Open Access Books

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is one of the key enabling tools for the advancement for nanotechnology with applications in many interdisciplinary research areas. This book presents selected original research works on the application of scanning probe microscopy techniques for the characterization of physical properties of different materials at the nanoscale. The topics in the book range from surface morphology analysis of thin film structures, oxide thin layers and superconducting structures, novel scanning probe microscopy techniques for characterization of mechanical and electrical properties, evaluation of mechanical and tribological properties of hybrid coatings and thin films. The variety of topics chosen for the book underlines the strong interdisciplinary nature of the research work in the field of scanning probe microscopy.

Bans on organizations are not part of the traditional range of instruments used in dealing with extremist phenomena in the Swiss legal system. In recent years, however, there has been a paradigm shift in this regard, especially since there has been a general, abstract basis for a ban on extremist organizations in individual cases for the first time since September 1, 2017. This thesis is devoted to the question of the conditions under which a ban on extremist organizations is permissible from a constitutional point of view. To this end, the author examines whether and to what extent extremist efforts enjoy protection under fundamental rights. He also examines the existing legal bases for bans on organisations, specifically Article 74 of the Intelligence Service Act (NDG), for their conformity with the constitution.

Wie können Frauen nachhaltig für die IT gewonnen werden? Dieser Fragegeht der vorliegende Sammelband aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven nach. Insbesondere steht die Frage im Fokus, inwieweit Monoedukation dazu beitragen kann, junge Frauen für den MINT-Bereich zu gewinnen, ein verlässliches Bewusstsein der Zugehörigkeit zu dem noch immer männerdominierten Berufsfeld der IT zu entwickeln und sich hier dauerhaft, erfolgreich und mit Zufriedenheit zu verorten. Die Arbeiten nutzen dabei die umfangreiche Datengrundlage, die durch das 25-jährige Bestehen des Internationalen Frauenstudiengangs Informatik an der Hochschule Bremen vorliegt. Weitere Beiträge adressieren den Einstieg junger Frauen in eine MINT-Bildung durch erfolgreiche Maßnahmen in der Schule, in der Studienorientierung oder in der Ansprache durch Social Media. Der Band schließt mit einer Diskussion wirksamer Handlungsempfehlungen insbesondere für IT-Unternehmen und die politische Ebene.

Faith in the Town explores the ways in which religious faith affected the lives of men, women, and children in the increasingly urban and industrialized context of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century northern England. The picture it presents is one in which faith does not fade away with the growth of towns, but where the new conditions of life allowed for greater religious freedom on the part of the laity. The proliferation of religious services and meetings witnessed in urban centres, as well as the emergence of new forms of working environment and associational culture, meant that towns were home to myriad arenas for the expression, exploration, and inculcation of faith. Within the busy, complex, risky, and opportunity-rich environment of northern towns, faith provided a way to understand the new urban world in which individuals found themselves. It helped make sense of success and failure, marked the passage of time, and could provide a feeling of belonging and purpose. But whilst the new conditions of urban living helped shaped religious faith, faith also acted to influence the development of towns. Faith was not just an internal disposition, but it altered the ways in which individuals acted in the world. This meant that civic identities, understandings of urban space and time, and conceptions of social hierarchies were all affected by the religious faith of individual men, women, and children. In addition, faith helped shape business practices and understandings of the economy, and influenced behaviour in the spheres of work, home and family life.

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With the development of research in economic history, historians are now testing the hypothesis that maritime networks and port cities contributed to the phenomenon of European integration. This essay applies a holistic approach to discuss how the city of Lisbon, located outside the privileged setting of multi-cultural interactions that was the Mediterranean Sea, became appealing to merchants from far and wide in late-medieval Europe. To do so, it examines a whole array of commercial, normative, fiscal, royal and judicial sources from European archives to discuss if it is possible to observe this phenomenon of European integration in fifteenth-century Lisbon.

This book contains the highlights of the III UNAB International Didactics Congress, held between November 18 and 19, 2022. The occasion was a valuable opportunity to exchange research, experiences and knowledge about didactics and the improvement of learning. In accordance with the above, it can be seen that a new path is beginning for each of its participants and for the institutions they represent, a meeting that would not have been successful without the participation of its attendees, as well as the possibility of sharing the experience lived beyond our borders.

Every year, young people celebrate their admission "into the circle of adults" with youth initiations. This ethnographic study describes practices and processes of youth initiation in rural Saxony-Anhalt based on the experiences of nine young people accompanied over a year before, during and after the celebration. The focus is on the question of how a transition in the life course is produced and shaped in social and cultural practice.

The non-ionizing nature of microwave radiation and low-cost microwave electronics offer innovative solutions for medical diagnoses, treatment, and health monitoring. Researchers of antennas, microwave electronics, computational electromagnetics, imaging, and signal processing are working collaboratively with medical practitioners, aiming at enhancing our lives through developing next-generation healthcare technologies. Together with the recent boom in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), they open new avenues that accelerate technical development in microwave-based techniques for medical applications. In this Special Issue, we present a comprehensive exploration of microwave and antenna systems, showcasing their transformative impact on diverse medical applications, including medical diagnoses, treatment, and patient monitoring. The collection features nine cutting-edge original research articles followed by two insightful reviews incorporating microwave imaging and sensing into digital pulmonology and digital gastroenterology.

This volume collects the results of the activities of the Hub for International Gramscian Studies (GramsciLab) and stems from the need, shared among colleagues from different scientific areas but united by specialization in historical-political and linguistic studies in specific area contexts, to proceed to a broader 'mapping' of the diffusion of Antonio Gramsci's thought. The focus is on countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, where analyses and reflections on some important Gramscian analytical categories have been developing for decades with increasing vigor and surprising results, often little known, especially in Italy (not only for linguistic difficulties).

Increasing global physical activity levels is one of the most important public health goals of the 21st century. Physically active individuals present better sleep patterns, increased wellbeing and quality of life, as well as better physical function and fitness levels. In addition, physical activity might stimulate brain function and improve both cognition and mental health. The risk of many chronic diseases is also reduced in physically active individuals, and physical activity might counteract the detrimental metabolic effects of long sedentary periods. Physical fitness is not only a key marker of health in healthy individuals, but in people with chronic conditions. Compelling evidence indicates that low levels of both cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength are associated with an increased risk of morbidity and premature mortality for a variety of causes, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Consequently, preserving fitness levels throughout life is a major clinical and public health interest. Exercise interventions represent the most efficient form of physical activity to enhance physical fitness and improve health outcomes at all ages and chronic statuses. However, exercise prescription in many populations is underdeveloped and further insights are needed for practitioners and the research community to understand how exercise should be administered, depending on the health and clinical status of different populations. This Special Issue focuses on the influence of fitness and physical activity and the effects of exercise interventions on human health- and disease-related outcomes. This includes, but is not restricted to, the following article types: Observational studies assessing the association of physical fitness (alone or in combination with other risks/protective factors) with health- and disease-related outcomes. Observational studies assessing the association of physical activity (alone or in combination with other lifestyle behaviors) with health- and disease-related outcomes. This includes studies assessing physical activity through either objective or subjective means. Experimental studies assessing the effects of exercise interventions (alone or in combination with other interventions) on health- and disease-related outcomes across the lifespan. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the above-mentioned topics are also welcome.

Souvent présenté comme une activité archaïque, l'extractivisme, c'est-à-dire l'exploitation de produits forestiers à des fins commerciales, pourrait n'être que le témoignage de l'un des divers cycles économiques que le Brésil a vécus. Mais les mouvements des collecteurs de latex d'hévéa, aux revendications relayées par diverses institutions, et une opinion publique sensibilisée aux problèmes écologiques l'ont propulsé au centre des débats sur la gestion des écosystèmes forestiers. La question de sa place dans le développement régional est posée. Mais que sait-on de sa viabilité écologique ? Comment peut-il s'adapter aux changements écologiques et sociaux qui affectent aujourd'hui l'Amazonie ? Dans un contexte mondial de mise en culture de nombreuses espèces, de fabrication massive de produits de synthèse, pourquoi un tel intérêt autour de cette activité ? Comment l'extractivisme peut-il participer à de nouvelles formes de gestion de la forêt associant conservation et mise en valeur ?

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

Miasta są złożonymi, wieloelementowymi organizmami, a zarządzanie nimi wymaga interdyscyplinarnej wiedzy i umiejętności. Obecnie, gdy w zarządzaniu miastami istotnego znaczenia nabrało podejście terytorialne, trzeba zwrócić uwagę na powiązania funkcjonalne między tymi ośrodkami. Szczególnie ważne jest zintegrowane podejście do zagospodarowania przestrzeni, planowania systemów infrastruktury technicznej czy rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego, co powinno przekładać się na planowanie i realizowanie poszczególnych polityk miejskich opierających się na współpracy wielu interesariuszy. W publikacji wyjaśniono teoretyczne i praktyczne aspekty zarządzania rozwojem miast, integrując wielopłaszczyznową i wieloaspektową problematykę zarządzania miejskiego. Książka jest adresowana do osób zainteresowanych zarządzaniem współczesnymi obszarami miejskimi z uwzględnieniem podejścia terytorialnego – zarówno do władz samorządowych, instytucji działających na rzecz rozwoju lokalnego, jak i do studentów.

The present catalogue is the second of three volumes which record the books printed before 1801 currently held by the legal historical section of the Biblioteca di Scienze Sociali of the Università degli Studi di Firenze. This volume encompasses 2,424 editions published between 1601 and 1700. The present Florence library is the successor to that of the Facoltà di Giurisprudenza, the nucleus of which is the historic collection of the Collegio degli Avvocati di Firenze acquired in 1924. Supplemented by further important acquisitions, including the library of the Corte d'Appello, the collection has come to be numbered among the foremost in its field in Italy. The 17th century volume reflects primarily the Jurisprudence of the Baroque, the vast production of the jurists of Spain and Italy, but is by no means lacking in editions of the foremost jurists of contemporary Northern Europe.