This text contains contributions from various authors on topics related to probabilistic methods used for the design of structures. Several of the papers were initially prepared for advanced courses on structural reliability or on probabilistic methods for structural design. These courses have been held in several countries and have been given by various groups of lecturers. They were aimed at engineers and researchers that had already been exposed to structural reliability methods, and presented overviews of the various topics. The book includes a selection of these contributions, which should be of use to future courses or for engineers and researchers who want an up-to-date overview. It is complementary to the existing textbooks on structural reliability, which normally cover the basic topics but exclude the more specialized aspects. In addition, several papers have been specially prepared for this book, complementing the others in providing an overall account of recent advances in the field. Among the topics covered are modelling of uncertainty, prediction of the strength of components, load modelling and combination, assessment of structural systems, stochastic finite elements and design consideration. This volume is directed at practitioners as well as researchers.

Pan-genomics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Prospects covers current approaches, challenges and future prospects of pan-genomics. The book discusses bioinformatics tools and their applications and focuses on bacterial comparative genomics in order to leverage the development of precise drugs and treatments for specific organisms. The book is divided into three sections: the first, an "overview of pan-genomics and common approaches," brings the main concepts and current approaches on pan-genomics research; the second, "case studies in pan-genomics," thoroughly discusses twelve case, and the last, "current approaches and future prospects in pan-multiomics", encompasses the developments on omics studies to be applied on bacteria related studies. This book is a valuable source for bioinformaticians, genomics researchers and several members of biomedical field interested in understanding further bacterial organisms and their relationship to human health.

Mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder are common mental illnesses, affecting millions of patients worldwide. The application of newly available brain imaging methods to the study of mood disorders holds substantial promise in uncovering the brain mechanisms affected in these illnesses. This comprehensive and authoritative text features contributions from leading international experts, providing easily accessible information on the study of the brain mechanisms involved in the causation of mood disorders and the available treatments. Topics covered include the potential of magnetoencephalography (MEG), neuroimaging brain inflammation in depression, electrophysiology studies in mood disorders, and the applications of machine learning, filling an important gap in available neuropsychiatric literature and highlighting new developments. An invaluable resource for practitioners in the fields of psychiatry, neurology, primary care medicine, and related mental health professions, as well as researchers, students, graduate and post-graduate trainees.

The application of Data Mining (DM) technologies has shown an explosive growth in an increasing number of different areas of business, government and science. Two of the most important business areas are finance, in particular in banks and insurance companies, and e-business, such as web portals, e-commerce and ad management services.In spite of the close relationship between research and practice in Data Mining, it is not easy to find information on some of the most important issues involved in real world application of DM technology, from business and data understanding to evaluation and deployment. Papers often describe research that was developed without taking into account constraints imposed by the motivating application. When these issues are taken into account, they are frequently not discussed in detail because the paper must focus on the method. Therefore knowledge that could be useful for those who would like to apply the same approach on a related problem is not shared. The papers in this book address some of these issues. This book is of interest not only to Data Mining researchers and practitioners, but also to students who wish to have an idea of the practical issues involved in Data Mining.

Over the past two decades, driven by the enormous public health importance of bipolar disorder, research initiatives have begun to elucidate the pathophysiology of this prevalent and debilitating condition. These research initiatives have led to breakthroughs in our understanding of causation, and now promise to foster the development of novel treatments. This new edition presents contributions from the leaders at the forefront of these areas of research, and includes chapters on the groundbreaking advances in the fields of genetics, neuroimaging, neuropsychopharmacology, oxidative stress and neuronal resilience, inflammatory mechanisms, psychosocial factors, childhood onset and late-life bipolar disorder, and many other important areas. Throughout, the therapeutic implications and potential of this new understanding are emphasized. This will be essential reading for those interested in the neurobiology of mental illness, and will be of interest to mental health practitioners more generally.