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Books in Life sciences

  • Biotic Crises in Ecological and Evolutionary Time

    • 1st Edition
    • Matthew Nitecki
    • English
    Biotic Crises in Ecological and Evolutionary Time emerged from the third Field Museum Spring Systematic Symposium held in May 1980. The symposium attempted to explore the nature and effects of crisis over as wide a range of temporal and spatial scales as possible. To this end, contributions were included from such diverse fields as astronomy, paleobiology, ecology, and anthropology. The kinds of crises considered ranged from events in the cosmological history of the universe all the way to the effects of a single introduced species on a present-day living community. The book begins by providing a definition of ""crisis"" and a general discussion of methods and approaches to the study of crises. The subsequent chapters present studies on topics such as the physical mechanisms underlying the cosmological framework in which life evolved; physical disturbance in the life of plants; the impact of species introductions; and evolutionary aspects of pre- and post-interchange fossil land mammal faunas in South America.

  • Neural Control of Circulation

    • 1st Edition
    • Maysie Hurnes
    • English
    Neural Control of Circulation presents an in-depth view of specialized areas in the neural regulation of the circulatory system that have been the subject of intensive research, the historical basis and theory from which those investigations evolved, and directions for future studies. Special emphasis is placed on critical evaluation of the experimental data in each field of research. This volume is comprised of seven chapters and begins with a synthesis of a large number of studies undertaken using conscious animals, particularly those that focuses on the behavioral and cerebral control of cardiovascular function. The second chapter explores the role of the brain stem and cerebellum in cardiovascular control. Next, specific research areas concerning bulbospinal control of sympathetic nerve discharge are discussed. This is followed by a chapter devoted to the nucleus tractus solitarii and experimental neurogenic hypertension. A concept in potential hypertensive mechanisms involving long-term transsynaptic regulation of adrenal medullary function is also described, and the neural control of the circulation during hypoxia is considered. Finally, aspects of central nervous system pharmacology and regulation of circulation are examined. This book is designed for individuals who are interested in the cardiovascular system and its function, and should also prove useful to students and researchers in physiology and individuals in other ancillary areas of bioscience.

  • Recent Progress in Photobiology

    • 1st Edition
    • E Bowen
    • English
    Recent Progress in Photobiology contains the proceedings of the Fourth International Photobiology Congress, held in Oxford on July 26-30, 1964 and organized by a committee set up by the British Photobiology Group. Contributors explore the developments in photobiology, particularly with respect to biological structures, chemical changes, and molecular energy. This volume is organized into 10 sections encompassing 33 chapters and begins with an overview of basic photochemical processes that have direct implications on photobiology. The next chapters discuss the photochemistry of nucleic acids and their derivatives, with some reference to their biological significance. The book also studies the visual processes in humans and animals; the structure, pigment chemistry, and function of photoreceptor systems of plant and animal cells; and receptor mechanisms in human vision. The natural photoenvironment and its influence on life and development is also explained, emphasizing how light shapes the ultimate fate of an organism in its habitat. The remaining chapters focus on energy conversion and photosynthesis; micro-irradiation of cells; photochemistry and photobiology of space research; light and melanin pigmentation of the skin; and the effect of light on plant and animal cells. This book will be of interest to biologists and physiologists, as well as to anyone engaged in photobiological research.

  • Biology of Plant Litter Decomposition V1

    • 1st Edition
    • C.H. Dickinson
    • English
    Biology of Plant Litter Decomposition, Volume 1 focuses on decomposition of various types of litter, which include all plant remains, ranging from still standing dead trees to the decomposing hyphae of fungi and bacterial cells, including herbivore dung. The book is organized into seven chapters, each devoted to a specific type of litter including lower plants, herbaceous, angiosperm, and coniferous tree leaf litters; wood; root; and digested litter. It describes the structure and function of the organisms concerned. It also covers the involvement of biotrophic and necrotrophic parasites of higher plants in the early stages of decomposition. With a strong focus on the interrelationships in plant litter decomposition, the book is an ideal source of information for research biologists who are interested in life cycle and decomposition of plants.

  • Metabolic Inhibitors V3

    A Comprehensive Treatise
    • 1st Edition
    • R Hochster
    • English
    Metabolic Inhibitors: A Comprehensive Treatise, Volume III reviews developments in metabolic and enzyme inhibition. With contributions by investigators experienced in their respective fields, the book explores metabolic processes or systems and covers topics ranging from membrane transport to immunization; gene activity; DNA, RNA, and protein syntheses; photosynthesis; lipid metabolism; and blood clotting. Organized into 12 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of transport reactions and their inhibition, emphasizing inhibitors of ATPase including cations, substrates, and products. Some chapters deal with inhibitors, such as antibiotics; polypeptide and protein hormones; modified transfer RNAs; and oligonucleotides. Other chapters discuss inhibitors of immune reactions; animal virus replication; plant viruses and mycoplasma; and isozymes. An account of genetic deletions is also given. Finally, the book considers molecules that act as repressors and derepressors of gene activity. This book will be beneficial to biochemists and medical research workers, as well as to virologists, microbiologists, plant physiologists, and agronomists.

  • Mechanisms in Bioenergetics

    • 1st Edition
    • Giovanni Azzone
    • English
    Mechanisms in Bioenergetics covers the proceedings of the eighth conference on ""Mechanisms in Bioenergetics"" held in Pugnochiuso, Italy on May 1-4, 1972. This book is organized into three parts, encompassing 43 chapters that discuss bioenergetics in mitochondria, chloroplasts, chromatophores, and bacterial protoplast membranes. It summarizes the structure and dynamics of energy-transducing membranes, molecular basis of membrane transport, and energy coupling mechanisms. The first part of the book describes various aspects of structure and dynamics of energy transducing membranes. This includes their chemiosmotic coupling, reflection coefficients, structural transformation, redox properties, and circular dichroism studies. This is followed by considerable chapters discussing chemiosmotic theory of transport and metabolism, ion channel phosphorylation paths in cell membrane, and kinetics of metabolite anion uptake in mitochondria. Other topics covered are mitochondrial Ca2+-binding glycoprotein and sucrose-dependent sugar transport across artificial lipid membranes. This book also looks into the enzyme interaction in mitochondrial membrane. It also discusses the relation of hydrogen uptake to electron flow in photosynthetic bacteria and purine nucleotides and fatty acids in energy coupling. The concluding section deals with the mechanisms of energy coupling, including mechanism of respiration-driven proton, role of mitochondrial energy transfer factors, and energy in mitochondrial respiration. The behavior of cytochromes b and c of pigeon heart and in the energized mitochondrial membrane is also described. Finally, this book considers the effect of adenosine-containing compounds competitively inhibiting the mitochondrial transhydrogenase reaction. Researchers and students who are interested in bioenergetics and energy-transducing membranes will benefit from this book.

  • Calcium and Phosphate Transport Across Biomembranes

    • 1st Edition
    • Felix Bronner
    • English
    Calcium and Phosphate Transport Across Biomembranes is a collection of papers presented at the 1981 Calcium and Phosphate Transport Across Biomembranes international workshop held in Vienna, Austria. Contributors from a wide range of disciplines explore the intracellular role of calcium and phosphate and their transport into and out of the body through the intestine and the kidney. In particular, they describe calcium movement in the cell and across the plasma membrane, along with phosphate transport into the cell, particularly, at the brush border. Organized into 10 sections encompassing 53 chapters, this collection begins with an overview of the mechanisms underlying the net movements of calcium in the cell and plasma membrane. The discussion then shifts to the crystal structure of calmodulin, the phosphate transport in the mitochondria, the mechanisms for calcium extrusion, the calcium uptake by brush border membranes, and the possible role of the mitochondria in intracellular calcium regulation. The book also introduces the discussion on mitochondrial calcium transport protein, polypeptide and amine hormone regulation of calcium fluxes, mechanism of secretion by cultured pituitary cells, and regulation of the tubular transport of phosphate. A chapter that assesses the effects of vitamin D and insulin on phosphate transport in the differentiating chick small intestine concludes the book. This collection of papers will be of interest to scientists, neurochemists, physiologists, pharmacologists, biochemists, gastroenterologists, nutritionists, and pathophysiologists.

  • Gene Manipulations in Fungi

    • 1st Edition
    • J.W. Bennett
    • English
    Gene Manipulations in Fungi combines a review of classical fungal genetics, contemporary research, and responsible speculation about the future. This book focuses on yeasts and molds; because yeast is the primary model system for eukaryotes and that there is an elegant research on molds. The applications of fungi, including their economic importance, are addressed. The book emphasizes the need for improved transformation systems, appropriate vectors, and broadly applicable selectable markers in this field of interest. This book will help stimulate the development of innovative approaches in this subject matter.

  • Immune Regulators In Transfer Factor

    • 1st Edition
    • Amanullah Khan
    • English
    Immune Regulators in Transfer Factor is a collection of papers presented at the Third International Symposium on Transfer Factor held on October 12-14, 1978 at the Wadley Institutes of Molecular Medicine in Dallas, Texas. Contributors focus on immune regulators occurring in transfer factor, a dialyzable component of leukocyte lysates. The isolation and characterization of the immunologically active molecules, as well as tests for in vitro and in vivo, are described. This volume is organized into five sections encompassing 73 chapters and begins with an overview of animal models used in research on dialyzable leukocyte extracts, their modulation of suppressor activity, effects in mice, and activity and specificity of human and bovine transfer factor. The next section considers in vitro testing, touching on topics such as the quantification and biological assays of transfer factor; the specificity of transfer factor action on macrophage migration; and the effect of transfer factor therapy on antibody-dependent cytotoxic activity in humans. The reader is then introduced to the preparation, purification, and characterization of transfer factor, as well as clinical investigations ranging from phase I studies to randomized controlled trials. This book will be of interest to scientists and researchers in fields such as molecular medicine, biomedicine, microbiology, immunology, oncology, pathology, and immunotherapy.

  • The Mycoplasmas V5

    Spiroplasmas, Acholeplasmas, and Mycoplasmas of plants and Arthropods
    • 1st Edition
    • R Whitcomb
    • English
    The Mycoplasmas,Volume V: Spiroplasmas, Acholeplasmas,and Mycoplasmas of Plants and Arthropods focuses on existing knowledge and recent development in research on spiroplasmas, acholeplasmas, and other mollicutes of plants and arthropods. Organized into 11 chapters, this volume discusses the nutrition, cultivation, ecology, and molecular and cellular biology of spiroplasmas. Because the occurrence of other mollicutes (mycoplasma and acholeplasma) in plant and arthropod environments is not extensively discussed in other volumes, this volume shows the rapid progress in describing the new mollicutes from arthropods and plant surface that they contaminate. Molecular studies of mollicute phylogeny and plant infections incited by the so-called mycoplasma-like organisms are also presented. This book will provide a comprehensive reference source for all mycoplasmologists and a relevant and exhaustive summary of recent advances in the study of spiroplasmas, acholeplasmas, and mycoplasmas in plant and arthropod hosts for microbiologists, cellular and molecular biologists, plant pathologists, and entomologists.

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