Relaxin and Related Peptides: Fourth International Conference (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences)

Book Description

Relaxin is a protein hormone, produced and secreted during pregnancy in mammalian species, having superficial structural features resembling those of insulin. Since its initial isolation from the ovaries of pregnant pigs in 1976, increasing interest in relaxin has led to increased understanding of the chemistry, synthesis, secretion, biological roles, mechanisms of action, and potential clinical applications of relaxin in humans and domestic animals. In pigs, rats, and mice, relaxin promotes growth and softening of the cervix, enabling rapid and safe delivery of the fetuses. In these species relaxin also promotes growth and development of the mammary apparatus. Recently, biological effects of relaxin in the heart, kidney, liver, and brain have been identified, and these discoveries have triggered additional interest in possible clinical applications for relaxin. In 2002, a second form of relaxin, which is found primarily in the brain, was discovered. Relaxin-like factor (also called insulin 3), which was discovered in 1993, is produced in the fetal testis and plays a major role in testicular descent during development. The recent identification of the receptors for both relaxin and relaxin-like factor has enabled more rigorous studies of the target tissues and mechanisms of action of these hormones. This volume contains a description of recent advances and future research and clinical possibilities in the field of relaxin and related peptides. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit www.nyas.org/membership/main.asp for more information about becoming a member.

Book Description

INTRODUCTION

Few countries in contemporary Europe have experienced the collapse of communism, a war of national survival and the securing of independence all within the space of half a decade - yet this is what happened to Croatia (Hrvatska) at the beginning of the 1990s. Much of this drama was acted out on TV screens across the world, and images of the conflict which followed the break-up of Yugoslavia still colour outside perceptions of what the country is like today. In the circumstances, it's making it all too easy to forget that Croatia was - and still is - among Europe's prime holiday destinations, boasting one of the most dramatic stretches of coastline that the continent has to offer, with almost 2000km of shoreline and over 1000 islands and although parts of the coast were damaged during the 1991-95 conflict - the period of wartime isolation has, paradoxically, made the region all the more alluring now - over-exploitation of the coast has been kept in check, and there are still enough sparsely populated islands, quiet coves and stone-built fishing villages to make you feel you're visiting one of the Mediterranean's most unspoilt areas.

The return of the tourists has been keenly awaited by the Croats, not least because they represent the country's major source of income. Visitors will be struck by the tangible sense of pride that independent statehood has brought, and the feeling of togetherness and unity that the experience of war has engendered. National culture is a far from one-dimensional affair, however, and much of Croatia's individuality is due to its geographical position straddling the point at which the sober central European virtues of hard work and order collide with the spontaneity, vivacity and taste for the good things in life that characterizes the countries of southern Europe - a cultural blend of Mitteleuropa and Mediterranean which gives Croatia its particular flavour. Not only that, but the country also stands on one of the great faultlines of European civilization - the point at which the Catholic West meets the Orthodox and Islamic East - and though Croats traditionally see themselves as a Western people, distinct from the other South Slavs who formerly made up the state of Yugoslavia, many of the hallmarks of Balkan culture - patriarchal families, hospitality towards strangers, and a fondness for grilled food - are as common in Croatia as in any other part of southeastern Europe, suggesting that the country's relationship with its neighbours is more complex than many Croats themselves will admit.

National sensitivity about such matters has its roots in Croatia's troubled relationship with the Serbs, who arrived in southeastern Europe at around the same time. Historical circumstances later drove the two groups psychologically and culturally apart, even though they often continued to live together - the fact that so many areas of Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina were ethnically mixed is one reason why the break-up of Yugoslavia was such a tragically messy affair. Despite the events of recent years, however, the destinies of Croats and Serbs look set to remain intertwined: there's still a sizeable Serb minority within Croatia, and Serbs who fled the country in the wake of the Croatian army's campaigns in 1995 are (officially, at least) being encouraged to return.

Bringing life back to war-damaged areas and resettling both Croatian and Serbian refugees is just one of the problems faced by a country which continues to suffer many of the ills experienced by post-communist societies in general: the collapse of outdated industries, high unemployment, low wages for the majority, and the rise of a new entrepreneurial class which is often flamboyantly corrupt. Unlike many of her Eastern European neighbours, however, Croatia has been slow to receive aid and investment from the West, mainly thanks to the less-than-innocent role played in the conflict in Bosnia-Hercegovina by the ruling HDZ party of former President Franjo Tu3man, whose authoritarian right-wing rule left the country with increasingly few friends on the international stage as the 1990s progressed. Tu3man's death in December 1999 and the sweeping electoral defeat of the HDZ in January 2000 unleashed popular aspirations that the new EU-friendly, centre-left coalition government will! find difficult to fulfil. Nevertheless, the country had passed an important test of political maturity, and entered the new millennium eager to make up for lost time. An optimistic, welcoming and, above all, safe destination for travellers, Croatia is yet to be overrun by vacationing hordes - which is why now is the ideal time to visit.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive guide.......2006-12-08

I used Rough Guide to Croatia side-by-side with Lonely Planet Croatia during May and June 2006. I only visited Southern and Central Dalmatia including Split, Hvar, and Dubrovnik.

The Rough Guide was the more comprehensive of the two books with a heavy emphasis on history, background, and context. It did a really good job of explaining what I was looking at, whereas LP usually gave very little of this information. But it was also less accurate when it came to logistics and directions, which made me happy I had the LP guide too.

Pros:
Better organized and more accessible than LP
Better city maps than LP on the whole--I would recommend using both though.
More detail about islands around Dubrovnik.
200+ pages longer than LP.
Did a decent job prioritizing things to see and places to go--but this section needs work.

Cons:
Some of the directions were pretty terrible and from a logistical standpoint LP was better.
Lots of useless info if you're not into architecture, art, and very detailed history of every brick and cistern.

Bottom line: A detailed, comprehensive guide but with just enough inaccuracies that I'd want LP as well.

Great guide even if you're not roughing it. .......2005-03-30

I bought this guide on the advice of a traveler on a website. I'd rate it better than Lonely Planet Croatia, though that is a good book. This book has more maps and detailed information. It details each region of Croatia, tells you the accomodations in each city, as well as places to go and eat. This book tells you whether or not the city is touristy and gives some alternative options as to where to stay. Rick Steves Eastern Europe narrows the region down a bit more and gives more opinions, but Rick Steves doesn't detail the north at all.

This Guide was a Life Saver!.......2004-11-04

I recently went for a vacation to Croatia equipped with both the Lonely Planet Croatia and the Rough Guide to Croatia. I quickly discovered how truly useless the Lonely Planet Guide is. I never really used the restaurant and club guide as I like to discover local eats on my own but the logistical travel information was tremendously helpful and always correct. It made my time in Croatia fun and easy.

best of the croatia guides.......2002-11-23

I bought 3 diff books on Croatia 2 were a waist of money. This one is by far the best. Has much much more usefull information

Great for what it contains, but...........2002-11-08

... it is not very complete. I bought this guide because my standard, the Lonely Planet guides, got such poor reviews. This book has excellent text on early history, politics, culture, recent history & the war, etc. The travel information is quite good for what is there. The problem is that less than 20% of the book covers over 90% of the country, and many of the neatest sights are not even mentioned. The proper title should be "The Rough Guide to Croatia's Adriatic Coast." I have found more information on the internet and the Freytag & Berndt maps than this book provides *EXCEPT* for what to see in Zagreb and the Adriatic coast & islands. If you are interested in visiting the inland areas, as I am, buy a map and search the internet instead. Other letdowns include poor grammar and spelling throughout, which is surprising for a book published in the UK. Very little information is provided for finding lodging in private homes, which is the cheapest and most fun way to travel. The Croatian language guide is far too short and lacking, but if you use the book for the coast & islands only, it doesn't matter. This is truly a shame because Croatia has much, much more to offer than a beach.

Average customer rating:

Book is ok

Know It All! Grades 3-5 Reading (K-12 Study Aids)
Princeton Review
Manufacturer: Princeton Review
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Literacy | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Reading Skills | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
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24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice: Grade 4-5 (Ready-To-Go Reproducibles)

ASIN: 0375763783
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Book Description

We Get Results
We know what it takes to succeed in the classroom and on tests. This book includes strategies that are proven to improve student performance. We provide

• content review, detailed lessons, and practice exercises modeled on the skills tested by standardized tests
• proven test-taking skills and techniques such as how to determine the main idea of a passage and write answers to open-response questions

Customer Reviews:

Book is ok.......2006-07-10

The books are ok, but they are not what I wanted. It seems that my kid don't really like them.

Average customer rating:
Old-Fashioned Children Illustrations CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art)
Dover
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Clip Art | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Fairies, Elves, and Gnomes CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art)

ASIN: 0486995933

Book Description

Appealing vignettes of winsome moppets — playing with toys and pets, painting, sailing, and engaged in games with other children-will add a touch of nostalgia to a host of projects. Invaluable to artists, illustrators, and designers, these charming illustrations will appeal as well to collagists, découpeurs and craftworkers. 606 black-and-white illustrations.

Ready-to-Use Old-Fashioned Illustrations of Children (Clip Art Series)

Average customer rating:

Ready-to-Use Old-Fashioned Illustrations of Children (Clip Art Series)
Carol Belanger Grafton
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0486259218

Book Description

365 charming royalty-free illustrations of Victorian youngsters: in school, at play

— skipping rope, flying a kite, riding a pony — with pets, helping mother, more.

Average customer rating:

Interactions with a gang of furry individuals.

Charming, Delightful, Entertaining, Informative

Delightful and fun

Squirrely

Excellent book - not sentimental

Squirrels at My Window: Life With a Remarkable Gang of Urban Squirrels
Grace Marmor Spruch
Manufacturer: Johnson Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Mammals | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1555662579

Customer Reviews:

Interactions with a gang of furry individuals........2005-01-24

Grace Spruch and her husband Larry, both physics professors, moved into a Greenwich Village apartment in 1970. For ten years Grace kept a journal of the observations she made about the squirrels that visited them for daily handouts of nuts. Looking for a book with drama, romance, suspense, and excitement? Look elsewhere. But if you want to read a wonderful account of a rodent-loving woman's interactions with a charming gang of furry individuals, check this book out.

Charming, Delightful, Entertaining, Informative.......2005-01-06

I loved this book so much! Since I have moved from Pennsylvania to Australia I have missed squirrels very much. They are such beautiful and resourceful creatures yet we seem to know so little about them. Grace's story of her experiences with her neighbourhood squirrels will delight any animal lover. She has a unique perspective and writing style which is intelligent yet appreciative of the little critters. I really loved her wonderful accounts of which squirrels prefer which nuts and how they choose between them.

Highly recommended!

Delightful and fun.......2004-07-08

This book is such a gem, easily one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's informative, funny, and written with a very sensitive eye. You really do get to know (and love) each of the memorable characters that visited the author over the years. All the while, you learn a lot of fascinating things about squirrels and how they behave.

I was a little worried when I ordered the book that the author might turn out to be a little too eccentric... you know, a strange "squirrel lady," but she's not at all like that. She's a university professor and a surprisingly good writer who just loves animals and is fearless enough to invite them into her home.

My favorite part was the very funny section where the author takes one of the squirrels to the dentist because of a problem with his lower front teeth.

Squirrely.......2002-03-23

I loved this book, and not just because I love squirrels. This is a wonderful account of one womans life with her urban squirrel friends in NYC. Having just been to Washington Square Park where the book takes place I can see how these squirrels became so dependant on the kindness of others. This is a great book for those who may not be fans of the squirrel, but who would at least appreciate a good story and like animals. I have been recommending this one to a lot of people I know just for a change of pace in their normal reading, so go get a copy, but don't bury somewhere where you can't find it again.

Excellent book - not sentimental.......2001-09-06

Really enjoyed this book. I appreciated that the author remained objective and observational throughout - without slipping into sentimentality. I was able to relate to the squirrels directly - rather than through someone's emotional filter. I love squirrels and have befriended many - Grace was able to capture the experience of relating to squirrels. Her insights - and the depth of relationship with them - have deepened my appreciation of squirrels.

Book Description

This personal record guide is an indispensable aid in recording purchases for insurance or inventory purposes. There are areas for descriptions, origins, values, dates of purchase, etc. This item is a must for every type of antique collector. REVIEW: This book is ideal for recording your antiques and collectibles inventory. It is a great way to keep up with items and comes in a handy size for easy storage.

Average customer rating:

Personal Doll Inventory

Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toys | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0891451722

Book Description

This Personal Doll Inventory is an indispensable aid in recording purchases for insurance or inventory purposes. Lots of space for descriptions, origins, values, dates of purchase, etc. A must for every type of antique collector. REVIEW: This book is ideal for recording your collectible dolls inventory. Not only will it serve as the perfect insurance record in case of fire or theft, but it will also be treasured by you and your family for years to come. For the collector it will add joy to your hobby; for the dealer, it will provide accurate information for business and tax records. It is a great way to keep up with items and comes in a handy size for easy storage.

Average customer rating:

Personal Firearms Inventory

Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Firearms & Weapons | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0891451560

Average customer rating:

Personal Household Inventory

Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Kitchenware | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0891452168

Personal inventory: Antiques and collectibles

Average customer rating:

Personal inventory: Antiques and collectibles
P. S Warman
Manufacturer: Warman Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006X3X9G

Average customer rating:

No More Letter of the Week: A Framework for Integrating Reading Strategies and Cueing Systems With Letter-Sound Introduction

No More Letter of the Week: A Framework for Integrating Reading Strategies and Cueing Systems With Letter-Sound Introduction
Patricia D. Lusche
Manufacturer: Crystal Springs Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1884548490

Book Description

Informative, unique, and classroom-friendly framework that takes letter-sound instruction to a whole new level.

Customer Reviews:

No More Letter of the Week: A Framework for Integrating Reading Strategies and Cueing Systems With Letter-Sound Introduction .......2007-09-16

I am using the book for my ELA instruction, along with the Letter People. The approach compliments the introduction of the letters.

Book Description

Western historian, Laurie Winn Carlson, analyzes the lives of the first six white women - missionary wives - to cross the Rocky Mountains. At a time when a woman's entire fortune and future was tied to the man she married, four of the six women married virtual strangers, on short notice, and with absolutely no financial security. Why did they take such a gamble? Carlson's research gives a fresh and sometimes startling view of these pioneers of the womens' movement as she sheds light on the religious motivations, cultural expectations and desire for a better life that drove these brave women west.

Customer Reviews:

Has a lot of things that I, a Northwestern didn't even know........1999-08-03

This book was put together really well. Everything had an order and only once or twice did you feel like you were jumping back and forth between years(which is what I think is the problem with most books on history). I really enjoyed the time the author took to describe things like the sidesaddles themselves or all the stages of syphlis. The Whitmans were portrayed in a completely different light than what most children are taught in school. In a time when the women were all but ignored; I find it amazing that this author could find so much information about them so that we could finally read about who they were beyond the wives of missionaries. Thank you Laurie Carlson for all the hard work you put into this one. It was worth your time and dedication.

Victorian Decorating & Lifestyles February/March 1999.......1999-01-17

Carlson has written an absorbing and poignant account of these brave ladies. In addition to giving readers a good sense of these women as real people--not simply stoic helpmates in a great historical drama perpetuated by their missionary husbands--Carlson provides many telling details about aspects of frontier life, such as feminine hygiene, childbearing and sanitary practices, that previous historical accounts have overlooked. This book is a wonderful example of history from a woman's point of view, and it does a fine job of bringing the past vividly to life. Highly recommended.--Paul Slimak, in The Bookcase, Victorian Decorating & Lifestyles, February, 1999.

Victorian Decorating & Lifestyles February/March 1999.......1999-01-17

A powerful story of pioneers in the early feminist movement.......1998-08-30

The characters seemed quite real. I was drawn to them in spite of their obvious human frailties. They were much like modern peace corps workers, idealistic but not very practical. Dedication to their individual faiths gave them both motivation and courage. The depictions of the characters lives in New England before their journey were disturbing. The severity of their lives made it easy to understand why they would choose such a dangerous path. Depictions of the Indian tribes concerned were historically accurate, but possibly not politically correct. I greatly enjoyed this example of Mrs Carlson's work. I look forward to seeing further work by this author.

Insightful glimpse of the women of the Rocky Mt. Missions.......1998-07-19

This book is an excellent read for lovers of Northwestern history. It is an insightful glimpse by a women author about women missionaries. I believe it is an important addition to the genre. Carlson's research helps readers understand why these women specifically "sought out" westward-bound missionary men to marry. The book gave me a new perspective on the Rocky Mountain missionary efforts and greatly increased my understanding of the cultural mores and pressures on women during the 1800's.

On Sidesaddles to Heaven: The Women of the Rocky Mountain Mission.

Average customer rating:

On Sidesaddles to Heaven: The Women of the Rocky Mountain Mission.
Laurie Winn. Carlson
Manufacturer: Caxton Printers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UX4LU2

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