Scientific equipment, experiments and techniques Books

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Book SynopsisWe cannot imagine a world without plastics. Plastic products make our daily life safe, healthy and convenient. Besides all the benefits, the current plastics economy gives rise to environmental concerns with respect to fossil oil depletion and plastic waste accumulation. In a circular economy, however, plastics can be redesigned for reusability and recyclability. This book makes the topic of sustainable plastics approachable for students and career starters alike, describing the nature and chemistry of (bio)polymers as well as how to create a closed loop of plastic materials.

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Book SynopsisArthropods are invertebrates that constitute over 90% of the animal kingdom, and their bio-ecology is closely linked with global functioning and survival.Arthropods play an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, provide livelihoods and nutrition to human communities, and are important indicators of environmental change. Yet the population trends of several arthropods species show them to be in decline. Arthropods constitute a dominant group with 1.2 million species influencing earth’s biodiversity. Among arthropods, insects are predominant, with ca. 1 million species and having evolved some 350 million years ago. Arthropods are closely associated with living and non-living entities alike, making the ecosystem services they provide crucially important. In order to be effective, plans for the conservation of arthropods and ecosystems should include a mixture of strategies like protecting key habitats and genomic studies to formulate relevant policies for in situ and ex situ conservation.This two-volume book focuses on capturing the essentials of arthropod inventories, biology, and conservation. Further, it seeks to identify the mechanisms by which arthropod populations can be sustained in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and by means of which certain problematic species be managed without producing harmful environmental side-effects. This edited compilation includes chapters contributed by over 80 biologists on a wide range of topics embracing the diversity, distribution, utility and conservation of arthropods and select groups of insect taxa. More importantly, it describes in detail the mechanisms of sustaining arthropod ecosystems, services and populations. It addresses the contribution of modern biological tools such as molecular and genetic techniques regulating gene expression, as well as conventional, indigenous practices in arthropod conservation. The contributors reiterate the importance of documenting and understanding the biology of arthropods from a holistic perspective before addressing conservation issues at large. This book offers a valuable resource for all zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, conservation biologists, policy makers, teachers and students interested in the conservation of biological resources.Trade Review“It chiefly covers the status, function, importance and control of insects and other Arthropods in agricultural systems. … there is clearly a huge amount of valuable and interesting information in this book, which is an important reference work. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. … there are a number of colour plates of Arthropods and their habitats.” (Tom Brereton, Journal of Insect Conservation, Vol. 21, 2017)Table of Contents1. Arthropods: Evolution and EcologyA. K. Chakravarthy, Vasudev Kammar and P. R. Shashank2. Soil biodiversity and arthropods: Role in soil fertilityD. J. Bagyaraj, C. J. Nethravathi and K. S. Nitin3. Butterfly Communities of Ritchie’s Archipelago in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India: Implications for Conservation of Arthropods and Their HabitatsC. Sivaperuman and K. Venkataraman4. Documenting Arthropods in select Wild and Cultivated Ecosystems in Iran and KuwaitA. A. Seraj, M. Esfandiari and Wasmia Al-Houty5. An Appraisal of Select Insect Taxa in Sri LankaJ. P. Edirisinghe, W. A. I. P. Karunaratne, I. I. Hemachandra, N. R. Gunawardene and C. M. D. Bambaradeniya6. Utility of arthropods by indigenous communities: Sustaining natural resourcesM. Jayashankar, M. Charles, Vijeth V. Arya and Jayalaxmi Hegde7. Insects as human foodA. K. Chakravarthy, G. T. Jayasimha, R. R. Rachana and G. Rohini8. Arthropod communities on Rice: A blend of terrestrial and aquatic speciesL. Vijay Kumar, K. S. Nitin and Rajendra Prasad9. Arthropods on cotton: A comparison between Bt and non-Bt cottonA. K. Chakravarthy, Manja Naik and T. N. Madhu10. Arthropod Biodiversity on Jute and Allied Fibre CropsK. Selvaraj, B. S. Gotyal, S. P. Gawande, S. Satpathy and S. K. Sarkar11. Arthropod Diversity and Management in Legume Based Cropping Systems in the TropicsV. Sridhar and L. S. Vinesh12. Arthropod diversity in non-leguminous vegetable cropsN. R. Prasannakumar, K. P. Kumar and A. T. Rani13. Diversity of Mites on Vegetable crops, Kerala, South India: Documentation for Conserving Predatory and other Beneficial Mites on VegetablesK. V. Binisha, Haseena Bhaskar and Sosamma Jacob14. Arthropod Communities Associated with Mango (Mangifera indica L.): Diversity and InteractionsPoluru Venkata Rami Reddy and Kolla Sreedevi15. Arthropod communities on cashew: A perennial reservoir of species assemblagesP.S. Bhat, K. Vanitha, T.N. Raviprasad and K. K. Srikumar16. The Coconut Mite: Current Global ScenarioN. S. Aratchige, A. D. N. T. Kumara and N. I. Suwandharathne17. Arthropod communities in coffee: Reflecting tropical forest arthropod communitiesN. E. Thyagaraj, Manjunath Reddy, B. Doddabasappa and S. Onkara Naik18. Arthropod Pests and Natural Enemies Communities in Tea Ecosystems of IndiaNarayanannair Muraleedharan and Somnath Roy19. Forest Arthropod Communities in India: Their role and ConservationG. Mathew, K. P. Kumar and M. Chandrashekhariah20. Awareness on Pesticide Residues in Food Crops: A ChallengeG. V. Ranga Rao, B. Ratna Kumari, K. L. Sahrawat and S. P. Wani

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"...continues to be a fundamental text for all chemical laboratory operators, whether they be research, analysis or production, which require a reliable and complete source on the purification to be applied to reagents or chemical intermediates of interest." (Google translation) --La Chimica e l’IndustriaTable of Contents1. Common Physical Techniques Used in Purification 2. Chemical Methods Used in Purification 3. Purification of Organic Chemicals 4. Purification of Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemicals 5. Catalysts 6. Purification of Biochemicals 7. Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

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Book SynopsisIn its eerie likeness to Earth, Mars has long captured our imaginations—both as a destination for humankind and as a possible home to extraterrestrial life. It is our twenty-first century New World; its explorers robots, shipped 350 million miles from Earth to uncover the distant planet’s secrets.Its most recent scout is Curiosity—a one-ton, Jeep-sized nuclear-powered space laboratory—which is now roving the Martian surface to determine whether the red planet has ever been physically capable of supporting life. In Red Rover, geochemist Roger Wiens, the principal investigator for the ChemCam laser instrument on the rover and veteran of numerous robotic NASA missions, tells the unlikely story of his involvement in sending sophisticated hardware into space, culminating in the Curiosity rover''s amazing journey to Mars.In so doing, Wiens paints the portrait of one of the most exciting scientific stories of our time: the new era of robotic space exploration. Starting with NASA’s introduction of the Discovery Program in 1992, scrappier, more nimble missions became the order of the day, as manned missions were confined to Earth orbit, and behemoth projects went extinct. This strategic shift presented huge scientific opportunities, but tight budgets meant that success depended more than ever on creative engineering and human ingenuity. Beginning with the Genesis mission that launched his career, Wiens describes the competitive, DIY spirit of these robotic enterprises, from conception to construction, from launch to heart-stopping crashes and smooth landings.An inspiring account of the real-life challenges of space exploration, Red Rover vividly narrates what goes into answering the question: is there life elsewhere in the universe? Trade ReviewWashington Post "[Wiens] is a good guide through the process of building a space probe... His inside narration of how things go wrong at NASA is the great strength of this book. It is rich with details of how both the ChemCam team in particular and the Curiosity rover in general overcame engineering challenges such as faulty lenses and awkward temperature distributions." BBC Sky At Night "This engaging new book by Roger Wiens whose team built Curiosity's ChemCam instrument, gives a unique insider's view... Wiens's accessible and conversational writing is a major strength of Red Rover, providing a thoroughly human perspective on a complex technological subject." Booklist "An engaging history of robotic space exploration... A remarkable memoir and testament to the ingenuity of the space program's many scientists who build the tools needed to explore our solar system." Scientific American "Wiens offers a backstage tour of the delights and disappointments of working on missions." Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly "Wiens's writing is clear and engaging... A unique contribution... This book reinforces a vision of outer space as emblematic of technological progress, but also nicely encapsulates the external, messy factors that influence, hinder, and help the development of a robotic explorer." Publishers Weekly "This entertaining insider account of Wiens's work on two groundbreaking robotic space explorers - the Genesis and Curiosity Rover - captures all the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of modern space science... Wiens brings his work to life, candidly addressing the inevitable technological and bureaucratic obstacles and failures that compose the frustrating prelude to scientific victory." Kirkus Reviews "The author provides fascinating insight into the struggle to solve scientific problems despite technical constraints and equipment failures... A winning memoir of great achievement." Steve Squyres, Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, and author of Roving Mars "We live in a new golden age of exploration, as robotic spacecraft fan out across the solar system, extending the human experience to other planets. With Red Rover, Roger Wiens provides a delightful, candid, and highly personal insider's view of this great endeavor." Jim Bell, Professor of Planetary Science, Arizona State University, President of the Planetary Society, and author of Postcards from Mars "Roger Wiens has crafted a delightful and very personal history of planetary exploration that takes us from his boyhood fascination with the Apollo Moon missions to his leading role as a key scientist on the latest Mars rover. His journey from a small prairie town to the laser labs of Los Alamos reminds us that passion, imagination, and perseverance are what propel us to explore the frontiers of space." John L. Phillips, retired NASA astronaut, and former NASA Chair Professor, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School "Red Rover offers an enticing personal look at the exaltations and disappointments of unmanned space exploration. Roger Wiens vividly portrays the genius and perseverance of the dedicated scientists and engineers who have made robotic exploration of the solar system a reality." Laurie Leshin, Dean, School of Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute "In Red Rover, Roger Wiens gets you up close and personal with the highs and lows, the triumphs and disappointments that come with pushing the scientific envelope, and the great persistence required to succeed. A great read for anyone interested in exploring the frontiers of space."

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Book SynopsisThe increasingly sophisticated and powerful information technology we are creating plays an ever more prominent role in facilitating interaction and cooperation in everyday life. The time has come to harness it in the service of scientific research. This pathbreaking book describes the technical and social challenges and opportunities of electronic collaboration and offers specific examples of the ways in which it has not only facilitated but in some cases enabled work by scientists. Key players all, the chapter authors illuminate the general issues with their first-hand accounts. Very few researchers today can work in isolation. Electronic Collaboration in Science provides the first clear road map for all whose investigations are leading them into this fascinating new multidisciplinary domain.Table of ContentsContents: W.A. Wulf, Foreword. S.H. Koslow, M.F. Huerta, Preface. G.M. Olson, T.A. Finholt, S.D. Teasley, Behavioral Aspects of Collaboratories. D.L. Burk, Intellectual Property Issues in Electronic Collaborations. P.M.D. Gray, G.J.L. Kemp, Federated Database Technology for Data Integration: Lessons From Bioinformatics. G. Cameron, P. Rogriguez-Tomé, R. Apweiler, Electonic Collaboration in Molecular Biology. R.T. Kouzes, Electronic Collaboration in Environmental and Physical Science Research. F.E. Bloom, W.G. Young, Electonic Collaboration: Implications for Neurosciences.

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Book SynopsisMolecular Morphology in Human Tissues: Techniques and Applications presents the most advanced molecular morphological techniques to date. This integrated approach to molecular morphology provides powerful analytical and diagnostic tools at the genome level, making the diagnosis and management of cancer, viral infections, and other diseases more precise and reliable. The pioneers of these techniques contribute step-by-step protocols with tips, guidelines, and other suggestions from their own notebooks, enabling experienced scientists as well as beginners to apply the most progressive detection methods available and to obtain optimal results.Table of ContentsMolecular Morphology in Human Tissues: Techniques and Applications presents the most advanced molecular morphological techniques to date. This integrated approach to molecular morphology provides powerful analytical and diagnostic tools at the genome level, making the diagnosis and management of cancer, viral infections, and other diseases more precise and reliable. The pioneers of these techniques contribute step-by-step protocols with tips, guidelines, and other suggestions from their own notebooks, enabling experienced scientists as well as beginners to apply the most progressive detection methods available and to obtain optimal results.

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Book SynopsisAuthor of the best-selling book The Elements Theodore Gray demonstrates essential scientific principles through thrilling daredevil experiments. 'What a magnificent book. It's gorgeous, playful, and draws you in.' ?Adam Savage, cohost of Mythbusters 'Theodore Gray?has attained a level of near superhuman geekery that the rest of us can only mutely admire.' ?Cecil Adams, 'TheStraight Dope' 'Gray's encyclopedic knowledge and contagious enthusiasm transport us to deep intellectual realms while never sacrificing a sense of wonder and, above all, fun.' ?Oliver Sacks, author of Awakenings, Musicophilia, and Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical BoyhoodIn Mad Science, Theodore Gray launches a toy rocket using the energy released from an Oreo cookie, ignites a phosphorus sun by suspending half a gram of white phosphorus in a globe filled with pure oxygen and creates a homemade hot tub by adding 500 pounds of quicklime to water. These are just a few of the 54 experiments included in this astonishing book that demonstrates essential scientific principles in ways you were likely never exposed to in school. Every experiment in Mad Science is accompanied by full-color photographs that provide a front-row seat to rarely seen chemical reactions and glorious subatomic activity. To further enhance the hands-on experience, Gray includes step-by-step instructions for nearly every experiment. Following all of the safety guidelines, readers can even re-create some of the experiments in the book. Mad Science is the perfect book for anyone fascinated by all things chemical, electrical, or explosive, and who loves a vicarious thrill.

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Book SynopsisAuthor of the best-selling book The Elements Theodore Gray demonstrates essential scientific principles through thrilling daredevil experiments. 'What a magnificent book. It's gorgeous, playful, and draws you in.' ?Adam Savage, cohost of Mythbusters 'Theodore Gray?has attained a level of near superhuman geekery that the rest of us can only mutely admire.' ?Cecil Adams, 'TheStraight Dope' 'Gray's encyclopedic knowledge and contagious enthusiasm transport us to deep intellectual realms while never sacrificing a sense of wonder and, above all, fun.' ?Oliver Sacks, author of Awakenings, Musicophilia, and Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical BoyhoodIn Mad Science, Theodore Gray launches a toy rocket using the energy released from an Oreo cookie, ignites a phosphorus sun by suspending half a gram of white phosphorus in a globe filled with pure oxygen and creates a homemade hot tub by adding 500 pounds of quicklime to water. These are just a few of the 54 experiments included in this astonishing book that demonstrates essential scientific principles in ways you were likely never exposed to in school. Every experiment in Mad Science is accompanied by full-color photographs that provide a front-row seat to rarely seen chemical reactions and glorious subatomic activity. To further enhance the hands-on experience, Gray includes step-by-step instructions for nearly every experiment. Following all of the safety guidelines, readers can even re-create some of the experiments in the book. Mad Science is the perfect book for anyone fascinated by all things chemical, electrical, or explosive, and who loves a vicarious thrill.

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Book SynopsisThis new volume, Microscopy Applied to Materials Sciences and Life Sciences. focuses on recent theoretical and practical advances in polymers and their blends, composites, and nanocompos¬ites related to their microscopic characterization. It highlights recent accomplishments and trends in the field of polymer nanocomposites and filled polymers related to microstructural characterization. This book gives an insight and better understanding into the development in microscopy as a tool for characterization. The book emphasizes recent research work in the field of microscopy in life sciences and materials sciences mainly related to its synthesis, characterizations, and applications. The book explains the application of microscopic techniques in life sciences and materials sciences, and their applications and state of current research carried out.The book aims to foster a better understanding of the properties of polymer composites by describing new techniques to measure microstructure property relationships and by utilizing techniques and expertise developed in the conventional filled polymer composites. Characterization techniques, particularly microstructural characterization, have proven to be extremely difficult because of the range of length-scales associated with these materials. Topics include:•Instrumentation and Techniques: advances in scanning probe microscopy, SEM, TEM, OM. 3D imaging and tomography, electron diffraction techniques and analytical microscopy, advances in sample preparation techniques in-situ microscopy, correlative microscopy in life and material sciences, low voltage electron microscopy. •Life Sciences: Structure and imaging of biomolecules, live cell imaging, neurobiology, organelles and cellular dynamics, multi-disciplinary approaches for medical and biological sciences, microscopic application in plants, microorganism and environmental science, super resolution microscopy in biological sciences.•Materials Sciences: materials for nanotechnology, metals alloys and inter-metallic, ceramics, composites, minerals and microscopy in cultural heritage, thin films, coatings, surfaces and interfaces, carbon based materials, polymers and soft materials and self-assembled materials, semiconductors and magnetic materials. Polymers and inorganic nanoparticles. The volume will be of significant interest to scientists working on the basic issues surrounding polymers, nanocomposites, and nanoparticulate-filled polymers, as well as those working in industry on applied problems, such as processing. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of this research, the book will be valuable to chemists, materials scientists, physicists, chemical engineers, and processing specialists who are involved and interested in the future frontiers of blends.Table of ContentsScanning Electron Microscopy as a Powerful Morphological Characterization Technique for Polymer Blends and Polymer Nanocomposites. Atomic Force Microscopy: Principles and Applications in Polymer Composites. Barium Strontium Titanate: Preparation, Dielectric, Ferroelectric, and Microscopic Studies. Preparation and Characterization of Copper Thin Films for Antimicrobial Applications. Fabrication, Scanning Electron Microscopic and Electrochemical Studies of Nickel Hydroxide Battery Electrodes Modified with Zinc Oxide. Comparative Spectroscopic Study of Polyindole/Poly(Vinyl Acetate) Composites. Welding of Alloy C-276. Surface Plasmon Resonance Based Sensors. Design Issues in High Strain Rate Dynamic Compressive Failure of Structural Ceramics, Polymers, and Composites. Applications of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) in Materials Science. Light Microscopy in Studying of Formation and Decomposition of Wood. Microstructural Analysis of Polymer Blends, Composites, and Nanocomposites. Graphene Modified Carbon Micro-Surfaces in Voltammetric Sensing Applications. Functionalized Nanomaterials for Biological and Catalytic Applications. Removal of Organic Cancer Carcinogens from Wastewater Using Green Synthesis Nanoparticles. Assessing Adipose Tissue Engineering In Vitro and In Vivo: A Microscopic Approach. The Contribution of Light Microscopy to Study Male Reprotoxicity of Cadmium. Microscopy Assessment of Emerging Contaminants Effects on Aquatic Species. Chromium: The Intriguing Element. What Biological Role Has It? (Cr(Iii)-Tris-Picolinate: Is It Safe or Not?). Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater: A Case Study on Degradation in Electrochemical Oxidation.

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Book SynopsisThis expansive and practical textbook contains organic chemistry experiments for teaching in the laboratory at the undergraduate level covering a range of functional group transformations and key organic reactions.The editorial team have collected contributions from around the world and standardized them for publication. Each experiment will explore a modern chemistry scenario, such as: sustainable chemistry; application in the pharmaceutical industry; catalysis and material sciences, to name a few. All the experiments will be complemented with a set of questions to challenge the students and a section for the instructors, concerning the results obtained and advice on getting the best outcome from the experiment. A section covering practical aspects with tips and advice for the instructors, together with the results obtained in the laboratory by students, has been compiled for each experiment. Targeted at professors and lecturers in chemistry, this useful text will provide up to date experiments putting the science into context for the students.Table of ContentsSeparation and purification of mixtures; Modification of sp3 carbon; Substitution at non-aryl sp2 carbon; Addition at non-aryl sp2 carbon; Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution; Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution; Transition Metal Catalysed Substitution; Addition to sp carbon; Preparation of alkenes; Peryciclic reactions; Radical reactions; Oxidations; Reductions; Rearrangements; Biotransformations; Polymerization reactions; Other transformations; Chiral Resolutions;

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Book SynopsisHoneybee Anatomy Brought to LifeThis book uses photo essays to set out and display the anatomy, internal, external of the honeybee with over 350 detailed micrographs, together with slide images and drawings. Pests and other additional hive activities are also included. It will appeal to anyone interested in this fascinating insect and be particularly valuable to beekeepers studying for their British Beekeepers Association Module 5 examination.About the authorGraham Kingham is a retired mechanical quality engineer who keeps a few hives in Devon. He started looking down the microscope in 2005 at yeast and bacteria in his beer. To further his interest in microscopy and beekeeping he took the British Beekeeping Association microscopy exam and has continued to explore the fascinating world of the honeybee through the lens. His first bee book was dedicated to the male bee, the drone, followed by an anthology about all things bees.

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Book SynopsisTaking advantage of advances throughout the sciences, this title shows how scientists have determined the age of everything from the colonization of the New World over 13,000 years ago to the origin of the universe nearly fourteen billion years ago.Trade Review"We are used to being told confidently of an enormous, measurable past: that some collection of dusty bones is tens of thousands of years old, or that astronomical bodies have an age of some billions. But how exactly do scientists come to know these things? That is the subject of this quite fascinating book.... As told by Hedman, an astronomer, each story is a marvel of compressed exegesis that takes into account some of the most modern and intriguing hypotheses." - Steven Poole, Guardian "Hedman is worth reading because he is careful to present both the power and peril of trying to extract precise chronological data. These are all very active areas of study, and as you read Hedman you begin to see how researchers have to be both very careful and incredibly audacious, and how much of our understanding of ourselves - through history, through paleontology, through astronomy - depends on determining the age of everything." - Anthony Doerr, Boston Globe"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A compelling historical–philosophical account of the epistemology of experimentation in the life sciences from the late seventeenth to the mid-twentieth century. . . . the category of 'methods discourse' introduces a useful and nuanced dimension of analysis for the history of experimental life science. In developing a taxonomy of different levels on which this discourse operates, Schickore lays the groundwork for further exploration of methods sections as historical sources . . . . There is exciting work to be done in linking analyses of methods discourse to studies of method-making: material histories of instruments, model organisms, and experimental systems. As Schickore's book demonstrates, methods do not stand still." * Journal of the History of Biology *"[A] magnificent book on the history of experimental methods . . . . About Method is philosophically motivated history of science at its best. Schickore’s philosophical acumen shines through the book and her meticulous historical reconstructions provide an impressive account of the development of snake venom research, over a very wide geographical and chronological span. This is a first-rate contribution to a much needed long-term history of experimentation." * Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte *"Following The Microscope and the Eye, Schickore presents her second monograph, a lively and stylish contribution to the history and philosophy of experiment. Along similar lines, recent efforts such as Steinle’s Exploratory Experiments and Franklin’s What Makes a Good Experiment? reflect the dynamism of this research area. The book under review traces over 300 years of experiments with snake venom. In addition to examining how scientists conducted experiments, Schickore parses how these individuals communicated their procedures to other researchers—a pivotal but often overlooked element of scientific life. The focus on the rhetoric of experimental method permits a series of clear and incisive comments on how the scientific community—as it grew into a profession—established, enforced, and renegotiated its standards for experimental practice. Schickore serves up lucid prose while nimbly balancing several layers of argument. Although it will be most valuable to those with some field-specific preparation, the book serves as an effective tool for introducing graduate students or advanced undergraduates to major issues in the field, as well as for motivating expansions and responses from practicing researchers. Highly recommended." * Choice *“About Method seeks to rescue methodology from Feyerabend’s more radical views by showing that, while scientific methodologies change, they play a crucial role in directing the practice of science. Her examples are informative and are firmly grounded in their historical contexts.” * Times Higher Education *"Jutta Schickore's About Method . . . has the potential to change our conception of scientists’ methodological statements drastically. . . . . Schickore recovers scientific methodology as a topic of interest and breaks fresh ground in several ways. . . . About Method puts methods discourse back on the agenda and provides a framework that will be helpful to all historians and philosophers interested in the practical and experimental aspects of science." * Isis: A Journal of the History of Science Society *"A book that quietly challenges whatever hopes we might have for finding the one true scientific method, while loudly showing us how intricate and creative diverse experimental methodologies have always been. . . . Schickore provides an invaluable tool for researchers and students of history and philosophy of science . . . . About Method is a wonderful example of long-term microhistories having a long-lasting philosophical payoff—including an increasing acceptance that we might never actually reach our supposedly beloved scientific method, because the experimental situations are forever too complex to be completely controlled." * HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science *"It surveys a three-century span not to tell a comprehensive history of venom research, but to intricately contextualise the shifting ways in which modern scientists have committed publicly and procedurally to experimental method. The focus on Atlantic world investigators necessarily side-lines scholarship on venom research in Asia, India, Australia and Africa, while Schickore’s engagement with the ethics and heuristics of vivisection is restrained rather than foregrounded. The book also treads a fine analytical line between the elaborate specifics of laboratory praxis and the literary technologies and witnessing procedures articulated by Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer in their seminal work . Yet, written in a pleasant and at times jocular style, Schickore’s text sustains an intellectual rigour and precision throughout. In asking fundamental questions about what experimenters believed they were doing, its interpretive value for scholars across the biomedical and human sciences is undoubted." * History of the Human Sciences *"Excellent . . . . A very welcome addition to the recent literature on the history and philosophy of experiment." * Metascience *“Schickore entices us to be interested in snake venom and then shows how researchers worked their way to answers that made sense in their different circumstances. The process of uncovering what made snake venom poisonous did not follow a straight line that culminates in our superior knowledge today. She follows the complex steps forward, sideways, and sometimes backward to show how scientific understanding emerged and evolved within the complex contexts of the time. Whether about Fontana, Weir Mitchell, or recent protein studies, Schickore’s discussions ring true to her sources while also drawing out larger lessons from history and discussion of methodological and epistemological approaches to the fascinating nature of snake bites.” * Jane Maienschein, Arizona State University *“Who would have thought that a book on the history of snake venom research could yield so many interesting and important insights? One of Schickore’s great strengths is her nose for good problems and for sources relevant to them. She has an uncanny ability to probe the seemingly barren landscape of neglected developments and minor historical figures—and to find gold. Her new book adds much evidence to the claim that the detailed epistemology of modern science has arisen out of scientific work itself, in the various disciplines, rather than from grand methodological theories such as inductivism. No one has done more than Schickore to demonstrate the value of an integrated history and philosophy of science.” * Thomas Nickles, emeritus, University of Nevada, Reno *“Following The Microscope and the Eye, Schickore has produced another sophisticated treatise giving a fully historicized view of scientific knowledge and scientific methodology as dynamically evolving entities. She weaves together history, philosophy, and science into a coherent and pleasing tapestry. Her choice of subject matter in About Method is itself a testament to her sharp eye for a phase of the history of science that reveals easily overlooked aspects of practice and effectively exposes the blind spots in standard philosophical discourse. Under her deft treatment, the long and complicated history of research on snake venom emerges not only as a fascinating episode in its own right but also as a rich source of insights for a new general framework for philosophical thinking on scientific methodology. Schickore’s historical reflections also have plenty of pertinence to current methodological debates in science, such as the ongoing ‘replication crisis’ in biology and psychology.” * Hasok Chang, University of Cambridge *Table of ContentsIntroduction: “A matter so obscure, so difficult, and likewise so new . . .” Chapter 1. Argument, Narrative, and Methods Discourse Chapter 2. Many, Many Experiments Chapter 3. Trying Again Chapter 4. Newtonian Poison: A Mechanical Account of Viper Venom Chapter 5. Experiment as the Only Guide Chapter 6. Thousands of Experiments Chapter 7. Practical Criticisms Chapter 8. Controlling Experiment Chapter 9. Unobservables Chapter 10. Fragmentation and Modularity: Notes on Crotoxin Conclusion: About MethodsAcknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Split and Slice borrows new perspectives from a broad range of scholarly fields, generating a long list of cited authors who are rarely associated in the same book. Rheinberger moves easily from phenomenology to biology and from science to art, and vice versa. . . . The book is in a way exhaustive, addressing many of the most significant issues discussed in science studies during the last decades, for instance the importance of practice and technologies, the rich source of information represented by notebooks, and in par­ticular the protocols shared by the different members of a laboratory. Only Rheinberger could write such a book, which wanders between phenomenology and sociology of science, while still remaining engaging and attractive.” * Journal of the History of Biology *“What's in an experiment? In this English edition of Split and Splice: A Phenomenology of Experimentation, a leading historian and philosopher of biology returns in fine form to renew his long-standing plea for scholarly attention to the human and material elements shaping experimentation in the life sciences. In this book, Rheinberger again pulls from the primary literature with which he is most familiar, that in molecular biology, to probe how both research materials and researchers' encounters with them, through experiments, shape the emergence of scientific knowledge. . . . There is much of interest to the working biologist in Split and Splice. Rheinberger offers a convincing way of characterizing the biologist's role in her craft: She is the mediator between the real and the written; between the world of the living and the books and papers that, eventually, report new discoveries.” * FASEB Journal *“A highly original, systematically organized, and empirically enriched essay on scientific experimentation. . . . While its first part convinces with a precise and logically ordered analysis, the second part leads through a broad variety of philosophical thoughts and observa­tions. . . . The reader is taken on an impressive journey through the vast territo­ries of experimental knowledge cultures. And it adds to the surprises of the journey that each and every part of it is enriched with examples from the history of molecular biological experimentation.” * Minerva *“This book provides a captivating perspective on an essential area in the development of a comprehensive and cohesive epistemology of experimentation. Until now, this subject has only been approached in an incomplete and piecemeal manner. Therefore, this book is an absolute necessity for scholars seeking a holistic understanding of experimental practices, including those often overlooked aspects that are crucial for a true and impactful comprehension of the vital role that experiments play in shaping modern science.” * Metascience *“Recommended.” * Choice *“Perched between recursivity and transgression, precision and poetics—just like the research practices it discusses—this eagerly awaited volume is the ultimate exploration of the constellation of technologies, techniques, materials, and ‘savage moments’ that make experiments into a quintessential form of inquiry. Building on three decades of world-leading research in the history and philosophy of biology, Rheinberger shows how, in life as in science, experiments epitomize the human aspiration to intervene in the world with predictable results, and yet their power lies in exposing the limits of attempts to control and foresee the future. An unmissable read for anybody wishing to understand how science thrives by failing to carve nature at its joints.” -- Sabina Leonelli, University of Exeter“In this new book, drawing on his groundbreaking Toward a History of Epistemic Things, Rheinberger explores the logic of a ‘phenomenology of experimentation.’ Attentive to the materiality of science, it brings out the creative, epistemic, and collective dimensions of scientific production in experimental context. Written by a historian and philosopher of science trained in molecular biology, Split and Splice opens up the path to a genuine historical epistemology of the forms of scientific practices for the twenty-first century.” -- Pierre-Olivier Méthot, Université LavalTable of ContentsList of FiguresIntroduction Part I Infra-Experimentality1 Traces2 Models3 Making Visible4 Grafting5 Protocols Part II Supra-Experimentality6 Shapes of Time7 Experimental Cultures8 Knowing and Narrating9 Thinking Wild10 A Eulogy of the FragmentPostscriptAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex of Names

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Book SynopsisProvides an analysis of the research techniques in animal ecology, identifying their limitations and misuses, as well as possible solutions to avoid such pitfalls. This book presents various perspectives on the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. It presents an account of the theoretical and methodological controversies in the field.Trade ReviewThe authors present the material in an insightful manner that leaves readers wondering how the improper application of many of the discussed techniques has played or will play out in wildlife management. -- Ramona Maraj EnvironmentsTable of Contents1. Hypothesis Testing in Ecology, by Charles J. Krebs 2: A Critical Review of the Effects of Marking on the Biology of Vertebrates, by Dennis L. Murray and Mark R. Fuller 3. Animal Home Ranges and Territories and Home Range Estimators, by Roger A. Powell 4. Delusions in Habitat Evaluation: Measuring Use, Selection, and Importance, by David L. Garshelis 5. Investigating Food Habits of Terrestrial Vertebrates, by John A. Litvaitis 6. Detecting Stability and Causes of Change in Population Density, by Joseph S. Elkinton 7. Monitoring Populations, by James P. Gibbs 8. Modeling Predator--Prey Dynamics, by Mark S. Boyce 9. Population Viability Analysis: Data Requirements and Essential Analyses, by Gary C. White 10. Measuring the Dynamics of Mammalian Societies: An Ecologist's Guide to Ethological Methods, by David W. Macdonald, Paul D. Stewart, Pavel Stopka, and Nobuyuki Yamaguchi 11. Modeling Species Distribution with GIS, by Fabio Corsi, Jan de Leeuw, and Andrew K. Skidmore

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisWritten by the leading names in the field, Global Sensitivity Analysis: The Primer offers an accessible summary of the essential concepts involved in a sound sensitivity analysis. It is a self-contained book allowing the reader to learn about, and practice, sensitivity analysis through the use of many exercises and solved problems.Trade Review"This is one of the few books to take on the problem head on and provide techniques in a very simple way." (Technometrics, November 2008)Table of ContentsPreface. 1. Introduction to Sensitivity Analysi. 1.1 Models and Sensitivity Analysis. 1.1.1 Definition. 1.1.2 Models. 1.1.3 Models and Uncertainty. 1.1.4 How to Set Up Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses. 1.1.5 Implications for Model Quality. 1.2 Methods and Settings for Sensitivity Analysis - An Introduction. 1.2.1 Local versus Global. 1.2.2 A Test Model. 1.2.3 Scatterplots versus Derivatives. 1.2.4 Sigma-normalized Derivatives. 1.2.5 Monte Carlo and Linear Regression. 1.2.6 Conditional Variances - First Path. 1.2.7 Conditional Variances - Second Path. 1.2.8 Application to Model (1.3). 1.2.9 A First Setting: 'Factor Prioritization' 1.2.10 Nonadditive Models. 1.2.11 Higher-order Sensitivity Indices. 1.2.12 Total Effects. 1.2.13 A Second Setting: 'Factor Fixing'. 1.2.14 Rationale for Sensitivity Analysis. 1.2.15 Treating Sets. 1.2.16 Further Methods. 1.2.17 Elementary Effect Test. 1.2.18 Monte Carlo Filtering. 1.3 Nonindependent Input Factors. 1.4 Possible Pitfalls for a Sensitivity Analysis. 1.5 Concluding Remarks. 1.6 Exercises. 1.7 Answers. 1.8 Additional Exercises. 1.9 Solutions to Additional Exercises. 2. Experimental Designs. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Dependency on a Single Parameter. 2.3 Sensitivity Analysis of a Single Parameter. 2.3.1 Random Values. 2.3.2 Stratified Sampling. 2.3.3 Mean and Variance Estimates for Stratified Sampling. 2.4 Sensitivity Analysis of Multiple Parameters. 2.4.1 Linear Models. 2.4.2 One-at-a-time (OAT) Sampling. 2.4.3 Limits on the Number of Influential Parameters. 2.4.4 Fractional Factorial Sampling. 2.4.5 Latin Hypercube Sampling. 2.4.6 Multivariate Stratified Sampling. 2.4.7 Quasi-random Sampling with Low-discrepancy Sequences. 2.5 Group Sampling. 2.6 Exercises. 2.7 Exercise Solutions. 3. Elementary Effects Method. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 The Elementary Effects Method. 3.3 The Sampling Strategy and its Optimization. 3.4 The Computation of the Sensitivity Measures. 3.5 Working with Groups. 3.6 The EE Method Step by Step. 3.7 Conclusions. 3.8 Exercises. 3.9 Solutions. 4. Variance-based Methods. 4.1 Different Tests for Different Settings. 4.2 Why Variance? 4.3 Variance-based Methods. A Brief History. 4.4 Interaction Effects. 4.5 Total Effects. 4.6 How to Compute the Sensitivity Indices. 4.7 FAST and Random Balance Designs. 4.8 Putting the Method to Work: the Infection Dynamics Model. 4.9 Caveats. 4.10 Exercises. 5. Factor Mapping and Metamodelling. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 Monte Carlo Filtering (MCF). 5.2.1 Implementation of Monte Carlo Filtering. 5.2.2 Pros and Cons. 5.2.3 Exercises. 5.2.4 Solutions. 5.2.5 Examples. 5.3 Metamodelling and the High-Dimensional Model Representation. 5.3.1 Estimating HDMRs and Metamodels. 5.3.2 A Simple Example. 5.3.3 Another Simple Example. 5.3.4 Exercises. 5.3.5 Solutions to Exercises. 5.4 Conclusions. 6. Sensitivity Analysis: from Theory to Practice. 6.1 Example 1: a Composite Indicator. 6.1.1 Setting the Problem. 6.1.2 A Composite Indicator Measuring Countries’ Performance in Environmental Sustainability. 6.1.3 Selecting the Sensitivity Analysis Method. 6.1.4 The Sensitivity Analysis Experiment and its Results. 6.1.5 Conclusions. 6.2 Example 2: Importance of Jumps in Pricing Options. 6.2.1 Setting the Problem. 6.2.2 The Heston Stochastic Volatility Model with Jumps. 6.2.3 Selecting a Suitable Sensitivity Analysis Method. 6.2.4 The Sensitivity Analysis Experiment. 6.2.5 Conclusions. 6.3 Example 3: a Chemical Reactor. 6.3.1 Setting the Problem. 6.3.2 Thermal Runaway Analysis of a Batch Reactor. 6.3.3 Selecting the Sensitivity Analysis Method. 6.3.4 The Sensitivity Analysis Experiment and its Results. 6.3.5 Conclusions. 6.4 Example 4: a Mixed Uncertainty-Sensitivity Plot. 6.4.1 In Brief. 6.5 When to use What? Afterword. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisAll regulated laboratories, including pharmaceutical, clinical testing, food and cosmetic laboratories, must properly execute the calibration of instruments and validation of analytical methods.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Risk Based Approach to Phase Appropriate Validation and Instrument Qualification. Chapter 2 Phase Appropriate Method Validation. Chapter 3 Analytical Method Verification, Method Revalidation, and Method Transfer. Chapter 4 Validation of PAT Applications. Chapter 5 The Validation of Near Infrared Systems for Raw Material Identification. Chapter 6 Cleaning Validation. Chapter 7 Risk Based Validation of laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). Chapter 8 Performance Qualification and Verification of Balance. Chapter 9 Performance Verification of NIR Spectrophotometers. Chapter 10 Operational Qualification in Practice for Gas Chromatography Instruments. Chapter 11 Performance Verification on RI, Fluorescence, Evaporative Light Scattering Detection. Chapter 12 Instrument Qualification and Performance Verification for Particle Size Instruments. Chapter 13 Method Validation, Qualification, and Performance Verification for Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzers. Chapter 14 Instrument Performance Verification - Micro Pipettes. Chapter 15 Instrument Qualification and Performance Verification for Automated Liquid Handling Systems. Chapter 16 Performance Qualification and Verification in Powder X-ray Diffraction.

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Book SynopsisA time-tested, systematic approach to the buying and selling of complex research instruments Searching for the best laboratory instruments and systems can be a daunting and expensive task. A poorly selected instrument can dramatically affect results produced and indirectly affect research papers, the quality of student training, and an investigator''s chances for advancement. Buying and Selling Laboratory Instruments offers the valuable insights of an analytical chemist and consultant with over four decades of experience in locating instruments based upon both need and price. It helps all decision makers find the best equipment, service, and support while avoiding the brand-loyalty bias of sales representatives so you can fully meet your laboratory''s requirements. The first section of the book guides buyers through the hurdles of funding, purchasing, and acquiring best-fit instruments at the least-expensive price. It explains how to find vendors that support tTrade Review"This is a very useful book, which I wish I had had available when I was engaged in buying instrumentation.It enables buyers to organize their thoughts about the process so less effort is required to achieve a moresuccessful outcome ." (Anal Bioanal Chem, 2010)Table of ContentsPREFACE. PART ONE PURCHASING LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS. 1 Selecting Laboratory Instruments. 1.1 Modular Systems. 1.2 Systems-in-a-Box. 1.3 Automation. 1.4 Data Archival and Recovery. 2 Step-By-Step Purchasing. 3 Analytical Instrument Specifications. 3.1 Dedicated Packages versus Component Systems. 3.2 Critical Features of Laboratory Instruments. 3.2.1 Universal Laboratory Equipment. 3.2.2 Spectroscopy and Analyzer Instruments. 3.2.3 Separation Systems. 3.2.4 Definitive Chromatography Systems. 3.2.5 Automation Accessories. 3.2.6 Mass Analyzer Selection. 3.3 Dedicated Analysis Facilities. 4 Finding The Best Price. 4.1 Price Quotations. 4.2 Government Service Administration (GSA) Pricing. 4.3 Instrument Selection. 4.3.1 Fitting Your Needs and Budget. 4.3.2 Consider Service and Support. 4.4 Demonstration Equipment Discounts. 4.5 Discounting in Kind. 4.6 The Modular Trap. 4.7 Buying Used Equipment. 4.8 New System Warranties. 5 Grants and Bidding. 5.1 Logical Bidding Specifications. 5.2 Dealing with Purchasing Agents. 5.3 Using GSA Pricing. 5.4 Quantity Discounting. 6 Instrument Vendor Support. 6.1 In-House Demonstrations and Seminars. 6.2 User Training Schools. 6.3 Vendor Application Development Laboratories. 6.4 Technically Trained Sales Representatives. 6.5 Vendor-Sponsored Technical Meetings. 6.6 Postsales Support. 6.7 Cost of Consumables. 7 Laboratory Instrument Service. 7.1 Quality Is Job 1, Quality Service Is Job 2. 7.2 Separating Instrument and Application Problems. 7.3 Reverse-Order Diagnosis. 7.4 Service Resources. 7.5 Spare Parts Inventory. 7.6 Diagnosing Grounding and Static Problems. 8 Recycling The System. 8.1 The Dedicated Recycled System. 8.2 Technician Training Instruments. 8.3 University Instrument Donation. 8.4 Used-Instrument Resale. 8.5 Metal Recycling. PART TWO A GUIDE TO THE SELLING PROCESS. 9 Buying Relationships. 9.1 Win/Lose Selling Relationships. 9.2 Win/Win Selling Relationships. 9.3 Buying Hardware, Service, and Support. 9.4 Advantages of A Profitable Vendor. 9.5 Getting What You Pay for and Need. 10 Sales Justification. 10.1 Emotional Decision Making. 10.2 Reasons for an Instrument Selection. 10.3 Purpose of the Decision. 10.4 Path to a Sales Decision. 10.5 The Qualifying Sales Interview (ADMANO). 11 Profiling the Sales Call. 11.1 Training Salespeople. 11.2 Hot Button Analysis (HBA). 11.2.1 Verbal/Visual Placement. 11.2.2 Handling Graded Placement. 11.2.3 Motivational Hot Buttons. 11.3 Selling to Each Hot Button Type. 12 Objections in the Sales Process. 12.1 Systematic Selling. 12.1.1 Establishing Trust. 12.1.2 Helping to Create Desire or Need. 12.1.3 Showing That Your Equipment Will Help. 12.1.4 Creating Sales Urgency. 12.2 Assistance of Sales Tools. 12.3 Use of Demonstration Equipment. 13 Step-by-Step Instrument Selling. 14 Closing the Sale. 14.1 Assumptive Closes. 14.2 Manipulative Closes. 14.3 Final Closing and the Lost Sale Close. 15 The Laws of Selling. 15.1 Salespeople Are Made, Not Born. 15.2 You Only Have One Chance to Make a Good First Impression. 15.3 Salespersons Ask Questions, Not Make Statements. 15.4 Fear of Loss Is More Important Than Desire for Gain. 15.5 If You do not ask, the Answer Is Automatically No. 15.6 Listen More Than You Talk. 15.7 Objections Are a Sign of Interest. 15.8 Do Not Argue, Ask for Clarification. 15.9 Body Language Can Defuse Sales Tension. 15.10 Emotional Buying and Logical Justification. 15.11 People Want to Be Fair. 15.12 Honesty Is Good Business. 15.13 Never Criticize an Opponent. 15.14 TANSTAAFL. 15.15 Explaining Quality or Apologizing for the Price. 15.16 The Word Sales Comes from Serving. 16 Handling Problems. 16.1 Warranties and Customer Expectations. 16.2 Dealing with a Lemon. 16.3 Instrument Success Goals. 16.4 Providing Application Support. 16.5 Territory Management. 16.6 Confidentiality. 16.7 Sales Integrity. Appendix A Frequently Asked Questions. A.1 Frequently Asked Purchasing Questions. A.2 Frequently Asked Questions About New Instruments. A.3 Frequently Asked Questions about the Selling Process. Appendix B Memory Aids, Figures, and Tables. Appendix C Glossary of Purchasing and Sales Terms. Appendix D Troubleshooting Quick Reference. D.1 Troubleshooting the Purchase. D.2 Troubleshooting the Sale. Appendix E Selected Reading List. INDEX.

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Book SynopsisTaking an exploratory approach to chemistry, this hands-on lab manual for preparatory chemistry encourages critical thinking and allows students to make discoveries as they experiment. The sequence of the experiments in the manual is designed to fit closely with the Eighth Edition of Basic Concepts of Chemistry, by Jack Malone and Ted Dolter. A set of exercises provides students with additional opportunities to test their understanding of key concepts in introductory and prep chemistry courses. Additional online exercises are available on the Web at www.wiley.com/college/murov.Table of ContentsExperiments Experiment 1 Introductory Concepts, Techniques, and Challenges Experiment 2 Measurements Experiment 3 Density Experiment 4 Mixtures: Separation and Purification Experiment 5 Melting Points Experiment 6 Lewis Structures and Molecular Models Experiment 7 Paper Chromatography Experiment 8 Classification of Chemical Reactions Experiment 9 Empirical Formula of Zinc Oxide Experiment 10 Empirical Formula of a Hydrate Experiment 11 Stoichiometry of a Reaction Experiment 12 Enthalpies in Physical and Chemical Changes Experiment 13 Chemical Properties of Oxygen and Hydrogen Experiment 14 Gas Laws Experiment 15 Distillation and Hardness of Water Experiment 16 Ionic Reactions and Conductivity Experiment 17 Analysis of Cations Experiment 18 Spectroscopy Experiment 19 Acidity and pH Experiment 20 Synthesis Experiment 21 Acid-Base Titrations Experiment 22 Oxidation-Reduction Experiment 23 Analysis of Bleach and Copper (II) Glycinate Experiment 24 The Rates of Chemical Reactions Experiment 25 Equilibrium Studies Experiment 26 Molecular Models of Organic Compounds Experiment 27 Carbohydrates Exercises Exercise 1 Measurements: Scientific Notation, Significant Figures, Accuracy and Precision Exercise 2 Unit Conversions, Density Exercise 3 Element Names and Symbols Exercise 4 Protons, Neutrons, Electrons and Isotopes Exercise 5 Polyatomic Ions Exercise 6 Formulas of Compounds Exercise 7 Nomenclature of Compounds Exercise 8 Electronic Structures and Lewis Structures of Atoms Exercise 9 Bonding, Molecular Geometry, and Polarity Exercise 10 Chemical Reactions: Balancing and Classification Exercise 11 Double Replacement Reactions, Net Ionic Equations Exercise 12 Formula Mass, Moles and Molecules Exercise 13 Percent Composition, Empirical and Molecular Formulas Exercise 14 Stoichiometry Exercise 15 Gases and Gas Laws Exercise 16 Concentration Calculations and Solution Stoichiometry Exercise 17 Acids and Bases, pH Exercise 18 Oxidation States and Redox Reactions Exercise 19 Equilibirum Expressions, le Chatelier's Principle Exercise 20 Nuclear Reactions Exercise 21 Organic Chemistry Exercise 22 Laboratory Terminology Exercise 23 Laboratory Techniques Appendices Appendix A Solutions to Starred Prelaboratory Exercises Appendix B Common Ions by Charge Appendix C Solubility of Ionic Compounds Webercises (available online at www.wiley.com/college/murov) Webercise 1 Significant Figures Webercise 2 Properties of Elements Webercise 3 Chemical Toxicity, Safety, and Uses Webercise 4 Periodic Properties of the Elements Webercise 5 Atmospheric Gases Webercise 6 Chemists, Chemistry and Society

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Book SynopsisA complete guide to one of the most revolutionary technologies in the history of imaging Near-field microscopes combine the richness of optical analysis, the noninvasive character of light, and the wide variety of sample environments of conventional microscopes with the finer spatial resolution of alternative technologies. Near-Field Optics combines an introduction to near-field optical theory with a handbook and reference for the practice and application of near-field microscopy. Michael A. Paesler and Patrick J. Moyer provide the most comprehensive presentation available on the instrumentation and operation of near-field microscopes. Writing from the viewpoint of the scientist who wants to apply these revolutionary instruments in a laboratory setting, the authors: * Explain the pertinent optical theory and provide a developmental history of near-field instruments * Discuss imaging theory and its application in the near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) * ETable of ContentsTHEORY AND INSTRUMENTATION. Imaging. The Tapered Optical Fiber and Other Sensing Elements. NSOM Theory. NSOM Instrumentation. Optical Tunneling Microscopes. PRACTICE. Contrast. Intensity. Polarization. Wavelength. Amplitude and Phase. Time. Plasmons. APPLICATIONS. Surface Chemistry. Biology. Materials Science. Information Storage. Non-Visible Wavelength Instruments. RELATED TECHNIQUES AND CONCLUSION. Related Techniques and Unusual Configurations. Conclusions and Future Directions. Index.

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