Skip to main content
Elsevier

Academic Press

  • Molecular Basis of Biological Activity

    • 1st Edition
    • K Gaedo
    • English
    Molecular Basis of Biological Activity documents the proceedings of a symposium on the Molecular Basis of Biological Activity held in Caracas, Venezuela, July 11-17, 1971. This was the First Meeting of the Pan-American Association of Biochemical Societies (PAABS), and was organized by the Asociacion Venezolana de Bioquimica. The book begins by presenting a lecture on advances in the study of the mechanism of polysaccharide synthesis. This is followed by studies on rabbit muscle aldolase; the catalytic function of α-glycerolphosphate dehydrogenase; the functional and structural roles of metals in metalloenzymes; and enzyme adaptation in mammals. Separate chapters cover collagen biosynthesis and the mechanisms involved in its regulation; the organization of lipids in bilayers; the behavior of water-lipid interactions; the permease or transport systems in the mitochondrial membrane; and interaction between TTX and STX with isolated nerve membrane constituents. The final chapter examines the coupling of respiration via specific dehydrogenases to the transport of amino acids and many sugars.

  • Heterostructure Lasers Part B

    • 1st Edition
    • H.C. Jr. Casey
    • English
    Heterostructure Lasers, Part B: Materials and Operating Characteristics focuses on the operating characteristics of heterostructure lasers and the semiconductor materials used to fabricate them. Each major topic is introduced along with the basic laws that govern the observed phenomena. The expressions relevant to heterostructure lasers are derived from the basic laws, and realistic numerical examples based on the GaAs-AlxGa1-xAs heterostructure are given. This book is comprised of four chapters and begins with a discussion on semiconductor materials that have been used most extensively to fabricate heterostructure injection lasers, particularly combinations of III-V compounds. IV-VI binary compounds and their solutions are described, along with compositional grading for heterostructure lasers. The next chapter presents the phase equilibria, impurity incorporation, and the epitaxial growth techniques for heterostructure lasers, namely, liquid-phase epitaxy, molecular-beam epitaxy, and chemical vapor deposition. The fabrication and operating characteristics of both broad-area and stripe-geometry heterostructure lasers are then examined. The final chapter is devoted to the degradation of heterostructure lasers, with emphasis on catastrophic mirror damage at high power densities, ""dark-line defect"" formation, and gradual degradation. This monograph will be of interest to physicists.

  • The Biology of Mycoplasmas

    • 1st Edition
    • Paul F. Smith
    • English
    The Biology of Mycoplasmas discusses the origins, structure, significance, and dynamics of reproduction and growth of mycoplasmas. It also explains the relationship of mycoplasmas to bacteria and bacterial L-forms as well as to its chemical and physical environment. The book compares mycoplasmas with other group of microorganisms. In this way, it explains the rationale of separating this group from other groups. Aside from describing the organism and its growth and relationships, the book also explains the pathogenicity and significance of mycoplasmas as cells. It also discusses the immunological response to this group of organisms. This book will be invaluable to general biological scientist as well as to undergraduate and graduate students specializing in biology, microbiology, and other related sciences.

  • The Optics of Rays, Wavefronts, and Caustics

    • 1st Edition
    • O Stavroudis
    • English
    The Optics of Rays, Wavefronts, and Caustics presents the fundamental principles of geometrical optics and its unique role in modern technology. It also discusses the procedures used in optical design, which are based on geometrical optics. Organized into 16 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the underlying general mathematical facts, which constitute the substance of geometrical optics. It then presents the various techniques used to solve the ray and wavefront problems in general inhomogeneous medium. Other chapters consider the concept of ray tracing as a tool for calculating the principal curvatures of a wavefront as it propagates through a lens. In addition, the book tackles several topics, including the aspects of lens design, as well as a system of equations that are similar to the Maxwell equations. The last chapter deals with orthotomic systems of rays. Optical designers, optical physicists, theoretical physicists, and mathematicians will find the information and methods in this book extremely useful.

  • Spontaneous Phenomena

    A Mathematical Analysis
    • 1st Edition
    • English
    Spontaneous Phenomena: A Mathematical Analysis covers certain aspects in the teaching of mathematics, including historical perspective, model-building, and the inner nature of mathematics. This book is organized into 12 chapters beginning with the development of the relevant mathematics and physics. This topic is followed by considerable chapters on the theoretical and statistical principles of mathematical analysis, with an emphasis on a model for a radioactive decay. Other chapters discuss various phenomena within biology, medicine, statistics of medicine, determination of age, traffic analysis, and other fields. The concluding chapters present the fundamentals of the Poisson approximation to the binomial distribution and the chi-square test for goodness of fit. This book is an ideal source for mathematics and physics pre-college and early college students.

  • Comparative Biochemistry V2

    A Comprehensive Treatise
    • 1st Edition
    • Marcel Florkin
    • English
    Comparative Biochemistry: A Comprehensive Treatise, Volume II: Free Energy and Biological Function focuses on methodologies, processes, and mechanisms involved in the biological transformations of energy. Composed of contributions of various authors, the book first discusses free energy and the biosynthesis of phosphates. The thermodynamics of phosphoryl and phosphate transfer reactions; enzymatic synthesis of phosphates; and phosphoryl transfer sequences in metabolism are considered. The selection also looks at the utilization of free energy in the biosynthesis of saccharides, proteins, and peptides; ammonia metabolism; and biosynthesis of urea. The book also describes muscular contraction. The structure of myofibril; protein components of myofibril; localization of myofibrillar components; contraction of adenosine triphosphate; and adenosine triphosphatases of muscles are discussed. Other mechanisms that produce movements are also noted. The text ends with discussions on experiments on active transport, balance of electrocytes and water, mechanisms of osmoregulation, bioluminescence, and nerve conduction and electrical discharge. The book is a good source of data for readers interested in studying free energy.

  • The Porphyrins V2

    Structure and Synthesis, Part B
    • 1st Edition
    • David Dolphin
    • English
    The Porphyrins, Volume II: Structure and Synthesis, Part B is devoted to the structure and synthesis of porphyrins, their precursors, catabolic derivatives, and related systems. The book also covers nomenclature, history, geochemistry, purification, and structural determination of porphyrins, metalloporphyrins, and mono- and polypyrrolic compounds. This volume is organized into 10 chapters and begins with an overview of hydroporphyrins, paying particular attention to their synthesis and stereochemistry as well as reactivity, spectroscopy, and analogues. This book then discusses the synthesis, properties, thermodynamic stability, and evolution of porphyrinogens. The following chapters focus on porphyrins reversibly modified at the periphery by oxidation (oxophlorins) and by irreversible reactions at the periphery. The synthesis of photoexcited porphyrins, metalloporphyrins, and chlorophylls is covered. In addition, chapters on linear polypyrroles, their metal complexes, and macrocycles other than porphyrins are included. This book should be useful to inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemists interested in porphyrin chemistry and biochemistry.

  • Protozoa through Insecta

    • 1st Edition
    • T Pandian
    • English
    Animal Energetics, Volume 1: Protozoa through Insecta provides information pertinent to bioenergetics, which is the study of energy transformation in living systems that can be studied at various levels of biological organization, including organismic, population, as well as molecular and cellular. This book discusses the various facets of animal energetics. Comprised of 10 chapters, this book starts with an overview of the wide spectrum of trophic types found within the free-living Protozoa. This text then discusses the substantial differences that occur in the growth, respiration, and overall feeding activities of sponges. Other chapters consider the evolution of symbioses in platyhelminths and rhynchocoelans, which provides an opportunity to understand the physiological adaptations that are favored in their life cycle. This book discusses as well the data on energetics of predators, pests, and parasitoids. The final chapter deals with the inherent difficulties encountered in the estimation of bioenergetics components. Nutritionists, biologists, physiologists, and ecologists will find this book useful.

  • Biochemistry of Platelets

    • 1st Edition
    • David Phillips
    • English
    Biochemistry of Platelets is a comprehensive review of the biochemistry of platelets, with emphasis on the molecular basis for the various biological processes in which they participate. Topics range from stimulus-response coupling mechanisms to platelet contractile proteins, platelet membrane glycoproteins, and storage organelles in platelets and megakaryocytes. The expression and function of adhesive proteins on the platelet surface is also discussed. Comprised of 12 chapters, this book begins with a description of the morphological and metabolic responses to agonists, as well as the involvement of certain processes in the coupling of agonist-receptor interactions to platelet responses. The following chapter deals with platelet arachidonate metabolism and platelet-activating factor, focusing on the release of arachidonate from platelet lipid stores; pathways of platelet arachidonate metabolism and effects of arachidonate metabolites; and inhibition of platelet arachidonate metabolism by aspirin. The structure, function, and modification in disease of platelet membrane glycoproteins are then discussed, along with prothrombin activation on platelets and platelet regulation of thrombus formation. Secreted platelet proteins as markers for pathological disorders are also considered. This monograph is intended as a reference for investigators involved in platelet research as well as a source of information for those working in other areas of biological investigation.

  • Control and Dynamic Systems V54: System Performance Improvement and Optimization Techniques and Their Applications in Aerospace Systems

    Advances in Theory and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • C.T. Leonides
    • English
    Control and Dynamic Systems: Advances in Theory and Applications, Volume 54: System Performance Improvement and Optimization Techniques and their Applications in Aerospace Systems covers the issue of aerospace system performance and optimization techniques in aerospace systems. This book is composed of 12 chapters and begins with an examination of the techniques for aircraft conceptual design for mission performance. The succeeding chapters describe the balances and optimized design for aircraft and spacecraft structures through finite element procedures and the application of the knowledge-based system techniques for pilot aiding. These topics are followed by discussions of the optimal sensor placement for on-orbit modal identification experiments; the optimization techniques for helicopter airframe vibrations design; the size reduction techniques for efficient aeroservoelastic model determination; sensitivity analysis of eigendata of aeroelastic systems; and a simplified solution for transient structural dynamic problems with local nonlinearities. Other chapters explore a reduction algorithm for systems with integrators and the techniques for overcoming the difficulty of nonuniqueness of mode shape in modal analysis when random input data are not or cannot be measured. The last chapters consider the combined concepts of Krylov vectors and parameter matching and their application to develop model-reduction algorithms for structural dynamics. These chapters also provide the techniques for the development of new tracking algorithms that would incorporate explicit models of the maneuvering/nonmaneu... phases of target encounter. This book will prove useful to aerospace, control, systems, and design engineers.

Browse by Publisher