Science & Nature - Books

Advanced Control Systems

Science & Nature

Advanced Control Systems: Theory and Applications provides an overview of advanced research lines in control systems as well as in design, development and implementation methodologies for perspective control systems and their components in different areas of industrial and special applications.It consists of extended versions of the selected papers presented at the XXV International Conference on Automatic Control “Automatics 2018” (September 18-19, 2018, Lviv, Ukraine) which is the main Ukrainian Control Conference organized by Ukrainian Association on Automatic Control (National member organization of IFAC) and Lviv National University “Lvivska Politechnica”. More than 100 papers were presented at the conference with topics including: mathematical problems of control, optimization and game theory; control and identification under uncertainty; automated control of technical, technological and biotechnical objects; controlling the aerospace craft, marine vessels and other moving objects; intelligent control and information processing; mechatronics and robotics; information measuring technologies in automation; automation and IT training of personnel; the Internet of things and the latest technologies.The book is divided into two main parts, the first concerning theory (7 chapters) and the second concerning applications (7 chapters) of advanced control systems. The first part “Advances in Theoretical Research on Automatic Control” consists of theoretical research results which deal with descriptor control impulsive delay systems, motion control in condition of conflict, inverse dynamic models, invariant relations in optimal control, robust adaptive control, bio-inspired algorithms, optimization of fuzzy control systems, and extremal routing problem with constraints and complicated cost functions. The second part “Advances in Control Systems Applications” is based on the chapters which consider different aspects of practical implementation of advanced control systems, in particular, special cases in determining the spacecraft position and attitude using computer vision system, the spacecraft orientation by information from a system of stellar sensors, control synthesis of rotational and spatial spacecraft motion at approaching stage of docking, intelligent algorithms for the automation of complex biotechnical objects, an automatic control system for the slow pyrolysis of organic substances with variable composition, simulation complex of hierarchical systems based on the foresight and cognitive modelling, and advanced identification of impulse processes in cognitive maps.The chapters have been structured to provide an easy-to-follow introduction to the topics that are addressed, including the most relevant references, so that anyone interested in this field can get started in the area. This book may be useful for researchers and students who are interesting in advanced control systems.

Gdyby... Całkiem inna historia Polski

Science & Nature

Historia kontrfaktyczna, zwana też alternatywną, od lat fascynuje nie tylko historyków. Próby odkrycia „co by było, gdyby” wciąż podejmują rzesze artystów, filmowców i pisarzy. Każdy z nas czasem zastanawia się, jak potoczyłoby się nasze życie, gdyby tylko…Podobnie jest z pytaniami o najważniejsze punkty historii Polski: co by było, gdyby Mieszko I nie przyjął chrześcijaństwa? Co by było, gdyby nie doszło do rozbiorów? Co by było, gdyby II wojna światowa miała inny przebieg? Co by było, gdyby nie wprowadzono stanu wojennego? Czy nasza historia wyglądałaby inaczej?Książka obejmuje 20 takich wydarzeń z dziejów naszego kraju. Oddane w ręce historyków, posłużyły one za punkt wyjścia do rozważań, „co by było, gdyby…”.Ponieważ nie nakładaliśmy żadnych ograniczeń na twórców esejów, niemal każdy z rozdziałów jest inny. Można znaleźć wśród tekstów zarówno swobodnie zarysowane, niemal epickie obrazy, jak i dokładną, historyczna analizę faktów i ich alternatywnej wersji. Tym samym wyobraźnia czytelnika pozostaje niczym nieograniczona… Informacja o autorach:Temat tak trudny jak historia kontrfaktyczna wymagał zespołu fachowców – historyków posiadających ogromną znajomość realiów poszczególnych epok, a także publicystyczny warsztat i wartkie pióro. Nasz wybór padł na tak znane nazwiska, jak:Prof. Włodzimierz Borodziej, Prof. Tadeusz Cegielski, Prof. Andrzej Chwalba, Prof. Andrzej Garlicki, Prof. Jerzy Holzer, Prof. Janusz Kaliński, Prof. Jerzy Strzelczyk, Prof. Andrzej Paczkowski, Prof. Janusz Tazbir, Dr Julia Tazbirowa, Prof. Jan Wimmer, Prof. Henryk Wisner.

Energy Transitions

Science & Nature

This book provides a detailed, global examination of energy transitions, supplying a long-term historical perspective, an up-to-date assessment of recent and near-term advances in energy production technology and implementation, and an explanation of why efforts to limit global warming and to shift away from fossil fuels have been gradual. Based on the best international and national statistical sources, the second edition of Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives supplies an in-depth evaluation of how economies and nations around the world are striving to move away from traditional energy sources, the unfolding decarbonization process, and problems with intermittent energies and national transition plans. It supplies readers with a clear introduction to the basic properties of energy systems and key concepts of their appraisal, puts energy transition patterns in long-term historical perspective, and looks at the energy transition in eight of the world's leading economies. The last chapters focus on the advances in the decarbonization of the global energy supply and consider how the energy transition will continue in the coming decades. This fully updated and substantially expanded edition addresses the many new developments affecting energy supply, such as the recent expansion of hydraulic fracturing, oil price fluctuations, the Fukushima nuclear power plant catastrophe, advances in solar and wind generation, adoption of combined cycle gas turbines, and increased availability of electric cars. The coverage highlights the differences in the pace of transitions in various countries, thereby providing a complete and accurate picture of the current state of energy development in different parts of the world. The book serves as an invaluable resource for students as well as for anyone interested in a realistic appraisal of the current state of energy transitions in various nations and regions and the likely future development of the global energy supply.

Dernières Nouvelles du cosmos. Tome 1 et 2

Science & Nature

L'univers est un vaste laboratoire ouvert au champ de l'analyse scientifique. La physique et l'astrophysique se joignent pour l'explorer. A des températures de milliards de degrés, la matière et l'antimatière, les quarks et les gluons - ainsi que d'autres particules dont la nature nous échappe encore - ont joué des rôles essentiels dans l'élaboration de notre univers. Des phénomènes subatomiques, qui se sont déroulés au cours de la "première" seconde, se répercutent sur les plus grandes structures actuelles de l'univers. L'accélérateur nous permet d'en simuler le comportement passé, tandis que le télescope nous en montre l'aboutissement. A mi-chemin entre ces "infinis", l'esprit humain cherche à comprendre d'où il vient. Ses milliards de neurones, nés de l'évolution cosmique, se mettent en œuvre pour reconstituer sa propre histoire. Des chercheurs, joignant leurs savoirs, creusent toujours plus loin les mystères du cosmos. Les résultats les plus récents de cette quête sont présentés dans ce livre.

Rytuały krwi

Science & Nature

Barbara Ehrenreich zabiera czytelników w oryginalną podróż od skomplikowanych ludzkich ofiar starożytnego świata do rzezi dwudziestowiecznych wojen i holokaustu.W „Rytuałach krwi” autorka przegląda kruche zapiski z prehistorii i odkrywa źródło wojny w nieoczekiwanym miejscu – nie w „instynkcie zabójcy” charakterystycznym dla samców naszego gatunku, ale w rytuałach krwi, które pierwsi ludzie odprawiali, by odtworzyć swoje przerażające doświadczenia z silniejszymi drapieżnikami.Genialne w koncepcji i bogate w zakres „Rytuały krwi” to monumentalne dzieło, które wciąż zmienia nasze rozumienie największego zagrożenia dla ludzkiego życia.Barbara Ehrenreich (1941–2022) – dziennikarka, pisarka, aktywistka polityczna i działaczka społeczna. Była stałą współpracownicą magazynu „Time”, pisała również do „New York Timesa”, „Mother Jones”, „Ms”, „The New Republic”. Autorka kilku książek o tematyce społecznej i feministycznej, m.in. „Za grosze. Pracować i (nie) przeżyć”.

Modeling and Simulation of Complex Dynamical Systems

Science & Nature

This book highlights the practical aspects of computer modelling and simulation of complex dynamical systems for students. Mechanical systems are considered in the book as representative examples of dynamical systems. Wolfram SystemModeler, in combination with Learning Management System Sakai, is used as an instrument for studying features of various physical and technical phenomena and processes. Each of the presented virtual labs may be considered a stand-alone mini project to enable students to go through all the steps of mathematical modelling and computer simulation—from the problem statement to mathematical and physical analysis of the obtained result. The book is useful for teachers to organize the educational process, allowing gradual monitoring of the learning process and assessment of students’ competencies. It also allows tutors to design individual educational trajectories for students to achieve educational properties. The subject of the book is an extension of activity started by the international team of authors within the InMotion project of the European programme ERASMUS+.

Il mio lungo viaggio

Science & Nature

Ha viaggiato nel corpo umano, nella preistoria, nel passato e nel futuro, e ogni volta ci ha portati con sé.Con questo libro, Piero Angela ci accompagna in un viaggio diverso, attraverso due secoli e molti continenti, in mezzo a mille peripezie, incontri, scoperte e avventure: la sua vita. Il principe della divulgazione televisiva, l'autore di decine di bestseller che hanno svelato a tre generazioni di italiani la bellezza della scienza, stavolta ha scritto un libro diverso: «Non è un libro di divulgazione scientifica, ma un racconto personale dedicato al pubblico che da tanti anni mi segue nel mio lavoro, spesso con vero affetto ... Il libro racconta le mie esperienze di lavoro, il 'dietro le quinte' di oltre mezzo secolo di televisione ... Ma per la prima volta rispondo anche a certe domande che spesso mi vengono rivolte in occasione di incontri o conferenze, e che riguardano la mia vita, la mia formazione, gli inizi in RAI, il pianoforte, persino la mia infanzia».Nato nel 1928, testimone oculare di due secoli, ci racconta in modo vivido l'Italia degli anni Trenta e Quaranta, gli anni esaltanti del miracolo economico, la nascita della televisione, la sua straordinaria carriera di giornalista: prima cronista, poi inviato, poi inventore e conduttore di programmi che hanno contribuito a diffondere tra gli italiani una cultura scientifica.Nel libro ci sono decine di aneddoti e di incontri che ne fanno una lettura godibilissima. Ma c'è soprattutto un grande insegnamento, particolarmente prezioso per i giovani che lo venerano come un mito: la passione di sapere e la voglia di scoprire possono portare molto lontano nella vita, e fare di chiunque una persona speciale.

Handbook of Biomass Valorization for Industrial Applications

Science & Nature

HANDBOOK of BIOMASS VALORIZATION for INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS The handbook provides a comprehensive view of cutting-edge research on biomass valorization, from advanced fabrication methodologies through useful derived materials, to current and potential application sectors. Industrial sectors, such as food, textiles, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, generate massive amounts of waste each year, the disposal of which has become a major issue worldwide. As a result, implementing a circular economy that employs sustainable practices in waste management is critical for any industry. Moreover, fossil fuels, which are the primary sources of fuel in the transportation sector, are also being rapidly depleted at an alarming rate. Therefore, to combat these global issues without increasing our carbon footprint, we must look for renewable resources to produce chemicals and biomaterials. In that context, agricultural waste materials are gaining popularity as cost-effective and abundantly available alternatives to fossil resources for the production of a variety of value-added products, including renewable fuels, fuel components, and fuel additives. Handbook of Biomass Valorization for Industrial Applications investigates current and emerging feedstocks, as well as provides in-depth technical information on advanced catalytic processes and technologies that enable the development of all possible alternative energy sources. The 22 chapters of this book comprehensively cover the valorization of agricultural wastes and their various uses in value-added applications like energy, biofuels, fertilizers, and wastewater treatment. Audience The book is intended for a very broad audience working in the fields of materials sciences, chemical engineering, nanotechnology, energy, environment, chemistry, etc. This book will be an invaluable reference source for the libraries in universities and industrial institutions, government and independent institutes, individual research groups, and scientists working in the field of valorization of biomass.

Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded)

Science & Nature

Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know—like the need for physical activity to get your brain working its best.How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget—and so important to repeat new knowledge? Is it true that men and women have different brains?In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule—what scientists know for sure about how our brains work—and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.Medina’s fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You’ll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You’ll peer over a surgeon’s shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You’ll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can’t tie his own shoes.You will discover how:Every brain is wired differentlyExercise improves cognitionWe are designed to never stop learning and exploringMemories are volatileSleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learnVision trumps all of the other sensesStress changes the way we learnIn the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works—and how to get the most out of it.

Concise Dictionary Of Science

Science & Nature

The book is designed to provide you with dictionaries of terms in science, physics, chemistry and biology to make science simpler for you. The terms have been arranged alphabetically for quick reference. Suitable explanations of terms that have come into public domain recently also find mention. The standard of explanation has been kept at a level of understanding expected from an average secondary and senior secondary student. Illustrations and examples, at appropriate places, have been given. Readers who have not made a special study of any science subject will have also be able to grasp the definitions. A glossary of Nobel Prize winners and their contributions is an added attraction.

Learning and Sustaining Agricultural Practices

Science & Nature

This book describes a participatory case study of a small family farm in Maharashtra, India. It is a dialectical study of cultivating cultivation: how paddy cultivation is learnt and taught, and why it is the way it is. The paddy cultivation that the family is doing at first appears to be ‘traditional’. But by observation and working along with the family, the authors have found that they are engaging in a dynamic process in which they are questioning, investigating, and learning by doing. The authors compare this to the process of doing science, and to the sort of learning that occurs in formal education. The book presents evidence that paddy cultivation has always been varying and evolving through chance and necessity, experimentation, and economic contingencies. Through the example of one farm, the book provides a critique of current attempts to sustain agriculture, and an understanding of the ongoing agricultural crisis.

Brain Rules

Science & Nature

In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule—what scientists know for sure about how our brains work—and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.Medina’s fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You’ll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You’ll peer over a surgeon’s shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You’ll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can’t tie his own shoes.You will discover how: * Every brain is wired differently * Exercise improves cognition * We are designed to never stop learning and exploring * Memories are volatile * Sleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learn * Vision trumps all of the other senses * Stress changes the way we learnIn the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works—and how to get the most out of it.

High-Power Converters and AC Drives

Science & Nature

A comprehensive reference of the latest developments in MV drive technology in the area of power converter topologies This new edition reflects the recent technological advancements in the MV drive industry, such as advanced multilevel converters and drive configurations. It includes three new chapters, Control of Synchronous Motor Drives, Transformerless MV Drives, and Matrix Converter Fed Drives. In addition, there are extensively revised chapters on Multilevel Voltage Source Inverters and Voltage Source Inverter-Fed Drives. This book includes a systematic analysis on a variety of high-power multilevel converters, illustrates important concepts with simulations and experiments, introduces various megawatt drives produced by world leading drive manufacturers, and addresses practical problems and their mitigations methods. This new edition: Provides an in-depth discussion and analysis of various control schemes for the MV synchronous motor drives Examines new technologies developed to eliminate the isolation transformer in the MV drives Discusses the operating principle and modulation schemes of matrix converter (MC) topology and multi-module cascaded matrix converters (CMCs) for MV drives, and their application in commercial MV drives Bin Wu is a Professor and Senior NSERC/Rockwell Automation Industrial Research Chair in Power Electronics and Electric Drives at Ryerson University, Canada. He is a fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), and Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE). Dr. Wu has published more than 400 papers and holds more than 30 granted/pending US/European patents. He co-authored several books including Power Conversion and Control of Wind Energy Systems and Model Predictive Control of Wind Energy Conversion Systems (both by Wiley-IEEE Press).Mehdi Narimani is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Department of Electrical and computer Engineering at Ryerson University, Canada, and Rockwell Automation Canada. He is a senior member of IEEE. Dr. Narimani is author/co-author of more than 50 technical papers and four US/European patents (issued/pending review). His current research interests include power conversion, high power converters, control of power electronics, and renewable energy systems.

La reliure

Science & Nature

Cet ouvrage est une réédition numérique d’un livre paru au XXe siècle, désormais indisponible dans son format d’origine.

Convex Functional Analysis

Science & Nature

This volume is dedicated to the fundamentals of convex functional analysis. It presents those aspects of functional analysis that are extensively used in various applications to mechanics and control theory. The purpose of the text is essentially two-fold. On the one hand, a bare minimum of the theory required to understand the principles of functional, convex and set-valued analysis is presented. Numerous examples and diagrams provide as intuitive an explanation of the principles as possible. On the other hand, the volume is largely self-contained. Those with a background in graduate mathematics will find a concise summary of all main definitions and theorems.Contents:Classical Abstract Spaces in Functional AnalysisLinear Functionals and Linear OperatorsCommon Function Spaces in ApplicationsDifferential Calculus in Normed Vector SpacesMinimization of FunctionalsConvex FunctionalsLower Semicontinuous Functionals

The Bare Bones

Science & Nature

“Bonnan combines wit and passion with the sensibilities of a talented instructor in this encyclopedic tour of the vertebrate skeleton.” —Publishers WeeklyWhat can we learn about the evolution of jaws from a pair of scissors? How does the flight of a tennis ball help explain how fish overcome drag? What do a spacesuit and a chicken egg have in common? Highlighting the fascinating twists and turns of evolution across more than 540 million years, paleobiologist Matthew Bonnan uses everyday objects to explain the emergence and adaptation of the vertebrate skeleton. What can camera lenses tell us about the eyes of marine reptiles? How does understanding what prevents a coffee mug from spilling help us understand the posture of dinosaurs? The answers to these and other intriguing questions illustrate how scientists have pieced together the history of vertebrates from their bare bones. With its engaging and informative text, plus more than 200 illustrative diagrams created by the author, The Bare Bones is an unconventional and reader-friendly introduction to the skeleton as an evolving machine.“No bones about it, a text like The Bare Bones was sorely needed in the popular literature of vertebrate paleontology. Matthew Bonnan’s tome on the evolution, form, and function of the vertebrate skeleton may seem daunting in size, but it is written in an enjoyable and readable fashion that will absolutely delight all sorts of readers from expert to soon-to-be-expert.” —Palaeontologia Electronica“A remarkably fun book to read . . . his conversational style and wit make this an unintimidating yet highly informative book that would work wonderfully in college courses.” —The Quarterly Review of Biology

Multi-agent and Complex Systems

Science & Nature

This book provides a description of advanced multi-agent and artificial intelligence technologies for the modeling and simulation of complex systems, as well as an overview of the latest scientific efforts in this field. A complex system features a large number of interacting components, whose aggregate activities are nonlinear and self-organized. A multi-agent system is a group or society of agents which interact with others cooperatively and/or competitively in order to reach their individual or common goals. Multi-agent systems are suitable for modeling and simulation of complex systems, which is difficult to accomplish using traditional computational approaches.

La trama del cosmo

Science & Nature

In questo libro, Brian Greene unisce le sue vaste conoscenze di fisico teorico con una straordinaria abilità narrativa per guidare il lettore in un viaggio attraverso i misteri dell'universo, raccontando un'avventura intellettuale non ancora conclusa. Secondo la relatività generale spazio e tempo sono indissolubilmente uniti in un'entità geometrica a quattro dimensioni che evolve dinamicamente; d'altra parte anche la meccanica quantistica sconvolge la nostra idea intuitiva di spazio prevedendo bizzarri fenomeni, fra cui l'entanglement, una sorta di correlazione a distanza che agisce in maniera istantanea. Tuttavia questi due capisaldi della scienza del Novecento sono teorie tra loro inconciliabili, che hanno eluso per decenni i tentativi dei fisici di unificarle in un quadro matematico coerente. Una soluzione a questo dilemma sembra essere offerta dalla teoria delle superstringhe, o meglio da una sua piú recente generalizzazione, la M-teoria, che contempla uno spaziotempo a dieci o undici dimensioni popolato di strani oggetti, le "brane", in perenne e frenetica vibrazione. È in questo nuovo scenario teorico, suggerisce Greene, che forse si nasconde la chiave per rispondere finalmente agli antichissimi interrogativi dell'uomo.

Le plancton (1). Le gros plancton gélatineux

Science & Nature

Cet ouvrage est une réédition numérique d’un livre paru au XXe siècle, désormais indisponible dans son format d’origine.

Advanced Nanocarbon Materials

Science & Nature

This book provides a well-focused and comprehensive overview of the history and background of nanocarbon based materials like carbon nanotubes, graphene, and fullerenes. It discusses their structure, synthesis, properties and modifications for making various advanced materials. The authors focus on their use in the health care sector as therapeutic agents in pharmacy and medicine, in diagnosis and analysis in pharmacy and medicine, as biosensors, gene and drug delivery, cancer therapy, biosensing and bioimaging, go-based antibacterial materials, and as a promising antioxidant and GO-based scaffold for cell culture. The authors also showcase the application potential of advanced nanocarbon based materials by examining the biomedical applications developed via novel advanced designing, in which the technologies will be adopted and the end users can be benefited. Finally the authors discuss the increasing research on carbon based materials, along with the challenges they are currently facing along with possible solutions that may result in the availability of the accessible, reliable and cost-efficient technology. The potential user for this book may be medical practitioners, biologists, pharmacists, and chemists.This book covers in-depth knowledge of processing parameters for making nanocarbon based material for high end applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

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