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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.

  • Mitosis/Cytokinesis

    • 1st Edition
    • Arthur Zimmerman
    • English
    Mitosis/Cytokinesis provides a comprehensive discussion of the various aspects of mitosis and cytokinesis, as studied from different points of view by various authors. The book summarizes work at different levels of organization, including phenomenological, molecular, genetic, and structural levels. The book is divided into three sections that cover the premeiotic and premitotic events; mitotic mechanisms and approaches to the study of mitosis; and mechanisms of cytokinesis. The authors used a uniform style in presenting the concepts by including an overview of the field, a main theme, and a conclusion so that a broad range of biologists could understand the concepts. This volume also explores the potential developments in the study of mitosis and cytokinesis, providing a background and perspective into research on mitosis and cytokinesis that will be invaluable to scientists and advanced students in cell biology. The book is an excellent reference for students, lecturers, and research professionals in cell biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, genetics, biochemistry, and physiology.

  • Chemical and Biological Generation of Excited States

    • 1st Edition
    • Waldermar Adam
    • English
    Chemical and Biological Generation of Excited States discusses major aspects of chemical and biological generation of electronic excitation. This book is organized into 11 chapters that focus on both chemi- and bioenergized processes. This book first discusses some of the fundamental aspects of the description of excited state behavior in condensed media. It then examines the field of gas-phase dioxetane chemiluminescence both by itself and in relation to solution-phase studies. The presented analysis is based on statistical mechanics and supported by a very simple limiting case calculation. Chapter 4 describes the state-of-the-art of how excitation yields are determined experimentally in chemienergized processes. This is followed by a discussion on activation parameters and stability trends, focusing on solution-phase data. Chapters 6 and 7 examine solution-phase chemiluminescence resulting from high-energy electron-transfer reaction, often involving aromatic radical ions, and the mechanism of excitation step. The next chapters cover the generation of electronic excited states in bioluminescence and the evaluation of luminescent oxidation mechanisms using oxygen tracers. The chapters also explain the formation of electronically excited products in dark biological processes and the mechanism of chemiexcitation as it relates to redox metabolism. Specific examples of biological oxygenation reactions yielding luminescence are also presented. Furthermore, this book discusses the concept and applicability of chemiluminigenic probing for the quantification and differentiation of oxygenation activities in mammalian phagocytes. The concluding chapter is devoted to the possible formation of singlet oxygen in various systems and processes that mimic singlet oxygen reactions. The book intends to attract young scientists as well as established research workers to broaden the horizons of this rapidly growing and potentially very important field.

  • The Biology of Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants

    • 1st Edition
    • Christa R. Schwintzer
    • English
    The Biology of Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants provides a comprehensive review of Frankia and the actinorhizal plants. It reviews the state of knowledge on all aspects from molecular genetics through ecology to practical applications; describes methods used in research and practical applications; and is a guide to the literature. The book begins with overviews of Frankia and the actinorhizal plants, and developments in the field prior to the first confirmed isolation of Frankia. Next is a series of authoritative chapters on the biology of Frankia, the symbiosis, and actinorhizal plants. Although methods used in research and in practical applications are included throughout the book, they are given special emphasis in the middle section. The final section of the book concerns the ecology and current and potential uses of actinorhizal plants in both the temperate regions and the tropics. This work is intended as a reference text and handbook of methods for a wide audience including established workers and students of Frankia and actinorhizal plants, specialists and students in other areas of nitrogen fixation (including the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis), soil microbiologists, plant physiologists, ecologists, general biologists, foresters, specialists in land reclamation, and managers requiring an authoritative overview of this rapidly developing field.

  • Pigment of the Imagination

    A History of Phytochrome Research
    • 1st Edition
    • Linda C. Sage
    • English
    Pigment of the Imagination chronicles the story of phytochrome, the bright-blue photoreversible pigment through which plants constantly monitor the quality and presence of light. The book begins with work that led to the discovery of phytochrome and ends with the latest findings in gene regulation and expression. The phytochrome story provides a paradigm for the process of scientific discovery. This book should thus be of interest to scientists who work on phytochrome and related subjects in plant science, as well as to all scientists and science historians interested in how a scientific research field begins, develops, and matures.

  • Reconstitutions of Transporters, Receptors, and Pathological States

    • 1st Edition
    • Efraim Racker
    • English
    Reconstitutions of Transporters, Receptors, and Pathological States presents 12 lectures on the resolution and reconstitution of transporters, receptors, and pathological states. Lecture 1 discusses the reconstitution of soluble pathways, and the resolution and reconstitution of membrane complexes. Lecture 2 covers the solubilization and purification of membrane proteins. Lecture 3 explains the functions of protein and phospholipid components; the role of asymmetry; and measurement of scrambling during reconstitution. Lecture 4 presents analyses of reconstituted vesicles while Lectures 5 and 6 examine the properties of F1 and E1E2 pumps, respectively. Lecture 7 focuses on ATP-driven H+ fluxes in organelles and ATP-driven ion pumps of microorganisms and plants. Lecture 8 covers the reconstitution of the mitochondrial electron transport chain; reconstitution of photosynthetic electron transport pathways; and bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin. Lecture 9 discusses the transporters of plasma membranes, mithchondria, and organelles. Lecture 10 deals with plasma membrane receptors. Lecture 11 focuses on the malignant transformation of cells while Lecture 12 speculates on the future of reconstitutions.

  • Foundations of Bioenergetics

    • 1st Edition
    • Harold Morowitz
    • English
    Foundations of Bioenergetics provides an introduction to the physical foundations of bioenergetics and the methods of applying these constructs to biological problems. It combines parts of thermal physics, biochemistry, ecology, and cellular and organismic biology into a single coherent work. Much of the material in this volume comes from ""Entropy for Biologists,"" an introductory thermodynamics book aimed particularly at life scientists. Some of the topics originally appeared in the monograph ""Energy Flow in Biology."" The current volume expands on that material with respect to biological applications and attempts to bridge the gap between physics and biology. The book explains basic concepts such as energy, temperature, the second law of thermodynamics, entropy, information theory, and statistical mechanics. It discusses the relations between thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, free-energy functions, radiant energy, the free energy of cells and tissue, chemical kinetics, and cyclic flows. It examines the relationships between energy flows and biological processes; applications of the concepts of Gibbs free energy, chemical potential, and activity; and measurements of temperature, energy, and thermochemical quantities. The book also includes chapters that deal with irreversible dynamics, irreversible theory, and osmotic flow.

  • Environment and the Experimental Control of Plant Growth

    • 1st Edition
    • R.J. Downs
    • English
    Environment and the Experimental Control of Plant Growth centers on the general role of environmental factors in plant growth and methods of providing the desired levels and limit of control. The book is organized into seven chapters focusing on the various factors in the environment, such as temperature, light, carbon dioxide, and water. It also describes the controlled environments for plant research. This book will help biologists understand what he is buying or constructing in terms of environment variability in plant growth facilities. It will also provide some help and guidance to those who have encountered the problem of not obtaining the degree of control they have expected in the units they have in hand.

  • Plant Tissue Culture

    Techniques and Experiments
    • 1st Edition
    • Robert H. Smith
    • English
    Plant Tissue Culture Techniques and Experiments is a manual that contains laboratory exercises about the demonstration of the methods and different plant materials used in plant tissue culture. It provides an overview on the plant cell culture techniques and plant material options in selecting the explant source. This book starts by discussing the proper setup of a tissue culture laboratory and the selection of the culture medium. It then explains the determination of an explant which is the ultimate goal of the cell culture project. The explant is a piece of plant tissue that is used in tissue culture. Furthermore, the book discusses topics about callus induction, regeneration and morphogenesis process, and haploid plants from anther and pollen culture. The meristem culture for virus-free plants and in vitro propagation for commercial propagation of ornamentals are also explained in this manual. The book also provides topics and exercises on the protoplast isolation and fusion and agrobacterium-mediat... transformation of plants. This manual is intended for college students, both graduate and undergraduate, who study chemistry, plant anatomy, and plant physiology.

  • Chromatin and Chromosome Structure

    • 1st Edition
    • Hsueh Jei Li
    • English
    Chromatin and Chromosome Structure consists of chapters that reflect a 1975 seminar course and the reported observations after the session. The seminar is organized for the benefit of both faculty and students in the Biology Ph.D. Program of the City University of New York. This book begins with a presentation of the conformational studies of histones. It then describes the histone-DNA interactions and the subunits isolated either from chromatin or from nuclei. It also explains the post-synthetic modifications of histone structure. Furthermore, the book talks about the chemistry and function of nuclear nonhistone proteins, low molecular weight nuclear RNA, and polytene chromosome structure. The regulation of gene expression in chick oviduct model system and the main features of lampbrush chromosomes are shown as well. Aside from the students and faculty of the above-mentioned university, this compilation will be invaluable as well to other undergraduate and graduate students; professors; and researchers. It will also be a good reference to those who are specializing in chromatin and chromosome studies.

  • Soil Microbial Associations

    Control of Structures and Functions
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 17
    • V. Vancura + 1 more
    • English
    This volume is the first publication of its kind to provide a fully comprehensive and detailed approach to the survey of microbial associations in soil: their structure and function in relation to soil fertility and environment protection. The problems covered by this title are presented on various levels of the ecological system; from subcellular phenomena occurring in the microbial cell (genetic and enzyme regulation), to processes taking place in the flow of mass and energy in the agroecosystem. The aim of this monograph is to contribute to the understanding of the laws of formation and function of microbial associations in natural and agricultural soils, and to build a scientific basis for the control of soil biological processes. Using a contemporary approach to some fields of soil microbiology, the book highlights the possibility of utilizing certain microorganisms and microbial processes to increase soil fertility and protect the environment. These critically evaluated and selected results were obtained at the Institute of Microbiology and the Institute of Experimental Phytotechnics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, in cooperation with the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

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