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This book constitutes the proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Quantitative Evaluation of Systems, QEST 2023, which took place in Antwerp, Belgium, in September 2023. The 23 papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 44 submissions. They deal with current topics in quantitative evaluation and verification of computer systems and networks, focusing on data-driven and machine-learning systems, case studies, and tool papers. The book also contains the extended abstract of the invited talk from David Parker.

This book will address and uncover the role of US Christian Right ¿pro-family¿ groups in mobilizing counter-movements against LGBTIQ+ human rights, reproductive justice, and sexuality education in Africa, and will intervene in the tendency to exceptionalize Africa as a ¿homophobic continent¿ following the surge in homophobic and transphobic legislation, hate speech, and violence in recent years. The author employs the lens of decoloniality in an intersectional manner to unpack the multiple forms of hierarchy and oppression that the concept of the nuclear family has historically worked to naturalize in the interests of capitalism, Christo-normativity, and a world system dominated and controlled by the global north. Proceeding from the historical geopolitical context informing nuclear family idealization, the analysis then presents a critical discussion of contemporary pro-family discourses, showing that pro-family narratives that universalize and politicize the notion of ¿family¿ arenot only constituting agendas that erode LGBTIQ+ and reproductive justice, but reinforce an international order that privileges Euro-American interests despite pro-family claims that their agendas are anti-imperialist. This book will be of interest to scholars in gender, sexuality, and queer studies; postcolonial studies; and international relations.

This book provides a collection of cutting-edge research roadmaps that attempt to determine and perhaps even shape the future of software architecture research. It contains a distillation of the outputs from several ICSA 2022 working sessions and the subsequent work from the authors.Software architecture research involves the study of the design and analysis of software systems, focusing on the high-level structure and organization of software components, as well as the interactions and relationships between them. It also focuses on the non-technical aspects of software design: how teams are organized, and how they communicate and work together.The first three chapters of the book investigate software architecture for emerging classes of software systems with widespread interest, including quantum computing, artificial intelligence-centric systems, and systems within value-based ecosystems. Subsequent chapters investigate the role of architecture in relation to modern development processes; sharing of data as an enabler for furthering research in software architecture; and teaching software architecture.In summary, this book provides an overview of the latest research and directions in software architecture, covering a wide array of current and emerging topics. Specifically, this book is a valuable resource for researchers and students to aid them in identifying fruitful paths for future research.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of positron profilometry, specifically focusing on the analysis of defect depth distribution in materials. Positron profilometry plays a crucial role in understanding and characterizing defects in a wide range of materials, including metals, semiconductors, polymers, and ceramics. By analyzing the depth distribution of defects, researchers can gain insights into various material properties, such as crystal structure, defect density, and diffusion behavior. The author's extensive research spanning a period of two decades has primarily centered on subsurface zones. These regions, located beneath the surface and subjected to various surface processes, play a crucial role in generating defect distributions. Three experimental techniques and their data analysis are described in detail: a variable-energy positron beam (VEP) called sometimes a slow positron beam, a technique called implantation profile depth scanning (DSIP), and a sequential etching(SET) technique. The usability of these techniques is illustrated by many examples of measurements by the author and others.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Computational Methods in Systems Biology, CMSB 2023, held in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, during September 13¿15, 2023.The 14 full papers and 3 tool papers presented in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 28 submissions. CMSB focuses on modeling, simulation, analysis, design and control of biological systems and covers the broad field of computational methods and tools in systems and synthetic biology and their applications.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 24th Annual Conference Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems, TAROS 2023, held in Cambridge, UK, during September 13¿15, 2023.The 40 full papers presented in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 70 submissions.They cover a wide range of different topics such as: agri-food robotics; autonomy; collaborative and service robotics; locomotion and manipulation; machine vision; multi-robot systems; soft robotics; tactile sensing; and teleoperation.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 46th German Conference on Artificial Intelligence, KI 2023, which took place in Berlin, Germany, in September 2023.The 14 full and 5 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 78 submissions. The papers deal with research on theory and applications across all methods and topic areas of AI research.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Reliability, Safety, and Security of Railway Systems. Modelling, Analysis, Verification, and Certification, RSSRail 2023, held in Berlin, Germany, during October 10¿12, 2023.The 13 full papers presented in this book together with 3 keynotes were carefully reviewed and selected from 25 submissions. The papers are divided into the following topical sections: modeling for security; tooled approaches and dependability of highly automated transport systems; formal methods for safety assessment; and formal model and visual tooling.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Flexible Query Answering Systems, FQAS 2023, held in September 2023 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The 24 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. They are organized in the following topical sections: Flexible Queries over Semantic Systems; Advanced Methods and Applications in Natural Language; Processing (NLP); New Advances in Disinformation Detection; Data and Text Mining; Applying AI to Social Science and Social Science to AI; Artificial Intelligence Law and Regulation.

This book gathers the peer-reviewed papers presented at the 13th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC), held in Kyoto, Japan, on September 12-15, 2023. It highlights the latest advances and innovations in the field of conservation and restoration of historical and heritage structures. The conference topics encompass history of construction and building technology, theory and practice of conservation, inspection methods, non-destructive techniques and laboratory testing, numerical modeling and structural analysis, management of heritage structures and conservation strategies, structural health monitoring, repair and strengthening strategies and techniques, vernacular constructions, seismic analysis and retrofit, vulnerability and risk analysis, resilience of historic areas to climate change and hazard events, durability, and sustainability. As such the book represents an invaluable, up-to-the-minute tool, providing an essential overview of conservation of historical constructions, and offers an important platform to engineers, architects, archeologists, and geophysicists.Chapter Guidelines for Seismic Retrofitting of Earthen Historic Buildings in Peru and Latin America is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This volume LNCS 14127 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 5th International Workshop, EXTRAAMAS 2023, held in London, UK, in May 2023. The 15 full papers presented together with 1 short paper were carefully reviewed and selected from 26 submissions. The workshop focuses on Explainable Agents and multi-agent systems; Explainable Machine Learning; and Cross-domain applied XAI.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Computational Logistics, ICCL 2023, held in Berlin, Germany, during September 6-8, 2023.The 32 full papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 71 submissions. They are grouped into the following topics: ¿computational logistics; maritime shipping; vehicle routing; traffic and transport; and combinatorial optimization.

This book offers an overview of European testing methods for fire protection materials.Used in a broad range of applications, these materials are designed to ensure that fires do not occur, or that their effects are combated to the greatest extent possible. The book deals with methods not only for the construction industry but also, for example, for furniture / interior furnishings, plastics, and clothing, including special-purpose clothing for firefighters and rescuers, explosive mixtures, the intensity of smoke, etc. This comprehensive book examines standardized testing methods, while also assessing large-scale tests and specialized non-standardized tests and providing information on various materials and their behavior when exposed to flame.

This book describes improvements to the electronics topology of current modular reconfigurable storages by integrating parallel connectivity, reducing the semiconductor count by eliminating irrelevant states, and improving the monitoring techniques through higher function integration. The author also discusses each topology's main advantages and disadvantages at the micro and macro levels. Moreover, the presented modeling of modular reconfigurable storage systems with different storages helps in better understanding the dynamics of the system.The book establishes novel optimum or near-optimum methods for exploiting the DOF (degrees of freedom) to achieve higher efficiency, more function integration, better balancing, or output quality. Additionally, through a detailed analysis of different modulation techniques, this book presents novel modulation methods, enhances the state-of-the-art, or in some cases, simplifies the complexity of implementation.The concept of interconnected multi-port systems through integrating novel modulation techniques and the acquired understanding of the behavior of modular dynamically reconfigurable storages is explained. The presented concepts can significantly reduce the number of energy conversion stages as well as the final footprint of the system, reduce the number of required controlled semiconductors, and save costs. It also presents novel monitoring techniques based on estimators that can significantly reduce the number of required sensors and the required data-communication bandwidth.

This textbook presents comprehensive treatment of the e-business environment and the tools and strategies necessary for success in the digital realm. The author covers a wide range of e-business-related topics, such as e-environment, e-business security, billing and payment systems, supply chain management, digital marketing, customer relationship management, business intelligence, e-business adoption, change management, performance measurement, legal, and regulatory. The book focuses on the ethical and legal issues of e-business and offers practical advice for establishing and maintaining successful e-business operations. The book also discusses the challenges of keeping up with swiftly evolving technology and the ever-changing internet landscape, including online transactions, data security, and administration. The author seeks to advance e-business research and practice by providing a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the field. The author includes case studies that span various industries and companies, from small startups to large corporations, providing readers with a diverse and practical perspective on e-business.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the BPM Forum held at the 21st International Conference on Business Process Management, BPM 2023, which took place in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in September 2023. The Blockchain Forum provided a platform for exploring and discussing innovative ideas on the intersection of BPM and blockchain technology. The RPA Forum focused on the use of the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in the field of Business Process Management. The Educators Forum brought together educators within the BPM community for sharing resources to improve the practice of teaching BPM-related topics.The 18 full papers included in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 39 submissions.

This book investigates the image watermarking domain, analyzing and comparing image watermarking techniques that exist in current literature. The author¿s goal is to aid researchers and students in their studies in the vast and important domain of image watermarking, including its advantages and risks. The book has three chapters: image watermarking using data compression; speech modulation for image watermarking; and secure image watermarking based on LWT and SVD.In addition, this book: Investigates the image watermarking domain, analyzing and comparing current image watermarking techniquesIncludes detail on image encryption and mathematical tools used for image watermarkingCovers image watermarking using data compression, speech modulation for image watermarking, and more

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 24th IFIP WG 5.5 Working Conference on Virtual Enterprises, PRO-VE 2023, held in Valencia, Spain, in September 2023.The 59 papers presented in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 119 submissions.They provide a comprehensive overview of the major challenges in sustainability of collaborative ecosystems; risks, security and resilience in networks; collaborative value creation and services; collaborative interactions and human-centered networks; skills and enabling technologies; collaborative healthcare and agile production; and AI, digital twins, and intelligent frameworks.

This book presents the latest scientific and technical advances in the fields of Smart Cities and Smart Territories. It shows outcomes of 2nd Sustainable Smart Cities and Territories International Conference in Manizales (Colombia) on June 21¿23, 2023. The concept of smart cities, which emerged in the early 2000s, attempts to solve these challenges by implementing information and communication technologies. The initial concept of smart cities focused on the modernization of megacities.

This book aims to highlight the latest achievements in the use of AI in personalized medicine and healthcare delivery. The edited book contains selected papers presented at the 2023 Health Intelligence workshop, co-located with the Thirty-Seven Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) conference, and presents an overview of the issues, challenges, and potentials in the field, along with new research results. This book provides information for researchers, students, industry professionals, clinicians, and public health agencies interested in the applications of AI in medicine and public health.

This book is a collection of insightful and unique state-of the-art papers presented at the Computing Conference which took place in London on June 22¿23, 2023. A total of 539 papers were received out of which 193 were selected for presenting after double-blind peer-review. The book covers a wide range of scientific topics including IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Computing, Data Science, Networking, Data security and Privacy, etc. The conference was successful in reaping the advantages of both online and offline modes. The goal of this conference is to give a platform to researchers with fundamental contributions and to be a premier venue for academic and industry practitioners to share new ideas and development experiences. We hope that readers find this book interesting and valuable. We also expect that the conference and its publications will be a trigger for further related research and technology improvements in this important subject.

This book provides a detailed account of the Czechoslovak-American dispute that arose over monetary gold which was forcibly seized by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. After the Second World War, the Czechoslovak gold was found by the American armed forces in the salt mines in Merkers, Germany. Over the next 37 years, it became a part of complicated Czechoslovak-American relations, international economic trade, and political-ideological disputes and conflicts. Only in February 1982, after extensive diplomatic discussions, was a sufficient portion of the gold returned to the Czechoslovak State Bank in Prague. This book maps the story of this gold, how it was seized, blocked and finally, returned. Tracing the path of the monetary gold from its seizure by Nazi Germany in the 1930s to the last decade of the Cold War, the author outlines the main diplomatic steps taken to resolve the dispute, which framed the shape of bilateral relations between Communist Czechoslovakia and the USA.Offering a new contribution to the hisThis book provides a detailed account of the Czechoslovak-American dispute that arose over monetary gold which was forcibly seized by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. After the Second World War, the Czechoslovak gold was found by the American armed forces in the salt mines in Merkers, Germany. Over the next 37 years, it became a part of complicated Czechoslovak-American relations, international economic trade, and political-ideological disputes and conflicts. Only in February 1982, after extensive diplomatic discussions, was a sufficient portion of the gold returned to the Czechoslovak State Bank in Prague. This book maps the story of this gold, how it was seized, blocked and finally, returned. Tracing the path of the monetary gold from its seizure by Nazi Germany in the 1930s to the last decade of the Cold War, the author outlines the main diplomatic steps taken to resolve the dispute, which framed the shape of bilateral relations between Communist Czechoslovakia and the USA. Offering a new contribution to the history of the Second World War and shedding light on East-West relations during the Cold War period, this book will provide useful reading for those researching modern European history, the Cold War, and international history.

This book provides a comprehensive, systematic description of modern timekeeping and its specializations. Introductory chapters discuss the concept of time and its definition, then briefly look at pre-Atomic Era timekeeping to set the stage for the introduction of the atomic clock. Subsequent chapters focus on concepts such as frequency stability and measurement uncertainty, as well as computer network time-synchronization protocols including Network Time Protocol (NTP) and Precise Time Protocol (PTP). The book then delves into the nuts and bolts of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer, and Optical Time and Frequency Transfer. Timescale theory is then described as a way to combine clock data, and the algorithms and procedures used to generate Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) are given. Finally, there is a look at modern applications of timekeeping and time transfer.Featuring a glossary of all key terms, this book is highly recommended for trained or incoming physicists, engineers, or mathematicians working, for example, in manufacturing or timing laboratories. Additionally, it is suitable for use in introductory university courses dealing with the subject of timekeeping.

This book offers a timely snapshot of innovative research and developments at the interface between design, manufacturing, materials, mechanical and process engineering, and quality assurance. It covers various manufacturing processes, such as grinding, milling, broaching, and gear machining, including additive manufacturing, vibrational-centrifugal strengthening, laser-ultrasonic surface hardening, and antifriction coatings. It focuses on computer and numerical simulation, mathematical and integrated process modeling, parametric synthesis, virtual prototyping, automatic control, design of manufacturing, mechanical and mechatronics systems. It describes innovative cutting and abrasive processes and combined technologies. It also covers the formation, strengthening, and thermomechanical rolling. It also investigates the temperature field behavior, thermal stability, wear resistance, and other processes of various materials. Gathering the best papers presented at the 5th GrabchenkösInternational Conference on Advanced Manufacturing Processes (InterPartner-2023), held on September 5¿8, 2023, in Odessa, Ukraine, this book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date examination of design, manufacturing, mechanical, materials, and process engineering, as well as quality assurance trends and technologies. Yet, it also aims at fostering international and interdisciplinary communication and collaborations, offering a bridge between the academic and industrial sector.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Intelligent Computer Mathematics, CICM 2023, held in Cambridge, UK, in September 2023.The 14 full papers, 2 project/survey papers, 6 short papers, and 1 tool paper presented were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 37 submissions. The papers focus on advances in formalization, automatic theorem proving and learning, search and classification, teaching and geometric reasoning, and logic and systems, among other topics.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Doctoral Consortium and Workshops on New Trends in Database and Information Systems, ADBIS 2023, held in Barcelona, Spain, during September 4¿7, 2023.The 29 full papers, 25 short papers and 7 doctoral consortium included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 148. They were organized in topical sections as follows: ADBIS Short Papers: Index Management & Data Reconstruction, ADBIS Short Papers: Query Processing, ADBIS Short Papers: Advanced Querying Techniques, ADBIS Short Papers: Fairness in Data Management, ADBIS Short Papers: Data Science, ADBIS Short Papers: Temporal Graph Management, ADBIS Short Papers: Consistent Data Management, ADBIS Short Papers: Data Integration, ADBIS Short Papers: Data Quality, ADBIS Short Papers: Metadata Management, Contributions from ADBIS 2023 Workshops and Doctoral Consortium, AIDMA: 1st Workshop on Advanced AI Techniques for Data Management, Analytics, DOING: 4th Workshop on Intelligent Data - From Data to Knowledge, K-Gals: 2nd Workshop on Knowledge Graphs Analysis on a Large Scale, MADEISD: 5th Workshop on Modern Approaches in Data Engineering, Information System Design, PeRS: 2nd Workshop on Personalization, Recommender Systems, Doctoral Consortium.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 18th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning, EC-TEL 2023, held in Aveiro, Portugal, in September 2023.The 34 full papers included in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 126 submissions. Additionally, 24 posters and 16 demonstration papers were included in the proceedings. The papers focus on sustainable teaching and learning practices in the post-pandemic educational ecosystem.