This volume sets out to compare the NEC family of contracts with other construction industry standard forms. It should assist all levels of professionals involved in procurement in the construction industry to make informed choices and give balanced advice when deciding which contract to use.

This study explores the practice and dynamics of advertising in the second largest democratic economy in the world - Japan. The work examines advertising practices through seven case studies, dramatically framed by individual vignettes written in the style of the Japanese business novel. The case problems and chosen solutions illustrate successful Japanese adaptations of advertising from around the world in addition to advertising practices that are culturally unique to Japan.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the practical aspects of contrast echocardiography. It also covers all the material in the guidelines published by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) in 2018 and the recommendations set out by the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) in 2017. Contrast echocardiography at present is only used in 5-10% of cases, but this is expected to grow rapidly following the recommendations of the ASE and EACVI. The chapters cover the approved indications and provide practical advice on how to administer the contrast agents and how to optimize the recordings as well as how to deal with the pitfalls. The reader will find all the information on how to use contrast agents for assessment of shunts, LV volumes and function as well as myocardial diseases and masses. Detailed protocols are included for stress echocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging. Other topics covered include the use of contrast agents for coronary sonography and transesophageal echocardiography. Contrast Echocardiography: Compendium for Clinical Practice comprehensively covers all aspects of the clinical use of contrast echocardiography and has been written by two cardiologists who share their experience from their high volume echo laboratories. One of the authors has been a member of both the ASE guidelines and EACVI recommendation writing groups. It is therefore, a critical text for echocardiographers and sonographers who perform echocardiography.

X-ray imaging enables the nondestructive investigation of interior structures in otherwise opaque samples. In particular the use of computed tomography (CT) allows for arbitrary virtual slices through the object and 3D information about intricate structures can be obtained. However, when it comes to image very small structures like single cells, the classical CT approach is limited by the weak absorption of soft-tissue. The use of phase information, encoded in measureable intensity images by free-space propagation of coherent x-rays, allows a huge increase in contrast, which enables 3D reconstructions at higher resolutions. In this work the application of propagation-based phase-contrast tomography to lung tissue samples is demonstrated in close to in vivo conditions. Reconstructions of the lung structure of whole mice at down to 5 μm resolution are obtained at a selfbuilt CT setup, which is based on a liquid-metal jet x-ray source. To reach even higher resolutions, synchrotron radiation in combination with suitable holographic phase-retrieval algorithms is employed. Due to optimized cone-beam geometry, field of view and resolution can be varied over a wide range of parameters, so that information on different length scales can be achieved, covering several millimeters field of view down to a 3D resolution of 50 nm. Thus, the sub-cellular 3D imaging of single cells embedded in large pieces of tissue is enabled, which paves the way for future biomedical research.

Known for its readability, portability, and global perspectives, Holcomb and Ashcraft's Pediatric Surgery remains the most comprehensive, up-to-date, single-volume text in its field. As technology and techniques continue to evolve, the 7th Edition provides state-of-the-art coverage—both in print and on video—of the full range of general surgical and urological problems in infants, children, and adolescents, equipping you to achieve optimal outcomes for every patient. - Provides authoritative, practical coverage to help you implement today's best evidence-based open and minimally invasive techniques, with guidance from internationally recognized experts in the field. - Features more than 1,000 high-quality images depicting the visual nuances of surgery for the full range of pediatric and urologic conditions you're likely to see. - Delivers comprehensive updates throughout including the latest advances in managing Inguinal Hernias and Hydroceles; Imperforate Anus and Cloacal Malformations; Hirschsprung Disease; Duodenal and Intestinal Atresia and Stenosis; Esophageal Atresia; and more. - Offers access to more than 50 videos that help you improve and refine your surgical skills. New videos cover Fetal Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion (FETO); Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair; Robotic Extravesical Ureteral Reimplantation; Laparoscopic Management of Ovarian Torsion; and Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy. - Enhanced eBook version included with purchase, which allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices