Science & Nature - Books

Command-control for Real-time Systems

Science & Nature

A real-time system is a complex system which is an integral part of an industrial or experimental system, a vehicle or a construction machine. The peculiarity of these systems is that they are driven by real-time targets in distributed environments. Command-control for Real-time Systems presents the calculation of correction for industrial systems of different physical natures, their implementation on real-time target industrial systems (PLC-SCADA, embedded systems with distributed networks, Networked Control Systems) and their validation by simulation. It optimizes industrial processes by the use of automatic tools, industrial computing and communications networks and aims to successively integrate new control laws (linear, nonlinear and fuzzy controllers) so that users can leverage the power of engineering science as an automatic service process optimization while maintaining their high maintainability facilities.Contents1. Introduction. 2. Modeling Tools, Sébastien Cabaret and Mohammed Chadli. 3. Control Tools, Mohammed Chadli and Hervé Coppier. 4. Application to Cryogenic Systems, Marco Pezzetti, Hervé Coppier and Mohammed Chadli. 5. Applications to a Thermal System and to Gas Systems, Sébastien Cabaret and Hervé Coppier. 6. Application to Vehicles, Elie Kafrouni and Mohammed Chadli. 7. Real-time Implementation, Marco Pezzetti and Hervé Coppier.About the AuthorsMohamed Chadli is a senior lecturer and research supervisor at the University of Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) in France. His main research interests lie in robust control, the diagnosis and fault tolerant control of polytopic systems and applications for automobiles. He is a senior member of the IEEE, and Vice President of the AAI Club as part of SEE-France. He is the author/co-author of 3 books, book chapters and more than 100 articles published in international journals and conferences. Hervé Coppier is a lecturing researcher at ESIEE-Amiens in France. He has collaborated with industrialists in the field of automation and industrial computing, particularly with CERN, and has spearheaded various international European projects.

L'attenzione rubata. Perché facciamo fatica a concentrarci

Science & Nature

Secondo recenti ricerche gli studenti universitari riescono a concentrarsi su un’attività per appena venti secondi alla volta e gli impiegati, in media, per soli tre minuti. Come molti di noi, Johann Hari è rimasto disorientato dalla facilità con cui perdiamo l’attenzione. Ha provato di tutto per recuperare la sua capacità di concentrarsi, anche a eliminare il cellulare e internet dalla sua vita per più di tre mesi, ma nulla ha funzionato. Per cercare di risolvere il problema, ma soprattutto per comprenderne le origini, Hari intraprende un viaggio per intervistare i maggiori esperti mondiali di scienze cognitive specializzati sul tema, scoprendo che tutto quello che pensiamo di sapere sull’argomento è clamorosamente sbagliato. Dagli ingegneri della Silicon Valley in grado di catturare e non lasciar andare il focus degli utenti, fino ai cali di attenzione che si sono registrati in quantità apparentemente inspiegabili nelle favelas di Rio de Janeiro, Hari indaga e cerca di capire non solo le cause che mettono a repentaglio la nostra concentrazione ma anche le possibili soluzioni che possiamo adottare. L’attenzione rubata è una guida necessaria per tornare a guardare con attenzione alla nostra vita, ai nostri amici, ai nostri interessi e, soprattutto, a noi stessi, prima che sia troppo tardi.

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 3

Science & Nature

Because you demanded it! Since publication of Volume 1 of this series, thousands of teachers are using these innovative classroom tools to improve student learning in science. Following in the footsteps of earlier volumes in the Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series, this all-new book provides short, easy-to-administer probes that determine what misconceptions students bring to the classroom about the nature of science and about physical, life, Earth, and space sciences. This new volume in our bestselling series provides more topic areas for classroom use as well as guidance on how teachers can use the probes for their own learning. As outlined in previous volumes, teachers—like their students—can have misconceptions that come to the fore when administering the probes. Volume 3 provides 10 detailed suggestions for teachers on how to use the probes to uncover, accurately assess, and correct their own preconceptions as well as their students’ (e.g., do the probes yourself, examine student responses with other teachers, embed the probes into existing professional development programs, select specific areas to focus on, examine student thinking across grade spans, categorize ideas, and crunch data to create classroom profiles). Volume 3 offers five life science probes, seven Earth and space science probes, ten physical science probes, and three nature of science probes. This volume is an invaluable resource for classroom teachers, preservice teachers, professional developers, and college science and preservice faculty.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Science & Nature

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Emerging Trends and Advanced Applications is highly focused on addressing all aspects of dye sensitized solar cell technology. In this book, the authors present systematic analysis and working principles and detailed studies of individual components, manufacturing methods, software assisted design surrounding the technology market, commercialization potential, and performance evaluations and detailed fabrication methods and parameters. As there is no specific book which could encircle all the aspects of dye sensitized solar cells from its very basic working principles to advanced approached to improve it efficiency, this book fills that gap. Providing a comprehensive study on dye sensitized solar cells, this reference covers basic working principles to advanced approaches in improving efficiency as well as thermodynamic and kinetic studies. It will be ideal for advanced stage researchers and engineers looking to get a grip on DSSC technology. - Provides a compilation of all-important principles and advanced research in the field of dye sensitized solar cells - Specifies constituents of each DSSC, from basic to advanced level - Details advances in fabrication and software assisted design of DSSC

Biomaterial-based Hydrogels

Science & Nature

This book highlights recent advances in natural and synthetic biomaterials-based hydrogel for drug delivery carriers and tissue engineering. It covers key topics such as chitosan, alginate, gelatin, cyclodextrin, cellulose, starch, hyaluronic acid, dextran, collagen hydrogel, Injectable hydrogel magnetic hydrogel, DNA-based hydrogels, 3D printing of hydrogels, hydrogel for bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, etc. Each chapter develops a particular aspect of recent advances in biomaterial-based Hydrogels delivery systems to cover the importance, fabrication technology, characterization, evaluation, delivery of therapeutic and biomedical applications, and future perspectives. Written by a group of renowned scientists, chemists, biologists, and engineers from around the world, the book is designed as an important reference resource for scientists and researchers working on advanced biomaterials in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biomedical science, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and material science for most updated findings and future research trends.

Patterns of Connection

Science & Nature

Winner of the Silver Medal for Environment/Ecology in the 2022 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book AwardsFritjof Capra, scientist, educator, activist, and accomplished author, presents the evolution of his thought over five decades in Patterns of Connection. First introduced in the late 1950s to the work of Werner Heisenberg, a founder of quantum mechanics, Capra quickly intuited the connections between the discoveries of quantum physics and the traditions of Eastern philosophy—resulting in his first book, the bestselling The Tao of Physics. This synthesis, representative of the change from the mechanistic worldview of Descartes and Newton to a systemic, ecological one, went on to inform Capra’s thinking about the life sciences, ecology, and environmental policy. His observations of sustainable communities in nature inspired his work on systems theory—the complex web of interrelated processes that organize everything from biological systems to social, cultural, and political systems.Today Fritjof Capra remains a major figure at the crossroads of physics, spirituality, environmentalism, and systems theory. Organized thematically and chronologically, the essays in Patterns of Connection document the revolutionary and far-reaching intellectual journey of one of the major public thinkers of the last half-century.

Complex Networks & Their Applications IX

Science & Nature

This book highlights cutting-edge research in the field of network science, offering scientists, researchers, students and practitioners a unique update on the latest advances in theory and a multitude of applications. It presents the peer-reviewed proceedings of the IX International Conference on Complex Networks and their Applications (COMPLEX NETWORKS 2020). The carefully selected papers cover a wide range of theoretical topics such as network models and measures; community structure, network dynamics; diffusion, epidemics and spreading processes; resilience and control as well as all the main network applications, including social and political networks; networks in finance and economics; biological and neuroscience networks and technological networks.

Le comportement animal

Science & Nature

Comment les fourmis retrouvent-elles l’emplacement de leur nid ? Pourquoi les oiseaux chantent-ils ? Qu’est-ce que l’instinct ? Tous ceux qui observent les animaux se sont fréquemment posé ces questions, et bien d’autres encore, mais faute d’un ouvrage qui reste accessible tout en étant précis, ils ne pouvaient, jusqu’à présent, obtenir les explications souhaitées. Ce livre comble cette lacune. Il s’adresse aux amis de la Nature quelle que soit leur spécialité. Tous y trouveront une présentation détaillée des différents types de comportement (individuel, « familial », social). Les exemples choisis — dans tous les groupes — montrent l’extrême diversité des solutions adoptées par les animaux pour se maintenir en vie. Les termes techniques (mouvement d’intention, stimulus, ritualisation, etc.) sont définis. L’introduction montre ce qu’est l’éthologie et détaille ses méthodes, sans cacher les difficultés auxquelles se heurtent les chercheurs. Elle est suivie d’un exposé des idées essentielles de Konrad Lorenz et de ses disciples, auxquels on doit — en grande partie — le développement considérable des études sur le comportement des animaux.

Flexible Pipes

Science & Nature

Written by one of the most well-respected teams of scientists in the area of pipelines, this revolutionary approach offers the engineer working in the energy industry the theory, analysis, and practical applications for applying new materials and modeling to the design and effective use of flexible pipes.Recent changes in the codes for building pipelines has led to a boom in the production of new materials that can be used in flexible pipes. With the use of polymers, steel, and other new materials and variations on existing materials, the construction and, therefore, the installation and operation of flexible pipes is changing and being improved upon all over the world. The authors of this work have written numerous books and papers on these subjects and are some of the most influential authors on flexible pipes in the world, contributing much of the literature on this subject to the industry. This new volume is a presentation of some of the most cutting-edge technological advances in technical publishing.This is the most comprehensive and in-depth book on this subject, covering not just the various materials and their aspects that make them different, but every process that goes into their installation, operation, and design. The thirty-six chapters, divided up into four different parts, have had not just the authors of this text but literally dozens of other engineers who are some of the world's leading scientists in this area contribute to the work. This is the future of pipelines, and it is an important breakthrough. A must-have for the veteran engineer and student alike, this volume is an important new advancement in the energy industry, a strong link in the chain of the world's energy production.

Hasta el final del tiempo

Science & Nature

Hasta el final del tiempo es la nueva e impresionante exploración que Brian Greene hace del cosmos y nuestra búsqueda para llegar a comprenderlo. Partiendo de que los humanos somos las únicas criaturas con conciencia de nuestra finitud, y de que también el universo morirá algún día, el autor traza un viaje que nos lleva desde nuestro conocimiento más exacto sobre cómo empezó el universo hasta el final del tiempo, explorando cómo se formaron las estructuras duraderas, cómo del caos inicial surgió la vida y cómo nuestras mentes, al llegar a comprender su propia temporalidad, han buscado diferentes maneras dar sentido a la experiencia a través de la historia, el mito, la religión, la expresión creativa o la ciencia.A través de una serie de historias entretejidas que explican distintas capas de realidad, Greene nos proporciona una idea más clara de cómo llegamos a ser, una imagen más precisa de dónde estamos ahora y una comprensión más firme de hacia dónde nos dirigimos. Desde las partículas hasta los planetas, desde la conciencia hasta la creatividad, desde la materia hasta el significado, Brian Greene nos permite comprender y apreciar nuestro fugaz pero absolutamente exquisito momento en el cosmos.

Advances in Sorghum Science

Science & Nature

This new volume, Advances in Sorghum Science: Botany, Production, and Crop Improvement, provides an easy-to-read and comprehensive treatment of the sorghum crop. With the world’s production of sorghum topping over 55 million tons annually, sorghum is very important for as a staple dietary food for much of the world as a rich source of micronutrients and macronutrients, as an ingredient in the processing of many foods, and as a source of fodder.The authors of the volume provide detailed information on sorghum from several disciplines and bring together recent literature under one umbrella. The book covers the various aspects of the sorghum crop, starting from its origin, to its domestication, and going on to biotechnology of the crop. It describes sorghum production, ideotypes, botany, physiology, abiotic and biotic factors affecting crop productivity, methods of cultivation, postharvest management, grain quality analysis for food processing, improvement of sorghum crop, and research advancements in breeding and biotechnology.This valuable resource will be helpful to researchers and scientists working to understand the relation between various disciplines and the implementation of new methods and technology for crop improvement and higher productivity. The multi-pronged approach will help to enable the increase sorghum productivity to meet the world’s growing demands.

Astroguide : Guide complet de l'astronome amateur

Science & Nature

Ce guide pratique dresse un panorama complet de l'astronomie. Il offre tous les conseils nécessaires pour :- observer le ciel à l'oeil nu, aux jumelles ou au moyen d'une lunette- sélectionner un instrument et ses accessoires, et les utiliser au mieux- réussir ses images, de la simple photo du ciel sur pied à l'astrophotographieCette seconde édition augmentée est totalement mise à jour avec les cartes du ciel (pour montrer le ciel aux différentes saisons), la pratique de l'astrophoto à l'aide d'un smartphone, une mise à jour des dernières nouveautés sur le matériel, les nouveaux logiciels Sequator et ICE pour faire de la photo sans instrument, un topo sur les timelapses, le remplacement des tutos sur Autostakkert et Registax par Astrosurface et le remplacement du logiciel Depp Sky Stacker par Siril (en version simplifiée).

The Grape Culturist

Science & Nature

This scientific volume includes chapters on the botanical characteristics of the grape, propagation of grapes by single buds, transplanting grapes, hybridizing the plants for rarer wines and how to prevent fungus or disease in grape crops.

Otros mundos

Science & Nature

*Entre los mejores libros de 2022 según The New York Times**Finalista del Waterstones Book of the Year*Un apasionante viaje a los albores de la Tierra y un valioso testimonio de cómo la vida se impone incansablemente a la extinción. «Unviajecaleidoscópico yevocador. Hallidaytomasilenciososregistrosfósiles y les davida demaneradesenfrenada, atodo colory en 3D».Andrea Wulf«Estelibro deriquezascasiinimaginables bienpodría serel mejor de 2022».The Sunday Times¿Cómo era nuestro planeta hace cientos de millones de años? ¿Cómo se recuperó la vida en la Tierra tras las extinciones más devastadoras? El pasado deja huellas, y Thomas Halliday, joven investigador multipremiado, ha utilizado la ciencia de vanguardia para descifrarlas de forma más completa que nunca. Con mirada lúcida y poética, lee las huellas en la arena helada para llevarnos en un increíble viaje en el tiempo por unos mundos al mismo tiempo fabulosos y familiares.Otrosmundos devuelve a la vida dieciséis ecosistemas de un pasado inimaginablemente remoto y nos muestra continentes en movimiento, arrecifes de cristal, hongos de tres metros de altura, pingüinos gigantes, reptiles emplumados y muchas otras criaturas asombrosas de un atractivo casi mitológico. A medida que viajamos hacia atrás en el tiempo, redescubrimos nuestro propio hogar de formas irreconocibles, y nos sobrecogen los ecosistemas que se transforman y los devastadores escenarios que han causado el fin de incontables especies. No obstante, por fortuna, la vida siempre ha terminado imponiéndose... por ahora. Este maravilloso libro es también una advertencia del inquietante futuro que afronta nuestro planeta.Reseñas: «Absolutamente apasionante. La Tierra ha alojado mundos muy diferentes a lo largo de su historia, y Halliday es el guía perfecto para mostrárnoslos, así como a las extraordinarias criaturas que los habitaron». Lewis Dartnell«El mejor libro que he leído sobre la historia de la vida en la Tierra». Tom Holland«Un doble salto mortal narrativo. Exóticos ecosistemas vuelven a la vida y el lector viaja en el tiempo mientras los continentes se separan y vuelven a unirse, las extinciones se suceden, la vida resiste, sentimos el calor o el viento». Daniel Arjona, El Confidencial«Extraordinario, brillante. Una obra de inmensa creatividad firmemente arraigada en la ciencia actual».The Scotsman«Fascinante. No solo estas tierras y criaturas extrañas resultan maravillosas, también lo es descubrir que la ciencia puede darles vida con detalles tan poderosos».The New Scientist«Una voz única. Un festín. Se aprenden hechos asombrosos». Steve Brusatte, Scientific American«Deslumbrante. El autor convierte un árido periodo de la historia en algo fascinante».Publishers Weekly«Un viaje a las profundidades del tiempo en un libro épico».The Independent«Magnífico. Una historia épica, alucinante, de la Tierra. Deslumbrante».The Telegraph«Una biografía de la Tierra de gran alcance y lirismo».BBC Radio 4 Start the Week«Brillante. Un intrincado análisis del pasado interconectado de nuestro planeta. Es imposible leerlo sin impresionarse ante lo que está por venir». Amancai Biraben, The Independent

The Birds of America: Vol. 6

Science & Nature

This groundbreaking work features hand-colored, life-sized prints of North American birds based on field drawings made by famous wildlife artist John James Audubon. The work includes images of six now-extinct birds. This is the sixth of seven volumes.

Mission to Mars

Science & Nature

Can astronauts reach Mars by 2035? Absolutely, says Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men to walk on the moon. Celebrated astronaut, brilliant engineer, bestselling author, Aldrin believes it is not only possibly but vital to America’s future to keep pushing the space frontier outward for the sake of exploration, science, development, commerce, and security. What we need, he argues, is a commitment by the U.S. President as rousing as JFK’s promise to reach the moon by the end of the 1960s—an audacious, inspiring goal-and a unified vision for space exploration. In Mission to Mars, Aldrin plots that trajectory, stressing that American-led space exploration is essential to the economic and technological vitality of the nation and the world. Do you dare to dream big? Then join Aldrin in his thought provoking and inspiring Mission to Mars.

Das Gesetz der Ansteckung

Science & Nature

Die Wege der Ansteckung. Pandemien und ihre Ausbreitung Ein tödliches Virus hat die Welt in Aufruhr versetzt. Dabei folgt es durchaus bekannten Gesetzen, die auch viele andere Bereiche unseres Lebens prägen. Wie sich Ideen, Trends und Krisen in der Zeit hoher Vernetzung ausbreiten, erklärt der Epidemiologe Adam Kucharski mit faszinierenden mathematischen Ansätzen. Seit dem Ausbruch der Covid-19-Pandemie gehören Modellrechnungen und Wachstumsprognosen zu den täglichen Nachrichten. Kucharski hilft uns dabei, die Wege der Ansteckung zu begreifen. Nicht zuletzt zeigt er, warum sich mitunter nützliche von wahren Vorhersagen unterscheiden - und wie Ausbrüche auch wieder vergehen.Adam Kucharski ist Assistenzprofessor an der Londoner Schule für Hygiene und Tropenmedizin und arbeitet an globalen Ausbrüchen wie der Ebola-Epidemie, der Aviären Influenza, dem Dengue-Fieber und dem Zika-Virus. Er ist TED-Stipendiat und Gewinner des Rosalind Franklin Award Lecture 2016 und des Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2012. Er hat für Observer, Financial Times, Scientific American und New Statesman geschrieben. Außerdem ist Kucharski Autor von The Perfect Bet: Wie Wissenschaft und Mathematik dem Glücksspiel das Glück nehmen.

TIME Mission to Mars

Science & Nature

The prospect of sending a manned mission to Mars and even colonizing the planet is capturing the imagination of NASA and space entrepreneurs. A noble goal, or an expensive folly? TIME's special edition takes you inside the science and the debate. Just getting to Mars will be an amazing technical feat, traveling 35 million miles on a nine-month journey. This edition explores:* How American astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year on the International Space Station to measure the effects of prolonged space travel* The exciting technology being developed to make the journey to Mars* Buzz Aldrin's plans for establishing a permanent settlement on the Red Planet

Exploring Reality

Science & Nature

Reality is multi-layered, asserts the Reverend John Polkinghorne, and in this insightful book he explores various dimensions of the human encounter with reality. Through a well-reasoned and logical process, Polkinghorne argues that reality consists not only of the scientific processes of the natural world but also the personal dimension of human nature and its significance. He offers an integrated view of reality, encompassing a range of insights deriving from physics’ account of causal structure, evolutionary understanding of human nature, the unique significance of Jesus of Nazareth, and the human encounter with God.The author devotes further chapters to specific problems and questions raised by the Christian account of divine reality. He discusses, for example, the nature of time and God’s relation to it, the interrelationship of the world’s faiths, the problem of evil, and practical ethical issues relating to genetic advances, including stem cell research. Continuing in his pursuit of a dialogue between science and theology that accords equal weight to the insights of each, Polkinghorne expands our understanding of the nature of reality and our appreciation of its complexity.

Superficiales

Science & Nature

¿Quéestáhaciendo Internet connuestrasmentes?Estelibrocambiará parasiemprenuestro modo deentender yaprovechar lasnuevastecnologías.«¿Google nos vuelve estúpidos?» Nicholas Carr condensó así, en el título de un célebre artículo, uno de los debates más importantes de nuestro tiempo: mientras disfrutamos de las bondades de la Red, ¿estamos sacrificando nuestra capacidad para leer y pensar con profundidad? En este libro, Carr desarrolla sus argumentos para crear el más revelador análisis de las consecuencias intelectuales y culturales de Internet publicado hasta la fecha.Nuestro cerebro, como demuestran las evidencias científicas e históricas, cambia en respuesta a nuestras experiencias, y la tecnología que usamos para encontrar, almacenar y compartir información puede, literalmente, alterar nuestros procesos neuronales. Además, cada tecnología de la información conlleva una ética intelectual. Así como el libro impreso servía para centrar nuestra atención, fomentando el pensamiento profundo y creativo, Internet fomenta el picoteo rápido y distraído de pequeños fragmentos de información de muchas fuentes. Su ética es una ética industrial, de la velocidad y la eficiencia.La Red nos está reconfigurando a su propia imagen, volviéndonos más hábiles para manejar y ojear superficialmente la información pero menos capaces de concentración, contemplación y reflexión. Este libro cambiará para siempre nuestro modo de entender y aprovechar las nuevas tecnologías.Lacrítica hadicho: «El resumen más ameno de la ciencia y la historia de la cognición humana hasta la fecha. Carr extrae algunas conclusiones escalofriantes».The Economist«Absorbente y perturbador. Todos bromeamos sobre cómo Internet nos está convirtiendo, y especialmente a nuestros hijos, en cabezas de chorlito acelerados incapaces de meditaciones profundas. No es ninguna broma, insiste Carr, y a mí me ha convencido».The Wall Street Journal«Una réplica calmada y elocuente a aquellos que afirman que la cultura digital es inofensiva, que afirman, de hecho, que nos estamos volviendo más listos cada minuto que pasa simplemente porque podemos conectarnos a un ordenador y dejarnos llevar por un interminable carrusel de links».Julia Keller, ChicagoTribune«Una tesis sencilla y persuasiva. Las cosas que hacemos tienen un efecto físico en nuestro cerebro... Lo que parece un festín, argumenta Carr, puede estar más cerca de la hambruna... Internet es una máquina de distracción».TheSunday Times«Un grito de angustia elegantemente escrito. Pone los pelos de punta».The Times«Con tranquilidad y ecuanimidad, Carr subraya constantemente el hecho de que las tecnologías de pantalla no son ni malvadas ni milagrosas en sus efectos sobre la mente humana. Lo que es seguro, sin embargo, es que nuestras mentes cambiarán. Una digna ilustración de que los libros sí permiten una reflexión profunda».Literary Review

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