springer netherlands dez 2008 (32 risultati)

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -An understanding of the uniquely human behavior of stone tool making tackles questions about hominins' ability to culturally transmit and expand their base of social and practical knowledge and their cognitive capacities for advanced planning. The appearance of stone tools has often been viewed as a threshold event, impacting directly and profoundly the later course of cultural and social evolution. Alternatively, it has been understood as a prelude to significant succeeding changes in behavioral, social and biological evolution of hominins. This book presents a series of recent enquiries into the technological and adaptive significance of Oldowan stone tools. While anchored in a long research tradition, these studies rely on recent discoveries and innovative analyses of the archaeological record of ca. 2.6-1.0 million years ago in Africa and Eurasia, dealing with the earliest lithic industries as manifestations of hominin adaptations and as expressions of hominin cognitive abilities. 176 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have seen unprecedented levels of growth during the last decade in both military and civilian domains. It is anticipated that civilian applications will be dominant in the future,althoughthere are stillbarriers to be overcome and technical challenges to be met. Integrating UAS into, for example,civilian space, navigation, autonomy, see-detect-and-avoid systems, smart designs, system integration, vision-based navigation and training, to name but a few areas, will be of prime importance in the near future.This special volume is the outcome of research presented at the International Symposium on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, held in Orlando, Florida, USA, from June 23-25, 2008,and presentsstate-of-the-art findings on topics such as: UAS operations and integration into the national airspace system; UAS navigation and control; micro-, mini-, small UAVs;UAS simulation testbeds and frameworks; UAS research platforms and applications; UAS applications.Thisbook aims at serving as a guide tool on UAS for engineers and practitioners, academics, government agencies and industry.Previously published in the Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, 54 (1-3, 2009). 556 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Fatigue of structures and materials covers a wide scope of different topics. The purpose of the present book is to explain these topics, to indicate how they can be analyzed, and how this can contribute to the designing of fatigue resistant structures and to prevent structural fatigue problems in service. Chapter 1 gives a general survey of the topic with brief comments on the signi cance of the aspects involved. This serves as a kind of a program for the following chapters. The central issues in this book are predictions of fatigue properties and designing against fatigue. These objectives cannot be realized without a physical and mechanical understanding of all relevant conditions. In Chapter 2 the book starts with basic concepts of what happens in the material of a structure under cyclic loads. It illustrates the large number of variables which can affect fatigue properties and it provides the essential background knowledge for subsequent chapters. Different subjects are presented in the following main parts: - Basic chapters on fatigue properties and predictions (Chapters 2-8) - Load spectra and fatigue under variable-amplitude loading (Chapters 9-11) - Fatigue tests and scatter (Chapters 12 and 13) - Special fatigue conditions (Chapters 14-17) - Fatigue of joints and structures (Chapters 18-20) - Fiber-metal laminates (Chapter 21) Each chapter presents a discussion of a speci c subject. 648 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This work serves as a reference concerning the automotive chassis, i.e. everything that is inside a vehicle except the engine and the body. It is the result of a decade of work mostly done by the FIAT group, who supplied material, together with other automotive companies, and sponsored the work. The first volume deals with the design of automotive components and the second volume treats the various aspects of the design of a vehicle as a system. 848 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The world's oceans cover 70% of the earth's surface and are home to a myriad of amazing and beautiful creatures. However, the biodiversity of the oceans is incre- ingly coming under serious threat from many human activities including overfi- ing, use of destructive fishing methods, pollution and commercial aquaculture. In addition, climate change is already having an impact on some marine ecosystems. This book discusses some of the major threats facing marine ecosystems by cons- ering a range of topics, under chapters discussing biodiversity (Chapter 1), fisheries (Chapter 2), aquaculture (Chapter 3), pollution (Chapter 4) and the impacts of increasing greenhouse gas emissions (Chapter 5). It goes on to explore solutions to the problems by discussing equitable and sustainable management of the oceans (Chapter 6) and protecting marine ecosystems using marine reserves (Chapter 7). Presently, 76% of the oceans are fully or over-exploited with respect to fishing, and many species have been severely depleted. It is abundantly clear that, in general, current fisheries management regimes are to blame for much of the widespread degradation of the oceans. Many policy-makers and scientists now agree that we must adopt a radical new approach to managing the seas - one that is precautionary in nature and has protection of the whole marine ecosystem as its primary objective. This 'ecosystem-based approach' is vital if we are to ensure the health of our oceans for future generations. 272 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book results from recent studies aimed at answering questions raised by astrophycists who use values of transport coefficients that are old and often unsatisfactory. The few books dealing with the rigorous kinetic theory of a ionized plasma are based on the so called Landau (Fokker-Planck) equation and they seldom relate the microscopic results with their macroscopic counterpart provided by classical non-equilibrium thermodynamics. In this book both issues are thoroughly covered. Starting from the full Boltzmann equation for inert dilute plasmas and using the Hilbert-Chapman-Enskog method to solve the first two approximations in Knudsen s parameter, we construct all the transport properties of the system within the framework of linear irreversible thermodynamics. This includes a systematic study of all possible cross effects (which, except for a few cases, were never treated in the literature) as well as the famous H-theorem. The equations of magneto-hydrodynamics for dilute plasmas, including the rather surprising results obtained for the viscomagnetic effects, may be now fully assessed. This book will be of immediate interest to the plasma physics community, as well as to astrophysicists. It is also likely to make an impact in the field of cold plasmas, involving laser cooled Rydberg atoms. 176 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Amazonia is never quite what it seems. Despite regular attention in the media and numerous academic studies the Brazilian Amazon is rarely appreciated as a historical place home to a range of different societies. Often left invisible are the families who are making a living from the rivers and forests of the region. Broadly characterizing these people as peasants Amazon Peasant Societies in a Changing Environment seeks to bring together research by anthropologists, historians, political ecologists and biologists.A new paradigm emerges which helps understand the way in which Amazonian modernity has developed. This book addresses a comprehensive range of questions from the politics of conservation and sustainable development to the organization of women's work and the diet and health of Amazonian people. Apart from offering an analysis of a neglected aspect of Amazonia this collection represents a unique interdisciplinary exercise on the nature of one of the most beguiling regions of the world. 384 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Die Autorin entwickelt eine phänomenologische Theorie des 'rechtlichen Denkens' und untersucht damit erstmals systematisch diejenigen Bewusstseinsstrukturen, die ein Begründen, Ausweisen und Rechtfertigen überhaupt erst möglichen machen. Die grundlegende Frage ist, wie Rechtsansprüche als ein Grundmerkmal des Erfahrens verstanden werden können. Der Band bietet außerdem eine neue und umfassende Lektüre von Husserls Schriften zur Ethik sowie einen kritischen Dialog mit der Alteritätsethik von Levinas und der Diskursethik Apels. 348 pp. Deutsch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The first edition of this book was published by Chapman and Hall Ltd. in 1996. The first edition contained nine chapters and, for all except one chapter, the original chapter authors agreed to update their chapter. Comparing these chapters gives the reader an idea of the development over a time span of more than 10 years between the two editions. In the preparation of the second edition we decided to add more chapters reflecting some important fields with significant contributions to present day fishery research. These are the use of internet for searching of information (Chapter 2), and the present state and use of remote sensing (Chapter 5), ecosystem modeling (Chapter 8) and visualization of data (Chapter 10). This second edition provides a valuable sampling of contemporary applications. Scientists have an opportunity to evaluate the suitability of different computer technology applications to their particular research situation thereby taking advantage of the experience of others. The chapters that follow are the fruition of this idea. The history behind this book started in 1989 when we were asked by Dr. Vidar Wespestad (previously: Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, USA) to prepare and convene a session at the 1992 World Fishery Congress in Athens, Greece on computer applications in fisheries. We agreed that the idea was a good one and the computer session in 1992 turned out to be very successful. 432 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Bioinformatics, computational biology, is a relatively new field that applies computer science and information technology to biology. In recent years, the discipline of bioinformatics has allowed biologists to make full use of the advances in Computer sciences and Computational statistics for advancing the biological data. Researchers in life sciences generate, collect and need to analyze an increasing number of different types of scientific data, DNA, RNA and protein sequences, in-situ and microarray gene expression including 3D protein structures and biological pathways. This book is aiming to provide information on bioinformatics at various levels. The chapters included in this book cover introductory to advanced aspects, including applications of various documented research work and specific case studies related to bioinformatics. This book will be of immense value to readers of different backgrounds such as engineers, scientists, consultants and policy makers for industry, government, academics and social and private organisations. 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Recent interest in nanotechnology is challenging the community to analyse, develop and design nanometer to micrometer-sized devices for applications in new generations of computer, electronics, photonics and drug delivery systems. To successfully design and fabricate novel nanomaterials and nanosystems, we must necessarily bridge the gap in our understanding of mechanical properties and processes at length scales ranging from 100 nanometers (where atomistic simulations are currently possible) to a micron (where continuum mechanics is experimentally validated). For this purpose the difficulties and complexity originate in the substantial differences in philosophy and viewpoints between conventional continuum mechanics and quantum theories. The challenge lies in how to establish the relationship between a continuum mechanical system and its atomistic counterpart in order to define continuum variables that are calculable within an atomic system. 352 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Anthropogenic emissions of ammonia cause a host of environmental impacts, including loss of biodiversity, soil acidification and formation of particulate matter in the atmosphere. Under the auspices of the UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution, around 80 international experts met to review the state of scientific knowledge. This book reports their analysis. It concludes that threshold levels for ammonia effects have been underestimated and sets new values, it assesses the independent evidence to verify reported reductions in regional ammonia emissions, and it reviews the uncertainties in modelling ammonia, both in 'hot spots' and at the regional scale. 492 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -As the importance of environmental security increases worldwide, colleges and universities are evaluating how well they are preparing the next generation of environmental scientists and managers and developing new educational approaches. In this volume, we examine: (1) current educational practices and the need for change, (2) educational needs from the perspective of employers and professionals, and (3) new practices in higher education in environmental fields.The contributors were carefully selected by an international coordinating team based on their international reputations in the field of progressive educational approaches and understanding of the global employment market in environmental science. Although the focal geographic areas are North America, Europe and the former Soviet republics, the ideas and strategies discussed are universal to all institutions of higher education.We highlight specific non-traditional approaches such as using the university as a curricular tool, developing permaculture programs, and applying sustainability pedagogy, and document their success from both a student and employer perspective. We also include case studies on risk assessment and eco-efficiency education to illustrate why and how transdisciplinary education can be accomplished. We conclude that it is imperative that our educational systems teach environmental security at the university level within a transdisciplinary context; and that opportunities, such as internships and other methods of applied learning, are included in the curriculum. 256 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Freshwater eels are almost infinitely improbable creatures. They spawn and die in the middle of the ocean, often associated with undersea mountains. Their tra- parent, leaf-like larvae move with ocean currents for months or years until they approach the mouths of freshwater rivers. Then they undergo a dramatic transf- mation in morphology, physiology and behavior. They move from their planktonic oceanic environment, migrate upstream and live for several years as apex fre- water predators. Then, almost impossibly, as they become sexually mature, they reverse their migration downstream to the ocean and back to spawning grounds to complete their life cycle. The dramatic changes in their life cycles are incredible. The efforts to unravel the details of their life history have been truly daunting. Much of the past research was the work of dedicated individuals who devoted their lifetime research to these fishes. Freshwater eels merit a separate chapter in almost any textbook dealing with ichthyology, marine biology or animal migration. We know a great deal about some aspects of the biology of freshwater eels. However, our understanding of their bi- ogy still resembles a work of art as much as a work of science. To some it appears like the sweeping brush strokes of a Japanese Zen landscape, to others it resembles the work of a French impressionist, and to still others it appears as magic realism. 492 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book is an attempt to compile and integrate the information documented by many botanists, both Egyptians and others, about the vegetation of Egypt. The rst treatise on the ora of Egypt, by Petrus Forsskal, was published in 1775. Records of the Egyptian ora made during the Napoleonic expedition to Egypt (1778-1801) were provided by A. R. Delile from 1809 to 1812 (Kassas, 1981). The early beginning of ecological studies of the vegetation of Egypt extended to the mid-nineteenth century. Two traditions may be recognized. The rst was general exploration and survey, for which one name is symbolic: Georges-Auguste Schweinfurth (1836-1925), a German scientist and explorer who lived in Egypt from 1863 to 1914. The second tradition was ecophysiological to explain the plant life in the dry desert. The work of G. Volkens (1887) remains a classic on xeroph- ism. These two traditions were maintained and expanded in further phases of e- logical development associated with the establishment of the Egyptian University in 1925 (now the University of Cairo). The rst professor of botany was the Swedish Gunnar Tackholm (1925-1929). He died young, and his wife Vivi Tackholm devoted her life to studying the ora of Egypt and gave leadership and inspiration to plant taxonomists and plant ecologists in Egypt for some 50 years. She died in 1978. The second professor of botany in Egypt was F. W. 460 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This volume is a collection of original articles published by the Astrophysics and Space Science Journal. These are the result of the work initiated in 2002 with the aim to - tensively test, compare and optimize the numerical tools used to calculate stellar models and their oscillation frequencies. This effort took place under the activities of the 'CoRoT Evolution and Seismic Tools Activity' (CoRoT/ESTA-of the Seismology Working Group of the CoRoT Mission . It has been organized through the participation of the European Space Agency (ESA) in this Fren- led mission, following the appointment by ESA of a Co-Investigator on Stellar Models for the CoRoT Team. The volume includes (i) articles describing most of the evolution and seismic codes currently used in the context of Helio- and Astero-Seismology, (ii) articles reporting the results of the detailed comparisons of the codes carried out over the period 2002-2007 and (iii) works discussing grids of stellar evolutionary tracks, models, and frequencies, produced for supporting the CoRoT mission. The rst paper of the collection discusses the overall aim and methodology of the work while the last paper discusses some of the open questions that still require further work in the future. 268 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Ancient lakes are exceptional freshwater environments that have continued to exist for hundreds of thousands of years. They have long been recognized as centres of biodiversity and hotspots of evolution. During recent decades, speciation in ancient lakes has emerged as an important and exciting topic in evolutionary biology.The contributions in this volume deal with patterns and processes of biological diversification in three prominent ancient lake systems. Of these, the famous East African Great Lakes already have a strong tradition of evolutionary studies, but the two other systems have so far received much less attention. The exceptional biodiversity of the European sister lakes Ohrid and Prespa of the Balkans has long been known, but has largely been neglected in the international literature until recently. The rich biota and problems of its evolution in the two central lake systems on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, in turn, have only lately started to draw scientific attention.This volume aims at deepening the awareness of the unusual biological diversity in ancient lakes in general, and of the role of these lakes as natural laboratories for the study of speciation and diversification in particular. It should stimulate further research that will lead to a better understanding of key evolutionary processes in these lakes, and to knowledge that might help in mitigating the deterioration of their diversity in the future. 244 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The EUCOMES08, Second European Conference on Mechanism Science is the second event of a series that has been started in 2006 as a conference activity for an European community working in Mechanism Science. The rst event was held in Obergurgl, Austria in 2006. This year EUCOMES08 Conference has come to Cassino in Italy taking place from 17 to 20 September 2008. TheaimoftheEUCOMESConference istobringtogetherEuropean researchers, industry professionals and students from the broad ranges of disciplines referring to Mechanism Science, in an intimate, collegial and stimulating environment. In this second event we have received an increased attention to the initiative, as canbeseenbythefactthattheEUCOMES08Proceedingswillcontaincontributions by authors even from all around the world. This means also that there is a really interest to have not only a conference frame but even a need of aggregation for an European Community well identi ed in Mechanism Science with the aim to strengthen common views and collaboration activities among European researchers and institutions. I believe that a reader will take advantage of the papers in these Proceedings with further satisfaction and motivation for her or his work. These papers cover the wide eld of the Mechanism Science. The program of EUCOMES08 Conference has included technical sessions with oral presentations, which, together with informal conversations during the social program, have enabled to offer wide opportunities to share experiences and discuss scienti c achievements and current trends in the areas encompassed by the EUCOMES08 conference. 652 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Breast-Feeding: Early Influences on Later Health is a new book which draws together areas of research in early lifel programming of adult health, with a unique focus on the post-natal period in terms of early life programming particularly the extent to which differences in infant feeding practices can lay an indelible imprint on metabolism and behaviour, and hence affect later function and risk of disease. This is an area where there is much less information currently available than there is for fetal programming, and the book raises many new questions and highlights numerous areas where further research is needed. The book chapters are arranged in three core sections: Chapters 1-4 lay down some of the basic biology of early life development; Chapters 5-9 examine how breast-milk and breast-feeding might 'programme' these processes by acting as modulators of development; Chapters 10-17 examine the epidemiological evidence that such effects do indeed exist. In addition the book includes unique chapters on the Evolution of human lactation and complementary feeding, The Macy-György Prize Lecture 'My Milky Way', updates on HIV and Breast-Feeding and on Early breastfeeding cessation and infant mortality in low-income countries, and measuring trace immune factors in human milk, all important topics that have such a critical impact on child health and survival in many countries. 444 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -An Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) 'Data Fusion Technologies for Harbour Protection' was held in Tallinn, Estonia 27 June-1 July, 2005. This workshop was organized by request of the NATO Security Through Science Programme and the Defence Investment Division. An ARW is one of many types of funded group support mechanisms established by the NATO Science Committee to contribute to the critical assessment of existing knowledge on new important topics, to identify directions for future research, and to promote close working relationships between scientists from different countries and with different professional experiences. The NATO Science Committee was approved at a meeting of the Heads of Government of the Alliance in December 1957, subsequent to the 1956 recommendation of 'Three Wise Men' - Foreign Ministers Lange (Norway), Martino (Italy) and Pearson (Canada) on Non-Military Cooperation in NATO. The NATO Science Committee established the NATO Science Programme in 1958 to encourage and support scientific collaboration between individual scientists and to foster scientific development in its member states. In 1999, following the end of the Cold War, the Science Programme was transformed so that support is now devoted to collaboration between Partner-country and NATO-country scientists or to contributing towards research support in Partner countries. Since 2004, the Science Programme was further modified to focus exclusively on NATO Priority Research Topics (i. e. Defence Against Terrorism or Countering Other Threats to Security) and also preferably on a Partner country priority area. 384 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Each year, tens of millions of people are respectively. The following data indicate diagnosed worldwide with cancer, and the burden (seriousness) of gastrointestinal more than half of these patients eventu- cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancers ally die from this disease. The severity of globally and in the United States. (Table 1) the burden of cancer becomes really clear Surgical and molecular therapies and pr- by knowing that there were 10, 862, 496 nostic markers for gastrointestinal stromal new cancer cases (excluding skin cancer) tumors are discussed in this volume. Role in the world in 2002, and the number of of anticancer drugs and monoclonal an- deaths caused by this disease in the same bodies specific for these tumors are also year was 6,723,887 (GLOBOCAN). discussed. Imaging modality assessing the The number of deaths due to cancer in the effect of anticancer imatinib on these tumors United States was estimated to be 559, 650 is included. Diagnostic and prognostic (Am. Cancer Soc. ). Cancer is caused by markers of clinical outcomes using che- both external factors (tobacco, chemicals, therapy and hormone replacement therapy radiation, and infectious organisms) and for gastric adenocarcinoma are detailed. internal factors (inherited mutations, hor- Also, are discussed immunohistochem- mones, immune conditions, and mutations try of esophageal cancer progression, and that occur from metabolism). diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies All cancer types caused by cigarette for biliary tumors. 284 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Metamaterials and plasmonics are cross-disciplinary fields that are emerging into the mainstream of many scientific areas. Examples of scientific and technical fields which are concerned are electrical engineering, micro- and nanotechnology, microwave engineering, optics, optoelectronics, and semiconductor technologies. In plasmonics, the interplay between propagating electromagnetic waves and free-electron oscillations in materials are exploited to create new components and applications. On the other hand, metamaterials refer to artificial composites in which small artificial elements, through their collective interaction, creates a desired and unexpected macroscopic response function that is not present in the constituent materials.This book charts the state of the art of these fields. In May 2008, world-leading experts in metamaterials and plasmonics gathered into a NATO Advanced Research Workshop in Marrakech, Morocco. The present book contains extended versions of 22 of the presentations held in the workshop, covering the general aspects of the field, as well as design and modelling questions of plasmonics and metamaterials, fabrication issues, and applications like absorbers and antennas. 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -International experts provide a comprehensive picture of the principles, concepts and methods that are applicable to problems originating from the interaction between the living/non-living environment and mankind. Both the analysis of such problems and the way solutions to environmental problems may work in specific societal contexts are addressed. Disciplinary approaches are discussed but there is a focus on multi- and interdisciplinary methods. A large number of practical examples and case studies are presented. There is special emphasis on modelling and integrated assessment.This book is different because it stresses the societal, cultural and historical dimensions of environmental problems. The main objective is to improve the ability to analyse and conceptualise environmental problems in context and to make readers aware of the value and scope of different methods.Ideal as a course text for students, this book will also be of interest to researchers and consultants in the environmental sciences. 560 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Amazonian soils are almost universally thought of as extremely forbidding. However, it is now clear that complex societies with large, sedentary populations were present for over a millennium before European contact. Associated with these are tracts of anomalously fertile, dark soils termed 'terra preta' or dark earths. These soils are presently an important agricultural resource within Amazonia and provide a model for developing long-term future sustainability of food production in tropical environments. The late Dutch soil scientist Wim Sombroek (1934-2003) was instrumental in bringing the significance of these soils to the attention of the world over four decades ago.Wim saw not only the possibilities of improving the lives of small holders throughout the world with simple carbon based soil technologies, but was an early proponent of the positive synergies also achieved in regards to carbon sequestration and global climatic change abatement. Wim's vision was to form a multidisciplinary group whose members maintained the ideal of open collaboration toward the attainment of shared goals. Always encouraged and often shaped by Wim, this free association of international scholars termed the 'Terra Preta Nova' Group came together in 2001 and has flourished. This effort has been defined by enormous productivity. Wim who is never far from any of our minds and hearts, would have loved to share the great experience of seeing the fruits of his vision as demonstrated in this volume. 528 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Epigenetic modifications act on DNA and its packaging proteins, the histones, to regulate genome function. Manifest as the heritable methylation of DNA and as post-translational histone modifications, these molecular flags influence the architecture and integrity of the chromosome, the accessibility of DNA to gene regulatory components and the ability of chromatin to interact within nuclear complexes. While a multicellular individual has only one genome, it has multiple epigenomes reflecting the diversity of cell types and their properties at different times of life; in health and in disease. Relationships are emerging between the underlying DNA sequence and dynamic epigenetic states and their consequences,such as the role of RNA interference and non-coding RNA. These integrated approaches go hand-in-hand with studies describing the genomic locations of epigenetic modifications in different cell types at different times.The excitement and curiosity surrounding epigenomics is driven by a growing community of researchers in a burgeoning field and the development of new technologies built on the backbone of genome sequencing projects. Research has shown that the adaptability and vulnerability of epigenetic states has profound effects on natural variation, the response of the genome to its environment and on health and disease.The aim of this volume is not to describe epigenomes, but rather to explore how understanding epigenomes tells us more about how biological systems work and the challenges and approaches taken to accomplish this. These contributions have attempted to integrate epigenomics into our understanding of genomes in wider context, and to communicate some of the wonders of epigenetics illustrated through examples across the biological spectrum. 456 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Life began in the sea, and even today most of the deep diversity of the planet is marine. This is often forgotten, especially in tropical countries like Costa Rica, renowned for their rain forests and the multitude of life forms found therein. Thus this book focusing on marine diversity of Costa Rica is particularly welcome. How many marine species are there in Costa Rica The authors report a total of 6,777 species, or 3. 5% of the world's total. Yet the vast majority of marine species have yet to be formally described. Recent estimates of the numbers of species on coral reefs range from 1-9 million, so that the true number of marine species in Costa Rica is certainly far higher. In some groups the numbers are likely to be vastly higher because to date they have been so little studied. Only one species of nematode is reported, despite the fact that it has been said that nematodes are the most diverse of all marine groups. In better studied groups such as mollusks and crustaceans, reported numbers are in the thousands, but even in these groups many species remain to be described. Indeed the task of describing marine species is daunting - if there really are about 9 million marine species and Costa Rica has 3. 5% of them, then the total number would be over 300,000. Clearly, so much remains to be done that new approaches are needed. Genetic methods have en- mous promise in this regard. 576 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Transportation of species to areas outside their native ranges has been a feature of human culture for millennia. During this time such activities have largely been viewed as beneficial or inconsequential. However, it has become increasingly clear that human-caused introductions of alien biota are an ecological disruption whose consequences rival those of better-known insults like chemical pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Indeed, the irreversible nature of most alien-species int- ductions makes them less prone to correction than many other ecological problems. Current reshuffling of species ranges is so great that the present era has been referred to by some as the 'Homogocene' in an effort to reflect the unique mag- tude of the changes being made. These alien interlopers often cause considerable ecological and economic d- age where introduced. Species extinctions, food-web disruptions, community alte- tions, ecosystem conversion, changes in nutrient cycling, fisheries collapse, watershed degradation, agricultural loss, building damage, and disease epidemics are among the destructive - and frequently unpredictable - ecological and economic effects that invasive alien species can inflict. The magnitude of these damages c- tinues to grow, with virtually all environments heavily used by humans now do- nated by alien species and many 'natural' areas becoming increasingly prone to alien invasion as well. Attention to this problem has increased in the past decade or so, and efforts to prevent or limit further harm are gaining wider scientific and political acceptance. 576 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Keeping the requirements of teachers and researchers in mind, this encyclopedic dictionary presents the terminology in entomology and pest management in the most authentic and comprehensive way. It also includes terms related to the close relatives of insects, such as mites and ticks and some other organisms which are pests of crops. 320 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -From 2008, for the first time in human history, half of the world's population now live in cities. Yet despite a wealth of literature on green architecture and planning, there is to date no single book which draws together theory from the full range of disciplines - from architecture, planning and ecology - which we must come to grips with if we are to design future cities which are genuinely sustainable.Paul Downton's Ecopolis takes a major step along this path. It highlights the urgent need to understand the role of cities as both agents of change and means of survival, at a time when climate change has finally grabbed world attention, and it provides a framework for designing cities that integrates knowledge - both academic and practical - from a range of relevant disciplines.Identifying key theorists, practitioners, places and philosophies, the book provides a solid theoretical context which introduces the concept of urban fractals, and goes on to present a series of design and planning tools for achieving Sustainable Human Ecological Development (SHED). Combining knowledge from diverse fields to present a synthesis of urban ecology, the book will provide a valuable resource for students, researchers and practitioners in architecture, construction, planning, geography and the traditional life sciences. 628 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Cancer is the leading cause of death, in the number of older cancer patients is after cardiovascular diseases, in the expected. Approximately, 77% of all types United States. A total of 1,399,790 new of cancers are diagnosed in persons of 55 cancer cases and 564,830 deaths were years and older. It was estimated that o- reported in the year 2006 in the country. third of the 559,650 cancer deaths in 2007 Approximately, one in every two men and in the United States were related to ov- one in every three women in the country weight or obesity, physical inactivity, and will have some type of cancer during nutrition, and thus could also be prevented their lifetime. Healthcare costs exceed (Am. Cancer Society, 2007). However, 1. 7 trillion dollars per year in the United in developed countries, including United States, which is 15% of the country's States, the average person of 65 years can gross domestic product. expect to live another 15 years in a fairly Tobacco use is the most serious prevent- good health. Persons of 75 or 85 years old able cause of cancer. Tobacco use causes have an average expectancy of 10 and 6 cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, pancreas, years, respectively. urinary bladder, stomach, liver, kidney, and During the last three decades, intensive other types. Passive smoking causes lung clinical research has resulted in reduced cancer. 640 pp. Englisch.