Search results for ""nova""

The federal government pays benefits to coal miners affected by coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP, commonly referred to as black lung disease) and other lung diseases linked to coal mining in cases where responsible mine operators are not able to pay. This book looks at the Mine Safety and Health Administration's coal dust rules and provides background information and policy options concerning the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.

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Religious books, especially the Bible, include many plants and herbs which have been used as traditional medicines for thousands of years. Aloe vera (John 19:39-40), Anise (Matthew 23:23), Balm (Ezeiel 27:17, Genesis 37:25, Genesis 43:11, Genesis 37:25, Jeremiah 8:22, Jeremiah 46:11, Jeremiah 51:8), Bitter herbs such as Coriander seed, Cilantro root, Wild lettuce, Wild endives (Exodus 2:8, Exodus 12:8), Cassia (Exodus 30:24, Ezekiel 27:19, Psalms 45:8), Cinnamon (Exodus 30:23), Cumin (Isaiah 28:25), Fig (Judges 9:10-11, Numbers 13:21-23, Numbers 20:5, Deuteronomy 8:7-9, 1 Samuel 30:11-12, Nehemiah 13:15, 1 Samuel 25:18, 2 Samuel 16:1, 1 Chronicles 12:40, 2 Kings 20:107, Genesis 3:6-7, Isaiah 38:21, and etc.), Flax (Leviticus 6:10), Frankincense (Matthew 2:10-11, Exodus 30:24), Garlic (Numbers 11:5-6), Hyssop (1 King 4:33, Psalm 51:7), Mandrake (Genesis 30:14, Song of Songs 7:13), Milk thistle (Genesis 3:18), Mint (Luke 11:41, Matthew 23:23), Mustard seed (Luke 17:6), Myrrh (Esther 2:12, Genesis 43:11, Proverbs 7:17), Nard (Song 1:12, Song 4:13, Song 4:14, Mark 14:3, John 12:3), Pistachio nuts and Almond (Genesis 43:11), Saffron (Song of Solomon 4:14), and Turmeric (Song of Solomon 4:14-15) are important medicinal plants which have been mentioned in the Bible. In recent years, the use of herbal medicines and their natural products has increased rapidly across the world. The aim of this manuscript is to review the notable health benefits and pharmaceutical advantages of medicinal plants and herbs which have been mentioned in the Bible.

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In the context of healthcare in the United States, a pre-existing condition is a medical condition that started before a person's health insurance went into effect. A pre-existing condition can be something as common as high blood pressure or allergies, or as serious as cancer, type 2 diabetes, or asthma-chronic health problems that affect a large portion of the population. Americans with pre-existing conditions need health insurance. This book looks at the legislation concerning pre-existing conditions.

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This book addresses one of the most fundamental questions in biology today. The book targets readers with little expertise as well as the experts in Glycoscience. Sugars are electroneutral. However, linking sugars to sugars, or attaching sugars to proteins or lipids changes the structural and functional identities of the glycoconjugate, and enables to form cellular networks of 4Gs [i.e., glycoproteins (N-linked or O-linked), glycosphingolipids, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)]. These glycans (i) support growth, proliferation and differentiation of cells and tissues; (ii) protect cells from foreign invasions including bacteria, viruses, parasites as well as from changes in the extracellular environment; (iii) act as biomarkers and participate in transmembrane signalling. The glycans are not ubiquitous but they are tissue/species specific. Structurally, the glycans are diverse, and form linear to highly branched structures. This diversity is present not only across the species but also within cells of the same species, i.e., the glycoforms. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometric (MS) studies (i.e., Glycomics) have evaluated and contributed significantly in delineating the structural diversity of glycans. Glycomics, in fact, has helped in overcoming many earlier technological barriers which were otherwise very laborious and time consuming. Plant lectins being carbohydrate binding proteins with a high degree of sugar specificity have been useful tools to characterize the carbohydrate structures they recognize. The glycan structures complement their biosynthetic processes. Because of the highly compartmentalized nature of the process, the glycans move between compartments during their assembly. This is believed to be mediated by vesicular structures but the participation of exosomes cannot be ruled out. A large number of genetic disorders [gangliosidosis, mucopolysaccharidoses, congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG)] are due to abnormal glycan synthesis or degradation. Disproportionate expression of glycans is also found in diseases like cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes, metabolic syndromes, and infection. This raises questions about the regulatory principle(s) in glycan biosynthesis. There is no template for glycan chain synthesis, elongation, processing or termination. The cells/tissues follow a highly conserved mechanism. The assumption is glycosylation uses donor and acceptor interactions as the driving force. Increased or decreased synthesis of glycans in response to the environmental change influence cell function, i.e., growth, survival or death favour of a "push-pull" hypothesis. In the absence of a genetic code for sugars, the assembly as well as the processing of glycan chains are controlled by the Glycome. Unlike the genome, the Glycome is hidden for the normal eye but its communication skills with the cellular microenvironment and genome for glycan synthesis and degradation are enormous. Seventeen chapters in the book are dedicated to walk the readers through the diversities of the Glycome. The authors have used mammalian, microbial and plant systems to achieve the desired goal.

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This monograph comprises a unique compilation of 12 chapters representing original research of the authors and supported by a comprehensive review on the topic. All chapters are well-illustrated, well-tabulated, linguistically lucid and easy to understand. The uniqueness of this monograph lies in the fact that it elucidates some of the most cited strabismus research in the last two decades which has led to fundamental changes in the understanding of ocular misalignment and its management, all within one cover. In doing so, it provides a synopsis of research articles covered in at least 50 journals, thus aiding both the novice and the experienced strabismologist in accessing easily available literature on the subject, by the same authors of those research articles. The contributors are from many countries - Argentina, Brazil, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States of America - thus assimilating different practice patterns and research styles in one book. Conforming to the theme of strabismus prevalence, recognition and management, the monograph overviews certain "newer" forms of "neuro-anatomical" strabismus associated with abnormal orbital anatomy and connective tissue morphology like age-related strabismus (sagging eye syndrome) and myopic strabismus, provides the constellation of symptoms and signs of ocular misalignment associated with brain injury, updates the readers on the genetics of strabismus, describes newer imaging modalities that have been used in strabismus diagnostics like optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and high resolution surface coil orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), elucidates innovative experimental studies delineating the normal and abnormal physiology of ocular movements, emphasizes certain unique strabismus surgical modalities that have gained popular attention in this decade, namely lateral rectus split with nasal transposition as well as rectus extraocular muscle plication and also provides a vast and extensive overview of the pharmacological management of strabismus with botulinum toxin type A (BTXA). It is anticipated that this unique compendium finds a place in the academic arsenal of all strabismologists as a ready reference book.

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In the first chapter of this compilation, the author reviews the sorption properties of magnetite with respect to hexavalent chromium ions and the possibility of its use as a sorbent for removing these toxic ions from contaminated aqueous solutions. In the second chapter, the authors summarize the importance of oxadiazole in medicinal chemistry for the management of various diseases. The third chapter discusses the developing technology of carbon capture and storage, a technique to reduce the impact of greenhouse gases, and how ionic liquids can be leveraged in this context. Following this, the authors describe how methanol to gasoline processes, specifically those using zeolites and zeolite-based catalysts, provide a viable alternative route for gasoline production. The final chapter proposes a revision of the standard model of photosynthesis based on new understanding generated through gravitational mass spectroscopy.

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Congress has guided and shaped the U.S role in the current international human rights architecture, which grew out of the atrocities and destruction of World War II. The United Nations (U.N.) Charter, signed in 1945, included broad expressions of support for human rights and fundamental freedoms. This book addresses human rights issues.

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Fixed-point theory initially emerged in the article demonstrating existence of solutions of differential equations, which appeared in the second quarter of the 18th century (Joseph Liouville, 1837). Later on, this technique was improved as a method of successive approximations (Charles Emile Picard, 1890) which was extracted and abstracted as a fixed-point theorem in the framework of complete normed space (Stefan Banach, 1922). It ensures presence as well as uniqueness of a fixed point, gives an approximate technique to really locate the fixed point and the a priori and a posteriori estimates for the rate of convergence. It is an essential device in the theory of metric spaces. Subsequently, it is stated that fixed-point theory is initiated by Stefan Banach. Fixed-point theorems give adequate conditions under which there exists a fixed point for a given function and enable us to ensure the existence of a solution of the original problem. In an extensive variety of scientific issues, beginning from different branches of mathematics, the existence of a solution is comparable to the existence of a fixed point for a suitable mapping. The book "Fixed Point Theory & its Applications to Real World Problems" is an endeavour to present results in fixed point theory which are extensions, improvements and generalizations of classical and recent results in this area and touches on distinct research directions within the metric fixed-point theory. It provides new openings for further exploration and makes for an easily accessible source of knowledge. This book is apposite for young researchers who want to pursue their research in fixed-point theory and is the latest in the field, giving new techniques for the existence of a superior fixed point, a fixed point, a near fixed point, a fixed circle, a near fixed interval circle, a fixed disc, a near fixed interval disc, a coincidence point, a common fixed point, a coupled common fixed point, amiable fixed sets, strong coupled fixed points and so on, utilizing minimal conditions. It offers novel applications besides traditional applications which are applicable to real world problems. The book is self-contained and unified which will serve as a reference book to researchers who are in search of novel ideas. It will be a valued addition to the library.

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When we focus on children and adolescents younger than 18 years, we have an opportunity to intervene through policy and practice aimed at improving the quality of life and opportunities to thrive. Through evidence-informed decisions and interventions we have the opportunity to shift a generation of children and adolescents, and transform a society. Children living on the African continent tend to live within diverse, and often challenging environments. These community and familial environments in which children and adolescents come from, are also the context and environments which fosters growth and development. This book, Child in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, presents studies of children living on the African continent, covering various developmental stages which include children in their early years of life, middle childhood and adolescence -- all living in different environments on the African continent. Using mixed methods approaches and backed by rigorous methods the book covers topics such as child and adolescent mental health, parenting, children and disability, parenting in adversity, the impact of dental caries on early childhood development, adolescent identity in post-apartheid South Africa, hookah pipe use and relational aspects to families, young fathers, and intervening in adolescent health risk behaviour. The book presents interesting debates and discussions focused on the child in Africa, aimed to inform both policy and practice.

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Big Data Analytics is a field that dissects, efficiently extricates data from, or in any case manages informational indexes that are excessively huge or complex to be managed by customary information preparing application programming. Information with numerous cases (lines) offers more noteworthy factual force, while information with higher multifaceted nature may prompt a higher bogus disclosure rate. Enormous information challenges incorporate catching information, information stockpiling, information investigation, search, sharing, move, representation, and questioning, refreshing, data security and data source. Large information was initially connected with three key ideas: volume, variety and velocity. Consequently, huge information regularly incorporates information with sizes that surpass the limit of conventional programming to measure inside a satisfactory time and worth. Current utilisation of the term enormous information will in general allude to the utilisation of predictive analytics, user behaviour analytics, or certain other progressed information investigation techniques that concentrate an incentive from information, and sometimes to a specific size of informational index. There is little uncertainty that the amounts of information now accessible are undoubtedly enormous, however that is not the most important quality of this new information biological system. Investigation of informational indexes can discover new relationships to spot business patterns or models. Researchers, business-persons, clinical specialists, promoting and governments consistently meet challenges with huge informational collections in territories including Internet look, fintech, metropolitan informatics, and business informatics. Researchers experience constraints in e-Science work, including meteorology, genomics, connectomics, complex material science reproductions, science and ecological exploration. The main objective of this book is to write about issues, challenges, opportunities, and solutions in novel research projects about big data in various domains. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to: efficient storage, management and sharing large scale of data; novel approaches for analysing data using big data technologies; implementation of high performance and/or scalable and/or real-time computation algorithms for analysing big data; usage of various data sources like historical data, social networking media, machine data and crowd-sourcing data; using machine learning, visual analytics, data mining, spatio-temporal data analysis and statistical inference in different domains (with large scale datasets); Legal and ethical issues and solutions for using, sharing and publishing large datasets; and the results of data analytics, security and privacy issues.

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Reports of hate crimes have been steadily increasing over the past several years, particularly against certain groups; there were reports of 6,121 incidents in 2016 and 7,175 incidents in 2017 (a 17 percent increase). Hate crime experts are unsure if this increase reflects a rise in hate incidents, a willingness on the part of victims to report, or better reporting practices by law enforcement (or a combination of these factors); regardless, these crimes have lasting and far-reaching effects for victims, their communities, and for the nation.

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This book comprises four chapters, each of which examines public debt from a specific economic perspective. Chapter 1 studies potential fiscal externalities of the public debt in the framework of a monetary union. Chapter 2 examines the theoretical literature concerning how and if public debt impairs economic growth and finds no univocal and straightforward answer. Chapter 3 discusses the economic impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and addresses the question of whether limits to public debt ought to be respected or disregarded in the face of huge unemployment, collapsing tax revenues, and generous public expenditure programs. Lastly, Chapter 4 analyzes the response of central banks in emerging inflation targeting countries with floating exchange rates to changes in public debt.

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Hip arthroscopy has seen significant developments in the last 25 years. Until a decade ago, it was considered an emerging surgical technique, but today it is an established and effective treatment for various hip pathologies. The development of hip arthroscopy is strictly linked with the evolution of the concept of femoroacetabular impingement. The description of this new pathology and the open surgical treatment described by Professor Ganz were actually the basis for the development of hip arthroscopy. Femoroacetabular impingement is, nowadays, the main indication for hip arthroscopy. Femoroacetabular syndrome should be regarded as a triad of symptoms, clinical signs and imaging findings. The goal of the treatment, in these cases, should not be simple anatomic correction but to obtain a hip without impingement in the normal range of motion. In addition, labrum, cartilage, capsule and soft tissues should be evaluated and lesions should be treated. In particular, the role of the labrum has been investigated during the last several years and several techniques for labral repair and labral reconstruction have been developed. Despite the progress in diagnosis and treatment of several hip pathologies, the exact indications of hip arthroscopy are still debated. Defining the limits for arthroscopic treatment in cases of advanced osteoarthritis, bone deformity and periarticular soft tissues pathologies is one of the goals of current investigations concerning hip arthroscopy. This book is intended as a guide to the innovation and development in hip arthroscopy over the last 10 years ranging from an update of the surgical indications to rehabilitation after hip arthroscopy. In every chapter, an expert in hip arthroscopy discusses a specific subject focusing on latest trends and surgical techniques. Attention is focused especially on surgical indications, patient positioning and approaches, labral and capsular management, ischiofemoral impingement management, extra-articular pathologies, trauma and finally post-operative rehabilitation.

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This monograph is, as far as the author has gathered, the third one of its kind which presents various characterisations of many important continuous distributions. It consists of two chapters. The first chapter lists cumulative distributions and probability density functions of six hundred and sixty-seven newly proposed univariate continuous distributions. Chapter Two consists of four sections. Section 2.1 provides characterisations of the majority of the distributions mentioned in Chapter One, based on the ratio of two truncated moments. Section 2.2 takes up the characterizations of some of these distributions in terms of their hazard functions. Section 2.3 deals with the characterizations some of these distributions based on their reverse hazard functions. Characterizations of some of these distributions based on the conditional expectations of certain functions of the random variable are presented in Section 2.4. As pointed out in our previous Monographs (I & II), a good number of proposed distributions in this volume have already been introduced in the literature.

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Human trafficking (also known as trafficking in persons) refers to the subjection of men, women, or children to exploitative conditions that may be tantamount to modern-day slavery. It imposes social and public health costs and undermines government authority. This book looks at human trafficking issues.

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This book comprises three chapters that each approach the subject of emerging adults from a different perspective. Chapter One examines the impact that parental involvement has on the personal development of emerging adults in China, with a specific focus on mental health, romantic involvement, and peer relationships. Chapter Two discusses the challenges faced by East Asian American girls and emerging adults and the protective factors that help mediate the core challenges this population faces. Lastly, Chapter Three provides a comprehensive literature review from a cross-cultural comparative perspective of the complicated pathways emerging adults face today and identifies key protective buffers and predictors that promote mental health, self-competence and identify achievements that lead to a more successful emergence into early adulthood.

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Bacterial infections have become more difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat due to antibiotic resistance, which occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the available drugs designed to kill them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year, 2 million Americans become sick with antibiotic-resistant infections, and of that, about 23,000 die. This book examines the challenges related to antibiotic resistance, the development and use of diagnostic testing to identify antibiotic resistance, the development of treatments for resistant infections, and appropriate antibiotic use.

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How They Succeeded is the life-stories of successful men and women Each story contains the elements that make men and women successful; and they are intended to show that character, energy, and an indomitable ambition will succeed in the world, and that in this land, where all men are born equal and have an equal chance in life, there is no reason for despair.

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Market-oriented reforms initiated four decades ago have constantly fueled a high speed of development in China. The country's industrial structure has experienced rapid evolution. In the meantime, especially in the general context of globalization, China has also opened to foreign trade and foreign direct investment, transforming itself from a virtually completely closed economy into a major trading nation and the largest developing-country destination for foreign direct investment in the world. Human capital is thought to be one of the key factors that shape the transformation of the Chinese economy. With different human capital intensities, uneven development is one major issue in the process of China's industrial transformation under new trends of globalization. Substantial disparities across different Chinese regions, e.g. the gaps in regional industrial development and those in incomes and living standards have been one prominent feature of China, and are closely related to different speeds of human capital accumulation. This book therefore aims to explore the potential and actual mechanisms through which human capital accumulation and human capital intensity may affect industrial development and development disparities in China. The book is able to provide the readers with new facts and new findings that shed light on their understanding of important issues related to human capital and economic transformation of China.

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The subjective depends on the situation, the people involved, the time, and the environment. The objective is true for all situations, all people, all times, and in all environments. Many issues are uncontrovertibly subjective. However, is anything objective? Current intellectual secular culture (which includes Post-Modernism, Post- Modernity, Atheistic Existentialism, Pragmatism, and Post-Structuralism) claims that there are no objective truths (everything is subjective) and that each individual can pick his or her own goals and values. This book investigates the inadequacies of this secular approach when dealing with the purpose of life and the problem of evil by contrasting the behavioral imperatives of secular culture with what the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Theravada Buddhism say. If everything is subjective then each individual does not have inherent worth. "Inherent worth" implies an objective value â a value that is not determined by the situation. The notion that everyone has inherent worth is the foundation on which lying, stealing, murder, rape, adultery, and genocide are judged as "wrong." If everything is subjective then we cannot condemn Adolf Hitler for wanting to kill all the Jews or for one group of people for wanting to enslave all of another group. There are two important consequences of current intellectual secular culture's rejection of all objective values. First, by interpreting everything as subjective and self-centered, current intellectual secular culture cannot provide purpose to life that is bigger than the individual. In contrast, the five religions considered in this book demand that people embrace goals that are bigger than their self-centered desires. Second, current intellectual secular culture's rejection of all objective values makes it impossible to condemn some acts as evil. When evil is not condemned, it thrives. The five religions examined do condemn evil and provide answers to the following "problem of evil." If God is all good than He would not want the innocent to suffer. If God is all powerful, He could prevent the innocent from suffering. We notice that many innocent people suffer in this world Thus God must either not be all good or not all powerful. This is a particularly difficult problem for the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) because they affirm an all-powerful and all-good God. This is less of a problem for Hinduism and Buddhism because these eastern religions believe in reincarnation. Under reincarnation, what may look like an innocent suffering is actually a guilty person paying for his or her evil deeds from this or a previous life. However, the sacred texts for all five religions provide answers to this problem, but not the answers that we often hear from theologians. This book aims at satisfying some of humanity's greatest needs â the need for purpose and the need for an answer to why innocents often suffer.

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Every year a large number of chronic patients undergo dialysis at dialysis departments in the Slovak Republic. Each one of them is connected to the artificial kidney 100 to 160 times. The most valuable property of these patients is a quality and long-term functioning arteriovenous fistula since it is one of the essential conditions for successful dialysis. The surgeon who creates arteriovenous access must thoroughly examine the patient before the operation, properly evaluate the vascular system and choose the most favourable way of the vascular access for long-term haemodialysis. Patients with chronic renal failure have impaired haemostasis, several of them have diabetes and their vascular system is affected by atherosclerosis. Determination of the operational plan and optimal vascular access is strictly individual and depends not only on the vascular system of the patient but also on the general condition, age and prognosis of the disease. A quality arteriovenous fistula should conform to the requirements of the simplest and the shortest operation as possible, using local anaesthesia. Underestimation of any fact can result in the creation of many non-functional AV fistulas. AV fistulas operations for the purpose of long-term haemodialysis are an integral part and one of the most problematic issues of Vascular Surgery. There are more and more patients who are in the long-term haemodialysis program. The average age of patients is increasing. All these factors have resulted in the need to create more and more AV fistulas because their usability is limited. The correct operational tactics, individual approach to the patient and precise surgical technique of the vascular surgeon contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of sick patients, of whom only a small percentage is so lucky that the disease is cured by successful kidney transplantation.

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Climate change and extreme weather events present risks to our communities and communities around the world. Experts have warned that climate change would lead to more intense storms, extended droughts, longer wildfire seasons that burn hotter and cover larger areas, greater seasonal temperature extremes, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and rising sea level. This book discusses ways to help communities better adapt to these changes.

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Chapter 1 focuses on taxonomic, cultivation and the pharmacological and other uses of Origanum species. In Chapter 2, Origanumâs role in synthesising the metal nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide,palladium, silver, gold, palladium nanoparticles supported on magnetic graphene oxide has been discussed in detail. Hence, researchers are using Origanum as a precursor in plant-mediated synthesis. In the last chapter, the authors discuss Origanum, the Turkish spice, which has a history dated back to centuries. This herb has found wide applications due to the presence of primary and secondary metabolites.

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This is a book which examines and explores the discoveries as well as the lives of twenty-five stellar scientists who have all contributed in different ways to the field that we know today as "molecular biology". The book covers a vast timeline from the last century to present day advances and concerns such as viral replication and transmission. The book examines the foundational structures of the field as well as how many scientists and basic scientific knowledge has contributed to our current understanding. Beginning with DNA (as hereditary material) and evolving into recombinant DNA and replication and somatic DNA, the book covers the way in which scientists have examined and explored these realms and some of the resultant discoveries which have led to the Nobel Prize. Nobel prize winners are not born, but they are made -- they are made from years of education, years of familial nurturance, years of mentoring by other scientists (either formally or informally) and of course by luck, chance, fate and surreptitious encounters. Some of our scientists have spent years studying the fruit fly (drosophila), fly genetics, mutations, replications, and of course, genes, gene replication, split genes and "jumping genes". For those seeking an overview of the field of molecular biology this text will provide an overview of the lives of those who have delved most deeply into these issues and those whose discoveries have resulted in the Nobel Prize. The test is certainly relevant in today's world as we encounter and challenge the dreaded ever evolving virus known as Covid-19 which seems intent on replicating, changing, evolving and challenging mankind and our scientific community.

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With a history of attracting French tourists since the 19th century and particularly during the colonial period, Vietnam has re-emerged as one of the most popular Asian destinations for the French. A number of factors augur well for a further increase in visitation. As a former colony, Vietnam has nostalgic appeal for many French visitors. After the release of the films L' lndochine, L 'amant, Le Cyclo, Papaye Vert, and the documentary-drama Dien Bien Phu in 1993, France became the main tourism source market for Vietnam. As the ethnic composition of France has changed, the French are interested in learning about cultures generally and Asian cultures, in particular. The prospect of discovering new destinations and cultures encourages them to travel long-haul. They are quality conscious and culture loving, and prefer to use their own language when traveling overseas, favouring their own cuisine even though they do enjoy the cuisine of the host countries .Travel to Vietnam offers the prospect of fulfilling a number of their preferences. Another attraction for French tourists is that Vietnam is a member of the Francophone Community. Since 1988, the French legacy has experienced a resurgence with the renovation of colonial-style properties and restaurants. Tourists have been impressed by the French-style architecture, accommodation and cuisine that is available. Despite Vietnam's long history of contact with France, Vietnamese service providers are relatively ignorant about Western countries, their people and their values. Up to now Vietnam's tourism authorities have paid little attention to the role of cultural understanding in the tourism development process and Vietnam's overseas tourism promotions have given minimal acknowledgement of the cultural characteristics of source markets including those conducted in France. Servicing French tourists is likely to be a challenge for Vietnamese service providers because of the substantial differences between the respective host and guest cultures and rules of behaviour. International tourism generally involves a cross-cultural component, particularly in the case of encounters between tourists and service providers. If it is accepted that the cultural values of Western travellers are different, it seems reasonable to conclude that the Vietnamese service providers need to consider the effect of this cultural dissimilarity on touristâhost mutual perceptions and social interaction in the intercultural service encounters. An understanding of areas of potential tourist dissatisfaction may assist the service providers to anticipate prospective negative perceptions and to address them, thereby contributing to overall holiday satisfaction, and improve the prospects of repeat visitation. It is common for destinations to attract visitation from different source countries and cultures. Nonetheless, consumer behaviour literature on cross-cultural perceptions and interaction have been largely limited to homogeneous sample populations from Western countries. Furthermore, until now there are no published studies have specifically examined touristâhost service encounters interaction and mutual perceptions in the context of Vietnam as a holiday destination. Consequently, this research has both practical and academic significances. From the theoretical perspectives, this study provides an augmented comprehension on Argyle's, Rokeach and SERVQUAL models. From the practical standpoints, this study offers service managers and marketers a heightened understanding of cross-cultural awareness for improving customer satisfaction. It acclaims an evidence base that can guide provision to meet the needs of international tourists with particular reference to the impact of rules of behaviour on touristâhost service encounters interaction. It accentuates the effect of cultural backgrounds on tourists' perceptions towards and satisfaction with service quality. By this means, it applies the empirically based models to development related challenges confronting the tourism sector in the cross-cultural settings for designing appropriate strategies with the aim of gaining a competitive advantage. Keywords: French Guests, Vietnamese Hosts, Cultural Values, Rules of Behaviour, Interactions, Satisfaction, Service Attributes and Performances.

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Ariadni Moutafidou, a well-known historian who wrote extensively about the history of Greece in modern times, focuses in her newest book, The Cosmopolitan Businessman, on the nineteenth century history of the Greek mercantile diaspora in its time of prominence. Drawing on a wide range and variety of research Moutafidou examines entrepreneurial networks formed across geographic boundaries in land and sea relating cultures, ideology and mentalities with economic practice and business performance. The author investigates cases of distinguished personalities and prominent Greek merchant-entrepreneurs and shipowners shedding light on their activities and ideas, and on how they appraised their business and their competitors. Vikelas, the first President of the International Olympic Committee, along with the Melas, Mavros and Basileiou families, Malta-based broker Pappaffy, an influential businessman of the British and Mediterranean economic world and a celebrated philanthropist, the Rallis, Petrocochinos and Salvagos, Syngros and the Zarifis, are only few of the many captivating figures appearing in the book. Moutafidou thoroughly looks into sources such as memoirs, literature, archives, commercial trade books, the press as well as family records and references made by rival businessmen. She compares various historical times, regions and ethnic groups, and draws useful parallels and/or differences with the Greek case. In the process, she investigates the relations between distinct, ethnic mercantile communities, using the Greek case in particular and the paradigm of leading Jewish merchant-bankers West and East, such as the Bischoffsheims, Oppenheims, or Camondos, and exploring the themes of internationalization, competition and cooperation, risk and innovation. Her method allows her to enrich our knowledge about early globalization, about the importance of liberalism, and the operation of capitalist activity. An original book, unique in its field. Historians, their students, and an interested public as well, will greatly appreciate this significant contribution to the study of economic, social and cultural history of the Greek mercantile diaspora, Europe and the Mediterranean world.

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Diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the modern world. Persistent hyperglycaemia is responsible for several complications of diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, diabetic autonomic neuropathy, diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic foot ulcer, gestational diabetes, and diabetic mastopathy. With the advancement of technology, several new drugs have been developed for treatment of diabetes and diabetic complications. Moreover, alternative and complementary medicines have also been employed to manage diabetes and its associated complications. Despite the availability of a plethora of therapeutic agents, the management of diabetes and diabetic complications is an uphill battle associated with several limitations. Various leading research groups across the world are investing billions of dollars to develop impeccable solutions for the treatment of diabetes and diabetic complications. This book focuses on the understanding of recent advancements in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications, the molecular basis of the disease and recent advancements in diabetic treatment. The chapters are specifically dedicated to different complications associated with diabetes. Moreover, recent advances in treatments and medications in clinical trials for these complications are explained. Some chapters are dedicated to the use of herbal medicines, alternative and complementary therapy and personalized medicines. Furthermore, the role of epigenetics in diabetic complications is described, as well as the role of antidiabetic drugs and their interactions. Due to its widespread prevalence, diabetes is presently considered a pandemic. This book provides contemporary information to researchers and health care practitioners about diabetes and diabetic complications, which may pave the way for designing new strategies to manage diabetes and diabetic complications. Moreover, the insights on alternative and complementary medicines will help in providing a background for inclusion of these medicines as an important therapeutic option for treatment of diabetes.

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In Chapter 1, the COVID-19 pandemic and the damage mechanisms on the cellular level which can be ameliorated with the cellular therapies is thoroughly evaluated. Previous and ongoing stem cell clinical trial data from diseases with similar symptoms is gathered. All this accumulated data and current clinical trial results indicate that the cellular therapies could be the most effective treatment option for COVID-19 patients to ameliorate the damaged tissues and save lives. In Chapter 2, the authors examine activated mesenchymal stem cells for stroke repair. Stem Cell treatment has shown recovery in animal models of stroke, indicating an improved regenerative and repair potential. Though stem cells are still being used in clinical trials, there is no evidence that they enhance recovery in ischemic stroke patients. Nevertheless, the multipotent mesenchymal stem has widely been explored for stroke recovery. AnâActivated MSC' as a therapeutic alternative to tackling ischemic stroke is proposed, thereby the activation of MSCs by cytokines, growth factors, hypoxia, pharmacological drugs, etc., could be a novel approach to improving stroke patients' responses to receiving MSCs. In Chapter 3, the potential benefits of in vitro culture of therapeutic stem cells in the presence of HB along with the ketogenic diet, whereby higher physiological concentrations of ketone bodies can be achieved in vivo, as an adjuvant to stem cell transplantation is assessed.

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Chapter 1 looks at the planting techniques of barley noting that the bidirectional planting technique had a significant effect on growth and yield of barley. Chapter 2 provides information about the molecular approaches and mutation breeding in barley. Late spring frosts and drought are the most important abiotic stress factors that definite the yield and quality performance of spring barley genotypes in breeding programs. For this purpose, the authors of Chapter 3 used in their study a total of 25 spring barley genotypes, including 20 advanced line and 5 standard varieties. The next chapter looks at the composite of barley and the health effects it has. The last chapter, the author performs a study that investigates the effects of the short-term application (1 and 5 days) of arsenic, cadmium, and lead (15Î"M, 30Î"M, and 60Î"M mixtures) on the phenolic contents of a barley species that was registered by the Trakya Agricultural Research Institute in 2014.

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This book originates from papers presented at the 2nd ICLAVE 2018 conference in Bali, Indonesia, on 5-6 November 2018, organised by the faculty of law at Universitas Indonesia. The conference aims to provide an international platform for academicians, researchers and budding students around the world to share their findings and foster future collaborations. Various topics related to the clash between law and the Industrial Revolution 4.0 were covered at the conference. The theme for the 2nd International Conference on Law and Governance in a Global Context (the 2nd iCLave) is "Law and Governance in the Disruptive Era." The term "disruptive" refers to the latest trends related to the utilization of technology, automation process, data exchange and cloud computing, and also includes the cyber-physical system, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and cognitive computing. The organiser believes that the law must deal with disruptive innovation, digitalization, and the constant development of technology concerning how to protect personal data, artificial intelligence, financial technology, and other things that accompany technological progress. There are around 30 articles in this book that discuss laws in the disruptive era from the perspectives of human rights and access to justice, adat (customary) law and Sharia law, judiciary law, and international law.

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This book presents and compares 11 software packages of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Performance measurement is done by various methods, one of which is DEA. Due to the ability of DEA models to meet practical requirements, extensive research can be conducted in the fields of mathematics, management, economics, and engineering. Therefore, during recent decades, the use of this method has been considered with significant growth among researchers. DEA evaluates the performance of Decision Making Units (DMUs) by using linear programming. Since linear programming should be solved for each DMU, performance measurement for a large number of DMUs is difficult and time-consuming. For this purpose, various software packages have been designed and developed to address these problems. Each of these software's is designed for different purposes and has different features and applications. The main objectives of this book are to introduce, express the advantages and disadvantages of each of these software packages, as well as their comparisons.

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This monograph is focused on intercultural issues, particularly in the global auto industry. The foreign direct investments (FDI) reasons are the result of globalization, of the need of growth and of achieving synergies. Most of the professionals consider that FDI is one of the most significant business phenomena in the past decades, but warn about the FDI dangers. The most challenging part of the FDI process is the integration of two entities that present different organizational and national cultures. This monograph emphasizes the relationship between culture and FDI performance in the global auto industry. The main goal of this book is to uncover intercultural issues that managers encounter during the FDI, M&A or global alliances. The expectation of the authors of this monograph is that the conclusions would help forewarn scholars and practitioners of the need to thoroughly understand the cultural issues influencing the global automotive industry. The monograph will be useful for academic researchers, postgraduate students, for MBA/Executive Education and for practitioners.

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The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was established by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and was most recently reauthorized to September 30, 2020, through a series of short-term reauthorizations. The general purpose of the NFIP is both to offer primary flood insurance to properties with significant flood risk, and to reduce flood risk through the adoption of floodplain management standards. This book provides information on key components of the NFIP.

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Chapter 1 focuses on some of the steps needed to increase the rate of growth in rice production especially for meeting the demands of population growth. Chapter 2 discusses the various conventional approaches used for rice improvement. Chapter 3 examines the role of SSR markers in breeding and improvement of rice. Following the finding that Microbispora are the dominant genus of Actinobacteria in rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants grown in a Vertisol soil from Yanco, NSW, Australia, the authors of Chapter 4 decided to test the hypothesis whether this observation was t rice cultivar- or soil-dependent. Four rice cultivars grown in four agricultural soils were subjected to comparative assessment of their root and shoot endophytic actinobacterial population diversity, employing a classical culture-dependent approach as well as 16S rRNA gene PCR T-RFLP as the culture-independent method. Chapter 5 focuses on many issues pertaining to the development of temperate and cold-tolerant rice varieties suitable for cultivation under irrigated conditions in Kashmir valley and the hills around it. We discuss the issues, the progress, and the way forward for rice research in this very significant Himalayan region where rice is a staple food. The last chapter deals with the present distribution of the pest, adult description, host plants, life history, ecology, its association with various plant pathogens, damage and effect on yield, natural enemies and management practices.

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This book illustrates the use of strategy by national and international groups using fictional case studies. The cases are fictional in the sense that the information provided was not collected using the methodology used for previous case studies about states or groups of states. Instead, the author combined characteristics and information as she saw necessary in order to make the example clear to the reader. The case studies include: an infra-national group strategizing to cope with a phenomenon, an individual, another infra-national group, a supranational group, a government or state, and a group of government or states. It also includes the study of a phenomenon, here COVID-19. The present book also differs from previous case studies to the extent that the various components of the strategy are not clearly identified. This will allow the self-taught strategist to use them to test their own skills at strategic analysis.

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Superfoods have been used for human consumption for centuries. These foods provide an important amount of essential nutrients and energy. Nowadays, the nutraceutical properties of superfoods have acquired importance due to their additional health benefits. Most superfoods are eaten in their fresh form in producing regions, but seasonality is an important limiting issue. Traditional processing technologies have been used to assure supply for the whole year, and innovative processing technologies have been developed to reach bigger markets. In this book, the authors provide information about nutritional aspects of the described foods. Additionally, the different functional properties of each food, such as antioxidant, anticancer, hypoglycemic, and cardioprotective activities are discussed. It includes information about their principal bioactive compounds, biological activities, the effects of processing these compounds, nutritional values, and sensorial properties and shelf life. The first section is focused on the properties of selected fruits, some eaten fresh, others only after a first transformation. The second section is focused on a selection of foods having been transformed before human consumption, such as cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes. Finally, the third section includes a set of products from animal and diverse origins.

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This book mainly focuses on the taxonomy and ethnomedicinal uses of plants, and the information provided can be used to identify plants while surveying medicinal plants in the region. This compilation will be helpful for researchers and students working in the field of plant science and other related fields. This textbook is divided into five chapters, and the first chapter reviews the historical aspects of India in terms of traditional knowledge. The second chapter provides a general introduction to the biodiversity of medicinal plants in Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state of India, as well as its geography, population, herbal sector status, temperature and altitudes. The third chapter reviews 600 flowering plants belonging to 108 families. Each plant is described using its Ayurvedic/Sanskrit name, vernacular/local name, botanical properties, distribution, medicinal properties, phytochemical constituents and pharmacological status. The fourth chapter discusses 14 gymnosperms belonging to four families, and the fifth chapter discusses 18 pteridophytes from two families. Photographs of selected plants are also included in a separate section.

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The well-known Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Center provides the most advanced, comprehensive, multiparametric and up-to-date biomarkers for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer's disease (AD) projects, including neuroimaging, clinical assessments, biospecimens and genetic data. Recent developments in imaging techniques, including new molecular tracers for imaging disease burden and systematic multi-modal integration, have emerged to overcome the limitations of each single modality and individual-dependent variability. The MRI-based high-resolution structural and morphological changes in the brain, such as atrophy, and the abnormal activity/connectivity patterns of the hippocampus subfields and default mode network (DMN) modulation, together with the amyloid and tau neuropathological quantification using PET molecular tracers, could be used to predict brain changes and cognitive performance declines in early AD, including transitional MCI. Finally, a generalized and integrative model with multiple biomarkers could be built to target disease progression and symptom prediction as well as to optimize patient management. Multiomics investigates metabolomic, lipidomic, genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic perspectives by presenting an accurate biochemical profile of the organism in health and disease. The Alzheimer's Disease Metabolomics Consortium (ADMC) in partnership with ADNI is creating a comprehensive biochemical database for patients in the ADNI1 cohort, consisting of eight metabolomics datasets. The vast majorities of biospecimen data provide rich biological information to the human brain at normal and dementia status. One of the purposes is to reveal the connections between disease and multiomics such as obesity, hypertension, cholesterol imbalance and inflammation risks that might lead to neurodegenerative disease. Multiomic biomarker developments in the dementia field have provided earlier clues to novel treatments that help correct metabolic dysfunction and delay disease progression. Furthermore, the assembling of multiomics-based biomarkers including metabolites and lipids, cholesterol biosynthesis, purine metabolism, lipoprotein, bile acids, and genetics as well as their relation to the pathological amyloid and tau network could improve disease diagnosis sensitivity and reveal more diverse and complementary molecular pathways to allow for the advancement of early AD diagnosis and therapeutic prevention. In this book, we report on the significant differences of multiple biomarkers from the ADNI database including neuroimaging, clinical assessments and multiomic biospecimen/genetic data in MCI and early probable AD (pAD), and elucidate the interconnections among different metrics at various domains. Classification results with high accuracies (0.95-1) for each early dementia subtype including early MCI (EMCI), late MCI (LMCI) and pAD, and better prediction of clinical symptoms is achieved with these comprehensive biomarkers. Further longitudinal changes of imaging and neuropsychological biomarkers, and inter-correlations with baseline parameters are examined for a better illustration of disease progression association. Additionally, an analysis of the post-traumatic stress disorder biomarkers is performed with high classification accuracy. With illustrative and rigorous data analyses and confirmative results, this book provides readers with a full spectrum of biomarker research for early dementia diagnosis and treatment, and helps convey the technical development and data evaluation perspectives in advanced medical imaging and various disease application fields.

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One of the major challenges faced by the world today is developing innovative and cost-effective bio-based technologies for sustaining a greener Earth, and the interactions between living beings are gaining renewed interest and value. This book describes advancements and opportunities for creating a sustainable environment for the welfare of humans with the help of microbes. Microbial activities are unique; their approaches can reduce stress on the environment, agricultural ecosystem, and soil biodiversity sustainability. A multidisciplinary view of microbial sustainability is presented in this book. Through the ten chapters, readers will find descriptions of various aspects of microbial-mediated environmental services and modern methodologies, including microbial-based bioremediation, treatment of industrial outpours, biosynthesis of nanoparticles, clean hydrogen production, therapeutics, biofuel production, and pharmaceutical applications. In terms of their physiology, metabolism and relevance as microbial models, microorganisms contribute to environmental, economic and industrial sustainability.

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A fascinating account of the first exploration of the Missouri River, the journey over the Rocky Mountains, and the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. This 2 volume book contains an accurate diary of the journey to discover the Northwest Passage, commissioned by and reported to Thomas Jefferson.

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Derived from leaves of evergreen herb Camellia sinensis, green tea is known for its significant human health benefits. Once primarily consumed in Asia and North Africa, green tea is becoming increasingly available around the world with an increase in its average annual growth. There has been a tremendous change in the consumption pattern of green tea, a prime drive of which is the increasing knowledge about and marketing of its health benefits. The most notable health benefit of green tea is its powerful antioxidant potential, which helps prevent cellular damage from certain oxidation reactions in the body at the molecular level. Green tea is attributed to health claims which include the prevention of skin cancer, lower blood pressure, the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative and kidney disorders, diabetes, respiratory distress, the inhibition of clinical and opportunistic microbial infections, and many more. The rich presence of polyphenols in green tea is likely responsible for its multiple health benefits. in vitro and in vivo epidemiological evidence suggests the importance of green tea polyphenols in exerting antioxidant activities which confer medicinal and food value. Major polyphenols found in green tea include the catechins, such as epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin 3- gallate, epicatechin, and catechin gallate. These catechins have shown promise in the promotion of cardiovascular health, the prevention of cancer, skin protection, the reduction of high cholesterol levels, diabetes, impaired immune function, diarrhoea, fatigue and infection. There is a highly significant relationship between phenolics, flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of green tea, while the amount of phenolic, flavonoids and antioxidants are the parameters depicting the quality of tea according to their biological properties. This book is an informative forum highlighting research on the antioxidant activity of green tea pertaining to its health benefits. The book is organised into seven chapters that provide a comprehensive review of the antioxidant activity of green tea and its associated health benefits. The book outlines useful information and improves the fundamental knowledge regarding the processing of green tea, its chemical components, their role as antioxidants and usefulness as nutraceuticals.

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Convective heat transfer plays a role in many branches of science and engineering, as well as in aspects of daily life. Due to its importance, it deserves to be given a closer look. This book shows some real complexities of convective heat transfer in more rigorous ways, with most aspects described by partial differential equations. Defined by Fourier's law, heat flux is transported by convection. Thus, the transport of heat flux can be described using the convective transport equation of the heat flux, which may provide more information. The significance of this description is that the velocity gradient's contribution to the transport of heat flux is stated implicitly and may be connected to the mechanical dissipation. A description of the transport of the momentum flux is provided in this book, focusing on both the mechanical energy prepared by production from the main flow and the mechanical energy dissipated by vorticity. Based on the convective transport equations of heat flux and momentum flux, a correlation between the contribution to the transport of heat flux and mechanical energy production and dissipation is established. Additional topics discussed herein include the transport characteristics of heat flux, the impact of velocity and its gradients on the transport of heat flux in a channel flow, a tube flow, a channel flow with vortex generators and a twisted elliptical tube flow. As secondary flow and vorticity are commonly used for the enhancement of convective heat transfer, the roles of secondary flow and vorticity in the convective transport of heat flux are discussed. The intensity of convective heat transfer is only defined by the surface which heat is transferred through; it is not defined in the fluid region. Combustion science, oceanography, meteorology, and geoscience pay much attention to local convective heat transfer intensity. This book verifies the rationality of local convective heat transfer intensity.

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Advances in Materials Science Research. Volume 44 provides an overview of the emerging field of phosphorescent nanomaterials, including synthesis protocols and characterization issues. The authors discuss the synthesis methods and characterization of synthesized compounds by X-ray powder diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The carefully designed techniques for engineering process-induced strain to enhance carrier mobility or transform the band-gap from indirect to direct nano-devices are described. A compilation of investigations related to the formation of cerium coatings on an AZ91D Mg alloy are examined in an effort to improve its corrosion resistance in simulated body fluid. Following this, an article reports on an insightful portable microfluidic experimental setup for the fast and ultraselective detection of Hg2+ ions in a picomolar range using a cantilever-based piezoresistive sensor. The concluding study explores the behavior of the order parameter and the magnetization of antiferromagnetic solids subjected to mutually parallel staggered and magnetic fields.

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Cysteine is a naturally occurring, sulphur-containing amino acid with a thiol group and is found in most proteins. Cysteine is a common constituent in health-care products like protein powders, body-building shakers, and smoothies. In medicine, it is used for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, angina, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular disease, flu and osteoarthritis. Also, some studies suggest that it can enhance lung health in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The first chapter of this book focuses on the uses of cysteine in both industries and medicine and health. The second chapter is about the therapeutic uses of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) for obsessive compulsive disorder. The third chapter describes the functionalization of MCM-41 and MCM-48 by TPA, encapsulation of cysteine into functionalised carriers and their characterisation using various physicochemical techniques. The last chapter includes the most recent developments in designing the fluorescent and colorimetric sensors (optical sensors) for selective and sensitive detection of cysteine.

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