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A. W. F. Edwards is one of the most influential mathematical geneticists in the history of the discipline. One of the last students of R. A. Fisher, Edwards pioneered the statistical analysis of phylogeny in collaboration with L. L. Cavalli-Sforza, and helped establish Fisher's concept of likelihood as a standard of statistical and scientific inference. In this book, edited by philosopher of science Rasmus Grønfeldt Winther, Edwards's key papers are assembled alongside commentaries by leading scientists, discussing Edwards's influence on their own research and on thinking in their field overall. In an extensive interview with Winther, Edwards offers his thoughts on his contributions, their legacy, and the context in which they emerged. This book is a resource both for anyone interested in the history and philosophy of genetics, statistics, and science, and for scientists seeking to develop new algorithmic and statistical methods for understanding the genetic relationships between and among species both extant and extinct.

Initiation and Promotion in Skin or Liver Neoplasia is the only source of its kind that presents a comprehensive compilation of in vivo initiation/promotion studies that involve neoplastic changes in the skin or liver of experimental animals. The book surveys world literature over the past 65 years from almost 2,000 original studies covering nearly 200 journals in 9 languages. Publications reviewed consist of primary peer-reviewed papers, as well as those abstracts, meeting reports, and review articles, containing original data. Papers measuring both pre-neoplastic or neoplastic changes are included.The summaries for each study included in the book are highly formatted resumes that have four principal components which indicate:1) What was done in the study;2) How the study was done (e.g, methods);3) The precise results obtained;4) Individual critiques using GLP (Good Lab Practice) standards.Initiation and Promotion in Skin or Liver Neoplasia provides an indispensable abstracted reference resource for scientists, toxicologists, cancer researchers, litigators, regulators, environmentalists, policy analysts, and industry-based investigators.

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 editing and facilitate retrieval of further literature.

Are there any commonalities between Transhumanism and the WHO framework for global governance of human genome editing? If yes, what are they and what are the implications for Bioethics? To find possible common themes, the author applied the reflective thematic analysis (RTA) method to a set of texts on Transhumanism and a set of texts on the global governance of human genome editing. The selected transhumanist texts were the three documents Humanity+, the former World Transhumanist Association, calls the “original documents on Transhumanism” (The Transhumanist Declaration, Transhumanist FAQ 3.0, The Transhumanist Manifesto v.4). The selected texts to represent the global governance of human genome editing were the three documents published by WHO on the topic in 2021, the only plan for the global governance of this biotechnology to date (Human genome editing: a framework for governance, Human genome editing: recommendations, Human genome editing: position paper). As a result of the application of the RTA method to the selected texts, the author presents and explains three common themes. What does this mean for our society? What are the implications of the current situation? What are the tasks for Bioethics? There are emerging questions on the human condition and new concerns to be addressed by Bioethics, such as the do-it-yourself mentality. The limitations of “therapy vs. enhancement” ask for serious work on a better bioethical paradigm. This book analyses the object, intentions, and circumstances of enhancement in general and recommends the principle of proportionality. The author questions the predominant values and propose a refinement to some conceptions of autonomy, protection, and equality. Finally, this book offers key elements for the bioethical evaluation of each type of human genome editing. Recognising the current situation and working on the identified tasks has become crucial for contemporary Bioethics.

This book reviews key advances and new fundamentals in genetics. The increasing importance of genetic approaches in diverse areas of biology and medical sciences constantly requires in-depth information on genetic discoveries and research strategies for advanced graduate-level students as well as current researchers. This book focuses on genetic studies of various animal model systems and their major contributions to establishing modern genetics. Information covered in this book is mostly based on original research papers that extend from classical to modern genetics and applications. The contents are organized into four parts. Part I introduces fundamental concepts and experimental strategies in classical genetics. Part II discusses molecular genetics with transposons, transgenesis, clonal analysis, and gene editing technologies. Part III emphasizes epigenetic regulation of genome organization and gene expression. Part IV integrates earlier parts with landmark genetic studies on non-coding RNAs in dosage compensation, programmed cell death, growth control related to cancer, and behavioral neurobiology.

This book offers an insightful exploration into the relationship between diet and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), aiming to address a crucial question: Can dietary interventions serve as effective preventative and therapeutic measures for patients with MS? Delving into this question, the book examines various nutritional components and regimens, shedding light on their potential impacts on the progression, relapse rate, and development of MS. It offers readers valuable insights into how dietary choices can influence the management of this condition. Backed up by evidence gathered from review and clinical trial papers, the book discusses the role of vitamins such as A, B, and D, as well as dietary supplements like caffeine, carnitine, and lipoic acid in benefiting patients with MS. Particular attention is given to the significance of vitamin D in lowering the risk of developing MS and its immunomodulatory effects on the inflammatory processes associated with the disease. In parallel, the book also addresses the detrimental effects of diets such as the Western or high salt diet (HSD) on MS prognosis, emphasizing how these dietary regimens can harm the gut microbiome and exacerbate inflammatory responses, ultimately promoting demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS). The book then explores alternative dietary approaches that confer a protective effect on the gut microbiome and the CNS, including whole grain, fasting, Mediterranean, and ketogenic diets. This comprehensive resource is an essential reading for patients with MS seeking to understand the potential impacts of diet on their overall health, as well as healthcare professionals and researchers interested in exploring dietary interventions for MS management.

This volume offers a collection of carefully selected, peer-reviewed papers presented at the BIOMAT 2018 International Symposium, which was held at the University Hassan II, Morocco, from October 29th to November 2nd, 2018. The topics covered include applications of mathematical modeling in hepatitis B, HIV and Chikungunya infections; tumor cell dynamics; inflammatory processes; chemotherapeutic drug effects; and population dynamics. Also discussing the application of techniques like the generalized stochastic Milevsky-Promislov model, numerical simulations and convergence of discrete and continuous models, it is an invaluable resource on interdisciplinary research in mathematical biology for students, researchers, and professionals.Held every year since 2001, the BIOMAT International Symposium gathers together, in a single conference, researchers from Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and affine fields to promote the interdisciplinary exchange of results, ideasand techniques, promoting truly international cooperation for problem discussion. The 2018 edition of BIOMAT International Symposium received contributions by authors from seventeen countries: Algeria, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Russia, and Senegal. Selected papers presented at the 2017 edition of this Symposium were also published by Springer, in the volume “Trends in Biomathematics: Modeling, Optimization and Computational Problems” (978-3-319-91091-8).

Over the course of a scientific career spanning more than fifty years, Alex Grossmann (1930-2019) made many important contributions to a wide range of areas including, among others, mathematics, numerical analysis, physics, genetics, and biology. His lasting influence can be seen not only in his research and numerous publications, but also through the relationships he cultivated with his collaborators and students. This edited volume features chapters written by some of these colleagues, as well as researchers whom Grossmann's work and way of thinking has impacted in a decisive way. Reflecting the diversity of his interests and their interdisciplinary nature, these chapters explore a variety of current topics in quantum mechanics, elementary particles, and theoretical physics; wavelets and mathematical analysis; and genomics and biology. A scientific biography of Grossmann, along with a more personal biography written by his son, serve as an introduction. Also included are the introduction to his PhD thesis and an unpublished paper coauthored by him. Researchers working in any of the fields listed above will find this volume to be an insightful and informative work.

Bio-based materials, including those containing wood, will become increasingly important as we move to a bio-based economy. Among their many attributes, it is vitally important that these materials are renewable, sustainable with proper management and environmentally benign. Wood remains one of our most important bio-based materials. While it is an amazing material, wood still has negative attributes and drawbacks that can affect performance, including dimensional instability when wetted, vulnerability to fire and high temperatures, and susceptibility to biodeterioration. A variety of treatments have been developed to overcome these weaknesses. Among the most exciting of these treatments are nanomaterials. These materials have some exceptionally attractive properties for improving timber performance and have been the subject of intensive research over the past decade. There is a tremendous need for a single comprehensive source of information on this rapidly emerging subject withtremendous potential to enhance the performance of a variety of bio-based materials. This book contains 10 chapters, each compiled by different author(s) who are considered the top researcher(s) in their respective fields. The chapters begin with some basic background on nanomaterials and their synthesis, then explore different areas for potential applications and conclude with a review of the emerging questions about nanomaterial safety. The book is designed to provide the latest information and know-how on application and utilization of different nanomaterials to improve the properties of wood and wood-based composite panels. The contents cover some main topics in the industry including improving physical and mechanical properties, increasing resistance to biodegradation (including fungi and insects), developing wood-plastic composites (WPC), applying nanomaterials in paper and board industry, and emergence of transparent wood and radiation shielding. It also covers the use of nanomaterials to improve the performance of paints and finishes used for forest products. The book provides a single location for those interested in the field to begin.

Grassland covers 26% of the world's total land area. It produces feed for livestock; maintains soil fertility; protects and conserves soil and water resources; creates a habitat for wildlife; provides recreational space for sport and leisure and contributes to the general landscape. This book provides an up-to-date account of progress and potential in the genetic improvement of grassland to meet all needs. It encompasses work on a wide range of temperate and tropical grassland species (including grasses, clovers and other forage legumes) and will interest all those concerned with grassland use in livestock-based agriculture, recreation, environmental protection, bio-industry etc. Specifically, it demonstrates how recent advances in molecular techniques are being used to develop breeding objectives and strategies with key-note papers on: Objectives and benefits of molecular breeding, Linkage/physical mapping and map-based cloning, QTL analysis and trait dissection, Genomics, model species, gene discovery and functional analysis, Use of molecular markers and bioinformatics for breeding, Molecular genetics and breeding of endosymbiont and grass/legume associations, Transgenics, Genetic diversity, breeding systems and resources Future directions for research and breeding. State-of-the-art molecular techniques and resources are described that encompass a unique range of expertise in genetic mapping, trait dissection, comparative genomics, bioinformatics, gene discovery and risk assessment. Examples of work in progress or recently completed are provided from across the world. The book has broad educational value and will interest plant geneticists and breeders as well as grassland users and policy makers.

The book presents a machine-generated literature review on CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) from 114 selected papers published by Springer Nature in the last few years, which are then organized by the book editors with a human-written introduction to each chapter. Each chapter presents summaries of predefined themes and provides the reader with a basis for further exploration of the topic. As one of the experimental projects initiated by Springer Nature for AI book content generation, this book shows the latest developments in the CRISPR field. It will be a useful reference for graduate students who are interested in CRISPR-related research and early-career researchers who need an overview of the current development of the field.

DNA and RNA extraction methods from a variety of tissues and samples are now routine, including extraction from single cells. Many methods are now automated. Sequencing efficiency has reached the point where it is now possible to obtain gigabases of data, both quickly and inexpensively. Such methods permit the identification of gene versions, including those associated with disease (e.g. small nucleotide polymorphism analyses, or SNPs). The general public as well as clinicians can now access a wide variety of literature on the molecular bases of diseases, allowing them to better assess disease risks and treatments. This volume concentrates on medically-focused methods, and therefore the major audience will be medical professionals, students, and those involved in medically-related research endeavors. There are also papers in this volume dealing specifically with methods developed to analyze large sequence data sets. Many methods reviewed herein are more broadly applicable to other fields in biology, chemistry, bioinformatics, and bioengineering, and are intended for a broad readership.Key Features Summarizes nucleic acid extractions from a wide variety of tissues and cells Describes processes of nucleic acid preservation Reviews forensic sampling, detection of nucleic acids, and delivery of nucleic acids to multicellular organisms Provides essential guidance for sequencing, sequence analysis, database searches, and phylogenetic analyses Includes additional methods useful for analysis of nucleic acids and proteins Related TitlesDeSalle, et al. Phylogenomics: A Primer (ISBN 978-0-3670-2849-7).Jennings, W. B. Phylogenomic Data Acquisition: Principles and Practice (ISBN 978-0-3678-6980-9).Wang, X. Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis (ISBN 978-1-4822-1788-9)Sung, W.-K. Algorithms for Next-Generation Sequencing (ISBN 978-0-3676-5797-0)

Several years ago, Thomas Steitz agreed to contribute a volume to the'World Scientific Series in Structural Biology'that would deal with the contributions he and his coworkers have made to structural biology during his remarkable career. Sadly, Tom died in the fall of 2018 before he had had time to do more than produce an outline for this book, and a list of the reprints he wanted it to contain.Fortunately, Tom's colleagues and coworkers responded enthusiastically when they were informed later that fall that if they were willing to help out, a volume would be published to commemorate his career. It fell to Anders Liljas, Peggy Eatherton, Tom's longtime administrative assistant, and Peter Moore, a close colleague, to oversee their efforts. Thomas Steitz is best known for the work he and his coworkers did to elucidate the biochemical basis of gene expression. The structures of a large number of the macromolecules involved in transcription and translation emerged from his laboratory over the course of his career. This book includes reprints of the most important papers he had published, grouped according to the structures they relate to, and commentaries written by the scientists who collaborated with him to solve each of them. It thus summarizes the achievements of one of the most distinguished biochemists of the second half of the 20th century.

This book comprises selected papers of the 25th International Conference on Difference Equations and Applications, ICDEA 2019, held at UCL, London, UK, in June 2019. The volume details the latest research on difference equations and discrete dynamical systems, and their application to areas such as biology, economics, and the social sciences. Some chapters have a tutorial style and cover the history and more recent developments for a particular topic, such as chaos, bifurcation theory, monotone dynamics, and global stability. Other chapters cover the latest personal research contributions of the author(s) in their particular area of expertise and range from the more technical articles on abstract systems to those that discuss the application of difference equations to real-world problems. The book is of interest to both Ph.D. students and researchers alike who wish to keep abreast of the latest developments in difference equations and discrete dynamical systems.

The book is mainly written to update the students regarding the latest trend in agriculture competitive examinations. The book will equip the students with the latest trend and to upgrade them with the pattern and style of questions generally asked in such examinations. This book contains eight solved papers of States and also includes FAQs covering eight discipline of agriculture.

An anthropological study based on ethnographic work in Israel and Qatar explores the relationship between science, particularly genetics, and national identity.Based on ethnographic work in Israel and Qatar, two small Middle Eastern ethnonations with significant biomedical resources, Genomic Citizenship explores the relationship between science and identity. Ian McGonigle, originally trained as a biochemist, draws on anthropological theory, STS, intellectual history, critical theory, Middle Eastern studies, cultural studies, and critical legal studies. He connects biomedical research on ethnic populations to the political, economic, legal, and historical context of the state; to global trends in genetic medicine; and to the politics of identity in the context of global biomedical research. Genomic Citizenship is more an anthropology of scientific objects than an anthropology of scientists or an ethnography of the laboratory. McGonigle bases his untraditional project on traditional anthropological methods, including participant observation. Some of the most persuasive data in the book are from public records, legal and historical sources, published scientific papers, institutional reports, websites, and brochures. McGonigle discusses biological understandings of Jewishness, especially in relation to the intellectual history of Zionism and Jewish political thought, and considers the possibility of a novel application of genetics in assigning Israeli citizenship. He also describes developments in genetic medicine in Qatar and analyzes the Qatari Biobank in the context of Qatari nationalism and state-building projects. Considering possible consequences of findings on the diverse origins of the Qatari population for tribal identities, he argues that the nation cannot be defined as either a purely natural or biological entity. Rather, it is reified, reinscribed, and refracted through genomic research and discourse.

This volume gathers papers originally presented at the 3rd Workshop on Branching Processes and their Applications (WBPA15), which was held from 7 to 10 April 2015 in Badajoz, Spain (http://branching.unex.es/wbpa15/index.htm). The papers address a broad range of theoretical and practical aspects of branching process theory. Further, they amply demonstrate that the theoretical research in this area remains vital and topical, as well as the relevance of branching concepts in the development of theoretical approaches to solving new problems in applied fields such as Epidemiology, Biology, Genetics, and, of course, Population Dynamics.The topics covered can broadly be classified into the following areas:1. Coalescent Branching Processes2. Branching Random Walks3. Population Growth Models in Varying and Random Environments4. Size/Density/Resource-Dependent Branching Models5. Age-Dependent Branching Models6. Special Branching Models7. Applications in Epidemiology8. Applications in Biology and GeneticsOffering a valuable reference guide to contemporary branching process theory, the book also explores many open problems, paving the way for future research.

This proceedings is a collection of 46 selected papers that were presented at the 12th International Wheat Genetics Symposium (IWGS). Since the launch of the wheat genome sequencing project in 2005, the arrival of draft genome sequences has marked a new era in wheat genetics and genomics, catalyzing rapid advancement in the field. This book provides a comprehensive review of the forefront of wheat research, across various important topics such as germplasm and genetic diversity, cytogenetics and allopolyploid evolution, genome sequencing, structural and functional genomics, gene function and molecular biology, biotic stress, abiotic stress, grain quality, and classical and molecular breeding. Following an introduction, 9 parts of the book are dedicated to each of these topics. A final, 11th part entitled “Toward Sustainable Wheat Production” contains 7 excellent papers that were presented in the 12th IWGS Special Session supported by the OECD. With rapid population growth and radical climate changes, the world faces a global food crisis and is in need of another Green Revolution to boost yields of wheat and other widely grown staple crops. Although this book focuses on wheat, many of the newly developed techniques and results presented here can be applied to other plant species with large and complex genomes. As such, this volume is highly recommended for all students and researchers in wheat sciences and related plant sciences and for those who are interested in stable food production and food security.

This book offers a comprehensive collection of papers on CRISPR/Cas genome editing in connection with agriculture, climate-smart crops, food security, translational research applications, bioinformatics analysis, practical applications in cereals, floriculture crops, engineering plants for abiotic stress resistance, the intellectual landscape, regulatory framework, and policy decisions. Gathering contributions by internationally respected experts in the field of CRISPR/Cas genome editing, the book offers an essential guide for researchers, students, teachers and scientists in academia; policymakers; and public companies, private companies and cooperatives interested in understanding and/or applying CRISPR/Cas genome editing to develop new agricultural products.

The global population is increasing rapidly, and feeding the ever-increasing population poses a serious challenge for agriculturalists around the world. Seed is a basic and critical input in agriculture to ensure global food security. Roughly 90 percent of the crops grown all over the world are propagated by seed. However, seed can also harbour and spread pathogens, e.g. fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses etc., which cause devastating diseases. Seed-borne pathogens represent a major threat to crop establishment and yield. Hence, timely detection and diagnosis is a prerequisite for their effective management. The book'Seed-Borne Diseases of Agricultural Crops: Detection, Diagnosis & Management'addresses key issues related to seed-borne/transmitted diseases in various agricultural crops. Divided into 30 chapters, it offers a comprehensive compilation of papers concerning: the history of seed pathology, importance of seed-borne diseases, seed-borne diseases and quarantine, seed health testing and certification, detection and diagnosis of seed-borne diseases and their phytopathogens, host-parasite interactions during development of seed-borne diseases, diversity of seed-borne pathogens, seed-borne diseases in major agricultural crops, non-parasitic seed disorders, mechanisms of seed transmission and seed infection, storage fungi and mycotoxins, impact of seed-borne diseases on human and animal health, and management options for seed-borne diseases. We wish to thank all of the eminent researchers who contributed valuable chapters to our book, which will be immensely useful for students, researchers, academics, and all those involved in various agro-industries.

The application of Biotechnology dates back to the early era of civilization, when people first started to cultivate food crops. While the early applications are certainly still relevant, modern biotechnology is primarily associated with molecular biology, cloning and genetic engineering not only to increase the yield and to improve the quality of the crop but also its potential impact has touched upon virtually all domains of human interactions. Within the last 50 years, several key scientific discoveries revolutionized the biological sciences that facilitated the rapid growth of the biotechnology industry.'Biotechnology and Biological Sciences III'contains the contributions presented at the 3rd International Conference on Biotechnology and Biological Sciences (BIOSPECTRUM 2019, Kolkata, India, 8-10 August 2019). The papers discuss various aspects of Biotechnology such as: microbial biotechnology, bioinformatics and drug designing, innovations in pharmaceutical industries and food processing industries, bioremediation, nano-biotechnology, and molecular-genetics, and will be of interest to academics and professionals involved or interested in these subject areas.

This book gathers selected studies on the industrial applications of glycoside hydrolases (GHs), presenting an updated classification of these enzymes, and discussing their structure, mechanisms, and various approaches to improve their catalytic efficiency. Further, it explains the various industrial applications of glycoside hydrolases in food, effluent treatment, biofuel production, and the paper and pulp industries. Lastly, the book provides a comparative analysis of glycoside hydrolases and discusses the role of metagenomics in the discovery of industrially important enzymes. As such it is a thought-provoking, instructive and informative resource for biochemists, enzymologists, molecular biologists and bioprocess technologists.

Cellulase is a key enzyme of industrial interest and plays a crucial role in the hydrolysis of cellulose, a prime component of plant cell walls. Cellulase covers a broad area in the global market of industrially important enzymes and it is considered as the third largest industrial enzyme globally. Additionally, cellulase contributes about 20% of the total enzyme market globally because of its massive demand in various industries such as in biofuel production, pulp, paper, textile, food, and beverages, as well as in detergent industries. Among these, the demand of cellulase may become frequently selected in the commercial production of biofuels in the future and thus will further increase demand of cellulase in the biofuel industry. Because biofuel production is still not realized in a cost-effective, practical implementation due to its high cost (the higher cost of biofuels is due to higher production costs of enzymes), there is a need to introduce these types of approaches, which will help to lower the cost of enzyme production for developing overall economic biofuel production.

Self-driving cars, natural language recognition, and online recommendation engines are all possible thanks to Machine Learning. Now you can create your own genetic algorithms, nature-inspired swarms, Monte Carlo simulations, cellular automata, and clusters. Learn how to test your ML code and dive into even more advanced topics. If you are a beginner-to-intermediate programmer keen to understand machine learning, this book is for you. Discover machine learning algorithms using a handful of self-contained recipes. Build a repertoire of algorithms, discovering terms and approaches that apply generally. Bake intelligence into your algorithms, guiding them to discover good solutions to problems. In this book, you will: Use heuristics and design fitness functions.Build genetic algorithms.Make nature-inspired swarms with ants, bees and particles.Create Monte Carlo simulations.Investigate cellular automata.Find minima and maxima, using hill climbing and simulated annealing.Try selection methods, including tournament and roulette wheels.Learn about heuristics, fitness functions, metrics, and clusters. Test your code and get inspired to try new problems. Work through scenarios to code your way out of a paper bag; an important skill for any competent programmer. See how the algorithms explore and learn by creating visualizations of each problem. Get inspired to design your own machine learning projects and become familiar with the jargon. What You Need: Code in C++ (>= C++11), Python (2.x or 3.x) and JavaScript (using the HTML5 canvas). Also uses matplotlib and some open source libraries, including SFML, Catch and Cosmic-Ray. These plotting and testing libraries are not required but their use will give you a fuller experience. Armed with just a text editor and compiler/interpreter for your language of choice you can still code along from the general algorithm descriptions.

The green revolution led to the development of improved varieties of crops, especially cereals, and since then, classical or molecular breeding has resulted in the creation of economically valuable species. Thanks to recent developments in genetic engineering, it has become possible to introduce genes from different sources, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, mice and humans, to plants. This technology has made the scientific community aware of the critical role of transgenics, not only as a means of producing stress tolerant crops but also as a platform for the production of therapeutics through molecular farming. This book discusses the commercial applications of plant transgenic technologies, including the use of transgenic cell culture approachesto improve the production of metabolites and high-value therapeutics as well as transgenic plants in pest management. It also explores generation of novel vectors, protein production using chloroplast engineering and the latest developments in this area, such as genome editing in plants. Featuring general discussions and research papers by leading international experts, it is a valuable resource for scientists, teachers, students and industrialists working in the field.

Green genetic engineering is one of the most controversial technologies in recent history. On the basis of a qualitative content analysis of German position papers criticising this technology, this book clarifies three questions: Why is the controversy so vehement and emotional? Why is there no prospect of a compromise on this matter? And what ideas of the relationship between humans and nature play a role in the dispute? ‘Nature'is omnipresent and dazzling, but how is this term used in current social debates? What concrete interpretations is ‘nature'associated with? This study understands the controversy over green genetic engineering as an exemplary controversy that exposes fundamental aspects of the modern age and its relationship to nature.

One of the most profound paradigms that have transformed our understanding about life over the last decades was the acknowledgement that microorganisms play a central role in shaping the past and present environments on Earth and the nature of all life forms. Each organism is the product of its history and all extant life traces back to common ancestors, which were microorganisms. Nowadays, microorganisms represent the vast majority of biodiversity on Earth and have survived nearly 4 billion years of evolutionary change. Microbial evolution occurred and continues to take place in a great variety of environmental conditions. However, we still know little about the processes of evolution as applied to microorganisms and microbial populations. In addition, the molecular mechanisms by which microorganisms communicate/interact with each other and with multicellular organisms remains poorly understood. Such patterns of microbe-host interaction are essential to understand the evolution of microbial symbiosis and pathogenesis.Recent advances in DNA sequencing, high-throughput technologies, and genetic manipulation systems have enabled studies that directly characterize the molecular and genomic bases of evolution, producing data that are making us change our view of the microbial world. The notion that mutations in the coding regions of genomes are, in combination with selective forces, the main contributors to biodiversity needs to be re-examined as evidence accumulates, indicating that many non-coding regions that contain regulatory signals show a high rate of variation even among closely related organisms. Comparative analyses of an increasing number of closely related microbial genomes have yielded exciting insight into the sources of microbial genome variability with respect to gene content, gene order and evolution of genes with unknown functions. Furthermore, laboratory studies (i.e. experimental microbial evolution) are providing fundamental biological insight through direct observation of the evolution process. They not only enable testing evolutionary theory and principles, but also have applications to metabolic engineering and human health. Overall, these studies ranging from viruses to Bacteria to microbial Eukaryotes are illuminating the mechanisms of evolution at a resolution that Darwin, Delbruck and Dobzhansky could barely have imagined. Consequently, it is timely to review and highlight the progress so far as well as discuss what remains unknown and requires future research. This book explores the current state of knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of microbial evolution with a collection of papers written by authors who are leading experts in the field.

This book includes papers presented at the 2017 Joint meeting of Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses Section and Protein Crops Working Group of EUCARPIA-Oil and Protein Crops Section. The theme of the meeting “Breeding Grasses and Protein Crops in the Era of Genomics” has been divided into six parts: (1) Utilisation of genetic resources and pre-breeding, (2) Genetic improvement of quality and agronomic traits, (3) Breeding for enhanced stress tolerance (4) Implementation of phenomics and biometrics, (5) Development of genomic tools and bioinformatics and (6) Reports of Parallel Sessions.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) refers to DNA that can be extracted from environmental samples (such as soil, water, feces, or air) without the prior isolation of any target organism. The analysis of environmental DNA has the potential of providing high-throughput information on taxa and functional genes in a given environment, and is easily amenable to the study of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. It can provide an understanding of past or present biological communities as well as their trophic relationships, and can thus offer useful insights into ecosystem functioning. There is now a rapidly-growing interest amongst biologists in applying analysis of environmental DNA to their own research. However, good practices and protocols dealing with environmental DNA are currently widely dispersed across numerous papers, with many of them presenting only preliminary results and using a diversity of methods. In this context, the principal objective of this practical handbook is to provide biologists (both students and researchers) with the scientific background necessary to assist with the understanding and implementation of best practices and analyses based on environmental DNA.

This volume presents the proceedings of a conference held at Princeton University in April 1995 as part of the DIMACS Special Year on Mathematical Support for Molecular Biology. The subject of the conference was the new area of DNA based computing. DNA based computing is the study of using DNA strands as individual computers. The concept was initiated by Leonard Adleman's paper in Science in November 1994.

This acclaimed biography of 19th century scientist Gregor Mendel is “a fascinating tale of the strange twists and ironies of scientific progress” (Publishers Weekly). A National Book Critics Circle Award finalist In The Monk in the Garden, award-winning author Robin Marantz Henig vividly chronicles the birth of genetics, a field that continues to challenge the way we think about life itself. Tending to his pea plants in a monastery garden, the Moravian monk Gregor Mendel discovered the foundational principles of genetic inheritance. But Mendel's work was ignored during his lifetime, even though it answered the most pressing questions raised by Charles Darwin's revolutionary book, On the Origin of Species. Thirty-five years after his death, Mendel's work was saved from obscurity when three scientists from three different countries nearly simultaneously dusted off his groundbreaking paper and finally recognized its profound significance. From the perplexing silence that greeted his discovery to his ultimate canonization as the father of genetics, Henig presents a tale filled with intrigue, jealousy, and a healthy dose of bad timing. Though little is known about Mendel's life, she'has done a remarkable job of fleshing out the myth with what few facts there are'(Washington Post Book World).

This volume represents an ongoing series entitled Biological Shape Analysis, of which this is the 4th Edition. These proceedings represent state-of-the-art research in the field of biology, broadly-based, that deal with the quantitative analysis of the shape of the biological form. These numerical analyses include Fourier analytic methods, wavelets, neural networks, machine vision, machine learning, median axis transforms, spectral clustering, genome-wide association studies, 3D surface mapping, as well as more traditional morphometric approaches. Studies included are drawn from research in agricultural genetics, anatomy, anthropology, botany, dentistry, entomology, forensics, human evolution, paleontology, primatology, to name a few.The shape of forms can be considered of central importance in terms of identification, comparison, and classification of biological organisms. These proceedings, of which this is the fourth one, are unique in that they deal extensively with a wide range of organisms in biology, including both fauna and flora. They bring together diverse practitioners from a wide variety of disciplines. This represents a major departure from the current emphasis on specialization in the biological sciences. It is of particular importance to note that these issues dealing with shape analysis of biological structures are found to be common across very diverse disciplines and these proceedings are the first ones to highlight this.There are no volumes currently available that are as broadly-based as these proceedings in dealing with the quantification of shape analysis. (1) These volumes are unique in their diversity in covering the biological disciplines; (2) The emphasis on numerical approaches; and (3) the numerous state-of-the-art research papers.

This research monograph provides an introduction to the theory of nonautonomous semiflows with applications to population dynamics. It develops dynamical system approaches to various evolutionary equations such as difference, ordinary, functional, and partial differential equations, and pays more attention to periodic and almost periodic phenomena. The presentation includes persistence theory, monotone dynamics, periodic and almost periodic semiflows, basic reproduction ratios, traveling waves, and global analysis of prototypical population models in ecology and epidemiology. Research mathematicians working with nonlinear dynamics, particularly those interested in applications to biology, will find this book useful. It may also be used as a textbook or as supplementary reading for a graduate special topics course on the theory and applications of dynamical systems. Dr. Xiao-Qiang Zhao is a University Research Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. His main research interests involve applied dynamical systems, nonlinear differential equations, and mathematical biology. He is the author of more than 100 papers, and his research has played an important role in the development of the theory and applications of monotone dynamical systems, periodic and almost periodic semiflows, uniform persistence, and basic reproduction ratios.

The sequencing of genomes has been completed for an increasing number of crop species, and researchers have now succeeded in isolating and characterising many important QTLs/genes. High expectations from genomics, however, are waving back toward the recognition that crop physiology is also important for realistic improvement of crop productivity. Complex processes and networks along various hierarchical levels of crop growth and development can be thoroughly understood with the help of their mathematical description – modelling. The further practical application of these understandings also requires quantitative predictions. In order to better support design, engineering and breeding for new crops and cultivars for improving agricultural production under global warming and climate change, there is an increasing call for an interdisciplinary research approach, which combines modern genetics and genomics, traditional physiology and biochemistry, and advanced bioinformatics and modelling. Such an interdisciplinary approach has been practised in various research groups for many years. However, it does not seem to be fully covered in the format of book publications. We want to initiate a book project on crop systems biology - narrowing the gaps between genotypes and phenotypes and the gaps between crop modelling and genetics/genomics, for publication in 2013/2014. The book will be meant for those scientists and graduate students from fundamental plant biology and applied crop science who are interested in bridging the gap between these two fields. We have invited a group of scientists (who have very good track records in publishing excellent papers in this field or in a closely related area) to contribute chapters to this new book, and they have agreed to do so.​

The book contains recent developments and contemporary research in mathematical analysis and in its application to problems arising from the biological and physical sciences. The book is of interest to readers who wish to learn of new research in such topics as linear and nonlinear analysis, mathematical biology and ecology, dynamical systems, graph theory, variational analysis and inequalities, functional analysis, differential and difference equations, partial differential equations, approximation theory, and chaos.All papers were prepared by participants at the International Conference on Recent Advances in Mathematical Biology, Analysis and Applications (ICMBAA-2015) held during 4–6 June 2015 in Aligarh, India. A focal theme of the conference was the application of mathematics to the biological sciences and on current research in areas of theoretical mathematical analysis that can be used as sophisticated tools for the study of scientific problems. The conference provided researchers, academicians and engineers with a platform that encouraged them to exchange their innovative ideas in mathematical analysis and its applications as well as to form interdisciplinary collaborations.The content of the book is divided into three parts: Part I contains contributions from participants whose topics are related to nonlinear dynamics and its applications in biological sciences. Part II has contributions which concern topics on nonlinear analysis and its applications to a variety of problems in science, engineering and industry. Part III consists of contributions dealing with some problems in applied analysis.

This book provides insight into the instances in which wildlife species can create problems. Some species trigger problems for human activities, but many others need humans to save them and to continue to exist. The text addresses issues faced by economists and politicians dealing with laws involving actions undertaken to resolve the problems of the interaction between humans and wildlife. Here, the words ‘problematic species'are used in their broadest sense, as may be appreciated in the short introductions to the various sections. At times, the authors discuss special cases while always extending the discussion into a more general and broad vision. At others, they present real cutting-edge analysis of ecological topics and issues. The book will be of interest to biologists, ecologists and wildlife managers involved in research on wildlife, parks, and environmental management, as well as to government departments and agencies, NGOs and conservation wildlife organizations. Even those in contact with nature, such as hunters, herders, and farmers, will be able to find a great deal of important information. Specific case studies are selected from among the most significant and prevalent cases throughout the world. A total of 26 papers have been selected for this book, written by zoologists, biologists and ecologists. Many have an interdisciplinary approach, with contributions by economists, criminologists, technical specialists, and engineers.

The book Neuroepigenetic Mechanisms in Health and Disease provides insight into mechanisms of epigenetic control, focusing on molecular, cellular and integrative aspects of neurobiology. Here, leading investigators in the field discuss in each chapter landmark scientific discoveries and recent advances in (neuro) epigenetics. Whereas some chapters concentrate in overviewing basic epigenetic mechanisms and the power of epigenome editing, other sections of the book discuss epigenetic control during learning and memory as well as in diverse brain related alterations, including neurodegenerative and rare neurologic diseases, and psychiatric disorders. In addition, the book covers relevant topics for modern human societies, including how drug abuse, environmental enrichment and meditation can influence brain function through epigenetic mechanisms. This book aims to serve as a useful source for junior scientists to first learn about the topic, as well as to more experienced researchers that seek for a broader view of this rapidly growing field that is beyond their area of specialization.

This book discusses agricultural diversification, nutritional security and environmental sustainability. It helps to address the multipronged challenges of nutritional security while preserving the dwindling natural resources in the current fluctuating climate conditions. Energy-intensive, conventional agricultural production systems accelerate environmental footprints, resource mining, biodiversity losses, and human health problems and reduce soil functionality. Diversified farming can potentially enhance yield, food security, and climate change buffering as it helps to achieve advanced food security by efficient resource use and profit maximization. This book covers the challenges faced during the adoption of diversified farming and opportunities to enhanced food production and minimize the environmental footprints. This book is useful for academicians, researchers, ecologists, environmentalists, students, capacity builders, and policymakers to have in-depth knowledge of this complex and diverse field. This book also helps in devising a road map for policy planning and advancement of existing knowledge for various stakeholders working in this field.

This book presents a new era in parasitology research and involves several contributions on translational results. Readers are equipped with the recent advances of parasitomics (the OMICS study of parasites). World-renowned experts in the field of molecular biology and omics provide a glance of how omics have revolutionized our understanding of parasites and vectors, including the implications of these advances. A particular focus is on comprehending the biology, diagnostics, surveillance, response to treatment, prevention, and control of parasites. Final, cutting-edge studies on disease vectors round out this volume. Overall, five thematic book sections provide a clear overview and smooth findability of contents. Parasitic diseases represent an important burden for healthcare systems, particularly in endemic countries. In recent decades, there have been several advances in dissecting the genome, transcriptome and proteome of parasites allowing researchers worldwide to exploit this information and ameliorate our understanding of parasitoses and infections. For the first time, this collection will permit scientists, students, and all medical professionals around the world to update their knowledge and uncover the impact of going from basic science to implementation in order to mitigate parasitic diseases. In this way, the present work makes an indispensable contribution to practical progress regarding research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Good Health and Well-Being.

The field of metagenomics has revolutionized our comprehension of microbial diversity and function across various habitats, from the human body to terrestrial and aquatic environments. Simultaneously, advancements in AI have empowered researchers to analyze vast troves of genomic data with unprecedented speed and precision, facilitating new insights into the complex interplay between microorganisms and their surroundings.The subject matter in this book provides an overview of metagenomics and discusses the combination of metagenomics and AI and its significant consequences for advancements in science. The chapters examine the approaches, difficulties, and revolutionary uses of AI in metagenomics and provide insight into the convergence of genomics, metagenomics, and AI's potential to revolutionize diverse fields from healthcare to environmental.Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan)

Linguistic and Genetic (mtDNA) Connections between Native Peoples of Alaska and California: Ancient Mariners of the Middle Holocene traces the linguistic and biological connections between contemporary Aleut people of southwest Alaska and historic Utian people of central California. During the Middle Holocene Period, Aleut and Utian languages diverged from their common parent language, Proto-Aleut-Utian (PAU), spoken by people who resided on or near Kodiak Island in coastal southwest Alaska. Around the time of divergence, Utians departed the PAU homeland, migrating by watercraft along the eastern Pacific coast to the San Francisco Bay Area. The affiliation between Aleut and Utian languages is strongly supported by comparative linguistics and by the genetic link (mtDNA) of groups speaking these languages. On their migration, Utians encountered coastal groups speaking languages different from their own. Through these prolonged and intimate interactions, words were borrowed from Utian into the languages of these native coastal communities. Other significant findings explored in this book are the lack of compelling evidence for the kinship of Eskimo and Aleut peoples, despite scholarship's long-term acceptance of this proposal, and the discovery of language-structure features shared by Yeniseian and Na Dene, indicating an historical connection for these circumarctic languages.

This collection of original essays by scientists, theologians, religious studies scholars, and ethicists offers an authoritative, illuminating, and thought-provoking overview of the CRISPR controversy.Genetic science at times ignites explosions of public controversy. In the early 1990s, the Human Genome Project, along with Jurassic Park, frightened the world with genetic determinism. The cloning controversy of 1997 and the stem cell controversy of 1998 prompted bitter moral stand-offs. The fuse has just been lit for the next explosion: the CRISPR controversy. The CRISPR Revolution in Science, Religion, and Ethics channels the energy of that explosion into constructive reflection on the implications of this revolutionary science for religion, ethics, and public policy.Chapters accessibly explain the science behind gene editing and draw out its implications for social impact. This volume reviews the history of genomics from 1990 to date, with special attention to cloning and stem cell research. Contributors address the significance of gene technology for understanding human nature within specific religious traditions. Most importantly, they analyze selected ethical issues: therapy versus enhancement, germ line modification, designer children, patenting, and the long-term effects of gene drive proposals.

Deep Learning in Diabetes Mellitus Detection and Diagnosis focuses on deep learning-based approaches in the field of diabetes mellitus detection and diagnosis, including preprocessing techniques that are an essential part of this subject. This is the first book of its kind to cover deep learning-based approaches in the specific field of diabetes mellitus. This book includes a detailed introductory overview as well as chapters on current applications, preprocessing of data using deep learning, deep learning techniques, complexity, challenges, and future directions. It will be of great interest to researchers and professionals working on diabetes mellitus as well as general medical applications of machine learning.Features: Highlights how the use of deep neural networks-based applications can address new questions and protocols, as well as improve upon existing challenges in diabetes mellitus detection and diagnosis Assists scholars and students who might like to learn about this area as well as others who may have begun without a formal presentation, with no complex mathematical equations Involves exceptional subject coverage and includes the principles needed to understand deep learning

This edited book aims to bring out a comprehensive collection of information on tree biology, breeding, improvement, genetics, and biotechnology. The focus of this book is to address the status of tree biology research through biotechnological, physiological, pathological, and entomological aspects. Trees are dominant and perennial species found in several ecosystems. They are the only piece of infrastructure that gains value over time. Their economic relevance is well known in terms of the production of food, feed, fodder, fuel, timber, and other products. Trees are well-known habitats for different organisms. They also deliver various ecosystem services, including temperature regulation, mitigation of soil erosion, and managing and filtering rainwater. Tree species are versatile and are capable of providing livelihood security to people, besides several other advantages. In the era of high population growth and increasing pressure on agricultural systems, efficient management of tree resources is the need of the time. Therefore, it is essential to understand tree biology, breeding, and improvement. This book comprises information on various aspects of tree breeding, biology, genetics, and research in the improvement of tree species. Applications of tissue culture, biotechnological approaches, tree health management, insect pest management, and nutrient recycling have been covered in the book, along with some chapters on case studies from Rajasthan and Africa. This book is a useful read for agricultural students, researchers, teachers, and professionals interested in the fields of agroforestry, horticulture, silviculture, and tree improvement.

Dissemination of knowledge is the best and only strategy capable of improving clinical management in rare and ultra-rare malignancies, including primary adrenal malignancies. It is preliminary to any further healthcare policy such as, for example, the centralization of cases in referral institutions. Adrenal primary malignancies are probably the rarest among rare pathologies. This epidemiological consideration is at the origin of a vicious circle: the lack of preoperative diagnosis leads to inappropriate surgical procedures and to inadequate follow-up and systemic therapy strategies. Furthermore, when malignancy is recognized, the relative role of systemic, surgical, or other local ablative techniques is often misinterpreted. All this produces a negative impact on survival, also in patients who could have been cured with a correct therapeutic strategy. This open access book provides a user-friendly exploration of these rare conditions, using a transversal approach common in modern precision medicine. The text covers various clinical aspects, including epidemiology, genetics, molecular medicine, imaging, and surgery. Guidelines for managing syndromic situations are provided. The book thoroughly addresses all the different surgical issues and emphasizes the importance of pathology in assessing prognosis. The pivotal role of medical oncologists in managing these patients is explored, along with alternative treatments such as nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. Finally, the book highlights the latest preclinical research and its implications for translational medicine.

This book delves deeply into the field of microbial biological control. It is the method in which microbes, predators, and pathogens interact in a complex action to defend crops from damaging pests and diseases. This conventional method, which is frequently eclipsed by modern substitutes, is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. In addition to providing a practical way to protect our crops, it also offers a way to preserve the delicate ecosystems'balance while being environmentally benign. This book investigates the use of microbes in sustainable agriculture. It discusses current research and collaborations using helpful bacteria, emphasizing relationships between allies and foes. For disease resistance, emerging technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 and nanotechnology are considered. Market demands for biofertilizers that increase nutritional content and act as eco-friendly insecticides are discussed. Metagenomics, efficient formulations, and soil amendments are amongthe contemporary tools investigated. The volume strongly emphasizes shelf-life extension, biocontrol future trends, and storage, opening the door for creative microbial-based agricultural technologies. This interdisciplinary book is useful for a diverse group of readers including microbiologists, biotechnologists, agronomist, policymakers, university students and those who are interested in the development of strategies for sustainable farming by utilizing microbial communities.

The aim of this book is to cover the domain of craniofacial surgery focusing on neurological and neurosurgical issues. It will offer neurosurgeons and allied specialists a practical way to manage these complex and common malformations in a timely and appropriate way. At the same time, they will be provided the knowledge necessary to understand the functional aspects of these diseases, their anatomical and dynamic impact on the underlying cerebral and vascular structures as well as the cerebrospinal fluid pathways, to overcome the limits of the mere morphological and esthetical correction. Written by experts in the field, the book will represent a reference resource not only for pediatric neurosurgeons and plastic and reconstructive maxillofacial surgeons, but also for all neurosurgeons, residents, and fellows working in this area.

A geneticist and internationally recognized anti-racism educator provides a powerful, science-based rebuttal to common fallacies about human difference. Well-meaning physicians, parents, and even scientists today often spread misinformation about what biology can and can't tell us about our bodies, minds, and identities. In this accessible, myth-busting book, geneticist Shoumita Dasgupta draws on the latest science to correct common misconceptions about how much of our social identities are actually based in genetics. Dasgupta weaves together history, current affairs, and cutting-edge science to break down how genetic concepts are misused and how we can approach scientific evidence in a socially responsible way. With a unifying and intersectional approach disentangling biology from bigotry, the book moves beyond race and gender to incorporate categories like sexual orientation, disability, and class. Where Biology Ends and Bias Begins is an invaluable, empowering resource for biologists, geneticists, science educators, and anyone working against bias in their community.

This open access book compiles the latest research on continuous cover forestry in boreal forests, highlighting both the need for additional information and the exciting possibilities that this method presents. Experts in the field explore topics such as forest regeneration, genetic effects, wood production and yield, wood harvesting, forest damage agents, biodiversity, water effects, carbon cycles of forests, economics, forest planning methods, multiple uses of forests, and forest owners'attitudes. As the world faces increasing pressure to balance the multiple goals of forest management, including raw material production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation, it is becoming clear that different forest management methods are required. Even-aged forest management is well-researched, but continuous forest management is a newer and rapidly evolving approach that is gaining popularity in boreal forests. While an overall synthesis of the subject is not yet possible, this book provides an essential foundation for understanding the current state of continuous cover forestry in boreal forests. With the new research data being accumulated all the time, this book is an invaluable resource for researchers, policymakers, and forest managers who want to stay up-to-date on this important topic.

How understanding our genetic imperfections can change our view of evolution and enrich what it means to be humanIf we start with the presumption that evolution is a constantly improving process, some aspects of our evolution just do not make sense. We have a high rate of genetic diseases, for example, and much of our DNA seems to be pointless. In The Evolution of Imperfection, Laurence Hurst explores our apparently rotten genetic luck.Hurst, a leading authority on evolution and genetics, argues that our evolutionary imperfections proceed directly from two features: the difficulties of pregnancy and the fact that historically there are relatively few of us. In pregnancy, natural selection can favor chromosomes that kill embryos in species (including ours) that continuously receive resources from the mother. Most fertilized eggs don't make it, and incompatibilities between the fetus and mother can lead to lethal disorders of pregnancy. The historically small population size enhances the role of chance, which in turn leads to both accumulation of unnecessary DNA and more mutation.So what can save us? One answer may lie in genetic medicine, which has given us therapies that make killer conditions preventable and even curable.Hurst suggests that our seeming imperfections could be the key to a new way to understand evolution itself. Looking at circumstances that seem to defy explanation, we might come to a richer understanding of how evolution really works, and what it means to be human.