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Books in Agricultural and biological sciences

The Agricultural and Biological Sciences collection advances science-based knowledge for the improvement of animal and plant life and for secure food systems that produce nutritious, novel, sustainable foods with minimal environmental impact. Food Science titles include not only those products from agriculture but all other aspects from food production to nutrition, health and safety, chemistry to security, policy, law and regulation. Biological Sciences address animal behaviour and biodiversity, organismal and evolutionary biology, entomology, marine biology and aquaculture, plant science and forestry.

  • From an Antagonistic to a Synergistic Predator Prey Perspective

    Bifurcations in Marine Ecosystem
    • 1st Edition
    • March 11, 2014
    • Tore Johannessen
    • English
    From an Antagonistic to a Synergistic Predator Prey Perspective: Bifurcations in Marine Ecosystems is a groundbreaking reference that challenges the widespread perception that predators generally have a negative impact on the abundance of their prey, and it proposes a novel paradigm — Predator-prey Synergism — in which both predator and prey enhance abundance by their co-existence. Using this model, the text explains a number of issues that appear paradoxical in the case of a negative predator-prey relationship, including observed ecosystem bifurcations (regime shifts), ecosystem resilience, red tides in apparently nutrient depleted water, and the dominance of grazed phytoplankton over non-grazed species under high grazing pressure. This novel paradigm can also be used to predict the potential impact of global warming on marine ecosystems, identify how marine ecosystem may respond to gradual environmental changes, and develop possible measures to mitigate the negative impact of increasing temperature in marine ecosystems. This book approaches the long-standing question of what generates recruitment variability in marine fishes and invertebrates in an engaging and unique way that students and researchers in marine ecosystems will understand.

  • Aging

    Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants
    • 1st Edition
    • March 5, 2014
    • Victor R. Preedy
    • English
    Aging: Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants bridges the trans-disciplinary divide and covers in a single volume the science of oxidative stress in aging and the potentially therapeutic use of natural antioxidants in the diet or food matrix. The processes within the science of oxidative stress are described in concert with other processes, such as apoptosis, cell signaling, and receptor mediated responses. This approach recognizes that diseases are often multifactorial, and oxidative stress is a single component of this. Gerontologists, geriatricians, nutritionists, and dieticians are separated by divergent skills and professional disciplines that need to be bridged in order to advance preventative as well as treatment strategies. While gerontologists and geriatricians may study the underlying processes of aging, they are less likely to be conversant in the science of nutrition and dietetics. On the other hand, nutritionists and dietitians are less conversant with the detailed clinical background and science of gerontology. This book addresses this gap and brings each of these disciplines to bear on the processes inherent in the oxidative stress of aging.

  • Human Milk Biochemistry and Infant Formula Manufacturing Technology

    • 1st Edition
    • February 28, 2014
    • English
    Since infant formula substitutes for human milk, its composition must match that of human milk as closely as possible. Quality control of infant formula is also essential to ensure product safety, as infants are particularly vulnerable food consumers. This book reviews the latest research into human milk biochemistry and best practice in infant formula processing technology and quality control.

  • Regulation of Water and Electrolytes

    • 1st Edition
    • February 26, 2014
    • Peter K.T. Pang
    • English
    Vertebrate Endocrinology: Fundamentals and Biomedical Implications, Volume 2: Regulation of Water and Electrolytes provides information pertinent to vertebrate endocrine systems, which has significant contributions to basic biological and biomedical research. This book discusses the practical implications of the endocrinological studies. Organized into 13 chapters, this volume starts with an overview of the comprehensive aspects of endocrinology in mammalian and nonmammalian vertebrates, with emphasis on those systems that affect salt and water balance. This book then discusses the control of secretion as well as the function and biomedical implications of knowledge of secretion and function. Other chapters discuss several topics, including neurohypophysis, adrenal hormones, and pancreatic hormones. This text discusses as well the renin–angiotensin system. The final chapter deals with the changes that occur during vertebrate evolution in smaller peptide hormones, such as the neurohypophysial peptides and the angiotensins. Endocrinologists, biologists, graduate students, and researchers will find this book extremely useful.

  • Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate

    • 1st Edition
    • February 26, 2014
    • Peter K.T. Pang
    • English

  • Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Abdominal Obesity

    • 1st Edition
    • February 26, 2014
    • Ronald Ross Watson
    • English
    Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Abdominal Obesity focuses on the important roles that exercise, dietary changes, and foods play in promoting as well as reducing visceral fat. Nutritionists, dieticians, and healthcare providers seeking to address the abdominal obesity epidemic will use this comprehensive resource as a tool in their long-term goal of preventing chronic diseases, especially heart, vascular, and diabetic diseases. Experts from a broad range of disciplines are involved in dealing with the consequences of excessive abdominal fat: cardiology, diabetes research, studies of lipids, endocrinology and metabolism, nutrition, obesity, and exercise physiology. They have contributed chapters that define a range of dietary approaches to reducing risk and associated chronic diseases. They begin by defining visceral obesity and its major outcomes; they also discuss the importance and the challenges of dietary approaches to reduce abdominal obesity, as compared to clinical approaches, with major costs and risks.

  • Nutraceutical and Functional Food Regulations in the United States and Around the World

    • 2nd Edition
    • February 25, 2014
    • Debasis Bagchi
    • English
    This fully revised and updated edition begins with insights into the scope, importance and continuing growth opportunities in the nutraceutical and functional food industries and explores the latest regulatory changes and their impacts. The book demonstrates the global scenario of the acceptance and demand for these products and explores the regulatory hurdles and claim substantiation of these foods and dietary supplements, as well as addressing the intricate aspects of manufacturing procedures. As the public gains confidence in the quality of these products based on sophisticated quality control, a broad spectrum of safety studies and GRAS, peer-reviewed publications and cutting-edge human clinical studies have emerged. An increasing number of additional populations around-the-world now recognize the efficacy and functions of nutraceuticals and functional foods as established by those scientific research studies. As a result, a number of structurally and functionally active novel nutraceuticals and several new functional beverages have been introduced into the marketplace around the world.

  • Computational Neuroscience

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 123
    • February 18, 2014
    • English
    Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science provides a forum for discussion of new discoveries, approaches, and ideas in molecular biology. It contains contributions from leaders in their fields and abundant references. This volume brings together different aspects of, and approaches to, molecular and multi-scale modeling, with applications to a diverse range of neurological diseases. Mathematical and computational modeling offers a powerful approach for examining the interaction between molecular pathways and ionic channels in producing neuron electrical activity. It is well accepted that non-linear interactions among diverse ionic channels can produce unexpected neuron behavior and hinder a deep understanding of how ion channel mutations bring about abnormal behavior and disease. Interactions with the diverse signaling pathways activated by G protein coupled receptors or calcium influx adds an additional level of complexity. Modeling is an approach to integrate myriad data sources into a cohesive and quantitative model in order to evaluate hypotheses about neuron function. In particular, a validated model developed using in vitro data allows simulations of the response to in vivo like spatio-temporal patterns of synaptic input. Incorporating molecular signaling pathways into an electrical model, allows a greater range of models to be developed, ones that can predict the response to pharmaceuticals, many of which target neuromodulator pathways.

  • The Produce Contamination Problem

    Causes and Solutions
    • 2nd Edition
    • February 15, 2014
    • Karl Matthews
    • English
    Understanding the causes and contributing factors leading to outbreaks of food-borne illness associated with contamination of fresh produce is a worldwide challenge for everyone from the growers of fresh-cut produce through the entire production and delivery process. The premise of The Produce Contamination Problem is that when human pathogen contamination of fresh produce occurs, it is extremely difficult to reduce pathogen levels sufficiently to assure microbiological safety with the currently available technologies. A wiser strategy would be to avoid crop production conditions that result in microbial contamination to start. These critical, problem-oriented chapters have been written by researchers active in the areas of food safety and microbial contamination during production, harvesting, packing and fresh-cut processing of horticultural crops, and were designed to provide methods of contamination avoidance. Coverage includes policy and practices in the United States, Mexico and Central America, Europe, and Japan.

  • Food Security, Poverty and Nutrition Policy Analysis

    Statistical Methods and Applications
    • 2nd Edition
    • February 13, 2014
    • Suresh Babu + 2 more
    • English
    Food insecurity, the lack of access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life, continues to be a growing problem as populations increase while the world economy struggles. Formulating effective policies for addressing these issues requires thorough understanding of the empirical data and application of appropriate measurement and analysis of that information. Food Security, Poverty and Nutrition Policy Analysis, Second Edition has been revised and updated to include hands-on examples and real-world case studies using the latest datasets, tools and methods. Providing a proven framework for developing applied policy analysis skills, this book is based on over 30 years of food and nutrition policy research at the International Food Policy Research Institute and has been used worldwide to impart the combined skills of statistical data analysis, computer literacy and their use in developing policy alternatives.This book provides core information in a format that provides not only the concept behind the method, but real-world applications giving the reader valuable, practical knowledge.

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