Books published by Springer International Publishing

The brain is the body¿s most vulnerable organ due to the defined roles of neurons within circuits. Neurons are vastly outnumbered by microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, macrophages, cells of the blood brain barrier and invading immune cells. These cells display different grades of reactivities and interactions. They integrate their responses and not only change phenotypes but can also completely reprogram after damage to protect the neuronal complexity. The interactions of these satellite cells in the healthy brain are described as well as their roles in all major brain diseases. Special emphasis is put on immune system ¿ brain interactions and regenerative and repair processes. The gliotic response is compared with the reactions to injuries of the skin and other organs. A final chapter addresses the definition of a cell type. It concludes that cell types can no longer be regarded as defined entities over the body¿s lifetime but are prone to phenotype plasticity and even completereprograming.

This book provides new and established researchers with innovative methodologies and research strategies to explore European security integration from a different perspective, challenging traditional theoretical interpretations. It takes a step back from well-established theoretical approaches to the European Union¿s (EU) Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) to ask more fundamental questions about the core assumptions underpinning research on European security integration. It supports methodological innovations with an analysis of the most significant empirical problems of European security governance, including the war in Ukraine or the role of Russia in European security. In the last chapter, the author offers ideas for new pedagogical approaches to teaching European Studies.

This book focuses on the economic, political, and cultural factors that make up Indiäs ¿informal processors,¿ which are the highly networked, multi-generational systems that reuse, repurpose, and otherwise dispose of 80% of Indiäs electronic waste. The research includes insight from more than ninety interviews with forty-nine key stakeholders working within Indiäs e-waste processing industry. This vital resource explores the complexities of the e-waste industry, and it comprehensively explains the importance of developing context-specific solutions that leverage the inherent strengths of informal processors. The resulting resource offers a counterpoint to mainstream arguments that dismiss the value of expertise from informal processors.

This book covers the notion of collective memory ¿ broadly defined as the ways in which differing pasts are created, understood and reproduced ¿ and how this is perpetuated in Northern Ireland by a wide set of social actors, including nations, religious and political groupings, and local communities. Such collective memories are not a preservative for historically accurate recall of bygone events but rather readings of the past subject to contemporary interpretations and political pressure. The adoption of political symbolism remains central to subsequent events. Indeed, in Northern Ireland, both communities hold their conflicting ¿memories¿ dear and, importantly, rival political organizations have invested much in their own reading of the causes of the outbreak and continuation of the conflict. Set alongside constant exposure to other forms of discourse, texts, songs, prose and more visible physical manifestations ¿ such as murals, commemorative gardens, personal tattoos, and even gravestones ¿ there are a multitude of ways of reminding people of particular memories, community histories and interpretations of events, and of providing the background within which attitudes are formed.

This edited volume investigates the effects of shifting configurations and conceptualizations of the experience and meaning of home as it is embodied in early childhood care and education (ECCE). As the globalized early learning agenda drives more children to attend ECCE institutions, these institutions increasingly employ the concept of home through their curriculum and daily operations by attempting to foster a homelike environment or by incorporating items from children's homes into play. Chapters seek to recognize the complexity of a concept that is often taken for granted by exploring ways of being and thinking that share an interest in the notion of home. Authors offer multiple lenses and approaches to make sense of home as a conceptual space that operates in complex and often interrelated ways, including as an intellectual space, a built environment, a disciplinary technology, and a threshold.

This book offers case studies and a comparative analysis of three authors writing in different European minority languages, exploring how they link national and context-marked political community with universal human requirements. The author examines their left-wing positions and how their writing speaks to the acceptance of difference as a necessary condition of such universal values. He presents, for the first time in English, an in-depth treatment of the writing of the Basque poet, novelist and essayist Joseba Sarrionandia (1958¿) and the Catalan priest and civil disobedience author and activist Lluís Maria Xirinacs (1932¿2007), whilst linking their understanding of a 'foundational universalism' with the work of Irish novelist, short-story writer and language activist Máirtín Ó Cadhain (1906¿1970). The book is by its nature interdisciplinary in order to engage in a thoroughgoing comparative analysis of European language minorities, and responds empirically and theoretically to calls made recently in this regard from within critical Iberian Studies. It will therefore be of interest to students and scholars of fields such as Iberian and Celtic studies, International Relations theory, literary criticism, nationalism studies, political philosophy, as well as socio-legal and critical terrorism studies.

This textbook is an introduction to the methods needed to solve partial differential equations (PDEs). Readers are introduced to PDEs that come from a variety of fields in engineering and the natural sciences. The chapters include the following topics: First Order PDEs, Second Order PDEs, Fourier Series, Separation of Variables, the Fourier Transform, and higher dimensional problems. Readers are guided through these chapters where techniques for solving first and second order PDEs are introduced. Each chapter ends with series of exercises to facilitate learning as well as illustrate the material presented in each chapter.

This book examines Canadäs foreign policy in terms of China, pointing to the flaws and attitudes relating to the impracticality and lack of its pragmatic design. We examine the historical and contemporary problem which these states face in terms of their economic, political, and social differentials to see what they have in common, what separates them, and how and why they can overcome these political and social divisions. Our aim is to provide solution-based strategies to the very substantial, diplomatic, and foreign policy dilemmas which exist between these two countries. We begin with an overview and analysis of the fraught diplomatic and economic relations between Canada and China, particularly exacerbated during the global pandemic. Secondly, we look at these problems and how they might be resolved through developing a human security lens, in particular the idea of what we call a ¿human security diplomacy¿ framework which we believe can advocate and support Canadianvalues while offering a strategic tool for strengthening national interests in the short and long term. Finally, we look to the future of Canada-Chinese relations emphasizing an optimistic outlook while offering recommendations on how the relationship can be reimagined.

This book investigates factors that contribute to the development of an efficient financial sector in Ghana. While sustainable finance has long been known to propel economic growth and development, and while many African countries have taken initiatives to develop integrated frameworks of their financial sectors that tackle developmental challenges, scholars and policymakers have always grappled with understanding of factors that enhance performance of the financial sector. In this book, an expert team of authors examines the financial landscape, central bank policies, competition, financial innovation, financial inclusion and banking stability in Ghana, while also exploring how financing models such as enterprise finance and microfinance can be more effective in sustaining financial markets. The authors discuss how Ghana can build fortified institutions, regulatory frameworks, and productive capacity to strengthen the financial sector and foster pathways that will enhance economicdevelopment. Empirical and scientific evidence give this book a unique approach that is both qualitative and quantitative.

This book represents an interdisciplinary academic endeavour intended to provide readers with a comprehensive, balanced, and nuanced examination of critical issues at the intersection of cyberspace, cyberterrorism, and national and international security. It draws insights from a range of diverse fields, including Computer Science, Social Science, Political Science, International Relations, Criminology, and Law. Furthermore, the book investigates the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies, exploring their dual role in this dynamic landscape of contemporary cyberthreats, with both constructive and malicious implications.The book comprises four distinct themes, with each theme represented by a dedicated Part. Within this organisational framework, each overarching theme is systematically explored through a series of chapters, providing readers with a clear and thematic roadmap for their journey through the content.Part I, Understanding Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Strategies, of the book explores complexities surrounding contemporary global security challenges. It serves as the foundational segment of the book, consisting of three chapters that critically analyse various dimensions of terrorism and the strategies implemented to combat it.Part II, Cyberterrorism Landscape, of the book offers an in-depth assessment of the current cyberterrorism landscape. This section comprises two critical chapters, each contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary threats posed by cyberterrorism and their implications for national security.Part III, Countering Cyberterrorism with Technology, of the book forms the core of the book's exploration into leveraging technology to mitigate the threats of cyberterrorism. This section includes four critical chapters, collectively providing an in-depth understanding of the intersection between technology and counterterrorism strategies.Part IV, Artificial Intelligence and National and International Security, of the book delves into the complex relationship between AI technology and the broader security landscape. Comprising three pivotal chapters, this section provides a detailed understanding of AI's transformative role in shaping the future of national and international security.

This volume gives a comprehensive review on dromedary camel handling and management by respecting its welfare, which is a global first. Beyond that, it provides a new welfare assessment tool.Expert authors lay the groundwork for understanding the animals by covering domestication, camels¿ behavioral repertoire and needs, as well as dromedary camel genetics and coping with production systems. Then, the reader is equipped with the latest expertise on good management practices in camel farms, including transport, feeding, housing from racing to dairy systems, and health and hygiene. Moreover, the impact of innovative reproduction techniques and, finally, slaughter are taken into account.Camels, long confined to desert areas and kept extensively, have recently faced changes in husbandry systems and their environment. Intensification and specialization for milk, meat or sport purpose, as well as new geographic conditions have had significant impact on camel welfare.This book is a must-read for all camel industry members, breeders, veterinarians, and researchers, who want to practice camel breeding and management while safeguarding the behavioral needs and welfare of these amazing animals.

This book provides an alternative approach to time-independent perturbation theory in non-relativistic quantum mechanics. It allows easy application to any initial condition because it is based on an approximation to the evolution operator and may also be used on unitary evolution operators for the unperturbed Hamiltonian in the case where the eigenvalues cannot be found. This flexibility sets it apart from conventional perturbation theory. The matrix perturbation method also gives new theoretical insights; for example, it provides corrections to the energy and wave function in one operation. Another notable highlight is the facility to readily derive a general expression for the normalization constant at m-th order, a significant difference between the approach within and those already in the literature. Another unique aspect of the matrix perturbation method is that it can be extended directly to the Lindblad master equation. The first and second-order corrections are obtained for this equation and the method is generalized for higher orders. An alternative form of the Dyson series, in matrix form instead of integral form, is also obtained. Throughout the book, several benchmark examples and practical applications underscore the potential, accuracy and good performance of this novel approach. Moreover, the method's applicability extends to some specific time-dependent Hamiltonians. This book represents a valuable addition to the literature on perturbation theory in quantum mechanics and is accessible to students and researchers alike.

This book delves into the consequences of rapid population aging for Mexico and U.S. Latinos, impacting various institutions, including families, the labor force, and healthcare systems. It examines in depth the causes and consequences of the increasing prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia, especially early-onset decline in the Mexican-origin population.The book identifies resilience factors as critical to successful aging and health in the Mexican and Mexican-American populations from a transdisciplinary perspective. It also examines the diversity in the experiences of older adults with dementia and related disorders and that of their families in Mexico and the United States. The book also helps to better understand the levels of need and support capacity in both nations and the organizational contexts of long-term care in both countries.The ultimate goal of this sixth volume in the series on aging in the Americas is to identify critical sources of vulnerability and possible policy options for closing the gap in affordable and sustainable long-term care and financial wellbeing for low-resource populations living with dementia and other medical conditions in both countries.The volume presents new information, consensus data, potential venues for intervention, and action frameworks to advance current knowledge grounded in global aging health systems research of closing disparities in vulnerable populations at high risk of declining cognitive and physical health in two different political contexts. As such, the book provides a wealth of information for researchers, policy makers and professionals in the field of population aging.

Can we regulate something that doesn¿t exist yet? Can Europe create its own Silicon Valley? Who gets to create technological value in today¿s world? Whatever happened to the once-flourishing idea of rags to riches? Will new and exciting innovations only ever come from big tech companies? Can the EU establish its own flexible framework for boosting innovation, e.g. by facilitating the transformative use of technologies and data?This book seeks to answer these questions by exploring the differences in copyright culture in Europe and the United States, with its flexible fair use framework. The findings are anything but obvious, and decades of case law on both sides of the Atlantic tell a story of judges going to great lengths to deal with new challenges while navigating the imperfections of statutory law ¿ both where it is too broadly formulated and where it is too prescriptive.How can the population¿s creative potential best be fostered? What do software innovations have in common with the evolution of living organisms? What are the vulnerabilities of distributed creativity? Answers are sought in the processes that came into being during the early years of the digital revolution and were then forced to take a back seat as control of the means of production was increasingly placed in the hands of tech companies. The findings and insights presented here are highly relevant for today¿s digital policymaking. Market concentration processes in innovation haven¿t ceased; they are ongoing. And in an age where data-driven services are creating and reinforcing global oligopolies, the question posed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Google v. Oracle is now more relevant than ever: who should hold the keys to digital innovation?

Therapeutic macromolecules and biologics have gained increasing importance in the last decade. Pulmonary and intranasal delivery of these therapeutic modalities, which have poor oral bioavailability, could constitute an attractive, non-invasive alternative to parenteral delivery. They can be considered for either topical use for treating diseases affecting the airways or for systemic use for treating a variety of other diseases. Therefore, this book is a readable, thoughtful, and useful guide on the latest research developments and the best options that people involved with pulmonary and intranasal route of administration and biologically active agents can bring to their practices. Furthermore, it explores the underlying scientific rationale for the strategies applied to overcome drug delivery challenges and provides insights to inspire further research in this growing area.

Elinor C. Ostrom, a Nobel prize winning political economist, made important contributions to common pool resources, economic governance, and polycentricity. Viviana A. Zelizer, a prominent economic sociologist, has done groundbreaking work on how culture shapes our economic lives. Together, the work of Ostrom and Zelizer spans the disciplines of economics, sociology, political science, and public policy by exploring the social relations and community-based organization of everyday life. Both scholars examine the norms, social connections, and cultural impacts of exchange and governance. This volume explores their contributions and builds off of their research programs to explore the social movements, community recovery, and war, and women¿s issues across a variety of disciplines, including economics, political science, sociology, history, and archaeology.Inspired by Zelizer¿s 2019 Ostrom Speaker Series lecture for the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, this volume explores the connections between the work of Elinor Ostrom and Viviana Zelizer. Beginning with a lead chapter by Zelizer where she reflects on the connections between her work and Ostrom¿s oeuvre, the volume brings together scholars who tease out some of the important concepts and implications of Ostrom and Zelizer¿s research. This volume furthers economic inquiry by ensuring that the critical examinations of these timely and important themes are made available to students and scholars.

This book comprehensively investigates the position of Chinäs working class between the 1980s and 2010s and considers the consequences of economic reforms in historical perspective. It argues the case that, far from the illusion during the Maoist period that a new society had been established where the working classes held greater political and economic autonomy, economic reforms in the post-Mao era have led to the return of traditional Marxist proletariats in China. The book demonstrates how the reforms of Deng Xiaoping have led to increased economic efficiency at the expense of economic equality through an extensive case study of an SOE (state-owned enterprise) in Sichuan Province as well as wider discussions of the emergence of state capitalism on both a micro and macroeconomic level. The book also discusses workers¿ protests during these periods of economic reform to reflect the reformation of class consciousness in post-Mao China, drawing on Marx¿s concept of a transition from äclass-in-itself' to a ¿class-for-itself¿. It will be valuable reading for students and scholars of Chinese economic and social history, as well as political economy, sociology, and politics.