This book informs the reader about a fascinating class of materials referred to as skutterudites, the atomic lattice of which has large structural voids that can be filled by a variety of foreign species, spanning from alkali to alkaline to rare earth ions. The fillers, in their unique way, drastically modify the physical properties of the parent structure, giving rise to outstanding thermoelectric properties. This exciting material is of growing importance and is finding applications in a variety of different fields. This book will be of interest to researchers working in materials science, physics, and chemistry in addition to graduate students in these subjects. Features: * Gives a comprehensive account of all fundamental physical properties of skutterudites * Each major topic is accompanied by introductory sections and a further detailed theoretical treatment is provided in Appendices * Supported by many figures and a vast number of relevant references

Although many texts describe plants from China, the focus of this book is to draw on the rich culture and environment of medicinal plants and fungi/mushrooms of Yunnan Province. In fact, Yunnan Province covers two global hotspots of biodiversity, with the richest biological and cultural diversity in China. In particular, the Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (founded in 1938 and located in the capital city of Yunnan Province) has made great contributions in the fields of botany and phytochemistry, earning an international reputation. This book covers those medicinal plants and fungi/mushrooms specific to Yunnan Province, and is written mainly by KIB experts in this research field. Key Features: Distinct sections cover the breadth of the topic including resource availability (wildly grown or cultivated), sustainability, and distribution Discusses plant parts used for medicinal uses (the folklore, the ancient and modern uses) Describes the important natural products and the known pharmacologically active components Presents biological activities related to medicinal uses or clinical evidence Cover image: Shilin, the stone forest (eroded vertical pinnacles of limestone), landmark of Kunming, Yunnan.

Artemisia annua is a well-known medicinal plant that has been utilized for a number of purposes, including malaria, for centuries. This is the first comprehensive book to cover the importance of Artemisia annua in the global health crisis and in the treatment against diseases. A component and extract, artemisinin, is the source of other derivatives which are also suitable for pharmaceutical use. The present demand for artemisinin far outpaces its supply. Researchers are working globally towards improving artemisinin content in the plant by various means. Artemisia annua: Prospects, Applications and Therapeutic Uses highlights the different approaches, including 'omics', that are being used in current research on this immensely important medicinal plant. Providing comprehensive coverage of the agricultural and pharmaceutical uses of this plant, Artemisia annua will be essential reading for botanists, plant scientists, herbalists, pharmacognosists, pharmacologists and natural product chemists.

This unique volume presents new understandings of the neurochemical nature of major depression, and how herbs and their constituent flavonoids and terpenes appear to address some of the mechanisms now thought to be involved. It explores how recent studies of the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine inform neuroscientists about deep intracellular mechanisms of antidepressant action that have little to do with simple enhancement of monoaminergic activity. These mechanisms include actions on PI3K, Akt, mTOR, GSK3, BDNF, and other intracellular pathways. New theories of the pathophysiology underlying major depression, such as oxidative damage, inflammation, stress and insulin resistance are then explored. Key Features: Focuses on oxidative damage, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome. Explains that a significant percentage of people treated for major depression obtain little if any relief from standard antidepressant medications. These facts lead to discussion of herbs that can be used to treat major depression, as well as consideration of the scientific basis for how these herbs act. The antidepressant properties of 66 herbs are discussed, along with dosing and safety information.

The book examines basic principles of the structure and organization of living organisms and their differences from objects of inanimate nature. It covers how a single program-information structure permeates all evolutionary stages of life, including the cell, multicellular organisms and humans. The author explains how this structure is arranged and how it functions, as well as the role of the information system. KEY FEATURES Reviews persistent questions and addresses fundamental themes in biology Provides systematic coverage Includes original insights into basic principles of living organization and structure Demonstrates the applicability of a proposed approach to particular evolutionary grades RELATED TITLES J.W. Schopf, Life in Deep Time: Darwin's "Missing" Fossil Record (ISBN 978-1-138-38549-8) C.H. Waddington, ed., The Origin of Life: Toward a Theoretical Biology (ISBN 978-0-202-36302-8) J. Wiegel, A.W.W. Michael, eds., Thermophiles: The Keys to the Molecular Evolution and the Origin of Life (ISBN 978-0-7484-0747-7)

The book examines basic principles of the structure and organization of living organisms and their differences from objects of inanimate nature. It covers how a single program-information structure permeates all evolutionary stages of life, including the cell, multicellular organisms and humans. The author explains how this structure is arranged and how it functions, as well as the role of the information system. KEY FEATURES Reviews persistent questions and addresses fundamental themes in biology Provides systematic coverage Includes original insights into basic principles of living organization and structure Demonstrates the applicability of a proposed approach to particular evolutionary grades RELATED TITLES J.W. Schopf, Life in Deep Time: Darwin's "Missing" Fossil Record (ISBN 978-1-138-38549-8) C.H. Waddington, ed., The Origin of Life: Toward a Theoretical Biology (ISBN 978-0-202-36302-8) J. Wiegel, A.W.W. Michael, eds., Thermophiles: The Keys to the Molecular Evolution and the Origin of Life (ISBN 978-0-7484-0747-7)

Addressing the persistent environmental threat of organic chemicals with a fresh approach to degradation and transformation processes, Organic Chemicals in the Environment: Mechanisms of Degradation and Transformation, Second Edition examines a wide range of compounds as well as abiotic and microbiological reactions mediated by microorganisms. The book emphasizes the pathways used and the broad classes of enzymes involved. It provides an overview of experimental procedures with detailed coverage of the organic compounds that are considered to be xenobiotics. The book begins by providing a broad perspective on abiotic and biotic reactions, including the significance of a range of environmental determinants. The following chapters briefly introduce experimental procedures and emphasize those procedures for establishing the structure of metabolites using isotopes and physical methods. Next, the authors outline details of biochemical reactions involved in the biodegradation of the major groups of aliphatic, carbocyclic aromatic, and heterocyclic compounds. They end with coverage of bioremediation that has attracted increasing concern because of the hazard presented by the disposal of unwanted chemicals or by-products from their manufacture. Broad and comprehensive, this book provides a cohesive treatment of the subject. It contains an extensive set of literature references and numerous illustrative figures. The authors use a mechanistic approach with emphasis on the pathways, and the principles that emerge provide a guide not only for specific compounds but also for those having a more remote structural resemblance.

Generally speaking, quantitative-structure activity relationship (QSAR) is a technique which correlates the biological activities of a set of compounds to their structures using a mathematical equation represented in its general form by Biological Activity = f (x1, ..., xn), where f is a mathematical function and x1, ..., xn are n molecular descriptors. Since the introduction of the initial concept of QSAR in the early 1960s, numerous advances have been introduced into the field transforming it into an essential tool in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. Quantitative Structure - Activity Relationship: A Practical Approach provides a detailed overview of computational approaches in QSAR studies. It covers the applications of different algorithms in various steps of a QSAR analysis and shows clear examples. Each chapter introduces the tools and software involved. Moreover, challenges and issues which may be faced in any step of the analysis are thoroughly broken down based on the OECD guidelines, enabling the reader to familiarize themselves with potential end results. The book was kept concise, making it suitable for students (pharmacy, chemistry and biological science) and lecturers, as well as researchers in the field.

Industrial Biotechnology offers a comprehensive overview of biochemical processes, technologies, and practical applications of industrial biotechnology. The work comprises of chapters that discuss medium preparation, inoculum preparation using industrial strain and upstream processing, various fermentation processes, and physico-chemical separation processes for the purification of products and packaging. Analyzes problems within biochemical processes Discusses stoichiometry of bioprocesses Covers upstream and downstream processing Offers a wealth of case studies of different biochemical production processes, including those in development of food products, vaccines and medicines, single cell proteins, amino acids, cheese, biodiesel, biopesticides, and more This book is aimed at advanced students, industrial practitioners, and researchers in biotechnology, food engineering, chemical engineering, and environmental engineering.

This volume elaborates on mechatronics as the synergistic integration of mechanical engineering with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and manufacturing of industrial products and processes. It considers the integration of mechanical systems (mechanical elements, components, machines), electronic systems (microelectronics, sensor and actuator technology), and information technology. The book's chapters present the principles of mechatronic systems design and solid materials in small elementary steps, provide an abundance of examples, and feature problems that are as practical as possible without becoming too involved with many extraneous details.

Renewable Materials and Green Technology Products: Environmental and Safety Aspects looks at the design, manufacture, and use of efficient, effective, safe, and more environmentally benign chemical products and processes. It includes a broad range of application-based solutions to the development of renewable materials and green technology. The latest trends in the green synthesis and properties of CNs are presented in the first chapter of this book for generating social awareness about sustainable developments. The book goes on to highlight the naissance and progressive trail of microwave-assisted synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles, for a clean and green technology tool. Chapters discuss green technological alternatives for the global abatement of air pollution, effective use and treatment of water and wastewater, renewable power generation from solar PV cells, carbon-based nanomaterials synthesized using green protocol for sustainable development, green technologies that help to achieve economic development without harming the environment, technical solutions to cut down the quantum of N losses, conventional processing techniques in developing the bionanocomposites as the biocatalyst, and more.

Professionals and students who come from disciplines other than chemistry need a concise yet reliable guide that explains key concepts in environmental chemistry, from the fundamental science to the necessary calculations for applying them. Updated and reorganized, Applications of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry: A Practical Guide, Third Edition provides the essential background for understanding and solving the most frequent environmental chemistry problems. Diverse and self-contained chapters offer a centralized and easily navigable framework for finding useful data tables that are ordinarily scattered throughout the literature. Worked examples provide step-by-step details for frequently used calculations, drawing on case histories from real-world environmental applications. Chapters also offer tools for calculating quick estimates of important quantities and practice problems that apply the principles to different conditions. This practical guide provides an ideal basis for self-study, as well as short courses involving the movement and fate of contaminants in the environment. In addition to extensive reorganization and updating, the Third Edition includes a new chapter, Nutrients and Odors: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur, two new appendices, Solubility of Slightly Soluble Metal Salts and Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations Used in this Book, and new material and case studies on remediation, stormwater management, algae growth and treatment, odor control, and radioisotopes.

This accessible text presents a detailed introduction to the use of a wide range of software tools and modeling environments for use in the biosciences, as well as the fundamental mathematical background. The practical constraints presented by each modeling technique are described in detail, enabling the researcher to determine which software package would be most useful for a particular problem. Features: introduces a basic array of techniques to formulate models of biological systems, and to solve them; discusses agent-based models, stochastic modeling techniques, differential equations, spatial simulations, and Gillespie's stochastic simulation algorithm; provides exercises; describes such useful tools as the Maxima algebra system, the PRISM model checker, and the modeling environments Repast Simphony and Smoldyn; contains appendices on rules of differentiation and integration, Maxima and PRISM notation, and some additional mathematical concepts; offers supplementary material at an associated website.

This is the first book to discuss the search for new physics in charged leptons, neutrons, and quarks in one coherent volume. The area of indirect searches for new physics is highly topical; though no new physics particles have yet been observed directly at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the methods described in this book will provide researchers with the necessary tools to keep searching for new physics. It describes the lines of research that attempt to identify quantum effects of new physics particles in low-energy experiments, in addition to detailing the mathematical basis and theoretical and phenomenological methods involved in the searches, whilst making a clear distinction between model-dependent and model-independent methods employed to make predictions. This book will be a valuable guide for graduate students and early-career researchers in particle and high energy physics who wish to learn about the techniques used in modern predictions of new physics effects at low energies, whilst also serving as a reference for researchers at other levels. Key features: * Takes an accessible, pedagogical approach suitable for graduate students and those seeking an overview of this new and fast-growing field * Illustrates common theoretical trends seen in different subfields of particle physics * Valuable both for researchers in the phenomenology of elementary particles and for experimentalists

If observed from an objective, epistemological standpoint, medicine is not a science, at least not in its own right. The most important, key feature missing is repeatability, which makes the doctor's job extremely difficult. Doctors are not scientists but are called upon to use the results of scientific research every day. Therefore, they must keep themselves updated, distinguish what is worth extricating from a huge amount of literature and use the data exclusively in the patients' interest. To be effective, medicine must start from a correct, full understanding of problems, but particulate pollution leads to too many wrong diagnoses. This book, written by the discoverers of nanopathology, is the most advanced in the field. It focuses on how natural, occasionally generated, engineered particles interfere with living organisms, food, drugs and the environment. It represents a bridge between environmental pollution and its impact on human/animal/plant health. Also unique is its new bioengineering-interdisciplinary approach to medicine and solving pathologies of unknown aetiology. It is a valuable aid for medical doctors in their diagnoses of pathologies triggered by nanoparticles internalized in the human/animal/plant body. They will find solutions to some hardly understandable symptoms which some patients report.

This book is for graduate students and researchers who wish to understand theoretical mechanisms lying behind macroscopic properties of magnetic thin films. It provides a detailed description of basic theoretical methods and techniques of simulation to help readers in their research projects. The first part of the book contains 6 chapters. Chapters 1 to 5 focus on the fundamental theory of bulk magnetic materials. Chapter 6 is devoted to the presentation of the Monte Carlo simulation methods. Exercises and problems are provided at the end of each of these chapters for self-training. The second part contains 11 chapters devoted to the main topic of the book, namely "physics of magnetic thin films: theory and simulation." Written as a research paper, each chapter focuses on a subject and also presents the state-of-the-art literature on the subject and the motivation of the chapter. A detailed description of the techniques and the presentation of the results are then shown with discussion.

Sensors and measurement systems is an introduction to microsensors for engineering students in the final undergraduate or early graduate level, technicians who wants to know more about the systems they are using, and anybody curious enough to know what microsystems and microsensors can do. The book discusses five families of sensors: - Thermal sensors - Force and pressure sensors - Inertial sensors - Magnetic field sensors - Flow sensors For each sensor, theoretical, technology and application aspects are examined. The sensor function is modelled to understand sensitivity, resolution and noise. We ask ourselves: What do we want to measure? What are possible applications? How are the sensor chips made in the cleanroom? How are they mounted and integrated in a system? After reading this book, you should be able to: - Understand important thermal, mechanical, inertial and magnetic sensors - Work with characterization parameters for sensors - Choose sensors for a given application and apply them - Understand micromachining technologies for sensors

A decade after publication of the first edition, Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles responds to extensive changes in the field of toxinology to endure as the most comprehensive review of reptile venoms on the market. The six sections of this new edition, which has nearly doubled in size, complement the original handbook by presenting current information from many of the leading researchers and physicians in toxinology, with topics ranging from functional morphology, evolution and ecology to crystallography, -omics technologies, drug discovery and more. With the recent recognition by the World Health Organization of snakebite as a neglected tropical disease, the section on snakebite has been expanded and includes several chapters dealing with the problem broadly and with new technologies and the promises these new approaches may hold to counter the deleterious effects of envenomation. This greatly expanded handbook offers a unique resource for biologists, biochemists, toxicologists, physicians, clinicians, and epidemiologists, as well as informed laypersons interested in the biology of venomous reptiles, the biochemistry and molecular biology of venoms, and the effects and treatment of human envenomation.

This volume focuses on challenging field in biomedicine that is the genetic control of central immune tolerance. It covers the thymus development, their cellular components and their respective function, the peculiar gene expression profiling (transcriptome) found in the medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) that are implicated in the self-representation in the thymus, the Autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene, the mutations in this gene and manifestation of autoimmune diseases, and the role of cell-cell interactions within the thymus with implications in the negative selection (elimination) of nascent autoreactive T cells in preventing aggressive autoimmunity. The thymus gland is a lymphoid organ implicated in the maturation, differentiation and selection of T cells. This organ is gained more and more attention in different biomedical research labs worldwide due to its function that is associated with the control of immune homeostasis in the body, establishing the central immune tolerance and preventing the onset of autoimmune diseases.

Now fully updated, the second edition of Modern Diagnostic X-Ray Sources: Technology, Manufacturing, Reliability gives an up-to-date summary of X-ray source technology and design for applications in modern diagnostic medical imaging. It lays a sound groundwork for education and advanced training in the physics of X-ray production, X-ray interactions with matter, and imaging modalities and assesses their prospects. The book begins with a comprehensive and easy-to-read historical overview of X-ray tube and generator development, including key achievements leading up to the current technological and economic state of the field. The book covers the physics of X-ray generation, including the process of constructing X-ray source devices. The stand-alone chapters can be read in order or in selections. They take you inside diagnostic X-ray tubes, illustrating their design, functions, metrics for validation, and interfaces. The detailed descriptions enable objective comparison and benchmarking. This detailed presentation of X-ray tube creation and functions enables you to understand how to optimize tube efficiency, particularly with consideration for economics and environmental care. It also simplifies faultfinding. Along with covering the past and current state of the field, the book assesses the future regarding developing new X-ray sources that can enhance performance and yield greater benefits to the scientific community and to the public. After heading international R&D, marketing and advanced development for X-ray sources with Philips, and working in the X-ray industry for more than four decades, Rolf Behling retired in 2020 and is now the owner of the consulting firm XtraininX, Germany. He holds numerous patents and is continuously publishing, consulting and training.

Fully updated throughout, with new journalistic boxes and recent applications Uses an accessible writing style and format, offering journalistic accounts of interesting research, worked examples, self-test questions, and a helpful glossary of frequently used terms Highlights various technological applications of physics, from locomotive lights to medical scanners to USB flash drives

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to current state-of-the-art auto-segmentation approaches used in radiation oncology for auto-delineation of organs-of-risk for thoracic radiation treatment planning. Containing the latest, cutting edge technologies and treatments, it explores deep-learning methods, multi-atlas-based methods, and model-based methods that are currently being developed for clinical radiation oncology applications. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of algorithm choices and discusses the impact of the different algorithm modules to the algorithm performance as well as the implementation issues for clinical use (including data curation challenges and auto-contour evaluations). This book is an ideal guide for radiation oncology centers looking to learn more about potential auto-segmentation tools for their clinic in addition to medical physicists commissioning auto-segmentation for clinical use. Features: Up-to-date with the latest technologies in the field Edited by leading authorities in the area, with chapter contributions from subject area specialists All approaches presented in this book are validated using a standard benchmark dataset established by the Thoracic Auto-segmentation Challenge held as an event of the 2017 Annual Meeting of American Association of Physicists in Medicine

Statistical Mechanics: Fundamentals and Model Solutions, Second Edition Fully updated throughout and with new chapters on the Mayer expansion for classical gases and on cluster expansion for lattice models, this new edition of Statistical Mechanics: Fundamentals and Model Solutions provides a comprehensive introduction to equilibrium statistical mechanics for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of mathematics and physics. The author presents a fresh approach to the subject, setting out the basic assumptions clearly and emphasizing the importance of the thermodynamic limit and the role of convexity. With problems and solutions, the book clearly explains the role of models for physical systems, and discusses and solves various models. An understanding of these models is of increasing importance as they have proved to have applications in many areas of mathematics and physics. Features Updated throughout with new content from the field An established and well-loved textbook Contains new problems and solutions for further learning opportunity Author Professor Teunis C. Dorlas is at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Ireland.

Subcritical water is a green extraction solvent compared to conventional extraction solvents. While experimental results on subcritical water extraction (SWE) technology have been published piecemeal, there has been no comprehensive review of the state of the art. Green Extraction in Separation Technology fills that gap, serving to cover extracting with subcritical water as an environmentally friendly solvent. FEATURES Presents new technologies for extracting natural compounds from plants and compares the advantages and disadvantages versus SWE Explains research on SWE over the last 15 years Offers an overview of the solubility of different compounds in SWE and related theoretical content Discusses modeling of SWE and describes the development of a new model for this process This monograph is aimed at researchers and advanced students in chemical and biochemical engineering.

This book covers all important nomenclature, theories of bonding and stereochemistry of coordination complexes. The authors have made an effort to inscribe the ideas knowledge, clearly and in an interesting way to benefit the readers. The complexities of Molecular Orbital theory have been explained in a very simple and easy manner. It also deals with transition and inner transition metals. Conceptually, all transition and inner transition elements form complexes which have definite geometry and show interesting properties. General and specific methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties of each element has been discussed at length. Group wise study of elements in d-block series have been explained. Important compounds, complexes and organometallic compounds of metals in different oxidation states have been given explicitly. Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.