Search results for ""Springer International Publishing AG""

This book enables readers to understand, model, and predict complex dynamical systems using new methods with stochastic tools. The author presents a unique combination of qualitative and quantitative modeling skills, novel efficient computational methods, rigorous mathematical theory, as well as physical intuitions and thinking. An emphasis is placed on the balance between computational efficiency and modeling accuracy, providing readers with ideas to build useful models in practice. Successful modeling of complex systems requires a comprehensive use of qualitative and quantitative modeling approaches, novel efficient computational methods, physical intuitions and thinking, as well as rigorous mathematical theories. As such, mathematical tools for understanding, modeling, and predicting complex dynamical systems using various suitable stochastic tools are presented. Both theoretical and numerical approaches are included, allowing readers to choose suitable methods in different practical situations. The author provides practical examples and motivations when introducing various mathematical and stochastic tools and merges mathematics, statistics, information theory, computational science, and data science. In addition, the author discusses how to choose and apply suitable mathematical tools to several disciplines including pure and applied mathematics, physics, engineering, neural science, material science, climate and atmosphere, ocean science, and many others. Readers will not only learn detailed techniques for stochastic modeling and prediction, but will develop their intuition as well. Important topics in modeling and prediction including extreme events, high-dimensional systems, and multiscale features are discussed.

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This book analyses the conflict over the release of transgenic soybean in Brazil based on a narrative analysis of political conflict. At the end of the 1990s, the commercial release of Roundup Ready (RR) soybean triggered a heated debate over the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Brazilian agriculture, which developed into an open political conflict opposing pro- and anti-GMOs groups in Brazilian society. This volume examines some of the structuring axes of this conflict by applying a narrative analysis of political conflict. In this approach, politics is perceived as a process of interpretive conflict in which participants in the political game seek to establish the lines that delimit the very definition of public issues under debate. The issue of GMOs is understood, from this perspective, as a public controversy whose dynamics are shaped by the discourses that emerge from the dispute itself. To analyze these controversies, the book focuses on three axes of narrative analyses: the conflict over distributives issues associated with the commercial release of RR soy; the conflict over scientific uncertainty associated with the environmental risks of GMOs; and the conflict over labeling policies. Transgenics in Dispute: Political Conflicts in the Commercial Liberation of GMOs in Brazil will be of interest to both social and environmental scientists concerned with the risks produced by the newest technologies that mediate our relationship with the environment and with the public debate that their use tends to provoke.This book is a translation of the original Portuguese edition “Transgênicos em disputa: Os conflitos políticos na liberação comercial dos OGMs no Brasil” by Cristiano Luis Lenzi, published in Brazil by Appris Editora in 2020. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). The author has subsequently revised the text further in an endeavour to refine the work stylistically. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors.

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This handbook is an up-to-date, evidence based quick, easy reference guide for expert regional anesthesia providers. It will also be an invaluable tool and a great entry point for amateurs' sonographers who wish to understand the basics of ultrasound, its uses for diagnosis and treatment, current guidelines and standards of care. It presents in details challenges, stratification of risks, techniques, and approaches to facilitate effective ultrasound use in perioperative pain control and emergency room pain management. This uses an outline, schematic approach for easy understanding and retention. The applications of ultrasound are vast and cover the full spectrum of ultrasound guided regional anesthesia. This book concentrates and encompasses the most clinically relevant information as a first aid use of perioperative ultrasound. The chapters are concise, focusing on clinical presentations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis which will help you to deliver patient care in a timely and skillful manner. This compact book is packed with relevant, remarkable information related to ultrasound guided techniques and evidence-based protocols and latest guidelines for regional anesthesia, nerve blocks, and opioid-reducing analgesia to promote early recovery after surgery. Concise, practical, and clinically applicable for various specialties, this book fills the unmet need for understanding the usefulness and techniques of ultrasound and its application in perioperative pain management, in particular regional anesthesia and nerve blocks. This handbook enables every physician, nurse, resident and all medical staff to understand the essentials of ultrasound and regional anesthesia, its evolving techniques, and the use of modern equipment to provide patient care safely.

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This textbook for courses in Embedded Systems introduces students to necessary concepts, through a hands-on approach. LEARN BY EXAMPLE – This book is designed to teach the material the way it is learned, through example. Every concept is supported by numerous programming examples that provide the reader with a step-by-step explanation for how and why the computer is doing what it is doing. LEARN BY DOING – This book targets the Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontroller. This platform is a widely popular, low-cost embedded system that is used to illustrate each concept in the book. The book is designed for a reader that is at their computer with an MSP430FR2355 LaunchPadTM Development Kit plugged in so that each example can be coded and run as they learn. LEARN BOTH ASSEMBLY AND C – The book teaches the basic operation of an embedded computer using assembly language so that the computer operation can be explored at a low-level. Once more complicated systems are introduced (i.e., timers, analog-to-digital converters, and serial interfaces), the book moves into the C programming language. Moving to C allows the learner to abstract the operation of the lower-level hardware and focus on understanding how to “make things work”. BASED ON SOUND PEDAGOGY - This book is designed with learning outcomes and assessment at its core. Each section addresses a specific learning outcome that the student should be able to “do” after its completion. The concept checks and exercise problems provide a rich set of assessment tools to measure student performance on each outcome.

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In 2016 the first edition of the SAGES Manual Operating through the Endoscope was published. At the time, this represented a review of cutting-edge new technologies that were being introduced within the field of flexible endoscopy. Largely based on applications and data up to 2013, this served as a unique resource for clinicians and researchers to learn about this expanding field. Since then, there has been a significant expansion of new technologies and procedures within this discipline that have meaningfully changed this entire sub-specialty. In addition, large numbers of high-quality data have emerged that support more heartily the safety and efficacy of these techniques. Major international societies now routinely include hands-on training and scientific content of this field in meetings and educational efforts, and many trainees and practitioners are looking for resources to improve their knowledge and technical skills sets. For these reasons, an update on this rapidly advancing field seems appropriate at this time, given the enormous amount of new content available. Endoscopic surgical procedures allow for less invasive access for performing increasingly complex procedures. This results in maximal benefit for patients with fewer complications, faster recovery, and less pain. Endoscopy allows access to the gastrointestinal tract without transgressing the abdominal or chest walls, by means of a truly less invasive route. These technologies and skills are being sought out by practitioners and asked for by patients.The proposed textbook is designed to present a comprehensive and state-of the-art approach to the diverse applications of surgical techniques and procedures through the endoscopic platform. Written by experts and emerging specialists in that field, each of these sections will address patient selection, pre-operative considerations, technical conduct of the most common operations, and avoiding complications. A review of the existing literature addressing the particular topic will follow in each section. Extensive endoscopic images and illustrations will make this an interactive text. In addition to updates on most topics in the previous manual, this edition will include exciting new fields of advanced imaging, artificial intelligence and augmented imaging, applications of robotics to endoscopy, and more robust exposure of endoscopic applications for treatment of obesity, a worldwide epidemic.The subject of surgical endoscopy has changed meaningfully since publication of the first edition; now a substantial focus of major journals, scientific meetings, and online platforms. A timely update can capture this broad subject in an accessible manual focused on technologies and data supporting these interventions.

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This book is a comprehensive curation, exposition and illustrative discussion of recent research tools for interpretability of deep learning models, with a focus on neural network architectures. In addition, it includes several case studies from application-oriented articles in the fields of computer vision, optics and machine learning related topic. The book can be used as a monograph on interpretability in deep learning covering the most recent topics as well as a textbook for graduate students. Scientists with research, development and application responsibilities benefit from its systematic exposition.

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Jürgen Tautz, renowned German bee researcher explains how bees communicate. Exciting and surprising new insights on communication between bees. During the history of bee research, scientists have peered deep into the inner life of bee colonies and learned much about the behaviour of these insects. Above all, the bee waggle dance has become a famous and extensively discussed phenomenon. Nevertheless, recent insights reveal that while bees are social insects inside the hive they also communicate with one another outside the hive. In this book, Jürgen Tautz, renowned German bee researcher, provides an entertaining, fresh and enlightened account for lay and professional readers, not only about the fascinating dance language but also about additional remarkable phenomena concerning information exchange between bees. From the author of the bestseller “The Buzz about Bees”. “The Language of Bees” assembles, for the first time, a complete overview of how bees understand one another. Although communication biology research on bees has so far concentrated largely on events within the hive, this book directs attention as well, to how bees communicate in the field outside the hive. The reader learns which steps new bee recruits take to reach the feeder a dancing forager has advertised. The book analyses the status of work on the bee dance published over the last 100 years and orders the essential findings as building blocks into a coherent new concept of how bees find their target. In addition, the historical survey of research on the “Bee Language” explains how several contradictory and incomplete hypotheses can still survive. A fresh point of view on one of the most remarkable behavioural performances in the animal kingdom. Observation from a different viewpoint leads to previously unknown insights. Such new perspectives clearly reveal both how large the gaps in our knowledge still are in relation to the language of bees and in which direction research must take to complete the picture of one of the most impressive behavioural accomplishments in animals. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Tautz is an expert on bees, sociobiologist, animal behaviourist and emeritus professor at the Biozentrum, University of Würzburg. He is a bestseller author and recipient of many awards of excellence for his successful communication of science to a wide public.

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This book covers some of the fundamental topics in fluid power technology, presenting detailed derivations of formulas that form the basis of the theory. It shows the reader how to properly (i) design basic fluid power systems, (ii) construct lumped parameter models of simple fluid power systems, (iii) perform frequency analysis of fluid power components and systems, and (iv) develop controllers for fluid power systems. The book mainly focusses on mathematical modelling and analysis of fluid power components and systems i.e. practical issues such as working principles and construction of components are not covered in depth. The text is organized in four main parts: I Physics of Fluid, II Fluid Power Components, III Fluid Power Systems and IV Learning by Doing.

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This contributed volume explores theories of media and communication and focuses on providing African perspectives on global conversations. Using broad cases relating to media and communication theories, this book explores socio-cultural issues affecting most modern African societies, providing a conceptual and empirical framework for explicating the potential place of media techniques and structures in Africa. As a good template for understanding and applying communication theories and approaches in the African context, the volume is a priceless asset for Media and Communication scholars.

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Businesses constantly look for ways to achieve better performance, and business schools play an important role through their curricula by teaching such methods and helping budding and experienced managers find innovative paths. The author of this book, Prof. Peter Lorange, a well-accomplished expert at business and academic leadership, draws on a set of reflections from his vast experience in both fields to offer core messages which help in improving business education. The author believes that experience-based reflections tend to be both more interesting and more useful than mere chronological, biographical ones, or conceptual reviews of management dimensions without links to practice. The book helps academics, business school management, and even advanced students understand how to bring a practical focus to learning and teaching business via a holistic curriculum. The book also features a special focus on how to integrate family business perspectives to the curriculum.

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This book describes the neurology of a business as a new dimension of organization and as a basis for success in a complex world. Comparing organizations with living organisms, it places an organization’s neurology (control and communication) as a third dimension beside its anatomy (structure) and physiology (process). Overlooked by classical organizational theory, this third dimension offsets its typical drawbacks. The Neurology of Business introduces Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM) and shows how this helps managers to diagnose, discover, and unleash the potential and performance lying dormant in today’s enterprises.The book is based on numerous consulting projects and management seminars conducted in Europe, America, and Asia. It guides the reader through the diagnosis and design process and illustrates application issues with practical examples. In this way, the book provides managers with the language needed to have meaningful conversations about how their organizations are functioning. As such, it will benefit managers in business and nonbusiness organizations, as well as readers interested in general management.

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This textbook introduces readers to the fundamental notions of modern probability theory. The only prerequisite is a working knowledge in real analysis. Highlighting the connections between martingales and Markov chains on one hand, and Brownian motion and harmonic functions on the other, this book provides an introduction to the rich interplay between probability and other areas of analysis.Arranged into three parts, the book begins with a rigorous treatment of measure theory, with applications to probability in mind. The second part of the book focuses on the basic concepts of probability theory such as random variables, independence, conditional expectation, and the different types of convergence of random variables. In the third part, in which all chapters can be read independently, the reader will encounter three important classes of stochastic processes: discrete-time martingales, countable state-space Markov chains, and Brownian motion. Each chapter ends with a selection of illuminating exercises of varying difficulty. Some basic facts from functional analysis, in particular on Hilbert and Banach spaces, are included in the appendix. Measure Theory, Probability, and Stochastic Processes is an ideal text for readers seeking a thorough understanding of basic probability theory. Students interested in learning more about Brownian motion, and other continuous-time stochastic processes, may continue reading the author’s more advanced textbook in the same series (GTM 274).

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Medial Afterlives of H.P. Lovecraft brings together essays on the theory and practice of adapting H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction and the Lovecraftian. It draws on recent adaptation theory as well as broader discourses around media affordances to give an overview over the presence of Lovecraft in contemporary media as well as the importance of contemporary media in shaping what we take Lovecraft’s legacy to be. Discussing a wide array of medial forms, from film and TV to comics, podcasts, and video and board games, and bringing together an international group of scholars, the volume analyzes individual instances of adaptation as well as the larger concern of what it is possible to learn about adaptation from the example of H.P. Lovecraft, and how we construct Lovecraft and the Lovecraftian today in adaptation. Medial Afterlives of H.P. Lovecraft is focused on an academic audience, but it will nonetheless hold interest for all readers interested in Lovecraft today.

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The block diagrams as engineering means for closed loop control, which have been established by classic control theory for decades, are replaced in the above mentioned book by networks, the signals are replaced by data. It corresponds to the „Industry 4.0“ and to the structure of today’s automatic control systems. Thereby a classic closed loop is treated not isolated from other elements of nowadays automation like bus communication and process logical control, and is completed in proposed book with new control elements, so called data stream managers (DSM). The proposed book treats the control theory systematically like it is done in classical books considering the new concept of data management. The theory is accompanied in the book with examples, exercises with solutions and MATLAB®-simulations.

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This book offers a new perspective on international law, which was, for centuries, male-dominant and gender-blind. However, this gender blindness has led to many injustices, the failure to recognize certain rights, and to impunity for serious crimes. The book examines the development of gender perspectives in various branches of international law, while also discussing and explaining certain universal standards. However, particular attention is paid to the European human rights system. Accordingly, the book provides detailed explanations of the EU’s external policies in relation to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Also, there is a special focus on the relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to gender and sexual orientation, female reproduction, and sexuality. The authors explain not only the importance of an adequate legal framework for combating gender inequality but also the detrimental effects of deeply rooted gender stereotypes and prejudices. Subsequently, the development of particular branches is presented, such as a gender-sensitive approach to the prevention of war crimes, gender perspectives in refugee law, and the evolution of gender-sensitive environmental law. In addition, the problematic situation of discrimination in the workplace is addressed from various perspectives. Many discussions, especially among EU member states, are reserved for the issue of women’s participation in managerial boards, while the growing awareness of gender equality in international trade agreements represents another interesting topic. Lastly, the book offers a historical perspective on the development of international law in the interwar period, with a particular focus on the situation in Yugoslavia. The book critically reconsiders the dominant molds of legal knowledge and presents innovative gender-sensitive and gender-competent insights on a variety of issues in international law, in order to introduce readers to new research topics relevant to gender equality and to stimulate the development of an international legal and institutional framework for achieving greater gender equality in practice. The collection of essays presented here will be of interest to all those working in the field of international law, as well as students and academics looking to broaden and deepen their research on a range of issues in international law from gender perspectives.

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This textbook introduces the study of partial differential equations using both analytical and numerical methods. By intertwining the two complementary approaches, the authors create an ideal foundation for further study. Motivating examples from the physical sciences, engineering, and economics complete this integrated approach. A showcase of models begins the book, demonstrating how PDEs arise in practical problems that involve heat, vibration, fluid flow, and financial markets. Several important characterizing properties are used to classify mathematical similarities, then elementary methods are used to solve examples of hyperbolic, elliptic, and parabolic equations. From here, an accessible introduction to Hilbert spaces and the spectral theorem lay the foundation for advanced methods. Sobolev spaces are presented first in dimension one, before being extended to arbitrary dimension for the study of elliptic equations. An extensive chapter on numerical methods focuses on finite difference and finite element methods. Computer-aided calculation with Maple™ completes the book. Throughout, three fundamental examples are studied with different tools: Poisson’s equation, the heat equation, and the wave equation on Euclidean domains. The Black–Scholes equation from mathematical finance is one of several opportunities for extension. Partial Differential Equations offers an innovative introduction for students new to the area. Analytical and numerical tools combine with modeling to form a versatile toolbox for further study in pure or applied mathematics. Illuminating illustrations and engaging exercises accompany the text throughout. Courses in real analysis and linear algebra at the upper-undergraduate level are assumed.

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The use of difference matrices and high-level MATLAB® commands to implement finite difference algorithms is pedagogically novel. This unique and concise textbook gives the reader easy access and a general ability to use first and second difference matrices to set up and solve linear and nonlinear systems in MATLAB which approximate ordinary and partial differential equations. Prerequisites include a knowledge of basic calculus, linear algebra, and ordinary differential equations. Some knowledge of partial differential equations is a plus though the text may easily serve as a supplement for the student currently working through an introductory PDEs course. Familiarity with MATLAB is not required though a little prior experience with programming would be helpful. In addition to its special focus on solving in MATLAB, the abundance of examples and exercises make this text versatile in use. It would serve well in a graduate course in introductory scientific computing for partial differential equations. With prerequisites mentioned above plus some elementary numerical analysis, most of the material can be covered and many of the exercises assigned in a single semester course. Some of the more challenging exercises make substantial projects and relate to topics from other typical graduate mathematics courses, e.g., linear algebra, differential equations, or topics in nonlinear functional analysis. A selection of the exercises may be assigned as projects throughout the semester. The student will develop the skills to run simulations corresponding to the primarily theoretical course material covered by the instructor. The book can serve as a supplement for the instructor teaching any course in differential equations. Many of the examples can be easily implemented and the resulting simulation demonstrated by the instructor. If the course has a numerical component, a few of the more difficult exercises may be assigned as student projects. Established researchers in theoretical partial differential equations may find this book useful as well, particularly as an introductory guide for their research students. Those unfamiliar with MATLAB can use the material as a reference to quickly develop their own applications in that language. Practical assistance in implementing algorithms in MATLAB can be found in these pages. A mathematician who is new to the practical implementation of methods for scientific computation in general can learn how to implement and execute numerical simulations of differential equations in MATLAB with relative ease by working through a selection of exercises. Additionally, the book can serve as a practical guide in independent study, undergraduate or graduate research experiences, or for reference in simulating solutions to specific thesis or dissertation-related experiments.

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This Fourth Edition of a pioneering book provides a critical analysis of the origins and evolution of political and policy debates regarding race and racism in British society. Drawing on a broad range of both theoretical and historical research, the focus of the book is on the development of policies and debates in the period from the second half of the 20th Century to the present. The book is organized into twelve chapters which provide an overview of key trends, situating the development of policies and developments in relation to immigration and citizenship, race relations policies and broader agendas about multiculturalism and living with difference. In the substantive chapters of the book there is also a detailed discussion of such issues as policing, urban unrest and protest, racist politics, black and ethnic minority politics and conversations about multiculturalism. This new edition engages with both the historical background as well as contemporary developments to provide a novel and wide-ranging account of the role that questions about race and racism play in British society.

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This open access book will provide an introduction to forest entomology, the principles and techniques of forest insect pest management, the different forest insect guilds/feeding groups, and relevant forest insect pest management case studies. In addition to covering 30% of the earth, forest ecosystems provide numerous timber and non-timber products that affect our daily lives and recreational opportunities, habitat for diverse animal communities, watershed protection, play critical roles in the water cycle, and mitigate soil erosion and global warming. In addition to being the most abundant organisms in forest ecosystems, insects perform numerous functions in forests, many of which are beneficial and critical to forest health. Conversely, some insects damage and/or kill trees and reduce the capacity of forests to provide desired ecosystem services. The target audience of this book is upper-level undergraduate and graduate students and professionals interested in forest health and entomology.

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This is the first book in a three-part series that traces the development of the GPU. Initially developed for games the GPU can now be found in cars, supercomputers, watches, game consoles and more. GPU concepts go back to the 1970s when computer graphics was developed for computer-aided design of automobiles and airplanes. Early computer graphics systems were adopted by the film industry and simulators for airplanes and high energy physics—exploding nuclear bombs in computers instead of the atmosphere. A GPU has an integrated transform and lighting engine, but these were not available until the end of the 1990s. Heroic and historic companies expanded the development and capabilities of the graphics controller in pursuit of the ultimate device, a fully integrated self-contained GPU. Fifteen companies worked on building the first fully integrated GPU, some succeeded in the console, and Northbridge segments, and Nvidia was the first to offer a fully integrated GPU for the PC. Today the GPU can be found in every platform that involves a computer and a user interface.

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This innovative book focuses on potential, limitations, and recommendations for the digital mental health landscape. Authors synthesize existing literature on the validity of digital health technologies, including smartphones apps, sensors, chatbots and telepsychiatry for mental health disorders. They also note that collecting real-time biological information is usually better than just collect filled-in forms, and that will also mitigate problems related to recall bias in clinical appointments. Limitations such as confidentiality, engagement and retention rates are moreover discussed. Presented in fifteen chapters, the work addresses the following questions: may smartphones and sensors provide more accurate information about patients’ symptoms between clinical appointments, which in turn avoid recall bias? Is there evidence that digital phenotyping could help in clinical decisions in mental health? Is there scientific evidence to support the use of mobile interventions in mental health? Digital Mental Health will help clinicians and researchers, especially psychiatrists and psychologists, to define measures and to determine how to test apps or usefulness, feasibility and efficacy in order to develop a consensus about reliability. These professionals will be armed with the latest evidence as well as prepared to a new age of mental health.

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This interdisciplinary collection of essays explores the life and work of Charlotte M. Yonge, a highly influential and popular nineteenth-century writer who is emerging from a long period of critical neglect. Its wide-ranging chapters capture the scope and quality of current work in Yonge studies, addressing the full range of her prolific literary output from her best-selling novels to her nature writing, biographies, and letters. Considering themes from gender, disability, and empire, to Tractarianism, secularism, and the idea of progress, these essays consider how Yonge reflected and shaped the tastes, ideas and anxieties of her readers and contemporaries. Exploring her key role in the Anglican revival, her importance as a test case in the development of feminist criticism, and her formal innovativeness as a novelist, this collection places Yonge centrally in the nineteenth-century literary landscape and demonstrates her ongoing relevance to scholars and students of the period.

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This handbook aims to bridge the gap between the fields of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. It is the authoritative guide to the intersections among religion, spirituality, and positive psychology and includes the following sections: (1) historical and theoretical considerations, (2) methodological considerations, (3) cultural considerations, (4) developmental considerations, (5) empirical research on happiness and well-being in relation to religion and spirituality, (6) empirical research on character strengths and virtues in relation to religion and spirituality, (7) clinical and applied considerations, and (8) field unification and advancement. Leading positive psychologists and psychologists of religion/spirituality have coauthored the chapters, drawing on expertise from their respective fields. The handbook is useful for social and clinical scientists, practitioners in helping professions, practitioners in religious and spiritual fields, and students of psychology and religion/spirituality.This is an open access book.

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This open access book makes a case for extending logic beyond its traditional boundaries, to encompass not only statements but also also questions. The motivations for this extension are examined in detail. It is shown that important notions, including logical answerhood and dependency, emerge as facets of the fundamental notion of entailment once logic is extended to questions, and can therefore be treated with the logician’s toolkit, including model-theoretic constructions and proof systems.After motivating the enterprise, the book describes how classical propositional and predicate logic can be made inquisitive—i.e., extended conservatively with questions—and what the resulting logics look like in terms of meta-theoretic properties and proof systems. Finally, the book discusses the tight connections between inquisitive logic and dependence logic.

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This book presents a comparative perspective on different government communication strategies to COVID-19 around the globe. Scholars from twenty parts of the world specialized in political and government communication analyze initiatives and methods of various governments' communicative responses to the pandemic. In their contributions to this volume, they examine a wide range of distinct attitudes and reactions facing the crisis. Today’s omnidirectional contact allowed by social media, with its load of contradictory rumors and fake news, often obliterates the citizens' ability to comprehend reality. The book frames a broad canvas on how government communication may deal with that and manage similar crises — bound to happen as climate changes and war menaces are generating more and more worries about the future of humanity. This makes this volume a must-read for scholars and students of political communication, health policies and communication, crisis marketing and communication. It will also be of utmost interest for practitioners and policy-makers from these fields willing to better understand government communication and its answer to global crises.

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In the ongoing effort to combat global climate catastrophe, animal agriculture has long been a subject of contention. On the one hand, most agree that across the world increasing meat and dairy consumption are accelerating anthropogenic climate change. On the other hand, proponents of the livestock industry argue that modern advancements reduce greenhouse gas emissions from efficient livestock production to negligible quantities. Some even maintain that grass-based livestock production has a net positive impact on the environment, due to the carbon sequestration caused by grazing. Whom are we to believe? This book shows us that the answer is not so clear-cut. Beginning with the implications of the UN’s Livestock’s Long Shadow report, it breaks down the blind spots and highlights the insights of the most prominent pro-meat arguments, as well as of the push for a global switch to vegetarianism. While advances in efficiency might reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of meat or milk produced, attendant decreases in cost can enable overconsumption and thus produce more waste. And while carbon sequestration is beneficial, it is not a reliable cure-all for the industry. Due to the economics of farming, however, eliminating meat consumption may not even reduce emissions at all. The truth about livestock production is much more nuanced but, luckily, also far more holistic. The future of agricultural policy will have to take into consideration factors such as human health and economics, as well as climate. Eschewing ideology for empirical rigor, this book paves an actionable path forward for both consumers and producers, offering unique solutions for each livestock system and simple, everyday adjustments for the average omnivore.

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Hydrocriticism and Colonialism in Latin America is organized around the critical and theoretical “turn” known as hydro-criticism, an innovative approach to the study of the ways in which bodies of water (oceans, seas, rivers, archipelagos, lakes, etc.) impact the study of history, culture, and society. This volume proposes a hydro-critical approach to issues related to the colonial period. The analysed texts demonstrate not only the presence of water and oceanic trajectories as metaphorical devices, but the inherent implication of navigation, ports, islandic territories, drainage systems, floodings and the like in configuration of collective imaginaries, from colonial times to the present. This book encompasses studies of the decisive role water played in the world view from/about the “New World” since the discovery, both for the monarchy and the church, and the impact of oceanic journeys for the advancement of colonization and slavery. In chapters that combine historical, linguistic, literary and ethnographic approaches, this volume constitutes an attempt to expand the scope and methodology of colonial studies. At the same time, the continuity of maritime perspectives reaches the analysis of contemporary literature, thus demonstrating the importance of this critical paradigm for the study of Caribbean cultures. In this respect, studies particularly illuminate the connection between popular beliefs and oceanic dimensions, as well as on issues of gender and ethnicity.

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Science, Technology and Society: An Introduction provides students with an accessible overview of the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). The discipline breaks down traditional conceptions of knowledge as universal, neutral and ahistorical, and takes a more critical approach to science and technology as social embedded phenomena. This comprehensive textbook makes use of unique examples and case studies to illustrate theoretical debates and concepts. In addition, the reader acquires a unique vision of contemporary issues (such as the power of algorithms, the mystification of fake news, the role of experts within the decision-making process, for example). Each chapter incorporates pedagogically rich features, including interactive discussion points to be used individually or in class as prompts for debate.

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This book provides insights into dynamic and complex interrelationships between professionalism and medical practice. It does so by looking into the most relevant and recent theoretical and practical frameworks and by systematizing and integrating extensive and growing literature on medical professionalism. Through honest and prudent contributions from very diverse backgrounds and contexts, this book provides an understanding of medical professionalism derived from a broader historical and cultural context in order to contribute to everyday professional life and practice – the very place of its existence. The book presents the conflicting and sometimes irreconcilable demands and challenges physicians face in everyday practice. A better understanding of these fundamental issues is the only way for medicine to maintain and preserve its unique morality, the same one that enabled its existence in the first place. The book is relevant for everyone immersed and interested in the subject of medical professionalism as a resource, which may ease or guide them through the complexities of issues at hand. It will also contribute to the ongoing debate on medical professionalism, medical ethics, bioethics, and professionalism and ethics in general.

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This textbook takes a new approach to teaching creative writing that centers the concerns of multicultural students. It focuses on the experiences of those who wish to write through their diverse identities, including ethnic, cultural, racial, national, regional, and international identity as well as gender identity, sexual preference, class position, and disability. Combining the study of culturally diverse literature with the process of writing, students are encouraged to engage with various texts and to use them to inspire their own work. Organized around a series of writing prompts and discussions of literary readings that address identity, place, perception, family, community, encounters, inheritance, and resistance, this book offers both writers and teachers a way to engage with the practice of writing from a multicultural perspective.

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This practical guide to the use of radiotherapy for the treatment of sarcomas and skin cancers covers a wide range of disease scenarios, identifying which treatment techniques are applicable in particular clinical circumstances. Among the conditions considered are extremity soft tissue sarcomas, retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas, bone sarcomas, uterine sarcomas, chordomas, pediatric sarcomas, squamous cell carcinomas, basal cell carcinomas, melanomas, Merkel cell carcinomas, and cutaneous lymphomas. Detailed attention is devoted to the issues and considerations of relevance in everyday practice when treating these diseases. The use of multiple radiotherapy techniques and procedures, including IMRT, brachytherapy, radiosurgery, and particle therapy, is fully explained, and the role of radiotherapy in combination with chemotherapy and emerging therapeutics such as immunotherapy and biologic anticancer agents is also addressed. The book will be of high value for practicing radiation oncologists, medical and surgical oncologists, medical physicists, medical dosimetrists, trainees, and other medical professionals.

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In times of globalization, digitalization and demographic change, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the fragility and complexity of the world of work. It represents the peak of a process of change in the world of work in economic, social, socio-political and individual psychological terms. This book outlines how effective and future-oriented human resource management can look like in times of demographic and technological change on the one hand and the immediate and lasting effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the other hand. It provides the tools for effective human resource management, summarized in the following seven success factors: demographic-oriented recruitment, strength-oriented workforce deployment, age-appropriate HR development, new generation contract, family and gender, the vital employee, management of interests and expectations. The aim of the book is not only to provide solutions to problems caused by the changing world of work and the pandemic, but also to show how success factors can emerge from these inevitable phenomena. It will be of interest to professionals in the field of human resource management.

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This book analyses the evolution of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its policies from the Cold War until today. NATO’s future cannot be fully understood without analysing its past: the origins of its structure and goals, and their transformation over time. By exploring NATO’s geopolitical and military role at crucial points throughout history, this edited volume considers the challenges and threats which have faced the alliance, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. It covers highly-debated and unresolved issues such as budgetary burden-sharing and the military transatlantic gap, the enlargement process, and the role of Asia in influencing NATO’s policies. Combining a historical approach with international perspectives, this book is an interdisciplinary read that will appeal to scholars of diplomatic history and international relations.Chapters 1 and 2 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

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This book provides a practical introduction to mathematics for economics using R software. Using R as a basis, this book guides the reader through foundational topics in linear algebra, calculus, and optimization. The book is organized in order of increasing difficulty, beginning with a rudimentary introduction to R and progressing through exercises that require the reader to code their own functions in R. All chapters include applications for topics in economics and econometrics. As fully reproducible book, this volume gives readers the opportunity to learn by doing and develop research skills as they go. As such, it is appropriate for students in economics and econometrics.

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This open access edited volume shines new light on the history of propaganda and persuasion during the Nordic welfare epoch. A common analytical framework is developed that highlights transnational and transmedial perspectives rather than national or monomedial histories. The return of propaganda in contemporary debate underlines the need to historically contextualize the role and function of persuasive communication activities in the Nordic region and beyond. Building on an empirically situated approach, the chapters in this volume break new ground by covering a range of themes, from cultural diplomacy and nation branding to media materiality and information infrastructures. In doing so, the book stresses that the Nordic welfare epoch, with its associated epithet the “Nordic Model”, was built not only on governance, social security and economic productivity, but also on propaganda and persuasion.

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Spatial Literary Studies in China explores the range of vibrant and innovative research being done in China today. Chinese scholars have been exploring spatially oriented literary criticism in two different and mutually reinforcing directions: the first has focused on the study of Western literature, especially U.S. and European texts and theory, and the second has examined Chinese cultures, texts, and spaces. This collection of essays demonstrates Chinese scholars’ insightful interpretation, evaluation, and innovative application of international spatial analyses, theories, and methodologies, as well as their inspiring exploration and reconstruction of distinctively Chinese critical and theoretical discourses. For the first time in English, the essays in this volume demonstrate the vitality of literary geography, geocriticism, and the spatial humanities in China in the twenty-first century.

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