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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.

  • Changes in Eukaryotic Gene Expression in Response to Environmental Stress

    • 5th Edition
    • Burr Atkinson
    • English
    Changes in Eukaryotic Gene Expression in Response to Environmental Stress focuses on various aspects of eukaryotic cell's response to heat stress (shock) and other stress stimuli. This book is organized into two major sections, encompassing 17 chapters that reflect the emphasis on research utilizing Drosophila, a variety of animal systems, and plants. This book first provides a brief introduction to the organization, sequences, and induction of heat shock proteins and related genes. It then describes the control of transcription during heat shock from the standpoint of molecular biology and evolutionary variations of the mechanisms in organisms with diverse metabolic needs. It goes on to discuss the issue of coordinate and noncoordinate responses of heat shock genes. It presents a model for post-transcriptional regulation on certain aspects of coordinate and noncoordinate regulations. Chapters 6-12 discuss heat shock proteins and genes and the effects of stress on gene expression of sea urchin, avian, and mammalian cells. The second part of the book focuses on the physiological role of heat shock proteins and genes in plants and fungi. It includes a discussion on experimental problems encountered during studies of the mechanisms of inhibition of photosynthesis by unfavorable environmental conditions. The changes in transcription and translation of specific mRNAs in the developing embryo during heat shock at various temperatures are described. The concluding chapters deal with heat shock response in plants, particularly the response in soybeans and maize, covering both physiological and molecular analyses. Research scientists, clinicians, and agriculturists will greatly benefit from the information presented in this book.
  • Arctic and Tropical Arboviruses

    • 1st Edition
    • Edouard Kurstak
    • English
    Arctic and Tropical Arboviruses contains the proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Arctic Arboviruses held at Mont Gabriel, Canada on May 26-28, 1977. This book contains a total of 20 chapters; a few of these chapters describe the diseases with arbovirus as a possible etiological agent, such as in the case of nephropatia epidemica, rapid diagnostic techniques for the detection of arboviruses, and in vitro culture methods for arboviruses using arthropod cells. Several other chapters are devoted to the investigations on arboviruses in the northern regions and on their vectors, mosquitoes, and ticks, as well as to the detection in the north of arboviruses originally isolated inthe south. Such bipolar distribution of arboviruses could be the result of the transport of arbovirus-infected ticks by migratory birds. This volume will provide a useful tool for all concerned with viral diseases, including virologists, epidemiologists, and ecologists.
  • Physiology of Woody Plants

    • 1st Edition
    • Paul Kramer
    • English
    Physiology of Woody Plants explains how physiological processes are involved in growth of woody plants and how they are affected by the environment, including the mechanisms of the processes themselves. Organized into 17 chapters, this book discusses the role of plant physiology, as well as the form and structure of woody plant. It also explores the nature and periodicity of shoot, cambial, root, and reproductive growth of trees of the temperate and tropical zones. Other topics elucidated are the process of photosynthesis and respiration, the various substances found in woody plants, plant nutrition, and factors affecting plant growth. This book will be valuable as a text to students and teachers and as a reference to investigators and others who desire a better understanding of how woody plants grow.
  • Laboratory primate handbook

    • 1st Edition
    • Robert A. Jr. Whitey
    • English
    Laboratory Primate Handbook deals with the proper care and handling, treatment, and transportation of nonhuman primates to be used as research subjects in a laboratory environment. It considers the protection of human and animal health, identification, procurement, and husbandry, as well as compliance with federal regulations. Organized into 10 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of living primates and their classification, followed by procurement and production for biomedical research purposes. It then discusses housing and care of primates; preventive medicine and public health programs aimed at minimizing the hazards that may arise from diseases transmissible between nonhuman primates and man; and restraint and special techniques, including anesthetics and pre-anesthetics. The book also covers nutrition for primates and prevention of nutritional diseases, as well as generalized infectious diseases; parasites that cause disease in primates; and collection of physiological data on primates. Finally, the book looks at federal regulations and policies governing the humane care and treatment of nonhuman primates used in research. This book will benefit biomedical researchers involved in laboratory studies of nonhuman primates.
  • Warmed-Over Flavor of Meat

    • 1st Edition
    • Allen J. St. Angelo
    • English
    Warmed-Over Flavor of Meat discusses related problems and issues on warmed-over flavor (WOF) of meat that contributes to a decrease in sale, meat consumption, and production expansion. WOF is old, stale, rancid, and painty flavor and odor of meat, apparently caused by the catalytic oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. Comprised of 10 chapters, the book initially describes the mechanisms of metals’ role in the promotion of lipid oxidation. The text also discusses the content and distribution of iron in meat and the evidence concerning the ability of the various forms of iron in meat to promote oxidative degradation of lipids. The subsequent chapters describe the oxidative deterioration in muscle foods and the free radical processes pertinent to autoxidation of foods. A chapter presents evidence for and against heme catalysis of lipid oxidation and the antioxidant role of nitrite in cured meats. The book also considers sensory and instrumental analysis of volatiles and undesirable flavors related to WOF and the isolation and separation of heteroatomic compounds associated with beef flavor. The remaining chapters describe several methodologies for retarding or preventing WOF in meat, focusing on the practical procedure of the Maillard reaction. Lastly, sources of natural antioxidants for meat product preservation are considered. Food scientists, researchers, and manufacturers will find this book invaluable.
  • Molecular Cloning and Gene Regulation in Bacilli

    • 1st Edition
    • A Ganesan
    • English
    Molecular Cloning and Gene Regulation in Bacilli presents the proceedings of the 1981 Cetus Conference on Genetics held at Stanford University, Stanford, California. It summarizes both basic and applied aspects of bacilli genetics. It discusses significant advances made in understanding chromosome structure, gene arrangement, molecular cloning, cloned gene expression, DNA metabolism, transcription, and translation. Divided into five sessions, the book starts by discussing the DNA sequence from RNA intergenic spaces of Bacillus subtilis rRNA gene sets, the construction of a bifunctional cosmid vector of large DNA segments, and the mating system of bacilli. Molecular cloning session covers complementation system and dominance analyses in Bacillus, genetic fusion of Escherichia coli lac genes to a Bacillus subtilis promoter, and DNA cloning of B. subtilis. It also describes the construction of trimethoprim resistant B. subtilis plasmid and expression of E. coli trp genes cloned in B. subtilis. Session III encompasses chapters that discuss protein secretion by bacilli; regulation of alpha-amylase production in B. subtilis; entomocidal toxin translation of B. thuringiensis; and expression of crystal protein, heterologous, and eukaryotic genes in bacilli. Session IV focuses on various aspects of DNA metabolism of bacilli, such as the interaction of bacterial chromosome with cell membrane; plasmid DNA in competent cells and protoplasts of B. subtilis; analysis of peptides synthesized by B. subtilis mutants; and DNA repair, uptake, restriction, modification, and recombination. The final session examines species-specific translation, control of gene expression and replications in plasmids, development of expression-vector in B. subtilis, and regulatory modifications of RNA polymerase. Each chapter is presented in an experimental manner, consisting of a summary of the study, materials and methods, results, as well as references.
  • The Genus Coelomomyces

    • 1st Edition
    • John Couch
    • English
    The Genus Coelomomyces aims to elucidate the utilization of Coelomomyces spp. as agents for the biological control of mosquitoes. This book begins with the life history of species of Coelomomyces, followed by the species’ structure and development. It also expounds the taxonomy, experimental systematics, physiology, biochemistry, and culture of Coelomomyces. Lastly, it discusses the ecology and use of Coelomomyces species in biological control. This book will serve as a catalyst for new and expanded studies on Coelomomyces species.
  • Insect Sex Pheromones

    • 1st Edition
    • Martin Jacobson
    • English
    Insect Sex Pheromones is a revised and expanded edition of the book ""Insect Sex Attractants"" and covers greater discoveries in the field of sex pheromones. It is discovered that many sex pheromones are sexually excitatory rather than attractive. This discovery prompted the substitution of the more accurate and encompassing term ""pheromones"" for the term ""attractants"" in the title of this edition. Composed of 13 chapters, this book has chapters that cover the occurrence in female and production in male of sex pheromones in various insect species. The insect orders considered include Acarina, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera, Diptera, Isoptera, Neuroptera, Siphonaptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Trichoptera, and Mecoptera. The following chapter discusses pheromones produced by one sex that lure to assemble for mating. This book goes on discussing the anatomy and physiology of scent glands of male and female insects; the attractant perception mechanism; and the behavioral and electrophysiological responses of insects to sex pheromones. Other chapters are devoted to the influence of several factors on the presence of chemical sex attraction or excitation in any insect. The concluding chapters deal with the collection, isolation, identification, synthesis, and analysis of sex pheromones. This book will greatly appeal to research and economic entomologists, insect physiologists, chemists, and ecologists.
  • Experimental Morphogenesis and Integration of Plants

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 18
    • J. Sebanek + 5 more
    • English
    In 1983, the book ``Experimental Plant Morphology'' was written in Czech by the above named authors. Widespread interest in the publication outside Czechoslovakia encouraged the authors to prepare this new English edition, ``Experimental Morphogenesis and Integration of Plants''. It is more than a mere translation of the original: the contents have been extended and further aspects of structural integrity and regulation in plants have been included, especially on the molecular, cellular and tissue level. The overall concept of the book is new and has been supplemented with the latest information on the subject.It aims to inform the scientific public, of current studies on morphogenesis and structural integration in plants. In addition, this book will show the possible way of regulating morphogenesis and structural integrity in plants with regard to the practical needs of agriculture, horticulture and silviculture.
  • An Introduction to Biological Rhythms

    • 1st Edition
    • John Palmer
    • English
    An Introduction to Biological Rhythms provides an introduction to the subject of biological rhythms. The opening chapters present an overview of biological rhythms, their properties, and clock control, followed by a survey of rhythms in plants and animals. The subsequent chapters cover tidal rhythms and human rhythms; sun-compass, star-compass, and moon compass orientation of animals; the clock control of plant and animal photoperiodism; evidence for external timing of biological clocks; and models and mechanisms for endogenous timekeeping. The book also includes biographical sketches of Dr. Frank A. Brown, Jr., Morrison Professor of Biology at Northwestern University; and Dr. Leland N. Edmunds, Jr., Professor and Head of the Division of Biological Sciences at the Stony Brook campus of the State University of New York. This book is meant for the inquiring student seeking an introduction to the subject and for busy biologists in other fields who want to get a ""feel"" for the subject. It can also serve as a basic textbook for the existing biorhythms courses and act as a seed for the inauguration of new courses.