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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Communication studies > Information theory
Administrators of academic professional and technical communication (PTSC) programs have long relied upon lore--stories of what works--to understand and communicate about the work of program administration. Stories are interesting, telling, engaging, and necessary. But a discipline focused primarily on stories, especially the ephemeral stories narrated at conferences and deliberated at department meetings, usually suffice primarily to solve immediate problems and address day-to-day concerns and activities. This edited collection captures some of those stories and layers them with theoretical perspectives and reflection, to enhance their usefulness to the PTSC program administration community at large. Like the ephemeral stories PTSC program administrators are accustomed to, the stories told in this volume are set within specific institutional contexts that reflect specific institutional challenges. They emphasize the intellectual traces--the debts the authors owe to those who have informed and transformed their administrative work. In so doing, this collection creates another conversation--albeit a robust, diverse, and theoretically informed one--around which program leaders might define or redefine their roles and re-envision their administrative work as the rich, complex, intellectual engagement that we find it to be. This volume asks authors to move beyond a notion of administration as an activity based solely in institutional details and processes. In so doing, they emphasize theory as they share their reflections on core administrative processes and significant moments in the histories of their associated programs, thereby affording opportunities for critical examination in conjunction with practical advice.
The European Conference on Complex Systems, held under the patronage of the Complex Systems Society, is an annual event that has become the leading European conference devoted to complexity science. ECCS'12, its ninth edition, took place in Brussels, during the first week of September 2012. It gathered about 650 scholars representing a wide range of topics relating to complex systems research, with emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches. More specifically, the following tracks were covered: 1. Foundations of Complex Systems 2. Complexity, Information and Computation 3. Prediction, Policy and Planning, Environment 4. Biological Complexity 5. Interacting Populations, Collective Behavior 6. Social Systems, Economics and Finance This book contains a selection of the contributions presented at the conference and its satellite meetings. Its contents reflect the extent, diversity and richness of research areas in the field, both fundamental and applied. "
This book develops analytical methods for studying the dynamical chaos, synchronization, and dynamics of structures in various models of coupled rotators. Rotators and their systems are defined in a cylindrical phase space, and, unlike oscillators, which are defined in Rn, they have a wider "range" of motion: There are vibrational and rotational types for cyclic variables, as well as their combinations (rotational-vibrational) if the number of cyclic variables is more than one. The specificity of rotator phase space poses serious challenges in terms of selecting methods for studying the dynamics of related systems. The book chiefly focuses on developing a modified form of the method of averaging, which can be used to study the dynamics of rotators. In general, the book uses the "language" of the qualitative theory of differential equations, point mappings, and the theory of bifurcations, which helps authors to obtain new results on dynamical chaos in systems with few degrees of freedom. In addition, a special section is devoted to the study and classification of dynamic structures that can occur in systems with a large number of interconnected objects, i.e. in lattices of rotators and/or oscillators. Given its scope and format, the book can be used both in lectures and courses on nonlinear dynamics, and in specialized courses on the development and operation of relevant systems that can be represented by a large number of various practical systems: interconnected grids of various mechanical systems, various types of networks including not only mechanical but also biological systems, etc.
This book reflects the outcome of contribution by the plural community and of the interactions between disciplines. With the mass of data available through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in an unprecedented quantity since the Human History, it is now possible to access dimensions of knowledge that, though not hidden, could not be grasped in the same way in the past. The question of how this information can be used for the benefit of institutional and economic actors to foster the development of a territory. Tackling the issue from a resolutely interdisciplinary perspective, the authors explore the theories and methods of complex systems in order to discuss how they can contribute in these new circumstances to territorial intelligence and to the development practices in which it is embodied. This book illustrates how today's research explores the multiple facets of territorial systems in order to reproduce their richness. It invites readers to learn about the challenges, ideas, results and advances present in this domain.
This book gives the definitive mathematical answer to what thermodynamics really is: a variational calculus applied to probability distributions. Extending Gibbs's notion of ensemble, the Author imagines the ensemble of all possible probability distributions and assigns probabilities to them by selection rules that are fairly general. The calculus of the most probable distribution in the ensemble produces the entire network of mathematical relationships we recognize as thermodynamics. The first part of the book develops the theory for discrete and continuous distributions while the second part applies this thermodynamic calculus to problems in population balance theory and shows how the emergence of a giant component in aggregation, and the shattering transition in fragmentation may be treated as formal phase transitions. While the book is intended as a research monograph, the material is self-contained and the style sufficiently tutorial to be accessible for self-paced study by an advanced graduate student in such fields as physics, chemistry, and engineering.
Effective use of driving simulators requires considerable technical and methodological skill along with considerable background knowledge. Acquiring the requisite knowledge and skills can be extraordinarily time consuming, yet there has been no single convenient and comprehensive source of information on the driving simulation research being conducted around the world. A how-to-do-it resource for researchers and professionals, Handbook of Driving Simulation for Engineering, Medicine, and Psychology brings together discussions of technical issues in driving simulation with broad areas in which driving simulation is now playing a role. The chapters explore technical considerations, methodological issues, special and impaired populations, evaluation of in-vehicle and nomadic devices, and infrastructure evaluations. It examines hardware and software selection, visual database and scenario development, independent subject variables and dependent vehicle, environmental, and psychological variables, statistical and biostatistical analysis, different types of drivers, existing and future key-in vehicle devises, and validation of research. A compilation of the research from more than 100 of the world's top thinkers and practitioners, the book covers basic and advanced technical topics and provides a comprehensive review of the issues related to driving simulation. It describes literally hundreds of different simulation scenarios, provides color photographs of those scenarios, and makes available select videos of the scenarios on an accompanying web site, all of which should prove essential for seasoned researchers and for individuals new to driving simulation.
The rapid evolution of computer science, communication, and information technology has enabled the application of control techniques to systems beyond the possibilities of control theory just a decade ago. Critical infrastructures such as electricity, water, trafficand intermodal transport networks are now in the scope of control engineers. The sheer size of such large-scale systems requires the adoption of advanced distributed control approaches. Distributed model predictive control (MPC) is one of the promising control methodologies for control of such systems. This book provides a state-of-the-art overview of distributed MPC approaches, while at the same time making clear directions of research that deserve more attention. The core and rationale of 35 approaches are carefully explained. Moreover, detailed step-by-step algorithmic descriptions of each approach are provided. These features make the book a comprehensive guide both for those seeking an introduction to distributed MPC as well as for those who want to gain a deeper insight in the wide range of distributed MPC techniques available. "
This book, based on a selection of talks given at a dedicated meeting in Cortona, Italy, in June 2013, shows the high degree of interaction between a number of fields related to applied sciences. Applied sciences consider situations in which the evolution of a given system over time is observed, and the related models can be formulated in terms of evolution equations (EEs). These equations have been studied intensively in theoretical research and are the source of an enormous number of applications. In this volume, particular attention is given to direct, inverse and control problems for EEs. The book provides an updated overview of the field, revealing its richness and vitality.
Written in Alwyn Scott 's inimitable style, one that readers will find both lucid and accessible, this masterwork elucidates the explosion of activity in nonlinear science in recent decades. The book explains the wide-ranging implications of nonlinear phenomena for future developments in many areas of modern science, including mathematics, physics, engineering, chemistry, biology, and neuroscience. Arguably as important as quantum theory, modern nonlinear science is essential for understanding the scientific developments of the twenty-first century.
Society heavily depends on infrastructure systems, such as road-traffic networks, water networks, electricity networks, etc. Infrastructure systems are hereby considered to be large-scale, networked systems, that almost everybody uses on a daily basis, and that are so vital that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on the defense or economic security and functioning of society. The operation and control of existing infrastructures such as road-traffic networks, water networks, electricity networks, etc. are failing: too often we are confronted with capacity problems, unsafety, unreliability and inefficiency. This book concentrates on a wide range of problems concerning the way infrastructures are functioning today and discuss novel advanced, intelligent, methods and tools for the operation and control of existing and future infrastructures.
This open access book reports on cutting-edge electrical engineering and microelectronics solutions to foster and support digitalization in the semiconductor industry. Based on the outcomes of the European project iDev40, which were presented at the two first conference editions of the European Advances in Digital Transformation Conference (EADCT 2018 and EADTC 2019), the book covers different, multidisciplinary aspects related to digital transformation, including technological and industrial developments, as well as human factors research and applications. Topics include modeling and simulation methods in semiconductor operations, supply chain management issues, employee training methods and workplaces optimization, as well as smart software and hardware solutions for semiconductor manufacturing. By highlighting industrially relevant developments and discussing open issues related to digital transformation, the book offers a timely, practice-oriented guide to graduate students, researchers and professionals interested in the digital transformation of manufacturing domains and work environments.
The asymptotic behaviour, in particular "stability" in some sense, is studied systematically for discrete and for continuous linear dynamical systems on Banach spaces. Of particular concern is convergence to an equilibrium with respect to various topologies. Parallels and differences between the discrete and the continuous situation are emphasised.
As a collection of ideas and methodologies, systems thinking has made an impact in organizations and in particular in the information systems field. However, this main emphasis on organizations limits the scope of systems thinking and practice. There is a need first to use systems thinking in addressing societal problems, and second to enable people involved in developing the information society to reflect on the impacts of systems and technologies in society as a whole. Thus, there are opportunities to review the scope and potential of systems thinking and practice to deal with information society-related issues. Systems Practice in the Information Society provides students of information systems as well as practicing Inofrmation Systems managers with concepts and strategies to enable them to understand and use systems thinking methodologies and address challenges posed by the development of information-based societies. This book brings experiences, ideas, and applications of systemic thinking in designing and evaluating socio-technological initiatives. Using a number of cultural contexts, this book explores how organizations, including governments, can enable better access to information and communication technologies and improve the quality of life of individuals.
As a collection of ideas and methodologies, systems thinking has made an impact in organizations and in particular in the information systems field. However, this main emphasis on organizations limits the scope of systems thinking and practice. There is a need first to use systems thinking in addressing societal problems, and second to enable people involved in developing the information society to reflect on the impacts of systems and technologies in society as a whole. Thus, there are opportunities to review the scope and potential of systems thinking and practice to deal with information society-related issues. Systems Practice in the Information Society provides students of information systems as well as practicing Inofrmation Systems managers with concepts and strategies to enable them to understand and use systems thinking methodologies and address challenges posed by the development of information-based societies. This book brings experiences, ideas, and applications of systemic thinking in designing and evaluating socio-technological initiatives. Using a number of cultural contexts, this book explores how organizations, including governments, can enable better access to information and communication technologies and improve the quality of life of individuals.
This monograph explores the modeling of conservation and balance laws of one-dimensional hyperbolic systems using partial differential equations. It presents typical examples of hyperbolic systems for a wide range of physical engineering applications, allowing readers to understand the concepts in whichever setting is most familiar to them. With these examples, it also illustrates how control boundary conditions may be defined for the most commonly used control devices. The authors begin with the simple case of systems of two linear conservation laws and then consider the stability of systems under more general boundary conditions that may be differential, nonlinear, or switching. They then extend their discussion to the case of nonlinear conservation laws and demonstrate the use of Lyapunov functions in this type of analysis. Systems of balance laws are considered next, starting with the linear variety before they move on to more general cases of nonlinear ones. They go on to show how the problem of boundary stabilization of systems of two balance laws by both full-state and dynamic output feedback in observer-controller form is solved by using a "backstepping" method, in which the gains of the feedback laws are solutions of an associated system of linear hyperbolic PDEs. The final chapter presents a case study on the control of navigable rivers to emphasize the main technological features that may occur in real live applications of boundary feedback control. Stability and Boundary Stabilization of 1-D Hyperbolic Systems will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in applied mathematics and control engineering. The wide range of applications it discusses will help it to have as broad an appeal within these groups as possible.
Complex artificial dynamic systems require advanced modeling techniques that can accommodate their asynchronous, concurrent, and highly non-linear nature. Discrete Event systems Specification (DEVS) provides a formal framework for hierarchical construction of discrete-event models in a modular manner, allowing for model reuse and reduced development time. Discrete Event Modeling and Simulation presents a practical approach focused on the creation of discrete-event applications. The book introduces the CD++ tool, an open-source framework that enables the simulation of discrete-event models. After setting up the basic theory of DEVS and Cell-DEVS, the authors focus on how to use the CD++ tool to define a variety of models in biology, physics, chemistry, and artificial systems. They also demonstrate how to map different modeling techniques, such as Finite State Machines and VHDL, to DEVS. The in-depth coverage elaborates on the creation of simulation software for DEVS models and the 3D visualization environments associated with these tools. A much-need practical approach to creating discrete-event applications, this book offers world-class instruction on the field's most useful modeling making tools.
The aim of this Book is to give an overview, based on the results of nearly three decades of intensive research, of transient chaos. One belief that motivates us to write this book is that, transient chaos may not have been appreciated even within the nonlinear-science community, let alone other scientific disciplines.
After a short introduction to the fundamentals, this book provides a detailed account of major advances in applying fractional calculus to dynamical systems. Fractional order dynamical systems currently continue to gain further importance in many areas of science and engineering. As with many other approaches to mathematical modeling, the first issue to be addressed is the need to couple a definition of the fractional differentiation or integration operator with the types of dynamical systems that are analyzed. As such, for the fundamentals the focus is on basic aspects of fractional calculus, in particular stability analysis, which is required to tackle synchronization in coupled fractional order systems, to understand the essence of estimators for related integer order systems, and to keep track of the interplay between synchronization and parameter observation. This serves as the common basis for the more advanced topics and applications presented in the subsequent chapters, which include an introduction to the 'Immersion and Invariance' (I&I) methodology, the masterslave synchronization scheme for partially known nonlinear fractional order systems, Fractional Algebraic Observability (FAO) and Fractional Generalized quasi-Synchronization (FGqS) to name but a few. This book is intended not only for applied mathematicians and theoretical physicists, but also for anyone in applied science dealing with complex nonlinear systems.
This book presents the latest researches on hypersonic steady glide dynamics and guidance, including the concept of steady glide reentry trajectory and the stability of its regular perturbation solutions, trajectory damping control technique for hypersonic glide reentry, singular perturbation guidance of hypersonic glide reentry, trajectory optimization based on steady glide, linear pseudospectral generalized nominal effort miss distance guidance, analytical entry guidance and trajectory-shaping guidance with final speed and load factor constraints. They can be used to solve many new difficult problems in entry guidance. And many practical engineering cases are provided for the readers for better understanding. Researchers and students in the fields of flight vehicle design or flight dynamics, guidance and control could use the book as valuable reference.
This book deals with the autoregressive method for digital processing of random oscillations. The method is based on a one-to-one transformation of the numeric factors of the Yule series model to linear elastic system characteristics. This parametric approach allowed to develop a formal processing procedure from the experimental data to obtain estimates of logarithmic decrement and natural frequency of random oscillations. A straightforward mathematical description of the procedure makes it possible to optimize a discretization of oscillation realizations providing efficient estimates. The derived analytical expressions for confidence intervals of estimates enable a priori evaluation of their accuracy. Experimental validation of the method is also provided. Statistical applications for the analysis of mechanical systems arise from the fact that the loads experienced by machineries and various structures often cannot be described by deterministic vibration theory. Therefore, a sufficient description of real oscillatory processes (vibrations) calls for the use of random functions. In engineering practice, the linear vibration theory (modeling phenomena by common linear differential equations) is generally used. This theory's fundamental concepts such as natural frequency, oscillation decrement, resonance, etc. are credited for its wide use in different technical tasks. In technical applications two types of research tasks exist: direct and inverse. The former allows to determine stochastic characteristics of the system output X(t) resulting from a random process E(t) when the object model is considered known. The direct task enables to evaluate the effect of an operational environment on the designed object and to predict its operation under various loads. The inverse task is aimed at evaluating the object model on known processes E(t) and X(t), i.e. finding model (equations) factors. This task is usually met at the tests of prototypes to identify (or verify) its model experimentally. To characterize random processes a notion of "shaping dynamic system" is commonly used. This concept allows to consider the observing process as the output of a hypothetical system with the input being stationary Gauss-distributed ("white") noise. Therefore, the process may be exhaustively described in terms of parameters of that system. In the case of random oscillations, the "shaping system" is an elastic system described by the common differential equation of the second order: X (t)+2hX (t)+ _0^2 X(t)=E(t), where 0 = 2 / 0 is the natural frequency, T0 is the oscillation period, and h is a damping factor. As a result, the process X(t) can be characterized in terms of the system parameters - natural frequency and logarithmic oscillations decrement = hT0 as well as the process variance. Evaluation of these parameters is subjected to experimental data processing based on frequency or time-domain representations of oscillations. It must be noted that a concept of these parameters evaluation did not change much during the last century. For instance, in case of the spectral density utilization, evaluation of the decrement values is linked with bandwidth measurements at the points of half-power of the observed oscillations. For a time-domain presentation, evaluation of the decrement requires measuring covariance values delayed by a time interval divisible by T0. Both estimation procedures are derived from a continuous description of research phenomena, so the accuracy of estimates is linked directly to the adequacy of discrete representation of random oscillations. This approach is similar a concept of transforming differential equations to difference ones with derivative approximation by corresponding finite differences. The resulting discrete model, being an approximation, features a methodical error which can be decreased but never eliminated. To render such a presentation more accurate it is imperative to decrease the discretization interval and to increase realization size growing requirements for computing power. The spectral density and covariance function estimates comprise a non-parametric (non-formal) approach. In principle, any non-formal approach is a kind of art i.e. the results depend on the performer's skills. Due to interference of subjective factors in spectral or covariance estimates of random signals, accuracy of results cannot be properly determined or justified. To avoid the abovementioned difficulties, the application of linear time-series models with well-developed procedures for parameter estimates is more advantageous. A method for the analysis of random oscillations using a parametric model corresponding discretely (no approximation error) with a linear elastic system is developed and presented in this book. As a result, a one-to-one transformation of the model's numerical factors to logarithmic decrement and natural frequency of random oscillations is established. It allowed to develop a formal processing procedure from experimental data to obtain the estimates of and 0. The proposed approach allows researchers to replace traditional subjective techniques by a formal processing procedure providing efficient estimates with analytically defined statistical uncertainties.
This book tells the story of radical transparency in a datafied world. It is a story that not only includes the beginnings of WikiLeaks and its endings as a weapon of the GRU, but also exposes numerous other decentralised disclosure networks designed to crack open democracy - for good or ill - that followed in its wake. This is a story that can only be understood through rethinking how technologies of government, practices of media, and assumptions of democracy interact. By combining literatures of governmentality, media studies, and democracy, this illuminating account offers novel insights and critiques of the transparency ideal through its material-political practice. Case studies uncover evolving media practices that, regardless of being scraped from public records or leaked from internal sources, still divulge secrets. The narrative also traces new corporate players such as Clearview AI, the civic-minded ICIJ, and state-based public health disclosures in times of pandemic to reveal how they all form unique proto-institutional instances of disclosure as a technology of government. The analysis of novel forms of digital radical transparency - from a trickle of paper-based leaks to the modern digital .torrent - is grounded in analogues from the analogue past, which combine to tell the whole story of how transparency functions in and helps form democracy.
recently discovered advantages of amorphous forms of medicines/pharmaceutical products which focused a significant part of industry-related efforts on the GFA (Glass Forming Ability) and the glass temperature (T) versus pressure g dependences. 1 b ? 0 ? ? o ? P ? Pg P ? Pg 0 ? ? ? ? T (P ) = F (P )D (P ) =T 1 + exp ? g g ? 0 ? ? ? ? c + Pg ? ? ? ? 400 1 b 0 o ? ? ? ? P ? P P ? P g g 0 ? ? ? ? T (P ) = F (P )D (P ) =T 1 + exp ? g g 0 ? ? ? ? c ? + P max g ? ? ? ? T ~7 GPa g max P ~ 304 K Liquid g 300 1 HS glass 0 200 -1 mSG ?=0. 044 Liquid -2 100 -3 glass ?=0. 12 -1. 2 -0. 9 -0. 6 -0. 3 0. 0 log T 10 scaled -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 P (GPa) g 19 Figure 1. T he pressure evolution of the glass temperature in gl Th ye s cerol ol . id curve shows the parameterization of experimental data via the novel, modifie d Glat Sizm elon type equation, given in the Figure.
The subject of the book is to present the modeling, parameter estimation and other aspects of the identification of nonlinear dynamic systems. The treatment is restricted to the input-output modeling approach. Because of the widespread usage of digital computers discrete time methods are preferred. Time domain parameter estimation methods are dealt with in detail, frequency domain and power spectrum procedures are described shortly. The theory is presented from the engineering point of view, and a large number of examples of case studies on the modeling and identifications of real processes illustrate the methods. Almost all processes are nonlinear if they are considered not merely in a small vicinity of the working point. To exploit industrial equipment as much as possible, mathematical models are needed which describe the global nonlinear behavior of the process. If the process is unknown, or if the describing equations are too complex, the structure and the parameters can be determined experimentally, which is the task of identification. The book is divided into seven chapters dealing with the following topics: 1. Nonlinear dynamic process models 2. Test signals for identification 3. Parameter estimation methods 4. Nonlinearity test methods 5. Structure identification 6. Model validity tests 7. Case studies on identification of real processes Chapter I summarizes the different model descriptions of nonlinear dynamical systems.
This book presents a comprehensive mathematical theory that explains precisely what information flow is, how it can be assessed quantitatively - so bringing precise meaning to the intuition that certain information leaks are small enough to be tolerated - and how systems can be constructed that achieve rigorous, quantitative information-flow guarantees in those terms. It addresses the fundamental challenge that functional and practical requirements frequently conflict with the goal of preserving confidentiality, making perfect security unattainable. Topics include: a systematic presentation of how unwanted information flow, i.e., "leaks", can be quantified in operationally significant ways and then bounded, both with respect to estimated benefit for an attacking adversary and by comparisons between alternative implementations; a detailed study of capacity, refinement, and Dalenius leakage, supporting robust leakage assessments; a unification of information-theoretic channels and information-leaking sequential programs within the same framework; and a collection of case studies, showing how the theory can be applied to interesting realistic scenarios. The text is unified, self-contained and comprehensive, accessible to students and researchers with some knowledge of discrete probability and undergraduate mathematics, and contains exercises to facilitate its use as a course textbook. |
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