Books published by Springer US

Health Services Planning provides the reader with an understanding of the key concepts related to the planning process and offers step-by-step guidelines for developing any type of plan for a community, a health system or an organization. The author addresses the challenge of health planning at both the community level and within the healthcare organization. In addition, the book provides detailed guidance on the development of strategic plans, business plans, and marketing plans. The book provides background on the sociocultural context for health planning and the nature of the demand for health services. Resource material is provided on the research process necessary to support planning activities and sources of data for health planning. Illustrative material is provided through boxes and exhibits throughout the text. An extensive appendix provides examples of various types of plans drawn from the experiences of the author. A glossary provides the reader with definitions of key terms. Readers will gain an appreciation of the importance of planning for the orderly development of health services at the community or organization level. The necessary skills will be learned to allow the reader to formulate plans or, at the least, be able to intelligently discuss the planning process with other health professionals. Health Services Planning is a useful textbook in health administration programs, as well as a resource to health professionals in both public and private sector healthcare organizations who need to have an understanding of the planning process.

This fully updated edition explores conceptual as well as technical guidelines for plant taxonomists and geneticists, such as the increasing use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies for numerous applications in plant taxonomy. The volume provides molecular approaches to be used within an ¿integrative taxonomy¿ framework, combining a range of nucleic acid and cytogenetic data together with other crucial information (taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, ecology, reproductive biology, biogeography, paleobotany, etc.), which will help not only to best circumvent species delimitation but also to resolve the evolutionary processes in play. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date,Molecular Plant Taxonomy: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is an ideal guide for researchers seeking a better understanding of evolutionary processes, at species and population level, through molecular techniques.

Ever since the first volume appeared in 1969, this series has received good reviews in a variety of periodicals published in different corners of the world. It would seem that the work has fulfilled its purpose as outlined in the Preface to Volume 1. The rapidly increasing interest in surface and colloid science by people engaged in industrial research and development, and in environmental, ecological, medical, pharmaceutical, and other areas, justifies the continuation of such an effort. The Surface and Colloid Science series originated with John Wiley and Sons and has been continued with Plenum Press. This volume is the third with the present publisher, and is the best assurance of our mutual interest to proceed with this work. Some books in the series, as was the case with Volume 11, may appear under the editorship of other workers in the field. For reasons of continuity, a sequential numbering system will be maintained. This editor hopes to provide the scientific and technical community with high-quality contributions in surface and colloid science in the future. He invites specialists to submit definitive chapters on any topic within the broad area of our discipline for inclusion in this series.

This volume chronicles the proceedings of the Third Symposium on Metallized Plastics: Fundamental and Applied Aspects held under the auspices of the Dielectric Science and Technology Division of the Electrochemical Society in Phoenix, Arizona, October 13-18, 1991. This series of symposia to address the subject of metallized plastics was initiated in 1988 and the premier symposium was held in Chicago, October 10-12, 1988, followed by the second event in Montreal, Canada, May 7-10, 1990. The rroceedings of these two symposia have been properly documented ,2. The third symposium was a huge success like the previous two events, and all this is testimonial to the brisk interest and high tempo of R&D activity in the fie14 of metallized plastics. This further bolsters our earlier thinking that there was a conspicuous need to hold symposia on this topic on a regular basis and the fourth is planned for May 16-21, 1993 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The study of metallized plastics constitutes an important human endeavor l and as pointed out earlier there are myriad applications of metallized plastics ranging from very commonplace to exotic. Also a survey of the recent literature will reveal that both the fundamental and applied aspects of metallized plastics are being pursued with great vigor.

In the last three decades. use of antibiotics/drugs in animal husbandry programs has grown tremendously. Antibiotics/drugs are used therapeutically to cure diseases. and subtherapeutically to control the outbreak of diseases, improve feed efficiency and promote growth. The presence of antibiotic/drug residues in food products of animal origin. i.e .. meat, poultry and milk, can be a potential health hazard to consumers. Significant research is being done to develop new methods or to improve on existing methods to confirm and quantitatively determine the antibiotic/drug residues in meat, poultry and milk. This book covers recent development and application of various analytical techniques for the determination of antibiotic/drug residues in food products of animal origin. I thank the authors for their time and efforts in preparing the manuscripts and "all the reviewers for reviewing the manuscripts. I also thank to the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry of the American Chemical Society for sponsoring the symposium and Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto, CA, Perkin Elmer Corp., Norwalk, CT, Millipore Corporation, Milford, MA, and Kraft General Foods, Glenview, IL, for their generous financial support for the symposium. Vipin K. Agarwal New Haven, CT v CONTENTS Importance of Laboratory Validations and Accurate Descriptions of Analytical Procedures for Drug Residues in Foods ................. .

The term biotechnology has emerged on the contemporary scene fairly recently, but the basic concept of utilizing natural materials, either directly or in modified versions, dates back to antiquity. If we search the ancient literature, such as the Bible, we find hundreds of examples wherein people employed, or modified, natural materials for a variety of important uses. As far back as the days of Noah we find pitch, a natural material, being used as a caulk. Clothing was made from animal skins and the products of several plants. Today, we would consider these things as important biotechnological developments. Likewise, the human use of polymeric materials also has a long his­ tory. In fact, many of the original materials used by mankind were poly­ mers derived from nature, such as wood, flax, cotton, wool and animal skins, which were used for shelter and clothing. In recent years, however, the concept of biotechnology has taken on a new and renewed role in our society. This is due to a combination of factors, including an increased interest in environmental concerns and the desire to break free from the stranglehold that petrochemicals have placed on our society. If we can manufacture some of our polymers from renewable resources, then we can expect to prepare them for many more years into the future than we might if we could only depend on the petro­ chemical resources.

The present book contains a comparison of existing theoretical models developed in order to describe membrane separation processes. In general, the permeation equations resulting from these models give inaccurate predictions of the mutual effects of the permeants involved, due to the simplifications adopted in their derivation. It is concluded that an optimum description of transport phenomena in tight (diffusion-type) membranes is achieved with the "solution-diffusion" model. According to this model each component of a fluid mixture to be separated dissolves in the membrane and passes through by diffusion in response to its gradient in the chemical potential. A modified Flory-Huggins equation has been derived to calculate the solubility of the permeants in the membrane material. Contrary to the original Flory-Huggins equation, the modified equation accounts for the large effect on solubility of crystallinity and elastic strain of the polymer chains by swelling. The equilibrium sorption of liquids computed with this equation was found to be in good agreement with experimental results. Also, the sorption of gases in both rubbery and glassy polymers could be described quan­ titatively with the modified Flory-Huggins equation without any need of the arbitrary Langmuir term, as required in the conventional "dual-mode" sorption model. Furthermore, fewer parameters are required than with the at least identical accuracy.

'IHE CURRENT STATE OF 'IHE AID' of several aspects of water-based coatings and printing processes is presented in this voltnne. It documents the proceedings of the Intemationl Syrrposium on Surface RJ. enornena and Fine Particles in Water-Based Coatings and Printing Teclmology sponsored by the Fine Particle Society (FPS). '!his meeting was held in Boston, Massachusetts, August 21-25, 1989. '!he syrrp:>sium upon which this voltnne is based was organized in six sessions errphasizing various basic and applied areas of research on water-based technology. Major topics discussed involve surface phenomena in coatings, printing defects and their remedies, surface tension effects in water-based coatings and printing inks, surface energies of polymer substrates, wettability, aqueous polymeric film coating of pharmaceuticals, flexographic and gravure printing processes, characterization of coating materials, pigment dispersion, wax emulsions for surface modifications, and the role of polymer in particle/surface deposition. '!his edition includes the twenty four selected papers presented in the syrrp:>sium. '!hese papers are divided in three broad categories: (1) Water-Based Inks and Coatings, (2) Emulsions and Adhesion in Coatings, and (3) Characterization of Coating and Printing Materials. Several types of coating and printing on different substrates using water-based fonnulations with special reference to surface phenomena and particle technology are described in these sections. This proceedings vo1tnne includes discussions of various processes occuring at llIOlecular, microscopic, and macroscopic levels in water-based coatings and printing processes.

This detailed book aims to provide an overview of novel bioinformatics resources for exploring diverse aspects of RNA biology. This edition focuses on methods dealing with non-coding RNA (miRNAs, circRNAs or lncRNAs), RNA modifications (m6A or RNA editing), single cell RNA-seq and statistical models to handle count data from RNA-seq experiments. The book also includes chapters based on the classical RNA bioinformatics methods, such as those for deciphering secondary and tertiary RNA structures; however, they are revised to take into account deep sequencing data. Finally, chapters describing methods to analyze RNA sequencing data from emerging third generation sequencing technologies that could provide interesting insights into the transcriptional process and its regulation are also included. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the kind of expert implementation advice that encourages quality results. Comprehensive and up-to-date, RNA Bioinformatics, Second Edition serves as an ideal guide for researchers digging ever-deeper into the depths of the study of RNAs.The chapter 'RNA-Seq Data Analysis in Galaxy' is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.

This volume compiles new experimental approaches and concepts focusing mostly, but not solely, on ways to manipulate and regulate Ras activity and its downstream signaling output. Chapters detail standard methodologies, biochemical methods, Ras processing trafficking and localization, Ras signaling and inhibition, and in vivo models for studying Ras function. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, application details for both the expert and non-expert reader, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Ras Activity and Signaling: Methods and Protocols aims to provide support and guidance to lab workers in their work on Ras GTPases and in the design of new projects requiring novel methodologies.

Antimicrobial resistance will become a global health threat since antimicrobial treatments continue at the forefront of the defense against microbial infections. To respond to the issue, this detailed book explores vital methodologies currently in use to advance our understanding of antibiotic issues and answer the worldwide demand for novel antibiotics therapies. Beginning with a review chapter that guides the reader through the worldwide demand for novel antibiotics therapies, the volume continues with sections covering new screening procedures and environmental sources, advances in analytical, microbiological, and biotechnological methodologies, antibiotic production and antibiotic resistances, as well as considerations of drug trials and clinical concerns regarding multi-resistant patients. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Antimicrobial Therapies: Methods and Protocols provides a reference source for health, laboratory, and industrial professionals, as well as for graduate students in a number of bio-sanitary disciplines, including medicine, nursery, biotechnology, veterinary, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, nutrition, farming, and more.Chapter ¿14¿ is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This completely revised edition explores novel discoveries in bacterial genomic research, with a focus on technical and computational improvements as well as methods used for bacterial pangenome analysis, which relies on microbiome studies and metagenomic data. Beginning with up-to-date sequencing methods, the book continues with sections covering methods for deep phylogenetic analysis, the role of metagenomic data in understanding the genomics of the many yet uncultured bacteria, progress in genome-to-phenome inference, as well as computational genomic tools. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the type of practical detail necessary for reproducible results in the lab. Authoritative and up-to-date, Bacterial Pangenomics: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as an ideal guide for both highly qualified investigators in bacterial genomics and for less experienced researchers, including students and teachers, who could use a reference for approaching genomic analysis and genome data.

This detailed volume covers conventional MS-based ¿shotgun lipidomics¿ by which samples are introduced by infusion or loop injection, as well as LC-MS-based lipidomics, which are becoming increasingly important due to the ever-increasing demand for a complete and precise lipid analysis of the complex and diversified lipids in nature. The volume features protocols applying chemical reactions, the on-line photochemical reactions combined with various MS methods for comprehensive characterization of various lipid classes, and quantification of specific and rare lipids. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics: Methods and Protocols serves asan invaluable guide for biochemists and mass spectroscopists who are interested in lipid studies.

This updated and expanded volume reflects the current state of the structural protein field with improved and refined protocols that have been applied to particularly challenging proteins. Beginning with a section on structural bioinformatics, the book continues with sections covering the challenge of producing high quality samples for structural studies, particularly mammalian membrane proteins and protein complexes, as well as protocols for structure determination, including the use of electrons in structural biology and more. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Structural Proteomics: High-Throughput Methods, Third Edition will aid researchers in expanding our knowledge of this vital and expansive area of protein science.Chapter 9 is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.

This second edition provides new and updated methods on the principles underlying modern protein analysis, from statistical issues to gel-based and mass spectrometry-based applications. Chapters detail protein quantification as basis for realisation of quantitative studies, gel-based and mass spectrometry-based quantification techniques, TMT, IPTL, PRM, MALDI Imaging, SILAC, PTM analysis, DIA, cross-linking, and the up-to-date topics of software and data analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Quantitative Methods in Proteomics, Second Edition aims to provide comprehensive and competent overview in the important and still growing field of quantitative proteomics.

This volume covers the latest methods used in clinical neurochemistry laboratories for both clinical practice and research. Chapters in this book discuss topics such as techniques for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection, pre-analytical processing, and basic CSF analysis; an examination of biomarkers including ELISA and automated immunochemical assays for amyloid and tau markers for Alzheimer¿s disease; the analysis of neurofilaments by digital ELISA; and an example of successful novel immunoassay development. In the Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory. Cutting-edge and thorough, Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers is a valuable resource for clinicians and researchers to use in CSF labs and CSF courses.

This volume details protocols on rationale design of therapeutic siRNA molecules and its encapsulation with smart vehicles to overcome the barriers to an effective administration in vivo. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Design and Delivery of SiRNA Therapeutics aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

The aim of this volume is to provide a comprehensive description of methods and protocols useful for the further study of T-helper cells. Chapters guide readers through T-helper cell recovery, molecular study, signal transduction pathways, T-cell manipulation and, last but not least, ¿omic¿ approaches. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, T- Helper Cells: Methods and Protocols aims to be a useful practical guide to researches to help further their study in this field.

This book by Kaplan and Vekhter brings together the molecular world of the chemist with the condensed matter world of the physicist. Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, chemists in the West devoted lit­ to relationships between molecular electronic structure and tle attention solid-state vibronic phenomena. Treating quantum mechanical problems wherein the adiabatic Born-Oppenheimer approximation fails was done by "brute force. " With bigger and better computers available in the West, molecular orbital calculations were done on observed and conceived static structures with little concern for any cooperativity of vibrational behavior that might connect these states. While it had long been understood in the West that situations do occur in which different static structures are found for molecules that have identical or nearly identical electronic structures, little attention had been paid to understanding the vibrational states that could connect such structures. It was easier to calculate the electronic structure observed with several possible distortions than to focus on ways to couple electronic and vibrational behavior. In the former Soviet Union, computational power was not as acces­ sible as in the West. Much greater attention, therefore, was devoted to conserving computational time by considering fundamental ways to han­ dle the vibrational connectivity between degenerate or nearly degenerate electronic states.

Due to the worldwide epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the past ten years have witnessed a flurry of activity in the chemotherapy of viral diseases. Unprecedented scientific efforts have been made by scientists and clinicians to combat infections of human immunodeficiency virus (HIY), the causative agent. Looking back over the past ten years, we have made remarkable progress toward the treatment of the viral disease: isolation of HIV only two years after the identification of the disease, plus major strides in the areas of the molecular biology and virology of the retrovirus, etc. More remarkably, the discovery of the chemotherapeutic agent AZT (Retrovir) was made within two years after the isolation and identification of the virus, followed by unprecedented drug development efforts to culminate in the FDA approval of AZT in twenty-three months, which was a record-breaking time for approval of any drug for a major disease. The last six to seven years have particularly been an exciting and productive period for nucleoside chemists. Since the activity of AZI' was established in 1985, nucleoside chemists have had golden opportunities to discover additional anti-HIV nucleosipes, which are hoped to be less toxic and more effective than AZT, and the opportunity continues. As we all are aware, AZT possesses extremely potent anti-HIY activity, and no other nucleoside or non­ nucleoside has surpassed the potency of AZT in vitro.

During the past fifty years, thousands of natural products have been isolated from plants, fungi, and bacteria. Apart from intense searches by pharmaceutical companies for medicinals and the concentrated effort mounted by the National Cancer Institute, many of these have not been tested in biological systems. The major reasons for this appear to be, at least, twofold. First, individual researchers looking for biologically active natural products will often isolate only small amounts of material sufficient to determine a structure and calculate the specific activity for their particular bioassay systems: insufficient funds preclude re-isolating the compound unless industrial potential is foreseen. Second, the difficulty with which original structures were proved prior to 1972. This required the isolation of relatively large quantities of a natural product and there followed extensive degradation, elemental analyses of the parent and its fragments, then synthesis, piece by piece, of the molecule. All this took time and energy. No wonder that when the structure was proved the chemist was enervated. And coupled to this was the fact that many chemists were not trained to test their materials in biological systems. In contrast, today a natural product can be isolated, its mass and molecular formula determined and, if there is some serendipity, crystals may be obtained for single crystal x-ray analysis. If conditions are near perfect, it is possible to isolate and identify a novel compound in a month.

Volcanic eruptions are fascinating manifestations of the Earth's dynamic inte- rior which has been cooling for the past several billion years. The planets of the solar system originated some 4.5 billion years ago from the same gas and dust cloud created by the big bang. Some of the gas collapsed by the gravitational force to form the Sun at the center, while the whirling disk of gas and dust around the Sun subsequently cooled and lumped together to form larger and larger lumps of materials or planetesimals. These planetesimals collided fre- quently and violently and in the process liberated heat that melted the material in them. With time this material gradually cooled and formed the planets of the solar system. During the second half of the twentieth century the theory of plate tectonics of the Earth became established and demonstrated that our planet is covered with six large and many small plates of the lithosphere. These plates move over a highly viscous lower part of the Earth's upper mantle and contain the continental and oceanic crusts. The lower mantle extends below the upper mantle until it meets the core that is more than half the diameter of the entire globe (12,740 km). The inner core consists mostly of iron and its temperature is about 5000 kelvin, whereas the liquid outer core is turbulent, rotates faster than the mantle, consists primarily of iron, and is the source of the Earth's magnetic field.

Electrochemistry and Corrosion Science is a graduate level text/professional reference that describes the types of corrosion on metallic materials. The focus will be on modeling and engineering approximation schemes that describe the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical systems. The principles of corrosion behavior and metal recovery are succinctly described with the aid of pictures, figures, graphs and schematic models, followed by derivation of equations to quantify relevant parameters. Example problems are included to illustrate the application of electrochemical concepts and mathematics for solving complex corrosion problems. This book differs from others in that the subject matter is organized around the modeling and predicating approaches that are used to determine detrimental and beneficial electrochemical events. Thus, this book will take a more practical approach and make it especially useful as a basic text and reference for professional engineers.

Modem information technology has created new possibilities for more sophisticated and efficient control of supply chains. Most organizations can reduce their material flow costs substantially. Inventory control techniques are very important components in this development process. A thorough understanding of relevant inventory models is a prerequisite for successful implementation. I hope that this book will be a useful tool in acquiring such an understanding. Nearly ten years ago I wrote a Swedish book on inventory control. This previous book has been used in courses in production and inventory control at several Swed- ish engineering schools and has also been appreciated by many practitioners in the field. Positive reactions from many readers have occasionally made me contemplate writing a new book in English on the same subject. Encouraging support of this idea from the Kluwer Editors Fred Hillier and Gary Folven finally convinced me to go ahead with the project. The result is this new book, which in many ways differs from its Swedish prede- cessor. Some differences are due to recent developments in inventory control. Fur- thermore, this new book is in a sense more theoretical. In particular, it is to a larger extent focused on creating a good basic understanding of different possible ap- proaches when analyzing inventory models.