This book publication wouldn't have been successful without the helping hands of many individuals. I would like to thank John Berg, Clint Bowman, Jae Chung, Meghasree Dey, Dibyendu Narayan Ghosh, Linn Hergert, Clint Lamoreaux, Joseph Mailhot, Robert Peters, Katherine Porter, Selma Thagard, Sandra Tully, and staff members at the Timberland Regional Library in the City of Lacey, Washington, who helped to prepare the manuscript, proofread the text, provided reference materials, figures, graphics for the book, and made the book more readable for students. Also, I want to acknowledge my teachers, professors, and my classmates in India, my doctoral and postdoctoral advisors, mentors, and colleagues in England and United States for their encouragement, noble efforts, dedication and integrity to their professions, and exemplary lifestyle.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Bob Esposito, Associate Publisher at Wiley for accepting the idea of this textbook; Beryl Mesiadhas, Senior Project Editor; Devi Ignasi, Production Editor; Michael Leventhal; and the entire editorial and publishing team at Wiley.