bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inverse Theory for Petroleum Reservoir Characterization and History Matching
Authors: Oliver Dean S. , Reynolds Albert C. , Liu Ning
Published: February 2010

This book is a guide to the use of inverse theory for estimation and conditional simulation of flow and transport parameters in porous media. It describes the theory and practice of estimating properties of underground petroleum reservoirs from measurements of flow in wells, and it explains how to characterize the uncertainty in such estimates. Early chapters present the reader with the necessary background in inverse theory, probability and spatial statistics. The book demonstrates how to calculate sensitivity coefficients and the linearized relationship between models and production data. It also shows how to develop iterative methods for generating estimates and conditional realizations. The text is written for researchers and graduates in petroleum engineering and groundwater hydrology and can be used as a textbook for advanced courses on inverse theory in petroleum engineering. It includes many worked examples to demonstrate the methodologies and a selection of exercises.
Progress in Pathology
Authors: Kirkham Nigel , Shepherd Neil A.
Published: February 2010

Progress in Pathology reviews many aspects of pathology, describing issues of everyday diagnostic relevance and the mechanisms underlying some of these processes. Each volume in the series reviews a wide range of topics and recent advances in pathology of relevance to daily practice, keeping consultants, trainees, laboratory staff and researchers abreast of developments as well as providing candidates for the MRCPath and other examinations with answers to some of the questions they will encounter. Highly illustrated in full colour, topics covered in this volume include: Immunohistochemistry as a diagnostic aid in gynaecological pathology, Drug induced liver injury, Childhood lymphoma, Immune responses to tumours, Post-mortem imaging, Understanding the Human Tissue Act 2004 and much more. Volume 7 of Progress in Pathology will be an essential addition to the shelves and laboratory benches of every practising pathologist.
The Transformation of Anglicanism
Authors: Sachs William L.
Published: February 2010

This book examines the various contexts - historical, social, cultural, and ideological - which have shaped the modern efforts of the Anglican tradition at self-understanding. The author's thesis is that modernity and world mission have changed Anglicanism in ways that are deep and pervasive, just as other Christian traditions have also been profoundly affected by worldwide extension. In the case of the Anglican tradition, however, a distinctive way of relating Christianity to local culture and a distinctive kind of indigenous leader produced a church identity different from other forms of Christendom. Dr Sachs' aim is to contrast Anglicanism both with the style of Roman Catholicism and with the characteristically Protestant emphasis upon individual conversion apart from concern for the Church and its tradition.
A Second Course on Real Functions
Authors: Rooij A. C. M. van , Schikhof W. H.
Published: February 2010

When considering a mathematical theorem one ought not only to know how to prove it but also why and whether any given conditions are necessary. All too often little attention is paid to to this side of the theory and in writing this account of the theory of real functions the authors hope to rectify matters. They have put the classical theory of real functions in a modern setting and in so doing have made the mathematical reasoning rigorous and explored the theory in much greater depth than is customary. The subject matter is essentially the same as that of ordinary calculus course and the techniques used are elementary (no topology, measure theory or functional analysis). Thus anyone who is acquainted with elementary calculus and wishes to deepen their knowledge should read this.
Predicate Transformer Semantics
Authors: Manes Ernest. G.
Published: February 2010

A central problem in the design of programming systems is to provide methods for verifying that computer code performs to specification. This book presents a rigorous foundation for defining Boolean categories, in which the relationship between specification and behaviour can be explored. Boolean categories provide a rich interface between program constructs and techniques familiar from algebra, for instance matrix- or ideal-theoretic methods. The book's distinction is that the approach relies on only a single program construct (the first-order theory of categories), the others being derived mathematically from four axioms. Development of these axioms (which are obeyed by an abundance of program paradigms) yields Boolean algebras of 'predicates', loop-free constructs, and a calculus of partial and total correctness which is shown to be the standard one of Hoare, Dijkstra, Pratt, and Kozen. The book is based in part on courses taught by the author, and will appeal to graduate students and researchers in theoretical computer science.
Presidents, Parties, and the State
Authors: James Scott C.
Published: February 2010

Dominant theories of regulatory choice privilege the goals and actions of district-oriented legislators and organized groups. Presidents, Parties, and the State challenges this conventional frame, placing presidential elections and national party leaders at the centre of American regulatory state development. Historically the 'out-party' in national politics between 1884 and 1936, the Democratic party of Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt confronted a severe political quandary, one which pit long-term ideological commitments against short-term electoral opportunities. In short, Democrats, when in power, were forced to choose between enacting the regulatory agenda of their traditional party base, or legislating the programs of voting blocs deemed pivotal to the consolidation of national party power. Coalition-building imperatives drove Democratic leaders to embrace the latter alternative, prompting legislative intervention to secure outcomes consistent with national party needs. In the end, the electoral logic that fuelled Democratic choice proved consequential for the trajectory of American state development.
Macroeconomic Policy Analysis
Authors: Amos Michael P.
Published: February 2010

This book introduces the concept of public sector rationing in asset markets and provides a non-Walrasian approach to macroeconomic policy analysis. The detailed treatment of credit rationing regimes makes this work particularly relevant to economies where the interest rate is regulated. Other topics covered include the disaggregation of the government into the treasury and the central bank, the specification behavior of households, firms, and the central bank as intertemporal optimizers. The book provides models that can be easily extended to take into account both institutional and economic structures of all economies and the particular needs of the policy analysts before empirical implementation.
Silver Mining and Society in Colonial Mexico, Zacatecas 1546–1700
Authors: Bakewell P. J.
Published: February 2010

An examination of silver mining and society in Colonial Mexico in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, concentrating upon Zacatecas, the centre of the principal silver-mining region. In the first half of the book, the author describes the discovery of the mines, the establishment of the town, its role in the northward advance of the Spanish occupation of Mexico, its administration, and the sources of its supplies of essential food and materials. The remainder of the book is devoted to an analysis of the mining industry of the Zacatecas district. The author discusses techniques, labour and raw materials. He also provides statistics for silver production, suggesting reasons for their fluctuation, and explores sources of capital for the industry. Based on detailed study of archives in both Spain and Mexico, Dr Bakewell is able to provide an entirely new chronology for the development of Zacatecas and the Mexican maining industry up to 1700.
The Nonlinear Theory of Elastic Shells
Authors: Libai A. , Simmonds J. G.
Published: February 2010

Elastic shells are pervasive in everyday life. Examples of these thin-walled structures range from automobile hoods to basketballs, veins, arteries and soft drink cans. This book explains shell theory, with numerous examples and applications. As a second edition, it not only brings all the material of the first edition entirely up to date, it also adds two entirely new chapters on general shell theory and general membrane theory. Aerospace, mechanical and civil engineers, as well as applied mathematicians, will find this book a clearly written and thorough information source on shell theory.
The God of Spinoza
Authors: Mason Richard
Published: February 2010

This book is the fullest study in English for many years on the role of God in Spinoza's philosophy. Spinoza has been called both a 'God-intoxicated man' and an atheist, both a pioneer of secular Judaism and a bitter critic of religion. He was born a Jew but chose to live outside any religious community. He was deeply engaged both in traditional Hebrew learning and in contemporary physical science. He identified God with nature or substance: a theme which runs through his work, enabling him to naturalise religion but - equally important - to divinise nature. He emerges not as a rationalist precursor of the Enlightenment but as a thinker of the highest importance in his own right, both in philosophy and in religion.
The Demography of Roman Egypt
Authors: Bagnall Roger S. , Frier Bruce W. , Coale Ansley J.
Published: February 2010

The traditional demographic regime of ancient Greece and Rome is almost entirely unknown; but our best chance for understanding its characteristics is provided by the three hundred census returns that survive on papyri from Roman Egypt. These returns, which date from the first three centuries AD, list the members of ordinary households living in the Nile valley: not only family members, but lodgers and slaves. The Demography of Roman Egypt has a complete and accurate catalogue of all demographically relevant information contained in the returns. On the basis of this catalogue, the authors use modern demographic methods and models to reconstruct the patterns of mortality, marriage, fertility and migration that are likely to have prevailed in Roman Egypt. They recreate a more or less typical Mediterranean population as it survived and prospered nearly two millennia ago.
The Modes of Scepticism
Authors: Annas Julia , Barnes Jonathan
Published: February 2010

The Modes of Scepticism is one of the most important and influential of all ancient philosophical texts. The texts made an enormous impact on Western thought when they were rediscovered in the 16th century and they have shaped the whole future course of Western philosophy. Despite their importance, the Modes have been little discussed in recent times. This book translates the texts and supplies them with a discursive commentary, concentrating on philosophical issues but also including historical material. The book will be of interest to professional scholars and philosophers but its clear and non-technical style makes it intelligible to beginners and the interested layman.
Socrates on Friendship and Community
Authors: Nichols Mary P.
Published: February 2010

In Socrates on Friendship and Community, Mary P. Nichols addresses Kierkegaard's and Nietzsche's criticism of Socrates and recovers the place of friendship and community in Socratic philosophizing. This approach stands in contrast to the modern philosophical tradition, in which Plato's Socrates has been viewed as an alienating influence on Western thought and life. Nichols' rich analysis of both dramatic details and philosophic themes in Plato's Symposium, Phaedras, and Lysis shows how love finds its fulfilment in the reciprocal relation of friends. Nichols also shows how friends experience another as their own and themselves as belonging to another. Their experience, she argues, both sheds light on the nature of philosophy and serves as a standard for a political life that does justice to human freedom and community.
Many-Body Methods in Chemistry and Physics
Authors: Shavitt Isaiah , Bartlett Rodney J.
Published: February 2010

Written by two leading experts in the field, this book explores the 'many-body' methods that have become the dominant approach in determining molecular structure, properties and interactions. With a tight focus on the highly popular Many-Body Perturbation Theory (MBPT) and Coupled-Cluster theories (CC), the authors present a simple, clear, unified approach to describe the mathematical tools and diagrammatic techniques employed. Using this book the reader will be able to understand, derive and confidently implement relevant algebraic equations for current and even new multi-reference CC methods. Hundreds of diagrams throughout the book enhance reader understanding through visualization of computational procedures and extensive referencing allows further exploration of this evolving area. With an extensive bibliography and detailed index, this book will be suitable for graduates and researchers within quantum chemistry, chemical physics and atomic, molecular and solid-state physics.
Performance Politics and the British Voter
Authors: Clarke Harold D. , Sanders David , Stewart Marianne C. , Whiteley Paul F.
Published: February 2010

What matters most to voters when they choose their leaders? This book suggests that performance politics is at the heart of contemporary democracy, with voters forming judgments about how well competing parties and leaders perform on important issues. Given the high stakes and uncertainty involved, voters rely heavily on partisan cues and party leader images as guides to electoral choice. However, the authors argue that the issue agenda of British politics has changed markedly in recent years. A cluster of concerns about crime, immigration and terrorism now mix with perennial economic and public service issues. Since voters and parties often share the same positions on these issues, political competition focuses on who can do the best job. This book shows that a model emphasizing flexible partisan attachments, party leader images and judgments of party competence on key issues can explain electoral choice in contemporary Britain.
Nazism and the Working Class in Austria
Authors: Kirk Timothy
Published: February 2010

The image of Hitler as a demagogic 'pied piper' leading astray the 'little people' of Austria is as misleading as it is powerful. Nazism and the Working Class in Austria is a case study of the ambiguous relationship between state and society in Austria under the Nazis. It places the experience of Austrian industrial workers in the Third Reich in a broader historical context, from the origins of the earliest 'national socialist' movements in the backwaters of the Habsburg empire to the end of the Second World War. Workers did not seriously attempt or even expect to overthrow the Nazi regime in the face of unprecedented surveillance and terror; but neither were they converted, and their oppositional strategies and disgruntled political opinions reveal a truculent workforce, rather than one that was contented and converted.
The Multilateralization of International Investment Law
Authors: Schill Stephan W.
Published: February 2010

Attempts at developing a theory of international investment law are complicated by the fact that this field of international law is based on numerous, largely bilateral treaties and is implemented by arbitral panels established on a case-by-case basis. This suggests a fragmented and chaotic state of the law, with different levels of protection depending on the sources and targets of foreign investment flows. This book, however, forwards the thesis that international investment law develops, despite its bilateral form, into a multilateral system of law that backs up the functioning of a global market economy based on converging principles of investment protection. In discussing the function of most-favored-nation clauses, the possibilities of treaty-shopping and the impact of investor-State arbitration with its intensive reliance on precedent and other genuinely multilateral approaches to treaty interpretation, it offers a conceptual framework for understanding the nature and functioning of international investment law as a genuinely multilateral system.
Collective Preferences in Democratic Politics
Authors: Althaus Scott L.
Published: February 2010

Since so few people appear knowledgeable about public affairs, one might question whether collective policy preferences revealed in opinion surveys accurately convey the distribution of voices and interests in a society. This study, the first comprehensive treatment of the relationship between knowledge, representation, and political equality in opinion surveys, suggests some surprising answers. Knowledge does matter, and the way it is distributed in society can cause collective preferences to reflect disproportionately the opinions of some groups more than others. Sometimes collective preferences seem to represent something like the will of the people, but frequently they do not. Sometimes they rigidly enforce political equality in the expression of political viewpoints, but often they do not. The primary culprit is not any inherent shortcoming in the methods of survey research. Rather, it is the limited degree of knowledge held by ordinary citizens about public affairs. Accounting for these factors can help survey researchers, journalists, politicians, and concerned citizens better appreciate the pitfalls and possibilities for using opinion polls to represent the people's voice.
Hawaiki, Ancestral Polynesia
Authors: Kirch Patrick Vinton , Green Roger C.
Published: February 2010

The power of an anthropological approach to long-term history lies in its unique ability to combine diverse evidence, from archaeological artifacts to ethnographic texts and comparative word lists. In this innovative book, Kirch and Green explicitly develop the theoretical underpinnings, as well as the particular methods, for such a historical anthropology. Drawing upon and integrating the approaches of archaeology, comparative ethnography, and historical linguistics, they advance a phylogenetic model for cultural diversification, and apply a triangulation method for historical reconstruction. They illustrate their approach through meticulous application to the history of the Polynesian cultures, and for the first time reconstruct in extensive detail the Ancestral Polynesian culture that flourished in the Polynesian homeland - Hawaiki - some 2,500 years ago. Of great significance for Oceanic studies, Kirch and Green's book will be essential reading for any anthropologist, prehistorian, linguist, or cultural historian concerned with the theory and method of long-term history.
Paradox and Paraconsistency
Authors: Woods John
Published: February 2010

In a world plagued by disagreement and conflict one might expect that the exact sciences of logic and mathematics would provide a safe harbor. In fact these disciplines are rife with internal divisions between different, often incompatible, systems. Do these disagreements admit of resolution? Can such resolution be achieved without disturbing assumptions that the theorems of logic and mathematics state objective truths about the real world? In this original and historically rich book John Woods explores apparently intractable disagreements in logic and the foundations of mathematics and sets out conflict resolution strategies that evade or disarm these stalemates. An important sub-theme of the book is the extent to which pluralism in logic and the philosophy of mathematics undermines realist assumptions. This book makes an important contribution to such areas of philosophy as logic, philosophy of language and argumentation theory. It will also be of interest to mathematicians and computer scientists.
Term Limits and the Dismantling of State Legislative Professionalism
Authors: Kousser Thad
Published: February 2010

The wisdom of term limits and professional politics has been debated since the time of Aristotle, spurring 'reforms' of legislatures in Athens, Rome, Venice, and in the US under the Articles of Confederation. This book examines recent trends in American states in order to investigate the age-old question of how the rules that govern a legislature affect the behavior of its members and the policies that it produces. The clear and consistent finding is that the two reforms have countervailing effects: whatever professionalization has brought more of, term limits have reduced. This lesson comes from quantitative analyses of data from all fifty states and detailed examinations of legislative records from six states, informed by interviews with over one hundred legislators, staff assistants, lobbyists, journalists, and executive officials.
The Mass Media and the Dynamics of American Racial Attitudes
Authors: Kellstedt Paul M.
Published: February 2010

Paul M. Kellstedt explains the variation in Americans' racial attitudes over the last half-century, particularly the relationship between media coverage of race and American public opinion on race. The analyses reveal that racial policy preferences have evolved in an interesting and unpredicted (if not unpredictable) fashion over the past fifty years. There have been sustained periods of liberalism, where the public prefers an active government to bring about racial equality, and these periods are invariably followed by eras of conservatism, where the public wants the government to stay out of racial politics altogether. These opinions respond to cues presented in the national media. Kellstedt then examines the relationship between attitudes on the two major issues of the twentieth century: race and the welfare state.
The Philosophy of William James
Authors: Gale Richard M.
Published: February 2010

This 2004 book is an accessible introduction to the full range of the philosophy of William James. It portrays that philosophy as containing a deep division between a Promethean type of pragmatism and a passive mysticism. The pragmatist James conceives of truth and meaning as a means to control nature and make it do our bidding. The mystic James eschews the use of concepts in order to penetrate to the inner conscious core of all being, including nature at large. Richard Gale attempts to harmonize these pragmatic and mystical perspectives. This introduction is drawn from and complements the author's much more comprehensive and systematic study The Divided Self of William James, a volume that has received the highest critical praise. With its briefer compass and non-technical style this introduction should help to disseminate the key elements of one of the great modern philosophies to an even wider readership.
Mesoscopic Physics of Electrons and Photons
Authors: Akkermans Eric , Montambaux Gilles
Published: February 2010

Quantum mesoscopic physics covers a whole class in interference effects related to the propagation of waves in complex and random media. These effects are ubiquitous in physics, from the behaviour of electrons in metals and semiconductors to the propagation of electromagnetic waves in suspensions such as colloids, and quantum systems like cold atomic gases. A solid introduction to quantum mesoscopic physics, this book is a modern account of the problem of coherent wave propagation in random media. It provides a unified account of the basic theoretical tools and methods, highlighting the common aspects of the various optical and electronic phenomena involved and presenting a large number of experimental results. With over 200 figures, and exercises throughout, the book was originally published in 2007 and is ideal for graduate students in physics, electrical engineering, applied physics, acoustics and astrophysics. It will also be an interesting reference for researchers.
Spline Functions: Basic Theory
Authors: Schumaker Larry
Published: February 2010

This classic work continues to offer a comprehensive treatment of the theory of univariate and tensor-product splines. It will be of interest to researchers and students working in applied analysis, numerical analysis, computer science, and engineering. The material covered provides the reader with the necessary tools for understanding the many applications of splines in such diverse areas as approximation theory, computer-aided geometric design, curve and surface design and fitting, image processing, numerical solution of differential equations, and increasingly in business and the biosciences. This new edition includes a supplement outlining some of the major advances in the theory since 1981, and some 250 new references. It can be used as the main or supplementary text for courses in splines, approximation theory or numerical analysis.
To the Threshold of Power, 1922/33
Authors: Knox MacGregor
Published: February 2010

To the Threshold of Power is the first volume of a two-part work that seeks to explain the origins and dynamics of the Fascist and National Socialist dictatorships. It lays a foundation for understanding the Nazi and Fascist regimes through parallel investigations of Italian and German society, institutions, and national myths; the supreme test of the First World War; and the post-1918 struggles from which the Fascist and National Socialist movements emerged. It emphasizes two principal sources of movement: the nationalist mythology of the intellectuals and the institutional culture and agendas of the two armies, especially the Imperial German Army and its Reichswehr successor. The book's climax is the cataclysm of 1914-18 and the rise and triumph of militarily organized radical nationalist movements - Mussolini's Fasci di combattimento and Hitler's National Socialist German Workers' Party - dedicated to the perpetuation of the war and the overthrow of the post-1918 world order.
Regulating Vice
Authors: Leitzel Jim
Published: February 2010

Regulating Vice provides a new, interdisciplinary lens for examining vice policy, and focuses that lens on traditional vices such as alcohol, nicotine, drugs, gambling, and commercial sex. Regulating Vice argues that public policies toward addictive activities should work well across a broad array of circumstances, including situations in which all participants are fully informed and completely rational, and other situations in which vice-related choices are marked by self-control lapses or irrationality. This precept rules out prohibitions of most private adult vice, and also rules out unfettered access to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine. Sin taxes, advertising restrictions, buyer and seller licensing, and treatment subsidies are all potentially legitimate components of balanced vice policies. Regulating Vice brings a sophisticated and rigorous analysis to vice control issues, an analysis that applies to prostitution as well as drugs, to tobacco as well as gambling, while remaining accessible to a broad social science audience.
Poland under Communism
Authors: Kemp-Welch A.
Published: February 2010

This book was the first English-language history of Poland from the Second World War until the fall of Communism. Using a wide range of Polish archives and unpublished sources in Moscow and Washington, Tony Kemp-Welch integrates the Cold War history of diplomacy and inter-state relations with the study of domestic opposition and social movements. His key themes encompass political, social and economic history; the Communist movement and its relations with the Soviet Union; and the broader East-West context with particular attention to US policies. The book concludes with a first-hand account of how Solidarity formed the world's first post-Communist government in 1989 as the Polish people demonstrated what can be achieved by civic courage against apparently insuperable geo-strategic obstacles. This compelling new account will be essential reading for anyone interested in Polish history, the Communist movement and the course of the Cold War.
Quantum Theory of the Electron Liquid
Authors: Giuliani Gabriele , Vignale Giovanni
Published: February 2010

Modern electronic devices and novel materials often derive their extraordinary properties from the intriguing, complex behavior of large numbers of electrons forming what is known as an electron liquid. This book provides an in-depth introduction to the physics of the interacting electron liquid in a broad variety of systems, including metals, semiconductors, artificial nano-structures, atoms and molecules. One, two and three dimensional systems are treated separately and in parallel. Different phases of the electron liquid, from the Landau Fermi liquid to the Wigner crystal, from the Luttinger liquid to the quantum Hall liquid are extensively discussed. Both static and time-dependent density functional theory are presented in detail. Although the emphasis is on the development of the basic physical ideas and on a critical discussion of the most useful approximations, the formal derivation of the results is highly detailed and based on the simplest, most direct methods.
Real-Time Systems
Authors: Olderog Ernst-Rüdiger , Dierks Henning
Published: February 2010

Real-time systems need to react to certain input stimuli within given time bounds. For example, an airbag in a car has to unfold within 300 milliseconds in a crash. There are many embedded safety-critical applications and each requires real-time specification techniques. This text introduces three of these techniques, based on logic and automata: duration calculus, timed automata, and PLC-automata. The techniques are brought together to form a seamless design flow, from real-time requirements specified in the duration calculus; via designs specified by PLC-automata; and into source code for hardware platforms of embedded systems. The syntax, semantics, and proof methods of the specification techniques are introduced; their most important properties are established; and real-life examples illustrate their use. Detailed case studies and exercises conclude each chapter. Ideal for students of real-time systems or embedded systems, this text will also be of great interest to researchers and professionals in transportation and automation.
Study Abroad and Second Language Use
Authors: Pellegrino Aveni Valerie A.
Published: February 2010

Language plays an essential role in how we portray our personalities. Through social interaction, others develop a picture of us based on our linguistic cues. However, when we interact in a foreign language and in a new country, limitations in linguistic and cultural knowledge can make self-presentation a more difficult task. This book explores the problems faced by language students embarking on 'study abroad' programmes, spending time in a foreign country and having to interact - and express their personalities - in a second language. Drawing on her extensive work with students, Valerie Pellegrino Aveni explores the factors that complicate self-presentation and the strategies students use for overcoming these, looking in particular at issues of anxiety, control, age, gender, risk-taking and self-esteem. Offering rich insights into the study abroad experience, this book will be an invaluable resource for professionals in second language acquisition, and for teachers and students preparing for study abroad.
Sources for Ancient History
Authors: Crawford Michael
Published: February 2010

If a scholar wishes to create a picture of a topical society in all its aspects, there is little of what he needs to know that he cannot know, although there may still be much that he cannot understand. For the history of Greece and Rome, there is a great deal that is simply unknowable. From the end of the archaic age of Greece, there is an unbroken sequence of works by Greek and, later, Roman historians down to the end of antiquity. Their vision and range of interest were often limited and much of what they produced has been lost. Some help may be derived from the documentary material supplied in antiquity, material that was the product of officials organising public activities, or heads of families organising their affairs, or individuals leaving their mark on the world. Beyond this, the evidence of archaeology and numismatics may also be helpful. The four essays in this book set out to characterise the nature of the ancient literary tradition, the inscriptional material, the archaeological and numismatic evidence and to explain how and for what purposes they may be used.
Reproductive Physiology of Marsupials
Authors: Tyndale-Biscoe Hugh , Renfree Marilyn
Published: February 2010

Marsupials differ from most other mammals in their method of reproduction, in that they have chosen, in an evolutionary sense, to develop lactation rather than placentation for the nurture of their young. The neonate is therefore born with a mixture of advanced and embryonic characters, and yet is readily accessible within the pouch, providing a unique system for the study of the ontogeny of various physiological and endocrinological parameters. Marsupials are therefore ideal animals for research into mammalian reproductive physiology. The results of this exciting new research are summarized in this book by two of the foremost workers in the field. Individual chapters analyse the genetic and hormonal control of sexual differentiation, male and female reproductive structures and their functions, the role of the corpus luteum in the oestrous cycle and pregnancy, the hormonal control of embryonic diapause and the role of the marsupial placenta in the development of the embryo. This book is more than just a straightforward review of marsupial reproduction for its detailed analyses and broad comparative coverage will attract mammalogists and reproductive physiologists with a wide range of research interests.
Soils and the Environment
Authors: Wild Alan
Published: February 2010

Soil is one of humankind's most important resources, providing for the growth of arable crops, grassland and trees, which give us food, fibre, and timber. As part of the natural environment, soil supports the plant growth needed for the cycling of gases, provides a habitat for a wide range of organisms, buffers the flow of water and solutes between the atmosphere and ground and surface waters, and acts as both a source and sink for gases in the atmosphere. This introductory text aims to help students understand the behaviour of soils in both the man-made and the natural environment. The book is structured in two parts: Part A is an introduction to general soil properties and processes, whilst Part B considers soil in relation to the environment, covering topics such as the role of soil in supporting plant growth, in maintaining a clean environment, and in the flux of atmospheric gases. Issues such as acidification, contamination, conservation and erosion are also considered.
Steps in Commutative Algebra
Authors: Sharp Rodney Y.
Published: February 2010

This introductory account of commutative algebra is aimed at advanced undergraduates and first year graduate students. Assuming only basic abstract algebra, it provides a good foundation in commutative ring theory, from which the reader can proceed to more advanced works in commutative algebra and algebraic geometry. The style throughout is rigorous but concrete, with exercises and examples given within chapters, and hints provided for the more challenging problems used in the subsequent development. After reminders about basic material on commutative rings, ideals and modules are extensively discussed, with applications including to canonical forms for square matrices. The core of the book discusses the fundamental theory of commutative Noetherian rings. Affine algebras over fields, dimension theory and regular local rings are also treated, and for this second edition two further chapters, on regular sequences and Cohen–Macaulay rings, have been added. This book is ideal as a route into commutative algebra.
Transport in Nanostructures
Authors: Ferry David , Goodnick Stephen Marshall
Published: February 2010

This book reviews the results of experimental research into mesoscopic devices, and develops a detailed theoretical framework for understanding their behaviour. The authors begin by discussing the key observable phenomena in nanostructures, including phase interference and weak localization. They then describe quantum confined systems, transmission in nanostructures, quantum dots and single electron phenomena. Separate chapters are devoted to interference in diffusive transport and temperature decay of fluctuations, and the book concludes with a chapter on non-equilibrium transport and nanodevices. Throughout, the authors interweave experimental results with the appropriate theoretical formalism. The book will be of great interest to graduate students taking courses in mesoscopic physics or nanoelectronics, as well as to anyone working on semiconductor nanostructures or the development of new ultrasmall devices.
Evidence for pre-zygotic reproductive barrier between the B and Q biotypes ofBemisia tabaci(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)
Authors: Elbaz M. , Lahav N. , Morin S.
Published: February 2010

The degree of reproductive isolation between the B and Q biotypes of the whiteflyBemisia tabaci(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is currently not clear. Laboratory experiments have shown that the two biotypes are capable of producing viable F1hybrids but that these females are sterile as their F2generation failed to develop, indicating, most likely, a post-zygotic reproductive barrier. Here, we confirm, by molecular and ecological tools, that the B and Q biotypes of Israel are genetically isolated and provide two independent lines of evidence that support the existence of a pre-zygotic reproductive barrier between them. Firstly, monitoring of mating behaviors in homogeneous and heterogeneous couples indicated no copulation events in heterogeneous couples compared to ∼50% in homogeneous B and Q couples. Secondly, we could not detect the presence of sperm in the spermathecae of females from heterogeneous couples, compared to 50% detection in intra-B biotype crosses and 15% detection in intra-Q biotype crosses. The existence of pre-zygotic reproductive barriers in Israeli B and Q colonies may indicate a reinforcement process in which mating discrimination is strengthened between sympatric taxa that were formerly allopatric, to avoid maladaptive hybridization. As the two biotypes continued to perform all courtship stages prior to copulation, we also conducted mixed cultures experiments in order to test the reproductive consequences of inter-biotype courtship attempts. In mixed cultures, a significant reduction in female fecundity was observed for the Q biotype but not for the B biotype, suggesting an asymmetric reproductive interference effect in favour of the B biotype. The long-term outcome of this effect is yet to be determined since additional environmental forces may reduce the probability of demographic displacement of one biotype by the other in overlapping niches.
Prevention of obesity in preschool children
Authors: Lanigan Julie , Barber Sally , Singhal Atul
Published: February 2010

Obesity is a serious problem that affects children from diverse ethnic backgrounds in both industrialised and developing countries. Worldwide, an estimated twenty-two million children <5 years of age were overweight in 2007. In the UK if current trends continue an estimated one-quarter of all children <16 years of age will be obese by 2050. Recent evidence suggests that most obesity is established during the preschool years, and because one in five obese 4 year olds will become obese adults this situation has major implications for public health. The causes of obesity in preschool children are complex and multifactorial. Although 30–50% of the predisposition towards obesity in preschool children can be explained by genetic factors, environmental influences also play a crucial role. The preschool period in particular is a pivotal time during which long-term dietary and physical activity habits are established, with potential lifelong effects on health. However, research in this age-group is limited. Previous studies have aimed to improve diet, increase physical activity and achieve behavioural change. However, few of these studies have been successful and there is an urgent need, therefore, for the development of evidence-based interventions aimed at the prevention of preschool obesity.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: the hepatic consequence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome
Authors: Moore J. Bernadette
Published: February 2010

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common liver disease in both adults and children worldwide. As a disease spectrum, NAFLD may progress from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. An estimated 20–35% of the general population has steatosis, 10% of whom will develop the more progressive non-alcoholic steatohepatitis associated with markedly increased risk of cardiovascular- and liver-related mortality. Development of NAFLD is strongly linked to components of the metabolic syndrome including obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes. The recognition that NAFLD is an independent risk factor for CVD is a major public health concern. There is a great need for a sensitive non-invasive test for the early detection and assessment of the stage of NAFLD that could also be used to monitor response to treatment. The cellular and molecular aetiology of NAFLD is multi-factorial; genetic polymorphisms influencing NAFLD have been identified and nutrition is a modifiable environmental factor influencing NAFLD progression. Weight loss through diet and exercise is the primary recommendation in the clinical management of NAFLD. The application of systems biology to the identification of NAFLD biomarkers and factors involved in NAFLD progression is an area of promising research.
The role of inflammation and macrophage accumulation in the development of obesity-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus and the possible therapeutic effects of long-chainn-3 PUFA
Authors: Oliver Elizabeth , McGillicuddy Fiona , Phillips Catherine , Toomey Sinead , Roche Helen M.
Published: February 2010

The WHO estimate that >1×106deaths in Europe annually can be attributed to diseases related to excess body weight, and with the rising global obesity levels this death rate is set to drastically increase. Obesity plays a central role in the metabolic syndrome, a state of insulin resistance that predisposes patients to the development of CVD and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation characterised by inflamed adipose tissue with increased macrophage infiltration. This inflammation is now widely believed to be the key link between obesity and development of insulin resistance. In recent years it has been established that activation of pro-inflammatory pathways can cross talk with insulin signalling pathways via a number of mechanisms including (a) down-regulation of insulin signalling pathway proteins (e.g. GLUT4 and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1), (b) serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 blocking its tyrosine phosphorylation in response to insulin and (c) induction of cytokine signalling molecules that sterically hinder insulin signalling by blocking coupling of the insulin receptor to IRS-1. Long-chain (LC)n-3 PUFA regulate gene expression (a) through transcription factors such as PPAR and NF-κB and (b) via eicosanoid production, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production from many different cells including the macrophage. LCn-3 PUFA may therefore offer a useful anti-inflammatory strategy to decrease obesity-induced insulin resistance, which will be examined in the present review.
Metabolomic systems biology of trypanosomes
Authors: BARRETT MICHAEL P. , BAKKER BARBARA M. , BREITLING RAINER
Published: February 2010

Metabolomics analysis, which aims at the systematic identification and quantification of all metabolites in biological systems, is emerging as a powerful new tool to identify biomarkers of disease, report on cellular responses to environmental perturbation, and to identify the targets of drugs. Here we discuss recent developments in metabolomic analysis, from the perspective of trypanosome research, highlighting remaining challenges and the most promising areas for future research.
ESTIMATION OF UNIT ROOT SPATIAL DYNAMIC PANEL DATA MODELS
Authors: Yu Jihai , Lee Lung-fei
Published: February 2010

This paper examines the asymptotics of the QMLE for unit root dynamic panel data models with spatial effect and fixed effects. We consider a unit root dynamic panel data model with spatially correlated disturbances and a unit root spatial dynamic panel data model. For both models the estimate of the dynamic coefficient is$\root \of {nT^3 }$consistent and the estimates of other parameters are$\root \of {nT}$consistent, and all of them are asymptotically normal. For the latter model the sum of the contemporaneous spatial effect and dynamic spatial effect converges at$\root \of {nT^3 }$rate. We also propose a bias-correction procedure so that the asymptotic biases of those estimates are eliminated as long asn/T3→ 0.
A Middle East subregional laboratory-based surveillance network on foodborne diseases established by Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority
Authors: COHEN D. , GARGOURI N. , RAMLAWI A. , ABDEEN Z. , BELBESI A. , HIJAWI B. AL , HADDADIN A. , SHEIKH ALI S. , SHUAIBI N. AL , BASSAL R. , YISHAI R. , GREEN M. S. , LEVENTHAL A.
Published: February 2010

In late 2002, health professionals from the ministries of health and academia of Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel formed the Middle East Consortium on Infectious Disease Surveillance (MECIDS) to facilitate trans-border cooperation in response to infectious disease outbreaks. The first mission of MECIDS was to establish a regional, laboratory-based surveillance network on foodborne diseases. The development of harmonized methodologies and laboratory capacities, the establishment of a common platform of communication, data sharing and analysis and coordination of intervention steps when needed were agreed upon. Each of the three parties selected the microbiological laboratories that would form the network of sentinel laboratories and cover the different districts of each country and also designated one laboratory as the National Reference Laboratory (NRL). Data analysis units have been established to manage the data and serve as a central point of contact in each country. The MECIDS also selected a regional data analysis unit, the Cooperative Monitoring Centre (CMC) located in Amman, Jordan, and established a mechanism for sharing data from the national systems. Joint training courses were held on interventional epidemiology and laboratory technologies. Data collection started in July 2005 with surveillance of salmonellosis as the first target. This network of collaboration and communication established in an area of continuous dispute represents an important step towards assessing the burden of foodborne diseases in the region and is expected to be fundamental for coordination of public health interventions and prevention strategies.