On his nighttime rambles through the City of London-i.e., its historical and financial heart-Andreas Schmidt (born 1967) documents the icy glamour of its epic-scaled financial palaces, in which empty lobbies, conference rooms and endless corridors proliferate. Schmidt's portrait of these eerily alienated realms restore the understanding that such environments, in their oversized grandeur, are very far from the civic good.

Spark ablation has been used worldwide for decades. However, in many fields, the special properties of nanoparticles, which come into play especially for sizes <20 nm, are just beginning to be exploited. The technique offers unprecedented flexibility regarding composition and size, and revolutions in the domains of catalysis and sensor technology, and more are to be expected. This book is the first review of spark ablation as a unique, scalable source of building blocks for nanotechnology and a powerful tool to promote this development. The introductory chapters give an overview of the technological fields that can exploit size effects, and explain the process of spark ablation in the gas phase, as well as principles of immobilizing particles to create novel products and materials. Fundamentals of the spark ablation process are then discussed, in addition to the characteristics of the particles formed. The rest of the book deals with a selection of application fields that profit from the spark ablation source from the perspective of research. With the authors' many years of experience in spark ablation and its applications, all the chapters complement one another and contain numerous cross-references in order to enable the reader to obtain a complete picture of the subject.

This book is the second volume in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series treating morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny, systematics and taxonomy of polychaetous Annelida. In this volume a comprehensive review of a few more derived higher taxa within Sedentaria are given, namely Sabellida, Opheliida/Capitellida as well as Hrabeiellidae. The former comprise annelids possessing a body divided into two more or less distinct regions or tagmata called thorax and abdomen. Here two groups of families are united, the spioniform and sabelliform polychaetes. Especially Spionidae and Sabellidae are speciose families within this group and represent two of the largest annelid families. These animals live in various types of burrows or tubes and all possess so-called feeding palps. In one group these appendages are differentiated as grooved feeding palps, whereas in the other they may form highly elaborated circular tentacular crowns comprising a number of radioles mostly giving off numerous filamentous pinnulae. Often additionally colourful, the latter are also received the common names "feather-duster worms", "flowers of the sea", "Christmas-tree worms". Opheliida/Capitellida including five families of truly worm-like annelids without appendages represents the contrary. Their members burrow in soft bottom substrates and may be classified as non-selective deposit feeders. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have shown that Echiura or spoon worms, formerly regarded to represent a separate phylum, are members of this group. Last not least Hrabeiellidae is one out of only two families of oligochaete-like terrestrial polychaetes and for this reason received strong scientific interest.

This volume of the Handbook of Zoology summarizes "small" groups of animals across the animal kingdom. Dicyemida and Orthonectida are enigmatic parasites, formerly united as "Mesozoa" and their position among the multicellular animals is still not known with certainty. Placozoa are small, flat marine animals which provide important information on metazoan evolution. Comb jellies (Ctenophora) are esthetically fascinating animals which cause considerable discussion about their phylogenetic position. Seisonida are closely related to rotifers and acanthocephalans. Cycliophora were discovered and described as one of the last higher taxa and surprise by their complex life cycle. Kamptozoa (= Entoprocta) are small sessile animals in the sea and sometimes also in freshwater. Arrow worms (Chaetognatha) play an important role as predators in the plankton, but they also include benthic forms. Pterobranchia and acorn worms (Enteropneusta) belong to the deuterostomia and are related to echinoderms. In particular enteropneusts play an important role in understanding deuterostome evolution. These chapters provide up to date reviews of these exiting groups with reference to the important literature and therefore serves as an important source of information.

This volume of the series Handbook of Zoology deals with the anatomy of the gastrointestinal digestive tract - stomach, small intestine, caecum and colon - in all eutherian orders and suborders. It presents compilations of anatomical studies, as well as an extensive list of references, which makes widely dispersed literature accessible. Introductory sections to orders and suborders give notice to biology, taxonomy, biogeography and food of the respective taxon. It is a characteristic of this book that different sections of the post-oesophageal tract are discussed separately from each other. Informations on form and function of organs of digestion in eutherians are discussed under comparative-anatomical aspects. The variability and diversity of anatomical structures represents the basis of functional differentiations.

This section of the Handbook of Zoology is intended as a comprehensive and exhaustive account of the biology of the taxa Gastrotricha, Nematoda, Nematomorpha, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha, Loricifera, Gnathostomulida, Micrognathozoa, Rotifera, Seisonida and Acanthocephala, covering all relevant topics such as morphology, ecology, phylogeny and diversity. The series is intended to be a detailed and up-to-date account of these taxa. As was the case with the first edition, the Handbook is intended to serve as a reliable resource for decades. Many of the taxa of this volume are comparatively unknown to many biologists, despite their diversity and importance for example in meiofaunal communities (Gastrotricha, Rotifera, Gnathostomulida), their fascinating recent discoveries (Loricifera and Micrognathozoa), their importance as parasites (many nematodes, Nematomorpha, Acanthocephala) and their importance for evolutionary questions (e.g. Priapulida, Gastrotricha). The groups covered range from those poor in species (such as Micrognathozoa with 2 known species) to the species-rich and diverse Nematoda and their ca. 20.000 described species. While each taxon is covered by one chapter, nematodes are treated in several chapters dedicated to their structural, taxonomic and ecological diversity.

Covering 100 years of zoological research, the Handbook of Zoology represents a vast store of knowledge. Handbook of Zoology provides an in-depth treatment of the entire animal kingdom covering both invertebrates and vertebrates. It publishes comprehensive overviews on animal systematics and morphology and covers extensively further aspects like physiology, behavior, ecology and applied zoological research. Although our knowledge regarding many taxonomic groups has grown enormously over the last decades, it is still the objective of the Handbook of Zoology to be comprehensive in the sense that text and references together provide a solid basis for further research. Editors and authors seek a balance between describing species richness and diversity, explaining the importance of certain groups in a phylogenetic context and presenting a review of available knowledge and up-to-date references. New contributions to the series present the combined effort of an international team of editors and authors, entirely published in English and tailored to the needs of the international scientific community. Upcoming volumes and projects in progress include volumes on Annelida (Volumes 1-3), Bryozoa, Mammalia, Miscellaneous Invertebrates, Nannomecoptera, Neomecoptera and Strepsiptera and are followed later by fishes, reptiles and further volumes on mammals. Background The renowned German reference work Handbook of Zoology was founded in the 1920's by Professor Willi Kukenthal in Berlin and treated the complete animal kingdom from single cell organisms to mammals in eight thematic volumes: Volume I Protozoa, Porifera, Colenteratea, Mesozoa (1925); Volume II Vermes (1933/34); Volume III Arthropoda ex. Insecta (1927/1932); Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta; Volume V Solenogastres, Mollusca, Echinoderma (1925); Volume VI Pisces / Amphibia (1930); Volume VII Reptilia / Aves (1931); Volume VIII Mammalia. The Volumes IV Arthropoda: Insecta and VII Mammalia continued publication into the present with the most recent contributions in English language. Adapting to the accelerating speed of scientific discovery in the past decades the Handbook of Zoology entered a next phase in 2010. In the new edition of the Handbook of Zoology, the original eight thematic volumes gave way for smaller and more flexible groupings that reflect the current state of phylogenetic knowledge. All subsequent volumes were published in print as well as e-book format. The Handbook of Zoology is additionally offered as a database, the Handbook of Zoology Online, which can easily be searched and rapidly updated. Original Handbook material (ca. 28 000 pages) has been reordered along taxonomic (instead of bibliographical) categories and forms the historical basis of this Online Reference Work. As a living Online Reference, the content is continuously updated and new content added. The material can be accessed through taxonomic and subject categories as well as free text, with a diversity of linking and search options. Faster publication times through online-first publication, reference- and cross-linking, and make the Handbook of Zoology highly attractive to both authors and users.

This book is the first in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series about morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny and systematics of Annelida. This first volume covers members of the so-called basal radiation and the first part of Sedentaria. It is supplemented by chapters on the history of annelid research, their fossil record, and an introduction to the phylogeny of annelids and their position in the tree of life. In the latter chapter the history of their systematic is reviewed giving an almost complete picture of systematic-scientific progress especially in the past years which changed our view on annelid phylogeny dramatically. The most basal annelids, lately united as Palaeoannelida, represent two families of aberrant polychaetes formerly often suggested to be highly derived which now give us a fresh look on how the ancestral annelid may have looked like. These lack certain key characters such as nuchal organs and possess rather simple nervous systems which now likely represent primitive character states. In this basal radiation the first taxon of apparently unsegmented and achaetigerous animals is positioned, the Sipuncula. Most likely another group of platyhelminth-like and unsegmented and even chaeta-lees annelids, Lobatocerebridae falls into this basal radiation. The section of Sedentaria starts with Orbiniida, a taxon characterized by elongated, thread-like worms which do not have anterior appendages like palps and comprises several families representing members of the Meiofauna. These minute worms often inhabiting the interstitial spaces in marine sands are suggested to have evolved by progenesis. The second higher taxon is represented by Cirratuliformia comprising nine families of typical sedentary polychaetes each of which showing a remarkable variation of the annelid body plan. Members of this taxon usually exhibit many annelid characters but certain also lack the most typical prostomial appendages, the palps.

Das Buch widmet sich der Frage, welchen Einfluss die Krisen des vergangenen Jahreszehnts auf die Profitabilitat des deutschen Banksystems haben und welche Erkenntnisse demnach fur den Einfluss der Corona-Krise auf diese abgeleitet werden koennen. Im Zentrum der Untersuchug stehen dabei Gross-und Landesbanken sowie Sparkassen und Genossenschaftsbanken. Neben den veranderten Rahmenbedingungen aus Krisen und der standig wachsenden Regulatorik werden auch gesellschafts-und finanzpolistiche Aspekte in die Untersuchung einbezogen. Insbesondere Themenkomplexe wie die Kredit- und Spekulationskultur im Vorfeld der Finanzkrise, aber auch Themenbereiche wie Geld und Zinsen sind dabei zu nennen.

Andreas Schmidt gibt praktische Hilfestellung fur die zeitnahe Realisierung und Absicherung von Vergutungsanspruchen. Dies ist fur Bauunternehmen eine wesentliche Voraussetzung fur den Unternehmenserfolg, denn diese sind nach der gesetzlichen Konzeption des Werkvertragsrechts grundsatzlich vorleistungspflichtig - d.h. sie mussen das fur die Leistungserbringung erforderliche Personal, Material und Gerat zunachst vorfinanzieren. Der Autor zeigt, wie der Bauunternehmer die Regelungen im BGB und in der VOB/B betreffend die Abrechnung seiner Leistung sachgemass anwendet, um Zahlungsflusse zu beschleunigen. Zudem erfahrt der Unternehmer, wie er reagieren kann, wenn der Auftraggeber verspatet oder gar nicht zahlt und wie er seinen Vergutungsanspruch fur den Insolvenzfall absichern kann.

Mit Hilfe einer profunden Bestandsaufnahme und stichhaltigen Analyse zeigt Andreas Schmidt drei "Ko"-Kriterien zur Optimierung der Wettbewerbswirkung von Geschaftsmodellen auf: Kontingenz zur Umwelt, Konsistenz seiner Bestandteile und eine koharente Implementierung uber die Entscheidungsebenen hinweg. Ein Compliance-Kompass sowie Beispiele fur einfache und komplexe Geschaftsmodelle illustrieren die praktische Relevanz der Untersuchung. Hinweise zur Gestaltung aber auch Implementierung und Steuerung von Geschaftsmodellen zeigen diverse Entwicklungspfade zu einer uberlegenen Wertgenese und Wertabschoepfung in umkampften Markten. Dabei werden sowohl Innovationstreiber als auch Verteidigungsoptionen eruiert, um schliesslich Moeglichkeiten fur ein ausgleichendes (ambidexteres) Management im Laufe des Geschaftsmodell-Lebenszyklus zu schaffen.

Die Notwendigkeit, umfassende Qualitatskonzepte wie Total Quality Management einzufuhren, wird auch von kleineren Unternehmen anerkannt. Voraussetzung fur den Erfolg ist, dass die Fuhrungskrafte das Vorhaben unterstutzen und alle Mitarbeiter einbeziehen. Das hier vorgestellte Train-the-Trainer-Konzept unterstutzt dieses Ziel. Fuhrungskrafte aller Hierarchieebenen fuhren als interne Trainer Schulungen durch. Sie werden so ihrer Vorbildfunktion gerecht, und das Know-how erreicht alle Mitarbeiter. Das Buch beschreibt die Grundlagen und Vorgehensweise zur Umsetzung des Konzepts. Die erforderli- chen Arbeitsmittel sind in einem umfangreichen Anhang als Fragebogen und Kopiervorlagen zusammengestelt. Auf der beigefugten Diskette konnen sie modifiziert werden."

Projektleiter und Informatiker in Forschung und Praxis finden hier eine fundierte Einfuhrung in XML und die Standards wie XML Schema, XML Query und XSL/T. Die zentralen Konzepte werden dabei in Beziehung zu konventionellen relationalen und objektorientierten Techniken dargestellt. Die Verwendung konzeptueller Modelle im Zusammenhang mit XML sowie die UEbertragung auf andere Datenmodelle werden erklart. Die Analyse zahlreicher kommerzieller Produkte, Anwendungsbeispiele und Entwicklungstrends liefern Orientierungshilfen fur den praktischen Einsatz.

Die Aufgabensammlung hilft dem Leser, die Grundlagen der betrieblichen Investitions- und Finanzwirtschaft unmittelbar praxisbezogen zu erleben. Da dieses Themengebiet auf den Grundlagen der Finanzmathematik aufbaut, haben die Autoren ein Kapital mit Aufgaben zur Finanzmathematik vorangestellt.

Das Buch wendet sich nicht nur an Studierende der Rechtswissenschaften, die sich zu Beginn ihres Studiums mit den Grundlagen des Privatrechts und der Rechtsanwendung beschaftigen mussen und Moglichkeiten zur Ubung suchen, sondern gerade auch an die Studenten wirtschaftsrechtlicher Studiengange, denen besonders an einer praxisnahen und anwendungsorientierten Darstellung des Rechts gelegen ist. Daruber hinaus bietet die vorliegende Darstellung aber auch fur Studierende der Wirtschaftswissenschaften und vergleichbarer Disziplinen, die rechtliche Aspekte als Nebenfach behandeln, eine grundlegende Darstellung derjenigen Rechtsgebiete, die ublicherweise unter dem Schlagwort "Wirtschaftsrecht" zusammengefasst und im Grundstudium gelehrt werden."

Andreas Schmidt prasentiert ein Bewertungskonzept, das Entscheidungen zur Gestaltung, Lenkung und Entwicklung von Unternehmen erlaubt."

Dieses Buch bietet Projektleitern und Informatikern in Forschung und Praxis eine aus Datenbanksicht fundierte EinfA1/4hrung in die Welt von XML und die darauf aufbauenden Standards wie XML Schema, XML Query und XSL/T. Die zentralen Konzepte werden dabei in Beziehung zu konventionellen relationalen und objektorientierten Techniken dargestellt. Die Verwendung konzeptueller Modelle im Zusammenhang mit XML sowie die Aoebertragung auf andere Datenmodelle werden erlAutert. FA1/4r die EinschAtzung der praktischen EinsatzfAhigkeit bietet das Buch eine vertiefte Analyse zahlreicher kommerzieller Produkte wie Oracle 9i, MS SQL Server 2000 oder Tamino. An zwei Anwendungsbeispielen wird der reale Einsatz der vorgestellten Techniken prAsentiert, ein Ausblick auf zukA1/4nftige Entwicklungen unter BerA1/4cksichtigung aktueller Forschungsvorhaben rundet das Buch ab.

Die Autoren wollen Grundkenntnisse in den wichtigsten Bereichen des Wirtschaftsrechts vermitteln und den Lernenden einen ersten Uberblick verschaffen. Gleichzeitig will das Lehrbuch das Wirtschaftsrecht transparent machen und helfen, die Fahigkeit zu entwickeln, in wirtschaftlichen Zusammenhangen juristisch zu denken."

Die EU-Kapitaladaquanzrichtlinie und die Vorschriften des Basler Ausschusses fur Bankenaufsicht verpflichten Kreditinstitute, die Marktpreisrisiken ihres Handelsbuches zu messen und mit Eigenmitteln zu unterlegen. Der Autor entwirft hierfur einen Value-at-Risk-Ansatz."

Es wird deutlich, dass die Emittierung von Schuldtiteln wie Commercial Paper entgegen den herrschenden Vorstellungen durchaus auch fur Unternehmen mit niedriger Reputation sinnvoll sein kann."