This book describes the basics and developments of the new XFEM approach to fracture analysis of composite structures and materials. It provides state of the art techniques and algorithms for fracture analysis of structures including numeric examples at the end of each chapter as well as an accompanying website which will include MATLAB resources, executables, data files, and simulation procedures of XFEM.

Zeitgema?es Wissen in Lekture- und in Lehrbuchform. Gerhard Gottschalk vermittelt die Mikrobiologie in ihrer ganzen Breite. In 12 Teilen mit jeweils mehreren Kapiteln wird die Mikrobiologie dem Leser auf sehr verstandliche Weise nahergebracht. Jedes Kapitel besteht aus einer leicht zu lesenden Beschreibung und darauf abgestimmter Lerneinheit samt Fragenkatalog. Daruber hinaus enthalten die meisten Kapitel Beitrage beruhmter Wissenschaftler auf dem entsprechenden Gebiet. Historische Durchbruche werden beschrieben und so den Studierenden Einblicke in Denk- und Planungsstrukturen von wissenschaftlichem Arbeiten vermittelt. So beschreibt beispielsweise Stefan Hell seine 2014 mit dem Nobelpreis gekronte STED-Mikroskopie. Alle wichtigen Gebiete der Mikrobiologie, von der Evolution uber den mikrobiellen Stoffwechsel und die technischen Anwendungen bis hin zum Gentransfer, zu den Endosymbionten und den Pathogenen werden abgedeckt. Auch wird den Archaea und den Viren entsprechend ihrer enormen Bedeutung ein eigener Teil gewidmet. Das Buch ist ein perfekter Begleiter fur die einfuhrende Vorlesung ?Allgemeine Mikrobiologie? sowie ein hervorragender Studienbegleiter fur alle Naturwissenschaftler und Ingenieure, die Mikrobiologie als Nebenfach belegen.

On February 1, 2003, ten astronauts were orbiting the planet. Seven headed back to Earth on the space shuttle Columbia. They never made it. And the three men left behind found themselves too far from home. Chris Jones chronicles the efforts of the beleaguered Mission Control in Houston and Moscow as they work frantically against the clock to bring their men safely back to Earth, ultimately settling on a plan that felt, at best, like a long shot. Yet even amid the danger, the call of space is a siren song, and Too Far From Home details beautifully the majesty and mystique of space travel, while reminding us all how perilous it is to soar beyond the sky.

Charles Darwin's masterpiece, On the Origin of Species, shook society to its core on publication in 1859. Darwin was only too aware of the storm his theory of evolution would provoke but he would surely have raised an incredulous eyebrow at the controversy still raging a century and a half later. Evolution is accepted as scientific fact by all reputable scientists and indeed theologians, yet millions of people continue to question its veracity. In The Greatest Show on Earth Richard Dawkins takes on creationists, including followers of 'Intelligent Design' and all those who question the fact of evolution through natural selection. Like a detective arriving on the scene of a crime, he sifts through fascinating layers of scientific facts and disciplines to build a cast-iron case: from the living examples of natural selection in birds and insects; the 'time clocks' of trees and radioactive dating that calibrate a timescale for evolution; the fossil record and the traces of our earliest ancestors; to confirmation from molecular biology and genetics. All of this, and much more, bears witness to the truth of evolution. The Greatest Show on Earth comes at a critical time: systematic opposition to the fact of evolution is now flourishing as never before, especially in America. In Britain and elsewhere in the world, teachers witness insidious attempts to undermine the status of science in their classrooms. Richard Dawkins provides unequivocal evidence that boldly and comprehensively rebuts such nonsense. At the same time he shares with us his palpable love of the natural world and the essential role that science plays in its interpretation. Written with elegance, wit and passion, it is hard-hitting, absorbing and totally convincing.

The God Delusion caused a sensation when it was published in 2006. Within weeks it became the most hotly debated topic, with Dawkins himself branded as either saint or sinner for presenting his hard-hitting, impassioned rebuttal of religion of all types. His argument could hardly be more topical. While Europe is becoming increasingly secularized, the rise of religious fundamentalism, whether in the Middle East or Middle America, is dramatically and dangerously dividing opinion around the world. In America, and elsewhere, a vigorous dispute between ‘intelligent design’ and Darwinism is seriously undermining and restricting the teaching of science. In many countries religious dogma from medieval times still serves to abuse basic human rights such as women’s and gay rights. And all from a belief in a God whose existence lacks evidence of any kind. Dawkins attacks God in all his forms. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry and abuses children. The God Delusion is a brilliantly argued, fascinating polemic that will be required reading for anyone interested in this most emotional and important subject.

Climate change is upon us. Make no mistake: disasters such as Hurricane Katrina are the tip of a rapidly melting iceberg. While we must still press our governments to take action to mitigate the most extreme effects of global warming, it is now beyond doubt that prevention will not be enough. We clearly need to plan for the worst. But good advice is hard to come by - until now. The Global Warming Survival Kit includes: - Where to live to minimize the impact of climate change. - How to get drinkable water when the taps run dry. - What to eat to stay alive in town and country. - Essential survival equipment to keep ready. We can all hope that the worst scenario won't happen - but it's easier to be secure in that hope if you are well prepared.

Written in a clear and understandable manner, this book provides a comprehensive, yet non-mathematical, treatment of the topic, covering the basic principles of symmetry and the important spectroscopic techniques used to probe molecular structure. The chapters are extensively illustrated and deal with such topics as symmetry elements, operations and descriptors, symmetry guidelines, high-fidelity pseudosymmetry, crystallographic symmetry, molecular gears, and experimental techniques, including X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. As an additional feature, 3D animations of most of the structures and molecules covered are available online at wiley.com. As a result, chemists learn how to understand and predict molecular structures and reactivity. Authored by a renowned expert with numerous publications and an excellent track record in research and teaching, this is a useful source for graduate students and researchers working in the field of organic synthesis, physical chemistry, biochemistry, and crystallography, while equally serving as supplementary reading for courses on stereochemistry, organic synthesis, or crystallography.

Stress and Pheromonatherapy in Small Animal Clinical Behaviour is about how stress impacts on animal behaviour and welfare and what we can do about it, especially by using chemical signals more effectively. This readily accessible text starts from first principles and is useful to both academics and practitioners alike. It offers a framework for understanding how pheromonatherapy can be used to encourage desirable behaviour in dogs and cats and also a fresh approach to understanding the nature of clinical animal behaviour problems. The authors have pioneered the use of pheromone therapy within the field of clinical animal behaviour. As the culmination of many years of research and experience, they offer sound evidence-based advice on how and when pheromones can be used most effectively. The first part of the book deals with some fundamental concepts, focusing on the key concepts of stress, communication and perception. It then provides a framework for the evaluation of problem behaviour to allow consideration of the possible role or not of pheromonatherapy. Part 2 covers the application of these concepts to a range of specific situations, concentrating on conditions in which there has been most research to support the efficacy of pheromonatherapy. Suitable for veterinarians in small animal practice, students of clinical animal behaviour, veterinary nurses and technicians, as well as specialists and researchers in animal behaviour therapy.

Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Systems is a definitive five-volume reference spanning classical theory through practical applications and consolidating the latest advancements in energy conversion technology. Comprehensive yet highly accessible, each volume is organised in a basic-to-sophisticated crescendo, providing a single-source reference for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and designers.

The first book of its kind to focus on the chemistry of this promising class of molecules. Edited by an innovator in the field, who has gathered an international team of well-established experts, this is a comprehensive overview of the rapidly developing field of polycyclic (hetero)arenes, specifically highlighting on their molecular design and the latest synthetic procedures, as well as chemical and physical properties. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific compound class, the first eight covering polycyclic arenes, including both planar and non-planar conjugated molecules, while chapters nine to twelve deal with polycylic heteroarenes according to the heteroatoms, namely N, B, S and P. Important current and emergent applications in the field are also discussed, ranging from molecular sensors to electronic devices. The result is an essential reference for researchers in synthetic and physical organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and materials science.

Provides readers an understanding of the basic physics underlying meta-materials, providing a powerful tool for analyzing their electromagnetic properties Periodic Structures: Mode-Matching Approach and Applications in Electromagnetic Engineering presents the scattering and guiding characteristics of periodic structures using the mode-matching approach and their applications in electromagnetic engineering. The book is structured so that the first three chapters provide an introduction and prepare the reader for chapters 4 to 6, which expand the formulations to electromagnetic and optical structures applicable to practical device applications. The last chapters cover very recent research topics in electromagnetics and optics. Provides an analytic approach to describing the operation of photonic crystals and related periodic structures Covers guided and leaky mode propagation in periodic surroundings, from fundamentals to practical device applications Demostrates formulation of the periodic system and applications to practical electromagnetic / optical devices, even further to metamaterials Introduces the evolution of periodic structures and their applications in microwave, millimeter wave and THz. Written by a high-impact author in electromagnetics and optics Contains mathematical derivations which can be applied directly to MATLAB programs Ideal for Graduate students and advanced undergraduates in electronic engineering, optics, physics, and applied physics, or researchers working with periodic structures