This authored monograph presents a study on fundamental limits and robustness of stability and stabilization of time-delay systems, with an emphasis on time-varying delay, robust stabilization, and newly emerged areas such as networked control and multi-agent systems. The authors systematically develop an operator-theoretic approach that departs from both the traditional algebraic approach and the currently pervasive LMI solution methods. This approach is built on the classical small-gain theorem, which enables the author to draw upon powerful tools and techniques from robust control theory. The book contains motivating examples and presents mathematical key facts that are required in the subsequent sections. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and professionals in the field of control theory, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students alike.

This authored monograph presents a study on fundamental limits and robustness of stability and stabilization of time-delay systems, with an emphasis on time-varying delay, robust stabilization, and newly emerged areas such as networked control and multi-agent systems. The authors systematically develop an operator-theoretic approach that departs from both the traditional algebraic approach and the currently pervasive LMI solution methods. This approach is built on the classical small-gain theorem, which enables the author to draw upon powerful tools and techniques from robust control theory. The book contains motivating examples and presents mathematical key facts that are required in the subsequent sections. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and professionals in the field of control theory, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students alike.

This work is an attempt to restore volition as a respectable topic for scientific studies. Volition, traditionally conceived as the act of will, has been largely neglected in contemporary science and philosophy. This book develops a volitional theory of action by elaborating a unifying conception of volition, where volitions are construed as special kinds of mental action by which an agent consciously and actively bridge the gaps between deliberation, decision and intentional action. Volition can be a suitable object of empirical studies, and can be substantially demystified by exploring when and where volitions occur in the brain. The classical notion of volition as action initiator, which is essential to the commonsense image of human agency that underlies our ordinary understanding of free will, moral responsibility and human dignity, can be preserved in face of the challenge from recent experimental studies in neuroscience, such as Benjamin Libet's famous experiment. This work will be of interest to philosophers of mind and action, psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists, as well as general readers who are interested in understanding the nature of human mind and agency.

This book presents a new perspective on so far neglected important areas in clinical sport psychology and sport psychiatry. The authors use the results of an empirical qualitative and transcultural study, to evaluate post psychological traumata of "training peak, performance low" syndrome in sport. The results support the view of athlete, the symptoms are severe enough to constitute a clinical diagnosis, may suffer under depression from two medical psychological standard systems - in this case, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) - offer the same results as international standard systems - in this case, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV TR). The book speaks to professionals in sport sciences, sociology, psychology and medicine. It specifically is of relevance for coaches, athletes, sport managers, mental training counselors and to anyone who is interested in serious sport practice.

This book presents a new perspective on so far neglected important areas in clinical sport psychology and sport psychiatry. The authors use the results of an empirical qualitative and transcultural study, to evaluate post psychological traumata of "physical injury" in sport. An ethnically homogenous sample (n=7) of Chinese athletes suffering from sport injury and achievement stagnation identified by key informants was included. Symptoms of case 2 met criteria for Major Depressive Episode in DSM IV TR, and Heart Kidney Deficiency Depression in TCM. Case 6 suffered from Adjustment Disorders with Anxiety and Depression, and Heart Spleen Deficiency Depression and Pain, case 7 had a history of Adjustment Disorders with Anxiety and Depression and Dysthymic Disorder, Heart Spleen Deficiency Depression. The book speaks to professionals in sport sciences, sociology, psychology and medicine. It specifically is of relevance for coaches, athletes, sport managers, mental training counselors and to anyone who is interested in serious sport practice.

This book presents a new perspective on so far neglected important areas in clinical sport psychology and sport psychiatry. The authors use the results of an empirical qualitative and transcultural study, to evaluate post psychological traumata after "non functional over reaching," "over training syndrome" or "over racing syndrome" in sport. The results support the view of athlete, the symptoms are severe enough to constitute a clinical diagnosis, may suffer under depression from two medical psychological standard systems - in this case TCM - offer the same results as international standard systems - in this case DSM IV TR, and must not always indicate display tenacity under exhaustion could be a symbol of strong toughness in sport. The book speaks to professionals in sport sciences, sociology, psychology and medicine. It specifically is of relevance for coaches, athletes, sport managers, mental training counselors and to anyone who is interested in serious sport practice.

This is the first transcultural mental health project focusing on sport. The book highlights the psychological problems and mental crisis of athletes beyond the competition from "Western" and Eastern cultural perspectives as reflected by DSM IV TR and Traditional Chinese Medical Psychology (TCMP). The first chapter offers an overview of the transcultural approach in sport. The second chapter presents a basic introduction of the diagnostical systems of DSM IV TR and TCMP. The third chapter is focusing on case studies of athletes from different cultural backgrounds, especially on Asian athletes, and mainly on the previous research on DSM depression and TCM You Y depression. It is useful to professionals in sport sciences, psychology, medicine, sociology, and cultural anthropology. Coaches, athletes in all sport disciplines and sport managers will equally benefit as everyone practicing or interested in sports.

S-Ribosylhomocysteinase (LuxS) catalyzes the cleavage of the thioether bond in S-ribosylhomocysteine to produce L- homocysteine and 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione, the precursor of type II bacterial quorum sensing autoinducer. This work carried out extensive mechanistic studies of the LuxS reaction. The native metal cofactor of LuxS was identified as ferrous ion, instead of previously reported zinc ion, with a potential catalytic role. Substantial evidence was provided for the internal redox reaction, which comprised two consecutive carbonyl migration steps followed by -elimination. Three LuxS activity assays were developed and greatly facilitated the mechanistic investigations of LuxS. Two classes of LuxS inhibitors were designed based on metal chelation and catalytic mechanism, respectively. They encouraged future development of LuxS inhibitors as novel antibacterial agents and helped probe the catalytic mechanism of LuxS.