Search results for ""science publishers""

As the world recovers from the unprecedented outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of education continues to cushion the impacts of school closures and teaching disruption through various measures. E-learning, while not new, has taken a greater role in mitigating the effects of the pandemic. This book is not only a collection of chapters shared by researchers and academics but also a manifestation of the dedication of those involved in the pursuit of providing equitable and quality education through the support of e-learning tools and platforms.

Read more less

Mathematical modelling is the process of trying to precisely define a nonmathematical situation, real-life phenomena of changing world and the relationships between the situations in the language of mathematics, and finding out mathematical formulations or patterns within these situations and phenomena. Mathematical modelling in terms of nonlinear dynamic equations is described as a conversion activity of real problems in a mathematical form. The interactions between the mathematical and biological sciences have been increasing rapidly in recent years. Both traditional topics, such as population and disease modelling, and new ones, such as those in genomics arising from the accumulation of DNA sequence data, have made mathematical modelling in biomathematics an exciting field. The best predictions of numerous individuals and scientific communities have suggested that this growing area will continue to be one of the most dominating and fascinating driving factors to capture the global change phenomena and design a sustainable management for a better world. Frontiers in Mathematical Modelling Research provides the most recent and up-to-date developments in the mathematical analysis of real world problems arising in engineering, biology, economics, geography, planning, sociology, psychology, medicine and epidemiology of infectious diseases. Mathematical modelling and analysis are important, not only to understand disease progression, but also to provide predictions about the evolution of the disease and insights about the dynamics of the transmission rate and the effectiveness of control measures. One of the main focuses of the book is the transmission dynamics of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and the implementation of intervention strategies. It also discusses optimal control strategies like pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions and their potential effectiveness on the control of infections with the help of compartmental mathematical models in epidemiology. This book also covers a wide variety of topics like dynamic models in robotics, chemical process, biodynamic hypothesis and its application for the mathematical modelling of biological growth and the analysis of diagnosis rate effects and prediction of zoonotic viruses, data-driven dynamic simulation and scenario analysis of the spread of diseases. Frontiers in Mathematical Modelling Research will play a pivotal role as helpful resource for mathematical biologists and ecologists, epidemiologists, epidemic modelers, virologists, researchers, mathematical modelers, robotic scientists and control engineers and others engaged in the analysis of the transmission, prevention, and control of infectious diseases and their impact on human health. It is expected that this self-contained edited book can also serve undergraduate and graduate students, young scholars and early career researchers as the basis for meaningful directives of current trends of research in mathematical biology.

Read more less

This book includes six chapters that detail various aspects of women's health. Chapter One uses a hermeneutic phenomenological method to explore hope in eating disordered women. Chapter Two considers the importance of hope as a mediating factor in the complicated relationships between body shame and eating disorder behaviour as well as with substance use/abuse behaviour via an Internet survey. Chapter Three examines the influence of six Indigenous Australian sportswomen and their role as sporting role models for women and girls. Chapter Four highlights the research that has been conducted regarding eating disorders in women of colour and reviews the unique race and culture-related risk factors that may influence the presence of eating disorder symptoms. Chapter Five deals with the history and definition of food craving, the cognitive event of appetizing targeting, the associations with the diet mentality as a promoter of moral judgment concerning food, and the twelve primary triggers according to the latest data from studies in the field of eating disorders. Finally, Chapter Six focuses on the association between physical activity and menopausal transition from the viewpoint of evolutionary biology and evolutionary medicine.

Read more less

This volume contains six chapters describing some of the latest advancements in engineering research. Chapter One presents a detailed methodology to evaluate bio-based projects, including financial, technical, and market uncertainties at the early stages, when less information is available. Chapter Two analyzes the latest scientific articles and reports which deal with the adverse consequences of 5G network development. Chapter Three explains how new technologies, including downlink and uplink decoupling and machine learning, can support 5G networks and form core components of future networks. Chapter Four presents the latest research results on the advantages and challenges of non-orthogonal multiple access networks. Chapter Five explores the four largest South Korean shipyards, analyzing their strategy and management techniques. Lastly, Chapter Six examines the factors affecting the choice of welding method in the basic stages of shipbuilding.

Read more less

This volume includes six chapters that detail recent advancements in energy research. Chapter One describes a method for optimizing the efficiency of energy storage systems in applications like electric vehicles, thus reducing battery aging and cost of ownership. Chapter Two provides an overview of existing technologies for the production of hydrogen from biomass and discusses their pros and cons. Chapter Three addresses the main challenges, perspectives and innovations related to the use of different biomasses for the generation of clean energy through distinct thermal processes in the Brazilian Northeast. Chapter Four deals with China's role in the expansion of nuclear energy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Chapter Five gives a rundown of the latest developments in organic-inorganic perovskite nanogenerators, such as piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators. Lastly, Chapter Six explains smart grid technology for maintaining the functioning of a wind-solar electric system.

Read more less

This volume includes six chapters and presents some of the latest advancements in materials science research. Chapter One describes the structural characterization, the polyelectrolyte properties and the proton dynamics of imidazole-based materials, with special emphasis on the application for proton conductors, gene delivery systems, pollutant adsorbents, fluorescent sensors and OLED technologies. Chapter Two details various characteristics of polyethylene terephthalate fiber. Chapter Three explains the foundation of photonic crystals from one-dimension to higher-order and introduces topological ideas in photonic crystals. Chapter Four includes research on production, properties and applications of polyethylene terephthalate. Chapter Five explores the potential application of antimonene as an anode material in sodium-ion batteries. Finally, Chapter Six summarizes recent advances on the role of fullerene additions for structural behaviors of thermoplastic matrices.

Read more less

This compilation includes six chapters that present various advancements in materials science research. Chapter One suggests new rigorous approaches to the mathematical modelling and electromagnetic analysis of 2D photonic crystals. Chapter Two details the results of a dynamical study of positron channelling in a (11, 9) chiral single-wall carbon nanotube. Chapter Three uses a deconvolution of IR spectra to attribute the spectra components to definite phases in multiphase proton exchange waveguides. Chapter Four describes the third-order nonlinear optical application of organometallic compounds. Chapter Five focuses on evaluating the behaviour of cementitious composites produced with different concentrations of multi-walled carbon nanotubes providing a relationship between mechanical properties, ultrasound pulse velocity and the frequency resonance method. Finally, Chapter Six deals with the design of a capillary electrophoresis sensor based on micro-structured fibres.

Read more less

In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a health and economic crisis. As the virus forced the closure of many businesses, workers were faced with historic levels of unemployment, and the February unemployment level remained elevated at 6.2 percent while the labor force participation rate has declined. This book provides information about the state of federal consumer financial protection policies under the current administration. It will discuss specific areas of concern, including payday lending practices, the servicing of student loans, and enforcement of existing law to provide better protection for consumers.

Read more less

This compilation presents some of the latest advancements in economics research. Chapter One evaluates the impact of public policies, such as those regarding infrastructure and education, on a country's economic performance. Chapter Two deals with the issues of utilisation of sludge from wastewater treatment in agriculture as a socio-economic and environmental problem in the European Union and Bulgaria. Chapter Three investigates the impact of cognitive and non-cognitive skills on the quality of a task-specific outcome by conducting an experiment on a popular crowdsourcing platform and finds that the performance of workers depends on cognitive skills, personality traits and work effort. Chapter Four explores how trade show visitors' objectives impact their visual attention to trade show booths and booth visit likelihood. Chapter Five summarizes some trends in R&D expenditures in post-socialist countries in the course of market transformation on the basis of comparative statistical analysis of relative R&D effort. Chapter Six aims to establish the best tourism human resources development practices utilised by Egypt as one of the countries leading the tourism industry in Africa. Chapter Seven outlines the major aspects of the shift in the IMF stance on international capital mobility from the perspective of finding the right balance between freedom, regulation, and control. Chapter Eight focuses on stochastic control of exchange rates via discretionary central bank intervention. Finally, Chapter Nine investigates the quantitative importance of investment frictions for the propagation of cyclical fluctuations in Bulgaria.

Read more less

An early 19th-century biography written in German by Johann Nikolaus Forkel and later translated by Charles Sanford Terry.

Read more less

Due to the increase in construction activities worldwide and in Australia, the generation rate of construction and demolition (C&D) waste has significantly grown in recent years. In Australia, construction projects (i.e. housing, buildings and transport infrastructure) are being delivered at an unprecedented rate. Between 2009 and 2019, the annual average growth rate in this industry was 3.33%. The industry is identified as the fourth largest contributor to Australia's growth domestic product (GDP). Unsurprisingly, this quantity of construction brings about a considerable quantity of waste. In 2019, the construction industry generated 27 million tons (or megatonnes) of waste from construction and demolition activities in Australia. Given the size of the construction market and waste generated in this industry, any change will create huge impacts. The adequate management of such a quantity has now become a priority for policymakers around the world. A holistic national approach is required to handle the growing issue of C&D waste management in Australia. Therefore, this book identifies discrepancies and inconsistencies related to C&D waste management in different Australian jurisdictions. The included chapters discuss regulations governing the C&D waste stream, discrepancies in defining waste, Australia's place in the worldwide C&D waste market, opportunities for reducing C&D waste, and the perception among C&D waste stakeholders on relevant issues and proposed reforms, among other topics. Overall, the book contributes to the Australian understanding of effective management of C&D waste by providing a clear picture of C&D waste state of play. The book can benefit policymakers and whoever is interested in C&D waste to better plan for innovative and efficient C&D waste resulting in the further diversion of C&D waste from landfills.

Read more less

This five-chapter book reviews boron properties and its applications: Presents various aspects of physiological role of boron in plants. Explore the importance of boron for living organisms, boron toxicity in these organisms, the microbial diversity in environments containing boron, and the applications of boron and boron-containing compounds. Boron is an essential nutrient element for plants. This study reviews the bioremediation of boron contaminated sites by bacteria related with the accumulation of boron. This work addresses the reactive features of boron and the formation of special structures before examining the fundamental chemistry behind Boron-organo-silicone oxide polymers along with the effects of additives during synthesis. Finally, boron-silica compounds with and without magnetic content are characterised using various methods. Based on the resulting properties, interesting potential applications are discussed.

Read more less

This edited volume consists of seven chapters, each describing a recent advancement in the field of environmental research. Chapter One reviews the Brazilian Program for Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB) in the 2001-2013 period, considering its effects on social inclusion, its potential direct and indirect influence on deforestation, and associated violence in the definition of land property rights. Chapter Two analyzes the advances and setbacks of Brazilian climate policy. This analysis is fundamental to understanding the turning point in the conduct of this policy, from which some of the setbacks have emerged in fulfilling commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Chapter Three in this context, various techniques based on electrochemical principles have been widely used for the detection process using metal and metal oxides as electrode materials. Thus, the current article focuses on the compilation of recent developments in As (III) electrochemical detection and their limit of detections and future scopes. Chapter Four summarizes NO biosynthesis, functions, NO-signaling pathway and final formation of defense response under drought stress in plants. Lastly, Chapter Five discusses the Saharan Morocco comprises two major floristic divisions conventionally indicated under Saharan Atlas (As) and Saharan Morocco (Ms) in key Moroccan botanical references. Knowledge is essential not only for a better understanding of Saharan ecosystems but is vital for the preservation of current plant diversity.

Read more less

The scope of criminal justice has to include the body of equal norms which have to be protected. The basic elements of authoritarianism, universality, complementarity, and pluralism should not be employed by superior powers and enforced within the procedures and values of our criminal charter. A pure criminal jurisdiction ought to have its own independent honour and its own unified diverse values including: righteousness, innocence, virtue, honesty, and the preservation of objectivity in legal judgments. At the same time, the notion of diversity should not create an artificial equality in place of authentic, dynamic protection. It is of no essential significance which criminal justice measures are exercised by a court if the rulings of the court are based on clear evidence, and most importantly, if the court has not granted immunity for major criminals through impunity as a result of corrupt proceedings. It is the independent character of criminal justice which earns it its high level of respect. The existence of pure values is the natural and essential requirement for a court and allows it to be qualified as a body with ethical and moral character. A court should not be run through the threat of force or through monopolisation, but rather with trust. Furthermore, the courts are morally required to resist enmeshing themselves in the authoritarian exploitation of criminal justice. Working towards this goal should be imperative in the mechanism of criminal jurisprudence. This is the most plausible method for decreasing the number of victims of core international crimes and achieving pluralist values of diversity.

Read more less

This book presents the latest research in the field of machine learning, discussing the real-world application problems associated with new innovative renewable energy methodologies as well as cutting edge technologies in the transport industry. The requirements and demands of problem solving have been increasing exponentially, and new artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies have reduced the scope of data coverage worldwide. Recent advances in data technology (DT) have contributed to reducing the gaps in the coverage of domains around the globe. Attention to clean energy in recent decades has been growing exponentially. This is mainly due to a decrease in the cost of both installed capacity of converters and a decrease in the cost of generated energy. Such successes were achieved thanks to the improvement of modern technologies for the production of converters, an increase in the efficiency of using incoming energy, optimisation of the operation of converters and analysis of data obtained during the operation of systems with the possibility of planning production. The use of clean energy plays an important role in the transportation industry, where technologies are also being improved from year to year - the transportation industry is growing, and machinery and systems are becoming more autonomous and robotic, where it is no longer possible to do without complex intelligent computing, machine learning optimisation, planning and working with large amounts of data. The book is a valuable reference work for researchers in the fields of renewable energy, computer science and engineering with a particular focus on machine learning and intelligent optimization as well as for postgraduates, managers, economists and decision makers, policy makers, government officials, industrialists and practicing scientists and engineers as well compassionate global decision makers. Topics include: Machine learning, Quantum Optimization, Modern Technology in Transport Industry, Innovative Technologies in Transport Education, Systems Based on Renewable Energy Conversion, Business Process Models and Applications in Renewable Energy, Clean Energy, and Climate Change.

Read more less

This book highlights up-to-date and novel information with clinical aspects regarding breast cancer. It covers aspects ranging from epidemiology, biology, and molecular classification to currently available and potentially new therapeutic options for breast cancer. It highlights insights into breast cancer at the molecular level with a holistic approach to use combinational strategies involving various therapies for targeting different pathways involved in this particular malignancy. This book contains a range of latest resources, including schematic illustrations, recent reviews, and information for patients with breast cancer. Various novel biomarkers that are under clinical investigation will also be discussed in this book. Furthermore, the relapse and recurrence after treatment with various therapies presents a great problem, as it develops resistance to which combinational strategy may prove to be a promising approach, and in this book, we have discussed all the aspects of combination therapy in breast cancer. People including students, research scholars, educators, pharmaceutical professionals, clinicians, researchers, practitioners and patients as well as their family members will find this book very much useful.

Read more less

Agriculture is one of the most fundamental human activities. It has kept humans happier and healthier and helped birth modern society as we know it. As farming has expanded, however, the usage of resources such as land, fertilizer, and water has grown exponentially. Environmental pressures from modern farming techniques have stressed our natural landscapes. Still, by some estimates, worldwide food production will need to increase 70% by 2050 to keep up with global demand. With global populations rising, it falls to technology to make farming processes more efficient and keep up with the growing demand. Fortunately, Machine Learning (ML) and the Internet of Things (IoT) can play a very promising role in the agricultural industry. Some examples include: an AI-powered drone to monitor the field, an IoT-designed automated crop watering system, sensors embedded in the field to monitor temperature and humidity, etc. The agriculture industry is the largest in the world, but when it comes to innovation there is a lot more to explore. IoT devices can be used to analyze the status of crops. For instance, with soil sensors, farmers can detect any irregular conditions such as high acidity and efficiently tackle these issues to improve their yield. In this book, we will point out the challenges facing the agro-industry that can be addressed by ML and IoT and explore the impacts of these technologies in the agriculture sector.

Read more less

While sustainable growth confronts a progressively decisive role, and governments embrace measures to authorize reduced carbon emissions, understanding pioneering methods to provide supply chains in an environmental context epitomizes a significant purpose in diverse sectors. This book, An In-depth Look at Carbon Emissions, concentrates on carbon emissions in different sectors owing to energy use and associated features. It gives an overview of recently established systems, practices, methods, and strategies accompanied by exploiting sufficient source examination of carbon emissions that are released from fossil fuel/hydrocarbon reservoirs, automobiles, transportation, agricultural terrains, farms, buildings, and so forth. In recent years, global carbon emissions have reached an all-time high and are increasing. It is high time that we pay specific consideration to carbon emissions and comprehend potential solutions, especially to meet the Paris climate agreement objective. This book will offer established approaches to cut carbon, with studies on transportation, home energy use, energy consumption, as well as how best to inspire the workplace and community by behavior. This book aims at empowering readers to meet the possibility of low carbon living to challenge our society's utmost threats. This book will surely provide state-of-the-art materials in abundance for implementing energy conservation measures and carbon emission reduction.

Read more less

Tracheostomy is one of the simplest, most valuable operations in surgical practice. In tracheostomy an opening is made in the anterior wall of the trachea and this opening is used for insufflation of oxygen- air mixture into the lungs. A tracheostomy may be performed on an emergency or elective basis; it may be a temporary or a permanent one. Over the past several years the indications for a tracheostomy have radically evolved. Earlier tracheostomies were mostly done to relieve an upper airway obstruction; now tracheostomies are mostly done in critical care settings to facilitate mechanical ventilation. Open surgical tracheostomy (OST) is usually done in an operation theatre. A detailed description is given in the relevant chapter of the book, but a certain salient point needs to be emphasized here. First and foremost, neck anatomy is to be clearly defined and structures should be identified, as most of the complications occur when the surgeon deviates from the midline. Percutaneous tracheostomy (PCT) has certain distinct advantages over open surgical tracheostomy (OST); PCT is faster to perform, easier to learn and can be performed at the point of care. In most adult ICU patients, a percutaneous tracheostomy (PCT) is the preferred technique unless contraindicated. Compared to surgical tracheostomy it leads to significantly lesser wound infections, but it is associated with a higher rate of accidental decannulation and obstruction. Use of real time ultrasonography while performing percutaneous tracheostomy has also helped in better identification of tracheal rings and hence in improving its safety for obese patients. Tracheostomies are usually straightforward, but complications still occur, often due to improper technique. Complications may be due to structural damage to vital structures of the neck leading to hemorrhage, tracheal damage, esophageal damage, failure to proceed, air embolism, aspiration, hypoxemia, tube misplacement, pneumothorax, tracheal stenosis, trachea-arterial and trachea-esophageal fistula. This book encompasses many clinically relevant scenarios in which a tracheostomy may be needed. However, certain situations demand special expertise; tracheostomy in pregnancy is one such situation. The aim of this book is to apprise readers with all the practical aspects of tracheostomy from patient's selection to tracheostomy in special situations.

Read more less

In this volume, various scientific advancements concerning environmental research are presented. Chapter One outlines the connections between modern slavery and deforestation, highlighting issues faced by communities within and close to the natural resources protected by the forest, and solutions for the protection of both people and nature. Chapter Two emphasizes recent understanding on the role of various environmental factors in control of reproductive and associated behaviours in songbirds. Chapter Three investigates the impact of black carbon, released by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and consisting of aggregates of nanospheres, on climate. Chapter Four considers the behaviour of the submerged macrophyte Elodea canadensis, one of the most widely spread species of aquatic plants in the Yenisei River, in connection with radioactive contamination. Lastly, Chapter Five advocates for the restructuring of the forest sector's governance in Madagascar to reduce deforestation and preserve species richness.

Read more less

This book evaluates the resting pulse of national and international criminal justice in conjunction with the actual definition of the truth which burdens prosecutors. Prosecutors have several valuable, yet inconspicuous tasks which are significant to criminal procedure. In criminal justice, the conscience of justice is based on the pursuit of the truth by following the evidence. As a rule of genuine judgment, we seek to discuss the principle of truth and its enforcement in the proceedings of criminal justice. The perception of moral law and its imperative function governing the theory of ethical obligations, responsibilities, and duties of the prosecutor in the criminal jurisdiction therefore represent the primary starting point for all of our judgments. Prosecutors should actively ensure that both powerful and powerless criminals are brought to justice. The main objective of the statute of the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC) claims to uphold the high moral precedent which must be set by the Office of the Prosecutor. However, the actual practice of the ICC has instead led to millions of deaths, including those of innocent children, as well as to the destruction of countries whose protection is not considered to be in "the interest of justice". If the ICC wishes to establish justice for victims, then the deterrence of impunity for any criminal should be its priority. The ICC should not become a pawn of the political superpowers or the platform through which prosecutors can misuse classified documents to serve their personal interests. The ultimate nature of justice cannot be comprehensive if impartial validity is not the permanent foundation of the core pillars in all criminal proceedings. This book is recommended to anyone who concerns themselves with legal questions of international criminal justice and its efficacy.

Read more less

The publication arises out of a research project of school education within South Africa and takes a school leadership perspective for imaginative possibilities resulting in school change. It illuminates the complexities associated with leading schools as they assume particular identities owing to specific categorizations. Its specific focus is on school leaders' lived experiences of addressing school challenges that brought about substantive change to school life. The book chapters collectively build on personally, professionally, and socially useful understandings of teaching, learning, governance, school finance and school-community partnerships in relation to wider social, political and cultural concerns, and across diverse contexts. Drawing on everyday real-life experiences, generated mainly through a range of narrative and arts-based practices and sources, the book communicates new voices, new insights, and imaginative possibilities for working with school challenges in contextually relevant and responsive attitudes to bring quality education to the doors of schools. The book, therefore, foregrounds school leaders from school principals through to teacher leaders' imaginative solutions to reimagining school life in each of their respective schools. Using a multi-perspectival theoretical lens, we offer portrayals of different dimensions of lived experiences of school life. The authors of the chapters (comprising both experienced and novice researchers) present critical descriptive accounts of different contextual realities of schooling juxtaposed against how they are categorized, for example: infrastructure (quintile rankings); financial (fee paying); geography (rural, urban, townships); poverty (feeding scheme) and performance.

Read more less

China, while maintaining high speed in economic growth, has made tremendous social progress since 2000, particularly in the provision of general education and health services. In the same period, the society is rapidly aging, particularly in North and Northeastern China where the proportion of population over 65 years of age has exceeded twenty percent. Decision makers are facing difficulties in balancing the protection expenses between the young and the old. This book aims to describe the situations of children and youth in China, a country characterized by regional disparities and urban-rural divisions in every social aspect. The book aims to report the many hardships and difficulties youth and children face when support from the State or public goods are unavailable. It also aims to identify areas of future growth.

Read more less

This book describes the work to be done in building an automated pandemic prevention and response capability for the US with international extensions and extendibility using artificial intelligence. The complexity of operational decisions, information sharing, situational awareness, and planned/ongoing actions by thousands of actors in pandemic prevention, preparedness and response is far too great for anyone to manage effectively. The deaths and economic devastation caused by COVID-19 yet again proved this fact, much like all other major disasters we have endured. There are too many organisations, too many differing plans and agendas, too many different people of varying experience in positions of responsibility, and too much information as well as critical need for optimal decisions and actions, to avoid calamity during the inevitable next pandemic. We need automated planning, information vetting/sharing and rapid action to optimize prevention and, if not prevented, response to minimize spread. Volume I laid out the case for a better approach than exists in the U.S. today, and our nation's military -- touted as the best in the world -- employs methodologies with precision and fidelity that optimise rapid decision making for human-sized enemies. It turns out these same methodologies and associated technologies work just as well with our microscopic enemies, like COVID-19. This book provides an overview of how it should be developed, implemented and evolved nationwide before the next pandemic. Seems like we finally should get our "act" together, otherwise the toll for passage of the next virus could be far higher as we remain unprepared. It will be hard and extensive work, which some have referenced the "Manhattan Project" or the Apollo Program, but the COVID-19 death count mandates we apply our best effort to prevent another pandemic disaster. We are better equipped now than ever to do so.

Read more less

This monograph includes seven chapters that detail recent advances in psychology research. Chapter One provides practical cognitive-behavioural treatment recommendations to address typical issues associated with depression and anxiety in paediatric patients with asthma, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and headache pain. Chapter Two argues that community level screening, timely diagnosis and integrated traditional medicine and traditional healing practices rooted in a given cultural and religious context are essential for the treatment of schizophrenia. Chapter Three explores psychological theories, diagnostic instruments, assessment tools, and management strategies for factitious disorder and borderline personality disorder. Chapter Four presents a study of the impact of academic stressors on the health of students in the health field. Chapter Five reviews the literature on general mental health stigma, discusses borderline personality disorder and the specific stigma related to it, reviews potential steps to reduce stigma, and suggests future directions for research and clinical intervention. Chapter Six reviews the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for heart failure patients with depression. Lastly, Chapter Seven provides an overview of the potential role of psychologists in requests for voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.

Read more less

Malaysia's political stability and economic prosperity have contributed towards its growing population comprising of residents and an influx of laborers from other countries including Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Malaysia now hosts a population of 32 million from which an estimated 3 million are migrants that support the agricultural and electronic sectors. This book highlights the current health related issues in Malaysia including those zoonotic diseases and non-communicable diseases that are unique and common to tropical countries. Other environmental factors that have positive and negative impacts on health such as medical constituents from local plants are also discussed.

Read more less

Phenolic compounds are structures found in plant-based foods that play an important role in regulating health and disease. Accordingly, this book presents seven chapters that explore phenolic compounds from a variety of perspectives. Chapter One addresses the current knowledge about the presence of phenolic compounds in plants, their bioavailability and protective effects of interest for diabetes mellitus. Chapter Two describes the Bignoniaceae family and Handroanthus impetiginosus, as well as the main groups of phenolic compounds reported for this species and their main biological activities. Chapter Three highlights some scientific evidence corroborating the role of polyphenols in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Chapter Four presents the results of a study that indicate that L. leucocephala calli are promising biotechnological products for obtaining phenolic compounds in vitro. Chapter Five details a study that assessed the phenolic compound content and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extracts and fractions of Bauhinia holophylla. Chapter Six evaluates the production of phenolic compounds in cell suspensions of B. variegate. Finally, Chapter Seven provides an insight on the anti-inflammatory activities of galangin through attenuation of allergic inflammation, regulation of PPARγ pathway, inhibition of ERK, NF-kappaB, PI3K/AKT and NLRP3 signaling, interplaying of MAPK signaling cascade, and through activation of Nrf2 signaling in animal models.

Read more less

Ginger has a strong reputation as an anti-nausea agent but our understanding of the roles played by its important biological constituents (gingerols and shogaols) as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents has not been examined in detail. This series of monographs seeks to look first at how and why ginger was used as an ethnomedicine and how this expanded into general antimicrobial studies. One cardinal use for ginger and its constituents may be in the topical management of osteoarthritis. Given the widespread nature of this condition and ginger's ability to block pain receptors it may join other molecules such as capsaicin in this mode of treatment.

Read more less

Carotenoids are the yellow, red, and orange pigments that are produced by various plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria, and can act as antioxidants in humans. In Chapter One of this four-chapter monograph, the authors describe astaxanthin, a reddish carotenoid found in seafood with potent antioxidant characteristics. Chapter Two compiles the challenges encountered in the oral bioavailability of lutein, a xanthophyll carotenoid. Chapter Three reviews the main parameters of the production of yeast carotenoids and the downstream processes to obtain carotenogenic extracts. Chapter Four summarizes known data on total carotenoid contents and chemical diversity of Rosaceae fruits.

Read more less

The academic literature on political economy includes many models and theories. The contributions to this volume illustrate four basic principles that many exhibit. First, many different types of political economies exist. There are large differences between not just developed and developing countries but between early and late developers; and substantial differences are easy to discern even among superficially similar ones, such as the East Asian developmental states. Second, most political economies are marked by a myriad of interdependencies among market, state, and civil society. Third, change, both incremental and fundamental, occurs regularly in many. Fourth and as a result of the first three, the analysis of political economies is often quite complex. Chapter 1 focuses on change by analysing the ongoing Great Reset in the U.S. political economy in the early 21st century. Chapters 2-4 discuss how China differs from western models: in particular, models for international relationships, Confucianism and the Belt and Road Initiative, and China's cooperation with the Central and East European Countries respectively. Chapter 5 also covers variety and complexity with an in-depth theoretical treatment of Marx's theory of value. Chapter 6 raises issues of interdependence by highlighting the social bases of political economies. Chapters 7 and 8 touch upon interdependence and complexity by demonstrating how the U.S. political economy marginalizes minorities in the areas of education and health care respectively. Chapter 9 focuses upon interdependence by linking fiscal policy to subsequent election outcomes. Finally, Chapter 10 relates workforce development policy to changes in the 21st century American economy.

Read more less

This edited volume presents some of the latest research in the field of sociology. Chapter One presents a research study of the processes through which food concentrates and reflects migrant cultures while it becomes means of expression, survival and cultural identity for diasporic communities, focusing on two films. Chapter Two explores issues of diversity and multiculturalism in the recent history of Europe. Chapter Three investigates the extent of internet addiction among adolescents. Chapter Four discusses mass migration and explains how it has forced a change in the global perspective of social policy, specifically in the context of child development and parenting. Chapter Five examines the fandom of South Korean popular music in France. Chapter Six adopts the "critical theory" hypothesis to explain structuralism and analyze the complexities of contemporary global politics. Chapter Seven assesses how the Communist Party of Spain was affected by the Spanish Civil War. Lastly, Chapter Eight deals with the challenges faced by whistleblowers in post-Soviet Russia.

Read more less

This edited monograph presents five chapters, each detailing a recent advancement in materials science research. Chapter One focuses on several topics in the field of spintronics, including giant magnetoresistance observed in spin valves using various iron oxides and their interesting magnetisation reversals by interlayer exchange coupling and spin-polarised tunnelling in magnetic tunnel junctions using electrodes of half-metallic magnetite. Chapter Two describes the synthesis of eight coordination polymers by vial reaction method. Chapter Three introduces physical, thermal and electrochemical properties of ionic liquid-based polymer electrolytes and their applications in rechargeable lithium batteries. Chapter Four explores the aspects of opening of bandgap in graphene. Chapter Five describes the use of aluminium alloys, which are lightweight and high-strength materials, in the construction of the hull of a ship.

Read more less

In 1910, L'Espinasse performed the first neurosurgical endoscopic procedure for choroid plexus electrocoagulation in an infant with hydrocephalus, by use of a cystoscope. One infant was successfully treated. Walter Dandy used an endoscope to perform an unsuccessful choroid plexectomy in 1922. The next year, Mixter, using a urethroscope, performed the first successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy in a 9-month-old girl with obstructive hydrocephalus. In 1935, Scarff reported his initial results about endoscopic third ventriculostomy using a novel endoscope. His ventriculoscope had an irrigation system to prevent intraventricular collapse and was equipped with a flexible unipolar probe. In 1952, Nulsen and Spitz began the era of ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting, marking the end of the initial era of neuroendoscopy. This dark period for neuroendoscopy continued until 1970s. However, in this period image capabilities of endoscopes improved with technological developments. In 1978, Vries demonstrated that ETVs were technically feasible using a fiberoptic endoscope to treat patients with hydrocephalus. In 1990, Jones and colleagues described a 50% shunt-free success rate for ETV in 24 patients with various forms of hydrocephalus. Four years later, the same group reported an improved success rate of 61% in a series of 103 patients. Currently, ETV is primarily used to treat obstructive hydrocephalus due to benign aqueductal stenosis or compressive periaqueductal mass lesions. Modern shunt-free success rates range from 80 to 95%. The field of neuroendoscopy has extended beyond ventricular procedures. The endoscope is currently used for all types of neurosurgically treatable diseases such as obstructive hydrocephalus, various intraventricular lesions, hypothalamic hamartomas, craniosynostosis, skull base tumors, and spinal lesions and rare subtypes of hydrocephalus. With the evolution of surgical techniques, endoscopy has emerged as a suitable alternative to many instances of more invasive methods. Surgeons using a neuroendoscope can perform many complex operations through very small incisions. Nowadays, neurosurgeons prefer neuroendoscopic surgery for many different lesions because of less damage to healthy tissue, low complication rate and excellent results. Neuroendoscopic surgery is a specialty within neurosurgery and requires a neurosurgeon to undergo specialized training. In this book, we focused on neuroendoscopic procedures and challenges. We have created this book with the hope that it can be a guide for neurosurgeons who are interested in neuroendoscopic interventions.

Read more less

This edited volume consists of seven chapters, each describing a recent advancement in the field of environmental research. Chapter One reviews the ecologically beneficial, alternative technique of phycoremediation that involves the use of algal species for remediating the inorganic and organic effluents produced and released from shrimp aquaculture ponds. Chapter Two reviews the role of liquid chromatography techniques in the analysis of fullerenes and analyses the occurrence of this family of compounds in the environment. Chapter Three argues that medical consequences of low-dose exposure to ionising radiation are overestimated, which contributes to the under-utilization of nuclear power. Chapter Four deals with the current research activities related to different synthetic methods of g-C3N4 based nanocomposite materials and their application as an effective photocatalyst towards removing toxic organic pollutants such as dyes and phenols. Chapter Five presents a carbon sequestration design model system that can monitor, calculate and predict how much carbon can be absorbed by proposed plant species at a certain period. Chapter Six uses computational fluid dynamics to present recommendations for the most effective plantation strategies for urban vegetation to reduce pollution. Finally, Chapter Seven applies an importance-performance analysis to evaluate the condition of urban parks in Hong Kong.

Read more less

School leadership has been identified as a key function in assuring quality in education. The instructional leadership model refers to the role and the functions of school leadership to employ different management tasks with regards to teaching and learning. Instructional leadership role includes (a) developing mission and goals, (b) managing the educational production function, (c) promoting an academic learning climate, and (d) developing a supportive work environment. Instructional leaders were described as leading from a combination of both expertise and charisma focused primarily on the improvement of student learning outcomes. The monograph, entitled Instructional Leadership and Effective Teaching and Learning and written by Nazmi Xhomara, is dedicated to school instructional leadership as an important factor that influences teaching and learning at school. In the first chapter, the author presents and analyses educational leadership vs educational management, as well as models of educational leadership and management. The author argues on the importance of different leadership models, such as managerial leadership, transformational leadership, participative leadership, interpersonal leadership, transactional leadership, postmodern leadership, moral leadership, and contingent leadership. Chapters Two, Three, and Four shed light on instructional leadership and teaching and learning, understanding of instructional leadership, the concept and practice of instructional leadership, instructional school leadership and learning environment, attributes of instructional leaders, instructional excellence, instructional leadership time management, effective teaching and teachers, as well as teaching challenges and learning environment. Meanwhile, the author has analysed constructivism, student intelligence, understanding of supervision, instructional collegial supervision, supervision approaches, understanding of evaluation of teaching and learning, teacher evaluation, and instructional observing instruments in chapters Five, Six, and Seven. Chapters Eight and Nine are focused especially on the research work of the relationships between instructional leadership and teaching, learning, and students' achievements, as well as on an empirical study designed and conducted in Albania as a case. Chapters Ten and Eleven are dedicated to instructional leadership preparation and the future of instructional leadership As a conclusion, Xhomara indicates that principals are responsible for developing school climates and cultures that support the very best instructional practices. The new era of instructional leadership has predictably placed significant demands for accountability for student success and equity on the principal as well as for the university programs that prepare them. Working in twenty-first-century schools, the instructional leader is held more accountable than ever for student success.

Read more less

It is clear that one of the most damaging global problems is hunger. There is still a high proportion of hungry people in the world, the number of human beings in this condition exceeding 690 million, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report (FAO 2020). Consequently, its eradication is extremely urgent. Nevertheless, it does not appear that Sustainable Development Goal number two, i.e. Zero Hunger, will be achieved by 2030. The United Nations itself admits this, stating that "the world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. If recent trends continue, the number of people affected by hunger would surpass 840 million by 2030". The problems facing food in the world today have increased considerably, as well as various factors and phenomena that augment the complexity of the issues or situations that fall within the scope of food security, such as: climate change, land grabbing, use of chemical fertilizers, loss of agrodiversity and other agricultural sustainability issues, obesity problems resulting from unhealthy diets, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the lack of justiciability of the right to food, the use of biotechnology in food, etc. In short, this book is a diverse compilation of the new manifestations of global food security seen from several angles and areas. The book aims to let visualize the main global problems and challenges that have a negative impact on food security, with the underlying objective of highlighting the need for reinforcing its full application in all contexts and countries. To this end, we believe that it is necessary to make its concept operational, and take it into consideration when applying policies and standards, especially in those areas and matters that may undermine said food security. In this sense, it is essential to strengthen its legal protection through a coherent and operational interpretation of the human right to food, so as to broaden its content and make it consistent with its pillars and foundations.

Read more less