Böcker utgivna av Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Cellular-molecular approach to evolution has led to radical changes in our understanding of biologic principles ranging from the Cell, to the Life Cycle, Development, Homeostasis, Senescence/Aging, Heterochrony, Pleiotropy, Phenotype, and perhaps the purpose of life itself. Much of this new way of thinking about biology and medicine emanates from experimental evidence for epigenetic inheritance. This leads one to question whether our unicellular state is the actual primary level of selection.One particular system that is now recognized as being under the auspices of epigenetic inheritance is the endocrine system, which is conventionally thought to regulate physiologic homeostasis. However, because the sex hormones play such a major role in behaviors related to the acquisition of epigenetic data, and the processing of such epigenetic data by the gonads during meiosis, their role in the evolution of the organism become tractable. The composite of the activities of the individual over the course of its lifetime can now be understood causally, resulting from the orchestration of its physiology by hormones, prenatally, postnatally and during the aging process, across the entire life span of the organism. Specific behaviors over the course of the life cycle during childhood, adolescence, puberty, adulthood and aging can now be understood mechanistically rather than merely as milestones in the various stages of life.With the above considerations in mind, this book presents the cellular-evolutionary perspective towards the relationship of the organism with its surroundings, human and non-human alike renders biology and medicine a continuum instead of fragmented, un-related anecdotes.

This book brings together essays analyzing the impact of sport and physical activity on psychophysical well-being and quality of life, through multidisciplinary and multi-country studies. It discusses how the commercial dimension of sport entertainment and recreational dimension of sport practice have been increasingly brought together in discussions on individual health and well-being, and social integration and participation. It therefore considers the relationship between sports practice, enjoyment of sporting events, sport participation and quality of life. The chapters examine various aspects of the practice of sport for professional and recreational purposes from the perspective of age, life course research, physical education in schools, government investment in sport activities across various stages of life, the rise of sports tourism as a global industry and how social networks and web apps are changing the perception of fitness. This innovative book is of interest to scholars and students of sport science, leisure studies, and well-being research.

This book commemorates Eric Goles¿s achievements in science and engineering. Eric Goles is one of the world leaders in the field of automata and complexity. His groundbreaking discoveries are in the theory and analysis of complex systems, particularly in the field of discrete systems dynamics such as neural networks, automata networks, majority networks, bootstrap percolation models, cellular automata, computational complexity theory, discrete mathematics, and theoretical computer science. Topics include cellular automata, complex networks, models of computation, expansive systems, sandpile automata, Penrose tilings, Boolean automata, models of infection, Fibonacci trees, dominos, reversible automata, and fungal automata. The chapters are authored by world leaders in computer science, physics, mathematics, and engineering. The book will be a pleasure to explore for readers from all walks of life, from undergraduate students to university professors, from mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers to chemists and biologists.

Medicinal plants supply the ever-growing needs of humankind for natural chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, agrochemicals, and chemical additives. These plants contain bioactive secondary metabolites, which possess antimalarial, anthelminthic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antiarthritic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anticancer, antifungal, antispasmodic, cardioprotective, antithyroid, and antihistaminic properties. Secondary metabolites play a major role in the adaptation of plants to the changing environment and stress condition as they are affected by both biotic and abiotic stress. Humans rely on medicinal plants for various needs since ancient time, and their population still seems enough for fulfilling our demands. However, in the foreseeable future, we will be forced to think about the accessibility of resources for future generations. For these reasons, we must look for alternative sustainable options of resources which can protect these immensely important medicinal plants from various stresses induced by challenging environment. Evolving eco-friendly methodologies and mechanisms to improve these plants¿ responses to unfavorable environmental circumstances is important in creating significant tools for better understanding of plant adaptations to various abiotic stresses and sustaining the supply of pharmaceuticals as global climate change intensifies.One of the great challenges in the near future will be the sustainable production of medicinal plants under increasing adverse effects of climate change. A combination of adverse demographic factors and climatological perturbations is expected to impact food and pharmaceutical production globally. Despite the induction of several tolerance mechanisms, medicinal plants often fail to survive under environmental extremes. To ensure their sustainable production under adverse conditions, multidisciplinary approaches are needed, and useful leads are likely to emerge. However, improving plants' performance under restrictive growth conditions requires a deep understanding of the molecular processes that underlie their extraordinary physiological plasticity. This edited volume emphasizes the recent updates about the current research on medicinal plants covering different aspects related to challenges and opportunities in the concerned field. This book is an attempt to bring together global researchers who have been engaged in the area of stress signaling, crosstalk, and mechanisms of medicinal plants. The book will provide a direction towards implementation of programs and practices that will enable sustainable production of medicinal plants resilient to challenging environmental conditions. Moreover, this book will instigate and commence readers to state-of-the-art developments and trends in this field.

The book contains a collection of chapters written by experts from the fields of philosophy, law, logic, computer science and artificial intelligence who pay tribute to Professor Risto Hilpinen's impressive work on the logic of induction, on deontic logic and epistemology, and on philosophy of science.In addition to an introduction by the editors, a section on Professor Hilpinen¿s positions, professional services and honors, as well as a complete bibliography of his writings, the editors, McNamara, Jones and Brown, have compiled a multidisciplinary global cross-section of academic contemporaries that provides insights and perspectives on Hilpinen's influence and legacy.The essays reflect central aspects of Risto Hilpinen's research interests, and offer further contributions to some of the philosophical fields for which he is best known: applied modal logic, including deontic logic (from the ancient Greek ¿¿¿¿ déon, pertaining to the concepts of duty and obligation), the semantics of normative language, the logic of action, and the theory of practical reasoning; the analysis of the concept of artifact; and the theory of semiotics in the tradition of Charles Peirce. The presence in the collection of several papers relating to deontic logic underlines Hilpinen's importance in that area, in which his publications have long been recognized as standard works. The book is an essential collection of ideas for all those who feel at home in a variety of formal disciplines, from propositional logic to the logic of artificial intelligence.

Invasive species have inspired concern for many reasons, including economic and environmental impacts in specific jurisdictions within particular countries. However, it is apparent that for some invasive plant species, political borders offer only weak barriers because these species have succeeded in invading many countries, emerging as threats at a global level. With this level of threat, a number of books on invasive plants and invasive species in general have been published in recent years, but none explicitly provides ¿global¿ coverage, perhaps because it is only recently that the full geographical, economic and environmental implications of widespread spread and adaptive nature of these particular invasive plants have been recognized.We plan to make this volume unique by profiling plant invasions in explicitly geographical contexts; on the world continents (Chapters 5-11), as well as islands (Chapter 12) and mountains (Chapter 13). This global approach is supported by an overview of invasion biology and recent advances (Chapter 1) and how different communities differ in invasibility (Chapter 2). Global factors influencing invasion are introduced in Chapter 3 (globalized trade) and Chapter 4 (climate change). Key species are profiled through geographic treatments, continent by continent (Chapters 5-11), and for islands (Chapter 12) and mountains (Chapter 13). The impact of invasive plants is highlighted in Chapter 14, both in biotic and economic terms, partly to counter the tendency for the young field of invasion biology to rely too much on anecdotal evidence. This chapters is also designed to bring home the message that these are serious problems that must be dealt with, as covered in the subsequent chapters. The book concludes with three chapters casting light on solutions to the many problems described in the rest of the volume. Chapter 15 features new, innovative technologies that are being developed to monitor and manage invasive plants, and Chapter 16 presents comprehensive strategies for public education and implementation of management on local and global scales. Chapter 17 describes different future scenarios depending on current trends in plant invasion and its management, just as climate change predictions employ various scenarios to project the future. The future is very much up to us, as humanity grapples with the question of how best to strategically meet the problems of global invasive plant problems that we ourselves have created that is further challenged by a changing climate.We are confident that this book will be of interest to invasion biologists, resource managers, and the legion of others who must deal with these invasive plants across the globe on a daily basis.

Education needs new ways to prepare individuals and societies for the multitude of changing challenges in the twenty-first century. In today's world¿characterized by digitization, increasing speed, and complexity¿design thinking has established itself as a powerful approach to human-centered innovation that can help address complicated problems and guide change in all areas of life. Design thinking formats not only teach skills that benefit people as they expand their "toolbox," but also create affective and cognitive outcomes.This book includes experiences, approaches, and reflections on design thinking in education from different perspectives of renowned design thinking experts from the network of the Hasso Plattner Institute and its School of Design Thinking. Using real-world examples, the book provides insights into requirements and protocols that design thinking practitioners can apply to transform their academic or professional ecosystem. It will be of interest for readers who work in or are interested in a wide variety of educational contexts.

This book offers the first-ever English translation of Oskar Becker¿s Zur Logik der Modalitäten. This essay, published in 1930, is a pioneering yet often neglected contribution in the context of prewar modal logic research in Europe. Becker¿s text is complemented by an extended commentary that explains, analyzes and highlights Becker¿s accomplishments and the philosophical background of his investigations.The commentary provides an in-depth analysis of all of Becker's important contributions, both from a philosophical and logical perspective, making it a very useful book for scholars in both philosophy and logic.

This open access book brings together for the first time all aspects of the tragic life and fascinating work of the polymath Robert Leslie Ellis (1817¿1859), placing him at the heart of early-Victorian intellectual culture. Written by a diverse team of experts, the chapters in the book¿s first part contain in-depth examinations of, among other things, Ellis¿s family, education, Bacon scholarship and mathematical contributions. The second part consists of annotated transcriptions of a selection of Ellis¿s diaries and correspondence. Taken together, A Prodigy of Universal Genius: Robert Leslie Ellis, 1817¿1859 is a rich resource for historians of science, historians of mathematics and Victorian scholars alike. Robert Leslie Ellis was one of the most intriguing and wide-ranging intellectual figures of early Victorian Britain, his contributions ranging from advanced mathematical analysis to profound commentaries on philosophy and classics and a decisive role in the orientation of mid-nineteenth century scholarship. This very welcome collection offers both new and authoritative commentaries on the work, setting it in the context of the mathematical, philosophical and cultural milieux of the period, together with fascinating passages from the wealth of unpublished papers Ellis composed during his brief and brilliant career.- Simon Schaffer, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge

This book presents multidimensional knowledge on children of incarcerated parents using Bronfenbrenner¿s ecological theory as an organizing framework. It examines the extent to which different levels of the environment are supportive (i.e., leading to resilience) and stress-producing (i.e., contributing to risk). The volume explores four levels of the environment ¿ microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem ¿ with specific theories and paradigms woven into the inquiry at each. At the level of child and family, it discusses the factors that influence resilience and risk in children from gestation through young adulthood; at the community level, it addresses risk and resilience in the interactions between children and families and the various systems with which they interact (e.g., child welfare). Key areas of coverage include: · A description of the factors that influence the quality of programming for children and their families.· A critical analysis of state and national policies that affect which individuals receive, or fail to receive, specific services.· An overview and evaluation of the state of knowledge and implications for research and practice to improve outcomes for children of incarcerated parents.· An organizing framework to help researchers identify gaps in the existing knowledge base and distills and organizes evidence-based information for practitioners. Children of Incarcerated Parents is an essential resource for researchers, professors, and graduate students as well as practitioners, therapists, and other professionals in child and school psychology, family studies, public health, and all interrelated disciplines, including developmental psychology, criminal justice, social work, educational policy and politics.

This volume is the first (I) of four under the main themes of Digitizing Agriculture and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The four volumes cover rapidly developing processes including Sensors (I), Data (II), Decision (III), and Actions (IV). Volumes are related to ¿digital transformation¿ within agricultural production and provision systems, and in the context of Smart Farming Technology and Knowledge-based Agriculture. Content spans broadly from data mining and visualization to big data analytics and decision making, alongside with the sustainability aspects stemming from the digital transformation of farming. The four volumes comprise the outcome of the 12th EFITA Congress, also incorporating chapters that originated from select presentations of the Congress. The focus in this volume is on different aspects of sensors implementation in agricultural production (e.g., types of sensors, parameters monitoring, network types, connectivity, accuracy, reliability, durability, and needs to be covered) and provides variety of information and knowledge in the subject of sensors design, development, and deployment for monitoring agricultural production parameters. The book consists of four (4) Sections. The first section presents an overview on the state-off-the art in sensing technologies applied in agricultural production while the rest of the sections are dedicated to remote sensing, proximal sensing, and wireless sensor networks applications.Topics include: Emerging sensing technologies Soil reflectance spectroscopy LoRa technologies applications in agricultureWireless sensor networks deployment and applications Combined remote and proximal sensing solutions Crop phenology monitoring Sensors for geophysical properties Combined sensing technologies with geoinformation systems