Environmental Sustainability of Current Waste Management Practices
Environmentally sustainable and economic waste management is of significant importance to various fields, including the healthcare, mining, industrial, metal-processing, municipal and commercial sectors. This book provides a global perspective and covers a wide range of state-of-the-art topics on waste management, recycling, material and energy recovery, industrial waste, etc. Information in the form of in-depth reviews and research articles will be a valuable resource for academics, professionals and regional as well as international organizations.
Sustainable Energy Systems
This book explores how the concepts, methods and tools of systemic analyses have been utilised in various contexts, and at different levels, to improve the efficiency and optimisation of sustainable energy systems.
Lean Production - Easy and Comprehensive
No production is perfect. Waste always creeps into the processes, makes them slow, sluggish and expensive. Parts and material pile up in the warehouse, production takes place in unnecessarily large batches, transport is taking time, employees wait unproductively for their next task or products ship too late. The result is high production costs and disappointed customers.The Lean movement has set itself the goal of uncovering waste, question it and eliminate it.This book will explain in a simple and comprehensive way the Lean principles as well as the practical tools to make production processes as lean and value-added as possible. Because we all love stories, each method is entertainingly wrapped in an illustrated story. In this book, a barista who has to run marathon distances every day, the cup Tim struggles with overproduction and the LeanClean Inc. counts on your support to trim the vacuum cleaner production to maximum value creation with value stream mapping, spaghetti diagram, 5S or Kanban. For each topic, you will find our practical tips. They are the lessons learned from our Lean projects over the past 20 years in many countries. They will help you to implement your Lean initiatives even more effectively and successfully.
Advanced Control and Estimation Concepts, and New Hardware Topologies for Future Mobility
According to the National Research Council, the use of embedded systems throughout society could well overtake previous milestones in the information revolution. Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of electronic, mechanical engineering, controls, software and systems engineering in the design of processes and products. Mechatronic systems put "intelligence" into physical systems. Embedded sensors/actuators/processors are integral parts of mechatronic systems. The implementation of mechatronic systems is consistently on the rise. However, manufacturers are working hard to reduce the implementation cost of these systems while trying avoid compromising product quality. One way of addressing these conflicting objectives is through new automatic control methods, virtual sensing/estimation, and new innovative hardware topologies.
Advanced Sensing and Control for Connected and Automated Vehicles
Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are a transformative technology that is expected to change and improve the safety and efficiency of mobility. As the main functional components of CAVs, advanced sensing technologies and control algorithms, which gather environmental information, process data, and control vehicle motion, are of great importance. The development of novel sensing technologies for CAVs has become a hotspot in recent years. Thanks to improved sensing technologies, CAVs are able to interpret sensory information to further detect obstacles, localize their positions, navigate themselves, and interact with other surrounding vehicles in the dynamic environment. Furthermore, leveraging computer vision and other sensing methods, in-cabin humans' body activities, facial emotions, and even mental states can also be recognized. Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue has been to gather contributions that illustrate the interest in the sensing and control of CAVs.
Modelling of River Flows, Sediment and Contaminants Transport
This book presents five articles that are also part of a Special Issue titled: Modelling of River flows, Sediment and Contaminants Transport published in the Water Journal under the section: Water Erosion and Sediment Transport. It covers a wide range of topics, such as predicting the impacts of wildfires on sediment transport and water quality in a mountainous region and estimating the sediment erosion due to release of ice-jams in cold region rivers.
Transparent Designs
This fascinating cultural history of the personal computer explains how user-friendly design allows tech companies to build systems that we cannot understand. Modern personal computers are easy to use, and their welcoming, user-friendly interfaces encourage us to see them as designed for our individual benefit. Rarely, however, do these interfaces invite us to consider how our individual uses support the broader political and economic strategies of their designers.In Transparent Designs, Michael L. Black revisits early debates from hobbyist newsletters, computing magazines, user manuals, and advertisements about how personal computers could be seen as usable and useful by the average person. Black examines how early personal computers from the Tandy TRS-80 and Commodore PET to the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh were marketed to an American public that was high on the bold promises of the computing revolution but also skeptical about their ability to participate in it. Through this careful archival study, he shows how many of the foundational principles of usability theory were shaped through disagreements over the languages and business strategies developed in response to this skepticism. In short, this book asks us to consider the consequences of a computational culture that is based on the assumption that the average person does not need to know anything about the internal operations of the computers we've come to depend on for everything.Expanding our definition of usability, Transparent Designs examines how popular and technical rhetoric shapes user expectations about what counts as usable and useful as much as or even more so than hardware and software interfaces. Offering a fresh look at the first decade of personal computing, Black highlights how the concept of usability has been leveraged historically to smooth over conflicts between the rhetoric of computing and its material experience. Readers interested in vintage computing, the history of technology, digital rhetoric, or American culture will be fascinated in this book.
Semiconductor Infrared Devices and Applications
Infrared (IR) technologies-from Herschel's initial experiment in the 1800s to thermal detector development in the 1900s, followed by defense-focused developments using HgCdTe-have now incorporated a myriad of novel materials for a wide variety of applications in numerous high-impact fields. These include astronomy applications; composition identifications; toxic gas and explosive detection; medical diagnostics; and industrial, commercial, imaging, and security applications. Various types of semiconductor-based (including quantum well, dot, ring, wire, dot in well, hetero and/or homo junction, Type II super lattice, and Schottky) IR (photon) detectors, based on various materials (type IV, III-V, and II-VI), have been developed to satisfy these needs. Currently, room temperature detectors operating over a wide wavelength range from near IR to terahertz are available in various forms, including focal plane array cameras. Recent advances include performance enhancements by using surface Plasmon and ultrafast, high-sensitivity 2D materials for infrared sensing. Specialized detectors with features such as multiband, selectable wavelength, polarization sensitive, high operating temperature, and high performance (including but not limited to very low dark currents) are also being developed.This Special Issue highlights advances in these various types of infrared detectors based on various material systems.
Waveform Design for 5G and beyond Systems
5G traffic has very diverse requirements with respect to data rate, delay, and reliability. The concept of using multiple OFDM numerologies adopted in the 5G NR standard will likely meet these multiple requirements to some extent. However, the traffic is radically accruing different characteristics and requirements when compared with the initial stage of 5G, which focused mainly on high-speed multimedia data applications. For instance, applications such as vehicular communications and robotics control require a highly reliable and ultra-low delay. In addition, various emerging M2M applications have sparse traffic with a small amount of data to be delivered. The state-of-the-art OFDM technique has some limitations when addressing the aforementioned requirements at the same time. Meanwhile, numerous waveform alternatives, such as FBMC, GFDM, and UFMC, have been explored. They also have their own pros and cons due to their intrinsic waveform properties. Hence, it is the opportune moment to come up with modification/variations/combinations to the aforementioned techniques or a new waveform design for 5G systems and beyond. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide the latest research and advances in the field of waveform design for 5G systems and beyond.
Unraveling the Mechanisms of Zn Efficiency in Crop Plants
Many agricultural crops worldwide suffer from zinc (Zn) deficiency. Despite widespread interest in Zn, plant professionals often lack current information on this indispensable essential mineral nutrient. G. Hacisalihoglu, PhD, in Unraveling the Mechanisms of Zinc Efficiency in Crop Plants, and a host of recognized experts address this gap with the up-to-date importance of Zn nutrition. This book examines research aimed at understanding how plants uptake and utilize Zn. It has been peer-reviewed and multi-authored by expert plant biology scientists with related expertise. The editor provides a comprehensive overview of zinc (Zn) nutrition in plants, seeds, roots, and soil, which renders this book a good reference for plant biology professionals. Agricultural sustainability in the time of the growing world population will be one of the major challenges in the next 30 plus years. Zn is one of the most important essential mineral nutrients required for metabolic processes, so a shortage of Zn constrains crop yield and quality worldwide. Zinc efficiency and higher growth and yield under low Zn supply make it a promising sustainable solution for developing cultivars that are zinc efficient. Several articles are included in this book that provide an overview of current developments and trends in the times of high-throughput genomics and phenomics data analysis. Furthermore, this book presents research findings in various experimental models and areas ranging from maize to alfalfa, flax, and sorghum. Unraveling the Mechanisms of Zinc Efficiency in Crop Plants is a must read for researchers and plant biology professionals.
Energy Security as a Key Driving Factor for Socioeconomic Development
This book looks at the increasing demand for energy of contemporary societies and economies from around the world. Energy is the driving force behind development. As such, the future challenge will be not only to meet the rising demand but also to implement less reliance on depleting fossil fuels, which cause damage to the environment. Moreover, the sustainability of supplied energy requires a reduction of emissions to control the absorption capacity vis-?-vis the environment. Globally, policymakers have largely recognized the significance of the relationship between energy and economic progress. Policymakers usually consider the social and economic aspects of energy security in terms of affordability and accessibility of service. The conditions of socioeconomic development depend on safe, secure, and sustainable energy at affordable prices. One of the prime concerns of policymakers should be to ensure energy security at the national level. These factors result in an increasing interest in undertaking activities in developing renewable resources. Energy efficiency is treated as the most cost-effective way to reduce energy demand while maintaining stable economic activity. Increasing energy efficiency is an important contributive aspect to solving issues in relation to climate change, energy security, and energy competitiveness. As a result, no country can afford to waste energy-giving rise to this Special Issue of "Energy Security as a Key Driving Factor for Socioeconomic Development: From Mitigation to Solution" in the journal Energies.
Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles
Developing new materials is usually a time-demanding and meticulous process, but at the same time, it is one of the more promising solutions to obtain a cleaner, safer, and smart future. More in detail, referring to nanomaterials, an increasingly successfully tool of nanotechnologies, nanoparticles are categorized as materials in which at least one dimension is less than 100 nm in diameter. Among the various nanoparticles' categories, metal and metal oxides nanoparticles stand as an emerging nanotechnological solution for a wide range of biological and medical physio/pathological open questions. This Special Issue covers the fundamental science, design, characterization, and biomedical applications of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials. The articles here presented will embrace all the aspects determining the performance of these systems, ranging from their synthesis, design, chemical, physical, and biological functionalization, to their characterization and successful applications.
Biological Treatment of Organic Waste in Wastewater-Towards a Circular and Bio-Based Economy
This Special Issue focused on innovative solutions for the biological treatment of organic waste from wastewater. In particular, research articles included in this SI are related to: Process mechanisms and operation, optimization, monitoring, modeling, and applications;Removal of pathogens and emerging pollutants;Reuse and circular economy;Resource recovery (e.g., nutrients recovery, high-value compounds) and energy valorization (e.g., biogas);Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint;Technoeconomic assessment and social perception of waste-to-resource processes;Low-cost technologies;Policy.Overall, this SI provides new ways to valorize organic waste from wastewater and describe novel processes as well as the environmental and social benefits in the frame of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Performance and Safety Enhancement Strategies in Vehicle Dynamics and Ground Contact
Recent trends in vehicle engineering are testament to the great efforts that scientists and industries have made to seek solutions to enhance both the performance and safety of vehicular systems. This Special Issue aims to contribute to the study of modern vehicle dynamics, attracting recent experimental and in-simulation advances that are the basis for current technological growth and future mobility. The area involves research, studies, and projects derived from vehicle dynamics that aim to enhance vehicle performance in terms of handling, comfort, and adherence, and to examine safety optimization in the emerging contexts of smart, connected, and autonomous driving.This Special Issue focuses on new findings in the following topics: - Experimental and modelling activities that aim to investigate interaction phenomena from the macroscale, analyzing vehicle data, to the microscale, accounting for local contact mechanics;- Control strategies focused on vehicle performance enhancement, in terms of handling/grip, comfort and safety for passengers, motorsports, and future mobility scenarios;- Innovative technologies to improve the safety and performance of the vehicle and its subsystems;- Identification of vehicle and tire/wheel model parameters and status with innovative methodologies and algorithms;- Implementation of real-time software, logics, and models in onboard architectures and driving simulators;- Studies and analyses oriented toward the correlation among the factors affecting vehicle performance and safety;- Application use cases in road and off-road vehicles, e-bikes, motorcycles, buses, trucks, etc.
Information Theory and Its Application in Machine Condition Monitoring
Condition monitoring of machinery is one of the most important aspects of many modern industries. With the rapid advancement of science and technology, machines are becoming increasingly complex. Moreover, an exponential increase of demand is leading an increasing requirement of machine output. As a result, in most modern industries, machines have to work for 24 hours a day. All these factors are leading to the deterioration of machine health in a higher rate than before. Breakdown of the key components of a machine such as bearing, gearbox or rollers can cause a catastrophic effect both in terms of financial and human costs. In this perspective, it is important not only to detect the fault at its earliest point of inception but necessary to design the overall monitoring process, such as fault classification, fault severity assessment and remaining useful life (RUL) prediction for better planning of the maintenance schedule. Information theory is one of the pioneer contributions of modern science that has evolved into various forms and algorithms over time. Due to its ability to address the non-linearity and non-stationarity of machine health deterioration, it has become a popular choice among researchers. Information theory is an effective technique for extracting features of machines under different health conditions. In this context, this book discusses the potential applications, research results and latest developments of information theory-based condition monitoring of machineries. We sincerely hope that this book will address the needs of researchers and academics involved in the area of condition monitoring of machineries.
Firebrands
Firebrands "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Living
The Art of Living "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Consumer Viewpoint
The Consumer Viewpoint "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Modern Lace Making
The Art of Modern Lace Making "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
Breeding minks in Louisiana for their fur
Breeding minks in Louisiana for their fur: A profitable industry "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Inventing
The Art of Inventing "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Lead Burning; A practical treatise explaining the apparatus and processes.
The Art of Lead Burning; A practical treatise explaining the apparatus and processes. "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Home Candy Making, with Illustrations
The Art of Home Candy Making, with Illustrations "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
Fire Prevention and Fire Extinction
Fire Prevention and Fire Extinction "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
Drought Risk Management in Reflect Changing of Meteorological Conditions
Droughts are one of the main extreme meteorological, and hydrological phenomena, which influence both the functioning of ecosystems, and many important sectors of human economic activity. Throughout the world, various direct changes in meteorological, and climatic conditions, such as: air temperature, humidity, and evapotranspiration can be observed. They have a significant influence upon the shaping of the phenomenon of drought. Land cover and land use can also be indirect factors influencing evapotranspiration, and, by the same token, the water balance in the water catchment area. They can also influence the course of the process of the drought. The observed climate change, manifested mainly by increases in temperature, in turn, influencing evapotranspiration, may cause intensification in terms of both the degree and frequency of droughts. Droughts related to changes in the hydrological regime, and to the decrease in water resources. Its results can be observed in various sectors, related, among others, to a demand for water for people, agriculture and the Industry. It can also prove problematic for water ecosystems. To reflect the aforementioned information, a reasonable drought risk management is indispensable in order to ease the water demand related problems in various sectors of human activity.This book presents original research on various drought indicators, modern measurement techniques used, among others, for monitoring and predicting droughts, drought indicator trends, the impact of insufficient precipitation on human activity in the context of climate change, and examples of modern solutions devised to prevent water shortages.
Emerging Contaminants in Water
Contaminants of emerging concern in water are an ongoing challenge globally. This Special Issue is devoted solely to emerging contaminants in water. Research papers in this Special Issue address sampling and analysis, treatment effectiveness, and regulation to limit human exposure. Emerging contaminants addressed include pharmaceuticals and personal care products, glyphosate, microplastics and nanoplastics, venlafaxine, and benzodiazepine. Regulation of emerging contaminants in drinking water is reviewed focusing on PFOA and PFOS.
Coastal Waters Monitoring Using Remote Sensing Technology
Around 10% of the global population lives in the world's coastal zones, mostly concentrated in the world's largest megacities. In many regions, the population is exposed to a variety of natural hazards and space-based observations. This Special Issue will focus on the usage of remote sensing alone or in synergy with in situ measurments and modeling tools to provide precise and systematic information about processes acting in the world's coastal zones.
Photovoltaics and Electrification in Agriculture
Integration of photovoltaics and electrification in agriculture. Works on the integration of photovoltaics in agriculture, as well as electrification and microgrids in agriculture. In addition, some works on sustainability in agriculture are added.
The Art of Making Whiskey; So As to Obtain a Better, Purer, Cheaper and Greater Quantity of Spirit, From a Given Quantity of Grain. Also, the Art of Converting It into Gin, after the Process of the Ho
The Art of Making Whiskey; So As to Obtain a Better, Purer, Cheaper and Greater Quantity of Spirit, From a Given Quantity of Grain. Also, the Art of Converting It into Gin, after the Process of the Holland Distillers "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Graining
The Art of Graining: How Acquired and How Produced.; With the description of colors and their applications. "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
Firemen and their Exploits
Firemen and their Exploits: with some account of the rise and development of fire-brigades, of various appliances for saving life at fires and extinguishing the flames. "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The art of promoting the growth of the cucumber and melon; in a series of directions for the best means to be adopted in bringing them to a complete state of perfection
The art of promoting the growth of the cucumber and melon; in a series of directions for the best means to be adopted in bringing them to a complete state of perfection "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Several Years, 2nd ed.; A work published by the order of the French minister of the interior, on the report of the Board of arts
The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Several Years, 2nd ed.; A work published by the order of the French minister of the interior, on the report of the Board of arts and manufactures "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Glass-Blowing; Plain Instruction for the Making of Chemical and Philosophical Instruments Which are Formed of Glass
The Art of Glass-Blowing; Plain Instruction for the Making of Chemical and Philosophical Instruments Which are Formed of Glass "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Living in Australia; Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. Wicken
The Art of Living in Australia; Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. Wicken "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants; With Instructions for the Manufacture of Perfumes for the Handkerchief, Scented Powders, Odorous Vinegars, Dentifrices, Pomatums, Co
The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants; With Instructions for the Manufacture of Perfumes for the Handkerchief, Scented Powders, Odorous Vinegars, Dentifrices, Pomatums, Cosmetics, Perfumed Soap, Etc., to which is Added an Appendix on Preparing Artificial Fruit-Essences, Etc. "", has been considered a very important part of the human history, but is currently not available in printed formats. Hence so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format so that it is never forgotten and always remembered by the present and future generations. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed.
Enhancing Farm-Level Decision Making through Innovation
New information and knowledge are important aspects of innovation in modern farming systems. There is currently an abundance of digital and data-driven solutions that can potentially transform our food systems. At a time when the general public has concerns about how food is produced and the impact of farm production systems on the environment, strategies to increase public acceptance and the sustainability of food production are required more than ever. New tools and technology can provide timely insights into aspects such as nutrient profiles, the tracking of animal or plant wellbeing, and land-use options to enhance inputs and outputs associated with the farm business. Such solutions have the ultimate aim of enhancing production efficiency and contributing to the process of learning about the advantages of the innovation, while ensuring more sustainable food supplies. At the farm level, any new information needs to be in a useful format and beneficial for management and farm decision-making. The papers in this Special Issue evaluate agri-business innovation that can enhance farm-level decision-making.
Soil Water Erosion
The purpose of this book is to provide novel results related to soil water erosion that could help landowners and land-users, farmers, politicians, and other representatives of our global society to protect and, if possible, improve the quality and quantity of our precious soil resources. Published papers on the topics are related to new ways of mapping, maps with more detailed input data, maps about areas that have never been mapped before, sediment yield estimations, modelling sheets and gully erosion, USLE models, RUSLE models, dams which stop sediment runoff, sediment influx, solute transport, soil detachment capacities, badland morphology, freeze-thaw cycles, armed conflicts, use of rainfall simulators, rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, etc.
IoT and Sensor Networks in Industry and Society
In the last decade, the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor networks have made a strong impact on many aspects of society. The seamless integration of technologies to perform sensor data generation, transmission, and processing has enabled the development of smart solutions such as smart cities, smart agriculture, and smart transports. As the business environment is being increasingly digitized, traditional industrial processes are rapidly reshaping to build the fourth industrial revolution, namely Industry 4.0. This will pave the way for the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as one of the pillars of Society 5.0, a super-smart human-centric society in which both economic development and resolution of societal challenges are achieved. This book presents recent advances in IoT and sensor networks towards the implementation of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0. The 12 Chapters cover some of the most relevant aspects, starting from a horizontal view of the main enabling technologies, and proceeding with a vertical perspective on four different environments, namely Industry 4.0, smart buildings, smart transport, and smart environmental monitoring. Researchers and practitioners will find this book a valuable tool for their work, helping them evaluate the different technologies that will have a key role in the progress of industry and society, while understanding their inherent strengths and drawbacks.
Kinematics and Robot Design II (KaRD2019) and III (KaRD2020)
This volume collects papers published in two Special Issues "Kinematics and Robot Design II, KaRD2019" (https: //www.mdpi.com/journal/robotics/special_issues/KRD2019) and "Kinematics and Robot Design III, KaRD2020" (https: //www.mdpi.com/journal/robotics/special_issues/KaRD2020), which are the second and third issues of the KaRD Special Issue series hosted by the open access journal robotics. The KaRD series is an open environment where researchers present their works and discuss all topics focused on the many aspects that involve kinematics in the design of robotic/automatic systems. It aims at being an established reference for researchers in the field as other serial international conferences/publications are. Even though the KaRD series publishes one Special Issue per year, all the received papers are peer-reviewed as soon as they are submitted and, if accepted, they are immediately published in MDPI Robotics. Kinematics is so intimately related to the design of robotic/automatic systems that the admitted topics of the KaRD series practically cover all the subjects normally present in well-established international conferences on "mechanisms and robotics". KaRD2019 together with KaRD2020 received 22 papers and, after the peer-review process, accepted only 17 papers. The accepted papers cover problems related to theoretical/computational kinematics, to biomedical engineering and to other design/applicative aspects.
Fluid/Structure Interactions
This Special Issue contains 12 papers devoted to fluid/structure interaction (FSI) problems. The main feature of the problems is an interface on which consistent boundary conditions for both the liquid and the solid regions are formulated. The presented studies cover a wide range of problems and methods for their solution, including problems of weak, or one-way interaction, in which the effect of interface deformation on the fluid flow can be neglected, as well as problems of the strong interaction, for which the interface change affects both the flow and the structure behaviour. The interest in FSI problems is very great due to their practical importance. Recent developments in engineering have led to advanced formulations of FSI problems. Some of them could not be formulated several years ago. The presented papers demonstrate progress in both numerical algorithms, mathematical apparatus and advanced computational techniques. In this issue, we have tried to collect different FSI problems, new mathematical and numerical approaches, new numerical techniques and, of course, new results, which can provide an insight into FSI processes.
Sustainable Agricultural Practices-Impact on Soil Quality and Plant Health
Agricultural practices involving the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides pose major risks to the environment and to human health. The development and adoption of sustainable ecofriendly agricultural management to preserve and enhance the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and improve agroecosystem functions is a challenge for both scientists and farmers. The Special Issue entitled "Sustainable Agricultural Practices-Impact on Soil Quality and Plant Health" is a collection of 10 original contributions addressing the state of the art of sustainable agriculture and its positive impact on soil quality. The content of this Special Issue covers a wide range of topics, including the use of beneficial soil microbes, intercropping, organic farming and its effects on soil bacteria and nutrient stocks, application of plant-based nematicides and zeolite amendments, sustainability in CH4 emissions, and the effect of irrigation, fertilization, and environmental conditions as well as land suitability on crop production.
Shallow Water Equations in Hydraulics
This Special Issue aims to provide a forum for the latest advances in hydraulic modeling based on the use of shallow water and related models as well as their novel application in practical engineering. Original contributions, including those in but not limited to the following areas, will be considered for publication: new conceptual models and applications, flood inundation and routing, sediment transport and morphodynamic modelling, pollutant transport in water, irrigation and drainage modeling, numerical simulation in hydraulics, novel numerical methods for the shallow water equations and extended models, case studies, and high-performance computing.
Advances in Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications
Significant research efforts are currently being undertaken in the field of natural and synthetic polymers for a range of biomedical applications. (Co)polymer molecular structure, topology, self-assemblies, biodegradation, and hydrophobicity are of biomaterial importance for intrinsically biocompatible polymer systems.This book is comprised of nine chapters, published previously as original research contributions of the Special Issue focused on advances in polymeric materials for biomedical applications. The authors of these contributions are predominantly from central European countries, Italy and the United Kingdom. The content of this book will be of interest to scientists, scholars and students working in this area of knowledge, reflecting the progress in the development of advanced natural and synthetic polymer biomaterials.
Selected Papers from the 11th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium (ARMS 11)
The problem of rock mechanics and engineering is an old and new subject encountered by human beings in their struggle with nature for survival and development. To call it ancient means that it has a long history; however, speaking of it as brand-new refers to the continuous emergence of new problems and new situations in engineering practice, which is quite challenging. With the development of human engineering activities, the issues surrounding rock engineering are becoming more and more prominent, and the problems encountered are becoming more and more complex. In the practice of solving complex rock engineering, human beings have summarized many topics that are difficult to explain or solve with classical mechanics.
Multiscale, Multiphysics Modelling of Coastal Ocean Processes
This Special Issue includes papers on physical phenomena, such as wind-driven flows, coastal flooding, and turbidity currents, and modeling techniques, such as model comparison, model coupling, parallel computation, and domain decomposition. These papers illustrate the need for modeling coastal ocean flows with multiple physical processes at different scales. Additionally, these papers reflect the current status of such modeling of coastal ocean flows, and they present a roadmap with numerical methods, data collection, and artificial intelligence as future endeavors.
The Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow
This book collects the accepted contributions to the Special Issue "The Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow" in the Energies journal of MDPI. It is focused more on practical applications of numerical codes than in its development. It covers a wide variety of topics, from aeroacoustics to aerodynamics and flow-particles interaction.
Advances in Micro and Nano Manufacturing
Micro- and nanomanufacturing technologies have been researched and developed in the industrial environment with the goal of supporting product miniaturization and the integration of new functionalities. The technological development of new materials and processing methods needs to be supported by predictive models which can simulate the interactions between materials, process states, and product properties. In comparison with the conventional manufacturing scale, micro- and nanoscale technologies require the study of different mechanical, thermal, and fluid dynamics, phenomena which need to be assessed and modeled.This Special Issue is dedicated to advances in the modeling of micro- and nanomanufacturing processes. The development of new models, validation of state-of-the-art modeling strategies, and approaches to material model calibration are presented. The goal is to provide state-of-the-art examples of the use of modeling and simulation in micro- and nanomanufacturing processes, promoting the diffusion and development of these technologies.
