Search results for ""springer international publishing ag""

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

This open access book demonstrates all the steps required to design heuristic algorithms for difficult optimization. The classic problem of the travelling salesman is used as a common thread to illustrate all the techniques discussed. This problem is ideal for introducing readers to the subject because it is very intuitive and its solutions can be graphically represented. The book features a wealth of illustrations that allow the concepts to be understood at a glance. The book approaches the main metaheuristics from a new angle, deconstructing them into a few key concepts presented in separate chapters: construction, improvement, decomposition, randomization and learning methods. Each metaheuristic can then be presented in simplified form as a combination of these concepts. This approach avoids giving the impression that metaheuristics is a non-formal discipline, a kind of cloud sculpture. Moreover, it provides concrete applications of the travelling salesman problem, which illustrate in just a few lines of code how to design a new heuristic and remove all ambiguities left by a general framework. Two chapters reviewing the basics of combinatorial optimization and complexity theory make the book self-contained. As such, even readers with a very limited background in the field will be able to follow all the content.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

This book presents some of the leading technical, professional, and political challenges associated with the development and implementation of teacher evaluation systems, along with characterizing some of these systems in different countries around the world. The book promotes a broader comprehension of the complexities associated with this kind of initiatives, which have gained relevance in the last two decades, especially in the context of policies aimed at improving the quality of education. The first section of the book includes conceptual chapters that will detail some of the central debates around teacher evaluation, such as a) performance evaluation versus teaching effectiveness; b) tensions between formative and summative uses of evaluation; c) relationship between evaluation and teacher professionalization; and d) political tensions around teacher evaluation. In the second section, the book addresses specific examples of national or state-wide initiatives in the field of teacher evaluation. For this section, the authors have invited contributions that reflect experiences in North America, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and Latin America. In each chapter, a teacher evaluation system is presented, including their main results and validity evidence, as well as the main challenges associated with its design and implementation. This wide-ranging presentation of teacher evaluation systems around the world is a valuable reference to understand the diverse challenges for the implementation of teacher evaluation programs. The presence of conceptual chapters with others that illustrate how teacher evaluation has been implemented in different contexts gives the reader a comprehensive view of the complex nature of teacher evaluation, considering their technical and political underpinnings. It is a valuable source for anyone interested in the design, improvement, and implementation of teacher evaluation systems.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

Historically, communication was described as a secondary, or ‘soft skill’ for surgeons. Now, astute communication, both with patients and with colleagues, forms a fundamental element of holistic surgical practice and comprises a core component of the ‘Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons’ that are increasingly recognised in modern surgical practice. Good communication is required during each patient interaction: history taking, explanation, consent, breaking bad news, and managing difficult encounters such as the demanding or angry patient. Good communication with patients improves patient trust, compliance and overall satisfaction, reduces complaints and malpractice claims. High quality communication is also fundamental when interacting with colleagues: in theatre, on the ward, whilst making referrals and organising special tests. In the busy schedules of medical professionals, such communication must be succinct and relevant. Team structures must empower all members to speak up, so as to prevent harm being done. Suboptimal communication is a root cause for the majority of serious adverse events. Furthermore, good communication reduces job stress and enhances satisfaction for the surgeon. Good communication is not an inborn behaviour; it is a learned skill that is based on key principles. Studies have clearly demonstrated that education in communication improves patient outcomes and satisfaction. Several frameworks have been described, to facilitate good communication in certain scenarios: SPIKES for breaking bad news, SBAR for handover, surgical briefs and de-briefs, to name a few. This textbook will be aimed towards medical students, surgical trainees and surgical consultants internationally. It is relevant to every-day practice, examinations and OSCEs, such as medical finals, MRCS, FRCS and international equivalents, and interviews where role play is often featured.

Read more less

This book is a concise introduction to the field of interventional radiology (IR), designed to help medical students and residents understand the fundamental concepts related to image-guided interventional procedures and determine the appropriate use of imaging modalities in the treatment of various disorders. It covers the history of interventional radiology; radiation safety; equipment; medications; and techniques such as biopsy and drainage, vascular access, embolization, and tumor ablation. The book also describes the indications, patient preparation, post-procedure care, and complications for the most common interventional radiology procedures. This second edition is fully updated throughout with the latest guidelines and recommendations. Specific updates include: the role of IR outpatient clinics and patient-centered care, prostatic artery embolization, Y90 embolization, embolization for joint disease, the role artificial intelligence plays in IR, and a new chapter on structured reporting in IR. Designed for students and trainees, chapters include key points or “tips and tricks” and review questions. This is an ideal guide for medical students and trainees interested in pursuing interventional radiology.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

This book charts the process of civilisation in Japan. Using the theory of civilising processes developed by Norbert Elias, the author examines the complex underlying structural and psychological processes from the seventh century to the twentieth century. Furthermore, by drawing on rich historical data, the author illustrates how these complex processes led the Japanese to see themselves as ‘more civilised’ than their forebears and neighbouring countries. Although the theory serves as an important reference point, the author draws on other works to address different complex questions surrounding Japanese development. Therefore, this book presents three key themes: first, it gives an alternative understanding of the complex developments of Japanese society; second, it intercedes into an ongoing debate about the applicability of Elias’s theory in a non-Western context; and third, it expands Elias’s theory.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

Providing a Nordic historical perspective, this collection aims to further our understanding of trade union activism and its role in modern society. Contributions from a range of leading scholars analyse the organisational conditions of mobilisation that were deployed by Nordic unionists, and explore the way that they interacted with other forms of social and political protest during the twentieth century. Covering illegal or so-called wildcat strikes, blockades, demonstrations and other activist measures, the authors examine the way that trade union activism in the Nordic countries aimed to move the political combat zone from the meeting rooms of the respective confederations into the streets and the public domain. The collection focuses on cases from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, but comparisons are also made with countries such as Iceland, Germany, and the USA. Exploring the ways in which political parties have intervened in Nordic trade union activism since the early twentieth century, this unique collection offers new insights for those interested in labour market dynamics and the complex process behind the formation of salary and employment conditions.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

This book critically analyzes the current historical conjuncture of neoliberal capitalism with an eye to its emergent alternatives. Can democracy and capitalism thrive together? Is socialism a viable and a desirable alternative? What are the forms of emancipatory action and critical thought that can effectively chart a way forward? Focusing on nine “critical debates” it provides a uniquely comprehensive overview of the tensions, contradictions, and latent emancipatory potential of contemporary global capitalism. The specific debates are as follows: capitalism’s relationship with democracy; privatization and governance of the commons; the financialization of capitalism; technology and the future of work; varieties of neoliberal capitalism; cosmopolitanism, international development, and human rights; feminist theory and social solidarity; sustainability and climate change; and theories of capitalist crisis.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

This book highlights the reasons for an urgently needed revision of the current global healthcare setup, discusses the needed mindset for a future of health, and provides a comprehensive development toolset for disruption (and for the needed incremental innovations towards disruption).Today’s biomedical and health innovation related research in universities encourages activities that lead to incremental innovations with a relatively low risk of failure. The healthcare industry on the other hand provides tools and devices for established healthcare providers to improve the diagnosis and therapy/ treatment of the patients’ health problems. The patient is not in the center of healthcare provision however, and prevention and prediction are not core goals. The current health setup needs to be challenged and disrupted.Disruptions are coming from technologies or processes that lead to a significant (>10x) reduction in cost or price/ performance and that also come with new business models. The need for change, effects of exponential technologies, and the needed shift to prevention and to homecare for health democratization and patient empowerment will be discussed in detail in the first parts of the book. The subsequent sections address several innovation methods with a focus on a novel meta methodology named Purpose Launchpad Health. This is followed by a comprehensive discussion on health entrepreneurship activities and needs. The final section of the book addresses how to train students to become entrepreneurial health innovators, presenting successful curricula and examples of health incubation and accelerator setups. All of the innovation tools presented and used in this book are summarized in the final chapter to help the reader get started planning an entrepreneurial venture.Written by experts from academia and industry, the book covers important basics and best practices, as well as recent developments. Chapters are concise and enriched with key messages, learning objectives and real innovation examples to bridge theory and practice. This book aims to serve as a teaching base for health innovation design and to prepare for health-related entrepreneurial ventures.Readers with medical, biomedical, biotechnology, and health economics backgrounds - and anyone who wants to become a future oriented health innovator or who believes in disruptive approaches - will find this book a useful resource and teaching tool for developing validated products/ services and processes for the future of health.

Read more less

This handbook is the first book ever covering the area of Multimodal Learning Analytics (MMLA). The field of MMLA is an emerging domain of Learning Analytics and plays an important role in expanding the Learning Analytics goal of understanding and improving learning in all the different environments where it occurs. The challenge for research and practice in this field is how to develop theories about the analysis of human behaviors during diverse learning processes and to create useful tools that could augment the capabilities of learners and instructors in a way that is ethical and sustainable. Behind this area, the CrossMMLA research community exchanges ideas on how we can analyze evidence from multimodal and multisystem data and how we can extract meaning from this increasingly fluid and complex data coming from different kinds of transformative learning situations and how to best feed back the results of these analyses to achieve positive transformative actions on those learning processes. This handbook also describes how MMLA uses the advances in machine learning and affordable sensor technologies to act as a virtual observer/analyst of learning activities. The book describes how this “virtual nature” allows MMLA to provide new insights into learning processes that happen across multiple contexts between stakeholders, devices and resources. Using such technologies in combination with machine learning, Learning Analytics researchers can now perform text, speech, handwriting, sketches, gesture, affective, or eye-gaze analysis, improve the accuracy of their predictions and learned models and provide automated feedback to enable learner self-reflection. However, with this increased complexity in data, new challenges also arise. Conducting the data gathering, pre-processing, analysis, annotation and sense-making, in a way that is meaningful for learning scientists and other stakeholders (e.g., students or teachers), still pose challenges in this emergent field. This handbook aims to serve as a unique resource for state of the art methods and processes. Chapter 11 of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is believed to affect one in eight children worldwide (UNICEF, 2020). This authoritative book challenges widely-held problematic beliefs about CSA and discusses societal responses and attitudes to survivors. It brings together multidisciplinary expertise from key researchers and practitioners around the world to better understand CSA in Black and racially minoritised communities and to provide recommendations for improving legal, policy and practical responses. It provides an international overview, covering theory, practice and policy and action-oriented research to determine how countries can individually and collectively work to prevent CSA with specific, vulnerable groups and in general. It also examines how intersectional marginalisation affects experiences of, and responses to, CSA. This essential body of work is thoroughly researched and includes first hand testimony which will deepen the understanding of students, academics, policy-makers and professionals including social workers, service staff and activists working at the frontline.Chapter 7 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the application level for various agricultural biotechnologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors examine the capacity available as well as the enabling environment, including policy and investments, for facilitating agricultural biotechnology development and use in the region. For each Sub-Saharan country, the status of biotechnology application is assessed in four major sectors; Crops, Livestock, Forestry and Aquaculture. Examples such as the number and requisite skill levels of trained personnel, biosafety frameworks and public awareness are surfaced in these chapters. This work also discusses the impact of push-pull factors on research, training and food security and identifies opportunities for investment in biotechnology and local agribusiness.Development partners, policy makers, agricultural consultants as well as scientists and private sector investors with an interest in biotechnology initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa will find this collection an important account to identify key gaps in capacity and policy, as well as priority areas going forward. The volume highlights ways to develop technology and increase agricultural production capacity through international cooperation and inclusive economic growth, making it a valuable practice guide in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 2 Zero Hunger and SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth. Clear case studies round off the reading experience.

Read more less

This text is an enhanced, English version of the Russian edition, published in early 2021 and is appropriate for an introductory course in geometric control theory. The concise presentation provides an accessible treatment of the subject for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in theoretical and applied mathematics, as well as to experts in classic control theory for whom geometric methods may be introduced. Theory is accompanied by characteristic examples such as stopping a train, motion of mobile robot, Euler elasticae, Dido's problem, and rolling of the sphere on the plane. Quick foundations to some recent topics of interest like control on Lie groups and sub-Riemannian geometry are included. Prerequisites include only a basic knowledge of calculus, linear algebra, and ODEs; preliminary knowledge of control theory is not assumed. The applications problems-oriented approach discusses core subjects and encourages the reader to solve related challenges independently. Highly-motivated readers can acquire working knowledge of geometric control techniques and progress to studying control problems and more comprehensive books on their own. Selected sections provide exercises to assist in deeper understanding of the material.Controllability and optimal control problems are considered for nonlinear nonholonomic systems on smooth manifolds, in particular, on Lie groups. For the controllability problem, the following questions are considered: controllability of linear systems, local controllability of nonlinear systems, Nagano–Sussmann Orbit theorem, Rashevskii–Chow theorem, Krener's theorem. For the optimal control problem, Filippov's theorem is stated, invariant formulation of Pontryagin maximum principle on manifolds is given, second-order optimality conditions are discussed, and the sub-Riemannian problem is studied in detail. Pontryagin maximum principle is proved for sub-Riemannian problems, solution to the sub-Riemannian problems on the Heisenberg group, the group of motions of the plane, and the Engel group is described.

Read more less

This textbook covers a diversity of topics in graph and network theory, both from a theoretical standpoint, and from an applied modelling point of view. Mathematica® is used to demonstrate much of the modelling aspects. Graph theory and model building tools are developed in tandem with effective techniques for solving practical problems via computer implementation. The book is designed with three primary readerships in mind. Individual syllabi or suggested sequences for study are provided for each of three student audiences: mathematics, applied mathematics/operations research, and computer science. In addition to the visual appeal of each page, the text contains an abundance of gems. Most chapters open with real-life problem descriptions which serve as motivation for the theoretical development of the subject matter. Each chapter concludes with three different sets of exercises. The first set of exercises are standard and geared toward the more mathematically inclined reader. Many of these are routine exercises, designed to test understanding of the material in the text, but some are more challenging. The second set of exercises is earmarked for the computer technologically savvy reader and offer computer exercises using Mathematica. The final set consists of larger projects aimed at equipping those readers with backgrounds in the applied sciences to apply the necessary skills learned in the chapter in the context of real-world problem solving. Additionally, each chapter offers biographical notes as well as pictures of graph theorists and mathematicians who have contributed significantly to the development of the results documented in the chapter. These notes are meant to bring the topics covered to life, allowing the reader to associate faces with some of the important discoveries and results presented. In total, approximately 100 biographical notes are presented throughout the book. The material in this book has been organized into three distinct parts, each with a different focus. The first part is devoted to topics in network optimization, with a focus on basic notions in algorithmic complexity and the computation of optimal paths, shortest spanning trees, maximum flows and minimum-cost flows in networks, as well as the solution of network location problems. The second part is devoted to a variety of classical problems in graph theory, including problems related to matchings, edge and vertex traversal, connectivity, planarity, edge and vertex coloring, and orientations of graphs. Finally, the focus in the third part is on modern areas of study in graph theory, covering graph domination, Ramsey theory, extremal graph theory, graph enumeration, and application of the probabilistic method.

Read more less