Our lives and well being intimately depend on the exploitation of the plant genetic resources available to our breeding programs. Therefore, more extensive exploration and effective exploitation of plant genetic resources are essential prerequisites for the release of improved cultivars. Accordingly, the remarkable progress in genomics approaches and more recently in sequencing and bioinformatics offers unprecedented opportunities for mining germplasm collections, mapping and cloning loci of interest, identifying novel alleles and deploying them for breeding purposes. This book collects 48 highly interdisciplinary articles describing how genomics improves our capacity to characterize and harness natural and artificially induced variation in order to boost crop productivity and provide consumers with high-quality food. This book will be an invaluable reference for all those interested in managing, mining and harnessing the genetic richness of plant genetic resources.

The Hip Joint, written in 2016, provides a detailed account of the hip joint's anatomy and biomechanics and covers recent trends in orthopaedic surgery of the hip joint, including the latest advances in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA), computer-assisted navigation for THA, resurfacing of the hip joint and neoplastic conditions around the hip as well as indications, complications and outcomes of hip arthroscopy. Another book, The Hip Joint in Adults: Advances and Developments, gives additional important details of how hip joint surgery has evolved around the world. While much of the basic knowledge in this area is constant, it is critically important to stay current on those areas that do change. This updated second edition of The Hip Joint contains a host of original articles from contributory authors all around the world, showing the evolution of the hip joint till the present day, building upon the solid foundation set by the first edition. It covers hot topics such as 3D printing in orthopaedics and traumatology, stem cell therapy in orthopaedics, hip resurfacing, hip-preserving surgery, sports medicine for the hip joint, robotic-assisted surgery in orthopaedics and neoplastic conditions around the hip.

Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer in the world after cellulose, mainly derived from the food waste of shrimp and crabs. Chitosan is the most important derivative of chitin. Thanks to their biodegradability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, bioactivity, and versatile chemical and physical properties, chitin and chitosan derivatives are used in a wide variety of applications, including water treatment, cosmetics and toiletries, food and beverages, healthcare/medical, and agrochemicals. Chitin and Chitosans in the Bioeconomy covers all major aspects of chitin and chitosan, including structure, biosynthesis, biodegradation, properties of chitin and derivatives, applications, and market. It offers a special focus on the bioeconomy, which is the renewable segment of the circular economy. Describes the structure, biosynthesis, and biodegradation of chitin and chitosan Covers chitin- and chitosan-based products Details valorization of these materials Presents information on shell biorefineries Chitin and Chitosans in the Bioeconomy serves as a reference for polymer scientists and engineers and is also accessible to economists and advanced students.

This book describes in a comprehensive manner latest studies conducted by various research groups worldwide focusing on carbon and related nanomaterials. Fourteen chapters of this book deal with a number of key research topics and applications of pure and functionalized carbon nanomaterials and their hybrid nanocomposites. Specifically, the authors have presented interdisciplinary investigations including: (i) carbon nanoparticles and layers synthesis, (ii) analytical aspects of carbon nanomaterials and their characterisation under different conditions as well as (iii) various applications of carbon nanoparticles. They have reported and summarised key applications of carbon particles or nanoobjects in pharmacy, biomedicine, agriculture and food industry, water treatment, physicochemical analysis, optoelectronics, electronic and magnetic materials for supercapacitors or radar adsorbing materials, tribology, chromatography, electrophoresis, bioanalysis, nanobiocatalysis, biofuels production as well as environmental remediation.

Finite Element Analysis of Weld Thermal Cycles Using ANSYS aims at educating a young researcher on the transient analysis of welding thermal cycles using ANSYS. It essentially deals with the methods of calculation of the arc heat in a welded component when the analysis is simplified into either a cross sectional analysis or an in-plane analysis. The book covers five different cases involving different welding processes, component geometry, size of the element and dissimilar material properties. A detailed step by step calculation is presented followed by APDL program listing and output charts from ANSYS. Features: Provides useful background information on welding processes, thermal cycles and finite element method Presents calculation procedure for determining the arc heat input in a cross sectional analysis and an in-plane analysis Enables visualization of the arc heat in a FEM model for various positions of the arc Discusses analysis of advanced cases like dissimilar welding and circumferential welding Includes step by step procedure for running the analysis with typical input APDL program listing and output charts from ANSYS.

Provides an accessible introduction to complex subjects in simple terms with pedagogical features to enhance learning Contains the latest developments in this exciting and growing area Discusses examples from modern high-impact research and applications

Nanomaterials for Environmental Applications offers a comprehensive review of the latest advances in nanomaterials-based technologies for the treatment of emerging contaminants in wastewater. It describes the latest developments in the synthesis protocols, including the synthesis of different kinds of nanostructure materials using various physical and chemical methods. Features Discusses the synthesis and characterization of important nanomaterials such as carbon nanostructures, metal and metal oxide nanostructures, polymer nanostructures, and smart 1D--3D nanomaterials Presents the latest techniques used in the characterization of nanomaterials Covers environmental applications including the remediation of pollutants in wastewater and water purification and disinfection Examines the sources, fate, transport, and ecotoxicology of nanomaterials in the environment. Aimed at researchers and industry professionals, this work will be of interest to chemical, environmental, and materials engineers concerned with the application of advanced materials for environmental and water remediation. Mohamed Abou El-Fetouh Barakat is a Professor of Environmental Sciences at both King Abdulaziz University (KAU)- Saudi Arabia, and Central Metallurgical R&D Institute (CMRDI)- Egypt. He is highly qualified in the fields of industrial waste management and pollution control as well as catalysis and nanotechnology. His experience includes academic research works in Japan, Germany, the United States and Saudi Arabia, as well as initiating and leading industrial research projects in Egypt jointly with the United States. Rajeev Kumar is an Associate Professor in the Environmental Science Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His research activities are in the areas of wastewater treatment and materials science. He studies the adsorption and photocatalytic properties of nanomaterials for the removal of contaminants from wastewater.

A composite sandwich panel is a hybrid material made up of constituents such as a face sheet, a core, and adhesive film for bonding the face sheet and core together. Advances in materials have provided designers with several choices for developing sandwich structures with advanced functionalities. The selection of a material in the sandwich construction is based on the cost, availability, strength requirements, ease of manufacturing, machinability, and post-manufacturing process requirements. Sandwich Composites: Fabrication and Characterization provides insights into composite sandwich panels based on the material aspects, mechanical properties, defect characterization, and secondary processes after the fabrication, such as drilling and repair. FEATURES Outlines existing fabrication methods and various materials aspects Examines composite sandwich panels made of different face sheets and core materials Covers the response of composite sandwich panels to static and dynamic loads Describes parameters governing the drilling process and repair procedures Discusses the applications of composite sandwich panels in various fields Explores the role of 3D printing in the fabrication of composite sandwich panels Due to the wide scope of the topics covered, this book is suitable for researchers and scholars in the research and development of composite sandwich panels. This book can also be used as a reference by professionals and engineers interested in understanding the factors governing the material properties, material response, and the failure behavior under various mechanical loads.

Discusses the concepts of mechanical, thermal, and thermodynamic equilibrium and their applications. Covers the molecular basis for internal energy, entropy, thermodynamic equilibrium, and reversibility. Enables the reader to model irreversibility and determine the net loss in performance of a thermal system compared to an idealized system and approach an ideal one. Demonstrates entropy as a path independent property by use of reversible heat engines and reversible heat pumps interacting with a process between two states, the environment and the reservoir. Covers the role of reversibility from a thermodynamics standpoint and relates it to other areas, such as gas dynamics, combustion, propulsion, power plant engineering, and engines.

This book includes a series of reviews on general aspects of biomarker use in the study of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and the development of medications involved in their treatment. It describes the pros and cons of the various approaches and covers the successes and failures in this research field. It is only by a thorough understanding of the shortcomings that progress can be made. The overall goal is to facilitate the understanding and treatment of these disorders, by providing a viable mechanism of catching up with other areas of modern medicine, such as diabetes and heart disease. Finally, it is anticipated that the development and application of valid biomarker tests and the leveraging of novel drug targets will help the fields of psychiatry on neurodegenerative disorders move into the area of personalized medicine where the right patients can receive the right medication at the right time for the best possible outcome.

Explores how antiviral nanomaterials can be used in developing targeted drug delivery practices and enable pharmaceutical industries to reformulate available drugs on market Covers immunization, imaging, and drug delivery and features various case studies on managing viral diseases Addresses synthesis protocols and recent developments by performing physicochemistry on virion substrate, hybrid viral networks, and multilayered arrays thus enabling R&D experts to study and successfully instigate cutting-edge technologies unique to viruses Discusses current and near future applications of antiviral nanomaterials and their activity in drug delivery systems Describes the role of nanotechnology in prevention, detection, and treatment of COVID-19 Investigates the role of antiviral nanodrugs play in human and animal body systems and in major viral disease types.

After the drug discovery and development process, designing suitable formulations to safely deliver the optimum dose, while avoiding side effects, has been a constant challenge, especially when drugs are very toxic and have poor solubility and undesirable clearance profiles. With recent advances in synthetic technologies, nanoparticles can be custom-made from a variety of advanced materials to mimic the bioenvironment and can be equipped with various targeting and imaging moieties for site-specific delivery and real-time imaging. Drug Delivery Using Nanomaterials covers advancements in the field of nanoparticle-based drug-delivery systems, along with all the aspects needed for a successful and marketable nanoformulation. FEATURES Offers a general overview of the entire process involved in the synthesis and characterization of pharmaceutical nanoparticles Covers a broad range of synthetic materials for developing nanoformulations customized for specific disease states, target organs, and drugs Every chapter sequentially builds, providing a progressive pathway from classical nanoparticles to the more advanced to be used as a full drug product by consumers Provides information in a bottom-up manner in that definitions and explanations of relevant background information serve as a framework for understanding advanced concepts This user-friendly reference is aimed at materials engineers, chemical engineers, biomedical engineers, pharmaceutical scientists, chemists, and others working on advanced drug delivery, from academia as well as industry.

- Presents a practical and accessible journey from application requirements to technical solutions - Provides a pedagogic treatment of the underlying technology - Describes how safety is to be considered in the application of this technology and how safety and quality can be factored into the overall system.

With contributions from experts from both the industry and academia, this book presents the latest developments in the identified areas. In addition, a thorough and updated coverage of the traditional aspects of heterogeneous catalysis such as preparation, characterization and use in well-established technologies such as nitration, ammoxidation and hydrofluorination is included. This book incorporates appropriate case studies, explanatory notes, and schematics for more clarity and better understanding.

This book offers a comprehensive presentation of the concepts, properties, and applications of complex materials. Authors of each chapter use a fundamental approach to define the structure and properties of a wide range of solids on the basis of the local chemical bonding and atomic order present in the material. Emphasizing the physical and chemical origins of different material properties, this important volume focuses on the most technologically important materials being utilized and developed by scientists and engineers.

This book presents a comprehensive review of research on applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene to electronic devices. As nanocarbons in general, and CNTs and graphene in particular, are becoming increasingly recognized as the most promising materials for future generations of electronic devices, including transistors, sensors, and interconnects, a knowledge gap still exists between the basic science of nanocarbons and their feasibility for cost-effective product manufacturing. The book highlights some of the issues surrounding this missing link by providing a detailed review of the nanostructure and electronic properties, materials, and device fabrication and of the structure-property-application relationships.

Pullulan is a polysaccharide produced by the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans and possesses some distinct properties such as excellent transparent film-forming ability, moisture absorptivity, water solubility, non-toxicity, and adhesivity. These properties allow pullulan to find potential applications in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and health care. This book presents the chemistry and properties of pullulan, along with the method of its production at the laboratory level. It discusses the structural engineering, processing methods, and versatile applications of pullulan, as well as highlights the challenges that still have to be overcome for its large-scale production. This unique book comprehensively summarizes many of the recent research findings on pullulan, contributed by leading experts in this research domain. It is a useful reference book for scientists, academicians, researchers, chemists, technologists, graduate and postgraduate students, and general readers who are interested in pullulan.

Professionals recognize entropy-enthalpy compensation as an important factor in molecular recognition, lead design, water networks, and protein engineering. It can be experimentally studied by proper combinations of diverse spectroscopic approaches with isothermal titration calorimetry and is clearly related to molecular dynamics. So, how should we treat entropy-enthalpy compensation? Is it a stubborn hindrance that solely complicates the predictability of phenomena otherwise laid on the line by Mother Nature? How should we then deal with it? This book dwells on these posers. It combines two chapters written by globally recognized specialists. Chapter 1 deals with general issues and suggests a definite approach to how we may answer the posers. Chapter 2 shows how the approach outlined might be successfully applied in a rational design of enzymes. This might provide other interesting strategic perspectives in the general theoretical physical chemistry field.

This new volume, Research Methodologies and Practical Applications of Chemistry, presents a detailed analysis of current experimental and theoretical approaches surrounding chemical science. With an emphasis on multidisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary applications, the book extensively reviews fundamental principles and presents recent research to help show logical connections between the theory and application of modern chemistry concepts. It also emphasizes the behavior of materials from the molecular point of view. The burgeoning field of chemistry and chemical science has led to many recent technological innovations and discoveries. Understanding the impact of these technologies on business, science, and industry is an important first step in developing applications for a variety of settings and contexts. The aim of this book is to present research that has transformed this discipline and aided its advancement. The book examines the strengths and future potential of chemical technologies in a variety of industries.

The development of advanced materials has become extremely important in the last decade, being widely used in academic and industrial research. This book examines the potential of advanced materials as well as nanotechnology to improve fiber science from fibril to fabric mode, to create better materials and products for a variety of aspects. The book presents research advances in materials behavior using fractal analysis, mathematical modeling and simulation, and other methods. Examined are electrical, mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties; size; morphology; and chemical behavior of such materials as aerogels, polymer films, nanocomposite materials, natural composites, catalysis, and more with a view to their application in the medical, engineering, and textile fields. With chapters written by eminent scientists, the book offers valuable information for academics, researchers, and engineering professionals. Contributions range from new methods to novel applications of existing methods to help readers gain understanding of the material and/or structural behavior of new and advanced systems.

This new volume focuses on the limitations, properties, and models in the chemistry and physics of engineering materials that have potential for applications in several disciplines of engineering and science. Contributions range from new methods to novel applications of existing methods. The collection of topics in this volume reflects the diversity of recent advances in chemistry and physics of engineering materials with a broad perspective that will be useful for scientists as well as for graduate students and engineers. This new book presents leading-edge research from around the world. Topics in the book include: * aerogels materials and technology * diffusion dynamics in nanomaterials * entropic nomograms * structural analyses of particulate-filled polymer nanocomposites mechanical properties * protection of rubbers against aging * structure-property correlation and forecast of corrosion This volume is also sold as part of a two-volume set. Volume 1 focuses on modern analytic methodologies in the chemistry and physics of engineering materials.

An integrated approach to provide information about all aspects of cancer biology, diagnosis and therapy. Covers both conventional and emerging tools/ techniques applicable in cancer screening and diagnosis. Covers the mechanisms of conventional and emerging anticancer drugs and therapies. Provides insights about personalized medicine based approach in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Superconductivity and Magnetism in Skutterudites discusses superconducting and magnetic properties of a class of materials called skutterudites. With a brief introduction of the fundamental structural features of skutterudites, the book then provides a detailed assessment of the superconducting and magnetic properties, focusing particularly on the rare earth-filled skutterudites where a plethora of fascinating properties and ground states is realized due to interactions of the filler species with the framework ions. Such interactions underpin the exciting forms of superconductivity and magnetism, most notably realized in the exotic heavy fermion superconductor of composition PrOs4Sb12. The two main topics of superconductivity and magnetism are provided with a concise introduction of superconducting and magnetic properties so that a reader can appreciate and understand the main arguments in the text. This book would appeal to graduate students, postdoctoral students, and anyone interested in superconducting and magnetic properties of a large family of minerals called skutterudites. Key Features: * Gives a thorough account of the superconducting and magnetic properties of skutterudites. * Each topic is accompanied by introductory sections to assist in the understanding of the text. * Supported by numerous figures and all key references.

The polyurethane industry is among the fastest growing, with polyurethanes used in consumer as well as industrial sectors. Waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) exhibit many advantages over conventional volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based polyurethanes and have emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative. WPUs offer an opportunity to use sustainable raw materials to produce environmentally sustainable polymers, particularly, polyols derived from vegetable oils. Eco-Friendly Waterborne Polyurethanes: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications provides state-of-the-art knowledge of the synthesis, application, and property enhancement of WPUs. Covers various types of eco-friendly materials and technologies used to synthesize WPUs Presents an overview and applications of WPUs in several advanced research areas Provides fundamentals of synthetic processes and their chemistries for specific applications Elaborates on advanced approaches used to convert renewable resources into polymers Offers new direction to scientists, researchers, and students to better understand the chemistry, technologies, and applications Written for polymer chemists, materials scientists, and other researchers and industry, this book serves as a comprehensive reference for readers interested in the development and application of sustainable polymers.

This book presents an overview of the current status of translating the RNAi cancer therapeutics in the clinic, a brief description of the biological barriers in drug delivery, and the roles of imaging in aspects of administration route, systemic circulation, and cellular barriers for the clinical translation of RNAi cancer therapeutics, and with partial content for discussing the safety concerns. It then focuses on imaging-guided delivery of RNAi therapeutics in preclinical development, including the basic principles of different imaging modalities, and their advantages and limitations for biological imaging. With growing number of RNAi therapeutics entering the clinic, various imaging methods will play an important role in facilitating the translation of RNAi cancer therapeutics from bench to bedside. RNAi technique has become a powerful tool for basic research to selectively knock down gene expression in vitro and in vivo. Our scientific and industrial communities have started to develop RNAi therapeutics as the next class of drugs for treating a variety of genetic disorders, such as cancer and other diseases that are particularly hard to address with current treatment strategies. Key Features Provides insight into the current advances and hurdles of RNAi therapeutics. Accelerates RNAi, miRNAs, and siRNA drug development for cancer therapy from bench to bedside. Addresses various modifications and novel delivery strategies for miRNAs, piRNAs and siRNA delivery in anticancer therapeutics. Explores the need for the interaction of hematologists,cell biologists, immunologists, and material scientists in the development of novel cancer therapies. Describes the current status of clinical trials related to miRNA and siRNA-based cancer therapy Presents remaining issues that need to be overcome to establish successful therapies.