Micromechanics of Contact and Interphase Layers
Micromechanics provides a link between the structure and the properties at different scales of observation. This book deals with micromechanical analysis of interfaces and interface layers and presents several modelling tools, ranging from the rigorous method of asymptotic expansions to practical finite element simulations, suitable for this class of problems. Two application areas are discussed. Boundary layers associated with contact of rough bodies are modelled by applying a scale transition approach in which a macroscopic interface of zero thickness is seen at the micro-scale as a layer with some finite thickness. Secondly, evolution of laminated microstructures accompanying stress-induced martensitic transformations in shape memory alloys (SMA) is analyzed as an illustration of the case when the local interfacial phenomena – here the propagation of phase transformation fronts – govern the macroscopic behaviour of a heterogeneous material.
Microgravity Two-phase Flow and Heat Transfer
Multiphase thermal systems (involving more than one phase or one component) have numerous applications in aerospace, heat-exchanger, transport of contaminants in environmental systems, and energy transport and energy conversion systems. Advances in understanding the behaviour of multiphase thermal systems could lead to higher efficiency energy production systems, improved heat-exchanger design, and safer and enhanced treatment of hazardous waste. But such advances have been greatly hindered by the strong effect of gravitational acceleration on the flow. Depending on the flow orientation and the phase velocities, gravitational forces could significantly alter the flow regime, and hence the pressure-drop and heat-transfer coefficients associated with the flow. A reduced gravity environment (or "microgravity"), provides an excellent tool to study the flow without the masking effects of gravity. This book presents for the first time a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of two-phase flow behaviour in the virtual absence of gravity.
Microbiomes and emerging applications
Covers a range of important topics and recent advances in metagenomics, microbiomes and their emerging applications, including microbiota transplantation and its health implications. It also discusses microbiome composition and development in humans. The contributors of this volume provide detailed information on prebiotics and probiotics for enhanced human health. They also introduce microbiomes as the next frontiers in medicine, agriculture, industry and environment. A chapter is presented that discusses probiotic research studies in Nigeria and Canada that led to the discovery of Lactobacillus pentosus KCA1. The book contains timely knowledge and will be useful reference material for scientists and researchers working in the fields of food and agricultural biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals and medical biotechnology, fermentation technology, environmental biotechnology, microbiomes and microbial biotechnology and health care.
Microbiology of Extreme Soils
This volume provides an excellent introduction to the study of extreme soil micro-biology, and a variety of the challenging and fascinating environments that Earth-bound microbes face. Some are natural, and some are the result of human activity, and all of them have lessons to teach us about life’s adaptations within the “extreme” hori-zons of terrestrial soils. What’s more, each of these chapters (including the chapter on the soils of Mars by Ronald L. Crawford and David A. Newcombe) can give us insights into strategies that may make life possible beyond the safe confines of our present-day biosphere, to other worlds in this solar system and beyond
Microbial Root Endophytes
Plant roots may not only be colonized by mycorrhizal fungi, but also by a myriad of bacterial and fungal root endophytes that are usually not considered by the investigators of classic symbioses. This is the first book dedicated to the interactions of non-mycorrhizal microbial endophytes with plant roots. The phenotypes of these interactions can be extremely plastic, depending on environmental factors, nutritional status, genetic disposition and developmental stages of the two partners. The book deals with diversity, life history strategies, interactions, applications in agriculture and forestry, methods for isolation, cultivation, and both conventional and molecular methods for identification and detection of these endophytes. The comprehensive reviews demonstrate the high diversity of interactions and will provoke further studies to better understand the mechanisms which determine whether a plant-microbial interaction remains asymptomatic, leads to disease or to a mutualistic interaction.
Microbial nutraceuticals : Products and processes
Discussion of the recent advances in the application of microbial nutraceuticals and their implementation in the health, food, and agriculture sectors. The book begins with an overview of microbial nutraceuticals before moving on to discussions of more specific topics, including microbial cell factories for the production of essential amino acids, microbial production of dietary short-chain fatty acids, and microbial sources for bioactive peptides conferring health benefits.
Microbial Activity in the Rhizosphere
The rhizosphere is a very complex environment in which the effects of the plant on soil microorganisms and the effects of the microorganisms on the plant are interacting and are interdependent. Plant root exudates and breakdown products attract microbes and feed them and, in turn, the plants often benefit from the microbes. Interactions among microorganisms and plant roots are essential for nutritional requirements of the plant. Plant growth, development and productivity are largely dependent on the soil environment in the root region rhizosphere. The new techniques of studying the rhizosphere enables us to get a much better understanding of the dynamics of the rhizosphere population, such rhizosphere studies being of interest to agriculturists, soilbiologists, chemists, microbiologists and molecular biologists. The rhizosphere microbes in?uence the root environment in several ways. They may change the oxidation-reduction potential, influence the availability of moisture and nutrients, produce growth inhibiting or growth promoting substances in the form of exudates, provide competition and possibly induce many other effects. My corrhizal associations are beneficial in mineral uptake and in increasing root surface area for effective ion absorption. Antagonism, ompetition and synergism in soil and the rhizoplane (rhizosphere) are the most important microbial interactions to consider in the study of rhizosphere biology. With the growing information on the production of growth regulators, competitiveness of the microbes in the rhizosphere, microsymbionts, and other factors, their effect upon plant growth will become more evident. Experiments on the introduction of microbes or their products in the rhizosphere will help to improve our understandingofthebiologyoftherhizosphere.
Microarray technology and Its applications
The genomics revolution would not have been possible without the 'parallelisation' offered by microarray technology. This technological - and commercial - success has been since emulated by other applications areas, with a tremendous amplification of innovation. This book describes the fundamentals and latest developments in microarray technology, as well as its future directions. It presents detailed overviews of the different techniques of fabricating microarrays, of the chemistries and preparative steps involved, of the different types of microarrays, and of the instrumentation and optical issues involved.
Micro-, Meso- and Macro-Dynamics of the Brain
This book brings together leading investigators who represent various aspects of brain dynamics with the goal of presenting state-of-the-art current progress and address future developments. The topics cover the most fascinating facets of neuroscience from elementary computation of neurons, mesoscopic network oscillations, internally generated assembly sequences in the service of cognition, large-scale neuronal interactions within and across systems, the impact of sleep on cognition, memory and mental illness, brain controlled robots, motor-sensory integration, spatial navigation, large-scale computation and consciousness. Overall, this volume offers an integrated view of the challenges and opportunities in deciphering brain circuits in health and disease.
Micro-, Meso- and Macro-Connectomics of the Brain
Highlights cutting-edge methods that can accelerate progress in elucidating static ‘hard-wired’ circuits of the brain as well as dynamic interactions that are vital for brain function. The power of connectomic approaches in characterizing abnormal circuits in the many brain disorders that afflict humankind is considered. Experts in computational neuroscience and network theory provide perspectives needed for synthesizing across different scales in space and time. Altogether, this book provides an integrated view of the challenges and opportunities in deciphering brain circuits in health and disease.
Micro Cogeneration : Towards Decentralized Energy Systems
The need for replacement is an extremely important driving force for the current transformation, forcing conventional and new technologies to compete for a role in the future energy supply. The overall transformation of electricity systems is neither driven nor shaped by technical or societal modifications alone, but rather by a rich diversity of processes in the realms of technology, politics, society and economy.
Micro and Nanomanufacturing
Engineers seeking more knowledge of how nano and micro devices are designed and fabricated will learn: Manufacturing and fabrication at the micro and nanoscales Using bulk and surface micromachining techniques, LiGA and deep x-ray lithography to manufacture semiconductors Producing master molds with micromachining The deposition of thin films, pulsed water drop machining, and nanomachining Mark J. Jackson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Purdue University. His current research focuses on understanding the properties of materials in the field of micro scale metal cutting, micro and nano abrasive machining, and laser micro machining.
Micro and Nano Mechanical Testing of Materials and Devices
Nanoscale and nanostructured materials have exhibited different physical properties from the corresponding macroscopic coarse-grained materials due to the size confinement. As a result, there is a need for new techniques to probe the mechanical behavior of advanced materials on the small scales. Micro and Nano Mechanical Testing of Materials and Devices presents the latest advances in the techniques of mechanical testing on the micro- and nanoscales, which are necessary for characterizing the mechanical properties of low-dimensional materials and structures.
Michael Graves : Images of a grand tour
Michael Graves: Images of A Grand Tour collects for the first time the stunning artwork produced during this trip. Delicate pencil sketches, striking ink washes, and colorful photographs show the deep connection Graves had to the places he visited, from the Roman Forum to the Grecian Acropolis to Wiltshires Stonehenge. They also tell something of the education of an architect, bringing to light the classical buildings that caused Graves to reexamine his early devotion to modernism. A foreword by Graves reflects on these travels from the distance of forty years
mHealth Innovation in Asia : Grassroots Challenges and Practical Interventions
Offers a detailed account of a range of mHealth initiatives across South, Southeast and East Asia. It provides readers with deep insights into the challenges such initiatives face on the ground, and a view of the diverse cultural contexts shaping strategies for overcoming these challenges. The book brings together various discussions on the broader mHealth literature, and demonstrates how a research focus on diverse Asian contexts influences the success and/or failure of current mHealth initiatives. It also highlights the important roles social scientists can play in advancing theoretical approaches, as well as planning, implementing and evaluating mHealth initiatives. The book is a valuable resource for project planners, policy developers in NGOs and government institutions, as well as academics, researchers and students in the fields of public health, communications and development studies.
Metric Structures for Riemannian and Non-Riemannian Spaces
The first stages of the new developments were presented in Gromov's course in Paris, which turned into the famous "Green Book" by Lafontaine and Pansu (1979). The present English translation of that work has been enriched and expanded with new material to reflect recent progress. Additionally, four appendices—by Gromov on Levy's inequality, by Pansu on "quasiconvex" domains, by Katz on systoles of Riemannian manifolds, and by Semmes overviewing analysis on metric spaces with measures—as well as an extensive bibliography and index round out this unique and beautiful book.
Metric Spaces
The abstract concepts of metric ces are often perceived as difficult. This book offers a unique approach to the subject which gives readers the advantage of a new perspective familiar from the analysis of a real line. Rather than passing quickly from the definition of a metric to the more abstract concepts of convergence and continuity, the author takes the concrete notion of distance as far as possible, illustrating the text with examples and naturally arising questions. Attention to detail at this stage is designed to prepare the reader to understand the more abstract ideas with relative ease.
Metric Spaces
This volume provides a complete introduction to metric space theory for undergraduates. It covers the topology of metric spaces, continuity, connectedness, compactness and product spaces, and includes results such as the Tietze-Urysohn extension theorem, Picard's theorem on ordinary differential equations, and the set of discontinuities of the pointwise limit of a sequence of continuous functions.
Metric Handbook : Planning and Design Data
A major handbook of planning and design data for architects and architecture students. Covering basic design data for all the major building types, it is the ideal starting point for any project. For each building type, the book gives the basic design requirements and all the principal dimensional data, and succinct guidance on how to use the information and what regulations the designer needs to be aware of.
Metodi Matematici della Fisica = Mathematical Methods of Physics
This text draws its origin from my old notes, prepared for the course of Mathematical Methods of Physics and gradually arranged, refined and updated over the course of many years of teaching. The aim has always been to provide as simple and direct a presentation as possible of the mathematical methods relevant to Physics: Fourier series, Hilbert spaces, linear operators, functions of complex variables, Fourier and Laplace transforms, distributions. In addition to these basic topics, a brief introduction to the first notions of group theory, Lie algebras and symmetries in view of their applications to Physics is presented in the Appendix.



















