Search results for ""science publishers""

Diverticular disease is one of the most common problems encountered by gastroenterologists, emergency physicians and surgeons, with a higher prevalence in elderly patients and a dramatic rising of incidences in young people, which involve an increase in health care costs, according to ambulatory visits and hospital admissions. Acute diverticulitis, the most important complication of diverticular disease, has a broad spectrum of severity, which involves many treatment options, ranging from outpatient-based antibiotic treatment, or even isolated nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, to parenteral antibiotic regimen, percutaneous drainage or surgery (lavage and drainage, Hartmann procedure or resection with anastomosis with or without a diverting stoma). The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons recommended in their guidelines a routine follow-up colonoscopy after recovery from an acute episode to rule out malignancy, which is being re-evaluated in recent studies, including the alternative CT-colonography, especially in cases of incomplete colonoscopy or in high-risk patients. After an episode of acute diverticulitis, there is a significant risk of recurrence and a negative impact on quality of life. In order to decrease it, there are many treatments that are being evaluated such as fiber-rich diet, mesalazine, rifaximin, probiotics and elective colon resection, which should be decided individually. The aim of this book is to revise the current evidence about the diverticular disease and acute diverticulitis.

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These books are intended for undergraduate, graduate researchers and practitioners in computational sciences, and as reference books for an advanced computational methods course. We have included new results for iterative procedures in abstract spaces general enough for handling inverse problems in various situations related to real life problems through mathematical modeling. These books contain a plethora of updated bibliography and provide comparison between various investigations made in recent years in the field of computational mathematics in the wide sense. Iterative processes are the tools used to generate sequences approximating solutions of equations describing the real life problems stated above and others originating from biosciences, engineering, mathematical economics, mathematical biology, mathematical chemistry, mathematical physics medicine, mathematical programming, and other disciplines. These books also provide, recent advancements on the study of iterative procedures, and can be used as a source from which one can obtain the proper method to use in order to solve a problem. The books require a fundamental background in mathematical statistics, linear algebra and numerical analysis. It may be used as a self-study reference or as a supplementary text for an advanced course in biosciences, engineering and computational sciences.

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The aim of the opening chapter of Agricultural Research Updates. Volume 27 is to discuss the role of phenolic compounds in the interactions of plants with abiotic stress, with special attention paid to their antioxidant properties. The second chapter attempts to assess the sustainability level of different types of agro-ecosystems in Bulgaria. A holistic hierarchical framework for measuring the integral, economic, social and ecological sustainability of agro-ecosystems in Bulgaria is proposed. Following this, a study is presented with the goal of identifying and evaluating social and economic sustainability indices in corn production. Statistical regression models were derived to estimate summer precipitation in a single location derived using lineal backward regression techniques, and the different efficiency between the derived models was analyzed. Next, an analytical Fourier series solution to the equation for heat transfer by conduction in a spherical shell with an internal stone consisting of insulating material is presented, and an internal heat source linearly reliant on temperature is considered as a model of conduction of heat in stone fruits. The subsequent study analyses the effects of certain parameters on the baking properties of wheat in years with different weather conditions. The results indicate statistically significant correlation coefficients between protein content, wet gluten content, alveograph properties, exstensograph properties and bread loaf volume. Lastly, a summary of recent knowledge is evaluated in order to contribute to a better understanding of how farming practices affect berry composition and consequently, the sensory characteristics of raspberries.

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This book Drylands: Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, edited by Victor R. Squires, Mahesh K. Gaur and Salah Attia Ismail, fills a gap in the literature admirably. It gets away from 'species lists' and designation of species and habitats as 'endangered' or 'at risk'. Instead, it opens up discussion on a range of issues relating to the important matters of biodiversity, land management and efforts at conservation (wise use) of natural resources that support an area's biodiversity. Dryland ecologists, land use change specialists, policy makers from UN agencies or from bilateral and multilateral donors and other natural resource management agencies will find the book very useful. It is also a valuable reference book for university students in ecology, geography, environmental studies and development studies in general. Key points â¶Provides a synoptic overview of the current problems and prospects for biodiversity conservation in a changing world based on a focus on selected ecosystems across Africa, Asia and the Middle East â¶Discusses the path forward to maintain and improve dryland ecosystems, conserve biodiversity and achieve land protection This edited volume is devoted to the examination of the implications of the inevitable changes wrought by global change on the welfare and livelihoods of tens of millions of people who live in dryland-dominated regions on all continents except Antarctica. Global change is more than just climate change. The shift to the market economy and demographic factors (population growth, urbanization and resettlement) receive attention here. The implications of change (including an analysis of the drivers of change) and the role of humans as agents of these changes are canvassed. Chapters by leading experts who live and work in lands focus on examples that are drawn from a number of sources including previously unpublished studies. The key purpose is to provide an up to date and in-depth global overview of drylands and give readers insights into the status of these vulnerable biomes and to alert readers to the consequences of a loss of biodiversity to the tens of millions of people, their livestock and the myriad of plants and animals that make up dryland ecosystems across the globe. Maintenance of biodiversity ensures the continued flow of ecosystems' goods and services on which most of us depend!

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Federal agencies and our nation's critical infrastructures, such as communications and financial services, are dependent on information technology systems and electronic data to carry out operations and to process, maintain, and report essential information. Yet, cyber-based intrusions and attacks on federal and nonfederal systems have become not only more numerous and diverse, but also more damaging and disruptive as discussed in chapter 1. The IRS has a demanding responsibility to collect taxes, process tax returns, and enforce the nation's tax laws. It relies extensively on computerized systems to support its financial and mission-related operations and on information security controls to protect the sensitive financial and taxpayer information that reside on those systems. As part of its audit of IRS's fiscal year 2017 and 2016 financial statements, GAO assessed whether controls over financial and tax processing systems were effective in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of financial and sensitive taxpayer information as reported in chapter 2. Reliance on a global supply chain introduces multiple risks to federal information systems. Chapter 3 highlights information security risks associated with the supply chains used by federal agencies to procure IT systems. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) collects and maintains personal data on millions of individuals, including data related to security clearance investigations. In June 2015, OPM reported that an intrusion into its systems had affected the personnel records of about 4.2 million current and former federal employees. Then, in July 2015, the agency reported that a separate but related incident had compromised its systems and the files related to background investigations for 21.5 million individuals. From February 2015 through August 2017, multiple reviews of OPM's information security were conducted. Four reports based on these reviews were issued. The reports contained 80 recommendations for improving the agency's security posture. Chapter 4 reviews relevant documents and artifacts reflecting OPM's actions and progress toward implementing the 80 recommendations contained in the four reports, and assessed the actions against the intent of the recommendations. CDC is responsible for detecting and responding to emerging health threats and controlling dangerous substances. In carrying out its mission, CDC relies on information technology systems to receive, process, and maintain sensitive data. Accordingly, effective information security controls are essential to ensure that the agency's systems and information are protected from misuse and modification. Chapter 5 reviews the extent to which CDC has taken corrective actions to address the previously identified security program and technical control deficiencies and related recommendations for improvement. Federal agencies are dependent on information systems to carry out operations. The risks to these systems are increasing as security threats evolve and become more sophisticated. To reduce the risk of a successful cyberattack, agencies can deploy intrusion detection and prevention capabilities on their networks and systems. Chapter 6 determined the reported effectiveness of agencies' implementation of the government's approach and strategy; the extent to which DHS and OMB have taken steps to facilitate the use of intrusion detection and prevention capabilities to secure federal systems; and the extent to which agencies reported implementing capabilities to detect and prevent intrusions. Recent large-scale data breaches of public and private entities have put hundreds of millions of people at risk of identity theft or other harm. Chapter 7 reviews issues related to consumers' options to address risks of harm from data breaches and examines information and expert views on the effectiveness of consumer options to address data breach risks. While Chapter 8 considers the answer to this question: what legal obligations do Internet companies have to prevent and respond to data breaches? Then discusses several factors Congress might consider when weighing future legislation.

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At any given moment, a number of innovations in life science research occurs. There has always been an ever-increasing demand for the interdisciplinary research in life science to solve the problems of mankind. It is a challenging task to bring the fruits of laboratory level research to the commercial level for the welfare of humans. This book is an attempt to keep abreast with the recent innovations made in various fields of life science research. The book encompasses topics ranging from prokaryotic microscopic organisms to eukaryotic higher plants, distributed in fifteen chapters for the benefit of graduate and postgraduate students as well as young researchers, scientists and professionals. The book deals with topics pertaining to natural sunscreens, secondary metabolites, genome editing, molecular markers, stress biology, crop improvement, herbal medicines, plant diseases, genetic engineering, biotechnology and aspects related to ecology. This book imparts the latest innovations and knowledge in the specific fields of life sciences. In addition, it also provides details of newer and state-of-the art technology/tools employed in achieving the potential of microbes and higher plants to make products that can be readily available for the welfare of humans. An insight for future perspectives has also been provided that makes this book highly useful and a must-read for students, researchers and professionals working in the field of microbiology, botany, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, photobiology, ecology and other streams of life sciences.

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The opening of Advances in Polyamides Research briefly explains some of the basic concepts in thermoplastic elastomer materials. Next, the authors deal with fundamental concepts in the field of polyamide and fullerene-based nanomaterials. The influence of moieties on the properties of polymers is discussed in the final chapter. The authors focus on finding a global relationship between sugar-based monomer structures and properties of polyamides based on a careful analysis of existing reports.

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In this compilation, the authors review the planning of multithermal titration calorimetry experiments using triosephosphate isomerase as a case study with two of its inhibitors, 2PG and PGH, under physiological conditions and osmotic stress. Following this, the authors revisit classic and disequilibrium calorimetry by presenting and discussing raw data obtained with a thermocouple probe and a beaker filled with water and placed in an ultrasonic cleaning bath. Both calorimetric methods are compared and evaluated. A combination of temperature-dependent UV spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and circular dichroism techniques are explored for the investigation of their thermodynamic contribution to the incorporation of bulges and mismatches in duplex DNA. The authors also attempt to expound how to apply electrochemical Peltier heat to investigate the thermodynamics of electrochemical reactions and determine their thermodynamic parameters. A strict definition of electrochemical Peltier is given, and its generation and characteristics as a reversible heat are discussed. The closing chapter summarizes existing energy expenditure measurement methods, discussing their influencing factors and applicability in different populations. Considering the importance of accurate expenditure in terms of health promoting strategies, this collection provides important insight into the determinants of appropriate energy expenditure estimation.

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This book describes and discusses the various aspects of the changing "landscape" of China's industrial development within the general context of globalisation. In the past four decades, the spectacular economic growth and development of China has surprised the world. China has leapt from one of the poorest countries to the second-largest economy in the world. The development path of China's economy is different from that of any other country, thanks to its unique national system. As a country that adopted the centrally planned economy in the past, the government played a very important role in the national economy. Even until now, government planning still greatly influences many aspects of the country despite the gradual perfection of the market system. Besides the government's role, external factors coming worldwide can also be major driving forces behind the development of a national economy. For developing countries, industrial development is almost always the national priority. This book focuses its attention on the discussing of the evolution and development of China's industrial structure under the general trends of globalisation. It is always preferred that China can constantly strike a balance between its speed of overall economic growth and the soundness of the development of its industrial structure. In this book, we present the reader a true "landscape" of China's industrial development that is changing and being constantly shaped by the various driving forces coming from the current trends of globalisation. If you are one of the interested readers, we believe this book is one of the best choices for you.

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In the opening chapter the authors investigate and present the concept of internal quality assurance system implementation maturity, aiming to analyse the existing theoretical underpinnings on how maturity can be understood and approached in terms of an internal quality assurance system. Some pathways available to the higher education institutions towards the assessment of needs and the improvement of course planning, curriculum design and student guidance systems are discussed. An empirical study is presented seeking to validate the structure of total quality management construct with an objective of identifying the current total quality management practices employed as perceived by the staff of Islamic University in Uganda. The penultimate chapter focuses on a deeper understanding of the efficiency measurement and its determinants of the higher education institutions of Spain. The aim of the closing chapter is to explore the influence of a university environment on entrepreneurial activities of students and alumni in the post-Soviet context.

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This book is under the impression that the general cultivation of practical taste, and an acquaintance with the principles of the Fine Arts, are not only desirable in the light of acquirement, but must eventually prove highly beneficial to the useful arts of the country.

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The opening chapter of Bullying in Schools: Prevention, Gender Differences and Perspectives presents an investigation which may help to further cross-national bullying studies by providing clear recommendations that will help researchers to take account of culturally appropriate comparisons. Chapter two explores literature on contexts within which bullying has been documented, interrogates whether bullying is influenced by any gender dynamics, and crucially reflects on the reaction of key stakeholders within the education system, towards eliminating it. Following this, a study is presented with the objectives to identify and analyse the prevalence of poly-victims, as well as determine how the levels of moral disengagement and the various defence mechanisms that victims use to explain abusive behaviour might function as predictors of poly-bullying. Theory and evidence of how parenting influences children's involvement in bullying at school, and considers whether child gender influences this relationship are reviewed. Additionally, the relationship between bullying and suicide with special attention to specific types of bullying and gender differences are examined. The study presented in the penultimate chapter examines the theoretical justification and experimental verification various methods to ensure effective prevention and psycho-pedagogical correction of bullying in school. The final chapter outlines an exploratory study of the extent of gender based bullying occurring in an inclusive elementary school, Sekolahku-MySchool, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. In this qualitative study, two major issues facing education in Indonesia today, discrimination and bullying towards women, are addressed.

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This book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of February on national defense.

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The nation's air, land, and marine transportation systems are designed for accessibility and efficiency, two characteristics that make them vulnerable to attack. The focus of chapter 1 is how best to implement and finance a system of deterrence, protection, and response that effectively reduces the possibility and consequences of terrorist attacks without unduly interfering with travel, commerce, and civil liberties. Almost every conversation about surface transportation finance begins with a two-part question: What are the "needs" of the national transportation system, and how does the nation pay for them? Chapter 2 is aimed almost entirely at discussing the "how to pay for them" question. On 4 December 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act; P.L. 114-94). As reported in chapter 3, the act authorised spending on federal highway and public transportation programs, surface transportation safety and research activities, and rail programs for five years to 30 September 2020. Despite significant investments in public transportation at the federal, state, and local levels, transit ridership has fallen in many of the top 50 transit markets. If strong gains in the New York area are excluded, ridership nationally declined by 7% over the past decade. Chapter 4 examines the implications for federal transit policy of the current weakness and possible future changes in transit ridership. Congress created the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program to offer long-term, low-cost loans to railroad operators, with particular attention to small freight railroads, to help them finance improvements to infrastructure and investments in equipment. This program is discussed in chapter 5. The Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) carry out different approaches to rail safety oversight. FRA has a more centralised safety oversight program for railroads, while FTA's program for oversight of rail transit safety largely relies on state safety agencies to monitor and enforce rail transit safety, as established in federal statute. Chapter 6 examines (1) key characteristics of FRA's and FTA's rail safety oversight programs and (2) strengths and limitations of FRA's and FTA's rail safety oversight programs. Research sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has identified driver behaviour as the main cause of highway-rail grade crossing crashes and that factors such as train and traffic volume can contribute to the risk of a crash. Chapter 7 examines: (1) the focus of FRA's grade-crossing-safety research, (2) how states select and implement grade-crossing projects and what data are available from FRA to inform their decisions, and (3) the challenges states reported in implementing and assessing projects and the extent to which FHWA assesses the program's effectiveness.

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This book opens with a review of urban poverty in Bangladesh, analysing socioeconomic aspects of the marginal poor under three headings: migration and the urban poor, household characteristics, and neighbourhood characteristics. Next, the authors investigate the extent of poverty in rural and urban Nigeria between 2004 and 2010. They examines the contributions of growth and redistribution factors to changes in poverty within the two sectors. The analysis was based on the National Living Standard Survey data of 2004 and 2009/2010 sourced from the National Bureau of Statistics and analysed using Shapley decomposition approach. This collection also examines how the socio-economic characteristics of households influence rural poverty. The data for the study was extracted from the revised Nigerian General Household Survey data from 2010-2011, and a logistic regression technique was used to analyse said data. The authors argue that the improvement of rural access in developing countries is essential for the success of sustainable development goals, since poor access is one of the major causes of rural poverty and hampers rural development. The concluding chapter describes the experiences from a research project on modern logistic chains in the Mount Kenya region, demonstrating how small scale farmers organised, how important infrastructures such as rural roads, grading sheds and cooling devices were, as well as intermediate means of transport in combination with modern cooling logistics and communication technologies.

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Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most frequent complications after abdominal surgery as abdominal procedures are often clean-contaminated, contaminated or even dirty procedures, so long the gastrointestinal tract, plenty of microorganisms, is entered. SSI is associated with morbidity and mortality, and reduces the patients' quality of life after surgery. Moreover, it prolongs hospital stay and requires increased instrumentation, medication and complementary tests, altogether representing an economic burden for the Health Services. This has led to the development of several Guidelines and Consensus documents, including prophylactic measures to prevent SSI. Different scientific societies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Surgical Infection Society (SIS), have published recommendations for the prevention of SSI in the last years. All the documents agree with most of the recommendations. However, the evidence grade of these recommendations is often low to moderate and with the aim to generalise these measures to all the surgical procedures, the extrapolations lead to a lowered evidence power. Thus, in some cases the force of the recommendations is based on the opinion of experts in the field. The aim of this book is to revise the actual evidence about these prophylactic measures in abdominal surgery.

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This book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) during the month of December, grouped according to the topics Information Security and Technology.

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Desertification is one of the most important issues facing our societies because of its serious consequences for human health, landscape and the environment. Nonetheless, the issue has been in the eyes of media, decision makers and public opinion and it should be noted that this interest tends to be cyclical, corresponding to peaks that reflect the outbreak of emergency situations related to prolonged episodes of drought and water scarcity, in turn associated with climate changes. This volatile interest has focused on the relationship between desertification and climate change (and more generally on the biophysical factors underlying desertification), neglecting the important role played by social, economic, cultural, political and institutional factors. This role -- brought to the fore by the most recent socioeconomic dynamics at various spatial scales -- requires dedicated approaches from the scientific point of view and a less sensationalistic dissemination of research evidence. The book proposes a trans-disciplinary vision on issues of desertification and land degradation, focusing on long-term socio-ecological dynamics as an interpretative key to local systems' complexity.

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Psychology of religion, violence, and conflict resolution highlights the causes of intrareligious and interreligious violence, and proposes dual models for understanding the latter, for facilitating moral regeneration, universal peaceful coexistence, and holistic individual and collective flourishing. Religious violence, especially and paradoxically perpetrated by persons identifying with specific religious movements, has made religion an enigma, with a progressively controversial status. In other words, intrareligious and interreligious violence is associated with some of the bloodiest episodes of humankind's tragic history, and it is on this basis that understanding the fundamental causes of religious strife becomes a vital preoccupation of researchers, decision makers and the general public, beyond and above religious obeisance, or total absence of any. Furthermore, and more preoccupying, there is no space, time, or people of the world today, that are free of the modern day scourge of religious violence. Humankind all over the earth finds itself having to confront this modern day gorgon, which is faceless, non-discriminatory, and brutally ruthless, a far cry from the myth and deontology of religion as the "link between humankind and a higher source of being and goodwill." Psychology of religion, violence, and conflict resolution unveils the psychological mind-set lurking in the bloody shadows of intrareligious and interreligious violence, activated through the prisms of exclusivism, sectarianism, fundamentalism, intolerance, extremism, hate speech, virulent condemnation of heresy, all culminating in self-righteous "murders in God's Name." The work is not fatalistic and pessimistic though because it highlights the possibility of individual and collective moral regeneration via the Greater and Lesser Jihad, or self-sacrifice and selfless service, grounded in the realization of the inalienable unity of being, for the preservation and unlimited flourishing of all creation. The climax of the work is the projection of a non-mythical but highly probable and limitlessly sustainable "golden age," to be actualized when the preconditions of goodwill, peaceful coexistence, mental illumination, and selfless service become cornerstones of a holistic, universalistic, communalistic, and humanistic ethic of being, knowing, and doing. The book represents a unique and most timely contribution to research and literature on religion, violence, and conflict resolution, and is intended to become a vital resource and reference material for students, researchers, professionals, national and international decision makers, non-governmental organizations, religious and non-denominational bodies, which advocate for intrareligious and interreligious dialogue, reconciliation, peaceful coexistence, and individual and collective flourishing.

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This book is a partial review of the shift in American politics to a more radical, ultraconservative, far-right posture, among both the people and Republican congressional leadership during the Trump era. There is also a corresponding shift to the left among Democrats, and a dramatic rise, as high as 40% among Independent voters. My theme is simple. The Trump presidency and the 115th Congress was an updated Confederate government enabled by Russia. Trump and ultraconservatives allowed themselves to be sponsored and endorsed by an autocratic dictator, Putin, because Putin and his obedient oligarchs gave Trump money and power to flourish and demolish at least two pillars of democracy-the role of government and the idea of an inclusive society, while also perverting our global alliances. Additionally, and apart from Russia, the ultraconservative and Libertarian aim has always been to reduce any new legislation sponsoring social services and to attempt to disassemble existing social legislation. Other major goals are anti-government regulations and the lessening of taxes. I will describe this tension throughout this book, demonstrate some of this history, and show how it is the central element in our political dysfunction. This book is also partially a chronicle exposing Trump and the Republication-controlled Congress for willful damage to the democracy, and, in the second part, a recipe for restoring lost or mislaid values and ethics to government and its citizen constituents following the exit of Trump.

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This book is a compilation of significant reports and testimonies issued in January 2019.

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