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Of Ice and Men: How We've Used Cold to Transform Humanity
by Fred HoggeAn exploration of humanity&’s relationship with ice since the dawn of civilization, Of Ice and Men reminds us that only by understanding this unique substance can we save the ice on our planet—and perhaps ourselves.Ice tells a story. It writes it in rock. It lays it down, snowfall by snowfall at the ends of the earth where we may read it like the rings on a tree. It tells our planet&’s geological and climatological tale. Ice tells another story too: a story about us. It is a tale packed with swash-buckling adventure and improbable invention, peopled with driven, eccentric, often brilliant characters. It tells how our species has used ice to reshape the world according to our needs and our desires: how we have survived it, harvested it, traded it, bent science to our will to make it—and how in doing so we have created globe-spanning infrastructures that are entirely dependent upon it. And even after we have done all that, we take ice so much for granted that we barely notice it. Ice has supercharged the modern world. It has allowed us to feed ourselves and cure ourselves in ways unimaginable two hundred years ago. It has enabled the global population to rise from less than 1 billion to nearly 7½ billion—which just happens to cover the same period of time as humanity has harvested, manufactured, and distributed ice on an industrial scale. And yet the roots of our fascination with ice and its properties run much deeper than the recent past.
Of Matters Great and Small
by Isaac AsimovMy beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter had not been at college long when word reached her that a certain young man W.15 dying to meet her, presumably, she was given to understand, to feast his eyes on her beauty. After some ladylike show of reluctance, Robyn agreed to allow the meeting. In came the young man, eyes wide. "Tell me," he said, choking a bit, "are you really the daughter of Isaac Asimov?" Now, if I had started this essay with: "The two chief methods by which a radioactive nucleus can break down involve, one..." would you have plunged in quite as rapidly as you would with a beginning like: "My beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter "? Tell the truth...
Of Maybugs and Men: A History and Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality
by Pieter R. Adriaens Andreas De BlockA much-needed exploration of the history and philosophy of scientific research into male homosexuality. Questions about the naturalness or unnaturalness of homosexuality are as old as the hills, and the answers have often been used to condemn homosexuals, their behaviors, and their relationships. In the past two centuries, a number of sciences have involved themselves in this debate, introducing new vocabularies, theories, arguments, and data, many of which have gradually helped tip the balance toward tolerance and even acceptance. In this book, philosophers Pieter R. Adriaens and Andreas De Block explore the history and philosophy of the gay sciences, revealing how individual and societal values have colored how we think about homosexuality. The authors unpack the entanglement of facts and values in studies of male homosexuality across the natural and human sciences and consider the extent to which science has mitigated or reinforced homonegative mores. The focus of the book is on homosexuality’s assumed naturalness. Geneticists rephrased naturalness as innateness, claiming that homosexuality is innate—colloquially, that homosexuals are born gay. Zoologists thought it a natural affair, documenting its existence in myriad animal species, from maybugs to men. Evolutionists presented homosexuality as the product of natural selection and speculated about its adaptive value. Finally, psychiatrists, who initially pathologized homosexuality, eventually appealed to its naturalness or innateness to normalize it. Discussing findings from an array of sciences—comparative zoology, psychiatry, anthropology, evolutionary biology, social psychology, developmental biology, and machine learning—this book is essential reading for anyone interested in what science has to say about homosexuality.
Of Maybugs and Men: A History and Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality
by Pieter R. Adriaens Andreas De BlockA much-needed exploration of the history and philosophy of scientific research into male homosexuality. Questions about the naturalness or unnaturalness of homosexuality are as old as the hills, and the answers have often been used to condemn homosexuals, their behaviors, and their relationships. In the past two centuries, a number of sciences have involved themselves in this debate, introducing new vocabularies, theories, arguments, and data, many of which have gradually helped tip the balance toward tolerance and even acceptance. In this book, philosophers Pieter R. Adriaens and Andreas De Block explore the history and philosophy of the gay sciences, revealing how individual and societal values have colored how we think about homosexuality. The authors unpack the entanglement of facts and values in studies of male homosexuality across the natural and human sciences and consider the extent to which science has mitigated or reinforced homonegative mores. The focus of the book is on homosexuality’s assumed naturalness. Geneticists rephrased naturalness as innateness, claiming that homosexuality is innate—colloquially, that homosexuals are born gay. Zoologists thought it a natural affair, documenting its existence in myriad animal species, from maybugs to men. Evolutionists presented homosexuality as the product of natural selection and speculated about its adaptive value. Finally, psychiatrists, who initially pathologized homosexuality, eventually appealed to its naturalness or innateness to normalize it. Discussing findings from an array of sciences—comparative zoology, psychiatry, anthropology, evolutionary biology, social psychology, developmental biology, and machine learning—this book is essential reading for anyone interested in what science has to say about homosexuality.
Of Maybugs and Men: A History and Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality
by Pieter R. Adriaens Andreas De BlockA much-needed exploration of the history and philosophy of scientific research into male homosexuality. Questions about the naturalness or unnaturalness of homosexuality are as old as the hills, and the answers have often been used to condemn homosexuals, their behaviors, and their relationships. In the past two centuries, a number of sciences have involved themselves in this debate, introducing new vocabularies, theories, arguments, and data, many of which have gradually helped tip the balance toward tolerance and even acceptance. In this book, philosophers Pieter R. Adriaens and Andreas De Block explore the history and philosophy of the gay sciences, revealing how individual and societal values have colored how we think about homosexuality. The authors unpack the entanglement of facts and values in studies of male homosexuality across the natural and human sciences and consider the extent to which science has mitigated or reinforced homonegative mores. The focus of the book is on homosexuality’s assumed naturalness. Geneticists rephrased naturalness as innateness, claiming that homosexuality is innate—colloquially, that homosexuals are born gay. Zoologists thought it a natural affair, documenting its existence in myriad animal species, from maybugs to men. Evolutionists presented homosexuality as the product of natural selection and speculated about its adaptive value. Finally, psychiatrists, who initially pathologized homosexuality, eventually appealed to its naturalness or innateness to normalize it. Discussing findings from an array of sciences—comparative zoology, psychiatry, anthropology, evolutionary biology, social psychology, developmental biology, and machine learning—this book is essential reading for anyone interested in what science has to say about homosexuality.
Of Men and Numbers: The Story of the Great Mathematicians (Dover Books On Mathematics Ser.)
by Jane MuirWhile mathematics itself may be a formidable subject for many, the lives and accomplishments of history’s greatest mathematicians—from Pythagoras to Cantor—offer fascinating reading.In this delightful and informative recounting, for example, we learn how Pascal’s life was abruptly changed by a family of fanatical bonesetters, how Descartes was influenced by three dreams, and how the scholarly Swiss Leonhard Euler (whose famous conjecture was finally disproved in 1959, after 177 years) almost ended up in the Russian navy.Here, too, are Cardano, the gambler who becomes the 16th century’s most fashionable doctor; Archimedes, Newton, and Gauss, often considered the three greatest mathematicians of all times; Lobatchevsky, the inventor of non-Euclidean geometry; and the tragic Galois, a founder of modern higher algebra.In addition to a wealth of interesting and informative anecdotes, presented in a delightfully conversational style, the author offers lucid, accessible explanations of these thinkers’ invaluable contributions to the edifice of modern mathematical thought and to man’s understanding of himself and his universe.—Print ed.
Of Monsters and Madness
by Jessica VerdayA romantic, historical retelling of classic Gothic horror featuring Edgar Allan Poe and his character Annabel Lee, from a New York Times best-selling author.Annabel Lee is summoned from Siam to live with her father in 1820's Philadelphia shortly after her mother's death, but an unconventional upbringing makes her repugnant to her angry, secretive father.Annabel becomes infatuated with her father's assistant Allan, who dabbles in writing when he's not helping with medical advancements. But in darker hours, when she's not to be roaming the house, she encounters the devilish assistant Edgar, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Allan, and who others insist doesn't exist. A rash of murders across Philadelphia, coupled with her father's strange behavior, leads Annabel to satisfy her curiosity and uncover a terrible truth: Edgar and Allan are two halves of the same person - and they are about to make the crimes detailed in Allan's stories come to life. Unless Annabel stops them.
Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us
by David NeiwertA celebrated journalist's eye-opening history of orcas, and an exploration of their relationship with human beings, Of Orcas and Men does for whales what Barry Lopez did for wolves The orca--otherwise known as the killer whale--is one of earth's most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry--and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound--that much more damning. In Of Orcas and Men, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary popular culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations, and brings to life the often catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez's classic Of Wolves and Men, David Neiwert's book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom's most remarkable members.
Of Pure Blood
by Marc Hillel Clarissa Henry Eric MossbacherWe spent nearly three years tracking down every available source about the Lebensborn organization. We had heard of the human stud-farms created by Heinrich Himmler during the Second World War; we knew that they were called Lebensborns.
Of Rocks, Mountains and Jasper: A Visitor's Guide To The Geology Of Jasper National Park
by Chris Yorath Ben GaddA resource for understanding the regions geology and seeing the evidence of important processes typical of the unique geological system in Jasper National Park.
Of Sheep, Oranges, and Yeast: A Multispecies Impression
by Julian YatesIn what senses do animals, plants, and minerals “write”? How does their “writing” mark our livesour past, present, and future? Addressing such questions with an exhilarating blend of creative flair and theoretical depth, Of Sheep, Oranges, and Yeast traces how the lives of, yes, sheep, oranges, gold, and yeast mark the stories of those animals we call “human.”Bringing together often separate conversations in animal studies, plant studies, ecotheory, and biopolitics, Of Sheep, Oranges, and Yeast crafts scripts for literary and historical study that embrace the fact that we come into being through our relations to other animal, plant, fungal, microbial, viral, mineral, and chemical actors. The book opens and closes in the company of a Shakespearean character talking through his painful encounter with the skin of a lamb (in the form of parchment). This encounter stages a visceral awareness of what Julian Yates names a “multispecies impression,” the way all acts of writing are saturated with the “writing” of other beings. Yates then develops a multimodal reading strategy that traces a series of anthropo-zoo-genetic figures that derive from our comaking with sheep (keyed to the story of biopolitics), oranges (keyed to economy), and yeast (keyed to the notion of foundation or infrastructure). Working with an array of materials (published and archival), across disciplines and historical periods (Classical to postmodern), the book allows sheep, oranges, and yeast to dictate their own chronologies and plot their own stories. What emerges is a methodology that fundamentally alters what it means to read in the twenty-first century.
Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World
by Nina KrausHow sound leaves a fundamental imprint on who we are.Making sense of sound is one of the hardest jobs we ask our brains to do. In Of Sound Mind, Nina Kraus examines the partnership of sound and brain, showing for the first time that the processing of sound drives many of the brain's core functions. Our hearing is always on--we can't close our ears the way we close our eyes--and yet we can ignore sounds that are unimportant. We don't just hear; we engage with sounds. Kraus explores what goes on in our brains when we hear a word--or a chord, or a meow, or a screech. Our hearing brain, Kraus tells us, is vast. It interacts with what we know, with our emotions, with how we think, with our movements, and with our other senses. Auditory neurons make calculations at one-thousandth of a second; hearing is the speediest of our senses. Sound plays an unrecognized role in both healthy and hurting brains. Kraus explores the power of music for healing as well as the destructive power of noise on the nervous system. She traces what happens in the brain when we speak another language, have a language disorder, experience rhythm, listen to birdsong, or suffer a concussion. Kraus shows how our engagement with sound leaves a fundamental imprint on who we are. The sounds of our lives shape our brains, for better and for worse, and help us build the sonic world we live in.
Of Stars and Men: Reminiscences of an Astronomer
by Zdenek KopalThe twentieth century has been a remarkable epoch in the affairs of men, and this is no less true of astronomy, at once the oldest and most modern of the sciences. Sky watchers at the beginning of the century measured positions and predicted celestial motions in faithful but uninspired homage to the Muse Urania; nowadays, their descendents call on all the resources of modern science to probe the nature and evolution of a bewildering range of celestial objects. Man has even set out to call personally on his nearest neighbours in space. Professor Zdenek Kopal has lived and practised astronomy throughout this efflorescence of his subject. Born in Czechoslovakia just before the outbreak of the Great War, and educated in the classical European tradition, he knows well the days when scholars commanded such respect that astronomical congresses would be visited by Heads of State. Yet within his own lifetime, he has himself been recruited to play an important role in scientific preparations for a manned Moon landing. He has known and worked with some of the most highly respected practitioners of Modern Astromomy: Russell, Shapley, Urey in the United States, Eddington in Britain. His fine eye for detail, coupled with his strong sense of history, enable him to unfold through his personal recollections the development of his subject across the social changes of two world wars. Inspired by his grandfather, who would think nothing of walking sixty miles to theatrical performance, the young Kopal acquired a Wanderlust that has taken him in his career more than a dozen times rond the world. He has visited the most ancient observatories, observed solar eclipses in Japan and Java, helped to establish new institutions in Iraq and India, and commuted for many years between the Old and New Worlds. He has toiled in every corner of his chosen vinyard: as observer, outstanding theoretician, populariser, editor and teacher. During his thirty years as Professor of Astronomy at Manchester, he
Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell
by Sy MontgomeryNational Book Award finalist for The Soul of an Octopus and New York Times bestseller Sy Montgomery turns her journalistic curiosity to the wonder and wisdom of our long-lived cohabitants—turtles—and through their stories of hope and rescue, reveals to us astonishing new perspectives on time and healing.When acclaimed naturalist Sy Montgomery and wildlife artist Matt Patterson arrive at Turtle Rescue League, they are greeted by hundreds of turtles recovering from injury and illness. Endangered by cars and highways, pollution and poachers, these turtles—with wounds so severe that even veterinarians would have dismissed them as fatal—are given a second chance at life. The League’s founders, Natasha and Alexxia, live by one motto: Never give up on a turtle.But why turtles? What is it about them that inspires such devotion? Ancient and unhurried, long-lived and majestic, their lineage stretches back to the time of the dinosaurs. Some live to two hundred years, or longer. Others spend months buried under cold winter water. Montgomery turns to these little understood yet endlessly surprising creatures to probe the eternal question: How can we make peace with our time?In pursuit of the answer, Sy and Matt immerse themselves in the delicate work of protecting turtle nests, incubating eggs, rescuing sea turtles, and releasing hatchlings to their homes in the wild. We follow the snapping turtle Fire Chief on his astonishing journey as he battles against injuries incurred by a truck.Hopeful and optimistic, Of Time and Turtles is an antidote to the instability of our frenzied world. Elegantly blending science, memoir, philosophy, and drawing on cultures from across the globe, this compassionate portrait of injured turtles and their determined rescuers invites us all to slow down and slip into turtle time.Perfect gift for nature lovers.Includes a signature of photos plus stunning, photo-realistic full color paintings and black-and-white chapter opener art by wildlife artist Matt Patterson.Read more books by Sy Montgomery such as How to Be a Good Creature and The Soul of an Octopus.Don't miss The Book of Turtles for children.
Of Time, Passion, and Knowledge: Reflections On The Strategy Of Existence
by Julius Thomas Fraser"Only a wayfarer born under unruly stars would attempt to put into practice in our epoch of proliferating knowledge the Heraclitean dictum that `men who love wisdom must be inquirers into very many things indeed.'" Thus begins this remarkable interdisciplinary study of time by a master of the subject. And while developing a theory of "time as conflict," J. T. Fraser does offer "many things indeed"--an enormous range of ideas about matter, life, death, evolution, and value.
Of Walden Pond: Henry David Thoreau, Frederic Tudor, and the Pond Between
by Lesa Cline-RansomeFrom the award-winning author of Before She Was Harriet comes another work of lyrical beauty, the story of Henry David Thoreau and businessman Frederic Tudor—and a changing world.Thoreau and Tudor could not have been more different from each other. Yet both shared the bounties of Walden Pond and would change the course of history through their writings and innovations. This study in opposites contrasts the austere philosopher with the consummate capitalist (whose innovations would change commercial ice harvesting and home refrigerators) to show how two seemingly conflicting American legacies could be built side by side. Oddball/ tax dodger/ nature lover/ dreamer/ That&’s what they called/ Thoreau.Bankrupt/ disgrace/ good for nothing/ dreamer/ That&’s what they called/ Tudor. Celebrated author Lesa Cline-Ransome takes her magnificent talent for research and detail to plumb the depths of these two history-makers. The graceful text is paired with Ashley Benham-Yazdani&’s period accurate watercolor and pencil artwork. In winter, readers see Tudor&’s men sawing through the ice, the workhorses dragging the ice, and Thoreau observing it all; in spring, summer, and fall, the ice continues its journey across the globe with Thoreau and Tudor writing and reflecting in their respective diaries. An Author&’s Note, which explores how Thoreau&’s writings influenced such figures as Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Frost, and Mohandas Gandhi, is included.
Of Wolves and Men
by Barry LopezNational Book Award Finalist: A &“brilliant&” study of the science and mythology of the wolf by the New York Times–bestselling author of Arctic Dreams (The Washington Post). When John Fowles reviewed Of Wolves and Men, he called it &“A remarkable book, both biologically absorbing and humanly rich, and one that should be read by every concerned American.&” In this National Book Award–shortlisted work, literary master Barry Lopez guides us through the world of the wolf and our often-mistaken perceptions of another species&’ place on our shared planet. Throughout the centuries, the wolf has been a figure of fascination and mystery, and a major motif in literature and myth. Inspiring fear and respect, the creature has long exerted a powerful influence on the human imagination. Of Wolves and Men takes the reader into the world of the Canis lupus and its relationship to humankind through the ages. Lopez draws on science, history, mythology, and his own field research to present a compelling portrait of wolves both real and imagined, dispelling our fear of them while celebrating their place in our history, legends, and hearts. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Barry Lopez including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s personal collection.
Ofdm Based Relay Systems for Future Wireless Communications (River Publishers Series In Communications Ser.)
by Milica Pejanovic-Djurisic Enis Kocan Ramjee PrasadRelay systems have become a subject of intensive research interest over the recent years, as it is recognized that they can improve performances and extend the coverage area of wireless communication systems. Special attention has been dedicated to them since the proposal appeared for their implementation in mobile cellular systems. Numerous researches conducted after that proposal have enabled incorporation of OFDM based relay systems in both accepted standards for IMT-Advanced systems. Nowadays, researches are ongoing with the aim to define new solutions for performance improvement of the standardized OFDM relay systems for cellular networks and one of the interesting solutions is implementation of subcarrier permutation (SCP) at the relay (R) station.The book OFDM based relay systems for future wireless communications presents a comprehensive research results in analyzing behavior and performance of the OFDM based relay systems with SCP. Dual-hop relay scenario with three communication terminals, and no direct link between the source (S) and the destination (D) has been analyzed, as it is compliant with the accepted solutions for IMT-Advanced systems. The book includes performance analysis and performance comparison of OFDM based:• amplify-and-forward (AF) relay systems with fixed gain (FG),• amplify-and-forward (AF) relay systems with variable gain (VG),• decode-and-forward (DF) relay systems,each including two SCP schemes, known to maximize the system capacity and/or improve the bit error rate (BER) performances. Performance comparisons have enabled definition of optimal solutions for the future wireless communication systems in a given conditions, and for the given optimality criteria. OFDM based relay systems for future wireless communications contains recent research results in this area and is ideal for the academic staff and master/research students in area of mobile communication systems, as well as for the personnel in communication industry.
OFDM for Underwater Acoustic Communications
by Sheng Zhou Zhaohui WangA blend of introductory material and advanced signal processing and communication techniques, of critical importance to underwater system and network development This book, which is the first to describe the processing techniques central to underwater OFDM, is arranged into four distinct sections: First, it describes the characteristics of underwater acoustic channels, and stresses the difference from wireless radio channels. Then it goes over the basics of OFDM and channel coding. The second part starts with an overview of the OFDM receiver, and develops various modules for the receiver design in systems with single or multiple transmitters. This is the main body of the book. Extensive experimental data sets are used to verify the receiver performance. In the third part, the authors discuss applications of the OFDM receiver in i) deep water channels, which may contain very long separated multipath clusters, ii) interference-rich environments, where an unintentional interference such as Sonar will be present, and iii) a network with multiple users where both non-cooperative and cooperative underwater communications are developed. Lastly, it describes the development of a positioning system with OFDM waveforms, and the progress on the OFDM modem development. Closely related industries include the development and manufacturing of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and scientific sensory equipment. AUVs and sensors in the future could integrate modems, based on the OFDM technology described in this book. Contents includes: Underwater acoustic channel characteristics/OFDM basics/Peak-to-average-ratio control/Detection and Doppler estimation (Doppler scale and CFO)/Channel estimation and noise estimation/A block-by-block progressive receiver and performance results/Extensions to multi-input multi-output OFDM/Receiver designs for multiple users/Cooperative underwater OFDM (Physical layer network coding and dynamic coded cooperation)/Localization with OFDM waveforms/Modem developments A valuable resource for Graduate and postgraduate students on electrical engineering or physics courses; electrical engineers, underwater acousticians, communications engineers
Off-Diagonal Bethe Ansatz for Exactly Solvable Models
by Yupeng Wang Wen-Li Yang Junpeng Cao Kangjie ShiThis book serves as an introduction of the off-diagonal Bethe Ansatz method, an analytic theory for the eigenvalue problem of quantum integrable models. It also presents some fundamental knowledge about quantum integrability and the algebraic Bethe Ansatz method. Based on the intrinsic properties of R-matrix and K-matrices, the book introduces a systematic method to construct operator identities of transfer matrix. These identities allow one to establish the inhomogeneous T-Q relation formalism to obtain Bethe Ansatz equations and to retrieve corresponding eigenstates. Several longstanding models can thus be solved via this method since the lack of obvious reference states is made up. Both the exact results and the off-diagonal Bethe Ansatz method itself may have important applications in the fields of quantum field theory, low-dimensional condensed matter physics, statistical physics and cold atom systems.
Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space
by Erika NesvoldCan we do better in space than we&’ve done here on Earth?We&’ve pinpointed the destination, refined the technology, designed the habitat, outfitted our space residents. Are we forgetting something? A timely reminder that it&’s not just rocket science, this thought-provoking book explores the all-too-human issues raised by the prospect of settling in outer space. It&’s worth remembering, Erika Nesvold suggests, that in making new worlds, we don&’t necessarily leave our earthly problems behind. Accordingly, her work highlights the complex ethical challenges that accompany any other-worldly venture—questions about the environment, labor rights, and medical ethics, among others. Any such venture, Nesvold contends, must be made on behalf of all humanity, with global input and collaboration. Off-Earth thus includes historical and contemporary examples from outside the dominant Western/US, abled, and privileged narrative of the space industry. Nesvold calls on experts in ethics, sociology, history, social justice, and law to launch a hopeful conversation about the potential ethical pitfalls of becoming a multi-planet species—and, ideally, to shed light on similar problems we presently face here on Earth. Space settlement is rapidly becoming ever more likely. Will it look like the utopian vision of Star Trek? Or the dark future of Star Wars? Nesvold challenges us to decide.
Off-Grid Electrical Systems in Developing Countries
by Henry LouieThis book provides students and practicing engineers with a comprehensive guide to off-grid electrification: from microgrids and energy kiosks to solar home systems and solar lanterns. As the off-grid electrification industry grows, universities are starting and expanding courses and programs in humanitarian engineering and appropriate technology. However, there is no textbook that serves this growing market. This book fills that gap by providing a technical foundation of off-grid electrical systems, putting into context the technical aspects for developing countries, and discussing best practices by utilizing real-world data. Chapters expertly integrate the technical aspects of off-grid systems with lessons learned from industry-practitioners taking a pragmatic, data-driven perspective. A variety of off-grid systems and technologies are discussed, including solar, wind, hydro, generator sets, biomass systems, battery storage and converters. Realistic examples, case studies and practical considerations from actual systems highlight the interaction of off-grid systems with the economic, environmental, social and broader development aspects of rural electrification. Whole chapters are dedicated to the operation and control of mini-grids, load and resource estimation, and design of off-grid systems. Special topics focused on electricity access in developing countries are included, such as energy use in rural communities, technical and economic considerations of grid extension, electricity theft, metering, and best practices devoted to common problems. Each chapter is instructor friendly and contains illustrative examples and problems that reinforce key concepts. Complex, open-ended design problems throughout the book challenge the reader to think critically and deeply. The book is appropriate for use in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses related to electrical and energy engineering, humanitarian engineering, and appropriate technology.Provides a technical foundation of off-grid electrical systems;Contextualizes the technical aspects for developing countries;Captures the current and state-of-the art in this rapidly developing field.
Off-Grid Water Supply: Should It Be Mainstreamed? (SpringerBriefs on Case Studies of Sustainable Development)
by Pawan K. Sachdeva Asit K. Biswas Cecilia Tortajada Ojasvee Arora Eva Leneveu Rehan Adamjee Anuj SharmaThis book highlights unique and deeper insights into the operations of off-grid water supply business models and the policy implications that they raise. The two key research questions of the report are as follows: 1) What is the efficacy and sustainability of the off-grid model of safe water availability and/or delivery to consumers who don’t have piped water supply? 2) What are the key policy considerations for planning a successful off-grid model of safe water delivery? Through the Four-Domain Framework, this book does the gap analysis of the physical, operational, financial, and institutional domains of the few off-grid water operators in cross-country case studies. It also includes a detailed financial analysis of the capital costs as well as operations and maintenance costs of the different off-grid water supply models compared to some of the piped water supply models. The final discusses the need to acknowledge off-grid water solutions in urban water policies, especially for the economically weaker sections. The universal coverage of all by the piped water is an ultimate goal of any water policy; however, in the interim, there is a need to put more emphasis on off-grid water solutions.
Off-label Prescribing: Justifying Unapproved Medicine
by David CavallaToday’s medicines are regulated for their efficacy and safety and, once approved, they can be marketed for certain uses as justified by the data. Regulatory bodies in developed countries are constituted by legal statute and operate as parts of government, ostensibly in the interests of the people as patients. But once approved, medicines can be used for any purpose the prescriber thinks fit and appropriate for the patient. One in five prescriptions is therefore written outside regulatory purview. Off-label Prescribing looks into the corners of our medicated lives, where drug regulation runs up against medical practice, and concerns the use of a drug that has been approved for one use (in medical parlance, ‘indication’) being used for a different indication; alternatively, being used on a different set of patients from the ones it is approved for, or at a different dose. Usually the patient is unaware of what is going on, having not been informed by their doctor of this aspect of his or her prescribing choice. The book examines how and why this occurs, what the various medical professions have to say about it, and how pharmaceutical companies benefit by moving into this poorly regulated area. Off-label Prescribing pulls these complex issues together in one volume, to highlight current practice, its advantages and weaknesses and how the author suggests practice should evolve in the future. It will therefore be of interest to all those who prescribe (and receive) medicines, combined with a greater objective to provide more transparency and discussion for professionals.
Off The Planet
by Jerry M. LinengerOn January 12, 1997, Jerry Linenger took off aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, en route to an historic 132-day rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir. Not since Apollo 13 has an American astronaut Jerry Linenger tells how he became an astronaut and then a cosmonaut. While sharing his own life adventures, he also lets us glimpse what it is like to participate in both the American and Russian space programs. Fast paced; filled with real adventure. faced so many catastrophic malfunctions and life-threatening emergencies in one missionand lived to tell about it.