Books published by Springer Nature Singapore

This book brings forth the fundamental understanding of the role of Industry 4.0 technologies in sustainable manufacturing supply chain. Readers will get an overview of the challenges, opportunities, and requirements for the implementation of digital technologies and how they can support manufacturing supply chains to be sustainable. The book presents many applications of Industry 4.0 including integration of IoT, AI, Big Data, Blockchain, Procurement 4.0, Logistics 4.0, and Lean 4.0 in different contexts. The book therefore provides a platform for researchers, academicians, and professionals from diverse backgrounds to gain state-of-the-art knowledge for using Industry 4.0 in sustainable manufacturing supply chains. Readers will also be able to identify the practical significance and opportunities for future work directions.

This book looks at the current crises of life and livelihood following the global epidemiological crisis and various strategies to manage them as a long unfolding of past trends and future possibilities of epidemiological governance, restructuring of global economy, public health, systems of protection and care and the role of state in that, and precarities of the migrants and the refugees. It brings together scholars from different fields to think of our present in the time of COVID-19 pandemic in a longer temporal frame. The essays compiled in this book investigate issues mentioned above, covering a period from the colonial past to the postcolonial present with an aim towards encouraging scholarly debates on protection, care and justice. Although the experiences of last two years have inspired some very important academic and scholarly interventions, this book compiles original research to contextualise the present in a longue duree framework and arrive at a more complex understanding of it. It is a must-have resource for researchers of developmental studies especially in the above mentioned areas, as well as policy makers, think tanks and other non-governmental organizations interested in these areas.

This edited book provides a platform for knowledge sharing in all areas related to the rivers, sediment and hydrological extremes. It explains the hypothesis that river flow and sediment transport are intimately linked to erosion, scour and sediment deposition. Sediment transport, erosion and deposition are driven by local base-level changes and are highly variable in space and time. These concepts have serious implication for understanding the recent development of the River, Sediment and Hydrological Extremes.The natural hazards posed by hydrologic events and river systems depend on the uncertainty of hydrological events. This ability is affected by change in climatic conditions. Climate change studies have revealed that the frequency of extreme weather phenomena with increasing damage to human assets has gradually grown worldwide. As a consequence, rainfall events concentrated in time and space are expected to lead to serious local flooding and sediment transport in manyparts of the world. Floods are remarkable hydro-meteorological phenomena and forceful agents of geomorphic evolution in most physical geographical belts and, from the viewpoint of human society, among the most important environmental hazards. According to the Indian Environment Agency, floods rank as number one on the list of natural disasters in India over the past decade.This book is an attempt to fill the gap in literature and bring forth evidence based latest research about precise estimation of erosion and scour, which is essential to reduce the hazards. The book explains that lack of preparedness and appropriate adaptation strategy makes people more risk-prone. It highlights the vulnerability in South Asia region about the impacts of flood, sediments, and river hazards because a large portion of its population depends on sensitive sectors like agriculture and forestry for livelihoods and several other reasons.The book is relevant for academician, researchers andstudents of disaster management, hydrology and ecology.

This edited book brings out a comprehensive collection of information on principle and policy of circular economy. It deals with the general principles, pathways of circular economic development in different countries, use of circular economy in achieving sustainable development goals. The book covers policy instruments that helps implementing resource efficient processes, strategies of implementing circular economy concepts, Decarbonisation, and developing business promoting circular economy principles.The circular economy has gained increasing prominence as a tool which presents solutions to some of the world¿s most pressing sustainable development challenges. By addressing root causes, the concept of a circular economy, an economy in which waste and pollution do not exist by design, products and materials are kept in use, and natural systems are regenerated provides promise to achieving SDGs.This book is of interest and use to practitioners, capacity builders and policymakers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, general people, and valuable source of reference to the relevant researchers and students in global markets. As circular economy is gaining momentum and interest in general, the book serves as reading material for undergraduate and graduate students in any field specifically environmental science, waste management, medical science as well as environmental management at national and international level.

This volume comprises the select proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Flexible Electronics for Electric Vehicles (FlexEV 2022). It aims to provide a comprehensive and broad-spectrum picture of the state-of-the-art research and development in flexible electronics & applications, electric vehicle technology & infrastructures, materials & devices, battery management & intelligent systems. This volume will prove a valuable resource for those in academia and industry.

This book reviews all the findings about bonobos and the local people of Wamba village in the Luo Scientific Reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the last 50 years. In 1973, Takayoshi Kano, a Japanese primatologist, traveled across a vast area of the Congo Basin with a bicycle and found Wamba village to be a promising site to start his first studies on wild bonobos. Since then, many researchers from Japan and all over the world have been working at Wamba, now the longest standing study site, to uncover various aspects of the ecology and behavior of this most recently identified great ape species. The researchers study bonobo behaviors and carry out various activities for the conservation of bonobos. They also conduct anthropological studies of local people who live with bonobos and believe them to be distant relatives from the same family, living in the forest. This book is published in commemoration of 2023 marking the 50th year of study. The main chapters are contributed by active researchers studying bonobos and the local people at Wamba. The book also includes contributions from various eminent researchers who have carried out short-term research or have supported research at Wamba, which helps place these studies of bonobos in a broader primatological or anthropological perspective. This book will be a useful resource for professional researchers in primatology and anthropology, as well as graduate or undergraduate students interested in these research fields.

This book reviews all important aspects of Microbial sustainability in food production and food safety with the aim of shedding new light on these microbes through combined understanding of traditional and novel paradigms. The book is divided into three sections, the first of which reinterprets fundamentals of food microbiology, examining the beneficial aspects of microorganisms in food and microbial responses from food environments and preservation. The second section discusses recent advances in understanding of the sustainable food production, covering, for example, agriculturally important microbes, farming microbes, and fermentation. A wide range of bio-factory issues in food production are also addressed, before turning attention to contemporary food safety approaches in the context of novel assessment methods for microbiological food characterization, improving food safety and food quality, etc. The final section is devoted to public health and its importance of microorganisms in food processing as well as the economic importance of microorganisms as this is also an increasingly important area as we move toward microbial research advances.

Although the expression ¿responsibility to future generations¿ is firmly established in public and political vocabulary, its operational meaning and practice are inadequately understood and yet to be systematically evaluated. Moreover, the term has not been successfully translated into viable ethical and theoretical concepts that can guide public policies and actions. How can the modes of governance and established policy priorities become compatible with the well-being of future generations? The primary objective of this book is to identify the conditions of and obstacles to governance for a sustainable future, or future-regarding governance. Governance concerns steering a society over extended periods of time, not responding to particular policy issues. The ideas and strategies proposed by contributors in this book to establish future-regarding governance are based on the theoretical and empirical analyses of the major long-term problems facing advanced democracies in general, and Japan in particular. Japan is an interesting case indeed. Relatively poor climate policy, rapidly decreasing birth rate, aging population, extensive public debt, prolonged economic recession, healthcare and pension systems that urgently require redesigning, hollowing-out of industries and subsequent loss of jobs, deteriorating infrastructures, increasing nuclear waste, and intensifying social polarization have caused a decline in people¿s trust in the government and democratic processes. Currently, Japanese citizens are widely circulating their doubts about the social system¿s sustainability. This book comprises two parts. In Part I, authors from various disciplinary backgrounds examine the idea of governance for a sustainable future from theoretical perspectives. This part discusses issues associated with future-regarding governance that are wicked in nature, such as the philosophical/ethical foundation on which to base the idea of governance for a sustainable future, major impediments to the development of future-regarding governance, and the modes of thinking and action required by leaders and citizens to realize such governance. Chapters in Part II largely focus on the state of long-term governance in Japan. This part uses empirical and in-depth analyses with cross-sectoral and cross-national policy perspectives to identify the state of future-regarding governance in various policy fields and major sectors or organizations mainly in Japan, while also examining strategies and measures to improve their performance. From this perspective, Western democracies and weak democratic regimes elsewhere will be provided with valuable lessons to avoid fatal policy mistakes, thereby improving future-oriented governance worldwide. By combining theoretical discussions on far-reaching issues and empirical analyses of Japanese cases, the book will shed a new light on governance for a sustainable future.

The book is a collection of best selected research papers presented at the Third World Conference on Internet of Things: Applications & Future (ITAF 2023) organized by Global Knowledge Research Foundation in Cairo during February 4¿5, 2023. It includes innovative works from researchers, leading innovators, business executives, and industry professionals to examine the latest advances and applications for commercial and industrial end users across sectors within the emerging Internet of things ecosphere. It shares state-of-the-art as well as emerging topics related to Internet of things such as big data research, emerging services and analytics, Internet of things (IoT) fundamentals, electronic computation and analysis, big data for multi-discipline services, security, privacy and trust, IoT technologies, and open and cloud technologies.

This volume comprises the select proceedings of the 3rd Biennial International Conference on Future Learning Aspects of Mechanical Engineering (FLAME) 2022. It aims to provide a comprehensive and broad-spectrum picture of the state-of-the-art research and development in material science and engineering. Various topics covered include metals and composites, energy systems, advanced materials processing, materials synthesis and processing, nanotechnology, polymers and ceramics, material for semiconductor devices, fabrication technique, corrosion and degradation, corrosion, welding of advanced materials, etc. This volume will prove a valuable resource for researchers and professionals in materials engineering.

This book highlights the effectiveness of differential diagnosis in the degree of severity of joint pathology from a clinical, biophysical, and informational point of view. It includes the following information blocks:¿ Two-dimensional digital polarization microscopy of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid and determination of the coordinate distributions of the orientation and phase parameters of the microscopic image from a set of parameters of the Stokes vector.¿ Mueller-matrix mapping of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid and determination of a set of coordinate distributions (Mueller-matrix images (MMI)) of azimuthal-invariant elements that characterize manifestations of optical activity and linear birefringence.¿ Development of algorithms for polarization reproduction of distributions of linear and circular birefringence of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid.¿ Identification of digital statistical, correlation and wavelet criteria of polarization and Mueller-matrix differential diagnosis of the degree of severity of joint pathology.¿ Determination of maps of laser-induced fluorescence of synovial fluid polycrystalline films.¿ Identification of statistical and correlational criteria for fluorescent differential diagnosis of the degree of severity of joint pathology.¿ Operational characteristics of the power of the methods of azimuth-invariant polarization, Mueller-matrix and laser autofluorescence microscopy of polycrystalline films of synovial fluid.

This book presents Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Networks (ICISN 2022), held at Hanoi in Vietnam. It includes peer reviewed high quality articles on Intelligent System and Networks. It brings together professionals and researchers in the area and presents a platform for exchange of ideas and to foster future collaboration. The topics covered in this book include- Foundations of Computer Science; Computational Intelligence Language and speech processing; Software Engineering Software development methods; Wireless Communications Signal Processing for Communications; Electronics track IoT and Sensor Systems Embedded Systems; etc.

This open access book aims to emphasize the potential for Japan, Europe and Indo-Pacific countries including the US to respond to shared domestic and international challenges on finding joint ways to uphold and develop the liberal international order (LIO) in the Asian Pacific region and the world. It explores how these countries and the region (the EU) can work together to promote solidarity and cooperation to advance democratic standards and rules-based norms globally.The US understands the LIO in a political sense and centers its focus on democracy, aiming to build a coalition of democracies opposed to China and Russia which represent a kind of authoritarian axis. The US aims both to defend the LIO and respond to the China challenge and to build a coalition of countries that will do both. In contrast European countries aim at defending the ¿rules-based order¿¿a term preferred because they fear that the concept of the LIO might alienate or antagonize non-democratic countries. They face a dilemma between working with China to reform the LIO or, in seeking to defend it from China, excluding China. Germany and France differ regarding whether to play a passive or active role in the Indo-Pacific, the former choosing to preserve peace and stability for continued exports, and, until recently, doing little to contribute to security. Its views echo those of the ASEAN countries, which are unable or unwilling to take an active role in protecting the LIO. On the contrary France, along with the UK, actively carries out presence operations in the Indo-Pacific. Rather than upholding US dominance, France supports a multipolar order that will also reduce Chinäs influence in the region, with France acting as a balancing power and offering an alternative to the choice between China and the United States. Japan and India show interest in European views with the former leaning more toward its allies, the US and AUKUS, and the latter seeing Europe less as an alternativeto the status quo and more as a complement of QUAD. This book concludes that the US needs to build coalitions rather than forcing allies and neighbors to choose sides, while Japan, Asian countries, and Europeans should more actively reform the LIO.

This book presents the proceedings of the XVI International Conference on Vibration Engineering and Technology of Machinery (VETOMAC 2021). It gathers the latest advances, innovations, and applications in the field of vibration and technology of machinery. Topics include concepts and methods in dynamics, dynamics of mechanical and structural systems, dynamics and control, condition monitoring, machinery and structural dynamics, rotor dynamics, experimental techniques, finite element model updating, industrial case studies, vibration control and energy harvesting, and MEMS. The contributions, which were selected through a rigorous international peer-review process, share exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster new multidisciplinary collaborations. The book is useful for the researchers, engineers and professionals working in the area of vibration engineering and technology of machinery.

This book explores future directions in Singaporean education as it moves beyond its historically formative goals of survival, efficiency and performance, and its emphasis on grades and formal credentialing. It examines the future of education via the 4Life framework, a four-form model for purposeful learning centered around social-emotional regulation and the well-being of the individual learner: Life-long learning, the learning that occurs over a learner's lifespan; Life-deep learning, a deep understanding of learned content and adaptive expertise; Life-wide learning, learning in multiple contexts besides the school environment; and Life-wise learning, learning which focuses on the learner's values, morals, character and historical empathy. This book also illustrates how purposeful learning serves to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, dispositions and competencies they need to thrive as adaptive workers in the economy of the future.

This book provides an original and challenging perspective of religions as abstract complex adaptive systems, using an interdisciplinary approach to try to understand what religions are and how they function, two fundamental issues which, despite an intense struggle from several fields, have not yet been resolved. What is the source of religious belief? How do religions work and what are they made of? Why is religion so important for us that it has survived centuries of scientific progress and secularization? Why are people religious even outside religion? The book addresses these questions using an interdisciplinary approach that seeks to untangle the Gordian knot of defining religion. In short, they can be considered entropy-reducing technologies. What differentiates them from other meaning-producing systems is their configuration which employs specific building blocks as tools for mitigating entropy, which are also subsystems and combine in various ways to build a unique configuration: rituals, myths, taboos, supernatural agents, authority, identity, superstitions, moral obligations, afterlife beliefs and the sacred. As a reaction to perturbances or pressure, systems can collapse. Inspired by Nicholas Nassim Taleb, it is, in this book, referred to as fragility¿the negative reaction of systems to random events, and four parameters can be used to evaluate it in religious systems: monotonicity (the inability to learn from past mistakes), coupling (linking with other systems: such as political or economic), centralization and stress starvation. Several case studies are provided in order to test the theoretical claims made in this book, based on the author's field research in Romania, Japan, North Korea and Mongolia, and offering details that could be of interest to casual readers, students and researchers of religion.

This book provides an account of how local government units in the Philippines engage marginalized and geographically isolated communities in taking part in pre-disaster communication efforts. The book focuses on communities classified by the government as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) on the culturally rich island of Mindanao, Philippines. The focus is centered on GIDA communities because they are assumed to receive less information and help in relation to their circumstances. This book accounts for the disaster preparedness communicative conditions of people living in GIDAS and identifies synergies and tensions in the engagement process. As such, specific branches of enquiry focus on how information-seeking and sharing experiences of GIDA communities inform the current practice of community engagement. In taking this research approach, this book deliberately gives voice to these marginalized and often silenced communities. In general, the study examines otherpossibilities (or variables) in the pre-disaster risk communication process that truly engage geographically isolated and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).Considering the existing methodologies used to engage local communities in DRRM, this book looks at ways in which bottom-up and top-down approaches could be melded together for a transformational level of engagement in these communities. The novelty of addressing issues concerning geographically isolated communities in a developing country is a research track worthy of being investigated by academics. The book is of interest to students and in development communication and disaster risk communication as well as community engagement practitioners specializing in DRRM. The framework proposed in this book for engaging isolated communities is helpful to practitioners in designing, planning, and implementing pre-disaster communication and community engagement programs.

This book adapts Rasch's approach for quantifying growth on physiological variables, where growth decelerates, to intellectual variables. To apply this approach, it is necessary to construct measurements in a constant unit over the relevant range of the variable. With such measurements, the book illustrates the approach to quantifying growth on six intellectual variables - two intelligences tests and two each of tests of proficiencies in reading comprehension and mathematics. The book discusses how it is not immediately obvious that deceleration on a quantitative scale should also hold for the growth in intellectual variables. It goes on to show that this is indeed the case with all six tests analysed and considers some implications of this feature for understanding intellectual development, in particular the centrality of the growth trajectory set in early life.

This book explores the interwoven nature of place, Catholicism and violence in Caracas¿ barrios. Using interdisciplinary perspectives to investigate themes of urban space, meaning as a psychosocial construct, criminal violence, and religiosity as culture, this book uncovers the underlying complexities of turning spaces into places through the built form, activities in the urban space and the meanings associated with it. Fundamental elements in the construction of place are used to understand the ways in which barrio residents conceive and construct the physicality of the private, public and religious spaces; how residents use the physical spaces of the barrios; and the psychosocial meanings residents associate with the spaces and activities. Using rich qualitative data and a case study design, the book relies on audio-visual data and interviews with organisers, residents and key participants in Petare, the largest barrio conglomeration in Caracas and Venezuela. Qualitative thematic analysis of participants¿ experiences of Catholicism, violence and, ultimately, the construction of place exposes a unique argument: that meaningful urban spaces are embedded with emotions, memories, relationships, experiences and meanings, which turn them into places.

This volume comprises the select peer-reviewed proceedings of the International Conference on Nanotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges (ICNOC22). It aims to provide a comprehensive and broad-spectrum picture of the state-of-the-art research and development in nanomaterials, nanocomposites, nanobiosensors, nanochemistry, renewable energy, nanochemistry in medicine, batteries and supercapacitors, targeted cellular therapies, among others. This volume will be useful for researchers and professionals working in nanotechnology and allied fields.

The volume presents research works on developing Artificial Intelligence based algorithms and methodologies for making social good that too to a notable one. The book discusses latest findings on efficient technological solutions of e-governance and other areas of life from the leading researchers in the field. The prime focus is on solving socio-economic technical problems using state-of-the-art research findings like fuzzy computing, evolutionary and hybrid frameworks, neuro computing, etc., along with other AI based computation platforms. The topics covered include solution frameworks using Artificial Intelligence based models in application areas like agriculture and rural development, road accident, travel and tourism, solid waste management, rural medical care, crowd sourced election monitoring system, ragging, rape and other abuses, cyber criminals and cyber bullying, disaster management, social good, etc. The book offers a valuable resource for all undergraduate, postgraduate students and researchers interested in exploring solution frameworks for social good problems using artificial intelligence.

This book presents select proceedings of the 2nd Asian Conference on Indoor Environmental Quality (ACIEQ-2023) and explores the current research in the field of indoor environmental quality which includes indoor air quality, adaptive thermal comfort, productivity and health, indoor lighting, and acoustics. These themes include exposure assessment in various microenvironments, i.e., commercial, residential, and institutional and its effect on human health and performance for better well-being. The book also discusses the strategies to improve thermal and visual comfort along with filtration technologies for improving indoor air quality in urban built environment. It also emphasizes on profiling of indoor air pollutants such as bioaerosols, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter in schools, offices, dyeing/printing industry, and modes of commute. The book is a valuable reference for researchers and professionals in engineering, architecture, lighting, and acoustic areas interested in the relevant aspects of indoor environmental quality.

This edited book is a compilation of information on existing frontier technologies in agriculture, such as driving modernized crop improvement programs via digitalization, mechanization and automation, artificial intelligence, speed breeding. The major focus of the book is on the technologies related to genetic gain, nutrition and food safety. Agriculture is core to industry as well as human civilization and sustainability of the society. Therefore, advancement and investment of technology is essential for enhancing the quality and quantity of the produce for ensuring food and nutritional security. The frontier technologies bring drastic change in the way of functioning leading to multi-fold increase in efficiency and outcome. Chapters in this book addresses a particular enabling technology and forward-looking strategy. Compiled information with successful deployment examples of these technologies is not been made available from a single platform, therefore, this volume is a unified compilation of information from international experts. The book is a relevant reading material for students, researchers, academicians and industry players in agriculture.

This edited book is a comprehensive collection of scientific research on different plants under drought and salt stress conditions. The main focus of this book is to elaborate on the mechanisms being operative in plants under stress and how various biological factors mitigate the adverse effects for better plant productivity. This book covers all physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms operating under drought and saline stresses. The current status and impact of drought and salinity on various crop plants have been elaborated on in different chapters. Agricultural lands are either turning barren or becoming more saline and drought-prone with increasing temperatures, decreasing water tables, untimely rainfall, and other environmental factors. In India, salt-affected soils occupy an area of about 6.73 million ha of which saline and sodic soils constitute roughly 40 and 60%, respectively. All these factors individually or cumulatively, affect the plant growth and development and hence, the crop productivity with the monetary loss. The inbuilt plant's ability with modified/acclimatized mechanisms has been described in various chapters with step-wise descriptions. The role of various plant growth-promoting agents including nano-particles, micro-organisms, metabolites or phytohormones, etc in mitigating adverse effects of drought and salinity has been explained precisely. Updated information on the use of speed breeding, proteomics, epigenetics, and transcriptomics in different crops along with high throughput technologies is included for the cross-talk of various network mechanisms. This book is helpful for the readers in knowing salinity and drought through the physiological, biochemical and genetic, and molecular levels to understand plant behaviour under stress conditions. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, plant physiology, biochemistry, forestry, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists and policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

This textbook summarizes the different statistical, scientific, and financial data analysis methods for users ranging from a high school level to a professional level. It aims to combine the data analysis methods using three different programs¿Microsoft Excel, SPSS, and MATLAB. The book combining the different data analysis tools is a unique approach. The book presents a variety of real-life problems in data analysis and machine learning, delivering the best solution. Analysis methods presented in this book include but are not limited to, performing various algebraic and trigonometric operations, regression modeling, and correlation, as well as plotting graphs and charts to represent the results. Fundamental concepts of applied statistics are also explained here, with illustrative examples. Thus, this book presents a pioneering solution to help a wide range of students, researchers, and professionals learn data processing, interpret different findings derived from the analyses,and apply them to their research or professional fields. The book also includes worked examples of practical problems. The primary focus behind designing these examples is understanding the concepts of data analysis and how it can solve problems. The chapters include practice exercises to assist users in enhancing their skills to execute statistical analysis calculations using software instead of relying on tables for probabilities and percentiles in the present world.

This book introduces super gravity metallurgy in separation of valuable component in metallurgical slag. It collects the principle, apparatus and research for super gravity high-temperature metallurgy and the novel technology for selective crystallization and separation of various valuable components in different metallurgical slags by super gravity. Furthermore, the research results previously scattered in many journals and conferences worldwide are methodically edited and presented in a unified form. The book is likely to be of interest to university teachers, researchers, R&D engineers and graduate students in pyrometallurgy and extractive metallurgy who wish to explore innovative methods and technologies that lead to more efficient and environmentally sustainable utilization of metallurgical slag.

Cytokine and Chemokine Networks in Cancer" provides a comprehensive exploration of the roles of cytokines and chemokines in cancer biology. It offers valuable insights into their diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications, making it a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and students interested in the field of cancer immunology and therapy. This book illustrates the importance and significance of the cytokine and chemokine signaling networks in tumor development and progression. It describes the complex networks mediated by cytokine and chemokine receptors promoting tumor cell proliferation, site-directed metastasis, and activation of angiogenic switch in tumor cells. The books also shed light on the heterogeneity of cytokines and chemokine in solid malignancies and their impact on tumor progression and therapeutic outcomes. The chapters provide current information about the types of cytokine-chemokine interactions in promoting cancer stem cell-like characteristics, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. The significance of the complex interactions in cancer biology in the light of therapeutic resistance is also highlighted. The chapters also describe recent advancements in the therapeutic potential of targeting the pro-tumor cytokine and chemokine networks and limiting tumor cell metastasis. Finally, the book also provides a comprehensive yet representative description of a large number of challenges associated with targeting these vital chemokine-cytokine networks. Given its content, the book provides valuable information for researchers in the field of cancer biology and molecular medicine.

This book provides a richer understanding of democratic local politics in Indonesia after the implementation of local direct elections in 2005. Co-published with the University of Airlangga Press, it confronts the question as to why incumbent political leaders succeed and fail in their bid for re-election. By focusing on urban and rural districts in East Java, one of the most populated regions in Indonesia, the work unpacks the general trends of local Indonesian politics, drawing from an empirically sound and theoretically well-grounded case study. The author demonstrates that good policy performance does not guarantee the political survival of the incumbent, and reversibly, bad policy performance does not necessarily mean losing political power. It considers the core political strategies of populism, rivalry, and tangibility and cautions that¿rather than helping liberal democracy to grow¿these strategies support patronage-driven democracy. Within this system, a small number of vital protectors and defenders control patronage, and, problematically, exert influential control over the country¿s electoral processes. Relevant to scholars and students in Indonesian studies, and within political science and Asian studies more broadly, this book follows a gripping and nuanced narrative that explains the relationship between policy choices, informal politics, voting behavior, and political survival in Indonesia.