression (Normality, independence, and constant variance). This book will familiarize readers with modern statistical methods that address these complexities using both frequentist and Bayesian frameworks.
University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing
This Open Educational Resource (OER) carries a significant responsibility by presenting statistics through an equity lens. The metaphor of a lens is used intentionally–as the glasses one wears can have a profound effect on what one sees. The book encourages further inspection of the ways in which data is collected, interpreted, and analyzed on a variety of social justice issues, such as health disparities, hunger and food insecurity, homelessness, behavioral health (mental health and substance use), and incarceration of males of color.
Building Information Modeling using Revit for Architects and Engineers
This book offers a web-based multimedia platform to enable students in Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Construction Engineering to learn fundamentals of BIM using Revit and be able to create building architectural, mechanical and structural models, develop construction documentation and analyze building performance. The platform include: book chapters on detailed Revit instructions and videos.
Neuroscience, Psychology and Conflict Management
This peer reviewed eBook introduces readers to foundational concepts in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, personality psychology and social psychology to help explain why conflict occurs, how it develops and how it may be managed and/or resolved.
Big Data for Epidemiology: Applied Data Analysis Using National Health Surveys
National data sets provide an avenue for students to practice data analytic skills while also answering meaningful research questions. This open education resource was developed to train future public health professionals how to conduct secondary data analysis of national health surveys using SAS statistical software. SAS software was selected because it is one of the most commonly used software programs used among public health departments and academia.
Mathematics for Biomedical Physics is an open access peer-reviewed textbook geared to introduce several mathematical topics at the rudimentary level so that students can appreciate the applications of mathematics to the interdisciplinary field of biomedical physics. Most of the topics are presented in their simplest but rigorous form so that students can easily understand the advanced form of these topics when the need arises. Several end-of-chapter problems and chapter examples relate the applications of mathematics to biomedical physics. After mastering the topics of this book, students would be ready to embark on quantitative thinking in various topics of biology and medicine
Data Analysis in the Psychological Sciences: A Practical, Applied, Multimedia Approach
This open resources textbook contains 10 Units that describe and explain the main concepts in statistical analysis of psychological data. In addition to conceptual descriptions and explanations of the basic analyses for descriptive statistics, this textbook also explains how to conduct those analyses with common statistical software (Excel) and open-source free software (R).
Foundations of Biomedical Science: Quantitative Literacy: Theory and Problems
Foundations of Biomedical Science: Quantitative Literacy Theory and Problems is designed to help students develop the fundamental mathematical and quantitative literacy required to navigate and interpret evidence-based Biomedical data. This will provide students with the skills and confidence to habitually question any quantitative data they come across and to use these skills to make informed judgements regarding their veracity
Urban Health: A Practical Application for Clinical Based Learning
Urban Health: A Practical Application for Clinical Based Learning is an openly licensed, peer-reviewed textbook for clinical-based nursing educators covering barriers in urban health and their impact on patient health outcomes. The authors explore perspectives of urban communities, urban patients, and urban healthcare providers to offer insight into how healthcare providers can address disparities in urban healthcare, provide meaningful care with the lived experiences of urban patients in mind, and improve patient-provider communication by moving towards a more solution-driven, team-based care approach. Features include learning activities, exemplars, and case studies.
Cynthera McNeill, Umeika Stephens, Tara Walker
Healthcare in the United States: Navigating the Basics of a Complex System
This book is a collaborative effort among three faculty members from the Darton College of Health Professions, Nursing Department, at Albany State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and part of the UniversitySystem of Georgia. The book idea originated from a grant-funded program to create open education resources (OER) for students learning in UniversitySystem of Georgia’s eMajor courses. The cost of education in the United States is remarkably expensive, and the added burden of purchasing textbooks for each course can be prohibitive. The opportunity to create free educational materials has been a rewarding experience. A free pdf form of this text is available for download.
Deanna L. Howe, Andrea L. Dozier,Sheree O. Dickenson
The United States has been at the forefront of globalized health care for many years by influencing international healthcare policy and establishing international healthcare agencies to address global health threats such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It has also been a leader in medical innovation and technology over the past two decades, a time of many changes in the world of healthcare. Due to these changes, the rules, regulations, and legislation are also constantly changing, making healthcare compliance a challenge. This chapter will discuss the rise of U.S. healthcare on the global stage, define healthcare compliance, and discuss penalties for noncompliance.
The structure of the human body is usually considered in courses in gross anatomy. These courses typically consist of lectures by the faculty, readings in assigned textbooks and the study of photographs and illustrations in human anatomy atlases. However, as student’s progress through the curriculum and move into the more clinical or practice oriented phases, many discover that the anatomical knowledge they actually need is somewhat different from the kind they possess. What many encounter is difficulty in applying their knowledge to a clinical setting
This compilation gathers OER sources on body weight, nutrition, and movement, and it also problematizes the cultural meaning of these readings. Roughly, this anthology is divided into two parts--informational and theoretical--in depicting how medical research and journalism influence and are influenced by social stereotypes, constructed ideas about bodies, food, and individual choices within social systems.
Inclusive Approach to Anthropometric Body Measurement Assessments
Inclusive Approach to Anthropometric Body Measurement Assessments” is an open educational resource (OER) created for undergraduate nursing students at the introductory level. The resource introduces students to body measurements, but does so in an inclusive manner. This resource is a unique contribution to nursing education as content is theoretically informed by an inclusive approach to assessment that incorporates culturallyresponsive techniques related to race/ethnicity, gender/sex/ sexual orientation, body sizes/types, and ability/disability.
Shelly Philip LaForest, Michelle Hughes, Lisa Seto Nielsen
Public Administration: The Essentials - First Edition
Public Administration: The Essentials provides students with the conceptual foundation they need for an introduction to the field of public administration. This OER textbook covers the most critical issues in the field through the use of classic texts and theory as well as through modern examples.
Principles of Strategic Management Accounting
This textbook explains the economic and sociological principles that underpin the use of strategic management accounting practices in organisations. Each chapter of the first part starts with a gentle, conversational introduction to the insights of one strand of academic literature and applies the insights to modern performance measurement and evaluation practices. The following parts apply the principles to specific accounting tools such as the budget, cost accounting, and the balanced scorecard. The textbook can be used in an advanced management accounting undergraduate unit or a post-graduate unit to give students a firm grounding to analyse measurement and evaluation practices in modern organisations.
Foundations in Digital Marketing is a textbook intended to introduce marketing students to the world of digital marketing. The book covers fundamental frameworks, practical applications, and online tools that can all be applied to build and execute a cohesive and engaging digital marketing strategy. The book covers the fundamental aspects of digital marketing
Sports Marketing: An Australian Perspective
Sports marketing refers to promoting goods and services through sporting events and the endorsement of athletes and sports teams. For any sports organisation, it is imperative to have an effective sports marketing strategy in place to build brand awareness, enhance customer loyalty and generate revenue. Companies in sports use marketing strategies to fulfil their goals, such as attracting more junior players, involving parents, increasing the company's public profile, entertaining spectators, acquiring sponsorships, and securing broadcasting rights deals.
Crop Adaptation and Improvement for Drought-Prone Environments
This book focuses on three important elements in the development of cereal and legume crops in semi-arid West Africa. The first section illustrates the socioeconomic factors that affect the food system for these crops and contains an overview of crop production and consumption in the region. Then, important inputs that affect system productivity are presented: preferences for new seed varieties, yield response to fertilizer, counterfeit herbicides, climate information, and the way farmers develop expectations about the weather events that shape cropping outcomes.
Ndjido Ardo Kane, Daniel Foncéka, Timothy J. Dalton
Microorganisms are the most abundant form of life on Earth and in recent decades it has become increasingly clear that their collective activities are one of the dominant forces shaping the Earth. This book provides earth scientists with an introduction to microbiology and a look at the ways microorganisms are important to their area of expertise. The first part of this book summarizes some basic information about microorganisms, including a discussion of their diversity, physical properties, and metabolisms. From there, the second and third portions of the book are organized around the two-way interactions between microorganisms and their environments.
This comprehensive textbook captures best international practice and is focused on the practical needs of leaders in health and social care. The text includes chapters that address evolving and innovative practices in leadership, ethics, leading people and human resource management, cultural safety for First Nations peoples, innovation, digital health, finance and resource management, systems thinking, change, evaluation and safety and quality. As an open educational resource, leaders, managers, students, policymakers and all readers interested in improving healthcare systems can access the book.
Sheree Lloyd, Richard Olley, Eleanor Milligan
Council of Australian University Librarians
Building Bridges: Establishing a Foundation for Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare
Building Bridges: Establishing a Foundation for Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare is an Open Educational Resource (OER) that focuses on teaching interprofessional collaboration in healthcare to students entering their respective health profession's program. This book will help students achieve success not only in their educational program, but as they experience various healthcare settings through internships and employment. This resource is targeted for students in healthcare professions.
Andrea Nelson, Katherine Greene, Katie Cavnar
This is a textbook that was originally designed for a 3000-level large lecture course on “Rhetorical Theory” at the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities. An interdisciplinary tradition, rhetorical theory describes how speech, representation, and power are managed by techniques and technologies of communication. The plan of this book moves from rhetoric as an art of speech to rhetoric as a technology of power. The early chapters provide definitions and context for rhetoric as speech, middle chapters (e.g., on signs, symbols, visual images, argumentation, and narrative) describe rhetoric as representation, and the concluding chapters (e.g., on settler colonialism, secrecy, and digital rhetoric) elaborate on rhetoric as a technology of power.
The knowledge of materials and finishes is the bridge that links conceptual design to real-world application. It is among the core content of virtually all interior architecture/design curricula, moreover, access to up-to-date information on emerging technologies and trends is a key exigency for the contemporary designer. Accordingly, this book is authored to form a comprehensive resource for the “hows” and “whys” surrounding the functional and aesthetic contributions of a wide selection of materials and finishes used in multiple spatial design contexts. The knowledge base presented here is not only useful in shaping spatial experience, ensuring occupant well-being, and employing sustainable thinking but also beneficial in managing budget and schedule while enabling the delivery of top-quality work
Fracture Mechanics: An Engineering Primer - 2nd Edition
In this second edition, which is the result of numerous revisions, updates and additions, the authors cover the basic concepts of fracture mechanics for both the linear elastic and elastic-plastic regimes. The fracture mechanics parameters K, G, J and CTOD are treated in a basic manner along with the test methods to determine critical values. The development of failure assessment based on elastic-plastic fracture mechanics is reflected in a comprehensive treatment.
Michael Janssen, Jan Zuidema, Russell Wanhill,
Designing Arguments for Academic, Public, and Professional Audiences - Fourteenth Edition
This college-level textbook guides students through five different types of arguments: evaluations, responses, persuasive rhetorical arguments, proposals, and practical professional development arguments. Students are introduced to rhetorical concepts and strategies to enable them to more effectively appeal to different types of audiences. Students will gain practice in audience-based reasoning, basing their reasons and evidence on the assumptions, beliefs, and values of their readers.
Qualitative Research – a practical guide for health and social care researchers and practitioners
This guide is designed to support health and social care researchers and practitioners to integrate qualitative research into the evidence base of health and social care research. Qualitative research designs are diverse and each design has a different focus that will inform the approach undertaken and the results that are generated. The aim is to move beyond the “what” of qualitative research to the “how”, by (1) outlining key qualitative research designs for health and social care research – descriptive, phenomenology, action research, case study, ethnography, and grounded theory; (2) a decision tool of how to select the appropriate design based on a guiding prompting question, the research question and available resources, time and expertise; (3) an overview of mixed methods research and qualitative research in evaluation studies; (4) a practical guide to data collection and analysis; (5) providing examples of qualitative research to illustrate the scope and opportunities; and (6) tips on communicating qualitative research.
Darshini Ayton, Tess Tsindos, Danielle Berkovic,
Voices in Psychosis: Interdisciplinary Perspectives deepens and extends the understanding of hearing voices in psychosis in a striking way. For the first time, this collection brings multiple disciplinary, clinical and experiential perspectives to bear on an original and extraordinarily rich body of testimony: transcripts of forty in-depth phenomenological interviews conducted with people who hear voices and who have accessed Early Intervention in Psychosis services. Voice-hearing experiences associated with psychosis are highly varied, frequently distressing, poorly understood, and deeply stigmatized, even within mental health services
Woods, Angela (editor) Alderson-Day, Ben (editor) Fernyhough, Charles (editor)
COVID-19 and Psychological Distress in Africa
This timely book draws on unique African experiences to explore the intersection between mental health and African communitarianism in the context of COVID-19, giving voice to the perspectives of vulnerable populations facing pre-existing challenges such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Advancing knowledge and contributing to the global debate about the effects of the pandemic on the psychological well-being of African people, chapters critique the role of media, information, misinformation, and disinformation during this period on individual- and community-based mental health
This book takes the reader from basic questions like “What is health?” and “What is a psychiatric disorder?”, into the midst of people’s present mental health and enhancement choices. More and more people receive psychiatric diagnoses and the use of psychopharmacological drugs keeps increasing. Concurrently, media report the popularity of “brain doping” or “study drugs” on campuses as well as at the workplace. This open access book tests the hypothesis of whether mental health and enhancement can be seen as two sides of the same coin: that the demands on cognitive and emotional functioning have been increasing and psychoactive substances are used to meet these demands.
This book is intended to serve as a resource for novice teachers as they master the art of effective classroom management, assessment, and lesson planning. At the undergraduate level, this book is designed to accompany the instruction in the EDUC 4353: Secondary Teaching Methods & Practices course before the full-internship experience. At the graduate level, this book is designed to support the instruction in the EDUC 5283: Teaching Methods course with a special focus on supporting Alternatively Certified Educators. Each chapter presents a component of the teaching and learning process critical for teacher development and describes how that component is relevant to the classroom.
An Open Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms
This textbook serves as a gentle introduction for undergraduates to theoretical concepts in data structures and algorithms in computer science while providing coverage of practical implementation (coding) issues. The field of computer science (CS) supports a multitude of essential technologies in science, engineering, and communication as a social medium. The varied and interconnected nature of computer technology permeates countless career paths making CS a popular and growing major program. Mastery of the science behind computer science relies on an understanding of the theory of algorithms and data structures. These concepts underlie the fundamental tradeoffs that dictate performance in terms of speed, memory usage, and programming complexity that separate novice programmers from professional practitioners.
Paul W. Bible, Lucas Moser, Mia M. Scarlato
Handbook of Software Engineering Methods - 2nd Edition
Software engineering can help people create sustainable, extensible programs that solve problems people care about. I won’t tell you how to be a software engineer; you’ll learn that over time by doing it. Instead, this book is about software engineering methods: Ways people achieve specific objectives in software engineering—that can save your project. My hope is that, after reading this book (or parts of it), you’ll feel better equipped for software engineering.
An Introduction to Waste Management and Circular Economy
This introductory textbook provides an essential interdisciplinary guide to waste management and circular economy. It helps students to understand the drivers of waste, the environmental, social, and economic impacts of waste generation, and best practices and technologies for waste management, recycling, energy recovery and disposal. With helpful, full-colour diagrams throughout, each chapter includes learning objectives, introduction to concepts and themes, exercises and review sections, to guide students through the book. The textbook is ideal for teaching environmental engineering and science, as well as interdisciplinary environmental programmes.
Food Preservation and Waste Exploitation
One of the biggest challenges facing the food industry and society is the reduction of food waste. Annually, all over the world, millions of tons of agro-food waste are produced, and their efficient management and valorization represents one of the main objectives of EU actions towards sustainable development. The book compiles information on the possibilities of the recovery of valuable compounds from food waste and their valorization in different food and non-food applications, as well as new preservation methods for optimizing food waste reduction.
Socaci, Sonia A. (editor), F?rca?, Anca C. (editor), Aussenac, Thierry (editor), Laguerre, Jean-Claude (editor)
Food Processing and Packaging Technologies
Food processing, preservation, and packaging is a highly interdisciplinary science. Various techniques and technologies have been developed to extend food shelf life, minimize the risk of contamination, protect the environment, and improve foods’ functional, sensory, and nutritional properties. Some of the many benefits of food processing, preservation, and packaging include increased food safety, improved nutrition, longer shelf life, and increased economic opportunities. In addition, food processing and preservation help to reduce post-harvest losses. Developing novel food processing, preservation, and packaging technologies is critical to preserving food quality, improving sensory characteristics, and reducing losses. At present, there is a great emphasis on developing novel biobased and intelligent packaging technologies that are safe for food and reduce environmental pollution.
Given the rapid growth of engineering fields, namely the food industry with novel food process technologies, novel ingredients, advanced enzyme production and applications, and other complementary technologies, this book will disclose the latest trends in food engineering. This text is a compilation of selected research articles and reviews covering current efforts in research in and application of emerging technologies in the food industry. The chapters in this book are divided into three broad sections. Section 1 deals with introductory information about enzyme application, preserving treatments (such as thermal treatment, active packaging concepts) in a sustainable, cost-effective manner, inclusion in food processing of wild edible plants as a part of cultural and generic heritage, and the upscaling of extraction techniques to increase the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Section 2 provides data concerning the food industry's emerging technologies. Section 3 reveals the latest trends in food fortification. Overall, this book serves as an inspiring source for both scientific and industrial actors or anyone involved in any aspect related to the food industry
Agricultural robotics: part of the new deal?
Throughout the fifth edition of the International Forum of Agricultural Robots (FIRA) in December 2020, more than 1,500 farmers, manufacturers, advanced technology suppliers, innovators, investors, journalists and experts from 71 countries around the world gathered to ask questions, share stories and exchange ideas about agricultural robots. This book is a journey into the state of the art of this industry in 2020, and includes 27 agricultural robot information sheets. It is designed to provide a nuanced look at the industry’s most pressing topics, from the overarching impact of the global food crisis to the everyday influence of semi-autonomous tractors on a family-owned farm in France. The book achieves this goal by taking a deep dive into the perspectives shared by FIRA 2020 presenters and panelists
Lenain, Roland , Peyrache, Julie, Savary, Alain, Séverac, Gaëtan
This book is intended for use in a large introductory class in new media in a program that covers the “full-stack” including critical/cultural studies, media management, diffusion of innovation, and synthetic media production. The first half of this basic sequence covered new media and democracy, finance, intellectual property law, basic games, and transmedia. The second half of the sequence covers many topics related to aesthetics, design, technology, and methodology.
Experiences in Biodiversity Research: A Field Course
This handbook was developed to support the course, Experiences in Biodiversity Research, which exists to provide early undergraduates with experience in the practice of biodiversity research and demystify the path to careers in this field. Although this course is situated within Iowa State University, guidance for educators is provided throughout the handbook to support those interested in teaching similar courses at other universities.
Teaching the strategic management course can be a challenge for many professors. In most business schools, strategic management is a “capstone” course that requires students to draw on insights from various functional courses they have completed (such as marketing, finance, and accounting) in order to understand how top executives make the strategic decisions that drive whether organizations succeed or fail. Although students have taken these functional courses, many students have very little experience with major organizational choices. It is this inexperience that can undermine many students’ engagement in the course.
Healthcare, a field dedicated to the well-being of individuals and communities, operates within an intricate web of legal principles. Understanding these laws is not simply a professional necessity for doctors, nurses, administrators, and researchers; it’s also an ethical imperative for anyone who interacts with the healthcare system. This book is your compass, guiding you through the labyrinth of legal fundamentals that shape the landscape of healthcare.
Introduction to Literature: Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and How They Shape Us
Introduction to Literature: Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and How They Shape Us introduces college freshmen to the study of literature through a focus on texts that, generally, they already know, or think they know, and how those texts aim to shape audiences to be compliant cultural objects. The book is organized around several prominent story groups, including various genres and forms, meant to promote discussion and discovery leading to students’ understanding that these texts function as cultural sculptors of readers’ principles and behaviors. Students develop the skill of analyzing texts and creating sound arguments about them through class discussions and a series of writing assignments. Ideally, they leave the course understanding how to create a sound argument and, more pointedly, that there is no such thing as “just a story.”
Surface and Subtext: Literature, Research, Writing - Third Edition
We know literature when we see it. The novels you were assigned to read in high school such as The Grapes of Wrath or To Kill a Mockingbird are literature; the poems of Langston Hughes and United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo are literature; Romeo and Juliet is literature. But what happens when we encounter texts that are not somehow granted special status in our culture as “required reading”? Are movies and television shows literature? What about video games? Songs? Fan fiction? What is literature, really?
This textbook is focused specifically on the principles and concepts of a foundational Cell Biology course. The book takes a more conceptual approach that highlights how scientists study cells, and how to analyze and interpret experimental results. Rather than focusing primarily on historical experiments that were key to our understanding of cells, the book explores a range of more modern experimental techniques so that students can begin to understand how cells are studied now, in the 21st century. The book includes over 200 newly created illustrations and animations, that were specifically designed for this book, as well as review questions at the end of each chapter, to help students explore and understand the material.
Lauren Dalton, Robin Young, Heather Ng-Cornish
Interpersonal Communication: Context and Connection
Interpersonal Communication: Context and Connection provides an engaging overview of interpersonal communication grounded in theory, research, and practical application, with an eye to the lived experience of college students. The first three chapters provide the foundation of interpersonal communication with an examination of the theoretical and conceptual background of communication, self, and perception. The next section of the book examines unique features of messaging, with an exploration of listening, verbal, and nonverbal communication. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 explore dynamic factors that shape interpersonal relationships, including emotions, climate, and conflict.
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
Communicating Fashion: Trend Research and Forecasting
Research and development contracts, Government--United States
Communicating Fashion offers a holistic view of the interrelationships involved in trend research, including data collection, analysis and reporting, and forecasting what that direction means for design. The book’s primary focus is on the process of observing and collecting desk and field data to understand interrelationships among products, user experience, and contextual factors
: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing
This dynamic and equity-focused Open Educational Resource serves as a multifaceted textbook for Foundations of Education courses in post secondary institutions.
Conducting Mixed-Methods Research: From Classical Social Sciences to the Age of Big Data and Analytics
Scholars in the social sciences are increasingly expected to incorporate both quantitative and qualitative techniques and methods into their research. The growth of “mixed-methods” research is evident in social science disciplines ranging from psychology and management to marketing and information systems. This book is designed to provide principles, strategies, and guidance specifically for researchers in these disciplines so that they can use mixed-methods research more effectively. In thirteen chapters, Conducting Mixed-Methods Research takes readers through the research process, from defining research questions to writing articles using a mixed-methods approach. For those who are well trained in either qualitative or quantitative methods, the book shows them how to think about the purposes of mixed-methods research, design mixed-methods studies, and develop meta-inferences by integrating findings from both methods.
Viswanath Venkatesh, Susan (Sue) Brown, Yulia Sullivan
Drug Use and Misuse: A Community Health Perspective
Drug Use and Misuse: A Community Health Perspective provides students with an introduction to the biological, psychological, and legal aspects of drug use and misuse through the lens of community health and discusses the impact of drug use and misuse on community health. The book contains eight distinct chapters addressing the background of drug use and misuse, including key terms, as well as an introduction to different categories of drugs including gateway drugs, opioids, and prescription drugs, and a conclusion that describes evidence-based prevention and treatment models.
Writing for Inquiry and Research guides students through the composition process of writing a research paper. The book divides this process into four chapters that each focus on a genre connected to research writing: the annotated bibliography, proposal, literature review, and research essay. Each chapter provides significant guidance with reading, writing, and research strategies, along with significant examples and links to external resources. This book serves to help students and instructors with a writing-project-based approach, transforming the research process into an accessible series of smaller, more attainable steps for a semester-long course in research writing. Additional resources throughout the book, as well as in three appendices, allow for students and instructors to explore the many facets of the writing process together.
Workplace Software and Skills is designed to flexibly support a range of courses covering computer literacy, Microsoft Office, and Google Suite applications. The textbook covers both hard and soft skills that are applicable to a broad range of academic majors and careers. Chapters combine studio learning and guided practice with scaffolded activities designed to reinforce a student’s ability to perform higher-order tasks independently. Workplace Software and Skills leverages complementary product features in spreadsheet, word processing, presentation, and similar applications. Modules are designed for maximum flexibility by including both Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite applications, in order to best reflect the skills needed for today’s workforce.
Advanced Legal Research: Process and Practice
Written for students and instructors in an advanced legal research course, this book uses the steps of the legal research process to facilitate skills practice, collaboration, and reflection. It proposes a hypothetical as a basis for practicing the research process steps and encourages students and instructors to contribute other hypotheticals. The text also includes sample assignments, demonstration videos, and discussion and reflection questions, with opportunities for students and instructors to contribute additional questions.
Radio Systems Engineering - Revised First Edition
Using a systems framework, this textbook provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the performance, analysis, and design of radio systems for students and practicing engineers. Presented within a consistent framework, the first part of the book describes the fundamentals of the subject: propagation, noise, antennas, and modulation. The analysis and design of radios including RF circuit design and signal processing is covered in the second half of the book.
The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning
The Art and Science of Teaching Agriculture: Four Keys to Dynamic Learning is a methods of teaching book. Specifically, it is a collection of thoughts, best practices, strategies, and techniques for planning, delivering, and assessing teaching and learning. This resource is assembled from among the best teaching professors in agricultural communication, education, and leadership in America. They have narrated their favorite class sessions … sessions chosen with the goal of making us all better teachers.
M. Susie Whittington, Rick Rudd, Jack Elliot
This open textbook is designed to provide a deep understanding of the biological and biomedical aspects of human reproduction, covering a wide range of topics from basic reproductive biology to clinical applications. The book starts with foundational knowledge and progresses to more advanced topics while also including real-world clinical orientation for practical contexts.
Merdeka Belajar adalah kebijakan program yang dicanangkan Kementerian Pendidikan Kebudayaan Riset dan Teknologi Bapak Nadiem Makarim esensi dari Merdeka Belajar adalah kemerdekaan dalam berpikir, yang mengedepankan minat dan bakat peserta didik sebagai hal yang paling utama dalam proses pembelajaran. Kurikulum Merdeka Belajar juga dipersiapkan untuk mengejar ketertinggalan aktivitas pembelajaran (loss learning) akibat merebaknya Pandemi Covid 19 yang juga berakibat agenda pendidikan tidak berjalan sesuai dengan target yang direncanakan.
TECHNOPRENEURSHIP : Inovasi Berbasis Teknologi di Era Industri 4.0dan Society 5.0
Kewirausahaan berbasis teknologi (Teknopreneurship), technopreneurship adalah gabungan dari dua kata, yaitu technology dan entrepreneurship, sebuah usaha yang menggabungkan kecanggihan teknologi dengan kemampuan berwirausaha untuk mencapai tujuan bisnis yang diinginkan. Entrepreneur adalah seorang innovator yang menggabungkan teknologi yang berbeda dan konsep-konsep bisnis untuk menghasilkan barang atau jasa baru yang mampu mengenali setiap kesempatan yang menguntungkan, menyusun strategi dan yang berhasil menerapkan ide-idenya.
Abdurrozzaq Hasibuan, Suhela Putri Nasution, Ahmad Fauzul Hakim Hasibuan
Counting Rocks! An Introduction to Combinatorics
This textbook, Counting Rocks!, is the written component of an interactive introduction to combinatorics at the undergradaute level. Throughout the text, we link to videos where we describe the material and provide examples; see the Youtube playlist on the Colorado State University (CSU) Mathematics YouTube channel. The major topics in this text are counting problems (Chapters 1-4), proof techniques (Chapter 5), recurrence relations and generating functions (Chapters 6-7), and graph theory (Chapters 8-12). The material and the problems we include are standard for an undergraduate combinatorics course. In this text, one of our goals was to describe the mathematical structures underlying problems in combinatorics.
Henry Adams, Rachel Pries, and Maria Gillespie
Social Determinants of Health in Nursing Education: Integrating Into Curriculum and Practice
This workbook was established with nurse educators and nursing students in mind to provide knowledge, guidance, and support for integrating SDOH across the nursing education spectrum. Contents from this workbook are applicable to pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs, RN-to-BSN programs, and graduate education. A strategic approach for this workbook was purposefully designed to meet the structure of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Clinical Judgment Measure Model® with a combined focus on the four spheres of care supported by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN®).
Stress is a feeling you get when faced with a challenge. In small doses, stress can be good for you because it makes you more alert and gives you a burst of energy. For instance, if you start to cross the street and see a car about to run you over, that jolt you feel helps you to jump out of the way before you get hit. But feeling stressed for a long time can take a toll on your mental and physical health. Even though it may seem hard to find ways to de-stress with all the things you have to do, it’s important to find those ways. Your health depends on it.
Epidemiology is an openly licensed text designed for medical degree–seeking clinical students without a prior background in public health. Using sports medicine and injury prevention examples and applications, it aims to provide students with the basics of epidemiology terms and concepts and is intended to guide medical school students as they prepare for the USMLE Step 1 Exam and to transition from student to clinician. It includes an introduction to general concepts and terminology of epidemiology, study designs and their relationship to clinical questions, and the use of epidemiology in clinical diagnosis and screening of disease. Concluding sections of the book present sources of errors in epidemiologic studies, including bias, confounding, and effect modification.
Advances in Automotive Production Technology – Towards Software-Defined Manufacturing and Resilient Supply Chains
This volume of the series ARENA2036 compiles the outcome of the 2nd Stuttgart Conference on Automotive Production (SCAP2022). The peer-reviewed contributions in this book are arranged thematically in three parts and cover a wide variety of topics: (A) Software-defined Manufacturing, (B) Data-driven Technologies, and (C) Advanced Manufacturing and Sustainability. SCAP2022 was organized by ARENA2036 in close collaboration with the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units of the University of Stuttgart. The Conference took place on site from November 16 - 18, 2022 and provided the opportunity for national and international scientists to present their latest research results.
Kiefl, Niklas (editor) Wulle, Frederik (editor) Ackermann, Clemens (editor) Holder, Daniel (editor)
This open access book focuses on the practical application of Adaptive Dynamic Programming (ADP) in chemotherapy drug delivery, taking into account clinical variables and real-time data. ADP's ability to adapt to changing conditions and make optimal decisions in complex and uncertain situations makes it a valuable tool in addressing pressing challenges in healthcare and other fields. As optimization technology evolves, we can expect to see even more sophisticated and powerful solutions emerge
Sun, Jiayue Xu, Shun Liu, Yang Zhang, Huaguang
This open access book provides a multi-perspective approach to the caravan trade in the Sahara during the 19th century. Based on travelogues from European travelers, recently found Arab sources, historical maps and results from several expeditions, the book gives an overview of the historical periods of the caravan trade as well as detailed information about the infrastructure which was necessary to establish those trade networks. Included are a variety of unique historical and recent maps as well as remote sensing images of the important trade routes and the corresponding historic oases. To give a deeper understanding of how those trading networks work, aspects such as culturally influenced concepts of spatial orientation are discussed. The book aims to be a useful reference for the caravan trade in the Sahara, that can be recommended both to students and to specialists and researchers in the field of Geography, History and African Studies.
Braun, Klaus (editor) Passon, Jacqueline (editor)
This open access book includes socio-anthropological and anthropo-sociological conversations between one of the world’s leading anthropologists, Thomas Hyland Eriksen, and a young scholar, using his groundbreaking "overheating" approach.This book includes socio-anthropological and anthropo-sociological conversations between one of the world’s leading anthropologists, Thomas Hyland Eriksen, and a young scholar, using his groundbreaking "overheating" approach. From the pandemic to the spread of nationalism, from the Anthropocene to the Homogenocene, the authors discuss the most urgent issues of current society: e.g., the loss of biological and cultural diversity owing to the forces of globalisation; and the emergence of new forms of diversity through globalisation and migration; the intersectional dimension of climate change; the incredible rising of anger demonstrations around the world and resentful, overheated identities often linked to right-wing nationalism; the way digital devices have changed the meaning of temporality in people's life-worlds; the regulatory and competitive pressures on universities which are a result of many factors in the intersection of globalisation, massification and marketisation; youth's weakened belief in progress connected to changes in the contemporary world, such as growing inequality, political alienation and environmental destruction; recent pathbreaking research and original theory in sociology and anthropology related to the changes in an overheated world; and what post-Coronavirus social life might become. Highly topical, engaging and written in a conversational style, this book is a must-read for social scientists and discerning lay persons who want a fresh perspective on understanding the critical issues of our time.
Eriksen, Thomas Hylland Visentin, Martina
A Practical Guide for Pediatric Nuclear Medicine
This open access book will provide a foundation for the understanding of, and knowledge for a successful routine use of diagnostic Nuclear Medicine procedures in children through expertise and cases provided by representative busy pediatric nuclear medicine facilities. The book highlights important aspects of nuclear medicine in children and the differences between adult and pediatric practice where relevant. An introductory chapter provides general information detailing the advantages and limitations for performing nuclear medicine tests in children, as well as suggestions on how to approach and provide relevant data to the patients, their parents or next of kin. In the remaining 11 chapters, containing over 115 cases of children evaluated for various clinical indications, procedures are presented and subsequently detailed according to their clinical significance or prevalence based on the clinical experience of the contributors.
Bar-Sever, Zvi (editor) Giammarile, Francesco (editor) Israel, Ora (editor) Nadel, Helen (editor)
A Philosophical Examination of Social Justice and Child Poverty
This book examines child poverty as a topic of social justice. The authors develop a theory of social justice for children based within the capability approach, apply it to the injustice of child poverty and propose a theory of the responsibilities of different agents towards children living in poverty.
For many people, thoughts of the United Arab Emirates conjure images of ultramodern skyscrapers and rolling sand dunes. However, the Emirates are a rich mosaic of ecosystems and habitats that support surprisingly diverse communities of organisms, and there is growing awareness of the importance of these previously underappreciated natural assets. A Natural History of the Emirates provides a comprehensive overview of the unusual environmental setting of this young nation, and surveys the major ecosystems and the marine and terrestrial organisms occurring across the nation. From freshwater streams in the hyperarid Hajar Mountains to the world’s most temperature-tolerant coral reefs, the UAE is home to an astounding variety of uniquely adapted organisms that are providing insights into climate change and how organisms cope with and respond to extreme environmental conditions.
A Narratological Approach to Lists in Detective Fiction
This open access book examines how the form of the list features as a tool for meaning-making in the genre of detective fiction from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century. The book analyzes how both readers and detectives rely on listing as an ordering and structuring tool, and highlights the crucial role that lists assume in the reading process. It extends the boundaries of an emerging field dedicated to the study of lists in literature and caters to a newly revived interest in form and New Formalist approaches in narratological research. The central aim of this book is to show how detective fiction makes use of lists in order to frame various conceptions of knowledge.
This open access book connects Jane Jacobs's celebrated urban analysis to her ideas on economics and social theory. While Jacobs is a legend in the field of urbanism and famous for challenging and profoundly influencing urban planning and design, her theoretical contributions – although central to her criticisms of and proposals for public policy – are frequently overlooked even by her most enthusiastic admirers. This book argues that Jacobs’s insight that “a city cannot be a work of art” underlies both her ideas on planning and her understanding of economic development and social cooperation. It shows how the theory of the market process and Jacobs’s theory of urban processes are useful complements – an example of what economists and urbanists can learn from each other.
This open-access book aims to highlight the coming surge of 5G network-based applications and predicts that the centralized networks and their current capacity will be incapable of meeting the demands. The book emphasizes the benefits and challenges associated with the integration of 5G networks with varied applications. Further, the book gathers and investigates the most recent 5G-based research solutions that handle security and privacy threats while considering resource-constrained wireless devices. The information, applications, and recent advances discussed in this book will serve to be of immense help to practitioners, database professionals, and researchers.
Bhushan, Bharat (editor) Sharma, Sudhir Kumar (editor) Kumar, Raghvendra (editor) Priyadarshini, Ishaani (editor)
3D Research Challenges in Cultural Heritage III Complexity and Quality in Digitisation
This open access book presents a collection of papers focusing on current 3D research challenges in the domain of digital cultural heritage. 3D technologies find considerable use within the field of cultural heritage at the beginning of the 21st century, for example in the areas of data acquisition, modeling, archiving in local repositories, harvesting in digital libraries and their long-term preservation. This volume put emphasis on a number of challenges facing 3D research in the 2D/3D digitization of tangible objects and their transformation to digital/virtual/memory twins; the interplay of geometry, semantics and the recovery and management of knowledge in digital cultural heritage; the handling of 3D data via the Cloud on the Internet and mobile devices; the presentation of cultural heritage content in 3D to the general public; and the 3D reproduction of cultural heritage objects from virtual to real.
Ioannides, Marinos (editor) Patias, Petros (editor)
3D Recording and Interpretation for Maritime Archaeology
This open access peer-reviewed volume was inspired by the UNESCO UNITWIN Network for Underwater Archaeology International Workshop held at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia in November 2016. Content is based on, but not limited to, the work presented at the workshop which was dedicated to 3D recording and interpretation for maritime archaeology. The volume consists of contributions from leading international experts as well as up-and-coming early career researchers from around the globe. The content of the book includes recording and analysis of maritime archaeology through emerging technologies, including both practical and theoretical contributions. Topics include photogrammetric recording, laser scanning, marine geophysical 3D survey techniques, virtual reality, 3D modelling and reconstruction, data integration and Geographic Information Systems.
McCarthy, John K. (editor) Benjamin, Jonathan (editor) Winton, Trevor (editor) van Duivenvoorde, Wendy (editor)
Environmental educators face a formidable challenge when they approach climate change due to the complexity of the science and of the political and cultural contexts in which people live. There is a clear consensus among climate scientists that climate change is already occurring as a result of human activities, but high levels of climate change awareness and growing levels of concern have not translated into meaningful action. Communicating Climate Change provides environmental educators with an understanding of how their audiences engage with climate change information as well as with concrete, empirically tested communication tools they can use to enhance their climate change program.
Armstrong, Anne K. Krasny, Marianne E. Schuldt, Jonathon P.
Winner of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies' Reginald Zelnik Book Prize in History. Through close study of Russian, Eurasian, and Central Asian ethnographic, administrative, literary, and missionary sources, this book shows how traditional Islamic education among the people of Tsarist Russia's Middle Volga region (today's Tatarstan) helped to Islamize the area's Turkic peoples, setting the stage for the development of modernist Islam in Russia. "Agnes Nilufer Kefeli's thorough and imaginative use of sources is notable.
Supporting Secondary Teachers’ Critical Disciplinary Literacies
Co-created with students in the course EDUC 395: Teaching Disciplinary Literacy and supported by CDL experts, this textbook offers accessible, research-based, multidisciplinary CDL strategies ready for implementation in secondary classrooms.
This Open Access Educational textbook, "Teaching Early and Elementary STEM", was written to support pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers in their journey to become facilitators of science, technology, engineering, and math, or “STEM,” and "integrated STEM" in their future classrooms. Students who read and use this text will deepen their understanding of “STEM” and “integrated STEM,” learn what early childhood and elementary students need to know and be able to do in relation to STEM, and understand ways to create activity plans and implement current research-based approaches to teaching and pedagogy.
Game Based and Adaptive Learning Strategies
This book is designed to accompany a graduate-level instructional design course: Game-Based and Adaptive Learning, but could also be used for undergraduate teacher education or instructional design courses. The original texts and material for this book came from the development of a course for Brandeis University as part of their MS in Learner Experience Design program. This material can be used to teach pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and instructional designers about game-based and adaptive learning.
Carrie Lewis Miller, Odbayar Batsaikhan, Elizabeth Pluskwik,
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Artificial Intelligence and Librarianship
Courses on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Librarianship in ALA-accredited Masters of Library and Information (MLIS) degrees are rare. We have all been surprised by ChatGPT and similar Large Language Models. Generative AI is an important new area for librarianship. It is also developing so rapidly that no one can really keep up. Those trying to produce AI courses for the MLIS degree need all the help they can get. This book is a gesture of support. It consists of about 95,000 words on the topic, with a 3-400 item bibliography.
Case Studies for Health, Research and Practice in Australia and New Zealand
The OER includes case studies of 5 families from a variety of backgrounds in metropolitan and regional Queensland (QLD), New South Wales (NSW), and Victoria (VIC), Australia. Case studies have been popular in nursing to help students bring their learning to life and enhance their critical thinking. However, often case studies appear in one unit or one particular content area to aid students learning for a particular condition or point in time.
Science has great potential to benefit society, but this potential comes with risks as well. Directed at introductory level social science and humanities majors, this textbook teaches the rules and limits of social science methods. Reisner starts from the assumption that it is not necessary to be able to do research to read and judge the soundness of research publications. The chapters guide students through an explicit set of rules for reading research articles developed from three common research methods: content analysis, survey research, and experimental method.
This textbook introduces readers to the basics of soil science, including the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils; soil formation, classification, and global distribution; soil health, soils and humanity, and sustainable land management.
Vacuum systems are critical to many industries. They are vital to establishing required process pressures, establishing a clean process environment, and removing reaction by-products from the process chamber. This text, a revision and expansion of David Hata’s Introduction to Vacuum Technology published in 2008, addresses basic topics in vacuum technology for individuals tasked with maintaining vacuum systems and instructors teaching technician-level courses. The topics are carefully curated to the needs of technicians in a production environment and the types of vacuum systems used, and the accompanying laboratory manual and instructor’s guide support the delivery of lecture-laboratory courses.
Natural Resources Sustainability: An introductory synthesis
This text has evolved from 20 semesters teaching the undergraduate courses Geography, People, and the Environment and Environment and Society. It is designed for freshmen through junior-level courses at community, junior and four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Focused upon the dilemma of environmental sustainability, geography and the emergent field of ecological economics are emphasized in a trans-disciplinary framework. It provides—in a one semester or one quarter undergraduate course that requires no prerequisites—a fundamental background in the essentials students need to deal with natural resource and environmental issues as an informed citizen while building a foundation for further study.
Utah Education Network Digital Press with Pressbooks
Finding Balance: Collaborative Workflows for Risk Management in Sharing Cultural Heritage Collections Online
Digitizing rare and unique historical documents so they can be shared online is mission-critical work for most cultural heritage institutions, but it can be difficult to complete this work, especially intellectual property rights management, at a scale that matches user demand. The authors of this open educational resource offer guidance for creating scalable, cross-functional workflows using a risk-management approach that increases efficiency and distributes responsibility for rights assessment work more equitably across stakeholders.
This is an introduction to probability theory, designed for self-study. It covers the same topics as the one-semester introductory courses which I taught at the University of Minnesota, with some extra discussion for reading on your own. The reasons which underlie the rules of probability are emphasized. Probability theory is certainly useful. But how does it feel to study it? Well, like other areas of mathematics, probability theory contains elegant concepts, and it gives you a chance to exercise your ingenuity, which is often fun. But in addition, randomness and probability are part of our experience in the real world, present everywhere and yet still somewhat mysterious.
Contemporary Issues in Collection Management
This edited, openly licensed, textbook examines several different issues in collection management. Topics covered include physical vs. digital collections; the impact of BookTok on collections; challenges to 2SLGBTQ+ collections ; ebook licensing; ebook pricing; accessible collections for users with physical disabilities; accessible collections for users with invisible disabilities; "just in time"/demand-driven acquisitions; climate change and collections and research data collections
Power, Profit, and Privilege: Problematizing Scholarly Publishing
This open course introduces students to the scholarly communications system — with particular emphasis on the scholarly journal publishing mechanism — wherein new information is created, evaluated, disseminated, and preserved.
Peer Review: A Critical Primer and Practical Course
This book is a self-paced, open access training in peer review. In eight modules it asks readers to engage in a variety of activities to learn the who, what, why, and how of peer review. It is geared to library professionals, library school students, or other academic professionals who must understand and/or engage with the peer-review process.
Community interventions in obesity-related chronic diseases
The rate of obesity continues to climb in the United States in all age groups. National reports, including the Trust for America’s Health annual report State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, highlight key findings and policy recommendations. The need to continue to work towards stabilization of the obesity epidemic could not be more important as consequences of this chronic disease can be dire, potentially affecting physical health with an increase in risk for chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer as well as potentially affecting behavioral health.
Sherri M. Cirignano, Sara A. Elnakib, Karen Ensle. et al
This open textbook covers common statistics used in agriculture research, including experimental design in plant breeding and genetics, as well as the analysis of variance, regression, and correlation.
This open textbook places emphasis on the design of a process pipeline for continuous development of new improved cultivars as a means to implement the cycle of crop improvement. Essential topics in New Line Development and New Line Evaluation are addressed, such as choice of parents, creation of progeny, and evaluation and selection of progeny. Students learn to design a process pipeline to produce improved cultivars that meet a specific product target which represents stakeholders’ needs.
Walter Suza, Kendall Lamkey, Rita H. Mumm
International Libraries: An Open Textbook
International Libraries: An Open Textbook is a reference sourcebook about the libraries and the field of librarianship in non-North American countries around the world. Each chapter in this volume includes a profile of a featured country’s variety of libraries, its library histories, its systems of library education, and its library practices, laws, and professional associations. Graduate students in the University at Buffalo’s Department of Information Science authored these chapters for the LIS 503: International Librarianship course during the summer term of 2019.
Polimetrics: A Stata Companion to Introduction to Political Science Research Methods - 1st Edition
Polimetrics: A Stata Companion, authored by Dr. Josh Franco, is an Open Education Resource workbook licensed CC BY-NC and designed as a Stata companion to Introduction to Political Science Research Methods. This workbook provides a tour of the Stata software, an introduction to cross-sectional, time series, and panel data, and an introduction to a variety of models. I review models where the outcome is linear, binary, ordinal, categorical, and count. Additionally, I have an interpretation chapter on survival models.
This text was written to provide students and teacher candidates with an introductory understanding of the skills associated with teaching apparel production. The book is broken into units and chapters that focus on essential skills for constructing garments and, more specifically, teaching others how to construct apparel and apparel-related products.
Language Encounters on the French Colonial Mississippi
Language encounters between the French and Native peoples of North America began when Jacques Cartier arrived in Acadie (Novia Scotia) and the St. Lawrence River valley in the 1530’s. Communicating primarily by signs, Cartier and various Native individuals participated in seemingly friendly communication as they attempted to “speak” with one another. Almost immediately, Cartier experienced the linguistic diversity of the region’s Indigenous, with Native communities located within just a few miles of each other capable of speaking distinctly different dialects and languages.
Creating a circular healthcare economy: Sustainable strategies for a circular healthcare
Our world is the only planet, as far as we know, which harbors life. The number of humans on our planet has grown tremendously in recent centuries. In 1800 one billion humans occupied our earth; on 15 November 2022, this number reached 8 billion. A result of this growth, the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities, drastically increased. The increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere foster the long-term increase of our earth’s temperatures, also referred to as global warming.
Bart van Straten, Letizia Alvino, Tim Horeman
Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge
The intersection of scholarly communication librarianship and open education offers a unique opportunity to expand knowledge of scholarly communication topics in both education and practice. Open resources can address the gap in teaching timely and critical scholarly communication topics—copyright in teaching and research environments, academic publishing, emerging modes of scholarship, impact measurement—while increasing access to resources and equitable participation in education and scholarly communication.
Association of College and Research Libraries
Oregon EMS Psychomotor Skills Lab Manual
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) must be prepared for an array of possible emergencies while on duty. These skills must be ingrained through practice to withstand the stress of an emergency scene: ready at a moment’s notice, should the patient condition necessitate. Within this book you will find many of the skills an EMT will be expected to perform. Each student is required to complete each skill a minimum number of times. This effort will assist the instructional team in tracking your progress, as well as provide you with the documentation necessary to prove proficiency for national and state certification.
An Animated Introduction to Digital Logic Design
This book is designed for use in an introductory course on digital logic design, typically offered in computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and other related programs. Such a course is usually offered at the sophomore level. This book makes extensive use of animation to illustrate the flow of data within a digital system and to step through some of the procedures used to design and optimize digital circuits.
Structured Electronics Design: A Conceptual Approach to Amplifier Design - 3rd ed.
Many people consider analog electronic circuit design complex. This is because designers can achieve the desired performance of a circuit in many ways. Together, theoretical concepts, circuit topologies, electronic devices, their operating conditions, and the system's physical construction constitute an enormous design space in which it is easy to get lost. For this reason, analog electronics often is regarded as an art rather than a solid discipline.
A Developmental Systems Guide for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Practitioners
A Developmental Systems Guide for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Practitioners provides clinicians with actionable evidence-based practices for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of child and adolescent mental and behavioral health. This approach combines developmental psychology and ecological systems in recognition of the fact that children’s developmental challenges, tasks, and capacities intersect with the risks and protective factors of their environment. Chapters feature detailed case studies and conclude with conversations with clinicians in which they share targeted recommendations for patient evaluation, treatment approaches, and family engagement and support.
Classical Numerical Methods in Scientific Computing
Partial differential equations are paramount in mathematical modelling with applications in engineering and science. The book starts with a crash course on partial differential equations in order to familiarize the reader with fundamental properties such as existence, uniqueness and possibly existing maximum principles. The main topic of the book entails the description of classical numerical methods that are used to approximate the solution of partial differential equations.
Numerical Methods in Scientific Computing
This is a book about numerically solving partial differential equations occurring in technical and physical contexts and the authors have set themselves a more ambitious target than to just talk about the numerics. Their aim is to show the place of numerical solutions in the general modeling process and this must inevitably lead to considerations about modeling itself. Partial differential equations usually are a consequence of applying first principles to a technical or physical problem at hand
Essential Mechanics - Statics and Strength of Materials with MATLAB and Octave
Essential Mechanics - Statics and Strength of Materials with MATLAB and Octave combines two core engineering science courses - “Statics” and “Strength of Materials” - in mechanical, civil, and aerospace engineering. It weaves together various essential topics from Statics and Strength of Materials to allow discussing structural design from the very beginning. The traditional content of these courses are reordered to make it convenient to cover rigid body equilibrium and extend it to deformable body mechanics.The e-book covers the most useful topics from both courses with computational support through MATLAB/Octave.
Understanding human relations is a valuable skill for anyone entering into the job market. The aim of this textbook is to aid readers in understanding their own behaviors and the behaviors of others with the intent of engaging in positive interactions in personal and professional spaces.
This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review, the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States. They’ve selected nearly all of the readings and examples (more than 60) from writing that has appeared in NAR pages over the years.
J.D. Schraffenberger,Rachel Morgan, Grant Tracey
Lost Without It: How GPS is more than just navigation
The navigation that we get from GPS is just a tiny component of how it impacts our lives - from banking to mapping to just knowing where stuff is, it's now a critical part of how humanity functions. This book takes you through all the basics of how GPS works, kind of like a how-to, just in case zombies take out all those smart scientists that keep it all running!
Chris McAlister, Deborah King, Samara Hoffmann
Developing Human Potential: A Personal Approach to Leadership
This Online Educational Resource (OER) textbook provides an overview and introduction to personal leadership through the lens of how students can develop and maximize their own interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are crucial to navigating the professional world and can help us to better understand ourselves. This textbook approaches interpersonal skills from a personal level and allows the reader to immerse themselves into activities and scholarship across topical areas. Through the text, learners can create their own Personal Leadership Philosophy and expand this into a Civic Leadership Philosophy to help them understand the impact leaders can have on their communities and workplaces.
Gina S. Matkin, Jason Headrick, Hannah M. Sunderman
With the vast and varied technologies available to leaders, it is no doubt managing these technologies can be challenging. Yet, leaders must have a sense of which technologies will help the organization and its members to be successful. While an organizational leader does not need to be a technology expert, having an awareness of the impact technology has on an organization is important.
University Academic Writing for International Students: A Usage-based Approach
This resource is designed specifically to meet the academic writing needs of international students studying at universities in the United States. The materials in the book can be covered within a 14-week semester, but each chapter or section may also be used independently.Based on a series of needs analysis projects, this resource provides an overview of major rhetorical patterns of writing that are commonly used in university settings in the United States. These commonly required genres include descriptive and evaluative summaries, short essays, comparison and contrast assignments, literature reviews, descriptive reports, and proposals. The resource includes chapters that address the structure and purpose of these more common genres, including an awareness of the ways that the target audience and situation should shape the writing of each.
Social data analysis enables you, as a researcher, to organize the facts you collect during your research. Your data may have come from a questionnaire survey, a set of interviews, or observations. They may be data that have been made available to you from some organization, national or international agency or other researchers. Whatever their source, social data can be daunting to put together in a way that makes sense to you and others. This book is meant to help you in your initial attempts to analyze data. In doing so it will introduce you to ways that others have found useful in their attempts to organize data.
Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur,Roger Clark
General Inpatient Management of Pediatric Diabetes Mellitus at University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital
This eBook is a medical education resource intended to supplement the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of medical students and pediatric residents in furthering their own knowledge about the general inpatient management of pediatric diabetes mellitus. This book may be of further use to any physician, advanced practitioners, or nurses who may also encounter pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus in the inpatient hospital setting. This book is specific to protocols and preferences for pediatric diabetes management at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. However, it also contains overarching concepts that transcend location wherever pediatric diabetes may be managed.
Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – Powerplant (FAA-H-8083-32B)
The Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook–Powerplant (FAA-H-8083-32B) is one of a series of three handbooks for persons preparing for certification as a powerplant mechanic. It is intended that this handbook provide the basic information on principles, fundamentals, and technical procedures in the subject matter areas relating to the powerplant rating. It is designed to aid students enrolled in a formal course of instruction, as well as the individual who is studying on his or her own. Since the knowledge requirements for the airframe and powerplant ratings closely parallel each other in some subject areas, the chapters which discuss fire protection systems and electrical systems contain some material which is also duplicated in the Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook–Airframe (FAA-H-8083-31B).
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
Precision Nutrition and Advanced Culinary Medicine
This electronic textbook (eBook) accompanies NS801, Precision Nutrition and Advanced Culinary Medicine, a 1-credit, 8-week online medical elective course for the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Office of Medical Education. The eBook provides module-based background information including text, tables, and figures to support each module of the online course
Thinking Rhetorically: Writing for Professional and Public Audiences
Thinking Rhetorically: Writing in Professional and Public Contexts is dedicated to introducing students to a lifelong commitment of engaging with these problems that matter. As an academic discipline, Writing Studies’ contribution to engaging with problems can be applied to all areas of study and to all types of problems because we focus on the way language itself—discourse—is created and exchanged in the service of engaging problems. Writing Studies deepens students’ rhetorical awareness of how the ongoing conversations between groups of people shape and express the problems that matter.
Roger Williams University Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, Roger Williams University
Roger Williams University Open Publishing
Critical Thinking in Academic Research - Second Edition
Critical Thinking in Academic Research - 2nd Edition provides examples and easy-to-understand explanations to equip students with the skills to develop research questions, evaluate and choose the right sources, search for information, and understand arguments. This 2nd Edition includes new content based on student feedback as well as additional interactive elements throughout the text.
"Air Safety Investigation – The Journey" is an introductory book that explores the world of air safety investigation. Unlike a how-to manual for investigating aviation accidents, this book focuses on the essential knowledge and mindset required to conduct a safety investigation. It covers the various phases of an investigation, from gathering facts to formulating safety recommendations, with each chapter addressing a different relevant aspect. With the increasing complexity of investigations, critical thinking, logic, and speculation are essential skills for investigators to possess. This book delves into these topics, offering thought-provoking examples and questions to address the challenges of drawing conclusions and obtaining positive investigative outcomes.
Comprehensive Musicianship, A Practical Resource
This OER presents an integrated suite of learning resources developed for the core music theory and musicianship curriculum at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music. It provides a more comprehensive symbiosis of musicianship and music theory learning than can be found in existing textbooks, including engaging and progressive video demonstrations and interactive listening and vocal exercises that integrate musical knowledge with foundational musical skills.
Randall Harlow, Heather Peyton, Jonathan Clarke Schwabe,
Basic Scientific Food Preparation Lab Manual
This lab book is intended for use in both the lab and kitchen. Each section of the book contains learning objectives, lab problems to be solved, recipes, questions, and observation charts for the input of data.
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Equilibrium Displacement Models: Theory, Applications, & Policy Analysis
Applied economists frequently use equilibrium displacement models (EDMs), also termed linear elasticity models, for policy analyses because they can be used to estimate changes in prices and quantities that result from exogenous economic or policy shocks. These models are also widely used to estimate changes in producer and consumer surplus caused by exogenous economic shocks and to quantify the short- and long-term impacts of a variety of economic and regulatory actions across multiple markets. For the first time, a textbook that contains all of the theory and applications of EDMs along with a set of spreadsheet files is available in one place.
Gary W Brester, Joseph A Atwood, Michael A Boland
Chemistry Techniques and Explorations: An Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual - First Edition
Chemistry Techniques and Explorations (2023) by Dr. Daniel R. Albert is an eTextbook laboratory manual for first semester introductory chemistry courses. The manual includes two different types of experiments (Technique and Exploration) designed to engage students in chemistry laboratory practices. Technique laboratories are designed for students to learn and practice chemistry laboratory skills that are utilized in a wide variety of disciplines. Exploration laboratories provide freedom and time for students to use previously acquired skills toward answering a new application focused question.
The Pennsylvania Alliance for Design of Open Textbooks (PA-ADOPT)
Cataloging with MARC, RDA, and Classification Systems
This book goes over a wide range of cataloging schemata, tools, and norms. It presents a concise but thorough view of the basics of library cataloging practice.
College of Southern Idaho Pressbooks Network (CSI)
Laboratory Manual: General Chemistry I Honors - First Edition
General Chemistry I Honors Laboratory Manual (2023) is an eTextbook designed to provide a practical, hands-on approach to learning chemistry for students taking General Chemistry I Honors courses. The manual covers fundamental principles of chemistry, including atomic structure, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, gas laws, and thermodynamics. The book is divided into chapters, each focusing on a specific topic. Each experiment in the manual is accompanied by step-by-step instructions, pre-lab questions, and post-lab questions, helping students to develop their analytical and problem-solving skills.
Introduction to Women’s & Gender Studies - First Edition
Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies (2023) is an eTextbook designed to provide an introduction to the fields of Women’s Studies and Gender Studies for students taking introductory courses. The textbook touches on a variety of subjects including gender theories, feminisms, intersectionality, equity, and activism. Chapters contain questions to consider and list of suggested readings by theorists and activists. This multimedia eTextbook incorporates videos and podcasts to create a rich introductory experience for students.
Biomedical Engineering Lab Manual Volume 1
The lab manual was written as the first installment that coincides with two lab courses taught at the University of Oklahoma (BME3171, BME3181). These courses are designed to provide Biomedical Engineering students with lab skills and experience in biomedical engineering research and clinical techniques. This manual is used with BME3171 Lab 1 and the following topics are covered in this lab manual; functional human models, musculoskeletal lever systems, bioimaging (ultrasound), bioelectricity (electromyography), & uni-axial testing
Biomedical Engineering Lab Manual Volume 2
The lab manual was written as the second installment that coincides with two lab courses taught at the University of Oklahoma (BME3171, BME3181). These courses are designed to provide Biomedical Engineering students with lab skills and experience in biomedical engineering research and clinical techniques. This manual is used with BME3181 Biomedical Engineering Lab 2 and the following wet lab topics are covered in this lab manual; bioimaging, cell culture, tissue engineering, live-dead and DNA assays.
An Invitation to Statistics in Wasserstein Space
This open access book presents the key aspects of statistics in Wasserstein spaces, i.e. statistics in the space of probability measures when endowed with the geometry of optimal transportation. Further to reviewing state-of-the-art aspects, it also provides an accessible introduction to the fundamentals of this current topic, as well as an overview that will serve as an invitation and catalyst for further research. Statistics in Wasserstein spaces represents an emerging topic in mathematical statistics, situated at the interface between functional data analysis (where the data are functions, thus lying in infinite dimensional Hilbert space) and non-Euclidean statistics (where the data satisfy nonlinear constraints, thus lying on non-Euclidean manifolds).
An Introduction to Ethics in Robotics and AI
This open access book introduces the reader to the foundations of AI and ethics. It discusses issues of trust, responsibility, liability, privacy and risk. It focuses on the interaction between people and the AI systems and Robotics they use. Designed to be accessible for a broad audience, reading this book does not require prerequisite technical, legal or philosophical expertise. Throughout, the authors use examples to illustrate the issues at hand and conclude the book with a discussion on the application areas of AI and Robotics, in particular autonomous vehicles, automatic weapon systems and biased algorithms. A list of questions and further readings is also included for students willing to explore the topic further.
Bartneck, Christoph Lütge, Christoph Wagner, Alan Welsh, Sean
Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2023, which took place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, during June 13-16, 2023. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice. It is a unique forum where agile researchers, practitioners, thought leaders, coaches, and trainers get together to present and discuss their most recent innovations, research results, experiences, concerns, challenges, and trends. XP conferences provide an informal environment to learn and trigger discussions and welcome both people new to agile and seasoned agile practitioners. This year’s conference was held with the theme “Whole Team Sustainability”. The 11 full papers and 1 short paper presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 40 submissions. They focus on agile practices and agile in the large.
Stettina, Christoph J. (editor) Garbajosa, Juan (editor) Kruchten, Philippe (editor)
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is predicted to radically change teaching and learning in both schools and industry causing radical disruption of work. AI can support well-being initiatives and lifelong learning but educational institutions and companies need to take the changing technology into account. Moving towards AI supported by digital tools requires a dramatic shift in the concept of learning, expertise and the businesses built off of it. Based on the latest research on AI and how it is changing learning and education, this book will focus on the enormous opportunities to expand educational settings with AI for learning in and beyond the traditional classroom. This open access book also introduces ethical challenges related to learning and education, while connecting human learning and machine learning.
Niemi, Hannele (editor) Pea, Roy D. (editor) Lu, Yu (editor)
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2022, which was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in June 2022. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice. It is a unique forum where agile researchers, practitioners, thought leaders, coaches, and trainers get together to present and discuss their most recent innovations, research results, experiences, concerns, challenges, and trends. XP conferences provide an informal environment to learn and trigger discussions and welcome both people new to agile and seasoned agile practitioners.
Stray, Viktoria (editor) Stol, Klaas-Jan (editor) Paasivaara, Maria (editor) Kruchten, Philippe (editor)
Agential Realism als Basis queer(end)er Experimentalpsychologie
Zentrale These des Open-Access-Buchs von Julia Scholz ist, dass eine queer(end)e Experimentalpsychologie mit der Herangehensweise des Agential Realism kein Widerspruch in sich ist, obwohl verbreitete Verständnisweisen von Queertheorien und von Experimentalpsychologie(n) dies berechtigterweise zunächst nahelegen. Die Autorin konfrontiert experimentalpsychologische Wissensproduktion mit queertheoretischen Kritiken und diskutiert Unvereinbarkeiten der epistemologischen und ontologischen Perspektiven queertheoretischer Kritik mit jenen aktueller akademischer Experimentalpsychologie des europäisch und US-amerikanisch geprägten Raums. Mit der Zugrundelegung von Barads Agential Realism schlägt sie eine wissenschaftstheoretische Position vor, die eine queerende Experimentalpsychologie erlaubt.
Ageing in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic
This Open Access Book contains reports on the situation of people in the second half of life during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. The analyses are based on the German Ageing Survey (DEAS) and they provide insights on four main areas of life: income and work, subjective health and well-being, social support and loneliness as well as societal participation. This book is useful for scientists as well as political actors by directing attention to the risk groups that have been hard hit by the pandemic while also highlighting the resilience and adaptive capacities of many people in the second half of life.
Simonson, Julia (editor) Wünsche, Jenna (editor) Tesch-Römer, Clemens (editor)
Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos
This open access book is a collection of articles based on presentations from the 2020 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference that gives an overview of conference outcomes. The vision of the conference has been to unite researchers, scientists, physicians and other healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and students from across the world to discuss research advancements, identify gaps, and develop actionable goals to translate basic research findings into clinical best practices, effective community interventions, and professional training programs to decrease cancer risks and eliminate cancer disparities for Latinos.
Ramirez, Amelie G. (editor) Trapido, Edward J. (editor)
Advances in Intelligent Data Analysis XVIII
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Intelligent Data Analysis, IDA 2020, held in Konstanz, Germany, in April 2020. The 45 full papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 114 submissions. Advancing Intelligent Data Analysis requires novel, potentially game-changing ideas. IDA’s mission is to promote ideas over performance: a solid motivation can be as convincing as exhaustive empirical evaluation.
Berthold, Michael (editor) Feelders, Ad (editor) Krempl, Georg (editor)
Advances in Frontier Research on Engineering Structures
This is an open access book. This book focuses on the research of advanced structures and anti-seismic in civil engineering. It features the most cutting-edge research directions and achievements related to civil and structural engineering. Subjects in this book include: ·Engineering Structure and Seismic Resistance ·Structural Mechanics Analysis ·Components and Materials ·Structural Seismic Design ·3D Printing Concrete ·Other Related Topics The works of this book promote development of civil and structural engineering, resource sharing, flexibility, and high efficiency. Thereby, it also promotes scientific information interchange between scholars from the top universities, research centers, and high-tech enterprises working all around the world.
This open access book provides a cross-sectoral, integrative and multi-scale design and planning approach for adaptive urban transformation of fast urbanising deltas, taking the Pearl River Delta (China) as a case study. Deltaic areas are among the most promising regions in the world. Their strategic location and superior quality of their soils are core factors supporting both human development and the rise of these regions as global economic hubs. At the same time, however, deltas are extremely vulnerable to multiple threats from both climate change and urbanisation. These include an increased flood risk combined with the resulting loss of ecological and social-cultural values. To ensure a more sustainable future for these areas, spatial strategies are needed to strengthen resilience, i.e. help the systems to cope with their vulnerabilities as well as enhance their capacity to overcome natural and artificial threats.
Nijhuis, Steffen (editor) Sun, Yimin (editor) Lange, Eckart (editor)
Empirical Analysis of Determinants, Distribution and Dynamics of Poverty
Poverty and inequality persist in many dimensions in the developing world. In order to understand the determinants of poverty and its distribution between and within countries, it is necessary to know its dimensions and the channels through which poverty and inequality affect human well-being. This book analyzes the spatial disparities of the outcomes and determinants of poverty, the interdependencies of dimensions of poverty, the distribution of progress in human development over the population and the dynamics of poverty risk over time.
Peter Lang International Academic Publishing Group
Poverty and Distributional Impact of Economic Policies and External Shocks
Economists have had much to say about the impact of economic policies on growth, but little on their distributional consequences and poverty impact. The reorientation of development policy from structural adjustment to poverty reduction as the central objective thus called for new tools to examine distributional change. This book analyzes the poverty and distributional impact of policy changes and external shocks in three case studies from Latin America: Trade liberalization in Colombia and Brazil, and the gas boom in Bolivia. It uses an innovative approach that combines computable general equilibrium and microsimulation models.
Domestic Courts and the Interpretation of International Law
In Domestic Courts and the Interpretation of International Law, Odile Ammann examines the methodology and reasoning which domestic courts, including Swiss courts, use to interpret international law. She argues that interpretative methods must be taken more seriously in international law. Readership: Domestic judges, academics working on international law, legal theory, and judicial reasoning, academic libraries, advocates, public servants, diplomats, students, and laypersons interested in the relationship between domestic and international law.
Doing Critical and Creative Research in Adult Education
Doing Critical and Creative Research in Adult Education brings together leading and emerging scholars in adult education in order to capture the vitality and complexity of contemporary adult education research, marked by the desire to conduct critical and creative research with rather than about people.; Readership: Adult education researchers and academics, adult education practitioners, postgraduate students and researchers in adult education and education, social science researchers and academics, arts and humanities researchers and academics.
Grummell, Bernie (editor) Finnegan, Fergal (editor)
Curriculum and Learning for Climate Action
Curriculum and Learning for Climate Action offers researchers, practitioners, donors, and decisionmakers insights into entry points for education systems change needed to reorient human society’s relationship with our planetary systems.; Readership: All interested in Sustainability, International Education, Environmental Education will find this book useful. This includes researchers, students, policy makers, global practitioners, as well as think tanks, and donors.
Critical Perspectives on Interreligious Education
In Experiments in Empathy: Critical Reflections on Interreligious Education, the contributors provide a roadmap for practicing and developing innovative ways to teach religion that promotes interfaith understanding and cooperation. Readership: All interested in interreligious education, interfaith movement, comparative theologies, religious education, religion and politics will find Experiments in Empathy of great use and interest.
This volume offers a series of short and highly self-reflective essays by leading international lawyers on how global crises inform the functioning and theorizing of international law as well as how international law addresses global crises.; Readership: This book is of immediate interest to a readership of both scholars and practitioners, International lawyers, including scholars, practitionners, PhD students, postgraduate students and International Relations scholars
Mbengue, Makane Moïse (editor) D'Aspremont, Jean (editor)
Configuring Masculinity in Theory and Literary Practice
Configuring Masculinity in Theory and Literary Practice combines a critical survey of the most important concepts in Masculinity Studies with a historical overview of how masculinity has been constructed within British Literature and a special focus on developments in the 20th and 21st centuries. Readership: This book is of key interest to students, university teachers, and researchers in the fields of British Literature, Gender, Masculinity, and Cultural Studies as well as Literary Studies generally.
Combining Economic and Political Development
Democratic transitions since 2011 in the Middle East and North Africa have mostly failed to consolidate and have been hindered by the difficult economic heritage of previous authoritarian governments. Which short-term economic policies may help consolidate the early democratisation process? Readership: Scholars and policy makers interested in MENA, democratic transition, economic and political development, reform and regional integration
Crime, Gender and Social Control in Early Modern Frankfurt am Main
This book charts the gender differences in crime in early modern Frankfurt. It shows that women’s prosecuted crime patterns in Frankfurt were both similar and different to that of other European cities. ; Readership: All interested in the history of crime and gender in early modern Europe, and anyone concerned with the social history of early modern Frankfurt. URI
Composition Analysis of Writing Materials in Cairo Genizah Documents
For the first time, a monograph provides a systematic, in-depth account of contract interpretation in investment treaty arbitration and offers a conceptual paradigm that would enhance the quality of the tribunals’ reasoning.; Readership: The monograph is of relevance for legal scholars, practitioners and policymakers in the field of investment treaty arbitration. The book will also be of additional value to postgraduate and doctoral students.
This book investigates and uncover paradoxes and ambivalences that are actualised when seeking to make the right choices in the best interests of the child. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child established a milestone for the 20th century. Many of these ideas still stand, but time calls for new reflections, empirical descriptions and knowledge as provided in this book. Special attention is directed to the conceptualisation of children and childhood cultures, the missing voices of infants and fragile children, as well as transformations during times of globalisation and change. All chapters contribute to understand and discuss aspects of societal demands and cultural conditions for modern-day children age 0–18, accompanied by pointers to their future. Readership: All engaged in children’s rights, children’s culture, generations, arts and public health education and those interested in understanding and change the paradoxes and complexity in children’s lives.
Eriksen Ødegaard, Elin (editor) Spord Borgen, Jorunn (editor)
In A history of Population Health Johan P. Mackenbach offers a comparative study of trends in 40 specific diseases in Europe and their explanation, focusing on the causes of the spectacular improvements in people’s health since the early 18th century. ; Readership: Health care professionals with an interest in medical history, students and scientists in public health, economics, sociology, and related disciplines, and anyone interested in the history of health and disease.
Exploring Nature’s Texture brings together a collection of internationally-known group of artists, theologians, anthropologists and philosophers to look at the imaginative possibilities of using the visual arts to address the breakdown of the human relationship with the environment. ; Readership: Scholars and students in theology/religious studies, art history, artists and curators, environmental humanities, environmental studies, philosophy, anthropology, environmental arts, architecture, sociology.
Bergmann, Sigurd (editor) Clingerman, Forrest (editor)
Arabic and its Alternatives discusses the complicated relationships between language, religion and communal identities in the Middle East in the period following the First World War, taking its starting point in the non-Arabic and non-Muslim communities of the region. Readership: All those interested in the modern and contemporary history of the Middle East, in religious and linguistic minorities, in identity formation and nationalism and in the relationship between language and religion.
Murre-van den Berg, Heleen (editor) Sanchez, Karène (editor) Baarda, Tijmen C. (editor)
Antique Dealing and Creative Reuse in Cairo and Damascus 1850-1890
The commodification of Islamic antiques intensified in the late Ottoman Empire, an age of domestic reform and increased European interference following the Tanzimat (reorganisation) of 1839. Mercedes Volait examines the social life of typical objects moving from Cairo and Damascus to Paris, London, and beyond, uncovers the range of agencies and subjectivities involved in the trade of architectural salvage and historic handicraft, and traces impacts on private interiors, through creative reuse and Revival design, in Egypt, Europe and America. By devoting attention to both local and global engagements with Middle Eastern tangible heritage, the present volume invites to look anew at Orientalism in art and interior design, the canon of Islamic architecture and the translocation of historic works of art. Readership: All interested in tangible heritage in Cairo and Damascus, visual Orientalism (including photography), Islamic art collecting, and anyone concerned with commodification and intercultural contact zones.
In Animal Rationality: Later Medieval Theories 1250-1350, Anselm Oelze offers the first comprehensive and systematic exploration of theories of animal rationality in the later Middle Ages. Readership: Everyone interested in medieval philosophy and psychology in general, as well as the history of the concept of animal rationality and of the animal/human boundary in particular.
Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change
Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change critically appraises current animal use in science and discusses ways in which we can contribute to a paradigm change towards human-biology based approaches. Readership: This volume is intended not only for fellow scholars and scientists, but for the interested public, campaigners, students, academics, researchers, regulators and industry.
Herrmann, Kathrin (editor) Jayne, Kimberley (editor)
Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research
This book explores how narratives are deeply embodied, engaging heart, soul, as well as mind, through varying adult learner perspectives. Biographical research is not an isolated, individual, solipsistic endeavor but shaped by larger ecological interactions – in families, schools, universities, communities, societies, and networks – that can create or destroy hope. Telling or listening to life stories celebrates complexity, messiness, and the rich potential of learning lives. The narratives in this book highlight the rapid disruption of sustainable ecologies, not only ‘natural’, physical, and biological, but also psychological, economic, relational, political, educational, cultural, and ethical. Yet, despite living in a precarious, and often frightening, liquid world, biographical research can both chronicle and illuminate how resources of hope are created in deeper, aesthetically satisfying ways. Biographical research offers insights, and even signposts, to understand and transcend the darker side of the human condition, alongside its inspirations.
Bainbridge, Alan (editor) Formenti, Laura (editor) West, Linden (editor)
This book discusses disciplinary struggles in education from three perspectives. The chapters in the first section analyse the disciplinary character of educational practice and institutions. The second section focuses on justification of educational knowledge in transmission between theory and practice. The contributions of the third section problematise the aims and functions of educational practice and theory, which are critical for understanding the implications of disciplinary struggles in education for the future. Although the chapters focus on certain historical periods, forms and contexts of education, they provide insights, which are useful and relevant for a wider discussion in the eclectic and diverse theories and practices of education
Anja Heikkinen Jenni Pätäri Gabriele Molzberger
Heikkinen, Anja Pätäri, Jenni Molzberger, Gabriele
Developing Educators for The Digital Age
Evaluating skills and knowledge capture lies at the cutting edge of contemporary higher education where there is a drive towards increasing evaluation of classroom performance and use of digital technologies in pedagogy. Developing Educators for the Digital Age is a book that provides a narrative account of teacher development geared towards the further usage of technologies (including iPads, MOOCs and whiteboards) in the classroom presented via the histories and observation of a diverse group of teachers engaged in the multiple dimensions of their profession. Drawing on the insights of a variety of educational theories and approaches (including TPACK) it presents a practical framework for capturing knowledge in action of these English language teachers – in their own voices – indicating how such methods, processes and experiences shed light more widely on related contexts within HE and may be transferable to other situations.
Continuity and Discontinuity in Learning Careers
Continuity and Discontinuity in Learning Careers: Potentials for a Learning Space in a Changing World focuses on the continuities and discontinuities of the learning careers and identities of non-traditional adult students in diverse learning contexts. Readership: All those interested in adult education and the challenges facing adult education today such as researchers in education and social sciences, undergraduate and postgraduate students, policy-makers and practitioners.
Merrill, Barbara (editor) Galimberti, Andrea (editor) Nizinska, Adrianna (editor) González-Monteagudo, José (editor)
Adult Education and Work Contexts: International Perspectives and Challenges
Adult education has deep connections with employment contexts. This volume discusses interrelations within transnational contexts studied during the Würzburg Winter School on Comparative Studies in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning (COMPALL). The book shows that adult education and work contexts are influenced by international and transnational developments. The findings are presented in three chapters: Lifelong Learning Policies Targeting Employment Contexts; Transnational Perspectives on Lifelong Learning Policies; Employment Perspectives and Professionalisation in Adult Education.
Egetenmeyer, Regina (editor) Fedeli, Monica (editor)
Adult Education and Lifelong Learning in Europe and Beyond
This volume presents comparisons of adult education and lifelong learning with a focus on educational policies, professionalization in adult education, participation in adult learning and education, quality in adult education, and educational guidance and counselling. The essays are based on comparisons discussed at the international Winter School «Comparative Studies in Adult and Lifelong Learning», held in Würzburg, Germany, February 2015. Sub-topics of lifelong learning were chosen for an in-depth comparison and analysis of the situation in various European countries and beyond. URI
This volume presents comparisons of adult education and lifelong learning with a focus on educational policies, professionalization in adult education, participation in adult learning and education, quality in adult education, and educational guidance and counselling. The essays are based on comparisons discussed at the international Winter School «Comparative Studies in Adult and Lifelong Learning», held in Würzburg, Germany, February 2015. Sub-topics of lifelong learning were chosen for an in-depth comparison and analysis of the situation in various European countries and beyond.
This textbook covers theories, teaching strategies, and instructional materials pertinent to teaching reading and writing in grades PK-3, with an emphasis on integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as well as integration across content areas while addressing diversity and inclusion.
Nandita Gurjar, Sohyun Meacham, Constance Beecher
is a research-based, accessible, relevant, creative, inclusive, empowering textbook for teaching introductory aural skills. The first seven chapters provide thorough instruction in aural fundamentals, allowing students to build their foundations from a variety of starting points. The following chapters address the traditional tasks of sight-reading and dictation, but also improvisation, mimicking music you hear (“playback”), transcription, and ensemble skills. The final two chapters add some basic form- and chord-listening skills. Every section includes creative activities that learners can try out on their own or do in class. Embedded playlists for practicing listening skills include a diverse range of music that will connect with students’ preferences and allow them to experience music they haven’t worked with before. While the text is primarily designed for a first semester or year of instruction, it also includes some instruction on modulation, chromaticism, and mixed meter, and future additions/development will make these advanced applications more robust.
The population of the United Kingdom is projected to increase by 4.9 million from an estimated 62.3 million in 2010 to 67.2 million over the 10-year period to 2020. Projected natural increase (more births than deaths) will account for 56% of the projected increase over the next decade, resulting in an overall UK population increase to 73.2 million over the 25-year period to mid-2035. The population is also projected to continue ageing with the average (median) age rising from 39.7 years in 2010 to 39.9 years in 2020 and 42.2 by 2035 (Office for National Statistics 2011).
Faith Community Nursing ; An International Specialty Practice Changing the Understanding of Health
This book is the work of many. The contributors, each with their own rich experiences in the practice and ministry of faith community nursing, have generously taken the time to work with the editors in making this book a reality. The chapter authors have all practiced or continue to contribute to the specialty of faith community nursing.
P. Ann Solari-Twadell , Deborah Jean Ziebarth,. Editors
This open access book explores the environmental, social, and financial challenges of housing provision, and the urgent need for a sustainable housing transition. The authors explore how market failures have impacted the scaling up of sustainable housing and the various policy attempts to address this. Going beyond an environmental focus, the book explores a range of housing-related challenges including social justice and equity issues. Sustainability transitions theory is presented as a framework to help facilitate a sustainable housing transition and a range of contemporary case studies are explored on issues including high performing housing, small housing, shared housing, neighbourhood-scale housing, circular housing, and innovative financing for housing.
5th Symposium on Terrestrial Gravimetry: Static and Mobile Measurements (TG-SMM 2019)
This open access volume contains the proceedings of the 5th Symposium on Terrestrial Gravimetry: Static and Mobile Measurements (TG-SMM2019) held in St. Petersburg, Russia, October 1 – 4, 2019. The symposium was hosted by the State Research Center of the Russian Federation Concern CSRI Elektropribor, JSC and was attended by 75 participants from 15 different countries. 32 oral and 20 poster contributions were presented in four different topical sessions: Terrestrial, shipboard and airborne gravimetry, Absolute gravimetry, Relative gravimetry, gravity networks and applications of gravimetry and Cold atom and superconducting gravimeters, gravitational experiments.
Freymueller, Jeffrey T. (editor) Sánchez, Laura (editor)
50 Years World Heritage Convention: Shared Responsibility – Conflict & Reconciliation
This open access book identifies various forms of heritage destruction and analyses their causes. It proposes strategies for avoiding and solving conflicts, based on integrating heritage into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It reflects on the identity-building role of heritage, on multidimensional conflicts and the destruction of heritage, and considers conflict-solving strategies and future perspectives. Furthermore, it engages theoretically and practically with the concepts of responsibility, reconciliation and sustainability, relating mainly to four Sustainable Development Goals, i.e. SDGs 4 (education), 11 (e.g. World Heritage), 13 (climate action) and 17 (partnerships for the goals).
Albert, Marie-Theres (editor) Bernecker, Roland (editor) Cave, Claire (editor) Prodan, Anca Claudia (editor) Ripp, Matthias (editor)
3rd International Conference on Thermal Issues in Machine Tools (ICTIMT2023)
This open access conference proceedings contains all the papers presented at the ICTIMT 2023, the 3rd International Conference on Thermal Issues in Machine Tools. The event takes place in Dresden, the capital of Saxony, from March 21-23 2023. The conference is organized by the Chair of Machine Tools Development and Adaptive Controls of the Technische Universität Dresden.
Mathematical modelling plays an increasingly important role in almost any area of life sciences, and this interactive textbook focuses on the areas of population ecology, infectious diseases, immunology and cell dynamics, gene networks and pharmacokinetics. It is aimed at anyone who is interested in learning about how to model biological systems, including undergraduate and postgraduate mathematics students who have not studied mathematical biology before, life-sciences students with an interest in modelling, and post-16 mathematics students interested in university-level material.
The University of Sheffield Pressbooks Network
This textbook covers basic principles in the genetic improvement of crop plants. Emphasis is placed on methods of cultivar development in self-pollinating, cross-pollinating, and asexually propagating crops. Relevant examples of crop improvement research in Africa are utilized to cover factors affecting cultivar release, multiplication, and distribution of high-quality seed.
As the inequitable impacts of climate change become more evident and destructive, it is essential for climate and environmental justice, as well as methods of civic engagement, to be taught at a high-level to college-level students. This book provides real examples of how professors at the University of Washington integrated these critical issues into their teachings, both in targeted lessons and as throughlines across an entire course
Anthropologies of Global Maternal and Reproductive Health
This open access edited book brings together new research on the mechanisms by which maternal and reproductive health policies are formed and implemented in diverse locales around the world, from global policy spaces to sites of practice. The authors – both internationally respected anthropologists and new voices – demonstrate the value of ethnography and the utility of reproduction as a lens through which to generate rich insights into professionals’ and lay people’s intimate encounters with policy. Authors look closely at core policy debates in the history of global maternal health across six different continents, including: Women’s use of misoprostol for abortion in Burkina Faso The place of traditional birth attendants in global maternal health Donor-driven maternal health programs in Tanzania Efforts to integrate qualitative evidence in WHO maternal and child health policy-making Anthropologies of Global Maternal and Reproductive Health will engage readers interested in critical conversations about global health policy today.
Wallace, Lauren J. (editor) MacDonald, Margaret E. (editor) Storeng, Katerini T. (editor)
Anthropological Perspectives on Environmental Communication
Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography
In the continuous search for sustainability, the exchange of diverse perspectives, assumptions, and values is indispensable to environmental protection. Through anthropological and ethnographic analyses, this collection addresses how interests, values, and ideologies affect dialogue and sustainability work. Drawing on studies from three continents – Europe, North America, and South America – the paradoxes and the plurality of meanings associated with the creation of sustainable futures are explored. The book focuses on how communication practices collide with organizational frameworks, customary practices, livelihoods, and landscape. In so doing, the authors explore the meanings of environmental communication, pushing beyond environmental advocacy rhetoric to emphasize stronger anthropological engagement within communities to achieve more impactful environmental communication practice.
Sjölander-Lindqvist, Annelie (editor), Murin, Ivan (editor), Dove, Michael E. (editor)
Annual Report on the Big Data of New Energy Vehicle in China (2021)
This open access book, based on static indicators and dynamic big data from local electric vehicles, is the first New-Energy Vehicles (NEVs) research report on the Big Data in China. Using the real-time big data collected by China's National Monitoring and Management Platform for NEVs, this book delves into the main annual technological progress of NEVs, the vehicle operating characteristics, it also anticipates the trend of NEVs industry. Various graphs&charts, detailed data this book offers will familiarize readers with the operation characteristics and practical application of China's NEVs industry and popularize the concept of automobile electrification.
Analysis of Reaction-Diffusion Models with the Taxis Mechanism
This open access book deals with a rich variety of taxis-type cross-diffusive equations. Particularly, it intends to show the key role played by quasi-energy inequality in the derivation of some necessary a priori estimates. This book addresses applied mathematics and all researchers interested in mathematical development of reaction-diffusion theory and its application and can be a basis for a graduate course in applied mathematics.
Medicine Creek (Faulk County-Spink County, S.D.)
This open access book describes the latest advances in the anal incontinence diagnostic and therapeutic processes. Anal incontinence is a devastating condition heavily impacting on the patients’ lives. Those suffering from this disorder are generally very embarrassed and reluctant to undergo an appropriate clinical evaluation, thus becoming more isolated and worsening the quality of their life.
Docimo, Ludovico (editor), Brusciano, Luigi (editor)
African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation
This open access book discusses current thinking and presents the main issues and challenges associated with climate change in Africa. It introduces evidences from studies and projects which show how climate change adaptation is being - and may continue to be successfully implemented in African countries. Thanks to its scope and wide range of themes surrounding climate change, the ambition is that this book will be a lead publication on the topic, which may be regularly updated and hence capture further works. Climate change is a major global challenge. However, some geographical regions are more severly affected than others.
Oguge, Nicholas (editor) Ayal, Desalegn (editor) Adeleke, Lydia (editor) da Silva, Izael (editor)
This open access book responds to the urgent need to improve how we prevent and resolve conflict. It introduces Adaptive Peacebuilding through evidence-based research from eight case studies across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. It also considers how China and Japan view and practice peacebuilding. The book focuses on how peacebuilders design, implement and evaluate programs to sustain peace, how interactions between external and local actors have facilitated or hindered peacemaking, and how adaptation to complexity and uncertainty occurred in each case study.
de Coning, Cedric (editor) Saraiva, Rui (editor) Muto, Ako (editor)
Fish, Fishing, and Conservation is a 389-page, peer-reviewed open textbook intended for undergraduate students who are exploring majors in Fish & Wildlife. It is also relevant to a general audience or for use in courses which explore social and ethical aspects of fish, fishing and conservation.
This Open Access book presents a pioneering research on brownfield redevelopment in mountain regions, and specifically in the European Alps. The origins and causes, the actual conditions as well as the future challenges and potentials of mountain brownfields are investigated from an interdisciplinary yet landscape-centered perspective. Through the reasoned combination of research-by-design methods and case-study analysis, the book explores the infrastructural relevance of these sites for the specific mountain territory, while advancing an innovative structuralist-systemic approach for their physical and functional transformation. The book includes, among others, a first transnational geo-mapping of Alpine brownfields, whose impressive outcomes in terms of site numbers and distribution can only confirm the urgency of this research.
All-Optical Methods to Study Neuronal Function
This open access volume provides an overview of the latest methods used to study neuronal function with all-optical experimental approaches, where light is used for both stimulation and monitoring of neuronal activity. The chapters in this book cover topics over a broad range, from fundamental background information in both physiology and optics in the context of all-optical neurophysiology experiments, to the design principles and hardware implementation of optical methods used for photoactivation and imaging. In the Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory.
Large sparse linear systems of equations are ubiquitous in science, engineering and beyond. This open access monograph focuses on factorization algorithms for solving such systems. It presents classical techniques for complete factorizations that are used in sparse direct methods and discusses the computation of approximate direct and inverse factorizations that are key to constructing general-purpose algebraic preconditioners for iterative solvers. A unified framework is used that emphasizes the underlying sparsity structures and highlights the importance of understanding sparse direct methods when developing algebraic preconditioners. Theoretical results are complemented by sparse matrix algorithm outlines.
This open access book surveys the progress in addressing selected challenges related to the growth of big data in combination with increasingly complicated hardware. It emerged from a research program established by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as priority program SPP 1736 on Algorithmics for Big Data where researchers from theoretical computer science worked together with application experts in order to tackle problems in domains such as networking, genomics research, and information retrieval.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is predicted to radically change teaching and learning in both schools and industry causing radical disruption of work. AI can support well-being initiatives and lifelong learning but educational institutions and companies need to take the changing technology into account. Moving towards AI supported by digital tools requires a dramatic shift in the concept of learning, expertise and the businesses built off of it. Based on the latest research on AI and how it is changing learning and education, this book will focus on the enormous opportunities to expand educational settings with AI for learning in and beyond the traditional classroom.
AI Ethics in Higher Education: Insights from Africa and Beyond
This open access book tackles the pressing problem of integrating concerns related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics into higher education curriculums aimed at future AI developers in Africa and beyond. For doing so, it analyzes the present and future states of AI ethics education in local computer science and engineering programs. The authors share relevant best practices and use cases for teaching, develop answers to ongoing organizational challenges, and reflect on the practical implications of different theoretical approaches to AI ethics.
Agricultural Development in Asia and Africa
This Open Access book explores the multifaceted nature of agricultural and rural development in Asia and examines the extent to which the Asian experience is being replicated in contemporary Africa. This volume compiles the works of top scholars who provided analyses and evidences from household-level surveys collected for many years in several parts of Asia and Africa. The most important finding presented in this book is that African agricultural development has evolved following the pathways of Asian agricultural development.
Estudillo, Jonna P. Kijima, Yoko, Sonobe, Tetsushi
Thumbnail Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos
A Practical Guide to Atmospheric Simulation Chambers
This open access title presents atmospheric simulation chambers as effective tools for atmospheric chemistry research. State-of-the-art simulation chambers provide unprecedented opportunities for atmospheric scientists to perform experiments that address the most important questions in air quality and climate research. The book covers technical details about chamber preparation and practical guidelines on their usage, while also delivering relevant historical and contextual information.
A Macroeconometric Model for Saudi Arabia
This Open Access Brief presents the KAPSARC Global Energy Macroeconometric Model (KGEMM). KGEMM is a policy analysis tool for examining the impacts of domestic policy measures and global economic and energy shocks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The model has eight blocks (real sector, fiscal, monetary, external sector, price, labor and wages, energy, population, and age cohorts) that interact with each other to represent the Kingdom’s macroeconomy and energy linkages. It captures New Keynesian demand-side features anchored to medium-run equilibrium and long-run aggregate supply. It applies a cointegration and equilibrium correction modeling (ECM) methodology to time series data to estimate the model’s behavioral equations in the framework of Autometrics, a general-to-specific econometric modeling strategy. Hence, the model combines ‘theory-driven’ approach with ‘data-driven’ approach.
A History of Genomics across Species, Communities and Projects
This open access book offers a comprehensive overview of the history of genomics across three different species and four decades, from the 1980s to the recent past. It takes an inclusive approach in order to capture not only the international initiatives to map and sequence the genomes of various organisms, but also the work of smaller-scale institutions engaged in the mapping and sequencing of yeast, human and pig DNA. In doing so, the authors expand the historiographical lens of genomics from a focus on large-scale projects to other forms of organisation.
Fundamentals of Psychological Disorders - 3rd edition
Fundamentals of Psychological Disorders (formerly Abnormal Psychology) is an Open Education Resource written by Alexis Bridley, Ph.D. and Lee W. Daffin Jr., Ph.D. through Washington State University. The book tackles the difficult topic of mental disorders in 15 modules and is updated through the DSM-5-TR. This journey starts by discussing what abnormal behavior is by attempting to understand what normal behavior is. Models of abnormal psychology and clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are then discussed.
This open access book highlights Singapore’s development into a city in which water and greenery, along with associated environmental, technical, social and political aspects have been harnessed and cultivated into a liveable sustainable way of life. It is also a story about a unique and thoroughgoing approach to large-scale and potentially transferable water sustainability, within largely urbanized circumstances, which can be achieved, along with complementary roles of environmental conservation, ecology, public open-space management and the greening of buildings, together with infrastructural improvements.
14th International Congress for Applied Mineralogy (ICAM2019)
This open access proceedings of the 14th International Council for Applied Mineralogy Congress (ICAM) in Belgorod, Russia cover a wide range of topics including applied mineralogy, advanced and construction materials, ore and industrial minerals, mineral exploration, cultural heritage, etc. It includes contributions to geometallurgy, industrial minerals, oil and gas reservoirs as well as stone artifacts and their preservation. The International Congress on Applied Mineralogy strengthens the relation between the research on applied mineralogy and the industry.
21st Century Media and Female Mental Health
This open access book examines the conversations around gendered mental health in contemporary Western media culture. While early 21st century-media was marked by a distinct focus on happiness, productivity and success, during the 2010s negative feelings and discussions around mental health have become increasingly common in that same media landscape. This book traces this turn to sadness in women’s media culture and shows that it emerged indirectly as a result of a culture overtly focused on happiness.
A Guide to Sustainable Corporate Responsibility
This open access book discusses the challenges and opportunities faced by companies in an age that increasingly values sustainability and demands corporate responsibility. Beginning with the historical development of corporate responsibility, this book moves from academic theory to practical application. It points to ways in which companies can successfully manage their transition to a more responsible, sustainable way of doing business, common mistakes to avoid and how the UN Sustainable Development Goals are integral to any sustainability transformation.
This Open Access book is a guide to good, responsible research at each step of the process of research discovery, so that a researcher at the beginning of a scientific career has a clear pathway to doing good research and producing reliable results. The textbook will give context to the practices described in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, guided by the fundamental principles or research integrity – reliability, honesty, respect, and accountability. Although we base the book on the European Code, the principles are the same in the global research community, such as those outlined in Fostering Integrity in Research from the US National Academies; Engineering and Medicine.
This open access book gives both a theoretical and practical overview of several important aspects of additive manufacturing (AM). It is written in an educative style to enable the reader to understand and apply the material. It begins with an introduction to AM technologies and the general workflow, as well as an overview of the current standards within AM. In the following chapter, a more in-depth description is given of design optimization and simulation for AM in polymers and metals, including practical guidelines for topology optimization and the use of lattice structures. Special attention is also given to the economics of AM and when the technology offers a benefit compared to conventional manufacturing processes.
Godec, Damir, Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Joamin, Nordin, Axel .et al
Rather than working at the usual scales of distant reading, this book shows what happens when we bring techniques from the digital humanities to bear on a single novel for close readings.
Fundamentals of Psychological Disorders (formerly Abnormal Psychology) is an Open Education Resource written by Alexis Bridley, Ph.D. and Lee W. Daffin Jr., Ph.D. through Washington State University. The book tackles the difficult topic of mental disorders in 15 modules and is updated through the DSM-5-TR. This journey starts by discussing what abnormal behavior is by attempting to understand what normal behavior is.
Crawford Automation – A Guided Application of Structured Problem Solving
his is a multimedia-enabled case in which students will be guided, by an industry expert, to apply structured problem-solving that addresses a typical supply chain problem, missing parts. What first appears as the issue may be a symptom of a root cause(s). The case utilizes videos, data files for analytics, audio recording, and videogame-style exercises to find the missing box of parts. The case is a collaboration between the Conestoga Centre for Supply Chain Innovation and ATS Automation and utilizes the ATS Business Model (ABM) approach to identifying and solving root causes.
Stephen Thomson, Kevin Hollis, Laurie Turnbull,
Although “sustainability,” as used in the real estate context, is about preserving the environment, it is about more than that. In sustainable property management, sustainability encompasses three spheres—environmental, social, and economic. Sustainable property management is about reconciling these three spheres throughout the operations and maintenance phase of the building lifecycle in such a way that a balance is achieved between economic development and protection of environmental and social resources.
Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics - 1st edition
Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics, 1st edition, is an Open Education Resource Textbook that surveys contemporary comparative politics. The textbook is organized thematically and includes chapters that cover a wide range of topics in comparative politics: how and what comparativists study; methods in comparative politics; states and regimes; democracies and democratization; non-democracies and democratic backsliding, political identity, including culture, race and ethnicity, gender, nationalism, religion, and class; political economy; collective action and social movements; comparative public opinion; political violence; and globalization and fragmentation. Each chapter accompanied by a case study or a comparative study, one of the main methodological tools used in comparative politics.
Dino Bozonelos, Julia Wendt, Charlotte Lee
Introduction to Library and Information Science
This book explores the history, present, and future of library science, both in theory and in practice. It examines the place of the librarian as arbiter of information access in a constantly-changing and modernizing global community
History of the Middle East is a survey of Middle Eastern History from the time of Muhammad in the seventh century until the eve of the War on Terror in 2001. It is designed to meet the requirements of a single-term introductory course and is aimed at students who have no more than a casual understanding of the history, cultures, and societies of the region. It offers a relatively concise narrative of the region’s historical development that seeks to avoid oversimplification on the one hand and overcomplexity on the other.
This textbook is an open educational resource with CC-BY licensing developed specifically for prelicensure nursing students. The e-book and downloadable versions are free. Affordable print versions are published in collaboration with XanEdu and available on Amazon and in college bookstores. Content is based on the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) statewide nursing curriculum for the Nursing Advanced Skills course (543-112) and the NCLEX-RN Test Plan.
Nursing Management and Professional Concepts
This book introduces concepts related to nursing leadership and management, prioritization strategies, delegation and supervision, legal implications of nursing practice, ethical nursing practice, collaboration within the interprofessional team, health care economics, quality and evidencebased practice, advocacy, preparation for the RN role, and the avoidance of burnout with self-care. Several online, interactive learning activities are included in each chapter that encourage application of content to patientcare situations. Additionally, the Appendix includes a “suite of patients” with suggested prompts for classroom discussion to assist students in applying concepts from the book to real patient-care situations
Biochemistry (and Molecular Biology) represent one of the fastest-growing fields of scientific research and technical innovation and the resulting biotechnology is increasingly applied to other fields of study. So, an understanding of Biochemistry is increasingly important for students in all biological disciplines. However, at the same time, the content is inherently complex, highly abstract, and often deeply rooted in the pure sciences – mathematics, chemistry, and physics. This makes it difficult to both learn and to teach.
Pakay, Duivenvoorden, Shafee, and Clarke
Reading and Writing Successfully in College: A Guide for Students
This textbook provides students with guidelines for understanding writing tasks as intellectual work using Bloom’s Taxonomy and for treating the writing process as a set of variable activities that move along a trajectory from idea or assignment to a finished product. The book also includes chapters on strengthening reading strategies and on finding, evaluating, and using sources effectively.
Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory Manual for Nursing and Allied Health
Authors’ Institution: Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, USA , Funding: Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) Course Redesign Grant, 2020 – 2023
Marz, Kamatchi, D'Silva, Prabhakaran, Chandra, and Isekeije
Leading Change in Health Systems: Strategies for RN-BSN Students
Leading Change in Health Systems: Strategies for RN-BSN Students is designed for practicing nurses pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This book is focused on building upon previous knowledge, skills and attitudes Registered Nurses (RNs) related to leadership in healthcare systems. Readers will be able to apply the theoretical knowledge gained from this course in their clinical practice environment.
This book acknowledges our changing information landscape, covering key concepts in information literacy to support a research process with intention. We start by critically examining the online environment many of us already engage with every day, looking at algorithms, the attention economy, information disorder and cynicism, information hygiene, and fact-checking. We then move into an exploration of information source types, meaningful research topics, keyword choices, effective search strategies, library resources, Web search considerations, the ethical use of information, and citation.
Business Law, Ethics, and Sustainability
Business Law, Ethics, and Sustainability is a textbook for undergraduate law courses. It covers business law topics such as contracts, business organizations, employment law, and torts, as well as a general survey of American law. Additional topics include Constitutional law, civil rights, environmental law, criminal law, and litigation.
This book offers a wealth of instructional material on the topic of research article writing for publication and thesis or dissertation completion. The text provides graduate student writers with helpful information, strategies, and tips on navigating disciplinary writing in their fields and how to understand, dissect, and ultimately, construct their own research article. The text is organized according to a standard research article format, breaking down each section of the empirical research in a simple and straightforward manner to help graduate students build a quality, argument-driven manuscript as they write up their empirical study findings.
Processes: Writing Across Academic Careers
Processes: Writing Across Academic Careers is an edited collection featuring writing from students, faculty, and staff at Farmingdale State College, a State University of New York (SUNY) campus on Long Island. Each contributor reflects on their own writing as well as writing in their fields/disciplines. Namely, they reflect on their writing processes, hence the name of the book
Economics for Life: Real World Financial Literacy
America has evolved into an ownership society. Home-buying decisions, resource allocation, debt exposure, and financial planning for the future are now left to individuals, many of whom may lack the financial understanding to evaluate and make sound decisions. Economics, with its insistence on quantifying ideas and putting specific quantitative values on all manner of phenomena, can help sort through the questions. Economics for Life: Real-World Financial Literacy is designed to help soon-to-be college graduates start their "real lives" with a better understanding of how to analyze the financial decisions that they will soon have to make. Written in an easy-to-read, conversational style, this textbook will help students learn how to make decisions on saving and investing for retirement, buying a car, buying a home, as well as how to safely navigate the use of debit and credit cards
Supporting English Language Learners in First-Year College Composition
Supporting ELLs in FYC is organized around five key essays, selected to coordinate with the essay styles commonly taught in first-year/first-semester composition courses. This organization is planned to offer instructors the flexibility to best support the pacing of the composition course. There are 2 expository, 1 narrative, and 2 argument essays. Each module includes one essay, with accompanying activities and supporting materials.
Welcome to Human Geography! If you are interested in how humans interact with the environment and how human systems are geographically distributed over space, then you’ve found your place. We hope that find this textbook useful and enjoyable; please dive in by clicking “Contents” to immerse yourself in all-things-human geography.
Symbiotic Posthumanist Ecologies in Western Literature, Philosophy and Art: Towards Theory and Practice Volume 11
Through the burgeoning fields of Posthumanities and Environmental Humanities, this edition examines the changing conception of human subjectivity, agency, and citizenship as shaped by the dynamic interplays between nature, technology, science, and culture. The proposed ‘symbiotic turn’, (the awareness of the multitude of interactions and mutual interdependencies among humans, non-humans and their environment) aspires to explore the complex recompositions of the “human” in the 21st century.
The introduction of permanent cardiac pacing in the late 1950s began the era of cardiac electrotherapy. In the 1980s, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) were introduced. These advances created new challenges for cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Right ventricular pacing was the primary breakthrough; however, over the years, it has become apparent that it can induce cardiac contraction dyssynchrony. Biventricular pacing allowed for the alleviation of dyssynchrony and improved the survival of patients with heart failure and bundle branch block. In recent decades, His bundle pacing has become a new strategy for physiological ventricular activation.
Lewicka, Ewa (editor) , Dąbrowska-Kugacka, Alicja (editor), Liżewska-Springer, Aleksandra
MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
This open access book discusses the most modern approach to auditing complex digital systems and technologies. It combines proven auditing approaches, advanced programming techniques and complex application areas, and covers the latest findings on theory and practice in this rapidly developing field. Especially for those who want to learn more about novel approaches to testing complex information systems and related technologies, such as blockchain and self-learning systems, the book will be a valuable resource. It is aimed at students and practitioners who are interested in contemporary technology and managerial implications.
A Practical Guide on Behaviour Change Support for Self-Managing Chronic Disease
This open access book is a valuable resource for students in health and other professions and practicing professionals interested in supporting effective change in self-management behaviors in chronic disease, such as medication taking, physical activity and healthy eating. Developed under the auspices of the Train4Health project, funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, the book contains six chapters written by international contributors from different disciplines. Chapter one introduces the competencies necessary for delivering effective behavior change support, based on an established program of work, and related learning outcomes.
Guerreiro, Mara Pereira, Brito Félix, Isa . Moreira Marques, Marta
This open access book examines the conversations around gendered mental health in contemporary Western media culture. While early 21st century-media was marked by a distinct focus on happiness, productivity and success, during the 2010s negative feelings and discussions around mental health have become increasingly common in that same media landscape. This book traces this turn to sadness in women’s media culture and shows that it emerged indirectly as a result of a culture overtly focused on happiness. By tracing the coverage of mental health issues in magazines, among female celebrities, and on social media this book shows how an increasingly intimate media environment has made way for a profitable vulnerability, that takes the shape of marketable and brand-friendly mental illness awareness that strengthens the authenticity of those who embrace it.
Introductory Algebra provides a comprehensive introduction of variables, functionsand linear equations and gives students a solid foundation in algebra
Conflict, War and Revolution: the problem of politics in international political thought
Violence and war were ubiquitous features of politics long before the emergence of the modern state system. Since the late 18th century major revolutions across the world have further challenged the idea of the state as a final arbiter of international order. This book discusses ten major thinkers who have questioned and re-shaped how we think about politics
Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project
Producing Open Source Software is a book about the human side of open source development. It describes how successful projects operate, the expectations of users and developers, and the culture of free software. The book is released under an open copyright. You can buy it in bookstores, order copies from O'Reilly Media, or browse and download it here
Cases on Social Issues: For Class Discussion - 2nd Edition
This Open Education resource, “Cases on Social Issues: For Class Discussion – 2nd Edition”, includes valuable cases for student use on issues of discrimination, diversity, equity, inclusion and general social issues in the workplace. Included are cases for discussion on workplace scenarios as follows: homophobia; working with Indigenous communities; oil and gas pipelines and the family ranch; invisible disabilities; employee anxiety; safety for women, transgender women and non-binary people; and the bullying of new immigrants and refugees.
Deidre Maultsaid , Brianna Doyle, Celine Wai Shan Li
Legal Writing I & II: Legal Research and Writing & Introduction to Litigation Practice
Legal Writing I & II; Legal Research and Writing & Introduction to Litigation Practice contains a brief discussion of all of the topics covered in a law school courses on legal writing, including a typical first semester course on legal research, analysis and writing an objective memorandum, as well as a second semester course on persuasion and writing an appellate brief, motion to dismiss or motion for summary judgment. The discussion focuses on the basics of analogical reasoning and persuasion and leaves out the minutiae. Each topic is taken one step at a time, with each step building on the step before it.
Transactional Drafting: Introduction to Contract Drafting and Transactional Practice
Transactional Drafting: Introduction to Contract Drafting and Transactional Practice contains a condensed presentation of all of the topics typically covered in an upper-level law school class on contract drafting. The book covers drafting from scratch including writing in plain English (not using legalese), avoiding ambiguity, and drafting covenants, rights and prohibitions consistently (using "will" or "shall" for covenants, "may" for rights, and "will not" or "shall not" for prohibitions). And it covers contract organization, from the title and the exordium to the core covenant, deal provisions and "boilerplate," to the testimonium and the signature blocks.
Programming Persistent Memory: A Comprehensive Guide for Developers
Beginning and experienced programmers will use this comprehensive guide to persistent memory programming. You will understand how persistent memory brings together several new software/hardware requirements, and offers great promise for better performance and faster application startup times—a huge leap forward in byte-addressable capacity compared with current DRAM offerings.
Introduction to Systems Biology: Workbook for Flipped-Classroom Teaching
This book is an introduction to the language of systems biology, which is spoken among many disciplines, from biology to engineering. Authors Thomas Sauter and Marco Albrecht draw on a multidisciplinary background and evidence-based learning to facilitate the understanding of biochemical networks, metabolic modeling and system dynamics.
Common Client Issues in Counselling: An Australian Perspective
Common Client Issues in Counselling: An Australian Perspective focuses on common mental health issues, such as grief and loss, anxiety, and depression, experienced by clients presenting for counselling. The focus throughout is on providing an Australian perspective, highlighting contemporary understandings, as well as suggesting practical and integrative responses to each common issue.
Nathan Beel , Christine Chinchen, Tanya Machin, Carol du Plessis
Introduction to Intellectual Property provides a clear, effective introduction to patents, copyright, trademarks, and trade secrets. The text may be used by students and instructors in formal courses, as well as those applying intellectual property considerations to entrepreneurship, marketing, law, computer science, engineering, design, or other fields. The luminaries involved with this project represent the forefront of knowledge and experience, and the material offers considerable examples and scenarios, as well as exercises and references.
It’s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century
In addition to original material this book is an adaptation of Introduction to Speech Communication authored by Sarah E. Hollingsworth, Kathryn Weinland, Sasha Hanrahan, and Mary Walker with a CC BY-NC-SA license. Introduction to Speech Communication includes original work as well as adapted and remixed material from Exploring Public Speaking: 4th Edition licensed CC BY-NC-SA, Stand Up, Speak Out licensed CC BY-NC-SA, and Fundamentals of Public Speaking licensed CC BY.
Sara Kim, Douglas Marshall, June Pulliam,
This book provides an introduction to genetic concepts such as reproductive systems, recombination, mutation, segregation and linkage analysis, inbreeding, quantitative inheritance, fertility regulation, population genetics and polyploidy.
Early Childhood Literacy: Engaging and Empowering Emergent Readers and Writers, Birth – Age 5
Engaging and Empowering Emergent Readers and Writers, Birth - Age 5
Christine Pegorraro Schull, Leslie La Croix, Sara E. Miller
Contextualised open educational practices: Towards student agency and self-directed learning
This book covers original research on the implementation of open educational practices through the use of open educational resources at the university level. The emphasis on open education in this book is on contextualising resources, supporting student agency and fostering self-directed learning specifically within a South African milieu. The envisaged chapters cover conceptual and review research and empirical work focussing on open educational practices and the use of renewable assessments. The work starts off with an overview of an institutional-wide open education project that prompted the research followed by research on open education in terms of various modules in the health science, music education, law, philosophy, dietetics, anthropology, French language learning, journalism and political science.
Jako Olivier, Charlene du Toit-Brits, Byron J. Bunt, Amit Dhakulkar
An open access textbook designed primarily for use by first and second year undergraduate students of British Psychological Society accredited Psychology degree courses in the UK.
Eleanor J Dommett , Jimena Berni , Pete Clifton , Catherine Hall
Macroeconomic policy is one of the most important policy domains, and the tools of macroeconomics are among the most valuable for policy makers. Yet there has been, up to now, a wide gulf between the level at which macroeconomics is taught at the undergraduate level and the level at which it is practiced. At the same time, doctoral-level textbooks are usually not targeted at a policy audience, making advanced macroeconomics less accessible to current and aspiring practitioners. This book, born out of the Masters course the authors taught for many years at the Harvard Kennedy School, fills this gap. It introduces the tools of dynamic optimization in the context of economic growth, and then applies them to a wide range of policy questions – ranging from pensions, consumption, investment and finance, to the most recent developments in fiscal and monetary policy.
Filipe Campante, Federico Sturzenegger, Andrés Velasco
Principles of Marketing is designed to meet the scope and sequence for a one-semester marketing course for undergraduate business majors and minors. Principles of Marketing provides a solid grounding in the core concepts and frameworks of marketing theory and analysis so that business students interested in a major or minor in marketing will also be prepared for more rigorous, upper-level elective courses.
Maria Gomez Albrecht, Mark Green, Linda Hoffman
This textbook is an open educational resource (OER) with CC-BY licensing aligned with Wisconsin Technical College System’s Nursing Assistant program (30-543-300). The Nursing Assistant program prepares students for employment as nursing assistants as well as for entry to other health-related programs. It is recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as a nurse aide training program. Upon successful completion of a Nursing Assistant program, the student is eligible to take the Wisconsin Nursing Assistant competency evaluation for inclusion on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry and employment in nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, hospices, community based residential facilities, assisted living centers, and homes for the developmentally disabled.
Basic Engineering Data Collection and Analysis
In Basic Engineering Data Collection and Analysis, Stephen B. Vardeman and J. Marcus Jobe stress the practical over the theoretical. Step by step, students get real engineering data and scenario examples along with chapter-long case studies that illustrate concepts in realistic, thoroughly detailed situations. This approach encourages students to work through the material by carrying out data collection and analysis projects from problem formulation through the preparation of professional technical reports—just as if they were on the job.
Mental Health is a Verb: A Pocket Guide to Mental Health for Nursing Students
MENTAL HEALTH IS A VERB is an Open Education Resource written by Jake Bush, Ph.D., RN, CNE and Jill Van Der Like, DNP, MSN, RNC through University of West Florida which addresses mental health nursing care. The book reviews the foundations of mental health, phsychopharmacology, and the most common mental health diagnoses.
Bahasa Nenek Moyang (Indatu) Orang Aceh (Bicara sapaan dari Cah cah sampai Nek Tu)
Ciri-ciri bahasa secara umum ada tiga, dan perlu diketahui oleh pengguna bahasa itu sendiri. Baik ciri bahasa daerah, bahasa nasional atau bahasa yang ada di dunia di belahan manapun. Demikian juga ciri-ciri yang dimiliki oleh bahasa Aceh sebagai salah satu corak bahasa yang ada di nusantara dan dunia.
TheatreAppreciation is a textbook for introductory level lecture classes such as Theatre Appreciation and Introduction to Theatre. It provides insight about the art and craft of theatre, a brief exploration of theatre history, and discussion about the styles and forms of theatre along with an overview of professions in the field.
Rules and Laws for Civil Actions is an open-access resource for law students containing the U.S. Constitution, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence, Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, and selected federal and state statutes. The book was created by a team of faculty members at the University of Iowa College of Law to supplement the study of Civil Procedure, Evidence, Constitutional Law, and other law school courses.
Stella Burch Elias, Derek T. Muller, Jason Rantanen
Practicing and Presenting Social Research
This open-access textbook is for those who want to write exemplary social research. It provides an extensive outline of each step of the research process: outlining practical tools for conceptualizing its beginnings, generating proposals, getting ethics approval, relaxing from the stresses of research, writing academically, conducting a literature review, drafting a methods section, collecting the right data, formulating the findings, and sharing the results.
Earth, Space, and Environmental Science Explorations with ArcGIS Pro - Second Edition
When I first started teaching Geographic Information Systems (GIS) over 15 years ago, there were only a handful of GIS tutorial books on the market. While a few of them focused on a particular theme, many of them were mainly technical publications with no unifying theme. These publications are perfect for teaching new users about basic GIS operations and continue to be invaluable to many users today. However, these publications consisted of tutorials focusing on vastly different real-world scenarios, and felt a little disjointed to integrate into a class that focuses on a specific field (e.g. Environmental Science, Geography, Urban Planning).
Who Teaches Writing is an open teaching and learning resource being used in English Composition classes at Oklahoma State University. It was authored by contributors from Oklahoma State University and also includes invited chapters from faculty and staff at institutions both inside and outside of Oklahoma. Contributors include faculty from various departments, contingent faculty and staff, and graduate instructors. One purpose of the resource is to provide short, relatively jargon-free chapters geared toward undergraduate students taking First-Year Composition
Taking up the challenge of navigating the complex world of digital humanities, Making Sense of Digital Humanities offers readers an exploration of the many ways scholars have employed the diverse toolkit of digital humanities to create a better understanding of the synergies and disruptions created by technological change. Rooted in a concern for the daunting tasks associated with teaching and learning about the digital humanities, this volume hopes to provide easy entry into a complex topic while highlighting how an understanding of digital humanities can transform our thinking about technology in the modern world.
Introduction to Neuroscience is designed for undergraduate students enrolled in introductory neuroscience courses. This book specifically targets students enrolled in Introduction to Neuroscience 1 and Introduction to Neuroscience 2 at Michigan State University and primarily contains topics covered in those courses. This first edition will guide students through the structure and function of nervous system cells and nervous system structures, signaling within the nervous system, and introduce various sensory systems.
Reframing Digital Humanities: Conversations with Digital Humanists
Growing from Reframing History, a podcast about history theory and practice, Reframing Digital Humanities: Conversations with Digital Humanists, Julian Chambliss, Professor of English at Michigan State University, brings together a diverse group of digital humanities practitioners to reflect on theory and practice. From the question of public engagement and knowledge production to considerations of identity and cultural production, the conversations presented in this work shed light on the ways digital humanities offer scholars tools to ask humane questions.
Supporting Technology Integration for School Leaders
his Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook is written as the primary resource for a 3-hour graduate course delivered online by The Teachers College at Emporia State University. The course is designed to prepare school leaders (teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, etc.) for the integration and application of diverse educational technologies into classrooms and schools in ways that reflect a theoretical, research-based, and practical understanding of curriculum development and the effective uses of technology.
SAJAK SECANGKIR AIR MATA (Syair Orang Sehat) ANTOLOGI PUISI
Buku ini penulis rangkai sebagai tanda rasa cinta kepada Nabi mulia yang penulis cintai Rasulullah Muhammad Saw sebagai kekasih Allah. Buku ini merupakan penghargaan penulis kepada para pahlawan dan ulama sebagai waris para Nabi, kepada Guru-guruku dan Murid-muridku sebagai mutiara bangsa, serta kepada wanita shalehah Sri Wahyuni, S.Pd.I istriku dan anak manis tersayang Keisha Elsria Mulya ,Qais Zhafran Mulya, dan Salsabila Qurratuain Mulya.
JEJAK DAKWAH SULTAN MALIKUSSALEH PERMATA ILMU DARI ACEH Di Museum Islam Samudra Pasai
Sultan Malikussaleh atau Sultan Malik as-Saleh adalah seorang pemimpin, negarawan sejati. Saat kerajaan Islam Samudra Pasai mencapai puncak kemajuan, Aceh gemilang dengan kemajuan peradaban ilmu pengetahuan yang tinggi. Rakyat hidup rukun dan damai. Di kerajaan Samudra Pasai banyak melahirkan cerdikpandai, ilmuan, dan sastrawan pun berkilau laksana mutiara. Nama Sultan Malikussaleh dijadikan sebagai salah satu nama universitas di Aceh Utara yaitu Universitas Malikussaleh (Unimal).
Singing commercials--Production and direction
Sight reading music can be a daunting endeavor for aspiring, and even experienced, musicians. Foundational Sight Singing was created to provide a systematic approach to learn to read, hear and perform music. The ordered presentation of both melodies and rhythms in this text helps students develop accuracy and fluency in sight singing which is a fundamental skill for all musicians. It is a text for developing proficiency in reading and sight singing that can be used in a variety of contexts from individual practice to choral or instrumental ensemble rehearsals to college ear training courses. Multiple exercises are provided for drilling and practice at each level throughout the text to grow the students’ fluency and proficiency in reading and performing pitch and rhythm.
Health technology innovation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including countries in Africa, falls far short of meeting the healthcare needs of these settings. The result is a heavy reliance on products and technologies imported from industrialised countries that are often not suited to, or sustainable for, LMICs. Appropriate healthcare products for LMICs are best developed in these countries, where local knowledge and understanding of needs, context and available resources may be incorporated into designs and implementation plans. The objectives for enabling health technology development in LMICs include: 1) expanding the base of expertise through research training programmes with a problem-solving focus; 2) stimulating new knowledge, approaches and solutions by enabling innovation; and 3) integrating research communities within and across institutions to build critical mass.
Introduction to engineering mechanics: statics, for those who love to learn. Concepts include: particles and rigid body equilibrium equations, distributed loads, shear and moment diagrams, trusses, method of joints and sections, & inertia.
Elisabeth (Libby) Osgood, Gayla Cameron, Emma Christensen
This publication was produced as a teaching tool for college chemistry.The book is a text for a computer-based unit on the chemistry of acid-base titrations, and is designed for use with FORTRAN or BASIC.computer systems, and with a programmable electronic calculator, in a variety of educational settings. The text attempts to present computer programs that are relatively free of reliance on specialized large computer systems programs. The case-study approach presented is highly research and laboratory oriented. Similar subject matter is conventionally taught in most introductory college chemistry courses, but this text material attempts greater depth of instruction through utilization of the computational resources of a computer.
George Fleck, Northampton, Massachusetts
Smith College Open Educational Resources: Textbooks
We believe that calculus can be for students what it was for Euler and the Bernoullis: a language and a tool for exploring the whole fabric of science. We also believe that much of the mathematical depth and vitality of calculus lies in connections to other sciences. The mathematical questions that arise are compelling in part because the answers matter to other disciplines. We began our work with a "clean slate," not by asking what parts of the traditional course to include or discard. Our starting points are thus our summary of what calculus is really about. Our curricular goals are what we aim to convey about the subject in the course.
James Callahan, Northampton, Massachusetts David Cox, Amherst, Massachusetts Kenneth Hoffman, Amherst, Massachusetts
Critical Perspectives on Technology and the Family
From the perspective of a long time family practitioner, researcher, and educator, and technology innovator, this textbook offers the first comprehensive view of technology in the family for college students, professionals and the public. Each chapter offers content and a complete reference list, learning activities, ideas for critical blog posting and additional readings. The beginning chapters cover foundational information about our societal use of information and communications technology, family theories and ways of understanding families, and how families differ in their use and access to ICT
The Path to Funding: The Artist’s Guide to Building Your Audience, Generating Income, and Realizing Career Sustainability
Based on coursework developed at Peabody Conservatory, this book breaks down the process of developing an artist mission statement, generating new ideas for creative projects, and creating an engaging project description. It also covers methods for artists to identify their audience, generate a comprehensive project budget, collect compelling work samples, and identify potential funders to support their creative work. Written by a team of active artists and educators, this resource provides creatives with tools and strategies to communicate passionately and effectively about their work and take control of their financial and artistic future.
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Project Management: Navigating the Complexity with a Systematic Approach
The world has become more complicated with the introduction and development of new technologies and methods, and novel risks such as Covid-19 pandemic. Competition has been tougher than it used to be. Organizations strive to keep up with the changes in the internal and external environment. In the light of unprecedented changes, project managers must be prepared in response to the demands from their organizations and key stakeholders like clients, customers and government agencies. This book covers the fundamentals of project management, and aims to guide undergraduate and graduate students to acquire the building blocks of project management. This book also includes Microsoft Project tutorials for project scope, schedule, resources, and cost, and monitoring and controlling.
Abrahamic Reflections on Randomness and Providence
This open access book addresses the question of how God can providentially govern apparently ungovernable randomness. Medieval theologians confidently held that God is provident, that is, God is the ultimate cause of or is responsible for everything that happens. However, scientific advances since the 19th century pose serious challenges to traditional views of providence. From Darwinian evolution to quantum mechanics, randomness has become an essential part of the scientific worldview. An interdisciplinary team of Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars—biologists, physicists, philosophers and theologians—addresses questions of randomness and providence.
Clark, Kelly James (editor), Koperski, Jeffrey (editor)
A Prodigy of Universal Genius: Robert Leslie Ellis, 1817-1859
Places Ellis at the heart of early-Victorian Cambridge with in-depth descriptions on his scientific work and tragic life Provides a unique glimpse into Victorian intellectual culture, based on previously unpublished archival materials This open access book brings together for the first time all aspects of the tragic life and fascinating work of the polymath Robert Leslie Ellis (1817–1859), placing him at the heart of early-Victorian intellectual culture. Written by a diverse team of experts, the chapters in the book’s first part contain in-depth examinations of, among other things, Ellis’s family, education, Bacon scholarship and mathematical contributions.
This lab manual is designed for the upper division and graduate sports nutrition courses, covering, supporting, and reinforcing fundamental nutritional concepts. This manual provides hands-on experience that will help strengthen student’s knowledge and application of the material. Labs focus on learning areas of exercise intensity and substrate utilization, measuring glycemic responses to selected food items with or without exercise, designing sports drinks and testing rehydration responses, and metabolic health. Additionally, this manual provides a step-by-step guide to strengthen student’s ability to generate data and convey their results in a scientific manner.
Mary P Miles , Stephanie M.G. Wilson , Morgan L Chamberlin,
Using Open Educational Resources to Promote Social Justice
As so often is the case, the idea for this book came from a twisting path. Not long after we began collaborating and presenting together at conferences, we were invited to draft a chapter on critical race theory (CRT) in academic libraries. An invited chapter is, of course, very flattering, so we proceeded without much thought to who the publisher would be. Angela had been working on social justice issues for a while at that point, while CJ had a wealth of expertise on open educational resources (OER). We merged our two areas of expertise in drafting that chapter, discussing OER as an opportunity to not only save students money but incorporate CRT into the curriculum—both in content and in practice.
Kevin Adams, Murray Anderson, Elissah Becknell, et al
Are you interested in the topic of people learning and development or are tasked to implement learning and training opportunities in your workplace? We invite you to use this resource full of information and tools to help support people and organizations in their learning journey. Learning happens everywhere, and you will explore the different modes of learning on and off the job. But is a training program actually the right solution to address a performance issue in your organization? Learn how to conduct a needs analysis to help you decide what is in the best interest of the organization and people. Training and learning opportunities have to be properly designed to be effective and deliver the results you expect. Find out how adults learn and what motivates them to develop their skills. Discover how learning supports the performance management process and how to ensure that learning gets transferred into the workplace.
Intermediate Algebra is the second part of a two-part course in Algebra. Written in a clear and concise manner, it carefully builds on the basics learned in Elementary Algebra and introduces the more advanced topics required for further study of applications found in most disciplines. Used as a standalone textbook, it offers plenty of review as well as something new to engage the student in each chapter. Written as a blend of the traditional and graphical approaches to the subject, this textbook introduces functions early and stresses the geometry behind the algebra
Intersections of Open Educational Resources and Information Literacy
The present volume is timely not only because it models creative and effective strategies to advance both open education and information literacy, but especially because it poses critical questions and urges practitioners to go well beyond questions of access to and the use of information. It demands reflection on what is being accessed (and what is not), who is gaining access (and who is not), who is providing access (and who is not), and what the goal is of this access (and what lies beyond access)."—from the Foreword by Rajiv S. Jhangiani Information literacy skills are key when finding, using, adapting, and producing open educational resources (OER).
Advances in Assessment and Modeling of Earthquake Loss
This open access book originates from an international workshop organized by Turkish Natural Catastrophe Insurance Pool (TCIP) in November 2019 that gathered renown researchers from academia, representatives of leading international reinsurance and modeling companies as well as government agencies responsible of insurance pricing in Turkey. The book includes chapters related to post-earthquake damage assessment, the state-of-art and novel earthquake loss modeling, their implementation and implication in insurance pricing at national, regional and global levels, and the role of earthquake insurance in building resilient societies and fire following earthquakes.
Akkar, Sinan (editor), Ilki, Alper (editor), Goksu, Caglar (editor), Erdik, Mustafa (editor)
This open access book provides a clear holistic conceptual framework of CISS-F (competitiveness, inclusiveness, sustainability, scalability and access to finance) to analyse the efficiency of value chains of high value agricultural commodities in India. It is based on the understanding that agriculture is an integrated system that connects farming with logistics, processing and marketing. Farmer’s welfare being central to any agricultural policy makes it very pertinent to study how a value chain works and can be strengthened further to realize this policy goal.
Gulati, Ashok (editor), Ganguly, Kavery (editor),Wardhan, Harsh (editor)
This open access book brings together a collection of cutting-edge insights into how action can and is already being taken against climate change at multiple levels of our societies, amidst growing calls for transformative and inclusive climate action. In an era of increasing recognition regarding climate and ecological breakdown, this book offers hope, inspiration and analyses for multi-level climate action, spanning varied communities, places, spaces, agents and disciplines, demonstrating how the energy and dynamism of local scales are a powerful resource in turning the tide.
Howarth, Candice (editor), Lane, Matthew (editor), Slevin, Amanda (editor)
Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement Goals
This open access book is designed as a continuation of the editor’s 2019 book Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement Goals. This volume provides an in-depth analysis of industry sectors globally, and its purpose is to present emission reduction targets in 5-year steps (2025 to 2050) for the main twelve finance sectors per the Global Industry Classification System. This scientific analysis aims to support the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment initiative to give sustainability guidance for the global finance industry. The industry sector pathways presented here are based on the latest global and regional 100% renewable energy and non-energy greenhouse gas Representative Concentration Pathways in order to keep climate change significantly under +1.5 C and thereby achieve the Paris Climate Agreement goals.
Control Problems for Conservation Laws with Traffic Applications
Conservation and balance laws on networks have been the subject of much research interest given their wide range of applications to real-world processes, particularly traffic flow. This open access monograph is the first to investigate different types of control problems for conservation laws that arise in the modeling of vehicular traffic. Four types of control problems are discussed - boundary, decentralized, distributed, and Lagrangian control - corresponding to, respectively, entrance points and tolls, traffic signals at junctions, variable speed limits, and the use of autonomy and communication. Because conservation laws are strictly connected to Hamilton-Jacobi equations, control of the latter is also considered.
Bayen, Alexandre, Delle Monache, Maria Laura , Garavello, Mauro., et al.
Computer programming / software development
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 31st European Symposium on Programming, ESOP 2022, which was held during April 5-7, 2022, in Munich, Germany, as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2022. The 21 regular papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 64 submissions. They deal with fundamental issues in the specification, design, analysis, and implementation of programming languages and systems.
Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems, TACAS 2022, which was held during April 2-7, 2022, in Munich, Germany, as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2022. The 46 full papers and 4 short papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 159 submissions. The proceedings also contain 16 tool papers of the affiliated competition SV-Comp and 1 paper consisting of the competition report.
Fisman, Dana (editor), Rosu, Grigore (editor)
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems, TACAS 2022, which was held during April 2-7, 2022, in Munich, Germany, as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2022. The 46 full papers and 4 short papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 159 submissions. The proceedings also contain 16 tool papers of the affiliated competition SV-Comp and 1 paper consisting of the competition report. TACAS is a forum for researchers, developers, and users interested in rigorously based tools and algorithms for the construction and analysis of systems.
The Application of Ant Colony Optimization
The application of advanced analytics in science and technology is rapidly expanding, and developing optimization technics is critical to this expansion. Instead of relying on dated procedures, researchers can reap greater rewards by utilizing cutting-edge optimization techniques like population-based metaheuristic models, which can quickly generate a solution with acceptable quality. Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is one the most critical and widely used models among heuristics and meta-heuristics. This book discusses ACO applications in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), multi-robot systems, wireless multi-hop networks, and preventive, predictive maintenance.
This open access book gives an overview of cutting-edge work on a new paradigm called the “sublinear computation paradigm,” which was proposed in the large multiyear academic research project “Foundations of Innovative Algorithms for Big Data.” That project ran from October 2014 to March 2020, in Japan. To handle the unprecedented explosion of big data sets in research, industry, and other areas of society, there is an urgent need to develop novel methods and approaches for big data analysis. To meet this need, innovative changes in algorithm theory for big data are being pursued. For example, polynomial-time algorithms have thus far been regarded as “fast,” but if a quadratic-time algorithm is applied to a petabyte-scale or larger big data set, problems are encountered in terms of computational resources or running time.
Katoh, Naoki (editor), Higashikawa, Yuya (editor), Ito, Hiro (editor), et al.
Special Topics in Information Technology
This open access book presents thirteen outstanding doctoral dissertations in Information Technology from the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy. Information Technology has always been highly interdisciplinary, as many aspects have to be considered in IT systems. The doctoral studies program in IT at Politecnico di Milano emphasizes this interdisciplinary nature, which is becoming more and more important in recent technological advances, in collaborative projects, and in the education of young researchers.
In this thesis we adapt fundamental parts of the Graph Minors series of Robertson and Seymour for the study of matching minors and investigate a connection to the study of directed graphs. We develope matching theoretic to established results of graph minor theory: We characterise the existence of a cross over a conformal cycle by means of a topological property. Furthermore, we develope a theory for perfect matching width, a width parameter for graphs with perfect matchings introduced by Norin.
International Symposium on Mathematics, Quantum Theory, and Cryptography
This open access book presents selected papers from International Symposium on Mathematics, Quantum Theory, and Cryptography (MQC), which was held on September 25-27, 2019 in Fukuoka, Japan. The international symposium MQC addresses the mathematics and quantum theory underlying secure modeling of the post quantum cryptography including e.g. mathematical study of the light-matter interaction models as well as quantum computing. The security of the most widely used RSA cryptosystem is based on the difficulty of factoring large integers. However, in 1994 Shor proposed a quantum polynomial time algorithm for factoring integers, and the RSA cryptosystem is no longer secure in the quantum computing model.
Takagi, Tsuyoshi (editor), Wakayama, Masato (editor), Tanaka, Keisuke (editor)
Integrating Data Science and Earth Science
This open access book presents the results of three years collaboration between earth scientists and data scientist, in developing and applying data science methods for scientific discovery. The book will be highly beneficial for other researchers at senior and graduate level, interested in applying visual data exploration, computational approaches and scientifc workflows.
Bouwer, Laurens M. (editor), Dransch, Doris (editor), Ruhnke, Roland (editor)
Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering, FASE 2022, which was held during April 4-5, 2022, in Munich, Germany, as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2022. The 17 regular papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 64 submissions. The proceedings also contain 3 contributions from the Test-Comp Competition.
Johnsen, Einar Broch (editor), Wimmer, Manuel (editor)
Foundations of Software Science and Computation Structures
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Foundations of Software Science and Computational Structures, FOSSACS 2022, which was held during April 4-6, 2022, in Munich, Germany, as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2022. The 23 regular papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 77 submissions. They deal with research on theories and methods to support the analysis, integration, synthesis, transformation, and verification of programs and software systems.
Bouyer, Patricia (editor), Schröder, Lutz (editor)
Places Ellis at the heart of early-Victorian Cambridge with in-depth descriptions on his scientific work and tragic life Provides a unique glimpse into Victorian intellectual culture, based on previously unpublished archival materials This open access book brings together for the first time all aspects of the tragic life and fascinating work of the polymath Robert Leslie Ellis (1817–1859), placing him at the heart of early-Victorian intellectual culture. Written by a diverse team of experts, the chapters in the book’s first part contain in-depth examinations of, among other things, Ellis’s family, education, Bacon scholarship and mathematical contributions. The second part consists of annotated transcriptions of a selection of Ellis’s diaries and correspondence.
Agriculture for Economic Development in Africa
This book explores the role of agriculture in long-term economic growth. With a particular focus on Ethiopia, the role of the state in igniting agricultural growth and in sustaining economic growth is highlighted as essential for low-income countries. Taking ideas from both economic history and development economics, the ability of Ethiopia and the rest of Africa to sustain recent rapid growth into something that can tackle the development agenda is discussed, alongside policy suggestions.
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2021, which was held virtually during June 14-18, 2021. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice. It is a unique forum where agile researchers, practitioners, thought leaders, coaches, and trainers get together to present and discuss their most recent innovations, research results, experiences, concerns, challenges, and trends. XP conferences provide an informal environment to learn and trigger discussions and welcome both people new to agile and seasoned agile practitioners.
Gregory, Peggy (editor), Lassenius, Casper (editor), Wang, Xiaofeng (editor), Kruchten, Philippe (editor)
Stray, Viktoria (editor), Stol, Klaas-Jan (editor), Paasivaara, Maria (editor) ,Kruchten, Philippe (editor)
African Land Reform Under Economic Liberalisation
This open access book offers unique in-depth, comprehensive, and comparative analyses of the motivations, context, and outcomes of recent land reforms in Africa. Whereas a considerable number of land reforms have been carried out by African governments since the 1990s, no systematic analysis on their meaning has so far been conducted. In the age of land reform, Africa has seen drastic rural changes. Analysing the relationship between those reforms and change, the chapters in this book reveal not only their socio-economic outcomes, such as accelerated marketisation of land, but also their political outcomes, which have often been contrasting.
The Future of Software Quality Assurance
This open access book, published to mark the 15th anniversary of the International Software Quality Institute (iSQI), is intended to raise the profile of software testers and their profession. It gathers contributions by respected software testing experts in order to highlight the state of the art as well as future challenges and trends. In addition, it covers current and emerging technologies like test automation, DevOps, and artificial intelligence methodologies used for software testing, before taking a look into the future. The contributing authors answer questions like: "How is the profession of tester currently changing? What should testers be prepared for in the years to come, and what skills will the next generation need? What opportunities are available for further training today?
Values and Valuing in Mathematics Education
This engaging open access book discusses how a values and valuing perspective can facilitate a more effective mathematics pedagogical experience, and allows readers to explore multiple applications of the values perspective across different education systems. It also clearly shows that teaching mathematics involves not only reasoning and feelings, but also students’ interactions with their cultural setting and each other. The book brings together the work of world leaders and new thinkers in mathematics educational research to improve the learning and teaching of mathematics.
Clarkson, Philip (editor), Seah, Wee Tiong (editor), Pang, JeongSuk (editor)
Transnational Solidarity in Times of Crises
This open access collection is devoted to an in-depth, qualitative analysis of practices of cross-national solidarity in response to the current political and social crises, from citizens’ initiatives to networks of cooperation among civil society actors. The book analyses existing informal groups at the grassroots, furthering transnational solidarity in three thematic areas: disability, unemployment and immigration. Contributions assess how civic groups respond to the various crises affecting Europe, especially the economic and refugee crises, presenting new findings from a systematic comparative study conducted in eight European countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the UK).
Lahusen, Christian (editor), Zschache, Ulrike (editor), Kousis, Maria (editor)
This open access book chronicles the rise of a new scientific paradigm offering novel insights into the age-old enigmas of existence. Over 300 years ago, the human mind discovered the machine code of reality: mathematics. By utilizing abstract thought systems, humans began to decode the workings of the cosmos. From this understanding, the current scientific paradigm emerged, ultimately discovering the gift of technology.
Boundary Value Problems, Weyl Functions, and Differential Operators
This open access book presents a comprehensive survey of modern operator techniques for boundary value problems and spectral theory, employing abstract boundary mappings and Weyl functions. It includes self-contained treatments of the extension theory of symmetric operators and relations, spectral characterizations of selfadjoint operators in terms of the analytic properties of Weyl functions, form methods for semibounded operators, and functional analytic models for reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. Further, it illustrates these abstract methods for various applications, including Sturm-Liouville operators, canonical systems of differential equations, and multidimensional Schrödinger operators, where the abstract Weyl function appears as either the classical Titchmarsh-Weyl coefficient or the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map.
Behrndt, Jussi , Hassi, Seppo, de Snoo, Henk
This open access book discusses service design capabilities in innovation processes, and provides a framework that guides design students, practitioners and researchers towards a better understanding of operational aspects of service design processes. More specifically, it revisits service designers’ capabilities in light of the new roles that have opened up in innovation processes on different scales. After years of being inadequately defined, the professional profile of service designers is now taking shape. Today private and public institutions recognize service designers as essential contributors to their innovation and development processes. What are the capabilities that characterize a service designer?
Morelli, Nicola , de Götzen, Amalia, Simeone, Luca
Akkar, Sinan (editor), Ilki, Alper (editor) ,Goksu, Caglar (editor) , Erdik, Mustafa (editor)
This Open Access book, building on research initiated by scholars from the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Global Heritage and Development (CHGD) and ICOMOS Netherlands, presents multidisciplinary research that connects water to heritage. Through twenty-one chapters it explores landscapes, cities, engineering structures and buildings from around the world. It describes how people have actively shaped the course, form and function of water for human settlement and the development of civilizations, establishing socio-economic structures, policies and cultures; a rich world of narratives, laws and practices; and an extensive network of infrastructure, buildings and urban form.
This open access book brings together a collection of cutting-edge insights into how action can and is already being taken against climate change at multiple levels of our societies, amidst growing calls for transformative and inclusive climate action. In an era of increasing recognition regarding climate and ecological breakdown, this book offers hope, inspiration and analyses for multi-level climate action, spanning varied communities, places, spaces, agents and disciplines, demonstrating how the energy and dynamism of local scales are a powerful resource in turning the tide. Interconnected yet conceptually distinct, the book’s three sections span multiple levels of analysis, interrogating diverse perspectives and practices inherent to the vivid tapestry of climate action emerging locally, nationally and internationally.
Adaptive Mediation and Conflict Resolution
This open access book introduces adaptive mediation as an alternative approach that enables mediators to go beyond liberal peace mediation, or other determined-design models of mediation, in the context of contemporary conflict resolution and peace-making initiatives. Adaptive mediation is grounded in complexity theory, and is specifically designed to cope with highly dynamic conflict situations characterized by uncertainty and a lack of predictability. It is also a facilitated mediation process whereby the content of agreements emerges from the parties to the conflict themselves, informed by the context within which the conflict is situated.
de Coning, Cedric (editor), Muto, Ako (editor) , Saraiva, Rui (editor)
Accounting and Statistical Analyses for Sustainable Development
In this Open Access publication Claudia Lemke develops a comprehensive Multi-Level Sustainable Development Index (MLSDI) that is applicable to micro, meso, and macro objects by conducting methodological and empirical research. Multi-level comparability is crucial because the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at macro level can only be achieved if micro and meso objects contribute. The author shows that a novel information-theoretic algorithm outperforms established multivariate statistical weighting methods such as the principal component analysis (PCA). Overcoming further methodological shortcomings of previous sustainable development indices, the MLSDI avoids misled managerial and political decision making.
This open access book is the outcome of a Global Forum on Innovation, Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines held in December 2019 at the Max Plank Instititute in Munich, organised by the South Centre and the Max Plank Institute. The academics and experts from international organisations participating have contributed chapters to this book. The book is for policy makers (in Ministries of Health, Ministries of Trade, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, patent offices), but also relevant for academics (law, trade, public health), on the flexibilities available in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization to promote access to medicines.
Correa, Carlos M. (editor) , Hilty, Reto M. (editor)
This open access book presents original contributions and thought leadership on academic integrity from a variety of Canadian scholars. It showcases how our understanding and support for academic integrity have progressed, while pointing out areas urgently requiring more attention. Firmly grounded in the scholarly literature globally, it engages with the experience of local practicioners. It presents aspects of academic integrity that is specific to Canada, such as the existence of an "honour culture", rather than relying on an "honour code". It also includes Indigenous voices and perspectives that challenge traditional understandings of intellectual property, as well as new understandings that have arisen as a consequence of Covid-19 and the significant shift to online and remote learning.
Eaton, Sarah Elaine (editor) , Christensen Hughes, Julia (editor)
Academic Flying and the Means of Communication
This open access book shines a light on how and why academic work became entwined with air travel, and what can be done to change academia’s flying habit. The starting point of the book is that flying is only one means of scholarly communication among many, and that the state of the planet now obliges us to shift to other means. How can the academic-as-globetrotter become a thing of the past? The chapters in this book respond to this call in three steps. It documents the consequences of academic flying, it investigates the issue of why academics fly, and it begins an effort to think through what can replace flying, and how. Finally, it confronts scholars and scientists, students, activists, research funders, university administrators, and others, with a call to translate this research into action.
Bjørkdahl, Kristian (editor), Franco Duharte, Adrian Santiago (editor)
A Visual Atlas for Soil Micromorphologists
This open access atlas is an up-to-date visual resource on the features and structures observed in soil thin sections, i.e. soil micromorphology. The book addresses the growing interest in soil micromorphology in the fields of soil science, earth science, archaeology and forensic science, and serves as a reference tool for researchers and students for fast learning and intuitive feature and structure recognition. The book is divided into six parts and contains hundreds of images and photomicrographs. Part one is devoted to the way to sample properly soils, the method of preparation of thin sections, the main tool of soil micromorphology (the microscope), and the approach of soil micromorphology as a scientific method. Part two focuses on the organisation of soil fragments and presents the concept of fabric. Part three addresses the basic components, e.g. rocks, minerals, organic compounds and anthropogenic features.
Places Ellis at the heart of early-Victorian Cambridge with in-depth descriptions on his scientific work and tragic life Provides a unique glimpse into Victorian intellectual culture, based on previously unpublished archival materials This open access book brings together for the first time all aspects of the tragic life and fascinating work of the polymath Robert Leslie Ellis (1817–1859), placing him at the heart of early-Victorian intellectual culture. Written by a diverse team of experts, the chapters in the book’s first part contain in-depth examinations of, among other things, Ellis’s family, education, Bacon scholarship and mathematical contributions. The second part consists of annotated transcriptions of a selection of Ellis’s diaries and correspondence. Taken together, A Prodigy of Universal Genius: Robert Leslie Ellis, 1817–1859 is a rich resource for historians of science, historians of mathematics and Victorian scholars alike. Robert Leslie Ellis was one of the most intriguing and wide-ranging intellectual figures of early Victorian Britain, his contributions ranging from advanced mathematical analysis to profound commentaries on philosophy and classics and a decisive role in the orientation of mid-nineteenth century scholarship.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Capability in Age and Ageing
This open access book provides insight on how to interpret capability in ageing – one’s individual ability to perform actions in order to reach goals one has reason to value – from a multidisciplinary approach. With for the first time in history there being more people in the world aged 60 years and over than there are children below the age of 5, the book describes this demographic trends as well as the large global challenges and important societal implications this will have such as a worldwide increase in the number of persons affected with dementia, and in the ratio of retired persons to those still in the labor market. Through contributions from many different research areas, it discussed how capability depends on interactions between the individual (e.g. health, genetics, personality, intellectual capacity), environment (e.g. family, friends, home, work place), and society (e.g. political decisions, ageism, historical period).
Falk Erhag, Hanna (editor), Lagerlöf Nilsson, Ulrika (editor), Rydberg Sterner, Therese (editor) , Skoog, Ingmar (editor)
A Journey of Embedded and Cyber-Physical Systems
This Open Access book celebrates Professor Peter Marwedel's outstanding achievements in compilers, embedded systems, and cyber-physical systems. The contributions in the book summarize the content of invited lectures given at the workshop “Embedded Systems” held at the Technical University Dortmund in early July 2019 in honor of Professor Marwedel's seventieth birthday. Provides a comprehensive view from leading researchers with respect to the past, present, and future of the design of embedded and cyber-physical systems; Discusses challenges and (potential) solutions from theoreticians and practitioners on modeling, design, analysis, and optimization for embedded and cyber-physical systems; Includes coverage of model verification, communication, software runtime systems, operating systems and real-time computing.
A Climate of Justice: An Ethical Foundation for Environmentalism
This open access book helps readers combine history, politics, and ethics to address the most pressing problem facing the world today: environmental survival. In A Climate of Justice, Marvin Brown connects the environmental crisis to basic questions of economic, social, and racial justice. Brown shows how our current social climate maintains systemic injustices, and he uncovers resources for change through a civic ethics of repair and reciprocity. A must-read for researchers and educators in the area of environmental ethics and those teaching courses in the fields of public policy and environmental sustainability. With the support of more than 30 libraries, the LYRASIS United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund has enabled this publication related to SDG13 (Climate Action) to be available fully open access.
Intermediate College Writing: Building and Practicing Mindful Writing Skills
Welcome to Intermediate College Writing: Building and Practicing Mindful Writing Skills, an open textbook designed for use in university‐level courses that focus on cultivating study skills alongside effective academic and workplace writing skills. It offers a no‐cost alternative to commercial products, combining practical guidance with interactive exercises and thoughtfully designed writing opportunities.
An approachable guide to the fundamentals of plant science. Created for horticulture students, gardeners, science teachers, and anyone interested in understanding plants and how they grow. This is the required text for HORT 1001/6001 Plant Propagation at the University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science.
Most books about epidemiology are written for graduate students but this book is especially designed for undergraduates, who are taking an introductory course in epidemiology, and especially for those students who want to know more about epidemiology. But not because it is directed mainly to undergraduates and not to graduate students the course has less rigour and quality, it is because the concepts are introduced, and presented in an easier and simplified form, so, the study of epidemiology becomes less intimidating.
How To Do Science' has been written for students of the life sciences who are actively engaged in the scientific process. This guide introduces you to what it means to be a scientist. You will learn about the scientific method and how to carry out many tasks of a scientist, including: designing experiments, visualising data, accessing scientific literature, communicating science, and writing literature reviews
This book aims to help you understand and navigate statistical concepts and the main types of statistical analyses essential for research students.
Critical Thinking in Academic Research will introduce students to the techniques and principles of critical thinking. However, a commitment to lifelong learning is required for critical thinking, it takes more than a single course or reading a book. In order for students to develop their own arguments, they need to find supporting evidence. This text provides guidance on developing research questions and finding resources to answer the questions
Properties and Behavior of Soil – Online Lab Manual
Sahadat Hossain, Azijul Islam, Faria Fahim Badhon
Programming patterns are solutions to problems that require the creation of a small fragment of code that will be part of a larger program. Hence, this book is about teaching you how to write such fragments of code. However, it is not about teaching you the syntax of the statements in the fragments, it assumes that you already know the syntax. Instead, it is about finding solutions to problems that arise when first learning to program.
Opening Eyes onto Inclusion and Diversity
Susan Carter; Professor Lindy-Anne Abawi; Professor Jill Lawrence; Associate Professor Charlotte Brownlow; Renee Desmarchelier; Melissa Fanshawe; Kathryn Gilbey; Michelle Turner; and Jillian Guy
Susan Carter, Lindy Abawi, Jill Lawrence
Pulmonary Pathophysiology for Pre-Clinical Students
Pulmonary Pathophysiology for Pre-Clinical Students is an undergraduate medical-level resource for foundational knowledge of pulmonary pathophysiology. This text is designed for a course pre-clinical undergraduate medical curriculum and it is aligned to USMLE(r) (United States Medical Licensing Examination) content guidelines. The text is meant to provide the essential information in a concise format that would allow learner preparation to engage in an active classroom. Clinical correlates and additional application of content is intended to be provided in the classroom experience
Designed to meet the scope and sequence of your course, OpenStax Introduction to Political Science provides a strong foundation in global political systems, exploring how and why political realities unfold. Rich with examples of individual and national social action, this text emphasizes students’ role in the political sphere and equips them to be active and informed participants in civil society. Learn more about what this free, openly-licensed textbook has to offer you and your students
Reflective Practice in Early Years Education
This resource will provide a context that will allow the reader to consider their obligation to reflect from their own perspective and will explore how to create a practice that best suits their professional setting. This book will bring together in one place the history, the values, the skills and disposition required to be a reflective practitioner. It is a textbook with elements of a workbook, embedded are opportunities to watch, to think, to write, and to listen allowing the reader to become a purposeful and intentional reflective practitioner
Urban Literacy: Learning to Read the City Around You
This book introduces students to the basic concepts of urban studies. It is an interdisciplinary text that was developed for lower-division undergraduate students. The book is organized into thematic chapters that explore different aspects of urban life, such as the environment, housing, and culture. Each chapter introduces a new way of conceptualizing the city, presents core theories and concepts, and provides examples and case studies from cities around the globe to illustrate the ideas presented in the text.
A Practical Approach to Understanding Music Theory - 1st
A Practical Approach to Understanding Music Theory is a textbook designed for the non-music performance major or music business/audio engineer who needs to professionally interface with musicians without needing to write or compose music. The material is designed around a spiral learning model in which a very simple straightforward concept is introduced, defined and explained. From this point and forward the book adds one element of music theory after another until a broad base of musical understanding and application is achieved
OpenStax Introduction to Anthropology is a four-field text integrating diverse voices, engaging field activities, and meaningful themes like Indigenous experiences and social inequality to engage students and enrich learning. The text showcases the historical context of the discipline, with a strong focus on anthropology as a living and evolving field.
Jennifer Hasty, David G. Lewis, Marjorie M. Snipes
Case Studies in Community Psychology Practice: A Global Lens
There is no better way to demonstrate the work and impact of community psychologists and allies than by showcasing actual projects conducted in partnership with communities. This textbook displays this work in a dynamic case study format that will ignite students' desire and passion to study and become future community psychologists or those whose heart beats with the beloved community. You can find community psychologists and allies partnering with communities to change racist policies, end health disparities, create alternate settings for youth, foster community-based models to heal trauma, evaluate programs, and much more!
Geraldine L. Palmer, Todd L. Rogers , Judah Viola , Maronica Engel
Geology Online Lab Activities: An Open Educational Resource for Community College Students and Instructors
The online geology lab for community college students was developed by Dr. Rondi Davies, a faculty member at Queensborough Community College, City University New York, during two years of forced online synchronous learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This open educational resource collects many of Dr. Davies’ favorite open-access materials and supplements them with her own work within a single, cohesive laboratory manual intended for two-year, non-major college students from the New York area.
Research Methods for Criminal Justice Students
This book is based on two open-access textbooks: Bhattacherjee’s (2012) Social science research: Principles, methods, and practices and Blackstone’s (2012) Principles of sociological inquiry: Qualitative and quantitative methods. I first used Bhattacherjee’s book in a graduate-level criminal justice research methods course. I chose the book because it was an open educational resource that covered the major topics of my course. While I found the book adequate for my purposes, the business school perspective did not always fit with my criminal justice focus. I decided to rewrite the textbook for undergraduate and graduate students in my criminal justice research methods courses
This book fosters the recognition of options for making progress toward increased environmental conservation through an understanding of the underlying science and practice of a variety of conservation techniques. Today, there are expected benefits from integrated science and practice, and many people are promoting this as the way forward to improve our environment. Over time, trends emerge regarding the best way to conserve the environment, but so far an outstanding solution has not emerged. Each conservation technique has its foundational concepts, limitations, and implementation issues.
The Internet has transformed how businesses conduct their activities and how consumers go about buying products. This textbook aims to provide a way of conceptualizing how to do marketing online and a strategic framework to do so.
My purpose in writing this book is to give readers a view into the work of managing information technology in schools. IT professionals will notice differences (some nuanced and some significant) between the needs and expectations of IT users in business and IT in school. With the more complete and more accurate concept the nature of the computing environment necessary for successful schooling, which I intend to provide through this book, IT professionals will be better prepared to meet those needs. Educators will also benefit from this book by clarifying the nature of their IT needs and how these may be different from those that are familiar to IT professionals who are hired to work in your school.
Gary L Ackerman, Greenfield, Massachusetts
This book is for any reader who wishes to learn more about the rich tapestry of learners and 3 individuals who make our world such an interesting and diversely textured community. Although our focus is largely on diversity and inclusion in Australian educational contexts we believe that the perspectives and insights presented within each chapter have much to offer the broader community as a whole.
Susan Carter, Lindy Abawi, Jill Lawrence,
Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions
Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions is an Open Educational Resource (OER) that focuses on breaking down, pronouncing, and learning the meaning of medical terms within the context of anatomy and physiology. This resource is targeted for Healthcare Administration, Health Sciences, and Pre-Professional students.
Welcome to Early Childhood Mathematics! This course satisfies the Early Childhood Unified requirements in the state of Kansas for a teaching license Birth to Grade 3. Most people agree that early childhood includes the period from infancy until eight years of age, characterized by rapid and complex growth in physical, cognitive, and social domains. Math skills must be taught in early childhood. Children should be provided a foundation to succeed in elementary school and beyond. Teachers should focus lessons in early childhood around the basic skills that will help to advance future mathematics. From preschool to the end of elementary school, children are setting the foundation for future life skills.
Goals of preventive medicine are to protect, promote, and maintain health and well-being and to prevent disease, disability, and death. Veterinary preventive medicine is an important component of veterinary training not only to ensure animal health but also to help veterinary students learn necessary information and skills for participation in global animal and human health challenges and disease prevention
Writing Guide with Handbook aligns to the goals, topics, and objectives of many first-year writing and composition courses. It is organized according to relevant genres, and focuses on the writing process, effective writing practices or strategies—including graphic organizers, writing frames, and word banks to support visual learning—and conventions of usage and style. The text includes an editing and documentation handbook, which provides information on grammar and mechanics, common usage errors, and citation styles.
Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, Toby Fulwiller
Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology (1 review)
Introduction to Philosophy: Epistemology engages first-time philosophy readers on a guided tour through the core concepts, questions, methods, arguments, and theories of epistemology—the branch of philosophy devoted to the study of knowledge. The book progresses systematically while placing key ideas and thinkers in historical and contemporary context. Central topics include the analysis of knowledge, the nature of epistemic justification, rationalism vs. empiricism, skepticism, the value of knowledge, the ethics of belief, Bayesian epistemology, social epistemology, and feminist epistemologies
This book discusses what is currently known about software engineering, based on an analysis of all the publicly available data. This aim is not as ambitious as it sounds, because there is not a great deal of data publicly available. The intent is to provide material that is useful to professional developers working in industry; until recently researchers in software engineering have been more interested in vanity work, promoted by ego and bluster.
An open textbook that is suitable for the first semester of Organic Chemistry. Basic concepts of the structures and reactivities of organic molecules are covered in this open textbook. Besides the fundamental discussions of organic acids-bases, stereochemistry, IR and NMR, this book also includes the topics of substitution and elimination reactions, radical substitution of alkanes, preparation and reactions of alkenes and alkynes
Visuals for influence: in project management and beyond
Visuals for influence: in project management and beyond’ is a practical guide with 24 visuals to download, adapt and deploy to engage your stakeholders. This practical guide will build your confidence and practical skills to quickly and effectively leverage the benefits of visuals to maximise your influence.
Intro to Computer Applications or Business Computers for Office 365
This textbook covers content relevant to COMS342: Problem Solving in Teams and Groups at the University of Kansas. Content in this textbook is adapted from The Open University, OpenStax, The Noba Project, and Wikipedia. Each chapter presents the source in the top header and each chapter has its own version of the Creative Commons (CC) license, noted at the bottom of the chapter. This book (commonly called an Open Educational Resource, OER) was made possible through a generous grant through the KU Libraries.
Foundations of American Education: A Critical Lens
Readers will explore the foundations of American education through a critical lens. Topics include the teaching profession, influences on student learning, philosophical and historical foundations, structures of schools, ethical and legal issues, curriculum, classroom environment, and the path forward.
Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning - 2nd Edition
Teachers, instructors and faculty are facing unprecedented change, with often larger classes, more diverse students, demands from government and employers who want more accountability and the development of graduates who are workforce ready, and above all, we are all having to cope with ever changing technology. To handle change of this nature, teachers and instructors need a base of theory and knowledge that will provide a solid foundation for their teaching, no matter what changes or pressures they face.
Intermediate Financial Accounting Volume 1
This text is intended for a first course in Intermediate Financial Accounting. It presumes that students have already completed one or two Introductory Financial Accounting courses. The book reflects current International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), such as IFRS 15 - Revenue from Contracts With Customers. It focuses on more difficult intermediate accounting topics that match prerequisite requirements for students advancing to a second level Intermediate Financial Accounting course.
Intermediate Financial Accounting Volume 2
This new text by G. Arnold and S. Kyle, developed in collaboration by Athabasca University and Lyryx, is intended for the second of two in Intermediate Financial Accounting courses. It presumes that students have already completed the Introductory Financial Accounting, and the first Intermediate Financing Accounting course. The text reflects both current International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and ASPE.
Introduction to Financial Accounting: U.S. GAAP Adaptation
This textbook is an adaptation by D. Marchand and Athabasca University of the original text written by D. Annand and H. Dauderis. It is intended for use in entry-level college and university courses in financial accounting. A corporate approach is utilized consistently throughout the book. The adapted textbook includes multiple ancillary student and instructor resources. Student aids include solutions to all end-of-chapter questions and problems, and randomly-generated spreadsheet problems that cover key concepts of each chapter.
David Annand, Donna Marchand, Henry Dauderis
Intermediate Microeconomics with Microsoft Excel - 2nd Edition
This book is based on the idea that there is a particular framework used by economists to interpret observed reality. This framework has been called the economic way of thinking, the economic approach, and the method of economics. This book is different from the many other books that attempt to teach microeconomics in three ways
The target audience for this book is college students who are required to learn statistics, students with little background in mathematics and often no motivation to learn more. It is assumed that the students do have basic skills in using computers and have access to one. Moreover, it is assumed that the students are willing to actively follow the discussion in the text, to practice, and more importantly, to think.
intend this work to be less a bestiary of bad ideas about writing than an effort to name bad ideas and suggest better ones. Some of those bad ideas are quite old, such as the archetype of the inspired genius author, the five-paragraph essay, or the abuse of adjunct writing teachers. Others are much newer, such as computerized essay scoring or gamification. Some ideas, such as the supposed demise of literacy brought on by texting, are newer bad ideas but are really instances of older bad ideas about literacy always being in a cycle of decline.
Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education
learning about how to effectively plan curriculum for young children.
Jennifer Paris, Kristin Beeve, Clint Springer
This book has been created for students and all individuals who work with children and families (e.g., educators, parents, caregivers, direct support workers, etc.) in diverse contexts. It is imperative to understand how and what factors may influence child outcomes across the lifespan. Therefore, key concepts related to parenting, child-rearing, care-giving, and parenting education are outlined in this textbook to provide historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives across vast settings and developmental domains
Trauma Informed Behaviour Support: A Practical Guide to Developing Resilient Learners
If we want to impact the world of children who have experienced trauma then we must change not only ourselves and our classroom, but we must change our schools, our organisations, and our systems of care for children. We must all speak out for these children who have no voice to bring awareness of new educational and mental health approaches to children who will become tomorrow’s failed adults unless they receive our understanding and our help.
Elementary Earth and Space Science Methods
this book to help you as both a college student and a future teacher. Dr. Ted Neal asked us to help him create this resource from the perspective of students who have taken Science Methods II–what would we want in a textbook for this course? With this in mind, we have gathered and created resources to help you better understand science and feel confident in your abilities as a future teacher. This book is divided into five parts which align with the Science Methods
This textbook covers calculus of a single variable, suitable for a year-long (or two-semester) course. Chapters 1-5 cover Calculus I, while Chapters 6-9 cover Calculus II. The book is designed for students who have completed courses in high-school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Though designed for college students, it could also be used in high schools. The traditional topics are covered, but the old idea of an infinitesimal is resurrected, owing to its usefulness (especially in the sciences).
Ethical Use of Technology in Digital Learning Environments: Graduate Student Perspectives
This book is the result of a co-design project in a class in the Masters of Education program at the University of Calgary. The course, and the resulting book, focus primarily on the safe and ethical use of technology in digital learning environments. The course was organized according to four topics based on Farrow’s (2016) Framework for the Ethics of Open Education.
Barbara Brown , Verena Roberts ,Michele Jacobsen
A Possession Forever: A Guide to Using Commemorative Memorials and Monuments in the Classroom
This open textbook will guide educators and students through the process of using local monuments and memorials to contextualise, interrogate and extend their knowledge of historical events at a national and international level. Students will learn how to use local history to create an organic patchwork of local stories, interviews, photographs and artefacts contributed by, and for, the community and contextualised nationally and internationally.
Cell Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry for Pre-Clinical Students
Cell Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry for Pre-Clinical Students is an undergraduate medical-level resource for foundational knowledge across the disciplines of genetics, cell biology and biochemistry. This USMLE-aligned text is designed for a course in first-year undergraduate medical course that is delivered typically before students start to explore systems physiology and pathophysiology.
Documentary Making for Digital Humanists
This fluent and comprehensive field guide responds to increased interest, across the humanities, in the ways in which digital technologies can disrupt and open up new research and pedagogical avenues. It is designed to help scholars and students engage with their subjects using an audio-visual grammar, and to allow readers to efficiently gain the technical and theoretical skills necessary to create and disseminate their own trans-media projects.
Technology, Media Literacy, and the Human Subject: A Posthuman Approach
What does it mean to be media literate in today’s world? How are we transformed by the many media infrastructures around us? We are immersed in a world mediated by information and communication technologies (ICTs). From hardware like smartphones, smartwatches, and home assistants to software like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, our lives have become a complex, interconnected network of relations.
The purpose of this OER is to provide students with a comprehensive textbook aligned with the NDT 130 (Radiographic Testing) course as taught at Linn-Benton Community College.
Learn about entrepreneurship and what makes entrepreneurs successful, all while developing your entrepreneurial skills.
Climate change negotiations have failed the world. Despite more than thirty years of high-level, global talks on climate change, we are still seeing carbon emissions rise dramatically. This edited volume, comprising leading and emerging scholars and climate activists from around the world, takes a critical look at what has gone wrong and what is to be done to create more decisive action.
This developmental-level mathematics textbook is intended for career-technical students. It was made possible by a grant from Open Oregon Educational Resources, which supports the development and implementation of high-quality materials at low or no cost to community college and university students. I hope that this qualifies as a “high quality” textbook, and I hope that it brings a bit of fun to what can often be a boring or intimidating subject. Whether you are a student or instructor, I would love to hear your thoughts on the book and whether it works well for you. Feel free to let me know about any errors you find or suggestions for improvements.
Using natural sensory system concepts to develop and improve sensory systems will continue to thrive for many years to come. Technology advances rapidly (Moore’s Law) as does our understanding of biological principles and designs. These trends fuel the fertile grounds of bio-inspired sensory systems, a topic that is inherently multidisciplinary. This book will serve well as either an academic text on the subject or an introduction to the variety of proven bio-inspired designs.
Future Energy: Opportunities & Challenges
How can we produce enough sustainable energy while avoiding unacceptable environmental consequences? To evaluate the various energy options, we must understand the science of each potential energy source and energy use technology. This book presents the science in an easy-to-understand way to enable readers to make informed decisions about what is possible and practical, and to choose lifestyle options to implement in their personal lives.
A Mixed Course-Based Research Approach to Human Physiology
The Biology 256 Laboratory course was designed to provide students with hands-on access to modern techniques in human physiological analyses using the course-based research pedagogical approach. In this course, students will learn how to perform literature searches; generate research questions and hypotheses; design experiments; collect, analyze, visualize and interpret data; and present scientific findings to others.
Design for Learning: Principles, Processes, and Praxis
Our purpose in this book is twofold. First, we introduce the basic skill set and knowledge base used by practicing instructional designers. We do this through chapters contributed by experts in the field who have either academic, research-based backgrounds, or practical, on-the-job experience (or both). Our goal is that students in introductory instructional design courses will be able to use this book as a guide for completing a basic instructional design project.
Self-directed multimodal learning in higher education
This book aims to provide an overview of theoretical and practical considerations in terms of self-directed multimodal learning within the university context. Multimodal learning is approached in terms of the levels of multimodality and specifically blended learning and the mixing of modes of delivery (contact and distance education). As such, this publication will provide a unique snapshot of multimodal practices within higher education through a self-directed learning epistemological lens.
Coastal Dynamics focuses on the interrelation between physical wave, flow and sediment transport phenomena and the resulting morphodynamics of a wide variety of coastal systems. The textbook is unique in that it explicitly connects the dynamics of open coasts and tidal basins; not only is the interaction between open coasts and tidal basins of basic importance for the evolution of most coastal systems, but describing the similarities between their physical processes is highly instructive as well. This textbook emphasizes these similarities to the benefit of understanding shared processes such as nonlinearities in flow and sediment transport.
Academic Success is designed to help students on their university journey. It is divided into four parts, each reflecting different aspects of a student’s tertiary experience. Part A: Successful Beginnings addresses what it is like to be a new student at an Australian university. Part B: Successful Foundations introduces basic skills in English language, techniques for accessing and working with information, and understanding academic integrity.
Cristy Bartlett, Tyler Cawthray, Linda Clark
The discipline of Biosystems Engineering emerged in the 1990s from the traditional strongholds of agricultural engineering and food engineering. Biosystems engineering integrates engineering science and design with applied biological, environmental, and agricultural sciences.
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), Virginia Tech Publishing
Traffic Flow Theory: An introduction with exercises
Traffic processes cause several problems in the world. Traffic delay, pollution are some of it. They can be solved with the right road design or traffic management (control) measure. Before implementing these designs of measures, though, their effect could be tested. To this end, knowledge of traffic flow theory is needed.
Integrated and Open Interpreter Education
This Open Educational Resource (OER) on interpreting offers authors and readers free and open access to current, relevant, easy-to-access, and free materials. The editors have created a space where emerging scholars in the field of signed language interpreting make contributions with the ability to revise as the interpreting studies discipline and the scholars, themselves, develop and change. This OER provides faculty and students readings and practical application experiences that connect program specific coursework and concepts across the interpreter education curriculum emphasizing the holistic nature of the field of interpreting.
Elisa Maroney, Amanda Smith, Sarah Hewlett
Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology
These and other questions are typical for new students in the field of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. This textbook is designed to help answer these questions and provide the quickest route to understanding the history and current trends in the field. After surveying classic theories and writings, as well as more recent applications of theory and practice, students will be better prepared to chart their own course and careers within the discipline. This book is designed to support foundations courses common in departments,
Mindful Technical Writing: An Introduction to the Fundamentals
Welcome to Mindful Technical Writing: An Introduction to the Fundamentals, an open textbook designed for use in co-requisite course pairings of developmental writing and introductory technical writing, or indeed in other lower-division college writing courses that focus on building study skills alongside effective workplace and academic writing skills. It offers a no-cost alternative to commercial products, combining practical guidance with interactive exercises and thoughtfully designed writing opportunities.
Ready to find out how plants are grown and function? Take a fantastic voyage through plants. From Growing to Biology: Plants 1e brings the latest information for understanding of traditional and modern plant growing, form, and production. Topics covered in 30 chapters include concise and up-to-date ‘big picture’ infographics, student learning outcomes (SLOs), key vocabulary, assessment, as well as identification of 120 species, and more.
Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology - Australian Edition
ght in Australia, aiming to provide students with an increased access to free, high-quality learning materials. The material in this textbook is largely based on OpenStax’s Anatomy & Physiology textbook, however, has been modified for Australian course curriculum.
This textbook supports the Impact of Materials on Society course and teaching materials, developed with the Materials Research Society. The textbook offers an exploration into materials (including ceramics, clay, concrete, glass, metals, and polymers) and the relationship with technologies and social structures. The textbook was developed by an interdisciplinary team from Engineering and Liberal Arts and Sciences, including anthropologists, sociologists, historians, media studies experts, Classicists, and more.
Sophia Krzys Acord, Kevin S. Jones, Marsha Bryant
As a group of organisms that are too small to see and best known for being agents of disease and death, microbes are not always appreciated for the numerous supportive and positive contributions they make to the living world. Designed to support a course in microbiology, Microbiology: A Laboratory Experience permits a glimpse into both the good and the bad in the microscopic world. The laboratory experiences are designed to engage and support student interest in microbiology as a topic, field of study, and career.
Basic Concepts of Structural Design for Architecture Students
This book aims to narrate fundamental concepts of structural design to architecture students such that they have minimum involvement with math problem-solving. Within this book, students learn about different types of loads, forces and vector addition, the concept of equilibrium, internal forces, geometrical and material properties of structural elements, and rules of thumb for estimating the proportion of some structural systems such as catenary cables and arches, trusses, and frame structures.
Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering covers an undergraduate, introductory course to aeronautical engineering and aims at combining theory and practice to provide a comprehensive, thorough introduction to the fascinating, yet complex discipline of aerospace engineering. This book is the ulterior result of three year of teaching a course called Aerospace Engineering in the first year of a degree in aerospace engineering (with a minor in air navigation) at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, in Madrid, Spain.
This open textbook is designed for Human Development, a core Psychology course. This course provides a bird’s eye view of major milestones and developmental tasks during each age period, starting at conception and ending with old age.
Human Development Teaching and Learning Group
This text is for an introductory level probability and statistics course with an intermediate algebra prerequisite. The focus of the text follows the American Statistical Association’s Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE).
Technical and Professional Writing Genres: A Study in Theory and Practice
This modern, open-source guide to technical and professional writing explores workplace composition through theoretical and practical applications. Discussions of multiple writing genres will assist you in understanding how to apply for jobs, how to compose clear and precise business communications once the job has been acquired, and how to create documents -- such as proposals and reports -- that will be instrumental in helping to advance your career.
This text provides a a graduate level introduction to the field of educational technology.
This advanced public speaking textbook is designed to encourage you as a speaker and to help you sharpen your skills. It is written to feel like you are sitting with a trusted mentor over coffee as you receive practical advice on speaking. Grow in confidence, unleash your personal power and find your unique style as you learn to take your speaking to the next level--polished and professional.
Open Signals and Systems Laboratory Exercises
Open Signals and Systems Laboratory Exercises is a collection of lab assignments that have been used in EE 224: Signals and Systems I in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. These lab exercises have been curated, edited, and presented in a consistent format to improve student learning.
Library 160: Introduction to College-Level Research
You will learn how scholarly information is produced, organized, and accessed; how to construct and use effective search strategies in a variety of web tools and scholarly databases; how to choose finding tools appropriate to the type of information you need; critical thinking skills in the evaluation of resources; and best practices in the ethical use of information.
Iowa State University Library Instruction Services
A practical how-to illustrating the process of developing a new food product from ideation and formulation to processing and lastly commercialization. This book highlights the overall process and gives instructions for each of the steps along the way
Teaching Math for Emergent Bilinguals: Building on Culture, Language, and Identity
This book is designed for pre-service/in-service teachers and others who will work or work with K–12 students who have linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds, especially students of other languages (English language learners/Emergent bilingual/multilingual). The core concept of this course is helping teachers understand the needs of various Emergent Bilinguals (a.k.a. English language learners (ELLs)/English Learners (ELs), learn to use their language and culture as a resource in mathematics classrooms and implement research-based instructional strategies that are effective to teach mathematics for Emergent Bilinguals.
Small Group Communication: Forming & Sustaining Teams
Small Group Communication: Forming & Sustaining Teams is an interdisciplinary textbook focused on communication in groups and teams. This textbook aims to provide students with theories, concepts, and skills they can put into practice to form and sustain successful groups across a variety of contexts.
This book was written to provide students with an introduction to the field of education. The book is broken into chapters that focus on questions students may have about education in general. Although some chapters may go into more depth than others, this is created as an introductory text.
The Environmental Politics and Policy of Western Public Lands
In this volume, Erika Allen Wolters and Brent Steel have brought together the experts who can explain the evolution of public lands policies and politics in all their complexities. While their subject is complex, their prose is clear, and while their subject is torn by some of the most viciously self-interested, deceitful arguments in politics today, their prose is calm, factual, and evenhanded. No one should underestimate what a rare and valuable gift this is.
Engineering Statics: Open and Interactive
Engineering Statics is a free, open-source textbook appropriate for anyone who wishes to learn more about vectors, forces, moments, static equilibrium, and the properties of shapes. Specifically, it has been written to be the textbook for Engineering Mechanics: Statics, the first course in the Engineering Mechanics series offered in most university-level engineering programs.
Advances on Mechanics, Design Engineering and Manufacturing III
Engineering Design; Manufacturing, Machines, Tools, Processes; Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD, CAE) and Design; Machines, Tools, Processes; Open Access; Additive Manufacturing; Virtual Prototyping; Eco-design; Generative design; Digitalization in Manufacturing; Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems; 3D Modeling; Human-machine Interaction; Sustainable redesign; Stress analysis and simulation; Robost design methods; Topological optimization; NES design; Geometric modelling; Smart tightening; Technical design; Production engineering; Computer-aided design (CAD)
Roucoules, Lionel (editor) Paredes, Manuel (editor) Eynard, Benoit (editor) Morer Camo, Paz (editor) Rizzi, Caterina (editor)
Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Mechanics, Design Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing, JCM 2020, June 2-4, 2020
Informal Calculus with Applications to Biological and Environmental Sciences
This book is an approachable introduction to calculus with applications to biology and environmental science. For example, one application in the book is determining the volume of earth moved in the 1959 earthquake that created Quake Lake. Another application uses differential equations to model various biological examples, including moose and wolf populations at Isle Royale National Park, ranavirus in amphibians, and competing species of protozoa. The text focuses on intuitive understanding of concepts, but still covers most of the algebra and calculations common in a survey of calculus course.
Adhesive Bonding of Aircraft Composite Structures
Structural Materials; Aerospace Technology and Astronautics; Manufacturing, Machines, Tools, Processes; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Surfaces and Interfaces, Thin Films; Ceramics, Glass, Composites, Natural Materials; Machines, Tools, Processes; Characterization and Analytical Technique; Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Film; Ceramics; NDT composites; NDT aircraft; CFRP NDT testing; innovative lightweight materials; aircraft lifecycle; adhesive bonding; adhesively bonded joints; surface cleaning; ComBoNDT; Open Access; Materials science; Structural engineering; Aerospace & aviation technology; Astronautics; Production engineering; Testing of materials; Surface chemistry & adsorption; Industrial chemistry & chemical engineering
Building Democracy for All: Interactive Explorations of Government and Civic Life
Designed as a core or supplementary text for upper elementary, middle and high school teachers and students, Building Democracy for All offers instructional ideas, interactive resources, multicultural content, and multimodal learning materials for interest-building explorations of United States government as well as students’ roles as citizens in a democratic society. It focuses on the importance of community engagement and social responsibility as understood and acted upon by middle and high school students—core themes in the 2018 Massachusetts 8th Grade Curriculum Framework, and which are found in many state history and social studies curriculum frameworks around the country.
Optimal, Integral, Likely Optimization, Integral Calculus, and Probability for Students of Commerce and the Social Sciences
Optimal, Integral, Likely is a free, open-source textbook intended for UBC’s course MATH 105: Integral Calculus with Applications to Commerce and Social Sciences. It is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Bruno Belevan, Parham Hamidi, Nisha Malhotra, and Elyse Yeager
This open access Nursing Skills textbook includes physical assessments routinely performed by entry-level registered nurses and basic nursing skills performed by licensed practical nurses. It is based on the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) statewide nursing curriculum for the Nursing Skills course (543-102), the 2019 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, the 2020 NCLEX-PN Test Plan, and the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act. Learning activities are included to encourage the student to engage in critical thinking and apply the nursing process while analyzing assessment findings.
Kimberly Ernstmeyer, Elizabeth Christman
This books is a general introduction to Marine Ecology, accompanying a lecture and excursion. It targets students without prior knowledge of the subject. The content is taken largely from Wikipedia, but curated and augmented by the authors.
What is this field?" "Where have we come from as a discipline, and where are we going?" "What do I want to study?" These and other questions are typical for new students in the field of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. This textbook is designed to help answer these questions and provide the quickest route to understanding the history and current trends in the field. After surveying classic theories and writings, as well as more recent applications of theory and practice, students will be better prepared to chart their own course and careers within the discipline. This book is designed to support foundations courses common in departments, as well as seminars on current trends and issues.
Inventory Analytics provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the theory and practice of inventory control – a significant research area central to supply chain planning. The book outlines the foundations of inventory systems and surveys prescriptive analytics models for deterministic inventory control. It further discusses predictive analytics techniques for demand forecasting in inventory control and also examines prescriptive analytics models for stochastic inventory control.
Humans R Social Media - Open Textbook Edition
Social media and humans exist in a world of mutual influence, and humans play central roles in how this influence is mediated and transferred. Originally created by University of Arizona Information scholar Diana Daly, this Third Edition of the book Humans are Social Media uses plain language and features contributions by students to help readers understand how we as humans shape social media, and how social media shapes our world in turn.
Foundations of Neuroscience is aimed at undergraduate students new to the field of neuroscience. The first edition specifically targets students enrolled in Neurobiology at Michigan State University and primarily contains topics covered in that course.
An Interactive Introduction to Organismal and Molecular Biology
This "textbook" is interactive, meaning that although each chapter has text, they also have interactive HTML5 content, such as quizzes, simulations, interactive videos, and images with clickable hotspots. Students receive instant feedback when they complete the interactive content, and therefore, can learn and check their understanding all in one place. The first unit introduces students to the nature of science, including scientific controversies, and information literacy, including how to analyze literature and identify stakeholders. Unit 2 is organismal biology, including carbon cycling and population growth, and unit 3 is molecular biology with a focus on gene expression.
Large Animal Surgery – Supplemental Notes
This textbook includes basic principles of large animal surgery and anesthesia, how to apply those principles to cases and situations, and discover ways of finding answers when you don’t remember the information, are presented with cases that aren’t “textbook” and/or things don’t go as planned
This textbook was created to provide an introduction to research methods for BSW and MSW students, with particular emphasis on research and practice relevant to students at the University of Texas at Arlington. It provides an introduction to social work students to help evaluate research for evidence-based practice and design social work research projects. It can be used with its companion, A Guidebook for Social Work Literature Reviews and Research Questions by Rebecca L. Mauldin and Matthew DeCarlo, or as a stand-alone textbook.
Brain and Human Body Modeling 2020 : Computational Human Models Presented at EMBC 2019 and the BRAIN Initiative® 2019 Meeting
This open access book describes modern applications of computational human modeling in an effort to advance neurology, cancer treatment, and radio-frequency studies including regulatory, safety, and wireless communication fields. Readers working on any application that may expose human subjects to electromagnetic radiation will benefit from this book’s coverage of the latest models and techniques available to assess a given technology’s safety and efficacy in a timely and efficient manner. Describes computational human body phantom construction and application; Explains new practices in computational human body modeling for electromagnetic safety and exposure evaluations; Includes a survey of modern applications for which computational human phantoms are critical.
Makarov, Sergey N. (editor) Noetscher, Gregory M. (editor) Nummenmaa, Aapo (editor)
This open access book critiques real world learning across both the curriculum and extracurricular activities. Drawing on disciplines as diverse as business, health, fashion, sociology and geography, the editors and authors employ a cross-disciplinary approach to examine how this concept is being applied in higher education. Divided into three parts, the authors and contributors analyse broader applications of real world learning, student experience of practicing in a real world setting, and how learning strategies can be employed to engage students in real world learning. The editors and contributors provide up-to-date, cross-disciplinary and international insights into how real world learning could be integrated into the higher education curriculum to support effective, relevant and life-long learning for 21st century students.
Morley, Dawn A. (editor), Jamil, Md Golam (editor)
Disasters: Core Concepts and Ethical Theories
This Open Access Book is the first to examine disasters from a multidisciplinary perspective. Justification of actions in the face of disasters requires recourse both to conceptual analysis and ethical traditions. Part 1 of the book contains chapters on how disasters are conceptualized in different academic disciplines relevant to disasters. Part 2 has chapters on how ethical issues that arise in relation to disasters can be addressed from a number of fundamental normative approaches in moral and political philosophy. This book sets the stage for more focused normative debates given that no one book can be completely comprehensive.
O’Mathúna, Dónal P. --- Dranseika, Vilius --- Gordijn, Bert
Digital Transformation of Learning Organizations
This open access volume provides insight into how organizations change through the adoption of digital technologies. Opportunities and challenges for individuals as well as the organization are addressed. It features four major themes: 1. Current research exploring the theoretical underpinnings of digital transformation of organizations. 2. Insights into available digital technologies as well as organizational requirements for technology adoption. 3. Issues and challenges for designing and implementing digital transformation in learning organizations. 4. Case studies, empirical research findings, and examples from organizations which successfully adopted digital workplace learning.
Ifenthaler, Dirk --- Hofhues, Sandra --- Egloffstein, Marc --- Helbig, Christian
This open access book explores the global challenges and experiences related to digital entrepreneurial activities, using carefully selected examples from leading companies and economies that shape world business today and tomorrow. Digital entrepreneurship and the companies steering it have an enormous global impact; they promise to transform the business world and change the way we communicate with each other. These companies use digitalization and artificial intelligence to enhance the quality of decisions and augment their business and customer operations.
Soltanifar, Mariusz --- Hughes, Mathew --- Göcke, Lutz --- Soltanifar, Mariusz --- et al.
This open access book describes methods for research on and research through design. It posits that ethnography is an appropriate method for design research because it constantly orients itself, like design projects, towards social realities. In research processes, designers acquire project-specific knowledge, which happens mostly intuitively in practice. When this knowledge becomes the subject of reflection and explication, it strengthens the discipline of design and makes it more open to interdisciplinary dialogue.
This Open Access book introduces readers to many new techniques for enhancing and optimizing reliability in embedded systems, which have emerged particularly within the last five years. This book introduces the most prominent reliability concerns from today’s points of view and roughly recapitulates the progress in the community so far. Unlike other books that focus on a single abstraction level such circuit level or system level alone, the focus of this book is to deal with the different reliability challenges across different levels starting from the physical level all the way to the system level (cross-layer approaches). The book aims at demonstrating how new hardware/software co-design solution can be proposed to ef-fectively mitigate reliability degradation such as transistor aging, processor variation, temperature effects, soft errors
Henkel, Jörg --- Dutt, Nikil --- Henkel, Jörg --- Dutt, Nikil
This open access book provides worldwide examples demonstrating the importance of the interplay between demography and disasters in regions and spatially. It marks an advance in practical and theoretical insights for understanding the role of demography in planning for and mitigating impacts from disasters in developed nations. Both slow onset (like the of loss polar ice from climate change) and sudden disasters (such as cyclones and man-made disasters) have the capacity to fundamentally change the profiles of populations at local and regional levels.
Karácsonyi, Dávid --- Taylor, Andrew --- Bird, Deanne
Data Privacy and Trust in Cloud Computing
This open access book brings together perspectives from multiple disciplines including psychology, law, IS, and computer science on data privacy and trust in the cloud. Cloud technology has fueled rapid, dramatic technological change, enabling a level of connectivity that has never been seen before in human history. However, this brave new world comes with problems. Several high-profile cases over the last few years have demonstrated cloud computing's uneasy relationship with data security and trust. This volume explores the numerous technological, process and regulatory solutions presented in academic literature as mechanisms for building trust in the cloud, including GDPR in Europe.
Lynn, Theo --- Mooney, John G. --- van der Werff, Lisa --- Fox, Grace
Data and Text Processing for Health and Life Sciences
This open access book is a step-by-step introduction on how shell scripting can help solve many of the data processing tasks that Health and Life specialists face everyday with minimal software dependencies. The examples presented in the book show how simple command line tools can be used and combined to retrieve data and text from web resources, to filter and mine literature, and to explore the semantics encoded in biomedical ontologies. To store data this book relies on open standard text file formats, such as TSV, CSV, XML, and OWL, that can be open by any text editor or spreadsheet application. The first two chapters, Introduction and Resources, provide a brief introduction to the shell scripting and describe popular data resources in Health and Life Sciences.
This open access book follows the development of the Building Resilience in Teacher Education (BRiTE) project across Australia and internationally. Drawing on the success of this project and the related research collaborations that have since emerged, it highlights the importance of cultivating resilience at various stages of teachers’ careers. Divided into three sections, the book includes conceptual, empirical and applied chapters, designed to introduce readers to the field of research, provide empirical evidence and showcase innovative applications.
Crisis Reporters, Emotions, and Technology
This open access book explores the emotional labour of crisis reporters in an original style that combines fictional and factual narrative. Exploring how journalists make sense of their emotional experience and development in relation to their professional ideology, it illustrates how media professionals learn to think and act within crisis situations. Drawing on in-depth interviews with journalists reporting on wars, terror attacks and natural disasters, the book rethinks traditional concepts in journalistic thought. Finally, it reflects on the specific, contemporary vulnerabilities of industry professionals, including the impact of new technologies, specific forms of precarity, and a particular strain of cynicism central to the industry.
Creating Healthy and Sustainable Buildings
The open access book discusses human health and wellbeing within the context of built environments. It provides a comprehensive overview of relevant sources of literature and user complaints that clearly demonstrate the consequences of lack of attention to health in current building design and planning. Current designing of energy-efficient buildings is mainly focused on looking at energy problems and not on addressing health. Therefore, even green buildings that place environmental aspects above health issues can be uncomfortable and unhealthy, and can lead to public health problems. The authors identify many health risk factors and their parameters, and the interactions among risk factors and building design elements.
Connecting Mathematics and Mathematics Education
This open access book features a selection of articles written by Erich Ch. Wittmann between 1984 to 2019, which shows how the “design science conception” has been continuously developed over a number of decades. The articles not only describe this conception in general terms, but also demonstrate various substantial learning environments that serve as typical examples. In terms of teacher education, the book provides clear information on how to combine (well-understood) mathematics and methods courses to benefit of teachers. The role of mathematics in mathematics education is often explicitly and implicitly reduced to the delivery of subject matter that then has to be selected and made palpable for students using methods imported from psychology, sociology, educational research and related disciplines.
This open access book brings together a set of original studies that use cutting-edge computational methods to investigate conflict at various geographic scales and degrees of intensity and violence. Methodologically, this book covers a variety of computational approaches from text mining and machine learning to agent-based modelling and social network analysis. Empirical cases range from migration policy framing in North America and street protests in Iran to violence against civilians in Congo and food riots world-wide. Supplementary materials in the book include a comprehensive list of the datasets on conflict and dissent, as well as resources to online repositories where the annotated code and data of individual chapters can be found and where (agent-based) models can be re-produced and altered.
Deutschmann, Emanuel --- Lorenz, Jan --- Nardin, Luis G. --- Natalini, Davide --- et al.
Digital Transformation in Semiconductor Manufacturing
This open access book reports on cutting-edge electrical engineering and microelectronics solutions to foster and support digitalization in the semiconductor industry. Based on the outcomes of the European project iDev40, which were presented at the two first conference editions of the European Advances in Digital Transformation Conference (EADCT 2018 and EADTC 2019), the book covers different, multidisciplinary aspects related to digital transformation, including technological and industrial developments, as well as human factors research and applications.
Keil, Sophia --- Lasch, Rainer --- Lindner, Fabian --- Lohmer, Jacob
This open access book presents new developments in the field of demographic forecasting, covering both mortality, fertility and migration. For each component emerging methods to forecast them are presented. Moreover, instruments for forecasting evaluation are provided. Bayesian models, nonparametric models, cohort approaches, elicitation of expert opinion, evaluation of probabilistic forecasts are some of the topics covered in the book. In addition, the book is accompanied by complementary material on the web allowing readers to practice with some of the ideas exposed in the book.
This open access book modifies and revitalizes the concept of the ‘developmental state’ to understand the politics of emerging economy through nuanced analysis on the roles of human agency in the context of structural transformation. In other words, there is a revived interest in the ‘developmental state’ concept. The nature of the ‘emerging state’ is characterized by its attitude toward economic development and industrialization. Emerging states have engaged in the promotion of agriculture, trade, and industry and played a transformative role to pursue a certain path of economic development. Their success has cast doubt about the principle of laissez faire among the people in the developing world.
Takagi, Yusuke --- Kanchoochat, Veerayooth --- Sonobe, Tetsushi
This Open Access book is for scientists and experts who work on urban food policies. It provides a conceptual framework for understanding the urban food system sustainability and how it can be tackled by local governments. Written by a collective of researchers, this book describes the existing conceptual frameworks for an analysis of urban food policies, at the crossroads of the concepts of food system and sustainable city. It provides a basis for identifying research questions related to urban local government initiatives in the North and South. It is the result of work carried out within Agropolis International within the framework of the Sustainable Urban Food Systems program and an action research carried out in support of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole for the construction of its agroecological and food policy.
Brand, Caroline --- Bricas, Nicolas --- Conaré, Damien --- Daviron, Benoit --- et al.
This open access book provides worldwide examples demonstrating the importance of the interplay between demography and disasters in regions and spatially. It marks an advance in practical and theoretical insights for understanding the role of demography in planning for and mitigating impacts from disasters in developed nations. Both slow onset (like the of loss polar ice from climate change) and sudden disasters (such as cyclones and man-made disasters) have the capacity to fundamentally change the profiles of populations at local and regional levels. Impacts vary according to the type, rapidity and magnitude of the disaster, but also according to the pre-existing population profile and its relationships to the economy and society.
In the light of better and more detailed administrative databases, this open access book provides statistical tools for evaluating the effects of public policies advocated by governments and public institutions. Experts from academia, national statistics offices and various research centers present modern econometric methods for an efficient data-driven policy evaluation and monitoring, assess the causal effects of policy measures and report on best practices of successful data management and usage. Topics include data confidentiality, data linkage, and national practices in policy areas such as public health, education and employment.
Cultural Competence and the Higher Education Sector
This open access book explores cultural competence in the higher education sector from multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary perspectives. It addresses cultural competence in terms of leadership and the role of the higher education sector in cultural competence policy and practice. Drawing on lessons learned, current research and emerging evidence, the book examines various innovative approaches and strategies that incorporate Indigenous knowledge and practices into the development and implementation of cultural competence, and considers the most effective approaches for supporting cultural competence in the higher education sector.
Frawley, Jack --- Russell, Gabrielle --- Sherwood, Juanita
Craftspeople and Designer Makers in the Contemporary Creative Economy
This open access book explores the experience of working as a craftsperson or designer maker in the contemporary creative economy. The authors utilise evidence from the only major empirical study to explore the skills required and the challenges facing contemporary makers in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Drawing upon 180 interviews with peak organisations, established and emerging makers, and four years of fieldwork across Australia, this book offers a unique insight into the motivations informing those who seek to make an income from their craft or designer maker practice, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing them as they do so at this time of renewed interest internationally in the artisanal and handmade.
This open access book explores the synergies and tensions between safety and security management from a variety of perspectives and by combining input from numerous disciplines. It defines the concepts of safety and security, and discusses the methodological, organizational and institutional implications that accompany approaching them as separate entities and combining them, respectively. The book explores the coupling of safety and security from different perspectives, especially: the concepts and methods of risk, safety and security; the managerial aspects; user experiences in connection with safety and security. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of safety and security, and to anyone working at a business or in an industry concerned with how safety and security should be managed.
Bieder, Corinne --- Pettersen Gould, Kenneth
This open access book presents an overview and step-by-step explanation of process management. It starts with the individual participants’ perspectives on their work in a process and its structuring and harmonization, and then moves on to its specification in a model and how it is embedded in the organizational and IT environment of the company. Lastly, the book examines the joint processing of instances in the resulting socio-technical systems. A corresponding illustration, which expands with the overview, enables readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of business process management
Fleischmann, Albert --- Oppl, Stefan --- Schmidt, Werner --- Stary, Christian
Conceptualizing Environmental Citizenship for 21st Century Education
This Open Access book is about the development of a common understanding of environmental citizenship. It conceptualizes and frames environmental citizenship taking an educational perspective. Organized in four complementary parts, the book first explains the political, economic and societal dimensions of the concept. Next, it examines environmental citizenship as a psychological concept with a specific focus on knowledge, values, beliefs and attitudes. It then explores environmental citizenship within the context of environmental education and education for sustainability. It elaborates responsible environmental behaviour, youth activism and education for sustainability through the lens of environmental citizenship.
Hadjichambis, Andreas Ch. --- Reis, Pedro --- Paraskeva-Hadjichambi, Demetra --- Činčera, Jan --- et al.
Computational Cognitive Modeling and Linguistic Theory
This open access book introduces a general framework that allows natural language researchers to enhance existing competence theories with fully specified performance and processing components. Gradually developing increasingly complex and cognitively realistic competence-performance models, it provides running code for these models and shows how to fit them to real-time experimental data. This computational cognitive modeling approach opens up exciting new directions for research in formal semantics, and linguistics more generally, and offers new ways of (re)connecting semantics and the broader field of cognitive science.
Collaborative Curriculum Design for Sustainable Innovation and Teacher Learning
This open access book provides insight into what it takes to actively involve teachers in the curriculum design process. It examines different aspects of teacher involvement in collaborative curriculum design, with specific attention to its implications for sustainable curriculum innovation and teacher learning. Divided into six sections, the book starts out by introducing the notion of collaborative curriculum design and discusses its historical and theoretical foundations. It describes various approaches commonly adopted to actively involve teachers in the (co-)design of curriculum materials. Sections two and three provide examples of what key phases in the curriculum design process - such as needs analysis, design and development, and implementation - look like across various collaborative curriculum design projects.
Pieters, Jules --- Voogt, Joke --- Pareja Roblin, Natalie
Collaboration in Designing a Pedagogical Approach in Information Literacy
This Open Access book combines expertise in information literacy with expertise in education and teaching to share tips and tricks for the development of good information literacy teaching and training in universities and libraries. It draws on research, knowledge and pedagogical practice from academia, to teach students how to sift through information to be able to distinguish the important and correct from the unusable. It discusses basic concepts and models of information literacy, as well as strategies for accessing, locating and retrieving information and methods suitable for the assessment and management of information.
Landøy, Ane --- Popa, Daniela --- Repanovici, Angela
Education; Teaching; Education—History; Communication; Russia—History; Europe, Eastern—History; Historiography
Christophe, Barbara --- Gautschi, Peter --- Thorp, Robert
The Codes of the Street in Risky Neighborhoods
This book presents a comparative look at the norms and attitudes related to youth violence. It aims to present a perspective outside of the typical Western context, through case studies comparing a developed / Western democracy (Germany), a country with a history of institutionalized violence (South Africa), and an emerging democracy that has experienced heavy terrorism (Pakistan). Building on earlier works, the research presented in this innovative volume provides new insights into the sociocultural context for shaping both young people's tolerance of and involvement in violence, depending on their environment. This volume covers: Research on interpersonal violence.
Heitmeyer, Wilhelm --- Howell, Simon --- Kurtenbach, Sebastian --- Rauf, Abdul --- et al.
Co-creating Digital Public Services for an Ageing Society
This open access book attends to the co-creation of digital public services for ageing societies. Increasingly public services are provided in digital form; their uptake however remains well below expectations. In particular, amongst older adults the need for public services is high, while at the same time the uptake of digital services is lower than the population average. One of the reasons is that many digital public services (or e-services) do not respond well to the life worlds, use contexts and use practices of its target audiences. This book argues that when older adults are involved in the process of identifying, conceptualising, and designing digital public services, these services become more relevant and meaningful.
The Internet of Things offers massive societal and economic opportunities while at the same time significant challenges, not least the delivery and management of the technical infrastructure underpinning it, the deluge of data generated from it, ensuring privacy and security, and capturing value from it. This Open Access Pivot explores these challenges, presenting the state of the art and future directions for research but also frameworks for making sense of this complex area. This book provides a variety of perspectives on how technology innovations such as fog, edge and dew computing, 5G networks, and distributed intelligence are making us rethink conventional cloud computing to support the Internet of Things. Much of this book focuses on technical aspects of the Internet of Things, however, clear methodologies for mapping the business value of the Internet of Things are still missing.
Lynn, Theo --- Mooney, John G. --- Lee, Brian --- Endo, Patricia Takako
This open access book presents religious literacy as the main explanatory factor when dealing with certain ethnic groups that attract stereotypes which gloss over other personal factors such as age, class, gender and cultural differences. It discusses freedom of religion, and the Christian revival movement. It examines religious literacy and religious diversity in multi-faith schools. It looks into the role of Mosques and Islamic divorce. Finally, it discusses the prevention of violent radicalization and extremism in Finland. Using recent data on Finnish secular society, the book promotes a new understanding which is needed with respect to popular and media portrayal of religion, or with respect to public discussion about religion. It addresses actors in civic society, public servants and higher education.
Sakaranaho, Tuula --- Aarrevaara, Timo --- Konttori, Johanna
This open access book contributes to the creation of a cyber ecosystem supported by blockchain technology in which technology and people can coexist in harmony. Blockchains have shown that trusted records, or ledgers, of permanent data can be stored on the Internet in a decentralized manner. The decentralization of the recording process is expected to significantly economize the cost of transactions. Creating a ledger on data, a blockchain makes it possible to designate the owner of each piece of data, to trade data pieces, and to market them. This book examines the formation of markets for various types of data from the theory of market quality proposed and developed by M. Yano. Blockchains are expected to give data itself the status of a new production factor.
Yano, Makoto --- Dai, Chris --- Masuda, Kenichi --- Kishimoto, Yoshio
A Person-Centered Guide to Demystifying Technology: Working together to observe, question, design, prototype, and implement/reject technology in support of people's valued beings and doings
Digital technologies old and new are not objects that can be packed inside a box. They are a seamless, indivisible combination of people, organizations, policies, economies, histories, cultures, knowledge, and material things that are continuously shaped and reshaped. Every one of us innovates-in-use our everyday technologies, we just do not always know it. Not only are we shaped by the networked information tools in our midst, but we shape them and thereby shape others.
This book is an introduction to philosophical ethics intended for use in introductory college or high school level courses. It has grown out of lecture notes I shared with the first students who took my online Ethics course at the Pennsylvania College of Technology almost 20 years ago. Since then it has seen more development in a variety of forms – starting out as a pdf document, and then evolving into a static set of WordPress pages and finally now as a book written in bookdown and hosted at GitHub. This text represents my attempt to scratch a couple of itches.
First Semester in Numerical Analysis with Python
The book is based on “First semester in Numerical Analysis with Julia”, written by Giray Ökten. The contents of the original book are retained, while all the algorithms are implemented in Python (Version 3.8.0). Python is an open source (under OSI), interpreted, general-purpose programming language that has a large number of users around the world. Python is ranked the third in August 2020 by the TIOBE programming community index, a measure of popularity of programming languages, and is the top-ranked interpreted language. We hope this book will better serve readers who are interested in a first course in Numerical Analysis, but are more familiar with Python for the implementation of the algorithms.
What is technical writing? You can think of it as writing about specialized topics or you could also think of it as using technology to communicate your ideas. A science lab report, a specification, a change order for building construction, or patient education materials–just to name a few–are all considered technical writing. Similarly if you design a webpage or a brochure this can also be considered technical writing. Academic writing, the writing you do for school, generally is informative or persuasive writing and usually only comes in a few different genres. In technical writing, on the other hand, one is often documenting what was done (such as a science experiment or auto repair invoice).
Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies , Salt Lake City Community College
What are the most effective methods to study for a test? What are the meanings of dreams? How do illusions work? With whom are you most likely to fall in love? These are just a few of the questions that have been asked by psychologists since the birth of the field as an area of scientific research in the 1870’s. This text surveys the basic concepts, theories, and pivotal findings over the past 100 years in the science of Psychology, with special emphasis on contemporary concepts and findings focused on the relation of the brain to normal and pathological behaviors. Psychology has long evolved past the psychodynamic influence to include biological, social, learning, motivational, and developmental perspectives, to name a few.
Children's Exploration and Cultural Formation
This open access book examines the educational conditions that support cultures of exploration in kindergartens. It conceptualises cultures of exploration, whether those cultures are created through children’s own engagement or are demanded of them through undertaking specific tasks within different institutional settings. It shows how the conditions for children’s exploration form a web of activities in different settings with social relationships, local landscapes and artefacts. The book builds on the understanding of cultural traditions as deeply implicated in the developmental processes, meaning that local considerations must be reflected in education for sustainable futures.
Hedegaard, Mariane --- Eriksen Ødegaard, Elin
History; Social history; Great Britain—History; Europe—History—1492-; Social policy; Childhood; Adolescence
This open access volume is the first academic book on the controversial issue of including spiritual care in integrated electronic medical records (EMR). Based on an international study group comprising researchers from Europe (The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland), the United States, Canada, and Australia, this edited collection provides an overview of different charting practices and experiences in various countries and healthcare contexts. Encompassing case studies and analyses of theological, ethical, legal, healthcare policy, and practical issues, the volume is a groundbreaking reference for future discussion, research, and strategic planning for inter- or multi-faith healthcare chaplains and other spiritual care providers involved in the new field of documenting spiritual care in EMR.
The Change Laboratory for Teacher Training in Entrepreneurship Education
This open access book illustrates a new type of formative intervention for in-service teacher training in entrepreneurship education. The book describes a Change Laboratory and shows how teachers and workshop assistants develop the idea of a multidisciplinary project entailing the design of a self-service and parking lot in a dismissed area close to the city centre. The multidisciplinary project is taken as example of how an idea is debated and turned into collective action and change, the very essence of initiative and entrepreneurship.
A major objective of this open access book is to summarize the current status of Buruli Ulcer (BU) research for the first time. It will identify gaps in our knowledge, stimulate research and support control of the disease by providing insight into approaches for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of Buruli Ulcer. Book chapters will cover the history, epidemiology diagnosis, treatment and disease burden of BU and provide insight into the microbiology, genomics, transmission and virulence of Mycobacterium ulcerans. ; Supports further investigation by summarizing state of the art in the field of Buruli ulcer research Enriches understanding of epidemiology of Buruli ulcer in different geographic regions Reviews exhaustively the characteristics of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease
This open access book presents theoretical and practical research relating to the vast, publicly financed program for the construction of new schools and the reorganization of existing educational buildings in Italy. This transformative process aims to give old buildings a fresh identity, to ensure that facilities are compliant with the new educational and teaching models, and to improve both energy efficiency and structural safety with respect to seismic activity.
Della Torre, Stefano --- Bocciarelli, Massimiliano --- Daglio, Laura --- Neri, Raffaella
This open access book tells the story of how Sweden is becoming a virtually cashless society. Its goal is to improve readers’ understanding of what is driving this transition, and of the factors that are fostering and hampering it. In doing so, the book covers the role of central banks, political factors, needs for innovation, and the stakeholders involved in developing a cashless ecosystem. Adopting a historical standpoint, and drawing on a unique dataset, it presents an academic perspective on Sweden’s leading role in this global trend.
British Media Coverage of the Press Reform Debate
Media and communication --- Social Sciences
This open access book provides a detailed exploration of the British media coverage of the press reform debate that arose from the News of the World phone hacking scandal and the Leveson Inquiry. Gathering data from a content analysis of 870 news articles, Ogbebor shows how journalists cover debates on media policy and illustrates the impact of their coverage on democracy. Through this analysis, the book contributes to knowledge of paradigm repair strategies; public sphere; gatekeeping theory; the concept of journalism as an interpretive community; political economy of the press; as well as the neoliberal and social democratic interpretations of press freedom.
Brexit and the Control of Tobacco Illicit Trade
This book assesses the consequences of Brexit for the control of illicit trade in tobacco products in the UK and EU. Based on the currently applicable legal framework, it examines the significance of a possible non-application of the acquis communautaire in the UK in matters relating to anti-illicit trade in tobacco legislation. It also analyses the modes of future cooperation between the UK and the EU in this area, as well as possible regulatory scenarios and their consequences.
This open access book describes modern applications of computational human modeling in an effort to advance neurology, cancer treatment, and radio-frequency studies including regulatory, safety, and wireless communication fields. Readers working on any application that may expose human subjects to electromagnetic radiation will benefit from this book’s coverage of the latest models and techniques available to assess a given technology’s safety and efficacy in a timely and efficient manner.
Makarov, Sergey N. --- Noetscher, Gregory M. --- Nummenmaa, Aapo
This open access book describes modern applications of computational human modeling with specific emphasis in the areas of neurology and neuroelectromagnetics, depression and cancer treatments, radio-frequency studies and wireless communications. Special consideration is also given to the use of human modeling to the computational assessment of relevant regulatory and safety requirements. Readers working on applications that may expose human subjects to electromagnetic radiation will benefit from this book’s coverage of the latest developments in computational modelling and human phantom development to assess a given technology’s safety and efficacy in a timely manner.
Makarov, Sergey --- Horner, Marc --- Noetscher, Gregory
The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Disease
This open access book is a systematic update of the philosophical and scientific foundations of the biopsychosocial model of health, disease and healthcare. First proposed by George Engel 40 years ago, the Biopsychosocial Model is much cited in healthcare settings worldwide, but has been increasingly criticised for being vague, lacking in content, and in need of reworking in the light of recent developments. The book confronts the rapid changes to psychological science, neuroscience, healthcare, and philosophy that have occurred since the model was first proposed and addresses key issues such as the model’s scientific basis, clinical utility, and philosophical coherence.
Advanced Community College ESL Composition: An Integrated Skills Approach
This book has been created to provide a framework for building your skills in writing and critical thinking. It provides access to published samples from professional authors along with essay drafts from ESL students who have polished their skills in their respective writing courses. The themes in the readings will give you a variety of topics to discuss with your classmates, which may inspire your own deeper thinking and writing. Overall, we hope that as you proceed through these chapters, you will build confidence and develop your voice in the classroom and beyond.
The Crystal Ball Instruction Manual Volume One: Introduction to Data Science
The Discipline of Organizing: 4th Professional Edition
We organize things, we organize information, we organize information about things, and we organize information about information. But even though “organizing” is a fundamental and ubiquitous challenge, when we compare these activities their contrasts are more apparent than their commonalities. We propose to unify many perspectives about organizing with the concept of an Organizing System, defined as an intentionally arranged collection of resources and the interactions they support.
This Open Access textbook provides students and researchers in the life sciences with essential practical information on how to quantitatively analyze data images. It refrains from focusing on theory, and instead uses practical examples and step-by step protocols to familiarize readers with the most commonly used image processing and analysis platforms such as ImageJ, MatLab and Python. Besides gaining knowhow on algorithm usage, readers will learn how to create an analysis pipeline by scripting language; these skills are important in order to document reproducible image analysis workflows.
This open access book presents a comprehensive analysis of biofuel use strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective using sustainability science. This interdisciplinary perspective (social science-natural science) means that the strategies and policy options proposed will have significant impacts on the economy and society alike. Biofuels are expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, revitalizing economies in agricultural communities and alleviating poverty.
Takeuchi, Kazuhiko --- Shiroyama, Hideaki --- Saito, Osamu --- Matsuura, Masahiro
This open access book addresses a variety of issues relating to bioethics, in order to initiate cross-cultural dialogue. Beginning with the history, it introduces various views on bioethics, based on specific experiences from Japan. It describes how Japan has been confronted with Western bioethics and the ethical issues new to this modern age, and how it has found its foothold as it decides where it stands on these issues. In the last chapter, the author proposes discarding the overarching term ‘Global Bioethics’ in favor of the new term, ‘Bioethics Across the Globe (BAG)’, which carries a more universal connotation.
This open access multi-authored book presents a 'state of the science' synthesis of knowledge on the biodiversity of Angola, based on sources in peer-reviewed journals, in books and where appropriate, unpublished official reports. The book identifies Angola as one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa, but notes that its fauna, flora, habitats and the processes that drive the dynamics of its ecosystems are still very poorly researched and documented. This 'state of the science' synthesis is for the use of all students of Angola's biodiversity, and for those responsible for the planning, development and sustainable management of the country's living resources.
Huntley, Brian J. --- Russo, Vladimir --- Lages, Fernanda --- Ferrand, Nuno
Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change
This open access book identifies and discusses biodiversity’s contribution to physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing. Furthermore, the book identifies the implications of this relationship for nature conservation, public health, landscape architecture and urban planning – and considers the opportunities of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. This transdisciplinary book will attract a wide audience interested in biodiversity, ecology, resource management, public health, psychology, urban planning, and landscape architecture. The emphasis is on multiple human health benefits from biodiversity - in particular with respect to the increasing challenge of climate change.
Marselle, Melissa R. --- Stadler, Jutta --- Korn, Horst --- Irvine, Katherine N. --- et al.
This book provides a compendium of material properties, demonstrates several successful examples of bio-based materials’ application in building facades, and offers ideas for new designs and novel solutions. It features a state-of-the-art review, addresses the latest trends in material selection, assembling systems, and innovative functions of facades in detail. Selected case studies on buildings from diverse locations are subsequently presented to demonstrate the successful implementation of various biomaterial solutions, which defines unique architectural styles and building functions.
Sandak, Anna --- Sandak, Jakub --- Brzezicki, Marcin --- Kutnar, Andreja
This open access book discusses a variety of important but unprecedented ways in which psychology can be useful to philosophy. The early chapters illustrate this theme via comparisons between Chinese and Western philosophy. It is argued that the Chinese notion of a heart-mind is superior to the Western concept of mind, but then, more even-handedly, the relative strengths and weaknesses of Chinese and Western thought overall are critically examined. In later chapters, the philosophical uses of psychology are treated more specifically in relation to major issues in Western philosophy.
This open access book offers a critical perspective on intra-European mobility and migration by using new empirical data and theoretical discussions. It develops a theoretical and empirical analysis of the consequences of intra-European movement for sending and receiving urban regions in The Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Turkey, Poland and Czech Republic. The book conceptualizes Central and Eastern European (CEE) migration by distinguishing between different types of CEE migrants and consequences. This involves a mapping of migration corridors within Europe, a unique empirical analysis of consequences for urban regions, and an analysis of governance responses.
Belly-Rippers, Surgical Innovation and the Ovariotomy Controversy
This open access book looks at the dramatic history of ovariotomy, an operation to remove ovarian tumours first practiced in the early nineteenth century. Bold and daring, surgeons who performed it claimed to be initiating a new era of surgery by opening the abdomen. Ovariotomy soon occupied a complex position within medicine and society, as an operation which symbolised surgical progress, while also remaining at the boundaries of ethical acceptability. This book traces the operation’s innovation, from its roots in eighteenth-century pathology, through the denouncement of those who performed it as ‘belly-rippers’, to its rapid uptake in the 1880s, when ovariotomists were accused of over-operating.
The Behavioral Ecology of the Tibetan Macaque
This open access book summarizes the multi-disciplinary results of one of China’s main primatological research projects on the endemic Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana), which had continued for over 30 years, but which had never been reported on systematically. Dedicated to this exceptional Old World monkey, this book makes the work of Chinese primatologists on the social behavior, cooperation, culture, cognition, group dynamics, and emerging technologies in primate research accessible to the international scientific community.
Li, Jin-Hua --- Sun, Lixing --- Kappeler, Peter M.
Becoming a World-Class University: The case of King Abdulaziz University
This book written by international experts in the field of educational innovation is a guide for universities to become world-class universities. It contributes to the current international intellectual debate on the future of higher education. It also tells the story of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and its effort to become a world-class university. The book discusses excellence in different aspects such as education, research, community services, strategic planning, knowledge economy and international cooperation.
Osama Tayeb --- Adnan Zahed --- Jozef Ritzen
The Beauty of Geology: Art of Geology Mapping in China Over a Century
This open access book contains a collection of rare geologic maps and figures made by Chinese geologists in the last century. Preserved in National Geological Archives of China, these artworks demonstrate the development and innovation of geological mapping technology in China in the past 100 years. The collections are highly scientific and artistic, with most of the hand-drawn maps featured with traditional Chinese painting techniques, while the newer ones being more accurate and embedded with more scientific information with the aid of computer techniques.
Li, Chenyang --- Jia, Liqiong --- Wu, Xuan
AVATAR Therapy for Refractory Auditory Hallucinations (Book chapter)
AVATAR therapy is part of a new and exciting wave of therapies which adopt an explicitly relational and dialogic approach to working with the distressing voices. To understand the AVATAR approach, it is important to consider its position in the evolution of psychological interventions for distressing voices.
Ward, Tom --- Craig, Tom --- Rus-Calafell, Mar
This open access book presents the first comprehensive overview of general methods in Automated Machine Learning (AutoML), collects descriptions of existing systems based on these methods, and discusses the first series of international challenges of AutoML systems. The recent success of commercial ML applications and the rapid growth of the field has created a high demand for off-the-shelf ML methods that can be used easily and without expert knowledge.
Hutter, Frank --- Kotthoff, Lars --- Vanschoren, Joaquin
Austenitic TRIP/TWIP Steels and Steel-Zirconia Composites
This open access book presents a collection of the most up-to-date research results in the field of steel development with a focus on pioneering alloy concepts that result in previously unattainable materials properties. Specifically, it gives a detailed overview of the marriage of high-performance steels of the highest strength and form-ability with damage-tolerant zirconia ceramics by innovative manufacturing technologies, thereby yielding a new class of high-performance composite materials.
Biermann, Horst --- Aneziris, Christos G.
This open access book offers a comparative study of eight ambitious national reforms that sought to create opportunities for students to gain the necessary breath of skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world. It examines how national governments transform education systems to provide students opportunities to develop such skills. It analyses comprehensive education reforms in Brazil, Finland, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Portugal and Russia and yields original and important insights on the process of educational change.
This open access book revisits common notions on how to select and recruit the right employees. It reveals that the secret of successful individuals and teams lies in a combination of talent and four important performance indicators, offering an innovative approach that companies can fruitfully adopt. Bas Kodden has studied key performance indicators among over 1,100 executives, senior staff and professionals, including 50 CEOs from leading Dutch companies. His findings put the present recruitment and selection procedures used by many prominent companies in a new light.
The Archaeology of Europe’s Drowned Landscapes
This open access volume provides for the first time a comprehensive description and scientific evaluation of underwater archaeological finds referring to human occupation of the continental shelf around the coastlines of Europe and the Mediterranean when sea levels were lower than present. These are the largest body of underwater finds worldwide, amounting to over 2500 find spots, ranging from individual stone tools to underwater villages with unique conditions of preservation.
Bailey, Geoff --- Galanidou, Nena --- Peeters, Hans --- Jöns, Hauke --- et al.
This book discusses a core question in many fields of the social sciences, namely how to create, share and adopt new knowledge. It creates an original space for conversation between two lines of research that have developed largely in parallel for a long time: social network theory and the geography of knowledge. This book considers that relational thinking has become increasingly important for scholars to capture societal outcomes by studying social relations and networks, whereas the role of place, space and spatial scales has been somewhat neglected outside an emergent geography of knowledge.
Johannes Glückler --- Emmanuel Lazega --- Ingmar Hammer
International Cooperation for Enhancing Nuclear Safety, Security, Safeguards and Non-proliferation–60 Years of IAEA and EURATOM: Proceedings of the XX Edoardo Amaldi Conference, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Italy, October 9-10, 2017
This open access book examines key aspects of international cooperation to enhance nuclear safety, security, safeguards, and non-proliferation, thereby assisting in development and maintenance of the verification regime and fostering progress toward a nuclear weapon-free world. The book opens by addressing important political, institutional, and legal dimensions. Current challenges are discussed and attempts made to identify possible solutions and future improvements.
Luciano Maiani --- Said Abousahl --- Wolfango Plastino
Annals of Scientific Society for Assembly, Handling and Industrial Robotics
This Open Access proceedings present a good overview of the current research landscape of industrial robots. The objective of MHI Colloquium is a successful networking at academic and management level. Thereby the colloquium is focussing on a high level academic exchange to distribute the obtained research results, determine synergetic effects and trends, connect the actors personally and in conclusion strengthen the research field as well as the MHI community. Additionally there is the possibility to become acquainted with the organizing institute. Primary audience are members of the scientific association for assembly, handling and industrial robots (WG MHI).
Schüppstuhl, Thorsten --- Tracht, Kirsten --- Henrich, Dominik
Animals and the Shaping of Modern Medicine
This book breaks new ground by situating animals and their diseases at the very heart of modern medicine. In demonstrating their historical significance as subjects and shapers of medicine, it offers important insights into past animal lives, and reveals that what we think of as ‘human’ medicine was in fact deeply zoological. Each chapter analyses an important episode in which animals changed and were changed by medicine.
Woods, Abigail --- Bresalier, Michael --- Cassidy, Angela --- Mason Dentinger, Rachel
This open access book provides a concise explanation of the fundamentals and background of the surround sound recording and playback technology Ambisonics. It equips readers with the psychoacoustical, signal processing, acoustical, and mathematical knowledge needed to understand the inner workings of modern processing utilities, special equipment for recording, manipulation, and reproduction in the higher-order Ambisonic format. The book comes with various practical examples based on free software tools and open scientific data for reproducible research.
This Open Access book explores questions such as why and how did the first biological cells appear? And then complex organisms, brains, societies and –now– connected human societies? Physicists have good models for describing the evolution of the universe since the Big Bang, but can we apply the same concepts to the evolution of aggregated matter –living matter included? The Amazing Journey analyzes the latest results in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and sociology under the light of the evolution of intelligence, seen as the ability of processing information.
This open access book presents recent advances in the pure sciences that are of significance in the quest for alternatives to the use of animals in research and describes a variety of practical applications of the three key guiding principles for the more ethical use of animals in experiments – replacement, reduction, and refinement, collectively known as the 3Rs. Important examples from across the world of implementation of the 3Rs in the testing of cosmetics, chemicals, pesticides, and biologics, including vaccines, are described, with additional information on relevant regulations.
Kojima, Hajime --- Seidle, Troy --- Spielmann, Horst
AiREAS: Sustainocracy for a Healthy City: Phase 3: Civilian Participation – Including the Global Health Deal Proposition
This volume describes phase 3 of the AiREAS multidisciplinary cocreation effort to produce a Healthy City. Phase 1 referred to making visible the invisible from an air quality and human exposure perspective. Phase 2 studies air quality related to health and Phase 3 looks at air quality, health and lifestyle from the perspective of persuasion to innovative change. The three books together describe the coming about and first results of the AiREAS "healthy city" cooperative in the city of Eindhoven and Province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. AiREAS is an initiative focused on the multidisciplinary co-creation of healthy cities using the core human value of human health and air quality as guiding principle for profound regional innovation.
AiREAS: Sustainocracy for a Healthy City
Medicine (General) ---, Environmental Technology
This book describes the coming about and first results of the AiREAS "healthy city" cooperative in the city of Eindhoven and Province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. AiREAS is an initiative focused on the multidisciplinary co-creation of healthy cities using the core human value of human health and air quality as guiding principle for profound regional innovation. The unique group process that followed uses the complexity of the city of Eindhoven as living lab.
AI based Robot Safe Learning and Control
This open access book mainly focuses on the safe control of robot manipulators. The control schemes are mainly developed based on dynamic neural network, which is an important theoretical branch of deep reinforcement learning. In order to enhance the safety performance of robot systems, the control strategies include adaptive tracking control for robots with model uncertainties, compliance control in uncertain environments, obstacle avoidance in dynamic workspace. The idea for this book on solving safe control of robot arms was conceived during the industrial applications and the research discussion in the laboratory.
Zhou, Xuefeng --- Xu, Zhihao --- Li, Shuai --- Wu, Hongmin --- et al.
Agroecological Transitions: From Theory to Practice in Local Participatory Design
This Open Access book presents feedback from the ‘Territorial Agroecological Transition in Action’- TATA-BOX research project, which was devoted to these specific issues. The multidisciplinary and multi-organisation research team steered a four-year action-research process in two territories of France. It also presents: i) the key dimensions to be considered when dealing with agroecological transition
Bergez, Jacques-Eric --- Audouin, Elise --- Therond, Olivier
Agricultural Implications of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident (III)
This open access book presents the findings from on-site research into radioactive cesium contamination in various agricultural systems affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. This third volume in the series reports on studies undertaken at contaminated sites such as farmland, forests, and marine and freshwater environments, with a particular focus on livestock, wild plants and mushrooms, crops, and marine products in those environments. It also provides additional data collected in the subsequent years to show how the radioactivity levels in agricultural products and their growing environments have changed with time and the route by which radioactive materials entered agricultural products as well as their movement between different components (e.g., soil, water, and trees) within an environmental system (e.g., forests).
Nakanishi, Tomoko M. --- O`Brien, Martin --- Tanoi, Keitaro
Agricultural and Forestry Reconstruction After the Great East Japan Earthquake
This book summarizes the results of 3 years of agricultural and forestry reconstructive efforts and applied research conducted directly in the affected areas of Fukushima following the Great East Japan Earthquake. It describes fast and effective revival methods and technologies from tsunami and radiation damages, demonstrated through the collaborative efforts of researchers, students, local farmers, forest owners, and municipalities gathered under the Tokyo University of Agriculture East Japan Assistance Project. Consisting of four parts, the first part of the book provides an overview of the damage and measures taken to overcome them by the local municipalities and the Tokyo University of Agriculture.
Toshiyuki Monma --- Itsuo Goto --- Takahisa Hayashi --- Hidekiyo Tachiya --- et al.
This open access book outlines the challenges of supporting the health and wellbeing of older adults around the world and offers examples of solutions designed by stakeholders, healthcare providers, and public, private and nonprofit organizations in the United States. The solutions presented address challenges including: providing person-centered long-term care, making palliative care accessible in all healthcare settings and the home, enabling aging-in-place, financing long-term care, improving care coordination and access to care, delivering hospital-level and emergency care in the home and retirement community settings, merging health and social care, supporting people living with dementia and their caregivers, creating communities and employment opportunities that are accessible and welcoming to those of all ages and abilities, and combating the stigma of aging.
Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming – Workshops
This open access book constitutes the research workshops, doctoral symposium and panel summaries presented at the 20th International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2019, held in Montreal, QC, Canada, in May 2019. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice. It is a hybrid forum where agile researchers, academics, practitioners, thought leaders, coaches, and trainers get together to present and discuss their most recent innovations, research results, experiences, concerns, challenges, and trends.
This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2020, which was planned to be held during June 8-12, 2020, at the IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was postponed until an undetermined date. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice.
Stray, Viktoria --- Hoda, Rashina --- Paasivaara, Maria --- Kruchten, Philippe
Agency and Causal Explanation in Economics
This open access book provides an exploration of the consequences of the ontological differences between natural and social objects (sometimes described as objects of nature and objects of thought) in the workings of causal and agency relationships. One of its important and possibly original conclusions is that causal and agency relationships do not encompass all of the dependent relationships encountered in social life. The idea that social reality is contingent has been known (and largely undisputed) at least since Wittgenstein’s “On Certainty”, but social science, and most notably economics has continued to operate on the basis of causal and agency theories borrowed or adapted from the natural sciences.
This open access book advocates for the Social Sciences and Humanities to be more involved in energy policymaking. It forms part of the European platform for energy-related Social Sciences and Humanities’ activities, and works on the premise that crossing disciplines is essential. All of its contributions are highly interdisciplinary, with each chapter grounded in at least three different Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines. These varying perspectives come together to cover an array of issues relevant to the energy transition, including: energy poverty, justice, political ecology, governance, behaviours, imaginaries, systems approaches, modelling, as well as the particular challenges faced by interdisciplinary work.
Advancing Culture of Living with Landslides: Volume 1 ISDR-ICL Sendai Partnerships 2015-2025
This volume contains peer-reviewed papers from the Fourth World Landslide Forum organized by the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), the Global Promotion Committee of the International Programme on Landslides (IPL), University of Ljubljana (UL) and Geological Survey of Slovenia in Ljubljana, Slovenia from May 29 to June 2, 2017. The complete collection of papers from the Forum is published in five full-color volumes.
Kyoji Sassa --- Matjaž Mikoš --- Yueping Yin
This open access book presents detailed pathways to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050, globally and across ten geographical regions. Based on state-of-the-art scenario modelling, it provides the vital missing link between renewable energy targets and the measures needed to achieve them. Bringing together the latest research in climate science, renewable energy technology, employment and resource impacts, the book breaks new ground by covering all the elements essential to achieving the ambitious climate mitigation targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. For example, sectoral implementation pathways, with special emphasis on differences between developed and developing countries and regional conditions, provide tools to implement the scenarios globally and domestically
Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships
Public-private partnerships have become an important tool for delivering essential public goods, but critics fear that they erode public accountability. Making partnerships more accountable requires a clear understanding of what accountability means for partnerships and which mechanisms can be used to strengthen it. Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships develops a new model of accountability based on principal-agent theory. This model provides a firm normative foundation for accountability demands. At the same time, it shows which accountability standards apply to which kinds of partnerships.
Africa-EU Renewable Energy Research and Innovation Symposium 2018 (RERIS 2018)
This open access book presents the proceedings of the 2nd Africa-EU Renewable Energy Research and Innovation Symposium (RERIS 18), held in Maseru, Lesotho in January 2018. The symposium aimed to foster research cooperation on renewable energy between Africa and Europe – in academia, as well as the private and public sectors. Addressing thematic areas such as • Grid-connected renewable energy; • Decentralised renewable and household energy solutions; • Energy socioeconomics; and •
Mpholo, Moeketsi --- Steuerwald, Dirk --- Kukeera, Tonny
This open access book, inspired by the ICME 13 topic study group “Affect, beliefs and identity in mathematics education”, presents the latest trends in research in the area. Following an introduction and a survey chapter providing a concise overview of the state-of-art in the field of mathematics-related affect, the book is divided into three main sections: motivation and values, engagement, and identity in mathematics education. Each section comprises several independent chapters based on original research, as well as a reflective commentary by an expert in the area.
Hannula, Markku S. --- Leder, Gilah C. --- Morselli, Francesca --- Vollstedt, Maike --- et al.
This open access book gives an overview of the sessions, panel discussions, and outcomes of the Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference, held in February 2018 in San Antonio, Texas, USA, and hosted by the Mays Cancer Center and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Latinos – the largest, youngest, and fastest-growing minority group in the United States – are expected to face a 142% rise in cancer cases in coming years. Although there has been substantial advancement in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment over the past few decades, addressing Latino cancer health disparities has not nearly kept pace with progress.
Ramirez, Amelie G. --- Trapido, Edward J.
Perspectives on European Earthquake Engineering and Seismology: Volume 1
General and Civil Engineering --- Materials
This book collects 5 keynote and 15 topic lectures presented at the 2nd European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (2ECEES), held in Istanbul, Turkey, from August 24 to 29, 2014. The conference was organized by the Turkish Earthquake Foundation - Earthquake Engineering Committee and Prime Ministry, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency under the auspices of the European Association for Earthquake Engineering (EAEE) and European Seismological Commission (ESC). The book’s twenty state-of-the-art papers were written by the most prominent researchers in Europe and address a comprehensive collection of topics on earthquake engineering, as well as interdisciplinary subjects such as engineering seismology and seismic risk assessment and management.
This edited volume contains the selected papers presented at the scientific board meeting of the German Cluster of Excellence on “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries”, held in November 2014. The topical structure of the book is clustered in six sessions: Integrative Production Technology, Individualised Production, Virtual Production Systems, Integrated Technologies, Self-Optimising Production Systems and Human Factors in Production Technology. The Aachen perspective on a holistic theory of production is complemented by conference papers from external leading researchers in the fields of production, materials science and bordering disciplines.
Advances in Pharma Business Management and Research
This open access book presents a unique collection of practical examples from the field of pharma business management and research. It covers a wide range of topics such as: 'Brexit and its Impact on pharmaceutical Law - Implications for Global Pharma Companies', 'Implementation of Measures and Sustainable Actions to Improve Employee's Engagement', 'Global Medical Clinical and Regulatory Affairs (GMCRA)', and 'A Quality Management System for R&D Project and Portfolio Management in a Pharmaceutical Company'. The chapters are summaries of master’s theses by "high potential" Pharma MBA students from the Goethe Business School, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, with 8-10 years of work experience and are based on scientific know-how and real-world experience.
Schweizer, Lars --- Dingermann, Theodor --- Russe, Otto Quintus --- Jansen, Christian
The papers presented in this open access book address diverse challenges in decarbonizing energy systems, ranging from operational to investment planning problems, from market economics to technical and environmental considerations, from distribution grids to transmission grids, and from theoretical considerations to data provision concerns and applied case studies. While most papers have a clear methodological focus, they address policy-relevant questions at the same time. The target audience therefore includes academics and experts in industry as well as policy makers, who are interested in state-of-the-art quantitative modelling of policy relevant problems in energy systems
Bertsch, Valentin --- Ardone, Armin --- Suriyah, Michael --- Fichtner, Wolf --- et al.
This open access book presents a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of knowledge on the state of crowdfunding research and practice. It considers crowdfunding models and their different manifestations across a variety of geographies and sectors, and explores the perspectives of fundraisers, backers, platforms, and regulators. Gathering insights from a wide range of influential researchers in the field, the book balances concepts, theory, and case studies. Going beyond previous research on crowdfunding, the contributors also investigate issues of community, sustainability, education, and ethics
Shneor, Rotem --- Zhao, Liang --- Flåten, Bjørn-Tore
Community Resilience to Climate Change: Theory, Research and Practice
This reader is an Open Educational Resource, meant to accompany a graduate or higher-level undergraduate university course in climate change resilience, adaptation, and/or planning. While the material is geared toward students in urban and regional planning, it may also be of interest to students of urban studies, public health, geography, political science, sociology, risk management, and others. Each section of this volume includes (1) an introductory summary, (2) a reading list with full text articles, (3) student exercises meant to enhance understanding and facilitate in-class discussion, and (4) additional discussion prompts or activities for instructors to use in class.
This Statistics resource was developed under the guidance and support of experienced high school teachers and subject matter experts. It is presented here in multiple formats: PDF, online, and low-cost print. Statistics offers instruction in grade-level appropriate concepts and skills in a logical, engaging progression that begins with sampling and data and covers topics such as probability, random variables, the normal distribution, and hypothesis testing. This content was developed with students in mind, incorporating statistics labs, worked exercises, and additional opportunities for assessment that incorporate real-world statistical applications. For instructors, resources are available to support the implementation of the Statistics textbook, including a Getting Started Guide, direct instruction presentations, and a solutions manual.
The material in this text consists of many screenshots of Microsoft® Office 365 using Windows 10. The goal of this text was to create a resource for students that was effective, concise and cost-effective. This text will not include extra content that does not align with course outcomes. This conciseness is designed to be keep the material on-point, and keep printing costs low.
Blueprints: Creating, Describing, and Implementing Designs for Larger-Scale Software Projects - version 2.2
Blueprints is a concise yet comprehensive coverage of Object-Oriented Analysis and Design concepts, suitable for a second programming course in Computer Science. It introduces and teaches application development in a command-line environment, and assumes basic expertise with the Java programming language.
Safety, Health, and Nutrition in Early Childhood Education
Early childhood is a critical time in development. Many outcomes, both positive and negative, have their beginnings in these years. It is vital that children’s health and safety be protected. High-quality early care and education programs can play a valuable role in improving outcomes for children.
Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach to Relationships
Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach to Relationships helps readers examine their own one-on-one communicative interactions using a mindfulness lens. The writing team of Jason S. Wrench, Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter, and Katherine Thweatt incorporates the latest communication theory and research to help students navigate everyday interpersonal interactions.
John S. Wrench. Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter, Katherine S. Thweatt,
A modules-based approach to learning research skills that emphasizes the reflective nature of information discovery, the contextual basis for evaluating that information, and a recognition that information has value.
University 101: Study, Strategize and Succeed
Kwantlen Polytechnic University Learning Centres ,
Geological Structures: a Practical Introduction
This manual is about structures that occur within the Earth’s crust. Structures are the features that allow geologists to figure out how parts of the Earth have changed position, orientation, size and shape over time. This work requires careful observation and measurements of features at the surface of the Earth, and deductions about what’s below the surface. The practical skills you will learn in this course form the foundation for much of what is known about the history of the Earth, and are important tools for exploring the subsurface. They are essential for Earth scientists of all kinds.
Financial Management for Small Businesses: Financial Statements & Present Value Models
This book is for those whose financial management focus is on small businesses. For you, we adapt the traditional financial management themes emphasized in corporate financial management courses to meet the needs of small businesses. Many financial managers of small businesses come from farms or agribusinesses. Others are interested in working for or starting businesses in the food or retail sectors. In most cases, these businesses aren’t organized as C-corporations impacting things like taxes, depreciation, and legal requirements around compiling and reporting financial data. They are rarely publicly traded which creates unique constraints to raising debt and equity capital and calculating required risk-adjusted returns.
Lindon J. Robinson, Steven D. Hanson, J. Roy Black,
A Primer for Computational Biology aims to provide life scientists and students the skills necessary for research in a data-rich world. The text covers accessing and using remote servers via the command-line, writing programs and pipelines for data analysis, and provides useful vocabulary for interdisciplinary work.
The ELC: An Early Childhood Learning Community at Work
The ELC professional development model was designed to improve the quality of teacher candidates’ Practicum field placements and align teaching in field placements with Learning Standards used in the teacher education program. Teams of four educators from varied settings worked in a Practicum placement setting for one semester to improve their teaching and align it with Learning Standards. An action research approach improved teaching challenges teams faced. Research articles were read to improve teams’ teaching challenges by implementing one agreed strategy. Teams video-recorded, assessed, and reflected on the impact of the strategy on their teaching, on teacher candidates’ learning and on children’s learning.
Heather Bridge 'Lorraine Melita , Patricia Roiger
This book was created for an undergraduate Introduction to Industrial Engineering course at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). The chapters give an overview of the profession and an introduction to some of the tools used by industrial engineers in industry. There are interactive content exercises included at the end of most chapters. This interactive content aims to engage students in the content as they are reading. The book will continue to revised and updated with new information as it becomes necessary.
Abnormal Psychology is an Open Education Resource written by Alexis Bridley, Ph.D. and Lee W. Daffin Jr., Ph.D. through Washington State University. The book tackles the difficult topic of mental disorders in 15 modules. This journey starts by discussing what abnormal behavior is by attempting to understand what normal behavior is. Models of abnormal psychology and clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are then discussed. With these three modules completed, the authors next explore several classes of mental disorders in 5 blocks.
OpenStax College Success is a comprehensive and contemporary resource that serves First Year Experience, Student Success, and College Transition courses. Developed with the support of hundreds of faculty and coordinators, the book addresses the evolving challenges and opportunities of today’s diverse students. Engagement, self-analysis, personal responsibility, and student support are reflected throughout the material. College Success also includes an array of student surveys and opinion polls, and OpenStax will regularly provide the results to adopting faculty.
Transition to Higher Mathematics: Structure and Proof - Second Edition
This book is written for students who have taken calculus and want to learn what “real mathematics" is. We hope you will find the material engaging and interesting, and that you will be encouraged to learn more advanced mathematics. This is the second edition of our text. It is intended for students who have taken a calculus course, and are interested in learning what higher mathematics is all about. It can be used as a textbook for an "Introduction to Proofs" course, or for self-study. Chapter 1: Preliminaries, Chapter 2: Relations, Chapter 3: Proofs, Chapter 4: Principles of Induction, Chapter 5: Limits, Chapter 6: Cardinality, Chapter 7: Divisibility, Chapter 8: The Real Numbers, Chapter 9: Complex Numbers. The last 4 chapters can also be used as independent introductions to four topics in mathematics: Cardinality; Divisibility; Real Numbers; Complex Numbers.
Writing Instruction Tips For Automated Essay Graders: How To Design an Essay for a Non-human Reader
As schools, as well as the workplace, become more automated, and remote or distance learning / working becomes the “new normal,” understanding and leveraging artificial intelligence will become a critical skill.
Strategic Marketing in the Global Forest Industries - Third Edition
The forest industry is increasingly global and every marketer of forest products should have a global perspective. As a natural resource-based industry, the forest industry has an especially high profile role in environmental protection and is increasingly involved in climate change mitigation and management. Global forests are not only important because they provide a source of industrial raw material, but also because of the various other human needs they satisfy. A forest products marketer should have a basic understanding of the role that global forests play in society. Major societal trends are impacting the external environment within which the forest industry operates. We provide an overview of global forests and a brief description of the markets for the main categories of the forest industry.
DC Electrical Circuit Analysis: A Practical Approach
elcome to DC Electrical Circuit Analysis, an open educational resource (OER). The goal of this text is to introduce the theory and practical application of analysis of DC electrical circuits. It is offered free of charge under a Creative Commons non-commercial, share-alike with attribution license. For your convenience, along with the free pdf and odt files, print copies are available at a very modest charge. Check my web sites for links. This text is based on the earlier Workbook for DC Electrical Circuits, which it replaces. The original expository text has been greatly expanded and includes many examples along with computer simulations. For the convenience of those who used the Workbook, many of the problem sets are the same, with some re-ordering depending on the chapter.
AC Electrical Circuit Analysis: A Practical Approach
theory and practical application of analysis of AC electrical circuits. It assumes familiarity with DC circuit analysis. If you have not studied DC circuit analysis, it is strongly recommended that you read the companion OER text, DC Electrical Circuit Analysis before continuing. Both texts are offered free of charge under a Creative Commons non-commercial, share-alike with attribution license. For your convenience, along with the free pdf and odt files, print copies are available at a very modest charge. Check my web sites for links. This text is based on the earlier Workbook for AC Electrical Circuits, which it replaces. The original expository text has been greatly expanded and includes many examples along with computer simulations. For the convenience of those who used the Workbook, many of the problem sets are the same, with some re-ordering depending on the chapter.
Welcome to the wonderful world of microbiology! Yay! So. What is microbiology? If we break the word down it translates to “the study of small life,” where the small life refers to microorganisms or microbes. But who are the microbes? And how small are they? Generally microbes can be divided in to two categories: the cellular microbes (or organisms) and the acellular microbes (or agents). In the cellular camp we have the bacteria, the archaea, the fungi, and the protists (a bit of a grab bag composed of algae, protozoa, slime molds, and water molds). Cellular microbes can be either unicellular, where one cell is the entire organism, or multicellular, where hundreds, thousands or even billions of cells can make up the entire organism. In the acellular camp we have the viruses and other infectious agents, such as prions and viroids. In this textbook the focus will be on the bacteria and archaea (traditionally known as the “prokaryotes,”) and the viruses and other acellular agents.
Permaculture Design: Tools for Climate Resilience
Climate is also where we begin the design process in another tool referenced in the Permaculture design system. This is the Scale of Landscape Permanence, originated by P.A.Yeomans, the founder of Keyline™ Design. Yeomans asserts that the order of design is: Climate Landshape Water Supply Roads/Access Trees Structures Subdivision Fences Soil This book is predominantly about climate, and the macro influences of climate and climate change on design. As we get through the topics of climate analogues and climate change forecasting, we will end up moving down this list to see the climate’s influence on specific design choices.
Welcome to the exciting world of technical theatre. Studying this topic can lead to many different careers in several different sectors of the economy. The general skills needed for any of the careers or sectors have many things in common. Workers need to be dead-line oriented, as most productions have firm timelines that cannot be altered. Critical thinking and analysis are much needed skills. Almost every project in the field is unique and technicians and designers alike must discover the best way of reaching a project’s goal. Creative problem solving is trait successful practitioners have in common. With every project being unique, there are no guaranteed solutions to the problems that are presented. Technicians draw on their vast experience of what worked in the past that can be adapted to be a solution to the current problems. Clear communication and collaboration round out the necessary skills. No technical theatre project is ever handled by one person on their own. Collaboration with many people is the norm, and successful collaboration requires clear written and verbal communication skills.
Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
These materials will help students and instructors alike explore human behavior and how it is shaped and impacted by both traditional and non-traditional paradigms. This text will also support the reader in having a deeper understanding of how the environment, in all of its complexity, can affect individuals, families, groups, and communities. It is my hope that the information contained in this book will help you, as a future social worker, approach client systems with empathy, understanding, and a compassionate curiosity that allows for comprehensive assessment, individualized approaches to treatment, and continuity of care.
Geography is a diverse discipline that has some sort of connection to most every other academic discipline. This connection is the spatial perspective, which essentially means if a phenomenon can be mapped, it has some kind of relationship to geography. Studying the entire world is a fascinating subject, and geographical knowledge is fundamental to a competent understanding of our world. In this chapter, you will learn what geography is as well as some of the fundamental concepts that underpin the discipline. These fundamental terms and concepts will be interwoven throughout the text, so a sound understanding of these topics is critical as you delve deeper into the chapters that follow.
This open source textbook is derived from many sources, initially from the Principles of Management by Carpenter, Bauer, and Erdogan, but there is abundant new content as well. It is published under a Creative Commons license and as such there is no charge ever for this textbook. The most important change from 1e is that static content was removed to make room for student-generated dynamic content. Throughout the book look for the names of contributing students in the red colored example boxes. As the term progresses, you will see new examples appear as fellow students research and summarize topics for current events, all are curated by the instructor.
Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
That’s what we are here to find out – Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) – How do they connect? How does it shape us? Why do we think and feel the way we do? This will be explored throughout this course by examining human behavior throughout life stage developments and our interactions with the social environment. This course will explore theoretical perspectives in Social Work to help provide a foundation for organizing thoughts about client needs and issues they are seeking supports for. Theories will then be connected to important developmental, social, and cultural issues that present throughout each stage of life to create an overall picture of a client’s experience and how we can use this information to have a better understanding of how people we work with are influenced and why. Knowledge of typical development in each stage of life will also inform the Social Worker if any other supports, resources, or services may be needed.
This open access Nursing Pharmacology textbook is designed for entry-level undergraduate nursing students. It explains basic concepts of pharmacology and describes common medication classes. This book is not intended to be used as a drug reference book, but direct links are provided to DailyMed, which provides trustworthy information about marketed drugs in the United States.
Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, WI
Two-Dimensional Electronics and Optoelectronics
The discovery of monolayer graphene led to a Nobel Prize in Physics being awarded in 2010. This has stimulated further research on a wide variety of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials. The coupling of metallic graphene, semiconducting 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and black phosphorus have attracted a tremendous amount of interest in new electronic and optoelectronic applications. Together with other 2D materials, such as the wide band gap boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs), all these 2D materials have led towards an emerging field of van der Waal 2D heterostructures.
Yoke Khin Yap (Ed.) --- Zhixian Zhou (Ed.)
Two-Dimensional Electronics - Prospects and Challenges
The first two-dimensional material studied in detail was graphene, and many groups explored its potential for electronic applications. Meanwhile, researchers have extended their work to two-dimensional materials beyond graphene. At present, several hundred of these materials are known and part of them is considered to be useful for electronic applications.
Turbulence: Numerical Analysis, Modelling and Simulation
The problem of accurate and reliable simulation of turbulent flows is a central and intractable challenge that crosses disciplinary boundaries. As the needs for accuracy increase and the applications expand beyond flows where extensive data is available for calibration, the importance of a sound mathematical foundation that addresses the needs of practical computing increases. This Special Issue is directed at this crossroads of rigorous numerical analysis, the physics of turbulence and the practical needs of turbulent flow simulations.
Turbulence in River and Maritime Hydraulics
Understanding of the role of turbulence in controlling transport processes is of paramount importance for the preservation and protection of aquatic ecosystems, the minimization of the deleterious consequences of anthropogenic activity, and the successful sustainable development of river and maritime areas. In this context, the present Special Issue collects 15 papers which provide a representation of the present understanding of turbulent processes and their effects in river and maritime environments.
Mossa, Michele --- Termini, Donatella --- Davies, Peter A.
The Tumor Microenvironment of High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
The Special Issue on high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and the contribution of the tumor microenviroment (TME) consists of reviews contributed by leaders in the OC field. As HGSOC metastases have a highly complex TME, there is an urgent need to better understand the TME in general, its distinct components in particular, and the role of the TME in the context of disease recurrence and development of chemoresistance.
M. Sharon Stack (Ed.) --- Kenneth P. Nephew (Ed.) --- Joanna E. Burdette (Ed.) --- Anirban K. Mitra (Ed.)
Earthquake-tsunamis, including the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2011 T?hoku Tsunami in Japan, serve as tragic reminders that such waves pose a major natural hazard. Landslide-tsunamis, including the 1958 Lituya Bay case, may exceed 150 m in height, and similar waves generated in lakes and reservoirs may overtop dams and cause significant devastation. This book includes nine peer-review articles from some of the leading experts in the field of tsunami research. The collection represents a wide range of topics covering (i) wave generation, (ii) wave propagation, and (iii) their effects. Within (i), a tsunami source combining an underwater fault rupture and a landslide are addressed in the laboratory.
Trust Management: Key Factor of the Sustainable Organizations Embedded in Network
Nowadays, trust is an important determinant in the development of modern organizations. Not only is it becoming an increasingly important element of relationships between entities, but, above all, it positively influences the building of an organization's intellectual capital. This capital can be defined in different ways, but its definition always references elements that determine the potential of sustainable organizations, often in human, social, relational, organizational, and innovation dimensions. Trust is increasingly becoming the key determinant of this capita
Almost 25 years ago, the first mammalian transient receptor potential (TRP) channel was cloned and published. TRP channels now represent an extended family of 28 members fulfilling multiple roles in the living organism. Identified functions include control of body temperature, transmitter release, mineral homeostasis, chemical sensing, and survival mechanisms in a challenging environment.
Tropical Forest Ecology and Management for the Anthropocene
This Special Issue looks forward as well as backward to best analyze the forest conservation challenges of the Caribbean. This is made possible by 75 years of research and applications by the United States Department of Agriculture, International Institute of Tropical Forestry (the Institute) of Puerto Rico. It transforms Holocene-based scientific paradigms of the tropics into Anthropocene applications and outlooks of wilderness, managed forests, and urban environments.
The Special Issue on Tribology and Surface Engineering includes nine research articles and one review article. It concerns a very important problem of resistance to wear and shaping the properties of the surface layers of different materials by different methods and technologies. The topics of the presented research articles include reactive direct current magnetron sputtering of silicon nitrides on implants, laser surface modification of aeroengine turbine blades, laser micro-texturing of titanium alloy to increase the tribological characteristics, electroplating of Cu–Sn composite coatings incorporated with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and TiO2 particles, arc spraying of self-lubricous coatings, high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying and gas nitriding of stainless steel coatings, HVOF spraying composite WC-Co coatings, testing of coatings deposited by physical vapour deposition (PVD), and also analysis of material removal and surface creation in wood sanding. The special issue provides valuable knowledge based on theoretical and empirical study in the field of coating technologies, as well as characterization of coatings, and wear phenomena.
Tribological Performance of Artificial Joints
Joint replacement is a very successful medical treatment. However, the survivorship of the implants could be adversely affected due to the loss of materials in the form of particles or ions as the bearing surfaces articulate against earch other. The consequent tissue and immune response to the wear products, remain one of the key factors of their failure. Tribology has been defined as the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion and all related wear products (e.g., particles, ions, etc.).
Trends in Microextraction Techniques for Sample Preparation
Micro-extraction techniques in sample preparation are gaining interest among analytical chemists as they comply with green analytical chemistry demands and ensure environmental protection and public safety. Savings in cost and time are considered as valuable benefits by using novel micro-extraction approaches in sample handling. Selectivity, sensitivity and lower detection limits are also included among the performance characteristics required to meet the legislation criteria. The target of this special issue is to present the state of art in microextraction sample preparation techniques.
Trends in Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation Processes
This book gives an overview of the state of the art in Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation research for the treatment of industrial and urban wastewaters and provides novel solutions to overcome the current challenges of this technology. These solutions include tailoring of the catalysts to exploit the use of additional energy sources and oxidants. The collected papers illustrate the high versatility of this low-cost technology, easily adaptable to any kind of wastewater, either polluted by high-loaded recalcitrant organics in industrial wastewaters or by emerging pollutants at microconcentration levels in urban waters.
Quintanilla, Asuncion --- Munoz, Macarena
This collection of papers describes the recent development of travel health and vaccination services delivered by pharmacists. It is the first dedicated collection of its type and provides a template for the continued growth of pharmacy practice in this area. The articles examine and report on aspects of such services in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and South Africa, which will provide useful insight for those in other countries developing such pharmacy-based services.
Transport of Fluids in Nanoporous Materials
Fluid transport in narrow pores is central to the design and optimization of nanoporous materials in industrial applications, such as catalysis, nanofluids, electrochemical batteries, and membrane separation. However, due to the strong potential field in nanopores, conventional models and methods have become inadequate for predicting the transport behavior of molecules confined in the pore space. In addition, the inherent complexity of the pore structure in nanomaterials requires consideration of local or nanoscale transport at the single pore level, and averaging over the macroscale, which further impedes the application and validation of the formulated mechanical models
Suresh K. Bhatia (Ed.) --- David Nicholson (Ed.) --- Xuechao Gao (Ed.) --- Guozhao Ji (Ed.)
Transmucosal Absorption Enhancers in the Drug Delivery Field
Development of strategies to assist the movement of poorly permeable molecules across biological barriers has long been the goal of drug delivery science. In the last three decades, there has been an exponential increase in advanced drug delivery systems that aim to address this issue. However, most proprietary delivery technologies that have progressed to clinical development are based on permeation enhancers (PEs) that have a history of safe use in man. This Special Issue entitled “Transmucosal Absorption Enhancers in the Drug Delivery Field” aims to present the current state-of-the-art in the application of PEs to improve drug absorption.
Casettari, Luca --- Maher, Sam --- Illum, Lisbeth
Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Channels in Drug Discovery: Old Concepts & New Thoughts
The year 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the molecular cloning of the long sought-after capsaicin receptor, now known as TRPV1 (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1). This seminal discovery has opened up a “hot” new field of basic research and launched drug discovery efforts into the large family (by the latest count, 28 mammalian members and 27 in humans) of TRP ion channels. Indeed, it took less than a decade for the first potent, small molecule TRPV1 antagonists to enter phase 1 clinical trials, closely followed by TRPA1 and TRPM8 antagonists. The literature on TRP channels is immense. TRPV1 alone is a keyword in over 5000 publications searchable in PubMed.
Arpad Szallasi (Ed.) --- Susan M. Huang (Ed.)
Statistical relationships among the variables of a complex system reveal a lot about its physical behavior. Therefore, identification of the relevant variables and characterization of their interactions are crucial for a better understanding of a complex system. Linear methods, such as correlation, are widely used to identify these relationships. However, information-theoretic quantities, such as mutual information and transfer entropy, have been proven to be superior in the case of nonlinear dependencies.
Transcultural Literary Studies: Politics, Theory, and Literary Analysis
Witnessing the rise of nationalism, nativism, and xenophobia in many countries, theories of transculturalism arose, in part, out of the concern that multi- and intercultural identity models have not set themselves sufficiently apart from their own culturalist baggage, thus leaving their doors open to strong nationalistic and ethnocentric orientations. But how can we—how can literature—imagine transcultural communities?
Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Seismic Design
This special issue collects selected papers about a wide range of innovative applications in earthquake engineering. These studies were presented during the 2nd Edition of the International Workshop “Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Seismic Engineering”, held in Pisa in March 2017. The topics refer to the investigation of traditional and innovative materials for earthquake engineering applications: masonry, reinforced concrete, steel, structural glass and timber. In particular, advanced analytical and numerical analyses are described for considering effects of strength and material irregularities and rocking behavior under seismic excitations on historic buildings and industrial facilities
Linda Giresini (ed.) --- Francesca Taddei
Toxins in Drug Discovery and Pharmacology
Venoms from marine and terrestrial animals (cone snails, scorpions, spiders, snakes, centipedes, cnidarian, etc.) can be seen as untapped cocktails of biologically active compounds that are being increasingly recognized as a new emerging source of peptide-based therapeutics. Venomous animals are considered to be specialized predators that have evolved the most sophisticated peptide chemistry and neuropharmacology for their own biological purposes by producing venoms that contain a structural and functional diversity of neurotoxins.
Towards Sustainable Global Food Systems. Conceptual and Policy Analysis of Agriculture, Food and Environment Linkages
One of the major knowledge challenges in the domain of Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems refers to the integration of perspectives on consumption, patterns that support public health, inclusive value chains, and environmentally sustainable food production. While there is a long record of the analysis of separate interventions, this special issue generates integrated insights, provides cross-cutting perspectives, and outlines practical and policy solutions that address these global challenges.<false,>
Towards Excellence in Engineering Education
Acquiring knowledge is a life-long process; we constantly need to keep abreast of developments and progress in science and other disciplines. Embracing a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) means practicing constant self-reflection, involving evaluation of the academic career and the ways in which strategies are designed to examine, interpret, and share learning about teaching. This practice not only yields benefits to the lecturer but also enriches the scholarly community in the discipline.
Toward a Sustainable Agriculture: Farming Practices and Water Use
Globally, the agri-food sector has a major role to play in ensuring food security and economic development, especially for lower income countries. In the increasingly demanding context of environmental risk, exacerbated by climate change, and of environmental degradation, agricultural producers are faced with the challenge to meet the demand of the agri-food sector to feed growing populations in a sustainable manner while still trying to make ends meet. Toward a Sustainable Agriculture: Farming Practices and Water Use
This book collected studies focused on the management of tourist destinations. Destinations are complex and adaptive systems, where the different elements that make them up have to be oriented towards achieving a common objective that improves the competitiveness of the destination. Five main lines of research on tourist destinations can be established: 1) the management, planning, and marketing of destinations, with special attention to the tourism supply chain, communication, and integral management; 2) the sustainability of resources and capabilities; 3) the renewal of destinations in order to update their offer and main resources to maintain competitiveness; 4) online reputation and communication through social media in order to create and enhance a strong brand image and customer loyalty; and 5) the application of new technologies in order to develop smart destinations.
Rodríguez-Díaz, Manuel --- Espino-Rodríguez, Tomás F.
Although the seminal work of Fujishima et al. dates back to 1971, TiO2 still remains the most diffused and studied semiconductor, employed in photo-oxidation processes for cleantech (i.e., polluted water and air treatment), in solar fuel production (mainly hydrogen production by water photo splitting), and in Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) processes by CO2 photoreduction. The eleven articles, among them three reviews, in this book cover recent results and research trends of various aspects of titanium dioxide photocatalysis, with the chief aim of improving the final efficiency of TiO2-based materials.
Dal Santo, Vladimiro --- Naldoni, Alberto
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Nanomedicine
This book focus on the most recent advances related to the design and processing methods of different nanobiomaterials, films, and fibers; surface functionalization strategies, including biological performance assessment and cytocompatibility; and their applications in tissue engineering strategies
Oliveira, Joaquim Miguel --- Reis, Rui L.
Thin Films for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage
Efficient clean energy harvesting, conversion, and storage technologies are of immense importance for the sustainable development of human society. To this end, scientists have made significant advances in recent years regarding new materials and devices for improving the energy conversion efficiency for photovoltaics, thermoelectric generation, photoelectrochemical/electrolytic hydrogen generation, and rechargeable metal ion batteries.
Chen, Zhong --- Tang, Yuxin --- Zhao, Xin
Interest in the study of life in hot environments, both with respect to the inhabiting microorganisms and the enzymes they produce, is currently very high. The biological mechanisms responsible for the resistance to high temperatures are not yet fully understood, whereas thermostability is a highly required feature for industrial applications. In this e-book, the invited authors provide diverse evidence contributing to the understanding of such mechanisms and the unlocking of the biotechnological potential of thermophiles and thermozymes.
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Small Systems
A challenging frontier in modern statistical physics concerns systems with a small number of degrees of freedom, far from the thermodynamic limit. Beyond the general interest in the foundation of statistical mechanics, the relevance of this subject is due to the recent increase of resolution in the observation and manipulation of biological and man-made objects at micro- and nano-scales. A peculiar feature of small systems is the role played by fluctuations, which cannot be neglected and are responsible for many non-trivial behaviors. The study of fluctuations of thermodynamic quantities, such as energy or entropy, goes back to Einstein, Onsager, and Kubo; more recently, interest in this matter has grown with the establishment of new fluctuation–dissipation relations, and of so-called stochastic thermodynamics.
Andrea Puglisi (Ed.) --- Alessandro Sarracino (Ed.) --- Angelo Vulpiani (Ed.)
Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour of Structural Lightweight Alloys
The need to reduce the ecological footprint of water/land/air vehicles in this era of climate change requires pushing the limits regarding the development of lightweight structures and materials. This requires a thorough understanding of their thermomechanical behavior at several stages of the production chain. Moreover, during service, the response of lightweight alloys under the simultaneous influence of mechanical loads and temperature can determine the lifetime and performance of a multitude of structural components.
Thermal and Electro-thermal System Simulation
With increasing power levels and power densities in electronics systems, thermal issues are becoming more and more critical. The elevated temperatures result in changing electrical system parameters, changing the operation of devices, and sometimes even the destruction of devices. To prevent this, the thermal behavior has to be considered in the design phase. This can be done with thermal end electro-thermal design and simulation tools
Teenage Reproductive Health: Pregnancy, Contraception, Unsafe Abortion, Fertility
Maternal mortality is still globally high and reducing it is a top priority. Teenage pregnancies have more complications and are also unwanted in many cases. This contributes to the high maternal mortality with both obstetric complications and burden of unsafe abortion. Additionally, many teenagers live in areas with heavy pollution that affects the mother and the unborn child. Global public health is a very important issue that aims to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote physical, mental and social well-being.
Teaching Methods in Science Subjects Promoting Sustainability
In this book, conventional and new methods through which sustainability can be promoted in mathematics and science subjects are described and discussed. The aim of the book is to support teachers and teacher educators in their work, and to create a multi-sided view on sustainability, and on education for sustainable development. Curriculums and teaching approaches for the implementation of sustainability in schools and universities, especially in teacher education, are discussed. The pedagocical studies presented give useful examples of how sustainability can be included in mathematics, physics and biology education.
Tea, made from the leaves of the Camellia senenisis plant, is the second most consumed beverage worldwide after water. Accumulating evidence from cellular, animal, epidemiological and clinical studies have linked tea consumption to various health benefits, such as chemoprevention of cancers, chronic inflammation, heart and liver diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. Although such health benefits have not been consistently observed in some intervention trials, positive results from clinical trials have provided direct evidence supporting the cancer-protective effect of green tea.
Systems Education for a Sustainable Planet
The issues facing humanity have become increasingly complex due to the fact they are embedded in a global web of ecological, economic, social, cultural and political processes that are dynamically interlinked. The capacity to conceptualise and redesign solutions, in systems and sustainability terms, will increasingly be what society and employers expect. This “expectation” is globally one of the biggest challenges for education. This Special Issue highlights key developments in the area of systems education and how some of the many challenges are currently being addressed.
Ockie Bosch (Ed.) --- Robert Y. Cavana (Ed.)
Dear Colleagues, Synthetic biology is a broad and emerging discipline that capitalizes on recent advances in molecular biology, genetics, protein and RNA engineering and omics technologies. These technologies have transformed our ability to reveal the biology of the cell and the molecular basis of disease.
Synthesis and Applications of New Spin Crossover Compounds
The crystal chemistry of spin crossover (SCO) behavior in coordination compounds can potentially be in association with smart materials—promising materials for applications as components of memory devices, displays, sensors and mechanical devices and, especially, actuators, such as artificial muscles. This Special Issue is devoted to various aspects of SCO and related research, comprising 18 interesting original papers on valuable and important SCO topics
Prototypical quantum optics models, such as the Jaynes–Cummings, Rabi, Tavis–Cummings, and Dicke models, are commonly analyzed with diverse techniques, including analytical exact solutions, mean-field theory, exact diagonalization, and so on. Analysis of these systems strongly depends on their symmetries, ranging, e.g., from a U(1) group in the Jaynes–Cummings model to a Z2 symmetry in the full-fledged quantum Rabi model. In recent years, novel regimes of light–matter interactions, namely, the ultrastrong and deep-strong coupling regimes, have been attracting an increasing amount of interest
This book contains the successful invited submissions to a Special Issue of Symmetry on the subject of ""Graph Theory"". Although symmetry has always played an important role in Graph Theory, in recent years, this role has increased significantly in several branches of this field, including but not limited to Gromov hyperbolic graphs, the metric dimension of graphs, domination theory, and topological indices.
This book presents interesting samples of theoretical and practical advances of symmetry in multidisciplinary engineering applications. It covers several applications, such as accessibility and traffic congestion management, path planning for mobile robots, analysis of shipment service networks, fault diagnosis methods in electrical circuits and electrical machines, geometrical issues in architecture, geometric modeling and virtual reconstruction, design of noise detectors, filters, and segmentation methods for image processing, and cyclic symmetric structures in turbomachinery applications, to name but a few.
Montoya, Francisco G. --- Baños Navarro, Raúl
Sustainable Tourism and Natural Resource Conservation in the Polar Regions
In total, 40 papers were presented at the conference which explored how expectations towards tourism development in peripheral places can be managed to contribute to the cultural well-being of peripheral communities and enhance the protection of the environment. The seven papers contained herein, in addition to the editorial, can roughly be grouped into two categories. The first set of four papers deals with methods and key assets for developing sustainable tourism operations in the Polar Regions. The second set of three papers deals more with the implications of different means of access to the more remote parts of the Polar Regions.
Machiel Lamers (Ed.) --- Edward Huijbens (Ed.)
Human development has made remarkable social and economic progress possible for most of us but has also entailed a range of serious impacts on natural resources, local communities and the economy at multiple scales. Thus, achieving sustainable territorial management that combines healthy and prosperous societies with the long-term maintenance of biodiversity and productive ecosystem services remains the biggest challenge of our modern world. This Special Issue seeks to collect a coherent set of studies on techniques and experiences (case studies) aimed at increasing the environmental, social, economic &/or institutional sustainability of landscapes and seascapes from a range of geographic and socioeconomic contexts.
David Rodr´ıguez-Rodr´ıguez (Ed.) --- Javier Mart´ınez-Vega (Ed.)
The concept of sustainability is important for companies both in the case of SMEs and worldwide multinational companies. Some key factors to help a company achieve its sustainability objectives are based on human resource management. Sustainable human resource management is a typical cross-functional task that becomes increasingly important at the strategic level of a company. Industry 4.0 technologies, Internet of Things, and competitive demands, as signs of globalization, have led to significant changes across the organizational structures and human resource strategies of companies.
This Special Issue of Sustainability reports on recent research aiming to make the freight transport sector more sustainable. The sector faces significant challenges in different domains of sustainability, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the management of health and safety impacts. In particular, the intention to decarbonise the sector’s activities has led to a strong increase in research efforts—this is also the main focus of the Special Issue. Sustainable freight transport operations represent a significant challenge with multiple technical, operational, and political aspects.
Within the framework of tourism companies and tourist destinations, the question of sustainability is gaining importance. Tourists are increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability criteria, awarding greater value to sustainable destinations. Sustainability refers to a wide range of aspects related to climate change, the economic organization of tourism, social values or questions, job creation, and the necessary protection of the culture of destinations and the environment. Therefore, there is a need for studies that consider these aspects in order to achieve the sustainable development of tourist destinations.
The dynamically changing world economy, in an era of intensive development and globalization, creates new needs in both the theoretical models of management and in the practical discussion related to the perception of business. Because of new economic phenomena related to the crisis, there is a need for the design and operationalization of innovative business models for companies. Due to the fact that in times of crisis, the principles of strategic balance are particularly important; these business models can be sustainable business models.
The dynamically changing world economy, in an era of intensive development and globalization, creates new needs in both the theoretical models of management and in the practical discussion related to the perception of business. Because of new economic phenomena related to the crisis, there is a need for the design and operationalization of innovative business models for companies. Due to the fact that in times of crisis, the principles of strategic balance are particularly important; these business models can be sustainable business models. Moreover, it is essential to skillfully use different methods and concepts of management to ensure the continuity of business.
Sustainable Agriculture–Beyond Organic Farming
The current conception of organic farming is the result of nearly a century of intellectual thought and dialogue, field observations and experiences, systematic experimentation, and codification of rules. Debates on the future viability of organic farming often focus on its capacity to produce sufficient food to meet the demands of a growing human population. Yet any thorough examination of the pros and cons of alternative farming approaches should consider much more—for example the side effects on soil, water and air; energy and land-use efficiency; global warming potential; conservation of biodiversity; waste generation and recycling; farmer and community well-being; animal welfare; and the capacity to function and meet demands long into the future.
Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change
Sustainability covers environmental, social and economic dimensions, and requires a multi-disciplinary approach in order to examine, explore and critically engage with issues and advances in its related areas. As we are aware, climate change is a certainty and it affects many economic sectors, including agriculture, particularly production of crop and livestock enterprises. Vast regional differences in these impacts are expected for various parts of the world, culminating in changes in trade patterns, and perhaps eventually even threatening the food security in certain parts of the world
Sustainability through the Lens of Environmental Sociology
Our planet is undergoing radical environmental and social changes. Sustainability has now been put into question by, for example, our consumption patterns, loss of biodiversity, depletion of resources, and exploitative power relations. With apparent ecological and social limits to globalization and development, current levels of consumption are unsustainable, inequitable, and inaccessible to the majority of humans. Understanding and attaining sustainability is a crucial matter at a time when our planet is in peril—environmentally, economically, socially, and politically.
Sustainability in Construction Engineering
The concept of sustainability has been expanding to all areas of economic activity, including construction. The Special Issue “Sustainability in Construction Engineering” provided a possibility for researchers to disseminate their new ideas and findings related to sustainable decisions in construction engineering as a complex discipline that involves designing, planning, construction and management of infrastructures. The topics raised interest of researchers all over the world and the current Special Issue received a great number of submissions from different institutions, countries and continents.
Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas (Ed.) --- Jonas Šaparauskas (Ed.) --- Jurgita Antuchevičienė (Ed.)
Surface Modification to Improve Properties of Materials
This book contains selected contributions on surface modification to improve the properties of solid materials. The surface properties are tailored either by functionalization, etching, or deposition of a thin coating. Functionalization is achieved by a brief treatment with non-equilibrium gaseous plasma containing suitable radicals that interact chemically with the material surface and thus enable the formation of rather stable functional groups. Etching is performed in order to modify the surface morphology.
The present printed edition of the Special Issue “Surface Chemistry and Catalysis” published in Catalysts aims to cover some of the recent advances in the field of heterogeneous catalysis that can be obtained by means of advanced characterization techniques, computational calculations and time-resolved methods, with particular emphasis on structure–activity relationships (SARs). It consists of 14 high-quality theoretical and experimental studies on various aspects on catalysis, involving the electrochemical promotion in catalysis, H2O dissociation, H2 production, Fisher–Tropsch synthesis, CO oxidation, among others.
Structure, Chemical Analysis, Biosynthesis, Metabolism, Molecular Engineering and Biological Functions of Phytoalexins
Ever since the concept of phytoalexins was proposed by Müller and Borger in 1940, these compounds have attracted considerable attention due to the central role they play in the defense mechanisms of various plants. Besides displaying antifungal activity in numerous plant–pathogen interactions, phytoalexins have been implicated in human health and disease as antioxidant, anticancer and cardioprotective agents as well as being supposed to act positively in neurodegenerative illnesses.
Structure and Mechanical Properties of Transition Group Metals, Alloys, and Intermetallic Compounds
The aim of this Special Issue is to present the latest theoretical and experimental achievements concerning the mechanisms of microstructural change in metallic materials subject to different processing methods, and their effect on mechanical properties. It is my pleasure to present a series of compelling scientific papers written by scientists from the community of transition group metals, alloys, and intermetallic compounds.
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of Civil Structures
Deficiencies in these areas may be remediated by advancements in structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies that provide sensing systems to automatically and economically diagnose structural integrity. In a sense, SHM technologies will help pave the way to intelligent structures that are able to detect damage by themselves and even warn occupants of any danger due to impending structural failure. Engineering sensors and developing smart algorithms for SHM often involves the close collaboration of a surprisingly large breadth of specialties.
Gangbing Song (Ed.) --- Chuji Wang (Ed.) --- Bo Wang (Ed.)
Structural Design and Properties of Coordination Polymers
The assembly of organic ligands and metal centres yields coordination polymers, many of which find applications in conductivity, catalysis, magnetism, gas sorption, biological sensing and luminescence. The structure and topology of coordination polymers may be manipulated by changing the reaction conditions, leading to a large variety of structurally and topologically unique products. However, controlling and predicting the final outcome of the self-assembly procedure remains one of the major challenges in the field.
Structural Control of Mineral Deposits. Theory and Reality
Structural Control"" remains a crucial point that frequently lacks in any scientific and/or economic analysis of ore deposits, whatever their type and class. The case of lode deposits is exemplary, although also other deposits, like breccia pipe, stockwerk, massive sulphides, skarn, etc., can, surprisingly, be concerned. Several concepts like the gold-bearing shear zone have not proven valid during the last few decades in terms of our understanding of gold deposit and have been totally abandoned.
Stochastic Processes: Theory and Applications
The aim of this special issue is to publish original research papers that cover recent advances in the theory and application of stochastic processes. There is especial focus on applications of stochastic processes as models of dynamic phenomena in various research areas, such as queuing theory, physics, biology, economics, medicine, reliability theory, and financial mathematics. Potential topics include, but are not limited
Zeifman, Alexander --- Korolev, Victor --- Sipin, Alexander
Statistical Analysis and Stochastic Modelling of Hydrological Extremes
Hydrological extremes have become a major concern because of their devastating consequences and their increased risk as a result of climate change and the growing concentration of people and infrastructure in high-risk zones. The analysis of hydrological extremes is challenging due to their rarity and small sample size, and the interconnections between different types of extremes and becomes further complicated by the untrustworthy representation of meso-scale processes involved in extreme events by coarse spatial and temporal scale models as well as biased or missing observations due to technical difficulties during extreme conditions
Special Functions: Fractional Calculus and the Pathway for Entropy
This book deals with the connection between entropy, probability, and fractional dynamics as they appeared, for example, in solar neutrino astrophysics since the 1970's (Mathai and Rathie 1975, Mathai and Pederzoli 1977, Mathai and Saxena 1978, Mathai, Saxena, and Haubold 2010). The original solar neutrino problem, experimentally and theoretically, was resolved through the discovery of neutrino oscillations and was recently enriched by neutrino entanglement entropy. To reconsider possible new physics of solar neutrinos, diffusion entropy analysis, utilizing Boltzmann entropy, and standard deviation analysis was undertaken with Super-Kamiokande solar neutrino data.
Solid State Lasers Materials, Technologies and Applications
Solid-state lasers offer unique qualities in terms of flexibility, robustness, efficiency, and wavelength diversity. For these reasons, they are nowadays irreplaceable tools in many scientific and industrial applications. The engineering of new materials, the advances in photonics technologies, and the increasing demand for speed, cleanliness, and high-precision in industrial processes contribute to propel the research in this exciting and quickly developing field
Solar Radiation, Modelling and Remote Sensing
Accurate solar radiation knowledge and its characterization on the Earth’s surface are of high interest in many aspects of environmental and engineering sciences. Modeling of solar irradiance from satellite imagery has become the most widely used method for retrieving solar irradiance information under total sky conditions, particularly in the solar energy community. Solar radiation modeling, forecasting, and characterization continue to be broad areas of study, research, and development in the scientific community. This Special Issue contains a small sample of the current activities in this field.
Solar Energy Applications in Houses, Smart Cities and Microgrids
Five papers were selected for this Special Issue, with three relating to solar energy applications in houses, smart cities, and microgrids; one studying the relationship between the smart city model and the concept of energy sustainability; and one addressing the following two topics: the lack of effectiveness of detection algorithms based on the voltage/frequency displacement concept under voltage-controlled inverters and the applicability limits of others based on the impedance measurement (IM).
Sol-Gel Chemistry Applied to Materials Science
Sol–gel technology is a contemporary advancement in science that requires taking a multidisciplinary approach with regard to its various applications. This book highlights some applications of the sol–gel technology, including protective coatings, catalysts, piezoelectric devices, wave guides, lenses, high-strength ceramics, superconductors, synthesis of nanoparticles, and insulating materials. In particular, for biotechnological applications, biomolecules or the incorporation of bioactive substances into the sol–gel matrix has been extensively studied and has been a challenge for many researchers.
Soil Water Conservation. Dynamics and Impact
Human needs like food and clean water are directly related to good maintenance of healthy and productive soils. A good understanding of human impact on the natural environment is therefore necessary to preserve and manage soil and water resources. This knowledge is particularly important in semi-arid and arid regions, where the increasing demands on limited water supplies require urgent efforts to improve water quality and water use efficiency. It is important to keep in mind that both soil and water are limited resources.
Keesstra, Saskia --- Di Prima, Simone --- Castellini, Mirko --- Pirastru, Mario
With the advent of disruptive digital technologies, companies are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Advanced manufacturing systems are of paramount importance in making key enabling technologies and new products more competitive, affordable, and accessible, as well as for fostering their economic and social impact. The manufacturing industry also serves as an innovator for sustainability since automation coupled with advanced manufacturing technologies have helped manufacturing practices transition into the circular economy
Smart Textiles Production: Overview of Materials, Sensor and Production Technologies for Industrial Smart Textiles
The research field of smart textiles is currently witnessing a rapidly growing number of applications integrating intelligent functions in textile substrates. With an increasing amount of new developed product prototypes, the number of materials used and that of specially designed production technologies are also growing. This book is intended to provide an overview of materials, production technologies, and product concepts to different groups concerned with smart textiles. It will help designers to understand the possibilities of smart textile production, so that they are enabled to design this type of products
Inga Gehrke, Vadim Tenner, Volker Lutz, David Schmelzeisen and Thomas Gries
Smart Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring
Smart sensors are technologies designed to facilitate the monitoring operations. For instance, power consumption can be minimized through on-board processing and smart interrogation algorithms, and state detection enhanced through collaboration between sensor nodes. Applied to structural health monitoring, smart sensors are key enablers of sparse and dense sensor networks capable of monitoring full-scale structures and components. They are also critical in empowering operators with decision making capabilities.
Ubertini, Filippo --- Laflamme, Simon --- Li, Jian
Smart machines, Remote Sensing, Precision Farming, Processes, Mechatronic, Materials and Policies for Safety and Health Aspects
The introduction of "smart machines" for agricultural operations will allow several advantages, such as an increase in their efficiencies, a reduction in environmental impacts and a reduction of work injuries. There are partially- and fully-automatic devices for most aspects of agricultural functions, from seeding and planting to harvesting and postharvesting, from spraying to livestock management, and so on The objectives of this book are: study of man–machine dialogue systems; analysis on towed or carried machines: forestry chippers, manure spreaders, round balers and others; safety and health management system design and engineering
Andrea Colantoni (Ed.) --- Danilo Monarca (Ed.) --- Massimo Cecchini (Ed.) --- Vincenzo Laurendi (Ed.) --- et al.
Smart and Functional Polymers”. The collected research and review articles focus on the synthesis and characterization of advanced functional polymers, polymers with specific structures and performances, current improvements in advanced polymer-based materials for various applications, and the opportunities and challenges in the future. The topics cover the emerging synthesis and characterization technology of smart polymers, core?shell structure polymers, stimuli-responsive polymers, anhydrous electrorheological materials fabricated from conducting polymers, reversible polymerization systems, and biomedical polymers for drug delivery and disease theranostics.
Ding, Jianxun --- Li, Yang --- Li, Mingqiang
Silicon-Based Nanomaterials: Technology and Applications
Silicon has been proven to be remarkably resilient as a commercial electronic material. The microelectronics industry has harnessed nanotechnology to continually push the performance limits of silicon devices and integrated circuits. Rather than shrinking its market share, silicon is displacing “competitor” semiconductors in domains such as high-frequency electronics and integrated photonics. There are strong business drivers underlying these trends; however, an important contribution is also being made by research groups worldwide, who are developing new configurations, designs, and applications of silicon-based nanoscale and nanostructured materials.
Short-Term Load Forecasting by Artificial Intelligent Technologies
In last few decades, short-term load forecasting (STLF) has been one of the most important research issues for achieving higher efficiency and reliability in power system operation, to facilitate the minimization of its operation cost by providing accurate input to day-ahead scheduling, contingency analysis, load flow analysis, planning, and maintenance of power systems. There are lots of forecasting models proposed for STLF, including traditional statistical models (such as ARIMA, SARIMA, ARMAX, multi-variate regression, Kalman filter, exponential smoothing, and so on) and artificial-intelligence-based models (such as artificial neural networks (ANNs), knowledge-based expert systems, fuzzy theory and fuzzy inference systems, evolutionary computation models, support vector regression, and so on).
Wei-Chiang Hong (Ed.) --- Ming-Wei Li (Ed.) --- Guo-Feng Fan (Ed.)
Short Rotation Woody Crop Production Systems for Ecosystem Services and Phytotechnologies
While international efforts in the development of short rotation woody crops (SRWCs) have historically focused on the production of biomass for bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts, research and deployment over the past decade has expanded to include broader objectives of achieving multiple ecosystem services. In particular, silvicultural prescriptions developed for SRWCs have been refined to include woody crop production systems for environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration, water quality and quantity, and soil health.
Zalesny, Jr., Ronald S. --- Headlee, William L. --- Soolanayakanahally, Raju --- Richardson, Jim
The sharing economy and collaborative consumption are attracting a great deal of interest due to their business, legal and civic implications. The consequences of the spreading of practices of sharing in urban environments and under daily dynamics are underexplored. This Special Issue aims to address if and how sharing shapes cities, the way that spaces are designed and lived in if social interactions are escalated, and the ways that habits and routines take place in post-individualistic society.
Salvia, Giuseppe --- Morello, Eugenio --- Arcidiacono, Andrea
Agriculture requires technical solutions for increasing production while lessening environmental impact by reducing the application of agro-chemicals and increasing the use of environmentally friendly management practices. A benefit of this is the reduction of production costs. Sensor technologies produce tools to achieve the abovementioned goals. The explosive technological advances and developments in recent years have enormously facilitated the attainment of these objectives, removing many barriers for their implementation, including the reservations expressed by farmers.
Selected Problems in Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer
Fluid flow and heat transfer processes play an important role in many areas of science and engineering, from the planetary scale (e.g., influencing weather and climate) to the microscopic scales of enhancing heat transfer by the use of nanofluids; understood in the broadest possible sense, they also underpin the performance of many energy systems. This topical Special Issue of Energies is dedicated to the recent advances in this very broad field.
The interface of 440,000 km long coastline in the world is subject to global change, with an increasing human pressure (land use, buildings, sand mining, dredging) and increasing population. Improving our knowledge on involved mechanisms and sediment transport processes, monitoring the evolution of sedimentary stocks and anticipating changes in littoral and coastal zones is essential for this purpose.
Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks
Currently, at the dawn of 5G networks, and the era of the Internet-of-Things, wireless and mobile networking is becoming increasingly ubiquitous. In this landscape, security and privacy turn into decisive factors. That is, the mobile and wireless ecosystem is an ideal playground for many perpetrators: (a) handheld devices are used for critical tasks, such as e-commerce, bank transactions, payments, application purchases, as well as social interaction; (b) such devices uniquely identify their users and store sensitive and detailed information about them; and (c) despite all their sophistication, native security mechanisms of mobile operating systems can be bypassed, and several wireless interfaces and protocols have been proven to be vulnerable to attack.
Georgios Kambourakis (Ed.) --- Félix Gómez Mármol (Ed.) --- Guojun Wang (Ed.)
Sea Surface Roughness Observed by High Resolution Radar
Changes in sea surface roughness are usually associated with a change in the sea surface wind field. This interaction has been exploited to measure sea surface wind speed by scatterometry. A number of features on the sea surface associated with changes in roughness can be observed by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) because of the change in Bragg backscatter of the radar signal by damping of the resonant ocean capillary waves.
Fujimura, Atsushi --- Lehner, Susanne --- Soloviev, Alex --- Li, Xiaofeng
Satellite altimetry is a radar technique for measuring the topography of the Earth’s surface. It was initially designed for measuring the ocean’s topography, with reference to an ellipsoid, and for the determination of the marine geoid. Satellite altimetry has provided extremely valuable information on ocean science (e.g., circulation surface geostrophic currents, eddy structures, wave heights, and the propagation of oceanic Kelvin and Rossby waves). With more than 25 years of observations, it is also becoming vital to climate research, providing accurate measurements of sea level variations from regional to global scales
Frappart, Frédéric --- Andersen, Ole --- Lebedev, Sergey --- Ramillien, Guillaume
The safety and microbiological quality of fermented foods covers complementary aspects of such products. Food fermentation is primary intended to improve food preservation, thereby modifying food properties. However, the management of chemical and microbiological hazards is a leading aspect for innovative processing in this domain. Similarly, microbiological quality in fermented foods is of peculiar importance: all microorganisms with a positive effect, including probiotic bacteria, fermentative bacteria, Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts, can be relevant.
Roles of NF-κB in Cancer and Their Therapeutic Approaches
Although mortality rates have declined in recent years, the majority of cancers are still difficult to treat and the medical need for better cancer treatment is evident. The current anticancer armamentarium includes many active agents that are applied across tumor types. However, most of these broadly-active anticancer drugs have a small therapeutic index and barely discriminate between malignant and normal cells. In recent years the focus has shifted to the development of rationally designed, molecularly-targeted therapy for the treatment of a specific cancer, therefore offering the promise of greater specificity coupled with reduced systemic toxicity.
The Role of Pregnancy Nutrition in Maternal and Offspring Health
In pregnancy, maternal nutrition sustains and nourishes the developing child. Imbalances in either the direction of nutritional excess or deficiency can have adverse consequences for child health. In addition, more research now suggests that good pregnancy nutrition influences child health beyond pregnancy and delivery. This includes modifying the risk of child health outcomes as they enter childhood and adulthood through influences on placental development, hormonal pathways, and organ structure and function. Poor pregnancy nutrition may also compromise maternal health during pregnancy, which may have long-term consequences for women’s health.
Polyhedral Structures, Symmetry, and Applications
Symmetry is an intriguing phenomenon manifesting itself in art, nature, and the mind. This Special Issue book features 19 articles about discrete geometric and combinatorial polyhedral structures, with symmetry as the unifying theme. These articles present an attractive mix of topics and have appeared in two related Special Issues of Symmetry, on "Polyhedra" in 2012/2013 and on "Polyhedral Structures" in 2016/2017.
Polyamine Metabolism in Disease and Polyamine-Targeted Therapies
Polyamines are ubiquitous polycations essential for all cellular life. The most common polyamines in eukaryotes, spermine, spermidine, and putrescine, exist in millimolar intracellular concentrations that are tightly regulated through biosynthesis, catabolism, and transport. Polyamines interact with, and regulate, negatively charged macromolecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, and ion channels. Accordingly, alterations in polyamine metabolism affect cellular proliferation and survival through changes in gene expression and transcription, translation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and apoptosis
Polarimetric SAR Techniques and Applications
Polarimetry allows sensitivity to the structural and geometric properties of the scene, making it possible a more accurate identification and classification than non-polarimetric systems. Then, polarimetry makes possible new applications, especially in quantitative extraction of bio and geophysical variables. Also, the combination of polarimetry and interferometry allows also to explore the vertical structure of semi-transparent media, like crops and forests. SAR polarimetry is an active field of research in Earth observation. Besides the development of applications, researchers have also focused in theory or physical modelling to make SAR polarimetry an operational technique.
Carlos López-Martínez (Ed.) --- Juan Manuel Lopez-Sanchez (Ed.)
Plasmonics is a rapidly developing field that combines fundamental research and applications ranging from areas such as physics to engineering, chemistry, biology, medicine, food sciences, and the environmental sciences. Plasmonics appeared in the 1950s with the discovery of surface plasmon polaritons. Plasmonics then went through a novel propulsion in the mid-1970s, when surface-enhanced Raman scattering was discovered. Nevertheless, it is in this last decade that a very significant explosion of plasmonics and its applications has occurred. Thus, this book provides a snapshot of the current advances in these various areas of plasmonics and its applications, such as engineering, sensing, surface-enhanced fluorescence, catalysis, and photovoltaic devices.
Plasma Processes for Renewable Energy Technologies
The use of renewable energy is an effective solution for the prevention of global warming. On the other hand, environmental plasmas are one of powerful means to solve global environmental problems on nitrogen oxides, (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and carbon dioxides (CO2) in the atmosphere. By combining both technologies, we can develop an extremely effective environmental improvement technology. Based on this background, a Special Issue of the journal Energies on plasma processes for renewable energy technologies is planned.
Plasma Nanoengineering and Nanofabrication
With the recent advances in nanotechnology, plasma nanofabrication has become an exciting new niche because plasma-based approaches can deliver unique structures at the nanoscale that cannot be achieved by other techniques and/or in a more economical and environmentally friendly manner. Over the last decade, there have been exiting breakthroughs in the utilization of plasma processes in the fabrication of a rich diversity of nanomaterials and nanoengineered coatings. Examples include nanowires, nanotubes, nanoparticles, and nanotextured coatings. Some of these materials can simply not be derived by conventional means while many others have remarkable plasma-induced properties setting them apart from their traditional analogue.
Krasimir Vasilev (Ed.) --- Melanie Ramiasa (Ed.)
Plasma catalysis is gaining increasing interest for various gas conversion applications, such as CO2 conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels, N2 fixation for the synthesis of NH3 or NOx, methane conversion into higher hydrocarbons or oxygenates. It is also widely used for air pollution control (e.g., VOC
Plant Nutrient Dynamics in Stressful Environments
The papers included in this special issue cover a broad range of aspects ranging from genetics and breeding to crop production in the field. Climate change, intensified agriculture, modifications of land use, or pollution are often accompanied by larger fluctuations including extreme events. The growing world’s population and nutrient deficiencies in agricultural products for human or animal nutrition, or pollutants in harvested products in some regions (quality of yield), are important points to be integrated in a comprehensive analysis aimed at supporting agriculture on the way into a challenging future.
Urs Feller (Ed.) --- Stanislav Kopriva (Ed.) --- Valya Vassileva (Ed.)
Plants have served mankind as an important source of foods and medicines. While we all consume plants and their products for nutritional support, a majority of the world population also rely on botanical remedies to meet their health needs, either as their own “traditional medicine” or as “complementary and alternative medicine”. From a pharmaceutical point of view, many compounds obtained from plant sources have long been known to possess bio/pharmacological activities, and historically, plants have yielded many important drugs for human use, from morphine discovered in the early nineteenth century to the more recent paclitaxel and artemisinin.
Plant medicines are the original medicines that humans have always used. Many people continue to use plant medicines today including teas, coffee, chocolate, ginger, and other medicines. Traditional medicine is based on plant medicines and is the primary form of medicine for many people throughout the world. The current volume discusses traditional medicines and presents various plant medicines that could be tested in clinical trials. Modern medicine continues to use many drugs that are derived from plants. The current work has much to teach modern medicine about the treatment of several diseases.
Plant Genetics and Biotechnology in Biodiversity
Plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) have been collected and exchanged for centuries. The rapid development of novel tools for genetic and phenotypic analysis is changing the way we can uncover diversity and exploit its value in modern agriculture. The integration of novel analytical tools is crucial for translating research into much-needed, more efficient management and use of PGRFA. This Special Issue provides an overview of recent topics on plant genetics and biotechnology in biodiversity.
Rosa Rao (Ed.) --- Giandomenico Corrado (Ed.)
Currently, in the cosmetic industry, there is an increasing interest in natural extracts, particularly plant extracts. The inclusion of antioxidants in topical formulations may contribute to minimize skin oxidative stress, which has been associated with aging. Many herbal agents used in cosmetics have been selected by a process of ‘trial and error’ and, thus, are used on the basis of experience rather than of experimental investigation. Nevertheless, there is now a growing scientific evidence that plants possess a vast and complex arsenal of active ingredients able not only to calm or smooth but also to actively restore, heal, and protect the human skin.
Beatriz P.P. Oliveira (Ed.) --- Francisca Rodrigues (Ed.)
Planning, Development and Management of Sustainable Cities
The concept of ‘sustainable urban development’ has been pushed to the forefront of policymaking and politics as the world wakes up to the impacts of climate change and the destructive effects of the Anthropocene. Climate change has emerged to be one of the biggest challenges faced by our planet today, threatening both built and natural systems with long-term consequences, which may be irreversible. While there is a vast body of literature on sustainability and sustainable urban development, there is currently limited focus on how to cohesively bring together the vital issues of the planning, development, and management of sustainable cities.
Yigitcanlar, Tan --- Kamruzzaman, Md. (Liton)
Physiological Responses to Abiotic and Biotic Stress in Forest Trees
As sessile organisms, plants have to cope with a multitude of natural and anthropogenic forms of stress in their environment. Due to their longevity, this is of particular significance for trees. As a consequence, trees develop an orchestra of resilience and resistance mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stresses in order to support their growth and development in a constantly changing atmospheric and pedospheric environment.
Physical Metallurgy of High Manganese Steels
The Special Issue ‘Physical Metallurgy of High Manganese Steels’ addresses the highly fascinating class of manganese-alloyed steels with manganese contents well above 3 mass%. The book gathers manuscripts from internationally recognized researchers with stimulating new ideas and original results. It consists of fifteen original research papers. Seven contributions focus on steels with manganese contents above 12 mass%. These contributions cover fundamental aspects of process-microstrcuture-properties relationships with processes ranging from cold and warm rolling over deep rolling to heat treatment.
Optimisation Models and Methods in Energy Systems
Challenging problems arise in all segments of energy industries—generation, transmission, distribution and consumption. Optimization models and methods play a key role in offering decision/policy makers better information to assist them in making sounder decisions at different levels, ranging from operational to strategic planning.
Optics and Spectroscopy for Fluid Characterization
All over the world, there is a huge and ever-increasing interest in the development and application of optical and spectroscopic techniques to characterize fluids in engineering and science. The large number of review articles that are frequently published in these areas is evidence of this. Recent examples have focused on applications of optical diagnostics to gas phase environments, liquids, and multiphase systems. A key feature of such light-based methods is that they are usually non-intrusive, and hence they do not notably affect the system under investigation.
Open-source electronics are becoming very popular, and are integrated with our daily educational and developmental activities. At present, the use open-source electronics for teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become a global trend. Off-the-shelf embedded electronics such as Arduino- and Raspberry-compatible modules have been widely used for various applications, from do-it-yourself (DIY) to industrial projects. In addition to the growth of open-source software platforms, open-source electronics play an important role in narrowing the gap between prototyping and product development
Libraries are places of learning and knowledge creation. Over the last two decades, digital technology—and the changes that came with it—have accelerated this transformation to a point where evolution starts to become a revolution.The wider Open Science movement, and Open Access in particular, is one of these changes and is already having a profound impact. Under the subscription model, the role of libraries was to buy or license content on behalf of their users and then act as gatekeepers to regulate access on behalf of rights holders
The One Health concept recognizes that the health of humans, animals, and their ecosystems are interconnected, and that a coordinated, collaborative, multidisciplinary, and cross-sectoral approach is necessary to fully understand and respond to potential or existing risks that originate at the animal–human–ecosystems interfaces. Thus, the One Health concept represents a holistic vision for addressing some of the complex challenges that threaten human and animal health, food safety, and the environments in which diseases flourish.
Nutrition, Health and Athletic Performance
Optimal nutrition is fundamental for enhancing training, recovery and performance in sport. Therefore, research has aimed to determine the efficacy of appropriate intake of nutrients, fluids, and supplements and their role in exercise performance. The purpose of this Special Issue entitled “Nutrition, Health and Athletic Performance” is to highlight recent research examining aspects of sports nutrition and exercise performance. Manuscript submissions of original research, meta-analyses, or reviews of the scientific literature, which targets nutritional strategies to benefit performance and health, are welcome. Studies performed in humans are preferred given the applied nature of this issue.
Kelly Pritchett (Ed.) --- Enette Larson Meyer (Ed.)
Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is of considerable interest to women, their partners and their health care professionals. In developing countries, maternal undernutrition is a major concern. However, with the increased prevalence of abundant high calorie diets, their impact upon pregnancy outcome is of concern. In addition to the amount of nutrition available and its macronutrient composition within a diet, there is emerging evidence highlighting important roles for the lesser studied micronutrients.
Janna L. Morrison --- Timothy R.H. Regnault
Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is of considerable interest to women, their partners and their health care professionals. In developing countries, maternal undernutrition is a major concern. However, with the increased prevalence of abundant high calorie diets, their impact upon pregnancy outcome is of concern. In addition to the amount of nutrition available and its macronutrient composition within a diet, there is emerging evidence highlighting important roles for the lesser studied micronutrients. Added to this complexity is the distinction between maternal and fetal nutrition and the impact the placenta plays in nutrient metabolism and overall nutrient supply to the fetus.
Nutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
The purpose of this Special Issue “Nutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)” is to increase knowledge regarding the role of dietary composition and effects in IBD, describing the prevalence of malnutrition in IBD and the effect on clinical outcomes, discussing methods of nutrition risk screening and assessment in IBD, and reviewing mechanisms through which diet and dietary components may affect disease severity
Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation: Implications for Maternal and Infant Health
Pregnancy is a viewed as a window to future health. With the birth of the developmental origins of human adult disease hypothesis, research and clinical practice has turned its attention to the influence of maternal factors such as health and lifestyle surrounding pregnancy as a means to understand and prevent the inter-generational inheritance of chronic disease susceptibility. Outcomes during pregnancy have long-lasting impacts on both women on children.
Malnutrition in people with liver disease is a challenging issue due to its multifactorial nature, which includes hypermetabolism, increased energy needs, malabsorption, and anorexia. Despite advances in both assessment and management, correct nutritional support is still an often-unanswered need in the care of these patients to avoid poor outcomes. One of the central issues remains how to improve muscolar mass of sarcopenic chronically malnourished individuals with end stage liver diseases and cirrhosis, as only a correct nutritional assessment and subsequent nutritional handling may enhance quality of life and disease outcome.
Pietro Vajro (Ed.) --- Claudia Mandato (Ed.)
Blindness and visual impairment impact significantly on an individual’s physical and mental well-being. Loss of vision is a global health problem, with approximately 250 million of the world’s population currently living with vision loss, of which 36 million are classified as blind. Visual impairment is more frequent in the elderly, with cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) accounting for over 50% of cases globally.
Nutrition and Diet Factors in Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus has become a major public health burden. Approximately seven million people develop diabetes in both developed and developing countries every year, with the most dramatic increases occurring in Type 2 Diabetes. Especially alarming, is the rising incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in obese children before puberty.
Peter Pribis (Ed.) --- Hana Kahleova (Ed.)
The effects of nutrition in chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, and inflammatory bowel disease continue to generate interest among researchers. This stems from the fact that diet is a modifiable risk factor for these diseases, which manifest either as single entities or in co-morbid states in individuals and populations around the world. In particular, the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease is on the rise, especially in developed countries, but also in developing economies, partly due to lifestyle changes, including diet.
The development and treatment of cancer presents a complex interaction between tumor and host. Provision of nutrients not only enables the maintenance of nutritional status, but also provides substrates and signals for immunity, tumor metabolism and protection of the host from treatment toxicities. Fat is one dietary element that has been explored for its role in cancer development. While the bulk of these studies have been observational or experimental, the evidence assembled suggests that dietary lipids behave uniquely to prevent or promote cancers
The purpose of this Special Issue, “Nutrition and Allergic Diseases”, is to provide an overview of the role of nutrition in allergy. The prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and food allergy has increased tremendously over the last few decades. Is there a role for nutrition to help managing this global challenge? This Special Issue touches upon the many aspects that relate to nutrition and allergy and focuses on two fundamental questions: 1) Can nutrition play a role in allergy prevention and induction? 2) Can nutrition play a role in managing allergies?
Joost van Neerven (Ed.) --- Huub Savelkoul (Ed.)
Nutrients, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases
Foodborne disease like salmonellosis and toxoplasmosis are amongst the most significant causes of hospitalization in the U.S. and globally. Gastrointestinal infections alter gut microbiomes and increase permeability to toxins. Various invasions by microbial, fungal, viral and parasitic agents stimulate inflammation, a defensive mechanism of the body’s immune system. Other stimuli include environmental stimuli, oxidative stress, aging and the physiological process. A long-lasting, persistent and excessive inflammatory response is a significant risk factor for developing various chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases.
Infants are not just small adults; they have a complex set of nutrient requirements and interactions to account for the high metabolic rate, growth, immunological and cognitive development, etc. Each year there are 138 million births, including 30 million from the least developed countries, where health is most at risk. Nutrition during infancy establishes growth patterns and development which moderate short term and long term health and life expectancy. There is continuing progress in understanding the nutrient composition of breastmilk and the importance nutritious and timely complementary foods.
Colin Binns (Ed.) --- Mi Kyung Lee (Ed.) --- Masaharu Kagawa (Ed.)
Nutraceuticals and the Skin: Roles in Health and Disease
he skin is the largest organ of the body and serves as a barrier between the inner and external environments. As such, any problems in the skin can have serious effects on systemic health and well-being. Several studies have established that both nutritional and dietary factors play an important role in the maintenance of normal skin integrity, and can execute a causative, preventative and/or treatment role in a number of skin related conditions.
Jean Christopher Chamcheu (Ed.) --- Deeba Nadeem Syed (Ed.) --- G. Kerr Whitfield (Ed.)
This book was established after the 6th International Workshop on Numerical and Evolutionary Optimization (NEO), representing a collection of papers on the intersection of the two research areas covered at this workshop: numerical optimization and evolutionary search techniques. While focusing on the design of fast and reliable methods lying across these two paradigms, the resulting techniques are strongly applicable to a broad class of real-world problems, such as pattern recognition, routing, energy, lines of production, prediction, and modeling, among others.
Lara, Adriana --- Quiroz, Marcela --- Mezura-Montes, Efrén --- Schütze, Oliver
Nucleation of Minerals: Precursors, Intermediates and Their Use in Materials Chemistry
Nucleation is the key event in mineralisation, but a general molecular understanding of phase separation mechanisms is still missing, despite more than 100 years of research in this field. In recent years, many studies have highlighted the occurrence of precursors and intermediates, which seem to challenge the assumptions underlying classical theories of nucleation and growth. This is especially true for the field of biomineralisation, where bio-inspired strategies take advantage of the special properties of the precursors and intermediates for the generation of advanced materials. All of this has led to the development of "non-classical" frameworks, which, however, often lack quantitative expressions for the evaluation and prediction of phase separation, growth and ripening processes, and are under considerable debate.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a nondestructive technique that can be used to characterize a wide variety of systems. Sustained development of both methodology and instrumentation have allowed NMR to evolve as a powerful technology, with applications in pure sciences, medicine, drug development, and important branches of industry. NMR provides precise structural information down to each atom and bond in a molecule, and is the only method for the determination of structures of molecules in a solution. This book compiles a series of articles describing the application of NMR in a variety of interesting scientific challenges. The articles illustrate the versatility and flexibility of NMR.
Novel Pharmacological Inhibitors for Bacterial Protein Toxins
Many medically relevant bacteria cause severe human and animal diseases because they produce and release protein toxins that target mammalian cells. Because the toxin-induced cell damage is the reason for the clinical symptoms, the targeted pharmacological inhibition of the cytotoxic mode of action of bacterial toxins should prevent or cure the respective toxin-associated disease. Toxin inhibitors might be beneficial when the toxin acts in the absence of the producing bacteria (e.g., food poisoning), but also in combination with antibiotics in infectious diseases when the toxin-producing bacteria are present.
Novel Membrane Technologies for Traditional Industrial Processes
Through reading this book, you will obtain information on: (1) the main problems in air separation and natural gas treatment by membrane separation and how to solve them; (2) processes involving membranes and new membrane materials for the more economical utilization of bio-resources; (3) energy selection and membrane development for more expedient and stable harnessing of the natural osmosis phenomenon; (4) many excellent contributions about catalytic membrane bioreactors; (5) how to fine-tune the arrangement of aquaporins (i.e., proteins identified in biological cells) to achieve superior water treatment efficiency.
Li, Pei --- Wang, Yan --- Jiang, Lan-Ying --- Chung, Neal Tai-Shung
Novel Insights into Orbital Angular Momentum Beams: From Fundamentals, Devices to Applications
It is well-known by now that the angular momentum carried by elementary particles can be categorized as spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM). In the early 1900s, Poynting recognized that a particle, such as a photon, can carry SAM, which has only two possible states, i.e., clockwise and anticlockwise circular polarization states. However, only fairly recently, in 1992, Allen et al. discovered that photons with helical phase fronts can carry OAM, which has infinite orthogonal states.
Yue, Yang --- Huang, Hao --- Ren, Yongxiong --- Pan, Zhongqi --- et al.
Novel Biocomposite Engineering and Bio-Applications
The engineering and utilization of biocomposites is a research field of major scientific and industrial interest worldwide. The biocomposite area is extensive and spans from structured and solid biocomposites (e.g., reinforced bioabsorbable polymers), films (e.g., antimicrobial barriers), to soft biocomposites (e.g., use of alginates, collagen and nanocellulose as components in bioinks for 3D bioprinting). Key aspects in this respect are the appropriate engineering and production of biomaterials, nanofibres, bioplastics, their functionalization enabling intelligent and active materials, processes for effective manufacturing of biocomposites and the corresponding characterization for understanding their properties.
Novel Advances in Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring in Ocean, Lakes and Rivers
In recent decades, there has been an increase in the development of strategies for water ecosystem mapping and monitoring. Overall, this is primarily due to legislative efforts to improve the quality of water bodies and oceans. Remote sensing has played a key role in the development of such approaches—from the use of drones for vegetation mapping to autonomous vessels for water quality monitoring. Within the specific context of vegetation characterization, the wide range of available observations—from satellite imagery to high-resolution drone aerial imagery—has enabled the development of monitoring and mapping strategies at multiple scales (e.g., micro- and mesoscales).
Non-destructive Testing of Materials in Civil Engineering
This book was proposed and organized as a means to present recent developments in the field of nondestructive testing of materials in civil engineering. For this reason, the articles highlighted in this editorial relate to different aspects of nondestructive testing of different materials in civil engineering—from building materials to building structures. The current trend in the development of nondestructive testing of materials in civil engineering is mainly concerned with the detection of flaws and defects in concrete elements and structures, and acoustic methods predominate in this field.
Noise and Vibration Control in the Built Environment
With global urbanization rapidly rising and the increasing need of high-quality built environments, the requirement of achieving improved sound quality, both for outdoor and indoor environments, has received a lot of attention. This Special Issue collection reflects the current state of the art, with 12 papers covering environmental acoustics; the influence of soundscapes on people’s behavior; soundscape pleasantness estimation; tranquility; perceived quality of sonic environments; sound and vibration-related health complaints concerning tramways; and the disturbance of construction machines; as well as in building and room acoustics, including natural ventilation-enabling façade noise control devices; the effect of external shading devices; rating method of airborne sound insulation; water supply and drainage noise, and the effect of diffusive surfaces in auditoria.
New Trends in Differential and Difference Equations and Applications
This Special Issue aims to be a compilation of new results in the areas of differential and difference Equations, covering boundary value problems, systems of differential and difference equations, as well as analytical and numerical methods. The objective is to provide an overview of techniques used in these different areas and to emphasize their applicability to real-life phenomena, by the inclusion of examples. These examples not only clarify the theoretical results presented, but also provide insight on how to apply, for future works, the techniques used.
New Research in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Major Depression
Major depression and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) are now recognized among the most frequent psychiatric disorders, affecting 16–17% and 2–3% of the general population, respectively. They are commonly characterized by: i) a high level of psychiatric and somatic comorbidities; ii) a recurrence or chronic profile; and iii) a negative impact on daily functions, thereby leading to a profound impairment of quality of life. Despite significant advances in pharmacological and psychological therapies over the last decades, unsuccessful responses to standard treatment strategies are classically observed in approximately 20–30% of cases.
New Mineral Species and Their Crystal Structures
One last comment concerns the fundamental contributions of Fourier analysis to quantum physics: Quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.
New Lipid Lowering Therapies for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases: Lessons from the Past and Future Challenges
This book illustrates some of the most recent research efforts that have been made in lowering plasma cholesterol levels in patients with CVD. Selected articles aimed to illuminate advances and urgent challenges in the management of CVD, including disease management using statin-combined therapeutic strategies.
New Developments in Statistical Information Theory Based on Entropy and Divergence Measures
This book presents new and original research in Statistical Information Theory, based on minimum divergence estimators and test statistics, from a theoretical and applied point of view, for different statistical problems with special emphasis on efficiency and robustness. Divergence statistics, based on maximum likelihood estimators, as well as Wald’s statistics, likelihood ratio statistics and Rao’s score statistics, share several optimum asymptotic properties, but are highly non-robust in cases of model misspecification under the presence of outlying observations.
Neutrosophic Multi-Criteria Decision Making
Neutrosophic logic and set are gaining significant attention in solving many real-life problems that involve uncertainty, impreciseness, vagueness, incompleteness, inconsistency, and indeterminacy. A number of new neutrosophic theories have been proposed and have been applied in Multi-Criteria Decision-Making, computational intelligence, multiple-attribute decision-making, image processing, medical diagnosis, fault diagnosis, optimization design, and so on. Neutrosophic logic, set, probability, statistics, etc., are, respectively, generalizations of fuzzy and intuitionistic fuzzy logic and set, classical and imprecise probability, classical statistics and so on.
Florentin Smarandache (Ed.) --- Jun Ye (Ed.) --- Yanhui Guo (Ed.)
Neglected and Emerging Tropical Diseases in South and Southeast Asia and Northern Australia
This Special Issue focuses on recent research on the important emerging and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in South and South East Asia and Northern Australia. This region stretches from Afghanistan in the west to Papua New Guinea in the east, and includes the Indian subcontinent, mainland South-East Asia (Indo China), maritime South East Asia, and the tropical regions of Australia. Many of these areas are highly endemic for important NTDs and emerging infectious diseases including lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, soil-transmitted helminthiases (hookworm, Trichuris, Ascaris, and Strongyloides), food-borne trematodiases, schistosomiasis, dengue/chikungunya/zika, leptospirosis, meloidosis, scabies, trachoma, and yaws. Several of these diseases are targeted for elimination or enhanced control by the World Health Organization in the next 5 to 10 years, although some have chronic lasting sequelae needing lifelong management.
Patricia Graves (Ed.) --- Thewarach Laha (Ed.) --- Peter A. Leggat (Ed.) --- Khin Saw Aye (Ed.)
Natural Stone and Architectural Heritage
This book is made up of contributions dealing with heritage stones from different countries around the world. The stones are described, as well as their use in vernacular and contemporaneous architecture. Heritage stones are those stones that have special significance in human culture. Examples include some very important stones that have been either neglected because they are no longer extracted, or stones that have great significance in commercial terms but knowledge of their national and/or international heritage has not been well documented.
Pereira, Lola --- Catarino, Lidia --- Dino, Giovanna
Natural Products for Cancer Prevention and Therapy
This Special Issue book, “Natural Products for Cancer Prevention and Therapy”, is based on recent advances in natural products for cancer prevention and therapy. For this purpose, the authors of this book have been organizing a biennial international conference series. The first meeting (First International Conference on Natural Products for Cancer Prevention and Therapy) was held in Istanbul between 31 August and 2 September 2015, with the support and contribution of many valuable researchers in this field
Anupam Bishayee (Ed.) --- Mukerrem Betul Yerer-Aycan (Ed.)
Natural Compounds as New Cancer Treatments
Cancer remains one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although many pharmacological and clinical advances have been made, there is a constant need for new molecules to improve the overall options for treatment. Natural compounds from animal, microbial, vegetal, or fungal origin represent countless sources of new compounds that can be used as anticancer drugs, provided their activity, bioavailability, and toxicity are adequate. This book aims to compile both original articles and reviews that cover the most recent advances in the use of natural compounds for cancer treatment, and provide new objectives and advice for future research in the field of biological activity of natural compounds.
Nanostructure Based Sensors for Gas Sensing: from Devices to Systems
The development of solid state gas sensors based on microtransducers and nanostructured sensing materials is the key point in the design of portable measurement systems able to reach sensing and identification performance comparable with analytical ones. In such a context several efforts must be spent of course in the development of the sensing material, but also in the choice of the transducer mechanism and its structure, in the electrical characterization of the performance and in the design of suitable measurement setups.
The dispersion of nanomaterials in liquid crystals, both of the thermotropic and the lyotropic kind, has attracted much interest over recent years. This is in part related to the success of liquid crystals in several applications, in particular flat screen displays, besides others. The dispersion of nanoparticles allows the fine-tuning of liquid crystalline properties and the addition of functionalities associated with the properties of the nanoparticles
Nanogrids, Microgrids, and the Internet of Things (IoT): Towards the Digital Energy Network
Driven by new regulations, new market structures, and new energy resources, the smart grid has been the trigger for profound changes in the way that electricity is generated, distributed, managed, and consumed. The smart grid has raised the traditional power grid by using a two-way electricity and information flow to create an advanced, automated power supply network. However, these pioneering smart grid technologies must grow to adapt to the demands of the current digital society. In today’s digital landscape, we can access feasible data and knowledge that were merely inconceivable.
Nanoelectronic Materials, Devices and Modeling
As CMOS scaling is approaching the fundamental physical limits, a wide range of new nanoelectronic materials and devices have been proposed and explored to extend and/or replace the current electronic devices and circuits so as to maintain progress with respect to speed and integration density. The major limitations, including low carrier mobility, degraded subthreshold slope, and heat dissipation, have become more challenging to address as the size of silicon-based metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) has decreased to nanometers, while device integration density has increased.
Nanocolloids for Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery
This Special Issue highlights novel nanocolloids like magnetic nanoparticles, nanomicelles, nanoliposomes, nanocapsules, and nanoclays, stimulating novel interests and ideas in research groups involved in the development of novel nanotools within the different areas of nanomaterials. The publication of original articles contributes to scientific progress in the area of personalized medicine and further stimulates the entering into clinical praxis of such new nanosystems.
Nano- and Microcomposites for Electrical Engineering Applications
In a dedicated Special Issue, the journal Polymers has compiled papers on the current trends and research directions within the preparation, characterization and application of polymer-based composite materials in electrical engineering applications. In recent times, this type of material has evolved to become one of the most thoroughly investigated materials, stimulated by the demand for the resource-efficient assembly of generators, transformers, communication devices, etc. Novel composites are to be used as insulating materials with high thermal conductivity and excellent temperature stability, through which premature ageing and degradation of devices shall be avoided or at least reduced.
Multiscale and Innovative Kinetic Approaches in Heterogeneous Catalysis
Kinetics and reactor modeling for heterogeneous catalytic reactions are prominent tools for investigating and understanding catalyst functionalities at nanoscale and the related rates of complex reaction networks. This book illustrates some examples related to the transformation of simple to more complex feedstocks, including different types of reactor designs, i.e., steady-state, transient plug flow reactors, and TAP reactors for which there is sometimes a strong gap in the operating conditions from ultra-high-vacuum to high-pressure conditions.
Multifunctional Oxide-Based Materials: From Synthesis to Application
The book deals with novel aspects and perspectives in metal oxide and hybrid material fabrication.
Jesionowski, Teofil --- Ciesielczyk, Filip
Multi-Objective and Multi-Attribute Optimisation for Sustainable Development Decision Aiding
Optimization is considered as a decision-making process for getting the most out of available resources for the best attainable results. Many real-world problems are multi-objective or multi-attribute problems that naturally involve several competing objectives that need to be optimized simultaneously, while respecting some constraints or involving selection among feasible discrete alternatives. In this Reprint of the Special Issue, 19 research papers co-authored by 88 researchers from 14 different countries explore aspects of multi-objective or multi-attribute modeling and optimization in crisp or uncertain environments by suggesting multiple-attribute decision-making (MADM) and multi-objective decision-making (MODM) approaches.
Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras --- Antuchevi?ien?, Jurgita --- Kar, Samarjit
Molecular Science for Drug Development and Biomedicine
With the avalanche of biological sequences generated in the postgenomic age, molecular science is facing an unprecedented challenge, i.e., how to timely utilize the huge amount of data to benefit human beings. Stimulated by such a challenge, a rapid development has taken place in molecular science, particularly in the areas associated with drug development and biomedicine, both experimental and theoretical. The current thematic issue was launched with the focus on the topic of “Molecular Science for Drug Development and Biomedicine”, in hopes to further stimulate more useful techniques and findings from various approaches of molecular science for drug development and biomedicine.
Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology of Strokes
Stroke, a progressively non-communicable disease, is the second leading cause of death after coronary heart disease in developed countries. The present treatment options for stroke are adapting lifestyle practices, diabetes treatment, drugs, and the management of other factors, but no cure is yet available, despite new insights into molecular and therapeutic targets. Discoveries related to explicating the molecular pharmacology in cerebrovascular function and thrombosis have led to significant advancements in the current treatment paradigm for patients with stroke.
Joen-Rong Sheu (Ed.) --- Howard Prentice (Ed.)
This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Molecular Modeling in Drug Design that was published in Molecules
Molecular Magnetism of Lanthanides Complexes and Networks
Over the last ten years a fresh air has been blowing in the field of molecular magnetism with the re-introduction of lanthanides ions as spin carriers in magnetic molecules. The strong magnetic moment and huge magnetic anisotropy of lanthanide ions has enabled significant breakthroughs in magnetic blocking temperature and related phenomena. The chemical versatility of these ions is also a strong asset as easy substitution among the lanthanides series enables isotropic, anisotropic or solid-solutions of magnetic molecules. Additionally, their outstanding luminescent properties are key features in rationalizing the single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior and paving the way toward production of multifunctional materials.
Molecular Basis of Cardiovascular Diseases: Implications of Natriuretic Peptides
The natriuretic peptides (NPs) family includes a class of hormones and their receptors needed for the physiological control of cardiovascular functions. The discovery of NPs provided a fundamental contribution into our understanding of the physiological regulation of blood pressure, and of heart and kidney functions. NPs have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure, and stroke. A fine comprehension of the molecular mechanisms dependent from NPs and underlying the promotion of cardiovascular damage has contributed to improve our understanding of the molecular basis of all major CVDs.
The Molecular and Cellular Basis for Parkinson's Disease
The focus on dopamine-sensitive motor symptoms, in association with the improvement of motor complications in the heterogeneous disease entity Parkinson's disease, has led to a certain standstill in research. This Special Issue provides new concepts and new ideas on the pathogenesis, genetics, and clinical maintenance of Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Not only new experimental findings, but also clinical outcomes, case series, and research on alternative, non-pharmacological therapies are included. The objective is to bridge the currently increasing gap between experimental and clinical research on Parkinson's disease and related disorders.
Modern Sample Preparation Approaches for Separation Science
This book will provide the most recent knowledge and advances in Sample Preparation Techniques for Separation Science. Everyone working in a laboratory must be familiar with the basis of these technologies, and they often involve elaborate and time-consuming procedures that can take up to 80% of the total analysis time. Sample preparation is an essential step in most of the analytical methods for environmental and biomedical analysis, since the target analytes are often not detected in their in-situ forms, or the results are distorted by interfering species.
This specialist edition features key innovations in the science and engineering of new grinding processes, abrasives, tools, machines, and systems for a range of important industrial applications. Topics written by invited, internationally recognized authors review the advances and present results of research over a range of well-known grinding processes. A significant introductory review chapter explores innovations to achieve high productivity and very high precision in grinding.
Modeling and Simulation of Energy Systems
Energy Systems Engineering is one of the most exciting and fastest growing fields in engineering. Modeling and simulation plays a key role in Energy Systems Engineering because it is the primary basis on which energy system design, control, optimization, and analysis are based. This book contains a specially curated collection of recent research articles on the modeling and simulation of energy systems written by top experts around the world from universities and research labs, such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, National Energy Technology Laboratory of the US Department of Energy, University of Technology Sydney, McMaster University, Queens University, Purdue University, the University of Connecticut, Technical University of Denmark, the University of Toronto, Technische Universität Berlin, Texas A&M, the University of Pennsylvania, and many more.
Modeling and Simulation of Carbon Emission Related Issues
Modeling and Practice of Erosion and Sediment Transport under Change
Climate and anthropogenic changes impact the conditions of erosion and sediment transport in rivers. Rainfall variability and, in many places, the increase of rainfall intensity have a direct impact on rainfall erosivity. Increasing changes in demography have led to the acceleration of land cover changes in natural areas, as well as in cultivated areas, and, sometimes, in degraded areas and desertified landscapes. These anthropogenized landscapes are more sensitive to erosion. On the other hand, the increase in the number of dams in watersheds traps a great portion of sediment fluxes, which do not reach the sea in the same amount, nor at the same quality, with consequences on coastal geomorphodynamics.
Mahé, Gil --- Aksoy, Hafzullah --- Meddi, Mohamed
Mobile Mapping technologies have seen a rapid growth of research activity and interest in the last years, due to the increased demand of accurate, dense and geo-referenced 3D data. Their main characteristic is the ability of acquiring 3D information of large areas dynamically. This versatility has expanded their application fields from the civil engineering to a broader range (industry, emergency response, cultural heritage...), which is constantly widening.
Rodríguez-Gonzálvez, Pablo --- Nocerino, Erica --- Toschi, Isabella --- Chiang, Kai-Wei
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Aging and Diseases of Aging
Mitochondria are vitally important cellular organelles and undergo their own aging process becoming less efficient in aged animals including humans. These changes have wide-ranging significance contributing to immune dysfunction (autoimmunity and immune deficiency), inflammation, delayed healing, skin and retinal damage, cancer and most of the degenerative diseases of aging. Mitochondrial aging predisposes to drug toxicity in the geriatric population and to many of the features of normal aging.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Ageing and Diseases
The past decade has witnessed an explosion of knowledge regarding how mitochondrial dysfunction may translate into ageing and disease phenotypes, as well as how it is modulated by genetic and lifestyle factors. Impairment of the mitochondria may be caused by mutations or deletions in nuclear or mitochondrial DNA. Hallmarks of mitochondrial dysfunction include decreased ATP production, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, swollen mitochondria, damaged cristae, increased oxidative stress, and decreased mitochondrial DNA copy number.
Mineralogy of Quartz and Silica Minerals
The present book reports recent contributions from research in the field of quartz and other silica minerals. The various forms of silica (SiO2) represent important constituents of the Earth crust and play a central role in the composition of geological materials. In particular, quartz is widely used as a raw material in numerous industrial sectors. The knowledge of the formation and specific properties of SiO2 rocks and minerals is indispensable for the understanding and reconstruction of geological processes, as well as for specific technical applications.
Mineral Matter and Trace Elements in Coal
Minerals are very significant components of coal from both academic and practical perspectives. Minerals may react when the coal is burned, either forming an ash residue, or, in many cases, releasing volatile components, or being needed to be removed as slag from the blast furnace during metallurgical processing. Minerals in coal can also be a source of unwanted abrasion, stickiness, corrosion, or pollution associated with coal handling and use.
Shifeng Dai (Ed.) --- Xibo Wang (Ed.) --- Lei Zhao (Ed.)
Milk: Bioactive Components and Role in Human Nutrition
Milk is a nutritious food item with various beneficial properties and has a long tradition in nutrition, having been part of human diet for thousands of years. The composition of milk varies among different species, and milk quality is affected by several factors, i.e., season, climate, feeding management, and stage of lactation, as well as heat-treatments and technological processes. Milk is a valuable source of bioactive components and its role and function in human diet has been increasingly investigated by epidemiological and experimental studies
Middleware Solutions for Wireless Internet of Things
Bellavista, Paolo --- Giannelli, Carlo --- Das , Sajal K. --- Cao, Jiannong
Microwave Indices from Active and Passive Sensors for Remote Sensing Applications
Past research has comprehensively assessed the capabilities of satellite sensors operating at microwave frequencies, both active (SAR, scatterometers) and passive (radiometers), for the remote sensing of Earth’s surface. Besides brightness temperature and backscattering coefficient, microwave indices, defined as a combination of data collected at different frequencies and polarizations, revealed a good sensitivity to hydrological cycle parameters such as surface soil moisture, vegetation water content, and snow depth and its water equivalent.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Structural Metals and Alloys
The papers collected in this special issue clearly reflect the modern research trends in materials science. These fields of specific attention are high-Mn TWIP steels, high-Cr heat resistant steels, aluminum alloys, ultrafine grained materials including those developed by severe plastic deformation, and high-entropy alloys. The major portion of the collected papers is focused on the mechanisms of microstructure evolution and the mechanical properties of metallic materials subjected to various thermo-mechanical, deformation or heat treatments.
Microscale Surface Tension and Its Applications
Building on advances in miniaturization and soft matter, surface tension effects are a major key to the development of soft/fluidic microrobotics. Benefiting from scaling laws, surface tension and capillary effects can enable sensing, actuation, adhesion, confinement, compliance, and other structural and functional properties necessary in micro- and nanosystems. Various applications are under development: microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices, soft gripping and manipulation of particles, colloidal and interfacial assemblies, fluidic/droplet mechatronics. The capillary action is ubiquitous in drops, bubbles and menisci, opening a broad spectrum of technological solutions and scientific investigations.
Lambert, Pierre --- Mastrangeli, Massimo
Micronutrients Intake and Status during Pregnancy and Lactation
Optimal nutrition is important during pregnancy and lactation for the health of both the mother and infant. Chronic deficiencies of both macronutrients and micronutrients are well established in developing countries. Although in developed countries overconsumption of macronutrients is a major issue, micronutrient deficiencies which occur concomitantly are no less of a concern. Furthermore in developed countries there is also the risk of excessive micronutrient intake from dietary supplements. Micronutrients have a role in fetal and neonatal health and also health in later life.
Microfluidics for Cells and Other Organisms
Microfluidics-based devices play an important role in creating realistic microenvironments in which cell cultures can thrive. They can, for example, be used to monitor drug toxicity and perform medical diagnostics, and be in a static-, perfusion- or droplet-based device. They can also be used to study cell-cell, cell-matrix or cell-surface interactions. Cells can be either single cells, 3D cell cultures or co-cultures. Other organisms could include bacteria, zebra fish embryo, C. elegans, to name a few.
Microdevices and Microsystems for Cell Manipulation
Microfabricated devices and systems capable of micromanipulation are well-suited for the manipulation of cells. These technologies are capable of a variety of functions, including cell trapping, cell sorting, cell culturing, and cell surgery, often at single-cell or sub-cellular resolution. These functionalities are achieved through a variety of mechanisms, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, and thermal forces. The operations that these microdevices and microsystems enable are relevant to many areas of biomedical research, including tissue engineering, cellular therapeutics, drug discovery, and diagnostics.
Microbial Community Modeling: Prediction of Microbial Interactions and Community Dynamics
It has the potential to resolve many issues in the realms of energy, food, human health, the environment, and biotechnology. Scientists are trying to understand, in a fundamental way, how microbes influence each other and how they organize into interaction networks. These are the keys to predicting and engineering community function and properties of the microbiome. In this regard, mathematical modeling and computational analysis play an increasing role. This book is a collection of contributions from lead scientists in the field.
Micro/nanofluidic chips have found increasing applications in the analysis of chemical and biological samples over the past two decades. Electrokinetics has become the method of choice in these micro/nano-chips for transporting, manipulating and sensing ions, (bio)molecules, fluids and (bio)particles, etc., due to the high maneuverability, scalability, sensitivity, and integrability.
Micro/Nano Materials for Clean Energy and Environment
The research center serves as a platform for researchers at both universities to conduct joint research in the targeted areas, and to meet regularly for information exchange, talent exchange, and knowledge mobilization, especially in the fields of micro/nano, energy, and environmental technologies. The center focuses on three main interests: micro/nano energy technology, micro/nano pollution control technology, and relevant fundamental research.
Modern biology is rapidly becoming a study of large sets of data. Understanding these data sets is a major challenge for most life sciences, including the medical, environmental, and bioprocess fields. Computational biology approaches are essential for leveraging this ongoing revolution in omics data. A primary goal of this Special Issue, entitled “Methods in Computational Biology”, is the communication of computational biology methods, which can extract biological design principles from complex data sets, described in enough detail to permit the reproduction of the results.
Methods and Concepts for Designing and Validating Smart Grid Systems
Energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies are key contributors to curtailing the emission of greenhouse gases that continue to cause global warming. The efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also strongly affect electrical power systems. Renewable sources, storage systems, and flexible loads provide new system controls, but power system operators and utilities have to deal with their fluctuating nature, limited storage capabilities, and typically higher infrastructure complexity with a growing number of heterogeneous components.
Strasser, Thomas --- Rohjans, Sebastian --- Burt, Graeme
How can the Web be made situation-aware? Event processing is a suitable technology for gaining the necessary real-time results. The Web, however, has many users and many application domains. Thus, we developed multi-schema friendly data models allowing the re-use and mix from diverse users and application domains. Furthermore, our methods describe protocols to exchange events on the Web, algorithms to execute the language and to calculate access rights.
Usage Policies for Decentralised Information Processing
Owners impose usage restrictions on their information, which can be based e.g. on privacy laws, copyright law or social conventions. Often, information is processed in complex constellations without central control. In this work, we introduce technologies to formally express usage restrictions in a machine-interpretable way as so-called policies that enable the creation of decentralised systems that provide, consume and process distributed information in compliance with their usage restrictions.
Uncertainty handling in multi-attribute decision support for industrial risk management
The complexity of today's industrial production networks constitutes a new challenge for industrial risk and safety management. In order to handle potential risks to and emanating from industry and their respective impact on mankind as well as the environment, an integrated approach to industrial risk management is needed, since complex decision situations need to be resolved requiring input from diverse scientific disciplines and the consideration of various often conflicting criteria.
Ultrafast photophysics and photochemistry of radical precursors in solution
The photoinduced dynamics of radical precursors in solution were investigated by means of femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy assisted by quantum chemical calculations. The investigated systems show a wide range of excited state lifetimes ranging from tens of femtoseconds to nanoseconds. Thus, in the first case, on the investigated time scale the dynamics of the generated radicals can be additionally investigated. In the latter case only the excited singlet lifetime is observable.
Two-Scale Thermomechanical Simulation of Hot Stamping
Hot stamping is a hot drawing process which takes advantage of the polymorphic steel behavior to produce parts with a good strength-to-weight ratio. For the simulation of the hot stamping process, a nonlinear two-scale thermomechanical model is suggested and implemented into the FE tool ABAQUS. Phase transformation and transformation induced plasticity effects are taken into account. The simulation results regarding the final shape and residual stresses are compared to experimental findings
Turbulent open channel flow, sediment erosion and sediment transport
This thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of turbulent open channel flow, sediment erosion and sediment transport. The thesis provides an analysis of high-fidelity data from direct numerical simulation of (i) open channel flow over an array of fixed spheres, (ii) open channel flow with mobile eroding spheres, (iii) open channel flow with sediment transport of many mobile spheres. An immersed boundary method is used to resolve the finite-size particles.
Tunable Security for Deployable Data Outsourcing
Security mechanisms like encryption negatively affect other software quality characteristics like efficiency. To cope with such trade-offs, it is preferable to build approaches that allow to tune the trade-offs after the implementation and design phase. This book introduces a methodology that can be used to build such tunable approaches. The book shows how the proposed methodology can be applied in the domains of database outsourcing, identity management, and credential management.
Tunable Diode-Laser Absorption Spectroscopy for Trace-Gas Measurements with High Sensitivity and Low Drift
This book discusses the mechanical and opto-electronic design of laser spectrometers for measuring two very important atmospheric gases, namely water vapor and its isotopic ratios, and formaldehyde. For measuring water vapor, shot-noise limited sensitivity has been achieved by a careful choice of system components and data processing. For measuring formaldehyde, a selective sample modulation exploiting the Stark effect has been used to greatly improve the sensitivity.
Transient behaviour of ITER poloidal field coils
Transient voltages occur on the terminals of superconducting coils and may lead to internal over-voltages. The main objective of this work was to calculate the transient electrical behaviour and internal voltage distribution within the ITER poloidal field (PF) coils at four scenarios and was made using the PF 3 and PF 6 coils as examples. The calculated maximum voltages will be used for definition of amplitudes and voltage waveforms for the tests of the high-voltage insulation of the coils.
Tracking Extended Objects with Active Models and Negative Measurements
Extended object tracking deals with estimating the shape and pose of an object based on noisy point measurements. This task is not straightforward, as we may be faced with scarce low-quality measurements, little a priori information, or we may be unable to observe the entire target. This work aims to address these challenges by incorporating ideas from active contours and exploiting information from negative measurements, which tell us where the target cannot be.
Tracking Extended Objects in Noisy Point Clouds with Application in Telepresence Systems
We discuss theory and application of extended object tracking. This task is challenging as sensor noise prevents a correct association of the measurements to their sources on the object, the shape itself might be unknown a priori, and due to occlusion effects, only parts of the object are visible at a given time. We propose an approach to track the parameters of arbitrary objects, which provides new solutions to the above challenges, and marks a significant advance to the state of the art.
Timber Engineering - Principles for Design
This comprehensive book provides in-depth knowledge and understanding of design rules according to Eurocode 5. It is based on the first edition of the STEP (Structural Timber Education Programme) series, which was prepared in 1995 by about 50 authors from 14 European countries. The present work updates and extends the STEP compilation and is aimed at students, structural engineers and other timber structure professionals.
Thermochemistry and Kinetics for the Oxidative Degradation of Dibenzofuran and Precursors
The emission of dibenzofurans and dioxins from industrial processes is a major environmental concern. Focussing on dibenzofuran, this study tend to improve our understanding of the general oxidation chemistry and to provide a mechanism suitable for future modelling studies.Based on quantum chemical methods, energies, chemical structures and reactions are calculated numerically. Not only stable molecules and radicals, but also transition states are reported in this work.
Surface wave driven molecular low pressure plasmas for general lighting
Nowadays, compact fluorescent lamps are widely-used in general lighting applications. However, they still struggle with acceptance problems due to the hazardous mercury, which serves as the radiant component inside the lamp. The presented work deals with the development of a mercury-free, electrodeless, low pressure plasma based on a molecular filling and driven by microwaves, which may represent a viable alternative to the conventional CFLs.
Sulfur-tolerant natural gas reforming for fuel-cell applications
An attractive simplification of PEM-FC systems operated with natural gas would be the use of a sulfur tolerant reforming catalyst, but such a catalyst has not been available thus far. In this work it is demonstrated that a tailor made rhodium catalyst retains useful activity for typical sulfur levels in the feed. A brief economic comparison showed however that this alternative process is still less economical than the traditional process employing removal of sulfur components by adsorption.
Stability of cooperation in the international climate negotiations - An analysis using cooperative game theory
International cooperation on greenhouse gas emission reductions is needed to avoid dangerous climate change. This work analyses the stability of global cooperation on climate change using cooperative game theory. Numerical and theoretical models are applied to evaluate the impact of several real-world properties. It is shown that the introduction of these properties into the game-theoretical model substantially affects the results and can make global climate cooperation unstable.
Soft Magnetic Composites in Novel Designs of Electrical Traction Machines
Nowadays, the manufacturing of electrical machines based on electrical steel laminations has been well established worldwide. Compared with the electrical steel, the soft magnetic composites (SMC) shows magnetic isotropy and lower eddy current losses. Thus, it becomes an important impulse promoting the development of new topologies of electrical machine. The application of SMC in the electrical traction machine for hybrid electrical vehicle or electrical vehicle has been researched in the work.
Situation Interpretation for Knowledge- and Model Based Laparoscopic Surgery
To manage the influx of information into surgical practice, new man-machine interaction methods are necessary to prevent information overflow. This work presents an approach to automatically segment surgeries into phases and select the most appropriate pieces of information for the current situation. This way, assistance systems can adopt themselves to the needs of the surgeon and not the other way around.
This book presents a process-oriented business modeling framework based on semantic technologies. The framework consists of modeling languages, methods, and tools that allow for semantic modeling of business motivation, business policies and rules, and business processes. Quality of the proposed modeling framework is evaluated based on the modeling content of SAP Solution Composer and several real-world business scenarios.
Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy on Electron-Boson Interactions in Superconductors
This work describes the experimental study of electron-boson interactions in superconductors by means of inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy performed with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) at temperatures below 1 K. This new approach allows the direct measurement of the Eliashberg function of conventional superconductors as demonstrated on lead (Pb) and niobium (Nb). Preparative experiments on unconventional iron-pnictides are presented in the end.
The role of indicators in decisions of technology innovation
There are thousands of indicators produced to understand and govern our societies. Studies about the way indicators are used in technological innovation are significantly rare, despite the centrality of these decisions to promote growth in our technology-intensive civilization. This book presents what is known and what was discovered in a doctoral research, which analysed innovative business leaders, policymakers and public researchers responsible for technological innovations.
Role and dynamics of 'Late-comers' in the global technology competition
Faster developing cycles and economic developments created many emerging economies in the 20th century. For sustainable economic growth, however, the construction and constant preservation of a profound knowledge base and technological pool is crucial. Brazil, China, India and Russia, experienced constant high economic growth rates and begun to evolve to solid economies which are challenging the established players. This book consists of a profound empirical analysis of these emerging economies.
In photon science more and more data are taken. It is not possible anymore to store and process all data offline. In this book, we explore strategies for handling this large amount of data. A neural network as well as techniques from image processing are used to efficiently categorize and select useful data. We also indicate why many sophisticated algorithms cannot be used in this context. In addition, a prototype for data selection is presented, discussed, and benchmarked.
Real-time Digital Signal Processing for Software-defined Optical Transmitters and Receivers
A software-defined optical Tx is designed and demonstrated generating signals with various formats and pulse-shapes in real-time. Special pulse-shapes such as OFDM or Nyquist signaling were utilized resulting in a highly efficient usage of the available fiber channel bandwidth. This was achieved by parallel data processing with high-end FPGAs. Furthermore, highly efficient Rx algorithms for carrier and timing recovery as well as for polarization demultiplexing were developed and investigated
Real-time Biomechanical Modeling for Intraoperative Soft Tissue Registration
Computer assisted surgery systems intraoperatively support the surgeon by providing information on the location of hidden risk and target structures during surgery. However, soft tissue deformations make intraoperative registration (and thus intraoperative navigation) difficult. In this work, a novel, biomechanics based approach for real-time soft tissue registration from sparse intraoperative sensor data such as stereo endoscopic images is presented to overcome this problem.
Reactive Control of Turbulent Wall-Bounded Flows for Skin Friction Drag Reduction
The work presents an attempt to improve the understanding of reactive drag reducing control of near-wall turbulence with respect to limitations present in a realistic application scenario. The reference reactive control scheme of opposition control is studied using direct numerical simulation through the consideration of various application oriented restrictions, i.e. local control application, limited spatial and temporal resolution of the scheme, sensor noise and control elements arrangement.
Ranking for Web Data Search Using On-The-Fly Data Integration
Ranking - the algorithmic decision on how relevant an information artifact is for a given information need and the sorting of artifacts by their concluded relevancy - is an integral part of every search engine. In this book we investigate how structured Web data can be leveraged for ranking with the goal to improve the effectiveness of search. We propose new solutions for ranking using on-the-fly data integration and experimentally analyze and evaluate them against the latest baselines.
Quantum simulation experiments with superconducting circuits
While the universal quantum computer seems not in reach for the near future, this work focusses on analog quantum simulation of intriguing quantum models of light-matter interactions, with the goal of achieving a computational speed-up as compared to classical hardware. Existing building blocks of quantum hardware are used from superconducting circuits, that have proven to be a very suitable experimental platform for the implementation of model Hamiltonians at a high degree of controllability.
Production process design using Multi-Criteria Analysis
Intra- and inter-company production networks have gained increased importance in developed and industrialising countries. By reusing waste of industrial sites as a valuable input within the production network, material cycles can be closed and resource efficiency can be improved.In order to improve the performance of a production process, a detailed mapping of the mass and energy flows is the basis to understand which process characteristics are the main drivers for resource efficiency.The objective of this book is to develop an integrated multi-criteria decision support model for production process design.
Production cost models with regard to liberalised electricity markets
This book makes a contribution to the formulation and implementation of production cost models for the modelling of liberalized electricity markets by addressing issues associated with the level of detail in the representation of the underlying power system, the accuracy of the results and the modelling effort. To this end a production cost model was formulated and applied to estimate the short-run marginal cost of the power systems of three important European electricity markets.
Product lines for digital information products
Digital information products are an important class of widely used digital products, whose core benefit is the delivery of information or education (e.g., electronic books, online newspapers, e-learning courses).This book introduces a novel and systematic approach, Product Lines for Digital Information Products (PLANT), which focuses on the creation of variants of such products within a product line, and which extends concepts from the area of software product lines.
Process Simulation of Technical Precipitation Processes - The Influence of Mixing
This work develops and shows up methods to tackle multi-scale challenges in particle formation during precipitation crystallization. Firstly, molecular, micro- and meso-scale interactions in confined impinging jet mixers are investigated and simulatively predicted. Secondly, to build up on developed methods, macroscale as present for instance in stirred tank reactors is added to the considerations.
Possibly imperfect ontologies for effective information retrieval
Ontologies and semantic metadata can theoretically solve all problems of traditional full-text search engines. In practice, however, they are always imperfect. This work analyzed whether the negative effect of ontology imperfection is higher than the positive effect of exploiting the ontology features for IR. To answer this question, a complete ontology-based information retrieval system was implemented and thoroughly evaluated.
Planning the Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles in Cities and Regions
Planning the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) is a new challenging task. This book treats all involved aspects: charging technologies and norms, interactions with the electricity system, electrical installation, demand for charging infrastructure, economics of public infrastructure provision, policies in Germany and the EU, external effects, stakeholder cooperation, spatial planning on the regional and street level, operation and maintenance, and long term spatial planning.
Photonic crystal slabs for low-cost biosensors
Biosensors are devices that utilize biological recognition elements to selectively detect and analyze specific biological and chemical analyte substances. In this work a technology platform for label-free optical biosensors based on surface-functionalized photonic crystal slabs is proposed. Using this technology platform, low-cost solutions for three biotechnical questions are presented.
Organic Service-Level Management in Service-Oriented Environments
Dynamic service-oriented environments (SOEs) are characterised by a large number of heterogeneous service components that are expected to support the business as a whole. The present work provides a negotiation-based approach to facilitate automated and multi-level service-level management in an SOE, where each component autonomously arranges its contribution to the whole operational goals. Evaluation experiments have shown an increased responsiveness and stability of an SOE in case of changes.
Organic Semiconductor Lasers and Tailored Nanostructures for Raman Spectroscopy
This work presents the application of organic semiconductor distributed feedback laser as free-space excitation source in Raman spectroscopy. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect is exploited to improve the detection sensitivity. The SERS conditionis achiedved by using substrates consisting of gold-coated polymeric nanopillar arrays. The organic-laser-excited SERS measurements are applied to verify the concentration variation of biomolecule adenosine in aqueous solutions.
Optimization of Hot-Electron Bolometers for THz Radiation
Hot-electron bolometers are fast and low noise radiation detectors which can be used for many different applications. The aim of this work was to optimize the fabrication process of hot-electron bolometers and gain a deeper understanding of the underlying processes. To achieve this, the fabrication of the superconducting thin films was optimized and the superconducting properties of the films were analyzed. Detectors fabricated using the results showed a record value for the noise temperature.
Optimisation of hysteretic losses in high-temperature superconducting wires
Hysteretic loss optimisations through numerical simulation and subsequent experimental confirmation in transport current and background field measurements: ferromagnetic shielding and topological geometry optimisation is used to reduce energy dissipation in HTS coated conductor geometries. Single tapes and coil geometries are investigated. A 3D model capable of taking into account contact resistances is also presented for the Twisted Stacked Tape Conductor cable.
Optimal Sequence-Based Control of Networked Linear Systems
In Networked Control Systems (NCS), components of a control loop are connected by data networks that may introduce time-varying delays and packet losses into the system, which can severly degrade control performance. Hence, this book presents the newly developed S-LQG (Sequence-Based Linear Quadratic Gaussian) controller that combines the sequence-based control method with the well-known LQG approach to stochastic optimal control in order to compensate for the network-induced effects.
Optically Powered Highly Energy-efficient Sensor Networks
In optically powered networks, both, communication signals and power for remotely located sensor nodes, are transmitted over an optical fiber. Key features of optically powered networks are node operation without local power supplies or batteries as well as operation with negligible susceptibility to electro-magnetic interference and to lightning. In this book, different kinds of optically powered devices and networks are investigated, and selected applications are demonstrated.
Optical Coherence Tomography guided Laser-Cochleostomy
Despite the high precision of laser, it remains challenging to control the laser-bone ablation without injuring the underlying critical structures. Providing an axial resolution on micrometre scale, OCT is a promising candidate for imaging microstructures beneath the bone surface and monitoring the ablation process. In this work, a bridge connecting these two technologies is established. A closed-loop control of laser-bone ablation under the monitoring with OCT has been successfully realised.
Optical antennas : linear and nonlinear excitation and emission
The linear and nonlinear resonance behaviour of optical antennas (metallic nanostructures showing resonance behaviour at optical frequencies) made of gold and aluminum using electron-beam lithography is investigated. Specifically, it is of interest how the emission behaviour is changed by the coupling of two antenna arms via a small gap. Experimental techniques applied include dark-field spectroscopy and two-photon luminescence.
Numerical Modeling of Stagnation Flows over Porous Catalytic Surfaces
In this book, stagnation flows on a catalytic porous plate is modeled one-dimensionally coupled with multi-step surface reaction mechanisms and molecular transport (diffusion and conduction) in the flow field and in the porous catalyst. Internal and external mass transfer limitations as well as possible reaction routes in the catalyst are investigated for CO oxidation, WGS reaction, partial and steam reforming of methane over Rh/Al?O?.
Numerical Haemodynamics in the Human Heart
The characteristic vortex formation in the ventricles is believed to be affected at an early stage of heart diseases. First, post-processing of patient-specific data has to be standardised. The chosen methods, a combination of Eulerian and Lagrangian techniques, are characterised by means of necessary spatial and temporal resolutions. Second, the goal is to find the best cost-benefit approach for modelling of the mitral valve, as it affects vortex formation and progression in the left ventricle.
Nonlinear Gaussian Filtering : Theory, Algorithms, and Applications
By restricting to Gaussian distributions, the optimal Bayesian filtering problem can be transformed into an algebraically simple form, which allows for computationally efficient algorithms. Three problem settings are discussed in this thesis: (1) filtering with Gaussians only, (2) Gaussian mixture filtering for strong nonlinearities, (3) Gaussian process filtering for purely data-driven scenarios. For each setting, efficient algorithms are derived and applied to real-world problems.
New Methods to Improve Large-Scale Microscopy Image Analysis with Prior Knowledge and Uncertainty
Multidimensional imaging techniques provide powerful ways to examine various kinds of scientific questions. The routinely produced data sets in the terabyte-range, however, can hardly be analyzed manually and require an extensive use of automated image analysis. The present work introduces a new concept for the estimation and propagation of uncertainty involved in image analysis operators and new segmentation algorithms that are suitable for terabyte-scale analyses of 3D+t microscopy images.
A New Concept for Mobile Environmental Education
The new concept for mobile environmental education extends the traditional media-based environmental interpretation by means of a mobile context-aware computer. This mobile nature guide system can assist its user during self-determined exploration by adapting its presentation to the usage situation, preferences and current environmental conditions. The impact of the prototype mobile nature guide on environmental literacy and user satisfaction has been compared to traditional media in the field.
Network Structures of Cargo Airlines - An Empirical and a Modelling Approach
The development of efficient air freight networks is an upcoming challenge. The present book approaches this problem for cargo airlines by characterising and classifying their network structures and by developing a model for an airline's strategic network design. The book provides results which are of value for airline professionals (network efficiency analysis), policy makers (policy impact assessment) and researchers (cargo airline network design model).
Modified mass-spring system for physically based deformation modeling
Mass-spring systems are considered the simplest and most intuitive of all deformable models. They are computationally efficient, and can handle large deformations with ease. But they suffer several intrinsic limitations. In this book a modified mass-spring system for physically based deformation modeling that addresses the limitations and solves them elegantly is presented. Several implementations in modeling breast mechanics, heart mechanics and for elastic images registration are presented.
Modelling the human cardiac fluid mechanics
We present a virtual heart model simulating the flow in the left human ventricle and in the aorta. Because of the lack of in vivo structure data of the human ventricle, the active ventricle movement is given by a time-dependent ventricle model that is derived from in vivo image data of a nuclear spin MRT tomograph of a healthy human heart.
Modeling of electrophysiology and tension development in the human heart
Comprehension of the beating of the human heart is important for cardiac research and will improve many clinical applications. Simulations based on models describing cardiac electro-mechanics can acquire insights into this behavior. This work focuses on the mathematical reconstruction of electrophysiology, excitation conduction, and tension development in the human heart on the cellular and the tissue level. The tissue models represent accurate anatomical shapes of the atria and the ventricles and incorporate electrophysiological heterogeneity and anisotropic conduction.
Micromechanical Modeling and Simulation of Forming Processes
The deep drawing of an aluminum alloy used in the packaging industry for the beverage can manufacturing process is investigated. In this work, the effective constitutive behavior is based on a crystal plasticity model in combination with a non-linear Hashin-Shtrikman type homogenization scheme in which a reference stiffness controls the stress and strain fluctuations. The simulation results are compared to experiments in terms of deep drawing earing profiles, texture evolution, and localization.
Market engineering. A structured design process for electronic markets
In this book, the author provides a complete process for electronic markets design together with the required en-gineering methods. As such the book is unique applying tech-niques from engineering design to modern Information Systems and Economics. Mr. Neumann succeeds in presenting a generic but coherent approach that is an indispensable aid in designing markets.
Mapping and Localization in Urban Environments Using Cameras
In this work we present a system to fully automatically create a highly accurate visual feature map from image data aquired from within a moving vehicle. Moreover, a system for high precision self localization is presented. Furthermore, we present a method to automatically learn a visual descriptor. The map relative self localization is centimeter accurate and allows autonomous driving.
Magnetization of High Temperature Superconducting Trapped-Field Magnets
High temperature superconducting (HTS) bulks and stacks of coated conductors can be magnetized to become trapped-field magnets that provide much stronger magnetic fields than those reachable with conventional permanent magnets. This work investigates the flux dynamics during the magnetization of HTS trapped-field magnets and proposes possible strategies to improve the trapped field produced by the pulsed field magnetization method that is promising for practical applications.
Investigations of Angular Light Scattering by Complex Atmospheric Particles
This book experimentally investigates the angular light scattering properties of three atmospherically relevant particles: ice crystals, dust particles and secondary organic aerosol particles. Key optical quantities under examination are the near-backscattering depolarisation properties and the angular light scattering function. The main question is how these parameters are related to the particle microphysical properties, such as particle size and complexity.
Intelligent Business Process Optimization for the Service Industry
The company's sustainable competitive advantage derives from its capacity to create value for customers and to adapt the operational practices to changing situations. Business processes are the heart of each company. Therefore process excellence has become a key issue. This book introduces a novel approach focusing on the autonomous optimization of business processes by applying sophisticated machine learning techniques such as Relational Reinforcement Learning and Particle Swarm Optimization.
Integrated Software Architecture-Based Reliability Prediction for IT Systems
With the increasing importance of reliability in business and industrial IT systems, new techniques for architecture-based software reliability prediction are becoming an integral part of the development process. This dissertation thesis introduces a novel reliability modelling and prediction technique that considers the software architecture with its component structure, control and data flow, recovery mechanisms, its deployment to distributed hardware resources and the system´s usage profile.
Information flow control for java : a comprehensive approach based on path conditions in dependence Graphs
nformation flow control (IFC) is a technique to assert the security of a given program with respect to a given security policy. The classical policy noninterference requires that public output of a program may not be influenced from secret input. This work leverages a technique called program slicing, which is closely connected to IFC and offers many dimensions for improving analysis precision, the most powerful are Path Conditions. Our evaluation shows scalability with a low annotation burden.
Influence of fully miscible lubrication oil on flow boiling of CO? inside horizontal evaporator tubes
Flow boiling heat transfer, pressure drop and flow pattern of CO?-POE oil mixtures were experimentally investigated in smooth and micro-fin tubes. The POE oil used features full miscibility in the range of operation investigated. The experimental data was evaluated based on mixture properties, used to evaluate and improve established predictive methods. The knowledge obtained contributes to understanding the influence of oil, which is essential for achieving an efficient evaporator design.
Indicator-based Sustainability Assessment of the German Energy System and its Transition
The energy transition not only has an impact on technical infrastructures but also leads to socio-economic changes. To evaluate the sustainability aspects of the German Energiewende, the authors have developed a monitoring system which includes 45 indicators and their corresponding target values for 2020, 2030, and 2050 as well as a rating system for the year 2020 based on a distance-to-target approach and traffic color lights.
Rösch, ChristineBräutigam, Klaus-RainerKopfmüller, JürgenStelzer, VolkerLichtner, PatrickFricke, Annika
The impact of interfaces on the performance of organic photovoltaic cells
Organic photovoltaic is an attractive technology to solve future energy supply scenarios. To further increase the potential of this technology novel absorber materials and interface materials have to be developed. In this work the paramount importance of interface materials for efficient as well as stable organic photovoltaic cells and modules is demonstrated. The general requirements of interface materials are elaborated and properties of a novel interface material which meets the demands are investigated experimentally and by simulations.
The impact of inter-vehicle communication on vehicular traffic
The work addresses communication networks established over radio equipped vehicles in our everyday road traffic, so called Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs), and discusses their impact on two major goals, namely traffic safety and traffic efficiency. For both objectives, the thesis proposes an appropriate modeling of the essential building blocks Traffic, Communication and Application and enables impact assessment studies by means of implemented simulation tools.
Identifying and Harnessing Concurrency for Parallel and Distributed Network Simulation
Although computer networks are inherently parallel systems, the parallel execution of network simulations on interconnected processors frequently yields only limited benefits. In this thesis, methods are proposed to estimate and understand the parallelization potential of network simulations. Further, mechanisms and architectures for exploiting the massively parallel processing resources of modern graphics cards to accelerate network simulations are proposed and evaluated.
Hybrid routing in delay tolerant networks
This work addresses the integration of today's infrastructure-based networks with infrastructure-less networks. The resulting Hybrid Routing System allows for communication over both network types and can help to overcome cost, communication, and overload problems. Mobility aspect resulting from infrastructure-less networks are analyzed and analytical models developed. For development and deployment of the Hybrid Routing System an overlay-based framework is presented.
Hybrid quantum system based on rare earth doped crystals
Hybrid quantum circuits interfacing rare earth spin ensembles with microwave resonators are a promising approach for application as coherent quantum memory and frequency converter. In this thesis, hybrid circuits based on Er and Nd ions doped into Y?SiO? and YAlO? crystals are investigated by optical and on-chip microwave spectroscopy. Coherent strong coupling between the microwave resonator and spin ensemble as well as a multimode memory for weak coherent microwave pulses are demonstrated.
Obesity and related co-morbidities are increasing worldwide and pose a serious health problem. Changes in lifestyle and diet would be the best remedies to fight obesity; however, many people will still rely on medical aid. Marine organisms have been prolific in the production of bioactive compounds for many diseases, e.g., cancer, and promise to be an excellent source for natural-derived molecules and novel nutraceuticals. Bioactive compounds with beneficial activities towards obesity have been described from diverse marine organism including marine algae, bacteria, sponges, fungi, crustaceans or fish.
In Western countries, cancer is among the most frequent causes of death. Despite striking advances in cancer therapy, especially by the so called “targeted agents”, there is still an urgent need for new drugs in oncology. Hope comes from the marine environment, which is a rich source of natural compounds showing anti-cancer activity. To date, four marine cytotoxic substances, namely cytarabine, trabectidine, eribulin, and monomethyl auristatin E (as a drug-antibody conjugate named vedotin) have made it into clinical routine. Many more are in all phases of clinical testing, and a plethora of substances has already been examined for in vitro and in vivo activity.
Friedemann Honecker (Ed.) --- Sergey A. Dyshlovoy (Ed.)
Marine Bioactive Peptides: Structure, Function, and Therapeutic Potential
Book, “Marine Bioactive Peptides: Structure, Function, andTherapeutic Potential"" includes up-to-date information regarding bioactivepeptides isolated from marine organisms. Marine peptides have been found invarious phyla, and their numbers have grown in recent years. These peptidesare diverse in structure and possess broad-spectrum activities that have greatpotential for medical applications. Various marine peptides are evolutionaryancient molecular factors of innate immunity that play a key role in host defense.A plethora of biological activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral,anticancer, anticoagulant, endotoxin-binding, immune-modulating, etc., makemarine peptides an attractive molecular basis for drug design.
The desired properties of surface components include the improvement of different properties, such as aesthetic appearance, oxidation resistance, wear resistance, mechanical properties, electronic or electrical properties, thermal insulation, wear, triboemission and corrosion resistance through barriers. These properties can be enhanced using different methods, such as by adding a coating. Nevertheless, the bulk of the material or substrate cannot be considered independent of the surface treatment.
[Selective and quantitative detection of different kinds of biocomponents plays an important role in biomedical applications, clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, toxicology, regenerative medicine and drug delivery. Therefore, multidisciplinary area of magnetic biosensing have been extensively developed in recent years, aiming to create compact analytical devices for non-expensive and low time consuming analysis provided at the point of care by non-skilled personnel.
Magnesium is universally recognized as an essential nutrient for human life and health. Indeed, magnesium plays an important physiologic role in every organ of the human body. Disturbances of Mg homeostasis have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several diseases, and Mg supplementation has been evaluated in numerous large-scale clinical trials. The World Health Organization has listed magnesium as among those essential nutrients that are consumed in suboptimal amounts by the general population.
Federica Wolf (Ed.) --- Valentina Trapani (Ed.)
Machining—Recent Advances, Applications and Challenges
The Special Issue Machining—Recent Advances, Applications and Challenges is intended as a humble collection of some of the hottest topics in machining. The manufacturing industry is a varying and challenging environment where new advances emerge from one day to another. In recent years, new manufacturing procedures have retained increasing attention from the industrial and scientific community. However, machining still remains the key operation to achieve high productivity and precision for high-added value parts.
López de Lacalle, Luis Norberto --- Urbicain, Gorka
Machine Learning Techniques Applied to Geoscience Information System and Remote Sensing
As computer and space technologies have been developed, geoscience information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies, which deal with the geospatial information, have been rapidly maturing. Moreover, over the last few decades, machine learning techniques including artificial neural network (ANN), deep learning, decision tree, and support vector machine (SVM) have been successfully applied to geospatial science and engineering research fields. The machine learning techniques have been widely applied to GIS and RS research fields and have recently produced valuable results in the areas of geoscience, environment, natural hazards, and natural resources.
Machine Learning and Embedded Computing in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
This book contains the latest research on machine learning and embedded computing in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). It encompasses research in detection, tracking, LiDAR
Liquid Crystal on Silicon Devices: Modeling and Advanced Spatial Light Modulation Applications
Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) has become one of the most widespread technologies for spatial light modulation in optics and photonics applications. These reflective microdisplays are composed of a high-performance silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) backplane, which controls the light-modulating properties of the liquid crystal layer. State-of-the-art LCoS microdisplays may exhibit a very small pixel pitch (below 4 ?m), a very large number of pixels (resolutions larger than 4K), and high fill factors (larger than 90%). They modulate illumination sources covering the UV, visible, and far IR. LCoS are used not only as displays but also as polarization, amplitude, and phase-only spatial light modulators, where they achieve full phase modulation.
Life Cycle Assessment on Green Building Implementation
Greenhouse-gas emissions have become one of the most impacting environmental issues in today’s society. A rapidly increasing trend in global CO2emissions particularly since the early nineties (23.64% since 1990) has led to the generation of about 50,000 million tons of CO2–equivalent (eqv) worldwide in 2010. According to mainstream climate experts, the increasing concentration of greenhouse-gases is having a warming effect on the world climate. To slow down global warming, there is a global focus on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions
Lie and non-Lie Symmetries: Theory and Applications for Solving Nonlinear Models
Since the end of the 19th century when the prominent Norwegian mathematician Sophus Lie created the theory of Lie algebras and Lie groups and developed the method of their applications for solving differential equations, his theory and method have continuously been the research focus of many well-known mathematicians and physicists. This book is devoted to recent development in Lie theory and its applications for solving physically and biologically motivated equations and models.
Learning to Understand Remote Sensing Images
With the recent advances in remote sensing technologies for Earth observation, many different remote sensors are collecting data with distinctive properties. The obtained data are so large and complex that analyzing them manually becomes impractical or even impossible. Therefore, understanding remote sensing images effectively, in connection with physics, has been the primary concern of the remote sensing research community in recent years. For this purpose, machine learning is thought to be a promising technique because it can make the system learn to improve itself.
Landscape Urbanism and Green Infrastructure
This volume examines the applicability of landscape urbanism theory in contemporary landscape architecture practice by bringing together ecology and architecture in the built environment. Using participatory planning of green infrastructure and application of nature-based solutions to address urban challenges, landscape urbanism seeks to reintroduce critical connections between natural and urban systems. In light of ongoing developments in landscape architecture, the goal is a paradigm shift towards a landscape that restores and rehabilitates urban ecosystems.
Kernel Methods and Hybrid Evolutionary Algorithms in Energy Forecasting
The development of kernel methods and hybrid evolutionary algorithms (HEAs) to support experts in energy forecasting is of great importance to improving the accuracy of the actions derived from an energy decision maker, and it is crucial that they are theoretically sound. In addition, more accurate or more precise energy demand forecasts are required when decisions are made in a competitive environment. Therefore, this is of special relevance in the Big Data era. These forecasts are usually based on a complex function combination. These models have resulted in over-reliance on the use of informal judgment and higher expense if lacking the ability to catch the data patterns.
Intermittency and Self-Organisation in Turbulence and Statistical Mechanics
There is overwhelming evidence, from laboratory experiments, observations, and computational studies, that coherent structures can cause intermittent transport, dramatically enhancing transport. A proper description of this intermittent phenomenon, however, is extremely difficult, requiring a new non-perturbative theory, such as statistical description. Furthermore, multi-scale interactions are responsible for inevitably complex dynamics in strongly non-equilibrium systems
Interface Circuits for Microsensor Integrated Systems
this text will present the book in all promotional forms (e.g. flyers). Please describe the book in straightforward and consumer-friendly terms. [Recent advances in sensing technologies, especially those for Microsensor Integrated Systems, have led to several new commercial applications. Among these, low voltage and low power circuit architectures have gained growing attention, being suitable for portable long battery life devices. The aim is to improve the performances of actual interface circuits and systems, both in terms of voltage mode and current mode, in order to overcome the potential problems due to technology scaling and different technology integrations.
Giuseppe Ferri (Ed.) --- Vincenzo Stornelli (Ed.)
The editors of this Special Issue titled “Intelligent Control in Energy Systems” have attempted to create a book containing original technical articles addressing various elements of intelligent control in energy systems. In response to our call for papers, we received 60 submissions. Of those submissions, 27 were published and 33 were rejected. In this book, we offer the 27 accepted technical articles as well as one editorial. Authors from 15 countries (China, Netherlands, Spain, Tunisia, United Sates of America, Korea, Brazil, Egypt, Denmark, Indonesia, Oman, Canada, Algeria, Mexico, and the Czech Republic) elaborate on several aspects of intelligent control in energy systems.
Integration of 2D Materials for Electronics Applications
Two-dimensional (2D) materials and their vertical/lateral heterostructures are currently the subject of massive research interests, both for fundamental science and for technological applications in diverse fields, such as electronics, optoelectronics, quantum metrology, spintronics, membranes, energy conversion/storage, and sensing. Integration of 2D materials within real device structures currently represents the main challenge to move from the laboratory stage to industrial applications, especially in the fields of electronics/optoelectronics.
Filippo Giannazzo (Ed.) --- Samuel Lara Avila (Ed.) --- Jens Eriksson (Ed.) --- Sushant Sonde (Ed.)
Integrated Role of Nutrition and Physical Activity for Lifelong Health
As computer and space technologies have been developed, geoscience information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies, which deal with the geospatial information, have been rapidly maturing. Moreover, over the last few decades, machine learning techniques including artificial neural network (ANN), deep learning, decision tree, and support vector machine (SVM) have been successfully applied to geospatial science and engineering research fields.
Integral Transforms and Operational Calculus
Researches and investigations involving the theory and applications of integral transforms and operational calculus are remarkably wide-spread in many diverse areas of the mathematical, physical, chemical, engineering and statistical sciences.
The Insecticidal Bacterial Toxins in Modern Agriculture
Increased awareness about environmental adverse effects of human activities has prompted the use of insecticides with low impact on systems associated to agriculture. Currently, the most successful biological products are based on protein toxins from the bacterial species Bacillus thuringiensis. Because of the remarkable properties of these proteins, their encoding genes were introduced into farming species (the so called Bt-crops), in such a way, that these plants are self-protected against some key insect pests.
Juan Ferré (Ed.) --- Baltasar Escriche (Ed.)
Innovative Technologies and Services for Smart Cities
A smart city is a modern technology-driven urban area which uses sensing devices, information, and communication technology connected to the internet of things (IoTs) for the optimum and efficient utilization of infrastructures and services with the goal of improving the living conditions of citizens. Increasing populations, lower budgets, limited resources, and compatibility of the upgraded technologies are some of the few problems affecting the implementation of smart cities. Hence, there is continuous advancement regarding technologies for the implementation of smart cities.
Innovative Extraction Techniques and Hyphenated Instrument Configuration for Complex Matrices Analysis
The present Special Issue, “Innovative Extraction Techniques and Hyphenated Instrument Configuration for Complex Matrices Analysis”, aims to collect and to disseminate some of the most significant and recent contributions in the interdisciplinary area of innovative extraction procedures from complex matrices followed by validated analytical methods using hyphenated instrument configurations to support the optimization of the whole process and the scale-up possibility
Locatelli, Marcello --- Carradori, Simone --- Mocan, Andrei
Innovation Issues in Water, Agriculture and Food
In a worldwide context of ever-growing competition for water and land, climate change, droughts and man-made water scarcity, and less-participatory water governance, agriculture faces the great challenge of producing enough food for a continually increasing population. In this line, this book provides a broad overview of innovation issues in the complex water–agriculture–food nexus, thus also relative to their interconnections and dependences. Issues refer to different spatial scales, from the field or the farm to the irrigation system or the river basin.
Cameira, Maria do Rosario --- Pereira, Luis Santos
As the ultimate information processing device, the brain naturally lends itself to being studied with information theory. The application of information theory to neuroscience has spurred the development of principled theories of brain function, and has led to advances in the study of consciousness, as well as to the development of analytical techniques to crack the neural code—that is, to unveil the language used by neurons to encode and process information.
Based on the most recent clinical and epidemiologic information, one out of seven newly diagnosed epithelial malignancies worldwide result from infection and chronic inflammation in conjunction with cancer. This book draws contributions from international expert researchers from diverse disciplines, who addressed various aspects of experimental and clinical cancer biology, by selectively focusing on inflammation-mediated oncogenesis to debate these and related issues.
Masahito Shimizu (Ed.) --- Takuji Tanaka (Ed.)
The Impact of Caffeine and Coffee on Human Health
The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a thorough and up-to-date presentation of research investigating the impact of coffee and/or caffeine intake on various health outcomes. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following topics: Human clinical trials of coffee or caffeine use in relation to disease or intermediate phenotypes. Epidemiological studies of habitual coffee or caffeine intake in relation to human health, among the general public, as well as, among special populations (i.e., children, pregnant women, diabetics, cancer patients, hypertensives, etc.).
Impact of Bioactive Peptides on Human Health
Food-derived bioactive peptides or dietary peptides are increasingly becoming recognized as major food compounds for human health promotion, which prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases through their impacts on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Further bioactive peptide discoveries are essential for maintaining human health and commercial development in the area of functional foods and nutraceuticals.
This book provides different technologies and procedures related to imaging sensors. Active or passive imaging sensors capture electromagnetic radiation across the whole spectra or acoustic echoes, which, conveniently arranged in images, allow the extraction of useful information. Researchers, engineers and industry professionals can find the most advanced imaging technologies and developments, together with dedicated image processing and computer vision-based approaches.
Identification and Characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides with Therapeutic Potential
Antimicrobial peptides are key defense molecules adopted by all life forms to prevent infection. They also have other beneficial effects such as boosting immune response, anticancer, and wound healing. The antiviral effects of antimicrobial peptides have laid the foundations for developing new agents to combat seasonal Flu, HIV-1, RSV, Zika, and Ebola. This eBook is constructed to systematically deal with antimicrobial peptides from a variety of natural sources, including fungi, plants, and animals (insects, fish, amphibians, birds, and reptiles).
Hydrological Hazard: Analysis and Prevention
Due to the considerable impacts of hydrological hazards on water resources, natural environments, and human activities, as well as on human health and safety, climate variability and climate change have become key issues for the research community. In fact, a warmer climate, with its heightened climate variability, will increase the risk of hydrological extreme phenomena, such as droughts and floods. The Special Issue “Hydrological Hazard: Analysis and Prevention” presents a collection of scientific contributions that provides a sample of the state-of-the-art and forefront research in this field.
Hydrogels are the foundation of regenerative medicine as a supportive matrix for cell immobilization and growth factor delivery. The fate of implanted cells is mediated by cell-matrix interaction at multiple scales and timed-release of growth factors to guide the differentiation and maturation of cells. Recently, there has been great interest in hydrogels with a hierarchical structure that mimics the complex interaction of cells with a microenvironment that can locally release growth factors to specific cells.
Craig M. Jensen --- Etsuo Akiba --- Hai-Wen Li
Humidity Sensors. Advances in Reliability, Calibration and Application
Humidity detection has deep significance for the scientific research surrounding medical care and human performance, and the industrial development of agriculture, geography and automated instruments. This special issue aims to showcase some of the advancements in humidity sensor design and calibration, and its applications. The selected papers cover a variety of humidity sensor-related topics including material science, chemistry and industrial engineering.
McCarthy, Peter W. --- Liu, Zhuofu --- Cascioli, Vincenzo
World Green Building Council suggests that health, well-being and productivity should be the next chapter for green building. There is an obvious shift of green building movement from technology-centric towards human-centric, which culminates in recent WELL Building Standard, focusing exclusively on human health and wellness. This special issue aims to push forward the research, discourse and practice of green building towards more human-oriented design solutions.
Human and Animal Sensitivity: How Stock-People and Consumer Perception Can Affect Animal Welfare
This book presents cross-discipline studies covering aspects ranging from animal science to social/consumer sciences and psychology, with the aim to collect and disseminate information promoting the continuous enhancement of animal welfare by improving stakeholders’ perception of animal welfare. Although animal welfare is about how the animals perceive the surrounding environment, the actual welfare of the animals is dependent on how the stakeholders perceive and weigh animal welfare.
Watershed hydrology is driven by climate forcing, near ground surface characteristics, and human activities, addressing a wide spectrum of environmental and water resource problems regarding both scientific-driven questions and practical engineering issues. This book collates watershed problems and solutions from around the world covering diverse climate types. These cases show complex interactions between hydrological processes and environmental conditions and scientific methods for understanding the hydrological regime and management of human activities.
Christopher J. Duffy (Ed.) --- Xuan Yu (Ed.)
Heat Transfer Processes in Oscillatory Flow Conditions
Heat exchange processes in steady flows have been studied extensively over the last two hundred years, and are now a part of undergraduate syllabi in most engineering courses. However, heat transfer processes in oscillatory flow conditions are still not very well understood. Their importance is well recognized in applications including Stirling machines, thermoacoustic engines, and refrigerators or pulsed-tube coolers in cryogenics.
Heat and Mass Transfer in Building Energy Performance Assessment
The building industry is influenced by many factors and trends reflecting the current situation and developments in social, economic, technical, and scientific fields. One of the most important trends seeks to minimize the energy demand. This can be achieved by promoting the construction of buildings with better thermal insulating capabilities of their envelopes and better efficiency in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Robert Černý Sciprofile link ,Ákos Lakatos Sciprofile link andVáclav Kočí Sciprofile link (Eds.)
Health-Promoting Components of Fruits and Vegetables in Human Health
Diet and lifestyle choices can substantially predispose an individual to, or protect against, many age- and obesity-related chronic diseases. According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, dietary bioactives arecompounds in foodsnot needed for basic human nutrition but responsible for changes in health status.1 These compounds are safe at normal food consumption levels (e.g., anthocyanins in berries) and their biological activities may come from a single compound (e.g., lutein in spinach) or a class of compounds (e.g., avenanthramides in oats) even if the exact identity and composition are unknown
M. Monica Giusti (Ed.) --- Taylor C. Wallace (Ed.)
Growing evidence shows that a dietary pattern inspired by Mediterranean dietprinciples is associated with numerous health benefits. A Mediterranean-typediet has been demonstrated to exert a preventive effect toward cardiovasculardiseases, in both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean populations. Part ofthese properties may depend on a positive action toward healthier metabolism,decreasing the risk of diabetes and metabolic-syndrome-related conditions.
Growth and Ecosystem Services of Urban Trees
Numerous studies indicate an accelerated growth of forest trees, induced by ongoing climate change. Similar trends were recently found for urban trees in major cities worldwide. Studies frequently report about substantial effects of climate change and the urban heat island effect (UHI) on plant growth. The combined effects of increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extended growing season lengths, in addition to increasing nitrogen deposition and higher CO2 concentrations, can increase but also reduce plant growth.
Groundwater Resources and Salt Water Intrusion in a Changing Environment
This Special Issue presents the work of 30 scientists from 11 countries. It confirms that the impacts of global change, resulting from both climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressure, are huge on worldwide coastal areas (and critically so on some islands in the Pacific Ocean), with highly negative effects on coastal groundwater resources, which are widely affected by seawater intrusion.
Polemio, Maurizio --- Walraevens, Kristine
Nanomaterials possess astonishing physical and chemical properties. They play a key role in the development of novel and effective drugs, catalysts, sensors, and pesticides, to cite just a few examples. Notably, the synthesis of nanomaterials is usually achieved with chemical and physical methods needing the use of extremely toxic chemicals or high-energy inputs. To move towards more eco-friendly processes, researchers have recently focused on so-called “green synthesis”, where microbial, animal-, and plant-borne compounds can be used as cheap reducing and stabilizing agents to fabricate nanomaterials.
Graphene and Other 2D Layered Nanomaterial-Based Films: Synthesis, Properties and Applications
This book is dedicated to highlighting some relevant advances in the field of thin films and coatings based on two-dimensional crystals and layered nanomaterials. Due to their layered structure, graphene and a variety of new 2D inorganic nanosystems, called “graphene analogues”, have all attracted tremendous interest due to their unprecedented properties/superior performance, and may find applications in many fields from electronics to biotechnology.
Grain-based Foods: Processing, Properties, and Heath Attributes
The Special Issue aims to provide a complete exploration of the scientific principles related to processing, fermentation/malting, and nutrition of cereal grains. It also describes their physical and chemical characteristics and explains how these properties relate to health and nutritional value of the final grain-based products. Indeed, while grains remain the world’s largest food yield—with more than 2.4 billion metric tons produced annually—consumer demands are on the rise for grain products sustainable from an environmental, social and economic viewpoint, in order to meet the growing demand for healthy and nutritious foods.
Emanuele Zannini (Ed.) --- Raffaella di Cagno (Ed.)
In the last few years, an increasing number of individuals have adopted a gluten free diet (GFD). A significant proportion of that includes patients affected by celiac disease (CD), who have to follow a strict GFD for medical purposes. However, a high number of individuals are currently following a GFD without medical counseling and without a specific diagnosis needing a gluten withdrawal from the diet. This is due to the frequently incorrect information diffused on the Internet and mass media on the topic of GFD.
Gluten Related Disorders: People Shall not Live on Bread Alone
Once upon a time, gluten was not part of the human diet, and therefore, there were no gluten-related disorders. With the advent of agriculture 10,000 years ago, the introduction of gluten-containing grains in the human diet created conditions for human diseases related to gluten exposure. These diseases, including celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and wheat allergy, have distinct pathophysiological mechanisms, serological markers, and long-term treatments, but similar, often overlapping clinical presentations.
Global Indigeneities and the Environment
Global Indigeneities and the Environment—covering fields from American Indian Studies, anthropology, communications, ethnoecology, ethnomusicology, geography, global studies, history, and literature, the purpose of the Special Issue is to give new understandings of the concept of global indigeneities and to showcase some of the most promising work in the field to date.
Karen L. Thornber (Ed.) --- Tom Havens (Ed.)
Abstract Microtechnology has changed our world since the last century, when silicon microelectronics revolutionized sensor, control and communication areas, with applications extending from domotics to automotive, and from security to biomedicine. The present century, however, is also seeing an accelerating pace of innovation in glassy materials; as an example, glass-ceramics, which successfully combine the properties of an amorphous matrix with those of micro- or nano-crystals, offer a very high flexibility of design to chemists, physicists and engineers, who can conceive and implement advanced microdevices.
Righini, Giancarlo --- Righini, Nicoletta
Geothermal Energy: Delivering on the Global Potential
After decades of being largely the preserve of countries in volcanic regions, the use of geothermal energy—for both heat and power applications—is now expanding worldwide. This reflects its excellent low-carbon credentials and its ability to offer baseload and dispatchable output - rare amongst the mainstream renewables. Yet uptake of geothermal still lags behind that of solar and wind, principally because of (i) uncertainties over resource availability in poorly-explored reservoirs and (ii) the concentration of full-lifetime costs into early-stage capital expenditure (capex).
Information Management and Market Engineering. [Vol. I]
The research program �Information Management and Market Engineering� focuses on the analysis and the design of electronic markets. Taking a holistic view of the conceptualization and realization of solutions, the research integrates the disciplines business administration, economics, computer science, and law. Topics of interest range from the implementation, quality assurance, and further development of electronic markets to their integration into business processes, innovative business models, and legal frameworks.
Dreier, ThomasStuder, RudiWeinhardt, Christof [Hrsg.]
Information Management and Market Engineering. Vol. II
The research program Information Management and Market Engineering focuses on the analysis and the design of electronic markets. Taking a holistic view of the conceptualization and realization of solutions, the research integrates the disciplines business administration, economics, computer science, and law. Topics of interest range from the implementation, quality assurance, and advancement of electronic markets to their integration into business processes and legal frameworks.
Dreier, Thomas Krämer, Jan Studer, Rudi Weinhardt, Christof [Hrsg.]
Improving the Spectral Bandwidth of Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors (SNSPDs)
This work presents a comprehensive investigation of the influence of geometry-dependent factors on performance metrics of superconducting single-photon detectors. With fundamental knowledge, main investigations are focused to extend the spectral bandwidth and to enhance the detection efficiency, especially in infrared range. The developed technology of single-spiral detectors and unconventional electron-beam lithography allows to improve the performance of superconducting detectors.
Human-Inspired Balancing and Recovery Stepping for Humanoid Robots
Robustly maintaining balance on two legs is an important challenge for humanoid robots. The work presented in this book represents a contribution to this area. It investigates efficient methods for the decision-making from internal sensors about whether and where to step, several improvements to efficient whole-body postural balancing methods, and proposes and evaluates a novel method for efficient recovery step generation, leveraging human examples and simulation-based reinforcement learning.
High-resolution sensitivity studies with the regional climate model COSMO-CLM
High-resolution regional ensemble climate simulations with the regional climate model COSMO-CLM are performed for Southwest Germany to study the sensitivity of meteorological and hydrological variables to parameter settings. The soil-vegetation model VEG3D is implemented into COSMO-CLM to assess the impact of the lower atmospheric boundary on simulation results. A statistical-dynamical downscaling method is tested to shorten the simulation time for regional climate studies.
High Temperature Superconductor Cable Concepts for Fusion Magnets
Three concepts of high temperature superconductor cables carrying kA currents (RACC, CORC and TSTC) are investigated, optimized and evaluated in the scope of their applicability as conductor in fusion magnets. The magnetic field and temperature dependence of the cables is measured; the thermal expansion and conductivity of structure, insulation and filling materials are investigated. High temperature superconductor winding packs for fusion magnets are calculated and compared with corresponding low temperature superconductor cases.
High Performance Light Water Reactor : Design and Analyses
The High Performance Light Water Reactor is a nuclear reactor concept of the 4th generation which is cooled and moderated with supercritical water. The concept has been worked out by a consortium of European partners, co-funded by the European Commission. It features a once through steam cycle, a pressure vessel type reactor, and a compact containment with pressure suppression pool. The conceptual design enables to assess its feasibility, its safety features and its economic potential.
Schulenberg, ThomasStarflinger, Jörg [Hrsg.]
Gravity forward modeling with a tesseroid-based Rock-Water-Ice approach – Theory and applications in the context of the GOCE mission and height system unification
Detailed information on the gravitational effect of the Earth’s topographic and isostatic masses can be calculated by gravity forward modeling. Within this book, the tesseroid-based Rock-Water-Ice (RWI) approach is developed, which allows a rigorous separate modeling of the Earth’s rock, water, and ice masses with variable density values. Besides a discussion and evaluation of the RWI approach, applications in the context of the GOCE satellite mission and height system unification are presented.
Framework for Analysis and Identification of Nonlinear Distributed Parameter Systems using Bayesian Uncertainty Quantification based on Generalized Polynomial Chaos
In this work, the Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) approaches combined systematically to analyze and identify systems. The generalized Polynomial Chaos (gPC) expansion is applied to reduce the computational effort. The framework using gPC based on Bayesian UQ proposed in this work is capable of analyzing the system systematically and reducing the disagreement between the model predictions and the measurements of the real processes to fulfill user defined performance criteria.
Forward and inverse problems of electrocardiography : clinical investigations
The non-invasive reconstruction of cardiac activity can significantly improve the quality of cardiac diagnostics. Two major approaches are considered. The model-based method consists in the optimization of an electrophysiological cardiac model until the measured and simulated ECGs are similar. The inverse problem of electrocardiography is solved to compute the cardiac sources distributions from body surface potential maps. The results and their interpretation are shown for several patients.
The formation of patterns in subaqueous sediment
This book investigates the formation of subaqueous patterns by means of high-fidelity numerical simulations which resolve all the relevant scales of the flow and the sediment bed. This is required to provide a space- and time-resolved information on the flow field and the sediment bed. Secondly, detailed analysis of the generated data allows to address the different governing mechanisms involved in the formation of patterns as well as to access the validity of various existing models.
Formation of Intracardiac Electrograms under Physiological and Pathological Conditions
This work presents methods to advance electrophysiological simulations of intracardiac electrograms (IEGM). An experimental setup is introduced, which combines electrical measurements of extracellular potentials with a method for optical acquisition of the transmembrane voltage in-vitro. Thereby, intracardiac electrograms can be recorded under defined conditions. Using experimental and clinical signals, detailed simulations of IEGMs are parametrized, which can support clinical diagnosis.
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Cellular Solids
To determine the characteristics and properties of cellular solids for an application, and to allow a systematic practical use by means of correlations and modelling approaches, we perform experimental investigations and develop numerical methods. In view of coupled multi-physics simulations, we employ the phase-field method. Finally, the applicability is demonstrated exemplarily for open-cell metal foams, providing qualitative and quantitative comparison with experimental data.
Flow control : theoretical concept of absolute instability
At the 37th Prandtl memorial lecture on Regions of Viccous Flow, H.Oertel 1994 developed for the first time the stability theory of local perturbations in boundary layers and wake flows, as well as their practical application in the flow control of vehicle flows and the boundary layer of civil aircraft wings.This work presents how the stability theory concept of absolute instability has advanced and proven in practice in the last 15 years in terms of the efficient flow control.
Flexible Integration and Efficient Analysis of Multidimensional Datasets from the Web
If numeric data from the Web are brought together, natural scientists can compare climate measurements with estimations, financial analysts can evaluate companies based on balance sheets and daily stock market values, and citizens can explore the GDP per capita from several data sources. However, heterogeneities and size of data remain a problem. This work presents methods to query a uniform view - the Global Cube - of available datasets from the Web and builds on Linked Data query approaches.
Finite Element Method (FEM) Model and Performance Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
This work presents a numerical FEM framework, capable of predicting SOFC performance under technically relevant, planar stack contacting conditions. A high level of confidence in the model predictions is supplied by using exclusively experimentally determined material/kinetic parameters and by a comprehensive validation. The presented model aids SOFC stack development by pre-evaluating possible material choices and design combinations for cells/interconnectors without any experimental effort.
Financial markets and public information
The last decades have seen dramatic changes in trading technology and the way that financial markets operate. As trading technology advances, news providers have kept pace and deliver news to market participants around the world within fractions of a second using electronic systems. Currently, most news is still interpreted by humans but news providers have started to offer newswire products with machine learning systems that specifically cater to algorithmic traders. In practice, newswire messagesmake up a major part of the public information set available to investors.
Electrofiltration of Biopolymers : Spatially Distributed Process Analysis
In biotechnology the current downstream processing trends are directed towards integrated, faster and more effective processes. Electrofiltration is a hybrid method which is a combination of membrane filtration and electrophoresis in a dead-end process. Spatially distributed process analysis together with the applicability of electrofiltration for technically important biopolymers such as PHB, chitosan and hyaluronic acid enables the implementation of the technology into industry.
Efficiently Conducting Quality-of-Service Analyses by Templating Architectural Knowledge
Previously, software architects were unable to effectively and efficiently apply reusable knowledge (e.g., architectural styles and patterns) to architectural analyses. This work tackles this problem with a novel method to create and apply templates for reusable knowledge. These templates capture reusable knowledge formally and can efficiently be integrated in architectural analyses.
Efficient Algorithms for Large-Scale Image Analysis
This work develops highly efficient algorithms for analyzing large images. Applications include object-based change detection and screening. The algorithms are 10-100 times as fast as existing software, sometimes even outperforming FGPA/GPU hardware, because they are designed to suit the computer architecture. This thesis describes the implementation details and the underlying algorithm engineering methodology, so that both may also be applied to other applications.
Economics of Distributed Storage Systems : an economic analysis of arbitrage-maximizing storage systems at the end consumer level
Increasing the shares of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) is one of the most important levers in many countries to cope with the environmental, political, and economic challenges of future energy supply. The underlying research question of this thesis is whether Distributed Storage Systems (DSS) at the end consumer level can economically foster the integration of intermittent and non-dispatchable resources by providing demand-side flexibility.
ECG Based Analysis of the Ventricular Repolarisation in the Human Heart
ECG recordings provide diagnostic relevant information on the de- and repolarisation sequences of the heart. A modification of the repolarisation sequence is assumed to cause Torsades de Pointes. Especially drug induced effects on the repolarisation processes are in focus, since some non-cardiac drugs have been associated with sudden cardiac death in the 1990s. The analysis of the ventricular repolarisation using a set of parameters depicting the morphology of the T-wave is introduced in this work. Therefore, new methods of fully automatic patient-specific QRS detection, beat classification and precise T-wave delineation are presented.
ECG Imaging of Ventricular Activity in Clinical Applications
ECG imaging was performed in humans to reconstruct ventricular activation patterns and localize their excitation origins. The precision of the non-invasive reconstructions was evaluated against invasive measurements and found to be in line with the state-of-the-art literature. Statistics were produced for various excitation origins and reveal the beat-to-beat robustness of the imaging method.
The book develops a unifying perspective on how learning influences evolutionary dynamics which for the first time explains seemingly contradicting results from the literature. It also reveals formerly unknown facets of the complex interplay of the two major biological adaptation mechanisms. The results apply to models from computational intelligence and evolutionary biology alike, thus contribute to the transfer of principles of biological adaptation to digital processing system.
Divertor Development for a Future Fusion Power Plant
Nuclear fusion is considered as a future source of sustainable energy supply. Since the H-mode discovery in ASDEX experiment ""Divertor I"" in 1982, the divertor has been an integral part of all modern tokamaks and stellarators. The major goal of this thesis is to develop a feasible divertor design for a fusion power plant to be built after ITER. The thesis describes the approach in the conceptual development of a helium-cooled divertor and the methods of verification and validation of the design.
Distributed Transformers for Broadband Monolithic Millimeter-Wave Integrated Power Amplifiers
This work presents methods and techniques to optimize and implement distributed magnetic transformers for their application in matching networks of Monolithic Millimeter-wave Integrated Circuits (MMICs). It describes strategies for the efficiency and bandwidth optimization of the transformers and demonstrates their potential based on an optimized transformer geometry as well as two MMIC power amplifiers.
Discrete Time Analysis of Multi-Server Queueing Systems in Material Handling and Service
In this doctoral thesis, performance parameters of multi-server queueing systems are estimated under general stochastic assumptions. We present an exact calculation method for the discrete time distribution of the number of customers in the queueing system at the arrival moment of an arbitrary customer. The waiting time distribution and the sojourn time distribution are estimated exactly, as well. For the calculation of the inter departure time distribution, we present an approximation method.
Discrete Time Analysis of Consolidated Transport Processes
The objective of this work is to develop models for the analysis of consolidated transport processes. With the discrete time queuing models developed for inventory and vehicle consolidation, in particular milkrun systems, a detailed performance evaluation of different design scenarios can be conducted faster than with simulation. Moreover, it is demonstrated how the models can be connected with each other in form of a network analysis, in order to analyze hub-and-spoke networks.
Discrete time analysis of batch processes in material flow systems
Scope of this work is the development of appropriate models for the evaluation of batch processes in material flow systems. The presented analytical methods support the long range planning in an early planning stage, in which capacities are determined to minimize the facility costs under the condition of cycle time targets.
Determining Cycle Times for Packing in Distribution Centres
Scope of this work is to determine cycle time formulas for packing in distribution centres. No such formulas exist today, even if it is the second most important process after picking. Based on examining packing, morphological boxes showing time influencing parameters are derived. The most significant parameters are identified using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Cycle times are determined and applied to cases. These prove that the formulas can be used to calculate the time required for packing.
Detection and characterization of inclusions in impedance tomography
The topic of this work are two further developments of the Factorization method for electrical impedance tomography.We present a modification of this method that is capable of detecting mixed inclusions, i.e. both inclusions with a higher as well as inclusions with a lower conductivity than the background medium. In addition, we derive a new method to compute the conductivity inside inclusions after they have been localized.
Design for Stability in Transport Logistics - Definition, Concepts and Evaluation
Lean management describes a set of methods combined with a management philosophy which aims at eliminating waste in logistics processes. In production logistics, lean is already widespread and applied successfully. Research has shown that lean also works in a warehousing environment. In transport logistics, lean is still at a low level of maturity in both research and practice. This work contributes to closing this gap by introducing Heijunka leveling to transport logistics.
Design and Application of Quantified Self Approaches for Reflective Learning in the Workplace
Learning by reflection is one of the core processes for improving work performance. We provide a novel approach for reflective learning support by transferring and adapting practices from the Quantified Self to workplace settings. This book contributes with an integrated model for technical support of reflective learning, mobile and web-based applications designed for quantifying and gathering data in the workplace, and empirical insights from thirteen studies in three different use cases.
Design and analysis of a content-based image retrieval system
The automatic retrieval of images according to the similarity of their content is a challenging task with many application fields. In this book the automatic retrieval of images according to human spontaneous perception without further effort or knowledge is considered. A system is therefore designed and analyzed. Methods for the detection and extraction of regions and for the extraction and comparison of color, shape, and texture features are also investigated.
The prevalence of diabetes is on the increase in the UK and worldwide, partly due to changes in lifestyle which predispose individuals to overweight and obesity. It is estimated that about 90% of the currently diagnosed adults have type 2 diabetes, and based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, about 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014 compared with 108 million in 1980; this condition caused about 1.5 million deaths in 2012
Dietary intake in children is not only associated with current and future health, but also with behavior and learning. Especially during early childhood and throughout the school-age years, adequate food and nutrient intake to support brain development and function are critical. Data on the effect of sugar intake on children’s activity levels, or their ability to focus on cognitive tasks, are mixed. Overall, more research into nutrition and children’s behavior is needed to address the questions: How does behavior affect children’s nutrition and how does nutrition affect children’s behavior?
Dietary fiber has long been recognized for its role in digestive function. However, currently there is scientific debate about definitions (descriptive and analytical), optimal intake, and essentiality in the human diet. Dietary fiber is a key substrate for bacterial metabolism in the colon, which makes research on dietary fiber an important issue that complements current interest in the gut microbiota. Dietary fiber is also important for prevention and management of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases.
Dietary Behavior and Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents
In recent years, diet- and lifestyle-related disorders have become a major health threat in Europe and worldwide. The contributions in this monograph include 2 review articles and 19 original contributions from several countries that provide new information on the existing research elucidating important aspects of children’s and adolescents’ nutrition and lifestyle behavior. The data included in this Special Issue are from large epidemiological studies, including several multicenter and multinational studies, as well as datasets from surveillance initiatives.
Hebestreit, Antje --- Bogl, Leonie-Helen
Dietary Antioxidants and Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases
Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated the association between oxidative stress and non-communicable disease, including cardiovascular disorders, mental disease, and several types of cancer. Oxidative stress is commonly known as an imbalance in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the biological antioxidant defense system. Exogenous antioxidants have gained great attention because of their beneficial role in preventing chronic disease.
Dietary and Non-Dietary Phytochemicals and Cancer
The role of many phytochemicals in the modulation of the carcinogenesis process has been well documented by combining in vitro and animal studies, as well as epidemiological evidence. When acting in synergy, phytochemicals exert potential anti-cancer properties and much progress has been made in defining their many biological activities at the molecular level. However, an interesting feature in the field of phytochemicals and cancer is the role of some phytochemicals in promoting cancer development.
The purpose of these books is to have an updated systematic overview examining, in detail, the functional role of different diets and dietary components in maintaining glucose homeostasis and preventing long-term complications. The first book includes experimental evidence from preclinical research, whereas the second book provides studies in the clinical scenario.
Diagnosis of Neurogenetic Disorders: Contribution of Next Generation Sequencing and Deep Phenotyping
The contribution of genomic variants to the aetiopathogenesis of both paediatric and adult neurological disease is being increasingly recognized. The use of next-generation sequencing has led to the discovery of novel neurodevelopmental disorders, as exemplified by the deciphering developmental disorders (DDD) study, and provided insight into the aetiopathogenesis of common adult neurological diseases. Despite these advances, many challenges remain.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a spectrum of disorders resulting from the compression of the neurovascular structures within the thoracic outlet. The three main subtypes of TOS are defined by the anatomic structure affected by the extrinsic compression. In the most common subtype—neurogenic TOS—the brachial plexus is compressed and symptoms include pain, arm paresthesias, and sometimes weakness. Venous TOS is characterized by the compression of the subclavian vein and its resultant thrombosis. Arterial TOS is the least common and is distinguished by the compression of the subclavian artery and the development of aneurysms or stenoses with distal embolization.
Julie Ann Freischlag (Ed.) --- Natalia O. Glebova (Ed.)
Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common neurological disease that can affect all ages. Although the majority of people with epilepsy can have excellent seizure control with medication, about 30% will fail anti-epileptic drugs. For those with medically intractable epilepsy, recurrent seizures lead to elevated mortality and injury risks, and the seizures themselves are socially disabling. Fortunately, for many people with intractable epilepsy, epilepsy can be cured or seizures better controlled with surgery. Localization of the seizure focus followed by surgical resection provide the best opportunities to cure epilepsy.
Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Diseases
A screenshot of some the most rapidly evolving fields in Neonatology and Pediatrics with articles reviewing some metabolic dysregulations as well as non-oncologic diseases that may occur in infancy, childhood, youth. The illustrative material with original photographs and drawings highlighting some pathogenetic concepts are keystones of this book.
his Special Issue of Nutrients, entitled "DHA for Optimal Health", consists of evidence-based original research or reviews of the scientific literature. Manuscripts focus on the evidence that underpins dietary requirements throughout the lifespan (from in-utero to the elderly) for optimal brain function and/or prevention (or treatment) of disease.
Development and Application of Nonlinear Dissipative Device in Structural Vibration Control
This book entitled Development and Application of Nonlinear Dissipative Device in Structural Vibration Control contains contributions that focus on the development and application of innovative nonlinear dissipative systems that mitigate the potentially catastrophic effects of extreme loading by incorporating new materials or effective mechanical control technologies. Moreover, new nonlinear analytical methods for distinctive vibrating structures under different excitations are also highlighted in this book.
Zheng Lu (Ed.) --- Tony Yang (Ed.) --- Ying Zhou (Ed.) --- Angeliki Papalou (Ed.)
Development and Application of Herbal Medicine from Marine Origin
Marine herbal medicine generally refers to the use of marine plants as original materials to develop crude drugs, or for other medical purposes. The term ‘marine plants’ usually denotes macroalgae grown between intertidal and subintertidal zones, including Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, and Rhodophyta. Considerable progress has been made in the field of biomedical research into marine microalgae and microorganisms in the past decade.
Hwang, Tsong-Long --- Sung, Ping-Jyun --- Liaw, Chih-Chuang
Design and Applications of Coordinate Measuring Machines
Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) have been conventionally used in industry for 3-dimensional and form-error measurements of macro parts for many years. Ever since the first CMM, developed by Ferranti Co. in the late 1950s, they have been regarded as versatile measuring equipment, yet many CMMs on the market still have inherent systematic errors due to the violation of the Abbe Principle in its design. Current CMMs are only suitable for part tolerance above 10 μm. With the rapid advent of ultraprecision technology, multi-axis machining, and micro/nanotechnology over the past twenty years, new types of ultraprecision and micro/nao-CMMs are urgently needed in all aspects of society.
Current Strategies for the Biochemical Diagnosis and Monitoring of Mitochondrial Disease
Mitochondrial disease constitutes a complex and heterogeneous group of disorders resulting from a defect in mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) enzyme activity. In view of the dual regulation of the MRC, exercised by both the mitochondrial and nuclear genome, mutations in either mitochondrial or nuclear DNA can result in a MRC deficiency. Whilst a single organ can be affected, MRC disorders often result in a multi-organ system presentation with prominent neurological and myopathic features.
Current Aspects of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry
Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are in vivo molecular imaging techniques which are widely used in nuclear medicine for the diagnosis and treatment follow-up of many major diseases. They use biomolecules as probes, which are labeled with radionuclides of short half-lives, synthesized prior to the imaging studies. These probes are called radiopharmaceuticals. Their design and development require a rather interdisciplinary process involving many different disciplines of natural and health sciences.
Crystal Chemistry of Zinc, Cadmium and Mercury
This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Crystal Chemistry of Zinc, Cadmium and Mercury that was published in Crystals
The chemistry of silicon has always been a field of major concern due to its proximity to carbon on the periodic table. From the molecular chemist's viewpoint, one of the most interesting differences between carbon and silicon is their divergent coordination behavior. In fact, silicon is prone to form hyper-coordinate organosilicon complexes, and, as conveyed by reports in the literature, highly sophisticated ligand systems are required to furnish low-coordinate organosilicon complexes.
Control and Nonlinear Dynamics on Energy Conversion Systems
The ever-increasing need for higher efficiency, smaller size, and lower cost make the analysis, understanding, and design of energy conversion systems extremely important, interesting, and even imperative. One of the most neglected features in the study of such systems is the effect of the inherent nonlinearities on the stability of the system. Due to these nonlinearities, these devices may exhibit undesirable and complex dynamics, which are the focus of many researchers. Even though a lot of research has taken place in this area during the last 20 years, it is still an active research topic for mainstream power engineers.
Iu, Herbert Ho-Ching --- El Aroudi, Abdelali
Computer Algebra in Scientific Computing
Although scientific computing is very often associated with numeric computations, the use of computer algebra methods in scientific computing has obtained considerable attention in the last two decades. Computer algebra methods are especially suitable for parametric analysis of the key properties of systems arising in scientific computing. The expression-based computational answers generally provided by these methods are very appealing as they directly relate properties to parameters and speed up testing and tuning of mathematical models through all their possible behaviors.
Computational Methods of Multi-Physics Problems
This book offers a collection of six papers addressing problems associated with the computational modeling of multi-field problems. Some of the proposed contributions present novel computational techniques, while other topics focus on applying state-of-the-art techniques in order to solve coupled problems in various areas including the prediction of material failure during the lithiation process, which is of major importance in batteries; efficient models for flexoelectricity, which require higher-order continuity; the prediction of composite pipes under thermomechanical conditions; material failure in rock; and computational materials design.
This book offers a collection of 17 scientific papers about the computational modeling of fracture. Some of the manuscripts propose new computational methods and/or how to improve existing cutting edge methods for fracture. These contributions can be classified into two categories: 1. Methods which treat the crack as strong discontinuity such as peridynamics, scaled boundary elements or specific versions of the smoothed finite element methods applied to fracture and 2. Continuous approaches to fracture based on, for instance, phase field models or continuum damage mechanics.
The educational system leading up to the pharmacy degree, student training, and the continuing personal development of pharmacists are being more and more mapped to the competences pharmacists require to provide the relevant safe and efficient pharmaceutical services to meet the health needs of patients. This book draws on the experience of experts involved in the develoment of competence training for pharmacy education and training in Europe, North America, and Australia. It discusses the philosophy and implications of such an approach, as well as the production and development of models, and their application to existing courses.
This reprint book ‘Communication in Pharmacy Practice’ is launched to help improve communication practices by increasing knowledge of different aspects of communication in pharmacy practice. The book consists of recently published research articles and illustrates that pharmacy communication is a research subject that is investigated globally and from many perspectives. The overall pharmacy communicational themes investigated and discussed in this book are as follows: Communication between health care professionals; communication between pharmacists and patients in the context of both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines; and factors impacting communication
Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong (Ed.) --- Susanne Kaae (Ed.)
It is well-known that colloid and interface science and petroleum production are inextricably linked. Whether in the reservoir, with its porous structure, or during recovery, crude oil is intimately associated with rock surfaces and with water, often in the form of emulsions. This situation leads to highly complex systems, comprising multiple colloids and interfaces, which require to be optimized if oil is to be recovered efficiently, both in terms of economic cost and with due concern for the environment.
The Special Issue Colloid Chemistry presents a comprehensive overview of what opportunities the colloidal scale, i.e., the nanoscale, offers to scientists from chemistry, physics, materials sciences, and biomedicine. Sophistically designed colloids are used for studying physical and physicochemical phenomena to gain a deeper understanding of interparticle interactions, not forgetting that such insights can be used to create tailored materials for a variety of applications. This Issue covers aspects from the synthesis to the analysis of colloidal properties and presents opportunities for their further application.
Clemens K. Weiss (Ed.) --- José Luis Toca-Herrera (Ed.)
Coastal Resources Economics and Ecosystem Valuation
The practical importance of economic valuation information can hardly be overstated. Coastal and marine resource policy planning and management benefit from complete information on the impact of policy decisions.
Climate Variability and Climate Change Impacts on Land Surface, Hydrological Processes and Water Management
During the last several decades, Earth´s climate has undergone significant changes due to anthropogenic global warming, and feedbacks to the water cycle. Therefore, persistent efforts are required to improve our understanding of hydrological processes and to engage in efficient water management strategies that explicitly consider changing environmental conditions. The twenty-four contributions in this book have broadly addressed topics across
Zhang, Yongqiang --- Li, Hongxia --- Reggiani, Paolo
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation—ZEMCH 2016
This book explores the current issues around sustainable design and energy efficiency within the construction industry in both developed and developing countries. Sustainable housing; thermal comfort; daylighting; low-income housing; green roofs; energy efficient retrofitting and photovoltaic façades are some of the subjects discussed in the book.
Clean Energy and Fuel (Hydrogen) Storage
Clean energy and fuel storage are often required for both stationary and automotive applications. Some of these clean energy and fuel storage technologies currently under extensive research and development include hydrogen storage, direct electric storage, mechanical energy storage, solar–thermal energy storage, electrochemical (batteries and supercapacitors), and thermochemical storage. The gravimetric and volumetric storage capacity, energy storage density, power output, operating temperature and pressure, cycle life, recyclability, and cost of clean energy or fuel storage are some of the factors that govern efficient energy and fuel storage technologies for potential deployment in energy harvesting (solar and wind farms) stations and onboard vehicular transportation
Chemical and Molecular Approach to Tumor Metastases
Dear Colleagues, Malignant tumors develop distant metastases, e.g., small clusters of cells that detach from the primitive site and colonize distant organs and tissues. Unlike the primary masses, metastases are often difficult to fully eradicate by surgery ablation and are almost always the primary object of chemo- and/or immune-therapies. The presence of metastases at tumor diagnosis is responsible for the unfavorable prognosis and of relapses even after initially successful tumor therapies.
Gianni Sava (Ed.) --- Alberta Bergamo (Ed.)
Central Places and Un-Central Landscapes. Political Economies and Natural Resources in the Longue Durée
Modern developments of Fourier analysis during the 20th century have explored generalizations of Fourier and Fourier–Plancherel formula for non-commutative harmonic analysis, applied to locally-compact, non-Abelian groups. In parallel, the theory of coherent states and wavelets has been generalized over Lie groups. One should add the developments, over the last 30 years, of the applications of harmonic analysis to the description of the fascinating world of aperiodic structures in condensed matter physics.
Papantoniou, Giorgos --- Vionis, Athanasios
Cellular Entry of Binary and Pore-Forming Bacterial Toxins
Bridging cellular membranes is a key step in the pathogenic action of both binary and pore-forming bacterial toxins. The former use their translocation domains, containing various structural motifs, to ensure efficient delivery of the toxic component into the host cell, while the latter act on the cellular membrane itself. In either case, the integrity of the membrane is compromised via targeted protein–lipid and protein–protein interactions triggered by specific signals, such as proteolytic cleavage or endosomal acidification.
Causes and Consequences of Species Diversity in Forest Ecosystems
What are the causes and consequences of species diversity in forested ecosystems, and how is this species diversity being affected by rapid environmental and climatic change, movement of invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores into new biogeographic regions, and expanding human populations and associated shifts in land-use patterns? In this book, we explore these questions for assemblages of forest trees, shrubs, and understory herbs at spatial scales ranging from small plots to large forest dynamics plots, at temporal scales ranging from seasons to centuries, in both temperate and tropical regions, and across rural-to-urban gradients in land use.
Natural products have been a source of inspiration for chemists and chemical biologists for many years, and have a special relevance in the chemical space. In recent years, several novel synthetic strategies have appeared, such as diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS), biological-oriented synthesis (BiOS), and function-oriented synthesis (FOS), for accessing complex and functionally diverse molecules. In this manner, the synthesis of natural products has evolved towards simpler and ecological methods using biotransformation, combinatorial chemistry, or organocatalysts.
Catalytic, Photocatalytic and Electrocatalytic Processes for the Valorisation of CO2
Increasing attention is being paid to the development of effective technologies for the sequestration of CO2 and its storage. Hopefully, this will result in processes that can lead to its valorisation as a chemical, e.g., for the regeneration of fuels, but also for the production of intermediates. These are usually energy demands and rather slow processes, requiring energy input and catalysts.
Catalytic Processes for The Valorisation of Biomass Derived Molecules
In the last decades, inedible lignocellulosic biomasses have attracted significant attention for being abundant resources that are not in competition with agricultural land or food production and, therefore, can be used as starting renewable material for the production of a wide variety of platform chemicals. The three main components of lignocellulosic biomasses are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, complex biopolymers that can be converted into a pool of platform molecules including sugars, polyols, alchols, ketons, ethers, acids and aromatics. Various technologies have been explored for their one-pot conversion into chemicals, fuels and materials.
Mauriello, Francesco --- Galvagno, Signorino --- Espro, Claudia
Catalysts Deactivation, Poisoning and Regeneration
Catalyst lifetime represents one of the most crucial economic aspects in industrial catalytic processes, due to costly shutdowns, catalyst replacements, and proper disposal of spent materials. Not surprisingly, there is considerable motivation to understand and treat catalyst deactivation, poisoning, and regeneration, which causes this research topic to continue to grow. The complexity of catalyst poisoning obviously increases along with the increasing use of biomass/waste-derived/residual feedstocks and with requirements for cleaner and novel sustainable processes.
Carotenoids are a group of approximately 600 compounds synthesized by photosynthetic organisms. These pigments are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in certain animal products such as eggs and salmon, being responsible for their colorful appearance. The bioactive properties of certain carotenoids in human health are clear, as some of these compounds have antioxidant properties and serve as the only precursors of vitamin A in nature. The aim of this Special Issue entitled “Carotenoids and Human Health” is to provide the scientific community with an updated perspective of this exciting and growing research area.
Carboxylic acids are truly central compounds in cellular metabolism. Carbon dioxide is captured from the atmosphere through formation of carboxylic groups and is also released, in part, by decarboxylation reactions. The reactivity of the carboxylic group with amino- or hydroxyl-groups enables the formation of peptide and ester bonds. The functionality of the carboxylic group is also of huge importance in our industrial world for a wide range of applications. The loosely bound hydrogen provides weak acid functionality, much desired for food industry applications in preservatives and flavour compounds.
Carbonic anhydrases (CAs; EC 4.2.1.1) are metalloenzymes present in all kingdoms of life, as they equilibrate the reaction between three simple but essential chemical species: CO2, bicarbonate, and protons. Discovered more than 80 years ago, in 1933, these enzymes have been extensively investigated due to the biomedical application of their inhibitors, but also because they are an extraordinary example of convergent evolution, with seven genetically distinct CA families that evolved independently in Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling in Forest Soils
The majority of carbon stored in the soils of the world is stored in forests. The refractory nature of some portions of forest soil organic matter also provides the slow, gradual release of organic nitrogen and phosphorus to sustain long term forest productivity. Contemporary and future disturbances, such as climatic warming, deforestation, short rotation sylviculture, the invasion of exotic species, and fire, all place strains on the integrity of this homeostatic system of C, N, and P cycling.
Carbon Fibers and Their Composite Materials
Carbon fiber is an oft-referenced material that serves as a means to remove mass from large transport infrastructure. Carbon fiber composites, typically plastics reinforced with the carbon fibers, are key materials in the 21st century and have already had a significant impact on reducing CO2 emissions. Though, as with any composite material, the interface where each component meets, in this case the fiber and plastic, is critical to the overall performance.
Climate change is one of the main threats to modern society. This phenomenon is associated with an increase in greenhouse gas (GHGs, mainly carbon dioxide—CO2) emissions due to anthropogenic activities. The main causes are the burning of fossil fuels and land use change (deforestation). Climate change impacts are associated with risks to basic needs (health, food security, and clean water), as well as risks to development (jobs, economic growth, and the cost of living).
Carbohydrate Metabolism in Health and Disease
Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental aspect of health and a crucial function in a variety of species, including humans. A primary disfunction in major global diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, is dysregulation of thecarbohydrate metabolism. Furthermore, certain disease outcomes may be impacted by the amount and type of dietary carbohydrates consumed. Finally, carbohydrate obtainability is essential for optimal performance and endurance during sporting events. This book collates articles that either describe original research, or review the scientific literature on the topic of carbohydrate metabolism in health and disease. .
Carbohydrate Intake in Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Treatment
In 2011, carbohydrates provided 63% of the dietary energy intake to the world’s population. Historically, carbohydrate-rich diets have been associated with good health and longevity but there has been a move away from traditional carbohydrate-rich diets, with refined carbohydrate taking much criticism for contributing to non-communicable disease. The aim of this Special Issue is to discuss the appropriate use of environmentally sustainable carbohydrate-rich foods in the modern diet in developing and developed countries in the context of prevention and treatment of non-communicable disease.
Cancer Biomarkers and Targets in Digestive Organs
Identification and development of cancer biomarkers and targets have greatly accelerated progress towards precision medicine in oncology. Studies of tumor biology have not only provided insights into the mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis, but also led to discovery of molecules that have been developed into cancer biomarkers and targets. Multi-platforms for molecular characterization of tumors using next-generation genomic sequencing, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and blood-based biopsies have greatly expanded the portfolio of potential biomarkers and targets.
Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental toxicant of continuing public health concern worldwide, because total diet studies have shown that Cd is present in virtually all foodstuffs. Consequently, foods that are frequently consumed in large quantities, such as rice, potatoes, wheat, leafy salad vegetables, and other cereal crops, are the most significant dietary Cd sources. Moreover, Cd has chemical propensities that confer the potential to interfere with the physiological functions of calcium and zinc. Evidence of a wide range of diverse, toxic effects of Cd is increasingly apparent.
Brain Asymmetry of Structure And/Or Function
This edited book brings together research reports on the asymmetry of brain function in various species, including humans, dogs, birds, lizards and bees. As shown in a wide range of species, and, as we now know, not solely in humans, the left and right sides of the brain process information in different ways and control different responses or patterns of behaviour. Since this discovery, many new methods have become available to reveal the processes involved in the development, function and evolution of this important attribute of the brain.
Human lactation has evolved to produce a milk composition that is uniquely-designed for the human infant. Not only does human milk optimize infant growth and development, it also provides protection from infection and disease. More recently, the importance of human milk and breastfeeding in the programming of infant health has risen to the fore. Anchoring of infant feeding in the developmental origins of health and disease has led to a resurgence of research focused in this area.
The research topic of this Special Issue will consider (i) the design of nanostructured boron nitride nanostructures with controlled crystal structures, porosity, and dimensionality, (ii) the functionalization of boron nitride, and (iii) prospective applications of boron nitride nanostructures and materials. It contains six papers dealing with (i) the exfoliation of hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN) in liquid phase by ion intercalation, (ii) effective mechanical properties and thickness determinations of Boron Nitride nanosheets using molecular dynamics simulation,
Philippe Miele (Ed.) --- Mikhael Bechelany (Ed.)
Biotechnological Applications of Phage and Phage-Derived Proteins
Phages have shown a high biotechnological potential with numerous applications. The advent of high-resolution microscopy techniques aligned with omic and molecular tools have revealed innovative phage features and enabled new processes that can be further exploited for biotechnological applications in a wide variety of fields. The high-quality original articles and reviews presented in this Special Issue demonstrate the incredible potential of phages and their derived proteins in a wide range of biotechnological applications for human benefit.
Sensitive assays are often based on molecular recognition. Often stability problems have limited the use of such assays. The introduction of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) eliminates such limitations. With the introduction of biosensors combined with MIPs, one gets a strong combination. This volume presents how MIPs are being produced, how MIPs are integrated in different sensor concepts and finally highlights some results in certain applications.
Bo Mattison (Ed.) --- Gizem Ertürk (Ed.)
Biomass for Energy Country Specific Show Case Studies
In many domestic and industrial processes, vast percentages of primary energy are produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. Apart from diminishing the source of fossil fuels and the increasing risk of higher costs and energy security, the impact on the environment is worsening continually. Renewables are becoming very popular, but are, at present, more expensive than fossil fuels, especially photovoltaics and hydropower. Biomass is one of the most established and common sources of fuel known to mankind, and has been in continuous use for domestic heating and cooking over the years, especially in poorer communities.
Biomass Chars: Elaboration, Characterization and Applications
Thermochemical conversion processes convert biomass into gaseous, liquid and solid products named, syngas, bio-oil and char, respectively. Syngas and bio-oil are considered as alternative biofuels to fossil fuels and wide investigations are implemented currently on their production, purification, modification, and applications. Biomass chars have receiving an increasing attention since they lead to carbon sequestration, reduction of the amount of carbon rejected into the atmosphere and represent an friendly carbon source for numerous applications.
Mejdi Jeguirim (Ed.) --- Lionel Limousy (ed.)
The Biology and Treatment of Myeloid Leukaemias
There has been an observed decrease in the global mortality from cancer, mostly atributable to improved, particularly early, detection and prevention. For many carcinomas and leukaemias in adults, once the disease has reached a certain stage there are no therapies that are able to erradicate the cancer cells and cure patients. There has been progress in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and remissions are achievable; however, the presence of chemoresistent blast cells leads to most patients relapsing, and relapse is difficult to treat and thus patients die due to their disease
Geoffrey Brown (Ed.) --- Ewa Marcinkowska (Ed.)
For at least six hundred million years, life has been a fascinating laboratory of crystallization, referred to as biomineralization. During this huge lapse of time, many organisms from diverse phyla have developed the capability to precipitate various types of minerals, exploring distinctive pathways for building sophisticated structural architectures for different purposes. The Darwinian exploration was performed by trial and error, but the success in terms of complexity and efficiency is evident.
Morales, Jaime Gómez --- Falini, Giuseppe --- García Ruiz, Juan Manuel
The intention of the Special Issue ""Biological and Biogenic Crystallization"" was to create an international platform aimed at covering a broad field of results involving the crystallization of biological molecules, including virus and protein crystallization, biogenic crystallization including physiological and pathological crystallization taking place in living organisms (human beings, animals, plants, bacteria, etc.), and bio-inspired crystallization. Despite many years of research on biological and biogenic crystals, there are still open questions as well as hot and timely topics.
Biological Activity of Natural Secondary Metabolite Products
this text will present the book in all promotional forms (e.g. flyers). Please describe the book in straightforward and consumer-friendly terms. [Natural secondary metabolite products, which are isolated from plants, animals, microorganisms, etc., are classified as polyketides, isoprenoids, aromatics (phenylpropanoids), alkaloids, etc. Their chemical diversity and variety of biological activities have attracted the attention of chemists, biochemists, biologists, etc. The Special Issue on "Biological Activity of Natural Secondary Metabolite Products" is intended to offer biological active natural products as candidates and/or leads for pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, functional foods, cosmetics, food additives, etc.
The high demand and depletion of petroleum reserves and the associated impact on the environment, together with volatility in the energy market price over the past three decades, have led to tremendous efforts in bio-based research activities, especially in biofuels and biochemicals. Most people associate petroleum with gasoline, however, approximately 6000 petroleum-derived products are available on the market today. Ironically, these petroleum-derived products have not elicited a high level of interest among the populace and media due, in part, to little awareness of the origins of these important products
BioEnergy and BioChemicals Production from Biomass and Residual Resources
Research and technology developments in bioenergy and biochemical production systems are of the utmost importance for the development of next generation, highly efficient biomass conversion concepts, maximizing the total energy and chemical output. The utilization of non-conventional biomasses and unexploited residual resources (e.g., agriculture and agroindustry wastes), innovative solutions for online monitoring and process control, novel biochemical pathways, microbial platforms and reactor technologies are key issues to be addressed.
Dimitar Karakashev (Ed.) --- Yifeng Zhang (Ed.)
Biodiversity of Vegetable Crops, A Living Heritage
Intensive agriculture has generally resulted in higher productivity, but also in a trend towards decreasing levels of agro-biodiversity, which represents a key point in ensuring the adaptability and resilience of agro-ecosystems in the global challenge to produce more and better food in a sustainable way. The biodiversity of vegetable crops includes genetic diversity—both as species diversity (interspecific diversity) and as a diversity of genes within a species (intraspecific diversity) with regard to the vegetable varieties grown—and the diversity of agro-ecosystems (agro-biodiversity).
Renna, Massimiliano --- Santamaria, Pietro --- Signore, Angelo --- Montesano, Francesco Fabiano --- et al.
Biodiversity and Conservation in Forests
Global forest communities cover only about 30% of land areas, but they provide important ecosystem services, such as watershed protection, carbon sequestration, and oxygen production, as well as renewable forest products for human subsistence and markets. Forests also support the majority of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Although land conversion for agriculture and pastureland has historically resulted in fragmentation and declining forested areas, forests worldwide are now experiencing change at an unprecedented rate due to various anthropogenic activities and growing human populations.
The interest in biocompatible and biodegradable metals, such as magnesium, is mainly related to their potential use as structural material for orthopedic and cardiovascular applications where a temporary medical device is required. However, in the case of magnesium, in vivo experiments have clearly shown that the corrosion degradation rate of magnesium and its alloys is too high and, hence, results in producing gas cavities that can promote the danger of gas embolism, tissue separation, and premature loss of mechanical integrity.
Compared to conventional chemical technologies and other similar industrial processes, bioprocesses represent a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative for the production of fuels and platform chemicals. In biorefineries, different kinds of feedstocks, such as biomass or lignocellulosic materials in general, can be used and fermented by microorganisms
Biocatalysis and Pharmaceuticals: A Smart Tool for Sustainable Development
Biocatalysis, that is, the use of biological catalysts (enzymes, cells, etc.) for the preparation of highly valuable compounds is undergoing a great development, being considered an extremely sustainable approach to undertaking environmental demands. In this scenario, this book illustrates the versatility of applied biocatalysis for the preparation of drugs and other bioactive compounds through the presentation of different research articles and reviews, in which several authors describe the most recent developments in this appealing scientific area.
Bioactive and Therapeutic Dental Materials
This book focus principally on ions-releasing and other smart dental materials for application in preventive and restorative dentistry, as well as in endodontics in the form of adhesives, resin-based composites, pastes, varnishes, liners and dental cements. Special attention has been given to bioactive materials developed to induce cells differentiation/stimulation, hard tissue formation and exert antimicrobial actions. New innovations are necessary to continue to help reinforcing existing technologies and to introduce new paradigms for treating dental disease and restoring teeth seriously compromised by caries lesions via biomimetic and more biological operative approaches.
Modern robotic technologies have enabled robots to operate in a variety of unstructured and dynamically-changing environments, in addition to traditional structured environments. Robots have, thus, become an important element in our everyday lives. One key approach to develop such intelligent and autonomous robots is to draw inspiration from biological systems. Biological structure, mechanisms, and underlying principles have the potential to provide new ideas to support the improvement of conventional robotic designs and control.
Toshio Fukuda (Ed.) --- Fei Chen (Ed.) --- Qing Shi (Ed)
Beverage Consumption Habits around the World: Association with Total Water and Energy Intakes
Fluid intake has barely been assessed, and hydration status has only rarely been measured in epidemiological studies. This hampers attempts to assess the adequacy of water intake at a population level. However, although guidelines have been established to determine how much water humans require to avoid dehydration and to optimize physical and psychological function, limited data are available on the total water and beverages intake.
Lluis Serra-Majem (Ed.) --- Mariela Nissensohn (Ed.)
Berry Antioxidants in Health and Disease
During the last decade, a high volume of work has been published on the health-promoting effects of berries (e.g., blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, etc.) that are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals, polyphenols. Consuming a diet rich in polyphenols has been documented to attenuate the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent evidence also reveals that the biological effects of polyphenols extend beyond their traditional antioxidant role.
Portillo, María P. --- Fernandez-Quintela, Alfredo