Coronaviruses with Special Emphasis on First Insights Concerning SARS (Birkhýýuser Advances in Infectious Diseases)

Using the kind permission given to me by my co-author, this short preface will be written in my name. I want to devote this book to San Juan city in Argentina. It is not only due to the fact that the city was twice completely destroyed after the devastating ear- quakes in 1941 and 1977, but also because my stay there completely changed my life. Changes included changing my career from the field of space plasma physics to Earth sciences and geophysics, and changes in my personal life giving me h- piness and compliance in my present family. Going back to the subject of the book, it should be noted that the history of the question asked by the book is very complicated and intricate. Starting in the 1930s from the observation of seismogenic electric fields, the area of seismo-ionospheric coupling became an area of fighting and conflicts, hopes and frustrations. Spe- lation and misunderstanding on the interdisciplinary borders made this field for many years (even up to now) taboo for so-called "serious scientists". But due to the courageous efforts of several groups in Russia and the former USSR states such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Japan, later France and Taiwan, Greece and Italy the situation started to improve.** It is with great pleasure that we introduce the first volume of Birkhäuser Advances in Infectious Diseases. This book series will focus on relevant t- ics of microbiology and infectious diseases with emphasis (as much as p- sible) on emerging pathogens and related diseases. The series will also stress the inter-disciplinarity of the field and include "modern" aspects such as progress and new approaches in molecular biology, clinical aspects and modern insights relevant to human and veterinary medicine. In addition, questions of epidemiology, disease management, hygiene and prevention of infectious diseases will be discussed. Emerging or recently classified pathogens are a great challenge in m- icine. Therefore we focused the first volume of this series on the outbreak of SARS. The advent of SARS is a threat for people around the globe. Our modern technologies have figuratively transformed the world into a village. It is not a problem anymore for someone or something to travel to or trade with remote parts of the world. This traffic, however, reprensents a new opportunity to spread diseases, particularly such of infectious nature from tiny villages throughout the entire world

the Book Aims To Explain The Variations Of Near-earth Plasma Observed Over Seismically Active Areas Several Days/hours Before Strong Seismic Shocks. It Demonstrates How Seismo-ionospheric Coupling Is Part Of The Global Electric Circuit And Shows That The Anomalous Electric Field Appearing In Active Seismic Areas Is The Main Carrier Of Information From The Earth Into The Ionosphere. The Discussion Of Physical Mechanisms Is Based On Experimental Data. The Results Can Be Regarded As The Basis For Future Applications Such As Short-term Earthquake Prediction. It Proceeds To Describe Existing Complex Systems Of Space-born And Ground-based Monitoring For Electromagnetic And Ionospheric Precursors Of Earthquakes, As Well As Those Still Under Construction. It Is An Excellent Text For Courses And Contains A Wealth Of Information For Those Scientists Working In The Field Of Natural Disaster Reduction.

"The book aims to explain the variations of near-Earth plasma observed over seismically active areas several days/hours before strong seismic shocks. It demonstrates how seismo-ionospheric coupling is part of the global electric circuit and shows that the anomalous electric field appearing in active seismic areas is the main carrier of information from the earth into the ionosphere. The discussion of physical mechanisms is based on experimental data. The results can be regarded as the basis for future applications such as short-term earthquake prediction. It proceeds to describe existing complex systems of space-born and ground-based monitoring for electromagnetic and ionospheric precursors of earthquakes, as well as those still under construction. It is an excellent text for courses and contains a wealth of information for those scientists working in the field of natural disaster reduction."--Jacket Content: Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Coronaviridae: a review of coronaviruses and toroviruses....Pages 1-54 Coronavirus infections in veterinary medicine....Pages 55-69 Severe acute respiratory syndrome: clinical features....Pages 71-85 SARS coronavirus infection: pathology and pathogenesis of an emerging virus disease....Pages 87-99 Genome organization and structural aspects of the SARS-related virus....Pages 101-128 Virological laboratory diagnosis of SARS....Pages 129-144 Performance evaluation of a Bayer Healthcare Diagnostics research-based SARS coronavirus assay....Pages 145-158 Current status of therapy of SARS....Pages 159-171 Coronavirus main proteinase: target for antiviral drug therapy....Pages 173-199 Environmental survival and microbicide inactivation of coronaviruses....Pages 201-212 Disease management strategies in SARS....Pages 213-226 Back Matter....Pages 227-232 The outbreak of SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome), an atypical pneumonia, has received much attention and coverage by the media and has consequently had a high impact on the public. The infectivity and route of transmission of the disease appear unusual, and it turned out to be a highly relevant threat for medical staff. This monograph provides comprehensive information on the newest insights into the SARS epidemic and the responsible infectious agent. Background information on Coronaviridae (coronavirus/torovirus) and coronavirus/torovirus-associated infections in humans and animals is also given. The volume will be a valuable source of information for researchers and clinicians in virology, epidemiology and biomedicine. -SARS has received much attention and coverage by the media and has a high impact on the public making this a hot research topic for scientists. - This work explains the variations of near-Earth plasma observed over seismically active areas several days/hours before strong seismic shocks