Science & Nature - Books

Unfolding the Biopolymer Landscape

Science & Nature

The need for the development of biomaterials as scaffold for tissue regeneration is driven by the increasing demands for materials that mimic functions of extracellular matrices of body tissues. Unfolding the Biopolymer Landscape provides a unique account of “biopolymeric interventions” inherent to biotechnological applications, soft tissue engineering, ophthalmic drug delivery, biotextiles, environmentally responsive systems, neurotherapeutics, and emulsions-based formulations for food and pharmaceutical applications. Chapters in this volume also cover biomedical applications and implications of cationic polymers, collagen-based substrates, multifunctional polymers, shape memory biopolymers, hybrid semisynthetic biomaterials, microbial exopolysaccharides, biomaterials mimicking the extracellular microenvironment, derivatized polysaccharides, and metallic biomaterials. Each chapter is distinctly written by experts in the respective fields and emphasis is given on the mechanistic profile of the performance of biopolymers and biomedical applications. This book provides both basic and advanced biopolymer information for scientific experts and early career researchers in the field of drug delivery, tissue engineering, nanomedicine, food technology, peptide science, biomaterial design, and nutrition.

Bioprocessing of Agri-Food Residues for Production of Bioproducts

Science & Nature

This new volume presents original research and scientific advances in the field of the food bioprocessing, bioproducts, valorization of agricultural and food wastes, microbiology, and biotechnology. It explores the most important advances in the valorization of agri-food residues for the production of bioproducts and in the development of several bioprocessing strategies. The authors place a special emphasis on the challenges that the industry faces in the era of sustainable development and aim to facilitate the reduction of food loss and waste. This book demonstrates the potential and actual development and advances in the design and development of strategies and tools for the bioprocessing of agri-food residues for the production of bioproducts.Bioprocessing of Agri-Food Residues for Production of Bioproducts covers aspects related to biotransformation of agri-food residues such as mango seed, citrus waste, pomegranate husks, nut shells, melon peels, leaves and grains, cheese whey, among others.

Getting Started for Internet of Things with Launch Pad and ESP8266

Science & Nature

Getting Started for Internet of Things with Launch Pad and ESP8266 provides a platform to get started with the Ti launch pad and IoT modules for Internet of Things applications. The book provides the basic knowledge of Ti launch Pad and ESP8266 based customized modules with their interfacing, along with the programming.The book discusses the application of Internet of Things in different areas. Several examples for rapid prototyping are included, this to make the readers understand the concept of IoT.The book comprises of twenty-seven chapters, which are divided into four sections and which focus on the design of various independent prototypes. Section-A gives a brief introduction to Ti launch pad (MSP430) and Internet of Things platforms like GPRS, NodeMCU and NuttyFi (ESP8266 customized board), and it shows steps to program these boards. Examples on how to interface these boards with display units, analog sensors, digital sensors and actuators are also included, this to make reader comfortable with the platforms. Section-B discusses the communication modes to relay the data like serial out, PWM and I2C. Section-C explores the IoT data loggers and shows certain steps to design and interact with the servers. Section-D includes few IoT based case studies in various fields. This book is based on the practical experience of the authors while undergoing projects with students and partners from various industries.

Complex Motions and Chaos in Nonlinear Systems

Science & Nature

This book brings together 10 chapters on a new stream of research examining complex phenomena in nonlinear systems—including engineering, physics, and social science. Complex Motions and Chaos in Nonlinear Systems provides readers a particular vantage of the nature and nonlinear phenomena in nonlinear dynamics that can develop the corresponding mathematical theory and apply nonlinear design to practical engineering as well as the study of other complex phenomena including those investigated within social science.

BUiD Doctoral Research Conference 2023

Science & Nature

This open access book presents selected contributions on a wide range of scientific and technological areas originating from the BUiD Doctoral Research Conference (BDRC 2023). It discusses the following topics: project management, macroeconomic factors, Fourth Industrial Revolution, agility, multiculturalism, diversity, inclusion, leadership, language, discourse analysis, curriculum, critical thinking, programming, online learning, and natural ventilation. The contributions reflect the multifaceted nature of the research in three academic disciplines, i.e., humanities, formal science, and applied science. This publication shares with its readers genuine research studies and reflections from practitioners on the current practice and understanding in the three academic disciplines. The significant findings of these studies have considerable educational, industrial, and economic implications.This is an open access book.

Energy and Rhythm

Science & Nature

This is a novel and far reaching polyrhythmic theorisation of our collective living with energy in its many natural and technological forms. It provides a distinctive understanding of the urgent challenges of transforming future energy systems into more just and lower carbon configurations.

Mente y materia

Science & Nature

Al preguntarse si la mente y la materia (el sujeto y el objeto, el yo y el mundo exterior, etcétera) son dos cosas muy distintas o, por el contrario, la misma y única cosa, así como qué lugar ocupa la conciencia en la evolución de la vida y qué papel desempeña en las cuestiones morales el estado de desarrollo de la mente humana, Erwin Schrödinger, Premio Nobel de Física, invade sin reparos terrenos tradicionalmente ocupados por filósofos, teólogos, psicoanalistas y hasta, en determinados aspectos, políticos. Cuando Schrödinger plantea, por ejemplo, la cuestión de si todavía puede esperarse algún desarrollo biológico en el hombre de hoy o la de cómo puede darse su evolución intelectual paralela, las respuestas, rotundas, inquietarán a algunos y escandalizarán a otros. Además de la luz que aporta a la cada vez más candente discusión sobre el porvenir del hombre, el mayor mérito de este libro es el de obligar a pensar. Es difícil que quien lo lea permanezca indiferente e, indefectiblemente, algo se pondrá en movimiento en sus criterios preconcebidos. Como muy bien dijo de este libro el crítico del Scientific American, J.R. Newman: «Lo lees en unas horas; lo recuerdas durante toda la vida...».

Az agy

Science & Nature

Csatlakozzunk a neves agykutatóhoz, David Eaglemanhez a bennünk lakozó univerzumban tett körútján! Az utazás érinti az extrém sportokat, a bűnügyi igazságszolgáltatást, a népirtást, az agysebészetet, a robotok világát és a halhatatlanság keresését. Útközben, az agysejtek milliárdjainak és kapcsolataik billióinak végtelenül sűrű dzsungelében olyasvalamit találunk, amire nem számítottunk. Önmagunkat. „Az agy minden oldala tartogat meglepetéseket, a könyv éppoly fantasztikus, mint amilyen magával ragadó.” STEPHEN FRY

Green Materials and Environmental Chemistry

Science & Nature

The world faces significant challenges as the population and consumption continue to grow while nonrenewable fossil fuels and other raw materials are depleted at ever-increasing rates. Moreover, environmental consciousness and a penchant for thinking in terms of material cycles have caught on with consumers: the use of environmentally compatible materials and production methods is desired. This volume, Green Materials and Environmental Chemistry: New Production Technologies, Unique Properties, and Applications takes a technical approach to address these issues using green design and analysis. This book provides an overview of the latest developments in environmental chemistry and sustainable materials written by experts in their respective research areas.This interdisciplinary volume offers research with the aim to minimize environmental impacts across all lifecycle phases in the design and engineering of products, processes, and systems as just one possible approach to addressing the larger issue of sustainability that includes environmental, economic, and social aspects.

Chroniques d’un amateur de sciences

Science & Nature

« Amateur de sciences » comme on dit « amateur d’art », Bruno Latour a rédigé chaque mois pour la revue La Recherche son journal de passion en nous parlant de la science en train de se faire, du travail des disciplines, de la profession de chercheur, mais aussi de politique des sciences, de controverses, de vaches folles, de momie... D'un ton vif, tantôt allègre et tantôt polémique, ces courtes chroniques très imagées sont une initiation plaisante et synthétique pour ceux qui voudraient goûter à cette nouvelle approche des sciences sociales, la sociologie de la traduction, qui remet en cause l’ennuyeuse distinction entre « littéraire » et « matheux ».

Curiosity

Science & Nature

With the recent landing of the Mars rover Curiosity, it seems safe to assume that the idea of being curious is alive and well in modern science—that it’s not merely encouraged but is seen as an essential component of the scientific mission. Yet there was a time when curiosity was condemned. Neither Pandora nor Eve could resist the dangerous allure of unanswered questions, and all knowledge wasn’t equal—for millennia it was believed that there were some things we should not try to know. In the late sixteenth century this attitude began to change dramatically, and in Curiosity: How Science Became Interested in Everything, Philip Ball investigates how curiosity first became sanctioned—when it changed from a vice to a virtue and how it became permissible to ask any and every question about the world.Looking closely at the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries, Ball vividly brings to life the age when modern science began, a time that spans the lives of Galileo and Isaac Newton. In this entertaining and illuminating account of the rise of science as we know it, Ball tells of scientists both legendary and lesser known, from Copernicus and Kepler to Robert Boyle, as well as the inventions and technologies that were inspired by curiosity itself, such as the telescope and the microscope. The so-called Scientific Revolution is often told as a story of great geniuses illuminating the world with flashes of inspiration. But Curiosity reveals a more complex story, in which the liberation—and subsequent taming—of curiosity was linked to magic, religion, literature, travel, trade, and empire. Ball also asks what has become of curiosity today: how it functions in science, how it is spun and packaged for consumption, how well it is being sustained, and how the changing shape of science influences the kinds of questions it may continue to ask.Though proverbial wisdom tell us that it was through curiosity that our innocence was lost, that has not deterred us. Instead, it has been completely the contrary: today we spend vast sums trying to reconstruct the first instants of creation in particle accelerators, out of a pure desire to know. Ball refuses to let us take this desire for granted, and this book is a perfect homage to such an inquisitive attitude.

Medical Imaging

Science & Nature

MEDICAL IMAGING Written and edited by a team of experts in the field, this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study of and reference for the practical applications of medical imaging for engineers, scientists, students, and medical professionals. Medical imaging is one of the most important diagnostic tools in healthcare. More than 50% of the clinical market depends on diagnostic imaging to identify different pathological conditions in subjects. It is, therefore, essential for healthcare personnel and paramedical staff as well as the technicians and the supporting engineers to understand the basics of medical imaging. This subject is of utmost importance to every individual involved in the healthcare industry, right from research and development until application and service. Medical Imaging presents the salient aspects of diagnostic imaging modalities. The subjects that are covered are the basic functional principles, the concepts involved, the instrumentation-based aspects, applications, and the latest trends in imaging modalities. This book concentrates on X-rays imaging, computer tomography-based imaging, ultrasound techniques, radionuclide imaging, MRI techniques, and other important diagnostic modalities which are commonly used for medical diagnosis of various pathologies in human beings. Covering all of the latest advances, innovations, and developments in practical applications for medical imaging, this volume represents the most comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the issues of the day and state of the art. Whether for the veteran engineer or scientist or a student, this volume is a must-have for any library.

E poi i bambini

Science & Nature

Un tempo i ragazzi si divertivano con mezzi di fortuna in un cortile o sul marciapiedi. Ma ai giovani di oggi è stato negato anche quello. Nei mesi della pandemia, a causa delle restrizioni imposte dal coronavirus, i bambini sono stati cancellati dai provvedimenti governativi. Senza libertà di uscire, i nostri figli sono stati costretti a rinunciare a ritmi e rituali quotidiani e ai rapporti scolastici che ne scandivano l’esistenza e su cui si fonda in parte la loro identità. Hanno vissuto in spazi ristretti, senza poter esprimere la spontanea vitalità nei movimenti, schiavi di tv e tablet. E con un clima soffocante in cui si sono accumulate le tensioni dei genitori per il contagio, le loro apprensioni per le rinunce pesanti, le incertezze lavorative. La situazione degli adolescenti è, se possibile, ancora più complessa: si sono trovati bloccati in famiglia, senza poter incontrare gli amici e il mondo esterno e dovendo limitare poi le modalità della vita sociale. Come usciranno i «coronnial» dal periodo della pandemia con le nuove regole sociali che ancora impone e di fronte a una possibile ripresa dell’epidemia? Come possiamo aiutarli a superare un’esperienza che non ha precedenti per i ragazzi e per i loro genitori?

Great Inventions 1801-1900

Science & Nature

This book presents the most important inventions during the 19th century : -transport, -construction, -telecommunication, - film and music. Available in French : "GRANDES INVENTIONS 1801-1900"

Ion Transporters

Science & Nature

“In the struggle between plants and salt, ion transporters are the silent warriors that turn adversity into growth.”As our planet faces the growing threat of climate change and soil salinization, the need to develop resilient crops has never been more urgent. Ion Transporters: The Clue to Salt Tolerance and Adaptation in Plants offers an honest attempt to delve into the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to survive in salty environments. The book explores how ion transporters—specialized proteins that regulate the movement of ions across plant cell membranes—are central to a plant’s ability to manage salt stress and thrive in challenging conditions.Drawing from cutting-edge research in plant physiology, molecular biology, and genetics, this book uncovers the complex role of ion channels, pumps, and transporters in salt tolerance. It also highlights how scientists are leveraging these mechanisms to develop crops capable of withstanding increasing soil salinity. From halophytes, nature’s salt survivors, to biotechnological breakthroughs, this book reveals the future of sustainable agriculture in a salt-affected world. A special focus is given to advanced biotechnological tools such as gene editing, CRISPR-Cas9, and modern breeding techniques.Key Features:• In-depth explanation of ion transporters and their role in salt tolerance• Coverage of ion channels, pumps, and their coordination in stress adaptation• Case studies on halophytes and naturally salt-tolerant systems• Insights into gene editing, CRISPR-Cas9, and biotechnology applications• Exploration of sustainable crop development under saline conditionsWhether you are a researcher, educator, or agricultural practitioner, this book will deepen your understanding of the molecular underpinnings of salt tolerance and inspire innovative solutions for global food security.

Viitorul omenirii

Science & Nature

DE LA AUTORUL BESTSELLERULUI NEW YORK TIMES VIITORUL MINȚII UMANECĂLĂTORII INTERSTELARE, TERRAFORMAREA PLANETEI MARTE, NEMURIREA ȘI VIITORUL NOSTRU DINCOLO DE PĂMÂNT„Cu o limpezime admirabilă, Michio Kaku prezintă formarea planetelor și istoria rachetelor, explicându-ne cum am putea coloniza nu doar Marte, ci și unii dintre sateliții giganților gazoși Jupiter și Saturn." — Steven Poole, The Wall Street Journal„O privire uimitoare asupra viitorului. Întotdeauna optimist și exuberant, Kaku oferă o serie fascinantă de scenarii în care oamenii, depășind obstacolele actuale, reușesc să călătorească în univers." — Kirkus ReviewsCivilizația umană se află pe punctul de a se extinde dincolo de Pământ. Nu mai e doar o posibilitate, a devenit o necesitate: fie că vom fi forțați de schimbările climatice, de epuizarea resurselor sau de catastrofe viitoare care ne vor obliga să părăsim planeta, este sigur că, într-o bună zi, vom ajunge să locuim printre stele.În stilul său inconfundabil, fizicianul Michio Kaku explorează modul în care umanitatea ar putea dezvolta gradual o civilizație în spațiul cosmic, grație evoluțiilor spectaculoase din robotică, nanotehnologie și biotehnologie.„Kaku este un popularizator al științei experimentat și perspicace, reușind să stârnească interesul publicului larg pentru cele mai provocatoare aspecte ale subiectelor pe care le abordează. Viitorul omenirii conține o cantitate uriașă de speculații științifice, pe care Kaku le stăpânește și le organizează impecabil." — Steve Donoghue, Christian Science MonitorDe același autor, la Editura Trei au apărut Fizica imposibilului, Fizica viitorului, Lumi paralele și Viitorul minții umane.

Perché E=mc²?

Science & Nature

Brian Cox e Jeff Forshaw si spingono alla frontiera della scienza del ventunesimo secolo per riflettere sul vero significato della sequenza di termini matematici che creano l'equazione-simbolo di Einstein, E=mc². Spiegando i termini uno per uno, si chiedono: cos'è l'energia? Cos'è la massa? Cosa c'entra con energia e massa la velocità della luce? Per rispondere, ci portano fino a un esperimento tra i più grandi mai esistiti: l'acceleratore di particelle noto con il nome di Large Hadron Collider, che si snoda per 27 km nel sottosuolo di Ginevra, a cavallo del confine tra Francia e Svizzera. Usando questa macchina gigantesca - in grado di ricreare le condizioni dell'universo poche frazioni di secondo dopo il Big Bang - Cox e Forshaw descrivono la teoria contemporanea sull'origine della massa. Insieme a energia e massa, la terza componente dell'equazione è c, la velocità della luce, probabilmente la più affascinante. Perché la velocità della luce permette la conversione tra energia e massa? La risposta è davvero il cuore della questione: gli autori mostrano che per comprendere realmente E=mc² si deve prima capire perché si può viaggiare nel futuro ma non nel passato e come si muovono i corpi del nostro mondo tridimensionale in uno spaziotempo a quattro dimensioni. In altre parole, si deve capire come è fatta la struttura fondamentale e profonda del nostro mondo.

眺望時間的盡頭

Science & Nature

全書以物理定律貫穿,差別地對待所有原子、分子、生命和你與我。第三人稱的外部科學觀察,加上第一人稱的內在思索,將個人歷程、科學理念、概念與事實交織匯集。作者論述時大量運用類比和隱喻,以非技術用語來解釋所有必要的觀點,特別艱澀的概念以簡短摘述代之,讓只具最粗淺背景的讀者都能一路跟隨不致迷途。

Políticas de la naturaleza

Science & Nature

La obra capital de uno de los pensadores más innovadores de nuestro tiempo. Un giro fascinante y audaz a los debates contemporáneos sobre la naturaleza.¿Cómo salvar la brecha aparentemente infranqueable entre la ciencia (responsable de entender la naturaleza) y la política (responsable de regular la vida social)? Desde hace tiempo, la ecología política pretende dar respuesta a este enorme desafío, cuyas consecuencias ponen en peligro la base de la democracia. Pero tropieza con dificultades para renovar la vida pública…La naturaleza siempre ha constituido una de las dos mitades de la vida pública; la otra mitad forma lo que llamamos política, es decir, el juego de intereses y pasiones. Por un lado lo que nos une, la naturaleza, por otro lo que nos divide, la política. Y por eso es erróneo afirmar que la preocupación por la naturaleza es el sello distintivo de la ecología política: porque las controversias científicas que suscita y la incertidumbre sobre los valores que provoca, nos obliga a abandonar la naturaleza como modo de organización pública.Para Bruno Latour, la solución reside en una profunda redefinición tanto de la actividad científica (que debe reintegrarse en el juego normal de la sociedad) como de la actividad política (entendida como elaboración progresiva de un mundo común). En este libro, Latour explora las condiciones y limitaciones de esta reformulación, lanzando un nuevo enfoque para el mantenimiento de un mundo más habitable.La crítica ha dicho...«Una contribución esencial al pensamiento contemporáneo». American Scientist«Una obra que marca un hito. La tarea de reconstruir la política a partir de la crítica ecológica no ha hecho más que empezar». Le Monde«El argumento de Latour es tan complejo como creativo. Está motivado por la preocupación de que la humanidad pierda el momento actual, se niegue a frenar lo suficiente como para reflexionar sobre sus posibles futuros y, en su lugar, se precipite desde el totalitarismo del siglo XX a la globalización del siglo XXI». Perspectives on Politics

The Systems Thinker

Science & Nature

The second edition is now available!Find the optimal solutions to your problems. Gain a deep understanding of the “what, why, how, when, how much” questions of your life.Become a Systems Thinker and discover how to approach your life from a completely new perspective.What is systems thinking? Put it simply, thinking about how things interact with one another. Why should this matter to you? Because you are a system. You are a part of smaller and larger systems – your community, your country, your species. Understanding your role within these systems and how these systems affect, hinder, or aid the fulfillment of your life can lead you to better answers about yourself and the world.Information is the most precious asset these days. Evaluating that information correctly is almost priceless. Systems thinkers are some of the bests in collecting and assessing information, as well as creating impactful solutions in any context.The Systems Thinker will help you to implement systems thinking at your workplace, human relations, and everyday thinking habits. Boost your observation and analytical skills to find the real triggers and influencing forces behind contemporary politics, economics, health, and education changes. Systems thinking clears your vision by teaching you not only to find the differences between the elements but also the similarities. This bi-directional analyzing ability will give you a more complex worldview, deeper understanding of problems, and thus better solutions.The car stopped because its tank is empty – so it needs gas. Easy problem, easy solution, right? But could you explain just as easily why did the price of gas raise with 5% the past month? After becoming a systems thinker, you’ll be able to answer that question just as easily.Change your thoughts, change your results.•What are the main elements, questions and methods of thinking in systems?•The most widely used systems archetypes, maps, models, and analytical methods.•Learn to identify and provide solutions even the most complex system problems.•Deepen your understanding about human motivation with systems thinking.The past fifty years brought so many changes in our lives. The world has become more interconnected than ever. Old rules can’t explain the new world anymore. But systems thinking can. Embrace systems thinking and become a master of analytical, critical, and creative thinking.

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