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This book analyzes how mainstream and new parties are building their digital platforms and transitioning from traditional (offline) organizations into the digital world.The authors present an innovative empirical exploration of the democratic consequences and technical challenges of the digitalization of party organizations from a comparative perspective. They provide an original account of how party digital platforms are regulated and used, and a crucial discussion of the main technological and democratic issues that political parties face in their digital transition. Further, the authors assess the consequences of these digitalization processes for political participation and party membership, as well as the impact on party organizational models and electoral campaign potential. The book looks into one of the less-studied aspects of digital democracy, also presenting empirical evidence and case studies. It presents different parties and their adoption of digital participation platforms, from the Pirate Parties in Northern Europe to Podemos in Spain, La France Insoumise in France, the Five Stars Movement in Italy, or the German Greens.Therefore, the book is a must-read for scholars of political science, policy-makers, and practitioners, interested in a better understanding of the transition of political parties into the digital world.

Introduction.- Modeling of Continuum Mechanical Problems.- Discretization of Problem Domain.- Finite-Volume Methods.- Finite-Element Methods.- Other Discretization Methods.- Time Discretization.- Solution of Algebraic Systems of Equations.- Properties of Numerical Methods.- Finite-Element Methods in Structural Mechanics.- Finite-Volume Methods for Incompressible Flows.- Lattice-Boltzmann Methods for Flow Simulation.- Computation of Turbulent Flows.- Acceleration of Computations.

This book addresses age-based persecution of children as a crime against humanity in connection with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (persecution - with some variation in the elements of the crime - is an existing offence under the Rome Statute of the permanent International Criminal Court, the statutes of various international criminal tribunals i.e. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and under the statutes of other international criminal courts (i.e. the Special Court of Sierra Leone)). The book introduces a completely original concept in international criminal law, however, in discussing age-based persecution of children as an international crime against humanity where (i) the particular discrete child collective is targeted ¿as such¿ for international atrocity crimes or (ii) individual children are targeted based on their age-based group identity as it intersects with other perpetrator ¿ targeted characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, religion etc.

This second edition maintains a focus on integrated biomaterials, computer-aided design, and physical prototyping techniques as examples of the materials and applications that are found in medical environments. All original chapters, written by renowned experts in the field, have been updated along with the addition of four new chapters on:Smart insolesMedical applications of additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing in craniofacial applicationsAdditive manufacturing in hearing aidsThis wide-ranging treatise on biomaterials and prototyping applications in medicine also focuses on solid freeform fabrication, rapid prototyping, layered manufacturing, and computer-aided design in the development of prosthetic devices. This book is a must-have for bioengineers seeking a comprehensive overview of this important subject and examples of medical applications, as well as researchers and academics in the same field.

This book presents contributions on a wide range of computational research applied to fields ranging from molecular systems to bulk structures. This volume highlights current trends in modern computational chemistry and discusses the development of theoretical methodologies, state-of-the-art computational algorithms and their practical applications. This volume is part of a continuous effort by the editors to document recent advances by prominent researchers in the area of computational chemistry. Most of the chapters are contributed by invited speakers and participants to International annual conference ¿Current Trends in Computational Chemistry¿, organized by Jerzy Leszczynski, one of the editors of the current volume. This conference series has become an exciting platform for eminent theoretical and computational chemists to discuss their recent findings and is regularly honored by the presence of Nobel laureates. Topics covered in the book include reactive force-field methodologies, coarse-grained modeling, DNA damage radiosensitizers, modeling and simulation of surfaces and interfaces, non-covalent interactions, and many others. The book is intended for theoretical and computational chemists, physical chemists, material scientists and those who are eager to apply computational chemistry methods to problems of chemical and physical importance. It is a valuable resource for undergraduate, graduate and PhD students as well as for established researchers.

Cities are experiencing unprecedented times. In addition of managing the best possible post-pandemic recovery, Cities are at the beginning of the 4th industrial revolution, and all want to play a relevant role in it. To achieve this, they must retain and attract the necessary talent. There is a fierce competition where cities transform to become as attractive as possible. But what makes a city attractive (from emotional and rational sides) to talented citizens? For mayors and city directors: how can I prepare my city for this goal? What kind of transformations in the medium-long term should I develop? And in the short term, what processes and technologies (SmartCity) should I put in place? And from the point of view of citizens: how do I choose the best city to develop my full potential? Which one offers me the best citizenship contract? Where am I going to enjoy the best services with the highest quality of life and lower taxes/cost of life? In addition, the city must be attractive, with a strong identity and dynamism and promising future. Can I find the cities that best suit my aesthetic and emotional preferences, and that also offer me the services that I consider a priority at the lowest cost to my pocket? Find all the answers in this book.

The volume examines the state-of-the-art of productivity and efficiency analysis. It brings together a selection of the best papers from the 10th North American Productivity Workshop. By analyzing world-wide perspectives on challenges that local economies and institutions may face when changes in productivity are observed, readers can quickly assess the impact of productivity measurement, productivity growth, dynamics of productivity change, measures of labor productivity, measures of technical efficiency in different sectors, frontier analysis, measures of performance, industry instability and spillover effects.The contributions in this volume focus on the theory and application of economics, econometrics, statistics, management science and operational research related to problems in the areas of productivity and efficiency measurement. Popular techniques and methodologies including stochastic frontier analysis and data envelopment analysis are represented. Chapters also cover broader issues related to measuring, understanding, incentivizing and improving the productivity and performance of firms, public services, and industries.

This book provides an in-depth description and discussion of different multi-modal diagnostic techniques for cancer detection and treatment using exact optical methods, their comparison, and combination. Coverage includes detailed descriptions of modern state of design for novel methods of optical non-invasive cancer diagnostics; multi-modal methods for earlier cancer diagnostic enhancing the probability of effective cancer treatment; modern clinical trials with novel methods of clinical cancer diagnostics; medical and technical aspects of clinical cancer diagnostics, and long-term monitoring. Biomedical engineers, cancer researchers, and scientists will find the book to be an invaluable resource.Introduces optical imaging strategies;Focuses on multimodal optical diagnostics as a fundamental approach;Discusses novel methods of optical non-invasive cancer diagnostics.

This book addresses problems in the modeling, detection, and control of emergent behaviors and task coordination in multiagent systems. It presents a unified solution to such problems in terms of distributed estimation, distributed control, and optimization of interaction topologies and dynamics.Four aspects of the technical solutions in the book are presented: First, the impact of interaction dynamics on the convergence conditions related to interaction topologies is discussed, utilizing a discontinuous cooperative control algorithm of updated design. Second, distributed least-squares and Kalman filtering algorithms for agents with limited interactions are elaborated upon. Third, a general framework of distributed nonlinear control is established, and distributed adaptive control for nonlinear systems with more general uncertainties is presented. Based on the proposed framework, a distributed nonlinear controller is designed to deal with task coordination of robotic systems with nonholonomic constraints. Finally, the problem of optimal multiagent task coordination is addressed and solutions based on approximate dynamic programming and approximate distributed gradient estimation are presented.Emergent Behavior Detection and Task Coordination for Multiagent Systems is of interest to practicing engineers in areas such as robotics and cyber-physical systems, researchers in the field of systems, controls, and robotics, and senior undergraduate and graduate students.

This book is a token of appreciation for Professor Gregory E. Kersten (1949¿2020), one of the most prominent and active researchers and scholars in the broadly perceived field of collective decisions, notably negotiations, the author of numerous influential papers, books, and edited volumes, a great scientist, mentor, and a loyal friend and colleague. This book contains some papers in the fields of group and collective decisions, voting, social choice, negotiations, and related topics, with examples of real applications. The authors are top researchers and scholars from all over the world whose life and academic career has been inspired and influenced by Professor Kersten.

This book covers a large set of methods in the field of Artificial Intelligence - Deep Learning applied to real-world problems. The fundamentals of the Deep Learning approach and different types of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are first summarized in this book, which offers a comprehensive preamble for further problem¿oriented chapters. The most interesting and open problems of machine learning in the framework of Deep Learning are discussed in this book and solutions are proposed. This book illustrates how to implement the zero-shot learning with Deep Neural Network Classifiers, which require a large amount of training data. The lack of annotated training data naturally pushes the researchers to implement low supervision algorithms. Metric learning is a long-term research but in the framework of Deep Learning approaches, it gets freshness and originality. Fine-grained classification with a low inter-class variability is a difficult problem for any classification tasks. This book presents how it is solved, by using different modalities and attention mechanisms in 3D convolutional networks. Researchers focused on Machine Learning, Deep learning, Multimedia and Computer Vision will want to buy this book. Advanced level students studying computer science within these topic areas will also find this book useful.

This collected book analyzes the phenomenon of crisis manifested across various historical periods. It offers unique, multifaceted, and interdisciplinary perspectives on the issues of crises and finds numerous applications in the fields of literature, linguistics, advertising, photography, and foreign language teaching. The collection is divided into two parts. The chapters in its first part analyze literature and language: from medieval England to cultural changes in America occurring under the influence of the transformation caused by the propagation of print culture. The incisive commentaries consider the works of culture that span not only literature but also film. They reveal how much we can learn by considering how past generations perceived reality in times of crisis. The second part of the book contains chapters, which examine texts related to contemporary crises expressed in the visual media of advertising and photography, but also in foreign language teaching. As the authorsshow, both ads and non-commercial, socially engaged photographs can influence the viewer in a swift and impactful manner by conveying messages of great social importance. The authors convincingly that argue both photographs and ads can be used for social benefit by visualizing even the unpleasant or shocking sides of reality. Finally, the notion of crisis experienced by students of English as a foreign language is analyzed and supplemented by research which may prove useful for researchers and practitioners alike.

This book presents a self-contained introduction to the physics of computing, by addressing the fundamental underlying principles that involve the act of computing, regardless of the actual machine that is used to compute. Questions like ¿what is the minimum energy required to perform a computation?¿, ¿what is the ultimate computational speed that a computer can achieve?¿ or ¿how long can a memory last¿, are addressed here, starting from basic physics principles.The book is intended for physicists, engineers, and computer scientists, and it is designed for self-study by researchers who want to enter the field or as the main text for a one semester course at advanced undergraduate or graduate level. The theoretical concepts presented in this book are systematically developed from the very beginning, which only requires basic knowledge in physics and mathematics.

Immunometabolism has emerged as an intersectional crossroad between metabolism and immune response. Over the past decade, it has become clear that most - if not all - immune cell functions are not separated from cellular metabolism. Although seminal works have addressed the metabolic fate of immune cells during differentiation and function, the physiological status of a given tissue is also dependent on the cell metabolism. The dialogue between immune cells and their microenvironment can also modulate cellular metabolism, which can trigger the onset and progression of a multitude of inflammation-mediated diseases. Thus, uncovering the specific characteristics of the metabolism in different immune cells types and in different conditions, can shed light into the molecular mechanisms of disease and help develop new drugs and therapeutic strategies to treat immune diseases.The edited volume Essentials aspects of Immunometabolism will give the readers a broad view on howmetabolic pathways can influence many types of immune cells during activation, differentiation and function, in health and disease. Of note, the structure of the book was created thinking not only on the experienced immunologist but also on undergraduate and graduate students, physicians, and all members of the scientific community interested in this exciting field of research.

This book traces the development of Oman's inclusive agreements and highlights their importance for international negotiations, dealing with issues most relevant to humanity's own survival today, nuclear weapons or climate change.In Oman, a historical seafaring nation on the south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, a culture of agreement that accommodates the interests of everyone has developed around the division of scarce water resources.Life in the arid inland of the Omani Hajar mountains would not have been possible without water. Irrigation channel (falaj) construction is extremely old and skilful therein. Local practices evolved around the division of water and land on the basis of fairness. The community would be best served by inclusion and the avoidance of conflict.A specific Islamic school called Ibadi arrived at Oman early on in the eighth century. Ibadi scholars conserved local practices. Consultation and mediation by sheikhs and the religious leader, Imam, became the law of the land. The Omanis were known as the People of Consultation, Ahl Al Shura. In time, the practice of inclusive agreements would extend far beyond the village level, affecting Oman¿s foreign policy under Sultan Qaboos. Oman¿s water diplomacy succeeded in uniting the contestants of the Middle East Peace Process in the 1990s to work together on common problems of water desalination.

This proceedings volume highlights the latest research and developments in psychometrics and statistics. It represents selected and peer-reviewed presentations given at the 85th Annual International Meeting of the Psychometric Society (IMPS), held virtually on July 13-17, 2020.The IMPS is one of the largest international meetings on quantitative measurement in education, psychology and the social sciences. It draws approximately 500 participants from around the world, featuring paper and poster presentations, symposiums, workshops, keynotes, and invited presentations.Leading experts and promising young researchers have written the included chapters. The chapters address a wide variety of topics including but not limited to item response theory, adaptive testing, Bayesian estimation, propensity scores, and cognitive diagnostic models. This volume is the 9th in a series of recent works to cover research presented at the IMPS.

The first section of this book addresses the evolution of CISO (chief information security officer) leadership, with the most mature CISOs combining strong business and technical leadership skills. CISOs can now add significant value when they possess an advanced understanding of cutting-edge security technologies to address the risks from the nearly universal operational dependence of enterprises on the cloud, the Internet, hybrid networks, and third-party technologies demonstrated in this book. In our new cyber threat-saturated world, CISOs have begun to show their market value. Wall Street is more likely to reward companies with good cybersecurity track records with higher stock valuations. To ensure that security is always a foremost concern in business decisions, CISOs should have a seat on corporate boards, and CISOs should be involved from beginning to end in the process of adopting enterprise technologies.The second and third sections of thisbook focus on building strong security teams, and exercising prudence in cybersecurity. CISOs can foster cultures of respect through careful consideration of the biases inherent in the socio-linguistic frameworks shaping our workplace language and through the cultivation of cyber exceptionalism. CISOs should leave no stone unturned in seeking out people with unique abilities, skills, and experience, and encourage career planning and development, in order to build and retain a strong talent pool. The lessons of the breach of physical security at the US Capitol, the hack back trend, and CISO legal liability stemming from network and data breaches all reveal the importance of good judgment and the necessity of taking proactive stances on preventative measures. This book will target security and IT engineers, administrators and developers, CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and CFOs. Risk personnel, CROs, IT, security auditors and security researchers will alsofind this book useful.

The handbook synthesizes the comprehensive interdisciplinary research on the psychological and behavioral dimensions of life before, during, and immediately after birth. It examines how experiences during the prenatal period are associated with basic physiological and psychological imprints that last a lifetime and explores the ways in which brain networks reflect these experiences. Chapters offer findings on prenatal development, fetal programming, fetal stress, and epigenetics. In addition, chapters discuss psychotherapy for infants ¿ before, during, and after birth ¿ as well as prevention to promote positive health and well-being outcomes.Topics featured in this handbook include:Contemporary environmental stressors and adverse pregnancy outcomesThe psychology of newborn intensive care.Art therapy and its use in treating prenatal trauma.The failures and successes of Cathartic Regression Therapy.Prenatal bonding and its positive effects on postnatal health and well-being.The role of family midwives and early prevention.The cultural meaning of prenatal psychology.The Handbook of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology is an essential resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, as well as graduate students in a wide range of interrelated disciplines, including developmental psychology, pediatric and obstetrical medicine, neuroscience, infancy and early child development, obstetrics and gynecology, nursing, social work, and early childhood education.

This book explores the interactions of local inhabitants and environmental systems in the Protected Natural Areas of Mexico. Its goal is to help understand how social groups contextualize ecological knowledge, how human activities contribute to modifying the environmental matrix, how cultural and economic aspects influence the use, management and conservation of their ecological environment, and how social phenomena are to be viewed against the backdrop of ecological knowledge.The book reviews the epistemological and historical bases of the socio-ecological relationship, and addresses the evolution of human-natural systems. From a methodological standpoint, it assesses the tools required for the integration of ¿human¿ and ¿natural¿ dimensions in the management of the environmental matrix. Further, in the case studies section, it reviews valuable recent experiences concerning the retro-interactions of local inhabitants with their environmental matrix. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable asset for researchers and professionals all over the world, especially those working in Latin American countries.

This volume provides an overview of selected major areas of legal and institutional development in Lithuania since the Restoration of Independence in 1990.

The book analyses the difficulties the International Criminal Court faces with the definition of those persons who are eligible for participating in the proceedings. Lastly the book offers insights into the functioning of the reparation regime at the ICC by virtue of the Trust Fund for Victim and its different mandates.