Actinobacteria: Diversity and Biotechnological Applications: New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering, a volume in the series New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering series, offers the latest on the biotechnology of Kingdom actinobacteria, covering unique niches like their endosphere, rhizospheric soil and contaminated sites, etc. The book also covers the bioactive secondary metabolites obtained from actinobacteria and describes the application of microorganism (Actinobacteria) in plant growth promotion and in environmental cleanup. Finally, the book describes the biocontrol aspects of actinobacteria and how they can control fungal phytopathogens and the production of secondary metabolites.

In this contemporary world, urbanization, industrialization, and digitalization have drastically expanded to provide better living standards for human beings. The rate of change in technology is also very high, which introduces updated electronic devices very frequently in the market, which results in a huge garbage dump of e-waste. With the increase in the use of electronic devices, the e-waste generated over the globe is also increasing drastically, which becomes a barrier to sustainable development. Therefore, it is essential to formulate strategies and manage the e-waste generated from all sources to achieve sustainable goals. Sustainable Approaches and Strategies for E-Waste Management and Utilization assesses the activities involved in e-waste generation; identifies the potential impacts of e-waste on society, the economy, and the environment; and recommends appropriate e-waste handling and disposal measures following the rules of regulatory bodies. Covering key topics such as sustainable development, waste recovery, and innovation, this reference work is ideal for industry professionals, environmental scientists, administrators, policymakers, researchers, academicians, scholars, instructors, and students.

The rapid increase in microbial resources along with the development of biotechnological methods has revolutionized the field of microbial biotechnology. Genome characterization methods and metagenomic approaches further illustrate the role of microorganisms in various fields of research. Recent Advancement in Microbial Biotechnology: Agricultural and Industrial Approach provides an overview on the recent application of the microorganisms in agricultural and industrial improvements. The purpose of this book is to integrate all these diverse areas of research in a common platform. Recent advancement in Microbial Biotechnology targets researchers from both academia and industry, professors and graduate students working in molecular biology, microbiology and biotechnology.

This book examines the theoretical, methodological and practical dimensions of Qualitative Research in the study of illness, wellbeing and self-growth in the Indian context. Using wide-ranging narratives, interviews, group discussions, and cultural analyses, it offers a social and psychological understanding of health and therapy.

This book discusses action-oriented, concise and easy-to-communicate goals and challenges related to quality, reliability, infocomm technology and business operations. It brings together groundbreaking research in the area of software reliability, e-maintenance and big data analytics, highlighting the importance of maintaining the current growth in information technology (IT) adoption in businesses, while at the same time proposing process innovations to ensure sustainable development in the immediate future. In its thirty-seven chapters, it covers various areas of e-maintenance solutions, software architectures, patching problems in software reliability, preventive maintenance, industrial big data and reliability applications in electric power systems. The book reviews the ways in which countries currently attempt to resolve the conflicts and opportunities related to quality, reliability, IT and business operations, and proposes that internationally coordinated research plans are essential for effective and sustainable development, with research being most effective when it uses evidence-based decision-making frameworks resulting in clear management objectives, and is organized within adaptive management frameworks. Written by leading experts, the book is of interest to researchers, academicians, practitioners and policy makers alike who are working towards the common goal of making business operations more effective and sustainable.

The world is witnessing a rapid growth in wind and other renewable based electricity generation due to environmental concerns associated with electricity generation from the conventional sources. Wind power behaves quite differently than conventional electric power generating units due to its intermittent and diffuse nature. System planners and operators face the variability and uncertainty of wind power availability, and therefore, encounter considerable challenges in making decisions to maintain the adequacy and security of wind integrated power systems. This volume intends to bring out the original research work of researchers from academia and industry in understanding, quantifying and managing the risks associated with the uncertainty in wind variability in order to plan and operate a modern power system integrated with a significant proportion of wind power generation with an acceptable level of reliability. Accurate modeling of wind power variability and proper incorporation of the models in reliability and risk evaluation is very important for the planning and operation of electric power systems, and will play a crucial role in defining the requirement of various types of resources and services, such as storage and ancillary services in power systems."

This book describes the basic concepts of risk and reliability with detailed descriptions of the different levels of probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear power plants (both internal and external). The book also maximizes readers insights into time dependent risk analysis through several case studies, whilst risk management with respect to non renewable energy sources is also explained. With several advanced reactors utilizing the concept of passive systems, the reliability estimation of these systems are explained in detail with the book providing a reliability estimation of components through mechanistic model approach. This book is useful for advanced undergraduate and post graduate students in nuclear engineering, aerospace engineering, industrial engineering, reliability and safety engineering, systems engineering and applied probability and statistics. This book is also suitable for one-semester graduate courses on risk management of non renewable energy systems in all conventional engineering branches like civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical and electronics as well as computer science. It will also be a valuable reference for practicing engineers, managers and researchers involved in reliability and safety activities of complex engineering systems.

This book provides an overview of the Ocimum genus from its genetic diversity to genome sequences, metabolites and their therapeutic utilities. Tulasi, Ocimum tenuiflorum, as a member of the family Lamiaceae, is a sacred plant in India. The plants of this genus Ocimum are collectively referred to as Basil and holy basil is worshipped in the Hindu religion. Basils are reservoirs of diverse terpenoids, phenylpropanoids and flavonoids, in addition to commercially important aromatic essential oils. In 2016, two working groups in India published the genome sequence in two different genotypes of Ocimum tenuiflorum. To help the readers understand the complexities of the genus and different chemotypes, this book accumulates all the available information on this medicinal plant including the genome. The complete knowledge may enable researchers to generate specific chemotypes in basil either through conventional breeding or development of transgenic lines. It also makes it possible to investigate the medicinal nature of holy basil compared to different species of the same genus.

Initially published in 1983, in association with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), this book is about the meaning, relevance and process of agrarian reform in contemporary developing countries. It includes seven detailed case studies -- one each on Ethiopia, Peru, Chile, Nicaragua, Iran, Kerala, (India) and West Bengal (India). In all the cases, serious contemporary efforts were made to implement agrarian reform programmes and the case studies focus upon selected aspects of this reform process -- origins, basic characteristics, problems of implementation and immediate consequences. Each region differs considerably in terms of socio-economic and administrative conditions, but when the reform efforts are placed in their respective historical contexts, several common themes emerge which are dealt with in detail. In all cases, it is clear that agrarian reform is essentially a political process, requiring major social movements and that piecemeal reforms will not solve the grave problems of growth, distribution and poverty in the Third World.

This book focuses on the meaning of statistical inference and estimation. Statistical inference is concerned with the problems of estimation of population parameters and testing hypotheses. Primarily aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students of statistics, the book is also useful to professionals and researchers in statistical, medical, social and other disciplines. It discusses current methodological techniques used in statistics and related interdisciplinary areas. Every concept is supported with relevant research examples to help readers to find the most suitable application. Statistical tools have been presented by using real-life examples, removing the "fear factor" usually associated with this complex subject. The book will help readers to discover diverse perspectives of statistical theory followed by relevant worked-out examples. Keeping in mind the needs of readers, as well as constantly changing scenarios, the material is presented in an easy-to-understand form.

This book contains high-quality papers presented in the conference Recent Advances in Mechanical Infrastructure (ICRAM 2020) held at IITRAM, Ahmedabad, India, from 21-23 August 2020. The topics covered in this book are recent advances in thermal infrastructure, manufacturing infrastructure and infrastructure planning and design.

This book discusses applications of computational intelligence in sensor networks. Consisting of twenty chapters, it addresses topics ranging from small-scale data processing to big data processing realized through sensor nodes with the help of computational approaches. Advances in sensor technology and computer networks have enabled sensor networks to evolve from small systems of large sensors to large nets of miniature sensors, from wired communications to wireless communications, and from static to dynamic network topology. In spite of these technological advances, sensor networks still face the challenges of communicating and processing large amounts of imprecise and partial data in resource-constrained environments. Further, optimal deployment of sensors in an environment is also seen as an intractable problem. On the other hand, computational intelligence techniques like neural networks, evolutionary computation, swarm intelligence, and fuzzy systems are gaining popularity in solving intractable problems in various disciplines including sensor networks. The contributions combine the best attributes of these two distinct fields, offering readers a comprehensive overview of the emerging research areas and presenting first-hand experience of a variety of computational intelligence approaches in sensor networks.

Containing selected papers from the ICRESH-ARMS 2015 conference in Lulea, Sweden, collected by editors with years of experiences in Reliability and maintenance modeling, risk assessment, and asset management, this work maximizes reader insights into the current trends in Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) and Risk Management. Featuring a comprehensive analysis of the significance of the role of RAMS and Risk Management in the decision making process during the various phases of design, operation, maintenance, asset management and productivity in Industrial domains, these proceedings discuss key issues and challenges in the operation, maintenance and risk management of complex engineering systems and will serve as a valuable resource for those in the field.

The volume presents the research work in understanding, modeling and quantifying the risks associated with different ways of implementing smart grid technology in power systems in order to plan and operate a modern power system with an acceptable level of reliability. Power systems throughout the world are undergoing significant changes creating new challenges to system planning and operation in order to provide reliable and efficient use of electrical energy. The appropriate use of smart grid technology is an important drive in mitigating these problems and requires considerable research activities, some of which (by researchers from academia and industry) are included in this volume: the reliability appraisal of smart grid technologies and their applications, micro-grids, assessment of plug-in hybrid vehicles and the system effects, smart system protection and reliability evaluation, demand response and smart maintenance of power system equipment.

This book systematically examines and quantifies industrial problems by assessing the complexity and safety of large systems. It includes chapters on system performance management, software reliability assessment, testing, quality management, analysis using soft computing techniques, management analytics, and business analytics, with a clear focus on exploring real-world business issues. Through contributions from researchers working in the area of performance, management, and business analytics, it explores the development of new methods and approaches to improve business by gaining knowledge from bulk data. With system performance analytics, companies are now able to drive performance and provide actionable insights for each level and for every role using key indicators, generate mobile-enabled scorecards, time series-based analysis using charts, and dashboards. In the current dynamic environment, a viable tool known as multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is increasingly being adopted to deal with complex business decisions. MCDA is an important decision support tool for analyzing goals and providing optimal solutions and alternatives. It comprises several distinct techniques, which are implemented by specialized decision-making packages. This book addresses a number of important MCDA methods, such as DEMATEL, TOPSIS, AHP, MAUT, and Intuitionistic Fuzzy MCDM, which make it possible to derive maximum utility in the area of analytics. As such, it is a valuable resource for researchers and academicians, as well as practitioners and business experts.

Reliability and safety are core issues that must be addressed throughout the life cycle of engineering systems. Reliability and Safety Engineering presents an overview of the basic concepts, together with simple and practical illustrations. The authors present reliability terminology in various engineering fields, viz., electronics engineering, software engineering, mechanical engineering, structural engineering and power systems engineering. The book describes the latest applications in the area of probabilistic safety assessment, such as technical specification optimization, risk monitoring and risk informed in-service inspection. Reliability and safety studies must, inevitably, deal with uncertainty, so the book includes uncertainty propagation methods: Monte Carlo simulation, fuzzy arithmetic, Dempster-Shafer theory and probability bounds. Reliability and Safety Engineering also highlights advances in system reliability and safety assessment including dynamic system modeling and uncertainty management. Case studies from typical nuclear power plants as well as from structural, software and electronic systems are also discussed. Reliability and Safety Engineering combines discussions of the existing literature on basic concepts and applications with state-of-the-art methods used in reliability and risk assessment of engineering systems. It is designed to assist practicing engineers, students and researchers in the areas of reliability engineering and risk analysis.

This book covers fire and extinguishing theory and reliability theory and how to validate any survey within the field of engineering. It's based on a year's study of historical literature, using critical review and document analysis. It covers how data is collected, analyzed, and presented. It discusses reliability theory, calculation, and uncertainty analysis, and after validating proposes a new methodology and approach using general scientific value and examples. Features Includes an in-depth study on relevant sprinkler reliability studies based for the first time on critical review and document analysis Presents a scientific validating analysis of studies based on how a survey should be conducted Critiques the fact that reliability of a sprinkler system as its ability to function as designed, has never been subject to surveys Suggestions for new survey methodology that can be used for the field of engineering, including all active and passive fire protection measures Discusses extinguishing theory, general design of extinguishing systems, different systems and the reliability of them all "Reliability Data on Fire Sprinkler Systems" will be of interest to Reliability Engineers, Systems, Architecture and Engineers, Design, Maintenance, Mechanical and, Civil Engineers, as well as those working in the field of fire protection and building and fire codes.

Computer Network Simulations Using NS2 provides a solid foundation of computer networking knowledge and skills, covering everything from simple operating system commands to the analysis of complex network performance metrics. The book begins with a discussion of the evolution of data communication techniques and the fundamental issues associated with performance evaluation. After presenting a preliminary overview of simulation and other performance evaluation techniques, the authors: Describe a number of computer network protocols and TCP/IP and OSI models, highlighting the networking devices used Explain a socket and its use in network programming, fostering the development of network applications using C and socket API Introduce the NS2 network simulator, exhibiting its internal architecture, constituent software packages, and installation in different operating systems Delve into simulation using NS2, elaborating on the use of Tcl and OTcl scripts as well as AWK scripting and plotting with Gnuplot Show how to simulate wired and wireless network protocols step by step, layer by layer Explore the idea of simulating very large networks, identifying the challenges associated with measuring and graphing the various network parameters Include nearly 90 example programs, scripts, and outputs, along with several exercises requiring application of the theory and programming Computer Network Simulations Using NS2 emphasizes the implementation and simulation of real-world computer network protocols, affording readers with valuable opportunities for hands-on practice while instilling a deeper understanding of how computer network protocols work.

Based on the authors' combined 35 years of experience in teaching, A Basic Course in Real Analysis introduces students to the aspects of real analysis in a friendly way. The authors offer insights into the way a typical mathematician works observing patterns, conducting experiments by means of looking at or creating examples, trying to understand the underlying principles, and coming up with guesses or conjectures and then proving them rigorously based on his or her explorations. With more than 100 pictures, the book creates interest in real analysis by encouraging students to think geometrically. Each difficult proof is prefaced by a strategy and explanation of how the strategy is translated into rigorous and precise proofs. The authors then explain the mystery and role of inequalities in analysis to train students to arrive at estimates that will be useful for proofs. They highlight the role of the least upper bound property of real numbers, which underlies all crucial results in real analysis. In addition, the book demonstrates analysis as a qualitative as well as quantitative study of functions, exposing students to arguments that fall under hard analysis. Although there are many books available on this subject, students often find it difficult to learn the essence of analysis on their own or after going through a course on real analysis. Written in a conversational tone, this book explains the hows and whys of real analysis and provides guidance that makes readers think at every stage.

Mushrooms are fleshy fungi with a high prospective for the production of secondary metabolites including extracellular enzymes with high agricultural and biotechnological significance. Worldwide, they are well recognized as supplementary foods due to their high nutritional values and their medicinal importance, which includes their uses in exhibiting antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, immune enhancer, and to be effective for the treatment of several diseases including diabetes and few types of cancers as well. According to recent studies, extracellular enzymes produced by several white-rot fungal strains such as Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Pleurotus sajor-caju and several mushrooms have shown a high capacity to decolorize dyes that are very harmful for the environment. Moreover, wild macrofungi have the capability to synthesize nanoparticles which are more useful for the treatment of cancer, gene therapy, DNA analysis and biosensors. Wild macrofungi are extremely important model for basic biology and commercial manufacture.