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Books in Life sciences

Elsevier's Life Sciences collection helps researchers get comprehensive coverage and up-to-date information on the study of living organisms, their processes, and interrelationships, spanning disciplines like biology, genetics, and biochemistry, and addressing emerging trends such as genomics, biotechnology, and sustainability, essential for advancing knowledge and driving innovation in the field.

    • Insects, Science & Society

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • David Pimentel
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Insects, Science, & Society documents the proceedings of a symposium of the same name celebrating the centennial of entomology at Cornell University. The symposium and the resulting book brought together some of the world's leading entomologists, who discussed recent advances in their diverse specialties. In commemorating the hundred years of entomology, the symposium also honors the founder of the department at Cornell, John Henry Comstock, whose investigations encompassed not only many aspects of entomology—insect taxonomy, morphology, and ecology—but also focused on practical problems of pest control. Starting with a discussion that provides a broad perspective of the interrelationship of insects, science, and society, the remainder of the book presents the contributions made by researchers at the symposium. These contributions are organized into five parts. Part I discusses aspects of the social implications of insects. Part II deals with communication among insects. Part III examines other interactions among insects and between insects and plants. Part IV covers insect population dynamics. Part V deals with insect pest management.
    • Plant Disease: An Advanced Treatise

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • James G. Horsfall
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 1 4 6 4 8 8
      • eBook
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      Plant Disease An Advanced Treatise, Volume II: How Disease Develops in Populations deals with the epidemiological aspect of disease in population of plants. Comprised of 18 chapters, this volume discusses the comparative anatomy, methods of research, instrumentation, computer simulation, and genetic basis of epidemics. After briefly discussing the sociology of plant pathology, the book presents the comparative anatomy of epidemics in terms of their structure, patterns of development, and dynamics. This volume describes the rational processes of epidemiological research and how they differ from the processes used to investigate disease in individual plants. A chapter examines the instrumentation for measuring the weather component, including temperature, humidity, air movement, and irradiance. Other chapters discuss the measurement of disease on whole living plants; the theory and measurement of inoculum potential; the dispersal of pathogens in both time and space; and the movement and maintenance of infectivity by pathogens that operate below ground. This volume also deals with computer simulators of plant disease and the use of predictive models to forecast epidemics for management decision making. It describes some general patterns of changes in plant-part susceptibility with time for various groups of diseases caused by fungi or viruses. A discussion on the problems of genetic uniformity and susceptibility and the breeding and deployment strategies needed to cope with these problems is included. Other chapters examine the influence of climate and weather on epidemics; the analysis of the geographical and climatic distribution of plants in various parts of the world; and the hazardous practices that have favored epidemics. Lastly, the probabilities of success for quarantines against diseases of various types are provided. This volume is an invaluable source for plant epidemiologists and pathologists, botanists, and researchers.
    • The Conservation of Insects and Their Habitats

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • N.M. Collins
      • English
      • Paperback
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      The Conservation of Insects and their Habitats is a compilation of papers presented in the 15th Symposium of the Royal Entomological Society of London held at the Department of Physics Lecture Theatre Imperial College, London, on September 14-15, 1989. The papers cover topics on the diversity of entomological habitats and ecologicalroles around the world, and highlight the value of insects to humanity. Some practical proposals for conservation, especially in tropical forests and on islands, where their diversity is greatest, are also given. This book will add to the continuing force for the conservation and protection of biological diversity of the Earth.
    • The Physiology of Growth

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Richard Goss
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 1 1 8 0 0
      • eBook
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      The Physiology of Growth focuses on the physiological mechanisms underlying the growth of organs and tissues such as the epidermis, connective tissues, bone and cartilage, blood cells, and the heart. The atrophy and hypertrophy of muscle, adaptive plasticity of the nervous system, and neural regulation of salivary glands are also explored. Comprised of 24 chapters, this book opens with an overview of the nature of growth, ways to measure growth, and theories of growth. The discussion then turns to the renewal of epidermis; the growth of connective tissues such as collagen and keloids; physical regulation of bone growth and cartilage regrowth; and turnover of blood cells. The following chapters focus on the link between hypertension and heart growth; expansion of arteries and veins; muscle atrophy and hypertrophy; and intraocular regulation of lens development. The effect of lactation on the growth of the mammary glands is also considered, along with liver degeneration and experimental regulation of the testis. This monograph is intended for physiologists, developmental biologists, and students of histology.
    • Calcium-Binding Proteins in Health and Disease

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Anthony Norman
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Calcium-Binding Proteins in Health and Disease includes the papers prepared by the invited speakers as well as many of the free communications. The contributions are grouped according to their general subject matter, based on the classification made by the authors, e.g., Extracellular Metabolism: Calcium Homeostasis; Low-Affinity Calcium-Binding Proteins. There can be little doubt that calcium-binding proteins is a field of scientific endeavor which will continue to produce results of great interest to modern biology. This book is divided into eight sections, the first of which, tackle extracellular calcium metabolism or calcium homeostasis. The next sections focus on topics such as low-affinity calcium-binding proteins; calcium and membranes, channels and transport (pumps); the role of calcium in complex metabolic processes; and gene structure of calcium-binding proteins and their expression. Other chapters cover physical studies on calcium-binding proteins, including X-ray, crystallography, and NMR; structure-function relationships of calcium-binding proteins and their targets; and calcium-binding proteins in health and disease. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of biology and medicine.
    • Comparative Biochemistry of Parasites

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • H Van den Bossche
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Comparative Biochemistry of Parasites contains the proceedings of an international symposium organized by the Janssen Research Foundation and held at Janssen Pharmaceutica in Belgium on September 1-3, 1971. The symposium reviewed progress in the understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of parasites such as protozoa and helminths. Organized into 34 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of early research on parasite biochemistry before turning to a discussion of antischistosomal drugs and their biochemical effects on parasites. The reader is then introduced to the biochemistry of carbohydrates in nematodes and cestodes; neurotransmitters in trematodes; pharmacological aspects and biochemical effects of tetramisole; the mechanism of action of berenil (Diminazene) and related compounds; and dihydrofolate reductases in parasitic protozoa and helminths. Other chapters focus on the loss of fatty acid biosynthesis in flatworms, the cytochrome system in Kinetoplastidae, oxidative phosphorylation in Moniezia mitochondria, and the role of non-heme iron in cestode respiration. Scientists, particularly physiologists and biochemists, will find this book an invaluable source of information on parasite physiology and biochemistry.
    • Handbook of B and T Lymphocytes

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      To compile this up-to-date handbook, Dr. Charles Snow of the University of Kentucky Medical Center has assembled works by a premier group of active investigators who meet the needs of todays researchers. The handbookprovides a broad overview of the historical and current research in B- and T-cell biology, and presents the latest developments in this fast-breaking field to all professionals concerned with the humoral immune response of the body.
    • Synthesis And Applications Of DNA And RNA

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Saran Narang
      • English
      • Paperback
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      Synthesis and Applications of DNA and RNA discusses the significant contributions in the development of synthetic routes to DNA and RNA. This book contains nine chapters that describe the complexities in the chemistry and biology of DNA and RNA. After briefly dealing with the various stages of development in the chemical synthesis of polynucleotides, this book goes on presenting the DNA synthesis on solid supports and through the phosphoramidite method on silica supports. The discussions then shift to the chemical-enzymatic synthesis of expressed genes; the biochemical aspects of chemical syntheses of oligoribonucleotides... and the methods of rapid DNA and RNA sequence analysis. A chapter specifically tackles the protocols of DNA synthesis using double-stranded plasmid DNA as a template. The final chapter deals with the use of oligonucleotides for the identification and isolation of specific gene sequences. This chapter also covers the use oligonucleotides in the detection of human genetic diseases. Biologists, geneticists, and researchers interested in DNA and RNA synthesis will find this work invaluable.
    • Sex Selection of Children

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Neil G. Bennett
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Sex Selection of Children explores the strategies used to control the sex of children, the conditions under which a couple would employ a given technique, and the technology to achieve their desired family composition. It also considers the social consequences of sex-selection techniques, the legal factors that might impinge on the use of such a technology, and the ethical considerations associated with its use. Organized into 10 chapters, this book begins with an overview of some of the more humorous past approaches to sex selection. It then discusses the effects of sex selection on fertility, sex selection by means of amniocentesis and selective abortion, and the theorized link between the timing of fertilization and the sex ratio of offspring. A chapter considers a decision-making model that describes the use of sex-selection techniques by couples who wish to have a specific number of children over their entire childbearing period, while another chapter analyzes the economics of sex preference and selection. The remaining chapters address the parental preferences about the sexes of their offspring in different societies, the legal aspects of prenatal sex selection, a moral policy for sex choice, and the ethics and public policy on sex choice. This book is a valuable resource for specialists involved in fields ranging from sociology and economics to biology, public health, law, and ethics.
    • Circulatory System Dynamics

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Abraham Noordergraaf
      • English
      • Paperback
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      • eBook
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      Circulatory System Dynamics reviews cardiovascular dynamics from the analytical viewpoint and indicates ways in which the accumulated knowledge can be expanded and applied to further enhance understanding of the normal mammalian circulation, to ascertain the nature of difficulties associated with disease, and to test the effect of treatment. Comprised of 10 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the circulatory system, including its anatomy and the trigger for myocardial (heart muscle) contraction. The discussion then turns to measurement of blood pressure using invasive and non-invasive techniques; blood flow measurement, with emphasis on cardiac output and measurement in the microcirculation; the system and pulmonary arterial trees; and pulsatile pressure and flow in pulmonary veins. Subsequent chapters explore microcirculation and the anatomy of the microvasculature; the heart and coronary circulation, paying particular attention to the Frank-Starling mechanism and indices of myocardial "contractility"; and control of blood pressure, peripheral resistance, and cerebral flow. The last two chapters deal with circulatory assistance and the closed cardiovascular system. This book will be of interest to students, practitioners, and researchers in fields ranging from physiology and biology to biochemistry and biophysics.