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Innovation, Employment and Growth Policy Issues in the EU and the US
by John T. Addison Paul J.J. WelfensThe EU and the U.S. confront distinct factor market dynamics and common policy challenges. Labor market developments and long-term changes in capital markets and capital flows represent key problems in aging societies. The analyses presented here compare the European and U.S. patterns in this regard. Moreover, Schumpeterian innovation dynamics as well as energy policy issues receive attention. Considerable differences in innovation dynamics are reported across countries. The book charts the role of different innovation systems and knowledge societies and highlights different policy approaches. Another focus is upon structural changes and innovation in open economies. Finally, medium and long-term options for transatlantic cooperation are evaluated against the backdrop of the Lisbon agenda.
Burrs - Analysis, Control and Removal: Proceedings of the CIRP International Conference on Burrs, 2nd-3rd April, 2009, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany
by David A. Dornfeld Jan C. AurichIn many machining operations burrs cannot be avoided. They can affect the functionality and the safe handling of the workpiece in the subsequent processing, and have to be removed by a special deburring process. Toleration of burrs, which are not part of functional edges, depends on their respective shape and size. High inspection effort is necessary to guarantee the workpiece quality. Therefore, the research results on burrs, with a focus on burr analysis and control as well as on cleanability and burr removal based on the presentations held at the conference are valuable for researchers and engineers in manufacturing development.
Toll-like Receptors: Roles in Infection and Neuropathology
by Tammy KielianMammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) were first identified in 1997 based on their homology with Drosophila Toll, which mediates innate immunity in the fly. In recent years, the number of studies describing TLR expression and function in the nervous system has been increasing steadily and expanding beyond their traditional roles in infectious diseases to neurodegenerative disorders and injury. Interest in the field serves as the impetus for this volume in the Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology series entitled "Toll-like receptors: Roles in Infection and Neuropathology". The first five chapters highlight more traditional roles for TLRs in infectious diseases of the CNS. The second half of the volume discusses recently emerging roles for TLRs in non-infectious neurodegenerative diseases and the challenges faced in these models with identifying endogenous ligands. Several conceptual theories are introduced in various chapters that deal with the dual nature of TLR engagement and whether these signals favor neuroprotective versus neurodegenerative outcomes. This volume should be informative for both experts as well as newcomers to the field of TLRs in the nervous system based on its coverage of basic TLR biology as well as specialization to discuss specific diseases of the nervous system where TLR function has been implicated. A must read for researchers interested in the dual role of these receptors in neuroinfection and neurodegeneration.
Prosecuting International Crimes and Human Rights Abuses Committed Against Children
by Sonja C. GroverThis casebook addresses selected precedent-setting rulings of various international human rights and international criminal courts with a focus on the child victims of international crimes and human rights abuses. The cases are analyzed from a children's human rights perspective and the question is examined as to what extent the international courts are according these children justice.
The Neuroendocrine Leydig Cells and their Stem Cell Progenitors, the Pericytes
by Adolf F. Holstein Ralf Middendorff Michail S. Davidoff D. MüllerThe discovery of the neuroendocrine features of Leydig cells gave rise to the hypothesis of a potential neuroectodermal and/or neural crest origin of testicular Leydig cells. In an experimental animal model the authors revealed that adult Leydig cells originate by transdifferentiation from stem/progenitor cells (pericytes and smooth muscle cells), underlying the close relationship of Leydig cells with testis microvasculature. This and the supporting data from the literature provided the basis for revealing the pericytes as a common adult stem cell type of mammalian species. Distributed by the microvasculature through the entire body, the pericyte, acting as a resting early pluripotent adult stem cell, provides an ingenious system to assure the maintenance, physiological repair and regeneration of organs, each under the influence of specific local environmental factors.
Usability-Engineering in der Medizintechnik
by Claus BackhausErgonomisch gestaltete Medizintechnik führt zu effizienteren Arbeitsabläufen, erhöht die Patientensicherheit und reduziert die Arbeitsbelastung. Das Buch erläutert, wie Medizintechnik an die Bedürfnisse der Nutzer und Anwender angepasst werden kann. Durch das beschriebene Vorgehen ist es möglich, sowohl die Anforderungen der harmonisierten Normen DIN EN 62366 und DIN EN 60601-1-6 umzusetzen als auch neue Lösungsansätze für die Entwicklung innovativer Medizintechnik zu erarbeiten. Die Umsetzung wird anhand ausgewählter Praxisbeispiele erörtert.
Dokumentenlogistik
by Stefan Walter Gernot KaiserDie Dokumentenlogistik führt die theoretischen Grundlagen der bisher getrennt betrachteten Bereiche des Logistik- und des Dokumentenmanagements zusammen. So entsteht eine neue Disziplin an der Schnittstelle von Logistik und Dienstleistungsmanagement. Der Band behandelt sowohl die theoretische Konzeption als auch ihre praktische Umsetzung. Mit der Übertragung von erprobten Konzepten und Erfahrungen aus der Güter- und Warenlogistik liefern die Autoren neue Impulse für die logistische Handhabung von Dokumenten und Informationen.
Lean Software Development in Action
by Giancarlo Succi Andrea JanesThis book illustrates how goal-oriented, automated measurement can be used to create Lean organizations and to facilitate the development of Lean software, while also demonstrating the practical implementation of Lean software development by combining tried and trusted tools. In order to be successful, a Lean orientation of software development has to go hand in hand with a company's overall business strategy. To achieve this, two interrelated aspects require special attention: measurement and experience management. In this book, Janes and Succi provide the necessary knowledge to establish "Lean software company thinking," while also exploiting the latest approaches to software measurement. A comprehensive, company-wide measurement approach is exactly what companies need in order to align their activities to the demands of their stakeholders, to their business strategy, etc. With the automatic, non-invasive measurement approach proposed in this book, even small and medium-sized enterprises that do not have the resources to introduce heavyweight processes will be able to make their software development processes considerably more Lean. The book is divided into three parts. Part I, "Motivation for Lean Software Development," explains just what "Lean Production" means, why it can be advantageous to apply Lean concepts to software engineering, and which existing approaches are best suited to achieving this. Part II, "The Pillars of Lean Software Development," presents the tools needed to achieve Lean software development: Non-invasive Measurement, the Goal Question Metric approach, and the Experience Factory. Finally, Part III, "Lean Software Development in Action," shows how different tools can be combined to enable Lean Thinking in software development. The book primarily addresses the needs of all those working in the field of software engineering who want to understand how to establish an efficient and effective software development process. This group includes developers, managers, and students pursuing an M. Sc. degree in software engineering.
Diagnosis in Otorhinolaryngology
by T. Metin ÖnerciWhen making a diagnosis it is of paramount importance that the ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist views the lesion and recognizes its pathology. Significant technological advances have enabled diseases to be imaged and documented. Using these images, this book targets beginners (residents, general practitioners, nurses, and students) as well as experts who would like to improve and teach their skills. It provides specialists with an unprecedented opportunity to use unique pictures and schematic drawings as part of their presentations. A DVD with all illustrations is included for teaching purposes.
MicroRNA Interference Technologies
by Zhiguo WangMicroRNAs (miRNAs), endogenous noncoding regulatory mRNAs of around 22-nucleotides long, have rapidly emerged as one of the key governors of the gene expression regulatory program in cells of varying species, with ever-increasing implications in the control of the fundamental biological processes and in the pathogenesis of adult humans. The exciting findings in this field have inspired us with a premise and a promise that miRNAs will ultimately be taken to the heart for therapy of human disease. While miRNAs have been considered potential therapeutic targets for disease treatment, it remains obscured what strategies we can use to achieve the goal. In the past years, we have witnessed a rapid evolving of many creative, innovative, inventive strategies and methodologies pertinent to miRNA research and applications. These technologies have convincingly demonstrated their efficacy and reliability in producing gain-of-function or loss-of-function of miRNAs through targeting miRNA expression/biogenesis/function, providing new tools for elucidating miRNA functions and opening up a new avenue for the development of new agents targeting miRNAs for therapeutic aims. The present book provides comprehensive descriptions of these technologies and their applications to miRNA research and to new drug design for miRNA-related diseases. It starts with an overview of up-to-date knowledge of miRNA biology and the potential of miRNAs as therapeutic targets for human disease, followed by an introduction of the new concept of miRNA interference (miRNAi) and the perspectives of miRNAi technologies in general terms. In the following, each chapter introduces one of the miRNAi technologies with detailed descriptions of state-of-the-art design, procedures, principles and applications to basic research, R and D and clinical therapy.
Radiology of Non-Spinal Pain Procedures
by Azim Shaikh Mubin I. SyedThis handy, well-illustrated manual has been designed to meet the need of interventional pain physicians to understand the radiologic imaging involved in the performance of non-spinal pain procedures. It provides information on such topics as radiologic anatomy, the radiologic manifestations of indications and contraindications to interventional procedures, and the radiologic appearance of complications that may arise from these procedures. In addition, it will be useful for the diagnostic radiologist, who may be unaware of many of the interventional pain procedures. The chosen format will ensure that the reader is quickly able to reference any given procedure. As this is a guidebook, it does not encompass every pathologic entity that may be encountered; however, the commonly performed non-spinal pain procedures are included. This text will prove essential for any interventionalist who does not have easy access to a radiologist and vice versa.
Drug Delivery
by Monika Schäfer-KortingIn the view of most experts pharmacology is on drugs, targets, and actions. In the context the drug as a rule is seen as an active pharmaceutical ingredient and not as a complex mixture of chemical entities of a well defined structure. Today, we are becoming more and more aware of the fact that delivery of the active compound to the target site is a key. The present volume gives a topical overview on various modern approaches to drug targeting covering today's options for specific carrier systems allowing successful drug treatment at various sites of the body difficult to address and allowing to increase the benefit-risk-ratio to the optimum possible.
Therapeutic Ribonucleic Acids in Brain Tumors
by Jan Barciszewski Volker A. Erdmann Guido ReifenbergerIn the past few years nucleic acids technologies have grown into a powerful analytical and also increasingly therapeutic tool. It has been applied not only to the uncovering of gene functions in many organisms, but also to pathogenetic analysis and recently also for the treatment of human diseases. The book discusses in depth the potential of these innovative methods in the broad field of central nervous system and brain tumours particularly. Whereas there is currently no comprehensive overview on potential and challenges of nucleic acids technologies for basic brain tumours and for the clinical management of patients with brain tumours, this book does explicitly cover the many other aspects of the "RNA World" (pathogenic and therapeutic potential of microRNAs, aptamer technology, etc.), too. With this significantly broadened scope as compared to currently existing books it appears to be an urgently needed new publication.
Autologous Fat Transfer: Art, Science, and Clinical Practice
by Melvin A. ShiffmanThis book covers all aspects of autologous fat transfer including the history of fat transfer, the history of autologous fat survival, a variety of aesthetic and plastic procedures of the face and body, noncosmetic applications of fat transfer, preoperative care, complications, and medical-legal aspects. The contributors are international experts in the field of autologous fat transfer.
Encyclopedia of Intensive Care Medicine
by Jesse B. Hall Jean-Louis VincentThe aim of this comprehensive encyclopedia is to provide detailed information on intensive care medicine contributing to the broad field of emergency medicine. The wide range of entries in the Encyclopedia of Intensive Care Medicine are written by leading experts in the field. They will provide basic and clinical scientists in academia, practice, as well as industry with valuable information about the field of intensive care medicine, but also people in related fields, students and teachers will benefit from the important and relevant information on the most recent developments in emergency medicine. The Encyclopedia will contain 4 volumes, and published simultaneously online. The entire field has been divided into 14 sections. All entries will be arranged in alphabetical order with extensive cross-referencing between them.
Handbook on Business Process Management 1: Introduction, Methods, and Information Systems
by Jan Vom Brocke Michael RosemannBusiness Process Management (BPM) has become one of the most widely used approaches for the design of modern organizational and information systems. The conscious treatment of business processes as significant corporate assets has facilitated substantial improvements in organizational performance but is also used to ensure the conformance of corporate activities. This Handbook presents in two volumes the contemporary body of knowledge as articulated by the world' s leading BPM thought leaders. This first volume focuses on arriving at a sound definition of Business Process Management approaches and examines BPM methods and process-aware information systems. As such, it provides guidance for the integration of BPM into corporate methodologies and information systems. Each chapter has been contributed by leading international experts. Selected case studies complement these views and lead to a summary of BPM expertise that is unique in its coverage of the most critical success factors of BPM.
Conducting and Magnetic Organometallic Molecular Materials (Topics in Organometallic Chemistry #27)
by Lahcène Ouahab Marc FourmiguéConducting and Magnetic Organometallic Molecular Materials
The Neurobiology of Orthodontics
by Margaritis Z. PimenidisThis book presents the neurobiology of orthodontics according to the most recently acquired knowledge on the interaction of the brain activity with the senses. In particular, it highlights the ability of orofacial sensory input to modulate and change the brain activity underlying functions of the stomatognathic system, such as chewing, biting, speech, and occlusal feedback. The approach adopted thereby represents a significant departure from traditional orthodontics, in which malocclusions of the teeth have been interpreted as deriving from DNA coding errors. The described new conceptualization of the etiology and diagnosis of malocclusions has profound implications for orthodontic therapy, as is clearly explained. Orthodontic therapy in turn has significant effects on the brain, which are documented in a chapter devoted to neuroimaging methods. By opening up new and creative pathways in the world of orthodontics, this book will hopefully both educate and excite the practitioner. It is recommended reading for all orthodontists.
Reactive Oxygen Species in Plant Signaling
by Luis A. del Río Alain PuppoUntil recent years the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was generally considered to be a harmful process and a generator of oxidative stress. But more recently this concept has been re-evaluated and the term "oxidative signaling" was coined (Foyer and Noctor, 2005). This means that ROS generation is also an important component of the signaling network of plants. Results obtained during the last decade have highlighted that ROS are key regulators of plant metabolism, morphology and development which are also used by plants to respond to environmental challenges. The role of ROS as signals for gene expression has been established, and ROS also modulate the activity of key signaling compounds such as MAP kinases. The volume of research into the roles of ROS in plants is currently growing and the purpose of this book is to present recent advances in this field.
InSAR Imaging of Aleutian Volcanoes
by Zhong Lu Daniel DzurisinInterferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a relatively new remote sensing tool that is capable of measuring ground-surface deformation with centimeter-to-subcentimeter precision at a spatial resolution of tens of meters over an area of hundreds to thousands of square kilometers. With its global coverage and all-weather imaging capability, InSAR has become an increasingly important technique for studying volcanoes in remote regions such as the Aleutian Islands. The spatial distribution of surface deformation data derived from InSAR images enables the construction of detailed mechanical models to enhance the study of magmatic processes. InSAR Imaging of Aleutian Volcanoes: * Provides a theoretical framework for InSAR observations and capabilities * Discusses state-of-the-art InSAR analysis techniques * Describes the structure, eruptive history, and magma composition of volcanoes along the entire Aleutian arc * Presents conceptual models for the magma plumbing systems of Aleutian volcanoes based on InSAR results combined with geophysical, geological and geochemical observations. * Synthesizes observations of deformation along the Aleutian arc and compares those results to other active arcs around the world. * Is illustrated throughout with high-resolution color satellite radar images
Functioning and Management of European Beech Ecosystems
by Rainer Brumme Partap K. KhannaThis volume compiles the results of long-term observations of site properties and ecosystem processes for three beech forests. Representing a spectrum of common beech forest sites in Central Europe, they receive similar atmospheric inputs and are growing under similar climatic conditions, but differ in their soil acidity. Significant differences were observed in the diversity and activities of fauna and microbes in these soils, which was the major driving variable for the nutrient cycling processes, growth patterns, greenhouse gas emissions and the C and N sequestration in these forests. Differences in N and C contents and cycling among the three beech sites represented three phases (quasi steady-state, accumulation and degradation) as described by ecosystem theory on the functioning and historical development of the N dynamic of other 50 European ecosystems. Various implications for the future management of these and similar beech sites are discussed.
Topics in Classical Micro- and Macroeconomics
by Peter FlaschelThis book demonstrates that classical micro- and macroeconomics, in particular in the tradition of Smith, Ricardo and Marx, can be synthesized into a coherent whole from the perspective of formal model building as well as applied Leontief-Stone systems of national accounts and the input-output approaches built on them. This reformulation of classical economics differs significantly from the static Neoricardian formalization of the classical approach to economics. The book presents a collection of revised versions of papers that were written between 1983 and 2000, some jointly with coauthors, and supplements them in a coherent way with recent unpublished work on the subject.
New Horizons in Occultation Research
by Gottfried Kirchengast Ulrich Foelsche Andrea Steiner Barbara PirscherThe current contribution can be seen as a sequel of the Springer books "Occultations for Probing Atmosphere and Climate", edited by G. Kirchengast, U. Foelsche, and A.K. Steiner, published in 2004, and "Atmosphere and Climate - Studies by Occultation Methods", edited by U. Foelsche, G. Kirchengast, and A.K. Steiner. While these books contained scientific results presented at the 1st and 2nd OPAC workshop in Graz (Sep 2002, Sep 2004), the current contribution features new results, presented at the 3rd OPAC workshop in Graz (Sep 2007), in the form of peer-reviewed papers.
Autophagy in Infection and Immunity: A Novel Immune Effector (Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology #335)
by Vojo Deretic Beth Levine Tamotsu YoshimoriAutophagy is a fundamental biological process that enables cells to autodigest their own cytosol during starvation and other forms of stress. It has a growing spectrum of acknowledged roles in immunity, aging, development, neurodegeneration, and cancer biology. An immunological role of autophagy was first recognized with the discovery of autophagy's ability to sanitize the cellular interior by killing intracellular microbes. Since then, the repertoire of autophagy's roles in immunity has been vastly expanded to include a diverse but interconnected portfolio of regulatory and effector functions. Autophagy is an effector of Th1/Th2 polarization; it fuels MHC II presentation of cytosolic (self and microbial) antigens; it shapes central tolerance; it affects B and T cell homeostasis; it acts both as an effector and a regulator of Toll-like receptor and other innate immunity receptor signaling; and it may help ward off chronic inflammatory disease in humans. With such a multitude of innate and adaptive immunity functions, the study of autophagy in immunity is one of the most rapidly growing fields of contemporary immunological research. This book introduces the reader to the fundamentals of autophagy, guides a novice and the well-informed reader alike through different immunological aspects of autophagy as well as the countermeasures used by highly adapted pathogens to fight autophagy, and provides the expert with the latest, up-to-date information on the specifics of the leading edge of autophagy research in infection and immunity.
Cellular Lipid Metabolism
by Christian EhnholmFor years lipids have fascinated cell biologists and biochemists due to their profound effects on cell function. "Cellular Lipid Metabolism" highlights new concepts and recent findings, but also reviews important discoveries made in the past. Outstanding international experts contribute 13 chapters on the genetics, molecular and cell biology of lipids. Presenting analyses at the molecular level they reveal the principles by which cellular lipid metabolism functions. Further, numerous intriguing observations that cannot yet be explained are identified, stimulating the readers to future studies. This book provides an invaluable source of information for biomedical researchers in energy metabolism, vascular biology, endocrinology and lipidology.