Life in the Universe : Expectations and Constraints
Energy, chemistry, solvents, and habitats -- the basic elements of living systems - define the opportunities and limitations for life on other worlds. This class-tested text examines each of these parameters in crucial depth and makes the argument that life forms we would recognize may be more common in our solar system than many assume. It also considers, however, exotic forms of life that would not have to rely on carbon as basic chemical element, solar energy as a main energy source, or water as primary solvent. Finally the question of detecting bio- and geosignature of such life forms is discussed, ranging from Earth environments to deep space. While speculative considerations in this emerging field of science cannot be avoided, the authors have tried to present their study with the breadth and seriousness that a scientific approach to this issue requires. They seek an operational definition of life and investigate the realm of possibilities that nature offers to realize this very special state of matter and avoid scientific jargon wherever possible to make this intrinsically interdisciplinary subject understandable to a broad range of readers.
Life - As a Matter of Fat : The Emerging Science of Lipidomics
Lipids are as important for life as proteins, sugars, and genes. The present book gives a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes. The book is aimed at undergraduate students and young research workers within physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, as well as pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. The emphasis is on the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces. By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described. Furthermore, it is shown how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells. Applications of lipids in nano-technology and biomedicine are also described.
Lectures in Astrobiology ; Vol. II
Based on material delivered at several summer schools, this book is the first comprehensive textbook at the graduate level encompassing all aspects associated with the emerging field of astrobiology. Volume II gathers another set of extensive lectures covering topics so diverse as the formation and the distribution of elements in the Universe, the concept of habitability from both the planetologists' and the biologists' point of view and artificial life. The contributions are held together by the common goal to understand better the origin of life, its evolution and possible existence outside the Earth's realm.
Laser Fabrication and Machining of Materials
Laser Fabrication and Machining of Materials introduces readers to the fundamental properties and physical phenomena of laser machining and its applications on the macro, micro, and nano scales. Examples of existing, emerging, and potential techniques are discussed, giving students and practicing engineers alike the opportunity to expand their use of lasers in such disciplines as mechanical processes, electronics, materials, and manufacturing.
Language Production
This comprehensive text presents an up-to-date overview of the key topics in the field, providing important theoretical and empirical challenges to the traditional and accepted modal view of language production. Each chapter explores in detail a different aspect of language production, covering traditional methods including written and signed production alongside emerging research on joint action production. Emphasizing the neurobiological underpinnings of language, chapter authors showcase research that moves from a monologue-only approach to one that that considers production in more ecologically valid circumstances.
Landscapes Under Pressure : Theory and Practice of Cultural Heritage Research and Preservation
This book investigates the newly emerging scope of interests and project agendas to investigate and preserve cultural landscapes. It presents the historic, archaeological, ethnographic, and environmental traditions of cultural landscape study and the attempts to reconstruct and analyze the complex processes of cultural changes through prehistoric and historic times.The "guiding light" of the book is that the fullest understanding of a cultural landscape will materialize through interdisciplinary cooperation, which should involve an ecological approach with historical ecology as the guiding tool, applied archaeology, and environmental planning.
Knowledge-Driven Computing : Knowledge Engineering and Intelligent Computations
Knowledge-Driven Computing constitutes an emerging area of intensive research located at the intersection of Computational Intelligence and Knowledge Engineering with strong mathematical foundations. It embraces methods and approaches coming from diverse computational paradigms, such as evolutionary computation and nature-inspired algorithms, logic programming and constraint programming, rule-based systems, fuzzy sets and many others. The use of various knowledge representation formalisms and knowledge processing and computing paradigms is oriented towards the efficient resolution of computationally complex and difficult problems.
Knowledge and Civil Society
Focuses on the role of civil society in the creation, dissemination, and interpretation of knowledge in geographical contexts. It offers original, interdisciplinary and counterintuitive perspectives on civil society. The book includes reflections on civil and uncivil society, the role of civil society as a change agent, and on civil society perspectives of undone science. Conceptual approaches go beyond the tripartite division of public, private and civic sectors to propose new frameworks of civic networks and philanthropic fields, which take an inclusive view of the connectivity of civic agency across sectors.
Complex Medical Engineering
In the twenty-first century, applications in medicine and engineering must acquire greater safety and flexibility if they are to yield better products at higher efficiency. To this end, complex science and technology must be integrated in medicine and engineering. Complex medical engineering (CME) is a new field that merges medical science and technology, and includes biomedical robotics and biomechatronics, complex virtual technology in medicine, information and communication technology in medicine, complex technology in rehabilitation, cognitive neuroscience and technology, and complex bioinformatics. Experts from academia, industry, and government research laboratories who have pioneered CME ideas and technologies describe its concept and research approach and discuss related hardware and software, science and technology, and medicine and engineering. This book will be invaluable to scientists, researchers, and graduates in the emerging field of CME.
Complex Engineered Systems : Science Meets Technology
This volume examines the difficulties that arise in creating highly complex engineered systems and new approaches that are being adopted. Topics addressed range from the formal representation and classification of distributed networked systems to revolutionary engineering practices inspired by biological evolution. By bringing together the latest research in Complex Engineered Systems, this book sheds light on the current state and future course of this emerging field.
Complex Dynamics in Communication Networks
Computer and communication networks are among society's most important infrastructures. The internet, in particular, is a giant global network of networks without central control or administration. It is a paradigm of a complex system, where complexity may arise from different sources: topological structure, network evolution, connection and node diversity, or dynamical evolution. The present volume is the first book entirely devoted to the new and emerging field of nonlinear dynamics of TCP/IP networks. It addresses both scientists and engineers working in the general field of communication networks.
Communications and Discoveries from Multidisciplinary Data
In this book, we aim at urging the development of data-based methods and methodologies for interdisciplinary and creative communications for solving emerging social problems. The reader shall view the direction to combine three methodological frameworks: data mining, data sharing, and communication in the contexts of sciences and businesses.
Challenging American Leadership : Impact of National Quality on Risk of Losing Leadership
After leading the world during most of the 20th century in economic, political, technological, military, and even social terms, America’s role is now being challenged. Its values questioned, and its methods often disparaged, America had become the clear example to be followed or even copied, yet its more recent strategic and political decisions gained little international support and a lot of outright opposition. The quality of its national planning and decision making has been severely compromised, and risk management appears to be largely absent. India and China are now emerging as new economic powers, with advancing technological prowess. Their focus is on socioeconomic development, but their capabilities and potentials are much broader and may challenge America's leadership before long, unless it recognizes the changing demands of the new wide open globalized world.
Challenges to the second law of thermodynamics : Theory and experiment
The second law of thermodynamics is considered one of the central laws of science, engineering and technology. For over a century it has been assumed to be inviolable by the scientific community. Over the last 10-20 years, however, more than two dozen challenges to it have appeared in the physical literature - more than during any other period in its 150-year history. The number and variety of these represent a cogent threat to its absolute status. This is the first book to document and critique these modern challenges. Written by two leading exponents of this rapidly emerging field, it covers the theoretical and experimental aspects of principal challenges. In addition, unresolved foundational issues concerning entropy and the second law are explored. This book should be of interest to anyone whose work or research is touched by the second law.
CFN Lectures on Functional Nanostructures : Vol.1
This book contains a selection of lectures from the first Summer School organized by the Center for Functional Nanostructures (CFN) at the University of Karlsruhe. The mission of the CFN is to carry out research in the following areas: nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, molecular nanostructures and nanostructured materials. The aim of the summer schools is mainly to exchange new ideas and illustrate emerging research methodologies through a series of lectures. This is reflected by both the selection of topics addressed in the present volume as well as the tutorial aspect of the contributions.
CCD Image Sensors in Deep-Ultraviolet : Degradation Behavior and Damage Mechanisms
As the deep-ultraviolet (DUV) laser technology continues to mature, an increasing number of industrial and manufacturing applications are emerging. For example, the new generation of semiconductor inspection systems is being pushed to image at increasingly shorter DUV wavelengths to facilitate inspection of deep sub-micron features in integrated circuits. DUV-sensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras are in demand for these applications. Although CCD cameras that are responsive at DUV wavelengths are now available, their long-term stability is still a major concern. This book describes the degradation mechanisms and long-term performance of CCDs in the DUV, along with new results of device performance at these wavelengths.
Bulk Metallic Glasses : An Overview
Bulk Metallic Glasses explores an emerging field of materials known as bulk metallic glasses. It summarizes the rapid development of these materials over the last decade and includes documentation on diverse applications of bulk metallic glasses; from structural applications to microcomponents. Some of the applications covered are pressure sensors, microgears for motors, magnetic cores for power supplies, and nano-dies for replacing next generation DVDs. The chapters cover current theories and recent research including an atomistic theory of local topological fluctuations, atomistic simulations, and unique microstructures of these amorphous materials. Other topics include glass formation, glass forming ability, and the underlying mechanisms and physical insights of these criteria. The mechanical deformation of bulk metallic glasses, fatigue, fracture, and corrosion behaviors of these materials are also reviewed.
Broadband Fixed Wireless Access : A System Perspective
Broadband Fixed Wireless Access provides a systematic overview of the emerging WiMax technology, and much of the material is based on the practical experiences of the authors in building broadband wireless systems. This material will be of significant interest to network architects and developers of broadband fixed wireless access products. With the adoption of the IEEE 802.16 standard and the advent of next generation equipment, the WiMax technology has been growing in interest. The authors discuss applications at microwave frequencies between 2 and 11 GHz that could be attractive options for operators without an existing access infrastructure for reaching end users with broadband services. This introductory volume demystifies the technology and provides technical exposure to the various system trade-offs. Additionally.
Bioproducts From Canadas Forests : New Partnerships in the Bioeconomy
For the first time, this opportune book provides a comprehensive treatment of the many innovative, non-timber bioproducts that may be derived from Canada’s vast forests, including their potential economic, social and environmental impacts. It also offers a balanced discussion of the technological, policy and regulatory issues surrounding the emerging global bioeconomy. This book will not only be of interest to Canadian forestry professionals and entrepreneurs, but also to those interested in the contribution of forestry to the bioeconomy worldwide.
Bioarrays : From Basics to Diagnostics
Bioarrays: From Basics to Diagnostics provides an integrated and comprehensive collection of timely articles on the use of bioarray techniques in the fields of biotechnology and molecular medicine. The entire volume is broken into four sections – Bioarray Technology Platforms, Biomarkers and Clinical Genomics, Biomarker Identification Using Clinical Proteomics and Glycomics, and Emerging Technologies in Diagnostics – that create one well-integrated work. Particular emphasis is placed on DNA, protein, and carbohydrate biochips. The volume also looks extensively at oligonucleotides, cDNA, proteins, antibodies, and carbohydrate arrays.



















