Steppes form one of the largest biomes. Drastic changes in steppe ecology, land use and livelihoods came with the emergence, and again with the collapse, of communist states. Excessive ploughing and vast influx of people into the steppe zone led to a strong decline in nomadic pastoralism in the Soviet Union and China and in severely degraded steppe ecosystems. In Mongolia nomadic pastoralism persisted, but steppes degraded because of strongly increased livestock loads. After the Soviet collapse steppes regenerated on huge tracts of fallow land. Presently, new, restorative steppe land management schemes are applied. On top of all these changes come strong effects of climate change in the northern part of the steppe zone. This book gives an up-to-date overview of changes in ecology, climate and use of the entire Eurasian steppe area and their effects on livelihoods of steppe people. It integrates knowledge that so far was available only in a spectrum of locally used languages.

An overview of the current systems biology-based knowledge and the experimental approaches for deciphering the biological basis of cancer.

Cultural Writing. Edited by Graziella Parati and Ben Lawton. ITALIAN CULTURAL STUDIES includes selected essays written by participants of the Italian Cultural Studies Symposium at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH on October 29-31, 1999. These essays examine the notion of cultural studies-both Italian and others. What is cultural studies? Why should we study it? How should we teach it? What is its relation to traditional language studies? Contributors include Norma Bouchard, Joseph A. Buttigieg, Sandra Carletti, Roberto Maria Dainotto, Nathalie Hester, Sarah Patricia Hill, Irene Kacandes, Giancarlo Lombardi, Daniela Orlandi, Marie Orton, Nicoletta Pireddu, Adrian W.B. Randolph, Maria Galli Stampino, and Rebecca West. Perfectbound.

"This is the colorful and dramatic biography of two of America's most controversial entrepreneurs: Moses Louis Annenberg, 'the racing wire king, ' who built his fortune in racketeering, invested it in publishing, and lost much of it in the biggest tax evasion case in United States history; and his son, Walter, launcher of TV Guide and Seventeen magazines and former ambassador to Great Britain."--Jacket.