Bentham Science Publishers

Older Women: Current and Future Challenges of Professionals With An Aging Population is about older women and the unique challenges they face now and in coming decades. Elderly women face problems that require response from multiple service providers in the social welfare, health care and legal sectors. Due to the complexity of the various issues and the multi-systemic responses required to address these problems among diverse groups, an interdisciplinary perspective in a multicultural context needs to be examined. This book is an attempt to explain the multidisciplinary facets of social work with elderly women. Readers are also introduced to the ethical issues and challenges caused by economic disparities and are also provided with guidelines on potential responses and intervention strategies to such difficulties. Readers are also introduced to the concept of cultural competence in terms of working with aged women.

The integration of theory, research and practice in this book makes it a valuable resource for academicians and working professionals who are or will be in frequent contact with older adults.

Multiple biotic and abiotic environmental factors may constitute stresses that affect plant growth and yield in crop species. Advances in plant physiology, genetics, and molecular biology have greatly improved our understanding of plant responses to stresses. This book details on technologies that have emerged during the past decade and have been useful in studying the multigenicity of the plant abiotic stress response. Upstream molecular mechanisms are involved in the plant response to abiotic stress, above all in the regulation of timings and amount of specific stress responses. Post-transcriptional mechanisms based on alternative splicing and RNA processing, as well as RNA silencing define the actual transcriptome supporting the stress response. Beyond protein phosphorylation, other post-translational modifications like ubiquitination and sumoylation regulate the activation of pre-existing molecules to ensure a prompt response to stress factors.

The text in this book deals with the importance of -omics approaches like Genomics, Metabolomics and Proteomics in abiotic stress tolerance. Large scale analytical approaches provide detailed information about the structure and complexity of signaling networks, identify subsets of genes or activities that are correlated to given stress factors and reveal unexpected or previously uncharacterized biochemical interactions.

To the best of our knowledge no book on -Omics studies in relation to Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance is available in the market. This book should therefore be a valuable asset for the readers.

The Microfabrication technology has stimulated a plurality of lab-on-a-chip research for biomedical researchers and health care practitioners to manipulate and analyze complex biological fluids at the nano and microliter scale. Specifically, various miniaturized diagnostic devices have been developed for blood sample detection, which can increase diagnostic capacity significantly by enabling rapid, point-of-care chemical analysis. Recently, more and more researchers are paying attention to on-chip whole blood sample pretreatment, which is the focus of this eBook, aiming to form real Micro Total Analysis Systems (uTAS) for whole blood analysis by integrating blood sample pre-treatment and detection together.

The eBook consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction on the background of whole blood and the concept of µTAS, followed by a summary of specific microfluidic chips for whole blood pretreatment. Chapter 2 firstly reviews microfluidic chips for plasma isolation from whole blood samples with various methodologies (i.e., microfiltration, microcentrifugation, ultrasound, Zweifach–Fung effect and capillary effect). Then two examples using the plasma skimming effect and crossflow filtration respectively are discussed in detail. Chapter 3 firstly reviews microfluidic devices for blood cell filtrating, sorting and collection. Sorting methods such as size filtration, optical and magnetic manipulation, affinity separation, dielectrophoretic manipulation are covered and compared. Then a case study using crossflow filtration is analyzed in detail. Chapter 4 firstly reviews reported microfluidic devices for blood cell lysis in which mechanical lysis, sonication lysis, thermal lysis, electrical lysis, chemical lysis and optical lysis are covered. And then a cell lysis microchip using chemical agents for cell lysis is chosen as an example for further concept demonstration. Chapter 5 firstly reviews microfluidic devices for DNA extraction and purification by comparing reported methods of solid phase extraction, solid phase reversible immobilization and liquid/liquid extraction. And then two microchips with different solid phase matrixes are used for demonstration of chip based DNA extraction. Chapter 6 firstly reviews current integrated microfluidic platforms for blood pretreatment, followed by a case study.

Both fundamental analysis and specific applications are presented in this eBook, which is written for researchers, engineers, and advanced students who have research interest in whole blood pretreatment and miniaturized techniques.

We would like to express our appreciation to Bentham Science Publishers and their team members.

The internet provides a major source of exchanging health information through online portals and new media. Internet users can access health sites and online forums to obtain health information. In turn, these information sources act as a catalyst for wellbeing and improving personal health care behaviors and routines. Competent health institutions encourage the development of these individual behaviors that enable individuals to increase health empowerment and to take responsibility for their own health needs, diagnosis and treatment.

Online Health Forums and Services: Benefits, Risks and Perspectives is an investigation of the use of online health forums and services. The author first introduces the reader to the theories that define online social behaviors in terms of health care services. The chapters following this introduction attempt to account for the variations in online health care portal use and to what extent does social networking induce variations in health behaviors grounded in theory. A summary of media used for affecting health behavior change is also provided along with a discussion of the socioeconomic attributes of the individuals most likely to be affected in terms of their health behaviors.

The book provides a comprehensive perspective that links the aspects of the micro-level use of the Internet for health purposes (accessing health related websites, participation in health forums and networking sites) to the macro level practices of telemedicine. Readers will be able to understand the social and health characteristics of the different groups of patients and estimate the extent to which individuals in need of health and medical information are taking advantage of the availability of information and communication platforms to improve their health, or if they are being left behind. This is a timely reference for healthcare professionals, researchers and consultants involved in digital health care initiatives and public health administration who are seeking information about how access to online health information can influence lifestyles in a way that impacts human behavior in a positive, meaningful way.

The second volume of this book series presents a foundation for describing electron-field interactions, the basic elements involved in open quantum theory, the dissipative couplings of the active elements, the quantum injection dot electrons and coherent electromagnetic fields produced by crystal lattice vibrations. A microscopic description of the systems of interest is used to explain a number of structural models that describe electron arrangement and mechanics in such systems. The explanation of these models depends on a number of numerical parameters and calculations which have been explicitly discussed in detail. Readers will gain a better understanding of open quantum systems and energy conversion in semiconductor devices. Theoretical calculations presented in this book can also be compared with experimental data from prior experiments. The volume is also supplemented by an adequate bibliography which provides useful references.

This book is a handy text on advanced quantum theory for advanced physics and electronics students and researchers.

Open Quantum Physics and Environmental Heat Conversion into Usable Energy - Vol. 4 explores the intricate relationship between quantum mechanics, relativity, gravitation, and electromagnetism, offering insights into the dynamics of quantum particles in various fields. The book covers key phenomena such as spin, graviton spin, black holes, and quantum states in extreme conditions, including black hole formation. It explains how quantum particles behave as distributions of matter, using wave functions to describe their propagation. Further, it examines electromagnetic and gravitational field interactions, quantum particle transitions, Dirac's formalism of general relativity, and their applications in quantum electrodynamics and unified field theory.

Key Features:

- Detailed explanation of quantum particle dynamics and wave function theory.

- Discussion of quantum particle transitions and spinor fields.

- Exploration of black hole dynamics and gravitational wave interactions.

- Comprehensive coverage of unified field theory, integrating electromagnetism and gravity.

- Applications to quantum electrodynamics and particle collisions.

Opportunities for Biotechnology Research and Entrepreneurship explores the intersection of scientific innovation and entrepreneurial endeavors in the field of biotechnology. With a focus on addressing real-world challenges and creating transformative solutions, this book offers valuable insights into the diverse applications of biotechnology across ecology, food, industrial, and medical sciences. Comprising 20 chapters, this edited volume brings together contributions from experts around the globe, offering a comprehensive overview of emerging research trends and techniques. Each chapter provides necessary background information and presents current and future applications of biotechnology, making it an ideal resource for students, researchers, and industry professionals. Key features include global perspectives, concise summaries tailored for easy understanding, and updated data accompanied by illustrations and flow charts. Whether exploring environmental sustainability, enhancing food security, optimizing industrial processes, or advancing medical treatments, this book serves as a valuable reference for those interested in the dynamic field of biotechnology.

This handbook covers Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) with a specific focus on choroidal and vitreoretinal disorders. It serves as an invaluable resource for teaching and aiding daily clinical decision-making in the field. Book chapters dissect the fundamentals of angiography through OCT, offering guidance on OCT-A and insights into macular perfusional findings across various vitreoretinal and choroidal pathologies. From diabetic retinopathy to autoimmune diseases and neovascularization, the book addresses prevalent vascular entities encountered in routine practice. Furthermore, it explores innovative approaches, including antivascular endothelial growth factor molecules and extended-release delivery devices, contributing significantly to the diagnostic and decision-making processes in clinical and surgical retina care. Each chapter is contributed by experts in the relevant subspecialty. Key Features: Practical, patient-centered guide emphasizing a clinical approach. Demonstrative clinical cases for enhanced understanding. Evaluation of perfusional indices using noninvasive and noncontact imaging techniques. High histopathological correlation of structural tissue characterization with microvascular evaluation. Exploration of new perfusion concepts and their role in disease pathogenesis. Part 2 covers advanced topics in OCT-A for choroidal and vitreoretinal disorders. Chapters explore macular perfusional repercussions in obstructive venous vascular phenomena, OCT-A findings in retinal infarction, and the role of macular perfusion in myopic macular traction maculopathy. Further discussions include postoperative perfusional findings in vitreoretinopathy, distinctions in choroidal vasculopathies, and the application of OCT-A in managing pathological choroidal neovascularization. The part concludes with a review of postoperative membrane formation, the usefulness of OCT-A in neurodegenerative diseases, and the evaluation of arterial occlusions and choroidal neovascularization management.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge about research in oral infections and their association with cardiovascular diseases. Several epidemiological, clinical and other scientific aspects are covered in this book through the work of medical experts.

The detailed accounts in this book are of great value to readers in the scientific community, practitioners, teachers and students in relevant fields, and health-care planners.