PRICM-8 features the most prominent and largest-scale interactions in advanced materials and processing in the Pacific Rim region. The conference is unique in its intrinsic nature and architecture which crosses many traditional discipline and cultural boundaries. This is a comprehensive collection of papers from the 15 symposia presented at this event.

This collection focuses on all aspects of science and technology related to friction stir welding and processing.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 20th International GI/ITG Conference on Measurement, Modelling and Evaluation of Computing Systems, MMB 2020, held in Saarbrücken, Germany, in March 2020. The 16 full papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 32 submissions. They are dealing with scientific aspects of measurement, modelling and evaluation of intelligent systems including computer architectures, communication networks, distributed systems and software, autonomous systems, workflow systems, cyber-physical systems and networks, Internet-of-Things, as well as highly dependable, highly performant and highly secure systems.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th International Colloquium on Theoretical Aspects of Computing, ICTAC 2019, held in Hammamet, Tunisia, in October/November 2019. The 17 revised full papers presented together with 2 keynote papers and 1 industrial paper were carefully reviewed and selected from 138 submissions. The papers are grouped in topical sections on models and transition systems; real-time and temporal logics; verification and concurrency; privacy and security; equations, types, and programming languages.

This volume, which addresses various basic sensor principles, covers micro gravimetric sensors, semiconducting and nano tube sensors, calorimetric sensors and optical sensors. Furthermore, the authors discuss recent developments in the related sensitive layers including new properties of nano structured metal oxide layers. They provide in-depth insights into the unique chemistry and signal generation of copper oxide in percolating sensors and present a variety of applications of functional polymers made possible by proper imprinting. Highlights of the subjects covered include: • requirements for high-temperature sensors • carbon nano tube sensors • new sensing model for nanostructured In2O3 • bio mimetic approach for semiconductor sensor-based systems • optical readout for inorganic and organic semiconductor sensors • concept of virtual multisensors to improve specificity and selectivity • calorimetric sensors for hydrogen peroxide detection • percolation effect-based sensors to implement dosimeters • imprinted polymer layers for bulk and surface acoustic wave sensors

Mast cells are tissue-localized cells that play an important role in immunity and inflammation. Following an offensive event they act as cellular sensors that via the activation of cell surface receptors launch a cellular response culminating in the release of a whole set of inflammatory mediators and products. This response is initially destined to restore tissue homeostasis, but in case of chronic injury or deregulation also promotes pathology. To further understand the action of mast cells in their environmental context it is necessary to decipher the molecular mechanisms of their activation as well as the ensuing cellular responses. This will allow identification of new strategies to promote their beneficial actions or, at the contrary, to interfere with their pathological consequences. While in the past many studies have focused on responses engaged by high affinity IgE receptor because of its implication in the allergic response, it has become clear that mast cells can be activated by multiple types of receptors initiating an intense molecular crosstalk between receptors and signaling pathways that can either synergize, antagonize and in some cases produce new types of responses. Mast cells can indeed react with an astounding diverse array of cellular responses that sometimes are engaged selectively. This Research Topic will focus on selected articles that shed some new light on the molecular mechanisms of mast cell activation, the possible crosstalk between signaling pathways and the ensuing cellular responses that allow mast cells to act as cellular sensors in tissues.