Earth Observation of Global Change : The Role of Satellite Remote Sensing in Monitoring the Global Environment
Global Change is increasingly considered a critical topic in environmental research. Remote sensing methods provide a relevant tool to monitor global variables, since they offer a systematic coverage of the Earth Surface, at different spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions. The data provided by Earth Observation Satellites are being operationally used for monitoring atmospheric conditions, ice sheets and glaciar movements, crop dynamism and land use changes, deforestation and desertification processes, as well as water conditions. The book includes an analysis of the leading missions in global Earth observation, and then reviews the main fields in which remote sensing methods are providing vital data for global change studies.
Early Nutrition and its Later Consequences : New Opportunities; Perinatal Programming of Adult Health - EC Supported Research
Health problems such as hypertension, tendency to diabetes, obesity, blood lipids, vascular disease, bone health, behaviour and learning and longevity may be ‘imprinted’ during early life. This process is defined as ‘programming’ whereby a nutritional stimulus operating at a critical, sensitive period of pre and postnatal life imprints permanent effects on the structure, physiology and metabolism. For this reason, academics and industry set-up the EC supported Scientific Workshop -Early Nutrition and its Later Consequences: New Opportunities. The prime objective of the Workshop was to generate a sound exchange of the latest scientific developments within the field of early nutrition to look for opportunities for new preventive health concepts. Further, a closer look was taken at the development of food applications which could provide (future) mothers and infants with improved nutrition that will ultimately lead to better future health. The Workshop was organised by the Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Munich, Germany in collaboration with the Danone Institutes and the Infant Nutrition Cluster, a collaboration of three large research projects funded by the EU.
Dynamics of soils and their engineering applications
Offers systematic dynamic analysis of soils and their engineering applications, including machine foundations, and aims to develop a clear understanding of the subject. It comprises sixteen chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the various problems in soil dynamics. In Chapter 2, concepts of theory of vibrations are discussed along with their applications in designing Vibration Absorbers and Pickups. Wave propagation in elastic medium including wave refraction in layered medium is covered in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 deals with the procedure of determining dynamic properties of soils using various laboratory and field tests. Dynamic earth pressures in retaining walls and dynamic bearing capacity of footings are dealt with in Chapters 5 and 6 respectively
Dynamics beyond uniform hyperbolicity : A global geometric and probabilistic perspective
In broad terms, the goal of dynamics is to describe the long-term evolution of systems for which an ""infinitesimal"" evolution rule, such as a differential equation or the iteration of a map, is known.This book aims to put such recent developments in a unified perspective, and to point out open problems and likely directions for further progress. It is aimed willing to get a quick, yet broad, view of this part of dynamics. Main ideas, methods, and results are discussed, at variable degrees of depth, with references to the original works for details and complementary information.
Dynamical Systems, Wave-Based Computation and Neuro-Inspired Robots
This volume is a special Issue on "Dynamical Systems, Wave based computation and neuro inspired robots'^ based on a Course carried out at the CISM in Udine (Italy), the last week of September, 2003.
Dynamic pricing and automated resource allocation for complex information services : Reinforcement learning and combinatorial auctions
This book develops allocation mechanisms that aim to ensure an efficient resource allocation in modern IT-services. The author presents two methods, both of which using the users’ willingness-to-pay to control the allocation process. The author generates a method to calculate dynamic resource prices.
Dynamic Magma Evolution
Understanding the magmatic processes responsible for the chemical and textural signatures of volcanic products and igneous rocks is crucial for monitoring, forecasting, and mitigating the impacts of volcanic activity. Dynamic Magma Evolution is a compilation of recent geochemical, petrological, physical, and thermodynamic studies. It combines field research, experimental results, theoretical approaches, unconventional and novel techniques, and computational modeling to present the latest developments in the field.
Dynamic Analysis of Petri Net-Based Discrete Systems
Design of modern digital hardware systems and of complex software systems is almost always connected with parallelism. For example, execution of an object-oriented p- gram can be considered as parallel functioning of the co-operating objects; all modern operating systems are multitasking, and the software tends to be multithread; many complex calculation tasks are solved in distributed way. But designers of the control systems probably have to face parallelism in more evident and direct way. Controllers rarely deal with just one controlled object. Usually a system of several objects is to be controlled, and then the control algorithm naturally turns to be parallel. So, classical and very deeply investigated model of discrete device, Finite State Machine, is not expressive enough for the design of control devices and systems. Theoretically in most of cases behavior of a controller can be described by an FSM, but usually it is not convenient; such FSM description would be much more complex, than a parallel specification (even as a network of several communicating FSMs).
Durability of reinforced concrete structures
Reinforced concrete structures corrode as they age, with significant financial implications, but it is not immediately clear why some are more durable than others. This book looks at the mechanisms for corrosion and how corrosion engineering can be used for these problems to be minimized in future projects. Several different examples of reinforced concrete structures with corrosion problems are described and the various life enhancement solutions considered and applied are discussed. The book includes a chapter on the effectiveness of corrosion monitoring techniques and questions why the reality is at odds with current theory and standards.
Dualisability : Unary Algebras and Beyond
Natural duality theory is one of the major growth areas within general algebra. This text provides a short path to the forefront of research in duality theory. It presents a coherent approach to new results in the area, as well as exposing open problems. Unary algebras play a special role throughout the text. Individual unary algebras are relatively simple and easy to work with. But as a class they have a rich and complex entanglement with dualisability. This combination of local simplicity and global complexity ensures that, for the study of natural duality theory, unary algebras are an excellent source of examples and counterexamples.
Drugs for Relapse Prevention of Alcoholism
whet there ought to be a reasonable hope that pharmacological drugs will be developed that interfere with an addiction memory, and as a result, finally lead to a cure? In this book, leading preclinical and clinical experts in the field of alcohol relapse prevention strive to furnish an answer to this question. None of the researchers or clinicians believes in a magic bullet that will be of help to all alcoholic patients in overcoming this disease. However, there is now convi- ing evidence demonstrating that specific subpopulations of alcoholic patients experience satisfactory benefit from currently available treatments.
Drug Targets in Kinetoplastid Parasites
The book contains 12 chapters contributed by eminent scientists working in this field. The articles deal mainly with two aspects: visual identification of targets and identification of therapeutic agents.Several targets like kDNA replication machinery, purine salvage pathway, purine and pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway, histone deacetylase, DNA topoisomerases, membrane transporter proteins, glycoproteins and glycolipids are discussed in this book. Since current treatments for kinetoplastid parasitic diseases are far from ideal, there is an urgent and genuine need to develop newer compounds as antiparasitic drug candidates. Therefore evelopment of some lead compounds against these parasites as well as drug resistance are also included in this book. Moreover the vast amount of information generated after publication of the "Trytrip" genome sequence now makes possible several new approaches for target identification and discovery of therapeutic agents. This book is an outcome of the contributions of many scientists working in this important area.
Drug Metabolism: Current Concepts
The user-friendly text focuses on concepts rather than extraneous details and is supported by many illustrated examples of biotransformations as well as frequent references to current critical reviews and articles highlighting the nature of research objectives in this vibrant area of medicinal development.
Drug Metabolism, Pharmacokinetics and Bioanalysis
Drug metabolism/pharmacokinetics and drug interaction studies have been extensively carried out in order to secure the druggability and safety of new chemical entities throughout the development of new drugs. Recently, drug metabolism and transport by phase II drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, respectively, as well as phase I drug metabolizing enzymes, have been studied. A combination of biochemical advances in the function and regulation of drug metabolizing enzymes and automated analytical technologies are revolutionizing drug metabolism research. There are also potential drug-drug interactions with co-administered drugs due to inhibition and/or induction of drug metabolic enzymes and drug transporters.
Drug interactions in infectious diseases : Mechanisms and models of drug interactions
Provides a comprehensive review of basic clinical pharmacology with a focus on metabolism and transporter-mediated drug interactions. The chapters address materials that cannot be retrieved easily in the medical literature, including materials focused on the complex interrelationship of acute infection, inflammation, and the risk of drug interactions in the Drug-Cytokine chapter. The Food-Drug and Herb-Drug interactions chapters remain definitive resources. A new chapter on in vitro modeling of drug interactions is included along with updates on design and data analysis of clinical drug interaction studies. Authoritative discussion of models for regulatory decision-making on drug-drug interactions provides the necessary framework to aid antimicrobial drug development. This concise review of the mechanisms and models of drug interactions provides important insights to health care practitioners as well as scientists in drug development
Drug disposition and pharmacokinetics : Principles and applications for medicine, toxicology and biotechnology
Delivers an authoritative and comprehensive discussion of the fate of drug molecules in the body, as well as its implications for pharmacological and clinical effects. The text offers a unique and balanced approach that combines discussion of the specific physical and biological factors affecting the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs, with mathematical assessments of plasma and body fluid concentrations. The book assumes little prior knowledge and is an ideal reference for practicing professionals in industry as well as researchers and academics.
Drug Delivery Systems for Metabolic Disorders
Covers recent developments in advanced drug delivery systems in various metabolic disorders, including disturbances in protein, lipid, carbohydrate and hormone metabolism and lysosomal and mitochondrial disorders. It provides a brief introduction to metabolic disorders, along with a focus on the current landscape and trends in understanding disease pathology using different in vitro and in vivo models required for clinical applications and developments of new therapeutics.
Drug and Biological Development : From Molecule to Product and Beyond
Drug and Biological Development: From Molecule to Product and Beyond offers a complete discussion of product development in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries from discovery to product launch, continuing through life cycle management. The book is organized for optimal usefulness in the education and training of health care professionals. The text's narrative descriptions are enhanced by real-life examples, illustrations, controversies in industry, and references. Dr. Ronald Evens and his contributors are industry and research experts in a variety of disciplines.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse : A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
Gives professionals and students across the health and mental health disciplines a working knowledge of drug-related pathology, beginning with pharmacology, drug mechanisms, and genetic factors. This title features clinical/emergency orientation suited to both chronic misuse and acute situations.
Drug Absorption Studies : In Situ, In Vitro and In Silico Models
In the last 15 years, a great number of cell- or tissue-based in vitro models have been introduced into the biopharmaceutics arena. These models mimic the different biological barriers that a drug has to overcome to finally reach its target organ/cell/receptor. These in vitro models have been found very useful in not only characterising the permeability behaviour of drugs molecules in epithelial and endothelial tissues, but also studying drug delivery systems for improved delivery and enhanced absorption. Compared to the complex in vivo situation, in vitro models offer a fast, convenient approach with cost advantages most of times. Most importantly, they can be standardised and automatised to be applicable to the high-throughput screening. Starting at the molecular level of studies, continuing with cell monolayer models (both primary and cell lines) and in situ techniques as a final testing format, the book provides a practical approach to contemporary in vitro techniques for drug absorption studies. In addition, chapters on high-throughput assays, in vitro-in vivo correlation, bioinformatics and regulatory issues are covered, giving a comprehensive overview of available models and techniques. Moreover, an appendix comprised with a number of practical protocols is available online, updated as needed, should prove very helpful to apply the techniques directly to the benchside.



















