Bücher veröffentlicht von IntechOpen

Taking exception from previous publications and reviews, this handbook boldly knits botulinum toxin therapy indications in both dystonia and spasticity. Botulinum toxin therapy has indeed withstood the test of time in terms of its efficacy and safety, as applied in hyperfunctional states of the muscle and exocrine glands. Topics were chosen spanning from the basic science to the clinical applications and to instrument-guidance injections. The format was envisioned to be timely as one (either a novice or an experienced clinician) applies practical approaches with botulinum toxin therapy ranging from straightforward to challenging clinical scenarios. As well, clinicians and students alike will find the book useful in content and relevance to contemporary times. Please read with no fear and don't doubt because indeed you eventually become the winner as you finish the book.

This book contains eight chapters with original and innovative research studies in the field of grain boundaries. The results presented in the chapters of this book are very interesting and inspiring. This book will be very valuable to all researchers who are interested in the influence of grain boundaries on the structure and different kinds of properties of engineering materials. This book is also addressed to students and professional engineers working in the industry as well as to specialists who pay attention to all aspects related to grain boundaries and their impact on the various properties of innovative materials. The chapters of this book were developed by respected and well-known researchers from different countries.

Thermoelectrics for Power Generation - A Look at Trends in the Technology is the first part of the InTech collection of international community works in the field of thermoelectric power generation. The authors from many counties have presented in this book their achievements and vision for the future development in different aspects of thermoelectric power generation. Remarkably, this hot topic unites together efforts of researchers and engineers from all continents of our planet. The reader will find in the book a lot of new interesting information concerning prospective materials for thermoelectric generators, both inorganic and organic; results of theoretical studies of materials characteristics; novel methods and apparatus for measuring performance of thermoelectric materials and devices; and thermoelectric power generator simulation, modeling, design, and practice.

The main strength of this book is that it examines the challenges facing the field of Bioethics today from medical, ethical and legal perspectives. A critical exchange of ideas from professionals in interdisciplinary fields allows everyone to learn and benefit from the insights gained through others' experiences. Examining, analyzing and understanding these complex medical-ethical-legal issues and cases and how they are resolved will serve as a paradigm for all professionals who will be confronted with these complex bioethical issues now and in the future. The more we face these challenges directly, examine them critically and debate them enthusiastically the more knowledge will be gained and hopefully, we will gain more practical wisdom.

The book on complex systems, sustainability, and innovation explores a broad set of ideas and presents some of the state-of-the-art research in this field concisely in six chapters. In a complex system, it is difficult to know exactly how the individual components contribute to an observed behavior and the extent of each component's contributions. It is the interactions of the individual components that determine the emergent functionalities. This makes it difficult to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems and hence the effects of any innovations in this field. This necessitates for the emergence of a new age of innovations with the main focus on user orientation and sustainability. This book explores some of the complex systems and their dependence on the environment to provide a long-term perspective, aiding innovations and supporting a sustainable society. The intended audience of this book will mainly consist of researchers, research students, and practitioners in the field of complex systems and sustainability.

The first chapter provides an overview of the popular systems for distance learning. In the second chapter, a review of all major social and economic activities in order to improve the system of virtual learning is given. The third chapter deals with the influence of technology in the management of educational institutions. The fourth chapter provides an overview of the graphic communication. The fifth chapter confirms that quality assurance remains an integral and indispensable part of the process of virtual learning. The sixth and seventh chapters are dedicated to health and mutual communication about health problems and causes. The eighth and ninth chapters are dedicated to massive open online courses (MOOC). The tenth chapter refers to the widespread use of virtual reality in industrial environments.

Over the past decades, surgical techniques have greatly progressed to improve and correct appearance. They are artistic procedures to give the highly demanded proportions. The growing public interest in aesthetic and plastic surgery interventions such as body contouring and sculpting requires clear description and differentiation of these highly sophisticated techniques, their results and combinations, as well as scientific information about the different instrumentation, devices and materials used. Such clarification will be hugely beneficial both for patients and doctors, having in mind the increasing number of such interventions and progressing interest for a better and healthy living including improved appearance in society. The book adds some scientific news to the understanding of body contouring treatments. Currently, the request for atraumatic, short downtime procedures predominates and demonstrates the importance of hi-tech and safe liposculpture and fat transfer, although they cannot totally replace surgical excision methods.

The finite element method (FEM) is a numerical technique for finding approximate solutions to different numerical problems. The practical applications of FEM are known as finite element analysis (FEA). FEA is a good choice for analyzing problems over complicated domains. The first three chapters of this book contribute to the development of new FE techniques by examining a few key hurdles of the FEM and proposing techniques to mitigate them. The next four chapters focus on the close connection between the development of a new technique and its implementation. Current state-of-the-art software packages for FEA allow the construction, refinement, and optimization of entire designs before manufacturing. This is convincingly demonstrated in the last three chapters of the book with examples from the field of biomechanical engineering.This book presents a current research by highlighting the vitality and potential of the finite elements for the future development of more efficient numerical techniques, new areas of application, and FEA's important role in practical engineering.

Microsatellite or so-called simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have been one of the most reliable molecular markers derived from the DNA molecule, which were widely and successfully used for more than 25 years in the genetic studies of environmental, agricultural, and biomedical sciences. The objective of this Microsatellite Markers book is to rehighlight and provide some updates on previous and recent utilization of microsatellite markers for various applications in agriculture and medicine, which void emerging opinion on "full death" of microsatellites as useful genetic markers. Chapters presented here demonstrate the future benefit of SSRs in many genetic studies as well as disease diagnosis and prognosis.

This edited book, Soil Contamination - Current Consequences and Further Solutions, is intended to provide an overview on the different environmental consequences of our anthropogenic activities, which has introduced a large number of xenobiotics that the soil cannot, or can only slower, decompose or degrade. We hope that this book will continue to meet the expectations and needs of all interested in diverse fields with expertise in soil science, health, toxicology, and other disciplines who contribute and share their findings to take this area forward for future investigations.

Composites from Renewable and Sustainable Materials consists of 16 chapters written by international subject matter experts investigating the characteristic and current application of materials from renewable and sustainable sources. The reader will develop a deeper understanding about the concepts related to renewable materials, biomaterials, natural fibers, biodegradable composites, starch, and recycled materials. This book will serve as the starting point for materials science researchers, engineers, and technologists from the diverse backgrounds in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering who want to know and better understand the fundamental aspects and current applications of renewable and sustainable materials in several applications.

Ensiling is a technique that is used to store food, mainly vegetable crops, to feed the herd when the forage supply from the pastures is not enough to maintain the productive performance of the ruminant animals. However, silage can also be used as substrate for biogas production and other different purposes. In the past years, we have seen many advances in the knowledge about silage production utilization, and this book is a compilation and discussion of the outstanding scientific research activities concerning actually the most recent advances and technologies that have been studied about silage and future demands. It is directed to a broad public of readers - farmers, academics, students, or anyone just curious or interested in the subject.

This book presents some information regarding adhesives which have applications in industry, medicine and dentistry. The book is divided into two parts: "Adhesives Applications in Medicine and Dentistry" and "Properties of Adhesive." The aim of such a presentation is to present the usage in very different aspects of application of the adhesives and present specific properties of adhesives. Adhesives' advantageous properties and relatively uncomplicated processing methods contribute to their increasing application and their growing popularity in the industry, medicine and other branches. Some adhesives represent properties superior to those of most adhesive materials, due to their excellent adhesion and chemical resistance. A wide variety of adhesives' considerable flexibility in modification of properties of adhesives allows adjusting the composition to particular applications.

Over the last few decades, the prevalence of studies about plant growth has dramatically grown in most regions of the world. Many aspects have been investigated related to this phenomenon. If we can gain understanding of how plants grow, then we may be able to manipulate it to reduce both chemical fertilizer use and its environmental impact without decreasing the yield. This book provides information about the use of bio-agents, plant health, plant pathogen, property of melanin, and the influence of rootstock and root growth. We hope this information will be useful for all the people who work with this hot topic.

The incidence of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is steadily increasing. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one example of a chronic inflammatory disease, which primarily affects the intestine but may also affect extraintestinal organs. The exact pathogenesis of IBD is currently unknown. However, it is clear that the pathogenesis is complex, involving barrier defects, changes in the intestinal microbiome, and chronic immune activation. This book aims to summarize basic aspects of these complex interactions between barrier function, microbiome, and the immune system. Of note, there is currently no cure for IBD. However, several therapies have evolved in the last years, which are overall able to-at least temporarily-suppress IBD. These therapies and the underlying mechanism are discussed.

Entrepreneurship has been seen as a phenomenon allowing economic development, job creation, increased productivity and innovation, but many studies do not include the causes of these events. Consequently, the objective of this book is to fill this gap by combining several studies from more practice-oriented perspectives. The various chapters presented here follow several approaches which researchers explore in different contexts and link to specific experiences in entrepreneurship. This book intends to contribute to better understanding of the phenomenon of entrepreneurship and innovation, and to show how these business practices can stimulate economic development in various countries and regions worldwide.

This book, Telomere - A Complex End of a Chromosome, is organized into nine chapters containing the latest aspects of the current knowledge about the structure of telomeres and the crucial role that telomerase plays not only in maintaining chromosomal stability but also in relation to cell immortality, cell instability, and cancer biology. We now appreciate that these unusual complexes of DNA and proteins we all know as "telomeres" are dynamic and key structures that depend on telomerase and other cellular factors for continuance. Regulation of telomere activity is a dynamic area of current research, and new insights into telomeres and their role in aging and cancer, among other biological functions and pathologies, appear regularly in the scientific world. However, one fact is more than understandable in this difficult biological conundrum: the end of the telomere story is far from being totally unraveled.

The current volume entitled, "Free Radicals and Diseases" integrates knowledge in free radical-associated diseases from the basic level to the advanced level, and from the bench side to bed side. The chapters in this book provide an extensive overview of the topic, including free radical formations and clinical interventions.

Human sufferings, including deaths, can be reduced or avoided by applying routine principles of hygiene in individuals' lives. Some hygiene routines are purely simple remedies, which are inexpensive, affordable, acceptable and easily accessible. It is evident that change is first enacted from within the mindset of an individual, then transmitted to families, groups and communities, and eventually the mindset of a nation can change creating an environment which is better for everybody to live in. This book contains chapters discussing conditions or diseases that may not be common in the readers' area. Caution as such may never be underestimated considering the fact that we are living in a global village where one can never say 'this does not occur in my area' but rather question, does this occur in my community, why does it occur, who is affected, where and when does it occur and what can be done about it? These questions constitute what epidemiology is all about, and their precise and comprehensive answers can transform lives and help us have the right perceptions for the health challenges we face and accept the possibility of dealing with them directly.

Although fitness and health have similar properties, they are, in reality, two very different concepts. While health refers to the absence of diseases, fitness refers to the degree of body functioning and the ability of the body to handle physical demands. The more efficient the body functions, the higher the level of fitness. The higher the level of fitness, the greater the chance of the body being free of diseases and maintaining a healthy state.

Cotton is the most important natural fiber crop of our planet, which provides humanity with cloth and vegetable oil, medicinal compounds, meal and hull for livestock feed, energy sources, organic matter to enrich soil, and industrial lubricants. Therefore, cotton research to improve sustainable cotton production worldwide is the vital task of scientific community to address the increasing demands and needs for cotton products. This Cotton Research book presents readers updated information and advances in current cotton science investigations. Chapters of this book provide the latest developments on cotton research and cover topics on cotton research infrastructure, physiology and agronomy, breeding and genetics, modern biotechnology, genomics and molecular breeding, crop management, and cotton-based product and textile researches.

Grain legumes are a main source of nitrogen-rich edible seeds and constitute a major source of dietary protein in the diets of human population especially for vegetarian diet. Legumes comprise the third largest family of flowering plants and provide important sources of food, fodder, oil, and fiber products. This book focuses on grain legumes production challenges, progress, and prospects. The book comprises a vast array of topics including diversity, biofortification, importance and antioxidant properties of pulse proteins, etc. This volume will serve as an excellent resource for students, researchers, and scientists interested and working in the area of sustainable crop production.

Olive tree products provide a number of documented presentations of the production and quality of the two most important olive tree products: virgin olive oil and table olives. It is a source that familiarizes readers with recent approaches and innovations that can be introduced in the virgin olive oil extraction and stabilization technology and the preparation of table olives with emphasis on the presence of bioactive constituents. It also describes advances in the methods of checking authenticity and in the evaluation of attributes that may influence consumers' perceptions and preferences. Other topics discussed are squalene, a trove of metabolic actions, pigments, geographical indication, biotechnology in table olive preparation, and recovery of hydroxytyrosol from olive-milling wastes.

This book is a collection of 13 chapters divided into seven sections: Section I: "General Foundations of the Stress Field and Toughness" with one chapter, Section II: "Fractography and Impact Analysis" with two chapters, Section III: "Toughness Fracture" with three chapters, Section IV: "Fracture Behavior" with two chapters, Section V: "Natural and Hydraulic Fractures" with two chapters, section VI: "Fatigue" with one chapter and Section VII: "Fracture Biomaterials and compatible" with two chapters. This book covers a wide range of application of fracture mechanics in materials science, engineering, rock prospecting, dentistry and medicine. The book is aimed towards materials scientists, metallurgists, mechanical and civil engineers, doctors and dentists and can also be well used in education, research and industry.

There are many books on preliminary studies and research in bridge design as well as basic knowledge on bridge engineering, but most books supply the needs of practicing engineers who may have problems in estimating, designing or constructing suspension bridges. Therefore, this book is intended to serve as a source of information for problems related to bridge engineering including sustainable bridge development, traditional approaches and recent advances in highway bridge traffic loading, aesthetic analysis issues in designing a new bridge, applications of various methods for the dissipation of seismic energy for bridges, new technologies of bridge design as well as structural identification of bridges using non-destructive experimental measurement tests.

Commercial application of chemical enhanced oil recovery (cEOR) processes is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. Thus, Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (cEOR): A Practical Overview offers key knowledge and understanding of cEOR processes using an evidence-based approach intended for a broad audience ranging from field operators, researchers, to reservoir engineers dealing with the development and planning of cEOR field applications. This book is structured into three sections; the first section surveys overall EOR processes. The second section focuses on cEOR processes, while the final section describes the electrorheology technology. These sections are presented using a practical and realistic approach tailored for readers looking to improve their knowledge and understanding of cEOR processes in a nutshell.

This book has nine chapters on Aquaculture Wetland Ecosystem Services Approach and Climate Change Adaptation, which explain how different aquaculture systems could maximize the benefits that society receives from both aquaculture production and the ecosystem services provided by wetland ecosystems. Sustainable development of aquaculture must take into account the societal value of ecosystem services for an efficient and environmentally sound production of food.Although some issues regarding the potential benefits and implementation of sustainable aquaculture remain, the consideration of food security and minimizing ecosystem impacts suggest that the time has come to take action. If we can efficiently farm the land, why can't we farm more the sea and inland waters?

This book is an overview of the different paths automation and control engineering have taken lately, from a modern point of view. Built up with example chapters, this book provides some insight into the use of artificial intelligence and control theory on manufacturing, comfort analysis, reliability of modern digital systems, and the use of unusual reference and feedback signals as those coming from the brain. Nonetheless, some chapters are also devoted to a more traditional point of view of control theory, addressing complex problems where human intervention must be limited. Overall, this book is an effort to show that modern automation and control engineering are comprised by many diverse areas, which should interact in order to provide a complete result. In this way, as the systems become more complex and the control objectives more subjective, both, formal analytic and intelligent approaches, should be seen as complementary tools, not unrelated competitors. This books aim is precisely that of showing how broad and diverse the control objectives have become and how the abilities of the control engineer should be extended.

This book includes a selection of research papers in robot control applications. The description of projects using robotic systems in areas such as vision, navigation, path planning, trajectories, non-holonomic systems, mobile robotics, robot control with very specific structures, as well as artificial intelligence systems is pointed out. It also presents several tools and mathematical concepts that allow the development and operation of robotic systems. Additionally, the development of different ideas in control systems that are useful and hopefully enriching for the reader are also presented in this book.

The topics of climate change, weather prediction, atmospheric sciences and other related fields are gaining increased attention due to the possible impacts of changes in climate and weather upon the planet. Concurrently, the increasing ability to computationally model the governing partial differential equations that describe these various topics of climate has gained a great deal of attention as well. In the current book, several aspects of these topics are examined to provide another stepping stone in recent advances in the fields of study and also focal points of endeavor in the evolving technology.