This book is a detailed and comprehensive examination of the physical, symbolic and cultural uses of bamboo in China, where it has long had a ubiquitous presence in all aspects of the lives of the Chinese people: how and what they eat, what they wear, where they live, how they travel, as well as their productive activities, writing, religion, art and philosophy. The authors adopt the theoretical methods of culturology, axiology and semiotics to understand the implications and characteristi...

This book highlights the advances in the technology , instrumentation , method developments , and applications of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ( AMS ). It systematically introduces the principles and structure of AMS . The authors put emphasis on the new techniques and measurement methods of AMS , with detailed descriptions of its applications in the fields of nuclear science , archaeology , geoscience , biomedicine , and environmental science . The advances made by global researchers are...

Fundamentals of Matrix-Analytic Methods targets advanced-level students in mathematics, engineering and computer science. It focuses on the fundamental parts of Matrix-Analytic Methods, Phase-Type Distributions, Markovian arrival processes and Structured Markov chains and matrix geometric solutions.New materials and techniques are presented for the first time in research and engineering design. This book emphasizes stochastic modeling by offering probabilistic interpretati...

As China strengthens its links with its neighbours through its Belt and Road initiative, there is growing interest in the indigenous peoples of China’s western and southwestern borderlands. This book, based on extensive original research, considers the indigenous peoples of Yunnan province, which is a major gateway between China and the countries of south and south-east Asia. Unlike many books on China’s indigenous peoples which are written by foreigners who have lived for a while in China...

Metal-dielectric interfaces are ubiquitous in modern electronics. As advanced gigascale electronic devices continue to shrink, the stability of these interfaces is becoming an increasingly important issue that has a profound impact on the operational reliability of these devices. In this book, the authors present the basic science underlying the thermal and electrical stability of metal-dielectric interfaces and its relationship to the operation of advanced interconnect systems in gigascal...

Thermoelectric materials have received a great deal of attention in energy-harvesting and cooling applications, primarily due to their intrinsic low cost, energy efficient and eco-friendly nature. The past decade has witnessed heretofore-unseen advances in organic-based thermoelectric materials and devices. This title summarises the significant progress that has been made in the molecular design, physical characterization, and performance optimization of organic thermoelectric materials, f...

This book covers various aspects of lasers in materials science, including a comprehensive overview on basic principles of laser-materials interactions and applications enabled by pulsed laser systems. The material is organized in a coherent way, providing the reader with a harmonic architecture.While systematically covering the major current and emerging areas of lasers processing applications, the Volume provides examples of targeted modification of material properties achieved th...

What makes a good Chinese name and how does the name shape destinies and character? How do you ensure that the name is meaningful, elegant and auspicious at the same time?This book provides all the knowledge you need for devising a good Chinese name for your child.This book covers:- Creative Methods For Naming: Number of Strokes Theory, Chinese Horoscope, The Five Elements, The Eight Characters Theory, The Chinese Zodiac Theory, Chinese Idioms, Chinese Symbols and ma...

Power generation from environmentally friendly sources has led to surging interest in thermoelectrics. There has been a move toward alternative thermoelectric materials with enhanced performance through materials and structures that utilize common and safer elements and alternative mechanistic approaches while increasing processing latitude and decreasing cost. This wide-ranging volume examines this progress and future prospects with the new technologies, ease of processing and cost as maj...

Carbon-Based Polymer Nanocomposites for Environmental and Energy Applications provides the fundamental physico-chemical characterizations of recently explored carbon-based polymer nanocomposites, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and its derivatives, nanodiamond, fullerenes and other nano-sized carbon allotropes. The book also covers the applications of carbon-based polymer nanocomposite in the environmental and energy fields. Topics range from the various approaches that have been explor...

The Ancient Art of Tea is a delightful look at the philosophy, history, and culture of tea in China.The health benefits of tea, whether white, green, oolong or black, are well known in our world today. However, creating the perfect, healthy cup of tea is a process few people genuinely understand. As expert Warren Peltier explains, making an ideal cup of tea is a dynamic process that requires the right environment, clear spring water, a suitable fire to boi...

Functional Glasses and Glass-Ceramics: Processing, Properties and Applications provides comprehensive coverage of the current state-of-the-art on a range of material synthesis. This work discusses the functional properties and applications of both oxide and non-oxide glasses and glass-ceramics. Part One provides an introduction to the basic concept of functional glasses and glass-ceramics, while Part Two describes the functional glasses and glass-ceramics of oxide systems, covering functio...