- Table View
- List View
Healthcare Management Engineering In Action: Applying Fundamental Management Principles for Operational Decision Making in Healthcare (Business Guides on the Go)
by Alexander KolkerThe updated 2nd edition of Healthcare Management Engineering In Action in the Business Guides on the Go series provides a comprehensive exploration of healthcare management operations. Through a systematic comparison of predictive and analytic decision-making methodologies with traditional management approaches, the book employs case studies derived from real-world hospital and clinic scenarios. It addresses a spectrum of problem encompassing patient flow, capacity management, resource allocation, staffing and scheduling, statistical data analytics, and cost distribution among cooperating providers.The revised edition contains enhanced content, spotlighting key management principles vital for effective operational decision-making. The book encompasses a wide array of quantitative methods, including discrete event simulation, queuing analytic theory, linear, integer and probabilistic optimization, among others. By acting as a bridge between management engineering experts and healthcare administrators, Healthcare Management Engineering is an invaluable resource for hospital and clinic leadership, aiding them in their managerial roles. Furthermore, it serves as a comprehensive repository of introductory challenges and projects suitable for graduate-level students in healthcare management and administration.
Color in QCD: An Introduction Featuring the Birdtrack Pictorial Technique (SpringerBriefs in Physics)
by Stéphane PeignéThis book introduces readers to the fascinating world of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and quarks and gluons, the elementary constituents of protons, neutrons, and all hadrons. Specifically, it focuses on the color of quarks and gluons, responsible for their mutual interactions via the strong force. The book provides an elementary introduction to the birdtrack technique, which is a powerful tool for addressing the color structure of QCD in a pictorial way. The technique shows how quark and gluon colors are combined and mixed in QCD. The author discusses color conservation, shows how to project on color states of systems of quarks, antiquarks, and gluons, how to derive their color charges. The book is enriched with many exercises integrated in the text to learn by doing.This book is primarily intended for particle physics students, graduates, and researchers working in the field of QCD. However, it requires no specific prerequisites in QCD, so it may also be of interest to students of mathematics, as an illustration of the use of the birdtrack pictorial technique in representation theory.
Sustainable Finance in Europe: Corporate Governance, Financial Stability and Financial Markets (EBI Studies in Banking and Capital Markets Law)
by Guido Ferrarini Danny Busch Seraina GrünewaldThis second edition brings together the views of expert academics and practitioners on the latest regulatory developments in sustainable finance in Europe and includes 5 new chapters on sustainable remuneration, reporting, lending, green monetary policy and ESG. The volume includes a wide range of cutting-edge issues, which relate to three main themes along which the volume is structured: (1) corporate governance; (2) monetary policy and financial stability ; and (3) financial markets. With individual contributions deploying different methods of analysis, including theoretical contributions on the status quo of macro-financial research as well as law and economics approaches, the collection encourages interdisciplinary readership and will appeal to those researching capital markets law, European financial law, and sustainable finance, as well as practitioners within the finance industry.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nursing: Resilience across the Lifespan for Optimal Cardiovascular Wellness
by Sandra B. Dunbar Lynne T. BraunThis book provides a comprehensive overview of essential concepts and evidence that guide the practice of contemporary preventive cardiovascular nursing. The sections incorporate a lifespan approach to cardiovascular wellness, and provide perspectives on sources of known and emerging cardiovascular risk factors as well as the spectrum of multidimensional factors including biological, behavioral, psychological and sociocultural influences on cardiovascular wellness, risk, and the evolution of cardiovascular conditions. Unique features address: 1) building resilience across the lifespan such that optimal cardiovascular wellness can be attained within multiple contexts of health states to increase a healthy lifespan and longevity; 2) behavior change skills for risk factor reduction; 3) risk factors and risk reduction approaches with special populations defined by gender, , age and aging, heath states, and health equity issues; and 4) high level roles for cardiovascular nurses as provider - risk assessor, communicator and care provider; educator, leader, patient and health advocate. Relevant case studies are included throughout to facilitate the application of the content. This book fills a gap in that there is no other book on preventive cardiovascular nursing care and roles , and it provides support for the nurse to lead relevant interdisciplinary teams. The book will empower nurses to build knowledge and skills for cardiovascular prevention and to provide leadership for optimal cardiovascular wellness for patients and communities.
Geo-Environmental Hazards using AI-enabled Geospatial Techniques and Earth Observation Systems (Advances in Geographic Information Science)
by Jung-Sup Um Tanupriya Choudhury Bappaditya Koley Anindita Nath Atul Kumar PatidarThis edited collection provides a comprehensive exploration of cutting-edge ideas, approaches, simulations, evaluations of risk, and systems that enhance the practicality of current geospatial technologies for reducing hazard risks. The various sections within this book delve into subjects such as the foundational principles of Earth Observation Systems (EOS) and geospatial methodologies. Additionally, the text serves as an advisory resource on the collaborative use of satellite-derived data and artificial intelligence to track and alleviate geo-environmental threats. The volume imparts extensive understanding regarding geo-environmental dangers and their analysis via EOS along with geospatial strategies. It encompasses key hazard-related themes including coastal degradation, predisposition to landslides, mapping vegetation coverages, tropical storm patterns, soil depletion due to erosion processes, vulnerability to rapid or extended flooding events, variations in oceansurface temperatures alongside chlorophyll-a levels; it also addresses assessments related to groundwater reserves and quality measures as well as sustainable management practices for watersheds that support community livelihoods—all through leveraging AI-integrated geospatial tools in conjunction with earth observation technologies. Furthermore, this work engages in discourse about systems designed for mitigating these ecological challenges sustainably. Scholars engaged in research activities; educational professionals; those involved in landscape design; engineers working at ground level; individuals responsible for policy-making—all who are concerned with geo-environmental hazards or associated domains—will find valuable insights within these pages.
Culture Wars and Horror Movies: Social Fears and Ideology in post-2010 Horror Cinema
by Noelia Gregorio-Fernández Carmen M. Méndez-GarcíaIn this volume, contributors explore the deep ideological polarization in US society as portrayed in horror narratives and tropes. By navigating this polarized society in their representation of social values, twenty[1]first-century horror films critically frame and engage conflicting and divisive ideological issues. Culture Wars and Horror Movies: Social Fears and Ideology in Post-2010 Horror Cinema analyses the ways in which these “culture wars” make their way into and through contemporary horror films, focusing on the post-2010 US context and its fundamental political divisions.
Food Economics: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health (Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy)
by William A. Masters Amelia B. FinaretFood Economics provides a unified introduction to the economics of agricultural production, business decisions, consumer behavior, and the government policies that shape our food system. This open access textbook begins with economic principles derived using graphical techniques to explain and predict observed prices, quantities, and other outcomes as a result of individual choices influenced by market structure and public policies. The second half of the book explores available data globally and for the US, covering a wide range of questions in agriculture and economic development, food marketing, and consumption. Food Economics and its accompanying online resources are designed for advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate courses in agriculture, food, and nutrition policy. The book covers the standard diagrams taught in principles-level courses, with concrete examples and practical insights regarding food production, consumption, and trade. Online resources include data sources, and course materials, including slides, exercises, exams, and answer keys.
Semi-Peripheral Realism: Nation and Form on the Borders of Europe (New Comparisons in World Literature)
by Christinna HazzardThis book explores the geopolitical and symbolic borders of Europe through the concept of the semi-periphery. Focusing on the North Atlantic island nations, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, and Turkey – a set of very different social and cultural landscapes – the book compares the semi-peripheral aesthetics of Halldór Laxness’s and William Heinesen’s novels with the semi-peripheral city and borderscapes in works by Orhan Pamuk and Latife Tekin. It offers new readings of texts such as Laxness’s The Atom Station and Pamuk’s Snow, and provides original readings of works that little has been written about in English, such as Heinesen’s The Black Cauldron and Tekin’s Swords of Ice. Making use of the theory of uneven and combined development and world systems theory, the book illustrates that the experience of nation-building and capitalist modernisation in the semi-periphery results in a particular realist aesthetic that is remarkably similar across different regional literatures. The book’s world-literary method shows that the semi-periphery constitutes a vital and productive area of study both for world literature and for broadening our understanding of colonialism and imperialism on the margins of continental Europe.
The World Trade Organization and Food Security in West Africa: Prospects for the ECOWAS Region (Contemporary African Political Economy)
by Godwin S. IchimiThis book explores the multilateral control of agro-economic spaces in West African developing countries through international trade, spearheaded by the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Agriculture. Responding to growing food insecurity in the region, Ichimi here examines the web of intricacies in this arrangement by discussing some of the main international trade policies directly and indirectly impacting on food security in West Africa and critically engaging with empirical praxis as well as the theoretical underpinnings vis-a-vis multilateral strategies adopted for the amelioration of the crisis. In so doing, he expose how multilateral trading agreements under the auspices of the World Trade Organization produce negative outcomes for the food security status of a large and growing population in West Africa, privileging primary commodity production and export, maintaining the preference for food imports, and driving the pattern of agricultural investment towards an inexorable dependence of the sector on the dictates of the international market.
From Startup to Unicorn: An Essential Guide to Build, Scale and Sustain Value for Platform and Tech Startups
by Anil SethiIf you're looking for a comprehensive guide to help make your startup successful, this book is a must-read. It covers the unique challenges of technology and platform-driven entrepreneurship, providing entrepreneurs with the tools they need to sustain growth and relevance.Technology startups face the risk of failure even after finding a product-market fit. This is due to limitations in scaling. Platform-driven startups can scale rapidly. However, they carry a high risk of failure. This book helps entrepreneurs identify the factors that can sustain technology startup growth, make early decisions, and limit risk. It also offers guidance to platform startups to mitigate the risk of failure. Featuring examples of successful startups as well as others that failed, the book offers a holistic view of entrepreneurship that highlights its importance to the broader ecosystem.This book is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to take their startup to the next level and sustain its growth. With a focus on inclusive entrepreneurship and sustaining competitive advantage, it is equally relevant for family-run companies that prioritise sustained value over generations. If you want to succeed in today's highly competitive startup landscape, this book is a valuable resource.
Wastewater Surveillance for Covid-19 Management (The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry #125)
by Manish Kumar Vinay Kumar Tyagi Santanu Mukherjee Meththika Vithanage Keisuke Kuroda Long D. NgiehmThis book reviews the recent challenges and future perspectives involved in the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for COVID-19. The book aims to improve the monitoring of COVID-19 in wastewater by focusing on recent scientific studies in the surveillance and treatment of wastewater containing SARS-CoV-RNA, assessment of COVID-19 in the community and delivering a new scientific understanding of prevalence and re-emergence based on the WBE. It also provides a global perspective on effective detection methods for the analysis and interpretation of the RNA count of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater and predicts the effects wastewater may have on the infection rate.Readers will find in this book case studies from France, India and Southeast Asian of non-invasive population-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 through sewage surveillance, and will learn more about the virus behaviour and transmission in different environmental settings. The significance of membrane technologies for virusremoval from water is also addressed in this book, as well as advanced techniques for identifying, quantifying, and characterizing SARS-CoV-2 in activated sludge and wastewater. The book provides a great interface to researchers such as microbiologists, environmental engineers, data scientists and civil engineers, emphasizing issues related to the current monitoring methodology. Furthermore, it also encourages researchers and policymakers by raising awareness of potential new methodologies for wastewater surveillance and accurate monitoring of COVID-19.
The Financial Metaverse: Tokens, Derivatives and Other Synthetic Assets
by Albin SpinnerDerivative trading? That's something for Wall Street types, right? Maybe, but it also affects everyone else in ways that are still little appreciated. Futures traders have paralysed the global trade of nickel, a key component in the battery of your neighbour’s Tesla. For a few minutes one trading day during the pandemic, sellers of crude oil were paying buyers to take the stuff, defying the very notion of trading, in an episode straight out of “Alice in Wonderland”.Understanding how this obscure corner of finance works (and what happens when it doesn't) is a key pillar of financial literacy today. If you are a financial markets practitioner, everyday investor, academic, regulator, policy maker or kitchen-table economist, you need to know how financial derivatives really work and be aware of the emerging digital innovations that makes this market the highest stake metaverse.
Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking in Islam: Theory and Practice (Palgrave Series in Islamic Theology, Law, and History)
by Harris Sadik KirazliThe book explores Islamic perspectives on conflict resolution and peacemaking. It delves into key topics such as the principles of Islamic conflict resolution, historical examples of peaceful resolutions, and contemporary challenges faced by Muslim societies. By addressing these topics, the book aims to provide insight into Islamic teachings and practices that can contribute to building bridges and fostering peace in diverse contexts. The book is important and relevant due to the increasing need for understanding and promoting peaceful resolutions in today's world, particularly in regions influenced by Islam. It offers a comprehensive examination of the principles and methods of conflict resolution within an Islamic framework, shedding light on the rich history of peacemaking within Muslim societies. By highlighting Islamic perspectives on peace, the book aims to bridge cultural divides and foster dialogue, promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of the contributions Islam can make to conflict resolution. The book seeks to address the prevalent misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding Islam's approach to conflict resolution. It aims to challenge the notion that Islam is inherently associated with violence or lack of peaceful solutions. By presenting authentic Islamic teachings and historical examples of peaceful resolutions, the book endeavours to contribute to a more nuanced and accurate understanding of Islam's role in promoting conflict resolution and peacemaking. It offers readers an opportunity to explore Islamic perspectives on resolving conflicts, encouraging dialogue, and cultivating a more peaceful world.
A New Approach to Dogs and Dog Training: Human-Canine Synergy in Theory and Practice
by Theovoulos KoutsopoulosThis book presents a new and innovative concept in dealing with dogs: the human-canine synergy (HCS), characterized by a holistic nature and its differentiation from unidimensional terms expressing the affiliation of humans and dogs (Relationship, Interaction, Bonding). Related to the use and training by humans, it applies three main categories of dogs: a) the empathy/therapeutic individuals, which are dogs helping persons with empathy- or therapeutic needs; b) assisting/working dogs carrying out specific actions to aid or assist humans perform specific tasks; and c) the facilitating/inspiring dogs, which enable or improve various human activities, including classroom dogs for teaching and learning purposes in almost all educational subjects.Organized in three parts, chapters address the following needs:• The first section illuminates the concept of HCS as well as basic principles determining this synergy and consequently the process of training dogs (owners and professional trainers). Readers will understand the role of a dog's personality, behavior and especially temperament in its successful training.• In a scientifically documented way, the second part guides those who wish to engage in dog training (amateur or professional). It describes basic training forms within the HCS framework (obedience, protection, detection and classroom dog) and necessary steps for proper completion.• The third book part describes the business of dog training with multi-dimensional approach by emphasizing a good understanding and knowledge of interactions and the environment in which trainer, owner and dog typically operate.Overall, this work is a valuable read for anyone who deals with our four-legged companions for business or pleasure.
Sustainability in Higher Education: Strategies, Performance and Future Challenges (Strategies for Sustainability)
by Rodrigo Lozano Federico Rotondo Lucia GiovanelliThis contributed volume addresses the issue of how higher education institutions can systematically reorient themselves to help society become more sustainable. In particular, a strategic management approach is used to overcome the fragmentation of sustainability initiatives increasingly conducted by higher education institutions worldwide. In this book, eminent scholars in the field of sustainability in higher education combine their different backgrounds to propose conceptual frameworks for interpreting and measuring sustainability integration in higher education institutions. The chapters contained herein explore which processes and management tools should be used, as well the challenges to be faced, to make sustainable innovation effective. The cases present in this volume offer a guide for higher education institution management to lead the sustainability transition.
Fundamentals of Biomaterials
by Vasif Hasirci Nesrin HasirciThis comprehensive and engaging text, now in an expanded second edition, is meant for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and covers the fundamental relationships between the structure and properties of materials and biological tissues. The successful integration of material and biological properties, shape, and architecture to engineer a wide range of optimized designs for specific functions is the ultimate aim of a biomaterials scientist. Relevant examples illustrate the intrinsic and tailored properties of metallic, ceramic, polymeric, carbon-derived, naturally-derived, and composite biomaterials. Information about translation of biomaterials to clinical medical devices is included. Fundamentals of Biomaterials, 2nd Ed. is written in a single voice, ensuring clarity and continuity of the text and content. As a result, the reader will be gradually familiarized with the field, starting with materials and their basic properties and eventually leading to critical interactions with the host environment. The authors also present new topics such as tissue engineering, guided tissue regeneration, and nano- and micro- architecture of biomaterial surfaces. Full of important medical and biological definitions, essential applications, detailed examples, and interesting chapter-ending summaries, this book serves as an incredibly useful teaching text and as a modern introduction to biomaterials research. This second edition includes new chapters on the historical development of biomaterials, transplants and implants, characterization techniques, and biomedical device production, as well as an expanded chapter on human biology that now also includes biological systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, etc.), plus much more.
Selected Problems of Solid Mechanics and Solving Methods (Advanced Structured Materials #204)
by Alexander Ya. Grigorenko Holm Altenbach Victor A. Eremeyev Vladimir M. Nazarenko Viacheslav Bogdanov Roman M. KushnirThis book examines new approaches for the estimation of errors in approximate theories. Numerical and analytical methods in mechanics often require the establishment of a set of basic equations, and various approaches exist to create approximate theories from them. The problem is that nobody knows the boundaries of the estimation of errors in approximate theories. This book presents new approaches to overcome this problem and to provide the reader with suitable methods for the relevant field, including a representation of different scientific schools and different countries. These new methods are helping to solve many problems not only in analytical Mechanics but also in Physics, Mathematics, and Civil Engineering.
Poisson Hyperplane Tessellations (Springer Monographs in Mathematics)
by Rolf Schneider Daniel HugThis book is the first comprehensive presentation of a central topic of stochastic geometry: random mosaics that are generated by Poisson processes of hyperplanes. It thus connects a basic notion from probability theory, Poisson processes, with a fundamental object of geometry. The independence properties of Poisson processes and the long-range influence of hyperplanes lead to a wide range of phenomena which are of interest from both a geometric and a probabilistic point of view. A Poisson hyperplane tessellation generates many random polytopes, also a much-studied object of stochastic geometry. The book offers a variety of different perspectives and covers in detail all aspects studied in the original literature. The work will be useful to graduate students (advanced students in a Master program, PhD students), and professional mathematicians. The book can also serve as a reference for researchers in fields of physics, computer science, economics or engineering.
The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Money: Volume 1: Ancient and Medieval Thought
by Joseph J. TinguelyThe Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Money surveys the role of money in the history of ideas. Volume 1: Ancient and Medieval Thought explores the worldviews of societies in the process of monetization. The volume is divided into sections on early Civilizations, classical Greece, the Roman era, and Medieval and Renaissance thought.
Handbook of Geometry and Topology of Singularities VI: Foliations
by Lê Dũng Tráng Felipe Cano José Luis Cisneros-Molina José SeadeThis is the sixth volume of the Handbook of Geometry and Topology of Singularities, a series which aims to provide an accessible account of the state-of-the-art of the subject, its frontiers, and its interactions with other areas of research. Singularities are ubiquitous in mathematics and science in general, and singularity theory is a crucible where different types of mathematical problems converge, surprising connections are born and simple questions lead to ideas which resonate in other parts of the subject, and in other subjects.This Volume VI goes together with Volume V and focuses on singular holomorphic foliations, which is a multidisciplinary field and a whole area of mathematics in itself. Singular foliations arise, for instance, by considering:The fibers of a smooth map between differentiable manifolds, with singularities at the critical points.The integral lines of a vector field, or the action of a Lie group on a manifold. The singularities are the orbits with special isotropy.The kernel of appropriate 1-forms. The singularities are the zeroes of the form.Open books, which naturally appear in singularity theory, are foliations with singular set the binding.These important examples highlight the deep connections between foliations and singularity theory. This volume consists of nine chapters, authored by world experts, which provide in-depth and reader-friendly introductions to some of the foundational aspects of the theory. These introductions also give insights into important lines of further research. Volume VI ends with an Epilogue by one of the current world leaders in the theory of complex foliations, with plenty of open questions and ideas for further research.The book is addressed to graduate students and newcomers to the theory, as well as to specialists who can use it as a guidebook.
South African Economy: Trails and Possibilities (African Histories and Modernities)
by Vusi Gumede Santos Bila Mduduzi Biyase Shonisani Chauke Sodiq ArogundadeThe South African economy has largely performed below its potential. Although the size of the South African economy has significantly increased since 1994, its performance has lagged behind other comparable economies, and has even been overtaken by Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa. Unemployment, income inequality, and poverty have remained high since 1994. In the past decade, South African economic performance has been so poor that is has resulted in declining per capita incomes. In this study, Vusi Gumede and his co-authors offer a comprehensive analysis of the South African economy since 1994, dealing with many important issues, ranging from its history to its political travails in an effort to provide better understanding and find possible solutions to ensuring inclusive growth.
Structural Dynamics
by Einar N. StrømmenThe first part of this book covers the general theory of structural dynamics, in a calculous format as well as a finite element formulation. Secondly, it contains methods of eigenvalue calculations of civil engineering structural systems. And third, it contains a major part covering dynamic displacement response calculations as induced by earthquake, turbulent wind, vortex shedding and moving vehicles, enabling the designer to evaluate structural safety from the effects of fluctuating internal forces.The general theory contains comprehensive development of the principle of virtual displacements, as well as the Galerkin solution to eigenvalue problems. A separate chapter has been dedicated to the suspension bridge. The theory of single or multiple tuned mass dampers is included, a theory not presented elsewhere.The book contains a chapter covering the theory of structural damping, as well as comprehensive data of the structural damping properties that are necessary forany dynamic response calculation. The book is intended for students as well as practising engineers. It contains numerous relevant examples, covering numerical solutions that are well suited for computer programming.
Molecular Mechanisms in Nutritional Epigenetics (Epigenetics and Human Health #12)
by Luis M. VaschettoThis volume in the Epigenetics and Human Health series explores the intersection of diet and epigenetic modifications. It provides the reader with the latest research on how diet can influence our genetic and epigenetic profiles, thereby affecting our health and susceptibility to disease. In recent years, the field of nutritional epigenetics/nutri-epigenetics has expanded significantly, shedding light on how environmentally-driven epigenetic pathways can be modulated through nutrition and eating habits. The book provides a comprehensive introduction to the various epigenetic mechanisms affected by dietary compounds and focuses on specific topics such as the relationship between diet and the gut microbiome, the impact of diet on cardiovascular disease and psychopathology and the role of diet in pregnancy. Written by an international team of experts, this book reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the influence of diet on epigenetic modifications and discusses the prospect of personalized medicine using dietary strategies to promote well-being and protect against diseases. The book is aimed at researchers and students in the fields of human nutrition, genetics, and medicine.
The Interplay of Civic Engagement and Institutionalised Politics: In Search of Intermediating Capacities (Palgrave Studies in Third Sector Research)
by Adalbert Evers Johan Von EssenThis volume focusses on the interplay of civic engagement and institutionalised politics and its role in both the erosion and retrieval of intermediate capabilities and procedures. Rather than discussing democracy as a relationship between citizens as individual voters and state power, the book studies the relationship between citizens engaged in or through organisations, movements and networks in civil society, and their impact in the context of institutionalised politics, be that through representative institutions and political parties or participation in administrative governance. The aim of this volume is to renew the scholarly discussion on the prospects of liberal democracy by looking for opportunities to curb antagonisms and instead strengthen intermediary capabilities. The book will therefore be of interest to students in relevant disciplines as political science, civil society research, sociology, and research on social movements. Chapter 1 and Chapter 10 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
Integrating Landscapes: Agroforestry for Biodiversity Conservation and Food Sovereignty (Advances in Agroforestry #14)
by Florencia MontagniniThis updated and expanded second edition summarizes advances in agroforestry research and practice and proposes alternatives to increase the effectiveness of agroforestry systems. It offers an important contribution to help solve the most pressing development and environmental challenges in this sector today. The contributing authors present views from the academic, the practitioner and the development areas. Chapters offer alternatives and suggestions for facing challenges in agroforestry adoption, profitability, and in the implementation of integrated landscape management approaches.With new chapters and substantial revisions made in many others, the scope was broadened both geographically and thematically. Students, Scientists and practitioners will therefore gain more insights from Africa and Asia, as well as the Americas.