Micro

The Sixth International Conference on Miniaturized Chemical and Biochemical Analysis Systems, known as /JTAS2002, will be fully dedicated to the latest scientific and technological developments in the field of miniaturized devices and systems for realizing not only chemical and biochemical analysis but also synthesis. The first /JTAS meeting was held in Enschede in 1994 with approximately 160 participants, bringing together the scientists with background in analytical and biochemistry with those with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) in one workshop. We are grateful to Piet Bergveld and Albert van den Berg of MESA Research Institute of the University of Twente for their great efforts to arrange this exciting first meeting. The policy of the meeting was succeeded by late Prof. Dr. Michael Widmer in the second meeting, /JTAS'96 held in Basel with 275 participants. The first two meetings were held as informal workshops. From the third workshop, /JTAS'98 (420 participants) held in Banff, the workshop had become a worldwide conference. Participants continued to increase in /JTAS2000 (about 500 participants) held in Enschede and /JTAS2001 (about 700 participants) held in Monterey. The number of submitted papers also dramatically increased in this period from 130 in 1998, 230 in 2000 to nearly 400 in 2001. From 2001, /JTAS became an annual symposium. The steering committee meeting held in Monterey, confrrmed the policy of former /JTAS that quality rather than quantity would be the key-point and that the parallel-session format throughout the 3.

Studies have shown that the negative effects of credit market inefficiencies are most felt by smaller firms. Therefore, in countries such as Uganda, where micro enterprises are at the bottom of the economic pyramid, moral hazard and adverse selection severely affect their ability to access formal credit hence limiting their growth potential. Microfinance has been heralded for its use of innovative lending methods to improve access to credit. The last decade has witnessed an unprecedented increase in the outreach of micro lending institutions and the development of financial products suited to the needs of the economically active poor, who often, are unable to obtain credit from mainstream financial institutions. This book analyzes the law and economics theories on access to credit and enterprise finance and based on case studies in Uganda, presents empirical findings of the promise and limits of contractual innovations in micro credit.

Microbubbles and nanobubbles have several characteristics that are comparable with millimeter- and centimeter-sized bubbles. These characteristics are their small size, which results in large surface area and high bioactivity, low rising velocity, decreased friction drag, high internal pressure, large gas dissolution capacity, negatively charged surface, and ability to be crushed and form free radicals. Microbubbles and nanobubbles have found applications in a variety of fields such as engineering, agriculture, environment, food, and medicine. Microbubbles have been successfully used in aquacultures of oysters in Hiroshima, scallops in Hokkaido, and pearls in Mie Prefecture, Japan. This field has shown a strong potential for growth. This book comprehensively discusses microbubbles and nanobubbles and their application in aquaculture, environment, engineering, medicine, stock raising, agriculture, and marine industry. It presents their potential as a new technology that can be utilized globally.

This edition of 'Micro Process Engineering' was originally published in the successful series 'Advanced Micro & Nanosystems'. Authors from leading industrial players and research institutions present a concise and didactical introduction to Micro Process Engineering, the combination of microtechnology and process engineering into a most promising and powerful tool for revolutionizing chemical processes and industrial mass production of bulk materials, fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals and many other products. The book takes the readers from the fundamentals of engineering methods, transport processes, and fluid dynamics to device conception, simulation and modelling, control interfaces and issues of modularity and compatibility. Fabrication strategies and techniques are examined next, focused on the fabrication of suitable microcomponents from various materials such as metals, polymers, silicon, ceramics and glass. The book concludes with actual applications and operational aspects of micro process systems, giving broad coverage to industrial efforts in America, Europe and Asia as well as laboratory equipment and education.

This book covers the new technologies on micro/nanoscale thermal characterization developed in the Micro/Nanoscale Thermal Science Laboratory led by Dr. Xinwei Wang. Five new non-contact and non-destructive technologies are introduced: optical heating and electrical sensing technique, transient electro-thermal technique, transient photo-electro-thermal technique, pulsed laser-assisted thermal relaxation technique, and steady-state electro-Raman-thermal technique. These techniques feature significantly improved ease of implementation, super signal-to-noise ratio, and have the capacity of measuring the thermal conductivity/diffusivity of various one-dimensional structures from dielectric, semiconductive, to metallic materials.

On self-help groups in Tamil Nadu and micro-credit available to rural women; contributed articles.