Books published by Elsevier Science & Technology

Biosynthetic Polymers for Medical Applications provides the latest information on biopolymers, the polymers that have been produced from living organisms and are biodegradable in nature. These advanced materials are becoming increasingly important for medical applications due to their favorable properties, such as degradability and biocompatibility. This important book provides readers with a thorough review of the fundamentals of biosynthetic polymers and their applications. Part One covers the fundamentals of biosynthetic polymers for medical applications, while Part Two explores biosynthetic polymer coatings and surface modification. Subsequent sections discuss biosynthetic polymers for tissue engineering applications and how to conduct polymers for medical applications. Comprehensively covers all major medical applications of biosynthetic polymersProvides an overview of non-degradable and biodegradable biosynthetic polymers and their medical usesPresents a specific focus on coatings and surface modifications, biosynthetic hydrogels, particulate systems for gene and drug delivery, and conjugated conducting polymers

Microbial Electrochemical and Fuel Cells: Fundamentals and Applications contains the most updated information on bio-electrical systems and their ability to drive an electrical current by mimicking bacterial interactions found in nature to produce a small amount of power. One of the most promising features of the microbial fuel cell is its application to generate power from wastewater, and its use in the treatment of water to remove contaminants, making it a very sustainable source of power generation that can feasibly find application in rural areas where providing more conventional sources of power is often difficult. The book explores, in detail, both the technical aspects and applications of this technology, and was written by an international team of experts in the field who provide an introduction to microbial fuel cells that looks at their electrochemical principles and mechanisms, explains the materials that can be used for the various sections of the fuel cells, including cathode and anode materials, and provides key analysis of microbial fuel cell performance looking at their usage in hydrogen production, waste treatment, and sensors, amongst other applications.

Latin Squares and Their Applications Second edition offers a long-awaited update and reissue of this seminal account of the subject. The revision retains foundational, original material from the frequently-cited 1974 volume but is completely updated throughout. As with the earlier version, the author hopes to take the reader ''from the beginnings of the subject to the frontiers of research''. By omitting a few topics which are no longer of current interest, the book expands upon active and emerging areas. Also, the present state of knowledge regarding the 73 then-unsolved problems given at the end of the first edition is discussed and commented upon. In addition, a number of new unsolved problems are proposed. Using an engaging narrative style, this book provides thorough coverage of most parts of the subject, one of the oldest of all discrete mathematical structures and still one of the most relevant. However, in consequence of the huge expansion of the subject in the past 40 years, some topics have had to be omitted in order to keep the book of a reasonable length. Latin squares, or sets of mutually orthogonal latin squares (MOLS), encode the incidence structure of finite geometries; they prescribe the order in which to apply the different treatments in designing an experiment in order to permit effective statistical analysis of the results; they produce optimal density error-correcting codes; they encapsulate the structure of finite groups and of more general algebraic objects known as quasigroups. As regards more recreational aspects of the subject, latin squares provide the most effective and efficient designs for many kinds of games tournaments and they are the templates for Sudoku puzzles. Also, they provide a number of ways of constructing magic squares, both simple magic squares and also ones with additional properties. Retains the organization and updated foundational material from the original editionExplores current and emerging research topicsIncludes the original 73 ''Unsolved Problems'' with the current state of knowledge regarding them, as well as new Unsolved Problems for further study

Advanced Modelling Techniques Studying Global Changes in Environmental Sciences discusses the need for immediate and effective action, guided by a scientific understanding of ecosystem function, to alleviate current pressures on the environment. Research, especially in Ecological Modeling, is crucial to support the sustainable development paradigm, in which the economy, society, and the environment are integrated and positively reinforce each other. Content from this book is drawn from the 2013 conference of the International Society for Ecological Modeling (ISEM), an important and active research community contributing to this arena. Some progress towards gaining a better understanding of the processes of global change has been achieved, but much more is needed. This conference provides a forum to present current research using models to investigate actions towards mitigating and adapting to change. Presents state-of-the-art modeling techniquesDrawn from the 2013 conference of the International Society for Ecological Modeling (ISEM), an important and active research community contributing to this arena Integrates knowledge of advanced modeling techniques in ecological and environmental sciencesDescribes new applications for sustainability

Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective, Volumes 1-4, presents a fascinating collection of research about prehistoric and historic coal and peat fires. Magnificent illustrations of fires and research findings from countries around the world are featured-a totally new contribution to science. This last of four volumes in the collection, Peat--Geology, Combustion, and Case Studies, examines in detail peat fires chronicled in several countries. In addition, the geology of peat, peat megafires, infrared analysis of fires, and the mathematical modelling of fire hazards are presented. This essential reference includes a companion website with an interactive world map of coal and peat fires, collections of slide presentations, research data, additional chapters, and videos: booksite.elsevier.com/9780444595102. Authored by world-renowned experts in coal and peat firesGlobal in scope-countries from around the world are representedIncludes beautiful color illustrations, lively presentations, important research data, and a companion website of further resources

In the past 30 years, magnetic research has been dominated by the question of how surfaces and interfaces influence the magnetic and transport properties of nanostructures, thin films and multilayers. The research has been particularly important in the magnetic recording industry where the giant magnetoresistance effect led to a new generation of storage devices including hand-held memories such as those found in the ipod. More recently, transfer of spin angular momentum across interfaces has opened a new field for high frequency applications. This book gives a comprehensive view of research at the forefront of these fields. The frontier is expanding through dynamic exchange between theory and experiment. Contributions have been chosen to reflect this, giving the reader a unified overview of the topic. Addresses both theory and experiment that are vital for gaining an essential understanding of topics at the interface between magnetism and materials scienceChapters written by experts provide great insights into complex material Discusses fundamental background material and state-of-the-art applications, serving as an indispensable guide for students and professionals at all levels of expertiseStresses interdisciplinary aspects of the field, including physics, chemistry, nanocharacterization, and materials scienceCombines basic materials with applications, thus widening the scope of the book and its readership

Applies the techniques of variational calculus and stochastic analysis, like Fokker-Plank equation to various models, to produce exact or approximate solutions, or in worst case numeric procedures. This book takes up issues for the coherent phenomena in stochastic dynamical systems, described by ordinary and partial differential equations.

Exact Statistical Inference for Categorical Data discusses the way asymptotic approaches have been often used in practice to make statistical inference. This book introduces both conditional and unconditional exact approaches for the data in 2 by 2, or 2 by k contingency tables, and is an ideal reference for users who are interested in having the convenience of applying asymptotic approaches, with less computational time. In addition to the existing conditional exact inference, some efficient, unconditional exact approaches could be used in data analysis to improve the performance of the testing procedure. Demonstrates how exact inference can be used to analyze data in 2 by 2 tablesDiscusses the analysis of data in 2 by k tables using exact inferenceExplains how exact inference can be used in genetics