Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Advances in Financial Economics publishes peer reviewed quality manuscripts on any aspects of financial economics including corporate finance, financial institutions and markets and microeconomics.

This volume contains fourteen research papers with theoretical and empirical treatment of important financial aspects of corporate governance. The papers cover major corporate governance issues such as the role of the board of directors, ownership structure, ownership concentration, and the influence of outside blockholders. Another salient feature of this collection is that it offers substantial international evidence, including that from the United States of America, Australia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, China, India, and Malaysia.

As modern day society takes an increasing interest in outdoor activities, its exposure to sunlight has never been greater. As a consequence, countries throughout the world are experiencing a dramatic increase in the incidences of skin carcinomas and melanomas. From DNA photolesions to mutations, skin cancer and cell death provides an authoritative source of information for photobiologists interested in the series of genetic events that occur in the skin, and eventually lead to cancer. With contributions from eminent scientists in the field, this book includes the latest information on DNA photolesions and repair, as well as the key mechanisms of solar UV in skin cancer initiation and development. Significant information relating to UV-induced photolesions and mechanisms of skin tumour occurrence is also included. By providing the basic phenomena underlying the science and an overview of the biological events that take place when cells are exposed to solar UV radiation, From DNA photolesions to mutations, skin cancer and cell death is suitable to all researchers interested in the process of photocarcinogenesis.

Laboratory studies in hemostasis have traditionally focused on abn- malities of platelet function or the quantitative and qualitative disorders that affect the proteins involved in blood coagulation. However, over the last 10 years there has been an explosion in our understanding of the molecular bases that underlie many of the inherited and acquired disorders of hemostasis. Many of these disorders are now routinely diagnosed and assessed by methods that involve genotypic analysis. Indeed in the late 1990s the distinction between molecular methods for research and for routine diagnosis is becoming incre- ingly blurred. The techniques and approaches that are used in hemostasis are manifold and published in isolation in a variety of publications. The aim, therefore, of this volume Hemostasis and Thrombosis Protocols is to pull together, into a single volume, the variety of techniques that are frequently used in the field of hemostasis. We have targeted this volume at laboratories who wish to move into the field of molecular hemostasis or who may already have some expe- ence in this area but wish to develop new areas of research and diagnosis. The chapters are wide-ranging and hopefully provide a broad overview of the d- fering applications in which these standard techniques can be used. Though the articles may appear relatively specific, the techniques contained within them are applicable to the study of many different disorders and we hope that they provide a series of ideas and concepts well-suited to problem solving.

This book is a consideration of the branch of heredity known as EPIGENETICS and its implications for a variety of diseases in humans and animals. It is written to be accessible to a general audience, assuming a minimal background in biology. The first chapters presents historical background detailing the growth in our understanding of the science of genetics and how it grew and expanded during the 20th century. It includes some discussions of the molecular mechanisms of the epigenetic control of gene expression, but its main focus is the gathering body of evidence connecting it to a range of the most significant illnesses, including cancer, autism, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and other conditions. The writing stresses areas of uncertainty, as well as scientific debates concerning the role of environmental factors in the increasing frequency of many of the conditions under consideration. The final chapters discuss the implications for society and lay out options for meeting the challenges of the coming years. While the work is designed to be an easy and straightforward read, there are included extensive endnotes in which some ancillary details and personal anecdotes are made available to readers who wish to pursue related questions in modern biology. The work is not intended to be a scientific document aimed at professionals in the field; there are already many books and reviews on these topics, at all levels of scientific detail and complexity. Rather, the bottom line is to add to the public discourse on the grave issues that the new science of epigenetics is bringing to the fore.

Laboratory studies in hemostasis have traditionally focused on abn- malities of platelet function or the quantitative and qualitative disorders that affect the proteins involved in blood coagulation. However, over the last 10 years there has been an explosion in our understanding of the molecular bases that underlie many of the inherited and acquired disorders of hemostasis. Many of these disorders are now routinely diagnosed and assessed by methods that involve genotypic analysis. Indeed in the late 1990s the distinction between molecular methods for research and for routine diagnosis is becoming incre- ingly blurred. The techniques and approaches that are used in hemostasis are manifold and published in isolation in a variety of publications. The aim, therefore, of this volume Hemostasis and Thrombosis Protocols is to pull together, into a single volume, the variety of techniques that are frequently used in the field of hemostasis. We have targeted this volume at laboratories who wish to move into the field of molecular hemostasis or who may already have some expe- ence in this area but wish to develop new areas of research and diagnosis. The chapters are wide-ranging and hopefully provide a broad overview of the d- fering applications in which these standard techniques can be used. Though the articles may appear relatively specific, the techniques contained within them are applicable to the study of many different disorders and we hope that they provide a series of ideas and concepts well-suited to problem solving.