Open Access Books

Today, the need to reduce both greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions is a challenge for the entire energy sector. Efforts to address this challenge have led to both the introduction of new technologies and improvements to the most widely used traditional ones. Among the latter, internal combustion engines (ICEs) provide about 25% of the world power today. In particular, the entire transport sector is largely based on this technology. Transitioning from ICEs to combustion-less technologies poses significant technical and economic challenges, making it unlikely that ICEs will be phased out soon. Therefore, enhancing their sustainability is crucial. In this scenario, this Special Issue collects studies focused on the following topics: the use of new fuels for ICEs for both automotive and railway applications, testing of additives for ICEs fed with conventional fuels, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation applied to the analysis and design of ICE components.

What must be done after the end of a dictatorship so that the suffering of those persecuted comes to an end and history does not repeat itself? Only rarely have long-term studies academically investigated the effects that measures implemented within the context of transitional justice have actually achieved. Taking seven countries as examples, this volume analyses what coming to terms with dictatorships can accomplish – and where its limits lie.

Hemodynamics is study of the mechanical and physiologic properties controlling blood pressure and flow through the body. The factors influencing hemodynamics are complex and extensive. In addition to systemic hemodynamic alterations, microvascular alterations are frequently observed in critically ill patients. The book "Hemodynamics: New Diagnostic and Therapeuric Approaches" is formed to present the up-to-date research under the scope of hemodynamics by scientists from different backgrounds.

Invention of the solid-state laser has initiated the beginning of the laser era. Performance of solid-state lasers improved amazingly during five decades. Nowadays, solid-state lasers remain one of the most rapidly developing branches of laser science and become an increasingly important tool for modern technology. This book represents a selection of chapters exhibiting various investigation directions in the field of solid-state lasers and the cutting edge of related applications. The materials are contributed by leading researchers and each chapter represents a comprehensive study reflecting advances in modern laser physics. Considered topics are intended to meet the needs of both specialists in laser system design and those who use laser techniques in fundamental science and applied research. This book is the result of efforts of experts from different countries. I would like to acknowledge the authors for their contribution to the book. I also wish to acknowledge Vedran Kordic for indispensable technical assistance in the book preparation and publishing.

Legumes are important for the diet of a significant part of the world's population; they are a good source of protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. The'importance of soybean'lies in the overall agriculture and trade and in its contribution to food supply. Soybean contains the highest protein content and has no cholesterol in comparison with conventional legume and animal food sources. Furthermore, soybean is a cheap source of food, and at the same time medicinal due to its genistein, photochemical, isoflavones content. Soybean has been found to be extremely helpful in the fight against heart disease, cancer and diabetes, among others. Soybean protein and calories are presently being used to prevent body wasting often associated with HIV. The importance of soybean nutrition intervention is amplified where medications are unavailable. Its economic potential inherent in a wide range of industrial uses can be harnessed to the benefit of smallholder soybean producers.

"Can one have something in common with a lava field? Can one identify with a mountain, or connect with a contemporary event in the history of the earth, in the way that some people feel connected together by birthday, genetic fingerprint, or zodiac sign? In the terms of the Christian burial ceremony, what is this earth from which we come and to which we return? In Down to Earth, Gísli Pálsson explores such questions through both personal reflection on the microcosm of his childhood home, an Icelandic island disrupted by volcanic eruption, and a critical discussion of the current age of the Anthropocene, characterized by the growing environmental impact of humans. While environmental hazards caused by humans often inform public discussion of the Anthropocene, human impact on the planet is not always detrimental. This book discusses in detail the pioneering effort on Heimaey island to cool molten lava and to divert its flow, in order to save a fishing harbor and the community it has allowed to thrive. Mingling the personal and the geological, the local and the global, Down to Earth should appeal to many readers in diverse contexts throughout the English-speaking world. The author appears to the reader when it suits him, naturally enough, and on occasion near the center of the narrative, in the vicinity of earthquakes, eruptions, and other natural hazards."

Despite increasing prevalence and relevance, fundamental questions about economic justification remain unresolved: Are there relationships and connections between different use cases? Is there a uniform concept? How should economic entitlement be classified in legal dogmatic terms? In order to clarify this, this dissertation analyzes the most important concepts of economic entitlement and examines them for content, functional and structural similarities in order to develop dogmatics of economic entitlement. It turns out that there is no uniform concept of economic entitlement. However, the structural and functional similarities condense into a legal figure of economic entitlement, which provides important insights for practice and legislation.

This book systematically examines how the digitalization of global value chains (GVCs) has driven the high-quality development of China's manufacturing industry. It reveals the intrinsic mechanisms and pathways through which digital technologies reshape the international division of labor and promote industrial upgrading. Integrating theory with empirical analysis, the book establishes an innovative measurement framework for GVC digitalization. Using data from China's manufacturing sectors from 2000 to 2020, the book evaluates the quality of industrial development across five dimensions: innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the characteristics, challenges, and multidimensional impacts of Chinese manufacturing's integration into digital GVCs. Using rigorous econometric models, the study demonstrates that digitalization primarily advances high-quality manufacturing development through three channels: reducing transaction costs, fostering technological innovation, and optimizing resource allocation. Finally, the book proposes strategic pathways and policy implications targeted to China's manufacturing industry, offering a solid theoretical foundation and decision-making reference for achieving value chain upgrading and structural optimization in the digital era. This book will be valuable for scholars and policymakers in the fields of the digital economy, GVCs, international trade, and industrial economics, as well as for university students and industry professionals. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license

The research analyzes the network of the Ragusan Jews between the end of 16th and the begin of 17th century. It focalized the social and economic links of the Sephardic group as “trait d’union” of the Adriatic-Balkan trade networks. The research is focused on time frame 1585-1635 in chronological continuity to the studies of Alberto Tenenti, indeed he was the first scholar to draw the attention to the turning point of the trade structure in the Republic of Ragusa in the year 1590 because the arise of the Sephardic merchants.

This anthology addresses ethical challenges that arise within the field of Internet research. Among the issues discussed in the book are the following: When is voluntary informed consent from research subjects required in using the Internet as a data source? How may researchers secure the privacy of research subjects in a landscape where the traditional public/private distinction is blurred and re-identification is a recurring threat? What are the central ethical and legal aspects of Internet research for individuals, groups, and society?

This book comprehensively discusses the cooperation of corporations with startups in the context of accelerator programs. It focuses on recognizing how open innovation can catalyze startups’ development and success, and benefit corporations through access to new business models, innovative products, services and technologies developed outside the R&D departments of large organizations. The book presents a variety of collaboration models, motivations, barriers and potential for collaboration, offering readers a wealth of theoretical and practical knowledge based on the author’s research and experience in managing startup acceleration programs for multinational corporations. Readers will gain insight into the challenges and critical aspects of startup accelerator programs via a detailed analysis of open innovation theory and collaboration strategies. Based on literature and empirical research, the author offers practical guidance on how corporations should prepare and conduct acceleration activities to maximize the potential of innovation from startups and increase the chances of success. Open Innovation and Startups will appeal to scholars and researchers in the fields of innovation studies, entrepreneurship and organizational studies. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Licence (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 International license.

Digital transformation brings new opportunities, but also disruption, to the way businesses work. The application of technologies such as blockchain, AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data has the potential to revolutionize how businesses operate and incorporate sustainable practices within manufacturing processes and supply chains, creating value and redeveloping business models. Digital technologies can also enable more efficient collaboration between various partners across the globe and increase transparency in the supply chain. But while the adoption of new technology can have benefits for businesses, customers and the environment, individual businesses’ uptake of new technologies is highly variable, leading to disruption in the supply and value chains. Digital Transformation and Business Sustainability: From Theory to Practice provides insights into the principle of digital transformation and the key technologies that enable businesses to put the principle into practice. The early chapters set out what digital transformation means for business and how an organization can be ready for it. This book then asks a series of critical questions about digital transformation, such as whether it enables inclusive markets and how compatible it is with digital inclusion and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The issue of business sustainability is then addressed in a series of chapters looking at digital transformation and the circular economy. Featuring diverse cases and examples drawn from across the global economy, and assessing both the theory and practice of digital transformation, this book is an ideal resource for postgraduate students on management courses, professionals on executive education courses, researchers and lecturers. Chapter 3 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 license.

This open access book discusses conditions of conflict resolution over the Russo-Ukrainian War and analyzes requirements for long-term durable peace for Ukraine. What are the impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War? Do we really know them? The authors examine this question from various perspective including conflict resolution theories, international relations theories, geopolitical theories, domestic and regional politics, regional security system, public opinion and national identity of Ukraine, etc. In so doing, the authors identify the war as a complex crux of many theoretical and practical issues like the merger of the Donbas War from 2014 with the full-scale invasion by Russia in Ukraine as a typical example of “internationalized internal-wars”. The authors also seek to develop their findings to ask a question, what are the agendas for durable peace for Ukraine? The authors argue that the agendas should include ripeness theory, security guarantees, deterrence mechanisms, geopolitical arrangements, domestic national identity formation, etc. The authors do not necessarily address the question about the way the war can be terminated, while the mode of the termination is within the scope of their investigation. In any case, however, the authors seek to highlight the basic framework for durable peace in Ukraine.

EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.It is often claimed that the UK is unusually attached to its National Health Service, and the last decade has seen increasingly visible displays of gratitude and love. While social surveys of public attitudes measure how much Britain loves the NHS, this book mobilises new empirical research to ask how Britain love its NHS. Ellen A. Stewart offers timely critique of both the potential, and the dysfunctions, of Britain’s complex love affair with its healthcare system.