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(ISC)2 CCSP Certified Cloud Security Professional Official Practice Tests
by David Seidl Mike ChappleThe only official CCSP practice test product endorsed by (ISC)2 With over 850 practice questions all new for the 2022-2025 exam objectives, (ISC)2 CCSP Certified Cloud Security Professional Official Practice Tests, 3rd Edition gives you the opportunity to test your level of understanding and gauge your readiness for the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) exam long before the big day. These questions cover 100% of the CCSP exam domains and include answers with full explanations to help you understand the reasoning and approach for each. Logical organization by domain allows you to practice only the areas you need to bring you up to par, without wasting precious time on topics you’ve already mastered. As the only official practice test product for the CCSP exam endorsed by (ISC)2, this essential resource is your best bet for gaining a thorough understanding of the topic. It also illustrates the relative importance of each domain, helping you plan your remaining study time so you can go into the exam fully confident in your knowledge. When you’re ready, two practice exams allow you to simulate the exam day experience and apply your own test-taking strategies with domains given in proportion to the real thing. The online learning environment and practice exams are the perfect way to prepare and make your progress easy to track. For this new Third Edition, cloud security experts Mike Chapple and David Seidl have delivered an all-new question set for the new CCSP 2022-2025 objectives. These authors are well known for their best-selling (ISC)2 CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Practice Tests and now they’ve joined forces again to deliver the same high caliber practice questions for the CCSP exam.
It's Now or Nether! (Minecraft Ironsword Academy)
by Caleb Zane HuettA group of friends go on an amazing Minecraft adventure to save a friend while also navigating the halls of their new school—the Ironsword Academy! The Ironsword Academy is the third series of official Minecraft chapter books that are perfect for readers 6 to 9 and Minecraft fans of all ages!Morgan, Ash and the rest of the team discover that their new friend Eek has travelled into the dark and dangerous Nether alone. Well, not exactly alone—there&’s a hostile skeleton that Eek thinks is his friend following him every step of the way!!! To make matters worse, in the real world, the team gets stuck in detention, leaving Ash to go after Eek alone.Find out what happens in the only official chapter book series based on the most popular video game of all time, where a group of intrepid Minecraft player on amazing journeys solve problems and unravel mysteries in the real world and in the world of Minecraft.Don&’t miss these other great Minecraft Series:• Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles books 1-6• Minecraft Stonesword Saga books 1-6© 2025 Mojang AB. All Rights Reserved. Minecraft, the Minecraft logo, the Mojang Studios logo and the Creeper logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
Never Say Never: A Novel
by Null Danielle Steel#1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel’s deeply moving novel is the story of a woman who finds her life turned upside down while living temporarily in the French countryside. Oona Kelly Webster has much to be grateful for. A striking woman with red hair and green eyes, she has a loving family and a job she adores, editing a prestigious line of books. To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, she and her husband, Charles, have planned a visit to France. But then Charles drops a bombshell. He has been living a lie—hiding an affair for a year—and he is leaving Oona for a younger male lover. Although devastated, Oona decides to travel to France without Charles. She arrives in a charming village an hour outside of Paris, and settles into the house she has rented, called La Belle Florence—named after the king’s mistress for whom it was built. <p><p> But just as she’s catching her breath, she’s dealt another blow: Her company’s merger will eliminate her job. In the space of a few months, everything she nurtured for decades has slipped through her fingers. The only silver lining is that she can remain in France, where the simple life in beautiful surroundings slowly begins to heal her, as does the little white dog she rescues, and her friendly neighbor hailing from Trinidad, who delights her with his openness and warmth. Though she does not recognize him at first, she soon realizes her neighbor is a well-known actor. As their feelings for each other begin to deepen, Oona wrestles with the risks of opening her heart again—especially to a younger, very famous man. <p><p> Never Say Never is an inspiring novel about a woman who finds a second chance at happiness and love, all because she understands the importance of being brave enough to stay open to change. <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
Mulan and the Lantern Festival (Step into Reading)
by RH DisneyCelebrate Lunar New Year with Disney Princess Mulan in this Step 2 Step into Reading leveled reader!Mulan is getting ready for the Lantern Festival, the celebration at the end of the Lunar New Year! But when her lantern breaks, how can she join in the fun? Kids and Disney Princess fans ages 4 to 6 can learn about Chinese holiday traditions in this Step 2 Step into Reading leveled reader!Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.
Sagan, Paris 1954
by Anne BerestFrom the bestselling author of The Postcard and How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are, this unique book charts Françoise's Sagan journey to publication for her legendary novel, Bonjour Tristesse.Before Françoise Sagan the literary icon, there was Françoise Quoirez, an eighteen-year-old Parisian girl, who wrote a novel and needed a publisher for it. This intimate narrative details the months in 1954 leading up to the publication of the legendary Bonjour Tristesse. We encounter Françoise, her family and friends close up, in a post-war world that is changing radically; and Mlle Quoirez, in her new guise of Françoise Sagan, will be at the heart of that social change. Sagan was always focused on her writing, though at times the fame of her books was to be eclipsed by her wild-child reputation. Yet, as Anne Berest herself testifies, Sagan's fearless approach to life lived on her own terms remains an inspiration even now.
Chicken Soup for the Soul BABIES: Big Emotions (Chicken Soup for the Soul BABIES)
by Andrea J. LoneyChicken Soup for the Soul BABIES imparts good values through heartwarming and humorous stories to help little ones put their best foot forward.When Dolphin, Pufferfish, and Sea Otter are playing tag, Dolphin gets a little too excited and accidentally swims into the other two. Ouch!After hearing the commotion, wise Octopus floats over and shares that when big emotions bubble up, it&’s helpful to name them. The friends then pick words to describe how they feel and practice taking deep breaths to reset as they watch their big emotions float away. A bubbly and swimmingly sweet board book about the value of moving through your emotions.
Black Sugar
by Miguel BonnefoyHigh up in the rainforest canopy sits a stranded pirate ship, many miles from the sea. On board, Captain Henry Morgan lies dying, surrounded by magnificent jewels, artefacts and coins accumulated over a lifetime. Centuries later, Severo Bracamonte arrives in a remote Venezuelan village in search of the captain's legendary hoard. He is given lodging by the Otero family, to whom he promises a share of his find, but, despite his relentless efforts, the treasure seems destined to remain undiscovered...Miguel Bonnefoy's captivating fable on the evils of greed is also a fascinating portrait of Venezuela's development in the twentieth century.
The Girl Who Said No to the Nazis: Sophie Scholl and the Plot Against Hitler (True Adventures)
by HAYDN KAYEA true story of incredible courage about how a young student and her friends stood up to fascism in Nazi Germany - part of the True Adventures seriesIn 1942, a young woman named Sophie Scholl arrives in Munich to begin her studies at university. Reunited with her beloved brother Hans, a medical student, she finds new friends in a group of young Germans united in their passion for jazz music, dancing, art and philosophy - all things that the Nazi regime regards with deep suspicion.In her lectures, Sophie hears whispers of a mysterious group called The White Rose who dare to defy the Nazis. Incendiary leaflets begin to appear, protesting the betrayals and atrocities of the fascist regime and calling on others to act. At the same time, Sophie discovers that her new friends, including her brother, are united by more than just their love of art and music. Soon, she will become another petal of The White Rose and be drawn into a world of rebellion and subterfuge, compelled to carry out acts of great danger and courage.
Phonic Books Get Out of the Game: Decodable Books for Older Readers (CVC, Consonant Blends and Consonant Teams) (Phonic Books Catch-Up Decodable Readers)
by Phonic BooksLearn how to read with these decodable Phonic Books for older readers.Get Out of the Game are older reader books that introduce children to a few letters and sounds at a time. The pack of 12 decodable books is aimed at older children in need of support with their reading, teaching different letter patterns through a series of stories. Dedicated books in each stage break down phonics practice while offering different stories, encouraging independent reading from the start for ages 9-12 or Grades 4 and 5. This action-packed quest story takes the reader from CVC and CVCC word text through to adjacent consonants, consonant digraphs and suffixes -ed and -ing.For example:Books 1, 2 & 3: CVC, CVCCBooks 4 & 5: CCVC and -ed, CCVCCBook 6: ‘ch’ and ‘tch’Book 7: ‘sh’This catch-up reader book series features: A pack of 12 decodable books each containing a story with different phonic letters and sounds.Each unit introduces new letters and sounds by sounding them out (sat, s - a - t).Reading material aimed at older children who need support with their reading.CVC, VCC, CVCC, CCVC, and CCVCC words, introducing adjacent consonants, consonant diagraphs, and suffixes -ed and -ing.Each 16-page book contains: Reading practice/vocabularyContents page Story pagesWhat is phonics?Phonics is a way of teaching children to read through understanding the sounds that individual letters make and blending them to make a word. Children can learn to read using this skill to decode new words. Phonic Books specializes in decodable, systematic books supporting this structured literacy instruction.
The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History
by DKThe definitive telling of one of the longest and most controversial wars in US history.Delve into the compelling history and impact of the Vietnam War in reverting detail. This authoritative visual guide unpacks accounts of struggle, sacrifice, and bravery, making this a perfect read for any military history enthusiast.Inside the pages of this retelling of America's bloodiest conflict, you'll discover:- A vivid, moving, and informative read written in an engaging style.- A clear and compelling account of the conflict, in short, self-contained events from the Battle of Ia Drang to the Tet Offensive and The Khmer Rouge.- Biography pages highlight major military and political figures such as Henry Kissinger, President Nixon, General Thieu, and Ho Chi Minh.- Features on everyday life in the war offering additional context.- Stunning image double page features display weapons, spy gear, and other equipment that defined the war.- Maps and feature boxes provide additional information on significant events during the conflict.Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this history book for adults is an authoritative history of both the first televised war and its lasting impact through the lenses of both sides of the conflict. The Vietnam War explores all aspects of the conflict and the wider political landscape using compelling text, maps, and archive photography of collections of weapons, aircraft, and armored vehicles.The military techniques and conduct employed against the inferior technologies of the Viet Cong remain controversial and intriguing to date. Eyewitness accounts and iconic photographs bring events to life - from the background of the conflict to the incidents that drew America into Vietnam, the chronological event
A Republic of Sympathy: Sophie de Grouchy's Politics and Philosophy, 1785–1815 (Ideas in Context)
by Kathleen McCrudden IllertSophie de Grouchy was a political philosopher and activist practising at the centre of Revolutionary events in France between 1789 and 1815. Despite this, her contributions to the development of political thought are often overlooked, with Grouchy commonly falling under the shadow of her husband Nicolas de Caritat, the marquis de Condorcet. A Republic of Sympathy instead situates Grouchy as a significant figure among her contemporaries, offering the first complete exploration of her shifting thought and practice across this period of societal upheaval. Kathleen McCrudden Illert analyses texts newly attributed to Grouchy and examines her intellectual collaborations, demonstrating how Grouchy continued to develop a unique philosophy which placed sympathy as the glue between the individual and the political community. The study also explores Grouchy's connections with her peers and interlocutors, from Adam Smith and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, to Thomas Paine and Jacques Pierre Brissot. In doing so, it argues powerfully for Grouchy's reintegration into the history of European political thought.
America in Ireland: Culture and Society, 1841–1925
by Fionnuala WalshWhile the impacts of Irish emigration to America following the Great Famine of 1845–1852 have been well studied, comparatively little scholarly attention has been paid to the effects of reverse migration on Irish culture, society, and politics. Inspired by the work of historian David P. B. Fitzpatrick (1948–2019) and forming a companion to his final published work The Americanisation of Ireland: Migration and Settlement 1841–1925 (Cambridge, 2019), this volume explores the influence of America in shaping Ireland's modernisation and globalisation. The essays use the concept of Americanisation to explore interdisciplinary themes of material culture, marketing, religion, politics, literature, cinema, music, and folklore. America in Ireland reveals a late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Irish society that was more cosmopolitan than previously assumed, in which 'Returned Yanks' brought home new-fangled notions of behaviour and activities and introduced their families to American products, culture and speech. In doing so, this book demonstrates the value of a transnational and global perspective for understanding Ireland's history.
Contesting Pluralism(s): Islamism, Liberalism, and Nationalism in Turkey and Beyond
by Nora Fisher-OnarContesting Pluralism(s) challenges a widespread tendency to limit studies of Turkish – and Muslim – politics to 'Islamist vs. secularist' or 'Islam vs. democracy' debates. Instead, Nora Fisher-Onar's innovative argument centers on coalitions for and against pluralism. Retelling Turkey's story from the late Ottoman Empire to the present as a tale of pluralizing vs. anti-pluralist coalitions, this book offers an alternative explanation for major outcomes from elections and coup d'etats to revolutions. Here, cross-camp alliances pit those who are willing to coexist with 'Other(s)' against those who champion a unitary, national project in which everyone speaks, believes, looks, and loves as they do. Drawing on a rich array of primary and secondary data, Fisher-Onar introduces an analytical framework for capturing causal complexity in political contestation. This study rejects Orientalist exceptionalism, rereading the relationship between political religion, pluralism, and populism via a framework that travels across and beyond the Muslim-majority world.
Contemporary Performance Translation: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Stage (Cambridge Studies in Modern Theatre)
by Jean Graham-JonesRadically rethinking translation for the contemporary international stage, Jean Graham-Jones interrogates standard linguistic and cultural categories and proposes an overhaul of the translation process itself, incorporating dramaturgical logic and staging, actor training and performance styles, gesture and embodiment, and performance aesthetics and reception. She demonstrates how a theory of translationality – in which translations do not erase the original but rather stand in relation to it and to other texts and performances – encapsulates the collaborative process between contemporary translators and theatre artists. Presenting multiple experiential cases and drawing on Graham-Jones's own career as a translator, actor, director and scholar working in Argentina, the US, and the UK, this richly interdisciplinary work extends a traditional understanding of contemporary performance translation and its potential in theatrical practice.
Judges, Judging, and Judgment: Character, Wisdom, and Humility in a Polarized World
by Chad M. OldfatherIn Judges, Judging, and Judgment, Chad M. Oldfather offers an accessible, interdisciplinary account of the constraints and pressures on judges in our polarized world. Drawing on law, political science, psychology, and philosophy, Oldfather examines how these constraints have changed over time and the interpretive methodologies that have gained traction in response. The book emphasizes the inescapable need for judges to exercise judgment and highlights the value of selecting judges who possess good judgment and character. The book builds on prior work that emphasizes the importance of judicial character, specifically practical wisdom, and intellectual humility. The work underscores the need to foster a legal culture that values and rewards judges of character. Judges, Judging, and Judgment is a valuable resource for academics, students, lawyers, judges, and anyone else interested in the legal system's inner workings.
Kant's Critique of Practical Reason: Background Source Materials (Cambridge Philosophical Texts in Context)
by Michael WalschotsKant did not initially intend to write the Critique of Practical Reason, let alone three Critiques. It was primarily the reactions to the Critique of Pure Reason and the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals that encouraged Kant to develop his moral philosophy in the second Critique. This volume presents both new and first-time English translations of texts written by Kant's predecessors and contemporaries that he read and responded to in the Critique of Practical Reason. It also includes several subsequent reactions to the second Critique. Together, the translations in this volume present the Critique of Practical Reason in its full historical context, offering scholars and students new insight into Kant's moral philosophy. The detailed editorial material appended to each of the eleven chapters helps introduce readers to the life and works of the authors, outlines the texts translated, and points to relevant passages across Kant's works.
Science-Based Therapy: Raising the Bar for Empirically Supported Treatments
by David F. Tolin Stephen HuppThis is the first book to analyze empirically supported treatments by using the newest criteria from the American Psychological Association's Society of Clinical Psychology, Division 12. Clinicians, scholars, and students all need to stay updated on the treatment research, and this book goes beyond providing updated treatment information by pointing readers to other useful treatment manuals and websites for continuing to stay up-to-date. The chapters, all written by prominent experts, highlight the best available evidence for specific disorders by breaking treatments down into credible components. With an emphasis on treatments for adults, chapters also share information about treatments for youth. Other variables that influence treatment are discussed, including assessment, comorbidity, demographics, and medication. Each chapter also corresponds with a chapter in the companion book, Pseudoscience in Therapy, presenting a full picture of the evidence base for common treatments.
All Eternity Lies Before Me
by Loreen GibbonsA suspense-filled real-life drama perfect for veterans and fans of military dramas alike, the author interweaves her memories as a Navy pilot&’s wife with the tale of what happened to her husband&’s crew after having to ditch their crippled plane in stormy North Pacific waters during the Cold War.Alfa Foxtrot 586, a P-3 Orion turboprop, was conducting a sensitive Cold War mission off the Kamchatka Peninsula on October 26, 1978, when a propeller malfunction turned into four engine fires and the pilot—Loreen Grigsby&’s husband, Jerry—was forced to ditch into remote, mountainous seas churned by a frigid North Pacific storm. The aircraft sank within ninety seconds, taking one of the three rafts with it—which left thirteen men to huddle together in the remaining two rafts, the smaller of which soon began to leak. Told from Loreen&’s perspective as a navy wife at home as well as through the eyes of the men who survived the disaster, All Eternity Lies Before Me weaves a gripping tale of struggle, uncertainty, grief, and heroism. It shares Loreen&’s terror as she receives notifications about her husband&’s crew&’s desperate battle against wind, seas, and biting cold. It details the ad hoc search and rescue mission, a valiant effort to rescue the men before time runs out. And, tragically, it tells how a young Navy wife becomes a widow and single mom. But Jerry&’s death is not the end of Loreen&’s story—and in the years following his loss, she discovers resilience, strength, and even new love with one of the accident survivors, Matt Gibbons. As she begins her journey toward a brighter future, she&’s inspired by the camaraderie and brotherhood forged between the survivors and their rescuers—and ultimately, the long-term lessons learned by all involved become part of the lasting legacy of this event.
Guidance from the Universe: Hopeful Messages for Everyday Challenges
by Jill Amy SagerFor fans of Don Miguel Ruiz&’s The Four Agreements and Thich Nhat Hanh&’s The Art of Living comes a stunning self-help memoir about how Jill Amy Sager achieved enlightenment and self-acceptance through Tarot reading.Each eye-opening chapter in this self-help memoir highlights Tarot reader Jill Amy Sager&’s self-discovery after unexpectedly channeling wisdom from the Universe. What she learned ignited profound change: she went from having grown up physically disabled and believing she is unlovable to feeling confident and content in her own skin. We all want to feel good about ourselves. Yet we can struggle far longer than we need to, unable to remove blocks getting in the way. We often feel stuck and forget to give ourselves the grace, acceptance, and compassion we so readily give to others. Here, Sager shares thirty insightful messages from a sage source she calls &“Guidance&” alongside illuminating personal stories that showcase how these teachings have improved her life. There are also thought-provoking questions to encourage your spiritual journey. This book is a wake-up call—a nourishing reminder that each of us matters, and therefore treating ourselves with kindness, love, and respect is essential. Guidance shows us how to relax into our natural state of being, feeling more at ease in our vast and beautiful hearts, and Sager&’s stories illustrate just how attainable this state of being is. Ultimately, we discover that this enlightened life-changing shift is key to the happiness we seek and the welcomed harmony the world needs.
My Marriage Sabbatical: A Memoir of Solo Travel and Lasting Love
by Leah FisherA vibrant, honest, and unique travel memoir for readers who think they&’re too old to &“eat, pray, love,&” My Marriage Sabbatical captures marital therapist Leah Fisher&’s journey to maintain her marriage without forfeiting her own independence.She wants to travel the world; he wants to keep working. At sixty, Leah Fisher is ready to Love, Honor, and Negotiate. The result is a long-married couple&’s decision to commence an unconventional experiment. Fisher takes readers on two journeys: an intriguing global journey—her year of solo travel—and the relational journey she and her husband embark upon as they skillfully negotiate their different priorities and preferences. We accompany them through a series of reunions and poignant farewells as they stay connected and gradually grow comfortable being together and apart. After the marriage sabbatical is over, both spouses are surprised by the outcome of their daring experiment. With gray divorce on the rise, Leah Fisher&’s memoir demonstrates a creative way to fulfill individual needs without having to make the painful choice between forfeiting heartfelt dreams or leaving one&’s marriage to achieve them. A riveting travel story that offers wise guidance on maintaining marital friendship, My Marriage Sabbatical is proof that couples can keep growing as individuals and partners all through their lives.
The Earth and I
by Arthur FirstenbergAlmost all environmental books treat the environmental crisis as though humans are in charge of nature, rather than part of it. The Earth and I is the first book to put all preconceived notions aside and to ask, naïvely: Who are we really? What is our relationship to the earth? How is it possible that we, out of all the millions of species, have come to destroy our common home? The answers are surprising and have far-reaching implications for those searching for solutions. Part One tells what is happening to the earth&’s systems and how they are being destroyed. It rewrites the two-million-year history of humanity&’s tenure on the earth as if we are part of nature and not separate from it, and describes both the earth and the universe as living systems. It paints a global, coherent picture of the devastation to Earth&’s air, water, forests, and creatures that is not found elsewhere. It reviews assaults on these systems that are not treated adequately, if at all, elsewhere: chemicals; radiation; plastics; detergents; biocides; noise; cars; and guns. Part Two, &“Digging below the Surface,&” asks why, and enters territory not previously explored by environmentalists. It describes the various ways to make a living on the earth—hunting and gathering, shifting agriculture, nomadic herding, settled agriculture, and industrial technology—as choices, not eras—choices coexisting with one another until today. It rewrites economics. It explores the relationship of warfare, slavery, religion, and human sexuality to the environmental crisis. And it is forced to conclude that these aspects of human culture are not only shaped, but created by the technologies we use; that the use of non-human sources of energy interferes with human psychological development; and that the unfulfilled urges within us explode in the violent technologies that are destroying our planet. The solutions, if it is not too late, therefore lie in wise choice, rather than wise use, of our technologies.
Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation: An Explanation of Earth’s Climate Patterns
by Robert V. Rohli Anthony J. Vega Keith G. HendersonThis book provides a one-stop shop for coastal and marine scientists to understand processes that generate atmospheric circulation as integrated with terrestrial and oceanic circulation processes to create an Earth-ocean-atmosphere climate system. It uses the process approach in the first half of the book to set the stage for understanding circulation systems and then for explaining the circulation processes themselves, with the second half of the book dedicated to showing how these processes play themselves out across the Earth's terrestrial and marine surface. The processes explained in the first half of the book assume no prior knowledge of meteorology or oceanography. The regional section includes the major continents or subcontinents, along with their surrounding ocean environs. It begins with the area with which many/most readers are likely most familiar —the USA and Canada. From there, the tour of the world continues, beginning with the places that have atmospheric and oceanic circulation features that are most similar to the USA and Canada, all in the Northern Hemisphere—Europe, Southwestern Asia, and then East Asia. From there, the discussion builds on principles illustrated in the first half of the book and demonstrated in the beginning of the regional section of the book, while also adding concepts and principles of importance in the tropical and subtropical latitudes, by describing circulation features of South and Southeast Asia. This discussion carries forward naturally for a discussion of Africa, which experiences similar features of subtropical and tropical latitudes. From there, previous material can be applied and built upon further in the discussion of Latin America and the Caribbean. Australia and Oceania are the next area covered, followed by the polar latitudes. The book concludes with a brief review of the major atmospheric and oceanic circulation features around the world and with a reminder of the cascading primary and secondary impacts of the climate system. The book is intended to fill a niche as both a textbook and a reference source for non-atmospheric specialists. Its purpose is to help coastal, environmental, engineering, and planning professionals to get “up to speed” regarding atmospheric and oceanic circulations and their impacts around the world. This would allow more effective communication with climate modelers, atmospheric and marine environmental consultants, and media. Our book-writing experience allows us to implement “best practices” based on cognitive theory to facilitate learning in the geosciences.
Visualization for Artificial Intelligence (Synthesis Lectures on Visualization)
by Jun Yuan Shixia Liu Weikai Yang Junpeng WangThis book explores how visualization provides an effective way of improving not only the interpretability but also the generalization capabilities of machine learning models. It shows how visualization can bridge the gap between complex models or algorithms and human understanding while also facilitating data curation and model refinement. Therefore, visualization for artificial intelligence (VIS4AI) has become an emerging area that combines interactive visualization with machine learning techniques to maximize their values. VIS4AI techniques focus on every phase of the machine learning life cycle, from data preprocessing to model development and deployment. These techniques are closely aligned with the well-established data and model pipelines in machine learning. In the data pipeline, they contribute to improving data quality and feature quality, including training data cleaning and feature engineering. In the model pipeline, they support (1) model development by focusing on model understanding, diagnosis, and steering; and (2) model deployment by enabling decision explanation, model performance monitoring, and model maintenance. This book provides a framework of VIS4AI and introduces the associated techniques in the two pipelines. It emphasizes the importance of interactive visualization in AI and presents various visualization techniques for different purposes. It also discusses the challenges and opportunities of VIS4AI and proposes several promising research topics for future work, such as improving training data using complementary modalities, online training diagnosis, fitting the dynamic nature of AI systems, and interactively pre-training and adapting foundation models. Overall, this book aims to serve as a resource for researchers and practitioners interested in both visualization and artificial intelligence.
Evolution: Ein Lese-Lehrbuch
by Sabine Begall Jan Zrzavý David Storch Stanislav Mihulka Hynek BurdaDiese ungewöhnlich konzipierte und gestaltete Einführung vermittelt in sehr verständlicher Form einen Überblick über die Grundlagen der Evolution und über die vielfältigen Facetten moderner Evolutionsforschung. Darwins Theorie ist immer noch ihre Grundlage, aber die Evolutionstheorie ist viel umfassender, interessanter und überraschender als die meisten Menschen denken. Das Buch ist erfrischend anders als traditionelle Lehrbücher: mit leichter Feder und doch prägnant geschrieben, von vielen didaktischen Elementen durchsetzt und mit anschaulichen Grafiken illustriert. Alte Fragestellungen werden in neuem Licht präsentiert, neue Konzepte und Sichtweisen nachvollziehbar gemacht. Die Autoren präsentieren die Evolutionsbiologie als eine dynamische Disziplin, die keine Probleme hat, neu entdeckte biologische Phänomene einzubeziehen.Für die 3. Auflage wurde der Text um neue Erkenntnisse und Beispiele aktualisiert, die Kapitel wurden z.T. umstrukturiert und schließen mit take-homemessages ab.
Sustainability in Ground Improvement: The Case of Xanthan Gum Biopolymer (Green Energy and Technology)
by Abdel-Mohsen O. Mohamed Brendan C. O’Kelly Amin SoltaniSustainable soil stabilization solutions aim to maintain a perfect balance between infrastructure performance and the social, economic and ecological processes required to sustain human equity, diversity, and the functionality of natural systems. To this end, biopolymers, either chemically synthesized from biological matter or biosynthesized by living organisms, are exhibiting great promise as a financially competitive and green alternative for conventional calcium-based binders. Recent experimental studies have shown that soils stabilized by polysaccharide-type biopolymers, such as xanthan gum (XG), exhibit a variety of promising physical and mechanical treatments, including improved water-retention capacity, reduced compressibility and hydraulic conductivity, enhanced shear strength, and improved resistance against wind/water erosion. Despite these advancements, the existing literature reveals numerous inconsistencies, and a thorough understanding of the behaviour/properties of XG-treated soils under diverse loading and environmental conditions remains somewhat elusive. More importantly, there remains a notable gap in understanding how different factors affect the interactions between XG and various soil types throughout the processes of mixing, curing, and later environmental exposure. This book represents the first of its kind, offering a comprehensive, fundamental overview of the current state of XG usage for sustainable ground improvement, while also identifying future research directions towards addressing existing gaps in knowledge and application.