At first glance the concepts of time and of Petri nets are quite contrary: while time determines the occurrences of events in a system, classic Petri nets consider their causal relationships and they represent events as concurrent systems. But if we take a closer look at how time and causality are intertwined we realize that there are many possible ways in which time and Petri nets interact. This book takes a closer look at three time-dependent Petri nets: Time Petri nets, Timed Petri nets, and Petri nets with time windows.

The author first explains classic Petri nets and their fundamental properties. Then the pivotal contribution of the book is the introduction of different algorithms that allow us to analyze time-dependent Petri nets. For Time Petri nets, the author presents an algorithm that proves the behavioral equivalence of a net where time is designed once with real and once with natural numbers, so we can reduce the state space and consider the integer states exclusively. For Timed Petri nets, the author introduces two time-dependent state equations, providing a sufficient condition for the non-reachability of states, and she also defines a local transformation for converting these nets into Time Petri nets. Finally, she shows that Petri nets with time-windows have the ability to realize every transition sequence fired in the net omitting time restrictions.

These classes of time-dependent Petri nets show that time alone does not change the power of a Petri net, in fact time may or may not be used to force firing. For Time Petri nets and Timed Petri nets we can say that they are Turing-powerful, and thus more powerful than classic Petri nets, because there is a compulsion to fire at some point in time. By contrast, Petri nets with time-windows have no compulsion to fire, their expressiveness power is less than that of Turing-machines.

This book derives from advanced lectures, and the text is supported throughout withexamples and exercises. It issuitable for graduate courses in computer science, mathematics, engineering, and related disciplines, and as a reference for researchers."

Covers the State of the Art in Superfluidity and Superconductivity Superfluid States of Matter addresses the phenomenon of superfluidity/superconductivity through an emergent, topologically protected constant of motion and covers topics developed over the past 20 years. The approach is based on the idea of separating universal classical-field superfluid properties of matter from the underlying system's "quanta." The text begins by deriving the general physical principles behind superfluidity/superconductivity within the classical-field framework and provides a deep understanding of all key aspects in terms of the dynamics and statistics of a classical-field system. It proceeds by explaining how this framework emerges in realistic quantum systems, with examples that include liquid helium, high-temperature superconductors, ultra-cold atomic bosons and fermions, and nuclear matter. The book also offers several powerful modern approaches to the subject, such as functional and path integrals. Comprised of 15 chapters, this text: Establishes the fundamental macroscopic properties of superfluids and superconductors within the paradigm of the classical matter field Deals with a single-component neutral matter field Considers fundamentals and properties of superconductors Describes new physics of superfluidity and superconductivity that arises in multicomponent systems Presents the quantum-field perspective on the conditions under which classical-field description is relevant in bosonic and fermionic systems Introduces the path integral formalism Shows how Feynman path integrals can be efficiently simulated with the worm algorithm Explains why nonsuperfluid (insulating) ground states of regular and disordered bosons occur under appropriate conditions Explores superfluid solids (supersolids) Discusses the rich dynamics of vortices and various aspects of superfluid turbulence at T 0 Provides account of BCS theory for the weakly interacting Fermi gas Highlights and analyzes the most crucial developments that has led to the current understanding of superfluidity and superconductivity Reviews the variety of superfluid and superconducting systems available today in nature and the laboratory, as well as the states that experimental realization is currently actively pursuing

The Coronavirus pandemic that began in 2019 brought to the fore, the presence of a significant minority of individuals who strongly oppose vaccination. This opposition is by no means recent. Ever since the very first attempts to immunize individuals, opposition has been intense in some societies. The reasons for this opposition range from religious to political to medical. Although vaccines have eliminated smallpox and largely eliminated polio and measles, opposition to vaccination persists and, in some countries, has grown stronger. The History of Vaccine Hesitancy seeks to describe the history of this opposition as well as its changing rationale over the years and in different societies. The discussion may ultimately provide some suggestions for reducing hesitancy in the future.

Sustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for humans and their children. It is a discipline that addresses current issues: climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, poor-nation starvation, rich-nation obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control and biodiversity depletion. This series gathers review articles that analyze current agricultural issues and knowledge, then proposes alternative solutions.

This book presents a sample of research on knowledge-based systems in biomedicine and computational life science. The contributions include: personalized stress diagnosis system, image analysis system for breast cancer diagnosis, analysis of neuronal cell images, structure prediction of protein, relationship between two mental disorders, detection of cardiac abnormalities, holistic medicine based treatment and analysis of life-science data.

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Provides an introduction to renewable energy for scientists and engineers, addressing the science and technology of all types of renewable energy in detail, as well as nonrenewables. Includes new chapters covering population dynamics and statistics. Self-study problems have been added for each chapter. Incorporates more worked examples. Completely up-to-date, covering such areas as hydraulic fracturing, integration of renewable energy to power grid, and cost.

Most photovoltaic (PV) installations utilise heavy conventional glass or polycarbonate panels, and even newly developed thin plastic or metal films for PV cell use may fracture during both construction and application. Textile fabrics, the most widespread flexible materials in everyday use, offer a solution to the need for lightweight, flexible solar PV generators. Solar Textiles: The Flexible Solution for Solar Power is about the incorporation and operation of solar cells on textile fabrics. The combination of textile manufacturing and solar PV cell technology opens up further avenues for both the textile and semiconductor industries. Thus, this book reflects the progressively increasing commercial interest in PV cell technology and the versatility that their integration in textiles provides. Discusses textiles as electrical substrates Explains the photovoltaic effect and associated parameters Offers special consideration of solar cells on textiles Compares fibres and fabrics and how to implement PV activity on a textile Describes manufacturing methods outside of semiconductor technology Includes applications open only to textiles This work is aimed at textile technologists, electronic engineers, solar technologists, civil engineers and designers in building fabrics and architecture.

The book provides a comprehensive review of the fundamental and practical aspects of bioanalytical support and the integral role it plays in the development of safe and efficacious biopharmaceutical drugs with speed and cost-effectiveness. The book focuses on a broad range of conventional and emerging biopharmaceutical modalities including monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics, gene therapy, cell therapy, peptides and oligonucleotides. The book starts with an introductory overview of bioanalysis showcasing the integral role it plays in understanding the drug disposition (pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and immunogenicity) and the progression of bioanalytical strategy as the drug progresses through discovery and development stages of the program, taking into consideration the continually evolving regulatory landscape. The book further diversifies into individual biopharmaceutical modalities - monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecifics, Fc-fusion proteins, gene therapies, cell therapies, peptides and oligonucleotides. The individual chapters focus on modality-specific bioanalytical assay strategies, critical reagents, assay formats, analytical platforms, associated bioanalytical challenges and mitigation strategies, industry best practices, and the latest understanding of regulatory guidance as applicable to the fast-growing biopharmaceutical landscape.

Athlete's Heart: A Multimodal Approach - From Physiological to Pathological Cardiac Adaptations provides a complete overview of all adaptations of the heart to sport practice by highlighting the different diagnosis between athlete's heart and pathological remodeling. Written by international experts in the field, chapters discuss ECG findings, echocardiogram data, cardiac magnetic resonance and new forms of multimodality imaging, providing readers with evidence-based guidance on how to differentiate athlete's heart from cardiomyopathies. Athlete's heart is the term given to a constellation of cardiac structural, functional and electrical remodeling that accompanies regular athletic training. Due to the substantial phenotypic overlap between electrical and structural changes observed in the physiological athletic heart remodeling and pathological changes resulted from inherited or acquired cardiomyopathies, distinguishing between adaptive and maladaptive cardiovascular response to exercise is a challenging task.

This book covers the latest findings of a wide variety of viral, prokaryotic and eukaryotic macromolecular protein complexes and builds upon the solid macromolecular foundations established by previous volumes of the Subcellular Biochemistry series. Thus, an almost encyclopaedic coverage of the broad field of protein complex structure and function has been established. The 17 interesting chapters included in this book have been organised into four sections: Soluble Protein Complexes, Membrane Protein Complexes, Fibrous Protein Complexes and Viral Protein Complexes. Significant topics present here are: Fatty Acid Synthase, the Fork Protection Complex, Ribonucleotide Reductase, the Kinetochore, G proteins, the FtsEX Complex, the Kainate Receptor, the Photosystem I-antenna, the Mycobacterial Arabinofuranosyltransferases, the the Bacterial Flagellum, the Actomyosin Complex, Motile Cilia, SLS Collagen Polymorphic Structures, and the Reovirus Capsid and Polymerase. Up-dates/expansion of chapter topics present in earlier volumes are now included in chapters here, e.g., those on Ferritin-like proteins and the Multi-tRNA Synthetase. The book is richly illustrated throughout, the result of an impressive integration of structural data from X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. The functional aspects of protein-protein interactions are also given a high priority.

Now in its second edition, Nuclear Forensic Analysis provides a multidisciplinary reference for forensic scientists, analytical and nuclear chemists, and nuclear physicists in one convenient source. The authors focus particularly on the chemical, physical, and nuclear aspects associated with the production or interrogation of a radioactive sample. They consolidate fundamental principles of nuclear forensic analysis, all pertinent protocols and procedures, computer modeling development, interpretational insights, and attribution considerations. The principles and techniques detailed are then demonstrated and discussed in their applications to real-world investigations and casework conducted over the past several years. Highlights of the Second Edition include: A new section on sample analysis considerations and interpretation following a post-detonation nuclear forensic collection New case studies, including the most wide-ranging and multidisciplinary nuclear forensic investigation conducted by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to date Expanded treatments of radiologic dispersal devices (RDDs) and statistical analysis methodologies The material is presented with minimal mathematical formality, using consistent terminology with limited jargon, making it a reliable, accessible reference. The broad-based coverage provides important insight into the multifaceted changes facing this recently developed science.

This revised edition offers an approach to information theory that is more general than the classical approach of Shannon. Classically, information is defined for an alphabet of symbols or for a set of mutually exclusive propositions (a partition of the probability space ) with corresponding probabilities adding up to 1. The new definition is given for an arbitrary cover of , i.e. for a set of possibly overlapping propositions. The generalized information concept is called novelty and it is accompanied by two concepts derived from it, designated as information and surprise, which describe "opposite" versions of novelty, information being related more to classical information theory and surprise being related more to the classical concept of statistical significance. In the discussion of these three concepts and their interrelations several properties or classes of covers are defined, which turn out to be lattices. The book also presents applications of these concepts, mostly in statistics and in neuroscience.

An encyclopedic presentation of the latest research, developments, manufacturing techniques, and clinical applications of synthetic biomaterials (polymers) in the lucrative medical devices and diagnostic products industry. Bridging the gap between medical device and drug, the authors bring into

A growing body of research demonstrates the potential benefits of the administration of inositol isomers in the treatment of many different disorders, from reproductive to metabolic diseases. A Clinical Guide to Inositols discusses scientific evidence of inositol-based treatments in different clinical fields to provide clinicians with a practical guide to use inositol supplementation within pathological conditions. Each chapter covers a specific disorder and describes aspects of the application of inositol in clinical practice, discussing the physio-pathologic features of the health condition and scientific evidences of the effects of inositol treatment.This book is a valuable resource to researchers and clinicians looking for a clear understanding of clinical effects of inositol supplementation and a practical guide on inositol-based treatments.

A Prescription for Healthy Living: A Guide to Lifestyle Medicine takes an evidence-based approach to health promotion and disease prevention. Medical doctors, healthcare professionals and research scientists from a variety of backgrounds provide informed advice on how to encourage patients to take charge of their health and future. This book addresses the impact that socioeconomic and environmental factors have on the health of a population and explores the psychology of health-related behavioral change, as well as considering a variety of subject areas as diverse as nutrition, physical activity, the practice of gratitude, the adverse health impacts of loneliness and the importance of achieving a satisfactory work-life balance. A Prescription for Healthy Living aims to encourage and inspire healthcare practitioners and public health officials to empower patients to make simple behavioral changes that will have a large and positive effect on their physical and mental wellbeing.

The first half of the book is aimed at quantitative research workers in biology, medicine, ecology and genetics. The book as a whole is aimed at graduate students in statistics, biostatistics, and other quantitative disciplines. Ten detailed examples show how the author approaches real-world statistical problems in a principled way that allows for adequate compromise and flexibility. The need to accommodate correlations associated with space, time and other relationships is a recurring theme, so variance-components models feature prominently. Statistical pitfalls are illustrated via examples taken from the recent scientific literature. Chapter 11 sets the scene, not just for the second half of the book, but for the book as a whole. It begins by defining fundamental concepts such as baseline, observational unit, experimental unit, covariates and relationships, randomization, treatment assignment, and the role that these play in model formulation. Compatibility of the model with the randomization scheme is crucial. The effect of treatment is invariably modelled as a group action on probability distributions. Technical matters connected with space-time covariance functions, residual likelihood, likelihood ratios, and transformations are discussed in later chapters.

Computational Intelligence in Cancer Diagnosis: Progress and Challenges provides insights into the current strength and weaknesses of different applications and research findings on computational intelligence in cancer research. The book improves the exchange of ideas and coherence among various computational intelligence methods and enhances the relevance and exploitation of application areas for both experienced and novice end-users. Topics discussed include neural networks, fuzzy logic, connectionist systems, genetic algorithms, evolutionary computation, cellular automata, self-organizing systems, soft computing, fuzzy systems, and hybrid intelligent systems. The book's chapters are written by international experts from both cancer research, oncology and computational sides to cover different aspects and make it comprehensible for readers with no background on informatics.

1. Highlights recent advances in material science and armour technology 2. Provides information on computational methods for armour design 3. Discusses stress waves and penetration mechanics 4. Covers human vulnerability and reactive armour systems

Sustainable and Circular Management of Resources and Waste Towards a Green Deal highlights the importance of resource recovery, phosphorus management, climate action, clean energy transition, and a circular economy. The world is facing significant challenges, including climate disruption, environmental changes, pollution, and population explosion. Sustainable management of finite natural resources within the carrying capacity of the bio-geo-hydrosphere is the crux of transforming the global economy for a sustainable future. Moreover, keeping raw materials in circulation as long as possible and minimizing the amount of waste generated has grown in significance as a part of transitioning to a circular economy (CE) model.

Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease, Second Edition, describes the underlying basis of endocrine function, providing an important tool to understand the fundamentals of endocrine diseases. Delivering a comprehensive review of the basic science of endocrinology, from cell biology to human disease, this work explores and dissects the function of a number of cellular systems. The new edition provides an understanding of how endocrine glands function by integrating information resulting in biological effects on both local and systemic levels, also providing new information on the molecular physiopathogenesis of endocrine neoplasic cells. The new edition expands the most used chapters from the first edition and proposes a series of substitutions and additions to the table of contents. New chapters cover signaling, brown adipose tissue, hypothalamic cell models, cellular basis of insulin resistance, genetics and epigenetics of neuroendocrine tumors, and a series of chapters on endocrine-related cancer. Providing content that crosses disciplines, Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease, Second Edition, details how cellular endocrine function contributes to system physiology and mediates endocrine disorders. A methods section proves novel and useful approaches across research focus that will be attractive to medical students, residents, and specialists in the field of endocrinology, as well as to those interested in cellular regulation. Editors Alfredo Ulloa-Aguirre and Ya-Xiong Tao, experts in molecular and cellular aspects of endocrinology, deliver contributions carefully selected for relevance, impact, and clarity of expression from leading field experts

This book presents latest work in the field of plant biotechnology regarding high-efficiency micropropagation for commercial exploitation at low labor and equipment costs. The book consists of 18 chapters on establishing advanced culture systems, techniques as well as latest modification protocols on a variety of crops. It also discusses new methods such as nylon film culture system, light-emitting diode and wireless light-emitting diode system, stem elongation, wounding manipulation and shoot tip removal, in vitro hydroponic and microponic culture system, thin cell layer culture system etc. Plant cell tissue has been developed more than fifty years ago. Since then applications of in vitro plant propagation expanded rapidly all around the world and played as an important role in agricultural and horticultural systems. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, scientists, capacity builders and policymakers. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences.

This book presents the latest findings in the field of cardiac mechanobiology in health and disease. Cardiac mechanobiology provides knowledge of all aspects of mechanobiology of the heart. Cardiomyogenesis is discussed as well as the mechanobiology of cardiac remodeling and regeneration. The molecular mechanisms of mechanoperception and mechanotransduction in cardiomyocytes are explained, as well as stretch induced differentiation of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. This volume of the series Cardiac and Vascular Biology complements the volume Vascular Mechanobiology in Physiology and Disease (volume 8) published in this series. The book is aimed at clinicians as well as researchers in cardiovascular biology, bioengineering and biophysics, and also represents an educational resource for young researchers and students in these fields.

This book reviews the advances in data gathering and processing in the biotech laboratory environment, and it sheds new lights on the various aspects that are necessary for the implementation of intelligent laboratory architecture and infrastructure. Smart technologies are increasingly dominating our everyday lives and have become an indispensable part of the industrial environment. The laboratory environment, which has long been rather conservative, has also set out to adapt smart technologies with regards to Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) for the laboratory. Due to the heterogeneity of the existing infrastructure and the often complex work processes, standardization is slow, e.g. to implement device interfaces or standardized driver protocols, which are urgently needed to generate standardized data streams that would be immanent for post-processing of data. Divided into 9 chapters, this book offers an authoritative overview of the diverse aspects in the generation and recording of uniform data sets in the laboratory, and in the processing of the data and enabling seamless processing towards machine learning and artificial intelligence. In the first part of the book, readers will find more about high throughout systems, automation, robotics, and the evolution of technology in the laboratory. The second part of the book is devoted to standardization in lab automation, in which readers will learn more about some regulatory aspects, the SiLA2 standards, the OPC LADS (Laboratory and Analytical Device Standard), and FAIR Data infrastructure

The interferometer is a versatile instrument which has played a central role in many developments in physics. Its uses include measurements of fine and hyperfine structure in atomic spectra, precision measurements of the velocity of light, studies of isotope shift and nuclear structure. It has contributed to recent work in remote sensing, optical bistability, plasma physics, atomic physics, light scattering spectroscopy and astrophysics.