By combining agent capabilities with computational linguistics, conversational agents can exploit natural language technologies to improve communication between humans and computers. Conversational Agents and Natural Language Interaction: Techniques and Effective Practices is a reference guide for researchers entering the promising field of conversational agents. It provides an introduction to fundamental concepts in the field, collects experiences of researchers working on conversational agents, and reviews techniques for the design and application of conversational agents. The book discusses the successes of and challenges faced by researchers, designers, and programmers who want to use conversational agents for e-commerce, help desks, website navigation, personalized service, and training or education applications.

This volume provides the most current research on smart cities. Specifically, it focuses on the economic development and sustainability of smart cities and examines how to transform older industrial cities into sustainable smart cities. It aims to identify the role of the following elements in the creation and management of smart cities:* Citizen participation and empowerment * Value creation mechanisms * Public administration* Quality of life and sustainability* Democracy* ICT* Private initiatives and entrepreneurship Regardless of their size, all cities are ultimately agglomerations of people and institutions. Agglomeration economies make it possible to attain minimum efficiencies of scale in the organization and delivery of services. However, the economic benefits do not constitute the main advantage of a city. A city's status rests on three dimensions: (1) political impetus, which is the result of citizens' participation and the public administration's agenda; (2) applications derived from technological advances (especially in ICT); and (3) cooperation between public and private initiatives in business development and entrepreneurship. These three dimensions determine which resources are necessary to create smart cities. But a smart city, ideal in the way it channels and resolves technological, social and economic-growth issues, requires many additional elements to function at a high-performance level, such as culture (an environment that empowers and engages citizens) and physical infrastructure designed to foster competition and collaboration, encourage new ideas and actions, and set the stage for new business creation. Featuring contributions with models, tools and cases from around the world, this book will be a valuable resource for researchers, students, academics, professionals and policymakers interested in smart cities.

This book argues that embryology and the reproductive sciences played a key role in the rise of the Gothic novel in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Diana Perez Edelman dissects Horace Walpole's use of embryological concepts in the development of his Gothic imagination and provides an overview of the conflict between preformation and epigenesis in the scientific community. The book then explores the ways in which Gothic literature can be read as epigenetic in its focus on internally sourced modes of identity, monstrosity, and endless narration. The chapters analyze Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto; Ann Radcliffe's A Sicilian Romance, The Italian, and The Mysteries of Udolpho; Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; Charles Robert Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer; and James Hogg's Confessions of a Justified Sinner, arguing that these touchstones of the Gothic register why the Gothic emerged at that time and why it continues today: the mysteries of reproduction remain unsolved.

Fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) pests have a profound impact on horticultural production and economy of many countries. It is fundamental to understand their biology and evaluate methods for their suppression, containment, or eradication. Area-Wide Management of Fruit Fly Pests comprises contributions from scientists from around the world on several species of tephritids working on diverse subjects with a focus on area-wide management of these pests. The first three sections of the book explore aspects of the biology, ecology, physiology, behavior, taxonomy, and morphology of fruit flies. The next two sections provide evidence on the efficacy of attractants, risk assessment, quarantine, and post-harvest control methods. The fifth and sixth sections examine biological control methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique and the use of natural enemies of fruit flies. The seventh section focuses on area-wide integrated pest management and action programs. Finally, the eighth section examines social, economic, and policy issues of action programs aimed at involving the wider community in the control of these pests and facilitate the development of control programs. Features: Presents information on the biology of tephritid flies. Provides knowledge on the use of natural enemies of fruit flies for their biological control. Includes research results on models and diets used for the Sterile Insect Technique. Reports developments on the chemical ecology of fruit flies that contribute to make control methods more specific and efficient. Reviews subjects such as Holistic Pest Management and Area-Wide Management Programs including social, economic, and policy issues in various countries. The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429355738, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Are you a student who wants to become an effective teacher in the 21st century? Maybe you are a teacher already? Would you like to learn how to take advantage of educational technologies in order to achieve your pedagogic goals? Nowadays, technology is all around us, but how do we, as teachers, make the best use of it? Technology has entered the classroom and most teachers are not trained in using it to achieve pedagogic goals. This book aims to remedy this situation. To do that, it provides the reader with many step-by-step guides and solved exercises, all written in clear language in a friendly, positive style. The book demystifies the whole process of understanding how new software or hardware works and introduces techniques to make the reader comfortable with classroom technologies. I hope that you enjoy it and find it useful. Dr. Diana Perez Marin received a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in 2007. She has published more than 50 papers in journals, such as the Journal of Educational Technology, and Society and has authored the book "ICT in education" (in Spanish).

Fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) pests have a profound impact on horticultural production and economy of many countries. It is fundamental to understand their biology and evaluate methods for their suppression, containment, or eradication. Area-Wide Management of Fruit Fly Pests comprises contributions from scientists from around the world on several species of tephritids working on diverse subjects with a focus on area-wide management of these pests. The first three sections of the book explore aspects of the biology, ecology, physiology, behavior, taxonomy, and morphology of fruit flies. The next two sections provide evidence on the efficacy of attractants, risk assessment, quarantine, and post-harvest control methods. The fifth and sixth sections examine biological control methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique and the use of natural enemies of fruit flies. The seventh section focuses on area-wide integrated pest management and action programs. Finally, the eighth section examines social, economic, and policy issues of action programs aimed at involving the wider community in the control of these pests and facilitate the development of control programs. Features: Presents information on the biology of tephritid flies. Provides knowledge on the use of natural enemies of fruit flies for their biological control. Includes research results on models and diets used for the Sterile Insect Technique. Reports developments on the chemical ecology of fruit flies that contribute to make control methods more specific and efficient. Reviews subjects such as Holistic Pest Management and Area-Wide Management Programs including social, economic, and policy issues in various countries. The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429355738, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

This book argues that embryology and the reproductive sciences played a key role in the rise of the Gothic novel in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Diana Perez Edelman dissects Horace Walpole's use of embryological concepts in the development of his Gothic imagination and provides an overview of the conflict between preformation and epigenesis in the scientific community. The book then explores the ways in which Gothic literature can be read as epigenetic in its focus on internally sourced modes of identity, monstrosity, and endless narration. The chapters analyze Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto; Ann Radcliffe's A Sicilian Romance, The Italian, and The Mysteries of Udolpho; Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; Charles Robert Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer; and James Hogg's Confessions of a Justified Sinner, arguing that these touchstones of the Gothic register why the Gothic emerged at that time and why it continues today: the mysteries of reproduction remain unsolved.

This volume provides the most current research on smart cities. Specifically, it focuses on the economic development and sustainability of smart cities and examines how to transform older industrial cities into sustainable smart cities. It aims to identify the role of the following elements in the creation and management of smart cities:* Citizen participation and empowerment * Value creation mechanisms * Public administration* Quality of life and sustainability* Democracy* ICT* Private initiatives and entrepreneurship Regardless of their size, all cities are ultimately agglomerations of people and institutions. Agglomeration economies make it possible to attain minimum efficiencies of scale in the organization and delivery of services. However, the economic benefits do not constitute the main advantage of a city. A city's status rests on three dimensions: (1) political impetus, which is the result of citizens' participation and the public administration's agenda; (2) applications derived from technological advances (especially in ICT); and (3) cooperation between public and private initiatives in business development and entrepreneurship. These three dimensions determine which resources are necessary to create smart cities. But a smart city, ideal in the way it channels and resolves technological, social and economic-growth issues, requires many additional elements to function at a high-performance level, such as culture (an environment that empowers and engages citizens) and physical infrastructure designed to foster competition and collaboration, encourage new ideas and actions, and set the stage for new business creation. Featuring contributions with models, tools and cases from around the world, this book will be a valuable resource for researchers, students, academics, professionals and policymakers interested in smart cities.

A Conscious Spirit offers a savory taste of urban poetry, exploring the soul of a young woman and all that comes with it. You will be truly mesmerized by the authors search for a better understanding about life, love and the sometimes traumatic scenarios we all come across in our lifetimes. These intimate and very personal poems will leave you covered in the authors charm and quick wit as she exposes her vulnerabilities and nds her strength. A true work of heart, this is one that you don t want to miss