mdpi ag nov 2018 (24 Ergebnisse)

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Aluminium alloys are the most common non-ferrous materials utilised for a wide range of engineering applications, namely, automotive, aerospace, mould and structural industries, among others. The wide spread of these alloys in the modern word is due to the unique combination of material properties combining lightness, excellent strength, corrosion resistance, toughness, electrical and thermal conductivity, recyclability, and manufacturability. Last but not least, the relatively low cost of aluminium extrusion is important as it makes aluminium alloys very attractive for applications in different key sectors of the world economy. Despite great interest, extensive previous research, and knowledge accumulated in the past, recent advances in production and processing technologies, combined with the development of new and more ingenious and competitive products, require a profound understanding of the physical and mechanical behaviour of such alloys, specifically in terms of modelling and predictions of the fracture and fatigue life of aluminium alloy components. This Special Issue aims to gather scientific contributions from authors working in different scientific areas, including the improvement and modelling of mechanical properties, alloying design and manufacturing techniques, the characterization of microstructure and chemical composition, and advanced applications.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - This book sheds light on the influence of the environment on people's mental health. To what extent are exposures to green space, air pollution, natural disasters, etc. related to depression or suicide Such questions are relevant for both scientists and policy-makers. A rich collection of chapters subsumes current research frontiers originating from disciplines such as geography, public health, epidemiology, environmental science, etc. The topics covered in the book are of interest to researchers, practitioners, and professionals. The editor hopes that the scientific outcome of this book will stimulate debate about how the environment affects mental health outcomes.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Micro-bioreactors offer unique opportunities to study biological systems under fluidic conditions. The concept of micro-bioreactors suggests that biological reaction conditions at a large scale can be scaled down to micro-volumes while maintaining performance and functionality. Models and operation principles can be simulated at a smaller scale, either by scaling down organs in the human body, or bioreactors for the production of biologics. This book highlights these issues with much focus on new engineering design approached. Initial chapters cover conceptual design of microbioreactors and organ-on-chips, and the role of microbioreactors in tissue engineering for the clinical and for therapeutic targets. Two chapters are dedicated to microbioreactors for implementing tumour models. Other chapters discuss three-dimensional models for hepatic and cardiac cells for toxicity testing and drug evaluation. Finally, the design of organ chips for cartilage scaffolds and integration of sensors are covered in separate chapters. We believe the book have substantial value for researchers active in bioreactor engineering, drug development and cell physiology as well as readers interested in the these topics.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The improvement of fabrication resolutions is an eternal challenge for miniaturizing and enhancing the integration degrees of devices. Laser processing is one of the most widely used techniques in manufacturing due to its high flexibility, high speed, and environmental friendliness. The fabrication resolution of laser processing is, however, limited by the diffraction limit. Recently, much effort has been made to overcome the diffraction limit in nano fabrication. Specifically, combinations of multiphoton absorption by ultrafast lasers and the threshold effect associated with a Gaussian beam profile provide fabrication resolutions far beyond the diffraction limit. The use of the optical near-field achieves nano ablation with feature sizes below 100 nm. Multiple pulse irradiation from the linearly polarized ultrafast laser produces periodic nanostructures with a spatial period much smaller than the wavelength. Unlimited diffraction resolutions can also be achieved with shaped laser beams. In the meanwhile, lasers are also widely used for the synthesis of nano materials including fullerenes and nano particles. In view of the rapid advancement of this field in recent years, this Special Issue aims to introduce the state-of-the-art in nano fabrication and nano lithography, based on laser technologies, by leading groups in the field.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Precious metals continue to have economic and sociocultural importance, as their usage evolves and diversifies over time. Today, the industrial application of precious metals is increasing with the development of scientific and technological innovations. Especially, the biological cycling of these metals is receiving more and more attention, as the microbiota may be key to a range of issues regarding exploration, ore-processing and metallurgy, and the processing of electron waste. In this volume, we focus on enhancing the fundamental understanding of the biological processes that drive noble metal cycling and examine how this knowledge may be turned into biotechnolical applications.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Metasurfaces, the two-dimensional analog of metamaterials, have attracted progressively increasing attention in recent years due to their planar configurations and, thus, ease of fabrication, while enabling an unprecedented control over optical fields. The phase, amplitude, polarization, helicity, and even angular momentum of the reflected or transmitted optical fields can be controlled at will by tailoring optically thin planar arrays of resonant subwavelength elements arranged in a periodic or aperiodic manner. As a result, numerous applications and fascinating devices have been realized by designed planar metasurfaces, including beam deflectors, wave plates, flat lenses, holograms, surface wave couplers, and freeform metasurfaces.This Special Issue is launched to provide a possibility for researchers in the area of metasurfaces to highlight the most recent exciting developments and discuss different metasurface configurations in depth, so as to further promote practical applications of metasurfaces. There are 12 papers selected for this Special Issue, representing fascinating progress and potential applications in the area of metasurfaces, which is highly recommended and believed to benefit readers in various aspects.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Current fundamental electronic-structure theory allows for the accurate prediction and characterization of elemental metals adopting any allotropic structure, intermetallic compounds, and other metal-rich phases. From an engineering perspective, there is a need for structural materials that are suitable for mechanical and civil engineering as well as energy production and conversion. While different microstructural features influence the macroscopic behaviour, quantum-mechanical simulation may enormously accelerate and guide the entire development process since atomistic modelling allows for the generation of structural models and the calculation of enthalpies and other free energies as a function of pressure and temperature. Among other things, this volume covers high-manganese steels, some of which have come to light within Collaborative Research Centre 761 ('Steel ab initio'). In particular, it deals with short-range ordering from experiment and theory, also highlighting carbide-like precipitates, and it bridges the gap between atomistic and continuum levels, in particular for hydrogen embrittlement. Molecular dynamics simulates crack propagation, and first-principles theory helps in growing better intermetallic thin films and predicts structural and elastic properties. Eventually, multiscale modelling of hydrogen transport is provided, and the chemical reasons for H-trapping ?-carbides are highlighted. First-principles theory has acquired a powerful role in the fundamental and applied research of metals, alloys, and metallic compounds.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Dielectric liquids are used as impregnates of solid insulations or filling products in many kinds of equipment, such as transformers (power, rectifier, distribution, traction, furnace, potential, current), resistors, reactors, capacitors, cables, bushings, circuit breakers, tap changers, and thyristor cooling in power electronics, etc. Their role is paramount in the sense that their presence is one of the fundamental conditions for the proper functioning of such equipment. Similar to blood in the human body, dielectric liquids hold the responsibility of maintaining the entire equipment. The greatest challenges for engineers/maintenance planners are related to the need for methods to assess the condition of the liquid, along with how to improve equipment efficiency using chemical admixtures. The demand for environmentally friendly dielectric liquids is also rising as the environmental concerns about conventional petroleum-based fluids become increasingly more apparent.This book covers some theoretical and practical concerns related to the applications of dielectric liquids in electrical equipment. Understanding the fundamental theoretical phenomena is, therefore, important for properly designing practical liquid-filled power equipment and hardware. Graduate-level students and teachers, as well as scientists and engineers involved in power equipment design, diagnostics, and monitoring, will appreciate this systematic approach to the subject.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Scars develop in the final stage of wound healing. Wound healing and scarring involve complex biological pathways, and the exact mechanisms by which they are initiated, evolved, and regulated remain to be fully elucidated. Scarless wound healing is a major goal of medical science. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to elucidate the relevant clinical, histopathological, and molecular manifestations of scars, and to understand how these manifestations relate to each other.This Special Issue covers a selection of recent research topics and current review articles in the field of scar research for all kinds of tissues and organs.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - This Special Issue is focused on breakthrough developments in the field of biosensors, as well as on the current scientific progress in biomedical signal processing. The papers address innovative solutions in assistance robotics based on bioelectrical signals, including the following: affordable biosensor technology, affordable assistive-robotics devices, new techniques in myoelectric control, and advances in brain-machine interfacing.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The interest in biocompatible and biodegradable metals, such as magnesium, is mainly related to their potential use as structural material for orthopedic and cardiovascular applications where a temporary medical device is required. However, in the case of magnesium, in vivo experiments have clearly shown that the corrosion degradation rate of magnesium and its alloys is too high and, hence, results in producing gas cavities that can promote the danger of gas embolism, tissue separation, and premature loss of mechanical integrity. The aim of this Special Issue on Biodegradable Metals is to explore and introduce innovative strategies to overcome the current limitations of magnesium.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Due to the considerable impacts of hydrological hazards on water resources, natural environments, and human activities, as well as on human health and safety, climate variability and climate change have become key issues for the research community. In fact, a warmer climate, with its heightened climate variability, will increase the risk of hydrological extreme phenomena, such as droughts and floods. The Special Issue 'Hydrological Hazard: Analysis and Prevention' presents a collection of scientific contributions that provides a sample of the state-of-the-art and forefront research in this field. In particular, innovative modelling methods for flood hazards, regional flood, and drought analysis and the use of satellite and climate data for drought analysis were the main research and practice targets that the papers published in this Special Issue aimed to address.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The built environment of the future will implement innovative solutions for energy efficiency, self-monitoring infrastructures, and self-healing strategies, just to mention the most promising smart material technologies that will most likely assume a pivotal importance in the future. This book is a result of a very multidisciplinary effort aimed at driving the scientific progress of the constructions of the future. The works included in this book concern new materials and coatings for cultural heritage preservation, environmentally sustainable concretes and paving material components, self-healing, and durability strategies.].

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - This book proposes an array of 11 key papers aimed at investigating the complex and multifaceted nature of the bio-based economy, focusing both on a conceptual understanding of the transition and on the measurement issues associated with it. More specifically, the papers included in this book can be broadly divided in two groups: (1) those aiming at adding to our understanding of the transition process towards a sustainable bio-based economy; and (2) those aiming at adding to the definition and measurement of the emerging sustainable bio-based economy. The book offers a comprehensive view of the phenomenon, providing a logical framework for understanding the ongoing transition towards a bio-based economy, as well as an overview of existing tools to assess and measure it. Policy-makers will largely benefit from the book, which contributes to taking a further step towards the much-needed transition to sustainability.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Based on information theory, a number of entropy measures have been proposed since the 1990s to assess systems' irregularity, such as approximate entropy, sample entropy, permutation entropy, intrinsic mode entropy, and dispersion entropy, to cite only a few. Among them, sample entropy has been used in a very large variety of disciplines for both univariate and multivariate data. However, improvements to the sample entropy algorithm are still being proposed because sample entropy is unstable for short time series, may be sensitive to parameter values, and can be too time-consuming for long data. At the same time, it is worth noting that sample entropy does not take into account the multiple temporal scales inherent in complex systems. It is maximized for completely random processes and is used only to quantify the irregularity of signals on a single scale. This is why analyses of irregularity-with sample entropy or its derivatives-at multiple time scales have been proposed to assess systems' complexity. This Book presents contributions related to new and original research based on the use of sample entropy or its derivatives.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - This book provides a timely overview of topics in fuzzy mathematics. It lays the foundation for further research and applications in a broad range of areas. It contains break-through analysis on how results from the many variations and extensions of fuzzy set theory can be obtained from known results of traditional fuzzy set theory. The book contains not only theoretical results, but a wide range of applications in areas such as decision analysis, optimal allocation in possibilistics and mixed models, pattern classification, credibility measures, algorithms for modeling uncertain data, and numerical methods for solving fuzzy linear systems.The book offers an excellent reference for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in applied and theoretical fuzzy mathematics. Researchers and referees in fuzzy set theory will find the book to be of extreme value.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The most efficient process to reduce NOx emissions from lean exhaust gases, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with ammonia, has undergone tremendous development over the past decades. Originally only applied in stationary power plants and industrial installations, SCR systems are now installed in millions of mobile diesel engines, ranging from off-road machineries, to heavy-duty and light-duty trucks and passenger cars, to locomotives and ships. All of these applications involve specific challenges due to tighter emission limits, new internal combustion engine technologies, or alternative fuels.Three review articles and 14 research articles in this book describe recent results and research trends of various aspects of the SCR process. Reaction engineering aspects, such as the proper dosage of ammonia or urea, respectively, are as important as further developments of the different SCR catalysts, by deepening the understanding of their functionality or by systematic improvements of their properties, such as low-temperature activity, selectivity, or poisoning-resistance. Another covered aspect is cost reduction through the use of cheaper base materials for the production is active and stable SCR catalysts. Finally, research efforts are reported to develop SCR processes with different reducing agents, which would open doors to new applications in the future. The range of topics addressed in this book will stimulate the reader's interest as well as provide a valuable source of information for researchers in academia and industry.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - This Special Issue of Sustainability reports on recent research aiming to make the freight transport sector more sustainable. The sector faces significant challenges in different domains of sustainability, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the management of health and safety impacts. In particular, the intention to decarbonise the sector's activities has led to a strong increase in research efforts-this is also the main focus of the Special Issue. Sustainable freight transport operations represent a significant challenge with multiple technical, operational, and political aspects. The design, testing, and implementation of interventions require multi-disciplinary, multi-country research. Promising interventions are not limited to introducing new transport technologies, but also include changes in framework conditions for transport, in terms of production and logistics processes. Due to the uncertainty of impacts, the number of stakeholders, and the difficulty of optimizing across actors, understanding the impacts of these measures is not a trivial problem. Therefore, research is not only needed on the design and evaluation of individual interventions, but also on the approach of their joint deployment through a concerted public/private programme. This Special Issue addresses both dimensions, in two distinct groups of papers-the programming of interventions and the individual sustainability measures themselves.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Forest tree genetics and genomics are advancing at an accelerated rate, thanks to recent developments in high-throughput, next-generation sequencing capabilities, and novel biostatistical tools. Population and landscape genetics and genomics have seen the rise of new approaches implemented in large-scale studies that employ the use of genome-wide sampling. Such studies have started to discern the dynamics of neutral and adaptive variation in nature and the processes that underlie spatially explicit patterns of genetic and genomic variation in nature. The continuous development of genetic maps in forest trees and the expansion of QTL and association mapping approaches contribute to the unravelling of the genotype-phenotype relationship and lead to marker-assisted and genome-wide selection. However, major challenges lie ahead. Recent literature suggests that species demography and genetic diversity have been affected both by climatic oscillations and anthropogenically induced stresses in a way calls into question the possibility of future adaptation. Moreover, the pace of contemporary environmental change presents a great challenge to forest tree populations and their ability to adapt, taking into consideration their life history characteristics. Several questions emerge that include, but are not limited to, the interpretation of forest tree genome surveillance and their structural/functional properties, the adaptive and neutral processes that have shaped forest tree genomes, the analysis of phenotypic traits relevant to adaptation (especially adaptation under contemporary climate change), the link between epigenetics/epigenomics and phenotype/genotype, and the use of genetics/genomics as well as genetic monitoring to advance conservation priorities.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The rapid development and growth of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a remote sensing platform, as well as advances in the miniaturization of instrumentation and data systems, have resulted in an increasing uptake of this technology in the environmental and remote sensing science communities. Although tough regulations across the globe may still limit the broader use of UAVs, their use in precision agriculture, ecology, atmospheric research, disaster response biosecurity, ecological and reef monitoring, forestry, fire monitoring, quick response measurements for emergency disaster, Earth science research, volcanic gas sampling, monitoring of gas pipelines, mining plumes, humanitarian observations and biological/chemo-sensing tasks continues to increase. This book provides a forum for high-quality peer-reviewed papers that broaden the awareness and understanding of UAV developments, applications of UAVs for remote sensing, and associated developments in sensor technology, data processing and communications, and UAV system design and sensing capabilities. The book covers the following topics: improvements in UAV sensor technology; UAV sensor design; descriptions of processing algorithms applied to UAV-based imagery datasets; the use of optical, multi-spectral, hyperspectral, laser, and optical SAR technologies onboard UAVs; Artificial intelligence and data mining-based strategies from UAV-acquired datasets; UAV onboard data storage, transmission, and retrieval; multiple platform UAV, AUV, and ground robot networks; UAV sensor applications including: precision agriculture, construction, mining, pest detection, forestry, wildlife tracking, atmosphere, wildfire monitoring and prevention, reef monitoring, Earth science research pollution monitoring, micro-climates, land use precision agriculture, ecology, atmospheric research, quick response measurements for emergency disaster.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In the post-genomic era, many efforts have been devoted to better understanding the biological information encoded by the cell 'glycome' in normal and pathologic conditions. The glycan signature of human cells plays a pivotal role in regulating fundamental biological processes, which are critical for cell physiology and for cancer as well.Galectins (also worded S-type lectins) are an evolutionarily conserved family of endogenous lectins, which bind carbohydrates with high specificity. These molecules, which can be found both intracellularly and in the extracellular milieu, are functionally active in converting glycan-containing information into cell biological programs. This fashionable mechanism of signal transduction plays a relevant role in regulating several biological functions, including RNA splicing, gene transcription, cell migration and differentiation, apoptosis, immune response, and tumor growth and progression.It is not surprising, indeed, that a large number of studies on galectin-glycan interactions and galectins expression and function in human diseases have been published in the recent literature, spanning from immunology to cardiovascular medicine, from diagnostic Pathology to nuclear medicine.The aim of this Special Issue of IJMS is to collect selected contributions in the field reporting data, concepts, and new ideas, which have the potential to be translated in a clinical setting in the near future, in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other relevant human diseases.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - This Special Issue is related to the 18th biannual International Gap Junction Conference (IGJC2017), which has been held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow and hosted by Glasgow Caledonian University, 29 July-3 August, 2017. This Special Issue, entitled 'Interplay of Connexins and Pannexins in Tissue Function and Disease', focuses on six key state-of-the-art reviews, written by leads in the field on cutting edge topics and the latest developments in clinical trials in diverse organ systems. A further 14 original articles contributed by delegates attending the meeting are also included and celebrate 50 years of Gap Junction Research.Topics: Connexins and Pannexins: Trafficking, Assembly, Gating, and Protein-Protein Interactions Roles in the Cardiovascular System Roles in Tumorigenesis Roles in Epithelial Tissue and Wound Healing Connexin Therapy Translated to Clinic.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The rapid development and growth of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a remote sensing platform, as well as advances in the miniaturization of instrumentation and data systems, have resulted in an increasing uptake of this technology in the environmental and remote sensing science communities.Although tough regulations across the globe may still limit the broader use of UAVs, their use in precision agriculture, ecology, atmospheric research, disaster response biosecurity, ecological and reef monitoring, forestry, fire monitoring, quick response measurements for emergency disaster, Earth science research, volcanic gas sampling, monitoring of gas pipelines, mining plumes, humanitarian observations and biological/chemo-sensing tasks continues to increase.This book provides a forum for high-quality peer-reviewed papers that broaden the awareness and understanding of UAV developments, applications of UAVs for remote sensing, and associated developments in sensor technology, data processing and communications, and UAV system design and sensing capabilities.The book covers the following topics: improvements in UAV sensor technology; UAV sensor design; descriptions of processing algorithms applied to UAV-based imagery datasets; the use of optical, multi-spectral, hyperspectral, laser, and optical SAR technologies onboard UAVs; Artificial intelligence and data mining-based strategies from UAV-acquired datasets; UAV onboard data storage, transmission, and retrieval; multiple platform UAV, AUV, and ground robot networks; UAV sensor applications including: precision agriculture, construction, mining, pest detection, forestry, wildlife tracking, atmosphere, wildfire monitoring and prevention, reef monitoring, Earth science research pollution monitoring, micro-climates, land use precision agriculture, ecology, atmospheric research, quick response measurements for emergency disaster.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Biocatalysts (enzymes and whole cells) catalyze reactions with the advantage of superior chemo-, regio-, and stereo-specificity in mild conditions, thereby avoiding the production of larger amounts of waste. The currently great practical importance of immobilized biocatalysts is expressed by the high number of scientific publications together with an ever increasing number of different applications in this area of enzyme technology. This mainly relies on new research results with respect to immobilization techniques and the development of advanced carrier materials designed for this purpose.The employment of immobilized biocatalysts is one of the most effective and powerful tools used in the modern chemical industry as a prerequisite for an economical and environmentally friendly production process. The book presented here reflects the currently great practical importance of immobilized biocatalysts by means of a variety of actual examples. They comprise the immobilization of enzymes from different enzyme classes and a variety of whole cells with particular importance for the production of compounds for application in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industry (in part from renewable resources), biohydrogen production, the fabrication of biosensors, and the treatment of waste water. Several articles introduce new research results with respect to immobilization techniques and the development of carrier materials designed for this purpose.In addition, review articles provide among others an overview of the industrial application of immobilized biocatalysts in various areas including the energy sector, or discuss the many advantages of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as platforms for enzyme immobilization. They deal with the pros and cons of many inorganic, organic, hybrid and composite materials, including nano-supports, used for the immobilization of biocatalysts, and with the development of engineered strains applied to the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to platform chemicals by consolidated bioprocessing.In summary, the articles meet the state of the art of both scientific and technical standards and the book is indispensable for all those involved in the various aspects of this topic.