The principles and procedures used to obtain structural measurements of terrestrial vegetation communities are presented in this text/reference. Designed to be the standard work on the topic, it provides a balance between conceptual and practical aspects of measurement procedures and techniques. The four commonly used measurements of vegetation - frequency, cover, density, and biomass - are introduced, along with their associated units. There is also up-to-date coverage of vegetation measurement using remote sensing techniques.

Heavy electrons are found among a number of lanthanide and actinide compounds, and are characterized by a large effective mass which becomes comparable to the mass of a muon. Heavy electrons exhibit rich phenomena such as unconventional superconductivity, weak anti- ferromagnetism, or pseudo meta-magnetism. This book is intended not only as a monograph, but can readily serve as an advanced textbook on theoretical and experimental physics of strongly correlated electrons. Over the last two decades, heavy electrons have been the focus of very active experimental and theoretical studies. Many established ideas and techniques have been insufficient to describe and understand heavy electrons and their impact properly. On the theoretical side, quantum fluctuations make mean-field theories difficult to handle, while on the experimental side, extreme conditions such as strong magnetic fields and pressure at ultra-low temperatures may be required. Heavy electron systems as described in this book offer a case study for applying and testing most of the major tools in theoretical and experimental condensed matter physics. Graduate students and researchers working on strongly correlated condensed matter systems will find in this book a comprehensive introduction and many examples how conventional concepts of solids may work or not work, and how they can be refined and sharpened in the context of heavy electron systems.

"Annual Reports in Computational Chemistry" is a new periodical providing timely and critical reviews of important topics in computational chemistry as applied to all chemical disciplines. Topics covered include quantum chemistry, molecular mechanics, force fields, chemical education, and applications in academic and industrial settings. Each volume is organized into (thematic) sections with contributions written by experts. Focusing on the most recent literature and advances in the field, each article covers a specific topic of importance to computational chemists. "Annual Reports in Computational Chemistry" is a "must" for researchers and students wishing to stay up-to-date on current developments in computational chemistry.
* Broad coverage of computational chemistry and up-to-date information
* Topics covered include bioinformatics, drug discovery, protein NMR, simulation methodologies, and applications in academic and industrial settings
* Each chapter reviews the most recent literature on a specific topic of interest to computational chemists

This book is about China's ambitions in its most complex and internationally visible space endeavor, namely its human space exploration programme. It provides a comprehensive reflection on Chinas strategic direction and objectives in space, including in particular those set forth in its human spaceflight programme and analyses the key domestic and external factors affecting the country's presumed manned lunar ambitions. The objective of the book is to disentangle the opportunities and challenges Chinas space ambitions are creating for other spacefaring nations and for Europe in particular. It therefore includes an in-depth analysis of possible European postures towards China in space exploration and seeks to stimulate a debate on future space strategies in the broader context of world politics.

The effects of very high pressures on various physical systems are of great scientific interest and experiments in this field are an increasingly important activity. Literature on high pressure methods is however scarce and largely out of date. This book is the first to present a broad and thorough coverage of methods and applications. It also provides a technological overview of high-pressure research in the Soviet Union much of which has never been presented in Western literature. This book is intended for graduate students specialising in high pressure experiments in physics, chemistry, and biology, and for scientists coming to high pressure experimentation for the first time as well as those already working in the field.

Chemical analysis moves from laboratory to places where samples to be analysed are located. This trend is aptly termed "on-site analysis". As the dictum says: "from sample transfer to information transfer". Owing to the ever increasing number of samples to be analysed, preliminary screening and selection of samples seems to be necessary, even in the laboratory. Rapid test methods of chemical analysis can solve both these tasks. This book is devoted to test methods that are widely used in environmental, industrial, clinical, forensic, medical, and other areas allowing a rapid, simple and cost-effective analysis - qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative to be performed by trained as well as non-trained personnel. Some general characteristic features of test methods and test systems are described in the book, e.g. definitions, advantages and limitations, chemical and physical principles of operation, procedures and protocols, and methodological aspects. Application of test methods in various areas is extensively overviewed, and the test means and test tools pertinent for solving each concrete analytical task are discussed, e.g. paper strips, indicator powders and tubes, tablets, etc. The most important applications of test methods, evidently, are: testing for inorganic and organic components in water (mostly for purposes of environmental control), monitoring of toxic gases and alcohol vapours, detection of narcotics and explosives, determination of glucose, cholesterol, and other components of medical importance.

"Cryogenic Freezing Manual" is an aid to anyone in the process of using Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) to freeze a product and to anyone currently using LN2 freezing equipment.

During their active lives, scientific instruments generally inhabit the laboratory, observatory, classroom or the field. But instruments have also lived in a wider set of venues, as objects on display. As such, they acquire new levels of meaning; their cultural functions expand. This book offers selected studies of instruments on display in museums, national fairs, universal exhibitions, patent offices, book frontispieces, theatrical stages, movie sets, and on-line collections. The authors argue that these displays, as they have changed with time, reflect changing social attitudes towards the objects themselves and toward science and its heritage. By bringing display to the center of analysis, the collection offers a new and ambitious framework for the study of scientific instruments and the material culture of science. Contributors are: Amy Ackerberg-Hastings, Silke Ackermann, Marco Beretta, Laurence Bobis, Alison Boyle, Fausto Casi, Ileana Chinnici, Suzanne Debarbat, Richard Dunn, Inga Elmqvist-Soederlund, Ingrid Jendrzejewski, Peggy A. Kidwell, Richard Kremer, Mara Miniati, Richard A. Paselk, Donata Randazzo, Steven Turner.

Since the discovery of a collagen-degrading protease in the tadpole tail in 1962, matrix metalloproteinase research has led to the discovery of more than twenty distinct vertebrate MMPs, along with a variety of homologues from diverse organisms such as the sea urchin, plants, insects, and nematode worms. Fully updating and adding to the popular first edition, Matrix Metalloproteinase Protocols, Second Edition includes a series of state-of-the-art techniques provided by eminent experts in the field. Beginning with a brief overview of the MMP arena, from how these enzymes fit into the larger degradome to what occurs when their expression and function in the mouse is modulated, the volume continues with sections on the expression and purification of MMPs and TIMPs, the detection of MMPs and TIMPs at both the protein and mRNA level, and our ability to assay MMP and TIMP activities in a wide variety of circumstances. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Matrix Metalloproteinase Protocols, Second Edition is an ideal source for many of the essential laboratory techniques for both novice and seasoned researchers alike collected in one convenient volume.

Your biochemistry lab course is an essential component in training for a career in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, and related molecular life sciences such as cell biology, neurosciences, and genetics. "Biochemistry Laboratory: Modern Theory and Techniques" covers the theories, techniques, and methodologies practiced in the biochemistry teaching and research lab. Instead of specific experiments, it focuses on detailed descriptions of modern techniques in experimental biochemistry and discusses the theory behind such techniques in detail. An extensive range of techniques discussed includes Internet databases, chromatography, spectroscopy, and recombinant DNA techniques such as molecular cloning and PCR. The Second Edition introduces cutting-edge topics such as membrane-based chromatography, adds new exercises and problems throughout, and offers a completely updated Companion Website.

This book is a very simple introduction for those who would like to learn about the particle accelerators or 'atom-smashers' used in hospitals, industry and large research institutes where physicists probe deep into the nature of matter itself. The reader with a basic knowledge of mathematics and physics will discover a wide spectrum of technologies.

The first edition of this classic book has become the authoritative reference for physicists desiring to master the finer points of statistical data analysis. This second edition contains all the important material of the first, much of it unavailable from any other sources. In addition, many chapters have been updated with considerable new material, especially in areas concerning the theory and practice of confidence intervals, including the important Feldman?Cousins method. Both frequentist and Bayesian methodologies are presented, with a strong emphasis on techniques useful to physicists and other scientists in the interpretation of experimental data and comparison with scientific theories. This is a valuable textbook for advanced graduate students in the physical sciences as well as a reference for active researchers.

Exploring the 2-D gel mapping field, the chapters in this book are separated into four different categories: Part I talks about 2-D maps reproducibility and maps modeling; Part II describes the image analysis tools that provide spot volume datasets; Part III is about the statistical methods applied to spot volume datasets to identify candidate biomarkers; and Part IV discusses differential analysis from direct image analysis tools. 2-D PAGE Map Analysis: Methods and Protocols provides a unique approach to 2-D gel mapping, in that it helps users avoid drawbacks due to ignorance of the basic theoretical mechanisms underlying the technique, including data handling and proper tools for spot analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, 2-D PAGE Map Analysis: Methods and Protocols, is a useful resource for any scientist or researcher, with a mathematical background, who is interested in 2-D gel mapping.

This text provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the key ideas behind the physics of particle accelerators. Supported by a clear mathematical treatment and a range of calculations which develop a genuine feeling for the subject, it is a thorough introduction to the many aspects of accelerator physics.

Statistics is a key characteristic that assists a wide variety of professions including business, government, and factual sciences. Companies need data calculation to make informed decisions that help maintain their relevance. Design of experiments (DOE) is a set of active techniques that provides a more efficient approach for industries to test their processes and form effective conclusions. Experimental design can be implemented into multiple professions, and it is a necessity to promote applicable research on this up-and-coming method. Design of Experiments for Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Food, and Industrial Applications is a pivotal reference source that seeks to increase the use of design of experiments to optimize and improve analytical methods and productive processes in order to use less resources and time. While highlighting topics such as multivariate methods, factorial experiments, and pharmaceutical research, this publication is ideally designed for industrial designers, research scientists, chemical engineers, managers, academicians, and students seeking current research on advanced and multivariate statistics.

This book provides the scientific and technical background materials of non-destructive methods of microscopic analysis that are suitable for analysing works of art, museum pieces and archeaological artefacts. Written by experts in the field, this multi-author volume contains a number of case studies, illustrating the value of these methods. The book is suited to natural scientists and analysts looking to increase their knowledge of the various methods that are currently available for non-destructive analysis. It is also the perfect resource for museum curators, archaeologists and art-historians seeking to identify one or more suitable methods of analysis that could solve material-related problems.

In the new edition the editors have preserved the basic concept and structure, with the involvement of some new authors - all recognized experts in laser spectroscopy. Each chapter addresses a different technique, providing a review and analysis of the current status, and reporting some of the latest achievements. With the key formulas and methods detailed in many sections, this text represents a practicable handbook of its subject. It will be a valuable tool both for specialists to keep abreast of developments and for newcomers to the field needing an accessible introduction to specific methods of laser spectroscopy - and also as a resource for primary references.

Calorimetry is one of the oldest areas of physical chemistry. The date on which calorimetry came into being may be taken as 13 June 1783, the day on which Lavoisier and Laplace presented a contribution entitled, Memoire de la Chaleur" at a session of the Academie Francaise. Throughout the existence of calorimetry, many new methods have been developed and the measuring techniques have been improved. At p- sent, numerous laboratories worldwide continue to focus attention on the development and applications of calorimetry, and a number of com- nies specialize in the production of calorimeters. The calorimeter is an instrument that allows heat effects in it to be determined by directly measurement of temperature. Accordingly, to determine a heat effect, it is necessary to establish the relationship - tween the heat effect generated and the quantity measured in the ca- rimeter. It is this relationship that unambiguously determines the mathematical model of the calorimeter. Depending on the type of ca- rimeter applied, the accuracy required, and the conditions of heat and mass transfer that prevail in the device, the relationship between the measured and generated quantities can assume different mathematical forms."

* Expert, up-to-date guidance on the appropriate techniques of local chemical analysis
* Comprehensive. This volume is an ideal starting point for material research and development, bringing together a number of techniques usually only found in isolation
* Recent examples of the applications of techniques are provided in all cases

Helping to solve the problems of materials scientists in academia and industry, this book offers guidance on appropriate techniques of chemical analysis of materials at the local level, down to the atomic scale. Comparisons are made between various techniques in terms of the nature of the probe employed. The detection limit and the optimum spatial resolution is also considered, as well as the range of atomic number that may be identified and the precision and methods of calibration, where appropriate.

"The Local Chemical Analysis of Materials" is amply illustrated allowing the reader to easily see typical results. It includes a comparative table of techniques to aid selection for analysis and a table of acronyms, particularly valuable in this jargon-riddled area.

For both volumes:
Expert investigators describe not only the classic methods, but also the many novel techniques they have perfected for the transfer of large DNAs into the cells of both microbes and animals via large-insert recombinant DNAs. Volume 1 presents readily reproducible techniques for library construction, physical mapping, and sequencing.. An accompanying volume, Volume 2: Functional Studies, provides a wide variety of methods and applications for functional analysis of the DNA-transformed organisms. Besides protocols, each chapter includes scientific reviews, software tools, database resources, genome sequencing strategies, and illustrative case studies.

Too often, the study of science, math, and technology is limited to the major successes of the Western world. Yet people all over the world have observed and explored nature and developed technologies to help them in their everyday lives.

From the creators of the national bestseller and Parent's Choice Book Award -- winner The Explorabook (over one million copies sold) comes Math and Science Across Cultures, designed to help teachers, parents, and youth-group leaders use hands-on activities to explore the math and science of different cultural traditions, and to make these subjects more relevant and approachable for children of all backgrounds. With instructions in this book, you can:
-- Construct a Brazilian carnival instrument and investigate the science of sound.
-- Play a peg solitaire game from Madagascar and learn about mathematical patterns.
-- Experiment with a traditionally prepared cup of Chinese tea and learn about energy flow.
-- Count like an Egyptian, decipher Mayan mathematical symbols, and decode the ancient Inca number system of knotted cords.

The knowledge base of chromatography continued to expand throughout the 1990s owing to its many applications to problems of contemporary interest in industry, life and environmental sciences. Organizing this information into a single text for a diverse group of scientists has become increasingly difficult. The present book stemmed from the desire to revise Chromatography Today, written by the same author with Salwa K. Poole, and published in 1991. This title is considered to be one of the definitive texts on chromatography. It was soon realized however, that a simple revision would not provide the desired result of a contemporary picture of the practice of chromatography at the turn of the century. The only workable solution was to start afresh, maintaining the same general philosophy and concept for Chromatography Today where possible, while creating essentially a new book.
The format of the new book is modular, with extensive cross-references to permit rapid location of related material using different separation concepts. Important features are extensive tabulation of essential data for performing separations and an extensive bibliography to the most recent literature.
This title is intended as a suitable text for graduate level courses in the separation sciences and as a self-study guide for professional chromatographers wishing to refresh their background in this rapidly expanding field.
The Essence of Chromatography presents a comprehensive survey of modern chromatography and is an effective replacement for Chromatography Today.
.Comprehensive and authoritative coverage of chromatographic techniques
.Contains extensive coverage of recent literature on this subject
.Ideal text for graduates and suitable for professional chromatographers"

Hydronamics of Explosion presents the research results for the problems of underwater explosions and contains a detailed analysis of the structure and the parameters of the wave fields generated by explosions of cord and spiral charges, a description of the formation mechanisms for a wide range of cumulative flows at underwater explosions near the free surface, and the relevant mathematical models. Shock-wave transformation in bubbly liquids, shock-wave amplification due to collision and focusing, and the formation of bubble detonation waves in reactive bubbly liquids are studied in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on the investigation of wave processes in cavitating liquids, which incorporates the concepts of the strength of real liquids containing natural microinhomogeneities, the relaxation of tensile stress, and the cavitation fracture of a liquid as the inversion of its two-phase state under impulsive (explosive) loading. The problems are classed among essentially nonlinear processes that occur under shock loading of liquids and may be of interest to researchers in physical acoustics, mechanics of multiphase media, shock-wave processes in condensed media, explosive hydroacoustics, and cumulation.