An incisive economic and political history of the Panama Canal On August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal officially opened for business, forever changing the face of global trade and military power, as well as the role of the United States on the world stage. The Canal's creation is often seen as an example of U.S. triumphalism, but Noel Maurer and Carlos Yu reveal a more complex story. Examining the Canal's influence on Panama, the United States, and the world, The Big Ditch deftly chronicles the economic and political history of the Canal, from Spain's earliest proposals in 1529 through the final handover of the Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999, to the present day. The authors show that the Canal produced great economic dividends for the first quarter-century following its opening, despite massive cost overruns and delays. Relying on geographical advantage and military might, the United States captured most of these benefits. By the 1970s, however, when the Carter administration negotiated the eventual turnover of the Canal back to Panama, the strategic and economic value of the Canal had disappeared. And yet, contrary to skeptics who believed it was impossible for a fledgling nation plagued by corruption to manage the Canal, when the Panamanians finally had control, they switched the Canal from a public utility to a for-profit corporation, ultimately running it better than their northern patrons. A remarkable tale, The Big Ditch offers vital lessons about the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects, American overseas interventions on institutional development, and the ability of governments to run companies effectively.
After decades of nihilistic rule under Mao Zedong, can legal order be restored in China? How successful is Deng Xiaoping's initiative in developing a socialist legal system? Where is China on its road to the 'rule of law'? This book illustrates - through the analysis of more than two hundred criminal cases selected from Minzhu yu fazhi (Democracy and the Legal System) in the period 1979-89 - that the establishment of a formal criminal justice system and the development of an embryonic socialist theory of law in China reflect a genuine and widespread legal awakening. A rudimentary legal culture has taken hold among Party leaders, cadres, judicial personnel, intellectuals and the general public. Nevertheless, the contradiction between legal order and Party supremacy remains, as demonstrated by the June Fourth incident in Beijing and the ensuing trials of the 1989 dissidents.
The study of higher categories is attracting growing interest for its many applications in topology, algebraic geometry, mathematical physics and category theory. In this highly readable book, Carlos Simpson develops a full set of homotopical algebra techniques and proposes a working theory of higher categories. Starting with a cohesive overview of the many different approaches currently used by researchers, the author proceeds with a detailed exposition of one of the most widely used techniques: the construction of a Cartesian Quillen model structure for higher categories. The fully iterative construction applies to enrichment over any Cartesian model category, and yields model categories for weakly associative n-categories and Segal n-categories. A corollary is the construction of higher functor categories which fit together to form the (n+1)-category of n-categories. The approach uses Tamsamani's definition based on Segal's ideas, iterated as in Pelissier's thesis using modern techniques due to Barwick, Bergner, Lurie and others.
This is a study of visuality in early modern and modern China. Its focus, however, is not so much on imagery per se but rather on how vision itself has been conceived, imagined, and deployed in a variety of discursive contexts. Of particular interest is how these discourses of vision have been used to articulate issues of gender and desire, and specifically processes of gendered subject formation. Through detailed readings of narrative works by eight authors of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—ranging from the canonical to the popular to the esoteric—the study identifies three distinct constellations of visual concerns corresponding to the late imperial, mid-twentieth century, and contemporary periods, respectively. At the same time, however, it argues that those historical periodizations themselves do not reflect a smooth, unidirectional temporal movement; rather, they are the result of a complex process of retrospection and anticipatory projection. The goal of this volume is to use a focus on tropes of visuality and gender to reflect on shifting understandings of the significance of Chineseness, modernity, and Chinese modernity.
This book addresses some essential topics in the science of energy converting devices emphasizing recent aspects of nano-derived materials in the application for the protection of the environment, storage, and energy conversion. The aim, therefore, is to provide the basic background knowledge. The electron transfer process and structure of the electric double layer and the interaction of species with surfaces and the interaction, reinforced by DFT theory for the current and incoming generation of fuel cell scientists to study the interaction of the catalytic centers with their supports. The chief focus of the chapters is on materials based on precious and non-precious centers for the hydrogen electrode, the oxygen electrode, energy storage, and in remediation applications, where the common issue is the rate-determining step in multi-electron charge transfer processes in electrocatalysis. These approaches are used in a large extent in science and technology, so that each chapter demonstrates the connection of electrochemistry, in addition to chemistry, with different areas, namely, surface science, biochemistry, chemical engineering, and chemical physics.
Coupled atmosphere-ocean models are at the core of numerical climate models. There is an extraordinarily broad class of coupled atmosphere-ocean models ranging from sets of equations that can be solved analytically to highly detailed representations of Nature requiring the most advanced computers for execution. The models are applied to subjects including the conceptual understanding of Earth's climate, predictions that support human activities in a variable climate, and projections aimed to prepare society for climate change. The present book fills a void in the current literature by presenting a basic and yet rigorous treatment of how the models of the atmosphere and the ocean are put together into a coupled system. The text of the book is divided into chapters organized according to complexity of the components that are coupled. Two full chapters are dedicated to current efforts on the development of generalist couplers and coupling methodologies all over the world.
Based on an understanding of "home-sickness" as the alienation caused by being too close to home, rather than too far away. Views this "sickness" as a precondition for health, as portrayed by writers in China, Greater China, and the diaspora from late Imperial to contemporary times.
The Crimean Peninsula has a rich and complex environmental history. The Black Sea in particular has had a major impact on nearly all aspects of Crimea's natural and cultural history. Carlos Cordova explains the making of Crimea's natural environment, from its geology and relief to its climate and soils. He explores the rich flora and fauna of the peninsula, including the biogeographical isolation of Crimea, the transformation of the landscape brought about by Mediterranean farmers, as well as Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign, which saw virtually all the steppe turned into cropland. The development of the south coast as a tourist destination and the pollution brought about by agricultural and industrial development are also discussed. This pioneering study represents the first modern work in the English language on the environmental history of a little known but environmentally significant region.
To deal with environmental deterioration and energy crises, developing clean and sustainable energy resources has become the strategic goal of the majority of countries in the global community. Lithium-ion batteries are the modes of power and energy storage in the new energy industry, and are also the main power source of new energy vehicles. State-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) are important indicators to measure whether a battery management system (BMS) is safe and effective. Therefore, this book focuses on the co-estimation strategies of SOC and SOH for power lithium-ion batteries. The book describes the key technologies of lithium-ion batteries in SOC and SOH monitoring and proposes a collaborative optimization estimation strategy based on neural networks (NN), which provide technical references for the design and application of a lithium-ion battery power management system. The theoretical methods in this book will be of interest to scholars and engineers engaged in the field of battery management system research.
The ras Superfamily of GTPases presents the most comprehensive compilation of information available regarding aspects of the putative function of small ras-related GTPases. The book's chapters were written by the world's most prominent scientists in this field and cover such topics as the structure and properties of ras proteins, ras function, the ras superfamily in general, and the functional regulation of ras and ras-related GTPases. The book will benefit cell biologists, oncologists, neurobiologists, molecular biologists, and others interested in the topic.
This book introduces, in an accessible way, the basic elements of Numerical PDE-Constrained Optimization, from the derivation of optimality conditions to the design of solution algorithms. Numerical optimization methods in function-spaces and their application to PDE-constrained problems are carefully presented. The developed results are illustrated with several examples, including linear and nonlinear ones. In addition, MATLAB codes, for representative problems, are included. Furthermore, recent results in the emerging field of nonsmooth numerical PDE constrained optimization are also covered. The book provides an overview on the derivation of optimality conditions and on some solution algorithms for problems involving bound constraints, state-constraints, sparse cost functionals and variational inequality constraints.
The goal of this book is to search for a balance between simple and analyzable models and unsolvable models which are capable of addressing important questions on population biology. Part I focusses on single species simple models including those which have been used to predict the growth of human and animal population in the past. Single population models are, in some sense, the building blocks of more realistic models -- the subject of Part II. Their role is fundamental to the study of ecological and demographic processes including the role of population structure and spatial heterogeneity -- the subject of Part III. This book, which will include both examples and exercises, is of use to practitioners, graduate students, and scientists working in the field.
Battery System Modeling provides advances on the modeling of lithium-ion batteries. Offering step-by-step explanations, the book systematically guides the reader through the modeling of state of charge estimation, energy prediction, power evaluation, health estimation, and active control strategies. Using applications alongside practical case studies, each chapter shows the reader how to use the modeling tools provided. Moreover, the chemistry and characteristics are described in detail, with algorithms provided in every chapter. Providing a technical reference on the design and application of Li-ion battery management systems, this book is an ideal reference for researchers involved in batteries and energy storage. Moreover, the step-by-step guidance and comprehensive introduction to the topic makes it accessible to audiences of all levels, from experienced engineers to graduates. Explains how to model battery systems, including equivalent, electrical circuit and electrochemical nernst modeling Includes comprehensive coverage of battery state estimation methods, including state of charge estimation, energy prediction, power evaluation and health estimation Provides a dedicated chapter on active control strategies
This book concerns the question of how the solution of a system of ODE's varies when the differential equation varies. The goal is to give nonzero asymptotic expansions for the solution in terms of a parameter expressing how some coefficients go to infinity. A particular classof families of equations is considered, where the answer exhibits a new kind of behavior not seen in most work known until now. The techniques include Laplace transform and the method of stationary phase, and a combinatorial technique for estimating the contributions of terms in an infinite series expansion for the solution. Addressed primarily to researchers inalgebraic geometry, ordinary differential equations and complex analysis, the book will also be of interest to applied mathematicians working on asymptotics of singular perturbations and numerical solution of ODE's.
Filling a gap in the health policy literature, author and dental public health specialist Dr. Carlos Quiñonez explores the complexities surrounding Canada’s dental care system and policies, including how they came to be, their consequences, and what they mean for oral health and access to dental care. The Politics of Dental Care in Canada seeks to answer a long standing policy question in Canadian health care: Why is dental care excluded from Canada’s national system of health insurance, Medicare? The text presents a history of dentistry in Canada from the late 19th century onward, outlining how dentistry traversed a developing Canadian welfare state. Dr. Quiñonez explores factors that led to dentistry’s separation from larger movements in health care policy, including moral questions on individual versus social responsibility over health, scientific advances in the field, and prevailing economic uncertainty. Opening with a series introduction by Dr. Dennis Raphael, this vital text offers an extensive overview on how the politics of dental care contributes to inequalities and inequities in oral health. From discussing scientific and public health advances in dentistry to looking at the general nature of oral health care in Canada from an international perspective, this text serves as an important addition to the field of health policy and a foundational resource for courses in dentistry, health studies, and comparative health policy. FEATURES - Comprehensively discusses the current state of Canadian dental care policy, the history and factors that led to the policy, and the resulting outcomes and inequalities - Presents the latest available information on the epidemiology of oral diseases and conditions; the connection between oral health and systemic health; and the organization, financing, and delivery of oral health care in Canada and internationally
Carlos Rojas presents a sweeping survey of the historical and political significance of one of the world’s most recognizable monuments. Although the splendor of the Great Wall has become virtually synonymous with its vast size, the structure’s conceptual coherence is actually grounded on the tenuous and ephemeral stories we tell about it. These stories give life to the Wall and help secure its hold on our collective imagination, while at the same time permitting it to constantly reinvent itself in accordance with the needs of each new era. Through an examination of allusions to the Wall in an eclectic array of texts—ranging from official dynastic histories, elite poetry, and popular folktales, to contemporary tourist testimonials, children’s songs, and avant-garde performance art—this study maps out a provocative new framework for understanding the structure’s function and significance. This volume approaches the Wall through the stories we tell and contends that it is precisely in this cultural history that we may find the Wall’s true meaning, together with the secret of its greatness.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the rapidly developing field of molecular electronics. It focuses on our present understanding of the electrical conduction in single-molecule circuits and provides a thorough introduction to the experimental techniques and theoretical concepts. It will also constitute as the first textbook-like introduction to both the experiment and theory of electronic transport through single atoms and molecules. In this sense, this publication will prove invaluable to both researchers and students interested in the field of nanoelectronics and nanoscience in general. Molecular Electronics is self-contained and unified in its presentation. It may be used as a textbook on nanoelectronics by graduate students and advanced undergraduates studying physics and chemistry. In addition, included are previously unpublished material that will help researchers gain a deeper understanding into the basic concepts involved in the field of molecular electronics.
Multidimensional Lithium-Ion Battery Status Monitoring focuses on equivalent circuit modeling, parameter identification, and state estimation in lithium-ion battery power applications. It explores the requirements of high-power lithium-ion batteries for new energy vehicles and systematically describes the key technologies in core state estimation based on battery equivalent modeling and parameter identification methods of lithium-ion batteries, providing a technical reference for the design and application of power lithium-ion battery management systems. Reviews Li-ion battery characteristics and applications. Covers battery equivalent modeling, including electrical circuit modeling and parameter identification theory Discusses battery state estimation methods, including state of charge estimation, state of energy prediction, state of power evaluation, state of health estimation, and cycle life estimation Introduces equivalent modeling and state estimation algorithms that can be applied to new energy measurement and control in large-scale energy storage Includes a large number of examples and case studies This book has been developed as a reference for researchers and advanced students in energy and electrical engineering.
This volume is an exciting collection of short review articles written by leading international experts on the superconducting state in magnetic fields, a rapidly developing area. The philosophy of the book is to emphasize the importance of having experimental and theoretical works side by side. Every effort has been made to match each experimental article with a corresponding theoretical article. The selection of materials includes special topics, new effects and new trends concerning superconductors in low and high magnetic fields. The special topics and new trends include quantum and classical melting of the vortex lattice, new vortex lattice symmetries, vortex core states, nonlinear Meissner effect, symmetry of the order parameter in high-temperature superconductors, and superconductors in high magnetic fields. The book is targeted at a broad audience, including graduate students, postdocs and other researchers active or interested in this field.
This book aims to evaluate and improve the state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) of automotive lithium-ion batteries. The authors first introduce the basic working principle and dynamic test characteristics of lithium-ion batteries. They present the dynamic transfer model, compare it with the traditional second-order reserve capacity (RC) model, and demonstrate the advantages of the proposed new model. In addition, they propose the chaotic firefly optimization algorithm and demonstrate its effectiveness in improving the accuracy of SOC and SOH estimation through theoretical and experimental analysis. The book will benefit researchers and engineers in the new energy industry and provide students of science and engineering with some innovative aspects of battery modeling.
Awareness of the safety issues of lithium-ion batteries is crucial in the development of new energy technologies, and real-time and high-precision State of Energy (SOE) estimation is not only a prerequisite for battery safety, but also serves as the basis for predicting the remaining driving range of electric vehicles and aircrafts. In order to achieve real-time and accurate estimation of the energy state of lithium-ion batteries, this book improves the calculation method of the open-circuit voltage in the traditional second-order RC equivalent circuit model. It also combines a fuzzy controller and a dual-weighted multi-innovation algorithm to optimize the traditional Centralized Kalman Filter (CKF) algorithm in terms of the aspects of convergence speed, estimation accuracy, and algorithm robustness. This enables the precise estimation of SOE and the maximum available energy. The content of this book provides theoretical support for the development of new energy initiatives.
Formal Languages and Applications" provides an overall course-aid and self-study material for graduates students and researchers in formal language theory and its applications. The main results and techniques are presented in an easily accessible way accompanied with many references and directions for further research. This carefully edited monograph is intended to be the gate to formal language theory and its applications and is very useful as a general source of information in formal language theory.
This book presents advances in character recognition, and it consists of 12 chapters that cover wide range of topics on different aspects of character recognition. Hopefully, this book will serve as a reference source for academic research, for professionals working in the character recognition field and for all interested in the subject.
This book provides the state of the art of the investigation and the in-depth analysis of hydraulic conductivity from the theoretical to semi-empirical models perspective as well as policy development associated with management of land resources emanating from drainage-problem soils. A group of international experts contributed to the development of this book. It is envisaged that this thought provoking book will excite and appeal to academics, engineers, researchers and University students who seek to explore the breadth and in-depth knowledge about hydraulic conductivity. Investigation into hydraulic conductivity is important to the understanding of the movement of solutes and water in the terrestrial environment. Transport of these fluids has various implications on the ecology and quality of environment and subsequently sustenance of livelihoods of the increasing world population. In particular, water flow in the vadose zone is of fundamental importance to geoscientists, soil scientists, hydrogeologists and hydrologists and allied professionals.
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