Search results for ""nova""

Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer with a wide variety of applications. Researchers are continually finding new opportunities for the use of polypropylene, as discussed in the five chapters of this book. Chapter One aims to show the feasibility of post-consumer polypropylene recycling to obtain 3D printer filaments and presents some necessary characteristics of the materials used in FDM technology to ensure final parts with good properties. Chapter Two provides an overview of polypropylene nanocomposites, types of nanofiller, and their applications in the industry. Chapter Three explores the potential of polypropylene-based composites as an alternative to conventional radiation shielding materials. Chapter Four reviews polymer monoliths' recent environmental and bioanalytical application in several polypropylene tubes, such as pipette tips, syringe barrels, spin columns, and ink-pen tubes. Lastly, Chapter Five investigates the effects of calcium, aluminium and zinc stearates as pro-oxidant agents on the degradation of polypropylene bags under natural weathering.

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This volume includes seven chapters and presents some of the latest advancements in environmental research. Chapter One describes the ecological resources of forests and their ability to absorb greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change. Chapter Two highlights the procedure of using eutectic solvents in the extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants. Chapter Three suggests a holistic framework for assessing the environmental sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture. Chapter Four investigates the accountability profile for environmental sustainability of maritime protected areas. Chapter Five discusses the main urban parameters existing in regional models developed at the beginning of the 21st century: The Single-Layer Urban Canopy Model (UCM), the Town Energy Balance (TEB), and the Building Effect Parameterization (BEP). Chapter Six aims to provide information about phytoestrogens and their beneficial and adverse effects. Finally, Chapter Seven proposes two new indexes for measuring particular aspects of environmental stability and sustainable development: the available resource sustainability index and the natural green surface replacement index.

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The purpose of the book is to present the GAIRS (Global Assessment and Intervention in Rett Syndrome) Checklist, an easy-to-use, short and accessible tool for every health-care professional in order to assess all the abilities of Rett girls but also to identify patients needing next-step evaluation and treatment. Thanks to the hierarchical order of all the targets assessed in each area of the GAIRS, this checklist can be a useful instrument not only for assessment but also for intervention.

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is characterised by distressing intrusive thoughts and repetitive, time-consuming, task-oriented actions intended to counter these thoughts and reduce anxiety, represents a serious psychiatric condition and cause of disability worldwide. This book consists of five chapters that provide details on the effects of OCD and strategies for reducing its negative impact. Chapter One provides a general overview of OCD, including its neurochemical basis and treatment approaches. Chapter Two explores some of the nuisances present in working with individuals with OCD within the context of obsessive and compulsive content that may require additive elements to be considered in treatment. Chapter Three discusses the diagnostic criteria, clinical aspects, and current treatment approaches of paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome and paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections. Chapter Four describes the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with OCD. Lastly, Chapter Five explains the role that religion takes in certain presentations of OCD and informs clinicians how to differentiate between standard religious practices and compulsive behaviours.

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In recent decades, scientific insight into the chemistry of water has increased enormously, leading to the development of advanced wastewater and water purification technologies. However, the quality of freshwater resources has continually deteriorated worldwide, both in industrialised countries and in developing countries. Although traditional wastewater technologies are focused on the removal of suspended solids, nutrients and bacteria, hundreds of organic pollutants occur in wastewater and affected urban surface waters. These new pollutants are synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals that are not often monitored in the environment but have the potential to penetrate the environment and cause known or suspected adverse ecological and/or human health effects. These contaminants are collectively referred to as the "Emerging Contaminants" and are mostly derived from domestic use and occur in trace concentrations ranging from pico to micrograms per litre. Environmental contaminants are recalcitrant for conventional wastewater treatment processes and most of them remain unaffected, leading to the contamination of receiving water. This scenario leads to the need for an advanced wastewater treatment process that can remove environmental contaminants to safely monitor fresh water sources. This book explains the technologies of biological and chemical wastewater treatment processes. The biological wastewater treatment processes presented include: (1) bioremediation of wastewater that includes aerobic treatment (oxidation ponds, aerating lagoons, aerobic bioreactors, active sludge, percolation or drip filters, biological filters, rotating biological contactors, biological removal of nutrients) and anaerobic treatment (anaerobic bioreactors), anaerobic lagoons); (2) phytoremediation of waste water consisting of engineered wetlands, rhizofiltration, rhizodegradation, phytodegradation, phytoaccumulation, Phyto transformation and hyperaccumulators; and (3) mycoremediation of wastewater. The chemical wastewater treatment processes discussed include chemical precipitation (coagulation, flocculation), ion exchange, neutralisation, adsorption, and disinfection (chlorination / dechlorination, ozone, UV light). In addition, this chapter explains the wastewater treatment plants and illustrates them in terms of plant size, plant layout, and plant design and installation location.

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This edited compilation presents some of the latest advancements in the field of nanotechnology. Chapter One details the use of self-emulsifying drug delivery systems as a technique for improving drug solubility. Chapter Two describes a proposal for improving the efficiency of solar panels by harvesting heat energy as well as light energy. Chapter Three investigates the efficacy of a sensor composed of carbon nanotubes and other nanomaterials for detecting toxic phenolic compounds in the environment. Chapter Four studies the characteristics of a sensor prepared with low-dimensional metal oxide nanoparticles with a fast response towards Xanthine. Chapter Five compares different approaches to modelling of the kinetics of metal nanoparticles formation and analyses how these methods could be improved. Chapter Six deals with the use of heavy metal oxide nanoparticles for unsafe bio-chemical detection. Chapter Seven summarises the importance, properties and applications of carbon nanotubes as a potential superior adsorbent group. Lastly, Chapter Eight obtains the structural model of an electroelastic actuator for nanotechnology.

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Hospitals, just like orchestras, are made up of many "instruments" which play their notes on their own, yet within a broader symphony. If even one instrument fails in doing its part, or if the orchestra director leaves even one of them behind, the overall symphony will just not sound right and the final performance will be ruined. This book is aimed at providing practical guidance to hospital managers who are called to implement complex organizational transformations. In doing so, they must take into account a high number of managerial tools and dynamics which should not be overlooked. Failing to do so may negatively affect their long-term success in reaching strategic objectives. Hospitals do not have violins, drums, and trumpets, but they do have departments, clinical wards, clinical pathways, and functional units. Moreover, their professionals must carry out different activities such as assisting patients, reporting their actions, communicating and, more and more frequently, managing parts of the hospitals themselves. Not only physicians are in charge of these aspects. Nurses and other clinical and non-clinical professionals are co-responsible, facing frequent changes in the number and type of activities they must perform. In this context, hospital managers must design organizational charts and implement them by distributing resources and responsibilities, by setting and monitoring objectives, and by assessing the performance of units. They must motivate their staff and ensure an effective use of technology. Yet, although healthcare management is widely studied worldwide, it is rare to find contributions with such a broad and holistic point of view. Although each aspect and item of hospital management is key in reaching organizational success, the risk of overlooking one or more of them is high. Specifically, if management fails in directing all its tools towards its objectives, the chances of reaching outstanding performance are poor. Managerial tools must be used in an integrated and coherent way as multiple components of a single managerial strategy.

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Natural theology is the process of observing nature and engaging science and reason to provide evidence for God's existence by "reasoning to the best explanation". It sets aside the revealed word and engages only with the evidence supplied by science, history, and philosophical reasoning to affirm the existence of God. This book provides signposts to God from solid evidence from physics, chemistry, biology, the social sciences, philosophy, and history. This evidence has forced many scientists, including a number of Nobel laureates in science, who have thought deeply about the ultimate meaning of their work to accept Almighty God.

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What if the Big Bang was an exodus of non-existing reality into existence? In this book a theory of the reality is started from the principle that 'existing takes time' but in states of the universe there are pre-things in moments, thus non-existing, which realize in strings over specific time intervals as existing phenomena. Causality must be reviewed now and new paradigms for reality follow. The existing and observed universe are discontinuous and "limits" in mathematical models do not correspond to reality. New interpretations in evolution theory and the human condition are being investigated.

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In the context of the economic crisis, governments are under increased pressure to find quick answers to hard questions about maintaining public services and funding infrastructure. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) can be used to describe a wide variety of arrangements involving the public and private sectors working together in some way. The key elements for a PPP project are long-term contract; design construction, financing and operation of public infrastructure by the private sector party; payments over the lifetime of the project to the private sector party for the use of the facility made either by the public sector party or by the general public as users of the facility; and facility remaining in the public sector ownership or reverting to public sector ownership at the end of the PPP contract. In this book we go through this concept by analysing not only the opportunities in that field but also the trends and new perspectives. Therefore, this book captures the results of some of the recent research that is being carried out on public-private cooperation.

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VOLATILE OILS: PRODUCTION, COMPOSITION AND USES provides a comprehensive perspective on the pertinent aspects of volatile oils, their chemistry, and their different nutraceutical properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic, which can be beneficial for biochemists, chemical engineers, physicians, food and agro-technologists for the development of various products. Readers will find a deep and complete perspective regarding spices and their chemical composition. The book comprises 11 chapters which cover the various aspects of volatile oils including their historical background, their extraction methods, their chemical composition and various applications in pharmaceutical and health industries. The importance of the study of volatile oil components as "green" corrosion regulators for applications in human health with additional antimicrobial properties is also documented in the book. The use of volatile oils in dental applications is mainly linked to their antimicrobial properties, useful for preventing the infections associated with dental implants and for their ability to form polymeric nanofilms on dental implants with proven antibacterial properties. Nutraceutical and life sciences companies and R&D labs will be able to utilize the information given in this book for research and development activities related to the application of spices and proactively explore and leverage the healing, nutritive and health benefits of volatile oils. The beneficial physiological properties discussed in this book will help the pharmaceutical sector also in developing preventive measures against pathologies.

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This edited volume includes eight chapters describing recent advances in business and management studies. Chapter One studies how marketing actions can help reduce and prevent food waste in developed countries. Chapter Two examines whether advertising behaves differently over alternative phases of the business cycle. Chapter Three analyses new crowdfunding systems that are emerging in large Chinese technology companies such as Tencent and WeChat. Chapter Four looks at the influence of a graduate program on students' decision whether to pursue a career in entrepreneurship. Chapter Five introduces the Economic Value Added model to allow for a cost-benefit analysis of people investments. Chapter Six explores how altruism positively impacts a firm's performance by strengthening organisational resilience. Chapter Seven discusses how advertisers are adapting a strategy of communicating shared values, such as support for underprivileged groups, to build relationships with socially conscious customers. Finally, Chapter Eight investigates the quantitative importance of the presence of shocks to the depreciation rate of capital for the magnitude of cyclical fluctuations in Bulgaria.

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In this comprehensive work, Malekianintroduces the importance of the nobleprinciple of the population of wisdom,which relates to the far-reaching foundations of the systems of international human rights law and international criminal justice. This principle is not dependent upon the norm of inequality, nor upon the threat of use of force and the killing of millions, nor does it seek to destroy the truth in order to exploit nations. Malekiantrusts that an equitable system of international law based in wisdom can provide a forum for a deeper philosophical understanding of the value of our perception, which struggles to establish quality standards, rather than an exorbitant number of human rights provisions. If international human rights law and international criminal law do not uphold moral values, they cannot make ethically wise decisions or attain long-term legal efficiency. We may successfully increase the significance of legal disciplines such as human rights law, the law of the United Nations, and the moral capacity of the norm of perception through the magnificent power of wisdom. This book discusses original theories addressing serious questions concerning the ethical, normative, and moral values of human essence concerning a variety of issues, in order to decrease violations and increase perceptions of true humanisation. The musings on the distinctive values of this book are presented to those who are not afraid to honour the truth. Read the book with a vigilant heart and scrutinise it with an open-mind.

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The book An Introduction to Drug Carriers provides a broad overview of drug carriers. Drug carriers play medically important roles in delivering drugs to pinpointed regions in biological systems. The cell hosts most of the disorders related to diseases. Therefore, the cell is also considered the main target region for most drugs. Some of the cellular compartments, especially cell-based membranes, which are geometrically constructed with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers/boundaries, often appear as barriers against vital candidate drugs' journey to the target regions. Besides, there are off-target structures that need to be avoided for drugs to get adsorbed. Otherwise, drugs may cause unbearable off-target binding originated toxicity, which would reduce the efficacy of the drugs. Appropriate choice of drug carriers may help specific drugs to get conjugated and be delivered to their optimal target structures. Biophysical and biochemical characterization of drug carriers concerning their role as vehicles to carry certain drugs may be obtained using engineering techniques. Manipulation in the cellular sites that cause disturbances in drug delivery is another biomedical option utilized to ensure smooth drug delivery. Various theoretical and experimental techniques are utilized to address all these issues related to drug carriers. The collected chapters written by experts in the field will help the subject matter be understood thoroughly.

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In chemistry, speciation refers to the distribution of an element amongst chemical species in a system. The five chapters of this book each bring a unique perspective on this type of speciation as it pertains to marine biota, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and other areas of interest. Chapter One investigates the bioaccumulation of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in marine biota in the Egyptian coastal zones. Chapter Two scrutinizes the applications of energy and wavelength dispersive spectroscopic techniques in various materials. Chapter Three explains the phenomenon of thermoluminescence and the effect of varying readout heating rates on the dosimetric properties of TLD-100 (LiF: Mg, Ti) irradiated with 6 MV X-ray. Chapter Four focuses on the applications of different X-ray spectroscopy techniques and their use in the elemental analysis of water, coal, fly ash, and fertilizer samples. Finally, Chapter Five describes how to select the best speciation model from studies based on potentiometric measurements.

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Increasing energy demand due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the growth of the human population has prompted the search for renewable and sustainable energy feedstocks. Renewable and green biofuels, e.g., biodiesel and bioethanol, are touted as promising surrogates for fossil fuels. The first generation of biofuel feedstock is mainly derived from food sources, e.g., rapeseed oil and sugarcane, whereas second-generation feedstock is derived from inedible and waste sources, e.g., waste cooking oil and forest biomass. However, these feedstocks have several limitations such as a serious impact on the food supply chain, low productivity, and complicated pre-treatment processes. On the other hand, strategic biofuel production from third-generation feedstock, namely, microalgae, macroalgae and larvae, has opened a new direction in the renewable biofuel industries. The third-generation feedstocks offer several benefits, such as fast growing rate, less utilization of arable land and less impact on the food versus fuel feud. Thus, this book is intended to highlight the potential of these new feedstock for biofuel production as well as other applications. The book is mainly divided into three parts, which cover the discussion of upstream and downstream processing technologies of microalgae, macroalgae and larvae. This book is useful to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers in the biofuel field to understand the overall process chain and conversion technologies of biofuels from third-generation feedstock.

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This edited monograph includes eight chapters, each discussing recent advancements in the fields of medicine and biology. Chapter One provides information on the mechanisms of polyurethane degradation. Chapter Two reviews the inhibitory effect of chlorogenic acid on metabolic syndrome-related vascular endothelial cell damage, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Chapter Three investigates the development of fatigue of rat skeletal muscle under the action of water-soluble pristine C60 fullerenes as powerful antioxidants. Chapter Four discusses advances in the generation of immune cells from pluripotent stem cells and the potential of chimeric antigen receptor cells in cancer treatment. Chapter Five describes the targeted delivery of immunosuppressants. Chapter Six focuses on the in vitro degradation of biopolymers using enzymes and microorganisms. Chapter Seven reviews the risk factors for hearing loss in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and the management of such patients detected with hearing loss. Finally, Chapter Eight describes recently developed methods and tools used in physiological studies of human sensory neurons induced from human pluripotent stem cells.

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This edited volume presents recent updates in the fields of health and disease. Chapter One explores the role of nutrition in diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Chapter Two includes updated information about the role electrotherapy can play in physical therapy. Chapter Three discusses the immune factors regulating nasopharyngeal colonisation and their role in otitis media, or inflammation of the middle ear. Chapter Four carries out a review of the evaluation and treatment of physiotherapy in children with autism spectrum disorders, focusing on a clinical case of a 4-year-old girl diagnosed with autism who presented a pattern of toe walking. Lastly, Chapter Five examines two intervention programs, ecologically-based family therapy and community reinforcement approach, focusing on reducing substance use and abuse among homeless adolescents.

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Mesothelioma is a type of cancer in which tumors form in the tissue that lines the lungs, heart, stomach, and other organs. While mesothelioma is relatively rare, it represents a serious health crisis as the disease is aggressive and often fatal. This book includes five chapters that detail the treatment and prognosis of the disease as well as the factors that put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Chapter One describes the most promising emerging immunotherapy combinations for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, discussing the biological rational underlying their development as well as the issues surrounding their clinical development. Chapter Two provides an overview of malignant mesothelioma, describing the history of its diagnosis and treatment as well as the role that asbestos exposure and other factors play in its development. Chapter Three revises the role of the main inflammatory and immunological markers as prognostic indicators in malignant pleural mesothelioma and discusses the surgical effects on immune response against cancer. Chapter Four explores the main cancer markers utilized for mesothelioma diagnosis as well as the new developments in the field. Lastly, Chapter Five examines the various surgical options available for removing pleural tumors.

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Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disease caused by mutations of the MECP2 gene, includes severe to profound developmental impairments. Communicative, intellectual, and motor disabilities are usually embedded. Children with Rett syndrome are individuals with multiple difficulties. Caregivers, families and professionals face to serious daily challenges due to clinical conditions determined by Rett syndrome. Accordingly, traditional interventions may not be adequate. Customized programs based on cognitive-behavioural approaches and assistive technology setups are highly warranted. The current book includes the newest empirical contributions to tackle functional consequences of Rett syndrome. Sleep and pain disorders were targeted in Chapter One. A cross-disciplinary investigation to enhance active participation and constructive engagement of children with Rett syndrome was detailed in Chapter Two. The importance of functional activities was emphasized in Chapter Three. Communication guidelines to support communication skills of individuals with Rett syndrome were critically discussed in Chapter Four. The relevance of music and music therapy to promote positive participation was argued in Chapter Five. A selective review on the use of assistive technology-based programs in individuals with Rett syndrome was provided in Chapter Six. A case report to help locomotion fluency of an adolescent with Rett syndrome through the use of microswitches and contingent positive stimulation was presented in Chapter Seven. The book was supported by illustrative examples described by the chapters' contributors and their professional experience. Readers may find helpful insights within each edited chapter. Caregivers, families, and professionals may have a practical guide to everyday settings and environments or contexts. Clarity and readability for a large audience are undoubtedly strengths and advantages of the current volume. Although technical terminology was used throughout, both future research and practice can widely find meaningful tips and tangible suggestions to tackle daily barriers and/or obstacles in individuals with Rett syndrome and severe to profound developmental delays.

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This monograph includes seven chapters, each presenting recent advancements in the field of marine biology. Chapter One describes how the biodiversity of the Mediterranean marine environment has changed due to climate change and species invasions and proposes policy suggestions. Chapter Two discusses an integrated ecotoxicological view on elasmobranch conservation regarding chemical contamination alongside potential ecological outcomes for this group and human impacts derived from elasmobranch consumption. Chapter Three congregates information about the morphological traits of crabs to lay a foundation for a better understanding of taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, ecological studies, and the stock assessment and management of commercially important species. Chapter Four shows how foraminiferal associations are influenced by nutrients and abiotic factors that control the carbonate production in the modern outer shelf of Rio Grande do Norte, in the region of Açu Reefs. Chapter Five describes the first satellite tagging research project in the southern Gulf of Mexico for bottlenose dolphins. Chapter Six investigates the threat posed by cutaneous fibropapillomatosis, a tumor that arises on the skin or internal organs of sea turtles and affects up to 97% of this population. Finally, Chapter Seven discusses the eco-biology, exploitation and social aspects related to the common octopus along the Kerkennah Island in the South Center of the Mediterranean Sea.

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This edited volume presents various advancements in the field of environmental research. Chapter One scrutinizes the inherent value of mangrove forests from the perspectives of ethnoscience, ethnobotany, phytotechnology, and ecological aspects. Chapter Two highlights the latest research about abscisic acid biosynthesis, abscisic acid signaling pathways, and their implications in plant development and response to environmental stresses. Chapter Three assesses the policies on methane emissions of several countries, including the U.S., China, and Russia. Chapter Four describes various methods of extracting precious metals from electronic waste in detail. Chapter Five summarizes the research achievements of recent years in connection with the use of electrochemical technology for removal of volatile organic compounds. Finally, Chapter Six reviews microalgae-based processes and their relationship to carbon footprints.

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