This book analyzes unexpected preference query results for three problems: causality and responsibility problems, why-not and why questions, and why-few and why-many questions. Further, it refines preference queries and discusses how to modify the original preference query based on different objectives, in order to obtain satisfying results. This highly informative and carefully presented book provides valuable insights for researchers, postgraduates and practitioners with an interest in database usability.
Incomplete data is part of life and almost all areas of scientific studies. Users tend to skip certain fields when they fill out online forms; participants choose to ignore sensitive questions on surveys; sensors fail, resulting in the loss of certain readings; publicly viewable satellite map services have missing data in many mobile applications; and in privacy-preserving applications, the data is incomplete deliberately in order to preserve the sensitivity of some attribute values. Query processing is a fundamental problem in computer science, and is useful in a variety of applications. In this book, we mostly focus on the query processing over incomplete databases, which involves finding a set of qualified objects from a specified incomplete dataset in order to support a wide spectrum of real-life applications. We first elaborate the three general kinds of methods of handling incomplete data, including (i) discarding the data with missing values, (ii) imputation for the missing values, and (iii) just depending on the observed data values. For the third method type, we introduce the semantics of k-nearest neighbor (kNN) search, skyline query, and top-k dominating query on incomplete data, respectively. In terms of the three representative queries over incomplete data, we investigate some advanced techniques to process incomplete data queries, including indexing, pruning as well as crowdsourcing techniques.
This is the first research report on mining development in the SCO member countries conducted by a Chinese research institute. It focuses on the economic development, mineral resources endowment and current status of mining development, mining investment environment, and cooperation in geosciences and mining industry between China and other SCO member countries. The aim of this book is to promote the practical cooperation in geoscience and mining in the SCO and to build a closer community of destiny for the development of mining industry in the SCO. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. The present version has been revised technically and linguistically by the authors in collaboration with a professional translator.
My Name is Yungun and I am from Kandrian in West New Britain Province. The I Am PNG series introduces readers to children from all around Papua New Guinea. This is a beautifully illustrated book for 4-8 year old readers. Proceeds from this sale benefit nonprofit organisation Library For All, helping children around the world learn to read.
This book is a comprehensive collection and exhibition of Chen Yujun’s art, thoroughly introducing the artist’s creative philosophy, origins and stylistic changes to readers in the English-speaking world. With the theme of growth, Chen’s art explores the mutual influence and intertwining of individuals, society, regions and civilisations, innovating and evolving through the exchange of civilisations. The book will accompany Chen Yujun’s retrospective solo exhibition, which will be held at the Long Museum in Shanghai in the summer of 2025.
The Asian Summer Monsoon: Characteristics, Variability, Teleconnections and Projection focuses on the connections between the Indian Summer and East Asian Summer Monsoons, also including the South China Sea Summer Monsoon. While these systems have profound differences, their interactions have significant impacts on the climatic regimes in the region and throughout the world. In summer, the ASM engine pumps moisture transported across thousands of miles from the Indian and Pacific Oceans to the monsoon regions, producing heavy rains over south and east Asia and its adjacent marginal seas. This book reviews the different subsystems and their impact, providing guidance to enhance prediction models.
This book examines the interactions and dynamics between one cross-border joint-university and its social environment in the process of institutional transplantation and organizational adaptation. This study specifically demonstrates the interplays between the joint-university and its key players, including partners, government, market, parents, and the general public. By examining a variety of tensions between the joint-university and its key social actors, this research suggests a concept of "organizational dilemma" to capture the characteristics embedded in cross-border joint-universities in mainland China, and as an analytical model to unpack the tensions giving rise to the dilemmatic feature.
This book examines the interactions and dynamics between one cross-border joint-university and its social environment in the process of institutional transplantation and organizational adaptation. This study specifically demonstrates the interplays between the joint-university and its key players, including partners, government, market, parents, and the general public. By examining a variety of tensions between the joint-university and its key social actors, this research suggests a concept of "organizational dilemma" to capture the characteristics embedded in cross-border joint-universities in mainland China, and as an analytical model to unpack the tensions giving rise to the dilemmatic feature.
The Period of Yuan dynasty (1279-1368 AD) is an important historic time for both the cultural and material exchange of China and the West Asia, and the ceramic industry of Jingdezhen city. During that period, along with its absorption of outside craftsmanship and culture, Jingdezhen's ceramic technology and products reached their peak and thus founded a solid base for the birth and development of the brilliant blue-and-white porcelains. From Nov. 2012 through Dec. 2015, in order to cope with the infrastructural development of Jingdezhen city, the author worked as the executive director of an archaeological team for the excavation project of Luomaqiao ancient kiln site in the township area. Consequently, a great number of ceramic industry remains and tons of porcelain shards, dating from the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127 AD) through the Late Qing dynasty(1636-1911 AD), were found at the site. Among them, the Yuan blue-and-white pieces are of the most valuable ones in terms of arts and stories. On the basis of an academic review of the kiln sites and porcelain products of Jingdezhen in the Yuan dynasty, the book mainly covers the following works. First of all, in a matter of archaeological typology and with full illustrations, this book introduces all the categories and typical samples of the Yuan blue-and-white porcelains found at the Luomaqiao site. Secondly, with the application and analysis of a large-scale of statistical data and scientific tests on the unearthed wares, the book contributes a reliable and detailed database for further studies on the product structure, firing method and decoration techniques of the Yuan blue-and-white porcelains. Lastly, combined together with literature and archaeological findings on other sites, the book explored the origin, material, manufacturing period, product structure, and markets of Yuan blue-and-white porcelains, and furthermore the system of Yuan official kilns.
This book illustrates the main characteristics, challenges and optimisation requirements of robotic disassembly. It provides a comprehensive insight on two crucial optimisation problems in the areas of robotic disassembly through a group of unified mathematical models. The online and offline optimisation of the operational sequence to dismantle a product, for example, is represented with a list of conflicting objectives and constraints. It allows the decision maker and the robots to match the situation automatically and efficiently. To identify a generic solution under different circumstances, classical metaheuristics that can be used for the optimisation of robotic disassembly are introduced in detail. A flexible framework is then presented to implement existing metaheuristics for sequence planning and line balancing in the circumstance of robotic disassembly. Optimisation of Robotic Disassembly for Remanufacturing provides practical case studies on typicalproduct instances to help practitioners design efficient robotic disassembly with minimal manual operation, and offers comparisons of the state-of-the-art metaheuristics on solving the key optimisation problems. Therefore, it will be of interest to engineers, researchers, and postgraduate students in the area of remanufacturing.
This book illustrates the main characteristics, challenges and optimisation requirements of robotic disassembly. It provides a comprehensive insight on two crucial optimisation problems in the areas of robotic disassembly through a group of unified mathematical models. The online and offline optimisation of the operational sequence to dismantle a product, for example, is represented with a list of conflicting objectives and constraints. It allows the decision maker and the robots to match the situation automatically and efficiently. To identify a generic solution under different circumstances, classical metaheuristics that can be used for the optimisation of robotic disassembly are introduced in detail. A flexible framework is then presented to implement existing metaheuristics for sequence planning and line balancing in the circumstance of robotic disassembly. Optimisation of Robotic Disassembly for Remanufacturing provides practical case studies on typicalproduct instances to help practitioners design efficient robotic disassembly with minimal manual operation, and offers comparisons of the state-of-the-art metaheuristics on solving the key optimisation problems. Therefore, it will be of interest to engineers, researchers, and postgraduate students in the area of remanufacturing.
As public attention on energy conservation and emission reduction has increased in recent years, engine idling has become a growing concern due to its low efficiency and high emissions. Service vehicles equipped with auxiliary systems, such as refrigeration, air conditioning, PCs, and electronics, usually have to idle to power them. The number of service vehicles (e.g. public-school-tour buses, delivery-refrigerator trucks, police cars, ambulances, armed vehicles, firefighter vehicles) is increasing significantly with tremendous social development. Therefore, introducing new anti-idling solutions is inevitably vital for controlling energy unsustainability and poor air quality. There are a few books about the idling disadvantages and anti-idling solutions. Most of them are more concerned with different anti-idling technologies and their effects on the society rather than elaborating an anti-idling system design considering different applications and limitations. There is still much room to improve existing anti-idling technologies and products. In this book, we took a service vehicle, refrigerator truck, as an example to demonstrate the whole process of designing, optimizing, controlling, and developing a smart charging system for the anti-idling purpose. The proposed system cannot only electrify the auxiliary systems to achieve anti-idling, but also utilize the concepts of regenerative braking and optimal charging strategy to arrive at an optimum solution. Necessary tools, algorithms, and methods are illustrated and the benefits of the optimal anti-idling solution are evaluated.
This book shows readers how to design semiconductor devices using the most common and lowest cost logic CMOS processes. Readers will benefit from the author’s extensive, industrial experience and the practical approach he describes for designing efficiently semiconductor devices that typically have to be implemented using specialized processes that are expensive, time-consuming, and low-yield. The author presents an integrated picture of semiconductor device physics and manufacturing techniques, as well as numerous practical examples of device designs that are tried and true.
This book shows readers how to design semiconductor devices using the most common and lowest cost logic CMOS processes. Readers will benefit from the author’s extensive, industrial experience and the practical approach he describes for designing efficiently semiconductor devices that typically have to be implemented using specialized processes that are expensive, time-consuming, and low-yield. The author presents an integrated picture of semiconductor device physics and manufacturing techniques, as well as numerous practical examples of device designs that are tried and true.
Characterization of Condensed Matter A comprehensive and accessible introduction to the characterization of condensed materials The characterization of condensed materials is a crucial aspect of materials science. The science underlying this area of research and analysis is interdisciplinary, combining electromagnetic spectroscopy, surface and interface testing methods, physiochemical analysis methods, and more. All of this must be brought to bear in order to understand the relationship between microstructures and larger-scale properties of condensed matter. Characterization of Condensed Matter: An Introduction to Composition, Microstructure, and Surface Methods introduces the technologies involved in the characterization of condensed matter and their many applications. It incorporates more than a decades’ experience in teaching a successful undergraduate course in the subject and emphasizes accessibility and continuously reinforced learning. The result is a survey which promises to equip students with both underlying theory and real experimental instances of condensed matter characterization. Characterization of Condensed Matter readers will also find: Detailed treatment of techniques including electromagnetic spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption, electron microscopy, surface and element analysis, and moreIncorporation of concrete experimental examples for each techniqueExercises at the end of each chapter to facilitate understanding Characterization of Condensed Matter is a useful reference for undergraduates and early-career graduate students seeking a foundation and reference for these essential techniques.
This Brief provides an up-to-date overview of smart surfactants and describes a broad spectrum of triggers that induce the formation of wormlike micelles or reversibly tune the morphology of surfactant aggregates from wormlike micelles to another state, or vice versa. Combining the fields of chemistry, physics, polymer science, and nanotechnology, its primary focus is on the design, formulation, and processing of intelligent viscoelastic surfactant solutions, covering the scientific principles governing responsiveness to one or more particular triggers, down to the end-use-driven functions. The first chapter explains why and how surfactants self-assemble into viscoelastic wormlike micellar solutions reminiscent of polymer solutions, while the following chapters show how the response to a given trigger translates into macroscopic rheological changes, including temperature, light, pH, CO2, redox, hydrocarbon, etc. The last chapter demonstrates the applications of these viscoelastic assemblies in oil and gas production, drag reduction, biomaterials, cleaning processes, electrorheological and photorheological fluids. Comments and perspectives are provided at the end to conclude this Brief.This Brief is aimed at chemists, physicists, chemical engineers and nano-scientists who are involved in self-assemblies and applications of surfactants, as well as graduates in physical chemistry.Yujun Feng, Ph.D., is a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, P. R. China.Zonglin Chu, Ph.D., is a post-doctoral fellow working at the Physical Chemistry Institute, University of Zürich, Switzerland.Cécile A. Dreiss, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London,UK.
This book introduces readers to the background, general framework, main operators, and other basic characteristics of biogeography-based optimization (BBO), which is an emerging branch of bio-inspired computation. In particular, the book presents the authors’ recent work on improved variants of BBO, hybridization of BBO with other algorithms, and the application of BBO to a variety of domains including transportation, image processing, and neural network learning. The content will help to advance research into and application of not only BBO but also the whole field of bio-inspired computation. The algorithms and applications are organized in a step-by-step manner and clearly described with the help of pseudo-codes and flowcharts. The readers will learn not only the basic concepts of BBO but also how to apply and adapt the algorithms to the engineering optimization problems they actually encounter.
