Bücher veröffentlicht von IntechOpen

Over the past decade, progress in plant science and molecular technologies has grown considerably. This book focuses on plant biotechnology applications specializing in certain aspects of breeding and molecular marker-assisted selection processes, omic strategies, usage of bioinformatic tools, and nanotechnological improvements in agricultural sciences. Most farmers and breeders can no longer simply turn to the older strategies, and new instructions are needed to adapt their systems to achieve their production goals. The book covers new information on using metabolomics and nanotechnology in agriculture. In these circumstances, all new data and technology are very important in plant science. The topics in this book are practical and user-friendly. They allow practitioners, students, and academicians with specific background knowledge to feel confident about the principles presented on a new generation of molecular plant biotechnology applications.

Seismology in polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) allows us to study the static condition and high-latitude dynamics of the Earth. This book covers the recent developments in seismology in polar regions; observations and networks; international collaboration; heterogeneous structure and dynamics of the lithosphere; deep Earth's interiors observed from high latitudes; characteristics of seismicity and seismic wave propagation; and global tectonics in terms of Earth's history, including the interdisciplinary studies on the interaction between Earth's spheres. Since the International Polar Year (IPY) in 2007/2008 was the most exciting campaign launched within contemporary polar studies, this book observes recent seismological achievements by the IPY, specifically focusing on the seismic signals near the surface associated with cryosphere dynamics and evolution. Topics on cryoseismology, such as glacial earthquake activities, are viewed in terms of global warming. Moreover, observational experiments and long-term monitoring under the extreme conditions in the polar environment are also discussed.

This book provides the fundamental understanding of the functioning of solar cellsand the materials for the effective utilization of energy resources. The main objective of writing this book is to create a comprehensive and easy-to-understand source of information on the advances in the rapidly growing research on solar cells.Emerging Solar Energy Materials comprises 12 chapters written by the experts in the solar cell field and is organized with the intention to provide a big picture of the latest progress in the solar cell field and at the same time give an in-depth discussion on fundamentals of solar cells for interested audiences. In this book, each part opens with a new author's essay highlighting their work for contribution toward solar energy. Critical, cutting-edge subjects are addressed, including: Photovoltaic device technology and energy applications; Functional solar energy materials; New concept in solar energy; Perovskite solar cells; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Organic solar cells; Thin-film solar cells. The book is written for a large and broad readership including researchers and university graduate students from diverse backgrounds such as chemistry, physics, materials science, and photovoltaic device technology. The book includes enough information on the basics to be used as a textbook undergraduate coursework in engineering and the sciences.

This book will serve as a brief yet exhaustive guide to the role of oral microbes in health and disease. It will be useful to dental and medical students and to microbiologists.

Apoptosis is an essential biochemical process in cell turnover, development, and chemical-induced cell death. Current knowledge and ongoing research of apoptosis highlight our understanding in designing the therapeutic approaches for several diseases. This book covers four main sections: "Apoptosis and Necrosis," "Apoptosis Inducers," "Proteasome and Signaling Pathways in Apoptosis," and "Radiation-Based Apoptosis." The first section implicitly describes the differences between apoptosis and necrosis processes. The following section elaborates the small molecule-induced apoptosis. Then, the third section deals with proteasome and signaling pathways and finally, resistance to chemotherapy and electromagnetic radiation is covered in the last section. Overall, the book deals with pathways for manipulating apoptosis and provides a unique perspective to the scientists.

Computational science is one of the rapidly growing multidisciplinary fields. The high-performance computing capabilities are utilized to solve and understand complex problems. This book offers a detailed exposition of the numerical methods that are used in engineering and science. The chapters are arranged in such a way that the readers will be able to select the topics appropriate to their interest and need. The text features a broad array of applications of computational methods to science and technology. This book would be an interesting supplement for the practicing engineers, scientists, and graduate students.

The book Cytotoxicity is aimed to be an essential reading to all medical students, biologists, biochemists and professionals involved in the field of toxicology. This book is a useful and ideal guide for novice researchers interested in learning research methods to study cytotoxic bioactive compounds. The parts of this book describe the replacement and different applications of the cytotoxic agents. All chapters are written by paramount experts in cytotoxicity research. This will hopefully stimulate more research initiatives, funding, and critical insight into the already increasing demand for cytotoxicity researches that have been evidenced worldwide.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with a prevalence of 20-30% worldwide is characterized by the buildup of fat in the liver (liver steatosis) with no or little alcohol consumption. Its principal causes are modern diet and occidental lifestyle. It is characterized by metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress, considered as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. There is no effective drug therapy for this disease; therefore, lifestyle interventions remain as the first-line treatment. Nevertheless, the adherence rates to this type of treatment are very low, so great efforts are focused at finding novel therapeutic agents for the prevention of hepatic steatosis and its progression. This book presents a systematic and comprehensive revision about NAFLD, highlighting its epidemiological and molecular aspects, as well as its prevention and treatment.

Atomic thin two-dimensional (2D) materials are the thinnest forms of materials to ever occur in nature and have the potential to dramatically alter and revolutionize our material world. Some of the unique properties of these materials including wide photoresponse wavelength, passivated surfaces, strong interaction with incident light, and high mobility have created tremendous interest in photodetector application. This book provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art knowledge about photodetector technology in the range visible to infrared region using various 2D materials including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, III-V semiconductor, and so on. It consists of 10 chapters contributed by a team of experts in this exciting field. We believe that this book will provide new opportunities and guidance for the development of next-generation 2D photodetector.

Dental practitioners face a large number of patients seeking help for pain and loss of function in their temporomandibular joint and related structures. This book consists of eight chapters by authors who would like to share their experiences and researches on pathological conditions related to the temporomandibular joint. The chapters mainly focus on disorders, diseases, and entities while shedding light on the diagnostic methods and management modalities.

Photon counting is a unified name for the techniques using single-photon detection for accumulative measurements of the light flux, normally occurring under extremely low-light conditions. Nowadays, this approach can be applied to the wide variety of the radiation wavelengths, starting from X-ray and deep ultraviolet transitions and ending with far-infrared part of the spectrum. As a special tribute to the photon counting, the studies of cosmic microwave background radiation in astronomy, the experiments with muon detection, and the large-scale fundamental experiments on the nature of matter should be noted. The book provides readers with an overview on the fundamentals and state-of-the-art applications of photon counting technique in the applied science and everyday life.

The idea of using robots in our daily lives was an inspiring research in the field of robotics during the last decades. Service robots can be found nowadays in warehouses, hospitals, retail stores, city streets, and industrial parks or as personal assistants. The effort on the development of these robots is confirmed by the amount of money invested in projects and companies, the creation on new start-ups worldwide, and, not less important, the quantity and quality of the manuscripts published in journals and conferences worldwide. This book is an outcome of research done by several researchers who have highly contributed to the field of service robots. The main goal of this book is to present the recent advances in the field of service robots.

This book contains 12 chapters with original and innovative research studies in the issues related to the broadly defined creep effect, which concerns not only the area of construction materials but also natural phenomena. The emphasis on the discussion of a new trend of experimental creep testing, which binds the classic creep methods to seek the correlation of parameters obtained in tests, deserves particular attention. This book aims to provide the readers, including, but not limited to, students and doctoral students and also the research personnel and engineers involved in the operation of equipment and structural components as well as specialists in high-temperature creep-resisting materials, with a comprehensive review of new trends in the field of creep-exposed materials and their research methodology. The chapters of this book were developed by respected and well-known researchers from different countries.

Yeast-based biotechnology traditionally regards the empirical production of fermented drinks and leavened bread, processes which surprisingly keep posing challenges and fuelling research. But yeasts nowadays also provide amenable cell factories, producing bulk and fine chemicals and molecules, and are increasingly used as tools in processes as diverse as food preservation or bioremediation. Importantly, yeasts are excellent models of cell and molecular biology for higher eukaryotes, including humans, contributing with key discoveries to understand processes and diseases. All taken, yeast-related business is worth billions, critically contributing to the economical welfare of many differently developed countries. This book provides some insights into aspects of yeast science and biotechnology less frequently addressed in the literature but nonetheless decisive to improve knowledge and, accordingly, boost up yeast-based innovation.

This book covers recent advancement methods used in analysing the root cause of engineering failures and the proactive suggestion for future failure prevention. The techniques used especially non-destructive testing such X-ray are well described. The failure analysis covers materials for metal and composites for various applications in mechanical, civil and electrical applications. The modes of failures that are well explained include fracture, fatigue, corrosion and high-temperature failure mechanisms. The administrative part of failures is also presented in the chapter of failure rate analysis. The book will bring you on a tour on how to apply mechanical, electrical and civil engineering fundamental concepts and to understand the prediction of root cause of failures. The topics explained comprehensively the reliable test that one should perform in order to investigate the cause of machines, component or material failures at the macroscopic and microscopic level. I hope the material is not too theoretical and you find the case study, the analysis will assist you in tackling your own failure investigation case.

This edited volume Electroencephalography is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of medicine and health sciences. The book comprises single chapters authored by various researchers and edited by an expert active in the electrophysiological monitoring method research area. Each chapter is complete in itself but united under a common research study topic. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts by international authors on electrophysiological monitoring method and opens new possible research paths for further novel developments.

Giardiasis is still a significant infectious and parasitic disease, caused by the protozoan Giardia intestinalis. There are estimates of more than 200 million cases of giardiasis occurred in the world annually. The advance in research in giardiasis during the last century and particularly during the last decade is considerable. Nevertheless, many challenges still are ahead in order to reach a higher control of this disease. This book tried to update the significant epidemiological and clinical research in many aspects with a multinational perspective. This book with 9 chapters has been organized in 3 major sections: 1. "Overview, Epidemiology and Clinical Aspects," 2. "Biological and Diagnostic Aspects," and 3. "Treatment, Prevention and Public Health."

Underwater acoustics, despite the relatively short history, has already found practical application in many areas of human activity. It allows, among others, depth research, data transmission, and underwater observation and provides maritime transport safety and security against terrorists. Moreover, underwater acoustic technologies are also widely used in medicine, biology, and many other fields. Therefore, it is one of the most developing areas. This book is a collection of experiences of scientists from around the world engaged in research, design, and construction, as well as the daily use of underwater acoustic systems. Giving this book in the hands of the reader, we hope that it will be a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration for further research in the field of underwater acoustics.

Theriogenology, the field that studies animal reproductive health and disease, is a challenging field that shows a steady growth. It covers diverse aspects of reproduction in domestic and wild animals, including the assisted reproductive techniques, which have enormously enhanced the ability to rescue endangered species and provide a strong support to the high reproductive efficiency requested by livestock production. Reproductive success, as well as infertility, is the culmination of complex physiological and adaptive processes that guarantee, at the end, a species' ability to reproduce and its survival in a challenging and ever-changing environment. In this book, we present to you a collection of manuscripts exploring various aspects of the reproductive function of mammal and marine species. I hope you find this a useful book in your collection.

Systemic sclerosis is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by immunological alterations, small vessel vasculopathy, and skin and other organ fibrosis. Despite progress in the knowledge of pathogenic steps and therapeutic options, when compared with other rheumatic conditions, it shows the lowest life expectancy rate. Early diagnosis is important as early treatment could lead to better outcomes. Great progress has been made in the treatment of specific symptoms; however, there are still no disease-modifying drugs that are able to control the overall disease activity satisfactorily. This book covers the latest knowledge in systemic sclerosis from pathophysiology to clinical presentation and management. Hopefully, this book will be a useful resource to students, residents, rheumatologists, dermatologist, and anyone interested in this fascinating disease.

Neuroblastoma (NBL) is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood, with about 700 new cases of neuroblastoma seen each year in the United States. The 5-year survival rate for children with high-risk NBL is only 50-60%, and this survival rate has not improved over the last 10 years. High-risk patients receive multimodality treatment, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, biologic therapy and immunotherapy, all of which are associated with significant morbidity. Recent years have seen many advances in treatment of neuroblastoma, including therapeutic MIBG, immunotherapy, and personalized targeted therapy based on the genetic alterations seen in the tumor. The primary objective of this book is to provide the readers with a comprehensive review of neuroblastoma, from clinical aspects and the currently available treatment to recent advancements and future directions in the field of NBL treatment. The topics and chapters have been compiled keeping in mind a diverse group of readers in different areas of specialty such as pediatric oncology, surgery, radiation oncology, and immunology, as well as physician scientists and basic researchers working in the field of neuroblastoma.

This volume stresses the contemporary relevance of semiotics. The introductory chapter shows how the collection of papers emphasises crossings at the material level of physical reality as well as in their semio-cognitive and cultural implications, questioning the delimitation of interdisciplinary borders between the social sciences and humanities and STEM disciplines. The volume shows how semiotics continues to provide a framework for emerging knowledge traditions without completely disregarding its past. Through explorations in fields as wide apart as ecological psychology and visualisation systems, by finding correspondences between the arithmetic of music and cosmic energies or between the pedagogic significance of images and habitat facilities, as well as using investigation tools ranging from the mathematical representation of concepts to science education, this book addresses multifarious aspects and implications of culture and cognition, standing convincing proof that semiotics is as alive, productive and scholarly useful as ever.

This book highlights recent advances on vitamin C and related topics. The chapters of this book include basic information about vitamin C function, sources and analysis, and radioprotective and antioxidant effect of vitamin C. Also, the anticarcinogenic effect of vitamin C is introduced. Furthermore, we considered the encapsulation technique used in vitamin C preparation. Finally, recent advances in vitamin C transporter are illustrated.

The book "RoCKIn - Benchmarking Through Robot Competitions" describes the activities and achievements on the promotion of Robotics research and benchmarking in Europe through robot competitions, carried out within the framework of the RoCKIn ("Robot Competitions Kick Innovation in Cognitive Systems and Robotics") Coordination Action, a project funded by the European Commission (EC) 7th Framework Programme (FP7).RoCKIn was one of the two pioneer projects on robot competitions in Europe funded by the EC, representing the acknowledgment of robot competitions as important tools to advance research on Robotics, besides education and public awareness of Robotics. Two challenges were selected for the RoCKIn competitions due to their high relevance and impact on Europe's societal and industrial needs: domestic service robots (RoCKIn@Home) and innovative robot applications in industry (RoCKIn@Work).Along the book chapters the reader will find details on RoCKIn@Home and RoCKIn@Work, and about the activities carried out during the project lifetime, namely the developed open domain test beds for competitions targeting the two challenges and usable by researchers worldwide; the scoring and benchmarking methods to assess the performance of robot systems and subsystems; and the building up of a community of new teams. The book ends with an assessment by the project industrial partner about the impact of RoCKIn and other robot competitions on the industrial robot markets.The project work was funded by the European Commission (EC) 7th Framework Programme (FP7), under the 9th Call for projects on Information and Communication Technologies. The publishing of this book was funded by the EC FP7 Post-Grant Open Access Pilot programme.

The utilization of AC or DC microgrids across the world has increased dramatically over the years and has led to development opportunities as well as technical challenges when they are connected to the main grids or used as stand-alone systems. This book overviews the development of AC/DC microgrids; explains the microgrid concepts, design and control considerations, discusses operational and technical issues, as well as interconnection and integration of these systems. This book is served as a reference for a general audience of researchers, academics, PhD students and practitioners in the field of power engineering.

Since first AC current high-power hydropower plant was put in operation, built by Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse in 1895 on Niagara Falls, electrification of the world has dramatically changed. The growing power demand and energy consumption in the last decades require fundamental changes in the process, power production, and services. These requirements tend to use both conventional and nonconventional energy generation in order to have power plants economically useful and environmentally friendly to the society. The goal of this textbook is to provide an up-to-date review of this important topic with specific emphasis on the current guidelines for improving overall efficiency, lowering emissions, and using large share of renewable energy.

The advent and rapid diffusion of advanced multidetector-row scanner technology offers comprehensive evaluation of different anatomic structures in daily practice. The aim of this book is to introduce the applications of CT imaging in not only general medicine but also in different fields especially in veterinary medicine, dentistry, and engineering. Recent developments in CT technology have led to a widening of its applications on many areas like material testing in engineering, 3D evaluation of teeth, and the vascular and cardiac evaluations of small animals.

One-dimensional nanostructures, such as nanowires, have drawn extensive research interests in the recent years. The smaller size brings unique properties to the nanowires due to the finite size effect (quantum confinement effects). The unique geometrical features of the nanowires bring their utilization in many practical applications in the recent advanced technology. This book provides an updated review on fabrication, properties, and applications of various nanowires. This book is aimed to provide solid foundation of nanowires to the students, scientists, and engineers working in the field of material science and condensed matter physics.

Liver cirrhosis represents one of the major challenges for most physicians and surgeons on a global scale. This book provides practicing hepatologists, gastroenterologists and liver surgeons with a valuable tool in their efforts to understand the (molecular) mechanisms involved, be updated regarding the newest and less invasive diagnostic methods, and educate themselves about the challenges involved in the management of liver cirrhosis and its complications. The authors of this book represent a team of true global experts on the topic. In addition to the knowledge shared, the authors provide their personal clinical experience on a variety of different aspects of liver cirrhosis, giving us a well-rounded overview.

This book highlights the important role of neutrophils in health as well as in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Section 1 provides a general background information regarding the mechanisms and various triggers of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation and their role in various infectious and noninfectious diseases (such as postinjury inflammation). Section 2 provides recent evidence regarding the role of neutrophils in the pathogenesis as well as a therapeutic target for selected disease conditions such as periodontal diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and cystic fibrosis. Section 3 describes the anti-inflammatory properties of neutrophils with focus regarding their role in graft versus host disease. This book provides a wider picture with regard to the importance of this immune cell type in various diseases with focus on one of its recently discovered properties, NETs. Therapeutic targets aimed to modulate neutrophil functions might provide novel approaches in the treatment of various diseases of infectious and noninfectious origin.