Bøker utgitt av Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Computers have transformed how we think, discuss and learn¿as individuals, in groups, within cultures and globally. However, social media are problematic, fostering flaming, culture wars and fake news. This volume presents an alternative paradigm for computer support of group thinking, collaborative learning and joint knowledge construction. This requires expanding concepts of cognition to collectivities, like collaborative groups of networked students. Theoretical Investigations explores the conditions for group cognition, supplying a philosophical foundation for new models of pedagogy and methods to analyze group interaction. Twenty-five self-contained investigations document progress in research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL)¿both in Stahl¿s own research and during the first decade of the CSCL journal.The volume begins with two new reflections on the vision and theory that result from this research. Representing both ethnomethodological and social-constructivist research paradigms, the investigations within this volume comprise a selection of seminal and influential articles and critical commentaries that contribute to an understanding of concepts and themes central to the CSCL field. The book elaborates an innovative theory of group cognition and substantiates the pedagogical potential of CSCL. Theoretical Investigations: Philosophical Foundations of Group Cognition is essential as a graduate text for courses in educational theory, instructional design, learning and networked technologies. The investigations will also appeal to researchers and practitioners in those areas.

Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies account for a large portion of cancers worldwide. Although incidence of esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers has decreased in recent years, pancreatic and liver cancer have increased. The mainstay of GI cancer therapy is chemoradiation and surgery. Despite significant medical advancements, diagnosis and therapy for GI cancers remain challenging due to tumor cell resistance to chemoradiotherapy. The tumor¿s increased cell signalling due to excessive transcription factor activation and increased stellate cell activity leads to collagen deposition formation of a dense stroma around the tumor, which prevents drugs from reaching the malignant cells. This leads to tumor chemoresistance.To circumvent these difficulties, drug therapy targeting the tumor¿s specific microenvironment and the additive anticancer effect of phytochemicals can allow for more effective treatment. This volume will be the first on the market on the topic of phytochemicals and their effect on the tumor microenvironment (TME). TME is an emerging area of research and the book will be a welcome introductory addition to the field.

This book studies the economic recovery of individual European Union member states more than ten years after the beginning of the global economic crisis. In light of austerity policies and conservative government investments in many EU countries, it explores how higher growth rates can be achieved by stimulating firms and economic sectors with a high accelerator potential. The contributing authors analyze the effects of EU policies on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while also studying EU policies with the potential to foster investments and economic growth. Furthermore the book assesses the EU policy on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the member states, in comparison with similar policies in Russia and the US. The authors demonstrate that FDI, besides providing financial resources, can facilitate modernization especially in the high technology sectors. Finally, the book provides a sector analysis and policy recommendations on tourism and immigration, as well as economicprotectionism, since tourism has proved to be the most dynamic sector, especially in the European South, while immigration is one of the most serious issues the EU is currently facing. This book will appeal to scholars in economics and related fields, as well as decision-makers and professionals at governmental institutions looking for policy measures and tools to stimulate economic growth.

Plants produce chemicals as part of their normal metabolic activities. These include primary metabolites found in all plants, such as sugars and fats, as well as secondary metabolites, which can have therapeutic effects in humans and be refined to produce drugs. Plants synthesize a bewildering variety of phytochemicals, but most are derivatives of a few biochemical motifs. Numerous herbal-derived substances have been evaluated for their therapeutic potential. These include alkaloids, coumarins, saponins, plant pigments and flavonoids. Flavonoids, carotenoids and anthocyanins are probably the best known of these substances due to their antioxidant properties.Carotenoids: Structure and Function in the Human Body presents comprehensive coverage of carotenoids. The text covers the scientific literature and clinical significance of this organic pigment, with an emphasis on its therapeutic potential. The authors approach carotenoids from a range of perspectives, from their structural and physicochemical properties to their distribution in nature, interaction with the human metabolism, and use as a coloring agent in various products. The intake, metabolism and secretion of anthocyanins in the human body are covered in-depth, as are the biosynthetic pathways through which these compounds are synthesized in the natural system. Factors affecting stability and extraction are listed, and health-related uses and biological activities are covered in great detail. Present and future trends in carotenoid research are also presented. This book provides a solid background in carotenoids for researchers and professionals in food science, food technology, nutrition, biology, chemistry and medical sciences.