Muhammad Saleem

This book reviews the mechanisms, patterns, and processes that regulate prokaryotic diversity through different habitats in the context of evolutionary and ecological hypotheses, principles, and theories. Despite the tremendous role of prokaryotic diversity in the function of the global ecosystem, it remains understudied in comparison to the rest of biological diversity. In this book, the authors argue that understanding the mechanisms of species coexistence, functioning relationships (e.g. nutrient cycling and host fitness), and trophic and non-trophic interactions are helpful in addressing the future challenges in basic and applied research in microbial ecology. The authors also examine the ecological and evolutionary responses of prokaryotes to global change and biodiversity loss. Ecological Diversity of the Microbiome in the Context of Ecology Theory and Climate Change aims to bring prokaryotes into the focus of ecological and evolutionary research, especially in the context of global change.

An earthquake is a common phenomenon throughout the world and many of the world's most populated regions are affected by earthquakes each year. For the purpose of better protection of life and infrastructure research has been going on in the field of seismic retrofitting for much time. Several new techniques have been developed along with the refinement of the old ones. Many of these techniques employ post-installed anchor bars for the retrofitting purpose. Traditionally the anchor bar is attached to the concrete member by drilling a hole and the embedded anchor is held in place with the help of infill material knows as epoxy resin. Research in the past has focused very little on the anchor-infill assembly and the influence of mechanical properties of infill material on controlling the deformational response. Book presents the advances made in developing a new type of anchor-infill assembly, coupled with the optimized infill material properties, which are better able to control the deformational response of the post-installed anchor bar and are effective in reducing the residual displacements and damage caused in the surrounding concrete.

Power shortages and blackouts are common in developing countries especially in emerging economies due to increasing electricity consumption, population and weak distrubution system. As a result, these economies are facing common problem that how to meet the grwoing demand to maintain economic growth and to develop a regulatory framework for electricity sector which is efficient and market based. This book explores the common problems faced by developing countries in the electricity sector and provides the practical examples of measuring efficiency of generation and distribution companies using state of the art methodologies. Based on efficiency results, price cap regulation for the purpose of electricity tariff setting has been proposed. This book serves as a guide to develop incentive based price cap regulation as a case study of developing countries. It also provides an integrated approach to efficiency measurement for electricity sector regulators. It covers the conceptual issues related to power sector policy analysis, privatization modules, efficiency and price cap regulation in an accessible yet rigorous maner.