Browse Results

Showing 3,276 through 3,375 of 12,799 results

Philosophy and Leadership: An Evolution of Leadership from Ancient Times to the Digital Age (Routledge Open Business and Economics)

by Łukasz Sułkowski Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz Katarzyna Szczepańska-Woszczyna

Philosophy and Leadership is an ambitious exploration of leadership's philosophical underpinnings from antiquity to the AI-driven future. The book journeys through history, gleaning insights from eminent philosophers and contextualizing their teachings to leadership.The book's foundational premise lies in the symbiosis of philosophy and leadership. Philosophy provides the "why" that drives the practices and decisions in leadership. This intricate connection is unfolded from the teachings of Confucius on virtue and ethics to the contemporary dialogues of Judith Butler on leadership identity. The book also delves into the evolution of leadership concepts through various eras—medieval times highlighting religious and scholastic perspectives, the Renaissance juxtaposing Machiavellian pragmatism with More's utopian ideals, and the Enlightenment era underscoring the importance of duty, skepticism, and rationality. An exciting aspect of the narrative is the amalgamation of evolution and leadership. By drawing parallels between Darwin's natural selection and leadership dynamics or Bergson's vitalism and intuitive leadership, the authors present a merger of biological evolution with leadership's ever-evolving paradigms. Finally, the concluding chapters reside in envisioning the future and reflect upon the impending synergy between AI and leadership. They emphasize the importance of amalgamating philosophical wisdom with the promises and challenges brought about by AI.The book will guide readers from the philosophical epochs of yore to the AI-predicted leadership paradigms of the future. By intertwining the enduring wisdom of philosophers with the dynamic nature of leadership, this book serves as a beacon for anyone aspiring to lead in any era.

Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality: Global Post COVID-19 Recovery Strategies (Routledge Studies in Innovation, Organizations and Technology)

by Teresa Aguiar-Quintana Jonathon Day Álamo Vera, Francisca Rosa

The dynamic characteristic of the tourism and hospitality industry under the influence of micro and macro environment factors requires future professionals to be equipped with appropriate skills and competencies to deal with such factors in real life practices. In this book, scholars and industry experts analyse case studies related to real-world scenarios to expand the body of knowledge, inspiring future research and developing the field.The Editors have compiled a compelling set of case studies covering topics centred around corporate entrepreneurship, including innovation, marketing and digital marketing, crisis management, quality development, product development and sustainability with a particular emphasis on post-Covid-19 recovery. The case studies included cover five regions, Europe, Africa, the Americas, Australia and Asia, offering enriching and diverse perspectives.This unique collection will be a valuable resource for scholars and upper-level students across corporate entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as those researching and studying n the tourism and hospitality fields.

Teaching Culture and Psychology: Pedagogical Strategies, Instructor Resources, and Student Activities

by Susan B. Goldstein

The fourth edition of Teaching Culture and Psychology (previously Cross-Cultural Explorations) provides an array of carefully designed instructor resources and student activities that support the construction and implementation of courses on culture and psychology.Revised and expanded from previous editions, the book enables instructors to use selected activities appropriate for their course structure. Part One explores a variety of pedagogical challenges involved in teaching about culture and psychology and details specific strategies for addressing these challenges. Part Two (instructor resources) and Part Three (student handouts) center around 90 activities designed to encourage students to think critically about the role of culture in a wide range of psychology content areas. These activities are based on current and classic cross-cultural research and take the form of case studies, self-administered scales, mini-experiments, database search assignments, and the collection of content-analytic, observational, and interview data. For each activity, instructors are provided with a lecture/discussion module as well as suggestions for variations and expanded writing assignments. Student handouts are available in this text as well as on the Routledge website as fillable forms.Contributing to the inclusion of cultural perspectives in the psychology curriculum, this wide-ranging book enables instructors to provide students with hands-on experiences that facilitate the understanding and application of major concepts and principles in the study of culture and psychology, making it ideal for cultural psychology, anthropology, sociology, and related courses.

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)

by Ahmed Banafa

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides a comprehensive overview of the latest trends in artificial intelligence. The book covers the state of the art in AI research, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and robotics.The book offers a forward-looking perspective on the future of AI, exploring the emerging trends and applications that are likely to shape the next decade of AI innovation. It also provides practical guidance for businesses and individuals on how to leverage the power of AI to create new products, services, and opportunities.Overall, the book is an essential read for anyone who wants to stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving field of AI and understand the impact that this transformative technology will have on our lives in the coming years.

Implementation Science: Theory and Application

by Per Nilsen

This core textbook introduces the key concepts, theories, models and frameworks used in implementation science, and supports readers applying them in research projects. The first part of the book focuses on the theory of implementation science, providing a discussion of its emergence from the evidence-based practice movement and its connections to related topics such as innovation research. It includes chapters looking at a wide range of theories, methods and frameworks currently used in implementation science, and a chapter focusing on suitable theories that could be imported from other fields. The first part also addresses strategies and outcomes of implementation and discusses how researchers can build causal pathways adapted to their study. The second part of the book focuses squarely on putting the theory of implementation science to work in practice, with chapters discussing research methods used in the field and how to select the most appropriate approach. This section also features several chapters presenting in-depth case studies of specific applications.This multidisciplinary text is an essential resource for graduate students from a range of healthcare backgrounds taking courses on implementation science, as well as researchers from medicine, nursing, public health, allied health, economics, political science, sociology and engineering.

Rethinking Media Studies: Media, Meditation and Communication

by Ananta Kumar Giri and Santosh Kumar Biswal

This book reconsiders media studies from different philosophical and theoretical perspectives from around the world. It brings together diverse views and visions from thinkers such as Sr Aubrobindo, Jurgen Habermas, Paul Ricoeur, Pope Francis, and Satyajit Ray, among others. The authors focus on the issues of ethics, aesthetics, meditation, and communication in relation to media studies and explore the links between media and mindfulness. The volume includes case studies from India, United States, Switzerland, and Denmark and presents empirical works on new horizons of critical media studies in different fields such as American news media and creative media lab. A unique contribution, this book will be indispensable for students and researchers of journalism, communication studies, social media, behavioural sciences, sociology, philosophy, cultural studies, and development studies.

Genetics and the Politics of Security: A Social Science Perspective (Routledge Frontiers of Criminal Justice)

by Joëlle Vailly

Presenting a social science perspective on the contemporary gaze on the body of the suspect, this book considers how definitions of criminality, offenses, individual rights, and the concepts of identity and difference have been altered by changes in the biological status of the human.Spurred by rapid developments in genetics and information technology, a number of countries, including France, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and the Netherlands, have considerably expanded their genetic databases used by the police and the criminal justice system. Whilst this makes it possible to compare DNA left at the scene of a crime with that of an individual known to the police, helping to identify individuals for the purposes of court proceedings, these innovations also raise a number of important questions, such as how the relationship between respect for the rights of individuals and the security of populations is discussed, as well as for how long this data should be retained. Genetic analysis also raises concerns related to phenotyping and “biogeographical origin” that could lead to the stigmatization of targeted groups.Offering a comprehensively argued view on how DNA acts not only as a tracker of suspicion but also as a marker of contemporary social developments, Genetics and the Politics of Security will appeal to students and scholars, judiciary personnel, lawyers, police officers, and people with an interest in criminology and the use of genetics in the criminal justice process.

Introduction to the Carolingian Age

by Cullen J. Chandler

Introduction to the Carolingian Age provides an accessible history of western Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries, when arguably a truly European civilization emerged out of the transformed, former world of the Roman Empire.Through a thematical and chronological approach, this book explores the life, family, and period of Charlemagne in a clear and informative way. The secular aristocrats, ecclesiastical figures, and scholars associated with the Carolingian dynasty feature as partners in building the empire and guiding its development, and the social and cultural lives of people from the elite to the common classes are also examined. Through an engaging narrative, this study demonstrates that by the end of the ninth century, the royal house faced a series of challenges that brought about the devolution of the empire into smaller kingdoms and the loosening of the Carolingian family’s grip on monarchy. Based on up-to-date scholarship, Introduction to the Carolingian Age offers explanations of historical developments and discussions of key historiographical debates.This book is an essential resource for both undergraduate students and general readers with an interest in the history of the Carolingian period from 750–900.

The Routledge International Handbook of Equity and Inclusion in Education (Routledge International Handbooks of Education)

by Paul Downes Guofang Li Lore Van Praag Stephen Lamb

Providing a cornerstone to the global debate on equity and inclusion within education, this handbook explores equity issues pertaining to poverty and social class, race, ethnicity, sociocultural, sociolinguistic exclusion in education and recognises intersectionality and gender across these dimensions.This carefully curated collection of essays written by international experts promotes inclusive systems in education that explicitly recognise the voices of learners who may be at risk of marginalisation, exclusion or underachievement. Developing a multilayered innovative conceptual framework involving spatial, emotional-relational and dialogical 'turns' for education, it emphasises key system points for reform, including building strategic bridges between health and education for vulnerable groups and shifts in focus for initial teacher education and the wider curriculum.The handbook is organised into the following key parts: Theoretical Frameworks Funding Models and Structures for Equity and Inclusive Systems Exclusion and Discrimination Bridging Health and Education Agency and Empowerment Outreach and Engagement The Routledge International Handbook of Equity and Inclusion in Education will be of great value to academics operating in the areas of education, psychology, sociology, social policy, ethnography, cultural studies; researchers in university research centres and in policy institutes pertaining to education, poverty, social inclusion as well as international organisations involved with inclusion in education.

Why Not Capitalism?

by Jason Brennan

Most people believe capitalism is a compromise with selfish human nature. As Adam Smith put it, "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest." Capitalism works better than socialism, according to this thinking, only because we are not kind and generous enough to make socialism work. If we were saints, we would be socialists.In Why Not Capitalism?, Jason Brennan attacks this widely held belief, arguing that capitalism would remain the best system even if we were morally perfect. Even then, private property and free markets would be the best way to realize mutual cooperation, social justice, harmony, and prosperity. Socialists seek to capture the moral high ground by showing that ideal socialism is morally superior to realistic capitalism. But, Brennan responds, ideal capitalism is superior to ideal socialism, and so capitalism beats socialism at every level.Clearly, engagingly, and at times provocatively written, Why Not Capitalism? will cause readers of all political persuasions to re-evaluate where they stand vis-à-vis economic priorities and systems—as they exist now and as they might be improved in the future.In this expanded second edition, Brennan responds to his critics throughout the book and provides two new, final chapters. One argues against egalitarianism in a capitalist utopia because egalitarianism frequently misdiagnoses the problems (for example, the problem with poverty isn’t that poor people have less but that they don’t have enough). The other new chapter shows that we don’t need to be angels in an anarchic utopia, but merely decent people who are willing to adhere to four undemanding moral principles.

Ecological Ethics and the Philosophy of Simone Weil: Decreation for the Anthropocene (Routledge Environmental Ethics)

by Kathryn Lawson

This book places the philosophy of Simone Weil into conversation with contemporary environmental concerns in the Anthropocene.The book offers a systematic interpretation of Simone Weil, making her ethical philosophy more accessible to non-Weil scholars. Weil’s work has been influential in many fields, including politically and theologically-based critiques of social inequalities and suffering, but rarely linked to ecology. Kathryn Lawson argues that Weil’s work can be understood as offering a coherent approach with potentially widespread appeal applicable to our ethical relations to much more than just other human beings. She suggests that the process of "decreation" in Weil is an expansion of the self which might also come to include the surrounding earth and a vast assemblage of others. This allows readers to consider what it means to be human in this time and place, and to contemplate our ethical responsibilities both to other humans and also to the more-than-human world. Ultimately, the book uses Weil’s thought to decanter the human being by cultivating human actions towards an ecological ethics.This book will be useful for Simone Weil scholars and academics, as well as students and researchers interested in environmental ethics in departments of comparative literature, theory and criticism, philosophy, and environmental studies.

Dark Heritage in Contemporary Japan: Relics of an Underground Empire (Routledge Contemporary Japan Series)

by Jung-Sun Han

This book examines civic activism to conserve dark heritage built by the colonial and wartime labor regime in contemporary Japan.Introducing and analyzing local organizations and their activities in multiple locations throughout Japan, this book looks at the ways in which the Japanese have remembered, negotiated, and re-experienced their wartime past. Drawing insights from disciplines including critical heritage studies, social movements, the history of colonialism, imperialism, and decolonization, the book brings into focus the Japanese civic activism which confronts the legacies of the wartime labor regime operated throughout the colonial empire. By tracing the formation of grassroots movements to conserve war-related sites throughout Japan, it argues that reclaiming places for plural war memories bequeathed by colonial empire has been pivotal in creating public spaces for civic activism attentive to identities and differences in contemporary Japan.Delving into the multilayered connections between the memories of imperial wars, colonial empire, and place-based politics in postwar Japan, this book will be a valuable resource to students and scholars of colonialism, heritage studies and Japanese history.

The Evolution of Airport Design

by Robert Stewart

This is the first book to comprehensively cover the evolution of airport design, from the start of commercial aviation in 1919 to the present day. Many books have been written about airport design at a particular moment in history, but none have rigorously considered why, where, when and how the ideas we now take for granted originated.This book traces the history of airport design considering the philosophies adopted by designers, the functional layouts they have developed and the resultant form of the airport through a series of 40 case studies divided into 7 eras of approximately 20 years each. The themes include: The philosophies underpinning airport design The evolution of design responses How airports have avoided obsolescence Identification of the key turning points The evolution of master plans and terminal concepts in response to increasing traffic volumes The future of airports in terms of environmental sustainability and the Covid-19 hiatus The case studies are international, covering the USA, Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Spain, United Arab Emirates, China, Turkey, Mexico, Australia and Poland. They are illustrated with full colour, many of which have not been published before and form part of an incredible graphic package. This book is essential reading for architects, engineers, planners and environmentalists alike.

A Guide to Compassionate Healthcare: How to Develop Resilience and Wellbeing in Today’s Stressful Environment

by Claire Chambers

A Guide to Compassionate Health care looks at how to maintain wellbeing in today’s challenging healthcare environments, enabling practitioners to make a positive difference to the care environment whilst providing compassionate care to patients.

On Flat Ontologies and Law (ISSN)

by Michał Dudek

This book examines the importance of flat ontologies for law and sociolegal theory. Associated with the emergence of new materialism in the humanities and social sciences, the elaboration of flat ontologies challenges the binarism that has maintained the separation of culture from nature, and the human from the nonhuman. Although most work in legal theory and sociolegal studies continues to adopt a non-flat, anthropocentric and immaterial take on law, the critique of this perspective is becoming more and more influential. Engaging the increasing legal interest in flat ontologies, this book offers an account of the main theoretical perspectives, and their importance for law. Covering the work of the five major theorists in the area – Gabriel Tarde, Bruno Latour, Manuel DeLanda, Karen Barad and Graham Harman – the book aims to encourage this interest, as well as to explicate the important problems of and differences between these perspectives. Flat ontologies, the book demonstrates, can offer a valuable new perspective for understanding and thinking about law.This book will appeal mainly to scholars and students in legal theory and sociolegal studies; as well as others with interests in the posthumanist turn in philosophy and social theory.

Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence and Abuse: Approaches to Care for Health Professionals

by Claire Dosdale Emma Senior Lynette Shotton Katy Skarparis

This textbook provides practical guidance to enable health professionals to support survivors of sexual violence. It gives insight into the complex and wide-ranging nature and experience of sexual violence, barriers to disclosure, and explores the implications for survivors, health professionals and healthcare organisations.An evidence-based resource, this book provides information, guidance and signposting for all those who might receive disclosures of sexual violence, challenging perceptions, stigma and judgement. As well as discussing disclosure of recent experiences, it takes into account that life events may trigger the re-surfacing of prior experiences. The book also operates as a practical tool, prompting professionals to reflect on their own clinical experience of dealing with disclosures of sexual violence. The chapters look at the full breadth of sexual violence and abuse, including rape and sexual assault, child sexual abuse, harassment and stalking, exploitation, trafficking, conflict situations, traditional practices and sexual violence in LGBTQAI+ communitites.Enabling readers to develop the necessary knowledge and understanding to inform their practice, this book is a comprehensive resource for all health professionals, across primary and secondary care. It is also a valuable text for those taking post-registration courses in sexual health, specialist community and public health nursing, district nursing, mental health and children’s nursing among others. Reflection sections can be used to support professional registration revalidation.

Why It's OK to Be a Gamer (Why It's OK)

by Sarah C. Malanowski Nicholas R. Baima

If you enjoy video games as a pastime, you are certainly not alone—billions of people worldwide now play video games. However, you may still find yourself reluctant to tell others this fact about yourself. After all, we are routinely warned that video games have the potential to cause addiction and violence. And when we aren’t being warned of their outright harms, we are told we should be doing something better with our time, like going outside, socializing with others, or reading a book. Playing video games is thus often seen at best as a waste of time, and at worst a source of violent tragedy.Why It’s OK to Be a Gamer takes on the pervasive assumption that playing video games is a childish and time-wasting hobby, and a potentially addictive and dangerous one at that. It argues instead that there are many ways in which gaming can help us flourish, for example by: developing genuine friendships and other meaningful relationships with others, helping us cultivate a virtuous personal character, giving us a unique aesthetic experience, providing us with psychological benefits, and just plain helping us relax and enjoy ourselves. Video games are not just for those with no life; on the contrary, they can help contribute to a rich and meaningful life.Key Features Introduces the philosophy of video games in a humorous and lively way with lots of engaging examples Defends gaming through a virtue theoretic approach Discusses contemporary psychology and neuroscience literature on gaming Includes discussion of gamers, video games, and common experiences of gaming

Events and Infrastructures: Critical Interrogations (ISSN)

by Barbara Grabher Ian R. Lamond

Innovative and the first of its kind, this informative and multidisciplinary book explores the socio-cultural significance inherent in event infrastructures.While mainstream event management literature addresses event infrastructures mainly through its operational relevance, this carefully compiled edited volume takes infrastructures as an analytical point in respect to its social, political, economic and cultural potential of the study of events. Borrowing from the ongoing social scientific debates on the geography, sociology and anthropology of infrastructures, critical questions are posed in relation to the event contexts. With references to events in Argentina, Malawi, Spain and the UK, among others, the volume combines an international perspective with a highly relevant subject for contemporary event management education.By bringing together theoretical as well as empirical readings on the question of event infrastructures from a critical point of view, the debates are relevant to practitioners and researchers as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of events, leisure, tourism, anthropology, sociology, geography and urban planning – among others.

The Mosul Legacy

by Christopher Lowery

There are no winners in war… Mosul, Iraq, 2016: Once ISIL's greatest conquest, the city is fast becoming a giant graveyard. As Western attacks devastate the city, even senior officers like Karl realise defeat is inevitable, while traumatised families find themselves displaced, looking for somewhere safe to call home. On Karl&’s instructions, two jihadists travel across the EU, planning to bring terror to the West. German police officer Max Kellerman is on their trail, but can he find them in time to prevent a catastrophic terrorist attack? Meanwhile, the Al-Douri family flee Mosul in search of peace and safety in Western Europe. As refugees they face an impossible journey fraught with danger, but will they ever reach the safety they dream of?The Mogul Legacy is a story about love, sacrifice and the horrors of war, that combines detailed factual events with a gripping multi-stranded plot and culminates with a surprise finale…

Military Heroism in a Post-Heroic Era (The Military and Society)

by Uzi Ben-Shalom René Moelker Nehemia Stern Eyal Ben-Ari

This book explores the variety of forms that individual heroism and sacrifice can take in the context of contemporary military conflicts. It addresses three key questions: How has an enduring ideal of heroism been transformed by the nature of modern warfare? Are we now witnessing the emergence of new forms of exemplary military behavior? And, have new ideals of heroism (and by association, sacrifice or bravery) been added to older forms in the recent past? The book advocates viewing the concept of military heroism as a moral category, in which its theoretical definition and empirical practice reflect those factors that are seen as being vital for society itself. The key theoretical and topical challenges addressed in the respective chapters focus on how ideas of heroism become entwined with issues of individualization (bolstered by the cultural assumptions of neo-Liberalism), the spread of the human rights discourse, and the judicialization, marketization and mediatization of armedforces. The book was written by experts on military studies, including many who are currently active military personnel. It includes contributions from a variety of disciplines, e.g. anthropology, sociology, psychology, and political science.

Ehrenamtliche Bürgermeister in Deutschland: Das unbekannte Wesen (Stadtforschung aktuell)

by Jörg Bogumil David H. Gehne Louisa Anna Süß

Dieses open access Buch enthält als erste politikwissenschaftliche Publikation Daten zu ehrenamtlichen Bürgermeistern für alle 10 Bundesländer, in denen diese eine wichtige Position der politischen Repräsentation in ländlichen Räumen einnehmen. Etwa 60% aller Kommunen in Deutschland werden von ehrenamtlichen Bürgermeistern verwaltet, deren regionale Bedeutung sich je nach Bundesland aber stark unterscheidet. Das Buch leitet mit der Beschreibung des jeweiligen rechtlichen Rahmens der Kommunalverfassungen der Bundesländer, der regionalen Verteilung und der Analyse von Wahldaten in das Thema der ehrenamtlichen Bürgermeister ein, bevor die Ergebnisse eines breit angelegten repräsentativen Umfrageprojektes präsentiert werden. Mit diesen verschiedenen Forschungsansätzen leistet das Buch einen Beitrag zur Forschungsliteratur sowohl der lokalen Politikforschung zu Bürgermeistern als auch zum Ehrenamt in ländlichen Räumen. Erstmalig können in diesem Ausmaß Daten über die Sozialstruktur, Aufgaben, Motivation, Amtsausführung, Beziehung zu Partei oder Wählergemeinschaft, Vereinbarkeit von Beruf, Familie und Ehrenamt, Anfeindungen sowie potenziellem Nachwuchs im Ehrenamt als Bürgermeister präsentiert werden. Trotz unterschiedlicher rechtlicher Rahmensetzungen der Bundesländer zeigen sich ähnliche Probleme und Herausforderungen für deren Lösung.

Advances in River Corridor Research and Applications: Select Proceedings of RCRM 2023 (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering #470)

by Vinay Chembolu Subashisa Dutta

This book presents the select proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on River Corridor Research and Management (RCRM 2023). It describes various topics on fluvio-hydro-ecological processes of river systems. The topics covered include river dynamics and morphological changes, river health and ecological aspects and satellite remote sensing for river corridor studies. The book also discusses the morphological behavior of gravel and sand-bed rivers, hydrological and hydraulics modeling and other important aspects of riverine ecology. The book will be a valuable reference for researchers and professionals working in the areas of river science.

Advanced Information Networking and Applications: Proceedings of the 38th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA-2024), Volume 4 (Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies #202)

by Leonard Barolli

The aim of the book is to provide latest research findings, innovative research results, methods, and development techniques from both theoretical and practical perspectives related to the emerging areas of information networking and applications. Networks of today are going through a rapid evolution, and there are many emerging areas of information networking and their applications. Heterogeneous networking supported by recent technological advances in low power wireless communications along with silicon integration of various functionalities such as sensing, communications, intelligence, and actuations is emerging as a critically important disruptive computer class based on a new platform, networking structure, and interface that enable novel, low-cost and high-volume applications. Several of such applications have been difficult to realize because of many interconnection problems. To fulfill their large range of applications different kinds of networks need to collaborate and wired and next-generation wireless systems should be integrated in order to develop high-performance computing solutions to problems arising from the complexities of these networks. This book covers the theory, design, and applications of computer networks, distributed computing, and information systems.

Translation and Own-Language Use in Language Teaching: The Quest for Optimal Practice

by Eva Skopečková

This book reconsiders the role of translation and own-language use in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. It shows prospective teachers how to use the learners’ own language and translation optimally. The author surveys current research about the EFL classroom and presents both a theoretical framework and a didactic model for using translation and learners’ mother tongues. This is done through an action research project, assessing the proposed didactic model for optimal translation practice in English Language teaching (OTP in ELT) through its integration into teacher education. The book will be of interest to students and researchers in the areas of Translation Studies and Applied Linguistics (particularly EFL, ESL, TEFL and TESOL), as well as educators and designers of pre-service training programmes for language teachers.

Synthesis of Medium-Sized Cycloalkenes via Fused-Cyclobutenes (Springer Theses)

by Tomohiro Ito

This book explains the existence of the intermediate using two approaches: computational chemistry and coordination chemistry. In this book, the author has developed new methods for synthesizing medium-sized cycloalkenes by utilizing the 4π-electrocyclic reaction of fused-cyclobutenes. The fundamental and most important strategy and feature of the work are as follows: first, cyclobutene is used as a readily available raw material with high-strain energy to generate more strained medium-sized cis,trans-cycloalkadiene molecules. Second, by judiciously selecting the reaction conditions, the short-lived intermediate (medium-sized cis,trans-cycloalkadiene) can be converted to medium-sized cis- or trans-cycloalkenes. For the former, the generation of the medium-sized cis,trans-cycloalkadiene intermediate is greatly affected by the substituent on the cyclobutene, and there are few examples of its generation confirmed at room temperature. Regarding the latter, the synthesis of trans-cycloalkenes is noteworthy in terms of establishing a new synthetic methodology and providing one of the few asymmetric synthesis methods, which has not been achieved before. Readers of this book can gain novel insights into strained molecules involved not only in small-sized cycloalkenes but also in medium-sized ones.

Technologies and Applications of Artificial Intelligence: 28th International Conference, TAAI 2023, Yunlin, Taiwan, December 1–2, 2023, Proceedings, Part II (Communications in Computer and Information Science #2075)

by Chao-Yang Lee Chun-Li Lin Hsuan-Ting Chang

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Technologies and Applications of Artificial Intelligence, TAAI 2023, which was held in Yunlin, Taiwan, during December 1–2, 2023.The 35 full papers and 12 short papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 193 submissions. The TAAI 2023 provides a platform for experts and scholars from domestic and international universities, research units, and industries to exchange AI technologies and application results.

Tribology for Energy, Environment and Society: Proceedings of International Conference on Industrial Tribology (ICIT) 2022, (IndiaTrib-2022) (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering)

by Sujeet Kumar Sinha Deepak Kumar Nitya Nand Gosvami Prathima Nalam

This book comprises the select proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Industrial Tribology (ICIT), IndiaTrib-2022, jointly organized by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India, and the Tribology Society of India. It covers recent developments in the broad field of tribology. Apart from the traditional fields in tribology, this book also covers many new emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in tribology, bio-tribology, 3D printing, etc. This book is highly useful for researchers and professionals in the field of tribology, mechanical engineering, production engineering, aerospace engineering, nuclear engineering, and engineering materials.

Guitar Theory For Dummies with Online Practice: Book + Online Video And Audio Instruction

by Desi Serna

Make your guitar sing with insight on music theory brings your instrument to life There’s a universe of incredible music living in your guitar. You just need to discover how to let it out. In Guitar Theory For Dummies, expert guitarist and instructor Desi Serna walks you through the music theory concepts you need to understand to expand your musical horizons. From deciphering the mysteries of the fretboard to adapting chord progressions to a song’s key, you’ll master techniques that will help you move past simple, three-chord songs to more complex and creative pieces. Build on your existing knowledge of open and barre chords and simple progressions with practical instruction that demystifies scales and chord voicings and shows you how to bring them together to create impressive music. You can also jump over to dummies.com to hear audio samples of the examples featured in the book. You’ll also learn: How chords, keys, and scales are built and how they interact with one another Powerful concepts, like intervals, chord extensions, modes and modal scales, that grant access to a world of musical possibilities How popular songs apply elements of guitar theory and how you can apply the same techniques Free yourself from the confines of tab sheets and simple chords and start enjoying all the musical potential of your guitar. Guitar Theory For Dummies is for anyone who wants to unlock the next stage of their musical journey.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part VI (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14656)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part V (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14655)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part III (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14653)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part IV (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14654)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part VII (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14657)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part I (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14651)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

Nazi Volksgemeinschaft Technology: Gottfrried Feder, Fritz Todt, and the Plassenburg Spirit

by John C. Guse

This book traces how Gottfried Feder and Fritz Todt made technology essential to the Nazi ‘world view’. They groomed engineers with a racist technical ideology that prepared them to later supervise slave labor and the Holocaust. Their concepts evolved from völkisch technocracy to an idealized harmony of man, machine and nature, and were eclipsed by Albert Speer’s total war. Partially due to willing ‘self-coordination’ from engineers, they gained political control over the engineering profession. Destined to be pillars of the Volksgemeinschaft, engineers were indoctrinated with Nazi principles of Aryan superiority at the Reich School of Technology, the Plassenburg. Nazi propaganda announced a bright future through technology, furthering a sense of normalcy in Germany, despite the ruthless exclusion of those unwanted.

Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2024: 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, Zurich, Switzerland, May 26–30, 2024, Proceedings, Part II (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14652)

by Marc Joye Gregor Leander

The 7-volume set LNCS 14651 - 14657 conference volume constitutes the proceedings of the 43rd Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2024, held in in Zurich, Switzerland, in May 2024. The 105 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 500 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Awarded papers; symmetric cryptology; public key primitives with advanced functionalities; Part II: Public key primitives with advances functionalities; Part III: AI and blockchain; secure and efficient implementation, cryptographic engineering, and real-world cryptography; theoretical foundations; Part IV: Theoretical foundations; Part V: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; Part VI: Multi-party computation and zero-knowledge; classic public key cryptography, Part VII: Classic public key cryptography.

The Code of Honor: Embracing Ethics in Cybersecurity

by Paul J. Maurer Ed Skoudis

A comprehensive and practical framework for ethical practices in contemporary cybersecurity While some professions – including medicine, law, and engineering – have wholeheartedly embraced wide-ranging codes of ethics and conduct, the field of cybersecurity continues to lack an overarching ethical standard. This vacuum constitutes a significant threat to the safety of consumers and businesses around the world, slows commerce, and delays innovation. The Code of Honor: Embracing Ethics in Cybersecurity delivers a first of its kind comprehensive discussion of the ethical challenges that face contemporary information security workers, managers, and executives. Authors Ed Skoudis, President of the SANS Technology Institute College and founder of the Counter Hack team, and Dr. Paul Maurer, President of Montreat College, explain how timeless ethical wisdom gives birth to the Cybersecurity Code which is currently being adopted by security practitioners and leaders around the world. This practical book tells numerous engaging stories that highlight ethically complex situations many cybersecurity and tech professionals commonly encounter. It also contains compelling real-world case studies – called Critical Applications – at the end of each chapter that help the reader determine how to apply the hands-on skills described in the book. You'll also find: A complete system of cybersecurity ethics relevant to C-suite leaders and executives, front-line cybersecurity practitioners, and students preparing for careers in cybersecurity. Carefully crafted frameworks for ethical decision-making in cybersecurity. Timeless principles based on those adopted in countless professions, creeds, and civilizations. Perfect for security leaders, operations center analysts, incident responders, threat hunters, forensics personnel, and penetration testers, The Code of Honor is an up-to-date and engaging read about the ethically challenging world of modern cybersecurity that will earn a place in the libraries of aspiring and practicing professionals and leaders who deal with tech every day.

Introduction to Homeland Security: Terrorism Prevention, Public Safety, and Emergency Management

by David A. McEntire

Explore the growing concerns about security with this vital book Homeland Security has never been a more important part of the American social and political fabric. Risk assessment, attack prediction and prevention, preparedness measures, response to terrorist activity, and natural disaster management all fall under the purview of homeland security. It is a key focus of the US security state, which has expanded massively in recent decades. Introduction to Homeland Security provides an overview of this subject for professors, students, and practitioners in the field. Drawing upon a rich foundation of scholarship and academic literature, it focuses principally on terrorism prevention and protection, and offers new content related to novel threats and security concerns. Its practitioner-centered approach and attention to both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders make it an indispensable introduction to the subject. Readers will also find: Coverage of the four traditional phases of emergency management New and additional treatment of border control, drug trafficking, organized crime, mass shootings, protests, riots, pandemics, and climate change Companion websites including extensive pedagogical materials, student self-assessment tests, and an image gallery Introduction to Homeland Security is ideal for professors and students in homeland security and emergency management programs, as well as practitioners involved in this important profession.

Global Heating and the Australian Far Right (Routledge Studies in Fascism and the Far Right)

by Imogen Richards Gearóid Brinn Callum Jones

Global Heating and the Australian Far Right examines the environmental politics of far-right actors and movements in Australia, exploring their broader political context and responses to climate change.The book traces the development of far-right pseudo-environmentalism and territorial politics, from colonial genocide and Australian nationalism to extreme-right political violence. Through a critical analysis of news and social media, it reveals how denialist and resignatory attitudes towards climate change operate alongside extreme right accelerationism, in a wider Australian political context characterised by reactionary fossil fuel politics and neoliberal New Right climate change agendas. The authors scrutinise the manipulation of environmental politics by contemporary Australian far- and extreme-right actors in cross-national online media. They also assess the political-ideological context of the contemporary far right, addressing intergovernmental approaches to security threats connected to the far right and climate change, and the emergence of radical environmentalist traditions in ‘New Catastrophism’ literature. The conclusion synthesises key insights, analysing the mainstreaming of ethnonationalist and authoritarian responses to global heating, and potential future trajectories of far-right movements exploiting the climate crisis. It also emphasises the necessity for radical political alternatives to counter the far right’s exploitation of climate change.This book will be of interest to researchers of climate change, the far right, neoliberal capitalism, extremism and Australian politics.

European Union Communities of Practice: Diplomacy and Boundary Work in Ukraine (ISSN)

by Maren Hofius

This book provides a practice-based analysis of European Union (EU) diplomacy and community-building. Unlike studies focusing on how EU community-building proceeds centrally in Brussels, this book turns to EU diplomacy in its bordering state of Ukraine. At a time when the EU’s internal cohesion is being put to the test, this book provides novel insights into how feelings of belonging are produced amongst its members in the absence of a homogenous ‘we’. Transcending the traditional dichotomy between macro-structures and micro-processes of interaction, the book demonstrates that the EU’s large-scale community depends for its existence on practical instantiations of community-building in distinct ‘communities of practice’. Using the case of an EU diplomatic ‘community of practice’ in Kyiv, Ukraine, takes these questions to the EU’s margins, highlighting that the boundaries of community are key sites in which community materialises. The in-depth case study identifies diplomats’ ‘boundary work’ as the constitutive rule that makes the local ‘community of practice’ cohere and create feelings of belonging to the large-scale polity of the EU. This book will be of interest to researchers of European studies, as well as to those working on global cooperation and international relations more broadly.

A Multimodal Approach to Challenging Gender Stereotypes in Children’s Picture Books (Routledge Studies in Multimodality)

by Moya-Guijarro, A. Jesús

This collection offers a thorough treatment of the ways in which the verbal and visual semiotic modes interrelate toward promoting gender equality and social inclusion in children’s picture books.Drawing on cutting-edge theoretical work in multimodality, including multimodal cognitive linguistics, multimodal discourse analysis, and visual social semiotics, the book expands on descriptive-oriented studies to offer a more linguistically driven perspective on children’s picture books. The volume explores the choice afforded to and the lexico-semantic and discursive strategies employed by writers and illustrators in conveying representational, interpersonal, and textual meanings in the verbal and non-verbal components in these narratives in order to challenge gender stereotypes and promote the social inclusion of same-sex parent families.This book will be of particular interest to students and scholars in multimodality, discourse analysis, social semiotics, and children’s literature.Chapters 1 & 8 of this book are freely available as downloadable Open Access PDFs under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com.

Disability, Happiness and the Welfare State: Finland and the Nordic Model (Interdisciplinary Disability Studies)

by Hisayo Katsui Matti T. Laitinen

This book looks at disability as an evolving social phenomenon. Disability is created through the interaction between persons with impairments and their environment.Exploring these experiences of persons with disabilities and discussing universality and particularity in our understanding of assumed development and normalcy, it takes Finland, which has been chosen repeatedly as the happiest country in the world as its case- study. Using disability as a critical lens helps to demystify Finland that has the positive reputation of a Welfare State. By identifying different kinds of discrimination against persons with disabilities as well as successful examples of disability inclusion, it shows that when looking Finland from the perspective of persons with disabilities, inequality and poverty have been collective experiences of too many of them.It will be of interest to all scholars and students of disability studies, sociology, social policy, social work, political science, health and well-being studies and Nordic studies more broadly.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license.

Nurturing Alternative Futures: Living with Diversity in a More-than-Human World

by Muhammad A. Kavesh Natasha Fijn

Developing upon emerging environmental humanities and multispecies anthropological theories, this book provides a fresh perspective on how we might rethink more-than-human relationality and why it is important to "nurture alternative futures." The diverse chapters examine the life trajectories of people, animals, plants, and microbes, their lived experiences and constituted relationality, offering new ways to reinterpret and reimagine a multi-species future in the current era of planetary crisis. The ethnographic case studies from around the world feature a combination of biological and cultural diversity with analyses that prioritize local and Indigenous modes of thinking. While engaging with Mongolian herders, Indigenous Yucatec Mayan, Congolese farmers, rural Pakistani donkey keepers, Australian heritage breed farmers, Croatian cheesemakers, Japanese oyster aquafarmers, Texan corn growers, Californian cannabis producers, or Hindu devotees to the Ganges River, the chapters offer a grounded anthropological understanding of imagining a future in relationality with other beings. The stories, lived experiences, and mutual worlding that this volume presents offer a portrayal of alternative forms of multispecies coexistence, rather than an anthropocentric future.

Azure Arc Systems Management: Governance and Administration of Multi-cloud and Hybrid IT Estates

by Ramona Maxwell

This book is for enterprise and solution architects, systems integrators, and anyone managing enterprise-scale, multi-cloud or hybrid IT landscapes. The book examines usage of Azure Arc for governance and systems management with security as an overarching theme. It is not an implementation manual but provides high-level guidance on best practices and links to detailed guidance. It offers insight into the types of problems that Azure Arc can solve, and will help you determine whether it is the right choice for your organization.Modern enterprise computing is an astonishing luxury land filled with never-before-seen hosting options on commercial clouds as well as advancements in the areas of private cloud and edge computing. The challenge with this plethora of choices is to manage and coordinate large IT estates which may bridge multiple public clouds and private datacenters. Visibility of operations to achieve security, cost control, and efficiency is often difficult to achieve. Data management is another area which is particularly fraught with complexity and risk.Industry leaders have made serious investments in the design of control plane products to address these gaps with varying approaches and degrees of success. Azure Arc is designed to provide a consolidated view of assets such as databases and Kubernetes installations across major cloud providers, edge locations, and customer-owned datacenters. It facilitates deployment of new infrastructure, patching and upgrades, monitoring, policy, and security controls for assets living on-premises or in competitor clouds as if they were native to Azure. While competitive products exist, at this writing none have the flexibility and reach of Arc to effectively manage very large hybrid estates.Readers will appreciate the author’s approach of walking through typical enterprise computing scenarios while listing industry- or scenario-specific challenges that are difficult to overcome, and then reinforcing understanding by restating the challenges while explaining how Azure Arc can be utilized to remediate them.What You Will LearnDiscover what Azure Arc is, the types of problems it is intended to solve, and how to map your requirements to its capabilitiesStreamline and secure large Arc-enabled Kubernetes deployments via modern GitOps practicesUse Azure Arc to consolidate management across a broad range of hybrid and multi-cloud ecosystems through policy-driven governanceApply monitoring and automation to defend systems against security threats that are beyond the ability of manual administration to deflectUncover practical guidance that is written in a way that makes basic precepts approachable to non-technical stakeholders and then branches out into areas that will offer advanced readers new insights and consolidate a broad topic into a usable directionWho This BookIs ForEnterprise and solution architects, systems integrators, and anyone else looking to solve enterprise-scale administration problems across a multi-cloud or hybrid architecture

Biopolymers in the Textile Industry: Opportunities and Limitations

by Shakeel Ahmed Mohd Shabbir

This book highlights the comprehensive overview of the current status and future potential of biopolymers in the textile industry, including the properties and performance of different types of biopolymers, the applications of biopolymers in various textile products, the challenges and limitations associated with their use, and the environmental impact and economic benefits of biopolymers in the textile industry. The textile industry is one of the largest and most important industries in the world, but it also has a significant environmental impact due to the use of non-renewable and non-biodegradable materials. Biopolymers, which are derived from renewable biological sources such as plants and microorganisms, have the potential to be a sustainable alternative to traditional textile materials. However, the use of biopolymers in the textile industry is still a relatively new and rapidly evolving field, and there is a need for more information and understanding about the opportunitiesand limitations associated with their use.

Datenbanken für Nichtinformatiker: Eine praxisnahe Einführung

by Jörg Mielebacher

Daten sind zu einem wichtigen Rohstoff in vielen Bereichen geworden. Auch Nichtinformatiker müssen große Datenbestände pflegen und nach den für sie relevanten Informationen durchsuchen. Dieses praxisnahe Lehrbuch zeigt, wie man hierfür Datenbanken einsetzt, wie man deren Inhalte mit der Abfragesprache SQL auswertet und worauf man bei Entwurf und Betrieb von Datenbanken achten muss.Zahlreiche Abbildungen und Anwendungsbeispiele vermitteln einen gut verständlichen Einblick in dieses wichtige Thema. Aber auch Berufspraktiker mit Interesse an Datenbanken finden wichtige Hinweise und Lösungsansätze für ihre Arbeit.

Advanced Strategies for Biodegradation of Plastic Polymers

by Ravindra Soni Prasenjit Debbarma Deep Chandra Suyal Reeta Goel

Synthetic plastic offers a wide range of utilities because of its physico-chemical properties, thus the demand for its commercial availability and generation of waste is inevitable. Although the scientists have proved over the years that plastics can be efficiently biodegraded by different potential microorganisms, this sustainable green technology is still in the cocoon phase and overlooked by the industry and government as well. Therefore, this book will showcase the cutting-edge microbial tools to mitigate the plastic waste sustainably in consideration of latest technologies and recent strategic advancements besides discussing the global plastic production and their impacts on environment. It will also provide the present status and future perspectives of the environmental clean-up technologies. Moreover, it is an effort to ascertain the potential areas for large-scale biodegradation or pilot scale or start-up ventures in the field of plastic remediation strategy.

Implementation and Benefits of Digital Twin on Decision Making and Data Quality Management

by Florian Blaschke

Digital twin technology is becoming important for the realization of Industry 4.0 using cyber-physical systems (CPS) and information technology. CPS form the backbone to support the creation of a network for decentralized and autonomous decision-making. The design principles for Industry 4.0 serve as guidelines for virtualization concepts that are virtual copies of the physical world and create a link between the real and virtual worlds to collect data and monitor processes, the so-called digital twin. In this book, a theoretical digital twin-driven decision-making model has been developed that combines corporate data quality management, a process digital twin, and a model-driven decision support system. It leverages the benefits of the digital twin to create, test and build a process in the virtual world that supports decision making by combining data, analytics and visualization of insights to help managers make better decisions

Advanced Information Networking and Applications: Proceedings of the 38th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA-2024), Volume 1 (Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies #199)

by Leonard Barolli

Networks of today are going through a rapid evolution and there are many emerging areas of information networking and their applications. Heterogeneous networking supported by recent technological advances in low power wireless communications along with silicon integration of various functionalities such as sensing, communications, intelligence, and actuations are emerging as a critically important disruptive computer class based on a new platform, networking structure and interface that enable novel, low-cost and high-volume applications. Several of such applications have been difficult to realize because of many interconnection problems. To fulfill their large range of applications different kinds of networks need to collaborate and wired and next generation wireless systems should be integrated in order to develop high performance computing solutions to problems arising from the complexities of these networks. This book covers the theory, design and applications of computer networks, distributed computing, and information systems. The aim of the book “Advanced Information Networking and Applications” is to provide latest research findings, innovative research results, methods and development techniques from both theoretical and practical perspectives related to the emerging areas of information networking and applications.

Online Education During COVID-19 and Beyond: Opportunities, Challenges and Outlook (CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance)

by Silvia Puiu Samuel O. Idowu

This book aims to provide sustainable solutions for better understanding and management of online education in different parts of the world. In this context, it explores the attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders, such as students, faculty, and other actors on issues related to online education. In particular, it examines the challenges they have faced over the years when online courses were introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A model is proposed that includes five variables: specific communication issues in online education, the ability of professors to offer online courses, the quality of online education, students' perceived stress during online education, and the technical requirements of online education.The book will be of interest to anyone concerned with the new and future ways of teaching and learning.Chapter “When a Phenomenon-Based University Course Went Online: Students’ Experiences and Reflections After Sauna Bathing” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Frame Theory in Data Science (Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation)

by Zhihua Zhang Palle E. Jorgensen

This book establishes brand-new frame theory and technical implementation in data science, with a special focus on spatial-scale feature extraction, network dynamics, object-oriented analysis, data-driven environmental prediction, and climate diagnosis. Given that data science is unanimously recognized as a core driver for achieving Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, these frame techniques bring fundamental changes to multi-channel data mining systems and support the development of digital Earth platforms. This book integrates the authors' frame research in the past twenty years and provides cutting-edge techniques and depth for scientists, professionals, and graduate students in data science, applied mathematics, environmental science, and geoscience.

The Rise and Fall of International Education Exchange: A Resurrection in Retrospect

by Teresa Brawner Bevis

This book tells the story of America’s legendary rise in the field of international education exchange, its recent stumble during the pandemic era, and its current resurrection. America brings to its shores more foreign students than any other country, and their presence is the most critical indicator of its exceptional quality of scholarship. Achieving this level of distinction has required public, private, and civic organizations, in league with generations of inspired individuals. Recently there were indications of a fall, mostly attributed to the pandemic, but also to a host of volatile social and geopolitical issues. Unchanged, however, have been the overarching goals of intercultural understanding and world peace. As the field resurrects, some worry that deeper degeneration may still be looming. Others foresee a bright future and predict an aggressive new rise in the field of international education exchange.

Social Development and Social Changes in China: From 1949 to 2019 (Research Series on the Chinese Dream and China’s Development Path)

by Yi Zhang

From a sociological perspective, this book explores issues related to population mobility, family pensions, and the lives of workers and peasants during the 70 years of urbanization since the founding of New China from the perspectives of population, pension security, employment structure transformation, and social insurance systems, thus exploring the deep logic behind China's successful experience. The relevant issues studied in this book are a systematic summary of the experiences and lessons learned from social reforms since the founding of the country and also provide guidance for the future direction of social development and change.

Advanced Chemical and Creep Modeling for Alkali-Aggregate Reaction in Concrete (Building Pathology and Rehabilitation #28)

by Fernando A. Silva Rodrigo F. Roma Mohamed K. Bourbatache Mahfoud Tahlaiti João M. Delgado António C. Azevedo

This book presents the numerical results of the use of the chemical model to analyse the advancement of the reaction and the mechanical model to simulate creep and shrinkage phenomena in COMSOL Multiphysics®, as a way to reassess concrete structures suffering from those mechanisms. Both models were implemented separately to evaluate their responses and compare them with the theoretical results and experimental benchmarks presented in the literature. The numerical simulation results showed excellent agreement with the experimental results data, with maximum disagreement not exceeding 10%, indicating that the implementation of the developed numerical models behaved very efficiently.

Acoustics and Vibration of Mechanical Structures—AVMS-2023: Proceedings of the 17th AVMS, Timişoara, Romania, May 26–27, 2023 (Springer Proceedings in Physics #302)

by Nicolae Herisanu Vasile Marinca

This book presents peer-reviewed and selected papers from the 17th Conference on Acoustics and Vibration of Mechanical Structures (AVMS) held in Timisoara, Romania, on 26–27 May 2023. Internationally recognized experts share their knowledge and key findings in a broad range of topics related to acoustics and vibration of mechanical structures such as analytical, numerical and experimental techniques for noise and vibration problems, environmental and occupational noise and vibration, modelling, prediction and simulations of noise and vibration, noise and vibration control, noise and vibration attenuators. The book addresses application studies and fundamental studies as well, and it is meant for academics researchers and professionals, as well as Ph.D. students concerned with various fields of acoustics and vibration of mechanical structures.

Digital Communication and Soft Computing Approaches Towards Sustainable Energy Developments: Proceedings of ISSETA 2023 (Innovations in Sustainable Technologies and Computing)

by Gayadhar Panda Thaiyal Naayagi Ramasamy Seifeddine Ben Elghali Shaik Affijulla

This book is a second volume and contains selected papers presented at Second International Symposium on Sustainable Energy and Technological Advancements (ISSETA 2023), organized by the Department of Electrical Engineering, NIT Meghalaya, Shillong, India, during 24 – 25 February 2023. The topics covered in the book are the cutting-edge research involved in sustainable energy technologies, smart buildingtechnology, integration and application of multiple energy sources; advanced power converter topologies and their modulation techniques; and information and communication technologies for smart microgrids.

Olympic Games and Global Cities: What Future for an Olympic System in Turmoil? (Mega Event Planning)

by Alexandre Faure

This book offers a comprehensive overview of current debates on the influence of the Olympic Games on cities, urban policies and the governance of global cities, making a valuable contribution to the fields of Olympic studies and urban studies. Historically, Western cities such as Paris, London, and later Los Angeles, have been the primary hosts of the summer Games. However, the link that existed between the world metropolises of the last century and the Games has deeply changed. Growing concerns about the Games' costs and environmental impact have prompted a shift in the expectations of candidate cities and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This evolution favours more modest bids, and a resurgence of global cities and historical Olympic host cities within the Olympic landscape. This book is an essential resource for researchers in Olympic studies, urban studies, and all those involved in the planning of these events.

Transition to the Circular Economy Model: The Case of Turkey (CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance)

by Natalya Ketenci

This edited volume provides a multisectoral, multidisciplinary analysis of the circular economy in Turkey. The chapters delve into different segments of the economy, monitoring the progress of the transition to circularity as it is occurring. Written by experts in the circular economy, chapters touch on different aspects of the sustainability transition—from AI and entrepreneurship to luxury fashion to green finance. Chapters also refer directly to applicable UN Sustainable Development Goals, noting the progress made towards related development targets. This volume will be of use to students, academicians, experts, and professionals interested and working on different aspects of circular and green economies.

Mathematical and Statistical Approaches for Anaerobic Digestion Feedstock Optimization (SpringerBriefs in Energy)

by Federico Moretta Giulia Bozzano

This book examines biomass mixture modeling and optimization. The book discusses anaerobic digestion and related fermentative processes and explains their compositional dynamics. Early chapter examine macromolecules, elemental fractions, and their direct influence on methane production. Supported by an extensive data bank of substrates obtained from research, the book points out correlations that enable the estimation of global methane production for diverse biomass mixtures. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into discerning the optimal composition capable of yielding the utmost methane output.The book integrates cutting-edge machine learning techniques and shows how the programming language Python and Julia can be used for analysis and to optimize processes. It has many graphs, figures, and visuals.

Whole-Body Electromyostimulation: Effects, Limitations, Perspectives of an Innovative Training Method (essentials)

by Wolfgang Kemmler Michael Fröhlich Christoph Eifler

This essential is intended as a compact reference for issues and aspects related to the innovative training technology of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS). In addition to background and information on WB-EMS application, in which the authors pay particular attention to safe and effective use, there is a current overview of research results summarizing the effects of WB-EMS on various target outcomes. Finally, a characterization of the market situation, current trends and a forecast of developments in the field of WB-EMS is presented.

China, Engineering, and Ethics: A Sketch of the Landscape (Synthesis Lectures on Engineers, Technology, & Society)

by Rockwell F. Clancy Qin Zhu Xiaofeng Tang

China is a leading engineering country, fueling unprecedented global development. Technology and educational exchanges bring Chinese organizations, practitioners, and students together with similar groups from around the world. These collaborations depend on ethical and cultural considerations as much as technical expertise. To facilitate understanding and strengthen cooperation, this volume provides an overview of current research and discussions related to China, engineering, and ethics. It includes perspectives from experts in engineering and technology ethics with first-hand China experience.This volume seeks to promote understandings of Chinese cultural and social contexts that are central to ethical engineering. By reading, discussing, and applying the knowledge contained in this volume, the hope is that scholars, policymakers, and (especially) engineers working in and/or with China will have a better understanding of Chinese culture and history, and how theseaffect practices surrounding engineering and technology. In turn, such understanding would lead to greater cooperation, better realizing the global benefits of ethical engineering.

ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD

by Penn Holderness Kim Holderness

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe engaging, uplifting antidote to traditional ADHD books (which, let's be honest, if you have ADHD you'd never read anyway).You live in a world that wasn't designed for you. A world where you're expected to sit still, stay quiet, and focus. Because of the way your brain is wired, you can feel like you&’re failing at life. But you are not failing. You are awesome.Award-winning content creators Kim and Penn Holderness are on a mission to reboot how we think about the unfortunately named "attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder." As always, they are doing it by looking in the mirror, because they don't just study ADHD; they live it.Penn was in college when he was diagnosed with ADHD, although the signs of having a brain that worked just a little bit differently had been there since he was a kid. Rather than view the diagnosis as a curse or give in to feelings of inadequacy or failure, he took a different approach, one that he wants to share with fellow ADHDers and the people who care about them.Drawing on their often-hilarious insights and the expertise of doctors, researchers, and specialists; Kim and Penn provide fun, easy-to-digest advice and explanations, including:What it's actually like to live with an ADHD brain.How to find humor in the pitfalls, sob stories, and unbelievable triumphs (like the time they won The Amazing Race!) that come with ADHD.How to tackle the challenges ADHD presents with a positive outlook.Targeted tools and techniques to play to your unique strengths.Fun extras like ADHD Bingo, an ode to cargo pants, and what the world would look like if ADHDers were in charge.Take it from Penn: Having ADHD can be scary, but it comes with incredible upsides, including creativity, hyperfocus, and energy. You might even say it's kind of awesome. Whether you have ADHD or want to support someone else in their journey, this is the guide you need to make the life you want.

Spatial Futures: Difference and the Post-Anthropocene

by LaToya E. Eaves Heidi J. Nast Alex G. Papadopoulos

Spatial Futures invites readers to imagine power and freedom through the lens of the ‘Black Outdoors’, a transdisciplinary spatial concept that operates beyond the planetary, stratigraphic confines of the ‘Anthropocene’. The chapters collectively point to the ontological-epistemological contradictions involved in forging liberatory spatial futures. Bringing new spatial imaginaries to bear in and outside geography, the book refuses the strictures of the ‘cenic’, entertaining difference as world-making.

Muslim Women between Community and Individual Rights: Legal Pluralism and Marriage in South Africa (Gender, Justice and Legal Feminism #4)

by Fatima Mukaddam

This book presents an in-depth exploration of the intricate negotiations of married Muslim women within Cape Town’s Muslim communities, navigating the complexities of legal pluralism governed by Muslim Personal Law (MPL). Spanning historical epochs from colonialism to the democratic era, it argues that MPL’s informal status perpetuates patriarchal norms, especially in the domain of marriage. It critically examines the consequences of the non-recognition of Muslim marriages within the civil legal framework and underscores the ambiguous intersections of MPL with broader legal systems, which leaves women in a precarious legal state overshadowed by religious doctrines.Adopting a gender perspective and an interdisciplinary approach that combines political science, sociology, and the law, the book reveals the historical roots of legal pluralism, while also shedding light on the political strategies that have perpetuated gender-stratified citizenship. Despite all the democratic promises, legal pluralism persists, contributing to gender disparities, and the book critically examines the government’s reluctance to address the marginalisation of Muslim women, especially through the lens of the proposed Muslim Marriages Bill (MMB).This book is essential reading for scholars in the fields of law, sociology, and gender studies, offering critical insights into the intersections of legal systems, religion, and gender dynamics within Muslim communities in Cape Town.

A Comparative Analysis of Political and Media Discourses about Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

by Oleinik Anton

​This book explores the discursive dimension of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It analyzes how political leaders, mass media, social media, and ordinary people in Ukraine, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France discuss the war. War propaganda and counterpropaganda structure discourses about the invasion, strengthening post-truth conditions. The book highlights the consequences of the growing distrust in the institutional truth-teller, mass media. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the first social media war. Social media became the principal source of information about the invasion. The rise of digital media did not change the tendency of the discourses about war to be territorially segregated according to national boundaries. Nationalization of discourses about war continues to prevail over their globalization. The corpora containing more than 180 million words in four languages inform the analysis. The data was collected during the first year and a half of Russia’sall-out war in Ukraine.

Information Technology Convergence: Security, Robotics, Automations and Communication (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering #253)

by James J. Jong Hyuk Park Leonard Barolli Fatos Xhafa Hwa Young Jeong

Information technology and its convergence issue is emerging rapidly as an exciting new paradigm with user-centric environment to provide computing and communication services. This area will be the most comprehensive topics with various aspects of advances in information technology and its convergence services. This book covers all topics as computational science and applications, electronics engineering, manufacturing technology, services, technical skill to control the robot, automatic operation and application, simulation and testing communication and many more.

German-Language Nature Writing from Eighteenth Century to the Present: Controversies, Positions, Perspectives (Literatures, Cultures, and the Environment)

by Gabriele Dürbeck Christine Kanz

This volume examines the topic of German-language nature writing in a broad historical context spanning more than two centuries. It brings together contributions on the debates of the category 'Nature Writing’ by numerous renowned international scholars. It discusses literary texts of natural history, nature exploration, nature poetry perception and reflection by German-speaking authors since the 18th century, including texts by Ulrike Draesner and on Esther Kinsky’s writing. The book asks whether the here discussed texts can, should, or may also be labeled as 'Nature Writing' and how this new perspective on German literary history might change traditional classifications such as “Naturlyrik” (nature poetry) in German literary history.

Digitalisierung und Kulturwandel: Strategien für die moderne Arbeitswelt – ein Wegweiser

by Josef Herget

Dieses Buch zeigt die Bedeutung des Kulturwandels bei der Digitalisierung von Arbeitsprozessen, der Gestaltung neuer Arbeitsumgebungen und der Realisierung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle. Dieser Faktor wird zumeist in der Literatur zwar immer wieder betont und als wichtig erachtet, es fehlen jedoch konkrete Vorgehensschritte und die Integration in ein integriertes Kulturkonzept der Unternehmen. Gerade die bewusste Gestaltung der hybrider Unternehmenskultur ermöglicht es, die Potentiale der Leistungssteigerung gemeinsam mit der Zufriedenheit und Produktivität der Mitarbeiter zu vereinbaren. In dieser überarbeiteten und erweiterten 2. Auflage werden konkrete Konzepte vorgestellt, wie die digitale Transformation methodisch mit der veränderten Unternehmenskultur umgesetzt werden kann. Dieses praxeologisch orientierte Buch bietet Unternehmen und Beratern bewährte Modelle, Konzepte und Vorgehensweisen, damit die digitale Transformation nachhaltig gelingen kann.

Web and Big Data: 7th International Joint Conference, APWeb-WAIM 2023, Wuhan, China, October 6–8, 2023, Proceedings, Part IV (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14334)

by Xiangyu Song Ruyi Feng Yunliang Chen Jianxin Li Geyong Min

The 4-volume set LNCS 14331, 14332, 14333, and 14334 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Joint Conference, APWeb-WAIM 2023, which took place in Wuhan, China, in October 2023. The total of 138 papers included in the proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 434 submissions. They focus on innovative ideas, original research findings, case study results, and experienced insights in the areas of the World Wide Web and big data, covering Web technologies, database systems, information management, software engineering, knowledge graph, recommend system and big data.

Farida Benlyazid and Moroccan Cinema (Palgrave Studies in Arab Cinema)

by Florence Martin

This book project unfolds and analyzes the work of Moroccan director, producer, and scriptwriter Farida Benlyazid, whose career extends from the beginning of cinema in independent Morocco to the present. This study of her work and career provides a unique perspective on an under-represented cinema, the gender politics of cinema in Morocco, and the contribution of Arab women directors to global cinema and to a gendered understanding of Muslim ethics and aesthetics in film. A pioneer in Moroccan cinema, Farida Benlyazid has been successful at negotiating the sometimes abrupt turns of Morocco’s rocky 20th century history: from Morocco under French occupation to the advent of Moroccan independence in 1956; the end of the international status of Tangier, her native city, in 1959; the “years of lead” under the reign of Hassan II; and finally Mohamed VI’s current reign since 1999. As a result, she has a long view of Morocco’s politics of self-representation as well as of the representation of Moroccan women on screen

Advanced Statistical Methods

by Sahana Prasad

This is the second book of the two volumes covering the advanced statistical methods and analysis. Significant topics include advanced concepts in regression, index numbers, time series, and vital statistics. The book includes useful examples and exercises as well as relevant case studies for proper implementation of the discussed tools. This book will be a valuable text for advanced undergraduate students of statistics, management, economics, and psychology, wanting to gain advanced understanding of statistics and the usage of its various concepts.

Collide

by Bal Khabra

She&’s an honors student with ambitious graduate school plans and he&’s a jock with only hockey on his mind, but once their worlds collide, their connection is hot enough to melt an ice rink.An ultimatum from Summer Preston&’s thesis advisor thrusts her into an unexpected collision with the hockey team&’s captain, Aiden Crawford. She&’s caught between conflicting desires of fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a sport psychologist and staying as far away as possible from the god-awful sport. And once she meets Aiden—well, let&’s just say he confirms all her worst assumptions about hockey players. Being the captain of the college hockey team has its perks, except when a reckless mistake by Aiden&’s team threatens to jeopardize their entire season. As punishment, Aiden&’s coach nominates him as the subject of a student research project. Participating is the last thing he wants to do, especially since the girl leading the project looks like she could wield his skates as a weapon.Summer can&’t stand Aiden&’s blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn&’t understand why she&’s twenty years old with a twenty-five-year plan. But their bickering soon turns to bantering—and once they let their guards down, there&’s nothing to check their feelings.

As Many Stars

by K. L. Noone

Blake Thornton -- or, as rumor likes to call him, the Earl of Thorns -- has a secret. Or two.London society knows Blake as an adventurer and traveler. His tales and memoirs have made him a celebrity. But when Blake thinks of home, he thinks of his best friend Ashley Linden, brilliant Oxford scholar of classical poetry -- and the man Blake’s been silently in love with for years.But Blake’s discovered feelings for someone else as well: Cameron Fraser, the handsome Scottish doctor he’s met on his travels, who knows him like no one ever has. Blake doesn’t expect to see Cam again, despite how much he’d like to.But when he returns home to find Ashley ill, Blake has a reason to send for Cam, and together, Blake, Ash, and Cam will discover a new adventure.

The Professor and the Porn Star

by Eve Morton

Cassandra Durand is an up-and-coming professor at a Toronto university about to give a very important talk in her research field. While practicing one night, she runs into Grady, a custodian, whom she instantly recognizes as a former porn star. Can Cassandra maintain her professional distance while also indulging in her ultimate fantasy and dream man?When her relationship becomes threatened by her once loved research field, will she and Grady be able to have a future in spite of his past? As Cassandra deals with her new label of provocateur, she turns to Grady for help navigating public life when everyone only wants to see the darker side of her private desires.

Sex, Love, and Videogames (The\serpentine Ser.)

by CJane Elliott

Sequel to Aidan's JourneyShy guy Jed Carter has always felt invisible next to his charismatic older brother Kent. After trying to fit in with Kent and his fraternity friends his first year at UVA, Jed braves coming out as a sophomore. He’s hopeful when he starts seeing Pete, an attractive junior. But Pete is only interested in using him for sex and videogames. Jed wants more, in life and in love, and first on the list is getting to know Charlie, the handsome guy working at the local videogame arcade.Charlie Ambrose has always felt like an oddball, and not just for his tendency to stutter. Being gay sets him apart from his African-American community, and as a “townie,” he isn’t part of the college crowd. Charlie’s inspiration is his transgender cousin Morocco, who doesn’t give a fig about being different. Art is Charlie’s passion, and when a local videogame designer discovers him, Charlie’s living a dream. The only thing he’s missing is love. But the last person Charlie expects to find it with is a cute, white UVA rugby player named Jed.

The Hunting Box

by Alexandra Caluen

Nick, Charlie, and Stephen, sons of an earl, a baronet, and a freshly knighted barrister, met at school and became fast friends. The young noblemen went on to university while Stephen read law in London. All three exchange letters and visits, even spending holidays together for the next thirteen years. Their terms of intimacy, while close, have been undefined: Nick and Charlie have a separate relationship, Charlie and Stephen another.In November 1819, Nick invites his two friends for three weeks at his country lodge. He worries their bonds may be sundered by circumstance: he is to be married. While this was always inevitable, they must all now face up to the changes it will bring.Mere days into their country retreat, all three have confirmed their desire for more, not less, intimacy. Ideas are exchanged, affections shared, wishes expressed. Their days together strengthen the mortar of their new connection, giving it time to set.Along the way, they indulge in every kind of intimacy, safe in the privacy of the hunting box. Will their plans and promises hold once they must part?

At Your Command

by Forrest Greene

Serd is known as an honorable and conscientious man. He was, however, not suited to the family trade, and with his father’s blessing, leave his childhood home to join the Legion. Mastering combat skills, he enlisted in the elite Imperial Guard. After a cruel twist of fate, his life changes dramatically.Prince Calelaine is the bastard son of the heir to the throne. He leads a quiet and studious life, uninterested in either men or women, in his grandfather, the Emperor’s, palace. When a miscarriage of justice is brought to his attention, he intervenes and saves the life of a man he’s still to meet. Shortly after, the Emperor unexpectedly dies, and Calelaine’s life is threatened when three possible successors to the throne engage in a bloodthirsty battle.Serd rescues Calelaine from a massacre at the palace, and they are forced to flee the city. During a harrowing experience, Calelaine uncovers his inherent wizardry talents. In their attempts to escape their pursuers and reach safety, will Calelaine and Serd learn to combine their skills, wizardry and warfare, to survive? Will Serd’s care for Calelaine awaken feelings he’s never had before and let them act on mutual feelings of attraction and find love?

All That Jazz

by Lynn Townsend

Finn Riordan's life is upended when he discovers his boyfriend having sex with Hector Lange, the legendary local playboy. Five years later, Hector appears in Finn's life once again, this time to cheat Finn out of the painting he’s bidding on at an art auction.Hector Lange has no complaints about his life. He has a good career, plenty of friends, and while he doesn't believe in true love, he never lacks for companionship. Everyone loves the easygoing and gregarious Hector. Which is why it’s so startling when he finds himself assaulted by a furious and beautiful man.When Hector realizes he inadvertently outbid Finn for a painting intended for Finn's brother, a recovering veteran, he wants to make amends. Hector's latest ex had backed out of a vacation they planned to take together, so Hector invites Finn instead as something of an apology. A win for all involved, right?The trip will do more than merely reconcile the two, opening both Finn's and Hector's eyes in unexpected ways. But will those newfound discoveries and feelings follow them home?

Lust Unleashed

by Eva Hore

Sheila Donaldson is bored. No, not bored -- frustrated. She's spent years married to the same wonderful man, and now she’s ready to live out some of her naughtiest fantasies through her own personal bucket list. Number one on her list: making her best friend Melissa orgasm while her husband watches.Once Sheila admits to Richard that she has always wondered what it would be like to pleasure another woman, it isn’t difficult to get him on board with her plan to spice up their sex life with a little girl-on-girl action, especially once they both realize how much they’ve been missing.Now the hard part ... asking Melissa to play along.

An Unlikely Alliance

by Ellie Thomas

During the final week of February in 1808, Clement Metcalfe has a brief and heated encounter in the back room of a busy London coffee house with bashful gentleman Humphrey Atkinson. Clem, a private secretary, is accustomed to grabbing random interludes to brighten his tedious and underpaid working days following a professional fall from grace. But Humphrey seems to hanker after more than one taste.So Clem introduces Humphrey to Abe Pengelly, the other semi-regular man in his life. Imposingly dark and dangerous, Abe is an enigmatic figure, with his operations based at the decaying and infamous Old Red Lion Tavern. His endeavours, if not blatantly lawless and criminal, are definitely murky.There’s an undeniable attraction between the three men that promises passion. However, Clem discovers his lovers are also willing to exert themselves on his behalf to right past wrongs. Might this be a case where three is not a crowd but the perfect number?

Regency Lovers Trio

by Ellie Thomas K. L. Noone Alexandra Caluen

JMS Books' Trios are themed collections of three gay romance stories by a trio of authors. Each story is available separately, but readers can get all three for a discounted bundle price.Regency Lovers contains three historical M/M/M romances. Contains the stories:An Unlikely Alliance by Ellie Thomas: In Regency London, private secretary Clem encounters shy gentleman Humphrey with satisfying results. From then on, it seems natural to include Abe, Clem’s regular lover, in their frolics. Apart from willing bedfellows, Clem is used to being alone and unsupported. But will the alliance between the three men prove more substantial than mere passing pleasure?As Many Stars by K.L. Noone: Society knows Blake as an adventurer and traveler. But when Blake thinks of home, he thinks of his best friend Ashley, Oxford scholar -- the man Blake secretly, silently, loves. He’s discovered feelings for someone else too: a Scottish doctor he’s met while traveling. And when he returns to find Ash ill, Blake has a reason to send for Cam ... and together, they’ll discover a new adventure.The Hunting Box by Alexandra Caluen: When Nicholas, an earl’s heir, invites his two dearest friends to spend three weeks at his country lodge, he hopes to set the terms for the next chapter in their lives. The time has come for Nick to marry, but he doesn’t want to lose Charlie or Stephen. Much to his relief, they want to keep him too. Can they negotiate the inevitable changes of adulthood, and move forward as even closer friends?

Colliding Stars

by Claire Rosalind

Sequel to Shooting StarsJasper Reid has everything. Fame beyond what he’d ever imagined. The man he never knew he needed. And a career full of fun with his best friend and band mates. For once in his life, he’s actually fine.Ryan Kurtis has everything. A promising career on Broadway. The love of his life by his side. The dreams he never thought would come true are all within reach. For once in his life, he’s not worried about the future.But maintaining the perfect life becomes impossible when the famous couple are faced with shattering devastation. When The Obsolete falls apart, Jasper breaks piece by delicately held-together piece, leaving Ryan desperately trying to catch Jasper on the star’s self-destructive fall from fame.After losing everything and finally facing the parts of himself he’s been afraid to confront, Jasper must find a way to overcome his worst self, accept a heartbreaking loss, let love back in, and reclaim the life he’s worked so hard for.Can Jasper and Ryan make it through their battles to their happily ever after? Or will this be the end of the RySper ship?NOTE: This book references trauma, death, grief, alcohol and drug abuse/dependence, panic attacks, and off-page sexual coercion.

Gavi and COVID-19: Pandemic of the Century

by Sid Misra Tarun Khanna

Gavi has helped immunize over 760 million children in the world's poorest countries over the past 20 years saving 13 million lives. How should Gavi respond to the need for a vaccine for the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic?

Human Activity and Behavior Analysis: Advances in Computer Vision and Sensors: Volume 1 (Ubiquitous Computing, Healthcare and Well-being)

by Md Atiqur Rahman Ahad

Human Activity and Behavior Analysis relates to the field of vision and sensor-based human action or activity and behavior analysis and recognition. The book includes a series of methodologies, surveys, relevant datasets, challenging applications, ideas, and future prospects.The book discusses topics such as action recognition, action understanding, gait analysis, gesture recognition, behavior analysis, emotion and affective computing, and related areas. This volume focuses on relevant activities in three main subject areas: Healthcare and Emotion, Mental Health, and Nurse Care Records.The editors are experts in these arenas and the contributing authors are drawn from high-impact research groups around the world. This book will be of great interest to academics, students, and professionals working and researching in the field of human activity and behavior analysis.

Sustainable Innovations in Management in the Digital Transformation Era: Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Innovations in Management in The Digital Transformation Era (SIMDTE 2023), Bahrain

by Rania Nafea Shabana Faizal Dorota Jelonek Narendra Kumar Jayendira P. Sankar Ilona Paweloszek

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the recently concluded conference, held on May 2–3, 2023, in the beautiful Kingdom of Bahrain. This pivotal conference was focused on “Sustainable Innovations in Management in the Digital Transformation Era”. In an age defined by rapid technological advancements and digital innovation, the way we understand and carry out management is continually evolving. The conference brought together thought leaders, industry professionals, academ□ics, and innovators from around the globe to share insights, exchange ideas, and cata□lyze change. The digital transformation era has not only revolutionized our personal lives but has significantly impacted the business landscape. It became a strategic prior□ity, driving companies to reassess their business models, reinvent their strategies, and redefine their value propositions. Amidst this change, ensuring sustainability, building resilient, adaptable, and future-proof businesses became a central theme.

Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning

by Joyce Cooper-Kahn Laurie Dietzel

Does your child have difficulty meeting deadlines, staying organized, or keeping track of important information? Do they tend to forget details? Are they prone to emotional meltdowns? This book will become your go-to, all-inclusive guide to helping children manage issues with these executive functions, a set of related yet distinct mental skills that allow us to stay on target as we work toward our goals.Packed with encouragement, strategies, overviews, case studies, tips, and more, this newly revised edition offers science-based information explained in accessible, everyday language. You will find down to earth examples and a flexible framework that allows you to think on your feet and adapt the strategies to any child or situation.In addition to providing approaches for helping your child to manage demands in the short run, this book offers strategies for building independent skills for long-term self-management. Covering what you need to know, as well as what you can do, Late, Lost, and Unprepared gives parents the support they need to help their child become productive and independent – today and in the future.

The Marriage Act: A Novel

by John Marrs

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey? Black Mirror meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman&’s The Power in this dark, high-concept novel by the bestselling author of The One.Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society&’s ills—the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives—monitoring every word, every minor disagreement…and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honor and obey.Don't miss other suspenseful reads from John Marrs (you'll never see the twists coming!): The One The Vacation The Family Experiment (coming soon!)

The Vacation: A Novel

by John Marrs

Longlisted for the 2022 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, The Vacation is a compulsive, holiday-set thriller from John Marrs, bestselling author of The One, now a Netflix Original Series.&“John Marrs&’s creative, high-concept thrillers never fail to keep me furiously turning the pages."—Sarah Pearse"John Marrs can do no wrong." —Jack Jordan"John Marrs is a master of suspense." —Jeneva RoseHow far would you run to escape your past?Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach-front hostel, there is far more on their minds than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they&’d kill to keep…Don't miss other suspenseful reads from John Marrs (you'll never see the twists coming!): The One The Marriage Act The Family Experiment (coming soon!)

The One: A Novel

by John Marrs

Now on Netflix!The USA Today bestsellerA Wall Street Journal Best Science Fiction Book of 2018&“Just try to put this gripping thriller down once you pick it up.&” —AARP&“A shock on every other page.&” —Wall Street JournalHow far would you go to find The One?A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you&’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you&’re genetically made for.That&’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.Now five very different people have received the notification that they&’ve been &“Matched.&” They&’re each about to meet their one true love. But &“happily ever after&” isn&’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.Don't miss other suspenseful reads from John Marrs (you'll never see the twists coming!): The Marriage Act The Vacation The Family Experiment (coming soon!)

Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East & Beyond: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

by Sabrina Ghayour

THE 10th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION OF THE BESTSELLING, AWARD-WINNING MIDDLE-EASTERN COOKBOOK - WITH A GOLD-FOILED TEAL JACKET, SILKY RIBBON MARKER AND GLOSSY, GOLD EDGES TO CELEBRATE A DELICIOUS DECADE OF THIS MUST-HAVE RECIPE COLLECTION'It was clear the moment Persiana came out that Sabrina Ghayour was a real talent, and so it has proved! Happy 10th Birthday to the book that started it all!' - Nigella Lawson'The golden girl of Persian cookery' - Observer'This is Ottolenghi with rocket fuel' - Times'A fantastic treasure trove of good food' - Raymond Blanc'Sumptuous, thrilling, learned and downright brilliant' - Mail on Sunday'Brilliant for the novice, the time-poor and even the seasoned cook' - Guardian'Will have you salivating with Pavlovian gusto' - IndependentThis enhanced edition of Sabrina Ghayour's original Sunday Times bestselling collection of over 100 recipes for simple, fuss-free, easy and unmissable Middle-Eastern inspired dishes full of flavour is the must-have cookbook you'll use again and again. CONTENTS INCLUDE: Mezze & Sharing PlatesAubergine chermoula; Marinated feta; Spiced lamb koftaBreads & GrainsEastern-style foccacia; Persian bejewelled rice; Lamb biryaniSoups, Stews & TaginesChicken, preserved lemon & olive tagine; Lamb shank, black garlic & tomato tagine; Seafood & saffron stewRoasts & GrillsSeared beef with pomegranate & balsamic dressing; Prawns with sumac, coriander, lemon & garlic; Lamb & pistachio pattiesSalads & VegetablesBlood orange & radicchio salad; Fig & green bean salad with date molasses & toasted almonds; Cumin-roasted carrots with honey-lemon dressing & goats' cheeseDesserts & Sweet TreatsBaklava; Pistachio, rose & raspberry madeleines; Strawberry & pineapple carpaccio

The Match: An EXTENDED edition rom-com from the author of the TikTok sensation THE CHEAT SHEET! (It Happened in Charleston #1)

by Sarah Adams

'Woven with pure sunshine and rainbows' AMY LEAFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Cheat Sheet and Practice Makes Perfect comes an expanded edition of The Match - a charming romance novel about second chances and the healing power of love, with a never-before-seen chapter.Sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it . . .Evie Jones has dedicated her life to Southern Service Paws, the company that matched her with the love of her life: Charlie, a service dog trained to assist with her epilepsy. But, as the company struggles to make ends meet, it's up to her and her longtime mentor and boss to keep the doors open with the fundraiser of the century.When Evie meets Jacob Broaden at a client consultation for his daughter, Sam, there are instant sparks - but not the good kind. Still, it doesn't take long for Jacob to be convinced that a service dog, and possibly Evie, might just be the best thing for his family.As Evie spends more time with Jacob and helps Sam find her perfect match, she starts longing for the loving family she's never had. For Jacob, falling in love with Evie is the last thing he should be doing, but love has a way of finding those who need it most . . .

I Will Be Good: A Memoir of a Dublin Childhood and a Life Less Ordinary

by Peig McManus

'One of the best Dublin memoirs I've ever read' Donal FallonPeig McManus was born into the last of Dublin's tenements before moving to one of Ireland's first social housing estates in Cabra. Her father believed that children should earn their keep and learn to face reality as soon as possible. While that reality was poverty, class prejudice and strict Catholicism, at the heart of Peig's earliest memories are music, hoolies and the bonds of family and community.I Will Be Good is the story of a girl who rebelled against societal expectations and dreamed of further education. It tells of a young woman whose hopes of marriage to a Scottish sailor ended in the heartbreak of a daughter given up for adoption; of a mother who needed something more than her 'place at home'; and of a pioneering citizen who became one of Ireland's foremost campaigners for educational reform.Now, in her eighties, Peig shares her story of grit and courage: an inspiring journey through the trials and triumphs of a remarkable Irish woman who refused to do what she was told.

The Journal of Politics, volume 86 number 2 (April 2024)

by The Journal of Politics

This is volume 86 issue 2 of The Journal of Politics. Established in 1939 and published for the Southern Political Science Association, The Journal of Politics is a leading general-interest journal of political science and the oldest regional political science journal in the United States. The scholarship published in The Journal of Politics is theoretically innovative and methodologically diverse, and comprises a blend of the various intellectual approaches that make up the discipline. The Journal of Politics features balanced treatments of research from scholars around the world, in all subfields of political science including American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and political methodology.

The Journal of Clinical Ethics, volume 35 number 2 (Summer 2024)

by The Journal of Clinical Ethics

This is volume 35 issue 2 of The Journal of Clinical Ethics. The Journal of Clinical Ethics is uniquely focused on ethical issues that arise in direct patient care, in the clinic and at the bedside, as well as with related issues and challenges in the broader practice of medicine, healthcare delivery, and best practices. The journal engages with issues of primary concern to physicians and patients—and families—and all members of the clinical team, including allied professionals in ethics consultation, as well as scholars and professionals in diverse disciplines and care-related practices: philosophy, law, theology, public and health policy, nursing, and organizational ethics.

Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 2 (March/April 2024)

by Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology

This is volume 97 issue 2 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.

Besieged: A Bertolucci Film

by James Lasdun

James Lasdun's two collections of short stories, Delirium Eclipse and Three Evenings, have won him outstanding praise as one of the most distinctive British writers of his generation, both as a stylist and as a storyteller. His work has been described by the New York Times Book Review as an "elegant pathology report on the modern soul," and the Village Voice calls his prose "art that burrows into troubling new territory even as it glides by like a dream." Besieged shows his gift for exploring the undertones of contemporary experience at its most haunting and electrically charged. Against a variety of stunningly evoked backgrounds—from the teeming banks of the Ganges in Varanasi to a homeless shelter in New York—these powerful, intensely focused narratives reverberate, as Michiko Kakutani put it in the New York Times, "insistently in the reader's mind long after he has finished the book." In "Ate/Menos" or "The Miracle," a young man takes unscrupulous advantage of a woman who mistakes him for someone else and finds himself enmeshed in her desperate obsessions and nightmares. In "The Siege," a wealthy recluse falls in love with the immigrant woman who lives in his basement. On discovering she is married and that her husband is a political prisoner, he embarks on a course of action that will lead simultaneously to his destruction and to his salvation. Two of the stories in this collection were made into major independent film. "Ate Menos" was the basis for the film Sunday, which won the Grand Jury Best Feature Award at Sundance. "The Siege" was adapted by Bernardo Bertolucci for his film Besieged.

Hussein: An Entertainment

by Patrick O'Brian

A glittering adventure set in India at the height of the British Raj. The New York Times compared this book to Kipling's Kim and called it "a gorgeous entertainment." Of this early work, published when he was in his early twenties, Patrick O'Brian writes in a foreword: "In the writing of the book I learnt the rudiments of my calling: but more than that, it opened a well of joy that has not yet run dry." The story is about a young mahout—or elephant handler—his childhood and life in India, and his relationship and adventures with elephants. As a boy, Hussein falls in love with a beautiful and elusive girl, Sashiya, and arranges for another of her suitors to be murdered with a fakir's curse. The dead man's relatives vow vengeance. Hussein escapes and his adventures begin: snake-charming, sword-fighting, spying, stealing a fortune, and returning triumphantly to claim his bride. All of this is set against an evocatively exotic India, full of bazaars, temples, and beautiful women—despite the fact that O'Brian had never been to the East when he wrote the story.

Howard Cosell: The Man, The Myth, And The Transformation Of American Sports

by Mark Ribowsky

“Brilliant . . . entertaining . . . a thought-provoking portrayal of the multi-faceted Howard Cosell in all his glory and enmity.”—Don Ohlmeyer, Wall Street Journal Howard Cosell’s colorful bombast, fearless reporting, and courageous stance on civil rights made him one of the most recognizable and controversial figures in American sports history. “Telling it like it is,” he covered nearly every major sports story for three decades, from the travails of Muhammad Ali to the tragedy at the Munich Olympics. Now, two decades after his death, this deeply misunderstood sports legend has finally gotten the “definitive” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) and revelatory biography he so much deserves. With more than forty interviews, Mark Ribowsky has brilliantly presented Cosell’s endless complexities in the “first thoroughly researched and effectively framed biography of Cosell and his times” (Huffington Post).

Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle And The Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor

by James M. Scott

Finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in History "Like Lauren Hillebrand's Unbroken…Target Tokyo brings to life an indelible era." —Ben Cosgrove, The Daily Beast On April 18, 1942, sixteen U.S. Army bombers under the command of daredevil pilot Jimmy Doolittle lifted off from the deck of the USS Hornet on a one-way mission to pummel Japan’s factories, refineries, and dockyards in retaliation for their attack on Pearl Harbor. The raid buoyed America’s morale, and prompted an ill-fated Japanese attempt to seize Midway that turned the tide of the war. But it came at a horrific cost: an estimated 250,000 Chinese died in retaliation by the Japanese. Deeply researched and brilliantly written, Target Tokyo has been hailed as the definitive account of one of America’s most daring military operations.

Refine Search

Showing 3,276 through 3,375 of 12,799 results