The seed can be considered the most important plant reproductive element, as a dispersal unit for a successful reproduction in all gymnosperms and flowering plants. The formation of the seed is part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, starting with a mature ovule and following with the fertilization by pollen and some growth within the mother plant to the final outcome of an embryo developed from the zygote, the seed coat from the integuments of the ovule, and a nurturing endosperm in several species. Thanks to this key element as it is the seed, the spermatophytes now dominate all types of biological niches on land, from forests to grasslands, both in hot and cold climates. In this metadata information era, we have the chance for a deeper understanding of seed physiological and developmental processes in order to provide the fundamental basis for making plant (seed) biology research relevant and productive,coping with future challenges.

On the liquid 's surface, the molecules have fewer neighbors in comparison with the bulk volume. As a result, the energy interaction shows itself in the surface tension. Traditionally, the surface tension can be assumed as a force in the unit of the length which can be counted by the unit of Newton on squared meter, or energy on the units of the surface. The surface tension, implies the interface between liquid and vapor, which is an example of the surface tensions. The equilibrium between these surface tensions, decides that a droplet on a solid surface, would have a droplet form or will change to layer form. This book collects new developments in wetting and wettability science.

Ranging from biofuels to building materials, and from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals, the list of products that may be manufactured using discards from farming and fishery operations is extensive. Byproducts from Agriculture and Fisheries examines the procedures and technologies involved in this process of reconstitution, taking an environmentally aware approach as it explores the developing role of value-added byproducts in the spheres of food security, waste management, and climate control. An international group of authors contributes engaging and insightful chapters on a wide selection of animal and plant byproducts, discussing the practical business of byproduct recovery within the vital contexts of shifting socio-economic concerns and the emergence of green chemistry. This important text: Covers recent developments, current research, and emerging technologies in the fields of byproduct recovery and utilization Explores potential opportunities for future research and the prospective socioeconomic benefits of green waste management Includes detailed descriptions of procedures for the transformation of the wastes into of value-added food and non-food products With its combination of practical instruction and broader commentary, Byproducts from Agriculture and Fisheries offers essential insight and expertise to all students and professionals working in agriculture, environmental science, food science, and any other field concerned with sustainable resources.

Continuous discoveries in plant and crop physiology have resulted in an abundance of new information since the publication of the second edition of the Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology, necessitating a new edition to cover the latest advances in the field. Like its predecessors, the Third Edition offers a unique, complete collection of topics

The determination of food authenticity is a vital component of quality control. Its importance has been highlighted in recent years by high-profile cases in the global supply chain such as the European horsemeat scandal and the Chinese melamine scandal which led to six fatalities and the hospitalisation of thousands of infants. As well as being a safety concern, authenticity is also a quality criterion for food and food ingredients. Consumers and retailers demand that the products they purchase and sell are what they purport to be. This book covers the most advanced techniques used for the authentication of a vast number of products around the world. The reader will be informed about the latest pertinent analytical techniques. Chapters focus on the novel techniques & markers that have emerged in recent years. An introductory section presents the concepts of food authentication while the second section examines in detail the analytical techniques for the detection of fraud relating to geographical, botanical, species and processing origin and production methods of food materials and ingredients. Finally, the third section looks at consumer attitudes towards food authenticity, the application of bioinformatics to this field, and the Editor’s conclusions and future outlook. Beyond being a reference to researchers working in food authentication it will serve as an essential source to analytical scientists interested in the field and food scientists to appreciate analytical approaches. This book will be a companion to under- and postgraduate students in their wander in food authentication and aims to be useful to researchers in universities and research institutions.

In this new book, an interdisciplinary and international team of experts provides an exploration of the emerging plasma science that is poised to make the plasma technology a reality in the manufacturing sector. The research presented here will stimulate new ideas, methods, and applications in the field of plasma science and nanotechnology. Plasma technology applications are being developed that could impact the global market for power, electronics, mineral, and other fuel commodities. Currently, plasma science is described as a revolutionary discipline in terms of its possible impact on industrial applications. It offers potential solutions to many problems using emerging techniques. In this book the authors provide a broad overview of recent trends in field plasma science and nanotechnology. Divided into several parts, Plasma and Fusion Science: From Fundamental Research to Technological Applications explores some basic plasma applications and research, space and atmospheric plasma, nuclear fusion, and laser plasma and industrial applications of plasma. A wide variety of cutting-edge topics are covered, including: • basic plasma physics • computer modeling for plasma • exotic plasma (including dusty plasma) • industrial plasma applications • laser plasma • nuclear fusion technology • plasma diagnostics • plasma processing • pulsed power • space astrophysical plasma • plasma and nanotechnology Pointing to current and possible future developments in plasma science and technology, the diverse research presented here will be valuable for researchers, scientists, industry professionals, and others involved in the revolutionary field of plasma and fusion science.

The main themes of the book are the broadly understood methods of image analysis and processing applied to support diagnosis and therapy, but also to assess the implants placed in the patient's body and the related treatment processes. The examples concern processing and analysis of images or measured signals obtained from various diagnostic imaging methods. The study used, among others, standard X-ray images, computed tomography images, microtomographic images, as well as thermographic and ultrasound images. The results of image and signal processing were used in medical diagnosis and to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy. The material contained in this book may be of interest to a wide audience, and the discussed topics cover the current state of knowledge on the use of image processing algorithms in medicine and related fields.

In the face of increasing failures, comments attributed to Albert Einstein loom large: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” There is a pervasive feeling that any attempt to make sense of the current terrain of complex systems must involve thinking outside the box and originating unconventional approaches that integrate organizational, managerial, social, political, cultural, and human aspects and their interactions. This textbook offers research-based models and tools for diagnosing and predicting the behavior of complex techno-socio-economic systems in the domain of critical infrastructures, key resources, key assets and the open bazaar of space, undersea, and below-ground systems. These models exemplify emblematic models in physics, within which the critical infrastructures, as well as society itself and its paraphernalia, share the profile of many-body systems featuring cooperative phenomena and phase transitions – the latter usually felt as disruptive occurrences. The book and its models focus on the analytics of real-life-business actors, including policy-makers, financiers and insurers, industry managers, and emergency responders.

Applications of Nanostructured Ferrites provides an overview of materials design and characterization of ferrite nanomaterials for a diverse array of applications. In particular, the book investigates the large-scale use of ferrite materials, an important category of magnetic materials for environmental remediation such as waste water treatment. In addition, it considers ferrites to enable new technologies in energy, sensing, flexible and conductive electronics, and MEMs applications. This book is suitable for researchers and practitioners in the disciplines of materials science, engineering, chemistry and physics. - Provides explanations on the connection between ferrite properties and their use in a diverse array of applications - Includes information on the design of ferrite materials and their use in medical applications as drug delivery, hyperthermia and contrast agents - Discusses the possible role of magnetic ferrites nanoparticles in environmental remediation, agriculture, food and electronic technologies