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Over the past few decades, extensive research has been conducted on the applications of agricultural robots and automation to a variety of field and greenhouse operations, and technical fundamentals and their feasibility have also been widely demonstrated. Due to the unstructured environment, adverse interference and complicated and diversified operation process are the key of blocking its commercialization in robotic agricultural operations. Because of the development of automation techniques, smart sensors, and information techniques, some types of agricultural robots have achieved considerable success in recent years. This book intends to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in agricultural robots, fundamentals, and applications in robotic agricultural operations.

In the science of physics, elasticity is the ability of a deformable body (e.g., steel, aluminum, rubber, wood, crystals, etc.) to resist a distorting effect and to return to its original size and shape when that influence or force is removed. Solid bodies will deform when satisfying forces are applied to them. Elasticity solution of materials will be grouped in forms of linear and nonlinear elasticity formulations. The main subject of this book is engineering elasticity and consists of five chapters in two main sections. These two main sections are "General Theorems in Elasticity" and "Engineering Applications in Theory of Elasticity." The first chapter of the first section belongs to the editor and is entitled "Analytical and Numerical Approaches in Engineering Elasticity." The second chapter in the first section is entitled "A General Overview of Stress-Strain Analysis for the Elasticity Equations" by P. Kumar, M. Mahanty, and A. Chattopadhyay. The first chapter of the second section is entitled "FEA and Experimental Determination of Applied Elasticity Problems for Fabricating Aspheric Surfaces" by Dr. D.N. Nguyen. The second chapter is entitled "Concept of Phase Transition Based on Elastic Systematics" by Dr. P.S. Nnamchi and Dr. C.S. Obayi. The third chapter is entitled "Repair Inspection Technique Based on Elastic-Wave Tomography Applied for Deteriorated Concrete Structures" by Dr. K. Hashimoto, Dr. T. Shiotani, Dr. T. Nishida, and Dr. N. Okude. Finally, this book includes the basic principles of elasticity and related engineering applications about theory and design.

Although all the features of the immune system have not been fully resolved yet, the knowledge we have gained from studies on lymphocytes, the basic elements of the immune system, is quite lucid. For this reason, the significance of lymphocytes (the cells that are the source of most of the information we have obtained about the human genome, the negative effects of drugs on the genetic system, the development and behavior of immune system, antigen-antibody association, cytotoxic adaptive immunity, antibody-driven adaptive immunity, cancer and autoimmune diseases) is clear. Studies on lymphocytes will not only help us develop tools to combat human diseases more effectively in the future, but will also help us understand how evolution shapes the immune system in living organisms.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has evolved into an exciting and valuable tool to assist in the management of patients experiencing cardiogenic shock, severe acute respiratory failure, or often a combination of both. While outcomes remain less than ideal, they continue to improve with team experience, better patient selection, and a growing understanding of the nuances of managing patients who require mechanical circulatory support. Patients requiring ECMO are often extremely sick and have complex problems - initiating therapy before the development of end-organ damage is critical. Without doubt, teamwork, guidelines, and protocols are cornerstone concepts for clinical and program success - all topics that are emphasized in this text. The goals of this text are to further outline topics that help address some of the key challenges providers face when considering and applying extracorporeal support therapies to the evolving spectrum of acutely ill patients.

Liquid Crystals - Self-Organized Soft Functional Materials for Advanced Applications is focused on both theoretical models and experimental results, pointing out the chemical and physical properties (thermodynamics, electro-optic switching behavior, and non-linear optic phenomena) of liquid crystals used in a wide range of devices. In this respect, the chapters cover the following topics: chemical structure and phase transitions in bent-core liquid crystals, phase and structural behavior of liquid crystals used to align carbon nanotubes, molecular alignment, and photorefractive effect in the ferroelectric phase, which has the potential to be used as transistors, for image storage, and in optical signal processing. It is expected that the book will be of interest to researchers in academia and industries, as well as advanced students.

The gut-brain axis has gained considerable attention from different branches of the scientific community in recent years. In this book, scientists from different disciplines present current scientific knowledge on the topic. The interaction between the prokaryote and eukaryote cells stimulates the evolutionary processes, and results in various systemic illnesses such as neuropsychiatric disorders and may help the continuity of health. Nature has provided us with healthy food that builds our pharmacy. This natural pharmacy store may help the body's healing processes through its effects on gut microbiota and the immune system. This book aims to provide the reader with detailed analyses of the current scientific knowledge on the gut-brain axis and its relation with health and disease. We hope that the reader benefits from the presented material.

Herbal medicine is a multidisciplinary compilation of topics in herbal medicine that are designed to enlighten all who have a stake in healthcare. In light of the current trends and popularity of herbal medicine, cultural/societal differences and perception, and the relationship with modern healthcare this book presents selected topics to ensure that necessary information on herbal medicine in healthcare is provided. Apart from clarifying certain important complexities and misconceptions on herbal medicine, a general overview of herbal medicine, uses of herbs in the management of diseases, plant secondary metabolites, analytical techniques, applications in stem cell research, use as leads for conventional drug compound development, and research and development of herbal medicines for healthcare are among the major discussions in this book.

This book contains four chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction to moths. It describes their history, differences with butterflies and skippers, classification, camouflage, navigation, attraction to light, and migration. Moths are useful as bio-indicators, pollinators, dispersal of seeds and producers of useful products (silk). They are harmful as agricultural and stored-grain pests, but can be controlled biologically and with pesticides. Chapter 2 reports that among moth pests the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella Zeller, is considered one of the most important potato pests worldwide. In Chapter 3, the pathogenicity of three native isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana were studied in different concentrations of P. operculella eggs. The most pathogenic isolate was determined on eggs in vitro. Chapter 4 highlights several case studies representing long-term field research results of moth pests in maize, Zea mays L., and sugar-beet, Beta vulgaris L.

Soil Productivity Enhancement comprises five chapters written by scientists from various parts of the world. The book is divided into three sections. 1: Conversion of Environmentally Polluting Waste into Fertilizer. This section discusses the conversion of waste water and other by-products from factories into organic fertilizers. It further examines how these materials can be used to enhance crop production and improve soil productivity. 2: Practices for Improving Nutrient Availability. Good nutrient management and proper composting of organic materials are options that can be used to enhance the productivity of soil. These and other practices are examined in this section. 3: Policy on Fertilizer Use. The need for effective policies to control and promote the effective and efficient use of fertilizers is discussed in this section.

In this book, various aspects of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are investigated. HVAC systems are milestones of building mechanical systems that provide thermal comfort for occupants accompanied with indoor air quality. HVAC systems can be classified into central and local systems according to multiple zones, location, and distribution. Primary HVAC equipment includes heating equipment, ventilation equipment, and cooling or air-conditioning equipment. Central HVAC systems are located away from buildings in a central equipment room and deliver the conditioned air by a delivery ductwork system. Central HVAC systems contain all-air, air-water, or all-water systems. Two systems should be considered as central such as heating and cooling panels and water-source heat pumps.

It is stated that the concept of organizational culture reveals that the behavior of people in organizations is highly influenced by the established attitudes and values of their members, and objective characteristics of organizational culture are everything that exists regardless of its members' thoughts. A lot of researchers of organizational culture continue to look for answers about these relationships. Thus, organizational culture is a phenomenon that constantly receives both researchers' and practitioners' attention. This book supplies the reader with a comprehensive overview of the latest results of studies carried out by scientists from different countries. A lot of attention is given to role of national cultures, organizational culture as a determinant of competitiveness, organizational structures, model of culture for innovation, transformational leadership, leadership competencies, project activity etc.

The incidence of total hip arthroplasty is increasing in number because of successful outcomes. Although technically challenging, once mastered a hip replacement is one of the most gratifying surgeries for both patient and surgeon. This book covers some of the most important aspects of hip replacement surgery. These include preoperative planning, anesthesia, classification systems, management of proximal femur fractures, anterior approach, complications, and rehabilitation aspects of hip arthroplasty. The book is intended for arthroplasty surgeons, anesthetists, and physical therapists who will find the book useful in parts and as a whole if they deal with arthroplasty cases on a regular basis. Experience-based narration of various subjects by authors ensures that first-hand experience is passed on to readers in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.

Mobile internet data has the characteristics of large scale, variety of patterns, and complex association. On the one hand, it needs an efficient data processing model to provide support for data services, and, on the other hand, it needs certain computing resources to provide data security services. Due to the limited resources of mobile terminals, it is impossible to complete large-scale data computation and storage. However, outsourcing to third parties may cause risks in user privacy protection. This monograph focuses on key technologies of data service outsourcing and privacy protection, including the existing methods of data analysis and processing, fine-grained data access control through effective user privacy protection mechanisms, and data sharing in the mobile internet.

Ants play important roles in natural ecosystems. These eusocial insects are omnivorous feeders and live in a wide variety of habitats. They belong to the order Hymenoptera, and family Formicidae. There are more than 8800 described species that occur throughout the world. They have large heads, segmented antennae, and powerful jaws and undergo complete metamorphosis. In general, ants live typically in structured nest communities, forming nest sites in close proximity to moisture and food, underground, in ground-level mounds, or in trees. Among ant species, there is a wide range of interesting behaviors displayed. Many species are mutualistic, where they develop interactions with other insects and/or plants. Other species display parasitic relationships among each other. Still other species exhibit predatory behaviors. This book contains contributions written by experts in their respective fields and targets a wide audience. It is highly recommended as a valuable resource for general biologists, entomologists, ecologists, zoologists, and students and teachers in training in this subject matter.

Management functions were developed first as a systematic step to carry out management activities, while implementation of the information components followed as part of management elements. The authors point out that the use of the possibilities and advantages of quantitatively supported managerial decisions gives managers the ability to quantify the impacts of both technical (hard) and subjective (soft) constraints and improve managerial decision-making processes that would otherwise be based mostly on personal intuition and experience. To achieve the goals and benefits of excellent performance, it is necessary to design and develop integrated models that would coordinate management functions and information system components as an integrated process. These facts are presented in various case studies.

Organochlorines (OC) are organic molecules with chlorine in their structure. There is a large number of organochlorine compounds known. Large amounts of chlorinated organic compounds are produced for industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical, household purposes, etc. In many studies, the main focus is on OC that have been evaluated as environmental contaminants with toxic effects on humans. Different types of organochlorines have been produced throughout the world. Some of the most popular classes are organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols, chlorinated alkanes, etc. Organochlorine compounds are very stable. Generally, they are molecules of moderate polarity (low solubility in water). This makes OCs easily soluble in fats. They are found in almost all environments: air, water, soil, sediments and biota samples. They can spread out easily in different geographic altitudes and latitudes. Volatile and semi-volatile OCs have the ability to travel far distances from the place where they were used. Some studies have reported some organochlorines in the North Pole at the same levels as the areas where they were produced or applied. They have the ability to bioaccumulate easily in biota. Passing through the food chain levels, they increase their concentrations (biomagnifying). The main access pathways for OCs to the human body are through foods and exposures. Generally, they display their effects after a relatively long period of exposure. This is the main reason why they were produced and used for a long time before their production and use was banned. The most important health effects that organochlorines can cause are: mutagenic, endocrine-disruptor, carcinogenic and central nervous or peripheral disorders. After identification of the consequences, production of OCs and use was banned in many countries but their effects are still being seen many years later.

Reimagining new approaches in teacher professional development is the focus of this book. It looks at different perspectives of teacher professional development. Most chapters directly or indirectly present and discuss new approaches in teacher professional development in general. The purpose of the book is to inform readers that there are new ways of developing teachers professionally, and to equip readers with the skills needed to teach or behave in a professional manner. The book aims at providing new knowledge about professional development to academics, universities, education authorities, teachers, parents, and governing body members. The authors have diverse perspectives about the issues or aspects pertaining to teacher professional development.

The autonomic nervous system is one of the most important involuntary control mechanisms that primarily controls and modulates the functions of the visceral organs. The book discusses some of the specificities of the autonomic nervous system in terms of dendritic development in the sympathetic compartment, as well as a detailed description of noradrenergic groups and their key role in the modulation of all antinociceptive and autonomic responses elicited by painful or threatening situations. In the book, only those cases are mentioned that are closely related to disorders or changes of function of the autonomic nervous system. This book can evoke interest in many researchers who want to use the information for the advancement of their research towards a better understanding of the autonomic regulatory mechanisms.