Open Access Books

The here collected contributions relating to the 46th International Conference of the Representation Disciplines Teachers, organized jointly by Sapienza University of Rome, Roma Tre University, and San Raffaele Roma University, aim to offer the scientific community a reflection on the theoretical and methodological aspects related to the concept of èkphrasis, a term that, in the field of representation, concerns descriptive, analogical, and digital activities that generate new knowledge in several areas of application. The Conference aims to place at the center of the discussion an interpretation of the concept of research that, without neglecting an idea of study, protection, and enhancement of environmental and cultural heritage, focuses on the needs of contemporary society and its possible developments, making use of innovative theoretical, methodological, and operational activities, including those characterized by an interdisciplinary approach. According to this interpretation, research can also be seen as a foreshadowing of the definition and testing of experimental proposals aimed at exploring new areas of investigation: this opens up imaginative and utopian perspectives in the relationship between the sciences, the arts, and the disciplines that contribute to common goals, through the experimentation of methods, techniques, and languages for conceiving, prefiguring, designing, and representing.

This Reprint compiles selected peer-reviewed contributions from the Special Issue “Advanced Nanomaterials-Based (Bio-)Sensors for Electrochemical Detection and Analysis”, presenting recent advances in nanomaterials applied to chemical and biological sensing platforms. While electrochemical sensing represents a central theme, this Reprint also encompasses complementary sensing strategies, including colorimetric, plasmonic, and gas-sensing approaches, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of modern sensor research. The collected articles explore the synthesis, functionalization, and integration of advanced nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, two-dimensional materials, polymers, metal oxides, and hybrid heterostructures into sensing interfaces. Emphasis is placed on structure–property–performance relationships, signal transduction mechanisms, and analytical applicability across environmental monitoring, food analysis, biomedical diagnostics, and industrial safety. Overall, this Reprint provides a comprehensive overview of how advanced nanomaterials enable diverse sensing modalities, highlighting converging trends that bridge electrochemical and non-electrochemical detection technologies.

As a country aspiring to become a leading superpower in the multilateral world, the People’s Republic of China is intensifying its international presence in every region of the world. Xi Jinpingʼs coming to power ends the era of Deng Xiaopingʼs 28-character doctrine of „hiding its own capabilities”. The change in power begins the era of the Chinese Dream, which is expected to result in a great Chinese renaissance by 2049. The reborn is to be a state that determines international politics. The Middle East region has become a key area in PRC policy over the past decades. The region is important to Beijing because of its raw materials (oil imports) and its strategic location at the junction of three continents (Europe, Africa and Asia). The strategic aspect manifests itself in aspects of China’s economic, political and military presence tasked with securing Chinese interests in the region. The purpose of this article is to analyze selected aspects of the Chinese presence in the Middle East in the 21st century. Economic, political and military aspects of the Middle Kingdomʼs increasing presence in the region are analyzed. Also analyzed is the aspect of the desire of the government in Beijing to displace the American sphere of influence. The hypothesis of the article is that the Peopleʼs Republic of China is systematically increasing its involvement and influence in the Middle East, while balancing between competing with the United States and being a beneficiary of the US presence in the region.

The book Globalization - Approaches to Diversity takes the ambitious undertaking of presenting a series of global issues that range from historic to contemporary, from transnational to local, and from cultural to institutional. It consists of twelve chapters divided into three sections: Globalization Agendas, Globalization Policies, Globalization Experiences. Its authors embody a global research culture. One that is plural, growing and dynamic, as it is evidenced in their respective agendas and methodological approaches. The value of this book lies in its diversity, and its merit will be appreciated by a global community of scholars.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact

L’on peut se demander si l’étude du « sexe » est pertinente pour le champ des études de « développement » et des « relations internationales ». Au delà des politiques et interventions de développement liées à la « population », au « planning familial » et à la « prévention des maladies sexuellement transmissibles et du VIH », cet ouvrage propose une réflexion sur les transactions amoureuses et sexuelles à l’ère de la mondialisation. Sur quoi les échanges sexuels portent-t-il ? Selon quelles m...

Der Zivilgesellschaftsdiskurs wurde in der Türkei nach dem Militärputsch von 1980 populär. Anil Al-Rebholz fragt, ob das Aufkommen dieses Diskurses als Hinweis auf die Herausbildung von Zivilgesellschaft in der Türkei verstanden werden kann. Dabei wird die politisch-diskursive Praxis vier oppositioneller Gruppen untersucht. In den Interviews mit öffentlich bekannten Intellektuellen sowie mit den Protagonistinnen und Protagonisten dieser Bewegungen wird die Transformation der gesellschaftlichen Wissensproduktion und der politischen Praxis aufgezeigt. Jenseits kulturalistischer und orientalistischer Ansichten wird ein hegemonietheoretischer Ansatz entwickelt, der neue Perspektiven auf die gesellschaftliche Transformation in der Türkei der letzten 30 Jahre ermöglicht.

Concrete cracking is a crucial factor that threatens the durability and strength of concrete. Especially for concrete building structures with complex working environments such as hydraulic structures and long-span building structures, concrete cracking seriously threatens the safe operation of engineering projects. The cracking resistance of concrete is influenced by many factors, such as mechanical properties, temperature processes, autogenous shrinkage, restrained stress, creep, etc. The study of the crack resistance of concrete is of great significance for its wide application. This book focuses on the research of the cracking resistance of concrete, including the formation mechanism of concrete cracking, the relationship between the cracking mechanism and the performance of various types of concrete, and the resistance and maintenance of concrete cracks.

The book explores the discourse constructed around the process of deinstitutionalization of social services for people with disabilities. The main perspective is the sociology of knowledge as formulated by Karl Mannheim in his work Ideology and Utopia. In this perspective, the assumptions of the medical model of disability are identified as the dominant ideology, while the contesting utopia represents the approach of the social and human-rights model. The parties using ideology and utopia were conventionally named conservative and reformist, respectively. Among the parties creating the discourses of deinstitutionalization, groups with specific experiences of disability constituting their socio-behavioral situation were identified: people with disabilities, their families, employees of support institutions, decision-makers building and implementing social policy and allies of people with disabilities. An additional factor, taken into account, is access to power understood as the ability to influence the formulation and implementation of social policy. The analysis is based on texts which reflect the discourses created by various experts between 2012 (ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by Poland) and 2022 (adoption of the Strategy for the Development of Social Services). The parties' conflictual functioning, “talking past one another” and making ad hoc alliances leads to the conclusion that deinstitutionalization is an endeavor that will never be finally concluded. The parties' separate sets of thoughts, based on different understandings of the same concepts, do not allow them to communicate effectively and thus to work towards a common deinstitutionalization project.

This article introduces experimental reflection on the experiences at an ‘Employability Skills’ laboratory of a group of young volunteers from the National Civilian Service under the ‘Support and Inclusion’ project of the Employment Promotion Section (SPO in Italian) of the University of Naples Federico II SInAPSi Centre. Young volunteers were included as unstructured support figures in activities that sought mainly to assist and serve students with disabilities. More specifically, these activities included: accompaniment and support during lessons; digitization of teaching material; providing support for the assorted services offered by the University Centre; general training implemented by AMESCI staff; specific training implemented by SInAPSi operatives. The experiences, which were accomplished in cooperation with the Europe 2020 programme, included the creation of an integrated system to recognize and validate formal, non-formal, and informal skills, as a tool to promote youth employment (Striano, Capobianco 2016)

This is a collection of articles by established scholars in the fields of History, Philosophy, Literature and Religious Studies. These are original essays which address the issues and concerns that now dominate the study of religion in its multiple dimensions with a fresh approach. They critique settled opinions and raise new and engaging questions concerning cultural hermeneutics and the academic study of religion. Embellished with a substantive and topical introduction by the editor, this collection of articles will be of abiding interest to scholars and interested lay persons alike.

What characterises the development and social transformation of the military profession in Scandinavia? Has the broadening of tasks, function and scope of the military profession lead to changes in the values, outlook and behaviour of groups of the armed forces? And what kind of changes are the cultural and structural interpenetration of civilian and military spheres, including hybrid forms of professionalism, generating and what are the significance and implications of such changes?;Transformations of the Military Profession and Professionalism in Scandinavia brings together a number of expert scholars within Military Studies and related fields to provide timely and updated answers to these highly important questions – answers with potential implications far beyond the Scandinavian case.

Bei der Unterdruck-Flammensynthese nanoskaliger Metalloxidpartikeln werden verschiedene in-situ-Partikelmesstechniken evaluiert. Im Fall der optischen Verfahren, Pyrometrie, laserinduzierte Glühtechnik, kombinierte Streulicht- und Extinktionsmessungen werden speziell die optischen Eigenschaften als Funktion der Modifikation, Wellenlänge und Temperatur untersucht. Die Partikelmassenspektrometrie wird vor allem vor dem Hintergrund der Partikelaufladungsproblematik betrachtet.

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) sensing has progressed significantly in the past few years. In particular, smart sensors play an increasingly important role in structural damage detection. There is growing progress in the performance of strategic sensors, such as piezoelectric sensors, as well as noncontact sensors, such as air-coupled transducers, magnetic flux leakage sensors and pulsed laser ultrasonic propagation applications. The most progress has been made in the development of application software for all technologies. We are now able to enhance damage resolutions and then focus on damage visualization in many applications. This Special Issue highlights advances in the development, testing, and use of damage visualization tools for smart sensor-based nondestructive evaluations. Topics covered include: • New developments in smart sensing-based nondestructive evaluations • Magnetic flux leakage sensors • Laser scanning-based ultrasonic propagation sensors • Piezoelectric sensors • Air-coupled transducers • Damage detection and visualization

This reprint commemorates the 10th anniversary of Technologies, an esteemed international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal by MDPI, recognized for its contributions to advancing interdisciplinary research in diverse technological fields. Since its inaugural issue in 2013, Technologies has become a trusted platform for high-impact studies, earning indexing in prominent databases like ESCI, Inspec, and INSPIRE. Ranked 46th among 170 journals in the “Engineering and Multidisciplinary” category with a Q2 Journal Citation Indicator rating, the journal achieved a significant milestone by receiving its first Impact Factor in 2021, underscoring its commitment to quality and innovation. To celebrate a decade of excellence, the journal released a Special Issue titled “10th Anniversary of Technologies—Recent Advances and Perspectives”, which brought together 36 exceptional research articles and reviews. This collection highlights groundbreaking advancements across a broad spectrum of topics, including quantum technologies, material processing innovations, construction technologies, environmental and medical advancements, biotechnologies, and computer and information technologies. This reprint gathers the articles from the Special Issue into a cohesive reprint, offering readers a valuable resource. We extend our deepest appreciation to the contributors and reviewers whose dedication made this commemorative volume possible.