Bücher veröffentlicht von IntechOpen

This book serves as a comprehensive survey of the impact of vitamin K2 on cellular functions and organ systems, indicating that vitamin K2 plays an important role in the differentiation/preservation of various cell phenotypes and as a stimulator and/or mediator of interorgan cross talk. Vitamin K2 binds to the transcription factor SXR/PXR, thus acting like a hormone (very much in the same manner as vitamin A and vitamin D). Therefore, vitamin K2 affects a multitude of organ systems, and it is reckoned to be one positive factor in bringing about "longevity" to the human body, e.g., supporting the functions/health of different organ systems, as well as correcting the functioning or even "curing" ailments striking several organs in our body.Vitamin K2 - Vital for Health and Wellbeing has been produced and distributed through the support from Kappa Bioscience, Norway.

There has been a considerable progress made during the recent past on mathematical techniques for studying dynamical systems that arise in science and engineering. This progress has been, to a large extent, due to our increasing ability to mathematically model physical processes and to analyze and solve them, both analytically and numerically. With its eleven chapters, this book brings together important contributions from renowned international researchers to provide an excellent survey of recent advances in dynamical systems theory and applications. The first section consists of seven chapters that focus on analytical techniques, while the next section is composed of four chapters that center on computational techniques.

Over the past few decades, exciting developments have taken place in the field of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This has been enabled by the advent of robust Fourier transform interferometers and diode array solutions, coupled with complex chemometric methods that can easily be executed using modern microprocessors. The present edited volume intends to cover recent developments in NIRS and provide a broad perspective of some of the challenges that characterize the field. The volume comprises six chapters overall and covers several sectors. The target audience for this book includes engineers, practitioners, and researchers involved in NIRS system design and utilization in different applications. We believe that they will greatly benefit from the timely and accurate information provided in this work.

As in many areas of medicine, treatment of viral hepatitis has seen an acceleration of change driven by new therapies and evolving technology. Thanks to the direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), the era of HCV eradication and cure has begun. As regards to hepatitis B therapy, potent antiviral drugs for suppression of viral replication are available, new research activities to enhance eradication are visible, and these may influence clinical practice in the coming years. This book covers the latest advances in hepatitis C and hepatitis B therapeutics as well as the emerging and investigational treatment strategies. "Advances in Treatment of Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B" book is an up-to-date source of information for physicians, residents, and advanced medical students seeking a broader understanding of treatment of viral hepatitis. The authors of the chapters come from many eminent centers around the world and are experts in their respective fields.

Magnetic spinels including ferrites are insulating magnetic oxides and chalcogenides with strong coupling to microwave frequencies and low eddy current losses making them indispensable for applications in wireless communications. The 13 chapters and preface of this book discuss other potential applications of magnetic spinels along with various methods used for their synthesis and their varied properties resulting from substituting different metal ions at the A and B sites. These applications include ferrofluids, anticorrosion coatings, absorber coatings for photothermal conversion, biomedicine, and environmental applications such as oxidation of volatile organic compounds and removal of arsenic and heavy metals from water. Emphasis is placed on structure-property correlations and on the nature of magnetism in spinels and their nanoparticles with current information provided for future research.

Wood is a natural building material: if used in building elements, it can play structural, functional and aesthetic roles at the same time. The use of wood in buildings, which goes back to the oldest of times, is now experiencing a period of strong expansion in virtue of the sustainable dimension of wood buildings from the environmental, economic and social standpoints. However, its use as an engineering material calls for constant development of theoretical and experimental research to respond properly to the issues involved in this. In the single chapters written by experts in different fields, the book aims to contribute to knowledge in the application of wood in the building industry.

Human helminthiasis, known as worm infections, is any macroparasitic disease affecting humans, in which a part of the body is invaded by a lot of worms, known as helminths. They are broadly classified into flukes, tapeworms, and roundworms. Soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis are the most important, being included into the neglected tropical diseases. Helminthiasis has been found to result in poor birth outcome, less cognitive development, lower school and work performance, lower socioeconomic development, and poverty. Soil-transmitted helminthiases are responsible for parasitic infections in as much as a quarter of the human population worldwide. This group of infective diseases has been targeted under the joint action of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and local governments, trying to achieve their eradication.

This book focuses on the usage and application of plant- and animal-based food products with significant functional properties and health benefits as well as their development into processed food. Many chapters in this book contain overviews on superfood and functional food from South America. Details on the functional properties of apiculture products are also included herein. Additionally, an area that is not widely discussed in academia - pet food with functional properties - is also covered. It is hoped that this book will serve as a source of knowledge and information to make better choices in food consumption and alterations to dietary patterns. It is also recommended for readers to take a look at a related book, Superfood and Functional Food - The Development of Superfoods and Their Roles as Medicine.

Superfoods and functional foods are receiving increasing attention because of their important roles in health. This book focuses on the production of superfoods and functional foods and their role as medicine. In the early chapters, prominent researchers introduce the roles and production of microalgae and functional fruits through metabolic engineering, the use of food waste, and effective cooking procedures. In the latter chapters, other prominent researchers introduce the medical effects of polyphenols, glutamine, and unsaturated fatty acids, which are contained in superfoods and functional foods. They suggest the importance of superfoods and functional foods in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. It is also recommended for readers to take a look at a related book, Superfood and Functional Food: An Overview of Their Processing and Utilization.

Based on previous observations, there is no doubt that trade enhanced economic growth. This is especially valid in regard to international trade as it can help or hinder entire regions, thus adding to the issue of international security. In this book, we tried to collect texts that would not repeat known facts on international trade but would rather discuss special issues. Furthermore, we also wanted to bring regional perspectives. Therefore, this book is organized into two sections: "Selected Perspectives on International Trade" and "Regional Specific Issues of International Trade".

Social and behavioral science has for decades studied and recognized leadership as a social exchange between leaders and followers. But leadership is rather complex, and as such, it tends to lead to an increased interest within and across different disciplines. This book is an attempt to provide theoretical and empirical framework to better understand leadership challenges in various contexts. The authors cover an array of themes that span from an individual level to an organizational and societal level. In this volume, two sections are presented. The first section based on individual level focuses on different leadership styles and abilities, and the other section provides theories to understand leadership in public administration, in industrial settings and in nonprofit organizations.

The main purpose of this book is to provide a modern review about recent advances in Fourier transforms as the most powerful analytical tool for high-tech application in electrical, electronic, and computer engineering, as well as Fourier transform spectral techniques with a wide range of biological, biomedical, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, and nanotechnological applications. The confluence of Fourier transform methods with high tech opens new opportunities for detection and handling of atoms and molecules using nanodevices, with potential for a large variety of scientific and technological applications.

This book intends to provide highlights of the current research topics in the field of 5G and to offer a snapshot of the recent advances and major issues faced today by the researchers in the 5G physical layer perspective. Various aspects of 5G system is deeply discussed (in three parts and ten chapters) with emphasis on its physical layer. Each chapter provides a comprehensive survey of the subject area and ends with a rich list of references to provide an in-depth coverage of the application at hand.

Laser ablation refers to the phenomenon in which a low wavelength and short pulse (ns-fs) duration of laser beam irradiates the surface of a target to induce instant local vaporization of the target material generating a plasma plume consisting of photons, electrons, ions, atoms, molecules, clusters, and liquid or solid particles. This book covers various aspects of using laser ablation phenomenon for material processing including laser ablation applied for the deposition of thin films, for the synthesis of nanomaterials, and for the chemical compositional analysis and surface modification of materials. Through the 18 chapters written by experts from international scientific community, the reader will have access to the most recent research and development findings on laser ablation through original research studies and literature reviews.

The book Worldwide Wound Healing - Innovation in Natural and Conventional Methods develops a set of themes on the healing and treatment of complex wounds through evidence-based practice with innovations in the use of natural and conventional methods. It is an innovative way that promotes the integration of conventional and natural perspectives in wound healing, with a unique focus on the quality of life of the patient.

This book is based on the contributions of several authors and attempts to describe the roles human activities play in causing geohazards either directly or indirectly through man-made climate change. The risk of these man-made geohazards and the risk assessment are also discussed in this book. Each chapter keeps the authors' notations that vary from chapter to chapter. These authors' notations have been maintained to reduce unintended confusion and errors. Readers should be aware of this variation.

Endocarditis remains an elusive challenge for clinicians to master. As the population ages and their comorbidities increase, the risk of infecting cardiac structures - both native and, the ever-increasing use of, prosthetic support technology - also increases. In addition, the global epidemic of intravenous substance abuse has also resulted in a substantial increase in the number of infected patients. Fortunately, advances in the diagnostic testing, imaging, and recognition of the importance of a multidisciplinary management team have also contributed to advances in the care of these critically ill patients. Nevertheless, optimal therapies need to be individualized and considered in the ever-increasing body of scientific literature on this complex and difficult problem.

Addressing the matter of air quality in a collection of focused scientific topic chapters is timely as a contribution to the international discussion and challenges of global warming and climate change. This book engages with the debate by considering some of the social, public health, economic and scientific issues that relate to the contribution made by airborne pollutants to the observable trending variances in weather, climate and atmospheric conditions. From a wide range of submissions for inclusion in the book, there are seven carefully selected chapters that individually relate to air sampling and analysis: the monitoring, measurement and modelling of air quality. The authors come from a range of academic and scientific disciplines, and each is internationally credited in his/her field. This book will appeal to scholars, to students and generally to those interested in the following contemporary thought in the matter of environment pollution, air quality and the issues of climate and atmosphere the world is facing today.

The aim of this book is to give readers a broad review of topical worldwide advancements in theoretical and experimental facts, instrumentation and practical applications erudite by luminescent materials and their prospects in dealing with different types of luminescence like photoluminescence, electroluminescence, thermo-luminescence, triboluminescence, bioluminescence design and applications. The additional part of this book deals with the dynamics, rare-earth ions, photon down-/up-converting materials, luminescence dating, lifetime, bioluminescence microscopical perspectives and prospects towards the basic research or for more advanced applications. This book is divided into four main sections: luminescent materials and their associated phenomena; photo-physical properties and their emerging applications; thermoluminescence dating: from theory to applications, and bioluminescence perspectives and prospects. Individual chapters should serve the broad spectrum of common readers of diverse expertise, layman, students and researchers, who may in this book find easily elucidated fundamentals as well as progressive principles of specific subjects associated with these phenomena. This book was created by 14 contributions from experts in different fields of luminescence and technology from over 20 research institutes worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 3-5 million cases of severe influenza worldwide will result in 250,000-500,000 deaths annually. Collectively, data are shared via the WHO's Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), which includes 143 institutions in 113 WHO member states, to help alert the emergence of antigenic variants or the beginning of a pandemic. In April 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cited the first incidence of human-to-human transmission of pandemic H1N1, also referred to as swine influenza A, which was antigenically distinct from other circulating human H1N1. As the first influenza pandemic of the twenty-first century, pandemic H1N1 was not included in the annual trivalent vaccine regimen, leaving a large majority of the population unprotected from the newly emerging pathogen.

The book provides a comprehensive overview of selected topics in microcirculation, from physiology to pathophysiology including molecular mechanisms and clinical aspects. It contains 10 chapters written by reputed authors, which comprehensively sum up the current knowledge and some interesting new insights in the field of microcirculation. It will be useful to a broad range of audience, from students to highly profiled experts, helping them to expand their knowledge on microcirculation and opening up additional questions for further investigation.

An authentic revolution took place in the area of solid-state chemistry and physics just after World War II. The century of solid state started from the modest beginnings of the transistor at Bell Laboratory. Since then, the area of science and technology has been directed primarily toward the study of alloys, ceramics, and inorganic semiconductors. The size of electronic devices became smaller and smaller, while the dimensionality of materials was also reduced just after the invention of the integrated circuit. It is at this point that the advent of the discovery of quasi one-dimensional conductors has opened up a whole new area of ''nonclassical'' solid-state chemistry and physics. In the modern world, plastic and electrical devices are always tightly integrated together. However, it was in 1977 that an electrically conductive, quasi one-dimensional organic polymer, polyacetylene, was discovered. During the past 30 years, a variety of different conducting polymers have been developed. Excitement about these polymeric materials is evidenced by the fact that the field of conducting polymers has attracted scientists from such diverse areas of interest as synthetic chemistry, electrochemistry, solid-state physics, materials science, polymer science, electronics, and electrical engineering.

This book covers all aspects and the most vibrant topics of ischemic stroke research: from basic sciences to latest methods of clinical applications. The authors give an overview of what has importance today in stroke research and also strike future ideas.The diversity of origin of the internationally known authors underlines not only that ischemic stroke research is nowadays global but also that this diversity gives new and valuable inputs to treat our patients.

Organocatalysis has recently attracted enormous attention as green and sustainable catalysis. It was realized as a fundamental field providing wide families of catalysts for important organic transformations. It will certainly develop in the future. Given the diversity of accessible transformations, metal-catalyzed reactions have become major tools in organic synthesis that will undoubtedly continue to have an important impact in the future. Alternatively, over the last years, a metal-free approach such as organocatalysis has reached a level of faithfulness, allowing researchers to discover new catalytic systems based on engagement of new or early-prepared organic molecules as organocatalysts. Organocatalysis meets green chemistry principles, especially the reduction of toxicity and chemical accidents, the biodegradability, and the use of benign and friendlier reaction media and conditions.

The emerging and interesting field of MOF encouraged us to bring forth the book titled ''Metal Organic Frameworks''. The book is divided into three sections. Section A consists of introduction, Section B comprises the synthesis and characterization techniques, and Section C is dedicated to the applications of MOFs. The book would be useful for scientists and researchers interested in the field of MOFs.

The rapid urbanization that began with industrialization has begun to cause many problems. New approaches are emerging today to minimize these problems and make urban areas more livable. These problems include insufficient social facilities in urban areas for increasing populations due to migration and unbalanced use of green areas, water, and energy resources due to urbanization. Careless consumption and the pollution of natural resources will cause people many more problems in the future than they do today in urban development.Many professional disciplines have noticed this unbalanced development in urban areas. Urban areas have larger populations than rural areas today. Urban areas are developed neglectfully. Sustainability is needed as a criterion for urban areas to develop in a more livable and healthy fashion. Sustainable urban development approaches are seen in many fields, ranging from land use to the use of natural resources in urban areas.

This book is written for graduate students, researchers, and practitioners who are interested in learning how the knowledge from research can be implemented in clinical competences. The first section is dedicated to deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure which is the paramount example of how clinical practice can take advantage from fundamental research. The second section gathers four chapters on four different topics and illustrates how significant is the challenge to translate scientific advances into clinical practice because the route from evidence to action is not always obvious. It is hoped that this book will stimulate the interest in the process of translating research into practice for a broader range of neurosurgical topics than the one covered by this book, which could result in a forthcoming more comprehensive publication.

Many of the challenges facing farmers and human communities from hydrographical basins are not new. But, due to the fact that the nature and extents of the problems vary from one region to another and from one basin to another, the responses are highly diversified. There is no generally valid solution for all the problems. However, in addressing issues on ensuring the prevention or mitigation of the destructive consequences of flood damage or prolonged drought as for the optimal use of water by consumers, sustainable basin land use, biodiversity conservation, and environment protection as well, fourteen specialists and their colleagues present the state of the art in these important matters and new possible solutions to solve, identified from the scientific investigations undertaken.

This book introduces numerous selected advanced topics in viscoelastic and viscoplastic materials. The book effectively blends theoretical, numerical, modeling and experimental aspects of viscoelastic and viscoplastic materials that are usually encountered in many research areas such as chemical, mechanical and petroleum engineering. The book consists of 14 chapters that can serve as an important reference for researchers and engineers working in the field of viscoelastic and viscoplastic materials.