The concept of smart drug delivery vehicles involves designing and preparing a nanostructure (or microstructure) that can be loaded with a cargo. This can be a therapeutic drug, a contrast agent for imaging, or a nucleic acid for gene therapy. The nanocarrier serves to protect the cargo from degradation by enzymes in the body, to enhance the solubility of insoluble drugs, to extend the circulation half-life, and to enhance its penetration and accumulation at the target site. Importantly, smart nanocarriers can be designed to be responsive to a specific stimulus, so that the cargo is only released or activated when desired. In this volume we cover smart nanocarriers that respond to internal stimuli that are intrinsic to the target site. These stimuli are specific to the cell type, tissue or organ type, or to the disease state (cancer, infection, inflammation etc). pH-responsive nanostructures can be used for cargo release in acidic endosomal compartments, in the lower pH of tumors, and for specific oral delivery either to the stomach or intestine. Nanocarriers can be designed to be substrates of a wide-range of enzymes that are over-expressed at disease sites. Oxidation and reduction reactions can be taken advantage of in smart nanocarriers by judicious molecular design. Likewise, nanocarriers can be designed to respond to a range of specific biomolecules that may occur at the target site. In this volume we also cover dual and multi-responsive systems that combine stimuli that could be either internal or external.

With the advancement of new technologies, existing wastewater treatment units need to be reexamined to make them more efficient and to release the load currently placed on them. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop and adopt the latest design methodology to determine and remove harmful impurities from water sources. Advanced Design of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a critical scholarly resource that explores the design of various units of wastewater treatment plants and treatment technologies that can produce reusable quality water from wastewater. The book covers topics that include the basic philosophy of wastewater treatment, designing principles of various wastewater treatment units, conventional treatment systems, and advanced treatment processes. It is an integral reference source for engineers, environmentalists, waste authorities, solid waste management companies, landfill operators, legislators, researchers, and academicians.

This book describes for readers various technical outcomes from the EU-project IoSense. The authors discuss sensor integration, including LEDs, dust sensors, LIDAR for automotive driving and 8 more, demonstrating their use in simulations for the design and fabrication of sensor systems. Readers will benefit from the coverage of topics such as sensor technologies for both discrete and integrated innovative sensor devices, suitable for high volume production, electrical, mechanical, security and software resources for integration of sensor system components into IoT systems and IoT-enabling systems, and IoT sensor system reliability. Describes from component to system level simulation, how to use the available simulation techniques for reaching a proper design with good performance; Explains how to use simulation techniques such as Finite Elements, Multi-body, Dynamic, stochastics and many more in the virtual design of sensor systems; Demonstrates the integration of several sensor solutions (thermal, dust, occupancy, distance, awareness and more) into large-scale system solutions in several industrial domains (Lighting, automotive, transport and more); Includes state-of-the-art simulation techniques, both multi-scale and multi-physics, for use in the electronic industry.

This book discusses the theory of quantum effects used in metrology, and presents the author's research findings in the field of quantum electronics. It also describes the quantum measurement standards used in various branches of metrology, such as those relating to electrical quantities, mass, length, time and frequency. The first comprehensive survey of quantum metrology problems, it introduces a new approach to metrology, placing a greater emphasis on its connection with physics, which is of importance for developing new technologies, nanotechnology in particular. Presenting practical applications of the effects used in quantum metrology for the construction of quantum standards and sensitive electronic components, the book is useful for a broad range of physicists and metrologists. It also promotes a better understanding and approval of the new system in both industry and academia. This second edition includes two new chapters focusing on the revised SI system and satellite positioning systems. Practical realization (mise en pratique) the base units (metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, candela, and mole), new defined in the revised SI, is presented in details. Another new chapter describes satellite positioning systems and their possible applications. In satellite positioning systems, like GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, quantum devices - atomic clocks - serve wide population of users.

This book conveys the theoretical and experimental basics of a well-founded measurement technique in the areas of high DC, AC and surge voltages as well as the corresponding high currents. Additional chapters explain the acquisition of partial discharges and the electrical measured variables. Equipment exposed to very high voltages and currents is used for the transmission and distribution of electrical energy. They are therefore tested for reliability before commissioning using standardized and future test and measurement procedures. Therefore, the book also covers procedures for calibrating measurement systems and determining measurement uncertainties, and the current state of measurement technology with electro-optical and magneto-optical sensors is discussed.

Recent important discoveries and developments in nanotechnology have had a remarkable and ever-increasing impact on many industries, especially materials science, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Nanocarriers have been investigated for a wide variety of different medical applications. Some examples of these nanocarriers include polymersomes, liposomes, micelles and carbon-based nanomaterials. Within this book, the authors describe different features of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), survey the properties of both the multi-walled and single-walled varieties, and cover their applications in drug and gene delivery. In addition, the book explains the structure and properties of CNTs prepared by different method, and discussed their isolation and purification. The future of CNTs in the field of biomedical science will depend on minimizing their adverse effects by careful study of their structure and properties.

This book describes modern focused ion beam microscopes and techniques and how they can be used to aid materials metrology and as tools for the fabrication of devices that in turn are used in many other aspects of fundamental metrology. Beginning with a description of the currently available instruments including the new addition to the field of plasma-based sources, it then gives an overview of ion solid interactions and how the different types of instrument can be applied. Chapters then describe how these machines can be applied to the field of materials science and device fabrication giving examples of recent and current activity in both these areas.

This is an overview of different models and mechanisms developed to describe the capture and relaxation of carriers in quantum-dot systems. Despite their undisputed importance, the mechanisms leading to population and energy exchanges between a quantum dot and its environment are not yet fully understood. The authors develop a first-order approach to such effects, using elementary quantum mechanics and an introduction to the physics of semiconductors. The book results from a series of lectures given by the authors at the Master's level.

This book focuses on optical fiber sensing and structural health monitoring technologies. It provides detailed information on the basic theory of F-P optical fiber sensors, fiber Bragg grating sensors, fiber laser grating sensors and fully distributed optical fiber sensors. Drawing on the authors' research achievements and many years of practical experience in the field of engineering structure health monitoring, the book elaborates on the structural principle, design and manufacture of optical fiber sensors and monitoring technologies, and briefly describes advances made with regard to multiple engineering structures.

With the emergence of smart technology and automated systems in today's world, big data is being incorporated into many applications. Trends in data can be detected and objects can be tracked based on the real-time data that is utilized in everyday life. These connected sensor devices and objects will provide a large amount of data that is to be analyzed quickly, as it can accelerate the transformation of smart technology. The accuracy of prediction of artificial intelligence (AI) systems is drastically increasing by using machine learning and other probability and statistical approaches. Big data and geospatial data help to solve complex issues and play a vital role in future applications. Emerging Trends, Techniques, and Applications in Geospatial Data Science provides an overview of the basic concepts of data science, related tools and technologies, and algorithms for managing the relevant challenges in real-time application domains. The book covers a detailed description for readers with practical ideas using AI, the internet of things (IoT), and machine learning to deal with the analysis, modeling, and predictions from big data. Covering topics such as field spectra, high-resolution sensing imagery, and spatiotemporal data engineering, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for data scientists, computer and IT professionals, managers, mathematicians and statisticians, health professionals, technology developers, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Formed of papers presented at the 20th International Conference on Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements, this volume provides a view of the latest work on the interaction between computational methods and experiments. The continuous improvement in computer efficiency, coupled with diminishing costs and the rapid development of numerical procedures have generated an ever-increasing expansion of computational simulations that permeate all fields of science and technology. As these procedures continue to grow in magnitude and complexity, it is essential to validate their results to be certain of their reliability. This can be achieved by performing dedicated and accurate experiments, which have undergone constant and enormous development. At the same time, current experimental techniques have become more complex and sophisticated so that they require the intensive use of computers, both for running experiments as well as acquiring and processing the resulting data. Some of the subject areas covered are: Fluid flow studies and experiments; Structural and stress analysis; Materials characterization; Electromagnetic problems; Structural integrity; Destructive and non-destructive testing; Heat transfer and thermal processes; Advances in computational methods; Automotive applications; Aerospace applications; Ocean engineering and marine structures; Fluid structure interaction; Bio-electromagnetics; Process simulations; Environmental monitoring, modelling and applications; Validation of computer modelling; Data and signal processing; Virtual testing and verification; Electromagnetic compatibility; Life cycle assessment.

The effects of very high pressures on various physical systems are of great scientific interest and experiments in this field are an increasingly important activity. Literature on high pressure methods is however scarce and largely out of date. This book is the first to present a broad and thorough coverage of methods and applications. It also provides a technological overview of high-pressure research in the Soviet Union much of which has never been presented in Western literature. This book is intended for graduate students specialising in high pressure experiments in physics, chemistry, and biology, and for scientists coming to high pressure experimentation for the first time as well as those already working in the field.

This book provides an overview of modern sensing technologies and reflects the remarkable advances that have been made in the field of intelligent and smart sensors, environmental monitoring, health monitoring, and many other sensing and monitoring contexts in today's world. It addresses a broad range of aspects, from human health monitoring to the monitoring of environmental conditions, from wireless sensor networks and the Internet of Things to structural health monitoring. Given its breadth of scope, the book will benefit researchers, practitioners, technologists and graduate students involved in the monitoring of systems within the human body, functions and activities, healthcare technologies and services, the environment, etc.

This book comprehensively and systematically introduces readers to the theories, structures, performance and applications of non-driven mechanical and non-driven micromechanical gyroscopes. The book is divided into three parts, the first of which mainly addresses mathematic models, precision, performance and operating error in non-driven mechanical gyroscopes. The second part focuses on the operating theory, error, phase shift and performance experiments involving non-driven micromechanical gyroscopes in rotating flight carriers, while the third part shares insights into the application of non-driven micromechanical gyroscopes in control systems for rotating flight carriers. The book offers a unique resource for all researchers and engineers who are interested in the use of inertial devices and automatic control systems for rotating flight carriers. It can also serve as a reference book for undergraduates, graduates and instructors in related fields at colleges and universities.

High-speed, power-efficient analog integrated circuits can be used as standalone devices or to interface modern digital signal processors and micro-controllers in various applications, including multimedia, communication, instrumentation, and control systems. New architectures and low device geometry of complementary metaloxidesemiconductor (CMOS) technologies have accelerated the movement toward system on a chip design, which merges analog circuits with digital, and radio-frequency components.

The importance of surface metrology has long been acknowledged in manufacturing and mechanical engineering, but has now gained growing recognition in an expanding number of new applications in fields such as semiconductors, electronics and optics. Metrology is the scientific study of measurement, and surface metrology is the study of the measurement of rough surfaces. In this book, Professor David Whitehouse, an internationally acknowledged subject expert, covers the wide range of theory and practice, including the use of new methods of instrumentation.
- Written by one of the world's leading metrologists
- Covers electronics and optics applications as well as mechanical
- Written for mechanical and manufacturing engineers, tribologists and precision engineers in industry and academia

* Covers all aspects of the data acquisition system from design and specification to programming, installation and configuration
* Gives both the novice and experienced user a solid understanding of interfacing the PC and standalone instruments to real-world signals from the laboratory to the industrial plant
* Provides a thorough grasp of PC data acquisition systems and the ability to design, specify, install and configure and program data acquisition systems quickly and effectively
This book focuses on data acquisition and control using the PC and standalone instruments. The PC has made a dramatic impact in the ease with which the technician, scientist and engineer today can set up their own test and measurement system at a remarkably low cost. And this book aims to show you how easy it is with plenty of carefully researched information. The popular IEEE 488 interface is also covered. All aspects of the data acquisition system are included from design and specification to programming, installation and configuration. This book gives both the novice and experienced user a solid grasp of the principles and practical implementation of interfacing the PC and standalone instruments to real-world signals from the laboratory to the industrial plant. Once you have read the book, you will have a thorough grasp of PC data acquisition systems and will be able to design, specify, install and configure and program data acquisition systems quickly and effectively.
* Covers all aspects of the data acquisition system from design and specification to programming, installation and configuration
* Gives both the novice and experienced user a solid understanding of interfacing the PC and standalone instruments to real-world signals from the laboratory to the industrial plant
* Provides a thorough grasp of PC data acquisition systems and the ability to design, specify, install and configure and program data acquisition systems quickly and effectively

The emphasis of this textbook is on industrial applications of Statistical Measurement Theory. It deals with the principal issues of measurement theory, is concise and intelligibly written, and to a wide extent self-contained. Difficult theoretical issues are separated from the mainstream presentation. Each topic starts with an informal introduction followed by an example, the rigorous problem formulation, solution method, and a detailed numerical solution. Each chapter concludes with a set of exercises of increasing difficulty, mostly with solutions. The book is meant as a text for graduate students and a reference for researchers and industrial experts specializing in measurement and measurement data analysis for quality control, quality engineering and industrial process improvement using statistical methods. Knowledge of calculus and fundamental probability and statistics is required for the understanding of its contents.

This text, the first of its kind, delivers a systematically organized introduction to the theory and practice of yield prediction. The book addresses the economic need for accurate yield prediction, and clarifies the important role it plays in the semiconductor industry.