Springer Japan – förlag

Addressing the widespread need for a practical guide to imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), this book presents the protocols of IMS technology. As that technology expands, research groups around the world continue its development. Pharmaceutical companies are using IMS for drug analyses to study pharmacokinetics and medical properties of drugs. Drug research and disease-related biomarker screening are experiencing greater use of this technology, with a concurrent increase in the number of researchers in academia and industry interested in wider applications of IMS. Intended for beginners or those with limited experience with IMS technology, this book provides practical details and instructions needed for immediate know-how, including the preparation of animal tissue samples, the application of a matrix, instrumental operations, and data analysis, among others. By describing the foundations of IMS, this volume contributes to the ongoing development of the field and to progress in human health.

In ovo electroporation is an epoch-making achievement in the study of developmental biology. With this method, experiments can be carried out in gain and loss of function in desired tissue at any desired stage in chick embryos. Introduction of a tetracycline-regulated gene expression system and a transposon system has further extended the potential of the method, making it possible to obtain long-term expression and to turn on and off a gene of interest. It is now applied to mice, aquatic animals, and even to plants for the study of developmental biology and for other purposes. In this book, the application of electroporation in many embryonic tissues and organs is introduced, with some chapters that deal with gene transfer in adults. Sonoporation, another useful tool, using ultrasonic waves instead of electric currents, for gene transfer to mesenchymal tissues is also introduced.

Sika deer, the graceful spotted deer of Japanese and Chinese art, originally were native to Asia from far-east Russia to Vietnam to the islands of Japan and Taiwan. They are widely raised in captivity to supply velvet antler for traditional medicine. They also were introduced to Europe, North America, and New Zealand, where they compete or interbreed with native deer. Sika deer typically occupy lowland hardwood forests with low winter snow depths, where they thrive in sites disturbed by fire, storm, or logging. In high numbers they can severely impact vegetation though overgrazing, stripping bark from trees and damaging crop fields and forest plantations. Their numbers are high in many parts of Japan, moderate in Russia, and reduced or extinct in the wild in China, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan. This book explores their basic biology, behavior, and ecology, including management for sport hunting, conservation or recovery of threatened populations, and resolution of conflict with humans in native and introduced lands.

Hiroshi Komiyama''s "Vision 2050" is a plan for paving a road to global sustainability. It lays out a path to a sustainable future for humanity that could realistically be achieved by 2050 through the application of science and technology. A prominent Japanese academic and leader in global sustainability, Komiyama draws upon realistic assumptions and solid scientific concepts to create a vision that makes the living standards enjoyed by developed countries today possible for all people by 2050. "Vision 2050" is built upon three fundamental principles – increased energy efficiency, recycling, and development of renewable energy sources – and the book argues for the technological potential of all three. Specifically, Komiyama envisions a three-fold increase in overall energy efficiency and a doubling of renewable energy resources by 2050. "Vision 2050: Roadmap for a Sustainable Earth" is written to address the concerned citizen as well as to inspire an exchange of ideas among experts, policy makers, industrial leaders, and the general public.

Auditory neuropathy is gaining more attention as new findings come to light and as hearing screening of newborns has been introduced in many countries in the past decade. A compilation of research topics from around the world, this book provides the latest knowledge on the neuropathy of the auditory and vestibular eighth cranial nerves, with valuable information on pathophysiology and genetics, new subtypes, and recent research on cochlear implants in patients with auditory neuropathy, including children. Among the several major sections of the book, one presents neurological cases and another focuses on historical issues. Covering a wide range of related topics, the book provides a wealth of insights on this disease entity and on auditory and vestibular neuropathy in particular. It is a useful and informative reference for all those interested in and concerned with auditory nerve disease, especially for medical students, researchers, and clinicians.

The advent of the digital economy has the potential to dramatically change the conventional interrelationships among individuals, enterprises and society. There can be little doubt that to achieve vigorous socioeconomic developments in the 21st century, people will have to aggressively use information technology to boost innovation and to organically link the results of that innovation to solutions to global environmental issues and social challenges such as the opportunity divide. We are responsible for taking advantage of the opportunities opened up by the digital economy and for turning those opportunities into things that reflect our values and goals. The book examines the overall impact of the digital economy and the development of a practical institutional design.

Brain imaging and neurophysiological methods have been rapidly developed. The purpose of this book is to describe hearing problems which are caused by various kinds of brain diseases in central auditory pathway. Each topic is explained to use a lot of figures such as brain imaging and neurophysiological data comparing with neuropsychological tests. Readers will understand what happens in patients, when bilateral auditory nerve and auditory cortex are damaged in patients. Some patients can hear but cannot discriminate meanings of speech, music and environmental sounds. The author tries to explain why such a difference occurs.

Agent-based modeling/simulation is an emerging field that uses bottom-up and experimental analysis in the social sciences. Selected research from that presented at the Third International Workshop on Agent-Based Approaches in Economic and Social Complex Systems 2004, held in May 2004 in Kyoto, Japan, is included in this book. The aim of the workshop was to employ the bottom-up approach to social and economic problems by modeling, simulation, and analysis using a software agent. This research area is an emerging interdisciplinary field among the social sciences and computer science, attracting broad attention because it introduces a simulation-based experimental approach to problems that are becoming increasingly complex in an era of globalization and innovation in information technology. The state-of-the-art research and findings presented in this book will be indispensable tools for anyone involved in this rapidly growing discipline.

Plants utilize light not only for photosynthesis but also as environmental signals. They are capable of perceiving wavelength, intensity, direction, duration, and other attributes of light to perform appropriate physiological and developmental changes. This volume presents overviews of and the latest findings in many of the interconnected aspects of plant photomorphogenesis, including photoreceptors (phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins), signal transduction, photoperiodism, and circadian rhythms, in 42 chapters. Also included, is a prologue by Prof. Masaki Furuya that gives an overview of the historical background. With contributions from preeminent researchers in specific subjects from around the world, this book will be a valuable source for a range of scientists from undergraduate to professional levels.

Pulmonary thromboembolism in Japan is currently associated with a high mortality rate and remains a concern for patients and medical staff alike. Moreover, as the mechanisms of the condition have been elucidated, it has become clear that much work needs to be done in the field to achieve acceptable results in this country. Thus, Japan has regularly played host to the International Symposium on Pulmonary Thromboembolism . At the most recent symposium, in Sendai, the epidemiology and the treatment of pulmonary thromboembolism, traveler''s thrombosis, and the prevention of deep vein thromboembolism were discussed, particularly with reference to the differences between Japan and Western countries. The fruits of the collaboration between that assembly of international specialists can be found in this collection of work. It provides an in-depth look at the current concepts that guide the treatment and prevention of the disease, and at the problem areas that must be improved upon.

Recent research and clinical work have demonstrated that the rapid urologic innovation in minimally invasive treatment is creating exciting new horizons in endourology. This sixth volume in the series Recent Advances in Endourology brings that knowledge to a wider audience, focusing on the new concept of endourooncology, which is the merging of endourology and oncology. In the surgical treatment of urologic malignancies, bipolarization - that is, radical extended resection or organ-sparing surgery - is making remarkable advances. Further developments in sophisticated reconstructive surgery using robotic systems and image-guided ablation technology will allow surgeons to formulate minimally invasive, tailor-made procedures for each patient with urologic cancer. In this book, the current status and future prospects of these new technologies are reviewed, illuminating their roles in the future of endourooncology.

This is the third volume in a respected series edited by the Japan Environmental Council. Part l covers the environmental impact of the military, trade, agriculture/food and the biodiversity of forests and rice paddies. Part 2 examines the problems unique to Northeast Asia, the Mekong region, and Inner Asia. In April 2005 this book was awarded the 6th Environment for Tomorrow Award by the newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

Many international experts collaborated in creating this groundbreaking work, a principal-coding system, and in developing reference films and imaging parameters for the International Classification of HRCT for Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases. The book is an authoritative guide to the recognition of dust diseases of the lung, using radiological imaging techniques, with special emphasis on high-resolution computerized tomography (CT). The classification is a powerful, essential tool for recording patient data on CT in a globally standardized semiquantitative way. The system is also applicable to surveillance and screening for occupational and environmental respiratory diseases. The book is a valuable resource not only for radiologists but for all who work in occupational medicine and public health.

Japan has long been a leader of research into the carcinogenesis, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of gastric carcinoma, which is still the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Distinguished experts in the field collaborated in creating this groundbreaking work, providing a comprehensive view of gastric cancer. This book encourages further development of gastric cancer research and its clinical application. Topics include all aspects of gastric carcinoma, such as the history of clinical and experimental gastric cancer research; updated issues of molecular and pathological research on gastric carcinogenesis; multidisciplinary methods in diagnosis, treatment, and chemotherapy; and perspectives in minimally invasive surgery. Color figures of histological specimens and other clinical features assist readers in readily understanding the textual descriptions, making this volume a valuable source for clinicians and researchers alike.

In this book, recent progress in batteries is firstly reviewed by researchers in three leading Japanese battery companies, SONY, Matsushita and Sanyo, and then the future problems in battery development are stated. Then, recent development of solid state ionics for batteries, including lithium ion battery, metal-hydride battery, and fuel cells, are reviewed. A battery comprises essentially three components: positive electrode, negative electrode, and electrolyte. Each component is discussed for the construction of all-solid-state Batteries. Theoretical understanding of properties of battery materials by using molecular orbital calculations is also introduced.

In the 6 years since the publication of the first volume of Recent Advances in Endourology by the Japanese Society of Endourology and ESWL, data on long-term oncological or functional outcomes have been collected in several related fields, and advances in surgical techniques and improved instrumentation have led to further development of such complex surgery as laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy. This seventh volume in the series focuses on the treatment of urogenital malignancies by endourological procedures, including laparoscopic surgery with robotic assistance. The standard procedures and their relatively long-term outcomes as well as new techniques have been clearly described with detailed references. This book provides a better understanding of the present status of endourological management for urogenital carcinoma and sets the stage for future improvements in both oncological and functional outcomes.