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Advances in Thermodynamics and Circular Thermoeconomics: Fundamentals and Criteria
by Michel Feidt Antonio Valero-CapillaThis book on energy physics and energy efficiency discusses two essential components of energy physics: the fundamentals and the criteria. It covers the historical basis of Carnot models, the thermostatic cycles of double-function heat pumps and the optimization of thermomechanical engines, and discusses the results of various investigations, bringing together a number of previous works. The latter half of this book introduces the concept of "Circular Thermoeconomics" and assesses the physical costs of recycling waste in increasingly complex industrial processes. It then goes on to present "Relative Free Energy", allowing us to create a new mathematical theory of thermodynamic costs in order to diagnose malfunctions in thermal systems. The book shows the progression of knowledge on the existence of successive energy, power and efficiency, and pairs this with the economic aspects, which are already becoming linked to growing environmental concerns.
Advances in Wheat Breeding: Towards Climate Resilience and Nutrient Security
by Nusret Zencirci Fahri Altay Faheem S. Baloch Muhammad Azhar Nadeem Ndiko LudidiThis edited book addresses the introduction to wheat, advancements in breeding, the contribution of biotechnological approaches, the development of climate-resilient wheat cultivars, and biofortification efforts to create nutrient-rich wheat cultivars.The world faces simultaneous challenges of a growing population and climate change. It is anticipated that the world population will exceed 9 billion by 2050. Meanwhile, climate change significantly impacts agriculture through uneven patterns, expected to worsen in the coming years, resulting in substantial losses due to biotic and abiotic stresses. Wheat, a staple food for millions worldwide, requires more studies to develop climate-resilient cultivars with improved nutritional content. Given these considerations, it is crucial to understand the activities conducted for wheat breeding and address the current gap to ensure an ample food supply for future generations.This book is beneficial for researchers, teachers, agriculturists, biologists, climate change scientists, and organizations involved in wheat breeding. It also serves as a valuable resource for undergraduate, master, and PhD students interested in wheat.
Advances of Multisensory Integration in the Brain (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology #1437)
by Yong Gu Adam ZaidelThis book presents the latest research on multisensory brain function. Namely, the mechanisms by which the brain processes and integrates information from multiple sensory modalities. Its contents cover a broad range of topics, including optimal integration, cross-modal interactions, calibration, and causal inference – with an emphasis on their neuronal underpinnings. By bringing together efforts from different laboratories around the world we aim to collaboratively shed light on these fundamental brain processes, that underlie perception, cognition, and behavior in a complex multisensory world, and to spur innovation of brain-inspired technologies
Advancing Edge Artificial Intelligence: System Contexts (River Publishers Series in Communications and Networking)
by Ovidiu Vermesan Dave MarplesThe intersection of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing has kindled the edge AI revolution that promises to redefine how we perceive and interact with the physical world through intelligent devices. Edge AI moves intelligence from the network centre to the devices at its edge, entrusting these endpoints to analyse data locally, make decisions, and provide real-time responses.Recent advances in power-efficient high-performance embedded silicon make edge AI a viable proposition, albeit one requiring new distributed architectures and novel design concepts. Moving decision-making closer to the edge makes responses faster and systems more reliable, while the constant pressure to reduce network bandwidth demand and the need to contain spiralling data storage and operations costs help justify the engineering investment necessary to embrace this new paradigm. Moving to decentralised operation opens the door to a multitude of novel applications, covering immersive technologies and autonomous systems across fields as diverse as healthcare and industrial automation, personal assistance and prognostics, surgery, and process control. In the best tradition of systems engineering, the first stage of this transition process is understanding the application domain for edge AI deployment, the ""system context"".This book presents some key topics and early thinking from the EdgeAI* project, covering data backhaul technologies, lifecycle management, mechanisms for developing AIs at the edge and techniques for interacting with those AIs. It provides examples of application domains before concluding with a review of how edge AI systems can be understood by their users. It also examines and presents new results based on current investigations and activities in edge AI technologies, considering the future trends in autonomic systems, hyperautomation, AI engineering, generative AI, connectivity, and cybersecurity mesh.This book aims to empower the reader with the knowledge and insights needed to understand and embrace the transformative power of edge AI technology. The extensively referenced chapters, contributed by experts and thought leaders in the field, are recommended to anyone interested in developing edge AI systems.*Edge AI Technologies for Optimised Performance Embedded Processing" (EdgeAI) Key Digital Technologies (KDT) Joint Undertaking (JU) European research project. https://https://edge-ai-tech.eu/
Advancing Edge Artificial Intelligence: System Contexts (River Publishers Series in Communications and Networking)
by Ovidiu Vermesan Dave MarplesThe intersection of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing has kindled the edge AI revolution that promises to redefine how we perceive and interact with the physical world through intelligent devices. Edge AI moves intelligence from the network centre to the devices at its edge, entrusting these endpoints to analyse data locally, make decisions, and provide real-time responses.Recent advances in power-efficient high-performance embedded silicon make edge AI a viable proposition, albeit one requiring new distributed architectures and novel design concepts. Moving decision-making closer to the edge makes responses faster and systems more reliable, while the constant pressure to reduce network bandwidth demand and the need to contain spiralling data storage and operations costs help justify the engineering investment necessary to embrace this new paradigm. Moving to decentralised operation opens the door to a multitude of novel applications, covering immersive technologies and autonomous systems across fields as diverse as healthcare and industrial automation, personal assistance and prognostics, surgery, and process control. In the best tradition of systems engineering, the first stage of this transition process is understanding the application domain for edge AI deployment, the ""system context"".This book presents some key topics and early thinking from the EdgeAI* project, covering data backhaul technologies, lifecycle management, mechanisms for developing AIs at the edge and techniques for interacting with those AIs. It provides examples of application domains before concluding with a review of how edge AI systems can be understood by their users. It also examines and presents new results based on current investigations and activities in edge AI technologies, considering the future trends in autonomic systems, hyperautomation, AI engineering, generative AI, connectivity, and cybersecurity mesh.This book aims to empower the reader with the knowledge and insights needed to understand and embrace the transformative power of edge AI technology. The extensively referenced chapters, contributed by experts and thought leaders in the field, are recommended to anyone interested in developing edge AI systems.*Edge AI Technologies for Optimised Performance Embedded Processing" (EdgeAI) Key Digital Technologies (KDT) Joint Undertaking (JU) European research project. https://https://edge-ai-tech.eu/
Advancing Medical Posthumanism Through Twenty-First Century American Poetry (Palgrave Studies in Literature, Science and Medicine)
by Tana Jean WelchAdvancing Medical Posthumanism Through Twenty-First Century American Poetry places contemporary poetics in dialogue with posthumanism and biomedicine in order to create a framework for advancing a posthuman-affirmative ethics within the culture of medical practice. This book makes a case for a posthumanist understanding of the body—one that sees health and illness not as properties possessed by individual bodies, but as processes that connect bodies to their social and natural environment, shaping their capacity to act, think, and feel. Tana Jean Welch demonstrates how contemporary American poetry is specifically poised to develop a pathway toward a posthuman intervention in biomedicine, the field of medical humanities, medical discourse, and the value systems that guide U.S. healthcare in general.
The Advent of PhyloCode: The Continuing Evolution of Biological Nomenclature
by Michel LaurinBiological nomenclature is an essential tool for storing and retrieving biological information. Yet traditional nomenclature poorly reflects evolutionary theory. Current biological nomenclature is one of the few fields promoting deliberately vague usage of technical terms. A new code based on evolutionary studies and phylogenetic results (the PhyloCode) will be a major milestone in biological nomenclature. Unfortunately, The PhyloCode and the companion volume are highly technical publications intended for practicing systematists. This book will reach a broader readership of those using nomenclature but who remain unaware of its theoretical foundations.Key Features Responds to the biodiversity crisis and the recent implementation of the PhyloCode Summarizes the spectacular progress of phylogenetics which makes it both increasingly easy and crucially important to define precisely taxon names Provides a 300-year historical perspective featuring high-profile characters, such as Linnaeus and Darwin Summarizes for a broad readership a widely scattered, highly technical and underappreciated scientific literature Documents the activities of the International Society for Phylogenetic Nomenclature, a scholarly society in which the author has played a prominent role
The Advent of PhyloCode: The Continuing Evolution of Biological Nomenclature
by Michel LaurinBiological nomenclature is an essential tool for storing and retrieving biological information. Yet traditional nomenclature poorly reflects evolutionary theory. Current biological nomenclature is one of the few fields promoting deliberately vague usage of technical terms. A new code based on evolutionary studies and phylogenetic results (the PhyloCode) will be a major milestone in biological nomenclature. Unfortunately, The PhyloCode and the companion volume are highly technical publications intended for practicing systematists. This book will reach a broader readership of those using nomenclature but who remain unaware of its theoretical foundations.Key Features Responds to the biodiversity crisis and the recent implementation of the PhyloCode Summarizes the spectacular progress of phylogenetics which makes it both increasingly easy and crucially important to define precisely taxon names Provides a 300-year historical perspective featuring high-profile characters, such as Linnaeus and Darwin Summarizes for a broad readership a widely scattered, highly technical and underappreciated scientific literature Documents the activities of the International Society for Phylogenetic Nomenclature, a scholarly society in which the author has played a prominent role
The Aegean Sea Environment: The Geodiversity of the Natural System (The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry #127)
by Andrey G. Kostianoy Christos L. Anagnostou Ilias D. Mariolakos Panayotis Panayotidis Marina Soilemezidou Grigoris TsaltasThis is the first of three Books that together provide an integrated picture of the Aegean Sea, presenting the natural components of the system (Book I and Book II) as well as the human presence in the extended area (Book III). The Aegean Sea, also called Aegean Archipelagos, is an open, complex, and diverse marine system situated between the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, with different compartments and interactions. This book provides an in-depth exploration of the Aegean Sea's natural systems, shedding light on its geodiversity, geological dynamics, air-land-sea interaction, hydrology, suspended matter and sediments. Divided into 4 parts, the book introduces the diversity, geological dynamics, and evolution of the natural system of the Aegean Sea (Parts 1 and 2), followed by a section devoted to the land-sea interaction in the Aegean coastal system where experts in the field explore freshwater and matter inputs into the Aegean coastal system, as well as the coastal morphodynamics and evolution of the Aegean Sea, its adjacent land areas, and islands. In Part 3, the book delves into the air-sea interaction over the Aegean Sea, presenting its intricate dynamics, including heat and freshwater fluxes, wind waves, tides, and atmospheric deposition. The book closes with a section focused on the hydrology, chemistry, and dynamics of water masses and the sea bottom, providing insights into suspended matter and fluxes, sediments, climate changes, and the intricate nutrient and carbon dynamics within the Aegean Sea ecosystem (Part 4). Given the breadth and depth of its coverage, this book serves as a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and students interested in marine geology, oceanography, and environmental analysis, as well as policymakers and conservationists seeking a comprehensive understanding of the Aegean Sea's complex natural systems.
Aerosol Optical Depth and Precipitation: Measuring Particle Concentration, Health Risks and Environmental Impacts
by Sneha Gautam Cyril Samuel Roshini Praveen KumarThis volume uses aerosol optical depth (AOD) analysis through mapping and remote sensing techniques to derive the relationship between aerosols and hazardous precipitation events, primarily in the form of flooding. Attention is also given to pollution caused by an abundance of particulate matter in the atmosphere and its impacts on human health, which is also assessed via the study of AOD. Background is given on how AOD is retrieved, and why it is a useful tool for estimating atmospheric particle concentration, but also the challenges associated with using this approach. Different aerosol types are introduced to perform a comparative analysis of the most common associations between pollution impacts on temperature and resulting precipitation events. These analyses will help to provide an overview of the best strategies to make informed and sustainable disaster risk management practices and policies. The target audience for the work is students, researchers, and scientists working witha vision towards sustainability, public health safety and air pollution mitigation measures. It will also be a useful text for climate change policy makers, environmental engineers and stakeholders in social development sectors.
The Affective Core Self: The Role of the Unconscious and Retroactivity in Self-Constitution (Contributions to Phenomenology #130)
by Lajos HorváthThis book extends the contemporary concept of the minimal self by introducing the affective core self. The overall aim is to integrate certain psychoanalytical ideas into the phenomenological investigation of passivity and reformulate the idea of the phenomenological unconscious. This volume contributes to the multidimensional analysis of the self by positioning the affective core self between the layers of the more minimal and the less minimal self. It underscores the importance of the unconscious in the constitution of the affective core self by providing the comparative analysis of the phenomenological and the psychoanalytical unconscious.Furthermore, comparisons are drawn between Freud’s conception of the afterwardsness of trauma and the phenomenological notion of retroactive sense-constitution. The book concludes that retroactive sense-making is a double-sided phenomenon and differentiates between implicit-bodily and conscious-narrative retroactive sense-constitution. In order to bolster the idea of implicit-bodily sense-constitution the volume also examines and utilizes contemporary insights on the nature of body memory. The conclusion claims that the affective core self is constituted in time by means of the underlying processes of the two-sided retroactive sense-constitution. This text appeals to students and researchers working in phenomenology and philosophy of mind.
After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon
by Greg EghigianRoswell, 1947. Washington, DC, 1952. Quarouble, 1954. New Hampshire, 1961. Pascagoula, 1973. Petrozavodsk, 1977. Copley Woods, 1983. Explore how sightings of UFOs and aliens seized the world's attention and discover what the fascination with flying saucers and extraterrestrial visitors says about our changing views on science, technology, and the paranormal. In the summer of 1947, a private pilot flying over the state of Washington saw what he described as several pie pan-shaped aircraft traveling in formation at remarkably high speed. Within days, journalists began referring to the objects as "flying saucers." Over the course of that summer, Americans reported seeing them in the skies overhead. News quickly spread, and within a few years, flying saucers were being spotted across the world. The question on everyone's mind was, what were they? Some new super weapon in the Cold War? Strange weather patterns? Optical illusions? Or perhaps it was all a case of mass hysteria? Some, however, concluded they could only be one thing: spacecrafts built and piloted by extraterrestrials. The age of the unidentified flying object, the UFO, had arrived. Greg Eghigian tells the story of the world's fascination with UFOs and the prospect that they were the work of visitors from outer space. While accounts of great wonders in the sky date back to antiquity, reports of UFOs took place against the unique backdrop of the Cold War and space age, giving rise to disputed government inquiries, breathtaking news stories, and single-minded sleuths. After the Flying Saucers Came traces how a seemingly isolated incident sparked an international drama involving shady figures, questionable evidence, suspicions of conspiracy, hoaxes, new religions, scandals, unsettling alien encounters, debunkers, and celebrities. It examines how descriptions, theories, and debates about unidentified flying objects and alien abduction changed over time and how they appeared in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Russia. And it explores the impact UFOs have had on our understanding of space, science, technology, and ourselves up through the present day. Replete with stories of the people who have made up the ufology community, the military and defense units that investigate them, the scientists and psychologists who have researched these unexplained encounters, and the many novels, movies, TV shows, and websites that have explored these phenomena, After the Flying Saucers Came speaks to believers and skeptics alike.
Agribusiness Innovation and Contextual Evolution, Volume I: Strategic, Managerial and Marketing Advancements (Palgrave Intersections of Business and the Sciences, in association with Gnosis Mediterranean Institute for Management Science)
by Demetris Vrontis Alkis Thrassou Antonino Galati Mariantonietta FioreAgriculture is the oldest and most traditional of economic sectors, and its business has seen major evolutionary leaps over the past century. Contemporary agribusiness is being influenced and reshaped by technological advancements, geopolitical developments, globalisation, transport and logistics innovations, as well as changes in industry structure and consumer behaviour. Reflecting on these changes and providing a deep dive into this sector, this two-volume scientific works’ collection defines, refines, analyses, and prescribes the evolution of agribusiness in the present and future. Taken together, the books offer a comprehensive conceptualisation of the multifactorial macro, micro and organisational elements of agribusiness, including strategic, managerial, marketing, technological and geo-socio-political forces. Volume I explores the strategic, managerial and marketing aspects of contemporary agribusiness, and descriptively and prescriptively investigates the organisational and immediate industry practices and sectoral forces. Topics covered include circular business models, CSR communication practices, digital marketing, organisational sustainability and contemporary farming systems, to name a few..
Agribusiness Innovation and Contextual Evolution, Volume II: Technological, Societal and Channel Advancements (Palgrave Intersections of Business and the Sciences, in association with Gnosis Mediterranean Institute for Management Science)
by Demetris Vrontis Alkis Thrassou Antonino Galati Mariantonietta FioreAgriculture is the oldest and most traditional of economic sectors, and its business has seen major leaps in innovation over the past century. Contemporary agribusiness is being influenced and reshaped by technological developments, geopolitical developments, and globalisation, as well as transport and logistics innovations, changes in consumer behaviour.Reflecting on these changes and providing a deep dive into this sector, this two-volume work defines, refines, analyses, and prescribes the evolution of agribusiness in the present and future. Taken together, the books offer a comprehensive conceptualisation of the multifactorial macro, micro and organisational elements of agribusiness, including strategic, managerial, marketing, technological and geo-socio-political forces.Volume II focuses on the wider, macro-environmental forces acting upon agribusinesses, exploring the contextual evolutions that impact the sector, and the means, practices and avenues for its development.It includes topics such as digital technologies adoption, supply chain sustainability, big data analytics, women’s agricultural entrepreneurship, and simulation model decision making.
Agricultural Biomass Nanocatalysts for Green Energy Applications (Clean Energy Production Technologies)
by Manish Srivastava Ashutosh Kumar RaiThe book discusses the various sustainable approaches to combine agrowaste and nanomaterials into catalysts or nanocatalysts with the objective of enhancing biofuel production. It explores the practical sustainability of agronanocatalysts in bioenergy production at a mass scale, while also addressing the existing challenges and proposes sustainable remedies to overcome these limitations. Additionally, the book dives into the cost considerations, recognizing it as a major concern for the widespread utility of catalysts, and explores viable commercial applications in this context.Nanomaterials continue to attract attention in the field of proteins and enzymes due to their versatile physicochemical properties and potential. They offer opportunities to enhance various biofuel production processes by serving as catalysts in the reaction medium. For instance, studies have highlighted the significant improvements in cellulase enzyme production, stability, pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, and enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency achieved through the utilization of nanomaterials. The impact of nanomaterials on fermentative hydrogen production has also been documented. While the application of nanomaterials in biofuel production processes has been reported in the literature, there remains a need to focus on the type of nanomaterials, their synthesis, and their specific effects on important process parameters. Addressing and evaluating these factors is crucial to effectively improve and streamline biofuel production processes using nanomaterials. The book serves as a comprehensive introduction to nanomaterials and nanotechnology in biofuel production, catering to the needs of researchers, academicians and students.
Agro-Waste Derived Biopolymers and Biocomposites: Innovations and Sustainability in Food Packaging
by Santosh Kumar Avik Mukherjee Vimal KatiyarAGRO-WASTE DERIVED BIOPOLYMERS AND BIOCOMPOSITES This comprehensive book describes the fundamental principles and major advancements in the utilization of agro-waste for deriving biopolymers, and their applications to fabricate composite, nanocomposite, and hybrid food packaging films and coatings. The book serves as a complete, systematic, comprehensive account of the contemporary developments in the area of novel and environment-friendly valorization of agro- and food wastes into value-added products like biodegradable polymer and active functional agents for food packaging applications. It also describes the hurdles and challenges in the commercialization of these novel biopolymer-based materials, including their composites, their applications, safety, and legal ramifications. This book consists of fifteen chapters covering different aspects of agro- and food waste utilization, the development of biodegradable polymers, and their composites for sustainable food packaging applications. The first thirteen chapters detail the processing of various agro- and food wastes of plant and animal origin to synthesize different biopolymers, such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, silk proteins, pectin, etc., and their applications for the fabrication of sustainable food packaging materials and composites that are attractive alternatives to synthetic plastic packaging. These chapters also summarize the effectiveness of these biopolymers and their composites in developing active films and edible coatings for shelf-life extension and preservation of perishable foods. A chapter is devoted to issues of biodegradability, including analyses of various biodegradation reactions, such as depolymerization, mineralization, biochemical, and abiotic degradation both in soil and aquatic environments. The book concludes with a chapter addressing the concerns associated with the possible migration of components or additives from these biodegradable packaging into packaged food items. Audience The primary audience for this book is researchers, scientists, and engineers working in food science and technology, food engineering and technology, food biotechnology, sustainable food packaging, etc. Additionally, food entrepreneurs and associated businesses, such as the packaging and coatings industries, will also have a keen interest in the book.
Agro-Waste Derived Biopolymers and Biocomposites: Innovations and Sustainability in Food Packaging
by Santosh Kumar Avik Mukherjee Vimal KatiyarAGRO-WASTE DERIVED BIOPOLYMERS AND BIOCOMPOSITES This comprehensive book describes the fundamental principles and major advancements in the utilization of agro-waste for deriving biopolymers, and their applications to fabricate composite, nanocomposite, and hybrid food packaging films and coatings. The book serves as a complete, systematic, comprehensive account of the contemporary developments in the area of novel and environment-friendly valorization of agro- and food wastes into value-added products like biodegradable polymer and active functional agents for food packaging applications. It also describes the hurdles and challenges in the commercialization of these novel biopolymer-based materials, including their composites, their applications, safety, and legal ramifications. This book consists of fifteen chapters covering different aspects of agro- and food waste utilization, the development of biodegradable polymers, and their composites for sustainable food packaging applications. The first thirteen chapters detail the processing of various agro- and food wastes of plant and animal origin to synthesize different biopolymers, such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, silk proteins, pectin, etc., and their applications for the fabrication of sustainable food packaging materials and composites that are attractive alternatives to synthetic plastic packaging. These chapters also summarize the effectiveness of these biopolymers and their composites in developing active films and edible coatings for shelf-life extension and preservation of perishable foods. A chapter is devoted to issues of biodegradability, including analyses of various biodegradation reactions, such as depolymerization, mineralization, biochemical, and abiotic degradation both in soil and aquatic environments. The book concludes with a chapter addressing the concerns associated with the possible migration of components or additives from these biodegradable packaging into packaged food items. Audience The primary audience for this book is researchers, scientists, and engineers working in food science and technology, food engineering and technology, food biotechnology, sustainable food packaging, etc. Additionally, food entrepreneurs and associated businesses, such as the packaging and coatings industries, will also have a keen interest in the book.
Agroecology: Sustainable Ecosystem
by Anand M. R. Poojitha Kommireddy Seenappa C. Kalyana Murthy K. N. Ningaraju G. K.Agroecology literacy is 'the degree to which people have an objective and well-informed understanding of crop production with environmental issues.' The increased food grain production has also increased the unscientific and indiscriminate use of agrochemicals which has affected the soil health and degraded agroecosystem adversely and brought down the immunity of soil and the productivity of crops. In addition, it has resulted in the over-exploitation of soil, leading to nutrient imbalance. Moreover, the negative impact of chemical agriculture on the environment and human health has been reported and documented. Increased environmental awareness and health consciousness promoted scientists and planners to think about sustainable farming practices as an alternate way for healthy agriculture to protect the environment and human health. Eco-friendly methods or ecosystem services are one solution to manage this issue. This book intends to provide the core elements of a curriculum for teaching agroecology at colleges and universities. Print edition not for sale in India.
Agroecology: Sustainable Ecosystem
by Anand M. R. Poojitha Kommireddy Seenappa C. Kalyana Murthy K. N. Ningaraju G. K.Agroecology literacy is 'the degree to which people have an objective and well-informed understanding of crop production with environmental issues.' The increased food grain production has also increased the unscientific and indiscriminate use of agrochemicals which has affected the soil health and degraded agroecosystem adversely and brought down the immunity of soil and the productivity of crops. In addition, it has resulted in the over-exploitation of soil, leading to nutrient imbalance. Moreover, the negative impact of chemical agriculture on the environment and human health has been reported and documented. Increased environmental awareness and health consciousness promoted scientists and planners to think about sustainable farming practices as an alternate way for healthy agriculture to protect the environment and human health. Eco-friendly methods or ecosystem services are one solution to manage this issue. This book intends to provide the core elements of a curriculum for teaching agroecology at colleges and universities. Print edition not for sale in India.
Agroforestry as Climate Change Adaptation: The Case of Cocoa Farming in Ghana
by Mette Fog Olwig Aske Skovmand Bosselmann Kwadwo OwusuThis open access book provides multidisciplinary perspectives on the potential of agroforestry to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on cocoa production. Against the backdrop of increasingly precarious farmer livelihoods, it focuses on cocoa-agroforestry in Ghana – the second largest producer of cocoa in the world. Taking the reader on a journey across experimental plots and on-farm studies, the book delivers a holistic understanding of cocoa-agroforestry. Chapters examine historical yield and climate interactions, the effects of heat and drought on cocoa plants and the role of differing shade trees on soil fertility, yields, pests and diseases. The book discusses the socioeconomics of shade tree management, including cost-benefits, tree rights and competition for natural resources emphasizing policy implications and recommendations.Taking a multidisciplinary approach to climate-agriculture interactions, the book provides an innovative understanding of agroforestry and perennial cropping systems that goes beyond the Ghanaian cocoa belt. It is of relevance to students, researchers, farmers, practitioners and policymakers working with agroforestry and climate change adaptation.This is an open access book.
AI and Neuro-Degenerative Diseases: Insights and Solutions (Studies in Computational Intelligence #1131)
by Loveleen Gaur Ajith Abraham Reuel AjithThis book explores the current state of healthcare practice and provides a roadmap for harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and other modern cognitive technologies for neurogenerative diseases. The main goal of this book is to look at how these techniques can be used to classify patients with neurodegenerative diseases by extracting data from multiple modalities. It demonstrates that the growing development of computer-aided diagnosis systems has a lot of potential to help with the diagnostic process. It offers an analysis of the prospective and perils in implementing such state of the art.Progressive brain disorders with a high prevalence in the general population include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, Huntington's disease, and motor neuron disease. Worldwide, it is estimated that 33 million people have Alzheimer's disease, and 10 million people have Parkinson's disease. The global health economy is significantly impacted by these disorders, which affect both the patient and the caregivers. Various diagnostic techniques are used for differential diagnoses, such as brain imaging, EEG analysis, molecular analysis, and cognitive, psychological, and physical examination. The book aims to develop effective treatments, enhance patient quality of life, and extend life expectancy. It focuses on novel artificial intelligence approaches to clarify the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders and provide early diagnosis.The authors compile recent developments based on machine learning and deep learning techniques to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases using imaging, genetic, and clinical data. The authors support initiatives and methods that aim to improve the application of algorithms in diagnostic practice.
AI for Radiology (AI for Everything)
by Oge MarquesArtificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many areas of medicine and is increasingly being embraced. This book focuses on the integral role of AI in radiology, shedding light on how this technology can enhance patient care and streamline professional workflows. This book reviews, explains, and contextualizes some of the most current, practical, and relevant developments in artificial intelligence and deep learning in radiology and medical image analysis. AI for Radiology presents a balanced viewpoint of the impact of AI in these fields, underscoring that AI technologies are not intended to replace radiologists but rather to augment their capabilities, freeing professionals to focus on more complex cases. This book guides readers from the basic principles of AI to their practical applications in radiology, moving from the role of data in AI to the ethical and regulatory considerations of using AI in radiology and concluding with a selection of resources for further exploration. This book has been crafted with a diverse readership in mind. It is a valuable asset for medical professionals eager to stay up to date with AI developments, computer scientists curious about AI’s clinical applications, and anyone interested in the intersection of healthcare and technology.
AI for Radiology (AI for Everything)
by Oge MarquesArtificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many areas of medicine and is increasingly being embraced. This book focuses on the integral role of AI in radiology, shedding light on how this technology can enhance patient care and streamline professional workflows. This book reviews, explains, and contextualizes some of the most current, practical, and relevant developments in artificial intelligence and deep learning in radiology and medical image analysis. AI for Radiology presents a balanced viewpoint of the impact of AI in these fields, underscoring that AI technologies are not intended to replace radiologists but rather to augment their capabilities, freeing professionals to focus on more complex cases. This book guides readers from the basic principles of AI to their practical applications in radiology, moving from the role of data in AI to the ethical and regulatory considerations of using AI in radiology and concluding with a selection of resources for further exploration. This book has been crafted with a diverse readership in mind. It is a valuable asset for medical professionals eager to stay up to date with AI developments, computer scientists curious about AI’s clinical applications, and anyone interested in the intersection of healthcare and technology.
AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI's Future and Save Our Own
by Verity HardingA humanist manifesto for the age of AIArtificial intelligence may be the most transformative technology of our time. As AI&’s power grows, so does the need to figure out what—and who—this technology is really for. AI Needs You argues that it is critical for society to take the lead in answering this urgent question and ensuring that AI fulfills its promise.Verity Harding draws inspiring lessons from the histories of three twentieth-century tech revolutions—the space race, in vitro fertilization, and the internet—to empower each of us to join the conversation about AI and its possible futures. Sharing her perspective as a leading insider in technology and politics, she rejects the dominant narrative, which often likens AI&’s advent to that of the atomic bomb. History points the way to an achievable future in which democratically determined values guide AI to be peaceful in its intent; to embrace limitations; to serve purpose, not profit; and to be firmly rooted in societal trust.AI Needs You gives us hope that we, the people, can imbue AI with a deep intentionality that reflects our best values, ideals, and interests, and that serves the public good. AI will permeate our lives in unforeseeable ways, but it is clear that the shape of AI&’s future—and of our own—cannot be left only to those building it. It is up to us to guide this technology away from our worst fears and toward a future that we can trust and believe in.
AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI's Future and Save Our Own
by Verity HardingA humanist manifesto for the age of AIArtificial intelligence may be the most transformative technology of our time. As AI&’s power grows, so does the need to figure out what—and who—this technology is really for. AI Needs You argues that it is critical for society to take the lead in answering this urgent question and ensuring that AI fulfills its promise.Verity Harding draws inspiring lessons from the histories of three twentieth-century tech revolutions—the space race, in vitro fertilization, and the internet—to empower each of us to join the conversation about AI and its possible futures. Sharing her perspective as a leading insider in technology and politics, she rejects the dominant narrative, which often likens AI&’s advent to that of the atomic bomb. History points the way to an achievable future in which democratically determined values guide AI to be peaceful in its intent; to embrace limitations; to serve purpose, not profit; and to be firmly rooted in societal trust.AI Needs You gives us hope that we, the people, can imbue AI with a deep intentionality that reflects our best values, ideals, and interests, and that serves the public good. AI will permeate our lives in unforeseeable ways, but it is clear that the shape of AI&’s future—and of our own—cannot be left only to those building it. It is up to us to guide this technology away from our worst fears and toward a future that we can trust and believe in.