Bücher veröffentlicht von IntechOpen

Herbicides are one of the most widely used groups of pesticides worldwide for controlling weedy species in agricultural and non-crop settings. Due to the extensive use of herbicides and their value in weed management, herbicide research remains crucial for ensuring continued effective use of herbicides. Presently, a wide range of research continues to focus on improved herbicide use and weed biology. The authors of Herbicides, Agronomic Crops and Weed Biology cover multiple topics concerning current valuable herbicide research.

Hydrogen, as an energy carrier, is widely regarded as a potential cost-effective, renewable, and clean energy alternative to fossil fuels in order to mitigate the energy shortage and environmental pollution that are currently being faced. The rapid development of advanced materials in hydrogen production, storage, and utilization has opened up a new avenue for the conversion and utilization of hydrogen energy. This book summarizes the current research progress in these areas and is expected to aid in the development and design of advanced materials to improve hydrogen production, storage, and utilization.

During the past years, scientists have achieved significant success in the nanoscience and nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is a field of applied sciences which is focused on design, production, detection, and employing the nano-size materials, pieces, and equipment. Advances in nanotechnology lead to improvement of tools and equipment as well as their application in everyday life. In the chemistry this size involves the range of colloids, micelles, polymer molecules, and structures such as very large molecules or dense accumulation of the molecules. In physics of electrical engineering, the nanoscience is strongly related to quantum behaviour or electrons behaviour in structures with nano sizes. Also, in biology and biochemistry, there are interesting cellular components and molecular structures. This book collects new developments about nanoparticles.

Herbicides are one of the most widely used groups of pesticides worldwide for controlling weedy species in agricultural and non-crop settings. Due to the extensive use of herbicides and their value in weed management, herbicide research remains crucial for ensuring continued effective use of herbicides while minimizing detrimental effects to ecosystems. Presently, a wide range of research continues to focus on the physiology of herbicide action, the environmental impact of herbicides, and safety. The authors of Herbicides, Physiology of Action, and Safety cover multiple topics concerning current valuable herbicide research.

Brucellosis is a major zoonotic disease that may cause a serious illness in humans and animals. Global prevalence of human brucellosis remains significant. More than half a million new brucellosis cases from 100 countries are reported annually to the World Health Organization (WHO). The majority of these cases are reported in developing countries.In humans, brucellosis (undulant fever, Malta fever) is characterized by an acute bacteremic phase followed by a chronic stage that may extend over many years and may involve many tissues. It is a systemic disease, and many organ systems (nervous system, heart, skeletal system, bone marrow, etc.) may become involved following hematogenous dissemination.Although eradicated in some countries, it remains one of the most economically important zoonosis worldwide as it is responsible for huge economic losses as well as significant human morbidity in endemic areas.Because of the nonspecific clinical manifestations of human brucellosis and the need for prolonged combination therapy with antibiotics that are not routinely prescribed for other infectious diseases, laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis is of paramount importance for adequate patient management. In addition, evidence of brucellosis has serious public health implications because it discloses exposure to a contaminated source (infected animals or their products, unsafe laboratory practices, or a potential biological warfare attack). This book addresses human brucellosis with stress on symptoms including those related to the less recognized disease localizations, risk of exposure, treatment, and prevention. Light is shed on animal brucellosis as it pertains to human exposure. The book also emphasizes on laboratory procedures in culturing and serologic techniques. Epidemiologic surveillance is among this books subjects as well as veterinary control measures.

This book is a continuation of the efforts of InTech to expand the scientific know-how in the field of immunopathology and bring valuable updated information to medical professionals and researchers. It consists of chapters related to various approaches to investigate the unique role of the immune system in response to different clinical disorders. The international team of authors is the bonus of the book, reflecting the rapid development of immunology and new achievements in medical science. We firmly hope that the book will be an excellent manual and guideline for people dealing with biology, microbiology, immunology, virology, pharmacology, general and dental medicine, and health care, from students and postdocs to high-level specialists and university professors.

This book edition is intended to provide a concise summary for select topics in DNA repair, a field that is ever-expanding in complexity and biologic significance. The topics reviewed ranged from fundamental mechanisms of DNA repair to the interface between DNA repair and a spectrum on cellular process to the clinical relevance of DNA repair in oncologic paradigms. The information in this text should provide a foundation from which one can explore the various topics in depth. The book serve as a supplementary text in seminar courses with focus on DNA repair as well as a general reference for scholars with an interest in DNA repair.

Type 1 diabetes (TD1) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in children and can occur at any age. Incidences of T1D have steadily increased worldwide, and it is largely considered an autoimmune disorder resulting from the specific destruction of pancreatic beta-cells producing insulin. However, T1D pathophysiology is still not completely understood, and although insulin and other therapies ameliorate the manifestations of the disease, no cure is currently available. This book has been written by widely acknowledged experts, with each chapter providing unique information on emerging aspects of T1D. Because a large body of information has been available regarding T1D, this book highlights lesser explored topics linked to the subject using important and recent knowledge that presages directions for further research. Current possibilities to forestall diabetic complications are also explored.

Hysterectomy is a very common type of surgery and can be a life-saving operation for some women with certain types of cancer or torrential uterine haemorrhage. It can also improve the quality of life for women who experience menometrorrhagia, uterine leiomyomata, endometriosis or uterine prolapse. However, before embarking on hysterectomy, it is important to be aware of and understand all the options available, medical or conservative surgical, as well as their risks and benefits. The most determinant factors for choosing one or another approach are uterine size, organ mobility, parity and previous pathology, in integration with best research evidence, clinical expertise and patient values and expectations. This book is intended for all specialties involved in health care for women.

Hematology has constantly been advancing in parallel with technological developments that have expanded our understanding of the phenotypic, genetic, and molecular complexity and extreme clinical and biological heterogeneity of leukemias. This in turn allowed for developing more effective and less toxic alternative therapeutic approaches directed against critical molecular pathways in leukemic cells. The continuous and rather extensive influx of new information regarding the key features and underlying mechanisms as well as treatment options of leukemias requires frequent updating of this topic. The primary objective of this book is to provide the specialists involved in the clinical management and experimental research of acute and chronic leukemias with comprehensive and concise information on some important theoretical and practical developments in the biology, clinical assessment, and treatment of patients with leukemias; on specific clinical scenarios such as pregnancy or age; as well as on some molecular and pathogenetic mechanisms and their respective translation into novel therapies.

The book, Inherited Hemoglobin Disorders, describes the genetic defects of hemoglobins, disease complications, and therapeutic strategies. This book has two distinct sections. The first theme includes seven chapters devoted to the types of hemoglobinopathies, mutation spectrum, diagnostic methods, and disease complications, and the second theme includes three chapters focusing on various treatment strategies. The content of the chapters presented in the book is guided by the knowledge and experience of the contributing authors. This book serves as an important resource and review to the researchers in the field of hemoglobinopathies.

Desalination Update illustrates the growing research and development activities in the field of desalination of water. The chapters in this book also show the close link in the supply of water and supply of power. Power is needed to desalinate water, and water is needed to produce power via steam and cooling water. As the world is becoming increasingly in need of water and power, the education of generations of new workers in these technologies makes the publications of these books of rising importance. Students and specialists alike will find branching strands in this field of development worthy of dedication of careers. Never has shrinking essential resources and exploding needs confront mankind as much as water. Excellent reviews in this book provide keywords, concepts, and current knowledge and status of practice useful for teaching and continued evolution.

The world has come to understand only recently the importance of plants in our life. Therefore, we have brought together such book chapters that will help strengthen the scientific background of the readers on plants and deliver the message regarding plants for the future, in food security, health, industry, and other areas.This book will add to the scientific knowledge of the readers on the molecular aspects of plants.

Biomass presents an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the possibilities for production and use of biomasses of agricultural and industrial importance. Issues related to environment, food, chemicals and energy present serious challenges to the success and stability of nations. The challenge to provide commodities to a rapidly increasing global population has made it imperative to find new technological routes to increase production of consumables while also considering the biospheres ability to regenerate resources. Plant and microbial biomasses are bioresources that may provide solutions to these critical challenges. Divided into five discreet parts, the book covers topics on production of unconventional biomasses and improving of conventional cultures, summarizing a range of useful products derived by biomass. This book provides an insight into future developments in each field and extensive bibliography. It will be an essential resource for researchers and academic and industry professionals in the life sciences.

Animal individual life begins as combination of sperm and oocyte, which results in the embryogenesis from ovum fertilization to fetal stage. Embryology has become one central discipline for many modern biotechnologies. Although this subject has been studied for more than a century, new discoveries appear continuously. This book contains some new discoveries and updates some theories and technologies in animal and human embryology. Major content include new findings in gamete biology, new theories and discoveries in embryo implantation by three-dimensional imaging technology and new concept and actual application of embryology. Thus, this book will greatly update knowledge in embryology field and provide some basic theories and technologies for animal scientists and breeders as well as embryologists and anthropologists.

Forests are the dominant terrestrial ecosystem of Earth. They are distributed across the globe. Forests account for 75% of the gross primary productivity of the Earth's biosphere, and contain 80% of the Earth's plant biomass. Human society and forests influence each other in both positive and negative ways. Forests provide ecosystem services to humans. Forests can also impose costs, affect people's health, and interfere with tourist enjoyment. This publication presents reviews and research results on negative and positive human interference on forests, as well as ecology, management, governance, policy and economic issues. The book consists of four sections with 12 chapters derived from around the world.

The edited volume presents the progress of first and second generation biofuel production technology in selected countries. Possibility of producing alternative fuels containing biocomponents and selected research methods of biofuels exploitation characteristics (also aviation fuels) was characterized. The book shows also some aspects of the environmental impact of the production and biofuels using, and describes perspectives of biofuel production technology development. It provides the review of biorefinery processes with a particular focus on pretreatment methods of selected primary and secondary raw materials. The discussion includes also a possibility of sustainable development of presented advanced biorefinery processes.

Global dietary recommendations emphasize the consumption of plant-based foods for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Plants contain many biologically active compounds referred to as phytochemicals or functional ingredients. These compounds play an important role in human health. Prior to establishing the safety and health benefits of these compounds, they must first be isolated, purified, and their physico-chemical properties established. Once identified, their mechanisms of actions are studied. The chapters are arranged in the order from isolation, purification and identification to in vivo and clinical studies, there by covering not only the analytical procedures used but also their nutraceutical and therapeutic properties.

This book is aimed to accentuate the importance of hypercholesterolemia, since targeting and treating the hypercholesterolemia is increasingly well known as an essential strategy in the prevention of atherosclerosis-induced cardiovascular disease. It is important to look at hypercholesterolemia as it is proved to be crucial as well as the early stage of atherogenesis and can also be managed with appropriate treatment. This book describes the basics of hypercholesterolemia and its causes and various experimental animal models to understand and study the pathophysiology of hypercholesterolemia as well as to present practice-based clinical approaches to treat hypercholesterolemia. Further, the book describes various treatment strategies of hypercholesterolemia in detail, especially the appropriate use of statin. It is well known that the use of statin is an ideal as well as a potent therapy to lower cholesterol level and also has various beneficial pharmacological effects to prevent cardiovascular diseases. However, there exists less awareness about the use of statin. Hence, it is important to understand the appropriate use of statin in terms of doses for different stages of hypercholesterolemia, side effects, resistance of its use, and also interaction of statin with other drugs, which are well described in this book. In short, the major aim of this compendium is to present to the readers comprehensive, updated, and current research perspectives on hypercholesterolemia.

Issues in Contemporary Orthodontics is a contribution to the ongoing debate in orthodontics, a discipline of continuous evolution, drawing from new technology and collective experience, to better meet the needs of students, residents, and practitioners of orthodontics.The book provides a comprehensive view of the major issues in orthodontics that have featured in recent debates. Abroad variety of topics is covered, including the impact of malocclusion, risk management and treatment, and innovation in orthodontics.

In this special issue, reviews of various aspects of HD therapy were submitted from all over the world. In particular, reviews for recent advances in this area from leading experts have been contributed to the book Hemodialysis. In order to deliver optimal patient care, nephrologists need to understand and be highly knowledgeable in the mechanisms of multiple aspects of hemodialysis therapy. Moreover, this book will provide an important source of information for beginners and experts, basic scientists and physicians who want to have a true update on current clinical practice in hemodialysis.

The past decade has seen several changes in HIV prevention, transmission and therapeutic interventions to end the scourge. This book is a collection of expert assays on various aspects of HIV prevention, bioresource deployment, microbicides, host antiviral proteins, antiviral drug responses and novel treatment strategies for which there is evident need for scientific focus and review of the current trend. A visible objective of the book is to provide a wider readership of scientist, clinicians, social workers/HIV caregivers, immunologist, postgraduate students, trainers and vaccine developers an informative and multidisciplinary approach to HIV treatment and intervention strategy by presenting current trends in the development of therapeutic options and its attendant challenges. Practical and informative, the book provides state-of-the-art information on dynamics of HIV distribution, transmission, therapeutic measures and functional cure.

This edited book, Emerging Pollutants in the Environment Current and Further Implications, includes overviews by significant researchers on the topic of emerging pollutants toxicology, which covers the hazardous effects of common emerging xenobiotics employed in our every day anthropogenic activities. We hope that this book will meet the expectations and needs of all those who are interested in the negative implications of several emerging pollutants on living species.

This book is a collection of chapters, concerning the developments within the Fuzzy Logic field of study. The book includes scholarly contributions by various authors pertinent to Fuzzy Logic. Each contribution comes as a separate chapter complete in itself but directly related to the books topics and objectives. The target audience comprises scholars and specialists in the field.

In order to complete tissue regeneration, various cells such as neuronal, skeletal, smooth, endothelial, and immune (e.g., macrophage) interact smoothly with each other. This book, Muscle Cells and Tissues, offers a wide range of topics such as stem cells, cell culture, biomaterials, epigenetics, therapeutics, and the creation of tissues and organs. Novel applications for cell and tissue engineering including cell therapy, tissue models, and disease pathology modeling are discussed. The book also deals with the functional role of autophagy in modulating muscle homeostasis and molecular mechanism regulating skeletal muscle mass. The chapters can be interesting for graduate students, postdocs, teachers, physicians, and for executives in biotech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as researchers in the fields of molecular biology and regenerative medicine.

Cystic Fibrosis in the Light of New Research provides the latest research and clinical evidence that will be useful for clinicians, scientists and researchers to further their knowledge around this fascinating condition. The authors have brought along their expertise and wealth of knowledge to produce this book, including the basic science that underlies the disease, the burden of bacterial and viral infections, immunologic aspects of CF, a variety of clinical measurements to predict prognosis and novel therapies including gene therapy. This book will be invaluable and entertaining for anyone who is involved in the care of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Ferroelectric materials receive great attention from the scientific international community because of the interesting phenomena they exhibit and their multiple applications such as transducers, capacitors, pyroelectric sensors, sonars, random access memories, etc. The demand for ferroelectric materials for technological applications enforced the in-depth research, in addition to the improvement of processing and characterization techniques. This book contains nine chapters and offers the results of several researches covering fabrication, properties, theoretical topics, and phenomena at the nanoscale.

Microbiology involves the study of microscopic living organisms. Most of them are unicellular and all the life processes are performed by a single cell. They are associated with the health and welfare of human beings. Among the biological sciences, microbiology has established itself a place in the current century. Microorganisms also provide experimental models in various research activities, and an answer to numerous fundamental questions in genetics / metabolism, cell form and function. This book is presented in six chapters comprising of two sections. The first section deals with Microbiology and Agriculture and the second section deals with Microbiology and Human Health. The book is expected to attract wide audience from various fields of biological sciences in general, and microbiologists in particular.