Tomb Raider meets The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in brand new series by renowned fantasy author and award-winning Italian artist. Brought together by a clandestine corporation, the world's greatest minds are set a challenge of epic proportions: the dodecathlon. Unlikely alliances are made in order to fulfill the quest, and uncover the mysterious truth behind it all. But as the conspiracy is unveiled, how many will survive...?

Why sex matters Among human and nonhuman animals, the prevalence and intensity of infection typically is higher in males than females and may reflect differences in exposure as well as susceptibility to pathogens. Elevated immunity among females is a double-edged sword in which it is beneficial against infectious diseases but is detrimental in terms of increased development of autoimmune diseases. The present book critically reviews the evolutionary origin and the functional mechanisms responsible for sexual dimorphism in response to infection. It emphasizes the value of examining responses in both males and females to improve our understanding about host-pathogen interactions in both sexes. The contributors are experts in their specific disciplines which range from microbiology and immunology to genetics, pathology, and evolutionary biology. The book aims at bringing insight to the treatment and management of infectious diseases; it delineates areas where knowledge is lacking and highlights future avenues of research.

Winner of the ARSC’s Award for Best Research (History) in Folk, Ethnic, or World Music (2008) When Jamaican recording engineers Osbourne “King Tubby” Ruddock, Errol Thompson, and Lee “Scratch” Perry began crafting “dub” music in the early 1970s, they were initiating a musical revolution that continues to have worldwide influence. Dub is a sub-genre of Jamaican reggae that flourished during reggae’s “golden age” of the late 1960s through the early 1980s. Dub involves remixing existing recordings—electronically improvising sound effects and altering vocal tracks—to create its unique sound. Just as hip-hop turned phonograph turntables into musical instruments, dub turned the mixing and sound processing technologies of the recording studio into instruments of composition and real-time improvisation. In addition to chronicling dub’s development and offering the first thorough analysis of the music itself, author Michael Veal examines dub’s social significance in Jamaican culture. He further explores the “dub revolution” that has crossed musical and cultural boundaries for over thirty years, influencing a wide variety of musical genres around the globe. Ebook Edition Note: Seven of the 25 illustrations have been redacted.

Special education encounters distinct challenges in delivering personalized and practical assistance to students with disabilities. Educators frequently require support to address the varied needs of these students, resulting in learning and development gaps. Moreover, early identification and catering to these needs can take time and effort, affecting students' long-term academic success. There is an urgent need for innovative solutions that can bridge these gaps and improve the educational experiences of students with disabilities. Transforming Special Education Through Artificial Intelligence offers a comprehensive exploration of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform special education by providing personalized and individualized support for students with disabilities. Through case studies and real-life examples, we demonstrate how AI can analyze data to tailor learning experiences, and most importantly, identify learning difficulties early. This crucial aspect of AI can significantly enhance communication among stakeholders and reassure them about the potential of AI in improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities.

The aim of this book is to identify and shed new light on the main surgical practices involved in acute care and trauma surgery. Adopting an evidence-based approach, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons and intensivists illustrate basic and advanced operative techniques, accompanied by a comprehensive and updated reference collection. Emerging surgical procedures in Acute Care Surgery are also explored step by step with the help of ample illustrations. Further, the book offers an overview of treatment options for acute organ failure, with a focus on peculiar clinical situations that call for special treatment, including: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), circulatory support and urgent liver transplantation. In order to identify the key determinants in decision-making and therapeutic support that can help avoid critical errors, authors not only define and discuss specific surgical techniques, but also present major issues and controversies related to it. In essence, the book can be considered a “What to do guide” that offers easy access to both basic and advanced lifesaving surgical procedures, due in part to text boxes highlighting “Tips, Tricks and Pitfalls” as well as advice on “Complications Management”. Many chapters are enriched by providing clinical case scenarios, an important educational resource including self–assessment questionnaires.