Bentham Science Publishers

This volume presents information about several topics in the field of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study of carbon-containing nanomaterials. It introduces the reader to an array of experimental and theoretical approaches for the analysis of paramagnetic centers (dangling bonds, interface defects, vacancies, and impurities) usually observed in modern carbon-containing materials such as nanographites, graphene, disordered onion-like carbon nanospheres (DOLCNS), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), nanodiamonds, silicon carbonitride (SiCN) and silicon carbide (SiC) based composites and thin films.

In particular, the book describes in detail:

• The fundamentals of EPR spectroscopy and its application to the carbon-containing materials;

• The resolution of the EPR signals from different species in carbon materials;

• EPR characterization of spin dynamics in carbon nanomaterials;

• Magnetic properties of DWCNTs and MWCNTs polymer composites;

• EPR investigations on GO, rGO and CNTs with different chemical functionalities;

• EPR spectroscopy of semiconducting SWCNTs thin films and their transistors;

• In-situ EPR investigations of the oxygenation processes in coal and graphene materials;

• The two-temperature EPR measurement method applied to carbonaceous solids;

• Characterization of impurities in nanodiamonds and SiC nanomaterials and related size effects by CW and pulse EPR techniques;

• Application of multifrequency EPR to the study of paramagnetic defects in a-Si1-xCx:H thin films and a-SiCxNy based composites.

This volume is a useful guide for researchers interested in the EPR study of paramagnetic centers in the carbon-containing thin films, nanomaterials, ceramics, etc. It is also a valuable teaching tool at graduate and postgraduate levels for advanced courses in analytical chemistry, applied sciences and spectroscopy.

Elements Of Clinical Study Design, Biostatistics & Research is designed as a toolbox for biomedical researchers. The book's primary focus is on applications in clinical research, and will benefit students and researchers involved in the biomedical field. This book addresses the problems that many practitioners experience in choosing and implementing fit-for-purpose data analysis methods to answer critical inferential questions for binomial and count data. The book is written in simple language avoiding complex derivations and mathematical formulae allowing it to explain the most basic concepts of research methodology. Making good use of numerous tables, graphs and tips, this book demystifies the process for readers.

7 structured Chapters take the reader through the entire research process: choosing a question, designing a study, collecting the data, using univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analysis, and publishing the results. Each chapter discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the methods and suggests practical recommendations. An appendix on ethical research guidelines, along with a glossary and reference list comprehensively round up the book contents.

It gives students and practitioners a multidisciplinary understanding of the concepts and techniques involved in designing, monitoring, and analyzing various types of studies. The book's balanced set of homework assignments and in-class exercises are appropriate for students and researchers in the areas of biostatistics, epidemiology, medicine, pharmacy, and public health.

This reference provides an update on current therapies to treat neglected diseases, a class of diseases that primarily affect tropical regions where investment in research and development is limited.

The book starts with an introduction to neglected diseases followed by reviews of therapeutic strategies to overcome the impact of neglected diseases. This is followed by updated information for handling leprosy, dengue, lymphatic filariasis, dracunculiasis, helminthiasis, Chagas’ disease, neurocysticercosis, leishmaniasis, rabies, trematodiasis, buruli ulcer and trachoma in 10 focused chapters, respectively. The chapters provide information on disease mechanism, transmission and management protocols, along with scientific references. The book serves as a resource for healthcare professionals, and scholars who need a detailed understanding of these infectious diseases.

This reference distills information about emerging technologies and applications for smart city design and sustainable urban planning. Chapters present technology use-cases that have radical novelty and high scalability with a prominent impact on community living standards. These technologies prepare urban and rural dwellings for the transformation to the smart world.

Applications and techniques highlighted in the book use a combination of artificial intelligence and IoT technologies in areas like transportation, energy, healthcare, education, governance, and manufacturing, to name a few.

The book serves as a learning resource for smart city design and sustainable infrastructure planning. Scholars and professionals who are interested in understanding ways for transforming communities into smart communities can also benefit from the cases presented in the book.

Cultivators and livestock farmers are increasingly arranging innovative technical and scientific estimations with the aim to enhance agricultural sustainability, effectiveness, and plant health. Innovative farming technologies incorporate biology with smart technology (computers and sensor devices) exchanging information with one another autonomously in a structured farm management system.

This book presents reviews on innovative techniques and methodologies to complement conventional plant control and breeding attempts toward enhancing crop yield and production. Reviews covered in this volume include:

-Active compounds from pomegranate seeds

-Application of Enterococci and their bacteriocins for meat biopreservation

-Technological advancement in the detection and identification of plant pathogens

-Machine learning for precision agriculture

-Use of remote sensing technology and geographic information systems for agriculture and

environmental observation

The information presented in this volume will provide helpful updates for students, technology experts and professionals in the food security and sustainable agriculture sectors.

Advances in biochemistry, molecular biology, virology, and structural biology have enabled the researchers in veterinary medicine to make many exciting discoveries that have, in some cases, conceptually revolutionized our understanding of the discipline.

Emerging Trends in Veterinary Virology is a review of selected topics about viral infections in animals. 11 chapters cover recent findings about specific viruses that infect a variety of hosts. The contents cover several types of veterinary infections in birds (Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT), avian leucosis), cats (feline rabies), dogs (canine distemper), bovines (viral leukemia) and equines (hendra virus disease). Additionally, special topics such as the epidemiology of veterinary zoonoses and SARS are also covered.

The book provides updated information for researchers (virologists, microbiologists), students and veterinarians, alike.

The endocannabinoid system comprises at least two G-protein-coupled receptors (the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors) activated by marijuana's psychoactive principle ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the endogenous ligands known as endocannabinoids. The apex of endocannabinoid research seems to have been reached with the clinical development, and also in some cases, the marketing, of synthetic or natural pharmaceuticals targeting this signalling system, which followed the understanding of the physiological and pathological role of endocannabinoids in several conditions, a role that was investigated first in rodent experimental models and then in humans.

Endocannabinoids: Molecular, Pharmacological, Behavioral and Clinical Features is a monograph that presents interesting manuscripts selected by the editor on the subject. Chapters in this book include original research or reviews which report the relevance of the endocannabinoid system by describing the results of experimental evidence about the neurobiological role of the endocannabinoid system. The main topics include, but are not limited to:

*The genetics of cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors and their tissue distribution, their splicing variants and polymorphisms, and the possible implications of all this in determining different behaviours as well as various pathological conditions and the addiction to substances of abuse.

*Pharmacological approaches describing the potential use in the central nervous system disorders of endocannabinoid-based drugs, such as cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists, inhibitors of endocannabinoid inactivation processes, and even plant cannabinoids other than THC and with a molecular mechanism of action.

*The role of the endocannabinoid system in several neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions, such as epilepsy.

The volume would be a great interest to neuropharmacologists, physiologists and biochemists who aim to learn about the endocannabinoid system in detail.

Neuroendoscopy and Interventional Pain Medicine is a clinically focused medical monograph series. With contributions from a team of internationally recognized neurosurgeons and spinal surgery specialists, the series aims to illuminate the latest advancements in minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques and pain management. Each volume offers invaluable insights into the future of minimally invasive treatments in this medical subspecialty.

Endoscopy and Fetoscopy Techniques for the Brain and Neuroaxis is the second of the monograph series. The book covers advanced endoscopic techniques for brain and spinal surgeries. Topics include visualization of the brain, endoscopic approaches to the sellar region, fetoscopy treatments for myelomeningocele, and methods for cancer pain relief. It also discusses endoscopic correction of craniosynostosis in children, complications like autonomic dysreflexia, and the importance of identifying the Adamkiewicz system in spinal procedures.

Key Features

- Covers a wide range of topics in neuroendoscopy and interventional pain medicine

- Emphasizes evidence-based approaches to treatment

- Offers clinical perspectives from expert surgeons

- Includes scientific references for researchers and advanced learners

It is an essential resource for readers who need to enhance their understanding of the latest technological advancements in neuroendoscopy and interventional pain medicine and apply these innovative techniques to improve patient outcomes.

This e-book focuses on the vibrational and nonlinear aspects of plate and shell structure dynamics by applying the finite element model. Specifically, shell finite elements employed in the computational studies included in this book are the mixed formulation based lower order flat triangular shell finite elements. Topics in the book are covered over nine chapters, including the theoretical background for the vibration analysis of plates and shells, vibration analysis of plate structures, shells with single curvature, shells with double curvatures, and box structures (single-cell and double-cell) and the theoretical development for the nonlinear dynamic analysis of plate and shell structures. In addition to presenting the steps in the derivations of the consistent element stiffness and mass matrices, constitutive relations of elastic materials and elasto-plastic materials with isotropic strain hardening, yield criterion, return mapping, configuration and stress updating strategies, and numerical algorithms are presented and discussed. The book is a suitable reference for advanced undergraduates and post-graduate level engineering students, research engineers, and scientists working in the field of applied physics and engineering.

The close of the first decade of the 21st century posed additional pressing environmental issues related to human activities and their effects on the planet. The need to protect the planet seems frequently to be in conflict with the need to feed the earth’s inhabitants and to supply the energy required for industry, transportation, regulating our indoor environment, and fueling other needs. The corporate world sometimes seems to have a callous disregard for the safety of its workers and the public at large. This e-book discusses the ecological and health impacts of aquaculture, the Alberta tar sands development, the Gulf Oil disaster of 2010, the hazards of inadequately safeguarding water supplies, and global warming, to name some of the important topics. This e-book will be very useful to students of environmental science, ecology, ecotoxicology and others interested in a broad overview of contemporary environmental issues. It is presented in a highly readable manner that makes it accessible to well-informed members of the public. Complex biochemical and chemical equations are avoided. Nonetheless, current primary sources of scientific information are used and referenced, making it easy for a reader to pursue a topic in greater depth if so desired.

Environmental Microbiology: Advanced Research and Multidisciplinary Applications focus on the current research on microorganisms in the environment. Contributions in the volume cover several aspects of applied microbial research, basic research on microbial ecology and molecular genetics.

The reader will find a collection of topics with theoretical and practical value, allowing them to connect environmental microbiology to a variety of subjects in life sciences, ecology, and environmental science topics. Advanced topics including biogeochemical cycling, microbial biosensors, bioremediation, application of microbial biofilms in bioremediation, application of microbial surfactants, microbes for mining and metallurgical operations, valorization of waste, and biodegradation of aromatic waste, microbial communication, nutrient cycling and biotransformation are also covered.

The content is designed for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and environmental professionals, with a comprehensive and up-to-date discussion of environmental microbiology as a discipline that has greatly expanded in scope and interest over the past several decades.

Environmental Risk Assessment familiarizes readers with risk assessment for the main environmental systems that are surveyed: soil, water, and air. The text aims to enable learners to develop knowledge and awareness about environmental risk management and take action to transform society into a sustainable one.

The eight edited chapters start with an introduction to the subject and an outline of good practices in risk assessment. The latter half presents a risk-based approach to the environment and provides a deep dive into risk management implementation for contaminated sites, monitoring air quality, evaluating drinking water for safety, and risk analysis in waste management. Concepts are explained in a simple manner with references included for further reading.

This book is an essential guideline for students who require knowledge in the environmental engineering programs or related course modules.

Environmental Zeolites and Aqueous Media: Examples of practical solutions brings to light the characteristic features of ion exchange and adsorption onto natural zeolite for environmental cleanup processes, particularly for water purification, zeolite`s present, past and future. This eBook emphasizes on the recent development in the synthesis and manufacturing of the advanced cost-effective organic and inorganic zeolite-based adsorbents.

Enzyme inhibitors play a pivotal role in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The primary understanding of the action of inhibitors helps pharmacologists during the design process for developing new therapeutic drugs. Most drugs treat various chronic and life threatening diseases owing to their specificity and the potency of enzymes which they can inhibit. Enzyme inhibitors are used to screen various levels of diseases which propel the growth of inhibitors. The potential for enzyme inhibitors in the therapeutics market is very high as the biochemical properties and classes of enzyme inhibiting products are readily available.

The other broad aspect of enzyme inhibition is their application in analytical sensors. These sensors assist in monitoring various environmental factors. Understanding the mechanism of inhibition and regeneration of enzymes is a general problem of great importance for many biochemists and biotechnologists especially when using immobilized enzymes.

This reference compiles applied information about enzyme inhibitors used in medicine and environmental monitoring applications. Chapters presented in this volume cover special topics including biosensors, crop improvements in agriculture, biofuel production, pesticide and heavy metal detection, and drug therapy for human diseases such as breast cancer, neurological diseases and viral infections.

The collection of topics in this volume makes it an informative resource for readers at all academic levels on the applications of enzyme inhibitors in medicine and environmental sciences.

This e-book on diabetes epidemiology starts with the evolution in the diagnostic criteria for diabetes, particularly the changes in the last 15 years and their impact on the prevalence of the disease. The increasing trend in prevalence of diabetes worldwide, and its impact on people’s health and economic development are described by regions and countries. The rationale for a diabetes screening program, recent development in screening strategies and screening tools are thoroughly reviewed and presented. Because obesity is one of the major risk factors for diabetes and has been included in several risk assessment questionnaires, the obesity-diabetes association is particularly addressed in this e-book. The diagnostic cut-off value for surrogate measurement of body fat mass such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference is also discussed. The measurement errors and the strength of the association of diabetes with BMI and waist circumference are formally compared. Other diabetes related metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia are also discussed with regard to their association with different degree of glucose intolerance including pre-diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes. The risk of dyslipidemia with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in people with different glucose levels is estimated within different ethnic groups and the ethnic differences are compared. Recent interest on diabetes-cancer association is on the rise. Academic literature on this issue presented in this volume. The relationship of diabetes with cardiovascular disease is also recognised. In this book the focus is set on the impact of various levels of fasting and 2-hout post-load glucose on the occurrence of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity.

Recent advances in the fields of genomics and bioinformatics have made it increasingly clear that genetic sequence alone cannot explain how the genome regulates the development and function of complex multicellular organisms both in health and disease. This inference has led to the expansion of epigenetics as a discipline. Epigenetics refers to the way in which the environment in the wide sense participates in the regulation of gene expression. Several studies show that the well-known beneficial role of a healthy lifestyle over a number of pathologies or as a pre-emptive therapy is at least in part exerted through epigenetic mechanisms, thus giving rise to a new paradigm of preventive medicine based on the concept of genetic plasticity. In Epigenetics of Lifestyle, several contributors provide a comprehensive view of how various facets of lifestyle, including nutrition, exercise, stress, addiction or social interactions, affect chromatin (the combination of DNA and proteins that make up the contents of a cell nucleus) - resulting in profound and long-lasting changes in gene function. In summary, Epigenetics of Lifestyle is a fresh approach towards epigenetics and presents the reader with significant research findings in epigenetics and lifestyle studies. This volume is a simplified source of information for both undergraduate and working professionals interested in lifestyle medicine and life sciences in general.

The development of new erythropoietic stimulating agents (ESAs) has significantly increased in recent years. Researchers are focused on different and interesting concepts, namely, methods to increase half-life of erythropoietin (EPO), finding different routes of administration and new ESA or modified EPO molecules. Scientific literature presents evidence that EPO has other effects beyond erythropoietic stimulation. These pleiotropic effects of EPO appear to result from the existence of two different EPO receptors (EPOR) with different affinities for EPO. The discovery of new EPO actions beyond the hematopoietic system has opened a new field of investigation with these agents. Several molecules have been developed to present the protective action, without the activation of the hematopoietic system. These agents can be potentially used in several diseases of the brain/central and peripheral nervous system, eye, heart and kidney.

This volume of Frontiers in Drug Discovery includes a revision of articles on erythropoiesis and EPO gene regulation, microRNAs and their potential contribution to the development of new therapeutic strategies, animal models for studying kidney disease-associated anemia as well as benefits/risks of ESA therapy. The biological effects of new ESA molecules, heparin-binding erythropoietin and of pHBSP, and the potential applications of ESA, are also elicited in this volume.

This volume is, therefore, a useful reference for medicinal chemists and hematologists interested in drug development and medicine related to ESAs.

This handbook covers some primary instruments-based techniques used in modern biological science and medical research programs. Key features of the book include introductory notes for each topic, a systematic presentation of relevant methods, and troubleshooting guides for practical settings.

Topics covered in part 2 include:

· Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy

· High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

· Raman spectroscopy

· Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy

· Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

· Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

· SEM-EDX and its applications in plant science

This book is a simple, useful handbook for students and teachers involved in graduate courses in life sciences and medicine. Readers will learn about the basics of featured techniques, the relevant applications and the established protocols.

This volume bridges scientific research with applied horticultural practices by examining the taxonomy, cultivation, ecological significance and conservation of ornamental and medicinal plants such as Fritillaria, Gladiolus, and Saffron.

This book explores environmental requirements and sustainable cultivation methods by covering topics from plant morphology and classification to seed and vegetative propagation techniques-including tissue culture. Chapters also highlight the ethnobotanical value of these species and the challenges posed by habitat loss and overharvesting, offering practical conservation strategies to mitigate human impact.

Key features:

Details morphological and taxonomic insights

Presents propagation techniques including advanced tissue culture

Discusses soil, climate, and ecological needs for optimal cultivation

Highlights traditional medicinal and ornamental applications

Emphasizes conservation strategies for protecting wild populations

This handbook presents information on different cell culture assays which can be used to perform experimental analysis. Readers are introduced to the basics of in vitro cell cultures followed by a comparative analysis of different experimental protocols designed to detect cellular processes (such as apoptosis, protein-protein interactions, cytotoxicity, gene transfer). Chapters present information on the basics of specific experimental techniques as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the presented methods. Students and scholars who require an understanding of the basic fundamentals of cellular assays.

Stephen Hawking, present occupant of the Lucasian Chair at Cambridge University, is today one of the best known theoretical cosmologists in the world. His important contributions, in collaboration with Roger Penrose, to the physics of black holes are well known, but this does not make comparable to those of Albert Einstein, as some times is affirmed in the mainstream media. In this book, Hawking´s work as presented at the Vatican Study Week on Astrophysical Cosmology (1981), his bestseller "A Brief History of Time" (1988), his lecture on "Gödel and the end of physics" (2002), and "The Grand Design"(2010) are briefly examined. In them many philosophical questions are raised but no rigorous answers are provided. In the second half of the book, chapters on the origin of science in the Christian West, the post-Renaissance scientific revolution, the true pioneers of modern physics put contemporary cosmology in a proper perspective. The authors conclude that contemporary observational data are compatible with a finite, open and contingent universe, rather than with "everything coming out of nothing". This book puts in a proper historical perspective, contrary to Hawking’s, that the universe is intelligible as attested by the monumental fact of modern science, and, therefore, that it is contingent, and therefore created. Very often, contemporary theoretical cosmologists ignore the crucial contributions made in Medieval Europe to the birth of modern physics. This book intends to bridge the gap in accessible language for the non specialist.

This book details all the intricacies and essential knowledge involved in the research and development of the Coronil Kit - a combination of 3 ayurvedic medications for the common cold. It informs the reader about the huge potential of herbal drugs in fighting against any type of disease through evidence-based data from clinical trials and experiments. The book elaborates how current scientific techniques can be applied to understand the healing capacities of plants at their molecular level and thus utilize their different combinations to treat diseases by targeting harmful micro-organisms and simultaneously boosting the immune system. It covers methods of virtual screening and computational validation of identified phytochemicals as potential antiviral agents against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. 70 colored figures.

Key Features:

1. Covers the molecular etiology of COVID-19 virus,

2. Covers guidance on drug formulation, hazard assessment, and clinical trials based on approved methods by regulatory organizations

3. Covers pharmacological, toxicological, and technically verified chemical composition of medicinal plants

4. Includes information about in vivo experiments and analysis of Humanoid Zebrafish trials

5. Includes methods of identifying antiviral agents against the SARS-CoV-2 virus

6. Includes chemical, analytical and technical studies of Coronil

7. Includes 70 images 7 chapters 8.

Includes a bibliography and appendix

The book is primarily intended as a primary resource for medical research scholars and researchers in pharmaceutical companies and as a secondary resource for B.A.M.S. students, medical postgraduate students, and Ayurveda enthusiasts.

Developing an effective program requires a sound administrative system and a supportive educational culture including the support of program handbooks, a Master’s project (Capstone), practicum, and skill development seminars. Experiential Teaching for Public Health Practice describes the underlying PBL and community framework for a teaching program along with a description of the competencies needed to meet workplace demands and educational accreditation requirements. It has been developed by members of University of Washington’s Community-Oriented Public Health Practice program (COPHP) curriculum. This curriculum mirrors core programmatic areas of population health, community development, quantitative research methods, environmental health, health behavior and health promotion, evaluation, policy, and management and leadership.

Key features include:

- Structured template outlining the basics of PBL programs

- Case examples given in each curricular area

- Detailed appendices with sample cases and links to original source documents

- A focus on principles of racial equality

This book is designed to give the reader hands-on help in designing and improving educational programs. It is suitable for all higher education administrators and faculty looking to improve the teaching and learning effectiveness of any academic program.

This book offers in-depth reviews of different techniques and novel approaches of using blockchain and artificial intelligence in smart healthcare services. The volume brings 14 reviews and research articles written by academicians, researchers and industry professionals to give readers a current perspective of smart healthcare solutions for medical and public health services.

The book starts with examples of how blockchain can be applied in healthcare services such as the care of osteoporosis patients and security. Several chapters review AI models for disease detection including breast cancer, colon cancer and anemia. The authors have included model design and parameters for the benefit of professionals who want to implement specific algorithms. Furthermore, the book also includes chapters on IoT frameworks for smart healthcare systems, giving readers a primer on how to utilize the technology in this sector. Additional use cases for machine learning for gesture learning. COVID-19 management, and sentiment analysis.