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Elsevier Science

  • Complex Systems

    Lecture Notes of the Les Houches Summer School 2006
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 85
    • English
    There has been recently some interdisciplinary convergence on a number of precise topics which can be considered as prototypes of complex systems. This convergence is best appreciated at the level of the techniques needed to deal with these systems, which include: 1) A domain of research around a multiple point where statistical physics, information theory, algorithmic computer science, and more theoretical (probabilistic) computer science meet: this covers some aspects of error correcting codes, stochastic optimization algorithms, typical case complexity and phase transitions, constraint satisfaction problems. 2) The study of collective behavior of interacting agents, its impact on understanding some types of economical and financial problems, their link to population and epidemics dynamics, game theory, social, biological and computer networks and evolution.The present book is the written version of the lectures given during the Les Houches summer school session on "Complex Systems", devoted to these emerging interdisciplinary fields. The lectures consist both in a number of long methodological courses (probability theory, statistical physics of disordered systems, information theory, network structure and evolution, agent-based economics and numerical methods) and more specific, 'problem oriented' courses. Lecturers are all leading experts in their field; they have summarized recent results in a clear and authoritative manner. The "Les Houches lecture notes" have a long tradition of excellence and are often found to be useful for a number of years after they were written. The book is of interest to students and researchers with various backgrounds: probability theory, computer science, information theory, physics, finance, biology, etc.
  • Estuarine Ecohydrology

    • 1st Edition
    • Eric Wolanski
    • English
    Estuarine Ecohydrology focuses on the principal components of an estuary. The book demonstrates how one can quantify an estuarine ecosystem's ability to cope with human stresses. The theories, models, and real-world solutions covered will serve as a toolkit for designing a management plan for the ecologically sustainable development of an estuary. This book is organized into seven chapters dealing with topics such as estuarine water circulation; estuarine sediment dynamics; tidal wetlands; estuarine food webs; and ecohydrology models and solutions. Although each chapter contains rigorous specialist knowledge, it is presented in an accessible way that encourages multi-disciplinary collaboration between such fields as hydrology, ecology and mathematical modeling. Estuarine Ecohydrology is appropriate for use as a textbook and as a reference for researchers; advanced undergraduate and graduate students in marine biology, oceanography, coastal management, and coastal engineering; coastal developers; resources managers, shipping operators; and those involved in estuarine fisheries and sustainable development communities.
  • Advances in Antiviral Drug Design

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • E. De Clercq
    • English
    Regularly reviewing the "state-of-the-art" developments in the antiviral drug research field, this latest volume spans the conceptual design and chemical synthesis of new antiviral compounds. It discusses their structure-activity relationship, mechanism and targets of action, pharmacological behavior, antiviral activity spectrum, and therapeutic potential for clinical use.
  • Concepts and Applications in Environmental Geochemistry

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • Dibyendu Sarkar + 2 more
    • English
    This volume is for environmental researchers and government policy makers who are required to monitor environmental quality for their environmental investigators and remediation plans. It uses concepts and applications to aid in the exchange of scientific information across all the environmental science disciplines ranging from geochemistry to hydrogeology and ecology to biotechnology. Focusing on issues such as metals, organics and nutrient contamination of water and soils, and interactions between soil-water-plants-ch... the book synthesizes the latest findings in this rapidly-developing, multi-disciplinary field. Cutting-edge environmental analytical methods are also presented, making this a must-have for professionals tasked with monitoring environmental quality. These concepts and applications help in decision making and problem solving in a single resource.
  • Neurotrauma: New Insights into Pathology and Treatment

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 161
    • John T. Weber + 1 more
    • English
    Neurotrauma is the leading cause of death and disability in young adults, and the incidence in older patients is increasing. Neurotrauma is also a field in medicine with one of the highest unmet needs. Concentrated, focused and multidisciplinary efforts are required to combat this important disease. Exciting findings from basic research open opportunities for improving treatment results. This volume presents a unique and comprehensive overview of the latest findings and insights on translational research in neurotrauma. This book should be a must for any TBI or SCI researcher interested in translating their work to the clinic, as well as to clinicians interested in the latest research findings which could provide novel treatment strategies for their patients.
  • Methods for Phase Diagram Determination

    • 1st Edition
    • Ji-Cheng Zhao
    • English
    Phase diagrams are "maps" materials scientists often use to design new materials. They define what compounds and solutions are formed and their respective compositions and amounts when several elements are mixed together under a certain temperature and pressure. This monograph is the most comprehensive reference book on experimental methods for phase diagram determination. It covers a wide range of methods that have been used to determine phase diagrams of metals, ceramics, slags, and hydrides.
  • Comprehensive Glycoscience

    From Chemistry to Systems Biology
    • 1st Edition
    • G.-J. Boons + 5 more
    • English
    Carbohydrates are an important part of life and are present in bacteria, fungi, viruses, yeast, plants, animals and humans. The rapid expansion of chemistry and glycobiology over the last few years has provided many new, imaginative and efficient techniques which provide further insight into the structures and biological interactions of carbohydrates and glycostructures. Comprehensive Glycoscience has a very broad scope and will appeal to a wide audience as it explores the interactions between biology, chemistry and molecular biology towards understanding, synthesising and developing glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglyans and polysaccharides, which are important molecules in nature for controlling health and disease and food and feed. Glycocompounds reviewed include: oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycoconjugates, lectins, cellulose, pectins and starch. Topics covered include: spectroscopy, nomenclature, structures, synthesis, biosynthesis, molecular interactions, degradation, biochemistry, glycobiology, glycotherapeutics and diseases.
  • Fluid Catalytic Cracking VII:

    Materials, Methods and Process Innovations
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 166
    • English
    Since 1987, the Petroleum Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has sponsored at 3 year intervals an international symposium on fluid cracking catalysts (FCC) technology. This volume collects the recent progress of this technology as reported in the papers presented during the 232th National Meeting of the ACS in San Francisco, September 10-14, 2006.Sixty-six years after the introduction of the fluid cracking catalyst process, it remains the main process of gasoline generation for the estimated 237 millions cars on US roads. Catalysts testing and evaluation still remains a subject of interest, debate and controversy. Lambda sweep testing, testing of SOx, NOx and combustion promoters have been discussed in details together with catalyst evaluation for atmospheric residues and metal contaminated oils cracking.Of particular interest has been the introduction of novel concept in process design aimed at improving cracked product selectivity such as two-stage risers for better gasoline and olefins production and downer technology for high severity processes . The importance of solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the study of crude oils, catalysts and reaction products are illustrated by several examples. Two contributions describe the use of predictive methods to understand FCC aging and deactivationand personal overviews of the development of SOx and combustion promoters technology are presented.
  • Integrated and Participatory Water Resources Management - Theory

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1a
    • Rodolfo Soncini-Sessa + 2 more
    • English
    Covering the more recent advances in Modelling, Planning, Management and Negotiations for Integrated Water Resource Management, this text brings together knowledge and concepts from Hydrology, System Analysis, Control Theory, Conflict Resolution, and Decision and Negotiation Theory. Without compromising on mathematical rigour, the book maintains a fine line between theory and application, methodology and tools, avoiding getting locked into excessively theoretical and formal development of the issues discussed. The non-technical aspects of water resource systems (such as societal, political and legal concerns) are recognized throughout the book as having a great, if not fundamental, importance to reaching an agreed-upon decision; they are therefore integrated into the more technical and mathematical issues. The book provides a unified, coordinated and comprehensive framework that will facilitate the increasingly appropriate application of the Integrated Water Resource Management paradigm by current and future practising professionals, decision-makers and scientists.
  • Fundamentals of Discrete Element Methods for Rock Engineering: Theory and Applications

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 85
    • Lanru Jing + 1 more
    • English
    This book presents some fundamental concepts behind the basic theories and tools of discrete element methods (DEM), its historical development, and its wide scope of applications in geology, geophysics and rock engineering. Unlike almost all books available on the general subject of DEM, this book includes coverage of both explicit and implicit DEM approaches, namely the Distinct Element Methods and Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA) for both rigid and deformable blocks and particle systems, and also the Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) approach for fluid flow and solute transport simulations. The latter is actually also a discrete approach of importance for rock mechanics and rock engineering. In addition, brief introductions to some alternative approaches are also provided, such as percolation theory and Cosserat micromechanics equivalence to particle systems, which often appear hand-in-hand with the DEM in the literature. Fundamentals of the particle mechanics approach using DEM for granular media is also presented.