Bentham Science Publishers

Adsorption technology is a promising avenue for wastewater treatment. Numerous adsorbent materials are presently synthesized. Green or environmental friendly adsorbents are derived from plants and agricultural crop sources, giving them a very low production cost when compared to synthetic polymers. This monograph explains the basic principles of green adsorption technology, their production processes and strategies to remove different categories of environmental pollutants (dyes, heavy metals and phenols/pesticides). The book explains details in terms of features such as adsorption capacity, physico-chemical kinetics and reuse potential. A summary of the economics and future prospect for green adsorption technology is also given. This text is a handy reference for environmental chemistry students, researchers and policy makers.

This book aims to inform readers about the latest trends in environment-friendly extraction techniques in food analysis. Fourteen edited chapters cover relevant topics. These topics include a primer green food analysis and extraction, environment-friendly solvents, (such as deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, and supramolecular solvents), and different extraction techniques.

Key Features

- Includes topics for basic and advanced readers

- Covers a wide range of green solvents for food analysis

- Emphasizes modern extraction techniques (including supercritical fluid extraction, the gas expanded liquid extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, pulse electric field extraction)

- Provides notes on selection of solvents

- Includes references for every chapter The blend of fundamental and applied information makes this an ideal reference for food chemistry students and research scholars. It also serves as a guide for professional experts working in food analysis and sustainability roles.

The convergence of nanotechnology with agriculture has transformed farming, while also impacting medicine, biotechnology and environmental science. Plant extracts isolated using new technologies have been used to successfully create new medicines for specific diseases. This book focuses on the eco-friendly synthesis of plant extracts. It provides information about multifunctional nanoparticles, and their versatile applications, including agriculture, food safety, and environmental remediation.

The book aims to bridge the gap between nanotechnology and public perception, addressing concerns related to health and environmental impact. Themes within the book span across green synthesis techniques for noble metal nanoparticles, the crucial role of analytical methods in characterizing these 'nanomaterials' and the comprehensive examination of how nanoparticles interact with the human body. Furthermore, the intricate relationships between proteins and nanoparticles is highlighted to explain the physicochemical effects and toxicity of nanomaterials. Readers will learn about sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches for synthesizing nanoparticles, while getting a glimpse of the promising future of nanotechnology in agriculture and beyond.

Ground Improvement Techniques for Sustainable Engineering explores modern methods for enhancing soil strength and stability, emphasizing sustainable solutions in geotechnical engineering. This comprehensive book addresses challenges such as weak soils, low bearing capacity, and settlement issues while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It bridges traditional methods with cutting-edge advancements, providing an all-encompassing guide to ground improvement techniques.

Key topics include compaction, soil stabilization, lime soil, stone columns, preloading with vertical drains, geosynthetics, soil nailing, micropiles, and ground anchors. Theoretical insights are paired with practical applications and case studies to demonstrate how these methods support resilient infrastructure while promoting environmental stewardship.

Key Features:

- Coverage of classical and advanced ground improvement techniques.

- Integration of theoretical foundations, practical case studies, and innovative solutions.

- Focus on sustainability in geotechnical engineering practices.

Gut Microbiota and their Impact on Disease Pathways and Interventions discusses the intricate world of gut microbiota and its profound influence on human health and disease. This comprehensive volume explores the microbiome's pivotal role in conditions ranging from obesity and cardiovascular disease to inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, ocular diseases, and neurological disorders. It offers cutting-edge insights into therapeutic strategies such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, alongside emerging approaches like gut microbial metabolites as diagnostic biomarkers. It serves as a vital resource for understanding and harnessing the role of gut health in disease prevention and management.

Key Features:

- Multidisciplinary approach integrating microbiology, medicine, and biotechnology.

- Innovative treatment modalities including personalized medicine based on microbiome analysis.

- Exploration of gut-brain, gut-heart, and gut-immune system interactions.

HR Analytics: Fundamentals and Applications provides a comprehensive exploration of the role of HR analytics in modern people management. The book covers critical topics such as the impact of HR analytics on organizational performance, the use of predictive models in recruitment and employee performance, and the benefits and challenges of implementing HR analytics. It offers practical tools, techniques, and strategies to enhance HR decision-making. With a focus on real-world applications, this book is a valuable resource for HR professionals, educators, and anyone interested in leveraging analytics for strategic HR management.

Key Features:

- The role of HR analytics in people management.

- Predictive analytics for recruitment and performance.

- Practical tools and templates for HR analytics.

- Challenges and opportunities of HR analytics

- Future of HR analytics in organizations

- Case studies

Handbook for Dental Chair Side Assistants is a timely and comprehensive resource designed to educate the dental chair side assistant and dental nurses about dentistry. This unique practical handbook covers the basic sciences emergencies and clinical aspects of all dental specialties. The theoretical knowledge and background about dental anatomy, dental microbiology, oral pathology, dental materials, dental radiology, dental procedures, common drugs, problems and dental instruments in dental practice is explained in simple and clear terms. The contents have been designed to give an optimum balance between clinical skills and theoretical foundation of the subject. The book is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 covers basic sciences and includes a guide to working in dental clinics. Part 2 includes a guide to medical emergencies, and information for different dental specialty settings. Key Features - Lucid yet simple explanations for learners - Covers basic and practical tips for dental assistants and nurses - Provides information for all dental specialties - Includes notes on advanced technology in dentistry - Illustrative and easy to retain information with colorful clinical pictures flowcharts and tabular data - A comprehensive summary for every chapter The book is useful reading material for undergraduate dental students and trainees.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an interdisciplinary science with multiple approaches to solve a problem. Advancements in machine learning (ML) and deep learning are creating a paradigm shift in virtually every tech industry sector.

This handbook provides a quick introduction to concepts in AI and ML. The sequence of the book contents has been set in a way to make it easy for students and teachers to understand relevant concepts with a practical orientation. This book starts with an introduction to AI/ML and its applications. Subsequent chapters cover predictions using ML, and focused information about AI/ML algorithms for different industries (health care, agriculture, autonomous driving, image classification and segmentation, SEO, smart gadgets and security). Each industry use-case demonstrates a specific aspect of AI/ML techniques that can be used to create pipelines for technical solutions such as data processing, object detection, classification and more.

Additional features of the book include a summary and references in every chapter, and several full-color images to visualize concepts for easy understanding. It is an ideal handbook for both students and instructors in undergraduate level courses in artificial intelligence, data science, engineering and computer science who are required to understand AI/ML in a practical context.

Handbook of Laparoscopy Instruments covers the essential components of laparoscopic instruments and technology. It presents accessible information covering key topics on the subject: Ø Basic and specialized laparoscopic instruments Ø Image production Ø Pneumoperitoneum maintenance Ø Ergonomics Ø Sterilization procedures Ø Optical devices Ø Operation theatre layout and setup Ø Operative hand instruments Ø Robotic Surgery This book is an indispensable resource recommended for students and surgical residents who need an understanding of instruments and procedures in laparoscopic surgery. It is also intended to help medical professionals who want to start laparoscopy units in their clinics.

Handbook of Natural Zeolites provides a comprehensive and updated summary of all important aspects of natural zeolites science and technology. The e-book contains four sections covering the relevant scientific background, established technologies, recent discoveries and future perspectives. All 28 chapters in this handbook are presented by highly respected scientists and leaders in natural zeolites science and include extensive references. The text in this e-book is supported by excellent figures and tables. As a result, novices and established scientists alike will find this comprehensive volume a great resource for years to come.

Hazardous Waste Management and Health Risks presents a systematic overview of evaluating solid and hazardous waste management practices. The book introduces readers to the basic principles of hazardous waste management and progresses into related topics that allow managers to assess environmental quality. These topics include heavy metal pollution, reproductive biomarkers as signals of environmental pressure and health risks, and environmental contamination in an international perspective. With an emphasis on sustainable development throughout the text, a zero-waste strategy as an alternative way to manage hazardous waste is suggested in a dedicated chapter.

This reference book is intended as an introductory guide for managers taking waste management training courses and students involved in degree courses related to environmental engineering and management.

In a global environment of rapid increases in health expenditures, health policies in Australia and in many other countries are currently undergoing major reforms. To contain future cost increases, accurate tools able to identify and rank ‘best value for money’ health investments are essential.

In Australia non-communicable chronic diseases – e.g. diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and mental disorders – affect the majority of the elderly, account for 70% of health expenditures, and cause poor health, deteriorating quality of life and premature death. This book focuses on how to identify ‘best value for money’ health investments within the context of on-going and future health reforms, and on quantifying the major benefits that would flow from such investments in terms of longer and better lives. This book will be of interest to general readers, social and economic researchers, and students interested in health care in ageing populations.

Heat Stress In Food Grain Crops: Plant Breeding and Omics Research is a timely compilation of advanced research on heat stress affecting crop yield, plant growth & development of common food grain and cereal crops. Chapters in the book cover several aspects of crop science including the identification of potential gene donors for heat tolerance, physiological mechanisms of adaptation to heat stress, the use of conventional and modern tools of breeding for imparting tolerance against terminal temperature stress and precise mapping of heat tolerant QTLs through biparental and genome wide association mapping. The use of genomics and phenomics methods is focused on through chapters dedicated to important crops such as groundnut, pearl millet, maize, chickpea, mungbean and wheat. Authors of the respective chapters explain the importance of harnessing a diverse crop genepool for sustaining crop production under conditions of increasing heat stress. Readers will be able to understand the relevance of functional genomics in elucidating candidate genes and their regulatory functions contributing to heat tolerance

Some time ago, Schiano raised the question "To B or not to B", which means "To Biopsy or not to Biopsy" the liver for the evaluation of chronic hepatopathies. For a long period, liver biopsy (LB) was considered the "gold standard" for the evaluation of liver morphology. A major disadvantage of LB is its invasiveness: the risk of post-biopsy discomfort for patients and sometimes, for serious complications; also the lack of sensitivity to detect fibrosis, due to its heterogeneity; and the inability to obtain good quality fragments, adequate for pathological examination. In these conditions, the question is whether LB can be regarded as the "gold standard" for staging and grading chronic hepatitis in daily activity.

But what alternative can we propose for the evaluation of liver fibrosis at this moment? The answer is: non-invasive methods and the ultrasound elastographic ones presented in this volume.

Transient Elastography (FibroScan, Echosens) is a recognized method in many countries. Published papers and meta-analyses showed the value of this method for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis (AUROC - 94%); for staging chronic HCV hepatitis (a cut-off value of 7.5 kPa differentiates F0–1 from F2–4 with 67% sensitivity, 87% specificity, 86% positive predictive value (PPV) and 68% negative predictive value (NPV), with a diagnostic accuracy of 76%; but also in HBV chronic infection, NASH, PBC, PBS).

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography (Siemens S2000) is another elastographic methods with promising results (a meta-analysis showed that the mean diagnostic accuracy of ARFI expressed as AUROC was 0.88 for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (F≥2), 0.91 for the diagnosis of severe fibrosis (F≥3), and 0.93 for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. In the subgroup of patients who underwent both ARFI and TE, the diagnostic accuracy of ARFI was comparable to TE for the diagnosis of significant and severe fibrosis, with a trend to be inferior for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. The future of liver fibrosis evaluation points towards non-invasive methods, decreasing dramatically the number of liver biopsies.

Studies have been published regarding the value of Real Time Elastography, performed for the first time with Hitachi systems (EUB-8500 and EUB-900), which uses an extended combined autocorrelation method to produce a real-time elasticity image by using a freehand approach to compress the tissues with the ultrasound transducer. The relative tissues’ elasticity is calculated and displayed as a color overlay on the conventional B-mode image. HiRT-E could be a promising method for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatopathies, but new methods of color code interpretation are needed to improve the accuracy, as well as a reference acquisition methodology.

ShearWave™ Elastography, the new "kid on the block", produces an image where true local tissue elasticity is displayed in a color map in "real time". Elasticity is displayed using a color coded image superimposed on a B-mode image. Stiffer tissues are coded in red and softer tissues in blue, with an image resolution of approximately 1mm. The true elasticity is assessed based on Shear wave propagation speed into the tissue. It is a very new method and only small studies were presented at international meetings.

Thus, having the alternative of noninvasive elastographic methods for the evaluation of liver fibrosis (maybe together with serum tests such as FibroMax) and knowing the low real life yield of liver biopsy (and the risk of complications), we can safely conclude that, for daily medical activity, liver biopsy can be avoided in the vast majority of cases.

This ebook presents an interesting set of chapters on the subject and is of good value to hepatologists interested in non invasive diagnostic methods for liver diseases.

The burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the public health care system continues to remain significant despite the remarkable progress made in HCV therapeutics in the recent past. There are now almost a dozen oral interferon-free direct-acting antivirals available for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. Despite advances in the treatment of HCV, therapeutic gaps remain that are yet to be fully explored. Researchers and scientists still strive to understand virus-host interactions to map the disease's progression along with extrahepatic manifestations and virus invasion strategies impacting the host's immune system. This book briefly discusses the biology of HCV infection, virus-host interactions, molecular epidemiology of the infection, and the full spectrum of immune responses to hepatitis C. It also provides in-depth information about HCV, clinical diagnostics, and therapeutic knowledge to all stakeholders involved in HCV screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management.

Topics covered in the chapters include 1) HCV-host interactions leading to asymptomatic acute infection, 2) the progression of acute HCV infection to chronic disease and subsequent extrahepatic comorbidities, 3) Innate and adaptive immune responses in HCV infections, 4) Consensus-based Approaches for Hepatitis C Screening and Diagnosis, 5) advances in hepatitis C therapy and global management of HCV, and 6) the outcomes of Oral Interferon-free Direct-acting Antivirals as Combination Therapies to Cure Hepatitis C.

This book is a valuable addition to undergraduate and postgraduate hepatology students and physicians, clinicians, hepatologists, and health care officials involved in HCV clinical diagnosis and therapeutics.

Herbal Medicine for Autoimmune Diseases addresses the immune system's role in autoimmune conditions and introduces evidence-based herbal therapies for diseases like lupus, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and more. Chapters highlight innovative approaches such as phyto-nanotechnology for enhanced drug delivery and the therapeutic benefits of berry fruits. Readers will gain insights into bioactive compounds, their efficacy in clinical settings, and the integration of traditional wisdom with contemporary research. Ideal for students, researchers, and pharmaceutical professionals, this book bridges the gap between ancient remedies and cutting-edge healthcare solutions, offering a valuable resource for understanding and managing autoimmune disorders.

Key Features:

- Detailed exploration of herbal treatments for specific autoimmune diseases.

- Integration of phyto-nanotechnology for advanced drug delivery systems.

- Evidence-based insights supported by preclinical and clinical research.

- Practical implications for academia, pharmaceutical research, and clinical practice.

Herbs for Disease Prevention and Treatment offers a comprehensive exploration of the therapeutic potential of herbs and their bioactive compounds in preventing and managing various diseases. This book delves into the use of marine macroalgae in diabetes management, the role of herbal supplements and nutraceuticals in disease prevention, and the application of herbs as dietary medicine. It also covers traditional medicinal plants, the historical and contemporary use of herbal medicine, and innovative techniques like GC-MS and LC-MS-MS for identifying phytochemicals effective against COVID-19. Additionally, it includes a review of the impact of repeated heating on plant edible oils and explores plant-based treatments for kidney diseases.

Aimed at healthcare professionals, researchers, and students in the fields of herbal medicine, pharmacology, and nutrition, this book serves as an essential resource for understanding the role of herbs in modern healthcare.

This book summarizes the cutting-edge experimental research on heterocyclic compounds used as anti-inflammatory agents in ten chapters. Each chapter is authored by experts in medicinal chemistry and is supplemented with scientific references for advanced reading.

The book covers several types of heterocyclic compounds and their derivatives including :

- pyrimidine and pyrimidinone derivatives

- 1,2,3, and 1,2,4 triazoles

- imidazole and benzimidazole derivatives

- oxazole, oxadiazole, isoxazoline, and oxazoline derivatives

- thiazole and thiazolidinone derivatives

- pyrazole and pyrazoline

- Carbazoles and their derivatives

- azipines, quinolines, and coumarins

This is a timely reference for medicinal chemists interested in developing new heterocycles for anti-inflammatory drugs. Contributors have discussed the effects of these compounds on different types of inflammation and their evolution in drug development as therapeutic agents to give a wider perspective to readers.

Higher Mathematics for Science, Technology and Engineering is a textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. The book begins with an introduction to one variable functions, followed by chapters covering functional derivatives, partial differentiation, integrals, matrices and determinant theory, partial fractions and much more. Key features of this textbook include:

-simple, easy-to-understand explanations of relevant concepts

-a wide range of simple and complex examples

-several figures where appropriate

Histopathological Diagnosis of Leprosy, is a comprehensive guide to the medical pathology of Hansen's disease, which is a complex and clinically challenging infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Readers will find 8 chapters on key topics on the subject including general aspects of leprosy, different forms of leprosy (polar, borderline, etc.), reaction types and complications. The information presented in the handbook will equip the reader with the knowledge required to identify the disease in patients and perform differential diagnosis where required.

Key Features:

- 8 chapters dedicated to key topics about leprosy and its diagnosis

- More than 2014 figures featuring over 1000 clinical and histopathological photographs

- Complete information about differential diagnosis and reaction phenomena

- includes a section dedicated to special and complicated cases

- References for further reading

- Brings the expertise of renowned physicians to the reader

The detailed presentation of the book is of great value to both healthcare professionals (pathologists, dermatologists, physicians) who are involved in the care of leprosy patients, and medical residents who are seeking information about the disease as part of their medical training.

Organizational computing has been critical to the development of medical informatics. Many end user applications (EUAs), such as FileMaker Pro, have been applied to support medical staff work at hospitals in Japan recently.

This e-book describes how to use FileMaker Pro with hospital information systems (HISs). EUAs are described with relation to tools used for development, their functions, coordination methods with HIS, how to use them, their effectiveness, and their problems. While not all of the applications fulfill complete requirements for RASIS, and are not established, they give us new perspectives regarding HISs. This e-book also provides readers with various suggestions on how to use HISs more effectively, how to coordinate EUAs with HIS, how to manage end user applications, and how to achieve clinical effectiveness with EUAs.

This volume is specialized in the use of FileMaker Pro at hospitals and all of the developers of FileMaker Pro systems. The respective authors are medical doctors at various departments of hospitals in contrast to conventional developers who are usually unfamiliar with medical information requirements. These two features make this e-book more clinically significant and facilitate end users to handle HISs more easily.

Jet lag – that familiar feeling of fatigue when one exits a plane after a long flight – has no established remedy. No medical application or device is yet capable of eliminating jet lag, especially considering the fact that it differs whether you travel eastwards or westwards and also depends on the number of times zones crossed (as much as 23 different time zone segments can be identified). The problem of jet lag is thus more complex than it may seem. However, if it affects you, there are many things that you can do to help beat it.

How Smart People Can Overcome Jet Lag scientifically explains the jet lag phenomenon. It then covers some easy tricks to fight jet lag, bright light, melatonin, sleeping pills and stimulants. Therefore, readers will be able to understand the reasons for jet lag and various ways to overcome it. How Smart People Can Overcome Jet Lag is a handy technical guide for anyone looking to make their air travel experiences less tiring.

Suicide is a complex problem which is linked to socioeconomic problems as well as mental stress and illness. Healthcare professionals now know that the essential component of the suicidal person’s state of crisis is of a psychological and emotional nature.

How to Help the Suicidal Person to Choose Life is a detailed guide to suicide prevention. The book recommends ethic of care and empathy as a tool for suicide intervention. Readers will learn about approaches that focus on suicide prevention that address the despairing emotional mind set of the suicidal person.

Key features:

• Features easy to understand learning guides for students

• Emphasizes on suicide intervention strategies rather than identification of risk factors

• highlights information from narrative case studies and psychological autopsies

• includes practice and simulation exercises designed to enhance therapeutic modalities such as empathy, compassion, unconditional positive regard, connection, therapeutic alliance, the narrative action theoretical approach and mindful listening

• Contains guidelines prescribed by the Aeschi working group for clinicians

• Provides a list of bibliographic references and an appendix for other resources of information useful for suicide prevention

This book is recommended for students and practicing professionals (in medicine, psychiatry, nursing, psychiatric nursing, psychology, counselling, teaching, social work, the military, police, paramedics etc.), and other first responders, volunteers or outreach workers who are confronted with situations where they have to assist people who are known or suspected of being suicidal.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Screening in the Elimination of HPV-Associated Cancers: Evidence Base from Randomized Trials explores cutting-edge strategies for eliminating HPV-associated cancers through vaccination and screening, showcasing findings from rigorous, evidence-based randomized trials. Key topics include the causative role of HPV in cancers, the effectiveness and safety of HPV vaccines, and the profound impact of gender-neutral vaccination programs. The book also covers innovative screening methods for vaccinated populations, addressing cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. Aimed at healthcare professionals, researchers, and students, this book provides crucial insights into the global efforts to combat HPV and its associated cancers.

Key Features:

- In-depth analysis of HPV's role in cancer causation.

- Comprehensive coverage of HPV vaccine efficacy and safety.

- Evaluation of gender-neutral vaccination impact on public health.

- Advanced screening methods for cervical and oropharyngeal cancers in vaccinated individuals.

- Data-driven recommendations for the future of HPV cancer prevention.

Human-Computer Interaction and Beyond: Advances Towards Smart and Interconnected Environments is a 2-part book set which presents discoveries, innovative ideas, concepts, practical solutions, and novel applications of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and related disciplines such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, computer vision, and natural language processing. The book provides readers with information about HCI trends which are shaping the future of smart, interconnected urban and industrial environments. Contributions are authored by experts and scientists in the field of HCI and its interrelated disciplines from 8 different countries – Chile, China, Croatia, India, Iran, Malaysia, Peru, and South Korea.

The chapters of this volume present novel and state of the art research works conducted at the intersection of HCI aimed at developing trust, increasing user acceptance, augmenting user performance, and fostering human-technology partnerships. Chapters cover usability testing in digital healthcare systems, user experience testing of handicapped children and assistive technologies for visually impaired users and a gamified user experience design for learning. The volume also presents a review of twitter usability testing among Indian users, along with specific cases of arthritis diagnostic systems, meteorological draught analysis and the role of EUPS in improving GUI design to improve the user experience.

Human-Computer Interaction and Beyond: Advances Towards Smart and Interconnected Environments is an informative reference for scientists, researchers, and developers in both academia and industry who wish to learn, design, implement, and apply these emerging technologies in HCI in different sectors, with the goal of realizing futuristic technology-driven living and functional smart cities and environments.