This revised edition offers an approach to information theory that is more general than the classical approach of Shannon. Classically, information is defined for an alphabet of symbols or for a set of mutually exclusive propositions (a partition of the probability space ) with corresponding probabilities adding up to 1. The new definition is given for an arbitrary cover of , i.e. for a set of possibly overlapping propositions. The generalized information concept is called novelty and it is accompanied by two concepts derived from it, designated as information and surprise, which describe "opposite" versions of novelty, information being related more to classical information theory and surprise being related more to the classical concept of statistical significance. In the discussion of these three concepts and their interrelations several properties or classes of covers are defined, which turn out to be lattices. The book also presents applications of these concepts, mostly in statistics and in neuroscience.

Sustainable and Circular Management of Resources and Waste Towards a Green Deal highlights the importance of resource recovery, phosphorus management, climate action, clean energy transition, and a circular economy. The world is facing significant challenges, including climate disruption, environmental changes, pollution, and population explosion. Sustainable management of finite natural resources within the carrying capacity of the bio-geo-hydrosphere is the crux of transforming the global economy for a sustainable future. Moreover, keeping raw materials in circulation as long as possible and minimizing the amount of waste generated has grown in significance as a part of transitioning to a circular economy (CE) model.

This book reviews the advances in data gathering and processing in the biotech laboratory environment, and it sheds new lights on the various aspects that are necessary for the implementation of intelligent laboratory architecture and infrastructure. Smart technologies are increasingly dominating our everyday lives and have become an indispensable part of the industrial environment. The laboratory environment, which has long been rather conservative, has also set out to adapt smart technologies with regards to Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) for the laboratory. Due to the heterogeneity of the existing infrastructure and the often complex work processes, standardization is slow, e.g. to implement device interfaces or standardized driver protocols, which are urgently needed to generate standardized data streams that would be immanent for post-processing of data. Divided into 9 chapters, this book offers an authoritative overview of the diverse aspects in the generation and recording of uniform data sets in the laboratory, and in the processing of the data and enabling seamless processing towards machine learning and artificial intelligence. In the first part of the book, readers will find more about high throughout systems, automation, robotics, and the evolution of technology in the laboratory. The second part of the book is devoted to standardization in lab automation, in which readers will learn more about some regulatory aspects, the SiLA2 standards, the OPC LADS (Laboratory and Analytical Device Standard), and FAIR Data infrastructure

Healthcare Systems Design of Intelligent Testing Centers: Latest Technologies to Battle Pandemics such as Covid-19 highlights the importance of designing intelligent testing centers requiring no human intervention during sample collection and testing of the Covid-19 virus and all similar viruses. This book introduces the background, medical requirements, and new research on medical robotics applications, including general Covid-19 testing techniques, development considerations for intelligent testing booths, kinematic and dynamic modeling, design specifications and optimization, numerical verifications, actuators, and sensors in medical applications of artificial intelligence and robotics systems.

Exploring behaviour through bones has always been a fascinating topic to those that study human remains. Human bodies record and store vast amounts of information about the way we move, where we live, and our experiences of health and socioeconomic circumstances. We see it every day, and experience it, but when it comes to past populations, understanding behaviour is largely mediated by our ability to read it in bones. Behaviour in Our Bones: How Human Behaviour Influences Skeletal Morphology examines how human physical and cultural actions and interactions can be read through careful analyses of skeletal human remains. This book synthesises the latest research on reconstructing behaviour in the past. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific region of the human body, guiding the reader from head to toe and highlighting how evidence found on the skull, shoulder, thorax, spine, pelvis, and the upper and lower limbs has been used to infer patterns of activity and other behaviour. Chapter authors expertly summarise and critically discuss a range of methodological, theoretical, and interpretive approaches used to read skeletal remains and interpret a wide variety of behaviours, including tool use, locomotion, reproduction, health, pathology, and beyond.

The papers in this volume comprise the refereed proceedings of the Second IFIP International Conference on Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture (CCTA2008), in Beijing, China, 2008. The conference on the Second IFIP International Conference on Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture (CCTA 2008) is cooperatively sponsored and organized by the China Agricultural University (CAU), the National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture (NERCITA), the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (CSAE) , International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), Beijing Society for Information Technology in Agriculture, China and Beijing Research Center for Agro-products Test and Farmland Inspection, China. The related departments of China's central government bodies like: Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Education and the Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, etc. have greatly contributed and supported to this event. The conference is as good platform to bring together scientists and researchers, agronomists and information engineers, extension servers and entrepreneurs from a range of disciplines concerned with impact of Information technology for sustainable agriculture and rural development. The representatives of all the supporting organizations, a group of invited speakers, experts and researchers from more than 15 countries, such as: the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Germany, Greece, Australia, Estonia, Japan, Korea, India, Iran, Nigeria, Brazil, China, etc.

This book presents the latest findings in the field of cardiac mechanobiology in health and disease. Cardiac mechanobiology provides knowledge of all aspects of mechanobiology of the heart. Cardiomyogenesis is discussed as well as the mechanobiology of cardiac remodeling and regeneration. The molecular mechanisms of mechanoperception and mechanotransduction in cardiomyocytes are explained, as well as stretch induced differentiation of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. This volume of the series Cardiac and Vascular Biology complements the volume Vascular Mechanobiology in Physiology and Disease (volume 8) published in this series. The book is aimed at clinicians as well as researchers in cardiovascular biology, bioengineering and biophysics, and also represents an educational resource for young researchers and students in these fields.

This book is designed as a textbook for graduate students and as a resource for researchers seeking a thorough mathematical treatment of its subject. It develops the main results of regression and the analysis of variance, as well as the central results on confounded and fractional factorial experiments. Matrix theory is deemphasized; its role is taken instead by the theory of linear transformations between vector spaces.The text gives a carefully paced and unified presentation of two topics, linear models and experimental design. Students are assumed to have a solid background in linear algebra, basic knowledge of regression and analysis of variance, and some exposure to experimental design, and should be comfortable with reading and constructing mathematical proofs. The book leads students into the mathematical theory, including many examples both for motivation and for illustration. Over 130 exercises of varying difficulty are included. An extensive mathematical appendix and a detailed index make the text especially accessible. Linear Models and Design can serve as a textbook for a year-long course in the topics covered, or for a one-semester course in either linear model theory or experimental design. It prepares students for more advanced topics in the field, and assists in developing a thoughtful approach to the existing literature. It includes a guide to terminology as well as discussion of the history and development of ideas, and offers a fresh perspective on the fundamental concepts and results of the subject.

This book provides a comprehensive and critical overview of carbon materials in terms of molecular structure, intermolecular relationships, bulk and surface properties, and their behavior in current and emerging applications. It also presents advances in carbon research and development.

Visualization Techniques for Climate Change with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence covers computer-aided artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies as related to the impacts of climate change and its potential to prevent/remediate the effects. As such, different types of algorithms, mathematical relations and software models may help us to understand our current reality, predict future weather events and create new products and services to minimize human impact, chances of improving and saving lives and creating a healthier world. This book covers different types of tools for the prediction of climate change and alternative systems which can reduce the levels of threats observed by climate change scientists. Moreover, the book will help to achieve at least one of 17 sustainable development goals i.e., climate action.

Stem cell therapy is a fast-growing field of medicine with remarkable prospects in a broad spectrum of diseases. Stem Cell Therapy: Practical Considerations addresses the biological properties of stem cells, mechanisms of action; as well as actual therapeutic decisions such as cell type, source, dose, manipulation, and route of injection. After discussing all this data, the book will illustrate how to travel through the idea from abstract question to laboratory experiment, animal experiment and then on to design a clinical trial throughout all its phases. Written for scientists and postgraduate students in the field of stem cell research and therapy. The authors will cover practical therapeutic issues they have long experienced in the field.

Epidemiologic Methods: The Essentials is a concise, but thorough volume that provides a solid grounding in core methodologic issues. The book takes a streamlined approached on cohort studies, case-control studies, prevalence studies, randomized trials, demographic studies of morbidity and mortality, ecologic studies, screening, effect modification, bias and confounding. Organized according to study design, with each chapter building on those preceding it, the book provides detailed examples throughout, using data tables and graphs to reinforce methodologic points.

Obesity Epidemic and the Environment: Latin America and the Caribbean Region provides a broad analysis of the macroeconomic impact of the obesity epidemic on environmental degradation in the LAC region. Case studies combine theory and practice to achieve critical conclusions (and subsequent policy implications), providing useful tools for those working on actual health, energy and environmental challenges. Written for researchers, policymakers, international organizations and practitioners in various fields, especially those in public health, health economics, energy and environmental economics and social sciences, this book thoroughly highlights the obesity epidemic in this region. In the LAC region, obesity has become a public health issue. The increase of this problem is related to the economic gains obtained from the process of liberalization and privatization, the increase of foreign investment, and infrastructure investments.

This detailed volume explores techniques for researching brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the fascinating biology and therapeutic potential of thermogenic adipocytes. The content reflects the advancing technologies in genetics, imaging, and 'omics strategies that are allowing researchers to probe BAT biology at unprecedented depths and detail, yet it also presents classic physiology principles, which remain the core tenets of BAT biology. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Brown Adipose Tissue: Methods and Protocols provides perspectives and detailed protocols for the benefit of both new BAT researchers looking for guidance as well as seasoned researchers who would like to expand their toolkits. Chapter 12 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Data: A Concise Guide, Fourth Edition serves as a ready resource of information on commonly monitored drugs that will help readers make decisions relating to the monitoring and interpretation of results. It is an easy-to-read source of information on intended use, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic range, and toxic concentrations, as well as bioavailability, disposition, metabolism and the excretion of commonly monitored therapeutic drugs. This fully updated fourth edition includes sections on new anticonvulsants, anti-depressant and anti-HIV drugs, new drugs for advanced cancer treatment, and thoroughly updated chapters that address new pitfalls and problems in the lab.

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a serious global pandemic in just one year. Nearly every country and territory in the world has been affected by the virus. The virulence and infection rate of the virus are profound, and has required extreme social distancing measures across the globe in order to prevent overwhelming the healthcare services and hospitals. COVID-19 appears to have the greatest effects on elderly individuals and those who have co-morbid diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. As the cases and death rate remain high, there are justified fears of this virus remaining for several months or years to come. To address this, a rapid and unprecedented worldwide mobilization effort has begun to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. As these begin to be deployed and administered across the globe, many now feel the virus will be brought under control and lives will eventually return to normal. This new volume will increase readers' understanding of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through a series of chapters that address these concerns. Leading experts will discuss new treatment approaches, vaccine development, mental health aspects of the pandemic, and convey the results of survey studies. The book will be an excellent resource for researchers studying virology, metabolic diseases, respiratory disorders, and clinical scientists, physicians, drug companies, and healthcare services and workers.

This book gives an overview of applications of Machine Learning (ML) in diverse fields of biological sciences, including healthcare, animal sciences, agriculture, and plant sciences. Machine learning has major applications in process modelling, computer vision, signal processing, speech recognition, and language understanding and processing and life, and health sciences. It is increasingly used in understanding DNA patterns and in precision medicine. This book is divided into eight major sections, each containing chapters that describe the application of ML in a certain field. The book begins by giving an introduction to ML and the various ML methods. It then covers interesting and timely aspects such as applications in genetics, cell biology, the study of plant-pathogen interactions, and animal behavior. The book discusses computational methods for toxicity prediction of environmental chemicals and drugs, which forms a major domain of research in the field of biology. It is of relevance to post-graduate students and researchers interested in exploring the interdisciplinary areas of use of machine learning and deep learning in life sciences.

Now in its second edition, this textbook provides an introduction to Python and its use for statistical data analysis. It covers common statistical tests for continuous, discrete and categorical data, as well as linear regression analysis and topics from survival analysis and Bayesian statistics. For this new edition, the introductory chapters on Python, data input and visualization have been reworked and updated. The chapter on experimental design has been expanded, and programs for the determination of confidence intervals commonly used in quality control have been introduced. The book also features a new chapter on finding patterns in data, including time series. A new appendix describes useful programming tools, such as testing tools, code repositories, and GUIs. The provided working code for Python solutions, together with easy-to-follow examples, will reinforce the reader's immediate understanding of the topic. Accompanying data sets and Python programs are also available online. With recent advances in the Python ecosystem, Python has become a popular language for scientific computing, offering a powerful environment for statistical data analysis. With examples drawn mainly from the life and medical sciences, this book is intended primarily for masters and PhD students. As it provides the required statistics background, the book can also be used by anyone who wants to perform a statistical data analysis.

This edited collection brings together internationally recognized experts in a range of areas of statistical science to honor the contributions of the distinguished statistician, Barry C. Arnold. A pioneering scholar and professor of statistics at the University of California, Riverside, Dr. Arnold has made exceptional advancements in different areas of probability, statistics, and biostatistics, especially in the areas of distribution theory, order statistics, and statistical inference. As a tribute to his work, this book presents novel developments in the field, as well as practical applications and potential future directions in research and industry. It will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in probability, statistics, and biostatistics, as well as practitioners and technicians in the social sciences, economics, engineering, and medical sciences.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 175, the latest release in this leading reference on agronomy, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

This third edition provides new and updated chapters detailing a complete introduction to common and emerging procedures for characterizing the interactions of individual proteins with their natural ligands, drugs or other binding partners. Chapters detail natural substrates, potential drug leads, quantitative understanding of the mechanism of interaction, and different techniques. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Protein Ligand Interactions: Methods and Applications, Third Edition serves as an ideal guide for researchers new to the field of biophysical characterization of protein interactions.

The recent accumulation of information from genomes, including their sequences, has resultednotonlyinnewattemptstoansweroldquestionsandsolvelongstandingissues inbiology, butalsointheformulationofnovelhypothesesthatarisepreciselyfromthis wealth of data. The storage, processing, description, transmission, connection, and analysis of these data has prompted bioinformatics to become one the most relevant applied sciences for this new century, walking hand-in-hand with modern molecular biology and clearly impacting areas like biotechnology and biomedicine. Bioinformatics skills have now become essential for many scientists working with DNA sequences. With this idea in mind, this book aims to provide practical guidance andtroubleshootingadviceforthecomputationalanalysisofDNAsequences, covering a range of issues and methods that unveil the multitude of applications and relevance that Bioinformatics has today. The analysis of protein sequences has been purposely excludedtogainfocus.Individualbookchaptersareorientedtowardthedescriptionof theuseofspecificbioinformaticstools, accompaniedbypracticalexamples, adiscussion on the interpretation of results, and specific comments on strengths and limitations of the methods and tools. In a sense, chapters could be seen as enriched task-oriented manuals that will direct the reader in completing specific bioinformatics analyses. The target audience for this book is biochemists, and molecular and evolutionary biologiststhatwanttolearnhowtoanalyzeDNAsequencesinasimplebutmeaningful fashion. Readers do not need a special background in statistics, mathematics, or computer science, just a basic knowledge of molecular biology and genetics. All the tools described in the book are free and all of them can be downloaded or accessed throughtheweb.Mostchapterscouldbeusedforpracticaladvancedundergraduateor graduate-level courses in bioinformatics and molecular evolut

This volume details a comprehensive set of methods and tools for Hi-C data processing, analysis, and interpretation. Chapters cover applications of Hi-C to address a variety of biological problems, with a specific focus on state-of-the-art computational procedures adopted for the data analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Hi-C Data Analysis: Methods and Protocols aims to help computational and molecular biologists working in the field of chromatin 3D architecture and transcription regulation.

Lignin is a large phenolic polymer found in the cell wall of most land plants. Volume ABR104, provides in-depth reviews on the most recent discoveries in the field. It revisits the lignin paradigm and reviews the occurrence of unconventional lignin precursors that are derived from both the monolignol biosynthetic pathway, and from other polyphenolic biosynthetic pathways. The volume encompasses the most recent data about the regulation of lignin biosynthesis in a environment of polysaccharides, the importance of oxidases, the pivotal role of feruloylation and coumaroylation of the cell wall both in the lignified stem and in the cereal grain. The volume gives an important part to the transcriptional regulation at different scales. At last, vibrational and fluorescence microscopy methods to characterize the lignin-decorated cell wall as well the most recent bioengineering approaches towards lignin modification are reviewed.