Bøker utgitt av Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The intention of this collection agrees with the purposes of the homonymous mini-symposium (MS) at ICIAM-2019, which were to overview the essentials of geometric calculus (GC) formalism, to report on state-of-the-art applications showcasing its advantages and to explore the bearing of GC in novel approaches to deep learning. The first three contributions, which correspond to lectures at the MS, offer perspectives on recent advances in the application GC in the areas of robotics, molecular geometry, and medical imaging. The next three, especially invited, hone the expressiveness of GC in orientation measurements under different metrics, the treatment of contact elements, and the investigation of efficient computational methodologies. The last two, which also correspond to lectures at the MS, deal with two aspects of deep learning: a presentation of a concrete quaternionic convolutional neural network layer for image classification that features contrast invariance and a general overview of automatic learning aimed at steering the development of neural networks whose units process elements of a suitable algebra, such as a geometric algebra. The book fits, broadly speaking, within the realm of mathematical engineering, and consequently, it is intended for a wide spectrum of research profiles. In particular, it should bring inspiration and guidance to those looking for materials and problems that bridge GC with applications of great current interest, including the auspicious field of GC-based deep neural networks.

This volume gathers the latest advances and innovations in the field of structural health monitoring, as presented at the 8th Civil Structural Health Monitoring Workshop (CSHM-8), held on March 31¿April 2, 2021. It discusses emerging challenges in civil SHM and more broadly in the fields of smart materials and intelligent systems for civil engineering applications. The contributions cover a diverse range of topics, including applications of SHM to civil structures and infrastructures, innovative sensing solutions for SHM, data-driven damage detection techniques, nonlinear systems and analysis techniques, influence of environmental and operational conditions, aging structures and infrastructures in hazardous environments, and SHM in earthquake prone regions. Selected by means of a rigorous peer-review process, they will spur novel research directions and foster future multidisciplinary collaborations.

This book integrates spatial analysis into the study and management of conflicts, and offers a model in conflict studies that incorporates theoretical explanations of conflict, its causes, and impacts, with a geospatial strategy for intervening in disputes over allocation and use of natural resources (connects theory and practice). Alongside a theoretical analysis of resource conflicts and an account of Participatory Mapping and PGIS development, this book provides a case study of GIS applications in conflict mediation. The book also lays out a practical and straightforward demonstration of PGIS applications in conflict management using a real-world case study, and traces the Participatory Mapping and PGIS movements¿ evolution, compares PPGIS and PGIS practices, and makes distinctions between traditional GIS applications and PGIS practice. The approach embodies the enhanced use of spatial information and media, sets of tools for analyzing, mapping, and displaying spatial data and a platform for participatory discussions that enhances consensus-building. The book, therefore, contributes to the search for novel approaches for managing current and emerging conflicts. With this book, resource managers, development practitioners, students, and scholars of Participatory Mapping and PGIS applications and conflict studies will be equipped with the principles, skills, and the tools they need to manage non-violent resource conflicts and keep the disputes from slipping into violence. The book will also be a valuable text for basic and advanced studies in Participatory Mapping and PGIS applications, Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management.

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is a crop native to the Bambara tribe of Mali and is grown as a subsistence crop in Africa. Recent advances in research, however, have brought the crop to the forefront of the sustainable agriculture movement.The Bambara plant is highly drought tolerant and rich in protein and carbohydrates, including starch. These macromolecules have enormous industrial potentials. For example, the starch in Bambara grain has been found to exhibit higher (double) viscosity than conventional corn starch. Modified Bambara groundnut starch has been used to produce edible bioplastics that could be upgraded industrially to suit the fourth industrial revolution shift.Bambara plants are also a natural source of soluble fiber, which is gluten-, lactose- and cholesterol-free, with potential as a stabiliser, thickener and gelling agent as well as a cryoprotectant in frozen products. The health benefits include lowering of cholesterol levels, levelling of blood glucose and as a detoxing aid. Furthermore, several researchers have explored the grain either alone or as composite with cereal and tubers for the development of value-added products.Food and Potential Industrial Applications of Bambara Groundnut presents in a clear, coherent way the research findings on Bambara grain and its status as a promising food and industrial crop.

This book explores sustainable mining knowledge, assessing researchers on the impacts of waste and new approaches to negotiating these impacts. Mining has always been a profitable venture; however, it comes with several boons and banes. The significant advantages of mining include employment generation, the establishment of townships and trade centers, and socio-economic growth. However, the mining activity is a significant cause of environmental degradation, including soils, atmosphere, water, solid wastes, changed topography, and health hazards. This book emphasizes value-added products from mining wastes and innovations for balancing environment, ecology, and economy. This book is designed for miners, policymakers, professionals, researchers, scientists, industrialists, and environmental agencies.

This book covers several topics related to domain-specific language (DSL) engineering in general and how they can be handled by means of the JetBrains Meta Programming System (MPS), an open source language workbench developed by JetBrains over the last 15 years.The book begins with an overview of the domain of language workbenches, which provides perspectives and motivations underpinning the creation of MPS. Moreover, technical details of the language underneath MPS together with the definition of the tool¿s main features are discussed. The remaining ten chapters are then organized in three parts, each dedicated to a specific aspect of the topic. Part I ¿MPS in Industrial Applications¿ deals with the challenges and inadequacies of general-purpose languages used in companies, as opposed to the reasons why DSLs are essential, together with their benefits and efficiency, and summarizes lessons learnt by using MPS. Part II about ¿MPS in Research Projects¿ covers the benefits of text-based languages, the design and development of gamification applications, and research fields with generally low expertise in language engineering. Eventually, Part III focuses on ¿Teaching and Learning with MPS¿ by discussing the organization of both commercial and academic courses on MPS.MPS is used to implement languages for real-world use. Its distinguishing feature is projectional editing, which supports practically unlimited language extension and composition possibilities as well as a flexible mix of a wide range of textual, tabular, mathematical and graphical notations. The number and diversity of the presented use-cases demonstrate the strength and malleability of the DSLs defined using MPS. The selected contributions represent the current state of the art and practice in using JetBrains MPS to implement languages for real-world applications.

This book is the first comprehensive assemblage of contemporary knowledge relevant to genomics and other omics in date palm. Volume 2 consists of 11 chapters. Part I, Nutritional and Pharmaceuticals Properties, covers the utilization of date palm as an ingredient of various food products, a source of bioactive compounds and the production of nanomaterials. Part II, Omics Technologies, addresses omics resources, proteomics and metabolomics. Part III, Molecular Breeding and Genome Modification, focuses on genetic improvement technologies based on mutagenesis, quantitative traits loci and genome editing. Part IV, Genomics of Abiotic and Biotic Stress, covers metagenomics of beneficial microbes to enhance tolerance to abiotic stress and the various genomics advances as they apply to insect control. This volume represents the efforts of 34 international scientists from 12 countries and contains 65 figures and 19 tables to illustrate presented concepts. Volume 1 is published under the title: Phylogeny, Biodiversity and Mapping.

This book is the first volume of a comprehensive assemblage of contemporary knowledge relevant to genomics and other omics in date palm. Volume 1 consists of 11 chapters arranged in 3 parts grouped according to subject. Part I, Biology and Phylogeny, focuses on date palm biology, evolution and origin. Part II, Biodiversity and Molecular Identification, covers conformity of in vitro derived plants, molecular markers, barcoding, pollinizer genetics and gender determination. Part III, Genome Mapping and Bioinformatics, addresses genome mapping of nuclear, chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA, in addition to a chapter on progress made in date palm bioinformatics. This volume represents the efforts of 30 international scientists from 10 countries and contains 78 figures and 30 tables to illustrate presented concepts. Volume 2 is published under the title: Omics and Molecular Breeding.

This book provides an overview of the innovations in crop phenotyping using emerging technologies, i.e., high-throughput crop phenotyping technology, including its concept, importance, breakthrough and applications in different crops and environments. Emerging technologies in sensing, machine vision and high-performance computing are changing the world beyond our imagination. They are also becoming the most powerful driver of the innovation in agriculture technology, including crop breeding, genetics and management. It includes the state of the art of technologies in high-throughput phenotyping, including advanced sensors, automation systems, ground-based or aerial robotic systems. It also discusses the emerging technologies of big data processing and analytics, such as advanced machine learning and deep learning technologies based on high-performance computing infrastructure. The applications cover different organ levels (root, shoot and seed) of different crops (grains, soybean, maize, potato) at different growth environments (open field and controlled environments). With the contribution of more than 20 world-leading researchers in high-throughput crop phenotyping, the authors hope this book provides readers the needed information to understand the concept, gain the insides and create the innovation of high-throughput phenotyping technology.

This book is intended for medical and mental health clinicians faced with the challenge of evaluating adolescents and adults in the legal context who may have a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Luminaries in their respective fields, the contributors to this book offer a range of expertise and perspectives regarding the forensic investigation of FASD: medical, psychological, psychiatric, criminal defense, prosecution, and the judiciary. The primary goal of the book is to provide medical and mental health clinicians with practical procedures that can be used in a variety of forensic and clinical settings. It includes protocols that have been used successfully in legal matters ranging from rights waiver and competency to capital murder and sexual offending. It not only provides detailed guidelines for interviewing birth mothers about the delicate topic of substance use during pregnancy but also introduces a methodology that can be usedin the absence of exposure confirmation to arrive at a sound diagnostic conclusion through the process of differential diagnosis. Taken as a whole, the methodological procedures described by the contributors to the book serve as ¿best practices¿ for comprehensive forensic mental health evaluation of potential FASD in juveniles and adult defendants as well as in victims.

This book focuses on crystalline silicon solar cell science and technology. It is written from the perspective of an experimentalist with extensive hands-on experience in modeling, fabrication, and characterization. A practical approach to solar cell fabrication is presented in terms of its three components: materials, electrical, and optical. The materials section describes wafer processing methods including saw damage removal, texturing, diffusion, and surface passivation. The electrical section focuses on formation of ohmic contacts on n and p-doped surfaces. The optical section illustrates light interaction with textured silicon surfaces in terms of geometrical, diffractive and physical optics, transmission, and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy. A final chapter analyzes performance of solar cells, fabricated with a wide range of process parameters. A brief economic analysis on the merits of crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic technology as a cottage industry is also included.This professional reference will be an important resource for practicing engineers and technicians working with solar cell and PV manufacturing and renewable energy technologies, as well as upper-level engineering and material science students.Presents a practical approach to solar cell fabrication, and characterization;Offers modular methodology with detailed equipment and process parameters supported by experimental results;Includes processing diagrams and tables for 16% efficient solar cell fabrication.

This interdisciplinary volume critically explores how the ever-increasing use of automated systems is changing policing, criminal justice systems, and military operations at the national and international level. The book examines the ways in which automated systems are beneficial to society, while addressing the risks they represent for human rights.This book starts with a historical overview of how different types of knowledge have transformed crime control and the security domain, comparing those epistemological shifts with the current shift caused by knowledge produced with high-tech information technology tools such as big data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The first part explores the use of automated systems, such as predictive policing and platform policing, in law enforcement. The second part analyzes the use of automated systems, such as algorithms used in sentencing and parole decisions, in courts of law. The third part examines the use and misuse of automated systems for surveillance and social control. The fourth part discusses the use of lethal (semi)autonomous weapons systems in armed conflicts.An essential read for researchers, politicians, and advocates interested in the use and potential misuse of automated systems in crime control, this diverse volume draws expertise from such fields as criminology, law, sociology, philosophy, and anthropology.

Not so long ago, class actions were considered to be a textbook example of American exceptionalism; many of their main features were assumed to be incompatible with the culture of the civil law world. However, the tide is changing; while there are now trends in the USA toward limiting or excluding class actions, notorious cases like Dieselgate are moving more and more European jurisdictions to extend the reach of their judicial collective redress mechanisms. For many new fans of class actions, collective redress has become a Holy Grail of sorts, a miraculous tool that will rejuvenate national systems of civil justice and grant them unprecedented power. Still, while the introduction of various forms of representative action has virtually become a fashion, it is anything but certain that attempting to transplant American-style class action will be successful. European judicial structures and legal culture(s) are fundamentally different, which poses a considerable challenge.This book investigates whether class actions in Europe are indeed a Holy Grail or just another wrong turn in the continuing pursuit of just and effective means of protecting the rights of citizens and businesses. It presents both positive and critical perspectives, supplemented by case studies on the latest collectivization trends in Europe¿s national civil justice systems. The book also shares the experiences of some non-European jurisdictions that have developed promising hybrid forms of collective redress, such as Canada, Brazil, China, and South Africa. In closing, a selection of topical international cases that raise interesting issues regarding the effectiveness of class actions in an international context are studied and discussed.

This book takes the reader through real-world examples for how to characterize and measure the productivity and performance of NFPs and education institutions¿that is, organisations that produce value for society, which cannot be measured accurately in financial KPIs. It focuses on how best to frame non-profit performance and productivity, and provides a suite of tools for measurement and benchmarking. It further challenges the reader to consider alternative and appropriate uses of quantitative measures, which are fit-for-purpose in individual contexts.It is true that the risk of misusing quantitative measures is ever-present. But does that risk outweigh the benefits of forming a more precise and shared understanding of what could generate better outcomes? There will always be concerns about policy and performance management. Goodheart¿s Law states that once a measure becomes a target, it is no longer a good measure. This book helps to strike a meaningful balance between what can be measured, what cannot, and how best to use quantitative information in sectors that are often averse to being held up to the light and put on a scale by outsiders.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 7th International Conference, with the theme ¿Culture and Tourism in a Smart, Globalized and Sustainable World,¿ held on Hydra Island, Greece, on June 17¿19, 2020, published with the support of the International Association of Cultural and Digital Tourism.Highlighting the contributions made by numerous writers to the advancement of tourism research, this book presents a critical academic discourse on sustainable practices in the smart tourism context, improving readers¿ understanding of, and stimulating future debates in, this critical area. In addition to the knowledge economy and the concept of smart destinations, the book addresses new modes of tourism management and development, as well as emerging technologies, including location-based services, the Internet of things, smart cities, mobile services, gamification, digital collections and the virtual visitor, social media, social networking, and augmented reality.

This book is a collection of papers devoted to the emergence and development in Bulgarian Academy of Sciences of some of the areas of informatics, including artificial intelligence. The papers are prepared by specialists from the Academy, some of whom are among the founders of these scientific and application areas in Bulgaria and in some cases ¿ in the world. The book is interesting for specialists in informatics and computer science and researchers in history of sciences.