Books published by Springer International Publishing AG

This open access book assesses how the Covid-19 pandemic caught higher education systems throughout the world by surprise. It maps out the responses of higher education institutions to the challenges and strategic opportunities brought about by the pandemic, and examines the effects such responses may have. Bringing together scholars and case studies from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, the book is both comparative and global in nature. It also brings together researchers from a variety of disciplinary fields, including political scientists, historians, economists, sociologist, and anthropologists. In doing so, the book fosters an inter-disciplinary dialogue and inclusive methodological approach for unpacking the complexities associated with modern higher education systems and institutions.

In times of globalization, digitalization and demographic change, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the fragility and complexity of the world of work. It represents the peak of a process of change in the world of work in economic, social, socio-political and individual psychological terms.This book outlines how effective and future-oriented human resource management can look like in times of demographic and technological change on the one hand and the immediate and lasting effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the other hand. It provides the tools for effective human resource management, summarized in the following seven success factors: demographic-oriented recruitment, strength-oriented workforce deployment, age-appropriate HR development, new generation contract, family and gender, the vital employee, management of interests and expectations.The aim of the book is not only to provide solutions to problems caused by the changing world of work and the pandemic, but also to show how success factors can emerge from these inevitable phenomena. It will be of interest to professionals in the field of human resource management.

From early 2020 for a period of two years at the end of which this book was written, air transport suffered unprecedented setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the pandemic may eventually fizzle out into another flu like occurrence, the restraint with which air transport services were offered would remain with us for a while with some practices being sustained, particularly those pertaining to public health. One of the main areas of air transport that was and will be affected significantly by the changed circumstances - is facilitation ¿ a subject that is regulated by the Chicago Convention of 1944 and its Annex 9. This book looks in depth at the Annex as it will be applied in a post pandemic world, against its legal, socio-political, and economic impacts, addressing the Standards of the Annex on clearance of aircraft; entry and departure of passengers; and the carriage of cargo. It also discusses some critical aviation events in 2020 and 2021 that occurred as they relate to facilitation of air transport. Some of the key areas discussed are the role of ICAO; issues of public health as they relate to air transport; security of travel documents; smuggling of persons; digital technology and rights of the passenger; unruly passengers; carriage of disabled passengers; relief flights and repatriation flights; and facilities at airports.

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the application level for various agricultural biotechnologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors examine the capacity available as well as the enabling environment, including policy and investments, for facilitating agricultural biotechnology development and use in the region. For each Sub-Saharan country, the status of biotechnology application is assessed in four major sectors; Crops, Livestock, Forestry and Aquaculture. Examples such as the number and requisite skill levels of trained personnel, biosafety frameworks and public awareness are surfaced in these chapters. This work also discusses the impact of push-pull factors on research, training and food security and identifies opportunities for investment in biotechnology and local agribusiness.Development partners, policy makers, agricultural consultants as well as scientists and private sector investors with an interest in biotechnology initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa will find this collection an important account to identify key gaps in capacity and policy, as well as priority areas going forward. The volume highlights ways to develop technology and increase agricultural production capacity through international cooperation and inclusive economic growth, making it a valuable practice guide in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 2 Zero Hunger and SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth. Clear case studies round off the reading experience.

This book presents posits a solution to the current limitations in global connectivity by introducing a global laser/optical communication system using constellation satellites, UAVs, HAPs and Balloons. The author outlines how this will help to satisfy the tremendous increasing demand for data exchange and information between end-users worldwide including in remote locations. The book provides both fundamentals and the advanced technology development in establishing worldwide communication and global connectivity using, (I) All-Optical technology, and (ii) Laser/Optical Communication Constellation Satellites (of different types, sizes and at different orbits), UAVs, HAPs (High Altitude Platforms) and Balloons. The book discusses step-by-step methods to develop a satellite backbone in order to interconnect a number of ground nodes clustered within a few SD-WAN (software-defined networking) in a wide area network (WAN) around the world in order to provide a fully-meshed communication network. This book pertains to anyone in optical communications, telecommunications, and system engineers, as well as technical managers in the aerospace industry and the graduate students, and researchers in academia and research laboratory.Proposed a solution to the limitations in global connectivity through a global laser/optical communication system using constellation satellites, UAVs, HAPs and Balloons;Provides both fundamentals and the advanced technology development in establishing global communication connectivity using optical technology and communication constellation satellites;Includes in-depth coverage of the basics of laser/optical communication constellation satellites.

This book is written to help readers with humanities backgrounds improve their academic research, tertiary-level teaching, professional service, and career trajectory. By utilizing 1,000+ Tips, readers can choose what skill they wish to improve by consulting a single page (for example, how to measure your impact factor). Or, with more time, readers can level up an entire area of their work by consulting one section (for example, how to promote your work). As 1,000+ Tips is designed to address the needs of readers at different points in their career, readers will be delighted to return to this concise and evergreen manual as their goals shift with their circumstances. The book learns graduate students and new faculty members to understand the basics of pedagogical practice, and to comprehend how to serve effectively on the committees that ran their departments, universities, and professional organizations. The work synthesizes empirical evidence, comprehensive literature reviews, and qualitative experience.Each chapter has a page-length overview of the subject. Each content chapter is divided into sections and each section populated by single page topics. The single page topic provides a summary and takeaways in bullet point format. Readers may be graduate students, early career faculty, independent scholars, postdoctoral fellows, lecturers, or in many other positions in or surrounding the university.

Fundamentals of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems: Design and Application is written for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in renewable energy and heat transfer. This classroom-tested text covers ground heat exchanger modeling, secondary loop ground-source system design, pumping energy, thermal response testing, commercial building applications, and horizontal and groundwater ground heat exchangers. The book is oriented to practical applications, including the economic analysis of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems, but more theoretical sections are provided covering research-related geothermal applications. Chapters on heat transfer fundamentals and heat pump concepts are included for readers less familiar with thermal engineering concepts. A chapter covering the economic analysis of GSHP systems is also included. All of the examples and problems in the book are solved using the open-source Python programming language.The book will provide students in geothermal energy courses with a solid understanding of the subject. It will also be a valuable reference for professionals working in the field of renewable energy.

This pocket-sized guide provides a practical and comprehensive resource for orthopedic, PM&R, and musculoskeletal specialists, as well as primary care physicians who work in the community outpatient clinic setting. Its consistent chapter format covers each area with anatomy, physical examination, preoperative management, and postoperative rehabilitation sections for the spine and extremities.The book presents treatment protocols for various injuries, including physical therapy measures such as weight bearing status, PRE, closed or open chain exercises, and timing for returning to routine or sport activities. Its concise presentation of rehabilitation for the upper and lower extremities, the hip and pelvis, and the spine enables quick reference and clinical decision-making.Furthermore, the book includes a chapter on rehabilitation following the use of orthobiologics, making it a valuable resource for healthcare professionals involved in orthopedic rehabilitation after regenerative interventions.

This book is focused on the numerical discretization of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), under several perspectives. The attention is first conveyed to providing accurate numerical solutions of deterministic problems. Then, the presentation moves to a more modern vision of numerical approximation, oriented to reproducing qualitative properties of the continuous problem along the discretized dynamics over long times. The book finally performs some steps in the direction of stochastic differential equations (SDEs), with the intention of offering useful tools to generalize the techniques introduced for the numerical approximation of ODEs to the stochastic case, as well as of presenting numerical issues natively introduced for SDEs.The book is the result of an intense teaching experience as well as of the research carried out in the last decade by the author. It is both intended for students and instructors: for the students, this book is comprehensive and rather self-contained; for the instructors, there is material for one or more monographic courses on ODEs and related topics. In this respect, the book can be followed in its designed path and includes motivational aspects, historical background, examples and a software programs, implemented in Matlab, that can be useful for the laboratory part of a course on numerical ODEs/SDEs.The book also contains the portraits of several pioneers in the numerical discretization of differential problems, useful to provide a framework to understand their contributes in the presented fields. Last, but not least, rigor joins readability in the book.

This textbook covers classical geometrical methods and modern analytical methods in kinematic synthesis of mechanisms. The methods discussed are all implemented geometrically using Geogebra and analytically using Excel®; two readily available tools for personal computers. After a brief history on how the machine science has developed throughout history from the viewpoint of mechanism design, the chapters explain two, three, four and five position synthesis of mechanisms in detail respectively. Geometrical and analytical methods of guiding a rigid body between the given positions, path generation with prescribed timing and correlation of crank angles are covered. Analytical methods are explained using complex numbers. Using relative motion concept, the position synthesis of six-link mechanisms is also taken into account. Roberts-Chebyshev theorem is described and proved, and the use of the theorem in practice is shown. Converting a continuous rotary motion into an oscillating orreciprocating motion has been the main task starting with the windmill or water wheel. The book also explains the design of such mechanisms, and the analytical methods developed for the correlation of crank angles and function generation. Freudenstein¿s equation for three, four and five precision points and least squares method for function generation using Freudenstein¿s equation are explained. Developments made in Russian school on mechanism synthesis starting with Chebyshev are discussed. Finally, application of optimization in mechanism design is shown with examples. Solver tool as an add-in in Excel® is used, which provides a simple, fast and easy-to-use platform for the optimization of mechanisms.

This book is exceptional in providing an up-to-date, but compact, introduction to the field of hydrodynamics and fluid dynamics that is both sufficiently comprehensive and easy to read. It covers all the elements of compressible and incompressible fluid dynamics, from the basic concepts through to the constituent equations and their applications. Fluid flows in different environments are thoroughly discussed, and specific aspects such as dissipation, turbulence, shock waves, and blast waves receive detailed attention. The book contains many exercises and draws attention to numerical solutions to specific problems. The book is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students and young researchers in physics, astrophysics, mathematics (pure and applied), and engineering. As this book is intended for a wide audience, the mathematical prerequisites are kept to a low level.

This updated and expanded second edition textbook, describes all main aspects of soil management, to address the serious problems of soil erosion and the attendant environmental pollution. The global high demands for food, fiber, feed, and fuel put a constant strain on the environment, which can only be mitigated by soil conservation.This edition incorporates new concepts and provides an up-to-date review of soil management principles and practices. The authors also added new chapters on cover crops, crop residues, soil water management, nutrient management, perennials in crop rotations and organic amendments. All practices have a clear perspective on addressing soil erosion, physical and chemical problems, carbon dynamics and sequestration as well as non-point source pollution. The restorative nature of many practices, also consider water conservation as a main pillar of sustaining a healthy soil.This textbook is valuable for students and professionals in soil science, agronomy, agricultural engineering, hydrology, and management of natural resources.

This textbook overviews the whole spectrum of formal methods and techniques that are aimed at verifying correctness of software, and how they can be used in practice. It focuses on techniques whereby the user has some control over the properties that are being checked. More specifically, it shows a wide range of techniques covering the whole spectrum: from abstract system design to implementation, from bug finding to full proofs, and from techniques that are push-button by design and give a yes/no answer to techniques that require the user to provide explicit guidance to steer the analysis process.Topics and features:Covers a broad spectrum of software verification techniques, from model checking to annotation checkingProvides numerous examples to demonstrate the techniquesFocuses on how techniques can be used (and the main ideas behind how they work), as opposed to how they are implementedExplains strengths and weaknesses of the techniques, providing insight into when to use which technique in practiceThis unique textbook has been written primarily for master¿s level students in computer science studying embedded systems and specializing in software technology. The book will also be of interest for students studying cyber security and data science technology, as well as for system or software developers interested in techniques that offer formal guarantees about software.

This book describes a novel and popular method for the theoretical and computational study of phase transformations and materials processing in condensed and soft matter. The field theoretic method for the study of phase transformations in material systems, also known as the phase-field method, allows one to analyze different stages of transformations within a unified framework. It has received significant attention in the materials science community due to many recent successes in solving or illuminating important problems. In a single volume, this book addresses the fundamentals of the method starting from the basics of the field theoretic method along with its most important theoretical and computational results and some of the most advanced recent results and applications. Now in a revised and expanded second edition, the text is updated throughout and includes material on the classical theory of phase transformations. This book serves as both a primer in the area of phase transformations for those new to the field and as a guide for the more seasoned researcher. It is also of interest to historians of physics.

This book aims at an innovative approach within the framework of convex analysis and optimization, based on an in-depth study of the behavior and properties of the supremum of families of convex functions. It presents an original and systematic treatment of convex analysis, covering standard results and improved calculus rules in subdifferential analysis. The tools supplied in the text allow a direct approach to the mathematical foundations of convex optimization, in particular to optimality and duality theory. Other applications in the book concern convexification processes in optimization, non-convex integration of the Fenchel subdifferential, variational characterizations of convexity, and the study of Chebychev sets. At the same time, the underlying geometrical meaning of all the involved concepts and operations is highlighted and duly emphasized. A notable feature of the book is its unifying methodology, as well as the novelty of providing an alternative or complementary view to the traditional one in which the discipline is presented to students and researchers. This textbook can be used for courses on optimization, convex and variational analysis, addressed to graduate and post-graduate students of mathematics, and also students of economics and engineering. It is also oriented to provide specific background for courses on optimal control, data science, operations research, economics (game theory), etc. The book represents a challenging and motivating development for those experts in functional analysis, convex geometry, and any kind of researchers who may be interested in applications of their work.

This book presents a short introduction to the main tools of optimization methodology including linear programming, steepest descent, conjugate gradients, and the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker-John conditions. Each topic is developed in terms of a specific physical model, so that the strategy behind every step is motivated by a logical, concrete, easily visualized objective. A quick perusal of the Fibonacci search algorithm provides a simple and tantalizing first encounter with optimization theory, and a review of the max-min exposition of one-dimensional calculus prepares readers for the more sophisticated topics found later in the book. Notable features are the innovative perspectives on the simplex algorithm and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker-John conditions as well as a wealth of helpful diagrams. The author provides pointers to references for readers who would like to learn more about rigorous definitions, proofs, elegant reformulations and extensions, and case studies. However, the book is sufficiently self-contained to serve as a reliable resource for readers who wish to exploit commercially available optimization software without investing the time to develop expertise in its aspects.This book also:Features innovative perspectives on the simplex algorithm and Krushal-Kuhn-Tucker-John conditionsServes as a resource for readers to use the tools of optimization without needing to acquire expertise in the theoryFeatures plentiful resources that focus on rigorous definitions, proofs, and case studies

This is the long-awaited pocket text on risk assessment for students and professionals in all health and safety fields. Risk assessment and risk-based decision-making are essential skills in today¿s health and safety fields, but a convenient pocket or desk reference has been needed with enough theory to begin a preliminary risk assessment, together with clear explanations, applications, and worked examples. This book addresses that need. It provides a practical resource for estimating risks in various applications, as well as assisting with the design of larger project-based assessments. It explains the two main numeric procedures: probabilistic, or ¿catastrophic¿, and quantitative, or ¿chronic¿, risk assessment, along with chapters on qualitative risk assessment and approaches to food-related risks. A final chapter examines how people perceive risk, and provides advice and assistance in the development of essential, effective risk communication with the public and with the media. Numerous case studies are analyzed. Assessment and Communication of Risk: A Pocket Text for Health and Safety Professionals is a one-stop resource for students in all health and safety fields, and provides a valuable guide for existing field practitioners in public health, occupational health and safety, hospitals, environmental assessment offices, and ministries of health, labour, and the environment.