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Elsevier Science

  • HRT-HOODâ„¢: A Structured Design Method for Hard Real-Time Ada Systems

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 3
    • A. Burns + 1 more
    • English
    The increasing use of computers for real-time control on board spacecrafts has brought with it a greater emphasis on the development methodology used for such systems. By their nature, spacecraft control computers have to operate unattended for long periods and because of the programmatics of space, systems are subject to a long development cycle. As a result, there are two distinct concerns, the first being that the development approach guarantees functional and timing correctness, the second being that problems, particularly those associated with timing, are considered as early as possible in the spacecraft development life cycle.The European Space Agency has, for a number of years, encouraged the development of software using HOOD. It was thus a natural next step to investigate the incorporation of time within the existing HOOD framework. This has proven to be very beneficial and this book describes the approach developed by the authors for handling Hard Real-Time applications. It describes both the background scheduling theory, provides practical examples of its application to real life problems, and demonstrates how it is used in the various phases of the development of Hard Real-Time systems.
  • Rock Mechanics on a Geological Base

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 77
    • R. Pusch
    • English
    Until a few years ago, hydropower, road tunneling and mining were the main fields interested in rock mechanics. Now, however, rock mechanics is becoming increasingly important in many more branches - the most significant globally being the disposal of hazardous, especially radiaoctive, waste in deeply located repositories. This has raised a number of new aspects on the mechanical behaviour of large rock masses hosting repositories and of smaller rock elements forming the nearfield of tunnels and boreholes with waste containers. The geological background and above all rock structure form the basis of this book. The structural scheme proposed is referred to explain the scale-dependent behaviour of rock. Thus, the reason for differences in strength and strain properties of different types and volumes of rocks is shown in a very clear fasion, using simple material models and very basic numerical models.The author's academic background in both geology and soil and rock mechanics and his long experience in practical design and construction work has led to an unusually pedagogic way of dealing with the subject. The book is intended for use by consultants in engineering geology and waste disposal and by students of these subjects. However, engineers and geologists with a limited background in stress/strain and fracture theory and computer-based calculation methods will also find the book attractive.
  • Friction Surface Phenomena

    • 1st Edition
    • G.P. Shpenkov
    • English
    This monograph summarises results of research in some surface phenomena, observed in mechanical treatment and friction. In particular the book is devoted to urgent problems of the science of friction and wear and provides insight into the mechanism of the phenomena that cause, on the one hand, anomalously low coefficients of friction and wear (the so-called selective transfer) and on the other, dramatic damages of the surface layers during sliding (hydrogen wear of metals). The nature of metal interaction during sliding in selective transfer and hydrogen wear modes is analysed in detail. Furthermore results of studies concerned with certain aspects of phenomena appearing in the process of influencing contacting surfaces and with detecting the relationship between the observed characteristics and behavior of investigated materials in the process of mechanical treatment and friction are presented. The principle followed is to combine varied experimental facts, physical concepts and investigation methods, which at first sight appear to be unrelated, and using this approach to determine general rules.Chapter one provides the reader with a general understanding of fundamental surface phenomena which provide the background to their dynamic interaction in mechanical treatment and under friction. Chapter two deals with the laws governing influence of mechanical effects on the surface. The third chapter presents the fundamentals of the selective transfer theory under friction. Other chapters deal with the possibilities of the Mössbauer electron spectroscopy method, widely used in physics for solving tribology problems, the influence of external electromotive force sources on contact resistance and friction pairs' wear, and hydrogen wear of metals under friction.
  • Advances in Developmental Biochemistry

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 3b
    • Paul Wassarman
    • English
    Volume 3 of Advances in Developmental Biology and Biochemistry consists of five chapters that review specific aspects of mammalian and fly development. In Chapter 1, D. Chapman and D. Wolgemuth discuss the role of protein kinases, especially tyrosine-and serine/threonine kinases, in regulating cell cycle events during mammalian gametogenesis. IN Chapter 2, M. Lundell and J. Hirsh discuss the regulation of the DOPA decarboxylase gene during Drosophila development. DO PA decarboxylase is a key enzyme in biogenic amine biosynthesis and its expression is subject to both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. In Chapter 3, S. Potter discusses the role of homeobox genes as master switches determining the developmental destinies of groups of cells during murine development. In Chapter 4, G. Cooper discusses the expression and function of the c-mos proto-oncogene in mammalian germ cells where it plays a central role in regulating the meiotic cell cycle. In Chapter 5, F. Beermann, R. Ganß, and G. Schütz discuss the regulation of pigmentation during mammalian development, with emphasis on the production of melanin in mouse melanocytes.
  • Enzymology IN VIVO

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 11
    • K.M. Brindle
    • English
    This volume describes some of the approaches that have been used to study enzymes in vivo. Metabolic control analysis provides a relatively simple framework with which to relate flux in a metabolic pathway to the kinetic properties of the component enzymes. More importantly it shows us how the importance of an enzyme in controlling flux in a pathway can be quantitated experimentally from measurements on the intact tissue. Fluorescence microscopy and NMR are two spectroscopic techniques which can be used to monitor, non-invasively, metabolite levels, metabolic fluxes and enzyme localization and mobility in intact biological systems. The potential of NMR for investigating the properties of enzymes in vivo has been greatly enhanced by using the technique in conjunction with molecular genetic method for changing the levels and properties of specific enzymes in the intact cell.Control of metabolism is regarded by some as a dead subject, with little new to learn. While it is true that the chemistry of the major metabolic pathways have been fully elucidated, our understanding of how they are controlled in the cell is still rather limited. Of particular interest is the emerging evidence for a high degree of spatial organization of the supposedly 'soluble' enzymes in the cytosol and the mitochondrial matrix. Much is still to be learnt on how this organization is effected and what influence it has on control of metabolic flux. If this volume excites some interest in this area of research and, furthermore, demonstrates that these problems are eminently addressable using the new techniques which are being developed, then it will have served a useful purpose.
  • Subsidence due to Fluid Withdrawal

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 41
    • E.C. Donaldson + 2 more
    • English
    Subsidence of geologic surface structures due to withdrawal of fluids from aquifers and petroleum reservoirs is a phenomenon experienced throughout the world as the demand for water and hydrocarbons increases with increasing population growth. This book addresses the definition and theories of subsidence, and the influences of unique conditions on subsidence; it includes discussions of specific field cases and a basic mathematical model of reservoir compaction and accompanying loss of porosity and permeability. The book is designed as a reference for readers giving immediate access to the geological events that establish conditions for compaction, the mathematical theories of compaction and subsidence, and practical considerations of field case histories in various regions of the world.
  • Preparation of Catalysts VI

    Scientific Bases for the Preparation of Heterogeneous Catalysts
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 91
    • G. Poncelet + 4 more
    • English
    The organizers of this Sixth Symposium maintained their initial objectives, namely to gather experts from both industries and universities to discuss the scientific problems involved in the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts, and to encourage as much as possible the presentation of research work on catalysts of real industrial significance. Another highlight of these symposia is to reserve a substantial part of the program to new developments in catalyst preparation, new preparation methods and new catalytic systems. The fact that chemical reactions which were hardly conceivable some years ago have become possible today through the development of appropriate catalytic systems proves that catalysis is in constant progress.The papers in this volume deal with preparation of new catalysts and supports, catalyst preparation via sol-gel methods, supported catalysts and synthesis of nanometer size catalysts.
  • Handbook of Inorganic Electrochromic Materials

    • 1st Edition
    • C.G. Granqvist
    • English
    Electrochromic materials are able to change their optical properties in a persistent and reversible way under the action of a voltage pulse. This book explores electrochromism among the metal oxides, with detailed discussions of materials preparation (primarily by thin film technology), materials characterization by (electro)chemical and physical techniques, optical properties, electrochromic device design, and device performance. The vast quantity of information presented is structured in a systematic manner and the optical data is interpreted within a novel conceptual framework.The publication will serve as a comprehensive foundation and reference work for future studies within the rapidly expanding field of electrochromic materials and devices. These devices are of particular interest for information displays, variable-transmittan... (smart) windows, variable-reflectance mirrors and variable-emittance surfaces.
  • SVD and Signal Processing, III

    Algorithms, Architectures and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • M. Moonen + 1 more
    • English
    Matrix Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and its application to problems in signal processing is explored in this book. The papers discuss algorithms and implementation architectures for computing the SVD, as well as a variety of applications such as systems and signal modeling and detection.The publication presents a number of keynote papers, highlighting recent developments in the field, namely large scale SVD applications, isospectral matrix flows, Riemannian SVD and consistent signal reconstruction. It also features a translation of a historical paper by Eugenio Beltrami, containing one of the earliest published discussions of the SVD.With contributions sourced from internationally recognised scientists, the book will be of specific interest to all researchers and students involved in the SVD and signal processing field.
  • Algorithms and Parallel VLSI Architectures III

    • 1st Edition
    • M. Moonen + 1 more
    • English
    A comprehensive overview of the current evolution of research in algorithms, architectures and compilation for parallel systems is provided by this publication.The contributions focus specifically on domains where embedded systems are required, either oriented to application-specific or to programmable realisations. These are crucial in domains such as audio, telecom, instrumentation, speech, robotics, medical and automotive processing, image and video processing, TV, multimedia, radar and sonar.The book will be of particular interest to the academic community because of the detailed descriptions of research results presented. In addition, many contributions feature the "real-life" applications that are responsible for driving research and the impact of their specific characteristics on the methodologies is assessed.The publication will also be of considerable value to senior design engineers and CAD managers in the industrial arena, who wish either to anticipate the evolution of commercially available design tools or to utilize the presented concepts in their own R&D programmes.