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From the start of life, people used their brains to make something better in design in ordinary works. Due to that, metaheuristics are essential to living things, and several inspirations from life have been used in the generation of new algorithms. These algorithms have unique features, but the usage of different features of different algorithms may give more effective optimum results in means of precision in optimum results, computational effort, and convergence. This book is a timely book to summarize the latest developments in the optimization of structural engineering systems covering all classical approaches and new trends including hybrids metaheuristic algorithms. Also, artificial intelligence and machine learning methods are included to predict optimum results by skipping long optimization processes. The main objective of this book is to introduce the fundamentals and current development of methods and their applications in structural engineering.

Of the twelve Augustae who lived during the fifty years of the so-called ¿military anarchy¿ (235-284 A.D.), Ulpia Severina, wife of the ¿Illyrian¿ emperor Aurelian (270-275 AD), is certainly one of the most enigmatic and less known. The book focuses on Ulpia Severina, who, even though never mentioned by name in literary sources, has been studied almost exclusively from the perspective of the numerous coins issued in her name and is the subject of many interesting honorific inscriptions that had not been thoroughly examined or adequately valued until this study. This exceptional situation, represented by the sole presence of Ulpia Severina on the throne of Rome, deserves more attention than it has received. The pages of the university history textbooks dedicated to the reconstruction of a fifty-year phase of Roman-imperial history must be, if not rewritten, at least integrated in order to give the deserved space to this empress and, therefore, to the so-called ¿interregnum,¿which lasted at least two months, between the death of Aurelian and the advent of emperor Tacitus.

De nombreux systèmes physiques, mécaniques, financiers et économiques peuvent être décrits par des modèles mathématiques qui visent à optimiser des fonctions, trouver des équilibres et effectuer des arbitrages. Souvent, la convexité des ensembles et des fonctions ainsi que les conditions de monotonie sur les systèmes d'inéquations qui régissent ces systèmes se présentent naturellement dans les modèles. C'est dans cet esprit que nous avons conçu ce livre en mettant l'accent sur une approche géométrique qui privilégie l'intuition par rapport à une approche plus analytique. Les démonstrations des résultats classiques ont été revues dans cette optique et simplifiées. De nombreux exemples d'applications sont étudiés et des exercices sont proposés.Ce livre s'adresse aux étudiants en master de mathématiques appliquées, ainsi qu'aux doctorants, chercheurs et ingénieurs souhaitant comprendre les fondements de l'analyse convexe et de la théorie des inéquations variationnelles monotones.

This book gathers peer-reviewed contributions presented at the 5th International Conference on Bio-Based Building Materials (ICBBM), held in Vienna, Austria, on June 21-23, 2023. Focusing on bio-based building materials (3BM) as well as their applications in sustainable building constructions, the contributions highlight the latest findings in this fast-growing field, addressing topics such as natural fibres- and aggregates, ramped earth, innovative hybrid composites based on bio-based ingredients, novel sustainable binders, energy efficiency aspects- and life cycle analysis of these materials.

This book constitutes refereed proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computer and Communication Engineering, CCCE 2023, held in Stockholm, Sweden, in March 2023.The 18 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 36 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: image analysis and method; network model and function analysis of mobile network; system security estimation and analysis of data network; and AI-based system model and algorithm.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Applications of Natural Language to Information Systems, NLDB 2023, held in Derby, UK, in June 21¿23, 2023The 31 full papers and 14 short papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 89 submissions. They focus on the developments of the application of natural language to databases and information systems in the wider meaning of the term.

The book consists of recent works on several axes either with a more theoretical nature or with a focus on applications, which will span a variety of up-to-date topics in the field of systems and control.The main market area of the contributions include:Advanced fault-tolerant control, control reconfiguration, health monitoring techniques for industrial systems, data-driven diagnosis methods, process supervision, diagnosis and control of discrete-event systems, maintenance and repair strategies, statistical methods for fault diagnosis, reliability and safety of industrial systems artificial intelligence methods for control and diagnosis, health-aware control design strategies, advanced control approaches, deep learning-based methods for control and diagnosis, reinforcement learning-based approaches for advanced control, diagnosis and prognosis techniques applied to industrial problems, Industry 4.0 as well as instrumentation and sensors. These works constitute advances in the aforementioned scientific fields and will be used by graduate as well as doctoral students along with established researchers to update themselves with the state of the art and recent advances in their respective fields. As the book includes several applicative studies with several multi-disciplinary contributions (deep learning, reinforcement learning, model-based/data-based control etc.), the book proves to be equally useful for the practitioners as well industrial professionals.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 5th International Conference, AIS 2023, held as part of the 25th International Conference, HCI International 2023, which was held virtually in Copenhagen, Denmark in July 2023.The total of 1578 papers and 396 posters included in the HCII 2023 proceedings was carefully reviewed and selected from 7472 submissions.The AIS 2023 proceeding helps to understand the theory and enhance the state-of-practice for a set of technologies (tools and methods) called adaptive instructional systems (AIS). AIS are defined as artificially intelligent, computer-based systems that guide learning experiences by tailoring instruction and recommendations based on the goals, needs, preferences, and interests of each individual learner or team in the context of domain learning objectives.

This open access book is the first book that attempts to treat the notion of articulation as an important concept to be added to the lexicon of communication studies and social science. It constitutes the first comprehensive and systematic discussion of ¿articulation¿ in English, providing an introduction of its usages and what has occurred on its ¿travels¿ from one theoretical realm to another in political philosophy, structural linguistics, new economic anthropology, cultural studies and post-Marxist discourse theory. The proposed research takes a relational approach to society and social action in a way that recognises their relative autonomy. It entails an introduction of the ¿discursive turn¿ in the imagery of society and social change, thereby proving that the relational concept of articulation/Gliederung has potential to consider society as both a structured, complex whole and a product of human interaction.

The book discusses how division affect the fabric of cities, and people¿s sense of identity and agency, and are reflected in physical features, architecture, and urban planning. The question of divided cities represents a complex and multistranded urban Ecology¿at once both social and spatial; it cannot be limited to a single science or discipline, such as social or spatial fields. This suggests integrated and cross- disciplinary understandings, as well as integrated or parallel approaches and solutions. Urban ecologies of division manifest in multiple forms. One of their most palpable expressions is conflict, with parallels around the world, and often with correlations in the spatial fabric. Violence in such contexts is often a surface expression of deeper socio-economic or ideological differences. Whether as a result of intervention by authority or by dissent between groups, a divided city inevitably becomes a place of conflict in various forms andintensity, eroding the joy of living and sense of collective belonging to the detriment of all. In effect, it erodes the collective advantage of being part of a more unified society.A city exists in collections of social structures which mutually form a society. A divided city implies divided social structures and, in consequence, a divided society. The papers compiled in this book present many case studies of divided cities, discussing the different causes of divisions and their effects on societies. Some of the causes can be linked to conflicts, wars, colonialism, or legislative political systems. In response to the serious challenges resulting from these divisions, the book aims to provide opportunities for new approaches and possibilities for new interventions and solutions, making it significant to urban planners, architects, and policymakers.

As an academic or a small business owner, you will need to write grants at some point in your career. Writing them though is not enough, what you also need to know is how to win grants. Much has been written about writing grants, the mysterious special ability called ¿grantsmanship¿, so it occurred to me that there is a need to come at this differently and spill the beans. The difficulty in getting a grant, in particular an NIH grant like an R01 in the USA is often described, it is competitive and gets tougher every year. Your proposal therefore must stand out, it must connect with the reviewers. This is true for all types of grants, give the reviewer what they want always. But also, you need to connect to the program officer, the committee that ultimately makes funding decisions and you must take care of a myriad of other details outside of the main event which is describing the ¿science¿. This means you cannot rely on just out-writing the competition, it is more than that as you have to out-think, out-strategize and out-schmooze them. If you have been continually funded for decades that is terrific, but if you want to keep being funded there is no guarantee what got you there will keep you there. What was a hot technology 4-5 years ago is not the new thing anymore, you will need to do something different, but what? You therefore need to not only think about writing great grants, you need to put it into practice and win them. Having written and won grants from the NIH and DOD over the past 17 years (and longer by the time you read this) I possess a valuable perspective.Each grant and study section will be different. Whether a big or small grant it does not seem to make a difference the reviewers will critique your efforts, they may not like it, they may reject your ideas or they may love it. You have some small degree of control until the proposal leaves your hands or more correctly you click ¿submit¿. You will need to differentiate your grant from the hundreds of others in many ways, but you cannot change who you are, your history so how you describe yourself and team will also have an impact. You could spend hundreds of hours on your proposal or just a day and the outcome might still be the same. This small book is a summary of my own personal experiences and will provide some advice that will help you learn how to do a better job of winning grants.This book is written by a scientist who writes the grants and develops commercial products;Provides a unique perspective on what you need to write better grants;Teaches you how to continually win grants;This book provides examples from the authors own grant applications;The reader will be inspired to start a company to win small business grants.

This book uses algebraic tools to study the elementary properties of classes of fields and related algorithmic problems. The first part covers foundational material on infinite Galois theory, profinite groups, algebraic function fields in one variable and plane curves. It provides complete and elementary proofs of the Chebotarev density theorem and the Riemann hypothesis for function fields, together with material on ultraproducts, decision procedures, the elementary theory of algebraically closed fields, undecidability and nonstandard model theory, including a nonstandard proof of Hilbert's irreducibility theorem. The focus then turns to the study of pseudo algebraically closed (PAC) fields, related structures and associated decidability and undecidability results. PAC fields (fields K with the property that every absolutely irreducible variety over K has a rational point) first arose in the elementary theory of finite fields and have deep connections with number theory.Thisfourth edition substantially extends, updates and clarifies the previous editions of this celebrated book, and includes a new chapter on Hilbertian subfields of Galois extensions. Almost every chapter concludes with a set of exercises and bibliographical notes. An appendix presents a selection of open research problems. Drawing from a wide literature at the interface of logic and arithmetic, this detailed and self-contained text can serve both as a textbook for graduate courses and as an invaluable reference for seasoned researchers.

In this book, recent theoretical developments on fuzzy logic, neural networks and optimization algorithms, as well as their hybrid combinations, are presented. In addition, the above-mentioned methods are presented in application areas such as, intelligent control and robotics, pattern recognition, medical diagnosis, decision-making, time series prediction and optimization of complex problems. The book contains a collection of papers focused on hybrid intelligent systems based on soft computing techniques. There are a group of papers with the main theme of type-1 and type-2 fuzzy logic, which basically consists of papers that propose new concepts and algorithms based on type-1 and type-2 fuzzy logic and their applications. There also a group of papers that offer theoretical concepts and applications of meta-heuristics in different areas. Another group of papers outlines diverse applications of fuzzy logic, neural networks and hybrid intelligent systems in medical problems. There are also some papers that present theory and practice of neural networks in different application areas. In addition, there are papers that offer theory and practice of optimization and evolutionary algorithms in different application areas. Finally, there are a group of papers describing applications of fuzzy logic, neural networks and meta-heuristics in pattern recognition and classification problems.

This monograph presents the molecular theory and necessary tools for the study of solvent-induced interactions and forces. After introducing the reader to the basic definitions of solvent-induced interactions, the author provides a brief analysis of the statistical thermodynamics. The book thoroughly overviews the connection of those interactions with thermodynamics and consequently focuses on specifically discussing the hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions and forces. The importance of the implementation of hydrophilic interactions and forces in various biochemical processes is thoroughly analyzed, while evidence based on theory, experiments, and simulated calculations supporting that hydrophilic interactions and forces are far more important than the corresponding hydrophobic effects in many biochemical processes such as protein folding, self-assembly of proteins, molecular recognitions, are described in detail. This title is of great interest to students and researchers working in the fields of chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and molecular biology.¿

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Conference on New Trends in Information and Communications Technology Applications, NTICT 2022, held in Baghdad, Iraq, during November 16¿17, 2022. The 14 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 53 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: computing methodologies; information systems; network; security and privacy.

This SpringerBrief describes the development and use of a synthetic indicator to assess different degrees of sustainability adoption by economic sector and businesses size. To make this analysis a theoretical framework which involves variables common to alternative frameworks (specifically ESG, GRI and Istat) is proposed. The empirical analysis focuses on the environmental, social and economic variables of the Italian businesses. In this analysis, all three pillars of sustainability ¿ economic, environmental, and social ¿ are considered. The work begins with a review of business sustainability literature and a look into institutional frameworks for the development and measurement of the phenomena. Connections between businesses and the SDGs are examined and comparison of the classifications of sustainable activities defined by GRI and ESG international standards is used to define a framework to be adopted to analyse ISTAT Business Census. Selected indicator variables are aggregated with a synthetic indicator and the results are presented (this is a new proposal of a synthetic indicator useful for the type of data used and published by ISTAT ¿ Italian National Statistical Institute), discussing pros and cons of using it. This study provides two important innovative contributions. The first one is about how to approach the theoretical framework of businesses sustainability at firms aggregated level. The basic idea to work on a set of variables common to different approaches is interesting from the interpretative point of view. The second one, is about the specific empirical analysis, i.e. the Italian businesses sustainability situation. The investigation based on this new theoretical classification/framework and the new proposed indicator provides some interesting substantive results.

This book is designed to be the introductory work in the new Sustainable Development of Water Resource and Environmental Management Series and provides an in-depth look at sustainable development and management in the water sector across.In the face of current global changes, the availability and quality of water resources are under severe threat.Indeed, in all sectors related to water resources management, sustainable development is important for present and future generations.This book includes selected papers from the 5th International Symposium on Water Resource and Environmental Management (WREM 2022) and consists of themes pertaining to water resource and environmental management.It provides readers with comprehensive information on the principles of sustainable water resources management, as well as recent advances, directions for future research, and policy development for sustainable water resources management.As a reference, it isof interest to students, scientists, engineers, government officials, and water resource managers.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 9th Annual International Conference on Information Management and Big Data, SIMBig 2022, held in Lima, Peru, during November 16¿18, 2022.The 18 full papers and 1 short paper included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 50 submissions. The volume presented novel methods for the analysis and management of large data, in fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Semantic Web, Data-driven Software Engineering, Health Informatics.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 43rd IFIP WG 6.1 International Conference on Formal Techniques for Distributed Objects, Components, and Systems, FORTE 2023, held in Lisbon, Portugal, in June 2023, as part of the 18th International Federated Conference on Distributed Computing Techniques, DisCoTec 2023.The 13 regular papers and 3 short papers presented in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 26 submissions. They cover topics such as: concurrent programming; security; probabilities, time and other resources; and model-based testing and petri nets.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Sensor Systems and Software, S-Cube 2022, which was held in Dalian, China, in December 7-9, 2022. The 16 revised full papers in this book were selected from 42 submissions and are organized in three thematic sessions on sensor technology for marine systems; resilience control systems; and applications.

The monograph presents the results of the development of the theoretical foundations of geoinformation management of the development of distributed organizational and technical systems and territories. The objectives of the research identified the main tasks to be solved: 1) conceptual analysis of the processes of geoinformation management of the development of spatially distributed natural and technical systems. 2) methodological foundations for managing the development of natural and technical systems. 3) methodological apparatus for providing geoinformation management for the development of natural and technical systems. 4) geoinformation systems for managing the development of natural and technical systems. 5) methods and models of decision-making risk management in managing the development of natural and technical systems. The results obtained allow, at subsequent stages of research, to develop decision-making methods based on geoinformation for real control systems of various levels and purposes, practical recommendations for improving geoinformation risk management for the development of territories and organizational and technical systems, as well as methods for measuring the parameters of distributed systems, territories and water areas.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th IFIP TC 10 International Embedded Systems Symposium, IESS 2022, held in Lippstadt, Germany, during November 3-4, 2022. The 10 full revised papers and 2 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 13 submissions. The presented research and technical works cover system-level design methods, algorithms, verification and validation techniques, estimation of system properties and characteristics, performance analysis, and real-time systems design. Also, the book presents industrial and real-world application case studies that discuss the challenges and realizations of modern embedded systems, especially when it comes to including artificial intelligence algorithms and techniques in embedded systems.

This book provides an understanding of people's accessibility needs, and the barriers that may affect people with different identities and circumstances (e.g. different levels of mobility, age, etc.) to alleviate any act of disabling a person and thus offer equal quality of life in the design of stadia. A lack of knowledge exists for stadia concerning demographics, specific accessibility and inclusive design solutions, available movement and behavioural data, and how future growth in attending disabled populations may affect the overall safety of circulation and evacuation in stadia. To address these needs a data collection and modelling were performed and are described in this book. The book recognizes that stadia design is at a revolutionary stage of advancement. Automated data collection technologies and methodologies are described where the authors work towards presentation of big data which can be used for future refinement of modelling technologies and AI routines.

This proceedings constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Communications and Networking, ChinaCom 2022, held in November 19-20, 2022. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the conference was held virtually. The 31 full papers presented were carefully selected from 83 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on Signal Processing and Communication Optimization; Scheduling and Transmission Optimization; Network Communication Performance Enhancement; Deep Learning Applications and Optimization; Deep Learning and Network Performance Optimization; Edge Computing and Artificial Intelligence Applications.

Despite the economic relevance of trade secrets, their legal protection is not based on a robust theoretical corpus, and a large uncertainty remains regarding how they should be legally apprehended. The present book investigates the foundations of their legal protection by assessing its justifications and aims to define how this legal apprehension should be organized.The book starts with a comparative analysis of the US and the EU legal frameworks. It demonstrates the parentship existing between the two systems of protection and highlights that the incremental structuring of trade secrets protection has led to legal systems lacking broad-based conceptual foundations. In both legal orders, trade secrets rely on blurred protection, formally anchored in unfair competition, the strength of which, however, comes closer to that offered by intellectual property law. In this convoluted architecture, the judiciary is required to play a decisive role,especially at the enforcement stage. However, the absence of clarity concerning the telos of trade secrets protection leads to legal uncertainty, potentially incoherent enforcement, and, all in all, to inefficient outcomes from a welfare perspective.The book then explores a theoretical framework based on a distinction between two legal objects: the undertakings¿ secret sphere and secret pieces of information. Securing the undertakings¿ secret sphere appears as a condition for the competition process to happen in an economy working under structural uncertainty. It requires objective regulations enforced by public authorities. On the other hand, the legal apprehension of secret pieces of information should be considered as falling within the realm of immaterial goods regulation aiming to solve the deficit of marketability of this type of good. This might call ¿ after conducting a careful policy trade-off ¿ for the establishment of relative (i.e. inter partes) subjective rights.

This book presents content from the Third International Symposium on the Education in Mechanism and Machine Science (ISEMMS 2022). Among others, the chapters report on mechanical engineering education, mechanism and machine science in the mechanical engineer curricula, methodology, virtual laboratories and new laws. Special attention is given to MMS experiences in Pandemic times. The chapters discuss the current problems in MMS education with the aim of providing solutions and identifying appropriate trends for a modern world common vision in the Engineering education field.

This book analyses social movements, digital activism and protest actions in Africa using a de-colonial approach, with selected case studies of #BringBackOurGirls, #OurMumuDonDo, #FeesMustFall, and #OccupyGhana from Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana. This book examines the ideological background of social movements and the broader micro/macro structures that exist within these movements and how these structures shape their engagement with state and non-state actorsThe author argues that the ideological orientation of movement founders influenced the broader belief of each movement, which in turn shaped the micro and macro structure and relationships of the movements and their engagement with the state. Furthermore, the author argues that not all movement members aligned with the movement's ideological belief, thus the disconnect and contestation within these movements. This book provides much-needed systematic, critical review and cutting-edge research into the ideology, practices, performance, and trends of social and digital movements in Sub-Saharan African countries.