In the twenty-third century, Earth's scientists finally unlock the secret of faster than light travel, and humankind begins journeying to the stars. Unfortunately, the travel comes with perilous risks.

While exploring the galaxy and looking for habitable worlds for human colonization, the United Earth Space Force exploratory ship, "Copernicus," is destroyed by an encounter with an unexpected meteor storm as it orbits a newly discovered planet twelve light years from Earth. Of the more than one hundred scientists and crew members aboard, only a few escape to the surface of Planet Tau Ceti g?one being Chris Elliott, a thirty-six-year-old xenobiologist who now must struggle to help himself and the other survivors to stay alive on an unfriendly, alien world. With dwindling resources and no communication with Earth to coordinate a rescue, the group is forced to battle hostile elements and creatures never before seen by humans. Now only time will tell if any of them will live long enough to see a rescue.

In this science fiction thriller, a young scientist leads the charge as he and the remaining crew members attempt to survive on an unwelcoming planet with nothing but ingenuity, perseverance, and hope.

The captivating and beautifully illustrated true story of snakes in America. 125 million years ago on the floodplains of North America, a burrowing lizard started down the long evolutionary path of shedding its limbs. The 60-plus species of snakes found in Sean P. Graham's American Snakes have this ancestral journey to thank for their ubiquity, diversity, and beauty. Although many people fear them, snakes are as much a part of America's rich natural heritage as redwoods, bald eagles, and grizzly bears. Found from the vast Okefenokee Swamp to high alpine meadows, from hardwood canopies to the burning bottom of the Grand Canyon, these ultimate vertebrates are ecologically pivotal predators and quintessential survivors. In this revelatory and engaging meditation on American snakes, Graham, a respected herpetologist and gifted writer, * explains the everyday lives of American snakes, from their daily routines and seasonal cycles to their love lives, hunting tactics, and defensive repertoires * debunks harmful myths about snakes and explores their relationship with humans * highlights the contribution of snakes to the American wilderness * tells tales of "snake people"-important snake biologists with inspiring careers Neither a typical field guide nor an exhaustive reference, American Snakes is instead a fascinating study of the suborder Serpentes. Brimming with intriguing and unusual stories-of hognose snakes that roll over and play dead, blindsnakes with tiny vestigial lungs, rainbow-hued dipsadines, and wave-surfing sea-snakes-the text is interspersed with scores of gorgeous full-color images of snakes, from the scary to the sublime. This proud celebration of a diverse American wildlife group will make every reader, no matter how skeptical, into a genuine snake lover.

In this issue of Surgical Pathology Clinics, guest editor Dr. Rondell P. Graham brings his considerable expertise to the topic of Gastrointestinal Pathology. The first half of this issue answers questions from the general pathologist about what new technologies and techniques can confidently be incorporated into daily practice. The second half addresses longstanding riddles and recurring tests, making this issue an excellent resource for practicing pathologists facing new and continuing challenges in GI pathology. Contains 11 practice-oriented topics including artificial intelligence-enabled gastric cancer interpretations: are we there yet?; non-conventional dysplasia in inflammatory bowel disease; a practical approach to small round blue cell tumors involving the GI tract and abdomen infectious disease pathology of the GI tract: diagnosing the challenging cases; and more.  Provides in-depth clinical reviews on gastrointestinal pathology, offering actionable insights for clinical practice.  Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews. 

Interpret diagnostic images accurately with Diagnostic Radiology and Ultrasonography of the Dog and Cat, 5th Edition. Written by veterinary experts J. Kevin Kealy, Hester McAllister, and John P. Graham, this concise guide covers the principles of diagnostic radiology and ultransonography and includes clear, complete instruction in image interpretation. It illustrates the normal anatomy of body systems, and then uses numbered points to describe radiologic signs of abnormalities. It also includes descriptions of the ultrasonographic appearance of many conditions in dogs and cats. Updated with the latest on digital imaging, CT, MR, and nuclear medicine, and showing how to avoid common errors in interpretation, this book is exactly what you need to refine your diagnostic and treatment planning skills! Hundreds of detailed radiographs and ultrasonograms clearly illustrate principles, aid comprehension, and help you accurately interpret your own films. The normal anatomy and appearance for each body system is included so you can identify deviations from normal, such as traumatic and pathologic changes. Coverage of the most common disorders associated with each body system help you interpret common and uncommon problems. Coverage of radiographic principles and procedures includes density, contrast, detail, and technique, so you can produce the high-quality films necessary for accurate diagnosis. Clinical signs help you arrive at a clinical diagnosis. An emphasis on developing a standardized approach to viewing radiographs and ultrasonograms ensures that you do not overlook elements of the image that may affect proper diagnosis. Complete coverage of diagnostic imaging of small animals includes all modalities and echocardiography, all in a comprehensive, single-source reference. Discussions of ultrasound-guided biopsy technique help you perform one of the most useful, minimally invasive diagnostic procedures. Single chapters cover all aspects of specific body compartments and systems for a logical organization and easy cross-referencing. Coverage of different imaging modalities for individual diseases/disorders is closely integrated in the text and allows easier comprehension. A consistent style, terminology, and content results from the fact that all chapters are written by the same authors. An improved layout makes the material easier to read and comprehend. Over 450 new or improved illustrations cover topics with clear, high-quality images. Coverage of CT, MRI, and scintigraphy has been expanded. Updated chapters include the latest developments in diagnostic imaging and findings on new conditions. New computed tomography and digital radiography information in The Radiograph chapter includes help in recognizing artifacts on ultrasound. Expanded sections on ultrasound in The Thorax chapter include examples and more content on portosystemic shunts, including color Doppler images. Color flow and spectral Doppler images in The Abdomen chapter complement the descriptions of radiologic conditions, relevant information on CT imaging and thyroid scintigraphy. An expanded section on appendicular pathology and joint pathology is added to The Bones and Joints chapter. New and improved diagrams/line drawings with accompanying normal images of the brain and spine are added in The Skull and Vertebral Column chapter, including more MRI and CT to illustrate normal components and pathologic conditions. Update on new soft-tissue conditions appears in the Soft Tissues chapter.

In the twenty-third century, Earth's scientists finally unlock the secret of faster than light travel, and humankind begins journeying to the stars. Unfortunately, the travel comes with perilous risks.

While exploring the galaxy and looking for habitable worlds for human colonization, the United Earth Space Force exploratory ship, "Copernicus," is destroyed by an encounter with an unexpected meteor storm as it orbits a newly discovered planet twelve light years from Earth. Of the more than one hundred scientists and crew members aboard, only a few escape to the surface of Planet Tau Ceti g?one being Chris Elliott, a thirty-six-year-old xenobiologist who now must struggle to help himself and the other survivors to stay alive on an unfriendly, alien world. With dwindling resources and no communication with Earth to coordinate a rescue, the group is forced to battle hostile elements and creatures never before seen by humans. Now only time will tell if any of them will live long enough to see a rescue.

In this science fiction thriller, a young scientist leads the charge as he and the remaining crew members attempt to survive on an unwelcoming planet with nothing but ingenuity, perseverance, and hope.

Additional Editors Are Albert C. Zettlemoyer, William A. Zisman, And Robert F. Gould.

Additional Editors Are Albert C. Zettlemoyer, William A. Zisman, And Robert F. Gould.

Five leading political commentators record and measure the depth and degree of democracy in their area of specialisation, grading South Africa's performance to date. This book produces a profile of South Africa's democracy seven years after the 1994 founding election. The five areas of inquiry are: * Consensus on and participation in government - Steven Friedman * Selection of decision-makers - Sipho Maseko, * Popular control over decision-makers - Ebrahim Harvey * Protecting citizens' equality - Cathi Albertyn * Economic and social inequality - Bongani Khumalo Includes contributions by Michael Spicer of the Anglo American Corporation and Molefe Tsele of the South African Council of Churches. In the Balance incorporates Idasa's Democracy Index, a tool for assessing the state of South Africa's democracy, to be completed by readers.

"Buildings consume 40% of our planet's materials and 30% of its energy. Their construction uses up to three million tonnes of raw materials a year and generates" "20% of the soild waste stream." "If we want to survive our urban future, there is no option but to build in ways which improve the health of ecosystems."

Understanding the concept of ecological sustainability and translating it into practice as sustainable development is a key challenge for today's built environment professionals. The skill and vision of those who shape our cities and homes is vital to achieving sustainable solutions to the many environmental, economic and social problems we face on a local, national and global scale.

Peter Graham offers here a holistic view of ecologically sustainable building by drawing on established areas of knowledge, demonstrating their relevance to the environmentally-conscious building professional and putting the process, product and impact of building into context.

Case studies illustrate how sustainable principles have been applied successfully and discussion topics are offered to stimulate thought. "Building Ecology" will help planners, surveyors, designers and builders to incorporate sustainability into their everyday practice by:

- showing which styles of building are ecologically sustainable

- providing fundamental knowledge for making decisions using the principles of ecologically sustainable building

- explaining a complex subject in a clear, balanced way.

"Building Ecology" sets out the current scientific view of how nature works and how buildings link with and affect nature. It provides fundamental knowledge for building in harmony with nature and keeping Earth's life-supporting ecosystems healthy.