Cities Under COVID-19: A Systems Perspective


Book Description

The 15 international authors of this book live in Brazil, Canada, Cameroon, China, Cuba, European Union, Finland, Gaza Strip, India, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the United States of America. The authors are linked to the International Science Council’s Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme. In this book the authors analyse the management of COVID-19, which started in late 2019, in their cities. They explain their city’s political, social and economic context, the dynamics of how the pandemic unfolded, drawing on quantitative and visual data, and their reflections on how it was managed. The book concludes with an analysis of the similarities and differences among COVID-19 outcomes in these cities. Using a systems perspective to learn from these experiences can help all cities to improve the governance of pandemics and be better prepared for likely future ones.







Planning for Urban Country


Book Description

Planning for Urban Country addresses a major gap in knowledge about the translation of Aboriginal values and Country Plans into Australia’s built environment contexts. How do you ‘heal’ Country if it has been devastated by concrete and bitumen, excavations and bulldozing, weeds and introduced plants and animals, and surface, aerial and underground contaminants? How then do Aboriginal values and Country Plan aspirations address urban environments? In this book, David Jones explores the major First Nations-informed design and planning transformations in Djilang / Greater Geelong since 2020. Included are short-interlinked essays about the political and cultural context, profiles of key exemplar architectural, landscape and corridor projects, a deep explanation of the legislative, policy and statutory precedents, opportunities and environment that has enabled these opportunities, and the how Wadawurrung past-present-future values have been scaffolded into these changes.




Designing More-than-Human Smart Cities


Book Description

Climate change, rapid urbanisation, pandemics, as well as innovations in technologies such as blockchain, AI and IoT are all impacting urban space. One response to such changes has been to make cities ecologically sustainable and 'smart'. The 'eco smart city' for instance uses networked sensing, cloud and mobile computing to optimise, control, and regulate urban processes and resources. From real-time bus information to autonomous electric vehicles, smart parking, and smart street lighting, such initiatives are often presented as a social and environmental good. Critics, however, increasingly argue that technologically driven, and efficiency-led approaches are too simplistic to deal with the complexities of urban life. Sustainability in the smart city is predominantly performed in limited ways that leave little room for participation and citizen agency despite government efforts to integrate innovative technologies in more equitable ways. More importantly, there is a growing awareness that a human-centred notion of cities, in which urban space is designed for, and inhabited by, humans only, is no longer tenable. Within the age of the Anthropocene - a term used to refer to a new geological era in which human activity is transforming Earth systems, accelerating climate change and causing mass extinctions - scholars and practitioners are working generatively by acknowledging the entanglements between human and non-human others (including plants, animals, insects, as well as soil, water, and sensors and their data) in urban life. In Designing More-than-Human Smart Cities, renowned researchers and practitioners from urban planning, architecture, environmental humanities, geography, design, arts, and computing critically explore smart cities beyond a human-centred approach. They respond to the complex interrelations between human and non-human others in urban space. Through theory, policy and practice (past and present), and thinking speculatively about how smart cities may evolve in the future, the book makes a timely contribution to lively, contemporary scientific and political debates on genuinely sustainable smart cities.




A Parrot's Healthy Dining - Go Raw!


Book Description

Choosing the right diet for your parrot is crucial to its overall health... The right diet can have a massive impact on your bird's overall health and improve their quality of life significantly. This book takes you through various topics with the most up-to-date information on avian nutrition and points out some important facts that every parrot owner should be aware of. Dr Karen Becker, DVM, explains the importance of feeding your pet bird a species-appropriate diet, and why it is best to closely mimic a bird's native diet and include an abundance of fresh, live, whole foods. Dr Jamie Abete, DVM, helps you understand why some veterinarians can be reluctant to recommend fresh foods. She walks you through the dietary needs of certain species of birds such as macaws, lorikeets and lories, eclectus, as well as explaining how important is to keep your parrot's gut bacteria in balance and the effects of supplementation with probiotics. Dr Stephanie Lamb, DVM, explains the importance of protein in your bird's diet, and how feather disorders are linked to a parrot's inappropriate diet. She describes the essentials of plant oils, why different vitamins and minerals are required in a bird's diet to ensure adequate health and longevity, and helps you understand the implications for any deficiencies and excess. Learn more about feeding fruits to your birds. Discover the nutrition profiles of parrot-safe nuts, grains, seeds, legumes and edible flowers in a handy nutrition list. Power up your bird's bowl with soaked and sprouted seeds and grains, and discover how to grow your own microgreens. All this is complemented with over 30 wholesome recipes that are both quick and easy to make, so you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen. Preparing, deliciously healthy foods for your bird has never been easier!





Book Description




General Science (2022-23 RRB)


Book Description

2022-23 RRB General Science Previous Solved Papers




Handbook of Research on Data-Driven Mathematical Modeling in Smart Cities


Book Description

A smart city utilizes ICT technologies to improve the working effectiveness, share various data with the citizens, and enhance political assistance and societal wellbeing. The fundamental needs of a smart and sustainable city are utilizing smart technology for enhancing municipal activities, expanding monetary development, and improving citizens’ standards of living. The Handbook of Research on Data-Driven Mathematical Modeling in Smart Cities discusses new mathematical models in smart and sustainable cities using big data, visualization tools in mathematical modeling, machine learning-based mathematical modeling, and more. It further delves into privacy and ethics in data analysis. Covering topics such as deep learning, optimization-based data science, and smart city automation, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists, civil engineers, government officials, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.




Managing Machine Learning Projects


Book Description

Guide machine learning projects from design to production with the techniques in this unique project management guide. No ML skills required! In Managing Machine Learning Projects you’ll learn essential machine learning project management techniques, including: Understanding an ML project’s requirements Setting up the infrastructure for the project and resourcing a team Working with clients and other stakeholders Dealing with data resources and bringing them into the project for use Handling the lifecycle of models in the project Managing the application of ML algorithms Evaluating the performance of algorithms and models Making decisions about which models to adopt for delivery Taking models through development and testing Integrating models with production systems to create effective applications Steps and behaviors for managing the ethical implications of ML technology Managing Machine Learning Projects is an end-to-end guide for delivering machine learning applications on time and under budget. It lays out tools, approaches, and processes designed to handle the unique challenges of machine learning project management. You’ll follow an in-depth case study through a series of sprints and see how to put each technique into practice. The book’s strong consideration to data privacy, and community impact ensure your projects are ethical, compliant with global legislation, and avoid being exposed to failure from bias and other issues. About the Technology Ferrying machine learning projects to production often feels like navigating uncharted waters. From accounting for large data resources to tracking and evaluating multiple models, machine learning technology has radically different requirements than traditional software. Never fear! This book lays out the unique practices you’ll need to ensure your projects succeed. About the Book Managing Machine Learning Projects is an amazing source of battle-tested techniques for effective delivery of real-life machine learning solutions. The book is laid out across a series of sprints that take you from a project proposal all the way to deployment into production. You’ll learn how to plan essential infrastructure, coordinate experimentation, protect sensitive data, and reliably measure model performance. Many ML projects fail to create real value—read this book to make sure your project is a success. What's Inside Set up infrastructure and resource a team Bring data resources into a project Accurately estimate time and effort Evaluate which models to adopt for delivery Integrate models into effective applications About the Reader For anyone interested in better management of machine learning projects. No technical skills required. About the Author Simon Thompson has spent 25 years developing AI systems to create applications for use in telecoms, customer service, manufacturing and capital markets. He led the AI research program at BT Labs in the UK, and is now the Head of Data Science at GFT Technologies. Table of Contents 1 Introduction: Delivering machine learning projects is hard; let’s do it better 2 Pre-project: From opportunity to requirements 3 Pre-project: From requirements to proposal 4 Getting started 5 Diving into the problem 6 EDA, ethics, and baseline evaluations 7 Making useful models with ML 8 Testing and selection 9 Sprint 3: system building and production 10 Post project (sprint O)




Flaubert's Parrot


Book Description

BOOKER PRIZE NOMINEE • From the internationally bestselling author of The Sense of an Ending comes a literary detective story of a retired doctor obsessed with the 19th century French author Flaubert—and with tracking down the stuffed parrot that once inspired him. • “A high literary entertainment carried off with great brio.” —The New York Times Book Review Julian Barnes playfully combines a detective story with a character study of its detective, embedded in a brilliant riff on literary genius. A compelling weave of fiction and imaginatively ordered fact, Flaubert's Parrot is by turns moving and entertaining, witty and scholarly, and a tour de force of seductive originality.