CRC Press
Power systems.
One of the five volumes of the 2d edition of the Electric power engineering handbook (also sold as a 5v. set), this volume is also a 2d ed, with new chapters on computational methods for electric power systems, flexible AC transmission system controllers, surge arresters, and probabilistic methods for planning and operational analysis. Other sections are substantially updated, including those on switching surges, transient voltage response of coils and windings, short-term load and price forecasting using artificial neural networks, planning and reliability, power semiconductor devices, inverters, and active filters for power conditioning. Each chapter presents a full description of the topic with diagrams, photos, and equations as needed for illustration as well as list of further references. The 25 chapters are written by professionals in the field in the US, Canada, Japan, Chile, and Spain. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Power system stability and control.
One of the five volumes of the 2d edition of the Electric power engineering handbook (also sold as a 5v. set), this volume is also a 2d ed, with new sections on power system stability controls, small signal stability and power system oscillations, and dynamic modeling of power systems, as well as updating of earlier material. The wide area measurement system (WAMS) carried out in western North America in 2005 is discussed in a lengthy chapter co-authored by five participants (they're with the Bonneville Power Administration, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority). Up- to-date and authoritative, this and the other four volumes of the handbook will be essential for professionals in the field. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Priciples of composite materials mechanics, 2d ed.
Composite materials have proven their potential, and the field is very active in both research and working applications. This edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect the new developments that have come as a result along with deeper coverage of foundations, such as the basic mechanics of materials equations. Gibson (composite engineering, Wayne State U.) includes updates on recent applications of composite mechanics to nanocomposites, the derivations of stress equilibrium equations and the strain-displacement relations from elasticity theory. He covers lamina stress-strain relationships, effective moduli and strength of a continuous fiber-reinforced lamina, analyses of lamina hygrothermal behavior and discontinuous fiber-reinforced lamina, analysis of laminates, analysis of fracture, and mechanical testing of composites and their constituents. The result is comprehensive but accessible and the update materials will serve practitioners as well as students. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The rhizosphere; biochemistry and organic substances at the soil-plant interface, 2d ed.
Underneath our feet, or more precisely, the feet of plants is a small world that allows our larger world to survive. The soil immediately surrounding plant roots, the rhizosphere, is busy with the interactions of plants, microorganisms and stable soil organic matter. The result is plant growth and nutrition on the plus side along with microbial infections on the minus. This edition continues to explain the multidisciplinary nature of the rhizosphere, which touches upon soil science, agronomy, plant nutrition and physiology, microbiology and biochemistry. In its 14 chapters, all completely updated, it describes the compounds released by plants, the rhizodeposition and microbial populations, nutrient transformation, nutrients as regulators of root morphology and architecture, the function of siderophores and fungi, molecular biology and ecology, control of plant pathogens, root-root and root-microbe chemical signals, methodological approaches to the study of carbon flow, gene flow, and models of the rhizosphere. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Security in distributed, grid, mobile, and pervasive computing.
Computer scientists from North America, Europe, and China synthesize the current research in security for the four types of computing, considering such aspects as key management and agreement, authentication, intrusion detection, false data detection, secure data aggregation, anonymity, privacy, access control, and standardization. Distributed in the US by Taylor and Francis. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Self assembly; the science of things that put themselves together.
The science of self-assembly offers the most promising route available to true molecular nanotechnology, proclaims Pelesko, and explains how it works in the natural world, engineered systems, and the future. He does not expect readers to be specialists in any particular field. Exercises are included for use in courses or for self-study. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Serotonin receptors in neurobiology.
Information about the characteristics and functions of serotonin receptors relating to neurobiology, as well as about methods for studying them are provided by researchers in a range of biological specialties. Their topics include the quantitative imaging of serotonin auto-fluorescence with multi-photon microscopy, identifying novel transcriptional regulators in the nervous system, and using mice with targeted genetic inactivation in the serotonergic system to study anxiety. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Simulation of dynamic systems with MATLAB and SIMULINK.
Klee (University of Central Florida) derives mathematical models of continuous-time systems and the discrete-time system models created to simulate them. The two-semester textbook explores how linear time invariant systems respond to different inputs, provides Matlab code examples, introduces the continuous simulation program Simulink, explains one-step methods and multistep formulas for numerical integration, and addresses dynamic errors. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Soil carbon management; economic, environmental and societal benefits.
Writing for scientists, policy makers, activists, and general readers, US academic and government scientists describe the benefits in several realms that result from land management practices that main or increase soil carbon. Among their topics are on-farm benefits, private and public values, organic farming, erosion, wetlands, wildlife, the flooding, surface water quality, and urban lands. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Speech and language engineering.
This volume introduces developers of applied Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems to some fundamental concepts in linguistics and provides examples of their successful application in human-language technology. It contains 16 contributions from academics and researchers who are specialists in various sub-disciplines. Topics include (for example) the Gricean approach to pragmatics; the theoretical foundations of lexical semantics; and statistical approaches underlying automated speech recognition. Editor Rajman is a member of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL). Distributed in the U.S. by CRC Press. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Sports nutrition; fats and proteins.
Many recreational, collegiate, and professional athletes consume more fat and protein than required to meet their needs, according to Driskell (nutrition and health sciences, U. of Nebraska). Expert contributors to 16 chapters review the types, quality, and quantity of these energy-yielding macronutrients that influence health and performance. Following an introductory chapter on athletes' balanced nutrient requirements for optimal performance, authors present in-depth profiles on particular nutrients and popular supplements, e.g., glucosamine, various amino acids. The ethics of taking performance-enhancing aids is discussed in regard to creatine. Lastly, intake guidelines are presented for different energy levels for women and men. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Statistical design and analysis of stability studies.
For those in pharmaceutical research and development, this volume describes the principles and methodologies in the design and analysis of stability studies. Chow (biostatistics and bioinformatics, Duke U. School of Medicine) also provides a summary of current regulatory perspectives and recently developed statistical methods in the area. Basic concepts in stability testing are explained, followed by short- term stability studies such as accelerated testing, estimating drug expiration dating periods, study designs such bracketing and matrixing, and statistical analysis with fixed batches. Other chapters cover random batches, the linear mixed effects model, discrete responses, multiple components, and frozen drug products. Testing for dissolution is discussed, including United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) testing, and scale-up and postapproval changes, mean kinetic temperature, and optimality criteria. Some chapters are revised based on chapters in Statistical Design and Analysis and Pharmaceutical Sciences. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Stochastic relations; foundations for Markov transition systems.
Doberkat develops the theory of stochastic relations as a foundation for Markov transition systems, investigating such central ideas as congruences and morphisms and applying them to monoidal structure. He also examines bi-similarity and behavioral equivalence under the same framework and puts the general theory of algebras into the context provided by the subprobability factor. He shows that bi-similarity, behavioral, and logical equivalence are the same for general model logics and for continuous time stochastic logic with and without a fixed point operator. Sections include a tutorial on Polish and analytic spaces, measurable selectors, probability measures and categories, and then material on stochastic relations as monads, Eilenberg-Moore algebras for stochastic relations, the existence of semi-pullbacks and interpreting modal and temporal logics. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Synthetic fibres; nylon, polyester, acrylic, polyolefin.
This volume on synthetic fibers focuses on nylon, polyester, acrylic, and polyolefin, with separate chapters on the development and present status of each class. McIntyre, formerly at the U. of Leeds, UK, in the field of textile industries, brings together five chapters by fiber and textile experts from the UK and US, who review the development of synthetic fibers, and the chemical structure, polymerization, production, properties, techniques, applications, and other details of each. The book is meant for textile technologists in industrial and academic research, chemical and synthetic fiber suppliers, and yarn and fabric manufacturers. Published in the US by CRC Press and Woodhead Publishing in association with the Textile Institute in England. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Tissue engineering.
Declaring tissue engineering as the "future of medicine," Fisher (bioengineering, U. of Maryland), Mikos (bioengineering, Rice U.), and Bronzino (applied science, Trinity College) present 33 chapters describing current knowledge on the fundamentals of tissue engineering, enabling technologies, and tissues engineering applications. Chapters addressing fundamentals discuss the properties of stem cells, primary cells, growth factors, and the extracellular matrix together with their impact on the development of tissue-engineered devices. Enabling technologies discussed include scaffolds, nanocomposites, bioreactors, drug delivery systems, and gene therapy techniques. A section on applications describes synthetic tissues and organs under development for regenerative medicine applications, including human skin substitutes, nerve regeneration, vascular grafts, regeneration of urologic organs, adjunct and temporary liver support, and renal replacement therapy, among others. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Understanding complex datasets; data mining with matrix decompositions.
For researchers who have complex datasets that garden-variety data-mining techniques do not handle well, Skillicorn explains some of the common matrix decomposition techniques, which break a dataset into its constituent parts in order to analyze it. They are singular value and semi-discrete decompositions, independent component analysis, non-negative matrix factorization, and tensors. The book could serve as a supplemental text in a graduate course on data mining. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Vibration damping, control, and design.
With case studies and examples, the contributors of these articles work systematically from theory to applications so practitioners as well as students can produce mechanical engineering projects with better product quality and more economical operation. The contributors include summaries for each topic so readers can quickly find what they need to know about design for vibration damping and control, damping theory, experimental techniques, structure and equipment isolation, structural dynamic modification and sensitivity analysis, fluid-induced vibration, instrumentation, and statistical energy analysis. Articles on acoustics cover sources of noise, sound levels and decibels, hearing and psychological effects, noise control criteria and regulations (including design of acoustic absorption) and building in reactive mufflers. Some of the applications that deserve a chapter all to themselves include vibration in rotating machinery, regenerative chatter in machine tools, and helicopter rotor tuning. The illustrations are very clear and helpful. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Vibration monitoring, testing, and instrumentation.
The chapters in this reference, which were drawn from Vibration and Shock Handbook, cover the tools, techniques, and data for monitoring, testing, and instrumentation of vibration in mechanical and structural systems and environments. De Silva (mechanical engineering, U. of British Columbia, Canada) brings together 14 chapters by scholars and professionals from around the world, with engineers, technicians, designers, researchers, educators, and students in mind, with equal emphasis on theory and practical application. Shock and vibration methodologies for civil and mechanical engineering systems are included, as are instrumentation and testing methods, including sensors, exciters, signal acquisition, conditioning, and recording, and LabVIEW tools for virtual instrumentation. Other topics covered are testing and design for seismic vibration, related regulatory issues, and human response. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Welding symbols on drawings. (reprint, 1982)
Two former associates of the British Standards Institution explain the ISO and AWS symbols for indicating the location, length, thickness, and penetration of butt, fillet, edge, flare groove, plug, spot, and seam welds on engineering drawings. Four exercises in the conversion of information to symbols and the interpretation of drawings complete the slim book. Originally published in 1982 as Weld symbols on drawings. This reprint is co-published by Woodhead (UK) and CRC Press. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Wetting and spreading dynamics.
Presuming some knowledge of differential equations, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and transport phenomenon, Starov (Loughborough U., UK), Velarde (Instituto Pluridisciplinar, U. Complutense, Spain), and Radke (U. of California at Berkeley, US) introduce select topics related to wetting phenomenon, wherein water, oil, or some other liquid partially or completely wets solid or immiscible liquid surfaces. Over the course of five chapters they aim to show how the action of surface forces determines all equilibrium and kinetics features of liquids with solids and report on recent developments regarding the kinetics of spreading over porous solid substrates, including the case of hydrophobic substrates in the presences of surfactants. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
What every engineer should know about software engineering.
Writing for engineers and students, Laplante (software engineering, Pennsylvania State U.) introduces the principles of software engineering, using a question and answer format. He discusses software engineering as a "profession, an engineering discipline, a culture, and an art form." He describes standards and certifications; software properties and processes; software requirements specification; design; quality assurance; managing projects and engineers; and the future of the field. Some material has been taken from the author's previous books, such as Software Engineering for Image Processing Systems, and has been rewritten. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Wireless ad hoc and sensor networks; protocols, performance and control.
For new network practitioners and undergraduate and graduate computer students, Sarangapani (U. of Missouri-Rolla) describes the theory, architectures, and technologies needed to implement quality of service in communication networks. He covers technical aspects for the design, implementation, research, and invention of computer network and wireless communication network control protocols in chapters on general concepts to wired, cellular, wireless ad hoc, and sensor networks. Underlying quality of service control techniques, developed using Lyapunov-based design, is demonstrated. Topics include dynamical systems, congestion control of high-speed networks, admission control, distributed power control, the framework for implementation using UMR mote hardware, packet scheduling schemes, link state routing, predicting congestion protocol, and radio frequency identification networks. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Wireless ad hoc networking; personal-area, local-area, and the sensory-area networks.
The 23 contributions in this collection explore protocols, architectures, power management, and security for wireless local-area and personal- area networks. The authors propose autonomous swarm-bot systems for wireless sensor networks, a smart guidance system for the blind, multichannel MAC protocols, and energy conservation protocols. Other topics include localization techniques, channel assignment, wireless mesh networks, fieldbus for distributed control application, and multimedia communication in integrated WCDMA/WLAN/ad hoc networks. Distributed in the U.S. by Taylor & Francis. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The year in lipid disorders; v.1.
Packard (Glasgow Royal Infirmary) gathers concise summaries of current work in the field, in sections on clinical aspects of coronary artery disease; lipids, lipoproteins, and atherosclerosis; prevention and treatment strategies; and infection, inflammation, and secondary causes of atherosclerosis. Each section offers an overview of the topic in several areas, illustrated with summary entries (about one page each) on previously published research papers. The summaries give title, author, and publication information, present background, and offer interpretation and commentary. Some areas of research addressed include diet and exercise in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and coronary heart disease, new clinical trials of lipid-regulating agents, lipids and infection, and the role of nuclear receptors in regulating lipid metabolism. The book is distributed in the US by CRC Press. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
