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Books in Life sciences

  • Chemical Zoology V5

    Arthropoda Part A
    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Marcel Florkin
    • English
    Chemical Zoology Volume V Arthropoda Part A presents chemical information on zoological importance of Arthropoda. It is composed of 12 chapters that cover anatomy, feeding, and digestion; carbohydrate, nitrogen, and lipid metabolism; osmoregulation; and growth and development. After briefly dealing with general characteristics, evolution and classification of Arthropoda, the book discusses arthropod nutrition and the nutrients needed for their growth and development. It describes the unique features of the digestive system, as well as secretion, resorption, and production of digestive juices of arthropods and crustaceans. Other chapters deal with the aspects and dynamics of arthropods' carbohydrate, lipid, and nitrogen metabolism. The book also describes the mechanism of osmotic regulation in aquatic arthropods and the role of amino acids in this function in insect hemolyph. The concluding chapters discuss some of the metabolic changes as related to tissue growth and an increase in body size in arthropods. This book is an invaluable resource for zoologists and biochemists.
  • Invertebrate Cell Culture Applications

    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Karl Maramorosch
    • English
    Invertebrate Cell Culture Applications assesses the status of invertebrate cell culture at a time when this method can be used to solve problems in a number of diverse disciplines. Organized into seven chapters, this book begins by discussing the development and amino acid requirements of insect cell culture. It then describes the Drosophila tissue culture and chromosomal phenomena in cell lines of this organism. This book also explains the culture conditions regulating the infection of cells by an intracellular microorganism, as well as the replication of arboviruses in arthropod in vitro systems. Lastly, the characteristics, growth requirements, and applications of tick cell culture to parasitology are explored. This book will contribute in solving biomedical and agricultural problems. This reference material will be of special interest to parasitologists, virologists, microbiologists, entomologists, geneticists, medical researchers, and graduate students in related fields of biomedical research.
  • Development of Perception Psychobiological Perspectives

    Audition, Somatic Perception, and the Chemical Senses
    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Richard Aslin
    • English
    Development of Perception: Psychobiological Perspectives, Volume 1, Audition, Somatic Perception, and the Chemical Senses, is the first of a two-part series covering vision, audition, olfaction, taste, tactile sensitivity, and sensory-motor activity during ontogenesis. The focus is on approaches to perceptual development that incorporate a psychobiological perspective. The present volume contains both overviews and specific discussions of audition, somatic perception, and the chemical senses aimed at the anatomical, neurophysiological, and behavioral levels. The book is organized into four parts. Parts A and B are devoted to aspects of auditory perceptual development in animals and humans, respectively. These include studies on the development of species-specificity in duckling auditory perception; the functional role of auditory perception in parent-offspring recognition in birds; the development of auditory localization in human infants; and experiential components in the development of speech perception. Part C covers issues of somatosensory and sensorimotor development, including pioneering studies of development and plasticity in the neural structures of specialized somatosensory areas. Part D contains chapters on the development of olfaction and taste.
  • Human Cholinesterases and Anticholinesterases

    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Hermona Soreq
    • English
    Human Cholinesterases and Anticholinesterases summarizes the many fundamental concepts of human cholinesterases (ChEs) and their inhibitors. This book is divided into three chapters that represent human cholinesterase research studies from different points of view. Chapter 1 deals with the biochemical and biological background of human ChEs. This chapter also examines the molecular polymorphism, genomic origin, genetic variants, and biological roles of these enzymes. Chapter 2 provides the molecular characterization of human ChE genes and their multileveled regulation, with a special emphasis on butyrylcholinesteras... Chapter 3 discusses the scientific, ecological, and clinical implications of the studies presented in the previous chapters. Protein scientists, engineers, and researchers will find this work invaluable.
  • The Computerized Greenhouse

    Automatic Control Application in Plant Production
    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Bozzano G Luisa
    • English
    The aim of this book is to open up research areas in automatic control engineering for crop production systems in horticulture and agriculture, and to explain the principle ideas of advanced automatic control in plant production. The text includes detailed discussions of:- Fundamental systems engineering concepts- Modeling- Control for agricultural systems- Optimal control and its applications- Artificial intelligence for agricultural applications
  • Calcification and Physiology

    • 2nd Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Geoffrey Bourne
    • English
    The Biochemistry and Physiology of Bone, Second Edition: Volume IV: Calcification and Physiology explores the biochemical and physiological aspects of bone calcification. It discusses the comparative physiology of bone, the organelles involved in the local mechanism of calcification, bone tracer uptake and removal, and matrix vesicles of cartilage and bone. It explains the parathyroid biosynthesis and metabolism, cellular and humoral factors in bone resorption, electrical properties of bone, circulation in relation to bone growth and metabolism, and dentin and bone formation. Organized into 12 chapters, this edition begins with an overview of noncalcifying matrix and its conversion to calcifiable matrix, impregnation of collagen, and extraskeletal calcification. The remaining chapters focus on the effects of pyrophosphate and diphosphonates on calcium metabolism and skeletal turnover, calcium kinetics in plasma, the method matrix vesicles use in initiating calcification, the chemistry of parathyroid biosynthesis and metabolism, and mammalian osteopetrosis as a model for investigating cellular and humoral factors involved in bone resorption. It also discusses the use of electron spin resonance spectrometry in studying mineralized tissues, electrical response in flexed wet bone, bone blood volume and flow, and origin and fate of bone cells. The book concludes with a chapter on the biogenesis of matrix and mineral components of dentin and bone tissues. This book is highly recommended to biochemists, cell biologists, physiologists, anatomists, orthopedists, pathologists, clinicians, biomedical engineers, graduate students, professors, and others interested in the calcification and physiology of bone.
  • Morphological Considerations

    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • Peter K.T. Pang
    • English
    Vertebrate Endocrinology: Fundamentals and Biomedical Implications, Volume 1: Morphological Considerations provides information pertinent to vertebrate endocrine systems, which has significant contributions to basic biological and biomedical research. This book discusses the practical implications of the endocrinological studies. Organized into 15 chapters, this volume starts with an overview of the endocrine process in lower vertebrates, which has provided basic information about the understanding of mammalian and human systems. This text then discusses the pituitary gland, which is considered to be functionally and structurally the most complex organ of the endocrine system. Other chapters consider the function of the pineal organ as a sensory organ capable of perceiving light stimuli in poikilothermic vertebrates. This book discusses as well the caudal neurosecretory system in lampreys, hagfish, holocephalans, and dipnoans. The final chapter provides the comparative morphology of the classical vertebrate endocrine organs. Endocrinologists, biologists, graduate students, and researchers will find this book useful.
  • Nutrition and Immunity

    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • M Gershwin
    • English
    Nutrition and Immunity discusses the interaction between nutrition, immune function, and immunity, based on empirical and epidemiologic point of view. It is organized into 14 chapters that focus on experimental studies on laboratory animals, including animal models to isolate specific factors in the interaction between nutrition and immunity. The book starts with an introduction to the potential impact of nutritional factors on immune responsiveness. Two chapters deal with the evaluation of immune function and nutritional assessment. Other chapters present classic observations on malnutrition and infectious disease, involving field studies as well as studies on the effect of nutritional factors on immune ontogeny. The following chapters examine issues related to caloric intake, proteins, minerals, vitamins, lipids, breast milk, and alcohol, as well as their effects in immune function and immunity. The book’s final chapters cover future directions and the potential role of nutritional modulation in immune dysfunction. Each chapter is meant to be an authoritative review presenting the state of the art as well as providing key illustrations from classic papers in a given field. Nutritionists, immunologists, scientists, and researchers will find this book very helpful in expanding their knowledge in the interrelationship between nutrition and immunity.
  • The Mechanism of gated calcium Transport across Biological Membranes

    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • S. Tsuyoshi Ohnishi
    • English
    The Mechanism of Gated Calcium Transport Across Biological Membranes presents the proceedings of a symposium, which was an unprecedented attempt to bring together diverse groups working on various aspects of the problem of gated Ca2+ transport. A variety of tissues, from Paramecium to vertebrate, and from the cell membrane to the internal membrane system, are included. This attempt appears to have been a success as many participants felt that they learned a great deal about the phenomenon in different preparations. This book is divided into six sections, with the first focusing on gated calcium transport in various tissues. It discusses such topics as the general properties of gated calcium transport, development of calcium channels in the cleavage-arrested embryo of a certain ascidian, and calcium currents in mammalian neurons. The following sections then focus on the kinetics of gated calcium transport; the pharmacology of gated calcium transport; regulation of gated calcium transport; calcium release from fragmented SR; and calcium-induced calcium release. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of pharmacology, physiology, and experimental pathology.
  • Origins of Resistance to Toxic Agents

    • 1st Edition
    • December 2, 2012
    • M Sevag
    • English
    Origins of Resistance to Toxic Agents contains the proceedings of the Symposium held in Washington, D.C. on March 25-27, 1954. Contributors theoretically explore the origins of drug resistance and related problems, based on the concept that the development of resistance to various toxic agents is associated with alterations and/or loss in enzyme proteins, and can explain the mutational and other processes. This text is organized into five sections encompassing 25 chapters and begins with an overview of the evolutionary aspects of resistance to antibacterial agents, herbicides, and insecticides. The book then discusses spontaneous and induced mutations to drug resistance in Escherichia coli, along with the mechanism of drug resistance in protozoa and bacteria, the physiological aspects of insect resistance to insecticides, and the enzymatic detoxication of DDT. The next chapters focus on the origins of tolerance and addiction to drugs and the problem of alcoholism; biochemical effects of narcotics and alcohol administration; tolerance and physical dependence to narcotics; and resistance and dependence in cancer cells. The book concludes by analyzing the significance of protein configuration to the specificity of biological interaction. This book is a valuable source of information for physicians, biochemists, pharmacologists, entomologists, plant physiologists, students of cancer, and those who are interested in the theory of the evolution of living matter.