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Elsevier

Elsevier Science

  • Earthquake Proof Design and Active Faults

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 81
    • Y. Kanaori
    • English
    On 17th January 1995 an inland earthquake of 7.2 magnitude occurred under Kobe city in central Japan. More than 5,500 people lost their lives. There was immense and serious damage to buildings. Researchers and engineers were shocked and astonished by the extent of the devastation and loss of life. Ground motions, generated by the event were far greater than the seismic standard for earthquake-proof designs in Japan.Recent academic progress in the fields of geology and geophysics, which would help to reduce the severity of seismic disasters, has not been sufficiently applied to the development of earthquake-proof designs.This book contains 13 original and innovative papersof interdisciplinary study spanning earthquake-proof technology and active fault science (seven of the papers cover topics concerning the 1995 Kobe earthquake).

  • Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Cryogenic Engineering Conference/International Cryogenic Materials Conference

    Part 1
    • 1st Edition
    • T. Haruyama + 2 more
    • English
    This book contains the proceedings of the 16th ICEC/ICMC Conference, held in Kitakyushu, Japan, on 20th-24th May 1996. The Proceedings are presented in three volumes containing a total of 476 papers from 1484 authors. The proceedings covers the main areas of: Large Scale Refrigeration. Cryocoolers. Cryogenic Engineering. Space Cryogenics. Application of Superconductivity. Oxide Superconductors. Metallic Superconductors. Metallic Materials. Non Metallic Materials.In addition there are seven Plenary Lectures covering such diverse topics as commercialization of high-Tc superconductors, the continuing development of the Maglev system in Japan, and the Large Hadron Collider project. The Proceedings comprise an excellent and up-to-date summary of research and development in the fields of Cryogenics and Superconductivity.

  • Advances in Space Biology and Medicine

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • S.L. Bonting
    • English
    The sixth volume in Space Biology and Medicine is a volume with contributors from all spacefaring nations. Although all space agencies must currently operate under server budgetary restraints, progress in the field of space biology and medicine continues. The preparations for the International Space Station, in which Russia is going to participate with the United States, Europe, Japan, and Canada, are also continuing. For the longer term, studies for a Lunar Station are in progress. The contributions to this volume are witness of all these activities.Two chapters deal with the effects of weightlessness on the immune system. Taylor and colleagues review the effects in vivo, indicating a reduction of the immune function in space. The blunting of the immune function after short-term flights resembles that after acute stress on the ground, while long-term effects compare to those caused by chronic stress. Cogoli and Cogoli-Greuter describe studies on single cells, which show that proliferation and cytokine expression of T-lymphocytes are reduced in microgravity, possibly through a non-equilibrium thermodynamic effect.Preparation for long-term space missions is the express purpose of four contributions in this volume. Kanas considers the usefulness of space simulation studies by means of extended isolation and confinement on Earth, and points to be examined in future projects of this kind. Volumes 3 and 5 in this series were dedicated to two ESA projects of this nature. Grigoriev and Egorov describe a medical monitoring system for long-term missions. Schwartzkopf reports on the design of life support systems using plant cultivation for food and oxygen regeneration, with particular reference to a future Lunar base. Wolf describes a small-scale bioregenerative system based on an algal bioreactor.The use of medicinal drugs by astronauts is the subject of two chapters by Pavy-Le Traon, Saivin and colleagues. The resistance of bacteria to antibiotics can be changed in weightlessness, and no suitable drug against bone demineralisation in space is available. The pharmacokinetics of drugs is also changed, mainly due to the fluid shift in space. Smith and colleagues provide a comprehensive review of our present knowledge of the regulation of body fluid volume and electrolyte levels and the hormonal regulation mechanisms involved. The effects of weightlessness on the function of the vestibular system, which are the cause of space motion sickness in astronauts during the first week in space, are reviewed by Kornilova.Finally there are two chapters on the effects of gravity on non-human creatures. Izumi-Kurotani describes behaviour and stature of frogs during spaceflight, as well as some histological and biochemical changes in organs and tissues after return to Earth. Merkys and Darginaviciene have studied the mechanism of the plant gravitropic response (spatial orientation along the gravity vector) in space an on Earth, and conclude that flows of calcium ions and the growth hormone indole acetic acid in opposite directions appear to be involved.

  • Advances in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1
    • D. LeRoith
    • English
    Historically the field of endocrine research has always been at the forefront of scientific endeavors. The investigators of these important breakthroughs in research have been rewarded by numerous Nobel awards. In the field of diabetes alone, Nobel prizes have been awarded to researchers who discovered insulin, characterized the protein and invented radioimmunoassays using insulin as a paradigm. Not surprisingly, biomedical researchers have always been attracted by the endocrine system and other similar systems of intercellular communication.Over the past two decades, endocrine research has developed rapidly and adapted modern molecular and cellular biology techniques for its specific use. These changes have allowed researchers in the field to maintain their edge. Thus, endocrine disease-related genes have been characterized and mutations in these genes have helped explain common and less common endocrine disorders. Our understanding of the regulation of gene expression has been greatly enhanced by molecular techniques.In an attempt to bring investigators up to date with the recent advances in this exploding field we have decided to publish a series entitled Advances in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. Internationally famous investigators have agreed to participate and their contributions are appreciated.Volume 1 has focused on aspects of the hypothalamic-pituita... axis including GnRH and GH gene regulation, molecular aspects of insulin, insulin-like growth factors and glucagon. In addition, reviews on the recently cloned calcium receptor and steroid receptor interactions with DNA are presented.

  • Some Aspects of Oncology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1
    • G. Heppner + 1 more
    • English
    The present volume is the first in the advances in oncobiology series. It is meant to be useful not only to clinical and non-clinical oncologists but also to graduate students and medical students. The individual chapters are presented as self-contained summaries of current knowledge rather than as reviews. The last chapter deals with the subject of chemotherapy.

  • Natural Gas Conversion IV

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 107
    • M. de Pontes + 4 more
    • English
    The Fourth International Natural Gas Conversion Symposium was attended by 180 delegates from 25 countries. Representation was evenly balanced between industry and academia. The opening address was delivered by Mr Roy Pithey, Chairman of South Africa's Central Energy Fund, who dealt with the importance and utilisation of natural gas in sub-Saharan Africa. Plenary lectures were presented by Professors E. Iglesia (Catalyst design and selectivity for F-T synthesis) and E.E. Wolf (Oxidative Coupling Methane). A number of keynote addresses were delivered:- Dr T. Fleisch (Amoco) described the use of DME as a transport fuel and the work which has been carried out in this area in collaboration with Haldor Topsoe- Professor L.D. Schmidt (Univ. of Minnesota) explained his work on the direct conversion of methane at high velocities- Dr B. Jager (SASTECH R & D) reported on the recent developments in slurry and fluidized bed F-T reactors as SASOL- Dr J. Rostrup-Nielsen (Haldor Topsoe) discussed the role of catalysis in the conversion of natural gas for power generation.Areas signalled for further research were: direct conversion of methane to intermediate monomers; methanol conversion to higher alcohols; CO/H2 conversion in a commercially viable route to higher alcohols; and CO/H2 conversion to high quality gasoline. It is obvious that such developments would fit into the energy cycle which has moved from wood, to coal, to oil, to gas, and will most probably move to hydrogen.

  • Instrumental Methods in Food Analysis

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 18
    • J.R.J. Paré + 1 more
    • English
    Instrumental Methods in Food Analysis is aimed at graduate students in the science, technology and engineering of food and nutrition who have completed an advanced course in food analysis. The book is designed to fit in with one or more such courses, as it covers the whole range of methods applied to food analysis, including chromatographic techniques (HPLC and GC), spectroscopic techniques (AA and ICP), electroanalytical and electrophoresis techniques.No analysis can be made without appropriate sample preparation and in view of the present economic climate, the search for new ways to prepare samples is becoming increasingly important. Guided by the need for environmentally-frie... technologies, the editors chose two, relatively new techniques, the microwave-assisted processes (MAPTM (Chapter 10) and supercritical fluid extraction (Chapter 11).Features of this book:- is one the few academic books on food analysis specifically designed for a one semester or one year course-it contains updated information- the coverage gives a good balance between theory, and applications of techniques to various food commodities.The chapters are divided into two distinct sections: the first is a description of the basic theory regarding the technique and the second is dedicated to a description of examples to which the reader can relate in his/her daily work.

  • Transmembrane Receptors and Channels

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • A.G. Lee
    • English
    Volume 6 of Biomembranes covers transmembrane receptors and channels. A particularly important role for the membrane is that of passing messages between a cell and its environment. Part I of this volume covers receptors for hormones and growth factors. Here, as in so many other areas of cell biology, the application of the methods of molecular biology have led to the recognition of a number of families of receptors. Typically, such receptors contain an extracellular ligand binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular catalytic domain whose activation, as a result of ligand binding, leads to generation of second messengers within the cell and stimulation of a range of cytosolic enzymes. An alternative signaling strategy, exploited in particular in the nervous system, is to use ion channels to allow controlled movement of monovalent (Na+, K+) or divalent (Ca2+) cations in or out of the cell, resulting in changes in membrane potential or alterations in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+. Part II of this volume is concerned with these ion channels and with other, often simpler, ion channel systems whose study can throw light on channel mechanism.

  • Protein Targeting to Mitochondria

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 17
    • F.U. Hartl
    • English
    A large number of newly-synthesized polypeptides must cross one or several intracellular membranes to reach their functional locations in the eukaryotic cell. The mechanisms of protein trafficking, in particular the post-translational targeting and membrane translocation of proteins, are of fundamental biological importance and are the focus of intensive research world-wide. For more than 15 years, mitochondria have served as the paradigm organelle system to study these processes. Although key questions, such as how precisely proteins cross a membrane, still remain to be answered, exciting progress has been made in understanding the basic pathways of protein import into mitochondria and the components involved. In addition to a fascinating richness and complexity in detail, the analysis of mitochondrial protein import has revealed mechanistic principles of general significance: Major discoveries include the demonstration of the requirement of an unfolded state for translocation and of the essential role of molecular chaperones on both sides of the membranes in maintaining a translocation-compet... conformation and in protein folding after import. It is becoming clear how a polypeptide chain is "reeled" across the membrane in an ATP-dependent process by the functional cooperation of membrane proteins, presumably constituting part of a transmembrane channel, with peripheral components at the trans-side of the membrane.In this volume, eminent experts in the field take the time to review the central aspects of mitochondrial biogenesis. The logical order of the 16 chapters is determined by the sequence of steps during protein import, starting with the events taking place in the cytosol, followed by the recognition of targeting signals, the translocation of precursor proteins across the outer and inner membranes, their proteolytic processing and intramitochondrial sorting, and finally their folding and oligomeric assembly. In addition, the mechanisms involved in the export of mitochondrially encoded proteins as well as recent advances in understanding the division and inheritance of mitochondria will be discussed.

  • Cell Adhesion

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 16
    • D.R. Colman
    • English
    One prerequisite for the evolution of multicellular organisms was the invention of mechanisms by which cells could adhere to one another. At some point in our history, dividing cells no longer went their separate protozoic ways in the primordial oceans, but instead found that by maintaining an association, by sticking together but not fusing, numerous evolutionary advantages became possible. The subsequent development of specialized tissues and organs depended on the elaboration of incredibly sophisticated, regulatable cell-to-cell adhesion mechanisms which are known to operate in biological processes as diverse as the growth of the embryo, the immune response, the establishment of connections between nerve cells, and arteriosclerosis, to name just a few. Although we can only guess at the ancestral mechanisms that fostered the first primitive intercellular unions, some one billion years ago, we now recognize contemporary molecular "themes" with presumably ancient origins that mediate cell-cell interactions. The chapters in this book serve as useful, thought-provoking, but not exhaustive, commentaries on contemporary topics within the broad field of cell adhesion. If the reader detects a slight tilt toward those adhesion molecules that function in the nervous system, this is merely a reflection of this editor's interests, biases, and of course, limitations.

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