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The Crossroads of Competition Law and Energy Regulation
by Laura RimšaitėThis book explores the delicate balance between fostering competitive energy markets and ensuring effective regulation. It addresses the difficulty of reconciling competitive market dynamics with regulatory objectives such as ensuring reliability, fairness, and sustainability. In the highly dynamic energy sector, the convergence of competition law and energy regulation is a critical factor that greatly influences the trajectory of energy markets. The intersection of these significant domains can be complex and transformative when the goals of fostering fair competition and guaranteeing dependable and eco-friendly energy provision coincide. Market power in the energy sector can lead to a concentration of power among a handful of firms, which can hinder competition and limit consumer options. The dual objective of tackling market dominance and promoting energy security constitutes a significant challenge. In turn, the book discusses the challenges posed by natural monopolies in energy networks, the need for regulatory frameworks to support investment in infrastructure and renewable energy, and the complexities of price fluctuations. The topic of market dominance is also considered, as dominant corporations are capable of controlling prices and suppressing competition, resulting in higher prices for consumers and stifling innovation. The book offers valuable perspectives on creating a regulatory framework that promotes fair competition and achieves long-term policy goals in the energy sector. To do so, it draws on case studies and analyses from various countries.
Distributed Impulsive Coordination of Multi-Agent Systems (Intelligent Control and Learning Systems #15)
by Zhengle Zhang Tiedong Ma Bing CuiThis book investigates the distributed impulsive coordination control of multi-agent systems (MASs), including consensus problem and formation problem. Compared with continuous control, impulsive control as a discontinuous control method only needs information interaction at impulsive instants, which can greatly reduce the transmission cost in the communication process. In practice, MASs are often affected by environmental and hardware conditions, resulting in the application of impulsive control is limited. For example, it is difficult to exert the impulsive control signal accurately at a fixed instant, and it is difficult to control all agents at the same impulsive instant. Moreover, the actual models of MASs often contain some constraints such as unknown parameters, stochastic perturbation, and time delays. In addition, stochastic switching topologies and cyberattacks will limit the communication between agents in MASs, which will greatly affect the coordination control performance. Based on the existing research results, this book considers the above constraints of MASs in practice and studies the key problems of distributed impulsive coordination control for MASs. The book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in control system theory, as well as engineers studying MASs.
Kansei Engineering and Emotion Research: 10th International Conference, KEER 2024, Taichung, Taiwan, November 20–23, 2024, Proceedings, Part II (Communications in Computer and Information Science #2314)
by Tzu-Wei Tsai Kuohsiang Chen Toshimasa Yamanaka Shinichi Koyama Simon Schütte Anitawati Mohd LokmanThe two volume set, LNCS 2313 and LNCS 2314, constitutes the proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Kansei Engineering and Emotion Research, KEER 2024, held in Taichung, Taiwan during November 20–23, 2024. The 57 full papers presented in these volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from 154 submissions. These papers have been organized in the following topical sections:- Part I: Emotion Research in Southeast Asia (SEA): Bridging Cultures, Advancing Design; Competencies Required by Different Positions for Innovation; Exploring the Intersection of Kansei Engineering and Affective Computing in Digital Media Design Research; Image and Media in Kansei Design; Innovative Design for Cultural Sustainability. Part II: Kansei Approach to Sustainability Society; Kansei in Senses and Interaction; Kansei Issues in Cross-Cultural Design; Wellbeing/ Experience Quality of Life/ Healthcare.
The State We're In: A unforgettable, heart-stopping love story from the No.1 Sunday Times bestseller
by Adele Parks'Spellbinding'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Made me laugh and cry'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'OMG - what an ending' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Opposites attract in this epic love story about a chance encounter from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Just My Luck and Both of You. And once you know it ends, don't forget to #KeepTheSecret. What are the odds that the stranger sitting next to you on a plane is destined to change your life?Jo is a hopeless romantic. Worried she let her soulmate slip away, she's chasing her past all the way to Chicago to break up her ex-fiancé's wedding.Dean is a resolute cynic. After a brief (but not brief enough) trip to London, he's returning to Chicago, where he moved to escape his dysfunctional past.In the time it takes to fly from London to Chicago, each finds something in the other that they didn't even realise they needed.But it's only when they get off the plane that their true journey begins...And don't miss Adele's latest gripping novel, Just Between Us, out now! Readers love Adele Parks 'Deliciously down to earth' The Times'Tightly plotted, brilliantly conceived and totally gripping' Lisa Jewell'Twisty, unputdownable and utterly engrossing' Jenny Colgan'Brilliant storyline, great characters, very clever, loved it!' B A Paris'Addictive and perceptive' Lucy Atkins
Byzantine Dress: A Guide
by Jennifer BallThis book offers approaches to the study of Byzantine dress of elites and non-elites, in sacred and secular modes, from the beginning of the Empire in the fourth century until the fifteenth century. Byzantine dress is considered from within and outside of the Empire and examines both artifactual remains as well as emphasizing studies that elucidate Byzantine dress when few or no artifacts exist.Byzantine Dress: A Guide tackles current conceptual frameworks in the first three chapters and considers identity and sartorial signaling among Byzantines as well as foreigners in images as well as actual items of dress. A second section addresses material considerations, reflecting on construction and its effect on value. The interpretation of archaeological material is analyzed, along with reconstruction and context. Dress as part of rituals—at court, church, and in various ceremonies—is the focus of the third section. The final two chapters bring Byzantine dress into conversation with dress studies more broadly. A discursive chapter argues for a fashion system within the Byzantine Empire, which has been largely seen as pre-dating the notion of fashion. The final chapter concerns the display, interpretation, and conservation of fragmentary material in a museum context.This book aims toward a general audience new to the subject of Byzantine dress. Specialists in Byzantine studies and dress studies more generally will find the attention to current scholarship and archaeological interpretation invaluable for research, and the book will also appeal to an audience new to the subject of Byzantine dress.
Reimagining the Silk Roads: Interactions and Perceptions Across Eurasia
by Julian Henderson Stephen L. Morgan Matteo SaloniaThis book brings together scholars from many disciplines to shed light on the long history of the silk roads, to redefine it, and to demonstrate its vitality and importance.Reimagining the Silk Roads illuminates economic, spiritual, and political networks, bridging different chronologies and geographies. Richly illustrated, it explores fascinating topics, including archaeological discoveries, oceanic explorations, the movement, and impact of ideas, and the ways in which the silk roads, broadly defined, contributed to processes of globalization. Reconciling the study of land and sea routes, and paying attention to themes such as material culture, environment, trade, and the role of religious faiths, the authors offer complex yet accessible studies of the history of interactions and perceptions across Eurasia over the last 3,000 years. The editors critically respond to the recent politicisation of the silk roads and reflect on their polycentric character.The book challenges and revives silk roads studies, and it will be relevant not only to researchers in archaeology, history, heritage and related fields, but also to the general reader.
Bionanomaterials for Industrial Applications
by Shakeel AhmedBionanomaterials for Industrial Applications is a comprehensive guide to the current state of bionanomaterials research and their prospective applications in a variety of industrial sectors. The book discusses the properties of bionanomaterials, types and their potential applications in various disciplines, such as biomedicine, food industry, environment, etc. It provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of bionanomaterials research and their potential applications, making it an indispensable resource for anyone interested in learning more about this dynamic and rapidly developing field.Features: Discusses properties, classifications, and synthesis of bionanomaterials in addition to industrial applications Covers circular economy and life cycle assessment of bionanomaterials Explores impact of bionanomaterials on environment and human health Includes individual chapters specifically focusing on a particular application of bionanomaterials Reviews detailed industrial applications in particular field viz. environmental, food sciences, biomedical, and so forth This book is designed for researchers, scientists, engineers, and graduate students working in the field of bionanomaterials, as well as industrial professionals who could benefit from the use of bionanomaterials.
Empowering K-12 Education with AI: Preparing for the Future of Education and Work
by Thomas K. ChiuThomas Chiu’s book is one of the first to look at the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on K-12 education in two areas: AI education, and AI in education. AI education refers to teaching AI, and AI in education refers to using AI to support learning and teaching.Chiu examines the opportunities and challenges of these impacts for teachers and students, proposes a framework and a set of principles for the two areas with examples, and suggests learning outcomes. AI in K-12 education is one of the most important global strategic initiatives since it has made and continues to make impacts on education and the job market. Including AI technology and topics in K-12 education not only helps children understand what AI technologies are and how they work, but also inspires future workplace readiness and potential AI researchers, ethical designers, and software developers. However, educators and AI experts in general realize that planning AI-related education is very challenging. It involves integrating the topics or technologies into the curriculum, necessitating teacher development to address the gaps in knowledge, addressing educational inequity, and securing equipment and resources. Understanding student and teacher opportunities and challenges is crucial.This book is an essential and thought-provoking read for researchers, teacher educators, and school teachers and leaders who wish to embrace AI to prepare K-12 students for their future education and the workforce.
Evaluating Educational Development: A Comprehensive and Data-Driven Approach for Colleges and Universities
by Carol A. Hurney Bonnie B. Mullinix R. Todd BensonThis book establishes a comprehensive and flexible evaluation process for educational developers that answers the question: What can data tell us?Educational developers can use data to monitor and demonstrate the impact of their work, laying the foundation for evidence-based decisions to improve practice. This book guides readers through the process with activities, templates and examples that illustrate how to evaluate educational development work. Data-driven outcome-level evaluation is a critical tool for supporting effective educational development design, as well as programming and systemic change efforts in institutions across the globe. From matrices to practical planning tools and resources, this text equips readers with everything they need to develop a comprehensive evaluation plan that provides direction for the collection, management and use of evaluation data.This guide is for any educational developer who wishes to create evaluation plans that draw out data to inform their work, inspire improved practice and showcase value across the higher education landscape.
Governing Urban Development in China: Critical Urban Studies
by Fulong Wu Fangzhu ZhangThe book investigates urban development and governance in China and introduces China perspectives to the understanding of governing urban development in the 21st century.Building upon a rich and burgeoning literature on China, the book explains major changes in governance, offers a well-synthesized account of state-centered governance, and provides in-depth discussions on urban governance, city and regional planning, financing and financialization, urban redevelopment, local economic development and innovation, and environmental governance. The book bridges theoretical concepts in critical urban studies and empirical research on China and thus depicts a fuller picture of changing and variegated urban governance in the contemporary world. The book theorizes Chinese urban governance from the ground up and derives a concept of state entrepreneurialism as a framework for narrating urban governance in China. Following this framework, each chapter begins with a brief introduction to key concepts in urban geography and then depicts the urban development process on the ground in China. Then, the chapters discuss these concepts and explanations because many are derived from a different context, often in Western economies. At the end of each chapter, the phenomenal urban changes are evaluated with their theoretical implications.This book offers contextualized insights into critical geographical studies of urban governance and is the first essential complementary reading for both urban scholars and those exploring the geography of China. It will be of interest to students and researchers in Urban Geography, Urban Studies, Urban Planning, Sociology, Political Science, and China Studies. The book can also be complementary reading in China Studies, especially in governance and politics.
Understanding Police Operational Performance (Routledge Series on Practical and Evidence-Based Policing)
by James E. McCabe Paul E. O'Connell Demosthenes Long Carol Rasor-CorderoUnderstanding Police Operational Performance provides a roadmap for police agencies to implement performance-improvement strategies that work. This book provides an easy-to-read, comprehensive overview of the key indicators of successful internal operations of police agencies in the United States, and equips readers with the tools needed to bring police organizations to top performance. Ideal for law enforcement professionals, as well as city or county administrators and policymakers, this book offers practical advice for planning and conducting an evaluation of the various components of a police organization. It is also appropriate for use in law enforcement, criminal justice, and political science courses.
Heart and Soul: A Novel
by Sally MandelA pianist must battle her fears to find both success and love in this novel from a New York Times–bestselling author and &“wonderful writer&” (Luanne Rice). Bess Stallone is a self-taught musical prodigy from the rough side of Long Island, and the only thing she has in common with her Julliard classmates is her passion for classical music. But despite her extraordinary skill on the piano, and her seemingly brash personality, she is paralyzed by stage fright and self-doubt when she tries to play for an audience. Virtuoso David Montagnier is drawn to Bess&’s wild talent, and when he takes her under his wing, it may be her chance to overcome her insecurities and escape her blue-collar existence. But David has his own secret demons, and the road before Bess holds obstacles she never expected, in this &“compelling drama [with] fully dimensional characters&” by the bestselling author of Out of the Blue (Booklist). &“Mandel displays her talent for establishing a strong female lead in an appealing milieu with an equally intriguing love interest.&” —Publishers Weekly &“With wit and wisdom, Sally Mandel illuminates our deepest hopes and secret fears, showing us what matters most.&” —Deborah Smith, author of The Stone Flower Garden
View from the Top: Living a Life of Significance
by Aaron Walker&“Down to earth wisdom from a successful, creative entrepreneur&” (New York Times–bestselling author Ken Abraham). Despite a childhood shadowed by financial disaster and a father who struggled with alcoholism, Aaron Walker has created opportunities where there appeared to be none—pushing through barriers and monumental hurdles to build a string of successful businesses. In this inspirational memoir, he reveals how he confronted bitterness, pushed through pride, and was granted grace for a horrifying pedestrian fatality. View from the Top recounts Aaron&’s own powerful story—and shares techniques and strategies that will allow you to flourish regardless of your current circumstances. &“There's an old saying I love: &‘Pray like everything depends on God, but work like everything depends on you.&’ That could also be a great summary statement for View From The Top. Aaron Walker is a man who trusts God while putting a lot of sweat equity into everything he does. That balance of faith and diligence is something we all could learn from.&” —Dave Ramsey, New York Times–bestselling author of The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness &“For anyone who prefers reality over &‘reality shows&’ . . . Aaron Walker&’s View from the Top is as real, honest, and believable as it gets.&” —Ken Abraham, New York Times–bestselling author of When Your Parent Becomes Your Child: A Journey of Faith Through My Mother&’s Dementia
Amalia's California Diaries: Diary One, Diary Two, and Diary Three (California Diaries)
by Ann M. MartinTeenager Amalia Vargas finds the courage to be true to herself in this spin-off from the Newbery Award–winning author&’s Baby-sitters Club series. When you&’re thirteen, having a boyfriend in a band is basically the coolest thing ever. But Amalia is starting to feel trapped by her relationship with James, who&’s jealous when she spends time with anyone but him—even her family and friends. Amalia knows standing up for yourself is important, but every time she takes a step forward something else happens to make her doubt everything—including the place she calls home. Luckily, her friends are there to help her through the hard times . . . The next chapter following Ann M. Martin&’s bestselling Baby-sitters Club series, the California Diaries are the first-person journals of Dawn, Sunny, Maggie, Amalia, and Ducky—five teenagers dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. This collection includes the complete set of Amalia&’s three California Diaries.
Two Billion Eyes: The Story of China Central Television
by Ying Zhu&“The definitive work on Chinese television . . . A pioneering picture of CCTV and its crucial role in the contemporary Chinese political economy&” (Robert W. McChesney, author of Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy). As China navigates the murky waters of a &“third way&” with liberal economic policies under a strict political regime, the surprising battleground for China&’s future emerges in the country&’s highest rated television network—China Central Television, or CCTV. With 16 internationally broadcast channels and over 1.2 billion viewers, CCTV is a powerhouse in conveying Chinese news and entertainment. The hybrid nature of the network has also transformed it into an unexpected site of discourse in a country that has little official space for negotiation. While CCTV programming is state sponsored—and censored—the popularity and profit of the station are determined by the people. And as the Chinese Communist Party seeks to exert its own voice on domestic and international affairs, the prospect of finding an amenable audience becomes increasingly paramount. Through a series of interviews with a fascinating cast of power players including a director of a special topic program that incited the 1989 student movement, current and past presidents of CCTV, and producers at the frontline of the network&’s rapidly evolving role in Chinese culture, celebrated media analyst Ying Zhu unlocks a doorway to political power that has long been shrouded in mystery. &“An indispensable guide to the Chinese media landscape.&” —The New Inquiry &“Up until Two Billion Eyes, the view of Chinese media has often been limited . . . Ying Zhu expands the periphery of our vision.&” —Los Angeles Review of Books
A Very Short Tour of the Mind: 21 Short Walks Around the Human Brain
by Michael C. Corballis&“Thoroughly enjoyable&” essays from a cognitive neuroscientist, filled with surprising facts (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Modern computers might be faster, and whales might have larger brains, but neither can match the sheer intellect or capacity for creativity that the human mind enjoys. It is arguably the most complex organ in the universe. If you&’ve ever wondered why your dog can remember where it buried its bone but you can&’t find your keys, or whether it&’s true that we use only ten percent of our brainpower, this concise book offers some answers—and introduces us to what science has learned about the intricacies of the human brain over the last fifty years. Leading us through behavioral experiments and neuroscience, cognitive theory and Darwinian evolution, Michael Corballis punctures a few hot-air balloons, and explains just what we know—and don&’t know—about our own minds. &“Poses questions we wouldn&’t have thought to ask and then answers them with clarity and wit.&” —American Scientist
The Murder on the Links: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (The Hercule Poirot Mysteries #2)
by Agatha ChristieHercule Poirot&’s second appearance is &“a remarkably good detective story&” as the Belgian sleuth must determine who left a corpse on a golf course (The New York Times Book Review). After introducing Hercule Poirot in The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Christie brought him back three years later in 1923 for this &“ingenious&” murder mystery set in France (The New York Times Book Review). Instead of a hole in one, Poirot finds one in a hole—a body in a shallow grave next to a golf course. The man who summoned him from London to Merlinville-sur-Mer is the man who now lies in the ground, and the great Belgian detective, along with his companion, Capt. Arthur Hastings, intends to find out who put him there. Fatally stabbed in the back with a letter opener, millionaire Paul Renauld leaves behind a widow who claims two masked men tied her up and abducted her husband. Monsieur Giraud of the Sûreté believes he has the investigation well in hand and doesn&’t need assistance from Poirot. But as the clues gets progressively more complex, it will be a link to a similar cold case that helps Poirot catch the backstabber. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Iowa Baseball Confederacy
by W. P. Kinsella&“A memorable addition to the literature about the summer&’s game&” from the author of Shoeless Joe—the basis for the film Field of Dreams (Detroit Free Press). Bearing W. P. Kinsella&’s trademark combination of &“sweet-natured prose and a richly imagined world,&” The Iowa Baseball Confederacy tells the story of Gideon Clark, a man on a quest (The Philadelphia Inquirer). He is out to prove to the world that the indomitable Chicago Cubs traveled to Iowa in the summer of 1908 for an exhibition game against an amateur league, the Iowa Baseball Confederacy. But a simple game somehow turned into a titanic battle of more than two thousand innings, and Gideon Clark struggles to set the record straight on this infamous game that no one else believes ever happened. &“A riveting mystery with a host of fascinating characters, a first-rate ghost story, and the tale of a quest that ends not with the object of desire, but with the realization of love. Kinsella has another hit on his hands. He&’s still batting one thousand.&” —Detroit Free Press &“His love for baseball is evident in the lyrical descriptions of the game.&” —Chicago Tribune &“Whether or not you like baseball, read the Bible, play a musical instrument, like Indian folklore, time travel, or the Chicago Cubs, you will like The Iowa Baseball Confederacy.&” —USA Today &“In his first novel since Shoeless Joe, Kinsella returns to the magical turf he created there: a loving mixture of baseball, life and fantasy, in a world where dreams don&’t have to come true, because they have a validity all their own.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Magistrates of Hell (The James Asher Vampire Novels #4)
by Barbara HamblyThe vampire hunting spy goes to China to investigate a new form of Undead lurking among Peking&’s criminal underworld in this &“lush and delicious read&” (Publishers Weekly). China, 1912. James Asher, his brilliant wife Lydia, and the old occultist and vampire hunter Dr. Solomon Karlebach have journeyed to the new-born Republic of China to investigate the rumor that a mindless breed of Undead known as the Others have begun to multiply in the hills west of Peking. Even vampires fear the Others, but some factions of the criminal underworld plan to turn the powerful horde into an unstoppable weapon. Alongside his old vampire partner, Don Simon Ysidro, Asher embarks on a dangerous hunt. But meanwhile, somewhere in the city&’s labyrinth, the Peking vampires—known as the Magistrates of Hell—are waiting with their own sinister agenda. &“Balancing the excitement of dangerous chases through mines full of Undead with the intellectual satisfaction of solving a political mystery, this is a lush and delicious read.&” —Publishers Weekly
More Than a Lemonade Stand: The Complete Guide for Planning, Implementing & Running a Successful Youth Entrepreneur Camp
by Julie Ann WoodHelp the leaders of tomorrow get their start with this step-by-step guide to creating your own youth entrepreneur camp. Entrepreneurial skills are more in demand today than ever before. Often, the most successful entrepreneurs started honing their skills at a young age. Whether it was a lemonade stand or a newspaper route, they were learning fundamentals of business early in life. So what if we could guide more kids through these valuable lessons and put them on the path to success?More Than a Lemonade Stand provides the resources and tools you need to run a youth entrepreneur camp—from guidance in building your curriculum to educational activities you can incorporate into your program. With this easy-to-follow guide, you will learn how to lead young men and women through the exciting process of brainstorming, conceptualizing, and building a business from scratch.
The Pure Gold Baby: A Novel
by Margaret DrabbleAn &“achingly wise&” novel about the challenges of motherhood: &“Admirers of Marilynne Robinson will find themselves very much at home in this book&” (The Wall Street Journal). Jessica Speight, an anthropologist in 1960s London, is at the beginning of a promising academic career when an affair turns her into a single mother. Baby Anna is delightful—but with time it becomes clear that she is different from other children. Told from the point of view of Jess&’s fellow mothers, this is a movingly intimate look at the unexpected transformations at the heart of motherhood. &“How do we treat the child who walks among us in a different way than most? In Margaret Drabble&’s hands the answer is with a depth of empathy few master.&” —Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones &“Moving and meditative . . . I found a kind of somber bravery in the story of this unwavering, intelligent woman and her guileless and beautiful child.&” —Meg Wolitzer, NPR&’s All Things Considered &“The Pure Gold Baby is a closely observed group portrait of female friends, a patient insight into the joys and pains of motherhood, and an image of how society has changed and how it has not.&” —Harper&’s Magazine
Ethnobotany of Northern Africa and Levant (Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions)
by Rainer W. Bussmann Mostafa Elachouri Zaal KikvidzeResearch in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly. Various societies of such professionals include the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, the International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field that currently have thousands of members. Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.
Planets of the Known Galaxy: Fact and Fiction About the Nearest Stars and Their Worlds (Science and Fiction)
by Kevin J. WalshThis book offers a tour of “the known galaxy”, here defined as the region of interstellar space closest to Earth. The phrase “the known galaxy” has a particular resonance in science fiction, as it refers to the part of the Milky Way that from the perspective of a point in time centuries from now may have been explored and settled by human beings. In the known galaxy, there are gloomy ocean worlds illuminated by the light of exploding stars. There are worlds where precious gems could be as common as pebbles. There are planets eternally wandering between the stars like the Flying Dutchman. There are lava worlds, steam worlds, hot Jupiters, cold Jupiters and maybe even worlds like our Earth. The purpose of the book is to begin to give this region a sense of place, in the same way that Mars is now starting to be appreciated as a location rather than just a planet. In doing so, the book merges our current scientific knowledge of the known galaxy with speculative fiction and with older legends and myths.A sense of place is the feeling that some locations have a special meaning. This emotional connection arises from a combination of cultural and environmental factors that make individuals care about a particular place. It is challenging to create a sense of place for distant locations that no human has visited and for which our current knowledge is limited. This book attempts to take a step in this direction, by dividing the known galaxy into a number of clearly described distinct regions, by providing scientific descriptions of the likely environmental conditions on the known planets of these regions, and by linking these planets to their literary and mythological context.The book is aimed at fans of both science fact and science fiction. It combines a tour of real planets outside of our solar system with tales of their fictional counterparts. The combination of solid scientific facts and analysis with speculation and imagination will be appealing to readers who want to gain a feeling for these planets as places with a back story, rather than just as names somewhere out there in the sky.
Aquatic Animal Nutrition: Plant Preparations
by Christian E.W. SteinbergThis volume first covers the supplementation of aquafeeds with terrestrial plant material used in human medicine and nutrition. Mainly based on the “trial and error” approach, many supplements enhance growth, immunity and resistance to stress. However, other supplements appear to be ineffective and some have adverse effects. A robust and guiding hypothesis for supplementation is not apparent. Therefore, the book proposes the use of artificial intelligence to end the trial-and-error phase. In addition, a graded dosing is rarely used, especially in the low-dose range, so the physiological mechanisms behind the supplements are often only partially understood. This topic of aquatic animal nutrition is still in its infancy. Chapters cover medicinal plants in general, selected medicinal plants in detail, food plants, fruits, essential oils, fermentation residues, and genetically modified plants. One chapter attempts to answer the question of what mechanism may underlie ineffective or even harmful supplementation. Overall, the importance of the intestinal microflora is becoming increasingly clear and points to the imperative need to include gut microbiota in replacement studies. Based on the few epigenetic studies currently available, the importance of these processes is demonstrated. The need to integrate such approaches into future studies is emphasized. The so-called hologenomics approach is inevitable. Can adverse effects be mitigated by adding functional feed ingredients such as prebiotics or probiotics? This volume concludes with aquatic plants (macroalgae, filamentous algae, and macrophytes) as food sources for natural and farmed aquatic animals. Can aquaculture learn from natural aquatic herbivores?
The Spectre of Islamic Terrorism: A Machine-Generated Literature Overview
by Hussein SolomonThis book presents the result of an innovative challenge, to create a systematic literature overview driven by machine-generated content. Questions and related keywords were prepared for the machine to query, discover, collate and structure by Artificial Intelligence (AI) clustering. The AI-based approach seemed especially suitable to provide an innovative perspective as the topics are indeed both complex, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, for example, climate, planetary and evolution sciences. Springer Nature has published much on these topics in its journals over the years, so the challenge was for the machine to identify the most relevant content and present it in a structured way that the reader would find useful. The automatically generated literature summaries in this book are intended as a springboard to further discoverability. They are particularly useful to readers with limited time, looking to learn more about the subject quickly and especially if they are new to the topics. Springer Nature seeks to support anyone who needs a fast and effective start in their content discovery journey, from the undergraduate student exploring interdisciplinary content, to Master- or PhD-thesis developing research questions, to the practitioner seeking support materials, this book can serve as an inspiration, to name a few examples. It is important to us as a publisher to make the advances in technology easily accessible to our authors and find new ways of AI-based author services that allow human-machine interaction to generate readable, usable, collated, research content.