Bücher veröffentlicht von IntechOpen

The sections and chapters contained in this book deal with issues and challenges facing indigenous and minority populations located in several geographical areas of the world. The papers are written by writers and scholars from various parts of the world and, like any piece of literature on indigenous and minority populations, the topics are diverse. The perspectives are both interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary. The issues examined in the various chapters cover areas pertaining to their human rights, preservation of their culture and identity, traditional knowledge, and their challenges, but also scholarly and epistemological approaches to understanding and articulating such topics in academic contexts. Indeed, the issues around indigenous and minority populations across the world transcend their human rights concerns in relation to dominant groups and institutions within the territorial boundaries of the modern states where they currently live. These issues are cultural, anthropological, sociological, philosophical and epistemological, as well as historical. Any scholarly piece of work on indigenous and minority populations is therefore inevitably inter-disciplinary, multi-disciplinary or both. The various topics examined by the authors epitomize this diversity of issues around such populations. The book is a significant source of information for students, academics, practitioners, policymakers, government officials and non-governmental organisations working on issues that pertain to such populations at national, regional and global levels.

Oxidative stress is a major contributor to the etiology of chronic disorders like cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Long-term exposure to elevated levels of pro-oxidant substances can lead to structural damage in mitochondrial DNA as well as functional changes in a number of enzymes and cellular components, which can lead to abnormalities in gene expression. Modern lifestyles, which include eating processed food, exposure to a variety of chemicals, and not exercising, are significant factors in the development of oxidative stress. However, the ability of medicinal plants with antioxidant capabilities to cure or prevent a number of human illnesses in which oxidative stress appears to be a contributing factor has been demonstrated. A growing body of research links free radicals to the etiology of many diseases, supporting the use of antioxidants as a promising therapeutic strategy for the management of pathologies caused by free radicals. Despite these remarkable advances, there is still much to learn about the relationship between free radicals and antioxidants. Understanding the principles behind pathological and physiological disorders caused by free radicals is crucial. Importance of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant System in Health and Disease contributes to understanding the fundamental principles of oxidative stress and the effects of antioxidants on disease and health.

This book discusses marine pollution. It includes 10 chapters that attempt to answer the questions of how to reduce marine pollution and what really can be done to improve the quality of the sea. Topics addressed include microplastics, the dispersion of oil in the sea, contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and much more.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has received a lot of attention due to its inexpensive cost, benign nature, and great photocatalytic potential. TiO2 has numerous applications, including in photocatalysts, Li-ion batteries, solar cells, and medical research. However, its performance is unsatisfactory due to a variety of issues, including a wide band gap (3.01 to 3.2 eV) and quick electron¿hole pair recombination (1012 to 1011 s). Many efforts have been made to improve the qualities of TiO2, such as structural and dopant changes, which expand its applications. This book focuses on the properties of TiO2-modified nanoparticles, including their synthesis, alterations, and applications.

Holistic dental care includes looking at prevention, treatment, cure and long-term management. This book endeavors to provide readers with information on dental emergencies and dental trauma, with their associated management and other issues. Other relevant conditions that are highlighted include avulsion, orbital trauma, salivary duct cysts and periodontal disease. Information is also included on mental health and quality of life impacts arising for individuals from dental trauma. Teledentistry, which is relevant for all clinicians in the current climate of digital technologies, is also covered. The book is a compilation of work by dental specialists from across the world, including public healthcare professionals in the field of dentistry. It offers updates and reviews on many interesting and complex issues within the practice of dentistry.

Malnutrition is the specific condition produced by the intake of too few macronutrients, too many macronutrients (obesity), or inordinate amounts of inappropriate substances such as alcohol. Globally, malnutrition is a major nutritional disorder, especially in developing economies. Poor dietary habits and imbalanced nutrient intake result in adverse consequences on normal body functionality. This book highlights the major causes of malnutrition and how to overcome this problem. Chapters address such topics as energy metabolism and balance, diagnosis of malnutrition, negative effects of malnutrition, sugar and its impact on health, malnutrition in the elderly and children, and much more.

The word ¿anesthesiä is commonly associated with surgery in an operating room setting. This book hopes to take the reader on a journey that will highlight the myriad roles that anesthesiologists currently play, and what roles beyond the operating room are on the horizon. In this book, we hope to portray modern anesthesiology as a truly unifying force within the fabric of the contemporary healthcare environment.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Glaucoma is challenging to treat and poses a significant socioeconomic burden on society. New techniques and methods for both diagnosis and treatment are sorely needed. Glaucoma - Recent Advances and New Perspectives provides a comprehensive overview of glaucoma with chapters on topics ranging from diagnostic techniques to genetic testing and biomarkers.

This book is a collection of theoretical perspectives and research studies from international scholars on neuropsychological aspects of aggression, personality features, gender-based violence, and cultural origins of conflict. Written by experts in the field, it offers insights into multi-theoretical perspectives on aggression and violence and the multifaceted factors involved in the etiology and management of conflict. This useful resource presents perspectives from Western and non-Western frameworks of violence, broadening the spectrum of the shared knowledge base.

The COVID-19 pandemic had numerous negative effects on many aspects of life. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the psychosocial, educational, and economic impacts of the pandemic worldwide. It includes thirty-two chapters that highlight the importance of analyzing, evaluating, and carrying out appropriate treatments to prevent the mental and social consequences of the pandemic. Topics addressed include the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on different groups of people, including students, healthcare professionals, disadvantaged groups, and others; the educational impacts of COVID-19 on students, educators, students with disabilities, doctors, and so on; and the economic impacts of COVID-19 on managers, employees, residential care homes, and other businesses worldwide.

Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating conditions that result in degeneration and death of nerve cells. A significant group of these diseases is the synucleinopathies, which are characterized by the accumulation of aggregates of alpha-synuclein in neurons, nerve fibers, or glial cells. There are three main types of synucleinopathies: Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. Synucleins are small, naturally unfolded proteins prone to aggregate and form intracellular inclusions, which impair normal cellular functions. This book presents new data on synuclein aggregation and its effect on cholesterol transport. It also discusses the role of genetic contribution to these diseases and approaches to inhibition of synuclein aggregation.

This book synthesizes the key concepts of immunosuppression and immunomodulation. A comprehensive understanding of these processes is necessary to develop vaccines and therapeutic interventions for diseases. This book examines the role of information molecules such as cytokines and chemokines and other proteins secreted by the host upon interacting with the pathogen(s) that modulate and suppress the immune system and assist the pathogen(s) in causing disease. Chapters discuss the modulation of inflammation, signaling pathways, the interaction of immune cells, and resulting immunity as well as its suppression.

Knowledge of retinal diseases has radically changed over the past 10 years with the development of both new techniques and instrumentation, with improvements in surgical machines and diagnostic tools. This book reports the latest developments in retinal diseases, from pathogenesis to diagnosis, and both medical and surgical approaches in the management of retinal diseases. The core of the book focuses on developments and new perspectives in the treatment of some retinal diseases. It also discusses the pathophysiology and treatment of retinal diseases, taking biological disease markers into consideration. The indications for surgery have expanded dramatically and inoperable conditions have become amenable to surgical treatment. As such, the book also provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in the surgical approach to many vitreoretinal diseases with the latest developments in surgery of the retina that enable improved surgical outcomes.

Although the concept of using advanced therapy products such as stem cells seems to be a key strategy in the treatment of various diseases, much information in this area remains unknown. Stem cell products are highly complex, much more complex than chemical-based drugs. More and more often there are data indicating the risk of using stem cells. These risks are determined by various factors that are related to quality, biological activity, and the use itself, and thus administration. Therefore, it is very important to constantly systematize knowledge in this area. This book was created to present both the perspective of basic research, including the manipulation and changes in the properties of cells, and the changes and novelties in therapies themselves.

Skin wounds are common occurrences that result from the breakdown of anatomical continuity and integrity of the epidermis, with consequent functional changes. Wound healing is a complex phenomenon through which there is healing of the skin. The wound healing process begins immediately after the wound occurs and can be a lengthy and complex process depending on the severity of the wound and the normal or abnormal healing progress. Wound healing progress through three distinct phases of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling in a methodical and complex sequence that involves cellular, molecular, and humoral mechanisms of action. Any change in this sequence of events can lead to abnormal wound healing. Due to the health and psychological consequences of wounds that are difficult to heal there has been a continuous effort to develop new therapies that promote wound healing more quickly and effectively and that restore the skin¿s barrier function. Nevertheless, this situation remains a medical challenge. This book presents some therapeutic advances based on new and innovative therapeutic options, medical devices, and biomaterials to promote wound healing. It is a theoretical and practical reference for future research on chronic wound healing.

Vegetation Dynamics, Changing Ecosystems and Human Responsibility provides an overview of vegetation dynamics, which is the science of natural, near-natural, and human-influenced changes in vegetation over time and space. We can find chapters about almost every viewpoint of this very diverse segment of our science and in connection with almost every main type of terrestrial ecosystem.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and associated conditions. It is organized into three sections on ¿Cardiovascular Pathophysiology¿, ¿Cardiovascular Diagnostics¿, and ¿Cardiovascular Treatments¿. Chapters address such topics as the role of obesity in CVD, cardiotoxicity, cardio-oncology, CVD in different disease states, modalities for detecting CVD, interventional strategies to prevent or treat CVD, and much more.

Unlock the transformative power of blockchain technology with Blockchain Applications - Transforming Industries, Enhancing Security, and Addressing Ethical Considerations. This edited volume brings together leading experts and their thought-provoking chapters on blockchain¿s diverse applications. From healthcare to finance and from energy to supply chain, delve into the latest advancements in cybersecurity, smart contracts, and audit digitalization. Discover how blockchain is revolutionizing the tourism industry and enabling decentralized autonomous organizations. Explore the potential of deep learning for disease detection and gain insights into the legal and market challenges of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). With real-world examples and case studies, this book showcases blockchain¿s tangible benefits, which include increased transparency, enhanced security, and improved efficiency. It also improves understanding of the ethical considerations and regulatory implications surrounding blockchain adoption for responsible implementation. This invaluable resource is for professionals, researchers, and technology enthusiasts alike, offering unique perspectives and cutting-edge research. Join us on a captivating journey through the world of blockchain applications. Experience its potential to reshape industries, enhance security, and pave the way for a transparent and decentralized future. Discover the keywords defining this volume: blockchain technology, transformative potential, cybersecurity, smart contracts, decentralized autonomous organizations, deep learning techniques, non-fungible tokens, transparency, security, efficiency, ethical considerations, regulatory implications, real-world examples, and cutting-edge research. Embrace the revolution and unlock the limitless possibilities of blockchain technology.

In a world shaped by the forces of nature, humankind has always sought to understand and mitigate the impacts of natural hazards. Natural Hazards - New Insights delves into the intricate realm of floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, meteoritical hazards, mining-related disasters, and other major catastrophes that afflict our planet. This book takes readers on a journey to gain a deeper understanding of these phenomena, unearthing fresh insights into their causes, impacts, and strategies to mitigate their effects. Organized into six comprehensive sections, this book begins with a global perspective on natural hazards, laying the foundation for understanding the diverse range of challenges they pose. It then explores seismic hazards, analyzing earthquake patterns, urban damage assessment, fault reactivation, and more. Shifting the focus to flooding as a natural hazard, the book examines hydrological extremes, flood mapping, and risk reduction strategies. It further explores climatological hazards, including the intricate relationship between climate change and natural disasters, remote sensing technologies, and the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Landslides are also scrutinized as significant natural hazards, with chapters on polarization analysis, landslide assessment, hazard zonation, and the impact of underground coal mining methods on slope stability. Lastly, the book addresses the social challenges that arise when disasters strike, examining psychological reactions, spontaneous volunteers, urban planning responses, and social vulnerability to earthquake hazards. Through peer-reviewed chapters, this book offers valuable insights and expertise from renowned authors in the field. Their contributions have shaped this comprehensive exploration, which aims to navigate the challenges, minimize risks, and build a safer and more sustainable environment for future generations.

Smart Mobility - Recent Advances, New Perspectives and Applications explores the rapidly evolving world of connected and autonomous vehicles, providing a comprehensive look at the latest advancements and cutting-edge technologies driving this exciting industry forward. This book covers the most pressing topics in smart mobility, including sizing, sensing, simulations, safety, and cybersecurity applications, giving readers a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing this emerging field. With perspectives from leading experts, the book provides insights into the future of mobility and the role that technology will play in shaping our transportation systems. Whether you are a student, engineer, or industry professional, this book offers a unique and valuable resource for those looking to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of smart mobility and its growing impact on our daily lives.

This edited volume is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters concerning developments within the field of phylogenetics. The book includes scholarly contributions by various authors, edited by experts pertinent to the field of phylogenetics. Each contribution comes as a separate chapter but is directly related to the book's topics and objectives. The target audience comprises scholars and specialists in the field.

Flame retardants reduce the risk of fire by decreasing the combustion rate and flame propagation in the presence of fire, leading to the prevention and control of fire. Flame Retardants is divided into four sections: section 1 consists of the introduction, section 2 discusses properties, Section 3 comprises nanocomposites, and section 4 includes computational analysis. The book will be useful for scientists and researchers interested in the field of fire control.

This is a small book containing various aspects of thyroid gland disorders. Congenital hypothyroidism chapter emphasizes early diagnosis in prevention of irreparable damage to growth and brain of infants. Role of nuclear medicine in diagnosis and treatment is outlined. Last few chapters deal with congenital hypothyroidism, thyroid carcinoma, its diagnosis, treatment and preservation of posterior parathyroid gland during thyroid surgery. The purpose of the book is to disseminate knowledge on thyroid diseases. It will be a good reference book both for students of medicine and general practitioners.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first artificial heart valve, which was implanted in 1952 by Charles Hufnagel to treat a 30-year-old woman with severe aortic regurgitation in an era when the concept of direct valve repair or replacement did not exist. It is remarkable how far we have come since then in terms of managing heart valve disease, not only in terms of advances in surgical techniques or choice of prostheses for different valve pathology but also in terms of transcatheter therapy and minimally invasive surgical approaches. This book reviews important and major milestones in managing different valve pathologies with a focus on aortic and tricuspid valve diseases.

In modern times, rheology has emerged as a powerful tool for materials scientists to explore the properties of soft matter or complex fluids, including such diverse materials as food, cosmetics, polymers, lubricants, drilling fluids and biological systems. Rheology parameters such as shear modulus (G¿), storage modulus (G¿) and viscosity (¿), together with microscopic imaging, provide considerable insight into the structure-property relationship in these materials. This in turn helps design materials with properties tailored to multiple applications. This book is a compilation of works by experts in their respective areas of specialization and covers a wide range of applications. The book will be useful both to experts in this area of research and to newcomers from a range of specializations.

This book presents perspectives of the virtual world in the sphere of cultural heritage presentations in the museum environment. Virtual reality can be used in museums to not only present and educate but also help to protect cultural heritage assets for future generations.

The objective of spatial analysis techniques is to describe the patterns existing in spatial data and to establish, preferably quantitatively, the relationships between different geographic variables. The notion of spatial analysis in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment encompasses the idea of integrating spatial data and alphanumeric attributes and translating it into a series of functions related to selection and data search, on the one hand, and with modeling, on the other. There have been substantial advances in spatial analysis techniques in GIS, mainly in the form of more faithfully apprehending the relationships inherent to the geographic phenomenon, something that was proven impossible to do with non-spatial techniques. Nowadays, spatial analysis involves a set of techniques used to analyze and model variables with distribution in space and/or time. The new era of spatial analysis must also consider the possibilities of integrating artificial intelligence in simulation (geosimulation) processes in computerized environments (geocomputation) in close relationship with models developed in real situations. GIS have emerged as useful tools in geographic modeling processes, helping to answer questions about the time variability of the landscape structure, study the behavior of fire, predict areas of urban expansion, analyze propagation phenomena, model animal movement and behavior, and determine periods and areas of high risk of flooding, among other phenomena. GIS and Spatial Analysis is a critical book that provides different methodologies that combine the potential data (including Big Data) analysis with GIS applications. It gives readers a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art methods of spatial analysis, focusing both on the new philosophical and theoretical foundations for spatial analysis and on a flexible framework for analysis in the real world, for problems such as complexity and uncertainty.

Biomimetic devices are designed and produced by materials, structures, and systems that are modelled on biological entities and processes. These devices are used to synthesize novel materials and their functions at the multiscale level for various applications. Molecular computing biological devices play a key role in the logical processing of the cellular machinery of all living organisms. This book includes information on both biomedical and technological applications of bioactive devices for hard tissue regeneration; design of chip-based disease diagnostic platforms; neuromorphic computing biomaterials that transfer techniques of neuroscience to a silicon chip; various top-down and bottom-up designs; and electrical characterization and transport mechanisms of DNA as nanowires.

"Medical Imaging and Image-Guided Interventions" is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in this field of study. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts and opens new possible research paths for further novel developments.

My scientific journey brought me from Lanzhou in China, Leuven in Belgium, Bethesda in the USA, all the way to San Diego. Sometimes I pick up an assortment of scattered seashells while walking along the beautiful Torrey Pines Beach in San Diego. Likewise, this book contains an assortment of discussions of different aspects of serotonin to enrich our knowledge and understanding of this neurochemical. The book contains four different chapters: 1. Introductory chapter: From Measuring Serotonin Neurotransmission to Evaluating Serotonin Post-Receptor Signaling Transduction; 2. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Their Role in Chronic Pain Management; 3. Serotonin and Emotional Decision-Making; and 4. Clinical Aspects Related to Plasma Serotonin in the Horse.