Lamb waves are guided waves that propagate in thin plate or shell structures. There has been a clear increase of interest in using Lamb waves for identifying structural damage, entailing intensive research and development in this field over the past two decades. Now on the verge of maturity for diverse engineering applications, this emerging technique serves as an encouraging candidate for facilitating continuous and automated surveillance of the integrity of engineering structures in a cost-effective manner. In comparison with conventional nondestructive evaluation techniques such as ultrasonic scanning and radiography which have been well developed over half a century, damage identification using Lamb waves is in a stage of burgeoning development, presenting a number of technical challenges in application that need to be addressed and circumvented. It is these two aspects that have encouraged us to write this book, with the intention of consolidating the knowledge and know-how in the field of Lamb-wave-based damage identification, and of promoting widespread attention to mature application of this technique in the practical engineering sphere. This book provides a comprehensive description of key facets of damage identification technique using Lamb waves, based on the authors' knowledge, comprehension and experience, ranging from fundamental theory through case studies to engineering applications.

Employing a uniform, easy-to-use format, Vitamin Analysis for the Health and Food Sciences, Second Edition provides the most current information on the methods of vitamin analysis applicable to foods, supplements, and pharmaceuticals. Highlighting the rapid advancement of vitamin assay methodology, this edition emphasizes the use of improved and sophisticated instrumentation including the recent applications and impact of the widely adopted LC-MS. Designed as a bench reference, this volume gives you the tools to make efficient and correct decisions regarding the appropriate analytical approach--saving time and effort in the lab.

Each chapter is devoted to a particular vitamin and begins with a brief review of its uniqueness and its role in metabolism. The authors stress a thorough understanding of the chemistry of each compound in order to effectively analyze it and to this end provide the chemical structure and nomenclature of each vitamin, along with tabular information on spectral properties. They supply extensive insight into practical problem-solving including an awareness of the stability of vitamins and their extraction from different biological matrices. All information is heavily documented with the latest scientific papers and organized into easily read tables covering topics necessary for accurate analytical results.

After presenting the chemistry and biochemistry of the vitamin, each chapter details the commonly used analytical and regulatory methods. A summary table gives at-a-glance information on many of these sources, as well as several of the AOAC International Methods. In addition the authors apply their extensive experience in the field to create a critical, interpretive review of the advanced methods of vitamin analysis with sufficient detail to be a valuable guide to cutting-edge methodology.

This book explores the process of urbanization and the profound challenges to China's urban governance. Economic productivity continues to rise, with increasingly uneven distribution of prosperity and accumulation of wealth. The emergence of individual autonomy including demands for more freedom and participation in the governing process has asked for a change of the traditional top-down control system. The vertical devolution between the central and local states and horizontal competition among local governments produced an uneasy political dynamics in Chinese cities. Many existing publications analyze the urban transformation in China but few focuses on the governance challenges. It is critical to investigate China's urbanization, paying special attention to its challenges to urban governance. This edited volume fills this gap by organizing ten chapters of distinctive urban development and governance issues.

Lamb waves are guided waves that propagate in thin plate or shell structures. There has been a clear increase of interest in using Lamb waves for identifying structural damage, entailing intensive research and development in this field over the past two decades. Now on the verge of maturity for diverse engineering applications, this emerging technique serves as an encouraging candidate for facilitating continuous and automated surveillance of the integrity of engineering structures in a cost-effective manner. In comparison with conventional nondestructive evaluation techniques such as ultrasonic scanning and radiography which have been well developed over half a century, damage identification using Lamb waves is in a stage of burgeoning development, presenting a number of technical challenges in application that need to be addressed and circumvented. It is these two aspects that have encouraged us to write this book, with the intention of consolidating the knowledge and know-how in the field of Lamb-wave-based damage identification, and of promoting widespread attention to mature application of this technique in the practical engineering sphere. This book provides a comprehensive description of key facets of damage identification technique using Lamb waves, based on the authors' knowledge, comprehension and experience, ranging from fundamental theory through case studies to engineering applications.

There is little question today that processes of globalization affect national and local economies, governance processes, and conditions for economic competitiveness in the major urban regions of the world. In most liberal-democratic countries, these processes are occurring according to a rationale which attempts to combine strategies of state-supported development with increasing local-regional governmental decentralization and autonomy. Against this background, the issue of metropolitan development is being redefined worldwide, along with its institutional frameworks, modes of governance, policy instruments, and spatial planning strategies. The overarching assumption of this volume is that 'metropolitan space', far from being consolidated as a policy object, is currently being redefined and in some instances 'constructed' and contested as a scale, through a variety of policy practices related to spatial-economic development objectives. Through case studies drawn from across four continents, the authors reveal a range of interesting cross-national commonalities concerning the power that state actors, situated at various spatial scales, exert as agents in these processes. This volume interrogates key research issues raised by these developments, and is intended as a contribution to the establishment of a globally comparative analysis of the construction of metropolitan spaces and scales under conditions of globalization and neoliberalization.

This book examines the process, policies, and politics of urban development in China, with particular attention to city region governance, urban redevelopment, and urban-rural interaction through intensive theoretical discussions and extensive case studies. It offers ample data, pictures, and illustrations to provide readers with a deep understanding of urban policies and policies in China. The regional and metropolitan perspective is emphasized to analyze the urban-rural transition and how it affects urban governance. This book develops a well-grounded political economy analysis to examine how city region development and governance evolve in China. Such development is the focal point of China's continuing urbanization, and its impact needs to be carefully analyzed. In the end, this book aims to foster discussions that may lead to serious consideration on China's future urbanization route.

There is little question today that processes of globalization affect national and local economies, governance processes, and conditions for economic competitiveness in the major urban regions of the world. In most liberal-democratic countries, these processes are occurring according to a rationale which attempts to combine strategies of state-supported development with increasing local-regional governmental decentralization and autonomy. Against this background, the issue of metropolitan development is being redefined worldwide, along with its institutional frameworks, modes of governance, policy instruments, and spatial planning strategies. The overarching assumption of this volume is that 'metropolitan space', far from being consolidated as a policy object, is currently being redefined and in some instances 'constructed' and contested as a scale, through a variety of policy practices related to spatial-economic development objectives. Through case studies drawn from across four continents, the authors reveal a range of interesting cross-national commonalities concerning the power that state actors, situated at various spatial scales, exert as agents in these processes. This volume interrogates key research issues raised by these developments, and is intended as a contribution to the establishment of a globally comparative analysis of the construction of metropolitan spaces and scales under conditions of globalization and neoliberalization.

This book examines the process, policies, and politics of urban development in China, with particular attention to city region governance, urban redevelopment, and urban–rural interaction through intensive theoretical discussions and extensive case studies. It offers ample data, pictures, and illustrations to provide readers with a deep understanding of urban policies and policies in China. The regional and metropolitan perspective is emphasized to analyze the urban–rural transition and how it affects urban governance. This book develops a well-grounded political economy analysis to examine how city region development and governance evolve in China. Such development is the focal point of China’s continuing urbanization, and its impact needs to be carefully analyzed. In the end, this book aims to foster discussions that may lead to serious consideration on China’s future urbanization route.

This book explores the process of urbanization and the profound challenges to China's urban governance. Economic productivity continues to rise, with increasingly uneven distribution of prosperity and accumulation of wealth. The emergence of individual autonomy including demands for more freedom and participation in the governing process has asked for a change of the traditional top-down control system. The vertical devolution between the central and local states and horizontal competition among local governments produced an uneasy political dynamics in Chinese cities. Many existing publications analyze the urban transformation in China but few focuses on the governance challenges. It is critical to investigate China's urbanization, paying special attention to its challenges to urban governance. This edited volume fills this gap by organizing ten chapters of distinctive urban development and governance issues.

Urban sprawl has been one of the major development issues in the United States and many other countries. Sprawl affects every aspect of American lifestyles and the debate between sprawling and compact development has received enormous attention. This book seeks to discover whether compact development provides better urban amenities and quality of life for residents by surveying the largest ninety-nine metropolitan areas in the United States in 2000. Comparisons are drawn between central cities and suburbs to see how different places offer distinct amenities for their residents. Further questions are explored to probe the relationship between compact development, amenities presented, and quality of life among high- and low-density communities. The findings demonstrate the importance of compact development to provide desirable amenities and identify crucial policy issues for urban revitalization. This book can increase the consumer awareness of trade-offs between different lifestyles and serve as a policy guide for fighting sprawl and building a brighter urban future in America.