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Elsevier Science

The Origin and Domestication of Cultivated Plants
1st Edition
C. Barigozzi
English
This book consists of the proceedings of a symposium organized by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome. The proceedings are unusual in that it is a rare event to see archaeologists and geneticists coming together to discuss the connection between historical facts and biological phenomena. The aim of the symposium was to discuss the origin of some important cultivated plants (wheat, maize, barley, oat, legumes and fruit trees) not only in relation to genetical mechanisms but also as a complex of historical facts recognizable through archaeological research.This international Meeting based on interdisciplinary concepts, met with a prompt and positive reaction from all those specialists invited to attend. The book itself is an unparalleled contribution to the interdisciplinary knowledge on the origin of crop plants and agriculture.
Subjective Equilibrium Theory of the Farm Household
1st Edition
Volume 3
C. Nakajima
English
It is obvious that most of the agricultural production in the world is under the control of farm households (or family farms). This book aims to translate the characteristics of the farm household as an economic entity, into an economic theory. The book was originally written in Japanese, but various modifications have been made and new information added to the English version. The author defines the farm household as an economic entity which is a complex of the farm firm, the labourer's household and the consumer's household, and whose behavioural principle is utility maximization. The main purpose of the book is to construct a theoretical model of the decision-making behaviour of the farm household. For this purpose the method of subjective equilibrium analysis, which was used by J.R. Hicks for the consumer's household and the firm in Value and Capital, has been applied to the farm household. The major motif of the book may therefore be called ``Hicksian motif''. In analyzing the subjective equilibrium of the farm household, this book extends the Marshallian concepts of consumer's surplus and producer's surplus, by developing the three new concepts of labourer's surplus, self-employed producer's surplus and consumer's surplus. The analyses using the five concepts of economic surplus are the minor motif of the present book, which the author calls ``Marshallian motif''.Another important characteristic of this book lies in the presentation of newly developed theories of land rent. The author has tried to integrate the theory of leasehold tenancy (i.e. fixed rent tenancy) and that of share tenancy with subjective equilibrium theory of the farm household. In his foreword, John W. Longworth of the International Association of Agricultural Economists says ``From time-to-time an academic treatise appears which is truly different. This is one such book. It presents a self-contained normative theory of the farm household which is much more than just an elegant development of Hicksian and Marshallian ideas. Professor Nakajima introduces new concepts and develops a simple model of the farm household. He then extends this model in various ways to examine the subjective equilibrium of farm households under a wide range of economic circumstances. The exposition is clear and logic with each step in the argument explained in detail using both rigorous mathematical notation and easy to follow diagrams... With this book Nakajima is making his Life's Work available to non-Japanese Agricultural Economists. The international profession of Agricultural Economics will be richer for it.''
Hot Isostatic Pressing '93
1st Edition
L. Delaey + 1 more
English
Various topics related to Hot Isostatic Pressing are presented in this volume. As well as papers on more general aspects of HIPing, the papers are organised into four groups: metals and alloys, ceramics, HIP-engineering, and HIP-fundamentals. Castings, powder metallurgy, intermetallics, surface engineering and diffusion bounding are covered in the first group. The papers on ceramics give special attention to HIPing of structural and functional ceramics as well as to ceramic composites. Some interesting HIP-engineering innovations are presented on HIP equipment and HIP-technology. The papers which discuss HIP-fundamentals focus around materials modelling and component modelling.
High Pressure Phase Behaviour of Multicomponent Fluid Mixtures
1st Edition
R.J. Sadus
English
The high pressure phase behaviour of binary fluid mixtures has been extensively studied during the last three decades. There is ample experimental data for a wide variety of binary mixtures and extensive methods for prediction have been developed. In contrast, the investigation of ternary and other multicomponent fluids is in its infancy. Experimental ternary mixture critical data are very rare and theoretical studies have been limited to data correlation rather than genuine prediction. The phase behaviour of ternary and other multicomponent fluid mixtures has many novel aspects which are not manifested in binary mixtures. The properties of ternary mixtures are also likely to be more difficult to characterize experimentally. It is in this context that calculated phase diagrams have an important role in leading the discovery of new phenomena and guiding experimental work.The criteria for phase equilibria of multicomponent fluids with particular emphasis on the critical state are examined in this book, and models for predicting fluid equilibria (e.g., different equations of state) are compared. Particular attention is paid to the critical state of ternary mixtures which has hitherto been largely neglected. The problems associated with predicting ternary equilibria are discussed, and some novel aspects of ternary critical phenomena are illustrated. The books also describes a novel type of critical transition which appears to be a common feature of the equilibria of ternary mixtures. Extensive phase diagrams of a wide range of ternary mixtures including systems containing carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen and tetrafluoromethane as one or more component are presented. The theoretical treatment is detailed in the appendix and a computation of known experimental critical points is also included.
The Three-Body Problem
1st Edition
C. Marchal
English
Recent research on the theory of perturbations, the analytical approach and the quantitative analysis of the three-body problem have reached a high degree of perfection. The use of electronics has aided developments in quantitative analysis and has helped to disclose the extreme complexity of the set of solutions. This accelerated progress has given new orientation and impetus to the qualitative analysis that is so complementary to the quantitative analysis.The book begins with the various formulations of the three-body problem, the main classical results and the important questions and conjectures involved in this subject. The main part of the book describes the remarkable progress achieved in qualitative analysis which has shed new light on the three-body problem. It deals with questions such as escapes, captures, periodic orbits, stability, chaotic motions, Arnold diffusion, etc. The most recent tests of escape have yielded very impressive results and border very close on the true limits of escape, showing the domain of bounded motions to be much smaller than was expected. An entirely new picture of the three-body problem is emerging, and the book reports on this recent progress.The structure of the solutions for the three-body problem lead to a general conjecture governing the picture of solutions for all Hamiltonian problems. The periodic, quasi-periodic and almost-periodic solutions form the basis for the set of solutions and separate the chaotic solutions from the open solutions.
Polypropylene and other Polyolefins
Polymerization and Characterization
1st Edition
Volume 7
S. van der Ven
English
This book deals with polyolefins prepared via Ziegler-Natta catalysis, from a polymer chemist's viewpoint, i.e. with emphasis on their preparation and on their basic composition and properties. In addition to chapters on catalysts, polymerization behaviour and polymer properties such as tacticity, crystallinity, morphology etc., a chapter is also devoted to characterization methods. The main part of this work is reserved for polypropylene in all its forms, namely, homopolymer, random copolymer and toughened (`block') copolymers, for which extensive own-experience was present. The other polyolefins are also covered by means of a thorough literature review.This book is intended for scientists active in the field of polyolefins, including catalyst development, but should also prove an invaluable medium in academia to illustrate the growth of understanding in catalysis, kinetics and characterization of a commercially very important class of polymers.
NMR for Liquid Fossil Fuels
1st Edition
Volume 1
L. Petrakis + 1 more
English
High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of liquid fuels has provided valuable information on the molecular structures present in these fuels. The chemical insight gained through NMR studies has the potential to enhance significantly the development of processes for the utilization of fossil energy. For this potential to be fully realized, users of NMR information must be able to communicate effectively with NMR experts. Conversely, NMR experts must understand the type of information that users will attempt to derive from their spectra. The goal of this book is to strengthen the lines of communication between NMR experts and users in the area of NMR of liquid fuels.The book comprises two parts. The first part presents elements of relevant NMR phenomenology, including a definition of the most important NMR parameters, an introduction to Fourier transform NMR and a discussion of newer pulse techniques. Sufficient background material is presented to enable the reader to follow such techniques as spin echo, two-dimensional and polarization transfer experiments. These techniques are illustrated by extensive examples derived from fuel chemistry. The second part of the book addresses the interpretation of NMR spectra and is based, to a very large extent, on the work of the authors who have used NMR in a variety of applications in fossil fuels. This part describes in detail the three basic methods for interpreting NMR spectra of liquid fuels: average structural parameter calculations, average molecule construction and functional group analysis. The use of NMR in engineering calculations is also presented and should be particularly useful to those interested in processing of fossil fuels. Extensive examples are drawn from petroleum, shale oils, coal liquids and model systems. Computer programs for performing the characterizations from the spectra are provided.The book will appeal to a wide range of professionals. With its emphasis on applications, it will be of particular interest to those who use NMR to characterize liquid fossil fuels or those who provide NMR assistance to fossil fuel scientists and technologists.
Analytical Biotechnology
1st Edition
C. van Dijk
English
ANABIOTEC '92 focused on the further integration of biotechnology and analytical chemistry. The results of this symposium clearly demonstrated that a substantial progress could be reported in the application of both conventional and new analytical techniques, the latter essentially based on natural analytical tools such as biomolecules. The main themes covered during this meeting are fermentation monitoring, chromatography, instrumental analysis, biosensors and bioanalysis.
Problem Solving with Microbeam Analysis
1st Edition
Volume 7
K. Kiss
English
This book provides the reader with a working knowledge sufficient to select microbeam techniques for the efficient, cost-effective solution of complex problems arising in today's high-tech industries. Primarily written for the industrial analyst whose field of expertise is other than microbeam analysis, it will also be of help to engineers, plant chemists and industrial research scientists who often seek the aid of the microbeam analyst in their problem solving. Research and plant managers as well as administrators may also find this book helpful since they may be called upon to select and/or approve high-priced microbeam instruments.The book is organized into two parts. Part I gives a brief description of the various techniques and critically compares their capabilities and limitations. Part II consists of selected applications which show how the various techniques or their combinations are applied to characterize materials and to guide research in a wide variety of fields. The examples and case histories will undoubtedly aid the reader in problem solving, quality assurance and research-related tasks. Newcomers to the field will find enough information in the book to enable them to begin practical work and to apply the techniques.
RNA: Catalysis, Splicing, Evolution
1st Edition
M. Belfort + 1 more
English
The conference on "RNA: Catalysis, Splicing, Evolution" brought together a unique assembly of scientific leaders in this currently very important field. Two participants of this Conference, Drs. T.R. Cech and S. Altman, were just awarded the 1989 Nobel prize in chemistry, which attests to the timeliness of this volume. The critical reviews authored by these two prominent scientists are included. For those scientists with roots in this field, who do not subscribe to GENE, this is an excellent opportunity to obtain a masterly collection of papers. All the original papers and reviews have undergone the rigorous peer review of the journal "Gene".

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