Bentham Science Publishers

Green Solutions for Degradation of Pollutants is a compilation of reviews on environmental remediation by sustainable techniques. The book helps readers understand the potential of such techniques in resolving the growing problem of environmental pollutants.

The editors have compiled 13 comprehensive reviews on green remediation techniques such as microbial bioremediation, nano-bioremediation, phytoremediation, and green-nanoremediation for the remediation of a variety of pollutants, including wastewater, microplastics, metals and other contaminants. Materials highlighted in the chapters include carbon quantum dots, plant extracts, metallic and organic nanoparticles.

Green Solutions for Degradation of Pollutants is a reference book for readers who need to comprehend the practical application of green remediation techniques.

Halophytic plants are a fascinating group of plants that also serve as dietary feed for livestock. Their utilization is essential for sustainable agriculture and maintaining ecological balance. This book explains the nature of halophytic plants through an in-depth presentation of their botanical and nutritional characteristics. Chapters of the book highlight different aspects of halophytes on a botanical, histological, ecological and nutritional basis when utilized as animal feed components. The issues of the histo-chemical aspects of halophytes are addressed with regard to their impact on nutrient compositions and availability to animals, while the important nutrient contents of halophytes are considered in relation to their value to animals.

Key Features:

- 10 organized chapters on halophytic plants

- Explains the relationship between botanical and nutritional characteristics of halophytes when utilized as animal feed components

- Covers information about important nutrient contents and secondary metabolites in halophytes

- Includes information on nutritional and feeding values for animals

- Includes informative diagram and tables

- Includes references for further reading

This book fills a notable gap in available literature on the subject, and will stimulate researchers to pursue the many unanswered questions in the field of biosaline agriculture. This text serves as reading material for undergraduate and graduate level courses and specializations in agriculture, animal nutrition, animal physiology, botany and plant physiology. It also serves as supplementary reading for students of taxonomy, ecology, and environmental science courses. Professional and apprentice livestock farmers will also benefit from the information presented by the book.

Handbook for Dental Chair Side Assistants is a timely and comprehensive resource designed to educate the dental chair side assistant and dental nurses about dentistry. This unique practical handbook covers the basic sciences emergencies and clinical aspects of all dental specialties. The theoretical knowledge and background about dental anatomy, dental microbiology, oral pathology, dental materials, dental radiology, dental procedures, common drugs, problems and dental instruments in dental practice is explained in simple and clear terms.

The contents have been designed to give an optimum balance between clinical skills and theoretical foundation of the subject. The book is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 covers basic sciences and includes a guide to working in dental clinics. Part 2 includes a guide to medical emergencies, and information for different dental specialty settings.

Key Features

- Lucid yet simple explanations for learners

- Covers basic and practical tips for dental assistants and nurses

- Provides information for all dental specialties

- Includes notes on advanced technology in dentistry

- Illustrative and easy to retain information with colorful clinical pictures flowcharts and tabular data

- A comprehensive summary for every chapter The book is useful reading material for undergraduate dental students and trainees.

Handbook of Laparoscopy Instruments covers the essential components of laparoscopic instruments and technology. It presents accessible information covering key topics on the subject: Ø Basic and specialized laparoscopic instruments Ø Image production Ø Pneumoperitoneum maintenance Ø Ergonomics Ø Sterilization procedures Ø Optical devices Ø Operation theatre layout and setup Ø Operative hand instruments Ø Robotic Surgery This book is an indispensable resource recommended for students and surgical residents who need an understanding of instruments and procedures in laparoscopic surgery. It is also intended to help medical professionals who want to start laparoscopy units in their clinics.

In a global environment of rapid increases in health expenditures, health policies in Australia and in many other countries are currently undergoing major reforms. To contain future cost increases, accurate tools able to identify and rank ‘best value for money’ health investments are essential.

In Australia non-communicable chronic diseases – e.g. diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and mental disorders – affect the majority of the elderly, account for 70% of health expenditures, and cause poor health, deteriorating quality of life and premature death. This book focuses on how to identify ‘best value for money’ health investments within the context of on-going and future health reforms, and on quantifying the major benefits that would flow from such investments in terms of longer and better lives. This book will be of interest to general readers, social and economic researchers, and students interested in health care in ageing populations.

Some time ago, Schiano raised the question "To B or not to B", which means "To Biopsy or not to Biopsy" the liver for the evaluation of chronic hepatopathies. For a long period, liver biopsy (LB) was considered the "gold standard" for the evaluation of liver morphology. A major disadvantage of LB is its invasiveness: the risk of post-biopsy discomfort for patients and sometimes, for serious complications; also the lack of sensitivity to detect fibrosis, due to its heterogeneity; and the inability to obtain good quality fragments, adequate for pathological examination. In these conditions, the question is whether LB can be regarded as the "gold standard" for staging and grading chronic hepatitis in daily activity.

But what alternative can we propose for the evaluation of liver fibrosis at this moment? The answer is: non-invasive methods and the ultrasound elastographic ones presented in this volume.

Transient Elastography (FibroScan, Echosens) is a recognized method in many countries. Published papers and meta-analyses showed the value of this method for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis (AUROC - 94%); for staging chronic HCV hepatitis (a cut-off value of 7.5 kPa differentiates F0–1 from F2–4 with 67% sensitivity, 87% specificity, 86% positive predictive value (PPV) and 68% negative predictive value (NPV), with a diagnostic accuracy of 76%; but also in HBV chronic infection, NASH, PBC, PBS).

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography (Siemens S2000) is another elastographic methods with promising results (a meta-analysis showed that the mean diagnostic accuracy of ARFI expressed as AUROC was 0.88 for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (F≥2), 0.91 for the diagnosis of severe fibrosis (F≥3), and 0.93 for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. In the subgroup of patients who underwent both ARFI and TE, the diagnostic accuracy of ARFI was comparable to TE for the diagnosis of significant and severe fibrosis, with a trend to be inferior for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. The future of liver fibrosis evaluation points towards non-invasive methods, decreasing dramatically the number of liver biopsies.

Studies have been published regarding the value of Real Time Elastography, performed for the first time with Hitachi systems (EUB-8500 and EUB-900), which uses an extended combined autocorrelation method to produce a real-time elasticity image by using a freehand approach to compress the tissues with the ultrasound transducer. The relative tissues’ elasticity is calculated and displayed as a color overlay on the conventional B-mode image. HiRT-E could be a promising method for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatopathies, but new methods of color code interpretation are needed to improve the accuracy, as well as a reference acquisition methodology.

ShearWave™ Elastography, the new "kid on the block", produces an image where true local tissue elasticity is displayed in a color map in "real time". Elasticity is displayed using a color coded image superimposed on a B-mode image. Stiffer tissues are coded in red and softer tissues in blue, with an image resolution of approximately 1mm. The true elasticity is assessed based on Shear wave propagation speed into the tissue. It is a very new method and only small studies were presented at international meetings.

Thus, having the alternative of noninvasive elastographic methods for the evaluation of liver fibrosis (maybe together with serum tests such as FibroMax) and knowing the low real life yield of liver biopsy (and the risk of complications), we can safely conclude that, for daily medical activity, liver biopsy can be avoided in the vast majority of cases.

This ebook presents an interesting set of chapters on the subject and is of good value to hepatologists interested in non invasive diagnostic methods for liver diseases.

This handbook provides an introduction to COVID-19 and herbal medications that boost the human immune system against SARS-CoV-2. The topics are covered in 7 chapters starting with an introduction to the disease, followed by notes on nutraceuticals and common herbal medicines that have therapeutic potential by enhancing the patient’s immune response. Special topics such as COVID-19 risk factors and Indian traditional medicines are also included to supplement the contents. The editors have taken advantage of the vast body of knowledge accumulated since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Chapters are written in simple language with structured headings to facilitate a quick understanding of the subject. References are provided for scholars interested in further readings. The book is a quick guide on immune boosting medicines for a broad audience that includes general medical practitioners, nurses, caregivers, and public healthcare workers involved in clinics working in local communities.

This volume presents an implicitly implemented large eddy simulation (ILES) by using the fifth order bandwidth-optimized WENO scheme. The chosen method is applied to make comprehensive studies on ramp flows with and without control at Mach 2.5 and Re=5760. Flow control in the form of microramp vortex generators (MVG) is applied. The results show that a MVG can distinctly reduce the separation zone at the ramp corner and lower the boundary layer shape factor under simulated conditions. A series of new findings about the MVG-ramp flow are obtained, including structures relevant to surface pressure, three-dimensional structures of the re-compression shock waves, a complete surface separation pattern, momentum deficit and a new secondary vortex system.

A new mechanism of shock-boundary layer interaction control by MVG associated with a series of vortex rings is also presented. Vortex rings strongly interact with air flow and play an important role in the separation zone reduction. Additionally, readers will learn about the governing equation, boundary condition, high quality grid generation, high order shock capturing scheme and DNS inflow condition in detail. This volume will, therefore, serve as a useful reference for aerospace researchers using LES methods to study shock boundary layer interaction and supersonic flow control.

Human-Computer Interaction and Beyond: Advances Towards Smart and Interconnected Environments is a 2-part book set which presents discoveries, innovative ideas, concepts, practical solutions, and novel applications of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and related disciplines such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, computer vision, and natural language processing. The book provides readers with information about HCI trends which are shaping the future of smart, interconnected urban and industrial environments. Contributions are authored by experts and scientists in the field of HCI and its interrelated disciplines from 8 different countries – Chile, China, Croatia, India, Iran, Malaysia, Peru, and South Korea.

The chapters of this volume present novel and state of the art research works conducted at the intersection of HCI aimed at developing trust, increasing user acceptance, augmenting user performance, and fostering human-technology partnerships. Chapters cover usability testing in digital healthcare systems, user experience testing of handicapped children and assistive technologies for visually impaired users and a gamified user experience design for learning. The volume also presents a review of twitter usability testing among Indian users, along with specific cases of arthritis diagnostic systems, meteorological draught analysis and the role of EUPS in improving GUI design to improve the user experience.

Human-Computer Interaction and Beyond: Advances Towards Smart and Interconnected Environments is an informative reference for scientists, researchers, and developers in both academia and industry who wish to learn, design, implement, and apply these emerging technologies in HCI in different sectors, with the goal of realizing futuristic technology-driven living and functional smart cities and environments.

Hydraulic Power Plants is a textbook for engineering students which explains the construction of hydraulic power plants. The book presents the theory of the working process for each part, i.e. the kinematics and molecular dynamics of liquids flowing through hydraulic machines and systems. The information is presented in a simple manner necessary for understanding their operational conditions and basic numerical relationships. The chapters explain concepts with several drawings and charts to aid the reader, along with relevant specifications, working examples and solved problems, which can be applied in designing practice and maintenance of hydroelectric power plants, pumping stations and pump installations.

Hydraulic Power Plants emphasizes the need of young engineers to acquire knowledge about efficiency in using the tools for the study and design for components of hydraulic power plants such as turbines, pumps and penstocks in a straightforward format, making it an ideal reference for introductory hydraulics and mechanical engineering courses.