This book focuses on the state of the art in worldwide research on applying optimization approaches to intelligently control charging and discharging of batteries of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) in smart grids. Network constraints, cost considerations, the number and penetration level of PEVs, utilization of PEVs by their owners, ancillary services, load forecasting, risk analysis, etc. are all different criteria considered by the researchers in developing mathematical based equations which represent the presence of PEVs in electric networks. Different objective functions can be defined and different optimization methods can be utilized to coordinate the performance of PEVs in smart grids. This book will be an excellent resource for anyone interested in grasping the current state of applying different optimization techniques and approaches that can manage the presence of PEVs in smart grids.

Cell based impedance sensing is becoming a new biophysical and cellular technology in cell based analyses. The technology has been used in investigation of cellular growth and death, cell adhesion and migration, cell invasion and cell-cell interactions, cell toxicity, angiogenesis, cell permeability, signal transduction and cellular behaviour under flow conditions. It is a probe free, highly sensitive, and versatile technology platform. Recent development in the technology has also allowed high throughput, automated analyses. It has been widely explored in chemistry, toxicity, cell biology, cancer biology, and other areas of chemistry, medicinal chemistry, life and medical science. Written by experts in the area of cell impedance sensing, including the Nobel Laureate Dr Ivar Giaever, this books covers the background of electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, their applications in cell based investigations, particularly in the area of cancer biology. This book is the first on thistechnology platform and will be a highly useful reference for molecular and cell biologists, cancer biologists, chemists and biochemists, clinical researchers who work in the areas of cell biology, molecular biology, toxicology, pharmaceutical industry, life science and medical research.

There are good reasons why the subject of electric power engineering, after many years of neglect, is making a comeback in the undergraduate curriculum of many electrical engineering departments. The most obvious is the current public awareness of the "energy crisis. " More fundamental is the concern with social responsibility among college students in general and engineering students in particular. After all, electric power remains one of the cornerstones of our civilization, and the well-publicized problems of ecology, economy, safety, dependability and natural resources management pose ever-growing challenges to the best minds in the engineering community. Before an engineer can successfully involve himself in such problems, he must first be familiar with the main components of electric power systems. This text­ book will assist him in acquiring the necessary familiarity. The course for which this book is mainly intended can be taken by any student who has had some cir­ cuit analysis (using discrete elements, and including sinusoidal steady state) and elementary electromagnetic field theory. Most students taking the course will be in their junior or senior years. Once the course is completed, students may decide to go more deeply into the design and operation of these components and study them on a more advanced level, or they may direct their attention to the problems of the system itself, problems which are only hinted at briefly at various points herein.

This book reviews the recent scientific developments on mining and metallurgical wastes-based alkali-activated materials (MMWAAMs). Enormous quantities of solid wastes are generated during the exploitation of ore deposits and the subsequent processing for materials, causing serious environmental problems. Alkali activation is one of the robust technologies that converts mining and metallurgical wastes into value-added materials and offers technological solutions for efficient stabilization of toxic components in mining and metallurgical wastes. Herein, this book presents the development of the design, processing routes, and performances of mining and metallurgical waste-based alkali-activated materials. It highlights in detail the relationships between the physicochemical characteristics of the source materials and the properties of synthesized binders. From the durability perspective, both the applicability of testing protocols and degradation mechanisms are also reviewed with significant experimental and modeling work presented. Furthermore, the transformation paths of initially toxic components during alkali activation, partitioning characteristics, as well as the assemblages of solubility-controlling mineral phases are discussed for detailed environmental compatibility evaluation. In addition, applications and perspectives for future directions of mining and metallurgical wastes-based alkali-activated materials are illustrated. By bringing state-of-the-art knowledge, this book appeals to a broad readership, particularly researchers engaged in material and environmental science, mining and metallurgical engineering, and other related fields.

This book gathers the proceedings of the eighth Future of Information and Computing Conference, which was held successfully in virtual mode. It received a total of 369 paper submissions from renowned and budding scholars, academics, and distinguished members of the industry. The topics fanned across various fields involving computing, Internet of Things, data science, and artificial intelligence.

This book covers emerging energy storage technologies and material characterization methods along with various systems and applications in building, power generation systems and thermal management. The authors present options available for reducing the net energy consumption for heating/cooling, improving the thermal properties of the phase change materials and optimization methods for heat storage embedded multi-generation systems.

The book highlights the recent research developments in biocomposite design, mechanical performance and utility. It discusses innovative experimental approaches along with mechanical designs and manufacturing aspects of various fibrous polymer matrix composites and presents examples of the synthesis and development of biocomposites and their applications. It is useful for researchers developing biocomposite materials for biomedical and environmental applications.

The seven volumes LNCS 12249-12255 constitute the refereed proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications, ICCSA 2020, held in Cagliari, Italy, in July 2020. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the conference was organized in an online event.

This book will provide an introduction to forest entomology, the principles and techniques of forest insect pest management, the different forest insect guilds/feeding groups, and relevant forest insect pest management case studies. In addition to covering 30% of the earth, forest ecosystems provide numerous timber and non-timber products that affect our daily lives and recreational opportunities, habitat for diverse animal communities, watershed protection, play critical roles in the water cycle, and mitigate soil erosion and global warming. In addition to being the most abundant organisms in forest ecosystems, insects perform numerous functions in forests, many of which are beneficial and critical to forest health. Conversely, some insects damage and/or kill trees and reduce the capacity of forests to provide desired ecosystem services. The target audience of this book is upper-level undergraduate and graduate students and professionals interested in forest health and entomology.