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The language of the universe is mathematics, but how exactly do you know that all parts of the universe "speak" the same language? Benioff builds on the idea that the entity that gives substance to both mathematics and physics is the fundamental field, called the "value field". While exploring this idea, he notices the similarities that the value field shares with several mysterious phenomena in modern physics: the Higgs field, and dark energy.The author first introduces the concept of the value field and uses it to reformulate the basic framework of number theory, calculus, and vector spaces and bundles. The book moves on to find applications to classical field theory, quantum mechanics and gauge theory. The last two chapters address the relationship between theory and experiment, and the possible physical consequences of both the existence and non-existence of the value field. The book is open-ended, and the list of open questions is certainly longer than the set of proposed answers.Paul Benioff, a pioneer in the field of quantum computing and the author of the first quantum-mechanical description of the Turing machine, devoted the last few years of his life to developing a universal description in which mathematics and physics would be on equal footing. He died on March 29, 2022, his work nearly finished. The final editing was undertaken by Marek Czachor who, in the editorial afterword, attempts to place the author's work in the context of a shift in the scientific paradigm looming on the horizon.

Following the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Global Financial Crisis, China's foreign policy shifted to become more assertive, effecting a systematic deterioration in the US-China relationship. In 2017, the US' China policy shifted from that of 'engagement' to 'strategic competition' under Trump - a policy which has remained under the Biden administration.Indo-Pacific Security: US-China Rivalry and Regional States' Responses explores how states in the Indo-Pacific region have had to adjust to the reality and implications of this growing great power rivalry. In the process, this book fills a gap in the area studies, international relations, and security studies literature. It provides a compelling account of the trajectory of US-China relations while illuminating the varied responses of regional states: from Australia, India and Japan, to South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and Pacific Island states.

This book presents a guided wave-based structural health monitoring (GWSHM) system for aeronautical composite structures. Particular attention is paid to the development of a reliable and reproducible system with the capability to detect and localise barely visible impact damage (BVID) in carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) structures.TThe authors introduce a novel sensor installation method that offers ease of application and replacement as well as excellent durability. Electromechanical Impedance (EMI) is also explored to assess the durability of the sensor installation methods in simulated aircraft operational conditions including thermal cycles, fatigue loading, and hot-wet conditions.Damage characterisation using GWSHM is described and used to investigate damage in different CFRP structures. Key issues in guided wave-based damage identification are addressed, including wave mode and frequency selection, the influence of dynamic load, the validity of simulated damage, and the sensitivity of guided waves to impact damage in different CFRP materials.The influence of temperature on guided wave propagation in anisotropic CFRP structures is described, and a novel baseline reconstruction approach for temperature compensation is presented. Finally, a multi-level hierarchical approach for the quantification of an ultrasonic GWSHM system is put forth.

Competing in today's marketplace requires a holistic view of both products and processes. It requires that companies pay attention to their stakeholders in addition to their customers. Environmental planning lays the foundation to adapt to the needs of the changing world and avoid the hazards, risks and high costs associated with poor environmental practices.Written by an expert in chemical safety, security management, sustainability management, disaster risk reduction, process change and quality control in environmental planning, this book identifies good environmental practices, and lays down effective strategies and practical models. The book focuses mostly on designing for the environment, using sustainable practices to achieve competitiveness. Following the successful publication of the 1st edition, this edition brings existing chapters up to date as well as introduces new chapters on current topics of concern such as global environmental challenges, a circular economy, environmental impact assessment, climate change, and disaster risk reduction and management. The case studies presented point to companies that have increased profitability because of their environmental programs.This book is intended as an introduction to corporate environmental management and is suitable for basic courses in sustainability management, and environmental management and planning. Practitioners would also find it helpful as it explains some of the basic concepts and environmental strategies that are in practice today.

This book begins by introducing the basic concepts of impedance to non-specialist readers, who may have only an elementary knowledge of physics and mathematics. Mathematical concepts are explained clearly at appropriate points in a series of Theory Notes. Subsequent chapters cover RCL (resistor, capacitor, inductor) circuits before developing the key ideas behind the application of impedance spectroscopy to electrochemical systems. Circuit elements used to model electron transfer, double-layer charging and diffusion are described in detail, along with Kramers-Kronig testing of experimental data. The book explains how potentiostats and frequency-response analyzers work and evaluates a wealth of experimental data obtained either during the annual Bath impedance courses or in the laboratories of the author and his colleagues.Topics covered include not only conventional electrochemical systems, such as the rotating disc electrode and ultramicroelectrodes, but also unconventional solar cells and the application of frequency-resolved techniques in spectroelectrochemistry. Finally, the last two chapters introduce techniques based on modulation of light intensity rather than voltage or current. The book concludes with worked answers to the problems set out in earlier chapters.

In contrast to non-financial firms, banks have undergone significant turbulence in the past decade, enduring severe financial crises and unprecedented regulatory reforms. New regulations, including heightened capital and liquidity requirements, measures to address regulatory migration, resolution authority, stress testing, and capital planning, have spurred the development of new tools to manage institutional failure. The primary goal has been to reduce the likelihood of poor performance and improve stock market valuations to restore public confidence in the industry. The banking industry plays a vital role in global economic and financial stability and is subject to intense regulatory and market scrutiny. Financial instability can be very costly for banks due to its spillover effects on other parts of the economy. Therefore, a sound, stable, and healthy financial system is essential for efficient resource allocation and risk distribution across the economy.This is the first book that comprehensively addresses a range of contemporary issues in the global banking industry, providing a thorough understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by the sector. The book examines how banking business models, effective policies, and regulations can address these issues, covering corporate governance, asset-liability management, risk management, financial performance, and regulatory frameworks. The potential benefits of alternative banking models, including Islamic banking, and their contribution to global financial stability and resilience are also explored.Contributions from international scholars using both quantitative and qualitative methods provide new insights, recent findings, and perspectives on future bank stability and resilience in a global context. The book also presents updated evidence and debates on the impact of recent regulations and governance structures on the industry, which has undergone significant changes in response to financial turmoil and new laws and regulations aimed at enhancing bank resiliency, protecting against systematic risks, and promoting fair and ethical banking practices.

The banking industry plays a critical role in ensuring global economic and financial stability. Effective governance is essential for mitigating bank risk-taking and limiting managerial opportunism in this industry, which is constantly under regulatory and market scrutiny. However, the complexity and diversity of banking financial instruments and transactions gives rise to substantial information asymmetries and ongoing debates regarding contemporary governance, sustainability, and data innovation issues.This book is one of the first to address these contemporary issues collectively, offering a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the global banking industry. It provides new insights, evidence-based recommendations, and future perspectives on the role of governance mechanisms, digital innovation, climate change, and green finance in shaping the industry pre- and post-COVID-19. The book is a valuable resource for a wide range of stakeholders in the banking sector, including international regulators, practitioners, policymakers, institutional investors, and auditors. It features contributions from renowned international scholars and offers a variety of theoretical, empirical, and policy-based perspectives. It provides updated evidence and new insights crucial for rethinking the global banking model and dominant regulations, and offers evidence-based recommendations and measures for promoting financial stability and resilience in this industry.

From a taboo topic in the early 1990s, corruption has now become an intriguing economic issue attracting broad attention from academics and practitioners. Political Corruption and Corporate Finance is the first attempt to scrutinize the effect of political corruption on corporate finance. It provides readers with a comprehensive overview of corruption-related issues and theoretical and empirical studies in corporate finance. This book summarizes the causes and effects of political corruption as well as anti-corruption mechanisms and initiatives; analyzes how political corruption at both state and local levels determines corporate financial decisions (investment, financing, and dividend); and discusses how the corruption environment determines firm-level financial behavior.The first three chapters of the book introduce political corruption, the status of political corruption, and anti-corruption campaigns around the world. The last three chapters focus on how firms make financial decisions, and the role of political corruption in corporate finance. By summarizing real problems and results from academic research, this work will help readers to understand how the corruption environment determines firm-level financial behavior.

The coronavirus crisis and related business failures are widely discussed topics, with COVID-19 raising many concerns about existing risk management models. Many companies have struggled to understand which factors to consider in their business model to address the new risks associated with the pandemic. The resulting financial crisis has highlighted the importance of further research on risk management that will allow businesses to develop feasible models for handling various risks in the ongoing crisis and recovery period.Existing academic studies emphasise the necessity of revised risk management models, but focus on the risk posed by Artificial Intelligence and other advanced technologies. The detailed study thus fulfils the vital need to understand how the risk management strategies of businesses should be revised, to adapt to changes brought about by the pandemic.This book is essential reading for students studying risk management, researchers examining the relation between advanced technology and risk management mitigation strategies, businesses working on their strategies around managing risk, and policymakers looking for necessary policy changes for an effective support to businesses.

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic global healthcare services faced the need to reshape healthcare delivery models in order to meet escalating demand, whilst maintaining quality of care and equity of access. What are the key factors that enable these critical changes to be delivered at scale and pace, and within the constraints of limited resources?Seyed Esfahani and Halkes are academics and practitioners who have extensive expertise in healthcare innovation research and practice, and in this book they explore innovation in the health sector through discussions on forward-thinking technologies, covering development and manufacturing approaches, as well as innovation management and training. Case studies review the successful application of innovation models and technologies from Brazil, Portugal, Austria, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Europe. How the lessons learnt during the COVID pandemic can be drawn on to accelerate innovation in healthcare and shape future models of delivery is a consistent theme throughout the book.Healthcare Innovation will be of interest and value to academics, healthcare professionals, innovation practitioners, and businesses, as well as those involved in setting strategy and policy. It highlights the key factors at an individual, organisational, and system level that need to be in place to enable effective healthcare innovation, as well as the spread and adoption of new practices.

In the nineteenth-century, fractional calculus had its origin in extending differentiation and integration operators from the integer-order case to the fractional-order case. Discrete fractional calculus has recently become an important research topic, useful in various science and engineering applications. The first definition of the fractional-order discrete-time/difference operator was introduced in 1974 by Diaz and Osler, where such operator was derived by discretizing the fractional-order continuous-time operator. Successfully, several types of fractional-order difference operators have then been proposed and introduced through further generalizing numerous classical operators, motivating several researchers to publish extensively on a new class of systems, viz the nonlinear fractional-order discrete-time systems (or simply, the fractional-order maps), and their chaotic behaviors. This discovery of chaos in such maps, has led to novel control methods for effectively stabilizing their chaotic dynamics.The aims of this book are as follows:Presenting the recent developments, trends, research solutions, applications and open problems related to fractional-order chaotic maps;Illustrating many interdisciplinary applications, like modulization, control, circuits, security and encryption;Including all theories associated with chaos, control and synchronization of discrete-time systems;Providing a useful reference on the topic of fractional-order chaotic maps and their applications.

Nonlinear waves are essential phenomena in scientific and engineering disciplines. The features of nonlinear waves are usually described by solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations (NLPDEs). This book was prepared to familiarize students with nonlinear waves and methods of solving NLPDEs, which will enable them to expand their studies into related areas. The selection of topics and the focus given to each provide essential materials for a lecturer teaching a nonlinear wave course.Chapter 1 introduces "mode" types in nonlinear systems as well as Bäcklund transform, an indispensable technique to solve generic NLPDEs for stationary solutions. Chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to the derivation and solution characterization of three generic nonlinear equations: nonlinear Schrödinger equation, Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation, and Burgers equation. Chapter 4 is devoted to the inverse scattering transform (IST), addressing the initial value problems of a group of NLPDEs. In Chapter 5, derivations and proofs of the IST formulas are presented. Steps for applying IST to solve NLPDEs for solitary solutions are illustrated in Chapter 6.

Heterogeneous catalysis has developed over the past two centuries as a technology driven by the needs of society, and is part of Nobel Prize-winning science. This book describes the spectacular increase in molecular understanding of heterogenous catalytic reactions in important industrial processes. Reaction mechanism and kinetics are discussed with a unique focus on their relation with the inorganic chemistry of the catalyst material. An introductory chapter presents the development of catalysis science and catalyst discovery from a historical perspective. Five chapters that form the thrust of the book are organized by type of reaction, reactivity principles, and mechanistic theories, which provide the scientific basis to structure-function relationships of catalyst performance. Present-day challenges to catalysis are sketched in a final chapter. Written by one of the world's leading experts on the topic, this definitive text is an essential reference for students, researchers and engineers working in this multibillion-dollar field.

This book provides a pedagogical introduction to the concepts and methods of quantum field theory necessary for the study of condensed matter and ultracold atomic gases. After a thorough discussion of the basic methods of field theory and many-body physics (functional integrals, perturbation theory, Feynman diagrams, correlation functions and linear response theory, symmetries and their consequences, etc.), the book covers a wide range of topics, from electron gas and Fermi-liquid theory to superfluidity and superconductivity, magnetic instabilities in electron systems, and dynamical mean-field theory of Mott transition. The focus is on the study of model Hamiltonians, where the microscopic physics and characteristic energy scales are encoded into a few effective parameters, rather than first-principle methods which start from a realistic Hamiltonian at the microscopic level and then make material-specific predictions. The reader is expected to be familiar with elementary quantum mechanics and statistical physics, and some acquaintance with condensed-matter physics and ultracold gases may also be useful. No prior knowledge of field theory or many-body problem is required.

Activated sludge is the most widely used biological wastewater treatment process globally to date, although its high energy demand makes it a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. Over recent decades it has been constantly modified and retrofitted to treat ever higher loads or improve effluent standards which have often resulted in even greater carbon emissions. Conventional activated sludge treatment is at a crossroads where new sustainable solutions are required if we are to protect the quality of our rivers and meet net-zero carbon targets.The book details current operation and design with special emphasis on the biological aspects of the process. From the microbial kinetics to the fascinating process of floc formation and development, the book explores the development of our understanding of the process looking at new sustainable designs, including biological nutrient removal and new aeration systems. Sludge separation problems and control options are explained, with a trouble-shooting guide to non-bulking problems. Environmental issues including noise, odor, aerosols, micro-plastics and nanoparticles are all reviewed, as is pathogen removal and the problem of antibiotic resistant genes and bacteria. The development of membrane bioreactors has increased process reliability and effluent quality, while integrated fixed-film activated sludge processes are more efficient and compact. The book concludes by exploring how activated sludge can become more sustainable, for example, by carbon harvesting and byproduct recovery.This interdisciplinary book is essential reading for both engineers and scientists whether training at university or practitioners and consultants in the wastewater industry.

It is commonly known that three or more particles interacting via a two-body potential is an intractable problem. However, similar systems confined to one dimension yield exactly solvable equations, which have seeded widely pursued studies of one-dimensional n-body problems. The interest in these investigations is justified by their rich and quantitative insights into real-world classical and quantum problems, birthing a field that is the subject of this book. Spanning four bulk chapters, this book is written with the hope that readers come to appreciate the beauty of the mathematical results concerning the models of many-particle systems, such as the interaction between light particles and infinitely massive particles, as well as interacting quasiparticles. As the book discusses several unsolved problems in the subject, it functions as an insightful resource for researchers working in this branch of mathematical physics.In Chapter 1, the author first introduces readers to interesting problems in mathematical physics, with the prime objective of finding integrals of motion for classical many-particle systems as well as the exact solutions of the corresponding equations of motions. For these studied systems, their quantum mechanical analogue is then developed in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3, the book focuses on a quintessential problem in the quantum theory of magnetism: namely, to find all integrable one-dimensional systems involving quasiparticles of interacting one-half spins. Readers will study the integrable periodic chains of interacting one-half spins and discover the integrals of motion for such systems, as well as the eigenvectors of their corresponding Hamiltonians. In the last chapter, readers will study about integrable systems of quantum particles, with spin and mutual interactions involving rational, trigonometric, or elliptic potentials.

First-generation ethanol plants did not have many operational challenges as the feedstocks (e.g., corn) used for fuel production are dense, stable, storable, and shippable commodity-type products with fewer conversion challenges. These feedstock properties led the first-generation large-scale biorefineries to grow exponentially. In the second-generation biofuels, the feedstocks used are agricultural and forest residues, dedicated energy crops, industrial wastes, and municipal solid waste. When the industry tested these feedstocks for biofuel production, they faced flowability, storage, transportation, and conversion issues. One way to overcome some of the feeding, handling, transportation, and variable moisture challenges is to densify the biomass. Pellet mills and briquette presses are commonly used to produce densified products. The densified products have uniform size, shape, higher bulk density, and better downstream conversion performance. Also, the densified products are aerobically stable and can be stored for longer durations without any loss in quality.This book's focus is on understanding how the densification process variables, biomass types and their blends, mechanical preprocessing, and thermal and chemical pretreatment methods impact the quality of the densified products produced for biofuel production. Finally, the book also explores the conversion performance of densified biomass for biofuel production.

Prominent scientists and philosophers of science address contemporary debates on the nature of Time. Their contributions freely discuss its unity and reality, its compatibility with the orders of classical philosophy (present, past and future) and with the disputed idea of free will (Volume 1). They also present a detailed and updated state of the role of Time in the so-called exact sciences: biology - or more precisely genetics, evolution, neurosciences, natural and artificial intelligence (Volume 2) , and physics - relativity, quantum mechanics and quantum gravity, and cosmology (Volume 3).

The juxtaposition of "machine learning" and "pure mathematics and theoretical physics" may first appear as contradictory in terms. The rigours of proofs and derivations in the latter seem to reside in a different world from the randomness of data and statistics in the former. Yet, an often under-appreciated component of mathematical discovery, typically not presented in a final draft, is experimentation: both with ideas and with mathematical data. Think of the teenage Gauss, who conjectured the Prime Number Theorem by plotting the prime-counting function, many decades before complex analysis was formalized to offer a proof.Can modern technology in part mimic Gauss's intuition? The past five years saw an explosion of activity in using AI to assist the human mind in uncovering new mathematics: finding patterns, accelerating computations, and raising conjectures via the machine learning of pure, noiseless data. The aim of this book, a first of its kind, is to collect research and survey articles from experts in this emerging dialogue between theoretical mathematics and machine learning. It does not dwell on the well-known multitude of mathematical techniques in deep learning, but focuses on the reverse relationship: how machine learning helps with mathematics. Taking a panoramic approach, the topics range from combinatorics to number theory, and from geometry to quantum field theory and string theory. Aimed at PhD students as well as seasoned researchers, each self-contained chapter offers a glimpse of an exciting future of this symbiosis.

In The Next Industrial Revolution, Vincent Petit builds on his earlier work, The Age of Fire Is Over (2021), where he explored how key transformations in consumption patterns impact our energy system in ways that have been seldom envisioned. He further develops this work here, and traces how these transformations apply to our modern industrial system, the bedrock of our global economic development and wealth creation.Petit argues that the world is on the cusp of the next centennial transformation of our industrial system, driven by major technological enhancements, considerable opportunities for productivity step changes, but also significant resiliency and environmental challenges.Through a deep and unique exploration of the innovation landscape and global context in each major sector of industry, the author sheds light on the key changes that will transform not only every sector of activity, but also the way they interact with one another to produce nothing short of a complete redesign of our industrial system.The way such transformation will unfold will, however, depend on the complex entanglement of technological progress, policy, business transformations and cultural evolutions. Through different scenarios, the author highlights some of the key decisions that need to be made today, in order to make the most of this opportunity.

The modelling of systems by differential equations usually requires that the parameters involved be completely known. Such models often originate from problems in physics or economics where we have insufficient information on parameter values. One important class of stochastic mathematical models is stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs), which can be seen as deterministic partial differential equations (PDEs) with finite or infinite dimensional stochastic processes - either with colour noise or white noise. Though white noise is a purely mathematical construction, it can be a good model for rapid random fluctuations.Stochastic Integral and Differential Equations in Mathematical Modelling concerns the analysis of discrete-time approximations for stochastic differential equations (SDEs) driven by Wiener processes. It also provides a theoretical basis for working with SDEs and stochastic processes.This book is written in a simple and clear mathematical logical language, with basic definitions and theorems on stochastic calculus provided from the outset. Each chapter contains illustrated examples via figures and tables. The reader can also construct new wavelets by using the procedure presented in the book. Stochastic Integral and Differential Equations in Mathematical Modelling fulfils the existing gap in the literature for a comprehensive account of this subject area.