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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.

    • Microcirculation as Related to Shock

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • David Shepro
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 3 4 0 1 4
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 5 7 1 3 1
      Microcirculation as Related to Shock contains the proceedings of the 1967 Conference on the Microcirculation as Related to Shock held at Boston University. Contributors address reduced blood flow in the microcirculation and microcirculatory hypoperfusion as the focal point of shock. They also review significant progress in shock research, basic cardiovascular physiology, and cognate interdisciplinary fields. This volume is organized into four sections encompassing 26 chapters and begins with an overview of organs and systems involved in shock, including splanchnic circulation, regulatory mechanisms in shock, and microcirculatory studies in hypotension. The next chapters explore the causative factors that produce the state of low blood flow as found in shock, and whether microcirculatory hypoperfusion in humans can be prevented and treated. The book also discusses whether microcirculatory hypoperfusion can be measured in the patient and concludes with an assessment of promising avenues for further research, emphasizing the measurement of blood viscosity, shear stress, and rheological factors as indices of the degree of hypotension. This book is a valuable source of information for physiologists, biologists, and pathologists, as well as those involved in the medical sciences.
    • Water Relations of Plants

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Paul J Kramer
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 3 9 5 9 2 1 8
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 3 8 2 3 9
      Water Relations of Plants attempts to explain the importance of water through a description of the factors that control the plant water balance and how they affect the physiological processes that determine the quantity and quality of growth. Organized into 13 chapters, this book first discusses the functions and properties of water and the plant cell water relations. Subsequent chapters focus on measurement and control of soil water, as well as growth and functions of root. This book also looks into the water absorption, the ascent of sap, the transpiration, and the water stress and its effects on plant processes and growth. This book will be useful for students, teachers, and investigators in both basic and applied plant science, as well as for botanists, agronomists, foresters, horticulturists, soil scientists, and even laymen with an interest in plant water relations.
    • The Study of Prosimian Behavior

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • G.A. Doyle
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • Hardback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 2 2 2 1 5 0 7
      • eBook
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      The Study of Prosimian Behavior aims to provide as complete coverage as possible to the field of prosimian behavior. Organized into 14 chapters, the book begins with the classification of the prosimians, followed by the phylogenetic aspects of prosimian behavior. It also explains the development of behavior, learning, intelligence, and vocal and olfactory communications in prosimians. Furthermore, the book looks into the prosimian reproduction; how the various prosimian species handle the production and rearing of the young; diet and ecology of prosimians; role of vision in prosimian behavior; and prosimian locomotor behavior.
    • Microprobe Analysis of Biological Systems

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Thomas Hutchinson
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 1 2 2 1 0
      • Hardback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 3 6 2 8 8 0 0
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 5 0 1 9 4
      Microprobe Analysis of Biological Systems covers the proceedings of the 1980 Microprobe Analysis of Biological Systems conference held at Battelle Conference Center in Seattle, Washington. Most of the major laboratories in the field of biological microanalysis in the United States, England, Scotland, France, and Germany are represented. The conference presents the findings, theories, techniques, and procedures of the laboratory represented, no matter how tentative and exploratory. This book is divided into four parts encompassing 22 chapters that focus on biological applications of microprobe analysis. The introductory part describes the application of electron microprobe and X-ray microanalyses in studies of epithelial transport, avian salt gland, electrolyte transport, and acrosome reaction. The subsequent part covers the application of microprobe techniques in the analysis of cardiac, skeletal, vascular smooth, and freeze-dried muscles. It also describes a method for obtaining erythrocyte preparations for validating biological microprobe methods and the continuum-fluorescen... effect on thick biological tissue. The method using freeze-substitution to localize calcium in quick-frozen tissue for X-ray microanalysis is also explained. The third part of the book tackles the principles, basic features, and applications of electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Discussions on the use of inner-shell signals for a quantitative local microanalysis technique; theoretical study of the energy resolution; and collection efficiency of a magnetic spectrometer are also included. The final part covers the elemental distribution in single erythrocytes using X-ray microanalysis. It also discusses the fundamentals of cryosectioning process for X-ray microanalysis of diffusible elements and the freezing behavior of a number of chemically different gels chosen for their partial resemblance to biological structures. Considerable chapters contain materials and methods, results, discussions, conclusions, and references. This book will be of value to scientists interested in elemental and ion transport within cells and between cells and extracellular compartments.
    • Analysis of Growth: Behavior of Plants and Their Organs VA

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • F.C. Steward
      • English
      • eBook
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      Plant Physiology, Volume VA: Analysis of Growth: Behavior of Plants and their Organs describes the main events of growth as seen through the behavior of plants and their organs at an organismal level. This book discusses the quantitative interpretation of growth; the effects of environmental factors; the treatment of tropism; and the effects of many exogenous growth-regulating compounds. Organized into five chapters, the book initially describes mathematically the plant growth mechanisms as they relate to the factors that determine morphogenesis. The text also discusses methods for assessing the effects of external conditions and of age on certain important physiological aspects of plant growth. The subsequent chapter deals with phyllotaxis as a selected aspect of the interpretation of growth and form. The third chapter describes various phototropically and geotropically sensitive systems impinge upon on plant growth. This chapter also covers some reversible nastic movements of organs and the tactic movements of free swimming cells. The next chapter deals with relations between the chemical structure of synthetic compounds and their biological action. The last chapter focuses on the modulation of growth and development by features of the environment and also upon experimental manipulation and under controlled conditions of growth. This volume is an invaluable resource for plant biologists, physiologists, and researchers.
    • Biology of Hydra

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Allson Burnett
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • Hardback
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      • eBook
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      Biology of Hydra covers eight areas of Hydra biology, particularly, its behavior and ecology; polarity; gastrodermal and epidermal regeneration; differentiation of nervous elements; cell proliferation and morphogenesis; and mesoglea. This book describes, in particular, the various aspects of Hydra's behavior, not obvious in casual observation, as well as the animal’s feeding and digestion. It also looks into the contribution of interstitial cells to the regenerative process in Hydra; the ultrastructural changes during dedifferentiation and redifferentiation in the regenerating, isolated gastrodermis; regeneration from isolated epidermal explants; and regeneration of a Hydra containing no interstitial cells from an isolated basal disc. Furthermore, the book explains the grafting of the gastrodermis of Hydra viridis to the epidermis of Hydra pseudoligactis, and the results of such agraft on two animals sectioned for histological study. It examines the role of the neoblast in regeneration and the ultrastructure of Hydra’s nervous system. The book also explores Hydra’s growth and the contribution of cell proliferation to net growth and maintenance of form.
    • The Physiology of Insecta V5

      • 2nd Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Morris Rockstein
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 3 8 0 0 5
      • Hardback
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      • eBook
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      The Physiology of Insecta, Second Edition, Volume V, is part of a multivolume treatise that brings together the known facts, the controversial material, and the many unresolved and unsettled problems of insect physiology. It features chapters written by the outstanding workers in each of a wide range of insect function areas. It is designed to meet a manifest need, which has arisen from the phenomenal increase in research activity on insects, for an authoritative, comprehensive reference work in insect physiology. The book begins with a discussion of insect nutrition. This is followed by separate chapters on the physiology of digestion and absorption; the factors affecting insect heart rates; the electrical properties of the insect heart; and the hemocytes of insects. Subsequent chapters cover the physiological role and the adaptive significance of the main biochemical constituents of insect hemolymph; salt and water balance in insects; defense reactions in insects; and microsomal mixed-function oxidases.
    • Sensory Evaluation Practices

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Herbert Stone
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Sensory Evaluation Practices examines the principles and practices of sensory evaluation. It describes methods and procedures for the analysis of results from sensory tests; explains the reasons for selecting a particular procedure or test method; and discusses the organization and operation of a testing program, the design of a test facility, and the interpretation of results. Comprised of three parts encompassing nine chapters, this volume begins with an overview of sensory evaluation: what it does; how, where, and for whom; and its origin in physiology and psychology. It then discusses measurement, psychological errors in testing, statistics, test strategy, and experimental design. The reader is also introduced to the discrimination, descriptive, and affective methods of testing, along with the criteria used to select a specific method, procedures for data analysis, and the communication of actionable results. The book concludes by looking at problems where sensory evaluation is applicable, including correlation of instrumental and sensory data, measurement of perceived efficacy, storage testing, and product optimization. This book is a valuable resource for sensory professionals, product development and production specialists, research directors, technical managers, and professionals involved in marketing, marketing research, and advertising.
    • Seed Germination, Ontogeny, and Shoot Growth

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • T.T. Kozlowski
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Growth and Development of Trees, Volume I: Seed Germination, Ontogeny, and Shoot Growth is a part of a two-volume treatise, which characterizes important features of growth and development of trees and other woody plants during their life cycles. Organized into eight chapters, this book describes the important events in growth of the perennial woody plant. This volume highlights the significant changes that take place in vegetative and reproductive growth as woody plants progress from juvenility to adulthood and, finally, to a senescent state. This book also describes the effects of external and internal controls of vegetative and reproductive growth. Considerable attention is given to important spatial and temporal variations in growth. This book will be useful to academicians as well as to those involved in the practice of growing trees and other woody plants for fruit crops or wood, as well as for esthetic reasons.
    • Liquid Crystals and Biological Structures

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Glenn Brown
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 6 0 3 0 8
      Liquid Crystals & Biological Structures covers analogies between biological structures and behavior of living cells to liquid crystalline structures and their behavior. It emphasizes that the physical state of the matter involved in life processes is to a great extent liquid crystalline. The first chapters discuss the physical, chemical, structural, and optical properties of liquid crystals, as well as the structure of the principal molecules associated with life systems. The core chapters cover selected cellular structures exhibiting liquid crystalline behavior to emphasize the nature of various cellular membranes, from the cell membranes to the receptors and effectors. The book also considers differentiated organelles of the cell that are specialized for photoreception, including chloroplasts for photosynthesis, the retinal photoreceptors of the eye, and the rods and cones for visual excitation. This book is suited for students and bioscientists who are interested in the potential of the liquid crystalline state in exploring a variety of biological phenomena.