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Elsevier Science

Methods for Monitoring and Diagnosing the Efficiency of Catalytic Converters
A Patent-oriented Survey
1st Edition
Volume 115
M. Sideris
English
The dramatic evolution of catalytic converters in the last thirty years was a result of a need worldwide to reduce pollution created by the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines. Environmental concerns have led American, Japanese and European Union (EU) legislation to pose continuously stricter emission limits for petrol engines in the last decades. The catalytic converter has become the most important means of exhaust treatment to achieve the desired emission limits. The international legislation has also created a need for a regular assessment of the efficiency of the catalytic converter in order to detect a deterioration of its conversion efficiency as soon as this deterioration takes place. The assessment of conversion efficiency of a catalytic converter can take place during normal driving of a vehicle (on-board diagnosis or OBD) or in a workshop by specialized technicians. The most important methods nowadays are the OBD methods. The evolution of methods concerned with OBD and non-OBD monitoring and diagnosing of efficiency of catalytic converters of internal combustion engines is described based on patents and published patent applications. Non-patent references are also used. The basic principles of modern catalytic converters are described in an extensive Introduction, where the importance of monitoring and diagnosing the efficiency of catalytic converters is demonstrated. The book is divided into four parts. The first part describes methods involving the use of oxygen or air/fuel exhaust gas sensors to determine the oxygen storage capacity of a catalytic converter. The second part describes methods involving the use of temperature sensors to determine the exothermic reaction capacity of a catalytic converter. The third part describes all other methods existing in patent literature that monitor and diagnose the efficiency of catalytic converters. The great majority of the methods of the third part involves exhaust gas concentration measurements. The fourth part comprises a general discussion of all methods described. In the beginning of each part, a short introduction is given to explain the problem that the methods attempt to solve. The methods in each part are presented in chronological order per patent applicant. This helps to evaluate how the patent applicant has improved his methods over time. A patent number index with information about the patent applicants, inventors, priorities and patent-families, an inventor index, a company index and a subject index can be found at the end of the book.
Analysis of Geophysical Potential Fields
A Digital Signal Processing Approach
1st Edition
Volume 5
P.S. Naidu + 1 more
English
When some useful information is hidden behind a mass of unwanted information we often resort to information processing used in its broad sense or specifically to signal processing when the useful information is a waveform. In geophysical surveys, in particular in aeromagnetic and gravity surveys, from the measured field it is often difficult to say much about any one specific target unless it is close to the surface and well isolated from the rest. The digital signal processing approach would enable us to bring out the underlying model of the source, that is, the geological structure. Some of the tools of dsp such as digital filtering, spectrum estimation, inversion, etc., have found extensive applications in aeromagnetic and gravity map analysis. There are other emerging applications of dsp in the area of inverse filtering, three dimensional visualization, etc.The purpose of this book is to bring numerous tools of dsp to the geophysical community, in particular, to those who are entering the geophysical profession. Also the practicing geophysicists, involved in the aeromagnetic and gravity data analysis, using the commercially available software packages, will find this book useful in answering their questions on "why and how?". It is hoped that such a background would enable the practising geophysicists to appreciate the prospects and limitations of the dsp in extracting useful information from the potential field maps. The topics covered are: potential field signals and models, digital filtering in two dimensions, spectrum estimation and application, parameter estimation with error bounds.
Computational Methods in Molecular Biology
1st Edition
Volume 32
S.L. Salzberg + 2 more
English
Computational biology is a rapidly expanding field, and the number and variety of computational methods used for DNA and protein sequence analysis is growing every day. These algorithms are extremely valuable to biotechnology companies and to researchers and teachers in universities.This book explains the latest computer technology for analyzing DNA, RNA, and protein sequences. Clear and easy to follow, designed specifically for the non-computer scientist, it will help biologists make better choices on which algorithm to use. New techniques and demonstrations are elucidated, as are state-of-the-art problems, and more advanced material on the latest algorithms.The primary audience for this volume are molecular biologists working either in biotechnology companies or academic research environments, individual researchers and the institutions they work for, and students. Any biologist who relies on computers should want this book.A secondary audience will be computer scientists developing techniques with applications in biology.An excellent reference for leading techniques, it will also help introduce computer scientists to the biology problems. This is an outstanding work which will be ideal for the increasing number of scientists moving into computational biology.
Advances in Adaptive Computational Methods in Mechanics
1st Edition
Volume 7
P. Ladeveze + 1 more
English
Mastering modelling, and in particular numerical models, is becoming a crucial and central question in modern computational mechanics. Various tools, able to quantify the quality of a model with regard to another one taken as the reference, have been derived. Applied to computational strategies, these tools lead to new computational methods which are called "adaptive". The present book is concerned with outlining the state of the art and the latest advances in both these important areas.Papers are selected from a Workshop (Cachan 17-19 September 1997) which is the third of a series devoted to Error Estimators and Adaptivity in Computational Mechanics. The Cachan Workshop dealt with latest advances in adaptive computational methods in mechanics and their impacts on solving engineering problems. It was centered too on providing answers to simple questions such as: what is being used or can be used at present to solve engineering problems? What should be the state of art in the year 2000? What are the new questions involving error estimators and their applications?
Development Biology
1st Edition
Volume 11
Edward Bittar
English
The purpose of this module is to provide a survey of the rapidly expanding field of developmental biology and to introduce it to the student in a unifying way. In medical schools where courses in biochemistry, physiology, and pharmacology are already considerably intersecting, there is not surprisingly a rising demand in modern medical education for books emphasizing the interdisciplinary approach. In recent years, developmental biology has become a very vibrant and exciting field. The adoption of the interdisciplinary approach in this field has yielded enormous information about how DNA is able to produce a living organism from a fertilized egg. The discovery of 'master' genes in Drosophila that control spatial organization and share a segment of DNA, the so-called homeobox, and the discovery in C. elegans of genes controlling the timing of branching off of cell lineages are today recognized as milestones in molecular developmental biology.Because of space limitations and because of the information explosion, we have continued to pursue the policy of selecting broad topics but not in every case. This time, for example, though guided by the principle that a close connection exists between genes, adhesion, and morphogenesis, we opted to include certain topics such as cadherin - an adhesion molecule - rather than have the whole subject of adhesion dealth with in a single chapter. Substrate-adhering molecules (e.g., fibronectnin) are touched upon in Chapter 5. In a similar manner, only one type of junction is discussed at length. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 border on the extraordinary, for they are together absorbingly interesting. The last chapter makes things more pragmatic. The attention of the reader is drawn to the fact that several previous volumes of the compendium impinge on the present one. Chapters 25 and 26 in Volume 7B, in particular, have much to say on the subjects of extracellular matrix adhesion and intercellular communication.
Genes and Genomes
1st Edition
Volume 5
R.S. Verma
English
The laws of inheritance were considered quite superficial until 1903, when the chromosome theory of heredity was established by Sutton and Boveri. The discovery of the double helix and the genetic code led to our understanding of gene structure and function. For the past quarter of a century, remarkable progress has been made in the characterization of the human genome in order to search for coherent views of genes. The unit of inheritance termed factor or gene, once upon a time thought to be a trivial an imaginary entity, is now perceived clearly as the precise unit of inheritance that has continually deluged us with amazement by its complex identity and behaviour, sometimes bypassing the university of Mendel's law.The aim of the fifth volume, entitled Genes and Genomes, is to cover the topics ranging from the structure of DNA itself to the structure of the complete genome, along with everything in between, encompassing 12 chapters. These chapters relate much of the information accumulated on the role of DNA in the organization of genes and genomes per se. Several distinguished scientists, all pre-eminent authorities in each field to share their expertise. Obviously, since the historical report on the double helix configuration in 1953, voluminous reports on the meteoric advances in genetics have been accumulated, and to cover every account in a single volume format would be a Herculean task. Therefore, only a few topics are chosen, which are of great interest to molecular geneticists. This volume is intended for advanced graduate students who would wish to keep abreast with the most recent trends in genome biology.
Instrumental Methods in Food and Beverage Analysis
1st Edition
Volume 39
D.L.B. Wetzel + 1 more
English
Advances in instrumentation and applied instrumental analysis methods have allowed scientists concerned with food and beverage quality, labeling, compliance, and safety to meet ever increasing analytical demands. Texts dealing with instrumental analysis alone are usually organized by the techniques without regard to applications. The biannual review issue of Analytical Chemistry under the topic of Food Analysis is organized by the analyte such as N and protein, carbohydrate, inorganics, enzymes, flavor and odor, color, lipids, and vitamins. Under 'flavor and odor' the subdivisions are not along the lines of the analyte but the matrix (e.g. wine, meat, dairy, fruit) in which the analyte is being determined. In "Instrumentation in Food and Beverage Analysis" the reader is referred to a list of 72 entries entitled "Instrumentation and Instrumental Techniques" among which molecular spectroscopy, chromatographic and other sophisticated separations in addition to hyphenated techniques such as GS-Mass spectrometry. A few of the entries appear under a chapter named for the technique. Most of the analytical techniques used for determination, separations and sample work prior to determination are treated in the context of an analytical method for a specific analyte in a particular food or beverage matrix with which the author has a professional familiarity, dedication, and authority. Since, in food analysis in particular, it is usually the food matrix that presents the research analytical chemist involved with method development the greatest challenge.
Catalysis and Automotive Pollution Control IV
1st Edition
Volume 116
N. Kruse + 2 more
English
In spite of the energy crises and the recession, there has been a global, explosive growth in the amount of motor vehicles. In the past 50 years, the amount has increased from 50 to 700 million vehicles. For economical reasons they will probably continue to be used for a considerable number of years, despite the poor yield of internal combustion engines resulting in the inevitable production of some gaseous pollutants. The subsequent increase of gaseous pollutants in our atmosphere caused by exhaust gas from automobiles has enhanced the problem of the elimination of these pollutants produced by internal combustion engines. Catalysis has proven to be the best solution to lower the content of exhaust gas in pollutants.As its predecessors, CAPoC4 proved to be a suitable platform for discussing technological improvements and developments along with future perspectives and challenges. In the light of new results and further legislative regulations, the following topics were intensely discussed: *low light-off behaviour based on improved catalysts and substrate formulations*efficie... adsorber systems for storage of hydrocarbon emissions*electrical... heated catalyst systems ahead the main catalyst or, alternatively, close coupled catalysts (at the manifold of the engine)• lean DeNOx catalysts allowing for decomposition of NOx in the oxygen-rich exhaust of direct injection gasoline engines and high speed injection diesel engines or, alternatively, NOx trapping/reduction in a hybrid approach* collection and destruction of dry particulates or soot.There is no doubt that clean vehicle technology is a vital part of improving air quality. Challenges remain and call for technological answers. Catalytic air pollution control is still an area providing a considerable incentive for innovative work.
Brain Function in Hot Environment
1st Edition
Volume 115
H.S. Sharma + 1 more
English
Although problems relating to hyperthermia and heat stroke are well known since biblical times, until now the influence of heat or hyperthermia on the central nervous system has not been well documented. This book is the first to describe in detail the influences of hyperthermia on the CNS using the modern technology which has developed in the last 50 years in neuroscience. Hyperthermia is a common feature during fever, radiotherapy of tumours and exercise in hot environment. Statistically, hyperthermia and/or heat stroke is currently recognised as the third largest killer in America after head and spinal trauma and heart failure. However, studies on the mechanisms of heat-induced death or damage to the CNS are still lacking. This book aims to define the probable mechanisms of brain damage in hyperthermia which could be responsible for death of victims. Rational therapeutic measures based on the experimental findings are also described.The most important new aspect of the CNS function in hyperthermia suggests that the basic mechanisms of cell injury appears to be quite similar in nature. The severity of cell injury depends chiefly on the magnitude of the primary insult. Thus, it appears that hyperthermic brain injury is similar to the situation of trauma, ischemia and infarction. Baring this in mind, this book describes suitable models for hyperthermic injury which could be highly relevant to the study of mechanisms of cell injury in the CNS and to test various neuroprotective agents which may be found useful in the treatment of various traumatic, ischemic or degenerative diseases.In general the book will increase our basic understanding of brain function in hot environment and increase our awareness regarding heat as an important factor influencing our brain function at a time when global warming is described as a potential hazard to the biological system.This book is a refereed collection of 24 chapters written by several eminent scientists from different disciplines involved in basic and applied research in the CNS from various parts of the globe. It is hoped that the new aspects of brain function in hot environment compiled in this volume will provide an up-to-date ready reference which may serve as a strong scientific stimulus to many workers in this emerging field of neuroscience. Stimulating the exploration of the subject with novel ideas and/or experimental and clinical approaches in the future.
Data Analysis and Signal Processing in Chromatography
1st Edition
Volume 21
A. Felinger
English
This book gives an overview of the numerical data analysis and signal treatment techniques that are used in chromatography and related separation techniques. Emphasis is given to the description of the symmetrical and asymmetrical chromatographic peak shape models. Both theoretical and empirical models are discussed.The fundamentals of data acquisition, types and effect of baseline noise, and methods of improving the signal-to-noise ratio (either in time or in frequency and wavelet domain) are thoroughly discussed. Resolution enhancement techniques, such as curve fitting, deconvolution by Fourier and wavelet transforms, iterative deconvolution, Kalman filtering and multivariate methods of curve resolution are all discussed with several chromatographic examples. Quantitative analysis by peak area of peak height measurement, the precision and accuracy of the quantitation of stand-alone or overlapping and symmetrical or asymmetrical peaks are treated. In a separate chapter, guidelines are given for the use of transform techniques for the analysis of chromatograms. A statistical description of peak overlap is given in the final chapters. Since the concept of resolution has to be reconsidered when one separates complex mixtures, the problem of resolution and overlap is quantitatively discussed by means of statistical methods, and by using Fourier analysis of the complex chromatogram.Feature... of this book• The ultimate source of numerical techniques to enhance chromatographic data• Gives a detailed description of signal and resolution enhancement techniques in a manner applicable for enhancing not only chromatography, but also spectroscopic and other analytical signals• The first book with a thorough overview of the statistics of peak overlap.This is the first volume to encompass both the simple and more sophisticated methods for the numerical treatment of chromatograms. It is, therefore, the fundamental resource of numerical analysis methods for every analyst.

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