Positive Aspects of Animal Welfare
Comfort during resting, half-closed eyes when feeding on highly palatable feed, or vigorous tail wagging when being brushed are some of the positive indicators that can be used to evaluate the quality of the environment in which domestic animals live. This has been a radical shift from the past as, until now, the welfare assessment on farms has meant assessing negative indicators, namely the number of lame animals, presence of lesions, or frequency of agonistic behaviours. However, the latest research confirms that the absence of a problem or of suffering does not necessarily imply that the animals are experiencing a good life and that their level of welfare is high. To guarantee high welfare standards, animals should experience positive conditions that allow them to live a "life worth living", and positive indicators are needed to identify these conditions. This Special Issue focuses on the development and validation of indicators of positive welfare or on the refinement of the existing ones, as well as on the identification of suitable living conditions for providing positive welfare to farmed and companion animals.
Advances in Medicine and Medical Research
This book focuses on issues in clinical practice and research that are of general interest. The articles primarily focus on understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of diseases, their prevention, and therapy. The topics addressed include cardiovascular regulation with regard to blood pressure and heart rate variability, and to coupling blood pressure changes with subarachnoid fluid oscillations. In addition, the book discusses recent advances in the diagnostics of and targeted molecular therapy for renal and pancreatic malignancies, growth disorders, vitamin D and calcium homeostasis in children in the context of neonatal urolithiasis, and neurosurgical interventions in multifarious age-related diseases of the vertebrae. Neuropsychological aspects of patients' quality of life and of shaping medical staff's attitude toward patients are also addressed. The respective articles are intended to build a bridge between basic and clinical research. Further, the book enhancesthe current body of knowledge on diagnostics and patient treatment and offers valuable new perspectives on practical clinical issues. As such, it offers a unique resource for clinicians, family physicians, medical scholars, and professionals engaged in patient management.
Circulating Tumor CellsFinding Rare Events for A Huge Knowledge of Cancer Dissemination
The analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as a real-time liquid biopsy approach can be used to obtain new insights into metastasis biology, and as companion diagnostics to improve the stratification of therapies and to obtain insights into the therapy-induced selection of cancer cells. In this book, we will cover all the different facets of CTCs to assemble a huge corpus of knowledge on cancer dissemination: technologies for their enrichment, detection, and characterization; their analysis at the single-cell level; their journey as CTC microemboli; their clinical relevance; their biology with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); their stem-cell properties; their potential to initiate metastasis at distant sites; their ex vivo expansion; and their escape from the immune system.
Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae
Algae have been used since ancient times as food for humans, animal feed, agricultural fertilizer, and as a source of substances for therapeutic use. Currently, seaweed represents a vast source of raw materials used in the pharmaceutical, food, traditional medicine, and cosmetics industries. They are nutritionally valuable, both fresh and dried, or as ingredients in a wide variety of pre-made foods. In particular, seaweed contains significant amounts of protein, lipids, minerals, and vitamins. Information is limited on the role of algae and their metabolites in therapy. Only a few taxa have been studied for use in medicine. Many traditional cultures report the healing powers of selected algae in tropical and subtropical marine forms. This is especially true in the maritime areas of Asia, where the sea plays a significant role in daily activities. However, currently, only a few genera and species of algae are involved in aspects of medicine and therapy. The beneficial uses of seaweed or seaweed products include those that can mimic specific manifestations of human disease, production of antibiotic compounds, or improved human nutrition.
General systematic bacteriology; history, nomenclature, groups of bacteria
This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. So that the book is never forgotten we have represented this book in a print format as the same form as it was originally first published. Hence any marks or annotations seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.
Foods of Plant Origin
It is now well accepted that the consumption of plant-based foods is beneficial to human health. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and derived products can be excellent sources of minerals, vitamins, and fiber and usually have a favorable nutrient-to-energy ratio. Furthermore, plant foods are also a rich source of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and betalains, with potential health benefits for humans. Many epidemiological studies have made a direct link between the consumption of plant foods and health. Human intervention studies have also shown that higher intake/consumption of plant foods can reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases, especially in at-risk populations such as obese people. In addition to its health benefits, plant foods are also used as functional ingredients in food applications such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and natural colorants. The Special Issue "Foods of Plant Origin" covers biodiscovery, functionality, the effect of different cooking/preparation methods on bioactive (plant food) ingredients, and strategies to improve the nutritional quality of plant foods by adding other food components using novel/alternative food sources or applying non-conventional preparation techniques.
Current Advances in Meat Nutritional, Sensory and Physical Quality Improvement
Within the idea and objective of bringing together original studies dealing with the continuum aspects of meat, i.e., from farm to fork, this book grouped papers on the study of the nutritional, sensory, and technological aspects of carcass, muscle, meat, and meat-product qualities. This nook highlights a great part of the research activities in the field of meat science. A total of 14 original studies and one comprehensive review were edited within five main topics: (i) production systems and rearing practices, (ii) prediction of meat quality, (iii) statistical approaches for meat quality prediction/management, (iv) muscle biochemistry and proteomics techniques, and (v) consumer acceptability, development, and characterization of meat products.
Systems Analytics and Integration of Big Omics Data
A "genotype" is essentially an organism's full hereditary information which is obtained from its parents. A "phenotype" is an organism's actual observed physical and behavioral properties. These may include traits such as morphology, size, height, eye color, metabolism, etc. One of the pressing challenges in computational and systems biology is genotype-to-phenotype prediction. This is challenging given the amount of data generated by modern Omics technologies. This "Big Data" is so large and complex that traditional data processing applications are not up to the task. Challenges arise in collection, analysis, mining, sharing, transfer, visualization, archiving, and integration of these data. In this Special Issue, there is a focus on the systems-level analysis of Omics data, recent developments in gene ontology annotation, and advances in biological pathways and network biology. The integration of Omics data with clinical and biomedical data using machine learning is explored. This Special Issue covers new methodologies in the context of gene-environment interactions, tissue-specific gene expression, and how external factors or host genetics impact the microbiome.
Equine Viruses
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has recently estimated that the world equid population exceeds 110 million. Working equids (horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules) remain essential to ensure the livelihood of poor communities around the world. In many developed countries, the equine industry has significant economical weight, with around 7 million horses in Europe alone. The close relationship between humans and equids and the fact that the athlete horse is the terrestrial mammal that travels the most worldwide after humans are important elements to consider in the transmission of pathogens and diseases, amongst equids and to other species. The potential effect of climate change on vector ecology and vector-borne diseases is also of concern for both human and animal health. In this Special Issue, we intend to explore our understanding of a panel of equine viruses, looking at their pathogenicity, their importance in terms of welfare and potential association with diseases, their economic importance and impact on performance, and how their identification can be helped by new technologies and methods.
Alpine and Polar Treelines in a Changing Environment
Concerns have been raised with respect to the state of high-altitude and high-latitude treelines, as they are anticipated to undergo considerable modifications due to global changes, and especially due to climate warming. As high-elevation treelines are temperature-limited vegetation boundaries, they are considered to be sensitive to climate warming. As a consequence, in this future, warmer environment, an upward migration of treelines is expected because low air and root-zone temperatures constrain their regeneration and growth. Despite the ubiquity of climate warming, treeline advancement is not a worldwide phenomenon: some treelines have been advancing rapidly, others have responded sluggishly or have remained stable. This variation in responses is attributed to the potential interaction of a continuum of site-related factors that may lead to the occurrence of locally conditioned temperature patterns. Competition amongst species and below-ground resources have been suggested as additional factors explaining the variability in the movement of treelines. This Special Issue (book) is dedicated to the discussion of treeline responses to changing environmental conditions in different areas around the globe.
Intelligent Marine Robotics Modelling, Simulation and Applications
The biennial Congress of the Italian Society of Oral Pathology and Medicine (SIPMO) is an International meeting dedicated to the growing diagnostic challenges in the oral pathology and medicine field. The III International and XV National edition will be a chance to discuss clinical conditions which are unusual, rare, or difficult to define. Many consolidated national and international research groups will be involved in the debate and discussion through special guest lecturers, academic dissertations, single clinical case presentations, posters, and degree thesis discussions. The SIPMO Congress took place from the 17th to the 19th of October 2019 in Bari (Italy), and the enclosed copy of Proceedings is a non-exhaustive collection of abstracts from the SIPMO 2019 contributions.
Grassland Management for Sustainable Agroecosystems
This book is a remarkable work that brings together the most recent international research on grassland management, covering a broad range of topics and geographical areas. The different contributions explore the complex relationships between landscape, climate features, and soil fertility with the support of observational data and modeling. Clearly, this is a wide and multifaceted area of research that opens up new prospects for the management of a biome, which should no longer be considered only as a feed resource for domestic herbivore farming, but also--and above all--as a source of ecosystem services to society and a contributor to the sustainability of agriculture. Textbooks like this positively demonstrate the importance and significance of how grassland science, when viewed in this way, can make tangible the progress in understanding the complexity of grassland management and its current and future challenges.
Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins
Cyanobacteria are a group of ubiquitous photosynthetic prokaryotes. Their occurrence has been increasing worldwide, due to anthropogenic activities and climate change. Several cyanobacterial species are able to synthesize a high number of bioactive molecules, among them, cyanotoxins (microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, nodularin, etc.), which are considered a health concern. For risk assessment of cyanotoxins, more scientific knowledge is required to perform adequate hazard characterization, exposure evaluation and, finally, risk characterization of these toxins. This Special Issue "Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins: New Advances and Future Challenges" presents new research or review articles related to different aspects of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, and contributes to providing new toxicological data and methods for a more realistic risk assessment.
Metabolomics in Neurodegenerative Disease
The range of human neurodegenerative diseases continues to pose significant unmet medical needs for societies around the world. The progressive and terminal nature of these conditions places a considerable personal burden on the individual affected but also on public health systems and health services. Tens of millions of people are indiscriminately affected by various dementias, which are rising at an alarming rate. There are no cures for many conditions, and it is clear that treatments applied as early as possible could greatly improve outcomes for patients. Therefore, new disease classification and diagnostic tools should be a key priority. Metabolomics represents a relatively new field of analytical science, which can be extremely useful in the early diagnosis of disease. The relatively unique feature of metabolites is that they sit at the intersection between the genetic background of an organism and its environment. Because many neurodegenerative diseases are not genetically inherited (instead having a range of known genetic risk factors and also a large number of unknown environmental triggers) the field of metabolomics offers great promise for the discovery of new, biologically, and clinically relevant biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders. It is already bringing forward new knowledge in terms of the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease.
Kohlenstoffisotopenfraktionierung beim PCE- und TCE-Abbau durch Rohextrakte von Sulfurospirillum spp. Untersuchungen an dehalogenierenden Anreicherungskulturen aus Bitterfeld
Diplomarbeit aus dem Jahr 2006 im Fachbereich Biologie - Mikrobiologie, Molekularbiologie, Note: 1,6, Friedrich-Schiller-Universit瓣t Jena, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: In dieser Arbeit wurde der Einfluss der Zellmembran und der Zellwand auf die Fraktionierung stabiler Kohlenstoffisotope beim Abbau von Tetrachlorethylen (PCE) und Trichlorethylen (TCE) durch Rohextrakte untersucht. Die dabei erhaltenen Fraktionierungsfaktoren wurden mit vorhandenen Ergebnissen oder Resultaten verglichen, um etwaige R羹ckschl羹sse auf den Reaktionsmechanismus des Abbaus sowie seiner Kinetik zu ziehen. Es wurden weiterhin verschiedenen Elektronenakzeptoren w瓣hrend des Wachstums bez羹glich ihres Einflusses auf die Isotopenfraktionierung durch Rohextrakte verglichen. Die zum Vergleich herangezogenen Mikroorganismen waren die Gram-negativen Spirillen Sulfurospirillum multivorans (ehem. Dehalospirillum multivorans) und Sulfurospirillum halorespirans. Die Rohextrakte der beiden Verwandten fraktionierten die Kohlenstoffisotope bei der PCE-Dehalogenierung in 瓣hnlicher Weise. Der Fraktionierungsfaktor αC f羹r S. multivorans lag nach Wachstum mit TCE als Elektronenakzeptor bei 1,0014 mit Fumarat als zus瓣tzlichem Elektronenakzeptor bei 1,0015. Der Isotopeneffekt f羹r die TCE-Dechlorierung war 1,0162 nach Wachstum mit TCE bzw. 1,0159 bei zus瓣tzlicher Fumaratatmung. F羹r Rohextrakte von S. halorespirans wurden die Auswirkung der Wachstumssubstrate PCE und TCE auf die Isotopenfraktionierung derselben ermittelt. Im Falle des vorherigen Wachstums mit PCE war αC f羹r PCE 1,0024 und f羹r TCE 1,0229. Die Inkubation mit TCE als Atmungssubstrat ergab einen Fraktionierungsfaktor f羹r PCE von 1,0032, f羹r TCE lag er bei 1,0187. Au?erdem wurde an Anreicherungskulturen aus einem kontaminierten Probenbrunnen in Bitterfeld die F瓣higkeit zum PCE- und TCE-Abbau studiert. Dabei kamen Butyrat und Lactat als Kohlenstoff- und Energiequellen zum Einsatz. W瓣hrend die vollst瓣ndige TCE-Dehalogenierung bis zum Ethen innerhalb von
Jasmonic Acid Pathway in Plants
The plant hormone jasmonic acid (JA) and its derivative, an amino acid conjugate of JA (jasmonoyl isoleucine, JA-Ile), are signaling compounds involved in the regulation of defense and development in plants. The number of articles studying on JA has dramatically increased since the 1990s. JA is recognized as a stress hormone that regulates the plant response to biotic stresses such as herbivore and pathogen attacks, as well as abiotic stresses such as wounding and ultraviolet radiation. Recent studies have remarkably progressed the understanding of the importance of JA in the life cycle of plants. JA is directly involved in many physiological processes, including stamen growth, senescence, and root growth. JA regulates production of various metabolites such as phytoalexins and terpenoids. Many regulatory proteins involved in JA signaling have been identified by screening for Arabidopsis mutants. However, much more remains to be learned about JA signaling in other plant species. This Special Issue, "Jasmonic Acid Pathway in Plants", contains 5 review and 15 research articles published by field experts. These articles will help with understanding the crucial roles of JA in its response to the several environmental stresses and development in plants.
The Health Benefits of Fruits and VegetablesTheHealth Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
Nowadays, one of the main objectives of the fruit and vegetable industry is to develop innovative novel products with high quality, safety, and optimal nutritional characteristics in order to respond, with efficiency, to increasing consumer expectations. Various unconventional technologies (e.g., pulsed electric field, pulsed light, ultrasound, high pressure, and microwave drying) have emerged and enable the processing of fruits and vegetables in a way that increases their stability while preserving their thermolabile nutrients, flavour, texture, and overall quality. Some of these technologies can also be used for waste and byproduct valorisation. The application of fast noninvasive methods for process control is of great importance for the fruit and vegetable industry. The following Special Issue "Safety, Quality, and Processing of Fruits and Vegetables" consists of 11 papers which represent a high-value contribution to the existing knowledge on safety aspects, quality evaluation, and emerging processing technologies for fruits and vegetables.
Major Insect Pests of Cucurbits and its Management Practices
Bachelor Thesis from the year 2019 in the subject Biology - Miscellaneous, course: Agriculture, language: English, abstract: The study entitled "Major Insect Pest of Cucurbits and their management practices adopted in Lamjung District" were carried out from June23, 2018 to August 25, 2018. Total 95 farmers were interviewed randomly from Dhamilikuwa, Baanjhakhet, Khudi, Tarkughat, Gairi. It was found that majority of farmer belong to 30-40 age groups which accounts 33% and most them are males. The study showed that there were many insect pests attacking cucurbits family, like Fruit fly, Red pumpkin beetle, Aphid, Whitefly, Epilachna beetle, Cucurbit sting bug, Cutworm, Blister beetle. Among them fruit fly shows higher incidence followed by Aphid and Red pumpkin beetle and causes high economic loss. Aphid and Blister beetle also causing losses in the field and other insect pest like whitefly and cutworm is very few in numbers. However, attempts were made to reduce the damage. Farmers use mechanical and chemical methods as a pest management strategy. About thirty five percent of respondent use chemical methods for controlling the pests. Twenty six percent were use mechanical methods. For mechanical method they use sex pheromone traps i.e cue lure. In case of botanical they use neem(Azadircta indica), asuro(Justicia adhatoda), bakaino (Melia azedarch), titepati(Artemisia spp) etc. Commonly used insecticides that are used by farmers were, Dicholorovos, Cypermethrin, Dimethoate, Malathion, Endosulfan.The indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides has resulted pest resistance, resurgence and sometimes outbreak. Majority of farmers were unaware about methods of pest management other than chemical methods.
Genetics Basis of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone GnRH
Document from the year 2020 in the subject Biology - Genetics / Gene Technology, grade: PhD student, Southwest University, language: English, abstract: This book systematically introduces the basic knowledge of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Gonads (HPG) axis and provides information on the location and regulation, gene mutations, function, reproduction, life cycle, sexual behaviour, disorders and the role of the environmental factors on GnRH gene. Also, we focused on gene and receptor structures, and the signalling pathways of GnRH, and its related genes and hormones such as Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Progesterone (P4) and Oestradiol (E2). Also, it was pointed to Gonadotropin Inhibiting Hormone (GnIH) and its related peptides, such as RFamide peptides which were found to decrease hormones secretion by working on HPG in an inhibiting biosynthesis process of gonadotropin (α-β) subunits. In addition, the roles of hormones on fertility and reproduction, also, disruption resulted from mutations. Special characteristics of many hormones and pulsatile secretions of GnRH were summarized. This information is necessary for an understanding way of work some necessary hormones also, elucidating reasons infertility. Although, several studies have presented a lot of kinds of regulators of expression for many genes related by fertility in many species, however, the knowledge of the relationship between molecular relating and infertility still has many gaps and problematic, also, many remains to be discovered, and a lot of significant questions (such as sexual behaviour, the regulation of gonadotropin secretion, and growth of tumour cell, in addition to; whether GnRHs are expressed as a full-length or not?), need to be solved, and mechanisms of pulsatile secretions and potential functions of many reproductive hormones need to be elucidated. So, this investigation very important for those researchers and readers to start solve and answer these quest
Molecular Mechanisms and Genetics of Plant Resistance to Abiotic Stress
We are currently experiencing a climate crisis that is associated with extreme weather events worldwide. Some of its most noticeable effects are increases in temperatures, droughts, and desertification. These effects are already making whole regions unsuitable for agriculture. Therefore, we urgently need global measures to mitigate the effects of climate breakdown as well as crop alternatives that are more stress-resilient. These crop alternatives can come from breeding new varieties of well-established crops, such as wheat and barley. They can also come from promoting underutilized crop species that are naturally tolerant to some stresses, such as quinoa. Either way, we need to gather more knowledge on how plants respond to stresses related to climate breakdown, such as heat, water-deficit, flooding high salinity, nitrogen, and heavy metal stress. This Special Issue provides a timely collection of recent advances in the understanding of plant responses to these stresses. This information will definitely be useful to the design of new strategies to prevent the loss of more cultivable land and to reclaim the land that has already been declared unsuitable.
Wearable Wireless Devices
With the growing interest in the use of technology in daily life, the potential for using wearable wireless devices across multiple segments, e.g., healthcare, sports, child monitoring, military, emergency, consumer electronics, etc., is rapidly increasing. Multibillion wearable sensors are predicted to be in use by 2025, with over 30% of them being new types of sensors that are only beginning to emerge. This book will focus on wireless wearable and implantable systems, flexible textile-based electronics, bio-electromagnetics, antennas and propagation, radio frequency (RF) circuits, sensors, security of wearables and implantable systems, nano-bio communication, and electromagnetic sensing
Lamiaceae Species
This Special Issue Book entitled "Lamiaceae Species: Biology, Ecology and Practical Uses" contributes to the knowledge of selected Lamiaceae species from several perspectives, such as diversity and phytogeography, taxonomy, ethnobotany, and quantitative and qualitative composition, as well as the biological activity of secondary metabolites.
Role of DNA Methyltransferases in the Epigenome
DNA methylation, a modification found in most species, regulates chromatin functions in conjunction with other epigenome modifications, such as histone post-translational modifications and non-coding RNAs. In mammals, DNA methylation has an essential role in development by orchestrating the generation and maintenance of the phenotypic diversity of human cell types. Recent years have brought spectacular advances in our understanding of the mechanism, function and regulation of DNA methyltransferases through their interaction with other epigenome modifications, chromatin factors and post-translational modifications, which are described in this Special Issue of Genes. Manuscripts are specifically addressing describing the targeting and regulation of DNA methyltransferases by interacting factors and their roles in cellular differentiation and the development of diseases. Prof. Dr. Albert Jeltsch and Prof. Dr. Humaira Gowher, Guest Editors
Current Strategies to Improve the Nutritional and Physical Quality of Baked Goods
The lifestyle of humans is rapidly changing, and, correspondingly, their needs and the current and future megatrends of the food market. It is worth mentioning (1) the preference for natural, simple, and flexible diets that drive the further expansion of plant-focused formulations, (2) the focus on food sustainability (food waste reduction), and (3) the interest in healthy eating as the basis for good health. The hectic routine and rapid urbanization in developed and developing regions, respectively, have shifted consumer preferences toward bread and baked foods, which, interestingly, are often high in sugars and are categorized as having a high glycemic index. Therefore, it is of major importance to address the technological challenges of manufacturing baked goods with high physical and sensory quality that result in positive metabolic responses. This Special Issue seeks to provide fundamental understanding in this area and novel strategies to improve the nutritional properties of baked goods, including a decrease in starch bioaccessibility, sugar reduction, increase in fiber and/or protein content, and the improvement of phytochemical bioactivity. This Special Issue will also cover studies on the physical and sensory improvements of baked goods that may provide a mechanistic understanding to minimize the loss of quality after the incorporation of nutritional-improving ingredients, such as edible byproducts, proteins, or fibers. Last but not least, studies focused on the reduction of additives (clean label) or fat and on the use of sourdough to improve the sensory properties of baked goods will also be included.
Bioremediation of Polyphenols Released during Coconut Husk Retting
Retting is a native technology prevalent along the coast of Kerala as the indigenous practice for the processing of coconut husks. Retting of coconut husk is basically a biological process involving the combined action of microflora present in the retting environment. In the process of retting, the steeped husks imbibe water and sinks downward in the water. Normally it takes two to three months for microorganisms to act upon the husk. This lag phase or delay is due to phenolic substances present in the husk (Abdul Aziz, 1978). Polyphenols from the husks are constantly leached out into the surrounding steep liquors during the course of retting and the relatively high percentage of such polyphenols in coconut husks are the very reason for the delay in the completion of the retting process. These substances check the proliferation of the microorganisms and retard their metabolic activity.
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites secreted by many fungal species. It can be found in many feeds and foodstuffs during pre-and post-harvest activities. Mycotoxins are capable of causing disease and death in both humans and livestock and thereby induce great economic crisis. This book chapter aims to examine the occurrence, prevention and control strategies as well as the worldwide intake safety level of mycotoxins. Environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity promote mycotoxin contamination. Mostly, members of the fungal genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium cause frequent and problematic contamination of foods and feeds. Mycotoxins can be detected by using various approaches and now a days molecular and highly sensitive sensor mediated detection methods are available. Since the effect of mycotoxin is deleterious, control and prevention mechanisms have a key role; prevention strategy weighs the overall effect. Moreover, bio control strategies shall be strongly encouraged and special focus has to be given to the aspect of mycotoxin
Air pollution - Effects on Health, Socio-economic Status of People
Air is the one the important natural resource. Air pollution and its after effects are the major problem faced globally. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, deforestation, vehicular emissions etc are the major sources of air pollution in our country. In the study an effort has been made to study air pollution and its effect on health, social and economic status of people living in and around a polluted site
Induced mutations and genes modification in insect pests management
The rapid development of genomic engineering based on CRISPR has produced more specific application methods including CRISPRi (CRISPR interference) (Gilbert et al., 2013) and CRISPRa (CRISPR activation) (Gilbert et al., 2014), where biologists have been using other tools for some time now, such as TALENS and ZFNS, to edit the insect genomes (Ma et al., 2012; Sajwan et al., 2013; Watanabe et al., 2012). Since this has been going on for years or even decades, the use of CRISPR/Cas technology may not create any new biosafety and ecological issues in the context of genomic editing. However, there is legitimate concern that CRISPR's efficiency and affordability may lead to generation and release CRISPR editor insects' which have ability to carry genetic-driven potential to change the entire population, or even ecosystem (Beumer et al., 2013; Champer et al., 2016; Esvelt et al., 2014; Oye et al., 2014).
Skeleton Keys
"A provocative and entertaining magical mineral tour through the life and afterlife of bone." --Wall Street Journal Our bones have many stories to tell, if you know how to listen. Bone is a marvel, an adaptable and resilient building material developed over more than four hundred million years of evolutionary history. It gives your body its shape and the ability to move. It grows and changes with you, an undeniable document of who you are and how you lived. Arguably, no other part of the human anatomy has such rich scientific and cultural significance, both brimming with life and a potent symbol of death. In this delightful natural and cultural history of bone, Brian Switek explains where our skeletons came from, what they do inside us, and what others can learn about us when these artifacts of mineral and protein are all we've left behind. Bone is as embedded in our culture as it is in our bodies. Our species has made instruments and jewelry from bone, treated the dead like collectors' items, put our faith in skull bumps as guides to human behavior, and arranged skeletons into macabre tributes to the afterlife. Switek makes a compelling case for getting better acquainted with our skeletons, in all their surprising roles. Bridging the worlds of paleontology, anthropology, medicine, and forensics, Skeleton Keys illuminates the complex life of bones inside our bodies and out.
The Descent of Man - And Selection in Relation to Sex
Published in 1871, The Descent of Man is Charles Darwin's groundbreaking work that systematically applies his theory of evolution by natural selection to the human species. In this monumental text, Darwin addresses two primary subjects. First, he argues for the animal origin of humanity, examining physical and mental similarities between humans and other animals. He boldly proposes that humans descended from an older form and provides evidence for the evolution of human characteristics like intelligence, moral sense, and social structures. Second, the book introduces and extensively develops the concept of Sexual Selection. Darwin argues that many striking features in the animal kingdom, particularly those seemingly detrimental to survival (like the peacock's elaborate tail or the stag's huge antlers), evolved not for survival in general, but as a result of competition among individuals of the same sex for mates, or from the preference of one sex for certain characteristics in the other. He then applies this mechanism to explain the origin of human racial differences. The Descent of Man is a challenging and essential follow-up to On the Origin of Species, cementing Darwin's place as the central figure in the history of biological science and sparking fierce debate that continues to this day.
Alzheimerkrankheit in Anbetracht des demographischen Wandels
Bachelorarbeit aus dem Jahr 2018 im Fachbereich Biologie - Neurobiologie, Note: 1,0, Universit瓣t Bremen, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Diese Arbeit besch瓣ftigt sich mit unterschiedlichen Fragestellungen bez羹glich Alzheimer: Zum einen, was unterscheidet die Alzheimer-Krankheit von einer Demenz? Obgleich der Begriff vielen gel瓣ufig ist, setzt die Gesellschaft eine Demenz h瓣ufig gleich mit Morbus Alzheimer. Zwar handelt es sich bei der Erkrankung zweifelsfrei auch um eine Demenz, dennoch darf diese Bezeichnung nur als ?berbegriff verstanden werden. Im gesellschaftlichen Fokus steht die Alzheimer-Krankheit schon deshalb, weil sie heute, im Vergleich zur Jahrhundertwende, prozentual am zahlreichsten auftritt. Zuerst soll definiert werden, wie die Krankheit entsteht und wie ihr genereller Verlauf ist. Erg瓣nzend dazu wird dargestellt, welche Ma?nahmen ergriffen werden k繹nnen, um entweder gegen die Erkrankung vorzugehen oder wie sie m繹glicherweise durch pr瓣ventive Ma?nahmen erst gar nicht zum Ausbruch kommt. Im Anschluss soll der demographische Wandel er繹rtert werden und wie dieser mit der Alzheimer-Krankheit korreliert. Im Experteninterview mit einer Fach瓣rztin f羹r Psychiatrie & Psychotherapie soll ermittelt werden, was aus Sicht der Expertin f羹r die Pflege von Alzheimer-Kranken essentiell ist und wie zuk羹nftig gegen die Krankheit vorgegangen werden kann. Des Weiteren besch瓣ftigt sich die Arbeit mit der station瓣ren und ambulanten Pflege. Was gilt es neben der medikament繹sen und therapieartigen Betreuung zu beachten? Der Fachkr瓣ftemangel im Pflegesektor wird ebenfalls thematisiert in dieser Arbeit.
Dexamethasone vs Neem leaf Extract for cigarette-smoke induced injury
This book is about the herbal drug uses against the synthetic chemical drug in the treatment of the cigarette-smoke induced injury. we discuss the effects of cigarette smoking on the liver, plays a vital role in the metabolism of most of the drugs. The liver may be damaged by asthma, diabetes, alcohol consumption and also from chronic obstructive disease. Smoking causes architectural changes and leads to the malfunctioning of the organ. Smoking increases oxidative stress, chronic inflammation in the tissues and also enhances the production of stress kinases, inflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation which ultimately injures the liver.
Isolation and Characterization of Phenol Degrading Bacteria
Interest in the microbial biodegradation of pollutants has intensified in recent years as mankind strives to find sustainable ways to clean up contaminated environments. These bioremediation and biotransformation methods endeavour to harness the astonishing, naturally occurring, microbial catabolic diversity to degrade, transform or accumulate a huge range of compounds including hydrocarbons (e.g. oil), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceutical substances, radionuclides and metals. Major methodological breakthroughs in recent years have enabled detailed genomic, metagenomic, proteomic, bioinformatic and other high- throughput analyses of environmentally relevant microorganisms providing unprecedented insights into key biodegradative pathways and the ability of organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
Coral Reef Curiosities
Coral Reef Curiosities is a collection of short, beautifully illustrated articles about coral reef animals. With each turn of a page you'll find out something new and fascinating about reef creatures and their role in human history.With expertise and enthusiasm Chuck Weikert, retired Chief of Interpretation for Virgin Islands National Park, leads us on a tour of the coral reef like no other. Along the way he shows how groupers team up with moray eels to hunt, what role the snake-haired sorceress Medusa played in the origin of coral reefs, why the octopus despises the rat, and how the sedentary sea squirt is more like us than we might imagine- to name just a few of the adventures.The book's innovative blend of natural history, the arts, ancient myths, science and maritime exploration reveals the secrets of Colossal Squids, Hawksbill Sea Turtles, Bumphead Parrot Fish, stingrays and frogfishes, even a solar-powered sea slug.For avid scuba divers, snorkelers, and armchair travelers who are just plain curious about the world around them, a visit to the coral reef or public aquarium will never be the same. So dive right in!"Weikert is your ideal guide to the creatures who populate the most thrilling habitat on our planet." - Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus"A natural history tour de force." - Alan Friedlander, Chief Scientist, National Geographic Pristine Seas Project"Nature writing as it should be." - Ed Zahniser, Senior Writer and Editor, U. S. National Park Service Interpretive Design Center
SARS-CoV-2. Wichtige Fragen und erste Antworten zum neuartigen Corona-Virus COVID-19
Zusammenfassung aus dem Jahr 2020 im Fachbereich Biologie - Virologie, Note: 1,7, Hochschule Fulda, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Die vorliegende Arbeit soll dazu dienen, die wichtigsten Fragen und Antworten 羹ber das Thema Coronavirus in einer komprimierten Form schnell abrufbereit vorliegen zu haben. In diesen Tagen wird die Welt von einer neuen und unsichtbaren Bedrohung heimgesucht. Eine Bedrohung, die daf羹r sorgt, dass die Weltwirtschaftleidet, ganze L瓣nder Ausgangssperren verteilen, Unternehmen zugrunde gehen und sich die Bev繹lkerung im Ausnahmezustand befindet. Grund f羹r den Notstand ist ein winziger Erreger, ein Virus. Um genauer zu sein ein neuartiges Coronavirus mit der Bezeichnung "SARS-CoV-2". Im Dezember trat dieses Virus erstmals in der chinesischen Stadt Wuhan auf. Dort f羹hrte das Virus im Januar zu einer Epidemie. Seitdem hat sich das Virus rasant 羹ber weitere L瓣nder und Kontinente ausgebreitet. Dies f羹hrte dazu, dass die World Health Organisation (WHO) am 11.03.2020 die globale Ausbreitung des COVID-19 zu einer Pandemie erkl瓣rte. Wurde das Thema hierzulande vor wenigen Wochen noch kaum ernst genommen, schreitet nun auch in Deutschland die fl瓣chendeckende Ausbreitung des Coronavirus voran. Mittlerweile sorgen tausende Neuinfektionen deutschlandweit f羹r immer mehr Schlagzeilen. Trotz der zahlreichen Gegenma?nahmen der Regierung, wie Isolierung, Quarant瓣ne und soziale Distanzierung, steigt die Neuerkrankungsrate weiterhin drastisch an. Auf den n瓣chsten Seiten soll ein ?berblick 羹ber wesentlichen Fragen und Antworten zum Thema rund ums Coronavirus gegeben werden. Dabei werden die Fragen, wie "Wann bemerke ich, ob ich mich infiziert habe? Wie lange kann der Erreger auf Oberfl瓣chen 羹berleben? Und "wie kann ich mein Immunsystem vor dem Coronavirus sch羹tzen?" unter Einbezug des aktuellen Wissenstands informativ und pr瓣gnant beantwortet.
The Stairway To Life
Spontaneous generation of living organisms-life arising without progenitor or seed-was a common belief in the time of Aristotle. Over the next two thousand years, support for spontaneous generation slowly retreated to its final stronghold: spontaneous formation of the first living organism. From recently acquired insights into the complexity of the simplest organisms, Tan and Stadler specify requirements for spontaneous formation of life and evaluate the prospects for natural processes to satisfy these requirements. The Stairway to Life is a thought-provoking inquiry that breaches the final stronghold of spontaneous generation.
An Anatomical Disquisition On The Motion Of The Heart And Blood In AnimalsAnAnatomical Dis
An Anatomical Disquisition On The Motion Of The Heart And Blood In Animals: Translated By Robert Willis, Willis's Translation, Revised & Edited By Alexander Bowie This book is a result of an effort made by us towards making a contribution to the preservation and repair of original classic literature. In an attempt to preserve, improve and recreate the original content, we have worked towards: 1. Type-setting & Reformatting: The complete work has been re-designed via professional layout, formatting and type-setting tools to re-create the same edition with rich typography, graphics, high quality images, and table elements, giving our readers the feel of holding a 'fresh and newly' reprinted and/or revised edition, as opposed to other scanned & printed (Optical Character Recognition - OCR) reproductions. 2. Correction of imperfections: As the work was re-created from the scratch, therefore, it was vetted to rectify certain conventional norms with regard to typographical mistakes, hyphenations, punctuations, blurred images, missing content/pages, and/or other related subject matters, upon our consideration. Every attempt was made to rectify the imperfections related to omitted constructs in the original edition via other references. However, a few of such imperfections which could not be rectified due to intentional\unintentional omission of content in the original edition, were inherited and preserved from the original work to maintain the authenticity and construct, relevant to the work. We believe that this work holds historical, cultural and/or intellectual importance in the literary works community, therefore despite the oddities, we accounted the work for print as a part of our continuing effort towards preservation of literary work and our contribution towards the development of the society as a whole, driven by our beliefs. We are grateful to our readers for putting their faith in us and accepting our imperfections with regard to preservation of the historical content. HAPPY READING!
Blueprint
"A dazzlingly erudite synthesis of history, philosophy, anthropology, genetics, sociology, economics, epidemiology, statistics, and more" (Frank Bruni, The New York Times), Blueprint shows why evolution has placed us on a humane path -- and how we are united by our common humanity.For too long, scientists have focused on the dark side of our biological heritage: our capacity for aggression, cruelty, prejudice, and self-interest. But natural selection has given us a suite of beneficial social features, including our capacity for love, friendship, cooperation, and learning. Beneath all of our inventions -- our tools, farms, machines, cities, nations -- we carry with us innate proclivities to make a good society.In Blueprint, Nicholas A. Christakis introduces the compelling idea that our genes affect not only our bodies and behaviors, but also the ways in which we make societies, ones that are surprisingly similar worldwide.With many vivid examples -- including diverse historical and contemporary cultures, communities formed in the wake of shipwrecks, commune dwellers seeking utopia, online groups thrown together by design or involving artificially intelligent bots, and even the tender and complex social arrangements of elephants and dolphins that so resemble our own -- Christakis shows that, despite a human history replete with violence, we cannot escape our social blueprint for goodness.In a world of increasing political and economic polarization, it's tempting to ignore the positive role of our evolutionary past. But by exploring the ancient roots of goodness in civilization, Blueprint shows that our genes have shaped societies for our welfare and that, in a feedback loop stretching back many thousands of years, societies are still shaping our genes today.
Viruses
Introduce young students to the concept of viruses in this simply written, colorful book. Viruses are too small to be seen, are made of atoms and molecules, are not considered to be alive, and do not have all the parts of a cell. They can cause diseases and must live in other organisms. Full color with many illustrations. Reading level 1-3; Interest level 2-5. 24 pages.
Evolution
EVOLUTION IS A FAIRYTALE... The 177 (easy to read) topics in this book completely destroy the random chance theories of evolution many times over, and proves the existence of God, our true Creator, Lord and Savior!! Evolution is one of the biggest shams in history, and this book will prove that many times over. Contrary to popular belief among evolutionists, they have no "real" evidence to prove their random chance theories. (i.e. Made up stories)Don't believe me? Well, let me absolutely prove it to you in this powerful resource book. Be prepared to learn a lot of insight about creation and evolution that was intentionally hidden from you. Very exciting and interesting stuff you can use to defend your faith in spades. Charlie Was WRONG. Evolution truly is a Fairytale for All Ages!! But much worse, even innocently believing these flagrant lies and half-truths can have eternal consequences for you and your loved ones. If you believe that God created the world, this book will help you share it with your believing "and" non-believing family and friends. If you still believe in evolution, get ready to be challenged. BIG TIME. This book is NOT about bashing evolutionists/atheists, rather it's about absolutely crushing the "theories" of evolution themselves, and exploring deeper into Intelligent Design and the God who created and loves YOU. With God's blessing, it's about bringing your faith level up a notch and leading many unbelievers to a personal relationship with Jesus."Evolution is a Religion." - Michael Ruse (evolutionist and past professor of philosophy and zoology at the University of Guelph, Canada)"Often a cold shudder has run through me, and I have asked myself whether I may have not devoted myself to a fantasy." - Charles Darwin (Life and Letters). Every person who can read should read this book, then share it with others. To God be all the glory.EVOLUTION IS DEAD! HOWEVER, JESUS IS ALIVE!! Please join the "Charlie Was Wrong" movement on Facebook and help us defeat the theories of evolution and share the wonderful life changing message of Jesus. Oh, and buy this book for you and some friends, too.
Functional Polymers for Controlled Drug Release
This Special Issue focuses on the synthesis and characterization of hydrogels specifically used as carriers of biological molecules for pharmaceutical and biomedical employments. Pharmaceutical applications of hydrophilic materials has emerged as one of the most significant trends in the area of nanotechnology. To propose some of the latest findings in this field, each contribution involves an in-depth analysis including different starting materials and their physico-chemical and biological properties with the aim of synthetizing high-performing devices for specific use. In this context, intelligent polymeric devices able to be morphologically modified in response to an internal or external stimulus, such as pH or temperature, have been actively pursued. In general, hydrophilic polymeric materials lead to high in vitro and/or in vivo therapeutic efficacy, with programmed site-specific feature showing remarkable potential for targeted therapy. This Special Issue serves to highlight and capture the contemporary progress in this field. Relevant resources and people to approach - American Association Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS): web: www.aaps.org; email: (marketing division): Marketing@aaps.org; (mmeting division): Meetings@aaps.org - International Association for Pharmaceutical Technology (APV): web: apv-mainz.de; email (managing director): stieneker@apv-mainz.de; (congresses and trade fairs): it@apv-mainz.de - International Society of Drug Delivery Sciences and Technology (APGI): web: http: //www.apgi.org; email: apgi.asso@u-psud.fr; - The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI): web: www.soci.org; email: secretariat@soci.org - Italian society of researchers in pharmaceutical technology (A.D.R.I.T.E.L.F.): web: www-3.unipv.it/adritelf/; email (head): mfadda@unica.it; - Italian Chemical Society (SCI): web: www.soc.chim.it; email: soc.chim.it@agora.it - Associazione Farmaceutici Industria (AFI): web: http: //www.afiweb.it; email:: segreteria@afiscientifica.it - Societ? Italiana di Chimica e Scienze Cosmetologiche (SICC): web: www.sicc.tv; mail: segreteria@sicc.it - Society for biomaterials: web: www.biomaterials.org; email: info@biomaterials.org - European Society for Biomaterials (ESB): web: www.esbiomaterials.eu; email: - Societ? Italiana Biomateriali (SIB): web: www.biomateriali.org; email: webmaster@biomateriali.org - Medical Device Manufactures Association (MDMA): web: www.medicaldevices.org; - European Polymer Federaton (EPF): web: www.europolyfed.org; email: epf.gensec@gmail.com - Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE): web: www.4spe.org; email: info@4spe.org - Polymer Processing Society (PPS): web: www.poly-eng.uakron.edu/pps/; email: cakmak@uakron.edu; - American Chinese Pharmaceutical Association; web: www.acpa-rx.org; - Chinese Pharmaceutical Association: web: www.pharmachinaonline.com - Society of Polymer Science, Japan: web: www.spsj.or.jp; email: intnl@spsj.or.jp
Repetitive DNA Sequences
Repetitive DNA is ubiquitous in eukaryotic genomes, and, in many species, comprises the bulk of the genome. Repeats include transposable elements that can self-mobilize and disperse around the genome, and tandemly-repeated satellite DNAs that increase in copy number due to replication slippage and unequal crossing over. Despite their abundance, repetitive DNA is often ignored in genomic studies due to technical challenges in their identification, assembly, and quantification. New technologies and methods are now providing the unprecedented power to analyze repetitive DNAs across diverse taxa. Repetitive DNA is of particular interest because it can represent distinct modes of genome evolution. Some repetitive DNA forms essential genome structures, such as telomeres and centromeres, which are required for proper chromosome maintenance and segregation, whereas others form piRNA clusters that regulate transposable elements; thus, these elements are expected to evolve under purifying selection. In contrast, other repeats evolve selfishly and produce genetic conflicts with their host species that drive adaptive evolution of host defense systems. However, the majority of repeats likely accumulate in eukaryotes in the absence of selection due to mechanisms of transposition and unequal crossing over. Even these neutral repeats may indirectly influence genome evolution as they reach high abundance. In this Special Issue, the contributing authors explore these questions from a range of perspectives.
Novel Aspects of Lipoprotein Metabolism with Focus on Systemic Inflammation
With cardiometabolic diseases still topping the list of mortality causes and in facing the obesity and diabetes epidemic, there remains a great need to better understand the pathophysiological derangements underlying these conditions. During the past years, it has become increasingly appreciated that low grade systemic inflammation is a common hallmark of cardiometabolic disorders--not only concerning diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease but also involving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Recently developed high-throughput laboratory techniques for lipidomics and metabolomics have enabled researchers to discern novel crosstalk pathways between lipid phenotypes and enhanced chronic inflammation. With this Special Issue of the Journal of Clinical Medicine, entitled "Novel Aspects of Lipoprotein Metabolism with a Focus on Systemic Inflammation", researchers were invited to submit original papers and reviews on various topics, in particular, at the interface of lipid metabolism and inflammation.
Eingriff in Die Evolution
Die amerikanische Molekularbiologin Jennifer Doudna hat eine gentechnische Methode mitentwickelt, die von der New York Times als "eine der gewaltigsten Entdeckungen in der Biologie" charakterisiert worden ist: die CRISPR-Technologie. In diesem Buch schildert sie, welches Potenzial diese Technik zur Ver瓣nderung alles Lebendigen birgt, und warnt zugleich vor den m繹glichen Gefahren ihrer Anwendung. Denn wir k繹nnen mit der CRISPR-Technologie die genetische Information, die s瓣mtliche Lebewesen steuert, erstaunlich einfach und 羹beraus pr瓣zise ver瓣ndern. Was einst eine Zukunftsvision der genetischen Manipulation war, wird auf einmal krasse Realit瓣t: Pl繹tzlich sind wir in der Lage, Erbkrankheiten zu heilen, Leiden zu lindern und neue Nahrungs- und Energiequellen zu erschlie?en - aber auch jede Spezies einschlie?lich des Menschen zu unseren eigenen Zwecken umzugestalten. Doudna pr瓣sentiert hier zusammen mit ihrem Forscherkollegen Samuel Sternbergden ma?geblichen Bericht 羹ber die Entdeckung von CRISPR; sie erkl瓣rt, wie die geradezu wundersame Erfindung funktioniert und welche M繹glichkeiten sie er繹ffnet. Aber ihr Buch fordert auch zum Nachdenken auf: Was bedeutet die neu gewonnene Macht? Wie k繹nnen wir uns ihres beispiellosen Nutzens erfreuen und gleichzeitig ihren ebenso beispiellosen Gefahren aus dem Weg gehen? Antworten auf solche Fragen, so Doudna, betreffen uns alle. Wir m羹ssen es schaffen, gemeinsam zu 羹berlegen und zu handeln. Auf dem Spiel steht nichts Geringeres als die Zukunft der Menschheit - und aller Lebewesen auf der Erde. Dieses Buch ist ein unentbehrlicher Leitfaden f羹r den Weg, der vor uns liegt.
Atomic Evidence
Chapter 1. The Protein Data Bank.- Chapter 2. Seeing is Believing: Methods of Structure Solution.- Chapter 3. Visualizing the Invisible World of Molecules.- Chapter 4. The Twists and Turns of DNA.- Chapter 5. The Central Dogma.- Chapter 6. The Secret of Life: The Genetic Code.- Chapter 7. Evolution in Action.- Chapter 8. How Evolution Shapes Proteins.- Chapter 9. The Universe of Protein Folds.- Chapter 10. Order and Chaos in Protein Structure.- Chapter 11. Molecular Electronics.- Chapter 12. Green Energy.- Chapter 13. Peak Performance.- Chapter 14. Cellular Signaling Networks.- Chapter 15. GPCRs Revealed.- Chapter 16. Signaling with Hormones.- Chapter 17: Single Molecule Chemistry: Enzyme Action and the Transition State.- Chapter 18. Seven Wonders of the World of Enzymes.- Chapter 19. Building Bodies.- Chapter 20. Coloring the Biological World.- Chapter 21. Amazing Antibodies.- Chapter 22. Attack and Defense: Weapons of the Immune System.- Chapter 23. Reconstructing HIV.
Impossible evolution
A compilation of the basics of the debate as to the origins of the universe: evolution vs. intelligent design. For children and adults. Because the brain learns best by seeing a concept pictorially and then reinforcing that concept with a written explanation, the concepts regarding special creation vs. the theory of evolution are stated simply, illustrated, and easily grasped in the first part--followed by more meaty explanations and statements of implications in part 2, and then a review with lots of questions and object lessons in the third section of the book.
Adam, Where Are You?
Since the nineteenth century, many Christian theologians have been converted to the theory of evolution--a theory whose scientific tenability they are not qualified to assess, but which they are unlikely to give up. The majority of recent books by Christian academics on this subject have all but surrendered the entire field of origins to an evolutionary "molecule-to-man" view of reality. Those who believe in human evolution, and yet wish to maintain some form of a historical Adam and a historical Fall, suffer from a serious form of self-deception. That is, in no way can they do justice to the careful exegesis of so many details in Genesis 2 and 3, not to mention key New Testament texts that presuppose the historicity of our first parents. The central thesis of this book is that those who accept the theory of general evolution cannot at the same time be orthodox Christians because the matter of origins does not belong at the periphery but at the heart of the Christian message. This insightful work of theology brings an interdisciplinary vision to bear upon its subject, undergirded as it is by a distinctly Christian philosophy that demolishes the evolutionary philosophical paradigm that has so influenced Western theologians for generations.
The Gyroscope of Life
A love song to the field of biology written by an Appalachian naturalist and a 50-year practitioner, The Gyroscope of Life will stretch the minds of readers - scientists and nonscientists alike. Culturally, we tend to simplify challenging concepts by thinking of them as binary systems: life/death, female/male. But what if these concepts are more complex than mere opposites? David Parrish dives beneath the surface of some seemingly straightforward biological topics to provide a fresh look at the world, and the ways in which we imagine it. While sharing his personal experiences with religion, science, battling illness, and more, Parrish explores a series of unconventional topics such as a biologist's credo, Mother Nature's House Rules, the foolishness of conflicts between science and religion, ritualistic funerary cannibalism, a biological critique of "The Big Bang Theory" theme song, pseudo-copulation of insects with flowers, and the Faustian bargain that agriculture and plant domestication represent. Strewn with metaphors, thought experiments, and a touch of humor, this guide will inspire readers to see life itself in an intriguingly new way.
