In Memory of Stefan Kunz
This issue of Viruses is a living memorial dedicated to Professor Stefan Kunz, who passed away too early in life, at 54. During his scientific career, Stefan made major contributions to the field of virology. He made seminal contributions to our understanding of how mammarenaviruses gain access to and are trafficked within their target cells. This issue of Viruses contains a collection of articles by leading researchers in different areas of virus-host cell interactions and who crossed pathways with Stefan. The topics covered in the issue include novel insights on mammeranavirus cell entry, host innate and adaptive immune responses to infection, recent developments on therapeutics against human pathogenic arenaviruses, as well as mammarenavirus ecology and molecular pathogenesis. The collection of articles is also a reflection of Stefan's enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and his very collegial attitude reflected by his many collaborations, including the colleagues who have contributed sections to this memorial issue.
Animal Nutrition and Welfare in Sustainable Production Systems
Today, food animal production systems demand high energy, land, chemicals, and water-all of which are increasingly becoming scarce. Thus, change and innovation are required in many animal production systems to meet the present and future demands for animal products sustainably. Over the last four decades, inexpensive grain, energy, and protein have enabled the economic development of intensive meat, eggs, and milk production systems based on feeding grains and other ingredients sourced from far-off places. The poultry and pig intensive production systems have become highly capital intensive, and they have resulted in many environmental challenges.Food animal feed, nutrition, and welfare are the foundation of successful animal systems. They directly or indirectly affect the entire animal production sector, associated services, public goods, and services, including animal productivity, health and welfare, product quality and safety, land use and land-use change, and greenhouse gas emissions. The sustainability of food animal nutrition and welfare is crucial in developing animal production across production systems. The sustainable increase in animal productivity, which is key to meeting the large current and future demands for animal origin products, cannot be achieved without sustainable animal nutrition and welfare.
How Genome Editing is Revolutionizing Medicine
Bachelor Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject Biology - Genetics / Gene Technology, grade: 1,1, Management Center Innsbruck, course: Biotechnology, language: English, abstract: CRISPR continues to drive the world of gene editing. About seven years ago, scientists reported that CRISPR technology can enable precise and efficient genome editing in living eukaryotic cells. Since then, interest in the method has spread extensively across the globe. Not long after its sudden headstart in 2013, already thousands of laboratories started taking up the technique and investors began funding startups to harness its potential. This ultimately resulted in major improvements being made in incredibly short periods of time. Simultaneously, this also initiated and continues to drive an increasing gap between new innovative applications in the field of gene editing and the overall awareness of the general public. Ethical concerns have remained a steady companion of this rise. With myriads of research papers about CRISPR related topics being published every year, trying to stay on top of developments can be a cumbersome task. The goal of this paper is to summarize current practice and research areas that are part of modern gene editing. Following a brief summary of CRISPR basics, used endonucleases and techniques, its impact on the treatment of hereditary diseases, viral infections and cancer is illustrated based on recent examples. Effects of gene editing on cell line engineering efforts are described using studies focusing on glycosylation, impurities, cultivation and production efficiency issues of CHO cell lines. Besides discussing CRISPR applications for rapid SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, current challenges for clinical use including off-targets, immune responses and lacking drug delivery efficiencies as well as promising developments are being reviewed. This paper is supposed to support quick elucidation of future potential of the rapidly evolving world of CRISPR Cas genome editin
Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Volume 253
Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.
Acidophiles
Acidophiles are an important category of microorganisms defined by their ability to withstand and even grow in acidic environments. They are present in terrestrial and marine environments as well as the human body. The diversity, adaptation, and functions of these microorganisms can contribute to the development and application of new biotechnologies for resolving problems of resource exploitation, pollution, and human disease. This book presents breakthroughs and insights into the research on acidophiles. Chapters cover such topics as the two-component system (TCS) in the regulation of the sulfur metabolic process, adaptation mechanisms of acidophiles to low pH, regulation mechanisms and application strategy of quorum sensing in bioleaching bacteria, and Lactobacillus acidophilus and its potential role as a therapeutic for human bone disorders.
About Life
This book uses modern biological knowledge to tackle the question of what distinguishes living organisms from the non-living world. The authors first draw on recent advances in cell and molecular biology to develop an account of the living state that applies to all organisms (and only to organisms). This account is then used to explore questions about evolution, the origin of life, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The authors also consider human evolution, intelligence, and the extent to which our species can be regarded as biologically unique. About Life makes modern cell biology comprehensible to the non-specialist. Non-technical language is used throughout and all scientific terms are clearly explained when they are introduced. The novel approach taken by this book to issues in biology will interest both the general reader as well as students and specialists in the field.
Revolve
Artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, implantable chips, and life extension. These and many other technologies are being promoted as the way for humanity to become something radically different. The transhumanist movement claims that by applying them to our biology, we will become posthuman. A new religion for a new age is being born, and it centers around Man's scientific attainment of eternal life. The Philosopher's Stone of the alchemists now appears to be within reach. Revolve takes you beyond the typical Singularity sales pitch to bring you face to face with something far more profound, disturbing, and ancient.
The Brain and the Voice in Speech and Song
This book has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.
Aromatics and the Soul
This book has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.
Benzimidazole Chemistry and Applications
A heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that is produced by fusing benzene and imidazole is referred to as benzimidazole. It is a colorless solid and is often bioactive. Many anthelmintic drugs such as albendazole, mebendazole, triclabendazole belong to the benzimidazole class of compounds. Benzimidazole fungicides act by binding to the fungal microtubules and stopping hyphal growth. Omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole, and tenatoprazole comprise a benzimidazole group. Benzimidazole can be used as an organic solderability preservative in printed circuit board manufacturing. Several dyes are extracted from benzimidazoles. This book presents the complex chemistry of benzimidazole in the most comprehensible and easy-to-understand language. It elucidates the concepts and innovative models around prospective developments in the application of benzimidazole. Scientists and students actively engaged in this field will find this book full of crucial and unexplored concepts.
Outbreaks, Epidemics, and Health Security
Outbreaks, Epidemics, and Health Security: Ensuring Future Preparedness for Small Island Nations and the World reviews the many lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include epidemic preparedness, the politics of epidemics, health security, anti-vaccine campaigns, vaccine preparedness, the need for detailed information sharing and infection tracking versus protected health information, the effects on international relations, the need for intelligence assets to contribute to global health, and the development of biodefense shields.
The Covid-19 Response
The COVID-19 Response: The Vital Role of the Public Health Professional explores population health during a pandemic and how is it different than clinical medicine. Other sections cover federal, state and local responses to COVID-19, testing for COVID-19, the implementation of public health control measures, the use of public health emergency powers, health equity, the resignation and firing of public health leaders, vaccination planning, and the future of public health post COVID-19. Leaders and practitioners working in public health practice and academia, as well as students in public health undergraduate and graduate level programs will find this book extremely useful.
The Genesis Conspiracy
Did the early Church of Rome conspire with the pagan Emperor Constantine to create a new religion for the West, superseding Judaism and displacing the Children of Israel as God's First Born Son (Exodus 4:22)? Catholic scholar, Bernard Lee observed: "Most Christological interpretation has been 'supersessionist', that is, it has interpreted Jesus as initiating a new Covenant that supersedes Judaism. Historically, it is quite improbable that Jesus had any such thing in mind." Similarly, "There is little likelihood that Jesus had any conscious intention of founding a new religious institution, either superseding Judaism or alongside it." The obvious question is: If that was not in the mind of Jesus, on whose life and teachings Christianity is said to be based, in whose mind was it? This study examines the wealth of evidence that has convinced the author that in truth, Christianity is a centuries-old conspiracy with significant anti-Jewish undercurrents.
Honey Farming
One of the great bee books of the last century! It is written from experience of keeping large numbers of stocks over many many years. He gives the reader an insight to the craft - like no other.Manley ran one of the most successful honey farms in the Uk and this book describers the workings and practices developed over a large number of years
The Genesis Conspiracy
Did the early Church of Rome conspire with the pagan Emperor Constantine to create a new religion for the West, superseding Judaism and displacing the Children of Israel as God's First Born Son (Exodus 4:22)? Catholic scholar, Bernard Lee observed: "Most Christological interpretation has been 'supersessionist', that is, it has interpreted Jesus as initiating a new Covenant that supersedes Judaism. Historically, it is quite improbable that Jesus had any such thing in mind." Similarly, "There is little likelihood that Jesus had any conscious intention of founding a new religious institution, either superseding Judaism or alongside it." The obvious question is: If that was not in the mind of Jesus, on whose life and teachings Christianity is said to be based, in whose mind was it? This study examines the wealth of evidence that has convinced the author that in truth, Christianity is a centuries-old conspiracy with significant anti-Jewish undercurrents.
Explanation of an Optical Deception in the Appearance of the Spokes of a Wheel when seen through Vertical Apertures
"A curious optical deception takes place when a carriage wheel, rolling along the ground, is viewed through the intervals of a series of vertical bars."-Peter Mark Roget, Explanation of an Optical Deception (1825)Explanation of an Optical Deception in the Appearance of the Spokes of a Wheel When Seen Through Vertical Apertures (1825) describes the research of Peter Mark Roget, a pioneer in identifying phenomena that advanced the invention of filmmaking. Here, Roget wrote about his studies and his observations of how light is transmitted, based initially on looking at the world through a series of slits such as a vertical Venetian blind or palisade. Roget's work showed that an image persists in human perception for about one-sixteenth of a second, introducing one of the primary principles on which animation, film, and television are based.
Coumarin and Its Derivatives
Coumarins are widely distributed in nature and can be found in a large number of naturally occurring and synthetic bioactive molecules. The unique and versatile oxygen-containing heterocyclic structure makes them a privileged scaffold in Medicinal Chemistry. Many coumarin derivatives have been extracted from natural sources, designed, synthetized, and evaluated on different pharmacological targets. In addition, coumarin-based ion receptors, fluorescent probes, and biological stains are growing quickly and have extensive applications to monitor timely enzyme activity, complex biological events, as well as accurate pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties in living cells. The extraction, synthesis, and biological evaluation of coumarins have become extremely attractive and rapidly developing topics. A large number of research and review papers have compiled information on this important family of compounds in 2020. Research articles, reviews, communications, and concept papers focused on the multidisciplinary profile of coumarins, highlighting natural sources, most recent synthetic pathways, along with the main biological applications and theoretical studies, were the main focus of this book. The huge and growing range of applications of coumarins described in this book is a demonstration of the potential of this family of compounds in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and different sciences related to the study of natural products. This book includes 23 articles: 17 original papers and six review papers.
Rotaviruses and Rotavirus Vaccines
This special edition of Pathogens brings together a breadth of information on rotavirus and global rotavirus vaccines, to highlight rotavirus research from across the world that represents recent advances in our knowledge of vaccine effectiveness, rotavirus epidemiology, genotypic diversity, and genomic characterisation.
Ancient and Archaic Genomes
The development of high-throughput sequencing has triggered a revolution in the study of ancient DNA. In the last decade, methodological advances have allowed researchers to overcome some of the limits linked to the degradation and preservation of nucleic acids, improving the capacity of recovery and analysis of the ancient molecules. This fact, along with a wider accessibility to the next-generation sequencing platforms, has contributed to increase the number of genomic studies on ancient remains. This Special Issue, titled "Ancient and Archaic Genomes", collects original research articles that present different methods and aspects of the paleogenetic research applied to anthropological, archaeological, and historic questions. Interestingly, specific regional contexts and cultural aspects previously poorly studied from a genetic point of view are here investigated. This Special Issue, presenting different methodological approaches and applications, will be a useful resource for both students and young researchers who are interested in ancient DNA studies.
Toxicology and Biocompatibility of Nanomaterials
This book entitled "Toxicology and Biocompatibility of Nanomaterials" covers some recent insights into adverse but beneficial effects of nanomaterials on human health and the environment. Renowned experts in the field contributed to this Special Issue to make this an interesting read for both scholars and students.
Freshwater Macroinvertebrates
Freshwater macroinvertebrates play a crucial role in linking sediments and their processes to the food web. Indeed, environmental modifications (e.g., nitrogen deposition, salinity, and temperature increase), pollution (e.g., pesticides and heavy metals), and introduction of alien species are the main drivers of changes that are affecting their communities. This Special Issue aims to present the past and present knowledge on freshwater macroinvertebrates to understand their role as providers of ecosystem services, to highlight the effects of global changes on their community (in the short and long term), and to underline major gaps in their study. Finally, in order to tackle the currently unsustainable use of freshwater natural capital, we welcome ideas and expert opinions on the development of future research linked to national and international regulations.
Optimising Nutrition to Alleviate Age-Associated Functional Decline
Appropriate nutrition is a cornerstone of preventive gerontology. This Special Issue of Nutrients provides new insights on nutritional assessment and potential modifications of nutritional behaviours and supplements to prevent age-associated disorders and to increase life expectancy in different populations of older subjects. It includes five original articles and four systematic reviews. This Special Issue presents several aspects of the assessment of nutritional status and the prevention and treatment of nutritional deficiencies in different populations of older adults. Undoubtedly, future research will deepen our knowledge on this crucial public health issue.
Genetics and Genomics of the Brassicaceae
Brassica includes economically important vegetables. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of genomics and genetic analysis in Brassicaceae. There is particular interest in research on agronomically important traits.
Targeted Cancer Therapy and Mechanisms of Resistance
Tumor cells commonly exhibit dependence on a single activated oncogenic pathway or protein to maintain their malignant proliferation and survival, a phenomenon called "oncogene addiction". According to this concept, protein kinases have been identified as promising molecular targets for cancer therapy. There are several possibilities for targeting these proteins in cancer, including monoclonal antibodies, compounds able to favor the proteolytic degradation of the kinase, small-molecule protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs). Moreover, new anticancer treatments have increasingly been developed focusing on tumor suppressor genes and RNA interference. Despite promising results in cancer treatment with targeted cancer drugs, clinical experience has shown that only a fraction of patients respond to targeted therapies, even if their tumor expresses the altered target. This is known as primary resistance. Otherwise, secondary or acquired resistance to the treatment arises, almost invariably, when tumors are treated with cancer drugs. We set out to select some studies containing emerging developments on the subject. In essence, this collection aims to highlight some recent findings regarding resistance mechanisms and reviews of molecular targeting and resistance with 14 contributions, including 10 original research papers and 4 reviews. Aspects relating to solid cancers, such as breast, ovary, colon, and blood cancers such as leukemia, and the identification of resistance mechanisms and new molecular targets, help to create the basis for the preclinical and clinical development of more effective next-generation drugs.
The Application of Viruses to Biotechnology
Viruses are microscopic agents that exist worldwide and are present in humans, animals, plants, and other living organisms in which they can cause devastating diseases. However, the advances of biotechnology and next-generation sequencing technologies have accelerated novel virus discovery, identification, sequencing, and manipulation, showing that they present unique characteristics that place them as valuable tools for a wide variety of biotechnological applications. Many applications of viruses have been used for agricultural purposes, namely concerning plant breeding and plant protection. Nevertheless, it is interesting to mention that plants have also many advantages to be used in vaccine production, such as the low cost and low risks they entail, showing once more the versatility of the use of viruses in biotechnology. Although it will obviously never be ignored that viruses are responsible for devastating diseases, it is clear that the more they are studied, the more possibilities they offer to us. They are now on the front line of the most revolutionizing techniques in several fields, providing advances that would not be possible without their existence. In this book there are presented studies that demonstrate the work developed using viruses in biotechnology. These studies were brought by experts that focus on the development and applications of many viruses in several fields, such as agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry, and medicine.
Novel Antibacterial Agents
This book was devoted to the latest advances achieved in the antibacterial field, with a focus on the recent efforts made to develop new antimicrobial agents with novel modes of action, and a perspective on future directions of this line of research. Antimicrobial resistance has become a major threat to global health, and the twenty-two published articles here reported put in evidence that the discovery and development of new antibiotics are extremely challenging. The antimicrobial research covers a wide area, spanning from the design of new compounds, also supported by molecular modeling techniques, their synthesis and characterization, and biological tests. In this context, the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also older threats, such as the human immunodeficiency virus or the hepatitis C virus, require greater attention than ever. The research works described in this book provide an extremely useful example of the results achieved in the field of antibacterial drug development. The search for new chemical entities was approached starting from both natural and synthetic compounds and addressing different targets. In addition, recent findings were presented and discussed highlighting the strategies to fight bacterial resistance. Detailed references to the state-of-the-art can be found in this book. We strongly encourage the wide group of readers to explore the book that we are presenting, to get inspired to develop new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of antibacterial diseases, and to circumvent resistance issues.
Cancer Immunology
The past decade has seen immunotherapy rise to the forefront of cancer treatment. This Special Issue of Cancers aims to elaborate on the latest developments, cutting-edge technologies, and prospects in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Seventeen exceptional studies, including original contributions and review articles, written by international scientists and physicians, primarily concerning the fields of tumor biology, cancer immunology, therapeutics, and drug development, comprise the main body of this Special Issue.
Genes, Genomes and Society
With CRISPR/Cas gene editing tools in hand, we are currently experiencing a new dimension in genetic engineering. But where should the journey lead? Should we treat diseases or better repair them genetically? Will the new genetic engineering, combined with modern reproductive biology, lead to designer babies? And: May we allow a liberalization of these techniques as citizen science? New methods can precisely alter the genetic material - and they leave no traces. This gene and genome surgery thrives on increasing knowledge about the mode of action of genes, those trait-giving regions in the genome. This knowledge is being applied in practice, particularly in the breeding of more resistant and higher-yielding crops. And what about us? The author shows that gene variants have long been associated not only with diseases, but also with nutritional preferences or intelligence. Therapeutic and optimization options are close at hand. What effect does the environment have on the expression of genetic material? Genes can be shaped during a person's lifetime by the environment, nutrition or experiences and thus passed on to their offspring in a modified form. So, does society have a new form of long-term responsibility for (epi)genetic integrity? In this vividly and comprehensibly written book, the author explains the state of genetic engineering without assuming too much prior knowledge and invites an open dialogue on this ambivalent topic. Get your own idea of the fascinating yet intimidating possibilities of genetic engineering. Where do you stand on the issue? With the help of this book, you have the chance to form a differentiated opinion. This book is a translation of the original German 1st edition Generation Gen-Schere by R繹bbe W羹nschiers, published by Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, part of Springer Nature in 2019. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). The text was subsequently revised by the author. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors.
Gulp
"America's funniest science writer" (Washington Post) takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour. The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: the questions explored in Gulp are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff and every bit as surreal as the universe of zero gravity explored in Packing for Mars. Why is crunchy food so appealing? Why is it so hard to find words for flavors and smells? Why doesn't the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before your stomach bursts? Can constipation kill you? Did it kill Elvis? In Gulp we meet scientists who tackle the questions no one else thinks of--or has the courage to ask. We go on location to a pet-food taste-test lab, a fecal transplant, and into a live stomach to observe the fate of a meal. With Roach at our side, we travel the world, meeting murderers and mad scientists, Eskimos and exorcists (who have occasionally administered holy water rectally), rabbis and terrorists--who, it turns out, for practical reasons do not conceal bombs in their digestive tracts. Like all of Roach's books, Gulp is as much about human beings as it is about human bodies.
This Is the Voice
A New York Times bestselling writer explores what our unique sonic signature reveals about our species, our culture, and each one of us. Finally, a vital topic that has never had its own book gets its due. There's no shortage of books about public speaking or language or song. But until now, there has been no book about the miracle that underlies them all--the human voice itself. And there are few writers who could take on this surprisingly vast topic with more artistry and expertise than John Colapinto. Beginning with the novel--and compelling--argument that our ability to speak is what made us the planet's dominant species, he guides us from the voice's beginnings in lungfish millions of years ago to its culmination in the talent of Pavoratti, Martin Luther King Jr., and Beyonc矇--and each of us, every day. Along the way, he shows us why the voice is the most efficient, effective means of communication ever devised: it works in all directions, in all weathers, even in the dark, and it can be calibrated to reach one other person or thousands. He reveals why speech is the single most complex and intricate activity humans can perform. He travels up the Amazon to meet the Piraha, a reclusive tribe whose singular language, more musical than any other, can help us hear how melodic principles underpin every word we utter. He heads up to Harvard to see how professional voices are helped and healed, and he ventures out on the campaign trail to see how demagogues wield their voices as weapons. As far-reaching as this book is, much of the delight of reading it lies in how intimate it feels. Everything Colapinto tells us can be tested by our own lungs and mouths and ears and brains. He shows us that, for those who pay attention, the voice is an eloquent means of communicating not only what the speaker means, but also their mood, sexual preference, age, income, even psychological and physical illness. It overstates the case only slightly to say that anyone who talks, or sings, or listens will find a rich trove of thrills in This Is the Voice.
Essential Animals
This book provides a brief introduction to each of the 36 phyla of living animals. A short summary is given of every phylum: its general characteristics, number of species, ecology and evolutionary relationships, along with an illustration of each, and an indication of their position on the most recent phylogenetic trees. The aim of this is to give readers an overview of the diversity of animal life, to show that the Animalia are more than just vertebrates and insects.
Strange Bedfellows
"Joyful and funny . . . Park uses science, compassion, humor, diverse stories and examples of her own shame-free living to take the stigma out of these infections." --The New York Times With curiosity and wit, Strange Bedfellows rips back the bedsheets to expose what really happens when STDs enter the sack. Sexually transmitted diseases have been hidden players in our lives for the whole of human history, with roles in everything from World War II to the growth of the Internet to The Bachelor. But despite their prominence, STDs have been shrouded in mystery and taboo for centuries, which begs the question: why do we know so little about them? Enter Ina Park, MD, who has been pushing boundaries to empower and inform others about sexual health for decades. With Strange Bedfellows, she ventures far beyond the bedroom to examine the hidden role and influence of these widely misunderstood infections and share their untold stories. Covering everything from AIDS to Zika, Park explores STDs on the cellular, individual, and population-level. She blends science and storytelling with historical tales, real life sexual escapades, and interviews with leading scientists--weaving in a healthy dose of hilarity along the way. The truth is, most of us are sexually active, yet we're often unaware of the universe of microscopic bedfellows inside our pants. Park aims to change this by bringing knowledge to the masses in an accessible, no-nonsense, humorous way--helping readers understand the broad impact STDs have on our lives, while at the same time erasing the unfair stigmas attached to them. A departure from the cone of awkward silence and shame that so often surrounds sexual health, Strange Bedfellows is the straight-shooting book about the consequences of sex that all curious readers have been looking for.
Shrinking Biodiversity. Current Status and Perspectives in Madagascar and Tanzania
Academic Paper from the year 2021 in the subject Biology - Miscellaneous, grade: 1.7, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, language: English, abstract: The current paper discusses the biodiversity status and perspectives of two of the biologically and culturally richest countries in the world - Tanzania and Madagascar. These East African countries possess a very high degree of biodiversity of ecosystems, plants and wildlife, sustaining critically the livelihoods and wellbeing of millions of people. At the same time, Tanzania and Madagascar have one of the lowest human development indices in the world emphasizing the value of biodiversity to these countries and explaining the current rate of overexploitation and other human activities in relation to biodiversity. In the post-industrial period and currently, the biodiversity loss is accelerating globally. Tanzania and Madagascar possess a very high degree of biodiversity of ecosystems, plants and wildlife sustaining critically the livelihoods and well-being of millions of people. Both countries face extinction of endemic, and other species, degradation of habitats as a result of mainly the poverty, climate change, invasive species, agricultural expansion and lack of effective natural resources management and conservation education of population. In the framework of Convention on Biological Diversity, these East African countries have set goals and targets to tackle the imminent and long-term threats to biodiversity. However, alarming trends continue and threaten the ecosystems and vulnerable species of the countries with extinction such as deforestation and species extinction among others. More investment needs to be spent on existing research and effective management practices if the loss of biodiversity is to be reversed.
Darwin’s Challenge Answered
Darwin's book The Origin of Species was published in 1859. On page 159 of his book Darwin states, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down". This book directly, specifically, decisively answers Darwin's Challenge. As a result Darwin's theory as Darwin himself stated, "absolutely breaks down". Dr. Jan Jay Rigney graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma in 1984. At the time of the writing of this book, he will have been in private practice Optometry for thirty-one years. While practicing Optometry, he has had the opportunity to daily, for over 35 years, observe the design, function, and intricate interworkings of the human eye.
Homo Floresiensis
Somewhere between 10 000 and 100 000 years ago, a mysteriously small species of human roamed the Earth. Nicknamed the 'hobbits', these small humans (Homo floresiensis) were not so different from modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens). Like us, these humans walked on two legs. Moreover, Homo floresiensis constructed and used tools made of stone. Homo Floresiensis: Diving Deep into our Evolutionary Past is a collection of essays written by students of Canadian universities. These essays explore a diverse array of topics including the methods of fossil and genetic study, the ethics of fossil research as well as the anatomy of Homo floresiensis, especially as it compares to other human species such as Homo erectus and Homo sapiens. Since their discovery in Liang Bua cave in Flores, Indonesia, their existence has sparked numerous questions. Why were Homo floresiensis so small compared to other human species? Why does their brain evolution appear almost 'backwards' compared to other hominid species, with their crania becoming smaller rather than larger? Is Homo floresiensis a distinct human species or is it simply a pathological modern Homo sapiens? These questions and more will be explored throughout the course of Homo Floresiensis: Diving Deep into our Evolutionary Past.
Marine Skeletal Biopolymers and Proteins, and Their Biomedical Application
This book covers recent trends in all aspects of basic and applied scientific research on marine skeletal proteins and biopolymers (e.g., chitin, collagen), and their derivatives. Some recent innovations of marine proteins have been incorporated in this book that could be potentially applied in scientific and industrial research. Due to their broad array of biological functions in biopolymer- and protein-based drugs, such as anticancer, antimicrobial, bone tissue regeneration, antioxidant, and anti-aging functions, bioactive skeletal proteins and biopolymers have recently attracted a great amount of interest in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical industries (including anti-aging drugs).
Hot and Cold Theory: The Path Towards Personalized Medicine
This book is about the theory of Hot and Cold, a mutual fundamental base of traditional medicines all around the world. The theory describes the dynamic balance state of the body on the axis of hot and cold for each individual and proposes the fact that deviation from this equilibrium is a predisposing factor for diseases. Such an approach helps practitioners to provide treatments tailored to the patient's condition, not the disease. This book, for the first time, has gathered native descriptions of Hot and Cold theory in different traditional medicines, including traditional Chinese medicine, Persian (Humoral, Unani) medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and Latin American and Caribbean medicines. After defining the common ground, contemporary research - in nutrition, pharmacology, physiology and systems biology - has been explored using scientific methodology. This work is the result of an international collaboration of more than 30 scientists and scholars with high reputations intheir fields. Hot and Cold theory, as a holistic individualized approach in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, can be merged into the novel fast-paced concepts in systems biology and precision medicine. Through this bridge, the authors propose that the Hot and Cold theory should be revisited more deeply by medical scientists, who are the main audience of this book, to pave the way towards integrated holistic personalized medicine.
Baby Loves Photosynthesis on St. Patrick's Day!
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a big, brainy STEM board book. Satisfy your baby's growing curiosity of their world, with the science behind it! On St. Patrick's Day, Baby learns why plants like clovers are green: photosynthesis! Accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for Baby, this clever board book explores the science of photosynthesis, leaf anatomy, and traditions surrounding St. Patrick's Day. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage Baby's sense of wonder. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two as well.
Therapeutic Protein Targets for Drug Discovery and Clinical Evaluation: Bio-Crystallography and Drug Design
The book reviews the recent research advances and their outcomes in the areas of structural biology, bioinformatics, phytochemistry and drug discovery. Chapters in the book cover multidisciplinary research to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in protein-protein/ligand interactions. It employs an integrative approach to identify the therapeutic targets for HIV, and cancer, pathogen and viral infection pathways and the identification of their potential drug candidates. The book also provides examples of computational molecular dynamics simulations to understand the conformational changes in the molecules. Some chapters are focused on exploring potent bioactive compounds from natural sources.This book can serve as a single source that covers several interdisciplinary research fields which will be beneficial to Researchers and students in postgraduate studies.
Quantitative Biology
This textbook is for biologists, to conduct quantitative analysis and modeling of biological processes at molecular and cellular levels. Focusing on practical concepts and techniques for everyday research, this text will enable beginners, both students and established biologists, to take the first step in quantitative biology. It also provides step-by-step tutorials to run various sample programs in one's personal computer using Excel and Python. This volume traces topics, starting with an introductory chapter, such as modeling, construction and execution of numerical models, and key concepts in quantitative biology: feedback regulations, fluctuations and randomness, and statistical analyses. It also provide sample codes with guidance to procedure programming for actual biological processes such as movement of the nucleus within a cell, cell-cycle regulation, stripe pattern formation of skins, and distribution of energy. Written by a leading research scientistwho has a background in biology, studied quantitative approaches by himself, and teaches quantitative biology at several universities, this textbook broadens quantitative approaches for biologists who do not have a strong background in mathematics, physics, or computer programming, and helps them progress further in their research.
Enzymes
J.B.S. Haldane will be long remembered for his many contributions to man's knowledge of his world and of himself. Some of the most valuable of these contributions are contained in this classic work on the chemistry of enzymes, originally published in 1930. The book sheds new light on research possibilities that have heightened relevance today. In the preface to this edition, written just a few months before his death, the author has pointed out the importance of the modern enzymologist's awareness of what was known about his subject in the recent past. He describes briefly the major advances in enzymology in the last thirty years and has urged continued and intensified research in specific areas. The result is a fascinating historical work by a great scientist with specific relevance for those in the field today.
Regional Monitoring Program Update 2021
The overarching goal of the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) is to answer the highest priority scientific questions faced by managers of Bay water quality. The RMP is an innovative collaboration between the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, the regulated discharger community, the San Francisco Estuary Institute, and many other scientists and interested parties. The purpose of this document is to provide a concise overview of recent RMP activities and findings, and a look ahead to significant products anticipated in the next two years. The report includes a brief summary of some of the most noteworthy findings of this multifaceted Program; a description of the management context that guides the Program; and a summary of progress to date and future plans for addressing priority water quality topics.
Evolution
Using this textbook, students will learn about cladistics, molecular phylogenies and the molecular-genetical basis of evolutionary change, including the important role of protein networks, symbionts and holobionts, together with the core principles of developmental biology.
Rates of Evolution
Originally published in 1987 Rates of Evolution is an edited collection drawn from a symposium convened to bring together palaeontologists, geneticists, molecular biologists and developmental biologists to examine some aspects of the problem of evolutionary rates. The book asks questions surrounding the study of evolution, such as did large morphological changes really occur rapidly at various times in the geological past, or is the fossil record too imperfect to be of value in assessing rates of morphological change? What is the measure of 'rapid' change? Is stasis at any taxonomic level established? Is it possible to relate genomic and morphological change? What is the role of regulatory and executive genes in controlling evolutionary change? Does the transfer of genetic material between different taxa provide the possibility of increasing evolutionary rates? Featuring contributions from leading researchers, this book will interest anthropologists, palaeontology and scientists of evolution and genetics.
Life In The Universe
Life in the Universe documents the largest gathering to date of experts in the exciting new field of exobiology. In 29 chapters, the book explores the whole question of the nature and distribution of life in the universe--from the formation of planets to the origins of life on earth, the emergence of intelligence, and the future search for possible intelligence on other planets.
All About Your Body
All About Your Body provides an introduction to human anatomy, allowing children to learn about how their bodies work. This book explores the different organ systems of the body and the roles they play.
