Bücher veröffentlicht von IntechOpen

This book is a compilation of chapters, of which two chapters review the treatment strategies for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), and one chapter describes the role of mitochondrial dysfunction and related pathology in the FMS pathogenesis and reviews the appropriate treatment moieties. This book chapter reviews the phenotypic changes that alter the diagnostic criteria and disease activity measures when FMS is comorbid in three potentially painful selected rheumatic diseases. The introductory preface takes the form of an editorial in which I challenge the concept that inflammation, measured as cytokine activity, plays a prominent role in the FMS pathogenesis. All of these chapters and the Preface are authoritative and accomplished discussions that provide novel perspectives on rarely addressed FMS topics.

The book on Ontology in Information Science explores a broad set of ideas and presents some of the state-of-the-art research in this field concisely in 12 chapters. This book provides researchers and practitioners working in the field of ontology and information science an opportunity to share their theories, methodologies, experiences, and experimental results related to ontology development and application in various areas. It also includes the design aspects of domain ontologies considering the architecture, development strategy, and selection of tools. The intended audience of this book will mainly consist of researchers, research students, and practitioners in the field of ontology and information science.

Semiconducting materials are widely used in several applications such as photonics, photovoltaics, electronics, and thermoelectrics, because of their optical and electro-optical features. The fundamental and technological importance of these materials is due to the unique physical and chemical properties. Over the years, numerous methods have been developed for the synthesis of high-efficient semiconductors. Moreover, a variety of approach and characterization methods have been used to study the numerous and fascinating properties of the semiconducting materials. This book collects new developments about semiconductors, from the fundamental issues to their synthesis and applications. Special attention has been devoted to electrochemical growth and characterization.

A team of authors from prestigious academic schools contributed to draw up a project that would give a detailed account of astrocyte's morphology and physiology, examining thoroughly all the astrocyte's types; giving an accurate description of their morphology, location, function in the brain; and illustrating their physiology and pathology in terms of dealing with neurons through "gliotransmitters," ionic channels, and membrane receptors expression. This book gives an overview of the crucial role of astrocytes in the physiology of the CNS and in the pathogenesis of several CNS disorders suggesting that the shift from a neurocentric view to one that incorporates astrocytes in disease models for drug discovery is a critical step in renewing drug development strategies to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Optimized operating conditions for complex systems can be attained by using advanced combinations of numerical and statistical methodologies. One of the most efficient and straightforward solutions relies on the application of statistical methods with an emphasis on the design of experiments (DoEs). Throughout the book, the design and analysis of experiments are conducted involving several approaches, namely, Taguchi, response surface methods, statistical correlations, or even fractional factorial and model-based evolutionary operation designs. This book not only presents a theoretical overview about the different approaches but also contains material that covers the use of the experimental analysis applied to several chemical processes. Some chapters highlight the use of software products to assist experimenters in both the design and analysis stages.It helps graduate students, teachers, researchers, and other professionals who are interested in chemical process optimization and also provides a good basis of theoretical knowledge and valuable insights into the technical details of these tools as well as explains common pitfalls to avoid. The world's leading pharmaceutical companies and local governments are trying to achieve their eradication.

Estuaries are regarded among the most ecologically threatened ecosystems worldwide largely due to poor land use practices within their catchment areas, freshwater abstraction, coastal development, and resource exploitation. Moreover, these systems act as repositories for various anthropogenic contaminants. The establishment and successful implementation of conservation and management strategies are critically dependent on understanding the links among physicochemical, hydrological, and biological variables within these systems. The book provides a comprehensive overview of selected topics including modeling of water exchange between estuaries and the ocean, sediment geochemistry and mangrove health, climate variability and hydrology, and pesticides in estuaries and ecosystem functioning for various estuaries including permanently open, mangrove, and intermittently open/closed systems in both the northern and the southern hemispheres.

Liquid crystals exhibit amazingly interesting properties that make them indispensable for several technological applications. The book Liquid Crystals - Recent Advancements in Fundamental and Device Technologies is aimed to focus on various aspects of research and development that liquid crystal mediums have come across in recent years. This would be ranging from the physical and chemical properties to the important applications that the liquid crystals have in our everyday life. It is expected that the book will make the expert researchers to be abreast of recent research advancements, whereas the novice researchers will benefit from both the conceptual understanding and the recent developments in the area. Multitudes of research themes and directions pivoted to liquid crystals remain the essence, which the readers would get the glimpse of and move ahead for further investigations.

In 2016, it was 60 years since the eminent Soviet researcher, a disciple and a successor of Ivan Pavlov, Leon Orbeli had proclaimed the birth of a new branch of physiology, evolutionary physiology. In the same year, his ideas were embodied in the foundation in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, of the present Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This anniversary book includes the selected works carried out recently by his followers at the same institute. While addressing some hot aspects of evolutionary physiology and biochemistry, they demonstrate that this branch of physiology really represents a discipline in its own right.

Dr. Ahmet Mesrur Halefoglu mostly deals with research fields in body imaging and neuroradiology with multidetector computed tomography and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. He has served as postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Currently, he is working as an associate professor of radiology in Istanbul, Turkey. He has more than 50 high-impact-factor publications and has written 3 book chapters. He is a member of Turkish Society of Radiology and European Society of Radiology. During the recent years, there have been major breakthroughs in MRI due to developments in scanner technology and pulse sequencing. These important achievements have led to remarkable improvements in neuroimaging and advanced techniques, including diffusion imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, perfusion imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional MRI. These advanced neuroimaging techniques have enabled us to achieve invaluable insights into tissue microstructure, microvasculature, metabolism, and brain connectivity.

This book is intended for dermatologists, skin surgeons, and general practitioners who are interested in skin surgery and cosmetic procedures. The topics of broad and current interest in shaping the practice nowadays have been selected by the editor, Dr. Pierre Vereecken, MD, PhD, allowing the reader to expand his/her skills and surgical techniques. This book aims to meet the need for a practical guide to help the clinicians to extend their offer in daily practice in dermatology and corrective and skin cancer surgery.

This book contains 12 chapters divided into two sections. Section 1 is "Drosophila - Model for Genetics." It covers introduction, chromosomal polymorphism, polytene chromosomes, chromosomal inversion, chromosomal evolution, cell cycle regulators in meiosis and nongenetic transgenerational inheritance in Drosophila. It also includes ecological genetics, wild-type strains, morphometric analysis, cytostatics, frequencies of early and late embryonic lethals (EEL and LEL) and mosaic imaginal discs of Drosophila for genetic analysis in biomedical research. Section 2 is "Drosophila - Model for Therapeutics." It explains Drosophila as model for human diseases, neurodegeneration, heart-kidney metabolic disorders, cancer, pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, dopamine, neuroprotective therapeutics, mitochondrial dysfunction and translational research. It also covers Drosophila role in ubiquitin-carboxyl-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) protein, eye development, anti-dUCH antibody, neuropathy target esterase (NTE), organophosphorous compound-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN) and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). It also includes substrate specificities, kinetic parameters of recombinant glutathione S-transferases E6 and E7 (DmGSTE6 and DmGSTE7), detoxification and insecticidal resistance and antiviral immunity in Drosophila.

The book entitled Finite Element Method: Simulation, Numerical Analysis, and Solution Techniques aims to present results of the applicative research performed using FEM in various engineering fields by researchers affiliated to well-known universities. The book has a profound interdisciplinary character and is mainly addressed to researchers, PhD students, graduate and undergraduate students, teachers, engineers, as well as all other readers interested in the engineering applications of FEM. I am confident that readers will find information and challenging topics of high academic and scientific level, which will encourage them to enhance their knowledge in this engineering domain having a continuous expansion. The applications presented in this book cover a broad spectrum of finite element applications starting from mechanical, electrical, or energy production and finishing with the successful simulation of severe meteorological phenomena.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic immune-mediated inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown origin, which includes Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease of unclassified type. It is associated with different intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations like different neurological and psychiatric disorders. Histology is an important tool in the diagnosis and prognosis of inflammatory bowel disease and has an increasing part in patients' management. The objective of treatment is to make and keep long-lasting remission by immunosuppressive treatment like corticosteroids, thiopurines, and monoclonal antibodies directed against tumor necrosis factor alpha. Therapeutic drug monitoring of thiopurines by measuring levels of their metabolites has been proposed as a potentially effective tool in optimizing therapy in inflammatory bowel disease. Diets and their components influence microbiota of the intestine, function of the epithelial barrier, immune response, and other factors that have an important role in development and treatment of inflammation in the gut mucosa.

To an increasing extent, "green chemistry" is a new chemical and engineering approach of chemistry and engineering, dedicated to make manufacturing processes and our world as a whole more sustainable world with a growing tendency. "Green chemistry" approaches are based on ecofriendly technologies, aiming to reduce or eliminate the use of solvents, or render them efficient and safer. Moreover, this scientific field is devoted to reduction or elimination of prevailing environmental and health threats, which typically accompany chemical products and traditional processes. The present book "Green Chemistry" contains 9 selected chapters, starting with a general introductory chapter on "green chemistry," and covers many recent applications and developments based on the principles of "green chemistry." This book is considered the appropriate way to communicate the advances in green materials and their applications to the scientific community. Chemists, scientists and researchers from related areas, and undergraduates involved in environmental issues and interested in approaches to improve the quality of life could find an inspiring and effective guide by reading this book.

Known worldwide, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disease that affects up to 4% of the population with increasing figures also in the developing countries. Life expectancy of patients affected by CKD is shortened compared to the overall population, and only a minority of patients reach end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with the need for dialysis or renal transplantation; death overtakes dialysis. In the 13 chapters, this book sheds light on the different aspects related to pathophysiology and clinical aspects of CKD, providing interesting insights into not only inflammation and cardiovascular risk but also the interplay of hormones and the functional aspects of endothelial function. In addition, chapters dealing with genetic aspects of polycystic kidney disease and also the clinical handling of patients with CKD and peritoneal dialysis will be beneficial for the open-minded reader.

This book brings together scientists and provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of some recent developments in the field of adhesive bonding with the contributions of internationally recognized authors. This book is divided into three sections: "Structural Adhesive Bonding," "Wood Adhesive Bonding," and "Adhesive Bonding in Medical Applications." Each section presents an important review and some applications of the adhesive bonding in various different disciplines. I hope that the book published in open access will help researchers to benefit from it.

The book "Grapes and Wines: Advances in Production, Processing, Analysis, and Valorization" intends to provide to the reader a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art and different perspectives regarding the most recent knowledge related to grape and wine production. Thus, this book is composed of three different general sections: (1) Viticulture and Environmental Conditions, (2) Wine Production and Characterization, and (3) Economic Analysis and Valorization of Wine Products. Inside these 3 general sections, 16 different chapters provide current research on different topics of recent advances on production, processing, analysis, and valorization of grapes and wines. All chapters are written by a group of international researchers, in order to provide up-to-date reviews, overviews, and summaries of current research on the different dimensions of grape and wine production. This book is not only intended for technicians actively engaged in the field but also for students attending technical schools and/or universities and other professionals that might be interested in reading and learning about some fascinating areas of grape and wine research.

Scientists are continuously improving the accelerator and light source technologies to observe the secret of matter as well as the origin of nature which create new opportunities for accelerator physics research. This book provides a glance view on phase space dynamics of electron beam, motion of relativistic electrons in three-dimensional ideal undulator magnetic field, numerical simulation of electron multi-beam linear accelerator EVT, nuclear safety design of high energy accelerator facilities, and radiation safety aspects of operation of electron linear accelerators. The determination of the structure of biomolecules is presently among the best examples of the application of synchrotron radiation. This book also covers synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction study of mammalian connective tissues and related disease. Furthermore, an overview of the versatile applications of ion beam and synchrotron radiation techniques in hair elemental profiling in biomedical studies is also incorporated in this book.

This book deals with different aspects of gravity that has proved its effectiveness throughout the world, hence their solicitation in recent years. Fundamental theories, applications, and tools have been presented, emphasizing the implementation of the gravity technique. Different research themes for diverse areas in the world are detailed here, highlighting new methods of studies that could be helpful for sophisticated and modern development over the next few years. Four main sections are presented: Gravity Interpretation Tools in Geoscience, Gravity in Geoscience Applications, Gravity in Industrial Technology, and Quantum Gravity. Theoretical and acquisition tools and adapted processing methods have been designed to take into account the initial data, and modeling results thus converge toward a better solution. This book, which makes a worthwhile contribution to the topic gravity, is specifically addressed to specialists, researchers, and industry professionals who shall find its content extremely useful for a better comprehension of the geological, spatial, and industrial aspects of gravity.

This book presents recent issues on theory and practice of Kalman filters, with a comprehensive treatment of a selected number of concepts, techniques, and advanced applications. From an interdisciplinary point of view, the contents from each chapter bring together an international scientific community to discuss the state of the art on Kalman filter-based methodologies for adaptive/distributed filtering, optimal estimation, dynamic prediction, nonstationarity, robot navigation, global navigation satellite systems, moving object tracking, optical communication systems, and active power filters, among others. The theoretical and methodological foundations combined with extensive experimental explanation make this book a reference suitable for students, practicing engineers, and researchers in sciences and engineering.

The book deliberates a wide range of the latest research issues on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The topics discussed include the diagnosis and management of PCOS, dwelling in more depth into the pathophysiology of the syndrome and its genetic and epigenetic basis. The book covers a contemplative discussion on the influence of changing lifestyle patterns on PCOS. The book also includes a number of chapters defining a detailed description of the associated morbidities of PCOS and its long-term sequelae. Since PCOS is quite prevalent globally, the book is also of great interest to the public. Providing detailed information suitable for patients and clinicians, it provides information about the various treatment regimens and screening recommendations for women having this condition.

This book is a collection of contributions by selected active researchers in the optical fiber fields highlighting the design, fabrication, and application of optical fibers and fiber systems and covering various topics such as microstructured optical fibers, polymer fibers, nonlinear effects, optical tweezers, and gyroscopic systems. The goal of the book is to provide an updated overview of the current research trends in the optical fiber fields, serving as a general reference for the recent development in optical fiber technologies, though inevitably many topics are not covered.

This book presents new insights into the development of different aspects of petroleum science and engineering. The book contains 19 chapters divided into two main sections: (i) Exploration and Production and (ii) Environmental Solutions. There are 11 chapters in the first section, and the focus is on the topics related to exploration and production of oil and gas, such as characterization of petroleum source rocks, drilling technology, characterization of reservoir fluids, and enhanced oil recovery. In the second section, the special emphasis is on waste technologies and environmental cleanup in the downstream sector. The book written by numerous prominent scholars clearly shows the necessity of the multidisciplinary approach to sustainable development in the petroleum industry and stresses the most updated topics such as EOR and environmental cleanup of fossil fuel wastes.

The book focuses on the synthesis of the fundamental disciplines and practical applications involved in the investigation, description, and analysis of aircraft flight including applied aerodynamics, aircraft propulsion, flight performance, stability, and control. The book covers the aerodynamic models that describe the forces and moments on maneuvering aircraft and provides an overview of the concepts and methods used in flight dynamics. Computational methods are widely used by the practicing aerodynamicist, and the book covers computational fluid dynamics techniques used to improve understanding of the physical models that underlie computational methods.

This book focuses on the applications of robust and adaptive control approaches to practical systems. The proposed control systems hold two important features: (1) The system is robust with the variation in plant parameters and disturbances(2) The system adapts to parametric uncertainties even in the unknown plant structure by self-training and self-estimating the unknown factors.The various kinds of robust adaptive controls represented in this book are composed of sliding mode control, model-reference adaptive control, gain-scheduling, H-infinity, model-predictive control, fuzzy logic, neural networks, machine learning, and so on. The control objects are very abundant, from cranes, aircrafts, and wind turbines to automobile, medical and sport machines, combustion engines, and electrical machines.

In livestock management, the production of forage plants is undoubtedly the most efficient way to produce products of animal origin with quality and economic viability. We hope that the readers of the book "New Perspectives in Forage Crops" will have a good reading and appreciate the information provided on forage production, since the book draws on the expertise of different specialists of the area, who discuss the following aspects: fertilization, semiarid region production, forage species selection, nitrogen fixation, grasses, legumes, cacti, drought, etc. The authors of the book are of different nationalities and provide important information and diverse perspectives on the subject of forage farming.

Forensic medicine explores the legal aspects of medicine, and medicolegal investigation of death is the most significant and crucial function of it. The nature of post mortem examinations are changing and the understanding of causes of death are evolving with the increase of knowledge, availability, and use of various analyses including genetic testing. Postmortem examination practice is turning into a more multidisciplinary approach for investigations, which are becoming more evidence based. Although there are numerous publications about forensic medicine and post mortem examination, this book aims to provide some basic information on post mortem examination and current developments in some important and special areas. It is considered that this book will be useful for forensic pathologists, clinicians, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and medical students.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is estimated to become the third most common cause of death over the next decade. The knowledge of COPD pathogenesis and the disease course has greatly improved this progression in understanding and continues to have significant implications in the management of this condition. Novel areas of interest in COPD pathogenesis include further development of animal models, a better understanding of the genetics and epigenetics, the role of the microbiome, and an increasing appreciation of the associated comorbidities. This book intends to provide the reader with a brief overview of these topics and also provide an in-depth review of the current nonpharmacological clinical approaches to managing patients with COPD.

This book deals with several issues linking immigration and social development. Following several approaches, from economic to sociological ones, it covers the many effects of the rising phenomenon of immigration. It deals with the effects of immigration on economic growth, on human capital accumulation, and on the government budget. Moreover, it also includes contributions on the social integration of immigrants and on the effects they have in some different cities. It covers studies in countries such as Norway, the USA, Romania, and South Africa. The book Immigration and Development is an essential reading for those who want to get a social sciences multidisciplinary approach to immigration as a social phenomenon.

This book deals with a very common condition, anemia, which might interest not only the physicians but also other healthcare professionals and researchers dealing with anemic patients. The objective of this book was to collect and compile up-to-date information from reputable researchers of different countries of the world to disseminate the latest information about the common types of anemia in some specific physiological and pathological conditions including pathophysiology and the use of algorithms as a tool to minimize the laboratory tests and accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause. In total, there are 13 chapters in this book where the authors shared their research findings and real-life experiences in managing their patients with anemia.