This open access book provides a glimpse into the Japanese management technique known as "Kaizen," and the ways it has been disseminated around the developing world. The novelty of this book is three-fold: it provides a contextualized view of the mechanisms of initiatives implementing Kaizen in developing countries; compared with productivity studies, it places the relationship between workers and managers at the center of inquiry, reflecting the intent of SDG8 concerning decent work and economic growth; and it provides an overview of the heterogeneity of Kaizen in terms of geography and firm size. This book explores how improving management techniques can support firms' productivity and quality. Given its wide range of case studies from across Africa, Asia and Latin America, this book will be of value to scholars, policymakers and advocates of sustainable development alike.

This is the first book to systematically review and summarize the recent rapid advances and varied results of multiphysics in nanoscale materials including elastic strain engineering. This book comprises topics on remarkable properties of multiphysics in low-dimensional nanoscale components from first-principles density-functional theory (or tight binding) calculations, which are essential for the nonlinear multiphysics couplings due to quantum mechanical effects. This volume provides a clear point of view and insight into the varied work done in diverse fields and disciplines and promotes a fundamental to state-of-the-art understanding of properties of multiphysics. Because the novelty and complexity of mechanical and multiphysical properties of low-dimensional nanostructures originate from combinations of outer shapes (e.g., films, wires, tubes, and dots) and inner understructures (e.g., grain boundaries, domain walls, vacancies, and impurities), the nanostructures are classified into fundamental elements, and the properties of each element and their interplay are reviewed for systematic, in-depth understanding. This book points out a new direction for multiphysics in nanostructures, which opens the door both to exploiting and to designing novel functionalities at the nanoscale. Readers will be interested in this rapidly expanding multidisciplinary work and will be motivated to enter this promising research area.

Today, young cosmetics researchers who have completed their graduate studies and have entered a cosmetics company are put through several years of training before they become qualified to design cosmetics formulations themselves. They are trained so that they can design formulas not by a process of logic but by heart, like craftsmen, chefs, or carpenters. This kind of training seems a terrible waste of labor and time. To address this issue and allow young scientists to design novel cosmetics formulations, effectively bringing greater diversity of innovation to the industry, this book provides a key set of skills and the knowledge necessary for such pursuits. The volume provides the comprehensive knowledge and instruction necessary for researchers to design and create cosmetics products. The book's chapters cover a comprehensive list of topics, which include, among others, the basics of cosmetics, such as the raw materials of cosmetics and their application; practical techniques and technologies for designing and manufacturing cosmetics, as well as theoretical knowledge; emulsification; sensory evaluations of cosmetic ingredients; and how to create products such as soap-based cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, creams, and others. The potential for innovation is great in Japan's cosmetics industry. This book expresses the hope that the high level of dedicated research continues and proliferates, especially among those who are innovators at heart.

Celebrate the weird and wonderful life of cats!

What are our kitties really up to when we aren't looking? Peek into their mysterious world with this set of three notebooks featuring artist Pepe Shimada's delightfully imaginative portraits of cats doing unexpected things. From playing guitar to skiing and eating ice cream, cats do it all!

• 3 paperback notebooks, 6 x 8½ inches each, 64 pages each
• Full-color cover illustrations
• One journal is lined, one is blank, one is dotted
• A great add-on gift or self-purchase for Pepe Shimada fans, cat lovers, and stationery enthusiasts
• The notebooks are great for bullet journaling, note-taking, goal tracking, and list-making; or use as a daily planner, gratitude journal, or travel log!

Sunao Tawara's epoch-making work on the excitation conduction system of the mammalian heart paved the way for the advancement of modern cardiology in the 20th century. Even today, more than 90 years after the publication of the German monograph "Das Reizleitungssystem des Saugetierherzen", his precise account of the conduction system from the atrioventricular node through the His-Purkinje system to the ordinary ventricular muscle fibers retains all of its original actuality.This English edition of Tawara's monograph will serve as an invaluable reference for both basic and clinical cardiological research in the years ahead.

Principles and Applications of ESR Spectroscopy fills the gap between the detailed monographs in ESR spectroscopy and the general textbooks in molecular physics, physical chemistry, biochemistry or spectroscopy. The latter only briefly explain the underlying theory and do not provide details about applications, while the currently available ESR textbooks are primarily focused on the technique as such.

This text is based upon the authors long experience of teaching the subject to a mixed audience, in the extreme case ranging from physics to biology. The potential of the method is illustrated with applications in fields such as molecular science, catalysis and environmental sciences, polymer and materials sciences, biochemistry and radiation chemistry/physics. Theoretical derivations have in general been omitted, as they have been presented repeatedly in previous works. The necessary theory is instead illustrated by practical examples from the literature.

The Indian Ocean world has a rich history of socio-economic and cultural exchanges across time and space. This book and its companion, Merchants and Ports in the Indian Ocean World, explore these connections around the wider Indian Ocean world. The book examines the many overlapping linkages that existed from the early modern period and into the colonial era. It offers a clear understanding of the economic networks that extended across the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic during the 19th century. With a critical historical lens, the volume discusses themes like the opium trade in the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago - the biggest opium trade market at the time; the Safavid mission to Siam; and the economic relationship between Pondicherry and West Africa, via France. Rich in archival material, this book will be of interest for scholars and researchers of Indian Ocean history, maritime history, Indian history, economic and commercial history, South Asian history, and social history, anthropology, and trade relations in general.

Yoshio Kita's hopelessness and lack of faith in his future as an ordinary and lonely company worker crystallizes into a decision to take his own life, in what he calls 'execution by Death by Choice'. His only remaining problem is how to spend both his remaining self-allocated seven days on earth and all his worldly money, in this darkly comic exploration of the cult of suicide in Japan, a country with one of the world's highest rates of suicide. From fine dining with a former porn actress to insuring his life, from pursuing his ex-girlfriend to an entanglement with an assassin, Yoshio's last seven days on earth take on unexpected twists and turns as Shimada asks his readers what it means to have the freedom to end your own life, and what becomes truly important when your days are numbered - even if it is by free choice.

Sensitively translated by Meredith McKinney, this tale of a very modern Japan is now for the first time available to English readers. Sensitively translated by Meredith McKinney, this tale of a very modern Japan is now for the first time available to English readers.

The title of this book is no surprise for people working in the field of Analytical Mechanics. However, the geometric concepts of Lagrange space and Hamilton space are completely new. The geometry of Lagrange spaces, introduced and studied in [76],[96], was ext- sively examined in the last two decades by geometers and physicists from Canada, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Romania, Russia and U.S.A. Many international conferences were devoted to debate this subject, proceedings and monographs were published [10], [18], [112], [113],... A large area of applicability of this geometry is suggested by the connections to Biology, Mechanics, and Physics and also by its general setting as a generalization of Finsler and Riemannian geometries. The concept of Hamilton space, introduced in [105], [101] was intensively studied in [63], [66], [97],... and it has been successful, as a geometric theory of the Ham- tonian function the fundamental entity in Mechanics and Physics. The classical Legendre's duality makes possible a natural connection between Lagrange and - miltonspaces. It reveals new concepts and geometrical objects of Hamilton spaces that are dual to those which are similar in Lagrange spaces. Following this duality Cartan spaces introduced and studied in [98], [99],..., are, roughly speaking, the Legendre duals of certain Finsler spaces [98], [66], [67]. The above arguments make this monograph a continuation of [106], [113], emphasizing the Hamilton geometry.

1) This book is distinctive in its focus on the commercial links between India and Japan across both sea and land during 1600-1800. 2) It contains articles written by both Japanese and Indian scholars of repute. 3) This book will be of interest for departments of Maritime history and South Asian history across UK.

1) This book is distinctive in its focus on the commercial links between India and Japan across both sea and land during 1600-1800. 2) It contains articles written by both Japanese and Indian scholars of repute. 3) This book will be of interest for departments of Maritime history and South Asian history across UK.

James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to Japan to keep the peace between the superpowers when a SPECTRE rocket intercepts an American space capsule carrying a nuclear warhead. In between visits to the geisha house and flights in his Little Nellie, 007 manages to track down SPECTRE's secret base and its evil mastermind Blofeld (Donald Pleasence). Will he be able to stop Blofeld's evil plans or is this really the end of Bond and the world as we know it? After this fifth entry in the series, Connery took a break from the title role, only to return in 'Diamonds Are Forever' (1971).

The Indian Ocean world has a rich history of socio-economic and cultural exchanges across time and space. This book and its companion, Merchants and Ports in the Indian Ocean World, explore these connections around the wider Indian Ocean world. The book examines the many overlapping linkages that existed from the early modern period and into the colonial era. It offers a clear understanding of the economic networks that extended across the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic during the 19th century. With a critical historical lens, the volume discusses themes like the opium trade in the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago - the biggest opium trade market at the time; the Safavid mission to Siam; and the economic relationship between Pondicherry and West Africa, via France. Rich in archival material, this book will be of interest for scholars and researchers of Indian Ocean history, maritime history, Indian history, economic and commercial history, South Asian history, and social history, anthropology, and trade relations in general.

This first volume in a projected series contains the proceedings of the first of the Keio University International Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine under the sponsorship of the Keio University Medical Science Fund. As stated in the address by the President of Keio University at the opening of the 1996 symposium, the fund of Dr. Mitsunada Sakaguchi. The Keio was established by the generous donation University International Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine constitute one of the core activities of the fund. The objective is to contribute to the international community by developing human resources, promoting scientific knowledge, and encouraging mutual exchange. Every year, the Executive Committee of the Interna tional Symposia for Life Sciences and Medicine selects the most interesting topics for the symposium from applications received in response to a call for papers to the Keio medical community. The publication of these proceedings is intended to publicize and distribute information arising from the lively discussions of the most exciting and current issues during the symposium. Weare grateful to Dr. Mitsunada Sakaguchi, who made the symposium possible, the members of the program committee, and the office staff whose support guaran teed the success of the symposium. Finally, we thank Springer-Verlag, Tokyo, for their assistance in publishing this work. Akimichi Kaneko, M. D. , Ph. D.

Disturbance Observer for Advanced Motion Control with MATLAB/Simulink A fulsome and robust presentation of disturbance observers complete with MATLAB sample programs and simulation results In Disturbance Observer for Advanced Motion Control with MATLAB/Simulink, distinguished electronics engineer Dr. Akira Shimada delivers a comprehensive exploration of the suppression of actual and unknown disturbances. In the book, you’ll find a systematic discussion of the basic theory and design methods of disturbance observers accompanied by instructive MATLAB and Simulink simulation examples. Included appendices cover the mathematical background of classical, modern, and digital control and ground the reader’s understanding of the more advanced sections. The included material is ideal for students enrolled in courses in advanced motion control, mechatronics system control, electrical drives, motion control, robotics, and aeronautics. In addition to topics like model predictive control, vibration systems, acceleration control, adaptive observers, and multi-rate sampling, readers will find: A thorough introduction to the various types of disturbance observers and the fundamentals of disturbance observers, including disturbance estimation and disturbance rejection Comprehensive explorations of stabilized control and coprime factorization, including the derivation of stabilizing controllers Practical discussions of disturbance observers in state space, including identity input disturbance observers and identity reaction force observers Fulsome treatments of the mathematical foundations of control theory, methods??for measuring and estimating velocities, and the disturbance estimation Kalman filter Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students with existing knowledge of the fundamentals of control engineering who wish to learn how to design disturbance observers, Disturbance Observer for Advanced Motion Control with MATLAB/Simulink will also benefit professional engineers and researchers studying alternative control theories.

Celebrate the weird and wonderful life of cats!

What are our kitties really up to when we aren't looking? The 20 correspondence cards in this set feature delightfully wacky illustrated portraits of cats doing all kinds of things, from DJing records and eating pizza to surfing, skiing, and riding in banana boats.

• Box with hinged lid holds 20 full-color flat cards (20 different designs) and 20 envelopes.
• Includes some of Pepe Shimada's most popular pieces, plus brand-new artwork
• Perfect for Pepe Shimada fans, cat lovers, and stationery enthusiasts
• Send the cards to friends and family, or hang up as unique wall art.

Sixty years after its birth, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) evolved as a key player of earth observation, and it is continually upgraded by enhanced hardware functionality and improved overall performance in response to user requirements. The basic information gained by SAR includes the backscattering coefficient of targets, their phases (the truncated distance between SAR and its targets), and their polarization dependence. The spatiotemporal combination of the multiple data operated on the satellite or aircraft significantly increases its sensitivity to detect changes on earth, including temporal variations of the planet in amplitude and the interferometric change for monitoring disasters; deformations caused by earthquakes, volcanic activity, and landslides; environmental changes; ship detection; and so on. Earth-orbiting satellites with the appropriate sensors can detect environmental changes because of their large spatial coverage and availability. Imaging from Spaceborne and Airborne SARs, Calibration, and Applications provides A-to-Z information regarding SAR researches through 15 chapters that focus on the JAXA L-band SAR, including hardware description, principles of SAR imaging, theoretical description of SAR imaging and error, ScanSAR imaging, polarimetric calibration, inflight antenna pattern, SAR geometry and ortho rectification, SAR calibration, defocusing for moving targets, large-scale SAR imaging and mosaic, interferometric SAR processing, irregularities, application, and forest estimation. Sample data are created by using L-band SAR, JERS-1, PALSAR, PALSAR-2, and Pi-SAR-L2. This book is based on the author's experience as a principal researcher at JAXA with responsibilities for L-band SAR operation and researches. It reveals the inside of SAR processing and application researches performed at JAXA, which makes this book a valuable reference for a wide range of SAR researchers, professionals, and students.

Knowledge of the mechanical properties of rocks at high pressure and temperature is fundamental not only for material science but also for earth science, such as for solving the mechanism of earthquakes and tectonic processes. For example, physical bases of the earthquake prediction based on the rock mechanics have been proposed, and extensive seismological, geophysical and geochemical observations have been conducted to find precursory phenomena before large earthquakes. However, we cannot help telling for the present that we do not have sufficient knowledge of an effective and reliable method for earthquake prediction. The book is mainly concerned with comprehensive source of information on the mechanical properties and behavior of rocks under high pressure that scans current state-of-the-art knowledge and shows contribution in establishing an experimental basis for the understanding of the mechanism of rock deformation in the earth's interior. The book can be used as textbook for graduate students by university teachers to prepare courses and seminars, and for active scientists and engineers who want to become familiar with a fascinating new field.

This open access book provides a glimpse into the Japanese management technique known as "Kaizen," and the ways it has been disseminated around the developing world. The novelty of this book is three-fold: it provides a contextualized view of the mechanisms of initiatives implementing Kaizen in developing countries; compared with productivity studies, it places the relationship between workers and managers at the center of inquiry, reflecting the intent of SDG8 concerning decent work and economic growth; and it provides an overview of the heterogeneity of Kaizen in terms of geography and firm size. This book explores how improving management techniques can support firms' productivity and quality. Given its wide range of case studies from across Africa, Asia and Latin America, this book will be of value to scholars, policymakers and advocates of sustainable development alike.

This is the first book to systematically review and summarize the recent rapid advances and varied results of multiphysics in nanoscale materials including elastic strain engineering. This book comprises topics on remarkable properties of multiphysics in low-dimensional nanoscale components from first-principles density-functional theory (or tight binding) calculations, which are essential for the nonlinear multiphysics couplings due to quantum mechanical effects. This volume provides a clear point of view and insight into the varied work done in diverse fields and disciplines and promotes a fundamental to state-of-the-art understanding of properties of multiphysics. Because the novelty and complexity of mechanical and multiphysical properties of low-dimensional nanostructures originate from combinations of outer shapes (e.g., films, wires, tubes, and dots) and inner understructures (e.g., grain boundaries, domain walls, vacancies, and impurities), the nanostructures are classified into fundamental elements, and the properties of each element and their interplay are reviewed for systematic, in-depth understanding. This book points out a new direction for multiphysics in nanostructures, which opens the door both to exploiting and to designing novel functionalities at the nanoscale. Readers will be interested in this rapidly expanding multidisciplinary work and will be motivated to enter this promising research area.