Microfluidic Technologies for Miniaturized Analysis Systems
Microfluidic Technologies for Miniaturized Analysis Systems provides a comprehensive overview of the fluidic aspects of Lab-on-a-Chip technology. This book describes the most important and state-of-the-art microfluidic technologies and the underlying principles utilized in the implementation of fluidic protocols of miniaturized analysis systems. This book discusses many of the effects, outcomes, and techniques which are unique to microfluidic systems. The specific components of this technology toolbox are elucidated through research and examples presented by some of the most renowned experts in the field.
Methods for Analysing and Reporting EQ-5D Data
This book is the first published guide about how to analyse data produced by the EQ-5D, one of the most widely used Patient Reported Outcomes questionnaires world wide. The authors provide practical, clear and comprehensive guidance in five concise chapters.
Methods and Tools for Drought Analysis and Management
Implementation of effective drought management policies requires both advanced technologies and appropriate methods. Monitoring and forecasting systems, practical tools for risk assessment, as well as simple and objective criteria to select and implement appropriate drought mitigation measures are key elements for a successful drought management strategy.These key issues have been tackled by universities and public agencies involved in the EU projects Sedemed and Sedemed II (Programme Interreg IIIB MEDOCC), aimed at the definition of an integrated network for real time monitoring of drought, the development of common methodologies for drought analysis and forecasting, as well as the definition of proper mitigation strategies for the Mediterranean countries.The book presents the main outcomes of such projects with a special focus on: drought monitoring and forecasting echniques at different spatial scales; new or modified agrometeorological indices and remote sensing technique for drought identification and characterization; tools to improve surface water resources management under drought conditions; methods and tools for groundwater resources monitoring and management, based on hydrogeological and hydrodynamics characteristics of aquifers; general criteria to select and implement mitigation strategies to prevent or minimize drought impacts.
Medical Emergency Teams : Implementation and Outcome Measurement
Why Critical Care Evolved METs? In early 2004, when Dr. Michael DeVita informed me that he was cons- ering a textbook on the new concept of Medical Emergency Teams (METs), I was surprised. At Presbyterian-University Hospital in Pittsburgh we int- duced this idea some 15 years ago, but did not think it was revolutionary enough to publish. This, even though, our fellows in critical care medicine training were all involved and informed about the importance of “C- dition C (Crisis),” as it was called to distinguish it from “Condition A (Arrest). ”We thought it absurd to intervene only after cardiac arrest had occurred,because most cases showed prior deterioration and cardiac arrest could be prevented with rapid team work to correct precluding problems. The above thoughts were logical in Pittsburgh, where the legendary Dr. Peter Safar had been working since the late 1950s on improving current resuscitation techniques, ?rst ventilation victims of apneic from drowning, treatment of smoke inhalation, and so on. This was followed by external cardiac compression upon demonstration of its ef?ciency in cases of unexpected sudden cardiac arrest. Dr. Safar devoted his entire professional life to improvement of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He and many others emphasized the importance of getting the CPR team to o- of-hospital victims of cardiac arrest as quickly as possible.
Medical data processing and analysis
Medical data can be defined as obtaining information from patients (such as signals, images, sounds, chemical components and their concentration, body temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and different treatment measurements) to quantify the patient’s status and disease stage. Computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems use classical image processing, computer vision, machine learning, and deep learning methods for image analysis. Using image classification or segmentation algorithms, they find a region of interest (ROI) pointing to a specific location within the given image or an outcome of interest in the form of a label pointing to a diagnosis or prognosis. Computer science, with the evolution of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, facilitates the modeling and interpretation of results—from carrying out measurements to experiments and observations.
Measuring emission of agricultural greenhouse gases and developing mitigation options using nuclear and related Techniques : Applications of nuclear techniques for GHGs
This book is an outcome of the collaboration between the Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, and the German Science Foundation research unit DASIM (Denitrification in Agricultural Soils: Integrated control and Modelling at various scales) and other institutes.
Meaning in Mathematics Education
This book presents a wide variety of theoretical reflections and research results about meaning in mathematics and mathematics education based on long-term and collective reflection by the group of authors as a whole. It is the outcome of the work of the BACOMET (BAsic COmponents of Mathematics Education for Teachers) group who spent several years deliberating on this topic. The ten chapters in this book, both separately and together, provide a substantial contribution to clarifying the complex issue of meaning in mathematics education.
Interventions for Persisting Ductus Arteriosus in the Preterm Infant
Over the past few years a remarkably rapid evolution in the professional level of neonatology and in the survival of immature infants has been witnessed. Persisting ductus arteriosus is common in this population and is associated with impaired longterm outcome. Many uncertainties exist concerning indication, approach, best time, and side effects of necessary measurements and interventions to avoid later neurodevelopmental handicaps of the survivors. Experts in neonatology and pediatric cardiology give their opinion in this book. We are sure it will help to define the level of evidence and to develop standards of intervention for persisting ductus arteriosus in Europe. Adequate dealing with the ductus will become a challenge for every perinatal center.
Internationalisation and Globalisation in Mathematics and Science Education
This book aims to: Develop theoretical frameworks of the phenomena of internationalisation and globalisation and identify related ethical, moral, political and economic issues facing mathematics and science educators. Provide a venue for the publication of results of international comparisons on cultural differences and similarities rather than merely on achievement and outcomes. Provide a forum for critical discussion of the various models and forms of international projects and collaborations. Provide a representation of the different voices and interests from around the world rather than consensus on issues.
Intellectual Property in the Global Trading System : EU-China Perspective
Having explored multifaceted issues of IPR enforcement, this book argues that IPR enforcement problem is not an actual outcome of Confucian philosophy and "to steal a book" is not an "elegant offence." This book demonstrates that counterfeiting and piracy are common inevitable consequences of inadequate economic development and a by-product of a unique set of socioeconomic crises deriving from the development of a dysfunctional institutional regime. By examining areas of compatibilities between European and Chinese cultures and analysing painful lessons from the US-China negotiations over IPR protection.
Integrated clinical orthodontics
Offers an overview of clinical orthodontic theory and practice to equip clinicians to take an integrated approach to orthodontic practice. It presents the problems of orthodontics in an interdisciplinary context to describe how the potential complexity of dentofacial problems, the medical histories of patients, and a host of other factors contribute to orthodontic outcomes. The second edition has been expanded and thoroughly updated with new chapters and following an organized approach to the role of the orthodontist as part of a team. Cases in the book include orofacial deformities, sleep disorders, esthetic smile creation and temporomandibular joint problems.
Instructional Scaffolding in STEM Education : Strategies and Efficacy Evidence
This book uses meta-analysis to synthesize research on scaffolding and scaffolding-related interventions in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Specifically, the volume examines the extent to which study quality, assessment type, and scaffolding characteristics (strategy, intended outcome, fading schedule, scaffolding intervention, and paired intervention) influence cognitive student outcomes. It includes detailed descriptions of the theoretical foundations of scaffolding, scaffolding strategies that have been proposed to meet different intended learning outcomes in STEM, and associated efficacy information. Furthermore, the book describes assessment strategies and study designs which can be used to evaluate the influence of scaffolding, and suggests new fields in which scaffolding strategies that have proven efficacious may be used.
Institutional Context of Education Systems in Europe : A Cross-Country Comparison on Quality and Equity
In this volume, the authors take up the challenge of considering what a European ‘settlement’ might look like. In doing so, they take into account worldwide trends and the increasing evidence of convergence across educational systems. The outcomes of comparative analyses seem to suggest that strong education systems in terms of finance, governance and choice could be preferable. To a greater or lesser extent, therefore, all the systems of education currently in use in Europe face some common challenges. The way in which these challenges are addressed will determine the future of these systems.
Innovative Tools and methods using BIM for an efficient renovation in buildings
This book describes a BIM-based toolkit that has been developed according to the latest research activities on building information modelling and semantic interoperability to optimize the building process. It highlights the impacts of using such new tools to fast renovation activities starting from the decision-making and design stages to the construction site management with the possibility to monitor occupants' and owners’ feedback during the realization process. In this process, a framework has been developed and implemented to allow stakeholders involved in a renovation project to efficiently compile, maintain, and add data about (i) building elements, (ii) building services systems, (iii) tenants, operators, and owners of the building, and (iv) current and predicted performance of the building from the various data sources available. The framework applies and specializes the existing practices in the Semantic Web, Linked Data, and ontology domain to the management of renovation projects. It has been designed to be open so that any system which implements the required functions and uses the specified conventions will be able to achieve semantic interoperability with other framework-compliant systems in the renovation domain. Finally, this book represents the validation process of the toolkit that has been held in three demo sites: a social housing building in Italy and two private residential buildings in Poland and Finland. The outcome shows that the toolkit facilitates the renovation process with relevant reductions of time, costs, and energy consumption and that the inhabitants can take advantage of the increase in building performances, quality, and comfort.
Innovations in plastic and aesthetic surgery
The book is structured according to the major fields of plastic surgery, and the reader is thus offered insight into the most significant contributions to the international community, as well as into new developments, tricks, and refinements in the field.
Innovations in healthcare and outcome measurement : New approaches for a healthy lifestyle
Aims to bring up-to-date new ideas, opinions, development, and critical issues in healthcare and personalized medicine. We are interested in relevant articles covering a broad range of topics, such as: Advances in medical devices, Digitalization and data-driven technologies, AI and algorithm-based drug development (molecule building, enhancement, clinical trials), Diagnostic imaging, Personalized medicine, Nutrition, Oral health care, Healthcare management in certain diseases and population groups, Regulatory developments, Data management, Digital healthcare.
Innovation, Market Archetypes and Outcome : An Integrated Framework
The book examines an integrated innovation environment. Four market archetypes as well as the market outcome for each archetype are described. Innovation dynamics including commoditization, the constant innovation challenge and the sustainability of innovation are analyzed along with cases including the iPod, Lego, Barbie, the browser wars and Google. A diagnostic matrix is presented which enables one to take a ´snapshot´ of a product in the innovation environment. This book is an invaluable tool for the academic, the manager and the consultant to understand ‘where’ a firm is located in an innovation environment, `why’ it is so located and provides valuable clues as to ‘what’ to do when designing strategy.
Innate and Adaptive Immunity in the Tumor Microenvironment
Recent studies, indicate that the tumor microenvironment is unique in providing both supportive and inhibitory factors that determine the fate of the tumor and its host. Accordingly, microenvironmental immunity that operates inside and around a tumor plays a crucial role in cancer development and progression. The aim of the present volume is to compile reviews on innate and adaptive immune responses at the tumor microenvironment with emphasis on positive and negative outcomes that affect the progression of the disease. These reviews have been solicited from experts in the field who published original research studies focusing on these issues.
Information, Organization and Management
"Information, Organization and Management is a comprehensive treatment of the economic and technical foundations for new organizational forms, relations and processes. It provides a wide range of underlying concepts and frameworks that help the reader understand the major forces driving organizational and marketplace change, rather than presenting these changes as simple outcomes of technological or management fads.
Information visualization : Human-centered issues and perspectives
This book is the outcome of the Dagstuhl Seminar on "Information Visualization -- Human-Centered Issues in Visual Representation, Interaction, and Evaluation" held at Dagstuhl Castle, Germany, from May 28 to June 1, 2007.Information Visualization (InfoVis) is a relatively new research area, which focuses on the use of visualization techniques to help people understand and analyze data.This book documents and extends the findings and discussions of the various sessions in detail.



















