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Review Essays of Academic, Professional & Technical Books in the Humanities & Sciences
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The Postconventional Personality: Assessing, Researching, and Theorizing Higher Development by Angela H. Pfaffenberger, Paul W. Marko and Allan Combs (SUNY Series in Transpersonal and Humanistic Psychology: State University of New York Press, SUNY) Cutting-edge volume devoted to optimal adult development. Postconventional stages of personality development involve growth well beyond the average, and have become a rapidly growing subject of research not only in developmental psychology circles but also in areas such as executive leadership development. This book is the first to bring together many of the major researchers in the field, showcasing diverse perspectives ranging from the spiritual to the corporate. The contributors present research on essential questions about the existence and prevalence of high levels of personal growth, whether such achievement is correlated with other types of psychological growth, whether high levels of growth actually indicate happiness, what kinds of people exhibit these higher levels of development, how they may have developed this expanded perspective, and the characteristics of their viewpoints, abilities, and preoccupations. For anyone interested in Ken Wilber's integral psychology, as well as those in executive coaching, this volume is an invaluable resource and will be a standard reference for years to come. More
Keyness in Texts edited by Marina Bondi and Mike Scott(Studies in Corpus Linguistics: John Benjamins) This is corpus linguistics with a text linguistic focus. The volume concerns lexical inequality, the fact that some words and phrases share the quality of being key – and thereby reflect or promote important themes – in some textual contexts, while others do not. The patterning of words which differ in their centrality to text meaning is of increasing interest to corpus linguistics. At the same time software resources are yielding increasingly more detailed ways of identifying and studying the linkages between key words and phrases in text databases. This volume brings together work from some of the leading researchers in this field. It presents thirteen studies organized in three sections, the first containing a series of studies exploring the nature of keyness itself, then a set of five studies looking at keyness in specific discourse contexts, and then three studies with an educational focus. More
The Software Interface Between Copyright and Competition Law by Ashwin van Rooijen (Information Law: Wolters Kluwer, Brill) The success of computer programs often depends on their ability to interoperate - or communicate - with other systems. Conversely, the extent to which interoperability between computer programs is enabled or facilitated by the law can have a significant impact on innovation and free competition in software. The two legal disciplines that primarily determine the extent to which software interoperability is enabled or facilitated are copyright law and competition law. This important book offers the first in-depth analysis of the current respective copyright and competition law approaches to interoperability. With respect to copyright law, the book offers a comprehensive analysis of how copyright law has been applied to computer programs, how this form of protection affects interoperability, and how the European Software Directive - including its interpretation by courts in Member States - aims to facilitate interoperability. With respect to competition law, the author critically analyzes the application of Article 102 of the TFEU to refusals to supply interface information, including a discussion on the tension between copyright and competition law. The author also examines the substantial body of U.S. case law and accompanying literature on the interplay between copyright law, software and interoperability. Based further on a comparison with relevant ex-ante interconnection rules in European design protection law and telecommunications law, the author advances several recommendations aimed at facilitating interoperability in software copyright law.
Three interrelated approaches combine to convey an integrated and immediately accessible understanding of the subject:
- - how interoperability affects innovation and free competition in software;
- - given its effects on innovation and competition, whether copyright law or competition law should primarily be concerned with regulating software interoperability; and
- - which particular instruments are suitable to approach this problem within these respective regimes.
Because of the in-depth analysis of the software interoperability problem with related legal disciplines in both Europe and the United States, and due to the clarity of the presentation, this will be welcomed as a valuable resource by practitioners, jurists, and academics concerned with copyright protection of computer software, interoperability and the interaction between copyright and competition law. More
Quantum Invariants of Knots and 3-Manifolds by Vladimir G. Turaev (De Gruyter Studies in Mathematics: De Gruyter) Due to the strong appeal and wide use of this monograph, it is now available in its second revised edition. The monograph gives a systematic treatment of 3-dimensional topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) based on the work of the author with N. Reshetikhin and O. Viro. This subject was inspired by the discovery of the Jones polynomial of knots and the Witten-Chern-Simons field theory. On the algebraic side, the study of 3-dimensional TQFTs has been influenced by the theory of braided categories and the theory of quantum groups.
The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents a construction of 3-dimensional TQFTs and 2-dimensional modular functors from so-called modular categories. This gives a vast class of knot invariants and 3-manifold invariants as well as a class of linear representations of the mapping class groups of surfaces. In Part II the technique of 6j-symbols is used to define state sum invariants of 3-manifolds. Their relation to the TQFTs constructed in Part I is established via the theory of shadows. Part III provides constructions of modular categories, based on quantum groups and skein modules of tangles in the 3-space.
This fundamental contribution to topological quantum field theory is accessible to graduate students in mathematics and physics with knowledge of basic algebra and topology. It is an indispensable source for everyone who wishes to enter the forefront of this fascinating area at the borderline of mathematics and physics. More
The Animals Reader: The Essential Classic and Contemporary Writings
edited by Linda Kalof, and Amy Fitzgerald (Berg) The study of animals - and the relationship between humans and
other animals - is now one of the most fiercely debated topics in
contemporary science and culture.
Animals have a long history in human society, providing food,
labour, sport and companionship as well as becoming objects for
exhibit. More contemporary uses extend to animals as therapy and in
scientific testing. As natural habitats continue to be destroyed,
the rights of animals to co-exist on the planet - and their symbolic
power as a connection between humans and the natural world - are
ever more hotly contested.
The Animals Reader brings together the key classic and
contemporary writings from Philosophy, Ethics, Sociology, Cultural
Studies, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, History, Law and
Science. As the first book of its kind, The Animals Reader provides
a framework for understanding the current state of the
multidisciplinary field of animal studies.This anthology will be
invaluable for students across the Humanities and Social Sciences as
well as for general readers.
More
American Men & Women of Science, 28th edition by Gale (American
Men and Women of Science, 8 volume series: Gale Cengage)
American Men & Women of Science is a
biographical directory of todays leaders in the physical, biological
and related sciences.
Its Advisory Board includes James E. Bobick, Former Department Head,
Science and Technology Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; K. Lee
Lerner, Managing Director LernerMedia and Managing Partner Lerner &
Lerner, LLC; and David A. Tyckoson, Associate Dean, Henry Madden
Library, California State University, Fresno.
American Men & Women of Science (AMWS), the twenty-eighth
edition, was first compiled as American Men of Science by J. McKeen
Cattell in 1906. In its 104 year history, AMWS has profiled the
careers of more than 300,000 people in various scientific fields.
Since the first edition, the number of U.S. and Canadian scientists
and the fields they pursue has grown immensely. This edition alone
lists 131,011 people in science, 1,000 of which are listed for the
first time and approximately 40,000 updated entries. Although the
8-volume series has grown, its stated purpose is the same as when
Dr. Cattell first undertook the task of producing a biographical
directory of active American scientists.
More
Computer-Aided Forensic Facial Comparison by Martin Paul Evison and Richard W. Vorder Bruegge (CRC) Countless facial images are generated everyday through digital and cell phone cameras, surveillance video systems, webcams, and traditional film and broadcast video. As a result, law enforcement and intelligence agencies have numerous opportunities to acquire and analyze images that depict persons of interest. Computer-Aided Forensic Facial Comparison is a comprehensive exploration of the scientific, technical, and statistical challenges facing researchers investigating courtroom identification from facial images.
Supported by considerable background material, research data, and prototypic statistical and applications software, this volume brings together contributions from anthropologists, computer scientists, forensic scientists, and statisticians. Topics discussed include:
- Face database collection in 3D
- Error and distinguishing power associated with craniofacial landmarks
- Statistical analysis of face shape variation
- Comparison of instrumentation
- Court admissibility issues
- Missing data
- Computer applications development
Based on the quantification and analysis of more than 3000 facial images, this seminal work lays the foundation for future forensic facial comparison, computer applications development, and research in face shape variation and analysis. Using experimental and real case data, it demonstrates the influence of illumination, image resolution, perspective, and pose angle on landmark visibility. Two DVDs are included which contain the raw 3D landmark datasets for 3000 faces, additional datasets used in 2D analysis, and computer programs and spreadsheets used in analysis and in the development of prototypic applications software. More
Caching the Carbon: The Politics and Policy of Carbon Capture and Storage edited by James Meadowcroft, Oluf Langhelle (Edward Elgar) Over the past decade, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has come to the fore as a way to manage carbon dioxide emissions contributing to climate change. This book examines its introduction into the political scene, different interpretations of its significance as an emerging technology and the policy challenges facing government and international institutions with respect to its development, deployment and regulation. More
Green Energy: Sustainable Electricity Supply with Low Environmental Impact by Eric Jeffs (CRC) defines the future of the world’s electricity supply system, exploring the key issues associated with global warming, and which energy systems are best suited to reducing it.
Electricity generation is a concentrated industry with a few sources of emissions, which can be controlled or legislated against. This book explains that a green sustainable electricity system is one whose construction, installation, and operation minimally affect the environment and produce power reliability at an affordable price. It addresses the question of how to build such an electricity supply system to meet the demands of a growing population without accelerating global warming or damaging the environment.
The green argument for conservation and renewable energies is a contradiction in terms. Although they produce no emissions, because renewable systems are composed of a large number of small units, a considerable amount of energy is required to produce, erect, and maintain them. This book is a response to that conundrum, answering key questions, such as:
- How can renewables be exploited to contribute the greatest energy input?
- Should coal be used for clean fuel and chemical production rather than for power generation?
- How quickly can we start to build the Green Energy system?
The author has more than forty years of experience as an international journalist reporting on power-generating technologies and on energy policies around the world. Detailing the developmental history, and current state, of the global nuclear industry, he discusses the dire, immediate need for large quantities of clean, emission-free electric power, for both domestic and industrial uses. This book details how current technologies—particularly nuclear, combined cycle, and hydro—can be applied to satisfy safely the growing energy demands in the future. More
Creating Ecological Value: An Evolutionary Approach to Business Strategies and the Natural Environment by Frank Boons (Edward Elgar) Firms adopt a wide variety of ecological strategies, ranging from the development of innovative products with reduced environmental impact to lobbying against governmental attempts to set standards for the way in which firms deal with the natural environment. This book explores this variety and is the first to provide a coherent evolutionary approach to the ecological strategies of firms.
Drawing on insights from organization and management sciences and innovation studies, the author outlines an evolutionary framework enabling a deeper understanding of how firms shape ecological strategies and interact to create inertia or change at the level of systems of production and consumption. This framework is applied to the coffee and automobile production and consumption systems, yielding insight into the complex dynamics through which such systems evolve in dealing with ecological impact. The book advances theoretical insight into business strategies and the natural environment and illuminates the dynamics of production and consumption systems.
Scholars, students and practitioners from organization and management sciences, innovation studies and industrial ecology interested in the relationship between business and the natural environment will find this book invaluable. More
Advances in Biological and Chemical Terrorism Countermeasures edited
by Ronald J. Kendall, Steven M. Presley, Galen P. Austin, Philip N. Smith (CRC) Drawing heavily on the findings and conclusions from research conducted through the Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. National Program for Countermeasures to Biological and Chemical Threats (operated through The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University and partially funded through the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command), this critical work provides perspectives, policies, and procedures to assist the United States and other nations to counter or prevent current and emerging terrorist threats.- An up-to-date assessment of the technologies and strategies established to defend against this kind of attack, Advances in Biological and Chemical Terrorism Countermeasures—
- Focuses on modeling, simulation, and visualization; environmental protection; personal protection and therapeutics; and the mechanistic and toxic effects of weapons
- Discusses the relationship between risk and vulnerability to establish a measure of threat
- Examines the manner of threat agent dispersal through the environment
- Explores the development of sensors and the use of phage display for detection and therapeutic intervention
- Provides an overview of recognized threats and their toxic effects
- Calls on leading researchers to present their own findings as well as their expert opinions and recommendations
- Supplements the material with a 16-page color insert
Heavily referenced, this science-based work is an excellent tool to assist military and homeland security personnel and first responders to improve their ability to develop and implement countermeasures to the potential biological and chemical threat agents that continue to emerge. More
The Statistical Mind in Modern Society: The Netherlands 1850-1940, 2 volumes by Jacques van Maarseveen (Editor), Paul Klep (Editor), Ida Stamhuis (Aksant Academic Publishers) The contributions in this first volume, produced by experts from various disciplines, cover a great diversity of topics. In addition to the institutionalisation and internationalisation of official governmental statistics, attention is paid to statistics sup-porting policies for modernising society, in areas like agriculture, social legislation, education and justice. The application of statistics in trade and industry (such as banking and insurance, and the railways) is also discussed, as well as the growth of state power to combat social and economic problems such as child labour, the fight against alcoholism and economic crises.
The contributions in the second volume, produced by experts from various disciplines, cover a great diversity of topics. The application of statistics in the sciences (demography, geography, genetics, economic historiography, agricultural and medical sciences) is discussed in an international context. Special attention is given to the general emergence of thinking in terms of probabilities and the influence of mechanisation in statistics, as well as to the way Dutch scholars and scientists tried to solve statistical measurement problems (in meteorology, demographic forecasting, business-cycle research and unemployment).
In this review the following topics are discussed. First we examine the notion of the 'statistical mind'. Then we look the place of this publication within the historiography of statistics and brief summaries present the various contributions. More
Handbook of Nutrition and Food, Second Edition edited by Carolyn D. Berdanier, Johanna Dwyer, Elaine B. Feldman (CRC) Covering an incredible range of information from basic biochemistry, to population studies, to nutrition intervention, and medical concerns, Handbook of Nutrition and Food, Second Edition is an indispensable reference for any professional library. Significantly revised and updated, this second edition of the bestselling original welcomes contributions from several new authors, including Elaine B. Feldman and Johanna Dwyer, all notable leaders in nutritional science. Retaining the high level of scientific research, accessible language, and attention to detail of the original, this new edition reflects the changes and developments of the past six years in nutrition research by adding 12 new chapters and tripling the number of referential web addresses. More
Food Processing Handbook by James G. Brennan (Wiley-VCH)
focusing on the technology involved, this handbook describes the
principles as well as the equipment used and the changes – physical,
chemical, microbiological and organoleptic – that occur during food
preservation. In doing so the text covers in detail such techniques
as post-harvest handling, thermal processing, evaporation and
dehydration, freezing, irradiation, high pressure processing,
emerging technologies, baking, extrusion, frying and packaging. In
addition current concerns about the safety of processed foods and
control of food processes are addressed, as are the impact of
processing on the environment and separation and conversion
operations widely used in the food industry.
Scientists and engineers involved in food manufacture, research and
development in both industry and academia will benefit greatly from
the contents as will students studying food related topics at
undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
More
Cheese Problems Solved edited by P. McSweeny (CRC) Cheese
is a unique food product which requires a significant amount of
scientific knowledge to be produced successfully. However, due to
the many complex and inter-related changes which occur during cheese
manufacture and ripening, it is still not possible to guarantee the
production of premium quality cheese. Written by an international
team of renowned contributors, Cheese problems solved provides
responses to around 200 of the most frequently asked questions about
cheese and the cheesemaking process, in a unique and practical
question-and-answer format.Opening chapters concentrate on queries
regarding the preparation of cheesemilk, the conversion of milk to
curd, the ripening process, pathogens, cheese analysis and the
nutritional aspects of cheese, among other issues. The latter part
of the book discusses particular types of cheeses including Cheddar,
Grana-type cheeses, Mozzarella, Blue, Swiss and Dutch cheeses, to
name but a few.
Environmental Justice and the Rights of Unborn and Future
Generations: Law, Environmental Harm and the Right to Health by
Laura Westra (Earthscan) The traditional concept of
social justice is increasingly being challenged by the notion of a
humankind that spans current and future generations. This book, with
a foreword by Roger Brownsword, is the first systematic examination
of how the rights of the unborn and future generations are handled
in common law and under international legal instruments. It provides
comprehensive coverage of the arguments over international legal
instruments, key legal cases and examples including the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, industrial disasters, clean water
provision, diet, HIV/AIDS, environmental racism and climate change.
Also covered are international agreements and objectives as diverse
as the Kyoto Protocol, the Millennium Development Goals and
international trade. The result is the most controversial and
thorough examination to date of the subject and the enormous
ramifications and challenges it poses to every aspect of
international and domestic environmental, human rights, trade and
public health law and policy.
Filling an unmet need in the clinical literature, this commanding,
just-in-time reference sheds light on the full spectrum of cancers
in the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system (leukemia, lymphoma,
myeloma). Clinical Malignant Hematology is edited by staff members
from the renowned Taussig Cancer Center at the Cleveland Clinic,
which has pioneered some of the most important clinical discoveries
and treatment trends in recent years.
More
Scientists Confront Intelligent Design and Creationism edited by Andrew J. Petto, Laurie R. Godfrey (W. W. Norton) From leading scientists, lawyers, and educators, a new and decisive rebuttal to the assault on evolution from proponents of "intelligent design." With the pseudoscience of creationism rising again under the guise of "intelligent design," this powerful collection eviscerates the new assault on evolution and reveals the pervasive and insidious threat posed to genuine science by ID proponents like Phillip Johnson, Michael Behe, and William Dembski. The sixteen original essays address two key issues: the overwhelming scientific evidence for evolution gathered over 150 years and the dubious underpinnings of creationism; and how society can mount better educational and legal policies to prevent a theological takeover of our public and scientific institutions. The book includes powerful voices in the modern culture war against ID, including Kevin Padian, paleontologist and expert witness in the landmark lawsuit of Kitzmiller v. Dover. With creationist arguments forever morphing and reappearing under new aliases, this new confrontation is a must-read for teachers, students, and general readers, and a ringing and lasting refutation of creationism's fraudulent claims. More
Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soul by Edward Humes (Ecco) What should we teach our children about where we come from? Is evolution good science? Is it a lie? Is it incompatible with faith? More
Did Charles Darwin really say man came from monkeys? Have scientists really detected "intelligent design"—evidence of a creator—in nature?
What happens when a town school board decides to confront such questions head-on, thrusting its students, then an entire community, onto the front lines of America’s culture wars?
Curious Emotions by Ralph D. Ellis (John Benjamins Pub Co) Emotion drives all cognitive processes, largely determining their qualitative feel, their structure, and in part even their content. Action-initiating centers deep in the emotional brain ground our understanding of the world by enabling us to imagine how we could act relative to it, based on endogenous motivations to engage certain levels of energy and complexity. Thus understanding personality, cognition, consciousness and action requires examining the workings of dynamical systems applied to emotional processes in living organisms. If an object's meaning depends on its action affordances, then understanding intentionality in emotion or cognition requires exploring why emotion is the bridge between action and representational processes such as thought or imagery; and this requires integrating phenomenology with neurophysiology. The resulting viewpoint, "enactivism," entails specific new predictions, and suggests that emotions are about the self-initiated actions of dynamical systems, not reactive "responses" to external events; consciousness is more about motivated anticipation than reaction to inputs. More
Emotion Explained by Edmund T. Rolls (Series in Affective Science: Oxford University Press) excerpt: What produces emotions? Why do we have emotions? How do we have emotions? Why do emotional states feel like something? This book seeks explanations of emotion by considering these questions.
One of the distinctive properties of this book is that it develops a conceptual and evolutionary approach (see for example Chapters 2 and 3) to emotion. This approach shows how cognitive states can produce and modulate emotion, and in turn how emotional states can influence cognition. Another distinctive property is that this book links these approaches to studies on the brain, at the level of neuronal neurophysiology, which provides much of the primary data about how the brain operates; but also to neuropsychological studies of patients with brain damage; to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) (and other neuroimaging) approaches; and to computational neuroscience approaches. The author performs research in all these areas, and this may help the approach to emotion described here to span many levels of investigation. The empirical evidence that is brought to bear is largely from non-human primates and from humans, because of the considerable similarity of their visual and emotional systems associated with the great development of the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes in primates, and because the overall aim is to understand how emotion is implemented in the human brain, and the disorders that arise after brain damage. More
Scientific Pluralism by Stephen H. Kellert, Helen E. Longino, and C. Kenneth Waters (Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science: University Of Minnesota Press) scientific pluralism is an issue at the forefront of philosophy of science. This landmark work addresses the question, Can pluralism be advanced as a general, philosophical interpretation of science? Scientific Pluralism demonstrates the viability of the view that some phenomena require multiple accounts. Pluralists observe that scientists present various—sometimes even incompatible—models of the world and argue that this is due to the complexity of the world and representational limitations. Including investigations in biology, physics, economics, psychology, and mathematics, this work provides an empirical basis for a consistent stance on pluralism and makes the case that it should change the ways that philosophers, historians, and social scientists analyze scientific knowledge. More
A Handbook of Sustainable Development Planning: Studies in Modelling and Decision Support by M. A. Quaddus, M. A. B. Siddique, Muhammed Abu B. Siddique (Edward Elgar Publishing) comprehensively examines the current status and future directions of model-based systems in decision support and their application to sustainable development planning. It begins with a comprehensive review of model-based applications in sustainable development planning, paying particular attention to environmental disaster, ecosystem management, energy, infrastructure development, and agricultural systems, amongst other contemporary issues. Conceptual and policy oriented papers then debate the future directions of model-based sustainable development planning. Taking account of the fact that sustainable development planning is multidimensional by nature, the contributors concede that a single exemplary model does not exist. The aims of the stakeholders, along with preferences and priorities surrounding the planned objectives determine the ways and means of sustainable development planning. A number of tools - from simple intuition based approaches to sophisticated mathematical modeling - are therefore utilized within the Handbook. An important feature of the work is the emphasis on Decision Support Systems (DSS) and Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) approaches - it is argued that these are natural and appropriate for sustainable development planning. Given the rise in prominence of sustainable development planning in recent years, this Handbook will be invaluable to a wide-ranging audience including NGOs, planners, consultants, policymakers, and academics. More
PaleoBase: Macrofossils Part 2.0: Ammonoids, Bivalves, Coleoids, Gastropods, and other Mollusca (CD-ROM) edited by Norman Macleod, contributions by Staff Natural History Museum, London England (Blackwell Publishing) said though three in separately issued CD-ROMs is likely to become the basis by which students and scientists their fossil taxonomy. Rich in visual detail these records are likely to become a touchstone for basic understanding of our fossil records geologically and in evolutionary demonstrations of the persistence and change of basic forms of life in the fossil record. Highly recommended for all serious students and scientists as a resource for studying fossils. More
A Real-Time Approach to Process Control by William Y. Svrcek, Donald P. Mahoney, Brent R. Young (Wiley) provides the reader with both a theoretical and practical introduction to this increasingly important approach. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this text introduces all of the applied fundamentals of process control from instrumentation to process dynamics, PID loops and tuning, to distillation, multi-loop and plant-wide control. In addition, readers come away with a working knowledge of the three most popular dynamic simulation packages. The text carefully balances theory and practice by offering readings and lecture materials along with hands-on workshops that provide a 'virtual' process on which to experiment and from which to learn modern, real time control strategy development. More
Handbook of Atmospheric Science: Principles and Applications edited by Andrea Jackson, C. N. Hewitt, U. Baltensperger, Peter Brimblecombe, D. Carruthers (Blackwell Publishing) The alarming consequences of global climate change have highlighted the need to take urgent steps to combat the causes of air pollution. Hence, understanding the Earth's atmosphere is a vital component in Man's emerging quest for developing sustainable modes of behavior in the 21st century. Written by a team of expert scientists, the Handbook of Atmospheric Science provides a broad and up-to-date account of our understanding of the natural processes that occur within the atmosphere. It examines how human activities have had a detrimental effect on the climate, and how measures may be implemented in order to modify these activities. The book progresses through chapters covering the principles of atmospheric science and the current problems of air pollution at the urban, regional, and global scales, to the tools and applications used to understand air pollution. More
Nanomaterials: Toxicity, Health and Environmental Issues edited
by Challa S. S. R. Kumar (Nanotechnologies for
the Life Sciences: Wiley-VCH) Nanotechnologies for the Life Sciences
is the first comprehensive source covering the convergence of
materials and life sciences on the nanoscale, a wide field of
research which brings together the main technology drive of the 21st
century and existing, multibillion dollar markets.
Written by international experts describing the various facets of
nanofabrication, the ten volumes of NtLS provide the underlying
nanotechnologies for the design, creation and characterization of
medical, biological and cybernetic applications. Each volume
addresses in detail one particular facet of the field.
Tailor-made nanomaterials find widespread new opportunities in
diagnostic and monitoring microdevices, microsurgery tools and
instruments, tissue engineering, drug delivery or artificial organs,
and many more. Making information available from all kinds of
specialized sources throughout the disciplines involved, NtLS is
essential reading for all scientists working in this field from
medicine and biology through chemistry, materials science and
physics to engineering.
More
Glacier Science and Environmental Change edited by Peter Knight, Giuseppe Bertola (Blackwell Publishing Professional) is an authoritative and comprehensive reference work on contemporary issues in glaciology. It explores the interface between glacier science and environmental change, past, present, and future.Written by the world's foremost authorities in the subject and researchers at the scientific frontier where conventional wisdom of current approaches comes face to face with unsolved problems, this book provides:
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state-of-the-art reviews of the key topics in glaciology and related disciplines in environmental change
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cutting edge case studies of the latest research
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an interdisciplinary synthesis of the issues that draw together the research efforts of glaciologists and scientists from other areas such as geologists, hydrologists, and climatologists.
The topics in this book have been carefully chosen to reflect current priorities in research, the interdisciplinary nature of the subject and the developing relationship between glaciology and studies of environmental change. Glacier Science and Environmental Change is essential reading for advanced undergraduates, postgraduate research students and professional researchers in glaciology, geology, geography, geophysics, climatology and related disciplines. More
Mind and Emergence: From Quantum to Consciousness by Philip Clayton (Oxford University Press) Strong claims have been made for emergence as a new paradigm for understanding science, consciousness, and religion. Tracing the past history and current definitions of the concept, Clayton assesses the case for emergent phenomena in the natural world and their significance for philosophy and theology. Complex emergent phenomena require irreducible levels of explanation in physics, chemistry and biology. This pattern of emergence suggests a new approach to the problem of consciousness, which is neither reducible to brain states nor proof of a mental substance or soul. More
Evolution of the Insects by David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel (Cambridge University Press) Insects are the most diverse group of organisms to appear in the 3-billion-year history of life on Earth, and the most ecologically dominant animals on land. This book chronicles, for the first time, the complete evolutionary history of insects: their living diversity, relationships, and 400 million years of fossils. Whereas other volumes have focused on either living species or fossils, this is the first comprehensive synthesis of all aspects of insect evolution. Current estimates of phylogeny are used to interpret the 400-million-year fossil record of insects, their extinctions, and radiations. Introductory sections include the living species, diversity of insects, methods of reconstructing evolutionary relationships, basic insect structure, and the diverse modes of insect fossilization and major fossil deposits. Major sections cover the relationships and evolution of each order of hexapod. The book also chronicles major episodes in the evolutionary history of insects: their modest beginnings in the Devonian, the origin of wings hundreds of millions of years before pterosaurs and birds, the impact that mass extinctions and the explosive radiation of angiosperms had on insects, and how insects evolved the most complex societies in nature. More
Plant Abiotic Stress edited by Matthew A. Jenks, Paul M. Hasegawa (Biological Sciences: Blackwell Publishers) Over the past decade, our understanding of plant adaptation to environmental stress, including both constitutive and inducible determinants, has grown considerably. This book focuses on stress caused by the inanimate components of the environment associated with climatic, edaphic and physiographic factors that substantially limit plant growth and survival. Categorically these are abiotic stresses, which include drought, salinity, non-optimal temperatures and poor soil nutrition. Another stress, herbicides, is covered in this book to highlight how plants are impacted by abiotic stress originating from anthropogenic sources. Indeed, it is an important consideration that, to some degree, the impact of abiotic stress is influenced by human activities. The book also addresses the high degree to which plant responses to quite diverse forms of environmental stress are interconnected. Thus the final two chapters uniquely describe the ways in which the plant utilizes and integrates many common signals and subsequent pathways to cope with less favorable conditions. The many linkages between the diverse stress responses provide ample evidence that the environment impacts plant growth and development in a very fundamental way. More
Fundamentals of Nuclear Pharmacy, 5th Edition by Gopal B. Saha (Springer-Verlag) Upon publication of the First Edition, Fundamentals of Nuclear Pharmacy emerged as the standard text and reference in nuclear medicine. Generously supplemented with charts, tables, and more than 100 illustrations, the revised Fifth Edition of this classic text has been thoroughly updated by judiciously replacing obsolete sections with new, cutting-edge material. Each chapter provides the reader with well-delineated descriptions of the subject matter from the basic atomic structure to the clinical uses of radiopharmaceuticals. Previous editions were highly acclaimed for their clarity and accuracy since Dr. Saha sets new standards for making complex theoretical concepts readily understandable for students and practitioners in nuclear pharmacy and nuclear medicine. More
Litchi and Longan: Botany, Production and Uses edited by C. M. Menzel , G. K. Waite (CABI Publishing) Litchi (lychee) and the related fruit longan are grown extensively in China and South-East Asia, as well as in Australia, Florida (USA), Southern Europe and Southern Africa. This book represents the only comprehensive, balanced and internationally focused publication on these fruit. It covers all aspects of production, from taxonomy and breeding, to propagation, flowering and fruit set, to diseases, pests and postharvest storage and processing. Written by leading scientists from Australia, China, India, Israel, Thailand and the USA, the book represents the standard work on its subject. As the fruit are imported to many developed countries, the book will be of interest to a wide audience. More
An Introduction to Materials Science by Wenceslao Gonzalez-Vinas, Hector L. Mancini (Princeton University Press) Textbook that shows how the emergence of materials science is leading the way in technical innovation. Useful for anyone wanting to get a sense of the field. Materials science has undergone a revolutionary transformation in the past two decades. It is an interdisciplinary field that has grown out of chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering departments. In this book, González-Viñas and Mancini provide an introduction to the field, one that emphasizes a qualitative understanding of the subject, rather than an intensely mathematical one. More
Understanding Solids: The Science of Materials by Richard J. D. Tilley (John Wiley & Sons) (Paperback) is a modern introduction to the structures and properties of solids. Taking an integrated approach, designed to appeal to both science and engineering students, the book develops an understanding of the origin of both physical and chemical properties of solids from a foundation of chemical bonding, which leads naturally to an appreciation of the ways in which atoms can aggregate and so generate solid structures. More
CRC Handbook Of Thermodynamic Data Of Polymer Solutions At Elevated Pressures by Christian Wohlfarth (CRC Press) This handbook provides the only complete collection of high-pressure thermodynamic data pertaining to polymer solutions at elevated pressures to date — all critical data for understanding the physical nature of these mixtures and applicable to a number of industrial and laboratory processes in polymer science, physical chemistry, chemical engineering, and biotechnology. More
Kinetic Processes: Crystal Growth, Diffusion, and Phase Transitions in Materials by Kenneth A. Jackson (John Wiley & Sons) The formation of solids is governed by kinetic processes, which are closely related to the macroscopic behaviour of the resulting materials. With the main focus on ease of understanding, the author begins with the basic processes at the atomic level to illustrate their connections to material properties. Diffusion processes during crystal growth and phase transformations are examined in detail. Since the underlying mathematics are very complex, approximation methods typically used in practice are the prime choice of approach. Apart from metals and alloys, the book places special emphasis on the growth of thin films and bulk crystals, which are the two main pillars of modern device and semiconductor technology. All the presented phenomena are tied back to the basic thermodynamic properties of the materials and to the underlying physical processes for clarity. More
The Structural Stabilization of Polymers: Fractal Models by G.
V. Kozlov, G. E. Zaikov (New Concepts in
Polymer Science: VSP International (Brill) This monograph deals with
the structural aspects of transport processes of gases, physical
ageing and thermo-oxidative degradation of polymers in detail.
Fractal analysis, cluster models of the polymer structure's
amorphous state as well as irreversible aggregation models are used
as main structural models. It is shown that the polymer structure is
often a more important parameter than its chemical construction.
Another significant aspect is the structural role in polymer melts
oxidation.
The basis for understanding of structural stabilization gives
anomalous diffusion of oxidant molecules on the fractal structure
for both solid state polymers and polymeric melts. The important
part of this problem is structure connectivity characterized by its
spectral dimension. Therefore branched (cross-linked) polymers have
smaller diffusivity in comparison with linear polymers. Fractal
mathematics is used throughout to sharpen measures and tighten
explanations. The volume could have used an English-language editor.
More
The Quantum Challenge, Second Edition: Modern Research on the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics by George Greenstein, Arthur G. Zajonc (Physics and Astronomy: Jones and Bartlett Publishers) is an engaging and thorough treatment of the extraordinary phenomena of quantum mechanics, and of the enormous challenge they present to our conception of the physical world. Traditionally, the thrill of grappling with such issues is reserved for practicing scientists, while physical science, mathematics, and engineering students are often isolated from these inspiring questions. This book was written to remove this isolation. George Greenstein and Arthur G. Zajonc present the puzzles of quantum mechanics using vivid references to contemporary experiments. The authors focus on the most striking and conceptually significant quantum phenomena, together with a clear theoretical treatment of each. The depth and extent of the challenge of quantum mechanics become increasingly compelling as they move from the simplest experiments involving single photons or particles, to the famous Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen effect and Bell's Theorem, and then to macroscopic quantum phenomena. More
What is What in the Nanoworld: A Handbook on Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology by Victor E. Borisenko,
Stefano Ossicini (John Wiley & Sons) This introductory, reference
handbook summarizes the terms and definitions, most important
phenomena, and regulations discovered in the physics, chemistry,
technology, and application of nanostructures. These nanostructures
are typically inorganic and organic structures at the atomic scale.
Fast progressing nanoelectronics and optoelectronics, molecular
electronics and spintronics, nanotechnology and quantum processing
of information, are of strategic importance for the information
society of the 21st century.
The short form of information taken from textbooks, special
encyclopedias, recent original books and papers provides fast
support in understanding "old" and new terms of nanoscience and
technology widely used in scientific literature on recent
developments. Such support is indeed important when one reads a
scientific paper presenting new results in nanoscience. A
representative collection of fundamental terms and definitions from
quantum physics, and quantum chemistry, special mathematics, organic
and inorganic chemistry, solid state physics, material science and
technology accompanies recommended second sources (books, reviews,
websites) for an extended study of a subject.
More
Statistical Mechanics by Donald A. McQuarrie (University Science Books) is the extended version of my earlier text, Statistical Thermodynamics. The present volume is intended primarily for a two-semester course or for a second one-semester course in statistical mechanics. Whereas Statistical Thermodynamics deals principally with equilibrium systems whose particles are either independent or effectively independent, Statistical Mechanics treats equilibrium systems whose particles are strongly interacting as well as nonequilibrium systems. The first twelve chapters of this book also form the first chapters in Statistical Thermodynamics, while the next ten chaptèrs, 13-22, appear only in Statistical Mechanics. Chapter 13 deals with the radial distribution function approach to liquids, and Chapter 14 is a fairly detailed discussion of statistical mechanical perturbation theories of liquids. These theories were developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s and have brought the numerical calculation of the thermodynamic properties of simple dense fluids to a practical level. A number of the problems at the end of the Chapter 14 require the student to calculate such properties and compare the results to experimental data. Chapter 15, on ionic solutions, is the last chapter on equilibrium systems. Section 15-2 is an introduction to advances in ionic solution theory that were developed in the 1970s and that now allow one to calculate the thermodynamic properties of simple ionic solutions up to concentrations of 2 molar. More
Weighing the Soul : Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre by Len Fisher (Arcade Publishing) F From the man who "puts the fizz in physics" (Entertainment Weekly), here is an entertaining and thought-provoking foray into the science of the bizarre, the peculiar, and the downright nutty!
Winner of the IgNobel Prize in physics, Len Fisher showed just how much fun science can be in his enthusiastically praised debut, How to Dunk a Doughnut. In this new work, he reveals that science sometimes takes a path through the strange and the ridiculous to discover that Nature often simply does not follow common sense. One experiment, involving a bed, a plat-form scale, and a dying man, seemed to prove that the soul weighed the same as a slice of bread—or roughly 21 grams, as the title of the popular movie put it. But other experiments and ideas that seemed no less fanciful in their time led to the fundamentals of our understanding of movement, heat, light, and energy, and such things as the discovery of electricity and the structure of DNA.
As in his previous book, Len Fisher uses humorous personal stories and examples from everyday life to make the science accessible. He includes a catalogue of the necessary mysteries of modern science: the anti-commonsense beliefs that scientists now hold and use as tools in their everyday work. In chapters that feature figures from Galileo and Newton to Benjamin Franklin and Erwin Schrödinger, among many others, he touches on topics from lightning to corsets and from alchemy to Frankenstein and water babies, but he may not claim the last word on the weight of the soul!
This book tells the stories of scientists whose ideas appeared bizarre, peculiar, or downright nutty to their con-temporaries but who stuck to their guns through ridicule, oppression, and persecution. Some of their ideas were nutty, and most of these ideas (though by no means all!) rapidly be-came extinct. Other concepts, seemingly every bit as bizarre, passed every test that could be thrown at them and survived to be accepted and used by scientists such as myself as part of our everyday work.
The ideas that scientists now use routinely can still seem ridiculous to people outside science. My wife certainly thought so when she came home one evening to find me riding her bicycle down the road with the wheel nuts removed, explaining to a radio interviewer that the counterintuitive physical laws discovered by Galileo and Newton predicted that the wheels would stay on. Her brief, pungent comment about scientists and their lack of common sense was duly recorded and broadcast on national radio.
My wife was right; science and common sense often don't mix. It's not the scientists' fault; Nature is the principal culprit. Those who proposed bizarre-sounding ideas about its behavior were often forced to do so after recognizing that the accepted wisdom, or "common sense:' of their eras was simply insufficient to understand what was going on. Their contemporaries, with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, were not always as receptive to new ideas as the popular image of the dispassionate, rational scientist would have us believe, and the fates of those who advanced new ideas ranged from the loss of their jobs to the loss of their lives. Their histories belie the popular image of science as an orderly, logical progression. It is more like a procession, with leaders and followers, which is unwillingly forced to change direction each time it comes up against the barrier of a revolutionary new idea. This book traces the route of the procession through the stories of those who forced the changes and shows how many of their ideas, which seemed to be so at odds with the common sense of the time, are now used by scientists to under-stand and tackle everyday problems. It also reveals the true process of discovery, where the brilliant has often met the bizarre and only the wisdom of hindsight allows us to distinguish between the two. The message is that we need to allow for a certain amount of laughable nuttiness if we are not to lose genuinely original insights and developments. If we can't tell the difference between oddity and insight, then maybe it's wise not to laugh too loud.
I am a scientist, not a historian, and when I write about scientists from earlier times it is from my perspective as a scientist. In consulting copies of original diaries, papers, and notes, I have often found I was reading about people who thought in the same way that modern scientists do but who happened to be working with a different set of questions and in a different environment of belief about the way in which the world works. I was particularly struck to discover the parallels between their struggles to understand how Nature works and my own efforts (rather less successful) as a child to understand for myself everything from movement, studied by Galileo, to light, space, and time, elucidated by Einstein. I have included some tales from this part of my life, partly to show that thinking like a child isn't necessarily a bad thing when it comes to science, and mainly to show that you don't have to be a genius to understand science — it just needs persistence, and the wish to know.
Yoga of Time Travel: How the Mind Can Defeat Time by Fred Alan Wolf (Quest Books) Glib and imaginative this work may amuse some but his science is iffy and even his explanations of esotericism remain shallow and hardly more than cartoonish parodies. Also the voice of the author is too obviously talking down to the readers. No fun this ego trip. Who is this book written for?
The Science of Supervillains by Lois H. Gresh, Robert Weinberg (John Wiley & Sons) The science behind the scoundrels we love to hate. Irreverent follow up to the Science of Supervillians.
From Spider-Man’s bionic archenemy, Dr. Octopus, to Superman’s nemesis, Lex Luthor, to the X-Men’s eternal rival, Magneto, comic book villains have kept us captivated for years–– not just by their diabolical talent for confounding our heroes, but also by their unrivaled techno-proficiency at creating global mayhem. But is any of the science behind their superweaponry based in truth?
The Science of Supervillains separates science fact from science fiction. Renowned authors Lois H. Gresh and Robert Weinberg present a highly entertaining and informative look at the mind-boggling wizardry behind such legendary baddies as Dr. Doom, Poison Ivy, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and more. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, weapons systems, antimatter, robotics, or magnetic flux theory, this fun, fact-filled book is a fascinating excursion into the real-world science animating the comic book world’s pantheon of evil geniuses.
This is a project that could have easily gone astray or been
caught up in the many nuances of cunning and deceit that the
countless villains have put our heroes through. Instead they take
the cream of the crop, including baddies like Magneto, Lex Luthor,
Doc Octopus and several others to show some of the more interesting
attempts they've made to make the world a worse place to live.
The Luthor chapter starts the book off with a decent look at the man
who would become Superman's main villain. That's really saying a lot
if you think about it considering how powerful and unstoppable the
Man of Steel really is. Yet everything Luthor has tried has failed.
Instead of really getting into why Luthor sucks or how Superman may
have just gotten lucky, Gresh and Weinberg dissect the science the
villains used in the books.
Intentionally or not, this may be a bit of a nod in the direction of
the writers and editors behind the book. Back in the day, the two
major companies, Marvel and DC, both had their own approaches to how
science was used in the comics. Julius Schwartz over at DC
maintained that the science had to be believable no matter what. It
didn't necessarily have to exist, but so long as an attempt was made
to reveal how things were being done, that seemed enough.
Enter Luthor's weather machine. Apparently Lex thought he'd be able
to manipulate the weather over Smallville and sent the little town
into a deep freeze. Rather than take the typical comic fan stance of
disbelief, Gresh and Weinberg actually talk to top scientists and do
the research behind whether or not such a contraption is possible.
Not surprisingly, they find out it isn't something that Lex could
have done in real life, but rather than take the typical fan
standpoint of "look how smart I am because I know it can't be done"
they take the extra step towards proving it.
The diabolical nature of this book isn't so much in the characters
that it discusses as it is in the clever methods the authors use to
trick their audiences into reading a science textbook. It doesn't
matter that subjects like magnetism, nuclear science and more are
covered in very specific and scientific terms as the humour and
subject matter work so brilliantly to disguise it. This is the kind
of book kids across North America are liable to pick up in their
local library for the fun colors and then shock their parents at the
dinner table with a basic knowledge of nuclear fission. Heck, if I
was a kid I'd read it just to look smart.
Beyond the unbelievable and the humour, this is an overall package
that serves to delight and entertain without getting bogged down in
minute details. Like the first volume, The Science of Super Heroes,
this book delves into the mysteries of comic book lore without
taking away the fun and excitement that it's meant to generate in
the first place. Think of this book as the perfect companion piece
to kids just getting into comics, or for older readers who think
they know it all.
The book isn't without a few cursory flaws, however. The narrative
device used by the pair have them stating things like "We don't
think this is possible" or "We have a theory." While it's generally
acknowledged that there are two voices here it begins to feel a
little like the royal `we' and becomes distracting from the
information it's trying to convey.
Fans may also raise an eyebrow or two at the inclusion of Silver
Surfer, the current hero and one-time herald of the planet-eater,
Galactus. It's the latter rather than the former that our intrepid
authors are focusing on but it raises an interesting question in
terms of modern-day heroes that often blur the line between who is a
hero and who is a villain. This is more of a philosophical question
and would take the book off course, so it isn't dealt with in the
book. It's more food for thought, really.
The book features an introduction by legendary comic book writer
Chris Claremont (Uncanny X-Men) who gives a little of the back
history about what it means to be a writer and to tackle the great
villains of comic books. It's a nice addition and can only serve to
add up the appeal to casual readers interested in some hard core
comic science.
At its heart, The Science of Supervillains is a book full of winks
and nods. But much like the popular novel at the moment, The Da
Vinci Code it seems like the characters or stories are just loose
wrapping around incredibly interesting research. I devoured Dan
Brown's novel because of his interesting facts and finds, much like
Weinberg and Gresh have provided a feast of comic book goodies for
readers of all ages.
Coal: A Human History by Barbara Freese (Perseus
Publishing) Part history and part environmental argument, Freese's
elegant book teaches an important lesson about the interdependence
of humans and their natural environment both for good and ill. In
this remarkable book, Freese takes us on a rich historical journey
that begins three hundred million years ago and spans the globe.
From the Great Stinking Fogs of London to the rat-infested coal
mines of
Remembrance of Repasts: An Anthropology of Food and Memory
by David E. Sutton (Berg) Proust's famous madeleine
captures the power of food to evoke some of our deepest memories.
Why does food hold such power? What does the growing commodification
and globalization of food mean for our capacity to store the past in
our meals-in the smell of olive oil or the taste of a fresh-cut fig?
Inside Microsoft Windows 2000 Are you planning to upgrade your Windows OS? Then we suggest that you read this nifty guide to the more stable features of Windows 2000. For debugging problems and for troubleshooting the basic architecture is given with a CD-ROM that includes some useful tool for live kernel debugging. More
This Business of Internet Law: Tools for Navigating the Evolving Business and Legal Landscape of Today's Internet Environment by X. M. Frascogna, H. Lee Hetherington, Shawnassey B. Howell (Billboard Books) The most up to date book of its kind in a market driven by currency. Despite the wide availability of the Internet there is little understanding of exactly what it is, how it works, or its true capabilities. More
Metaphysics in Ordinary Language by Stanley Rosen (Yale University Press) In this collection of philosophical writings, Stanley Rosen addresses a wide range of topics - from eros, poetry, and freedom to problems like negation and the epistemological status of sense perception. Though diverse in subject, Rosen's essays share two unifying principles: there can be no legitimate separation of textual hermeneutics from philosophical analysis, and philosophical investigation must be oriented in terms of everyday language and experience, although it cannot simply remain within these confines. Ordinary experience provides a minimal criterion for the assessment of extraordinary discourses, Rosen argues, and without such a criterion we would have no basis for evaluating conflicting discourses: philosophy would give way to poetry. More
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