Biology, life sciences Books

Book SynopsisZooplankton are critical to the vitality of estuaries and coastal waters. This edition takes on a tour of the miniature universe of zooplankton, including early developmental stages of familiar and diverse shrimps, crabs, and fishes. It details the behavior, morphology, and coloration of these tiny aquatic animals.Trade ReviewAn indispensable book for teachers, students, and professionals working in marine biology and oceanography. Northeastern Naturalist Teachers, students and professionals in marine biology at the college level will find this a key survey. Midwest Book Review This new edition of the zooplankton guide by William S. Johnson and Dennis M. Allen provides an excellent introduction to the diversity of planktonic life found off the eastern and southern coasts of the USA... This volume is excellent and it will serve its audience well -- from the level of beginner through to seasoned marine researchers. -- Geoff Boxshall Zoological Journal of the Linnean SocietyTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction to ZooplanktonAdaptations to Planktonic LifeFeedingLocomotionVertical Migrations and Selective Tidal TransportDefenseAdaptations of Planktonic LarvaeFactors Affecting Zooplankton DistributionPlankton Distribution and Ocean CurrentsCoastal WatersThermoclines and Coastal StratificationInvisible BoundariesCross-Shelf Transport to Nearshore and Estuarine AreasTides and Tidal CurrentsCoastal EmbaymentsSalinity and Estuarine StratificationBenthic Habitats and Zooplankton DistributionEstuarine and Coastal Planktonic Food WebsPrimary ProductivityPlanktonic Food WebsThe "Classic" Phytoplankton ? Herbivore Food WebThe Microbial LoopFood Web DynamicsA Brief History of Zooplankton ResearchPioneers in Zooplankton ResearchCollection Techniques: Old and NewPlankton NetsPlankton Pumps, Traps, and New TechnologiesAutomated Plankton Samplers, Acoustic Technology, and Video TechniquesZooplankton and Environmental QualityHypoxiaHarmful Algal BloomsInvasive and Introduced SpeciesClimate ChangeSuggested ReadingsIdentification and Biology of Common ZooplanktonHow to Use This Book to Identify ZooplanktonQuick PicksPhytoplanktonProtozooplanktonCnidarians: Anemones, Jellyfishes, and Related MetazoansHydrozoansScyphozoans and CubozoansCtenophores: Comb Jellies and Sea WalnutsRotifersCirripedes: Barnacle LarvaeCladocerans and OstracodsCopepodsMysids: Opossum ShrimpsAmphipods, Isopods, Tanaidaceans, and CumaceansDecapods: Shrimps, Crabs, and Related CrustaceansStomatopods: Mantis ShrimpsSea Spiders, Mites, and InsectsAnnelids: Segmented Worms and NematodesMolluscs: Gastropods, Bivalves, and CephalopodsChaetognaths: Arrow WormsEchinoderm Larvae: Starfishes and Sea UrchinsLess Common Ciliated Invertebrate LarvaeLower Chordates: Larvaceans, Sea Squirts, Salps, Doliolids, and LanceletsFish LarvaeAppendixes1. Collecting Zooplankton2. Observing Zooplankton3. Observing Zooplankton4. Sample Processing and Data Analysis5. Regional Zooplankton SurveysGlossaryLiterature CitedIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the process, they reveal the vital importance of this organ-which is composed mostly of fetal cells-for us as individuals and as a species.Trade ReviewThis reveals the importance of this organ for individuals and the species as a whole, and is recommended for science and health holdings alike. Midwest Book ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction1. The History of Placental Investigations2. The Evolution of Live Birth in Mammals3. Comparative Mammalian Placentation4. The Evolution of the Human Placenta5. Sex and the Placenta6. Genes, Genetic Regulation, and the Placenta7. The Placenta as a Regulatory Organ8. Modern Gestational ChallengesConclusionReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisA guide to the Chesapeake's fishes. Suitable for both anglers and students of the Bay, it includes detailed descriptions of physical characteristics, range, occurrence in the Bay, reproduction, diet, and statistics from fisheries research.Trade ReviewA must have for those with an interest in the fishes of the region. -- Ian Paulsen Birdbooker Report Finally! A truly comprehensive and well-illustrated field guide to the fishes of the Chesapeake Bay is available. -- Wendy Gilbert Mariner Chesapeake Director of the National Science Foundation office in Tokyo, Murdy and Musick catalogue fish... in the largest of US estuaries... The information is oriented towards fishing, and the excellent drawings by marine science illustrator Val Kells are not fanciful in-habitat creations, but aids for identifying the species of the fish in the bottom of the boat. Reference and Research Book News The only comprehensive field guide to the Chesapeake's fishes, this book is an indispensable resource for both anglers and students of the Bay. Northeastern Naturalist [Kells] is meticulous in her detail that makes her final product scientifically accurate so that her images can be used by scientist and the public alike. Anyone with an interest in the Chesapeake Bay and its fishes will find her work invaluable as a resource. Marine Environmental Research Corporation Field Guide to the Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake... The science is solid as it should be from two veteran ichythologists, but it also carries an engaging human touch that brings each species to life. -- John Page Williams Chesapeake Bay Magazine Overall, a very useful guide to fish of this region. Choice The new Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay will enrich the time anyone spends on the waters of the Chesapeake. Chesapeake Bay Magazine The authors accomplished what they set out to do and did it well. Those with an interest in fishes of the Chesapeake region should buy the book: they won't be sorry. -- Willliam D. Anderson, Jr. CopeiaTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionWatershed, History, and Hydrology of the Chesapeake BayGeneral Characteristics of Chesapeake Bay Fish FaunaSeasonal Fish Faunal ChangesConservation and Environmental Management of Chesapeake Bay FishesThe Scope of This Field GuideOrganizationHow to Identify Fishes in the BayHow to Use the KeysMorphologyBasic Counts and MeasurementsSpecies AccountsLampreys - Family PetromyzontidaeDogfish sharks - Family SqualidaeRequiem sharks - Family CarcharhinidaeHammerhead sharks - Family SphyrnidaeHound sharks - Family TriakidaeBasking shark - Family CetorhinidaeSand tigers - Family OdontaspididaeAngel sharks - Family SquatinidaeSawfishes - Family PristidaeWhiptail stingrays - Family DasyatidaeButterfly rays - Family GymnuridaeEagle rays - Family MyliobatidaeCownose rays - Family RhinopteridaeSkates - Family RajidaeSturgeons - Family AcipenseridaeGars - Family LepisosteidaeBowfins - Family AmiidaeTenpounders - Family ElopidaeTarpons - Family MegalopidaeFreshwater eels - Family AnguillidaeConger eels - Family CongridaeHerrings - Family ClupeidaeAnchovies - Family EngraulidaeSuckers - Family CatostomidaeCarps and minnows - Family CyprinidaeSea catfishes - Family AriidaeNorth American catfishes - Family IctaluridaePikes - Family EsocidaeMudminnows - Family UmbridaeLizardfishes - Family SynodontidaeCusk-eels - Family OphidiidaeCods - Family GadidaeMerlucciid hakes - Family MerlucciidaePhycid hakes - Family PhycidaeToadfishes - Family BatrachoididaeGoosefishes - Family LophiidaeMullets - Family MugilidaeNew World silversides - Family AtherinopsidaeNeedlefishes - Family BelonidaeHalfbeaks - Family HemiramphidaePupfishes - Family CyprinodontidaeTopminnows - Family FundulidaeLivebearers - Family PoeciliidaeSticklebacks - Family GasterosteidaePipefishes - Family SyngnathidaeSculpins - Family Cottidae and Lumpfishes - Family CyclopteridaeSearobins - Family TriglidaeButterfishes - Family StromateidaeCutlassfishes - Family TrichiuridaeSand lances - Family AmmodytidaeJacks - Family CarangidaeCobia - Family RachycentridaeRemoras - Family EcheneidaeMackerels - Family ScombridaeBarracudas - Family SphyraenidaeStargazers - Family UranoscopidaeDrums and croakers - Family SciaenidaeSpadefishes - Family EphippidaeBluefish - Family PomatomidaeClingfishes - Family GobiesocidaeGobies - Family GobiidaeTemperate basses - Family MoronidaePerches - Family PercidaeCombtooth blennies - Family BlenniidaeSnakeheads - Family ChannidaeButterflyfishes - Family ChaetodontidaeMojarras - Family GerreidaePorgies - Family SparidaeSnappers - Family LutjanidaeGrunts - Family HaemulidaeSunfishes - Family CentrarchidaeWrasses - Family LabridaeMedusafishes - Family CentrolophidaeSea basses and groupers - Family SerranidaeTriggerfishes - Family BalistidaePorcupinefishes - Family DiodontidaeFilefishes - Family MonacanthidaeBoxfishes - Family OstraciidaePuffers - Family TetraodontidaeAmerican soles - Family AchiridaeTonguefishes - Family CynoglossidaeSand flounders - Family ParalichthyidaeRighteye flounders - Family PleuronectidaeTurbots - Family ScophthalmidaeAppendices1. Key to the Orders and Families of Chesapeake Bay Fishes2. Key to the Families of Perciformes Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay3. Keys to Species within Families4. Fish Species Rarely Recorded from the Chesapeake BayGlossary of Selected Technical TermsIndex to Scientific NamesIndex to Common Names

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book captures that heady, fleeting moment when a biologist could expect to do great science through the private sector and be rewarded with both wealth and scientific acclaim.Trade ReviewBiologist and science historian Nicolas Rasmussen delicately unravels the tangled fibres of discovery, entrepreneurship and lab life in the first decades of genetic engineering... An engaging, ultimately elegiac tale of lost innocence, as researchers struggle with the angel of the search for truth on one shoulder, and the devil of wealth and fame on the other. -- Nathaniel Comfort Nature This provides an engrossing blend of technical survey and business history reconmmended for science and business collections alike! Midwest Book Review An engaging, informative work appropriate for general readers and beginning students of molecular biology or biotechnology. Choice Gene Jockeys deftly conveys a sense of the excitement and technical challenges of this time when free-wheeling scientists pursued their passions in newly evolving commercial settings. -- Jonathan Khan Journal of American History Scholars generally should appreciate Rasmussen's careful research and the wide sweep of source material that he references in extensive notes. -- Sally Smith Hughes Social History of Medicine Rasmussen achieves admirably what he sets out to accomplish... Gene Jockeys will be the go-to source on the history of the biotech industry for some time to come, and particularly regarding the scientific and legal developments on which that industry's growth rested. -- Elizabeth Popp Berman American Historical Review Rasmussen's book deserves to be read by business historians, historians of science, journalists, and anyone who wants to better understand the early days of genetic engineering through the days of investor hype to the absorption of small biotech experiments by much greater entities. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Overall, Gene Jockeys is an impressive book that brings together many known, but scattered, narratives with a new frame of reference... Any scholars interested in the history of early biotechnology will find Gene Jockeys essential reading. Journal of the History of Biology It should be emphasized that although Gene Jockeys productively complements other historical accounts of biotech, the book also stands on its own quite well. Rasmussen's account owes much of its usefulness to his creativity and care in supporting his claims by drawing from the scientific literature, oral histories, and especially legal documents. Isis .. Any one interested in the history of modern biotech and the attitudes that shaped it will find valuable insights. The BiologistTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Biology's Day at the Races1. Biology, Industry, and the Cold War2. The Insulin Trophy3. Growing Pains: Commercial Strains on a Way of Life4. The Interferon Derby: Markets in Credit, Tournaments of Value5. Epo: The Making of the Biotech Blockbuster6. tPA: The End of the BeginningConclusion: Science, Business, and Medicine in the First Age of BiotechCited SourcesNotesGlossary of Technical TermsIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisReveals many aspects of the lives of marsupial frogs and closely allied genera. This book tells about the diversity of color patterns and the frogs geographic distributions by providing more than 200 photographs, illustrations, and maps. It is suitable for herpetologists, tropical biologists, and developmental biologists.Trade ReviewThis outstanding volume is the result of the longest enduring of Duellman's research projects; add it to your bookshelf! -- David C. Cannatella Phyllomedusa Overall, this is a very detailed, well-written, up-to-date summary of known information on these frogs. It will be indispensable to scientists who are or will be working with marsupial frogs. It will also be valuable to advanced students of herpetology. Highly Recommended. Choice This book does a great job of achieving its goal of summarizing the current knowledge of the family and highlighting where knowledge is currently lacking. The writing style is easy to follow and concise making this book a very compelling read. I very rarely use the following words when writing book reviews, but this book is a must for anyone with an interest in neotropical herpetology or amphibians in general. Herpetological BulletinTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. IntroductionMaterial and Methods2. The Place of Hemiphractids in Anuran PhylogenyMorphological Phylogenetic AnalysesMolecular Phylogenetic AnalysesLiterature Cited3. Phylogeny and ClassificationPhylogenetic RelationshipsClassificationVernacular NamesLiterature Cited4. Osteology, by linda truebAllies of Marsupial FrogsCranial Osteology of GastrothecaCharacterization of GastrothecaLiterature Cited5. External Morphological FeaturesAdult FrogsExternal Characters of FrogsTadpolesLiterature Cited6. Chromosomes, Muscles, and VocalizationChromosomesThroat MusculatureVocalizationLiterature CitedReproductive BiologyMating and OvipositionThe Brood PouchEmbryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic RespirationHatchingLarvaeEvolution of Reproduction and DevelopmentLiterature Cited8. BiogeographyHistory of South AmericaEvolutionary History of HemiphractidaePresent DistributionsHabitats of Hemiphractid FrogsLiterature Cited9. Genera of HemiphractidaeFamily HemiphractidaeKey to GeneraCryptobatrachusFlectonotusHemiphractusFritzianaStefaniaGastrotheca10. Basal subgenera of GastrothecaSubgenus EothecaKey to SpeciesGastrotheca (Eotheca) fissipesGastrotheca (Eotheca) flammaGastrotheca (Eotheca) megacephalaGastrotheca (Eotheca) prasinaGastrotheca (Eotheca) pulchraGastrotheca (Eotheca) recavaSubgenus CryptothecaKey to SpeciesGastrotheca (Cryptotheca) walkeriGastrotheca (Cryptotheca) williamsoniSubgenus AmphignathodonKey to SpeciesGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) andaquiensisGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) angustifronsGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) antomiaGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) bufonaGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) cornutaGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) dendronastesGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) guentheriGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) helenaeGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) longipesGastrotheca (Amphignathodon) weinlandiiSubgenus AustralothecaKey to SpeciesGastrotheca (Australotheca) albolineataGastrotheca (Australotheca) ernestoiGastrotheca (Australotheca) fulvorufaGastrotheca (Australotheca) microdiscusSubgenus OpisthodelphysGastrotheca (Opisthodelphys) oviferaSubgenus EdaphothecaGastrotheca (Edaphotheca) galeataLiterature Cited11. Andean Species of Subgenus DuellmaniaSubgenus DuellmaniaKey to SpeciesGastrotheca (Duellmania) argenteovirensGastrotheca (Duellmania) aureomaculataGastrotheca (Duellmania) dunniGastrotheca (Duellmania) dysprositaGastrotheca (Duellmania) espeletiaGastrotheca (Duellmania) litonedisGastrotheca (Duellmania) lojanaGastrotheca (Duellmania) monticolaGastrotheca (Duellmania) niceforiGastrotheca (Duellmania) orophylaxGastrotheca (Duellmania) plumbeaGastrotheca (Duellmania) riobambaeGastrotheca (Duellmania) ruiziGastrotheca (Duellmania) trachycepsLiterature Cited12. Andean Species of Subgenus GastrothecaSubgenus GastrothecaKey to SpeciesGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) abditaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) aguarunaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) antoniiochoaiGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) aratiaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) atympanaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) caeruleomaculataGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) carinacepsGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) christianiGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) chrysostictaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) excubitorGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) gracilisGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) griswoldiGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) lateonotaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) marsupiataGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) nebulanastesGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) ochoaiGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) ossilaginisGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) pacchamamaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) pachachacaeGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) peruanaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) phalarosaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) phellodermaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) piperataGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) pseustesGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) psychrophilaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) rebeccaeGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) splendensGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) stictopleuraGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) testudineaGastrotheca (Gastrotheca) zeugocystisLiterature Cited13. In RetrospectLiterature CitedIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnyone with an interest in the mammalian fauna of Mexico, or mammals in general, will find this one-of-a-kind book an indispensable reference to Mexico's rich diversity of wildlife.Trade ReviewThe dichotomous presentation is both easy to follow and flawlessly compiled, including updated and expanded material that surpasses any previously available resource... Anyone with an interest in the mammalian fauna of Mexico, or mammals in general, will find this one-of-a-kind book an indispensable reference to Mexico's rich diversity of wildlife. Birdbooker ReportTable of ContentsPrólogo/ForewordIntroducción/IntroductionNecesidad de guías de identifi cación/ The need for identification guidesComo usar esta guia/How to use the guideDistribución/DistributionProtección/ProtectionAgradecimientos/AcknowledgmentsCaracterísticas de los mamíferos/Mammal characteristicsCaracterísticas externas/External characteristicsCaracterísticas internas/Internal characteristicsCaracterísticas óseas/Bone characteristicsListado de especies/Species listClaves de ordenes/Key ordersOrden/ order ArtiodactylaFamilia/Family AntilocapridaeFamilia/Family BovidaeFamilia/Family CervidaeFamilia/Family TayassuidaeOrden/Order CarnivoraFamilia/Family CanidaeFamilia/Family FelidaeFamilia/Family MephitidaeFamilia/Family MustelidaeFamilia/Family OtariidaeFamilia/Family PhocidaeFamilia/Family ProcyonidaeFamilia/Family UrsidaeOrden/Order ChiropteraFamilia/Family EmballonuridaeFamilia/Family MolossidaeFamilia/Family MormoopidaeFamilia/Family NatalidaeFamilia/Family NoctilionidaeFamilia/Family PhyllostomidaeFamilia/Family ThyropteraFamilia/Family VespertilionidaeOrden/Order CingulataFamilia/Family DasypodidaeOrden/Order DidelphimorphiaFamilia/Family DidelphidaeOrden/Order LagomorphaFamilia/Family LeporidaeOrden/Order PerissodactylaFamilia/Family TapiridaeOrden/Order PilosaFamilia/Family CyclopedidaeFamilia/Family MyrmecophagidaeOrden/Order PrimatesFamilia/Family AtelidaeOrden/Order RodentiaFamilia/Family AgoutidaeFamilia/Family CastoridaeFamilia/Family CricetidaeFamilia/Family CuniculidaeFamilia/Family ErethizontidaeFamilia/Family GeomyinaeFamilia/Family HeteromyidaeFamilia/Family MuridaeFamilia/Family SciuridaeOrden/Order SireniaFamilia/Family TrichechidaeOrden/Order SoricomorphaFamilia/Family SoricidaeFamilia/Family TalpidaeAnexo I medidas/ Appendix I measurementsMedidas somáticas/ Somatic measurementsMedidas craneales/ Cranial measurementsMedidas axiales/ Axial measurementsAnexo II colecta de mamíferos/ Appendix II mammal collectionMamíferos pequeños/Small mammalsMamíferos medianos/Medium mammalsMamíferos grandes/Large mammalsMurciélagos/BatsPreservación y conservación/ Preservation and conservationAnexo III técnica para la preparación/ Appendix III preparation techniqueSecado de los ejemplares/ Drying the samplesMétodo para limpiar los cráneos/ Method for cleaning craniumsVariación a la técnica de preparación/ Variation of the preparation techniquePieles de mamíferos que serán curtidas/ Mammal skins to be tannedPreparación de los cráneos/Cranium preparationPreparación de esqueletos/Skeleton preparationGlosario/GlossaryLiteratura citada/BibliographyÍndice/Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of the recovery of mountain lions in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mountain lions, sometimes called pumas or cougars, were once spread throughout the United States, occupying all 48 of the contiguous states. By the 1960s, though, they were almost extinct in central and eastern North America. In Mountain Lions of the Black Hills, Dr. Jonathan A. Jenks, who, along with his team of graduate students, has tracked over 200 of these fascinating predators, tells the complex story of the big cats' lives in the northern Great Plains. Jenks reports on mountain lion population dynamics, diet, nutrition, diseases, behavior, and genetics. He explores the impact of a changing prey base on population growth and decline, movements within and away from the region, and hunting on the species; discusses interactions between the cats and livestock; and examines local people's evolving perceptions of mountain lions. Throughout, Jenks explores how we can balance conservation techniques withTrade ReviewThe book is enriched by more than 25 years of research . . . All the chapters are interesting, highly readable and, in places, somewhat autobiographical . . . Likely to appeal to anyone interested in big cats or the ecology of large predators, this book should be particularly useful to wildlife professionals, including ecologists, conservationists and researchers.—Sue Howarth CBiol FRSB, The BiologistThe book was an enjoyable read and is a valuable contribution to North America's predatory fauna . . . I loved all the pictures and thought that it complemented the text perfectly. In fact, I wish more scientifically-oriented books were like this: simple to read, containing concise information, and well illustrated!—Jonathan Way, Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research, Osterville, MA, The Canadian Field-NaturalistTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. Introduction2. Ecology of the Black Hills3. Characteristics of Black Hills Mountain Lions4. Population Dynamics of Mountain Lions5. Disease Ecology of Mountain Lions6. Nutritional Ecology of Mountain Lions7. Genetics of Mountain Lions8. Perceptions of Mountain LionsEpilogueIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe defining masterwork on the evolution of reptiles. Over 300 million years ago, an early land vertebrate developed an egg that contained the embryo in an amnion, allowing it to be deposited on land. This moment marked the first step in the fascinating and complex evolutionary journey of the reptiles. In The Rise of Reptiles, paleontologist Hans-Dieter Sues explores the diversity of reptilian lineages, discussing the relationships among turtles, crocodylians, lizards and snakes, and many extinct groups. Reflecting the tremendous advances in the study of reptilian diversity and phylogeny over recent decades, this book is the first detailed, contemporary synthesis of the evolutionary history of these remarkable animals. Reptiles have always confused taxonomists, who have endlessly debated and rewritten their classifications. In this book, Sues adopts an explicitly phylogenetic framework to sift through the evidence and discuss the origin and diversification of Reptilia in a way no oneTrade ReviewThe writing style is clear and easy, the illustrations are excellent, and the whole design and print quality highly attractive. There is no other book like it, and this will stand as a useful reference for many years.—Michael J. Benton, University of Bristol, The Herpetological BulletinThis volume is the most complete and current compendiumon reptilian evolution and diversity to date . . . Few (if any) are better suited to have written this volume than Sues. His impressive research record over the past 40 years has dealt directly with many of the taxonomic groups in this volume, including (nonreptile) synapsids, parareptiles, sauropterygians, crocodylomorphs, and dinosaurs.—Jeremy B. Stout, Quarterly Review of BiologyThe Rise of Reptiles will become a classic in its own time, supplanting Colbert (1945), Romer (1966), Carroll (1988), and all previous syntheses of vertebrate paleontology. Sues indisputably joins them as a leader in their ranks with this landmark book on reptile phylogeny and evolution. Every professional herpetologist and paleontologist should have a copy on their shelf within easy reach.—J. Whitfield Gibbons, CopeiaTable of ContentsPrefaceOutline Classification1 Introduction2 Amniotes and Reptiles3 Parareptilia: A Group of Their Own4 Basal Eureptilia and Diapsida: Early Evolution of Modern Reptiles5 Testudinata: Turtles and Their Stem-Taxa6 Sauropterygia, Ichthyosauromorpha, and Related Reptiles: The Early Mesozoic Invasion of the Sea7 Lepidosauromorpha: Rhynchocephalians, Squamates, and Their Relatives8 Archosauromorpha: The Ruling Reptiles and Their Relatives9 Pseudosuchia: Crocodile-Line Archosaurs10 Avemetatarsalia: Bird-Line Archosaurs Excluding Dinosaurs11 Dinosauria I: Saurischia12 Dinosauria II: Ornithischia13 A Brief History of Reptiles14 The Future of ReptilesGlossaryReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of Contents1 A Dragon among Us 2 First Encounters 3 Alligator Adaptations 4 Where They Live 5 Sun Bathers 6 An Alligator's Appetite 7 Meet the Relatives 8 Love Is in the Water 9 Small Beginnings 10 Long Odds for a Long Life 11 Alligator Societies 12 Living with Alligators 13 From Slaughter to Salvation 14 Alligators at SunsetAcknowledgmentsAppendix A. Where to See Wild AlligatorsAppendix B. Scientific Names of Non-crocodilian Species Mentioned in the TextIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first, definitive reference on the natural history and ecology of every one of the known 6500+ species of lizards, spanning the entire globe. Our planet is literally crawling with lizards. More than 6500 species are known to science, and new species are being discovered annually. In this monumental work, eminent researcher Gordon Rodda has created the first compilation of the natural histories of all the world's lizards and amphisbaenians, as well as the Tuatara. Although other books have attempted to survey the scope of adaptations present in the world's lizards, only Rodda has been able to quantify and summarize all species or higher taxa. Analyzing the relationships among traits such as morphologic characteristics, reproductive strategies, and food sources, Rodda uncovers novel insights into reptile ecology. Identifying 14 recurring character syndromes across all the world's lizards, he proposes a new lens for categorization. He also touches on common names geographic range lTrade ReviewRodda has given us a new framework for thinking about lizard natural history . . . Any scholar of lizard biology or natural history should think of adding this book to their library. It will be a wonderful resource for years to come.—Trends in Ecology and EvolutionAnyone who wants to deeply understand the true nature of what makes a lizard a lizard will be left in awe of the level of scholarship, detailed research, thought, and creativity that went into this unique contribution . . . It absolutely belongs on the shelf of any lab with even a passing interest in herpetology and in every university library, if only for the sheer number of masters and doctoral theses it is sure to inspire.—Herpetological ReviewLizards of the World is an absolute must for any serious lizard biologist or graduate student planning to work with lizards. The price is hefty, but accounting for the time it would require to track down natural history data for any single species without this book makes it worth every cent . . . Serious readers will learn a lot of ecology and evolutionary biology from the text and should come away with a nearly unlimited set of ideas for future research.—ICHTHYOLOGY & HERPETOLOGYFrom Ablepharus to Zygaspis this book was a massive, unparalleled undertaking. The result is indisputably the most thorough coverage ever published of the biology of every known lizard in the world . . . This volume will be an essential reference for anyone conducting research on any species of lizard anywhere in the world. Its value as a source of natural history information cannot be overstated.—Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction and MethodsThe Interplay between Ecological and Phylogenetic CausationDefinitionsSize EstimationAnalytical MethodsChapter 2. What Are Lizards?CompositionMorphologySexually Differing TraitsGeographyActivityReproductionDietPopulationsThe Modal LizardChapter 3. LinkagesMethods Unique to This ChapterMassMorphologySexual Size DimorphismColorDietForagingTime of Day (Diel Activity)Predator Concealment TacticsMicrohabitatReproduction AllocationIslandsLongevityPopulation Density/BiomassIntroductionsImperiled LizardsNext StepsChapter 4. Ecological Business ModelsCrack HermitDiurnal Canopy WalkerGiant HerbivoreGliderGround-foraging Tree LizardImmobility ExpertLitter CryptozoidNocturnal Canopy WalkerNocturnal Ground LizardRefugia-anchored Diurnal Ground LizardSand SharkSubterranean ForagerTrunk/Wall LizardWide-ranging ChemosensorOverview of Ecological Business ModelsChapter 5. Taxon Accounts(alphabetical by family or genus name; use index to search by English name)A (Ablepharus to Australolacerta)B (Bachia to Bunopus)C (Cadeidae and Cadea to Cyrtopodion)D (Dactylocnemis to Dryadosaura)E (Ebenavia to Exila)F (Feylinia to Furcifer)G (Gallotia to Gymnophthalmus)H (Haackgreerius to Hypsilurus)I (Iberolacerta to Isopachys)J (Janetaescincus to Jarujinia)K (Kaestlea to Kolekanos)L (Lacerta to Lyriocephalus)M (Mabuya to Morunasaurus)N (Nactus to Nucras)O (Oedodera to Ouroborus)P (Pachycalamus to Pygopus)Q (Quedenfeldtia)R (Ramigekko to Rondonops)S (Saara to Strophurus)T (Tachygyia to Tytthoscincus)U (Uma to Uvidicolus)V (Vanzosaura to Voeltzkowia)W (Woodworthia)X (Xantusia to Xenosauridae and Xenosaurus)Z (Zonosaurus to Zygaspis)AcknowledgmentsAppendicesA. Database Fields and Comments on Their TabulationB. Methods for Quantifying Lizard SizesC. Standards for Qualification of Absolute Population DensitiesLiterature CitedIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisExploring the potential for extraterrestrial life and the origins of our own planet, this comprehensive introduction to astrobiology is updated with the latest findings. Informed by the discoveries and analyses of extrasolar planets and the findings from recent robotic missions across the solar system, scientists are rapidly replacing centuries of speculation about potential extraterrestrial habitats with real knowledge about the possibility of life outside our own biosphereif it exists, and, if so, where. Casting new light on the biggest questions there arehow did we get here, and who else might be out there?this third edition of Kevin W. Plaxco and Michael Gross's widely acclaimed Astrobiology incorporates a decade's worth of new developments in space to bring readers the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and engaging introduction to the field available. Plaxco and Gross examine the factors that make our Universe habitable, from the origin of chemical elements and the formation of Trade ReviewI did not find a single page in this book that did not attract my interest.—Anna Faktorovich, Pennsylvania Literary JournalTable of ContentsPreface AcknowledgmentsChapter 1. What Is Life?Chapter 2. Origins of a Habitable UniverseChapter 3. Origins of a Habitable PlanetChapter 4. Primordial SoupChapter 5. The Spark of LifeChapter 6. From Molecules to CellsChapter 7. A Concise History of Life on EarthChapter 8. Life on the EdgeChapter 9. Habitable Worlds in the Solar System and BeyondChapter 10. The Search for ETEpilogueGlossaryIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe new QuickStudy booklets cover the key information on some of the toughest courses today, helping students boost their grades. The books are presented in the clear, concise format readers have come to expect from QuickStudy. The basic principles of Biology, including full-colour illustrations and diagrams. Reference for all Biology students, from high school to college.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHelps you explore ecological patterns and processes of what does not burn within boreal wildfires. Following a brief introduction to the boreal forest biome, this book discusses the processes that form wildfire residuals; how they are studied, with various approaches and methods; and types, extent, and ecological functions of wildfire residuals.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xi About the companion website xiii 1 Introduction 1 The boreal forest biome 2 Geographical distribution 4 Distinguishing features 6 Boreal wildfires 9 Major characteristics 9 Ecological significance 11 Goals and scope of the book 12 References 14 2 Formation of wildfire residuals 18 Factors that affect the formation of residuals 19 Boreal forest communities 20 Boreal wildfires 31 Residual formation and distribution 40 Spatial heterogeneity in fire behavior 41 Process of residual formation 44 Summary 59 References 61 3 Types of wildfire residuals and their extent 65 Types of wildfire residuals 66 A post-wildfire scene 66 Past descriptions of wildfire residuals 71 Abundance and extent of wildfire residuals 79 Snag residuals 80 Live tree residuals 81 Residual patches 84 Changes in residuals after wildfires 88 Snag residuals 88 Live tree residuals 89 Residual patches 92 Toward improved definitions and assessment 93 Reasons for improvement 93 Definitions of wildfire residuals 95 Improved study approaches 103 Summary 107 References 113 4 Ecological roles of wildfire residuals 119 Ecological processes involving snag residuals 121 Invasion by beetles 121 Colonization by woodpeckers 132 Occupation by other bird species 140 Forest regeneration 142 Roles of the residual patches 148 Providing temporary shelter 149 Supplementing the recovery 151 Creating heterogeneity 161 Ecological significance 161 Wildfire residuals and the carbon cycle 162 Wildfire residuals and nutrient and hydrological cycles 165 Summary 168 References 173 5 Role of wildfire residuals in forest management applications 184 Restoring wildfire residuals 185 Ecological expectations 186 Considerations for application 187 Challenges and uncertainties 190 Emulating wildfire disturbance 191 Background 191 Emulating wildfire residuals by forest harvest 193 Expectations and uncertainties 197 Salvage logging 202 Background 202 Ecological consequences 204 Practical considerations 212 Uncertainties 217 Summary 220 References 222 6 Ecology of boreal wildfire residuals – a summary and synthesis 227 Wildfire residuals and their occurrence 227 Residual vegetation types 228 Spatial patterns of residuals 231 Ecological roles of wildfire residuals 235 Snag residuals 235 Residual patches 236 A conceptual view 237 Knowledge uncertainties 239 Management applications and wildfire residuals 240 Salvage logging 240 Emulating wildfire disturbances 240 Restoring wildfire residuals 242 Suppressing fire 243 Research needs on wildfire residuals 243 Advancing research methods 243 Expanding research topics 244 Conclusion 245 Index 247

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gifted and thoughtful writer, Metzl brings us to the frontiers of biology and technology, and reveals a world full of promise and peril. Siddhartha Mukherjee MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The GenePassionate, provocative, and highly illuminating, Hacking Darwin is the must read book about the future of our species for fans of Homo Deus and The Gene. After 3.8billion years humankind is about to start evolving by new rulesFrom leading geopolitical expert and technology futurist Jamie Metzl comes a groundbreaking exploration of the many ways genetic-engineering is shaking the core foundations of our lives sex, war, love, and death. At the dawn of the genetics revolution, our DNA is becoming as readable, writable, and hackable as our information technology. But as humanity starts retooling our own genetic code, the choices we make today will be the difference between realizing breathtaking advances in human well-being and desTrade Review"Jamie Metzl's book - ranging through genetics, human destiny and the future -- is an incredible trove of information for scientists, futurists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and virtually every intrigued, interested reader. A gifted and thoughtful writer, Metzl brings us to the frontiers of biology and technology, and reveals a world full of promise and peril. This is a must-read book." - Siddhartha Mukherjee MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene: An Intimate History "In many ways, Jamie Metzl has been preparing Hacking Darwin for the last 20 years and his diligence shines through. Jamie is a gifted writer and his explanation of genetics are crisp, accurate, and wonderfully engaging. If you can only read one book on the future of our species, this is it." - Sanjay Gupta MD, bestseller author, neurosurgeon, and Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent (CNN)"Whether you already run the whitewater of transhumanism or oppose changing one atom of any species, you will see we have a revolution in our midst – one of engineering genes, possibly surpassing the space, atomic, and electronic revolutions in its significance. It is a transformation we ignore at great risk. To help prepare us for what's coming, Jamie Metzl guides us brilliantly down the twisting and ever-changing river of our genetic future in this important and thought-provoking book. Beyond the issues of efficacy and safety, he thoughtfully explores the ultimately more critical issues of diversity, equality, and respect for each other and our common humanity." - George Church, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and author of Regenesis"Jamie Metzl's Hacking Darwin is an outstanding guide to the most important conversation of our lives -- how we humans will hijack our evolutionary process and transcend the limits of our own biology." - Ray Kurzweil, inventor and futurist, author of The Singularity is Near and How to Create a Mind"Jamie Metzl possesses a nearly superhuman ability to take in vast amounts of research and synthesize it into disruptive, beautifully-wrought prose. To borrow a term from the book, Hacking Darwin is an intellectual masterbatortium-at once stimulating and consummately satisfying." - Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author of Blue Zones Solution and Blue Zones of Happiness "Genetic technologies contain extraordinary promise - and breathtaking challenges - with the potential to change virtually every aspect of our lives. In the pages of Hacking Darwin, Jamie Metzl takes us on a critical journey through opportunities and obstacles on humanity's greatest expedition: the exploration and re-imagining of what it means to be human." - Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles"Jamie Metzl has written a personal, funny, unpretentious and ultimately deeply optimistic book about how the human race will transform itself through genomics. In his enthusiastic embrace of our technological future, Metzl gives voice to the adventure of biological discovery without losing sight of the risks. Hacking Darwin is a witty introduction to a wide variety of themes within genomics, and is at its most profound when imagining not just the science, but the social and geopolitical reactions that will accrue throughout the world. Metzl writes about real science with the flair of a science fiction writer, and in the process challenges us to begin a complex but necessary conversation about how humanity will evolve." - Robert C. Green, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine (Genetics), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Broad Institute and Harvard Medical School"This wildly exciting and highly accessible book kidnaps us on a ride to the future, demonstrating in thrilling detail how our species' ability to transform and improve the genetic makeup of our offspring will explode over the course of our lifetimes and beyond. Even as a scientist working in the field of human longevity and genetics, this book blew my mind. It should be required reading for scientists, doctors, and anybody else whose life and those of their children will be touched by genetic technologies - which is just about all of us. Our world is changing rapidly, and we could have no better guide to the profound opportunities, challenges, and ethical complexities of the genetics revolution than Jamie Metzl." - "Jamie Metzl's Hacking Darwin should be required reading for business executive, scientists, worriers, and dreamers -- for anyone interested in the future of science and humanity. Bit by bit, with wit and grace, he shows how we are rebuilding the very notion of what it means to be human, and how we will inevitably be changed in that process." - Debora Spar, author of The Baby Business and Baker Foundation Professor, Harvard Business School"Humans taking control of human evolution is happening now and it could be the most significant thing we have done since we learned how to make and use fire. When history looks back on this period, it will not focus on the shiny objects that grab the attention of media today, but rather on the tech breakthroughs that Metzl explains in such clear language. Hacking Darwin is essential reading if you want to understand what will be seen as the most important thing happening in this epoch." - Richard A. Clarke, bestselling author of Warnings and former White House National Security official"The bio-sciences revolution is coming at us faster than we realize and what better guide to its possibilities than Jamie Metzl. Hacking Darwin is a compelling read ahead of our genetic future, breathtaking on one hand, thought provoking and challenging on the other. A must read and entertaining guide if you care to know what lies ahead and what to do about it." - James Manyika, Chairman, McKinsey Global Institute. "Evolution has changed since Darwin's time. We are driving unnatural selection and nonrandom mutation. This gives us the power to alter all species, including ourselves. So the key emerging debate is: Should we redesign humans? Why? How far? How fast? Metzl lays out what we can do now, what we might be able to do, in an engaging, nontechnical way. Let the debate begin." - Juan Enriquez, co-author Evolving Ourselves: Redesigning the Future of Humanity - One Gene at a Time "Numerous books explain the genetic revolution now in progress; this one describes where it might lead, and it's a wild ride...a thoughtful, exciting, and mostly accessible account of how genetic manipulation will vastly improve our species. Miracles will happen, if not quite yet. " - Kirkus Reviews"A highly readable compendium of next-gen advice for the implementation and management of next-gen science." - Publishers Weekly"Hacking Darwin paints a picture of our future that is both exciting and hopeful as well as dangerous and terrifying. Brilliantly written and deeply thought provoking, it is a must read - for the entire planet. I could not put it down, reading it in a single sitting." - Michael Morell, Former Acting and Deputy Director, CIA "Timely, important, and thorough exploration of how inheritance will evolve from natural selection to a human-controlled generation-by-generation data hack. " - David Sable, Forbes.com"Hacking Darwin...paints a picture that is at once wondrous and terrifying. Metzl writes with great clarity and a sense of urgency that we should all take to heart." - NPR Books"Metzl has a knack both for clarifying granular scientific and moral complexities, and for seeing the big picture." - Nature.com"In Hacking Darwin... world-famous futurist Jamie Metzl appeals to all humans of good will to together face the ethical and social problems raised by human genetic engineering." - Osservatore Romano (the official Vatican newspaper)

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the twentieth century, scientists in the relatively new field of biology played an important role in exposing the threats of environmental degradation, loss of species diversity, habitat fragmentation, scarce energy resources, and human population growth. In the essays found in A New Century of Biology, some of the world's most notable biologists consider how their discipline must evolve to address these problems in the twenty-first century. The next one hundred years, the contributors argue, will likely be dominated by breakthroughs in evolutionary biology and systems ecology; by an increased need for scientists to integrate research, teaching, and service missions; and by problem-solving ventures on greater spatial and temporal scales. Because human activity and increased population will continue to have a profound impact on the environment, biologists must define an effective strategy for integrating the biological sciences with global economics and human social structure. The eleven contributors are leaders in the fields of ecology, and evolution, morphology, and development, behavior, microbiology, ecosystem energetics and biogeochemistry, biodiversity and conservation biology, and human sciences. While acknowledging the real problems their discipline must address, they offer an optimistic agenda for the future.Trade Review"When thinking about the future of biology, let us think of the vast benefits which biology has brought to humankind in the past. Indeed, biology is likely to continue to bring us in the future equally unexpected benefits." - Ernst Mayr, from the forewordTable of ContentsChapter 1 Foreword: Biology in the Twenty-First Century Chapter 2 Preface: A New Century of Biology Chapter 3 Acknowledgements Chapter 4 Contributors Chapter 5 1. Introduction: The New Revolution in Biology Chapter 6 2. Bacteria in the Origins of Species: Demise of the Neo-Darwinian Paradigm Chapter 7 3. Bodies and Body Plans, and How They Came to Be Chapter 8 4. Ecosystems: Energetics and Biogeochemistry Chapter 9 5. Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution Chapter 10 6. Conserving Biodiversity into the New Century Chapter 11 7. The New Age of Biological Exploration Chapter 12 8. Lumpy Integration of Tropical Wild Biodiversity with Its Society Chapter 13 9. Biology and the Human Sciences: Pathways of Consilience

Read more less

Book SynopsisIncludes topics that could not be crammed into our first biology guide.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCarbohydrates are ubiquitous, essential molecules, as important as nucleic acids and proteins yet less well understood. Mounting data demonstrate that microbial and mammalian glycans and their protein-binding partners (lectins) play central roles in all innate and adaptive immune responses. Indeed, programmed remodeling of host glycans can modulate infection, autoimmunity, and cancer, while microbial glycoconjugates can serve as canonical innate receptor agonists that induce B cell and T cell activation. Glycobiology of the Immune Response explores the integration of state-of-the-art glycobiology and immunology to raise awareness of the multifaceted roles of glycans and lectins in the immune system NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit http://ordering.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/subs.asp?ref=1749-6632&doi=10.1111/(ISSN)1749-6632. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.Trade Review“Glycobiology of the Immune Response explores the integration of state-of-the art glycobiology and immunology to raise awareness of the multifaceted roles of glycans and lectins in the immune system.” (European Journal of Immunology, 1 December 2012) Table of ContentsGlycobiology of immune responses 1 Gabriel A. Rabinovich, Yvette van Kooyk and Brian A. Cobb Multifarious roles of sialic acids in immunity 16 Ajit Varki and Pascal Gagneux Siglecs as sensors of self in innate and adaptive immune responses 37 James C. Paulson, Matthew S. Macauley and Norihito Kawasaki Interleukin-2, Interleukin-7, T cell-mediated autoimmunity, and N-glycosylation 49 Ari Grigorian, Haik Mkhikian and Michael Demetriou T cells modulate glycans on CD43 and CD45 during development and activation, signal regulation, and survival 58 Mary C. Clark and Linda G. Baum Interplay between carbohydrate and lipid in recognition of glycolipid antigens by natural killer T cells 68 Bo Pei, Jose Luis Vella, Dirk Zajonc and Mitchell Kronenberg Gelectins in acute and chronic inflammation 80 Fu-Tong Liu, Ri-Yao Yang and Daniel K. Hsu Mechanisms underlying in vivo polysaccharide-specific immunoglobulin responses to intact extracellular bacteria 92 Clifford M. Snapper CD33-related siglecs as potential modulators of inflammatory responses 102 Paul R. Crocker, Sarah J. McMillan and Hannah E. Richards Sulfated glycans control lymphocyte homing 112 Hiroto Kawashima and Minoru Fukuda Acute phase glycoproteins: bystanders or participants in carcinogenesis? 122 Eugene Dempsey and Pauline M. Rudd Glycans, galectins, and HIV-1 infection 133 Sachiko Sato, Michel Ouellet, Christian St-Pierre and Michel J. Tremblay An evolutionary perspective on C-type lectins in infection and immunity 149 Linda M. van den Berg, Sonja I. Gringhuis and Teunis B. H. Geijtenbeck Integrated approach toward the discovery of glycol-biomarkers of inflammation-related diseases 159 Takashi Angata, Reiko Fuijinawa, Ayako Kurimoto, Kazuki Nakajima, Masaki Kato, Shinji Takamatsu, Hiroaki Korekane, Cong-Xiao Gao, Kazuaki Ohtsubo, Shinobu Kitazume and Naoyuki Taniguchi Novel roles for the IgG Fc Glycan 170 Robert M. Anthony, Fredrik Wermeling and Jeffrey V. Ravetch The effect of galectins on leukocyte trafficking in inflammation: sweet or sour? 181 Dianne Cooper, Asif J. Iqbal, Beatrice R, Grittens, Carmela Cervone and Mauro Perretti Engineering cellular trafficking via glycosyltransferase-programmed stereosubstitution 193 Robert Sackstein The expanding role of α2-3 sialylation for leukocyte trafficking in vivo 201 Markus Sperandio Beyond glycoproteins as galectin counterreceptors: effector T cell growth control of tumors via ganglioside GM1 206 Robert W. Ledeen, Gusheng Wu, Sabine André, David Bleich, Guillementte Huet, Herbert Kaltner, Jürgen Kopitz and Hans-Joachim Gabius Online only Polarization of host immune responses by helminth-expressed glycans Donald Harn Jr., Smanla Tundup and Leena Srivastava Carbohydrate-recognition in the immune system: contributions of NGL-based microarrays to ligand discovery Ten Feizi Diversity in recognition of glycans by F-type lectins and galectins: molecular, structural, and biophysical aspects Gerardo R. Vasta, Hafiz Ahmed, Mario A. Bianchet, José A. Fernández-Robledo and L. Mario Amzel

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume stems from the conference "The Neurosciences and Music IV: Learning and Memory" held in Edinburgh, Scotland 9–12 June 2011. The volume focuses on four themes: infants and children; adult musicians and non-musicians; disabilities and aging-related issues; and therapy and rehabilitation. Manuscripts cover a range of topics, including the cultural neuroscience of music; memory and learning in music performance; the impact of musical experience on cerebral language processing; and mechanisms of rhythm and meter learning over the life span. The Neurosciences and Music IV will be of interest to not only to neuroscientists, psychologists, and students, but also to clinical neurologists and psychologists, educators, and musicologists. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit http://ordering.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/subs.asp?ref=1749-6632&doi=10.1111/(ISSN)1749-6632. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume stems from the Second International Conference on Environmental Stressors in Biology and Medicine, which occurred October 5-7, 2011 in Siena, Italy. Included are short reviews and perspectives on the basic mechanisms of environmental stressors; physical and chemical stressors and related diseases; air pollutants and related diseases; protection afforded by food and pharmaceuticals; and food as a source of stressors. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.Table of ContentsOmics approaches in cystic fibrosis research: a focus on oxylipin profiling in airway secretions Jason P. Eiserich Jun Yang Brian M. Morrissey Bruce D. Hammock Carroll E. Cross 1 Nitric oxide signaling in the brain: translation of dynamics into respiration control and neurovascular coupling Joao Laranjinha Ricardo M. Santos Cátia F. Lourenco Ana Ledo RuiM. Barbosa 10 Physiological functions of GPx2 and its role in inflammation-triggered carcinogenesis Regina Brigelius-Flohé Anna Patricia Kipp 19 Molecular medicine and the development of cancer chemopreventive agents Alberto Izzotti 26 Experimental basis for discriminating between thermal and athermal effects of water-filtered infrared A irradiation Tobias Jung Tilman Grune 33 Acrolein effects in pulmonary cells: relevance to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Nadia Moretto Giorgia Volpi Fiorella Pastore Fabrizio Facchinetti 39 Sarcopenia and smoking: a possible cellular model of cigarette smoke effects on muscle protein breakdown Oren Rom Sharon Kaisari Dror Aizenbud Abraham Z. Reznick 47 The link between altered cholesterol metabolism and Alzheimer's disease Paola Gamba Gabriella Testa Barbara Sottero Simona Gargiulo Giuseppe Poli Gabriella Leonarduzzi 54 Rottlerin and curcumin: a comparative analysis Emanuela Maioli Claudia Torricelli Giuseppe Valacchi 65 Plant polyphenols and human skin: friends or foes Liudmila Korkina Chiara De Luca Saveria Pastore 77 Flavonoids and metabolic syndrome Monica Galleano Valeria Calabro Paula D. Prince María C. Litterio Barbara Piotrkowski Marcela A. Vazquez-Prieto Roberto M. Miatello Patricia I. Oteiza Cesar G. Fraga 87 Dietary polyphenols in cancer prevention: the example of the flavonoid quercetin in leukemia Carmela Spagnuolo Maria Russo Stefania Bilotto Idolo Tedesco Bruna Laratta Gian Luigi Russo 95 Cigarette smoke and ozone effect on murine inflammatory responses Concetta Gardi Giuseppe Valacchi 104 Age-related changes in cellular protection, purification, and inflammation-related gene expression: role of dietary phytonutrients Angela Mastaloudis Steven M. Wood 112 The role of oxidative stress in Rett syndrome: an overview Claudio De Felice Cinzia Signorini Silvia Leoncini Alessandra Pecorelli Thierry Durand Giuseppe Valacchi Lucia Ciccoli Joussef Hayek 121 Emerging topics in cutaneous wound repair Giuseppe Valacchi Iacopo Zanardi Claudia Sticozzi Velio Bocci Valter Travagli 136 Corrigendum for Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1236: 30-43 145

Read more less

Book SynopsisTight junctions between epithelial and endothelial cells form selective barriers and paracellular channels and regulate paracellular transport of solutes, immune cells, and drugs. More specifically, tight junctions consist of proteins that laterally interconnect neighboring cells of epithelia and endothelia. Certain proteins seal the tight junction, so that a nearly impermeable barrier develops, whereas others form channels that allow for permeation between the cells. Recent investigations have focused on tight junction proteins, belonging to the claudin family (claudins-1 to -27 in humans) and the newly defined group of TAMP (three proteins: occludin, Marvel-D2, and tricellulin). Barriers and Channels Formed by Tight Junction Proteins I showcases work in this area clustered around three major themes: the molecular properties of tight junctions, for example, the role of the claudin family of proteins and the formation of ion and charge-selective channels; the regulation of tight junction and barrier functions via genetic mechanisms and scaffold protein mediation; and the functional role of the tight junction in various tissues, such as the skin, lungs, endothelia, and nervous system NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For informatio.n on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit http://ordering.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/subs.asp?ref=1749-6632&doi=10.111/(ISSN)1749-6632. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member. Table of Contents1. Perspectives on tight junction research Jörg-Dieter Schulzke, Dorothee Günzel, Lena J. John, and Michael Fromm Molecular properties of the tight junction 20. Charge-selective claudin channel Susanne M. Krug, Dorothee Günzel, Marcel P. Conrad, In-Fah M. Lee, Salah Amasheh, Michael Fromm, and Alan S. L. Yu 29. Claudin-derived peptides are internalized via specific endocytosis pathways Denise Zwanziger, Christian Staat, Anuska V. Andjelkovic, and Ingolf E. Blasig 38. A phosphorylation hotspot within the occluding C-terminal domain Max J. Dörfel and Otmar Huber 45. Determinants contributing to claudin ion channel formation Anna Veshnyakova, Susanne M. Krug, Sebastian L. Mueller, Jörg Piontek, Jonas Protze, Michael Fromm, and Gerd Krause 54. Lipolysis-stimulted lipoprotein receptor: a novel membrane protein of tricellular tight junctions Mikio Furuse, Yukako Oda, Tomohito-Higashi, Noriko Iwamoto, and Sayuri Masuda 59. Overexpression of claudin-5 but not claudin-3 induces formation of trans-interaction-dependent multilamellar bodies Jan Rossa, Dorothea Lorenz, Martina Ringling, Anna Veshnyakova, and Joerg Piontek 67. Association between segments of zonula occludens proteins: live-cell FRET and mass spectrometric analysis Christine Rueckert, Victor Castro, Corinna Gagell, Sebastian Dabrowski, Michael Schümann, Eberhard Krause, Ingolf E. Blasig, and Reiner F. Haseloff 77. Dynamic properties of the tight junction barrier Christopher R. Weber Regulation of the tight junction and barrier function 85. Regulation of tight junctions in human normal pancreatic duct epithelial cells and cancer cells Takashi Kojima and Norimasa Sawada 93. The role for protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 2 in regulating autophagosome formation Michael Scharl and Gerhard Rogler 103. Caveolin binds independently to claudin-2 and occluding Christina M. Van Itallie and James M. Anderson 108. Regulation of epithelial barrier function by the inflammatory bowel disease candidate gene, PTPN2 Declan F. McCole 115. Intracellular mediators of JAM-A-dependent epithelial barrier function Ana C. Monteiro and Charles A. Parkos 125. Cingulin, paracingulin, and PLEKHA7: signaling and cytoskeletal adaptors at the apical junctional complex Sandra Citi, Pamela Pulimeno, and Serge Paschoud 133. ZO-2, a tight junction scaffold protein involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis Lorenza Gonzalez-Mariscal, Pablo Bautista, Susana Lechuga, and Miguel Quiros 142. From TER to trans- and paracellular resistance: lessons from impedance spectroscopy Dorothee Günzel, Silke S. Zakrzewski, Thomas Schmid, Maria Pangalos, John Wiedenhoeft, Corinna Blasse, Christopher Ozboda, and Susanne M. Krug Tight junctions in skin, lung, endothelia, and nervous tissues 152. Diverse type of junctions containing tight junction proteins in stratified mammalian epithelia Werner W. Franke and Ulrich-Frank Pape 158. Barriers and more: functions of tight junction proteins in the skin Nina Kirschner and Johanna M. Brandner 167. Roles for claudins in alveolar epithelial barrier function Christian E. Overgaard, Leslie A. Mitchell, and Michael Koval 175. Claudins and alveolar epithelial barrier function in the lung James A. Frank 184. Relevance of endothelial junctions in leukocyte extravasation and vascular permeability Dietmar Vestweber 193. Involvement of claudins in zebrafish brain ventricle morphogenesis Jingjing Zhang, Martin Liss, Hartwig Wolburg, Ingolf E. Blasig, and Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried 199. Modulation of tight junction proteins in the perineurium for regional pain control D. Hackel, A. Brack, M. Fromm, and K. L. Rittner

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Global Medical Excellence Cluster (GMEC) and the New York Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Imperial College London and King's College London, sponsored the conference "Animal Models and Their Value in Predicting Drug Efficacy and Toxicity." The goal was to provide a neutral forum to critically examine and discuss the traditional role of pre-clinical animal models in drug discovery, and how these models most effectively contribute to translational medicine and therapeutic development. International, multi-disciplinary clinical and basic science investigators convened to discuss and identify changes needed to increase the predictive power of various models for drug efficacy and toxicity in humans, and ways in which to further refine, reduce, and replace animal models in biomedical research in areas such as metabolic and cardiovascular disease, inflammation, pain. Other topics discussed included new technologies in bioimaging, biosimulation, bioinformatics, the generation of genetically modified animals, phenotype screening, alternatives to rodent models, the use of embryonic stem cells, patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells, and humanized animal models. This volume presents a collection of short papers on some of the topics discussed at this important conference. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit http://ordering.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/subs.asp?ref=1749-6632&doi=10.1111/(ISSN)1749-6632. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs in past installments of “The Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology” series, this year’s volume contains a diverse collection of timely reviews in conservation biology and scientific, policy, and management implications, including reviews in the following areas: The Marine Mammal Protection Act at 40: Status, recovery, and future of U.S. marine mammals; translocation of imperiled species under changing climates; ecology and conservation of ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) in a changing world; risks to biodiversity from hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica Shales; species-area relationships and extinction forecasts; and Bounded Ranges of Variation as a framework for future conservation and fire management. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit http://ordering.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/subs.asp?ref=1749-6632&10.1111/(ISSN)1749-6632 ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy Science receive full-text access to Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.Table of ContentsRisks to biodiversity from hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica Shales 1 Erik Kiviat Translocation of imperiled species under changing climates 15 Mark W. Schwartz and Tara G. Martin The Marine Mammal Protection Act at 40: status, recovery, and future of U.S. marine mammals 29 Joe Roman, Irit Altman, Meagan M. Dunphy-Daly, Caitlin Campbell, Michael Jasny, and Andrew J. Read Species-area Relationships and extinction forecasts 50 John M. Halley, Vasiliki Sgardeli, and Nikolaos Monokrousos Ecology and conservation of ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) in a changing world 62 James B. McGraw, Anne E. Lubbers, Martha Van der Voort Emily H. Mooney, Mary Ann Furedi, Sara Souther, Jessica B. Turner, and Jennifer Chandler Bounded ranges of variation as a framework for a future conservation and fire management 92 Max A. Moritz, Matthew D. Hurteau, Katherine N. Suding, and Carla M. D’Antonio

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the aftermaths of Hurricanes Irene, in 2011, and Sandy, in 2012, New York City has come to recognize the critical need to better prepare for future storm surges and to anticipate future trends, such as climate change and socioeconomic developments. This Annals volume presents research that assesses the costs of six different flood management strategies to anticipate long-term challenges the City will face. The proposed strategies vary from increasing resilience by upgrading building codes and introducing small scale protection measures, to creating green infrastructure asbuffer zones and large protective engineering works such as storm surge barriers. The initial investment costs of alternative strategies vary between $11.6 and $23.8 bn, maximally. This report shows that a hybrid solution, combining protection of critical infrastructure and resilience measures that can be upgraded over time, is less expensive. However, with increasing risk in the future, storm surge barriers may become cost-effective, as they can provide protection to the largest areas in both New York and New Jersey.

Read more less

Book Synopsis Twelve renowned scientists and theologians offer penetrating insights into the evolution dialogue in The Deep Structure of Biology. Each considers whether the orthodox evolution model is sufficient and offers their perspective on evolution and biology. Essays include: Chance and Necessity in Evolution Green Plants as Intelligent Organisms Canny Corvoids and Political Primates: A Case for Convergent Evolution in Intelligence Social and Cultural Evolution in the Ocean: Convergences and Contrasts with Terrestrial Systems Purpose in Nature: On the Possibility of a Theology of Evolution Editor Simon Conway Morris provides the introduction, an overview of the issues, and an essay on evolution and convergence. Other contributors are Richard Lenski, George McGhee, Karl Niklas, Anthony Trewavas, Nigel Franks, Nicola Clayton, Nathan Emery, HalWhitehead, Robert Foley, Michael Ruse, Celia Deane-Drummond, and John Haught. The discussion of biology and evolution in these essays broadens the scope of the traditional evolution discussion as it aims to stimulate the development of other research programs. Scholars in the science and religion field will find this book a valuable resource. Table of Contents Introduction / vii Simon Conway Morris 1. Chance and Necessity in Evolution / 3 Richard E. Lenski 2. Convergent Evolution: A Periodic Table of Life? / 17 George McGhee 3. Life’s Evolutionary History: Is It Determinate or Indeterminate? / 32 Karl J. Niklas 4. Evolution and Convergence: Some Wider Considerations / 46 Simon Conway Morris 5. Aspects of Plant Intelligence: Convergence and Evolution / 68 Anthony Trewavas 6. Convergent Evolution, Serendipity, and Intelligence for the Simple Minded / 111 Nigel R. Franks 7. Canny Corvids and Political Primates: A Case for Convergent Evolution in Intelligence / 128 Nicola S. Clayton and Nathan J. Emery 8. Social and Cultural Evolution in the Ocean: Convergences and Contrasts with Terrestrial Systems / 143 Hal Whitehead 9. The Illusion of Purpose in Evolution: A Human Evolutionary Perspective / 161 Robert A. Foley 10. Purpose in a Darwinian World / 178 Michael Ruse 11. Plumbing the Depths: A Recovery of Natural Law and Natural Wisdom in the Context of Debates about Evolutionary Purpose / 195 Celia Deane-Drummond 12. Purpose in Nature: On the Possibility of a Theology of Evolution / 218 John F. Haught Contributors / 233 Index / 237

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the CBHL Award of Excellence California is one of the most ecologically rich and diverse regions of North America, and home to hundreds of species of mushrooms. In California Mushrooms, mycologist experts Dennis Desjardin, Michael Wood, and Fred Stevens provide over 1100 species profiles, including comprehensive descriptions and spectacular photographs. Each profile includes information on macro- and micromorphology, habitat, edibility, and comparisons with closely related species and potential look-alikes. Although the focus of the book is on mushrooms of California, over 90% of the species treated occur elsewhere, making the book useful throughout western North America. This complete reference covers everything necessary for the mushroom hunter to accurately identify over 650 species.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Must-Have for Mushroom Hunters in the Rockies In Mushrooms of the Rocky Mountain Region, Vera Evenson describes more than 220 species of the region’s most conspicuous, distinctive, interesting, and ecologically important mushrooms. This comprehensive guide features introductory chapters on the basics of mushroom structure, life cycles, and habitats. Profiles include color photographs, keys, and diagrams to aid in identification, and tips on how to recognize and avoid poisonous mushrooms. ·Covers Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, as well as adjacent areas in Montana and Idaho ·Helpful keys for identification ·Clear, color-coded layout ·An essential reference for mushroom enthusiasts, hikers, and naturalists

Read more less

Book SynopsisFundamentals of Plant Physiology is a distillation of the most important principles and empirical findings of plant physiology. Intended for students seeking an accessible introduction to the field, Fundamentals provides the same high standard of scientific accuracy and pedagogical richness for which Taiz et al.'s popular Plant Physiology and Development, Sixth Edition, is renowned, but in a more concise format and pitched at a slightly lower level. Instructors wishing to focus their lectures on basic plant physiology, as opposed to developmental genetics, should find this new streamlined and simplified text ideally suited for their courses.Trade Review"Visually, with the single-column format and some excellent new figures, Fundamentals of Plant Physiology is very appealing. The running glossary may be my favourite feature and I know my students will find this very helpful. Additional introductory information is included in the chapters that will help get my students on the same page before we dive into brand new material. Chapters that I had generally either quickly glossed over or skipped altogether have been removed, making this streamlined version a better representation of the material I consider important for my students to learn in my course. I will feel very comfortable using this textbook in my course in the future." --Barb Vanderbeld, Queen's UniversityTable of Contents1. Plant and Cell Architecture Plant Life Processes: Unifying Principles Plant Classification and Life Cycles Overview of Plant Structure Plant Cell Types Plant Cell Organelles The Nucleus The Endomembrane System Independently Dividing Semiautonomous Organelles The Plant Cytoskeleton Cell Cycle Regulation 2. Water and Plant Cells Water in Plant Life The Structure and Properties of Water Diffusion and Osmosis Water Potential Water Potential of Plant Cells Cell Wall and Membrane Properties Plant Water Status 3. Water Balance of Plants Water in the Soil Water Absorption by Roots Water Transport through the Xylem Water Movement from the Leaf to the Atmosphere Coupling Leaf Transpiration and Photosynthesis: Light-dependent Stomatal Opening Water-use Efficiency Overview: The Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum 4. Mineral Nutrition Essential Nutrients, Deficiencies, and Plant Disorders Treating Nutritional Deficiencies Soil, Roots, and Microbes 5. Assimilation of Inorganic Nutrients Nitrogen in the Environment Nitrate Assimilation Ammonium Assimilation Amino Acid Biosynthesis Biological Nitrogen Fixation Sulfur Assimilation Phosphate Assimilation Iron Assimilation The Energetics of Nutrient Assimilation 6. Solute Transport Passive and Active Transport Transport of Ions across Membrane Barriers Membrane Transport Processes Membrane Transport Proteins Ion Transport in Stomatal Opening Ion Transport in Roots 7. Photosynthesis: The Light Reactions Photosynthesis in Higher Plants General Concepts Key Experiments in Understanding Photosynthesis Organization of the Photosynthetic Apparatus Organization of Light-Absorbing Antenna Systems Mechanisms of Electron Transport Proton Transport and ATP Synthesis in the Chloroplast 8. Photosynthesis: The Carbon Reactions The Calvin-Benson Cycle Photorespiration: The C2 Oxidative Photosynthetic Carbon Cycle Inorganic Carbon-Concentrating Mechanisms Inorganic Carbon-Concentrating Mechanisms: The C4 Carbon Cycle Inorganic Carbon-Concentrating Mechanisms: Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) Accumulation and Partitioning of Photosynthates-Starch and Sucrose 9. Photosynthesis: Physiological and Ecological Considerations Photosynthesis Is Influenced by Leaf Properties Effects of Light on Photosynthesis in the Intact Leaf Effects of Temperature on Photosynthesis in the Intact Leaf Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Photosynthesis in the Intact Leaf 10. Translocation in the Phloem Patterns of Translocation: Source to Sink Pathways of Translocation Materials Translocated in the Phloem Rates of Movement The Pressure-Flow Model, a Passive Mechanism for Phloem Transport Phloem Loading Phloem Unloading and Sink-to-Source Transition Photosynthate Distribution: Allocation and Partitioning Transport of Signaling Molecules 11. Respiration and Lipid Metabolism Overview of Plant Respiration Glycolysis The Oxidative Pentose Phosphate Pathway The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Mitochondrial Electron Transport and ATP Synthesis Respiration in Intact Plants and Tissues Lipid Metabolism 12. Signals and Signal Transduction Temporal and Spatial Aspects of Signaling Signal Perception and Amplification Hormones and Plant Development Phytohormone Metabolism and Homeostasis Signal Transmission and Cell-Cell Communication Hormonal Signaling Pathways 13. Signals from Sunlight Plant Photoreceptors Phytochromes Phytochrome Responses Blue-Light Responses and Photoreceptors Cryptochromes Phototropins The Coaction of Phytochrome, Cryptochrome, and Phototropins Responses to Ultraviolet Radiation 14. Embryogenesis Overview of Embryogenesis Comparative Embryology of Eudicots and Monocots Formation and Maintenance of Apical Meristems 15. Seed Dormancy, Germination, and Seedling Establishment Seed Structure Seed Dormancy Release from Dormancy Seed Germination Mobilization of Stored Reserves Seedling Establishment Cell Expansion: Mechanisms and Hormonal Controls Tropisms: Growth in Response to Directional Stimuli 16. Vegetative Growth and Senescence The Shoot Apical Meristem Leaf Development Differentiation of Epidermal Cell Types Venation Patterns in Leaves Shoot Branching and Architecture Shade Avoidance Root System Architecture Plant Senescence Leaf Abscission Whole Plant Senescence 17. Flowering and Fruit Development Floral Evocation: Integrating Environmental Cues The Shoot Apex and Phase Changes Photoperiodism: Monitoring Day Length Vernalization: Promoting Flowering with Cold Long-distance Signaling Is Involved in Flowering Floral Meristems and Floral Organ Development Pollen Development Female Gametophyte Development in the Ovule Pollination and Fertilization in Flowering Plants Fruit Development and Ripening 18. Biotic Interactions Beneficial Interactions between Plants and Microorganisms Harmful Interactions of Pathogens and Herbivores with Plants Inducible Defense Responses to Insect Herbivores Plant Defenses against Pathogens Plant Defenses against Other Organisms 19. Abiotic Stress Defining Plant Stress Acclimation versus Adaptation Environmental stressors Stress-Sensing Mechanisms in Plants Physiological Mechanisms That Protect Plants against Abiotic Stress

Read more less

Book SynopsisHere is the essential guide to biology, an authoritative reference book and timeline that examines how we have uncovered the secrets of life-the most complex process in the Universe. From the workings of molecules to the way entire oceans or continents of lifeforms interact, biology seeks to understand how it is that something can be alive, how it fends off death and how it leaves more life in its wake. We follow the journey through the history of life science to find out why the dolphin got its name (it is the 'womb fish'), how a seven-foot strand of DNA is able to build your body, and what gives a lobster its blue blood. The great names, such as Darwin and Linnaeus, are joined by lesser known discoverers, such as Karl von Frisch who discovered that bees dance, and Jan Baptist van Helmont who found a plant uses air and water to grow. Biology today is still very much a live science, finding a purpose in robot design and helping us to understand non-living complex systems like the Internet. Biology has changed the way we understand ourselves. What will it tell us next? - Contains 100 chronological articles that tell the story of biology from the dawn of history to the present day - Authoritative text, exciting imagery and helpful diagrams accompany each of the steps along the way - Biographies of great life scientists and a chart of the tree of life - A simple guide to biology draws together current understanding to set out the basics of the science - The Imponderables looks at what questions biology still needs to answer. Also contains a 24-page removable foldout concertina neatly housed at the back of the book. This fold-out concertina includes a 12-page Timeline History of Biology and 12 full pages of amazing electron micrographs called Our Hidden World.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo formalize the dynamics of living things is to search for invariants in a system that contains an irreducible aspect of “fuzziness”, because biological processes are characterized by their large statistical variability, and strong dependence on temporal and environmental factors. What is essential is the identification of what remains stable in a “living being” that is highly fluctuating. The use of mathematics is not limited to the use of calculating tools to simulate and predict results. It also allows us to adopt a way of thinking that is founded on concepts and hypotheses, leading to their discussion and validation. Instruments of mathematical intelligibility and coherence have gradually “fashioned” the view we now have of biological systems. Teaching and research, fundamental or applied, are now dependent on this new order known as Integrative Biology or Systems Biology.Table of ContentsForeword ix Introduction xv Chapter 1. On the Status of Biology: On the Definition of Life 1 1.1. Causality in biology 4 1.1.1. Vitalism 8 1.1.2. Teleology 10 1.2. Variability in biology 13 1.2.1. Time-dependence of biological processes 15 1.2.2. Environment-dependence of biological processes 17 Chapter 2. On the Nature of the Contribution Made by Mathematics to Biology 19 2.1. On the affinity of mathematics with biology 20 2.2. Mathematics, an instrument of work and thought on biology 25 Chapter 3. Some Historical Reference Points: Biology Fashioned by Mathematics 35 3.1. The first remarkable steps in biomathematics 37 3.1.1. On the continuous in biology 37 3.1.2. On the discrete in biology 39 3.1.3. The notion of laws in biology 43 3.1.4. The beginning of classical science: Descartes and Pascal 44 3.1.5. Buffon and hesitations relating to the utility of mathematics in biology 45 3.2. Some pertinent contributions from mathematics in the modern era 48 3.2.1. The laws of growth 48 3.2.2. Formal genetics 49 3.3. Introduction of the notion of a probabilistic model in biology 56 3.4. The physiology of C. Bernard (1813–1878): the call to mathematics 58 3.5. The principle of optimality in biology 60 3.6. Introduction of the formalism of dynamic systems in biology 61 3.7. Morphogenesis: the need for mathematics in the study of biological forms 63 3.7.1. General principles from D’Arcy Thompson 64 3.7.2. Turing’s reaction–diffusion systems (1952): morphogenesis, a “break of symmetry” 69 3.8. The theory of automatons and cybernetics in biology 70 3.8.1. The theory of automatons 70 3.8.2. The contribution of cybernetics 73 3.8.3. The case of L-systems 74 3.8.4. Petri’s networks 74 3.9. Molecular biology 78 3.9.1. On genetic information 81 3.9.2. The linguistic model in biology 83 3.10. Information and communication, important notions in biology 84 3.11. The property of self-organization in biology 86 3.11.1. Structural self-organization 87 3.11.2. Self-reproductive hypercycle 88 3.12. Systemic biology 89 3.12.1. On the notion of system 89 3.12.2. Essay in relational biology 90 3.12.3. Emergence and complexity 93 3.12.4. Networks 98 3.12.5. Order, innovation and complex networks 104 3.13. Game theory in biology 105 3.14. Artificial life 109 3.14.1. Biomimetic automatons 110 3.14.2. Psychophysiology and mathematics: controls on learning 111 3.15. Bioinformatics 112 Chapter 4. Laws and Models in Biology 115 4.1. Biological laws in literary language 118 4.1.1. The law of Cuvier’s organic correlations (1825) 118 4.1.2. The fundamental biogenetic law 118 4.2. Biological laws in mathematical language 119 4.2.1. Statistical laws 121 4.3. Theoretical laws 131 4.3.1. Formal genetics 131 4.3.2. Growth laws 132 4.3.3. Population dynamics 133 Chapter 5. Mathematical Tools and Concepts in Biology 135 5.1. An old biomathematical subject: describing and/or explaining phyllotaxis 136 5.2. The notion of invariant and its substrate: time and space 140 5.2.1. Physical time/biological time 142 5.2.2. Metric space/non-metric space 143 5.2.3. Multi-scale processes 147 5.3. Continuous formalism 147 5.3.1. Dynamics of a univariate process 148 5.3.2. Structured models 149 5.3.3. Oscillatory dynamics 151 5.3.4. On the stability of dynamic systems 154 5.3.5. Multivariate structured models 160 5.3.6. Dynamics of spatio-temporal process 163 5.3.7. Multi-scale models 171 5.4. Discreet formalism 174 5.5. Spatialized models 175 5.5.1. Multi-agent models: dynamics of a biological association of the individual-centered type 175 5.5.2. Electrophysiological models: transmission of electrical signals 176 5.6. Random processes in biology 178 5.6.1. Poisson process 181 5.6.2. Birth–death processes. 182 5.7. Logic kinetics of regulation 184 Conclusion 189 Glossary 201 References 217 Index 221

Read more less

Book SynopsisModeling is now one of the most efficient methodologies in life sciences. From practice to theory, this book develops this approach illustrated by many examples; general concepts and the current state of the art are also presented and discussed. An historical and general introduction informs the reader how mathematics and formal tools are used to solve biological problems at all levels of the organization of life. The core of this book explains how this is done, based on practical examples coming, for the most part, from the author’s personal experience. In most cases, data are included so that the reader can follow the reasoning process and even reproduce calculus. The final chapter is devoted to essential concepts and current developments. The main mathematical tools are presented in an appendix to the book and are written in an adapted language readable by scientists, professionals or students, with a basic knowledge of mathematics.Table of ContentsPreface xi Introduction xv Chapter 1. Methodology of Modeling in Biology and Ecology 1 1.1. Models and modeling 1 1.1.1. Models 2 1.1.2. Modeling 4 1.2. Mathematical modeling 6 1.2.1. Analysis of the biological situation and problem 7 1.2.2. Characterization and analysis of the system 11 1.2.3. Choice or construction of a model 14 1.2.4. Study of the properties of the model 18 1.2.5. Identification 25 1.2.6. Validation 26 1.2.7. Use 31 1.2.8. Conclusion 32 1.3. Supplements 33 1.3.1. Differences between a mathematical object and a mathematical model 33 1.3.2. Different types of objects and formalizations used in mathematical modeling 34 1.3.3. Elements for choosing a mathematical formalism 36 1.3.4. Stochastic and deterministic approaches 37 1.3.5. Discrete and continuous time 39 1.3.6. Biological and physical variables 39 1.3.7. The quantitative – qualitative debate 40 1.4. Models and modeling in life sciences 41 1.4.1. Historical overview 42 1.4.2. Modeling in biological disciplines 46 1.4.3. Modeling in population biology and ecology 47 1.4.4. Actors 48 1.4.5. Modeling and informatics 49 1.4.6. Definition of bioinformatics 49 1.5. A brief history of ecology and the importance of models in this discipline 51 1.6. Systems: a unifying concept 56 Chapter 2. Functional Representations: Construction and Interpretation of Mathematical Models 59 2.1. Introduction 60 2.2. Box and arrow diagrams: compartmental models 62 2.3. Representations based on Forrester diagrams 65 2.4. “Chemical-type” representation and multilinear differential models 66 2.4.1. General overview of the translation algorithm 67 2.4.2. Example of the logistic model 71 2.4.3. Saturation phenomena 73 2.5. Functional representations of models in population dynamics 76 2.5.1. Single population model 76 2.5.2. Models with two interacting populations 79 2.6. General points on functional representations and the interpretation of differential models 84 2.6.1. General hypotheses 84 2.6.2. Interpretation: phenomenological and mechanistic aspects, superficial knowledge and deep knowledge 85 2.6.3. Towards a classification of differential and integro-differential models of population dynamics 86 2.7. Conclusion 87 Chapter 3. Growth Models – Population Dynamics and Genetics 89 3.1. The biological processes of growth 90 3.2. Experimental data 93 3.2.1. Organism growth data 93 3.2.2. Data relating to population growth 96 3.3. Models 98 3.3.1. Questions and uses of models 99 3.3.2. Some examples of classic growth models 100 3.4. Growth modeling and functional representations 104 3.4.1. Quantitative aspects 106 3.4.2. Qualitative aspects: choice and construction of models 107 3.4.3. Functional representations and growth models 107 3.4.4. Examples of the construction of new models 110 3.4.5. Typology of growth models 115 3.5. Growth of organisms: some examples 117 3.5.1. Individual growth of the European herring gull, Larus argentatus 117 3.5.2. Individual growth of young muskrats, Ondatra zibethica 118 3.5.3. Growth of a tree in a forest: examples of the application of individual growth models 124 3.5.4. Human growth 132 3.6. Models of population dynamics 133 3.6.1. Examples of growth models for bacterial populations: the exponential model, the logistic model, the Monod model and the Contois model 133 3.6.2. Dynamics of biodiversity at a geological level 146 3.7. Discrete time elementary demographic models 153 3.7.1. A discrete time demographic model of microbial populations 153 3.7.2. The Fibonacci model 155 3.7.3. Lindenmayer systems as demographic models 157 3.7.4. Examples of branching processes 164 3.7.5. Evolution of the “Grand Paradis” ibex population 170 3.7.6. Conclusion 172 3.8. Continuous time model of the age structure of a population 173 3.9. Spatialized dynamics: example of fishing populations and the regulation of sea-fishing 174 3.10. Evolution of the structure of an autogamous diploid population 175 3.10.1. The Mendelian system 176 3.10.2. Genetic evolution of an autogamous population 177 Chapter 4. Models of the Interaction Between Populations 183 4.1. The Volterra-Kostitzin model: an example of use in molecular biology. Dynamics of RNA populations 184 4.1.1. Experimental data 185 4.1.2. Elements of qualitative analysis using the Kostitzin model 187 4.1.3. Initial data 190 4.1.4. Estimation of parameters and analysis of results 190 4.2. Models of competition between populations 193 4.2.1. The differential system 194 4.2.2. Description of competition using functional representations 198 4.2.3. Application to the study of competition between Fusarium populations in soil 203 4.2.4. Theoretical study of competition in an open system 207 4.2.5. Competition in a variable environment 210 4.3. Predator–prey systems 217 4.3.1. The basic model (model I) 218 4.3.2. Model in a limited environment (model II) 222 4.3.3. Model with limited capacities of assimilation of prey by the predator (model III) 227 4.3.4. Model with variable limited capacities for assimilation of prey by the predator 233 4.3.5. Model with limited capacities for assimilation of prey by the predator and spatial heterogeneity 234 4.3.6. Population dynamics of Rhizobium japonicum in soil 237 4.3.7. Predation of Rhizobium japonicum by amoeba in soil 239 4.4. Modeling the process of nitrification by microbial populations in soil: an example of succession 241 4.4.1. Introduction 241 4.4.2. Experimental procedure 243 4.4.3. Construction of the model – identification 244 4.4.4. Results 248 4.4.5. Discussion and conclusion 249 4.5. Conclusion and other details 251 Chapter 5. Compartmental Models
253 5.1. Diagrammatic representations and associated mathematical models 256 5.1.1. Diagrammatic representations 256 5.1.2. Mathematical models 257 5.2. General autonomous compartmental models 265 5.2.1. Catenary systems 266 5.2.2. Looped systems 267 5.2.3. Mammillary systems 268 5.2.4. Systems representing spatial processes 268 5.2.5. General representation of an autonomous compartmental system 269 5.3. Estimation of model parameters 272 5.3.1. Least squares method (elementary principles) 272 5.3.2. Study of sensitivity functions – optimization of the experimental procedure 274 5.4. Open systems 274 5.4.1. The single compartment 274 5.4.2. The single compartment with input and output 275 5.5. General open compartmental models 278 5.6. Controllabillity, observability and identifiability of a compartmental system 280 5.6.1. Controllabillity, observability and identifiability 280 5.6.2. Applications of these notions 281 5.7. Other mathematical models 282 5.8. Examples and additional information 283 5.8.1. Model of a single compartment system: application to the definition of optimal posology 283 5.8.2. Reversible two-compartment system 287 5.8.3. Estimation of tracer waiting time in cellular structures 293 5.8.4. Example of construction of the diffusion equation 300 Chapter 6. Complexity, Scales, Chaos, Chance and Other Oddities 305 6.1. Complexity 307 6.1.1. Some aspects of word use for complex and complexity 308 6.1.2. Biodiversity and complexity towards a unifying theory of biodiversity? 325 6.1.3. Random, logical, structural and dynamic complexity 328 6.2. Nonlinearities, temporal and spatial scales, the concept of equilibrium and its avatars 331 6.2.1. Time and spatial scales 335 6.2.2. About the concept of equilibrium 337 6.2.3. Transitions between attractors: are the bifurcations predictable? 342 6.3. The modeling of complexity 344 6.3.1. Complex dynamics: the example of deterministic chaos 344 6.3.2. Dynamics of complex systems and their structure 352 6.3.3. Shapes and morphogenesis – spatial structure dynamics: Lindenmayer systems, fractals and cellular automata 358 6.3.4. Random behavior 369 6.4. Conclusion 371 6.4.1. Chance and complexity 371 6.4.2. The modeling approach 375 6.4.3. Problems linked to predictions 378 APPENDICES 383 Appendix 1. Differential Equations 385 Appendix 2. Recurrence Equations 465 Appendix 3. Fitting a Model to Experimental Results 489 Appendix 4. Introduction to Stochastic Processes 561 Bibliography 597 Index 617

Read more less