This text presents a comprehensive mathematical theory for elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic differential equations. It compares finite element and finite difference methods and illustrates applications of generalized difference methods to elastic bodies, electromagnetic fields, underground water pollution, and coupled sound-heat flows.

With 41 scholars worldwide contributing 46 chapters, and with nearly a decade in the making, this is one of the largest books in a single volume to cover a topic in architectural history and theory. A pioneering book that explores ways to integrate social methods and historical narratives in Chinese architecture. First English language reference volume on Chinese architecture.

This book presents a systematic study of an emerging field in the development of multi-agent systems. In a wide spectrum of applications, it is now common to see that multiple agents work cooperatively to accomplish a complex task. The book assists the implementation of such applications by promoting the ability of multi-agent systems to track - using local communication only - the mean value of signals of interest, even when these change rapidly with time and when no individual agent has direct access to the average signal across the whole team; for example, when a better estimation/control performance of multi-robot systems has to be guaranteed, it is desirable for each robot to compute or track the averaged changing measurements of all the robots at any time by communicating with only local neighboring robots. The book covers three factors in successful distributed average tracking: algorithm design via nonsmooth and extended PI control; distributed average tracking for double-integrator, general-linear, Euler-Lagrange, and input-saturated dynamics; and applications in dynamic region-following formation control and distributed convex optimization. The book presents both the theory and applications in a general but self-contained manner, making it easy to follow for newcomers to the topic. The content presented fosters research advances in distributed average tracking and inspires future research directions in the field in academia and industry.

This book introduces the fundamental concepts, methods, and applications of Hausdorff calculus, with a focus on its applications in fractal systems. Topics such as the Hausdorff diffusion equation, Hausdorff radial basis function, Hausdorff derivative nonlinear systems, PDE modeling, statistics on fractals, etc. are discussed in detail. It is an essential reference for researchers in mathematics, physics, geomechanics, and mechanics.

This book presents a systematic study of an emerging field in the development of multi-agent systems. In a wide spectrum of applications, it is now common to see that multiple agents work cooperatively to accomplish a complex task. The book assists the implementation of such applications by promoting the ability of multi-agent systems to track - using local communication only - the mean value of signals of interest, even when these change rapidly with time and when no individual agent has direct access to the average signal across the whole team; for example, when a better estimation/control performance of multi-robot systems has to be guaranteed, it is desirable for each robot to compute or track the averaged changing measurements of all the robots at any time by communicating with only local neighboring robots. The book covers three factors in successful distributed average tracking: algorithm design via nonsmooth and extended PI control; distributed average tracking for double-integrator, general-linear, Euler-Lagrange, and input-saturated dynamics; and applications in dynamic region-following formation control and distributed convex optimization. The book presents both the theory and applications in a general but self-contained manner, making it easy to follow for newcomers to the topic. The content presented fosters research advances in distributed average tracking and inspires future research directions in the field in academia and industry.

This is an open access book. This book presents new theory and methods on compiling lithofacies paleogeographic maps as a key tool for guiding geological survey on shale gas. The fundamental goal of the shale gas geological survey is to find the ‘dessert’ area. It is therefore suggested that the lithofacies paleogeographic study and the technique of mapping should be a solid scientific basis for shale gas exploration. It takes Ordovician Wufeng-Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin and its adjacent area as an example to illustrate how to find the ‘dessert’ area of shale gas in geological survey phase by compiling lithofacies paleogeographic map. It’s a valuable reference for both scientific research and teaching courses in the fields of sedimentary lithofacies, paleogeography, stratigraphy, and oil and gas.

Biotechnology of Major Cereals focuses on the recent advances and future prospects in cereal biotechnology. The first part of the book covers the world's major cereals and focus on new developments and trends. The second part is technology rather than species-led, detailing fundamental developments in technologies and significant target traits.

This book constitutes seven refereed workshops and symposiums, SpaCCS Workshops 2020, which are held jointly with the 13th International Conference on Security, Privacy, and Anonymity in Computation, Communication, and Storage, SpaCCS 2020, in Nanjing, China, in December 2020. The 48 papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 131 submissions and cover a broad range of topics on security, privacy and anonymity in computation communication, and storage, including the 11th International Workshop on Trust, Security and Privacy for Big Data (TrustData 2020), the 10th International Symposium on Trust, Security and Privacy for Emerging Applications (TSP 2020), the 9th International Symposium on Security and Privacy on Internet of Things (SPIoT 2020), the 6th International Symposium on Sensor-Cloud Systems (SCS 2020), the Second International Workshop on Communication, Computing, Informatics and Security (CCIS 2020), the First International Workshop on Intelligence and Security in Next Generation Networks (ISNGN 2020), the First International Symposium on Emerging Information Security and Applications (EISA 2020).

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Security, Privacy, and Anonymity in Computation, Communication, and Storage, SpaCCS 2020, held in Nanjing, China, in December 2020. The 30 full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 88 submissions. The papers cover many dimensions including security algorithms and architectures, privacy-aware policies, regulations and techniques, anonymous computation and communication, encompassing fundamental theoretical approaches, practical experimental projects, and commercial application systems for computation, communication and storage. SpaCCS 2020 is held jointly with the 11th International Workshop on Trust, Security and Privacy for Big Data (TrustData 2020), the 10th International Symposium on Trust, Security and Privacy for Emerging Applications (TSP 2020), the 9th International Symposium on Security and Privacy on Internet of Things (SPIoT 2020), the 6th International Symposium on Sensor-Cloud Systems (SCS 2020), the 2nd International Workshop on Communication, Computing, Informatics and Security (CCIS 2020), the First International Workshop on Intelligence and Security in Next Generation Networks (ISNGN 2020), the First International Symposium on Emerging Information Security and Applications (EISA 2020).

With a focus on portland cement, the book systematically illustrates the composition, properties, and applications of different kinds of cementitious materials, and presents their reaction during the hydration and hardening process. The production technique and applied technology are also discussed with examples. Exercises are added in each chapter, making the work an essential textbook for students.

Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) use networked multiple autonomous agents to accomplish complex tasks in areas such as space-based applications, smart grids, and machine learning. The overall system goal is achieved using local interactions among the agents. The last two decades have witnessed rapid development of MASs in automatic control.Tracing the roots of such systems back more than 50 years, this monograph provides the reader with an in-depth and comprehensive survey of the research in Multi-Agent Systems. The focus is on the research conducted in the two decades. It introduces the basic concepts and definitions to the reader before going on to describe how MAS has been used in most forms of systems. The monograph offers a concise reference for understanding the use of MASs and the contemporary research issues for further investigation. In addition to covering the basic theory, the authors also cover applications in multi-robot systems, sensor networks, smart grid, machine learning, social networks, and many-core microprocessors. On the Control of Multi-Agent Systems provides researchers and students in systems and control a modern, comprehensive survey of one of the most important current day topics.

Distinguished from conventional parallel and distributed computing, the innovative field of grid computing focuses on resources shared among geographically distributed sites, providing high qualitative services for users and applications. Quantitative Quality of Service for Grid Computing: Applications for Heterogeneity, Large-Scale Distribution, and Dynamic Environments defines and characterizes the latest research achievements in grid computing. This book provides an important reference for academicians, practitioners, and researchers in fields such as parallel and distributed computing, high performance computing, and grid computing.

This book presents the latest management ideas in knowledge creation in the hospital sector. Knowledge continues to be a key factor for hospitals in recent institutional and competitive environment. Although the field of knowledge creation and management has been growing fast as study of business management that have profoundly results, the studies about the application of knowledge creation approach in the hospital sector are particular lacking. This book tries to fill this gap by extending theory of the hospital in knowledge-based view and building a hospital knowledge creation model. This book consists of two parts. Part one presents chapter that describe the development of the theory of the hospital in a knowledge-based view. Based on the discussion in part one, part two focuses on building a hospital knowledge creation model in both qualitative and quantative methods. Finally, I hope the significances of this book will contribute to the development of a knowledge-based theory of the hospital in the future study.