Live Long and Evolve
An engaging journey into the biological principles underpinning a beloved science-fiction franchise In Star Trek, crew members travel to unusual planets, meet diverse beings, and encounter unique civilizations. In these remarkable space adventures, does Star Trek reflect biology and evolution as we know it? What can the science in the science fiction of Star Trek teach us? In Live Long and Evolve, biologist and die-hard Trekkie Mohamed Noor takes readers on a fun, fact-filled scientific journey. Noor offers Trekkies, science-fiction fans, and anyone curious about how life works a cosmic gateway into introductory biology, including the definitions and origins of life, DNA, reproduction, and evolutionary processes. Giving readers irresistible insights, Live Long and Evolve looks at some of the powerful science behind one of the most popular science-fiction series.
Biology Everywhere
Biology is memorizing terms, dissecting animals, and analyzing abstract concepts. Sound familiar? If so, you are like the majority of individuals outside the sciences when considering biology. Not without reason--research suggests that an introductory biology class has more vocabulary than a first semester language class. However, a working knowledge of biology is increasingly critical as we as a society grapple with big questions regarding topics such as ethics and regulation of genetic technology, conservation, and health. This book is intended to bridge the gap between traditional biology classes and the practical biology knowledge needed in the real world. In each chapter, a different biological concept is examined and related to some real-world issue or experience in an effort to demonstrate why the science of life matters to your everyday experience. The content includes subjects typically covered in an introductory biology class like ecology and genetics, and also unique interdisciplinary topics such as the relationship between arts and biology. This book is specifically designed either for those who already love biology and biology education, or for those who have had prior poor experiences with biology learning and are willing to give it another try. Where have you experienced biology today? Dive in and take a look. What you find may surprise you!
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.
Environmental Enrichment of Pigs
Pigs have a strong motivation to explore and root. In conventional pig husbandry systems, this need is difficult to fulfil, unless adequate enrichment materials are provided. This book summarises how enrichment strategies for pigs have evolved over the last few decades in different countries and provides a vast array of possibilities to enhance the exploratory needs of pigs. The role of enrichment material on avoidance of tail biting outbreaks or as an element triggering positive emotions in pigs is also discussed.
Causes and Treatment of Infertility
Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Biology - Developmental Biology, grade: c, course: Pharmacy, language: English, abstract: The aim of this work is to perform a systematic review of literature to determine the causes and treatment aspects of infertility. This work also aimes to interpret the findings in the context of recent clinical practices and suggest optimal treatment and management aspects regarding infertility. This review focuses on different factors including the ovulatory factor, utero-tubal peritoneal factor, semen migration factor and the male factor. Some of these infertile conditions are treated as unexplained infertility problems to some extent. This review process deploys a new strategy to translate the recent research findings and evidence-based causes into a simplified focused cause of male and female infertility. The development of molecular biology and biotechnology as well as genetics has profound influence on infertility study on causes, assessment and treatment process. Infertility is a qualification of a situation where couple has tried to achieve pregnancy for more than one year without success. The basic work-up doesn't find a reason for the failure in more than 30 percent cases. Many of the defects related to infertility is still unknown.
Synthetic Biology in Mammals
This primer introduces the challenges and opportunities of applying synthetic biological techniques to mammalian cells, tissues, and organisms. It covers the special features that make engineering mammalian systems different from engineering bacteria, fungi, and plants, and provides an overview of current techniques. A variety of cutting-edge examples illustrate the different purposes of mammalian synthetic biology, including pure biomedical research, drug production, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.
Neurophysiologie der Geschmackswahrnehmung
Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2019 im Fachbereich Biologie - Sonstige Themen, Note: 2, Fachhochschule Potsdam, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Ich besch瓣ftige mich bei der Erarbeitung meines Leistungsnachweises mit der Neurophysiologie der Geschmackswahrnehmung. Interesse bez羹glich dieses Themas wurde bei mir durch t瓣gliche Nahrungsaufnahme geweckt, mit der Frage, wie dieser Vorgang 羹berhaupt funktioniert. Aufgrund meiner in der Medizin t瓣tigen Verwandtschaft konnte ich vereinfachte Fragen schon grob beantwortet bekommen und habe nun die Chance genutzt, diese Frage ausf羹hrlicher und fachlicher in meiner Seminararbeit im Fach Biologie/Chemie zu beantworten. Selbst ich hatte zuerst keine direkte Vorstellung beziehungsweise eine Anregung mehr dar羹ber zu erfahren. Nach erster grober Recherche wurde mein Interesse wiederum geweckt. Wir Lebewesen setzen uns t瓣glich mehrfach mit der Nahrungsaufnahme auseinander und nehmen diesen komplexen Vorgang meist als selbstverst瓣ndlich hin, ohne zu wissen, was direkt dahinter steckt. Bei der Geschmackswahrnehmung, auch Gustatorische Wahrnehmung genannt, handelt es sich um gro?es Fachgebiet, welches bis heute noch komplett erforscht werden konnte. Ausgehend von meinem Thema werde ich mich in meiner Arbeit ausf羹hrlich mit der Funktionsweise der Geschmackswahrnehmung, sowie die Beeinflussung neurophysiologischer Vorg瓣nge durch guten Geschmack besch瓣ftigen. Au?erdem werde ich ein Experiment hinsichtlich bestimmter Faktoren bez羹glich des Geschmackes und des Aussehens der Nahrung durchf羹hren, um zu 羹berpr羹fen, ob diese die Wahrnehmung des Geschmackes beeinflussen. Hierzu recherchiere ich umfangreich im Internet, in Fachb羹chern und wende mich, sofern es gefordert wird, an meine in der Medizin t瓣tige Familie.
microRNA Regulation in Health and Disease
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that play a crucial role in posttranscriptional gene regulation. Over two thousand miRNAs have been identified in humans, and many of them are conserved in other species. miRNAs are implicated in fundamental cellular functions, including development and disease. In the last decade, there has been an overwhelming amount of data contributing to the understanding of miRNA biogenesis and their target genes. Moreover, a significant amount of work has been carried out in developing miRNA biomarkers and therapeutics for various disease conditions. RNA-based markers and therapeutics have been proven to have a clinical impact, and many of these miRNA-based therapies are at various stages of human clinical trials and clinical applications. Notably, miRNAs are also found in exosomes, and are considered to impart intercellular communication and function via several different modalities, including tunneling nanotubes. In spite of our understanding of miRNA biology and function, there are many challenges in effectively using miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic agents in clinical applications. In this Special Issue, we are inviting reviews, perspectives, and original research articles to address some of these challenges. Topics will include, but are not limited to, miRNA biogenesis, clinical applications, extracellular function, biomarkers, miRNA immune regulation, signaling pathways, and preclinical models.
Medicinal Plants and Natural Product Research
The book entitled Medicinal Plants and Natural Product Research describes various aspects of ethnopharmacological uses of medicinal plants; extraction, isolation, and identification of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants; various aspects of biological activity such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, immunomodulatory activity, etc., as well as characterization of plant secondary metabolites as active substances from medicinal plants.
Mechanobiology
Mechanobiology: From Molecular Sensing to Disease will provide a review of the current state of understanding of mechanobiology and its role in health and disease. It covers: Current understanding of the main molecular pathways by which cells sense and respond to mechanical stimuli, A review of diseases that with known or purported mechanobiological underpinnings; The role of mechanobiology in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine; Experimental methods to capture mechanobiological phenomena; Computational models in mechanobiology.
Grundri? Der Limnologie
This title from the De Gruyter Book Archive has been digitized in order to make it available for academic research. It was originally published under National Socialism and has to be viewed in this historical context. Learn more here.
Polyamine Metabolism in Disease and Polyamine-Targeted Therapies
Spermine, spermidine, and putrescine constitute the mammalian polyamines, abundant polycations with essential roles in critical cell functions. As such, intracellular polyamine concentrations are tightly regulated through biosynthesis, catabolism, and transport. The multifaceted effects of polyamine dysregulation have contributed to its role in multiple disease processes but have also implicated it as target for preventive or therapeutic intervention. The correlation between oncogene-mediated elevation of polyamine biosynthesis and cancer is well established, and induced polyamine catabolism contributes to carcinogenesis that is associated with certain forms of chronic infection and/or inflammation. In addition to cancer, polyamines are involved in the pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases, parasitic and infectious diseases, wound healing, ischemia/reperfusion injuries, and certain age-related conditions, as polyamines concentrations are reported to decrease with age. As in cancer, polyamine-based therapies for these conditions are an area of active investigation. With recent advances in immunotherapy, interest has increased regarding polyamine-associated modulation of immune responses as well as potential immunoregulation of polyamine metabolism, the results of which could have relevance to multiple disease processes. The goal of this Special Issue of Medical Sciences is to present the most recent advances in polyamine research as it relates to health, disease, and/or therapy.
Cow’s Milk and Allergy
The purpose of this Special Issue "Cow's Milk and Allergy" is to provide an overview of the association of cow's milk with allergy. This topic has two quite different faces. On the one hand, we are all aware of the importance of cow's milk allergy in early life. What is less known is that the consumption of raw, unprocessed milk is associated with a lower incidence of asthma and rhinitis. This Special Issue takes a closer look at all of these aspects of cow's milk and allergy and focus on the following questions: -Mechanisms of cow's milk allergy -Epidemiology of cow's milk allergy -Prevention of cow's milk allergy -Management and immunotherapy of cow's milk allergy -Milk processing, baked milk, and cow's milk allergy -The consumption of raw milk and inhalation allergies
Nutrition and Eye Health
Blindness and visual impairment impact significantly on an individual's physical and mental well-being. Loss of vision is a global health problem, with approximately 250 million of the world's population currently living with vision loss, of which 36 million are classified as blind. Visual impairment is more frequent in the elderly, with cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) accounting for over 50% of cases globally. Oxidative stress has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of both conditions, and consequently the role of nutritional factors, in particular carotenoids and micronutrient antioxidants, have been investigated as possible preventative or therapeutic strategies.Dry eye syndrome (DES) is one of the most common ophthalmic conditions in the world. DES occurs where the eye does not produce enough tears and/or the tears evaporate too quicklyleading to discomfort and varying degrees of visual disturbance. There has recently been a great deal of interest in the potential for oral or topical supplementation with essential fatty acids (EFAs), specifically omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as an adjunct to conventional treatments for DES.The objective of this Special Issue on 'Nutrition and Eye Health' is to publish papers describing the role of nutrition in maintaining eye health and the use of nutritional interventions to prevent or treat ocular disease. A particular (but not exclusive) emphasis will be on papers (reviews and/or clinical or experimental studies) relating to cataract, AMD and DES.
Spices and their effect on the acceptability and microbial activity of milk and milk produ
Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2018 in the subject Biology - Miscellaneous, course: Masters, language: English, abstract: Spices have been used by human being for thousands of years having multipurpose functional roles such as medicinal use, preservation of food, improving the flavor and aroma of foods. This is also widely used in Ethiopian dairy products. This study was conducted in Tambaro woreda and Hosanna district to assess the traditional practices, types of spices and herbs used in preserving various dairy products in the study area. It was also used to identify the effect of spices on cottage cheese (ayib) and ghee microbial activities and acceptability under controlled laboratory experiments. The study also explored the potential implications of spice uses towards the sensory properties of these dairy products. The experimental study was conducted as a follow-up to diagnostic survey. The cottage cheese were randomly assigned to either of three spice treatments Kororima and Tikur azimud, or Kororima and Netch azimud mixtures (equal ratio) at 0, 1, 3 and 5% levels by weight concentration, respectively. The ghee samples were randomly assigned to either of four spice treatments Kororima and Abish, or Tikur azimud and Netch azimud mixtures (equal ratio) at 0, 1, 3 and 5% levels by weight concentration, respectively. Cottage cheese samples were stored for 6 days and ghee samples for 30 days at ambient temperature before parameter analysis. Cottage cheese samples were analysed every 24 hrs, while the ghee samples were analysed once in a week for compositional, microbial and sensory properties, which included total solids, ash, fat content, pH, total bacterial count, coliform, and yeast and mould counts. The sensory analysis included flaver, aroma, taste and overall acceptability of ghee and cottage cheese samples. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16.The experimental study highlighted that cottage cheese samples treated with 3% of Korrorima and Netch azimud mixtures
Genetische Variabilit瓣t von Mineralstoffgehalten bei Hartweizen und Einkorn in verschieden
Diplomarbeit aus dem Jahr 2012 im Fachbereich Biologie - Sonstige Themen, Note: 1,3, Universit瓣t Hohenheim (Pflanzenz羹chtung), Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Ziele dieser Studie sind die Analyse der genetischen Variabilit瓣t hinsichtlich der Cadmiumanreicherung bei Hartweizen (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) und der Selenanreicherung bei Einkorn (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum) in verschiedenen Umwelten. Die verschiedenen Versuchsstandorte wurden auf ihre Eignung als Selektionsumwelt untersucht. Erg瓣nzend soll der Einfluss verschiedener Bodenmerkmale und -eigenschaften auf die Mineralstoffanreicherung (Cd, Se) im Korn betrachtet werden.
Applied and Computational Statistics
Research without statistics is like water in the sand; the latter is necessary to reap the benefits of the former. This collection of articles is designed to bring together different approaches to applied statistics. The studies presented in this book are a tiny piece of what applied statistics means and how statistical methods find their usefulness in different fields of research from theoretical frames to practical applications such as genetics, computational chemistry, and experimental design.This book presents several applications of the statistics: A new continuous distribution with five parameters--the modified beta Gompertz distribution; A method to calculate the p-value associated with the Anderson-Darling statistic; An approach of repeated measurement designs; A validated model to predict statement mutations score; A new family of structural descriptors, called the extending characteristic polynomial (EChP) family, used to express the link between the structure of a compound and its properties. This collection brings together authors from Europe and Asia with a specific contribution to the knowledge in regards to theoretical and applied statistics.
Proteomics. Importance for the Future of Genetics Research
Academic Paper from the year 2020 in the subject Biology - Genetics / Gene Technology, grade: 14.0, University of Lagos (University of Lagos), course: Cell Biology and Genetics, language: English, abstract: A huge number of genes within the human genome code are proteins that mediate and/or control genetics processes. Although a large body of information on the number of genes, on chromosomal localisation, gene structure and function has been gathered, we are far from understanding the orchestrated way of how they make metabolism. Nevertheless, based on the genetic information emerging on a daily basis, we are offered fantastic new tools that allow us new insights into the molecular basis of human metabolism under normal as well as pathophysiological conditions. Recent technological advancements have made it possible to analyse simultaneously large sets of mRNA and/or proteins expressed in a biological sample or to define genetic heterogeneity that may be important for the individual response of an organism to changes in its nutritional environment. Applications of the new techniques of genome and proteome analysis are central for the development of nutritional sciences in the next decade and its integration into the rapidly developing era of functional genomics. The proteome is the entire set of proteins that are produced or modified by an organism or system. This varies with time and distinct requirements, or stresses, that a cell or organism undergoes. Proteomics is an interdisciplinary domain that has benefitted greatly from the genetic information of the Human Genome Project; it also covers emerging scientific research and the exploration of proteomes from the overall level of intracellular protein composition, structure, and its own unique activity patterns. It is an important component of functional genomics. While proteomics generally refers to the large-scale experimental analysis of proteins, it is often specifically used for protein purification and mas
The Unedited
This novel is set in the near future, where human genome editing has become routine. First adopted to fight a lethal virus, it is now widely used to prevent diseases and favor other traits. Ben, Eiko, Celia, Raphael and Leo have just had their coming-of-age genome reading and are struggling with this new information for each their own reasons. Soon, they are cast into the middle of a crisis that threatens the future of their society and pits it against a parallel, but strictly separated, society where genome manipulation is forbidden on religious grounds. The book includes an essay on the potential of human genome engineering and related genome-based choices.
Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation
Pregnancy is a viewed as a window to future health. With the birth of the developmental origins of human adult disease hypothesis, research and clinical practice has turned its attention to the influence of maternal factors such as health and lifestyle surrounding pregnancy as a means to understand and prevent the inter-generational inheritance of chronic disease susceptibility. Outcomes during pregnancy have long-lasting impacts on both women on children. Moreover, nutrition early in life can influence growth and the establishment of lifelong eating habits and behaviors.This Special Issue on "Nutrition during Pregnancy and Lactation: Implications for Maternal and Infant Health" is intended to highlight new epidemiological, mechanistic and interventional studies that investigate maternal nutrition around the pregnancy period on maternal and infant outcomes. Submissions may include original research, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Genome Mining and Marine Microbial Natural Products
Two review papers, eight research articles, and one brief report were published in this Special Issue. They showed the rich resources that are present within the genomes of marine microorganisms and discussed the use of recently developed tools and technologies to exploit this genetic richness. Examples include the rational supply of precursors according to the relevant biosynthetic pathway and stress driven discovery together with the use of histone deacetylase inhibitors to facilitate the discovery of new bioactive molecules with potential biopharmaceutical applications. We believe that the content of this Special Issue reflects the current state-of-the-art research in this area and highlights the interesting strategies that are being employed to uncover increasing numbers of exciting novel compounds for drug discovery from marine genetic resources.
Plant Development and Organogenesis
The way plants grow and develop organs significantly impacts the overall performance and yield of crop plants. The basic knowledge now available in plant development has the potential to help breeders in generating plants with defined architectural features to improve productivity. Plant translational research effort has steadily increased over the last decade due to the huge increase in the availability of crop genomic resources and Arabidopsis-based sequence annotation systems. However, a consistent gap between fundamental and applied science has yet to be filled. One critical point often brought up is the unreadiness of developmental biologists on one side to foresee agricultural applications for their discoveries, and of the breeders to exploit gene function studies to apply to candidate gene approaches when advantageous on the other. In this book, both developmental biologists and breeders make a special effort to reconcile research on the basic principles of plant development and organogenesis with its applications to crop production and genetic improvement. Fundamental and applied science contributions intertwine and chase each other, giving the reader different but complementary perspectives from only apparently distant corners of the same world.
Cell-Free Synthetic Biology
Cell-free synthetic biology is in the spotlight as a powerful and rapid approach to characterize and engineer natural biological systems. The open nature of cell-free platforms brings an unprecedented level of control and freedom for design compared to in vivo systems. This versatile engineering toolkit is used for debugging biological networks, constructing artificial cells, screening protein library, prototyping genetic circuits, developing new drugs, producing metabolites, and synthesizing complex proteins including therapeutic proteins, toxic proteins, and novel proteins containing non-standard (unnatural) amino acids. The book consists of a series of reviews, protocols, benchmarks, and research articles describing the current development and applications of cell-free synthetic biology in diverse areas.
MERS-CoV
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging zoonotic coronavirus. First identified in 2012, MERS-CoV has caused over 2460 infections and a fatality rate of about 35% in humans. Similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), MERS-CoV likely originated from bats; however, different from SARS-CoV, which potentially utilized palm civets as its intermediate hosts, MERS-CoV likely transmits to humans through dromedary camels. Animal models, such as humanized mice and nonhuman primates, have been developed for studying MERS-CoV infection. Currently, there are no vaccines and therapeutics approved for the prevention and treatment of MERS-CoV infection, although a number of them have been developed preclinically or tested clinically. This book covers one editorial and 16 articles (including seven review articles and nine original research papers) written by researchers working in the field of MERS-CoV. It describes the following three main aspects: (1) MERS-CoV epidemiology, transmission, and pathogenesis; (2) current progress on MERS-CoV animal models, vaccines, and therapeutics; and (3) challenges and future prospects for MERS-CoV research. Overall, this book will help researchers in the MERS-CoV field to further advance their work on the virus. It also has important implications for other coronaviruses as well as viruses outside the coronavirus family with pandemic potentials.
Coastal Resources Economics and Ecosystem Valuation
The practical importance of economic valuation information can hardly be overstated. Coastal and marine resource policy planning and management benefit from complete information on the impact of policy decisions. In addition, proper accounting of the impacts of these policy decisions is necessary for benefit-cost analyses and measurements of economic growth over time. This special issue focuses on economic valuation of coastal and marine ecosystem services. Economic valuation provides methods and techniques to determine how changes in coastal and marine ecosystem services can be translated into benefits and costs to society. Economic values play an important role in everyday life and provide useful information about human welfare and happiness. Valuation provides a consistent framework to understand human-nature interactions across a broad range of coastal and marine resources, and to evaluate the costs and benefits of these interactions. The focus on ecosystem services provides new research on this perspective of human-nature interactions that has profoundly changed the academic dialogue on natural systems, but has had limited impact on public dialogue and the policy process.
Carotenoids and Human Health
Carotenoids are a group of approximately 600 compounds synthesized by photosynthetic organisms. These pigments are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in certain animal products such as eggs and salmon, being responsible for their colorful appearance. The bioactive properties of certain carotenoids in human health are clear, as some of these compounds have antioxidant properties and serve as the only precursors of vitamin A in nature.The aim of this Special Issue entitled "Carotenoids and Human Health" is to provide the scientific community with an updated perspective of this exciting and growing research area. We compiled 19 papers from some of the most prominent scientists in the carotenoid field, including seven literature reviews and 12 original publication, covering topics such as cancer, obesity, vision, cognitive function, and skin health.
Synthetic DNA and RNA Programming
Dear Colleagues, Synthetic biology is a broad and emerging discipline that capitalizes on recent advances in molecular biology, genetics, protein and RNA engineering and omics technologies. These technologies have transformed our ability to reveal the biology of the cell and the molecular basis of disease. This Special Issue on "Synthetic RNA and DNA Programming" features original research articles and reviews, highlighting novel aspects of basic molecular biology and the molecular mechanisms of disease that were uncovered by the application and development of novel synthetic biology-driven approaches.
Improving Practice and Performance in Basketball
Despite being one of the most popular sports worldwide, basketball has received limited research attention compared to other team sports. Establishing a strong evidence base with high-quality and impactful research is essential in enhancing decision-making processes to optimize player performance for basketball professionals. Consequently, the book entitled Improving Performance and Practice in Basketball provides a collection of novel research studies to increase the available evidence on various topics with strong translation to practice in basketball. The book includes work by 40 researchers from 16 institutions or professional organizations from 9 countries. In keeping with notable topics in basketball research, the book contains 2 reviews focused on monitoring strategies to detect player fatigue and considerations for travel in National Basketball Association players. In addition, 8 applied studies are also included in the book, focused on workload monitoring, game-related statistics, and the measurement of physical and skill attributes in basketball players. This book also has a strong focus on increasing the evidence available for female basketball players, who have traditionally been under-represented in the literature. The outcomes generated from this book should provide new insights to inform practice in many areas for professionals working in various roles with basketball teams.
Brain-Computer Interfaces for Human Augmentation
The field of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) has grown rapidly in the last few decades, allowing the development of faster and more reliable assistive technologies based on direct links between the brain and an external device. Novel applications of BCIs have also been proposed, especially in the area of human augmentation, i.e., enabling people to go beyond human limitations in sensory, cognitive and motor tasks. Brain-imaging techniques, such as electroencephalography, have been used to extract neural correlates of various brain processes and transform them, via machine learning, into commands for external devices. Brain stimulation technology has allowed to trigger the activation of specific brain areas to enhance the cognitive processes associated to the task at hand, hence improving performance. BCIs have therefore extended their scope from assistive technologies for people with disabilities to neuro-tools for human enhancement. This Special Issue aims at showing the recent advances in BCIs for human augmentation, highlighting new results on both traditional and novel applications. These include, but are not limited to, control of external devices, communication, cognitive enhancement, decision making and entertainment.
The Goodness Paradox
"A fascinating new analysis of human violence, filled with fresh ideas and gripping evidence from our primate cousins, historical forebears, and contemporary neighbors."--Steven Pinker, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature We Homo sapiens can be the nicest of species and also the nastiest. What occurred during human evolution to account for this paradox? What are the two kinds of aggression that primates are prone to, and why did each evolve separately? How does the intensity of violence among humans compare with the aggressive behavior of other primates? How did humans domesticate themselves? And how were the acquisition of language and the practice of capital punishment determining factors in the rise of culture and civilization? Authoritative, provocative, and engaging, The Goodness Paradox offers a startlingly original theory of how, in the last 250 million years, humankind became an increasingly peaceful species in daily interactions even as its capacity for coolly planned and devastating violence remains undiminished. In tracing the evolutionary histories of reactive and proactive aggression, biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham forcefully and persuasively argues for the necessity of social tolerance and the control of savage divisiveness still haunting us today.
Advances in Prevention of Foodborne Pathogens of Public Health Concern during Manufacturing
According to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), achieving safe and healthier foods was one of the top ten achievements of public health in the 20th century. However, considerable persisting challenges currently exist in developed nations and developing economies for further assuring the safety and security of the food supplies. According to CDC estimates, as many as 3000 American adults, as an example, and based on a recent epidemiological estimate of the World Health Organization, around 420,000 individuals around the globe, lose their lives annually due to foodborne diseases. This emphasizes the need for innovative and emerging interventions, for further prevention or mitigation of the risk of foodborne microbial pathogens during food processing and manufacturing. The current publication discusses recent advancements and progress in the elimination and decontamination of microbial pathogens during various stages of manufacturing and production. Special emphasis is placed on hurdle validation studies, investigating decontamination of non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica serovars, various serogroups of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, public health-significant serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes, and pathogenic species of Cronobacter.
The Long-Term Perspective of Human Impact on Landscape for Environmental Change and Sustainability
The research studies included in this Special Issue highlight the fundamental contribution of the knowledge of environmental history to conscious and efficient environment conservation and management. The long-term perspective of the dynamics that govern the human-climate ecosystem is becoming one of the main focuses of interest in biological and earth system sciences. Multidisciplinary bio-geo-archaeo investigations into the underlying processes of human impact on the landscape are crucial to envisage possible future scenarios of biosphere responses to global warming and biodiversity losses. This Special Issue seeks to engage an interdisciplinary dialog on the dynamic interactions between nature and society, focusing on long-term environmental data as an essential tool for better-informed landscape management decisions to achieve an equilibrium between conservation and sustainable resource exploitation.
Welfare of Cultured and Experimental Fishes
Welfare is a multidimensional concept that can be described as the state of an animal as it copes with the environment. Captive environments can impact farmed animals at different levels, especially fishes, considering their highly complex sensory world. Understanding the ethology of a species is therefore essential to address fish welfare, and the interpretation of behavioral responses in specific rearing contexts (aquaculture or experimental contexts) demands knowledge of their underlying physiological, developmental, functional, and evolutionary mechanisms. In natural environments, the stress response has evolved to help animals survive challenging conditions. However, animals are adapted to deal with natural stressors, while anthropogenic stimuli may represent stressors that fishes are unable to cope with. Under such circumstances, stress responses may be maladaptive and cause severe damage to the animal. As welfare in captivity is affected in multiple dimensions, multiple possible indicators can be used to assess the welfare state of individuals. In the past, research on welfare has been largely focusing on health indicators and predominantly based on physiological stress. Ethological indicators, however, also integrate the mental perspective of the individual and have been gradually assuming an important role in welfare research: behavioral responses to stressors are an early response to adverse conditions, easily observable, and demonstrative of emotional states. Many behavioral indicators can be used as non-invasive measurements of welfare in practical contexts such as aquaculture and experimentation. Presently, research in fish welfare is growing in importance and interest because of the growing economic importance of fish farming, the comparative biology opportunities that experimental fishes provide, and the increasing public sensitivity to welfare issues.
Applied Analysis of Ordinary Differential Equations
One might say that ordinary differential equations (notably, in Isaac Newton's analysis of the motion of celestial bodies) had a central role in the development of modern applied mathematics. This book is devoted to research articles which build upon this spirit: combining analysis with the applications of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). ODEs arise across a spectrum of applications in physics, engineering, geophysics, biology, chemistry, economics, etc., because the rules governing the time-variation of relevant fields is often naturally expressed in terms of relationships between rates of change. ODEs also emerge in stochastic models--for example, when considering the evolution of a probability density function--and in large networks of interconnected agents. The increasing ease of numerically simulating large systems of ODEs has resulted in a plethora of publications in this area; nevertheless, the difficulty of parametrizing models means that the computational results by themselves are sometimes questionable. Therefore, analysis cannot be ignored. This book comprises articles that possess both interesting applications and the mathematical analysis driven by such applications.
Sport, Spirituality, and Religion
The research studies included in this Special Issue highlight the fundamental contribution of the knowledge of environmental history to conscious and efficient environment conservation and management. The long-term perspective of the dynamics that govern the human-climate ecosystem is becoming one of the main focuses of interest in biological and earth system sciences. Multidisciplinary bio-geo-archaeo investigations into the underlying processes of human impact on the landscape are crucial to envisage possible future scenarios of biosphere responses to global warming and biodiversity losses. This Special Issue seeks to engage an interdisciplinary dialog on the dynamic interactions between nature and society, focusing on long-term environmental data as an essential tool for better-informed landscape management decisions to achieve an equilibrium between conservation and sustainable resource exploitation.
The Future of Hyperspectral Imaging
This book includes some very recent applications and the newest emerging trends of hyper-spectral imaging (HSI). HSI is a very recent and strange beast, a sort of a melting pot of previous techniques and scientific interests, merging and concentrating the efforts of physicists, chemists, botanists, biologists, and physicians, to mention just a few, as well as experts in data crunching and statistical elaboration. For almost a century, scientific observation, from looking to planets and stars down to our own cells and below, could be divided into two main categories: analyzing objects on the basis of their physical dimension (recording size, position, weight, etc. and their variations) or on how the object emits, reflects, or absorbs part of the electromagnetic spectrum, i.e., spectroscopy. While the two aspects have been obviously entangled, instruments and skills have always been clearly distinct from each other. With HSI now available, this is no longer the case. This instrument can return specimen dimensionalities and spectroscopic properties to any single pixel of your specimen, in a single set of data. HSI modality is ubiquitous and scale-invariant enough to be used to mark terrestrial resources on the basis of a land map obtained from satellite observation (actually, the oldest application of this type) or to understand if the cell you are looking at is cancerous or perfectly healthy. For all these reasons, HSI represents one of the most exciting methodologies of the new millennium.
Disease and the Hippo Pathway
The Hippo pathway is a highly dynamic cellular signaling nexus that plays central roles in multiple cell types and regulates regeneration, metabolism, and development. The Hippo pathway integrates mechanotransduction, cell polarity, inflammation, and numerous types of paracrine signaling. If not tightly regulated, dysregulated Hippo pathway signaling drives the onset and progression of a range of diseases, including fibrosis and cancer. The molecular understanding of the Hippo pathway is rapidly evolving. This Special Issue contains ten articles contributed by established and up-and-coming Hippo pathway experts that, as a whole, provides an up-to-date overview of how dysregulated Hippo pathway activity is a common driver of specific diseases. The articles have a particular focus on the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause the Hippo pathway to go awry, and especially how this drives disease. The articles analyze disease-specific as well as common themes, which provides valuable insights into the fundamental molecular mechanisms in the dysfunctioning Hippo pathway, and thereby offer practical insights into potential future therapeutic intervention strategies.
Marine Biotoxins and Seafood Poisoning
Marine biotoxins may pose a threat to the human consumption of seafood and seafood products. The increasing global trade and higher demand for seafood products worldwide represents a challenge for food safety authorities, policy makers, food business operators, and the scientific community, in particular, researchers devoted to environmental sciences, toxicology, and analytical chemistry. In addition, due to changes in climate conditions and technological developments, new and emerging marine toxins are being detected in regions where they were previously unknown. This Special Issue highlight studies aiming to the develop detection methods for marine biotoxins for better understanding the dynamics of accumulation/elimination of marine biotoxins and their effects on marine organisms, as well as toxin exposure studies that aim to evaluate the risks associated with the consumption of contaminated seafood.
Bioengineering Liver Transplantation
The aim of this Special Issue is to review, understand, and evaluate new and exciting opportunities from the field on regenerative medicine, biomaterials, and stem cell research for the bioengineering of human liver grafts that can be applied for transplantation and personalized treatment of end-stage liver disease.The development of culture conditions for long-term expansion of LGR5+ intestinal stem cells as crypt-villus structures demonstrated the feasibility of deriving complex, organ-like structures in vitro from primary adult tissues, including the liver. Moreover, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be applied to generate functionally maturated liver and bile duct epithelial cells.In this Special Issue, we welcome reviews and original papers focussing on hepatic cell sources, including adult hepatic stem cells, organoids, fetal and induced pluripotent stem cells, and primary cells (i.e., hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and endothelial cells) and how these cells can be applied in tissue engineering strategies to generate implantable and personalized liver grafts. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following: liver tissue engineering, liver regeneration, graft repair, liver stem cells and organoids, bio-scaffolds, and 3D printing.We invite you to contribute original research papers, as well as comprehensive reviews, aligned with these themes, to advance and improve the actual state-of-the-art in liver bioengineering and providing new opportunities for the imminent medical problem of organ and tissue shortage for transplantation.
Advances in Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) Sequencing
PacBio's single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology offers important advantages over the short-read DNA sequencing technologies that currently dominate the market. This includes exceptionally long read lengths (20 kb or more), unparalleled consensus accuracy, and the ability to sequence native, non-amplified DNA molecules. From fungi to insects to humans, long reads are now used to create highly accurate reference genomes by de novo assembly of genomic DNA and to obtain a comprehensive view of transcriptomes through the sequencing of full-length cDNAs. Besides reducing biases, sequencing native DNA also permits the direct measurement of DNA base modifications. Therefore, SMRT sequencing has become an attractive technology in many fields, such as agriculture, basic science, and medical research. The boundaries of SMRT sequencing are continuously being pushed by developments in bioinformatics and sample preparation. This book contains a collection of articles showcasing the latest developments and the breadth of applications enabled by SMRT sequencing technology.
Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials possess astonishing physical and chemical properties. They play a key role in the development of novel and effective drugs, catalysts, sensors, and pesticides, to cite just a few examples. Notably, the synthesis of nanomaterials is usually achieved with chemical and physical methods needing the use of extremely toxic chemicals or high-energy inputs. To move towards more eco-friendly processes, researchers have recently focused on so-called "green synthesis", where microbial, animal-, and plant-borne compounds can be used as cheap reducing and stabilizing agents to fabricate nanomaterials. Green synthesis routes are cheap, environmentally sustainable, and can lead to the fabrication of nano-objects with controlled sizes and shapes--two key features determining their bioactivity. However, real-world applications of green-fabricated nanomaterials are largely unexplored. Besides, what do we really know about their non-target toxicity? Which are their main modes of action? What is their possible fate in the environment? In this framework, the present Special Issue will include articles by expert authorities on nanomaterials synthesis and applications. Special emphasis will be placed on their impact on the environment and long-term toxicity.
Links between Fibrogenesis and Cancer
Tissue fibrosis may occur for unknown causes or be the consequence of many pathological conditions including chronic inflammatory or infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, graft rejection, or malignancy. On the other hand, malignant tumors have been identified in fibrotic tissues decades ago, and now accumulating evidence suggests that fibrotic lesions enhance the risk of cancer in several organs such as liver, lungs, and breast. Disruption of an organ parenchymal cells and of its normal structural scaffold during tissue fibrogenesis appears to induce loss of cell polarity, promoting uncontrolled cell proliferation that may eventually lead to cancer development. Many cellular and molecular abnormalities including aberrant expression of microRNAs, genetic and epigenetic alterations, evasion or delayed apoptosis, unregulated intracellular signal pathways, and dysregulation or defective intercellular communications have been proposed to explain this link between fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. However, the precise mechanisms of this fibrosis-to-cancer transition remain unclear. This book presents a collection of reviews and original articles summarizing recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer development in fibrotic organs.
Wine Traceability
Wine traceability is a central theme in the current world market where consumers are increasingly demanding the quality and origin of food and drink. The wine production chain and wine composition are generally controlled by different laws (International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), European Union (EU), and national governments) and need specific documentation. Nevertheless, wine production is subject to fraud. Consequently, the improvement of the methods applied to verify the origin and quality of wines is very important to protect wine consumers and producers. In this book, eight different papers--six research papers and two reviews--address the topic from different points of view.
Protective and Detrimental Role of Heme Oxygenase-1
The book "Protective and Detrimental Role of Heme Oxygenase-1", includes a selection of original research papers and reviews aimed at understanding the dual role (protective and detrimental) of HO-1 and the involved signaling pathways. Original research papers and reviews aimed at the identification of natural molecules or new synthetic compounds able to modulate HO-1 activity/expression help make HO-1 a potential therapeutic target for the amelioration of various diseases.
Abiotic Stress Effects on Performance of Horticultural Crops
Horticultural crop yield and quality depend on genotype, environmental conditions, and production management. In particular, adverse environmental conditions may greatly affect crop performance, reducing crop yield by 50%-70%. Abiotic stresses such as cold, heat, drought, flooding, salinity, nutrient deficiency, and ultraviolet radiation affect multiple physiological and biochemical mechanisms in plants as they attempt to cope with the stress conditions. However, different crop species can have different sensitivities or tolerances to specific abiotic stresses. Tolerant plants may activate different strategies to adapt to or avoid the negative effect of abiotic stresses. At the physiological level, photosynthetic activity and light-use efficiency of plants may be modulated to enhance tolerance against the stress. At the biochemical level, several antioxidant systems may be activated, and many enzymes may produce stress-related metabolites to help avoid cellular damage, including compounds such as proline, glycine betaine, and amino acids. Within each crop species there is a wide variability of tolerance to abiotic stresses, and some wild relatives may carry useful traits for enhancing the tolerance to abiotic stresses in their progeny through either traditional or biotechnological breeding. The research papers and reviews presented in this book provide an update of the scientific knowledge of crop interactions with abiotic stresses.
Family Iridoviridae
Ranaviruses and other viruses within the family Iridoviridae, infect a wide range of ecologically and commercially important ectothermic vertebrates, i.e., bony fish, amphibians, and reptiles, and invertebrates, including agricultural and medical pests and cultured shrimp and crayfish, and are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. Understanding the impact of these various agents on diverse host species requires the combined efforts of ecologists, veterinarians, pathologists, comparative immunologists and molecular virologists. Unfortunately, investigators involved in these studies often work in discipline-specific silos that preclude interaction with others whose insights and approaches are required to comprehensively address problems related to ranavirus/iridovirus disease. Our intent here is to breakdown these silos and provide a forum where diverse researchers with a common interest in ranavirus/iridovirus biology can profitably interact. As a colleague once quipped, "Three people make a genius." We are hoping to do something along those lines by presenting a collection of research articles dealing with issues of anti-viral immunity, identification of a potentially novel viral genus exemplified by erythrocytic necrosis virus, viral inhibition of innate immunity, identification of novel hosts for lymphocystivirus and invertebrate iridoviruses, and modelling studies of ranavirus transmission. Collectively these and others will exemplify the breadth of ongoing studies focused on this virus family.
Biocatalysis and Pharmaceuticals
Biocatalysis, that is, the use of biological catalysts (enzymes, cells, etc.) for the preparation of highly valuable compounds is undergoing a great development, being considered an extremely sustainable approach to undertaking environmental demands. In this scenario, this book illustrates the versatility of applied biocatalysis for the preparation of drugs and other bioactive compounds through the presentation of different research articles and reviews, in which several authors describe the most recent developments in this appealing scientific area. By reading the excellent contributions gathered in this book, it is possible to have an updated idea about new advances and possibilities for a new exciting future.
Surviving Evolution
Linking our very survival as a species to our potential for spiritual development is Surviving Evolution's most profound revelation. In addition, following the steps described in the path to spirituality will benefit us here and now.Dr.Anomasri, a chemistry PhD, offers a convincing scientific case for why it is in man's best interest to change from his egocentric orientation towards the world which abuses the planet and turn to his spiritual side. Two prominent scientific concepts feed the commonly accepted myth that human beings cannot rise above the very "law of the jungle" behavior that is destroying us. One is evolutionary theory. By scientifically analyzing the evolutionary forces that drive human behavior, Dr. Anomasri illustrates how misunderstood the phrase "survival of the fittest" is, and how crucial it is to our survival that we part from it as a guide for living.The other scientific concept that is grossly misunderstood is the DNA-behavior nexus. This concept as it is usually understood, claims that people cannot behave in any way other than according to the selfish dictates of their genes. Surviving Evolution: Primacy of Practical Spirituality For the Preservation of Our Species debunks the myth that our behavior is predetermined by our DNA. Practical spirituality is shown as an incalculably powerful force that can free a person from blindly following his biological impulses so that he can employ a wiser approach to living, for his own welfare, for those around him, and for the sanctity of the planet. Practical spirituality is part of our natural make-up. Early humans showed signs of true spiritual stirrings, and the book points out instances even in the animal kingdom where the purely self-seeking paradigm breaks down. The change in attitude to life that is proposed is no less than an idea whose time has come, one that could result in a quantum change in human behavior. To make this change as easy as possible, Dr Anomasri ends the book with a chapter on the fundamentals of practical spirituality, enabling one to become a positive catalyst for change in a world that desperately needs it From the back cover: "This is an important book with a critical message, one that addresses the question we must all ask: How is the human race going to survive another century? I found Dr. Anomasri's approach to this topic to be a fresh one. Never before have I seen a scientist merge the subjects of evolution, genetics and spirituality into such a seamless whole or make such a convincing argument for taking the higher road. He has managed to bring scientific and spiritual principles together in harmony. With all the wholesale lunacy going on in the world today, we need a voice of reason and wisdom more than ever."-Susan Page, Executive Director, San Miguel Writers' Conference and Literary Festival.
