الصفحة 25
الصفحة 25
Immunology of Pregnancy
Reproductive Immunology is a growing area in both immunology and reproductive sciences and is helping us to better understand several complications of pregnancy. Immunology of Pregnancy is the first book to give a complete and up to date review of our knowledge related to the role of the immune system during pregnancy and the interactions between the placenta and the maternal immune system. This new title covers in detail all the different hypotheses and studies related to the immunology of implantation and provide a practical approach for the application of basic reproductive immunology research to pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, pre-term labor and IUGR.
Immunogenetics of Autoimmune Disease
Utoimmunity is the downstream outcome of a rather extensive and coordinated series of events that include loss of self-tolerance, peripheral lymphocyte Aactivation, disruption of the blood-systems barriers, cellular infiltration into the target organs and local inflammation. Cytokines, adhesion molecules, growth factors, antibodies, and other molecules induce and regulate critical cell functions that perpetuate inflammation, leading to tissue injury and clinical phenotype. The nature and intensity of this response as well as the physiological ability to restore homeostasis are to a large extent conditioned by the unique amino acid sequences that define allelic variants on each of the numerous participating mol ecules. Therefore, the coding genes in their germline configuration play a primary role in determining who is at risk for developing such disorders, how the disease progresses, and how someone responds to therapy. Although genetic components in these diseases are clearly present, the lack of obvious and homogeneous modes of transmission has slowed progress by prevent ing the full exploitation of classical genetic epidemiologic techniques. Furthermore, autoimmune diseases are characterized by modest disease risk heritability and m- tifaceted interactions with environmental influences. Yet, several recent discoveries have dramatically changed our ability to examine genetic variation as it relates to human disease. In addition to the development of large-scale laboratory methods and tools to efficiently recognize and catalog DNA diversity, over the past few years there has been real progress in the application of new analytical and data-manage ment approaches
Immobilisation of DNA on Chips II
DNA chips are gaining increasing importance in different fields ranging from medicine to analytical chemistry with applications in the latter in food safety and food quality issues as well as in environmental protection. In the medical field, DNA chips are frequently used in arrays for gene expression studies to identify diseased cells due to over- or under-expression of certain genes, to follow the response of drug treatments, or to grade cancers), for genotyping of individuals, for the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms, point mutations, and short tandem reports, or moreover for genome and transcriptome analyses in the quasi post-genomic sequencing era. Furthermore, due to some unique properties of DNA molecules, self-assembled layers of DNA are promising candidates in the field of molecular electronics.the main focus of these two volumes is on the immobilization chemistry, considering the various aspects of the immobilization process itself, since different types of nucleic acids, support materials, surface activation chemistries and patterning tools are of key concern.
Immigration Policy and the Labor Market : The German Experience and Lessons for Europe
German and European immigration policies have only recently begun to cope with the inevitable: growing labor demand in the face of high unemployment and a shrinking labor force due to demographic change. Despite the implementation of Germany's first immigration act and several European initiatives towards legal harmonization at the EU level, an actively controlling immigration policy, which would be needed to master the challenges ahead, is not yet in sight. Against this background, the book draws conclusions from the German history of immigration policy. It analyzes the country's future demand for immigration and develops an economic model for the effective selection and integration of labor migrants that could provide the foundation for a joint European immigration strategy.
Imaging Technologies and Transdermal Delivery in Skin Disorders
This important, timely book covers the latest understanding about today's major skin disorders, the development of imaging technologies for skin diagnosis, and the applications of micro/nano-technologies for the treatment of skin complications. It also places great emphasis on the critical role that interdisciplinary science occupies to achieve the requisite level of understanding of skin conditions and their management, which is essential to creating technologies that work.
Imaging of the Sternocostoclavicular Region
Review of the normal histopathological anatomy, imaging techniques and diagnostic findings for a broad spectrum of clinical problems, including a classification of inflammatory syndromes previously described under several different terms.
Imaging of Kidney Cancer
This is one of the first books to deal specifically with diagnostic imaging of the entire spectrum of kidney cancers. Both new and conventional imaging modalities are fully considered. In an introductory chapter, the histopathological classification of kidney cancers is presented and discussed. The following five chapters describe in great detail the abilities, advantages, and disadvantages of the various imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of kidney cancers and the assessment of disease extension. Subsequent chapters offer an exhaustive description of the radiological features of the different histological subtypes of kidney cancer, with radiological and histological illustrations and tables.
Imagination and Rigor : Essays on Eduardo R. Caianiello's Scientific Heritage
The aim of this Volume of scientific essays is twofold. From one side, by remembering the scientific figure of Eduardo R. Caianiello, it aims at focusing his outstanding contributions - from theoretical physics to cybernetics - which after so many years still represent occasion of innovative paths to be fruitfully followed. It must be stressed the contribution that his interdisciplinary methodology can still be of great help in affording and solving present day complex problems. On the other side, it aims at pinpointing with the help of the scientists contributing to the Volume - some crucial problems in present day research in the fields of interest of Eduardo Caianiello and which are still among the main lines of investigation of some of the Istitutes founded by Eduardo (Istituto di Cibernetica del CNR, IIAS, etc).
Image and Signal Processing ; 3rd International Conference, ICISP 2008. Cherbourg-Octeville, France, July 1 - 3, 2008. Proceedings
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Third International Conference on Image and Signal Processing, ICISP 2008, held in Cherbourg-Octeville, France, in July 2008.The 48 revised full papers and 22 revised poster papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 193 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on image filtering, image segmentation, computer vision, feature extraction, pattern recognition, graph-based representations, motion detection and estimation, new interfaces, document processing, and signal processing.
Illustrated Pollen Terminology
Offers a fully illustrated compendium of glossary terms and basic principles in the field of palynology, making it an indispensable tool for all palynologists. It is a revised and extended edition of “Pollen Terminology. An illustrated handbook,” published in 2009. This second edition, titled “Illustrated Pollen Terminology” shares additional insights into new and stunning aspects of palynology. The chapter “Illustrated Pollen Terms” is the main part of this book and comprises more than 300 widely used terms illustrated with over 1,000 high-quality images. It provides a detailed survey of the manifold ornamentation and structures of pollen, and offers essential insights into their stunning beauty.
Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics in East Central Europe
This book provides an in-depth look into the background of rule of law problems and the open defiance of EU law in East Central European countries. Current illiberal trends and anti-EU politics have the potential to undermine mutual trust between member states and fundamentally change the EU. It is therefore crucial to understand their domestic causes, context conditions, specific processes and consequences.
Il Parlagioco : Uno strumento per comunicare attraverso il gioco = he Parlagioco: A tool for communicating through play
Il Parlagioco nasce da un'esperienza riabilitativa con un bambino autistico, il cui linguaggio aveva bisogno di regole comunicative. Per questo è stato creato un gioco di carte per realizzare uno scambio interattivo attraverso il desiderio di comunicare giocando. Il Parlagioco è servito anche a ridurre l'iperselettività tipica dell'autismo, orientando l'attenzione del bambino verso gli elementi esaustivi, ignorando i dettagli insignificanti allo scopo di cogliere i nessi di un insieme necessari a una comprensione globale. Da questa esperienza il Parlagioco è stato ulteriormente sviluppato per promuovere la pragmatica della comunicazione e le regole del linguaggio in ambito clinico. La sua applicazione nei disturbi specifici del linguaggio permette di ampliare il lessico, la comprensione di nuovi vocaboli e la produzione di richieste. Quando il disturbo del linguaggio è invece associato a ritardo mentale nelle malattie genetiche o neurologiche, esso consente delle facilitazioni nel proporre compiti specifici di riabilitazione linguistica. La presentazione grafica allettante e la proposta ludica fannno si' che esso sia facilmente applicabile anche in ambito scolastico e familiare.
Il fuoco di Sant’Antonio : Storia, tradizioni e medicina = St. Anthony's fire : History, Traditions, and Medicine
Il libro descrive la storia di Sant'Antonio Abate, il grande taumaturgo ed il fondatore del monachesimo cristiano. Molto prima che ciò fosse una pratica comune tra i fedeli, egli praticò l’ascetismo nel deserto ad imitazione di Cristo e le sue tentazioni demoniache descritte nella biografia scritta da Sant’Atanasio hanno costituito il tema favorito di molti pittori ed ispirato "La Tentation de Saint Antoine" di Gustave Flaubert. Padrone del fuoco e protettore degli animali, viene spesso raffigurato con accanto una fiamma ed un maialino, ragione per cui è anche chiamato "Sant’Antonio del porcello". Egli era il santo prediletto dai contadini ed inoltre patrono dei cestai, dei porcai, dei ceramisti e di molte altre professioni, ma era famoso soprattutto per le sue capacità curative sì da divenire il santo taumaturgo per eccellenza. Pertanto, dal Medio Evo al XIX era invocato per curare le più dolorose piaghe che affliggevano l’umanità, soprattutto quelle più devastanti che furono chiamate "Fuoco di Sant’Antonio". Questo termine includeva molte malattie completamente diverse tra loro, ma che avevano in comune solo un dolore intollerabile.
Ifo Survey Data in Business Cycle and Monetary Policy Analysis
The business surveys of the Ifo Institute (short for Information and Forschung) are internationally renowned. Every month close to 7,000 enterprises are questioned on their short-term planning and their appraisals of the actual and future business situation. The confidence indicator frequently referred to as the Ifo Business Climate Index is derived from the responses to this Ifo Business Survey. While the Index attracts a lot of attention by practitioners (especially financial market analysts), the use and empirical exploitation of this and other components of Ifo business surveys is – amongst academics – still relatively scarce. The present volume, based on a conference entitled "The Academic Use of Ifo Survey Data", gives examples of timely research questions which can be addressed by qualitative survey data like the monthly Ifo Business Survey. It shows that this type of real-time data can be very informative when it comes to forecasting real economic activity or exploring monetary policy transmission.
Identification of nonlinear systems using neural networks and polynomial models : A block-oriented approach
The book gives a comparative study of their gradient approximation accuracy, computational complexity, and convergence rates and furthermore presents some new and original methods concerning the model parameter adjusting with gradient-based techniques. "Identification of Nonlinear Systems Using Neural Networks and Polynomal Models".
Ideals and Reality : Projective Modules and Number of Generators of Ideals
The book gives a comprehensive introduction to basic commutative algebra, together with the related methods from homological algebra, which will enable students who know only the fundamentals of algebra to enjoy the power of using these tools. At the same time, it also serves as a valuable reference for the research specialist and as potential course material, because the authors present, for the first time in book form, an approach here that is an intermix of classical algebraic K-theory and complete intersection techniques, making connections with the famous results of Forster-Swan and Eisenbud-Evans. A study of projective modules and their connections with topological vector bundles in a form due to Vaserstein is included. Important subsidiary results appear in the copious exercises.
ICP design methods for driven piles in sands and clays
While axial capacity is often the governing design criterion with driven piles, the reliability of predictions made by conventional procedures is generally poor. A long-term research program run at Imperial College London in conjunction with Industry, the UK's Health and Safety Executive and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council led to the new design recommendations published by Jardine and Chow in 1996. Their procedures offered considerable improvements and have been applied worldwide in many offshore, marine and onshore projects.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome draws together the experiences of the leading experts in the field. Through their work in all aspects of congenital cardiac care, they have become acknowledged as the world leaders in the diagnostic, medical and social needs of children born with hypoplasia of the left heart. More importantly, for the first time the book recognizes the crucial contributions made by the families of these children. Diagnostic possibilities, options for medical and surgical treatment and a history of their evolution are looked into and the book also gives an insight into the longer-term effects that treatment has on the child and its family. As well as including contributions from medical clinicians, nurses, and psychologists, for the first time a forum is provided for the parents, who have complemented the contributions from the medical and nursing experts to provide a holistic view of the lives and experiences of the children born with this condition. No other publication, currently available, offers such a comprehensive overview of the care required by a child with hypoplasia of the left heart. This book provides the ultimate reference for anyone treating children with this heart condition, particularly paediatric cardiac clinical and nursing teams, radiologists and radiographers, obstetric medical and nursing teams, psychologists, pathologists, geneticists and workers in social care.
Hypoelliptic estimates and spectral theory for Fokker-Planck operators and witten Laplacians
There has recently been a renewal of interest in Fokker-Planck operators, motivated by problems in statistical physics, in kinetic equations and differential geometry. Compared to more standard problems in the spectral theory of partial differential operators, those operators are not self-adjoint and only hypoelliptic. The aim of the analysis is to give, as generally as possible, an accurate qualitative and quantitative description of the exponential return to the thermodynamical equilibrium. While exploring and improving recent results in this direction this volume proposes a review of known techniques on: the hypoellipticity of polynomial of vector fields and its global counterpart; the global Weyl-Hörmander pseudo-differential calculus, the spectral theory of non-self-adjoint operators, the semi-classical analysis of Schrödinger-type operators.
Hyperthermia In Cancer Treatment : A Primer
Following an introductory overview, Hyperthermia In Cancer Treatment: A Primer comprehensively describes the biological reasons for associating hyperthermia with radiation and chemotherapy and the biological and clinical effects of hyperthermia on cancerous and normal tissues. The volume’s 20 chapters are arranged in three principal parts: physical and methodological studies, biologic principles, and clinical studies.
