Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments: An Emerging Matter of Environmental Urgency, Second Edition presents 14 chapters, through which a team of global, expert contributors cover a full range of microplastic research. The first chapter describes the general patterns for sources, occurrence, and transport of microplastics to lead off the book. The next batch of chapters cover sampling analytical methods for quantifying microplastics in the environment, followed by chapters addressing the association of chemicals and microbial community with microplastics. A large cluster of chapters focus on the fate and transport of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, freshwater systems, marine environment, and riverine runoff that connects terrestrial and marine systems. The next few chapters examine bio-transport and effects of microplastics in organisms. The last two chapters are dedicated to two emerging research areas: microplastics in terrestrial settings and nanoplastics in the environment. Outlooks for future research to better understand the situation and further improvements of microplastic research are also covered. In the 6 years since the previous edition published, this fast-moving area has evolved, and the contents of this revision reflect that. There are numerous brand-new chapters, chapters that have been revised and chapters that have been completely refocused. Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments provides an overview of microplastics research. It is guide for researchers to better understand the occurrence of microplastics. Ideally this book provides basic background knowledge of microplastics for Oceanographers, Ecologists and climatologists.

Ultrasound and Microwave for Food Processing: Synergism for Preservation and Extraction analyzes the efficiency and validity of the combined effect of sonication and microwave in food processing, preservation, and extraction. This volume features novel food processing technologies for applications in meat, dairy, juice, and other food processing industries, and presents emerging research trends for future use development in food processing. This book is a comprehensive resource for experts and newcomers in the innovative food processing field, offering insight into physical principles of the technology, detailing the latest advancements, and linking them to current and potential applications in food and bioprocessing-related industries.

Dynamics of Structural Dynamics explains foundational concepts and principles surrounding the theory of vibrations and gives equations of motion for complex systems. The book presents classical vibration theory in a clear and systematic way, detailing original work on vehicle-bridge interactions and wind effects on bridges. Chapters give an overview of structural vibrations, including how to formulate equations of motion, vibration analysis of a single-degree-of-freedom system, a multi-degree-of-freedom system, and a continuous system, the approximate calculation of natural frequencies and modal shapes, and step-by-step integration methods. Each chapter includes extensive practical examples and problems. This volume presents the foundational knowledge engineers need to understand and work with structural vibrations, also including the latest contributions of a globally leading research group on vehicle-bridge interactions and wind effects on bridges.

Data-Driven Solutions to Transportation Problems explores the fundamental principle of analyzing different types of transportation-related data using methodologies such as the data fusion model, the big data mining approach, computer vision-enabled traffic sensing data analysis, and machine learning. The book examines the state-of-the-art in data-enabled methodologies, technologies and applications in transportation. Readers will learn how to solve problems relating to energy efficiency under connected vehicle environments, urban travel behavior, trajectory data-based travel pattern identification, public transportation analysis, traffic signal control efficiency, optimizing traffic networks network, and much more.

Dry eye is one of the most common ocular diseases. With the wide use of consumer electronics, environmental pollution and aging population, it has been prevalent and has seen a rising trend globally. Symptoms of dry eye affect daily activities and quality of life. This book details and illustrates popular medical science knowledge about dry eye. The cartoonist also shares her own treatment process. Various questions and doubts raised by dry eye patients and the effective therapy and treatment are well explained. The book provides a good resource for readers to acquire in-depth knowledge on causes and hazards brought about by dry eye as well as how to prevent its occurrence.

To advantageously plan and design for the explosive near-future increase in the number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their demanding applications, integration of UAVs into cellular communication systems has seen increasing interest. This book provides a timely and comprehensive overview of the recent research efforts and results of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)-integrated cellular network communications. The aim of the book is to provide a comprehensive coverage of the potential applications, networking architectures, latest research findings and key enabling technologies, experimental measurement results, as well as up-to-date industry standardizations for UAV communications in cellular systems, including the existing LTE as well as the future 5G-and-beyond systems.

FLINS, an acronym originally for Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Technologies in Nuclear Science, was inaugurated by Prof. Da Ruan of the Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK*CEN) in 1994 with the purpose of providing PhD and Postdoc researchers with a platform to present their research ideas in fuzzy logic and artificial intelligence. For more than 28 years, FLINS has been expanded to include research in both theoretical and practical development of computational intelligent systems.With this successful conference series: FLINS1994 and FLINS1996 in Mol, FLINS1998 in Antwerp, FLINS2000 in Bruges, FLINS2002 in Gent, FLINS2004 in Blankenberge, FLINS2006 in Genova, FLINS2008 in Marid, FLINS2010 in Chengdu, FLINS2012 in Istanbul, FLINS2014 in Juan Pesoa, FLINS2016 in Roubaix, FLINS2018 in Belfast and FLINS2020 in Cologne, FLINS2022 was organized by Nankai University, and co-organized by Southwest Jiaotong University, University of Technology Sydney and Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts et Industries Textiles of University of Lille. This unique international research collaboration has provided researchers with a platform to share and exchange ideas on state-of-art development in machine learning, multi agent and cyber physical systems.Following the wishes of Prof. Da Ruan, FLINS2022 offered an international platform that brought together mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers who are actively involved in machine learning, intelligent systems, data analysis, knowledge engineering and their applications, to share their latest innovations and developments, exchange notes on the state-of-the-art research ideas, especially in the areas of industrial microgrids, intelligent wearable systems, sustainable development, logistics, supply chain and production optimization, evaluation systems and performance analysis, as well as risk and security management, that have now become part and parcel of Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Technologies in Nuclear Science.This FLINS2022 Proceedings has selected 78 conference papers that cover the following seven areas of interests:

This book focuses on those organic chemicals that are regulated by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). as well as organic chemical with the attributes of being persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to ecosystem and human beings, criteria used by the Stockholm Convention for screening POP candidates. Because of the unfavourable properties of POPs, numerous research efforts have been directed toward investigating their input sources, fate, and effects, with the help of continuously improving analytical technologies. The contributors to this book provide an integrated assessment of existing data, which will benefit both the scientific and management communities in planning further research projects and/or pollution control measures.

Do you want to live longer with optimum health? Do you want to know how to achieve longevity through nutrition optimization?

In Nutrition Optimization for Health and Longevity, Dr. Herbert Zeng teaches you how to optimize what you breathe, drink, and eat to meet your body's needs. In particular, it instructs you how to optimize the nutrition of the foods you eat to satisfy your daily energy and nutrition requirements using a step-by-step procedure. From the optimization point of view, you can eat any kinds of food, but they must be in the right amounts, with the right combinations, in the right time (age) in order to satisfy your daily energy and nutrition requirements.

In addition, Dr. Zeng presents some very useful knowledge including two theories of aging and disease to help you understand why you need nutrition, and what kinds and amounts of nutrients you require. It explains why nutrition optimization can help improve your health and prolong your longevity, whether you are a normal weight, overweight or obese, have diabetes, or Alzheimer's disease. This unique book also summarizes ORAC, Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity, and energy and nutrition values of selected foods that can meet our needs.

The last half century witnessed a dramatic change in the geographic, ethnographic, and socioeconomic structure of Asian American communities. While traditional enclaves were strengthened by waves of recent immigrants, native-born Asian Americans also created new urban and suburban areas.

Asian America is the first comprehensive look at post-1960s Asian American communities in the United States and Canada. From Chinese Americans in Chicagoland to Vietnamese Americans in Orange County, this multi-disciplinary collection spans a wide comparative and panoramic scope. Contributors from an array of academic fields focus on global views of Asian American communities as well as on territorial and cultural boundaries.

Presenting groundbreaking perspectives, Asian America revises worn assumptions and examines current challenges Asian American communities face in the twenty-first century.

Moving beyond the 'Web 2.0' and 'digital native' rhetoric, this book addresses the complex experiences of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in a world embedded with interactive and participatory technologies. Adopting a sociocultural perspective, it investigates EFL learners' behaviours concerning digital technology, and guides exploration into their contextually mediated choices and learning practices in the '2.0' era. The argument is developed on the basis of the findings of a mixed sequential study that focused on 1485 Chinese undergraduates' use and non-use of online tools and applications outside the English classroom. Particular attention is paid to the role of context and agency when understanding their learning choices and behaviours in the context of digital technology. In particular, the book acknowledges the explanatory power of agency in the minority instances of 'good practices' among these EFL learners. At the same time it demonstrates that for most learners, use of the current web is limited and mostly non-interactive. The barriers to '2.0' transfer are largely contextual and the so-called 'communicative opportunities' and 'participatory culture' in particular did not fit into the learners' sociocultural context of (language) learning. Overall, the compelling argument proposes that the technology-facilitated changes in EFL practices are a 'bottom up' process that is taking place in day-to-day situations and constrained by the learning context within which the learner is situated. Based on these arguments, the book provides a framework that challenges the existing beliefs about (language) learning with online technology, and that contributes to our understanding of how context mediates EFL learners' behaviours surrounding digital technologies. It is a valuable resource for teachers, researchers and policy makers, providing them with insights into using digital technology to stimulate 'good learning practices' outside the classroom.

This book explores in detail the issues of ecological civilization development, ecological philosophy, ecological criticism, environmental aesthetics, and the ecological wisdom of traditional Chinese culture related to ecological aesthetics. Drawing on Western philosophy and aesthetics, it proposes and demonstrates a unique aesthetic view of ecological ontology in the field of aesthetics under the direct influence of Marxism, which is based on the modern economic, social cultural development and the modern values of traditional Chinese culture.This book embodies the innovative interpretation of Chinese traditional culture in the Chinese academic community. The author discusses the philosophical and cultural resources that can be used for reference in Chinese and Western cultural tradition, focusing on traditional Chinese Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and painting art, Western modern ecological philosophy, Heidegger's ontology ecological aesthetics, and British and American environmental aesthetics.In short, the book comprehensively discusses the author's concept of ecological ontology aesthetics as an integration and unification of ontology aesthetics and ecological aesthetics. This generalized ecological aesthetics explores the relationship between humans and nature, society and itself, guided by the brand-new ecological worldview in the post-modern context. It also changes the non-beauty state of human existence and establishes an aesthetic existence state that conforms to ecological laws.

The study of modern Chinese history has developed rapidly in recent decades and has seen increased exploration of new topics and innovative approaches. Resulting from a special issue of Modern Chinese History Studies, this set is devoted to showcasing the healthy development of Chinese modern history studies, and has already been revised twice in the original language. This three-volume set exhibits major achievements on the study of modern Chinese history and shows how the role of history was in debate, transformation, and re-evaluation throughout this tortuous yet prosperous period. Articles on 23 different topics are collected from over 30 prominent historians in order to represent their insights on the developmental paths of Chinese historical studies. Drawing on a large number of case studies of critical historical events that contribute to the establishment of the People's Republic of China, this set offers a panoramic view on the studies of modern Chinese history. In addition, it incorporates more pioneering topics such as intellectual history, cultural history, and translations of overseas studies on contemporary Chinese history. This book will be a valuable reference for scholars and students of Chinese history.

Neurobiology of Chinese Herb Medicine, Volume 135 is a valuable book for anyone interested in alternative medicine or the scientific research surrounding ancient herbal medicine. This updated volume in the series includes chapters that delve into timely topics, including the Effects of Lycium Barbarum on the Visual System, the Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Alzheimer's Disease, the Effect and Mechanism of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Parkinson's Disease, the Neurobiology of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Major Depressive Disorder, the Treatment of Insomnia with Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, and the Metabolic Factors and Adult Neurogenesis: Impacts of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Brain Repair in Neurological Diseases. This series is ideal for Chinese herbal medicine practitioners who are working in a clinical environment, although the clinical applications of Chinese medicinal herbs presented provide useful references and guidance for any clinical practice that specializes in the treatment of various conditions.

This book provides an overview of recent innovations and achievements in the broad areas of cyber-physical systems (CPS), including architecture, networking, systems, applications, security, and privacy. The book discusses various new CPS technologies from diverse aspects to enable higher level of innovation towards intelligent life. The book provides insight to the future integration, coordination and interaction between the physical world, the information world, and human beings. The book features contributions from renowned researchers and engineers, who discuss key issues from various perspectives, presenting opinions and recent CPS-related achievements. Investigates how to advance the development of cyber-physical systems Provides a joint consideration of other newly emerged technologies and concepts in relation to CPS like cloud computing, big data, fog computing, and crowd sourcing Includes topics related to CPS such as architecture, system, networking, application, algorithm, security and privacy

Decision has inspired reflection of many thinkers since the ancient times. With the rapid development of science and society, appropriate dynamic decision making has been playing an increasingly important role in many areas of human activity including engineering, management, economy and others. In most real-world problems, decision makers usually have to make decisions sequentially at different points in time and space, at different levels for a component or a system, while facing multiple and conflicting objectives and a hybrid uncertain environment where fuzziness and randomness co-exist in a decision making process. This leads to the development of fuzzy-like multiple objective multistage decision making. This book provides a thorough understanding of the concepts of dynamic optimization from a modern perspective and presents the state-of-the-art methodology for modeling, analyzing and solving the most typical multiple objective multistage decision making practical application problems under fuzzy-like uncertainty, including the dynamic machine allocation, closed multiclass queueing networks optimization, inventory management, facilities planning and transportation assignment. A number of real-world engineering case studies are used to illustrate in detail the methodology. With its emphasis on problem-solving and applications, this book is ideal for researchers, practitioners, engineers, graduate students and upper-level undergraduates in applied mathematics, management science, operations research, information system, civil engineering, building construction and transportation optimization

This book discusses how to combine type-2 fuzzy sets and graphical models to solve a range of real-world pattern recognition problems such as speech recognition, handwritten Chinese character recognition, topic modeling as well as human action recognition. It covers these recent developments while also providing a comprehensive introduction to the fields of type-2 fuzzy sets and graphical models. Though primarily intended for graduate students, researchers and practitioners in fuzzy logic and pattern recognition, the book can also serve as a valuable reference work for researchers without any previous knowledge of these fields. Dr. Jia Zeng is a Professor at the School of Computer Science and Technology, Soochow University, China. Dr. Zhi-Qiang Liu is a Professor at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, China.

This dissertation contributes to the understanding of fundamental issues in the highly interdisciplinary field of colloidal science. Beyond colloid science, the system also serves as a model for studying interactions in biological matter.
This work quantitatively investigated the scaling laws of the characteristic lengths of the structuring of colloidal dispersions and tested the generality of these laws, thereby explaining and resolving some long-standing contradictions in literature.
It revealed the effect of confinement on the structuring, independently of specific properties of the confining interfaces. In addition, it resolved the influence of roughness and charge of the confining interfaces on the structuring and as well providing a method to measure the effect of surface deformability on colloidal structuring.

This book offers readers broad coverage of techniques to model, verify and validate the behavior and performance of complex distributed embedded systems. The authors attempt to bridge the gap between the three disciplines of model-based design, real-time analysis and model-driven development, for a better understanding of the ways in which new development flows can be constructed, going from system-level modeling to the correct and predictable generation of a distributed implementation, leveraging current and future research results.

Why did the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) not follow the failure of the communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union? This book examines this question by studying two crucial strategies that the CCP feels it needs to implement in order to remain in power: ideological reform and the institutionalization of leadership succession.