südwestdeutscher verlag für hochschulschriften ag co kg jul 2015 (Over 1,800 results)

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -OPGs and OPOs are attractive devices to generate tuneable coherent radiation in a broad wavelength range for many applications mainly in spectroscopy, environmental sensing and process monitoring. Particularly Ti-diffused waveguides in periodically poled Lithium Niobate (PPLN) proved to be most attractive devices to develop OPGs and OPOs for the mid infrared (MIR) wavelength range due to their very low propagation losses (~0.03 dB/cm). In this work generation of tunable radiation in the wavelength range between 2 and 4 µm is discussed. High power OPGs and OPOs, starting with device fabrication, characterization, experimental setup and results, are presented in continuous and pulsed mode of operation. For the first time mode field distribution and generation of MIR pulses are comprehensively characterized theoretically and experimentally. Bent waveguides of the length up to 20 cm for the MIR spectral range are also discussed. Comparison with results of other groups and possible further steps and application examples are presented.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 116 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book considers the OPTCON2 algorithm which delivers numerical solutions to optimum control problems with a quadratic objective function for nonlinear dynamic econometric models with additive and multiplicative (parameter) uncertainties. The algorithm was programmed in C# and allows for deterministic and stochastic control, the latter with open-loop and passive learning (open-loop feedback) information patterns. The applicability of the algorithm is demonstrated by experiments with two existing models, MacRae and Abel, as well as two new macroeconomic models, SLOVNL and SLOVL, which were developed for the purposes of this research. These illustrate the convergence and the practical usefulness of the algorithm and (in most cases) the superiority of open-loop feedback over open-loop controls.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 72 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This research aims at identifying reasons why students in Germany do not adopt car sharing. For this purpose, the term innovation is defined and adopted to the term car sharing. Innovations promise a more efficient way of producing or organising things. Car sharing is an innovation due to the fact that it sells the utilisation value of a car. Therefore it links the existing means of transportation, the car, with a new use pattern. In order to adopt an innovation each individual passes through an innovation adoption process. The non-adoption of an innovation can occur at every stage of this process. With the help of current literature, potential reasons for a non-adoption of car sharing are identified. In order to determine which reasons in fact impede students in Germany from committing to car sharing, a questionnaire is conducted.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 72 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Finance is usually a barrier to business development. Corporate financing using strategies of Financial Participation (FP) can promote sustainable business development, especially business developments using local resources. This book examines business challenges in general and determines future objectives for business development as a result of efficient resource management through reduction of financial liability using FP. The aim of this book is to develop a strategy of FP that can be applicable for sustainable business development with the objective to provide guides on corporate financing that can be useful to environmentalists, businesses, developmental organisations, funding organisations, local governments, researchers, students and the community as a whole in developing sustainable business opportunities using local resources (from science to business innovation). An applicable example is presented for business development from a landfill gasification project for energy production in the city of Cottbus- GermanyBooks on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 96 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -It is known that the childhood family environment has important effects on one's later course of life. In this context questions arise like 'Does your educational success depend whether or not you grew up in a single parent household ', 'Is it more likely that you are obese as a young adult when your mother was working during your childhood ' or 'Do obese workers earn less than their non-obese peers '. The author, Philippe Mahler, answers these questions using German data. After a short introduction of the nature of microdata and especially household surveys the used survey - the German Socio-Economic Panel - is described. In each of the following three chapters of the book one question is described and analyzed by applying microeconomic theories and microeconometric methods.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 92 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Electron spins trapped in solid-state systems can exhibit strong hyperfine interactions with a nuclear spin reservoir, which is normally fluctuating and randomly oriented. As this represents a fundamental decoherence mechanism for the electron spin, several theoretical scenarios to suppress this effect in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been proposed. However, implementing these proposals requires a deeper understanding of the properties of the QD nuclear spin ensemble and of the possibilities to manipulate the nuclear spins. The present work describes an experimental assessment of these topics. Optical preparation and detection of the spin and energy of QD electrons was used to manipulate and measure the average nuclear spin polarization (NSP) in an individual QD. Studying NSP as a function of external paramters such as magnetic fields, QD charge and of time revealed the nonlinear character of electron-nuclear spin coupling and led to the identification of the dominant spin-relaxation mechanisms for QD nuclei. Ultimately, further understanding of the subtle interactions that govern the QD nuclear spin system could enable us to improve the spin coherence time of QD electrons.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 100 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -In this study changes in the locomotory behaviour of three different crustacean species (D. magna Straus, D. pulex Leydig, H. inermis Leach) have been used for studying sublethal effects of the heavy metals copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd). The behavioural responses were determined by a real time image analysis, using a video camera and a Pentium-PC equipped with a standard low cost frame grabber. For a sequence of 50 images per group, where 10 test organisms were moving simultaneously, the trajectories have been reconstructed in binary image sequences. As biological end points we defined the average swimming velocity and the average duration of swimming activity and inactivity. The behavioural responses of the crustaceans were analysed under normal conditions (without heavy metal stress) and after application of sublethal concentrations of the heavy metals Cu and Cd.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 120 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Thermo-mechanically coupled transport processes of viscoelastic fluids are important components in many applications in mechanical and chemical engineering. The aim of this work is the development of accurate numerical techniques for incompressible, non-isothermal, viscoelastic fluids which take into account the multi scale behavior in space and time, the multiphase character and significant geometrical changes. Based on special CFD techniques including time-space adaptivity and fast hierarchical FEM techniques, the result is a new CFD tool which is validated w.r.t. well-known benchmarks and experimental results. The advantage of such black-box tool is its flexibility in dealing with any rheological models in the coming future.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 92 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -One major goal of biopharmaceutical production is to reduce the development time until registration by increasing the specific productivity and to advance product quality. In the past big efforts were made to increase the volumetric yield by optimization in fermentation and downstream technologies. However, therapeutics gets more complex, thus not only the production yield is important but also product quality. Consequently, biopharmaceutical producer are searching for tools and methods to monitor the product quality very early to select efficient candidates for production. This book will give you an overview about suitable methods to analyze and characterize glycoproteins using the example of a fusion protein rhEpo-Fc. It comprises the establishment and validation of a microtiterplate assay to determine terminal sialic acid and a technique for quantitative isoform pattern analysis directly performed in serum-free culture supernatant. N-linked oligosaccharides were released enzymatically from the fusion protein as well as from the fusion partners separately and analyzed by normal-phase HPLC.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 72 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Detailed assessment of human gastric motor function is of key importance for a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms controlling the processing and digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract. Disorders of gastric function are highly prevalent and impair seriously the quality of life. Although investigated in many clinical studies, the underlying pathogenesis is still not fully understood. Among various medical techniques magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers the unique possibility to acquire non-invasively three-dimensional image data at high temporal and spatial resolution and with an excellent soft tissue contrast. In this work, dedicated MRI techniques are presented allowing the non-invasive assessment of human gastric motor function and gastric secretion. The results of these studies in healthy volunteers provide new insights in the functionality of food processing and digestion in the human gastrointestinal tract.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 104 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Triptolide is the main component of extracts of the medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. and used for systemic treatment of autoimmune disorders. The mechanism of action of triptolide involves the inhibition of differentiation of murine CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells, decreased transcription of IL-17 mRNA. In a CD4+ T-cell line of mice AhR expression is restricted to the Th17 cell subset and its binding to agonists results in the production of the Th17 cytokines. Our study showed that in naïve T cells differentiated Th17-cells the addition of triptolide significantly decreased production of IFN-¿, IL-17A and IL-22 in a dose-dependent manner. Quantitive PCR demonstrated a significant down-regulation of IFN-¿, IL-17A and IL-22 mRNA expression by triptolide in human T cells and potently down-regulated FICZ-induced cytochrome P450 mRNA expression in both keratikocytes and T cells. In conclusion, triptolide was able to potently down-regulate AhR-mediated gene induction and protein expression. These data suggest that triptolide may serve as an AhR-antagonist. The reported anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressive effects of triptolide may be linked to its AhR-antagonistic effect.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 72 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -There is mounting evidence supporting the role of the sleep-wake cycle and the endogenous circadian system in the pathogenesis of the disorder of major depression. Surprisingly, very little research has been done so far with the focus on basic investigations under unmasked standard controlled conditions to avoid masking effects in Major Depression Disorder (MDD). In this study, the theoretical framework that underpins depression is addressed within the context of the circadian and sleep-wake homeostatic regulation, and on how these two independent and non-additive systems impact mood, subjective sleepiness, melatonin and waking EEG in young depressed women without sleep disturbances. The study design consisted of two different protocols such as an episode of total sleep deprivation (SD; high sleep pressure) or multiple napping (nap protocol; low sleep pressure). This study provides several surprising data in the cohort of young women with MDD that stand in contrast to some of the long-standing mainstream hypothesis.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 116 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book deals with the quantisation of topological quantum field theories in 1+1 space-time dimensions. These quantum ¿eld theories are the Thirring model and the sine¿Gordon model. The Thirring model is a fermionic quantum field theory, which is exactly solvable and hence an interesting laboratory to study quantum effects in a non-perturbative way. While it is well known that the massive Thirring model is renormalisable, the massless model was thought to be non-renormalisable. Here, a more general solution to the massless Thirring model is obtained, which allows to renormalise the massless Thirring model for the first time. The second part deals with the sine¿Gordon model. This soliton model is exactly solvable and equivalent to the massive Thirring model. Using path integral techniques the quantum correction to the mass of a soliton is calculated in continuous space¿time and within the discretisation technique with periodic and anti-periodic boundary conditions and rigid walls. Finally, it is shown that the ¿nite contribution to the quantum mass of a soliton found in the literature arises due to a non¿covariant procedure.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 112 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -While investigating the involvement of REV3, the catalytic subunit of TLS Polymerase zeta (Pol ¿) in the development of chemotherapy resistance, it was found that inhibition of REV3 expression per se suppresses colony formation of cancer cells whereas normal cells were less affected. It was confirmed that inhibition of REV3 in various cancer cell lines leads to a growth inhibition, due to accumulation of persistent DNA damage, subsequently leading to the activation of the ATM-dependent DNA damage response (DDR) cascade. Inhibition of REV3 in p53-proficient cancer cells results in a G1-arrest and senescence. In contrast, the inhibition of REV3 in p53-deficient or p53-knockout cancer cells results in a growth inhibition and a G2/M-arrest whereas a small fraction of the p53-deficient or p53-knockout cancer cells can overcome the G2/M-arrest, which results in mitotic slippage and aneuploidy. It is shown for the first time that inhibition of a TLS Pol confers synthetic sickness/lethality specifically in cancer cells. The inhibition REV3 per se suppresses cancer cell growth whereas normal cells are less affected, thus identifying REV3 as a potential target for a cancer-specific therapy.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 92 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This thesis aims at elucidating the essential role played by the urokinase receptor (uPAR) in driving VEGF induced angiogenesis. On the molecular level the formation of blood vessels from preexisting ones requires the coordinated interaction of the protease system which by their degradation of the extracellular matrix facilitates the adhesion receptors of endothelial cells to invoke migration and invasion. Using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry based techniques we show that the protease receptor uPAR through its interaction with alpha5beta1 integrins funnels VEGF induced signals for angiogenesis. Inhibition of uPAR interaction with integrins not only impedes endothelial cell migration but also in vivo VEGF induced angiogenesis. In effect uPAR could be investigated as a potential target for angiogenesis based drug therapies.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 88 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -In many developing countries there is an acute shortage of trained medical specialists. Not only does this hamper individual patients¿ access to medical care, but furthermore limits the development of health systems as the specialists play a major role in the provision of continuous medical education for other health care personnel. The rapid development of information and communication technologies has enabled radically new forms of collaboration at a distance and allows us today to transmit knowledge to the patient rather than only transporting patients to the centres where knowledge is available; this has promising implications in particular for remote and under-served areas. In his dissertation, the author introduces telemedicine in general and then gives an in-depth overview of the iPath telemedicine system developed during his PhD. The introduction to technical aspects is followed by a scientific evaluation of the medical feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of distance diagnosis within various projects using the iPath system. Finally, the author analyses the impact and potential risks and benefits of telemedicine on the involved health care system.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 220 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Systems based on fuzzy rules are widely used in the development of control, pattern recognition and machine intelligence systems. The structure of the fuzzy rule base is the most influential factor for the performance of fuzzy rule-based systems. This structure is defined by the number of fuzzy partitions and the formation relations used. The number and structure of the fuzzy partitions have to be defined during the design process. Thus, a large number of rules have to be generated. To avoid large computational costs, a reduction process is required. Current procedures for the design of fuzzy-based systems often do not take into account the signal or data specifications for the system considered. In the present study, a new approach for building a fuzzy rule-based system is developed. In this approach, design of the fuzzy rule base is based on the statistical properties of the data considered. A new framework is developed for automated and improved generation of fuzzy-based rules for identification and classification processes. Different benchmark data, comparative approaches, practical application , and hypothesis techniques are used to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 100 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Stray dogs and cats are a common sight on the Greek Islands. Overpopulation increases spread of infectious diseases and transmission of zoonotic agents. Population control must be performed on different levels including legislation, registration/identification, garbage control, habitat control, neutering of pets and stray dogs and cats, control of breeders/sales, and education of the public. Evaluative studies are essential for the selection of a protocol and may lead to a different approach for each species. The purpose of the study reported here was to evaluate the roots of the stray cat and dog problem and to monitor the success of a catch-neuter-release program on one Greek island. This report should offer a practical guideline to Non Government Organizations (NGO¿s) and municipalities for a successful population control program.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 56 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -In the last five years, a number of genomes from tropical parasites were sequenced. The aim of this project was to perform comparative genomics between different parasites and free-living eukaryotes, with particular emphasis on predicted membrane proteins. From an evolutionary point of view, this provided insights to how different parasites adapted to living within a host. From a pharmacological point of view, the project supported the identification of candidate virulence factors, antigens, and drug targets in parasites. The first part focuses on GPI-anchored proteins, the second one on repeat-containing membrane proteins, and the third part on transporter families.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 76 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Why does our universe expand with acceleration What is dark energy Although, no one knows, this phenomenon is well-modeled by the cosmological term in the Einstein equation. Noteworthy, quantum vacuum influences evolution of spacetime precisely as the cosmological constant does. However, theoretical estimates of the vacuum energy density indicate a catastrophe. We discuss this problem and examine a particular approach to its solution.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 100 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -The Drosophila mutant loechrig, which lacks a neuronal isoform of the AMPK (AMP- activated protein kinase) gamma subunit, shows progressive neurodegeneration, neuronal cell death of the adult nervous system and a lower cholesterol ester level. AMPK is the 'energy sensor' of the cell and it gets phosphorylated by upstream kinases and activated by a high AMP-ATP ratio. In order to determine the correlation between the loe mutation, isoprenylation and the RHO1 pathway, flies with mutations in RHO and its downstream targets were generated and analyzed. Isoprenylation (which is negatively regulated by AMPK) is an important mechanism allowing intracellular proteins, like small G proteins (e.g. RHO) to associate with the membrane, which is then followed by activation of the protein. This step is critical for signal transduction of cellular hormones a growth factors, and cytokines and influences proliferation, differentiation and survival of the cell. This dissertation shows that actin dynamics is not only involved in neuronal outgrowth, its also important in maintenance of neurons. And interference with actin dynamics and axonal transport leads to progressive degeneration of neurons.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 100 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Monte Carlo-based techniques allow comprehensively describing the uncertainty propagation through any measuring process or any retrieving scheme. In this work, they have been used to evaluate the uncertainty of both modeled and measured UV spectra. These applications have shown that Monte Carlo-based techniques have the potential to become useful tools for exploiting spectral UV measurements and for ensuring their quality. In a context of climate change, quality-ensured UV series are required for an improved understanding of the global UV climate.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 116 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -It is becoming increasingly evident that post-transcriptional regulation has profound impact on when, where, and to what level genes are expressed. Hundreds of RNA-binding proteins and non-coding RNAs mediate post-transcriptional gene regulation - but how they are coordinated and what their RNA targets are remains largely elusive. The development of genome-wide analysis tools enables us now to systematically study the extent and logic of post-transcriptional gene regulation on global scale. In this book, the author André Gerber explains some of these new techniques, which led to the discovery of novel principles of gene expression control such as RNA regulons. He also provides an overview of current knowledge about the implications of RNA-binding proteins and non-coding RNAs in human disease, and the chances and pitfalls towards the development of novel therapeutics. This book is written for everyone with basic knowledge in molecular biology and who wishes to get an introduction into this fascinating field of RNA research.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 64 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Fragment-type descriptors are effective and widely used tools in computer-aided drug discovery. This book introduces a novel method that departs from traditional fragment design schemes. Fragment profiles of molecules are generated by random deletion of bonds. Such profiles can be mined for substructures associated with different compound classes. For the analysis of molecular similarity relationships, the profiles are quantitatively compared using entropy-based metrics. Similarity searching experiments on compound classes with varying structural diversity produce promising results, in respect to traditional fingerprints. In a further step, random profiles were minded for dependency relationships of fragment co-occurrence, which enables to isolate substructure pathways of biological active compounds. So-called Activity Class Characteristic Substructures (ACCS) can be identified for molecules with similar activity. In virtual screening, short ACCS fingerprints perform comparable to state-of-the-art fingerprints of higher complexity. Therefore, the analysis of randomly generated fragment profiles open up new possibilities for the design of fragment-type descriptors.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 100 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Although glyphosate is a heavily applied herbicide worldwide, the risk of environmental contamination through transport mechanisms of this substance is still not well documented. This work aimed to develop a new extraction method for an exact determination of glyphosate and AMPA in different soils, to investigate the time dependent behavior of glyphosate and AMPA in soils and to investigate the influence of soil erosion processes on the dissipation of glyphosate and AMPA. The developed method covers matrix effects of the most representative agricultural soil types of Austria but can be applied for glyphosate and AMPA investigations on any kind of mineral soils. The method focuses mainly to the glyphosate adsorption by Fe-oxides and organic matter. Based on results, iron-oxides in general seem to be a key parameter for the glyphosate and AMPA adsorption in soils. The rain simulation experiments could clearly show that even a potentially high erodible soil suffers low damages, if adequate protection practices are applied, and respectively that even a potentially high adsorbing soil suffers strong erosion damages, if its structure is unfavorable at the time of application.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 88 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -The collection and analysis of food consumption data is widely used as a parameter to monitor the health status of animals, especially in rats, in a variety of areas. However, the feeding behavior in laboratory dogs has not been described in detail and there is only little literature available in the public domain. The aim of this study was to determine the normal feeding behavior of untreated laboratory dogs during the pretest period and to create a feeding profile for comparison with the main study phase. Observations were made that identified any modified patterns of feeding behavior, which can be a helpful guideline for the dogs' state of wellness, especially if no other symptoms are present. Sixteen two to four-week oral toxicity studies with a four-week recovery period over the last three years were analyzed. In general, deviations were seen from the normal feeding pattern, especially in the high dose group and sometimes even in lower dose groups regardless of the presentation of other clinical symptoms. Overall, the results of this study show, that the feeding behavior of dogs is a helpful and sensitive tool to evaluate the health status of laboratory dogs.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 108 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Solar cells based on crystalline silicon (c-Si) have the potential to make photovoltaic electricity cheaper than coal-based electric power generation within less than 10 years. The largest cost decrease potential on the cell level lies with improved electronic surface passivation. In this work, the current industry standard, amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H) deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD), is investigated and compared to amorphous silicon carbide, silicon carbonitride and silicon oxynitride films deposited by both high- and for the first time also low-frequency (LF) PECVD. It is shown that and an explanation offered as to why LF PECVD is capable of excellent surface passivation, comparable to remote-plasma results in literature and higher than previously published for LF PECVD. The achieved surface passivation quality is sufficient for dielectric rear-surface passivation without an underlying diffused back surface field. It is also shown that the purity grade of precursor gases used for film deposition can be lowered significantly without affecting cell efficiency and long-term stability on the module level, allowing for further cost reduction.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 116 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This PhD thesis addresses two main topics. The synthetic chapter reports on the isomerization and oligomerisation of Lewis acid/base-stabilized phosphanylalanes. NMR investigations - together with theoretical computations performed by Prof. Alexey Y. Timoshkin (University of St. Petersburg) - gave insight into the amine exchange in four-membered aluminium-phosphorus hetero-ring systems. The combination of analytical and computational methods also allowed the detailed clarification of the successive oligomerization at, for example, the tungsten pentacarbonyl- and trimethylamine-stabilized derivative. Furthermore, ethyldimethylamine was introduced as a new Lewis base and an unprecedented structural motif for aluminium phosphorus compounds was described. Finally, the reactivity of Lewis acid free derivatives of phosphanylalanes was explored and the scope was widened to stiba- and bismaboranes. In addition to the synthetic results, 132 crystal structures were determined. Crucial problems in crystallography are reported using selected examples, including: disorder, twinning, space group problems, solvent treatment and a modulated structure.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 96 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -The sandfish (Scincidae: Scincus scincus) is a lizard capable of moving through desert sand in a swimming-like fashion. The epidermis of this lizard shows a low friction to sand as an adaption to a subterranean life below the desert's surface. Caused by material properties of ß-keratin proteins forming the outer epidermis, this low friction reduces further adhesive wear. Both skin effects, the friction reduction and abrasion resistance outperform even steel. A possible explanation for these properties is an increased glycosylation of the ß-keratins. In this study, the friction and the micro-structure of the epidermis as well as the ß-keratin coding DNA and the glycosylation of the ß- keratin proteins of the sandfish was investigated in comparison to other sauropsidean species. Glycan based friction reduction could be verified by force-distance measurements via atomic force microscopy: proteins were deglycosylated and the glycans covalently bound on a glass surface by silanisation. Both surfaces showed low adhesion force similar to the untreated skin of the sandfish in comparison to Eumeces schenideri and a glass control.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 108 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -The recent rapid increase in the demand for, and application of, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) across the Western world necessitates adequate medical education. The Bologna declaration has put in motion a series of reforms which will require academic efforts in Switzerland to reach a better integration of CAM into medical education. The present study aimed to (1) survey current education of CAM in the five Swiss medical schools, (2) investigate expert opinions from both conventional and CAM fields about the integration of CAM education into the medical curriculum, and (3) document Swiss medical students¿ attitude toward and knowledge of CAM and their experience of CAM education at medical school. The results of the study lead to the conclusion that CAM education should become part of the undergraduate curriculum at each Swiss medical school. Acupuncture/TCM, phytotherapy, and homeopathy are the most requested CAM disciplines to be included in the curriculum. These courses should occur during the clinical years, be in the form of seminars, faculty lectures and patient presentations and be rewarded by credits.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 68 pp. Deutsch.