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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.

  • Biology Control in Agriculture IPM System

    • 1st Edition
    • Marjorie Hoy
    • English
    Biological Control in Agricultural IPM Systems covers the proceedings of the 1984 symposium on Biological Control in Agricultural IPM Systems, held in the Citrus Research and Education Center of the University of Florida at Lake Alfred. The symposium summarizes the status and practical use of biological control in agricultural integrated pest management (IPM) systems in the United States. The book is organized into seven parts encompassing 31 chapters that cover the biological control of arthropods, weeds, plant pathogens, and nematodes. After briefly discussing the status and issues of biological control in IPM, the book deals with the basic principles of IPM programs and their related costs, risks, and benefits in biological control. The text also describes the compatibility of plant resistance with biological control of arthropods and the chemical mediated host or prey selection behaviors of entomophagous insects attacking herbivorous insect pests. It explains the development of microbial insecticides; the genetic improvement of insect pathogens; the use of entomogenous nematodes in cryptic and soil habitats; and the techniques for integrating the influences of natural enemies into models of crop/pest systems. The fourth part of the book focuses on the biological control of weeds. The following part considers the general concepts relating to the unique characteristics of plant diseases affecting aerial plant parts. This part also examines the biological control of soil plant pathogens in IPM systems and the use of soilborne viruses, bacteriocins, and hypovirulent strains of fungi as biological control agents. The concluding parts describe the biological control of nematodes and the status and limits to biological control in selected commodity IPM systems, such as citrus, grapes, alfalfa, cotton, and soybean. Entomologists, plant pathologists, weed scientists, nematologists, toxicologists, and economists will find this book invaluable.
  • Biomedical Aspects of Botulism

    • 1st Edition
    • George E. Jr. Lewis
    • English
    Biomedical Aspects of Botulism contains the proceedings of an International Conference on the Biomedical Aspects of Botulism, held at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland on March 16-18, 1981. Organized into eight parts, this book begins with a discussion on the structure, structure-function relationships, and oral toxicities of the various botulinal toxins. Subsequent chapters focus on the cellular and subcellular effects of this toxin; a model to account for toxin-induced blockage of transmitter release; and approaches for dealing with and utilizing the botulinal toxins. Some chapters discuss the involvement of specific bacteriophages in the toxigenicity of Clostridium botulinum, types C and D; properties and qualitative aspects of tetanus and botulinal toxins; and human and animal botulism, including infant botulism and shaker foal syndrome. Selected aspects of the development of toxoids, an insight into the anticipated development of bacterial products, and the epidemiologic characteristics of botulism in the United States are also presented. The book ends with the trends in the therapy of botulism. This volume will serve as a valuable reference to those in the fields of bacteriology, biochemistry, immunology, neurophysiology, pathology, pharmacology, and toxinology. This book will also be helpful both to physicians and veterinarians who need a single source on the biomedical aspects of botulism.
  • Mycoplasma Diseases of Trees and Shrubs

    • 1st Edition
    • Karl Maramorosch
    • English
    Mycoplasma Diseases of Trees and Shrubs contains the edited papers presented at the Third Working Party meeting organized by Professor Karl Maramorosch at Rutgers University, New Jersey, in August 1979. This book also includes additional chapters by the invited contributors in the meeting. Organized into 15 chapters, this book begins with the isolation, characterization and identification of spiroplasmas and mycoplasma-like organisms. It then describes the various diseases of trees and shrubs, specifically yellows disease, stubborn disease, Paulownia witches' broom disease, mulberry dwarf, blueberry stunt, and sandal spike disease. It also elaborates the control of tree diseases by chemotherapy. This treatise will provide a standard reference work for all interested in plant mycoplasma diseases in forest pathology, entomology, and disease control.
  • Invertebrate Tissue Culture

    Applications in Medicine, Biology, and Agriculture
    • 1st Edition
    • Edouard Kurstak
    • English
    Invertebrate Tissue Culture: Applications in Medicine, Biology, and Agriculture comprises the proceedings of the IV International Conference on Invertebrate Tissue Culture, held on June 5-8, 1975 at Mont Gabriel, Quebec, Canada. The conference focuses on invertebrate organ, tissue, and cell culture, as well as cell culture limitations, pitfalls, and applications in medicine, biology, agriculture, neurophysiology, and studies of morphogenesis, differentiation, viruses, symbionts, and parasites. This reference material specifically provides information on sophisticated laboratory methods and on numerous utilizations of invertebrate cell culture techniques in medicine and biology. This book also elucidates the nutritional requirements and the establishment of cell lines. The study of viruses and protozoa of agricultural and forest importance is also shown. This book will be useful and stimulating to the readers and will provide in a single volume the results obtained in the diverse areas of research pursued by the leading exponents of invertebrate tissue culture from America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
  • Methods in Mammalian Reproduction

    • 1st Edition
    • Joseph C. Jr. Daniel
    • English
    Methods in Mammalian Reproduction presents some of the techniques for manipulating, analyzing, observing, testing, and generally experimenting with mammalian mothers and their gametes and embryos. Mammalian reproduction involves an intimate relationship between mother and embryo. The first 18 chapters are arranged in an order that follows a developmental sequence from oocyte to fetal organs and the remaining seven chapters deal with the maternal side of the relationship. With strong focus on laboratory rodents and lagomorphs, the book starts with an introduction to in vitro oocyte maturation and experimental production of mammalian parthenogenetic. It goes on to describe the microtechniques in pre-implantation of embryos, production of chimeras, techniques for early embryonic tissue separation, mammalian embryo preservation by freezing, and in vitro development of whole mouse embryos beyond the implantation stage. Chapters 11-15 discuss the in vitro implantation of mouse blastocysts, advances in rabbit embryo and in large mammal embryo cultures, embryo transfer in large domestic mammals, and manipulation of marsupial embryos and pouch young. The following chapters cover reproduction experiments using marsupials, domestic farm species, and primates including humans. Finally, the concluding chapters tackle the use of amniocentesis in prenatal diagnosis, collection and analysis of female genital tract secretions, analysis of antifertility action of intrauterine devices, and surgical induction of endometriosis. This book will be helpful to students, teachers, researchers, and clinical researchers who demand for more and better procedures for analysis of mammalian reproduction.
  • Biochemistry And Physiology of Nutrition

    • 1st Edition
    • Geoffrey Bourne
    • English
    Biochemistry and Physiology of Nutrition, Volume II focuses on the processes, methods, and studies on nutrition. The book starts by discussing intracellular localization through histochemical methods of enzymes and vitamins; the structural changes in vitamin deficiency; and microbiology of digestion. Deficiencies in vitamins, A, C, D, E, B1, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, choline, biotin, and folic acid are noted. The book then focuses on microbiology of digestion, considering the establishment of microbial population in the alimentary tract, results of microbial digestion, antibiotics, and intestinal flora of man. The text also defines the nutrition system of worms, insects, and protozoa. The generation of ATP in terminal respiration and anaerobic glycolysis, as well as ATP's role in energy transfer, is noted. The discussions also focus on hydrolytic and phosphorylitic enzymes, such as carbohydrates, esterases, amidases, phosphatases, and phosporylases. Other topics covered are respiratory enzymes and coenzymes in which nucleotides, glucose diphosphate, diphosphoglyceric acid, and thiamine pyrophosphate are noted. The book notes the functions of iron compounds in the body, particularly in blood and tissues, and then touches on calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Given considerations are calcium and phosphorus in blood, skeletal calcium and phosphorus, and the factors affecting adsorption. A discussion also focuses on trace elements and the effects of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins in nutrition. The book is a vital source of data for readers interested in studying the elements, factors, processes, and methods involved in nutrition.
  • Mammalian Olfaction, Reproductive Processes, and Behavior

    • 1st Edition
    • Richard Doty
    • English
    Mammalian Olfaction, Reproductive Processes, and Behavior presents the conceptual, methodological, and empirical advances in the study of the complex interactions between nasal chemoreception, sexual behavior, and endocrine function in mammals. It focuses on the orders Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, Rodentia, and Primates. The book describes techniques for producing anosmia in laboratory animals and the usefulness of the popular pheromone concept in describing chemosensory influences on mammalian behavior and endocrinology. It also reviews studies examining reproductive endocrine-olfactory interactions in humans. Moreover, the book discusses the anatomy, physiology, and development of the olfactory and vomeronasal systems. This book is invaluable to anatomists, endocrinologists, mammalogists, physiologists, psychologists, and zoologists not only as a source book, but as a textbook on chemosensation as well.
  • Processing and Presentation of Antigens

    • 1st Edition
    • Benvenuto Pernis
    • English
    Processing and Presentation of Antigens brings together the views of immunologists, biochemists, cell biologists, and virologists who have a common interest in the early phases of the immune response. Antigen processing and presentation comprise a series of events that are much more complex and sophisticated than had been thought for a long time, and constitute an essential part of the biology of the immune response to T-dependent protein antigens. The book is organized into seven parts. Part I discusses the major advances and insights in antigen processing, some results on the interaction of antigen with class II MHC molecules, and the precise mechanism involved in antigen processing. Part II presents papers on endosomes, lysosomes, and recycling. Part III deals with studies on presentation in the context of class I MHC molecules. The chapters in Part IV examine interactions of antigens with class II MHC molecules. Part V contains papers on macrophages and dendritic cells as accessory cells. Part VI examines antigen presentation by B cells. Part VII covers studies on T cells.
  • Agricultural and Industrial Applications Environmental Interactions

    An Advanced Treatise
    • 1st Edition
    • Dewayne Torgeson
    • English
    Fungicides, Volume I: Agricultural and Industrial Applications, Environmental Interactions discusses the application, use, and environmental interactions of fungicides. This book is organized into 15 chapters that cover the commercial development of fungicide and the organism's interaction with the environment. After discussing the history of fungicides, the book presents data on world fungicide usage and how this usage is influenced by epidemiology. It then describes procedures and approaches for commercial fungicide development; practical tests and laboratory techniques for agricultural fungicide toxicity; and significance of fungicide formulation that is determined by a variety of factors, including cost and biological efficiency. The following chapters discuss technological evolution, both in chemical fungicides and in the machinery for their application for soil and seed treatment. The application of foliar and postharvest fungicides and the use of other fungicides as industrial and wood preservatives is also tackled. The last four chapters are concerned with the various interactions between fungicides and the environment which may cause them to be more or less effective. The book will be useful to researchers, advanced students, and professional workers in the fungicide field of study who are concerned with the synthesis and development of better fungicides or their mode of action.
  • Social Insects V3

    • 1st Edition
    • Henry Hermani
    • English
    Social Insects, Volume III emphasizes the insect symbionts that represent a very complex group of organisms with very diverse habits. This volume primarily focuses on various types of bees and their sociality. This book consists of four major chapters where the first chapter represents the conclusion of discussion on social insect phenomena. The three remaining chapters discuss in detail the biology of the featured eusocial insects. Chapter 1 includes a discussion on insects and other arthropods. The following chapters focus on various types of bee, including bumble bees, honey bees, and stingless bees. Chapter 2 focuses on the behavior and ecology of bumble bees, whereas Chapters 3 and 4 discuss in detail the different biological aspects of honey and stingless bees, respectively. Topics include the evolution of sociality, colony, caste differentiation, and distribution of these species. Students and researchers interested in the study of bees will find this book very valuable.