The assessment and measurement of the level of well-being in a society have been on the radar of researchers and institutions for many years. The commonly held opinion was that this kind of research was useful for developing economies, whereas the Western world, thanks to its long-established high standards of living, would have no need for this kind of research. However, the political and economic events of the Seventies and Eighties have called this paradigm into question, highlighting the increasing inequality even in high-income countries, in the access to both resources and services. At the same time, there has been growing awareness of the consequences of overexploiting natural resources and pollution. Consequently, sustainability issues have been raised alongside equity issues. All of this provided the basis for an approach to research that would look beyond the mere monetary value and evaluate different aspects of the quality of life. Now, we have reliable evidence of how well people live in society and how much is available to develop human faculties. These measurements help policymakers determine whether the choice of policies are suitably geared towards the improvement of citizens' well-being and where greater efforts should be made. The authors have developed their analysis in this context and have organised the book as follows: The first chapter provides a concise definition of well-being and lists the issues that arise from the measurement of well-being through GDP. It then examines and discusses the two different approaches to measurement: the capabilities of Amartya Sen and the indicators of Dasgupta. The second chapter provides a general description of the main measurements of well-being. The third chapter analyses the literature where the authors' research falls. The fourth chapter describes the development and the methodology of the indicator, whilst the fifth chapter discusses the results of the indicators and draws some conclusions.

The Measurement of Well-Being in the Current Era (Economic Issues, Problems and Perspectives)

Business & Money

Enrico Ivaldi

Economics

Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

This monograph presents the results of long-term research on the neurochemical structure of the brain and spinal cord of Masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou, as well as cellular, molecular and physiological mechanisms of adult neurogenesis. The objective of this monograph is to investigate the organization, projection features and relationships of a signal transductor system, producing classic neurotransmitters and gaseous intermediates in the Oncorhynchus masou brain, and to evaluate their participation in the processes of postembryonic morphogenesis of the CNS. Identified particular structural and neurochemical characteristics of CNS organization and basic histogenetic processes after the completion of brain formation in fishes with signs of fetalization expand existing notions of histogenesis in these structures during adulthood. The content of the study determined the range of experimental models for the study of reparative processes and adult neurogenesis. A new in vitro model system of cultured neural cells from O. masou was reported. Morphological data and some cellular characterization supporting the use of this novel in vitro tool in investigations of neurochemical properties, axonal growth and neurogenesis in CNS were presented. For a more detailed study of the properties of H2S-expressing cells, their cellular relationships with different neurochemical specialization in the central nervous system, their characteristics of the processes of proliferation and differentiation, and the features of participation of hydrogen sulfide in reparative neurogenesis, the primary culture of the brain and spinal cord from the O. masou was set up, and properties of proliferation and differentiation were analyzed with the specific markers.

The Neurochemical Organization and Adult Neurogenesis in the Masu Salmon Brain (Neuroscience Research Progress)

Science & Math

Evgeniya Pushchina

Biological Sciences

About 29 million Americans (9.3% of the population) in 2012 had diabetes. Approximately 1.25 million American children and adults have type 1 diabetes, and almost all diabetes in children less than 10 years of age is type 1. About 208,000 people younger than 20 years (0.25 % of this age group) have been diagnosed with diabetes (type 1 or type 2). Diabetes care requires a collaborative approach with multi-disciplinary professionals involved from the health, nursing, social and educational fields in order to provide optimal service to the child or adolescent and their family. Early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring can prevent or delay the long-term complications in various organs of the body, and regular care and service to this population is therefore essential. In this book, we provide a short overview of issues involved in diabetes care for children and adolescents.

Diabetes Mellitus: Childhood and Adolescence (Pediatrics, Child and Adolescent Health)

Medical Books

Manmohan K. Kamboj

Medicine

Meningiomas are highly vascularized, extra-axial central nervous system (CNS) tumors that derive blood supply from both extracranial and intracranial circulations. This book reviews risk factors, treatment options and outcomes of meningiomas. Chapter One reviews and discusses recent risk factors of meningioma development. Chapter Two provides an updated analysis of the current practice of meningioma embolization in the 21st century, as it pertains to practicing clinicians. Chapter Three reviews the current evidence for use of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) in the management of cranial meningiomas, discusses technical issues, and explains the indications for use of LITT in the treatment of meningioma. The remaining chapters discuss how to select elderly patients for meningioma surgery, different treatment options, and clinical factors contributing to optimal surgical outcome for the elderly.

Meningiomas: Risk Factors, Treatment Options and Outcomes

Daniel Figueroa

This books reviews free radicals and health. Chapter One discusses the role of radicals in the impact of phenols on health and the environment. Chapter Two describes the very recent development of new synthetic phenol-containing polymers as effective free radical scavengers in aqueous environments, such as a phenolic resin (particularly novolac resin) grafted with hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by click chemistry. Chapter Three reviews the possible applications of radon therapy in veterinary care for oxidative stress-induced kidney damage. Chapter Four examines how melatonin could be taken into account as a drug with uses for cancer treatment in combination with the current chemotherapeutic drugs, reducing the dose of these agents and the toxicity for the patient. Chapter Five studies oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis. Chapter Six presents facts that review how the health benefits of many phytochemicals in natural beverages may be the consequence of hormetic effect and cross-resistance from the auto-oxidation of antioxidants leading to the formation of H2O2, which activates one or more adaptive stress response pathways.

Free Radicals and Health

Marianne Rutherford

Chemistry

The world's six flamingo species are among the most beautiful and iconic animals on Earth. Indeed, the much beloved flamingo is a popular attraction at zoos around the globe, and has become a cultural phenomenon as well, being displayed proudly on the lawns of many suburban homes as well as being featured prominently in works of literature and art. While their physical characteristics have likely led to their iconic status, when one takes a moment to look beyond their long neck and legs and beautiful plumage, they will soon discover that the flamingo's behavioral patterns are equally as impressive and as fascinating as their appearance. Indeed, whether it be their highly gregarious and colonial nature, filter-feeding habits, ritualized group displays, the crèches of flamingo chicks, the construction of mud nests, or the answer to the age-old question, 'Why do flamingos stand on one leg?' , flamingo behavior/biology is thoroughly interesting, and at times peculiar. Moreover, our unique relationship with and fascination for the charismatic flamingos are an interesting phenomena in their own rights. This edited volume is devoted to flamingo behavior, biology and their relationships with humans. By thoroughly exploring and considering each of these topics together in one volume, this work is designed to encourage in the reader a greater understanding of and appreciation for these fascinating and iconic birds.

Flamingos: Behavior, Biology, and Relationship With Humans (Birds: Evolution, Behavior and Ecology)

Sports & Outdoors

Matthew J. Anderson

Field Guides

Endophytic fungi are important biotechnological tools because they produce many secondary metabolites. However, to access this important source of bioactive molecules, it is essential to explore the diversity of endophytic fungi and catalog their species richness in different ecosystems. This book reviews the diversity, characterization and biocontrol of endophytic fungi.

Endophytic Fungi: Diversity, Characterization and Biocontrol (Microbiology Research Advances)

Evelyn Hughes

In recent years, a number of disasters caused by earthquakes have demonstrated the vulnerability of both the developing and the developed world. This book provides new research on earthquakes. Chapter One focuses on the behavior of a simple spring-block model from the viewpoint of nonlinear dynamics and seismology. Chapter Two employs a new technique based on Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) for determination of liquefaction susceptibility of soil based on Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and Cone Penetration Test (CPT) from the Chi-Chi earthquake. Chapter Three presents a review of earthquake phenomenon in Nigeria, the occurrence and available data. Chapter Four describes the behavior and failure mechanisms of unreinforced masonry buildings and different rehabilitation and strengthening techniques. Chapter Five presents the results related to the preferred sources of information related to Risk, Hazard and Natural disaster. Chapter Six presents results regarding urban and semi-rural schoolchildren's seismic risk perception, awareness and preparedness of a highly seismic region, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Chapter Seven reviews the anomalous decrease in groundwater radon before the Taiwan large earthquakes.

Earthquakes: Monitoring Technology, Disaster Management and Impact Assessment (Natural Disaster Research, Prediction and Mitigation)

Wayne Coleman

Earth Sciences

"This is an edited, reformatted and augmented version of the United States Goverment Accountability Office publication... "

Federal Contracting With Tribal Firms and Small Business Administration Oversight of Alaska Native Corporations: Assessments (Business Issues, Competition and Entrepreneurship)

Gail Nelson

Business Development & Entrepreneurship

This book provides new research in finite fields. Chapter One presents some techniques that rely on a combination of results from graph theory, finite fields, matrix theory, and finite geometry to researchers working in the area of preserver problems. It also gives a brief presentation of this research field to other mathematicians. Chapter Two contains a basic and self-contained introduction to classical coherent state transforms, namely classical wavelet and classical wave-packet transforms, on finite fields. Chapter Three proposes an intrinsic representation of finite mƟ extension as this is a tradition for finite extension fields. Chapter Four reviews mƟ cyclic codes on a mƟ field. Chapter Five discusses recent results concerning the number of solutions to certain equations in several variables over finite fields.

Finite Fields: Theory, Fundamental Properties and Applications (Mathematics Research Developments)

Janet Simmons

Mathematics

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Nova Science Publishers, Inc. publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.