Search results for ""author philippe""

Harvesting kinetic energy is a good opportunity to power wireless sensor in a vibratory environment. Besides classical methods based on electromagnetic and piezoelectric mechanisms, electrostatic transduction has a great perspective in particular when dealing with small devices based on MEMS technology. This book describes in detail the principle of such capacitive Kinetic Energy Harvesters based on a spring-mass system. Specific points related to the design and operation of kinetic energy harvesters (KEHs) with a capacitive interface are presented in detail: advanced studies on their nonlinear features, typical conditioning circuits and practical MEMS fabrication.

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Rethinking Finance in the Face of New Challenges provides an overview of the new research perspectives devoted to financial activity, reconsidering the opposition between orthodox and heterodox schools of finance. The purpose is to identify new theoretical and practical issues around the concepts of values, radical uncertainty, and financial instability, but also to examine the consequences of the financialisation process on the dynamics of organisations and markets, as well as on value production mechanisms. This fifteenth volume of Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability begins by exploring the globalisation and financialisation of economies, central banks and corporate strategies before switching to focus on financial value as a historically situated social construct. The book then examines the relationship between finance, social value and sustainable development and presents several avenues for reflection with a view to a paradigmatic renewal of research and teaching in finance. At a time when an unprecedented infectious and sanitary crisis is generating disastrous financial, economic, social and societal repercussions, the work presented in this book will stimulate reflection and contribute to the renewal of a Finance that now has to face many new social, societal and environmental challenges.

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As new information and communication technologies (NICTs) increasingly reorganize our practices and influence our daily lives, there is a pressing need to study their impact in the field of hospital logistics and to question their future use. Hospital Logistics and e-Management presents an inventory of the health information system, and deals with informational and logistical issues with regard to medical information. Through two case studies of hospital logistics systems which have drawn on academic research, this book examines how powerful decision support tools can improve the quality of patient service and logistics organization. The first case study deals with the influx of patients to emergency services and service organization, and the second with the optimization of product collection and distribution flows.

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Information in all its forms is at the heart of the economic intelligence process. It is also a powerful vector of innovation and, more than ever, a balance between economic and societal forces. Strategic Intelligence for the Future 1 analyzes the need for the French economic intelligence to mutate in order to develop the economy, strengthen social cohesion and protect vital interests. This mutation requires a change of attitudes and a new way of thinking, widely open to global change and new technologies. The focus of the French economic intelligence on conventional objectives such as business and the economy does not allow for the integration of its multiple possible fields and thus its global nature. The strategy, foresight and temporal dynamics necessary to the understanding of the world, and the new balance of power and control of complex situations, have thus increased the time needed to put this in place. Both theoretical and practical, this book provides a basis from which to develop "enhanced economic intelligence" leading to the implementation of global security.

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The first major exhibition catalogue to focus on Jacques Louis David’s drawings and their crucial role in his iconic history paintings made before, during, and after the French Revolution “A superb survey . . . a first-rate catalog . . . [a] cornucopia of masterworks.”—Colin B. Bailey, New York Review of Books Jacques Louis David’s (1748–1825) paintings are among the most iconic in the history of Western art, but comparatively little is known about the artist’s nearly 2,000 drawings—from quick chalk sketches scribbled in notebooks to exquisite ink compositions enlivened with oil paint—that formed the basis of beloved masterpieces such as The Oath of the Horatii and The Death of Socrates. Jacques Louis David: Radical Draftsman is the first major publication to focus on the often years-long process of trial and experimentation that progressed from initial idea to finished canvas. Including several recently discovered drawings published here for the first time, this book provides a new perspective on the celebrated master. Essays by international experts on the artist explore how David’s preparatory works on paper reveal the development of his creative process, while also bearing witness to the tumultuous years before, during, and after the French Revolution. As both a participant and an observer, David helped establish the new French society while documenting the drama, violence, and triumphs of modern history-in-the-making. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (February 17–May 15, 2022)

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One of the most important writers and thinkers of the Renaissance, Michel de Montaigne (1533-92) helped invent a literary genre that seemed more modern than anything that had come before. But did he do it, as he suggests in his Essays, by retreating to his chateau, turning his back on the world, and stoically detaching himself from his violent times? In this definitive biography, Philippe Desan, one of the world's leading authorities on Montaigne, overturns this longstanding myth by showing that Montaigne was constantly concerned with realizing his political ambitions--and that the literary and philosophical character of the Essays largely depends on them. The most comprehensive and authoritative biography of Montaigne yet written, this sweeping narrative offers a fascinating new picture of his life and work. As Desan shows, Montaigne always considered himself a political figure and he conceived of each edition of the Essays as an indispensable prerequisite to the next stage of his public career. He lived through eight civil wars, successfully lobbied to be raised to the nobility, and served as mayor of Bordeaux, special ambassador, and negotiator between Henry III and Henry of Navarre. It was only toward the very end of Montaigne's life, after his political failure, that he took refuge in literature. But, even then, it was his political experience that enabled him to find the right tone for his genre. In this essential biography, we discover a new Montaigne--caught up in the events of his time, making no separation between private and public life, and guided by strategy first in his words and silences. Neither candid nor transparent, but also not yielding to the cynicism of his age, this Montaigne lends a new depth to the Montaigne of literary legend.

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Provocative yet sober, Digital Critical Editions examines how transitioning from print to a digital milieu deeply affects how scholars deal with the work of editing critical texts. On one hand, forces like changing technology and evolving reader expectations lead to the development of specific editorial products, while on the other hand, they threaten traditional forms of knowledge and methods of textual scholarship.Using the experiences of philologists, text critics, text encoders, scientific editors, and media analysts, Digital Critical Editions ranges from philology in ancient Alexandria to the vision of user-supported online critical editing, from peer-directed texts distributed to a few to community-edited products shaped by the many. The authors discuss the production and accessibility of documents, the emergence of tools used in scholarly work, new editing regimes, and how the readers' expectations evolve as they navigate digital texts. The goal: exploring questions such as, What kind of text is produced? Why is it produced in this particular way?Digital Critical Editions provides digital editors, researchers, readers, and technological actors with insights for addressing disruptions that arise from the clash of traditional and digital cultures, while also offering a practical roadmap for processing traditional texts and collections with today's state-of-the-art editing and research techniques thus addressing readers' new emerging reading habits.

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*** Featuring a foreword by Pritzker Prize Winner Shigeru Ban ***Bringing together experts from research and practice, Shell Structures for Architecture: Form Finding and Optimization presents contemporary design methods for shell and gridshell structures, covering form-finding and structural optimization techniques. It introduces architecture and engineering practitioners and students to structural shells and provides computational techniques to develop complex curved structural surfaces, in the form of mathematics, computer algorithms, and design case studies.• Part I introduces the topic of shells, tracing the ancient relationship between structural form and forces, the basics of shell behaviour, and the evolution of form-finding and structural optimization techniques.• Part II familiarizes the reader with form-finding techniques to explore expressive structural geometries, covering the force density method, thrust network analysis, dynamic relaxation and particle-spring systems.• Part III focuses on shell shape and topology optimization, and provides a deeper understanding of gradient-based methods and meta-heuristic techniques.• Part IV contains precedent studies of realised shells and gridshells describing their innovative design and construction methods.

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This book provides readers with the latest research on the dynamics of language and language diversity in professional contexts. Bringing together novel findings from a range of disciplines, it challenges practitioners and management scholars to question the conventional understanding of language as a tool that can be managed by language policies that ‘standardize’ language.Each of the contributions is designed to recognize the strides that have been made in the past two decades in research on language and languages in organizational settings while addressing remaining blind spots and emerging issues. Particular attention is given to multilingualism, sociolinguistic approaches to language in the workplace, migration challenges, critical perspectives on the power of language use and the management of organizations as dialogical, discursive spaces. Understanding the Dynamics of Language and Multilingualism in Professional Contexts offers new insights into familiar and less familiar issues for international business scholars, sociolinguists, management practitioners and business communication scholars and experts, and brings understanding to the central role that language usage and linguistic diversity play in organisational processes.

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This textbook will be designed for fixed-income securities courses taught on MSc Finance and MBA courses. There is currently no suitable text that offers a 'Hull-type' book for the fixed income student market. This book aims to fill this need. The book will contain numerous worked examples, excel spreadsheets, with a building block approach throughout. A key feature of the book will be coverage of both traditional and alternative investment strategies in the fixed-income market, for example, the book will cover the modern strategies used by fixed-income hedge funds. The text will be supported by a set of PowerPoint slides for use by the lecturer First textbook designed for students written on fixed-income securities - a growing market Contains numerous worked examples throughout Includes coverage of important topics often omitted in other books i.e. deriving the zero yield curve, deriving credit spreads, hedging and also covers interest rate and credit derivatives

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Using data from the Integration of the Second Generation in Europe survey, this timely study focuses on the second generation of immigrants from Turkey and former Yugoslavia in Switzerland. A common thread running through the various chapters is a comparison with previous research on Switzerland concerning the second generation of Italian and Spanish origin. The authors provide valuable insights into the current situation of the children of Turkish and Yugoslav immigrants while underlining the historical similarities and differences of their respective incorporation processes.

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Soil is a fundamental and critical, yet often overlooked, component of terrestrial ecosystems. It is an extremely complex environment, supporting levels of diversity far greater than any ecosystem above ground. Bringing together existing knowledge in the areas of soil biology and physics, this book explores the key characteristics of soil spatial architecture, including how it develops and the consequences this has for life underground. The effects of soil's physical and biological components on their interactions and functions are used to demonstrate their roles in ecosystem dynamics.

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Successor to Claude Levi-Strauss at the College de France, Philippe Descola has become one of the most important anthropologists working today, and Beyond Nature and Culture has been a major influence in European intellectual life since its French publication in 2005. Here, finally, it is brought to English-language readers. At its heart is a question central to both anthropology and philosophy: what is the relationship between nature and culture? Culture - as a collective human making, of art, language, and so forth - is often seen as essentially different than nature, which is portrayed as a collective of the nonhuman world, of plants, animals, geology, and natural forces. Descola shows this essential difference to be, however, not only a specifically Western notion, but also a very recent one. Drawing on ethnographic examples from around the world and theoretical understandings from cognitive science, structural analysis, and phenomenology, he formulates a sophisticated new framework, the "four ontologies" - animism, totemism, naturalism, and analogism - to account for all the ways we relate ourselves to nature. By thinking beyond nature and culture as a simple dichotomy, Descola offers nothing short of a fundamental reformulation by which anthropologists and philosophers can see the world afresh.

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One of the worst recessions for the past 100 years, businesses failing, a revolution in technology, increasing financial constraints, compliance stifling the ability to be nimble, changing consumer behaviour, and a market driving products towards commoditization - this is the perfect storm facing the banking industry. Disruption provides a critical understanding of the impact of the current economic crisis and the current industrial revolution on financial services, the new trends in the sector, and the opportunities for banks to leverage their unique assets and pre-empt challengers from gaining meaningful market share. The book also provides top-level advice about transforming financial services organizations by finding the right balance between short-term requirements and the imperative of long-term change. This balancing act is what the authors call the "ambidextrous approach", which requires focus on two strategic initiatives: performance and innovation.

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This volume contains the proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases, in which an effort is made to address and clarify issues from clinical, diagnostic, epidemiologic, and molecular perspectives that have remained unsolved in the past. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

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This book presents current perspectives on theoretical and empirical issues related to the teaching and learning of geometry at secondary schools. It contains chapters contributing to three main areas. A first set of chapters examines mathematical, epistemological, and curricular perspectives. A second set of chapters presents studies on geometry instruction and teacher knowledge, and a third set of chapters offers studies on geometry thinking and learning. Specific research topics addressed also include teaching practice, learning trajectories, learning difficulties, technological resources, instructional design, assessments, textbook analyses, and teacher education in geometry. Geometry remains an essential and critical topic in school mathematics. As they learn geometry, students develop essential mathematical thinking and visualization skills and learn a language that helps them relate to and interact with the physical world. Geometry has traditionally been included as a subject of study in secondary mathematics curricula, but it has also featured as a resource in out-of-school problem solving, and has been connected to various human activities such as sports, games, and artwork. Furthermore, geometry often plays a role in teacher preparation, undergraduate mathematics, and at the workplace. New technologies, including dynamic geometry software, computer-assisted design software, and geometric positioning systems, have provided more resources for teachers to design environments and tasks in which students can learn and use geometry. In this context, research on the teaching and learning of geometry will continue to be a key element on the research agendas of mathematics educators, as researchers continue to look for ways to enhance student learning and to understand student thinking and teachers’ decision making.

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This book describes the methods used to detect material defects at the nanoscale. The authors present different theories, polarization states and interactions of light with matter, in particular optical techniques using polarized light. Combining experimental techniques of polarized light analysis with techniques based on theoretical or statistical models to study faults or buried interfaces of mechatronic systems, the authors define the range of validity of measurements of carbon nanotube properties. The combination of theory and pratical methods presented throughout this book provide the reader with an insight into the current understanding of physicochemical processes affecting the properties of materials at the nanoscale.

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Nanoscience, nanotechnologies and the laws of quantum physics are sources of disruptive innovation that open up new fields of application. Quantum engineering enables the development of very sensitive materials, sensor measurement systems and computers. Quantum computing, which is based on two-level systems, makes it possible to manufacture computers with high computational power. This book provides essential knowledge and culminates with an industrial application of quantum engineering and nanotechnologies. It presents optical systems for measuring at the nanoscale, as well as quantum physics models that describe how a two-state system interacts with its environment. The concept of spin and its derivation from the Dirac equation is also explored, while theoretical foundations and example applications aid in understanding how a quantum gate works. Application of the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) method of mechanical structures is implemented, in order to ensure reliability of estimates from the measurement of mechanical properties of carbon nanotube structures. This book provides valuable support for teachers and researchers but is also intended for engineering students, working engineers and Master�s students.

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Der Band erschliesst eine fÃ"r die Kultur- und Religionsgeschichte Jordaniens wichtige Denkmälergattung, illustriert in qualitativ hochstehenden Abbildungen und eigens angefertigten Zeichnungen.Er umfasst 719 Stempel- (87%) und Rollsiegel (13%) vom Neolithikum bis zur Perserzeit, die von 92 Ortslagen stammen. Davon kommen Ã"ber 90% aus kontrollierten Grabungen. FÃ"r die restlichen Siegel ist mit relativ grosser Sicherheit anzunehmen, dass sie ebenfalls am angegebenen Ort gefunden wurden. Ein ausfÃ"hrliches ikonografisches Register erleichtert die Handhabung. Die beiden Vorgänger-Bände (OBO.SA 10 und OBO.SA 13) wurden 1998 von Israel mit dem Irene Levi-Sala Preis fÃ"r das beste archäologische Buch des Jahres in der Kategorie "Substantieller wissenschaftlicher Beitrag" ausgezeichnet.

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Deals with new EC legislation – the Water Framework Directive; the main driver within Europe for groundwater monitoring which addresses integrated water resource management across 27 different countries Provides comprehensive approach and guidance on the theoretical and practical aspects for implementing the directive Edited by EC representatives involved in the setting up of the framework, along with colleagues in various water institutions who have the task of implementing the legislation Part of the Water Quality Measurement Series

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This book was originally published by Claeys and Casteels, now formally part of Edward Elgar Publishing. Sub-Saharan Africa is on the move. Since 2000, the region has seen rapid economic growth (with real GDP growth rates outperforming other major regional economic blocs), improving social conditions (with falling infant mortality rates and rising life expectancies) and progressive political liberalization (if in the 1990s only about 5% of African nations were considered to be democracies, today only a handful of the 55 African states do not have a multiparty constitutional system). Notwithstanding the fact that Africa’s energy sector is vital to its socio-economic development, this remains one of the most poorly understood parts of the global energy system. This book seeks to contribute to the understanding of such a topical issue, by providing an analysis of the current trends and future prospects of sub-Saharan energy markets. Issues covered include patterns of energy production, demand and trade; energy investments; energy infrastructure; energy access; energy and development; regional energy cooperation; the role of China in Africa’s energy.

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This book centers on climate change, a pressing issue in the ecological transition, particularly for landscape and architecture schools.The scientific realities and consequences of this phenomenon are becoming increasingly well-known and it is now evident that architecture, urban planning and landscaping all have the potential to mitigate these consequences.Ecological Transition in Education and Research is a multidisciplinary collective work, intended to raise awareness of adaptation and mitigation strategies such as action-research, educational innovations and concrete transition practices that embrace different schools of thought. The overall goal is to promote educational practices and research on climate change.

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The essential reference for financial risk management Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, the Financial Risk Manager Handbook is the core text for risk management training programs worldwide. Presented in a clear and consistent fashion, this completely updated Sixth Edition, mirrors recent updates to the new two-level Financial Risk Manager (FRM) exam, and is fully supported by GARP as the trusted way to prepare for the rigorous and renowned FRM certification. This valuable new edition includes an exclusive collection of interactive multiple-choice questions from recent FRM exams. Financial Risk Manager Handbook, Sixth Edition supports candidates studying for the Global Association of Risk Professional's (GARP) annual FRM exam and prepares you to assess and control risk in today's rapidly changing financial world. Authored by renowned risk management expert Philippe Jorion, with the full support of GARP, this definitive guide summarizes the core body of knowledge for financial risk managers. Offers valuable insights on managing market, credit, operational, and liquidity risk Examines the importance of structured products, futures, options, and other derivative instruments Contains new material on extreme value theory, techniques in operational risk management, and corporate risk management Financial Risk Manager Handbook is the most comprehensive guide on this subject, and will help you stay current on best practices in this evolving field. The FRM Handbook is the official reference book for GARP's FRM certification program.

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A comprehensive overview of the oeuvre of Belgian painter Jan Van Imschoot A comprehensive overview of the oeuvre of Belgian painter Jan Van Imschoot (b. 1963), whose contemporary work builds bridges to predecessors such as Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Goya, and Manet. Van Imschoot’s painting consciously opts for a clear, sometimes contradictory and ironic style. The directness of his decisive brushwork and his balanced yet audacious use of color is strikingly contemporary, while his work draws on historical themes from literature and art history. In this way, Van Imschoot engages in a continuous dialogue with the past, in which he, with a dose of cynicism, often targets phenomena or figures that find themselves on the fringes of (contemporary) society. Bringing together more than 220 works by Van Imschoot with five accompanying texts, this book gives fresh insight into the painting practice of this Belgian master.Distributed for Mercatorfonds

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This catalogue documents an exhibition at the Baur Foundation that brings together work by the French painter Pierre Soulages (b.1919) and the Japanese master bamboo artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV (b. 1973). Soulages, still working at 102 years old, has painted almost exclusively in black since 1979 and is known as the “master of luminous blacks”. Tanabe Chikuunsai IV is a renowned bamboo artist, known for his twisting organic sculptures and room-sized installations made from tiger or black bamboo. The aim of this exhibition is to explore how their work resonates, despite different approaches, in the dark and light effects of their materials. Text in French and English. Published to accompany an exhibition at the Baur Foundation in Switzerland, a museum of Far Eastern Art, from November 2021–March 2022.

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Chosen for the 59th Venice Biennale, to represent contemporary creation at the Lebanese pavilion Ayman Baalbaki is a Lebanese artist born in Beirut in 1975. He first trained at the Institute of Fine Arts of the university Lebanese school in Beirut, then at the National School of Decorative Arts in Paris. Five years after his arrival in France, he received the silver medal in painting at the Francophone Games and then participated in several exhibitions worldwide. Lebanon, France, Great Britain, Argentina, Egypt and Niger are all countries that welcome the works of the artist. His productions of the last 10 years have been compiled through this unpublished work, published in French, English and Arabic. The authors endeavour to decipher his paintings and installations, crossed by societal issues specific to Lebanon: war, abortive revolt, political and financial bankruptcy, the tragedy of the port of Beirut or even pandemic. The artist paints anonymous portraits of his contemporaries, which have today become symbols of the Middle East. It represents the city, its buildings, erected, but also in ruins. His art is vibrant, dynamic and textured. Text in English, French and Arabic.

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Maison V. Morel was founded in 1845 by Victor Jacques Morel (1814-1879) and became one of the most important Parisian coachbuilders during the second half of the 19th century at a time when France dominated the industry, replacing England as leaders in the field. Antoine-Joseph Grümmer (1834-1909) succeeded Jacques Morel in 1879 and the company became known as Société J. Grümmer, formerly Maison Morel. This book introduces the reader to many previously unpublished documents and illustrations of exceptional carriages and cars that were the pride of their owners both in France and overseas and describes their importance in the day-to-day life of Parisian high society. Mention is also made of the many high-quality suppliers who contributed to the manufacture of the carriages including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Boyriven.

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Solution Manual to Accompany Volume I of Quantum Mechanics by Cohen-Tannoudji, Diu and Laloë Grasp the fundamentals of quantum mechanics with this essential set of solutions Quantum mechanics, with its counter-intuitive premises and its radical variations from classical mechanics or electrodynamics, is both among the most important components of a modern physics education and one of the most challenging. It demands both a theoretical grounding and a grasp of mathematical technique that take time and effort to master. Students working through quantum mechanics curricula generally practice by working through increasingly difficult problem sets, such as those found in the seminal Quantum Mechanics volumes by Cohen-Tannoudji, Diu and Laloë. This solution manual accompanies Volume I and offers the long-awaited detailed solutions to all 69 problems in this text. Its accessible format provides explicit explanations of every step, focusing on both the physical theory and the formal mathematics, to ensure students grasp all pertinent concepts. It also includes guidance for transferring the solution approaches to comparable problems in quantum mechanics. Readers also benefit from: Approximately 70 figures to clarify key steps and concepts Detailed explanations of problems concerning quantum mechanics postulates, mathematical tools, properties of angular momentum, and more This solution manual is a must-have for students in physics, chemistry, or the materials sciences looking to master these challenging problems, as well as for instructors looking for pedagogical approaches to the subject.

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A comprehensive photographic guide to the gull species of the Western PalearcticGulls occupy a particularly important place in the world of birds. But because they are notoriously difficult to identify, they have been relatively neglected in the ornithological literature. Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East offers the most up-to-date guide for gull identification in Europe and beyond. With a direct and visual approach, and an abundance of beautiful color photographs, this book provides thorough accounts of all species and subspecies of gulls found in the Western Palearctic. The guide compares similar taxa and addresses the complexities of identifying hybrids. Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East will be the standard work for identifying these birds for some time to come. Richly illustrated with nearly 1,400 color photographs Thorough accounts of all species and subspecies of gulls found in the Western Palearctic Up-to-date information for easy and accurate identification of 45 species

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The purpose of this book is to show the essential and indispensable role of prokaryotes in the evolution of aliving world. The evolutionary success of prokaryotes is explained together with their role in the evolution of the geosphere, the biosphere and its functioning, as well as their ability to colonize all biotopes, including the most extreme ones. We consider that all past and present living beings emerged from prokaryotes and have interacted with them. Forces and mechanisms presented in the various theories of evolution apply to prokaryotes. The major stages of their evolution and biodiversity are also described. Finally, it is emphasized that prokaryotes are living organisms that provide indisputable evidence of evolutionary processes. Many examples of ongoing evolution in prokaryotes, observable at the human scale, are provided.

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The greatest wisdom comes from the smallest creaturesThere is so much we can learn from birds. Through twenty-two little lessons of wisdom inspired by how birds live, this charming french book will help you spread your wings and soar.We often need the help from those smaller than us. Having spent a lifetime watching birds, Philippe and Élise – a French ornithologist and a philosopher – draw out the secret lessons that birds can teach us about how to live, and the wisdom of the natural world. Along the way you’ll discover why the robin is braver than the eagle, what the arctic tern can teach us about the joy of travel, and whether the head or the heart is the best route to love (as shown by the mallard and the penguin). By the end you will feel more in touch with the rhythms of nature and have a fresh perspective on how to live the fullest life you can.

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The Iron Age copper smelting site situated near the Cypriot village Agia Varvara is of particular importance among the ancient copper processing places in the Near East because it has revealed spatial as well as technological aspects of copper production in a hitherto rarely-seen depth of detail. Agia Varvara-Almyras: an Iron Age Copper Smelting Site in Cyprus presents the results of a comprehensive post-excavation analysis of the stratigraphy (part I), also of the geology, metallurgical materials (furnaces, tuyeres), finds (pottery, furnace lining, stone tools), as well as a synthesis of the copper smelting technology at Agia Varvara-Almyras (part II). The excavation analysis not only focuses on pyrotechnical information from individual furnaces, but also provides a detailed study of the spatial organisation as well as of the living conditions on the smelting site. An elaborate reconstruction of the features in a 3D model allows the visualisation of formerly-dispersed loci of copper production. Based on this virtual rebuilding of the hillock named Almyras, it becomes clear that archaeometallurgy must be unchained, and the idea of an ‘operational chain’ must be replaced by a more multidimensional research strategy labelled as an ‘operational web’. The present volume aims to stimulate future excavations which pay attention to the reasons behind the exploitation of the riches of the island, as well as to the needs of the markets where the final product was very likely to have been appreciated as a strategic commodity, by power players operating on the island as well as by ordinary people in need of a repair to an everyday commodity which had broken.

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This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Agile Software Development, XP 2023, which took place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, during June 13-16, 2023. XP is the premier agile software development conference combining research and practice. It is a unique forum where agile researchers, practitioners, thought leaders, coaches, and trainers get together to present and discuss their most recent innovations, research results, experiences, concerns, challenges, and trends.  XP conferences provide an informal environment to learn and trigger discussions and welcome both people new to agile and seasoned agile practitioners. This year’s conference was held with the theme “Whole Team Sustainability”. The 11 full papers and 1 short paper presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 40 submissions. They focus on agile practices and agile in the large.

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This book constitutes the proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, PAAMS 2022, held in L'Aquila, Italy in July 2022.The 37 full papers in this book were reviewed and selected from 67 submissions. Another 10 demonstrations papers were selected from 11 submissions are presented here as short papers. The papers deal with the application and validation of agent-based models, methods, and technologies in a number of key applications areas, including: advanced models and learning, agent-based programming, decision-making, education and social interactions, formal and theoretic models, health and safety, mobility and the city, swarms and task allocation.

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This book covers several aspects related the evolution of Information Systems into Pervasive Information Systems. New IT trends have an important impact on IT infrastructures, which become increasingly heterogeneous, flexible, and dynamic. These new trends are transforming Information Systems into what we call Pervasive Information Systems. The purpose of this book is to combine “state-of-the-art” solutions from various research communities (such as Information Systems Engineering, Cloud Computing, Fog/Edge Computing, Pervasive systems, Distributed systems, and Middleware systems) related to the Pervasive Information Systems emergence as a common point of view. Through these multiple contributions, this book tackles important challenges concerning Information Systems evolution, promoting a holistic view of Pervasive Information System.Pervasive Information Systems (PIS) can be defined as a new class of Information Systems. It can be characterized by an IT that is gradually embedded in the physical environment and can accommodate the user’s requirements and desires when necessary. This evolution implies considering Information Systems beyond the organization's physical environment to integrate new technologies transparently, leading to a pervasive environment whose behavior should be more and more reactive & proactive. It corresponds to an important change in Information Systems Engineering. Pervasive Information Systems are deeply multidisciplinary systems, demanding a holistic view in which multiple domains are invited to contribute.

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