Bücher veröffentlicht von Springer Nature Singapore

As the population is growing and urbanization is progressing, higher numbers of people are exposed to disaster risks, especially in the developing countries. Climate change is further worsening the impacts of existing risks and introducing new ones. It is imperative that countries need to invest more in disaster risk reduction (DRR) as well as climate change adaptation (CCA) not only to minimize their impacts but also to build resilience.To date, various international arenas have recommended increasing investment in DRR. The Sendai Framework for DRR, adopted by the UN member states in 2015 during the Third UN World Conference on DRR, emphasizes investment as a priority for decreasing disaster risks and losses. The Yangon Declaration set the goal of doubling investment to address water-related disasters. However, most countries are not able to proactively invest enough in DRR. Understanding the current scale and estimate of investment and its effects is crucial for promoting DRR investment, but such information and estimates are rarely available.This book examines the current investment trends and issues in DRR and CCA. Based on specific case studies, field data and evidence, the book identifies challenges in increasing investment and recommends various investment policies and innovative approaches to sustainable progress towards a resilient future.Chapter 12  is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book examines agentic approaches by which teacher educators navigate a highly regulated environment. It investigates how teacher educators are responding to such regulation by employing approaches such as exploratory and case study research designs. This book analyzes qualitative and quantitative data to understand the diverse, innovative and critical perspectives of teacher educators who are guided by state and federal level initiatives to enhance the quality Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs. Prominent educational theoretical perspectives are also used in this book to inform data analysis and to illuminate the empirically based findings.This book showcases research-informed insights for the global education community from leading researchers from across a number of teacher education institutions, locally and otherwise. By adopting an 'activist' approach, this book positions teacher educators' research and contribution to the field as agentive and pro-active.

This book discusses smart computing techniques which offer an effective solution for investigating and modeling the stochastic behavior of renewable energy generation, operation of grid-connected renewable energy systems, and smart decision-making among alternatives. It also discusses applications of soft computing techniques to make an intelligent decision for optimum use of suitable alternatives which gives an upper hand compared to conventional systems. It includes upgradation of the existing system by embedding of machine intelligence. The authors present combination of use of neutral networks, fuzzy systems, and genetic algorithms which are illustrated in several applications including forecasting, security, verification, diagnostics of a specific fault, efficiency optimization, etc. Smart energy systems integrate a holistic approach in diverse sectors including electricity, thermal comfort, power industry, transportation. It allows affordable and sustainable solutions to solve the future energy demands with suitable alternatives. Thus, contributions regarding integration of the machine intelligence with the energy system, for efficient collection and effective utilization of the available energy sources, are useful for further advanced studies.

This book presents up-to-date information on various vector-less/direct (physical, chemical) and vector-mediated/indirect (Agrobacterium-mediated) plant transformation techniques. It summarizes various strategies that facilitate a gene from lower organism to be expressed in higher plants and also in silico designing of synthetic gene for higher expression. It also highlights the importance of strong promoters to drive the expression of transgene(s). This book encompasses the advantages and drawbacks of cisgenesis and transgenesis, their implications towards sustainable crop improvement, and their future prospects. The importance, limitations, challenges, recent developments, and future prospects of molecular pharming is also discussed.  The book concludes with a chapter that summarizes the major contribution of GM-crops towards global food security and economy, advances in genome editing for crop improvement, challenges and risk associated with the release of GM-crops, and the future of GM technology.This book is meant for students and researchers in the field of life sciences, food science, and agriculture. 

This book explores the history of the nuclear nonproliferation dialogue between Russia (USSR) and the United States. By looking into the particulars of bilateral cooperation on NPT, Cooperative Threat Reduction program, arms control, and other issues, the authors offer lessons to be learned in preventing nuclear confrontations in the future. The book has been prepared in coordination between Russian and American scholars and experts and is a result of a series of Track 2.5 events devoted to restoring the nonproliferation cooperation between Russia and the United States. Covering all the aspects of the bilateral partnership since 1960 until today, this book will interest scholars of great power conflicts and nonproliferation. The workshop and the consequent work on the monograph became possible thanks to generous organizational & financial support from Centre russe d`etudes politiques (Geneva) and the Center for Policy Studies in Russia (Monterey, USA).

This book aims to provide readers with the latest information on application of hysteroscopy in diagnosis and treatment of gynaecological diseases. The first chapters systematically review current status, equipment and instruments, applied anatomy, preoperative treatment and anesthesia for hysteroscopic surgery. In the following chapters, details in aspect of hysteroscopy from diagnostic to hysteroscopic surgery are explained with clinical cases. After that, advanced techniques in hysteroscopy combined with laparoscopy and ultrasound monitoring hysteroscopic surgery are introduced with high-resolution illustrations. Written by experts with wealthy experience in the field, this book will be a valuable reference for gynecologists at hysteroscopy units, reproductive units, gynecological and oncological units.

This book covers latest advancements in the areas of machine learning, computer vision, pattern recognition, computational learning theory, big data analytics, network intelligence, signal processing and their applications in real world. The topics covered in machine learning involves feature extraction, variants of support vector machine (SVM), extreme learning machine (ELM), artificial neural network (ANN) and other areas in machine learning. The mathematical analysis of computer vision and pattern recognition involves the use of geometric techniques, scene understanding and modelling from video, 3D object recognition, localization and tracking, medical image analysis and so on. Computational learning theory involves different kinds of learning like incremental, online, reinforcement, manifold, multi-task, semi-supervised, etc. Further, it covers the real-time challenges involved while processing big data analytics and stream processing with the integration of smart data computing services and interconnectivity. Additionally, it covers the recent developments to network intelligence for analyzing the network information and thereby adapting the algorithms dynamically to improve the efficiency. In the last, it includes the progress in signal processing to process the normal and abnormal categories of real-world signals, for instance signals generated from IoT devices, smart systems, speech, videos, etc., and involves biomedical signal processing: electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electromyogram (EMG). 

This book describes the process of immunomodulation and the plants which possess immunomodulation properties to boost the immune system. The immunomodulation process is highly relevant to address emerging as well as existing diseases in humans. A better immune system triggers the cellular responses for neutralizing and combating the onset of disease conditions. Chapters in the book discuss plants that have profound effects on the health and well-being of humans. They discuss the natural phytochemicals that have immense diversity and uniqueness of molecules. Molecules belonging to phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, and tannins etc possess a variety of pharmacological activities. The chapters describe how bioactive exert effects even when taken as part of the diet, supplement, and or as traditional herbal medicine. This book provides up-to-date scientific knowledge about the activities and mechanisms and leads in the area of medicinal plants and phytochemicals with immunomodulation properties.This book is meant for students, academics, researchers, and industry professionals interested in pharmacology, immunology, and plant secondary metabolites.

This volume discusses strategic and operational issues in executing projects. It provides both quantitative and qualitative treatment on key areas of project management, and addresses issues of scheduling, procurement, quality, risk and communications management. The beneficiaries of this volume will primarily be university students in Engineering and Business Management disciplines. The book also extends practical insights and will be useful to professionals working in manufacturing and service industries.

The book provide up-to-date information on clinical application of microwave ablation for limb salvage in bone tumors. First chapters briefly introduce clinical diagnosis, stage, amputation and limb salvage surgery of bone tumors. In the following chapters, detailed procedure of microwave ablation of bone tumors in various parts of the body, for example, upper limb, lower limb, pelvis and spine, is described, accompanying a large number of high-resolution illustration. Microwave ablation of different kinds of bone tumors, for example, bone metastases, giant cell tumor, osteosarcoma, soft tissue tumors is also presented with tips in clinical procedure. In the closing chapters, joint function preservation, prevention and treatment of complications, and the advantages and disadvantages of microwave ablation of bone tumors are also discussed for reader to have a in-depth understanding. It will be a valuable reference for orthopedic surgeons and oncologists, as well as practitioners interested in this field.

This book conducts systematic theoretical research on the social mechanism running system based on China's targeted poverty alleviation model and poverty reduction experience. In light of the theories of Parsons' structural functionalism, Luhmann's social system theory, and Merton's structural functionalism, this book puts forward the "coupling" theory of China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy. From the theoretical level, the operation process of poverty reduction policy is a complex social system. The "coupling" theory of China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy is mainly a theoretical innovation for the general expression of China's targeted poverty alleviation model. In terms of the design and running process of the targeted poverty alleviation strategy, the multilevelness of antipoverty and the heterogeneity of poverty objects reflect the complexity of poverty reduction, which displays systematic complexity in the structural evolution and functional differentiation of poverty reduction, as well as the evolution of the subjective intention of poverty objects. Therefore, this book conducts a "systematic" analysis of the implementation conditions and operation process of targeted poverty alleviation from the perspective of "coupling," presenting a social practice mechanism in which multiple systems coordinate and interact with each other, the poverty reduction system is continuously optimized, and policy effectiveness is continuously improved in China's poverty reduction practice.

As China gains momentum in economic terms, its technological transformation, cultural confidence, and creative influence also grow steadily. This book explores socio-cultural context, in which new trends, enabled by the power of digital technology, emerge. Focused on the urban context, in China's large cities like Shanghai, and through the lens of art, design, fashion, gaming, and media industries, this book highlights innovation processes in the making, as well as ongoing shifts in Chinese identities and narratives. This collaborative work written by European authors based in China offer new insights from within. Their shared, yet multi-faceted, engagement with China and its creative industries culminates in this book written for international scholars, students, and industry players.

The book explores how the influence by the corporate sector in the economic interactions globally leads to the international governance framework pertaining to CSR, that is primarily based on soft law attributes. Such international soft law regime uniquely influences the way the legal regime around CSR has shaped up in India. Through innovative methodology, the analysis of regulatory space and instruments and the structural framework construe the relationship between state and corporate sectors. It is necessary to investigate the two-fold relationship of state and corporate actors. The book takes up a regulatory, institutional and socio-political investigations through studying the case of CSR in India in the backdrop of the transformations taking place in national arena, its international inspirations and resulting regulatory model that evolve.How the existing regulatory space is affected? What are the implications on the regulatory instruments? The pursuit of the answers would also involve investigation of questions as to how the state-corporate relationship constructed, construed and conducted post state's ratification of CSR. What are the reasons of such changes? What implications do the role of politics and corporate strategies have on the renewed interest in CSR? The book deals with these aforementioned aspects. This scholarly work synthesizes political, economic and legal aspects of the role of the state and corporate sector with narrowly defined focus of CSR which has the ability to provide a comprehensive broad-brushed account of the larger framework.

This book explores upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) at both, the fundamental as well as applied levels, for functional applications. It provides a broad perspective about the synthesis approaches of UCNPs with the preferred size, improved and tunable upconversion luminescence, along with the combined multifunctionality for various applications. It highlights the fundamentals and systematic developments in the tuning of UC emission and surface engineering of UCNPs that make UCNPs convenient for use in a large range of applications. Moreover, it gives an understanding of the imposed limitations and challenges associated with these methods to achieve the desired performance in targeted applications. It also includes the latest multifunctional lanthanide-based UCNPs, which efficiently convert low-energy photons into high-energy photons, and their applications in fluorescent microscopy, deep-tissue bioimaging, nanomedicine, optogenetics, solid-state lighting, solar cells, security labeling, and volumetric display.

This book explores the issue of abortion and women's rights in contemporary China. With a vast population, China's government has pursued controversial policies, such as the One Child Policy, in the past. Today, a rapidly urbanizing society is aging quickly, and the policies are loosening; but what are the implications for Chinese women, and how do policies compare to those in the West? In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Jiang eludicates the Chinese legal and social history of abortion for the first time in English. This book will be of interest to lawyers, NGO researchers, feminists and academics.

This book provides with its readers an objective overview of the latest development of China's special economic zones in 2019. It aims to inform researchers what achievements have been attained in one year and tells stories to general readers about how to address economic concerns through public policies. Its case studies illustrate economic achievements attained in public health, social security, and cultural industries. Its in-depth analyses of green, environmental-friendly, and resource-efficient policies can satisfy the curiosity about strategies applied by China meeting its economic challenges.

This book theorizes Chinese politics, specifically about China's "deliberative democracy (xieshang minzhu ¿¿¿¿)". Creating a China-West comparative framework, the author interrogates China's government's claims to give representation to citizens, allowing readers to see how all of these concepts interact within Chinese ideology, democratic discourse, and governance, and their relationship with Chinese authoritarianism. Above all, this book represents a sustained hybridization of political theory, one which is neither a simple democratic-authoritarian dichotomy, nor a reinterpretation of the official propaganda. This study will interest scholars of Chinese politics and statecraft, shedding light on an emergent discourse of the state - Chinese xieshang minzhu. More importantly, this book goes beyond a simple rhetorical and linguistic use of 'deliberative democracy' in the Western sense, and rather emphasizes the very consultative nature of Chinese politics, which facilitates and reconsolidates Chinese authoritarianism.

This book examines the role of photography and visual culture in the emergence of ecological science between 1895 and 1939.