intechopen jan 2012 (37 Ergebnisse)

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Advances in adaptive optics technology and applications move forward at a rapid pace. The basic idea of wavefront compensation in real-time has been around since the mid 1970s. The first widely used application of adaptive optics was for compensating atmospheric turbulence effects in astronomical imaging and laser beam propagation. While some topics have been researched and reported for years, even decades, new applications and advances in the supporting technologies occur almost daily. This book brings together 11 original chapters related to adaptive optics, written by an international group of invited authors. Topics include atmospheric turbulence characterization, astronomy with large telescopes, image post-processing, high power laser distortion compensation, adaptive optics and the human eye, wavefront sensors, and deformable mirrors.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The global phenomenon of organic food and farming, after three decades of progress, faces new challenges as markets mature and the impacts of the global recession start to change consumers and farmers' expectations. This global survey of the organic food and farming considers how the social sciences have come to understand in what way consumers make their choices as they shop, and how new national markets evolve. It also surveys how established organic sectors in North America and Europe are changing in response to the changes, that in part, the organic movement has created. Moving from a wide range of social science disciplines, methodologies and perspectives, this book represents an excellent starting place for new readers, and offers innovation to those already familiar with the literature.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 230 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Natural resources conservation is one of the dilemmas currently facing mankind in both developed and the developing world. The topic is of particular importance for the latter, where the majority depend on terrestrial ecosystems for livelihood; more than one billion people live in abject poverty earning less than a dollar per day; more than 3.7 billion suffer from micronutrient deficiency and more than 800 million suffer from chronic hunger. Population increase, resource use conflicts, technological advancements, climate change, political doldrums, and unsustainable use and harvesting of resources have all put more pressure on natural resources leading to land degradation and poverty. To achieve a win-win situation, we need to change our mindset by thinking outside the box through advocating integrated and holistic approaches in managing our natural resources. This book presents a variety of sustainable strategies and/or approaches including use of GIS and Remote Sensing technologies, decision support system models, involvement of stakeholders in major decisions regarding use of natural resources, community level initiatives, and use of surveillance and monitoring mechanisms.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 180 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Crop production depends on the successful implementation of the soil, water, and nutrient management technologies. Food production by the year 2020 needs to be increased by 50 percent more than the present levels to satisfy the needs of around 8 billion people. Much of the increase would have to come from intensification of agricultural production. Importance of wise usage of water, nutrient management, and tillage in the agricultural sector for sustaining agricultural growth and slowing down environmental degradation calls for urgent attention of researchers, planners, and policy makers. Crop models enable researchers to promptly speculate on the long-term consequences of changes in agricultural practices. In addition, cropping systems, under different conditions, are making it possible to identify the adaptations required to respond to changes. This book adopts an interdisciplinary approach and contributes to this new vision. Leading authors analyze topics related to crop production technologies. The efforts have been made to keep the language as simple as possible, keeping in mind the readers of different language origins. The emphasis has been on general descriptions and principles of each topic, technical details, original research work, and modeling aspects. However, the comprehensive journal references in each area should enable the reader to pursue further studies of special interest. The subject has been presented through fifteen chapters to clearly specify different topics for convenience of the readers.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 290 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Pathogenesis and Treatment of Periodontitis includes comprehensive reviews on etiopathogenic factors of periodontal tissue destruction related to microbial dental plaque and also host response components. Adjunctive treatment modalities are also addressed in the book. Topics covered range from microbial pathogenic factors of P. gingivalis to the relationship between metabolic syndrome and periodontal disease, and from management of open gingival embrasures to laser application in periodontal treatment.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 214 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The World Health Organization (WHO) has established dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the best densitometric technique for assessing bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women and has based the definitions of osteopenia and osteoporosis on its results. DXA enables accurate diagnosis of osteoporosis, estimation of fracture risk and monitoring of patients undergoing treatment. Additional features of DXA include measurement of BMD at multiple skeletal sites, vertebral fracture assessment and body composition assessment, including fat mass and lean soft tissue mass of the whole body and the segments. This book contains reviews and original studies about DXA and its different uses in clinical practice (diagnosis of osteoporosis, monitoring of BMD measurement) and in medical research in several situations (e.g. assessment of morphological asymmetry in athletes, estimation of resting energy expenditure, assessment of vertebral strength and vertebral fracture risk, or study of dry bones such as the ulna).Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 160 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy is an analytical technique used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the elements present in different samples like food, nanomaterials, biomaterials, forensics, and industrial wastes. The main aim of this book is to cover all major topics which are required to equip scholars with the recent advancement in this field. The book is divided into 12 chapters with an emphasis on specific topics. The first two chapters introduce the reader to the subject, it's history, basic principles, instrumentation and sample preparation. Chapter 3 deals with the elemental profiling, functions, biochemistry and potential toxicity of metals, along with comparative techniques. Chapter 4 discusses the importance of sample preparation techniques with the focus on microextraction techniques. Keeping in view the importance of nanomaterials and refractory materials, chapters 5 and 6 highlight the ways to characterize these materials by using AAS. The interference effects between elements are explained in chapter 7. The characterizations of metals in food and biological samples have been given in chapters 8-11. Chapter 12 examines carbon capture and mineral storage with the analysis of metal contents.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 272 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Alcoholic liver disease occurs after prolonged heavy drinking. Not everyone who drinks alcohol in excess develops serious forms of alcoholic liver disease. It is likely that genetic factors determine this individual susceptibility, and a family history of chronic liver disease may indicate a higher risk. Other factors include being overweight and iron overload. This book presents state-of-the-art information summarizing the current understanding of a range of alcoholic liver diseases. It is hoped that the target readers - hepatologists, clinicians, researchers and academicians - will be afforded new ideas and exposed to subjects well beyond their own scientific disciplines. Additionally, students and those who wish to increase their knowledge will find this book a valuable source of information.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 234 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Thermal power plants are one of the most important process industries for engineering professionals. Over the past few decades, the power sector has been facing a number of critical issues. However, the most fundamental challenge is meeting the growing power demand in sustainable and efficient ways. Practicing power plant engineers not only look after operation and maintenance of the plant, but also look after a range of activities, including research and development, starting from power generation, to environmental assessment of power plants. The book Thermal Power Plants covers features, operational issues, advantages, and limitations of power plants, as well as benefits of renewable power generation. It also introduces thermal performance analysis, fuel combustion issues, performance monitoring and modelling, plants health monitoring, including component fault diagnosis and prognosis, functional analysis, economics of plant operation and maintenance, and environmental aspects. This book addresses several issues related to both coal fired and gas turbine power plants. The book is suitable for both undergraduate and research for higher degree students, and of course, for practicing power plant engineers.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 280 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The current volume entitled Protein Purification is designed to facilitate rapid access to valuable information about various methodologies. It aims as well to provide an overview of state-of-art techniques for the purification, analysis and quantification of proteins in complex samples using different enrichment strategies.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 234 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Multiple myeloma is a malignant disorder characterized by the proliferation of plasma cells. Much insight has been gained into the molecular pathways that lead to myeloma and indeed much more remains to be done. The understanding of these pathways is closely linked to their therapeutic implications and is stressed upon in the initial chapters. Recently, the introduction of newer agents such as bortezomib, lenalidomide, thalidomide, liposomal doxorubicin, etc. has led to a flurry of trials aimed at testing various combinations in order to improve survival. Higher response rates observed with these agents have led to their integration into induction therapies. The role of various new therapies vis a vis transplantation has also been examined. Recent advances in the management of plasmacytomas , renal dysfunction, dentistry as well as mobilization of stem cells in the context of myeloma have also found exclusive mention. Since brevity is the soul of wit our attempt has been to present before the reader a comprehensive yet brief text on this important subject.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 286 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book is a collection of essays and papers from around the world, written by surgeons who look after patients of all ages with abdominal pain, many of whom have appendicitis. All general surgeons maintain a fascination with this important condition because it is so common and yet so easy to miss. All surgeons have a view on the literature and any gathering of surgeons embraces a spectrum of opinion on management options. Many aspects of the disease and its presentation and management remain controversial. This book does not answer those controversies, but should prove food for thought. The reflections of these surgeons are presented in many cases with novel data. The chapters encourage us to consider new epidemiological views and explore clinical scoring systems and the literature on imaging. Appendicitis is discussed in patients of all ages and in all manner of presentations.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 238 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Investigation of muscle diseases has changed dramatically with the understanding of genetic basis of a wide range of muscle diseases. Muscle biopsy has become a powerful tool not only to provide diagnosis but to make tissue available for genetic studies and to basic scientists for biomedical research. Accurate interpretation of muscle biopsy to detect cell dysfunction/ damage/death or absence / abnormality of a protein or genetic defect by the sophisticated technologies is important to guide treatment of various muscle diseases. In this book on muscle biopsy various chapters deal with the procedure and interpretation of muscle biopsy, its use in the culture of myotubes and membrane transport studies.Muscle biopsy is an important technique to investigate mitochondrial dysfunction and the mitochondrial DNA integrity in oxidation. Phosphorylation in various metabolic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and peripheral vascular disease is explored in the other chapters with detailed descriptions on methodology. This book provides the advances in the basic techniques of muscle biopsy for a neuroscientist.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 164 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book shares knowledge gained through water management related research. It describes a broad range of approaches and technologies, of which have been developed and used by researchers for managing water resource problems. This multidisciplinary book covers water management issues under surface water management, groundwater management, water quality management, and water resource planning management subtopics. The main objective of this book is to enable a better understanding of these perspectives relating to water management practices. This book is expected to be useful to researchers, policy-makers, and non-governmental organizations working on water related projects in countries worldwide.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 288 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Monitoring of water and land objects enters a revolutionary age with the rise of ubiquitous remote sensing and public access. Earth monitoring satellites permit detailed, descriptive, quantitative, holistic, standardized, global evaluation of the state of the Earth skin in a manner that our actual Earthen civilization has never been able to before. The water monitoring topics covered in this book include the remote sensing of open water bodies, wetlands and small lakes, snow depth and underwater seagrass, along with a variety of remote sensing techniques, platforms, and sensors. The Earth monitoring topics include geomorphology, land cover in arid climate, and disaster assessment after a tsunami. Finally, advanced topics of remote sensing covers atmosphere analysis with GNSS signals, earthquake visual monitoring, and fundamental analyses of laser reflectometry in the atmosphere medium.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 252 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Myasthenia gravis is presently an incurable antibody-mediated autoimmune disorder characterized by generalized voluntary skeletal muscle weakness. The cause of the weakness is a defect at the neuromuscular junction level, in which autoimmune antibodies block the receptors responsible for initiating muscular contraction. Literally translated from its Latin and Greek etymological roots, myasthenia gravis means 'grave muscle weakness'. Fortunately, advances in modern medicine have resulted in a reduction of the truly 'grave' outcomes for those inflicted but, without a cure, the gravity surrounding the disease remainsBooks on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 116 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -As multimedia-enabled mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets are becoming the day-to-day computing device of choice for users of all ages, everyone expects that all mobile multimedia applications and services should be as smooth and as high-quality as the desktop experience. The grand challenge in delivering multimedia to mobile devices using the Internet is to ensure the quality of experience that meets the users' expectations, within reasonable costs, while supporting heterogeneous platforms and wireless network conditions.This book aims to provide a holistic overview of the current and future technologies used for delivering high-quality mobile multimedia applications, while focusing on user experience as the key requirement. The book opens with a section dealing with the challenges in mobile video delivery as one of the most bandwidth-intensive media that requires smooth streaming and a user-centric strategy to ensure quality of experience. The second section addresses this challenge by introducing some important concepts for future mobile multimedia coding and the network technologies to deliver quality services. The last section combines the user and technology perspectives by demonstrating how user experience can be measured using case studies on urban community interfaces and Internet telephones.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 168 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book reviews how severe oxygen deprivation affects biological systems - from the molecular to the ecological level. The contributing authors come from diverse regions of the world, which proves the interest in the academic analysis of oxygen deprivation. The diversity in the experimental approach scientists take, in order to understand the influence oxygen deprivation has on living systems, is apparent throughout this book. One of the presented ideas deals with the exploration and examination of the physiological, cellular and genetic characteristics of killifish embryos and nematodes exposed to anoxia. Furthermore, the book includes material on the mechanisms regulating hypoxia and anoxia tolerance and their implications of on human health issues. Finally, new methodologies to examine oxygen deprivation and the impact of human-related activities on oxygen level, within important ecological systems such as Lake Victoria, are presented. There is no doubt that the oxygen molecule is central to every stratum of biological systems.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 160 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The purpose of this book is to present and discuss the recent methods in corrosion evaluation and protection. The book contains six chapters. The aim of Chapter 1 is to demonstrate that Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy can be a very useful tool to provide a complete evaluation of the corrosion protection properties of electro-coatings. Chapter 2 presents results of studies of materials degradation from experimental electrochemical tests and theoretical calculations. Chapter 3 deals with the presentation of the corrosion and corrosion prevention of the aluminum alloys by organic coatings and inhibitors. Chapter 4 addresses the new method of pigment preparation that can improve protection efficiency. The effectiveness of plasma deposited films on the improvement of carbon steel corrosion resistance is discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 deals with the conjugation of carbon nanotubes with organic-inorganic hybrid to prepare hybrid coatings that combine high anti-corrosion efficiency with elevated mechanical resistance.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 156 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Leading scientists from different countries around the world contributed valuable essays on the basic applications and safety, as well as the ethical and moral considerations, of the powerful genetic engineering tools now available for modifying the molecules, pathways, and phenotypes of species of agricultural, industrial and even medical importance. After three decades of perfecting such tools, we now see a refined technology, surprisingly unexpected applications, and matured guidelines to avoid unintentional damage to our and other species, as well as the environment, while trying to contribute to solve the biological, medical and technical challenges of society and industry. Chapters on thermo-stabilization of luciferase, engineering of the phenylpropanoid pathway in a species of high demand for the paper industry, more efficient regeneration of transgenic soybean, viral resistant plants, and a novel approach for rapidly screening properties of newly discovered animal growth hormones, illustrate the state-of-the-art science and technology of genetic engineering, but also serve to raise public awareness of the pros and cons that this young scientific discipline has to offer to mankind.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 270 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The history of flight control is inseparably linked to the history of aviation itself. Since the early days, the concept of automatic flight control systems has evolved from mechanical control systems to highly advanced automatic fly-by-wire flight control systems which can be found nowadays in military jets and civil airliners. Even today, many research efforts are made for the further development of these flight control systems in various aspects. Recent new developments in this field focus on a wealth of different aspects. This book focuses on a selection of key research areas, such as inertial navigation, control of unmanned aircraft and helicopters, trajectory control of an unmanned space re-entry vehicle, aeroservoelastic control, adaptive flight control, and fault tolerant flight control. This book consists of two major sections. The first section focuses on a literature review and some recent theoretical developments in flight control systems. The second section discusses some concepts of adaptive and fault-tolerant flight control systems. Each technique discussed in this book is illustrated by a relevant example.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 216 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Petrology, New Perspectives and Applications is designed for advanced graduate courses and professionals in petrology. The book includes eight chapters that are focused on the recent advances and application of modern petrologic and geochemical methods for the understanding of igneous, metamorphic and even sedimentary rocks. Research studies contained in this volume provide an overview of application of modern petrologic techniques to rocks of diverse origins. They reflect a wide variety of settings (from South America to the Far East, and from Africa to Central Asia) as well as ages ranging from late Precambrian to late Cenozoic, with several on Mesozoic/Cenozoic volcanism.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 238 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -In this book, the authors illustrate different therapeutic and surgical approaches to treating various corneal pathologies. This edition in electronic format allows universal access to everybody regardless of the time of day or setting, portability, and speed of information access. Such features show more feasibility for all readers and reduce the time necessary for research. This book will be a good tool for students as well as specialists working in the field of corneal transplantation, to improve their knowledge of treatment of corneal disease.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 146 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book presents several recent advances that are related or fall under the umbrella of 'digital image processing', with the purpose of providing an insight into the possibilities offered by digital image processing algorithms in various fields. The presented mathematical algorithms are accompanied by graphical representations and illustrative examples for an enhanced readability. The chapters are written in a manner that allows even a reader with basic experience and knowledge in the digital image processing field to properly understand the presented algorithms. Concurrently, the structure of the information in this book is such that fellow scientists will be able to use it to push the development of the presented subjects even further.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 210 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Bathymetry is the only way to explore, measure and manage the large portion of the Earth covered with water. This book ,presents some of the latest developments in bathymetry, using acoustic, electromagnetic and radar sensors, and in its applications, from gas seeps, pockmarks and cold-water coral reefs on the seabed to large water reservoirs and palynology. The book consists of contributions from internationally-known scientists from India, Australia, Malaysia, Norway, Mexico, USA, Germany, and Brazil, and shows applications around the world and in a wide variety of settings.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 160 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book ranges from the geologic-petrologic description of world-wide major volcanic fields unfamiliar to international literature, to the discussion and interpretation of the results in light of geophysical techniques. It focuses on several situations that represent large-scale volcanism on Earth, related both with intra-plate or active margins. Many large volcanic complexes of Easter countries are presented, including Japan, Siberian Russia, and Mongolia. A detailed account of the European volcanic province of the Pannonia basin and Central-Southern Spain is given. Southern hemisphere areas of Antarctica and Polynesia are considered as well. The chapters are very informative for those who wish for a guide to visiting, or are curious about main characteristics of the above volcanic areas, some of which are remote and not easily accessible.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 258 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The knowledge of the characteristics of the fluids and their ability to transport substances and physical properties is relevant for us. However, the quantification of the movements of fluids is a complex task, and when considering natural flows, occurring in large scales (rivers, lakes, oceans), this complexity is evidenced. This book presents conclusions about different aspects of flows in natural water bodies, such as the evolution of plumes, the transport of sediments, air-water mixtures, among others. It contains thirteen chapters, organized in four sections: Tidal and Wave Dynamics: Rivers, Lakes and Reservoirs, Tidal and Wave Dynamics: Seas and Oceans, Tidal and Wave Dynamics: Estuaries and Bays, and Multiphase Phenomena: Air-Water Flows and Sediments. The chapters present conceptual arguments, experimental and numerical results, showing practical applications of the methods and tools of Hydrodynamics.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 302 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the developed countries. In the past decade, great progress has been made in understanding the pathobiology and genetics of this blinding disease, as well as in finding new therapies for its treatment. These include the discovery of several genes that are associated with the risk of AMD, new anti-VEGF treatments for wet AMD and new imaging techniques to diagnose and monitor the AMD. All chapters in this book were contributed by outstanding research scientists and clinicians in the area of AMD. I hope this timely book will provide the basic scientists and clinicians with an opportunity to learn about the recent advances in the field of AMD.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 312 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Soils play multiple roles in the quality of life throughout the world, not only as the resource for food production, but also as the support for our structures, the environment, the medium for waste disposal, water, and the storage of nutrients. A healthy soil can sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health. Understanding the impact of land management practices on soil properties and processes can provide useful indicators of economic and environmental sustainability. The sixteen chapters of this book orchestrate a multidisciplinary composition of current trends in soil health. Soil Health and Land Use Management provides a broad vision of the fundamental importance of soil health. In addition, the development of feasible management and remediation strategies to preserve and ameliorate the fitness of soils are discussed in this book.Strategies to improve land management and relevant case studies are covered, as well as the importance of characterizing soil properties to develop management and remediation strategies. Moreover, the current management of several environmental scenarios of high concern is presented, while the final chapters propose new methodologies for soil pollution assessment.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 346 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The importance of seismic wave research lies not only in our ability to understand and predict earthquakes and tsunamis, it also reveals information on the Earth's composition and features in much the same way as it led to the discovery of Mohorovicic's discontinuity. As our theoretical understanding of the physics behind seismic waves has grown, physical and numerical modeling have greatly advanced and now augment applied seismology for better prediction and engineering practices. This has led to some novel applications such as using artificially-induced shocks for exploration of the Earth's subsurface and seismic stimulation for increasing the productivity of oil wells. This book demonstrates the latest techniques and advances in seismic wave analysis from theoretical approach, data acquisition and interpretation, to analyses and numerical simulations, as well as research applications. A review process was conducted in cooperation with sincere support by Drs. Hiroshi Takenaka, Yoshio Murai, Jun Matsushima, and Genti Toyokuni.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 338 pp. Englisch.