This book gives an outline of the developments of differential geometry and topology in the twentieth century, especially those which will be closely related to new discoveries in theoretical physics.
Innate and adaptive immunity play important roles in immunosurveillance and tumor destruction. However, increasing evidence suggests that tumor-infiltrating immune cells may have a dual function: inhibiting or promoting tumor growth and progression. Although regulatory T (Treg) cells induce immune tolerance by suppressing host immune responses against self- or non self-antigens, thus playing critical roles in preventing autoimmune diseases, they might inhibit antitumor immunity and promote tumor growth. Recent studies demonstrate that elevated proportions of Treg cells are present in various types of cancers and suppress antitumor immunity. Furthermore, tumor-specific Treg cells can inhibit immune responses only when they are exposed to antigens presented by tumor cells. Therefore, Treg cells at tumor sites have detrimental effects on immunotherapy directed to cancer.
This thesis presents research focusing on the improvement of high-resolution global black carbon (BC) emission inventory and application in assessing the population exposure to ambient BC. A particular focus of the thesis is on the construction of a high-resolution (both spatial and sectorial) fuel consumption database, which is used to develop the emission inventory of black carbon. Above all, the author updates the global emission inventory of black carbon, a resource subsequently used to study the atmospheric transport of black carbon over Asia with the help of a high-resolution nested model. The thesis demonstrates that spatial bias in fuel consumption and BC emissions can be reduced by means of the sub-national disaggregation approach. Using the inventory and nested model, ambient BC concentrations can be better validated against observations. Lastly, it provides a complete uncertainty analysis of global black carbon emissions, and this uncertainty is taken into account in the atmospheric modeling, helping to better understand the role of black carbon in regional and global air pollution.
Extremal Optimization: Fundamentals, Algorithms, and Applications introduces state-of-the-art extremal optimization (EO) and modified EO (MEO) solutions from fundamentals, methodologies, and algorithms to applications based on numerous classic publications and the authors’ recent original research results. It promotes the movement of EO from academic study to practical applications. The book covers four aspects, beginning with a general review of real-world optimization problems and popular solutions with a focus on computational complexity, such as "NP-hard" and the "phase transitions" occurring on the search landscape. Next, it introduces computational extremal dynamics and its applications in EO from principles, mechanisms, and algorithms to the experiments on some benchmark problems such as TSP, spin glass, Max-SAT (maximum satisfiability), and graph partition. It then presents studies on the fundamental features of search dynamics and mechanisms in EO with a focus on self-organized optimization, evolutionary probability distribution, and structure features (e.g., backbones), which are based on the authors’ recent research results. Finally, it discusses applications of EO and MEO in multiobjective optimization, systems modeling, intelligent control, and production scheduling. The authors present the advanced features of EO in solving NP-hard problems through problem formulation, algorithms, and simulation studies on popular benchmarks and industrial applications. They also focus on the development of MEO and its applications. This book can be used as a reference for graduate students, research developers, and practical engineers who work on developing optimization solutions for those complex systems with hardness that cannot be solved with mathematical optimization or other computational intelligence, such as evolutionary computations.
As one of the largest families within the Caridea, the Alpheidae have attracted much attention for its species richness, especially on coral reefs. The Alpheidae are one of the most abundant decapods in tropical and subtropical areas, with 48 genera and more than 700 known species. The Alpheidae present a particular challenge in terms of both taxonomy and systematics as they are difficult to identify (some species vary in their growth and there are often large differences between the sexes). Traditional, morphology-based research on the Alpheidae still plays an important role in identifying species, compared with new methods, such as the short gene sequences. Based on more than 2000 specimens collected from the China Seas, this book describes and clearly illustrates 146 species belonging to 16 genera of the Alpheidae. It also presents the key features of every genus and every species within every genus, to enable readers to easily identify the alphid shrimps of the China Seas.
Not only did she transcend over to become a dog, but she was even a dying dog who was missing a leg. Just what sort of heaven angering thing had she done that made her so unlucky!? It wasn't easy for her to become a human again. In the end, it was her parents who couldn't protect her grandfather, or her grandma, or the weak chicken that didn't love her. No, she was just a weak girl! What about the promised life!? This was simply a history of deceit! How could she, a distinguished prodigy, accept her fate so easily? Impossible! To start from scratch, to fight against relatives of the highest quality, to abuse dregs, to beat up bad people ... How dare he stop her from getting rich? Then ... Close the door and let the dog go!
Not only did she transcend over to become a dog, but she was even a dying dog who was missing a leg. Just what sort of heaven angering thing had she done that made her so unlucky!? It wasn't easy for her to become a human again. In the end, it was her parents who couldn't protect her grandfather, or her grandma, or the weak chicken that didn't love her. No, she was just a weak girl! What about the promised life!? This was simply a history of deceit! How could she, a distinguished prodigy, accept her fate so easily? Impossible! To start from scratch, to fight against relatives of the highest quality, to abuse dregs, to beat up bad people ... How dare he stop her from getting rich? Then ... Close the door and let the dog go!
Contemporary Asian society is marked by social processes associated with the loss of stable economic growth and high employment; family structures capable of caring for family members in need; and governmental economic and political competence. Post-financial crisis job uncertainty and income and labor market polarization have become important issue in Asian societies. Family structures are viewed as have been weakened, with a corresponding rise in divorce and domestic violence. Trust in the government is in decline. Against this backdrop it is timely to review three critical issues: 1) policies addressing work-related risks and socio-economic security; 2) changes regarding the structure and stability of families; and 3) issues concerning governance in times of weakened state capacity, declining trust, and the emergence of new politics. Containing chapters written by international scholars, this book introduces the concepts and theoretical approaches of risk and risk and governance and places them within the context of Asian societies.
Not only did she transcend over to become a dog, but she was even a dying dog who was missing a leg. Just what sort of heaven angering thing had she done that made her so unlucky!? It wasn't easy for her to become a human again. In the end, it was her parents who couldn't protect her grandfather, or her grandma, or the weak chicken that didn't love her. No, she was just a weak girl! What about the promised life!? This was simply a history of deceit! How could she, a distinguished prodigy, accept her fate so easily? Impossible! To start from scratch, to fight against relatives of the highest quality, to abuse dregs, to beat up bad people ... How dare he stop her from getting rich? Then ... Close the door and let the dog go!
In the past few decades, societies in Asia have experienced rapid and dramatic changes in their economic, social and political spheres. Despite the wide diversity among these countries, a few general trends can be observed. Globalization has swept across Asia, bringing intensive economic interactions, with a strong commitment to liberalism and market capitalism. Wage labour has become the common form of employment. Individuals, as well as countries, are increasingly exposed to the competitive and uncertain global market. Employment protection, particularly for vulnerable labour groups – youth, women, seniors and migrants – has become a pressing issue for most Asian governments. Industrialization and urbanization have had a major impact on demographics, family structures and normative frameworks. The declining fertility rate has been recognized as a defining feature of a modern society, leading to small families and reducing instances of multi-generational co-residency. Changing family structures have contributed to changes in family values and roles, especially the role of women. Sometimes willingly, sometimes compelled, women are entering the workplace in increasing numbers, particularly as migrant workers. Similarly, the elderly are experiencing changes in their roles and participation in society. Family duties compete, and are often in conflict with, the demands of work. The issue of providing adequate and quality care to family members has been exacerbated by the fact that Asian societies are ageing. It is commonly acknowledged that, in Asian societies, personal care and support needs are primarily met by family – both immediate and extended – and, to a lesser degree, by community networks. Governments had gradually established their own social welfare systems in an effort to support economic growth and sustain their legitimacy by meeting certain recognized social needs. The success of these ventures varies across societies, and, naturally, there have been criticisms of the breadth and depth of these provisions. This book addresses social issues related to family, ageing and work that arise from these changes in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Philippine and Sri Lanka. These societies represent different levels of economic and social development, but face similar challenges and their social interventions can be usefully compared. This variety of subjects provides the reader with a more comprehensive understanding of the changes that have occurred, the problems that have emerged and the strategies that have been adopted. This volume provides insight into ways of addressing social issues in this rapidly changing part of the world.
This book systematically presents 40 pests, 7 natural pest enemies, and 20 diseases and weeds commonly encountered in sugarcane production, combining clear colour photos with detailed scientific descriptions. It covers a range of related topics, including morphological identification, habits and frequency of occurrence, prevention and control measures, symptom identification, characteristics of infections and epidemics, parasitic (predator) characteristics, ways of utilising natural pest enemies, main species and distribution, fluctuation in the field, and chemical control of weeds. With novel content presented in simple, straightforward language, the book provides a valuable reference guide for scientific researchers, educators and industrial practitioners, as well as students and advisers at agricultural universities.
Axial Flux Permanent Magnet (AFPM) brushless machines are modern electrical machines with a lot of advantages over their conventional counterparts. This timeless and revised second edition deals with the analysis, construction, design, control and applications of AFPM machines. The authors present their own research results, as well as significant research contributions made by others.
Ch. 1. Introduction -- ch. 2. Basic knowledge on classical sets. 2.1. Classical sets and set inclusion. 2.2. Set operations. 2.3. Set sequences and set classes. 2.4. Set classes closed under set operations. 2.5. Relations, posets, and lattices. 2.6. The supremum and infimum of real number sets -- ch. 3. Fuzzy sets. 3.1. The membership functions of fuzzy sets. 3.2. Inclusion and operations of fuzzy sets. 3.3. [symbol]-cuts. 3.4. Convex fuzzy sets. 3.5. Decomposition theorems. 3.6. The extension principle. 3.7. Interval numbers. 3.8. Fuzzy numbers and linguistic attribute. 3.9. Binary operations for fuzzy numbers. 3.10. Fuzzy integers -- ch. 4. Set functions. 4.1. Weights and classical measures. 4.2. Extension of measures. 4.3. Monotone measures. 4.4. [symbol]-measures. 4.5. Quasi-measures. 4.6. Mobius and zeta transformations. 4.7. Belief measures and plausibility measures. 4.8. Necessity measures and possibility measures. 4.9. k-interactive measures. 4.10. Efficiency measures and signed efficiency measures -- ch. 5. Integrations. 5.1. Measurable functions. 5.2. The Riemann integral. 5.3. The Lebesgue-Like integral. 5.4. The Choquet integral. 5.5. Upper and lower integrals. 5.6. r-integrals on finite spaces -- ch. 6. Information fusion. 6.1. Information sources and observations. 6.2. Integrals used as aggregation tools. 6.3. Uncertainty associated with set functions. 6.4. The inverse problem of information fusion -- ch. 7. Optimization and soft computing. 7.1. Basic concepts of optimization. 7.2. Genetic algorithms. 7.3. Pseudo gradient search. 7.4. A hybrid search method -- ch. 8. Identification of set functions. 8.1. Identification of [symbol]-measures. 8.2. Identification of belief measures. 8.3. Identification of monotone measures. 8.4. Identification of signed efficiency measures by a genetic algorithm. 8.5. Identification of signed efficiency measures by the pseudo gradient. 8.6. Identification of signed efficiency measures based on the Choquet integral by an algebraic method. 8.7. Identification of monotone measures based on r-integrals by a genetic algorithm -- ch. 9. Multiregression based on nonlinear integrals. 9.1. Linear multiregression. 9.2. Nonlinear multiregression based on the Choquet integral. 9.3. A nonlinear multiregression model accommodating both categorical and numerical predictive attributes. 9.4. Advanced consideration on the multiregression involving nonlinear integrals -- ch. 10. Classifications based on nonlinear integrals. 10.1. Classification by an integral projection. 10.2. Nonlinear classification by weighted Choquet integrals. 10.3. An example of nonlinear classification in a three-dimensional sample space. 10.4. The uniqueness problem of the classification by the Choquet integral with a linear core. 10.5. Advanced consideration on the nonlinear classification involving the Choquet integral -- ch. 11. Data mining with fuzzy data. 11.1. Defuzzified Choquet Integral with Fuzzy-Valued Integrand (DCIFI). 11.2. Classification model based on the DCIFI. 11.3. Fuzzified Choquet Integral with Fuzzy-Valued Integrand (FCIFI). 11.4. Regression model based on the CIII
This book develops several novel foam-filled structures and steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich structures, which provides more alternatives for ensuring the safety of buildings and infrastructures under extreme loading, like impact and blast. In the first part of this book, the aluminium foam- and polyurethane foam-filled structures have been developed for dissipating impact and blast energy. Experimental and numerical studies have been conducted to obtain their behaviours under impact loading. In addition, analytical models have also been proposed to assess their energy absorption performances and facilitate the impact and blast design when using the proposed foam-filled structures. In the second part of this book, SCS sandwich structures with novel shear connectors have been developed and their behaviours under impact and blast loading have been experimentally, numerically and analytical studied. Analytical models for predicting the impact and blast responses of SCS sandwich structures have also been developed. In the third part of this book, a new steel-polyurethane foam-steel-concrete-steel (SPUFSCS) panel (i.e. the combination of foam material and SCS panel) has been developed to achieve a higher impact resistant capacity. Owing to the increasing impact and blast threats on buildings and infrastructures, the studies presented in this book are of significant importance for providing several new solutions for impact and blast enhancement.
This is a study of higher education in the world's four largest developing economies—Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Already important players globally, by mid-century, they are likely to be economic powerhouses. But whether they reach that level of development will depend in part on how successfully they create quality higher education that puts their labor forces at the cutting edge of the information society. Using an empirical, comparative approach, this book develops a broad picture of the higher education system in each country in the context of both global and local forces. The authors offer insights into how differing socioeconomic and historic patterns of change and political contexts influence developments in higher education. In asking why each state takes the approach that it does, this work situates a discussion of university expansion and quality in the context of governments' educational policies and reflects on the larger struggles over social goals and the distribution of national resources.
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