The principal methods for the definition of thermodynamic entropy are discussed with special reference to those developed by Carathéodory, the Keenan School, Lieb and Yngvason, and the present authors. An improvement of the latter method is then presented. Seven basic axioms are employed: three Postulates, which are considered as having a quite general validity, and four Assumptions, which iden...

Parallel telescoping is a natural generalization of differential creativetelescoping for single integrals to line integrals. It computes a linear ordinary differential operator L, called a parallel telescoper, for several multivariate functions, such that the applications of L to the functions yield antiderivatives of a single function. We present a necessary and sufficient condition guaranteei...

The Law has long been recognizing that, besides natural persons, other entities socially engaged must also be subject of rights and obligations. Western laws usually recognize Corporate Bodies as having legal personality and capacity for every right and obligation needed or convenient to the prosecution of its social goals. But can we foresee a similar attribution of such a regime to software a...