springer netherlands springer netherlands dez 2012 (446 risultati)

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume contains a selection of scientific papers related to the structure and dynamics of non-rigid molecules. This frontline topic was born a few decades ago, when Longuet-Higgins proposed his famous theory of Molecular Symmetry Groups (Mol. Phys. 6, (1962) 457). Unfortunately, since this early paper, very few publications have been devoted to the study of non-rigid molecules. Let us mention some books which dedicate some chapters to them: Induced Representations in Crystals and Molecules, by S. L. Altmann, Academic Publishers, 1977; Molecular Symmetry and Spectroscopy, by P. R. Bunker, Academic Publishers, 1979; and finally Large Amplitude Motion in Molecules, Vols. I and II, by several authors, Springer Verlag, 1979. More recently an International Symposium on Non-Rigid Molecules was held in Paris, France, from 1-7 July 1982, the proceedings of which were published in the volume entitled Symmetries and Properties of Non-Rigid Molecules. A Comprehensive Survey, edited by J. Maruani et al., Elsevier, 1983. Finally, we should mention the very specialized work The Permutational Approach to Dynamic Stereochemistry, by J. Brocas et al., McGraw-Hill, 1983. The purpose of this book is to fill in this information on the structure and dynamics of non-rigid systems. To this aim, we have gathered a collection of recent papers written by the most qualified specialists in the world, covering a large field from van der Waals molecules to inorganic complexes and organic polyrotor molecules, as well as considering statistical and dynamic aspects.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, which in recent years has been the engine of global economic growth , this volume surveys trends and prospects in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) with particular reference to achieving inclusive growth and the greening of economies. Underlying the increasing pressure for new models of TVET provision is the rapid pace of technological change, demand for a work force which is highly responsive to evolving needs and a transforming market place that calls for higher order skills and lifelong learning. The book proposes a re-engineered, modernized TVET system that fosters an innovative approach which enhances the employability of workers as well as the sustainability of their livelihoods. The book includes contributions from leading policy makers, researchers, and practitioners, including those in the private sector in analyzing and forecasting the most urgent priorities in skills development. The book argues for creative approaches to TVET design and delivery particularly with a view to improve job prospects , and meeting the goals of inclusion, sustainable development and social cohesion. Addressing issues such as the chronic mismatches between skills acquired and actual skills required in the work place, the volume proposes diversified approaches towards workforce development and partnerships with the private sector to improve the quality and relevance of skills development . The new imperatives created by ¿greening¿ economies and responses required in skills development and training are addressed. Developing TVET is a high priority for governments in the Asia Pacific region as they seek to achieve long-term sustainable growth since the .continued success of their economic destinies depend on it. The volume also includes an emerging framework for skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth in the Asia and Pacific region.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 400 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Designed for daily use by professionals responsible for caring for patients with renal disease, this long-awaited primer provides a simplified, up-to-date review of peritoneal dialysis. Dealing concisely with all aspects of PD, it is written in such a style that even beginners with elementary knowledge of the subject could benefit from its use, and thus it is the perfect text for trainees or new and junior staff members. It is also an ideal text for nurses, a virtual how-to guide on PD.A book like this one, crafted specifically as a bench text and a learning tool, is hard to find. Emphasis is placed on the plentiful illustrations and tables that immediately clarify and expand upon the text. The illustrations, many in full color, are deftly drawn by one of the foremost medical artists in the world, Bernard Tardieu.Few texts can boast such a cast of distinguished authors. Ramesh Khanna, Karl Nolph, and Dimitrios Oreopoulos are among the most respected practitioners of dialysis.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 136 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Practical applications of soft-matter dynamics are of vital importance in material science, chemical engineering, biophysics and biotechnology, food processing, plastic industry, micro- and nano-system technology, and other technologies based on non-crystalline and non-glassy materials.Principles of Soft-Matter Dynamics. Basic Theories, Non-invasive Methods, Mesoscopic Aspects covers fundamental dynamic phenomena such as diffusion, relaxation, fluid dynamics, normal modes, order fluctuations, adsorption and wetting processes. It also elucidates the applications of the principles and of the methods referring to polymers, liquid crystals and other mesophases, membranes, amphiphilic systems, networks, and porous media including multiphase and multi-component materials, colloids, fine-particles, and emulsions. The book presents all formalisms, examines the basic concepts needed for applications of soft-matter science, and reviews non-invasive experimental techniques such as the multi-faceted realm of NMR methods, neutron and light quasi-elastic scattering, mechanical relaxation and dielectric broadband spectroscopy which are treated and compared on a common and consistent foundation. The standard concepts of dynamics in fluids, polymers, liquid crystals, colloids and adsorbates are comprehensively derived in a step-by-step manner. Principles and analogies common to diverse application fields are elucidated and theoretical and experimental aspects are supplemented by computational-physics considerations.Principles of Soft-Matter Dynamics. Basic Theories, Non-invasive Methods, Mesoscopic Aspects appeals to graduate and PhD students, post-docs, researchers, and industrial scientists alike.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 672 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Modern birds (Neornithes) are represented by two big lineages, the Palaeognathae (Tinamiformes + Ratitae) and the Neognathae [Galloanserae + Neoaves (Metaves + Coronoaves)]. Both clades sum approximately 10,000 species of which 60% are Passeriformes (the most diverse clade of terrestrial vertebrates). A comparison between the past and the present reveals a complex and hallmarked evolutionary and biogeographic history which would have begun over 65 million years ago. For South America (SA) this includes: (1) the presence of taxa with uncertain affinities and the absence of Passeriformes during the Paleogene; (2) a progressive and accelerated increase of the species starting at the Neogene (Miocene); (3) important extinct lineages (e.g. Phorusrhacidae, Teratornithidae) that migrate to North America after the rising of the Panamá isthmus; (4) groups with major diversification in the Neogene that survives nowadays represented by scarce species endemic of SA (Cariamidae) or that inhabits mainly in the southern hemisphere (Anhingidae); (5) very diverse living groups with scarce (e.g., Passeriformes) or none (e.g., Apodiformes) fossil record in SA, which stem-groups are registered in Europe. Apparently, the changes in diversity of the south American Neornithes have been the result of successive radiation, biogeographic connections with North America and in a minor scale, some extinctions. The opening of the Drake¿s passage and the occurrence of the circumpolar Antarctic flow are not sufficient causes to explain the highly disparity between the weddelians penguins (Sphenisciformes) of Antartica and those of the patagonian Atlantic Ocean.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 128 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -A large number of doctors take the MRCP examination every year; unfortunately the highest percentage of failure occurs in the Part II examination, particularly in the clinical part. The candidates are expected to elicit the clinical features correctly and quickly; they are closely scrutinized by the examiners and therefore there is a certain amount of stress involved on the part of the candidates. In addition, they are also expected to identify features shown in the illustrations correctly and within the limited time, which causes additional stress. Therefore continued practice is the only way to improve clinical acumen and confidence to enhance the chance of success. The book is designed for these candidates bearing in mind their particular requirements. Considerable information is gathered not only from the doctors who have already passed this examination but also from those who have been currently sitting the examination. The author has been taking part in teaching junior doctors for the last 22 years; most of his registrars passed the examination while working for him. The book contains a large number of clinical photographs, X-rays (including CT scans), ECGs, haematology and histology slides which the candidates are likely to encounter in the examination. Every effort has been made to fulfil most of the requirements of the MRCP examination but at the same time the book has been kept to a reasonable size.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 128 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The formation of archdeaconries in the diocese of Utrecht in the second half of the eleventh century and the first quarter of the twelfth.- Antwerp ships in English harbours in the fifteenth century.- Variants within Dutch Calvinism in the sixteenth century.- Flanders in 1576: revolutionary or reactionary .- William III and the Utrecht ¿Government-Regulation¿: background, events and problems.- The introduction of the steam engine to the Netherlands.- Survey of recent historical works on Belgium and the Netherlands.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 172 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The collapse of socialism across Eastern Europe - as manifested most dramatically by the events of the forever memorable November 9, 1989, when the Germans of East and West reunited, moved and overjoyed, on top of the Berlin Wall - has added more support and urgency to the central thesis of this volume than I had ever hoped for. Whether the following studies deal with economic topics, such as employment, interest, money, banking, business cycles, taxes, public goods, or growth; with philosophical problems as the foundations of know ledge, and of economics and ethics in particular; or the reconstruction and theoretical explanation of historical and sociological phenomena such as exploitation, the rise and fall of civilizations, international politics, war, imperialism, and the role of ideas and ideological movements in the course of social evolution - each ultimately contributes to but one conclusion: The right to private property is an indisputably valid, absolute principle of ethics and the basis for continuous 'optimal' economic progress. To rise from the ruins of socialism and overcome the stagnation of the Western welfare states, nothing will suffice but the uncompromizing privatization of all socialized, that is, government, property and the establishment of a contractual society based on the recognition of the absoluteness of private property rights. \*\*\* In writing the following studies I received help from many sides. Special thanks go to my wife Margaret, who again took on the task of de Germanizing my English; to Llewellyn H.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 280 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The author developed this text over many years, teaching graduate courses in advanced dynamics and flexible multibody dynamics at the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering of the Georgia Institute of Technology.The book presents a unified treatment of rigid body dynamics, analytical dynamics, constrained dynamics, and flexible multibody dynamics. A comprehensive review of numerical tools used to enforce both holonomic and nonholonomic constraints is presented. Advanced topics such as Maggi¿s, index-1, null space, and Udwadia and Kalabäs formulations are presented because of their fundamental importance in multibody dynamics. Methodologies for the parameterization of rotation and motion are discussed and contrasted. Geometrically exact beams and shells formulations, which have become the standard in flexible multibody dynamics, are presented and numerical aspects of their finite element implementation detailed. Methodologies for the direct solution ofthe index-3 differential-algebraic equations characteristic of constrained multibody systems are presented. It is shown that with the help of proper scaling procedures, such equations are not more difficult to integrate than ordinary differential equations.This book is illustrated with numerous examples and should prove valuable to both students and researchers in the fields of rigid and flexible multibody dynamics.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 752 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume is intended to expand the dialogue and interest among both practitioners and academicians in a problem area worthy of attention by all. The concept of disaggregation admits to our current inability to solve many types of interrelated hierarchical problems simultaneously. It offers instead a sequential, iterative process as a workable and necessary procedure. The papers in this volume are selected from those presented at a Disaggregation Conference held in March, 1977 at The Ohio State University. We heartily applaud all those who participated in the conference and particularly appreci ate the cooperation of those authors whose work is published in this collection. Part A contains four papers which define the various dimensions of disaggregation. The paper by Martin Starr, which was the text of his luncheon address at the conference, provides several interesting perspectives to the problem. Although disaggregation suggests tear ing apart, as Professor Starr illustrates with his butterfly example, it also suggests a putting together or a synthesis which recognizes interrelationships and dependencies. The next paper by Lee Kra jewski and Larry Ritzman offers a general model of disaggregation for both the manufacturing and service sectors. After reading the papers in this section, as well as the papers in subsequent sections, you will identify other dimensions to hierarchical decision making which go beyond this generalized model.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 724 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Aimed at taking the mystery out of soil science, Soils: Principles, Properties and Management is a text for undergraduate/graduate students who study soil as a natural resource. Written in a reader-friendly style, with a host of examples, figures and tables, the book leads the reader from the basics of soil science through to complex situations, covering such topics as:the origin, development and classification of soilphysical, chemical and biological properties of soilwater and nutrient managementmanagement of problem soils, wetland soils and forest soilssoil degradationFurther, the ecological and agrological functions of soil are emphasized in the context of food security, biodiversity and climate change. The interactions between the environment and soil management are highlighted. Soil is viewed as an ecosystem itself and as a part of larger terrestrial ecosystems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 296 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Efficient and equitable policies for managing disaster risks and adapting to global environmental change are critically dependent on development of robust options supported by integrated modeling.The book is based on research and state-of-the art models developed at IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) and within its cooperation network. It addresses the methodological complexities of assessing disaster risks, which call for stochastic simulation, optimization methods and economic modeling. Furthermore, it describes policy frameworks for integrated disaster risk management, including stakeholder participation facilitated by user-interactive decision-support tools.Applications and results are presented for a number of case studies at different problem scales and in different socio-economic contexts, and their implications for loss sharing policies and economic development are discussed. Among others, the book presents studies for insurance policies for earthquakes in the Tuscany region in Italy and flood risk in the Tisza river basin in Hungary. Further, it investigates the economic impact of natural disasters on development and possible financial coping strategies; and applications are shown for selected South Asian countries.The book is addressed both to researchers and to organizations involvedwith catastrophe risk management and risk mitigation policies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 300 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume explores the usefulness of the Asian model of agricultural development for Africa, where, even before the recent world food crisis, half the population lived on less than on dollar a day, and a staggering one in three people and one third of all children were undernourished. Africa has abundant natural resources; agriculture provides most of its jobs, a third of national income and a larger portion of total export earnings. However the levels of land and labor productivity rank among the worst in the world. The book explains Africäs productivity gap and proposes ways to close it, by examining recent experience in Africa and by drawing on lessons from Asia.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 320 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book addresses dynamic modelling methodology and analyses of tree-type robotic systems. Such analyses are required to visualize the motion of a system without really building it. The book contains novel treatment of the tree-type systems using concept of kinematic modules and the corresponding Decoupled Natural Orthogonal Complements (DeNOC), unified representation of the multiple-degrees-of freedom-joints, efficient recursive dynamics algorithms, and detailed dynamic analyses of several legged robots.The book will help graduate students, researchers and practicing engineers in applying their knowledge of dynamics for analysis of complex robotic systems. The knowledge contained in the book will help one in virtual testing of robot operation, trajectory planning and control.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 264 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book covers all topics relevant for the design of haptic interfaces and teleoperation systems. The book provides the basic knowledge required for understanding more complex approaches and more importantly it introduces all issues that must be considered for designing efficient and safe haptic interfaces. Topics covered in this book provide insight into all relevant components of a haptic system.The reader is guided from understanding the virtual reality concept to the final goal of being able to design haptic interfaces for specific tasks such as nanomanipulation.The introduction chapter positions the haptic interfaces within the virtual reality context. In order to design haptic interfaces that will comply with human capabilities at least basic understanding of human sensors-motor system is required. An overview of this topic is provided in the chapter related to human haptics. The book does not try to introduce the state-of-the-art haptic interface solutions because these tend to change quickly. Only a careful selection of different kinematic configurations is shown to introduce the reader into this field.Mathematical models of virtual environment, collision detection and force rendering topics are strongly interrelated and are described in the next two chapters. The interaction with the virtual environment is simulated with a haptic interface. Impedance and admittance based approaches to haptic robot control are presented. Stability issues of haptic interaction are analyzed in details and solutions are proposed for guaranteeing stable and safe operation. Finally, haptic interaction is extended to teleoperation systems. Virtual fixtures which improve the teleoperation and human-robot cooperation in complex environments are covered next and the last chapter presents nanomanipulation as one specific example of teleoperation.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 224 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -In this book, an international group of philosophers, economists and theologians focus on the relationship between justice, luck and responsibility in health care. Together, they offer a thorough reflection on questions such as: How should we understand justice in health care Why are health care interests so important that they deserve special protection How should we value health What are its functions and do these make it different from other goods Furthermore, how much equality should there be Which inequalities in health and health care are unfair and which are simply unfortunate Which matters of health care belong to the domain of justice, and which to the domain of charity And to what extent should we allow personal responsibility to play a role in allocating health care services and resources, or in distributing the costs With this book, the editors meet a double objective. First,they provide a comprehensive philosophical framework for understanding the concepts of justice, luck and responsibility in contemporary health care; and secondly,they explore whether these concepts have practical force to guide normative discussions in specific contexts of health care such as prevention of infectious diseases or in matters of reproductive technology. Particular and extensive attention is paid to issues regarding end-of-life care.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume tackles head-on the controversy regarding the tensions between the principles underlying Academe on the one hand, and the free market on the other. Its outspoken thesis posits that seemingly irresistible institutional pressures are betraying a core principle of the Enlightenment: that the free pursuit of knowledge is of the highest value in its own right. As ¿market principles¿ are forced on universities, inducing a neoteric culture of ¿managerialism¿, many worry that the very characteristics that made European higher education in particular such a success are being eroded and replaced by ideological opportunism and economic expediency.Richly interdisciplinary, the anthology explores a wealth of issues such as the phenomenon of bibliometrics (linking an institution¿s success to the volume and visibility of publications produced). Many argue that the use of such indicators to measure scientific value is inimical to the time-consuming complexities of genuine truth-seeking. A number of the greatest discoveries and innovations in the history of science, such as Newton¿s laws of mechanics or the Mendelian laws of inheritance, might never have seen the light of day if today¿s system of determining and defining the form and content of science had dominated. With analytical perspectives from political science, economics, philosophy and media studies, the collection interrogates, for example, the doctrine of graduate employability that exerts such a powerful influence on course type and structure, especially on technical and professional training. In contrast, the liberal arts must choose between adaptation to the dictates of employability strategies or wither away as enrollments dwindle and resources evaporate. Research projects and aims have alsobecome an area of controversy, with many governments now assessing the value of proposals in terms of assumed commercial benefits. The contributors argue that these changes, as well as ¿reforms¿ in the managerial and administrative structures in tertiary education, constitute a radical break with the previous ontology of science and scholarship: a change in its very character, and not merely its form. It shows that the ¿scientific thinking¿ students, researchers, and scholars are encouraged to adopt is undergoing a rapid shift in conceptual content, with significant consequences not only for science, but also for the society of which it is a part.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 228 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The book provides an in-depth discussion on the human nature concept from different perspectives and from different disciplines, analyzing its use in the doping debate and researching its normative overtones. The relation between natural talent and enhanced abilities is scrutinized within a proper conceptual and theoretical framework: is doping to be seen as a factor of the athlete¿s dehumanization or is it a tool to fulfill his/her aspirations to go faster, higher and stronger Which characteristics make sports such a peculiar subject of ethical discussion and what are the, both intrinsic and extrinsic, moral dangers and opportunities involved in athletic enhancement This volume combines fundamental philosophical anthropological reflection with applied ethics and socio-cultural and empirical approaches. Furthermore guidelines will be presented to decision- and policy-makers on local, national and international levels. Zooming in on the intrinsic issue of what is valuable about our homo sapiens biological condition, this volume devotes only scant attention to the specific issue of natural talent and why such talent is appreciated so differently than biotechnological origins of ability. In addition, specific aspects of sports such as its competitive nature and its direct display of bodily prowess provide good reason to single out the issue of natural athletic talent for sustained ethical scrutiny.¿Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 332 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Relevant to, and drawing from, a range of disciplines, the chapters in this collection show the diversity, and applicability, of research in Bayesian argumentation. Together, they form a challenge to philosophers versed in both the use and criticism of Bayesian models who have largely overlooked their potential in argumentation. Selected from contributions to a multidisciplinary workshop on the topic held in Sweden in 2010, the authors count linguists and social psychologists among their number, in addition to philosophers. They analyze material that includes real-life court cases, experimental research results, and the insights gained from computer models.The volume provides, for the first time, a formal measure of subjective argument strength and argument force, robust enough to allow advocates of opposing sides of an argument to agree on the relative strengths of their supporting reasoning. With papers from leading figures such as Michael Oaksford and Ulrike Hahn, the book comprises recent research conducted at the frontiers of Bayesian argumentation and provides a multitude of examples in which these formal tools can be applied to informal argument. It signals new and impending developments in philosophy, which has seen Bayesian models deployed in formal epistemology and philosophy of science, but has yet to explore the full potential of Bayesian models as a framework in argumentation. In doing so, this revealing anthology looks destined to become a standard teaching text in years to come.¿Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 224 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This first book in the series will describe the Net Generation as visual learners who thrive when surrounded with new technologies and whose needs can be met with the technological innovations. These new learners seek novel ways of studying, such as collaborating with peers, multitasking, as well as use of multimedia, the Internet, and other Information and Communication Technologies. Here we present mathematics as a contemporary subject that is engaging, exciting and enlightening in new ways. For example, in the distributed environment of cyber space, mathematics learners play games, watch presentations on YouTube, create Java applets of mathematics simulations and exchange thoughts over the Instant Messaging tool. How should mathematics education resonate with these learners and technological novelties that excite them Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -While the transmission of Greek philosophy and science via the Muslim world to western Europe in the Middle Ages has been closely scrutinized, the fate of the Arabic philosophical and scientific legacy in later centuries has received less attention, a fault this volume aims to correct. The authors in this collection discuss in particular the radical ideas associated with Averroism that are attributed to the Aristotle commentator Ibn Rushd (1126-1198) and challenge key doctrines of the Abrahamic religions. This volume examines what happened to Averroes¿s philosophy during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Did early modern thinkers really no longer pay any attention to the Commentator Were there undercurrents of Averroism after the sixteenth century How did Western authors in this period contextualise Averroes and Arabic philosophy within their own cultural heritage How different was the Averroes they created as a philosopher in a European tradition from Ibn Rushd,the theologian, jurist and philosopher of the Islamic tradition Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 416 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This vital addition to Springer¿s ¿Educating the Young Child¿ series addresses gaps in the literature on father involvement in the lives of young children, a topic with a fast-rising profile in today¿s world of female breadwinners and single-parent households. While the significant body of theoretical understanding and empirical data accumulated in recent decades has done much to characterize the fluidity of evolving notions of fatherhood, the impact of this understanding on policy and legal frameworks has been uneven at an international level. In a field where groups of fathers were until recently marginalized in research, this book adopts a refreshingly inclusive attitude, aiming to motivate researchers to capture the nuanced practices of fathers in minority groups such as those who are homeless, gay, imprisoned, raising a disabled child, or from ethnically distinct backgrounds, including Mexican- and African-American and indigenous fathers.The volume includes chapters highlighting the unique challenges and possibilities of father involvement in their children¿s early years of development. Contributing authors have integrated theories, research, policies, and programs on father involvement so as to attract readers with diverse interest and expertise, and material from selected countries in Asia, Australia, and Africa, as well as North America, evinces the international scope of their analysis. Their often interdisciplinary analyses draw, too, on historical and cultural legacies, even as they project a vision of the future in which fathers¿ involvement in their young children¿s lives develops alongside the changing political, economic and educational landscapes around the world.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 376 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Asia, the location of the world¿s fastest-growing economies, is also home to some of the fastest rates of urbanization humanity has ever seen, a process whose speed renders long-term outcomes highly unpredictable. This volume contrasts with much published work on the rural/urban divide, which has tended to focus on single case studies. It provides empirical perspectives from four Asian countries: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, and includes a wealth of insights that both critique and expand popular notions of the rural-urban divide. The volume is relevant not just to Asian contexts but to social scientific research on population dynamics more generally.Rather than deploying a single study to chart national trends, three chapters on each country make possible much more complex perspectives. As a result, this volume does more than extend our understanding of the interplay between cities and hinterlands within Asia. It enhances our notions of rural/urban cleavages, connections and conflicts more generally, with data and analysis ready for application to other contexts. Of interest to diverse scholars across the social sciences and Asian studies, this work includes accounts ranging from rural youth real estate entrepreneurs in Hyderabad, India, to social development in Aceh province in Indonesia, devastated by the 2004 tsunami, to the relationship between urban space and commonly held notions of the supernatural in Thailand¿s northern city of Chiang Mai.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 256 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Leaving aside human and social capital for a future volume, the book should be viewed as a crucial first step in developing indicators for total wealth in the countries covered by the case studies, which include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique and South Africa. These case studies experiment with implementing the SEAA in sub-Saharan nations known to suffer from the ¿resource curse¿: their wealth in resources and commodities has allowed inflows of liquidity, yet this cash has not funded crucial developments in infrastructure or education. What¿s more, resource-driven economies are highly vulnerable to commodity price mutability. The new measures of wealth deployed here offer more hope for the future in these countries than they themselves would once have allowed for.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Gerald R. Faulhaber and Gualtiero Tamburini University of Pennsylvania and Universita Delgi Studi di Bologna This book brings together chapters by a group of European and North American economists, all of which focus on a single aspect of the ongoing plan for European economic integration - the role of technology. Indeed, the plan for European integration has many aspects social, institutional, and political. From a broad standpoint, the program approved by the 12 member states of the European Economic Community (Single European Act) in 1986 addresses these problems. Among other things, the Act pro vi des for the progressive establishment of a single internal market by 1992. At its most basic, this single European market means the unrestricted circulation of goods, people, services, and capital, unhindered by borders, tariffs, or restrictive national practices. The actual economic integration as planned by the Single Act will have a variety of consequences. On the whole, there will be the consolidation of the benefits already gained over the 2 Introduction previous 30 years due to the progressive lowering of tariff barriers within the Common Market. In particular, there has a been a shift away from Iimited national markets toward the wider market of the Community. In turn, this expansion of the market promises improved economies of scale and scope for many industries and a more efficient geographic allocation of production.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 368 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -¿Over the years of cancer investigation a lot of discoveries in this field were made, and many associations between various biological carcinogens and cancer were revealed. Some of them are credibly determined, thus these infectious agents (human papilloma virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus 8, human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1, human immunodeficiency virus, Merkel cell polyomavirus, Helicobacter pylori, Opisthorchis viverrini, Clonorchis sinensis, Schistosoma haematobium) are recognized as carcinogens and probable carcinogens by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The problem is of large importance, since share of infectious agents-related cancer cases is steadily increasing, reaching 25% according to certain estimates. It is worth noting that many of cancer cases are caused by infectious agents other than «conventional ones» like HPV, EBV, HBV, HCV, H.pylori etc. In recent years, a number of significant breakthroughs in the field were performed, such as the discovery of the microbiota role in cancer causation.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 128 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Over a half of adults in the US, Canada, Australia and numerous European countries are now overweight or obese, a proportion that has risen sharply in the past two decades. Dominant biomedical explanations focus on the energy equation ¿ an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure - and remedies focus on motivating individuals to restore the balance by eating better and being more active, or ¿ in extreme cases ¿ surgical intervention.This book offers a perspective that sees increasing obesity as a social phenomenon as well as a public health problem. It contains detailed accounts of three generations of Australians¿ experiences of changing environments and the emergence of social trends such as increasing availability of convenience foods, the individualisation and commercialisation of leisure, car reliance, and busyness. Participants' narratives are interwoven with sociological and historical analyses of changes to show how contemporary Australians are experiencing and adapting to dramatic socio-cultural and environmental changes that are reshaping their lives and, in many cases, their bodies.The book demonstrates that obesity is an unintended consequence of economic development accompanied by profound socio-cultural changes, and by identifying the key developments the authors propose leverage points. While the research was conducted in Australia, the fundamental drivers of rapid weight gain are equally present in other modern, secular societies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 208 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -New Issues in Polar Tourism traces and analyzes a decade of growing interest in the polar regions, and the consequent challenges and opportunities of increasing tourist traffic in formerly remote and seldom-visited places. The book arises from the recently-formed International Polar Tourism Research Network(IPTRN), and documents the outcomes of its 2010 conference, held at Sweden¿s Abisko Scientific Research Station.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume addresses the cultural, technical and ethical motivations of the history of drawingof machines and itsdevelopments step by step. First it treats drawings without any technical character; then the Renaissance with itsnew forms of drawing; the 18th century, with orthographic projections, immediately used by industry; the 19th century, including the applications of drawing in industry; and the 20th century, with the standardization institutions and the use of the computer. The role of historical drawings and archives in modern designis also examined.This book is of value to all those who are interested in technical drawing, either from an artistic, from a design, or from an engineering point of view.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -How do and how did people perceive, manage and respond to natural disasters How are the causes of natural disasters explained in history, how are they explained today This volume investigates relationships between forces of nature and human culture in a multidisciplinary context bridging science and the humanities.Forces of nature and cultural responses is divided into four sections: (1) ball lightnings, (2) earthquakes and tsunamis, (3) volcanic eruptions and plagues, and (4) hurricanes and floodings. Specifically, Section 1 investigates theories and case studies of ball lightning phenomena. Section 2 includes a psychological study on the impact of earthquakes on academic performance, a study on tsunami vulnerability and recovery strategies in Thailand and a study on the social and economic aftermaths of a tsunami and a hurricane in Hawaii. Section 3 consists of a chapter on volcanic eruptions and plagues as well as cultural responses in Ancient Times and a study oncontemporary vulnerability and resilience under chronic volcanic eruptions. Section 4 investigates the impact of hurricane Katrina on the current jazz scene in New Orleans and cultural responses to floodings in The Netherlands in Early Modern Times.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.