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Bio-Geo Interactions in Metal-Contaminated Soils (Soil Biology #31)
by Ajit Varma Erika KotheMetal contamination is an increasing ecological and eco-toxicological risk. Understanding the processes involved in metal mobilization, sorption and mineralization in soils are key features for soil bioremediation. Following an introduction to the physical, chemical and biological components of contaminated soils, various chapters address the interactions of soil, microorganisms, plants and the water phase necessary to transfer metals into biological systems. These include topics such as potential hazards at mining sites; rare earth elements in biotic and abiotic acidic systems; manganese redox reactions; biomineralisation, uranium in seepage water; metal-resistant streptomycetes; mycorrhiza in re-forestation; metal (hyper)accummulation in plants; microbial metal uptake; and their potential for bioremediation. This book will be of interest to soil biologists, geologists and chemists, researchers and graduate students, as well as consulting companies and small enterprises involved in bioremediation.
European Yearbook of International Economic Law (EYIEL), Vol. 3
by Christoph Herrmann Jörg Philipp TerhechteThe third volume of the European Yearbook of International Economic law focuses on two major topics of current academic and political interest. Firstly, it adresses the 10th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO and its implications; secondly, it deals with different legal aspects of global energy markets.
Practical Handbook for Small-Gauge Vitrectomy
by Ulrich Spandau Heinrich HeimannSince the development of 23G vitrectomy in 2004, the technique has revolutionized retinal surgery by overcoming a number of the problems associated with 20G and 25G systems and offering significant improvements in surgical capability and fluidics. This important book first discusses the instruments and equipment employed in 23G vitrectomy and then explains, step by step, the various surgical techniques with the aid of informative diagrams and many high-quality photos. In addition, videos are included that document the different procedures, from the straightforward to the demanding. This book will serve as an immensely useful guide for all surgeons who are intending to make use of this exciting and increasingly used technique.
Charm Production in Deep Inelastic Scattering: Mellin Moments of Heavy Flavor Contributions to F2(x,Q^2) at NNLO (Springer Theses)
by Sebastian KleinThe production of heavy quarks in high-energy experiments offers a rich field to study, both experimentally and theoretically. Due to the additional quark mass, the description of these processes in the framework of perturbative QCD is much more demanding than it is for those involving only massless partons. In the last two decades, a large amount of precision data has been collected by the deep inelastic HERA experiment. In order to make full use of these data, a more precise theoretical description of charm quark production in deep inelastic scattering is needed. This work deals with the first calculation of fixed moments of the NNLO heavy flavor corrections to the proton structure function F2 in the limit of a small charm-quark mass. The correct treatment of these terms will allow not only a more precise analysis of the HERA data, but starting from there also a more precise determination of the parton distribution functions and the strong coupling constant, which is an essential input for LHC physics. The complexity of this calculation requires the application and development of technical and mathematical methods, which are also explained here in detail.
Stochastic Stability of Differential Equations
by Rafail Khasminskii Grigori Noah MilsteinSince the publication of the first edition of the present volume in 1980, the stochastic stability of differential equations has become a very popular subject of research in mathematics and engineering. To date exact formulas for the Lyapunov exponent, the criteria for the moment and almost sure stability, and for the existence of stationary and periodic solutions of stochastic differential equations have been widely used in the literature. In this updated volume readers will find important new results on the moment Lyapunov exponent, stability index and some other fields, obtained after publication of the first edition, and a significantly expanded bibliography. This volume provides a solid foundation for students in graduate courses in mathematics and its applications. It is also useful for those researchers who would like to learn more about this subject, to start their research in this area or to study the properties of concrete mechanical systems subjected to random perturbations.
Muscarinic Receptors
by Neil M. Nathanson Arthur Christopoulos Allison D. FryerMuscarinic acetylcholine receptors have played a key role in the advancement of knowledge of pharmacology and neurotransmission since the inception of studies in these fields, and the effects of naturally occurring drugs acting on muscarinic receptors were known and exploited for both therapeutic and non-therapeutic purposes for hundreds of years before the existence of the receptors themselves was recognized. This volume presents a broad yet detailed review of current knowledge of muscarinic receptors that will be valuable both to long-time muscarinic investigators and to those new to the field. It describes the detailed insights that have been obtained on the structure, function, and cell biology of muscarinic receptors. This volume also describes physiological analyses of muscarinic receptors and their roles in regulating the function of the brain and of a variety of peripheral tissues. This volume shows how the study of muscarinic receptors continues to provide new and surprising insights not just to the cholinergic system but to the broad areas of neurobiology, cell biology, pharmacology, and therapeutics.
Veterinary Science
by Alberto Gaiti Cristiano Boiti Antonio PuglieseToday, veterinary science experiences major development in all its fields as a consequence of continuous technological advances in diagnostic tools and breakthrough in applied genomics and biology. This book contains 33 proceedings that were selected among those presented at the 64th Italian Veterinary Science Congress held at ASTI in 2010. It provides a timely overview of the current progress made by Italian researchers and would be of great value to anyone interested in the field of veterinary science, from animal health and care to food hygiene, and from basic to applied disciplines.
The Tradition and Modern Transition of Chinese Law
by Jinfan ZhangThe book was first published in 1997, and was awarded the first prize of scientific research by the Ministry of Justice during the ninth Five-Year Plan of China. In 2005, it was adopted the text book for the postgraduates of law majors. In 2009, it was awarded the second prize of the best books on law in China. The book discusses from different aspects the long legal tradition in China, and it not only helps us to have a further understanding of Chinese legal system but also combines theories and practice and illustrate the modern legal transition which probes the history of Chinese legal system. As is known to us all, China is a country with a long legal history, which can be traced back to more than three thousand year ago. So the legal tradition of China has been passed down from generation to generation without any interruptions. This feature is peculiar to Chinese legal history which is beyond all comparison with that of other countries such as ancient Egypt, ancient India, ancient Babylon and ancient Persia. Through the study of Chinese legal history we can have a deeper understanding of the histories, features, origins and the transition of Chinese legal tradition. The Chinese legal tradition originated from China, and it is the embodiment of the wisdom and creativity of Chinese civilization. The great many books, researching materials, legal constitutions, archives, files and records of different dynasties in China have provided us with rare, complete and systematic materials to research. The book has a complete, systematic and detailed research on Chinese legal tradition and its transition and it gives people a correct recognition of the process of the perfection of laws during its development and its position as well as its value in the social progress in order to grasp its regular patterns. It also has showed us the most valuable part and core of Chinese legal Tradition and it is a summary of Chinese legal tradition and its transition from different perspectives, different angles and different levels. From the book, we can see that the ancient Chinese Legal Culture had once shocked the world and exerted great influence on the civilization of the world legal system, especially the legal systems in Asian countries. The book also has discussed the reestablishment of law in the late Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Chinese law's transition to modernity. In a word, the book has not only combined the legal system and the legal culture together, but also integrated the important historical figures and events ingeniously and it is a valuable and readable book with authenticity.
China Sourcing
by Peter Faust Gang YangAn China führt sowohl auf der Absatz- als auch auf der Beschaffungsseite kein Weg mehr vorbei. Mit Praxisbeispielen und anschaulichen Erfahrungsberichten von (chinesischen und westlichen) China-Experten aus renommierten Unternehmen (z.B. Agilent, BASF, Bayer, BMW, BorgWarner Beru, Continental, Fujitsu, Gildemeister, Johnson Controls, Leica, Linde, Salans, Siemens, Vibracoustic, ZF) werden die wahrgenommenen Hürden bei der Wertschöpfung in China und beim China-Sourcing beschrieben, Erfolgsfaktoren aufgezeigt und Praxistipps gegeben. Im Mittelpunkt stehen die Themen Qualität, Lieferanten-Entwicklung, Logistik, Produktion und Beschaffung. Außerdem skizzieren die chinesischen Best-Practice-Unternehmen BYD, Fuyao und Li & Fung ihre Wertschöpfungs- und Internationalisierungsansätze. Um die Export-Kompetenz chinesischer Lieferanten zu bewerten, wurden sowohl Aspekte der Einkäufer-Perspektive als auch die Sichtweise chinesischer Lieferanten beleuchtet. Die methodische Herange hensweise unterstützt ein kontinuierliches Screening der Entwicklungen des Beschaffungsmarkts China, was erforderlich ist, weil die Veränderungen rasant sind.
The Arrows of Time
by Laura Mersini-Houghton Rudy VaasThe concept of time has fascinated humanity throughout recorded history, and it remains one of the biggest mysteries in science and philosophy. Time is clearly one of the fundamental building blocks of the universe and thus a deeper understanding of nature at a fundamental level also demands a comprehension of time. Furthermore, the origins of the universe are closely intertwined with the puzzle of time: Did time emerge at the Big Bang? Why does the arrow of time 'conspire' with the order of the initial state of the universe? This book addresses many of the most important questions about time: What is time, and is it fundamental or emergent? Why is there such an arrow of time, closely related to the initial state of the universe, and why do the cosmic, thermodynamic and other arrows agree? These issues are discussed here by leading experts, and each offers a new perspective on the debate. Their contributions delve into the most difficult research topic in physics, also describing the latest cutting edge research on the subject. The book also offers readers a comparison between the different outlooks of philosophy, physics and cosmology on the puzzle of time. This volume is intended to be useful for research purposes, but most chapters are also accessible to a more general audience of scientifically educated readers looking for deeper insights.
Verhaltensorientiertes Innovationsmanagement
by Markus Schmitt Marco Eggert Burkard WördenweberIn dem Buch werden die fünf Prinzipien des verhaltensorientierten Innovationsmanagements beschrieben und erklärt: Rhythmus - Stellhebel - Reframing - Innerer Kompass - Impuls. Mit ihnen lässt sich unternehmerisches Potenzial in Organisationen aktivieren und Innovation zur Gewohnheit machen. Für Manager, die bereit sind, dabei die Mitarbeiter und deren Potenziale in den Mittelpunkt ihrer Handlungen zu stellen, ist das Buch ein wichtiger Ratgeber. Mit über 30 Fallbeispielen aus der Innovationspraxis und Hinweisen für die sofortige Umsetzung.
Computergestützte Audio- und Videotechnik: Multimediatechnik in der Anwendung
by Dieter StotzDiese Einführung in die moderne Audio- und Videotechnik ermöglicht Lesern mit technischem Grundverständnis einen leichten Einstieg - auch in komplexe Zusammenhänge. Der Autor vermittelt detailliertes Wissen, praxisnah und verständlich aufbereitet: von den Grundlagen der Ton- und Videotechnik über Abtastung und Digitalisierung, räumliches Hören, Datenkompression, MIDI-Standard und -Signale, digitale Audiomesstechnik bis zu hochauflösender Videotechnik, Genlock, Chromakeying, Schnittsystemen und Animation. Mit vielen Graphiken und Abbildungen.
Speech Enhancement in the STFT Domain
by Jacob Benesty Jingdong Chen Emanuël A.P. HabetsThis work addresses this problem in the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) domain. We divide the general problem into five basic categories depending on the number of microphones being used and whether the interframe or interband correlation is considered. The first category deals with the single-channel problem where STFT coefficients at different frames and frequency bands are assumed to be independent. In this case, the noise reduction filter in each frequency band is basically a real gain. Since a gain does not improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for any given subband and frame, the noise reduction is basically achieved by liftering the subbands and frames that are less noisy while weighing down on those that are more noisy. The second category also concerns the single-channel problem. The difference is that now the interframe correlation is taken into account and a filter is applied in each subband instead of just a gain. The advantage of using the interframe correlation is that we can improve not only the long-time fullband SNR, but the frame-wise subband SNR as well. The third and fourth classes discuss the problem of multichannel noise reduction in the STFT domain with and without interframe correlation, respectively. In the last category, we consider the interband correlation in the design of the noise reduction filters. We illustrate the basic principle for the single-channel case as an example, while this concept can be generalized to other scenarios. In all categories, we propose different optimization cost functions from which we derive the optimal filters and we also define the performance measures that help analyzing them.
Optimised Projections for the Ab Initio Simulation of Large and Strongly Correlated Systems
by David D. O'ReganDensity functional theory (DFT) has become the standard workhorse for quantum mechanical simulations as it offers a good compromise between accuracy and computational cost. However, there are many important systems for which DFT performs very poorly, most notably strongly-correlated materials, resulting in a significant recent growth in interest in 'beyond DFT' methods. The widely used DFT+U technique, in particular, involves the addition of explicit Coulomb repulsion terms to reproduce the physics of spatially-localised electronic subspaces. The magnitude of these corrective terms, measured by the famous Hubbard U parameter, has received much attention but less so for the projections used to delineate these subspaces. The dependence on the choice of these projections is studied in detail here and a method to overcome this ambiguity in DFT+U, by self-consistently determining the projections, is introduced. The author shows how nonorthogonal representations for electronic states may be used to construct these projections and, furthermore, how DFT+U may be implemented with a linearly increasing cost with respect to system size. The use of nonorthogonal functions in the context of electronic structure calculations is extensively discussed and clarified, with new interpretations and results, and, on this topic, this work may serve as a reference for future workers in the field.
The Classical Theory of Fields
by Carl S. HelrichThe study of classical electromagnetic fields is an adventure. The theory is complete mathematically and we are able to present it as an example of classical Newtonian experimental and mathematical philosophy. There is a set of foundational experiments, on which most of the theory is constructed. And then there is the bold theoretical proposal of a field-field interaction from James Clerk Maxwell. This textbook presents the theory of classical fields as a mathematical structure based solidly on laboratory experiments. Here the student is introduced to the beauty of classical field theory as a gem of theoretical physics. To keep the discussion fluid, the history is placed in a beginning chapter and some of the mathematical proofs in the appendices. Chapters on Green's Functions and Laplace's Equation and a discussion of Faraday's Experiment further deepen the understanding. The chapter on Einstein's relativity is an integral necessity to the text. Finally, chapters on particle motion and waves in a dispersive medium complete the picture. High quality diagrams and detailed end-of-chapter questions enhance the learning experience.
Handbook of Networks in Power Systems II
by Panos M. Pardalos Alexey Sorokin Niko A. Iliadis Mario V. Pereira Steffen RebennackEnergy has been an inevitable component of human lives for decades. Recent rapid developments in the area require analyzing energy systems not as independent components but rather as connected interdependent networks. The Handbook of Networks in Power Systems includes the state-of-the-art developments that occurred in the power systems networks, in particular gas, electricity, liquid fuels, freight networks, as well as their interactions. The book is separated into two volumes with three sections, where one scientific paper or more are included to cover most important areas of networks in power systems. The first volume covers topics arising in electricity network, in particular electricity markets, smart grid, network expansion, as well as risk management. The second volume presents problems arising in gas networks; such as scheduling and planning of natural gas systems, pricing, as well as optimal location of gas supply units. In addition, the second volume covers the topics of interactions between energy networks. Each subject is identified following the activity on the domain and the recognition of each subject as an area of research. The scientific papers are authored by world specialists on the domain and present either state-of-the-arts reviews or scientific developments.
Handbook of Networks in Power Systems I (Energy Systems)
by Panos M. Pardalos Alexey Sorokin Niko A. Iliadis Steffen Rebennack Mario V. F. PereiraEnergy has been an inevitable component of human lives for decades. Recent rapid developments in the area require analyzing energy systems not as independent components but rather as connected interdependent networks. The Handbook of Networks in Power Systems includes the state-of-the-art developments that occurred in the power systems networks, in particular gas, electricity, liquid fuels, freight networks, as well as their interactions. The book is separated into two volumes with three sections, where one scientific paper or more are included to cover most important areas of networks in power systems. The first volume covers topics arising in electricity network, in particular electricity markets, smart grid, network expansion, as well as risk management. The second volume presents problems arising in gas networks; such as scheduling and planning of natural gas systems, pricing, as well as optimal location of gas supply units. In addition, the second volume covers the topics of interactions between energy networks. Each subject is identified following the activity on the domain and the recognition of each subject as an area of research. The scientific papers are authored by world specialists on the domain and present either state-of-the-arts reviews or scientific developments.
From the Web to the Grid and Beyond
by René Brun Giuliana Galli Carminati Federico CarminatiBorn after World War II, large-scale experimental high-energy physics (HEP) has found itself limited ever since by available accelerator, detector and computing technologies. Accordingly, HEP has made significant contributions to the development of these fields, more often than not driving their innovations. The invention of the World Wide Web at CERN is merely the best-known example out of many. This book is the first comprehensive account to trace the history of this pioneering spirit in the field of computing technologies. It covers everything up to and including the present-day handling of the huge demands imposed upon grid and distributed computing by full-scale LHC operations--operations which have for years involved many thousands of collaborating members worldwide and accordingly provide the original and natural testbed for grid computing concepts. This book takes the reader on a guided tour encompassing all relevant topics, including programming languages, software engineering, large databases, the Web, and grid- and cloud computing. The important issue of intellectual property regulations for distributed software engineering and computing is also addressed. Aptly, the book closes with a visionary chapter of what may lie ahead. Approachable and requiring only basic understanding of physics and computer sciences, this book is intended for both education and research.
Führung im Projekt
by Tomas BohincProjektleiter übernehmen tagtäglich Führungsaufgaben. Wie Studien zeigen, scheitern Projekte aber immer wieder daran, dass Führungsverantwortung nicht oder nicht genügend wahrgenommen wird. In dem Buch dienen typische Führungssituationen als Ausgangspunkt, um die Führungsaufgaben eines Projektleiters zu beschreiben und zu demonstrieren, welche Führungsinstrumente in welcher Situation wirksam eingesetzt werden können. Mit Checklisten für die Praxis und einem speziellen Kapitel mit Hinweisen zum Führen virtueller Teams.
Comparative Effectiveness and Efficacy Research and Analysis for Practice (CEERAP): Applications in Health Care
by Francesco Chiappelli Xenia Maria Caldeira Brant Corazon B. CajulisRecent trends in health care across the United States and internationally have emphasized a novel approach that consists in comparing the effectiveness and efficacy of treatment interventions with a patient-centered emphasis (i.e., evidence-based health care), while ensuring cost constraints, maximizing benefits, and minimizing risks. In this book, experts in comparative effectiveness and efficacy research and analysis for practice (CEERAP) in health care in general address a range of topical issues. The emphasis is on implications for endodontics and nursing, both of which are considered in a series of detailed chapters. Commonalities and differences among CEERAP, utility-based and logic-based analysis and decision-making, and evidence-based and patient-centered practice are defined and discussed. The book concludes by examining applications for CEERAP in developing patient-centered optimal treatment interventions for the next decade.
Energetic Materials at Extreme Conditions
by David I.A. MillarDavid I.A. Millar's thesis explores the effects of extreme conditions on energetic materials. His study identifies and structurally characterises new polymorphs obtained at high pressures and/or temperatures. The performance of energetic materials (pyrotechnics, propellants and explosives) can depend on a number of factors including sensitivity to detonation, detonation velocity, and chemical and thermal stability. Polymorphism and solid-state phase transitions may therefore have significant consequences for the performance and safety of energetic materials. In order to model the behaviour of these important materials effectively under operational conditions it is essential to obtain detailed structural information at a range of temperatures and pressures.
Two Studies in Gas-Phase Ion Spectroscopy
by Matthew J. SimpsonIn this thesis Matthew Simpson reportstwo areas of work in gas ion spectroscopy, each investigation in itself worthy of a PhD. The first study uses tunable vacuum-ultraviolet radiation from a synchrotron to identify negative ions from twenty four photoexcited polyatomic molecules in the gas phase. From these experiments, Matthew collects a vast amount of data and summarises and reviews ion-pair formation from polyatomic molecules. The second study is on selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry. Matthew investigates the reactions of cations and anions with ethene, monofluoroethene, 1,1-difluoroethene and tetrafluoroethene. In this study Matthew tries to explain why certain products are formed preferentially over other products at a microscopic level of understanding. The data recorded in this thesis form the most comprehensive collection of information about anion formation and are the basis of a review and numerous articles in specialist journals.
Fractional Order Signal Processing
by Indranil Pan Saptarshi DasThe book tries to briefly introduce the diverse literatures in the field of fractional order signal processing which is becoming an emerging topic among an interdisciplinary community of researchers. This book is aimed at postgraduate and beginning level research scholars who would like to work in the field of Fractional Order Signal processing (FOSP). The readers should have preliminary knowledge about basic signal processing techniques. Prerequisite knowledge of fractional calculus is not essential and is exposited at relevant places in connection to the appropriate signal processing topics. Basic signal processing techniques like filtering, estimation, system identification, etc. in the light of fractional order calculus are presented along with relevant application areas. The readers can easily extend these concepts to varied disciplines like image or speech processing, pattern recognition, time series forecasting, financial data analysis and modeling, traffic modeling in communication channels, optics, biomedical signal processing, electrochemical applications and many more. Adequate references are provided in each category so that the researchers can delve deeper into each area and broaden their horizon of understanding. Available MATLAB tools to simulate FOSP theories are also introduced so that the readers can apply the theoretical concepts right-away and gain practical insight in the specific domain.
Chitosan for Biomaterials I (Advances in Polymer Science #243)
by Riccardo A. Muzzarelli M. Prabaharan R. JayakumarPolymeric Nanoparticles of Chitosan Derivatives as DNA and siRNA Carriers, by Y. K. Kim, H. L. Jiang, Y. J. Choi, I. K. Park, M. H. Cho and C. S. Cho.- Chitosan and Its Derivatives for Drug Delivery Perspective, by T. A. Sonia and C. P. Sharma.- Chitosan-based Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy, by V.-K. Lakshmanan, K. S. Snima, J. D. Bumgardner, S. V. Nair, and R. Jayakumar.- Chitosan and Thiolated Chitosan, by F. Sarti and A. Bernkop-Schnürch.- Chitosan-Based Particulate Systems for Non-Invasive Vaccine Delivery, by S. Şenel.- Multifunctional Chitosan Nanoparticles for Tumor Imaging and Therapy, by J. Y. Yhee, Heebeom Koo, Dong Eun Lee, Kuiwon Choi, Ick Chan Kwon and Kwangmeyung Kim.- Chitosan-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Molecular Imaging and Drug Delivery, by H. Arami, Z. Stephen, O. Veiseh and M. Zhang.- Chitosan: Its Applications in Drug-Eluting Devices, by Mei -Chin Chen, Fwu -Long Mi, Zi -Xian Liao and Hsing -Wen Sung.-
The Financial Systems of Industrial Countries: Evidence from Financial Accounts
by Alberto Franco Pozzolo Riccardo De BonisThis book offers a comprehensive overview of the financial systems of major industrialized countries using the statistical framework of the financial accounts. After a discussion of how economists agreed to create a framework to monitor the financial linkages between surplus and deficit sectors, the book analyzes in detail the composition and the recent evolution of financial assets and liabilities for households (including public pension rights), firms and intermediaries. Next, the volume studies the convergence patterns of financial structures and their influence on the effectiveness of monetary policy within European countries. The final chapter unifies the previous pictures, showing how the effects of financial integration and global imbalances could have been foreseen based on the financial accounts. The analysis and information contained in the book will help the readers to understand many issues and challenges raised by the recent financial crisis.