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Elsevier Science

  • Nano-Physics and Bio-Electronics

    A New Odyssey
    • 1st Edition
    • T. Chakraborty + 2 more
    • English
    This book is a collection of some of the invited talks presented at the international meeting held at the Max Planck Institut fuer Physik Komplexer Systeme, Dresden, Germany during August 6-30, 2001, on the rapidly developing field of nanoscale science in science and bio-electronics Semiconductor physics has experienced unprecedented developments over the second half of the twentieth century. The exponential growth in microelectronic processing power and the size of dynamic memorie has been achieved by significant downscaling of the minimum feature size. Smaller feature sizes result in increased functional density, faster speed, and lower costs. In this process one is reaching the limits where quantum effects and fluctuations are beginning to play an important role. This book reflects the achievements of the present times and future directions of research on nanoscopic dimensions.
  • Agriculture and Food Production

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 2
    • English
    This volume of Applied Mycology and Biotechnology completes the set of two volumes dedicated to the coverage of recent developments on the theme "Agriculture and Food Production". The first volume provided overview on fungal physiology, metabolism, genetics and biotechnology and highlighted their connection with particular applications to food production. The second volume examines various specific applications of mycology and fungal biotechnology to food production and processing. In the second volume coverage on two remaining areas of the theme, food crop production and applications in the foods and beverages sector, is presented.The interdisciplinary and complex nature of the subject area, combined with the need to consider the sustainability of agri-food practices, its economics and industrial perspectives, requires a certain focus and selectivity of subjects. In this context the recent literature contained in this work will help readers arrive at comprehensive, in depth information on the role of fungi in agricultural food and feed technology.As a professional reference this book is targeted towards agri-food producer research establishments, government and academic units. Teachers and students, both in undergraduate and graduate studies, in departments of food science, food technology, food engineering, microbiology, applied molecular genetics and biotechnology will also find this work useful.
  • Environmental Foresight and Models

    A Manifesto
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 22
    • M.B. Beck
    • English
    Policy-makers and the public, it has famously been said, are more interested in the possibility of non-linear dislocations and surprises in the behaviour of the environment than in smooth extrapolations of current trends. The International Task Force in Forecasting Environmental Change (1993-1998) dedicated its work to developing procedures of model building capable of addressing our palpable concerns for substantial change in the future. This volume discusses the immense challenges that such structural change presents - that the behaviour of the environment may become radically different from that observed in the past - and investigates the potentially profound implications for model development.Drawing upon case histories from the Great Lakes, acidic atmospheric deposition and, among others, the urban ozone problem, this discourse responds to a new agenda of questions. For example: "What system of 'radar' might we design to detect threats to the environment lying just beyond the 'horizon'?" and "Are the seeds of structural change identifiable within the record of the recent past?"Meticulously researched by leading environmental modellers, this milestone volume engages vigorously with its subject and offers an animated account of how models can begin to take into consideration the significant threats and uncertainties posed by structural change.
  • Fundamentals of Salt Water Desalination

    • 1st Edition
    • H.T. El-Dessouky + 1 more
    • English
    Industrial desalination of sea and brackish water is becoming an essential part in providing sustainable sources of fresh water for a larger number of communities around the world. Desalination is a main source of fresh water in the Gulf countries, a number of the Caribbean and Mediterranean Islands, and several municipalities in a large number of countries. As the industry expands there is a pressing need to have a clear and well-written textbook that focuses on desalination fundamentals and other industrial aspects.This book focuses on the processes widely used in industry, which include multistage flash desalination and reverse osmosis. Also, other desalination processes with attractive features and high potential are featured. It includes a large number of solved examples, which are explained in simple and careful matter that allow the reader to follow and understand the development. The data used in the development of the examples and case studies are extracted from existing desalination plants.This title also includes comparisons of model predictions against results reported in literature as well as available experimental and industrial data. Several industries include similar unit operation processes, i.e., evaporators, condensers, flashing units, membrane separation, and chemical treatment. Examples of such industries include wastewater treatment, food, petroleum, petrochemical, power generation, and pulp and paper. Process fundamentals and design procedures of such unit processes follow the same procedures given in this textbook.
  • Absorbent Technology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 13
    • P.K. Chatterjee + 1 more
    • English
    This publication discusses the theoretical aspects of absorbency as well as the structure, properties and performance of materials. The chapters are arranged in an approach for the reader to advance progressively through fundamental theories of absorbency to more practical aspects of the technology. Topics covered include scientific principles of absorbency and structure property relationships; material technology including super absorbents, non-woven, natural and synthetic fibres and surfactants; absorbency measurement techniques and technology perspective. The reader is provided with current status information on technology and is also informed on important developments within the field.
  • Chemical Test Methods of Analysis

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 36
    • Y.A. Zolotov + 2 more
    • English
    Chemical analysis moves from laboratory to places where samples to be analysed are located. This trend is aptly termed "on-site analysis". As the dictum says: "from sample transfer to information transfer". Owing to the ever increasing number of samples to be analysed, preliminary screening and selection of samples seems to be necessary, even in the laboratory. Rapid test methods of chemical analysis can solve both these tasks. This book is devoted to test methods that are widely used in environmental, industrial, clinical, forensic, medical, and other areas allowing a rapid, simple and cost-effective analysis - qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative to be performed by trained as well as non-trained personnel. Some general characteristic features of test methods and test systems are described in the book, e.g. definitions, advantages and limitations, chemical and physical principles of operation, procedures and protocols, and methodological aspects. Application of test methods in various areas is extensively overviewed, and the test means and test tools pertinent for solving each concrete analytical task are discussed, e.g. paper strips, indicator powders and tubes, tablets, etc. The most important applications of test methods, evidently, are: testing for inorganic and organic components in water (mostly for purposes of environmental control), monitoring of toxic gases and alcohol vapours, detection of narcotics and explosives, determination of glucose, cholesterol, and other components of medical importance.
  • Complex Wave Dynamics on Thin Films

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 14
    • Hen-hong Chang + 1 more
    • English
    Wave evolution on a falling film is a classical hydrodynamic instability whose rich wave dynamics have been carefully recorded in the last fifty years. Such waves are known to profoundly affect the mass and heat transfer of multi-phase industrial units.This book describes the collective effort of both authors and their students in constructing a comprehensive theory to describe the complex wave evolution from nearly harmonic waves at the inlet to complex spatio-temporal patterns involving solitary waves downstream. The mathematical theory represents a significant breakthrough from classical linear stability theories, which can only describe the inlet harmonic waves and also extends classical soliton theory for integrable systems to real solitrary wave dynamics with dissipation. One unique feature of falling-film solitary wave dynamics, which drives much of the spatio-temporal wave evolution, is the irreversible coalescence of such localized wave structures. It represents the first full description of a hydrodynamic instability from inception to developed chaos. This approach should prove useful for other complex hydrodynamic instabilities and would allow industrial engineers to better design their multi-phase apparati by exploiting the deciphered wave dynamics. This publication gives a comprehensive review of all experimental records and existing theories and significantly advances state of the art on the subject and are complimented by complex and attractive graphics from computational fluid mechanics.
  • Biotransformations: Bioremediation Technology for Health and Environmental Protection

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 36
    • R.D. Stapleton Jr. + 1 more
    • English
    This volume provides a clear understanding of how microbes, following their degradative processes, contribute maximally to the benefit of mankind through biotransformations of waste materials as well as a wide variety of health-risk compounds.The book contains twenty four chapters contributed by leading scientists from different parts of the world, covering various aspects of bioremediation of xenobiotics such as toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic compounds, which include halogenated aromatics, derivatives of heavy metals, microbial toxins, tannins, dyes, sulfur compounds of coal and petroleum and pesticides. The bioremediation of agricultural residue, industrial as well as municipal wastes, fuel oils, lubricants, natural rubber products, and other synthetic polymers, which pollute the environment substantially, also constitutes an important component of the book. All biotechnological aspects of microbial transformations pertaining to biodegradation/biore... of hazardous wastes, ranging from screening methods for microbes with degradative potential, processes of degradation, strain improvement for enhanced biodegradation and elimination of xenobiotics of health and environmental concern have been dealt with. The book intends to widen the scope of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology in general and biotransformations in particular. It will provide an opportunity for scientists in the areas of biochemistry, food industry, environmental science and engineering and their implications in technologically feasible, environment friendly and economically viable bioremediation options. Also, it forms an interface between agro-industrial establishments and the academic world and will generate new thought provoking ideas for scientists of future generations for the safeguard of both human and animal health as well as the environment.
  • Temperature-Fatigue Interaction

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 29
    • L. Remy + 1 more
    • English
    This volume contains a selection of peer-reviewed papers presented at the International Conference on Temperature-Fatigue Interaction, held in Paris, May 29-31, 2001, organised by the Fatigue Committee of the Societé Française de Métallurgie et de Matériaux (SF2M), under the auspices of the European Structural Integrity Society. The conference disseminated recent research results and promoting the interaction and collaboration amongst materials scientists, mechanical engineers and design engineers. Many engineering components and structures used in the automotive, aerospace, power generation and many other industries experience cyclic mechanical loads at high temperature or temperature transients causing thermally induced stresses. The increase of operating temperature and thermal mechanical loading trigger the interaction with time-dependent phenomena such as creep and environmental effects (oxidation, corrosion). A large number of metallic materials were investigated including aluminium alloys for the automotive industry, steels and cast iron for the automotive industry and materials forming, stainless steels for power plants, titanium, composites, intermetallic alloys and nickel base superalloys for aircraft industry, polymers. Important progress was observed in testing practice for high temperature behaviour, including environment and thermo-mechanical loading as well as in observation techniques. A large problem which was emphasized is to know precisely service loading cycles under non-isothermal conditions. This was considered critical for numerous thermal fatigue problems discussed in this conference.
  • Biotechnology Organizations in Action

    Turning Knowledge into Business
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 20
    • J. Norus
    • English
    This volume analyzes the dynamics and interactive processes among the players (individuals, institutions, and organizations/firms) that have constituted and legitimized the development of the biotechnology industries. The unit of analysis is small entrepreneurial firms developing biotechnological products and processes. What types of strategies are small entrepreneurs pursuing in order to create markets for their new products and processes, and how have specific strategies emerged? The primary interest is the network process through which the technological field and the development of institutions and routines evolve and co-evolve. The theoretical contribution of the book is its focus on the development of the concept of networks. From being regarded as a relative static concept the book transforms the concept into a dynamic concept of networking. The dynamic view on the creation and development of new technologies through network formations is linked to the concept of strategy that is used throughout the book. Hence the strategies are developed along with the creation of technological knowledge, and it is hoped that the diffusion of this specific knowledge will bring new actors into the technological arena or community. This book will be useful to the academic community, those studying the formation of networks, strategic management, organizational behavior, and management of technology, as well as business observers with a specific interest in the evolution of the biotechnology industry.