Time-Dependent Reliability Theory and Its Applications introduces the theory of time-dependent reliability and presents methods to determine the reliability of structures over the lifespan of their services. The book contains state-of-the-art solutions to first passage probability derived from the theory of stochastic processes with different types of probability distribution functions, including Gaussian and non-Gaussian distributions and stationary and non-stationary processes. In addition, it provides various methods to determine the probability of failure over time, considering different failure modes and a methodology to predict the service life of structures. Sections also cover the applications of time-dependent reliability to prediction of service life and development of risk cost-optimized maintenance strategy for existing structures. This new book is for those who wants to know how to predict the service life of a structure (buildings, bridges, aircraft structures, etc.) and how to develop a risk-cost, optimized maintenance strategy for these structures.

China, with the world's largest population, numerous ethnic groups and vast geographical space, is also rich in languages. Since 2006, China's State Language Commission has been publishing annual reports on what is called "language life" in China. These reports cover language policy and planning invitatives at the national, provincial and local levels, new trends in language use in a variety of social domains, and major events concerning languages in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Now for the first time, these reports are available in English for anyone interested in Chinese languge and linguistics, China's language, education and social policies, as well as everyday language use among the ordinary people in China. The invaluable data contained in these reports provide an essential reference to researchers, professionals, policy makers, and China watchers.

China, with the world's largest population, numerous ethnic groups and vast geographical space, is also rich in languages. Since 2006, China's State Language Commission has been publishing annual reports on what is called "language life" in China. These reports cover language policy and planning invitatives at the national, provincial and local levels, new trends in language use in a variety of social domains, and major events concerning languages in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Now for the first time, these reports are available in English for anyone interested in Chinese languge and linguistics, China's language, education and social policies, as well as everyday language use among the ordinary people in China. The invaluable data contained in these reports provide an essential reference to researchers, professionals, policy makers, and China watchers.

This book offers a systematic investigation of the ecological and environmental issues related to the land cover changes in Nepal by researchers from both China and Nepal. It discusses the eco-environmental issues faced by Nepal, particularly in the hills and mountain regions. It also sheds light on the global concerns regarding the eco-environment issues of mountains, and analyzes the various causes and potential consequences of eco-environmental degradation in Nepal. The book is of particular interest to students, researchers, experts, and decision-makers wanting to gain a general overview of land cover in Nepal and its dynamics, environment and natural resources, as well as mountain hazards.

Multiscale modeling is becoming essential for accurate, rapid simulation in science and engineering. This book presents the results of three decades of research on multiscale modeling in process engineering from principles to application, and its generalization for different fields. This book considers the universality of meso-scale phenomena for the first time, and provides insight into the emerging discipline that unifies them, meso-science, as well as new perspectives for virtual process engineering.

Multiscale modeling is applied in areas including: multiphase flow and fluid dynamicschemical, biochemical and process engineeringmineral processing and metallurgical engineeringenergy and resourcesmaterials science and engineering

Jinghai Li is Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), a professor at the Institute of Process Engineering, CAS, and leader of the EMMS (Energy-minimizing multiscale) Group.

Wei Ge, Wei Wang, Ning Yang and Junwu Wang are professors at the EMMS Group, part of the Institute of Process Engineering, CAS.

Xinhua Liu, Limin Wang, Xianfeng He and Xiaowei Wang are associate professors at the EMMS Group, part of the Institute of Process Engineering, CAS.

Mooson Kwauk is an emeritus director of the Institute of Process Engineering, CAS, and is an advisor to the EMMS Group.

Being the most active field in modern physics, Optical Physics has developed many new branches and interdisciplinary fields overlapping with various classical disciplines. This series summarizes the advancements of optical physics in the past twenty years in the following fields: High Field Laser Physics, Precision Laser Spectroscopy, Nonlinear Optics, Nanophotonics, Quantum Optics, Ultrafast Optics, Condensed Matter Optics, and Molecular Biophotonics.

The Applied Linguistics Review (ALR) is a peer reviewed annual publication. It serves as a testing ground for the articulation of original ideas and approaches in the study of real-world issues in which language plays a crucial role, by bringing together new empirical and theoretical research and critical reflections of current debates. The issues dealt with in ALR range from aspects of the linguistic and communicative competence of the individual such as bilingualism and multilingualism, first or second language acquisition, literacy, language disorders, to language and communication related problems in and between societies such as linguistic discrimination, language conflict, communication in the workplace, language policy and language planning, and language ideology. The Applied Linguistics Review features contributions from scholars world-wide. Editor Li Wei Department of Applied Linguistics & Communication University of London, Birkbeck College 26 Russell Square, Bloomsbury London WC1B 5DQ UK E-mail: [email protected] Associate Editors David Block, University of London, Institute of Education Bencie Woll, University College London Itesh Sachdev, University of London, SOAS International Advisory Board Keiko Abe, Kyoritsu Women's University, Japan Kingsley Bolton, City University of Hong Kong, China Vivian Cook, Newcastle University, UK Donna Christian, Center for Applied Linguistics, USA Annick De Houwer, University of Erfurt, Germany Patricia Duff, University of British Columbia, Canada Diana Eades, University of New England, Australia Yihong Gao, Beijing University, China Ofelia Garcia, City University of New York Graduate Center, USA Susan Gass, University of Michigan, USA Fred Genesee, McGill University, Canada Nancy Hornberger, University of Pennsylvania, USA Alex Housen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium Andy Kirkpatrick, Hong Kong Institute of Education, China Claire Kramsch, University of California, Berkeley, USA Mayouf Ali Mayouf, University of Sebha, Libya Tim McNamara, University of Melbourne, Australia Ben Rampton, King's College London, UK Elana Shohamy, Tel Aviv University, Israel David Singleton, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Anna Verschik, Tallinn Pedagogical University, Estonia Terry Wiley, Arizona State University, USA Lawrence Zhang, National Institute of Education, Singapore Call for Papers If you are interested in submitting a paper to the Applied Linguistics Review, please consult the guidelines for submission by the publisher and contact the Principal Editor. We are particularly interested in papers that not only report new research findings but also critically engage in current debates over theoretical and methodological issues in applied linguistics and communication generally and point to directions of future research. Each article should be around 8,000 words in English, with a short abstract, a brief bionote and a list of key words.

The Applied Linguistics Review (ALR) is a peer reviewed annual publication. It serves as a testing ground for the articulation of original ideas and approaches in the study of real-world issues in which language plays a crucial role, by bringing together new empirical and theoretical research and critical reflections of current debates. The issues dealt with in ALR range from aspects of the linguistic and communicative competence of the individual such as bilingualism and multilingualism, first or second language acquisition, literacy, language disorders, to language and communication related problems in and between societies such as linguistic discrimination, language conflict, communication in the workplace, language policy and language planning, and language ideology. The Applied Linguistics Review features contributions from scholars world-wide. Editor Li Wei Department of Applied Linguistics & Communication University of London, Birkbeck College 26 Russell Square, Bloomsbury London WC1B 5DQ UK E-mail: [email protected] Associate Editors David Block, University of London, Institute of Education Bencie Woll, University College London Itesh Sachdev, University of London, SOAS International Advisory Board Keiko Abe, Kyoritsu Women's University, Japan Kingsley Bolton, City University of Hong Kong, China Vivian Cook, Newcastle University, UK Donna Christian, Center for Applied Linguistics, USA Annick De Houwer, University of Erfurt, Germany Patricia Duff, University of British Columbia, Canada Diana Eades, University of New England, Australia Yihong Gao, Beijing University, China Ofelia Garcia, City University of New York Graduate Center, USA Susan Gass, University of Michigan, USA Fred Genesee, McGill University, Canada Nancy Hornberger, University of Pennsylvania, USA Alex Housen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium Andy Kirkpatrick, Hong Kong Institute of Education, China Claire Kramsch, University of California, Berkeley, USA Mayouf Ali Mayouf, University of Sebha, Libya Tim McNamara, University of Melbourne, Australia Ben Rampton, King's College London, UK Elana Shohamy, Tel Aviv University, Israel David Singleton, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Anna Verschik, Tallinn Pedagogical University, Estonia Terry Wiley, Arizona State University, USA Lawrence Zhang, National Institute of Education, Singapore Call for Papers If you are interested in submitting a paper to the Applied Linguistics Review, please consult the guidelines for submission by the publisher and contact the Principal Editor. We are particularly interested in papers that not only report new research findings but also critically engage in current debates over theoretical and methodological issues in applied linguistics and communication generally and point to directions of future research. Each article should be around 8,000 words in English, with a short abstract, a brief bionote and a list of key words.

The Routledge Applied Linguistics Reader is an essential collection of readings for students of Applied Linguistics. Divided into five sections: Language Teaching and Learning, Second Language Acquisition, Applied Linguistics, Identity and Power and Language Use in Professional Contexts, the Reader takes a broad interpretation of the subject from its traditional foundations in language teaching and learning to cover the newer subdisciplines from corpus linguistics to forensic linguistics.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, the Reader focuses on the topics and issues to which Applied Linguistics research has made a significant contribution, in particular:

• our understanding of key concepts and notions in the study of real-world problems in which language and communication play a central role
• the theoretical debates of broader social science issues that impact on language teaching, learning and use
• the main methodological advances.

Featuring twenty-seven carefully selected readings, the Reader focuses on both the major contributions of Applied Linguistics, and the conceptual and theoretical issues of the subject in a variety of contexts and methods. The selection comprises seminal articles from leading researchers, as well as fresh perspectives from new voices in the subject. These Readings are amplified by a general introduction as well as detailed, critical summaries of each section, discussion questions and recommended further reading for each article.

Although scientific studies of the language behaviour of polyglots began to appear in the nineteenth century, it is only in the last fifty years or so that bilingualism and multilingualism have been recognized as crucial areas of linguistic research. This new four-volume collection from Routledge showcases the major achievements in this now vibrant multidisciplinary field.

The Bilingualism Reader is the definitive reader for the study of bilingualism. Designed as an integrated and structured student resource it provides invaluable editorial material that guides the reader through different sections and covers: definitions and typology of bilingualism language choice and bilingual interaction bilingualism, identity and ideology grammar of code-switching and bilingual acquisition bilingual production and perception the bilingual brain methodological issues in the study of bilingualism. The second edition of this best selling volume includes nine new chapters and postscripts written by the authors of the original articles, who evaluate them in the light of recent research. Critical discussion of research methods, revised graded study questions and activities, a comprehensive glossary, and an up-to-date resource list make The Bilingualism Reader an essential introductory text for students of linguistics, psychology and education.

This pivot focuses on "the concept of edification" in a bid to systematically expound its connotative structure and logical evolution. It is divided into ten chapters, embracing various issues, such as human nature as the foundation of edification, the development of edification and cultivation, the evolution of edification and the resultant life based on ritual and music, the political orientation and ultimate care of edification, and the nurturing of social edification, in an effort to offer a panoramic view of the intellectual features of Confucianism, and consequently a profound reflection on the cultural consciousness of contemporary China. The book is expected to satisfy the needs for a better understanding of edification as a Confucian concept, and the conceptual features of Chinese philosophy, or rather, Confucianism.

The publication of Hugo Baetens Beardsmore's book Bilingualism: Basic Principles by Multilingual Matters in 1982 coincided with an unprecedented upsurge of interest in bilingualism. A major reason for this was the acknowledgement that bilingualism is far more common than was previously thought, and perhaps even the norm. The number of bilinguals at the turn of the third millennium is probably greater than ever before and will continue to grow as a result of the combined forces of globalisation, automatisation, increased mobility and migration, and modernisation of foreign language teaching. The contributions in this book prove that, given the right conditions, bilingualism can confer distinct benefits like intellectual, psychological, social, cultural and economic improvement on the individual. The papers in this volume have been written by leading scholars in the field of bilingualism and deal with individual bilingualism, societal and educational phenomena, addressing issues such as bilingual usage, acquisition, teaching, and language planning and policy. The volume's major asset lies in its diversity, not only in depth of investigation and in topical variety but also in the range of languages and geographical regions covered. Another important feature of the volume is its multidisciplinary perspective. Among the contributors are linguists, sociologists, psychologists and sociolinguists.

China, with the world's largest population, numerous ethnic groups and vast geographical space, is also rich in languages. Since 2006, China's State Language Commission has been publishing annual reports on what is called "language life" in China. These reports cover language policy and planning invitatives at the national, provincial and local levels, new trends in language use in a variety of social domains, and major events concerning languages in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Now for the first time, these reports are available in English for anyone interested in Chinese languge and linguistics, China's languge, education and social policies, as well as everyday language use among the ordinary people in China. The invaluable data contained in these reports provide an essential reference to researchers, professionals, policy makers, and China watchers.

This volume is an up-to-date, concise introduction to bilingualism and multilingualism in schools, in the workplace, and in international institutions in a globalized world. The authors use a problem-solving approach and ask broad questions about bilingualism and multilingualism in society, including the question of language acquisition versus maintenance of bilingualism. Key features: provides a state-of-the-art description of different areas in the context of multilingualism and multilingual communication presents a critical appraisal of the relevance of the field, offers solutions of everyday language-related problems international handbook with contributions from renown experts in the field

China, with the world's largest population, numerous ethnic groups and vast geographical space, is also rich in languages. Since 2006, China's State Language Commission has been publishing annual reports on what is called "language life" in China. These reports cover language policy and planning invitatives at the national, provincial and local levels, new trends in language use in a variety of social domains, and major events concerning languages in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Now for the first time, these reports are available in English for anyone interested in Chinese language and linguistics, China's languge, education and social policies, as well as everyday language use among the ordinary people in China. The invaluable data contained in these reports provide an essential reference to researchers, professionals, policy makers, and China watchers.

Reflecting the growth and widening scope of Applied linguistics, this new edition thoroughly updates and expands coverage. It includes 27 new chapters, now consists of two complementary volumes, and covers a wide range of topics from a variety of perspectives. Each chapter provides an overview of the history of the topic, the main current issues, recommendations for practice and possible future trajectory.

Solid chemisorption technology is an effective form of energy conversion for recovering low-grade thermal energy, but limited thermal conductivity and agglomeration phenomena greatly limit its performance. Over the past 20 years, researchers have explored the use of thermal conductive porous matrix to improve heat and mass transfer performance. Their efforts have yielded composite sorption technology, which is now extensively being used in refrigeration, heat pumps, energy storage, and de-NOx applications. This book reviews the latest technological advances regarding composite solid sorbents. Various development methods are introduced and compared, kinetic models are presented, and different cycles are analyzed. Given its scope, the book will benefit experts involved in developing novel materials and cycles for energy conversion, as well as engineers working to develop effective commercialized energy conversion systems based on solid sorption technology

Reflecting the growth and widening scope of Applied linguistics, this new edition thoroughly updates and expands coverage. It includes 27 new chapters, now consists of two complementary volumes, and covers a wide range of topics from a variety of perspectives. Each chapter provides an overview of the history of the topic, the main current issues, recommendations for practice and possible future trajectory.

This volume contributes to the debates about the social aspects of bilingualism, focusing on the various opportunities and challenges bilingualism presents to today's society. The contributions in this volume are of a prospective stance, delineating directions for future research on bilingualism and/or identifying important issues which have been under-researched or which are still of a controversial nature. All the contributions are from leading international scholars who have researched and published extensively in the field of bilingualism. To facilitate further discussions of the issues raised in the volume, there are study questions and suggested reading attached to each of the main chapters.

Using the implementation of a deep learning framework as an example, C++ Template Metaprogramming in Practice: A Deep Learning Framework explains the application of metaprogramming in a relatively large project and emphasizes ways to optimize systems performance. The book is suitable for developers with a basic knowledge of C++. Developers familiar with mainstream deep learning frameworks can also refer to this book to compare the differences between the deep learning framework implemented with metaprogramming and compile-time computing with deep learning frameworks using object-oriented methods. Consisting of eight chapters, the book starts with two chapters discussing basic techniques of metaprogramming and compile-time computing. The rest of the book's chapters focus on the practical application of metaprogramming in a deep learning framework. It examines rich types and systems, expression templates, and writing complex meta-functions, as well as such topics as: Heterogeneous dictionaries and policy templates An introduction to deep learning Type system and basic data types Operations and expression templates Basic layers Composite and recurrent layers Evaluation and its optimization Metaprogramming can construct flexible and efficient code. For C++ developers who are familiar with object-oriented programming, the main difficulty in learning and mastering C++ metaprogramming is establishing the thinking mode of functional programming. The meta-programming approach involved at compile time is functional, which means that the intermediate results of the construction cannot be changed, and the impact may be greater than expected. This book enables C++ programmers to develop a functional mindset and metaprogramming skills. The book also discusses the development cost and use cost of metaprogramming and provides workarounds for minimizing these costs.

- Serves a variety of users, such as students/engineers who want to learn more about corrosion; academics who want to teach and research in this area and importantly, practitioners who need to assess corrosion damages to metal structures to ensure their safety and serviceability. - The knowledge and techniques presented in the book can be easily applied by users, such as materials and structural engineers who are responsible for safe and serviceable operation of infrastructure, asset managers and owners who need to make decisions regarding the maintenance and even demolition of corroded infrastructure. - This book can be the first of its kind that discusses corrosion and its effect on degradation of various mechanical properties, such as strength fatigue, fracture toughness, of various ferrous metals, such as steel, cost iron and ductile iron. The knowledge of mechanical strength degradation is essential to accurate prediction of infrastructure failures. - The book is written in plain English as much as practicable. Technical terminology is explained in as much detail as possible with necessary figures and tables for easy understanding.

For many years, political leaders and analysts have debated the impacts of China's rise on the stability of the existing international system. International observers have also debated whether China would be a status quo power or a revisionist power, and whether China would observe the rules and regulations of international institutions and regimes. China Joins Global Governance: Cooperation and Contentions, edited by Mingjiang Li, provides an insightful contribution to our understanding of these issues through a specific angle: China's role in global governance. The contributors to this volume address such questions as, how has China dealt with major global institutions and regimes? How has China helped address various global challenges? How is China's rise changing the international approach to global governance? The contributors cover a broad range of issues, including China's vision and strategy in global multilateralism, China's role in global economic/financial/trade governance, China's policy towards the global environment and international development, and China's approaches to various global security issues such as nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. China Joins Global Governance is an essential text in understanding the future trajectory of China's international policy.

The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics, published in 2011, has long been a standard introduction and essential reference point to the broad interdisciplinary field of Applied Linguistics. Reflecting the growth and widening scope of Applied linguistics, this new edition thoroughly updates and expands coverage. It includes 27 new chapters, now consists of two complementary volumes, and covers a wide range of topics from a variety of perspectives, Volume 1 is organised into two sections: Language Learning and Education and Key Areas and Approaches in Applied Linguistics and Volume 2 also two sections: Applied Linguistics in Society and Broadening Horizons. Each volume includes thirty chapters written by specialists from around the world. Each chapter provides an overview of the history of the topic, the main current issues, recommendations for practice and possible future trajectory. Where appropriate, authors discuss the impact and use of new research methods in the area. Suggestions for further reading and cross-references are provided with every chapter. The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics remains the authoritative overview to this dynamic field and essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, scholars and researchers of applied linguistics.