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Elsevier Science

Endocytosis and Exocytosis
1st Edition
Volume 4
A.G. Lee
English
Volume 4 of Biomembranes covers endocytosis, exocytosis and related processes. A major role of the plasma membrane is as a permeability barrier, keeping the inside of the cell inside and the outside, outside. Mechanisms must then exist to allow movement of material between the cell and its environment. One mechanism for export from the cell is by exocytosis, a process in which the membranes of secretory vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane releasing the contents of the vesicle into the extracellular medium. The process has been studied in particular depth for the release of neurotransmitters at the synapse. Import into the cell is possible by the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis in which selected plasma membrane proteins are internalizes; when these proteins are receptors for macromolecules, the result is uptake of the macromolecule. Transferring, the low-density lipoprotein, and asialoglycoproteins are all taken up into cells in this way. Phagocytosis, the ingestion of cells and cell fragments by neutrophils and macrophages, also involves receptors - on the phagocytic membrane - of which the best studied are those for the Fc domain of IgG, for the third component of complement, and for the mannose/fructose carbohydrates. Protection of a host against infection can also be achieved by damaging the integrity of the plasma membrane of the invading organism. This is the strategy evolved by the cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which produce a pore-forming toxin, perforin. Volume 4 of Biomembranes explores the structures and mechanisms involved in these biologically and medically important processes.
Quantification and Prediction of Hydrocarbon Resources
1st Edition
Volume 6
A.G. Doré + 1 more
English
The oil price shocks of the mid-1980s and their aftermath created radical changes in the petroleum industry, and underlined the need for reliable information on petroleum resources. Integration between the disciplines of petroleum geology, exploration geophysics, reservoir/petroleum engineering and economics became a necessity for resource management and strategic planning. This volume is designed to bring together some of the best techniques evolved to meet these challenges. The very broad scope of the volume, ranging from the macro (global) to micro (field and prospect) level, provides an overview of the thought processes currently prevalent in the industry and academia on the subject of resource quantification and prediction.This is one of the first books to cover the extensive assembly of hydrocarbon quantification and prediction techniques - of value to petroleum industry management, geoscientists, engineers and economists. Containing hundreds of illustrations, some in colour, the book is arranged in 26 chapters with a detailed subject index. Many service companies and university departments with links to the industry will also find much to interest them.
ATPases
1st Edition
Volume 5
A.G. Lee
English
Volume 5 of Biomembranes covers an important group of membrane proteins, the ATPases. The P-type ATPases couple the hydrolysis of ATP to the movement of ions across a membrane and are characterized by the formation of a phosphoyrlated intermediate. Included are the plasma membrane and muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ -ATPases, the (Na+ -K+) -ATPase, the gastric (H+ -K+) -ATPase, the plasma membrane H+ -ATPase of fungi and plants, the Mg2+ - transport ATPase, the Salmonella typhimurium, and the K+ -ATPase of Escherichia coli, KdpB. The other important classes of ATPase in eukaryotic systems are the vacuolar H+ -ATPases and the F0F1 ATP synthase, and, in bacteria, the anion-translocating ATPases, responsible for resistance to arsenicals and antimonials, and the (Na+ -Mg2+) -ATPase of Acholeplasma. Finally, eukaryotic systems contain a variety of ectonucleotidases important, for example, in hydrolysis of extracellular ATP released as a cotransmitter from cholinergic and adrenergic nerve terminals. Volume 5 of Biomembranes explores structure-function relationships for these mebrane-bound ATPases.
Advances in Low-Temperature Biology
1st Edition
Volume 3
P.L. Steponkus
English
Some Aspects of the Aging Process
1st Edition
Volume 1
P.S. Timiras + 1 more
English
In this volume, it is attempted to combine two approaches: the first chapters deal with cellular, endocrine, cardiovascular, and neural aging with emphasis on molecular and genetic mechanisms, while the last chapters deal with medical and physciatric interventions. Indeed, the two approaches are not only complementary but they may provide an integrated understanding of the aging process.The elderly are particularly heterogeneous in terms of physiologic competence and pathologic involvement: "successful"aging is clearly distinguishable from "usual" aging. Therefore, progress in molecular biology and genetics can be extremely helpful in indicating appropriate regimens for continuing "wellness" and disease treatment for each aged individual, perhaps more so for the old than for any other age period of the life span. Studies such as the current Human Genome Project are expected to identify genes responsible for rare, obscure diseases and, more importantly, to provide guidelines for optimizing the physiologic potential of all individuals, particularly the elderly. Medicine as it is currently practices may be viewed as a "mass" medicine: everyone receives the same regimen for maintenance of good health and the same treatment for the same diseases. Yet, we know that all diseases do not manifest in the same manner in all individuals, and, in the elderly, symptoms of a given disease often differ markedly from those in the young and adults. Many of these differences depend on the genes with which each individual is born; for example, genes which are adversely affected by excessive smoking or nutrition or lack of physical exercise and poor hygienic habits. The impact of our advancing knowledge of genetics will make it possible to discover which genes are in which form in a particular individual and use this information to refine and individualize prevention and treatment. In other words, in a not too distant future, we may witness a shift from "mass" to "custom" medicine. The individuals most likely to benefit from customized medicine are the elderly, often afflicted simultaneously with multiple diseases and with the side effects of polypharmacy. By presenting a book in which we have included chapters in both basic and clinical studies, we have taken a modest but innovative step toward strengthening communication between molecular and medical sciences.
Immunobiology
1st Edition
Volume 6
Edward Bittar
English
As this volume demonstrates, immunobiology is a young science which is undergoing explosive growth. Judged by results, it is already an elaborate discipline which cuts across every other area in biomedical research and even has its own vocabolary (e.g., the "veto" effect). Rather than inculcate the habit of superficial learning by having the student go through a maze of details, we have sought to gather together sixteen essays that range from T-cells to psyhoneuroimmunology... This is keeping with the growing understanding that the student is expected to read and think far more for herself/himself.Next to nothing is known about innate immunity. However, recent evidence suggests that collectins might bridge the gap between innate immunity and specific clonal immune responses. Collectins are soluble effector proteins that include serum mannose-binding protein, and lung surfactants A and D. They are considered to be ante-antibodies.
Chemical Factors in Neural Growth, Degeneration and Repair
1st Edition
C. Bell
English
This volume provides an up-to-date survey of current thinking concerning the actions of chemical factors in the regulation of neuronal behaviour under normal and pathological conditions. The book is divided into four sections, dealing with chemical factors involved with the formation of axon pathways, factors involved with neuronal survival and specialization during normal development, factors involved in normal maintenance and repair of adult neurons and, finally, factors that have been implicated as mediators of degenerative changes in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Equilibria and Dynamics of Gas Adsorption on Heterogeneous Solid Surfaces
1st Edition
Volume 104
W.A. Steele + 2 more
English
The fact that the surfaces of real solids are geometrically distorted and chemically non-uniform has long been realized by the scientists investigating various phenomena occurring on solid surfaces. Even in the case when diffraction experiments show a well-organized bulk solid structure, the surface atoms or molecules will usually exhibit a much smaller degree of surface organization. In addition to the results obtained from electron diffraction, this can be seen in the impressive images obtained from STM and AFM microscopies. This geometric and chemical disorder is the source of the energetic heterogeneity for molecules adsorbing on real solid surfaces. Hundreds of papers have been published showing that this heterogeneity is a major factor in determining the behaviour of real adsorption systems.Studies of adsorption on energetically heterogeneous surfaces have proceeded along three somewhat separate paths, with only minor coupling of ideas. One was the study of adsorption equilibria on heterogeneous solid surfaces. The second path was the study of time evolution of adsorption processes such as surface diffusion or adsorption-desorptio... kinetics on heterogeneous surfaces, and the third was the study of adsorption in porous solids, or more generally, adsorption in systems with limited dimensions. The present monograph is a first attempt to provide a synthesis of the ways that surface geometric and energetic heterogeneities affect both the equilibria and the time evolution of adsorption on real solids. The book contains 17 chapters written by a team of internationally recognized specialists, some of whom have already published books on adsorption.
Side Effects of Drugs Annual
1st Edition
Volume 19
English
The very latest information on adverse drug effects from the international literature, compiled by an international team of experts.New reports are presented of adverse drug effects, critically analysed in context, in terms of clinical relevance and importance, and cross-referring to previous reports where necessary. New adverse effects are reported and evaluated, and previously reported adverse effects are re-evaluated in the light of the most recent information.Unique features:Reviews in which selected adverse effects are discussed in depth.Two separate indexes enhance the use of the book, allowing the reader to access information by drug name or by, adverse effects.
Vertisols and Technologies for their Management
1st Edition
Volume 24
N. Ahmad + 1 more
English
Vertisols, one of the eleven established soil orders, are clay soils with unusual and interesting properties. They cover more than 350 million hectares of land in the world and in tropical Africa alone there are over 100 million hectares. Because of their very small particle size and high surface area, these soils have higher physical and chemical reactivity than other soils. Their interaction with agrochemicals/indust... wastes, has been, increasingly, the subject of research especially in the last two decades. Vertisols create special problems when used for engineering purposes.This book is intended to provide comprehensive and state-of-the-art information about Vertisols worldwide. Special attention is given to the use and management of soils such as fertilizer use, crop selection, soil tillage, water restriction on land including irrigation, and soil erosion. A special chapter has been added to deal with geotechnical engineering of Vertisols.Vertisols have great potential for agricultural production but many, especially in the developing world, are underutilized due to a lack of understanding regarding their behaviour and management.This book is written by leading scientists worldwide. It is expected that this monograph will be of great use to soil scientists and agronomists, graduate and senior graduate students.Improvement of their management may solve the current food deficiency in the world.

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