Image processing is fast becoming a valuable tool for analyzing multidimensional data in all areas of natural science. Since the publication of the best-selling first edition of this handbook, the field of image processing has matured in many of its aspects from ad hoc, empirical approaches to a sound science based on established mathematical and physical principles. The Practical Handbook on Image Processing for Scientific and Technical Applications, Second Edition builds a sound basic knowledge of image processing, provides a critically evaluated collection of the best algorithms, and demonstrates those algorithms with real-world applications from many fields. It covers all aspects of image processing, from image formation to image analysis, and gives an up-to-date review of advanced concepts. Organized according to the hierarchy of tasks, each chapter includes a summary, an outline of the background the task requires, and a section of practical tips that help you avoid common errors and save valuable research time. New in the Second Edition: Expanded application areas now include technical fields such as the automotive industry, quality inspection, and materials science More practical tips in each chapter Discussion of digital camera interfaces and a comparison of CMOS vs. CCD cameras A section on wavelets Advanced techniques for reconstruction, new segmentation methods based on global optimization and anisotropic diffusion, and additional classification techniques, including neural networks, polynomial classification, and support vector machines Just as digital image processing provides the key to studying complex scientific problems that researchers once could only dream of tackling, this handbook unlocks the intricacies of image processing and brings its power and potential within the grasp of researchers across the spectrum of scientific and engineering disciplines.

Although methods and techniques that will help solve various analytical problems do exist, they are often difficult to perform. Using polarized light microscopy as the method of choice, Color Atlas and Manual of Microscopy for Criminalists, Chemists, and Conservators offers swift, simple, yet irrefutable analytical tests and testing procedures that can be used to identify organic and inorganic particles. Seasoned forensic microscopists Nicholas Petraco and Thomas Kubic have lent their expertise as consultants to forensic scientists, analytical chemists, art historians, pathologists, customs agents, detectives, gemologists, numismatists, and art conservators. Now they share their extensive photomicrograph collection of minute specimens along with clear, concise, and simple methods to help solve your analytical problems.

This book presents a detailed look at experimental and computational techniques for accurate structure determination of free molecules. The most fundamental property of a molecule is its structure - it is a prerequisite for determining and understanding most other important properties of molecules. The determination of accurate structures is hampered by a myriad of factors, subjecting the collected data to non-negligible systematic errors. This book explains the origin of these errors and how to mitigate and even avoid them altogether. It features a detailed comparison of the different experimental and computation methods, explaining their interplay and the advantages of their combined use. Armed with this information, the reader will be able to choose the appropriate methods to determine - to a great degree of accuracy - the relevant molecular structure.

I In this volume, the author demystifies the Design of Experiments (DOE). He begins with a clear explanation of the traditional experimentation process. He then covers the concept of variation and the importance of experimentation and follows through with applications. Stamatis also discusses full and fractional factorials. The strength of this volume lies in the fact that not only does it introduce the concept of robustness, it also addresses "Robust Designs" with discussions on the Taguchi methodology of experimentation. And throughout the author ties these concepts into the Six Sigma philosophy and shows readers how they use those concepts in their organizations.

This book discusses fundamentally new biomedical imaging methods, such as holography, holographic and resonant interferometry, and speckle optics. It focuses on the development of holographic interference microscopy and its use in the study of phase objects such as nerve and muscle fibers subjected to the influence of laser radiation, magnetic fields, and hyperbaric conditions. The book shows how the myelin sheath and even the axon itself exhibit waveguide properties, enabling a fresh new look at the mechanisms of information transmission in the human body. The book presents theoretically and experimentally tested holographic and speckle-optical methods and devices used for investigating complex, diffusely scattering surfaces such as skin and muscle tissue. Additionally, it gives broad discussion of the authors' own original fundamental and applied research dedicated to helping physicians introduce new contact-less methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular and neuromuscular systems into medical practice. The book is aimed at a broad spectrum of scientific specialists in the fields of speckle optics, holography, laser physics, morphology and cytochemistry, as well as medical professionals such as physiologists, neuropathologists, neurosurgeons, cardiologists and dentists.

Spark scientific curiosity from a young age with this six-level course through an enquiry-based approach and active learning. Collins International Primary Science fully meets the requirements of the Cambridge Primary Science Curriculum Framework from 2020 and has been carefully developed for a range of international contexts. The course is organised into four main strands: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Space and the skills detailed under the 'Thinking and Working Scientifically' strand are introduced and taught in the context of those areas. For each Teacher's Guide at Stages 1 to 6, we offer: A comprehensive Teacher's Guide is easy to follow with a clear and consistent lesson plan layout, including built in continuous assessment The Teacher's Guide Plus ebook includes components such as slideshows, video clips, additional photographs and interactive activities Earth and Space content covers the new curriculum framework Thinking and Working Scientifically deepens and enhances the delivery of Science skills Includes practical activities that don't require specialist equipment or labs Scaffolding allows students of varying abilities to work with common content and meet learning objectives Supports Cambridge Global Perspectives (TM) with activities that develop and practise key skills Provides teacher support as part of a set of resources for the Cambridge Primary Science curriculum framework (0097) from 2020 This series is endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education to support the new curriculum framework 0097 from 2020.

Toxicology has made tremendous strides in the sophistication of the models used to identify and understand the mechanisms of agents that can harm or kill humans and other higher organisms. Non-animals or in vitro models started to gain significant use in the 1960s. As a result of the increased concern over animal welfare, economic factors, and the need for greater sensitivity and understanding of mechanisms, interest in in vitro models has risen. This volume demonstrates that there now exists a broad range of in vitro models for use in either identifying or understanding most forms of toxicity. The availability of in vitro models spans both the full range of endpoints (irritation, sensitization, lethality, mutagenicity, and developmental toxicity) and the full spectrum of target organ systems (including the skin, eye, heart, liver, kidney and nervous system). Chapters are devoted to each of these speciality areas from a perspective of presenting the principal models and their uses and limitations.

Experts from The Jackson Laboratory and around the world provide practical advice on everything from how to establish a colony to where to go for specific mutations. Systematic Approach to Evaluation of Mouse Mutations includes information on medical photography, grafting procedures, how to map the genes and evaluate the special biological characteristics of the mice.

Since the initial discovery of the G protein-coupled receptor system that regulates cyclicAMP production, the G protein field has rapidly expanded. Cell surface receptors that couple to heterotrimeric G proteins, the G prote- coupled receptors (GPCRs), number in the hundreds and bind to a wide div- sity of ligands including, biogenic amines (e. g. , adrenaline), lipid derivatives (e. g. , lysophosphatidic acid), peptides (e. g. , opioid peptides), proteins (e. g. , thyroid-stimulating hormone), and odorants to name a few. The GPCR system is found throughout biology in such simple organisms as yeast and in such more complex organisms as Dictyostelium discoideum (slime mold), Caen- habditis elegans (nematode worm), and of course in humans. GPCRs and their associated G protein systems are the subject of intense academic research and because of their involvement in a human biology and disease, the pharmac- tical industry has large research initiatives dedicated to the study of GPCRs. By some estimates, more than 50% of the pharmaceuticals on the market are targeted at GPCRs. The G protein/G protein-coupled receptor system consists of a receptor (GPCR), a heterotrimeric G protein consisting of ?, ?, and ? subunits, and an effector. G protein effector molecules, such as enzymes or ion channels, respond to acti- tion by the G protein to generate second messengers or changes in membrane potential that lead to alterations in cell physiology.

The goal of this book is to make some underutilized but potentially very useful methods in experimental design and analysis available to ecologists, and to encourage better use of standard statistical techniques. Ecology has become more and more an experimental science in both basic and applied work, but experiments in the field and in the laboratory often present formidable statistical difficulties. Organized around providing solutions to ecological problems, this book offers ways to improve the statistical aspects of conducting manipulative ecological experiments, from setting them up to interpreting and reporting the results. An abundance of tools, including advanced approaches, are made available to ecologists in step-by-step examples, with computer code provided for common statistical packages. This is an essential how-to guide for the working ecologist and for graduate students preparing for research and teaching careers in the field of ecology.

It is now more than ten years since Dr. Alec Jeffreys (now Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, FRS) reported in Nature that the investigation of certain minisatellite regions in the human genome could produce what he termed DNA fingerprints and provide useful information in the fields of paternity testing and forensic analysis. Since that time we have witnessed a revolution in the field of forensic identification. A total change of technology, from serological or electrophoretic analysis of protein polymorphisms to direct investigation of the underlying DNA polymorphisms has occurred in a short space of time. In addition, the evolution and development of the DNA systems themselves has been rapid and spectacular. In the last decade we have progressed from the multilocus DNA fing- prints, through single locus systems based on the same Southern blot RFLP technology, to a host of systems based on the PCR technique. These include Allele Specific Oligonucleotide (ASO)-primed systems detected by dot blots, the "binary" genotypes produced by mapping variations within VNTR repeats demonstrated by minisatellite variant repeat (MVR) analysis, and yet other fragment-length polymorphisms in the form of Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci. Hand in hand with the increasing range of systems available has been the development of new instrumentation to facilitate their analysis and allow us to explore the possibilities of high volume testing in the form of mass scre- ing and offender databases.

Offering all aspects of humidity measurement and instrumentation, this work includes rudiments and theory, common applications, advantages and limitations of frequently-used sensors and techniques, and guidelines for installation, maintenance and calibration. The disk is intended for easy conversions of humidity parameters and units.

Most lab manuals assume a high level of knowledge among biochemistry students, as well as a large amount of experience combining knowledge from separate scientific disciplines. Biochemistry in the Lab: A Manual for Undergraduates expects little more than basic chemistry. It explains procedures clearly, as well as giving a clear explanation of the theoretical reason for those steps. Key Features: Presents a comprehensive approach to modern biochemistry laboratory teaching, together with a complete experimental experience Includes chemical biology as its foundation, teaching readers experimental methods specific to the field Provides instructor experiments that are easy to prepare and execute, at comparatively low cost Supersedes existing, older texts with information that is adjusted to modern experimental biochemistry Is written by an expert in the field This textbook presents a foundational approach to modern biochemistry laboratory teaching together with a complete experimental experience, from protein purification and characterization to advanced analytical techniques. It has modules to help instructors present the techniques used in a time critical manner, as well as several modules to study protein chemistry, including gel techniques, enzymology, crystal growth, unfolding studies, and fluorescence. It proceeds from the simplest and most important techniques to the most difficult and specialized ones. It offers instructors experiments that are easy to prepare and execute, at comparatively low cost.

Response Surfaces: Designs and Analyses; Second Edition presents techniques for designing experiments that yield adequate and reliable measurements of one or several responses of interest, fitting and testing the suitability of empirical models used for acquiring information from the experiments, and for utilizing the experimental results to make decisions concerning the system under investigation.
This edition contains chapters on response surface models with block effects and on Taguchi's robust parameter design, additional details on transformation of response variable, more material on modified ridge analysis, and new design criteria, including rotatability for multiresponse experiments. It also presents an innovative technique for displaying correlation among several response. Numerical examples throughout the book plus exercises--with worked solutions to selected problems--complement the text.

Let this down-to-earth book be your guide to the statistical integrity of your work. Without relying on the detailed and complex mathematical explanations found in many other statistical texts, Principles of Experimental Design for the Life Sciences teaches how to design, conduct, and interpret top-notch life science studies. Learn about the planning of biomedical studies, the principles of statistical design, sample size estimation, common designs in biological experiments, sequential clinical trials, high dimensional designs and process optimization, and the correspondence between objectives, design, and analysis. Each of these important topics is presented in an understandable and non-technical manner, free of statistical jargon and formulas. Written by a biostatistical consultant with 25 years of experience, Principles of Experimental Design for the Life Sciences is filled with real-life examples from the author's work that you can quickly and easily apply to your own. These examples illustrate the main concepts of experimental design and cover a broad range of application areas in both clinical and nonclinical research. With this one innovative, helpful book you can improve your understanding of statistics, enhance your confidence in your results, and, at long last, shake off those statistical shackles!

The Second Edition of this bestseller brings together basic plant pathology methods published in diverse and often abstract publications. The Second Edition is updated and expanded with numerous new figures, new culture media, and additional methods for working with a greater number of organisms. Methods are easy to use and eliminate the need to seek out original articles. This reference allows for easy identification of methods appropriate for specific problems and facilities. Scientific names of pathogens and some of their hosts are updated in this edition. The book also acts as a research source providing more than 1,800 literature citations.
The Second Edition includes chapters on the following:
Sterilization of culture apparatus and culture media
Culture of pathogens with detailed techniques for 61 fungi and selected bacteria
Long-term storage of plant pathogens
Detection and estimation of inoculum for 28 soilborne fungal pathogens and 5 bacterial genera-15 methods for airborne inoculum and 13 methods for seedborne pathogens
Establishment of disease and testing for disease resistance
Work with soil microorganisms
Fungicide evaluation
Biological control
Bright-field microscopy

In this book, the major paradigm-shifting discoveries made in the past century on key cellular nanomachines are described in great detail: their complex yet precise and elegant design and function, as well as the diseases linked to their dysfunction and the therapeutic approaches to overcome them. The major focus of this book is the "porosome" nanomachine, the universal secretory portal in cells. This is an ideal book for students, researchers, and professionals in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

This updated and revised edition of a classic work provides a summary of methods for numerical computation of high resolution conventional and scanning transmission electron microscope images. At the limits of resolution, image artifacts due to the instrument and the specimen interaction can complicate image interpretation. Image calculations can help the user to interpret and understand high resolution information in recorded electron micrographs. The book contains expanded sections on aberration correction, including a detailed discussion of higher order (multipole) aberrations and their effect on high resolution imaging, new imaging modes such as ABF (annular bright field), and the latest developments in parallel processing using GPUs (graphic processing units), as well as updated references. Beginning and experienced users at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level will find the book to be a unique and essential guide to the theory and methods of computation in electron microscopy.

We cannot imagine a world without plastics. Plastic products make our daily life safe, healthy and convenient. Besides all the benefits, the current plastics economy gives rise to environmental concerns with respect to fossil oil depletion and plastic waste accumulation. In a circular economy, however, plastics can be redesigned for reusability and recyclability. This book makes the topic of sustainable plastics approachable for students and career starters alike, describing the nature and chemistry of (bio)polymers as well as how to create a closed loop of plastic materials.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the field of spin dynamics and magnetic damping. It discusses the various ways to tune damping, specifically, dynamic and static control in a ferromagnetic layer/heavy metal layer. In addition, it addresses all optical detection techniques for the investigation of modulation of damping, for example, the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique.

This book is written to help and enable students in how to observe biological specimens in terms of viscosity, mass, elasticity and work producing elements. The observations are related to underlying chemical reactions by means of strain (fractional length change) sensitivity of the reactions, and a theory is developed how to connect these. Their mathematical derivation is complex when three or more states are involved, but a method is presented here to demonstrate how to simplify this complex problem. Basic mathematical solutions that are useful for this book, are presented (Fourier and Laplace transforms, differential equations, matrix operations) together with Fortran programs in the Appendix.

This book introduces the fundamentals of biobanking and guides through the practical planning thereof, with a special focus on the situation in low- and middle-income countries. On the example of the setup of a Ukrainian biobank the book discusses the main steps and aspects of successful biorepository implementation and management. Topics covered include collection, storage and shipping of samples, establishment of an IT system, development of a sustainability plan, and project and risk management. Furthermore, the importance of the formation of international biobanking societies such as the Ukraine Association of Biobanks is highlighted, and their main objectives and tasks are discussed.The book addresses life science and business professionals as well as national authorities who are interested in biobanking in general and in setting up a biobank in particular.

This open access book brings out the state of the art on how informatics-based tools are used and expected to be used in nanomaterials research. There has been great progress in the area in which "big-data" generated by experiments or computations are fully utilized to accelerate discovery of new materials, key factors, and design rules. Data-intensive approaches play indispensable roles in advanced materials characterization. "Materials informatics" is the central paradigm in the new trend. "Nanoinformatics" is its essential subset, which focuses on nanostructures of materials such as surfaces, interfaces, dopants, and point defects, playing a critical role in determining materials properties. There have been significant advances in experimental and computational techniques to characterize individual atoms in nanostructures and to gain quantitative information. The collaboration of researchers in materials science and information science is growing actively and is creating a new trend in materials science and engineering.

Since the first recognition of outbreaks of cerebrospinal or spotted fever at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries, the menace of the meningococcus has been high on the list of public health prio- ties. Few if any pathogens surpass the meningococcus in the rapidity and sev- ity with which it devastates previously healthy individuals. The challenge of understanding the biology of this fascinating microbe is immense, but few will doubt that successful control of meningococcal meningitis and septicemia will only transpire through the application of a body of extraordinary detailed inf- mation, including key minutiae of its molecular biology. In the first of two companion volumes, Meningococcal Vaccines, the team of experts gathered by Andy Pollard and Martin Maiden converge to p- vide an impressive accumulation of molecular tools with which to lay bare the secrets of the meningococcus. The results of this ambitious and welcome v- ume represent an exciting and much needed resource for all of us in the field.

Mastering the art of communicating scientific information is more critical than ever for a successful career in science and technology. Scientists today must be able to effectively convey sophisticated information to a broad audience that may include students, colleagues around the world, regulatory bodies, granting agencies, legislators, and the lay public. In this engaging and lively book, the author provides a step-by-step guide to the complete process of making a scientific presentation from preparation to delivery. It offers numerous examples highlighting what to follow and what to avoid. This revised edition covers the effective use of PowerPoint (TM) and other computer-based presentation programs. It also includes a handy checklist, new illustrations, and tips on handling an audience in a foreign country.