Bentham Science Publishers

In a constantly changing economic environment, higher education institutions need to adapt in order to be relevant to their stakeholders and the society. The unpredictable landscape also demands a fresh approach as university presidents are increasingly subject to high resolution and three-dimensional scrutiny. Instead of relying on last century’s old management mindset, university leaders must build institutions that are agile and flexible, which can continuously learn to adapt to the changing environment. Redefining University Leadership for the 21st Century is a treatise on the challenges universities face in current times. Readers will understand, in three parts, the heart of what makes a great university.

The initial part of the book covers the market failures and the management practices that have led to the erosion of confidence in universities among stakeholders. The authors examine the consequences of market failures caused by the marketization of higher education: an oversupply of graduates, student dissatisfaction, mismatch between qualifications and needed skills, student disillusionment, and the diminishing return on investments by students and their families.

Next, authors offer concrete advice on how universities can future-proof university graduates in this fast-changing world of the fourth industrial revolution and artificial intelligence. The authors also provide valuable strategies to help university leaders to lead effectively in this uncertain world with a concluding case study on the University of Hong Kong.

With its clear, logical and concise presentation, Redefining University Leadership for the 21st Century is a must-read for anyone who leads, works or studies in a university, or is interested in current trends in the higher education sector.

Refounding Political Governance: The Metaphysics of Public Administration points to a possible paradigm shift in the way Anglo-American Public Administration should be understood and analyzed. The book presents a unique approach to the analysis of power, leadership and management in Public Administration. The central theme is that humans make organizations in their own image and these organizations, in turn, are a product of the way humans think and act. The book extrapolates from historical philosophy and personality typologies to explain the dynamics and evolution of Public Administration. With the philosophical framework and approach clearly explained, the book provides a critique of current practice and recommends what is required to re-invent Public Administration, rather than New Public Management, in Anglo-American contexts.

The book explains a new, more complex, and more useful, understanding of the dynamics of contemporary US Public Administration situated within the American Constitution. This book is ground-breaking and should be useful in all graduate Public Administration courses and professionals in the field of Public Administration.

Neuroendoscopy and Interventional Pain Medicine is a clinically focused medical monograph series. With contributions from a team of internationally recognized neurosurgeons and spinal surgery specialists, the series aims to illuminate the latest advancements in minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques and pain management. Each volume offers invaluable insights into the future of minimally invasive treatments in this medical subspecialty.

Interventional Pain Surgery is the third of the monograph series. This book comprehensively covers endoscopic techniques for spinal surgery. Topics include interlaminar lumbar endoscopy, transforaminal lumbar discectomy, endoscopic approaches for lumbar spinal canal stenosis, and management of chronic low back pain through rhizotomy and rhiziolysis. The endoscopic treatment of basivertebral neuropathy, cervical foraminotomy, and decompression techniques is explained in dedicated chapters. Finally, the book also addresses endoscopic posterior lumbar interbody fusion and procedures for adjacent segment disease after lumbar fusion.

Key Features

- Covers a wide range of topics in neuroendoscopy and interventional pain medicine

- Emphasizes evidence-based approaches to treatment

- Offers clinical perspectives from expert surgeons

- Includes scientific references for researchers and advanced learners

It is an essential resource for readers who need to enhance their understanding of the latest technological advancements in neuroendoscopy and interventional pain medicine and apply these innovative techniques to improve patient outcomes.

Reinventing Technological Innovations with Artificial Intelligence delves into the transformative impact of Augmented and Virtual Reality (AVR) technology across industries. The book explores the merging of real and digital worlds, paving the way for personalized experiences in areas such as tourism, marketing, education, and more. With the potential to redefine business practices and societal norms in the era of Industry 4.0, AVR technologies hold untapped potential beyond gaming and entertainment. This volume presents a comprehensive overview of the current landscape, challenges, and prospects of integrating AVR with Artificial Intelligence (AI) for innovation and sustainability in various domains. The book presents 11 edited chapters contributed by technology and innovation experts that explore applications of AI, AR and VR technologies in different sectors in both public and private sectors. The editors have included reviews of technologies that impact human resource management, corporate social responsibility, healthcare, supply chain and criminal investigation. The reviews also highlight the role of AI in sustainable agriculture and smart cities.

Key Features:

Unveils the role of AVR in transforming real surroundings into digitally enhanced personal experiences.

Explores AVR's applications beyond gaming in diverse sectors like marketing, construction, education, and more.

Discusses challenges such as technical limitations, high costs, and resistance to adopting AVR.

Addresses the need to enhance the reliability and effectiveness of AVR technologies in various industries.

Provides a comprehensive perspective on AI innovations, AR, and VR technologies with real-world examples.

The book is an informative reference for researchers, professionals, and experts in technology, innovation, who are interested in the convergence of Augmented and Virtual Reality with AI for practical applications in diverse industries.

Religious Philosophies and Environmental Ethics addresses the critical environmental crisis caused by human activity and examines how religious philosophies can contribute to solutions. The book explores the intersection of environmental ethics and religious thought, offering a fresh perspective on how spiritual beliefs might help guide humanity toward sustainable living. It examines the causes of environmental degradation, and various religious perspectives on the issue, and proposes faith-based solutions for a more harmonious relationship with nature. Through a blend of philosophical inquiry and practical application, the book aims to inspire change in how we approach environmental conservation.

Key Features:

- Explores the role of religious philosophies in solving environmental problems.

- Discusses the ethical implications of environmental degradation.

- Offers faith-based solutions for future sustainability.

- Proposes a new framework for integrating religious thought into environmental policy.

This monograph explains the physiological, biochemical and behavioral processes of male bat reproduction. Chapters cover spermatogenesis, sperm ultrastructure, reproductive homeostasis, apoptotic processes, sperm maturation, sperm storage in female bats, and sexual selection processes.

The volume also presents studies focused on the reproductive physiology of Mexican cave bat species.

This monograph is a suitable reference for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers interested in chiropteran reproductive biology.

Research Protocols for Ophthalmic Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics: Glaucoma – Ocular Hypertension offers a detailed, step-by-step protocols for isolating, characterizing, and analyzing cells and tissues of the eye’s anterior segment—where OHT originates—using techniques from molecular biology, pharmacology, and histology.

Across eight thematic sections, the book covers ocular anatomy, drug screening, receptor localization, cell-based assays, in vitro and in vivo models, drug formulation, and cutting-edge technologies such as gene editing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and stem cell therapies. Each protocol is designed to support reproducibility and translational relevance.

Key Features:

Details validated protocols for drug discovery and disease modeling

Demonstrates methods for studying receptor function and pharmacokinetics

Provides animal models and ex vivo systems to evaluate therapeutic strategies

Incorporates emerging tools such as CRISPR, metabolomics, and exosomes

Bridges experimental design with clinical relevance for glaucoma research

The aim of the Ebook series of Research Topics in Agricultural & Applied Economics (RTAAE) is to publish high quality economic researches applied to both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors of the economy. The subject areas of this Ebook series include, among others, supply and demand analysis, technical change and productivity, industrial organization, labor economics, growth and development, environmental economics, marketing, business economics and finance. By covering a broad variety of economic research topics, this Ebook series should prove to be of considerable interest to a wide spectrum of academic, agricultural and applied economic researchers and scientists, as well as to industry specialists and government policy makers.

Stay informed about recent trends and groundbreaking research driving innovation in the AI-IoT landscape. AI, a simulated form of natural intelligence within machines, has revolutionized various industries, simplifying daily tasks for end-users. This book serves as a handy reference, offering insights into the latest research and applications where AI and IoT intersect. The book includes 12 edited chapters that provide a comprehensive exploration of the synergies between AI and IoT. The contributors attempt to address engineering opportunities and challenges in different fields. Key Topics: AI and IoT in Smart Farming: Explore how these technologies enhance crop yield and sustainability, revolutionizing agricultural practices. AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things): Understand the amalgamation of AI and IoT and its applications, particularly focusing on smart cities and agriculture. Smart Healthcare and Predictive Disease Analysis: Uncover the crucial role of AI and IoT in early disease prediction and improving healthcare outcomes. Applications of AI in Various Sectors: Explore how AI contributes to sustainable development, sentiment analysis, education, autonomous vehicles, fashion, virtual trial rooms, and more. Each chapter has structured sections with summaries and reference lists, making it an invaluable resource for researchers, professionals, and enthusiasts keen on understanding the potential and impact of these technologies in today's rapidly evolving world.

Universities are viewed by many as institutions that should impart quality education to enrolled students and foster a learning environment, which, in turn, would benefit the accumulation of knowledge worldwide. Enhancing university education is at the top of most governmental agendas. In this knowledge-driven economy, every nation wants to have the world's top-ranked universities. Every parent wants to send their child to a top university. And most people want to have a good university degree that gives them good prospects for landing a respectable job.

But universities are currently in turmoil: mass redundancies and department closures have become routine. Once revered as ivory towers of learning, today’s universities are forced to regard their students as consumers and customers. Many universities are now torn between labor market forces and increasing public expectations and accountability. University administration departments struggle with declining funding and increased cost scrutiny. Challenged on multiple fronts, universities are faced with conflicting agendas. They are expected to develop world-class reputations in research (an academic agenda) while teaching increasing numbers of students (a commercial agenda). They are required to be engines of economic development while maintaining comprehensive scholarly profiles. Numerous reports and headlines predict the demise of universities, emphasizing that the current educational and business model is not viable.

Reshaping Universities for Survival in the 21st Century: New Opportunities and Paradigms suggests possible paths which universities might take to survive in the future by providing a compelling account of the landscape of today’s universities and the challenges they face. Readers will learn about the current crises which universities face followed by an explanation of the ideologies and paradigms that have shaped the current academic landscape. New trends and concepts in university education are also explained, such as academic capitalism and MOOCs. Written in clear, easy-to-understand language, it is a must-read for anyone who studies, works or is interested in the higher education sector, including university and government leaders and educational policy makers.

This book aims at developing the capacity to apply poststructuralism in a setting where other discourses are dominant. It focuses on working both with students categorized as 'emotionally/behaviourally disordered' and their teachers in the context of a special education school. This unique work comes to understandings, using poststructuralist theory, about what it means to be positioned in the world as emotionally/behaviourally disordered.

Using these understandings it then looks at developing strategies for working with students and staff to enable them to become people who can begin to understand the multiple and contradictory discourses shaping them and shaping the social world they inhabit, such that they begin to develop strategies to undo their marginal positioning.

`Ricin Toxin’ brings together a collection of in depth and cutting edge reviews that focus on the current understanding of ricin toxins. This e-book provides a historical background, innovations in detection, identification and medical countermeasures against this biothreat, and the toxin’s previous use as an anti-cancer agent.

This e-book answers various important questions such as detection of ricin in food or soil, making of humanized antibody against the toxin, novel approaches for the creation of a safe vaccine to protect first responders, exploitation of toxin`s ability to bind and penetrate cells for medical benefits, aftereffects of administering antibody against ricin to a first responder and their exposure to the toxin, neutralization of different ricin from different castor plant cultivars. Aside from learning key concepts that may be overlooked while scanning literature, the reader will benefit from gems of information scattered throughout the book.

The book comprises of five different parts. The first part covers the background of ricin from pharaohs to bioterrorists and beyond.

The second part covers the discovery of recent technologies which are very helpful for the detection of ricin in different matrices, followed by the detection of ricin in the sorption of soils, minerals,textiles, and food; soil inflatration and dust transport. The third part covers the ricin and castor plant cultivars. It also discusses the antibody therapies such as Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies and the extraction of ricin toxin from several cultivars of the Castor Plant (Ricinus communis).

The fourth part of this e-book discusses different medical countermeasures which are very effective in enhancing the progress in the development of vaccines against ricin intoxication. This part also describes different methods employed for the improvement of anti-ricin antibodies.

The last part of this book describes the replacement and different applications of the toxin. All chapters are written by paramount experts in ricin research.

`Ricin Toxin’ is an essential reading to all medical students, biochemists and professionals involved in the field of toxicology.

Robotics and Automation in Industry 4.0 explores the transformative role of robotics, automation, and emerging technologies in the modern industrial landscape. The book is divided into four comprehensive sections, each focusing on key areas of Industry 4.0. These are: 1) Robotics: Applications and Advancements, 2) Renewable Energy Applications, 3), FinTech, and 4) Multidisciplinary approaches. It compiles 13 chapters offering insights into the latest advancements and provides practical guidance for navigating the evolving industrial landscape.

The book provides an updated panorama of the functional relevance of molecular chaperones in the proper folding of client factors, protein-protein interactions, the regulation of key biological functions, the development of ligand-based structural complexes and the consequent pharmacological or biotechnological applications of these processes. The involvement of molecular chaperones in several processes ranging from regulation of transcription factors and protein-protein interactions in bacteria to proteostasis, signaling pathways and cancer are also addressed. The book is an essential consulting tool for researchers, working professionals in academia or industry, and students of all levels who wish to obtain the most relevant and updated information currently available about protein folding and chaperones.

Consumers have been increasingly involved in the innovation process in the last few decades, a major driving force of business success. This involvement is critically important for innovation, particularly in product development.

However, consumers frequently cannot articulate exactly what they need, want, or like if they are asked directly. It is very difficult for consumers to articulate their needs and desires. Therefore, researchers have to use other means to understand their motivations. There are many arguments suggesting that focus groups cannot create a reliable direction for new product development (NPD) or message optimization. A solution for this problem lies in a systematic, structured and disciplined experimentation with consumers - presenting them with a set of experimentally-designed products or concepts and soliciting their preferences. It is much easier for consumers to choose a preferred option from a set of concepts. New technologies make it easier than ever to conduct complex experiments quickly and inexpensively. The expanded use of experimentation provides an opportunity to take innovation to a new level.

Rule Developing Experimentation (RDE) is an increasingly popular, structured, consumer-based experimentation methodology. RDE works with prototypes, either physical prototypes, prototypes created out of language (concepts), or prototypes created out of visual stimuli (design and packaging). In business, RDE is used both to understand existing products, product categories and packages, as well as to create next generation offerings in the process of new product development (NPD).

Rule Developing Experimentation: A Systematic Approach to Understand & Engineer the Consumer Mind explains RDE concepts, beginning from its origins, to novel consumer research techniques and covers applications relevant to a real market context. Readers are also introduced to the concept of Mind Genomics® - a more holistic approach to gaining insight into the consumer mind.

Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Functionalization and Applications presents detailed information about the range of methods of synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The book systematically delves into the subject with an introductory chapter before moving to chemical synthesis of AGnPs and fabrication methods which help in assigning functional properties for useful nanomaterials. Basic and advanced synthetic methods like surface functionalization and bioconjugation are covered. Additionally, the book informs about impactful applications of AGNPs across a range of industries. Through this book, readers will be able to understand the importance of silver nanoparticles as a futuristic material in scientific investigations and gain a comprehensive understanding of the operational strategies revolving around their surface modification and conjugation.

Key Features:

-Covers the basics of silver nanoparticle (AGNP) synthesis

-Focuses on green methods of AGNPs

- Covers information about surface modification and functionalization of AGNPs with different molecules (including biomolecules)

-Covers a range of applications of AGNPs

-Includes advanced applications of AGNPs in next-generation antibiotics

Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Functionalization and Applications a handy reference for scholars in advanced chemical engineering, materials science and pharmacology programs as well as anyone who wants to know all about silver nanoparticles.

Nowadays, huge amounts of chemicals are commercialized, shipped, stored, and converted to ensure the commercial availability of goods of daily use. Different hazards are involved in the use of these chemicals due to their intrinsic physicochemical properties. Several accidents have occurred in the past due to these hazards in chemical and process industries with serious consequences for people, buildings, and the environment.

Safety in Chemical and Process Industries: A Comprehensive Assessment provides basic knowledge on safety procedures and experimental techniques for evaluating risks related to storage, transport, and transformation of hazardous materials. The book is designed for undergraduate and graduate students of Chemical, Materials, and Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, and Environmental Science.

Key features: - Provides a strong foundation on safety management and risk assessment for chemical handling and management

- Tackles the management of contaminated industrial sites - Focuses on the risk assessment to set remediation goals

- Includes information on Health Impact Assessments

- Includes detailed references for advanced readers at PhD or postdoc levels. The book is organized in the following core topics that are part of relevant course modules:

- Fundamentals of thermal explosions and calorimetric techniques (Chapters 1-3)

- Homogeneous and heterogeneous explosions (Chapters 4-7).

- Consequences of fires and heterogeneous explosions (Chapter 8)

- Industrial hygiene and toxicology (Chapter 9)

- Preventive safety measures and protective measures (Chapter 10)

- Risk assessment for industrially contaminated sites (Chapter 11)

- Health impact assessment within environmental impact assessment studies (Chapter 12)

When we look at the quality management issues that have faced, both, in Japan and the rest of the world recently, it is clear that a next-generation quality management practice is required, featuring a rational approach that will motivate people and revitalize organizations. We need to reassess the way quality management is carried out in the manufacturing industry and establish‘ Science Total Quality Management (TQM), new quality management principle, as a next-generation management technology. In this e-book, the author proposes the ‘Science TQM, new quality management principle, aimed at the evolution of manufacturing, and demonstrates its effectiveness. This contemporary principle of Japanese management science - a scientific quality management method – has been the key to success in global production and facilitates globally consistent levels of quality and simultaneous production worldwide.

Specifically, Science TQM consists of several core technologies designed to address specific areas of corporate operations: the ‘Total Marketing System, TMS, for sales, the ‘Total Development System, TDS, for development and design, the ‘Total Production System, TPS, for production technology and manufacturing, and the ‘Total Intelligence Management System, TIS, and ‘Total Job Quality Management System, TJS, for administrative and managerial functions. These systems are then effectively linked through ‘ Science SQC, new quality control principle,, to rationally achieve strategic quality management.

The focus of this book is thus the theory and application of strategic quality management through the application of ‘Science TQM,. The effectiveness of Science TQM is then demonstrated at Toyota Motor Corporation -one of the world, s leading automotive manufacturing companies. The author, a leading ex-general manager of TQM promotion division of Toyota Motor Corporation, shows how to align them to develop competitive quality throughout the business process that covers from the creation of product concept through manufacturing and selling to delivery to clients by actual cases. This is an e-book to be benchmarked by research professionals and practitioners who are interested in developing competitive quality of their business in the prevailing global competition. This e-book is also strongly recommended to senior managers such has top level executives who are not directly involved in so-called quality management practices because quality is the outcome of the dynamics of most activities of the company as well as the kernel of competitiveness.

The essence of TQM is reflected in ‘Total Quality Management,. Science and technology, team work, collaboration with internal as well as external members, training and skill, data and information, knowledge, and organizational alignment are all important ingredients to be combined systematically and strategically. Linking all ingredients for quality in consistent and effective ways is a key to competitiveness.

Readers will find not only quality related practices, but also the linking capacity for executing TQM practices as well as understand the implicit scientific, behavioral and organizational insights necessary to achieve real quality.

Many herbs and spices, in addition to their culinary use for taste, contain chemical compounds which have medicinal uses. For this reason, herbs and spices have been used for treating various ailments since ancient times. Modern scientific methods have enabled researchers to isolate bioactive compounds from herbs and spices and perform chemical analyses, which can be used to develop medicines to treat different diseases. This book series is a compilation of current reviews on studies performed on herbs and spices. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs is essential reading for medicinal chemists, herbalists and biomedical researchers interested in the science of natural herbs and spices that are common part of regional diets and folk medicine.

The second volume of this series features 6 reviews of unique herbs and seeds:

1. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.): A Review of its Use as a Spice, a Culinary Herb and Medicinal Applications

2. Piper nigrum (Black pepper): A Flavor for Health

3. Coriander Seeds – Ethno-medicinal, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile

4. The Fenugreek Seed: Therapeutic Properties and Applications

5. Biological Activities of Foeniculum vulgare Mill

6. Exploration of Dill Seeds (Anethum graveolens): An Ayurpharmacomic Approach

Many herbs and spices, in addition to their culinary use for taste, contain chemical compounds which have medicinal uses. For this reason, herbs and spices have been used for treating various ailments since ancient times. Modern scientific methods have enabled researchers to isolate bioactive compounds from herbs and spices and perform chemical analyses, which can be used to develop medicines to treat different diseases. This book series is a compilation of current reviews on studies performed on herbs and spices. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs is essential reading for medicinal chemists, herbalists and biomedical researchers interested in the science of natural herbs and spices that are a common part of regional diets and folk medicine.

The fourth volume of this series features the following reviews:

1. Pharmacological effects of Curcuma longa, focused on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects

2. Ethnomedicinal uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological effects, Pre-clinical and Clinical studies on flaxseed: A spice and culinary herb-based formulations and its constituents

3. Nigella sativa (Prophetic medicine): The Miracle Herb

4. Properties of Mexican oregano (Lippia spp.) essential oils and their use in aquaculture

5. Curry leaf: An insight into its Pharmacological activities, Medicinal profile, and Phytochemistry

Many herbs and spices, in addition to their culinary use for taste, contain chemical compounds which have medicinal uses. For this reason, herbs and spices have been used for treating various ailments since ancient times. Modern scientific methods have enabled researchers to isolate and analyze bioactive compounds from herbs and spices to develop medicines for different diseases. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs presents current reviews on studies performed on herbs and spices. This book series is an informative resource for medicinal chemists, herbalists and biomedical researchers interested in the science of natural herbs and spices that are a common part of regional diets and folk medicine.

The sixth volume of this series features reviews on medicinal aspects of a selection of herbs and spices, including:

Pimpinella anisum L. (Anise, Aniseed)

Sinapis alba L. (Mustard Seeds)

Cinnamomum verum (Cinnamon)

Tamarindus indica L (Tamarind)

Curcuma longa (Curcumin)

Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice).

Scientific Philosophy and Principles in Medicine is an accessible treatise on the philosophy that guides medical practice. It lays the foundation of a multidisciplinary framework behind the development of the medical profession. The book presents 10 chapters that cover issues that are frequently encountered by medical professionals in their career: philosophical and linguistic principles of rational thought, scientific, crisp and fuzzy logic, diagnostic aspects, the history of medicine, epistemological concepts, approximate reasoning, principles of medical wisdom, numerical and graphical diagnostics, and the collaboration of researchers involved in the fields of engineering and medicine.

The author of the book brings several years of teaching experience and medical practice into this reference with the goal of integrating principles of scientific philosophy and logic into medical education. Readers will understand the process of devising rational diagnostic and treatment approaches that support human health as a generative process that seeks to solve problems through creativity, rather than a classical process of following medical protocols.

This book is intended as a basic reference for medical students, teachers, and general readers interested in the application of logic, philosophy and scientific principles in medicine.

This text explains the use of compressed air for energy storage and efficient pneumatic applications. Chapters cover the elementary physical and engineering principles related to compressed air, including compression and expansion characteristics, adiabatic, polytropic, and isothermal phenomena, and energy content within a given volume. The author also discusses the advantages and drawbacks of pneumatic technology and presents innovative ways to increase the energy efficiency of pneumatic actuators. A key highlight of the book is the introduction of a method to enhance efficiency by incorporating expansion work alongside constant pressure displacement. The author presents an analysis of various cylinder assemblies where energy efficiency is notably improved compared to conventional pneumatic actuators. The book serves as a primary reference for mechanical engineering students and as a handbook for engineers designing efficient pneumatic devices.

Key Features: Fundamental and advanced information about actuators and their pneumatic applications Focus on energy efficiency testing Systematic chapter order for effective learning progression, with a working example to support comprehension References for further reading Appendices providing additional insights and resources .

This book surveys the major and newly developed techniques for semiconductor strain metrology. Semiconductor strain metrology has emerged in recent years as a topic of great interest to researchers involved in thin film and nanoscale device characterization. This e-book employs a tutorial approach to explain the principles and applications of each technique specifically tailored for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Selected topics include optical, electron beam, ion beam and synchrotron x-ray techniques. Unlike earlier references, this e-book specifically discusses strain metrology as applied to semiconductor devices with both depth and focus.

Frontiers in Myocardia is an eBook series which compiles information about the structure and function of myocardial (the heart muscles) and includes updated reviews on the recent developments in the treatment of associated diseases such as angina, cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial infarction.

Advances in research on clinical sepsis in the last few decades have lead to the use of new concepts and treatment paradigms that have been tested and implemented in the clinical setting of Intensive Care Units around the world. An integrative approach towards understanding the pathophysiology of cardiac dysfunction in septic patients can, therefore, lead to better patient outcomes.

The first volume of this series, Septic Cardiomyopathy: from bench-to-bedside, integrates new and old information about the molecular mechanisms, histopathological and electrophysiological alterations with novel findings for diagnosing treating septic cardiomyopathy. This eBook attempts to bridge the gap between basic and clinical scientists and presents new data on different aspects of cardiac physiology during critical illness in a single volume. Chapters in this volume also cover cardiovascular changes that occur as a consequence of sepsis including metabolic, mitochondrial arrhythmic changes.

This eBook will add significant value to medical students, cardiac physicians and medical scientists engaged in the field of critical care medicine.

This e-book presents several basic methods and results of order theory that are currently used in various branches of mathematics. It presents topics that require a broad explanation in a concise and attractive way. Readers will easily identify problems/techniques/solutions without the frustration of long searches through previous notations, definitions and results. It begins with a sketch of axiomatic set theory and of the theory of categories. The fundamentals of the order relation are presented, including several properties equivalent to the axiom of choice, and culminating with well-ordered sets and transfinite numbers. This e-book also explains: (1) The complete existential theory of the various distinguished elements which a partially ordered set may possess, (2) The proof of the equivalence with the axiom of choice of 14 frequently used properties,(3) The fact that certain properties of ordinals are revealed as being just properties of well-ordered sets, and (4) The presentation of ordinals and cardinals both in axiomatic setting and following von Neumann's construction. Proofs are given in detail along with numerous examples and exercises illustrating the theory and demonstrating applications. Several classes of lattices, closure operators and Galois connections include tools which serve as prerequisites to universal algebra. Other topics include embeddings and topological duality for distributive lattices. The e-book serves both as a textbook for undergraduate and graduate students and as a reference book for mathematicians working in fields different from set theory or algebra, to whom it provides a quick access to basic facts from order theory.

This eBook presents a summary of central aspects of sialobiology (i.e., the study of sialic acid and its relevance to biology). The importance of substitution by the sugar sialic acid and the role played by sialylated structures (eg. glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycoconjugates) in immune recognition, neural cell growth, embryogenesis and disease development including microbial pathogenesis and cancer progression, has become well-established.

Since 1995, the field of sialobiology has expanded greatly as many of the key enzymes involved in sialic acid biosynthesis, as well as the vast majority of sialic acid binding lectins involved in immune recognition, have only been cloned, characterised and structural eluciated after the publication of earlier works on the subject. This e-book also covers these recent developments. Chapters in this e-book have been contributed by eminent sialobiologists. Therefore, a book of this nature is timely and will prove to be a definitive volume with a high impact in this field for glycobiologists and cell biologists.

Face recognition has several applications, including security, such as (authentication and identification of device users and criminal suspects), and in medicine (corrective surgery and diagnosis). Facial recognition programs rely on algorithms that can compare and compute the similarity between two sets of images.

This eBook explains some of the similarity measures used in facial recognition systems in a single volume. Readers will learn about various measures including Minkowski distances, Mahalanobis distances, Hansdorff distances, cosine-based distances, among other methods. The book also summarizes errors that may occur in face recognition methods.

Computer scientists "facing face" and looking to select and test different methods of computing similarities will benefit from this book. The book is also useful tool for students undertaking computer vision courses.

Single and two-phase flows are ubiquitous in most natural process and engineering systems. Examples of systems or process include, packed bed reactors, either single phase or multiphase, absorber and adsorber separation columns, filter beds, plate heat exchangers, flow of viscoelastic fluids in polymer systems, or the enhanced recovery of oil, among others.

In each case the flow plays a central role in determining the system or process behavior and performance. A better understanding of the underlying physical phenomena and the ability to describe the phenomena properly are both crucial to improving design, operation and control processes involving the flow of fluids, ensuring that they will be more efficient and cost effective. Expanding disciplines such as microfluidics and the simulation of complex flow physical systems, such as blood flow in physiological networks, also rely heavily on accurate predictions of fluid flow.

Recent advances either in computational and experimental techniques are improving the existing knowledge of single and multiphase flows in engineering and physical systems of interest. This ebook is a review on the state-of-the-art and recent advances in critical areas of fluid mechanics and transport phenomena with respect to chemical and biomedical engineering applications.

Practicing dermatologists are likely to encounter several patients who have psychological difficulties in dealing with various skin conditions. While there are several factors that might be responsible for these difficulties (such as physical and mental stress), it is becoming increasingly clear nowadays that skin disease patients experiencing such issues need to be managed with a multidisciplinary approach to improve treatment outcomes.

Skin and the Psyche delves into the realm of psychodermatology – the cusp of dermatology, psychology and psychiatry. The book enhances the reader´s knowledge about relevant topics such as the biology of the skin, the impact of stress on skin inflammation, acne vulgaris, skin diseases secondary to delusions and other psychiatric diseases, psoriasis and much more. Different forms of non-pharmacological treatments of these diseases are also mentioned. The book also contains a concise guide to building a psychodermatology clinic.

Skin and the Psyche is a vital reference for dermatologists, hospital managers and psychiatrists looking for tips to improve their ability to interact with individuals while assisting them to cope with dermatological diseases and conditions.

Smart Home and Industrial IoT Devices: Critical Perspectives on Cyber Threats, Frameworks and Protocols provides an in-depth examination of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its profound impact on smart homes and industrial systems. The book begins by exploring the significance of IoT in smart homes, followed by an analysis of emerging cyber threats targeting smart homes and cyber-physical systems. It presents AI and machine learning-based frameworks for monitoring water quality and managing irrigation in agriculture, highlighting their role in IoT ecosystems. The text also discusses a framework to mitigate cyber-attacks on robotic systems and introduces a multinomial naive Bayesian classifier for analyzing smart IoT devices. Dataflow analysis and modeling experiments are detailed, along with a comparison of IoT communication protocols using anomaly detection and security assessment. The book concludes with a discussion on efficient, lightweight intrusion detection systems and a unique taxonomy for IoT frameworks. This book is ideal for students, researchers, and professionals seeking to understand and secure IoT environments.

With the rapid development of electronic technology, mobile communication and satellite communication, electromagnetic interference (EMI) or Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) has received global scientific attention to ensure unperturbed performance of electronic items and to avoid any adverse effect on human health. EMI is one of the main factors that weaken electronic system performance and is considered as a modern form of environmental pollution.

Many efforts have been made to reduce EMI due to industrial regulations. With the expansion of the IT industry, microwave absorbing materials (MAMs) and EMI shielding materials have received considerable interest to improve the resistance of smart devices to EMI.

This book presents a comprehensive review of the recent developments in EMI shielding and the design of microwave absorbing materials. Chapters cover the basic mechanism of shielding and radiation absorption, measurement procedures, factors affecting the shielding and different materials for shielding and absorption (e.g. MWCNT, conjugated polymers, graphene, MXene based hybrid materials, Carbon foam, graphene based thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites, carbon-carbon composites, nano ferrite composites and conducting Ferro fluids). An analysis of EMI shielding using fillers composed of different materials is also presented.

In addition, key issues and current challenges to achieve better shielding and absorption performance for various materials are explained, giving the readers a broader perspective of the subject.

The book is suitable as a detailed reference for students in technology, electronics engineering and materials science courses, and professionals working on materials for designing EMI shielding mechanisms.

Smart Polymeric Nanocomposites: Synthesis and Applications explores the fascinating field of smart polymeric nanocomposites, presenting an in-depth understanding of their synthesis, properties, and diverse applications. Designed as a resource for researchers, students, and professionals, it provides a thorough overview of cutting-edge advancements in the field. The book covers various topics, including self-healing materials, shape-memory applications, controlled drug delivery, environmental solutions such as water purification, and innovations in flexible electronic sensing. By integrating theoretical principles with real-world applications, the book serves as both a learning tool and an inspiration for innovation in polymer science and nanotechnology.

Key Features:

- Detailed exploration of synthesis methods and advanced applications.

- Case studies and practical examples.

- Interdisciplinary insights across chemistry, engineering, and environmental science.

A refreshing and useful resource for understanding the multidimensional aspects linking social determinants to health equity and development. The book is written for researchers, students, public health practitioners, health decision makers, health economists, epidemiologists, sociologists, demographers and general public audience with interest in health equity and development. The nine chapters presented are clear and comprehensive, reinforced by several diagrams and real examples illustrating inequity in health. The book is Illustrated with 45 tables and figures, and contain 355 recent references to the literature.

Current global economic crises call for social responsibility to replace neo-liberalistic, one-sided and short-term criteria causing monopolies of global enterprises. Humanity's existence is endangered under the threat of global capitalism, unless the positive concept 'everyone's social responsibility impacts everyone in society' becomes the basis of the new socio-economic order. This concept must be realized together with related concepts of 'interdependence' and 'holism' embodying the principles of accountability, transparency, ethical behavior, and respect for stakeholders--to support the rule of law, international norms, and human rights.

Social Responsibility – A non-technological innovation process explores the realm of social responsibility in the context of innovation, business practice and economic crises. Readers can apply related principles to their business practices and enhance their business prospects in a modern environment facing the challenges of socio-economic crises.

This volume is intended for graduates and professionals working in government organizations and commercial enterprises, to learn basic concepts about social responsibility and introduce holistic management practices in their daily and professional lives.

Current global economic crises call for social responsibility to replace neo-liberalistic, one-sided and short-term criteria causing monopolies of global enterprises. Humanity's existence is endangered under the threat of global capitalism, unless the positive concept ‘everyone's social responsibility impacts everyone in society' becomes the basis of the new socio-economic order. This concept must be realized together with related concepts of ‘interdependence' and ‘holism,' embodying the principles of accountability, transparency, ethical behavior, and respect for stakeholders--to support the rule of law, international norms, and human rights.

Range of Perspectives Per Topics and Countries brings forth discussions from researchers from different countries. The contents of this volume include discussions related to community involvement, disaster response and disease epidemics, among other topics. The volume also includes studies on social responsibility standards in a Mexican city as well as a discussion of social responsibility in BIRCS countries.

Soft robotics is a subfield of robotics that encompasses the design and fabrication of robots with soft and compliant materials. Soft robots represent components like human prosthetics or biomimicking systems. Soft robotics relies on technically astute designs based on the correct choice of materials to enable a level of dexterity not possible with rigid components alone. The basic prime movers (actuators) and perception (sensors) require control systems capable of accommodating imprecise feedback data and often unpredictable reaction times. Mobility in such robots is more akin to entomological or marine systems than conventional guided vehicles.

This reference is a guide to materials and systems used in soft robotics. If features 6 chapters contributed by robotics experts that review fundamental and applied topics that are important for understanding the requirements of soft robotics design projects and the physics of the polymers involved. Chapters are organized for easy reading and include references.

The topics include:

- Aspects of materials processing and engineering for the development of soft robotic devices

- A review on biological gripping principles and their application to robotics

- Information about self-sensing electroadhesive polymer grippers with magnetically controllable surface geometry

- Theoretical and experimental investigations of magnetic hybrid materials

- Modeling and dynamic analysis of a novel rotary soft robotic arm by transfer matrix method

- Design and control of a portable continuum robot for pipe inspection assisted by a rigid manipulator

This book is a suitable reference for scholars and engineers who are seeking knowledge about materials and design principles in soft robotics with its practical applications.

Soil Biology & Ecology: The Basics offers an accessible introduction to the diverse and dynamic world beneath our feet. This book explores soil as a thriving habitat, detailing the rich biodiversity of microorganisms and macroorganisms that sustain essential ecological cycles. It covers the key biochemical cycles in soil, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, explaining how these processes contribute to soil fertility and ecosystem health. With a focus on ecological relationships like symbiosis and competition, this guide illuminates the vital role of soil in supporting life and agricultural productivity.

Ideal for students, researchers, and nature enthusiasts, the book is a foundational resource for understanding soil's impact on the biosphere and human food production.

Key Features:

- Comprehensive overview of soil as a living ecosystem

- Detailed coverage of soil microbiota, macrobiota, and biochemical cycles

- Insights into ecological relationships and their practical applications

This book encapsulates current information about the science behind solar energy and the solar thermal systems available to meet domestic needs. Several scholars have contributed to the chapters in the text in an effort to distill research-oriented topics for learners.

The book starts with an explainer on the fundamentals of thermodynamics, heat transfer and solar energy in the first 2 chapters. The basics of some solar thermal devices along with their thermal modeling are covered in the next few chapters, along with solar distillation systems. This is followed by information about the design, development and applications of solar cookers along with their thermal modeling. Thermal modeling of semi-transparent PVT systems and their applications are discussed in Chapter 9. Chapter 10 covers the development in solar photovoltaic technology. Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 discusses thermal modeling of greenhouse solar dryers and presents a case study on a hybrid active greenhouse solar dryer. Chapter 13 covers the thermal analysis of photovoltaic thermal (PVT) air heaters employing thermoelectric modules (TEM). The applications of various solar systems in building sectors and the development in this field are covered in Chapter 14. Chapter 15 deals with energy and environ- economics analysis of bio-gas integrated semi-transparent photo-voltaic thermal (Bi-iSPVT) systems for Indian climates.

The book has a broad scope and is intended as a resource for students, researchers and teachers in universities, industries, and national and commercial laboratories to help learn the fundamentals and in-depth knowledge of thermal modeling and recent developments in solar heating systems.

Since the first description by John Scott Russel in 1834, the solitary wave phenomenon has attracted considerable interests from scientists. The most interesting discovery since then has been the ability to integrate most of the nonlinear wave equations which govern solitary waves, from the Korteweg-de Vries equation to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, in the 1960's. From that moment, a huge amount of theoretical works can be found on solitary waves. Due to the fact that many physical phenomena can be described by a soliton model, applications have followed each other, in telecommunications first, where the propagation of solitons in fiber optics helps in increasing transmission capacity, thanks to their inherent stability, which make long-distance transmission possible without the use of repeaters.

The aim of this book is to present a state of the art theoretical study of solitary waves. Prominent actual works on solitary waves are described.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection represents one of the biggest challenges of current years. However, scientists and physicians still do not have an efficient therapy for preventing or eradicating the virus. The selection of drug-resistant strains as well as side-effects, represent common problems encountered in all anti-viral therapies. However, it has been clearly demonstrated that the potency of early immune responses profoundly regulates levels of HIV, and hence also the generation of virus mutants as well as the velocity of disease progression to AIDS.

A prominent feature of this e-book is the focus on interaction between innate immunity and HIV infection. This topic has been investigated by many authors from the late 80's, and many soluble factors responsible for such activity have been discovered, such as suPAR and HMGB1. At present, these two novel factors are the subject of very intense research on HIV infections.

A key advantage of this e-book is the selection of authors, recognized worldwide as leading experts in their field. Because of the comprehensive coverage, as well as the eminence of the authors, this e-book provides a detailed and high quality description about the role of innate immune responses regulating HIV replication. It should prove to be a useful resource for readers interested in immunology and HIV research.

Famous Planet Earth Caves - The new series presents important caves or rock shelters in any kind of rock types all over the world. Each book focuses on a single cave presentation covering different and most important disciplines of a cave: Geology (e.g. cave genesis, sedimentology, speleothems) such as Hydrogeology (e.g. speleothems for climate reconstructions, aquifer reconstructions), Paleontology (e.g. cave bear or carnivore dens), Archeology (e.g. Palaeolithic to Medieval camp or burial sites) and modern Biology (e.g. bat caves). The books are scientific chaptered monographs, sometimes of show caves, but often of non- or difficult to access caves. The well-illustrated books are written in a mixed scientific and popular scientific way for a better understanding and larger readership, especially speleologists and natural scientists all over the world.                                        

Sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) represents a novel set of technologies for animal (or in the future, human) genetic modification using the sperm as a vector, as opposed to more traditional established routes such as fertilized eggs or embryonic stem cells.

Studies of sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) indicate that sperm cells possess the ability to be utilized as carriers of exogenous genetic sequences, offering the potential of a novel cost-effective route for germline genetic modification. The fate of transgenes borne by sperm cells has been inconsistent, and analysis of offspring from SMGT experiments has shown a mixed picture in terms of genomic integration of the transgene, suggesting an episomal mode of inheritance. Various distinct steps in transgene uptake by the sperm cell have been described or proposed, including a model based upon endogenous reverse transcriptase activity. Although mature sperm cells are naturally protected against uptake of foreign nucleic acid molecules, certain environmental conditions, for example at key times within the reproductive tract, may reduce this protection, suggesting that SMGT may occasionally take place in nature. If correct, this carries profound implications for evolution and human genetic health. This e-book brings together theoretical and empirical reviews from experts in SMGT, providing comprehensive coverage of the major trends, developments and controversies in this novel field. This e-book is intended as a reference for professional researchers in the field of animal genetic modification (transgenesis) as well as teachers, scientists and physicians interested in medical genetics in general and gene therapy in particular.

The book presents methods of approximate solution of the basic problem of elasticity for special types of solids. Engineers can apply the approximate methods (Finite Element Method, Boundary Element Method) to solve the problems but the application of these methods may not be correct for solids with the certain singularities or asymmetrical boundary conditions. The book is recommended for researchers and professionals working on elasticity modeling. It explains methods of solving elasticity problems for special solids. Approximate methods (Finite Element Method, Boundary Element Method) have been used to solve these problems. The interpolation and the spline-interpolation solutions of the 3D problem of the theory of elasticity have been constructed in this work. The spline-interpolation solution can be considered as a variant of the finite element method.

Stainless Steels: An Introduction and Their Recent Developments explains issues related to surface treatment, grain refinement, coloration, defect detection and powder metallurgy of stainless steels in detail with reference to new research findings. It also includes detailed descriptions of various classes of stainless steels (ferritic, austenitic, martensitic, duplex, precipitation-hardening) and introduces readers to new generations of stainless steels such as high-N(Mn), low/no-Ni grades. This e-book is a useful reference for metallurgists and materials scientists who wish to update their knowledge about progress in stainless steels over the last couple of decades.

Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field which involves the fabrication of tissues by using a porous protein scaffold, cells and bioactive molecules. The aim of tissue engineering is to enhance medical applications and procedures. This volume introduces the reader to the basics of employing pluripotent stem cells in tissue engineering. Successive chapters present knowledge about relevant tissue engineering techniques in different medical and physiological specialties including dentistry, cardiovascular physiology, hepatology, nephrology, dermatology and orthopedics.

The text offers a wealth of information that will be of use to all students, bioengineers, materials scientists, chemists, physicians and surgeons concerned with the properties, performance, and the application of tissue engineering scaffolds in clinical settings.

The potential use of stem cells in transplantation for the purpose of tissue regeneration is an exciting area of research currently undergoing rapid development. Implantation of human embryonic or autologous, ex vivo-expanded adult stem cells, particularly in older individuals, could circumvent the limited availability of organs/tissues as well as prevent complications related to immune rejection and disease transmission. Musculoskeletal tissue degeneration is closely associated with aging. Strategies employing autologous adult MSCs from older individuals for transplantation in order to regenerate their own ailing organ or tissues require that we vigorously define MSCs capacity to maintain growth potential and differentiation potential into the desirable cell lineages. We are currently restricted by the limited knowledge about physical parameters, such as biomechanical forces, that influence MSC growth and differentiation capacities. This is particularly important for MSCs isolated from older individuals, for whom little information is available. This special volume aims to serve as an impetus in generating more interest among stem cell researchers and biotechnologists to improve and develop the cell-based therapies of damaged tissue using stem cells.

Stem cells with self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential have potential for developing medicines for a range of refractory and recurrent disease. This book mainly focuses on the landscape of the biological properties and translational research of stem cells types, including hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), neural stem cells (NSCs) and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs).

The book also introduces readers to the current updates and development prospects of stem cells in singular or combination therapies with advanced biomaterials and technological innovations towards large-scale standardization and productization.

Key Features:

- Introduces readers to stem cell biology and tissue engineering

- Covers innovations in stem cell therapy and biomaterials

- Includes a brief guide to commercialization of stem cell technology

- Includes references for advanced readers

The contents will strengthen the reader’s understanding of stem cell-based therapies. This book is a primer on stem cell and regenerative medicine for a wide readership including students, healthcare professionals, researchers and general readers.