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This book provides a concise and practical guidance on the implementation analysis of the new revised standards of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) on the supervision of the international banking system. Based on publicly available data on default rates and realised loss-given-default rates, it provides an analysis of credit and market risk, assessing the extent to which the new framework on risk-based and leverage ratio requirements affects the modelling of banking risks. Moreover, it provides a detailed analysis of the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB), which changes the philosophy for the risk valuation and capital requirements of the market risk, and of the latest developments on the credit valuation adjustments (CVA) framework. It also examines the impact of the final calibration of operational risk parameters on the level of capital requirements.It provides an overview of the modelling properties that govern the application of the internal models for credit and market risk, and provides evidence on the overall impact on banks’ cost of funding due to the implementation of Basel reforms as shaped in December 2017. Finally, the book provides practical examples and hands-on applications for assessing the new BCBS framework.

This open access book offers a critical examination of large-scale, state-led green industrial policies, with a particular focus on the European Union. Drawing on empirical evidence from sectors such as ethanol, hydrogen, wind power, and biogas, it reveals how well-intentioned “Green Deals” often result in speculative investment bubbles—termed “green bubbles”—rather than sustainable industrial transformation. Contributors analyze the systemic risks of mission-oriented policies that prioritize political goals over technological neutrality and economic viability. The volume highlights the consequences of overinvestment, technological lock-in, and politicized capitalism, while proposing more evidence-based, innovation-driven alternatives. It is an essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand and improve the design of green industrial strategies.

Business is at a sustainability crossroads. There is pressure from some shareholders and elected politicians to dial back on environmental and social issues, sustainability being "too woke" and a constraint on economic growth. However, there are competing pressures that mean that these same issues are now increasingly material to the bottom line; businesses ignore them at their peril as they threaten the true longer-term value of the company.This book sets out the case for the "Sustainability of Sustainability". There is compelling evidence from underlying trends in finance, trade and technology that shows that there is a sustainability bedrock, beyond which it cannot be pushed back. That bedrock is not too deep, and so a course correction is coming. Businesses should be investing now in core sustainability to be ready for the new, more durable sustainability to come.Morrison argues that while sustainability is already perceived by many as an orthodoxy, it has yet to secure the legitimacy and trust required to deliver real and lasting change.The book is for anyone who is curious about why. when and how sustainability will re-emerge and how best to prepare for its homecoming. There is a big opportunity: we will lose a lot of the fluff, green-washing, and noise and build a stronger and more meaningful version of sustainability as we do. The book helps any business manager, policy-maker or community leader find their sustainability bedrock and to build upon solid foundations.

This book provides the first detailed account of Riemann's life along with analysis of his major works and their reception. These themes are presented in a chronological flow that takes into account numerous others who played important roles in Riemann's brief life and career. Among the more prominent figures who influenced Riemann's work were Gauss, Dirichlet, and Jacobi, but several others, including the physicist Wilhelm Weber, also played a major part. Special attention is given to the last four years of Riemann's life, which he and his wife Elise mainly spent in Italy, where he died. Her role in supporting Richard Dedekind and Heinrich Weber, the editors of Riemann's posthumous papers, is one of the many new aspects covered in this book.Drawing on family letters and other archival documents, the biographical chapters bring the reader into Riemann's often tumultuous personal life. Money and other mundane problems were a constant cause of concern, but even more serious were the health problems he suffered all his life. Socially awkward, he often withdrew from his peers while seeking solace in his work or that of others. Riemann was a voracious reader, but the present account offers a detailed picture of what he read and when. Plenty of mysteries still remain, but here for the first time one gains a sense of the extraordinary intellectual adventure that dominated Riemann's life.To help orient the reader, the book begins with an Introduction describing the landscape of German mathematics before Riemann arrived on the scene and ending with a chronological list of key events in his life. The remainder of the book has a three-part structure. Part I tells the story of Riemann's life in four chapters, corresponding to four distinct phases in his career. Part II delves into his better-known mathematical works, treated at first chronologically in Chapters 5 to 8. These are followed by an examination of Riemann's work on physical topics in Chapter 9, and closing with Chapter 10, which discusses Gaussian themes and their connections with Riemann's work. Part III deals with aspects of Riemann's legacy in two chapters. Chapter 11 traces the activities of seven important pupils and followers of Riemann up until the early 1880s. Chapter 12 then picks up the story told in the final section of Chapter 4, which describes the initial plans to publish Riemann's Collected Works. How that project was eventually brought to fruition by Dedekind and Weber forms part of the remarkable story of their lifelong friendship.The biographical parts of this book – Chapters 1 to 4 and 12 – are intended for the general reader. They are not totally "jargon-free", but will interest anyone with a taste for intellectual history. The remaining parts of the book aim to describe Riemann's work in the language of his time, which often means quoting him directly. A short section on "Reading Riemann" appears at the end of Chapter 5. For a serious historical account, one should always keep the author's voice in mind, even if, as in Riemann's case, the meaning of his words was at times unclear.

By 2030, AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy. However, corporate boards are increasingly struggling to respond to this systemic change. As AI increasingly influences business strategies and operations, board members and executives must ensure that their organization is using AI responsibly and effectively to maximize value and mitigate risks. Building on research conducted on some of the leading Nordic multinational companies, this book presents the Boards 4AI Leadership Matrix, a practical framework designed to guide and oversee AI capabilities at the board level. A special focus is placed on AI's complexities, ethical best practices, and sustainable growth. By equipping leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge, this book gives board directors the tools to make informed decisions that align with corporate governance standards and societal expectations.

This book stems from lectures on commutative algebra for 4th-year university students at two French universities (Paris and Rennes). At that level, students have already followed a basic course in linear algebra and are essentially fluent with the language of vector spaces over fields. The topics introduced include arithmetic of rings, modules, especially principal ideal rings and the classification of modules over such rings, Galois theory, as well as an introduction to more advanced topics such as homological algebra, tensor products, and algebraic concepts involved in algebraic geometry. More than 300 exercises will allow the reader to deepen his understanding of the subject. The book also includes 11 historical vignettes about mathematicians who contributed to commutative algebra.

​This textbook is designed for a one or two semester graduate course on Riemannian geometry for students who are familiar with topological and differentiable manifolds. The second edition has been adapted, expanded, and aptly retitled from Lee’s earlier book, Riemannian Manifolds: An Introduction to Curvature.  Numerous exercises and problem sets provide the student with opportunities to practice and develop skills; appendices contain a brief review of essential background material.While demonstrating the uses of most of the main technical tools needed for a careful study of Riemannian manifolds, this text focuses on ensuring that the student develops an intimate acquaintance with the geometric meaning of curvature. The reasonably broad coverage begins with a treatment of indispensable tools for working with Riemannian metrics such as connections and geodesics. Several topics have been added, including an expanded treatment of pseudo-Riemannianmetrics, a more detailed treatment of homogeneous spaces and invariant metrics, a completely revamped treatment of comparison theory based on Riccati equations, and a handful of new local-to-global theorems, to name just a few highlights.Reviews of the first edition:Arguments and proofs are written down precisely and clearly. The expertise of the author is reflected in many valuable comments and remarks on the recent developments of the subjects. Serious readers would have the challenges of solving the exercises and problems. The book is probably one of the most easily accessible introductions to Riemannian geometry. (M.C. Leung, MathReview) The book’s aim is to develop tools and intuition for studying the central unifying theme in Riemannian geometry, which is the notion of curvature and its relation with topology. The main ideas of the subject, motivated as in the original papers, are introduced here in an intuitive and accessible way…The book is an excellent introduction designed for a one-semester graduate course, containing exercises and problems which encourage students to practice working with the new notions and develop skills for later use. By citing suitable references for detailed study, the reader is stimulated to inquire into further research. (C.-L. Bejan, zBMATH)

This open access book sets out the stress-system model for functional somatic symptoms in children and adolescents. The book begins by exploring the initial encounter between the paediatrician, child, and family, moves through the assessment process, including the formulation and the treatment contract, and then describes the various forms of treatment that are designed to settle the child’s dysregulated stress system. This approach both provides a new understanding of how such symptoms emerge – typically, through a history of recurrent or chronic stress, either physical or psychological – and points the way to effective assessment, management, and treatment that put the child (and family) back on the road to health and well-being.

This book provides an evidence-based, comprehensive and vividly illustrated overview of stress and stress management, emphasizing the central role of resources. Scientists and practitioners, students, employees and employers can use this book to bring themselves up to date on the current state of psychological stress research and learn many practical tips and tricks for dealing with stress and resources.Building on proven and contemporary psychological theories of stress and resource research, this book explains how stress emerges, how resources influence the stress process and what individuals and organizations can do to prevent stressors, reduce stress, recover from stress, and cope with the long-term consequences of strain. The book takes up current societal trends such as digitization and automation, and refers to cultural influences and differences.Through numerous case studies, facts and figures, checklists and exercises, the book not only leads the readeron an exciting journey through the scientific background and history of stress research, but also offers numerous opportunities for self-assessment and critical reflection on (one's own) work in organizations.

This open access book is a thorough update and expansion of the 2017 edition of The Handbook of Salutogenesis, responding to the rapidly growing salutogenesis research and application arena.Revised and updated from the first edition are background and historical chapters that trace the development of the salutogenic model of health and flesh out the central concepts, most notably generalized resistance resources and the sense of coherence that differentiate salutogenesis from pathogenesis. From there, experts describe a range of real-world applications within and outside health contexts. Many new chapters emphasize intervention research findings. Readers will find numerous practical examples of how to implement salutogenesis to enhance the health and well-being of families, infants and young children, adolescents, unemployed young people, pre-retirement adults, and older people. A dedicated section addresses how salutogenesis helps tackle vulnerability, with chapters on at-risk children, migrants, prisoners, emergency workers, and disaster-stricken communities.  Wide-ranging coverage includes new topics beyond health, like intergroup conflict, politics and policy-making, and architecture.  The book also focuses on applying salutogenesis in birth and neonatal care clinics, hospitals and primary care, schools and universities, workplaces, and towns and cities. A special section focuses on developments in salutogenesis methods and theory.With its comprehensive coverage, The Handbook of Salutogenesis, 2nd Edition, is the standard reference for researchers, practitioners, and health policy-makers who wish to have a thorough grounding in the topic. It is also written to support post-graduate education courses and self-study in public health, nursing, psychology, medicine, and social sciences.

Jürgen Tautz, renowned German bee researcher explains how bees communicate. Exciting and surprising new insights on communication between bees. During the history of bee research, scientists have peered deep into the inner life of bee colonies and learned much about the behaviour of these insects. Above all, the bee waggle dance has become a famous and extensively discussed phenomenon. Nevertheless, recent insights reveal that while bees are social insects inside the hive they also communicate with one another outside the hive. In this book, Jürgen Tautz, renowned German bee researcher, provides an entertaining, fresh and enlightened account for lay and professional readers, not only about the fascinating dance language but also about additional remarkable phenomena concerning information exchange between bees. From the author of the bestseller “The Buzz about Bees”. “The Language of Bees” assembles, for the first time, a complete overview of how bees understand one another. Although communication biology research on bees has so far concentrated largely on events within the hive, this book directs attention as well, to how bees communicate in the field outside the hive. The reader learns which steps new bee recruits take to reach the feeder a dancing forager has advertised. The book analyses the status of work on the bee dance published over the last 100 years and orders the essential findings as building blocks into a coherent new concept of how bees find their target. In addition, the historical survey of research on the “Bee Language” explains how several contradictory and incomplete hypotheses can still survive. A fresh point of view on one of the most remarkable behavioural performances in the animal kingdom. Observation from a different viewpoint leads to previously unknown insights. Such new perspectives clearly reveal both how large the gaps in our knowledge still are inrelation to the language of bees and in which direction research must take to complete the picture of one of the most impressive behavioural accomplishments in animals. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Tautz is an expert on bees, sociobiologist, animal behaviourist and emeritus professor at the Biozentrum, University of Würzburg. He is a bestseller author and recipient of many awards of excellence for his successful communication of science to a wide public.

This open access book examines intelligence orga­ni­zation in sixteenth-century Sweden. The specific aim is to examine the intelligence networks organized in Sweden during the reigns of Gustav Vasa, Erik XIV and Johan III. The study explores the operation of the intelligence networks and compares the Swedish case with recent studies of similar organizations in other states.

One of the most contentious issues facing policymakers in their efforts to curb climate change is the debate over whether renewable or nuclear energy should play a larger role, and to what extent both are needed, as well as how they can be integrated into electric grids. This book addresses these critical issues directly, providing balanced analyses and detailing the challenges these energy sources face. The primary challenges for renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, include intermittency, grid instability, and concerns regarding land use. Conversely, nuclear energy faces challenges related to high reactor costs and public concerns regarding accidents, waste management, and the potential for weapons proliferation. The book also explores other relevant energy forms, energy storage solutions, the potential of smart grids and artificial intelligence, and the necessity of electrifying transportation and other economic sectors to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Renewables or Nuclear: Which Should Lead in Curbing Climate Change? addresses the complex technical, economic, and political issues surrounding energy sources. The book is intended for a broad audience concerned about climate change, but lacking extensive knowledge of renewable or nuclear energy sources. It aims to explain the costs and benefits of each energy source and their roles in combating climate change. No technical background is required to understand the content, making this book a valuable reference for advanced high school or undergraduate college courses focused on climate change.Addresses the complex technical, economic, and political issues surrounding energy and climate change;Specifically examines one of the most contentious issues policymakers face—a debate over renewable and nuclear energy;No technical background is required to understand the material covered in the book.

This brief addresses the urgent global challenge of politically, religiously, ethnically, and other ideologically motivated extremism and violent radicalization. It critically examines the effectiveness of existing psychosocial prevention strategies and provides insights into resilience against extremism. Drawing on research from 31 countries and the evaluation of l prevention programs, the book offers a comprehensive look at how psychosocial programs can reduce radicalization. The volume delves into key concepts, theoretical explanations, methodological challenges, and developmental risks Its own empirical research includes a unique survey of practical prevention projects and a systematic review and meta-analysis of outcome evaluations. The volume highlights positive outcomes, especially in primary prevention for youth and tertiary interventions for exiting radical trajectories. However, it also underscores the need for more methodologically sound, controlled evaluations of long-term behavioral changes. By offering empirical evidence on diverse approaches, this book provides a robust foundation for a more informed and less divisive societal discussion on extremism. It is an essential resource for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers engaged in counter-extremism, social work, and criminology.

In this book, Tal Ben-Shahar introduces a new interdisciplinary field of study that is dedicated to exploring happiness. The study of happiness ought not be left to psychologists alone. Philosophers, theologians, biologists, economists, and scholars from other disciplines have explored ways of attaining happiness, and to do justice to this important pursuit, we ought to listen to their words and experiment with their prescriptions. Not only does the field of happiness studies embrace different disciplines, it also approaches happiness as a multifaceted and multidimensional variable that includes five parts which form the acronym SPIRE:Spiritual wellbeingPhysical wellbeingIntellectual wellbeingRelational wellbeingEmotional wellbeingThis book addresses each of these elements of happiness, explains them, and addresses practical ways for their cultivation.

Computer Vision: Algorithms and Applications explores the variety of techniques used to analyze and interpret images. It also describes challenging real-world applications where vision is being successfully used, both in specialized applications such as image search and autonomous navigation, as well as for fun, consumer-level tasks that students can apply to their own personal photos and videos.More than just a source of “recipes,” this exceptionally authoritative and comprehensive textbook/reference takes a scientific approach to the formulation of computer vision problems. These problems are then analyzed using the latest classical and deep learning models and solved using rigorous engineering principles.Topics and features:Structured to support active curricula and project-oriented courses, with tips in the Introduction for using the book in a variety of customized coursesIncorporates totally new material on deep learning and applications such as mobile computational photography, autonomous navigation, and augmented realityPresents exercises at the end of each chapter with a heavy emphasis on testing algorithms and containing numerous suggestions for small mid-term projectsIncludes 1,500 new citations and 200 new figures that cover the tremendous developments from the last decadeProvides additional material and more detailed mathematical topics in the Appendices, which cover linear algebra, numerical techniques, estimation theory, datasets, and softwareSuitable for an upper-level undergraduate or graduate-level course in computer science or engineering, this textbook focuses on basic techniques that work under real-world conditions and encourages students to push their creative boundaries. Its design and exposition also make it eminently suitable as a unique reference to the fundamental techniques and current research literature in computer vision.

This revised and updated edition of the 2016 bestselling work sets out the moral arguments for a woman’s right to decide the future of her pregnancy. Drawing on traditions of philosophical and sociological thinking, it presents the case for recognizing autonomy in personal, private decision-making about reproductive intentions. Further, it argues that to prevent a woman making this decision according to her own values is to undermine the essence of her humanity. The author explores how true respect for human life and regard for individual conscience demands that we support a woman’s right to decide, and that support for her right to terminate her pregnancy has moral foundations and ethical integrity.This second edition features a foreword by US abortion provider and reproductive justice advocate Dr. Willie Parker, as well as additional chapters that consider the rights of doctors and nurses to withdraw from abortion provision on grounds of conscience. Furedi also surveys the rapidly changing landscape of the abortion debate, including the rights of women in the aftermath of Trump's presidency; debates, politics and religion in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; and the differing levels of provision across Europe.

This book examines the history of goblins from the Middle Ages to the present. It shows that goblins—whether interpreted as creatures, objects, ideas, or people—were historically contingent and grounded in an often-hazy interplay between folkloric and folkloresque traditions. As products of their historical environ­ments, goblins have been imagined and reimagined throughout history. Their various incarnations include demons working on behalf of Satan, residents of Fairyland making mischief for humans, and cave-dwelling villains in Tolkien’s or Dungeons & Dragons’ fantasy universes.Some authors, often early modern and modern Anglophone elites, used goblins as crude, destructive mimicries of what they deemed abnormal. They chose to label certain humans as goblins to indicate those people fell outside of normative ideas about proper appearances and behavior. In the twenty-first century, however, goblins have seen a sympathetic reappraisal; now, they are often portrayed in ways that see these longstanding stereotypes as assets in an age of unreasonable societal expectations.

Interrogating Modernity returns to Hans Blumenberg's epochal The Legitimacy of the Modern Age as a springboard to interrogate questions of modernity, secularisation, technology and political legitimacy in the fields of political theology, history of ideas, political theory, art theory, history of philosophy, theology and sociology. That is, the twelve essays in this volume return to Blumenberg's work to think once more about how and why we should value the modern. Written by a group of leading international and interdisciplinary researchers, this series of responses to the question of the modern put Blumenberg into dialogue with other twentieth, and twenty-first century theorists, such as Arendt, Bloch, Derrida, Husserl, Jonas, Latour, Voegelin, Weber and many more. The result is a repositioning of his work at the heart of contemporary attempts to make sense of who we are and how we’ve got here.

In the management discourse few words are thrown about more carelessly than ‘organizational culture’. While the term is usually defined too broadly—including such phenomena as assumptions, values, traditions, articles of faith, myths and artifacts—this book applies a far more narrow concept. Organizational culture, or the informal structure of an organization, is a term used to describe the behavioral expectations in an organization that have not been decided on in a formal way but that evolved by means of repetition and imitation. This book shows how this narrow definition makes it possible to more precisely observe and understand an organization’s culture and its changes. Management’s only way for influencing organizational culture—and this may sound paradoxical at first—is to change the organization’s formal structure as for example its incentive schemes, goal-setting processes, strategic directions or hierarchy.

This book examines the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, its varied uses, as well as its limitations for solving real-world scenarios. While the simplicity of the method compels users to find shortcuts to a real-world problem, it also leads to obtaining wrong results that do not represent reality. By alerting practitioners about the core necessities of a new scenario, this book helps solve this problem, as well as contribute to the field of Multicriteria Decision Making Method (MDCM). The authors use a demonstrative, rather than a theoretical approach, and examine 30 subjects that displays the shortcomings and drawbacks of the AHP. Each one is examined in-depth, discussed, debated and reasoned, using examples, some of them numeric. The book highlights the rationality and common sense of the subjects, and in most cases, validates the criticism by showing through numerical examples, the impossibility of the AHP method to address, let alone solve real-world projects. At the conclusion of each subject, a table is built comparing the similarities and differences between the opinions of the authors and other experts, along with the respective pros and cons.

This book focuses on the anatomy of the peripheral nervous system. Using the latest 3D-computer graphic modeling techniques, the author developed the innovative NEURO 3D LOCATORTM concept, which provides 3D in-vivo ultrasound images of peripheral nerve architectures, allowing readers to develop a mental real-time 3D GPS of the peripheral nervous system.  This new edition is an extended version of the “Student edition” dedicated to Experts and is divided into three main parts: The first part describes fundamental concepts, from immunohistochemistry to limb innervation, and includes a detailed evaluation of the morphofunctional anatomy of the peripheral nerves. It also presents relevant data on neuromuscular transmission, from both classic and recent literature, to enable readers to gain an understanding the physiology and pathology of peripheral nerves as well as the prospects of repair. The second section addresses the upper limb, the brachialplexus and related peripheral nerves, while the third section focuses on the lower limb, the lumbosacral plexus and related peripheral nerves. By providing MRI sections related to the drawings and the descriptions of main nerve injuries, it facilitates radiological interpretation and clinical learning. The book also features detailed descriptions of surgical approaches and the ultrasound anatomy of the limbs, and includes supplementary material on applications to peripheral nerve stimulation, surgical procedures and interventional pain medicine techniques. Presenting high-quality 3D videos showing the progression of the ultrasound probe in real-time, synchronized with live ultrasound views and enhanced with anatomical computerized graphic layers, as well as over 500 outstanding full-color 2D and 3D illustrations, and access to than 100 practical videos, this unique book is a valuable resource for anesthesiologists, radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, neuromodulators, physiatrists, pain physicians and rheumatologists. It will also appeal to the medical community in general.

This second edition of a classic text offers an extensively revised and updated treatment of multivariate statistical analysis and its practical implementation using the LISREL program. In addition to core topics such as structural equation modeling, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses, regression, principal component analysis, and longitudinal data analysis, it introduces two new chapters on models for twin data and simulation, and adds important new sections on time series analysis, mediation and moderation, interaction models, and multitrait-multimethod models. Combining statistical theory and methods with practical guidance, the book provides numerous illustrative examples from economics, psychology, sociology, meteorology, and genetics. Each example includes LISREL input and output, with detailed interpretations of results. The numerical algorithms used by LISREL for model estimation are also explained.Ideal for master’s and PhD students as well as researchers in the social, behavioral, economic, and related sciences, this volume can also serve as a comprehensive textbook for courses on multivariate statistical analysis.

It is not hyperbole to state that galactic ecosystems have spawned pretty much everything that we hold dear – including ourselves. These nebular nurseries have incubated all the stars, planetary systems, and many of the complex molecules known to humanity. From there, the myriad of planets in orbit around their hosting stars have further refined the organic matter into even more complex biochemicals. On the surface of one particularly moist planet, life took hold, and evolutionary processes led to you and me collectively pondering the wonders of galactic ecosystems via this book.Given the seminal role of galactic ecosystems in hosting this tale of being and becoming, it is necessary to consider the full sweep of cosmic scales. In this book, we will explore atomic nuclei and their alchemic transmutations within stars, the assembly of atoms into molecules within cryogenic clouds, and prospects for building up the macromolecules necessary for life as we know it. On a much larger scale, we will discover protostars and protoplanetary disks inside molecular cloud cores a few light-years in size, their hosting molecular clouds tens of light-years across, giant molecular clouds and ionized nebulae hundreds of light-years in extent, and finally entire starburst galaxies spanning thousands of light-years.Along the way, we will gain an appreciation for the most massive, powerful, and short-lived stars as they transform their natal environments via their intense radiation, winds, and explosive deaths. Without the elemental beneficence of these stars, rocky planets, water, and life itself would be impossible.Through reading this book, you will obtain a better understanding of your birthright as a “child of the cosmos.” As with all lifeforms on Earth, and likely myriad of other lifeforms on worlds yet to be explored, this sense of communion pervades the cosmos, made visceral through the awesome creativity of galactic ecosystems.

This book is aimed at the general reader who has an interest in knowing how modern astronomy is moving towards a steadily increasing understanding of galaxies. It is written from the point of view of the observational astrophysicist, stressing how observations have consistently led the way in opening new horizons.We first take a brief historical look at how the Milky Way was seen until the development of large telescopes, showing how recently we have come to realize that our Galaxy is not the whole Universe but is just one of billions of similar systems. You will learn how we now measure the size of our Galaxy, and what its structure is: disc, bulge, bar, halo, streams of infalling stars as our Galaxy swallows its smaller neighbours, and the supermassive black hole at the centre.The author then zooms out to describe our local group of galaxies, including the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds, the Andromeda galaxy, and the cloud of local dwarf galaxies.The next zoom takes you to nearby galaxy clusters, such as the Virgo cluster, and we see how galaxies are classified by their shape and structure: spirals, ellipticals, and irregulars. We discover the populations of stars which make up the galaxies, and an interesting sidelight shows how local galaxies can help us understand the history of the whole Universe, an exciting research branch called "near field cosmology".Zooming out beyond local galaxy clusters the reader will be shown how astronomers map the structure of the Universe as picked out by the large-scale distribution of the galaxies - sheets, filaments and voids. We are given a view of the evolution of galaxies based on the current standard cosmological model including present doubts and uncertainties. We see how the model can be tested by the observations.  In the penultimate chapter the author gives us a view of astronomical techniques and instruments available over the full range of wavelengths from radio to gamma-rays, from the ground and space, showing how the information in the previous chapters is obtained. The journey ends with a look at the exciting instrumental developments which will enhance our knowledge of galaxies throughout the Universe in the coming decade."What I love about this book is that it gives physical pictures of what’s really happening to galaxies. ... a lot of images and stories. ... So if you want to understand how the Big Bang led to people, you might just want to read this book."John C. MatherNobel Laureate in Physics, 2006.

The Internet has changed the past. Social media, Wikipedia, mobile networks, and the viral and visual nature of the Web have inundated the public sphere with historical information and misinformation, changing what we know about our history and History as a discipline. This is the first book to chronicle how and why it matters. Why does History matter at all? What role do history and the past play in our democracy? Our economy? Our understanding of ourselves? How do questions of history intersect with today’s most pressing debates about technology; the role of the media; journalism; tribalism; education; identity politics; the future of government, civilization, and the planet? At the start of a new decade, in the midst of growing political division around the world, this information is critical to an engaged citizenry. As we collectively grapple with the effects of technology and its capacity to destabilize our societies, scholars, educators and the general public should be aware of how the Web and social media shape what we know about ourselves - and crucially, about our past.

This book presents a theory of autistic subjectivity from a Lacanian psychoanalytic perspective. Dr. Brenner describes autism as a singular mode of being that is fundamentally linked to one’s identity and basic practices of existence, offering a rigorous alternative to treating autism as a mental or physical disorder. Drawing on Freud and Lacan’s psychoanalytic understanding of the subject, Brenner outlines the unique features of the autistic subjective structure and provides a comprehensive synthesis of contemporary work on the psychoanalysis of autism. The book examines research by theorists including Jean-Claude Maleval, Éric Laurent, Rosine and Robert Lefort that has been largely unavailable to Anglophone audiences until now. In this book autism is posited to be a singular subjective structure not reducible to neurosis or psychosis. In accordance with the Lacanian approach, autism is examined with detailed attention to the subject’s use of language, culminating in Brenner’s “autistic linguistic spectrum.” A compelling read for students and scholars of psychoanalysis and autism researchers and clinicians.

This book explores how Jacques Lacan has influenced Black Studies from the 1950s to the present day, and in turn how a Black Studies framework challenges the topographies of Lacanianism in its understanding of race. David Marriott examines how a contemporary Black Studies perspective might respond to the psychoanalysis of race by taking advantage of the recent revitalization of Lacanianism in its speculative, metaphysical form. While the philosophical side of the debate makes a plea for a new universalism, this book proposes a Lacanian reassessment of the notion of race, a notion distinct from culture, language, religion, and identity. It argues that it is possible to re-establish the theoretical relation between capitalism, anti-blackness, and colonialism, by reassessing the links between Lacanian psychoanalysis and three main domains of black inquiry: mastery, knowledge, and embodiment. The book offers a strikingly original rereading of the place of Lacan in both Fanon Studies and Afro-pessimism. It will appeal to students and scholars of Black Studies, Cultural Studies, Critical Theory and Philosophy.

Implementing safety practices in healthcare saves lives and improves the quality of care: it is therefore vital to apply good clinical practices, such as the WHO surgical checklist, to adopt the most appropriate measures for the prevention of assistance-related risks, and to identify the potential ones using tools such as reporting & learning systems.The culture of safety in the care environment and of human factors influencing it should be developed from the beginning of medical studies and in the first years of professional practice, in order to have the maximum impact on clinicians' and nurses' behavior. Medical errors tend to vary with the level of proficiency and experience, and this must be taken into account in adverse events prevention. Human factors assume a decisive importance in resilient organizations, and an understanding of risk control and containment is fundamental for all medical and surgical specialties.   This open access book offers recommendations and examples of how to improve patient safety by changing practices, introducing organizational and technological innovations, and creating effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care systems, in order to spread the quality and patient safety culture among the new generation of healthcare professionals, and is intended for residents and young professionals in different clinical specialties.