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Low Intensity Breeding of Native Forest Trees in Argentina: Genetic Basis for their Domestication and Conservation
by Mario J. Pastorino Paula MarchelliGlobal climate change requires the development of programs that consider the active restoration of degraded forests and the use of native trees in afforestation to preserve the natural environment. International commitments like the UN REDD program, the Montréal Process and the Convention on Biological Diversity call for the breeding of species rarely contemplated by large industrial companies. Low-intensity breeding is the most rational strategy for those species: simple but robust, and not dependent on continuously increasing funding, and therefore effective even with a relatively small budget. It commonly focuses on high genetic diversity rather than improving economic traits and adaptability rather than productivity. Controlled crosses with full pedigrees typical of high-intensity breeding are replaced by open pollination. This book presents state-of-the-art breeding strategies from the last two decades for several forest tree species of prime importance in the natural forests of Argentina. They are distributed in the three main forestry ecoregions of the country: the subtropical dry forest (Chaco), the subtropical rain forests (Yungas and Alto Paraná rainforests) and the temperate forests of Patagonia. The book also discusses the genetic patterns of the selected species defined using genetic markers together with the analysis of the variation in quantitative traits. Further, it examines the crucial features of their reproductive biology, such as the mating system and gene flow and describes the current breeding programs. Lastly, it presents the latest developments in genetic resources and their emerging applications, concluding with some reflections and perspectives related to the conditioning imposed by climate change.
Low-Level Radiation and Immune System Damage: An Atomic Era Legacy
by Joseph J. ManganoAtomic weapons and nuclear power plants: they promised to ensure world peace and provide efficient energy to Americans during the 1940s and 1950s. Meanwhile, the post war prosperity led to the most dramatic population explosion ever witnessed in the United States: the "baby boomer" generation.Times and politics may change, but many baby boomers-as well as their descendants-now live with an unforeseen result of the nuclear age. Rates of immune-related diseases have risen steadily throughout the past few decades, from allergies to cancer. While advances in medical care have kept death rates relatively low, the increased prevalence of certain diseases cannot be ignored.Low Level Radiation and Immune System Damage: An Atomic Era Legacy establishes an undeniable connection between the nuclear build up of the past and the widespread health problems seen today. While baby boomers were growing up in the 40s and 50s, above-ground atomic bomb tests and start ups of civilian nuclear power plants were carried out without fear of public exposure to radioactive emissions.Although the consequences of low-level radiation are still hotly debated, Mangano's research findings emphasize a direct link between nuclear exposure and immune system deficiency. In addition to substantial data on immune disease trends among Americans born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s, Mangano also examines similar issues concerning baby boomer children and grandchildren. Health professionals, environmentalists, historians and students alike will find much to learn from these pages.As America and the world come to terms with the post-Cold War era, there are still many lessons to recognize, consider, and learn from the still-recent past. Low Level Radiation and Immune System Damage: An Atomic Era Legacy explores a relentless trend that will not soon be over-with potential repercussions into the 21st century.
Low-Level Radio Frequency Systems (Particle Acceleration and Detection)
by Stefan Simrock Zheqiao GengThis book begins with an overview of the RF control concepts and strategies. It then introduces RF system models for optimizing the system parameters to satisfy beam requirements and for controller design. In addition to systematically discussing the RF field control algorithms, it presents typical architecture and algorithms for RF signal detection and actuation. Further, the book addresses the analysis of the noise and nonlinearity in LLRF systems to provide a better understanding of the performance of the RF control system and to specify the performance requirements for different parts of the RF system. Today, accelerators require increased RF stability and more complex operation scenarios, such as providing beam for different beam lines with various parameters, and as a result LLRF systems are becoming more critical and complex. This means that LLRF system developers need have extensive knowledge of the entire accelerator complex and a wide range of other areas, including RF and digital signal processing, noise analysis, accelerator physics and systems engineering.Providing a comprehensive introduction to the basic theories, algorithms and technologies, this book enables LLRF system developers to systematically gain the knowledge required to specify, design and implement LLRF systems and integrate them with beam acceleration. It is intended for graduate students, professional engineers and researchers in accelerator physics.
Low-Loss Storage and Handling of Cryogenic Liquids: The Application of Cryogenic Fluid Dynamics (International Cryogenics Monograph Series)
by Thomas D. Bostock Ralph G. ScurlockThe revised second edition of this practical book reviews the fundamentals of cryogenic liquid behaviour in small and large scale storage systems. The text is based on research findings on the convective and evaporative behaviour of cryogenic fluids, aimed at improving the design, construction and operation of low-loss cryogenic liquid storage systems, with a view to minimising cost and improving operational safety.Since the first edition was published in 2006, the breadth of cryogenic applications and the modelling of cryogenic fluid dynamics (CFD) have expanded in several directions. In this second edition, most chapters have been extended to introduce discussions of these new applications and their safety and energy economy. These include advances in the modelling of CFD required in, for example, the design of miniature cryocoolers and condensers and reboilers, large-scale cryogenic liquid mixture properties and their stability, and the understanding that hazards and safety problems in the public domain increase with the scaling up of cryogenic systems.With helpful summaries at the end of each chapter, the book is an essential reference for anyone working on the design and operation of cryogenic liquid storage and transportation systems.
Low Molecular Weight Organic Semiconductors
by Thorsten U. KampenThis up-to-date reference for students and researchers in the field is the first systematic treatment on the property measurements of organic semiconductor materials. Following an introduction, the book goes on to treat the structural analysis of thin films and spectroscopy of electronic states. Subsequent sections deal with optical spectroscopy and charge transport. An invaluable source for understanding, handling and applying this key type of material for physicists, materials scientists, graduate students, and analytical laboratories.
The Low Molecular Weight Proteome
by Janne Lehtiö Helena BäckvallSmall proteins with molecular weights of <25 kDa are involved in major biological processes such as ribosome formation, stress adaption and cell cycle control. The study of the low-molecular-weight proteome has identified many central regulators of biology such as cytokines, chemokines, peptide hormones and proteolytic fragments of larger proteins. Due to the unique features of these proteins, the technical challenges are different from those in "common" proteomics. In The Low Molecular Weight Proteome: Methods and Protocols expert researchers from the field provide protocols for analysis of low molecular weight proteins and peptides, protocols for such methods applied in clinical research and an up-to-date review of quantitative protein profiling by labeling. These include methods suitable for both peptide and protein analysis with focus on methods and application that can be used for small protein analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, The Low Molecular Weight Proteome: Methods and Protocolsis a useful resource for experienced proteomics practitioners as well as an aid to newcomers who wish to become acquainted with the theory and practice of a wide array of methods in analyzing small proteins or peptides.
Low Platinum Fuel Cell Technologies (Energy and Environment Research in China)
by Junliang Zhang Shuiyun ShenThis book introduces readers to the fundamental physics and chemistry of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), followed by discussions on recent advances in low platinum electrocatalysis and related catalyst development for PEMFC (the book’s primary focus), methods of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication for low platinum catalysts, and durability issues in connection with MEA. While energy and environmental issues are becoming the two main subjects in global sustainable development, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a clean and efficient new energy technology, has attracted more and more attention in recent years The major hurdle for more extensive applications of the PEMFC, especially for the automotive sector, is the high platinum loading requirement. Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals and methods of low platinum PEMFC. This book is intended for researchers, engineers and graduate students in the fields of new energy technology, the fuel cell vehicle industry and fuel cell design.
Low Rank Approximation
by Ivan MarkovskyData Approximation by Low-complexity Models details the theory, algorithms, and applications of structured low-rank approximation. Efficient local optimization methods and effective suboptimal convex relaxations for Toeplitz, Hankel, and Sylvester structured problems are presented. Much of the text is devoted to describing the applications of the theory including: system and control theory; signal processing; computer algebra for approximate factorization and common divisor computation; computer vision for image deblurring and segmentation; machine learning for information retrieval and clustering; bioinformatics for microarray data analysis; chemometrics for multivariate calibration; and psychometrics for factor analysis. Software implementation of the methods is given, making the theory directly applicable in practice. All numerical examples are included in demonstration files giving hands-on experience and exercises and MATLAB® examples assist in the assimilation of the theory.
Low-Speed Aerodynamics
by Joseph Katz Allen PlotkinLow-Speed Aerodynamics is important in the design and operation of aircraft flying at low Mach number, as well as for ground and marine vehicles. This book offers a modern treatment of the subject, both the theory of inviscid, incompressible, and irrotational aerodynamics and the computational techniques now available to solve complex problems. A unique feature of the text is the computational approach (from a single vortex element to a three-dimensional panel formulation) interwoven throughout. Thus, the reader can learn about classical methods to solve real world aerodynamics problems. This second edition includes a new chapter on the laminar boundary layer, the latest versions of computational technique, and additional coverage of interaction problems. It includes a systematic treatment of two-dimensional panel methods and a detailed presentation of computational techniques for three-dimensional and unsteady flows. With extensive illustrations and examples, this book will be useful for senior and beginning graduate-level courses as well as a useful reference for practicing engineers. Book jacket.
Low Temperature Biology of Insects
by David L. Denlinger Richard E. Lee Jr.Low temperature is a major environmental constraint impacting the geographic distribution and seasonal activity patterns of insects. Written for academic researchers in environmental physiology and entomology, this book explores the physiological and molecular mechanisms that enable insects to cope with a cold environment and places these findings into an evolutionary and ecological context. An introductory chapter provides a primer on insect cold tolerance and subsequent chapters in the first section discuss the organismal, cellular and molecular responses that allow insects to survive in the cold despite their, at best, limited ability to regulate their own body temperature. The second section, highlighting the evolutionary and macrophysiological responses to low temperature, is especially relevant for understanding the impact of global climate change on insect systems. A final section translates the knowledge gained from the rest of the book into practical applications including cryopreservation and the augmentation of pest management strategies.
Low Temperature Materials and Mechanisms
by Yoseph Bar CohenThis book addresses the growing interest in low temperature technologies. Since the subject of low temperature materials and mechanisms is multidisciplinary, the chapters reflect the broadest possible perspective of the field. Leading experts in the specific subject area address the various related science and engineering chemistry, material science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and physics.
Low Temperature Plasma Technology: Methods and Applications
by Paul K. Chu XinPei LuWritten by a team of pioneering scientists from around the world, Low Temperature Plasma Technology: Methods and Applications brings together recent technological advances and research in the rapidly growing field of low temperature plasmas. The book provides a comprehensive overview of related phenomena such as plasma bullets, plasma penetration i
Low-Temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction Catalysts
by Weiguo Pan Ruitang GuoThis book systematically describes the latest research in low-temperature selective catalytic reduction catalysts, providing a theoretical basis and technical support. It first introduces the characteristics and formation mechanism of NOx and presents the control technology of nitrogen oxides at this stage along with the mechanism of low-temperature selective catalytic reduction reactions. In addition, the preparation methods and characterization techniques of these catalysts have been introduced. From this, readers can master the main technical methods required in low-temperature selective catalytic reduction catalyst research. Furthermore, it also covers the anti-poisoning mechanism of Mn-based, Ce-based, Fe-based, Cu-based and low-temperature selective catalytic reduction catalysts, presenting readers with the latest research achievements. Given its scope, this book appeals to a broad readership, particularly professionals at universities as well as engineers engaged in low-temperature selective catalytic reduction fields. It also can be treated as a valuable reference for scholars studying the field.
Low Temperature Stress Physiology in Crops
by P.H. LiThe importance of low temperature stress physiology research has become increasingly apparent in agriculture for productions of food, fibre and ornamental plants. This volume consists of two parts, there are a total of 14 chapters including 6 chapters dealing with cold accumulation related topics, 6 dealing with freeze stress and 2 related to ethylene production and mefluidide protection.
Low Threshold Organic Semiconductor Lasers
by Yue WangThis thesis focuses on two areas - the development of miniature plastic lasers that can be powered by LEDs, and the application of these lasers as highly sensitive sensors for vapours of nitroaromatic explosives (e. g. TNT). Polymer lasers are extremely compact visible lasers; the research described in the thesis is groundbreaking, driving forward the technology and physical understanding to allow these lasers to be routinely pumped by a single high-power LED. A notable advance in the work is the demonstration of nanoimprinted polymer lasers, which exhibit the world's lowest pump threshold densities by two orders of magnitude. The thesis also advances the application of these compact, novel lasers as highly sensitive detectors of explosive vapours, demonstrating that rapid detection can be achieved when microporous polymers are used. This work also demonstrates a prototype CMOS-based microsystem sensor for explosive vapours, exploiting a new detection approach.
Low Voltage Electron Microscopy
by David C. Bell Natasha ErdmanPart of the Wiley-Royal Microscopical Society Series, this book discusses the rapidly developing cutting-edge field of low-voltage microscopy, a field that has only recently emerged due to the rapid developments in the electron optics design and image processing.It serves as a guide for current and new microscopists and materials scientists who are active in the field of nanotechnology, and presents applications in nanotechnology and research of surface-related phenomena, allowing researches to observe materials as never before.
Low Voltage Power MOSFETs
by Jacek KorecLow Voltage Power MOSFETs focuses on the design of low voltage power MOSFETs and the relation between the device structure and the performance of a power MOSFET used as a switch in power management applications. This SpringerBriefs close the gap between detailed engineering reference books and the numerous technical papers on the subject of power MOSFETs. The material presented covers low voltage applications extending from battery operated portable electronics, through point of load converters, internet infrastructure, automotive applications, to personal computers and server computers. The issues treated in this volume are explained qualitatively using schematic illustrations, making the discussion easy to follow for all prospective readers.
Lowell Observatory: A History Of Discovery At Flagstaff (Images of America)
by Kevin SchindlerAtop a mesa one mile west of downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, sits Lowell Observatory, an astronomical research facility steeped in tradition. Percival Lowell, scion of a Boston Brahmin family, initially established his observatory in 1894 to study the possibility of intelligent life on Mars. Lowell widely popularized his controversial theories, sparking debate among both the scientific community and lay public. In the following years, the observatory's astronomers made several discoveries that dramatically altered our understanding of space, including Clyde Tombaugh's discovery of Pluto in 1930 and V.M. Slipher's detection of the expanding nature of the universe in 1912. Decades later, Apollo astronauts visited as part of their training to fly to the moon. These stories and others offer a glimpse of the scientific discovery, community pride, and personal triumph that define Lowell Observatory.
The Lower Danube River: Hydro-Environmental Issues and Sustainability (Earth and Environmental Sciences Library)
by Abdelazim Negm Liliana Zaharia Gabriela Ioana-ToroimacThis book provides essential information and recent findings on hydro-environmental issues in the Lower Danube River, particularly its hydrological and hydromorphological processes; physico-chemical features; climate and water-related hazards; and not only the biodiversity and quality but also the sustainable management and governance of its hydro-environment. Accordingly, it presents a broad range of scientific information on the lower sector of the second-longest river in Europe, which holds major economic importance and has been severely impacted by human pressures, especially since the second part of the last century. The engineering works (e.g. dams, reservoirs, levees, channelization, etc.) on the Danube and its tributaries, despite their benefits to society, have altered its flow and significantly reduced its sediment load, with consequences for hydromorphological processes and aquatic ecosystems. These ecosystems have also been affected by pollution from various sources. To promote sustainable management of the Danube River and its watershed, several strategies and measures have been developed by a number of institutions, from the European level to the national and regional levels (commissions, national authorities, non-governmental organizations, etc.). Compared to the upper and middle sectors of the Danube, the lower sector has received less attention in the international scientific literature in terms of hydro-environmental issues. The book fills this gap and provides current and original insights and findings from recent studies conducted by scientists from three countries drained by the Lower Danube River and its tributaries: Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. This unique book will be of great scientific interest to professional engineers, policy planners and policymakers in the three countries mentioned above, helping them to implement their own sustainable development plans. It also offers a valuable resource for graduate students, researchers and stakeholders.
Lower Ordovician trilobites of the Kirtonryggen Formation, Spitsbergen: Lower Ordovician Trilobites Of The Kirtonryggen Formation, Spitsbergen (Fossils and Strata Monograph Series #59)
by Richard A. Fortey David L. BrutonThis monograph describes early Ordovician (Ibexian:Tremadocian–early Floian) trilobites from Northern Spitsbergen from the section through the Kirtonryggen Formation adjacent to Hinlopen Strait. The Formation is divided into three Members, each with distinct trilobites collectively representing the fullest known succession from the Bathyurid biofacies of the eastern Laurentian carbonate platform. Previous research on the Ordovician of Spitsbergen is summarised and correlations with similar faunas previously described from Canada, Greenland, western Newfoundland, Vermont–New York State, Oklahoma and Missouri are discussed. Taxonomic problems are discussed in detail leading to the recognition of 53 species, of which 15 are new, belonging to 31 genera including four new. Twenty-four taxa are described under open or tentative nomenclature. The lower Member yields the earliest known occurrences of the Illaenoidea, Proetoidea and Scutelluoidea, supporting the hypotheses relating the origin of new major clades to inshore habitats.
Lowland Grassland and Heathland Habitats (Habitat Guides)
by Elizabeth PriceGrasslands are everywhere: agricultural land, playing fields and road verges; but while species-poor, intensively managed grasslands are widespread, colourful semi-natural grasslands and heathlands, buzzing with life, are scarce. These semi-natural habitats are ancient, cultural landscapes, which are of considerable, if not international importance for biodiversity. However, despite targets for the conservation and restoration of these valuable grasslands and heathlands, these habitats continue to decline before our eyes. Lowland Grassland and Heathland Habitats contrasts the uniformity of intensively managed grassland with the diversity of traditionally managed grasslands and heathlands. It examines topics of concern to the ecologist or habitat manager such as causes of the loss and deterioration of these habitats, including inappropriate management, eutrophication and climate change. It then evaluates opportunities for positive change, such as conservation, restoration and creation. A series of case-studies illustrates the pressures on some lowland grassland and heathland habitat types and looks at ways to enhance them for biodiversity. This habitat guide features illustrated species boxes of typical plants and animals, as well as a full species list, a series of projects on the ecology of grassland and heathland species, a colour plate section, up-to-date references and information, and a full glossary. It will provide students and environmentalists with a deeper understanding of the nature and importance of lowland grasslands and heathlands.
The Lowland Maya Area: Three Millennia at the Human-Wildland Interface
by Arturo Gómez-Pompa Michael F. Allen Scott L. Fedick Juan J. Jiménez-OsornioWhat can we learn from the people of the Maya Lowlands? Integrating history, biodiversity, ethnobotany, geology, ecology, archaeology, anthropology, and other disciplines, The Lowland Maya Area is a valuable guide to the fascinating relationship between man and his environment in the Yucatán peninsula. This book covers virtually every aspect of the biology and ecology of the Maya Lowlands and the many ways that human beings have interacted with their surroundings in that area for the last three thousand years. You'll learn about newly discovered archaeological evidence of wetland use; the domestication and use of cacao and henequen plants; a biodiversity assessment of a select group of plants, animals, and microorganisms; the area's forgotten cotton, indigo, and wax industries; the ecological history of the Yucatán Peninsula; and much more. This comprehensive book will open your eyes to all that we can learn from the Maya people, who continue to live on their native lands, integrating modern life with their old ways and teaching valuable lessons about human dependence on and management of environmental resources. The Lowland Maya Area explores: the impact of hurricanes and fire on local environments historic and modern Maya concepts of forests the geologic history of the Yucatán challenges to preserving Maya architecture newly-discovered evidence of fertilizer use among the ancient Maya cooperation between locals and researchers that fosters greater knowledge on both sides recommendations to help safeguard the future The Lowland Maya Area is an ideal single source for reliable information on the many ecological and social issues of this dynamic area. Providing you with the results of the most recent research into many diverse fields, including traditional ecological knowledge, the difficult transition to capitalism, agave production, and the diversity of insect species, this book will be a valuable addition to your collection. As the editors of The Lowland Maya Area say in their concluding chapter: If we are to gain global perspective from the changing Maya world, it is that understanding space and time is absolutely critical to human persistence. Understanding how the Maya have interacted with their environment for thousands of years while maintaining biodiversity will help us understand how we too can work for sustainable development in our own environments.
Lowly Origin: Where, When, and Why Our Ancestors First Stood Up
by Jonathan KingdonOur ability to walk on two legs is not only a characteristic human trait but one of the things that made us human in the first place. Once our ancestors could walk on two legs, they began to do many of the things that apes cannot do: cross wide open spaces, manipulate complex tools, communicate with new signal systems, and light fires. Titled after the last two words of Darwin's Descent of Man and written by a leading scholar of human evolution, Lowly Origin is the first book to explain the sources and consequences of bipedalism to a broad audience. Along the way, it accounts for recent fossil discoveries that show us a still incomplete but much bushier family tree than most of us learned about in school. Jonathan Kingdon uses the very latest findings from ecology, biogeography, and paleontology to build a new and up-to-date account of how four-legged apes became two-legged hominins. He describes what it took to get up onto two legs as well as the protracted consequences of that step--some of which led straight to modern humans and others to very different bipeds. This allows him to make sense of recently unearthed evidence suggesting that no fewer than twenty species of humans and hominins have lived and become extinct. Following the evolution of two-legged creatures from our earliest lowly forebears to the present, Kingdon concludes with future options for the last surviving biped. A major new narrative of human evolution, Lowly Origin is the best available account of what it meant--and what it means--to walk on two feet.
Lowriders to the Center of the Earth (Lowriders #2)
by Cathy Camper Raul The ThirdThe lovable trio from the acclaimed Lowriders in Space are back! Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and El Chavo Octopus are living their dream at last. They're the proud owners of their very own garage. But when their beloved cat Genie goes missing, they need to do everything they can to find him. Little do they know the trail will lead them to the realm of Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the Underworld, who is keeping Genie prisoner! With cool Spanish phrases on every page, a glossary of terms, and an action-packed plot that sneaks in science as well as Aztec lore, Lowriders to the Center of the Earth is a linguistic and visual delight. ¡Que suave!
LQG for the Bewildered
by Deepak Vaid Sundance Bilson-ThompsonThis primer offers a concise introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) - a theoretical framework for uniting Quantum Mechanics (QM) with General Relativity (GR). The emphasis is on the physical aspects of the framework and its historical development in terms of self-dual variables, still most suited for a first, pedagogical encounter with LQG. The text starts by reviewing GR and the very basics of Quantum Field Theory (QFT), and then explains in a concise and clear manner the steps leading from the Einstein-Hilbert action for gravity to the construction of the quantum states of geometry, known as spin-networks, and which provide the basis for the kinematical Hilbert space of quantum general relativity. Along the way the various associated concepts of tetrads, spin-connection and holonomies are introduced. Having thus provided a minimal introduction to the LQG framework, some applications to the problems of black hole entropy and of quantum cosmology are briefly surveyed. Last but not least, a list of the most common criticisms of LQG is presented, which are then tackled one by one in order to convince the reader of the physical viability of the theory. A set of appendices provides accessible introductions to several key notions such as the Peter-Weyl theorem, duality of differential forms and Regge calculus, among others. The presentation is aimed at graduate students and researchers who have some familiarity with the tools of QM and GR, but are intimidated by the technicalities required to browse through the existing LQG literature. This primer aims at making the formalism appear a little less bewildering to the uninitiated and helps lower the barrier for entry into the field.