Lung function testing has evolved over the years from a tool purely used for research and is now a commonly utilised form of clinical investigation. This new book is clear, concise and easy to read, providing both the essential scientific information as well as focusing on the practical aspects of lung function testing. The book is designed so that different chapters can be read as stand-alone sections, but cross-referencing to the other chapters completes the picture for the interested reader. The book begins with an outline of lung structure and anatomy, and then proceeds to basic functional considerations before discussing the tests themselves. Particular attention is given to spirometry and lung volume measurements. The text covers the functional assessment of exercise capacity, respiratory muscle strength and concludes with preoperative evaluation and recommendations. The text emphasises practical problems, including controversies associated with lung function testing. Boxes emphasise important topics throughout the text. Highlighted questions can be used for short tutorials or problem-based learning

Entropy and entropy generation play essential roles in our understanding of many diverse phenomena ranging from cosmology to biology. Their importance is manifest in areas of immediate practical interest such as the provision of global energy as well as in others of a more fundamental flavour such as the source of order and complexity in nature. They also form the basis of most modern formulations of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Today much progress is being made in our understanding of entropy and entropy generation in both fundamental aspects and application to concrete problems. The purpose of this volume is to present some of these recent and important results in a manner that not only appeals to the entropy specialist but also makes them accessible to the nonspecialist looking for an overview of the field. This book contains fourteen contributions by leading scientists in their fields. The content covers such topics as quantum thermodynamics, nonlinear processes, gravitational and irreversible thermodynamics, the thermodynamics of Taylor dispersion, higher order transport, the mesoscopic theory of liquid crystals, simulated annealing, information and biological aspects, global energy, photovoltaics, heat and mass transport and nonlinear electrochemical systems. Audience: This work will be of value to physicists, chemists, biologists and engineers interested in the theory and applications of entropy and its generation.