الصفحة 73
الصفحة 73
Arthropod Diversity and Conservation
Despite their enormous bulk and complexity of architecture, plants make up only around a quarter of a million of the 8 million or so species on Earth. The major components of biodiversity, instead, are the smaller, largely unseen, silent majority of invertebrates – most of which are arthropods. Vertebrates, a mere blip on the biotic horizon, are elevated in importance in the bigger scheme of things only by the human psyche. This collection of more than 30 peer-reviewed papers focuses on the diversity and conservation of arthropods, whose species inhabit virtually every recess and plane – and feature somewhere in virtually every food web – on the planet. Highlighting issues ranging from large-scale disturbance to local management, and from spatial heterogeneity to temporal patterns, these papers reflect some of the most exciting new research taking place today – and in some of the most biodiverse corners of the planet.
Aromatase Inhibitors
Many breast tumours are dependent upon oestrogen for their development and continued growth. Over the last 25 years hormone therapy has progressed from the irreversible destruction of endocrine glands to the use of drugs that reversibly suppress oestrogen synthesis or action. The inhibition of oestrogen synthesis is most readily achieved by inhibiting the final step in the pathway of oestrogen biosynthesis, the reaction which transforms androgens into oestrogens by creating an aromatic ring in the steroid molecule (hence the enzyme's trivial name, aromatase). Whereas the first aromatase inhibitors to be used therapeutically could be shown to produce drug-induced inhibition of the enzyme and therapeutic benefits in patients with breast cancer, they were not particularly potent and lacked specificity. However, second-generation drugs were developed and most recently third-generation inhibitors have evolved which possess remarkable specificity and potency. Initial results from clinical trials suggest that these agents will become the cornerstones of future endocrine therapy.
Aromatase Inhibitors
Many breast tumours are dependent upon oestrogen for their development and continued growth. Over the last 25 years hormone therapy has progressed from the irreversible destruction of endocrine glands to the use of drugs that reversibly suppress oestrogen synthesis or action. The inhibition of oestrogen synthesis is most readily achieved by inhibiting the final step in the pathway of oestrogen biosynthesis, the reaction which transforms androgens into oestrogens by creating an aromatic ring in the steroid molecule (hence the enzyme's trivial name, aromatase). Whereas the first aromatase inhibitors to be used therapeutically could be shown to produce drug-induced inhibition of the enzyme and therapeutic benefits in patients with breast cancer, they were not particularly potent and lacked specificity. However, second-generation drugs were developed and most recently third-generation inhibitors have evolved which possess remarkable specificity and potency. Initial results from clinical trials suggest that these agents will become the cornerstones of future endocrine therapy.
Arid Dune Ecosystems: The Nizzana Sands in the Negev Desert
Sand dune dynamics plays a key role in many arid deserts. This volume provides a synthesis of a specific sand dune ecosystem, the Nizzana site in the Negev Desert. Describing its climate and geophysical/geochemical properties of soils, geological history, flora and fauna, and past/present land-use patterns, it elucidates ecological and geomorphological processes and their interrelations, based on long-term monitoring, in situ experiments and satellite imagery. Particular attention is drawn to the impact of the topsoil biological crust in controlling water availability at local/regional scales. The interdisciplinary approach adopted in this case study offers a good example of a highly complex and dynamic system, which could easily be applied to other sandy ecosystems.
Area-wide control of insect pests : From research to field implementation
This new textbook on area-wide control of insect pests collates a series of selected papers that attempts to address various funda- mental components of AW-IPM, e.g. the importance of relevant problem-solving research, the need for essential baseline data, thesignificanceofadequatetoolsforappropri-atecontrolstrategies,andthevalueofpilottri- als, etc.
Architecture and the modern hospital : Nosokomeion to Hygeia
Explores the rapid evolution of hospital design in the twentieth century, analysing the ways in which architects and other specialists reimagined the modern hospital. It examines how the vast expansion of medical institutions over the course of the century was enabled by new approaches to architectural design and it highlights the emerging political conviction that physical health would become the cornerstone of human welfare.
Aquatic Oligochaete biology IX : Selected papers from the 9th Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta, 6-10 October 2003, Wageningen, The Netherlands
This volume contains selected papers from the 9th Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta, 6–10 October 2003, Wageningen, The Netherlands. 18 contributions deal with the biology of aquatic oligochaetes, and represents a mixture of the fields of taxonomy, anatomy, morphology and physiology, life history, ecology, sludge studies and toxicology. This wide scope is in line with the recent trends in oligochaete research, with a special interest in sludge studies.
Aquatic medicinal plants
The use of medicinal plants in herbal and modern medicine has gained popularity over the last few decades due to consumers taking more natural approaches to medicine. Aquatic medicinal plants are rich in bioactive compounds and demonstrate various commercial, nutraceutical, and biological applications. Aquatic Medicinal Plants offers the reader a wealth of information on uses of bioactive components of these plants, along with crucial references, and explains their traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties.
Aquatic Biodiversity II : The Diversity of Aquatic Ecosystems
The present book comprises a unique collection of primary research papers spanning a wide range of topics in aquatic biodiversity studies, and including a first global assessment of specific diversity of freshwater animals. The book also presents a section on the interaction between scientists and science policy managers
Aquaponics Food Production Systems : Combined Aquaculture and Hydroponic Production Technologies for the Future
This book, written by world experts in aquaponics and related technologies, provides the authoritative and comprehensive overview of the key aquaculture and hydroponic and other integrated systems, socio-economic and environmental aspects. Aquaponic systems, which combine aquaculture and vegetable food production offer alternative technology solutions for a world that is increasingly under stress through population growth, urbanisation, water shortages, land and soil degradation, environmental pollution, world hunger and climate change.
Aquaculture in the Ecosystem
This book provides a scientific forecast of the development in aquaculture with a focus on the environmental, technological, social and economic constraints that need to be resolved to ensure sustainable development of the industry and allow the industry to be able to feed healthy seafood products to the future generations. The chapters included discuss the most critical bottlenecks of the development encompassing subjects of understanding the environmental impacts, the current state-of-art in monitoring programs and in coastal zone management, the important interactions between wild and cultured organisms including release of non-native species into the wild, the current trends within the development of aquafeeds along with human health aspects as well as the political, socio-economic and economic trends within the industry including a chapter on approaches taken by Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to aquaculture. Finally the last chapter provides different future scenarios of the industry based on the identified bottlenecks.
Appropriate Dose Selection - How to Optimize Clinical Drug Development
Optimal dose individualization has become more important in improving clinical efficacy and safety, given the variability in drug response, e.g., due to concurrent illnesses or co-medications. Therefore, the role of optimal dose finding in early clinical drug development so as to maximize successful clinical use is emphasized. The continued use of biomarkers – based on the (known) pharmacology of the drug and/or biology of the underlying disease – along with exposure–response evaluation throughout all phases of drug development can quantitatively integrate clinical pharmacology knowledge, provide early proof of concept, and help in rational dose selection and rational drug product labeling for clinical use.
Approaches to the purification, analysis and characterization of antibody-based therapeutics
Provides the interested and informed reader with an overview of current approaches, strategies and considerations relating to the purification, analytics and characterization of therapeutic antibodies and related molecules. While there are obviously other books published in and around this subject area, they seem to be either older (c.a. year 2000 publication date) or are more limited in scope. The book will include an extensive bibliography of the published literature in the respective areas covered. It is not, however, intended to be a how-to methods book.
Applied Research in Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis
For a long time uncertainty has been considered synonymous with random, stochastic, statistic, or probabilistic. Since the early sixties views on uncertainty have become more heterogeneous. In the past forty years numerous tools that model uncertainty, above and beyond statistics, have been proposed by several engineers and scientists. The tool/method to model uncertainty in a specific context should really be chosen by considering the features of the phenomenon under consideration, not independent of what is known about the system and what causes uncertainty. In this fascinating overview of the field, the authors provide broad coverage of uncertainty analysis/modeling and its application. Applied Research in Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis presents the perspectives of various researchers and practitioners on uncertainty analysis and modeling outside their own fields and domain expertise. Rather than focusing explicitly on theory, the authors use real-world examples to demonstrate the strength of the chosen methodology. Applied Research in Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis concentrates on general aspects of uncertainty, modeling, and methods, and focuses on various applications, included Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Structural Engineering, and Transportation Engineering.
Applied Physical Pharmacy
Presents an introduction to physical pharmacy. This book begins with a review of key biopharmaceutics concepts of drug liberation, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
Applied Fuzzy Arithmetic : An Introduction with Engineering Applications
Applied Fuzzy Arithmetic provides a well-structured compendium that offers both a deeper knowledge about the theory of fuzzy arithmetic and an extensive view on its applications in the engineering sciences, making it a resource for students, researchers, and practical engineers. The first part of the book gives an introduction to the theory of fuzzy arithmetic, which aims to present the subject in a well-organized and comprehensible form. The derivation of fuzzy arithmetic from the original fuzzy set theory and its evolution towards a successful implementation is presented with existing formulations of fuzzy arithmetic included and integrated in the overall context. The second part of the book presents a diversified exposition of the application of fuzzy arithmetic, addressing different areas of the engineering sciences, such as mechanical, geotechnical, biomedical, and control engineering.
Applied Bioinformatics : An Introduction
In this book, anyone who can operate a PC, standard software and the Internet will learn to understand the biological basis of bioinformatics of the existence as well as the source and availability of bioinformatics software how to apply these tools and interpret results with confidence.This is aided by introductory chapters to important aspects of bioinformatics, detailed bioinformatics exercises, including solutions and a glossary of definitions and terminology relating to bioinformatics.
Applications of three-dimensional imaging for craniofacial region
Provides sound knowledge of 3D imaging of dentofacial craniofacial region. It guides the students and faculty for understanding the dentofacial craniofacial region in depth. It incorporates the latest techniques, frameworks and technologies in the imaging area of oral health. The book emphasizes on the dentofacial and craniofacial region and thus fills the gap in the medical imaging literature.
Applications of Synchrotron Radiation : Micro Beams in Cell Micro Biology and Medicine
This book demonstrates the applications of synchrotron radiation in certain aspects of cell microbiology, specifically non-destructive elemental analyses, chemical-state analyses and imaging (distribution) of the elements within a cell. The basics for understanding and applications of synchrotron radiation are also described to make the contents easier to be understood for a wide group of researchers in medical and biological sciences who might not be familiar with the physics of synchrotron radiation. The two main techniques that are discussed in this book are the x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and the x-ray fine structure analysis (XAFS).
Applications of Plant Metabolic Engineering
Written by leading international experts in the field of plant metabolic engineering, this book discusses, mainly, applications of plant metabolic engineering. Metabolic engineering, which is part of second generation biotechnology, has made several contributions at basic level as well as at conceptualising products ever since its emergence in the early 1980s. Applications resulting from metabolic engineering are expected to play a very important role in future for plant breeding, e.g. for improved resistance or improved traits concerning health promoting constituents, and production of fine chemicals such as medicines, flavors and fragrances.
