Science & Nature - Books

Internet of Healthcare Things

Science & Nature

INTERNET OF HEALTHCARE THINGS The book addresses privacy and security issues providing solutions through authentication and authorization mechanisms, blockchain, fog computing, machine learning algorithms, so that machine learning-enabled IoT devices can deliver information concealed in data for fast, computerized responses and enhanced decision-making. The main objective of this book is to motivate healthcare providers to use telemedicine facilities for monitoring patients in urban and rural areas and gather clinical data for further research. To this end, it provides an overview of the Internet of Healthcare Things (IoHT) and discusses one of the major threats posed by it, which is the data security and data privacy of health records. Another major threat is the combination of numerous devices and protocols, precision time, data overloading, etc. In the IoHT, multiple devices are connected and communicate through certain protocols. Therefore, the application of emerging technologies to mitigate these threats and provide secure data communication over the network is discussed. This book also discusses the integration of machine learning with the IoHT for analyzing huge amounts of data for predicting diseases more accurately. Case studies are also given to verify the concepts presented in the book. Audience Researchers and industry engineers in computer science, artificial intelligence, healthcare sector, IT professionals, network administrators, cybersecurity experts.

Sustainable Agriculture Reviews 61

Science & Nature

The book aim to contribute the latest understandings of physiological, biochemical and molecular bases of the responses of major crop plants to a range of different biomass produced biochar to introduce climate resilience crop varieties which leads to enhanced crop productivity and quality under stressful conditions and also for better utilization of natural resources to ensure food security through modern breeding. Finally, this book will be a valuable resource for future plant stress related research with biochar, and can be considered as a reference book for front-line researchers working on sustaining crop production under climate change.Adverse effects of climate changes on crops has developed the situation quite critical for sustainable agriculture. Food security has become in danger due to low production of agricultural crops by resilient climate and ever increasing human population. Heat, drought, salinity, soil compaction, flooding and poor soil organic carbon induced stress in crops by climate adverse conditions are major concerns in this regard. A mechanistic understanding of the interactions between abiotic stresses response of crops is needed to identify and take advantage of acclimation traits in major crop species as a prerequisite for securing robust yield and good quality. This underpins a need for crops with inherent yield increase, yield stability against multiple abiotic stresses and improved quality. Individual stress tolerance mechanisms have been well documented so far. However, mechanisms behind plants’ tolerance by application of biochar and its interactions with soil and plant roots towards multiple abiotic stresses are not fully understood.In addition, there will always be some uncertainty associated with modelling the complex relationships between agricultural yields, product quality with biochar under future climate scenarios. Prediction of yield and quality stability, one of most complex agronomic traits, must integrate aspects of plant development, physiology, biochemistry and genetics. Furthermore, the GxExM interactions will complicate the model predications, thus the responses of a given genotype to a defined environment under certain management strategy need to be determined empirically and used to parameterise and refine crop models.

The End Of Science

Science & Nature

As staff writer for Scientific American, John Horgan has a window on contemporary science unsurpassed in all the world. Who else routinely interviews the likes of Lynn Margulis, Roger Penrose, Francis Crick, Richard Dawkins, Freeman Dyson, Murray Gell-Mann, Stephen Jay Gould, Stephen Hawking, Thomas Kuhn, Chris Langton, Karl Popper, Stephen Weinberg, and E.O. Wilson, with the freedom to probe their innermost thoughts? In The End Of Science, Horgan displays his genius for getting these larger-than-life figures to be simply human, and scientists, he writes, "are rarely so human . . . so at there mercy of their fears and desires, as when they are confronting the limits of knowledge."This is the secret fear that Horgan pursues throughout this remarkable book: Have the big questions all been answered? Has all the knowledge worth pursuing become known? Will there be a final "theory of everything" that signals the end? Is the age of great discoverers behind us? Is science today reduced to mere puzzle solving and adding detains to existing theories? Horgan extracts surprisingly candid answers to there and other delicate questions as he discusses God, Star Trek, superstrings, quarks, plectics, consciousness, Neural Darwinism, Marx's view of progress, Kuhn's view of revolutions, cellular automata, robots, and the Omega Point, with Fred Hoyle, Noam Chomsky, John Wheeler, Clifford Geertz, and dozens of other eminent scholars. The resulting narrative will both infuriate and delight as it mindless Horgan's smart, contrarian argument for "endism" with a witty, thoughtful, even profound overview of the entire scientific enterprise. Scientists have always set themselves apart from other scholars in the belief that they do not construct the truth, they discover it. Their work is not interpretation but simple revelation of what exists in the empirical universe. But science itself keeps imposing limits on its own power. Special relativity prohibits the transmission of matter or information as speeds faster than that of light; quantum mechanics dictates uncertainty; and chaos theory confirms the impossibility of complete prediction. Meanwhile, the very idea of scientific rationality is under fire from Neo-Luddites, animal-rights activists, religious fundamentalists, and New Agers alike. As Horgan makes clear, perhaps the greatest threat to science may come from losing its special place in the hierarchy of disciplines, being reduced to something more akin to literaty criticism as more and more theoreticians engage in the theory twiddling he calls "ironic science." Still, while Horgan offers his critique, grounded in the thinking of the world's leading researchers, he offers homage too. If science is ending, he maintains, it is only because it has done its work so well.

Nanobrain

Science & Nature

Making an artificial brain is not a part of artificial intelligence. It will be a revolutionary journey of mankind exploring a science where one cannot write an equation, a material will vibrate like geometric shape, and then those shapes will change to make decisions. Geometry of silence plays like a musical instrument to mimic a human brain; our thoughts, imagination, everything would be a 3D shape playing as music; composing music would be the brain’s singular job. For a century, the Turing machine ruled human civilization; it was believed that irrespective of complexity all events add up linearly. This book is a thesis to explore the science of decision-making where events are 3D-geometric shapes, events grow within and above, never side by side. The book documents inventions and discoveries in neuroscience, computer science, materials science, mathematics and chemistry that explore the possibility of brain or universe as a time crystal. The philosophy of Turing, the philosophy of membrane-based neuroscience and the philosophy of linear, sequential thought process are challenged here by considering that a nested time crystal encompasses the entire conscious universe. Instead of an algorithm, the pattern of maximum free will is generated mathematically and that very pattern is encoded in materials such that its natural vibration integrates random events exactly similar to the way nature does it in every remote corner of our universe. Find how an artificial brain avoids any necessity for algorithm or programming using the pattern of free will.

Environmental Biotechnology

Science & Nature

With focus on the practical use of modern biotechnology for environmental sustainability, this book provides a thoughtful overview of molecular aspects of environmental studies to create a new awareness of fundamental biological processes and sustainable ecological concerns. It covers the latest research by prominent scientists in modern biology and delineates recent and prospective applications in the sub-areas of environmental biotechnology with special focus on the biodegradation of toxic pollutants, bioremediation of contaminated environments, and bioconversion of organic wastes toward a green economy and sustainable future.

The Carbon Almanac

Science & Nature

When it comes to the climate, we don’t need more marketing or anxiety. We need established facts and a plan for collective action.The climate is the fundamental issue of our time, and now we face a critical decision. Whether to be optimistic or fatalistic, whether to profess skepticism or to take action. Yet it seems we can barely agree on what is really going on, let alone what needs to be done. We urgently need facts, not opinions. Insights, not statistics. And a shift from thinking about climate change as a “me” problem to a “we” problem. The Carbon Almanac is a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between hundreds of writers, researchers, thinkers, and illustrators that focuses on what we know, what has come before, and what might happen next. Drawing on over 1,000 data points, the book uses cartoons, quotes, illustrations, tables, histories, and articles to lay out carbon’s impact on our food system, ocean acidity, agriculture, energy, biodiversity, extreme weather events, the economy, human health, and best and worst-case scenarios. Visually engaging and built to share, The Carbon Almanac is the definitive source for facts and the basis for a global movement to fight climate change. This isn’t what the oil companies, marketers, activists, or politicians want you to believe. This is what’s really happening, right now. Our planet is in trouble, and no one concerned group, corporation, country, or hemisphere can address this on its own. Self-interest only increases the problem. We are in this together. And it’s not too late for concerted, collective action for change.

Nanotechnology in Medicine

Science & Nature

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN MEDICINE Discover thorough insights into the toxicology of nanomaterials used in medicine In Nanotechnology in Medicine: Toxicity and Safety, an expert team of nanotechnologists delivers a robust and up-to-date review of current and future applications of nanotechnology in medicine with a special focus on neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diagnostics, nano-nutraceuticals, dermatology, and gene therapy. The editors offer resources that address nanomaterial safety, which tends to be the greatest hurdle to obtaining the benefits of nanomedicine in healthcare. The book is a one-stop resource for recent and comprehensive information on the toxico logical and safety aspects of nanotechnology used in human health and medicine. It provides readers with cutting-edge techniques for delivering therapeutic agents into targeted cellular compartments, cells, tissues, and organs by using nanoparticulate carriers. The book also offers methodological considerations for toxicity, safety, and risk assessment. Nanotechnology in Medicine: Toxicity and Safety also provides readers with: A thorough introduction to the nanotoxicological aspects of nanomedicine, including translational nanomedicine and nanomedicine personalization Comprehensive introductions to nanoparticle toxicity and safety, including selenium nanoparticles and metallic nanoparticles Practical discussions of nanotoxicology and drug delivery, including gene delivery using nanocarriers and the use of nanomaterials for ocular delivery applications In-depth examinations of nanotechnology ethics and the regulatory framework of nanotechnology and medicine Perfect for researchers, post-doctoral candidates, and specialists in the fields of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and nanocarriers, Nanotechnology in Medicine: Toxicity and Safety will also prove to be an indispensable part of the libraries of nanoengineering, nanomedicine, and biopharmaceutical professionals and nanobiotechnologists.

Solid-Gaseous Biofuels Production

Science & Nature

Written by a team of industry experts and edited by one of the most prolific and well-respected engineering authors in the industry, this exciting new volume covers the latest processes, equipment, and applications for clean biofuel production. With renewable and alternative energy sources becoming more and more important, and the growth in percentage of the overall energy used, biofuels production is more important than ever and is a huge part of taking up the slack in the transition from fossil fuels. This volume covers many of the newest state-of-the art processes, trends, and changes in the industry, combining information from many disciplines to deliver have-to-have solutions for the engineer or scientist’s daily problems. Whether in the plant or in the classroom, this exciting new volume is a must-have for any engineer, scientist, student, or other industry professional working in biofuel production. Audience Engineers, scientists, faculty and students, and industry professionals working in the biofuel industry.

Cosmology of Consciousness: Quantum Physics & Neuroscience of Mind

Science & Nature

Cosmology, Consciousness, Evolution, Quantum Physics, Neuroscience, and the Mulitiplicity of Mind Table of Contents 1. How Consciousness Becomes the Physical Universe. Menas Kafatos, Rudolph E. Tanzi, and Deepak Chopra 2. Cosmological Foundations of Consciousness. Chris King 3. The Origin of the Modern Anthropic Principle. Helge Kragh 4. Consciousness in the Universe: Neuroscience, Quantum Space-Time Geometry. Roger Penrose, and Stuart Hameroff 5. What Consciousness Does: A Quantum Cosmology of Mind. Chris J. S. Clarke 6. Quantum Physics & the Multiplicity of Mind: Split-Brains, Fragmented Minds, Dissociation, Quantum Consciousness. R. Joseph 7. Logic of Quantum Mechanics and Phenomenon of Consciousness. Michael B. Mensky 8. Evolution of Paleolithic Cosmology and Spiritual Consciousness. R. Joseph 9. Alien Life and Quantum Consciousness, Randy D. Allen 10. Evolution of Consciousness in the Ancient Corners of the Cosmos. R. Joseph

In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Experiments

Science & Nature

In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Experiments Design and execute cutting-edge experiments with transmission electron microscopy using this essential guide In-situ microscopy is a recently-discovered and rapidly-developing approach to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that allows for the study of atomic and/or molecular changes and processes while they are in progress. Experimental specimens are subjected to stimuli that replicate near real-world conditions and their effects are observed at a previously unprecedented scale. Though in-situ microscopy is becoming an increasingly important approach to TEM, there are no current texts combining an up-to-date overview of this cutting-edge set of techniques with the experience of in-situ TEM professionals. In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Experiments meets this need with a work that synthesizes the collective experience of myriad collaborators. It constitutes a comprehensive guide for planning and performing in-situ TEM measurements, incorporating both fundamental principles and novel techniques. Its combination of technical detail and practical how-to advice makes it an indispensable introduction to this area of research. In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Experiments readers will also find: Coverage of the entire experimental process, from method selection to experiment design to measurement and data analysis Detailed treatment of multimodal and correlative microscopy, data processing and machine learning, and more Discussion of future challenges and opportunities facing this field of research In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Experiments is essential for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and early career researchers entering the field of in-situ TEM.

Big Data Analytics for Intelligent Healthcare Management

Science & Nature

Big Data Analytics for Intelligent Healthcare Management covers both the theory and application of hardware platforms and architectures, the development of software methods, techniques and tools, applications and governance, and adoption strategies for the use of big data in healthcare and clinical research. The book provides the latest research findings on the use of big data analytics with statistical and machine learning techniques that analyze huge amounts of real-time healthcare data. Examines the methodology and requirements for development of big data architecture, big data modeling, big data as a service, big data analytics, and more Discusses big data applications for intelligent healthcare management, such as revenue management and pricing, predictive analytics/forecasting, big data integration for medical data, algorithms and techniques, etc. Covers the development of big data tools, such as data, web and text mining, data mining, optimization, machine learning, cloud in big data with Hadoop, big data in IoT, and more

La llum dels estels

Science & Nature

Un relat sobre com, en assolir la majoria d'edat, l'humanitat pren consciència de les possibilitats de vida a altres mons i la seva sobtada rellevància per al nostre destí a la Terra. Basant-se en el treball de científics de renom, l'astrofísic Adam Frank planteja l'existència de la vida i la intel·ligència alienígenes. Recorre el pensament des de l'antiga Grècia fins als líders intel·lectuals del nostre temps i ens mostra que la nostra única esperança de sobreviure al canvi climàtic com a civilització és reconèixer el que ha descobert recentment la ciència: que no som més que un dels deu bilions de bilions de planetes de l'univers, i és molt i molt probable que més d'un d'aquests planetes hagin acollit civilitzacions alienígenes tecnològicament avançades. Encara hi ha més: totes aquestes civilitzacions s'han d'haver enfrontat al desafiament d'un canvi climàtic provocat per la pròpia civilització.

Plaidoyer pour les animaux

Science & Nature

Dans la lignée dePlaidoyer pour l'altruisme, Matthieu Ricard invite à étendre notre bienveillance à l'ensemble des êtres sensibles. Dans l'intérêt des animaux, mais aussi des hommes.Nous tuons chaque année 60 milliards d'animaux terrestres et 1 000 milliards d'animaux marins pour notre consommation. Un massacre inégalé dans l'histoire de l'Humanité qui pose un défi éthique majeur et nuit à nos sociétés : cette surconsommation aggrave la faim dans le monde, provoque des déséquilibres écologiques, est mauvaise pour notre santé.En plus de l'alimentation, nous instrumentalisons aussi les animaux pour des raisons purement vénales (trafic de la faune sauvage), pour la recherche scientifique ou par simple divertissement (corridas, cirques, zoos).Et si le temps était venu de les considérer non plus comme des êtres inférieurs mais comme nos "concitoyens" sur cette terre ?Nous vivons dans un monde interdépendant où le sort de chaque être, quel qu'il soit, est intimement lié à celui des autres. Il ne s'agit pas de s'occuper que des animaux mais aussi des animaux.Cet essai lumineux met à la portée de tous les connaissances actuelles sur les animaux, et sur la façon dont nous les traitons.Une invitation à changer nos comportements et nos mentalités.

Chemical Engineering of Polymers

Science & Nature

In this important volume, the structures and functions of these advanced polymer and composite systems are evaluated with respect to improved or novel performance, and the potential implications of those developments for the future of polymer-based composites and multifunctional materials are discussed. It focuses exclusively on the latest research related to polymer and composite materials, especially new trends in frontal polymerization and copolymerization synthesis, functionalization of polymers, physical properties, and hybrid systems. Several chapters are devoted to composites and nanocomposites.

Phycobiotechnology

Science & Nature

Named #1 of 15 Best New Biotechnology Books to Read in 2021 by BookAuthority.This volume explores and explains the vast uses and benefits of algae as food, feed, and fuel. It covers the most advanced applications of algae in the food and feed industries and for environmental sustainability. With chapters written by experts and which were extensively reviewed by many well-known subject experts and professionals, Phycobiotechnology: Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Algae and Algal Products for Food, Feed, and Fuel provides an abundance of valuable information.Algae are a genetically diverse group of organisms with a wide range of physiological and biochemical characteristics that have unique capabilities in the fields of agriculture, pharmaceuticals, industry, and environment. Algae hold the potential to become the planet’s next major source of energy and a vital part of the solution for climate change and dependence on fossil fuels. Many varieties of algae are also known to be an abundant source of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that can boost the human immune system.

Materials Modeling for Macro to Micro/Nano Scale Systems

Science & Nature

This new volume offers a state-of-the-art report on various recent scientific developments in the theory of engineering materials. It addresses the close connection between modeling and experimental methods for studying a wide range of nanomaterials and nanostructures.Focusing on practical applications and industry needs, and supported by a solid outlining of theoretical background, the volume provides an overview of approaches that have been developed for designing nanostructured materials. It also covers several aspects of the simulation and design of nanomaterials, analyzed by a selected group of active researchers in the field. The volume also looks at how the advancement of computational tools have enabled nanoscopic prediction of physical and chemical properties and how they can be used to simulate and analyze nanostructures.Materials Modeling for Macro to Micro/Nano Scale Systems is addressed to a wide readership and will be useful for undergraduate and graduate students and as a reference source for professionals including engineers, applied mathematicians, and others working on different application of nanomaterials in engineering.

Photonic Interconnects for Computing Systems

Science & Nature

In recent years, there has been a considerable amount of effort, both in industry and academia, focusing on the design, implementation, performance analysis, evaluation and prediction of silicon photonic interconnects for inter- and intra-chip communication, paving the way for the design and dimensioning of the next and future generation of high-performance computing systems. Photonic Interconnects for Computing Systems provides a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art technology and research achievements in employing silicon photonics for interconnection networks and high-performance computing, summarizing main opportunities and some challenges. The majority of the chapters were collected from presentations made at the International Workshop on Optical/Photonic Interconnects for Computing Systems (OPTICS) held over the past two years. The workshop invites internationally recognized speakers on the range of topics relevant to silicon photonics and computing systems. Technical topics discussed in the book include:Design and Implementation of Chip-Scale Photonic Interconnects;Developing Design Automation Solutions for Chip-Scale Photonic Interconnects;Design Space Exploration in Chip-Scale Photonic Interconnects;Thermal Analysis and Modeling in Photonic Interconnects;Design for Reliability;Fabrication Non-Uniformity in Photonic Interconnects;Photonic Interconnects for Computing Systems presents a compilation of outstanding contributions from leading research groups in the field. It presents a comprehensive overview of the design, advantages, challenges, and requirements of photonic interconnects for computing systems. The selected contributions present important discussions and approaches related to the design and development of novel photonic interconnect architectures, as well as various design solutions to improve the performance of such systems while considering different challenges. The book is ideal for personnel in computer/photonic industries as well as academic staff and master/graduate students in computer science and engineering, electronic engineering, electrical engineering and photonics.

The Genesis Quest

Science & Nature

A science journalist “focuses on the chemical research. . . . into life’s origins. . . . A fascinating and challenging story, leavened with mini-biographies” (Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books).From the primordial soup to meteorite impact zones, the Manhattan Project to the latest research, this book is the first full history of the scientists who strive to explain the genesis of life.How did life begin? Why are we here? These are some of the most profound questions we can ask.For almost a century, a small band of eccentric scientists has struggled to answer these questions and explain one of the greatest mysteries of all: how and why life began on Earth. There are many different proposals, and each idea has attracted passionate believers who promote it with an almost religious fervor, as well as detractors who reject it with equal passion.But the quest to unravel life’s genesis is not just a story of big ideas. It is also a compelling human story, rich in personalities, conflicts, and surprising twists and turns. Along the way, the journey takes in some of the greatest discoveries in modern biology, from evolution and cells to DNA and life’s family tree. It is also a search whose end may finally be in sight.In The Genesis Quest, Michael Marshall shows how the quest to understand life’s beginning is also a journey to discover the true nature of life, and by extension our place in the universe.“As lively in its telling as its subject is thought-provoking.” —The Well-read Naturalist“An historical review of the search for the origin of life . . . . an approachable introduction . . . and also offers an interesting window on the lives of the scientists involved. Recommended.” —Choice

El mundo y sus demonios

Science & Nature

¿Estamos al borde de una nueva edad oscura de irracionalismo y superstición? En este libro conmovedor, el incomparable Carl Sagan demuestra con brillantez que el pensamiento científico es necesario para salvaguardar nuestras instituciones democráticas y nuestra civilización técnica. El mundo y sus demonios es el libro más personal de Sagan, y está lleno de historias humanas entrañables y reveladoras. El autor, con las experiencias de su propia infancia y la apasionante historia de los descubrimientos de la ciencia, muestra cómo el método del pensamiento racional puede superar prejuicios y supersticiones para dejar al descubierto la verdad, que, con frecuencia, resulta sorprendente.

Optical and Molecular Physics

Science & Nature

Optical and Molecular Physics: Theoretical Principles and Experimental Methods addresses many important applications and advances in the field. This book is divided into 5 sections: Plasmonics and carbon dots physics with applications Optical films, fibers, and materials Optical properties of advanced materials Molecular physics and diffusion Macromolecular physics Weaving together science and engineering, this new volume addresses important applications and advances in optical and molecular physics. It covers plasmonics and carbon dots physics with applications; optical films, fibers, and materials; optical properties of advanced materials; molecular physics and diffusion; and macromolecular physics.This book looks at optical materials in the development of composite materials for the functionalization of glass, ceramic, and polymeric substrates to interact with electromagnetic radiation and presents state-of-the-art research in preparation methods, optical characterization, and usage of optical materials and devices in various photonic fields. The authors discuss devices and technologies used by the electronics, magnetics, and photonics industries and offer perspectives on the manufacturing technologies used in device fabrication.

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