Books published by Springer Verlag, Singapore

Sexual reproduction is the predominant mode of perpetuation for flowering plant species. Investigating the reproductive strategies of plants has grown to become a vast area of research and, in crop plants, covers events from flowering to fruit and seed development; in wild species, it extends up to seed dispersal and seedling recruitment. Thus, reproduction determines the extent of yield in crop plants and, in wild plants, also determines the efficacy of recruiting new adults to the population, making this field important both from fundamental and applied plant biology perspectives. Moreover, in light of the growing concerns regarding food and nutritional security for the growing population and preserving biological diversity, reproductive biology of flowering plants has acquired special significance. Extensive studies on various facets of reproduction are being carried out around the world. However, these studies are scattered across research journals and reviews from diverse areas of biology.The present volume covers the whole spectrum of reproductive ecology, from phenology and floral biology, to sexuality and pollination biology/ecology including floral rewards, breeding systems, apomixis and seed dispersal. In turn, transgene flow, its biosafety and mitigation approaches, and the ¿global pollinator crisis¿, which has become a major international concern in light of the urgent need to sustain crop yield and biodiversity, are discussed in detail. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable resource for students, teachers and researchers of botany, zoology, ecology, agriculture and forestry, as well as conservation biologists.

High-quality seed is essential for healthy crops and greater agricultural productivity. At the same time, advances in breeding technology require equivalent advances in seed technology. In order to ensure food security, it is crucial to develop seeds that are high yielding, and resistant to drought, heat, cold, and insects. Gathering the latest research in seed sciences, the book includes contributions on seed production in crops such as legumes, sugar, rice, wheat and other cereals. It discusses a range of topics, like the effect of climate change on seed quality, production and storage; seed rouging; seed certification for different crop species; seed biology; and seed pathologies and their effective management. Integrating basic and applied research, this compendium provides valuable insights for researchers and students in agricultural and life sciences; professionals involved in seed certification and those working in quarantine laboratories; as well as plant pathologists.

Oilseeds offer a plethora of opportunities for the food and feed industry, thanks to their high oil and protein content . Their phytonutrients and functional components have attracted the interest of researchers, leading to the development of functional foods. This book gathers the latest scientific information on the nutrients, phytonutrients and health benefits as well as the adverse effects of consuming various conventional and non-conventional oilseeds. In addition, each chapter includes a section comprehensively explaining the use of oilseeds in functional bakery, dairy, and other food products. Given its scope, the book is a valuable resource for students, researchers, nutritionists, food scientists and technologists, and for anyone involved in product development based on oilseed and its components.

Oilseeds offer a plethora of opportunities for the food and feed industry, thanks to their high oil and protein content . Their phytonutrients and functional components have attracted the interest of researchers, leading to the development of functional foods. This book gathers the latest scientific information on the nutrients, phytonutrients and health benefits as well as the adverse effects of consuming various conventional and non-conventional oilseeds. In addition, each chapter includes a section comprehensively explaining the use of oilseeds in functional bakery, dairy, and other food products. Given its scope, the book is a valuable resource for students, researchers, nutritionists, food scientists and technologists, and for anyone involved in product development based on oilseed and its components.

This book summarizes recent advances in the chemistry, bioactivity, nutrition, and functional aspects of dietary phytochemicals, as well as the health and functional aspects of foods rich in phytochemicals. Consisting of forty-four chapters, it discusses the different chemical types of phytochemicals in our diets and food and presents data collected from animal or human experiments that are directly related to human health. Each chapter covers the chemistry, epidemiological study, bioavailability, bioactivity (animal experiments) function in humans and safety, as well as products on the market. Moreover, the more than 200 figures make it easy to grasp the main findings in each area.

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is the combination of reinforcement learning (RL) and deep learning. It has been able to solve a wide range of complex decision-making tasks that were previously out of reach for a machine, and famously contributed to the success of AlphaGo. Furthermore, it opens up numerous new applications in domains such as healthcare, robotics, smart grids and finance. Divided into three main parts, this book provides a comprehensive and self-contained introduction to DRL. The first part introduces the foundations of deep learning, reinforcement learning (RL) and widely used deep RL methods and discusses their implementation. The second part covers selected DRL research topics, which are useful for those wanting to specialize in DRL research. To help readers gain a deep understanding of DRL and quickly apply the techniques in practice, the third part presents mass applications, such as the intelligent transportation system and learning to run, with detailedexplanations. The book is intended for computer science students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, who would like to learn DRL from scratch, practice its implementation, and explore the research topics. It also appeals to engineers and practitioners who do not have strong machine learning background, but want to quickly understand how DRL works and use the techniques in their applications.

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is the combination of reinforcement learning (RL) and deep learning. It has been able to solve a wide range of complex decision-making tasks that were previously out of reach for a machine, and famously contributed to the success of AlphaGo. Furthermore, it opens up numerous new applications in domains such as healthcare, robotics, smart grids and finance. Divided into three main parts, this book provides a comprehensive and self-contained introduction to DRL. The first part introduces the foundations of deep learning, reinforcement learning (RL) and widely used deep RL methods and discusses their implementation. The second part covers selected DRL research topics, which are useful for those wanting to specialize in DRL research. To help readers gain a deep understanding of DRL and quickly apply the techniques in practice, the third part presents mass applications, such as the intelligent transportation system and learning to run, with detailed explanations. The book is intended for computer science students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, who would like to learn DRL from scratch, practice its implementation, and explore the research topics. It also appeals to engineers and practitioners who do not have strong machine learning background, but want to quickly understand how DRL works and use the techniques in their applications.

Understanding the reproductive physiology and endocrinology of fishes is essential for captive maturation and seed production in the field of aquaculture. Studying the spermatology of fishes is a comparatively new focus in aquaculture, which has emerged as an important area of fish research over the past two decades. In this regard, the cryopreservation of fish gametes is a crucial aspect. Moreover, energetics studies of gametes have become essential, considering the loss of vigour in the spermatozoa after cryopreservation.The latest development in this context is the cryopreservation of spermatogonial stem cell, which is also covered in the book, along with detailed information on embryo cryopreservation in fishes and crustaceans. The role of cryopreservation in conservation programmes is another important aspect, one that will especially interest biologists.This book addresses central issues in fish gamete cryopreservation and breeding, while also reviewingthe history of cryopreservation. Its most unique feature is the breadth of its coverage, from basic information on reproduction in fishes, to such advanced topics as embryo cryopreservation. Chiefly intended as a handy troubleshooting guide, the book represents a valuable resource for research students in related fields.

Understanding the reproductive physiology and endocrinology of fishes is essential for captive maturation and seed production in the field of aquaculture. Studying the spermatology of fishes is a comparatively new focus in aquaculture, which has emerged as an important area of fish research over the past two decades. In this regard, the cryopreservation of fish gametes is a crucial aspect. Moreover, energetics studies of gametes have become essential, considering the loss of vigour in the spermatozoa after cryopreservation.The latest development in this context is the cryopreservation of spermatogonial stem cell, which is also covered in the book, along with detailed information on embryo cryopreservation in fishes and crustaceans. The role of cryopreservation in conservation programmes is another important aspect, one that will especially interest biologists.This book addresses central issues in fish gamete cryopreservation and breeding, while also reviewing the history of cryopreservation. Its most unique feature is the breadth of its coverage, from basic information on reproduction in fishes, to such advanced topics as embryo cryopreservation. Chiefly intended as a handy troubleshooting guide, the book represents a valuable resource for research students in related fields.

This book discusses and analyzes past and ongoing national urban policy development efforts from around the globe, particularly those that can lead the way toward smart and green cities. In view of the adoption of the UN¿s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially the goal to have cities that are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, urban policies that can help achieve this goal are urgently needed. The UN-Habitat (HABITAT III) puts national urban policies at the heart of implementing and rethinking the urban agenda, and identifies them as being integral to the equitable and sustainable development of nations. Against this background, this important book, which gathers contributions from academics, planners and urban specialists, reviews existing urban policies from developing and developed nations, discusses various countries¿ smart and green urban policies, and outlines the way forward. As such, it is essential reading for all social scientists, planners, designers,architects, and policymakers working on urban development around the world.