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This volume presents a compilation of research works in civil engineering. All manuscripts in this volume were presented during the 2nd International Conference on Architecture and Civil Engineering (ICACE 2018) which was held at Parkroyal Hotel, Penang, Malaysia on 09-10 May 2018. The editor(s) of the proceeding would like to express the utmost gratitude and thanks to all reviewers in the technical team for making this volume a success.
This book investigates language choices in different domains among Syrian Arab Muslim families who came to Malaysia after war broke out in their country. It focuses on how Syrian Heritage Language (HL), Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), Classical Arabic (CA), and other languages that might be spoken by these families were maintained and/or shifted from the time these families came to Malaysia until the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most works on Syrian community in Malaysia are focused on social and humanitarian issues; none has explored how Syrians in Malaysia are managing their language use in connection with day-to-day communication and integration. As the Syrian community in Malaysia adapts by learning the host language, their mother language/s might experience a shift. The way the minority communities view their mother language by prioritizing or deprioritizing its use in the family milieu are factors that contribute to language maintenance and language shift (LMLS). As such, this book provides insights on how Syrian parents are managing their own and their children¿s language/s, along with the language of the host country.
This book is a collection of contributions related to IndiäChina relationship beyond the issue of borders. It focuses on those elements that play important role in defining, continuing, and strengthening the interaction between the two countries. In doing so, it explores roles of language and linguistics, history and culture, politics and economy, and philosophy and sociology that mediated ancient and modern interfaces.The book observes the role of silk route in the economic, political, and scholarly exchanges between ancient civilizations and in the movement of Buddhism to China and other Asian nations. The contributors highlight how the two countries have co-existed in various eras and tackled issues of conflict and cooperation during lows and highs in the past and present. It pays special attention to the role of language and linguistic competence as an important component of socio-cultural comprehension of a society and introduces major innovations and challenges inteaching and learning the Chinese language.The wide-ranging contributions make the book an attractive resource for academics, think-tanks, diplomats, and researchers working on Asian/IndiäChina studies across the globe.
This book examines the abilities of new machine learning models for predicting ore grade in mining engineering. A variety of case studies are examined in this book. A motivation for preparing this book was the absence of robust models for estimating ore grade. Models of current books can also be used for the different sciences because they have high capabilities for estimating different variables. Mining engineers can use the book to determine the ore grade accurately. This book helps identify mineral-rich regions for exploration and exploitation. Exploration costs can be decreased by using the models in the current book. In this book, the author discusses the new concepts in mining engineering, such as uncertainty in ore grade modeling. Ensemble models are presented in this book to estimate ore grade. In the book, readers learn how to construct advanced machine learning models for estimating ore grade. The authors of this book present advanced and hybrid models used to estimate ore grade instead of the classic methods such as kriging. The current book can be used as a comprehensive handbook for estimating ore grades. Industrial managers and modelers can use the models of the current books. Each level of ore grade modeling is explained in the book. In this book, advanced optimizers are presented to train machine learning models. Therefore, the book can also be used by modelers in other fields. The main motivation of this book is to address previous shortcomings in the modeling process of ore grades. The scope of this book includes mining engineering, soft computing models, and artificial intelligence.
This book presents a case study of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) implemented by universities in Vietnam, making valuable theoretical, empirical, and methodological contributions to the research in EMI which is currently a popular theme in the field of Higher Education. The importance of internationalization of higher education has been widely recognized by many countries all over the world. The spread of English as an international language has resulted in its crucial role in teaching and learning any disciplines. Globally, higher education in many non-English speaking countries has witnessed rapid expansion of (EMI) which was initiated in Europe, then to Asia and other continents which are featured with ¿Cultural Circles¿ spread in the world.Although there are many publications with the same theme available today, this monograph is unique because it is the first time to examine EMI classroom interaction from the cultural perspective specifically rather than from linguistic or pedagogical perspectives. It is a pioneering attempt to discuss in depth about cultural issues relating to EMI, namely (1) the social-cultural context of EMI classes in higher education; (2) the cultural backgrounds of EMI teachers and learners; and (3) culture interactions between teachers and learners in EMI classrooms. In addition, both quantitative and qualitative methods are employed to collect data from teachers and learners. Finally, a context-based model of EMI is proposed based on findings of this research.As a country within the Confucius Heritage Cultural Circle, Vietnam has been selected for this study because few studies to date are carried out in how EMI is culturally integrated to teaching and learning in the Vietnamese universities. This book is a joint effort by international academics, prepared for established scholars, researchers, educators, and research higher degree students who are interested in higher education, second and foreign language education and EMI teacher training.
This book explores how a long-term innovation can take place based on historical analyses of the development of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane from the early 1950s to the mid-2010s. The RO membrane is a critical material for desalination that is a key to solve water shortages becoming serious in many places of the world.The authors conducted in-depth field studies as well as analyses of rich archival data to demonstrate how researchers, engineers, managers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers interacted each other for this material innovation to be realized. A series of historical analyses in this book uncovered that initial government supports, strategic niche markets, emergence of breakthrough technology, and company-specific rationales played significant roles for companies to overcome four types of uncertainty, technological, market, competition, and social/organizational ones, and enabled the companies to persistently invest in the development and commercialization of the RO membrane.This book depicts that innovation does not arise on a sudden, but that it is actualized through long lasting process with turns and twists, which is driven by many non-economic rationales beyond economic motives.
This book offers a brief but effective introduction to quantum machine learning (QML). QML is not merely a translation of classical machine learning techniques into the language of quantum computing, but rather a new approach to data representation and processing. Accordingly, the content is not divided into a "classical part" that describes standard machine learning schemes and a "quantum part" that addresses their quantum counterparts. Instead, to immerse the reader in the quantum realm from the outset, the book starts from fundamental notions of quantum mechanics and quantum computing. Avoiding unnecessary details, it presents the concepts and mathematical tools that are essential for the required quantum formalism. In turn, it reviews those quantum algorithms most relevant to machine learning. Later chapters highlight the latest advances in this field and discuss the most promising directions for future research.To gain the most from this book, a basic grasp of statistics and linear algebra is sufficient; no previous experience with quantum computing or machine learning is needed. The book is aimed at researchers and students with no background in quantum physics and is also suitable for physicists looking to enter the field of QML.
This book outlines the latest research on the design and fabrication of the biomaterials used in mimicked scaffolds for tissue engineering for maxillofacial and orthopedic applications. The book is written based on integration and optimized concepts of 3 main parts 1) principle of tissue engineering; 2) mimicking of structure and function of scaffolds which is similar to extracellular matrix (ECM); and 3) mimicked scaffolds for tissue engineering in maxillofacial and orthopedic surgery. The content of this book which is interdisciplinary in nature caters to medical product designers, materials scientists and engineers, biologists, and surgeons who have interest in the field of bone tissue engineering.
This book introduces the role of cation¿¿ interactions in chemistry, biology, and polymer materials science. Since the cation¿¿ interaction was defined in 1990, its importance has been recognized in a variety of fields due to its relatively significant interaction energy. A number of examples are introduced in which the contribution of cation-¿ interactions was evidenced by X-ray structures, spectroscopies, computations, and other means. The latest developments in these areas are remarkable; therefore, many recent examples are included.As this book covers the basic aspects of the applications of cation¿¿ interactions it is useful for students and researchers in a wide variety of scientific fields. In addition, the book will not only facilitate understanding of the phenomena occurring in various systems but also provides insights into the design of new catalysts, reactions, and materials.
This book explores the molecular mechanisms of iron hemostasis in the brain and discusses the cognitive and behavioral implications of iron deficiency. It presents the effect of iron dysregulation on neurophysiological mechanisms. The book provides an overview of iron metabolism and homeostasis at the cellular level and its regulation at the mRNA translation level. It emphasizes the importance of iron for brain development in fetal and early life in preterm infants.Further, it presents iron metabolism as a therapeutic target for novel pharmacological treatment against neurodevelopmental diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. It discusses the role of iron deficiency in sleep disorders and offers diagnosis and treatment of iron-related CNS diseases. Finally, it relates dysregulated expression of iron-related genes in brain tumors.
This book contains papers presented at the 2nd International Conference on Cognitive based Information Processing and Applications (CIPA) in Changzhou, China, from September 22 to 23, 2022. The book is divided into a 2-volume series and the papers represent the various technological advancements in network information processing, graphics and image processing, medical care, machine learning, smart cities. It caters to postgraduate students, researchers, and practitioners specializing and working in the area of cognitive-inspired computing and information processing.
This book provides a critical overview of contemporary world issues in Language and Literary Studies. It offers specific ideas as to how to move away from the traditional literary canon, on the one hand, and traditional native-speaker norms in English language teaching, on the other. It delivers a global perspective of both the growth and the challenges in ELT studies around the world. Following the introduction, the first section of the book contains chapters from international scholars on recognizing and diversifying Englishes in today¿s language and translation classrooms. Specifically, the chapters focus on issues such as the cultural hegemony of a monolithic English, English and university pedagogy, English as a gatekeeper, and the role of a reconceived English education in promoting cross-cultural understanding. The second section focuses on the interaction of literature and culture, with specific chapters focusing on decolonizing the traditional literary canon, defining a global text, representing cultural interactions in literary texts, and emerging genres in contemporary English literature. Both sections of the book question the existing boundaries in a post-2020 world, specifically in a non-western world. It is an indispensable resource for scholars in cultural studies, linguistics, and literary studies.
This book assesses Ecological Migration and Precision Poverty Alleviation Measures, based on research conducted in Ningxia. ¿Resettling residents currently living in poor areas¿ is an important measure for ¿precise poverty alleviation.¿ Chinäs central government has provided extraordinary support for these areas, so as to help with ¿removing poverty nests,¿ ¿changing poverty industries,¿ and ¿pulling out the roots of poverty.¿This book is mainly based on research conducted in Ningxia, one of the earliest areas in China to achieve poverty alleviation and development through immigration and relocation. Since the Twelfth Five-Year Plan, Ningxiäs ecological migration has been integrated into the process of new urbanization and industrialization. Poverty alleviation and relocation not only involves regional transfer, industrial transformation, and changes in livelihood, but also the social adaptation and integration of migrant groups. In addition to examining these aspects, the book shares stories of how impoverished individuals have succeeded in changing their fates.
This book highlights the applications of nanotechnology in modern medicine. Today we are living in a world of fast-changing behavior and lifestyles. Despite health and wellbeing are often pronounced and enforced, the diseases and illnesses are emerging in different forms, at an alarming rate. Protecting the mankind is becoming ever more challenging. In this backdrop, medicine needs new approaches and technologies to build the defenses. Nanotechnology is successfully confronting the situation. It does so in two avenues, namely, nanomaterials, and, nanodevices. Nanomaterials possess extraordinary properties that are utilized to confront bacteria and viruses, and for targeted drug delivery. Nanodevices can be maneuvered inside the human body to reach extreme locations. This book presents the latest developments in these areas.
This book provides a comprehensive review of hermaphroditism in fishes. It focuses on the behavioral ecology of functional hermaphroditism in fishes and discusses its evolution.Approximately 99% of all vertebrate species consist of separate-sex individuals (gonochorists), i.e., pure males and pure females. The other 1% of vertebrate species are hermaphroditic, and almost all of them are fishes. Among hermaphroditic fishes, four major types of hermaphroditism are known: simultaneous (or synchronous) hermaphroditism, protandry (male-to-female sex change), protogyny (female-to-male sex change), and bidirectional sex change (or reversed sex change in protogynous species).The book examines the occurrence of hermaphroditism in relation to phylogeny and mating systems. It also reviews the hypotheses for the evolution of hermaphroditism, and the size-advantage model, which is the main theory for the evolution of sex change, tested in relation to the mating system. The appendix in the last chapter provides an annotated list of hermaphroditic fish species (ca. 500 spp.).
This edited volume offers a comprehensive reference point to an interdisciplinary and trans-boundary analysis of the sustainability of Asian tertiary education systems. The four sections of the volume ¿Collaborations, Transformations, Global-Local Tensions, and Future Developments¿reflect the current conditions, ongoing changes, and new directions of the universities¿ transformative contribution to the 2030 UN Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The chapters in this volume draw on inquiries and experiences from 12 research projects conducted in Asia, featuring cases from South Korea, Kazakhstan, Russia, and China, and include regions such as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Ural-Siberian, and the Far Eastern regions of Russia. The collection of the studies presented in this volume offers a general framework for sustainable tertiary education that, with some adaptations, could be applied to other tertiary education systems in the world. The present volume, Sustainable Tertiary Education in Asia: Policies, Practices, and Developments, contributes to the research arena of Higher Education Sustainability by fostering a cross-cultural dialog among sustainability stakeholders of tertiary education in Asia and beyond.
This book is a phenomenological approach to film sound and film as a whole, bringing all sensory impressions together within the body as a sense of movement. This includes embodied listening, felt sound and the audiovisual chord as a dynamic knot of visual and auditory movements. From this perspective, auditory spaces in film can be used as a pivot between an inner and an external world.
This book demonstrates how a radical version of physicalism (`No-Self Physicalism¿) can offer an internally coherent and comprehensive philosophical worldview. It first argues that a coherent physicalist should explicitly treat a cognitive subject merely as a physical thing and should not vaguely assume an amorphous or even soul-like subject or self. This approach forces the physicalist to re-examine traditional core philosophical notions such as truth, analyticity, modality, apriority because our traditional understandings of them appear to be predicated on a cognitive subject that is not literally just a physical thing.In turn, working on the assumption that a cognitive subject is itself completely physical, namely a neural network-based robot programmed by evolution (hence the term `No-Self¿), the book proposes physicalistic theories on conceptual representation, truth, analyticity, modality, the nature of mathematics, epistemic justification, knowledge, apriority and intuition, as well as a physicalistic ontology. These are meant to show that this No-Self Physicalism, perhaps the most minimalistic and radical version of physicalism proposed to date, can accommodate many aspects that have traditionally interested philosophers. Given its refreshingly radical approach and painstakingly developed content, the book is of interest to anyone who is seeking a coherent philosophical worldview in this age of science.
The prefrontal cortex is known to play important roles for performing a variety of higher cognitive functions. Among regions of the prefrontal cortex, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays the most important roles for these functions. This book focuses on functions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, summarizes research results obtained mainly by non-human primate studies, and describes neural mechanisms of executive functions that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex participates. First, to understand the feature of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and how its function has been understood, anatomical and functional features of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and historical overview of prefrontal functions are described. To understand functions of the prefrontal cortex and neural mechanisms of executive functions, working memory is an important concept and sustained activation during the memory period of working memory tasks is known as a neural mechanism of working memory. Therefore, this book describes features of sustained memory-related activity based on neurophysiological results obtained in the prefrontal cortex and how memory-related activity contributes to executive functions including control of attention, inhibitory control, task management, and planning. And further, this book describes how the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex contributes to neural mechanisms for sensory and motor processing, memory control in multi-task performance, decision-making, metacognition, and top-down control. Thus, this book provides important information regarding neural mechanisms of dorsolateral prefrontal functions to neuroscientists and helps to plan further investigation to understand prefrontal functions in primates and human subjects.
This book highlights issues related to the organization and improvement of the efficiency of training system in technical operation of radio-electronic equipment currently used in civil aviation. The increasing intensity of air traffic around the world leads to a quantitative increase in old problems and the emergence of qualitatively new ones that can only be solved by trained people, whose training process should be carried out on a systematic basis. Modern approaches to improving the human resources potential of civil aviation, as a rule, are based only on modernizing the management mechanisms of the training system. One of the main advantages of this book is the unique integrated approach to building a system for training aviation personnel in the field of technical operation of radio-electronic equipment and air traffic control, which consists in taking into account various factors that affect the training of specialists, promising areas of development of civil aviation based on the analysis of various guidance documents and the construction of mathematical models that give a qualitative assessment of existing methods and the proposed new methodology. The book contains a large amount of visual illustrative material showing the existing structure of the system of training in the field of civil aviation.
This book focuses on the various invasive and non-invasive techniques which can be used for the characterization of starch macromolecules along with, the various types of physical, chemical, and enzymatic modifications of starch to enhance its usage in the food industry. It discusses various biophysical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and second harmonic generation microscopy for the understanding of the Physico-chemical properties of starch. The book also sheds light on the visual, rheological characterization of different types of starches that are responsible for altered digestibility. The chapters also cover the applications of starch in food industries, non-food industries, pharmaceuticals, drug delivery systems, and green flexible electronics. Towards the end, the book reviews the chemical, physical, and enzymatic modifications of the starch for improving its properties and applications. This book provides a valuable reference for students and researchers in the field of food science and technology, food science, and nutrition.
This collection of essays brings together ecocritical interpretations of Malaysian texts ¿ including fiction, nonfiction, and other media / cultural expressions. It includes original works by environmental activists as well as emerging and established scholars, who collectively analyse various aspects of Malaysian ecological discourse.The contributors address crucial ¿ and often controversial ¿ topics such as local ecological imaginations, wildlife conservation, overdevelopment, postcolonial ecological identities, biopolitics, nature and sexuality, nature and race, the commodification of nature, nature¿culture embodiments and entanglements, human¿animal relations, waste and materiality, human and other-than-human agency, toxicity and slow violence, self-representations as well as attitudes towards land, nativity and indigeneity, migrancy and diaspora.Readers will gain valuable insights into the ways in which environments and ecological relationships are mediated within this national space, while opening up room to theorise beyond its boundaries.
This contributed book has a comprehensive collection of 17 carefully curated chapters that delve into the latest advancements in fixed-point theory and its diverse applications. It bridges the gap between theory and practicality, providing readers with a deep understanding of fundamental theorems related to the existence and uniqueness of maps. The book covers a wide array of applications, each showcasing the relevance of fixed-point theory in various domains. Readers will explore applications dealing with topological properties, the resolution of integral equations across multiple classes, nonlinear differential equations, fractional differential equations, dynamic programming problems, and engineering science-related challenges. This diverse range of topics ensures that the book caters to both theoretical researchers and practitioners seeking real-world solutions.The primary feature of the book is the pictorial depictions of examples, making complex concepts more accessible and understandable. These visual representations enhance the learning experience, enabling readers to grasp the enunciated outcomes effortlessly. The book stands as an essential reference for scholars, researchers, and professionals interested in the theoretical foundations and practical implications of fixed-point theory. Its blend of theoretical insights and real-world applications makes it an indispensable addition to the field of mathematics and its interdisciplinary applications.
The book focuses on sparse multi-sensor array systems and design approaches. Both principles and engineering practice have been addressed, with more weight placed on algorithm development. This is achieved by providing an in-depth study on sparse sensing for several major multi-sensor array applications such as beam-pattern synthesis, adaptive beamforming, target detection, arrival angle estimation, and dual-functional radar communications. Sparsity sensed in multi-sensor arrays refers to the sparse property of the spatial spectrum sensed. The exploitation of the sparsity in the sensed can significantly enhance the performance of signal processing systems. The comprehensive and systematic treatment of theory and practice in different array applications is one of the major features of the book, which is particularly suited for readers who are interested to learn practical solutions in array signal processing. The book benefits researchers, engineers, and graduate students in the fields of signal processing, electrical engineering, telecommunications, etc.
This protocol book provides detailed procedures for the isolation of cyanobacteria, extraction, quantification, and detection of cyanotoxins. It illustrates the sampling and processing of toxin-producing cyanobacteria in water and aquatic animal samples, detection of cyanotoxins from Anabaena, Anabaenopsis, Cylindrospermopsis, Microsystis, Microcystis, Nodularia, Nostoc, Schizotrix, Lyngbya, Raphidiopsis, Oscillatoria, Planktothrix in aquatic resources. It also covers toxicity analysis by various bioassay protocols, and in vitro and insilico analysis methods. The book also reviews the methods for cyanotoxin extraction, detection, and quantification by various tools including LC-MS/MS, HPLC, NMR, PCR, and HESI-MS/MS. A separate section is dedicated to the advanced methods in Cyanotoxin analysis including the Molecular Imprinting Method (MIM), Cellular signaling biosensor, Electrochemical sensor, Nanosensors, and screening of Polyketide synthase gene. The analysis of various toxin-producing genes like sxtA and mcy is also accounted for in this book.In a nutshell, the book gives comprehensive procedures about the basics and preliminary processes that are involved in sample collection to advanced methods incorporated into the well-explored and unexplored Cyanobacterial toxin. Consequently, this manual is useful for both beginners and advanced researchers, including postgraduate students, academicians, researchers, and scientists in the field of Cyanobacterial research.¿
This book introduces readers to the financial markets, derivatives, structured products and how the products are modelled and implemented by practitioners. In addition, it equips readers with the necessary knowledge of financial markets needed in order to work as product structurers, traders, sales or risk managers.This second edition substantially extends, updates and clarifies the previous edition. New materials and enhanced contents include, but not limited to, the role of central counterparties for derivatives transactions, the reference rates to replace LIBOR, risk-neutral modelling for futures and forward, discussions and analysis on risk-neutral framework and numéraires, discrete dividend modelling, variance reduction techniques for Monte Carlo method, finite difference method analysis, tree method, FX modelling, multi-name credit derivatives modelling, local volatility model, forward variance model and local-stochastic volatility model to reflect market practice.As the book seeks to unify the derivatives modelling and the financial engineering practice in the market, it will be of interest to financial practitioners and academic researchers alike. The book can also be used as a textbook for the following courses:¿ Financial Mathematics (undergraduate level)¿ Stochastic Modelling in Finance (postgraduate level)¿ Financial Markets and Derivatives (undergraduate level)¿ Structured Products and Solutions (undergraduate/postgraduate level)
This book gathers the proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Frontier Computing, held in Tokyo, on July 10¿13, 2023, and provides comprehensive coverage of the latest advances and trends in information technology, science, and engineering. It addresses a number of broad themes, including communication networks, business intelligence and knowledge management, Web intelligence, and related fields that inspire the development of information technology. The respective contributions cover a wide range of topics: database and data mining, networking and communications, Web and Internet of things, embedded systems, soft computing, social network analysis, security and privacy, optical communication, and ubiquitous/pervasive computing. Many of the papers outline promising future research directions, and the book benefits students, researchers, and professionals alike. Further, it offers a useful reference guide for newcomers to the field.
This book sheds light on the communication of social support, language use, and therapeutic effects in the context of online self-help groups for anxiety and depression. The book has two major purposes: the first is to enhance understanding of the phatic communication through a discourse-pragmatic perspective; and the second is to demonstrate the use of discourse analysis to discuss the potential therapeutic effects of the online self-help groups. Key concepts, including genre study, speech act theory, relational work and discourse analysis, are revisited and elucidated to show their applicability in health communication research. This book focuses on the topics of communication patterns, the communicative acts of self-disclosure and advice-giving, and relevant social theories in the communication of social support.This book is a useful reference guide for both undergraduate and postgraduate students who are interested in discourse analysis, pragmatics and health communication. It is also a valuable resource that catches attention of researchers who conduct interdisciplinary research pertaining to communication, clinical linguistics and social work.
This book comprehensively reviews the theranostic applications of nanomaterials against various neurological disorders. The initial chapters briefly introduce various neurological disorders, their molecular mechanism, available treatments, and the latest research. It further reviews the challenges associated with the current theranostics strategies, including blood-brain-barrier. This book examines the synthesis of nanoparticles, development of efficient biosensors, fabrication of nanomaterials, diagnosis through nano-chips, and their interaction with neuronal cells. The chapter also discusses the various nanoformulations or nanocarriers of natural therapeutics, including herbal products, peptides, nootropics, and dietary supplements used to prevent and delay neurological disorders. Additionally, the book provides information on the commonly used molecular imaging tools and biosensors, using different nanomaterials for the early detection of neurological disorders. Towards the end,the book covers the imaging techniques like gold nanocages and photoacoustic imaging for diagnosing and targeted drug delivery for neurological disorders. The chapter presents the current challenges in using nanotechnology for neurological disorders and their potential solutions.
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