Bøger i SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology serien

This book highlights the dynamical behavior of self-similar waves in graded-index waveguides in (1+1)-dimensions and (2+1)-dimensions. The mechanism to control these optical similaritons by tailoring the tapering profile is presented. Various nonlinear waves like rogons, butterfly-shaped, and dromion-like waves and their controllable behavior are discussed in detail. The phenomenon of unbreakable Parity-Time symmetry of some of these waves has been delineated for different variety of solvable potentials. Compression of these exotic waves has been demonstrated for dispersion decreasing fiber and periodic management of dispersion and nonlinearity parameters. Competing cubic-quintic nonlinearity scenario and its potential implication on the dynamics of these similaritons has been described in detail. Symbiotic self-similar rogue waves have been discussed in (2+1)-dimensional garded-index waveguide. The book also includes numerical simulations that complement these analytical insights.

This book explores a dynamic landscape where cutting-edge technologies are revolutionizing various domains. This captivating book delves into the advancements in security, communication, and environmental management, highlighting their profound impact on society. The developments bridge the gap between human needs and technological innovation. Readers will uncover the fascinating world of IoT-driven devices that seamlessly integrate into our lives, ensuring enhanced safety and communication efficiency. This book is a must-read for technology enthusiasts, researchers, and anyone curious about the transformative power of technology in shaping our present and future.

The book explores current characteristics of the urban built environment in view of possible future transformations. A cross-reading analysis of existing public social housing buildings is proposed, based on the investigation of their architectural, structural, and energetic characteristics. The study aims to provide an integrated approach that captures the link between typology, construction, and energy demands, offering a key to understanding the main critical issues and transformation readiness. It focuses on large-scale interventions composing public social housing stocks, realized during the second half of the twentieth century. More than other public interventions, such building stocks clearly lack in meeting current housing needs such as modern apartment architectural layout, energy and structural regulations, and social mix. However, due to their numerical presence, strategical and widespread distribution across urban areas, and transformability, these buildings can bethe target for future strategic regeneration projects. In particular, the book thoroughly investigates the social housing estate constructed in Rome (Italy) after the approval in 1964 of the first urban economic and social housing plan.

This book presents a design research on the basalt fiber, a natural mineral material with important characteristics, and investigates the material's properties, production techniques, and most common uses, while also delving into aspects yet to be improved. The work presents a part of original research in between art and design, in which concepts, prototypes, and ideas are proposed, aimed at the enhancement of basalt fiber also from an esthetic point of view and not only from a performance one. By working on its perceived qualities and creative and formal potential, it is possible to support and extend the use of this material in many areas of design, including product, exhibit, cultural industries, and fashion. Considering that environmental regulations are increasingly stringent, the use of basalt fiber may in some cases be more advantageous than other popular technical fibers, both because of its own performance characteristics and specifically because of its inherent sustainability.

This book discusses selected waste and by-products of the food industry. Two commonly used methods of managing these are discussed: anaerobic digestion and composting. The book reviews current research and also brings in the author¿s own research insights to the discussion. The book is aimed at food industry specialists, waste management specialists, scientists, and students. However, the book describes problems in an accessible way, which will make this book useful for beginners in the waste/biogas/composting sector.

This book serves as a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students specializing in optical engineering and optical sciences. Comprising three distinct parts, it addresses fundamental aspects and practical applications of modulated apertures in microscopy. The first part delves into the fabrication of modulated apertures and the computation of impulse responses or point spread functions (PSFs). It offers essential insights into the foundational concepts of modulated aperture design. The second part focuses on the utilization of modulated apertures in speckle imaging, elucidating their significance and relevance in this context. This section provides a comprehensive understanding of the practical applications of modulated apertures in image formation. The third and final part explores the application of modulated apertures within the framework of a confocal scanning laser microscope. The objective here is to enhance microscope resolution and image contrast, contributing tothe advancement of microscopy techniques. This book offers a concise and objective exploration of modulated apertures' fabrication, applications, and their potential to enhance microscopy. This book is a valuable reference for students and researchers seeking to deepen their knowledge in this specialized field.

This book presents experimental investigations and digital image processing, highlighting the interaction of polarized radiation with phase-inhomogeneous and optically anisotropic biological layers. The promising and efficient use of vector-parametric description of the formation of polarization-inhomogeneous object fields is noted. Applications of a set of Mueller-matrix polarimetry methods are highlighted. The book includes- structural and logical scheme of multi-parameter (singular, interference and layer-by-layer Stokes-polarimetric), polarization-correlation study of the structure of distributions of the number of singularities, maps of local contrast of interference distributions and layer-by-layer maps of microscopic polarization azimuth and ellipticity; determination of relationships between changes in the magnitude of statistical parameters characterizing polarization-correlation distributions and pathology of prostate tumors.

This brief highlights the factors associated with good goalkeeping techniques and their impact on goalkeepers¿ performance in elite European football leagues. The goalkeeping performances of 1600 goalkeepers from five consecutive seasons across the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and German Bundesliga are studied. The findings from this brief are useful for identifying the success metrices of top-class goalkeepers that help stakeholders to devise strategies to further enhance their performances and empower talent identification experts with pertinent information for mapping out future high-performance goalkeepers.

Fatigue occurs under cyclic loading and can significantly degrade the operational capability and safety of metallic aircraft components and structures. This book provides summaries of some metallic aircraft structural integrity issues, innovative but established examples of maintaining operational capability¿airworthiness, and assessments of safe in-service fatigue lives. These topics are based on a through-life fatigue management philosophy that ensures safe and continued operation, including during life extensions that are almost inevitably required. This philosophy is underpinned by observations of the behaviour of fatigue cracks in actual structures subjected to realistic service loading conditions. The book includes topics like aircraft design requirements, individual aircraft fatigue loads monitoring, airframe fatigue testing, sources of fatigue-nucleating discontinuities, and prediction of fatigue crack growth from these discontinuities. All these aspects contribute to discussing methods of assuring the structural integrity and operational capability of realistically cracked structures. The book also discusses the exponential behaviour of lead or dominant cracks¿those leading to first failure¿and the practical significance of differences between fatigue fracture topographies produced under constant amplitude and variable amplitude loading. The book can be a valuable reference for researchers and professionals interested in aircraft fatigue management and allied fields.

This book highlights several methods and quantitative implementations of both probabilistic and fuzzy-based approaches to uncertainty quantification and uncertainty propagation through environmental subsurface pollution models with uncertain input parameters. The book focuses on methods as well as applications in hydrogeology, soil hydrology, groundwater contamination, and related areas (e.g., corrosion of nuclear waste canisters). The methods are illustrated for a broad spectrum of models, from non-differential I/O models to complex PDE solvers, including a novel 3D quasi-analytical model of contaminant transport, and a site-specific computer model of dissolved contaminant migration from a DNAPL (Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquid) pollution source.

This book assesses the main interrelationships between economic growth processes, life cycle sustainability assessment approaches, and new technologies in the framework of digital transition. In other words, it aims to highlight how sustainability assessment methodologies and artificial intelligence can better support different actors for more sustainable economic growth. Readers of the book would benefit from diverse perspectives on the contributions of evaluation methodologies and digital technologies to more sustainable economic growth. This is important especially for students, policymakers and public institutions. Economic growth is analysed using the concepts of sigma and beta convergence from neoclassical theory and the Verdoorn law of Keynesian development. For sustainability assessments, the book considers methodologies associated with social life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis. In the context of digital technologies, special emphasis is given to machine anddeep learning approaches.

This book explores the previously overlooked negative environmental impact of the sports industry, with a particular emphasis on the carbon footprint of sports facilities and organizations. The authors provide a comprehensive assessment of sustainable development goals, economic, social, and environmental sustainability concepts. They reveal the significant negative effects that the sports sector has on the environment and examine the policies implemented by stakeholders in the industry.The book also explores a case study of the legal policies implemented by the Lithuanian government to reduce the environmental impact of sports. The authors present practical suggestions for environmentally-friendly sports management, supported by examples presented with figures, pictures, and tables.This book fills a gap in the literature, offering suggestions and comments to enrich the practices of stakeholders in the sports industry. It provides an opportunity to make a positive difference for the environment while advancing the field of sports management.

This book represents a significant step toward a new contribution in the process of developing the seismic vulnerability index. This is accomplished by releasing or reducing the role of the rapid visual screening that is created by the opinions and decisions of experts, which depend on observations made while investigating the vulnerability damages caused by earthquakes. Alternatively, the computational analytical technique is preferable since it can be effective in determining the seismic vulnerability index before the occurrence of an earthquake by modeling the most affected influencing parameters that regulate the building performance. In addition, the seismic vulnerability index is supported by the vulnerability curves, which describe the probability of damages and are used to estimate the economic damage grade for each building which is the topic of inquiry. In the end, this helps to establish a clear vision and sort of recommendations for engineers and specialists to follow inorder to take into consideration certain indices and factors before designing any specific structure. Because of this, the simplified work is utilized to manage and put into action measures that will protect against the effects of seismic events before an earthquake really occurs. In addition to this benefit, the work that has been done is of significant assistance to the authorities that are accountable for the restoration of the preexisting buildings and the cultural heritages.

This book highlights a comprehensive understanding of the fabrication and growth of carbon nanostructures via the arc discharge process. Its content is designed to benefit academicians, students, researchers, scientists, and readers who are interested in gaining knowledge in this area. The book presents findings on the arc discharge process and provide detailed information on the optimal state and energy of carbon ions in arc discharge plasma, observed under different pressures and ambient environments. The contents presented here can be applied to enhance the performance of various applications. This book provides a valuable resource for those looking to gain a deeper understanding of the arc discharge process and the growth of carbon nanostructures, with practical applications in industries such as electronics, semiconductors, and energy storage.

This book highlights the effectiveness of differential diagnosis in the degree of severity of joint pathology from a clinical, biophysical, and informational point of view. It includes the following information blocks:¿ Two-dimensional digital polarization microscopy of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid and determination of the coordinate distributions of the orientation and phase parameters of the microscopic image from a set of parameters of the Stokes vector.¿ Mueller-matrix mapping of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid and determination of a set of coordinate distributions (Mueller-matrix images (MMI)) of azimuthal-invariant elements that characterize manifestations of optical activity and linear birefringence.¿ Development of algorithms for polarization reproduction of distributions of linear and circular birefringence of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid.¿ Identification of digital statistical, correlation and wavelet criteria of polarization and Mueller-matrix differential diagnosis of the degree of severity of joint pathology.¿ Determination of maps of laser-induced fluorescence of synovial fluid polycrystalline films.¿ Identification of statistical and correlational criteria for fluorescent differential diagnosis of the degree of severity of joint pathology.¿ Operational characteristics of the power of the methods of azimuth-invariant polarization, Mueller-matrix and laser autofluorescence microscopy of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid.

This book is a comprehensive guide to the latest developments in data-driven additive manufacturing (AM). From data mining and pre-processing to signal processing, computer vision, and more, the book covers all the essential techniques for preparing AM data. Readers willl explore the key physical and synthetic sources of AM data throughout the life cycle of the process and learn about feature engineering techniques, pipelines, and resulting features, as well as their applications at each life cycle phase. With a focus on featurization efforts from reviewed literature, this book offers tabular summaries for major data sources and analyzes feature spaces at the design, process, and structure phases of AM to uncover trends and insights specific to feature engineering techniques. Finally, the book discusses current challenges and future directions, including AI/ML/DL readiness of AM data.Whether you're an expert or newcomer to the field, this book provides a broader summary ofthe status and future of data-driven AM technology.

This book addresses various aspects of knowledge management and technological advances that are driving the ongoing industrial revolution. This revolution is being driven by the rapid development of several key technologies, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, Big Data, the Internet of Things, nanotechnology, and biotechnology. Another most important and useful concept is knowledge management because modern organizations rely on knowledge and its development to achieve long-term benefits. Therefore, different research directions can have a significant impact on the industrial revolution and its results.

This book presents numerical computer-aided smart-methods as part of a comprehensive statistical, correlation and fractal analysis of laser polarimetry data. It highlights relationships between polarization (azimuth distributions, polarization ellipticities, Stokes vector parameters, Mueller matrix elements) parameters of laser images of biological tissues of a human corpse in different spectral ranges and temporal dynamics of their postmortem morphological changes. The book discusses the effectiveness of correlation analysis of two-dimensional distributions of polarization inhomogeneous images of histological sections of the main types of biological tissues in determining the time of death. It also discusses the development of basic principles of phase measurements (phasometry) of microscopic images of biological tissues to determine the age of death and the time of hematoma formation. Also presented in the book are possibilities of complex laser spectral photopolarimetry images ofhistological sections of biological tissues of human corpse in different spectral regions, with the simultaneous development and substantiation of a set of statistical and correlational criteria for objective determination of the time of death.

This book presents a novel approach for studying the impact of leadership styles on supply chain resilience using a combination of transactional and transformational leadership. The book consists of two main sections: The first introduces key concepts and provides a framework for understanding the research problem and methodology. The second section presents five structural equation models developed and validated using data collected from a survey of managers and engineers in the Mexican Maquiladora Industry. These models explore the relationships between key variables, such as agility, flexibility, alertness, and efficiency, and how they are affected by different leadership styles. The findings of this study suggest that a combination of transactional and transformational leadership is highly effective in enhancing resilience and achieving better results during disruptive events. Written in a clear and accessible style, this book is an essential resource for scholars, researchers, and practitioners interested in supply chain management, leadership, and resilience. It contributes to the existing literature on these topics and provides practical insights for improving supply chain performance in today's complex and dynamic business environments.

This book highlights the different aspects of the research project ¿E4C Horizon 2020 European Project¿ aimed at fighting the coronavirus by combining the best supercomputing resources and artificial intelligence with state-of-the-art experimental facilities up through clinical validation.Coronavirus disease has become an important public issue across the globe since December 2019. There is an urgent need to develop potent anti-COVID-19 agents for the prevention of the outbreak and stop viral infections.To this aim, a public¿private consortium composed by European and national infrastructures, center of excellence, universities, and a pharmaceutical company started the E4C Horizon 2020 EuropeanProject: Its core idea was to use the EXaSCale smArt pLatform Against paThogEns (EXSCALATE) supercomputing platform for a process known as ¿drug repurposing¿, namely to identify the most promising safe in man drugs for immediate treatment of the already infected population and then novel pan-coronavirus inhibitors to address future emergencies.This ambitious goal exploited a ¿chemical library¿ of 500 billion molecules, thanks to a processing capacity of more than 3 million molecules per second, made available by the computing power of the EXSCALATE platform.

This book describes multi-site diversity modelling of induced rain attenuation statistics for satellite communication systems using copula functions. It gathers all relevant state-of-the-art knowledge, provides the missing pieces and rounds them up in a way that the reader is given a complete picture of important modelling factors and ways to address them. The books¿ main features include: Data post-processing methodology for statistical analysis based on our Earth-satellite propagation experiments. Two novel multi-site diversity prediction models based on Gaussian copula considering distance between stations or considering distance, baseline, and elevation angle. Two novel multi-site diversity prediction models based on hyperbolic cosecant copula considering distance between stations or considering distance, baseline, and elevation angle. Exhaustive comparative tests and error performance of the prediction models showing that improved error performance is achieved compared to the ITU R model and to the state-of-the-art models. The results presented in the book are expected to contribute to the improvement of the system design and to the further research of modelling the next generation satellite links at higher frequencies.

This book describes common applied problems that are solved with the use of digital technology. The digital technology has simplified most of our daily activities. Technology has been improving our quality of life where human capability alone is insufficient enough to be utilized. For any challenging tasks, digital technology helps to solve it in very efficient ways and thousands of them are solved on a daily basis without much notice in the public. Software and IT technology let us to complete tasks in just a moment that took days without this technical support. In that sense, this book presents several examples on how software- and IT-based solutions were successfully applied in solving actual engineering problems.

This book highlights the results of numerical computer-aided smart methods as part of a comprehensive statistical, correlated, and fractal analysis of laser polarimetry. It includes a comprehensive approach to differentiation of lifelong or postmortem origin of injuries and determination of their antiquity based on the analysis of statistical and spatiotemporal frequency evolution of photometric, polarization, and phase parameters of laser images of histological sections of the skin of biomannequins. It discusses the relationship between the coordinate distributions of the intensity of laser images from skin tissues of biomannequins and the nature of its damage. It presents the analysis of relationships between changes in the mean and variance of coordinate distributions of azimuths and ellipticity of polarization images of histological skin sections and the time intervals after injury. Complex differentiation of lifelong and postmortem skin injuries of biomannequins and establishment of their time intervals throughout the entire monitoring interval of changes in the mean and variance of coordinate distributions of phase shifts between orthogonal components of the amplitude of laser images of a series of corresponding histological sections are also presented in this book.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Explainable AI (XAI) and its applications in manufacturing. It covers the various methods, tools, and technologies that are being used to make AI more understandable and communicable for factory workers. With the increasing use of AI in manufacturing, there is a growing need to address the limitations of advanced AI methods that are difficult to understand or explain to those without a background in AI. This book addresses this need by providing a systematic review of the latest research and advancements in XAI specifically tailored for the manufacturing industry.The book includes real-world case studies and examples to illustrate the practical applications of XAI in manufacturing. It is a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and practitioners working in the field of AI and manufacturing.

This book highlights the analysis of new azimuth-independent methods of Stokes polarimetry and Mueller-matrixreconstruction of distributions of optical anisotropy parameters using spatial-frequency filtering of manifestations of phase (linear and circular birefringence) and amplitude (linear and circular dichroism) anisotropy for diagnosing changes in the orientational-phase structure of fibrillar networks of histological sections of biological tissues and polycrystalline films of biological fluids.