Springer springer netherlands okt 2012 (Más de 1600 resultados)

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -This book contains contributions from various authors on different important topics related with probabilistic methods used for the design of structures. Initially several of the papers were prepared for advanced courses on structural reliability or on probabilistic methods for structural design. These courses have been held in different countries and have been given by different groups of lecturers. They were aimed at engineers and researchers who already had some exposure to structural reliability methods and thus they presented overviews of the work in the various topics. The book includes a selection of those contributions, which can be of support for future courses or for engineers and researchers that want to have an update on specific topics. It is considered a complement to the existing textbooks on structural reliability, which normally ensure the coverage of the basic topics but then are not extensive enough to cover some more specialised aspects. In addition to the contributions drawn from those lectures there are several papers that have been prepared specifically for this book, aiming at complementing the others in providing an overall account of the recent advances in the field. It is with sadness that in the meanwhile we have seen the disappearance of two of the contributors to the book and, in fact two of the early contributors to this field. 420 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The most salient feature of the infor last four chapters of the book evaluate the mation provided by nuclear medicine is its information from an analytical and pathophysiological and functional charac statistical point of view. This approach is ter. For adequate experimental or clinical required for correct decision-making. interpretation, such information should This book is therefore the result of necessarily be interpreted alongside the accumulated experience in nuclear cardiology views of the clinical cardiologist, who is with the invaluable cooperation of medical able to apply it to the individual patient. statisticians. It is directed to physicians This approach, which is routine in every with an interest in nuclear cardiology, to day clinical practice, reaches its plenitude nuclear medicine specialists wishing to when the whole process is completed and learn the uses and limitations of these an intimate cooperation is established procedures in everyday clinical cardiology, between the nuclear medicine specialist and to cardiologists who feel the need to and the clinical cardiologist. In such understand the rationale and methodology instances, each one of these professionals of the studies which benefit their patients. understands the needs, limits and possi We understand that the ultimate reason bilities of the other. for any scientific book is the transmission The present book is the fruit of such of knowledge, and we are fully conscious cooperation. In our hospital, an efficient of the enthusiasm of the authors of the nuclear cardiology team has been made up present text to achieve that aim.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. Neuware -The most salient feature of the infor last four chapters of the book evaluate the mation provided by nuclear medicine is its information from an analytical and pathophysiological and functional charac statistical point of view. This approach is ter. For adequate experimental or clinical required for correct decision-making. interpretation, such information should This book is therefore the result of necessarily be interpreted alongside the accumulated experience in nuclear cardiology views of the clinical cardiologist, who is with the invaluable cooperation of medical able to apply it to the individual patient. statisticians. It is directed to physicians This approach, which is routine in every with an interest in nuclear cardiology, to day clinical practice, reaches its plenitude nuclear medicine specialists wishing to when the whole process is completed and learn the uses and limitations of these an intimate cooperation is established procedures in everyday clinical cardiology, between the nuclear medicine specialist and to cardiologists who feel the need to and the clinical cardiologist. In such understand the rationale and methodology instances, each one of these professionals of the studies which benefit their patients. understands the needs, limits and possi We understand that the ultimate reason bilities of the other. for any scientific book is the transmission The present book is the fruit of such of knowledge, and we are fully conscious cooperation. In our hospital, an efficient of the enthusiasm of the authors of the nuclear cardiology team has been made up present text to achieve that aim.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 416 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -A Structural and Vibrational Investigation into Chromyl Azide, Acetate, Perchlorate and Thiocyanate Compounds reviews the structural and vibrational properties of chromyl azide, acetate, perchlorate, and thiocyanate from a theoretical point of view by using Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods. These compounds are extensively used in organic syntheses and the study of their structure and spectroscopy has become fundamental.This book evaluates the best theoretical level and basis set to reproduce the experimental data existing for those compounds. To this end, the optimized geometries and wavenumbers for the normal modes of vibration are calculated and the obtained results are compared and analyzed. Also, the nature of the different types of bonds and their corresponding topological properties of electronic charge density are systematically and quantitatively investigated by using the NBO analysis and the atoms in molecules theory (AIM). 96 pp. Englisch. …

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -In the late 1980s, the field of comparative economics and NATO faced a similar problem: the threat of obsolescence. A predictable reaction of those who had made major investments in both comparative economics and NATO was to look for a new job. It was time to say: comparative economic systems are dead, long live comparative economic systems. The purpose of this book is to redirect study of what we called comparative economic systems toward analysis of the development of institutions and the effects of alternative institutional arrangements on economic performance. To that end, the book internalizes into a theoretical framework (1) the effects of alternative property rights on the costs of transactions and incentives structures, (2) the effects of the costs of transactions and incentives on economic behavior, and (3) the evidence for refutable implications of those effects. Analysis here focuses on the issues, propositions and conclusions that lend themselves to the only known scientific test: empirical verification. Thus, this book is not about what socialism or capitalism could have been, should have been, or should be. Nor is it an ode to capitalism. Its purpose is not to assert that capitalism is a better economic system than socialism. The history of this century and the market for institutions have done that. My purpose is to explain what is it that makes the institutions of capitalism better in terms of economic outcome than all other alternatives that have been tried since the beginning of recorded history. 240 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The 1994 conference of the European Association for Health Information and Libraries drew together an exceptional group of invited speakers and contributed papers. Speakers came from every part of Europe, from N. America, and even from Australia, and almost all the papers presented are collected in this volume. They represent an important summary of the state of the art in libraries and information services in the medical and health areas and are a rich source of advice, assistance and information for everyone working in related fields. Most of the themes concentrate on the important growth areas of the profession: computer-based information services, networking (especially the Internet), and CD-ROMs. More general topics are not ignored, and the book contains many interesting contributions on identifying the needs of library users and evaluating how well these are being met. There is also an important section on the history of medicine. 300 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Can the concept of culture be applied validly to another species This paper first reports (as a case study) a kind of grooming shown by wild chimpanzees which seems to be a truly social custom. The example serves to introduce the practical pitfalls and potentials of seeking to answer the question posed. Next, the paper focuses on a type of tool-use, hammer-and-anvil, which varies across populations and has important archaeological implications. Broadening further, an exhaustive catalogue of habitual tool-use across all known field-studies is presented. Finally, the evidence of regional and local patterns of tool use by wild chimpanzees is assessed. The paper then turns to mechanisms of cultural processes, especially innovation, before ending with responses to recent criticisms by the 'anti-culturalists'. If concepts such as culture are to help us understand the behavior of our nearest relations, we must avoid simplistic and sloppy extrapolation. Two long-term field studies of wild chimpanzees have proceeded in parallel in western Tanzania, and most of the published knowledge of the natural behavior of individual chimpanzees comes from these. Goodall's (1986) research group in the Gombe National Park has focussed on the Kasakela community of chimpanzees. The project begun by the African Primate Expedition at Kasoje in the Mahale Mountains, initially under the direction of Itani and later of Nishida (1968, 1990), focussed first on K Group, then later on M Group. 488 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Biota of the St. Marys River: habitat evaluation and environmental assessment.- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surficial sediments and caged mussels of the St. Marys River, 1985.- Effects of pollution on benthic invertebrate communities of the St. Marys River, 1985.- Use of a geographic information system data base to measure and evaluate wetland changes in the St. Marys River, Michigan.- Limnological aspects of the St. Clair River.- Distribution and abundance of young fish in the St. Clair River and associated waters, Ontario.- Distribution and abundance of young fish in Chenal Ecarte and Chematogen Channel in the St. Clair River delta, Ontario.- Environmental quality assessment of the St. Clair River as reflected by the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in 1985.- Growth and overwinter survival of the Asiatic clam, Corbicula fluminea, in the St. Clair River, Michigan.- Deformities in larval Procladius spp. and dominant Chironomini from the St. Clair River.- Biota of Lake St. Clair: habitat evaluation and environmental assessment.- The plankton ecology of Lake St. Clair, 1984.- Plankton community structure in Lake St. Clair, 1984.- Phosphorus cycling by mussels (Unionidae: Bivalvia) in Lake St. Clair.- Biology of the exotic zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in relation to native bivalves and its potential impact in Lake St. Clair.- The Detroit River: effects of contaminants and human activities on aquatic plants and animals and their habitats.- Response of bacteria and phytoplankton to contaminated sediments from Trenton Channel, Detroit River.- Tumors in fish from the Detroit River.- Heavy metal contamination of sediments in the Upper Connecting Channels of the Great Lakes.- Application of a microcomputer-based algal fluorescence technique for assessingtoxicity: Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River examples.- A method for evaluating the impact of navigationally induced suspended sediments from the Upper Great Lakes Connecting Channels on the primary productivity.- Heavy metals in aquatic macrophytes drifting in a large river.- Distribution of Hexagenia nymphs and visible oil in sediments of the Upper Great Lakes Connecting Channels.- Production of Hexagenia limbata nymphs in contaminated sediments in the Upper Great Lakes Connecting Channels. 380 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This volume constitutes the Proceedings of the IUT AM Symposium on Mechanics of Granular and Porous Materials, held in Cambridge from 15th to 17th July 1996. The objectives were: 1. To review existing experimental results and practical phenomena on the flow and compaction of particulate media; 2. To review the current state of constitutive models, and their implementation for predicting the macroscopic response. 3. Identification of the shortcomings of existing models and procedures in understanding practical phenomena. The Symposium brought together the research communities of solid mechanics, materials science, geomechanics, chemical engineering and mathematics to review current knowledge of the flow and compaction of granular and porous media. The meeting emphasised the development and use of constitutive laws to model practical processes such as mixing, drainage and drying, compaction of metal and ceramic powders and soils, and instabilities associated with these processes. A common theme was to develop constitutive models from an understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms of deformation and fracture. It was particularly rewarding to find that the separate research communities came together during the meeting and came to a consensus as to the main mechanisms of deformation and failure of particulate and porous solids. 468 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book collects contributions to the conference' Dynamics, Bifurcation and Symmetry, new trends and new tools', which was held at the Institut d'Etudes Sci entifiques de Cargese (France), September 3-9, 1993. The first aim of this conference was to gather and summarize the work of the European Bifurcation Theory Group after two years of existence (the EBTG links european laboratories in five countries via an EC grant). Thanks to a NATO ARW grant, the conference developed into an international meeting on bifurcation theory and dynamical systems, with the partic ipation of leading specialists not only from Europe but also from overseas countries (Canada, USA, South America). It was a great satisfaction to notice the active, and quite enthusiastic participation of many young scientists. This is reflected in the present book for which many contributors are PhD students or post-doc researchers. Although several 'big' themes (bifurcation with symmetry, low dimensional dynam ics, dynamics in EDP's, applications, . . . ) are present in these proceedings, we have divided the book into corresponding parts. In fact these themes overlap in most contributions, which seems to reflect a general tendancy in nonlinear science. I am very pleased to thank for their support the NATO International Exchange Scientific Program as well as the EEC Science Program, which made possible the suc cess of this conference. 376 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -'Et moi, . , si j'avait su comment en revenir, One service methematics has rendered the je n'y serais point aile.' human race. It has put common sense back JulesVerne where it belongs, on the topmost shelf next to the dusty canister labelled 'discarded non The series is divergent; therefore we may be seese'. able to do something with it. Eric T. Bell O.Heaviside Mathematics is a tool for thought. A highly necessary tool in a world where both feedback and nonlinearities abound. Similarly, all kinds of parts of mathematics serve as tools for other parts and for other sciences. Applying a simple rewriting rule to the quote on the right above one finds such state ments as: 'One service topology has rendered mathematical physics . .'; 'One service logic has rendered computer science . .'; 'One service category theory has rendered mathematics . .'. All arguable true. And all statements obtainable this way form part of the raison d'etre of this series. 276 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Non-Classical Logics and their Applications to Fuzzy Subsets is the first major work devoted to a careful study of various relations between non-classical logics and fuzzy sets. This volume is indispensable for all those who are interested in a deeper understanding of the mathematical foundations of fuzzy set theory, particularly in intuitionistic logic, Lukasiewicz logic, monoidal logic, fuzzy logic and topos-like categories. The tutorial nature of the longer chapters, the comprehensive bibliography and index make it suitable as a valuable and important reference for graduate students as well as research workers in the field of non-classical logics. The book is arranged in three parts: Part A presents the most recent developments in the theory of Heyting algebras, MV-algebras, quantales and GL-monoids. Part B gives a coherent and current account of topos-like categories for fuzzy set theory based on Heyting algebra valued sets, quantal sets of M-valued sets. Part C addresses general aspects of non-classical logics including epistemological problems as well as recursive properties of fuzzy logic. 404 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Until the late 1970s, most commercial power plant operators outside the United States adopted a spent fuel management policy of immediate reprocessing and recycling of recovered products. In response to rising reprocessing prices, decreasing values of re covered products, concerns over proliferation risks, and a belief in the favorable eco nomics of direct disposal, many utilities have since opted to store spent fuel on an in terim basis pending the availability of direct disposal facilities or a change in the eco nomic and/or political climate for reprocessing and recycling uranium and plutonium. Spent fuel has traditionally been stored in water-filled pools located in the reactor building or fuel handling buildings, on reactor sites, or as part of large centralized fa cilities (e.g. Sellafield, La Hague, CLAB). Because the economics of pool storage are dependent on the size of the facility, the construction of additional separate pools on reactor sites has only been pursued in a few countries, such as Finland and Bulgaria. 188 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The aim of this book is to provide an account of the state of the art in Com putational Kinematics. We understand here under this term that branch of kinematics research involving intensive computations not only of the nu merical type, but also of symbolic as well as geometric nature. Research in kinematics over the last decade has been remarkably ori ented towards the computational aspects of kinematics problems. In fact, this work has been prompted by the need to answer fundamental questions such as the number of solutions, whether real or complex, that a given problem can admit as well as computational algorithms to support geo metric analysis. Problems of the first kind occur frequently in the analysis and synthesis of kinematic chains, when fine displacements are considered. The associated models, that are derived from kinematic relations known as closure equations, lead to systems of nonlinear algebraic equations in the variables or parameters sought. The algebraic equations at hand can take the form of multivariate polynomials or may involve trigonometric functions of unknown angles. 324 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The NATO ARW on the problems of ground-based observations of Solar Eclipses was held in Sinaia (Romania) between 1 and 5 June 1996. The Workshop was divided into seven sessions, in which 17 papers were given, by key speakers, along with 30 oral presentations. Additionally, 30 posters were presented. This issue contains only the invited and oral papers. The posters are to be published in a special issue of the Romanian Astronomical Journal. The contributions were based on our present knowledge of solar corona physics and on the perspectives for future total eclipse observations, focussing especially on that of August 11, 1999, which will be the last eclipse of the century. The workshop sessions reviewed the results of past eclipse observations, coronal hot and cold structures, coronal heating, public education, and instrumental problems. At the end of the meeting a fruitful general discussion drew out problems to be studied and techniques to be used for forthcoming observations. Posters completed the workshop contributions. 292 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Aerospace presents an extremely challenging environment for structural materials and the development of new, or improved, materials: processes for material and for component production are the subject of continuous research activity. It is in the nature of high performance materials that the steps of material and of component production should not be considered in isolation from one another. Indeed, in some cases, the very process of material production may also incorporate part or all of the component production itself and, at the very least, will influence the choice of material/component production method to be employed. How ever, the developments currently taking place are to be discovered largely within the confines of specialist conferences or books each dedicated to perhaps a single element of the overall process. In this book contributors, experts drawn from both academia and the aerospace industry, have joined together to combine their individual knowledge to examine high performance aerospace materials in terms of their production, structure, properties and applications. The central interrelationships between the development of structure through the production route and between structure and the properties exhibited in the final component are considered. It is hoped that the book will be of interest to students of aeronautical engineering and of materials science, together with those working within the aerospace industry. Harvey M. Flower Imperial College 1 Design requirements for aerospace structural materials C. J. Peel and P. J. Gregson 1. 396 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The NATO Advanced Study Institute 'Microlocal Analysis and Spectral The ory' was held in Tuscany (Italy) at Castelvecchio Pascoli, in the district of Lucca, hosted by the international vacation center '11 Ciocco' , from September 23 to October 3, 1996. The Institute recorded the considerable progress realized recently in the field of Microlocal Analysis. In a broad sense, Microlocal Analysis is the modern version of the classical Fourier technique in solving partial differential equa tions, where now the localization proceeding takes place with respect to the dual variables too. Precisely, through the tools of pseudo-differential operators, wave-front sets and Fourier integral operators, the general theory of the lin ear partial differential equations is now reaching a mature form, in the frame of Schwartz distributions or other generalized functions. At the same time, Microlocal Analysis has grown up into a definite and independent part of Math ematical Analysis, with other applications all around Mathematics and Physics, one major theme being Spectral Theory for Schrodinger equation in Quantum Mechanics. 456 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Recent years have been characterized by the increasing amountofpublications in the field ofso-called ill-posed problems. This is easilyunderstandable because we observe the rapid progress of a relatively young branch ofmathematics, ofwhich the first results date back to about 30 years ago. By now, impressive results have been achieved both in the theory ofsolving ill-posed problems and in the applicationsofalgorithms using modem computers. To mention just one field, one can name the computer tomography which could not possibly have been developed without modem tools for solving ill-posed problems. When writing this book, the authors tried to define the place and role of ill posed problems in modem mathematics. In a few words, we define the theory of ill-posed problems as the theory of approximating functions with approximately given arguments in functional spaces. The difference between well-posed and ill posed problems is concerned with the fact that the latter are associated with discontinuous functions. This approach is followed by the authors throughout the whole book. We hope that the theoretical results will be of interest to researchers working in approximation theory and functional analysis. As for particular algorithms for solving ill-posed problems, the authors paid general attention to the principles ofconstructing such algorithms as the methods for approximating discontinuous functions with approximately specified arguments. In this way it proved possible to define the limits of applicability of regularization techniques. 272 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The first edition of this definitive text ran to 24 chapters. The second edition, reflecting the explosive growth of interest in echo-enhancement, contains 44. The first section deals with some of the most important emerging issues and technologies and covers harmonic imaging, the use of echo-enhancers to provide quantitative information, and the application of enhanced power Doppler to tissue imaging. The second, on contrast echocardiography, explores the use of echo-enhancement during transesophageal imaging. One chapter describes the use of contrast-enhancement transesophageal imaging to determine coronary flow reserve and another gives a detailed account of the application of the technique to the evaluation of left ventricular function. Other authors describe the intraoperative use of contrast echocardiography and discuss the potential of myocardial contrast echocardiography to replace thallium scintigraphy. Another chapter covers the emerging technique of transient response imaging and its role in the assessment of myocardial perfusion, and two chapters are devoted to three-dimensional contrast echocardiographic assessment of myocardial perfusion. Use of echo-enhancement in the evaluation of peripheral circulation is discussed in chapters on carotid and peripheral arterial flow imaging and others that describe renal and hepatic vascular imaging. The newer applications of echo-enhancement outside the cardiovascular system are described in three chapters devoted to the visualization of tumour vasculature. The final chapters look to the future and cover the imaging of intramyocardial vasculature, the development of site-specific agents and the emergence of the new acoustically active agents. 720 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -These Proceedings of a NATO-ARW (HTECH ARW 96 00 52) held at the International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy from Aug 5 till Aug 9, 1996 resulted from many discussions between various workers, concerning the need for a gathering of all (if possible) who were concerned about the subject of superconductivity fluctuations in High critical Temperature Superconductors (HTS). It appeared to many that the Skocpol-Tinkham work of 1975 had to be revitalized in view of the discovery of the new superconducting ceramics and the enormous amount of work having already taken place. The study of HTS is one of the most prominent research subject in solid state sciences. The understanding of the role of fluctuations is also thought to be necessary before technological applications since the fluctuations may destroy the superconducting state. The workshop discussions have touched upon (i) Superconducting fluctuations in the vicinity of the critical transition, (ii) Superconductivity fluctuations near the percolation transition, and (iii) Fluctuations of the vortex lattice at the lattice melting temperature. These topics served as initiators for a very great amount of discussions with many comments from the audience. More than forty 'long lectures' and two 'poster sessions' were held. Private discussions going unrecorded but obviously took place at many locations : lecture halls, staircases, cafetaria, bedrooms, bars, beach, . . . 456 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -I must confess that I stumbled upon the object-oriented (00) world view during my explorations into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) in search of a new solution to the problem of building computer-integrated manufacturing systems (CIM). In 00 computing, I found the constructs to model the manufacturing enterprise in terms of information, a resource that is common to all activities in an organization. It offered a level of modularity, and the coupling/binding neces sary for fostering integration without placing undue restrictions on what the individual applications can do. The implications of 00 computing are more extensive than just being a vehicle for manufacturing applications. Leaders in the field such as Brad Cox see it introducing a paradigm shift that will change our world gradually, but as radically as the Industrial Revolution changed manufacturing. However, it must be borne in mind that simply using an object-oriented language or environment does not, in itself, ensure success in one's applications. It requires a different way of thinking, design discipline, techniques, and tools to exploit what the technology has to offer. In other words, it calls for a paradigm shift (as defined by Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolution, a classic text in the history of science). 288 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Nicotine is an alkaloid which is present, together with a number of minor alkaloids, in tobacco and a wide variety of other plants. The introduction of tobacco as a therapeutic agent against diverse pathologi cal and physiological conditions resulted in the widespread exposure of people to nicotine, and the subsequent recognition of the pleasurable effects of tobacco consumption. Tobacco may be used for pleasure by smoking it in pipes, cigars or cigarettes or by taking it in unsmoked form as oral and nasal tobacco snuff. Nonsmokers are exposed to nico tine through plant material and side-stream tobacco smoke. This means that in humans nicotine is always utilized in the presence of a very large variety of natural compounds or their pyrolysis products, depend ing on the route of administration. These compounds may modify the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of nicotine and hence alter the duration of its pharmacological action. In recent years the use of nicotine in chewing gum and cutaneous patches has been developed as an aid to smoking cessation. The toxic properties of nicotine make it useful as an insecticide, which has led to its use in agriculture and horticulture. It has also recently been recog nized that tobacco consumption may be beneficial in the prevention of Parkinson's disease or in alleviating inflammatory bowel syndrome. The above observations have continued to stimulate research into the mode of action of this relatively simple molecule. 320 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Computer Simulation in Chemical Physics contains the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held at CORISA, Alghero, Sardinia, in September 1992. In the five years that have elapsed since the field was last summarized there have been a number of remarkable advances which have significantly expanded the scope of the methods. Good examples are the Car--Parrinello method, which allows the study of materials with itinerant electrons; the Gibbs technique for the direct simulation of liquid--vapor phase equilibria; the transfer of scaling concepts from simulations of spin models to more complex systems; and the development of the configurational--biased Monte-Carlo methods for studying dense polymers. The field has also been stimulated by an enormous increase in available computing power and the provision of new software. All these exciting developments, an more, are discussed in an accessible way here, making the book indispensable reading for graduate students and research scientists in both academic and industrial settings. 536 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This special volume is dedicated to the contributions of women ichthyologists. Three colleagues were selected to represent all women ichthyologists, Ethelwynn Trewavas (ET), Rosemary Lowe-McConnell (Ro) and Eugenie Clark (Genie). All have had distinguished professional careers and have contributed in their own ways to their science. The career of each is highlighted by a personal interview with one of the editors of the volume, a bibliography of their lifetime publications, and a biography of their careers. Questions of historical inequities and current controversies in the treatment of women ichthyologists by their peers are raised and addressed by the women themselves. The personal and professional influences of these three women, and other women ichthyologists, are highlighted. A survey article by Pat Brown brings a number of women ichthyologists to the attention of a broader audience, and points the way for a more comprehensive historical consideration of the accomplishments and contributions of women ichthyologists. The volume continues with 16 solicited and contributed papers. ET's studies of taxonomy and life history are echoed in papers on the taxonomy and systematics of marine angelfishes, and of freshwater bitterlings, a review of reproduction in the North Atlantic ichthyofauna, and a comparison of reproductive styles and systematics of African minnows. Ro's studies on ecology, life history and behaviour are paralleled by papers on growth and metabolism in piranha, the community structure in tide pool fishes, and the social system and reproductive patterns in groupers. Genie's pioneering work on sexual roles and sex change, and her field studies of the behaviour of marine fishes are reflected in papers on gonadal structure and environmental sex determination in brook lamprey, sexual patterns in hawkfish, reproduction and systematics in phallostethids, gonadal structure and systematics in gobiids, reproductive and predator avoidance behaviour in razorfish, early ontogeny of an African mouth brooder, and alternative life histories in killifish. 460 pp. Englisch. …

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The papers collected here represent the most recent work on a much neglected problem in practical reasoning. It is the problem of imperceptible harms and benefits. It is perhaps better to characterize the problem as a collection of puzzles or paradoxes, since those who deny the existence (or possibility) of imperceptible decrements (or increments) face problems no less perplexing than those who affinn their existence. The puzzles and paradoxes combine very practical and pressing worries about our obligations to relieve starvation, mitigate suffering and conserve resources, with deep metaethical worries about the nature of practical rationality. I use these brief introductory pages to familiarize the reader with the basic set of problems examined in this collection. Most of us think that an action cannot be wrong if its effects are entirely and always imperceptible. Jonathan Glover's fanciful example of the 100 armed bandits and the 100 Wlarmed tribesman clearly illustrates a deep worry with such moral reasoning. 176 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book offers an introduction to liberal political philosophy, adopting an analytical form of presentation. I consider arguments which inform contemporary debates; by articulating paradigmatic ways of thinking and reviewing competing conceptions of justice and democracy, I hope to present a characterisation of contemporary liberal thought which allows the reader to gauge its potentiality and relevance, and to comprehend in a systematic way some of the many disagreements between liberal writers and the strengths and weaknesses of the claims they make. The reader should also become familiar with the arguments of the most forceful critics of the tradition. The exercise is intended to introduce a way of theorising and my emphasis will be on philosophical analysis and reconstruction. I aim to delineate a variety of intellectual positions in a way that displays their logical coherence. I examine competing conceptions of 'democracy', 'free speech', 'equality' and 'individualism' that inform our political debates in contemporary liberal democracies. These philosophical differences determine many of the policies adopted by governments, for example, whether they forbid racist and pornographic speech, whether they regard abortion as a private matter, whether they oppose efforts to distribute wealth in the name of equity, and what they accept as constituting , due process of law'. By proceeding analytically in the way I propose, we should reach a greater understanding of the disagreements between liberal writers when they make judgments about policy issues of this kind; and we will be better placed to make evaluations. 164 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -As I write this short preface, the red orb of Mars is high in the eastern sky, and is brighter than it has been for many years. Last night my telescope again revealed the strange polar hood which is a feature of the planet at this time in its cycle. Because of its current prominence in the night sky, it is a very appropriate time to bring together and reappraise what we know of Mars and look forward to the next wave of planetary exploration. The initial notion of writing a book about Mars is an exciting one; the practicalities involved in working through and completing the project are, however, more than a trifle exacting. The first problem I encountered was the sheer vastness of the library of information about Mars which now exists. The second was the natural extension of the first, that is, how best to analyse it and reach widely acceptable interpretations. I have tried to write the story of Mars in a logical and unbiased way, however, we all have our individual prejudices, and I would be less than truthful if I did not admit to personal bias here and there. With this in mind, I apologise to any authors who may feel either misinterpreted or less than adequately acknowledged. The project is now completed and has been superbly prepared by Chapman & Hall. 252 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Among the extraordinary Polish philosophers of the past one hundred years, Zygmunt Zawirski deserves to be given particular attention for his fusion of analytic and historical scholarship. Strikingly versatile, and con tributing original work in all his fields of competence, Zawirski thought through issues in the philosophical aspects of relativity theory, on the claims of intuitionalistic foundations of mathematics, on the nature and usefulness of many-value Logics, and on the calculus of probability, on the axiomatic method in science and in the philosophy of science, on the genesis and development of scientific and philosophical concepts, and in his crowning achievement, the conceptual history of notions of time. His work has been too little known in English despite the respect which has been so clearly shown by his Polish COlleagues and students. In this generous selection from his papers and from his great critical study L' Evolution de la Notion du Temps, Dr. Irena Szumilewicz-Lachman has provided a clear account of Zawirski's achievement; and she has written a fine comprehensive introductory essay which provides both the personal and historical context of his work and a systematic survey of his principal publications. 404 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This twenty-sixth volume of ABHB (Annual bibliography of the history of the printed book and libraries) contains 3753 records, selected from some 1000 periodicals, the list of which follows this introduction. They have been compiled by the National Committees of the following countries\*: Arab Countries Latvia Australia Luxembourg Belarus Mexico Belgium The Netherlands Canada Poland Croatia Portugal Estonia Rumania Finland Russia Germany South Africa Great Britain Spain Hungary Switzerland Iceland Turkey Ireland Ukraine Italy USA Latin America Benevolent readers are requested to signal the names of bibliographers and historians from countries not mentioned above, who would be willing to co-operate to this scheme of international bibliographic collaboration. The editor will greatly appreciate any communication on this matter. Subject As has been said in the introduction to the previous volumes, this biblio graphy aims at recording all books and articles of scholarly value which relate to the history of the printed book, to the history of the arts, crafts, techniques and equipment, and of the economic, social and cultural envi ronment, involved in its production, distribution, conservation, and descrip tion. Of course, the ideal of a complete coverage is nearly impossible to at- \* Unfortunately the French and Austrian contributions could not be submitted in time. They will be added to the next volume. VIII INTRODUCTION tain. However, it is the policy of this publication to include missing items as much as possible in the forthcoming volumes. The same applies to coun tries newly added to the bibliography. 468 pp. Englisch.…

Taschenbuch. Condición: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -We conceived the idea for this book after teaching a graduate seminar on 'Habitat Complexity' at The University of South Florida. Discussions during the seminar led us to conclude that similar goals were to be found in studies of the topic that spanned the breadth of ecological research. Yet, the exact meaning of 'habitat structure', and the way in which it was measured, seemed to differ widely among subdisciplines. Our own research, which involves several sorts of ecology, convinced us that the differences among subdisciplines were indeed real ones, and that they did inhibit communica tion. We decided that interchange of ideas among researchers working in marine ecology, plant-animal interactions, physiological ecology, and other more-or-less independent fields would be worthwhile, in that it might lead to useful generalizations about 'habitat structure'. To foster this interchange of ideas. we organized a symposium to attract researchers working with a wide variety of organisms living in many habitats, but united in their interest in the topic of 'habitat structure'. The symposium was held at The University of South Florida's Chinsegut Hill Conference Center, in May. 1988. We asked participants to think about 'habitat structure' in new ways; to synthesize important, but fragmented, information; and. perhaps. to consider ways of translating ideas across systems. The chapters contained in this book reflect the participants' attempts to do so. The book is divided into four parts, by major themes that we have found useful categorizations. 456 pp. Englisch.…