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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.

  • Transport And Diffusion Across Cell Membranes

    • 1st Edition
    • Wilfred Stein
    • English
    Transport and Diffusion across Cell Membranes is a comprehensive treatment of the transport and diffusion of molecules and ions across cell membranes. This book shows that the same kinetic equations (with appropriate modification) can describe all the specialized membrane transport systems: the pores, the carriers, and the two classes of pumps. The kinetic formalism is developed step by step and the features that make a system effective in carrying out its biological role are highlighted. This book is organized into six chapters and begins with an introduction to the structure and dynamics of cell membranes, followed by a discussion on how the membrane acts as a barrier to the transmembrane diffusion of molecules and ions. The following chapters focus on the role of the membrane's protein components in facilitating transmembrane diffusion of specific molecules and ions, measurements of diffusion through pores and the kinetics of diffusion, and the structure of such pores and their biological regulation. This book methodically introduces the reader to the carriers of cell membranes, the kinetics of facilitated diffusion, and cotransport systems. The primary active transport systems are considered, emphasizing the pumping of an ion (sodium, potassium, calcium, or proton) against its electrochemical gradient during the coupled progress of a chemical reaction while a conformational change of the pump enzyme takes place. This book is of interest to advanced undergraduate students, as well as to graduate students and researchers in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, and biophysics.

  • Comparative Nutrition Of Man and Domestic Animals

    • 1st Edition
    • H Mitchell
    • English
    Comparative Nutrition of Man and Domestic Animals, Volume I discusses practical phases in the evaluation of the nutrient requirements of man and his domesticated animals and the factors that modify these quanta. This book also covers various nutrients' biochemical nature, functions, and participation in the energy transactions of the body. Organized into 11 chapters, the book initially discusses the principles of the basal metabolism and the activity increment and their role in evaluating maintenance requirement of human and animal for energy. The subsequent chapter focuses on the maintenance requirement of protein under stress and non-stress conditions. Other chapters discuss nutrient requirements for maintenance, such as water and minerals. The book also examines the nutrient requirements for muscle activities, growth, senescence, reproduction, and lactation. A discussion on the storage of nutritive material, such as water, protein, minerals, vitamins, and energy, is included. This volume is an invaluable source for organic chemists, biochemists, animal physiologists, zoologists, and nutritionists.

  • Interferons

    • 1st Edition
    • Thomas Merigan
    • English
    Interferons documents the proceedings of a major international conference on Chemistry and Biology of Interferons: Relationship to Therapeutics held at Squaw Valley, California, in March 1982. The meeting was one of the 1982 UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology organized through the Molecular Biology Institute of the University of California at Los Angeles. The book is organized into four parts. Part I presents papers on recombinant DNA production of interferon. It includes studies on the synthesis of human immune interferon in E. coli and monkey cells; the expression of human β interferon gene in heterologous cells; and the molecular activities of recombinant and hybrid leukocyte interferons. Part II deals with the biology of interferons, covering topics such as interferon production control process; the effect of interferon on cellular enzymes; and human amniotic interferon. Part III examines the factors relevant to clinical application of interferons, including structure-function studies with human interferon-gamma and on human alpha interferon. Part IV presents clinical studies of interferon, such as interferon α trials in human tumor diseases and interferon in renal transplant recipients.

  • The Physiology of Insecta V5

    • 2nd Edition
    • Morris Rockstein
    • English
    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.

  • Spore Research 1976 V2

    • 1st Edition
    • A.N. Barker
    • English
    Spore Research 1976, Volume II presents some of the papers reported at the meeting of British Spore Group held at the University of Leeds in December 1975. Organized into four headings, this volume focuses on aspects of heat and radiation resistance, germination, outgrowth, taxonomy, and ecology of spore formers. Specific discussions are given on the role of osmoregulation in the heat resistance, radiobiological evidence for the existence of dehydrated core in bacterial spores, some ecological implications of the diversity of spore-forming bacteria, and other topics relating to a specific spore former.

  • Molecular Biology of RNA Tumor Viruses

    • 1st Edition
    • John Stephenson
    • English
    Molecular Biology of RNA Tumor Viruses deals with the molecular biology and biologic significance of RNA tumor viruses. Methods and procedures with broad application to diverse areas of molecular biology, including cell culture procedures, competition radioimmunoassays, molecular hybridization, oligonucleotide mapping, heteroduplex mapping, and restriction endonuclease techniques, are considered. This book is organized into 12 chapters and begins with a historical overview of tumor virology beginning with the early studies of Peyton Rous and leading up to the significant surge of activity during the later decade. The biology of endogenous retroviruses, their transmission both within and between species, and cellular regulatory factors influencing their expression are subsequently discussed. This book then addresses the nature and origin of transforming RNA viruses and gives a detailed review of knowledge concerning the genomic structure of type C viruses. Translational products encoded by the type C viral genome are examined in ensuing chapters, emphasizing the viral reverse transcriptase. Other mammalian retroviruses, including the mouse mammary tumor virus and type D isolates of primates, are also described. The book concludes by evaluating the possibility of direct etiologic involvement of either endogenous or exogenous RNA tumor viruses in human cancers. This book will be of value both to graduate students and to established investigators with specific interest in other aspects of molecular biology.

  • Animal Population Ecology

    • 1st Edition
    • J Dempster
    • English
    Animal Population Ecology focuses on the interaction between the various factors that affect an animal population. Population ecology is the study of the factors that determine the abundance of species and is concerned with the identification and mode of action of those environmental factors that cause fluctuations in population size and of those which determine the extent of these fluctuations. Organized into 11 chapters, the book initially examines some of the basic ideas about animal populations and defines many of the terms used by population ecologists. Then, it describes the action of the most important factors affecting population size. The interaction between these factors is demonstrated in chapters 8 and 9, wherein the results from studies of a few selected species are presented in detail. Finally, chapters 10 and 11 cover the development of generalized theories of population dynamics and their application to practical problems. With a strong focus on intensive study of animal populations in the field, rather than elaborate theories, the book will be helpful to population ecologists, animal researchers, teachers, and students.

  • Liquid Scintillation Counting Recent Applications and Development

    Sample Preparation And Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Chin-Tzu Peng
    • English
    Liquid Scintillation Counting: Recent Applications and Development, Volume II. Sample Preparation and Applications documents the proceedings of the International Conference on Liquid Scintillation Counting, Recent Applications and Development, held on August 21-24, 1979 at the University of California, San Francisco. The conference brought together 180 scientists from 15 countries who share a common interest in promoting a better understanding of liquid scintillation science and technology. Liquid scintillation counting is one branch of nuclear metrology that many scientists of various disciplines use in tracing and quantification in their investigatory studies. The proceedings, consisting of 14 sections, include 76 of the 77 invited and contributed papers presented at the conference. The first volume contains 37 papers mainly dealing with the physical aspects of liquid scintillation science and technology. The present volume contains papers that cover sample preparation, flow counting, and emulsion (solgel) counting. It also includes studies on applications of liquid scintillation counting, such as chemiluminescence and bioluminescence, environmental monitoring, and biomedical and radioimmunoassays.

  • Fearing Food

    Risk, Health and Environment
    • 1st Edition
    • Julian Morris + 1 more
    • English
    Environmental and consumer activists have for a long time blamed pesticides, fertilizers and other aspects of intensive farming for causing environmental degradation and human disease. Yet, as the authors in this book show, intensive farming has enabled growth in food production at a rate greater than population growth, thereby ensuring that people are better fed than ever before, whilst simultaneously limiting the effect of farming on the environment.The authors debunk numerous pervasive myths, including:Myth: Pesticides are bad for the environment and bad for human healthFact: Synthetic pesticides enable the production of large quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables, which means that people are better protected against cancer. In addition, the synthetic pesticides themselves are often less toxic than natural pesticides. Overall, synthetic pesticides present a net gain in health terms.Myth: Antibiotic resistance in animals is spreading to humans.Fact: The use of antibiotics in young animals keeps meat prices low and does not materially contribute to antibiotic resistance in humans.Myth: Nitrate fertilizers are a threat to human health.Fact: Nitrate fertilizers are probably beneficial to human health.Myth: Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are bad for the environment and bad for our health.Fact: Many environmental problems associated with agriculture can be reduced by using GMOs, which have the potential to improve yields and quality which simultaneously reducing associated inputs, such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. Commercially produced GM foodcrops have no known impacts on human health and future GM foodcrops are likely to have health benefits (enabling such things as low-fat chips/french fries and non-allergenic peanuts).Myth: Instances of food poisoning would be reduced if we had more regulations.Fact: Instances of food poisoning in the UK may have been exacerbated by over-cautious government regulation.Myth: Subsidies are needed to order to ensure that food and fish are produced in environmentally sound ways.Fact: Subsidies to fisheries and farming have caused widespread environmental degradation.Myth: Packaging and transporting food is environmentally unfriendly.Fact: Packaging enhances the shelf life of products and reduces wastage during transport. Transporting food allows society to take advantage of different environmental and socio-economic conditions that exist in different places.

  • The Molecular Biology of Ciliated Protozoa

    • 1st Edition
    • Joseph Gall
    • English
    The Molecular Biology of Ciliated Protozoa covers topics that are unique to ciliates, including major molecular progress, genetics, life history, and development of ciliates. Organized into 11 chapters, it focuses on the importance of ciliated protozoa as experimental organisms. The introductory chapter traces the ups and downs of ciliate biology, emphasizing the prominent role of the ciliates in early studies of cell structure, reproduction, and heredity. The book goes on to discuss ciliate genetics and conjugation, providing the basic biological framework for molecular studies of ciliate. Chapters 4 and 5 cover the nuclear DNA content, sequence, and arrangement of holotrichous and hypotrich ciliates. Chapters 6 to 9 examine the characterization of chromosomal telomeres, ribosomal gene amplification, and chromatin and histone structure using ciliated protozoa as experimental organisms. The final two chapters describe the mating mechanism of two ciliates, Blepharisma japonicum and Euplotes raikovi, and the function of surface antigens of Paramecium ciliate. The book is intended for students and investigators who want to learn more about the ciliated protozoa, particularly, in areas that cover fundamental features of eukaryotic biology.

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