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In petroleum engineering, liquid nitrogen can be used to aid in fracturing the formation rock because of its extremely cryogenic temperature. With the development of new jet technology in recent years, liquid nitrogen is considered as a promising jet medium to exploit oil and gas. The first chapter of this book provides an impact pressure and parametric sensitivity analysis of the numerical simulation of liquid nitrogen. In the second chapter, the uses of liquid nitrogen in a completely different sphere are explored, particularly its use for the storage of human cells and tissues for transplantation. Finally, liquid nitrogen is one of the cryogenic fluids most used for cryopreservation of animal germoplasm; low temperature preservation of oocytes, sperm and embryos is a fundamental cornerstone of assisted reproductive technologies. The last chapter examines the mathematical prediction of cooling rates during cryopreservation of reproductive cells in liquid nitrogen.

Following the discovery of the oxide superconductors in 1986 by Bednorz and Müller, a number of new superconducting compounds was found exhibiting superconductivity above the liquid nitrogen temperature including rare-earth oxides and bismuth oxides, enabling cheaper cooling methods to be applied. The new class of superconducting materials featuring high critical temperatures (Tc above 77 K) and high second critical magnetic fields gave a new impetus to the research and development in superconductivity. Governments of many countries worldwide have encouraged scientists, engineers and industry to develop high temperature superconducting materials for practical use. Environmentally benign scenarios of high speed transport systems, energy saving by utilizing DC cables, medical equipment (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems), a new class of magnetic drug delivery system (MDDS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and non-contact rotating machinery are expected. Nowadays, there is already a variety of high-Tc superconducting products available on the market, like single domain, batch processed bulks with diameters up to 140 mm, hundreds of kilometers of the first generation silver-sheathed Bi-2223 and Bi-2212 wires and tapes, and several kilometers of the second generation Y-123 tapes ('coated conductors') for winding coils of superconducting super-magnets or for constructing high-Tc super-cables for high energy transfer. The authors hope that, especially for young researchers, new upcoming engineers and students of superconductivity theory extension, the collected know-how in technology of superconducting thin films, wires, and bulks, and the new opportunities available for practical applications by the unique features of high-Tc materials will be very useful. The volume is designed to cover the recent achievements in occurrence, synthesis and application of high-Tc superconductors. The volume consists of a total of seventeen chapters, each of them defining in-depth the chapter subject and surveying recent developments in the field. The main objective of this volume is to summarize the recent advances in material science of high-Tc superconductors, including their properties, processing, and applications. New and challenging issues appear in this book, like superconducting large grain bulk RE-123, flux pinning, nanowire network fabrics and their applications, and a quantitative analysis on the normal-state Nernst coefficient. Furthermore, the book also covers recent developments on a variety of materials and the progress made, especially concerning the magnetic characterization of bulk C-doped MgB2, silver added bulk FeSe, and (BiPb)SrCaCuO systems, respectively. To show a full picture of the currently ongoing research efforts, the book covers large scale applications of bulk materials, including magnetic bearings, superconducting electric motors and their design layouts, hybrid-type superconducting magnetic bearings for rotating machinery, compact magnetic field generators, refrigerators, and recent developments in the application of superconducting super-magnets in the medical field. The authors would like to take this opportunity to express their sincere gratitude to all of the chapter contributors for their great endeavor in completing this book in time. They also wish to acknowledge Carra Feagaiga from NOVA Science Publisher for offering invaluable advice at every stage of editing this book. We would also like to extend our thanks to President Prof. M. Murakami-sensei, SIT for his constant support and encouragements. The team of authors and the editors sincerely hope that the presented ideas and information in this book will be helpful for interested readers, scientists, young researchers, bachelor and master students, and will encourage further development in the field.

Fungi are responsible for a great number of diseases in plants and cause crop loss. The spread of fungal diseases can be controlled by crop management, rotation systems, the use of resistant cultivars and the application of fungicides. Fungicides are often employed by farmers due to their simplicity and efficiency. However, fungicides are expensive, and their effectiveness is reduced when the pathogen develops a resistance. Additionally, the excessive use of fungicides represents a potential risk for the environment and for human health. Apart from their use, the production generates pollution, and the natural degradation of the majority of fungicides is very complex. Due to the high persistence of fungicides, it is important to consider their residues in food. This book attempts to shed light on fungi biology, their ecology and their infection mechanisms; fungicide use and management, from their place in the market until their modes of action; the fungicide effects, the mechanisms of action and the way to increase their efficiency. In addition, other topics are considered such as the appearance of resistance, the causes and the methods employed to prevent or decrease their incidence. Finally, the latest trends in analytical determinations and new technologies are also included, like computer simulations that may help scientists to make predictions and act accordingly.

Advances in Marine Biology. Volume 3 begins by focusing on some novel compounds having antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and other bioactive properties identified and isolated from marine sponges, which could serve as leads for drug discovery. The authors also discuss the factors that contribute to new discoveries and the challenges associated with translating marine sponge-derived compounds into clinical trials. The advances that may further expand the promise of drug discovery from marine sponges are also examined. Following this, the authors present current information about Hox-genes in polychaetes and make some cautious assumptions about the ancestral functions of the Hox-cluster. The basic plane and evolution of bilateral animals (Bilateria) are closely associated with Hox-genes. These genes usually exist in the genome in the form of the aforementioned clusters, gene complexes with a conservative position of individual genes inside them. Marine biotoxins are examined, specifically their correlation with of harmful algal blooms (HABs) which can accumulate in seafood products. This can have severe consequences on both the fishery industry and consumer health, as most marine biotoxins are not destroyed by food technologies like freezing or cooking, and their presence cannot be perceived because they give no specific taste, flavor or smell to food. The subsequent article contains a study on adaptation to environmental salinity alterations in the White Sea mussel Mytilus edulis, with its research having been conducted for several years and involving both long-term acclimation and exposure to stress salinity. A series of experiments were conducted in order to deduce the mussels'capacity to adapt to environmental salinity changes, especially in terms of cell and molecular mechanisms of salinity adaptation. This compilation also presents a preliminary work within a large scale research program on H. diversicolor in different estuaries with the PNETOX Program ‘National Program of Ecotoxicology'. In the framework of the French National Program of Ecotoxicology, environmental quality was assessed in the multi-polluted Seine Estuary and the comparatively clean Authie Estuary, France (2002-2004), by determining contaminant levels in water, sediments and the infaunal worm H. diversicolor. The experiments were carried out concurrently in spring 2007 using a common protocol.

In this collection, the most relevant aspects related to the synthesis, structure and physical properties of PDMS modified segmented copolymers and polymer networks are discussed, along with the influence of the structure and molecular weight of PDMS prepolymers and organic segments on the morphology, and properties of the copolymers and polymer networks based on PDMS. Next, the authors discuss the use of structurally well-defined and versatile building blocks such as MnII,III and FeIII oxide carboxylates in the formation of one-, two- and three-dimensional coordination networks with an emphasis on the synthetic strategies and magnetic properties. A review is provided which considers the successes in the synthesis and functionalization of alkoxysilanes by phosphoryl and amino groups. The authors mainly focus on the introduction of N-alkylamino groups and phosphorylation of alkoxysilane derivatives. In addition, questions relating to the synthesis of aminophosphonates containing an alkoxysilyl moiety are discussed. Later, a variety of Inorganic-Organic hybrid POMs are explored. A few of their applications such as magnetic behavior, electro-catalytic applications, photo-catalytic properties and photo-degradation of dyes are also discussed. Subsequently, a review is provided on the physicochemical features and latest progresses of various layered structured TMDs based photoelectrodes, especially MoS2, and various approaches to improve the PEC performance and stability are described. This compilation also examines the recent advances achieved on development of processes for production of biodiesel from WCO based on homogeneous or heterogeneous acid catalysis, paying special attention to development acid catalysts that can be recovery and reusable in the WCO esterification reactions. Afterwards, the factors that influence the taste of rice and the mechanism and extent of their contribution are analyzed from the perspective of improving taste and increasing the market demand of rice. Therefore, the in vitro enzymatic digestive properties of cooked rice and the saccharides eluted as a result of cooking rice grains are defined. Lastly, a study is presented wherein biodiesel production was carried out in the presence of SBA-15-SO3H dispersed in poly (vinyl alcohol) as acid catalyst. The feedstock was waste cooking oil (WCO) and the alcohol used was methanol. The reaction was carried out at 60ºC in a batch reactor.

In this compilation, the authors review pre-analytical procedures, as well as analytical conditions, to determine melatonin in both biological and non-biological samples. Several procedures for the extraction of melatonin have been described, including ultrasound-assisted extraction, liquid–liquid extraction, and solid phase extraction. Following this, a study is presented wherein melatonin administration in middle-age rats was able to recover prostatic morphology and strongly decrease amiloyd bodies deposition even after obesity induction. These results were probably related to total GST activity improvement. The authors maintain that melatonin should be used as benign prostate hyperplasia chemoprevention due to decreased cell proliferation, even in hyperlipidemic medium. The functions of melatonin receptors in health and disease are reviewed, with specific references to their involvement in mood, anxiety-related and neurodegenerative disorders; and the possibilities of melatonin receptors as mediators of melatonergic therapeutics. Next, the current knowledge regarding immunomodulatory properties of melatonin are reviewed in conjunction with its effect on non-specific, humoral and cellular immune responses with particular emphasis on the production of reactive oxygen species and cytokines as well as on apoptosis. The authors go on to underline the pleiotropic effects of melatonin to ameliorate the molecular and organ/tissue damage associated with brain ischemia based on preserving the functional integrity of the blood-brain barrier, inducing neurogenesis and cell proliferation through receptor-dependent mechanism, and improving synaptic transmission. Additionally, they examine the role of MT1 and MT2 receptors in neurological disorders and the therapeutic effects of melatonin receptors agonists on the central nervous system disorders. The book deliberates o the way clinical trials in antipsychotic medicated patients suggest some positive effects for melatonin, but the studies have substantial shortcomings. The mechanism by which melatonin exerts any clinical effects remains largely un-investigated. The strength of the clinical evidence for an effect of melatonin, like that of the pre-clinical studies, is equivocal. An overview of the range of disorders and conditions that they may be improved by melatonin administration is provided, followed by consideration of the processes that may underlie these changes. In the final chapter, the authors summarize the data documenting the use of melatonin and its beneficial effects in oral related-diseases, such as bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, periodontitis, mucositis, cancer, and/or oral infection.

Historically a taboo subject, the menstrual cycle has had a profound impact on women's lives throughout history. Cursed? Biologic and Cultural Aspects of the Menstrual Cycle and Menstruation explores in detail how menstruation and the menstrual cycle affect the lives of girls and women around the world. In addition to presenting current research on biologic and health issues surrounding menstruation and menstrual cycle function, authors discuss how menstruation directly impacts culture, art, feminism and gender politics, education and global development. Questions addressed include: • Does diet influence when menstruation first starts? • Are women who regularly experience premenstrual symptoms potentially at higher risk for cardiovascular disease? • How do modifiable factors such as diet affect ovarian aging and menopause timing? • How does menstruation limit girls'access to education in developing countries? • How do third-wave feminists counter menstrual taboo through art and activism? This collection of essays and original research articles offers a comprehensive perspective of the undeniable importance of the menstrual cycle in women's lives.

This book is a compilation of research summaries from a number of different focuses in the field of chemistry research.

The Diversified Benefits of Cocoa and Chocolate presents the different available methodologies for analysis, quantification, isolation, purification, and structure elucidation of polyphenols in cocoa and cocoa-derived products are reviewed. Taking into account that there is evidence that demonstrates that the bioactivity of flavanols is significantly influenced by their stereochemical configuration, enantioselective methods have also been included such as chiral capillary electrophoresis, micellar electrokinetic chromatography and ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The authors state that about forty million people die annually as a consequence of noncommunicable diseases accounting for approximately 70% of all death globally. Therefore, the current research concerning the benefits of dark chocolate regarding noncommunicable diseases and the associated risk factors is examined. Following this, the authors introduce chocolate as a cocoa carrier of probiotics and bioactive whey protein hydrolysate. This research examined the influence of additional ingredients on the functional properties and rheology of the final product. Another study is included with the objective of exploring the potential of NIR usage for monitoring the cocoa powder and sugar mixtures composition. Based on the obtained results, NIRs analysis in combination with the PCA and the PLS has proved to be an adequate, fast and non-invasive method for the cocoa powder drink mix composition prediction. A separate study attempts to confirm the relationship between increased pollinator abundance and higher yields of cocoa pods at one locality in Costa Rica. While cocoa pollination can depend upon a diverse array of ceratopogonid midges, in this study, one species Forcipomyia youngii, dominated the samples. Research is included with the aim of assessing the proteins contents, digestibility, and amino acid profile of the milled cocoa bean husks from the roasted cocoa, and to propose it as an ingredient for PKU food formulations. The authors determine that Cocoa can be used as a raw material in products destined for special regimes, after verification of its microbiological safety. The final study examined and compared the content of total polyphenols, minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese), total dietary fiber and soluble dietary fiber in in different chocolate products collected from the market.

The modern age life science research is more inclined towards interdisciplinary studies. Recent developments in the technologies have led to a better understanding of living systems, and this has removed the demarcations between various disciplines of life sciences. A new trend in life science incorporates biological research involving a merger of diverse disciplines such as microbiology, biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, ecology and agriculture. This book is primarily written with the objective of providing standard information on recent topics in the fields of stress biology, molecular biology, ecology, agriculture, bioremediation, human diseases and over all, several biotechnological approaches towards the studies ranging from green photosynthesizing plants to human pathogens. The book encompasses topics on cyanobacteria, bacteria, fungi, higher plants, ecology and human diseases, distributed throughout eleven chapters for the benefit of graduate and postgraduate students as well as young researchers and scientists. The ever-increasing population has resulted in an increasing demand of food, medicine and other natural products. Researchers are continuously working to resolve and develop a better understanding of life and other biological processes; they need to conserve genes, plants and ecosystems, and the apprehension of land, water and environment have led to the strengthening of traditional disciplines as well as the emergence of diverse disciplines such as stress biology, molecular biology, biotechnology, agriculture and human health. This book imparts the latest developments and the state-of-the art knowledge in the specific fields of life sciences. The subject matter is presented in a logical sequence so that it is easily understandable to the students and researchers. The recent information on the subject is integrated throughout the chapters. In addition, this book provides newer techniques and the use of modern tools in achieving the potential of microbiology, ecology, herbal medicine, biotechnology and stress biology; this is all used to understand the challenges found in life sciences. This book covers a wide range of topics, and the authors anticipate that the contents may appeal to a wider range of readers. Therefore, the authors present this book with great pleasure and express their most sincere gratitude to all the contributors and research scholars, namely Mr. Jainendra Pathak, Mr. Rajneesh, Ms. Vidya Singh, Mr. Deepak Kumar, Mr. Haseen Ahmed, Mr. Deepak K. Singh and Ms. Abha Pandey. They are also particularly thankful to Nova Science Publishers, Inc., for their continued patience and for the unfailing attention they have given to the publication of this book.

The fastest and unquestionable route to losing clients and the market share is to stop innovating. Pondering on strategies to take over market control, you will surely discover your formula going in, while failure will be sure to follow if you celebrate your successes for a long time without any novelty. Why not generate wealth from different waste streams available when it is possible to develop a business system for a sustainable industry? Innovative business empires will not only help you generate sustainable profit, but will skyrocket your name above all well-known entrepreneurs who have peculiar abilities to handle high impact projects in communities while protecting the environment at the same time. This book is designed to help venture capitalists know where to invest their money for maximum returns. Aside from this, entrepreneurs will find it useful as it guides readers to understand where investments should go based on the current status of bio-projects in South Africa and selected countries. The key drivers for Waste-to-Profit activities include raising environmental awareness, policies and regulations in places throughout selected countries including South Africa. This book highlights the current policies and regulations to fast track the development of new technologies for bio-projects in these countries; opportunities, barriers and policy implications are discussed extensively. Why not also help the academics, researchers and students translate research and development findings into something of value (perhaps, a product)? The days of basic research alone are gone. The time is nigh – if not already here – to learn to translate research and development findings into something of value, to generate revenues which are essential for economic development. Not only would this help the intellectuals develop new technologies/products to generate profit, but it will assertively assist the world to transition towards a knowledge economy, an economy where knowledge is the main engine for economic development. This book will identify gaps in the waste beneficiation projects value chain, to avoid performing research which is thirty years behind. Recent research and development on waste beneficiation is given extensively for the purpose of identifying the gaps and fast tracking R&D in South Africa as well as other selected countries, in order to develop a business system that will afford these countries a sustainable economy. Municipalities in different countries will learn to develop a strategy to add value to their different waste streams through value added products such as Biofuels, Bioplastics and Biobricks, to mention a few.

This extraordinary book is the result of over three decades of Dr. Krisna Rungruangsak-Torrissen's career at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway. The book provides new insights into a series of growth mechanisms in aquatic living resources through the digestion and utilization of dietary protein for growth and maturation. Section One shows the initial success of the relationships between genetic variations in trypsin phenotypes, growth, and feed efficiency; additionally, the isoelectric focusing technique to differentiate trypsin phenotypes has been developed. Section Two shows the other successes concerning the effects of temperatures and consumption rates on trypsin phenotypes, growth, and feed efficiency, wherein the first evidence of temperature preferences on feed efficiency and growth dependent on trypsin phenotypes of individuals has been observed. The unique studies of digestive efficiency and growth status have been developed through the activity ratio of trypsin to chymotrypsin (T/C ratio) for growth potential, with the new knowledge of chymotrypsin involving limited and reduced growth rates. Section Three shows insight into the utilization of dietary protein through absorption and transport of free amino acids (FAA), indicating that the levels of plasma FAA and white muscle FAA are dependent on trypsin phenotypes and dietary protein quality. The new buffers of the HPLC system for differentiating more than 40 physiological FAA in biological tissues have been developed. A possibility of white muscle free-hydroxyproline levels related to growth rate has been observed. Section Four explains protein growth efficiency dependent on the genetics of growth capacity and dietary protein levels, whereas a higher level of dietary protein can increase skeletal growth (length) resulting in lower condition factors. The new determinations of RNA and protein by a single separation step have been developed. Section Five shows the first success on studies of maturation rate in females through active oocyte protein breakdown, using the activity ratio of trypsin-like to chymotrypsin-like (T/C ratio) enzymes in the oocytes. Sections Six and Seven show the in vitro digestibility techniques using dialyzed crude digestive enzyme extracts for quality assessments of dietary protein and carbohydrates, uniquely standardized with respect to the activities of trypsin and amylase, respectively, for comparisons among different enzyme extracts. It is evident that dietary protein is the primary important nutrient while dietary carbohydrates are the secondary important nutrients, regardless of animal feeding habits (carnivores, omnivores, herbivores). Section Eight illustrates the uniqueness of the different biochemical techniques for implementations in natural marine ecosystems of the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, including the development of the neural computational model GrowthEstimate through digestive efficiency for future studies of aquatic living resources without knowing their histories concerning food availability, consumption rates, and growth. Section Nine concludes the importance and usefulness of the biochemical techniques, and describes how to collect the samples. The knowledge from this book can be beneficial for lecturers, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, and any readers who are interested in nutritional biochemistry. It will provide new perspectives, ideas, and inspiration for finding a new way to make a difference in doing research.

In Agricultural Research Updates. Volume 22, the authors begin by presenting research on the ecological features and adaptation of white-rot fungi in relation to the possible applications of these fungi in bioremediation strategies. The selection of an appropriate species should consider the production of ligninases and their activity as well as the ecological factors that could stimulate and increase the process. Following this, Streptomyces sр strains were tested for apple scab control in vitro and field conditions. Two applications of Streptomyces strain C1-4 within 35 days completely stopped the scab disease in seedling leaves. The authors also address the necessity for farmers to adapt to these challenges such as restricted land boundaries, adversity of climate changes and environmental degradation to prevent low crop output and maintain livelihoods of people. This is especially true in developing countries. As land becomes less productive, ground-breaking organic crop production systems that cover different cultivating pattern must be implemented. The subsequent chapter provides important information about different possibilities for citric acid production, including the use of alternative agro-industrial substrates. Fermentation techniques, such as submerged fermentation and solid-state fermentation, and conditions that affect the acid synthesis are reported with the presentation of concrete examples of developed research. Wild ginger, or Siphonochilus aethiopicus, is discussed in the context of its usage as an anti-inflammatory, anti-plasmodial, anti-thrush and an indication for allergies, asthma, candidiasis, headache, influenza, menstrual cramps, sinusitis and sore throat among other conditions. Next, the book focuses on the unique characteristics of lavender hydrosols obtained from Polish cultavations of Lavandula angustifolia and describes a new lavender derivative fluidolate® acquired in an innovative technology relying on raw material drying. The scientific knowledge acquired on Tara is reviewed in order to sustainably manage the Tara plantations and increase their productivity and stability. The botanical description of this tree species, as well as its ecology, is addressed. Later, a study is presented focusing on factors of different rainfall interannual variability using monthly precipitation in 22 stations for the period 1950-2012. El Niño, El Niño Modoki, the positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the shift to the south of the South Atlantic High are shown to lead to an increase in spring precipitation in central Buenos Aires. In another study, an efficient protocol for somatic embryogenesis using leaf explants was developed with three elite cacao cultivars (CRIN TC1, CRIN TC2 and CRIN TC5). The zygotic embryos of these cultivars were aseptically excised and cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium without growth regulators. The compilation ends with an investigation of salt tolerance and the changes of antioxidative ability in mycorrhizal strawberry plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Gigaspora margarita were inoculated in strawberry (Fragaria×ananssa. Duch) plants. Plants were treated with no salt, 200mM and 500mM NaCl solution.

In the first chapter, Saraid Mora Rochín, PhD, Jorge Milán Carrillo, PhD, and Cuauhtémoc Reyes Moreno, PhD review the function of food carotenoids in oxidative stress-induced human disease prevention. In the second chapter, Andrêssa S. Fernandes, Pricila N. Pinheiro, Mariany C. Deprá, Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, and Leila Q. Zepka discuss the biosynthesis of carotenoids and bioactive caortenoids from microalgae, as well as their applications. Alexis Marsol-Vall, Albert Tomàs, Mercè Balcells, Francisca Vilaró, and Ramon Canela-Garayoa present a study where cuticles of four apple varieties were studied for their carotenoid content in the third chapter. In the fourth chapter, Joanna Igielska-Kalwat reviews the cosmetic applications of carotenoids, including their antiaging properties.

In chapter one, M. V. Abramov, A. P. Kusyak, O. M. Kaminskiy, S. P. Turanska, A. L. Petranovska, N. V. Kusyak, and P. P. Gorbyk present research aimed at the progression of the concept for the development of magnetosensitive nanocomposites with multilevel hierarchical nanoarchitecture and functions of biomedical nanorobots. Afterwards, A. Zubow, K. Zubow and V. A. Zubow propose a mechanism for the photoelectric effect based on gravity in chapter two, with the photoelectric effect being modeled by shifting the equilibrium. In chapter three, Kouichi Nakagawa studies the potential use of a sucrose dosimeter to estimate linear energy transfer and absorbed dose of heavy ion and X-ray radiation. In chapter four, Xiaoping Sun, PhD explores the electron paramagnetic resonance of various charge-transfer reactions giving radical pairs. Next, in chapter five, A.L. Gyulbudaghian concludes that the radial systems of dark globules are of two types based on surveys of the northern and southern hemispheres. In chapter six, Lorenzo Zaninetti presents research using a thermal model and a second cold model, comparing both with the results of numerical hydro-dynamics. In chapter seven, Michael L. Smith and Ahmet M. Öztaº present findings that a marginally modified Schwarzschild relationship foretells the nature of gravitational attraction by subatomic and atomic particles. In chapter eight, Janusz Garecki summarizes past articles on gravitational radiation wherein it has been shown that the real gravitational waves possessing a non-vanishing Riemann tensor constantly carry energy-momentum. Lastly, in chapter nine, Daria A. Tretyakova, PhD and Timur M. Adyev examine null geodesics for the scalar-tensor black holes in the Horndeski non-minimal kinetic coupling framework.

This new book provides research summaries from a number of different focuses in biology, and compiles biographical sketches of top professionals in this important field.

Chapter One explains how the monocyte/macrophage cell lineage plays a key role in the development of immune and adaptive responses, and how some cell subpopulations associated with this lineage exhibit highly specialized phagocytic activity following cell degradation. Using the method of gravitational mass spectroscopy (GMS), the bio field of the brain and that of the intestine during physical/mental stress were investigated in Chapter Two. Chapter three discusses the evidence that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is increasing both in different age groups (mainly in older adults) and in different geographic regions of the world. Chapter Four describes the harmful effecta of alcohol intoxication. The authors investigated the influence of high, low and hormetic doses of alcohol on the free-radical signal intensity in cerebral cortex, hippocampus and liver of the offspring of female rats in gestation period treated with ethanol. Chapter Five proposes a concise and easy-to-use terminology to describe the motor deficit of patients with spinal cord injury. The authors of Chapter Six systematically evaluate how the prior spatial (“where”) and feature (“what”) information about an upcoming target differentially influence visual searching during the course of inhibition of return of attention (IOR). Chapter Seven reviews the etiology, clinical appearance, diagnosis, and management for pneumocephalus and cerebrospinal fluid fistula. Chapter Eight surveyed the prognostic value of maternal and fetal autonomic balance in the prediction of Pre-eclampsia (PE). Chapter Nine performs a retrospective review of literature spanning 1979 to 2015 on the subject of staged resection of large (>3cm) vestibular schwannomas. Chapter 10 discusses how neuroprotective mechanics are transformed to pathogenetic agonists in the propagating establishment and spread of lost synaptic plasticity in the Alzheimer disease process.

This book presents original results on the leading edge of cancer research. Chapter One reviews microRNAs as a novel diagnostic and predictive biomarker in human cancer. Chapter Two discusses the deregulated expression and function of S100 proteins in cancer cells. Chapter Three studies the current management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and future directions in clinical research. Chapter Four examines the human papillomavirus vaccine.

This book presents the latest developments in world physics, including chapters on the neoclassic approach to cosmology based on the invariant integral; the versatile approach to the study of cosmological models; the reexamination of the main method in astronomy; sarma superfluid state in a spin-orbit-coupled fermi gas in a two-dimensional optical lattice; low-cost, high-speed hydrophilic finishing of lightweight polypropylene nonwovens by ambient air plasma; extremely low frequency wave propagation; high harmonic generation and harmonic tuning in undulators for FEL with account for losses; Bose-Einstein-condensate built with focuses electron beam induced processing at room-temperature and novel applications; photodiodes based on thick Ge/Si(001) epilayers; and radiation shielding efficiency of lead zinc borate glasses.

Latin America is one of the most diverse but also vulnerable regions in the world that is under continuous anthropogenic pressure due to increasing urban, industrial and agricultural developments. Although there are many research groups studying the impacts caused by those pressures, the results and conclusions obtained by many of them are largely unknown because their studies are mostly published at the local or regional scale. Ecotoxicology in Latin America represents an effort to collect and share research performed in Latin America in the area of ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment, presenting a collection of relevant and innovative studies focused on the following topics: (i) Contaminant entrance, transportation, distribution and fate; (ii) Environmental risk in freshwater ecosystems; (iii) Ecological risk in coastal zones; (iv) Biomonitoring programs: water, sediment and air; (v) Physiological effects and biomarkers; (vi) Soil ecotoxicology; (vii) Bioaccumulation and human risk; (viii) Toxicity of emerging contaminants; and (ix) Frontiers in Ecotoxicology. This selection of topics aims at covering the most important subjects and applications of ecotoxicology, including classical and novel subjects. Therefore, this book contains chapters related to different environmental compartments prone to contamination (water, sediment, soil and air), to different contamination sources (agriculture, industry, urban discharges and natural emissions), and to multiple biological responses at different organizational levels (individual to ecosystems, including human beings). It is envisioned to have an international projection within and beyond Latin American countries, as it is a great opportunity to increase the networks not only among Latin American research teams working on similar subjects, but also with teams from other regions. The idea of this book was to favor the connection among groups to quickly improve the development of methods and their application in ecotoxicological and environmental risk studies in Latin America. This book will be useful to important sectors of environmental sciences and related areas, and to specific target demographics such as students and researchers acting in environmental studies, and decision-makers (i.e., politicians and environmental organizations). Ecotoxicology in Latin America presents 34 chapters authored by 111 researchers from 12 Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela) and from 6 non-Latin American countries (Austria, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and USA).

Biocomposites are exciting, “new” materials which have experienced a renaissance in the 21st century in response to the societal concerns regarding global warming and environmental pollution, shifting the focus towards materials made from renewable, biodegradable and recyclable resources. As a consequence, research and development of these materials has increased in recent years, which is reflected in their applications in various industries, particularly the automotive and construction industries. These materials are estimated to experience a compound annual growth rate of 11.7% in the next five years, which is almost double that of conventional composite materials over the same time period. This book attempts to increase the knowledge base of these materials, particularly in terms of their properties, performance and applications. It contains precisely referenced chapters, complete with illustrations and tables that maximize the reader's insight into the current state-of-the-art applications on biocomposites. The chapters have been written by the leading experts of this field with various backgrounds and expertise. Apart from review articles, the book also contains chapters on recent developments in this field. A distinguishing feature of this book is the emphasis on the uses of these materials in biomedical applications. This reference book is an invaluable source of guidance for researchers, academics and entrepreneurs working in the field of biocomposites.

As the inorganic constituents of skeletons, dentine and the enamel of teeth in all vertebrates, as well as antlers of male deer, calcium orthophosphates (CaPO4) appear to be the key materials to sustain all life on Earth. Therefore, biologically relevant CaPO4 possess all the necessary features of the biomaterials, such as biocompatibility, bioactivity, bioresorbability, osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, and appear to be non-toxic, non-inflammatory and non-immunogenic. In this book, the author presents current state-of-the-art applications of CaPO4 as biocomposites and hybrid biomaterials, self-setting formulations, as well as the workings of their dissolution mechanism. Topics discussed include the major constituents of biocomposites and hybrid biomaterials for bone grafting, preparation, properties and the available knowledge on interactions among the phases for various types of CaPO4-based biocomposites. Additionally, the major types, preparation, properties and the available knowledge on the reinforced formulations for various types of self-setting CaPO4-based compositions, followed by the detailed description of their biomedical applications and in vivo behavior are discussed. The comprehensive description of currently available dissolution mechanisms of calcium apatites in acids, followed by the successful attempt to create the general dissolution mechanism is given in the last section of this book.

Biological science primarily deals with the morphology, physiology and biochemistry of living organisms, including their distribution, taxonomy, evolution, structure, growth, function and metabolism. All living organisms undergo metabolism, maintain homeostasis, have the capacity to grow, respond to stimuli, communicate through various means, reproduce and adapt to their environment through natural selection. The organisms that photosynthesize are the primary producers and represent life support systems from aesthetics to food to medicine. This book deals with the topics pertaining to biotechnology, molecular biology, ecology, plant pathology, bionanotechnology and stress biology. The requirement of food, medicines, natural products, the quest to resolve and develop a better understanding of life and other biological processes need to conserve genes, plants and ecosystems; the apprehension of land, water and the environment have led to the strengthening of traditional disciplines as well as the emergence of diverse disciplines such as stress biology, molecular biology, biotechnology and bioinformatics. The chapters in this book impart recent developments and state-of-the art knowledge in the biological sciences. This book provides newer techniques and uses for these tools in achieving the potential of biotechnology to understand some of the basic problems in the biological sciences today.

Phytomedicines have been playing an important role since the beginning of civilization, curing many diseases and alleviating different symptoms for the wellbeing of humans and animals. The millenary history of medicinal plant use and its derivatives give credibility to the development of new and advanced pharmaceutical forms of phytomedicines, which may play an important role in social medicine for developing countries. A renewed interest for herbal medicines and phytomedicine has been observed in recent years. However, adulteration and misidentification of crude drugs still exist. Thus, the development of standardization and quality control of herbal medicines needs to be prioritized at the earliest stage. Furthermore, the increasing demand for natural food antioxidants has fostered worldwide research for extracting biologically active substances from a variety of raw vegetal materials. However, the modern use of plant-derived medicines must be based on reliable and reproductive processes as well as manufacturing techniques to preserve chemical composition and therapeutic effectiveness of the plant extract. This can be achieved only through the knowledge and scientific approach to all steps involved in phytomedicine production, such as the pharmacognostic evaluation, extraction process, drying of the extracts and pharmacotechnical preparation of the final pharmaceutical form. This book compiles recent advances in the pharmaceutical industrial process and phytomedicine carries development. It is suitable for different levels of undergraduate study and/or the facilitation of pharmaceutical industrial processes.

Molecular scale separations have been possible since the latter part of the 20th century with the advent of reverse osmosis and nanofiltration for separation of ions and other molecules. Nanofiltration (NF) membranes have come a long way since it was first introduced during the late 80's. Until recently, industrial applications of separation techniques have been almost exclusively used in the treatment of waste water and desalination but in the last years several applications in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have been developed, including with non-aqueous solvents. Chapter One covers the membrane separation of molecules dissolved in organic liquids, a new area of membrane science with huge potential for applications across chemical-related industry sectors. Chapter Two is devoted to the mathematical modelling of nanofiltration and describes discontinuous diafiltration by periodically added solvent at a constant pressure difference. In Chapter Three, basic theory on the critical, threshold and boundary flux theories will be covered, leading to measurement methods of the corresponding parameters and the use of these data for optimized process design. The objective of this approach is to operate the process without incurring in irreversible or high fouling issues for a long period of time in the plant. Chapter Four gives an overview regarding nanofiltration application for recovering high added-value compounds from the above mentioned agroindustrial by-products and waste streams. For example, in cheese making production, NF has been recently used to recover the components of cheese whey ultrafiltration (UF) permeates of a molecular weight lower than 1000 Da, aiming for its selective separation, concentration and/or demineralization, with advantages over other techniques.

Isocyanates represent the most important class of heterocumulenes. They have found wide synthetic application, for example in the preparation of amides, esters, peptides, nucleotides, heterocyclic compounds; for the identification of amines, alcohols, and nucleic acids; for the synthesis of bioactive compounds revealing a wide spectrum of biological activity; in the design of effective medicines, herbicides and insecticides; and as chemical intermediates in the production of polyurethane products such as foams, coatings, and elastomers. This book provides new research and reviews several applications of isocyanates.

Tropical diseases have become a prominent focus with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and previously neglected diseases now have the funding for research. As a result there have been enormous leaps in our understanding of diseases, such as malaria and schistosomiasis. The hope of the United Nations has been to incorporate this research into clinical improvement for those impoverished by these diseases. In addition, interest in travel, rapid transportation of tourists and immigrants seeking education and employment as well as climate changes have made tropical diseases a worldwide phenomenon. In this yearbook we have several chapters on tropical diseases, but also some interesting chapters on mental health issues and holistic health from around the world.

Despite extensive research and medical advancements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dreaded diseases like Diabetes, Cancer, Neurodegenerative and Heart diseases, continue to impose a great threat to human life. Research in human developmental biology has led to the discovery of stem cells which has the potential to cure wide range of dreaded diseases. Stem cells are the unicellular equivalent to the entire animal. In optimum culture milieu they can be differentiated into all cell types of an adult animal. The capability of potency and the relative ease to isolate and expand these cells are invaluable properties for regenerative medicine. Stem cells hold tremendous promise to unravel the key developmental pathways involved in organogenesis and may serve as an essential tissue source for regenerative therapy. Stem cell biology is a fast growing field that is providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms that control developmental processes. At the same time, stem cells may have potential uses in the treatment of devastating diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, musculoskeletal disease, diabetes and cancer. The enormous clinical potential of cardiac regeneration has generated great expectations in both clinicians and patients. Regenerative medicine in the field of skin, cartilage, bone, adipose tissue, and cornea is already well established and is used clinically. Stem cell research harbours potential to have a significant impact on human health. The book will help to increase the awareness vis-à-vis stem cell research in developing countries in particular India. The book pronounces the ways which may help us to extract maximum benefits from state of the art technology. The thrust areas of the proposed book are induced pluripotent stem cells, cord blood stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, livestock stem cells, amniotic fluid stem cells, role of epigenetics in stem cells, tissue engineering, cancer stem cells, bioinformatics strategies for stem cell research, Protocols for iPS generation and so on. These areas have been identified keeping in mind the current and future alighted issues that have a direct impact on the health sector of the world in general.

This book is authored by a former faculty member of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the past president of the American Academy of Pain Management, and the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association of America. He previously has authored three books, 33 medical textbook chapters, and 59 articles. The book addresses conceptual methods of problem solving as they are applied to medicine. This book is designed to be the “freakanomics” for medicine. Many research reports document that 40%-80% (or more, for certain disorders) of chronic pain patients are misdiagnosed. The leading cause of this failure is inadequate history taking and the use of the wrong medical tests. Part of this problem is the failure to recognize the specificity and sensitivity, as well as the false negative and false positive rates, of medical tests in use today. As an example, there are many articles in the literature which document that the MRI, an anatomical test, missed the detection of a damaged vertebral disc up to 78% of the time. The book explores the use of physiological tests, such as facet blocks, root blocks, peripheral nerve blocks, and provocative discograms to supplement anatomical testing. Compiled into a step-wise fashion, this book addresses the issues and provides methods to correct these problems. The techniques of history taking and the application of the correct medical tests have been proven effective, based on dramatic improvement in patients documented by outcome studies, which are validated by third parties, (not just self-reported). This book offers information based on evidence based medicine, not opinion. It provides information on how to think, not what to think.

In Chapter One, L. Khotseng provides an overview of the recent advances in electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells for both anode and cathode catalysts in order to present direct methanol fuel cells as an alternative power source for portable devices. In Chapter Two, Nobuyoshi Nakagawa, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, Takuya Tsujiguchi, and Mohd Shahbudin Masdar propose a fuel supply layer using a porous carbon plate (PCP) for DMFCs allowing for the use of high methanol concentrations. The proposed layer is comprised of a thin PCP layer, as well as a gap layer that has a mechanism to supply the methanol as a vapor. Next, Chapter Three by D.S. Falcão, J. P. Pereira, and A.M.F.R. Pinto review the multiphase flow in fuel cells modeling approaches while also reviewing the flow visualization techniques for flow analysis in fuel cells. Chapter Four by B.A. Braz, V.B. Oliveira, and A.M.F.R. Pinto closes the book by discussing the key work that has been done to improve the passive DMFC performance and providing a review on the most recent developments in passive DMFCs.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) exist in adipose tissue and can differentiate into different embryonic layer cells and tissues in specific inductive conditions. The amount of ASCs in adipose tissue is much higher than that of bone marrow-derived stem cells. The adipose tissue is abundant in the subcutaneous tissue and easy to obtain. So, ASCs are considered a rich source of adult stem cells. In addition, ASCs do not express the major histocompatibility complex, Class II, suggesting that ASCs not only are suitable for autologous transplantation, but also have potential in allogeneic transplantation. Due to the rich origins, multilineage differentiation potential and immune tolerance, ASCs have been playing a significant role in the development and application of tissue engineering in recent years. In this book, the authors focus on the biological characteristics, clinical applications and therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine of ASCs, including: (1) The culturing methods, markers, secreted cytokines and multi-lineage differentiation potential of ASCs; (2) the current knowledge related to the effects of biophysical stimuli, especially the substrate stiffness and topography, on the differentiation of stem cells and their potential mechanisms; (3) the nanostructures and nanoparticles¡¦ applications on ASCs, as well as their dominating roles in regulating the proliferation, adhesion, migration, and differentiation of ASCs; (4) the process of ASC osteogenic differentiation, such as the methods of induction and verification, related genes, and signaling pathways; and (5) the therapeutic potential and clinical applications of ASCs in the cardiovascular system, wound healing, anti-aging, and plastic surgery.Therapeutic Potential in Regenerative Medicine Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) exist in adipose tissue and can differentiate into different embryonic layer cells and tissues in specific inductive conditions. The amount of ASCs in adipose tissue is much higher than that of bone marrow-derived stem cells. The adipose tissue is abundant in the subcutaneous tissue and easy to obtain. So, ASCs are considered a rich source of adult stem cells. In addition, ASCs do not express the major histocompatibility complex, Class II, suggesting that ASCs not only are suitable for autologous transplantation, but also have potential in allogeneic transplantation. Due to the rich origins, multilineage differentiation potential and immune tolerance, ASCs have been playing a significant role in the development and application of tissue engineering in recent years. In this book, the authors focus on the biological characteristics, clinical applications and therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine of ASCs, including: (1) The culturing methods, markers, secreted cytokines and multi-lineage differentiation potential of ASCs; (2) the current knowledge related to the effects of biophysical stimuli, especially the substrate stiffness and topography, on the differentiation of stem cells and their potential mechanisms; (3) the nanostructures and nanoparticles¡¦ applications on ASCs, as well as their dominating roles in regulating the proliferation, adhesion, migration, and differentiation of ASCs; (4) the process of ASC osteogenic differentiation, such as the methods of induction and verification, related genes, and signaling pathways; and (5) the therapeutic potential and clinical applications of ASCs in the cardiovascular system, wound healing, anti-aging, and plastic surgery. The authors sincerely hope that this book will add further insight into basic and applied researchers as well as clinicians involved in regenerative medicine, thus contributing to further advances in the regenerative medicine of ASCs.

In this Public Health Yearbook 2016 present you with the epidemiology of arboviruses in Zambia, social work and health inequalities, papers on the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission among adolescents in English speaking Caribbean and many more papers on current public health issues. We bring you paper from the Social Work and Health Inequalities Network (SWHIN) created to combat the causes and consequences of unjust and damaging, socially-produced health inequalities on an international basis. This is accomplished through the sustaining of a global network of social work researchers, educators, practitioners, policy makers, managers, and others working together to promote research, discussion, and action around the world. This global network aims to exchange information and resources (e.g., research evidence, policy statements, systematic reviews of literature, relevant and emerging theories and practice models); collaborate on research and publication; develop and exchange examples of good practice, including good research praxis; develop and exchange ideas on teaching about health inequalities at all curriculum levels; and influence policy making wherever possible. We hope this Yearbook and the research will be of interest to our readers.

The chapters in this volume present the latest developments in medicine and biology. Chapters One studies Kleine-Levin syndrome. Chapter Two reviews stress, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal dysfunction, inflammation, and psychomotor disability in preterm birth infants. Chapter Three discusses the cellular and molecular basis of fibrogenesis. Chapter Four examines the role of ocular melanin, melanosomes and melanocytes in eye functionality. Chapter Five focuses on hypopituitarism especially on the clinical feature, pathogenesis, and treatment of these novel conditions of hypophysitis. Chapter Six discusses benign and malignant anorectal pathology. Chapter Seven analyzes the medical and surgical management of hemorrhoids. Chapter Eight introduces and reviews computer aided drug designing. Chapter Nine discusses the occurrence and risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in seafood. Chapter Ten gathers and describes information about trans fats and their regulation in Mexico in over the last ten years. Chapter Eleven analyzes the legislation, consumption and potential replacement solutions of trans fat in Argentina.

This book examines the most up-to-date research in the agricultural field. Chapter One reviews the role of plant cuticle in the postharvest of fruits and vegetables. Chapter Two provides a critical comparison between some emergent methods for bioactive compound extraction from fruits and vegetables residues. Chapter Three analyzes the effect of exogenous abscisic acid spray on phenolic and scavenging free radical activity of olives during storage. Chapter Four studies the sustainable production of maguey (Agave salmiana) to improve the mezcal agroindustry competitiveness. Chapter Five describes the structure, sources, properties and potential applications of cereal arabinoxylans. Chapter Six focuses on the problems that arise from the wide use of pharmaceutical drugs and their entry routes to the natural systems. Chapter Seven describes the effect of a microwave-assisted hydrolytic treatment on the degradability of shrimp exoskeletons.

Magnetoresistance is an effect associated with the change of the quanta of the magnetic field due to the energy emission by the atom. In this book, Chapter One discusses magnetoresistive multilayers using various iron oxides and their characteristics. Chapter Two examines magnetoresistance connected with quantum electron transitions in the hydrogen atom. Chapter Three focuses on giant injection magnetoresistance in ferromagnet/semiconductor heterostructures.

Although the concept of beauty has evolved through the years, beauty itself transcends all history and cultures to form a universal aspect of human civilization. Consequently, the cosmetic industry is growing in popularity, as people worldwide are seeking care from their board certified dermatologist and/or plastic surgeon to enhance their beauty. Cosmetics encompass a wide array of procedures, including anything from laser and light-based technology to chemical peels, makeup, and hair transplantation. Beautiful Skin: A Dermatologist's Guide to a Younger Looking You aims to provide accurate and relevant information to the general public, pertaining to the different cosmetic procedures frequently performed. In this digital age, people are often misled by inaccurate and biased information provided by some Internet sources. Therefore, the authors in this book explore the principles and relevant facts underlying every procedure, and work toward providing an educational description to the reader. This book is meant to fill any gap in knowledge for those who have questions that remain unanswered or for those who are simply curious to know more about beauty and the procedures they are undergoing. In doing so, it will assist patients in making informed decisions regarding the cosmetic care they receive and thus, lead to satisfying outcomes for the patient.

Stroke, a brusque interruption of blood supply in an area of the brain, has a sudden and frequently devastating impact on both patients and their families. Although stroke is most common in older people, it can occur in individuals of any age, including young adults and children. Fortunately, the prospects for preventing and treating stroke are far better than they were just a few decades ago. However, a lot of challenges await physicians and researchers in terms of prevention, pathogenesis and treatment. Stroke remains a high priority medical condition for our society; globally, about 15 million people suffer of cerebrovascular diseases, with stroke being the most frequent life-threatening neurological disease and the third cause of death and disability. The authors of Advances and Challenges in Stroke hope to guide readers through the complexity of stroke pathogenesis, from the molecular basis to the most recent advances in terms of pathophysiological cascade leading to cell death. Through the expert opinion of Italian and European researchers, multiple aspects will be explored, including the etiology of juvenile or cryptogenic stroke, correlations between the heart and brain, state-of-the-art telemedicine in reducing door to needle and decision-making time, and the contribution of modern neuroimaging techniques and surgical/endovascular treatment in the hyperacute stroke phase.

The chapters in this volume present the latest developments in medicine and biology. Chapter One provides an overview of the evolution, development and production of aquaculture vaccines. Chapter Two discusses chronic fungal rhinosinusitis. Chapter Three focuses on congenital disorders that cause opthalmoplegia. Chapter Four discusses the roles of the inflammation amplifier and gateway reflexes in chronic inflammation. Chapter Five examines the clinical features, occurrence and treatment options of pyogenic granulomas. Chapter Six focuses on the biological aspects, that is the effects of sex steroids and sex steroid-related changes, on biological responses to social stress. Chapter Seven reviews male and female diet compositions of elasmobranch species. Chapter Eight provides a review of the prevention and treatment of morbid obesity. Chapter Nine explores the mechanistic underpinnings of recently-identified centrosome functions and the consequences of their disruption in human disorders such as microcephaly, cancer, ciliopathies, inflammation, diabetes and obesity. Chapter Ten investigates the migration behavior of functional melanocytes (MCs) in extracellular matrix proteins after Nd:YAG laser irradiation, and demonstrates the relevant mechanisms involved in repigmentation.

Coal fly ash (CFA) is one of the most complex anthropogenic materials. It is estimated that only about 20 to 30% of the globally generated fly ash is employed and utilized in building materials mainly as an additive in cement, concrete, and structural filling as well as in small scale production of zeolite. This book provides new research on the characteristics, uses and performance of fly ash.

This book offers an accessible introduction to application-oriented multivariate methods of data analysis and procedures that are highly beneficial to solving a variety of problems by using analytical chemistry and statistics. It presents a diverse selection of topics that include experimental designs applied for the optimization of liquid chromatographic and capillary electrophoresis, variable selection in chemical data, calibration of the first order: data, algorithms, and analytical applications, characterization of polyphenols from natural products using separation techniques coupled with chemometrics, detection of malignant tumors using FT-IR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics, guidelines in synthesis of new anticancer compounds, direct analysis of solid samples by spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques, application of data fusion in different levels with examples, and analysis of pharmaceutical and food products by various analytical techniques. This book helps thereader embrace the growing role of chemometrics in some of the latest research trends, such as characterization of polyphenolic compounds in natural, pharmaceutical, and food products in analytical problems, such as classification and quantification using the multivariate calibration of the second order. This book also identifies several areas for future development and applications. The chapters are written by leading experts. Chemometrics: Methods, Applications, and New Research offers a reliable source of useful information in a style that is accessible to all levels of students, professionals, and researchers involved in analyzing scientific data.

There have been very rapid advances in scientific, technical, clinical, and administrative areas of transfusion medicine since the beginning of this millennium, which need to be propagated among the workers in the field. This book is a vital tool for managerial, technical, and clinical staff in understanding the specific issues in the subject, which provide information regarding the particular aspects in the three volumes of the book. This publication was intended to provide a helpful resource to many workers in the technical and clinical fields as well as trainees and academia in the subject of transfusion medicine. The authors from developed and developing countries have contributed their knowledge in current technology, clinical support, and managerial issues. Editors have applied special attention to select authors who have practical experience on working the ground level of their specialties, especially in developing countries. A total of eighty authors across the globe have contributed fifty chapters in this three-volume textbook. Translating scientific advances to the patient creates an exciting environment for training. The textbooks in transfusion medicine are expensive for students and workers from developing countries. To achieve cost efficiency, this book is divided into three volumes: Organization and Management, Basics of Blood Bank Practices, and Good Clinical Transfusion Practices. It is thus possible to procure/buy the volume required for a specific purpose from an interested person, either from transfusion medicine or from allied specialties. The chapters in all three volumes are concise and thorough in regards to the subject for the administrative, laboratory, and clinical practices. The editors and authors have endeavored much to provide practical and instructive chapters from which readers will be able to find useful and detailed information on the subject. The editors have taken care to incorporate the necessary topics by inviting authors experienced in those subjects to write chapters providing up-to-date information. Due care is taken in editing those chapters by the editors and their associates besides the language editor. All three volumes are easily readable and full of stimulating and enlightening informative material described by these experienced authors. This book will provide a helpful resource for supporting and improving technical skills of all those who work in the field of transfusion medicine. It will keep them abreast with latest developments for the management of transfusion medicine departments and laboratories as well as assuring quality, reliability, and safety in their workplaces. This compilation will serve as a textbook for graduate and post-graduate students in transfusion medicine, hematology (and transplantations), laboratory technology, biotechnology, clinical nursing, anesthesiology, internist, and management students in healthcare services. This textbook will also serve as a reference book for practitioners from the above specialties.

There have been very rapid advances in scientific, technical, clinical, and administrative areas of transfusion medicine since the beginning of this millennium, which need to be propagated among the workers in the field. This book is a vital tool for managerial, technical, and clinical staff in understanding the specific issues in the subject, which provide information regarding the particular aspects in the three volumes of the book. This publication was intended to provide a helpful resource to many workers in the technical and clinical fields as well as trainees and academia in the subject of transfusion medicine. The authors from developed and developing countries have contributed their knowledge in current technology, clinical support, and managerial issues. Editors have applied special attention to select authors who have practical experience on working the ground level of their specialties, especially in developing countries. A total of eighty authors across the globe have contributed fifty chapters in this three-volume textbook. Translating scientific advances to the patient creates an exciting environment for training. The textbooks in transfusion medicine are expensive for students and workers from developing countries. To achieve cost efficiency, this book is divided into three volumes: Organization and Management, Basics of Blood Bank Practices, and Good Clinical Transfusion Practices. It is thus possible to procure/buy the volume required for a specific purpose from an interested person, either from transfusion medicine or from allied specialties. The chapters in all three volumes are concise and thorough in regards to the subject for the administrative, laboratory, and clinical practices. The editors and authors have endeavored much to provide practical and instructive chapters from which readers will be able to find useful and detailed information on the subject. The editors have taken care to incorporate the necessary topics by inviting authors experienced in those subjects to write chapters providing up-to-date information. Due care is taken in editing those chapters by the editors and their associates besides the language editor. All three volumes are easily readable and full of stimulating and enlightening informative material described by these experienced authors. This book will provide a helpful resource for supporting and improving technical skills of all those who work in the field of transfusion medicine. It will keep them abreast with latest developments for the management of transfusion medicine departments and laboratories as well as assuring quality, reliability, and safety in their workplaces. This compilation will serve as a textbook for graduate and post-graduate students in transfusion medicine, hematology (and transplantations), laboratory technology, biotechnology, clinical nursing, anesthesiology, internist, and management students in healthcare services. This textbook will also serve as a reference book for practitioners from the above specialties.

The chapters in this volume present the latest developments in medicine and biology. Chapter One provides an overview of normal variations of pigmentation and the most common pigment abnormalities. Chapter Two focuses on reviewing the clinical onset of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the most appropriate measures to manage the disease and its long-term outcomes. Chapter Three demonstrates that CO2 emission is the indicator of metabolic processes that determine anesthesia adequacy. Chapter Four provides an up-to-date reflection upon the probable research applications of exocrine pancreatic cells generated from patient specific iPSC. Chapter Five discusses experimental factors that should be considered when imaging luciferase activity in live cells, including choosing among commercially available beetle luciferase enzymes based on their kinetic and bioluminescence properties. Chapter Six discuses ex vivo purging of residual iPS cells for safer clinical applications. Chapter Seven discusses the role of scavenger receptors in macrophages and endothelial cells, and describes the protective effects of dietary components mediated by scavenger receptors. Chapter Eight considers a simple mathematical model to describe the behavior of both high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) strains in a domestic bird population with culling. Chapter Nine reviews the most important molecular mechanisms reported in the literature to underlie imidazole and triazole resistance in Candida species. Chapter Ten gives insight on developments of PET probes based on tetrapyrrolic structures for cancer detection.

Advances in Rheology Research has been divided into fourteen chapters. The renowned authors of this volume discuss current advances in rheology research for different application fields, covering theoretical and experimental scientific contributions. The fourteen chapters include discussions on a wide range of outstanding rheological issues such as rheology and 3D printing; rheological characterization of injection grouts using rotational rheometry; analysis of rheological properties of 100% liquid CO2 based gel fracturing fluid; rheology applied to food product design; miscibility and viscoelastic properties of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) blends; rheology of honey; unusual nonlinear rheological behavior of branched polymers: multiple overshoots in stress growth, experiments and theory; viscosity and viscoelasticity of baby foods; rheology as an instrument for food development; using the Laplace transform in rheology kinetic modeling; design of vibration absorbers using the rheological properties of viscoelastic materials; a viscoelastic fluid due to a non-linear accelerating elastic sheet; an MHD boundary layer viscoelastic fluid flow over a stretching sheet in a porous medium; and thermal radiation effect on fully developed laminar mixed convection flow in a vertical porous stratum by using a differential transform method. All of the above chapters are intended to contribute the improvement understanding of the rheological characterization and performance in numerous application fields from the food to the non-food industries.

In this volume of Advances in Chemistry Research. Volume 41, the opening chapter proposes that the use of accessible N-alkyl-2-haloaldimines Me2C(Hlg)CH=NR1 (Hlg = Cl (1), Br (2)) in the imine version of the Pudovik reaction with acidic esters of phosphorus acids vastly extends its synthetic potential due to the fact that a primary addition or protonation product, having mobile single halogen atoms, can undergo spontaneous transformations as well as transformations involving other reagents. The authors go on to maintain that speedy detection and isolation of various lectin types is required for diagnosis and therapeutics, thus resulting in the development of an effective method of preparation of lectin specific nanogold (silver)-labeled colloidal, and cross-linked neoglycoconjugates, based on maleic anhydride copolymers. The authors go on to discuss the various methods available for the splitting of racemates into separate enantiomers, based mainly on stereoselective chromatographic analysis (HPLC, GC, CE, TLC, etc.) or on the classical method of separating the enantiomers by crystallization of their diastereomeric salts. Another chapter examines the biomimetic sol-gel synthesis of silicon-chitosan-containing glycerohydrogels with the use of silicon tetraglycerolate (precursor) and chitosan salts (templates), namely, chitosan acetate, lactate, ascorbate, hydrochloride, hydrochloride-ascorbate and hydrochloride-glycolate, as well as examining the effect of the concentrations of the precursor, chitosan salt and a low-molecular-weight accelerator, estimating the pH of the medium and temperature (4–80°C) of the sol-gel process on the gelation duration in multicomponent chitosan-containing systems. The authors propose an economically efficient and ecologically friendly means of plasmid DNA metallization, with the potential for the obtained plasmid to be investigated for vaccine adjuvant and antitumor agent properties. This volume also discusses the establishment of a linear regression, taking into account the errors in measurement of an explanatory (independent) variable. The authors suggest that the use of an error-independent “instrumental” variable correlated with the explanatory variable and inverse least-squares-based are two means for arriving at consistent parameter estimates.

In Chapter One, D.M. Salazar, I. López-Cortés, and D.C. Salazar-García give an overview of the composition of fatty acids, tocopherols, and polyphenols in oils from the main five olive areas. They conclude that it is advisable to consume extra virgin olive oils during the prenatal period, childhood, and in combating disease. In Chapter Two, Hédia Manai Djebali and Imen Oueslati examine the link between olive oil and human health, finding that the amounts of sterols depend on olive variety, ripening degree, oil extraction procedures, agronomic, and climatic conditions. In Chapter Three, Malika Drira, Ons Rekik, and Mohamed Bouaziz review the composition of olive oil, determining that it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and also identifying 20 phenolic compounds from a plethora of phenolic types. María Dolores Alvarez, Wenceslao Canet, María José Jiméne, and Cristina Fernández present a study where samples of mashed potatoes enriched with extra virgin olive oil were perceived as softer in Chapter Four. In chapter five, Imen Oueslati and Hédia Manai explore the characteristics of the volatile compounds, as well as the enzymes involved, in different Mediterranean olive oil categories.

The book has two volumes and consists of forty-four chapters, which are divided into five sections: (i) Mathematical treatment of non-linear problems, including the differential equations, numerical methods, algorithms and solutions; (ii) theoretical and computational studies dedicated to the physics and chemistry of advanced materials, nanostructured systems and fractal systems; (iii) articles dedicated to non-linear processes in complex biological processes, systems and objects; (iv) theoretical and modeling studies of kinetics, dynamics and thermochemistry of micro-, meso- and macro-scale systems; and (v) multidisciplinary research focused on forecasting, control and management problems.

Cleaner production is defined as the continuous application of an integrated preventive strategy for environmental protection in the developmental processes applied to products and services in industries & business organizations to increase overall efficiency and reduce risks to humans (consumers and industrial workers) and the environment from the hazardous chemicals and materials used in the production process. Cleaner production requires applying know-how, improving technology and changing attitudes. Since 1950, there has been a tremendous increase in the production of diverse chemicals to satisfy our demands for consumer goods. According to the UNEP, worldwide nearly 80,000 chemicals are used every day and about 1500 new chemicals are added every year. A green chemistry movement is going on to develop environmentally benign chemicals and chemical processes to be applied in chemical industries and industries depending on chemicals such as paper, plastic, textile, dyeing, printing, photography, agriculture, and electronics. Clean air, water and food are the basis of life on earth. Combustion of fossil fuels in industries, for power generation and in automobiles is the major source (90-95%) of chemical air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Promotion of solar, wind, and hydrogen fuel technology will completely eliminate them. Chemically grown foods by agrochemicals are badly affecting human health. Some 25 million farmers are poisoned by pesticides, and some 10 to 20 thousand die every year from this. US scientists predict up to 20,000 Americans may die of cancer every year, due to low levels of residual pesticides in chemically grown foods. Hence, producing chemical-free foods by organic farming using biofertilizers and biopesticides is the only hope for civilization. Earthworms (Charles Darwin's ‘friends of farmers') & its vermicompost (produced from Organic wastes) promote high crop growth and also protect from pests and diseases. Earthworms can also clean (detoxify and disinfect) polluted lands and wastewater. Potable water is a vanishing resource on Earth. Since 1950, global water use has more than tripled. Out of total water available on Earth, 97.5% is saline. Nearly 2% is frozen in polar icecaps & mountains. Only less than 1% of groundwater and surface water is usable as potable water. Desalination technology to clean seawater into drinkable water is the only hope for civilization. Eco-efficiency in use of raw materials, water and energy resources is also important because the natural resources of Earth are finite, and their demand is getting infinite with an increasing population and growing consumerism all over world. Eco-efficiency will also reduce waste and pollution, and GHG emissions with economic gains for the industries. UNEP has pioneered the promotion of cleaner production philosophy. It called for all national governments for a long-term action plan to incorporate environmental concerns and problems, focusing on cleaner production into their educational curricula, especially in engineering and business management courses. Additionally, it called for the incorporation of developmental policies enacted for industries and business organizations. A joint Indo-Australian bilateral meeting on a clean development mechanism was organized in New Delhi in 2001.

There have been very rapid advances in scientific, technical, clinical, and administrative areas of transfusion medicine since the beginning of this millennium, which need to be propagated among the workers in the field. This book is a vital tool for managerial, technical, and clinical staff in understanding the specific issues in the subject, which provide information regarding the particular aspects in the three volumes of the book. This publication was intended to provide a helpful resource to many workers in the technical and clinical fields as well as trainees and academia in the subject of transfusion medicine. The authors from developed and developing countries have contributed their knowledge in current technology, clinical support, and managerial issues. Editors have applied special attention to select authors who have practical experience on working the ground level of their specialties, especially in developing countries. A total of eighty authors across the globe have contributed fifty chapters in this three-volume textbook. Translating scientific advances to the patient creates an exciting environment for training. The textbooks in transfusion medicine are expensive for students and workers from developing countries. To achieve cost efficiency, this book is divided into three volumes: Organization and Management, Basics of Blood Bank Practices, and Good Clinical Transfusion Practices. It is thus possible to procure/buy the volume required for a specific purpose from an interested person, either from transfusion medicine or from allied specialties. The chapters in all three volumes are concise and thorough in regards to the subject for the administrative, laboratory, and clinical practices. The editors and authors have endeavored much to provide practical and instructive chapters from which readers will be able to find useful and detailed information on the subject. The editors have taken care to incorporate the necessary topics by inviting authors experienced in those subjects to write chapters providing up-to-date information. Due care is taken in editing those chapters by the editors and their associates besides the language editor. All three volumes are easily readable and full of stimulating and enlightening informative material described by these experienced authors. This book will provide a helpful resource for supporting and improving technical skills of all those who work in the field of transfusion medicine. It will keep them abreast with latest developments for the management of transfusion medicine departments and laboratories as well as assuring quality, reliability, and safety in their workplaces. This compilation will serve as a textbook for graduate and post-graduate students in transfusion medicine, hematology (and transplantations), laboratory technology, biotechnology, clinical nursing, anesthesiology, internist, and management students in healthcare services. This textbook will also serve as a reference book for practitioners from the above specialties.

This book is a compilation of most works published during 2000-2016 in the area of dry powder inhalers, especially related to the issues with formulation and device design. The dry powder inhalers aim to deliver the medication to the respiratory airways. It is suitable for postgraduate students and researchers who work in the areas of dry powder inhalers. It provides some background knowledge in size characterization, flow properties, forces, and interaction of air and particles. It also ends with in vitro quality control of dry powder inhalers. This book was finished in Hawaii where the author spent his time during April 2016. Thank you to Prince of Songkla University for the financial support. The author had to work very hard for one month without a holiday. Thank you to Prof. Aran Pattanothai for overseeing this work to make sure that the researchers were on schedule all the time. Thanks to the author's staff at the Graduate School, Prince of Songkla University who had to work hard and be patient when the author was not in the office. Thanks to the author's wife and son who had to wait for him at home in Thailand. Thanks to Dr. Tan Suwandecha and Dr. Janwit Dechraksa for their great efforts in copy editing and compiling all the references. The author also thanks Dr. Somchai Sawatdee and Dr. Dhamodharan Bakkiyaraj for their comments, and Dr. Padmavathi Alwar Ramanujam for her proofreading. The greatest help was from Professor Alan Coombes, Professor Pornanong Aramwit, and Dr. Brian Hodgeson for their criticisms and comments to make this book readable.