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The propagation of hepatitis C from acute to chronic infection and afterward to end-stage liver diseases (hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma) involves a highly orchestrated series of molecular and cellular events, including a plethora of genes and cell signaling cascades. The treatment paradigms was revolutionized after the development and approval of all oral interferon-free direct-acting antivirals achieving higher sustained virologic response rates in treated individuals. This book pragmatically overviews the intricate interplay between viral and host factors during hepatitis C virus infection progression, as well as other hepatitis C-associated clinical implications. Hepatitis C - From Infection to Cure also provides up-to-date information about hepatitis C cures for clinicians, physicians, and healthcare providers with an ample understanding of the current treatment horizon, as well as other investigational and emerging treatment strategies. The authors with their valuable scientific contributions belong to many eminent institutes around the world and are much experienced in hepatitis C virology, pathology, and therapeutics.

Polymorphism or variation in DNA sequence can affect individual phenotypes such as color of skin or eyes, susceptibility to diseases, and response to drugs, vaccines, chemicals, and pathogens. Especially, the interfaces between genetics, disease susceptibility, and pharmacogenomics have recently been the subject of intense research activity. This book is a self-contained collection of valuable scholarly papers related to genetic diversity and disease susceptibility, pharmacogenomics, ongoing advances in technology, and analytic methods in this field. The book contains nine chapters that cover the three main topics of genetic polymorphism, genetic diversity, and disease susceptibility and pharmacogenomics. Hence, this book is particularly useful to academics, scientists, physicians, pharmacists, practicing researchers, and postgraduate students whose work relates to genetic polymorphisms.

A fundamental part of modern technology is composed of devices that use special materials as main components. Since the last few decades of the last century and even more recently, a remarkable development has been achieved in new micro- and nanostructured materials with compositional structures and production methods that open unprecedented technological, economic, and ecological perspectives due to high yields, economies of scale, the possibility of reducing weight and size, and the low environmental impact of the equipment that contains them. This book offers a collection of excellent studies that use state-of-the-art methodologies developed by professional researchers from different countries in diverse areas of materials. In this way, this book is particularly useful to academics, scientists, practicing researchers, and postgraduate students whose work relates to the latest nanomaterial technologies.

Cement-based materials have been used by humans nearly since the dawn of civilization. The Egyptians used lime and gypsum cement to bind their aggregate materials, mud and straw, resulting in bricks that are used for building their famous Egyptian pyramids (between 3000 and 2500 BC). Hydrated cement is a cement material bonded together with water and used for building construction; it is characterized by acceptable chemical, physical, thermal, mechanical, and structural stability. It plays a main role in the creation of vessels for storage, roads to travel on, weather-resistant structure for protection, inert hard stabilizer for hazardous wastes, and so on. Due to the composition of these materials and their advantages, it has been practiced in different applications. Cement is an essential component of making concrete, the single most prevalent building material used worldwide for construction, skyscrapers, highways, tunnels, bridges, hydraulic dams, and railway ties. Besides their numerous desired properties, there are some undesirable features. To overcome these disadvantages, several studies were established to prepare, improve, and evaluate innovative cement-based materials. Despite its oldness and deep research, every year several methods and materials evolve and so do cement technology. This book intends to provide a comprehensive overview on recent advances in the evaluation of these materials.

This book is intended for academics and engineers working in universities, research institutes, and industry sectors wishing to acquire new information and enhance their knowledge of the current trends in wind turbine technology. Readers will gain new ideas and special experience with in-depth information about modeling, stability control, assessment, reliability, and future prospects of wind turbines. This book contains a number of problems and solutions that can be integrated into larger research findings and projects. The book enhances studies concerning the state of the art of wind turbines, modeling and intelligent control of wind turbines, power quality of wind turbines, robust controllers for wind turbines in cold weather, etc. The book also looks at recent developments in wind turbine supporting structures, noise reduction estimation methods, reliability and prospects of wind turbines, etc. As I enjoyed preparing this book, I am sure that it will be valuable for a large sector of readers.

The main aim of modern public health is to improve the quality of life and promote health for all. Public health deals with a wide range of individuals and collaborates with various organizations, departments, and agencies to improve health, forestall disease and promote well-being. The field of public health is constantly evolving in response to the needs of communities and populations that are facing demographic, epidemiological and technological challenges. To overcome these challenges, health professionals need to conduct research to generate evidence-based policies to improve the health of the community. Throughout the course of this book, a number of emerging and re-emerging public health issues from different countries are discussed and attempts are made to illustrate a balanced and evidence-based approach towards tackling major public health problems.

Recent Advances in Ionic Liquids contains research on the preparation, characterization, and potential applications of stable ionic liquids (ILs). ILs are a class of low- and stable-melting point, ionic compounds that have a variety of properties allowing many of them to be sustainable green solvents. It is promising novel research from top to bottom and has received a lot of interest over the last few decades. It covers the advanced topics of physical, catalytic, chemical, polymeric, and potential applications of ILs. This book features interesting reports on cutting-edge science and technology related to the preparation, characterization, polymerization, and potential applications of ILs. This potentially unique work offers various approaches on the R

Leishmania parasites plague the mammalian host causing high morbidity and mortality. The parasites persist in the hostile milieu, crippling its defensive arsenal. In the face of mounting resistance to an antiquated drug arsenal, new approaches are urgently desired to keep the infection at bay. Furthermore, to strengthen the leishmaniasis elimination drive, particular emphasis has to be laid on identification of new targets and vaccination strategies. This book gives a brief glimpse of the epidemiology of leishmaniasis, immune evasion, vaccination, and therapeutic modalities that may work by untangling the immunological cross-wires of pathogenic cross-talk. The Conventional treatment and its drawbacks, the prospects of phytotherapy and nanomedicines, are also discussed. The identification of drug targets with the aim of designing inhibitors is also exemplified.

As a strategic response to cognitive and CNS impairments, BCI is a theoretical outgrowth of several generations of endogenous devices for peripheral nerves, which have as a prime goal the direct replacement of lost neural function. In these earlier applications therapeutic intervention has been premised only on the restoration of signal generating capacity where nerve transmission is largely unidirectional and temporally sequenced. It is increasingly apparent, however, that the brain not only employs a very different type of syntax from that of peripheral nerves but also structures the semantic content of motor activity, fundamentally altering the conception of BCI as a therapeutic medium. The book presented here documents this change, proposing a multi-faceted strategy in which BCI therapy can restore the loss of multi-tiered, brain based motor function.