Mechanics of Microsystems Alberto Corigliano, Raffaele Ardito, Claudia Comi, Attilio Frangi, Aldo Ghisi and Stefano Mariani, Politecnico di Milano, Italy A mechanical approach to microsystems, covering fundamental concepts including MEMS design, modelling and reliability Mechanics of Microsystems takes a mechanical approach to microsystems and covers fundamental concepts including MEMS design, modelling and reliability. The book examines the mechanical behaviour of microsystems from a ‘design for reliability’ point of view and includes examples of applications in industry. Mechanics of Microsystems is divided into two main parts. The first part recalls basic knowledge related to the microsystems behaviour and offers an overview on microsystems and fundamental design and modelling tools from a mechanical point of view, together with many practical examples of real microsystems. The second part covers the mechanical characterization of materials at the micro-scale and considers the most important reliability issues (fracture, fatigue, stiction, damping phenomena, etc) which are fundamental to fabricate a real working device. Key features: Provides an overview of MEMS, with special focus on mechanical-based Microsystems and reliability issues. Includes examples of applications in industry. Accompanied by a website hosting supplementary material. The book provides essential reading for researchers and practitioners working with MEMS, as well as graduate students in mechanical, materials and electrical engineering.
The book discusses the main issues of coordination in complex sociotechnical systems, covering distributed, self-organising, and pervasive systems. A chemistry-inspired model of coordination, a situated architecture and coordination language, and a cognitive model of interaction are the ingredients of the Molecules of Knowledge (MoK) model for self-organisation of knowledge presented in this book. The MoK technology is discussed, along with some case studies in the fields of collaborative systems, academic research, and citizen journalism. The target audience includes researchers and practitioners in the field of complex software systems engineering. The book is also appropriate for graduate and late undergraduate students in computer science and engineering.
This Special Issue "Multi-Agent Systems" gathers original research articles reporting results on the steadily growing area of agent-oriented computing and multi-agent systems technologies. After more than 20 years of academic research on multi-agent systems (MASs), in fact, agent-oriented models and technologies have been promoted as the most suitable candidates for the design and development of distributed and intelligent applications in complex and dynamic environments. With respect to both their quality and range, the papers in this Special Issue already represent a meaningful sample of the most recent advancements in the field of agent-oriented models and technologies. In particular, the 17 contributions cover agent-based modeling and simulation, situated multi-agent systems, socio-technical multi-agent systems, and semantic technologies applied to multi-agent systems. In fact, it is surprising to witness how such a limited portion of MAS research already highlights the most relevant usage of agent-based models and technologies, as well as their most appreciated characteristics. We are thus confident that the readers of Applied Sciences will be able to appreciate the growing role that MASs will play in the design and development of the next generation of complex intelligent systems. This Special Issue has been converted into a yearly series, for which a new call for papers is already available at the Applied Sciences journal’s website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Multi-Agent_Systems_2019.
This Special Issue "Multi-Agent Systems" gathers original research articles reporting results on the steadily growing area of agent-oriented computing and multi-agent systems technologies. After more than 20 years of academic research on multi-agent systems (MASs), in fact, agent-oriented models and technologies have been promoted as the most suitable candidates for the design and development of distributed and intelligent applications in complex and dynamic environments. With respect to both their quality and range, the papers in this Special Issue already represent a meaningful sample of the most recent advancements in the field of agent-oriented models and technologies. In particular, the 17 contributions cover agent-based modeling and simulation, situated multi-agent systems, socio-technical multi-agent systems, and semantic technologies applied to multi-agent systems. In fact, it is surprising to witness how such a limited portion of MAS research already highlights the most relevant usage of agent-based models and technologies, as well as their most appreciated characteristics. We are thus confident that the readers of Applied Sciences will be able to appreciate the growing role that MASs will play in the design and development of the next generation of complex intelligent systems. This Special Issue has been converted into a yearly series, for which a new call for papers is already available at the Applied Sciences journal's website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Multi-Agent_Systems_2019.
This book provides an update on pediatric neurological disorders with cerebellar involvement. The opening section of the volume is dedicated to the structure and function of cerebellum: the specific development of the cerebellum, unlike other structures of the central nervous system, begins at a later stage of foetal development and lasts longer, even after birth, thus making the cerebellum particularly vulnerable to a wide range of insults, both genetic and acquired. Of particular interest are chapters that focus on cerebellar disorders, which may occur in isolation, or else as part of more complex malformations of the posterior fossa or in association with other supratentorial anomalies. Such conditions may be encountered both as part of ‘static’ congenital encephalopathies as well as in the frame of neurodegenerative or neurometabolic disorders. The recent advances in neuroimaging and genetics have enabled us to characterize and define the genetic basis of an increasing number of paediatric cerebellar disorders. The last part of the volume is dedicated to care and rehabilitation in cerebellar diseases : their correct diagnosis is pivotal in order to address patients to the appropriate genetic testing, plan clinical management and therapeutic strategies, and provide adequate genetic counselling.
Nuclear medicine is a medical imaging specialty involving the use of radioactive compounds for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. As a medical branch, it is considered part of Diagnostic Imaging, but differs substantially from Radiology with respect to the source of the radiation made visible by the diagnostic devices. Nuclear medicine adopts also some types of radioactive emissions for therapeutic purposes, allowing the employment of the metabolic properties of the radiopharmaceuticals for the cure of certain clinical conditions and malignant diseases. Nuclear medicine is a relatively recent discipline and owes its origins to the discovery of natural radioactivity and the development of the first instruments for medical diagnostics. From the introduction of the first gamma camera of Anger, the technology has greatly improved. The evolution has led to the development of SPECT and PET technology and in the recent years to the introduction of hybrid tomographs allowing the combination in one session of both functional and morphological images. The purpose of this textbook is to illustrate synthetically the principals of nuclear medicine diagnostics, with reference both to the technical part and main clinical indications. The booklet is addressed primarily to the degree courses for technologists, but can be reasonably used in other courses and medical training programs where there is necessity for relatively simple, yet complete and clinically relevant concepts of nuclear medicine discipline. As a complement, the manuscript will end with a dedicated section summarizing some concepts of nuclear medicine therapy.
Rather than categorizing vulvar disorders by standard classifications such as neoplastic, inflammatory, or infective, this book describes the disorders by key presenting symptoms-such as erythema, bullae, plaques, cysts, or ulcers. This approach allows clinicians to quickly formulate a correct diagnosis. Vulval Dermatologic Diagnosis: Diagnosis by
A comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the economics of the production, distribution, and consumption of wine. Wine economics is a growing subfield that examines the economics of the production, distribution, and consumption of wine. In this book, Stefano Castriota takes a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the study of wine economics, drawing on literature from industrial organization, welfare economics, economic policy, political economy, management, finance, health economics, law, and criminology.
The book discusses the main issues of coordination in complex sociotechnical systems, covering distributed, self-organising, and pervasive systems. A chemistry-inspired model of coordination, a situated architecture and coordination language, and a cognitive model of interaction are the ingredients of the Molecules of Knowledge (MoK) model for self-organisation of knowledge presented in this book. The MoK technology is discussed, along with some case studies in the fields of collaborative systems, academic research, and citizen journalism. The target audience includes researchers and practitioners in the field of complex software systems engineering. The book is also appropriate for graduate and late undergraduate students in computer science and engineering.
Mechanics of Microsystems Alberto Corigliano, Raffaele Ardito, Claudia Comi, Attilio Frangi, Aldo Ghisi and Stefano Mariani, Politecnico di Milano, Italy A mechanical approach to microsystems, covering fundamental concepts including MEMS design, modelling and reliability Mechanics of Microsystems takes a mechanical approach to microsystems and covers fundamental concepts including MEMS design, modelling and reliability. The book examines the mechanical behaviour of microsystems from a ‘design for reliability’ point of view and includes examples of applications in industry. Mechanics of Microsystems is divided into two main parts. The first part recalls basic knowledge related to the microsystems behaviour and offers an overview on microsystems and fundamental design and modelling tools from a mechanical point of view, together with many practical examples of real microsystems. The second part covers the mechanical characterization of materials at the micro-scale and considers the most important reliability issues (fracture, fatigue, stiction, damping phenomena, etc) which are fundamental to fabricate a real working device. Key features: Provides an overview of MEMS, with special focus on mechanical-based Microsystems and reliability issues. Includes examples of applications in industry. Accompanied by a website hosting supplementary material. The book provides essential reading for researchers and practitioners working with MEMS, as well as graduate students in mechanical, materials and electrical engineering.
The formulation of Maxwell’s equations completely defines the connection between the electric field and the magnetic field, definitively unifying electricity and magnetism and at the same time providing a theoretical synthesis of all the experimental phenomena connected to these areas. In his revolutionary 1864 memoir where J.C. Maxwell presented his equations, he cites a handful of scientists, which were at the basis of his Theory. This book, in its first part, presents an insight on all these latter scientists, reconstructing the scientific network behind Maxwell’s unification and, in the second part, focuses on the Italians in such a network: Ottaviano Fabrizio Mossotti and Riccardo Felici, with a further insight on the connections between Maxwell and Italy and, in particular, Tuscany.
This volume introduces university students and scholars of Near Eastern archaeology to 'Building archaeology' methods as applied to the context of Ancient Mesopotamia. It helps the reader understand the principles underlying this discipline and to realise what knowledge and skills are needed, beyond those that are specific to archaeologists.
Plant neurobiology is a newly emerging field of plant sciences. It covers signalling and communication at all levels of biological organization – from molecules up to ecological communities. In this book, plants are presented as intelligent and social organisms with complex forms of communication and information processing. Authors from diverse backgrounds such as molecular and cellular biology, electrophysiology, as well as ecology treat the most important aspects of plant communication, including the plant immune system, abilities of plants to recognize self, signal transduction, receptors, plant neurotransmitters and plant neurophysiology. Further, plants are able to recognize the identity of herbivores and organize the defence responses accordingly. The similarities in animal and plant neuronal/immune systems are discussed too. All these hidden aspects of plant life and behaviour will stimulate further intense investigations in order to understand the communicative plants in their whole complexity.
A scholarly, easy to read book tracing Mary's presence in the Old Testament, through prophecies, figures and symbols, to Mary's role in the New Testament, where we see the many instances and places where Mary is found working beside her Divine Son. A clear, concise exposition (all Biblical) which shows clearly Marys place in the economy of Salvation. The author is well known in Italy for his scholarship and leadership in founding the Franciscans of the Immaculate. PROD ID: AIB-AG001, 393 pp, sewn softcover.
This book pursues an interdisciplinary approach to studying family firms as a particular type of business strongly embedded in the territories in which they are located. Featuring an in-depth analysis of original research, the book employs both theoretical and empirical approaches to explore family firms and their relationships with their home territories. The book shows that family firms have unique bonds with their local areas, and these bonds profoundly shape their decision-making and outcomes. The book addresses two research questions, namely, how the connections between family firms and their home territories originate and develop, and how they influence firms’ economic performance and their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Uniquely, it seeks to develop an integrated framework that brings together family firms, local contexts, and places while also presenting new empirical evidence of relevance to scholars, managers, and policymakers alike. In addition, the book responds to the need for a greater understanding of what anchors entrepreneurial families to their home territories and the conditioning effect of local roots on such firms’ behavior.
Cicero was not only a great Roman politician, lawyer and orator: he also dealt extensively with philosophy, which he believed constituted the surest foundation for his commitment to civic affairs. Not limiting himself to the translation of previous philosophical thought, he critically addressed central theoretical questions, and thereby made a lasting impact on Roman intellectual life. This book offers a modern guide to interpretations of Cicero’s philosophical studies, one that ranges across his numerous philosophical works. Addressed to students and scholars of ancient philosophy, and to interested readers in the humanities more generally, the volume aims to break down the boundaries between the philosophical, literary and linguistic dimensions of Cicero’s highly influential oeuvre. Stefano Maso is a full professor in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Ca’ Foscari – Venice. Among his books are: Grasp and Dissent: Cicero and Epicurean Philosophy (Brepols 2015); Epicurus on Eidola: Peri Phuseos Book II. Update, Proposals, and Discussions (ed. with F. Masi, Hakkert 2015). He is co-editor of “Lexis. Poetica, retorica e comunicazione nella tradizione classica”.
Speakers and learners, based on memory and experience, implicitly know that certain language elements naturally pair together. However, they also understand, through abstract and frequency-independent categories, why some combinations are possible and others are not. The frequency-grammar interface (FGI) bridges these two types of information in human cognition. Due to this interface, the sediment of statistical calculations over the order, distribution, and associations of items (the regularities) and the computation over the abstract principles that allow these items to join together (the rules) are brought together in a speaker’s competence, feeding into one another and eventually becoming superposed. In this volume, it is argued that a specific subset of both first and second language grammar (termed ‘combinatorial grammar’) is both innate and learned. While not derived from language usage, combinatorial grammar is continuously recalibrated by usage throughout a speaker’s life. In the domain of combinatorial grammar, both generative and usage-based theories are correct, each shedding light on just one component of the two that are necessary for any language to function: rules and regularities.
This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. This book introduces a systematic framework for understanding and investigating lexical variation, using a distributional semantics approach. Distributional semantics embodies the idea that the context in which a word occurs reveals the meaning of that word. In contemporary corpus linguistics, that idea takes shape in various types of quantitative analysis of the corpus contexts in which words appear. In this book, the authors explore how count-based token-level semantic vector spaces, as an advanced form of such a quantitative methodology, can be applied to the study of polysemy, lexical variation, and lectometry. What can distributional models reveal about meaning? How can they be used to analyse the semantic relationship between near-synonyms, and to identify strict synonymy? How can they contribute to the study of lexical variation as a sociolinguistic variable, and to the use of those variables to measure convergence or divergence between language varieties? To answer these questions, the book presents a comprehensive model of lexical and semantic variation, based on the combination of a semasiological, an onomasiological, and a lectal dimension. It explains the mechanism of distributional modelling, both informally and technically, and introduces workflows and corpus linguistic tools that implement a distributional perspective in lexical research. Combining a cognitive linguistic interest in meaning with a sociolinguistic interest in variation, the authors illustrate this distributional methodology using case studies of Dutch and Spanish lexical data that focus on the detection of polysemy, the interaction of semasiological and onomasiological change, and sociolinguistic issues of lexical standardization and pluricentricity. Throughout, they highlight both the advantages and disadvantages of a distributional methodology: on the one hand, it has great potential to be scaled up for lexical research; on the other, its outcome does not necessarily neatly correspond with what would traditionally be considered different senses.
Examining the role of the much-vaunted concepts of regional clusters in the prosperity and economic expansion of countries, this work looks at the different experiences of industrial districts and high-tech regions such as Silicon Valley, Boston's biotech region, and Hsinchu-Taipei.
If observed from an objective, epistemological standpoint, medicine is not a science, at least not in its own right. The most important, key feature missing is repeatability, which makes the doctor’s job extremely difficult. Doctors are not scientists but are called upon to use the results of scientific research every day. Therefore, they must keep themselves updated, distinguish what is worth extricating from a huge amount of literature and use the data exclusively in the patients’ interest. To be effective, medicine must start from a correct, full understanding of problems, but particulate pollution leads to too many wrong diagnoses. This book, written by the discoverers of nanopathology, is the most advanced in the field. It focuses on how natural, occasionally generated, engineered particles interfere with living organisms, food, drugs and the environment. It represents a bridge between environmental pollution and its impact on human/animal/plant health. Also unique is its new bioengineering-interdisciplinary approach to medicine and solving pathologies of unknown aetiology. It is a valuable aid for medical doctors in their diagnoses of pathologies triggered by nanoparticles internalized in the human/animal/plant body. They will find solutions to some hardly understandable symptoms which some patients report.
Knowledge integration - the purposeful combination of specialized and complementary knowledge to achieve specific tasks - is becoming increasingly important for organizations facing rapidly changing institutional environments, globalized markets, and fast-paced technological developments. The need for knowledge integration is driven by knowledge specialization and its geographic and organizational distribution in the global economy. The increasing complexity and relevance of the knowledge integration problem is apparent in emerging new fields of research, such as open innovation, or the merging of existing ones, e.g. organizational learning and strategy. In global competition, the successful management of knowledge integration underpins firms' ability to innovate, generate profit, grow and, ultimately, survive. This book provides conceptual contributions as well as empirical studies that examine knowledge integration essentially as a 'boundary' problem. Knowledge integration becomes a problem when boundaries between knowledge fields, and the institutions that preside over those fields, are not clear, or become fluid and contestable. This fluidity, and the competitive pressures this fluidity generates, are persistent and permanent features of the world we live in. This book puts forward a consistent set of ideas, methods and tools useful to interpret, analyze and act upon the processes of knowledge integration across boundaries.
This book highlights the importance of investigating for ADHD in adults with attention difficulties, poor memory and executive function impairments. The authors advocate a neurodevelopmental assessment approach in all phases of life, and explain how to perform such assessments. The identification of ADHD in adults with other psychiatric and neurological disorders will lead to a better response to treatments, and as a result reduce its social, economic and personal burden. ADHD can no longer be considered solely a pediatric condition, as it occurs in a significant proportion of adults worldwide. However, ADHD in adults is often unrecognized and untreated. Diagnosing the disorder in adulthood is a challenge, due not only to the different clinical presentation in this phase of life, but also to the fact that other conditions may mask the symptoms. ADHD constitutes a hidden comorbidity with a detrimental impact of those affected, and a poor response (or even non-response) to several treatments. Intended for psychiatrists, neurologists, specialists in gerontology and neuropsychology, this book is an indispensable resource for all mental health practitioners who want to optimize the treatment of patients affected by psychiatric and neurological disorders who respond poorly to standard treatments.
Green Obsession traces the long path that architect Stefano Boeri and his studio - Stefano Boeri Architetti - have followed in the last fifteen years of practice, aiming at the redefinition of the relationship between city and nature. The book follows a discursive thread, alternating dialogues and scientific essays by some of the main protagonists who have contributed to widening the perspective on this subject, helping to raise awareness while protecting the world and its biodiversity. Cities have contributed for centuries to the promotion of some of humanity’s greatest ideas, we must now urgently include them as among the principal players in the environmental debate and at the forefront of any policy tackling and countering – possibly reversing - climate change. Nevertheless, even today one of the most significant technologies capable of absorbing CO2 and restoring our environment is photosynthesis. Planting trees, in addition to protecting existing natural areas and biodiversity, together with de-carbonization, renewable energies, digitalization, smart mobility and the circular economy could be the set of strategies necessary to tackle climate change. Today the effects of the Anthropocene age are ever more visible, changing our environment and affecting every species that lives within it. Green Obsession offers a path to be taken, a hard but still necessary paradigm shift – even for architecture and urbanism – that aims to give a voice to this much needed ecological transition. This book aims to unveil the processes and the complexity involved in the search for a new kind of urbanism, while raising questions and opening old wounds related to the relationship between the human species and Nature and finally putting these fragments together to create a portrait of our era. We need to conceive cities as new green catalysts. Now more than ever, it is essential to act together as separate individuals and professionals, joining the cause as members of the global community with a shared environmental strategy. We all have to open the era of a new alliance between Nature and City. With Contributions from Emanuele Coccia, Jane Goodall, Paul Hawken, Cecil Konijnendijk, David Miller, Harini Nagendra, Giuseppe Sala and Giorgio Vacchiano.
Featuring contributions from leading sociologists and anthropologists, and presenting the findings of empirical research from a range of European countries, this book provides a discussion on the production and/or reproduction of Islamic knowledge and gives a new perspective on Islam and Muslims in Europe.
This unique and up-to-date work surveys the use of mechatronics in rail vehicles, notably traction, braking, communications, data sharing, and control. The results include improved safety, comfort, and fuel efficiency. Mechatronic systems are a key element in modern rail vehicle design and operation. Starting with an overview of mechatronic theory, the book covers such topics as modeling of mechanical and electrical systems for rail vehicles, open and closed loop control systems, sensors, actuators, and microprocessors. Modern simulation techniques and examples are included throughout the book. Numerical experiments and developed models for railway application are presented and explained. Case studies are used, alongside practical examples, to ensure that the reader can apply mechatronic theory to real world conditions. These case studies include modeling of a hybrid locomotive and simplified models of railway vehicle lateral dynamics for suspension control studies. Rail Vehicle Mechatronics provides current and in-depth content for design engineers, operations managers, systems engineers, and technical consultants working with freight, passenger, and urban transit railway systems worldwide.
Discover the rich history and culture of some of the world¿s most influential historical places with these highly illustrated books, packed with informative and enlightening descriptions and information
A provocative and entertaining look at the mafia, the media, and the (un)making of Italian Americans. As evidenced in countless films, novels, and television portrayals, the Mafia has maintained an enduring hold on the American cultural imagination--even as it continues to wrongly color our real-life perception of Italian Americans. In An Offer We Can't Refuse, George De Stefano takes a close look at the origins and prevalence of the Mafia mythos in America. Beginning with a consideration of Italian emigration in the early twentieth century and the fear and prejudice--among both Americans and Italians--that informed our earliest conception of what was at the time the largest immigrant group to enter the United States, De Stefano explores how these impressions laid the groundwork for the images so familiar to us today and uses them to illuminate and explore the variety and allure of Mafia stories--from Coppola's romanticized paeans to Scorsese's bloody realism to the bourgeois world of David Chase's Sopranos--while discussing the cultural richness often contained in these works. De Stefano addresses the lingering power of the goodfella cliché and the lamentable extent to which it is embedded in our consciousness, making it all but impossible to green-light a project about the Italian American experience not set in gangland. "Invites Italian-Americans of all backgrounds to the family table to discuss how mob-related movies and television shows have affected the very notion of what their heritage still means in the 21st century." -- Allen Barra, The New York Sun
Biodiesel production is a rapidly advancing field worldwide, with biodiesel fuel increasingly being used in compression ignition (diesel) engines. Biodiesel has been extensively studied and utilised in developed countries, and it is increasingly being introduced in developing countries, especially in regions with high potential for sustainable biodiesel production. Initial sections systematically review feedstock resources and vegetable oil formulations, including the economics of vegetable oil conversion to diesel fuel, with additional coverage of emerging energy crops for biodiesel production. Further sections review the transesterification process, including chemical (catalysis) and biochemical (biocatalysis) processes, with extended coverage of industrial process technology and control methods, and standards for biodiesel fuel quality assurance. Final chapters cover the sustainability, performance and environmental issues of biodiesel production, as well as routes to improve glycerol by-product usage and the development of next-generation products. Biodiesel science and technology: From soil to oil provides a comprehensive reference to fuel engineers, researchers and academics on the technological developments involved in improving biodiesel quality and production capacity that are crucial to the future of the industry. Evaluates biodiesel as a renewable energy source and documents global biodiesel development The outlook for biodiesel science and technology is presented exploring the challenges faced by the global diesel industry Reviews feedstock resources and vegetable oil formation including emerging crops and the agronomic potential of underexploited oil crops
This monograph discusses the mechanics of Meandering Rivers with the help of the mathematical and modeling tools built up in the previous monograph of the same Authors (monograph 1 of the present series). After introducing the reader to the ubiquitous character of meandering streams, we discuss the hydrodynamics of curved channels with fixed beds and banks. Next, we extend the analysis to account for the mobile character of the bed and show that it gives rise to the alternate sequence of riffles and pools that characterize river meanders. Allowing for the erodible character of the river banks then allows to build up a rational theory of meander formation able to explain most of the features observed in nature: meander growth, migration, skewing, multiple loops, cutoffs and meander belts.
Italian Americans made a significant contribution to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to the White House in 1932 and to the victory of the Democratic Party in the four subsequent presidential contests. This volume offers a case study of their electoral behavior. Through a quantitative analysis of the Italian-American vote between 1916 and 1948, this study demonstrates that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the creation of a Democratic majority in the Little Italy of Providence foreran both Alfred Smith's 1928 candidacy for the presidency and the Depression of the 1930s. War II and underwent a revitalization in the postwar years. Political recognition and patronage were so central to Italian Americans' party choice that their support for the Democratic Party reached a climax when a member of the community, John Pastore, ran for governor on the Democratic ticket in the mid 1940s. Stefano Luconi teaches the History of North America at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Florence.
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