springer netherlands springer netherlands nov 2005 (48 risultati)

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement was founded by Alex C. Michalos and published its first issue in March 1974. It has been the leading journal for scholarly research in its field for over thirty years. This volume is published in celebration of that record of accomplishment. The 19 articles assembled here are a selection drawn from the 34 (2.4%) most frequently cited articles in the journal¿s history. An introductory essay written by Michalos explains the historical and scientific importance of each article in the development of social indicators or quality-of-life research. It provides a rare overview of the perceived scientific problems that researchers around the world addressed in the first three decades of exploration, as well as a view of some of the problems to be addressed in the future. A short essay describing the origins of the journal by its founder is also included. Anyone interested in having a single volume that contains some of the best research produced in this field will find this volume irresistible.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 636 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The present textbook contains the recordsof a twösemester course on que- ing theory, including an introduction to matrix¿analytic methods. This course comprises four hours oflectures and two hours of exercises per week andhas been taughtattheUniversity of Trier, Germany, for about ten years in - quence. The course is directed to last year undergraduate and rst year gr- uate students of applied probability and computer science, who have already completed an introduction to probability theory. Its purpose is to present - terial that is close enough to concrete queueing models and their applications, while providing a sound mathematical foundation for the analysis of these. Thus the goal of the present book is twöfold. On the one hand, students who are mainly interested in applications easily feel bored by elaborate mathematical questions in the theory of stochastic processes. The presentation of the mathematical foundations in our courses is chosen to cover only the necessary results,which are needed for a solid foundation of the methods of queueing analysis. Further, students oriented - wards applications expect to have a justi cation for their mathematical efforts in terms of immediate use in queueing analysis. This is the main reason why we have decided to introduce new mathematical concepts only when they will be used in the immediate sequel. On the other hand, students of applied probability do not want any heur- tic derivations just for the sake of yielding fast results for the model at hand.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 288 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This book has emerged from an undergraduate course as well as a graduate one, which I have taught for a number of years. Recently, many universities have experimented by bringing quantum theory forward in the curriculum and we follow their example. This book is intended to serve as an introduction to theoretical mechanics and quantum mechanics for chemists. I have included those parts of quantum mechanics which are of greatest fundamental interest and utility, and have developed those parts of classical mechanics which relate to and illuminate them. I try to give a comprehensive treatment wherever possible. The book would acquaint chemists with the quantum structure of the basic object of chemistry, the atom. My intention is to bridge the gap between classical physics, general and inorganic chemistry, and quantum mechanics. For these reasons: 1. I present in one course the basics of theoretical mechanics and quantum mechanics, to emphasise the continuity between them; 2. I have chosen the topics of theoretical mechanics based upon two criteria: a) usefulness for chemical problems: two-body problem; rotational motion of a charged particles (free and in an atom); interaction of a magnetic field with a magnetic dipole; details of small oscillations and oscillations of molecules; b) the need for transition from classical to quantum mechanics: basics of Lagrangian mechanics; basics of Hamiltonian mechanics; 3. I give detailed explanation of an application of the quantum method to simple systems: one-dimensional potential, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, and hydrog- like atoms.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 540 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The theory of foliations of manifolds was created in the forties of the last century by Ch. Ehresmann and G. Reeb [ER44]. Since then, the subject has enjoyed a rapid development and thousands of papers investigating foliations have appeared. A list of papers and preprints on foliations up to 1995 can be found in Tondeur [Ton97]. Due to the great interest of topologists and geometers in this rapidly ev- ving theory, many books on foliations have also been published one after the other. We mention, for example, the books written by: I. Tamura [Tam76], G. Hector and U. Hirsch [HH83], B. Reinhart [Rei83], C. Camacho and A.L. Neto [CN85], H. Kitahara [Kit86], P. Molino [Mol88], Ph. Tondeur [Ton88], [Ton97], V. Rovenskii [Rov98], A. Candel and L. Conlon [CC03]. Also, the survey written by H.B. Lawson, Jr. [Law74] had a great impact on the de- lopment of the theory of foliations. So it is natural to ask: why write yet another book on foliations The answerisverysimple.Ourareasofinterestandinvestigationaredi erent.The main theme of this book is to investigate the interrelations between foliations of a manifold on one hand, and the many geometric structures that the ma- foldmayadmitontheotherhand.Amongthesestructureswemention:a ne, Riemannian, semi¿Riemannian, Finsler, symplectic, and contact structures.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 312 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Several of the contributions to this volume bring forward many mutually beneficial interactions and connections between the three domains of the title. Developing them was the main purpose of the NATO ASI summerschool held in Montreal in 2003. Although some connections, for example between semigroups and automata, were known for a long time, developing them and surveying them in one volume is novel and hopefully stimulating for the future. Another aspect is the emphasis on the structural theory of automata that studies ways to contstruct big automata from small ones. The volume also has contributions on top current research or surveys in the three domains. One contribution even links clones of universal algebra with the computational complexity of computer science. Three contributions introduce the reader to research in the former East block. 460 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Fuel Cells have become a potentially highly efficient sustainable source of energy and electricity for an ever-demanding power hungry world. The two main types of fuel cells ripe for commercialisation are the high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and the low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM). The commercial uses of which include, but are not limited to, military, stand-by power, commercial and industrial, and remoter power. However, all aspects of the electricity market are being considered.This book has brought together a team of world-renowned experts in all aspects of fuel cell development for both SOFC and PEM in a workshop environment. The workshop held between June 6¿10, 2004 was held in the capital city of the Ukraine, Kiev. The reason for the venue was that Ukraine is the third largest resource of zircon sands, a major source of material for the solid oxide fuel cell. Ukraine is looking at undertaking a very large effort in the solid oxide fuel cell arena, and hopes, one day, to be an international player in this market, and this book is an outcome from the workshop. The book focuses on the issues related to fuel cells, particularly the state-of-the-art internationally, the issues that were of particular interest for getting fuel cells fully commercialized, and advances in fuel cell materials and technology. The focus was on all types of fuel cells, but the emphasis was particularly on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), due to their importance to the host country. The book is an essential reference to researchers, academics and industrialists interested in up-to-date information on SOFC and PEM development.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 448 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The aim of this book is two-fold: to offer a retrospective view on the past thirty years of research on aspectuality and temporality as well as to develop new perspectives on the future development of the field. Articles contain overviews of the development of the field and/or present the state of the art of current research, suggesting new and upcoming lines of research. An important theme throughout the book is typological variation, and the relevance of empirical data for theory formation.Together the articles in the book take a wide crosslinguistic scope including aspectual analyses of English, and two varieties of English: African American English and Colloquial Singapore English, Italian, French, Bulgarian, Czech, Mandarin Chinese, West-Greenlandic, Wakashan languages, and Nakh-Daghestanian languages.Audience: Scholars and students of aspectuality in semantics and at the syntax-semantics interface.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 284 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -In the last decade, enormous progress has been made on the physiology of plant roots, including on a wide range of molecular aspects. Much of that progress has been captured in the chapters of this book. Breakthroughs have been made possible through integration of molecular and whole-plant aspects. The classical boundaries between physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology have vanished. There has been a strong focus on a limited number of model species, including Arabidopsis thaliana. That focus has allowed greater insight into the significance of specific genes for plant development and functioning. However, many species are very different from A. thaliana, in that they are mycorrhizal, develop a symbiosis with N2-fixing microsymbionts, or have other specialised root structures. Also, some have a much greater capacity to resist extreme environments, such as soil acidity, salinity, flooding or heavy-metal toxicities, due to specific adaptations. Research on species other than A. thaliana is therefore pivotal, to develop new knowledge in plant sciences in a comprehensive manner. This fundamental new knowledge can be the basis for important applications in, e.g., agriculture and plant conservation. Although significant progress has been made, much remains to be learnt. It is envisaged that discoveries made in the recent past will likely lead to major breakthroughs in the next decade.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 288 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -During the last decades, the growth of micro-electronics has reduced the cost of computing power to a level acceptable to industry and has made possible sophisticated control strategies suitable for many applications. Vibration c- trol is applied to all kinds of engineering systems to obtain the desired dynamic behavior, improved accuracy and increased reliability during operation. In this context, one can think of applications related to the control of structures¿ vib- tion isolation, control of vehicle dynamics, noise control, control of machines and mechanisms and control of uid-structure-interaction. One could continue with this list for a long time. Research in the eld of vibration control is extremely comprehensive. Pr- lems that are typical for vibration control of nonlinear mechanisms and str- tures arise in the elds of modeling systems in such a way that the model is suitable for control design, to choose appropriate actuator and sensor locations and to select the actuators and sensors. Theobjective of the Symposium was to present anddiscuss methodsthat contribute to thesolution of such problems and to demonstrate the state of the art inthe eld shown by typical examples. The intention was to evaluate the limits of performance that can beachievedby controlling the dynamics, and to point out gaps in present research and give links for areas offuture research.Mainly, it brought together leading experts from quite different areas presenting theirpoints of view.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 432 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The Johannesburg Earth Summit, which took place in the summer of 2002, confirmed the irreversible nature of the process that is founded upon the concept of Sustainable Development initially given form at Rio de Janeiro ten years earlier. This process is to be welcomed, while at the same time recognising the tremendous work that has taken place in converting this concept into a more concrete vision. The Sustainable Development concept relates to every human activity, covering the social, economic and ecological dimensions, which are often in conflict. Consequently, it is most important to include in research programmes some thought of the way people behave. In theory, the general elements of this inclusion are relatively easily defined. However, assessing the effects of one or another decision on all the interactions between the social, economic and ecological dimensions involves significant difficulties. All the more since we have to recognise, in all modesty, that humanity has not always excelled in the art of forward studies. In fact, the Precautionary Principle was introduced partly as a reaction to the sometimes blind confidence in technology and logic (even if it is sometimes invoked in an exaggerated manner). Nevertheless, the duty to act for the sake of present and future generations is pressing. Throughout history mankind has had to adapt and to innovate. Now, at st the beginning of the 21 century the urgent need for such adaptations is obvious.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 452 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This volume contains a collection of contributions to the science of language, focusing on the study of word length in particular. Within a synergetic framework, the word turns out to be a central linguistic unit, as is clearly outlined in the Editor's preface. The book's first chapter is an extensive introduction to the history and state of the art of word length studies.The studies included unify contributions from three important linguistic fields, namely, linguistics and text analysis, mathematics and statistics, and corpus and data base design, which together give a comprehensive approach to the quantitative study of text and language and word length studies.The broad spectrum of word length studies covered within this volume will be of interest to experts working in the fields of general linguistics, text scholarship and related fields, and, understanding language as one example of complex semiotic systems, the volume should be of interest for scholars from other fields as well.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 368 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Casual reference to moral education or the manner in which young people should be brought up to behave may provoke a range of responses depending on the context and the personalities and ideological perspectives of those present. In the past, these responses sometimes included a Rousseauesque assertion of the inherent goodness of all human beings, which only needed to be left to emerge uncorrupted and undistorted, with the help of infinite loving-kindness on the part of teachers, all with the patience of saints. More extreme versions of this view may have comprised vehement protest at the very idea of the state, through its educational institutions, concerning itself at all with such matters, which were felt to be properly the province of the family or religious organisations, if not a matter of individual choice for young people themselves when they were grown up. Explicit proposals for moral education were invariably at risk of being perceived as indoctrination or an abuse of children¿s rights of freedom and autonomous development. More frequently these days, the response may be a succinct list of the speaker¿s own choice moral prescriptions, an assertion that these need to be inculcated in a clear and unequivocal way to all young people of whatever age, inclination or social experience and, often enough, a statement of the sanctions to be applied to those who do not or will not conform.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 200 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -PGPR have gained world wide importance and acceptance for agricultural benefits. These microorganisms are the potential tools for sustainable agriculture and the trend for the future. Scientific researches involve multidisciplinary approaches to understand adaptation of PGPR to the rhizosphere, mechanisms of root colonization, effects on plant physiology and growth, biofertilization, induced systemic resistance, biocontrol of plant pathogens, production of determinants etc. Biodiversity of PGPR and mechanisms of action for the different groups: diazotrophs, bacilli, pseudomonads, and rhizobia are shown. Effects of physical, chemical and biological factors on root colonization and the proteomics perspective on biocontrol and plant defence mechanism is discussed. Visualization of interactions of pathogens and biocontrol agents on plant roots using autofluorescent protein markers has provided more understanding of biocontrol process. Commercial formulations and field applications of PGPR are detailed.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 336 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 244 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The return of the congress to North America after 20 years of absence could not have been in a more ideal location. The beauty of Banff and the many offerings of the Rocky Mountains was the perfect background for a week of interesting and innovative discussions on the past, present and future of geostatistics. The congress was well attended with approximately 200 delegates from 19 countries across six continents. There was a broad spectrum of students and seasoned geostatisticians who shared their knowledge in many areas of study including mining, petroleum, and environmental applications. You will find 119 papers in this two volume set. All papers were presented at the congress and have been peer-reviewed. They are grouped by the different sessions that were held in Banff and are in the order of presentation. These papers provide a permanent record of different theoretical perspectives from the last four years. Not all of these ideas will stand the test of time and practice; however, their originality will endure. The practical applications in these proceedings provide nuggets of wisdom to those struggling to apply geostatistics in the best possible way. Students and practitioners will be digging through these papers for many years to come. Oy Leuangthong Clayton V. Deutsch ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank the industry sponsors who contributed generously to the overall success and quality of the congress: De Beers Canada Earth Decision Sciences Maptek Chile Ltda. Mira Geoscience Nexen Inc. Petro-Canada Placer Dome Inc.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 1184 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Recently, it was reported that nanostructured materials processed under high pressure by HPT and ECAP have an extraordinary combination of both high strength and high ductility, which are two desirable, but rarely co-existing properties. These findings indicate that high-pressure is a critical factor that can be employed to process nanostructured materials with superior mechanical, and possibly also physical, properties. It is the objective of this workshop to review our current knowledge, identify issues for future research, and discuss future directions on the processing and properties of nanostructured materials via SPD techniques, with a special emphasis on high-pressure effects.The 42 peer-reviewed papers in this book cover areas of high pressure effect on the nanostructure and properties of SPD-processed materials, fundamentals of nanostructured materials, development of high-pressure SPD technologies for commercializations, recent advances of SPD technologies as well as applications and future markets of SPD-processed nanostructured materials.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 328 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Asaresultofvarioushumanactivities,suchasincreaseinhumanpopulation,decrease in arable land due to soil degradation, urbanization, industrialization and associated increase in the demand for livestock products, dramatic changes are occurring in the global ruminant livestock sector. These changes includeshift inthesize of regional livestock populations and in the types of management and feeding systems under which ruminant livestock are held, and increased demand of a wider range of quality attributes from animal agriculture, not just of the products themselves but also of the methods used in their production. The livestock sector will need to respond to newchallengesofincreasinglivestockproductivitywhileprotectingenvironmentand human health and conservingbiodiversity and natural resources. The micro-organisms in the digestive tracts of ruminant livestock have a profound in uence on the conversion offeedinto end products, which can impact on the- imal and theenvironment. As the livestock sector grows particularly in developing countries, there will be an increasing need to understand these processes for b- ter management and use ofbothfeed and other natural resources that underpinthe development of sustainable feeding systems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 238 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -There has been a growing interest in the foundation of the theory of th- walled composite beams and of their incorporation in aeronautical/aerospace, automotive, helicopter and turbomachinery rotor blades, mechanical,civil and naval constructions inthe last two decades or so. The proliferation of the specialized literature, mainly in the form of journal/ proceedings papers, and the activity in terms of workshops devoted to this topic attest this interest. A decisive factor that has fueled thisgrowing activity was generatedby highdiversity and severity ofdemandsand operating conditions imposed on structural elements involvedintheadvanced technology. In order to beable to survive andful ll theirmission inthe extreme environmental conditions inwhich they operate, new materialsand new structural paradigms are required. The new exotic structures have to provide higher performances, unatta- able bytheclassical structures builtof traditional materials. Theadvent of advanced composite materials, of smart materialsandfunctionally graded - terials (FGMs), have constituted the strongest stimuli for suchdevelopments. Moreover, their incorporation is likely to expand the use and capabilities of thin-walledbeam structures. Thenew and stringent requirements imposed on aeronautical/aerospace, turbomachinery and shaft structural systems will be best met by such new types of material structures.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 636 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Fuel Cells have become a potentially highly efficient sustainable source of energy and electricity for an ever-demanding power hungry world. The two main types of fuel cells ripe for commercialisation are the high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and the low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM). The commercial uses of which include, but are not limited to, military, stand-by power, commercial and industrial, and remoter power. However, all aspects of the electricity market are being considered.This book has brought together a team of world-renowned experts in all aspects of fuel cell development for both SOFC and PEM in a workshop environment. The workshop held between June 6¿10, 2004 was held in the capital city of the Ukraine, Kiev. The reason for the venue was that Ukraine is the third largest resource of zircon sands, a major source of material for the solid oxide fuel cell. Ukraine is looking at undertaking a very large effort in the solid oxide fuel cell arena, and hopes, one day, to be an international player in this market, and this book is an outcome from the workshop. The book focuses on the issues related to fuel cells, particularly the state-of-the-art internationally, the issues that were of particular interest for getting fuel cells fully commercialized, and advances in fuel cell materials and technology. The focus was on all types of fuel cells, but the emphasis was particularly on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), due to their importance to the host country. The book is an essential reference to researchers, academics and industrialists interested in up-to-date information on SOFC and PEM development.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 448 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -This textbook is about the law, economics, practical assessment, and the management of risky activities arising from routine, catastrophic environmental and occupational exposures to hazardous agents. The textbook begins where emission and exposure analysis end by providing estimates or predictions of deleterious exposures. Thus, we deal with determining the nature and form of relations between exposure and response, damage functions, and with the principles and methods used to determine the costs and benefits of risk management actions from the vantage point of single and multiple decision-makers. Today, national and international laws, conventions and protocols are increasingly concerned with reducing environmental and health risks through minimizing exposure to toxic substances, bacteria, viruses and other noxious agents. They do so through risk methods. The reason for the now worldwide use of risk assessment and management is that individuals and society must decide when, and at what cost, past and future hazardous conditions can either be avoided or minimized. In this process, society must account for the limited resources it can spend to remain sustainable. Risk-based methods play a pivotal role in identifying and ranking alternative, sustainable choices, while accounting for uncertainty and variability. Specifically, most reductions in risks require a balancing of the costs and benefits associated with the action to reduce exposure to a hazard and thus risk. This balancing necessarily involves linking exposure and response through causation. This essential aspect of risk assessment and management, if done incorrectly, can be costly to society.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 504 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Europe is going through a sort of 'social revolution' with the influence of the church and religious instruction in state schools being open to discussion. Critics claim that providing religious instruction in state schools violates the constitutional separation of church and state. And yet, despite an alleged separation of church and state, in most countries, the church continues to play a considerable public role, especially in education.This publication is a compilation of studies on religious instruction in state schools. It describes the diversity between states and analyzes the legislative basis of religious instruction in various countries. Whereas in some countries, religious instruction in state schools is optional or compulsory with the possibility to opt out, in other countries religious instruction is banned from state schools.The comparative analyses in this book will be of great value to researchers in educational research and to educational policymakers.The chapters are written in the English, French, German, Italian and Spanish language.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 320 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -Battery Management Systems - Design by Modelling describes the design of Battery Management Systems (BMS) with the aid of simulation methods. The basic tasks of BMS are to ensure optimum use of the energy stored in the battery (pack) that powers a portable device and to prevent damage inflicted on the battery (pack). This becomes increasingly important due to the larger power consumption associated with added features to portable devices on the one hand and the demand for longer run times on the other hand. In addition to explaining the general principles of BMS tasks such as charging algorithms and State-of-Charge (SoC) indication methods, the book also covers real-life examples of BMS functionality of practical portable devices such as shavers and cellular phones.Simulations offer the advantage over measurements that less time is needed to gain knowledge of a battery's behaviour in interaction with other parts in a portable device under a wide variety ofconditions. This knowledge can be used to improve the design of a BMS, even before a prototype of the portable device has been built. The battery is the central part of a BMS and good simulation models that can be used to improve the BMS design were previously unavailable. Therefore, a large part of the book is devoted to the construction of simulation models for rechargeable batteries. With the aid of several illustrations it is shown that design improvements can indeed be realized with the presented battery models. Examples include an improved charging algorithm that was elaborated in simulations and verified in practice and a new SoC indication system that was developed showing promising results.The contents of Battery Management Systems - Design by Modelling is based on years of research performed at the Philips Research Laboratories. The combination of basic and detailed descriptions of battery behaviour both in chemical and electrical terms makes thisbook truly multidisciplinary. It can therefore be read both by people with an (electro)chemical and an electrical engineering background.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 328 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -It is a challenge to bring together all relevant information about the sterile insect technique (SIT) and its application in area-wide integrated pest management (AW- IPM) programmes; this book is the first attempt to do this in a thematic way. Since SIT practitioners tend to operate in the context of only one insect pest species, it was also a challenge for authors to develop and write their chapters from generic and global points of view, stressing the principles of the technology, and including examples from a range of pest species. We appreciate the understanding shown by the authors in accepting our many suggestions to emphasize the principles of the technology and to minimize details of field programmes. We also thank them for their patience with the prolonged editing process of the book. We are especially grateful to the authors for writing the chapters without financial compensation. Authors who are retired, or worked on their own time, deserve special commendation. Each chapter was peer-reviewed, and we thank the reviewers for helping to make the book accurate, complete, up-to-date, and generic in content. The need for this book has been evident for many years, and now that it has finally been published, it is expected to serve the scientific community for many years to come. We are pleased to have been able to participate in its development.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 804 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condizione: Neu. Neuware -The most mysterious part of photosynthesis yet the most important for all aerobic life on Earth (including ourselves) is how green plants, algae and cyanobacteria make atmospheric oxygen from water. This thermodynamically difficult process is only achieved in Nature by the unique pigment/protein complex known as Photosystem II, using sunlight to power the reaction. The present volume contains 34 comprehensive chapters authored by 75 scientific experts from around the world. It gives an up-to-date account on all what is currently known about the molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics and physiology of Photosystem II. The book is divided into several parts detailing the protein constituents, functional sites, tertiary structure, molecular dynamics, and mechanisms of homeostasis. The book ends with a comparison of Photosystem II with other related enzymes and bio-mimetic systems. Since the unique water-splitting chemistry catalyzed by Photosystem II leads to the production of pure oxygen gas and has the potential for making hydrogen gas, a primary goal of this book is to provide a molecular guide to future protein engineers and bio-mimetic chemists in the development of biocatalysts for the generation of clean, renewable energy from sunlight and water.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 836 pp. Englisch.