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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.

  • The Fine Structure of Algal Cells

    • 1st Edition
    • John D. Dodge
    • English
    The Fine Structure of Algal Cells is a hybrid between a review and a comprehensive descriptive work on fine structure of algae. Such fine structural data are important for any consideration of the classification of algae and for attempting to analyze their phylogenetic relationships. ”Fine-structure” has provided many vital keys to the understanding of the interrelationships and phylogeny of the algae. Notably, the trend in algal fine structure work is toward use of electron microscopy to try to understand the functions of cells and organelles under both normal and experimental conditions. This book brings together information which has been gathered by electron microscopists. It considers 13 classes of algae: Chlorophyceae, Haptophyceae, Prasinophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chloromonadophyceae, Phaeophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Dinophyceae, Eustigmatophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Xanthophyceae, Rhodophyceae, and Chrysophyceae. It covers the main structural features of the various classes and the organelles present in typical cells. The book also describes the algal cell covering, flagella, pyrenoid, eyespot, nucleus, and ejectile organelles,as well as membranes, envelope, and stroma of algal chloroplasts. Lastly, it also explains the algal cell division. This book will help students visualize and compare algal structure, and at the same time provide enough references so that research workers can enter the literature to find out more precise details from the original sources.
  • The Hormones V2

    Physiology, Chemistry and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Mohhamad Reza Kiani
    • English
    The Hormones: Physiology, Chemistry and Applications, Volume II covers the chemistry, physiology, and clinical applications of the mammalian endocrinology. This volume contains 10 chapters, and begins with discussions on the physiology and the role of ovarian hormones and androgens on vital processes. The subsequent chapters explore the biochemistry, physiology, and metabolism of specific secreted hormones, such as adrenal cortex, thyroid, and posterior pituitary hormones, and gonadotrophins. Other chapters deal also with the chemical control of nervous activity of acetylcholine, adrenaline, sympathin, and neurohormones. The concluding chapter focuses on the clinical applications of the covered hormones and their role in mammalian growth. This book is an invaluable source for mammalian endocrinologists, physiologists, biochemists, and researchers who are interested in mammalian development.
  • Biology of Acetabularia

    • 1st Edition
    • Jean Brachet
    • English
    Biology of Acetabularia covers the proceedings of the First International Symposium on Acetabularia, held in Rhode-Saint-Genese and Mol, Belgium on June 18-20, 1969. The three-day symposium is organized to exchange ideas and information between various laboratories, which are engaged in research on Acetabularia. Comprised of 16 chapters, this book discusses the biological and biochemical aspects of Acetabularia, including DNA and RNA syntheses, regulation of RNA production and enzyme activity, ultrastructure, and photosynthesis. It also examines the effects of physical factors, such as light and gamma-radiations and circadian rhythms, on morphogenesis and metabolism of Acetabularia. Each chapter contains technical problems and conclusions relevant to other researches. The book will be useful for those who work or intend to work on Acetabularia, including biologists, biochemists, molecular biologists, and researchers.
  • Environmental Control of Cell Synthesis and Function

    The 5th International symposium on the Continuous Culture of Micro-Organisms, Held at St. Catherine's College, University of Oxford, July 1971
    • 1st Edition
    • A Dean
    • English
    Environmental Control of Cell Synthesis and Function presents the proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on the Continuous Culture of Micro-organisms, held at St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, on July 19-24, 1971. It reflects the symposium’s four main areas of interest, namely, kinetics of growth, advances in equipment design and operation, influence of environment on the control of cell synthesis, and physico-chemical effects on cell structure and functioning, and some 20 individual topics. With a strong focus on the influence of chemical and physical nature of the growth environment on the structure and functioning of microbial cell, the book starts by presenting the chemostat theory, its validity, extensions, and future challenges. It goes on to discuss the progress in environmental control of continuous culture, the product formation in continuous culture, and internal and external conditions involved in its control. Chapters 3 to 8 explore the hypertrophic and continuously synchronized growths; mixed culture studies with the chemostat; kinetics of growth on aqueous-oil and aqueous-solid dispersed systems; design and operation improvements of the chemostat; and the role of turbidostat. Chapters 9 to 14 focus on the influence of environmental and cellular factors on cell physiology. The concluding chapters discuss the application of continuous culture to research in microbiology, particularly, to problems of microbial physiology. This book is ideal for microbial researchers, microbial physiologists, and cell biologists who are particularly interested in continuous culture techniques.
  • Avian Immunology

    • 2nd Edition
    • Bernd Kaspers + 1 more
    • English
    The second edition of Avian Immunology provides an up-to-date overview of the current knowledge of avian immunology. From the ontogeny of the avian immune system to practical application in vaccinology, the book encompasses all aspects of innate and adaptive immunity in chickens. In addition, chapters are devoted to the immunology of other commercially important species such as turkeys and ducks, and to ecoimmunology summarizing the knowledge of immune responses in free-living birds often in relation to reproductive success. The book contains a detailed description of the avian innate immune system, encompassing the mucosal, enteric, respiratory and reproductive systems. The diseases and disorders it covers include immunodepressive diseases and immune evasion, autoimmune diseases, and tumors of the immune system. Practical aspects of vaccination are examined as well. Extensive appendices summarize resources for scientists including cell lines, inbred chicken lines, cytokines, chemokines, and monoclonal antibodies. The world-wide importance of poultry protein for the human diet, as well as the threat of avian influenza pandemics like H5N1 and heavy reliance on vaccination to protect commercial flocks makes this book a vital resource. This book provides crucial information not only for poultry health professionals and avian biologists, but also for comparative and veterinary immunologists, graduate students and veterinary students with an interest in avian immunology.
  • Biology of Fertilization V2

    Biology of The Sperm
    • 1st Edition
    • Charles Metz
    • English
    Biology of Fertilization, Volume 2: Biology of the Sperm is the second in a three-volume series that brings together various lines of research about reproduction in general and fertilization in particular. It is devoted to spermatogenesis, sperm physiology, and the initial interactions of sperm with egg components. The book is organized into three parts. Part I on spermatogenesis and sperm physiology includes studies on the evolution of the sperm cell; regulatory mechanisms, sperm antigen differentiation, and maturation of sperm in the reproductive tracts in mammals; physicochemical mechanisms of the acrosome filament extrusion process; and enzymes associated with sperm cell function. Part II deals with chemotaxis in microorganisms: bacteria and slime molds. Part III on gamete recognition and binding includes studies on identifying, isolating, and characterizing specific sperm and egg surface components involved in sperm-egg interaction; fertilization in the alga Fucus; fertilization in insects; and the role of lysins in fertilization.
  • Viral Transformation and Endogenous Viruses

    • 1st Edition
    • Albert Kaplan
    • English
    Viral Transformation and Endogenous Viruses is a collection of papers presented at the symposium on ""Viral Transformation and Endogenous Viruses"" held at Vanderbilt University on April 1-2, 1974. Contributors discuss the viral function(s) responsible for the transformation of the cells that are infected with oncogenic viruses, emphasizing the type of changes that characterize transformed cells and the regulatory mechanisms that are altered after malignant transformations. This volume is organized into 10 chapters and begins with an overview of DNA-containing tumor viruses, particularly Simian Virus 40 (SV40) and its mutants with DNA deletions, insertions, and duplications. The integration and transcription of adenovirus DNA is considered, along with the characteristics of temperature-sensitiv... mutants of these viruses. The reader is then introduced to the chemistry and biology of RNA-containing tumor viruses, which are useful reagents to study neoplastic transformation both in vivo and in vitro. A major aspect of these viruses concerns the analysis of their genome at the chemical and genetic levels. The last part of the book is devoted to biochemical and genetic analyses of endogenous viruses isolated from avian cells. This book is a valuable resource for scientists and investigators in fields such as pathology, molecular virology, molecular biology, microbiology, oncology, and biochemistry.
  • Differentiation and Development

    • 1st Edition
    • Fazal Ahmad + 3 more
    • English
    Differentiation and Development is the 15th volume in the continuing series under the title ""Miami Winter Symposia"". This volume summarizes the progress in selected areas of biochemistry and the insights into the molecular basis of biological phenomena. It is divided into 92 chapters that cover topics that represent logical sequel to previous symposia on cloning and genetic manipulation of recombinant DNA. The introductory chapters discuss the discovered RNA phages with particular emphasis on the use of specific and transformed cells to study cell formation and differentiation. Then, the developmental regulation of protein synthesis and hierarchical controls of nucleolar synthetic functions are discussed. This volume also explains the relationship between cellular events, as well as DNA folding and histone organization in chromatin. The effects of phage infection, DNA damage repair in mycoplasmas, and multiple chorion structural genes are also presented. This volume looks into the biological features occurring frequently in cell development and differentiation. It studies differentiation and development of various cancer cells and role of several biomolecules in these processes. It also discusses the 3-D structure of a DNA unwinding protein and the role of prostaglandins in cell proliferation and differentiation. The book explains milk proteins and genes during lactogenesis and induction of surface immunoglobulins by lipopolysaccharides. It also examines the genetic control of milk zinc availability and the development of adult muscles in Drosophila abdomen. The concluding chapters discuss the embryonic gene regulation and biochemical markers for hematopoietic cell differentiation. The origin and significance of tissue-specific histone variant patterns in mammals are explained. Finally, the book covers DNA sequence analysis of chicken ovalbumin gene. Cell biologists, scientists, and researchers, as well as biochemists, teachers, and students will find this book invaluable.
  • Rodent Malaria

    • 1st Edition
    • R. Killick-Kendrick
    • English
    Rodent Malaria reviews significant findings concerning malaria parasites of rodents, including their taxonomy, zoogeography, and evolution, along with life cycles and morphology; genetics and biochemistry; and concomitant infections. This volume is organized into eight chapters and begins by sketching out the history of the discovery of rodent as well as aspects of parasitology, immunology, and chemotherapy. These concepts are investigated two decades following Ignace Vincke's major discovery and Meir Yoeli's successful establishment of the method of cyclical transmission of the parasite. The following chapters focus on the taxonomy and systematics of the subgenus Vinckeia, with reference to the concepts of species and subspecies of animals and the degree to which they apply to malaria parasites, in particular to those of rodents. The discussion then shifts to how the rodent malaria parasites provide a unique insight into the subcellular organization of Plasmodium species, the use of rodent malaria as an experimental model to study immunological responses, and infectious agents that interact with malaria parasites. The book concludes with a chapter on malaria chemotherapy, with emphasis on the value of rodent malaria in antimalarial drug screening and the use of antimalarial drugs as biological probes. This book will be of interest to protozoologists and physicians as well as those from other disciplines including biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, cell biology, and genetics.
  • Variable plants and herbivores in natural and managed systems

    • 1st Edition
    • Robert Denno
    • English
    Variable Plants and Herbivores in Natural and Managed Systems examines individual, population, species, and community responses of herbivores to plant variation, with emphasis on insects, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. It is divided into five parts encompassing 18 chapters that discuss variability as a mechanism of defense used by plants against their parasites and the effects of variability on herbivores at several different levels of complexity. After a brief discussion on plant-herbivore interactions, the first part of this book considers sources of within-plant variation and effects on the distribution and abundance of herbivores. Part II examines interplant variation, the co-evolutionary problems it poses for herbivores, and the ecological and evolutionary responses of these animals. It discusses the effects of host-plant variability on the fitness of sedentary herbivorous insects. Part III discusses the role of host variability in the evolution of feeding specialization, genetic differentiation, and race formation. The importance of host variation to the organization of herbivore communities and the manipulation of host-plant variability for the management of herbivore pest populations are presented in the remaining parts. This book will be helpful to agriculturists, silviculturists, biologists, and researchers who wish to expand their knowledge in dynamics of plant-herbivore relationships.