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Learning Network Services for Professional Development
by Rob KoperA "Learning Network" is a community of people who help each other to better understand and handle certain events and concepts in work or life. As a result - and sometimes also as an aim - participating in learning networks stimulates personal development, a better understanding of concepts and events, career development, and employability. "Learning Network Services" are Web services that are designed to facilitate the creation of distributed Learning Networks and to support the participants with various functions for knowledge exchange, social interaction, assessment and competence development in an effective way. The book presents state-of-the-art insights into the field of Learning Networks and Web-based services which can facilitate all kinds of processes within these networks.
Evolutionary Biology
by Pierre PontarottiSince 1997, scientists of different disciplines sharing a deep interest in concepts and knowledge related to evolutionary biology have held the annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseille in order to discuss their research and promote collaboration. Lately scientists especially focusing on applications have also joined the group. This book starts with the report of the "12th Evolutionary Biology Meeting", which gives a general idea of the meeting's epistemological stance. This is followed by 22 chapters, a selection of the most representative contributions, which are grouped under the following four themes: Part I Concepts and Knowledge - Part II Modelization - Part III Applied Evolutionary Biology - Part IV Applications in Other Fields -Part IV transcends the field of biology, presenting applications of evolutionary biology in economics and astronomy.
Minimally Invasive Surgery in Total Hip Arthroplasty
by Werner E. Siebert Joachim PfeilRecent years have witnessed a trend toward the use of minimally invasive techniques in all areas of orthopedic surgery, including hip replacement. This book aims to provide a comprehensive guide to the use of minimally invasive surgery in total hip arthroplasty. The four commonly employed approaches - anterior, anterolateral OCM, anterolateral supine, and posterior - are described in detail with the aid of high-quality illustrations. For each approach, clear guidance is offered on patient selection, patient positioning, surgical procedure, postsurgical care, and rehabilitation. Potential complications and the advantages and disadvantages of each option are carefully weighed up, and experts also present their personal experiences, outcomes, and success rates with the different approaches. The book concludes by discussing future trends in hip arthroplasty.
Gels: Structures, Properties, and Functions
by Katsuyoshi Nishinari Masayuki TokitaThis volume includes 28 contributions to the Toyoichi Tanaka Memorial Symposium on Gels which took place at Arcadia Ichigaya on September 10th-12th, 2008. The contributions from leading scientists cover a broad spectrum of topics concerning: Structure and Functional Properties of Gels - Swelling of Gels - Industrial and Biomedical Application. The symposium was held in the style of Faraday Discussions, which stimulated the active discussion. After the symposium, each manuscript was rewritten based on the discussion and the critical review. Since the research on gels is becoming more and more important both for academia and industry, this book will be an essential source of information.
Dynamic and Transient Infinite Elements
by Chongbin ZhaoThis monograph aims to provide a state-of-the-art theory and the application of dynamic and transient infinite elements for simulating the far fields of infinite domains involved in many of scientific and engineering problems, based on the author's own work during the last two decades. While the theoretical aspects of either dynamic infinite elements or transient infinite elements are systematically presented, the related application examples are immediately followed to illustrate the usefulness and applicability of these infinite elements for simulating a wide range of dynamic and transient problems involving infinite domains. To broaden the readership of this monograph, common mathematical notations are used to derive the formulations of both dynamic and transient infinite elements. This enables this monograph to be used either as a useful textbook for postgraduate students or as a valuable reference book for computational geoscientists, geotechnical engineers, civil engineers, geoscientists and applied mathematicians.
Experimental Techniques in Nuclear and Particle Physics
by Stefaan TavernierThe book is based on a course in nuclear and particle physics that the author has taught over many years to physics students, students in nuclear engineering and students in biomedical engineering. It provides the basic understanding that any student or researcher using such instruments and techniques should have about the subject. After an introduction to the structure of matter at the subatomic scale, it covers the experimental aspects of nuclear and particle physics. Ideally complementing a theoretically-oriented textbook on nuclear physics and/or particle physics, it introduces the reader to the different techniques used in nuclear and particle physics to accelerate particles and to measurement techniques (detectors) in nuclear and particle physics. The main subjects treated are: interactions of subatomic particles in matter; particle accelerators; basics of different types of detectors; and nuclear electronics. The book will be of interest to undergraduates, graduates and researchers in both particle and nuclear physics. For the physicists it is a good introduction to all experimental aspects of nuclear and particle physics. Nuclear engineers will appreciate the nuclear measurement techniques, while biomedical engineers can learn about measuring ionising radiation, the use of accelerators for radiotherapy. What's more, worked examples, end-of-chapter exercises, and appendices with key constants, properties and relationships supplement the textual material.
Experimental Techniques in Nuclear and Particle Physics
by Stefaan TavernierI have been teaching courses on experimental techniques in nuclear and particle physics to master students in physics and in engineering for many years. This book grew out of the lecture notes I made for these students. The physics and engineering students have rather different expectations of what such a course should be like. I hope that I have nevertheless managed to write a book that can satisfy the needs of these different target audiences. The lectures themselves, of course, need to be adapted to the needs of each group of students. An engineering student will not qu- tion a statement like “the velocity of the electrons in atoms is ?1% of the velocity of light”, a physics student will. Regarding units, I have written factors h and c explicitly in all equations throughout the book. For physics students it would be preferable to use the convention that is common in physics and omit these constants in the equations, but that would probably be confusing for the engineering students. Physics students tend to be more interested in theoretical physics courses. However, physics is an experimental science and physics students should und- stand how experiments work, and be able to make experiments work.This is an open access book.
TestFrame: An Approach to Structured Testing
by Chris C. SchotanusOver 12 years ago Logica started the development of TestFrame®, a test method which enables organizations to develop and execute their tests in a structured way. Since then many new techniques have been developed, such as, most recently, "Service Oriented Architectures (SOAs)" or "Software as a Service (SaaS)" , requiring updates to test procedures and processes that seemed well-established. These trends have prompted Logica to update and renew the TestFrame® method. Chris Schotanus’ new book takes into account the recent developments and his presentation is focused on supporting daily test practice. Every step within this structured test method is dealt with exhaustively, providing the reader with the necessary details for successful software testing. Yet his book will not only help test personnel to improve effectivity, it will also serve as a way to improve efficiency through its strong focus on reuse. This makes TestFrame the practical guide to testing information systems for everyone involved in software testing – test developers, test managers, and staff charged with quality assurance.
Neuroimaging in Dementia
by Philip Scheltens Frederik Barkhof António J. Bastos-Leite Nick C. FoxThis up-to-date, superbly illustrated book is a practical guide to the effective use of neuroimaging in the patient with cognitive decline. It sets out the key clinical and imaging features of the various causes of dementia and directs the reader from clinical presentation to neuroimaging and on to an accurate diagnosis whenever possible. After an introductory chapter on the clinical background, the available "toolbox" of structural and functional neuroimaging techniques is reviewed in detail, including CT, MRI and advanced MR techniques, SPECT and PET, and image analysis methods. The imaging findings in normal ageing are then discussed, followed by a series of chapters that carefully present and analyze the key findings in patients with dementias. Throughout, a practical approach is adopted, geared specifically to the needs of clinicians (neurologists, radiologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians) working in the field of dementia, for whom this book will prove an invaluable resource.
Earthquakes and Water
by Michael Manga Chi-Yuen WangThe broad spectrum of hydrologic responses to earthquakes offers a better understanding of the earth's hydrologic system at a scale which is otherwise unachievable; it has also allowed field testing of several long-standing hypotheses which may impact on our understanding of some earthquake-induced hazards. The book is based on a graduate course on Earthquake Hydrology at Berkeley jointly offered by the authors in the past few years. It begins with an introduction of the basic materials to form a basis for understanding the chapters which follow. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the field to interested readers and beginning researchers, and a convenient reference to numerous publications currently scattered in various journals.
Introduction to Climate Modelling
by Thomas StockerA three-tier approach is presented: (i) fundamental dynamical concepts of climate processes, (ii) their mathematical formulation based on balance equations, and (iii) the necessary numerical techniques to solve these equations. This book showcases the global energy balance of the climate system and feedback processes that determine the climate sensitivity, initial-boundary value problems, energy transport in the climate system, large-scale ocean circulation and abrupt climate change.
Mycotoxins in Food, Feed and Bioweapons
by Ajit Varma Mahendra RaiMycotoxins are made by different biosynthetic pathways, and they have an extremely wide range of pharmacological effects. This book will update readers on several cutting-edge aspects of mycotoxin research, including topics such as: new analytical methods for detection; the adoption of an ancient Mexican process for detoxification of aflatoxins; mycotoxin management in Ireland, Lithuania and South America; mycotoxin reduction through plant breeding and integrated management practices; and natural aflatoxin inhibitors from medicinal plants. Further contributions examine ochratoxins, selected trichothecenes, zearalenone, and aflatoxin-like gene clusters, as well as sclerotial development in Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Of particular interest are the chapters on the potential use of mycotoxins as bioweapons. This book will stimulate new thinking on the need to develop therapeutic as well as preventative interventions to reduce the toxicological threat of mycotoxins.
Die Online-Redaktion
by Thomas Holzinger Martin SturmerDie inhaltliche Entwicklung des Internets hält mit den technologischen Möglichkeiten kaum mit. Dass Online-Redaktion des öfteren als "Strafkolonie" für unliebsame Mitarbeiter betrachet werden und die technophile Selbstverwirklichung mancher Mitarbeiter, sind nur zwei der Ursachen dafür. In dieser Betriebsanleitung für multimediales Medienschaffen überschreiten die Autoren die Grenzen klassischer Mediengattungen und widmen sich in respektloser Frische der Professionalisierung von Internet-Redaktionen.
Convective Heat and Mass Transfer in Rotating Disk Systems (Lecture Notes in Applied and Computational Mechanics #45)
by Igor V. ShevchukThe book describes results of investigations of a series of convective heat and mass transfer problems in rotating-disk systems, namely, over free rotating disks, under conditions of transient heat transfer, solid- body rotation of fluid, orthogonal flow impingement onto a disk, swirl radial flow between parallel co-rotating disks, in cone-disk systems and for Prandtl and Schmidt numbers larger than unity. Methodology used included integral methods, self-similar and approximate analytical solutions, as well as CFD. The book is aimed at the professional audience of academic researchers, industrial R&D engineers, university lecturers and graduate/postgraduate students working in the area of rotating-disk systems.
Crisis Management in the European Union: Cooperation in the Face of Emergencies
by Stefan OlssonIn less than a decade, Europe has witnessed a series of large-scale natural disasters and two major terrorist attacks. Growing concern about the trans-national effects of these incidents has caused the EU Member States to seek more multilateral cooperation. As a result, a system of common arrangements for handling large-scale emergencies or disasters has emerged, which, due to its quick and ad-hoc development, may seem almost impenetrable to newcomers to the field. This book seeks to provide a much-needed overview of disaster and crisis management systems in the EU. It provides a basic understanding of how EU policy has evolved, the EU's mandate, and above all, a concise and hands-on description of the most central crisis management arrangements. Written by some of Europe's main experts and consultants in the field, this book represents a unique and comprehensive source of information for everyone involved or interested in the European Union crisis management system. "This book will quickly become an indispensable resource for two groups: Practitioners will enjoy its accessible and comprehensive style. Academics curious about this emerging field will turn to it for an introductory overview. As someone who closely studies this field, I find the book engaging, detailed, and accurate, and I read every line with great interest. The authors are to be commended for the quality of research that went into this work." Mark Rhinard, Senior Research Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI)
Genetic Variants in Periodontal Health and Disease
by Alexandrina L Dumitrescu Junya KobayashiPeriodontitis is a complex, multifactorial disease and its susceptibility is genetically determined. The present book systematically reviews the evidence of the association between the genetic variants and periodontitis progression and/or treatment outcomes. Genetic syndromes known to be associated with periodontal disease, the candidate gene polymorphisms investigated in relation to periodontitis, the heritability of chronic and aggressive periodontitis, as well as common guidelines for association studies are described. This growing understanding of the role of genetic variation in inflammation and periodontal chronic disease presents opportunities to identify healthy persons who are at increased risk of disease and to potentially modify the trajectory of disease to prolong healthy aging. The book represents a new concept in periodontology with its pronounced focus on understanding through knowledge rather than presenting the presently valid answers. Connections between genetics and periodontology are systematically reviewed and covered in detail.
Key Aspects of German Employment and Labour Law
by Jens Kirchner Pascal R. Kremp Michael MagotschThis publication gives an overview of all key aspects of German labour and employment law as well as adjoining fields. Legal professionals with expert knowledge and many years of experience explain the legal basis of these aspects of German law, point out typical practical problems and suggest solutions to those problems. In addition, examples are given on how to best manage legal pitfalls to minimize risks. This book translates employment and labour law for foreign in-house counsels and human resources managers at international companies and provides a clear understanding of the complex legal regulations in Germany. All three editors of the book, Dr. Jens Kirchner, Pascal R. Kremp and Michael Magotsch, are key legal professionals working at the Frankfurt office of DLA Piper, one of the largest legal services providers in the world (www.dlapiper.com), with national and multinational clients. Their experience includes the management of cross-border restructurings, outsourcing and transfer of undertaking measures, as well as the management of national and multi-jurisdictional merger and acquisitions projects, including post-merger integration processes.
Adverse Drug Reactions (Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology #196)
by Jack UetrechtThis book provides the current state of knowledge of basic mechanisms of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The main focus is on idiosyncratic drug reactions because they are the most difficult to deal with. It starts with a general description of the major targets for ADRs followed by a description of what are presently believed to be mediators and biochemical pathways involved in idiosyncratic drug reactions. There is also a description of several examples of ADRs that serve to illustrate specific aspects of ADR mechanisms. Eventually the book shows that ultimately better methods are needed to predict which drug candidates are likely to cause ADRs and which patients are at increased risk. But at present research seems to be far from this goal.
Nuclear Hepatology
by S. Krishnamurthy Gerbail T. KrishnamurthyThis second edition of Nuclear Hepatology: A Textbook of Hepatobiliary Diseases has been revised so as to encompass all of the most recent developments in the field. The result is a comprehensive, up-to-date book that will serve as a ready reference and a clinical and procedural guide. The authors, both of whom are nuclear medicine physicians, present nuclear hepatobiliary imaging techniques in the context of the many other possible diagnostic studies, thereby acquainting the reader with the role of these procedures. Throughout, care is taken to maintain a clear clinical focus and to emphasize the importance of integrating information on morphology and quantitative physiology as the basis for diagnosis. Each of the chapters is well illustrated and referenced. This book will prove invaluable not only to nuclear medicine physicians but also to practitioners of radiology, internal medicine, pediatrics, gastroenterology, hepatology, primary care, general surgery, and liver transplantation surgery.
Recent Advances in Transthyretin Evolution, Structure and Biological Functions
by Vivian Cody Samantha J. RichardsonThere is a strong interest in transthyretin (TTR) in connection with protein evolution, medical and clinical research. Thus, this is an exciting time for experts in TTR research to come together to write a monograph covering both the basic and the clinical research into TTR. Transthyretin is a protein found in human blood and cerebrospinal fluid. It is directly involved in the transport of thyroid hormones, and indirectly in that of retinol. These hormones are essential for normal growth and development, particularly that of the brain. Spontaneous and inherited diseases affecting transthyretin result in amyloidosis. More than 80 point mutations in transthyretin lead to a variety of illnesses. Liver transplants are the most common treatment, although much research is also being carried out in drug therapies. The evolution of transthyretin has been extensively investigated - from humans to bacteria, invertebrate animals and plants. The structure of the protein has not changed, but its function has changed significantly. This is a most exciting example for the study of the evolution of protein structure-function relationships. This monograph will bring the reader up to date on the latest developments and discoveries.
Terror and the War on Dissent
by Ian CramLocated within wider debates about 'security versus liberty' in our post 9/11 world, the book analyses the new landscape of UK counter terrorism powers and offences and focuses upon the deleterious consequences of the so-called 'war on terror' on freedom of political expression and association. Questioning the compatibility of recent speech-limiting measures with liberalism's established commitment to free speech and international human rights norms, the book takes a critical look at new powers to proscribe 'extremist' political parties, possession offences and other criminal controls (eg. Official Secrets Act prosecutions) as well as new offences such as 'glorification' of terrorism. Less visible, extra-legal forms of censorship are also evaluated. The monograph concludes by asking how a more vigorous defence of unorthodox and unpopular forms of expression might be safeguarded in the UK.
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.