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Presently, we stand on the threshold of a technological revolution that will drastically change the way we live, work, and communicate with each other. By the current rate, scope, and complexity, this transformation will be as fundamental for society as any other technological paradigm change from the past. The industries which are more susceptible to change are technologically oriented industries including banking, finance, accounting, and auditing. One of the technological concepts of the technological revolution is the concept of the digital twin.The application of digital twins and AI as paired with Internet of Things technologies makes it possible to solve ESG problems on a completely different level (Li, 2019) for accounting firms and financial institutions. These include recycling on demand, rational energy consumption, smart surveillance cameras for crime tracking, and smart branch parking solutions, monitoring the wear and tear and conditions of financial technology infrastructures.Moreover, numerous researchers and practitioners emphasize the significance of innovating sustainable business models and operations (Geissdoerfer et al., 2018). The digital twin will allow businesses and financial institutions to minimize costs, boost customer service, and find new ways to generate revenue. DTW is accessible now more than ever, and many reputable and innovative companies such as Tesla, Ericsson, and Siemens have adopted it with varying success.Therefore, this book examines the opportunities, challenges, and risks of artificial intelligence-augmented digital twins for financial operations, innovation, and sustainable development. It focuses on AI and digital twin technologies to furnish solutions for the current industrial revolution including the Metaverse. Henceforth, this book aims to encourage authors to submit multi-disciplinary chapters indicating the current scholarly challenges about the applications and potential of artificial intelligence and digital twins in accounting, finance, and banking.

This book is based on the papers accepted for presentation during the 3rd Springer Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG-3). The book is of interest to all researchers in the fields of geomorphology, sedimentology, and geochemistry. Papers in the field of geomorphology deal with topics related to fault slip and incision rates, soil science, landslides and debris flows, coastal processes, and geoarcheology and geoheritage. Papers in the field of sedimentology cover research studies in stratigraphy and environmental, tectonic, and diagenetic processes, together with studies focusing on the evolutionary, biostratigraphic, and paleo-environmental significance of paleontology. This section also contains papers on marine geosciences, from molecular proxies related to climate to geophysical surveys. The third set of papers focuses on studies related to geochemistry that are focused on sedimentary geochemistry and mineralogical characterization, magmatic and metamorphic processes and products, and the origin and exploration of mineral deposits. This book resumes the current situation related to the abovementioned topics mainly in the Mediterranean realm and its surroundings. The book is of interest to all researchers, practitioners, and students in the fields of geomorphology, sedimentology, and geochemistry.

This volume presents the conference proceedings from FinDrones 2023. The book highlights recent drone technology developments by experts and academicians for applications in agriculture, forestry, and other industries. This iteration of FinDrones presents research using autonomous drones in various fields from environmental monitoring to farm robotics and from photogrammetry to search and rescue missions. Emphasis is placed on contextualizing the conference presentations and content to Finland and the unique challenges typical to the region. The work will interest academicians, entrepreneurs, and professionals involved in remote sensing applications of unmanned aerial vehicles and enthusiasts of drone technological developments.

This volume explores in detail the molecular biology, genetics and immunology of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori that causes serious gastric diseases such as gastric cancer. The book provides in-depth insights into the mechanisms of H. pylori-induced pathogenicity, gives an overview of how the bacterium colonizes the human gut, how it manages to persist in the body and which factors play a role in the development of H. pylori-induced gastric cancer. Furthermore, the interaction between the Gram-negative bacterium and the human gut microbiome is explored, and clinical management and treatment strategies to combat gastric cancer are discussed.Helicobacter pylori is an extremely successful pathogen that persistently colonizes the gut of about 50% of the world¿s population. H. pylori and its human host share a long co-evolutionary relationship that dates back for at least last 100,000 years and possibly longer. Infection by thisbacterium is a high-risk factor for the development of gastric diseases, including gastric cancer. Gastric cancer is associated with high morbidity and mortality and represents the 5th most common malignant tumour and the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. H. pylori is the first bacterium that has been classified as a type-I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Recent research progress identified crucial bacterial, host and environmental factors which control H. pylori-induced gastric malignancy. New studies also suggest that specific human germline mutations and other genetic aberrations have an important impact on H. pylori-induced pathology. In this volume, all these recently discovered mechanisms are reviewed in the light of gastric cancer development, and H. pylori epidemiology, virulence factors, immune evasion, pathophysiology, cancer signalling and novel therapeutic protocols are presented. This volume is aimed at researchers in the fields of immunology, genetics, microbiology and medicine who are interested in the detailed mechanisms of the pathogenicity of this carcinogenic stomach bacterium.

This book explores how creativity is increasingly designed, marketed, and produced with digital products and services ¿ a process referred to as softwarization. If ¿being creative¿ has developed into one of the paradigmatic architectures of power for framing the contemporary subject, then an essential component of this architecture involves its material and symbolic configuration through tools. From image editors to digital audio workstations, video editors to game engines, these modern tools are used by creatives every day, and mastering these increasingly complex technologies is now a near-compulsory pathway to creative work. Despite their ubiquity in cultural production, few have sought to theorize them in aggregate and with interdisciplinary breadth.By bringing disparate creative and methodological traditions in one volume, this book provides a comprehensive overview of approaches for understanding this complex, emerging, and dynamic field that speaks beyond the disciplinary categories of ¿tool,¿ ¿instrument,¿ and/or ¿software¿. It makes a unique intervention in the fields of cultural production and the cultural and creative industries. ¿

This two-volume textbook teaches about the uniqueness and the difficulty of the European unification project. It describes, as clearly as possible, what Robert Schuman declared in 1950, that "... Europe will not be made all at once¿". Navigating the nexus of four academic fields - political science, institutional analysis, economics, and history - the book serves as a reference work for accurate, exhaustive, and well-researched information on the creation and functioning of the European Union. Supported by numerous photographs, diagrams, maps, and sources, volume 1 sets out in a concise and readable way the European historical origins, the important steps in the creation of the European Union, and the treaties and historical events that have marked its course so far. Providing a comprehensive picture of the unification process and the functioning of this sui generis edifice of a united Europe, the book will serve as an essential textbook for undergraduate and graduate students studying the subject of European integration, as well as a useful resource for a broader audience interested in the European integration process.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Edge Computing, EDGE 2023, held in Shenzhen, China, during December 17¿18, 2023. The 8 full papers in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 14 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Practice of Edge Computing, identify emerging research topics, and define the future of Edge Computing.

This book constitutes the referred proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Engineering Solutions Toward Sustainable development (ESSD2023), organized by the Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University and held in Port Said, Egypt, during May 2-3, 2023.The book is devoted to fulfill the need for sustainable development that has never been more urgent. It shows the crucial role of engineering to play in this transition from consumption culture to responsible culture. This book explores the relationship between engineering and sustainability, highlighting the vital role that engineering plays in achieving sustainable development. The book provides a comprehensive guide for engineers, researchers, and experts from different disciplines that are interested in sustainable development. From renewable energy sources to green infrastructure, the book delves into the latest technological advancements providing insights and practical strategies for designing and implementing sustainable solutions. With practical examples and case studies, readers will gain a deep understanding of how engineering principles and practices can be harnessed to develop sustainable solutions that balance economic, social, and environmental needs and to mitigate the negative impacts of human activity on our planet. The books is very useful for graduate students, researchers, policy planners, decision makers and stakeholders in the field of renewable energy, clean water development, climate actions, smart cities and communities and green infrastructures.

This atlas illustrates the characteristics of imaging after surgical spine treatment. The previous edition has been thoroughly updated and new surgical treatment options are presented. Furthermore, all clinical cases feature new images with the new sequences available from the manufacturers of Magnetic Resonance scanners. The imaging methods presented in the book are MRI, involving the use of routine basic sequences and advanced study techniques, and CT with and without administration of contrast medium. The modifications of the spine, both healthy and pathological, that can occur immediately after surgical treatment and in the long term, are described in detail.Atlas contents are organized in a general part, with the classification of spine pathology and the surgical treatment options, and a part with clinical cases enriched by a wealth of images.This easy-to-consult publication addresses neuroradiologists who wish to gain an adequate expertise in post-treatment examinations reporting in order to be able to perform an effective differential diagnosis.

This book offers background material, reviews, and researched findings into the realms of minerals, mining, metallurgy, and engineering. Firstly, it elucidates fundamental mineral concepts, mining techniques, and mineral processing methods; secondly, it unveils cutting-edge insights on fine and coarse particle flotation, unveiling breakthrough technologies for enhanced efficiency; and thirdly, it explores the innovative applications of ultrasound and thermoluminescence in mineral processing, offering a holistic view of the latest advancements. This book sheds light on the versatile uses of silicones, the intricacies of bentonite clay, and the production pathways, properties, and applications of hydroxyapatite. Furthermore, the book provides invaluable insights into biomimetic biomineralization, the synthesis of low-carbon bio-cements, and the pioneering strides in mineral-based phase change materials.

This book covers cadmium contamination of soil and plants, its sources, acute and long-term impacts on the environment and human health, and overall challenges posed by the global poisoning issue. Cadmium is among the elements that have been most broadly used by man over time, which has led to extensive pollution of surface soils, mainly associated with the mining and smelting of the metal and the addition of organic cadmium compounds to petrol. The release of cadmium into the atmosphere from various high-temperature processes has also led to surface contamination on a regional and even global scale. Cadmium is particularly firmly bound to humic matter in organic-rich soil and to iron oxides in mineral soil and is rather immobile in the soil unless present at very high concentrations. Plants grown on cadmium-rich soils incorporate cadmium, thus increasing the concentration of cadmium in crop plants. Cadmium thus enters the food chain through the consumption of plant material, whichposes important health risks to humans and animals. In this book, readers will find out about the latest mitigation strategies, including a multi-disciplinary approach to address cadmium contamination. Recent methods in cadmium detoxification, speciation, and molecular mechanisms are included, and the book offers the knowledge required for efficient risk assessment, prevention, and countermeasure. Divided into 3 parts, this book brings together expert contributions on cadmium toxicity. In the first part, readers will find out about the different sources and distribution of cadmium in soil and plant ecosystems. The second part of the book outlines the health risks linked to cadmium toxicity, and in the final part, readers will discover sustainable cadmium toxicity mitigation strategies and potential applications of recent biological technology in providing solutions. This book is a valuable resource for students, academics, researchers, and environmental professionalsdoing fieldwork on cadmium contamination throughout the world.

This book explores the topic of gyrolite and calcium silicate hydrates, focusing on their potential applications in wastewater purification and as additives in ordinary Portland cement. Divided into five chapters, the book provides a comprehensive description of calcium silicate hydrates and addresses challenges in reusing solid waste. It also covers the synthesis and application of gyrolite, offering technological recommendations for future studies. The results presented are supported by instrumental analysis techniques and thermodynamic calculations, allowing readers to delve into inorganic chemistry and materials characterization. The book is suitable for both researchers and students interested in chemistry and materials characterization, offering valuable insights and guidance in the field.

This book looks at the success and continuing potential of photovoltaic (PV) technology in combating climate change by harnessing solar energy through building-integrated (BIPV) and building-applied photovoltaics (BAPV). With PV global capacity soaring from 940 GW in 2021 to 1100 GW in 2022 and projected to reach 1456 GW by the end of 2023, the world is witnessing an unprecedented shift towards renewable energy solutions. Today, no single country exists without some form of PV installation, driven by reduced costs and abundant free sunshine. The book¿s chapters delve into the advancements in PV technology, exploring its integration as an essential building material by examining 14 countries and regions ¿ Brazil, The Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Argentina, Iran, Germany, Malaysia, Oman, Bahrain, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Egypt ¿ and providing a comprehensive overview of their successful adoption of PV for electricity generation. Whether yoüre an architect, builder,engineer, or climate advocate, this vital resource offers insights, international case studies, and a path to a greener future.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Formal Aspects of Component Software, FACS 2023, which took place virtually during October 19-20, 2023.The 11 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 23 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: cloud computing, cyber-physical and critical systems, and the Internet of Things.

This book constitutes the revised selected papers of the 5th International Workshop on Dynamic Logic. New Trends and Applications, DaLí 2023, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, during September 15¿16, 2023. The 8 full papers in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 10 submissions. They deal with new trends and applications in the area of Dynamic Logic.

This book examines multimodality in architecture and its impacts on collaborative, technical and educational processes or systems. Multimodality is becoming increasingly critical in contemporary architectural practice and education. Creative design teams face new challenges when they embrace new modes of communication, technology, and knowledge development processes. From diverse online modes of communication to shared digital environments, generative AI and advanced hardware solutions, new modes of information creation, sharing, and application are changing the ways architects and designers work.The book presents new research which empowers international researchers and designers to work more effectively in a diverse range of digital environments.Whether the readers are architects, teachers, students, or scholars, this book provides critical insights and practical tools for understanding and optimising processes in architecture and design.

This book provides a thorough overview of cutting-edge research on electronics applications relevant to industry, the environment, and society at large. It covers a broad spectrum of application domains, from automotive to space and from health to security, while devoting special attention to the use of embedded devices and sensors for imaging, communication, and control. The book is based on the 2023 ApplePies Conference, held in Genoa, Italy, in September 2023, which brought together researchers and stakeholders to consider the most significant current trends in the field of applied electronics and to debate visions for the future. Areas addressed by the conference included information communication technology; biotechnology and biomedical imaging; space; secure, clean, and efficient energy; the environment; and smart, green, and integrated transport. As electronics technology continues to develop apace, constantly meeting previously unthinkable targets, further attention needs tobe directed toward the electronics applications and the development of systems that facilitate human activities. This book, written by industrial and academic professionals, represents a valuable contribution in this endeavor.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Cloud Computing, CLOUD 2023, held in Shenzhen, China, during December 17¿18, 2023.The 5 full papers and 3 short papers in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 13 submissions. The conference facilitates the exploration of emerging research areas and the shaping of the future landscape of cloud computing.

This textbook offers undergraduates a self-contained introduction to advanced topics not covered in a standard calculus sequence. The author¿s enthusiastic and engaging style makes this material, which typically requires a substantial amount of study, accessible to students with minimal prerequisites. Readers will gain a broad knowledge of the area, with approaches based on those found in recent literature, as well as historical remarks that deepen the exposition. Specific topics covered include the binomial theorem, the harmonic series, Euler's constant, geometric probability, and much more. Over the fifteen chapters, readers will discover the elegance of calculus and the pivotal role it plays within mathematics.A Compact Capstone Course in Classical Calculus is ideal for exploring interesting topics in mathematics beyond the standard calculus sequence, particularly for undergraduates who may not be taking more advanced math courses. It would also serve as a useful supplement for a calculus course and a valuable resource for self-study. Readers are expected to have completed two one-semester college calculus courses.

This book provides a comprehensive and systematic exploration of next-generation Edge Intelligence (EI) Networks. It delves deep into the critical design considerations within this context, emphasizing the necessity for functional and dependable interactions between networking strategies and the diverse application scenarios. This should help assist to encompass a wide range of environments.This book also discusses topics such as resource optimization, incentive mechanisms, channel prediction and cutting-edge technologies, which includes digital twins and advanced machine learning techniques. It underscores the importance of functional integration to facilitate meaningful collaborations between networks and systems, while operating across heterogeneous environments aiming support novel and disruptive human-oriented services and applications. Valuable insights into the stringent requirements for intelligence capabilities, communication latency and real-time response are discussed. This characterizes the new EI era, driving the creation of comprehensive cross-domain architectural ecosystems that infuse human-like intelligence into every aspect of emerging EI systems.This book primarily targets advanced-level students as well as postdoctoral researchers, who are new to this field and are searching for a comprehensive understanding of emerging EI systems. Practitioners seeking guidance in the development and implementation of EI systems in practical contexts will also benefit from this book.

This book explores the connection between family structure and circumstances, parental engagement, and adolescent sexual behavior. Given that South Africa contains the highest portion of the global HIV epidemic within a single country, a comprehensive, book-length investigation intösometimes risky¿adolescent sexual behaviour is necessary. Drawing from the longitudinal Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS) of more than 4,000 adolescents between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two, as well as qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with parents and adolescents, this study pioneers empirical investigation of adolescent sexual behavior within the intricate framework of family dynamics in South Africa.

This book presents many valuable tips for making decisions related to road traffic in transport networks. The knowledge base in practical examples, as well as the decision support systems described in this volume, finds interest among people who face the daily challenge of searching for advanced solutions and practical applications in road traffic engineering. The publication is therefore addressed to local authorities related to the planning and development of development strategies for selected areas with regard to transport (both in the urban and regional dimension) and to representatives of business and industry, as people directly involved in the implementation of traffic engineering solutions. The tips contained in individual sections of the publication allow to look at a given problem in an advanced way and facilitate the selection of the appropriate strategy (among others, in relation to the heuristic approach to assessing the performance efficiency of road intersections inurban environments from the resilience perspective, modeling the distribution of transport pollutants in a naturally ventilated road tunnel, development of a camera-based parking monitoring system with an automatic parking spot identification). In turn, due to a new approach to theoretical models (including, inter alia, problems with the safety of passengers at tram stops or energy-efficient radio platforms for the implementation of nodes of sensor networks), the publication also interests scientists and researchers carrying out research in this area. The publication entitled "Road Traffic Analysis, Theoretical Approaches and Practical Solutions" contains selected papers submitted to and presented at the 19th ¿Transport Systems. Theory and Practice¿ Scientific and Technical Conference organized by the Department of Transport Systems, Traffic Engineering and Logistics at the Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology. The conference took placeon September 18¿19, 2023, in Katowice (Poland).

This book constitutes the revised and selected papers of the International Conference on Global Economic Revolutions (ICGER 2023) held in Sharjah City, United Arab Emirates, during February 27-28, 2023.The 18 papers included in this book were thoroughly reviewed and selected from the 105 submissions. The papers focus on topics related to data science and data centers, machine learning, sustainable technologies for a green economy, metaverse in the healthcare education, Predictive Model Analytics using Data mining and Machine learning, blockchain adoption and acceptance, Narrow Band Internet of Things, and enhanced Bubble Sorting Visualizer.

This book examines the evolving dynamics between banks and firms within the context of alternative finance and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) integration. The book contributes to understanding the bank-firm relationship in light of the changing financial landscape and its implications for sustainable development. The book employs an empirical analysis to examine the bank-firm relationship in the context of alternative finance and ESG performance to assess firms¿ riskiness, access to funds and cost of capital.The book addresses research gaps by comprehensively analysing the impact of alternative finance and ESG on the bank-firm relationship. It assists banks in adapting their financing practices and policies to align with emerging trends, and it offers insights for banks to evaluate and mitigate ESG-related risks effectively. It provides policy implications for promoting responsible lending, supporting the growth of alternative finance, and incentivising ESG integration in the financial sector. Ultimately, it contributes to formulating policies that foster a sustainable and inclusive financial system, and will be of interest to professionals and researchers in finance, alternative finance, and sustainable finance.

This conference volume discusses the findings of the iCAB 2023 conference that took place in Johannesburg, South Africa. The University of Johannesburg (UJ School of Accounting and Johannesburg Business School) in collaboration with Alcorn State University (USA), Salem State University (USA) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (Malaysia) hosted the iCAB 2023 conference with the aim to bring together researchers from different Accounting and Business Management fields to share ideas and discuss how new disruptive technological developments are impacting the field of accounting. The conference was sponsored by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants AICPA & CIMA.

This book addresses the tensions of existing theories and practices of inclusive education from an international perspective. Adopting Disability Critical Race Theory in Education (DisCrit) and Critical Disability Studies (CDS), the authors expose how race neutral knowledge characterizes inclusive education and exhorts readers to consider how intersectional perspectives provide more complex and nuanced understandings about ways in which racism and ableism simultaneously circulate as intersecting oppressions in schools and societies and across geographical borders. The authors begin by engaging in a critical analysis of the genesis of inclusive education before exploring how existing policies and practices of inclusive education in the global North evade the collusive nature of oppressions faced by minoritized students with disabilities and are uncritically transferred into the global South. Ultimately, the book encourages readers to reconceptualize inclusive education and move towards developing and sustaining transformative notions of global justice.

This book constitutes revised papers from the International Workshops held at the 21st International Conference on Business Process Management, BPM 2023, in Utrecht, The Netherlands, during September 2023.Papers from the following workshops are included:¿ 7th International Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Business Process Management (AI4BPM 2023)¿ 7th International Workshop on Business Processes Meet Internet-of-Things (BP-Meet-IoT 2023)¿ 19th International Workshop on Business Process Intelligence (BPI 2023)¿ 16th International Workshop on Social and Human Aspects of Business Process Management (BPMS2 2023)¿ 2nd International Workshop on Data-Driven Business Process Optimization (BPO 2023)¿ 11th International Workshop on Declarative, Decision and Hybrid Approaches to Processes (DEC2H 2023)¿ 1st International Workshop on Digital Twins for Business Processes (DT4BP 2023)¿ 1st International Workshop on Formal Methods for Business Process Management (FM-BPM 2023) ¿ 2nd International Workshop on Natural Language Processing for Business Process Management (NLP4BPM 2023)¿ 1st International Workshop on Object-Centric Processes from A to Z (OBJECTS 2023)¿ 3rd International Workshop on Change, Drift, and Dynamics of Organizational Processes (ProDy 2023) Each of the workshops focused on particular aspects of business process management. Overall, after a thorough review process, 42 full papers were selected from a total of 86 submissions.

One of the main unanswered question of modern Physics is "How does gravity behave at small scales?". The aim of this thesis is to illustrate in a comprehensive but accessible way how to look for deviations from Einstein's theory of General Relativity in this regime, looking at the simplest celestial bodies: static and spherically symmetric ones.With a conservative and bottom-up approach, at smaller scales the first corrections to the action of General Relativity are generally considered to be terms quadratic in the curvature tensors; while these modifications do not cure the inconsistency between gravity and quantum mechanics, the solutions of this theory are plausible candidates to be the first-order corrections of the classical ones.Even with such simple modifications, a striking picture emerges from the study of isolated objects: the unique Schwarzschild solution of General Relativity is only a rare bird in the set of solutions, with non-Schwarzschild black holes, wormholes and naked singularities appearing as possible substitutes.Tailored to graduate students and researchers entering this field, this thesis shows how to construct these new solutions from action principles, how to characterize their metric, how to study their physical properties, such as their stability or Thermodynamics, and how to look for phenomenological signatures.