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Featured Topic: Cities
Coping with the Pandemic in Fragile Cities by Gabriele Pasqui
This book explores the effects of covid-19 crisis on cities and urban areas and proposes approaches and solutions to invert the pandemic's negative impact. The covid-19 crisis has had significant impacts on public health, on the everyday lives of millions of people, and on the use of urban spaces at all levels. All over the world, cities have been at the forefront of a crisis that have worsened socio-spatial inequalities between regions and inside urban areas. The book examines three aspects of the connection between pandemic and urban issues: the relevance of spatial and territorial variables in the explanation of pandemic dynamics and consequences in fragile cities; the assumption of radical uncertainty as the conceptual framework for a new approach to urban planning, in a phase of raise of public investments; and the design of urban policies aimed at facing the material and symbolic effects of pandemic on the practices of use of spaces and places, in a context characterized by a plurality of populations and forms of life.
Publication Date: 2022
COVID-19 in New York City: An Ecology of Race and Class Oppression by Deborah Wallace; Rodrick Wallace
This book is the first social epidemiological study of COVID-19 spread in New York City (NYC), the primary epicenter of the United States. New York City spread COVID-19 throughout the United States. The context of epicenter formation determined the rapid, extreme rise of NYC case and mortality rates. Decades of public policies destructive of poor neighborhoods of color heavily determined the spread within the City. Premature mortality rates revealed the "weathering" of policy-targeted communities: accelerated aging due to chronic stress. COVID attacks the elderly more severely than those under the age of 60. Communities with high proportions of prematurely aged residents proved fertile ground for COVID illness and mortality. The very public policies that created swaths of white wealth across much of Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn destroyed the human diversity needed to ride out crises. Topics covered within the chapters include: Premature Death Rate Geography in New York City: Implications for COVID-19 NYC COVID Markers at the ZIP Code Level Prospero's New Castles: COVID Infection and Premature Mortality in the NY Metro Region Pandemic Firefighting vs. Pandemic Fire Prevention Conclusion: Scales of Time in Disasters An exemplary study in health disparities, COVID-19 in New York City: An Ecology of Race and Class Oppression is essential reading for social epidemiologists, public health researchers of health disparities, those in public service tasked with addressing these problems, and infectious disease scientists who focus on spread in human populations of new zoonotic diseases. The brief also should appeal to students in these fields, civil rights scholars, science writers, medical anthropologists and sociologists, medical and public health historians, public health economists, and public policy scientists.
Publication Date: 2021
Epidemic Urbanism : contagious diseases in global cities by Mohammad Gharipour; Caitlin DeClercq (Editors)
Thirty-six interdisciplinary essays analyze the mutual relationship between historical epidemics and the built environment. Epidemic illnesses--not only a product of biology, but also social and cultural phenomena--are as old as cities themselves. The outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 brought the effects of epidemic illness on urban life into sharp focus, exposing the vulnerabilities of the societies it ravages as much as the bodies it infects. How might insights from the outbreak and responses to previous urban epidemics inform our understanding of the current world? With these questions in mind, Epidemic Urbanism gathers scholarship from a range of disciplines--including history, public health, sociology, anthropology, and medicine--to present historical case studies from across the globe, each demonstrating how cities are not just the primary place of exposure and quarantine, but also the site and instrument of intervention. They also demonstrate how epidemic illnesses, and responses to them, exploit and amplify social inequality in the communities they touch. Illustrated with more than 150 historical images, the essays illuminate the profound, complex ways epidemics have shaped the world around us and convey this information in a way that meaningfully engages a public readership.
Publication Date: 2021
Fundamentals of Planning Cities for Healthy Living by Avi Friedman; Alexandra Pollock
The obesity crisis has affected many nations. It is also one of the factors listed as contributing cause to the COVID-19 fatalities. The common tendency is to blame people's dietary choices and sedentary habits. Yet, it can also be argued that social inequity and poor urban planning practices have largely contributed to a lack of active lifestyles. Low-density suburban sprawl, long commutes, food deserts, and diminishing green areas are some aspects that have led to reduced physical activity, among residents of all ages. The proposed book illustrates the decline of community planning for healthy living and outlines measures that can be reintroduced to foster active lifestyles. Each chapter stands for another subject that merits intervention and illustrates strategic approaches. Its uniqueness lies in its comprehensiveness. It covers the key principles of residential planning and offers principles of neighborhood design along with sustainable strategies, as well as their applications. The text is not limited to a theoretical aspect but offers contemporary well-designed and illustrated examples of communities and firsthand information about them that was obtained through site visits and interviews with their designers.
Publication Date: 2022
Healthy Cities? : design for well-being by Tim Townshend
The ways in which urban areas have evolved over the past 100 years have deeply influenced the lives of the communities that live in them. Some influences have been positive and, in the UK, people are healthier and live longer than ever before. However, other influences have contributed to non-communicable health inequalities and poorer well-being for some in society. Today many people suffer as a consequence of 'lifestyle diseases,' such as those associated with growing obesity rates and harmful consumption of alcohol. The threat of these health issues is so acute that life expectancy of future generations may begin to decline. Healthy Cities? explores the ways in which the development of the built environment has contributed to health and well-being problems and how the physical design of the places we live may support, or constrain, healthy lifestyle choices. It sets out how understanding these relationships more fully may lead to policy and practice that reduces health inequalities, increases well-being, and allows people to live more flourishing, fulfilling lives. The book is illustrated by case studies from the UK and elsewhere.
Publication Date: 2022
Unequal Cities: Structural Racism and the Death Gap in America's Largest Cities by Maureen R. Benjamins; Fernando G. De Maio (Editors)
Across the United States, Black people have shorter life expectancies than white people--reflecting structural racism and deep-rooted drivers of population health. But are some cities more equal than others? The elimination of racial and ethnic inequities--differences that are avoidable, unnecessary, and unfair--has been one of the overarching health-related goals of the United States for decades. Yet dramatic differences in health outcomes between Black people and white people persist, rooted in structural and social determinants of health. Nationally, a Black baby can expect to live four years less than a white baby. But mortality outcomes and inequities vary widely across cities. In Washington, DC, for example, the average life expectancy for Blacks is twelve years less than that of whites. But in other cities, mortality differences between races are less striking or nonexistent. If health equity can be achieved in some cities, why not all? This is arguably the most important health equity issue of our time. In Unequal Cities, Maureen R. Benjamins and Fernando G. De Maio gather a team of experts to explore these racial inequities, as well as the ten-year gap in life expectancy between our healthiest and unhealthiest big cities. Rigorous analyses give readers access to previously unavailable data on life expectancy, mortality from leading causes of death, and related Black-white inequities for the country's 30 biggest cities. The theoretically grounded essays also explore how characteristics of cities, including their levels of income inequality and racial segregation, impact overall health and Black-white inequities. The first book to specifically examine racial health inequities within and across US cities, Unequal Citiesoffers a social justice framework for addressing the newly identified inequities, as well as specific case studies to help public health advocates, civic leaders, and other stakeholders envision the steps needed to improve their cities' current health outcomes and achieve racial equity. A powerful call to action for health equity advocates and city leaders alike, this book is essential reading. Contributors: David Ansell, Darlene Oliver Hightower, Jana Hirschtick, Sharon Homan, Ayesha Jaco, Emily LaFlamme, Brittney S. Lange-Maia, Kristin Monnard, Nikhil G. Prachand, Pamela T. Roesch, Michael Rozier, Nazia Saiyed, Eve Shapiro, Abigail Silva, Veenu Verma, the West Side United Metrics Working Group, Ruqaiijah Yearby
Publication Date: 2021
Urban Design and Planning for Age-Friendly Environments Across Europe: North and South by Elisa Pozo Menéndez; Ester Higueras García (Editors)
This book represents a multidisciplinary and international vision across different countries in Europe that are facing similar challenges about ageing and quality of life in present cities. It is divided in three main topics from the global context of health in cities and reduction of health inequities to the current research of different study cases, focusing on residential models and the relationship with the built environment. The third chapter illustrates best practices with some study cases from different cities in Europe. Friendlier environments for older people come together with the need of innovation, smart and updated technologies, healthier environments and mitigation of climate change. Health re-appears nowadays as one of the priorities for urban planning and design, not only for the communicable diseases and the effect of the pandemics, but also for the non-communicable diseases, that were also triggering the wellbeing and equity of our cities. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted health inequities and vulnerabilities of those areas of the city that were already deprived and facing other health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, social isolation, respiratory problems or mental health issues, specifically applying for vulnerable groups. Older adults have been one of the most affected groups from the pandemic's threats and derived consequences. In this context, the care crisis arises intertwined with the design and planning of our cities, where there is an urgent need to regenerate our environments with a perspective of sustainability, inclusion, and health prevention and promotion. From the global urban challenges to the specific contextualisation of each city and study cases, each chapter offers an updated insight of the main questions that we should consider to address urban planning and design from the perspective of ageing and social inclusion in European cities.
Publication Date: 2022
Urban Health, Sustainability, and Peace in the Day the World Stopped by Ali Cheshmehzangi
This book covers the nexus between urban health, sustainability, and peace. 'Urban Health, Sustainability, and Peace' is the first book that attempts to put these three critical areas together. This novelty approaches the subject matter by delving into evaluating what works, what does not work, and what should be done to achieve healthy cities. We believe this book will be beneficial to a wide range of stakeholders, particularly policymakers, planners, and developers, who continuously shape and reshape the structure and environments of our cities and communities. Unfortunately, in most cases, the healthiness of the cities may not be of their immediate concern. Nevertheless, it is the concern of the end-users, citizens, or simply those who live and work in cities and communities worldwide. To safeguard peace in cities, one has to consider sustaining urban health; and that is the main aim of this book. The ongoing pandemic gives us an excellent reason to study cities' health. During such a disruptive time, we detect many flaws in cities and communities around the world. We primarily identify the negative impacts on sustainability and peace in cities. In order to sustain a healthy city, this book evaluates six sustainability dimensions of physical, environmental, economic, social, institutional, and technical. It then utilizes eight primary dimensions of positive peace, evaluating critical areas for future considerations in urbanism. These considerations include making cities smarter, more resilient, and more sustainable. The book's ultimate goal is to highlight how we should progress to maintain and sustain urban health. As a continuation to 'The City in Need,', this book covers the nexus between urban health, sustainability, and peace. Furthermore, by reflecting on the ongoing pandemic crisis, metaphorically labelled as 'The Day the World Stopped,', we delve into some key areas beyond the usual planning and policy guidelines. Lastly, the book intends to highlight what has not been studied before, i.e., the relationship between urban health, sustainability, and peace.
Publication Date: 2021
Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme: Policy Briefs. Volume 3 by Franz W. Gatzweiler (Editor)
This book presents the background and context of an urban health issue, research findings, and recommendations for policy/decision-makers and action-takers. This book is a collection of policy briefs produced from research presented at the 16th Conference on Urban Health in Xiamen, China, during November 4-8, 2019, under the theme "People Oriented Urbanisation: Transforming Cities for Health and Well-Being," co-organized by the Urban Health and Wellbeing (UHWB) programme of the International Science Council (ISC), The 15th Annual Session of Global Forum on Human Settlements in Shenzhen, China, during October 15-16, 2020, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Technology (CAST) International Conference on "Digital economy and green development" held during November 2020. The UHWB programme takes an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and systemic view on issues of health and well-being in cities which include the urban economy and finance systems, education, employment, mobility and transport, food, energy and water resources, access to public services, urban planning, public spaces and urban green, as well as social inclusion. Contributions to this book have been made by scientists from multidisciplinary research fields. The policy briefs in this book provide an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral perspective on urban health and human well-being issues, primarily food security, urban infrastructure, public services, traffic and transportation, smart city building, urban health and safety, social cohesion sustainable development policies, and urban planning. In some case, it informs about urban health issues in different regions of the world, the current status, and key insights into addressing related issues, with emphasis on factual cases in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The book is intended for citizens and political decision-makers, who are interested in systems perspectives on urban health and well-being, examples of how to deal with the increasing complexity of cities and the accompanying environmental and social impacts of increasing urbanization. Furthermore, it hopes to inspire decision-makers to facilitate finding solutions, in order to reach the goal of advancing global urban health and well-being.
Publication Date: 2022
Urban Public Health: A Research Toolkit for Practice and Impact by Gina S. Lovasi; Ana V. Diez Roux; Jennifer Kolker (Editors)
Today, we know cities as shared spaces with the potential to both threaten and promote human health: while urban areas are known to amplify the transmission of epidemics like Ebola, urban residency is also associated with longer, healthier lives. Modern cities encompass a wide ecology ofinfrastructures, institutions and services that impact health, from access to improved sanitation and early childhood education to the design of buildings and transportation systems. So how has this centuries-long transformation in human settlement affected the mindset surrounding public healthresearch and practice?Urban Public Health is an interdisciplinary collaboration from experts across the globe that approaches the issue of urban health research from a uniquely public health orientation. The carefully crafted and thoughtful chapters in this volume grapple with the complexity of the urban setting as aphysical and social space while also providing an abundance of global and local examples of current urban health practices. Urban Public Health is divided into four pragmatic sections which cover core conceptual models of public health and their inequities, methods of urban health researchassessment, methods of urban health research analysis and explanation, and ultimately, opportunities for urban health research to inform action through partnership and collaboration, including those which elevate community voices and capacities. An accessible guide for both students and researchersalike, Urban Public Health shines a light on how to understand, measure and change the urban setting so that cities grow, people thrive, and no one is left behind.
Publication Date: 2021
Featured Topic: Mass Media
20th Century Media and the American Psyche: A Strange Love by Charisse L'Pree Corsbie-Massay
This innovative text bridges media theory, psychology, and interpersonal communication by describing how our relationships with media emulate the relationships we develop with friends and romantic partners through their ability to replicate intimacy, regularity, and reciprocity. In research-rich, conversational chapters, the author applies psychological principles to understand how nine influential media technologies--theatrical film, recorded music, consumer market cameras, radio, network and cable television, tape cassettes, video gaming, and dial-up internet service providers--irreversibly changed the communication environment, culture, and psychological expectations that we then apply to future media technologies. With special attention to mediums absent from the traditional literature, including recorded music, cable television, and magnetic tape, this book encourages readers to critically reflect on their own past relationships with media and consider the present environment and the future of media given their own personal habits. 20th Century Media and the American Psyche is ideal for media studies, communication, and psychology students, scholars, and industry professionals, as well as anyone interested in a greater understanding of the psychological significance of media technology, usage, and adoption across the past 150 years.
Publication Date: 2020
Affective Politics of Digital Media: propaganda by other means by Megan Boler; Elizabeth Davis (Editors)
This interdisciplinary, international collection examines how sophisticated digital practices and technologies exploit and capitalize on emotions, with particular focus on how social media are used to exacerbate social conflicts surrounding racism, misogyny, and nationalism.　 Radically expanding the study of media and political communications, this book bridges humanities and social sciences to explore affective information economies, and how emotions are being weaponized within mediatized political landscapes. The chapters cover a wide range of topics: how clickbait, "fake news," and right-wing actors deploy and weaponize emotion; new theoretical directions for understanding affect, algorithms, and public spheres; and how the wedding of big data and behavioral science enables new frontiers of propaganda, as seen in the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal. The collection includes original interviews with luminary media scholars and journalists.　 The book features contributions from established and emerging scholars of communications, media studies, affect theory, journalism, policy studies, gender studies, and critical race studies to address questions of concern to scholars, journalists, and students in these fields and beyond.
Publication Date: 2021
Ageing and the Media: International Perspectives by Virpi Ylänne (Editor)
Media representations of ageing play a role in stereotype formation and even reinforce them. Encountering these stereotypes can negatively impact the self-esteem, health status, physical wellbeing and cognitive performance of older people. This international collection examines different dimensions of ageing and ageism in a range of media. Chapters include explorations of the UK media during the COVID-19 pandemic; age, gender and mental health in Ghana; advertising in Brazil; magazines in Canada; Taiwanese newspapers; comics, graphic novels and more. Bringing together leading scholars, this book critically considers differences in media portrayals and how older adults use and interact with the media.
Publication Date: 2022
COVID-19, Racism and Politicization : Media in the Midst of a Pandemic by Kalinga Seneviratne; Sundeep R. Muppidi
This book explores the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of national and international media and governments in the initial coverage of the developing crisis. With specific chapters written mostly by scholars based in these countries, it examines how the media in India, China, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Taiwan, Bangladesh, New Zealand and the USA responded to this pandemic. The volume particularly addresses their role in both countering and spreading misinformation and in the politicization of the health crisis.
Publication Date: 2021
Health Crises and Media Discourses in Sub-Saharan Africa by Carol Azungi Dralega; Angella Napakol (Editors)
This is an open access book which brings together leading scholars and critical discourses on political, economic, legal, technological, socio-cultural and systemic changes and continuities intersecting media and health crises in Sub-Saharan Africa. The volume extensively discusses COVID-19 but it also covers other epidemics, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS as well as "silent" health crises such as mental health---simmering across the subcontinent. The chapters fill knowledge gaps, highlight innovations, unpack the complexities surrounding the media ecosystem in times of health crises. They explore, among other issues, the politics of public health communication; infodemics; existential threats to media viability; draconian legislations; threats to journalists/journalism; COVID-related entrepreneurship, marginalization, and more. This is a timely resource for academics, advocacy groups, media practitioners and policy makers working on crises and media reporting, not just in Africa but anywhere in the global South.
Publication Date: 2022
Pandemic: a Test of the News by Alan O'Connor
This book argues against the rapidly expanding literature about misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic - and that the real issues are much broader. Mainstream news media, except Fox News, has generally done a good job in educating people about the basic facts and precautions to be taken. Pandemic: A Test of the News identifies the mainframes used to tell the media story. With some exceptions such as long reads in The New Yorker and the Guardian, the media has not included the fundamental factors that caused the pandemic, the seriousness of a medical crisis that will last for several years - and the same factors that will cause the next pandemic.
Publication Date: 2022
That Could Be Us: News Media, Politics, and the Necessary Conditions for Disaster Risk Reduction by Thomas Jamieson; Douglas A. Van Belle
The evidence presented in this book suggests that when the necessary conditions for disaster risk reduction (DRR) are in place, it is possible for elected officials to pursue DRR policies in their rational self-interest. As such, when the media makes it possible through lesson-drawing coverage of distant disasters, DRR policies become much more likely in observing communities because elected officials can seize the opportunity to both make political gains and protect their constituents. Authors Thomas Jamieson and Douglas A. Van Belle provide reasons for optimism about the prospect of DRR in at-risk communities around the world--observing communities are able to learn from the experiences of stricken areas and pursue policies that ultimately save lives and reduce economic damage from disasters. In That Could Be Us, Jamieson and Van Belle find that the news media delivers information to observing communities in a form that enables learning from other disasters. Experimental evidence shows that people react to this information in a way that would punish leaders who do not back DRR efforts. Case studies, interviews, experiments, and illustrative examples suggest that leaders and political entrepreneurs heed this public demand, react to news media coverage, and act accordingly. Taken as a whole, this suggests that the policy and research implications derived from this book's theoretical model are worthy of further exploration, particularly in terms of how they might resolve the puzzle presented by the variations in DRR policy uptake around the world that do not seem to be driven by developmental differences across communities.
Publication Date: 2022
Trans-forming Terminology and Ideology in Media, Medicine and Mental Health: Zebras among Us by Steven S. Funk; Jaydi Funk
This book offers research-based evidence for considering the next generation of trans*+ individuals and for making classrooms, healthcare facilities, and clinics affirming spaces for people of all genders. Brazenly challenging what once may have seemed standard, it presents the findings of a large-scale mixed-methods research project. The text offers a deep dive into the literature surrounding trans*+ topics and controversies in media, medicine, and mental health. Introducing a new addition to ‘LGBTQIA’, ‘Thisgender’, the book approaches trans*+ studies with provocative questions and illuminating answers.
Publication Date: 2021
Unequal America: class conflict, the news media, and ideology in an era of record inequality by Anthony R. DiMaggio
This book examines Americans and their beliefs about the class divide in the United States. It argues that Americans' beliefs about class and the economic divide develop through a multistep process. Economic affluence influences the development of worldview, measured in terms of ideology, partisanship, and self-identified class consciousness. Class consciousness in turn affects how people look at political and economic issues. This book is intended for scholars and students at every level who study inequality from a political, economic, or sociological position, along with general readers with a growing interest in and awareness of the effects of inequality on our democracy, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the resulting economic contraction, and the protests over racial injustice erupting throughout the world in 2020.
Publication Date: 2021
Featured Topic: AI
Artificial Intelligence Applications in a Pandemic: COVID-19 by Salah-ddine Krit; Vrijendra Singh; Mohamed Elhoseny; Yashbir Singh (Editors)
COVID-19, a novel coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our society in many ways. Digital healthcare innovations are required more than ever before as we have come across myriad challenges during this pandemic. Scientists and developers are learning and fi nding ways to use artifi cial intelligence applications and natural language processing to comprehend and tackle this disease. AI technologies are playing an important role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts are using all possible tools to study the virus, diagnose individuals, and analyze the public health impacts. This book is a collection of some of the leading efforts related to AI and COVID-19 focused on fi nding how AI can be helpful in monitoring situations from early warnings, swift emergency responses, and critical decision-making. It discusses the use of machine learning and how it may help to reduce the impacts of this pandemic in conjunction with all other research and strategies going on. The book serves as a technical resource of data analytics and AI applications in tracking infectious diseases. It will serve academics, students, data scientists, medical practitioners, and those involved in managing a global pandemic. Features: * Directs the attention to the smart digital healthcare system in this COVID-19 pandemic * Simulates novel investigations and how they will be beneficial in understanding the pandemic * Analyses the various issues related to computing, AI apps, big data analytic techniques, and predictive scientifi skill gaps * Explains some interesting and diverse types of challenges and data-driven healthcare applications
Publication Date: 2022
Artificial Intelligence for Medicine: People, Society, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Materials by Yoshiki Oshida
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields is of major importance to improve the use of resourses and time. This book provides an analysis of how AI is used in both the medical field and beyond. Topics that will be covered are bioinformatics, biostatistics, dentistry, diagnosis and prognosis, smart materials, and drug discovery as they intersect with AI. Also, an outlook of the future of an AI-assisted society will be explored.
Publication Date: 2022
Artificial Intelligence on Medical Data by Mousumi Gupta; Sujata Ghatak; Amlan Gupta; Abir Lal Mukherjee (Editors)
This book includes high-quality papers presented at the Second International Symposium on Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis (ISCMM 2021), organized by Computer Applications Department, SMIT in collaboration with Department of Pathology, SMIMS, Sikkim, India, and funded by Indian Council of Medical Research, during 11 - 12 November 2021. It discusses common research problems and challenges in medical image analysis, such as deep learning methods. It also discusses how these theories can be applied to a broad range of application areas, including lung and chest x-ray, breast CAD, microscopy and pathology. The studies included mainly focus on the detection of events from biomedical signals.
Publication Date: 2022
Clinical Image-Based Procedures, Distributed and Collaborative Learning, Artificial Intelligence for Combating COVID-19 and Secure and Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning by Cristina Oyarzun Laura, et al. (Editors)
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Workshop on Clinical Image-Based Procedures, CLIP 2021, Second MICCAI Workshop on Distributed and Collaborative Learning, DCL 2021, First MICCAI Workshop, LL-COVID19, First Secure and Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning for Medical Imaging Workshop and Tutorial, PPML 2021, held in conjunction with MICCAI 2021, in October 2021. The workshops were planned to take place in Strasbourg, France, but were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CLIP 2021 accepted 9 papers from the 13 submissions received. It focuses on holistic patient models for personalized healthcare with the goal to bring basic research methods closer to the clinical practice. For DCL 2021, 4 papers from 7 submissions were accepted for publication. They deal with machine learning applied to problems where data cannot be stored in centralized databases and information privacy is a priority. LL-COVID19 2021 accepted 2 papers out of 3 submissions dealing with the use of AI models in clinical practice. And for PPML 2021, 2 papers were accepted from a total of 6 submissions, exploring the use of privacy techniques in the medical imaging community.
Publication Date: 2021
Integrating IoT and AI for Indoor Air Quality Assessment by Jagriti Saini; Maitreyee Dutta; Gonçalo Marques ; Malka N. Halgamuge (Editors)
This book presents Internet of Things (IoT) solutions monitoring and assessing a variety of applications areas for indoor air quality (IAQ). This book synthesizes recent developments, presents case studies, and discusses new methods in the area of air quality monitoring, all the while addressing public health concerns. The authors discuss the issues and solutions, including IoT systems that can provide a continuous flow of data retrieved from cost-effective sensors that can be used in multiple applications.The authors present the leading IoT technologies, applications, algorithms, systems, and future scope in this multi-disciplinary domain.
Publication Date: 2022
Prognostic Models in Healthcare: AI and Statistical Approaches by Tanzila Saba; Amjad Rehman; Sudipta Roy (Editors)
This book focuses on contemporary technologies and research in computational intelligence that has reached the practical level and is now accessible in preclinical and clinical settings. This book's principal objective is to thoroughly understand significant technological breakthroughs and research results in predictive modeling in healthcare imaging and data analysis. Machine learning and deep learning could be used to fully automate the diagnosis and prognosis of patients in medical fields. The healthcare industry's emphasis has evolved from a clinical-centric to a patient-centric model. However, it is still facing several technical, computational, and ethical challenges. Big data analytics in health care is becoming a revolution in technical as well as societal well-being viewpoints. Moreover, in this age of big data, there is increased access to massive amounts of regularly gathered data from the healthcare industry that has necessitated the development of predictive models and automated solutions for the early identification of critical and chronic illnesses. The book contains high-quality, original work that will assist readers in realizing novel applications and contexts for deep learning architectures and algorithms, making it an indispensable reference guide for academic researchers, professionals, industrial software engineers, and innovative model developers in healthcare industry.
Publication Date: 2022
Sex and Gender Bias in Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Biomedicine and Healthcare Applications by Davide Cirillo; Silvina Catuara Solarz; Emre Guney (Editors)
Sex and Gender Bias in Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Biomedicine and Healthcare Applications details the integration of sex and gender as critical factors in innovative technologies (artificial intelligence, digital medicine, natural language processing, robotics) for biomedicine and healthcare applications. By systematically reviewing existing scientific literature, a multidisciplinary group of international experts analyze diverse aspects of the complex relationship between sex and gender, health and technology, providing a perspective overview of the pressing need of an ethically-informed science. The reader is guided through the latest implementations and insights in technological areas of accelerated growth, putting forward the neglected and overlooked aspects of sex and gender in biomedical research and healthcare solutions that leverage artificial intelligence, biosensors, and personalized medicine approaches to predict and prevent disease outcomes. The reader comes away with a critical understanding of this fundamental issue for the sake of better future technologies and more effective clinical approaches. First comprehensive title addressing the topic of sex and gender biases and artificial intelligence applications to biomedical research and healthcare Co-published by the Women's Brain Project, a leading non-profit organization in this area Guides the reader through important topics like the Generation of Clinical Data, Clinical Trials, Big Data Analytics, Digital Biomarkers, Natural Language Processing
Publication Date: 2022
Transcultural Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Health and Social Care by Irena Papadopoulos; Christina Koulouglioti; Chris Papadopoulos; Antonio Sgorbissa
Transcultural Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Health and Social Care provides healthcare professionals with a deeper understanding of the incredible opportunities brought by the emerging field of AI robotics. In addition, it provides robotic researchers with the point-of-view of healthcare professionals to understand what the healthcare sector - as well as the market - really needs from robotics technology. By doing so, the book fills an important gap between both fields in order to leverage new developments and collaborative work in favor of global patients. The book is aimed at the non-technical reader, especially health and social care professionals, and explains in a simple way the technological principles applied in the development of socially assistive humanoid AI robots (SAHR), the values which guide such developments, the ethics related to them, and research approaches in the field, with a focus on achieving a culturally competent SAHR.
Publication Date: 2022
Featured Topic: Water
Clean Water and Sanitation by Walter Leal Filho, et al. (Editors)
The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume is dedicated to SDG 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". Water and sanitation are fundamental to human well-being. Integrated water resources management is essential to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and to the realization of Sustainable Development. Concretely, the defined targets are: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all Achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally Substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity Implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes Expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving Uwater and sanitation management Editorial Board Ulisses M. Azeiteiro, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli, Dominique Darmendrail, Despo Fatta-Kassinos, Walter Leal Filho, Susan Hegarty, Amanda Lange Salvia, Albert Llausàs, Paula Duarte Lopes, Javier Marugán, Fernando Morgado, Wilkister Nyaora Moturi, Karel F. Mulder, Alesia Dedaa Ofori, Sandra Ricart
Publication Date: 2022
Contamination of Water : health risk assessment and treatment strategies by Pardeep Singh; Arif Ahamad; Sharf Elahi Siddiqui (Editors)
Water containing significant amounts of inorganic and organic contaminants can have serious environmental consequences and serious health implications when ingested. Contamination of Water: Health Risk Assessment and Treatment Strategies takes an interconnected look at the various pollutants, the source of contamination, the effects of contamination on aquatic ecosystems and human health, and what the potential mitigation strategies are. This book is organized into three sections. The first section examines the sources of potential contamination. This includes considering the current scenario of heavy metal and pesticide contamination in water as well as the regions impacted due to industrialization, mining, or urbanization. The second section goes on to discuss water contamination and health risks caused by toxic elements, radiological contaminants, microplastics and nanoparticles, and pharmaceutical and personal care products. This book concludes with a section exploring efficient low-cost treatment technologies and remediation strategies that remove toxic pollutants from water. Contamination of Water incorporates both theoretical and practical information that will be useful for researchers, professors, graduate students, and professionals working on water contamination, environmental and health impacts, and the management and treatment of water resources. Provides practical case studies of various types and sources of contamination Discusses inorganic and organic contaminants and their impact on human health Evaluates effective water treatment and remediation technologies to remove toxins from water and minimize risk
Publication Date: 2021
Guidance on Preparing Water Service Delivery Plans: a Manual for Small to Medium-Sized Water Utilities in Africa and Similar Settings by Kizito Masinde; Michael J. Rouse; Martha Jepkirui; Katharine Cross
Improving and managing universal services of water and sanitation in a holistic manner is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and addressing the needs of millions of people around the world. Ensuring access to water services is a key factor in working towards the SDGs, and water service delivery planning can support utilities in improving provision of these services. A service delivery plan identifies the actions required and associated costs for achieving a defined level of water services delivery over a defined period of time. This publications is a guideline or how-to manual on preparing water service delivery plans with a focus on small to medium sized organised water utilities having with approximately 5,000 to over 100,000 connections mainly in areas with limited capacity and resources. The manual is simplified enough to ensure that these utilities are able to move from a situation where they are struggling to deliver water services to where basic service levels in terms of water quality, quantity, accessibility, reliability, affordability, and acceptability are met. Meeting these basic service levels provides a strong foundation for the utility to progressively move up the ladder of delivering improved services.
Publication Date: 2021
Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination of Surface and Underground Water: Environmental, Policy and Ethical Issues by Abhik Gupta
Heavy metal and metalloid contamination of groundwater and surface water ecosystems involves important policy-related and ethical issues besides its more well-known scientific aspects. Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination of Surface and Underground Water: Environmental, Policy, and Ethical Issues has brought these three dimensions under a single volume. The book presents an updated status of the nature and extent of heavy metal and metalloid contamination of water and discuss its future implications. In Section I, the book provides a state-of-the-art review of research findings on entry, storage, and release, human health risks, and the uptake and accumulation by freshwater biota and the toxic effects experienced by them. The book also provides information on the bioremediation of heavy metals and metalloids, and the possible effects of climate change on their distribution and toxicity. Section II of the book throws light on the policies and legislations adopted in several countries to deal with the vexed issue of metal contamination of waters in both historical and current perspectives. Special emphasis has been given to the contamination of drinking water and its attendant implications for human health. The book also treats the relevance and applications of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), which forms the backbone of the water policies of several countries. In Section III, discussions focus on ethical issues rising out of heavy metal and metalloid contamination of water, and on the different ethical approaches and principles in both indigenous and other societies. Features: A systematic overview of the major facets of heavy metal and metalloid contamination of water Compilation and analysis of the latest research in the subject area Ample case studies in all chapters that highlight specific problems Review of policy and legislation for the control of heavy metal pollution of water Water ethics in indigenous societies This book will be a vital resource for students and research scholars in the field of environmental science, ecotoxicology, and pollution studies.
Publication Date: 2021
The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation by Heller, Léo
This analysis of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation (HRtWS) uncovers why some groups around the world are still excluded from these rights. Léo Heller, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation, draws on his own research in nine countries and reviews the theoretical, legal, and political issues involved. The first part presents the origins of the HRtWS, their legal and normative meanings and the debates surrounding them. Part II discusses the drivers, mainly external to the water and sanitation sector, that shape public policies and explain why individuals and groups are included in or excluded from access to services. In Part III, public policies guided by the realization of HRtWS are addressed. Part IV highlights populations and spheres of living that have been particularly neglected in efforts to promote access to services.
Publication Date: 2022
Legacy and Emerging Contaminants in Water and Wastewater: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation Techniques by Paromita Chakraborty; Daniel Snow (Editors)
This volume provides a collection of research findings on the distribution and risk associated with emerging contaminants (ECs) in water and wastewater across the globe, and effective remediation techniques and technologies. The book covers various monitoring techniques for ECs in water and wastewater and its related impacts on the ambient environment, and offers valuable information on cost-effective monitoring techniques and sustainable treatment technologies for ECs. The authors detail the risks and biological effects of ECs and legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in freshwater and marine systems, including their adverse interactions with aquatic organisms, while also discussing the associated impacts on human health. The book comprehensively covers current research outcomes on treatment methods, cost-effectiveness, and infrastructure needs for effective removal of ECs. It will be of interest to students, researchers, and scholars in environmental science and engineering, water and wastewater, toxicology, environmental biotechnology, soil sciences, and microbial ecology.
Publication Date: 2022
Standpipe: delivering water in Flint by David Hardin
Standpipe is a brief, elegant memoir of the author's work as a Red Cross volunteer delivering emergency water to residents of Flint, Michigan. A collection of short essays and vignettes, Standpipe sets the struggles of a city in crisis against the author's personal journey as his mother declines into dementia and eventual death, just before the emergency is declared in Flint. Written with a poet's eye for detail and quiet metaphor, Standpipe is an intimate look at one man's engagement with both civic and familial trauma.
Publication Date: 2021
Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: A Guide to Their Public Health Consequences, Monitoring and Management by Ingrid Chorus; Martin Welker (Editors)
Cyanobacterial toxins are among the hazardous substances most widely found in water. They occur naturally, but concentrations hazardous to human health are usually due to human activity. Therefore, to protect human health, managing lakes, reservoirs and rivers to prevent cyanobacterial blooms is critical. This second edition of Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water presents the current state of knowledge on the occurrence of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins as well as their impacts on health through water-related exposure pathways, chiefly drinking-water and recreational activity. It provides scientific and technical background information to support hazard identification, assessment and prioritisation of the risks posed by cyanotoxins, and it outlines approaches for their management at each step of the water-use system. It sets out key practical considerations for developing management strategies, implementing efficient measures and designing monitoring programmes. This enables stakeholders to evaluate whether there is a health risk from toxic cyanobacteria and to mitigate it with appropriate measures. This book is intended for those working on toxic cyanobacteria with a specific focus on public health protection. It intends to empower professionals from different disciplines to communicate and cooperate for sustainable management of toxic cyanobacteria, including public health workers, ecologists, academics, and catchment and waterbody managers. Ingrid Chorus headed the department for Drinking-Water and Swimming-Pool Hygiene at the German Environment Agency. Martin Welker is a limnologist and microbiologist, currently with bioMérieux in Lyon, France.
Publication Date: 2022
Water and Wastewater Management: Global Problems and Measures by Müfit Bahadir; Andreas Haarstrick (Editors)
This volume addresses the situation of water and wastewater management from a global angle, underpinned by selected case studies. Without doubt, water and wastewater management are among the greatest challenges of our century, and there is also no doubt that the challenges posed by climate change will become even greater. However, most efforts, especially in developing countries but also in the so-called developed countries, have been less than optimal or not optimal at all. In particular, there are still too many people who have to live without clean water and decent sanitation. Today, 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water and wastewater, and 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services. The question, why this is so and why in many cases in developing countries, is discussed in this book among other urgent water and wastewater management issues. The publication of this book is the start of a book series that in more detail critically reviews, discusses, and analyzes the water and wastewater situation and management in different regions and countries worldwide.
Publication Date: 2022
Water Interactions: a Systemic View: Why we Need to Comprehend the Water-Climate-Energy-Food-Economics-Lifestyle Connections by Gustaf Olsson
During the last two decades, the interrelationship between water and energy has become recognized. Likewise, the couplings to food and agriculture are getting increasingly obvious and alarming. In the last year, a record number of extreme weather events have been reported from most parts of the world. This is a visible demonstration how consequences of climate change must be understood and alleviated. The impacts of economics, lifestyle, and alarming inequalities are becoming increasingly recognisable. If the wealthy part of the world is not willing not make radical changes it does not matter what the less wealthy half of the global population will do to meet the climate and resource crisis.The purpose of the book is to demonstrate and describe how climate change, water, energy, food, and lifestyle are closely depending on each other. It is not sufficient to handle one discipline isolated from the others. This is the traditional "component view". The book defines and describes a systems view. The communications and relationships between the "components" have to be described and recognized. Consequently, the development of one discipline must be approached from a systems perspective. At the same time, the success of the systems perspective depends on the degree of knowledge of the individual parts or disciplines. The catchphrase of systems thinking has been caught in the phrase, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts". The idea is not new: the origin of this phrase is to be found already in Aristotle's Metaphysics more than 2300 years ago.The text may serve as an academic text (in engineering, economics, and environmental science) to introduce senior undergraduate and graduate students into systems thinking. Too often education encourages a "silo" thinking. Current global challenges can't be solved in isolation; they depend on each other. For example, water professionals should have a basic understanding of energy issues. Energy professionals ought to understand the dependency on water. Economic students should learn more how economy depends on natural resources like energy and water. Economics must include the environmental impact and ecological ceiling of economic activities.
Publication Date: 2022
Water in Times of Climate Change by Jan Jorrit Hasselaar; Elisabeth IJmker (Editors)
This book on water and climate change goes beyond the usual and predictable analyses, by bringing religion and values into a discussion that is often dominated by technocratic solutions. The three case studies of Jakarta, Cape Town, and Amsterdam demonstrate the challenges of water management in urban areas and the role religion can play in addressing them. With representatives from science, politics, economics, and religion, as well as young voices, the book stimulates a values-driven dialogue on issues of water in times of climate change.
Publication Date: 2021
Coping with the Pandemic in Fragile Cities by
This book explores the effects of covid-19 crisis on cities and urban areas and proposes approaches and solutions to invert the pandemic's negative impact. The covid-19 crisis has had significant impacts on public health, on the everyday lives of millions of people, and on the use of urban spaces at all levels. All over the world, cities have been at the forefront of a crisis that have worsened socio-spatial inequalities between regions and inside urban areas. The book examines three aspects of the connection between pandemic and urban issues: the relevance of spatial and territorial variables in the explanation of pandemic dynamics and consequences in fragile cities; the assumption of radical uncertainty as the conceptual framework for a new approach to urban planning, in a phase of raise of public investments; and the design of urban policies aimed at facing the material and symbolic effects of pandemic on the practices of use of spaces and places, in a context characterized by a plurality of populations and forms of life.
COVID-19 in New York City: An Ecology of Race and Class Oppression by
This book is the first social epidemiological study of COVID-19 spread in New York City (NYC), the primary epicenter of the United States. New York City spread COVID-19 throughout the United States. The context of epicenter formation determined the rapid, extreme rise of NYC case and mortality rates. Decades of public policies destructive of poor neighborhoods of color heavily determined the spread within the City. Premature mortality rates revealed the "weathering" of policy-targeted communities: accelerated aging due to chronic stress. COVID attacks the elderly more severely than those under the age of 60. Communities with high proportions of prematurely aged residents proved fertile ground for COVID illness and mortality. The very public policies that created swaths of white wealth across much of Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn destroyed the human diversity needed to ride out crises. Topics covered within the chapters include: Premature Death Rate Geography in New York City: Implications for COVID-19 NYC COVID Markers at the ZIP Code Level Prospero's New Castles: COVID Infection and Premature Mortality in the NY Metro Region Pandemic Firefighting vs. Pandemic Fire Prevention Conclusion: Scales of Time in Disasters An exemplary study in health disparities, COVID-19 in New York City: An Ecology of Race and Class Oppression is essential reading for social epidemiologists, public health researchers of health disparities, those in public service tasked with addressing these problems, and infectious disease scientists who focus on spread in human populations of new zoonotic diseases. The brief also should appeal to students in these fields, civil rights scholars, science writers, medical anthropologists and sociologists, medical and public health historians, public health economists, and public policy scientists.
Epidemic Urbanism : contagious diseases in global cities by
Thirty-six interdisciplinary essays analyze the mutual relationship between historical epidemics and the built environment. Epidemic illnesses--not only a product of biology, but also social and cultural phenomena--are as old as cities themselves. The outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 brought the effects of epidemic illness on urban life into sharp focus, exposing the vulnerabilities of the societies it ravages as much as the bodies it infects. How might insights from the outbreak and responses to previous urban epidemics inform our understanding of the current world? With these questions in mind, Epidemic Urbanism gathers scholarship from a range of disciplines--including history, public health, sociology, anthropology, and medicine--to present historical case studies from across the globe, each demonstrating how cities are not just the primary place of exposure and quarantine, but also the site and instrument of intervention. They also demonstrate how epidemic illnesses, and responses to them, exploit and amplify social inequality in the communities they touch. Illustrated with more than 150 historical images, the essays illuminate the profound, complex ways epidemics have shaped the world around us and convey this information in a way that meaningfully engages a public readership.
Fundamentals of Planning Cities for Healthy Living by
The obesity crisis has affected many nations. It is also one of the factors listed as contributing cause to the COVID-19 fatalities. The common tendency is to blame people's dietary choices and sedentary habits. Yet, it can also be argued that social inequity and poor urban planning practices have largely contributed to a lack of active lifestyles. Low-density suburban sprawl, long commutes, food deserts, and diminishing green areas are some aspects that have led to reduced physical activity, among residents of all ages. The proposed book illustrates the decline of community planning for healthy living and outlines measures that can be reintroduced to foster active lifestyles. Each chapter stands for another subject that merits intervention and illustrates strategic approaches. Its uniqueness lies in its comprehensiveness. It covers the key principles of residential planning and offers principles of neighborhood design along with sustainable strategies, as well as their applications. The text is not limited to a theoretical aspect but offers contemporary well-designed and illustrated examples of communities and firsthand information about them that was obtained through site visits and interviews with their designers.
Healthy Cities? : design for well-being by
The ways in which urban areas have evolved over the past 100 years have deeply influenced the lives of the communities that live in them. Some influences have been positive and, in the UK, people are healthier and live longer than ever before. However, other influences have contributed to non-communicable health inequalities and poorer well-being for some in society. Today many people suffer as a consequence of 'lifestyle diseases,' such as those associated with growing obesity rates and harmful consumption of alcohol. The threat of these health issues is so acute that life expectancy of future generations may begin to decline. Healthy Cities? explores the ways in which the development of the built environment has contributed to health and well-being problems and how the physical design of the places we live may support, or constrain, healthy lifestyle choices. It sets out how understanding these relationships more fully may lead to policy and practice that reduces health inequalities, increases well-being, and allows people to live more flourishing, fulfilling lives. The book is illustrated by case studies from the UK and elsewhere.
Illuminating Policy for Health: Insights From a Decade of Researching Urban and Regional Planning by
This book unpacks policy and politics for health, equity, and wellbeing. With a critical realist lens, the book provides a methodology for sophisticated health focussed policy analysis which situates public health within complex political processes and systems. The application of that lens is demonstrated with insights from a decade of research into urban and regional planning.
Unequal Cities: Structural Racism and the Death Gap in America's Largest Cities by
Across the United States, Black people have shorter life expectancies than white people--reflecting structural racism and deep-rooted drivers of population health. But are some cities more equal than others? The elimination of racial and ethnic inequities--differences that are avoidable, unnecessary, and unfair--has been one of the overarching health-related goals of the United States for decades. Yet dramatic differences in health outcomes between Black people and white people persist, rooted in structural and social determinants of health. Nationally, a Black baby can expect to live four years less than a white baby. But mortality outcomes and inequities vary widely across cities. In Washington, DC, for example, the average life expectancy for Blacks is twelve years less than that of whites. But in other cities, mortality differences between races are less striking or nonexistent. If health equity can be achieved in some cities, why not all? This is arguably the most important health equity issue of our time. In Unequal Cities, Maureen R. Benjamins and Fernando G. De Maio gather a team of experts to explore these racial inequities, as well as the ten-year gap in life expectancy between our healthiest and unhealthiest big cities. Rigorous analyses give readers access to previously unavailable data on life expectancy, mortality from leading causes of death, and related Black-white inequities for the country's 30 biggest cities. The theoretically grounded essays also explore how characteristics of cities, including their levels of income inequality and racial segregation, impact overall health and Black-white inequities. The first book to specifically examine racial health inequities within and across US cities, Unequal Citiesoffers a social justice framework for addressing the newly identified inequities, as well as specific case studies to help public health advocates, civic leaders, and other stakeholders envision the steps needed to improve their cities' current health outcomes and achieve racial equity. A powerful call to action for health equity advocates and city leaders alike, this book is essential reading. Contributors: David Ansell, Darlene Oliver Hightower, Jana Hirschtick, Sharon Homan, Ayesha Jaco, Emily LaFlamme, Brittney S. Lange-Maia, Kristin Monnard, Nikhil G. Prachand, Pamela T. Roesch, Michael Rozier, Nazia Saiyed, Eve Shapiro, Abigail Silva, Veenu Verma, the West Side United Metrics Working Group, Ruqaiijah Yearby
Urban Design and Planning for Age-Friendly Environments Across Europe: North and South by
This book represents a multidisciplinary and international vision across different countries in Europe that are facing similar challenges about ageing and quality of life in present cities. It is divided in three main topics from the global context of health in cities and reduction of health inequities to the current research of different study cases, focusing on residential models and the relationship with the built environment. The third chapter illustrates best practices with some study cases from different cities in Europe. Friendlier environments for older people come together with the need of innovation, smart and updated technologies, healthier environments and mitigation of climate change. Health re-appears nowadays as one of the priorities for urban planning and design, not only for the communicable diseases and the effect of the pandemics, but also for the non-communicable diseases, that were also triggering the wellbeing and equity of our cities. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted health inequities and vulnerabilities of those areas of the city that were already deprived and facing other health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, social isolation, respiratory problems or mental health issues, specifically applying for vulnerable groups. Older adults have been one of the most affected groups from the pandemic's threats and derived consequences. In this context, the care crisis arises intertwined with the design and planning of our cities, where there is an urgent need to regenerate our environments with a perspective of sustainability, inclusion, and health prevention and promotion. From the global urban challenges to the specific contextualisation of each city and study cases, each chapter offers an updated insight of the main questions that we should consider to address urban planning and design from the perspective of ageing and social inclusion in European cities.
Urban Health, Sustainability, and Peace in the Day the World Stopped by
This book covers the nexus between urban health, sustainability, and peace. 'Urban Health, Sustainability, and Peace' is the first book that attempts to put these three critical areas together. This novelty approaches the subject matter by delving into evaluating what works, what does not work, and what should be done to achieve healthy cities. We believe this book will be beneficial to a wide range of stakeholders, particularly policymakers, planners, and developers, who continuously shape and reshape the structure and environments of our cities and communities. Unfortunately, in most cases, the healthiness of the cities may not be of their immediate concern. Nevertheless, it is the concern of the end-users, citizens, or simply those who live and work in cities and communities worldwide. To safeguard peace in cities, one has to consider sustaining urban health; and that is the main aim of this book. The ongoing pandemic gives us an excellent reason to study cities' health. During such a disruptive time, we detect many flaws in cities and communities around the world. We primarily identify the negative impacts on sustainability and peace in cities. In order to sustain a healthy city, this book evaluates six sustainability dimensions of physical, environmental, economic, social, institutional, and technical. It then utilizes eight primary dimensions of positive peace, evaluating critical areas for future considerations in urbanism. These considerations include making cities smarter, more resilient, and more sustainable. The book's ultimate goal is to highlight how we should progress to maintain and sustain urban health. As a continuation to 'The City in Need,', this book covers the nexus between urban health, sustainability, and peace. Furthermore, by reflecting on the ongoing pandemic crisis, metaphorically labelled as 'The Day the World Stopped,', we delve into some key areas beyond the usual planning and policy guidelines. Lastly, the book intends to highlight what has not been studied before, i.e., the relationship between urban health, sustainability, and peace.
Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme: Policy Briefs. Volume 3 by
This book presents the background and context of an urban health issue, research findings, and recommendations for policy/decision-makers and action-takers. This book is a collection of policy briefs produced from research presented at the 16th Conference on Urban Health in Xiamen, China, during November 4-8, 2019, under the theme "People Oriented Urbanisation: Transforming Cities for Health and Well-Being," co-organized by the Urban Health and Wellbeing (UHWB) programme of the International Science Council (ISC), The 15th Annual Session of Global Forum on Human Settlements in Shenzhen, China, during October 15-16, 2020, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Technology (CAST) International Conference on "Digital economy and green development" held during November 2020. The UHWB programme takes an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and systemic view on issues of health and well-being in cities which include the urban economy and finance systems, education, employment, mobility and transport, food, energy and water resources, access to public services, urban planning, public spaces and urban green, as well as social inclusion. Contributions to this book have been made by scientists from multidisciplinary research fields. The policy briefs in this book provide an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral perspective on urban health and human well-being issues, primarily food security, urban infrastructure, public services, traffic and transportation, smart city building, urban health and safety, social cohesion sustainable development policies, and urban planning. In some case, it informs about urban health issues in different regions of the world, the current status, and key insights into addressing related issues, with emphasis on factual cases in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The book is intended for citizens and political decision-makers, who are interested in systems perspectives on urban health and well-being, examples of how to deal with the increasing complexity of cities and the accompanying environmental and social impacts of increasing urbanization. Furthermore, it hopes to inspire decision-makers to facilitate finding solutions, in order to reach the goal of advancing global urban health and well-being.
Urban Public Health: A Research Toolkit for Practice and Impact by
Today, we know cities as shared spaces with the potential to both threaten and promote human health: while urban areas are known to amplify the transmission of epidemics like Ebola, urban residency is also associated with longer, healthier lives. Modern cities encompass a wide ecology ofinfrastructures, institutions and services that impact health, from access to improved sanitation and early childhood education to the design of buildings and transportation systems. So how has this centuries-long transformation in human settlement affected the mindset surrounding public healthresearch and practice?Urban Public Health is an interdisciplinary collaboration from experts across the globe that approaches the issue of urban health research from a uniquely public health orientation. The carefully crafted and thoughtful chapters in this volume grapple with the complexity of the urban setting as aphysical and social space while also providing an abundance of global and local examples of current urban health practices. Urban Public Health is divided into four pragmatic sections which cover core conceptual models of public health and their inequities, methods of urban health researchassessment, methods of urban health research analysis and explanation, and ultimately, opportunities for urban health research to inform action through partnership and collaboration, including those which elevate community voices and capacities. An accessible guide for both students and researchersalike, Urban Public Health shines a light on how to understand, measure and change the urban setting so that cities grow, people thrive, and no one is left behind.
20th Century Media and the American Psyche: A Strange Love by
This innovative text bridges media theory, psychology, and interpersonal communication by describing how our relationships with media emulate the relationships we develop with friends and romantic partners through their ability to replicate intimacy, regularity, and reciprocity. In research-rich, conversational chapters, the author applies psychological principles to understand how nine influential media technologies--theatrical film, recorded music, consumer market cameras, radio, network and cable television, tape cassettes, video gaming, and dial-up internet service providers--irreversibly changed the communication environment, culture, and psychological expectations that we then apply to future media technologies. With special attention to mediums absent from the traditional literature, including recorded music, cable television, and magnetic tape, this book encourages readers to critically reflect on their own past relationships with media and consider the present environment and the future of media given their own personal habits. 20th Century Media and the American Psyche is ideal for media studies, communication, and psychology students, scholars, and industry professionals, as well as anyone interested in a greater understanding of the psychological significance of media technology, usage, and adoption across the past 150 years.
Affective Politics of Digital Media: propaganda by other means by
This interdisciplinary, international collection examines how sophisticated digital practices and technologies exploit and capitalize on emotions, with particular focus on how social media are used to exacerbate social conflicts surrounding racism, misogyny, and nationalism.　 Radically expanding the study of media and political communications, this book bridges humanities and social sciences to explore affective information economies, and how emotions are being weaponized within mediatized political landscapes. The chapters cover a wide range of topics: how clickbait, "fake news," and right-wing actors deploy and weaponize emotion; new theoretical directions for understanding affect, algorithms, and public spheres; and how the wedding of big data and behavioral science enables new frontiers of propaganda, as seen in the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal. The collection includes original interviews with luminary media scholars and journalists.　 The book features contributions from established and emerging scholars of communications, media studies, affect theory, journalism, policy studies, gender studies, and critical race studies to address questions of concern to scholars, journalists, and students in these fields and beyond.
Ageing and the Media: International Perspectives by
Media representations of ageing play a role in stereotype formation and even reinforce them. Encountering these stereotypes can negatively impact the self-esteem, health status, physical wellbeing and cognitive performance of older people. This international collection examines different dimensions of ageing and ageism in a range of media. Chapters include explorations of the UK media during the COVID-19 pandemic; age, gender and mental health in Ghana; advertising in Brazil; magazines in Canada; Taiwanese newspapers; comics, graphic novels and more. Bringing together leading scholars, this book critically considers differences in media portrayals and how older adults use and interact with the media.
COVID-19, Racism and Politicization : Media in the Midst of a Pandemic by
This book explores the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of national and international media and governments in the initial coverage of the developing crisis. With specific chapters written mostly by scholars based in these countries, it examines how the media in India, China, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Taiwan, Bangladesh, New Zealand and the USA responded to this pandemic. The volume particularly addresses their role in both countering and spreading misinformation and in the politicization of the health crisis.
Health Crises and Media Discourses in Sub-Saharan Africa by
This is an open access book which brings together leading scholars and critical discourses on political, economic, legal, technological, socio-cultural and systemic changes and continuities intersecting media and health crises in Sub-Saharan Africa. The volume extensively discusses COVID-19 but it also covers other epidemics, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS as well as "silent" health crises such as mental health---simmering across the subcontinent. The chapters fill knowledge gaps, highlight innovations, unpack the complexities surrounding the media ecosystem in times of health crises. They explore, among other issues, the politics of public health communication; infodemics; existential threats to media viability; draconian legislations; threats to journalists/journalism; COVID-related entrepreneurship, marginalization, and more. This is a timely resource for academics, advocacy groups, media practitioners and policy makers working on crises and media reporting, not just in Africa but anywhere in the global South.
Pandemic: a Test of the News by
This book argues against the rapidly expanding literature about misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic - and that the real issues are much broader. Mainstream news media, except Fox News, has generally done a good job in educating people about the basic facts and precautions to be taken. Pandemic: A Test of the News identifies the mainframes used to tell the media story. With some exceptions such as long reads in The New Yorker and the Guardian, the media has not included the fundamental factors that caused the pandemic, the seriousness of a medical crisis that will last for several years - and the same factors that will cause the next pandemic.
That Could Be Us: News Media, Politics, and the Necessary Conditions for Disaster Risk Reduction by
The evidence presented in this book suggests that when the necessary conditions for disaster risk reduction (DRR) are in place, it is possible for elected officials to pursue DRR policies in their rational self-interest. As such, when the media makes it possible through lesson-drawing coverage of distant disasters, DRR policies become much more likely in observing communities because elected officials can seize the opportunity to both make political gains and protect their constituents. Authors Thomas Jamieson and Douglas A. Van Belle provide reasons for optimism about the prospect of DRR in at-risk communities around the world--observing communities are able to learn from the experiences of stricken areas and pursue policies that ultimately save lives and reduce economic damage from disasters. In That Could Be Us, Jamieson and Van Belle find that the news media delivers information to observing communities in a form that enables learning from other disasters. Experimental evidence shows that people react to this information in a way that would punish leaders who do not back DRR efforts. Case studies, interviews, experiments, and illustrative examples suggest that leaders and political entrepreneurs heed this public demand, react to news media coverage, and act accordingly. Taken as a whole, this suggests that the policy and research implications derived from this book's theoretical model are worthy of further exploration, particularly in terms of how they might resolve the puzzle presented by the variations in DRR policy uptake around the world that do not seem to be driven by developmental differences across communities.
Trans-forming Terminology and Ideology in Media, Medicine and Mental Health: Zebras among Us by
This book offers research-based evidence for considering the next generation of trans*+ individuals and for making classrooms, healthcare facilities, and clinics affirming spaces for people of all genders. Brazenly challenging what once may have seemed standard, it presents the findings of a large-scale mixed-methods research project. The text offers a deep dive into the literature surrounding trans*+ topics and controversies in media, medicine, and mental health. Introducing a new addition to ‘LGBTQIA’, ‘Thisgender’, the book approaches trans*+ studies with provocative questions and illuminating answers.
Unequal America: class conflict, the news media, and ideology in an era of record inequality by
This book examines Americans and their beliefs about the class divide in the United States. It argues that Americans' beliefs about class and the economic divide develop through a multistep process. Economic affluence influences the development of worldview, measured in terms of ideology, partisanship, and self-identified class consciousness. Class consciousness in turn affects how people look at political and economic issues. This book is intended for scholars and students at every level who study inequality from a political, economic, or sociological position, along with general readers with a growing interest in and awareness of the effects of inequality on our democracy, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the resulting economic contraction, and the protests over racial injustice erupting throughout the world in 2020.
Artificial Intelligence Applications in a Pandemic: COVID-19 by
COVID-19, a novel coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our society in many ways. Digital healthcare innovations are required more than ever before as we have come across myriad challenges during this pandemic. Scientists and developers are learning and fi nding ways to use artifi cial intelligence applications and natural language processing to comprehend and tackle this disease. AI technologies are playing an important role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts are using all possible tools to study the virus, diagnose individuals, and analyze the public health impacts. This book is a collection of some of the leading efforts related to AI and COVID-19 focused on fi nding how AI can be helpful in monitoring situations from early warnings, swift emergency responses, and critical decision-making. It discusses the use of machine learning and how it may help to reduce the impacts of this pandemic in conjunction with all other research and strategies going on. The book serves as a technical resource of data analytics and AI applications in tracking infectious diseases. It will serve academics, students, data scientists, medical practitioners, and those involved in managing a global pandemic. Features: * Directs the attention to the smart digital healthcare system in this COVID-19 pandemic * Simulates novel investigations and how they will be beneficial in understanding the pandemic * Analyses the various issues related to computing, AI apps, big data analytic techniques, and predictive scientifi skill gaps * Explains some interesting and diverse types of challenges and data-driven healthcare applications
Artificial Intelligence for Medicine: People, Society, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Materials by
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields is of major importance to improve the use of resourses and time. This book provides an analysis of how AI is used in both the medical field and beyond. Topics that will be covered are bioinformatics, biostatistics, dentistry, diagnosis and prognosis, smart materials, and drug discovery as they intersect with AI. Also, an outlook of the future of an AI-assisted society will be explored.
Artificial Intelligence on Medical Data by
This book includes high-quality papers presented at the Second International Symposium on Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis (ISCMM 2021), organized by Computer Applications Department, SMIT in collaboration with Department of Pathology, SMIMS, Sikkim, India, and funded by Indian Council of Medical Research, during 11 - 12 November 2021. It discusses common research problems and challenges in medical image analysis, such as deep learning methods. It also discusses how these theories can be applied to a broad range of application areas, including lung and chest x-ray, breast CAD, microscopy and pathology. The studies included mainly focus on the detection of events from biomedical signals.
Biomedical Data Analysis and Processing Using Explainable (XAI) and Responsive Artificial Intelligence (RAI) by
The book discusses Explainable (XAI) and Responsive Artificial Intelligence (RAI) for biomedical and healthcare applications. It will discuss the advantages in dealing with big and complex data by using explainable AI concepts in the field of biomedical sciences. The book explains both positive as well as negative findings obtained by explainable AI techniques. It features real time experiences by physicians and medical staff for applied deep learning based solutions. The book will be extremely useful for researchers and practitioners in advancing their studies.
Clinical Image-Based Procedures, Distributed and Collaborative Learning, Artificial Intelligence for Combating COVID-19 and Secure and Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning by
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Workshop on Clinical Image-Based Procedures, CLIP 2021, Second MICCAI Workshop on Distributed and Collaborative Learning, DCL 2021, First MICCAI Workshop, LL-COVID19, First Secure and Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning for Medical Imaging Workshop and Tutorial, PPML 2021, held in conjunction with MICCAI 2021, in October 2021. The workshops were planned to take place in Strasbourg, France, but were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CLIP 2021 accepted 9 papers from the 13 submissions received. It focuses on holistic patient models for personalized healthcare with the goal to bring basic research methods closer to the clinical practice. For DCL 2021, 4 papers from 7 submissions were accepted for publication. They deal with machine learning applied to problems where data cannot be stored in centralized databases and information privacy is a priority. LL-COVID19 2021 accepted 2 papers out of 3 submissions dealing with the use of AI models in clinical practice. And for PPML 2021, 2 papers were accepted from a total of 6 submissions, exploring the use of privacy techniques in the medical imaging community.
Integrating IoT and AI for Indoor Air Quality Assessment by
This book presents Internet of Things (IoT) solutions monitoring and assessing a variety of applications areas for indoor air quality (IAQ). This book synthesizes recent developments, presents case studies, and discusses new methods in the area of air quality monitoring, all the while addressing public health concerns. The authors discuss the issues and solutions, including IoT systems that can provide a continuous flow of data retrieved from cost-effective sensors that can be used in multiple applications.The authors present the leading IoT technologies, applications, algorithms, systems, and future scope in this multi-disciplinary domain.
Prognostic Models in Healthcare: AI and Statistical Approaches by
This book focuses on contemporary technologies and research in computational intelligence that has reached the practical level and is now accessible in preclinical and clinical settings. This book's principal objective is to thoroughly understand significant technological breakthroughs and research results in predictive modeling in healthcare imaging and data analysis. Machine learning and deep learning could be used to fully automate the diagnosis and prognosis of patients in medical fields. The healthcare industry's emphasis has evolved from a clinical-centric to a patient-centric model. However, it is still facing several technical, computational, and ethical challenges. Big data analytics in health care is becoming a revolution in technical as well as societal well-being viewpoints. Moreover, in this age of big data, there is increased access to massive amounts of regularly gathered data from the healthcare industry that has necessitated the development of predictive models and automated solutions for the early identification of critical and chronic illnesses. The book contains high-quality, original work that will assist readers in realizing novel applications and contexts for deep learning architectures and algorithms, making it an indispensable reference guide for academic researchers, professionals, industrial software engineers, and innovative model developers in healthcare industry.
Sex and Gender Bias in Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Biomedicine and Healthcare Applications by
Sex and Gender Bias in Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Biomedicine and Healthcare Applications details the integration of sex and gender as critical factors in innovative technologies (artificial intelligence, digital medicine, natural language processing, robotics) for biomedicine and healthcare applications. By systematically reviewing existing scientific literature, a multidisciplinary group of international experts analyze diverse aspects of the complex relationship between sex and gender, health and technology, providing a perspective overview of the pressing need of an ethically-informed science. The reader is guided through the latest implementations and insights in technological areas of accelerated growth, putting forward the neglected and overlooked aspects of sex and gender in biomedical research and healthcare solutions that leverage artificial intelligence, biosensors, and personalized medicine approaches to predict and prevent disease outcomes. The reader comes away with a critical understanding of this fundamental issue for the sake of better future technologies and more effective clinical approaches. First comprehensive title addressing the topic of sex and gender biases and artificial intelligence applications to biomedical research and healthcare Co-published by the Women's Brain Project, a leading non-profit organization in this area Guides the reader through important topics like the Generation of Clinical Data, Clinical Trials, Big Data Analytics, Digital Biomarkers, Natural Language Processing
Transcultural Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Health and Social Care by
Transcultural Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Health and Social Care provides healthcare professionals with a deeper understanding of the incredible opportunities brought by the emerging field of AI robotics. In addition, it provides robotic researchers with the point-of-view of healthcare professionals to understand what the healthcare sector - as well as the market - really needs from robotics technology. By doing so, the book fills an important gap between both fields in order to leverage new developments and collaborative work in favor of global patients. The book is aimed at the non-technical reader, especially health and social care professionals, and explains in a simple way the technological principles applied in the development of socially assistive humanoid AI robots (SAHR), the values which guide such developments, the ethics related to them, and research approaches in the field, with a focus on achieving a culturally competent SAHR.
Clean Water and Sanitation by
The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. It encompasses 17 volumes, each devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume is dedicated to SDG 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". Water and sanitation are fundamental to human well-being. Integrated water resources management is essential to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and to the realization of Sustainable Development. Concretely, the defined targets are: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all Achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally Substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity Implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes Expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving Uwater and sanitation management Editorial Board Ulisses M. Azeiteiro, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli, Dominique Darmendrail, Despo Fatta-Kassinos, Walter Leal Filho, Susan Hegarty, Amanda Lange Salvia, Albert Llausàs, Paula Duarte Lopes, Javier Marugán, Fernando Morgado, Wilkister Nyaora Moturi, Karel F. Mulder, Alesia Dedaa Ofori, Sandra Ricart
Contamination of Water : health risk assessment and treatment strategies by
Water containing significant amounts of inorganic and organic contaminants can have serious environmental consequences and serious health implications when ingested. Contamination of Water: Health Risk Assessment and Treatment Strategies takes an interconnected look at the various pollutants, the source of contamination, the effects of contamination on aquatic ecosystems and human health, and what the potential mitigation strategies are. This book is organized into three sections. The first section examines the sources of potential contamination. This includes considering the current scenario of heavy metal and pesticide contamination in water as well as the regions impacted due to industrialization, mining, or urbanization. The second section goes on to discuss water contamination and health risks caused by toxic elements, radiological contaminants, microplastics and nanoparticles, and pharmaceutical and personal care products. This book concludes with a section exploring efficient low-cost treatment technologies and remediation strategies that remove toxic pollutants from water. Contamination of Water incorporates both theoretical and practical information that will be useful for researchers, professors, graduate students, and professionals working on water contamination, environmental and health impacts, and the management and treatment of water resources. Provides practical case studies of various types and sources of contamination Discusses inorganic and organic contaminants and their impact on human health Evaluates effective water treatment and remediation technologies to remove toxins from water and minimize risk
Guidance on Preparing Water Service Delivery Plans: a Manual for Small to Medium-Sized Water Utilities in Africa and Similar Settings by
Improving and managing universal services of water and sanitation in a holistic manner is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and addressing the needs of millions of people around the world. Ensuring access to water services is a key factor in working towards the SDGs, and water service delivery planning can support utilities in improving provision of these services. A service delivery plan identifies the actions required and associated costs for achieving a defined level of water services delivery over a defined period of time. This publications is a guideline or how-to manual on preparing water service delivery plans with a focus on small to medium sized organised water utilities having with approximately 5,000 to over 100,000 connections mainly in areas with limited capacity and resources. The manual is simplified enough to ensure that these utilities are able to move from a situation where they are struggling to deliver water services to where basic service levels in terms of water quality, quantity, accessibility, reliability, affordability, and acceptability are met. Meeting these basic service levels provides a strong foundation for the utility to progressively move up the ladder of delivering improved services.
Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination of Surface and Underground Water: Environmental, Policy and Ethical Issues by
Heavy metal and metalloid contamination of groundwater and surface water ecosystems involves important policy-related and ethical issues besides its more well-known scientific aspects. Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination of Surface and Underground Water: Environmental, Policy, and Ethical Issues has brought these three dimensions under a single volume. The book presents an updated status of the nature and extent of heavy metal and metalloid contamination of water and discuss its future implications. In Section I, the book provides a state-of-the-art review of research findings on entry, storage, and release, human health risks, and the uptake and accumulation by freshwater biota and the toxic effects experienced by them. The book also provides information on the bioremediation of heavy metals and metalloids, and the possible effects of climate change on their distribution and toxicity. Section II of the book throws light on the policies and legislations adopted in several countries to deal with the vexed issue of metal contamination of waters in both historical and current perspectives. Special emphasis has been given to the contamination of drinking water and its attendant implications for human health. The book also treats the relevance and applications of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), which forms the backbone of the water policies of several countries. In Section III, discussions focus on ethical issues rising out of heavy metal and metalloid contamination of water, and on the different ethical approaches and principles in both indigenous and other societies. Features: A systematic overview of the major facets of heavy metal and metalloid contamination of water Compilation and analysis of the latest research in the subject area Ample case studies in all chapters that highlight specific problems Review of policy and legislation for the control of heavy metal pollution of water Water ethics in indigenous societies This book will be a vital resource for students and research scholars in the field of environmental science, ecotoxicology, and pollution studies.
The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation by
This analysis of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation (HRtWS) uncovers why some groups around the world are still excluded from these rights. Léo Heller, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation, draws on his own research in nine countries and reviews the theoretical, legal, and political issues involved. The first part presents the origins of the HRtWS, their legal and normative meanings and the debates surrounding them. Part II discusses the drivers, mainly external to the water and sanitation sector, that shape public policies and explain why individuals and groups are included in or excluded from access to services. In Part III, public policies guided by the realization of HRtWS are addressed. Part IV highlights populations and spheres of living that have been particularly neglected in efforts to promote access to services.
Legacy and Emerging Contaminants in Water and Wastewater: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Remediation Techniques by
This volume provides a collection of research findings on the distribution and risk associated with emerging contaminants (ECs) in water and wastewater across the globe, and effective remediation techniques and technologies. The book covers various monitoring techniques for ECs in water and wastewater and its related impacts on the ambient environment, and offers valuable information on cost-effective monitoring techniques and sustainable treatment technologies for ECs. The authors detail the risks and biological effects of ECs and legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in freshwater and marine systems, including their adverse interactions with aquatic organisms, while also discussing the associated impacts on human health. The book comprehensively covers current research outcomes on treatment methods, cost-effectiveness, and infrastructure needs for effective removal of ECs. It will be of interest to students, researchers, and scholars in environmental science and engineering, water and wastewater, toxicology, environmental biotechnology, soil sciences, and microbial ecology.
Standpipe: delivering water in Flint by
Standpipe is a brief, elegant memoir of the author's work as a Red Cross volunteer delivering emergency water to residents of Flint, Michigan. A collection of short essays and vignettes, Standpipe sets the struggles of a city in crisis against the author's personal journey as his mother declines into dementia and eventual death, just before the emergency is declared in Flint. Written with a poet's eye for detail and quiet metaphor, Standpipe is an intimate look at one man's engagement with both civic and familial trauma.
Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: A Guide to Their Public Health Consequences, Monitoring and Management by
Cyanobacterial toxins are among the hazardous substances most widely found in water. They occur naturally, but concentrations hazardous to human health are usually due to human activity. Therefore, to protect human health, managing lakes, reservoirs and rivers to prevent cyanobacterial blooms is critical. This second edition of Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water presents the current state of knowledge on the occurrence of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins as well as their impacts on health through water-related exposure pathways, chiefly drinking-water and recreational activity. It provides scientific and technical background information to support hazard identification, assessment and prioritisation of the risks posed by cyanotoxins, and it outlines approaches for their management at each step of the water-use system. It sets out key practical considerations for developing management strategies, implementing efficient measures and designing monitoring programmes. This enables stakeholders to evaluate whether there is a health risk from toxic cyanobacteria and to mitigate it with appropriate measures. This book is intended for those working on toxic cyanobacteria with a specific focus on public health protection. It intends to empower professionals from different disciplines to communicate and cooperate for sustainable management of toxic cyanobacteria, including public health workers, ecologists, academics, and catchment and waterbody managers. Ingrid Chorus headed the department for Drinking-Water and Swimming-Pool Hygiene at the German Environment Agency. Martin Welker is a limnologist and microbiologist, currently with bioMérieux in Lyon, France.
Water and Wastewater Management: Global Problems and Measures by
This volume addresses the situation of water and wastewater management from a global angle, underpinned by selected case studies. Without doubt, water and wastewater management are among the greatest challenges of our century, and there is also no doubt that the challenges posed by climate change will become even greater. However, most efforts, especially in developing countries but also in the so-called developed countries, have been less than optimal or not optimal at all. In particular, there are still too many people who have to live without clean water and decent sanitation. Today, 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water and wastewater, and 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services. The question, why this is so and why in many cases in developing countries, is discussed in this book among other urgent water and wastewater management issues. The publication of this book is the start of a book series that in more detail critically reviews, discusses, and analyzes the water and wastewater situation and management in different regions and countries worldwide.
Water Interactions: a Systemic View: Why we Need to Comprehend the Water-Climate-Energy-Food-Economics-Lifestyle Connections by
During the last two decades, the interrelationship between water and energy has become recognized. Likewise, the couplings to food and agriculture are getting increasingly obvious and alarming. In the last year, a record number of extreme weather events have been reported from most parts of the world. This is a visible demonstration how consequences of climate change must be understood and alleviated. The impacts of economics, lifestyle, and alarming inequalities are becoming increasingly recognisable. If the wealthy part of the world is not willing not make radical changes it does not matter what the less wealthy half of the global population will do to meet the climate and resource crisis.The purpose of the book is to demonstrate and describe how climate change, water, energy, food, and lifestyle are closely depending on each other. It is not sufficient to handle one discipline isolated from the others. This is the traditional "component view". The book defines and describes a systems view. The communications and relationships between the "components" have to be described and recognized. Consequently, the development of one discipline must be approached from a systems perspective. At the same time, the success of the systems perspective depends on the degree of knowledge of the individual parts or disciplines. The catchphrase of systems thinking has been caught in the phrase, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts". The idea is not new: the origin of this phrase is to be found already in Aristotle's Metaphysics more than 2300 years ago.The text may serve as an academic text (in engineering, economics, and environmental science) to introduce senior undergraduate and graduate students into systems thinking. Too often education encourages a "silo" thinking. Current global challenges can't be solved in isolation; they depend on each other. For example, water professionals should have a basic understanding of energy issues. Energy professionals ought to understand the dependency on water. Economic students should learn more how economy depends on natural resources like energy and water. Economics must include the environmental impact and ecological ceiling of economic activities.
Water in Times of Climate Change by
This book on water and climate change goes beyond the usual and predictable analyses, by bringing religion and values into a discussion that is often dominated by technocratic solutions. The three case studies of Jakarta, Cape Town, and Amsterdam demonstrate the challenges of water management in urban areas and the role religion can play in addressing them. With representatives from science, politics, economics, and religion, as well as young voices, the book stimulates a values-driven dialogue on issues of water in times of climate change.