Metal Oxide-Carbon Hybrid Materials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications reviews the advances in the fabrication and application of metal oxide-carbon-based nanocomposite materials. Their unique properties make them ideal materials for gas-sensing, photonics, catalysis, opto-electronic, and energy-storage applications. In the first section, the historical background to the hybrid materials based on metal oxide-carbon and the hybridized metal oxide composites is provided. It also highlights several popular methods for the preparation of metal oxide-carbon composites through solid-state or solution-phase reactions, and extensively discusses the materials' properties. Fossil fuels and renewable energy sources cannot meet the ever-increasing energy demands of an industrialized and technology-driven global society. Therefore, the role of metal oxide-carbon composites in energy generation, hydrogen production, and storage devices, such as rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, is of extreme importance. These problems are discussed in in the second section of the book. Rapid industrialization has resulted in serious environmental issues which in turn have caused serious health problems that require the immediate attention of researchers. In the third section, the use of metal oxide-carbon composites in water purification, photodegradation of industrial contaminants, and biomedical applications that can help to clean the environment and provide better healthcare solutions is described. The final section is devoted to the consideration of problems associated with the development of sensors for various applications. Numerous studies performed in this area have shown that the use of composites can significantly improve the operating parameters of such devices. Metal Oxide-Carbon Hybrid Materials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications presents a comprehensive review of the science related to metal oxide-carbon composites and how researchers are utilizing these materials to provide solutions to a large array of problems.

Processing Technology for Bio-Based Polymers: Advanced Strategies and Practical Aspects brings together the latest advances and novel technologies surrounding the synthesis and manufacture of biopolymers, ranging from bio-based polymers to synthetic polymers from bio-derived monomers. Sections examine bio-based polymer chemistry, discuss polymerization process and emerging design technologies, cover manufacturing and processing approaches, explain cutting-edge approaches and innovative applications, and focus on biomedicals and other key application areas. Final chapters provide detailed discussion and an analysis of economic and environmental concerns, practical considerations, challenges, opportunities and future trends. This is a valuable resource for researchers, scientists and advanced students in polymer science, bio-based materials, nanomaterials, plastics engineering, biomaterials, chemistry, biotechnology, and materials science and engineering, as well as R&D professionals, engineers and industrialists interested in the development of biopolymers for advanced products and applications.

This monograph discusses the theoretical and practical development of multicriteria decision making (MCDM). The main purpose of MCDM is the construction of systematized strategies for the "optimisation" of feasible options, as well as the justification of why some alternatives can be declared "optimal". However, at time, we must make decisions in an uncertain environment and such inconvenience gives rise to a much more elaborate scenario. This book highlights models where this lack of certainty can be flexibly fitted in and goes on to explore valuable strategies for making decisions under a multiplicity of criteria. Methods discussed include bipolar fuzzy TOPSIS method, bipolar fuzzy ELECTRE-I method, bipolar fuzzy ELECTRE-II method, bipolar fuzzy VIKOR method, bipolar fuzzy PROMETHEE method, and two-tuple linguistic bipolar fuzzy Heronian mean operators. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, computer scientists, and social scientists alike.

A reflective teacher as a growth-minded person seeks opportunities to continue professional development. Reflection not only ignites a teacher's desire for improvement, but also inspires continuous learning. Through an accurate grasp of self-assessment, confidence, self-appraisal, a reflective practitioner can plant the seeds of effective teaching. This book aims to guide EFL teachers to teach language reflectively and effectively. It includes two parts, the first focuses on the SLA theories and their impact on language teaching and the second centers on the reflective and effective teaching of language components and skills. The editors hope this book will be helpful to those wishing to become effective teachers since this results in nurturing learners' cravings to learn in a safe and supportive environment. Contributors are: Maryam Azarnoosh, Anne Burns, Graham V. Crookes, Michael R.W. Dawson, Richard R. Day, Akram Faravani, Dorothy Gillmeister, Christine C. M. Goh, Hamid Reza Kargozari, John M. Levis, John I. Liontas, Shawn Loewen, Parviz Maftoon, Jennifer Majorana, Shannon McCrocklin, Hossein Nassaji, Ulugbek Nurmukhamedov, Luke Plonsky, Nima Shakouri, Jun Tian, Laurens Vandergrift, Constance Weaver, and Mitra Zeraatpishe.

A reflective teacher as a growth-minded person seeks opportunities to continue professional development. Reflection not only ignites a teacher's desire for improvement, but also inspires continuous learning. Through an accurate grasp of self-assessment, confidence, self-appraisal, a reflective practitioner can plant the seeds of effective teaching. This book aims to guide EFL teachers to teach language reflectively and effectively. It includes two parts, the first focuses on the SLA theories and their impact on language teaching and the second centers on the reflective and effective teaching of language components and skills. The editors hope this book will be helpful to those wishing to become effective teachers since this results in nurturing learners' cravings to learn in a safe and supportive environment. Contributors are: Maryam Azarnoosh, Anne Burns, Graham V. Crookes, Michael R.W. Dawson, Richard R. Day, Akram Faravani, Dorothy Gillmeister, Christine C. M. Goh, Hamid Reza Kargozari, John M. Levis, John I. Liontas, Shawn Loewen, Parviz Maftoon, Jennifer Majorana, Shannon McCrocklin, Hossein Nassaji, Ulugbek Nurmukhamedov, Luke Plonsky, Nima Shakouri, Jun Tian, Laurens Vandergrift, Constance Weaver, and Mitra Zeraatpishe.

Body centric wireless networking and communications is an emerging 4G technology for short (1-5 m) and very short (below 1 m) range communications systems, used to connect devices worn on (or in) the body, or between two people in close proximity. It has great potential for applications in healthcare delivery, entertainment, surveillance, and emergency services. This book brings together contributions from a multidisciplinary team of researchers in the field of wireless and mobile communications, signal processing and medical measurements to present the underlying theory, implementation challenges and applications of this exciting new technology. Topics covered include: diversity and cooperative communications in body area networks; ultra wideband radio channel characterisation for body-centric wireless communication; sparse characterisation of body-centric radio channels; antenna / human body interactions in the 60 GHz band; antennas for ingestible capsule telemetry; in vivo wireless channel modelling; diversity and MIMO for efficient front-end design of body-centric wireless communications devices; on-body antennas and radio channels for GPS applications; textile substrate integrated waveguide technology for the next-generation wearable microwave systems; ultra wideband body-centric networks for localisation and motion capture application; down scaling to the nano-scale in body-centric nano-networks; and the road ahead for body-centric wireless communication and networks.

One might find my philosophy an inspiration of wonderment. It could inspire a life with suitable thoughts.

Issues in Coursebook Evaluation takes a theory to practice approach with emphasis on theoretical underpinnings that lead into practical aspects of the processes of evaluating English language coursebooks. The ten reader-friendly chapters contributed by outstanding scholars cover fundamental concepts in book evaluation which turn this work to a valuable resource book in applied linguistics. The topics covered include the need to evaluate books (why, who, how and when), language learners' needs, evaluating language and content of coursebooks, evaluating teaching aids, intercultural and socio-cultural perspectives in coursebooks and their evaluation, how to evaluate the authenticity of conversations in ESL textbooks, evaluating ESP textbooks, e-textbook evaluation, and the influence of research on materials evaluation. Contributors are: Maryam Azarnoosh, Saleh Al-Busaidi, Dario Luis Banegas, Martin Cortazzi, Akram Faravani, Lixian Jin, Hamid Reza Kargozari, Mahboobeh Khosrojerdi, Thom Kiddle, Jayakaran Mukundan, Vahid Nimehchisalem, Golnaz Peyvandi, Seyed Ali Rezvani Kalajahi, Carlos Rico-Troncoso, Lilia Savova, Abdolvahed Zarifi, and Mitra Zeraatpishe.

Issues in Coursebook Evaluation takes a theory to practice approach with emphasis on theoretical underpinnings that lead into practical aspects of the processes of evaluating English language coursebooks. The ten reader-friendly chapters contributed by outstanding scholars cover fundamental concepts in book evaluation which turn this work to a valuable resource book in applied linguistics. The topics covered include the need to evaluate books (why, who, how and when), language learners' needs, evaluating language and content of coursebooks, evaluating teaching aids, intercultural and socio-cultural perspectives in coursebooks and their evaluation, how to evaluate the authenticity of conversations in ESL textbooks, evaluating ESP textbooks, e-textbook evaluation, and the influence of research on materials evaluation. Contributors are: Maryam Azarnoosh, Saleh Al-Busaidi, Dario Luis Banegas, Martin Cortazzi, Akram Faravani, Lixian Jin, Hamid Reza Kargozari, Mahboobeh Khosrojerdi, Thom Kiddle, Jayakaran Mukundan, Vahid Nimehchisalem, Golnaz Peyvandi, Seyed Ali Rezvani Kalajahi, Carlos Rico-Troncoso, Lilia Savova, Abdolvahed Zarifi, and Mitra Zeraatpishe.

This book describes a set of hybrid fuzzy models showing how to use them to deal with incomplete and/or vague information in different kind of decision-making problems. Based on the authors' research, it offers a concise introduction to important models, ranging from rough fuzzy digraphs and intuitionistic fuzzy rough models to bipolar fuzzy soft graphs and neutrosophic graphs, explaining how to construct them. For each method, applications to different multi-attribute, multi-criteria decision-making problems, are presented and discussed. The book, which addresses computer scientists, mathematicians, and social scientists, is intended as concise yet complete guide to basic tools for constructing hybrid intelligent models for dealing with some interesting real-world problems. It is also expected to stimulate readers' creativity thus offering a source of inspiration for future research.

"Change Management for Semantic Web Services" provides a thorough analysis of change management in the lifecycle of services for databases and workflows, including changes that occur at the individual service level or at the aggregate composed service level. This book describes taxonomy of changes that are expected in semantic service oriented environments. The process of change management consists of detecting, propagating, and reacting to changes.

"Change Management for Semantic Web Services" is one of the first books that discuss the development of a theoretical foundation for managing changes in atomic and long-term composed services. This book also proposes a formal model and a change language to provide sufficient semantics for change management; it devises an automatic process to react to, verify, and optimize changes. Case studies and examples are presented in the last section of this book.

Considerable attention from the international scientific community is currently focused on the wide ranging applications of wavelets. For the first time, the field's leading experts have come together to produce a complete guide to wavelet transform applications in medicine and biology. Wavelets in Medicine and Biology provides accessible, detailed, and comprehensive guidelines for all those interested in learning about wavelets and their applications to biomedical problems.

Sultan is the official biography of Wasim Akram, the "sultan of swing", one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket. For twenty years, Wasim Akram let his cricket do the talking - his electrifying left-arm pace, his explosive left-handed striking, his leadership and his inspiration. For another twenty years he kept his own counsel about those days, full of drama, controversy and even mystery, in a country, Pakistan, that to outsiders is a constant enigma. Until now. Sultan tells the story of cricket's greatest left-arm bowler, and one of its greatest survivors, who was chosen from the streets of Lahore and groomed by Imran Khan to become champion of the world - man of the match in the final of the 1992 World Cup. Along the way were unforgettable rivalries with the greatest of his time, from Viv Richards and Ian Botham to Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Along the way, too, a backdrop of conspiracy and intrigue over ball tampering and match fixing about which Wasim finally sets the story straight. But there's more: Sultan goes frankly into the crumbling and rebuilding of Wasim's private life, marred by the tragedy of his first wife's death and the torment of addiction. The result is an unprecedented insight into the life of a cricketer who revolutionised the game with his speed and swing, and a patriot buoyed and burdened by the expectation of one of the game's most fanatical publics.

What difference does establishing an ontological framework make to Pierre Bourdieu’s core concepts of habitus and field? This innovative book argues that it makes a substantial difference and, furthermore, that doing so addresses the charges of determinism, tautology, and circularity that have long been directed at habitus and field. Teasing out Bourdieu’s ontology, Akram offers a novel critical realist reading of Bourdieu, arguing that while Bourdieu explored the epistemological basis of his core concepts, he neglects their ontological underpinnings, and that elaborating on this adds a layer of depth and complexity which enriches Bourdieu’s project. In addition to articulating the synergies between Roy Bhaskar’s critical realism and Bourdieu’s oeuvre, this book extends Bourdieu’s insights in new and exciting directions by developing an ontologically informed Bourdieusian account of institutions, an issue which is neglected by Bourdieu and his interlocuters. A dedicated chapter outlining a methodological approach to habitus will also prove useful to those who find theoretical value in the concept but are unclear about its methodological implications. 

These proceedings of the international Conference "Ill-Posed and Non-Classical Problems of Mathematical Physics and Analysis," held at the Samarkand State University, Uzbekistan in September 2000 bring together fundamental research articles in the major areas of the numerated fields of analysis and mathematical physics. The book covers the following topics: theory of ill-posed problems inverse problems for differential equations boundary value problems for equations of mixed type integral geometry mathematical modelling and numerical methods in natural sciences

Recent advancements in carbon and molecular electronics have opened the door to a new generation of electronic nanoscale components. This book outlines the basic principles of electromagnetic-based communication at this nanoscale using terahertz and optical frequencies with a focus on theoretical principles and applications. It answers the questions: How can nano-devices communicate with each other by applying electromagnetic techniques? Do conventional communication and networking schemes and principles still apply? How feasible is it to deploy such networks with various applications? Topics covered include an introduction to nano-communication; fundamentals and applications of nano-electromagnetic communications; simulation and experimental platforms for nano-electromagnetic communication networks; terahertz antenna design for wearable applications; terahertz application in food contamination detection; channel modelling for electromagnetic nano-communication; modulation, coding and synchronization techniques for nano-electromagnetic communications in the terahertz band; routing protocols for nano-electromagnetic communication networks; error control mechanisms for nano-electromagnetic communication networks; and conclusion and future outlook.