Explore the vast range of titles available.

Conceived as a practical manual of morphological analysis, The Handbook of Urban Morphology focuses on the form, structure and evolution of human settlements from villages to metropolitan regions.It is the first book in any language focused on specific, up-to-date how-to guidance , with clear summaries of the central concepts, step-by-step instructions for carrying out the analysis, case studies illustrating specific applications and discussion of theoretical underpinnings tied to evidence from the field. Ideal for students as well as professionals and academics dealing with the built environment.

Latin American Women Writers: An Encyclopedia presents the lives and critical works of over 170 women writers in Latin America between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. This features thematic entries as well as biographies of female writers whose works were originally published in Spanish or Portuguese, and who have had an impact on literary, political, and social studies.Focusing on drama, poetry, and fiction, this work includes authors who have published at least three literary texts that have had a significant impact on Latin American literature and culture. Each entry is followed by extensive bibliographic references, including primary and secondary sources.Coverage consists of critical appreciation and analysis of the writers' works. Brief biographical data is included, but the main focus is on the meanings and contexts of the works as well as their cultural and political impact. In addition to author entries, other themes are explored, such as humor in contemporary Latin American fiction, lesbian literature in Latin America, magic, realism, or mother images in Latin American literature. The aim is to provide a unique, thorough, scholarly survey of women writers and their works in Latin America. This Encyclopedia will be of interest to both to the student of literature as well as to any reader interested in understanding more about Latin American culture, literature, and how women have represented gender and national issues throughout the centuries.

In The Necessity of Music , Celia Applegate explores the many ways that Germans thought about and made music from the eighteenth- to twentieth-centuries. Rather than focus on familiar stories of composers and their work Applegate illuminates the myriad ways in which music is integral to German social life. Musical life reflected the polycentric nature of German social and political life, even while it provided many opportunities to experience what was common among Germans. Musical activities also allowed Germans, whether professional musicians, dedicated amateurs, or simply listeners, to participate in European culture. Applegate’s original and fascinating analysis of Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Wagner, and military music enables the reader to understand music through the experiences of listeners, performers, and institutions. The Necessity of Music demonstrates that playing, experiencing, and interpreting music was a powerful factor that shaped German collective life.

Smart construction technology integrates artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, UAVs, and building information modeling to improve productivity and quality in construction. In road embankment earthworks, ground compaction quality is critical for structural stability and maintenance. This study proposes a methodology combining UAV photogrammetry with intelligent compaction quality management systems to evaluate surface flatness and compaction homogeneity in real-time. High-resolution UAV images were used to generate digital elevation models, from which surface roughness was extracted using terrain element analysis and fast Fourier transform. Local terrain changes were interpreted through contour gradient, outline gradient, and tangential gradient curvature analysis. Field tests were conducted at a pilot site using a vibratory roller, followed by four compaction quality assessments: plate load test, dynamic cone penetration test, light falling weight deflectometer, and compaction meter value. UAV-based flatness analysis revealed that, when surface flatness met the standard, a strong correlation was observed, with results from conventional field tests and intelligent compaction data. The proposed method effectively identified poorly compacted zones and spatial inhomogeneity without interrupting construction. These findings demonstrate that UAV-based terrain analysis can serve as a nondestructive real-time monitoring tool and contribute to automated quality control in smart construction environments.

This study evaluated the calculation accuracy of the stopping power ratio (SPR) using dual-energy computed tomography with fast kilovoltage switching (FKSCT) for particle therapy. A tissue characterization phantom with various reference materials was scanned to obtain single-energy computed tomography (SECT) images and generate virtual monochromatic images at 77 keV (VMI ) and 140 keV (VMI ), water density (WD) images, and effective Z (Z ) images. For SECT, VMI and VMI lookup tables were generated to convert the measured Hounsfield value into the theoretical SPR for a normal phantom size. Subsequently, the reference materials were scanned in small and large phantoms. The SPR was calculated using the lookup tables of SECT (SPR ) images, VMI (SPR ), and VMI (SPR ), and it was derived from the WD and Z (SPR ). In the normal-sized phantom, the overall mean difference between SPR and theoretical SPR was -0.3%, and remained below 2% for most reference materials. For the large phantom, the overall mean absolute difference for SPR (3.0%, p=0.006) and SPR (3.2%, p=0.002) for the reference materials was significantly lower than that for SPR (5.9%). For the small phantom, a significant reduction in the mean difference in the SPR calculation was observed in SPR (1.0%, p=0.001) and SPR (1.1%, p=0.013) compared with SPR (2.2%). VMI generated using FKSCT significantly improves the estimation accuracy of SPR compared with SECT. Thus, FKSCT may be used to improve the dose calculation accuracy for treatment planning of particle therapy.

This innovative and unique book is a visual guide to the buildings that surround us, naming all the visible architectural features so that, unlike other architectural dictionaries, the reader doesn't have to know the name before looking it up.

During his lifetime and for at least a century after his death, Robert Schumann and his music were commonly misunderstood. His long struggle with mental illness was well known, and as a result some of the most original and innovative features of his work were often dismissed as bizarre and irrational. In recent years, however, the rhythmic complexities and unorthodox harmonic practices that lovers of his piano music and lieder have found so appealing are now being received with more objective treatment in critical and scholarly circles. His influence on the music of Brahms and other later composers now seems obvious. The refinement of Schumann’s literary taste is evident not only in his songs, but also in the marvelous fantasy world of his piano pieces. Experiencing Schumann: A Listener’s Companion combines a concise biography of Robert Schumann with an analysis of works from the most important genres in which he worked. The music is discussed in the frame of Schumann’s eventful and ultimately tragic life, and the important influence of his brilliant and adoring—but strong-willed—wife, Clara Wieck Schumann, is also examined. A selected listening discography lists outstanding recorded performances of the featured compositions. Delving into Schumann’s most famous pieces in engaging and accessible style, Donald Sanders provides insightful analysis for dedicated lovers of Schumann as well as newcomers to his musical innovations.