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Elsevier

Books in Life sciences

  • Timber Pests and Diseases

    Pergamon Series of Monographs on Furniture and Timber
    • 1st Edition
    • W. P. K. Findlay
    • Jack Kape
    • English
    Timber Pests and Diseases is an updated version of an earlier work entitled Dry Rot and Other Timber Troubles, which is out of print. The opportunity was taken to revise the text throughout, bringing it up to date and including the results of recent research work. A new chapter on Termites has been included. Detailed reference to wood preservatives has been omitted as modern works dealing with this subject have recently been published. The book begins with a discussion of the economic impact of timber pests and disease. Separate chapters cover the nature of wood; the causes of deterioration in timber; fungal decay; discolorations or staining in timber; destruction caused by wood-boring insects: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera; and destruction of wood by Isoptera (termites). Subsequent chapters deal with diseases of standing trees; the care of timber after felling and conversion; the decay of timber in buildings; the protection of timber in farm and garden; decay in ships, boats and marine works; and decay in vehicles, aircraft, poles, mining timbers, cooling towers, packing-cases, fibreboards, plywood, etc.

  • Keep off the Grass

    A Scientific Enquiry Into the Biological Effects of Marijuana
    • 1st Edition
    • Gabriel G. Nahas
    • English
    Keep Off the Grass is a scientific inquiry into the scientific effects of marijuana. Marijuana, like most drugs ingested by man, gives the user the impression that his senses are enhanced, when in fact they have been distorted and impaired. This book is composed of 27 chapters, and starts with a brief introduction to the history of marijuana, the properties of its chemical components, called cannabinoids, and its widespread use and abuse. The succeeding chapters deal with the first scientific meetings on marijuana, social impact of marijuana, and its widespread use in some countries, such as in Morocco and Egypt. These topics are followed by discussions on the immunological and DNA effects of marijuana. The remaining chapters highlight the legal issues and government policies concerning the utility of this plant.

  • Good Health Abroad

    A Traveller's Handbook
    • 1st Edition
    • W. H. Jopling
    • English
    Good Health Abroad: A Traveller’s Handbook guides travelers of possible risks to health, comfort and peace of mind encountered abroad. It discusses the steps to be taken before departure, during the journey, and upon arrival of the tourist. It addresses the measures to protect the health of the individual. Some of the topics covered in the book are the medical and dental check-up; active immunization; vaccination against smallpox, yellow fever, and cholera; optional vaccinations in regions of the world; optional vaccinations which are restricted to special categories of travelers; anti-glare precautions; and pre-travel exercises. The definition of acclimatization is covered. The medical, visa, and currency requirements are discussed. The text describes the clothing for warm, temperate, and cold climates. A study of the travel sickness, postural oedema, package cruises, and survival at sea are presented. A chapter is devoted to the food, water, heat effects abroad. Another section focuses on the accidental hypothermia, frostbite, effects of glare, and tropical parasites infecting the skin. The book can provide useful information to travelers.

  • Introduction to Mechanisms of Hormone Action

    • 1st Edition
    • P. Catherine Clegg
    • English
    Introduction to Mechanisms of Hormone Action considers the mechanisms of hormone action on cellular and genetic level. This book is composed of nine chapters that cover some basic aspects of cell structure and function. The opening chapter presents a brief introduction to the chemical nature and sources of local and general hormones, as well as the multicellular organization and control in cells. The succeeding chapters are devoted to the mechanisms of action of some hormones in the cell membrane, including acetylcholine, insulin, and adrenaline. Other chapters are concerned with the hormones acting at the genetic level, such as cortisone, sex steroids, and ecdysone. The final chapter discusses the action of growth hormones on ribosomal translation of mRNA. This book is of value to endocrinologists, cell biologists, and geneticists.

  • Birds

    Brain and Behavior
    • 1st Edition
    • Irving J. Goodman + 1 more
    • English
    Birds: Brain and Behavior is a collection of papers that discusses brain-behaviors problems concentrating on the bird's complex and well-integrated central nervous system. This collection reviews the theoretical and methodological problems concerning comparative studies of bird behavior in a brain-behavior relationship. The book explains the structural organization of the avian brain including the spinal cord and the general ascending/descending patterns of sensory projections. One paper analyzes the hearing and vocalization in songbirds that are composed of the auditory mechanisms, as well as the vocalization and audition systems. A study by Falls (1963) notes that songbirds use more than one type of auditory cue for species recognition. Another paper present brain stimulation parameters that affect bird vocalization. Other papers examine the neural basis of avian discrimination and reversal learning, memory disruptions by brain perturbation, and the behavioral and physiological correlations between the sleep and awake states. This book will prove useful for avian biologists, zoologists, and readers who have a general interest in birds.

  • Neuropeptide Technology

    Synthesis, Assay, Purification, and Processing
    • 1st Edition
    • P. Michael Conn
    • English
    Methods in Neurosciences, Volume 6: Neuropeptide Technology: Synthesis, Assay, Purification, and Processing describes procedures and tools of assay useful for the identification, purification, and quantification of neuropeptides and their receptors. This volume is divided into four sections— chemical synthesis and biosynthesis; measurement of neuropeptides; purification and characterization; and neuropeptide degrading and processing enzymes. In these sections, this book specifically discusses the synthesis of peptide substrates for protein kinase C; synthesis of glycosyl neuropeptides; and ultrastructural localization of peptides. The measurement of neurokinin B by radioimmunoassay; purification and characterization of neuroendocrine peptides from rat brain; and preparation of glia maturation factor ß are also elaborated. This text likewise covers the assays for arginine/lysine carboxypeptidases and enzymes that metabolize atrial natriuretic peptide. This publication is beneficial to neuroscientists and students researching on the synthesis, assay, purification, and processing of neuropeptides.

  • Stochastic Models in Biology

    • 1st Edition
    • Narendra S. Goel + 1 more
    • English
    Stochastic Models in Biology describes the usefulness of the theory of stochastic process in studying biological phenomena. The book describes analysis of biological systems and experiments though probabilistic models rather than deterministic methods. The text reviews the mathematical analyses for modeling different biological systems such as the random processes continuous in time and discrete in state space. The book also discusses population growth and extinction through Malthus' law and the work of MacArthur and Wilson. The text then explains the dynamics of a population of interacting species. The book also addresses population genetics under systematic evolutionary pressures known as deterministic equations and genetic changes in a finite population known as stochastic equations. The text then turns to stochastic modeling of biological systems at the molecular level, particularly the kinetics of biochemical reactions. The book also presents various useful equations such as the differential equation for generating functions for birth and death processes. The text can prove valuable for biochemists, cellular biologists, and researchers in the medical and chemical field who are tasked to perform data analysis.

  • Progress in Biomass Conversion

    Volume 4
    • 1st Edition
    • David A. Tillman + 1 more
    • English
    Progress in Biomass Conversion, Volume 4, reviews the state of knowledge and development in the biomass energy and chemicals field. When biomass is used for energy, it must be used in innovative systems that are both efficient and economically effective. Combining biomass with other fuel systems may be required, in addition to the more traditional approaches. New markets for biomass energy also may be required as well as recognition that biomass fuels are cleaner sources of energy. However, quantifying the environmental issues associated with biomass fuel utilization should not be overlooked. This book focuses on these major themes. It includes several chapters on the production of chemicals from various forms of biomass. It examines the optimal energy use of biomass and considers innovative methods for using biomass fuels, some of which should lead to new markets for biomass energy. Finally, it considers the important issue of the environmental consequences associated with the use of biomass fuels.

  • Advances in Drug Research

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 20
    • Bernard Testa
    • English
    Advances in Drug Research, Volume 20 focuses on the general themes of drug research and description of specific drug classes. This book is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the extrapolation of toxicological and pharmacological data from animals to humans. The second chapter deals with the tissue binding of drugs, considering the relative ponderal importance of tissue versus blood macromolecules. The therapeutic use of plants and consumption of medicinal plants are elaborated in Chapter 3. The last chapter covers the field of histaminergic agonists and antagonists, describing breakthroughs such as H2-receptor antagonists, non-sedating H1-receptor antagonists, and H3-receptors. This publication is valuable to drug researchers and students interested in advances in drugs.

  • The Physiology of Synapses

    • 1st Edition
    • John Carew Eccles
    • English
    The Physiology of Synapses covers the considerable advances in understanding the complex physiology of synapses. This book is divided into 16 chapters that emphasize the mechanism of synaptic transmission. The first chapters describe the structural and physiological features of chemically transmitting synapses. The subsequent chapters deal with the excitatory postsynaptic responses to presynaptic impulse and the release of transmitter by presynaptic impulses. These topics are followed by discussions of the impulse generation by the excitatory postsynaptic potential; the postsynaptic electrical events produced by chemically transmitting inhibitory synapses; the ionic mechanism generating the inhibitory postsynaptic potential. The last chapters consider the mechanism of inhibitory transmitter substances, pathways responsible for postsynaptic inhibitory action, and the trophic and plastic properties of synapses. This book will prove useful to physiologists, neurologists, and researchers.

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