In 2011, the international community watched as a shockingly unlikely community of citizens toppled three of the world's most entrenched dictators: Ben Ali in Tunisia, Mubarak in Egypt, and Qaddafi in Libya. This movement of cascading democratization, commonly known as the Arab Spring, was planned and executed not by political parties, but by students, young entrepreneurs, and the rising urban middle class. International experts and the popular press have pointed to the near-identical reliance on digital media in all three movements, arguing that these authoritarian regimes were in essence defeated by the Internet. Is that true? Should Mubarak blame Twitter for his sudden fall from power? Did digital media "cause" the Arab Spring? In Democracy's Fourth Wave?, Philip N. Howard and Muzammil M. Hussain examine the complex role of the Internet, mobile phones, and social networking applications in the Arab Spring. Examining digital media access, level of grievance, and levels of protest for popular democratization in 16 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Howard and Hussain conclude that digital media was neither the most nor the least important cause of the Arab Spring. Instead, they illustrate a complex web of conjoined causal factors for social mobilization. The Arab revolts cascaded across countries largely because digital media allowed communities to realize shared grievances and nurtured transportable strategies for mobilizing against dictators. Individuals were inspired to protest for personal reasons, but through social media they acted collectively. Democracy's Fourth Wave examines not only the unexpected evolution of events during the Arab Spring, but the longer history of desperate-and creative-digital activism through the Arab world.

The capability to generate potable water from polluted sources is growing in importance as pharmaceuticals, microplastics and waste permeate our soil. Nanotechnology allows for improvements in water remediation technologies by taking advantage of the unique properties of materials at this small scale.

In three parts, this book contributes to the advancement of engineering education and that serves as a general reference on digital signal processing. Part I presents the basics of analog and digital signals and systems in the time and frequency domain. It covers the core topics: convolution, transforms, filters, and random signal analysis. It also treats important applications including signal detection in noise, radar range estimation for airborne targets, binary communication systems, channel estimation, banking and financial applications, and audio effects production. Part II considers selected signal processing systems and techniques. Core topics covered are the Hilbert transformer, binary signal transmission, phase-locked loops, sigma-delta modulation, noise shaping, quantization, adaptive filters, and non-stationary signal analysis. Part III presents some selected advanced DSP topics.

Digital phase locked loops are critical components of many communication, signal processing and control systems. This exciting new book covers various types of digital phase lock loops. It presents a comprehensive coverage of a new class of digital phase lock loops called the time delay tanlock loop (TDTL). It also details a number of architectures that improve the performance of the TDTL through adaptive techniques that overcome the conflicting requirements of the locking rage and speed of acquisition. These requirements are of paramount importance in many applications including wireless communications, consumer electronics and others. Digital Phase Lock Loops then illustrates the process of converting the TDTL class of digital phase lock loops for implementation on an FPGA-based reconfigurable system. These devices are being utilized in software-defined radio, DSP-based designs and many other communication and electronic systems to implement complex high-speed algorithms. Their flexibility and reconfigurability facilitate rapid prototyping, on-the-fly upgradeability, and code reuse with minimum effort and complexity. from the reconfigurable implementations are compared with those obtained through simulations with MATLAB/Simulink. The material in this book will be valuable to researchers, graduate students, and practicing engineers.

Handbook of Nanomaterials in Analytical Chemistry: Modern Trends in Analysis explores the recent advancements in a variety of analytical chemistry techniques due to nanotechnology. It also devotes several chapters to the analytical techniques that have proven useful for the analysis of nanomaterials. As conventional analytical chemistry methods become insufficient in terms of accuracy, selectivity, sensitivity, reproducibility, and speed, recent advances have opened up new horizons for chemical analysis and detection methods. Chapters are authored by experts in their respective fields and include up-to-date reference materials, such as websites of interest and suggested reading lists on the latest research.

This book explores, through case studies, the interplay between religion, culture, government, and politics in diverse societies on questions arising in the domain of bioethics. The case studies draw from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including history, theology, law, bioethics, public policy, science, and medicine. The text's global perspective permits a comparison of the differing approaches adopted by countries facing similar bioethical quandaries and the extent to which religion has or has not been instrumental in addressing such dilemmas. Secular and religious societies across the globe are being confronted with complex questions involving religious belief and the extent to which specific religious perspectives have in the past or should in the future be adopted as official policy. Bioethical issues involving the interplay of religion and government have become particularly notable in recent years. How these issues are resolved has major implications for individuals, healthcare providers, and the future of medical research and medical care. Topics explored among the chapters include: Homosexuality: Sin, Crime, Pathology, Identity, Behavior Medical Error: Truthtelling, Apology, and Forgiveness Refusal of Medical Treatment Medical Deportation Case Study: Nazism, Religion, and Human Experimentation The New Frontier: Cloning Case Studies in Society, Religion, and Bioethics will find an engaged audience among researchers and scholars in history, religion/theology, medicine, and bioethics interested in the influence of religion on bioethical decision-making. Students-particularly upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in bioethics, humanities, and theology-will find the text helpful in understanding the processes through which religion may serve as a basis for both societal policy and law and individual decision-making in health-related matters.

Flexibility and stretchability of electronics are crucial for next generation electronic devices that involve skin contact sensing and therapeutic actuation. This handbook provides a complete entree to the field, from solid-state physics to materials chemistry, processing, devices, performance, and reliability testing, and integrated systems development. This work shows how microelectronics, signal processing, and wireless communications in the same circuitry are impacting electronics, healthcare, and energy applications. Key Features: * Covers the fundamentals to device applications, including solid-state and mechanics, chemistry, materials science, characterization techniques, and fabrication; * Offers a comprehensive base of knowledge for moving forward in this field, from foundational research to technology development; * Focuses on processing, characterization, and circuits and systems integration for device applications; * Addresses the basic physical properties and mechanics, as well as the nuts and bolts of reliability and performance analysis; * Discusses various technology applications, from printed electronics to logic and memory devices, sensors, actuators, displays, and energy storage and harvesting. This handbook will serve as the one-stop knowledge base for readership who are interested in flexible and stretchable electronics.

Covers major areas including materials, physics, processes, and applications of flexible electronics. Includes homework problems for readers to understand concepts in an easy manner. Discusses types of materials including flexible silicon, metal oxides and organic semiconductors in detail. Applications of flexible electronics in displays, solar cells and batteries discusses in detail Covers a section on Stretchable Electronics.

Digital media and online social networking applications have changed the way in which dissent is organized with social movement leaders using online applications and digital content systems to organize collective action, activate local protest groups, network with international social movements and share their political perspectives. In the past, authoritarian regimes could control broadcast media in times of political crisis by destroying newsprint supplies, seizing radio and television stations, and blocking phone calls. It is much more difficult to control media in the digital age though there have certainly been occasions when states have successfully shut down their digital networks. What causes state-powers to block internet access, disable digital networks or even shut off internet access? How is it done, what is the impact and how do dissidents attempt to fight back? In this timely and accessible volume a collection of high profile, international scholars answer these key questions using cases from Israel, Iran, Russia, Morocco, Vietnam and Kuwait and assess the political economy of the actors, institutions and regimes involved and effected by the state-management and control of digital networks.

Digital media and online social networking applications have changed the way in which dissent is organized with social movement leaders using online applications and digital content systems to organize collective action, activate local protest groups, network with international social movements and share their political perspectives. In the past, authoritarian regimes could control broadcast media in times of political crisis by destroying newsprint supplies, seizing radio and television stations, and blocking phone calls. It is much more difficult to control media in the digital age though there have certainly been occasions when states have successfully shut down their digital networks. What causes state-powers to block internet access, disable digital networks or even shut off internet access? How is it done, what is the impact and how do dissidents attempt to fight back? In this timely and accessible volume a collection of high profile, international scholars answer these key questions using cases from Israel, Iran, Russia, Morocco, Vietnam and Kuwait and assess the political economy of the actors, institutions and regimes involved and effected by the state-management and control of digital networks.

This comprehensive handbook and essential reference provides instant access to all the data, calculations, and equations needed for modern HVAC design. It details up-to-the-minute design methods, operation and maintenance procedures, and energy conservation and efficiency tools; and provides a single volume solution to a myriad of HVAC design needs.

In "The Muslim Creed: A Contemporary Theological Study", Dr Amjad Hussain presents a concise introduction to what Muslims believe in and practice, and also why they continue to do so in the twenty-first century. "The Muslim Creed" is divided into three parts. Part One is an introduction to Islamic creed and a survey of the most important developments in classical theology, including discussions of the schools of the Ash`ariyya and the Maturidiyya. Part Two provides a detailed account of the six articles of faith-God, the angels, the prophets and messengers, the sacred scriptures, the Hereafter and the divine decree-and the debates that surround them. In Part Three Dr Hussain discusses the current state of Islamic theology and raises the subject of its future, making a genuine contribution to this discussion.---"The Muslim Creed: A Contemporary Theological Study" introduces the reader to the range of debates and discussions that have occurred in relation to the subject of creed and theology throughout Muslim history, including the opinions of various theologians who represent the unity as well as the diversity of Muslim theology. "The Muslim Creed: A Contemporary Theological Study" is suitable for both academics and non-academics alike, and is essential reading for all those studying Islamic theology.

In three parts, this book contributes to the advancement of engineering education and that serves as a general reference on digital signal processing. Part I presents the basics of analog and digital signals and systems in the time and frequency domain. It covers the core topics: convolution, transforms, filters, and random signal analysis. It also treats important applications including signal detection in noise, radar range estimation for airborne targets, binary communication systems, channel estimation, banking and financial applications, and audio effects production. Part II considers selected signal processing systems and techniques. Core topics covered are the Hilbert transformer, binary signal transmission, phase-locked loops, sigma-delta modulation, noise shaping, quantization, adaptive filters, and non-stationary signal analysis. Part III presents some selected advanced DSP topics.

Digital phase lock loops are critical components of many communication, signal processing and control systems. This exciting new book covers various types of digital phase lock loops. It presents a comprehensive coverage of a new class of digital phase lock loops called the time delay tanlock loop (TDTL). It also details a number of architectures that improve the performance of the TDTL through adaptive techniques that overcome the conflicting requirements of the locking rage and speed of acquisition. These requirements are of paramount importance in many applications including wireless communications, consumer electronics and others. Digital Phase Lock Loops then illustrates the process of converting the TDTL class of digital phase lock loops for implementation on an FPGA-based reconfigurable system. These devices are being utilized in software-defined radio, DSP-based designs and many other communication and electronic systems to implement complex high-speed algorithms. Their flexibility and reconfigurability facilitate rapid prototyping, on-the-fly upgradeability, and code reuse with minimum effort and complexity. The practical real-time results, of the various TDTL architectures, obtained from the reconfigurable implementations are compared with those obtained through simulations with MATLAB/Simulink. The material in this book will be valuable to researchers, graduate students, and practicing engineers.

When the focus is on black or Asian minorities, Britain is frequently described as a multi-cultural state. But when the focus is on Scotland, England and Wales, Britain is also described as a multi-national state. Yet debates about multiculturalism and nationalism have been held in parallel without sharing even a common vocabulary. This book is a pioneering study of how multiculturalism interacts with multinationalism, especially within post-devolution Scotland. It gives equal attention to Scotland's largest 'visible' and 'invisible' minorities: ethnic Pakistanis (almost all of them Muslim) and English immigrants. Rising Scottish self-consciousness could have posed a challenge both these minorities. But in practice, potential problems have proved themselves to be solutions, integrating rather than alienating. In the eyes of the minorities, devolution has made Scots at once more proud and less xenophobic. Even English immigrants feel devolution has defused tensions, calmed frustrations, and forced Scots to blame themselves rather than others for their problems. Pakistanis have suffered increasing harassment - but they attribute that to 9/11 not to devolution. And Muslims adopt Scottish identities, Scottish attitudes, even Scottish nationalism - consciously or unconsciously using these as tools of integration. The book is based in part on large-scale surveys: of Pakistani and English minorities within Scotland, and of the majority populations in Scotland and England. But it is also based on systematic analysis of transcripts of focus-group discussions with minorities revealing the variety of opinion within minorities as well as the contrasts between them. In particular, it presents a unique account of how Scottish Muslims express their feelings in a time of crisis.

In "The Muslim Creed: A Contemporary Theological Study", Dr Amjad Hussain presents a concise introduction to what Muslims believe in and practice, and also why they continue to do so in the twenty-first century. "The Muslim Creed" is divided into three parts. Part One is an introduction to Islamic creed and a survey of the most important developments in classical theology, including discussions of the schools of the Ash`ariyya and the Maturidiyya. Part Two provides a detailed account of the six articles of faith-God, the angels, the prophets and messengers, the sacred scriptures, the Hereafter and the divine decree-and the debates that surround them. In Part Three Dr Hussain discusses the current state of Islamic theology and raises the subject of its future, making a genuine contribution to this discussion.---"The Muslim Creed: A Contemporary Theological Study" introduces the reader to the range of debates and discussions that have occurred in relation to the subject of creed and theology throughout Muslim history, including the opinions of various theologians who represent the unity as well as the diversity of Muslim theology. "The Muslim Creed: A Contemporary Theological Study" is suitable for both academics and non-academics alike, and is essential reading for all those studying Islamic theology.

Flexibility and stretchability of electronics are crucial for next generation electronic devices that involve skin contact sensing and therapeutic actuation. This handbook provides a complete entree to the field, from solid-state physics to materials chemistry, processing, devices, performance, and reliability testing, and integrated systems development. This work shows how microelectronics, signal processing, and wireless communications in the same circuitry are impacting electronics, healthcare, and energy applications. Key Features: * Covers the fundamentals to device applications, including solid-state and mechanics, chemistry, materials science, characterization techniques, and fabrication; * Offers a comprehensive base of knowledge for moving forward in this field, from foundational research to technology development; * Focuses on processing, characterization, and circuits and systems integration for device applications; * Addresses the basic physical properties and mechanics, as well as the nuts and bolts of reliability and performance analysis; * Discusses various technology applications, from printed electronics to logic and memory devices, sensors, actuators, displays, and energy storage and harvesting. This handbook will serve as the one-stop knowledge base for readership who are interested in flexible and stretchable electronics.

This book explores, through case studies, the interplay between religion, culture, government, and politics in diverse societies on questions arising in the domain of bioethics. The case studies draw from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including history, theology, law, bioethics, public policy, science, and medicine. The text's global perspective permits a comparison of the differing approaches adopted by countries facing similar bioethical quandaries and the extent to which religion has or has not been instrumental in addressing such dilemmas. Secular and religious societies across the globe are being confronted with complex questions involving religious belief and the extent to which specific religious perspectives have in the past or should in the future be adopted as official policy. Bioethical issues involving the interplay of religion and government have become particularly notable in recent years. How these issues are resolved has major implications for individuals, healthcare providers, and the future of medical research and medical care. Topics explored among the chapters include: Homosexuality: Sin, Crime, Pathology, Identity, Behavior Medical Error: Truthtelling, Apology, and Forgiveness Refusal of Medical Treatment Medical Deportation Case Study: Nazism, Religion, and Human Experimentation The New Frontier: Cloning Case Studies in Society, Religion, and Bioethics will find an engaged audience among researchers and scholars in history, religion/theology, medicine, and bioethics interested in the influence of religion on bioethical decision-making. Students-particularly upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in bioethics, humanities, and theology-will find the text helpful in understanding the processes through which religion may serve as a basis for both societal policy and law and individual decision-making in health-related matters.

Medical students and junior doctors are an integral part of the healthcare system. On an academic gastroenterology service, they often initially evaluate the patients that are then staffed by the consulting physician. Like all clinical specialties, the acquisition of medical knowledge is required to gain expertise. There are several resources such as textbooks and evidence-based articles that are available for this purpose. Inspired from patient care, this book offers a fresh approach to clinical teaching. This is a different kind of book. It encompasses a gamut of cases for which gastroenterologists are commonly consulted for in the hospital and outpatient setting. Each case is presented from initial history and work-up including imaging (various modalities including endoscopy), followed by a brief discussion on management. Questions are presented to the reader in each case followed by an answer. Since each case is unique, the pertinent teaching points are tested in a question format within the case narrative. Similar to real-life scenarios, this helps the reader to retain the most important information. Why buy this book? Unlike listing facts as most review books do, teaching points are integrated into realistic clinical cases. Medical students to residents/registrars in internal medicine, emergency medicine, GI medicine, radiology and surgery would benefit from this book alike. Secondary audiences will include nurses and general practitioners who want to understand the presentation of common GI cases and associated imaging. Moreover, it could also be potentially used as a training tool a valuable educational resource for senior colleagues who enjoy teaching. Finally, this book would make an excellent prerequisite prior to starting any gastroenterology rotation.

In 2011, the international community watched as a shockingly unlikely community of citizens toppled three of the world's most entrenched dictators: Ben Ali in Tunisia, Mubarak in Egypt, and Qaddafi in Libya. This movement of cascading democratization, commonly known as the Arab Spring, was planned and executed not by political parties, but by students, young entrepreneurs, and the rising urban middle class. International experts and the popular press have pointed to the near-identical reliance on digital media in all three movements, arguing that these authoritarian regimes were in essence defeated by the Internet. Is that true? Should Mubarak blame Twitter for his sudden fall from power? Did digital media "cause" the Arab Spring? In Democracy's Fourth Wave?, Philip N. Howard and Muzammil M. Hussain examine the complex role of the Internet, mobile phones, and social networking applications in the Arab Spring. Examining digital media access, level of grievance, and levels of protest for popular democratization in 16 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Howard and Hussain conclude that digital media was neither the most nor the least important cause of the Arab Spring. Instead, they illustrate a complex web of conjoined causal factors for social mobilization. The Arab revolts cascaded across countries largely because digital media allowed communities to realize shared grievances and nurtured transportable strategies for mobilizing against dictators. Individuals were inspired to protest for personal reasons, but through social media they acted collectively. Democracy's Fourth Wave examines not only the unexpected evolution of events during the Arab Spring, but the longer history of desperate-and creative-digital activism through the Arab world.

Environmental analysis techniques have advanced due to the use of nanotechnologies in improving the detection sensitivity and miniaturization of the devices in analytical procedures. These allow for developments such as increases in analyte concentration, the removal of interfering species and improvements in the detection limits. Bridging a gap in the literature, these books uniquely bring together state-of-the-art research in the applications of novel nanomaterials to each of the classical components of environmental analysis, namely sample preparation and extraction, separation and identification by spectroscopic techniques. Special attention is paid to those approaches that are considered greener and reduce the cost of the analysis process both in terms of chemicals and time consumption. Advanced undergraduates, graduates and researchers at the forefront of environmental science and engineering will find these books a good source of information. It will also help regulators, decision makers, surveillance agencies and the organizations assessing the impact of pollutants on the environment.