Search results for ""World Scientific Europe Ltd""

Sharia Law in the Twenty-First Century consists of concise, detailed analytical studies on current critical discussions of Sharia in the Western and Muslim legal traditions. Contributors to this volume are well-known academics in their fields and have been at the forefront of critical studies on various aspects of Islamic law. Breaking new ground for understanding the dynamics of law and society, most contributors in this volume have influenced current academic discourse on Sharia. The chapters contained within this volume find that globalism and Sharia have been posing challenges to one another. These respective challenges are studied from the perspectives of theory, history and the diverse contexts in which Sharia developed during the twenty-first century. The approach in this book is overall contextual with reference to time and place. For accessibility, unlike other books on Islamic law, Sharia Law in the Twenty-First Century has minimal footnotes and reduced diacritical marks, but offers an essential glossary in an appendix.

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Stock Markets and Corporate Finance: A Primer examines the nature of the stock market and its implications for corporate management. In the historical context of financial institutions and business finance, students are stimulated to learn that traditional totems of corporate finance can no longer be presented as dogma, but rather as exceedingly frail models of reality. At the core of this text is the philosophy that financial institutions and corporate/business finance are more satisfactorily understood in relation to one another.This revised text from the 2017 Stock Markets and Corporate Finance has allowed for a reshaping of the material with the deletion of a number of chapters considered 'interesting' but overly academic. This additional space has allowed for an update on the chapter 'Financial Institutions and a History of Stock Markets' as well as accounting for the circumstances of a post-COVID-19 era. The chapter 'Financial Planning and Working Capital' has been reworked to demonstrate how a firm's financial management team might interrogate its financial accounts to assess the viability of the firm and the management of its working capital.From reading this book, the reader will achieve insight into the behaviour and importance of financial institutions and firms as they are presented in the media, and how they impact on their own lives. Exercises and solutions are designed to re-enforce chapter material, while animated PowerPoint presentations are available as supplementary material to the book.

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A Mezze of Mathematical Methods is Volume 1 of Science by Simulation. It is a recipe book of mathematical models that can be enlivened by the transmutation of equations into computer code. In this volume, the examples chosen are an eclectic mix of systems and stories rooted in common experience, rather than those normally associated with constrained courses on Physics, Chemistry or Biology which are taught in isolation and susceptible to going out of date in a few years. Rather than a 'what' of Science, this book is aimed at the 'how', readily applied to projects by students and professionals. Written in a friendly style based upon the author's expertise in teaching and pedagogy, this mathematically rigorous book is designed for readers to follow arguments step-by-step with stand-alone chapters which can be read independently. This approach will provide a tangible and readily accessible context for the development of a wide range of interconnected mathematical ideas and computing methods that underpin the practice of Science.

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One Korea or two?The persistence of North and South Korea since 1948 has been a source of one war and fears of new wars. Although they share centuries of common culture, society and politics, the two nations differ on fundamentals today: capitalist democracy in the south and totalitarian communism in the north. Dynamics of the Korean State provides a unique overview of how humans treasure their individual lives and how these dynamics intertwine with Korean history and state evolution.The book examines the development of the Korean state from ancient times and sees its roots in the Stone Age struggle for survival. The persistent theme has been to Prolong Life — Postpone Death. Hence, the origins of every state can be found in man's Will-to-Live, and this is demonstrated in the Will/action framework offered by the author. Human Will, not material determinism or divine plan, creates the state. This primary Will generates five other Wills, which motivate actions to culminate in the state and give it a fluidity over time. The six Wills/actions are as follows: Will-to-Live/production; Will-to-Freedom/innovation; Will-to-Power/organization; Will-to-Comply/enforcement; Will-to-Transcend/political vision & religion; and Will-to-Redirect/reform, usurpation, rebellion, revolution. These in combination influence and partially determine state configuration and fluidity, creating order, disorder, war, prosperity, and poverty along the way. This book reveals the undercurrents of Korean society, politics and history from a fresh perspective. Neither pure history nor descriptive politics, it is a significant contribution to a philosophical anthropology paradigm.

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D'oh! Fourier introduces the Fourier transform and is aimed at undergraduates in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Applied Sciences, as well as for those wishing to extend their education. Formulated around ten key points, this accessible book is light-hearted and illustrative, with many applications. The basis and deployment of the Fourier transform are covered applying real-world examples throughout inductively rather than the theoretical approach deductively.The key components of the textbook are continuous signals analysis, discrete signals analysis, image processing, applications of Fourier analysis, together with the origin and nature of the transform itself. D'oh! Fourier is reproducible via MATLAB/Octave and is supported by a comprehensive website which provides the code contained within the book.

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Written by the famous High-Pressure scientist of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The ABCs of High-Pressure Science contains brief information explaining the terms and concepts adopted by professionals involved in research in the field of high pressure, be it physics, geology, chemistry, or technology. The book also includes brief biographical essays describing activities of the outstanding scientists who largely determined the current state of high-pressure science. The book is organized in the form of short chapters or notes in alphabetical order, so a search of the necessary information is not difficult. The ABCs is intended for young scientists, graduate students, and students; nevertheless, well-established scientists can also find useful information here. Finally, The ABCs of High-Pressure Science is not a reference book and is designed to ensure that the reader can easily find the needed information from the Internet.

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The main purpose of this book is to introduce the essential theories and tools for production (manufacturing operations) management for students in engineering, junior professionals in supply chain and production managers who are starting their career in a manufacturing firm.With a focus on selected key techniques and a practical application of these skills, the book uses a real-world inspired case studies while providing readers with in-depth exploration. Designed as a coaching handbook for instructors or motivated self-learners, it is an ideal resource for project-based learning.It is suitable for graduates in technology management and engineering, and professionals in the field of manufacturing who want to revise their practical knowledge while enhancing theoretical background.

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'The first two editions of this textbook have received well-deserved high acclaims, and this — the third edition — deserves no less. Its explanations of the whole gamut of atomic and molecular spectroscopy provide a solid grasp of the theory as well as how to understand such spectra in practice. It thus makes an ideal companion to books that start from the observational aspect of spectroscopy, whether in the lab or at the telescope … This new edition of Tennyson’s book ought to be in the library of every astronomical department.'The Observatory Magazine'It closely follows the course given to third year UCL undergraduates, and the worked examples have surely been tested on students … The last two chapters serve as an effective appendix on more specialised topics in atomic and molecular theory.'Contemporary PhysicsThe third edition of Astronomical Spectroscopy examines the physics necessary to understand and interpret astronomical spectra. It offers a step-by-step guide to the atomic and molecular physics involved in providing astronomical spectra starting from the relatively simple hydrogen atom and working its way to the spectroscopy of small molecules.Based on UCL course material, this book uses actual astronomical spectra to illustrate the theoretical aspects of the book to give the reader a feel for such spectra as well as an awareness of what information can be retrieved from them. It also provides comprehensive exercises, with answers given, to aid understanding.

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In The Scientist and the Forger: Probing a Turbulent Art World the author draws upon an enthralling range of case studies, from Botticelli to Leonardo, Campendonk to Pollock and Chagall to Freud, equipping the reader with a holistic understanding of an art world shaped by fast-moving trends, and increasingly permeated by science. We are taken on a gripping journey, becoming witness to the attempts currently being made to safeguard a partly complicit art market virtually under siege.How can we determine whether it was Leonardo's hand that created Salvator Mundi? How can we prove that a suspected Pollock is a forgery? And how can Man in a Black Cravat be seemingly incontrovertibly attributed to Lucian Freud, despite this artist's adamant refusal to recognize it as one of his own? This book reveals how art historians and scientists collaborate conclusively to authenticate paintings or demonstrate that they are forgeries, and as the enigma of La Bella Principessa continues to baffle, the question remains: do we have enough reason to hope that we shall one day know her true story? Building on the first edition, a more in depth look is taken at some of the greatest scandals to date — with an interpretation of the psychological behavior of Ann Freedman the former president and director of the Knoedler Gallery.

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The power of electrochemical measurements in respect of thermodynamics, kinetics and analysis is widely recognised but the subject can be unpredictable to the novice even if they have a strong physical and chemical background, especially if they wish to pursue quantitative measurements. Accordingly, some significant experiments are perhaps wisely never attempted while the literature is sadly replete with flawed attempts at rigorous voltammetry.This textbook considers how to implement designing, explaining and interpreting experiments centered on various forms of voltammetry (cyclic, microelectrode, hydrodynamic, etc.). The reader is assumed to have knowledge of physical chemistry equivalent to Master's level but no exposure to electrochemistry in general, or voltammetry in particular. While the book is designed to stand alone, references to important research papers are given to provide an introductory entry into the literature.The third edition contains new material relating to electron transfer theory, experimental requirements, scanning electrochemical microscopy, adsorption, electroanalysis and nanoelectrochemistry.

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Super-Resolution imaging refers to modern techniques of achieving resolution below conventional limits. This book gives a comprehensive overview of mathematical and computational techniques used to achieve this, providing a solid foundation on which to develop the knowledge and skills needed for practical application of techniques. Split into five parts, the first looks at the mathematical and probabilistic tools needed, before moving on to description of different types of imaging; single-wave, anomaly, multi-wave and spectroscopic and nanoparticle.As an important contribution to the understanding of super-resolution techniques in biomedical imaging, this book is a useful resource for scientists and engineers in the fields of biomedical imaging and super-resolution, and is self-contained reference for any newcomers to these fields.

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This book presents, in a self-contained form, the equations of fluid flow in porous media, with a focus on topics and issues that are relevant to petroleum reservoir engineering. No prior knowledge of the field is assumed on the part of the reader, and particular care is given to careful mathematical and conceptual development of the governing equations, and solutions for important reservoir flow problems. Fluid Flow in Porous Media starts with a discussion of permeability and Darcy's law, then moves on to a careful derivation of the pressure diffusion equation. Solutions are developed and discussed for flow to a vertical well in an infinite reservoir, in reservoirs containing faults, in bounded reservoirs, and to hydraulically fractured wells. Special topics such as the dual-porosity model for fractured reservoirs, and fluid flow in gas reservoirs, are also covered. The book includes twenty problems, along with detailed solutions.As part of the Imperial College Lectures in Petroleum Engineering, and based on a lecture series on the same topic, this book provides the introductory information needed for students of the petroleum engineering and hydrology.

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Food manufacturers, researchers and society in general are increasingly highly interested in the quality and origin of food products. Considering the complexity of the food chain in a globalized world — where many players are involved between production and consumption — fraudulent food manipulation and adulteration practices are increasingly easier to conduct without being detected. Generally, food adulteration is carried out to increase volume, to mask the presence of inferior quality components, and to replace authentic substances for the seller's economic gain. Analytical methodologies to guarantee food integrity and authenticity are therefore required.Chromatographic and Related Separation Techniques in Food Integrity and Authenticity — Volume A: Advances in Chromatographic Techniques addresses fraud prevention and the latest chromatographic and related separation analytical techniques to guarantee food integrity and authenticity by giving special attention to relevant authenticity issues in food production.Chromatographic and Related Separation Techniques in Food Integrity and Authenticity — Volume B: Relevant Applications addresses the relevant application of techniques to assess different food products' integrity and authenticity.

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The future of ankle replacements will be governed by careful patient selection, meticulous surgical technique, and appropriate prospective follow up and reporting as well as the introduction and collaboration of joint replacement registers. There is a large uptrend in the use of ankle replacements and a need for authoritative publications that can be used as a reference internationally.The Atlas of Ankle Replacements is an objective, comprehensive and authoritative textbook on this subject. With easy-to-read chapters from global pioneers in ankle replacement, alongside extensive images, illustrations and photographs, this title has widespread appeal and accessibility to foot and ankle surgeons, engineers and industry alike.

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Cardiac problems in athletic individuals are rare, but when they occur can be devastating. This book provides a definitive review of current practice and thinking surrounding the often difficult and life-changing practice of sports cardiology. Topics which remain a challenge for practitioners, athletes and families are investigated, including cardiovascular screening, exercise participation prescription, and prevention strategies for sudden cardiac arrest. Also given are medical guidelines for diagnosis, management and treatment of specific cardiac illnesses.Based on their earlier work Exercise and Sports Cardiology (2001), editors Paul Thompson and Antonio Fernandez have provided an updated, improved 3-part reference work for cardiologists, physicians, coaches, trainers, medical students and researchers with a comprehensive go-to reference for modern day concerns in the expanding field of sports cardiology research and treatment.

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Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental forces in nature, and underlies almost everything we experience in our daily lives, whether we realise it or not. The complete theory was first written down in the late 19th century, and remains an essential part of a scientific education. The mathematics behind the theory, however, can be intimidatingly complex. Furthermore, it is not always clear to beginners why the theory is either useful or interesting, nor how it relates to modern research in theoretical physics.The aim of this book is to guide students towards a detailed understanding of the full theory of electromagnetism, including its practical applications. Later chapters introduce more modern formulations of the theory than are found in traditional undergraduate courses, thus bridging the gap between a first course in electromagnetism, and the advanced concepts needed for further study in physics. The final chapter reviews exciting current research stating that possible theories of (quantum) gravity may be much more closely related to electromagnetism than previously thought.Throughout the book, an informal conversational style is used to demystify intimidating concepts. Relevant mathematical ideas are introduced in a self-contained manner, and exercises are provided with full solutions to aid understanding. This book is essential reading for anyone undertaking a physics degree, but will also be of interest to engineers and chemists.

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This book introduces the reader to multiscale mathematical modeling that starts by describing a physical process at the microscopic level, and is followed by the macroscopic description of that process. There are two preliminary chapters introducing the main equations of mathematical physics and serves as revision of all of the necessary mathematical notions needed to navigate the domain of multiscale research.The author gives a rigorous presentation of the tools of mathematical modeling, as well as an evaluation of the errors of the method. This allows readers to analyze the limitations and accuracy of the method.The book is accessible to a wide range of readers, from specialists in engineering to applied mathematicians working in the applications of materials science, biophysics and medicine.

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A new coronavirus, most likely spilled over from an animal species, has plunged us into the third epidemic of this kind in the last twenty years, against which there were neither vaccines nor therapies.While we argue over the future of humanity, vulnerable to the ecological and environmental degradation that has enabled the pandemic, extraordinary technologies have been developed to combat infectious diseases. In just eleven months it was possible to develop, test and produce the vaccines that are gradually enabling us to escape the SARS-CoV-2 nightmare. In addition, with the legacy of the technologies developed against COVID-19, we will be able to overcome antimicrobial resistance—a slow but inexorable pandemic.As vaccinologists are churning out increasingly precise and effective solutions, vaccine acceptance seems to be receding. Outbreaks of preventable diseases have prompted the health authorities of several countries to make childhood vaccinations mandatory again. Much remains to be done, but a public capable of distinguishing authoritative voices from misleading ones will be able to enjoy the vaccines of tomorrow more widely. Vaccines in the Global Era is an easy-to-read book that can be read by virtually anyone who wants to learn about the importance, effectiveness and safety of vaccines in preventing infectious diseases.Vaccines are cheap, save countless lives, and are more effective than the best medicines. Let's try to make the best use of them for the health of the people and animals living together on this beautiful planet.

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In the modern world, data is a vital asset for any organization, regardless of industry or size. The world is built upon data. However, data without knowledge is useless. The aim of this book, briefly, is to introduce new approaches that can be used to shape and forecast the future by combining the two disciplines of Statistics and Economics.Readers of Modeling and Advanced Techniques in Modern Economics can find valuable information from a diverse group of experts on topics such as finance, econometric models, stochastic financial models and machine learning, and application of models to financial and macroeconomic data.

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While humanity continues to grapple with COVID-19 and its ramifications, Beyond COVID-19: Multidisciplinary Approaches and Outcomes on Diverse Fields provides a unique opportunity to foresee the repercussions of the pandemic across a range of fields through the lens of chaos and complexity theory. This book takes COVID-19 as a holistic event, providing an interesting analysis of this chaotic phenomenon with the contributions of multidisciplinary scholars. The expert views within this book come from a wide range of fields, from international relations to education and from sociology to law.Unique in terms of its content and contributions, the chapters within explore the various consequences of COVID-19 with the aim of attracting the attention of researchers, postgraduate students, practitioners, and policymakers.

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Artificial Intelligence Applications in Human Pathology deals with the latest topics in biomedical research and clinical cancer diagnostics. With chapters provided by true international experts in the field, this book gives real examples of the implementation of AI and machine learning in human pathology.Advances in machine learning and AI in general have propelled computational and general pathology research. Today, computer systems approach the diagnostic levels achieved by humans for certain well-defined tasks in pathology. At the same time, pathologists are faced with an increased workload both quantitatively (numbers of cases) and qualitatively (the amount of work per case, with increasing treatment options and the type of data delivered by pathologists also expected to become more fine-grained). AI will support and leverage mathematical tools and implement data-driven methods as a center for data interpretation in modern tissue diagnosis and pathology. Digital or computational pathology will also foster the training of future computational pathologists, those with both pathology and non-pathology backgrounds, who will eventually decide that AI-based pathology will serve as an indispensable hub for data-related research in a global health care system.Some of the specific topics explored within include an introduction to DL as applied to Pathology, Standardized Tissue Sampling for Automated Analysis, integrating Computational Pathology into Histopathology workflows. Readers will also find examples of specific techniques applied to specific diseases that will aid their research and treatments including but not limited to; Tissue Cartography for Colorectal Cancer, Ki-67 Measurements in Breast Cancer, and Light-Sheet Microscopy as applied to Virtual Histology.The key role for pathologists in tissue diagnostics will prevail and even expand through interdisciplinary work and the intuitive use of an advanced and interoperating (AI-supported) pathology workflow delivering novel and complex features that will serve the understanding of individual diseases and of course the patient.

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The COVID-19 pandemic that swept the planet in the early 2020s killed more than six million, delivered unimaginable human suffering and $22 trillion in lost global growth. We weren't prepared and should have been.Unraveling the secrets of microbes, an invisible parallel universe of tiny life forms all around us, is central to managing the big twenty-first-century challenges of pandemics, bioterrorism, food security and climate change. Scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs and political leaders are racing to decode this biological realm with powerful new tools to extend human lifespans and make the world safer and more prosperous. Yet such technologies need to be handled with care. The price of getting this wrong will be unbearable.Man Versus Microbe is about humanity's competitive, symbiotic and precarious relationship with the microbial world. Brian Bremner (Senior Executive Editor, Bloomberg) offers a book on the exhilarating fields of synthetic biology and genetics, abundant with material on emerging technologies to deepen one's understanding of how virus hunters chase bugs or how geneticists unlock the workings of a microbe's constituent DNA. This book is for readers who want to learn more about humanity's fight to contain future pandemics and better understand the risks and opportunities of living in the world of microbes. After navigating through a disruptive pandemic, we are all amateur epidemiologists now.

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The quest for the optimal is ubiquitous in nature and human behavior. The field of mathematical optimization has a long history and remains active today, particularly in the development of machine learning.Classical and Modern Optimization presents a self-contained overview of classical and modern ideas and methods in approaching optimization problems. The approach is rich and flexible enough to address smooth and non-smooth, convex and non-convex, finite or infinite-dimensional, static or dynamic situations. The first chapters of the book are devoted to the classical toolbox: topology and functional analysis, differential calculus, convex analysis and necessary conditions for differentiable constrained optimization. The remaining chapters are dedicated to more specialized topics and applications.Valuable to a wide audience, including students in mathematics, engineers, data scientists or economists, Classical and Modern Optimization contains more than 200 exercises to assist with self-study or for anyone teaching a third- or fourth-year optimization class.

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Mathematical Models in Science treats General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics in a non-commutative Algebraic Geometric framework.Based on ideas first published in Geometry of Time-Spaces: Non-commutative Algebraic Geometry Applied to Quantum Theory (World Scientific, 2011), Olav Arnfinn Laudal proposes a Toy Model as a Theory of Everything, starting with the notion of the Big Bang in Cosmology, modeled as the non-commutative deformation of a thick point. From this point, the author shows how to extract reasonable models for both General Relativity and Quantum Theory. This book concludes that the universe turns out to be the 6-dimensional Hilbert scheme of pairs of points in affine 3-space. With this in place, one may develop within the model much of the physics known to the reader. In particular, this theory is applicable to the concept of Dark Matter and its effects on our visual universe.Hence, Mathematical Models in Science proves the dependency of deformation theory in Mathematical Physics and summarizes the development of physical applications of pure mathematics developed in the twentieth century.

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In most regions of the world, federalism (territorial autonomy) is used as a successful institutional means of dispersing political power and accommodating ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity. The Middle East is an exception. Aside from the anomalous case of the U.A.E and Iraq's troubled experiment with federalism, Middle Eastern regimes have largely resisted efforts to decentralize political power. As a result, the norm in the region has been highly centralized, unitary systems that have, more often than not, paved the way for authoritarian rule or played witness to serious internal fragmentation and conflict divided along ethnic or religious lines.Federal Solutions for Fragile States in the Middle East makes an argument for the implementation of federalism in the post-conflict states of the Middle East. The argument operates on two levels: the theoretical and the practical. The theoretical case for federalism is backed by empirical evidence, but to accurately evaluate the practical and logistical feasibility of its implementation in any given case requires detailed knowledge of 'real world' political realities. The book's focus is on four post-conflict states — Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Libya — though the arguments advanced within have broad regional applicability.

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Introduction to General Relativity and Cosmology gives undergraduate students an overview of the fundamental ideas behind the geometric theory of gravitation and spacetime. Through pointers on how to modify and generalise Einstein's theory to enhance understanding, it provides a link between standard textbook content and current research in the field.Chapters present complicated material practically and concisely, initially dealing with the mathematical foundations of the theory of relativity, in particular differential geometry. This is followed by a discussion of the Einstein field equations and their various properties. Also given is analysis of the important Schwarzschild solutions, followed by application of general relativity to cosmology. Questions with fully worked answers are provided at the end of each chapter to aid comprehension and guide learning. This pared down textbook is specifically designed for new students looking for a workable, simple presentation of some of the key theories in modern physics and mathematics.

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The Lanthanides and Actinides: Synthesis, Reactivity, Properties and Applications constitutes an introduction to and comprehensive coverage of f-block chemistry encompassing the following areas: periodicity, natural occurrence and extraction, separations, electronic structure, coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry, small molecule activation, catalysis, organic synthesis applications, magnetism, spectroscopy, computation, materials, photonics, solar cell technology, biological imaging, and technological applications. Under these subject areas the book provides a broad but deep coverage, providing basic overviews as well as detailed chapters on specific areas.This book, targeted at academics, postgraduates and advanced undergraduates, will serve as an ideal introductory text and key reference work to the Lanthanides and Actinides.

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Building on the material learned by students in their first few years of study, Topics in Statistical Mechanics (Second Edition) presents an advanced level course on statistical and thermal physics. It begins with a review of the formal structure of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics considered from a unified viewpoint. There is a brief revision of non-interacting systems, including quantum gases and a discussion of negative temperatures. Following this, emphasis is on interacting systems. First, weakly interacting systems are considered, where the interest is in seeing how small interactions cause small deviations from the non-interacting case. Second, systems are examined where interactions lead to drastic changes, namely phase transitions. A number of specific examples is given, and these are unified within the Landau theory of phase transitions. The final chapter of the book looks at non-equilibrium systems, in particular the way they evolve towards equilibrium. This is framed within the context of linear response theory. Here fluctuations play a vital role, as is formalised in the fluctuation-dissipation theorem.The second edition has been revised particularly to help students use this book for self-study. In addition, the section on non-ideal gases has been expanded, with a treatment of the hard-sphere gas, and an accessible discussion of interacting quantum gases. In many cases there are details of Mathematica calculations, including Mathematica Notebooks, and expression of some results in terms of Special Functions.

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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.

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From vehicles to music, power generation to retail, every aspect of our daily routine has experienced drastic changes in the recent past, driven by secular forces such as digitization, a growing focus on sustainability, regulatory changes and evolving consumer behavior. Financial services are no exception. A paradigm change is at play in the financial sector, with a surge in competition from non-traditional actors, a revolution in customer experience evidenced by rising transparency and customer-centric strategies. FinTech is disrupting financial services, providing a historic opportunity for formally underserved customers, a formidable threat to existing banks and a critical challenge to regulators. Through the lens of FinTech (financial technology) — including payments, lending platforms, insurtech, superapps and market infrastructure — the author highlights the practical policy opportunities and risks of financial inclusion with a wealth of data.This book tells the story of entrepreneurs, companies, investors, researchers and regulators who are building the financial services of tomorrow and the mechanisms that will allow us as a society to fulfill the promise of inclusion. There are still challenges to overcome, particularly high levels of informality, subpar quality in financial services, and low levels of financial education. Regulators play a crucial role to foster inclusion, proposing sandboxes and stepping up their efforts against risks triggered by technology such as monopolistic behavior, consumer protection and cybercrime.Finance with a Purpose combines the theory in the fields of economics, finance and law with the practice of financial institutions, corporates, households and investors. By combining the latest academic research with ample professional experience in emerging markets, this book is essential for policymakers, scholars, and any reader who wants to understand the recent progress in financial inclusion and how it can be used to alleviate inequality and foster economic development.

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Dynamic Decisions highlights how some managers and policymakers sleepwalk into decision paralysis. Strategically, they partly recognise their world is changing radically as energy systems transition. In deciding what to invest in, they default to rewarding the predictable and proven, often misdiagnosing the ignored risks of innately ambiguous markets. To remedy this, the author frames ambiguity as a source of opportunity. As extant advantages obsolesce, new entrants could disrupt to gain dominance. Some managers could repurpose, reframe, and reconfigure their resources and processes to create tomorrow's profitable niches today. To profit from these emerging business landscapes, managers can PIVOT and BOUnCE to win by transitioning into a dynamic mindset. Endowed with a creative mind to innovate, humans could reshape their firms and their societies. Armed with these capabilities, albeit partial, managers could choose to adapt responsive strategic actions that are tangible, actionable, and achievable, with policy sustaining societal benefits by expanding people's access to opportunities.Dynamic Decisions is written for managers and policymakers that seek to benefit their firms and communities in how they conduct their business and themselves. Connecting theory to practice with actual business cases, this book is organised into four clusters that act as building blocks to structure the reader's decision-making process. Through experimentation, learning, and adaptation, the reader of Dynamic Decisions will redirect their strategic actions that are necessary to nurture tomorrow's profitable niches today.Related Link(s)

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A product's design is based on what customers want and how much they are willing to pay for it determines its quality. The production process is supposed to achieve the required quality. Due to the natural process variation the quality of a product or service varies. Thus, quality can be defined as fitness for intended use or, in other words, how well the product performs its intended function. It is a written or unwritten commitment to a known or unknown consumer in the market. Quality management ensures that a product or service is fit for its purpose. It has three main components: quality planning, quality control and quality improvement. Quality management is focused not only on product and service quality, but also on the means to maintain it. Quality management, therefore, uses quality control tools to achieve more consistent quality.This book aims to provide the readers with the essential practical knowledge and understanding of quality-related issues to make correct decisions faster. Hence, they can effectively contribute to a modern dynamic production environment.The book covers the essential tools used in quality control and quality management. There are a lot of practical questions and answers on quality.

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Modern Finance and Risk Management is dedicated to our colleague, academic mentor, and adviser Professor Hermann Locarek-Junge. During his academic career, Hermann Locarek-Junge published several important contributions to the field of risk management and portfolio management and served as the chairman and board member of the German Finance Association (DGF) and the Data Science Society (Gesellschaft für Klassifikation).A short foreword by the mentors of Hermann Locarek-Junge and an introduction by the editors mark the beginning of the Festschrift. The first section on Modern Finance includes chapters on asset management, entrepreneurship, and behavioural finance. The second section on Modern Risk Management contains seven contributions covering considerations of risk measurement, risk management, and regulation. Finally, the third section includes topics on commodities and energy finance.This Festschrift comprises 20 original contributions of notable scholars in finance who have worked with Hermann Locarek-Junge over the last four decades. Due to numerous connections to practice and applications, Modern Finance and Risk Management is relevant and attractive not only to academics and researchers but also to practitioners in industry and banking.

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Catalysis is a multidisciplinary subject. This book introduces the chemical, materials, and engineering principles of catalysis so that both MSc and PhD students with a basic but not extensive knowledge of chemistry and physics and those with a basic understanding of chemical engineering can learn more about catalysis. Examples are taken from catalytic reactions and catalysts used in the energy, petroleum, and base-chemicals industry.The second edition differs from the first edition in the way basic topics are integrated with catalytic applications. The authors introduce two new chapters: 'Cleaning of Fuels by Hydrotreating' and 'Electrocatalysis'. Hydrotreating is a very important industrial process and offers the opportunity to discuss metal sulfide catalysts. Electrocatalysis gains more and more attention because it can be used to minimize the anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. Solar, wind, and hydroelectricity can drive water electrolysis and CO₂ electroreduction and, therefore, excess renewable electricity can be stored in chemicals.Introduction to Heterogeneous Catalysis (Second Edition) is intended for a one-semester course for master and PhD students who want to learn more about the principles of catalysis. This must-read textbook will enable students to read catalysis literature without much difficulty and presents not only the basic concepts of catalysis but integrates the chemical, materials, and engineering aspects of catalysis with industry examples.

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Wear is one of the main reasons mechanical components and materials become inoperable, rendering enormous costs to society over time. Estimating wear allows engineers to predict the useful life of modern mechanical elements, reduce the costs of inoperability, or obtain optimal designs (i.e. selecting proper materials, shapes, and surface finishing according to mechanical conditions and durability) to reduce the impact of wear.Wear in Advanced Engineering Applications and Materials presents recent computational and practical research studying damage and wear in advanced engineering applications and materials. As such, this book covers numerical formulations based on the finite element method (FEM) — and the boundary element method (BEM) — as well as theoretical and experimental research to predict the wear response or life-limiting failure of engineering applications.

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Foreword by Guido Cozzi (University of St. Gallen, Switzerland)Advanced Macroeconomics covers selected topics in advanced macroeconomics at undergraduate level and bridges the gap between intermediate macroeconomics for undergraduates and advanced macroeconomics for postgraduates. By building on materials in intermediate macroeconomics textbooks and covering the mathematics of some classic dynamic general-equilibrium models, this book will give undergraduate students a firm appreciation of modern developments in macroeconomics. This book examines the implications of government policies (such as fiscal policy, monetary policy and innovation policy) and devotes several chapters to economic growth, covering the ideas for which Paul Romer was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2018.Dynamic general equilibrium is the foundation of modern macroeconomics. Chapter 1 begins with a simple static model to demonstrate the concept of general equilibrium. Chapters 2 to 4 cover the neoclassical growth model, exploring the effects of exogenous changes in technology: an important source of business cycle fluctuations. Chapters 5 to 7 use the neoclassical growth model to explore the effects of fiscal policy instruments such as government spending, labour income tax and capital income tax. Chapter 8 develops a simple New Keynesian model to analyse the effects of monetary policy. Chapter 9 begins the analysis of economic growth by reviewing the Solow growth model. Chapters 10 to 12 present the Ramsey model and introduce different market structures to the model to lay down the foundation of the Romer model. Chapter 13 incorporates an R&D sector into the Ramsey model with a monopolistically competitive market structure to develop the Romer model of endogenous technological change. Chapters 14 to 15 examine the implications of the Romer model. Chapter 16 concludes this book by presenting the Schumpeterian growth model and examining its different implications from the Romer model.

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In a world of negative interest rates, extreme inequality and trillion-dollar budget deficits, it is safe to say that conventional macroeconomics needs an overhaul. Common Sense Macroeconomics is an innovative guide to various concepts of macroeconomic analysis. Presented in a student-friendly and accessible way, this textbook is an ideal introduction to all who seek to foresee economic developments and address some of the key problems of our time.Specifically, this book innovates as follows.Ravi Batra, a Professor of Economics at Southern Methodist University and known for his accurate forecasts such as the 2008 crash, argues that the goal of macroeconomics is to raise the living standard of all, not just a privileged few. Contrary to popular belief, relentless monetary expansion to finance budget deficits actually makes the rich richer and the poor poorer, which has been happening all over the world. Ethical policies and efficiency that create general prosperity go together. In order to increase everyone's income, governments should generate competition and outlaw mergers among large and profitable firms. Inequality arises from monopoly capitalism, because then wages lag behind productivity and generate a rising wage-productivity gap. This is the ultimate source of almost all economic troubles and imbalances. While the growing gap is inherently unfair, it also leads to vast income disparity and wealth concentration, stock market bubbles and crashes, recessions and eventually depressions. It is the rise in the wage gap that preceded the Great Depression of the 1930s and now the Great Recession of 2008. Hence governments should not stifle competition and vigorously enforce anti-trust laws. Macroeconomic equilibrium nowadays requires thatSupply = Demand + New Debt

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This two-part handbook focuses on the work that the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) accomplished using a new method — the AgMIP Regional Integrated Assessment Protocol — in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA), with funding from the UK Department for International Development. Through this research, AgMIP substantially improves the characterization and understanding of food security in SSA and SA and how its affected by climate variability and change.The chapters in this handbook demonstrate how AgMIP has enhanced the capacity of developing country researchers and stakeholders to work together, exploring and prioritizing adaptation to current and future climate stresses. Part 1 describes regional integrated assessment methods and analyses, while Part 2 presents the outcomes of farming system studies. The entire volume shows how AgMIP has established, as a public good, protocols for Regional Integrated Assessments that improve the capability of developing countries to address climate change challenges.Related Link(s)

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This book gives an overview of key themes domestically and internationally from the 19th Communist Party Congress held in Beijing in October 2017, setting out the main policy priorities for the Xi government in China as the country moves towards fulfillment of the first Centenary Goal, the hundredth anniversary of the Communist Party of China in 2021.Written as the first full length analysis by an international group of authors of different aspects of the Congress, making it perfect for graduate students and researchers, as well as individuals interested in China Studies.

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Boko Haram is now the deadliest 'terrorist' organization operational in the world, by virtue of the sheer number of people the group have killed. Together with al-Shabaab, the two groups account for a substantial amount of carnage on the African continent. Analyzed here are the ideologies of these two infamous organizations. Utilizing information from breadcrumbs that they leave behind, in videos, media releases and various correspondence, this book searches for clues within the historical and contemporary social context that explain their existence. It explores the ideological roots the two organizations share and examines the goals and objectives of each group in order to calculate the nature of the threat posed in the broader international realm. It is argued that through applying strategic theory, and specifically the concept of strategic terrorism, it is possible to form a deeper understanding of two of the most dangerous militant organizations in operation today.

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Thinking of starting a postdoc? Want to know how to move on from a postdoc? Or simply want to make the best of your postdoc years? Being a postdoc is not a career ... but it can be the pivotal point in the making of one. This friendly, practical, and occasionally humorous guide to all things postdoc combines the three authors’ vast experience of postdoc careers and personal development.This is a guide to developing, advancing and furthering yourself and your career. In working through exercises, learning from the experience of others (including the trials and tribulations of the authors), and seeking out information, we hope you will consider what success means on your own terms. In its pages you will find advice on: Your postdoc is part of the journey towards a range of career destinations; from an industrial R&D specialist to politician, from lecturer to spin-out Chief Executive, and this book is designed to help you get there. Providing indispensable advice on UK-based postdocs for national and international students, it is perfect for those making exciting transitions (student to postdoc, postdoc to the wide world of careers beyond) or for those who simply want to take their postdoc up a gear.

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'The book would be a great text for advanced healthcare students, as it is chock-full of fair-minded and complete discussions of different scholarly views. The book contains the musts of excellent text books too: ample caselets, boxes and figures that illustrate key concepts; chapter summaries; and a distillation of key concepts and further reading suggestions stud every chapter. It is useful for practitioners too, with excellent text and case examples of how different nations approach innovation and quality measurement — e.g. pay for performance models — and full discussions of regulations of drugs and devices. All in all, a terrific book for those of us frustrated by the plethora of ‘shoulds’ and the shortages of ‘how tos’ in healthcare innovations.'Regina HerzlingerHarvard Business SchoolAcross the world, the demands placed on health systems are growing rapidly. Developed countries face the challenge of providing services to an ageing population with changing health needs, while countries with developing health systems must find ways of ensuring their populations are provided with access to healthcare. Innovative thinking is essential to meet these twin challenges, but innovation is both a cause and cure of many struggles in healthcare — we need it, but it is hard to manage and the introduction of new technology can lead to higher costs.Using real-life examples and case studies from around the world, this book introduces the latest thinking on understanding and managing healthcare innovation more effectively. It does this from the perspective of governments responsible for shaping health policy, healthcare organisations providing services and juggling competing demands, and from the perspective of the industries that supply the new drugs, devices and other technologies.Managing Innovation in Healthcare is the perfect accompaniment for MSc, PhD and MBA students on health policy, management and public health courses, as well as managers, consultants and policy makers involved in healthcare services in both the public and private sector.

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'This book could appeal to astronomers interested in interstellar and circumstellar matter who would like to know more about the processes in them from a chemist’s perspective in a modern textbook. Overall, I found this book very informative and clearly written …'The Observatory MagazineThe rapidly growing field of astrochemistry focuses on the chemistry occurring in stars, planets, and the interstellar medium, bringing together elements of chemistry, physics, astrophysics, and biology. Astrochemistry describes the chemical history of the Universe, our solar system, and our planet. It explores in some detail the 'alien' chemistry occurring in interstellar gas clouds, the regions where stars and planets are formed, and also looks at the theoretical and experimental methods that allow us to carry out Earth-based studies of astrochemistry.The evolution of the Universe and the complex chemistry occurring both in interstellar space and in the planetary systems that form in these regions is explained primarily in terms of basic principles of physical chemistry. While there is plenty to interest the general reader, this book is aimed at intermediate to advanced undergraduates of chemistry and astrochemistry, highlighting many different aspects of physical chemistry and demonstrating their relevance to the world we live in.This book was written in conjunction with Atmospheric Chemistry: From the Surface to the Stratosphere, Grant Ritchie (2017) World Scientific Publishing.

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